the bosom of my own Countrey Never was Princesse so welcom to Venice as you will be you know you are to thank the Senat for being Queen but if you deny this motion you will seem to acknowledge it very little In a word I being your brother and one who ought to have som interest in you if you dismisse me with a deniall the world will judge it is not you have done it but my councell whereby I shall incur a high displeasure therefore I pray Madam consider well of it ther is nothing more worthy of praise then to know how to entertain Fortune modestly when she smiles on us and not to desire to be still on the wheels top c. Cornari having thus discours'd to the Queen he prevail'd so far with her that mâ—…lting into tears she made him this answer Brother if this be your opinion I wil conform to it and wil strive to overmaster my self but Venice shall thank you for Cyprus not me So she was conducted to Venice and receav'd with all imaginable state after she had rul'd Cyprus fifteen years A little after this the King of Tremisen in Affrique sent to Venice his Ambassador to entrust som Venetian gentlemen to see Justice done to the Venetian Subjects who liv'd in three of his Cities therupon Lodovico Piramane was sent who had the hundredth peny upon all Marchandize for his salary Not long after the Patriarch of Aquileia died at Rome and Hermolao Barbaro being there Ambassador for the Republic the Pope confer'd that high Ecclesiastic Dignity upon him and made him Cardinall This being known at Venice notwithstanding that Hermolao was a Minister of great desert and had acquainted the Senat hereof yet because there was an expresse Law forbidding all Venetian gentlemen being Ambassadors at Rome to receave any obliging Dignity of the Pope during the time of his Legation the Senat took the audacious infringing of this Law in ill part and though he were rich well allied and had great friends they sent expresse command that he shold resign the Patriarkship again to the Pope if not they wold take from his Father the Procuratorship of S. Mark and confiscat all his estate the Father died before the years end of meer resentment and the Son having compos'd many excellent books died a little after of a Squinancy Venice was now very quiet when Charles the VIII of France sent three Ambassadors one after the other to the Duke that their King being resolv'd to com to Italy to conquer the Kingdome of Naples which by hereditary right belong'd to him he desir'd to know the Venetians inclination towards him and whither they wold continue the former League and Amity The Senat answer d the Ambassador that the Signory did ever prefer peace before war and did now desire it more then ever therefore they could wish that their King being now in a perfect peace wold suffer the Princes of Italy to be so too Afterwards the French King being daily push'd on by LowtkSforZa the Duke of Milan and the Prince of Salerno then an Exile in France send Philip of Comines again to Venice who propos'd to the Senat that if they wold joyn with them in the recovery of Naples they shold have a considerable share of the Kingdome if not that they shold persever in their former friendship The Senat answer'd That the King was so potent and well provided with all warlike necessaries that he needed no help from them therefore they determin'd according to the laudable custome of their Ancestors not to stir who never made war but upon constraint Moreover they desir'd not to have any share in that Kingdome whereunto they had no claim for the rest they sayed they wold still make high esteem of his friendship The Republic had at this time a great Fleet upon the Coasts of Slavonia because they understood Bajazet the great Turk began to arm at which time there came a solemn Embassie from Florence to crave their advice how they shold behave themselfs 'twixt the Kings of Naples and France the latter of which had sent to desire passage through their Countrey The Senat answer'd That in so difficult a businesse subject to such a world of accidents they knew not so suddenly what was best to be done and though they loved the one better then the other they durst not deliver their Opinion because that fortune is commonly Mistresse in warre and that it usually falls out that matters done by chance and adventure do oftentimes prosper better then those which are premeditated and beaten upon the anvill of long premeditation therefore they ought to ask counsell of none but Almighty God who only knew what was best for men to embrace or avoid The French King rushing into Italy found no resistance scarce till he had crown'd himself King of Naples The Venetians were at this time put mightily to their plunges and reaches of policy because it was not wholesom for them or Italy that the French shold grow so powerfull therefore the King of the Romans the Spaniards and the Duke of Milan who had fallen from the French sending their Ambassadors unto them they strike a League to represse the French proceedings The Venetian takes Manapoli Pulignano and Mola and partly by arms partly policy the French are driven out of Italy yet Charles the VIII being dead they make a new League with King Lewis of France against the Duke of Milan upon these conditions that Lodowick SforZa being elected King shold have Milan and the Republic Cremona and Abdua and it came so to passe The Republic had but sorry successes against the Turk in this Dukes time for at Cephaloma they receav'd a terrible blow yet she reduc'd at last that Iland to a perfect subjection LEONARDO LOREDANO succeeded Barbarico in his time the French and Portugall assist the Signory against the Turk so that a peace ensued The Republic receav'd a mighty wound in her Comerce about this time in regard that the Portugalls had found a passage to the East Indies by the cape of good hope and so brought home in their Carraks those spices which Venice was us'd to fetch from Alexandria and dispence up and down Europe 1503. But Pope Iulius the II. gave her a worse blow by drawing a most heavy war upon the Republic in regard she wold not part with FaenZa and Rimini for which She offer'd to pay him any rent in quality of Tenant alledging that it was dangerous for the Signory in regard of their Situation that they shold be in any other hands Hereupon that notable League at Cambray was privatly struck against Venice wherin ther were Confederates the Pope himself the Emperour the King of France the Kings of Aragon and Spain with divers others It was given out that they met there to accommode the businesse of the Duke of Gueldres but that was only a pretext which the Republic could not smell out The Republic by this huge powerfull League had
since into Canea by the Gallies of Rhodes Sio Cyprus and Negrepont This War hath bin very expencefull to St. Mark and drain'd much both of his Tresure and Arsenall the one of Money the other of Amunition But the Tresure and Arsenall of Venice may be sayed to be like the Sea wherin they stand who notwithstanding the perpetuall emission of Waters yet no diminution is discern'd in him besides if he lose one way he getts another way This potent Enemy hath put the Republic to extraordinary wayes of raysing Money by Lotteries sale of Honors and Offices by revokement pardoning of Banditi c. Insomuch that though her Bank hath been shutt for a while 't is now open again ajusted and regulated and of as high repute as ever Genoa her Sister Republic and old Emulatix wold furnish her with Money and ten Auxiliary Gallies if she wold stoop to treat Her in equality with Her-self by the name of Serenissima which 't is thought she will do in these pressures for he is a cheap frend that 's got by a complement Besides the Jesuitts offer Her a vast sum of Money of late to be readmitted to which end the King of Polands Brother who is of the Society himself is lately sent to negotiat with her but they write that he hath but a cold employment of it Thus have we drawn at length the History of Venice in the smallest thread we could and freest from thrumbs the Author being a profess'd enemy to superfluities and immateriall circumstances We will now proceed to display som other singularities for the white at which we aym in this peece is to make the Reader thoroughly acquainted with this Mayden Republic A Discours of the Interests of the Republic of VENICE with the rest of the States of Italie HAving bin a Guest so long to this hospitable Mayd the Cittie of Venice and traversd Her Torritories up and down it will not be amisse to give a short visit to som of her Italian Neighbours and look a little upon their differing aymes of policy as they relate to other States specially to the Monarchies of Spain and France which may be termd the two great Axletrees wheron the power of this part of the World doth turn THe Pope being a mighty temporall Prince as well as spirituall and having a great stroke in most of the Couâ—…ts and Councells of Christendom in regard of the authority he is allowd to have over the Consciences and Soules of men is first to be considered He knowing that other Princes cannot gain much of him and that first or last they must cast up what they have taken from him takes not much care nor useth to beat any great charge to fortifie his Frontires His power is safest by keeping the power of other Princes in their due proportion and that it may not out-balance to which end he hath often changd his cours of policy and crossd the designes of the King of Spain though covertly fearing that if he shold swell too bigg he might be brought at last to be but his Chaplain he hath allso dealt so with France more than once Alexander the 6. who opposd the first ambitious motions of the French was one of the chiefest instruments that fram'd and fomented the Ligue driving back again the other side the Hills Charles the 8. restoring the Arragonians to the Kingdom of Naples following heerin the tru interest of the Apostolic See not to permit any power to grow over-great yet afterward he betook himself again to the frendshipp of the French making a Bridg for Lewis the 12. to invade the Kingdom of Naples and the Duchy of Milan hoping by the same Forces to represse the contumacie of the Vicarii della Romagna and della Marca and out of their ruines to erect a Colosse for the future greatnes of Cesar Borgia Iulius the second favourd at first the designes of the French King and putting all Italie in a flame he suscitated all the Princes of Christendom against the Venetian but summoning his second thoughts to councell and foreseeing that upon the depression of the Republic of Venice he might be brought to depend upon the power of Forreners he turnd his armes against the French and drove them out of Italie together with the Swisse and the Spaniards Leo the 10. being passionat for the advancement of his Family was somtimes a Partisan with France somtimes with Spain as his interests directed him At first he sided with Francis the first but afterwards he did confederat with Charles the 5. and employed the armes of the Church to chase away the French out of Milan Clement the 7. having labourd in vain to make a truce of 5. yeers twixt Charles and Francis and perceaving at last that the latter of the two was the stronger in Italie he drew his own misfortune upon himself by the sack of Rome and imprisonment of his person so that he was forc'd afterwards to comply with the ambition of Charls to exalt his Nephews Paul the 3. kept awhile that spirit of indifferency and freedom 〈◊〉 the Pope shold professo towards all yet to rear up the grandeur of the Farneses he covertly favord and somented the designes of Charles the Emperour to remove those obstacles which lay in the way twixt D. 〈◊〉 Luâ—…gi and a Principality Iâ—…lius the 3. to cast Duke Octavio out of Parma being allready declar'd contumacious to the Church and to settle therin Iohn Battista de 〈◊〉 his Nephew sufferd himself to be hurld into a warr against France but being weary of the excessive charge therof and in despair of any good to be don he returnd to his former indifferency But Paul the 4. being too indulgent of his affections towards his Nephews permitted himself to be transported upon vain hopes to an open warr with the King of Spain procuring to this effect that the truce did break twixt the two Crownes In which enterprise the successe did not answer his expectation for had it not bin for the piety and prudence of the Duke of Alva he had bin utterly ruind for ther wanted very little that Rome had not felt the same Catastrophe that happend in the time of Clement the 7. The Civil Warrs of France then beginning to rage and consequently that wonted power being taken away which usd to serve for a counterpoise to the greatnes of Spain She grew therby to a greater height and became Arbitresse of the affaires of Italie in so much that the succeeding Bishopps had no oportunity offerd them to declare themselfs Partisans of the French allthough som sparkles of these affections did break out somtimes So that for their own interests and by the cunning conduct of the Spaniard som of them by degrees came to be Dependents wholly upon that Crown And the Spaniard finding that their greatnes in Italie could not receave a sounder establishment or shrewder shakings and shocks than by the frendship or enmitie with the Pope He hath ever since
the Venetians all which was freely condescended unto so that this PHALERIO was the first Duke who in his titles did bear these Provinces The Western Emperor Henry came to Venice to visit St. Mark where the Annallists write of a great miracle that happen'd Anno Dom. 1082. VITALIS MICHAELI was next after in his time a mighty Army of Christians were sent to Syria for recovery of the holy Land he that gave the first hint to the expedition was Peter a French Hermit who gave out that he had a Vision appear'd to him to that purpose hereupon Pope Vrban came expressely to the Councell of Clermont and made this hortative Oration That he was not departed from Rome and come to that holy Assembly for the affairs of the Church of Rome only although it needed greatly to be reform'd but was stir'd up by another occasion which was more holy was likewise more notable that he did not doubt but those who were there assembled had heard tell of what had befaln long since in Syria and chiefly in the Confines of that Region which is call'd the Holy Land the injust usurpation of the holy Sepulcher of our Soveraign Lord Jesus Christ which he could not utter without tears by those cruell barbarous Saracens that there was no Church Altar or any other sacred place but was either raz'd down to the ground by those accursed Mahumetans or converted to their profane uses that the religious peeple dwelling there at such time as the enemy made themselfs masters thereof were constrain'd som for fear of horrible punishment to renounce the Faith of Jesus Christ others that woldpersever therein were destroy'd by fire and sword and others by various sorts of torments were miserably consumed That devout Matrons going thither upon Pilgrimage from all parts of Europe had not bin only forc'd by them to satiat their brutish lust but likewise in contempt and derision of us were tormented by monstrous embracements that if that which he had related was not sufficient in their opinions to incite them to take Arms and to prosecut revenge He besought them at least to consider and call to remembrance how in a short time through the negligence of their Ancestors the forces of Asia were encreas'd and besidesâ—… how far the Mahumetans had in length and breadth extended their Dominions how many Countreys they possess'd who had in times past belong'd to the Roman Empire but wold to God sayed he that the affairs of Christendom were brought to that passe that we were but to complain of other mens miseries we have helas in our daies seen our Italy wholly destroy'd by their incursions and spoils Castles Cities and Churches beaten down and burnt by those sacrilegious persons But wherefore do I relate the murthers captivities rapes other tyrannies never heard of before which this Land hath endur'd a long time seeing that Spain likewise and her Neighbour Aquitain and all the occidentall Provinces have not only felt the like losse but having at this day scarce dried up their tears do stand in fear of the like And ye O Frenchmen though this wound be not yet entred into our bowels no doubt but in regard of your Neighbourhood you have heard and seen somwhat of that whereof I have now spoken and the Germans with other Northwest Nations who have not as yet felt those losses ought often to forethink what dangers menace them from the East nay how neare they are to them already I knovv not if the Venetians were not vvho with strong Garrisons defend the Sea Coasts and vvho have often repulst this cruell enemy from Dalmatia and Istria whether this storm ere this wold have blown into Hungary and Germany The power of the Grecian Empire vvhich vvhilst her strength and vigor lasted vvas vvont to be the bulvvark of Europe on the East and West side is in such sort ruined as the Emperour dreams on nothing but on means and forces vvhereby he may conserve his City of Constantinople vvhich place if vve had lost as God forbid vve may easily conjecture hovv great such a losse vvold be as vvell to all Europe as to him I tremble vvith horror vvhen I do but think vvhat vvill happen if this fire be not quickly quench'd vvhich doth daily more and more kindle all the miseries vvhich have befallen those vvhom vve bevvail hang over our heads men and vvomen shall be reserv'd to satisfie the luxury of those barbarous peeple and ye vvill aftervvards lament vvhen ' t vvill be too late that having had means you have not oppos'd your selfs against these miseries it may be you think 't is impossible this should com to passe so did they once who since have felt it and wold to God we did not feed our selves so often with vain hopes but 't were better O couragious spirits while we have strength councel aid power and money ready and generally what may give hope of a victory to divert this evident perill nor is our enterprize above human strength that Charls surnamed the great in a manner your Countrey-man O ye Germans in regard of the descent of his Ancestors and your King O ye Frenchmen and the glory of your name did drive the Saracens forth of Spain and Aquitain the same Charles constrain'd them to quit Italy the same Charles of whom ye so much vaunt did recover Ierusalem which ye term Holy and drave thence the enemy and by how much glory and â—…eputation is great by so much the more ought it to incite you which are descended from him to attempt som new exploit which may augment this your ancient renown if ye do not thus but give your selfs to rest and idlenesse ye shal not only hazard what your Ancestors have left you but you shall suffer the Native Countrey of our Soveraign King to your great shame and contempt with that of all Christendom likewise to be trodden down by these cruell enemies and his Sepulcher Temple and other holy places to be polluted by murthers rapes and sacriledges Arm your selfs therfore in time and prevent this common infamy pourchase to your selfs and all Europe an assured safety I think you may easily do it for by how much your forces surpasse those of Charles if ye all joyntly undertake this voyage by so much more shall the victory be certain and easie for you the Victors profit shall be great and inestimable by the spoils of so opulent a Nation and such rich Kingdoms but the celestiall reward shall be much greater which in the Name of Almighty God we promise to as many as shall valiantly venture themselfs This flexanimous speech did so heighten and melt the hearts of all that a Croisada was presently resolv'd upon whereunto the Republic of Venice did contribut 200. vessells of all sorts which sayl'd to Ionia under the conduct of Hemico Contareno a Bishop and MICHAELI VITALIS the Dukes son this Fleet did much advantage that mighty expedition though som affirm that the Venetians
as the rest of the Minor Princes of Italy were usd to professe a totall dependence upon the house of Austria yet Duke Ferdinand a wise Prince knowing that in the first motions of Monferrat the designes of Savoy were fomented by Offices underhand from the Spaniard for his own advantage he chose rather to defend himself from Savoy without the Spaniards help but D. Carlo succeeding he was forcd to adhere to the King of France for his safety in regard of divers Garrisons he had up and down Monferrat THe Dukes of Parma though thrust out of Piacenza by Charles the 5. and having bin beaten by him in Parma they had good reason to follow the interests of France by whom they had receavd both their conservation and restablishment more than once yet they thought safer still to stick unto Him that was Duke of Milan till now of late that this present Duke is much Frenchified TOuching the politicall interests and inclinations of the Duke of Modena and the State of Luca they have more confidence in the House of Austria than in the French and so they apply themselfs accordingly in point of respect and compliances Nor indeed can it be denied but all Italie is beholding to the Spaniard in divers respects as for the introducing of Tresure and increse of Trade as allso that his outpoising power keeps the inferior Princes in peace and from encroching one upon the other lest if he shold strike in by way of Auxiliary he might swallow up both parties yet it may be observd that the Italians respect the Spaniard out of meer politicall interest not out of any affection so that all of them would restrain his power if they could but like the Mice in the Fable they cannot find any that will venture first to hang the Bell about the Catts neck HAving by these short expatiations given a few touches of the rest of the Principalities of Italy in point of politicall interests we now return to poursue and perfect the survay of the Signorie of Venice in this particular allso which taking her power by Land and Sea conjunctly is acknowledgd to be the strongest knot of strength in Italie if we consider the reaches of her Dominions with the firmenes and solidity of her establishment as allso the prudent and cautious conduct of her proceedings Now touching her interests and disposition towards the two great Kings forementiond all her counsells and designs ever since the entrance of forren Armies into Italie have tended to conserve her own liberty and greatnes It being an old observation that all States do retain still the humor of their first Founders as ambition and desire of warr appeerd allwayes in the Citty of Rome because her first Founders were full of that humor But those of Venice being not transported with such exorbitant thoughts but addicted to peace trafic wealth and repose having bin formerly harassd by the long calamities of Italie and the inundation of barbarous peeple when they had gott into those safe retirements the first and fundamentall maxime of policy they proposd to themselfs was to maintain their common freedom and live secure And herin the Republic of Venice may be sayed to differ from the late States of Holland allso whose first foundation was layed in bloud by Armes and Warr Now it is a Rule that Eodem modo Res conservatur quo acquiritur By the same meanes things are conservd wherby they are gott In so much that if Holland follow the humors of her first Founders She will love warr better than peace and happly be incited therunto by an old prophecy that runns of her Marte triumphabis Batavia pace peribis Holland by warr Thou shalt encrease Thou wilt destroy Thy self by peace Now one of the wayes wherby the Republic of Venice hath endeavourd to preserve her Maydenhead and freedom so long hath bin to keep the power of the potentst Princes in a counterpoise wherby She hath often adapted her designes and accommoded Her-self to the condition of the times and frequently changd thoughts will frends and enemies She hath bin allwayes usd to suspect any great power to fear much and confide little to be perpetually vigilant of the operations of others and accordingly to regulat her own consultations and proceedings wherby She hath bin often accusd of exces in circumspection Therfore when that impetuous shock was given Italie by Charles the 8. She only lookd on a good while and kept Her self Neutrall but afterwards seeing the common freedom of Italie floting among the French armes She made head against them at last freeing Milan from that imminent danger which hoverd visibly ore her head and so forcd that King to find his way back ore the Alpes and to leave the Kingdom of Naples to the Aragonians To free Her-self from the stratagems of Morâ—… and to joyn Cremona to her Republic She favourd the designes of Lewis the 12. upon the State of Milan But this conjunction was like that with the Lion who useth to snatch all to himself For Lewis afterwards to thrust Venice out of Cremona colleagud himself with divers other Princes inciting them to invade Her Territories on firm Land In so much that he introduc'd the Pope the Spaniard and King of the Romanes but while they thought to rush into the Venetian Territory they were cunningly excluded by the Spaniards their Confederatts who gathering the fruit of other mens labours impatronizd himself of som Townes to recover which the Venetians betook themselfs to the frendship of Francis the French King by which League they recoverd what formerly had bin taken from them But afterwards finding that the French for their disorders had lost the Duchy of Milan and that by continuing that League they exposd to som hazard their own liberty the Republic with fortune changd Her frend and entred into League with Charles the Emperour But upon that monstrous successe of fortune in Pavia when the French King was taken Prisoner to preserve the common liberty of Italie which was like to be swallowed up by the Emperour She re-entred into a new League with Francis not without extreme hazard because in the peace of Cambray he had quite abandond Her so She was left alone to wrastle with the Emperour and the formidable Armies he had then afoot against whom She bore up with much generosity a good while wherby together with the peace of Bologna She procurd the restitution of Francesco Sforza to the Duchy of Milan An accord which She observd with such candor and punctuality that although She was invited by many favourable conjunctures to unite again upon high advantagious termes with the Crown of France to thrust the Spaniards out of Milan whereof they had rendred themselfs Masters after the death of Francis Sforza yet she wold never lend any â—…are therunto meerly out of her filial affection to Italy that she might not be plungd again in new troubles as allso finding how unlucky the French had often