him For it appeareth that he directed all his actions vnto the stablishing and stengthning of those Estates onely which he knew should necessarily descend vnto his lawfull and lyneall heyres after him litle or nothing regarding the succession of them which were to be elected at the will and pleasure of others VVherefore as he fetched both men and money out of Germanie for to serue his other tournes withall abroade so tooke he from thence also A thing which I my selfe haue hard much lamented by the Germaines the best parte of all their Munition As out of VVITTEMBOVRGE a citie of the Duke of SAXON he tooke two hundreth and twentie peeces of great Ordinance a hundreth out of GOTTA from the LANGRAVE also he had 200. peeces and out of STRAVSBOVRGH he tooke all the best that they had Sending thereof 50. peeces vnto NAPLES other 50. to MILANE and 400. into FLANDRES he did the like also with many other their Dutche Commodities transporting them either into SPAINE or into his countries of AVSTRICH for to inlarge and make riche his owne house and posteritie withall And this is a thing common vnto all elected Princes that haue Estate but for terme of Life carelesly to cōsume the Treasores of the countrey dissipating the publicke demaines and conuerting them into priuate menshandes either of their owne fauorites or of their kinsefolkes How countryes are impouerished by Princes elected As of the Cities and Prouinces belonging vnto the Sea of ROME the Popes haue made awaye almost the one halfe for the aduauncement of their owne priuate houses Pope SIXTVS the fourth of that Name after the death of GVIDIBALDO DE MONTEFELTRO Duke of VRBYNE procured the dukedome vnto his kinseman de ROVERE The which dukedome not long after Pope LEO the tenth translated from FRANCESCO MARIA DE ROVERE vnto his Nephew LORENZO DE' MEDICI Pope ALEXANDER the sixte gaue REGIO and MODENA two good Townes in Italie in dowrie with his daughter vnto ALFONSO Duke of FERRARA CLEMENT the seuenth aduanced his Nephew ALEXANDRO vnto the Dukedome of Florence And PAVLVS tertius the Romane exalted his house of FARNESE vnto the Dukedome of PARMA and PIACENZA All which Estates were either conueyed out of the Ecclesiasticall Monarchie or by the meanes and charge therof procured As GVICCIARDINE in his storie of the warres of ITALIE reporteth that the forenamed LEO the tenth what with warring against the duke of VRBYNE and with mainteining the costlinesse of his sister MAGDALENA and his owne pride and prodigalitie he left the Church worse by 40. thousand Dueates a yeare then he found it besides the iewells and ornamentes of the pontificall treasor which he engaged In the like maner all Temporall Princes I meane such as are elected when they see that they can not leaue their estates vnto their Children they seeke by sale or by gifte to make the best commoditie of them during their owne liues As RODVLPHVS th'Emperour for a summe of money exempted all the Cities of TOSCANE out of the subiection of th' Empire And ROBERT OF BAVIER gaue three Imperiall cities at one time vnto his sonne FREDERIKE he gaue also the Liberties vnto NVRENBOVRGE As OTHO the third did vnto ISNE LODOWIKE of BAVIER did the like vnto the citie of EGRE HENRY the first soulde what he coulde whereby th' Empire was brought so low as that CHARLES duke of Burgony was able to make warre against the whole bodie of the same If then an Italian will not sticke to weaken the Popedome the pride and strength of his Nation nor a Germaine to deminish the power of th' Empire a Dignitie which the Germanes pretende to be dewe and proper vnto them onely Much lesse may we thinke that a Hungarian will obserue any more respecte in Polonia being chosen vnto that kingdome or a Spagniarde vse any more courtesy in Italy being elected vnto the Popedome But rather it is to be thought that they seeing them selues called by this vnorderly way of Election vnto new gouernementes will seeke for the better stablishing of the same to alter in what they can the state and course of the countryes whervnto they are so called tourning their lawes into theirs their customes into theirs their Religion into their owne Religion For commonly we see that all men are of that nature to thinke alwayes their owne religion best their owne customes commēdablest their owne lawes soundest desiring to bring and induce al others vnto the same lawes customes religiō that they them selues are of The Turke would haue all his people to acknowledge MAHOMET The kinge of Spaine all his subiectes to holde with the POPE The Greekes thought all other nations barbarous in respecte of them selues The Italians likewise in these dayes are not ashamed to call all Oltramontani vs that are on this side the Alpes barbari as though none knew what Ciuilitie mente but they The Venetians will say when they heare a man speake in a language which they vnderstand not Mo parlate Christiano as though no language were good or christianlike but theirs So VVILLIAM the Conquerour sought to surpresse and extinguish our English speeche commaunding all our lawes to be writtē in his owne language as it appeareth also by the termes of our pastimes of hawking hunting karding dycing Tennis and such like which for the most parte doe yet remaine in the NORMANE tongue VVherfore it is euident that all elected Princes which come out of forreine Countryes in the maner as we here meane to the ende to rule and raigne onely and not for loue alliance or freindship sake will in what lyeth in them both for their greater glorie for the better strength of their Estates seeke to change the Religion lawes customes and language of the places whervnto they are so elected But you will say that your meaning is not to fetch your Prince so farre of but to haue him neerer home euen of the same countrey wherof he is to reigne because you will be sure that he shall neither change customes not bring in any language You say well but let me aske then who shall haue the choosing of him there at home in his owne countrey If the common people choose him you may looke for nothing else but factions seditions Tot capita tot sententiae so many men so many kinges If he be chosen by the Souldiers as the Emperours were otherwhiles of ROME then shall he not be allowed of by the Senatours if elected by the Senatours then can he not be receiued of the Souldiers VVhich inconueniences being of later yeares better wayed of by the wiser It was thought expedient that the Election of th' Empire should be reduced vnto a certaine number of seuen Princes who because the Pope as then GREGORIE the fifth was a SAXON borne were all appointed of the Germaine nation Namely the duke of SAXON the Counte PALLATINE the Marchese of BRANDINBOVRGE the three Bishoppes of MAGANZA COLLENE and TREVERIE and the seuenth to waye downe
the ballances the kinge of BOEMIA And yet for all that the Electours were neuer so few the factions and ciuill discordes Difficulties and dissentions in the choosing of Princes that ensued were neuer a whit the lesse LEWIS of BAVIER and ALBERTE of AVSTRIKE were both chosen Emperours at one time whervpon they continued 18. yeares in warres one against the other In like maner the Colledge of the Cardinalles haue bene as is before saide sometimes two sometimes three yeares together in choosing of one Pope And at an other time they haue chosen three at a clappe and often times two together VVherfore they are now faine to shutte them selues into the CONCLAVE of Saint Peters Pallaice there to remaine vntill the two thirdes of them do fall to agreement As it is also more straightly obserued at MALTA now called VALETTA in the choosing of the great Maister of the order of Saint IOHN For there the 24. Electours appointed by the KNIGHTES of the great Crosse are walled into a strong place where within a certaine time limited vnto them they must without all delaye choose one that is not of their number So we see that the difficulties A number of Popes Emperour murdered about their Election and dissentions which proceede from such Elections are infinite The Murders also and massacres that do insue of them are no lesse frequent both amongest th'Ecclesiasticall Prelates and temporall Princes Of Popes there haue bene at the least 22. beheaded about their Election as the Registers of the VATTICANE doe certifie besides a number of Cardinalles and of common people that for the like cause haue gon the same waye with them VVe reade that in the Primatiue Church there were 600. Romanes slaine at one time about the choosing of DAMASVS and VRSINVS Of temporall Princes there haue bene within these 360. yeares since th' Empire fell into the subiection of the Lordes Electours eight or nine EMPEROVRS slaine and poisoned Of 15. SOVLDANES that haue bene chosen kinges of EGYPTE seuen of them dyed with the sworde Of Romane Emperours after the death of AVGVSTVS there were seuen all in a rowe murdered and three of them in one yeare It would greeue me to rehearse and weary you to heare all the piteous examples which might be recited in this behalfe wherof both English Latine and Italian histories are euery where full These few may suffice to shew what slaughters Murders Massacres haue bene cōmitted about The benefit of Succession the choosing of Princes Neither could there any order be found either for the sauftie of a kinge or for the quietnesse of a kingdome vntill such time as a lawfull sonne or sonne made by Adoption succeded vnto his father without Kingdomes assured by meanes of Succession any further Election As TIBERIVS TITVS TRAIAN ADRIAN ANTONINVS PIVS MARCVS AVRELIVS who all succeded prosperously one vnto th' other in the Romane Empire The Germaines also for all their great Titles of Election are faine at the last to flye vnto this refuge and to fetche their sauftie and quietnesse from Succession Suffering the house of AVSTRIKE these hundreth and three skore yeares solely and successiuely to possesse th' Empire As after SIGISMONDE FREDERIKE then MAXIMILIAN then CHARLES the fifth then FERDINANDE then MAXIMILIAN the seconde and so vnto RADVLPHE who now raigneth In POLONIA likewise BOHEMIA HONGARIE DENMARKE where the states stand so much vpon their Priuileges they are glad and faine of later yeares for the auoiding of ciuill warres and other of the aforesaid inconueniences to acknowledge the benefit of this Succession choosing for the most part him that is next of the blood Royall and next of kinne vnto the predecessed kinge So precious a thing it is as they that hate it are constrayned to seeke it And they that haue it are glad to holde it SPAINE NAPLES CICILLE NAVARRA SCOTLAND and FRAVNCE also whose Lawe SALIKE for ought that I can see is nothing else but a limited or nice kinde of Succession haue not for these many yeares knowen any other kinde of gouernement But of all nations there is none that more amplie How Succession is tendered in England hath enioyed it and which doth more willingly reteine it then our owne Seeing therefore that Lineall Succession is so sure a foundation as all good kingdomes both do and may boldly builde theron And contrarily ELECTION so weake a sande or rather so daungerous a Sea as it is able to sinke the tallest shippe of Citie or Countrey that saileth therin it is good reason that in this our discourse of ROYALL MONARCHIE as we desire to frame the same the best and the most perfecte common weale we embrace the one as a sure grounde and shunne the other as a most daungerous sande preferring Succession before Election and consequētly before all the other forenamed kindes of kingdomes the which all are either kindes of Election or else they are of lesse importance and such as are not to be estemed for their owne worthynesse but for some Necessitie sake As where Succession faileth that there is none lefte of the bloode Royall mall nor femall to inheritte the Crowne then men are faine to goe to drawing of Lottes to Neyinge of horses to choosing the Noblest the wisest the Eldest the Mightiest the Richest But the best and most Royall Prince is not to receiue his Scepter by any such happe or hazarde of fortune as DARIVS did his Nor to come to his kingdome by the vncertaintie of voices as all chosen Princes doe Nor yet by Gifte by Custome by Pollicie or by Conquest as it hath bene saide that kinge IVBA Duke COSIMVS and many other Princes did come to theirs But he is to come vnto his Crowne and kingdome first and principally by the grace of GOD and secondarily by the waye of lawfull and Lineall SVCCESSION It followeth that we speake of the maner of estate of this most ROYALL MONARCHIE and best kinde of kingdome Come sta how and in what case it standeth as touching the Power and authoritie appertaining thervnto For it is not sufficient that so ROYALL a Prince be descended Lineally and lawfully into his kingdome But he must also possesse and exercise such ROYALL and princely Power therin as is most fitte for his worthynesse and for his subiectes happynesse Neither in so extreame maner as to make A god of him selfe as ALEXANDER the great would haue done and slaues of his vassalles as the Great TVRKE at this daye doth Neither yet in so slender sorte as to haue the sworde caried after him as the Duke of VENICE hath and to be but a litle better then a sipher or shadowe of a Prince What power appertaineth vnto a Royall Prince He is for to haue therefore by the grace and Permission of Almightie God that Power which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Latines MAIESTATEM Th' Italians SIGNORIA The Frenchmen SOVVERAINETE That is Power full and perpetuall ouer all
his subiectes in generall and ouer euery one in particular Not to rule for a yeare onely as the Consulles of ROME did Nor for two yeares as the Dukes of GENOVA doe Nor for three as the VICEROYES of NAPLES or for nine or ten yeares as the great Archon of ATHENES did Not to be DICTATOVR for a daye onely as MAMERCVS A Royall Prince is to rule without limitatiō of time was Nor for eight dayes as SERVILIVS PRISCVS or for fifteen as CINCINNATVS No nor yet for fifteen yeares as SILLA had gotten it graunted vnto him by a Lawe to be Dictatour foureskore yeares although he raigned but foure and then after the terme of yeares expired to render vp his gouernement vnto an other perhappes vnto a stranger perhappes vnto his enemie But his Power shall last by Gods grace perpetually first during his owne life in him selfe and then after his death in his sonnes and successors Neither is he countable of such his gouernement A Royall Prince is not Countable vnto Any sauing to God and his Conscience else not vnto any other in such forte As LEGATES LIEFTENANTES PRESIDENTES REGENTS are who though they haue authoritie sometimes during their liues yet are they to render accoumpte vnto those which gaue them the same The DOGES of VENICE if they gouerne not well are deposed by the SIGNORIE of the gentlemen as TEODATVS and GALLA of MALOMOCCO were banished and had their eyes putte out because they ruled to Lordly the Gouerners of BOLOGNA LA GRASSA when they goe out of their office are bounde to render accoumpte vnto two SYNDICI The Dictators of ROME were forced by the TRYBVNES to render reason vnto the People The Regentes of SCOTLANDE the Lordes Protectors of ENGLAND although they rule neuer so highly during the minoritie of their Princes Yet we see that after they are out of their Offices they are constrained to aunswere vnto many oppositions There was neuer greater and more absolute Power graunted vnto any subiecte then was by CHARLES the ninth vnto his brother HENRY Duke of ANIOVE when he made him his Lieftenant Generall and perpetuall ouer all his dominions And yet was there in th' ende of his letters patentes this Clause apposed Tant qu'il nous plaira to signifie that the Dukes authoritie was both countable and reuocable at the will and pleasure of the kinge the giuer Our Prince A Royall Prince is not to depende vpon any therefore is not to receiue his power from any excepte from God the giuer of all Power For if he receiue it from any other higher Prince then is he not the Principall and supreame Magistrate but there is an other higher and greater then he For as honour dependeth more of the giuer then of the receiuer So likewise that Power is greatest from whence the others are deriued But our Prince who is the Image of God on Earth and as it were Vn minor essempio of his almightie Power is not to acknowledge any greater then him selfe nor any authoritie greater then his owne VVherefore as he is A Royall Prince is not subiecte vnto any of his owne Countrey not to receiue his Power from any so is he neither to be subiect vnto any higher Power either at home or abroade Though some doe mainteine that a Prince ought to be subiect vnto the states and Peares of his Realme as the kinges of LACEDEMON were to the EPHORI An Opinion if it be not well tempered and conueniently limited most preiudiciall vnto th' estate of a MONARCHIE peruerting and conuerting the same into a meere ARISTOCRATIE Much lesse is he subiecte in any thing vnto the Multitude of the common people who as they haue more authoritie are for the most parte more insolente and more disposed vnto rebellion VVherefore in all wel ordained kingdomes these haue no other then a voice SVPPLICATIVE those a voice DELIBERATIVE and the Prince onely a voice DEFINITIVE But some will aske if this great MONARCHE of ours shall not be subiecte vnto the Lawes Customes and Priuileges of the Countrey where he gouerneth vnto the othe which he taketh at his entrance vnto such couenantes and promises as he maketh vnto his people Vnto whome we aunswere that our Prince is subiect vnto lawes both ciuill and common How a Prince is subiect vnto the Lawes to customes priuileges couenantes and all kinde of promises So farre forth as they are agreable vnto the lawe of God Otherwise we thinke that he is not bounde to obserue them VVherein we neither diminishe the libertie of the subiecte supposing all lawes to be good or ought to be good Neither doe we inlarge to much the Power of the Prince as to make him lawlesse subiect neither to God his lawe nor mans lawe As some flaterers persuade the POPES and EMPEROVRS that they are aboue all lawes and may vse the bodyes and liues of their subiectes at their luste and pleasure taking from them their landes goodes and liberties without right or reason a thing expressely contrarie vnto the worde of God Thou shalt not couet thy neighbours house c. and a doctrine most pernicious vnto Princes who puffed vp with such opinions should take their course vnto a Tyrannicall kinde of puissance making their couetousnesse confiscation their loue Adulterie their hatred Murder and as the lightening goeth before the thunder so they depraued with such corrupted Councellers should make the accusation to goe before the faulte and the condemnation before the tryall From the which kindes of libertie or rather licentiousnesse our ROYALL Prince shal be as farre of as he is free from all kinde of subiection both domesticall and forreine For it is not An absolut Prince is not subiecte vnto any stranger enough for so worthy a kinge to be obeyed of his owne people at home but he must be also well estemed of strangers abroade not onely beloued of his freindes but honoured of his neighbours and feared of his enemies VVherfore as we haue saide already that he is not subiect or inferiour vnto any of his owne Nation So is he neither to acknowledge any greater then him selfe abroade Kinge EVMENES though he was but a poore Prince and had but one onely Castell of PERGAMON vnder his power yet when he came to capitulating with ANTIGONVS the greate kinge of ASIA he would not yeelde one iote vnto him in prerogatiue of honour saying that so long as he had his sworde by his side he knew no man greater then him selfe and yet by his leaue he fetched his fier from the Romanes who mainteined him in all his quarrelles both against ANTIGONVS and against PHILLIPPE kinge A Royall Prince needeth no Protection of MACEDONES But our ROYALL Prince is not to shrewd him selfe vnder the shadow of an other as EVMENES did vnder the Romanes Nor to shield him selfe vnder any buckelar of Protection as FERRARA doth vnder FRANCE BOLOGNA vnder the POPE FLORENCE and LVCCA vnder the kinge of A
Royall Prince is not tributarie vnto any SPAIGNE Neither shall he paye tribute vnto any forreine Prince as the Common weale of CARTHAGE after it was subdued by SCIPIO AFRICANVS did vnto the people of ROME Neither yet any annuall pension is he to paye as some great Princes of Christendome haue done vnto the greate Turke The Common weales of VENICE GENOVA RAGVSA for the countreyes they haue confining vpon him doe yet the like And as not long since LEWIS th'leuenth of FRANCE payed 50. thousand crownes a yeare vnto kinge HENRY the eight of noble memorie for to haue peace with him and with our Nation Much lesse shall he be Liege Vassall vnto any as the kinges of SCOTLAND were wonte to be vnto the kinges of ENGLANDE The Dukes of BRITANNIE vnto the kinges of FRANCE Neither shall he The most Royall Prince holdeth not in Fee or in Fealtie of any holde in Fee or Fealtie of any as most of the Cities in ITALIE doe of th' Empire and the kingdomes of NAPLES and SICILLE doe of the Pope The Knightes of MALTA of the kinge of SPAINE these giuing yearly a Faulcon those a white amblinge Geldinge some one thing some an other VVhich all are certaine kindes of subiections and spyces of Seruitude carying with them a number of rightes duties honours and reuerences vnworthie of the dignitie of a ROYALL Prince VVho must be as the Gramarians saye a Noune Substantiue able to stande of him selfe without the helpe or aide of an other without paying Tributes doing Homages swearing Fealties and Inconueniences proceding from Subiectiōs Loyalties vnto any forreine Prince COSMVS Duke of FLORENCE of late remembrance might not be made kinge of TOSKANE although Pope PIVS the fourth had a good will to make him Because he helde his Cities and Tounes of the Empire VVherefore the Emperour hearing of his sute saide Italia non habet Regem nisi Casarem The French kinge FRANCES the first of that name for to let CHARLES the fifth as then Archeduke of AVSTRIA from being chosen Emperour shewed vnto the Electours how that the Imperiall Maiestie should be to much imbased if they made of his vassall their chiefe and Souueraigne VVhich made the saide CHARLES hauing after taken FRANCES prisoner at the famous battaile fought in the Parke of PAVIA that he would neuer condescende vnto his deliuerance vntill he was first exempted by FRANCES from all kinde of Seruices and Subiections which he owed vnto the Crowne of FRANCE for the Countreyes he helde of ARTOYS and FLANDERS It seemeth so base a thing vnto the Maiestie of a ROYALL Prince to become the Liege man of an other to sweare Fayth and Loyaltie vnto an other ioyning his handes within the handes of an other to fall downe on Seruices annexed vnto the foresaide Subiectiōs his knees as TIRIDATES kinge of ARMENIA did before NERO to kisse the Thresholde of the dore as PRVSIAS kinge of BITHINIA did when he entered into the Senate house of ROME to call him selfe the Seruant of an other as ASDRVBALL called him selfe the FACTOR and PROCVRATOR of the people of ROME These I saye and such like Indignities proceeding from Protections Tributes Fealties Loyalties and the other kindes of the forenamed Subiections are so much abhorring vnto the Soueraignitie of a ROYALL and absolute Prince as he will choose rather to parte from whole Countreyes then to incurre and indure such indignities VVherefore quarells were made against the kinges of England her MAIESTIES most ROYALL predecessours touching the Dukedomes of GVYENNE and NORMANDIE The Earldome of POITOV and MVTTRELL and many other goodly Possessions which they helde in FRANCE because they vouchesaued not to be bounde to doe Honours and Homages for the same But no meruaile though great kinges can not abide Subiections whē the Prince of ORANGE this mans father refused of the French kinge LEWIS th' eleuenth tenne times so much as his Principallitie was worth because he would not be subiecte to Seruices and Vassallties CALISTENES also the Nephew of ARISTOTLE being but a priuate man chose rather to dye then he would according to the maner of the Persians fall downe prostrate and adore ALEXANDER as a God aboue the estate of man And I haue harde how an Imbassadour for the VENETIANS at CONSTANTINOPLE when he was to haue audience of the Great TVRKE vnto whome he coulde not haue accesse but thorough a litle lowe place made of purpose because men should come stoping and kneeling vnto him The VENETIAN Imbassadour supposing in him selfe the reuerend Hienesse of that estate creeped thorough the hole with his backe forewardes A thing which the GRAN SIGNOR can in no maner of waye abide to see a mans taile towardes him But for to retourne vnto our most ROYALL Prince we will conclude that he is not to doe Homage or Honour vnto any not to paye Tribute or Pension vnto any not to be subiect either at home or abroade vnto any not to holde in Fealtie or in Loyaltie by Protection or by Commission nor for a shorte time or season But to rule really fully and perpetually Conclusion of the Treatice according as we haue in a generall maner hitherto discoursed I coulde wishe to speake more particularly of the ROYALTIES and prerogatiues belonging vnto the Maiestie of a Soueraine Prince as of his power and authoritie in allowing and disallowing of maters propounded to be Lawes in proclaming of warres and concluding of Peace in choosing and refusing of Magistrates in coyning and rating of money in erecting of Fortresses in graunting Pardons Licences Liberties and Priuileges c. But because they are matters of more waight and therefore doe require good aduisement and better authority I thinke good to suspende them vntill a more conuenient time or else to commende them vnto those that are of more approued Iudgement and better warranted to deale with them In the meane while I hope that these fewe lines of ours concerning the maner and forme of the best Common weale shall not seeme altogether impertinent to shew the Excellencie and Dignitie the Power and Maiestie of ROYALL MONARCHIE VVhereby all good subiectes seeing the greatnesse which God hath indued Princes withall to be as it were his LIEFTENANTES to gouerne vs here vppon Earth may respecte and reuerence them with all humilitie Serue and obaye them with all Loyaltie heare and speake of them with all honour PROVERBI VVLGARI RACCOLTI IN DIVERSI LVOGHI D'ITALIA ET LA maggior parte dalle proprie bocche de gl'Italiani stessi PER Carlo Merbury Gentil'huomo Inglilese ILQVALE NE FA PRESENTE DI COSÌ FATTA SVA INDVSTRIA à gl'amici patroni suoi honorati della lingua Italiana studiosi A I NOBILI ET ILLVSTRI SIGNORI DI CORTE ET ALtri gentil'huomini honorati della lingua Italiana intendenti IO non sò Signori Illustri che luogo habbia trouato ne ' vostri cortesi concetti quel mio precedente discorso se riguardando all'altezza