conseruation della feè Catholicho en el Reyno di Francia y a instantia y requesta del y que no pensaua dexar las armas hasta cobrallos O yo el pontifice atenta mente la pretâ—stacion y tomò della el Duque instrumento publico Auertiò antes à sua Santitad de algunos inconuenientes che temia hauian de resultar de la absolucion que tenia determinado dar à Enrico That is The Euening before the Absolution should be giuen the Duke of Sessa Ambassadour of the Catholique King on his behalfe protested to the Pope that the absolution which his Holines intended to giue to Henry should not preiudice the Reasons of his King in that which concerned the Kingdome of Nauar and the County of Bourgundy nor in the expence which he had made for the Conseruation of the Catholique faith in the Kingdome of France at his instance and request and that he determined not to depose Armes vntill he had recouered them The high Bishop attentiuely heard the Protest and the Duke tooke thereof a publique instrument hauing first aduertised his Holinesse of some inconueniences which hee feared might result from the Absolution which was purposed to bee giuen to Henry These Protests did appeare to men of sound iudgement ill grounded prentences the alleaged inconueniences false foundations of that great Building which those malicious aboue mentioned did figure to themselues They said it was requisite to the strict Christianity which the Catholique King professed all humane Interest deposed to aduance with all his spirits the conuersion of Henry and to exhort the high Bishop affectionately to receiue the prodigall Sonne seeing he was returned penitent to his fathers house and to take into his Armes the strayed sheepe which hee had now found to carry him to the Sacred sheepfold of Christ They did blame as a work very 〈◊〉 Catholique but rather as a suggestion of the Deuill to attempt the hinderance of that Absolution which onely hee ought to haue procured for the quiet of France and the publique good of Christendome which if it had not succeeded might haue wholly allenated that Kingdome from the Church as the like had done in England They did consider that it was wide of the purpose to feare any preiudice in the kingdome of Nauarre and the County of Burgundy seeing the Absolution did not deriue any more right to Henry then that which any other which should be King of France might haue But aboue all the pretensions of the expence made in the warre did giue them greatest scandall They discoursed if only for the loue of Christ the Catholique King had disbursed that money why was he not content to haue Christ his Debtor But how a Debtor if hee doth enioy of the Patrimony of Christ aboue Three Millions yearely Reuenue granted him by the Vicar of Christ of Tenths Subsidiâ—s and Croysado's and other meanes with condition to employ them against the Enemies of Christendomeâ— why takes hee noâ— penne in hand and comes not to a distinct Account of the Receipts and Issues well balancing il dare con l' hauere and hee shall finde himselfe not Creditor of one Maraâ—edi but certainely Debtor of many and many Millions spent not according to his obligation for Christianity but for the interest of his owne priuate Estates What then doth hee pretend Why then doth he not lay downe Armes Vpon what hath hee fixed his thoughts To what end doth he aspire If he prosecute this warre he prosecuteth an vniust warre How doth that correspond with the zeale of Religion for which onely at first he vndertooke it What change is this Certainely it proceedeth not from the right hand of the most High But bee it so let him follow the warre at his owne pleasure there is no remedy Henry shall bee absolued and shall bee King of France Doth the Catholique King perhaps hope with his owne forces and by strong hand to depriue him If he was not able with the vnion of so many other Princes to hinder him from taking possession of his Kingdome how shall he now be able to expell him hauing set sure footing in his Throne He attempts a dangerous Action Here they proceed with witty and politique Consideration that a good issue of this warre against Henry not ensuing hee should be sure to acquire a powerfull and perpetuall Enemy that might in time make Spaine to tremble within her owne bowels and the Prophesie had well neare beene verified the whole world knowes it if a violent death had not interposed toâ—stay him But this yet which perhaps was foreseene they did iudge insufficient to free Spaine of the danger Seeing the offence of the father and with the offence the disdaine might descend to the Sonne his Successor as soone as heâ— came to ripe age and should fall into consideration that the Catholique King had done his vtmost to keepe him from being King of France when hee indeauoured to take the Crowne from the head of his father and that if his father in despight of Spaine mainteined himselfe King he also in despight of Spaine might enioy his fathers Kingdome But all these considerations which certainely were very great before any other conceiued them were resolued by the most wise King Phillip who by common Iudgement was the Salomon of his time From whence for the same reasons that others did iudge it requisite to leaue the warre hee esteemed it necessary to prosecute it Seeing he knew he had so grieuously offended Henry that hee could by no other meanes secure himselfe from his disdaine but onely by opposing him to become King of France Wherefore seeing the cause of Religion did cease it was expedient to fasten vpon some other pretence to resist with his Holiness the absolution and in France the Coronation and to proue if it were possible already reason of State had insinuated that great building of the Malicious to make a King of his owne fashion as he had already caused to be propounded in Parliament Tarde se desengana el desseo de mandar y ser Rey Bauia p. 4. vita de Clem. 8. C. 30. Por esto aunque con â—enos brio no desistian los pretensores Proponia el Duque de Feria al Serenissima Infanta de Espana Dona Isabel. Affermaâ—a deâ—ersele el Reynâ— porque hauiendo faltado la linea masculina de Hugâ— Capeâ—o eraquien tenià meior derecho a la Corona como hija de hermana mayor de Enrico III vltimo Rey de Francia Y dezia con esto que el Rey Catholico su padre la ca saria con al un principe Frances con que el nombramiento del tal quedasse en su elecion That is The desire to command and to bee King was slowly cleared from all doubt For this cause though with lesse boldnesse the Pretenders gaue not ouer The Duke of Feria did propound her highnesse Donna Isabella Infanta of Spaine He did affirme the Kingdom to belong
Nothing is sure without the approbation of this Court of Conscience Nothing so vnsure as what Law or equitie is the rule thereof Therfore that Peace onely will be secure with Spaine which the two Counsells of State and Conscience shall together resolue to be profitable because necessarie To reduce this Discourse to a briefe Conclusion If right iudgement of all States arise from their ends If their Counsells direct the way to discouer them and both being discerned to affect Conquest must be actiuely opposed lest they preuaile vpon a suffering modestie If the ends of Spaine are apparently Vniversall Monarchy and all their Counsells by Negotiations infamous and vnchristian or by practises of fomenting Treasons and diuisions among their neighbours are directed to attaine that end If the Pope must be alway obsequious for the affinity of their common ends If there be no securitie of Peace but in their pouerty What other resolution can bee proposed then that a liuely warre must bee transported to that part of the Dominions of Spaine which being separated and cut off the ancient modesty and naturall constitution of that Kingdome may returne to bee glad to liue in Peace and eate quietly their owne Figs and Oliues And because in great diseases as well blood and ill humours must be diuerted as the main Cure intended so it wil be requisite more for expedition then necessitie of health to imitate other States in thrift France in times past had Scotland England Burgundy and Navarre Spaine their owne Moores and Barbary euery kingdome had a back-friend vpon their Enemies Such may be found vpon the weakest side of the House of Austria Port d' Atras drawne from their owne Confessions that though the Palatinate be conquered Hungary Bohemia will neuer be secure vntill the Hills of Transylvania be made the Bulwarke of their Empire But this would be too large a Digression There remaines onely of my purpose to preuent a Question why I haue chosen to dedicate by this Epistle the ensuing Translation to you most worthy Senators of the House of Commons For this boldnes may be subiect to various misinterpretations No mā will suspect me of so great arrogance as that I hope to teach you any thing you doe not know But seeing your owne wisedome did first foresee the necessity of a warre with Spaine and your owne zeale to the honour of your King did counsell to vndertake it I thought such forraine Meditations as these concurring with your owne thoughts might also animate and nourish in you a spirit and generous Resolution vigorously to maintaine it You know how much of the good successe of great Actions depends vpon reputation and they haue aduanced much who haue gotten opinion As Astrologers make their iudgments vpon the first minute of time in Natiuities so doth the world prognosticate of the happy successes of Princes by the first coniunctures in their Kingdomes and their first actions abroad Therefore instandum fame nam vt prima cessissent fore vniuersa You know Tacit. Monies are the sinewes of warre Idem Neque arma sine stipendijs neque stipendia sine tributis haberi queunt If you now restraine your liberall hand you expose your Prince to dishonor and your Country to Consumption It is Time onely that will macerate England when without traffique and exchange and that especially of Germany our owne treasure must be exported to pay forraine Armies Qui citò dat bis dat Seneca and it is ill husbandry to doe that sparingly which cannot be well done but at once and speedily It will be time to be thrifty in the members and particulars when the Head and the whole State is safe And if you deferre vntill a lingring warre hath exhausted you Remember that which remaines will not suffice because sera in fundo parsimonia non enim minimum Idem sed pessimum remanet Your humble Seruant Philo-Britannicos THE REASONS OF the Resolution lately taken in the Valteline against the Tyrannie of the Grisons and the Heretiques THe miseries of the vnhappy Valteline are now at last so notorious so intollerable are the barbarous oppressions and tyrannies that the inhabitants thereof doe suffer as slaues vnder the Grisons their pretended Lords and Superiours that they ought certainly to stirre vp great compassion in the mindes and for their reliefe also the force of Princes and people farre remoued And seeing this contrary to all expectation and equitie is not to them administred now that of themselues with the meanes giuen them almost immediately from the hand of God they haue procured to free them from so sharp a bondage they might beleeue that for their iustification in that action before the World there needed no other diligence Neuerthelesse seeing the malice of peruerse Ministers the tongues and infernall pennes with which Tyrants serue their owne occasions haue too great credit with the vulgar to obscure any truth how cleare soeuer to calumniate Innocency and to procure hatred it hath beene thought fit to publish this Treatise by which all men may be informed briefly and truly that what they haue done is not onely right by all Diuine and Humane law but worthy to be approued with high praises of men iudicious intelligent and well affected to Iustice and Christianity and to be protected by all States and Princes Omitting therefore colours and artifice of words proper to those ministers who study nothing but to deceiue Euery one doth know that all which a Subiect can pretend consisteth in Soule Life Honor and Goods Of all these nothing remained to the miserable Valtoliues wherein they were not extreamly oppressed and tyrannized Concerning the Soule it is sufficiently knowne that the Inhabitants of that Vally were anciently bred and nourished in the holy Roman Catholique faith That therein are many beautifull Churches dedicated to the blessed Virgin and other Saints fauoured by God with graces and miracles and therefore frequented by the deuout concourse of sundry Nations to the great comfort and benefit of the People who were by the Catholiques to them admitted in them to celebrate Masse and Seruices for the health of their soules according to the holy Roman Rite But now these Barbarians giuen vp in prey to the most peruerse Professors of euery Heresie and particularly of Caluinisme haue so with all their industry wrought that this poyson hath slided and infected the whole Valley from whence it may more easily spread into the bordering parts of Italy And although first they did not apparently shew to take from the People the vse of their ancient religion yet their actions manifestly were thereunto addressed seeing by their Decrees they gaue power to the Heretiques to prophane the old Catholique Churches with their Preachings and Burialls and doe take away the reuenues left to Catholique Churches for Masses and other offices which they transferre to hereticall Ministers That they inforce Catholiques to built them Churches That they extinguish wholly Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction
A DISCOVRSE Vpon the Reasons OF THE RESOLVTION taken in the Valteline against the tyranny of the GRISONS and HERETIQVES To the most Mighty Catholique King of Spaine D. PHILLIP the Third Written in Italian by the Author of The Councell of Trent AND Faithfully translated into English With the Translators Epistle to the Commons House of PARLIAMENT LONDON Printed for William Lee at the Turkes head in Fleetstreet next to the Miter and Phoenix 1628. TO THE KNIGHTS BARONS AND BVRGESSES of the House of Commons assembled in Parliament THings compared though contrary or alike in nature doe illustrate one the other Contrariorum similium eadem est ratio Iust. Iust. And therefore to discerne the strengths counsels and ends of diuers Kingdomes the straightest rule is comparison of their actions gouernment and foundation All Monarchies and Republiques which haue an end proposed whether to enlarge or preserue their Dominion most effectually worke to their own ends because such operation is naturall Polib Is quinoâ—it quaenam sint vniuscuinsque Rerumpublicarum principiae naturalia etiam incrementum et florentissimum statum ac mutationem finem potest cognoscere A wise and rationall Historian comparing and censuring diuers Common-wealths why one subsisted and others decayed and how the one preuailed vpon the other examined the formes and institutions their designes and ends and what was possible to be built vpon them That of Plato he esteemed vncapable of comparison other then as a Statue to a man which had excellent art without life Athens and Thebes were not vnderlaid to beare any aduersitie But when they were most like to rise the temperature of their policy was insufficient to allay the abundance and increase of humours the growth was too sudden and heauy for the foundation when they began to shake their root had no earth The Lacedemonian to subsist of it selfe to oppose forraine violence to need nothing exotique to liue in peace was in all perfection instituted Caeterùm ad parandum sibi in vicinos dominatum to extend their Empire euen their owne foundation was an impediment A blessed state if Ambition were banished the world but defectiue to absolute safetie For no defence is secure that cannot offend Therefore as soone as that State began to affect conquest and to raise Armies they found in their constitution that the Lawes made to keepe them happy Platâ— were too narrow to hold others in seruitude and their vntried felicitie blinded their iudgement to ouer-value their owne abilities Qui vitam instituisset contra naturam meritò etiam contra naturam fato functus est Polib The Carthagenians and Romans had larger ends a broader foundation like abilities and aptitudes to effect them which were Imperium mundi And though all Common-wealths doe conuenire in aliquo mediâ— yet they which designe quiet possession of their owne and vsurpation of the Estates of others are at both ends vtterly repuguant The reasons why the Romans preuailed vpon Carthage Polib being alike instituted are another consideration the manner of building the constancy vertue and goodnesse of Instruments are great differences In these the Romans excelled and perhaps in the youth for euery State hath an Infancy a mature and a decrepitage and consequently soonest arriued at their ends But that wherein most effectually they preuailed was in Counsels in which they had aduantage in the forme of their gouernment For the people in Carthage in all deliberations had too much authoritie which bred delay and hindered secrecy whereas in Rome the Senate and Optimati Tacit. experienced and wise men onely resolued Imus ad bellum non omnes Nuncios palam audiri Polib non omnia consilia cunctis praesentibus tractari ratio rerum aut occasionum velocitas patitur Victoria consilijs ratione perficitur From these Considerations a Consequence is deduced that when any two great Kingdomes fall into a warre that which will preuaile must consider the ends of the other and the wayes and meanes wherewith they are prosecuted and to them must apply all industry and direct opposition In the ends as there is great difference so there is great aduantage by theÌ„ because actiue things etiamsi agendo repatiantur weare-out passiue though of equall strength and hardnesse as the iron that strikes in time batters that which suffers Common-wealths that designe conquest and are alway attentiue to watch occasion get ground vpon the modest more by vigilancy then force and fraud which is a terrible instrument doth euer accompany Ambition Counsels vanquish Armes as spirituall things are predominant vpon materiall and as fire dissolues the fastest metals those Counsels are most preualent which are vnited in one head and issue from one fountaine Therefore rising and encreasing Empires are dangerous if they once grow great and must be resisted in their ends and in their counsels single defence is not sufficient troublesome neighbours must be made passiue to abate their reputation which the spirit of action presupposeth To apply these premisses hauing read with pleasure the following Discourse of the Reasons of the Resolution in the Valteline and being at leasure eyther to sleep or wast in mine owne meditations I thought it would be a good recreation and not vnacceptable to my loyall Countrimen to teach it to speake as plaine English as it doth truth and finding the whole scope of the Author an Authour of great worth and greater works to be an information to the World of the dangerous encrease and ambition of the house of Austria and if possible to read the King of Spaine a lesson not to bee learned but vnder a Rodd of Iron that in time necessity would open the eyes of all Princes to oppose his secret proiect of Vniuersall Monarchy I beleeued that some profit might be gathered out of this forraine Garden I wil suppose that this Theame is sufficiently handled and that there are few practised in the world who will deny it The witnesses are great and euident India vniustly vsurped Sicily surprised by treason Naples by breach of Contract Millan held by Intrusion Nauarre by excommunication of the lawfull Prince Portugall oppressed by the Sword Conâ—stag and the Pope refused to iudge either competently or as Arbiter the pretences of Parma Braganza when it was possible in temporall Causes his spirit might erre in not adoring Spaine The Valteline possessed vnder the colour of Religion The Palatinate and the States of Cleue seised by auxiliars and kept for Debts forced vpon the Proprietaries which they desired not to borrow Wesell stollen in a truce and the Rhyne passed ouer vnder the fauour of a Treaty Embden attempted Venice conspired Piemont assaulted France twice corrupted into Combustion with holy leagues and open Armes and England practiced and inuaded And to bee able to doe any or all these a scelerous peace sought with the Turke to whom in truth Spaine is only a true friend These are such a Cloud
of witnesses as no modesty will oppugne them Which being now manifest to the world and that it is expected euery wise Prince and State will consider nunc meares agitur I also haue presumed to warne diuisos ab orbe Britannos who being separated from Generall Commerce by the Sea which is our wall true Information may bee kept out as well as Enemes To which purpose without any malignity or willing offence I must looke one age back For in the former Alas the Kings of Castile were good Neighbors and were content not to bee supplanted by their owne Moores mingled with their Subiects both in house and bloud England hath been the speciall and most advantagious marke at which this new Monarchy hath aymed since cupido dominandi outgrew Conscience and all lawes of Iustice England the Queene of the Sea and Lady of Traffique being conquered halfe of the whole is done England hath more hindered this vnnaturall growth then all Europe it is then out of question that the wisedome of Spaine which neuer erreth in the way of greatnesse loues and hates no kingdome so much as England When Don Iohn of Austria had wonne the famous battaile of Lepanto Raphael Pereg. and therein laid to himselfe a foundation of advancement and had gotten possession of the Citty of Tunis the Spanish Councell foreseeing the rising Starre of a new Monarchy though in their owne Princes bloud rather resolued to rase and destroy that Towne and accordingly gaue order to the Generall But hee who had higher thoughts fortified it and sollicited the Pope Pius quintus to intercede with the Catholique king that the Title of that kingdome might bee conferred vpon him to erect a fresh opposite to the Ottoman Empire The king of Spaine iealous of any Concurrent vtterly refused this honor to his owne Brother and suddenly to exercise his great mind vpon some subiect of his priuat seruice sent him Gouernour into Flanders where hee was as like to breake as rise The young Prince whose fathers bloud boiled in his veynes discontent to bee shut vp in so narrow a Compasse fell vpon a new practise to conquer England and procured so farre with the same Pope that he dealt earnestly with the Catholique King to consent to that Enterprise and to contribute Aydes for the Execution in fauour whereof his Holiness had already granted him Bulls Breues Money and the secret Inuestiture though this Proiect in the manner was not acceptable to King Phillip that the Pope should giue that away without first consulting with him which hee had embraced in his owne thoughts yet he yeelded and promised to assist Don Iohn in the Inuasion of England So much more hee thirsted to depriue a Christian Prince of an antient Inheritance then to keepe a great Kingdom opportunely seated to annoy the Turks from his friends the Ottomans I will not Physically coniecture what bloud begat this Counsell but propose it as a worthy and great Consideration The attempt of the Duke of Medina and the inuincible Armado was a fruit of the same root But that the sword might not seeme to cut through all Iustice to corrupt the minds of the ignorant and to satisfie the doubtfull and scrupulous a counterfeit booke Dolman vnder a counterfeit name was published discussing the seuerall titles of England and seeming to giue euery one their owne right it cunningly insinuates that the reasons of the Infanta Isabella were more pregnant then all the rest which could not come into question vntill Sixteene Princes successorily raigning were condemned for Vsurpers one of whom her father had married and by her taken the title of England But God fought for vs Tonante in coelis Iehouah Psal 18. Excelso edente vocem suam grando prunaeigneae it a emittens sagittas suas dispergit fulgura iaculans fundit illos When fained Titles were foolishnesse before God and men and the Chariot wheels of the Enemy were taken off outward force not prevailâ—ng Religion and the defence of that as the last refuge and Sanctuary of Ambition was taken vp and a holy pretence aduanced to practise Treason and Rebellion in Ireland To this end the Eâ—rles of Desmond and Tyron were thrust out and maintained in defection against their naturall Prince and as soone as their actions were worth the avowing Aids and Supplies were openly sent from Spaine and that Kingdome doubly inuaded by Conspiracie and Armes But Kinsale is a famous sepulcher of their honor that Climate perhaps hauing as naturall an Antipathy to Cholerique complexions and Intruders as to noysome and venemous beasts I purpose not to enumerate priuate and clandestine minings and machinations These three notorious examples will proue the general Assertion That Spaine doth aspire the subiection of Europe by the first ascent of England yet to shew more clearly the wiles and religious Counsells wherewith this Designe is prosâ—cuted it will be no vnprofitable digression to reveale to the world the Negotiations of this Monarchy with the Ottomans when eyther it hath beene in want or feâ—re or preparing for some new Attempt Catholique waies which the Lyon hath neuer trode in the Desert nor the Vulturs eye seene in the wildernesse It is one of the Vaine-glories of Spaine that they hold no correspondence nor euer made any peace with the great Enemy of Christendome calumniating and reproaching all other Princes and States who for vtilitie of Trade maintaine a Civill Commerce with them But wise men will discerne the fallacy and difference betweene those who according to the liberty of the lawes of God and Nations doe onely traffique communicate the abundancies of their Countries with Infidels and others who will haue no exchange nor intercourse but vnder the condition of diuiding the world and oppressing by mutuall consent of all Princes And such a Peace and opportunitie the Spaniard hath offered and sought of the Emperour of Turky And if this be not sufficient to returne the ignominie cast vpon others Let it be weighed vprightly and it shall appeare that all the correspondence and trade of all the Princes in amity with the Grand Signior together doth not bring to him halfe the profit and securitie as the dissentions and Intrusions of the House of Austria wherwith they keepe all Christendome in continuall feare or warre Wherby that common Enemie liues in safety and at ease watching aduantages vpon all indifferently About the time that Phillip the second the holy League to depriue Henry the Fourth of the Crowne of France failing him in the Reigne of Mehemet Grand father of Morat now liuing a certaine rich Portugall Iew Don Aluaro Mendes resident in Constantinople pretending occasion to send another of his Tribe called Iehuda Serfati vpon priuate affaires but practised by the Ministers of Spaine into that Country as soon as he arriued at the frontire by the Kings order he was created an Ambassador from the Grand Signior and conducted in that qualitie to the Court and a Counsel