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A72894
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A briefe discourse of royall monarchie, as of the best common weale vvherin the subiect may beholde the sacred maiestie of the princes most royall estate. VVritten by Charles Merbury Gentleman in duetifull reuerence of her Maiesties most princely Highnesse. Whereunto is added by the same gen. a collection of Italian prouerbes, in benefite of such as are studious of that language.
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Merbury, Charles.
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1581
(1581)
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STC 17823.5; ESTC S112612
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39,761
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95
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Royall Prince is not tributarie vnto any SPAIGNE Neither shall he paye tribute vnto any forreine Prince as the Common weale of CARTHAGE after it was subdued by SCIPIO AFRICANVS did vnto the people of ROME Neither yet any annuall pension is he to paye as some great Princes of Christendome haue done vnto the greate Turke The Common weales of VENICE GENOVA RAGVSA for the countreyes they haue confining vpon him doe yet the like And as not long since LEWIS th'leuenth of FRANCE payed 50. thousand crownes a yeare vnto kinge HENRY the eight of noble memorie for to haue peace with him and with our Nation Much lesse shall he be Liege Vassall vnto any as the kinges of SCOTLAND were wonte to be vnto the kinges of ENGLANDE The Dukes of BRITANNIE vnto the kinges of FRANCE Neither shall he The most Royall Prince holdeth not in Fee or in Fealtie of any holde in Fee or Fealtie of any as most of the Cities in ITALIE doe of th' Empire and the kingdomes of NAPLES and SICILLE doe of the Pope The Knightes of MALTA of the kinge of SPAINE these giuing yearly a Faulcon those a white amblinge Geldinge some one thing some an other VVhich all are certaine kindes of subiections and spyces of Seruitude carying with them a number of rightes duties honours and reuerences vnworthie of the dignitie of a ROYALL Prince VVho must be as the Gramarians saye a Noune Substantiue able to stande of him selfe without the helpe or aide of an other without paying Tributes doing Homages swearing Fealties and Inconueniences proceding from Subiectiōs Loyalties vnto any forreine Prince COSMVS Duke of FLORENCE of late remembrance might not be made kinge of TOSKANE although Pope PIVS the fourth had a good will to make him Because he helde his Cities and Tounes of the Empire VVherefore the Emperour hearing of his sute saide Italia non habet Regem nisi Casarem The French kinge FRANCES the first of that name for to let CHARLES the fifth as then Archeduke of AVSTRIA from being chosen Emperour shewed vnto the Electours how that the Imperiall Maiestie should be to much imbased if they made of his vassall their chiefe and Souueraigne VVhich made the saide CHARLES hauing after taken FRANCES prisoner at the famous battaile fought in the Parke of PAVIA that he would neuer condescende vnto his deliuerance vntill he was first exempted by FRANCES from all kinde of Seruices and Subiections which he owed vnto the Crowne of FRANCE for the Countreyes he helde of ARTOYS and FLANDERS It seemeth so base a thing vnto the Maiestie of a ROYALL Prince to become the Liege man of an other to sweare Fayth and Loyaltie vnto an other ioyning his handes within the handes of an other to fall downe on Seruices annexed vnto the foresaide Subiectiōs his knees as TIRIDATES kinge of ARMENIA did before NERO to kisse the Thresholde of the dore as PRVSIAS kinge of BITHINIA did when he entered into the Senate house of ROME to call him selfe the Seruant of an other as ASDRVBALL called him selfe the FACTOR and PROCVRATOR of the people of ROME These I saye and such like Indignities proceeding from Protections Tributes Fealties Loyalties and the other kindes of the forenamed Subiections are so much abhorring vnto the Soueraignitie of a ROYALL and absolute Prince as he will choose rather to parte from whole Countreyes then to incurre and indure such indignities VVherefore quarells were made against the kinges of England her MAIESTIES most ROYALL predecessours touching the Dukedomes of GVYENNE and NORMANDIE The Earldome of POITOV and MVTTRELL and many other goodly Possessions which they helde in FRANCE because they vouchesaued not to be bounde to doe Honours and Homages for the same But no meruaile though great kinges can not abide Subiections whē the Prince of ORANGE this mans father refused of the French kinge LEWIS th' eleuenth tenne times so much as his Principallitie was worth because he would not be subiecte to Seruices and Vassallties CALISTENES also the Nephew of ARISTOTLE being but a priuate man chose rather to dye then he would according to the maner of the Persians fall downe prostrate and adore ALEXANDER as a God aboue the estate of man And I haue harde how an Imbassadour for the VENETIANS at CONSTANTINOPLE when he was to haue audience of the Great TVRKE vnto whome he coulde not haue accesse but thorough a litle lowe place made of purpose because men should come stoping and kneeling vnto him The VENETIAN Imbassadour supposing in him selfe the reuerend Hienesse of that estate creeped thorough the hole with his backe forewardes A thing which the GRAN SIGNOR can in no maner of waye abide to see a mans taile towardes him But for to retourne vnto our most ROYALL Prince we will conclude that he is not to doe Homage or Honour vnto any not to paye Tribute or Pension vnto any not to be subiect either at home or abroade vnto any not to holde in Fealtie or in Loyaltie by Protection or by Commission nor for a shorte time or season But to rule really fully and perpetually Conclusion of the Treatice according as we haue in a generall maner hitherto discoursed I coulde wishe to speake more particularly of the ROYALTIES and prerogatiues belonging vnto the Maiestie of a Soueraine Prince as of his power and authoritie in allowing and disallowing of maters propounded to be Lawes in proclaming of warres and concluding of Peace in choosing and refusing of Magistrates in coyning and rating of money in erecting of Fortresses in graunting Pardons Licences Liberties and Priuileges c. But because they are matters of more waight and therefore doe require good aduisement and better authority I thinke good to suspende them vntill a more conuenient time or else to commende them vnto those that are of more approued Iudgement and better warranted to deale with them In the meane while I hope that these fewe lines of ours concerning the maner and forme of the best Common weale shall not seeme altogether impertinent to shew the Excellencie and Dignitie the Power and Maiestie of ROYALL MONARCHIE VVhereby all good subiectes seeing the greatnesse which God hath indued Princes withall to be as it were his LIEFTENANTES to gouerne vs here vppon Earth may respecte and reuerence them with all humilitie Serue and obaye them with all Loyaltie heare and speake of them with all honour PROVERBI VVLGARI RACCOLTI IN DIVERSI LVOGHI D'ITALIA ET LA maggior parte dalle proprie bocche de gl'Italiani stessi PER Carlo Merbury Gentil'huomo Inglilese ILQVALE NE FA PRESENTE DI COSÌ FATTA SVA INDVSTRIA à gl'amici patroni suoi honorati della lingua Italiana studiosi A I NOBILI ET ILLVSTRI SIGNORI DI CORTE ET ALtri gentil'huomini honorati della lingua Italiana intendenti IO non sò Signori Illustri che luogo habbia trouato ne ' vostri cortesi concetti quel mio precedente discorso se riguardando all'altezza
the ballances the kinge of BOEMIA And yet for all that the Electours were neuer so few the factions and ciuill discordes Difficulties and dissentions in the choosing of Princes that ensued were neuer a whit the lesse LEWIS of BAVIER and ALBERTE of AVSTRIKE were both chosen Emperours at one time whervpon they continued 18. yeares in warres one against the other In like maner the Colledge of the Cardinalles haue bene as is before saide sometimes two sometimes three yeares together in choosing of one Pope And at an other time they haue chosen three at a clappe and often times two together VVherfore they are now faine to shutte them selues into the CONCLAVE of Saint Peters Pallaice there to remaine vntill the two thirdes of them do fall to agreement As it is also more straightly obserued at MALTA now called VALETTA in the choosing of the great Maister of the order of Saint IOHN For there the 24. Electours appointed by the KNIGHTES of the great Crosse are walled into a strong place where within a certaine time limited vnto them they must without all delaye choose one that is not of their number So we see that the difficulties A number of Popes Emperour murdered about their Election and dissentions which proceede from such Elections are infinite The Murders also and massacres that do insue of them are no lesse frequent both amongest th'Ecclesiasticall Prelates and temporall Princes Of Popes there haue bene at the least 22. beheaded about their Election as the Registers of the VATTICANE doe certifie besides a number of Cardinalles and of common people that for the like cause haue gon the same waye with them VVe reade that in the Primatiue Church there were 600. Romanes slaine at one time about the choosing of DAMASVS and VRSINVS Of temporall Princes there haue bene within these 360. yeares since th' Empire fell into the subiection of the Lordes Electours eight or nine EMPEROVRS slaine and poisoned Of 15. SOVLDANES that haue bene chosen kinges of EGYPTE seuen of them dyed with the sworde Of Romane Emperours after the death of AVGVSTVS there were seuen all in a rowe murdered and three of them in one yeare It would greeue me to rehearse and weary you to heare all the piteous examples which might be recited in this behalfe wherof both English Latine and Italian histories are euery where full These few may suffice to shew what slaughters Murders Massacres haue bene cōmitted about The benefit of Succession the choosing of Princes Neither could there any order be found either for the sauftie of a kinge or for the quietnesse of a kingdome vntill such time as a lawfull sonne or sonne made by Adoption succeded vnto his father without Kingdomes assured by meanes of Succession any further Election As TIBERIVS TITVS TRAIAN ADRIAN ANTONINVS PIVS MARCVS AVRELIVS who all succeded prosperously one vnto th' other in the Romane Empire The Germaines also for all their great Titles of Election are faine at the last to flye vnto this refuge and to fetche their sauftie and quietnesse from Succession Suffering the house of AVSTRIKE these hundreth and three skore yeares solely and successiuely to possesse th' Empire As after SIGISMONDE FREDERIKE then MAXIMILIAN then CHARLES the fifth then FERDINANDE then MAXIMILIAN the seconde and so vnto RADVLPHE who now raigneth In POLONIA likewise BOHEMIA HONGARIE DENMARKE where the states stand so much vpon their Priuileges they are glad and faine of later yeares for the auoiding of ciuill warres and other of the aforesaid inconueniences to acknowledge the benefit of this Succession choosing for the most part him that is next of the blood Royall and next of kinne vnto the predecessed kinge So precious a thing it is as they that hate it are constrayned to seeke it And they that haue it are glad to holde it SPAINE NAPLES CICILLE NAVARRA SCOTLAND and FRAVNCE also whose Lawe SALIKE for ought that I can see is nothing else but a limited or nice kinde of Succession haue not for these many yeares knowen any other kinde of gouernement But of all nations there is none that more amplie How Succession is tendered in England hath enioyed it and which doth more willingly reteine it then our owne Seeing therefore that Lineall Succession is so sure a foundation as all good kingdomes both do and may boldly builde theron And contrarily ELECTION so weake a sande or rather so daungerous a Sea as it is able to sinke the tallest shippe of Citie or Countrey that saileth therin it is good reason that in this our discourse of ROYALL MONARCHIE as we desire to frame the same the best and the most perfecte common weale we embrace the one as a sure grounde and shunne the other as a most daungerous sande preferring Succession before Election and consequētly before all the other forenamed kindes of kingdomes the which all are either kindes of Election or else they are of lesse importance and such as are not to be estemed for their owne worthynesse but for some Necessitie sake As where Succession faileth that there is none lefte of the bloode Royall mall nor femall to inheritte the Crowne then men are faine to goe to drawing of Lottes to Neyinge of horses to choosing the Noblest the wisest the Eldest the Mightiest the Richest But the best and most Royall Prince is not to receiue his Scepter by any such happe or hazarde of fortune as DARIVS did his Nor to come to his kingdome by the vncertaintie of voices as all chosen Princes doe Nor yet by Gifte by Custome by Pollicie or by Conquest as it hath bene saide that kinge IVBA Duke COSIMVS and many other Princes did come to theirs But he is to come vnto his Crowne and kingdome first and principally by the grace of GOD and secondarily by the waye of lawfull and Lineall SVCCESSION It followeth that we speake of the maner of estate of this most ROYALL MONARCHIE and best kinde of kingdome Come sta how and in what case it standeth as touching the Power and authoritie appertaining thervnto For it is not sufficient that so ROYALL a Prince be descended Lineally and lawfully into his kingdome But he must also possesse and exercise such ROYALL and princely Power therin as is most fitte for his worthynesse and for his subiectes happynesse Neither in so extreame maner as to make A god of him selfe as ALEXANDER the great would haue done and slaues of his vassalles as the Great TVRKE at this daye doth Neither yet in so slender sorte as to haue the sworde caried after him as the Duke of VENICE hath and to be but a litle better then a sipher or shadowe of a Prince What power appertaineth vnto a Royall Prince He is for to haue therefore by the grace and Permission of Almightie God that Power which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines MAIESTATEM Th' Italians SIGNORIA The Frenchmen SOVVERAINETE That is Power full and perpetuall ouer all