Kingdom was said to be because the King is of a forreign Nation a stranger to the Kingdom and therefore must require some time to sit fast in the saddle and to get his foot into the stirrup of that his new Kingdom The English to add to the weight of their Nation would put the Kingdom of Scotland into the scales when all the Scots Nobility appeared with their swords drawn and boldly said they would never suffer that their Kingdom should be joyned to the Kingdom of England 'T is very certain that the King of England seemed not to be any whit offended with these men who had spoken so boldly in his presence and in the presence of all the Princes of Christendom who were there present But told them in very mild words that this Union of the Scots would be of infinite commodity To which the Scots answered that the sad example of the miseries of Flanders was fresh in memory which when she saw her Counts become Kings of Spain did foolishly believe that she should master the Spaniards but it was not long ere Flanders was sackt by the Spaniards not Spain by the Flemmish And to fill their miseries up to the brim the Emperor Charls the fifth and King Philip his son who were formerly Flemmish being become Spaniards the unfortunate Flemmish for having lost their Prince from being natural subjects began to be accounted strangers and to have their loyalty suspected And therefore Flanders which was the native Countrey of Charls the fifth and Philip the seconds Patrimony in terms of modern Policy was become a conquered State and was therefore begun to be governed by forreiners with such jealousies hard dealings such grievousness of new gabels aids contributions and donatives which ingendered those ill humors and gave that bad satisfaction which was the rise of the civil war that insued which after an unspeakable profusion of Gold an infinite effusion of bloud and an incredible loss of honour to the Flemmish is turned by the Spaniards into a Merchandize That the Scots had learn'd by these deplorable miseries not to suffer their Kings to leave their Countrey and Royal abode of their antient Kingdom and carry it to a greater Kingdom whereunto he was lately called Which should they do the Scots were to expect all the calamities from their cruel enemies the English when Scotland should be united to England and the Scottish Kings were become Englishmen which inferior Nations are forced to suffer by superiors who rule over them That Scotland for misfortune would be like Flanders and the English for their pride cruelty and avarice like the Spaniards Those that were present at this dispute say that the Spaniards told the King of England that those Scots who had spoken with such arrogance in his Majesties presence ought to be punished To whom the King of England answered That the Spaniards should not give that advice to others which had proved so very pernitious to themselves But commanding that they should forbear the business of the scales assured the Scots that ere long he would give them full satisfaction The vast Ottoman Empire was next put into the scales which the last fifteen years arrived at the weight of 32 millions but was found to weigh less then 16 millions now A novelty whereat those Princes were much amazed and particularly the Venetians who could not believe so great an abatement wherefore they desired that it might be again weighed and more exactly And it was found that in the little interim of time betwixt the first and second weighing it weighed less by 822 pounds a thing which made it appear evidently to all men that the Ottoman Empire formerly the terror of the world hasted towards its ruine which all the Princes were very glad to see 'T is true that the wiser sort of men observed that the Spaniards jollity was altered fearing lest the Turks depression might turn to the exaltation of the Venetian Commonwealth The Senators of Poland brought their Kingdom next unto the scales which by reason of the seditious heresies which they have suffered to creep in amongst them by reason of the little authority which their King hath over them and the over-great power which their Paladines have arrogated to themselves did not now weigh full out six millions whereas formerly it weighed above twelve After this the wise Grandees of the Terra ferma and the dreadful Magistracy of the Councel of Ten brought the flourishing State of Venice to the scales miraculous for her greatness and for her situation she proved of good weight for she weighed eight millions which was said to be by reason of the mass of Gold gotten in so long a time of peace into her Treasury by her wise Senators Then the Swissers Grisons and other free people of Germany brought their Republick to the scales which the Princes desired might be weighed severally apart which the Germans were contented with if the poyser were able to do it But when Lorenzo had put the Commonwealth of Basil into the scales he found that the greatest part of the other free States of Germany were so link'd together as it was impossible to separate them one from another Which made sweat appear upon the brows of many ambitious Princes wherefore Lorenzo being necessitated to put them all together into the scales at once was not able to raise up the heavier scale The Duke of Savoy was brought next unto the scales by Knights of the Annuntiation who weighed as much as he had done the last fifteen years But when Lorenzo put into the scales the noble Prerogative which the same Duke Charls Emanuel enjoyes of being stiled Il primo guerriero Italiano it added a million and 420 pounds to his former weight Then with equal pomp and Majesty to that of Kings did the Duke of Lorain appear whose State though it were but small equalled the weight of great Kingdoms which hapned through his good fortune of having his Territories so seated as he can put great difficulties upon the Low countries by impeding the passage of succours which the Spaniards bring from Italy which raised him to such a height of reputation as he sold that his adhearance at the weight of Gold to him that would give most for it in such sort as after having assisted the Spaniards as much as any of the devoutest French Barons of the holy League turning to the French who won the field he faced about so fairly as so great a King as was Harry the fourth of France the great Duke of Tuscany and the Duke of Mantua were glad to have alliance with him And to add to the Spaniards jealousie the very immortal State of Venice did so affectionately take one of those Princes into pay as had not that illustrious Lady vowed perpetual chastity and had not her privy parts been sown upon the very first day of her birth by Venetian Gentlemen who are very jealous of her chastity many men thought she would have married
Veneri Duke of Venice after his admittance into Parnassus desires Apollo that he may have the precedency given him before Hereditary Kings and Monarchs and obtains a favourable Decree from his Majesty THough the Illustrious Prince Sebastian Venieri Duke of Venice had a place alotted unto him in Parnassus by Apollo's extraordinary favour worthy the magnanimity of so great a Prince before he made this his desire unto him yet would he not appear in publick before the controversie was decided which was on foot before his Majesties own Tribunal to which of the three Colleagues the glory of the Naval Victory which he obtained at the Scogli Corzolari did of due belong The which being afterwards decided by Apollo in manner as shall be hereafter said Prince Venieri made his publick solemn entrance on horseback which was in this regard very remarkable because none were suffered to honour accompany or serve this Illustrious Duke at his entrance save free-men who were looked upon in Parnassus with envy tenderly beloved and honoured with such observance as that they are deservedly called by all the Vertuosi Princes of privat persons The whole Colledg of the Vertuosi were extraordinarily joy'd to see to what sublime degree Venieri's merit had brought a privat man and infinitely honoured the immortal Venetian Commonwealth which by having so largely rewarded the desert of one of her Senators had thrown the Gate of Merit and gallant actions wide open which many Monarchs either keep close shut or else out of a capricio open it rather to unworthy then to deserving men It was afterwards observed for a very rare thing that at the Princes entrance the Grecians who since the fall of their Empire have lived in a perpetual melancholy never taking joy in any thing being now overjoy'd were seen to dance and rejoyce upon this occasion as if Prince Veniero had been one of their Nation and that all the jollity of that shew had belonged to them Some said that this was because the Grecians being reduced into great calamity could not hope to be freed from their slavery by any other Potentate then by the State of Venice at whose victory obtained by this Prince against the Tyrannical Ottaman Empire they did rejoyce as if it had been an act of their own To boot they were mightily gladded to see the Duke of Venice wear the ancient stately Grecian Habit as if it were a happy and secure Augury that the greatness of the ancient Grecian Empire would be renewed in the Immortal Commonwealth of Venice when God should be appeased in his just anger against the Schism of that Nation Not long after this solemnity when all the Princes together with the Senat of Poets went in good order to visit the chief Temple of that State to beg of God to stir up the hearts of Princes to be liberal towards the Vertuosi Prince Venieri who was placed by the Master of the Pegasean Ceremonies according to the ancient custom amongst the rest of the Dukes of Venice boldly said That he ought of right to have precedency before the greatest hereditary Kings and Monarchs of the world The Masters of the Ceremonies did then humbly beseech Venieri that he would be content with his accustomed place and shun both giving and receiving great distastes in Parnassus by this hateful novelty Venieri answered resolutely that common men observed customs such as he would have what was just who very well knowing what was their due did not live according to past errors but did correct them Some great Princes laughed openly at this novelty endeavoured by Venieri but others who were of a more refined judgement began through apprehension to look pale and were heard to say that it belonged to fools to laugh at great mens pretentions who being excellently well nosed spannels never wag their tails till they be very near the Partridg For wise men thought that were the business never so hard it might be effected when it was taken in hand by such a one as Prince Venieri and that it was to be considered that so great a personage as he would not set his rest of reputation upon a game unless he were sure of five and fifty in his hand When the Masters of the Ceremonies found Venieri to be so resolute that they might prevent the scandal which they feared such a novelty might occasion hasted to Apollo and acquainted him with what had hapned His Majesty did not only not abhor Prince Venieri's pretention as many thought he would have done but contrary to the opinion of most of the Vertuosi that were about him did mightily admire it and wondred very much that that singular man should find out an inconveniency which was not observed by as many Elective Princes as were in Parnassus And because manifest danger of great scandal appeared to be in delay of resolution and that the business required expedition without citing the parties to appear using the Plenipotentiary power which he hath over his Litterati he at the very instant decreed That Prince Venieir should be placed according to his desire above all Hereditary Monarchs and said generari nasci Principibus fortuitum nec ultra aestimator Tacit. lib. 1. Hist. That to be begotten or born of Princes was chance nor was it otherwise to be esteemed of that it appeared not only to be high injustice but infinite ignorance that hereditary Monarchies which without any precedent merit fell to Princes only by blind fortune or by the relation of bloud should in his State where vertue was only had in consideration be preferred before personages of worth who by their rare vertue and singular merit knew how to get a Principality in a well regulated election of worthy Electors The XXII ADVERTISEMENT Apollo being greatly moved to compassion by seeing a poor Souldier who had lost both his hands in the Wars goe a begging doth sharply reprehend Princes for their ingratitude to Military men THis morning as Apollo went out of dores a souldier who had lost both his hands in the Wars came before him and beg'd an alms Apollo asked him how he came to be so maimed the souldier answered That whilst he was handling his Pike in a battel in the service of a great Prince both his hands were shot off by a Canon Apollo commanded a liberal alms to be given to the poor man and bad some Princes who were by him remove away that unfortunate witness of their ingratitude from the eyes of the world that sad example of the miserable condition of souldiers in these modern daies For it was a spectacle which did too much afflict the soul of the Vertuosi to see that miserable souldier beg his bread who had deserved from the Prince whom he had served a rich patrimony whereby to give that alms to others which he was now forced to beg for himself The XXIII ADVERTISEMENT Apollo greatly compassionating the lamentable shipwrack which his Vertuosi make in great Princes Courts to secure their Navigation
him The Duke of Savoâ—… was known to envy this Prince his felicity very much for he being likewise placed as a bar between the French and the Spaniards of Millan as was the Duke of Lorain between the French and the Spaniards of Flanders yet had he received hard usage both from the French when they were his enemies and from the Spaniards when his friends instead of so many good turns and advantages which he found in the Dukes of Lorain so as every one thought the Duke of Savoy did now clearly perceive that the Spaniards had practised pernitiously against him Next the most flourishing State of the great Dukes of Tuscany was brought to the scales by the Otto di Balia very admirable for the excellent condâ—…tions of her inhabitants all of them being fructiferous and who have alwaies taken pains both with their brains and bodies for the exact government perpetual plenty peace and quiet which she enjoyes So as she being altogether substance weighed as much as any whatsoever famous Monarchy And Lorenzo was observed to rejoice very much when he saw that his successors according to the model which the great Cosmo had left them had known how to build strong Cittadels upon the foundations of Churches and Hospitals which he and his Ancestors had laid in their Countrey in the time of the Florentine Liberty Wherefore Lorenzo the more to shew the worth and wisdom of the Princes of his Family put the sound headpiece of Ferdinand the great into the scales which weighed so very much as the scales fell over and over and broke the great chain which governed them and all things went topsey turvey All the Princes were then aware of the Prerogative which the Court of Româ—… hath in producing men of singular wisdom for that all knew so great a Scholar came out of that School The breaking of the scales was the cause why some Italian Princes who were yet to the fore could not be weighed Wherefore it was agreed upon that the Monarchy of Spain being according to antient custom to be weighed against all the Princes and Potentates of Italy the particular weight of every Italian Prince should be calculated by the general weight of them altogether A large and just ballance was therefore brought into the midst of the greater Hall into which on the one side were put all the Kingdoms belonging to the Monarchy of Spain and on the other all the Italian Princes and the scales were found to stand in equal ballance A thing which the Italian Princes were much troubled at who whilst they were in that agony it was observed by all that looked on that the powerfull Monarchy of France by one only loving smile which she cast upon the scale wherein the Italian Princes were placed made it to the great joy of all men suddenly weigh down on their side It must not be forgotten that the Spaniaros when they saw the Duke of Savoy who refused the last fifteenth year to be put into the same scale with the rest of the Italian forces put himself into the scale to counterpoyse the Spanish Forces in a threatning manner bit their fingers at him the which when he saw he with great generosity said unto them You Gentlemen of Spain it is now no longer time to feed men with hopes I have at last clearly discovered all your tricks and do so call to mind your past actions as for the future I will score up my accounts with another cole for yours which till now I have only made use of hath stained and scorched my hands too much Your baits of hope have not brought me yet to be such a fool as to make me forgo the little bit of bread which I have yet in my mouth to snatch at the shadow of the great Spanish Inheritance which I see in the bottom of the water And the Spaniards further complaining that the Dukes of Parma Modena and Urbine the Lord of Mirandola and the famous Roman Barons Gazitani Colonesi and Orsini who have all of them the Golden Fleece and are their Pensioners were weighed together with the Italian Forces whereas by the Orders of that Knighthood and by the Pensions which they received they were bound to adhere to the Spanish Interest and to contribute unto the Spaniards greatness They were by them answered That the Lords and Princes of Italy received the honour of the Golden Fleece and rich Pensions from the Spanish Monarchy just as do those honorable Ladies who receive Presents from their sweet hearts by way of Courtesie not out of any intention to do the foule thing you wot of Why the Monarchy of Spain withdrew her self into her Palace BEcause for many daies past the Monarchy of Spain had not been seen to come abroad nay that not only she had been all this while retired into her own house but had continually kept the gates of her Palace shut the Italian Princes and especially the Venetians who are not only the diligent observers of the actions but the most subtile pryers into the very thoughts of that great Queen began to grow exceeding jealous of such a novelty And because it was still impossible for them to know what might be the meaning of so much solitariness they all concluded that there must needs be some great mystery in it The Venetians out of a jealousie for their States becoming impatient of any delay with ladders set against the Palace of the said Monarchy got in at the windows and saw her hard at work and with a State-Minister of hers called the Conte di Fuentes and some other sturdy fellows very busie in stopping up all the holes in her house Whereupon the witty Venetians very well foreseeing to what end all this pains was taken advised their friends to arm themselves for the Spaniards as soon as ever they had stopped up the holes of supplies would be sure to fall a hunting of the Rats to make a great massacre of them The Duke of Alva being arrived at Pernassus in complementing with Prospero Colonna he falls to cuffs with him about Titles whereof he had defrauded the Colonnesi DOn Fernando di Toledo Duke of Alva some few daies ago came to Pernassus and according to an express Order from Apollo diligent examination having been made of his actions was by the Military men found worthy to be admitted into Pernassus amongst those famous Captains who fighting with patience and art knew rather how to overcome their enemies without bloudshed then with open force and desperateness to hazard the fortune of Kingdoms in the doubtfull chance of a set battel But because Lodovick Guicchiardin a very judicious Writer of the Affairs of Flanders gave in a complaint That for some distastful things which he had written of the Duke he had been evil intreated by him he was fain to wait yet a good while to clear himself of that foule imputation For in Pernassus there is yet in force an Edict very strictly observed by
upon a three farthing business and that the world did very much desire to see a compleat Collection made of Cases touching the consciences of great Princes A Subject very necessary for the universal tranquillity and yet wholly omitted by Divines In which Collection men should exactly discourse upon those actâ—…ons of Princes wherewith they so often put the world in confusion filling it with Pillages Plunders and so many Murthers that many of them blinded with an ambition of reigning upon the earth have made it flow withrivers of humane bloud And the most judicious College of the Literati hearing these particulars desired that they should dispute and resolve upon these present questions viz. Whether Christian Piety doth admit of that pretence of Right which the violence of the sword hath usurp'd upon other mens Estates Wâ—…ether a Principality taken either by force or fraud from another Prince may be held by one that hath the true fear of God in him Whether the determination of Governing a Kingdom that is conquered with a purpose only to impoverish and waste it that he may Reign over it without jealousie may be put in practice by him that hath been bred up in the Christian Faith And whether to set and cry up meer damn'd Policy called Ragione di Stato so high that at this instant she tramples upon all Laws Humane and Divine be not a more detestable and accursed Idolatry then to adore Nebuchadnezzars Image and the Golden Calf Lastly the College declared That then their desires should be fully satisfied when there should be found one Divine so truely fearing God that with his Writings he had affrighted Princes from doing amiss as 't is confess'd many of them have with a great deal of pains terrified private men For it seemed to them unreasonably strange that such a multitude of Learned Divines should so trouble themselves to dispute of the strict account which Shop keepers were to give to the Divine Majesty even for idle words and yet should forbear to make any mention of those horrid offences which great Princes commit when with armed Troops plundering mens States they bring all things both sacred and prophane to utter destruction And that their Ministers should with far greater benefit to mankind and eternal rewards to themselves have discoursed upon the actions of Lewis the twelfth and Francis the first both Kings of France of Ferdinand King of Aragon and of the Emperor Charls the fifth whose souls departed this world charg'd with the heavy load of half a million of Homicides all of them committed out of an ambition to Reign for which they were to give a very strict account to God when to stuff up volumns with the venial sins of privat persons All which would be things very necessary to the end that mankind so much afflicted by the ambition of Princes may one day receive that consolation which with so much anxiety it longeth for that those which reign may be frighted from evil-doing and be brought to know that Hell was made as well for mighty persons as for mean Almansor that was King of the Moors meeting with the Kingdom of Naples they two fall a weeping and rehearse their miseries brought upon them by the oppression of the Spaniards THe most famous King of the Moors Almansor he that for many years governed the Noble Kingdom of Granada in Spain met yesterday with the Kingdom of Naples and walking to and again began to discourse with him And after he had for a good while viewed well the chain which this Kingdom of Naples wore about his legg he told him that being of Morisco work he thought he had often seen and handled it And a little while after with gestures of much amazement he assured him that he knew it very well and that it was the very same with which he and the Mauritanian Kings his predecessors had for seven hundred years kept many Kingdoms of Spain in bondage And that therefore he earnestly intreated him that he would discover to him how by whom and when he was enchained A good eye and a very excellent memory hast thou Almansor answered then the Kingdom of Naples for this unhappy chain which thou seest upon my legg was brought from Spain by Consalvo Cordoua called il Gran Capitano And therefore I think it very likely to be the same you speak of And 't is now a hundred years that I have been in that miserable slavery which you see me in From which I know not whether ever I shall be able to free my self because by reason of the excessive power to which I see the Spanish forces are risen having utterly lost all hope of aid that I can expect from men I know my antient liberty lies all in the powerful hand of God who must renew upon me the miracles of the Red-sea if ever I recover The years reply'd Almansor do agree very well for it was but a little before thy bondage that the Spaniards loosned from off the Kingdom of Granada's legg this chain with which they have bound thee But do me the singular favour good Neapolitan Kingdom to tell me how it was possible for the Spaniards to make themselves Masters of such a Kingdom as thou art so potent and so far distant from their Forces By fraud Almansor said the Kingdom of Naples did the Spaniards get footing in Italy for with open force they would never have been able to have made such notable atchievements and as you say very well so infinitely surpassing their forces and those too lying so far off But listen and you will be amazed at the exceeding large conscience which in matters of State a King of Spain had though he used incomparable artifices to be taken amongst fools for a Saint Macarius painted upon a Wall For you will hear a Tragedy according to the rules of my Christian Religion cruel and impious but according to the tearms of Modern Policy the most witty as ever any Nation represented upon the Stage of the World Alfonso my King to his final and my principal ruine gave his Grandchild Isabella â—…or from that unhappy marriage had my ruine its beginning for wife to Giovanni Galeazzo Duke of Millan At first the unfortunate Princes childhood afterwards his unspeakable sottishness encouraged Lodovico Sforza to seise upon his Nephews Estate Alfonso as it behooved him sought to hinder this usurpation Of which â—…ent Lodovico being aware and knowing that without the ruine of my Kings 't was impossible for him to compass the end of his unjust desire he threw himself headlong upon that resolution which since proved so fatal to him to me and all the Italian Princes of calling the French into Italy for the gaining of me My Kings to defend themselves from so puissant enemies called in to their aid that good soul Ferdinand King of Aragon their Cousin who shewed himself such a loving Kinsman and so faithful a friend that instead of driving out the French he shared me
punishment precede even the accusation it self And that it hath often-times fallen out that by a hasty punishment he hath prevented the consummation of very foul treasons Which resolution though he must confess it to be very severe yet he knew it was one cause that in his State there were seen no Counts of St. Paul no Princes of Orange noâ—… Colligni's no Dukes of Guise d'Aumale du Main de Mercurie and other odious monsters of disloyalty as have been seen elsewhere to the shame of those Princes that with halters daggers and axes have not known how to prevent so dangerous offences It being in matters of State a rule as common as 't is certain that that Officer which gives his Prince never so little cause to suspect his fidelity forfeits his life since those Commanders that have in their power the charge of Armies are no less then the Wives of honorable Persons obliged to live with such purity of mind that they must be without not only any fault but any the least suspicion of an unchast desire That for his taking away of his Bâ—…ssa's goods after their deaths he could very truely tell them that the Pensions the Donatives and Wealth wherewith other Princes reward their servants were in comparison of those inexhausted riches which he bestows upon his well-deserving Officers poor pittiful things as the Royal Treasures which Rusten Mehemet Ibrahin and many others left behind them have fully and amply testified And that the greatest fore-cast which a Prince ought to have in rewarding his servants consisted in taking a course that it might never be possible for others to employ those immense riches wherewith he had purchased their infinite fidelity to the detriment of him that had been so liberal That he had learned by the most lamentable disorders which hapned in the States of other Potentates how it was a most pernicious thing for Princes that the extraordinary wealth left by a deserving Officer should pass to his children whether by that vertue by that valour and by that same Loyalty which was in their Father they had first deserved it from the Prince or not And that he confiscâ—…ted the great Inheritances of his Bassa's not out of avarice as many wrongfully judged but that he might not make those subjects who for being descended from fathers of noted worth put the Prince in certain hope that they would imitate their Progenitors in vertue by the convenience of living idle consequently to grow vicious too and that he kept the gates of his Treasury alwaies open to his Officers heirs thâ—…t he might restore to them their paternal inheritances doubled whensoever by Loyalty and Valour they should deserve them And that how apt great riches possessed by a vicious man and an ambitious subject were to distâ—…rb the peace of any Kingdom how great soever was a thing known to every man by the fresh examples which the world hath seen in France and Flanders While the Ottoman Empire spake these things he observed that the French Monarchy by shaking her head did shew as it seem'd that she by no means approved of these discourses Whereupon something passionately he said Most renowned Queen my custom of seizing upon my Bassa s inheritances makes well for my greatness and the tranquillity of my State and for the friendshâ—…p that is betwixt us I could wish that the like were observed in your France For you know well to what use Henry Duke of Guise did put that vast deal of wealth wherewith the liberal King Francis the fiâ—…st and King Henry his son rewarded the deserts of Duke Francis his father For wo to that Prince who because he knows not how to be severe to others is so cruel to himself as absurdly to breed up Serpents in his bosom You I and all the rest of us that bear rule know that the sweetest honey that men can tast is Soveraignty and there being no man that for never so little of it would not gladly adventure to lose his life Princes ought to be still most vigilant in keeping all the avenues to Government block'd up and by all possible severity to hold every one out of the reach of ambition Nay they ought to order their matters so that every privat mâ—…n whatsoever may despair of ever being able to tast of so pleasant a liquor And I tell you plainly had your Duke of Guise but offered to think in my State that which with so much scandal he publickly made bold to put in execution in your Kingdom that very first day would I have shew'd him the same play which your Henry the third though urged to it by most of the Italian â—…rinces knew not how to resolve upon till the last day of his insufferable vexarions and just then when the sore of the French commotions was grown to be an incureable Canker For where ambition reigns amongst the Nobles Princes are enforced to shew themselves totally severe keeping the gibbets alwaies ina readiness for punishing of the seditious and rebellious and their Treasury open to reward the peaceable and loyal that Prince being unworthy of command that hath not a genius to make himself obeyed Neither is there any thing more scandaloâ—…s â—…n a State then that the Prince should live in jealousie of that Officer which ought to live in fear of him But it is proper for you Princes of Europe that making a profession of Learning and of living according to rules of great Policy call me Barbarian and my safe manner of proceeding Tyrannical to suffer your selves by your heroical vertues of clemency and mildness to be brought to the shamefull condition of suffering most unworthy things Impossible it is to say how much the Ottoman Empire did with his discourse offend all the Vertuosi of the sacred College who standing up in very great wrath told him That with Reasons in hand they would make it good to him that all the particulars which he had spoken were most wicked conceits unworthy to be uttered by a person that had a soule and as much to be listened to by men that made profession of honour At which the Ottoman Empire smiling said That in the Politick conceits by which others governed Kingdoms respect was had to the commodiousness of Moral Precepts which by well regulated customs were serviceable to goodness And that yet the tranquillity and peace of States were to be preferred before all other humane interests Then the Censor to cut off so odious a disputation turning to the great Dukedom of Muscovy told him that among the greatnesses of a Prince it was called the second Noblest Prerogative to have command over people that were lovers of Learning and that it was not only little for his credit but a thing for which he incurr'd much reproach that he should so much give his mind to have his Subjects brought up in gross ignorance for he was scoffed at by every one that having banished the Liberal Arts he had given his people
saying That a man must eat a peck of salt with another before he can perfectly know him Apollo makes the point be argued in a general Assembly of Learned men which he causeth to be called for that purpose 28 Advert 18. The Hircanians send Ambassadors to Apollo to be resolved by his Majesty in the Important Article Whether it be lawful for the people to kill a Tyrant 29 Advert 19. Nero the Emperor for a very singular commendation given him by Cornelius Tacitus rewards him with a gift of 25 Mules laden with Crowns of Gold 30 Advert 20. The Vertuosi visit the chief Church in Pernassus and begg of God an important favour 31 Advert 21. Apollo to encourage Senators of Free Countries to cultivate Liberty without affecting Tyranny causeth an exceeding wofull spectacle to be shewn in Melpomene's Amphitheatre 32 Advert 22. The Inthroned cademians having admitted the chief she-Poets or Poetesses into Pernassus Apollo commands that they be taken from thence 34 Advert 23. Justus Lipsius being solemnly admitted into Pernassus the next day after his entrance did contrary to all mens expectation accuse Tacitus for being impious and reaps but little credit thereby ib. Advert 24. A mournful day in Pernassus in commemoration of the unhappy Introduction of the Grace-Cup 40 Advert 25. The principal Monarchies abiding in Pernassus ask the Illustrious Venetian Liberty by what means she obtains the benefit of so exquisite secrecy and such exact obedience from her Nobility And received from her their desired satisfaction 41 Advert 26 Francis the first that Potent King of France meeting the Lady Philosophy naked profered her his Royal Mantle which would not be accepted 43 Advert 27. Apollo complains bitterly of the muses for that they inspire many mean wits with Poetical fury and they defend themselves excellently well 44 Advert 28. Torquato Tasso presents Apollo with his Poem of Giurusalemme Liberata or Godfrey of Bullen For which Lodovico Castelvetro and Aristotle are severely reprehended by his Majesty 45 Advert 29. Cornelius Tacitus is chosen Prince of Lesbos whither being come his success proves not good 47 Advert 30. Apollo being aware of the great disorder occasioned amongst men by the flight of Fidelity By assistance of the Muses and of the sublimest heroick vertues procures her return to Fernassus 51 Advert 31. In the time of Carneval the Vertuosi in Pernassus run Races anâ—… make other demonstrations of mirth and jollity 52 Advert 32. The Militia of Ianisaries seeing one of their souldiers ill rewarded mutiny in the Ottoman Monarchy and are by Apollo quieted 56 Advert 33. Apollo fâ—…ees Carlo Sigonio and Dionigi Atanigi the first being accused of Ingratitude by Pietro Vittorio and the other by Hanibal Caro. 58 Advert 34. Publius Terentius being by Order from Giasone del Maino an Urban Pretor charged with Fornication is by Apollo freed with much derision to the Pretor 60 Advert 35. Publick Audience is given by Apollo wherein by wise answers he decide many affairs of his Vertuosi 61 Advert 36. Harpocrates being found by Apollo to be ignorant is driven out of Pernassus 73 Advert 37. A Learned Roman desires a Receipt from Apollo to make him forget certain great injuries which he had received at a great Prince his Court His Majesty gives him some of the water of Lethe to drink but with bad succes 74 Advert 38. The Duke of Laconia is accused before Apollo to have Idolatrized a Favorite of his for having advanced a faithful Secretary to the highest State-preferments and he defends his cause excellenâ—…ly well 75 Advert 39. The people of the Island of Mitilene their Prince being dead without issue argue whether it will be better for them to chuse a new Prince or to set up Liberty in their Countrey 78 Advert 40. James Creyton a Scotchman having incenst the Vertuosi in Pernassus by a proud defiance was so shamed by them through a bitter jest as without ending the dispute they forced him to forgo Pernassus 82 Advert 41. After strict examination of such as were to be chosen the List of Governors is filled up in Pernassus 83 Advert 42. Argus makes proffer of himself to the Duke of Venice to guard the Virginity of their Illustrious Commonwealth and his offer is not accâ—…pted 88 Advert 43. The Florentines in their Pastime called the Calcio admit of a spruce â—…orreign Courtier who wins the Prize ib. Advert 44. Batista Platina being bastinadoed by Agustino Niso complains to Apollo little to his reputation of the injury received 90 Advert 45. Apollo knowing what mischief over-much riches causes to Poets exhorts the magnanimous King of France Francis the first to moderate his profuse liberality which he used towards them 91 Advert 46. Apollo having found out the first Inventor of Guns as he is about to punish him severeâ—…y for his fault therein committed the Artificer defends himself very well 92 Advert 47. The Roman Monarchy desire to be resolved by Cornelius Tacitus in a Politick Doubt and receive full satisfaction therein by Melibeus the Mantuan Shepherd who was casually there 94 Advert 48. The Vertuosi of Pernassus in the Assembly of Focide decide the mystery of an Host and find the keeping of an Inn to be a Noble Heroick Vertue 97 Advert 49. A Literato severely punished for saying that Duels were sometâ—… necessary 98 Advert 50. The â—…ukes Marquisses and other Titulati of Pernassus complain grievously to Apollo that their honorable Title of Excellency should be given to Doctors of Law and Physick ib. Advert 51 〈◊〉 Marquiss who caused his Genealogy to be made by Scipio Ammerati found himself so ill dealt with by him as he re-demands the reward he gave hâ—…m 101 Advert 52. A dispute arising amongst the Vertuosi touching the truth of certain sayings and speeches of wisemen their true meanings were argued and resolved in the General Dyet celebrated in Helicon 102 Advert 53. Apollo at last grants admittance into Pernassus to Francisco Sforza Duke of Millan which he had long denied to do upon a hard condition which hâ—… accepted of 105 Advert 54 A dangerous contention which arose amongst the Pedagogs in Pernassus upon a very slight occasion is appeased by Apollo 107 Advert 55. For remedy of many disorders which are found in History a General Assembly of Historians being summoned Apollo publisheth a severe Edict against them and many Historians are reprehended for their errors 107 Advert 56. Apollo to secure the Rivers of his State from Piracy makes Bernardo Capello General of the Ionick Sea an gives him excellent directâ—…ons 112 Advert 57. The Prince of Epire's first son being born he is thereat so afflicted as he forbids that any shews of joy be made for it in his State 113 Advert 58. Apollo erects a new Tribunal in Pernassus for the punishment of flatterers but succeeds very unfortunately therein 114 Advert 59. Apollo being very far in love with Tasso's good conditions creates him Prince-Poet and Lord High-Constable of Italian Poetry 116 Advert
the word Libera underneath the Motto Pugna pro Patria which was set upon his Gate is commanded by Apollo to put it out 275 Advert 32. Socrates being found dead in the morning on his bed Apollo useth all possible diligence to learn the true reason of so sudden a death 276 Advert 33. The Hereditary Princes in Parnassus do very much press Apollo that the Emperor Tiberius may be removed from their Classis and placed in that of Tyrants and he defends his cause victoriously before his Majesty 277 Advert 34. Hippocrates having advised Apollo how to prevent the frequent deaths of sick folks occasioned through the ignorance of Physicians and proving unfortunate in that his advice is in great danger of being severely punished by his Majesty 282 Advert 35. Francisco Mauro a Noble Italian Poet having married the most vertuous Lady Laura Terecino is soon after jealous of her and kils her 284 Advert 36. Thais that famous Curtizan of the Comick Poets is at last though after much debate admitted into Pernassus who much to Apollo's satisfaction tels what good she hopes to bring to his Court 286 Advert 37. The Ambassadors of the Province of Marca being sent to this Court in a publick Audience complain unto his Majesty of an unfortunate affair which hath befalne his Inhabitants of that Province for which Apollo provides sufficient remedy with singular demonstration of true love and affection 289 Advert 38. Gonzalvo Ferrante Cordova desires Apollo that the Title of Magno or Great may be confirmed unto him and instead of being granted his request receâ—…ves a very u satisfactory answer 290 Advert 39. Many of the French Nobility intreat their Monarchy that according as the Nobility of Commonwealths doe it may be lawfull for them to use Merchandizing and are by her shamefully denied 293 Advert 40. The Honourable Title of Messere being faln into a miserable condition is shamefully driven out of the Kingdom of Naples and not being received into Rome as it is thought it should be for its last refuge hath its recourse to Apollo who assignes it a very satisfactory abode 295 Advert 41. The Censors of Pernassus having by order from Apollo published a rigorous Edict against Hypocrites are forced to moderate it by reason of a weighty particular discovered unto them by Plato 296 Advert 42. The Immense bulk of the Ottoman Empire which was thought by the wise men to be everlasting doth now of it self so destroy it self as it threatens present ruine 297 Advert 43. The Prince of Helicon desires by an Ambassador of his from Apollo the priviledg of ordaining birthright amongst the Nobles of his State which his Majesty denies to grant 298 Advert 44. The Duke of Alva being accused of cruelty for having with exquisite deligence caused two of the prime subjects of his new Principality of Achaia to be imprisoned slain and afterwards secretly buried in their very prisons defends himself stoutly before Apollo 301 Advert 45. A chief subject of the Province of Macedonia being hired by the Prince of Epire at a great salary when he came to know the right cause why that Pension was given him doth magnanimously refuse it 303 Advert 46. The tenth of June is observed as a sad and mournful day in Pernassus in memory of the unfortunate loss of the Decads of Titus Livy 304 Advert 47. Apollo having appointed Hospitals to every Nation for their fools puts down that of Florence by reason of the few fools that are found amongst the Florentines and adds the revenue thereof to the Lombards Hospital which by reason of the greater number of fools that flock thither was run far in Arrears 305 Apollo's Sea-Captains having in one of their Assemblies made many useful Decrees for their Militia his Majesty orders that they be made known to Courtiers and commands the punctual observancy of them 306 Advert 49. Natalis Comes an Historian is severely punished by Apollo for having said somewhat in an Assembly of the Literati which did hainously offend his Majesty 307 Advert 50. The chief Monarchies of Europe and Asia which now reside in Pernassus fall sick at one and the same instant and not being to be cured by Esculapius Hippocrates or any other able Physician they are restored to their health by a skilful Farrier ib. Advert 51. The Achaians being much incensed against the Duke of Alva for his cruel proceeding against their two Chieftains take up arms and drive him out of their State 309 Advert 52. An Italian Gentleman for having lost much bloud in the service of a great Prince is honoured by him with a Noble Order of Knighthood who being but slightly esteemed of by those of his own Countrey asks Apollo by what reasons he may satisfie those his deriders that he was the more richly rewarded in that he was paid in honour and not in Gold or Silver 311 Advert 53. Apollo finding that his having allowed the use of the 80 part of one grain of hypocrisie to his Vertuosi had wrought very bad effects does not only recall that his favour by publick Edict but thunders out exceeding severe punishments against hypocrites 312 Advert 54. Guiccardine having spoken many things prejudicial to the reputation of the Marquiss of Piscara in an Assembly of divers Vertuosi that renowned Commander doth sufficiently justifie himself before Apollo 314 Advert 55. The Duke of Alva being accused of cruelty for having with exquisite diligence caused two of the prime subjects of his new Principality of Achaia to be imprisoned slain and afterwards secretly buried in their very prisons defends himself stoutly before Apollo 301 Advert 55. Giovan Francisco Pico not being able to reconcile the differences between Plato and Aristotle Apollo commands those two great Philosophers to end the business in a publick Disputation and being therein obey'd they do not notwithstanding part friends 319 Advert 56. Gonsalvo Ferrante Cordua not having obtained the confirmation of his desired Title of Magnus from the reverend College of Historians demands another place in Pernassus of Apollo from whence he is likewise excluded 321 Advert 57. A Barque loaded with inventors of new grievances running shipwrack upon the shore of Lepanto his Majesty treats them well though he do greatly abominate such like men 323 Advert 58. By Letters intercepted which were sent by an express from some Princes to the Lake of Avernus people come to know that the enmities whâ—…ch are seen to reign in the Nations of the world are occasioned by the cunning of their Princes 324 Advert 59. The Prince of the Laconicks Nephew bâ—…ing after his Uncles death to return to a private Fortune shews no well composed minde in making so dangerous a passage 326 Advert 60. Antonio Perez of Aragon having presented Apollo with his Book of Relations his Majesty does not only refuse to receive it but commands it to be presently burn'd 328 Advert 61. Apollo to afford pastime to his Literati makes two useful Scenes be represented upon Melpomene's Theatre in
as they had so well ordered and established the States which they had won as to transmit them happily over to the third Heir A thing which had been so little observed by him as even his own immediate sons could not keep the States which he had won at the expence of so much bloud and that according to Tacitus his Precept neither Prince nor any privat Captain who would win the fame of being wise and advised in the mannaging of Arms ought Nova moliri nisi prioribus firmatis attempt new things unless they had setled former for he Longinquis itineribus percursando quae conservari nequibant following after what was not to be kept had imitated those base smel-feasts who eating more then they could well digest were with shame compelled to cast up what they had eaten And that though Alexander the Great at his first entrance into Parnassus had extraordinarily affected the same Prerogative of a Founder of new Monarchies yet by reason of his indiscreet way of warfaring in Asia which he rather overrun as a ringleader of robbers then subjugating as a great King by the true rules of Military Art he could not obtain it Tamberlan went much afflicted from the Audience when Alexander Vellutelli appeared before Apollo who presented his Majestie with his Commentary upon Petrarks Sonnets Apollo before he would take the Book asked Vellutello what stile he had used in commenting upon the rhimes of that excellent Poet. And Vellutello answering That first he endeavored to shew the occasion why the Sonnet was made and that afterwards he gave the true signification of the words and made known the Poets conceit Apollo bad him keep his Commentaries to himself for for his part he loved those Commentators upon Poets which discovered unto the Reader the Authors subtilty in weaving of his Poem who shewed wherein the excellency of his Verse lay which were his flourishes which his Figures and which the other Poetical beauties and that the Italian Poems were so perspicuous of themselves as they needed not any such Commentators who supplyed only the base Office of interpreting words to gross and ignorant people Vellutello received this very small satisfaction from Apollo when a certain Personage appeared before his Majestie who told him That he having commanded the famous Province of Pamphillia had willingly given over his command meerly out of a desire of living retiredly wherefore he desired that the same place might be alloted to him in Parnassus which those Vertuosi enjoy who have proved by their actions that they are Masters of that excellent Vertue of Moderation Apollo answered this man That Kingdoms are sometimes renounced by vertue of a soul inamor'd of that felicity which men enjoy in a vertuous privat life oft-times to satisfie sons who are arived at years fitting to rule people and sometimes to shun the tumults of rebellion or out of fear of some potent Enemy and not seldom through unaptness for government wherefore he would be informed what was fitting to be done in this weighty business by examiners deputed to the like affairs who if they should find that he had done so gallant an action and which is so strongly withstood by Humane nature as to relinquish a Kingdom mearly out of a well disposed mind he would willingly grant him a sublime place amongst those other Demi-gods who had preferred the peace of a private life before the hazards of reigning and he should be the more content to do this for that the execrable ambition of reigning was so disproportionably now increased amongst men as that to come by Kingdoms they did not onely gladly imbrace any whatsoever wicked enterprizes but all means which were used to compass so abominable ends were by men esteemed to be good and vertuous though they were infinitely wicked and inhumane that if they should find he had renounced Government either to please his Children grown already fit for rule or that he might see the succession of his Empire settled in his blood during his own life he would give him an honourable place amongst those prudent Princes who by quickly giving over their States to their children have known how to shun coming to some woful end with them who were become impatient of living a private life But if it should be found that being under the great weight of Government wherein men ought to shew the greatest worth he had renounced his Kingdom out of poorness of spirit incapable of such greatness he might then return back again For the true moderation of the soul being seen in gallantly undergoing cases of adversity not in losing a mans self in prosperity his Parnassus was very unlike those wicked times of Nero. Quibus inertia pro sapientia suit Tacit. vitae Agricoll when slothfulness was taken for wisdom Presently after the Duke of Rhodes a man not well thought of in this State by reason of his apparent foul vices came to Apollo to whom he grievously complained of the lewd life that his people led for he said That Gluttony Lust Implacable Enmity by which his Subjects made the streets run with humane blood did very much reign in his State and that the moneys which they ought to spend vertuously in feeding their families they viciously threw them away at dice the very seminary of contention and such severe punishments as keep men from doing ill in other places not proving any ways valid for the cure of so great an infirmity in his state he humbly beseeched his Majestie for some opportune remedy to this his so great necessity Apollo answered the Duke That it being impossible but that people should be their Princes Apes he might compass his desired end when abandoning the Idleness lust play and bloody customs to which he was so greatly given he would amend his own ways for the best Bezar to cure the members of a languishing body was to be applyed to the ill-affected head it not being possible but that a Prince who himself lives devilishly should have worse Devils then himself to his Subjects This Prince being gone a young Stoick of appearing civil behaviour complained grievously to Apollo That whilst being yet but a novice he was without any reason expelled the house wherein he had much desired to spend all his days Apollo inquired of Epictetus who was there present wherefore the Stoicks of his sect had dismist that young novice Epictetus answered Because for six moneths space that that young man had been a novice not the least imperfection could be found in him though all his proceedings had been narrowly pryed into by many of his sect Apollo hearing this seemed much to abhor the nature of that young man who appeared to the whole Audience to be very modest and well composed and said That he must certainly have devilish vices hid within him who had not the excellent vertue of discovering some of those imperfections which all men that were made of flesh did so abound in the very first day of their
had Audience given him yesterday by Apollo To whom he said That he was much disquieted in his mind by reason of divers injuries which he had received from â—…undry of his ill-wishers in a great Prince his Court Dove le persecutio 〈◊〉 sâ—…â—…ssercitano coâ—… artificii di â—…essanta Caraâ—… where persecutions are exercised cunningly and to an excessive height and the more for that he could not be revenged without pulling greater ruine upon himself then what his enemies had occasioned him and yet he found not that he had so vertuous a soul as to put on the generous resolution of pardoning offences Wherefore to free himself from the hellish torment which he continually lived in he addrest himself unto his Majesty humbly beseeching him that he would prescribe him som receit whereby he might cleanse his soul from the many passions of Hatred wherewith it was foully polluted Apollo appeared clearly to commisserate this Gentlemans unhappiness insomuch as he commanded a great bowl of the water of Lethe to be given him to drink so prepared as it should make hateful things be forgotten but should in no sort prejudice the remembrance of benefits received The Gentleman drunk up the water with much greediness which to the great wonder of all men was found to have the vertue onely of making him forget such injuries as he had received from men of a inferior fortune then he was and that those which he had received from his betters were rather more deeply graven in his mind then forgotten Whereupon many began to murmure that that vertue was not found in the Lethean waters which had been so much discourst of by the Poets When his Majestie did assertain them all that the waters of Lethe had as they should ever have the same vertue but that it had not wrought the desired effect in that Gentleman because men nobly born and of generous hearts did usually write injuries received from mean men in sand but over hand blows given by men of power in characters never to be blotted out for that it became Nobility to forget offences out of magnanimity not to pardon them out of necessity The XXVIII ADVERTISEMENT The Duke of Laconia is accused before Apollo to have Idolatrized a Favorite of his for having advanced a faithful Secretary to the highest State-preferments and he defends his cause excellently well THe now Duke of Laconia hath so highly exalted a subject of his for whom he hath a great affection from a low and mean fortune to the highest State-dignities as he hath not only admitted him into the Laconick Senat a preferment ambitiously coveted for the eminency thereof even by great Princes but having infinitely enriched him by giving him great revenues hath made him be as much honoured and respected as highly as any whatsoever Personage of the State This famous Duke was accused before Apollo some few days ago by those who did much envy the advancement of this his servant for idolatrizing a Favorite Apollo being highly incenst against this Prince for so hainous a fault without further informing himself as upon all occasions he is used to do of the truth of the impaachment sent immediately for Luigi Pulci Provost-Marshal of this State and threatned to punish him severely if he did not within half an hour bring the Duke of Laconia a prisoner unto him in the most shameful manner he could devise Pulci did diligently obey for he dragg'd that Prince along immediately before his Majestie loaded with irons Apollo who was presently advertised of this Attachment by an express Messenger gave order that the greatest bel should be rung whereby the Quarantia Criminale should be summoned which was done whither the Duke being brought Apollo having himself acquainted him with the fault which was laid to his charge told him in a very angry manner That he aforded him onely one half hours space to make his defence in And in the interim as if the Prince his case had been altogether desperate he commanded that he should be condemned to eternal infamy who having committed so foul an Indignity as to adore a servant of his own was not worthy to live amongst the vertuous Princes of the Phebean Court. The Duke began then thus to defend himself Most mighty Sir and Father of the Vertuosi I have so arm'd my conscience with the breast-plate of Innocency and have behaved my self so vertuously in all my actions as I am more then certain that I have never deserved ill at your Majesties hands nor am I any whit affrighted at your Majesties anger nor at this precipitate Judgment that the horrible sentence of my Infamy should precede the Cognizance of my cause I onely wonder to see what I thought never to have seen that the foulness of an Impeachment even in the justest of Tribunals as this is should be able so greatly to indanger the reputation of one of my condition But I rest pacified with Gods will who will have the gold of Innocency refined in the fire of Calumny by the Test of Persecution I freely confess unto your Majestie That I have exalted my Friend much more then my accusers have informed against me and in this my action which hath been made by relation to appear so hainous to your Majestie I am onely sorry that I have not shew'd my self so grateful to this my friend as his deserts challenge I should have been And if those who accuse me and other Princes of prodigallity of Giddy-headedness and of poorness of Spirit born to serve servants did not suffer themselves to be blinded with malice and envy when they see a Courtier greatly beloved and rewarded by his Master but would with an unbyassed mind consider the merits of Court Favorites they would stile that vertuous liberality which they now call Vicious Prodigallity those gifts the debt of Gratitude which they term inconsiderate actions and that a vertuous affection to which they attribute the Infamy of Idolatrizing Minions But it appertains not to common men to penetrate Abditos principis Sensus et si quid ocultius parant Tacit. lib. 6. Annal. into the secret of Princes Whence it falls out that ignorant men call Vertuous Gratitude the effect of an abject mind The Principality of Laconia as is very well known to your Majestie is elective wherein the neighbouring Princes have always had a greater stroke then he who was Governor not onely out of the common end of all elective Princes in procuring potent Friends to those of their blood after their own death but by reason of the adherence which Forreign Princes have for no small ends with such Senators as have the prerogative of chusing a new Prince whose followers they work upon by those means which are too well known to all men And your Majestie likewise knows that the Prince of Macedonia had by his subtilty got so great a Power in my State and was so far encreased in strength above all the Grecian Princes as he was not onely
the sole Arbitrator of all Greece but aspired at an universal Monarchy It is moreover known to your Majestie that the same Prince of Macedonia under pretence of Friendship and of taking the Dukes of Laconia into his protection did with deep designs labour their suppression And because the Prince of Epires greatness kept him from achieving so high designs he either totally to remove or at least to weaken that obstacle very much did occasion those Insurrections of the Commonalty and Rebellions of the Nobles in the Principality of Epire more by his gold and underhand dealing then by open force of arms which did so much weaken the State of Epire. And I will not here repeat since it is sufficiently known to all men how my wise Predecessor knowing that the suppression of Epire was a manifest may to the ruine of the Laconick Empire resolved openly to assist afflicted Epire with puissant Forces so to secure himself from the ambition of â—…o potent an Enemy and how that that good Prince whilst he had these wise considerations dyed not without great presumptions that he was poysoned by the procurement of the Prince of Macedonia who was not able to endure that the division of Epire which he thought so sure should be hindered In this unhappy crisis of affairs I had this dignity conferred upon me and that I might not come byso unhappy an end as my Predecessor did I in the beginning of my Principality seemed to be of a remiss spirit and totally incapable of the great affairs of State and onely busied my self in reforming the Magistrates of my Dominion together with the abuses and other vices of my people appearing publikely to be a main Enemy to the Prince of Epire but inwardly knowing very well whither the Prince of Macidonia's plots tended And knowing that whatsoever evil befel the Prince of Epire tended to the lessening of me I put on a resolution of assisting him that I might establish my own State which was in manifest danger But to secure my life from those misfortunes whereinto my predecessor fell I was forced to be very secret in my proceedings And it is well known to your Majestie as to all the rest of these honorable Judges that amongst many imperfections of elective Kingdoms the greatest is that they less enjoy the so important benefit of secrecy in their State-Ministers then any other sort of Principality for mens manners are so depraved as that such as are Senators are for the most part greedy Merchants in their high places by which they strive to reap all possible advantage Finding my self in such straits at the entrance into my Principality and knowing that for certain I was to split upon the rock of infidelity if I should in a business of this weight make use of those ordinary Secretaries who I knew for certain were long since pensioners to forrein Princes Great God from whose goodness I acknowledge this great mercy opened my understanding and it was he who propounded unto me this my I will not say servant for I have found such singular worth in him as will not suffer him to be stiled by so base a name but dear friend and to him who had served me with all fidelity for eight years space whilst I led a privat life I discovered that secret of my heart which I thought very dangerous ever to have dreamt of And then I was aware that the excellency and chiefest praise of a Secretary did not consist as many men believe in knowing how to speak eloquently but how faithfully to be silent And this I say because I so happily made use of this my Officer in the important business which I had in hand as I luckily deceived the subtile Prince of Macedonia which no wit how cunning so ever could do at any time before And by means of this my so faithful Secretary I succored that Prince my friend whom I publickly profest to persecute no man ever penetrating into my Councel and I have had fortunate success in the mystery of cheating and abusing even those who make publick profession to be Masters of that Art and by this handsom under-hand-dealing I have reduced the formerly ruinous and precipitate state of Epire into the condition that now it is It being risen from so deplorable a condition to the high pitch of being the only true Arbitrator of whole Greece And the Macedonians who had fancied unto themselves universal Monarchy and who thought to have sipt up every mans State in less then a months time are fallen from this their height of hopes into the pit of desperation and quite giving over their ambitious conceits of possessing themselves of other mens States have much ado to preserve their own Apollo having heard this ran joyfully to embrace the Prince of Laconia and with a great deal of tenderness spake thus unto him You Duke of that noble Nation who express much in few words have had to doe with a man of such worth and one who to say truth hath very few that are like him amongst all the Laconick Senators I mean this friend of yours as if you should give unto him your whole State you would notwithstanding die ungratefull For in these unfortunate times wherein through the perfidiousness of many Princes secrets are sold by the candle to who will bid highest for them that servant who in weighty affairs proves faithful to his Master cannot be so much rewarded as he deserves The XXXIX ADVERTISEMENT The People of the Island of Mitilene their Prince being dead without issue argue whether it will be better for them to chuse a new Prince or to set up Liberty in their Countrey THe Inhabitants of the famous Island of Mitilene whose natural Prince did not only die lately himself but together with his life left the whole Royal Line extinguished being without a Prince to Govern them disputed in many of their Congregations whether it were better for them to live still under a Monarchy and chuse a new Prince or put on that noble resolution which had made so many people fortunate of erecting a Free State Great and dangerous contentions arose touching a business of this weight and t is said that one of the chiefest Citizens in the last Congregation that was assembled to this purpose spake thus Beloved fellow-Citizens Of all the felicities which men receive from God in this world two are the greatest That they are born men not Beasts and free not slaves And surely there is good reason for this for what greater happiness can any man receive in this life then to obey only the Laws of God and men What Jewel is to be compared to the rich Treasure full of all the most pretious Oriental Stones of securing life means and reputation from the will of one particular man inclined to commit so many impertinent things None that is here acknowledgeth Liberty to be more lovely then my self and that it is a pretious gift which immortal God bestowes
greatness as is the miraculous and singular situation of those Marish and Fenny grounds which we cannot partake of All that understand any thing in State-affairs confess that the Senat is the Heart and Fountain of Life of every Free State Skilful Fencers when they will overthrow their enemy with few blows make a thrust at their heart and Princes who have en-deavored to subdue Commonwealths have made their first blow at the Metropolitan City of the Free State only to dissipate the Senat for these are the mortal wounds which kill all even the most potent Liberties For the Senat being routed and consequently the heart of the Commonwealth struck through it dies immediately An imperfection which Monarchies have not the greatness of whose Empire is alwaies where the Kings person is as the Duke of Guise made proof of who by his taking of Paris did rather accelerate his own death then hasten on his own greatness The Dictator Cesar proves this which I affirm to be true Who to Tyrannize over his Country made himself Master of Rome which Pompey was very indiscreet in abandoning only that he might defeat the Senat A thing which Hanibal the true Master of Militia and sole honor of Africa knew before him and endeavored it but knew not how to effect it And which after him the Emperor Charls the fifth that Founder of the greatness of the Spanish Monarchy knew very well how to do and did practice it against the Florentines and the 〈◊〉 This mortal wound could never be given to the State of Venice whose Metropolis where the Senat abides is fortified and armed with the proof-Armor of Marishes and Washes wherefore I think I may conclude that their wils are good who desire to bring in Liberty of living Free in our Country but their wisdom is but weak And that they who are for a Prince intend well and are excellently well advised and in taking a resolution in this our so weighty business I desire you all to remember that the Florentine Nobility which through the impertinency of the seditious people could never bring in a perfect form of living free in their Country not being able any longer to undergo the cruel and bloudy insolences of the base Plebeians were forced to call in a forrein Tyrant the Duke of Atene only that by extraordinary severity he might afflict the common people of Florence who did so abuse their Liberty Though these reasons were thought very efficacious by the wiser sort yet could they not make the people resolve upon chusing a new Prince Wherefore the business was carried for living free and that Ambassadors should be sent to Venice to receive the Laws of living free from that Commonwealth which was suddenly done The Ambassadors were received and welcom'd by the Venetian Commonwealth with incredible magnificency and the Venetian Government Orders and Laws were shewn unto them which the Ambassadors caused to be exactly copied out and registred and so departed And being returned to Mitilene they made their Report and read in publick Senat the Laws which they had brought with them which gave very bad satisfaction to all the common People and to the greatest part of the Nobility For the people could by no means indure that by the Venetian Laws they should be excluded from publick Government saying that that Country merited not to be called Free where all did not command And the wealthier Nobility being accustomed under Monarchy to purchase favors from the Favorits and to obtain places of Magistracy which they did shamefully execute from their Princes storm'd and said publickly That that was a most unfortunate Country where men were inhibited the making free use of their monies which was purchased by industrious men at the cost of so much sweat not only to buy meat and clothes but to purchase therewith such things which encreased reputation And that it was much better for Citizens to be ruled over by a Prince whose good will might be won by a thousand several waies then to be govern'd by inexorable Laws when they were administred by a numerous Senat where a little not being sufficient and enough not being alwaies to be had whereby to make so many prevaricate and break the Laws it might truely be said to be incorruptible And that under Monarchies the chiefest of the Nobility did from the first execute the prime places of the Principality and that in Commonwealths it was sad for them to begin together with the meanest Senators at the lowest imployments and come slowly by degrees to places of highest dignity That it required more then the usual years of man to arive at the supreamest preferments and the rigor of bestovving places of Magistracy only according to mens meer merit vvas a Precept first invented by Tyrants to keep potent men lovv and to exalt the mean But amongst all these bad satisfactions nothing distasted three parts of four of the Nobility more then the severe Magistracy of the Censors which they heard was used by the Venetians who perpetually did severely and strictly examin all mens behaviours wherefore they said freely that if the Nobility were so severely proceeded with in the State of Venice the Noble Venetians were slaves amidst their Liberty and the people of Miteline free amidst their servitude for very dread of these things all with a loud voice cryed out Monarchy Monarchy And that if any one would set up Liberty in Mitilene let them burn all Laws and Statutes for such understood that to be perfect Liberty where none obeyed all commanded and every one did what he list The XL. ADVERTISEMENT James Creyton a Scotchman having incenst the Vertuosi in Parnassus by a proud defyance was so shamed by them through a bitter jest as without ending the dispute they forced him to forgo Parnassus JAmes Creyton a Scotchman the Prodigie of Nature for Learning came some daies ago to this Court with such vain-glorious pomp and self-oftentation as moved as much nauseousness in the compleatest Vertuosi of this State as wonder in the meaner sort of people who are usually ignorant to see that a young fellow of but 25 years of age should pretend to be exactly knowing in all Sciences when the chiefest Vertuosi know the continual study of 80 years is but a short time to be Master of one only Science This Creyton the next day after his entrance into Parnassus caused a paper to be fixed upon the Gates of all the Colledges and upon the Pillars of all the Delfick Portici wherein in large Capital Letters these words were written Nos Iacobus Crytonius Scotus cujuscumque rei propositae ex improviso respondebimus We Iames Creyton a Scothman will answer ex tempore to whatsoever shall be propounded This bold defiance which was thought by many to be very arrogant did so nettle the Vertuosi as many of them framed Arguments even in the hardest Sciences wherewith they thought to choak him at very first But an acute Satyrical Poet bereft the whole
foolishly done who to avoid the over much pleasantness which was blamed in his Predecessor betook himself to unheard of severities that he might account business his pastime eminent spirits making the pleasure they take in commanding and exercising authority over others serve instead of Picquet or Lurch that he should be more careful in well governing his own house then in curbing seditions in the City for that Provincialists are more troubled at the immodesty of an Officers favorite then at a foul insolency committed by a Townsman that he should abhor forestalling of Markets and that he should esteem those hisCapital enemies who should propound unto him such unlawful gains and that he should firmly believe that the onely gainful merchandize becoming an honorable Officer was to engage himself deeply in the Traffick of purchasing glory and honor by which rising still to higher preferments he in a short time would abound in wealth and reputation that he should shun prodigallity aâ—…d avarice shameful extreams in Officers that he should set aside one fourth part of the day for the dispatch of civil causes and the other fourt part in deciding criminal affairs the rest in being hospital on which an Officers reputation did wholly depend that he should always have an eye to his Judges hands that he should not resolve any thing in difficult affairs before he were fully possest of the whole business for sudden resolutions were very dangerous in such like cases and that he should always behave himself so therein as if he did rather grieve to have done too little then too much that he should so accommodate his own genius to the nature of those of the Province as to be gentle with those that were pleasant and peaceful and severe with those that were stubborn and seditious that above all things he should curb the insolencies of Sergeants and Marshals-men who in many places are grown so insufferably bold as they have not onely caused wicked scandals to Princes who in all other respects are glorious and happy but have rendred such States hateful where the bridle hath been let loose to such like Rascals wholly made up of insolency for he was ill advised who gave much authority to one who knew not what discretion meant that not to appear foolish he should not acquaint his Prince with every trivial affair nor keep from him the knowledge of things of importance least he might be thought to neglect him that he should believe that wary Judges did threaten more then punish and that he should not forget that Officers govern men who are subject to a thousand imperfections infinitely addicted to errour and not Angels who cannot sin that therefore in his Government he should rather affect to be reputed pleasing then cruel that he should avoid Baals and publique Feasts which do abase the Personages of Officers that in the shameful faults of Noblemen he should be severe against the Delinquents person not touching upon the honour of his Family that he should many times rather wink at carnal faults then seem over desirous to punish them that by wisely appearing pleased he should rather make the world believe that his subjects were good then make them become such through rigour for those that boast they have hanged I know not how many hundred men in their Governments glory in their infamy The XLII ADVERTISEMENT Aâ—…gus makes proffer of himself to the Dukes of Venice to guard the Virginity of their illustrious Commonwealth and his offer is not accepted ARGUS never had any imployment in Pernassus till now since he proved so unfortunate in watching fair Io for though many great Princes would by large salaries have hired him to guard their Ladies honour he hath always refused to take upon him the care of any Ladies reputation having clearly found in Io's unfortunate business that women when they are lewdly inclined or are strongly solicited are not to be secured no not by a thousand Argusses Yet of late days being very needy he offered himself to Andrea Gritti and other Princes of the Venetian State to guard their beautiful liberty so as he might be well paid for his pains and he would bind himself to keep continually ninety eight of his hundred eyes awake to watch over that illustrious Princess Argus was graciously listened unto by Gritti and the rest of the Dukes of Venice who first presented him with a purse full of many millions of Crowns which they said they gave him for the good will that they found in him but that they had no need of his ayd in this affair for their liberty needed not his hundred eyes to guard her honour her own chaste inclination being sufficient to do it assisted by the six eys by the vigilant and dreadful Magistracy of the three State-Inquisitors who wrought so by the sword of justice which they did continually brandish over the heads of the Libenus as that their Liberty though she be exceeding fair was looked upon with chast eyes even by the most ambitiously lustful and coveted with a perfect Platonick love The XLIII ADVERTISEMENT The Florentines in their pastime called the Calcio admit of a Spruce Forreign Courtier who wins the Prize THe Noble Florentines plaid the last Tuesday at the Calcio in the Phebean field which all the Litterati of Pernassus came to see and though some to whom it was a new sight to see many of those Florentine Gentlemen fall to down right cuffs said that that manner of proceeding in that which was but play and sport was too harsh and not severe enough in a real combat yet the Vertuosi took delight to see it for many praised the Gamesters swift running their nimble leaping and their strength others were very well pleased with the invention of the Game which was very good to breed up youth to run leap and wrastle and many believed this to be the cause why it was instituted in that formerly so famous Commonwealth but the quicker sighted Politicians argued from the going together by ears of those young Florentines that some great mysterie lay concealed in that sport for that Common-wealths are fuller of intestine hatred and hidden ranchor of spirit then are Monarchies by reason of the continual flocking to Magistrates and frequent denials which are given to Senators of such places as they desire receiving doubtlesly more distastes thereby one from another then is observed to fall out between people who live in a Monarchy and it being impossible but that some violent passion of anger must burst forth in a liberty full of distastes the Politicians affirmed That the Common-wealth of Florence had done very well and wisely in introducing the Calcio amongst her Citizens to the end that having the satisfaction of giving four or five good round buffets in the face to those to whom they bare ill will by way of sport they might the better afterwards appease their anger An evaporation which if it should be had upon another occasion by
XLIX ADVERTISEMENT A Litterato severely punished for saying that Duels were sometimes necessary THe Argumentation had three daies ago between certain Litterâ—… in the Peripatetick Portico whether his Majestie had done well or no to forbid Duels upon so severe penalties was very remarkable for the mâ—…fortune it occasioned to some For the Disputation was no sooner ended but those who had held that oft-times such differences might arise between souldiers and other persons as not being to be decided but by the sword Duels were necessary were seised upon and condemned to the Gallies The wonder of this so sudden sentence was increased it being clearly seen that even Justice her self which was never known to shew any passion in any whatsoever occasion did not at this time conceal her anger against those that were sentenced Some of the wisest of this Court say that she had much reason to appear so incensed since her reputation was so deeply concern'd by those who had dared to affirm that it was possible for some differences to fall out amongst men as were not to be decided by her Laws without the use of Duels The L. ADVERISEMENT The Dukes Marquisses and other Titulati of Parnassus complain grievously to Apollo that their honorable Title of Excellency should be given to Doctors of Law and Physick THe Duke of Aganippe's wife fell sick the last week of a dangerous Feaver he therefore forthwith called together a Colledg of the best Physitians of this Court wherein for his better satisfaction he would be present himself And it fell out that whilst these Physitians were arguing the business amongst themselves they gave the Title of Excellency to one another Whereat the Duke was so scandalized as not being able to endure that so high a Title and which in this our age is so ambiâ—…ously coveted by great men should be frequently used by those thread-bare Doctors not tarrying to hear their result departed from them and went to find out divers Princes to whom the Title of Excellency is given and told them they must make head and no waies tollerate that so â—…ignal a Title should be abused by Doctors of â—…aw and Physick The Princes were so wel pleased with this motion as â—…y immediately presented themselves before Apollo and complained grievously that the Princely Title of Excellency should be used by those Doctors for whom the Title of Sir or Master was too much Apollo gave them no other answer but that they should send for the parties to appear which was done So as the Doctors of both these professions appeared the next day before Apollo who the Princes their adversaries being present said it was well known to all men that Lawyers and Physitians were in the world long before there were any Dukes or Princes who had their beginnings only since the Goths and other barbarous Nations passing into Italy divided it amongst them into petty Principalities till when the names of Dukes Marquisses and Earls were never heard of and that the Doctors of Law and Physick from the first plantation of Learning had the Title of excellency given them which they had ever since peacefully possest and that those first Titolati which were seen in Italy took upon them the Title of Excellency as being a thing which was highly esteemed of by Lawyers and Physitians and that since the Titolati were of much later standing then Doctors no Justice would permit that the latter should deprive the more ancient of the Title of Excellency and that if the Princes their adversaries thought that that 〈◊〉 was of less repute for being used to Sholars they might leave it and take to themselves one which they should like better but that they were very sorry that in these Modern times the Liberal Sciences should be of so small esteem as it should be accounted a dishonour that Physitians and Doctors of Law should use the Title of excellency which the ancient Dukes took from Doctors as a thing which they did much value And then they added that for the eternal glory of Learning and to incourage men to learn the Liberal Sciences the rewards of honorable Studies ought rather to be increased then diminished To this the Princes answered That the first foundation laid by the Doctors that the Titolati had taken the Title of Excellency from them was false for that the most of them had purchast it at deer rates from Supream Princes To this the Doctors reply'd That if to enjoy the Title of Excellency at dear rates made for any advantage in this dispute the Doctors of both these professions might say that they had paid dearly for the degree of Doctor which brought with it the â—…itle of Excellency to the Colledg which had given them that Degree The Princes reply'd with a great deal of contempt and derision that it was very strange that Doctors should pretend to parallel their excellencies which might cost them 50 crowns with that of Dukes and Princes which required many thousands and that the difference between the one and the others excellency was easily discerned by the difference of the price It appeared strange to Apollo that the Princes should presume to enjoy the name of Excellency at a dear rate and he told them that they by their monies had purchased the substance of the Estate which they possest not the vain-glorious Title But that Doctors who did first possess the substance of learning by their perpetual labour and watchings might justly say that they had purchast the Title of Excellency when they parted with their monies for the Degree of Doctor To this the Princes answered with a deep sigh fetcht even from the bottom of their heart that his Majestie was in the wrong for many of them had purchast the Title without any State when to a Castle or place whâ—… they had enjoy'd from their Supreme Prince with the Title of Baron or Lord they had purchast the Title of Duke or Prince only that they might be honoured with the Title of Excellency Apollo was so much distasted hereat as he presently made an Edict whereby he commanded all Kings and Emperors that for the future they should abstain from such like Mercandize as from a thing unlawfull and granted all Priviledges and Prerogatives which the Law by way of charity doth afford to Widows Orphans Idiots and other miserable people in demanding full restitution ex capite enormissimae saesionis to those silly people who would throw away their money to buy smoak without roast-meat Then to rid himself of this troublesom controversie between the Princes and Doctors he referred it to the Tribunal of the sage Grandees of the Liberal Sciences who upon hearing of the fact were to determin it Before whom when the Dukes and Doctors appeared after two hours dispute those Judges gave sentence that though the Title of Excellency which was used by Doctors and given to Princes was of the same matter quality and substance yet it was the goods of Fortune which was honoured
in Princes with the Title of Excellency and in Doctors those of the mind The Dukes thought then that the sentence was favorable on their behalf wherefore with a scornful smile they said to the Doctors These Judges have cleared the question once for ever At the hearing whereof the Doctors who smiled inwardly at the simplicity of these Titolati not to give themselves any further trouble answered nothing But when the Princes had conferred with their Learned Councel who told them that the sentence made for the Doctors they prest his Majestie that they might be suffered to appeal Apollo troubled at the Princes pressures bad them be quiet for they vilified the Title of Excellency who bought it with their monies not they who had won by their labour and study And that if the Dukes and other Tâ—…tolati would purchase infinite honor to themselves they should open their purses and by rewarding the Professers of Learning acquire unto themselves the Title of Liberal which with men of sound judgement and perfect understanding was thought to be much above that of Excellency Highness nay even that of Cesars sacred Imperial Majesty The LI. ADVERTISEMENT A Marquiss who caused his Genealogy to be made by Scipio Ammerati found himself so ill dealt with by him as he redemands the reward he gave him AT Scipio Ammerato's first entrance into Parnassus he opened a publick shop where he still professes the mystery of making Genealogies and Pedigrees for principal Families at which he is so expert as he hath the chief work in this Court of that nature Wherefore some months ago a Marquiss of some condition desired him that he would draw a Pedigree of all his Family and endeavor carefully to find out the first original thereof for which he would not be unthankful to him and in part of payment he presently gave him 200 crowns of Gold Ammerato spent divers months in this business and at last found all that was possible to be found of that Lords Family and drew it up into an exact form By that Genealogy it was seen that this Lords Predicessors had been Marquisses for above one hundred years and that the first of his Family that possessed any Estate was a Captain who for his good service done to an Emperor of Germany had a Castle given him which was called Marquiss Ammeratus found that this Captains Father was a Physitian that this Physitian was the son of a Notary that the Father of this Notary was an Oyl-man descended from a Serjeant who for some roguery was hanged that this Serjeant was son to a Matrix-maker who was descended from a Gentleman of Savoy who for having conspired against his Prince was put to death Whose son when he was very young being sent by the Prince of Savoy to shift for himself was taken into the house of meer charity by the said Matrix-maker who having taught him his Art adopted him his son The Gentleman of Savoy was son to a great Count whose Father Grand-father great Grand-father and great great Grand-father had been of good esteem in that County which was purchast by a Courtier a great favorit to the Prince of that time This Courtier was found by authentick Records to be the son of a certain Jew whose name was Salamon who becoming afterwards a Christian was called Arnoldo and this Jew being come from Rhodes his pedigree could be no further pried into Ammirato having arived at this presented the Lord with this Genealogy who seeing the great bulk thereof not looking into the contents seemed to be well satisfied and gave Ammirato a thousand crowns But when he read the loathsomness of his Family and the mean condition of divers who were registered in his Genealogy he returned to Ammirato and told him that instead of an honorable pedigree which he had desired him to make he had composed an infamous Libel against him Then giving him back his Genealogy re-demanded the moneys which he had given him saying he used to reward those who would cover his shame not those who would lay it open to the world But he was soon quieted when Ammirato told him he should do wisely in not being over-curious in seeking far into the Antiquity of his house for that the wheel of this world turning continually round and in a short space of time laying those low who a little before were at the highest pitch they who were too ambitiously desirous to know who their progenitors were from the flood would find many in their Genealogy stained with the like blemishes as his was The LII ADVERTISEMENT A dispute arising amongst the Vertuosio touching the truth of certain Sayings and Speeches of wise men their true meanings were argued and resolved in the General Dyet celebrated in Helicon THe Sayings Sentences and Answers of the wise are the Laws Acts and Statutes which are observed by the Vertuosi in this State and therefore Apollo is very careful that they may be perfectly true and exactly good And because many days since a great dispute arose amongst the Literati touching the truth of some of them according to custom in a business of so great weight the General Diet of the Vertuosi was intimated in Helicon Wherein the first thing that was called in question was whether or no the common saying was true That wise men and fools are cozened by fair words and foul deeds Many were for the Affirmative saying that the cunning of divers modern wits was arrived at that height of double dealing as there were many good people who being fed with good words were afterwards paid with bad performances and that it was daily seen that double dealers did by their fallacious speeches turn and winde plain meaning men as they listed and led them by the nose at their pleasure though they were held generally to be wise men Yet it was resolved by the major part of the Dyet that in times past the saying was allovv'd of with much reason and practised as a true one but that novv adays by the overdaring boldness of dissemblers vvho vvere openly seen to cheat and cozen the eyes of the simplest and very Ideots vvere so opened as believing onely such things as they savv plainly by noon-day and touched vvith their hands none but fools vvere cheated vvith good vvords and bad deeds for vvise men vvho vvere avvare of these vvicked mens vvays did not onely not at all believe them but holding them to be Crosbiters and Cutpurses shunn'd them as they vvould do the Plague So as such as these being upbraided with their double dealing durst no longer shevv their faces amongst honest men but like Ovvls and Bats appeared onely by night to hide their shame by darkness It vvas next taken into consideration vvhether the proverb Omne solum Forti patria est To a stout man all the vvorld is his Countrey vvere absolutely true or no. The first day vvhich vvas vvholly spent in hot disputation upon this point the Dyet seemed to think it vvas
to vvealthy men served of times for conclusive proofs and undeniable arguments to enrich Princes Treasury by confiscasions it vvas a blessed thing to live in Italy and have a mans estate in Iapan The LIII ADVERTISEMENT Apollo at last grants admittance into Parnassus to Francisco Sforza Duke of Milan which he had long denyed to do upon a hard condition which he accepted of COunt Fr. Sforza he who by his extraordinary military valor purchast the Dukedom of Millan whereby he rendred his Family as famous and honourable as the like of the greatest Princes Though 140 years be past since at the great desire of the Souldiery and Literati he came to the confines of this State yet he was never suffered by Apollo to enter into Parnassus and though the chiefest Princes of this Court who did always admire the great worth of so gallant a man have perpetually interceded for him his Majestie notwithstanding without ever making the cause known hath always denyed him that favour But being prest thereunto much more then usually eight moneths ago by Lodowick the eleventh King of France Apollo answered resolutely That he infinitely loved Sforza's worth and extraordinary merit but that for good respects he would not admit so scandalous a man into Parnassus To this that King who was so knowing couragiously answered that in respect of the Dukes extraordinary military valour his excellency in councel his singular dexterity his quick dispatch his continually uncorrupted faith and his other heroick vertues wherein he did so abound he thought that the true Patron of worthy Commanders and the Idea of a Prince greatly wise in peace and infinitely valliant in war was rather to be admitted into Parnassus then any thing that was scandalous To this reply Apollo answered That he did not gain-say the Dukes great deserts but that man beginning happily already to discern the false Alchimy of the Militia and the unhappy use of the Souldiers craft he would not by admitting of the Duke into Parnassus renew the reputation of rash and hiddy giddy men and so much the rather for that the foolish sort of men for their greater calamities were more encouraged to despise the danger of Navigation for one onely ship that returned safe into the haven then they were terrified for 1000 that were sunk in the sea Apollo added that he was more desirous to admit the Duke into Parnassus then the Duke was to be there Wherefore he wish'd King Lewis to tell him that he would very willingly grant his request if at his entrance into Parnassus he would onely bring such with him as had come to an unfortunate end in the pay they took from the Sforzeses Militia The Duke thought this condition to be hard and shameful and was long in dispute with him self whether he should accept of it or no for the desire of glory pleaded on the one side but then he was deterd to know that the Militia promising so fairly and coming off so ill he was to bring with him the unfortunate attendance of those that were miserable and much to be bemoned In this so great doubt this Heroes endelss desire of glory got the upperhand wherefore he signified to Apollo by his Secretary Simonetta that he willingly accepted of what was proffered him in his Majesties name and Apollo immediately appointed a day for his entrance which was the 19 of this present moneth When the Princes and famous Commanders of this Court knew this the Dukes resolution they were much troubled thereat and left nothing undone to make him change his resolution which they knew was to bring great prejudice to the whole Militia But the Duke standing still stedfast to his resolution resolutely answered those Princes that he was fully resolved to purchase a place in Parnassus at what rate soever let whatsoever mischief befal the mysterie of war For that Fisher-man was not to be esteemed ungrateful to his occupation who being grown very wealthy by the great gain he had got by Fishing burnt his boat and tore his nets He presently therefore called for such as he did most confide in whom he commanded to muster together all those Souldiers who had miscarryed in the Sforzese Militia which were a very infinite number and the next Wednesday about 6 a clock the Duke all armed made his entrance never was there a sadder nor more woful spectacle beheld For it exceeded all the greatest miseries and made tears to fall even from the hardest hearted men to see an infinite number of young men well provided of fortunes who lived at ease enjoying all delights in their fathers houses dead of hunger and starved in Hospitals some lying dead in ditches many on the high-ways and an infinite number drown'd serving for food to dogs and fishes others all rent with wounds some trod to death by horses others begging their bred by the high-way not having received sufficient recompence from those Princes in whose service they had lost their blood and exposed their lives to a thousand dangers to carry them back to their own houses which they had so unfortunately forgon And every one wept when they saw a yong Gentleman of about twenty years old who being shot into the eye by a cross-bow arrow whereof he dyed and who having been told by Guido Bonati a famous Astrologer that if he would be so wise as to keep in his own Countrey he might assuredly live to be fouscorce year old the same Guido Bonati tenderly imbracing him said O unfortunate young lad Why wert thou so foolish as to sell 60 years of life for sixpence Then fearful curses were heard against the first introducers of war The next day after the Dukes entry the most accomplished Literati came to Apollo and told him he very well knew that there was no difference between the miseries of war and Courtiers unhappiness For if war were miserable Courts were nothing but afflictions if Souldiers were unhappy Courtiers were unfortunate that therefore since the sad spectacle of Duke Sforza's entrance into Parnassus had infused such dread into all the Militia as it was abhorr'd by all men it would be equally advantagious to the world if when any Courtier were admitted into Parnassus who was risen from a mean condition to the supremest dignities he should as the Duke had been be accompanied by all those miserable Courtiers who suffering under the Avarice and ingratitude of several Princes dyed despairing This advice was rejected by Apollo as pernitious who said that men had more need be incouraged to go to Court then terrified from going thither for though but few came by any dignities wealth or honor yet all of them inriched their souls with the purchase of several vertues which was so true as he thought he deserved not the name of a compleat Gentleman who having spent many years in Court had not been Scozzonato had not learnt his lesson well The LIV. ADVERTISEMENT A dangerous contention which arose amongst the Pedagogs in Parnassus upon
with all most exquisite delitiousness if gallant men who inhabit it should be forced to wear iron buskins to defend themselves from being bitten by such fastidious and importunate animals whereas now there needed no fence against such rascally companions who are composed of nothing but mouth and voice but a good pair of ears which vallue not the noise which they know can do them no harm The LXVII ADVERTISEMENT The most excellent Paolo Peruta by order from Apollo declares in the Publick Politick Schools what the genuine signification is of that Precept in Policy That to reigne securely the people must be kept under THe usual Precept in Policy That to Reign securely the people must be kept under is as true as it is wrongfully understood and worse practised by many Princes who out of their insatiate avarice interpret the best politick sentences in such sense as makes most for their present advantage Wherefore Apollo being much displeased that so singular a precept should be so grosly abused sent a few daies sithence for Paolo Peruta who at this present time reads the ordinary morning Politicks in the publick Schools in Parnassus and commanded him that for the benefit of Princes and the peoples profit he should declare publickly what was the true and genuine sense of so signal a precept Peruta obeyed and on an appointed day when the School was full of all the greatest Princes of this Court he took the Chair and said That as an exquisite Prince could be likened to nothing better then to a good Shepherd so people might be very fitly compared to a very numerous flock of sheep and that to the end that one onely Shepherd might commodiously govern a great many sheep the Divine Majestie had made them to be lowly minded and had created them without the weapons of Horns or Teeth for otherwise to the great prejudice of mankind every sheep must of necessity have a shepherd alloted him for God having armed the head and hands of man with a stout heart and wise genius he became not obedient and submissive to his shepherd as many Princes did believe by being often shorn and continually milked or by being hindred from growing fat in good pastures by angersome vexations for the true way to keep the people low was not to afflict them perpetually by pinching taxes was not to reduce them to shameful poverty by grating penalties but to avoid the arming of their head with that ambition of command which people so delight in as the appetite is encreased by satiety Which true means and safe counsel is onely known and succesfully practised by the Ottaman Emperors who knowing very well how dangerous a thing it is for States to arm their subjects with ambition authority or the attendance of many Souldiers think it a capital error and the ruine of their States to give any place of command to a native Turk certainly a most happy custom and which plainly teacheth Princes that the true meaning and genuine interpretation of so useful a precept in policy is onely That it is a dangerous thing to arm the head of subjects with ambition not their hands with swords to keep them humble by not giving them places of too great attendance not to desire their poverty by taking their means from them for that Almighty God not having made sheep humble and obedient for any want they have of wool milk or lambs did thereby teach Princes to use all means possible that their subjects may increase in wealth and that they may abound in goods it being very true that people by increasing their private patrimonies make chains wherewith they keep themselves fast bound up for lest they may lose their wealth got by so much toil they did so religiously study peace as the ancient Romans who were true masters of the reason of State found no better means to make the warlike French whom they had newly conquered quiet and obedient to their Republike then by affording them all possible means of growing rich an advice which proved so fortunate unto them as that Politick Tacitus speaking of the French the most warlike people of all Europe doth not onely call them Dites Imbelles lib. 11. Annal. but freely affirms Gallos quoque in bellis floâ—…uisses Tacit. Vita Agric. which plainly shews that great riches gotten by the French had brought that formerly warlike Nation into such a wretchless slothfulness as it seemed an old wives tale that the French knew ever how to manage arms whereby we are made aware that riches by disarming men keeps them submiss in the humility of peace whereas on the contrary every one sees that the not being content with their present condition makes men greedy of novilties For men are not abased as ignorant people believe by being poor but need begets in them such an immence desire of change of fortune as makes those that are in bad condition venture upon any how desperate or dangerous soever an undertaking it having been often times experienced that nothing arms people more then poverty Which produceth desperation not when it is occasioned by the earths barrenness by adventures at Sea by mens carelessness by the misfortune of Factors or other humane accidents but when caused by the Prince his avarice who foolishly perswades himself he shall become a rich shepherd by keeping his sheep poor Wherefore that Chair man of Polititians affirms that to go about to reduce subjects to Loyalty and Principallities to peace by keeping them poor was neither better nor worse then to pretend to cure the dropsie by giving the sick party over much drink To prove all which to be truth it is daily seen in all insurrections Princes meet with no sorer enemies then mal-contents and such as have not wherewithal to live commodiously who in the garboils of commotions prove always Devils whereas those who are wealthy are obedient and peaceful The LXVIII ADVERTISEMENT A nobly born Laconick Senator having committed a great fault the Duke of Laconia thinks it wisdom to pass by it YOu have formerly heard how that the Laconick State is governed by an Elective Prince and how that the Laconick Senate is reputed and celebrated for the best that is in Parnassus The Duke of Laconia to supply the place of a Senator that was deceased advanced the second Son of the Prince of Mitilene to that so high dignity And not above a fortnight sithence this Gentleman much to the Dukes regrete committed a fault which his Highness had severely punished in other Senators and he seeming not to take notice of it many of his Senators were troubled at it and advised him to use the same punishment for the same fault To which the Duke answered That the same punishments were not to be inflicted for the same faults where there was a disparity in the Personages and that God whose will it was that no sublunary thing should be without somewhat of amiss had so ordained it as that the finest Currel
would dispute vvith the Vertuosi of small and of middle stature in all sorts of Sciences and venture their reputations thereupon But that vvhen his Majestie should think they had given sufficient Tryal of themselves and should have proved themselves to be real Vertuosi their humble request was That he vvould be pleased to decâ—…e the proverb to be false and erronous vvhich says Homo longus raro sapiens vvhich vvas the rise of all the scandal His Majestie gave ear to Cino's complaint vvith a pleasing countenance and told him That he vvas sensible of the rash judgement vvhich his Vertuosi gave of them but that the proverb being true he neither could nor vvould declare it to be false and that Homo longus vvas not to be understood according to the vulgar misinterpretation for any extraordinary proportion of body but in respect of resolution and deliberations taken in affairs for too much delay and length of time in dispatching business vvas a clear evidence of vvant of vvit simplicity and of a drousie understanding for he vvas onely to be accounted vvise vvho vvas resolute in his affairs and vvho being able to resolve upon any sudden occasion dispatched business vvith admirable dexterity of vvit The LXXV ADVERTISEMENT The Ruota di Parnasso having decided a point in difference between the Military men and the Litterati on the Military means behalf are aware of their error and withdraw their sentence THe precedency between Arms and Learning is still obstinately disputed on both sides between the Litterati and Millitary-men in Parnassus And it was resolved in the last Ruota That the question should be argued if at least the name of Science and Discipline might be attributed to the exercise of War Which doubt was of such consequence as the victory of the whole cause depended thereupon wherefore both parties were very diligent in informing the Auditors and Vigetius in particular was not sparing for any pains in procuring that the sentence might prove favourable on his side The business was very subtilly can vast and argued and the Court seemed wholly to incline to the Litterati but the Princes used such forcible arguments as it was resolved That Military men in their exercise of War might use the honourable names of Science and Discipline The Litterati were much displeased at this dâ—…cision who exclaimed all of them that Learning would be much defiled if she who adorns mens minds with good precepts should be forced to communicate her honourable names with the Military Art which fills the body with wounds and the soul with the â—…oulest vices The Litterati were in this despair when unexpectedly all the Butchers of the world were seen to appear in Parnassus which slovenly sort of people all besmeared with blood with hatchets and long knives in their hands infused such fear into the Litterati as apprehending some general slaughter and to be cut in pieces they fled away to their own houses where they fortified themselves But they were better pleased when those dreadful people made signs of peace and desired to be heard Apollo that he might know what they meant sent some Deputies to them To whom those Butchers stoutly said That hearing that the Court had decided That the Art of sacking and firing of Cities of cutting their inhabitants in pieces and in fine that the cruel mystery of killing men and of dispeopling the world and of calling with sword in hand mine thine should be termed a Science and Discipline they also who did not profess the killing of men nor any thing that tended to the destruction of mankind but the killâ—…ng of Calves and Muttons to feed men withal demanded that their Art might be honoured by the same illustrious names The Military-men appeared as if they had no souls amidst this rabble rout when they saw so base sort of people should desire that their so opprobrious Trade should be paralell'd with the Art of Warfaring which was practised by the greatest Princes and prime Nobility of the world And the same Signori Auditori di ruâ—…ta when they saw the Butchers appear in the Pallace and heard their demands they were aware of the injustice which but a little before they had done to all the Vertuosi by their decision Wherefore they again propounded the same question and unanimously agreed That the mysterie of War though it were sometimes necessary was notwithstanding so cruel and so in humane as it was impossible to honest it with civil tearms The LXXVI ADVERTISEMENT Aristotle being besieged in his Countrey-house by many Princes is by them forced to revoke his Definition of a Tyrant ARistotle the Prince of Peripateticks that he might the better attend his study withdrew himself some days ago to his Countrey-house where unexpectly he was besieged by night by some Princes with a great number of foot and horse who after having with incredible speed made their Trenches and Gabbiouns prepared their Cannon to play upon the house When Apollo heard of this so great Novilty he forthwith dispatcht away the two famous Satyrical Poets Lodovico Adiâ—…sto and Francisco Berni with two Legions of Veteran Saterists towards them who with all military skill endeavoured to raise the siege but in vain for though the Poets let fly disfamatory Verses yet the Arms these Princes wore were so excellently vvell tempered as they were proof against every pungent Terzetta So as no good being to be done by force Apollo who would be sure that nothing might befal that excellent Vertuosi whereby the Peripatetick Philosophy might be any ways prejudiced dispatched away into the field that great lover of Learning Federico Feltrio Duke of Urban who upon parley vvith those Princes by his rare dextrousness obtained a suspension of Arms and at the first entrance into discourse those Princes complained greatly against Aristotle for having given so malignant a definition of a Tyrant in his Politica as it included or comprehended every good Prince and in great anger said That if as Aristotle had been bold to affirm those Princes vvere to be esteemed Tyrants vvho intended more their ovvn profit then the like of their subjects they knevv not vvhere that Potentate hovv good or ancient soever he vvere could be found vvho might not be concerned in that so universal definition As if the end of every good shepherd vvere not to milk and shear his sheep but onely so far to love them as to dy of hunger themselves so their flock might grovv fat and that Aristotle discovered himself to be too grofly ignorant if he seemed not to knovv that gain vvas the end of all merchandizing and that the vvhole vvorld vvas but a great publike shop And that if the very lavv of Nature did so commend vvell regulated Charity as Fathers vvere seen to love themselves better then their ovvn proper children with what ground of reason would Aristotle oblige Princes to love the good of others better then their own And upon this occasion the Princes added That the
Litterati were grown to such petulancy in many important particulars as blinded by proud presumption they had not feared to intermeddle in the very greatest Concerns of Princes and even to give Laws to Reason of State not knowing poor people that they are that the insight into Politick affairs is so far from the common judgement of any wit how good soever as none ought to discourse thereof but men who have spent their whole time in the Government of Kingdoms and in the affairs of great Princes though they may peradventure want that Philosophy Rhetorick and other Sciences registred by the Litterati in their Scribled Papers For Policy not having so much Theory as that a Grammar may be thereout composed which may teach men the art how to govern States well consisted wholly in practise of the which none but such as had learnt it from great Princes Secretaries and in State-Councils ought to discourse lest they become ridiculous for writing things which deserves the rod. By these words Duke Federico found that the Princes had just reason to be incensed wherefore he easily prevailed with Aristotle to revoke his former definition of a Tyrant and to make a new one which might satisfie those so highly offended Princes Then Aristotle suddenly recanted and said That Tyrants were a certain sort of men in the old time the Race whereof was wholly lost now The Princes having received such satisfaction as they desired presently quitted their quarters And being gone towards their own States Aristotle being half dead with fear returned to Parnassus assuring all the Vertuosi that his Philosophical Precepts failed him very much against the fear of death and bad the Litterati attend their studies and let alone the reason of State which it was impossible to treat of without running evident danger of being esteemed Criminal by Princes The LXXVII ADVERTISEMENT By order from Apollo a general Reformation of the world is published by the seven wise men of Greece and by the other Litterati THe Emperor Iustinian that great Compiler of Statutes and Books of Civil Law some few daies since shewed a new Law to Apollo to have his Majesties approbation of it wherein men were strictly forbidden killing themselves Apollo was so astonished at this Law as fetching a deep sigh he said Is the good Government of mankind Iustinian fallen then into so great disorder as men that they may live no longer do voluntarily kill themselves And whereas I have hitherto fed an infinite number of Philosophers only that by their words and writings they may make men less apprehensive of death are things now reduced to such calamity as even they will now live no longer who could not formerly frame themselves to be content to die And am I amongst all the disorders of my Litterati all this while supinely asleep To this Iustinian answered That the Law was necessary and that many cases of violent deaths having hapned by many mens having desperately made themselves away worse was to be feared if some opportune remedy were not soon found out against so great a disorder Apollo then began diligently to inform himself how men did live in the world and found that the world was so impaired as many valued not their lives nor Estates so they might be out of it These disorders necessitated his Majesty to provide against them with all possible speed so as he absolutely resolved to create a Congregation of all the most famous men that were in his Dominions for wisdom and good life But in the entrance intoso weighty a business he met with difficulties impossible to be overcome for when he came to chuse the members of this Congregation amongst so many moral Philosophers and the almost infinite number of Vertuosi he could not find so much as one who was indowed with half those parts which were requisite to be in him who ought to reform his companion His Majesty knowing very well that men are better reformed by the exemplary life of their reformers then by any the best rules that can be given In this great penury of fitting personages Apollo gave the charge of the Universal Reformation to the seven wise men of Greece who are of great repute in Parnassus as those who are conceived by all men to have found out the receit of washing Blackmoors white Which antiquity though still in vain hath so much laboured after The Grecians were much rejoyc'd at this news for the honor which Apollo had done their Nation but the Latins were much grieved at it thinking themselves thereby much injured Wherefore Apollo very well knowing how much the ill satisfaction of those that are to be reformed in their reformers hinders the fruit which is to be hoped by reformation and his Majesty being naturally given to appease his Subjects imbittered minds more by giving them satisfaction then by that Legislative power which men are not well pleased withall because they are bound to obey it That he might satisfie the Romans who were much distasted to the seven wise men of Greece he added Marcus Cato and Anneus Seneca And in favour to the modern Italian Philosophers he made Iacopo Mazzoni da Casena Secretary of the Congregation and honored him with a vote in their Consultations The 14 day of the last month the seven wise men with the aforesaid addition accompanied by a Train of the choicest Vertuosi of this State went to the Delfick Palace the place appropriated for the reformation And the Litterati were very well pleased to see the great number of Pedants who with their little baskets in their hands went gathering up the Sentences and Apothegmes which fell from those wise men as they went along The next day after the solemn entrance the Assembly being met to give a beginning to the business t is said Talete Milesio the first wise man of Greece spake thus The business most wise Philosophers about which were are all met in this place is as you all know the greatest that can be treated on by human understanding And though there be nothing harder then to set bones that have been long broken wounds that are fistuled and incurable cancars yet difficulties which are able to affright others ought not to make us despair of their cure for the impossibility will increase our glory and will keep us in the esteem we are in and 〈◊〉 do assure you that I have already found out the true Antidote against the poyson of all these present corruptions I am sure we do all believe that nothing hath more corrupted the present age then hidden hatreds feigned love impiety the perfideousness of double-dealing men cloaked under the specious mantle of simplicity love to religion and of charity apply your selves to these evils Gentlemen by making use of fire razor and lay corrosive Plasters to these wounds which I discover unto you and all mankind which by reason of their vices which leads them the high-way to death may be said to be given over by
the age to be sent for which was presently brought in a chair to the Delphick Palace by the four Seasons of the year He was a man full of years but of so fresh and strong a complexion as he seemed likely to live yet many ages onely he was short breath'd and his voyce vvas very weak which the Philosophers wondring at they asked him Why his face being ruddy which was sign that his natural heat was yet strong in him and that his stomach was good why I say he was so full of pain and they told him That a hundred year before when his face was so yellow as he sâ—…med to have the Jaundice he spoke freely notwithstanding and seemed to be stronger then he was now That they had sent for him to cure him of his infirmity and bad him therefore freely speak his griefs The Age answered thus Soon after I was born Gentlemen I fell into these maladies which I now labour under My face is now so fresh and ruddy because people have peâ—…er'd it and coloured it with Lakes My sickness resembles the ebbing and flowing of the sea which always contains the same water though it rise and fals with this vicissitude notwithstanding as when my looks are outwardly good my malady as at this present is more grievous inwardly and when my face looks ill I am best within For what my infirmities are which do so torment me at the present do but take off this gay Jacket wherewith some good people have covered a rotten carcass that notwithstanding breathes and view me naked as I was made by Nature and you will plainly see I am but a living carcass All the Philosophers then hasted and having stript the Age naked they saw that the wretch pargeted with aparences four inches thick all over his body The Reformers caused ten razors to be forthwith brought unto them and every one of them taking one they fell all to scrape away the pargeting aforesaid but they found them so far eaten into his very bones as in all that huge Colossus they could not find one ounce of good live flesh At which they were much amazed then put on the Ages Jacket again and dismist him and finding that the cure was altogether desperate they assembled themselves close together and forsaking the thought of all publike affairs they resolved to prepare for â—…r indempnity of their own reputations Mazzoni writ what the rest of the Reformers dictated a Manifesto wherein they witnessed to the world the great care Apollo ever had of his Litterati's vertuous living and of the welfare of all mankind and what pains the Reformers had taken in compiling the general Reformation Then coming to particulars they set down the prizes oâ—… caâ—…biges sâ—…rats and pompions And all the Assembly had already underwritten the reformation when Thales put them in mind that certaâ—… Hâ—…glers who sold Lupins and black cherryes vented such smal measures as it was a shame not to take order therein The Assembly thankt Thales for his advertisement and added to their reformation that the measures should be made greater Then the Palace Gates were thrown open and the general Reformation was read in the place appointed for such purposes to the people who were flockt in infinite numbers to the Market-place and was so generally applauded by every one as all Parnassus rung with shouts and vociferations of joy for the meaner sort of people are pleased with every little thing and men of judgement know that Vitia erunt donec Homines Tacit. Lib. 4. Hist. As long as there be men there will be vices That men live on earth though not well yet as little ill as they may and that the height of human wisdom lay in being so discreet as to be content to leave the world as they found it The LXXVIII ADVERTISEMENT Apollo hearing of the happy Alliance of the two Illustrious Daughters of Charls Emanuel with the two Noble Princes of Mantua and Modena commands that extraordinary demonstrations of joy be made throughout his whole Dominions YEsterday about nine of the clock the usual Guard of the Pegasean Tower gave notice by two stroaks of the bell that two men were discovered on the Castalian Plain which hasted towards Parnassus whereupon the Litterati ran presently to the Walls and to the Gates to see what the matter might be And soon after hearing the sound of a Horn knew that it was one that came Post with his guide The more inquisitive Litterati ran to meet him and when they heard that he was sent from Italy to Apollos Majesty they all earnestly desired to know whether he brought news of any gallant Italian product or of any taking Piece lately printed To which the Post answered only that he brought dispatches to Apollo of incredible joyful news wherefore he was waited upon to the Royal Palace by an infinite number of Litterati When he had presented his Letters to Apollo all the standers by who very attentively observed his Majesties face found that still as he read his countenance cleared up Having read the Letters he with incredible joy uttered these words O how happy Union Let my beloved Queen of Italy know that I desire her to come speedily to me These words caused various conjectures in the Vertuosi and divers were the interpretations they gave thereof but the most common was that the necessary League which is so much desired by all good men was at last concluded in Italy against that enemy to Learning the Ottaman Empire This mean while the Queen of Italy was seen to come walking apace towards Apollo's Royal Palace leaning upon her Bellisario When Apollo heard she was coming to the stairs he ran with great joy to meet her and having imbraced her in his arms I heartily rejoyce said he together with your Majesty at the happy news which I but now received by Letters from my Italian Academies of the Match which his Highness Charls Emanuel Duke of Savoy hath made of his two daughters with the most Noble Princess of Mantua and Modena What think you of the conjunction of so Illustrious Princes of the union so much desired so much wisht for by me and you of these your two beloved sons Are not these contentments which do fully counterpoise your late troubles Yes indeed answered the Queen of Italy and I confess unto your Majesty that now all my desires all my consolations are accomplished for I never did desire any thing more earnestly then that my Italian Princes should add the conjunction of bloud as now they have done to their joynt important Interests of State So as I am wholly composed of joy seeing that strong Gerion of many of my Italian Princes formed into one body which may secure me from those future evils the fear wherof hath hitherto so afflicted me Then that powerful Queen attended by all the Princes and Nobility of Parnassus went to visit the Temple of Fruitfulness which promis'd assured and happy offspring to these
so fortunate couples Being returned to her Royal Palace she was congratulated by all the chiefest Princes reciding in this State and in the presence of so many great Heroes she gave the honorable Title of first and chiefest Italian Warrier to Charls Emanuel Duke of Savoy the Father of so fortunate offspring and Author of Italies so great felicity to whom she immediately sent the usual signes of Golden Launce and Trunchion Apollo to witness his joy for this so gladsom news caused it to be proclaimed by sound of Trumpet that in respect thereof extraordinary signes of joy should be shewed throughout all his Dominions and upon this occasion gave leave at the earnest request of his Litterati the which he had hitherto so resolutely denied that Stage-players should be admitted into Parnassus Tilting and Turney were in the next place proclaimed and the first day the Paladines of Spanish Romansas Amadisi Don Florestano and many others appeared within the Lists who gave such proofs of themselves as did exceed and all men wondred to see Palaces made all of Diamonds built by words The second day the French Paladins and those of other Nations Orlando Rinalde Gradasso Sacrapante and many others appeared at Turney who behaved themselves so couragiously as they made all men know that Ariosto had writ sparingly of them The third day Caro Molza Sanga and other polite Courtiers appeared in the field who valiantly challenged those other noble Champions to the combat but they scorning to have to do with men who had not made profession of Arms refused the Challenge wherefore those Courtiers did by sound of Trumpet again denounce they challenge a second time which was still slighted by the other Paladins The Courtiers published a third defiance which not being accepted of all the spectators fel aâ—… hissing at them Wherefore Apollo seeing so great a scorn put upon those Paladins who had been rendred so famous by the Poets was much offended and commanded them to put their Launces in their rests and to quell the over-daring of those Courtiers The Champions then suddenly obeyed and it was a strange prodigious thing to see how those spruce Courtiers did with a dexterous lye with an ill turn done in time unhorse those Paladins though their Arms were inchanted Then the couragious Bradamante and Marsica incenst to see those famous Paladins so dishonored took their Launce and with more then manly fury spur'd on their steeds towards the Cavaliers so to recover the Military reputation which the others had so shamefully lost but both of them being incountred by great purses full of gold spread their legs abroad forsook their saddles and fell to the ground flat upon their backs by reason of these signal acts the Prize of the Tilting was awarded to the Courtiers who had got the trick of unhorsing people and of setting them beside the saddle not by their Launces or counter-bufs but only by meer words The LXXIX ADVERTISEMENT The ancient Commonwealth of Rome and the Modern Venetian Liberty argue together what the true rewards of Honour be by which well ordered Commonwealths do acknowledge the worth of their well-deserving Senators THough the flourishing Commonwealth of Rome formerly the Worlds Mistriss be now reduced by reason of her great misfortunes into a far differing condition from what she was in yet in memory of her pristine greatness she still lives well esteemed and much honored in Parnassus not only for that her politick Precepts are held by all men in power as divine answers but because she is believed to be the true Oracle of Military affairs as also for that nor Princes nor privat men take any more praise-worthy or heroick examples wherewith to adorn their minds more frequently or more advantagiously from any other place And though so splendid a Princess hath been sundry times deflowred and ravisht as wel by her own ingrateful and ambitious Citizens as by her barbarous enemies by Augusto's and Silla's Proscriptions as by the general sacking of Tâ—…tilla and Atilla and other Kings of forrein Nations yet doth she excellently well recover her past dishonor and her present misery by the fame of her antient greatness This so famous Princess came some few daies since to visit the Venetian Liberty a Lady of greatly famed Chastity and the best beloved and highest esteemed of as many as are in this Plebeian Court for the opinion of her great wisdom and for the reputation of her unexhaustible wealth And whilst the Roman Liberty discoursed of her past greatness and the Venetian Commonwealth of her present felicity 't is known that the Roman Commonwealth said to the Venetian Liberty That she being purely Aristocratical and consequently the most perfect form of a Commonwealth did doubtlesly by her excellent Laws which promised her long life surpass any either past or present Republick But that though to maintain peace at home and war abroad the orders she observed were excellently good yet had she not made such acquisition of States as was expected from the wisdom and as well publick as privat wealth of so famous a Republick which was thought to happen by reason of her being very backward in giving such rewards as were usually given by well ordered Commonwealths to her well deserving Senators and that she the Commonwealth of Rome acknowledged all the glory she had in having won the whole world in so short a time to proceed wholly from the extraordinary worth of her Senators whereunto they were awakened not by any wealthy gifts but by the rewards of eternal honor in erecting their Statues by their triumphant Vestments Trophies by the building and dedication of famous Temples Baselisks and Theatres and chiefly by that glory so much coveted by those who do thirst after eternal fame of stately Roman Triumphs Rewards which raised such Military valor such excellent civil vertue in her Citizens as the insuing Nations did admire but could not imitate And that the Venetian Liberty was so backward in rewarding the worth and merits of her honorable Senators with the memorial of perpetual honors as she might very well be termed ingratefull and that infinite Noble men of Venice having done things worthy the sublimest triumphs both in times of peace and war and all those rewards which eternize the memory of great Senators she thought it very strange to see a Narnesan Statue on horseback in Padua and one of Bergamasco in the midst of Venice and that the famous services of Andrea Gretty of Sebastian Venieri and of a thousand other famous Venetian Senators who had not only excelled the Gatta Melati and the Colleoni in parts both of soul and body but might deservedly be paralel'd with Pompey and Cesar were not recompenced with the reward of perpetual memory which their glorious actions had deserved Menante who writes all these things with great integrity and faithfulness had it from a very good hand that the Venetian Liberty not any whit at all moved answered the Roman Republick That she
hearing of this foolish request broke forth into loud laughter and told Tressino He vvas sorry to see him still pursue ridiculous novelties Tressino replied That his request was no nevv invention but a thing much used and that the famous Roman Republique and after them many great Lords vvho might very vvell have paid their Creditors vvith ready money paid the obligations of blood and debts due for long and costly service with Lavvrel and the Order of Knighthood Then Apollo smiled again and told Trissino that he built Castles in the arte for he must be another manner of man then he that would sell meer smoak for good Merchandize Tressino being dispatcht Process was read against a base humerous Doctor of the Law whose name the higher Powers will have concealed where it was said That in Governments which he had had he would often in publick audiences with great pride and surquedry behave himself insolently even with noble and honorably conditioned personages saying that he would send them to the Gallies would have their heads taken off and make them be hanged before the Palace Gate The Doctor said in excuse of this his error that he did this to make himself terrible to the people and to make himself be obeyed Apollo after he had put him in mind that good Officers and men of honor made themselves dreadful to the people by an equally rigorous and uncorrupt Justice and not by insolent threats gave order that that Doctor whose genius appeared fitter to command slaves then men of honor should be sent to be Auditor of the Gallies Immediately after Beneventano's cause was heard who shooting at a great Wolf with a gun charged with small hail-shot the Wolf being lightly hurt flew upon him according to his custom and with his teeth tore his left thigh Those that were present at the Visitation wondred very much why he should be questioned who deserved rather to be comforted for the danger he had run and cured of the wounds he had received But Apollo who was not well pleased that one of his Litterati should have committed so great a piece of folly since he had alwaies told his Vertuosi that they must take off their hats to cruel and dangerous beasts and suffer them to pass by quietly or else shoot at them with a musket loaded with ram'd bullets and so lay him flat on his back condemned the Litterato to the usual punishment of imprudency that none should excuse his error none should pitty him and that all men should laugh at him This cause was no sooner ended but Cratippus the Athenian Philosopher appeared at the visitation and the Information against him was That the Duke of Ephesus had given to him his only son to be brought up by him to whom when he came to mature years he relinquisht the Government of his State wherein the young Prince proved as unapt as he proved famous for Philosophy for he was timerous in the handling of arms and incapable of State-affairs and the singular goodness and honesty which he had learnt of Cratippus which would have been greatly admired in a privat man was in him interpreted want of wit That therefore the Philosopher not having instructed that young Prince in such things as were to be known by one who was to govern so numerous a people the Duke of Ephesus re-demanded the sallary he had given him Apollo was mightily displeased with Cratippus his imprisonment and turning to the Duke who was there present told him that he should not blame Cratippus for his sons unapâ—…ss to Government but his own bad choice for that Vertuoso having taught his Pâ—…pel the Science which he did publickly profess had fully discharged his duty And that such a one as he ought to know that Arsenals Armories and State-Councels were Schools for Princes children and that the Scholarship which they ought to learn was the Philosophy the Poetry which was several times every week read in the wise Senat of Venice that Captains Counsellers and Secretaries of State were the best instructers of Princes children and the memory of their Ancesters the glorious actions of such Princes as both in peace and war had done things worthy to be admired and imitated the rods wherewith they ought to be whipt Constantius Albicini was next brought before Apollo whom his Majesty did mightily abominate as one who was publickly known to be a prime finder out of vexatious inventions His process said That he being requested by an avaritious Prince to invent some new way for him how to raise money from his Subjects without offending or angring them advised him to give out that he was likely to be unexpectedly assaulted by his enemies who would possess themselves of his State that therefore it was necessary to fortifie the Metropolitan City to effect the which so requisite work he must proclaim a new Tax which would be easily granted by them who apprehended the danger of their lives goods and honors that then he should in all haste begin the works which he must continue for one year that the second year he should proceed therein more slowly and that the third year he should give it quite over for that the people being accustomed for those two years space to pay such an Imposition would willingly continue the payment of it And because the chief Magistrate of the City had a rich revennue worth forty thousand crowns a year which this covetous Prince did much thirst after he told him that to make himself Master thereof and to invite the Citizens to make a free gift thereof unto him he was only to provide two friends the one of which should stand up in a publick Councel and should advise that it were good and fit to reward the Prince for his excellent Government with freely parting with two years revennue unto him and that the other friend whilst the Proposition was discussing should say openly That to give their suffrages in secret was an action misbecoming a faithful people towards their Prince where the ungrateful and disloyal had opportunity to obscure the fidelity of Loyal Subjects That therefore men should speak their mind alowd and the Votes be so decided for the rabble-rout allured by the shortness of the time would grant that for a few years which they should never regain It was aver'd in the same process that this same Constanso had confest that he had told the same Prince that an exeellent way to get money of his Subjects was to inhibit somewhat which was greatly desired and much used in his State as the extravagancy in aparrel costly Jewels and too exorbitant portions that if any one should afterward desire a dispensation therein it might be granted him but upon a good acknowledgment and upon paying well for the Seals Apollo having heard this wicked mans so great iniquity and wondring that so much rascallity could be found in any one man brake forth into these words Puniendos rerum atrocium Ministros Tacit.
and inevitable death of all Commonwealths And though the prime wits of the world have laboured sufficiently to institute long lived Common-wealths against the eternity of Monarchy yet could they never compass their intent Olegarchies being known to be the insufferable Tyrany of a few have been soon turned to Principalities and the Institutors of Democracy could never find out a good way how to curb the people so as it might have the chief Authority to command but after bloody seditions hath precipitated into cruel slavery and hath nursed up a Serpent in her bosom some ambitâ—…ous Citizen who by the certain way of the universal affection of ignorant people hath known how to get the chief Lordship over the free Countrey Moreover we have often seen popular Government prove so hateful to the Nobility as first the Romans after the death of Caesar and then the Florentines when Alexander Duke of Medecis was slain chose rather to live under new Princes then return to the cruel servitude of the Plebeians who are always seditious And the very Aristocratical Governments which of all others hath cost so much sweat have at last ended in Monarchies for the founders of such Republicks could never perfectly compass those two important qualities which make Aristocracy eternal of maintaining such an equality amongst the Nobility but that there would arise an odious disproportion of honours and riches amongst them the fruitful mothers of Tyrany and of giving such satisfaction to signal subjects to the haughty minds of Citizens excluded from publike Government so as they may be content to live servants in that Countrey which hath the name of being Free And those who have boasted to make mixt Commonwealths eternal have been likewise mightily deceived for as in humane bodies the four elements whereof they are composed after an agreement of long health do at last alter and that which proves most predominant kills the man so the mixture of Monarchy Aristocracy and Democracy in a Common-wealth one of the three humors getting at length the upper hand she must needs in length of time alter which alteration changing the form of Government at last bereaves Liberty of her life as we may have seen a thousand examples in former times for all that learned men have set down in writing and proved by good grounds of reason doth not prove true in practice it being clearly seen that Licurgus Solon and other Legislators for living free who have thought to tame the unvanquishable spirits of men by the excellent provision of holy institutions and to curb the malice of the ambitious by severe punishments have been more then much abused in their opinions But now nor can I speak it without great terror and grief of heart we plainly see with our own eyes that the Germans being excellent Artificers no less of Commonwealths then of Clocks and Watches have at last invented those eternal Liberties which for so many ages the wisdom of ancient Philosophers have in vain sought for and from whence Monarchies have great reason to apprehend their death and utter extirpation Never was there a more golden sentence said most glorious Monarchs then that That every least despised sparkle is apt to occasion great combustions For who would ever have believed that that little spark of of liberty which first arose amongst the Switzers would have been able to kindle a fire which should afterwards dilate it self so far in Germany as the World now sees and wonders at And what man how wise soever could have foretold that in so short a time it would have caused the combustion of so many Cities and warlike Nations which to the great shame and infinite danger of Monarchy have vindicated their liberty Certainly it is a thing almost miraculous to believe that the little liberty which began to have a being amongst the Switzers a poor people and husbandmen of a very barren soyl and which was so much despised by you should afterwards be able to infect the most warlike Nations of Germany with the same disease and which is yet the greatest miracle who could ever have foreseen that these Commonwealths should in so short a time win such credit with all Potentates as well in civil affairs as for matter of Arms as that they should not onely be held the supreme Umpires of peace and war in Europe but the very greatest Terror of the chiefest Princes of the World The Commonwealths of Germany most illustrious Princes are Trumpets which should awaken you from the too supine sleep wherein you have so long lain Know your evils look upon your dangers which cry aloud for speedy remedy Since in the German Commonwealths you see not onely Aristocracy grounded with so wise laws as they promise long life but that which all men thought impossible quiet and peaceful Democracy The Commonwealth of Rome which with an unparalel'd ambition proposed unto her self as her ultimate end the absolute Dominion of the World that she might arive at so immense an tent was forced to be continually in arms and to put weapons into her Citizens hands who by continual command of Armies and by the long Government of large Provinces filled their private houses with treasures befitting any King but very disproportionable for Senators of well regulated Republiques and by the too great authority which was unwisely and fatally given them by the Senate of bestowing even whole Kingdoms on whom they best liked they swole so big with the wind of ambition as that equality of Authority which is the soul of free Countreys was wholly disordered in the Roman Nobility By reason of these disorders it was that first the Silli and Marii arose in Rome and then the fatal Pompeys and Caesars who after long and bloody civil wars slew that so famous Liberty And for the last calamity of Monarchy it cannot be hoped that this wide gate should ever be opened in the well-regulated German Commonwealths where all ambition of commanding over vanquished people and neighbour nations being utterly banished the glorious resolution and firm purpose reigns onely in them of not yielding obedience unto any A happy resolve which maintains that necessary equality between the Citizens of those Hans-Towns and between the chief Senators and works this effect that whilst they wage not war to impose that slavery upon others which they themselves seem so to shun their neighbours do neither hate them nor are they jealous of them So as it is no wonder if they promise unto themselves long lives and think themselves unvanquishable by the power of whatsoever Potentate for they are of opinion that the best Politick precept which by others is to be admired in the German Hanf-Towns is to detest the acquisition of neighbouring Nations for with like wisedom they enjoy that publike peace with Foreigners and that private agreement amongst their Citizens which makes their freedom formidable abroad and safe at home This that I say is clearly seen by the miseries into vvhich the Roman
had as great a mind to make themselves masters of those States as the King of Spain had to reduce them under his ancient Dominion To this a second and much more important difficulty was added for consultation was had what the Colleague Monarchs should do with the German Commonwealths when by their forces they should have conquered them For answer to which the common reason of Nations and the ordinary use of leagues was urged which is that the acquisition of enemies States made by Colleagues if any of them be of the number of the colleaguing Princes that they should be restored to their ancient Lords by vertue of which law the Roman Empire desired that when the victory should be gotten those Cities and Hans-Towns should be restored to her which had withdrawn themselves from her authority And the house of Austrea pretended with good reason to repossess her ancient Dominion over the greatest part of the Switzers and other people who to make themselves free had shook off the yoke of her Government Though all these pretensions were by the Senate acknowledged to be just yet did the Princes so much stomach them as after a long dispute it was at last resolved that no more should be spoken thereof And it was then said that it being impossible for the two aforesaid reasons that the Monarchies should by open Force subjugate the Commonwealths of Germany they should for the future so wisely strengthen and fortifie themselves as that the malady of the German Hans-Towns which till then had made such and so prejudicial progress should grow no greater And it was resolved that it being very palpable that the many large priviledges which were granted by some too prodigal Princes to their vassals in a middle way of living free and this not without great occasion had made them affect total liberty that therefore such priviledges as being scandalous and very pernitious to Monarchy should not onely not be granted hereafter no not to any desert how great soever but that every Potentate should cunningly by little and little endeavor to take them from their people and bring them so wholly into servitude as they should not have any the least ken of those priviledges which had heightned their minds to affect total Freedom And hereupon some former Emperors of Germany and Dukes of Burgony were severely reprehended who were not onely fools in granting their people prejudicial exemptions but ignorantly avaritious in selling them for a small sum of money vvhereby they had put themselves and other Monarchies upon great difficulties And for their greater severity these Princes decreed that all form all footsteps of levelling should from the very root be extirpated from amongst their subjects the wisest of the Dyet affirming that the great inequality of the Gentry in a Kingdom was that which secured them from ever bringing in a form of free Government and the Monarchy of Spain was so stiff in this Opinion as she freely said she spoke it knowingly that nothing had more preserved the Dukedom of Millan from living in that freedom after the death of Philip Maria Viscount which was then talked of being instituted therein then the great disproportion of wealth which hath always been observed to be in that noble Dukedom not onely between the Nobility and people of Millan but even between the Nobility it self which had also been the reason why in the rich Kingdom of Naples no speech was ever heard to be made by those Barons of levelling or living free no not when they had so fair an occasion presented them of doing so by the failing of the blood Royal and by many other interregni which they had had in their troubles for that the Nobility of Kingdoms had this of natural instinct rather to admit of any subject how barbarous soever for their King then to see not onely Barons of late edition but even Doctors and Shop-keepers made equal which liberty would do like to them Moreover it was hinted as an excellent means whereby to weaken the German Hans-Towns that the Potentates of Europe would forego the so pernitious custom of buying at a deer and dishonorable rate the schum of the Switzers Grisouns and other German Nations it being sure that if they should be left in their own Countreys those unquiet seditious and disorderly spirits which much to their profit they send abroad would cause such fractions at home as they would be seen to turn those weapons upon themselves which now they sell to unwise Princes at the weight of gold But the many jealousies which have always reigned which reign now more then ever and which it is to be believed will for ever reign amongst the greatest Kings of Christendom wrought so as for fear lest the one might leave all the refuse to be made use of by the other so salutiferous a memorandum was publiquely praised by all and in private abhorred by every particular But it is true that to make Monarchy as pleasing to the people as it was possible for Princes to do these underwritten Articles were with great solemnity penned established and sworn unto in the Dyet to be inviolably kept I. THat since to love and fear God with all ones heart was the wisest piece of Policy and the most perfect State-Reason which could be learned and practised by Princes they should not for the future make use of his most holy name as many had formerly done as a means whereby to get money from their people and to hurry them or wheel them about with divers Sects and new Religions such as made most for their worldly interests but to obtain that favour from his Divine Majestie which brings abundance of all that is good to Princes who fear God and to people who obey his holy Laws II. That for the future they should be content so to milk and shear the sheep of their Flock as that they should not onely not flea them but not so much as touch a bit of their skin being mindful that men were creatures which had understanding not beasts which knew nothing that therefore there was a great deal of difference between Shepherds who shore and milked sheep and Prince-shepherds who shore and milked men the latter being to use the shears of discretion instead of those of meer interest which are onely made use of and that always unfortunately by greedy Shepherds it having been often seen that publike hatred hath been able to metamorphize the simple sheep of subjects into skittish Mules who have driven their indiscrete shepherd out of the fold with kicking III. That they should keep their people within the bounds of fear not with such a caprichious beastiality as makes the Government of one man alone dreadful and then totally pernitious when he will judge mens lives by his sole arbitrary power but by being inexorable in those faults onely which not deserving pardon had need to be punished with all the severity that the Law allows IV. That they should be
make Menante must acquaint all those who will read these his Advertisements with Apollo's usual and laudable custom never to begin any action of importance without first using some of those Acts of Grace to his Litterati which makes Princes be so beloved by their people You must all know then that before any Writer or Illustrious personage who in his life-time hath done any action worthy of eternal fame be admitted to make his request known the Heads of all Sciences appear before Apollo who draw forth each of them a Ball from forth a well closed Urne where amidst as many other Silver Balls as there are Sciences three only Golden Balls are placed with this order That they who have the luck to draw forth the Golden Ball shall enjoy the Noble Priviledg of nominating what Vertuoso of their profession they best please to whom yea though he be yet alive on earth Apollo doth by particular favour give that immortallity and eternity of fame which is usually only granted to such who have put a period to their humanity A custom certainly as noble as profitable and altogether worthy of his deep judgement who brought it into this State as that which serves for sharp spurs to those thirsty souls after glory who by their honorable writings or signal actions have purchast that fame which is the first rise and utmost bounds of every vertuous soul. So as since Apollo doth liberally reward the pains and merits of his Vertuosi before their due time 't is no wonder if they so greedily affect the pretious coyn of eternal fame as they think it great consolation to consume themselves in continual managing their pen and even killing themselves with perpetual study esteeming it great and honorable usury to pass by some few years of their present life to purchase that eternity which will make them live gloriously in all future ages in the memory of men The first who had the good fortune to draw the Golden Ball out of the afore-named Urne was Francisco Berni the head of those Italian Poets who have wittily written facetious things in Triplets The second was Petrarch the Prince of Italian Lyrick Poets The third Cornelius Tacitus the chief of Politick Historians Francisco Berni being gotten up upon a very high seat which is set of purpose in that place for such like affairs said with a loud and audible voice That the prime man in these present times for pleasant Triplets was Girolomo Magagnati the flowry wit of Venice whose savory rhimes he read in publick and were much admired not only by all the Litterati of Parnassus but by the Illustrious Muses and by Apollo's self and divers of the Litterati taxed Berni of imprudency for that having propounded a personage of such eminency to Apollo he was not aware that he might peradventure nurse up a Serpent in his bosom But both Apollo and the Muses and greatest part of Poets did commend Berni's ingenuity even to the skies who like a loyal and honest Florentine could prefer another mans merits though with hazard of his own reputation After this when they came to voting all the Litterati were favourable in their voices wherefore the Delfick Chancellor proclaimed aloud Eternal fame and endless glory to Girolomo Magagnati at which words the whole Colledg of Vertuosi did with general applause answer Placet The writings of so fortunate a Poet being consecrated to eternity they were delivered out in a Bason of Gold to all the publick Libraries from whence they were afterwards with the accustomed ceremony to the Delfick Library But because the Illustrious Ferdinand Cardinal and Duke of Mantua had taken La Boscareccia Clomira the last and best of Magnati's Poems into his protection Apollo in favour to so learned a Prince who was a publick lover of Learning and a liberal Mecenas to the Vertuosi would have so lovely a Pastoral appear in his presence wherefore Berni the solicitous promoter of all this business came presently to the dore of the Pavillion and took that fair maid by the hand who being waited upon to the Court not only by the rest of the Noble Princes and learned Mantuan Barons but even by great Virgil's self was likewise attended by Dametas Corridon Titerus Niso Mirtillo and other famous Shepherds of Arcadia together with their fair Nymphs a spectacle so acceptable to his Majesty and so pleasing to the Muses and to the whole Colledg of the Vertuosi as they did not remember that they had ever received any greater consolation When the fair Clomira was presented to Apollo she fell down at his feet and adored his Royal presence and then rising up to the Muses Throne she humbly kist the hem of their garments then returning to her place she undauntedly related all the misfortunes of her love which she had suffered to attain the marriage of her beloved Igeta Then Apollo having greatly praised the constancy of so lovely a Shepherdess fell to expatiate himself upon the commendations which she deserved for having preserved her chastity untoucht in her so long peregrination though cloathed in mans aparrel in this so corrupt age Whilst Apollo spake these words a voice was heard which amongst the infinite number of Vertuosi who were flockt together to see this delightful sight said these identical words If she should come into our Country she might bid her virginity goodnight The most excellent Pietro Vittorio one of the publick Censors rose up then and asking who it was had been so rash as to utter such misbecoming words in that sacred place commanded that he should be found out Apollo with his aâ—…customed gravity admonished the Censor that it became good men even by wresting the words alwaies to interpret another mans sayings in the best sense it being the signe of an ill affected mind to understand those things sinisterly which might admit of a good construction and that he who had spoke so deserved rather to be thanked by the Judges for the severe correction which he gave to the wicked men of his Country then to be reprehended That therefore he who had received publick admonition should amend his manners And this being said gave order that an honorable place should be allotted to the faithful Clomira and her beloved Igeta amongst the other famous Shepherds of Arcadia Then Berni drew from forth his bosom Magagnati's special Writ of Proxie and giving it to the Delfick Chancellor first kneeled and then in Magnaties name took the Oath of Allegiance which is wont to be given to all the Litterati who are judged to deserve place in Parnassus Wherefore Berni in the behalf of Magagnaty swore That as he formerly had done so for the future he would make it appear by his actions that he did believe with his heart and profess by his mouth that mans true wealth lay in possessing the rich treasure of knowledg that he would in all places and at all times shew himself to be an implacable enemy to the Ignorant a
and the Foro Massimo secured with good Corps de Guard but the habitations of all the Monarchies and Common-wealths well fortified and furnisht with armed men and the Monarchs as well as the Consuls Dukes Standard-bearers Burgamasters and other Chieftains of Commonwealths were even then with their Pikes couched ready to fall on when the Princes and Commonwealths hearing of his Majesties approach bore such reverence to his Royal presence as throwing their weapons on the ground greatly fearing to be seen and known fell flat down Which made every one see how much the presence of a Prince who is well beloved and feared by his people prevails with his subjects in such and other like cases of urgent danger The Tumults being thus quieted as soon as Apollo came to his own Palace he sent for all the Monarchies and Commonwealths that were resident in Parnassus and all of them readily appearing he bad the Consul Marcus Marcellus acquaint him with the true reason of those Tumults The Consul said that at a certain meeting wherein were many Monarchs Roman Consuls Dukes of Venice Florentine Confalonieri and Dutch Burgamasters it fell into discourse whether Monarchies or Republicks were the better Government that Philippo Maria Vissinte Duke of Millan had the boldness to say that all republicks especially Aristocracies were insufferable Governments of many Tyrants that the Illustrious Dukes of Venice as those that enjoy the perfectest Aristocracie that ever was having given him the lie all Monarchies and Commonwealths being concerned in common by this difference were as his Majesty might see falne together by the ears Apollo was the more displeased hereat for that by an Edict of his publisht long ago he had commanded upon pain of grievous punishment that this so ancient question and which had been so often discust by the Litterati should be no more disputed but that every one should rest content with his present condition Then turning to Duke Philip who was the sole Author of this disturbance he said That having spoken too inconsiderately of Aristocracies he ought to know that well governed States were discerned from such as were Tyrannical by their peaceable and long life for Tyrannical Governments being alwaies full of conspiracies of the Nobles and of the Commonalties rebellions lasted but awhile and that it might easily be seen what satisfaction the people of Venice enjoyed by the long time that that flourishing Commonwealth had lived and by the continual peace that she had enjoyed at home And that to make this truth appear the more plain to all the Monarchies that were there present he would put them in mind of a business which had lately falne out in Venice whereby every one might see with what and with how much modest liberty people did live in that well governed Commonwealth For Vettore Calergi a Noble Venetian having left behind him one only daughter with the rich portion of half a million of crowns yet the marriage of this so rich maid was so modestly endeavoured by the Venetian Nobility as her mother might quietly marry her to whom she liked best who wisely chose Vicenso Gremani a Noble Venetian and next akin to her daughter for her daughters husband Now tell me ingeniously Philip what would have become of this young maid if such a thing had hapned in one of your Monarchies To answer your Majesty said the Duke with that ingenuity of soul and liberty of Language as becomes this place doubtlesly if such a thing had hapned in any Monarchy such designs would have been had upon so rich a Dowry well befitting any Queen as with much violence covered over notwithstanding with the cloak of charity towards the young maid they would have imprisoned the mother shut the young maid up into some Monastery or other place only to inrich some of their favorites with this great Dowry for more then three or four such things as this hath been done in the like case both in Italy and elsewhere in my time and formerly well vvorthy to be joyned to the Letters of Phalaris of Agrigentum The XV. ADVERTISEMENT At a publick meeting Force contrary to the custom of the Plebean Court pretending to take place of Reputation That Beautiful Lady with excellent resolution finds a remedy for her reputation which was in great hazard IT is very well known in Parnassus that in all publick meetings Reputation hath alwaies had the precedency of Force and taken the right hand But it hapned the last morning when Apollo made his solemn entry into Leo Force had the insolency wherewith he is alwaies accompanied to contend for place with Reputation who had she not been able by her excellent dexterity to overcome so dangerous a rub had certainly received some notable affront yet was she very much distasted at that her enemies petulancy used toward her Wherefore the Vertuosi who were wholly devoted to that most excellent Princess incouraged her and exhorted her by no means to indure the insolency of that rash fellow and bad her moreover remember that she was the right hand of all Potentates and the only instrument wherewith Princes did rule and sway the world That therefore she should take heart and resolve to buckle with that hairbraind companion whom she would so bear down with the Majesty of her countenance at the very first incounter that as it had hapned a thousand times she would easily throw him down at her feet The Lady-Reputation answered those her beloved Vertuosi who so incouraged her with much meekness and civility that she greatly cherished their good will but that she could neither praise nor follow their advice Wishing them to remember that her whole power authority and greatness being grounded only upon mens opinions which was so uncertain and various and not upon the strength of armed men nor upon the security of inexpugnable Citadels she must in this her adversity proceed with great circumspections and admirable dexterity And that there was a great disparity between her and Force who though once discomfeited might easily recover and the second battle be made with greater strength which would be the more dangerous for her for that her enemy would to his former violence add disdain and shame for the first discomfeiture but that if it should so fall out that she should not with the sole Majesty of her Person and Authority of Aspect bear her enemy to the ground or worst her enemy at the very first incounter like an Elephant which falling to the ground cannot get up again she should be wholly rob'd of all her greatness which purchast her the reputation which she had amongst men Which considerations were the more necessary for her for that she had found nothing to be more dangerous to her then to go about to maintain that Authority and reputation in strength and vigor by force of Arms which was only grounded upon Opinion But that she would provide for the indempnity of her Authority by her usual remedies and would
injustice which was done them Moreover that all Primogeniture being grounded with much loss of blood he feared he should not be able to find out any form of priviledge with so strong and strict proviso's as would be able to keep people excluded from their inheritance from making by a dagger in their hand their Fathers last Will and Testament ineffectual The XLIV ADVERTISEMENT The Duke of Alva being accused of cruelty for having with exquisite diligence caused two of the prime subjects of his new Principality of Achaia to be imprisoned slain and afterwards secretly buryed in their very prisons defends himself stoutly before Apollo SOon after the Duke of Alva had tane possession of the new Principality of Achaia of which you heard at large by our late Letters that severe spirit who being wholly composed of wariness and vigilancy seemed to be indowed by nature with all requisites in a Prince who will with security govern States newly acquired After he had exactly observed the humors and behaviors of some chief men of the State he indeavoured to know who they were who had occasioned those many popular insurrections which had so much indangered the free State of Achaia and at last he found apparently that all the former evils had had their rise from the ambition of two principal men who being wealthy liberal courteous and more ambitious of government then became subjects to be qualities which in any whatsoever corrupted Commonwealth or newly founded principality make him who possesseth them formidable and by those means infinitely beloved by the people the Prince to secure the quiet of his State thought it very necessary to rid the world of so dangerous subjects so as with admirable dexterity and secrecy he got them both into his hands and with necessary resolution made them be put to death and buryed the very hour that they were imprisoned This cruel and resolute action not usually heard of nor seen in a State which never having known what belonged to servitude was not acquainted with those severe resentments which Princes through jealousie of State use to take gave that bad satisfaction to the Nobility which the severity of a new Prince usually doth when it is exercised against those ambitious popular Chieftains who by their seditions abuse Liberty and precipitate it into Tyranny and was of great terror to the common people who though they were much incenst against their Prince yet when they saw their leading men vvere tane from them they neither had courage nor vvit to move but as is usual upon such like occasions changed their insolency into admiration or vvonder their boldness into fear their acting of resentments into complaints by vvord and to threatning that revenge vvhich of themselves they had not vvit to execute The end of their rancor vvas then the making of such appeals to Apollo against their Prince as his Majesty straitly commanded him to make his present appearance in Parnassus and plead his justification against those imputations Alva obeyed and having acquainted his Majesty vvith their tedious conditions shevved him cleerly that to secure himself in the Government of his new Principality he was necessitated to use the wonted remedy of taking off the heads of the seditious people which Apollo seemed to be but little satisfyed with but told Alva that though the death of those two seditious men might be requisite yet he could not approve of the manner for that Princes who in the important resolution of putting any of their subjects to death did not proceed by the rules of known Justice injured their own reputation and interest and that Princes were obliged to make known to all the world the true reason which made them proceed with severity against their subjects and that the Delinquents punishment ought to be publick not onely for the Prince his Justification but to terrifie others and keep them from doing amiss The Prince grew pale to hear Apollo speak thus positively and answered that the aforesaid two persons were so mightily beloved by the People as if they should have been proceeded against by the usual course of Justice and that they had been executed as he acknowledged they should have been in the publike Piazza it was odds but that the People would by violence have taken them from the hands of Justice which disorder though it might have been prevented by guards of armed men yet it was most certain that the publike death of such prime men and who were so dearly beloved by their State would have caused such compunction such alteration in the minds of his Vassals as if not at that instant they would at least at some other time leave nothing unattempted to revenge it Which respects made him keep from purging the body of his State from those malignant humors which it abounded in by approved Medicines for certainly he should have stirred up such store of more pernicious humors as would have much aggravated the malady That it was a trivial politick Precept to frighten the meaner sort of people from committing wickedness by the spectacle of mechanicks in the Piazza's and other publike places but that personages of quality who were beloved by the People and whom Princes put to death onely for the safety of their State their deaths and burials must ensue their imprisonment in secret places for to punish signal men publikely upon scaffolds did not beget fear in men but rage of revenge Apollo then asked the Prince how long it had been since he had learned that Precept the Prince answered that whilst he was a young man he learned it of a Florentine who was his Master in the Politicks Apollo asked him again why he practised the contrary in the memorable and fatal resolution which he took in the business of Prince Egmont and Count Horn Alva boldly answered his Malesty that the interests were different in him who governed a Province as an other mans substitute and in him who was absolute Prince thereof and that Nature had made men wiser in governing their own particular affairs then those of their Masters and that many who seemed to be blinde in the government of other mens States were more then Argus-eyed in their own affairs The XLV ADVERTISEMENT A chief subject of the Province of Macedonia being hired by the Prince of Epire at a great salary when he came to know the right cause why that pension was given him doth magnanimously refuse it THe Prince of Epire who gives great Pensions to the chief Counsellors of divers of his neighbouring Potentates hath for a long time past paid great sums of money yearly to a chief Baron of Macedonia who is very well beloved and hath many followers in that Nation who believing that this the Prince of Epires Liberality proceeded from meer love sincerity of mind to free himself from the superiority of any other Prince which might disturb him in his service that he might be the more able to serve the Prince of Epire to
Piscara gotten by Loyalty and by fighting valiantly in their Prince his service then with the Kingdom of Naples purchast by treachery That Francisco Davalo was not so shallow-brain'd nor so little vers'd in worldly affairs as not to know that the Princes of the League who did so much covet his Rebellion aimed more at keeping Cesar from the total acquisition of the Dukedom of Millan then at the making him King of Naples And that it was known to him as it was to the whole world by so many sad examples which had happened that great Princes after they had imbarqued an ambitious personage out of their several ends in vaine hopes and wrought him into the certain danger of treachery and after having made good use of him did so totally abandon their protection not only because Graviorum Facinorum Ministri quasi exprobrantes aspiciuntur Tacit. lib. 4. Ann. but to give examples to their Subjects not to commit the like wickednesse by proving compleatly â—…famous as they were likely to be the first who would deliver them up into the power of their incensed Prince as to leave the more hatefull examples of modern times the world saw it formerly fared with Charls Duke of Burgundy towards the unfortunate and ill advised Count Saint Paul unluckily imployed by him and that though Spaniards were thought by all men to be puft up with the wind of Ambition yet was it not that vain-glory with which some Princes of Europe have of late years swoln many French Ballowns and not a few Flemmish Pilots But that those of his Nation being very hard to be imbarqued in the getting of great riches by indirect waies sinned only in their too immense desire of being honoured and respected in the places which they by their faithfull service had deserved of their Prince and that they were far from coveting by oblique and shamefull waies those greatnesses which they saw they could not arrive at with secure peace and quiet that to be a Coy-Duck for other mens ambition so to becom afterward the peoples laughing-stock or Town-talk was a thing abhorred by his Spain and that it would have been too great a folly for one like him to suffer himself to be perswaded that the Kingdom of Naples which was alwaies hereditary in the bloud of Spain and which would never accept of any Baron of the Kingdom though some of them had been very powerfull and ambitious and who by the effusion of their bloud had driven out Princes borne of the Royal bloud of France who would have conquered it would accept of him who was inferior to many Barons of that Kingdom and of a Nation so hatefull to the Neapolitans That in Hereditary Kingdoms as was that of Naples Kings were there borne not made or chosen And that those fools who would aspire thereunto by any other means then by lawfull succession of the bloud-Royal did climbe up a Mountain of misery to fall down headlong with the greater shame into the valley of infamy And that if any one should compasse it by fraudulent means he would be like those ridiculous Kings of Beffana who that they might afford pastime to the rabble-rout failed soon after their creation That he had alwaies kept firm to the resolution which he was born with rather to die a glorious Commander then a shamefull King That he had rather sought to deserve then that he ever coveted greater Titles then that of a Marquiss and that having observed by what he had read and in consideration of the present times that all conspiracies begin merrily with high thoughts but end basely with weeping he was contented to serve the Prince whom God had set over him with those means which he had beene pleased to bestow upon him for too immense greatnesse promised by Forreign Princes to such as he was were but breaknecks Apollo was so well pleased with Pescara's Apology as he answered Guicciardine who still affirmed that to intice the prime Princes of Europe with so much duplicity of heart to joyne with him in conspiracy of purpose that he might have the better occasion to discover it afterwards had rendered the Marquiss eternally infamous that Pescara had not inticed any Prince to joyne with him in framing any conspiracy against the Emperor that afterwards he might make advantage by revealing it In which case he would justly have incurred infamy but that much to his praise he had used requisite double dealing to discover the Complices of the Conspiracy and every other particular which for his Masters better service he was to know and that the Marquiss was the more to be praised for that by his honourable fraud he knew how to overcome the Princes so artificial deceits and that upon that occasion he had so fully done what became him to doe as he deserved to be imitated by every worthy Commander who might fall upon the like misfortune In Conspiracies which are communicated to others both he who accepted thereof and joyned therein and he who refused yet held his peace incurred the same penalty in so dangerous affairs the best counsel was to precipitate into the sudden but clear revelation of so unfortunate enterprises And that in the most mortal infirmities of Conspiracies two of the Politick Hippocrates his Aphorismes were very true That Qui deliberant desciverunt and that In ejusmodi conciliis periculosius est deprehendi quà m audere And that they that were desired to enter into a Conspiracy were fooles and self-murderers if in so miserable a case they pitcht their thoughts onely upon the sweet of revenge the accumulating wealth or preferments to Principalities and Kingdoms which might be propounded to them in reward of such wicked actions and those wise and charitable who held before their eyes the pictures of Fetters and Gibbets which are the right rewards and certain acquirements of desperate and ambitious people and of such as were giddy-headed The LV. ADVERTISEMENT Giovan Francisco Pico not being able to reconcile the differences between Plato and Aristotle Apollo commands those two great Philosophers to end the business in a publique Disputation and being therein obey'd they do not notwithstanding part friends THe task which as you heard of late the Count Giovan Francisco Pico della Mirandola that Phenix of the Vertuosi undertook by order from Apollo of reconciling the immortal differences which are discust between the two supreme Luminaries of Philosophy Plato and Aristotle hath been to so little purpose as not having given any satisfaction to his Majesty nor to his Literati it hath kindled new and much more eager argumentations in Pernassus Wherefore Apollo for the quiet of his State for the agreement between his Vertuosi and for the honour of Philosophy caused Plato and Aristotle to be sent for on the first day of the last month to appear before him to whom with an austeer look he said That there being but one truth of all Sciences they much injured Philosophy by the diversity of their
regulated That he very well knew that many Officers to the end that they might humble the insolent quiet the seditious and pacifie the tumultuous used unheard of severities at their very entrance into command upon such Delinquents as fell first into their hands but that he had likewise observed that those that did so ran danger at last by their bruitish way of proceeding For he strayed very far from the right way who thought to attain good ends by unjust means For God who did abhor that faults should be punished by greater faults could not any ways tolerate without exemplary punishment upon the Judges that injustice should be done to any one though it tended to the universal quiet That he loved onely such understanding Officers who could conscienciously apply fitting punishments to faults that he desired rather that men might err on the charitable side then exceed in rigor and that he had observed that those who begin their government with too much severity must either continue it with too barbarous cruelty or lose their credit by altering their maner of government that he had rather leave Corinth with the reputation of being a too indulgent then too severe an Officer That all times places and persons not being alike that Officer was very unwise who would put himself upon a necessity to proceed always after one the same maner him wise who being sometimes indulgent sometimes severe sometimes cruel who knew how to keep himself free in all his ways of proceeding could upon any excess suddainly committed or by too powerful a personage or in times of trouble or when to punish insolency with usual severity would rather aggravate then amend the malady make men believe that he had past over such a fault meerly out of his own clemency which he could not possibly punish according to the rigor of the Laws out of important respects That he confest he might infuse the same terror into the Nobility of his government by using extraordinary rigor toward that powerful Delinquent which Corbulone had infused into his whole Army by his severe proceeding with those two soldiers but that then Corbulone must likewise confess that upon another occasion at another time or in another place that same noble man or any other mâ—…â—…ommit a greater insolency which was for the good of the Counâ—… 〈◊〉 be winkt at nay sometimes praysed and rewarded that this was a great advantage which was gotten by the advised Officer only by a judicious variety in his proceedings and that too much rigor in a government to frighten delinquents was only then good when it was used towards the meaner sort of people who through their innate timerousness do more dread punishment then love reputation But that the nobly born who usually erred more in revenging the injuries done unto his honor then through any malignity of minde thought himself injured by the too great severity of the Law and together with his kindred and friends who account that shame whotever it be as done to their whole generation grevv so incenc'd and inraged as to affâ—…ont the too humerous Officer in his reputation and study revenge By all vvhich he cleerly savv that the Officer vvas ill advised vvho vvhilst he might carry himself freely in all his actions should by his cruel usage of the Nobiliy exceed the terms of that equal Justice which ought to be so adequate to the crime committed That to proceed otherwise was foolishly to put fetters upon a mans own feet by obliging him to be equally severe to all sorts and conditions of men and make himself slave to shameful dangerous cruelty To this Corbulone replyed that he was not wise enough to weigh businesses with the distinctions of time place and persons but that practice being the rule that he went by he knew that the punishment of those two foot souldiers had kept him from being trouâ—…led with using many the like severities But said Gonsaga it would have proved otherwise if you had used the same cruelty to any of the chief Officers of the Army and that the custom used by Gardners was excellently good and very fit to be imitated by all wise Governors of Provinces who make scare-crows of the filthiest rags and â—…outs about the house to frighten birds from eating their fruit and not of rich silks and velvets The LXIV ADVERTISEMENT The Prince of Macedon accuseth the Nobility of Athens of Treason before Apollo who are freed from that imputatoon by his Majesties Councel of war THe Duke of Athens dyed about the last of September and difference arose between the Prince of Macedon and the Lord of Epire touching the succession of that State The Prince of Macedon being called in by the people took possession of Athens against whom the Lord of Epire came with a numerous Army and besieged his enemy in the City of Epire and according to the modern way of warfare begirt it with Trenches and Forts and that he might bring the defendants the sooner to yield he assaulted Macedonia with an other flourishing Army making great progress there and doing much harm The Prince of Macedon who knew he could not long maintain himself in the besieged City and defend his own Patrimony to keep from loosing both resolved to yield and was contented to deliver up possession of whole Athens to the enemy upon condition he should restore such place unto him as he had taken in Macedon As soon as the Nobility of thâ—…â—…esieged City heard of this resolution the chief of them came unâ—… Prince and told him that as they had called him in to be their Lord and Master so would they never acknowledge any other Prince but he and that if he would but be of good courage he should find them ready to defend that State even to the last drop of their bloods To this the Panswered that the danger of his becoming a private foot souldier was too great that therefore for the better security of his fortune he was resolved to deliver up Athens to the Lord of Epire. Those Lords did then again beseech their Prince to confide in his subjects who did not onely assure him that they would defend Attica but that they would likewise recover Macedon and lastly conjured him to remember that they who with such readiness and singular affection had chosen him to be their Prince did not deserve in this their urgent necessity to be so ungratefully abandoned and given up in prey to the Prince of Epire who was much inraged against them for being rejected by them in that Election The offers and intercedings of these noble men did not only not at all incourage this Prince but at the very self same time he dispatched away a Herald to the enemies Camp to conclude the agreed on Capitulation Then the people of Athens that they might not be sold as slaves to that their enemy whom they knew they had so hainously offended seised on their Prince and made him prisoner
same Edict Then said Sanezzarro uninteressed men people who love the publike good better then their own private affairs Officers who are not slaves to their passions Princes who are not ambitious of coveting what belongs to other men are publikely said to live by thousands and thousands in the world and yet it is better known to Apollo then to any other whether any such Phenixes be to be found in Egypt Arabia or in any other part of the Earth that therefore if his Majesty would insert these Chimera's into his Edict and make the Law general Poets would have no just cause of complaint This being said the Pretor went presently to Apollo and acquainted him with Sanezzarro's desire who did so much wonder at the request made by Sanezzarro as he said these very words to the Pretor Now I perceive the Poets have reason for their complaint and that my Edict is not universal therefore revoke it without more ado for I will rather take the shame upon my self to let my Literati know that I was inconsiderate in the publication of this Edict then shame all mankind by making it know that men absolutely uninteressed are meerly fabulous The LXXXV ADVERTISEMENT Giovangirolimo Aquaviva haveng overcome a very great difficulty is with much Honor admitted into Pernassus IN the Assembly of the Vertuosi which was held for that purpose on Thursday last the credential Letters brought by a Gentleman who was sent to this Court from Signior Givangirolimo Aquaviva Duke of Atri were read who afterwards delivering his Embassie did in very handsome language desire that the Duke his Master might be admitted into Pernassus and in the same assembly the good deserts of the said Duke were diligently examined and maturely discust and this noble Duke being found to be very well verst in all the Liberal Sciences and arrived at the height of excellency in the Mathematicks by his Majesties express order who was ever very partial to this noble Family wherein learning seems rather to be hereditary then purchas'd by long study was created superintendent of the Triangles and lineatore Maggiore di euclide after this the wonted Cavalcata was decreed unto him and being accompanyed by the Lord Poets and the other learned Princes of fruitful Parthenope with many of their servants in rich liveries the shew was very noble and worthy so deserving a Prince but the greatest wonder was to see the Duke discourse a long time with Homer and Pindarus not making use of Valla or any other interpreter certainly a very glorious action in these Times and which purchas'd the Duke the more glory for that the Vertuosi of Pernassus did consisider that this Princes learning was of the very finest sort which makes them so much respected who are therewith indued Nor did he this out of necessity to eat bread nor to make use of it as many do for a Patrimony but onely that though he was born of noble blood and very rich he might not be thought an ignorant Plebeian and an unlearned begger for this Prince always held that perfect Nobility and true riches did onely consist in vertue The Duke was already come with his noble Cavalcata into the Via Sacra when it was made known unto him in his Majesties name by a publike messenger that he must return back for there was so great an impediment found in him as by vertue of the Pegasean Pragmatical Law he could not be admitted into Pernassus Upon this unfortunate news il Rota il Tansillo and many other Neapolitan Poets of the first Classis hasted to Apollo and understood that the impediment arose for that the illustrious Octavius Cardinal Aquaviva when he was Prelate in the Court of Rome had exercised the place of Maistre d'Hostelle under Pope Gregory the fourteenth and that since it was known in Pernassus that the formerly stately Courts of Princes through the tricks and inventions of beggerly Mastre d'Hostels were infected with the sordid contagion of foul avarice it was enacted by a very severe Edict that for the future not onely such as had exercised the hateful Office of Maistre d'Hostelle in Princes Courts should never be admitted into Pernassus but that all that descended from them or were any ways allyed unto them even to the fortieth degree should be for ever excluded The Duke was very much troubled at this unfortunate rub but having known that Edict long before he had foreseen the difficulties which he might meet withal in Pernassus so as to remove away all obstacles he took a letter out of his bosom written with his own hand unto his son wherein he did expresly forbid him to accept of that place but the business of Maistre d'Hostel is so odious in this Court as the Letter in justification of the Duke was not read nor any ways taken into consideration and now the business grew desperate and the Cavalcata began to return backwards when Cesare Caporale a Poet who having been greatly obliged to the house of Aquaviva hasted to Apollo to whom he largely attested that Signior Octavio as he was nobly minded so had he always lived in a liberal manner and that he was not made Maistre d'Hostelle by that free handed Pope for having a narrow soul and given to getting but onely that by the dignity of that so honorable a degree he might shew him to be a person fit to be made a Cardinal as it soon after fell out and that whilst he did discharge that place he studyed nothing more then how to feed the Vertuosi plentifully to protect the Literati and to reward those that deserved well a piece of generosity wherin he did always shew such liberality and greatness as finding that certain roguish Butlers mingled water with wine in the Popes Cellar he commanded by a severe and noble Edict which even to this day is punctually observed that it should not be lawful for any one for the future to have any water in those Cellars Apollo was so well pleased with this decree as he commanded that it should be written in large letters of gold by Croessis that famous Millanese Scribe and chief writer of Text-hand in the Delphick Library and that for the honor and glory of the famous Family of the Aquavive and for the Dukes reputation who had inriched the present age with so deserving a son it should be carryed before him in the Cavalcata which was the noblest and most admired thing that was seen therein and to compleat the Dukes contentment and the splendor of his house his Majesty decreed the Title of Mecenas to Signior Octavio Cardinal Aquaviva and sent it him by an express Messenger yesterday in forma dignum The LXXXVI ADVERTISEMENT The Duke of Laconia to revenge himself by way of Law upon a chief Senator of State for some private distastes that he had taken at him commanded Fleminio Cartaro his Iudge of Assize to proceed severely against him upon some heads which he would give him and
he denyes to obey him THe Duke of Laconia to take revenge for some distastes which he pretended to have received from a chief Senator of his State began under other pretences to trouble him at Law and having made him be imprisoned he commanded Flaminio Cartaro one of his Judges of Assize to make severe process against him and gave him some heads in writing whereupon to examine him Cartaro when he had considered the quality of the person against whom he was to proceed and the faults which were pretended to be laid to his charge easily perceived that the Duke would vent his private rage of hatred against that so signal personage by colour of justice And thinking it misbecame a man of his place to serve as a Minister to other mens passions and knowing that the purchase of unjust Princes favors by the shedding of innocent blood would soon be severely vindicated both by God and man rather then to stain his reputation by so foul an action put on that generous resolution which ought to be imitated by all Judges in the like case he escaped by night out of Laconia and some six days ago came to this Court. The Duke of Laconia as soon as he heard Cartaro was fled and knew what way he took sent forthwith two Embassadours to Apollo who earnestly desired his Majesty that for weighty state-Interest Cartaro might be kept forthcoming and sent back to their Prince Apollo who before he would take any resolution would know the truth of the business from Cartaro's self caused him to be immediately sent for and before the Embassadors asked him the reason of his so sudden and secret flight from Laconia Who plainly and very particularly acquainted Apollo with the truth of what had hapned between him and the Duke of Laconia and then added that had it been in an hereditary state he would in giving judgement have obeyed his Princes will but that in an elective Principality as was that of Laconia where Brevi Momento summa verti possunt Tacit. lib. 5. Annal. and where in the twinkling of an eye he might command in chief who did formerly obey and where new Princes are usually either of a differing Genius or contrary factions to the former when a Prince say it be not out of private hatred but justly doth vex any great Officer he should not finde either Judges Advocates or Serjeants ready to serve him For new Princes who commonly do not approve of their Predecessors Actions when they cannot cudgel the Ass the dead Prince vent all their rage and fury upon the pack-saddle the Judge whom they have in their power and that in faults committed by great men and executed by those that are meaner the known proverb was very true that the weakest went to the wall for it was not onely the custom of angry dogs but even of judicious men to revenge themselves upon the stone when they cannot come by the Arm that threw it and that this his doctrine was so true as he could give them the example of a famous Doctor of Castel Bolognese who was forced to feel the Tempest of that Rage which was not possible to shower down upon those great dogs which had good teeth to bite withal The LXXXVII ADVERTISEMENT Some Princes of this State having presented Apollo with a Book of the Reason of State the Vertuosi of Pernassus not approving of the definition of State therein given publish a new one which was very much displeasing to those Princes THe greatest Princes of this Court did with general applause present Apollo two days ago with a book which treated of the Reason of State and press'd very much that as being a very meritorious work it might be put into the Delphick Library Apollo who knew very well how much Princes abhor those writings which treating of State-affairs discover their souls fashions and inward intentions to the meaner sort of men wondered very much when he saw it was greatly desired by them that the book might be published to the world and as it commonly falls out in such like cases he sorely suspected lest these Princes might in such a business hide some private ends of their own whereupon according to the practice of this Court the book was assigned over to the Library Censors who did the more diligently consider it for that they likewise did apprehend some cheat which they soon found out They therefore told his Majesty the next day that those Princes did so highly celebrate the book of the Reason of State which they had presented unto him out of self-interest for nothing being treated of therein but the Politicks In genere there was no mention made therin of that reason of State which the Title promised and that Reason of State being of the Politicks the Author of the book had craftily and peradventure bribed so to do by the Princes given it the specious definition which belongs to the whole body of the Politicks saying That the reason of State was the knowledge of fitting means to ground maintain and inlarge a State by which gilded definition they endeavoured to make the Reason of state appear to be a good thing which Learned men and such as did more fear God then flatter Princes freely termed the Devils Law Apollo did infinitely dislike the falshood used by that Author and immediatly gave order That the Title of Reason of State should be taken from that Book which otherwise was very elegantly written and that of the Politicks put in the place of it At which the Princes were infinitly displeased when not long after one mightily cried up for his skill in the Politicks did with excellent Reasons refute the former Erroneous definition of the Reason of State and gave it publickly another definition which was That the Reason of State was a Law useful for Commonwealths but absolutely contrary to the Laws both of God and Man A Definition which being written in Letters of Gold and afterwards affixed upon the Columns of the Peripatetick Porch was approved of by all the Literati for as absolutely true as the other was in extremity false The Princes who thought that this new Definition was published onely to put a scorn upon them were so highly incensed as some of them moved to take up Arms against the Literati and to end that important business with Sword in hand but the wiser sort did mollifie the rage of the more capricious and did joyntly present themselves before Apollo where Lewis the Twelfth that famous King of France speaking to His Majesty in the name of all the other Princes complained That a Definition was given to the Reason of State by the Literati which was very wicked which if His Majesty should not soon recal their States should be put into confusion Apollo answered King Lewis That he did from that time forward declare the Definition given lately by his Vertuosi to the Reason of State to be utterly scandalous and wicked but that to provide
to Apollo who though he much abhor'd that one of his Vertuosi should be esteemed a prater yet that he might upon better grounds judge this Literato he would know from the accused partie 's own mouth what the matter was which is certainly an excellent way of proceeding and which if it were imitated by Princes who govern the world they would not be so much troubled with other mens faults The Vertuoso acquainted Apollo with all that had been laid to his charge who having heard his confession did immediately revoke the sentence so far doth the Justice differ which God infuseth into the hearts of Princes from what Judges learn in their Decrees for finding that the digression into which that Literato had falne and wherein he had so inlarged himself was much more delicate than his first discourse his Majâ—…sty thought he had no waies misdemerited by that his forgetfulness since the error committed was not occasioned through his desire to prate but out of ambition to purchase honour to himself by making that digression And therefore he commanded the Judges to set him at liberty for he was not to be blamed for much discourse who discoursed well The XCVI ADVERTISEMENT Philip the second King of Spain being offended at what the Duke of Alva had told Apollo concerning his Government of Flanders whilst he seeks to revenge himself upon that his Minister of State is sent for by Apollo who was acquainted with what had past and is by him pacified THere was never any Court wherein there were not of those malitiously minded men who reporting what ought to be concealed are very desirous to raise scandals and to kindle enmity amongst their neighbours This is said for that Duke Alva formerly Prince of the Achaians had no sooner told Apollo that though he foresaw it would be occasion of great scandal he had caused the heads of Prince Egmont and Count Horn to be publickly shewed upon the Skaffolds in Brussels only because men are of another opinion when they govern another mans State than when their own peculiar Estate is concerned But the news thereof was forthwith brought to the wise King of Spain Philip the second who being highly offended with that his Minister of State resolved to revenge so great an injury by Arms and therefore he commanded some of the Gentlemen of his Chamber to arm themselves suddenly and evil intreat the Duke of Alva wheresoever they should meet him This resolution of the Kings was discovered and being forthwith made known to Apollo his Majesty sent for the King of Spain and the Duke of Alva to come to him who when they appeared the King being highly incensed complained bitterly upon the Duke that meerly out of ambition of perpetuating himself in the Government of Flanders he had put his patrimony into the present inextricable troubles a thing the more worthy of punishment in that he himself had confest his dealing so badly with his King with the same freedom as others glory in honorable actions The Duke answered in his own defence to this complaint made against him by the King that he had fought for his King in Africa in Germany in France in Flanders and in Italy and still with victory and that his faithful and honorable actions had been so ill rewarded in peace that not only men of the Long Robe who were unfit for War had been preferred before him in those Provinces from whence he had driven out the enemy but even women whereby he was either en tertained idlely afterwards in the Court or else in imployments misbecoming such a one as he only that he might idolatrize the power of Ruy Gomes di Selva and other Subjects who were mean in comparison of him and yet were in greater esteem then he in his Kings Court a thing which misbecoming him to suffer and which he could in no waies digest as being altogether contrary to his genius and he one that could not suffer indignities was not only interpreted by his malevolents but even by his King to be an intolerable pride in him in not being willing to tolerate an equal much less a superior to himself in Court that it was true that to preserve his reputation and to keep such a one as he from being numbred amongst the rank of ordinary Courtiers in the Court of Spain he had endeavoured to eternize himself in the Government of Flanders which he would intentively have endeavoured to have reduced into a peaceful condition if he had thought he could have governed it in peace The King of Spain was much incenst at this so resolute answer and said that his State-Minister having confest his fault twice over nothing remained but condemnation Nay rather said Apollo to the King of Spain I must by absolving the Duke from all that you lay to his charge admonish such great Kings as you to deal well with those Commanders who having purchased the glory of true Military valour at the expence of their bloud deserve their Kings full favour for it is just and reasonable that Kingdoms and great Provinces should be governed by those in times of peace who had the courage to acquire them in war or who by their Arms have defended them against the publick enemy but because many of you care not to do what is just nor what out of gratitude ought to be done since I find you slow in learning by the advantagious reading of History how you ought to satisfie and content those Commanders who with their weapons in their hands have deserved to be largely rewarded be not at least ashamed to take example in a business of such importance from the Ottoman Emperors who in the troublesom times of War give the charge of Generalissimo of their Armies and therein all usefull and advised liberty to none but to their chief Vziiers aso sublime dignity as he who possesseth it governs the vast Ottoman Empire in Supreme Authority as sole Arbitrator of Peace and War Wherefore the chief Viziers knowing that their places are much more advantagious and honourable in Peace then in War behave themselves very faithfully in their warlike expeditions to the end that through their worth they may maintain the dignity which they possess moreover they hasten to get the victory that they may discharge so great an imployment by the acquisition of new States and by subduing the enemy Philip 't is neither in my power nor yet in the power of any other Prince to make men love the advantage of other men more then their own And the true art of making Commanders eternally loyal is as I have said to shew them honorable and gainful peace at home amidst the troubles of War The XCVII ADVERTISEMENT Pompey the great having invited many Noble Lords of Rome to be present at the dedication of the magnificent Theatre which he had built in Pernassus they refuse to come POmpey the great having finished his stately Fabrick of a Theatre in Pernassus which was no whit
Prince without authority is idle The weight therefore of the Roman Empire did not exceed 480 pound and this redounded certainly to the infinite shame of the lay Electors who were thought to be those that by their cunning had brought her to that unfortunate condition For the common opinion was that they had wrought it so as those Cities and States which they themselves could not enjoy should by rebelling against the Empire vindicate their Liberty to the end that those Emperors might not have power to regain those States by force of arms which they had possessed themselves of with so much perfidiousness So as to the miserable example of the vicissitude of humane affairs the formerly dreaded Roman Empire hath wickedly wasted her antient Dominions by her Subjects avarice and ambition and is now reduced into a Lodging with the miserable salary of seven duckets a month which is given her rather by way of recognition and alms than as any due tribute In so much as the House of Austria is forced to maintain the Imperial dignity which is now brought to so low a condition out of her own Patrimonial Estate And though this so great misery moved commiseration in many Princes yet those who did remember the Henrie's insolences the cruelty of the Fredericks the seditions impieties and plunderings used by many other Emperors in Italy affirmed freely that it was not the rapacity of the Electors nor the Germans infidelity but that it was the great wisdom of all the Princes of Europe who for the good of the publick peace cut the talons and pluckt the chief feathers of the Eagle which had alwaies made profession to live by rapine and which made her self believe that all the people of Europe like so many tame pigeons were her prey And it was observed by many that the Princes of Italy did very much rejoyce to see the Roman Empire reduced to so great ruine as those who remembred what hard usage they had often received from thence in Italy Then was the flourishing and warlike Nation of France brought to the Scales by her famous Peers a four-square Edifice of five hundred and fifty miles extent on every side full of an infinite well armed Nobility on horseback who do not only maintain peace at home but make so great a King formidable to all Nations where are seen great abundance of sacred Personages which render her religious of Learned men who do beautifie her of Merchants and Artificers who enrich her and of Husbandmen who do make her abound in all good things But nothing makes the beholders wonder more then to see that the Kingdom of France is a Sea which is sailed upon and a Land which is sowed by all Wines The antient weight of this famous Kingdom was twenty millions of pounds but when she was weighed the last fifteen years by reason of the great calamities she was put into by some of her disloyal Barons she reached not to twelve millions And at this present she doth not only equal but exceed her weight in the best of her former times for she weighs 25 millions a thing which all men have much wondred at in so much as the Spaniards put their Spectacles upon their noses and did observe very punctually whether the weights were just or no. Since Bressia is added to the antient Kingdom of France given unto her by the Duke of Savoy which because it flanks the City of Lions hath increased her weight above one million Next the many Kingdoms of Spain were put into the Scale by the Spanish Grandees And to the great amazement of those old men that remembred that some sixscore years before those Kingdoms were but meanly esteemed of the weight came to twenty millions And they assured themselves that by the addition of so many other States which were yet to be put into the Scales she would not only equal but exceed the greatest weight of the French Monarchy They did then forthwith put into the Scales the flourishing Kingdom of Naples which was believed would add two millions to the weight but did take a million and a half from the weight thereof At which the Spaniards being much astonished said that Lorenzo had either used some cosenage or else the scales of necessity must not be just since it was not to be believed that the weight should grow lesser by addition And growing into great choler the Spaniards said that the Medici should do well to be once quiet and not add new offences and things hateful to the Spaniards to the insufferable distastes of Flanders Marselles and Aldighiera Lorenzo without any the least alteration reply'd to these resentful words That his scales were just but that the Neapolitans and Millaneses did not add any weight thereunto being so far distant from the strength of Spain and full of people who did so unwillingly undergo the Dominion of Forreigners and that the Indies were void of Inhabitants that the love and multitude of subjects the fertility and conjunction of States was that which weighed down his scales Then answering with some more shew of anger to the particular of Flanders Marselles and Aldighiera Lorenzo said that as long as the Spaniards would keep themselves within the bounds of honesty they should alwaies be beloved honoured and served by his greâ—… Dukes of Tuscany but that they were very much deceived if they thought they should ever be able to draw the Medici out of Florence as they had done the unfortunate Sforz out of Millan That States could not be deposited into the hands of Princes as monies were with a mind to recall them in a fitting time And that the merit of any gift how great soever was lost when one went about to reassume it Then the Princes who heard words begin to multiply interposed themselves between Lorenzo and the Spaniards and breaking off that hot discourse bad them proceed on to the scales The Spaniards put then thereinto the Dukedom of Millan which withdrew likewise a million from the weight whereat the Spaniards were so astonished as they would not put Flanders into the scales fearing to receive som further affront 'T was said that if they would have put in the Indies they might have done some good but not such miracles as some wide mouthes speak of who speak of millions of crowns with as much ease as Pigeons eat pease The English were next called in who put their Kingdom into the scales formidable for the strength of its miraculous scituation for the mountains wherewith she is invironed serve for walls made like bulwarks by Gods own hand and the sea supplying the place of a deep ditch makes her a redoubted Kingdom by reason of the commodity she hath to assail others and the insufferable difficulties which they meeâ—… with who will assault her This Kingdom the last fifteen years weighed fifteen millions but at the present it comes short of nine the occasion of this decrease to boot with the Apostasie of that
books not constrained by any necessity at all And that they must all know that Prince Battori had attained to this elegancy of the Latine Tongue not out of any ambition to shew himself learned nor out of a vertuous curiosity to know many things but out of the necessity he was put to of correcting for his credit's sake that simple boyish misconstruction which he committed in Gender Number and Case then when in the Hungarian War he made that fatal resolution of taking up arms against the Turks that he might adhere to the Emperor of Germany of whom having so strong and lively pretences upon the Principality of Transilvania he should have stood in more fear then of threescore and ten Ottoman Emperors The French are freed out of the Mad-mens Hospital by the Spaniards SOme two daies ago did Apollo now at last cause to be releas'd out of the Mad-mens Hospital a great number of French that had lain there many years During which time in their raging fits they had committed both against themselves and their friends many lamentable trespasses and had given cause sufficient for tears to all Europe Now because by Affidavit formally given in to the Court of the most illustrious Physicians or Medici of Florence who have alwaies been assisting in the cure of the dangerous malady of that Nation it was made fully to appear that they were recovered they have been dismiss'd But before their departure out of Pernassus his Majesty sent for them and told them That for the future they should understand how to enjoy so flourishing and potent a Kingdom with more discretion then formerly they had and that above all things they should remember that for the recovery of their healths they had been wholly obliged to the Spaniards who with only appearing armed in France and particularly in Paris had returned some brains into the beetle-heads of those Frenchmen that formerly had played such mad pranks in France Many and hearty thanks did then these Frenchmen return to his Majesty and said they should be so far mindful of the wholsom counsel he gave them that in measuring the distances of places they would hereafter accustom themselves to make use of the Italian mile that so they might avoid that woful name of League But as for the recovery of their brains they were altogether beholding for that to their most generous and ever victorious King Henry the fourth who with the splendor of his valour had opened the eyes of the French that had been foully blinded with Spanish hypocrisie Besides that the Spaniards which had been the first authors of that lamentable French Tragedy had so cunningly gotten a trick to make way for themselves in France with their glittering and most beloved double Pistolets that they had made both the foolish and the wise too to run out of their wits Some for examples sake are made a spectacle to the people APollo to his singular discontent was informed that the greater part of modern Princes do not for the subduing of their enemies make use according to the custom of the antient Heroes of open force but sometimes of fraud In the exercise of which they so much preval that only by the powerful means thereof they have made shift to bring their most important enterprises to pass Whence it is that the first weapon which these draw against their enemies is that so shamefull one of corrupting the Loyalty of their discontented Subjects and of stirring up the Nobility to rebellion Wherefore to remedy such grievous disorders about thirty years ago his Majesty gave command that the most unfortunate the Count St. Paul the Prince of Orange and the Duke of Guise should be brought in a wheele-barrow by Iohn Francesco Lottini privy Register of moral Precepts in this Court and set under the Porch of the Delphick Temple Whereupon these three great Princes with their hands fingerless and all pittifully mangled looking as if the dogs had gnawn them were shewn by Lottini to the people that went in and out of the Temple To whom with a loud voyce thus he spake Ye faithful Vertuosi devoted to Learning and sacred Morality take example by the so wretched calamity of these unfortunate Princes deprived of the use of their hands which God send you ever to enjoy and learn to know what comes of it when men will be perswaded to be so simple as to draw Crabs out of their holes with their own hands for the benefit of others A discovery made that the Spanish Officers are wholly concern'd in their own profits THree daies ago about one a clock at night forty Carts of Hay were seen to enter the Royal Palace of the Spanish Monarchy and because the unseasonableness of the time filled with jealousie the French the Venetians and other Potentates that live in perpetual jealousie of so formidable a Princesse's greatness with exact diligence inquiry was made whether the Carts carried any thing prejudicial under the hay And the Spies brought in word that under the hay were hidden chests full of mattocks spades and pickaxes And because these are tools that belong to Pioneers the French were resolved to stand to their arms and the Venetians would needs lanch out those Gallies that were in their Arsenal when it was resolved that before they would discover themselves they should do well to be informed whether the Spaniards had brought any other quantity of those instruments or whether they expected any from some other place And they were assured that neither formerly had they received any nor for the future did they expect any And the Spies added That as soon as those chests were taken down they were not carried into the Royal Magazine but all the Grandees of Spain and the prime Officers of that mighty Monarchy suddenly divided amongst them those mattocks those spades and those pickaxes with which the next morning very early with all speed they fell to digging of ditches to drawing of channels to making of banks and to loading the earth with a thousand Aqueducts every one with so much labour and diligence drawing the water to his own Mill as they had brought the publick affairs to such a sad condition that the Mills of the Commonalty of Spain could grind no longer for want of water Maximilian the Emperor is advertised of the tumults sprung up amongst his Sons THis last night there came in three Posts to the Emperor Maximilian the second and instantly it was divulged that they brought news how Matthias the Arch-Duke had taken up arms against his brother Rodulphus the Emperor with which he seditiously claimed the Kingdoms of Hungary of Bohemia of Austria and the absolute Soveraignty over other Provinces These unhappy tidings infinitely troubled the Emperors mind for he very well knew that the discord arisen amongst his Sons afforded to the enemies of the House of Austria that contentment which they so much desired to see Whereupon yesterday morning very early he presented himself before Apollo
leave only to learn how to write and read To this Censure the Dukedom of Muscovy answered That the hideous fire which he had observed Learning alwaies kindled in those States where it was admitted had made him resolve by no means to give way that so scandalous a Cockle should be sown in his Dukedom For Men being as much Princes Heards as Sheep are private persons Flocks it were the height of madness to arm those humane sheep subjects which by reason of the much simplicity that God created in them are though many easily governed by one only Shepheard the Prince with that craft and malice which Learning engrafts into the brains of those that entertain it And that it was no more the proper quality of fire to give heat then of books to transform the simple sheep into most corrupted wolves Lastly that he held it for a thing unquestionable That if the Germans the Hollanders and the Zealanders had been kept by their Princes in the simplicity of their antient ignorance and they withall had given charge that the pure minds of those Nations should not have been contaminated with the pestilence of Greek and Latine Literature they would never with such havock of the old Religion and the casting out of many Princes which formerly governed them have had the judgement to know how to settle in their Countries those perfect Forms of Commonwealths which the wit of Solon the wisdom of Plato and all the Philosophy of Aristotle to boot could never attain unto This answer so troubled the minds of the Censor and of the whole College of the Literati that with threatning countenances they said That the arguments alleadged by the great Duke of Muscovy were most manifest blasphemies Nay it seemed that the Literati were minded to doe themselves right by arms but their courages were cooled when they saw the major part of the more potent Monarchies betake themselves to their weapons in defence of the Muscovite Who growing yet bolder by the ready assistance which he perceived he should have from so many Potentates freely said That if there were any present who would deny that Learning did infinitely hinder the tranquillity and good Government of States and that the Prince might with more ease command a million of Idiots then a hundred Learned men born to command not to obey he lied in his throat At this generous defiance the Vertuosi were all in a pelting chafe and couragiously said That the Muscovite had spoken with insolence worthy of an Idiot and that they would make it evident to him that men without Learning were two-legged Beasts Already was the scuffle begun when the Censor cryed out Hold bear due respect to this place where you are all assembled to amend disorders and not to commit scandals And such was the reverence every one bare to the Majesty of the Censor that the minds of the Princes and the hearts of the Vertuosi though stark mad for anger and enraged with disdain were wholly paciâ—…ied on a sudden Here it is not to be concealed that the Duke of Urbin who before sate in the Classis of Princes as soon as he saw the fray begun went on the other side to help the Vertuosi and placing himself in the first rank shewed a mind resolved to lose his State so he might but defend the Liberal Aâ—…ts All Tumults then being appeased the Censor told the most renowned Venetian Liberty who was drawn out of the Urne That the hardest bone which Aristocracies could never gnaw as she well knew was the bridling of the young Nobility which when by over-much licentiousness it had distasted the better sort of Citizens had often occasioned the ruine of the most famous Commonwealths and that to his great grief he heard that the young Nobility of Venice did by their proud demeanor give offence to many honorable Citizens of that State who loudly complained that as the insolence of the Nobilâ—…ty increased the punishments abated That he therefore wished her to remember it was a dangerous thing in Aristocracies for those which should glory of being wholly freed from the perils which a State is subject to that obeys the caprichio of one Prince to be heard complain of being baffled by many Tyrants To these things the Venetian Liberty answered That the disorder recounted by the Censor was true and withall dangerous but that pride and insolence are so annexed to authority of command that they seemed to be all of a birth and that the excessive licentiousness which the Nobility of all Aristocracies exercised over the Citizens was reputed by all the famous men that have discoursed of Commonwealths a desperate cure For though it were necessary that insolences should be restrained by severe punishments yet on the other side Aristocracies should forbear openly to chastise Noblemen though seditious and this that they may not by disgracefull sufferings bring the people to undervalue that very Nobility which having in their hands the Government of the State ought for the main Interest of the publick conservation of Liberty to be maintained in highest reputation And that if in her Venice the more stubborn and insolent Nobles were not openly punished in St. Marks Place between the two Columns so often as it seemed many desired that yet by the Gran Consiglio by the Pregadi by the Collegio and other superior Magistrates who dispose of publick Offices there was with the torments of disgraceful repulses made a terrible massacre of those seditious Nobles who in a free Countrey were discovered to bear tyrannous minds and that in Venice there were seen many persons of very Noble Families whose antient reputation had been shot to fitters with Harquebuses charged with bullets made of rags and that being by such odd blows sometimes felled to the ground they were never able to rise again to honours and dignities And that there could not be invented no not by Perillus himself a more torturing rack for the tearing of ones body limb from limb then that which a Noble Venetian hath sometimes undergon when in the Rival ship about Offices of credit and much stood for he hath seen go before him a person younger then he only because he was known by the Senate to be more deserving Castiglione not only admired at the justification of the renowned Venetian Liberty but infinitely praised both the circumspectness and the severity which she used in punishing and chastising her Nobility in case either of any demerit or of any defect Presently after the Censor said to the Dukedom of Savoy that his State being placed between the confines of France and Italy he was necessitated with all possible diligence to maintain neutrality between those Princes upon whom he did confine But that in these last tumults of France having openly discovered himself to be wholly Spanish he had put not only his own but the States of all the Italian Princes in great trouble and that while with the bellows of his Forces he had puffed in
the fire of the French commotions enkindled by Spanish ambition he ought to believe that that flame would burn up friends and kindred before it could come at the other Italian Potentates that were enemies The Dukedom of Savoy readily answered the Censor That the adherence of his last Duke to the Spaniard was true But the fair advantage which he had of three sevens in hand had enforced him to set his Rest hoping to have gotten the famousest Prime as ever any Prince whatsoever had at Cardes Upon which hazard he had so much the more willingly put himself because it seemed a thing appointed by destiny that those moneys which had been gotten at play should at the same Game be lost That afterwards if by his ill fortune in the fourth Card that was dealt him he should happen to be affronted by an ugly Court-Card with which he should have the worst Game that could be in the Pack yet he knew that honest good fellows would have confessed that though the resolution were very full of danger yet they themselves not to wrong the Cards would have plai'd it no otherwise The Censor understood the Metaphor and highly praised that Dukes resolution Who because from a little Feaver he might have received as a Donative the command of the greater part of the world when not only without any note of indiscretion but to his infinite glory he threw the Dy of all the greatness of his Fortunes in the Tables of chance he might once more say those famous words Aut Caesar aut Nullus Then the Censor turned to the great Duke of Tuscany and sharply reprehending him for rousing up the Wasp with those Gallies of his he put him in mind of the calamities and troubles which the Knights of St. Iohn suffered in Rhodes in Tripoly and the great hazard they ran at last in Malta only because like fools they would needs be fastening of squibs upon the Bull And that every discreet Christian Prince should rather favour the Turks present carelesness then with injuries that yield but little benefit nay which may bring much danger and damage to awaken them and enforce them to set their minds again upon Maritime affairs which now-a-daies they had given over He likewise recalled to his memory the many complaints of infinite multitudes which continually crie out that by his hindering of the Trade between Italy and the Levant all the Drugs that came from beyond-sea were grown excessive dear To this reproof the Grand Dukedom of Tuscany answered That the power of a Prince could not be tearmed perfect unless with a considerable party of men of War he had some command upon the sea And that his Gallies were very necessary not only for the Tuscan greatness but for the securing of the Liberty of all Italy as those which served for a School to Mariners as a Seminary both for sea-Captains and sea-souldiers He confessed that the damage they did to Trading was true but that withall he desired every one to remember that the mystery of War both by sea and by land could not be learned by souldiers nor practised by Princes without bringing some damage along with it And that since Tuscany did breed a numerous rascallity of turbulent mad-caps and extravagant humors he had yet farther very great need of those Gallies which were as the scavengery of his State by which he kept it cleanly employing them for slaves which had done mischiefs already and for souldiers those heteroclitick dispositions who by reason of their restless natures 't was thought were likely to do worse With wonderful applause was the great Dukedom of Tuscany's Apologie approved of both by the Censor and the whole College Whereupon the Count told the Comomnwealth of Genoua which was drawn last That the use of Exchange which she allowed her Nobility caused the great disorder of enriching the private and withall impoverishing the publick stock whose in-comes would have yielded a notable sum of Gold had the King-like wealth of her Nobles been employed in the just traffick of Merchandize And that together with the prohibition of Exchange her Nobles should give over that dangerous conversation with the Spaniards which so much lessened her reputation With a readiness that much took all the Literati the Common-wealth of Genoua answered It was true that the Exchanges wrought that effect which the Censor had intimated and therefore vvere most pernicious in any Monarchy but that yet vvithout any prejudice to the publick interests they might be permitted in a vvell ordered Republick for the most substantial and sure treasures of a free State vvere the riches of the nobility or gentry of all the body Politick one with another Athing vvhich happened not in Monarchies vvhere betvveen the Princes possessions and privat mens goods there vvas a partition-wall of the largest size made up of meum tuum Because in Monarchies the change of State happens ordinarily with no great matter of concernment to the people only changing the name of Matthew to that of Martine But in the subversion of Commonwealths where Liberty was to be changed into Bondage the publick treasure was made out of the peculiar goods of private men who then would profusely lay out all their Estates to defend as long as breath lasted every mans peculiar Liberty As for the dangerous Commerce that her Nobility held with the Spaniards she desired every one throughly to consider whether the entercourse of her Genoueses were hurtfull to the Spaniards or the familiarity of the Spaniards to the Genoueses For certainly they would find that the frying-pan stood in no great fear of being smutted by the kettle The Spanish Monarchy invites the Cardinal of Toledo to be Secretary of State who refuseth and why T Is given out up and down this Court that the high and mighty Monarchy of Spain hath invited the most illustrious Cardinal of Toledo for her chief Secretary of State with a large Pension to assist as her Divine in the Counsel-Royal that so nothing be determined there which may be against her conscience This news hath filled all this Court with great admiration every one knowing how much this Prelate did work against the interests of her King in the re-benediction of the most Christian King Henry the fourth Wherefore no man could imagin the reason why so sharp-witted a Princess should desire to make use of a person so little to be trusted in a business of highest importance Those that most profess the knowledg of the subtile Spaniards manner of proceeding did even in this observe the old cunning of the Spanish Kings whose peculiar custom it is never to give over till with Pensions with honorable places of Command and with all courteous demonstrations of affection they have brought over to their side all those eminent persons whom they perceive to be estranged from their interests and from whom they know that at a pinch they may receive services They that are most inward wiâ—…h this great
Apollo wherein that Prince or private man is declared to be fallen into a premunire and liable to the penalty of reproach that should dare to affront any Historian or other Writer for things written though little for his honour yet howsoever true But so potent were the Dukes friends that Guicchiardin was content to withdraw the suit whereupon he was admitted into Pernassus with all the greatest solemnities possible and had a place among his Majesties Gens d'armes commanded by the famous Quintus Fabius Maximus who for his singular wariness was sirnamed Cunctator And it hapned that among other Princes and great Commanders whom this Duke visited that one was the most excellent Signior Prospero Colonna of whom he was received with all sorts of honour and so much the more because he understood that the Duke made publick profession of being a Disciple a follower and imitator of that slow but sure way of waging war used by this Signior Prospero But in this visit there fell out a strange accident and in truth a very troublesome chance for at the first meeting the Duke having given to Signior Prospero the Title of Vostra Merce he grew into such a rage that taking so base a Title for a great affront he said with an angry voice Duke I thought thou hadst come into my house to reverence one that is greater then thy self not to undervalue him But because the men of the House of Colonna answer injuries done by words with deeds Get thee out of this house for in the street with weapons in hand I will make it good upon thee that they which proceed with such as I am in base uncivil tearms deserve not to be admitted into any commerce with men of honour The Duke was amazed at this so resolute resentment which he observed in that great Commander and resisting the violence that Signior Prospero used to thrust him out of the Chamber he fell to fisticuffs with him And because the Spaniards that were in the Dukes company seeing him struggle with Colonna came in to help him the Italians that waited upon Signior Prospero did the same too So that a great many men being gotten into a very narrow place there insued a very cruel scuffle the noise whereof being heard into the street was the occasion that the news of so dangerous an accident was suddenly carried to Apollo Who in great hast dispatch'd away thither the Lord Lieutenant of that place with a guard which took the Duke out of Prospero's hands and having quieted the uprore commanded the Spaniards who had been already shrewdly handled to get them home again Then Signior Prospero before any body could give in sinister information against him presented himself before Apollo to whom it is reported that with great haughtiness of mind he spake these words Sir It is well known to every one that those of the house of Colonna which have been men of my quality have alwaies enjoy'd the Title of Excellency antequam Abraham fuerit and ere the Spaniards were in rerum natura Now that this Nation should undertake to misuse such a one as I am as at this very instant the Duke of Alva hath had the audaciousness to do in mine own house is a thing by no means to be indured For if the abjectness of him that makes the trespass doth infinitely aggravate the injury to him against whom it is made how is it possible that an Italian Baron of my quality should contain himself within the bounds of modesty when he sees he is so much undervalued by that Spanish Nation whose miseries within these four daies the whole world did so pitty that the Christians were fain to have gatherings for them in their Churches to free them from that wretched slavery wherein they were so unfortunately oppressed by the Moors of Granada The Spaniards enjoy the Dominion over the greatest part of Italy where by such as I am though every day they threaten us with cruel and universal slavery they are lov'd honoured yes and serv'd And they with their portentous avarice have deprived us of our estates and in the deplorable sack of Rome with their unexpressible sensuality have bereft our chastest Matrons of their honours Yet that now in return of so prostrated a patience they would fain take from us this little vapour of honour that we have left and these poor Titles the unhappy remainders and lamentable Reliques of the Italian Reputation is a thing so hard to be digested that by every honorable Baron of Italy it ought to be revenged not with verbal complaints as I do but with the daggers point They that were present at this passage say that all the while Signior Prospero was speaking Apollo look'd something smiling And still the angrier Colonna grew the more did the mirth of his Majesties divine and resplendent face appear insomuch that when Signior Prospero had broken forth into those over-daring words that the gross abuses which the Spaniards offer to the Italians ought to be revenged with the daggers point he burst out into a downright laughter and said Prospero Thou hast been and alwaies wilt be too cholerick And I must needs tell thee I am infinitely scandalized that such a one as thou who hath alwaies made particular profession of a sound judgement should wonder that slaves which for twenty years together have been fed in a Galley with black and musty bisket when they light upon a batch of Manchet use to fill themselves till their guts be ready to crack Yet that their outragious greediness and every indecent action with which they use to gorge themselves is so far from being odious to those good honest men which look on that it rather moves them to pitty Do you Italians therefore give way too that the Spaniards men so newly come into the world and but lately gotten out of the slavery under the Moors of Granada may glut themselves with diet so delicious to their taste and with the honoured Titles they have met with in Italy For I assure you that as soon as ever they shall be satiated with these vanities they too as well as the French will be so fair conditioned that not only to such as you but to the very Grooms of their Stables they will very gladly give the Title of Excellence And let me tell thee that if thou hadst that discretion and that perfect knowledg of worldly things as I â—…ould with thee thou would'st very well know that these exorbitances and this so odious manner of behaviour which the Spaniards use in Italy whereat thou art so extreamly vex'd is as so much of the best sugar for you Italians and as so much of the bitterest poyson for the Spanish Nation Which if to her valour to her subtilty and to that inexplicable ambition of hers she had added amiable conditions by absolutely casting out that remainder of Liberty which is not yet quite gone she would soon have made her self entire Mistress of the Universe