Licensed July 20th 1689. J. FRASER THE OPINION OF Padre Paolo OF THE Order of the Servites Consultor of STATE GIVEN To the Lords the Inquisitors of STATE In what manner the Republick of VENICE Ought to govern themselves both at home and abroad to have perpetual Dominion Deliver'd by Publick Order in the Year 1615. LONDON Printed for R. Bentley in Russel-Street in Covent-Garden 1689. TO THE Right Honourable HENRY Viscount Sydney Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber to His Majesty Collonel of the Royal Regiment of Foot-Guards and one of His Majesties Most Honourable Privy-Council My Lord THough your design'd Favours to me might justly claim this offer of my Respects in a Dedication yet I must own That it is on of the next Age than your Lordship In your Negotiation in Holland during the close Intrigues of the latter end of King Charles his Reign you strove to keep both him and us happy and quiet by promoting the true Interest of both But when the Ferment of our Affairs forc'd you to more sensible demonstrations of your thoughts you Nobly chose rather to appear an ill Courtier than be thought an ill Man to your Country The Protestant Interest carried it with you while the Roman Faction thought their designs as secure as they were deeply laid 'T is rare to find such Conduct and Courage in a Publick Minister But what could be expected less from one ready to venture his Life in the Field at the Head of our Nation abroad against that unquiet Monarch who was then invading all the Liberty Mankind had left Heaven My Lord has at last bless'd these constant endeavours for England's Prosperity and we see you in the Councils and Privacy of a Prince born for our Felicity The Great Queen of this Monarchy who so lov'd her People and understood their Interest had a Sydney for her Favourite and such a man as she admir'd living and lamented dead and our King who has begun with restoring this Nation to its true Interest and will no question advance its Glory to the highest pitch has your Lordship in his Councils and Arms Guarded by you in the day he sleeps often under your care in the Night safe in your Loyalty and pleas'd in your attendance To whom then could I more properly offer these Arcanums of a Wise Government than to one who must be a good Judge of all Writings of that kind and therefore with repeated Offers of my humble Respects and readiness to obey your Lordship's Commands I take leave and am My Lord Your Lordship 's Most Humble and most Devoted Obedient Servant W. Aglionby THE PREFACE THat Padre Paulo Sarpi of the Order of the Servites is the Author of this Treatise there needs no other proof than the reading of it for whoever is acquainted either with his style or his manner of thinking must of necessity acknowledge that they are both here And indeed we may say that this is not only a true representation of the Government of the Venetian Republick but that the Author also like great Painters who in all their Works give us their own Genius with the mixture of the Representation has likewise drawn the truest Picture of himself He was one of the greatest men of his Age of vast Natural Parts to which he had added all the acquir'd ones that great Study and much Conversation with Men could give him It was he who defended the Republick in the dispute they had with Pope Paul the 5th which he did so solidly and yet so modestly that his Subject never carried him either to Invectives or Railleries unbeseeming the Gravity of the Matter nor the Dignity of the Persons whose Cause he managed that Quarrel being accommodated by the interposition of the Kings of France and Spain in which the Republick had all the advantage possible The Senate very sensible of the Obligation they had to P. Paulo made him Consultor of State and added an Honourable Pension for his Life giving him at the same time Order to view all their secret Records where all their Papers and Instruments of State were laid up all which he reduc'd into such a new order as that they might be recurr'd to with the greatest ease imaginable upon all occasions The Esteem they made of his Abilities was so great that they never had any important debate in which either by publick order or by the private application of some of their Senators they did not take his advice which most commonly was assented to afterwards Towards the latter end of his Life the Inquisitors of State seeing that they could not hope long for the continuation of those Oracles resolv'd that once for all he should impart them his thoughts upon the whole Constitution of their Government and withal add his Opinion touching their Future Conduct both within and without and that is this Piece with which I now present the Publick As it was made for the perusal of those only who were the participants of all the Arcanums of the Empire it is writ with less regard to the Publick Censure to which he suppos'd it would never be subject All other Writers of Politicks may in one thing be justly suspected which is that when they write with a design of publishing their Works to Mankind they must have a regard to many considerations both of the times they write in and Opinions that are then receiv'd by the People as also to the Establish'd Forms both of Government and Religion besides that Self-love too will not let them forget their own Glory for the sake of which they often swerve from the true Rules of writing but here all these considerations ceas'd the Work is directed to those whose Interest it was to conceal it And for the Author himself it may be said it was rather his Legacy than any desire of shewing his Abilities which by other Pieces of his were already sufficiently publish'd to the World. But what an Idea must we have of that Man whom a Venetian Senate not only admitted to their Debates but consulted upon the whole Frame of their Government a Senate I say justly deserving the Titles of Wise and Great who have maintain'd their State for 1200 years with little alteration who have been a Bulwark to the Christian World against the most potent Invader that ever was who at the same time have struggled with all the Christian Princes united and headed even by Popes whose spiritual power alone has been able to subvert greater Empires This Senate or at least the wisest of them the Inquisitors of State who have the whole Executive Power in their hands cannot let this Subject of theirs leave the World without having from him a Scheme of their present Affairs and a prospect of the Occurrences to come Nothing certainly can give us a greater Idea of Padre Paulo nor shew us how great Abilities in the most retired and concealed Subjects will break out in all wise Governments and cannot long be conceal'd As to the work
careful Eye upon all those occasions wherein the pontifical Authority may be still enlarged because 't is observed that all Courtesies and Favours of Princes are in that Court turn'd to Debts and Claims in the space of a few years and to obtain the possession they do not spare for Exorcisms and Anathema's There is one Custom or rather Abuse introduc'd in that Court which deserves great consideration from Princes which is the power the Pope has assum'd of deposing Princes and Soveraigns and giving their Kingdoms and States to others under pretext of ill Government The Prodigal Son in the Gospel did not lose his Right to his portion though he was resolv'd to dissipate and consume it viciously because that Title which we receive from Nature can never be lost in our whole Life The Kings of Navar were sain to go Vagabonds about the World for the sake of a Bit of Parchment which Pope Julius the Second put out against them whereby King John the Second lost his Kingdom which was given to Ferdinand of Arragon and had not providence brought them to the Crown of France there would have been no mention in the World of the Kings of Navar From this Liberty of taking away Kingdoms the Popes assume that of Erecting them Pope Paul the Fourth made Ireland a Kingdom and Pius the Fifth Erected Tuscany into a great Dutchy Queen Elizabeth of England was deposed by Paul the Third and according to the usual custom her Kingdom given to Philip the Second of Spain who was to execute the Papal Sentence but he met with the Winds and Seas and the English Ships which quite defeated his Armada In France by a priviledge of the Gallican Church they admit of no Bulls that contain Deprivation of Kings but keep to the Right of Succession and indeed to depose an actual King and give away his Kingdom is not only to destroy a suppos'd Delinquent but to punish an Innocent Successour and likewise to prejudice the Right of Election in those who have it On the other hand England has often thought fit to make it self Tributary to the See of Rome by the Peter-Pence the first time under Pope Leo the Fourth and more remarkably under King John in 1214. to avoid the Invasion from France but Henry the Eighth delivered himself once for all and not only refused the Tribute but made himself amends by seizing the Church-Lands The fresh Example of Paul the Fifth towards this Republick is never to be forgot who charitably would have govern'd another bodies House under pretext that the Master did not understand how to do it himself And the constancy of the Venetian Republick will have given fair warning to the Court of Rome how they undertake such Quarrels since they were forced to come to an agreement with very little satisfaction or Honour on their side having been obliged tacitely to give up their claim for to demand peremptorily and then relinquish the Demand is a sign it was not well founded in Justice and the Absolution resus'd was proof enough that the Excommunication was void in it self So that the advantage that has accrew'd to the Venetian Government from the Contest has been much greater than the damage sustain'd in it If ever for the future which I scarce believe there should happen an occasion of an Interdict from the Court of Rome to the Republick I should advise presently to post up in Rome an Appellation to the future Council which is a cruel blow to them For first it insinuates the Superiority of the Council over the Pope and secondly it revives the memory of Councils and lets them see they are not things quite forgot all the World over If there be care taken to examine well all Bulls that come from Rome and the Observation of what has been hitherto practis'd be strictly continued it may be hop'd that the Republick shall not undergo any greater Subjection than other Princes but rather shall have some Liberty above them particularly more than the Spaniards who find their account in complying with the Tyranny of Rome because they receive at the same time great Favours from it and are proud of maintaining its Authority To say truth the Popes hitherto have shew'd little kindness to the Republick and except the Priviledges granted by Alexander the Third which serve more to register to the World the Action of the Republick in restoring and protecting him than for any thing else For the Doge might of himself without the Papal Concession have assum'd those other little Ornaments of the Ombrella the Standard and the Sword So that bating the Concessions of the Decimes upon the Clergy and the Nominations to the Bishopricks this Country of ours feels but slender Effects of the Pontifical Kindness which may be an advantage upon all Occurrences of Interest of State to stick the closer to that because there needs no Complements where every one desires but his own In considering the Secular Power of the Pope we will do it upon Five Heads which may serve to examine all other Princes Interests with the Republick First If it be advantageous to the Republick to have the Church grow greater Secondly What Title Inclination or Facility the Popes may have to acquire any part of the State of the Republick Thirdly What Inclination Title or Facility the Republick may have to acquire any part of the State of the Church Fourthly If the Church may unite with the Republick to acquire the State of any other Princes Fifthly If the Church can unite with other Princes to hinder the progress of the Arme of the Republick To begin with the First we will answer with a General Rule which is That it never is advantageous to a Prince who desires to remain free and powerful to let another grow great except it be to lessen a Third who is greater than them both and if he that is thus agrandiz'd be a Neighbour his advancement is so much more to be feared These Alterations indeed may not be so dangerous to a little Prince who does not fear depending upon a great one to avoid being molested by one who is already too strong for him But to come closer to the Case of the Republick we will say That if the Church could make it self Master of any part of the King of Spain's Dominions in Italy where he is the greatest Prince they might hope for the consent of the Republick which is the Second Great Italian Potentate because by that means the Republick might become the First and however the strength of the Church will always give less jealousie to the Republick than the Spanish Power in Italy for the Nature of the Pontifical Principality is Elective and Temporary and the Aims and Designs of that Court vary according to the Genius of the several Popes and sometimes it is subject to long Vacancies whereas the Monarchy of Spain is successive and as one may say Eternal and govern'd by standing lasting Maxims But if
France is in a condition to mind such acquisitions the past Examples prove that sufficiently but they do sufficiently bear Testimony likewise of the danger of such Union Now that the French are totally excluded Italy they would agree to very large conditions with the Republick and allow them a great share of the Kingdom of Naples and Dutchy of Milan but they would no sooner have made the acquisition of their share but they would begin to cast their Eyes upon that of the Republick and enter into a League against them with some other Prince just as it happened in the time of Lewis the Twelfth when to gain Cremona he was the first that consented to the League of Cambray deceiving all the while the Venetian Embassador at Court and affirming even with Oaths That he would never conclude any thing to the prejudice of the Republick tho he had sign'd the League above six weeks before the War began which he exercised likewise in a most barbarous manner hanging up the Noble Venetians that were Governours of the Towns he took I believe France to get footing in Italy would engage with any other Prince against the Republick except with the Spaniard and if that should happen it would be necessary to stir up the Factions of that Kingdom and bring upon them some powerful Neighbour such as England The Friendship of Savoy would likewise be useful to hinder the Passes of the Mountains and make some diversion in Provence and Dauphine if there could be any relying upon this present Duke but he is a Proteus that turns himself into many forms and with his Capricio's and Humours would soon empty the Treasures of S. Marc But these are things so remote that they may be left to the prudence of those who shall live in those times for according to the Times there must be alteration of Councils And so much for France Now let us turn to Spain A Family that from low beginnings is come by Marriages to the possession of Twelve Kingdoms and several Dukedoms in Europe besides what it has in the Indies does certainly evidence a great Favour of Fortune joyn'd with great application and industry So that if it be not stopp'd by Fatality may bid fair for an Universal Empire If Charles the Fifth had had as much prudence in his youth as he had in his old Age he would not have separated the Empire from Spain but would have made his Son Philip have been chosen King of the Romans instead of his Brother Ferdinand He understood his Errour and repented of it at last trying to perswade Ferdinand to a Renunciation but he shew'd as much prudence in keeping what he had got so wonderfully into his Hands as Charles would have shew'd folly in going to deprive him of it by Force Charles was not less unhappy in the other Act of Moderation he shew'd when he renounc'd all his Kingdoms to his Son and retired to a private Life For to one who on the Anniversary Day of that Famous Action congratulated King Philip for his Felicity he answered That Day was likewise the Anniversary of his Father's Repentance So that Actions of Moderation in Princes are but like that Insect called the Ephemera which lives and dies the same day The Greatness of Spain is therefore to be suspected it has Two Wild Beasts that follow it always close one on one side and the other on the other which is the Tark by Sea and France by Land and besides that it has that Issue of Holland as witty Boccalini calls it which will sufficiently purge it of all its ill Humours and it must be own'd that all the Spanish Sagacity has not hindered them from following the Fable of the Dog who forsook the Substance for the Shadow For for Forty years together France was sufficiently taken up with their own Intestine Broils during which time Spain might with great advantage have made a Truce with Holland and having likewise humbled the Turk by the Battle of Lepanto they might have applied their whole Force to Italy which had no Defence but its own Natives and not of them above half So that in all probability they could have met with no considerable opposition One might say That it was an Effect of King Philip's Moderation if he had not shew'd as great an Ambition of Dominion as possible in endeavouring first to unite France to Spain by conquest then to have his Daughter chosen Queen and lastly seiz'd upon as many Towns as he could Therefore we may give the Italians Joy that half an Age of so much danger passed without the least loss of their Liberty Now by reason of the French King's Minority the Jealousies against Spain are a-foot again but I think not with so much ground For if not France at least England would raise their old Enemies the Dutch particularly if the Italians should help with Money So that if Italy can but resist the first brunt it may hope for all sort of Relief for France has Forces and they would soon have a will to succour Italy against Spain Neither do I believe that Spain would hazard the Truce with Holland it having been compass'd with such Difficulties even to the loss of much of their Honour and Fast. 'T is enough that to all other Christian Princes except the Emperour the Greatness of Spain is of ill Consequence And therefore to be opposed by all secret means first and if need be at last openly and without a Mask If Spain has any Title Inclination or Facility to acquire part of the Republick's Dominions there will be little Difficulty to answer Their Title would be upon Brescia Crema and Bergamo ancient Members of the Dutchy of Milan And these Three Cities are so considerable that with their Territory they would perhaps make up as rich a Dutchy as any in Lombardy except Milan So that we need not doubt but the Spaniard looks upon these Cities with an Amorous Eye and with great Desire to enjoy them there remains only the Facility of doing it which is always the most important of the Three Points Upon this Subject we must distinguish whether they will make the Attempt by themselves or in Conjunction with others If alone and that the Republick have any Great Prince either Italian or Foreigner on their side they will meet with little Facility in their Designs because the Republick's Money joyn'd to the Forces of another Prince can give check to almost any great Power and particularly to that of Spain whose States and Possessions are large but disunited and they cannot but be afraid that while they are busied in Lombardy others would try to attack them in a more sensible part If Spain should therefore unite with any other Prince provided the Republick had France on their side they would not much hurt it because the Inundation of the French into Lombardy uses to be both powerful and sudden provided they be called in by an Italian Prince of some
them himself alone he might then unite with the Republick upon condition to have the best part of the Spoil but if the Emperour should as formerly come to a great Rupture with the Church and employ heartily his power in the Quarrel 't is not impossible but he might be willing to engage the Republick by a promise of some part of the conquest I think in any other way 't is not probable to make any advantage of the Imperial Assistance The last Question is Whether he can unite with others against the Republick And of this there is no doubt For if Maximilian tho infinitely oblig'd to the Republick made no difficulty to unite in a League with Lewis the Twelfth of France his Competitor and Enemy whom for Injuries received he had declared a Rebel to the Sacred Empire tho Lewis laugh'd at that Imaginary Jurisdiction I say if he could submit to joyn with so suspected a power much less would the Emperour now scruple the uniting either with Spain or the Pope or any other Princes of Italy not only for to acquire Territory but even for bare Money if it were offer'd him With France I believe the Union would not be so easie as it was then because now the Emperour being partial for Spain if their Interest did not concur they would hinder him from being drawn away by any hopes or promises But this will appear better when we come to treat of Spain For if Spain will have a League against the Republick the Emperour will never stand out Now let us come to France 'T is not above Fifty years ago that the Republick thought themselves oblig'd not only to desire but to procure the Greatness of France because being under the phrensie of a Civil War it threatned little less than the dissolution of that Monarchy The Succession of Henry the Fourth to the Crown who had his Title from Nature and the Possession from his Sword reviv'd it and at last gave it such vigour that from deserving Compassion it came to move Envy and if a fatal blow of a mean hand had not cut off that Prince's Life and Designs there would have been requisite great Dexterity or great Force to defend the Republick from them The Count de Fuentes Governour of Milan us'd to brag that he had such Musick as should make those dance who had no mind to 't Henry the Fourth might have said so with much more reason and he us'd to affirm That at the pass things were the Neutrality of the Republick was a Coyn that would no longer be current If he had given career to his no ill-founded Designs half a World would not have suffic'd him but we must not be frighted if we see the Raging Sea swell in Billows and look as if it would swallow up the Earth since a little Sand stops all its Fury Death has a Scythe that most commonly cuts off all the Noblest Lives If Henry the Third of France had brought the Siege of Paris to an end if Philip the Second had not had the Winds and Seas against him England would have been in Chains and Paris would have been a Village In conclusion the Fatality of Humane Affairs is such that most great undertakings are disappointed by unexpected causes At present the constitution of France is such that there is little danger from them for during the Minority of their King they will have enough to do not to lose ground there being so many Jealousies and Factions afoot 'T is true that the common people have open'd their Eyes and begin to be weary of spending their blood for the ambition of the great ones and amongst these the chiefest are old and at their ease so that they will think chiefly of keeping themselves in those Posts they enjoy The Duke of Maine who is Head of the Catholick Party is very ancient and very rich wherefore if in the time of the great troubles he either could not or would not aspire to make himself King when even he had all but the Name of it 't is not to be imagined he thinks of it now and if he will be content with the State of a Subject he is as great as he can be The Duke of Mercoeur who in his Wife 's right pretended to Erect Britany into a Kingdom is at last dead in Hungary the Duke of Epernon is more studious of good Husbandry than Soldiery the Duke of Montpensier has always been true to the Royal Family the Capricios of the Marchioness of Aumale will hardly have any Followers and it will be well if she can clear her self of the late King's Death On the other side the Prince of Conde the first Prince of the Blood is young and of a mild Nature he has besides before his Eyes the Example of his Father Grandfather and Great Grandfather who all perish'd unfortunately in civil Broils and has in his own person experimented the Spanish Parsimony in his Retreat from Court to Brussels So that if he desires a greater Fortune he may compass it in France from the hands of the Queen her self who is so ill a Politician as to try to put out Fire with pouring Oyl upon it The Hugonots are weary the Duke of Bovillon their Head well pleased with his present Fortune and if he have a mind to be a Hugonot out of Perswasion and not Faction there is no body will hinder him but most of these great men have Religion only for a pretext as 't is reported likewise of the Duke de Lesdiguieres which if it be true they will never be quiet till the King be of Age and by consequence there will be little protection to be hop'd for from that Kingdom Our Speculation therefore may more certainly conclude that the Greatness of France is at a stand and cannot in the space of some years make any progress and till it come to an Excess not to be thought on for these fifty years it can give no Jealousie to the Republick As to the Title Inclination and Facility that France may have to acquire any part of the Republick's Dominions I say we need not doubt of their Inclination because Princes are like Wolves to one another always ready for prey As for Title they can set up none till they have conquer'd the Dutchy of Milan and Facility they have as little because they cannot come at the Republick's Territories without first passing over those of other Princes which they will never consent to lest they prove the first conquest themselves Whereupon I conclude that for a long time the power of France can give no jealousie to the Republick And on the other side the Republick can have no pretences as things stand upon any part of the French Territories as long as they are totally Excluded from Italy and if there be no Title there is less Inclination and Facility The Union of France with the Republick to acquire the State of any other Prince will always be easie when