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
into Italy Forces that were able to maintaine the acquests they had made not that they could be sufficient to subdue the whole Thou speakest the truth sayd then Almansor but goe on and declare vnto me the prejudices which thy falling into the hands of the Spaniards brought vnto the Popes Know then replyed the Kingdome of Naples that whereas before the Popes were the terror of my Kings now it happeneth to bee cleane otherwise for they liue in a very great agony lest the Vnion of Milan with Naples should one day follow to which marke they obserue the Spanyards haue directed the scope of all their thoughts vvhereupon the Spanyards whose proper nature it is to make good vse of the feare vvhereinto they see they haue put the Princes their neighbours haue arrogated vnto themselves such authority in the Court of Rome that they vaunt they are the true arbitrators of all the most important matters vvhich there are handled Moreover when the Kings of Naples were not Kings of Spayne the Popes with every litle menace of denying the investiture obtayned of my Kings Principalities Dutchyes Earldomes and other great States in gift buying their friendships also with mariages and many other sortes of liberalitie but now the feare being ceased if the Popes vvil make their kinred great with titles of important States they must be glad to buy them with their ready mony and the advised Kings of Spayne besides the pretious Gold of entreaties which at any hand they will bee sure shall precede for a first payment sell them vnto them thoroughly sawced Important interests and grievous disorders are these sayd Almansor vvhich thou hast recounted vnto me but how cometh it that thou Kingdome of Naples which art the Magazine of Silkes the Granary of Italy shouldest goe so ragged and be so leane Seeing the Spanyards that come naked out of Spayne answered the Kingdome of Naples after they haue beene three or foure dayes in my house will needs cover themselves all over with gold it is no marvaile if I be spoyled to clothe so many Raggedemuffins besides if thou sawest the rapacitie of the Vice-roys that to recover them selves are sent vnto me or if thou knewest the rapines of Secretaryes of thousand Officers and other Courtiers which they bring along with them all thirsty of my bloud thou wouldest greatly marvayle how it were possible I should satiare the raging and greedy swallow of so many hunger-starved wretches As for the litle flesh thou seest on my back the Spanyards affirme that in the booke of a certaine Florentine who hath given rules of the cruell moderne Policie they find written that being a Kingdome conquered after the manner of those horses vvhich are kept only for races I ought to be maintayned low in the flesh I but sayd Almansor then the Milanesi how are they entreated They also replyed the Kingdome of Naples are bathed with the water wherewithall thou seest mee so wet only this difference is betwixt vs that in Milan are droppes in my house flouds The true occasion of the diversitie of these entreatings is the quality of the Lombards dispositions most vnlike to my Neapolitans for the Nobilitie of the State of Milan are naturally phantasticall free resolute and farre from that vice so proper to my Neapolitans of flattery and affectation but so bold and hardy that they dare say how if one only Cremonese spirit had beene found amongst my Neapolitan Barons it would haue hindered that same forced donatiue that hath brought me to eate Bread and Onyons the which although with great words it hath beene often demanded by the Spanyards in Milan they haue beene as resolutely answered that they should take care to liue Besides the confining of the Grisons of the Duke of Savoy and Venetians are the cause that the Kings of Spayne proceed with more diseretion in Milan for when the Popes managed Armes I my selfe also was for their occasion greatly respected But soft Almansor yonder commeth my most capitall enemy Don Pedro de Toledo wherefore I pray thee withdraw a litle for at any hand I would not haue him take notice that I lament my disgraces heere vvith thee and for this onely vvere it for nothing els may I tearme my servitude most wretched in that I am forced to call this miserable state wherein thou seest me the happy golden Age. CHAP. 8. Sigismund Battor learneth the Latin tongue YEsterday about eight of the clocke in the evening the ordinary Post of Germany arrived at this Court and brought very ioyfull newes how Sigismund Battor Prince of Transilvania was growen so inamored of the gracefull Latine tongue that to his great glory he spake and wrote with the puritie and eloquence of the Cesarean style whereupon all the Vertuous earnestly besought Apollo that for such good newes there might be made in Pernassus all those demonstrations of ioy which to incourage Great-men to the loue of Learning were wont to be made when any Prince became learned But his Maiestie that seeth into the vttermost secret of all things denied those Vertuous their request and told them that then only there should be feasting in Pernassus when out of the freenesse of a noble minde and meere election of studies not constrayned by any necessitie Princes applyed themselves to Learning and that they were to know how Prince Battor had gotten the elegant Latine tongue neither out of ambition to shew himselfe to bee learned nor out of a vertuous curiosity to know many things but onely out of necessitie for his reputations sake to correct the foolish and childish absurditie which he committed in Gender Number and Case at such time as in the warre of Hungary he tooke that fatall resolution to arme himselfe against the Turke for to adhere vnto the Emperor of Germany whom in regard of the strong and lively pretensions which he hath to the Principaliâ—y of Transilvania he was to haue in more horror then seventy Ottoman Emperours CHAP. 9. The Cardinall of Toledoes Summa is not admitted into the Library of Pernassus THe illustrious and reuerend Francesco Cordova Cardinall of Toledo a personage of exemplarie life an exquisite Divine and excellent Philosopher hee that in his owne person honoured the Word of God in the Pulpit more then any other Preacher whatsoever of his time some few dayes since arrived at Pernassus having beene received vpon the confines of the State by Alessandro d' Ales and Cornelio Musso Bishop of Bitonto and all the way entertayned at his Majesties charge This honorable learned man presented his Writings vnto the venerable Colledge of the Vertuous and those of Philosophie were not only commended but admired as also the Commentaries composed by him vpon the divine passages of all the sacred Writers were received with extraordinary applause and shortly after they were carried in a precious Vrne vnder a cloth of Estate into the Delphicke Library and with the name of the Author consecrated to Eternity Onely his Summa although
against him that she had solemnely sworne to throw him out of the window if to free her from future infirmities he euer after ordained her any purgation And that perceiving how the paine which she hath at this instant in the shoulder of Holland vvas an apparent Lues Gallica she had demanded counsell of the same Physitian for to cleare her selfe of it who vnmindfull of his former errors had foolishly ordayned the second purgation wholly and altogether like the former and that therefore being ouercome with paine she had throwen him out of the Window so punishing him at once for both the faults he had committed for it seemed vnto her that he had well deserved the misfortune of that resentment seeing that by the accidents following with such infelicitie of her Spanyards he had not learned to know that purgations made before their time for diseases that are feared doe not worke those good effects which either the Physitian beleeveth or the Patient desireth CHAP. 12. Most of the States of the World are censured in Pernassus for their errors APollo carefull of nothing more then to see that the Princes of the World should in the vpright gouernment of their States giue the people such satisfaction as they ought introduced into Pernassus many ages since this admirable Custome That euerie yeare the names of the chiefest Potentates of the earth written vpon litle schedules should be put into an Vrne and then being drawen foorth one by one the publicke Censor of Politicall matters should in the presence of the sacred Colledge of the Learned record the disorders which he had obserued in the gouernment of their States whereupon those Princes were bound either incontinently with satisfying reasons to defend such things as were obiected against them or els within a Moneth to reforme them An institution no doubt very noble and holy for it hath effected that in the progresse of so many ages since first it was vsed Princes haue corrected an infinitie of errors besides knowing that they are to be called to so strict an accompt it maketh them endeuour to liue so vertuously that in the presence of so many Princes they need not to blush Vpon the day appointed then most of the Potentates of the World appeared before Apollo And Count Baldazar Castiglione the Politicall Censor said vnto the reuerend Lord Giouanni dalla Casa Nuntio for the Sea Apostolicall in this State which was first drawen out of the Vrne That it seemed vnto him a most scandalous matter and indeed vnworthy the Greatnesse and Maiestie of the Popes that in Rome should be seene some potent Families vnto whom it served in stead of a rich patrimony to be dependant on forraigne Princes not very well affected to the greatnesse of the Apostolicke Sea which in euery occasion were apt with the power of their Factions to giue the Popes much trouble And that he might truly say how in all his time he had not seene a more foule and execrable thing then that which the Emperor Charles the fifth did when with the noble Charge of the Kingdome of Naples he rewarded the cruell seditions and shamefull treacheries which the Cardinall Pompeo Colonna vsed against the High Bishop Clement the seuenth Then the Lord Giouanni demanded of the Count how long it was since he had conuersed in the Romane Court who answering Some seuenty yeares past the Nuntio replied that returning thither now he should find how by reason of the abundance of vertjuice which the Pompei Pabritij Prosperi Ascanij of the family of Colonna the Virginij and other more principall Barons of the House of Orsina had eaten the teeth of their Nephewes and Grand-children were so set on edge that they could hardly chaw ther broth for the Popes which had tyed those exorbitances about their fingers knew so excellently how to practise the Tarquinian precept that they haue reduced those Poppies which heretofore were as high as Cedars to the humble stature of ridiculous dwarffes This answere satisfied the Count who turning to the Romane Empire next diawen out of the Vrne he said vnto him That the present disorders which were seene not only in the great patrimony of the House of Austria but in all Germany proceeded from the negligence of the present Emperor Rodolphus and therefore he much desired that that Maiestie would with more care embrace the government of his so many States remembring that Princes rulers of mankinde bore vpon their shoulders the heauiest weight and had in their hands the most laborious worke that any the painefullest day-labourer whatsoeuer could exercise The Censor vvas exceedingly thanked by the Romane Empire for this aduise whereunto with much grauitie he answered That it was a disgrace common with all Princes to be accused of negligence when scandals arose in their States although it notoriously appeared that in regard they were occasioned by the practises of more mighty enemies they could not possibly be avoyded by an vnderstanding Prince Wherefore it was to be considered That the monstrous felicities which the most mighty House of Austria haue had by inheriting with their Matches the States of Flanders the Kingdomes of Spaine of Naples Sicilia Bohemia Hungarie and Portugall haue giuen all the Princes of Germany of Italy and of Europe such diabolicall jealousies that they haue caused both the passed and present ruines now beheld in their ancient patrimony Whereunto the Emperors which haue raigned since Maximilian the first of famous memory albeit they were reputed most valorous prudent princes could neuer after apply any salue that did not infinitely exasperate the sore of the disorders of Germany wherein had concurred such abundance of malignant humors that it might truly be said it was immedicable Further it was to be remembred what small authoritie the moderne Emperors haue had in Germany so that it were not only a discurtesie but open injustice to will one that hath his hands fast bound behind him to performe the acts of Orlando Moreouer the qualitie of the Empire was to be regarded which being electiue they that serued had more authoritie in it then they that commanded Besides the present weaknes of the House of Austria in Germany from whom with the seditions of Religion the hearts of their subiects are stollen a theft so important that they may well abandon those States as lost wherein such dangerous seed is sowen Wherupon the present Emperor seeing himselfe depriued of the obedience of his subiects desireth euery one to reflect vpon the qualitie of the Cousins which the House of Austria hath in Spayne and they shall finde that the people of Almaine borne for their libertie to secure themselues from the monstrous power of such a Family take impious and wrongfull reuenges euen on those which shall not be free from the servitude of the Spanyards if for the sinnes of men they euer arriue to that point of commanding ouer the World from which by the meere goodnes and mercy of God they are put off as