at large of the miraculous Government of the State of Venice it seemed very strange that the Senat of that Commonwealth studied nothing more then peace and yet with great vigilancy and asseduity did perpetually prepare for Warr and that Armed Peace was only seen in the flourishing Venetian State Iovius was followed by Iohn Bocatchio who said that the true Salt which preserved the Venetian Liberty from the putrifaction and corruption of all abuse was that Supreme Queen of all Laws that excellent Institution so inviolably observed by her that neither the greatness of Parentage abundance of wealth nor the merits of fore-Fathers were considered in the preferment of Senators to high places but the sole worth of him who pretended to the Magistracy was weighed whence it was that there was many vitious and ignorant Gentlemen of Venice but only the most vertuous and well-deserving commanded and governed with that wisdom which was known to all the world But Leonardo Aretine after having much commended Bocatchios opinion added that the excellent custom of the State of Venice in not conferring places upon her Nobility by skips and leaps but by degrees and gradation was that sound Basis whereon the greatness and eternity of such Liberty was grounded and that it was an excellent rule that whatsoever Noble man would arive at the Supreme Dignities he must even from his youth begin at the meanest Magistracies A wholsom custom which produceth the important effect of maintaining that true and essential equality amongst the Nobles of an Aristocracy which makes Liberty long-liv'd For with those that understand State Affairs the parity of wealth is not that which equals Senators in a Commonwealth but the making all the Nobles march on towards the grandeur of the highest Dignities beginning at the meanest Imployments A Law well worthy the Venetian Wisdom which because the ancient Roman Commonwealth did want her Liberty was but short-liv'd and yet was still molested with dangerous infirmities and tumultuous insurrections For the base abuse of giving the Consulship of a Free Country and the chief places in the Army to Pompey and Cesar and other rich Subjects in the prime of their youth was no better then to deal with them rather like men born of Royal bloud like Lords and Masters of their Countries Liberty then like Senators of a well regulated Republick For since it is a certain truth that that is a well ordered Commonwealth where the hopes of some yet higher dignity remains even to the worthyest Senators and men of great merit which may serve for sharp spurs to such as are ambitious of glory to make them make haste in the streight path of Vertue that they may the sooner arive at the Gole of the desired Magistracy what greater preferment remained to be hoped for in their age by Cesar and Pompey who in their youth obtained from the Commonwealth of Rome not without much imprudency the highest honours and supremest dignities then that absolute Tyrannical Power to which Cesar openly and Pompey more cunningly did afterwards aspire A great mis-government and from which the famous Roman Liberty might presage her death Though the most glorious Venetian Liberty gave great signes that she was very well pleased with Aratines opinion she notwithstanding commanded the remainder of the Vertuosi to speak theirs Then thus began Benedetto Varchi My Republick of Florence which never had the luck to work peace and union between her noble Families and that mutual love which doth perpetuate the liberty of Commonwealths was at last compelled to fall into servitude Wherefore this appears to me to be the rarest of humane Miracles that a noble Venetian though never so highly offended by the murder of his children and in his own person being more violently wrought upon by his fervent charity towards the freedom of his Country then frighted by the rigor of Magistrates can with a free soul put on the hard resolution of forgiving his enemy at that very instant the injury which he hath received Certainly a most admirable resolution and so much the more worthy of wonder as that it is evidently seen that the noble Venetian knows how to trust the Senat willingly with the revenge of any injury he can receive when sensual men are very loath to remit the like into the hands of God from whom we receive all that we have of good Thus said Varchi when Lodovico Dolci added That if that were true which is confessed by all men that the rarest and most considerable vertue in a Prince was to be able with ease and without any danger to disarm his Captain General and to receive perfect obedience from him even then when he knew he was sent for back by an incensed Prince and one who did much suspect his Loyalty his opinion was that of all other things which the rest had mentioned of rare in the State of Venice this was to be preferred That she did not only with great ease disarm her Captain Generals at Sea but that when her chiefest Ministers knew that the Senat was highly displeased with them and that therefore they were sure to be severely punished though they were absent well arm'd and in great command if it should so happen that they should be sent for by the State they would with great readiness obey and laying down their Arms and Authority of Chief Magistrates hasten to Venice to receive Judgement from their friends and kinâ—…ed though it might cost them their lives The examples whereof had been so often seen in Venice in his time as it had filled the whole world with wonder That therefore he thought he might justly say he should be much injured if the so great Authority of the State of Venice the so great submission obedience and unheard of charity of the Venetian Nobility to the Publick Liberty were not preferred before all those admirable Laws and excellent Institutions which others had spoken of before him The most Sâ—…ene Venetian Liberty which without replying any one word to these Vertuosi had heard all these her so many lawdable Customs and her so many miraculous Prerogatives said to Lodovico â—…olci that what he had said was very considerable but that it was a benefit which the Ottaman Emperors likewise enjoyed but that she acknowledged all her Grandesta from one only Prerogative which she was exactly Mistress of and wherein she knew she did excell all Principalities and all Commonwealths as well past as present which had not yet been touched upon by any of those Vertuosi Then said Dionigi Antonigi That the greatest wonder and which ought to be praised even to the skies was To see that the dreadful Tribunal of the Councel of Ten and the Supreme Magistracy of the State-Inquisitors could with three Balleting Balls easily bury alive any Cesar or Pompey which began to discover himself in that well-governed State Attonigi had no sooner spoke his opinion but Ierolimo Mercuriali added That whilst he exercised his charge of reading in the
him by a Literato which was made upon the Poem of an Italian Vertuosi A TABLE Of the CONTENTS of the Second CENTURY of ADVERTISEMENTS ADVERT 1. THe Province of Phosides doth by her Ambassadors complain to Apollo that his Majesties Officers do not any whit observe their priviledges and are not only not listened to in what they do say but receive a harsh answer 199 Advert 2. Apollo makes use of the unfortunate Count St Paul to frighten the Nobility in Kingdoms from rebelling against their natural Lords at the pressure of forreign Princes 200 Advert 3. Great Euclid for having distasted some powerfull men is cruelly beaten by their Bravoes 201 Advert 4. In a Duel which hapned between an Italian Poet and a Vertuosi of Spain the Spaniard being wounded to death did so gallant an action before he expired as Apollo gave order that he should be solemnly buried at the publick charge ibid. Advert 5. Apollo having used great diligence to come by any of the Idols of Princes proceeds with severity against one who fell inâ—… the Iudges power 203 Advert 6. All the Monarchies of the world affrighted at the over-great power and successful proceedings of the German Commonwealths consult in a general Diet how to keep themselves from being in time oppressed by them 205 Advert 7 The people of Phosides treating how they might rise in Rebellion by reason of the Relation which their Ambassadors made unto them who were formerly sent to Apollo to pray hat their priviledges might be observed the remedy fittest to be applyed to such a disorder is discussed in his Majesties Council 219 Adver 8. A great controversie arising in point of precedency between the Prince of Bisagnano and Dr. Juliano Corbelli of St Marino Apollo refers the consideration thereof to the Congregation of Ceremonies by which it is decided 220 Advert 9. Apollo publisheth a very severe Edict against some Literati who under a cloke of feigned picty cover downright avarice 221 Advert 10. The City Pretor or chief Iustice of Pernassus complains bitterly before Apollo of the Triumviri a Magistracy newly instituted by his Majesty that in an Edict of theirs published against Minius and other Ministers of Princes obscenities they have violated his Iurisdiction 222 Advert 11. The Inhabitants of Phocides fall into open rebellion by reason that the Priviledges of their Country â—…re not observed by Apollo's Officers they are pacified by a Senator and send new Ambassadors to his Majesty 223 Advert 12. Whilst some Poets paralleld the greatness of Rome with that of Naples a dangerous dispute arose between them Apollo to the end that his Vertuosi might know what to say and believe in a business of such importance commits the cause to the Rota of Pernassus who decide it 226 Advert 13. Theodoricus that famous King of Italy having oft-times prest very much to be admitted into Pernassus is a waies denied by Apollo for a very important reason 227 Advert 14. Apollo according to his usual custom of the first day of every month hears the Petitions of such as desire to be admitted into Pernassus 228 Advert 15. At a publick meeting Force contrary to the custom of the Plebeian Court pretending to take place of Reputation that beautiful Lady with excellent resolution finds a remedy for her reputation which was in great hazard 246 Advert 16. Giovan Francisco Pico Count of Mirandola that he might the more quietly attend his studies entreats Monsignor Dino da Mugello Auditor of the Exchequer in Pernassus that the Reformers by reason of the too great noise which they alwaies make in their profession may be removed further from his neighbourhood and is not heard in his desire 247 Advert 17. Tacitus being excluded from out of the most famous Commonwealths of Europe makes a grievous complaint to Apollo and is by them with much honour received again and much made of 249 Advert 18. The blindman of Forli that famous Italian Mountebank being to the wonder of all the Senat of Vertuosi admitted by Apollo into Pernassus is by his Majesty put upon an imployment of importance 250 Advert 19. Luigi Alemanni having in an elegant Oration set forth the praises of the French Nation repented that his action afterward and desired leave of Apollo to make his Recantation but was not permitted so to do 252 Advert 20. Corbulone having with much honour ended his prefixt time of Government in Pindo a Patent to continue the same Iurisdiction for one year longer is graciously sent him by Apollo which he refuseth to accept of 253 Advert 21 Sebastian Veneri Duke of Venice after his admittance into Pernassus desires Apollo that he may have the precedency given him before Hereditary Kings and Monarchs and obtains a favourable Decree from his Majesty 254 Advert 22. Apollo being greatly moved to compassion by seeing a poor souldier who had lost both his hands in the Wars go a begging doth sharply reprehend Princes for their ingratitude to Military men 256 Advert 23. Apollo greatly compassionating the lamentable shipwrack which his Vertuosi make in great Princes Courts to secure their Navigation commands some of the chief Literati of his State to make a Card whereby men may sail by land 257 Advert 24. Ariadeno Barbarossa being driven by a sudden storm splits upon the Scogli Cursolari and Maturino Romagasso Captain of the Guard of the Gulf of Lepanto endeavours his escape when he might have taken him prisoner 262 Advert 25. Epictetus a Stoick Philosopher who finding his Sect to grow much deformed asks leave of Apollo to ground a new Sect of Reformed Stoicks and is rather reprehended by his Majesty then commended 263 Advert 26. The Nobility of the Commonwealth of Achaia not being able any longer to indure the insolency of the Commons who Governed the State send Ambassadors to Apollo to obtain a Prince who may Govern them and receive a gracious answer 265 Advert 27. Apollo having for a just cause removed Gulielmo Budeo from the Lord Treasures place confers the aforesaid place upon Diego Covarruvia a Noble Spanish Literato and Dean of the College of the Grand Sages of this Court though he was much gainsaid therein by the French Monarchy 266 Advert 28. Monsieur Jovanni de la Casa having presented Apollo with his most useful Galateo meets with great difficulties in many Nations in having it observed 269 Advert 29. Apollo finding that wicked men by making use of the sword of Iustice to injure honest men do make his Tribunals become very hatefull to remedy so great a disorder institutes a Committee of the greatest subjects of this State but hath but bad success therein 272 Advert 30. Marcus Brutus desires Lucius Brutus to shew him the perfections of the Conspiracy which he so happily brought to pass against the Tarquins and the Imperfections of that Conspiracy which he so miserably executed upon Cesar. And receives desired satisfaction from him 273 Advert 31. Marcus Cato having to the infinite dislike of Princes writ
60. A Literato desires of Apollo the Art of Memory for which he is laught at by his Majesty 118 Advert 61 Juvenâ—…l refuseth a challenge given him by Francisco Berni to contend with him in Satyrical Poetry 119 Advert 62. Domitio Corbulone being severely prosecuted by the Quarantia Criminale a Venetian Magistracy consisting of forty men for some words spoken by him in his Government of Pindo which were formerly declared by Apollo's publick Edict to be Tyrannical is at last acâ—…uitted with much praise 121 Advert 63. The Chaire of private Tranquillity being void by Diogenes the Cynicks promotion to a higher degree Apollo offers it to the famous â—…hilosopher Crates who refuseth it 122 Advert 64. Many people having wasted themselves in keeping great Tables and going gloriously attired desire their Princes to make a Pragmatical Law for the moderation of such expences but obtain not their suit 123 Advert 64. Johannes Bodinus presents Apollo with his six Books of his Commonwealth wherein it being found that he approves of Liberty of Conscience he is sentenced to be burn'd 124 Advert 65. Apollo punisheth a Poet severely for having been so desperate as to blaspheme 129 Advert 66. The Vertuosi of Pernassus visit the Temple of Divine Providence whom they thank for the great charity which she hath shewn to mankind 130 Advert 67. The most excellent Paolo Peruta by order from Apollo declares in the publick Politick Schools what the genuine signification is of that Precept in Policy That to Reigne securely the people must be kept under ib. Advert 68. A Noble born Laconick Senator having committed a great fault the Duke of Laconia thinks it wisdom to pass by it 132 Advert 69. Andrea Alciati finding himself injuriously persecuted in his place of Magistracy flies for help to Apollo but finds none 133 Advert 70. â—…he Lady Victoria Colonna begs of Apollo in name of all the Feminine Sex that such married men as are Adulterers may suffer the like infamy as unchast wives do 135 Advert 71. Cesar having taxed Marcus Brutus of ingratitude in a full Assembly of great Personages they challenge one another 136 Advert 72. Certain subjects desire their Princes that the infinite multitude of Laws which they live under may be reduced to a lesser number and that the Governors of Provinces may be forbidden to publish every day new Proclamations 139 Advert 73. The Vertuosi of Italy beg of Apollo that Philosophy may be treated on in the Italian Tongue and are denied their request 141 Advert 74. Apollo shews unto his Literati the true meaning of the Latine Sentence Homo longus raro sapiens A tall man is seldom wise Advert 75. The Ruota di Parnasso having decided a Point in difference between the Military men and the Literation the Military mens behalf are aware of their error and withdraw their Sentence 143 Advert 76. Aristotle being besieged in his Countrey-House by many Princes is by them forced to revoke his Definition of a Tyrant 144 Advert 77. By Order from Apollo a general Reformation of the world is published by the seven Wise men of Greece and by the other Literati 146 Advert 78. Apollo hearing of the happy alliance of the two illustrious daughters of Charls Emanuel with the two Noble Princes of Mantua and Modena commands that extraordinary demonstrations of joy be made throâ—…ghout his whole Dominions 162 Advert 79. The antient Commonwealth of Rome and the Modern Veneâ—…ian Liberty argue together wâ—…at the true rewards of honour be by which well ordered Commonwealths do acknowledge the worth of their well-deserving Senators 164 Advert 80. The people of Lesbos after Cornelius Tacitus ran away from them chuse Anna Momorancy by Apollos appointment for their Prince 167 Advert 81. The excellent Bâ—…lognian Physitian Jovanni Zecca sels in Pernassus the true Antidote againâ—… the French Pox. 168 Advert 82. The Literati of Parnassus do with great solemnity celebrate the Holy day dedicated to the laudable Lawrel-Leaves 169 Advert 83. Apollo having highly commended the King of Spains Decree That no Advocates nor Proctor should go into the Indies The Doctors of Law quarrel grievously with his Majesty for it 171 Advert 84. The chiefest Literati of Pernassus desire Apollo that Tacitus may re-compose those Books of his Annals and Histories which are lost 172 Advert 85. Apollo being advertised that ignorant men took up arms against Learning puts himself in posture to defend his Verâ—…uosi 173 Advert 86. Justus Lipsius to make amends for his fault in having accused Tacitus is so intent thereupon as he is accused before Apollo to have idolatrized him for which after a seigned punishment he is at last praised and admired by his Majesty 175 Advert 87. The Queen of Italy being much intreated by her chiefest Princes and by Apollo's self to pardon the injuries done by those Italian Commanders who took up arms against her in assistance of Forreign Nations denies to do it 171 Advert 88. The whole generation of sheep send their publike Ambassadors to Apollo by whom they make their desires known that they may be aâ—…d to have sharp teeth and long horns and their desire is laughed at by his Majesty 173 Advert 89. Nicholas Machiavel being banished Pernassus upon pain of death was found hidden in a friends Library for which his former sentence of being burn'd was executed 175 Advert 90. Apollo visits the Prisons and in his visitation dispatches the causes of many Literati accused of sundry faults and imprisoned for debt 177 Advert 91. A great Prince in discharge of a Vow that he had made carries a rich Vessel to the Temple which the Priest receiving with shew of great sadness the Prince desires the reason thereof and receives satisfaction 188 Advert 92. Apollo forbids the Shepherds of Arcadia to fatten hogs any more and being earnestly intreated to revoke that his Decree denies it 189 Advert 93. It being observed that Pero Trasea in company of his son in Law Elvidius Priseo frequented the houses of the chiefest Poetesses of Pernassus he is severely reprehended for it by Apollo ib. Advert 94. A chief Senator of Poland whilst he corrects another Senator who is a friend of his is made aware that he himself is he who goes astray and needs amendment 191 Advert 95. A controversie arising between the Governors of Pindo and of Libetro in point of Iurisdiction Apollo punisheth them both 192 Advert 96. Apollo sentenceth Hanibal Caro to pay his forfeited security for the wounds which he gave Castelvetro 193 Advert 97. Dante Aligieri being assaulted by night in his Countrey-house and ill used by some disguised Vertuosi is relieved by the great French Ronsard 194 Advert 98. All the Princes of the world beseech Apollo that he will insert into their people the love of their Countrey 195 Advert 99. Apollo makes a general hunting of Pismires and Tortoises as being both of them beasts of evil example to mankind 196 Advert 100. Apollo refuseth to receive a Censure presented
the word Libera underneath the Motto Pugna pro Patria which was set upon his Gate is commanded by Apollo to put it out 275 Advert 32. Socrates being found dead in the morning on his bed Apollo useth all possible diligence to learn the true reason of so sudden a death 276 Advert 33. The Hereditary Princes in Parnassus do very much press Apollo that the Emperor Tiberius may be removed from their Classis and placed in that of Tyrants and he defends his cause victoriously before his Majesty 277 Advert 34. Hippocrates having advised Apollo how to prevent the frequent deaths of sick folks occasioned through the ignorance of Physicians and proving unfortunate in that his advice is in great danger of being severely punished by his Majesty 282 Advert 35. Francisco Mauro a Noble Italian Poet having married the most vertuous Lady Laura Terecino is soon after jealous of her and kils her 284 Advert 36. Thais that famous Curtizan of the Comick Poets is at last though after much debate admitted into Pernassus who much to Apollo's satisfaction tels what good she hopes to bring to his Court 286 Advert 37. The Ambassadors of the Province of Marca being sent to this Court in a publick Audience complain unto his Majesty of an unfortunate affair which hath befalne his Inhabitants of that Province for which Apollo provides sufficient remedy with singular demonstration of true love and affection 289 Advert 38. Gonzalvo Ferrante Cordova desires Apollo that the Title of Magno or Great may be confirmed unto him and instead of being granted his request receâ—…ves a very u satisfactory answer 290 Advert 39. Many of the French Nobility intreat their Monarchy that according as the Nobility of Commonwealths doe it may be lawfull for them to use Merchandizing and are by her shamefully denied 293 Advert 40. The Honourable Title of Messere being faln into a miserable condition is shamefully driven out of the Kingdom of Naples and not being received into Rome as it is thought it should be for its last refuge hath its recourse to Apollo who assignes it a very satisfactory abode 295 Advert 41. The Censors of Pernassus having by order from Apollo published a rigorous Edict against Hypocrites are forced to moderate it by reason of a weighty particular discovered unto them by Plato 296 Advert 42. The Immense bulk of the Ottoman Empire which was thought by the wise men to be everlasting doth now of it self so destroy it self as it threatens present ruine 297 Advert 43. The Prince of Helicon desires by an Ambassador of his from Apollo the priviledg of ordaining birthright amongst the Nobles of his State which his Majesty denies to grant 298 Advert 44. The Duke of Alva being accused of cruelty for having with exquisite deligence caused two of the prime subjects of his new Principality of Achaia to be imprisoned slain and afterwards secretly buried in their very prisons defends himself stoutly before Apollo 301 Advert 45. A chief subject of the Province of Macedonia being hired by the Prince of Epire at a great salary when he came to know the right cause why that Pension was given him doth magnanimously refuse it 303 Advert 46. The tenth of June is observed as a sad and mournful day in Pernassus in memory of the unfortunate loss of the Decads of Titus Livy 304 Advert 47. Apollo having appointed Hospitals to every Nation for their fools puts down that of Florence by reason of the few fools that are found amongst the Florentines and adds the revenue thereof to the Lombards Hospital which by reason of the greater number of fools that flock thither was run far in Arrears 305 Apollo's Sea-Captains having in one of their Assemblies made many useful Decrees for their Militia his Majesty orders that they be made known to Courtiers and commands the punctual observancy of them 306 Advert 49. Natalis Comes an Historian is severely punished by Apollo for having said somewhat in an Assembly of the Literati which did hainously offend his Majesty 307 Advert 50. The chief Monarchies of Europe and Asia which now reside in Pernassus fall sick at one and the same instant and not being to be cured by Esculapius Hippocrates or any other able Physician they are restored to their health by a skilful Farrier ib. Advert 51. The Achaians being much incensed against the Duke of Alva for his cruel proceeding against their two Chieftains take up arms and drive him out of their State 309 Advert 52. An Italian Gentleman for having lost much bloud in the service of a great Prince is honoured by him with a Noble Order of Knighthood who being but slightly esteemed of by those of his own Countrey asks Apollo by what reasons he may satisfie those his deriders that he was the more richly rewarded in that he was paid in honour and not in Gold or Silver 311 Advert 53. Apollo finding that his having allowed the use of the 80 part of one grain of hypocrisie to his Vertuosi had wrought very bad effects does not only recall that his favour by publick Edict but thunders out exceeding severe punishments against hypocrites 312 Advert 54. Guiccardine having spoken many things prejudicial to the reputation of the Marquiss of Piscara in an Assembly of divers Vertuosi that renowned Commander doth sufficiently justifie himself before Apollo 314 Advert 55. The Duke of Alva being accused of cruelty for having with exquisite diligence caused two of the prime subjects of his new Principality of Achaia to be imprisoned slain and afterwards secretly buried in their very prisons defends himself stoutly before Apollo 301 Advert 55. Giovan Francisco Pico not being able to reconcile the differences between Plato and Aristotle Apollo commands those two great Philosophers to end the business in a publick Disputation and being therein obey'd they do not notwithstanding part friends 319 Advert 56. Gonsalvo Ferrante Cordua not having obtained the confirmation of his desired Title of Magnus from the reverend College of Historians demands another place in Pernassus of Apollo from whence he is likewise excluded 321 Advert 57. A Barque loaded with inventors of new grievances running shipwrack upon the shore of Lepanto his Majesty treats them well though he do greatly abominate such like men 323 Advert 58. By Letters intercepted which were sent by an express from some Princes to the Lake of Avernus people come to know that the enmities whâ—…ch are seen to reign in the Nations of the world are occasioned by the cunning of their Princes 324 Advert 59. The Prince of the Laconicks Nephew bâ—…ing after his Uncles death to return to a private Fortune shews no well composed minde in making so dangerous a passage 326 Advert 60. Antonio Perez of Aragon having presented Apollo with his Book of Relations his Majesty does not only refuse to receive it but commands it to be presently burn'd 328 Advert 61. Apollo to afford pastime to his Literati makes two useful Scenes be represented upon Melpomene's Theatre in
profane the vertuous Habitations of Parnassus Apollo sent many years agoe for two Companies of Riming Poets from Sicily who were very fortunate in their Meeter and had their conceits at their fingers ends whose Office was to scoure the Country and keep the fields free These some eight daies agoe took a Poetaster prisoner who was banished from Parnassus upon forfeiture of life if he should ever return thether and who though he were interdicted the use of Books or exercise of Pen yet he was seen every day in despite of Apollo and in Scorn of the Soveraign Muses to defile paper with Verses and even to pretend to the sublime name of Poet. The misdements of this fellow were much aggravated by a pair of Cards which the Sergeants whilst they were searching him found in his pocket which as conducing only to vice are capitally condemned They being therefore forthwith brought to Apollo he was strangely astonished at the bruitishness of the invention found out by vitious men to spend their time and waste their reputation and means but his Majestie did much more wonder when he understood that the foolishness of these men was arived at that height that they called that play which is done in so very great earnest and that they thought it a delight sport and pastime to hazard that money which is purchased with so much labour and which serves for so many things as without it Aristotle would be thought ignorant by the modern world and Alexander the Great a Plebeian Apollo asked this man what Game he used to play most at Who answering Trump Apollo commanded him to play at it which when he had done Apollo penetrating into the deep mysteries thereof cryed out That the Game of Trump was the true Court-Philosophy a Science necessary for all men to learn who would not live blockishly And appearing much displeased at the affront done this man he first honoured him with the name of Vertuoso and then causing him to be set at liberty he commanded the Beadles that the next morning a particular Colledge should be opened where with the Sallary of 500 Crowns a year for the general good this rare man might read the most excellent Game of Trump and commanded upon great penalty that the Platonicks Peripateticks and all other the Moral Philosophers and Vertuosi of Parnassus should learn so requisite a Science and that they might not forget it he ordered them to study that Game one hour every day and though the learneder sort thought it very strange that it should be possible to gather any thing that was advantagious for the life of man from a base Game used only in Ale-houses yet knowing that his Majesty did never command any thing which made not for the bettering of his Vertuosi they so willingly obeyed him as that School was much frequented But when the Learned found out the deep Mysteries the hidden secrets and the admirable cunning of the excellent Game of Trump they extolled his Majesties Judgement even to the eighth heaven celebrating and magnifying every where that neither Philosophy nor Poetry nor Astrologie nor any of the other most esteemed Sciences but only the miraculous Game of Trump did teach and more particularly such as had business in Court the most important secret that every the least Trump did take all the best Coat-Cards The Third ADVERTISEMENT Apollo having notice how Henry the fourth that Potent King of France was most wickedly Assassinated ordered for the indempnity of his beloved French that powerfull Succour should be sent from Arcadia into France ON the two and twentieth of this present Moneth late at night Apollo heard by an express Post sent with all speed from the University of Paris the sad news of the murder committed upon the glorious King of France Henry the fourth which news did so afflict his Majestie as in testimony of his inward grief he presently vailed his face with a thick dark cloud from which for three whole daies he showred down great store of tears And all the Letterati both Spaniards English Flemmish Germans and Italians did with abundance of tears bewaile the unfortunate mischance of so great a King It must not be here forgot that Apollo amidst his deepest sighes was heard to break forth into these words That the world was come to the poynt of being ready to return to its first Principles since the wicked perfidiousness of some was grown to that height of impiety as they would expose their lives to the Hangmans hands rather to purchase bad than good Fame Two daies after the Posts arival solemn Obsequies were ordered for so mighty a Monarch so as not only all Parnassus was covered with blacks but every of the Letterati put on his long mourning Weede And to shew to all the sacred Colledge of the Vertuosi that the Father of Learning was departed this world the Mecenas of the Vertuosi and the very Muses themselves did with dishevel'd hair assist at the Obsequies in widowy apparel A piece of sorrow not seen in Parnassus since the death of Octavianus Augustus The Learned of all the Colledges and several Sects of Philosophers made above two hundred mournfull Orations and yet of all the vertues of so great a King his more then humane Valor was only praised and t is very true that by reason of the many sighs of the Vertuosi the Orators were scarce heard So as Apollo esteeming it a piece of cruelty to rub the sore of so bitter a wound by continual remembrance as was done by Scollership throughout the whole world he commanded that the Obsequies of so magnanimous a King should be no farther proceeded in since such and so great was the loss as lest the world might live in perpetual affliction men should strive soon to forget it and so much the rather for that the Heroick Vertues of this invincible King were arived at such a height of Eminency as they stood no more in need of being praised by men And for that the noble Kingdom of France may vie and weigh even with Greece it self in point of Learning as is clearly testified by the Delfick Library so fully fraught with infinite Labours of the French Vertuosi for the Indempnity of that florishing Kingdom so dear unto his Majesty And for the better safety of his beloved French Apollo commanded that 60000 Pack-Horses should immediately be sent from Arcadia into France Some of the Vertuosi wondred much at this his Majesties resolution and told him that France which was furnished with so numerous and so noble a Cavalry as that she did not only nor know nor fear danger but did so farr despise it as that she went in quest thereof even by night with the Lanthorn of her undaunted heart that having with her invincible Sword won so famous a Kingdom she would be so well able to maintain her self in this her present misfortune as not to stand in need of Arcadian Pack-Horses To this Apollo answered That his beloved
daughter to Augustus there was not any one who had not ended their lives either by poyson sword famin or some other miserable death To this Cesar's so great heart-grief was added the immence rage which assailed him when he saw the Roman Empire which he had purchased to his so great reputation and with the effusion of his bloud should passe after Augustus his death into that cruel and bloud-thirsty Family of the Claudii which did so detestably persecute the bloud of the Giulii from whom they had inherited so glorious an Empire Nor was the Compunction less which this so very sad sight caused in all the lookers on for thereby the usual calamity of Tyrants was recal'd into their minds who are not only unable to evade Divine inevitable Justice of laying the foundations of new Tyranny by their own violent deaths but that God who is still severe in punishing the wickedness of ambitious men would not permit that his progeny who had dared to undertake so horrid an excess should long enjoy the power of State which had been so ignominiously gotten and which by divine providence fell soon into the power of a family who forced by good policy to extinguish the first Tyrants whole race took publick revenge for subjugated liberty Moreover it was a calamity which the eyes of the cruellest men that were in that Theater could not behold not the hearts of the most ambitious tollerate to see that all Tyrannies are laid with the materials of so many violent deaths which the unslackt lime of such wicked injustice with the sand of so many horrible cruelties and with the water of large lakes of humane blood whilst all the Vertuosie wept to see this so lamentable Spectacle Apollo said with so fearful a voice as infused terrour into every one behold said he you Tyrants who are so desirous of Soveraignty these that you have here before your eyes are the ends of your proud thoughts in these unfortunate Tragedies does the longing and immoderate thirst which such as you have over dominion terminate and those who have impiously made themselves Masters of their Countries liberty bring their families to this greatness that you see Thou Caesar who by thy wicked going about to inslave the so Noble Roman republick didst make it appear that thou either didst not know or didst not fear God see and behold to what height of infelicity he is able to bring thee and all thine Though Caesar gave apparent signes that he was much confused and afflicted to hear these words yet Apollo the more to rent in pieces the soul of this ambitious man and to comfort his Vertuosie who were much afflicted at this so horrid sight and to encourage Senators to preserve the liberty of their Country commanded that the humane Neptune of the Sea the alwaies glorious Prince Andrea d'Oria should be admitted into the Theater with all his most excellent family Whereupon Caesar beholding the happiness of that renowned Family and the glory of those Senators who in the Commonwealth of Genoa were esteemed honour'd and observed as mindful of the great benefit which they had received from that new founder of their new liberty and that that Prince of every happy memory had left so glorious a fame of his modesty behind him in those Citizens the envy he bore to the Grandezza of those Heroes did torment him more then his own misfortune and he then knew that when he and those that descended from him had conquerd France he should have done better and more advisedly if he had undertaken as did that glorious Prince Andrea d'Oria to reestablish the liberty of his Country which was faln into the disorder of a confused Dimocrasie and to beat down the Tyranny of that ignorant people with those very weapons with which he had trampled upon the Senates authority and to have planted a perfect Aristocracy in his Country and so have won unto himself the high Title and glorious prerogative of being the second founder of the Roman liberty by the doing whereof he and his posterity mought have been as famous in Rome as the Family of the Dorii shall ever be glorious in the Noble Republick of Genoa as long as the world shall last The XXII ADVERTISEMENT The Inthroned Academians having admitted the chief she-Poets or Poetesses into Parnassus Apollo commands that they be taken from thence THe inthroned Academians contrary to their ancient Institutions did some few months since admit into their Academy the Vertuous Ladies Victoria Colonna Veronica Gambera Laura Teracina and other famous Lady-Poets of Parnassus which was done with so great applause of the Vertuosie as the Academians set on fire by the beauty of those Ladies were not onely very frequent at their learned exercises but did every day publish such Poesie as made the very Muses wonder but it was not long ere his Majesty smelt a very displeasing savour wherefore he commanded the chief of the inthroned by no means to admit any longer such like parties For he had found at last that Womens true Poetry consisted in their Needle and Spindle and that the learned exercises of Women together with the Virtuosie was like the sporting and playing of Dogs which after a while ends in getting upon one anothers backs The XXIII ADVERISEMENT Justus Lipsius being solemnly admitted into Parnassus the next day after his entrance did contrary to all mens expectation accuse Tacitus for being impius and reaps but little credit thereby JUstus Lipsius as hath been formerly said arrived some few daies ago upon the confines of this State whose writings though they were presently voted worthy to be read by all the Vertuosi and to be deservedly placed amongst the eternal labours of the Learned in his Majesties Library and that consequently eternity should be decreed unto his name in full Senate with as plenary prerogative as hath at any time been granted by this State to any other Subject yet the publick entrance of a person so highly qualified was deferred till Tuseday was sevennight last because the noble Flemish Nation would signalize her self upon this occasion with extraordinary demonstration of honour to this her Citizen wherefore they erected many Triumphant Arches with much splendor and magnificency in the chiefest places of Pernassus The Cavalcata was remarkable for many of the Learned in all Sciences favoured this Senator who having received from his Majesty the noble title of Vniversall in all Sciences every one thought he was knowing in an things and every one wondred when they saw that at the very first meeting Lipsius saluted the Noblest Romans who went to meet him by name as if he had particularly known them His learned writings were carryed by Caius Valerius Patercolus who though his age had made him lame yet to shew himself thankful to Lipsius for some good turn he had received from him did beg this favour of his Majesty By express order from Apollo Lipsius rode in the midst between moral Seneca and
be compleated fell into so great lamentations as being followed therein by the other Vertuosi Lipsius who knew that his Oration could not be heard by reason of the great noise which those sighs and groans made came down from his seat being satisfied for the injury which Pausanius had given him by that interruption with the consolation he received from the Encomium he had made of his Country the Flemmish Nation It was believed by all the Learned of this State that great intimacy and friendship was contracted between Cornelius Tacitus and Giustus Lipsius by reason of the many reciprocal courtesies which had past between them but to the wonder of all the Learned in Parnassus the contrary happened For two daies since Lipsius accused Tacitus for having said some very impious words in his first Book of Histories His Majestie much incenst to hear such an accusation commanded Tacitus to appear before him the next morning and to make his defence Tacitus obeyed this command with such undaunted alacrity as his learned Friends who had been much astonished were greatly cheered I who give you an account of these Informations was present when Beato Renano and Flavio Orsino both of them being Tacitus his good friends drew Lipsius aside and earnestly entreated him that he would desist from that accusation which would prove a great dishonour to himself if he should not be able to make it good and would prove very unfortunate if he should prove it For Tacitus being the first Politick Baron of Parnassus and therefore much followed by potent men who have long hands and short consciences they would certainly in time work their revenge To this Lipsius answered that howsoever he would discharge his conscience which being said he appeared before Apollo where came likewise Tacitus attended by the most pollisht Vertuosi of this Court. Then Lipsius thus began That he was a friend to Socrates a friend to Plato but a greater friend to Truth Here Tacitus interrupted him and bad him leave those preambles which smelt so rammish in that place and fall roundly to his Impeachment for his fellow Polititians could not with patience hear premeditated preludiums from them from whom they expected fowle performances Then replyed Lipsius You in your first Book of History have taken the freedom to say That God cares not otherwise for mans welfare then in what concerns punishment a conceit so much the more impious for that it would be a great fault in an earthly Prince much more in God whose peculiar Vertue Mercy is and Charity to all mankind to say a thing so exorbitantly wicked Your very words said he are these Nec enim unquam attrocioribus Populi Romani Cladibus magisve justis judiciis approbatum est non esse Cura Deis securitatem nostram esse Ultionem Tacit lib. 1. Hist. T is true that you may plead in excuse of this your great fault that you were led thereinto by unwary Lucan who having said the same thing before you wrot these Verses Foelix Roma quidem Civesque habitura superbos Si libertatis superis tam Cura placeret Quam vindict a placet Blest Rome great Citizens might well have had Had the Gods minded her good as well as bad When Tacitus had heard this It grieves me said he my Lipsius that you who have boasted your self to be the only Oracle of my obscurest meanings have so grosly erred in a poynt which so much imports my reputation For those words of mine which you have now recited are so farr from being impious and wicked as you accuse them to be as I will prove them to be pious and holy and that you may know I speak truth I will by a circumlocution of many words interpret that my conceit which according to my custom being exprest in few you cannot conceive After having in the beginning of my Histories acquainted the Reader with what I intended to treat of in my whole Work I said I undertook a labour full of various chances Atrox praeliis discors seditionibus ipsa etiam pace savum Quatuor Principes ferro interempti tria Bella Civilia c. Cruelty in Wars seditious discord savageness even in peace four Princes assassinated three civil Wars c. When I had related the great calamities and miseries which the Romans suffered after Nero's death I said they were so many in number and such in quality as it had never at any time been better verified by the bitter sufferings of the Romans and by Divine Justice that that same God who had formerly so favoured and protected the people of Rome as being as it were inamored of their greatness it seemed his only care was to render them perpetually victorious triumphant and Masters of the World was seen so to change his mind after Nero's death as it did evidently appear Non esse Curae Deis securitatem nostram which is That he had quite given over the care of their welfare esse ultionem which is that he minded only to take revenge for the great distastes which they had given him Is it then Lipsius a wicked conception to say that by reason of the great excesses committed by the people of Rome both before and after the death of Nero Gods care of protecting them from all evil was turned to severe Justice in afflicting them with all sorts of misery The thing which you have said said Lipsius is very pious but it doth not square with the words which I accuse of wickedness which will then receive the interpretation and sence which you give them when the words securitatem nostram were only to be understood of the people of Rome but they being universal it is apparent that you comprehend all mankind That by the word Nostram upon which I perceive you chiefly ground your self replyed Tacitus I only understood the people of Rome Lucan makes it clear unto you who you were pleased to say led me into this error he expressing my very conceit in Verse mentions only the Romans affirming that Rome would have been perpetually happy and would have kept with her Citizens in continual glory if God Almighty had been as well pleased to preserve her in her ancient Liberty as he was to revenge himself of her And do not you think it to be true Lipsius that the Romans who could never put a period to the insatiat ambition which they had to rule over the whole world did so provoke Gods anger against them by laying so many Noble Monarchies and gallant Commonwealths dessolate by having plundred the world and filled it with fire and bloud to satiate their unquenchable thirst after wealth as after having delivered them over into the hands of cruel Tyrants by whom they made tryal of the most deplorable miseries he at last permitted that by exemplary shame they should be trampled upon by the most barbarous Nations of the earth Certainly a most unfortunate end but much merited by the Roman ambition cruelty and avarice precipices
places as were aft to bear Corn. Apollo asked them then again To what case the world would be reduced if husbandmen had not weeded and purged it of such superfluous plants as the earth produced The Ambassadors answered That then doubtless the world would be so overgrown with wood as it would be uninhabitable Apollo asked once more whether they did believe that men did busie themselves in cutting down of Woods rather out of a desire that free commerce might be had among Nations or that they might reap the abundance of fruit which the earth produced being sown and planted by mans industry To this the Ambassadors reply'd That the great abundance of pleasant Products which by mans industry the earth brought forth made the noble Art of Husbandry appear not painfull but full of delight The Ambassadors having clearly learnt by this Answer and by the precedent Interrogatives made by Apollo That if men did neither eat nor drink the world would be so ful of Woods and Forrests as it would rather be a fitting habitations for Bears Wolves and other wild Beasts then for men departed the audience much confused They being gone Menenius Agrippa came to Apollo and told him That he having happily ended the important and difficult business of making peace between the Senat of Rome and the common people who being distasted had withdrawn themselves into the Aventine Mountain That he might purcase more Grace from his Majesty and a more honorable place in Parnassus he acquainted him now that he had bethought himself of another handsom story by which he hoped to agree the great disunion between the Hollanders and the Spaniard Apollo laught to hear this and answered Menenius That mens humors were so alter'd in process of time and that hatred was grounded so inveteraly in them as not only rediculous tales were not able to appease those obstinate people nor make them lay down their perfidiousness which they proposed unto themselves when first they rebel'd of purchasing their Liberty at the price of bloud or else to die in the quarrel but neither were the sad Tragedies able to effect it which to that purpose had been represented upon the Scene of the Low-Countries by the Spaniards for above the space of fifty years Menenio being departed with this little satisfaction Paolo Vitelli that famous conductor of the State of Florence appeared with his head cut off a most horrid spectacle in the Audience who complained bitterly of that Republick for that in a precipitous-manner without any confession made by himself or any of his friends who were imprisoned for his sake which did any waies prejudice his innocency he out of slight suspitions and not being suffered to speak for himself had his head struck off in Florence the very next morning after his imprisonment And that the Judgement was hastned not for that the importancy of the fact was such as could brook no delay but to hinder the intercession of great Princes who would have moved to assist him Apollo seemed much to abhor that Judgement and because he greatly loved and admired the worth of that Military man he desired the Judges that they would give their opinions in the case Who when they had heard the relation of the process gave sentence for Vitelli's innocency Wherefore Apollo by publick decree did restore Vitelli to his former ancient reputation Paolo thanked his Majesty and very humbly beseeched him that for his satisfaction and to keep other Commonwealths from giving such precipitous Judgements he would be pleased to shew some rigorous rescentment against the Florentines Apollo wisht Vitelli to be quiet for that his son Alessandro making use of the fair occasion which fell into his hands after the death of Duke Alexander had so revenged his fathers death as had infinitely surpassed all the tearms of the Guardian-ship for which he was impeached As soon as Apollo had given satisfaction to Vitelli Carmagnuolo a famous Venetian Captain who had likewise been beheaded complained bitterly before his Majesty against the State of Venice who out of vain suspitions had unjustly taken off his head And then he delivered his Process and his Sentence into Apollo's hands Apollo without either receiving or perusing the process willed Carmagnuolo to rest content for no Review nor yet appeal was allowed of from any sentence maturely given by an Aristocratical Senat as was that of Venice out of the great presumption he had of her exact administration of Justice Carmagnuolo being gon from the audience an African to the wonder of every one was seen to enter the Hall leading in his hand a lusty Lyon by a little chain which Lyon was so very tame as it fawn'd upon its Master like a little whelp This man presenting himself before Apollo in the name of Hanibal the Carthaginian gave him that Lyon which his Majesty was very well pleased withall who asked the African what art he had used to tame so fierce ravenous jealous and cruel a Beast The African answered By feeding him continually with his own hand Apollo turned then towards the Princes who for the honour of that Audience were there in great numbers and said unto them Learn Lords by the miracle of this Lyon which you see is become so tame that fair treatment doth domestichize even savage beasts doe you the like by your Subjects and make them not come hardly by their food through your angersom Taxes upon things necessary for human life for by so doing you shall not be beloved served and honoured by your own natural Subjects only but even by the most Forrein and Barbarous Nations of the earth This being said two armed foot-Souldiers appeared in the Audience who when they had presented his Majesty with their credential Letters told him that they having forsaken their Country wives children and means to serve Princes without any respect to their own lives that whilst they bore arms in the most remote Wars by vertue of the not only cruel but inhuman Military Laws they were cruelly slain hung up upon trees shot to death by their Superiors even for the smallest faults And that through the unheard of cruelty of Modern Commanders the ancient punishment for shaping out of their quarters of having their share of provant in Barley and other less severe executions being now no longer in use every least misdemeanor were it but of omission was punisht with death and not he who understood or knew most was thought the best Judge in the Camp but he who was most resolute in executing cruelty and that the inhumanity of Military Laws was grown so great as the circumspection equity and consideration which they ought to have who judge not beasts but men was esteemed poorness of spirit and idle folly That therefore the universality of Souldiers so sorely afflicted did humbly beseech his Majesty that he would be pleased to order the moderation of so inhuman Laws There was not any one in the Audience how severe soever who was not
in Princes with the Title of Excellency and in Doctors those of the mind The Dukes thought then that the sentence was favorable on their behalf wherefore with a scornful smile they said to the Doctors These Judges have cleared the question once for ever At the hearing whereof the Doctors who smiled inwardly at the simplicity of these Titolati not to give themselves any further trouble answered nothing But when the Princes had conferred with their Learned Councel who told them that the sentence made for the Doctors they prest his Majestie that they might be suffered to appeal Apollo troubled at the Princes pressures bad them be quiet for they vilified the Title of Excellency who bought it with their monies not they who had won by their labour and study And that if the Dukes and other Tâ—…tolati would purchase infinite honor to themselves they should open their purses and by rewarding the Professers of Learning acquire unto themselves the Title of Liberal which with men of sound judgement and perfect understanding was thought to be much above that of Excellency Highness nay even that of Cesars sacred Imperial Majesty The LI. ADVERTISEMENT A Marquiss who caused his Genealogy to be made by Scipio Ammerati found himself so ill dealt with by him as he redemands the reward he gave him AT Scipio Ammerato's first entrance into Parnassus he opened a publick shop where he still professes the mystery of making Genealogies and Pedigrees for principal Families at which he is so expert as he hath the chief work in this Court of that nature Wherefore some months ago a Marquiss of some condition desired him that he would draw a Pedigree of all his Family and endeavor carefully to find out the first original thereof for which he would not be unthankful to him and in part of payment he presently gave him 200 crowns of Gold Ammerato spent divers months in this business and at last found all that was possible to be found of that Lords Family and drew it up into an exact form By that Genealogy it was seen that this Lords Predicessors had been Marquisses for above one hundred years and that the first of his Family that possessed any Estate was a Captain who for his good service done to an Emperor of Germany had a Castle given him which was called Marquiss Ammeratus found that this Captains Father was a Physitian that this Physitian was the son of a Notary that the Father of this Notary was an Oyl-man descended from a Serjeant who for some roguery was hanged that this Serjeant was son to a Matrix-maker who was descended from a Gentleman of Savoy who for having conspired against his Prince was put to death Whose son when he was very young being sent by the Prince of Savoy to shift for himself was taken into the house of meer charity by the said Matrix-maker who having taught him his Art adopted him his son The Gentleman of Savoy was son to a great Count whose Father Grand-father great Grand-father and great great Grand-father had been of good esteem in that County which was purchast by a Courtier a great favorit to the Prince of that time This Courtier was found by authentick Records to be the son of a certain Jew whose name was Salamon who becoming afterwards a Christian was called Arnoldo and this Jew being come from Rhodes his pedigree could be no further pried into Ammirato having arived at this presented the Lord with this Genealogy who seeing the great bulk thereof not looking into the contents seemed to be well satisfied and gave Ammirato a thousand crowns But when he read the loathsomness of his Family and the mean condition of divers who were registered in his Genealogy he returned to Ammirato and told him that instead of an honorable pedigree which he had desired him to make he had composed an infamous Libel against him Then giving him back his Genealogy re-demanded the moneys which he had given him saying he used to reward those who would cover his shame not those who would lay it open to the world But he was soon quieted when Ammirato told him he should do wisely in not being over-curious in seeking far into the Antiquity of his house for that the wheel of this world turning continually round and in a short space of time laying those low who a little before were at the highest pitch they who were too ambitiously desirous to know who their progenitors were from the flood would find many in their Genealogy stained with the like blemishes as his was The LII ADVERTISEMENT A dispute arising amongst the Vertuosio touching the truth of certain Sayings and Speeches of wise men their true meanings were argued and resolved in the General Dyet celebrated in Helicon THe Sayings Sentences and Answers of the wise are the Laws Acts and Statutes which are observed by the Vertuosi in this State and therefore Apollo is very careful that they may be perfectly true and exactly good And because many days since a great dispute arose amongst the Literati touching the truth of some of them according to custom in a business of so great weight the General Diet of the Vertuosi was intimated in Helicon Wherein the first thing that was called in question was whether or no the common saying was true That wise men and fools are cozened by fair words and foul deeds Many were for the Affirmative saying that the cunning of divers modern wits was arrived at that height of double dealing as there were many good people who being fed with good words were afterwards paid with bad performances and that it was daily seen that double dealers did by their fallacious speeches turn and winde plain meaning men as they listed and led them by the nose at their pleasure though they were held generally to be wise men Yet it was resolved by the major part of the Dyet that in times past the saying was allovv'd of with much reason and practised as a true one but that novv adays by the overdaring boldness of dissemblers vvho vvere openly seen to cheat and cozen the eyes of the simplest and very Ideots vvere so opened as believing onely such things as they savv plainly by noon-day and touched vvith their hands none but fools vvere cheated vvith good vvords and bad deeds for vvise men vvho vvere avvare of these vvicked mens vvays did not onely not at all believe them but holding them to be Crosbiters and Cutpurses shunn'd them as they vvould do the Plague So as such as these being upbraided with their double dealing durst no longer shevv their faces amongst honest men but like Ovvls and Bats appeared onely by night to hide their shame by darkness It vvas next taken into consideration vvhether the proverb Omne solum Forti patria est To a stout man all the vvorld is his Countrey vvere absolutely true or no. The first day vvhich vvas vvholly spent in hot disputation upon this point the Dyet seemed to think it vvas
crowns in Tilt and Turney when he himself should have a son 〈◊〉 the Lord Steward wondred much at this the Princes answer to whom he said What means this Siâ—… is not the child that is boâ—… your son your wife having brought him forth twelve months after you were married I now find said the Prince that privat meâ—… are not much acquainted â—…ith the Interests of Princes But to let you see that I have reason for what I say tell me how old I am Eighteen the twelâ—…th of 〈◊〉 month replyed the Steward Confess then said the Prince that the child 〈◊〉 now born is my brother not my son for privat men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 children from their brethren by their birthâ—… but Priâ—… by 〈◊〉 age and know that those shall be my best beloved sons who shall be 〈◊〉 â—…o me when I shall be 50 years old and when any such shall be born I will be content that extraordinary joy shall be shewn For when sons are born to a young Prince as I am bels should rather toll out for sorrow to Funerals than Trumpets sound for joy A Prince who marries whilst he is young runs hazard of having a multitude of sons which is the true stone of offence of whatsoever State this is so great a truth as a King can receive no greater blessing from heaven than to have but one only son alive Moreover a Prince who hath many sons whilst he is young ought not to covet long life for as Fathers desire to die with Supreme power in their hand so sons when they come to certain years of age have not patience to wait till the Fruit of Government grow to be ripe by their Fathers death for many great Kings have had sons who blinded with a desire of reigning would rather hazard their healths with eating green Grapes in Iune then tarry till they should be ripe in September If it be so said the Steward I must confess the condition of Princes is to be deplored in that wherein we privat men do envie them Know then said the Prince that when my son who is now born shall come to be one and twenty years old and I shall not put him into full possession of this my Principality if he shall then chance to contrive any thing against my Person or my State it is I that shall therein have erred more then he For it will be as great a discourtesie in me not to resigne over unto him my State then as it would be inhumanity in me if when I should be eating at a plentifull Table I should see him stand by ready to starve for hunger and not bid him eat The LVIII ADVERTISEMENT Apollo erects a new Tribunal in Parnassus for the punishment of flatterers but succeeds very unfortunately therein THe civil and vertuous life which the Litterati lead in this State of Parnassus is not so much to be attributed to the severe punishment threatned to such as are vitiously given as to the great rewards held out to such as are vertuous nor yet to the good genius which the Litterati are generally of as to Apollos wisdom who hath appointed several distinct Tribunals for every vice for every fault omitted and Judges thereunto appropriated for his Majestie hath learnt by the late disorders that when his Ministers are troubled with but a few affairs they dispatch them accurately well whereas those that have great store of business upon their hands are neither speedy nor very just in their dispatches Nor was Apollo aware till six months since of the great disorder which reignes in this State wherein many severe Tribunals being erected against all such principal vices whereinto men do most usually fail there was no Judge nor punishment set apart for the vice of flattery which his Majestie doth so much detest and which is so pernitious both to Princes and privat men So as his Majestie thought that disease was so generally diffused amongst men chiefly because there was neither Physitian nor Apothecary appropriated thereunto Wherefore his Majestie who is alwaies vigilant in the extirpation of all vice and in procuring indempnity to his Vertuosi thought it very necessary to correct so great an error and to curb so wicked a vice He therefore of his own meer motion erected a Tribunal six months ago in this Court under severe punishments against flatterers For his pleasure was that such as should be found guilty of so foul a fault should be tied to the infamous Chain which is in the chief Market-place and flead live by Marsia who was very skilful thereat having learnt it at his own charges And for the more severe punishment of so enormous a vice he chose the chief Satirical Poets of the State as the greatest enemies of flatterers to be their Judges Peter Aratine was made Lord Chief Justice Iuvenal the first Advocate Ariosto Attorney-General Francis Berna chief Notary who had Nicholas Franco and Cesar Caporali for his substitutes and six months being past since the erecting of the Tribunal in all which time no complaint came in against flatterers though flattery were seen to be daily used in Parnassus Apollo that he might have occasion to punish those wicked persons made use of a great many Spies who diligently watching over them might accuse them before the Tribunal This remedy wrought good effect for ere long they found Bartolomeo Cavalcanti who flattering a foolish Prince given to hunting wantonness all sorts of delights neglecting the Government of his State so far as he had transferred the care thereof into the hands of one that was mercenary ignorant and very passionate he termed him vigilant indefatigable in taking pains an enemy to all pastime which he had wholly placed in following business Cavalcanti was suddenly seased upon who upon examination presently confest all that could he desired Wherefore the Judge using all the mercy to him that could stand with Justice allowed him three daies to make his defence and Martia brandisht his knife about and put all other things in order when the Judge coming to examin the Prince who was flattered found that though he was notoriously known to be what was said of him he pretended notwithstanding that Cavalcanti had not only spoke truth but that in the praise which he with reason gave him he came short of his deserts So as being asked if he had any thing to alleadg against Cavalcanti or whether he thought himself offended by his gross flattery the Prince being much incenst answered that he had no reason to complain of one that had said truth and that he did not esteem those praises which he ought to reward injuries and added that he did very much wonder and was greatly scandalized at that new Tribunal which seemed to be invented rather to defame men of honour then to punish cheaters Aretin being much moved at this answer with more freedom then became him asked with what face he could pretend that Cavalcanti had not lied basely in praising such
Litterati were grown to such petulancy in many important particulars as blinded by proud presumption they had not feared to intermeddle in the very greatest Concerns of Princes and even to give Laws to Reason of State not knowing poor people that they are that the insight into Politick affairs is so far from the common judgement of any wit how good soever as none ought to discourse thereof but men who have spent their whole time in the Government of Kingdoms and in the affairs of great Princes though they may peradventure want that Philosophy Rhetorick and other Sciences registred by the Litterati in their Scribled Papers For Policy not having so much Theory as that a Grammar may be thereout composed which may teach men the art how to govern States well consisted wholly in practise of the which none but such as had learnt it from great Princes Secretaries and in State-Councils ought to discourse lest they become ridiculous for writing things which deserves the rod. By these words Duke Federico found that the Princes had just reason to be incensed wherefore he easily prevailed with Aristotle to revoke his former definition of a Tyrant and to make a new one which might satisfie those so highly offended Princes Then Aristotle suddenly recanted and said That Tyrants were a certain sort of men in the old time the Race whereof was wholly lost now The Princes having received such satisfaction as they desired presently quitted their quarters And being gone towards their own States Aristotle being half dead with fear returned to Parnassus assuring all the Vertuosi that his Philosophical Precepts failed him very much against the fear of death and bad the Litterati attend their studies and let alone the reason of State which it was impossible to treat of without running evident danger of being esteemed Criminal by Princes The LXXVII ADVERTISEMENT By order from Apollo a general Reformation of the world is published by the seven wise men of Greece and by the other Litterati THe Emperor Iustinian that great Compiler of Statutes and Books of Civil Law some few daies since shewed a new Law to Apollo to have his Majesties approbation of it wherein men were strictly forbidden killing themselves Apollo was so astonished at this Law as fetching a deep sigh he said Is the good Government of mankind Iustinian fallen then into so great disorder as men that they may live no longer do voluntarily kill themselves And whereas I have hitherto fed an infinite number of Philosophers only that by their words and writings they may make men less apprehensive of death are things now reduced to such calamity as even they will now live no longer who could not formerly frame themselves to be content to die And am I amongst all the disorders of my Litterati all this while supinely asleep To this Iustinian answered That the Law was necessary and that many cases of violent deaths having hapned by many mens having desperately made themselves away worse was to be feared if some opportune remedy were not soon found out against so great a disorder Apollo then began diligently to inform himself how men did live in the world and found that the world was so impaired as many valued not their lives nor Estates so they might be out of it These disorders necessitated his Majesty to provide against them with all possible speed so as he absolutely resolved to create a Congregation of all the most famous men that were in his Dominions for wisdom and good life But in the entrance intoso weighty a business he met with difficulties impossible to be overcome for when he came to chuse the members of this Congregation amongst so many moral Philosophers and the almost infinite number of Vertuosi he could not find so much as one who was indowed with half those parts which were requisite to be in him who ought to reform his companion His Majesty knowing very well that men are better reformed by the exemplary life of their reformers then by any the best rules that can be given In this great penury of fitting personages Apollo gave the charge of the Universal Reformation to the seven wise men of Greece who are of great repute in Parnassus as those who are conceived by all men to have found out the receit of washing Blackmoors white Which antiquity though still in vain hath so much laboured after The Grecians were much rejoyc'd at this news for the honor which Apollo had done their Nation but the Latins were much grieved at it thinking themselves thereby much injured Wherefore Apollo very well knowing how much the ill satisfaction of those that are to be reformed in their reformers hinders the fruit which is to be hoped by reformation and his Majesty being naturally given to appease his Subjects imbittered minds more by giving them satisfaction then by that Legislative power which men are not well pleased withall because they are bound to obey it That he might satisfie the Romans who were much distasted to the seven wise men of Greece he added Marcus Cato and Anneus Seneca And in favour to the modern Italian Philosophers he made Iacopo Mazzoni da Casena Secretary of the Congregation and honored him with a vote in their Consultations The 14 day of the last month the seven wise men with the aforesaid addition accompanied by a Train of the choicest Vertuosi of this State went to the Delfick Palace the place appropriated for the reformation And the Litterati were very well pleased to see the great number of Pedants who with their little baskets in their hands went gathering up the Sentences and Apothegmes which fell from those wise men as they went along The next day after the solemn entrance the Assembly being met to give a beginning to the business t is said Talete Milesio the first wise man of Greece spake thus The business most wise Philosophers about which were are all met in this place is as you all know the greatest that can be treated on by human understanding And though there be nothing harder then to set bones that have been long broken wounds that are fistuled and incurable cancars yet difficulties which are able to affright others ought not to make us despair of their cure for the impossibility will increase our glory and will keep us in the esteem we are in and 〈◊〉 do assure you that I have already found out the true Antidote against the poyson of all these present corruptions I am sure we do all believe that nothing hath more corrupted the present age then hidden hatreds feigned love impiety the perfideousness of double-dealing men cloaked under the specious mantle of simplicity love to religion and of charity apply your selves to these evils Gentlemen by making use of fire razor and lay corrosive Plasters to these wounds which I discover unto you and all mankind which by reason of their vices which leads them the high-way to death may be said to be given over by
and their sheerers would learn to handle their sheers without cutting their skins Wherefore the whole generation of sheep that they might no longer undergo such calamities and oppressions did earnestly beglong horns and sharp teeth wherewith to procure respect To this request Apollo answered with a chearful countenance That the sheep had in this their request shewed their simplicity since they knew not that of all the four footed beasts that were upon the earth there were not any that were more favoured by God nor which received greater priviledges from him then they For whereas the rest were forced to seek their meat with cark and care and a thousand dangers many of them spending the night season which was destined for sleep and rest in eating for that it was not safe for them to be seen by day pasture grounds were reserved and bought at dear rates onely for sheep by men who had the command of all beasts and were Lords of the earth that in the night season they were with great care and diligence defended from their enemies in their folds and whereas other beasts were persecuted even by beasts themselves and by men and that to procure their death many did nothing but make nets feed dogs and lay snares sheep out of a particular grace injoyed the noble prerogative to have all these things done by men to secure them from their enemies And that the Creator of the world having â—…hewed exceeding great love towards sheep instead of ravenous teeth and swift legs had granted them the powerful weapons of wool cheese and of their riches wherewith they did so aquire mans love as that men did perpetually persecute Wolves Lyons Tygers and all their other cruel enemies with all sort of weapons meerly for the affection which they bore to sheep And that sheep being reputed the Worlds delight and wealth for the singular advantages which they afforded mankind they hapned to be the most numerous of any sort of beasts so as sheep being fed and defended by their Shepherds vigilancy and charity they were foolish to desire ravenous teeth and sharp horns And finally Apollo said That they ought to revenge themselves for the severity which some shepherds used towards them in milking and sheering them onely by their obedience and humility by yielding them great store of wool and much cheese and by studying how to be fruitful it being sheeps greatest felicity that those Shepherds that dealt ill with their flocks were cheifly cruel to themselves for it was a certain truth that wounds shamefully given to sheep did usually kill the Shepherd Wherefore he wished them to keep more from being desirous to bite their shepherds then they would do from the Wolves teeth For such sheep could not esteem themselves so happy who by their humility and obedience did secure their Shepherds from all harm as those were unhappy who delighted to put them in fear The LXXXIX ADVERTISEMENT Nicholas Machiavel being banished Parnassus upon pain of death was found hidden in a friends Library for which his former sentence of being burnt was excuted THough Nicholas Machiavel was banished Parnassus and the Territories thereof many years ago upon severe punishment as well to whosoever durst give receptacle to so pernicious a man in his Library yet was he found the last week secretly hidden in a friends study where he was made Prisoner He was presently sentenced by the Judges of Assize and was this day to have been burnt when he signified unto his Majestie his desire that he might first be permitted to say somewhat in his defence before the Tribunal-seat which had condemned him Apollo using his wonted clemency bad him send his Advocates and he should have fair hearing Machiavel replyed he desired to be heard himself and that Florentines needed no advocates to speek for them and his demand was granted Machiavel was then brought to the Bar where he spoke thus in his own defence Lo here you Soveraign of Learning That Nicholas Machiavel who hath been condemned for a Seducer and Corrupter of mankind and for a dispercer of scandalous politick Precepts I intend not to defend my writings I publikely accuse them and condemn them as wicked and execrable documents for the government of a State So as if that which I have printed be a doctrine invented by me or be any new Precepts I desire that the sentence given against me by the Judges be put in execution But if my writings contain nothing but such Politick precepts such rules of State as I have taken out of the actions of Princes which if your Majestie will give me leave I am ready to name whose lives are nothing but doing and saying of evil things what reason is there that they who have invented the mad desperate policies written by me should be held for holy and that I who am onely the publisher of them should be esteemed a Knave and an Atheist For I see not why an original should be held holy and the Copy thereof beburnt as execrable and why I should be so much persecuted when the reading of History which is not onely permitted but commended by all men hath the particular vertue of turning as many as do read them with a politick eye into so many Machiavels for people are not so simple as many believe them to be but that those who by the greatness of their wits have been able to find out even the most hidden secrets of Nature may not also have the judgement to discover the true ends of all Princes actions though they be cunningly hidden And if Princes that they may do what they will with their subjects will have them to be block-heads and dunces they must do as the Turks and Muschovites do inhibit Learning which is that which makes blinde understandings quick sighted otherwise they will never compass their ends for Hypocrisie which is now so familiarly used in the world hath onely a star-like vertue to incline not to force men to believe that which likes them best that use it These speeches wrought much upon the Judges and they were ready to revoke the sentence when the Atorney General told them That Machiavel was deservedly condemned for the abominable and execrable precepts which were contained in his writings and that he ought again to be severely punished for that he was found by night amongst a flock of sheep whom he taught to put false teeth dogs teeth in their mouthes thereby indangering the utter ruine of all shepherds a people so necessary as it was an indescent and angersom thing to think that they must by means of this wicked Machiavel be forced to put on breast-plates and gauntlets when they would milk or sheer their sheep and to what price would wool and cheese grow hereafter if shepherds were to be more aware of their sheep then of wolves and if they could no longer keep their flocks in obedience with thâ—… whistle and their wand but must make use of a Regiment of murrions and
novelty and the rather for that though Euclide was better beloved and more made of by the greatest Princes of this State then any other Litterato yet this so great excess appaared to be made by the command of some powerful personages for Euclide was first seized on by two of these Swash-backlers and held fast whilst other two beat him who were seen to be backed by many armed men There are many occasions alledged for this so great resentment but the most generally received opinion is that some potent subjects of this State are very much ill satisfied with Euclid for the Mathematical Instrument which he some few days before published in the Schools wherein was conclusively shewed that all the lines of the thoughts and actions both of Princes and private men meet in this centre how to take money handsomely from another mans purse and put it into ones own The IV. ADVERTISEMENT In a Duel which hapned between an Italian Poet and a Vertuoso of Spain the Spaniard being wounded to death did so gallant an action before he expired as Apollo gave order that he should be solomnly buried at the publike charge A Great dispute arose some few days ago between a Spanish Vertuoso and an Italian Poet touching a certain Lady who challenging each other met in Bellona's Forum and the business being to be disputed without defensive weapons proved vrey cruel For being armed onely with two short and sharp Terzetti at the first encounter they grapled and the Spaniard having received two mortal wounds fell to the ground and said these words to a friend of his who run in to help him Hermano azeme plazer d'enterarme sin che ninguna mi desnude Do me the courtesie friend to bury me before I be stript naked Which being said his wounds bled so much as he dyed The de sire which this Spaniard made to his friend that he might not be stript being noised abroad in Parnassus made all men as it commonly falls out in things forbidden the more desirous to see him naked especially since it was made by one of that wise Nation which doth not onely never speak by chance but never suffers a word to escape their mouthes which carries not mistery and great sense with it And Apollo's self had the curiosity to know why that Litterato at the very point of death did so earnestly desire not to be stript naked So as commanding him to be stript it was found that he who went so sprucely drest and had a ruff about his neck so curiously wrought as it was more worth then all his other clothes had never a shirt on which caused much laughter throughout all Parnassus only Apollo was much astonished at this novelty and did mightily exaggerate the gallantry of this Litterato who in the very agony of death was so sensible of his honor as he closed his eyes with zeal to his reputation For which excessive worth which vvas a clear evidence of an extraordinary great mind he commanded that he should be solemnly buried at the publike charge con la pompa censoria the which was done with so great a concourse of the Litterati of all Nations as more were never seen to be at any Roman triumph Afterwards Flavius Quintillian in a Funeral Oration which he made in praise of this Vertuoso did much exaggerate the happiness of the powerful Monarchy of Spain whose greatness lay not as he said in the gold and silver shops of Peru of Nova Spagna Rio della plata and in the Castiglia dell'oro nor yet in the numberless number of Kingdoms which she was master of but onely in the honorable condition of her Nation Since it being clearly seen that this Spanish Vertuoso in that his great calamity endeavoured first not to suffer in his reputation before he took order to have his wounds cured it was an evident proof that it was peculiar to the honourable Spanish Nation to prefer honor before life and that the Spaniards were more careful not to commit any unworthy act then they were of life And Quintillian concluded his Oration with a cruel invective against Philosophers who will not admit that two contraries can be found in one and the same subject when great appearance and infinite substance vain glory and sollidness were visibly seen to reign even in their greatest extreams amongst Spaniards The V. ADVERTISEMENT Apollo having used great diligence to come by any of the Idols of Princes proceeds with severity against one who fell into the Iudges Power APOLLO much to his displeasure perceiving the great disorders occasioned not onely in great Empires but also in little States by the blindness of those Princes who assubject themselves to some one of their servants Since neither his Majesties exhortations nor the sad calamities which many Princes have undergone by so great folly hath been able to make them avoid the hard destiny of being violently hurried into Hell by these inconveniences his Majestie not to abandon his protection of the Governors of the world resolved some moneths since to proceed with severity against such servants who by their prodigious ambition and devillish cunning go about to command their masters insomuch as some years ago he laid great fines upon such and promised great rewards to any who would discover them to his Judges And about a fortnight since the Magistracy was told of one of these who being afterwards taken had the rack given him whereupon he confessed all the wicked tricks which he had used not onely to enslave but even to make his master adore him When Apollo saw the process made against this wicked one he was much troubled to find that those very Princes who are jealous of their own children either through their own blockishness or by the fraud of others can bring themselves to the shameful infamy of becoming a slave to one of their ignoble servants and he thought it very strange that a Son or Nephew of a Prince who that he might rule his Father or domineer over his Uncle had shewn himself to be infinitely ambitious and to thirst after Government and who at last had compast his desires could then so metamorphose himself as to relinquish that power which he by so many practises had gotten over a Superior to one who was so far beneath him a great wonder certainly and which mans vvit can give as little reason for as for the hidden vertue of the Load-stone Apollo to the end that Princes might learn to keep themselves from committing such indignities by seeing vvhat punishment vvas inflicted upon this Court-favorite caused all the Princes that are resident in this Court to meet tvvo days ago in the great Hall of Audience in vvhose presence and to their greater confusion he caused Atorney Bossio to read aloud the shameful process made against this vvicked one wherein vvhen he vvas asked vvhat tricks he had used to get the command over his Master made ansvver That from the very first day that he
and inevitable death of all Commonwealths And though the prime wits of the world have laboured sufficiently to institute long lived Common-wealths against the eternity of Monarchy yet could they never compass their intent Olegarchies being known to be the insufferable Tyrany of a few have been soon turned to Principalities and the Institutors of Democracy could never find out a good way how to curb the people so as it might have the chief Authority to command but after bloody seditions hath precipitated into cruel slavery and hath nursed up a Serpent in her bosom some ambitâ—…ous Citizen who by the certain way of the universal affection of ignorant people hath known how to get the chief Lordship over the free Countrey Moreover we have often seen popular Government prove so hateful to the Nobility as first the Romans after the death of Caesar and then the Florentines when Alexander Duke of Medecis was slain chose rather to live under new Princes then return to the cruel servitude of the Plebeians who are always seditious And the very Aristocratical Governments which of all others hath cost so much sweat have at last ended in Monarchies for the founders of such Republicks could never perfectly compass those two important qualities which make Aristocracy eternal of maintaining such an equality amongst the Nobility but that there would arise an odious disproportion of honours and riches amongst them the fruitful mothers of Tyrany and of giving such satisfaction to signal subjects to the haughty minds of Citizens excluded from publike Government so as they may be content to live servants in that Countrey which hath the name of being Free And those who have boasted to make mixt Commonwealths eternal have been likewise mightily deceived for as in humane bodies the four elements whereof they are composed after an agreement of long health do at last alter and that which proves most predominant kills the man so the mixture of Monarchy Aristocracy and Democracy in a Common-wealth one of the three humors getting at length the upper hand she must needs in length of time alter which alteration changing the form of Government at last bereaves Liberty of her life as we may have seen a thousand examples in former times for all that learned men have set down in writing and proved by good grounds of reason doth not prove true in practice it being clearly seen that Licurgus Solon and other Legislators for living free who have thought to tame the unvanquishable spirits of men by the excellent provision of holy institutions and to curb the malice of the ambitious by severe punishments have been more then much abused in their opinions But now nor can I speak it without great terror and grief of heart we plainly see with our own eyes that the Germans being excellent Artificers no less of Commonwealths then of Clocks and Watches have at last invented those eternal Liberties which for so many ages the wisdom of ancient Philosophers have in vain sought for and from whence Monarchies have great reason to apprehend their death and utter extirpation Never was there a more golden sentence said most glorious Monarchs then that That every least despised sparkle is apt to occasion great combustions For who would ever have believed that that little spark of of liberty which first arose amongst the Switzers would have been able to kindle a fire which should afterwards dilate it self so far in Germany as the World now sees and wonders at And what man how wise soever could have foretold that in so short a time it would have caused the combustion of so many Cities and warlike Nations which to the great shame and infinite danger of Monarchy have vindicated their liberty Certainly it is a thing almost miraculous to believe that the little liberty which began to have a being amongst the Switzers a poor people and husbandmen of a very barren soyl and which was so much despised by you should afterwards be able to infect the most warlike Nations of Germany with the same disease and which is yet the greatest miracle who could ever have foreseen that these Commonwealths should in so short a time win such credit with all Potentates as well in civil affairs as for matter of Arms as that they should not onely be held the supreme Umpires of peace and war in Europe but the very greatest Terror of the chiefest Princes of the World The Commonwealths of Germany most illustrious Princes are Trumpets which should awaken you from the too supine sleep wherein you have so long lain Know your evils look upon your dangers which cry aloud for speedy remedy Since in the German Commonwealths you see not onely Aristocracy grounded with so wise laws as they promise long life but that which all men thought impossible quiet and peaceful Democracy The Commonwealth of Rome which with an unparalel'd ambition proposed unto her self as her ultimate end the absolute Dominion of the World that she might arive at so immense an tent was forced to be continually in arms and to put weapons into her Citizens hands who by continual command of Armies and by the long Government of large Provinces filled their private houses with treasures befitting any King but very disproportionable for Senators of well regulated Republiques and by the too great authority which was unwisely and fatally given them by the Senate of bestowing even whole Kingdoms on whom they best liked they swole so big with the wind of ambition as that equality of Authority which is the soul of free Countreys was wholly disordered in the Roman Nobility By reason of these disorders it was that first the Silli and Marii arose in Rome and then the fatal Pompeys and Caesars who after long and bloody civil wars slew that so famous Liberty And for the last calamity of Monarchy it cannot be hoped that this wide gate should ever be opened in the well-regulated German Commonwealths where all ambition of commanding over vanquished people and neighbour nations being utterly banished the glorious resolution and firm purpose reigns onely in them of not yielding obedience unto any A happy resolve which maintains that necessary equality between the Citizens of those Hans-Towns and between the chief Senators and works this effect that whilst they wage not war to impose that slavery upon others which they themselves seem so to shun their neighbours do neither hate them nor are they jealous of them So as it is no wonder if they promise unto themselves long lives and think themselves unvanquishable by the power of whatsoever Potentate for they are of opinion that the best Politick precept which by others is to be admired in the German Hanf-Towns is to detest the acquisition of neighbouring Nations for with like wisedom they enjoy that publike peace with Foreigners and that private agreement amongst their Citizens which makes their freedom formidable abroad and safe at home This that I say is clearly seen by the miseries into vvhich the Roman
Liberty after six hundred years did at last fall vvhich not to speak any thing of the infinite acquisitions vvhich she made in Italy and elsevvhere by the last conquest vvhich she vvoud make of France a Kingdom vvhich hath alvvays proved fatal to Foreigners vvho endeavoured to subjugate it fell headlong into Caesars Tyranny And the Florentines by their obstinate ambition of making those of Pisa slaves did so disorder their ovvn Common-vvealth as they may serve to teach the World that it is better and safer for Republiques to have their neighbouring Cities and Nations Confiderates and Friends then subjects and enemies This disorder is not seen in the Hans-Tovvns of Germany vvho resting content vvith their own liberty suffer those who joyn vvith them to live free under the Government of their ovvn Lavv vvhence it is that in Germany and in universal concerns there appears but one onely Commonvvealth to be in Germany but many in particulars and the Arms of the Freemen of that Warlike Nation serve onely for instruments of peace and to preserve their ovvn not to intrench upon the liberties of other men A thing which certainly forbodes much evil to Monarchy for what more pernitious or cruel enemy can a Prince have then he who assaults him with pretence of communicating liberty to a subjugated people These are the arms by which the German Hans-Towns have so dilated themselves And certainly not without good reason for people cannot kill that enemy who instead of death fire and plunder brings them liberty which by instinct of nature is so much desired by all men Lo then illustrious Monarchs how the German Hans-Towns are little in particular each of them contenting themselves with their own liberties but immensly great in general for that they do all communicate in the interests of publique liberty So as a Prince cannot have to do with one but he must offend all a disorder which is so much the greater for that like a contagious disease or enraged cancer it every day encreaseth by degrees taking in new Cities and new people and assembling them all to their own liberty the first day of their purchase naturalize foreign Nations make enemies dear friends wherefore it may well be doubted that in a short time the whole world will be infected with this contagious disease and the danger is the more dreadful in these unfortunate times wherein the liberty of Commonwealths is gotten into so high an esteem as our own subjects fear not to call it the onely filicity of mankind Whence it is that when men can think to enjoy it quietly and that as it is in the Hans-Towns of Germany every one may live in liberty under the Laws of their own Countrey it is so infinitely coveted as it is purchased though at the expence of much blood And if such a disease hath been able to enlarge it self so far in so short a time amongst dissolute people people so given over to gluttony and drunkenness what shall we think it may do if it should fasten in Italy or Spain or in the other sober Nations of Europe the most of which as we all know are so affected to Monarchy The business about which you are here met is as you have heard most mighty Monarchs of importance and requires the more speedy remedy for that if the Hollanders and Zealanders shall once have laid a good foundation and shall have perpetuated themselves in that liberty which they have usurpt against the powerful King of Spain their natural Lord you may well from so foul a scandal fear your utter extirpation And you as well the most Christian as the most powerful Kingdom of France which in this so majestical an Assembly do deservedly hold the first place amongst the greatest Monarchs of the world you very well knew that in your last troubles it was oft talk of and perhaps agreed upon by your seditious enemies how to kindle in your bosom and amongst your faithful French men the fire of the German liberty so far are the evils advanced which to those that understand so much it may suffice me to have touch upon This Discourse made by the Lord Chancellor did infinitely trouble those great Monarchs And many Princes whose States lay neerest those Republicks finding what danger they were in were extraordily afflicted Wherefore they fell suddenly to think upon remedies and as the most immediate a strait League was propounded to be made by all Monarchies against Commonwealths hoping that by open force of so many Princes joyned together they might easily be mastered But in this opinion which at first seemed very plausable to every one great difficulties were afterwards discovered for some Princes put the Dyet in mind that it was not onely indiscretion but great rashness to affront with mercenary Souldiers whose interest in the war was but the poor pay of six pence a day a Nation which took up Arms for the defence of liberty and which was that important reason of mens proving so couragious And to this purpose Charls Duke of Burgundies unfortunate case was instanced in who though he was held to be the thunder of War the Orlando and Mars of his times was notwithstanding together with the greatest part of his Army cut in pieces by the Switzers onely because each man that fights in defence of liberty hath twenty hands and as many hearts And it was considered that it being impossible for the Princes to vanquish so many Commonwealths in as short time as the business required the expence of much time would likewise make it altogether infeasable for that the Hollanders and Zealanders had taught all Princes that if people who defended their liberties were long trained up in war they became unconquerable and this was said to happen because the charity of a free Countrey doth not onely make the hearts of the Citizens thereof undaunted and their hands nimble but makes their souls faithful and quickens their wits And it was further said That that Prince took a bad business in hand who could not fight his enemy with Canons loaded or charged with gold which was that which routed all Armies and won all Battels and which had the wonderful effect of destroying a mans Loyalty And concerning this particular reflection was had upon the modern actions of the Hollanders and Zealanders who out of the very great affection which they bore to the liberty of their Countrey had so gallantly resisted not onely the steel and iron but even the gold of that valiant and rich Spanish Nation which knows so well how to make use both of the one and the other as it was held a thing almost miraculous that at one and the same time they could defend their new Common-wealth no less against the open force of the Spaniards then against the concealed designs of the French and English and cheifly against the subtil cunning of that crafty Fox the Prince of Orange All which though under various and specious pretences of liberty
had as great a mind to make themselves masters of those States as the King of Spain had to reduce them under his ancient Dominion To this a second and much more important difficulty was added for consultation was had what the Colleague Monarchs should do with the German Commonwealths when by their forces they should have conquered them For answer to which the common reason of Nations and the ordinary use of leagues was urged which is that the acquisition of enemies States made by Colleagues if any of them be of the number of the colleaguing Princes that they should be restored to their ancient Lords by vertue of which law the Roman Empire desired that when the victory should be gotten those Cities and Hans-Towns should be restored to her which had withdrawn themselves from her authority And the house of Austrea pretended with good reason to repossess her ancient Dominion over the greatest part of the Switzers and other people who to make themselves free had shook off the yoke of her Government Though all these pretensions were by the Senate acknowledged to be just yet did the Princes so much stomach them as after a long dispute it was at last resolved that no more should be spoken thereof And it was then said that it being impossible for the two aforesaid reasons that the Monarchies should by open Force subjugate the Commonwealths of Germany they should for the future so wisely strengthen and fortifie themselves as that the malady of the German Hans-Towns which till then had made such and so prejudicial progress should grow no greater And it was resolved that it being very palpable that the many large priviledges which were granted by some too prodigal Princes to their vassals in a middle way of living free and this not without great occasion had made them affect total liberty that therefore such priviledges as being scandalous and very pernitious to Monarchy should not onely not be granted hereafter no not to any desert how great soever but that every Potentate should cunningly by little and little endeavor to take them from their people and bring them so wholly into servitude as they should not have any the least ken of those priviledges which had heightned their minds to affect total Freedom And hereupon some former Emperors of Germany and Dukes of Burgony were severely reprehended who were not onely fools in granting their people prejudicial exemptions but ignorantly avaritious in selling them for a small sum of money vvhereby they had put themselves and other Monarchies upon great difficulties And for their greater severity these Princes decreed that all form all footsteps of levelling should from the very root be extirpated from amongst their subjects the wisest of the Dyet affirming that the great inequality of the Gentry in a Kingdom was that which secured them from ever bringing in a form of free Government and the Monarchy of Spain was so stiff in this Opinion as she freely said she spoke it knowingly that nothing had more preserved the Dukedom of Millan from living in that freedom after the death of Philip Maria Viscount which was then talked of being instituted therein then the great disproportion of wealth which hath always been observed to be in that noble Dukedom not onely between the Nobility and people of Millan but even between the Nobility it self which had also been the reason why in the rich Kingdom of Naples no speech was ever heard to be made by those Barons of levelling or living free no not when they had so fair an occasion presented them of doing so by the failing of the blood Royal and by many other interregni which they had had in their troubles for that the Nobility of Kingdoms had this of natural instinct rather to admit of any subject how barbarous soever for their King then to see not onely Barons of late edition but even Doctors and Shop-keepers made equal which liberty would do like to them Moreover it was hinted as an excellent means whereby to weaken the German Hans-Towns that the Potentates of Europe would forego the so pernitious custom of buying at a deer and dishonorable rate the schum of the Switzers Grisouns and other German Nations it being sure that if they should be left in their own Countreys those unquiet seditious and disorderly spirits which much to their profit they send abroad would cause such fractions at home as they would be seen to turn those weapons upon themselves which now they sell to unwise Princes at the weight of gold But the many jealousies which have always reigned which reign now more then ever and which it is to be believed will for ever reign amongst the greatest Kings of Christendom wrought so as for fear lest the one might leave all the refuse to be made use of by the other so salutiferous a memorandum was publiquely praised by all and in private abhorred by every particular But it is true that to make Monarchy as pleasing to the people as it was possible for Princes to do these underwritten Articles were with great solemnity penned established and sworn unto in the Dyet to be inviolably kept I. THat since to love and fear God with all ones heart was the wisest piece of Policy and the most perfect State-Reason which could be learned and practised by Princes they should not for the future make use of his most holy name as many had formerly done as a means whereby to get money from their people and to hurry them or wheel them about with divers Sects and new Religions such as made most for their worldly interests but to obtain that favour from his Divine Majestie which brings abundance of all that is good to Princes who fear God and to people who obey his holy Laws II. That for the future they should be content so to milk and shear the sheep of their Flock as that they should not onely not flea them but not so much as touch a bit of their skin being mindful that men were creatures which had understanding not beasts which knew nothing that therefore there was a great deal of difference between Shepherds who shore and milked sheep and Prince-shepherds who shore and milked men the latter being to use the shears of discretion instead of those of meer interest which are onely made use of and that always unfortunately by greedy Shepherds it having been often seen that publike hatred hath been able to metamorphize the simple sheep of subjects into skittish Mules who have driven their indiscrete shepherd out of the fold with kicking III. That they should keep their people within the bounds of fear not with such a caprichious beastiality as makes the Government of one man alone dreadful and then totally pernitious when he will judge mens lives by his sole arbitrary power but by being inexorable in those faults onely which not deserving pardon had need to be punished with all the severity that the Law allows IV. That they should be
spairing of publike moneys to unworthy personages prodigal to such as did deserve well for that they being so hardly drawn from the subjects every Prince who would deserve the name of a good shepherd was bound to give them so much satisfaction as to see that their moneys were not prodigally wasted in hunting tilting feasting in inriching Bawds Buffoons and Flatterers but that they were judiciously laid out for the advantage of publike peace V. That they should for the future confer Dignities and Magistracy to such as were most worthy having respect onely to the merit of the desirer not to any affection of the recommender for that he did truly deserve to be accounted a fool who to honor or advantage another shamed himself and disparaged his own gifts VI. That they should bury their own odd conceits and for ever banish their private passions And to the end that they might put on that excellent resolution which makes Princes so happy and Kingdoms so flourishing of absolutely submitting themselves to the good and publike interest of their people they should totally abandon their own wilful opinion VII That they should appear to be absolute Monarchs of their States in executing the results of their most important affairs but in consulting thereupon onely the heads of a well ordered Aristocracy being sure that four fools who did advise together made better resolves then any the best greatest wit could do alone VIII That making God their example whose Lieutenants Princes were on earth they should pardon Homecide onely out of compassion born to minority in yerrs to the greatness of the offence received more in honor then in life to certain sudden furies which makes a man not master of himself bereaving him of all judgement and reason but not for greediness of money for that Princes could not introduce a more wicked Traffick in their Tribunals then to make merchandize of mens blood That therefore fraudulent Homicides committed out of premiditated malice should by no means be forgiven not onely for not drawing down Gods anger upon them but for the administration of that right justice which they were bound to give unto their subjects for that Princes by pardoning hainous offences purchased onely the praise of being avaritiously and wickedly merciful IX That they should firmly believe themselves to be absolute Lords and Masters of their subjects not as shepherds are of their sheep who may sell them to the shambles but onely utendo not abutendo by using not by abusing them for people imbittered by bad usuage could not live long with that ill satisfaction which is the fruitful mother of bad resolutions X. That they should think the true heaping up of riches consisted in giving content unto their people and in making them of subjects brothers and children and that the excellent art of taking Sturgions with Pilchards was nothing else then to purchase the rich treasure of mens hearts by a wise liberality and to cheapen love by clemency for to fill their coffers with gold raised out of the taxes and exactions as some Princes do was not onely to swell that spleen which did so impare the health of a sound body but did oft times serve as sharp spurs and loud sounding Trumpets to make Foreigners arm themselves that they may make themselves masters of so great wealth XI That in their insolences and extravagancies they should by no means relie upon their subjects love which was as soon lost by using an impertinancy or by a distaste given as it was won by a courteous or liberal action Neither should they build upon their peoples former patience for that the minds and humors of men did change and vary with Times Places ' and Persons That therefore they should not wax proud of their peoples being grosly ignorant or that they were altogether unarmed nor should they presume too much upon them for there was never any Kingdom yet which was not very full of such unquiet ambitious and male-content Nobility as would serve for sure guides to blind people and for learned School-masters who would teach ignorant people the important precept and the seditious doctrine that to come out of the laborinth of the slavery of Monarchy which was governed only by insolency and the irregular fancy of a hair-brained Prince like These 's they must follow the clew of arms which was more dangerous to a Prince for that despair caused in people by such proceedings though they were weak unarmed and ignorant would make them find arms courage and judgement in every corner XII That they should wear the powerful Militia of boundless Empire which the Laws will have Princes to have even over the lives of men for terror of the wicked by their side for the security of such as good but that they should never make use of it that they should freely deliver up such as were guilty to the power of sacred Justice for the ranker of hatred and revenge was never a whit lessened by inflicting cruel torments upon the guilty That therefore to the end that Delinquents might appease their so incensed souls even at the bitter point of death they should let all favour in criminal causes proceed from themselves and that the sword of justice should be onely exercised by their Magistrates XIII That in laying on of Taxes as great caution as could be should be had to such things as tended to the feeding and cloathing of the poor who live out of the sweat of their brows and that they should lay the heavier impositions upon such things as belonged to the delights luxuries and superfluities of the wealthy who living idly upon their rents minded nothing but great gaming and inventing new vices XIV That above all things they should be very careful that all publike provisions should be modestly exacted and by discret parsonages for it hapned oft times that people were more troubled with the condition of him that gathered the taxes and the violent manner of gathering it then with the tax it self XV. That they should use all possible industry in feeding the common people with bred the Nobility with degrees of honour and that to arrive at so happy ends they should suffer free commerce amongst their subjects of selling and buying the fruits and incomes of their lands and the gain of their Traffick but that they should be very careful to fill their State-Magazines with corn and all things necessary for the life of man bought and brought in from foreign parts which was a rich and happy Traffick which paid Princes the use of a hundred for one when by the great plenty occasioned thereby they had lost their principal XVI That for the better content of their Nobility who always thirst after glory and honor they should confer places of Magistracy and other chief dignities onely upon the Noble subjects of their States And that they should keep as from fire from giving them that mortal wound which had caused woful subversions in the greatest Kingdoms
thereof even to the highest Cornish it is not yet to be denyed but that Tiberius when by happily transmitting it over to his Nephews son Caligula he made it hereditary in the blood of the Iuliâ—… and Claudii did wisely establish it and gave it compleat perfection A great action certainly and onely becoming that Tiberius who knowing so excellenly well how to conceal his own private passions made himself be known to be an excellent Dr. in the cunning Art of discovering other mens thoughts by which he may be said to have set the roof over the Roman Monarchy A great Conspiracy was discovered some few days ago against this so mighty an Emperor which was long before plotted against him by the greatest Princes of this Court who accused him before his Majesty of being a Tyrant as he who to the prejudice of Augustus his heirs had by wicked means possest himself of the Empire which they said he had governed with unheard of barbarous cruely for the space of two and twenty years shewing himself always to be an implacable enemy of the Nobility ravenous over the wealthy bloody to men of great worth and ungrateful to those that had served him faithfully and this shameful accusation was aggravated by the Testimony of Cornelius Tacitus who having ever appeared by all his actions in this Court to be circumspect suffered himself notwithstanding to be so far carryed away by the violent Passion of hatred against Tiberius as he made Affidavit before his Majesty that under the rigorous government of this Monster of Nature Nobilitâ—… opes omissi gestique honoris pro Crimine ob vertutus certicimum exitium Tacit. lib. 1. Hist. This accusation wrought much with Apollo who truely said that it was a great error to have placed so cruel a Tyrant in the honorable Classis of Legitimate Princes and at the same instant gave command that Tiberius should have notice given him to appear in the Court the next day and defend himself against that accusation Then did all men call to mind the unfortunate condition of Princes when Tiberius was seen to come out of his house alone and forsaken by all his friends to appear before the Judges who though he thought that disertion to be an evident sign of his condemnation yet entered he the Court with an undanted spirit where though he was received with severe looks and threatning jestures both by his Majesty and the whole Senate of Vertuosi yet he seemed even then to be fullest of courage when his danger appeared to be greatest Silence being then proclaimed Egiddio Bossio the Atturney General read the accusation to Tiberius and then Tiberius was commanded to say what he could in his own defence Whereupon he thus began Prince of Learning the accusations laid unto my charge by my ill-willers are two that I possest my self of the Roman Empire by bad means and that by the Government thereof I have used much cruelty towards the Nobility and other subjects of much merit and worth the first is false for how can it be objected that I came by the Roman Empire fraudulently since by his last will and Testament Augustus made me his Heir I confess that Agrippa Posthumus and Germanious were neer allyed in blood to Augustus but it must be considered that Augustu was not so great a fool as to be deceived by any how crafty and fraudulent a wit soever in so important an affair as the leaving of an Heir who might succeed him in so great an Empire It must be believed that some weighty respect moved him to prefer me who was not at all akin to him before his Nephews and thought I could upon this occasion much to my praise relate the excellent Art I used to work my self into the good will and affection of this great Prince I will in this place onely mention this that if Augustus had found such qualities in those of his blood as he knew were requisite in him who was to be his heire and which by all exquisite diligence I endeavoured to make appear to be in me neither would the love which Tacitus says Augustus bore to my mother nor her allurements nor all my cunning ever have been sufficient to induce that wise Prince to do so cruel an act as to disinherit his Nephews and make a stranger his heir But it will make for me in this place and upon this occasion to make known that my action from whence I have always acknowledged my access unto the Roman Empire as that which did compel Augustus to love me so immeasurably It is wel known to al men that after the death of Marcus Agrippa Augustus gave me his daughter Giulia for wife it is likewise known to all men what a one that great Princess proved so as being scorned by the pride and lasciviousness of that unchaste woman when I found my honor wounded I knew how to make use of that very occasion for my greater advancement which was likely utterly to ruine all the hopes of my good fortune wherein I had made so good a progress For considering that if as my honor bound me to do I should revenge the injury done me by my wife by putting her to death the little respect which I should have born to Augustus his blood might alienate him from me and make him give over his intentions of exalting me and long arguing with my self the great difference that there was between an injury received from a wife of a disproportionable greatness to her husband and that which is done by ones equal I put on the bitter resolution of preferring the glory which I should win by obtaining the Roman Empire before the shame of being publikely cuckolded by Iulia. Tiberius had gon thus far in pleading his own excuse when a lowd voice was heard in the Court to cry out thrice O Traytor Tiberius thinking that this was meant by him protested to Apollo that that scorn was put upon the Court and not upon him Apollo finding how little he was respected by that rash fellow whosoever he was that had said those words commanded that he should be diligently sought for and imprisoned which was forthwith done and it was found to be Iacomo Count of Marcia a famous Prince of the blood of France yet Apollo preferring the injury done unto himself before the linage of that Prince commanded him to be led to prison Then the Count did publikely profess that he had not said those words either to injure his Majesty or Tiberius but that to unburthen himself of somewhat which lay heavy in his heart he had called himself Traytor not meaning Tiberius nor any other person for when he was marryed to the unchaste Queen Iane by his foolish proceeding against her who had brought with her the Kingdom of Naples for her portion as if she had been a private Gentlewoman and by the severity which he like a Coxcomb used towards her he to his infinite shame lost both his wife
desire every one to consider that those who boasting of their worth and great vertue in the Roman Senate would be known to be of a better condition then the rest did it not for that they were inamored of Vertue not out of that onely nobleness of minde which ought to be in every one who can be content to dye a private man but that they might have a noble retinue to win popular favour the Armies love a great truth which hath not been better taught to such a Prince as my self by any writer then by thee Tacitus for thou freely sayst that new Princes meet with no worser nor more wicked a subject then that worthy Senator who makes use of Vertue to chalk out the way to the ambition which he hath of Government For after thou in thy Annals hast painted to the life the demeanor of that Traytor Sejanus thou sayst these following words which cleerly prove my intention Palam compositus pudor intus summa adipiscendi libido ejusque causa modo largicio luxus saepius industria ac Vigilantia haud minus noxiae quoties parando Regno finguntur Tacit. lib. 4. Ann. And thou hast said well for in a new State not being yet secured in an hereditary descent and where the tumultuous choosing of a Prince hath so large a scope as it is lawful even for him that murders the Prince to aspire unto the Empire those great subjects those worthy and all-deserving Officers who are so much admired by private men as they are thought by them to merit their Princes integral love the highest preferments best rewards are notwithstanding known by him that reigns to be most pernitious fit to be rooted out So as the condition of the Roman Empire being no less disorderly in her hereditary succession then greatly tumultuous in her election required in me that severe way of proceeding which was onely able to save my life and preserve the State Nor can I see how any man can blame the cruelty which I used towards the Roman Nobility and the worthiest subjects of the Empire since it would have been thought a great defect and much mis-becoming such a one as me if I should have used that clemency towards them that mildness and familiarity which Caesar to his cost did whose miserable end dos cleerly teach all men that states which are fraudulently possest ought to be establisht by extraordinary severity For the Nobility of subjugated Commonwealths make use of the new Princes Clemency only as of an excellent means to suppress him by Conspiracies nor doth it any whit at all avail as a man would think it should do for the allaying of that rage of hatred or quenching the great and perpetual desire which they have to vindicate the injury done them in their lost liberties though thereby they run the greatest hazards and danger that can be incur'd The Judges did much approve of Tiberius his defence for they did not onely allow of Augustus his last Will and Testament and consequently of the legitimacy of Tiberius his succession but they also considered that he being a new Prince no ways allyed in blood to Augustus and there being many Roman Senators better born then himself according to the true rules of Tyrannical Policy he was forced to use cruelty there where that veneration and Majesty was wanting which the being born of Royal blood brings with it and made his way by sword and poyson making himself be dreaded by those who presumed too much upon themselves and dared to paragonise their privat Nobility with his immense fortune who reigned and that where to use clemency was prejudicial to the new Princes the use even of unusual severity ought to be esteemed lawdable The XXXIV ADVERTISEMENT Hyppocrates having advised Apollo how to prevent the frequent deaths of sick folks occasioned through the ignorance of Physicians and proving unfortunate in that his advice is in great danger of being severely punisht by his Majesty HYppocrates that great Physician told Apollo some few days ago that the world was so pesterd with ignorant Physicians as unless some suddain remedy were taken for it all mankind would be destroyed for that sick folks were cured by ignorant Physicians by new experiments by contrary medicines and rather by Mounte banks receits then by canonical and true rules of Art whence it was that many sick folks dyed who if they had been administred unto by learned Physicians might easily have been restored to their former healths Apollo being advised by so famous a man resolved to remedy so great an evil Wherefore some six months ago he constituted a Colledge of the most famous Physicians that the world ever had the chief whereof were Cornelius Caelsus Galen Avesine Fracastoro Filopio l'Altozmari and the most meritorious Girolimo Mercuriale and made Hyppocrates that Prince of Physick head of the Colledge which he endowed with ample Authority to provide experimented Physick and of known vertue for mankinde These Physicians first distributed out their orders and Physicians were sent into all places who for the greater safety of mens healths and long lives were commanded to use nothing to their Patients but common Glisters Roman Oyntments usual Purges and in pestilent Feavers pectoral waters but that when they should have occasion to let blood to cure malignant Feavers double Tertians or other grievous maladies they should be commanded to acquaint the Colledge speedily with every particular accident that befel the sick party with the condition of his sickness with his several accesses of Feaver and that in such cases they should be very careful of sending the water and excrements of the sick person every morning and evening to the Colledge to the end that they might with better satisfaction to the sick party take order for necessary Medicaments The Physicians very willingly did what they were commanded by the Colledge But it was not long ere the world was aware that those orders which were given with so much zeal to the publike good wrought not that good effect which his Majesty perswaded himself they would have done for the Physicians who administred Physick to the sick were so perplext in putting on due resolutions in their observations of the several alterations and changes of the maladies as they durst not upon any suddain accident that should arrive succor the sick parties with any requisite and speedy help but shewing more obedience to the Colledge then charity to their Patients refused to meddle with those maladies which would admit of no delay without express Order from their superiors and truely it was sad to see that the time which should have been spent in the cure of their Patients was imployed to no purpose by those Physicians in writing eloquent relations and many learned advices to those of the Colledge to whom with all dilligence they sent the water and excrements of the sick which altering by reason of the length of the way it unfortunately fell out that the
Seneca much moved with this sharp repremand resolved he would be no longer scorned for spending so immense a wealth only upon his belly and his back divided his whole Estate consisting of three millions and a half into four equal parts wherewith he founded as many publick Hospitals and indowed them with rich Revenues and ordered that the four sorts of fools wherewith the world did abound should be therein commodiously cured The first was to be for those foolish people who throw away their Estates waste their wits and lose their reputations in seeking for the Philosophers Stone fools that are indeed to be pittied for whom all good people ought to pray The second for those ignorant hiddy giddy people who Data opera seek for riches by Exorcisms and Inchantments The third was for the cure of such idle fools worthy of punishment who not caring to know things past by the reading of History foolishly imagin they may arrive at the knowledg of foretelling things to come by Astrology The fourth was for the advantage of such simple folks who having wasted all their Estates and not having one farthing left do notwithstanding still proudly boast of their Noble Families The LXXIX ADVERTISEMENT Some Princes of Pernassus having spent a great mass of wealth in a stinking sort of Merchandise and having thereby incurred great debts are forced to profess themselves Bankrupts and to leave Pernassus IN the Exchange of Pernassus the most important Bankruptship is discovered that ever hapned in the memory of man for it fell not out as usualy between private Merchants but between the most Potent Princes of this State in so much as no payments of monies are made any where and Merchants refuse to pay Letters of Exchange every one standing at a gaze till they see where this business will end which hath drawn along with it the breaking of divers other Merchants who were considerable The rich Indian Fleet almost wholly fraught with Sugars which entred some daies ago into the Gulf of Lepanto was the cause of these so many disorders Some of the chief Princes of Pernassus bought all the Sugar which brought in great store of money and then they provided many Magazines and Ware-houses and made great provisions of Cauldrons and other brass Vessels and were at such an expence with all this as they took up monies at huge high Interest from Merchants at all Marts by exchange and bartering The true end of these Princes was to know for certain whether they could happily compass the difficult business of preserving Turds a business which had been formerly endeavoured by many great men but still unfortunately Many rich Lords were so resolved upon the undertaking of this stinking occupation as they neither spared for cost nor labour to bring this their stinking designto their desired end for they put all their minnions Hephestion idols flatterers and bawds into the great Caldrons which they had prepared to whom they were not ashamed to pay all the most abject and base slavery and obedience These unfortunate Confectioners cover over this scum of people which are so fatal to men of power with the sugar of honourable imployments and highest dignities and though it was clearly seen that by reason of their stinking lewd conditions they did not only not become ever a whit the sweeter in merit and vertue but the more sugar was heaped upon them by those unfortunate Princes the more they stunk in the nostrils of men of honour yet did they daily persist the more in that their woful occupation and the obstinacy of those ill advised Princes was so fatal as the worser they found their business to proceed the more did their diligence and expences increase together with the impossibility and shame of the fowle undertaking those foolish Merchants did still beleeve that the infinite quantity of Sugar and fragrant Musk had power to make the stink of those their shameful favorites sweet and odoriferous But at last though late they found their business impossible to be effected and having consumed all their Sugar they were aware that those their Idols had not only shamefully infected theirCourts by their insufferable stench but had infinitely defamed them who for want of caution had doated upon so unsavory carrion wherefore they quit the enterprise and because the moneys which they had taken up at use were already grown due for fear of their Creditors they have all played least in sight and the more to aggravate so great a disorder we hear that a great King who that he might confectionate a base minnion of his was for certain the first who advised to this miserable Merchandize fell unfortunately off horseback as he fled away and is since dead His Majesty was very much troubled at these disorders and to hinder the like inconveniences for the future hath commanded that on the first day of August a remarkable day since not only the universal Banckrupt but the death of that great King hapned on that day so sad a misfortune should be publickly commemorated and if the example of so great a Monarch could not deter powerful men from the like undertaking it must be granted that this calamity was occasion'd through the same weakness of brain by which privat men are blinded and for avarice undo themselves in pursuit of the Philosophers Stone The LXXX ADVERTISEMENT Certain prime Politicians of Pernassus pray the Ottoman Monarchy to tell them the true reason why she makes short war with her enemies and are by her satisfyed MEnante who for the better satisfaction of his customers to whom he sends his weekly Gasetta's is very diligent in prying into the very secretest passages of Pernassus having discovered the other day that some Politicians of this Court desired Audience of the Ottoman Monarchy was so watchful as when they went to that mighty Queen he went along with them in company and heard Scipio deCastro whom those Politicians call their File-leader beseech her Majesty that she would vouchsafe to acquaint those Politicians that were with him with the true reason wherefore she makes but short war with the Princes who are her enemies even when she was victorious and certain to make greater acquisitions and did prosecute others even to their uttermost ruine I have heard that the Ottoman Monarchy did after no barbarous manner answer them you must know Gentlemen that I never use to lay down Arms when I make war against Nations which though never so great are divided into several Principalities wherein I finde discord and faction to reign till I have totally conquered them as I did in the Grecian Empire whose division into several despoters and the intestine discord which reigned amongst them did I confess throw open the gates unto me and made way for my acquisition of that famous Empire Likewise when I go against a Prince who is abandoned by his friends I never make peace with him till I have fully conquered him as was cleerly seen in the expedition which I