very learned was not received by those Vertuous who freely told him that there were so many Workes already of that kinde in his Majesties Library as some of them seemed superfluous for an infinit many of great Divines had with such diligence handled matters appertayning to the consciences of private men that they had put the salvation of soules into comprimise for the only regard of a shillings gaine And that the world very much desired to see a complete Summa composed vpon the consciences of great Princes a matter most necessary for the quiet of the whole Vniverse and altogether omitted by Divines wherein those actions of Princes should be exactly discoursed vpon with which so often they put the world into confusion filling it with robberies assassinates and such flaughters of men that many of them blinded with the ambition to raigne vpon earth have made rivers to runne with humane bloud The Colledge of the Learned hearing these particulars sayd That they much desired to have these Questions disputed and resolved Namely whether Christian pietie will admit the speciall hipothesis which the violence of the sword hath vsurped over others States Whether a Principality that by Armes and fraud is forceably taken from another Prince may be held by one that hath the true feare of God Whether that course of ruling a Kingdome which is conquered onely to the end to impoverish and waste it that so it may be governed without jealousie may be practised by one that is borne in the Christian Faith Whether the exalting of Reason of State to such an height that it should trample vnder feet as at this present it doth all Lawes divine and humane be not a more detestable and execrable Idolatry then worshipping Nabuchadnezzars Image or the golden Calfe And lastly the Colledge sayd That then their desires would be fully accomplished when there could be found a Divine so much fearing God that with his Writings durst fright Princes as much from doing evill as many others with their great Volumes had terrified private men for it seemed a strange thing vnto them that infinite learned Divines had so laboured to reason of the strict accompt which Shop-keepers are to render even for idle words vnto the Majestie of God and in the meane time had omitted to make mention of those exorbitant errors committed by great Princes when with their Armies over-running States they send all things into perdition both sacred and prophane And that with more benefite to mankinde and eternall reward to themselues Divines might have discoursed vpon the actions of Lewis the twelfth and Frances the first both Kings of France of Ferdinand King of Aragon and Charles the fifth the Emperor whose soules departed out of this world with the heauy burthen of halfe a million of manslaughters all comitted by their ambition to raigne and whereof they were to giue a strict accompt to Almighty God All which were matters exceeding necessary to the end that mankind so much afflicted by the ambition of Princes might one day receiue the consolation which with such longing it desireth when those that raigne should be terrified from doing amisse and be made to know that Hell was prepared aswell for the Great as the small CHAP. 10. The French desire the Receipt of the Spanish Sent for Gloues THe emulation which is seene to raigne betweene the two warlike and powerfull French and Spanish Nations is as great as it is eternall for there is not any vertue appearing in the French which is not exceedingly coveted by the Spanyards neither are the French ever quyet till they haue attayned vnto those rarities wherwithal they see Spayne indued And because that sent with which Gloues are made so sweet is a particular invention and gift of the Spanyards the French haue omitted nothing that might bring them to the perfection of making the like and to their great charge they furnished themselves with Muske Ambergriece Civet and all other the most odoriferous Drugges the East produceth but all to no purpose for neither charge nor diligence were sufficient to make them attayne to the end of their intent howbeit before they vvould giue it over as desperate the noble French Nation had recourse vnto his Majestie the productour of all Aromatickes vvhom they earnestly besought that hee vvould bee pleased to teach the French the vvay how to make the right Spanish sent for sweet Gloues Whereupon Apollo was never seene to laugh more heartily at the fall of the infortunate Icarus then hee did at the request of those French whose hands hee commanded his Priests that stood by him to smell vnto and tell him what they sented of The Priests immediatly obeyed and affirmed vnto his Majestie that they sented vvell Which Apollo hearing he sayd to those French that nature alwayes vsed to countervaile a defect vvith some rare vertue and that therefore the gift of making Gloues so sweet shee had only granted to that Nation whose hands stunke most abhominable CHAP. 11. The Monarchy of Spayne throvveth her Phisitian out of the window THis morning the Monarchy of Spayne hauing sent for her ordinary Phisitian a litle after with her owne hands she threw him out of the window of her Royall Pallace whereupon the poore wretch being all battered in pieces died incontinently An accident that seemed the more strange in regard the Phisitian was held by all the Court to be a man of extraordinary honestie and in the practise of his profession most admirable Sundry were the discourses that were made vpon so remarkeable a matter But Apollo desiring to know of the Spanish Monarchy her selfe the true cause of so grievous a resentment that mighty Queene told him how aboue forty yeares since vpon occasion of some accidents that befell her and other signes which she had discouered she feared that in processe of time she should catch some dangerous French disease from the Royall House of Burbon and therefore to provide for the inconvenience which shee foresaw she had demanded counsell of her Phisitian who prescribed her a long fashidious and chargeable purgation compounded of divers Oyles of Holy Leagues of insurrections of people of rebellions of Nobilitie of Cauteries and other very bitter ingredients whereby she had spoiled her stomach weakned her strength and altogether lost her appetite and that the infinite quantitie of Syrrupes and the many medicines which she had taken with such anguish had wrought no other effect but the accelleration of the disease which without that vnlucky and vnseasonable purgation peradventure she shold neuer haue had Moreouer that the many Leaches which were applied to many parts of her body had in such manner sucked the best vitall bloud of the Gold of that Spayne that thorough the weaknesse of her complexion she was not able to euacuate those evill humors of Flanders which had held her and doe hold her oppressed By which disorders all occasioned through the naughty counsell of that imprudent Physitian she was so exasperated
to attempt it The weight of this Kingdome was answerable to that of the last fifteenth yeare which amounted to sixteene Millions But the English to giue more weight to their Kingdome would haue put the Kingdome of Scotland into the Scale when the Scottish Nobilitie with drawen swords in their hands opposed themselues freely protesting that they would never suffer their Country to be annexed to the Kingdome of the English for yet fresh was the lamentable example of the miseries of Flanders who when she saw her Earles become Kings of Spayne foolishly beleeved that shee should command over the Spanyards whereas soone after not Spayne was sacked by the Flemmings but Flanders by the covetous and cruell Spaniards and that which made vp their miserie Charles the fifth the Emperor and King Philip his sonne by their continuall residence in Spayne of Flemmings became Spanyards The vnfortunate Flemmings by losing their Prince of naturall subiects grew to be esteemed strangers and men of little faith And so Flanders the naturall Country of Charles the fifth the Patrimony of King Philip became according to the termes of moderne Policie a State of fiue States and began to be governed by strangers with those jealousies and with those oppressions of Customes Taxes Contributions and Donatiues as begat those bad humors those ill satisfactions from whence since hath proceeded that ciuill warre which after an vnspeakable profusion of Gold an infinite effusion of bloud an incredible losse of honour to the Flemmings was converted into a covetous merchandise of the Spanyards Therefore the Scots by such lamentable miseries haue learned not to permit their King vpon any termes whatsoever to abandon the Royall Seate of his ancient Kingdome for to place it in a greater newly fallen vnto him in which case the Scots should vnder their cruell enemies the English be sure to suffer all the calamities which inferiour Nations are wont to endure at the hands of the superiour Some that were present at this Act report how the Spanyards told the King of England that those Scots which had spoken so arrogantly in the presence of his Majestie were to be seuerely chastised to whom the King of England answered That the Spaniards ought not to giue that counsell vnto others which had proved so pernicious to themselues and thereupon hauing commanded the stay of weighing their Kingdome hee assured his Scots that ere long he would giue them all possible satisfaction After this the vast Ottoman Empire was put into the Scale which the last fifteenth yeare arrived to the summe of two and thirtie Millions but now was found to be lesse then sixteene the strangenesse whereof made all the Princes very much to marvaile and particularly the Venetians who could not beleeue such a fall whereupon they desired that with more diligence it might be reweighed and it appeared how in that litle time running betweene the first and this second weighing it had fallen eight hundreth twenty and two pounds whereby it was manifest that the Ottoman Empire heretofore so terrible to the world now consumed with luxury covetuousnesse and idlenesse runneth headlong to his ruine which gaue great contentment to all those Princes Nevertheles it was observed by some of the wisest there present that the Spanyards were not so glad of it as the rest out of a doubt they had that the depression of the Turke would be the exaltation of the Venetian State Then came the Polach Senators and put into the Scale their Kingdome which in regard of the small authoritie the King hath there and the too much command which the Palatines arrogate vnto themselues made but a poore reckoning for it did not amount to six Millions of pounds whereas in times past it alwayes exceeded twelue After them the Signory of the Councell of Tenn put into the Scale the flourishing estate of the Venetian Commonwealth most admirable for the greatnesse thereof and oportunitie of scituation fitting for all great enterprises which went beyond all expectation in the weight for it came to eight Millions the cause whereof was sayd to be the huge masse of Gold which those wise Senators in so long a time of peace had gathered togither into their Treasury Next came the Swittzers the Grisons and other free people of Germany and brought their Comonweales to the Scale How beit the Princes required that they might be weighed each one severally by it selfe wherewith the Germanes were well contented so that it might be done But Lorenzo having put the Commonwealth of Basil into the Scale it appeared that the greater part of the other Common weales of Germany were all so linked together that it was impossible to seperate them one from another which put a many of ambitious Princes there in a sweate Then the Duke of Savoy caused his State to be put into the Scale by his noble Knights of the Annonciata which equalled the weight of the last fifteenth yeare but Lorenzo having added into the Scale that most noble prerogatiue of Title which the sayd Duke Charles Emanuell enioyeth of the Prime Souldyer of Italy it was seene to aggravate the weight a Million foure hundreth and twenty pounds After this with a pompe and Maiestie matchable to Kings appeared the Duke of Lorraine whose State though litle equalled the weight of great Kingdomes and it was considered that it fell out to be so by a certaine good fortune which that Prince had to haue his States so happily seated that he could easily put the Lowe-Countreys into grievous difficulties by impeaching the passage of those succors which the Spaniards conduct thither out of Italy whereby he hath growen into such reputation that to the most offerer he selleth for ready Gold the marchandise of that his adhering in such sort that after he had dreyned the Spanyards asmuch as any the devoutest French Lord of the Holy League whatsoever syding afterwards with the French he knew so well how to change his coppy that a King of France such as was Henry the fourth the great Duke of Toscan and the Duke of Mantoua were glad of his allyance And fully to make vp the Spanyards iealousye the famous Venetian Commonwealth drew into her pay a Prince of that House with such affection that if that great Lady had not made a vow of perpetuall chastity and her nature according to the custome of some Indians had not bene stytched vp the first day she was borne by the Venetian Signory most jelous of her honor it was verily beleeved by many that she would haue taken him to husband It was observed that the Duke of Savoy envyed much the felicity of this Prince because he finding himselfe also seated betweene the French and the Spanyards of Milan as the Duke of Loraine was betweene the French and the Spanyards of Flanders in stead of so many benefits and so many commodities as fell vpon the Duke of Loraine he had received most cruell kickes not onely from the French then his enemies but from
disposition and that a litle before had receiued of the Apostolicke Sea that glorious title of the most Catholike King Truly replyed Almansor in the Chronicles which thou hast named of my Nation many foule actions cōmitted by divers Princes out of ambition to raigne may be read but this which thou hast recounted of Ferdinand goeth beyond them all But if thou O Almansor sayd the Kingdome of Naples diddest with thy Nation keepe the Kingdome of Granada chayned so many hundreth yeares vvhat course tooke the Spanyards for to free him That Vnion of the Kingdomes of Castile and Aragon replyed Almansor which followed vpon the marriage between Ferdinand and Isabella occasioned the libertie of the Kingdome of Granada a most vnhappy Vnion the which no lesse then I haue done and continually still doe the greatest Potentates of Europe haue lamented doe lament and perpetually with vnfained teares vvill lament as that which is the true and onely roote from vvhence are sprung all those greatest subversions of States which vnto this day haue beene seene in many partes of Europe but more remarkeably in Italy And beleeue me Neapolitan Kingdome that even till now might I haue raigned happily in Spayne if this pestiferous Vnion had not overthrowen my greatnesse for the many jealousies that raigned betweene the Castilians and Aragonians were my inexpugnable Cittadels which would haue maintayned my raigne here for ever Withall assure thy self O Kingdome of Naples that the aydes which the Popes gaue to Ferdinand and Queene Isabella greatly accelerated my taking in Peace peace Almansor said then the Neapolitan Kingdom for after thou wert chaced out of Spayne by the ambitious Spanish Nation the Popes vndervvent such miseries that it may be truly sayd how with ready mony they bought those extreame calamities wherewithall afterwards they encountred for though the Sea Apostolicall were well contented to see the Moores driven out of Spaine yet that satisfaction was much dissasted with my servitude which followed presently vpon it the Popes having never had any thing in greater feare then that I should fall into the hands of a mighty Prince vvho might make them liue in those perpetuall jealousies vvherein finding themselues drowned even vp to the very eyes many of them and particularly those that haue a greater knowledge of things of the vvorld do not alwayes make quiet sleepes A cleare testimony of the truth which I speake was the lamentable and wicked sacke of Rome perpetrated by the Spanyards a litle after my servitude with which ingratitude they payd the Apostolicke Sea for all they were debtors vnto it aswell for the remission of the Tribute of Naples as for the other succors which they received in the vvarre of Granada A calamitie that having past the termes of most grievous miseries hath in such manner opened the eyes even of men of the drowsiest vnderstanding that every one cōmeth clearely to know what it is to vnchayne the Lyon out of a zeale of pietie for the Spanyards no sooner saw themselues freed from the impediment of the Moores of Granada but that through the ambition which they shewed in desiring to cōmand over the whole Vniverse not onely in Italy but throughout all Europe most important jealousies of State and most grievous interests of Religion discovered themselues in so much that I haue often heard it discoursed by men of most vnderstanding in affayres of the vvorld how peradventure it would haue beene lesse prejudiciall for many Princes of Europe that thou haddest raigned still in Granada then that the Spanyards should haue passed into Italy to acquire such important States as at this day they possesse there Hereunto may be added the prejudices both publike and priuate which my ruine hath brought and continually doth bring vnto the Italian Princes and more particularly to the Popes because the Kings of Spayne had no sooner fastned this Chayne about my legge but presently they began to aspire vnto the Dominion of all Italy and the quicklier to arriue thereunto they knew very excellently how to interesse themselves in the differences which at that time depended betweene the Princes of Italy and the French about the possession of the Dutchy of Milan wherein that top of man Charles the fifth carried himselfe in such sort that hee made himselfe to bee knowen the worthy Nephew of his Grandfather by the Mothers side for having with the Forces of the Italian Princes chased the French out of Italy instead of restoring the Sforzi to the State as it was agreed betwixt him and the confederate Princes with the fraud of a thousand Turkish quarrels pickt of purpose which he well knew how to invent against the Sforzi he made himselfe absolute Master of that so important a Dutchy Stay Kingdome of Naples and making a point here sayd Almansor satisfie me in this seeing the noble State of Milan was fallen into the hands of the Spanyards what hindred them from running precipitously to the acquisition of all Italy and seeing thy servitude doth manifest vnto the world that the aydes and succours of Princes serue more for the benefite of him that giveth them then for the profit of him that receiveth them why would not the Italian Princes rather suffer that Milan should be vnder the Dominion of the French then by receiving ayde from the Spanyards runne the danger of letting that Dutchy beeing so important a member of Italy fall into the hands as thou saydest it did of the Kings of Spayne The power of the Kings of France answered the Neapolitan Kingdome defendeth that remnant of Liberty which remaineth in Italy from the ambition of Spaine for those glorious Kings out of the interest of their greatnesse will not endure that the Dominion of all Italy should fall into the power of the ambitious Spanish Nation which cannot extinguish the ardent thirst they have of commanding neither with the Conquest of all the new World discovered by them nor with so great a part which they possesse in the old Besides the Italian Princes who know the great perill wherein they finde they are of a dangerous and miserable servitude have so vnited themselves together that although they be many in number yet make they but one Body and the Spaniards who haue vsed and doe vse all possible devises to dis-unite them evidently perceive that they wash a Black-Moore But touching the State of Milan thou must know how it was iudged more secure for the publike Liberty of Italy that that Dutchy should fall into the power of the Spaniards then that it should remaine in the hands of the French who for that they were ioyning to Italy when therein they should possesse any little part there would haue beene manifest danger that they would haue made themselves absolute Lords of the whole but in the Spanyards it would fall out cleane contrary for their Forces albeit very great are notwithstanding so farre off that by so long a tract of sea they could with much difficulty transport out of Spayne