but endeavoured by dilligence and assiduous labour to make it fruitful again and never resolved upon the planting of a new Vinyard till he clearly found that it was impossible to reduce the impair'd Vinyard to its former condition by any whatsoever diligence In which case at the same time that he plants his new vinyard he plucks up the old one by the very roots and turns it into earable ground for otherwise in a short time he would have foolishly encombred his whole Patrimony with wild Grapes Apollo said also That Epictetus should reflect much upon the unfortunate condition of the present times wherein the whole world being infected with the pernitious disease of Polititians whose particular profession it is not to adhibit faith to such actions as have a certain affected appearance of extraordinary goodness it was shrewdly to be feared that they would interpret his good will and excellent intention of laying a new foundation of reformed Stoicks to be but Hypocrisie giving it out as it is their custom to do in every corner that Epictetus a Philosoper of so well a compos'd soul would forsake the old Stoick Sect whereof he was but the tail out of ambition to become the head of a new one The XXVI ADVERTISEMENT The Nobility of the Commonwealth of Achaia not being able any longer to indure the insolency of the Commons who Governed the State send Ambassadors to Apollo to obtain a Prince who may govern them and receive a gracious answer THe Modern Commonwealth of Achaia which as all men know is meerly Democratical is by reason of the insolent peoples great sedition so full of tumults slaughters rapine and all other sort of confusion as the Nobility opprest by the violence of the seditious people to free their Countrey from so cruel Tyranny thought it a more tolerable condition to live under the command of any one Prince how cruel or avaritious soever then to suffer the insolency of a domineering people Insomuch as they said it was necessary for the common good to call in a Forreign Prince who might govern the afflicted State and might curb the insolency of the rabble-rout And to this purpose they summoned the people to a Parley and deplored the publick miseries the sole remedy whereof they said was to submit the Countrey unfortunately free to the command of a Prince The ignorant people who in weighty resolves know not what they grant nor what they deny easily assented that a Forreign Prince should be sent for who re-ordering the confused State might govern their Country which was incapable of living free In this Assembly two Ambassadors were chosen who were to obtain from Apollo a Prince fitting for their urgent affairs The Ambassadors came to this Court three daies ago who having made their desires known in a publick audience they were answered in his Majesties name That he would quickly send them away contented Many prime Subjects of this State used all the means they could to be sent to command so Noble a Principality amongst the most remarkable whereof were Anna Momoranci a famous French Baron very much assisted by Francis the first King of France and Don Ferdinando di Toledo Duke of Alva befriended by the most Catholike King Philip the second not so much out of any affection he bore to that his servant as to rid his Court of one who not able to tolerate an equal much less a superior was very troublesom to him and to his Court Apollo resolutely chose the Duke of Alva wherein he did so highly displease the King of Franceâ—… who complained grievously that Apollo's Majesty had preferred the Duke of Alva a man in rigour of Justice not only severe but inexorable as had plainly appeared in his Government of Flanders before one of so exquisite goodness and of so exact judgement in State-Government as Momoranci was known to be Apollo answered King Francis That he had preferred the Duke of Alva before Momoranci who was a Gentleman of a mild and sweet spirit only by reason of his extraordinary severity which was very requisite in this present occasion the other being unaccustomed to the difficulty of taming a coltish people born free with the cudgel of new servitude And the K. of France not being herewithall satisfied but saying with some commotion of spirit that his French men when occasion did require could also not only be severe but cruel Apollo in an angry tone bad him hold his peace and told him he wondred that sheep and lambs should pretend to play the part of wolves as if there had never been any Gaspero Colonni any Monsieur de la Nove and so many other great and little flies which none of his generation could ever find the way how to keep from about their noses The XXVII ADVERTISEMENT Apollo having for a just cause removed Gulielmo Budeo from the Lord Treasurers place confers the aforesaid place upon Diego Covarruvia a Noble Spanish Literato and Dean of the Colledg of the Grand Sages of this Court though he was much gainsaid therein by the French Monarchy GUlielmo Budeo a Parisian who for his being very expert in the knowledg of monies hath for many years and with much reputation exercised the place of Lord Treasurer in this Court was on the sudden on Munday last not only with great disgrace removed from that place but by express order from his Majesty banisht for ever out of Parnassus which affront was the greater for that it is said that the occasion of this so high resentment was because he was infected with those modern heresies which being invented by ambitious men only to make subjects rebel against their Princes are not worthy to be followed by those who professing Learning ought to let the world see that they do not only know but do infinitely abhor the popular errors of the ignorant who are apt to be carried about by the impostures of impiety After Budeo his expulsion it was suddenly noised in Parnassus that his Majesty had destin'd Diego Covarruvio to be Treasurer a great Spanish Lawyer a man as excellent for Learning as for his plain-dealing and sincerity of an irreprehensible life As soon as this Apollo's resolution was known in Parnassus it begot great jealousies in the French Monarchy who thought it stood not with her advantage that a Spaniard should be called up to so high a Magistracy wherein she was much interessed The jealousie and suspition of so great a Queen was the more augmented by Covarruvia's austerity his steadfastness to what was just his inflexibility and for that alwaies preferring his Princes honour and service before all other respects he seemed to value the favour or hatred of any whatsoever Prince in this Court very little or not at all as long as he with uncorrupt sincerity discharged the place of primo Savio Grande This powerful Monarchy sent first according to the fashion of great Courts divers of her friends to Apollo who appearing to be well wishers to
Prince did not consider what he asked for it seemed he did not well know what it imports in a state by rich patrimonies and Pretence of Nobility to put the Bulls horns upon the head and Woolves teeth in the mouths of meek sheep ready to be milkt with both hands and shorn to the very quick when they wanted the pretension of that vain-glorious Nobility which teaching others onely how to command like Lords made the base slavery of obeying known and that those Potentates who had indeavoured to found and maintain a great Nobility in their states by the institution of birth-right were at last aware that they had foolishly made them the heads of those people who when they had wealthy men for their guides and such as were remarkable for their Nobility were dreadful to all Princes and that great Families in all States served onely for Lanterns which in the obscuâ—…est times of revolutions gave light to the common people who walked in the dark Wherefore in States where there was a numerous Nobility it behoved Princes to live with the punctilio of respect which was an unsufferable burthen which those kingdoms wanted where no such impediments being found their possessors might justly and with much reason term themselves true and absolute masters of their States and that there wanted not examples of Noble men in France Flanders and elsewhere who in foul Insurrections made by themselves durst take upon them the Title of Fathers of their Country and the peoples Protectors and who that they might Tyrannise over the people and give Laws even to their natural Princes were not ashamed to guild over their seditious taking up of Arms against their King with the specious and charitable pretence of publick good To this the Embassador answered that the example of the warlike Nobility of France was the only thing which had induced his Prince to desire it so much in his State for he found cleerly that the trechery of those who had made insurrections against their King had been overcome by the glorious French Noblesse and that the noble kingdom of France being armed by a no less numerous then warlike Noblesse had taught the whole world how much a numerous Noblesse imports in a kingdom for 't was they alone who by their unvanquishable swords had quenched the fire of those French Insurrections which in a kingdom that had wanted so great a benefit would have burnt eternally Apollo answered that all this would have been true if the French Insurrections of which he spake had been raised onely by the people but that being apparently kindled by a great many of the Noblesse of that kingdom the Physician would prove very ridiculous who should glory in the cure of a malady of which through his gross ignorance he had been the onely cause and that every wise Prince ought to keep from the fault of nursing up and nourishing Companions and brothers in his kingdom since those Monarchs reigned most securely who put the greatest distance between their greatness and the lowliness of their subjects That it nauseated his Majesty as much as ignorance it self did to see that there should be so arrogant and vain-glorious subjects in one of the chiefest kingdoms of Europe who by the proud pretence of their Nobility durst affirm they were as nobly born as the King himself as if any comparison which was not infinitely ridiculous and hateful could be made between a spindle and the Mast of a Tree between Flyes and Elephants between commanding and obeying And Apollo added that it was this monstrous petulancy which made the Ottoman Emperors hold it the chief means of their security and greatness and that not without reason not to allow any the least shadow of Pretence to Nobility in their Dominions and that those who would see narrowly into the effects which the Noblesse occasion in a kingdom did not so much blame the resolution of those Emperors as some did who understood very little of worldly affairs For those great Princes who in their affairs minded onely substance and not appearance did infinitely abhor the boasting and vain-glory of those things which seemed to be and were not and they abhord to see that a Nobleman who had no experience or was not any ways skild in the affairs either of war or peace should notwithstanding through the sole pretence of his empty Nobility think those qualifications in the Militia to be due to him which a Prince is so necessitated to confer upon the only worth and merit of such Commanders whose hairs were grown gray under a Murrion and who by perpetually wearing of Curasses in actions of war had made their breasts and backs as hard as horn and that that which above all other things made such people hateful was to see them so wilful as not to obey antient Commanders of a less noble extract though they themselves were but young it being certainly an insufferable pretension to desire thorow foolâ—…sh ostentation that the gifts of fortune should be esteemed by a Prince to be indowments of minde In fine Apollo said that he though tit was greater cruelty high inâ—…ustice that the estate should not be equally divided amongst those brothers who had one and the same Father and Mother That he thought it fit some Prerogative should be given to the Primogeniture but that it should be such as should make him appear to be the head of his house not the Master of his Brethren and that the rich and just right of Eldership which Fathers ought to leave in their Families was love and concord between his Children And that it would be both great folly and cruelty to introduce that primogeniture amongst private men which occasioning such scandals in the blood of Princes as might be seen registred in history was onely born withal for the publike peace sake which the people would not enjoy if kingdoms were divided and that Primogeniture being onely advantagious to Princes subjects who were excluded from Paternal Inheritance were necessitated for their subsistance to take pay of them and to be trained up in war by which Princes secured their States that they might be furnisht with the same abundance of Military men as now they had with high injustice and the peoples ill will if they should admit all Brothers to Paternal Inheritances for that was onely the laudable Primogeniture which neither Princes nor Parents but brothers themselves by joynt agreement do erect in their Families when one onely of them betaking himself to propagation all the rest labour to augment the common Patrimony Apollo concluded his answer with this that he absolutely denyed to grant the Prince of Helicon the Primogeniture which he desired because he could no longer behold those horrid Tragedies and cruel machinations which were plotted amongst Brethren in those States where the use of Primogeniture was practised for those who were excluded from paternal Inheritance left no sort of cruelty or trechery unindeavoured to recompence the foul
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
sweat and cunning industry which I have used to atchieve so important a designe are only known to thee and thou likewise knowst that by the valour of my Nation the dexterousness of mine own wit and my monies efficacy it is not many years since I sowed sâ—…ch troubles and civil Wars in France and whereupon I had chiefly grounded my hopes as that I was near compassing my desire nothing remained to overcome all difficulties but to joyn Naples to Millan which if I shall at any time be able to do I may safely say I have done the deed But since were it either through my fatal misfortune through the impossibility of the business or through the power of my cruel enemies who appeared against me the scandallous revolutions which I have been so long a plotting and sowing amongst the French are in despitâ—… of me turned on the sudden into that peace and tranquillity which it breaks my very heart to think on That I may not utterly ruine those my people whom I have almost brought to utter desolation by this undertaking which I propounded unto my self and that I may be no longer the discourse of people I now present my self before your Majesty humbly beseeching you to give me a clear answer whether that Universal Monarchy whiâ—…h I have so much set my heart upon and which is the only scope of all my actions be by the will of heaven destin'd to me and to my Nation And this I desire to know to the end that if the business prove impossible I may appease my self and set my mind in quiet or if it be feasible I may incourage my Spaniards in the possibility thereof for to tell thee the truth who seest the hidden thoughts of men by the so many hardships and sufferings which I have undergon by sea and land by the so many conspiracies and counter-plots which have been framed against me by my implacable enemies and which are framing faster now then ever I begin to be totally discouraged After this request the Temple shook and a great Earthquake followed immediately after when these words proceeded from the mouth of Apollo's Minister The Universal Monarchy shall again return to the Noble Italian Nation when she shall have banished all those intestine discords which have made her a slave to other Nations This sad answer being given the Spanish Monarchy went much afflicted out of the Temple and was very much astonished and when she saw the French Monarchy present her self before her she first past usual complements with her then taking her by the hand drew her aside and having acquainted her with what answer she had received from the Oracle she told her That since the Universal Monarchy was by the will of heaven to return again to the Italian Nation France would as soon make trial of new Cesar's as Spain should do of second Scipio's That therefore to secure themselves she thought the bâ—…st course would be to divide Italy between them She offered to teach her the same receit which as she affirms she had made happy trial of in the Indies by which they would so secure themselves from the Italian Nation as nothing should remain in the world of that wicked generation of men but the bare name Suffer me reply'd the French Monarchy to forget that unfortunate division that my King Lodovick the twelfth made lately with you and we will then speak further of this business For the French are not deceived the second time so easily as I perceive you fancy they are Then for the receit which you propose unto me to secure our selves from the Italians keep it I beseech you for your self For to rout out men from out the world to enjoy the naked earth without inhabitants as it hath been your practice to do in the Indies is a politick precept which is not found in the French Reason of State I have at my cost learn'd to content my self with a little provided it be good And therefore I ground my greatness more upon the multitude of my Subjects then upon the largeness of my Dominion And provided that my Frenchmen enjoy some satisfaction in this world I am content that others may do the like The business of agreement concerning Italy will require time and you know by experience that purgations taken to preserve ones self from apprehended malladies do often bring them the faster on I will be bold to tell you with that liberty which is proper to my nature that the business of subjugating whole Italy is not so easie a thing as I perceive you perswade your self it is For when I had the same caprichio it proved pernitious to me wherefore I believe it will prove little better to you For to my great loss I have learn'd that the Italians are a sort of people who watch alwaies how to escape out of our hands and which are never tamed under forreign slavery And though like crafty Apes they transform themselves into the customs of those Nations which rule over them yet they preserve their antient hatred concealed inwardly in their heart And they are expert Merchants of their slavery for they make you believe they are become good Spaniards by only puâ—…ng on a pair of Sicilian slops and us that they are become Frenchmen by putting on a Cambrick band But when they come to the point of business they shew more teeth then a thousand saws They are very like those greedy dames who by their alluring smiles soundly fleece their Sweet-hearts without ever coming to the conclusive point which they would be at Believe me therefore who have paid dearly for my learning of it that you shall reap nothing but loss and shame in going about to subdue Italy Philip the second King of Spain after some dispute concerning his Title enters in great State into Pernassus PHilip the second that potent King of Spain who came two months ago to this Court was not permitted to make his publick entry till yesterday The reason why was because in some Triumphant Arches which were built for him with great magnificence by the Spanish Nation these words were written Philippo secundo Hispaniarum utriusque Siciliae Indiarum Regi Catholico Italiae Pacis Auctâ—…ri felicissimo At which words the greatest part of the Italian Princes being displeased they desired they might be cancelled saying they would by no means acknowledge that peace from the Spaniards which they bought with ready moneys from the Hollanders and Zealanders This Aromatick business suffered a long dispute and though the Italian Princes did sufficiently prove that the present Peace of Italy ought not to be owned from any good intention in the Spaniards who would have wholly overrun it had it not been for that great diversion yet in the greatest heat of this contention the Queen of Italy with her wonted wisdom quenched the fire For having summoned all her Princes together she bad them leave ostentation and boasting to the Spaniards and that minding realities
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
earnestly desired the Majesty of his Creator that he would once more open the Chateracts of Heaven and quickly powre down new deluges of water upon the earth to wash those wicked men from off the earth without harming such as love peace who forgetting that they are obliged to multiply mankind have taken upon them the cruel trade of annihilating it by fire and sword XLVII ADVERTISEMENT 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 THe Illustrious Roman Monarchy which before it was trampled upon by the barbarous Northern Nations lived here in Parnassus in that height of glory which no other human worth could ever arive at under pretence of going a hunting went in disguise the other day to find out Coâ—…nelius Tacitus who for his recreation was retired to his Countrey-house and told him that she was come to him only to be resolved in a Doubt which had a long time troubled her mind the which she had conferred about with many other great Polititians and had not received such satisfaction from them as she hoped to do from him who was the greatest Statist and Arch-Flamming of all Modern Policy And that the business which so much troubled them was That the Kingdom of France Spain Egypt Soria the Commonwealth of Carthage and the rest of the Immence States which she possest in Asia Africa and Europe were of themselves formidable to every one before they were joyned to her but that being all of them united in her person instead of strengthening her they had made her weaker then she was before a thing which they did the more wonder at for that it was evidently know that many threads made a strong Rope and many little twigs a strong rafter and yet an infinite number of Principalities being joyned together had not formed that eternal and great Monarchy which men did expect Tacitus answered to this that the question was of weight and therefore deserved to be maturely consulted that he would return the next day to Parnassus where when he should have cast his eye over his Annals and Histories he believed he should thereout draw such an answer as would give her Majestie full satisfaction The Roman Monarchy was very well pleased with this Answer and just as she was going to take her leave and be gon Melibeus that famous Shepherd who had brought a dish of Curds and Cream and two new Cheeses that very morning as a present to Tacitus and had heard the question asked by that great Monarchy desired her that she would be pleased to stay for that he would instantly give full satisfaction to her in that which she desired to know Tacitus and the Roman Monarchy smiled upon Melibeus and bad him hold his peace and go look to his sheep for that was his profession Melibeus then boldly answered That no sort of men whatsoever knew better how to discourse of and resolve State-affairs then Shepherds That Princes should be happy if they used the same charity in governing their Subjects as shepherds do in feeding their flocks and the people most happy if they would imitate sheep in their obedience to their Princes Tacitus and the Roman Monarchy marvailed much at this bold and resolute answer of this Shepherd wherefore they bad him freely make his conceit known With which permission Melibeus thus began Most powerfull Queen as it is well known to my Virgil am a shepherd of Mantua and I should much injure this my gray head and beard which you see if I were not absolute Master of my profession I say then that in so many years that I have had the charge of sheep I have clearly learnt that a shepherds power and greatness consists not as many that are covetous and ambitious believe in having many millions of sheep but only in having so many as a good shepherd may keep with his eye govern with his rod and rule with his whistle And the reason is apparent for shepherds are beggers when they have too few sheep for great poverty forceth him to milk them too dry and to shear them too close Shepherds are alwaies wealthy and happy in a mean wherein all perfection consists whereas in Immensity they run certain danger for that it is very hard to govern such a number of sheep as is disproportionable to the forces of any one man Whence it is that silly sheep when in too numerous flocks first grow lean and then of necessity die through the meer carelesness of him that looks unto them This disorder is occasioned for that flocks of too disproportionate a greatness instead of good institutions are full of fowl confusions and the Proverb frequently made use of and diligently observed by us shepherds is true That a few sheep will not supply the necessities of a Shepherds Cottage many will and infinity beget confusion and are rather prejuditial than of use Princes and Commonwealths were happy if they had the property of Cammels to stoop down humbly to the ground to take up the load of Government and if they could put a period to their pride and ambition by rising up on their legs and not suffering any more load to be laid upon them when they know they have sufficient for their strength to bear but men do all their life-time long to grasp a great stack of Hay to the end that they may at one burthen carry it all home to their own Barns which falling afterwards by the way they find that after so much industry and pains they have laboured in vain Hence it is that for 1600 and odd years that I have been a Shepherd in Arcadia I never had in my Penfolds above 500 Sheep which affording me the certain gain of 500 crowns a year I have still been held to be very fortunate by all the Shepherds of Arcadia I therefore think that shepherd unhappy who being blinded by avarice thinks to grow rich in one day by having many flocks of sheep which not being able all of them to be looked unto by the Masters eye which is that which fattens the sheep and which is the flocks chiefest felicity he commits them to the custody of careless boys and oft-times rents them out to cruel Shepherds who out of greediness to reap a little Interest more then the sheep can yield do lose the Principal Neither have there wanted amongst us shepherds those Alexanders the great who to asswage their thirst of Government have not been ashamed to ask of God that he would create new Worlds For in our Arcadia was one Menalcas one that did alwaies envy me and was my mortal enemy who thinking he should be able to crush me if he could get more sheep then I had was not content with 500 sheep which he had but that he might make himself absolute Monarch of all the Shepherds of Arcadia took up money at use sold the greatest part of
to live not to ruine both their lives and fortunes by gluttony And because a thing so much desired might be brought to pass the Princes gave order that this Law should be proclaimed on the 18 of this present moneth but the preceding night the Farmers of the Customs Toll takers and Excise-men came all of them to their several Princes and told them that if they published the pragmatical act which they understood was penn'd they desired to have abatements made of the great rents which they paid for the greatest revenues of the Custom house and of all Gabels arising out of Silks which came from Naples Gold-thread from Florence rich Draperies made at Millan and other accoutrements belonging to apparel and the livelihood of man which were brought from foreign parts the price of the Customs would fall infinitely by reason of this Law The Princes were so confused to hear this as when the Deputies of the Nations came the next day to receive the Edict which was to be proclaimed they told them that having heard the just appeals made by the receivers of their Customs who were better verst in that affair they resolved not to impair themselves for the bettering of others That if they could invent any Law wherein the Princes interests were not concerned they would give them all possible satisfaction therein to witness the fatherly love they bore unto their Subjects but that to empty the publick purse to the end that those of privat mens might be filled was a fraudulent desire and clean contrary to charity which thinks it a piece of cruelty to macerate ones self that another man might grow fat The people departed much unsatisfied by reason of this peremptory and interessed answer and confessed that to go about to cure the peoples disorders when the medicines touched upon the common Taxes was to undertake to cure an incureable Cancar The LXIV ADVERTISEMENT Johannes Bodinus presents Apollo with his six Books of his Commonwealth wherein it being found that he approves of Liberty of Conscience he is sentenced to be burnt JOhannis Bodinus that famous French Litterato was deservedly imprisoned in a dark Dungeon the very first day that he presented Apollo with the six Books of his Commonwealth for his Majesty would by no means permit that the wicked Tenet which he had published in his republick that it made much for the quiet of States to allow of Liberty of Conscience should pass without some exemplary punishment an opinion which was alwaies held by his Majesty and by his best politick Litterati to be no less wicked then false as that which makes her desciples rather seditious then wise Statesmen nothing being more prejuditial to a Principality then the want of unity Severe process was therefore made against Bodine and he was yesterday condemned in the High Court of Parliament to be burnt as a seducer of the people a publick stirrer up of sedition in ambitions men and as a notorious Atheist Bodin craved mercy of his Majesty confessing his opinion to be false and wicked and abjuring it as such a one but that being deceived by the Ottaman Empire wherein with much peace to the State all religions were allowed of desired them that they would shew some pitty towards him The Judges were then more incenst at Bodin and told him that he deserved the greater punishment for that he being a Christian had dared to publish the wicked precepts especially in matters of Religion of those Turks who ought to be abominated for their wicked impieties not only in profane but in sacred things Yet before they would proceed further with Bodine the Judges were resolved to know of the Ottaman Monarchy how she governed her self in this particular intending by what was found out afterwards to impose the same punishment upon her if it should be proved that she had given so scandalous an example unto the world as to allow her people Liberty of Conscience The Ottaman Monarchy was then sent for in great haste who was asked by the Judges whether it were true or no that she had let the reyns of Religion so loose in her State to her Subjects as every one might believe what he listed The Ottaman Monarchy wondred much at this demand and with great vehemency answered that she was not so unexperienced in the affairs of the world as not to know that the peace of States and the universal quiet of the people could not be had by any more secure means then by the unity of Religion and that in all her Empire no other Religion was either preached or believed by her Mossulmans but only Mahometism The Judges hearing so clear an answer they turned to Bodin and in great anger said unto him That if a Mahometan ignorant of that true Divinity which discovers the greatness of God unto men and the truth of his holy Law spoke so clearly of the unity of Religion which was to be observed in an Empire what ought he to do who was a Schollar and born in the most Christian Kingdom of France To this Bodin answered that the Ottaman Monarchy confessed with their mouthes the necessity of an unity in Religion which was not really practised in their States wherein were Christian Catholicks Hereticks Grecians Jacobines Nestorians Jews and people of many other religions which was the cause of his mistake Thou knowst full little said the Ottaman Empire to Bodin of the proceedings touching religion which is used in my house for thou oughtest not to say for all this that I grant my Subjects Liberty of Conscience because men of all the several religions which thou hast named are seen in my Empire Thou must know that I having conquered innumerable Provinces for the space of 300 years and more most of which were formerly Subjects to several Christian Princes and having found by experience that people newly assubjected easily rebel if they be forced to change their religion as those who are more obstinate in defending the faith wherein they were born then in defending their Estates Countrey and lives I that I may govern in peace have alwaies used to suffer them to live in the same Laws as well sacred as civil wherein I found them bereaving only the Christian Latins of their Religion taking their Priests from them and forbidding them to rebuild their Churches which are fallen or to erect new ones So by little and little the memory of their ancient religion failing in them together with their sacred exercises their children if not they themselves or at least their grand children at last become Mahometans Wherein I have had so good success as the many Provinces which I possess in Asia which were formerly full of Christians are all of them now turned such Mahometans as my Emperors being used to take many children from their Christian Subjects wherewith to recruit their Janisary-souldiers there are now but very few to be found in Asia I proceed otherwise in Greece for I grant them the free
against the evil which so free a Definition might occasion amongst their Subjects it was not a good remedy to cloake it over with fair words as the Author of the Book had done for mischiefs were not cured by concealing and that he and all the rest of the Princes would confess the Definition to be true which they seemed so much to dread if they would call to mind that when they did any thing which for the impiety thereof did neither agree with the Laws of God nor man if they were afterwards asked by any one why they had done so impious a thing they were ready to alleadge the Reason of State for the occasion thereof Then turning to Lewis the twelfth Apollo said The better to manifest the truth of what I say to your self and to all these Princes which are here present I will make use of one of your Actions which will make it appear clearly that the Definition of State published by my Literati and which you do now so much oppugn is very true You know your first Wife was Sister to Charles the eighth your Predecessor in the Kingdome of France and I know you likewise remember that you did adhere to the Conspiracy made by Francis Duke of Burgundy by Charles Duke of Burgundy and by many other great Lords against the Kingdome of France and that you were taken prisoner by King Charles your Sisters husband and that whilst the putting of you to death as a Rebel was in agitation your Wives efficacious Prayers was that which saved your life You know likewise that Charles being dead a little while after you succeeded him in his Kingdom and that you might marry the Queen Dowager Wife to the late Charles you got to be Divorc'd from your former Wife which you excused by pretending that your Marriage with so great a Princess was done by compulsion as if there needed violence to marry the Sister of so great a Prince to any one you your self know Lewis that this Divorce was neither answerable to the Laws of God nor Man tell me then what was the reason that moved you to banish that wife your bed to whom you confess you owe your life King Lewis freely answered Apollo that doubtless it was the Reason of State that had compelled him so to do for the Queen Dowager of France having in her the noble Dowry of the Dukedome of Britany he had marryed her to the end that that Province which was of so great importance and from which France had formerly received so much mischief should not again be disunited from his Kingdom See then said Apollo how you made that marriage which you knew did neither agree with the Laws of God nor man being forced to do so by Reason of State by which example you and all these Princes may cleerly see that the Definition made by my Literati of the Reason of State is most true now then since you are convinced of the foul impiety thereof know that the best means that you can and ought to use to keep your self and your State from being damnifyed thereby is not to use it for it is too bare-faced Hypocrisie to seem more to abhor fould words then foul deeds The LXXXVIII ADVERTISEMENT Marcantonio Moreto desires Apollo that he may have leave to make an Oration in the publike Schooles of Pernassus in the praise of the Clemency of the most glorious King of France Henry the Fourth but is denyed it MErcantonio Moreto a famous French Orator told Apollo some few days since that having exactly examined all the vertues of all the French Kings and compared them with the valor and glory of King Henry the Fourth he found that there was not any of them that might be compared to him and that to make the French adore so gallant a King and to incite all Christian Princes to heroick vertue he desired his Majesty to give him leave to declame in the praise of so glorious a King publikely in the Rhetorick school and because to speak of all the vertues which did abound in so great a King would require more then a months space to do it to the end that his Oration might not exceed the usual time of one hour he would onely celebrate that admirable vertue of Clemency which was so peculiar to his Henry as that he cleerly found by the use thereof he had so far exceeded all humane mansuetude as that he bordered upon heavenly mercy for he had pardoned such injuries in his most implacable enemies as would never have been forgotten by any one save by a King of France a vertue which appeared to be so much the more eminent in that great Monarch for that in these so corrupt present times to pardon injuries vvas not thought to be an heroick and vertuous action but base and abject covvardise The same Moreto told every one that contrary to vvhat he could ever have believed Apollo vvas highly incensed at that his request and that with an angry countenance he said he was grosly ignorant in going about to celebrate the most revengeful and implacable K. that did ever live for his mercifulness and that if he would praise the infinite valor of Henry the fourth his invincible constancy in adverse fortune moderation in prosperity his excellent knowledge in military affairs wherin he had far exceeded all Kings and Commanders who had ever purchased the glorious name of warlike the more then humane vivacity of his spirit the vigilancy of his indefatigable minde or his dexterous government of that great Kingdom he nor his Literati who were partially addicted to so puissant a King could not hear any more melodious Harmony but that since that noble acquisition which he made of France he had revenged himself much more cruelly upon his enemies then merciless Augustus had done by his execrable Proscription that Pernassus was no place to exaggerate falshoods in Notwithstanding this so resolute answer Moreto was not discouraged but with great observancy replyed that having exactly considered all the vertues of his King he did again affirm unto his Majesty that he found not that any one of them did shine more brightly in him then his clemency Then Apollo looking with a very pleasant countenance upon Moreto said t is plainly seen thou honest French man that thou art onely a meer Grammarian for thou seemest not to know that that King onely ought not to be vindicative who as did Augustus kills his enemies when he hath conquered them for to take an evil wishers life away to the end that he may not see his enemies Triumphs and prosperity to the end that he may not suffer a thousand torments and deaths hourly is a kind of pitty He is to be accounted revengeful and infinitely cruel who suffers him to live who confounds him with pardon and who doth continually martyrise and torment him by his worthy actions and perpetual prosperity as yours and my beloved Henry hath been observed to do more then
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