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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A16264	The new-found politicke Disclosing the secret natures and dispositions as well of priuate persons as of statesmen and courtiers; wherein the gouernments, greatnesse, and power of the most notable kingdomes and common-wealths of the world are discouered and censured. Together with many excellent caueats and rules fit to be obserued by those princes and states of Christendome, both Protestants and papists, which haue reason to distrust the designes of the King of Spaine, as by the speech of the Duke of Hernia, vttered in the counsell of Spaine, and hereto annexed, may appeare. Written in Italian by Traiano Boccalini ... And now translated into English for the benefit of this kingdome.; De' ragguagli di Parnaso. English	Boccalini, Traiano, 1556-1613.; Vaughan, William, 1577-1641.; Florio, John, 1553?-1625.; Scott, Thomas, 1580?-1626. Newes from Pernassus.; Boccalini, Traiano, 1556-1613. Pietra del paragone politico.	1626 (1626)	STC 3185; ESTC S106274	157,616	256

iust disdaine of the French Monarchy presently put to death and burnt in the very same flames which with so great sedition and treacherous infidelitie they nourished in the heart of their owne Countrey And the Spaniards were not only chased from that worke but by sound of Trumpet publikely proclaimed to be a company of false hearted hypocrites And by an especiall Edict of the French Monarchy all men were giuen to vnderstand that if euer there were any man found that would beleeue that any sparke of charity towards the French could lodge in the breast of a Spaniard he should be held esteemed and reputed an egregious Gull And that if after the first warning he should persist in his errour he should be tossed in a blanket as a factious and seditious fellow It was a thing worthy of admiration to see that so soone as the Spaniards and the foresaid vnnaturall French gaue ouer their worke that fire which before was so great that the most iudicious doe affirme it was in all humane reason inextinguible on a sudden ceased of it selfe Whereupon the eternall and farre renowmed Flower de Luces whilom so hurried and trampled vnder foot sprung vp againe more gloriously flourishing and resplendent than euer they were And France which through the immoderate ambition of some turbulent spirits had most barbarously bin tormented and molested more than full forty years to the great wonderment of all in the twinkling of an eye became quiet and in peace Whereby all the world came to know that the Spaniards had beene the first Authors of that euer deplorable French combustion which they vnder most specious shewes and pretences of Religion and christian Charity had laboured to make the world beleeue that they sought to quench Some report that the Spanish Monarchy vpon this retired her selfe into her royall Palace and that for many daies shee would not admit any body to see her hauing giuen her selfe ouer vnto so great melancholy that with floods of teares trilling downe her blubred cheeks shee loudly exclaimed that shee would much rather haue lost two of her best kingdomes than to see those her holy and hypocriticall pretexts so scoft at so derided and so laid open to all the world wherewith she remembred to haue diuers times to her infinite profit sold vnto the world most stinking Assa-fetid● in stead of Muske Ziuet and Amber-greece It seeming vnto her to be depriued of her richest treasure and to haue lost her inexhaust mynes of gold and siluer in Peru yea and of the new world besides seeing her selfe so vnluckily depriued of the hope and benefit to be at any time more able to depaint vnto the silly credulous people white for blacke or chalke for cheese deeming it a very hard case to see herselfe brought vnto the wretched and dreadfull condition in which she hath euer seene the French to be inforced to purchase kingdomes and dominions with the onely force of the point and dint of the Sword and not as heretofore she hath done with the onely semblances of her false-holy pretexts which haue sometimes stood her in stead of flourishing and strong Armies She knowes that she hath put the world into combustion and hath euer loued to fish in troubled waters And it grieueth her beyond measure that she hath so lost the good opinion of most Nations that shee is in some danger that none will hereafter beleeue her though she chance to speake the truth whereas heretofore the stimulation of false pretexts and of most apparent hypocrisie were held in credit and in lieu of thrice sacred verity most absolute zeale and perfect deuotion The Spanish Monarchie arriueth in Parnassus She intreateth Apollo to be cured of a Cauterie Shee is dismissed by the politike Physitians Rag. 4. 3 Part. IT is now foure months since the renowmed Maiestie of Spain ariued at this Court vnto whom Apollo forthwith assigned a day for her puklike solemn entrance which by the consent of the whole Consistory of the learned was appointed to be in the royal Audience Chamber in the presence and with the assistance of the Soueraigne Muses which solemnity for some vrgent occasions was not performed but two daies since The reason is because she hath spent the full time of foure moneths in consultation with the Poet Princes about the Titles which shee should mutually giue and receiue from others as also in agreeing about the manner how to receiue them and how they would receiue her in their reciprocall visitations The consideration whereof hath made all the vertuous of this Colledge to stand amazed and bitterly to bewaile the hard condition of these moderne times infected with the contagion of so many complemental vanities And the grieuances of the vertuous were so much the more increased for so much as diuers learned Princes openly refused to bee visited by that great Queene saying that they feared to receiue some insult or affront from her for they had lately receiued letters from Italy wherein they were by their louing friends forewarned to be circumspect and vigilantly stand vpon their guard it being peculiar vnto the Spaniards to goe visit others with intention rather to iniu●y than to honour them And that they thought it an egregious folly in lieu of auoiding of affronts abroad to expect them with bended knees and cap in hand at home in their owne houses And although that so potent a Monarchie to the great admiration of all hath shewed her selfe much more nigardly in giuing others satisfaction of Titles than in distributing of her Duckats shee hath notwithstanding receiued from these Poet Princes and from all vertuous Potentates who concerning this titular circumstance stand rather vpon reall substance than on the vanity of things the greatest gust and contentment she could desire True it is that one thing hath much empaired the reputation of so great a Queene in this Court which is that albeit shee stand in extreme need of trusty friends shee neuerthelesse sheweth herselfe so procliue and foreward to alienate those from her who expect for nothing at her hands but satisfaction in words Yea some haue noted as a remarkable thing that the Master of the Ceremonies hath forewarned her Maiestie that those precise punctilio● shee so nicely stands vpon are most odious and onely proper to barbarous Kings and right worthy her royall Maiestie And that a great Queen in Europe her equall hath in great passion and anger plainly told him to his teeth that she much maruelled both at him and all his ceremonials since hee seemed not to know how a Prince without grauity and State may rightly be compared to a peacocke without a traine It is impossible to set downe with what longing curiosity and earnest desire so renowmed a Princesse hath bin expected by all the learned of this Court for from the vtmost bounds of all Apollo's Dominions an infinite number of all sorts and sexes haue flocked hither to view the countenance of that mightie Queene who with a

said did besides certifie vnto them that so soone as the said chests were vnladen they were not caried into the royall Armorie or common Magazin but that all the Grandes of Spaine and the chiefe Officers of so potent a Monarchie did presently diuide those spades mattocks scoopes shouels pick-axes among themselues with which the very next day very early they began to dig ditches to draw rills to conuey riuelets to direct gullets to reare banks to frame scluses and to fill the country with aqueducts and water-pipes with such labour paine and diligence euery man drawing all the water he could procure to his owne mill as they had brought all publike matters and the whole State to such miserie and calamitie that the mills of the communitie of Spaine for want of water could nor goe nor worke nor grinde Apollo hauing vsed all possible meanes and exquisite diligence to haue some one of the Court-Mignons or Princes-Idols taken and apprehended doth seuerely proceed against one lately fallen into the hands of the Iudges Rag. 5. 2 Part. APollo to his infinite griefe being come to a perfect knowledge of the most enormous disorder which the shamefull blindnesse of those Princes causeth no lesse in great Empires than in pettie Principalities who commit that vnpardonable excesse to subiect and enuassal themselues vnto a base and new vp-start seruant of theirs since neither his Maiesties continuall exhortations nor the frightfull calamities which for the said foule excesses an infinite number of Princes hath suffred and smarted for hath beene of force to remoue them from that hard destinie by which they seeme violently to be drawne to precipitate into the bottomlesse whirlpoole of so outragious inconueniences forsomuch as he would not abandon the protection a quality proper to his Maiestie of the gouernours of mankinde Some few moneths are now past since he resolued with all rigour to persecute those seruants that with their prodigious ambition and artificiall tricks altogether diabolicall vndertake to rule and gouerne their Lord and Master And therefore did his Maiestie not many yeares since publish most grieuous mulcts and rich rewards to be inflicted vpon the offenders and giuen to those that should reueale any such vnto his Iudges Two weekes are now past since one of these varlets hauing bin accused vnto the Magistrate was presently apprehended and laid vp who by many euidences being found foule and guilty was laid vpon the racke where he confessed all the horrible tricks shifts wiles circumuentions masks and detestable iuglings that he had vsed and practised not onely to induce his Master to become his slaue but euen to adore and worship him Apollo hauing read and considered the processe and enditement against that monstrous villaine fell into a strange amazement how those Princes who are so greedy of domination that they often fall into moody iealousies and vnnaturall suspitions not onely of strangers but of their own children may or can either through their owne gullishnesse or monstrous fraud of others fall into that reproachfull infamie to become vassals and euen slaues vnto a base rascally seruant of theirs And hee thought it a most portentous case that there should bee found both Sonnes and Nephews vnto Princes who to obtaine the goale to dominere ouer their fathers and to Lord it ouer their Vncles had shewed spirits full of ambition and minds extremely thirsty to sway and command and by cunning policies and politike mysteries had attained the garland of their desires the very same men shortly after could themselues fall or decline into that abhominable metamorphosis to forgoe their domination purchased with so great care anguish wiles and sweat and make one their superiour that is so farre their inferiour A wonder so rare and extrauagant as humane wit can no more giue a reason for than of the hidden vertue of the Adamant stone Apollo to the end that by the exemplary punishment of that darling-Courtier Princes might learne some so profitable document as might in some sort terrifie them from committing so hateful indignities three daies since he summōed all the Princes now resident in this Court to appeare before him in the great Audience-Chamber In presence of whom their greater confusion with a loud and intelligible voice ●●caused the abominable enditement framed against that villanous varlet to be read by Bossius his Maiesties Clarke of the Crowne who being demanded what tricks course or art he had vsed to reach vnto the end so absolutely to ouersway gouern his Lord and Master answered that the very first day he came to the Court he wholly applyed his minde and wits exactly and with all diligence punctually to obserue the Genius of the Prince which hauing ●ound to be naturally inclined vnto lust and luxury he with gentle plausible and cunning artificiall manners did presently ●o apply himselfe to commend a vice so vnworthy a man that hath the charge and gouernment of a State committed vnto him as if laciuiousnesse had bin an egregious and laudable vertue And how he vsed all possible industrie to become his instru●ent or minister in them which hauing easily obtained he imployed all possible industrie to prouide him with most obscene instruments to fulfill his filthy lust and that afterwards vnder diuers pretexts and sundry colours he had industriously laboured that all those vertuous honest and honourable seruants about the Prince whom he knew or suspected might reclaime him vnto a debonaire and vertuous life should be remoued or discharged from the Court as vicious and professed enemies to the Prince and State yea some he had put to open shame and disgrace and others he had blinded with false and surmised offices places titles and honours And had in their places aduanced and substituted some of his owne creatures dependants and confidents who were all deeply plunged into all manner of carnall sensuality and bruitish lasciuiousnesse by whose meanes and furtherance he affirmed to haue employed all his study and care that his Lord and Master should be vtterly depriued and shake off some commendable and genuine endowment which by nature and from his former education hee had attained vnto and had after that so wrought that vnder colour of being false and disloyall all the old Officers of the State were or discharged or expelled the Court whose iust condoleances and grieuances he had pourtraid and represented vnto him as sedi●ious railings and petulant detractions and had so preuailed with him that their important charges and offices were all conferred vpon men without iudgement without wisdome without honesty or without charity towards their Princes welfare or priuate interesse hauing in recompence required nothing at their hands but confidence secrecie and a strict adherence to his owne affaires by whose meanes hee had so beset besotted and circumgired his Lord and Master that it was neuer possible afterward for truth which as the shadow to the body should perpetually and inseparably bee vnited vnto a Prince to come to his notice or eares by the

vnheedinesse Nor can those lauish waste-goods and spend-thrifts whose purses being but shallow and poore will waste and spend like Princes with any other instrument better learne the most necessary vertue to make the step answerable to the leg than with these Compasses The said Politicians doe likewise sell a numberlesse quantitie of boxes or leather-cases full of Mathematicall Instruments such as Surueyors or Land-Meters doe vse which are more than necessarie exactly to measure and in all dimensions to square out those with whom a man is to treat about graue affaires and important negotiations or to confer and impart weighty secrets The said warehouse hath also great vtterance of certaine Iron-tooles which resemble those that Chirurgions or tooth-drawers vse and call Barbicans They serue to open and dilate the chaps of those vnhappy Courtiers which being to make a vertue of necessitie are often compelled to swallow huge great pumpions in stead of small mastick pills They haue likewise great store of Beesoms made of circumspection whereof warie Courtiens make good prouision aforehand that they may euery morning and euening diligently sweepe from off the staires which they daily goe vp and downe perilous hard Peasen scattered vpon them by certaine enuious and maleuolent spirits who taking greater pleasure in spoiling other mens affaires than in accommodating their owne doe onely exercise the shamelesse trade and trecherous worke of breaking the neck of honest and vertuous mens reputation Moreouer there is in th●● ●●shop to be sold but for the weight in gold a kinde of most perfect and superexcellent Inke of the maker far more precious than Bise of the most far-fetched Azure which by the quills of learned Writers being vertuously and skilfully displaid on books serueth to embalme the dead bodies of vertuous men and to yeeld them most aromatically odoriferous vnto after-ages whereas those of the ignorant yeeld a most loathsome stench and are soone turned into vselesse ashes And with this ink● only is the name of the learned eternized in the memorie of all Nations which in the illiterate and ignorant doth suddenly die and vanish A balsame truly of more than humane vertue since those that therewith annoint themselues liue although they die and departing out of the world but with their bodies abide perpetually therein with the memorie of their learned works An infinite summe of money doe likewise those Politicians receiue daily for a kinde of Oyle which they sell for so much as it hath often beene experienced to be most exquisitely auaileable to comfort and corroborate the queasie stomacks of Courtiers to the end that without enfeebling their constitution of Patients the poore vnfortunate wretches may the more easily and speedily digest the bitter distastes which so often and daily they are enforced to swallow and pocket vp in Courts They sell moreouer in certaine little viols of glasse of which Menante who writes these present newes hath been so fortunate as to get one at a reasonable rate odoriferous humane sweat most admirable to perfume those who with the fragrancie of Muske and Ciuets of honourable labours will endeuour with pen in hand to appeare and ranke themselues among learned men The said warehouse hath also great dispatch of a kinde of Penids made of most fine paste-royall very excellent to whet and stir vp the appetite of certaine wilfull sowre Stoicks to the end that with an insatiate greedinesse they may know how to eat and feed on those loathsome dishes of this world which albeit they recoyle and prouoke vomit in some and are wholly repugnant vnto the taste and stomacke of good men neuerthelesse there be some who because they will not purchase the displeasure of great men and so ouerthrow their owne affaires by pulling an old house on their heads are forced to make shew and pretence that they greedily desire them and with hungry rauenousnesse deuoure them There are besides to be seene in that shop certaine great boxes full of Musk-comfets very excellent to make the breath of those Secretaries Priuy Counsellors or Senators in Common-wealths who are bound to let secrets putrifie in their bodies to yeeld a sweet sauour Then in a back-roome and seuerall Magazin they sell certaine horse-pasterns or fetters made of the iron of considerate maturitie which though by some foolish kinde of men they be scorned and reiected as implements for beasts the wiser and more warie haue lately brought them into so great credit as they are daily bought vp at an excessiue price by those precipitate and foole-hardie wits that fearing or scorning the iudicious maturitie of the ordinarie Carier take pleasure rashly and hand-ouer-head to addresse and compasse all their affaires by Posts and Curriers But no other merchandise of that rich warehouse hath lately had greater vtterance than certaine Fann's made not of the feathers of Ostriges of Peacocks or of any other gay-coloured bird but of herbs and flowers And because Mr. Andrea Mathioli the Delphick Herbalist hath among those flowers and herbs found and knowne the drearie and infernall weed Wolues-bane the warie and fore-seeing vertuous Inhabitants of Parnassus haue euidently discouered that those mysterious Fann's serue not to make wind in the h●at of summer but to rid and driue away from mens noses those importunate flies which certaine ill-aduised and vnheedie spirits hauing gone about to remoue by hitting them with their daggers haue shamefully slit and cut their owne noses The most soueraigne vertue Fidelitie being secretly fled from Parnassus Apollo hauing discouered where shee had hidden her selfe dispatcheth the two most excellent Muses Melpomene and Thalia to perswade her to returne Rag. 11. 1 Part. THE Royall Palace of the soueraigne vertue Fidelitie which whilome was so frequented by the chiefest and most eminent Officers of Princes and by an infinite number of Senators of the most renowmed Common-wealths is of late so little haunted that it seemeth to be the house of desolation Whereupon on the 18. day of this present moneth the honourable mansion of so excelse a vertue was seene to be cleane shut vp Apollo was no sooner aduertised of so important a case but he commanded that the gate of her famous Palace should with violence be laid open and that from the Ladie Fidelitie herselfe they should vnderstand the true occasion of so strange a noueltie His Maiesties beheast was forthwith put in execution and they who most exactly searched each corner of the Royall Palace found no creature therein which the vertuous Inhabitants of Parnassus vnderstanding they presently put themselues into mourning weeds sprinkled themselues with ashes and shewed diuers other signes of sad sorrow yea and Apollo himselfe in particular did so grieuously condole that all the Court might euidently perceiue in him those very same effects of inward sorrow which he publikely made demonstration of at what time the wailefull and deplorable disaster befell his vnfortunate Sonne Phaeton His Maiestie well knowing that the gouernment of Mankind would goe to wrack if the solide

that whereas before the Popes were the terror of my Kings now it happeneth to be cleane otherwise for they liue in a very great agony lest the Vnion of Milan with Naples should one day follow to which marke they obserue the Spaniards haue directed the scope of all their thought whereupon the Spaniards whose proper nature it is to make good vse of the feare whereinto they see they haue put the Princes their neighbours haue arrogated vnto thēselues such authority in the Court of Rome that they vaunt they are the true arbitrators of all the most important matters which there are handled Moreouer when the Kings of Naples were not Kings of Spaine the Popes with euery little menace of denying the inuestiture obtained of my Kings Principalities Duchies Earledomes and other great States in gift buying their friendships also with marriages and many other sorts of liberalitie but now the feare being ceased if the Popes will make their kinred great with titles of important States they must be glad to buy them with their ready money and the aduised Kings of Spaine besides the precious Gold of intreaties which at any hand they will bee sure shall precede for a first payment sell them vnto them throughly sawced Important interests and grieuous disorders are these said Almansor which thou hast recounted vnto me but how commeth it that thou Kingdome of Naples which art the Magazine of Silkes the Granary of Italy shouldest goe so ragged and be so leane Seeing the Spaniards that come naked out of Spaine answered the Kingdome of Naples after they haue been three or foure dayes in my house will needs couer themselues all ouer with gold it is no maruell if I be spoyled to clothe so many Raggedemuffins besides if thou sawest the rapacitie of the Vice-royes that to recouer themselues are sent vnto me or if thou knewest the rapines of Secretaries of thousand Officers and other Courtiers which they bring along with them all thirsty of my bloud thou wouldest greatly maruell how it were possible I should sa●iate the raging and greedy swallow of so many hunger-starued wretches As for the little flesh thou seest on my backe the Spaniards affirme that in the booke of a certaine Florentine who hath giuen rules of the cruell moderne Policie they find written that being a Kindome conquered after the manner of those horses which are kept onely for races I ought to bee maintained low in the flesh I but said Almonsor then the Milanesi how are they intreated They also replyed the Kingdomes of Naples are bathed with the water wherwithall thou seest me so wet only this difference is betwixt vs that in Milan are drops in my house floods The true occasion of the diuersitie of these intreatings is the quality of the Lombards dispositions most vnlike to my Neapolitans for the Nobilitie of the State of Milan are naturally phantasticall free resolute and farre from that Vice so proper to my Neapolitans of flattery and affectation but so bold and hardy that they dare say how ●f one onely Cremonese spirit had beene found amongst my Neapolitan Barons it would haue hindred that same forced donatiue that hath brought me to eat bread and onyons the which although with great words it hath bin often demanded by the Spaniards in Milan they haue been as resolutely answered that they should take care to liue Besides the confining of the Grisons of the Duke of Sauoy and Venetians are the cause that the Kings of Spaine proceed with more discretion in Milan for when the Popes managed Armes I my selfe also was for their occasion greatly respected But soft Almansor yonder commeth my most capitall enemy Don Pedrode Toledo wherefore I pray thee withdraw a little for at any hand I would not haue him take notice that I lament my disgraces heere with thee and for this onely were it for nothing else may I tearme my seruitude most wretched in that I am forced to call this miserable State wherein thou seest me the happy golden Age. CHAP. 5. Sigismund Battor learneth the Latine tongue YEsterday about eight of the clocke in the Euening the ordinary post of Germany arriued at this Court and brought very ioyfull newes how Sigismund B●ttor Prince of Transiluania was growne so inamored of the gracefull Latine tongue that to his great glory he spake and wrote with the purity and eloquence of the Cesarean style whereupon all the Vertuous earnestly besought Apollo that for such good newes there might be made in Parnassus all those demonstrations of ioy which to incourage Great men to the loue of Learning were wont to be made when any Prince became learned But his Maiestie that seeth into the vttermost secret of all things denied those Vertuous their request and told them that then onely there should be feasting in Parnassus when out of the freenesse of a noble minde and meere election of studies not constrained by any necessitie Princes applyed themselues to Learning and that they were to know how Prince Battor had gotten the elegant Latine tongue neither out of ambition to shew himselfe to be learned nor out of a vertuous curiosity to know many things but onely out of necessitie for his reputations sake to correct the foolish and childish absurditie which he committed in Gender Number and Case at such time as in the warre of Hungary he took that fatall resolution to arme himselfe against the Turke for to adhere vnto the Emperour of Germany whom in regard of the strong and liuely pretensiors which he hath to the Principality of Transiluania hee was to haue in more horrour then seuentie Ottoman Emperours CHAP. 6. The Cardinall of Toledoes Summa is not admitted into the Library of Parnassus THE Illustrious and Reuerend Francesco Cordova Cardinall of Toledo a personage of exemplarie life an exqu●site Diuine and excellent Philosopher hee that in his owne person honoured the Word of God in the pulpit more then any other Preacher whatsoeuer of his time some few dayes since arriued at Parnassus hauing been receiued vpon the confines of the State by Alessandrod ' Ales and Cornelio Musso Bishop of Bitonto and all the way encertained at his Majesties charge This honourable learned man presented his Writings vnto the venerable Colledge of the Vertuous and those of Philosophy were not onely commended but admired as also the Commentaries composed by him vpon the Diuine passages of all the sacred Writers were receiued with extraordinay applause and shortly after they were carried in a pretious Vrne vnder a cloath of Estate into the Delphicke Library and with the name of the Author consecrated to Eternitie Onely his Summa although very learned was not receiued by those Vertuous who freely told him that there were so many Workes already of that kind in his Maiesties Library as some of them seemed superfluous for an infinite many of great Diuines had with such diligence handled ma●ters appertaining to the consciences of priuate men that they had put the saluation of

vp the water the which to all mens wonder was found to haue only the vertue to blot and cancell out of his minde those iniuries which he had receiued of his inferiours in condition and that the iniuries which were done vnto him by greater persons than himselfe had inflamed and exasperated his minde rather with an euerlasting memory of them than any way caused him to forget them Whereat many began to murmur that the famous water of Lethe had lost that pretious vertue which the Poets had blazed of it But his Maiestie gaue them to vnderstand that the water of Lethe had euermore the same vertue which it had in the beginning And in that it did not worke the expected effect in that Gentleman the reason was because persons nobly descended and of great spirits had euer this custome proper vnto their natures to write in the sand these iniuries which they receiued of base people but in solid marble with eternall characters those aboue-handed blowes which were giuen them by their equalls or superiours it being the propertie of a noble mind to remit wrongs by magnanimitie but not to pardon them of necessitie CHAP. 16. Apuleius his golden Asse and Plautus his Asse doe complaine vnto Apollo of the great seueritie which their Masters vsed in beating them But they are sent away with no pleasing answer ABout the eight of the Current Apuleius his famous Asse accompanied with Plautus his Asse appeare before Apolloes Maiestie who in the name of all the sort of Mules Asses and Pack-horses said that if any kinde of beasts subiect to mankind which were of small expence and of much profit had deserued better vsage than others they had most reason aboue all other beasts to grieue at their Masters rough and rigorous dealings And although they bare the whole burthen of their Lords houses and maintained them both day and night by their perpetuall labours and were content to feed ordinarily on sedge straw and water and to keepe their Shrouetide with branne and such poore prouender all this notwithstanding they were ingratefully cruelly and with great indiscretion entreated by their Masters and being the most vnhappie of all creatures they were now become the miserable spectacle of all drudgery For as much as they could not by their prostrate and humble seruices mollifie the passionate minds of their Lords they petitioned his Maiestie in most lowly manner to commiserate their Asinine miseries if not to conclude and end them yet at least to order the matter so that by his Maiesties command their Patrons would thenceforth vse them though not gratefull respects for their great seruices yet with moderation of passion and with more hmanitie Vnto these Apollo answered that the seuerity which Masters vsed towards their pack-horses whereof they so bitterly complained proceeded not out of their Masters naturall crueltie since that it is plaine that no man yet hated the vtilitie and benefit of his heritage but rather from their monstrous sloth and stupendious stupiditie of the pack-horses through which most brutish defaults their Masters were enforced furiously with whips and goads to pricke them on to doe that labour which otherwise for want of quickness they had not spirit enough of themselues to performe And whosoeuer would exactly iudge and determine of any mans cruell and rigorous dealings he had need not only to haue regard vnto the genius and nature of him that exerciseth and vseth this correction as to the qualitie and manners of him that complaines he is hardly dealt with CHAP. 17. A generall Reformation of the world by the seuen wise men of Greece and by other Learned men is published by expresse Order from Apollo IVstinian the Emperor that great Composer of the Codes and Pandects some few dayes since brought a new Law vnto Apollo to haue the same approoued of his Maiestie whereby it was straightly forbidden that any man should waxe so cruell against his owne person as to be the Authour of his owne death Apollo seeing this Law had it in so great horrour that with a sigh which proceeded from the bottome of his heart he brake forth into these speeches Is the good gouernment of Mankinde precipated into such disorder O Iustinian that they will now a dayes voluntarily attempt their owne deathes because they will not liue any longer as they ought And wheras I haue hitherto hired a great number of the wisest morall Philosophers to the end that with their tognes and writings they should Minister vnder mee graue and ciuill conceits vnto others which might make Death seemed lesse terrible are things now reduced to that great calamity that men wil no longer liue not yet learn to accommodate thēselues to die well And do I carelesly sleep while these disorders abound among my learned Fraternitie To these words of Apollo Iustinian answered that this Law was very necessary and that many notorious effects hauing happened by these desperate courses more inconueniences would yet ensue if his Maiestie did not in time prouide some conuenient remedy to salue the wilfull disorders of these Franticke fellowes Whereupon Apollo tooke diligent Information of that manner of life which the world lead and found that it became extraordinarily depraued with euill customes the which to reforme hee resolued to create a Congregation of some notable Personages the most prudent and ingenuous Polititians of his Empire But in the very beginning of this serious talke he met with inuincible difficulties for being come to the point to appoint a number of subiects among his Morall Philosophers and those innumerable Vertuous Spirits which attended his Court he could not light on any to his absolute liking sufficiently enabled for so great a businesse by reason that his Maiestie knew that the sanctitie of life and the good example of the Reformer wrought a greater force and power in them which were to be reformed then the best Rules which the wisest State could enact and publish In this penurious exigent Apollo referred the charge of the Worlds vniuersall reformation to the seuen wise men of Greece men that are held and reputed to be in the chiefest credit at Parnassus was those which in all mens conceit haue learnt the receit and way to make straight the Dogs leg which with so much paines yet alwayes in vaine Antiquity hunted after The rumour of these newes being come to the Grecians eares it reioyced them exceedingly for the honour which his Maiestie vouchsafed vnto their Nation as on the other side it much troubled the Latines it seeming vnto them that they herein had singular great wrong offered vnto them to be excluded Apollo perceiuing that this emulation might much hinder the generall Reformation to take away all impediments and to yeeld some satisfaction to the discontented Romans to those Grecian Sages he adioyned Marcus Cato and Annaus Seneca and in fauour of the Italian Philosophers hee constituted Iacobus Mazzon Secretary of the Congregation whom he graced with a consultiue voyce Vpon the ninteenth

and damnable wayes onely fit for Scritchowles and Sauage Beasts This is a great disheartning of our Learned rancke Wherehence many of our best vnderstanding Spirits doe verily beleeue that those Hypocrites haue ioyned vnto their Craft the Spels of the Magicke Art and thereby like Zoroastres they bewitch enchant an taint the mindes of some Princes yea and those of the wiser sort All the Reforming Lords admired this speech of Pittacus and were about to conclude with him if Periander had not thus opposed The disorder specified by Pittacus most prudent Lords is very true but for what cause a iudicious and wise Prince refuseth to preferre vertuous and learned men so pleasing to God so honourable and profitable for his State and wherefore in their stead hee serues himselfe being the life and fountaine of all goodnesse or at least seeming so to be with debauched vnworthy and base-minded wretches is a point of great import and to be considered of vs. I know the common opinion is that the Prince chuseth men which are like to humour and sooth him vp in his affections before the best deseruing Creature And I acknowledge that it is a Rule of State for a wise Prince to aduance no man to any degree but either for his wisedome or valour This foundamentall Rule of State is well knowne vnto him yet experience sheweth that few Princes practise it and mocke at such as shall tell them that they doe the contrary by a carelesse respect to the honour of their place But the truth is they promote ignorant persons new fellowes and of small desert before learned and vertuous men not by any default of their side but by errors I am sorry to speake it of the learned and vertuous themselues I confesse with you that Princes haue need of such and of braue minded Commanders for the warres But none of you will deny but they stand in more need of loyall and faithfull Ministers of State who with the gift of Secrecie may stead them as much as all their Treasure And now it is more than apparant that if honourable personages and valiant Souldiors had bin as true Secret to their Countrey as they ought we should not behold the infinite disorders which we see and obserue to our great griefe in this present age euen Pigmeyes in foure dayes to shoot vp as tall as Giants and all these vnworthy spectacles to happen for want of Fidelity and firme regard to the interest of State So corrupted is the mind of many men that forgetting their owne worths and valorous magnamities they will bee tempted with gold and ambition yea and after sufficient promotion by their natiue Prince some haue turned so vnthankfull as to become mercenary slaues to another Prince Which disasters Princes distrusting they are faine to confer Honour and Offices vnto vnworthy persons who might serue them with their Secrecie and Fidelity and proue more thankefull for their fauours As soone as Periander had ended his Opinion Bias spake in this wise There is not any among vs here but knowes most wise Lords that the world is become so much depraued because Mankind is departed from those sacred Lawes of a contented state the which God from the beginning allotted vnto euery Nation hauing assigned seuerall stations out of which they ought not to breake out The Britaines diuisos orbe Britannos he hath placed in Albion as in another world by themselues the Gothes in France the Spaniards in Spaine the Dutch in Germany the Italians in Italy and so other Nations in other habitations And because euery one of them should not trespasse or like a Deluge breake out vpon their bordering Neighbours His foreseeing Maiestie framed the fearefull Ocean to compasse about Great Britaine the Pyrenaean Mountaines as a wall betwixt France and Spaine and the Alpes betweene the Germanes and Italy as some part of them deuides this from France also The like wary diuision the Diuine Maiestie hath set betwixt Europe Africke as the Mediterranean Seas The which hee did of purpose that none should encroch vpon the other and not mingle one with anothers language as heretofore fell out at Babel nor subiect the other to forraigne Lawes and Customes whereby each one liuing at home with their neerest kinne might agree the better together without innouations or Tyrannies and not like Drones intrude into other mens liues to purloyne the sweet which others wrought Now for as much as the world is infected with the company and customes of strange Nations let euery Nation be ordered to returne into his proper limitation and for feare of the like sodaine and violent intrusions in time to come let it be also enacted that no ships be suffered to passe for the space of many yeares to come nor any to be built and if any Bridges lie betwixt seuerall Principalities to sunder them the better that these Bridges be pulled downe If this course be taken people shall liue more peaceably in their owne natiue soile With wondefull great attention this Declaration of Bias was heard the which notwithstanding it was subtilly examined by the profound wits of the Congregation at the last seemed not expedient to be put in practise by reason that they knew that the hatred though excessiue which reigned amogst diuers Nations are not naturall as some very simply haue coniectured but occasioned either by the artificiall sleights of some Princes or at least by the cunning tricks of some of their principall Ministers to busie their Princes and States braines while they enriched their Cofers with part of the Treasures which were to be laid out for the warres or casually brought into the Kingdome from the warres as prizes and booties Besides some Princes are skilfull masters to put in execution that old Maxime of policie Diuide Impera Diuide and command As for Bias his counsell to forbid Nauigation who knowes not but among all Nations vnited together that harmonicall perfection is pickt out for politicall Gouernment which cannot be found in any one particular States and this is gotten by peregrination into forreine countries so that an expert Traueller returnes home like the grand Vlysses hauing bettered his vnderstanding facultie by noting the diuersities of Spirits manners Lawes and Customes To this may be added the other exceeding great benefits as arise by Nauigation as the establishing of Plantations where their owne countrey ouerswarmes with multitudes of people the transportation of Commodities and the ciuilizing of Sauage Nations They obserue the wonderfull difference of Climates the seuerall natures of the cold the temperate and the Torrid Zones with many other remarkeable euents to the glory of our Creatour and their vnspeakeable pleasure Then Cleobulus desired leaue to speake who boldly thus began As farre I see we proceed like those light-headed fellowes who make publike Languages with new conceits and curious fancies to the outside beautifull but not with matter of profit as might edifie and reforme the world the onely cause of our