lost almost all the Towns she had in the firm Land of Lombardy as far as Padoua The great Turk offer'd the Republic aid in this exigent but she modestly refus'd any Besides other places she receav'd a most fearfull overthrow hard by Abdua being thus oppress'd with the spirituall Armes of Rome and most of the temporall Armes of Europe rather then break she complemented with the Emperour and bow'd to the Pope by delivering him those places aforesayed in Flaminia Among others the Cardinall of York in England did do her good Offices to the Pope as her Annales make mention The French having taken Milan and other places grew insolent in Italy therefore there was a new confederacy made 'twixt the Pope the King of Spain and the Venetians at Ravenna the French became Victors in a great battail but a little after the Swisse coming in as Confederates against them they were totally routed and driven over the Hills again The Venetians recover'd Crema and the Spaniard having taken Bressia and delaying to render it to Venice there was a new occasion offer'd for the Republic to make a League with France again against the Spaniard and Francis the first by their help regain'd Milan The Republic was never so driven to her shifts as she was in the time of this Duke in divers traverses of warr and confederacies against her which she dissolv'd by pure policy more then any power She was afterwards much persecuted by Pope and Emperour in so much that Maximilian sent to Selim the new great Turk an Ambassador to invite him to a warr against the Venetians and to invade their Sea Coasts while he assaulted them by Land Pope Leo sent Petro Bembo upon a solemn Embassie to the Republic that they shold break with the French and League with the Emperour and Spaniards against them whereunto the Senat made this grave answer That his Holinesse Ambassador was greatly pleasing to the Senat as well in respect of himself whose vertue and particular affection towards their Countrey was sufficiently known to all men as likewise in regard of the Prince who sent him seeing the Republic had ever born all reverence and honour to the Soveraign Bishops of Rome but they more particularly inclin'd to Pope Leo that the Senat had ever most highly esteem'd his good and wholesom Counsell but the mischiefe was that by how much they above all others had desir'd his friendship and alliance in that incertainty of all things by so much more were they continually kept from it and albeit their love was never disjoyn'd from him yet their forces were ever divided as then they did humbly thank his Holinesse and confess'd themselfs much bound unto him in that he had bin ever ready by divers good offices to embrace and favour their cause even so likewise they were extremely griev'd that they could not follow his Counsell it being their ancient custom not to leave an old friend for a new specially being not provok'd thereunto by any wrong their ancient Fathers thinking that alone to be profitable which was most honest therefore they could not without great blemish of their reputation break or abandon the alliance which they had already contracted with the French And if the Pope wold call to mind the ancient benefits of the French Kings not only to the Venetian Common-wealth but likewise to the Church and consider the wealth and power of that Kingdome he wold not only excuse but commend the Venetian Councel and be desirous himself to follow it because that being back'd by the French Forces with those of the Venetian ther was likelihood that he shold be abler to lay surer foundations as well for the state of the Church as for the greatnesse and advancement of his own house Hereupon the Republic sent Ambassadors both to Lewis of France and Henry of England to congratulat their alliance for old Lewis had married young Henries Sister and to streighten this League betwixt them against the Emperour The Republic likewise employed two Ambassadors to confirm the peace with the great Turk Selim who had newly subdued the Mammalukes and Soldan that had bin Lords of the Gran Cayro and Egypt above three hundred years Anno 1516. The French King sent to borrow one hundred thousand Crowns of the Venetians towards the end of this Dukes Government which was done accordingly Lewis King of Hungary sent two Ambassadors unto them who procured both men and money against the Turk Prince Lorâ—…dano having sate at the stern of the Republic twenty years in most tempestuous times payed nature her last debt and made way for ANTONIO GRIMANI who about the beginning of his Government was sollicited that the Republic of Venice might be Godmother to a daughter of France The face of affairs in Christendom being much chang'd at the coming in of Charles the fifth the Emperor the Venetians wav'd their league with France who was ready to invade Italy for the Dutchy of Milan and enter'd into an alliance with the Emperor cashiering Trivaltio who was too much affected to the French and making the Duke of Vrbin their generall and this was done principally by Pope Adrian the fourth his intercession who was a low Dutchman having bin a Brewers son in Vtrecht and Schoolmaster to Charles the fifth in this Dukes time the Isle of Rhodes was taken by the Turk to the great detriment of Christendom and dishonor to her Princes 1522. ANDREA GRITTI succeeded GRIMANI about the beginning of whose principality the Venetians depart from the French and for important reasons of State enter into league with the Pope and Emperor the French King makes himself again master of Milan and of divers other places in Italy The Venetians upon emergent reasons of State leave the Emperor and renew their confederacy with the French but during this League the French King was taken prisoner at Pavia and carried into Spain and after foure years captivity dismissed Rome is beleaguer'd by the Spaniards the walls seal'd by the Duke of Bourbon who in the action breath'd his last and Pope Clement besieg'd in the Castle of S. Angelo the King of England Hen. VIII was one of the principall instruments both of the French King and Popes enlargement The French rush again 'ore the hills to Italy take Pavia and destroy it The Venetians seize Monopolis in the Kingdome of Naples Doria Admirall for the French o'recoms the Imperiall Fleet but he turn'd afterwards to the Emperour The Vicount of Tureen coms upon a splendid Embassie to Venice in the Popes behalf to entreat them that they wold satisfie the Pope by rendition of Ravenna and Cervia the Senat alledg'd their just Titles to them having receiv'd the one from Obizzo Polente Lord therof more than four hundred years pass'd and that Cervia was fallen to the Republic by the Testament of Dominico Malateste for which she was to pay yearly som godly Legacies which they continued for performance of the Testators will they representd further
sayed Ambassadors gave a solemn visit to the Venetian Ambassadors and communicated unto them what they had don with the Pope in the transaction of affairs The publication of this Interdict being flown to Venice it was order'd by the Senat that ev'ry one shold have recours to his prayers it was resolv'd upon to recall the Ambassador Extraordinary from Rome to testifie the resentment they had of the wrong but to leave the Leger Ambassador ther still to prevent an absolut rupture It was also determin'd to write to Gregorio Iustiniano then Ambassador in England that he shold inform the King herof Sir Henry Wootton Ambassador at that time in Venice complain'd that the Senat had communicated these things to other Forren Ministers before him but for the pretensions of the Pope he sayed he could not understand that Roman Theology c. Ther was public command given to all Prelats and Ecclesiasticall persons that they shold not publish or cause and suffer to be publish'd or affix'd in any place whatsoever any Bulls Monitories Breves or other writings which shold be sent unto them from Rome furthermore Proclamation was made under pain of incurring the displeasure of the Prince that whosoever had any copy of a certain Breve divulg'd at Rome touching the Republic he shold bring it to the Magistrats at Venice or to Governers of Castles and other Officers of the State Hereupon all peeple did so cheerfully obey this command that 't was a marvailous thing to see how many had bin imprinted and scatter'd neither was any one of them affix'd in any place by reason of the generall diligence of the peeple Duodo the Ambassador Extraordinary at Rome having receav'd order for his revocation went to take his leave of Pope Paul telling him that since his Holines wold not take into consideration the reasons by him represented and having no more to say or act he was recall'd the Pope answer'd with more mildnesse than ordinary That touching the difference he had don nothing but what his conscience and duty oblig'd him to do that the case was cleer and decided that in the whole order of his proceedings he had follow'd the example of his Predecessors that his weapons in this quarrell were spirituall the use wherof accorded well with that fatherly love which he had ever born to the Signory requiring only such obedience as the greatest Princes render him The Popes Nuntio at Venice after thâ—…s Interdict was observ'd to frequent the Colledg of the Iesuits wher were Possevino and Bernardin Castorio men eminently known the first had don great things in Moscovia the other had bin provinciall of the Jesuits when they were expell'd out of Lions with divers others of note The sayed Nuntio came som daies after to the Senat wher first shewing a resentment of what had pass'd he sayed that they ought not to proceed towards his Holines with such a repugnance that the Pope was mov'd by pure zeal and that yet if they yeelded a little all things might be accommoded to which effect he desir'd that his Serenity wold think upon a temperament that for his part he was not most ready to present and favour it The Duke answer'd that none of sound understanding could approve that a Republic so pious and Catholic shold be vex'd in such a fashion and that the actions of the Pope could not be justified that he had publish'd a Monitory which ev'ry one held injust without scruple that he fell upon so weighty a resolution without weighing before hand how the world is govern'd that his Holines could not have don an act more perillous to cast the Apostolic See upon the censure and hatred of all peeple and into a manifest danger that if the Republic shold think upon a separation it wold be follow'd with an irreparable losse but though the Republic wold not depart from her piety yet wold she defend her self that for his particular meaning the Nuntio he did well to perswade peace but he shold turn his speech to the Pope who troubled it Eight daies after the Nuntio had Audience again wherin speaking much of the Popes prudence he shew'd a displeasure that he saw no appearance of a temperament concluding That the Senat shold take heed lest while they desir'd to support a particular Law they might draw on themselfs universall ruine wherunto the Duke answer'd That he ought not to speak of prudence in the Pope who had us'd so much precipitation and that he shold do well to set before his eyes the imminent danger which may follow herupon and tell him that these Councells came from a man old in affairs of State as well as years The Pope hearing of the Proclamation against his Monitory how the pulse of the Venetians did beat who shew'd themselfs so obedient to the Senat and so forward to uphold their liberty he thought his Nuntio could not stay in Venice any longer with his honor therfore he sent him Letters of revocation and dismis'd from Rome Nani the Republiques Ambassador charging him expresly not to leave behind him any of his company yet he desir'd to see him before he went provided if he came unto him in quality of a privat man Nani made answer that he could not tell how to separat from his person the title of Ambassador so he left Rome being well accompanied out of Town with Roman Barons and gentlemen but with few Prelats The next morning the Pope sent after him a Colonell to accompany him throughout the State of the Church who o'retook him at Gorligno In Venice the Duke had caus'd a Manifesto to be publish'd and affix'd at ev'ry door That wheras he had receav'd advice of a publication made at Rome of a certain Breve fulminated against the Senat and Signory he being oblig'd to have a care of the public tranquillity and of the Authority of a Soveraign Prince did protest before God and all the world that he had not omitted any means possible to make the Pope capable of the most clear and strong reasons that were produc'd in behalf of the Republic but having found his ears shut and seen the Breve publish'd against reason and justice against the Doctrines of Holy Scriptures of the Fathers and Canons in prejudice of the secular Authority given by God and of the liberty of the State with the trouble of the repose of his Subjects and to the great scandall of all the world he did pronounce that Breve not only injust but meerly void and null and so unlawfull that he need not repute it needfull to have recours to such remedies as in other occasions the Republic and many Soveraign Princes have us'd against such Popes as out-pass'd their power exhorting and injoying that the Prelats continu in their accustomed courâ—… in celebration of Divine Service the Republic being resolv'd to persever in the Holy Catholic Faith and in the reverence of the Roman Church as they have done from the beginning Upon this
Patrons Page 23 The Governors of the two Castles in Corfù never to meet upon pain of death Page 29 Rare glasses made in Venice Page 38 Glassmakers much esteem'd for their Art Page 39 Giovani Mauritio Duke of Venice Page 59 Giovani Partitiatio put off the Dukedom and confind to a Monastery Page 60 The Greeks taught first the use of Bells by the Venetian Page 61 Giovani Partitiatio Duke of Venice who voluntarily deposd himself Page 61 The Gnoway defeated by the Venetian at Trapani Page 72 Genoa vayld to Venice as Carthage to Rome at last Page 74 Genoa shrewdly beaten in the pontick Sea by Venice Page 75 Gallipole in Calabria taken by the Venetian Page 84 Genoa held Famagosta in Cypria above ninty yeers Page 98 H. The habit of the Duke of Venice Page 11 The habit of the Duke with the Iewells he wears upon festivall dayes valued at above 100000 cr Page 11 The heir of Venice answerable for his Fathers faults Page 12 A horse a monster in Venice Page 54 The high Epithetts which are given Venice above the rest of the Townes of Italy Page 55 Horteo Hypato Duke of Venice Page 58 Heraclea utterly demolishd Page 59 The Hunns overcom by the Venetians Page 61 Henry the Emperour comes to Venice Page 65 Part of Hierusalem given to Venice Page 67 Honor don by the Pope to the Venetian Page 68 Hermolao Barbaro punished for receaving dignities from the Pope Page 85 Henry the 8. of England the great instrument of the French King and the Popes release Page 89 Henry the 3. of France comes to Venice Page 132 How the King of Polands borther intercâ—…ded for the readmission of the Jesuits to Venice Page 198 How Venice Rome with the rest of the Princes of Italy carry themselfs in point of politicall interest Page 175 Holland and Venice of a diffring humor Page 180 I. Impossible for the Duke of Venice to becom Tyrant Page 6 Inhibition that Courtesands mingle not with honest Women in the Venetian Churches Page 8 Italy the â—…y of Europe Page 8 The Iudges of Venice Page 17 Of Istria Page 24 Of the I le of Corfou Page 29 Of the I le of Cephalonia Page 30 Of the I le of Zant Page 30 Of the I le of Candis Page 31 The incredible riches of St. Marks treasure Page 37 Iustinianos speech to Maximilian the Emperor in behalf of Venice not found in her Archies Page 73 Justiniano Duke of Venice Page 60 Justinopoli comes under the Venetian Page 61 The I le of Candie under the Venetian An inundation Page 71 Juluis the second incites all the Princes of Christendom against Venice Page 87 The Inquisition refus'd by Venice Page 94 The Iesuits expell'd from Venice with the causes therof recited at large Page 163 The Iesuits tenets Page 163 King James his Declaration touching the quarrell twixt the Pope and Venice Page 161 L. Long age argues strength of body in Epist. Lawes the ligaments of a State Page Ibid. The Lawes of Rhodes and Oleron the Prince for Sea affaires in Epist. The Lombards Kingdom extinguish'd in Italy Page 59 The lamentable end of one of the Dukes of Venice Page 60 Lotharius the Emperour endowes Venice with many immunities Page 60 Lesina and Spalato reduc'd to Venice Page 62 Pope Leo comes to Venice and endowes with many priviledges Page 65 Lesbos Same 's and Andros taken by the Venetian Page 67 Lemnos yeelded to Venice Page 80 The Legat of the Popes answer to the Venetian Generall Page 81 The league of Cambray like to destroy Venice Page 87 Lodovico Falieri employed Ambassador to Henry the 8. of England from Venice Page 90 A league against the Turk in Pius Quintus time the substance of it Page 101 New Lawes in Venice Page 134 Luca excomunicated Page 171 Lep anto battail at large Page 118 M. The maner and majesty how the Duke of Venice sitts Page 14 St. Marks Proctors the high dignity of their place Page 20 The Magistrats of Venice in generall Page 16 Of the marke of Treviso Page 24 St. Marks place Page 37 The Magistrats of old Rome and Venice parallell'd Page 45 Mariello Tegaliano Duke of Venice Page 58 Maaritio of Heraclea D. of Venice Page 59 St. Marks body transported to Venice from Alexandris Page 60 The Moors defeat the Venetian under Saba their Generall Page 60 The Moors ransack Rome Page 60 St. Marks Church burnt Page 62 Meniro Duke of Venice turnes Monkâ—… Page 62 Matilda restor'd to her Duchy of Ferrara by the help of Venice Page 65 Michaeli Duke of Venice goes with 200 Vessells to Joppa and frees her from the siege Page 66 The Marquis of Monferrat restord to his territories by the Venetian Page 79 Mocenigos speech to the Popes Generall Page 81 The maner of Mariages and Christnings in Venice Page 187 N. Nothing discovers the wisdom of a peeple more than the form of their government Page 9 Nothing so difficult as the Art of government Page 10 The neatnes of Venice Page 35 A notable speech against the Tribunitiall power Page 57 The Narentines debell'd by the Venetians Page 62 The Normans give a great overthrow to the Greeks and Venetians at Darazzo Page 65 A mighty defeat given to the Venetians by the Genowayes neer Corfù Page 72 A notable speech of Philip the second touching his Fathers resignations Page 93 A notable speech of a Turk before the battail of Lepanto Page 116 A notable speech of another Turk Page 116 A notable speech of the Turkish Generall Page 124 A notable answer of the Turkish Ambassador to King James Page 131 Nova Palma built in Friuli Page 135 A notable invective against Urban the eighth and his Nephews Page 172 The Navall strength of Venice reviewd Page 197 O. Of the three Republiques of Italy how they differ Page 9 Of the severall denominations of Kingdoms and Commonwealths Page 9 The Office of the Duke of Venice Page 12 Cardinall Ossatts opinion of Venice Page 183 Of the Colledg of Sages in Venice Page 14 The Officers of Venice Page 15 Of the great Chancelor Page 15 Originall of the Venetian Page 33 D. of Ossuna no frend to the Venetian Page 38 An old prophecy touching Venice Page 40 Old Rome and Venice Parallell'd Page 44 Of one who would have preferr'd a Spurrier to Q. Eliz. Page 54 Obeserio Duke of Venice Page 59 Otho the Emperour comes to Venice Page 62 Otho Urseolo Duke of Venice he marries the King of Hungarie's Daughter banish'd afterwards Page 65 Otho the Emperours son taken prisoner by the Venetians freed upon his Parole Page 69 Otho's wise speech and advice to the Emperour Frederic his Father Page 69 P. Peace alwayes preferr'd before war by Venice Page 4 The privat Arsenal of Venice Page 6 The Presse and Pulpit strictly regulated in Venice Page 7 The Pope a great temporall Prince Page 8 The Pope fittest to be umpire of differences in Italy with the reasons alledg'd Page 8 Paulutio
any sort subject to the secular Jurisdiction or he who foundeth a Church were worthy of so rude a chastisement as if he had committed som great Crime moreover that in the moneth of May last the Senat having regard to another Law made in the year 1536. wherby was prohibited the perpetuall alienation of Lay-mens possessions within the City and Signory of Venice to Ecclesiasticall persons without permission of the Senat under certain penalties instead of revoking that Law as their duty requir'd they had renew'd it and extended the penalty to all their Dominions as if it were lawfull for temporal Princes to ordain any thing for the exercising of any Jurisdiction or to dispose in any sort without the Ecclesiastics and particularly of the Pope of the goods of the Church specially of such goods as have bin given to the Church of persons spirituall and other places of devotion granted by the faithfull for remedy of their sins and discharge of their consciences That these Ordinances tending to the damnation of souls to public scandalls and also contrary to the Ecclesiasticall Liberty were of themselfs void and of no validity as furthermore he declar'd them to be such no man being oblig'd to observe them on the contrary that they who had made the Statutes or any like or they who had further'd them had incurr'd the Churches Censures and depriv'd themselfs of all such possessions as they held of the Church as also their estates and demains were subject to other penalties in such sort that they could not be absolv'd unlesse they revok'd all such Laws and re-establish'd all things in their former estate That therupon being plac'd in the Soveraign Throne and not being able to dissemble or indure these things he admonish'd the Republic to consider well the danger wherinto they had cast their souls upon this occasion and to seek remedy betimes otherwise in case of contumacy he commanded under pain of Excommunication latae sententiae that the afore sayed Lawes ancient and modern shold be abrogated That this Monitory shold be publish'd in all places throughout the Republic expecting from them an account herof if not upon notice had from his Nuntio he wold proceed to execution of the Penalties and to such other remedies that were meet remembring the reckoning that he was to give to God at the day of Judgment and that he could not in duty dissemble when the Authority of the See Apostolic was diminish'd Ecclesiasticall Liberty trod under foot the Holy Canons neglected the right of the Church and Clergy violated Of all which the charge lay upon him affirming that he was not induc'd hereunto for any worldly consideration for he desir'd nothing els but the glory to acquit himself of his Apostolicall function and as he intended not to usurp anything upon the secular Authority so he wold not permit the Ecclesiastic shold be diminish'd he concluded that if the Republic wold conform they wold deliver him from much pain which he endur'd in their behalf and they might still retain the Lands which they held of the Church That the best means wherby she might prevent the incommodities that might fall upon her from Infidells were to conserve the Church-men in their rights who watch in perpetuall prayers to God for her conservation The Senat with much maturity ponder'd these Breves and therupon sent to confer with their learnedst Counsellors in the Civill Lawes amongst whom they admitted Paul of Venice of the Order of the Servites an eminent Divine and Canonist with other Padouan Doctors to consult what answer they shold return the Pope The Republic also sent to consult other Doctors themost renowned of Europe for sound knowledge as Henry the VIII of England had don touching the legality of a divorce with Katherine of Aragon Having receav'd the judgments of the learnedst men in France and Spain specially of Giacomo Monochio President of Milan a man much cried up in those daies for learning the Senat fram'd the Answer to the Popes Monitory as followeth That with much grief and wonder they understood by the Letters of his Holines that their Laws observ'd carefully through so many Ages and never question'd by any of his Predecessors the revokement wherof wold shake the very Foundations of the Republic were reprehended as contrary to the See Apostolic and that they which made them having bin persons eminent for merit and well deserving of that See who are now in heaven were noted for Violaters of Ecclesiastic Liberty that according to the admonition of his Holines they had examined with much exactnesse their Laws Old and New but had not found anything which a Soveraign Prince might not have well ordain'd without any just offence to the Popes Authority it being a thing evidently belonging to a secular Prince to have regard what Companies are erected in hâ—…s Dominions as also to prevent the building of such Edifices as in time to com might be hurtfull to the public safety and though their State abounds with Churches and places of piety as much as any other yet when they saw it convenient they never refus'd to permit new Foundations themselfs contributing liberally therunto That in the Law against perpetuall alienation of lay goods unto Ecclesiastics the question being of things purely temporall they could not be tax'd to have don any thing contrary to the Canons or Decrees That if the Popes have power to forbid the Clergy to alienat any goods of the Church unto persons secular without leave Princes may do the same and take Order that the goods of seculars shall not be alienated to the Clergy without permission nor do the Ecclesiastics lose any thing bequeath'd unto them herby seeing they receave a price answerable in value to the immoveable adjoyning that it tends to the great prejudice not only of the temporall State but also of the spirituall to weaken the Forces of the Republic which by such alienations is depriv'd of necessary services and which in effect is a vangard or fortresse for all Christendom against Infidels That for these reasons the Senat could not perswade themselfs to have incurr'd any Censures since secular Princes have by Divine Law from which no human Law may derogat a power to establish Laws in things temporall as also that the admonitions of his Holines have here no place wher the question is not of any thing spirituall or any way trenching upon the Papâ—…ll Authority much lesse yet could they beleeve that his Holines so ful of Piety and Religion wold persist without knowledge of the cause in his Comminations This was the substance of the Senat 's Answer remitting themselfs further to their Ambassador extraordinary Ther happen'd a businesse in Savoy about this time which might have scatr'd the Venetian being much of the same nature for Pope Paul hahaving notice that the Duke of Savoy had commanded the Bishop of Fossano to depart out of his Dominions the Pope being incens'd therat did so menace the Duke with Excommunication
Interdict the only Ecclesiastics that went out of the Republic were the Iesuits and Capuchines wherof the first was banish'd the other dismiss'd the rest did still officiat alledging that the difference 'twixt the See of Rome and the Signory was not touching any point of the Catholic Faith But at Rome her self it was expected that the sayed Interdict wold produce three effects 1. That the Religious wold al depart 2. That the Cities and peeple seeing themselfs depriv'd of Church Offices wold raise a sedition and so force the Senat to give the Pope satisfaction 3. That the Nobility upon this occasion might be disordered terrified and divided among themselfs but none of all these three effects hapned for the Senat was greatly united in their resolutions the City of Venice and common peeple kept themselfs in wonderfull obedience and this so generall a calm did not only proceed from the voluntary conformablenes of the peeple but also from the providence of the Senat and diligence of the Magistrat who provided for all accidents Besides this great affair was conducted with so much prudence and dexterity that no bloud of any man was shed for contempt or mutiny which made the world to stand at a gaze that so great a Body and Government shold be kept npright without any violence execution or the least shock given notwithstanding ther were many under practises us'd afterwards The Jesuits in ev'ry place wher they had taken footing did put all irons in the fire and fell a beating them to brand the Republic of Venice insomuch that her Ambassadors receav'd affronts in som places as in Poland and Prague but it was by privat persons for which they had satisfaction from the Emperour and the King of Poland for the Signory was not so carelesse but she sent a punctuall account of all these traverses 'twixt the Pope and Her Genoa and Savoy was also displeas'd with Her because both they had bin succumbent to the Popes Censures before and submitted Among other Princes Iustiniano the Venetian Ambassador residing then in London had command to acquaint the King of England with his Contrasto 'twixt the Pope and the Senat. King Iames after he had very attentively heard the relation of the Ambassador shew'd how well he accepted that esteem and highly commended the Laws of the Republic adding that he long'd to see the whole Church of God reform'd to which end he much desir'd a free Councell to determine so many controversies which have no other cause but the usurpations of the Roman Bishops in which desire he thought the King of France and other Princes wold joyn with him that perhaps God meant to produce this happines out of these troubles of the Signory that he had sent word therof to Pope Clement then when he was mov'd by him the first time he came to the Crown of England to unite himself to the Roman Church but he wold not hear any thing of a Councell that this union was much to be desired but clearly ther was no other means to effect it then by a Generall Councell he added moreover that that ruine of the Church proceeded from this that the Popes esteem'd themselfs as Gods and were so corrupted by flattery that 't was no marvail they could give no ear to any reason and if they proceeded oftentimes with such precipitation The separated States of Holland writ letters full of of affection unto the Republie upon this occasion offring Her a supply of Arms Ships and Victualls if the case requir'd with any other good office of friendship All Christian Princes were sensible of this rupture 'twixt the Pope and the Republic specially the Roman Catholikes in whose Courts the Venetian Ambassadors did refrain for a while to go with the rest into their Chappell 's after the accustomed manner The Duke of Savoy did appear more against the Republic then any other not treating her Ambassador as formerly though he took hold of another occasion because She had written to his children by the title of Excellency not of Highnesse The Republic apprehending som fears that such a confederacy might be procur'd against Her by Pope Paul the eight as was by Iulius the second who carried fire in his hands She was very willing that matters might be reconcil'd by the mediation of other Princes wherin Mons. du Fresne stir'd more vigorously then any other by order from Henry the IV. of France his Master the Duke of Mantoua also offer'd to com to Venice in disguize to know their intentions and then passe to Rome of purpose to treat with the Pope for an attonement The Senat took this as a very high respect and sayed that the Republic who us'd to be accounted the Right Hand of Rome wold do nothing unworthy of her self and it was just that he who had first offended shold repair the offence therfore it was fitting that the Pope shold revoke his Censures and so open the way to a Treaty for no wound can heal till the inflammation be taken away While this difference lasted 'twixt Rome and Venice a certain writing was affix'd at Vicenza and other places wherin the Republic was exhorted to shake off the Popes Yoke calling him Antichrist c. The Senat was much mov'd herat therfore they caus'd a rigorous Baâ—… to be publish'd wherin they promis'd a large reward to him or them that shold discover the Author of that infamous paper giving charge that a diligent search shold be made after the Authors but none being found 't was thought to be an artifice of the Jesuits to induce the Venetian therby to com the sooner to an accord with the Pope The King of Spain in these doubtfull traverses of things writ a Letter full of terms of reverence and complement unto the Pope that if need were he wold joyn his temporall Arms to maintain the spirituall Arms of the Church to which purpose he had written both to his Viceroy of Naples and Governor of Milan upon the receit of this Letter ther were Bonfires made at Rome and the flames of the fire flew upon the wings of fame all Christendome over which gave the Republic such an alarm that She began by Land and Sea to arm apace She was offer'd assistance if need were from som of the Greek Christians that were subjects to the Turk as also from the reformed Churches of France but she wav'd both but it was thought that this Letter of the Spanish King wherin he promis'd warlike succours to the Pope was not a thing really meant but only to terrifie the Republic and bring her the sooner to an agreement which appear'd in regard he had sent expresse commands to Don Innigo de Cardenas his Ambassador residing in Venice to propound som Overtures of Treaty wherupon he propos'd to the Duke and the Senat That his Catholic Majesty affecting the conservation of peace desir'd that the disgusts 'twixt his Holines and the Republic might cease to which end he had commanded all