an Ambassador from the Grand Signior and conducted in that qualitie to the Court and a Counsel held in what manner to giue him audience His name was already changed to Don Gabriell di Bona Ventura his Instructions drawne by a Iunto for the purpose and thus hee was shewed abroad defrayed by the King and his Message published that hee was imployed to offer Peace and friendship from the Turkish Emperour When this Scene was acted he was sent backe with true Letters of Don Christofero di Mora and the Secretary Catagna to the great Vizier and for his better securitie a safe Conduct and Credance was giuen him signed by the King Yo el Rey. Passing by Sicily by Catholique Order Forty Turkish Slaues were deliuered him to present at the Port in earnest of the Spanish and Ottoman amitie Letters also of credit for good summes were furnished to enable him to spend procure answer from the Grand Signior and fauour of the Vizier Mufti and other of the great Officers With which Orders and Armes being arriued at Constantinople he vsed all meanes with all men to induce an acceptance of the Peace vrging and demonstrating the earnest affection and desire of the King of Spaine to conclude it But this practise being discouered by the Ambassadors resident at the Port and others not too well affected to Spaine the falshood was made appeare and Don Gabriel by the great Vizier was clapt in prison as a Counterfeit and Impostor In a few moneths this Vizier was displaced and another aduanced to his Office and as it is a common rule with them to runne a contrary course to their fallen Predecessors without examining the merits or causes this Iew was set at libertie and all his actions and Letters approued as true and authenticall And thereupon Petition made to the Grand Signior to enforme the Negotiation and by the counsell of the new Ministers it was admitted and accepted and answer granted to the King of Spaine that seeing hee had shewed so much affection to peace and to enter into a fineere Correspondence with the Port especially by the charitable liberty of so many Mahemetans freely presented that the Gates of the Ottoman Empire were alway open to whomsoeuer did seeke their friendship and that Ambassadors might securely come to treat and conclude it With these Letters to the Catholique King and others to Don Christofero di More and the Secretary Catagna from the Vizier Don Gabriel was dispeeded with two Messengers of the Port by the way of Wallachia to the confines of the Empire purposing to take his iourney through Germany But Rodolphus being then in warre with Sultan Mehemet he was stayed and examined on the Borders To free himselfe he fained that he had Letters to the Emperour whereupon all his papers were seized and sent to Prague His Imperiall Maiesty very discontent and iealous of such Treaties betweene Spaine and Turky without his communication and in such a Coniuncture gaue order that the lew should be brought to Vienna and kept in close Prison vntill he had some advice from Madrid The Catholique King finding diu non latêre scelera to saue the honor of his priuate Designes denyed the fact forsooke and protested the poore Don Gabriel who miserably there ended his life con assai mala-ventura It may be collected that the Spanish ends of this Treaty were such as durst not abide the light seeing they might not bee trusted to the nearest friend and it was iudged great modesty to be ashamed and the part of a good Christian to renounce secret practises with Turkes by the mediation of Iewes but of an ill Master to leaue and aband on his Seruant Such Vessels in the hands of Princes are formed for honor or dishonor as their interests counsell them In later times the extraordinary Ambassadors of the Emperour treating at Constantinople the frontire Affaires and accidentall Breaches another ouerture was by them made in the name of the King of Spaine and the best argument vsed was that the world knew but two great and Imperiall Families Austria and Ottoman who if they were reconciled might make another Diuision of East and West The rest it is more humanitie to conceale then Christianitie to negotiate This last yeare a Bolognese was sent from the Vice-King of Naples in pursuit of the same Designe and counterfeit Letters printed in Spaine with a Catalogue of impossible presents pretended from the Grand Signior to beg peace and spread abroad to add reputation to his Armies as if the world would tremble at a smoake And though this Engine returned fruitlesse yet Spaine is not hopelesse They know the ease and aduantage they should draw by securitie on this side to haue all their Gallies at libertie to shut vp the Straights to hinder traffique and to succour Genoua and their Garrisons of Calabria and Sicily free to be imployed in their other necessities And here it cannot be ouer-passed that while Spaine did negotiate this Peace doubting not to effect it the same instruments were imployed with monies and Letters to excite the Cossacques though in preiudice of the Peace of the King of Poland allyed to the House of Austria by a double mariage to inuade the Bospherus that the Armado of the Grand Signior might necessarily be kept in the blacke-Sea for defence whereby the Spaniard by a fine Art doth enioy halfe the fruits of the Peace without obtaining it These are a modell of the wayes and counsels of the Spanish Monarchy If the King of Spaine enuied his Brother the Conquest of a Mahometan kingdome and treat vnderhand with the Turks without respect or knowledge of the Emperour If he sollicit the seeds of a warre between Poland and the Grand Signior vnder the colour of a peace without care of the vtilitie of that Crowne so neerly to him allyed It may be concluded that ambition of vniuersall Monarchy is onely able to extinguish all obligations both of Religion and blood Because Si violandum jus est imperij gratia violandum est Eurip. alijs rebus pietatem colas If the first step to this sole Empire be the Conquest of England as the Designes of the Enemy from whō some lessons are best taught and their Counsells to their owne ends doe clearly demonstrate and the resolution of diuers Iunto's haue laid for a foundation It is happy for England to fore-see the blow and to prouide timely to preuent it and not be bound to the disaduantage of making a desperate Bett when the aduersary shall call and the game irrecouerable These Demonstrations admitted for true the next Consideration will be by what meanes most effectually and virtually to worke a iust defence Wherein if the Ends Counsells and Wayes whereby Spaine hath in few yeares aduanced bee obserued they will reflect a true light vpon the contrary how they may be humbled The end of Spaine is Vniuersall Monarchy conformable to the Romans in all but the noble contempt of Treasons Herein and
en la conseruation della feè Catholicho en el Reyno di Francia y a instantia y requesta del y que no pensaua dexar las armas hasta cobrallos O yo el pontifice atenta mente la pretestacson y tomò della el Duque instrumento publico Auertiò antes à sua Santitad de algunos inconuenientes che temia hauian de resultar de la absolucion que tenia determinado dar à Enrico That is The Euening before the Absolution should be giuen the Duke of Sessa Ambassadour of the Catholique King on his behalfe protested to the Pope that the absolution which his Holines intended to giue to Henry should not preiudice the Reasons of his King in that which concerned the Kingdome of Nauar and the County of Bourgundy nor in the expence which he had made for the Confernation of the Catholique faith in the Kingdome of France at his instance and request and that he determined not to depose Armes vntill he had recouered them The high Bishop attentiuely heard the Protest and the Duke tooke thereof a publique instrument hauing first aducrtised his Holinesse of some inconueniences which hee feared might result from the Absolution which was purposed to bee giuen to Henry These Protests did appeare to men of sound iudgement ill grounded prentencos the alleaged inconueniences false foundations of that great Building which those malicious aboue mentioned did figure to themselues They said it was requisite to the strict Christianity which the Catholique King professed all humane Interest deposed to aduance with all his spirits the conuersion of Henry and to exhort the high Bishop affectionately to receiue the prodigall Sonne seeing he was returned penitent to his fathers house and to take into his Armes the strayed sheepe which hee had now found to carry him to the Sacred sheepfold of Christ They did blame as a work very little Catholique but rather as a suggestion of the Deuill to attempt the hinderance of that Absolution which onely hee ought to haue procured for the quiet of France and the publique good of Christendome which if it had not succeeded might haue wholly alienated that Kingdome from the Church as the like had done in England They did consider that it was wide of the purpose to feare any preiudice in the kingdome of Nauarre and the County of Burgundy seeing the Absolution did not deriue any more right to Henry then that which any other which should be King of France might haue But aboue all the pretensions of the expence made in the warre did giue them greatest scandall They discoursed if only for the loue of Christ the Catholique King had disbursed that money why was he not content to haue Christ his Debtor But how a Debtor if hee doth enioy of the Patrimony of Christ aboue Three Millions yearely Reuenue granted him by the Vicar of Christ of Tenths Subsidies and Croysado's and other meanes with condition to employ them against the Enemies of Christendome why takes hee nor penne in hand and comes not to a distinct Account of the Receipts and Issues well balancing il dare conl'hauere and hee shall finde himselfe not Creditor of one Maranedi but certainely Debtor of many and many Millions spent not according to his obligation for Christianity but for the interest of his owne priuate Estates What then doth hee pretend Why then doth he not lay downe Armes Vpon what hath hee fixed his thoughts To what end doth he aspire If he prosecute this warre he prosecuteth an vniust warre How doth that correspond with the zeale of Religion for which onely at first he vndertooke it What change is this Certainely it proceedeth not from the right hand of the most High But bee it so let him follow the warre at his owne pleasure there is no remedy Henry shall bee absolued and shall bee King of France Doth the Catholique King perhaps hope with his owne forces and by strong hand to depriue him If he was not able with the vnion of so many other Princes to hinder him from taking possession of his Kingdome how shall he now be able to expell him hauing set sure footing in his Throne He attempts a dangerous Action Here they proceed with witty and politique Consideration that a good issue of this warre against Henry not ensuing hee should be sure to acquire a powerfull and perpetuall Enemy that might in time make Spaine to tremble within her owne bowels and the Prophesie had well neare beene verified the whole world knowes it if a violent death had not interposed to stay him But this yet which perhaps was foreseene they did iudge insufficient to free Spaine of the danger Seeing the offence of the father and with the offence the disdaine might descend to the Sonne his Successor as soone as hee came to ripe age and should fall into consideration that the Catholique King had done his vâ—most to keepe him from being King of France when hee indeauoured to take the Crowne from the head of his father and that if his father in despight of Spaine mainteined himselfe King he also in despight of Spaine might enioy his fathers Kingdome But all these considerations which certainely were very great before any other conceiued them were resolued by the most wise King Phillip who by common Iudgement was the Salomon of his time From whence for the same reasons that others did iudge it requisite to leaue the warre hee esteemed it necessary to prosecute it Seeing he knew he had so grieuously offended Henry that hee could by no other meanes secure himselfe from his disdaine but onely by opposing him to become King of France Wherefore seeing the cause of Religion did cease it was expedient to fasten vpon some other pretence to resist with his Holiness the absolution and in France the Corenation and to proue if it were possible already reason of State had insinuated that great building of the Malicious to make a King of his owne fashion as he had already caused to be propounded in Parliament Tarde se desengana el dessee de mandar Bauia p. 4. vita de Clem. 8. c. 30. y ser Rey Por este aunque con menos brie no desistian los pretensores Proponia el Duque de Feria al Serenissima Infanta de Espana Dona Isabel Affermaua denersele el Reyno porque hauiendo faltado la linea masculina de Hugo Capcto eraquien tenià meior derecho a la Corona como hija de hermana mayor de Eurico III vltimo Rey de Francia Y dezia con esto que el Rey Catholico su padre la ca sarsa con alâ—un principe Frances con que el nombramiento del tal quedasse en su elecion That is The desire to command and to bee King was slowly cleared from all doubt For this cause though with lesse boldnesse the Pretènders gaue not ouer The Duke of Feria did propound her highnesse Donna Isabella Infanta of Spaine He did affirme the Kingdom
ordinarily the question of the Acquisition of States is handled a iust Prince ought very well to consider if hee haue lawfull cause and honest right to possesse them and where hee knowes no other Title then that of Religion much more hee ought to be aduised that it bee not a faire and honest Couer of a foule and wicked Couetousnesse Don Pedro the tenth King of Aragon and third of that name hauing raised the greatest forces in his power passed therewith into Affrica to make warre vpon the Moores the ancient enemies of our Christian Religion For which holy purpose he receiued great Aides of money from S. Lewis the most Christian King of France What more worthy action could be haue vndertaken Who would haue found occasion to blame him yet vnder the herbe lav hid the Serpent Iosephus Boufilis Hist Sicil. par 1. li. 8. Genzale de Igliescas Hist Pontif. par 1. lib 5. cap. 45. M. Anton. Sabel p. 2. Encad 9. li. 7. This King had sometime before sent into Sicily Iohn Precita who offended by Charles of Anioy his Lord desired to be reuenged disguised in the habit of a Fryar to stirre the mindes of that Nation to rebell who for some ill vsage did shew themselues distasted with the French Gouernment Iohn Precita effected his businesse The Rebellion of the Sicilians and the destruction of the French followed King Charles armed for the recouery of his lost Kingdome and the Rebells to resist him In the meane while Poter of Aragon that scarcely hauing touched the Coast of Affrica was retyred to Sardinia to be nearer Sieily obseruing the time and occasion of his designe fitting suddenly went to Palerme where hee was receiued with great ioy and gladnesse and published and proclaimed King of the Siciltans who flocked to him from all parts of the Island See now your Maiestie with what insidious and cursed Art vnder the colour of Religion the King Don Pedro faining to haue taken Armes against the Enemies of Christianity tooke that Kingdome from a Christian King and foedary of Holy Church and which is more with the help of that Gold which he had receiued from the most Christian King right Brother of King Charles Whereupon the blessed Pope Martin the fourth a man of renowned sanctitie of whom as the Spanish Pontificall Igliescas â—bi supra and other Histories doe report were seene many miracles after his death did excommunicate and depriue him of his Kingdomes and absolue his Subiects of their Oath of Allegiance giuing power to any Prince to persecute him as a common Enemy Perhaps the holy Bishop thought that with this rigour the King Don Pedro would be brought to acknowledge his error and to restore what he had ill gotten But it proued without any fruit for hee which made it lawfull vhiustly to vsurpe the rights of others did little feare Ecclesiasticall censures for their restitution And what more Catholique and more pious Enterprise could bee imagined then that of India for the enlargement or the sacred Gospell What iuster title then that which the highest Bishop Alexander the Sixt did grant to the Catholique Kings Ferdinand and Isabell in the new world ordeyning them as supreme Emperors ouer those Kings and Infidell Kingdomes But after what thing was more vniust then the Conquest of the immediat Dominion of those Countries I call it a Conquest to enter with warre to subdue the people before they were allured with the peacefull voice of preaching and to take away the life of lawfull Lords and Naturall Princes to vsurpe their States notwithstanding they did not hinder the promulgation of the Gospell but rather were ready to receiue the holy Faith And it is a certaine truth that when also they were not conuerted whilst yet they did not oppose the progresse of Christian Religiou they could not be by the way of warre subiected that being contrary to the will of Christ who said Speciosi pedes Euangelizantium pacem And much lesse could they bee spolled of their Dominion seeing the same Christ when he came into the world did declare that the empire also of the Gentiles is iust lawfull commanding euen his own Apostles to pay tribute to Casar Neither is it to bee beleeued that the Pope when hee granted to the Catholique Kings the Soueraign Empire of the Indies had any thought to preiudice the immediate Dominion of Gentile Princes because he could not doe it The which the great Atabalâ—â—a King of Peru did know by the onely light of nature to whom Friar Vincenze di val verde made the most sottish and abominable oration to reduce him to the holy faith that could be imagined amongst other Curious things which he spake this was one El Papa que ey biue did a nuestro potentissime Rey de Espana Emperader delos Romanos y Monarca del mundo Jgliescas p. 2. lib. 6. c. 26. Sect. 14. la conquista destas tierras El Emperador embia agora Francesco Picaro à rogares seays su amigo y trsbutario y que obedezeays al Papa yrecibays la feè de Christo y creays en ella porque uereys como es sanctissima y que la que vos agora teneys es mas que falsa Si esto todo no hazeys sabed que os hemos de dar guerra yos que braremos los Idolos y os for çaremos a que dexeys la Religion diuâ—estros falsos Dioses That is The Pope this day liuing hath granted our most mighty King of Spaine Emperor of the Romans and Monarch of the World the Conquest of these lands now our Emperor doth send Francesco Pisaro to desire you to be his friend and Tributary to obey the Pope to receiue the faith of Christ and to beleeue therein because you shall see that it is most holy and yours most false If you doe not all this know that wee must make warre vpon you wee will breake your Idols and enforce you to leaue the religion of your false Gods Who euer heard a holier and wiser Sermon Como siel hijo de Dios que murio per cadauno dellos Vesceuo di Chiappa nel lib della destructione di India ouiera en su lcy mandado quando dixo Euntes docete omnes gentes que se hiziessen requerimientos à los inficles pacisices y quietos y que tienen fus tierras propias y si no la ricibiessen Iuego sin etra predication y dotrina y si no diessen a si melmes al senorie del Rey que nuvca oyeron ni vieron espetialmente cuya gente y mensaieros son tan crueles tan desapiadados y tan horribles Tirannos perdiessen per el mesmo caso la hazienda y las tierras la libertad las mugeres y hijos con todas sus vidas que es cosa absurda y estulta y digna de todo vituperio escarnio y infierno That is As if the Sonne of God who dyed for euery one of
Thirty soure years he laboured in the study of holy Lawes to be well instructed in the knowledge of Iustice He affirmeth nothing which he doth not learnedly proue All his works were directed to his owne King and the Royall Councell before whom more then once hee appeared in person to entreat of this Businessa Who can then beleeue that hee durst say that which was not apparant truth Men vse not to speake ill of Princes to their owne faces Ignorance of the fact or of the Law cannot be obiected to him so much practised and who had so long studyed these matters Argument of affection or of passion cannot be imagined in a Prelat of most exemplar life who renounced his Bishopricke onely to assist in the Court of his Prince in the defence of a People from any interest in him as farre remoued as our world is distant from theirs From whence of necessity it must be said that onely the loue of truth did moue him and the inuincible reasons wherewith he maintaines all his Assertions doe most clearly demonstrate it So that your Maiestie who is as much a louer of truth as of God considering with a setled minde all the fore-alleadged discourses will in the sinceritie of your conscience 〈◊〉 that which 〈◊〉 beginning was declared That Enterprises vndertaken onely for Religion are often reduced to proper Interest and that Titles Dignities and Authorities granted with most holy zeale by the Vicar of Christ haue beaue peruersly abused It is very true that this good Prelatate hath indeauoured to excuse the Catholique Kings by saying that the aboue mentioned euills were against their Intentions clearely expressed in many orders and holy instructions giuen to those crooked ministers who obserued no part of them But this excuse is not admitted of wise men yea rather confuted with most strong Reasons First because it hath not beene found that the Catholique Kings did euer punish any of those Ministers vnlesse perhaps some for Rebellion notwithstanding their wickednesse was manifest vnto them which the foresaid Bishop doth more then once affirme Secondly because so many iniquities by them committed were neuer retracted in particular the Diuisions of the Commenda's vpon which the said Author doth exclaime euen to the Heauens Lastly because the immediate Dominions are encorporated vniuersally and particularly with the Supreme Dominions and this is euident in fact all faculty being taken from them which had it to choose their Prince and the inheritance from them to whom the estates by succession did appertaine of whom some miraculously escaping aliue in that destruction of the Indies lamentably by this Bishop described were transported into Spaine lest by the loue of their Naturall Subiects they should aspire to recouer that of which against reason they were depriued And yet to this day the Issue of that great Motezâ—ma Emperor of Mexico doe liue in the Court of your Maiestie prohibited vpon paine of life to goe out of Castile From which most true reasons the wisedome of your Maiestie may easily comprehend how little the aforesaid excuses doe pruaile and how great 〈◊〉 the Catholique Kings haue to render to God of the vsurpation of the immediate 〈◊〉 of the Indies vnder pretence of amplifying the Christian faith The religious zeale of the King Don Phillip the second father of your Maiestie cannot inconsiderately bee ouerpast when inurted by the Pope hee tooke Armes against Henry the fourth King of France The cause of Christ was in question against a publique Heretique and Enemy of Christ It was expedient that the facred Catholique King Protector of the Church of Christ should abandon his owne Affaires of Flanders to defend that of Christ The which Hereique Action the fruit of perfect vertue which is rarely found among Princes of the World did beget in many wonder and incredulity and in others it caused too malitious suspition Algunos saith the Spanish Bishop que juzgauan la virtud agena por la malitia propia Bauia Pentif par 3. vita di Griger 14. c. 9. no querian creer que el zelo de Rey Catholico fuesse tan grande che desamparando su bazienda propia con tan gran costa fuesse a remediar la agena That is Some who iudge the vertue of others by their owne malice would nor beleeue that the zeale of the Catholique King could be so great that leauing the care of his owne business hee should at so immence Charge relieue the necessitie of others Behold the wonder and the incredulity Otros as after followes in the history que no bien conocian la Religion y Christianidad del gran Filippo II. Bauia p. 3. vita de Innocentie 9. C. 9. fondauan en esta jornada un gran edificio diziendo que se queria hazer Rey de Francia ò ponelle de su mano assegurandosse ensus Estados comarcanos y sasando à bueltas no pequeno interes That is Others that did not well vnderstand the Religion and Christianitie of the Grand Phillip the second did from this vndertaking lay the foundation of a great building saying that he desired to make himselfe King of France or to place a King of his owne dependance hereby assuring his owne neighbouring States and drawing to himselfe no little aduantage Behold the malice and that truely very great against that most innocent Monarch who did clearely show to haue no other interest nor further desire then that the Catholique Religion should not be vtterly ruined as it was freshly threatned in the Kingdome of France But what cannot the Deuill doe Saints and Heremits are rarely secure much lesse Princes in Courts Scarcely hath Henry begunne inspired by the holy Ghost to shew himsefe willing to be reduced to the wombe of holy Church to be truely a most Christian King when the Catholique fell vpon a Councell by no meanes to consent that hee should bee King of France And yet to him the Rights of that Kingdome did appertaine nor for other cause was the opposition but for being an Heretique whence the impediment being taken away it was most vnrust any longer to withstand him But it was whispered in the cares of the Catholique King by certaine Machiauells rather then Disciples that the Coronation of Henry might bring some danger to his Maiestie for the kingdome of Nauarr and the County of Burgondy vpon which States the Crowne of France hath pregnant pretensions and that his Maiestie had cast away in vaine so much Gold and spent so much blood of his people in that warre Therefore La tarde antes so saith Rauia que hiziesse la absolution Pontif p. 4 vita de Cle. 8. Cap. 56 el Duque de Sessa Ambaxador del Rey Catholico de su parte hiza al Papa protestacion que la absolucion que su santitad pensau a dar à Enrico no perjudicasse al derecho de su Rey en lo teccante al Reyno de Nauarra y Contado di Borgona ui a los gastos que hauia echo
may and ought to depriue the Prince his Vassall because the inuestiture of the fee is not granted for the peoples ruine but that they should bee gouerned with lustice wherefore if the feudatory vse iniustice and ill entreatment he falls from his Iurisdiction and the Soueraigne Prince may thereof depriue him and not doing it beeing able hee shall bee a wicked Prince and no lesse guiltie of the euill before God which he suffered his feudatory to doe then hee the feudatory himselfe is who acts it Now let your Maiestie apply this doctrine which is wholy conformable to reason and law to the Actions of your Ministers to the condition of your Subiects and to the right of other Princes ouer your Estates in Italy and you shall clearely see how your Ministers are damnable your Subiects miserable and how much other Princes are obliged to releeue them My words perhaps will seeme bitter but I beseech your Maiestie to consider if they be true and finding them so to take them in good part as bitter medicines fiery Canteries sharp lances vse to be gratefully receiued from the hands of Physitians Chirurgions to procure health be assured you shall find them most profitable because your Maiestie fully informed of the truth will correct your Ministers comfort your Subiects and ease other Princes of the necessitie to vse their supreame Iurisdiction The Cause of Subiects and of Ministers are together vnited because those are gouerned and these Gouernours whence as Correlatiues they goe paripasse I will then briefly represent to you Maiestie the Gouernment of your States in Italy so farre as is expedient to the present matter The State of Milun in the time of the Emperour Charles the sift began to bee ill intreated from whence that sad lamentable and despairefull Ambassage which they sent by Baptista Archinto to Nazan is recorded who onely because he did lament in the name of his afflicted Countrey was receiued with an ill eye sent back without remedy and by the Imperiall Ministers at his returne sharply reprehended which might haue occasioned the Rebellion of that people if they had found any better Prince who would haue receided them Hac vbi sub ipsum Caesaris à Nicea discessum ex legatione veâ—â—â—â— per vrbas Cisalpinae Galliae svulgate sunt Iouius Hist lib. 37. vsque adtò tamum ex vei indignitate odium Caesaricrâ—uit vt omnes ex rarum desperations fucise defect 〈◊〉 upoareret si mitior clemenotr qui dâ—dentes reeiperet Dominus offereretur immoderatis siâ—â—dem puoe bâ—llbque rributis upprossi nonn etiam tum mmstruae exactionis onerâ—â— periutâ—rant quae nunquam desitâ—aboni morâ—ales 〈◊〉 donoe vincret Câ—sar atque Italiae Imperis poteretur A feet also a second time when Strozzâ— Pallaâ—icino Visenti who made warre for the King of France approached to Millan all the Imperiall Ministers held that Citie as bad as loft onely because it did feele the yoake of Spanish Dominion too violent and heavy Assiduis at que intollerandis trubutis alienata Jouius lib. 45. parata credi poterat ad nouandas res vt inuictum pergraue Hispanici Regm ingum excuteret If from that time to this their grieuances are diminished or augmented your Maiestie best knowes To what termes that State is at this day reduced who doth not know let him consider this that already many and many year as it hath suffered great numbers of Spanish Souldiers lodged in the houses of poore particular men at discretion Discretion of Souldiers and Tyranny are one and the same thing who hath not proued it let him pray to God fust to die and hee shall die happier then euer to haue proued it And let him be content to beleeue for faith that vnder such discretion goods and honour are dispatched and hardly is life secure I passe ouer the burthen of new Tributes I leaue the Rapine of Ministers who like blood-suckers haue exhausted the veines of that plentifull bodie because in comparison of lodging Souldiers at discretion I esteeme all to bee nothing and he who is able to endure to see them eate the sustenance of his poore family and that which exceeds all other Tyranny to grow familiar with his wife daughters and Sisters it may be said that he is growne insensible of any iniury I remember to haue read in the warres which were so sharpe betweene the Venetians and Genoueses that these did take a Citie of their Enemies and held it the space of tenne yeares subiected to discretion whence it is credible that besides other matters they did dispose of their wiues according to their pleasures for which cause to this day though now two hundred and fifty yeares are ouerpast there cannot bee done a greater Inuiry to those people then to call them Genoueses Bastards and notwithstanding that staine with length of time and the continued peace of that Citie which neuer since felt the offence of Enemie hath beene oftentimes worne out and washed away yet vpon euery occasion they resent the onely memory of that ancient Iniury done to the honour of their women which seemes indelible and eternall If I then say that the greatest of all the Tyrannies which the State of Millan doth now suffer is to haue their wiues at the Souldiers discretion I shall not speak much wide of the purpose because it is a matter very likely that in times to come the Millaneses may bee called Spanish Bastards If this be tolerable let your Maiestie consider Wee proceed to Sicily Let it not be grieuous to your Maiestie that I speake this truth that if this day there were any other Prince as ready to solicit the destruction of Spanyards as there was once a Spanish King to procure that of the French sodainly and easily wee should see another Scicilian Vesper the causes are the same and are not newly begunne Let the Insurrection of Messina bee remembred then when the Vice King Don Iuan de Cardona Ioseph Bonfigl Hist Sicil. p. 1. lib. 10. would oppresse that Kingdome with intolerable Tributes And let it bee considered with what pride and with how great disdaine he vsed the Messinesi because they defended the libertie of their Kingdome For which cause iustly prouoked they did generously to his face vpbraid him that he acted another Phallaris another Dionisius Don Vgo de Moncada who would not start Bonfigl p. 2. lib. 1. onely to heare this name this was that impious man that sacked Rome was also Vice-Roy how can it bee thought that hee handled them Let vs obserue the words of the History Hee was by Nation a Catalonian by birth a Barcellonese a man most ambitious greedy of Riches and immoderately enclined to dishonest Luxury Hee gouerned Sicily with Crueltie Auarice and Impudent Iust Hee neglected so farre to punish the falsifiers of money vntill depriuing it of Commerce hee impouerished that Kingdome and that which more imported he made publike Mechandise of Graine insomuch that hee
exhausted Sicily and of a most fruitfull Countrey reduced it to the want of bread Couetousnesse was accompanied with other notorious vices so that hee became to the nobilitie and people hatefull which being knowne vnto him when the death of the Catholique King was published hee durst not appeare abroad for feare of receiuing some notable afront Here the Author proceedeth to the Insurrection of that Kingdome against so strange a Monster who disguised in the habit of a Seruant saued himselfe by flight and after got away to his King in Flanders In whose place was sent Hector Pinatello Earle of Monteleone who by publique Decree would ratifie all the Acts of Don Vgo how tyrannicall soeuer Whereupon the People who insteed of remedy saw the mischiefe confirmed made a new Commotion in the Citie of Palermo and the new Vice-King was inforced to escape to Messina vntill the Commons by the Nobility appeased and many Spanish Souldiers supplied him from the King he became strong and was able to vent his rage as he did with extreame rigor vpon the mutined And Don Vgo de Moncada who had so ill entreated the poore Sicilians in stead of punishment was rewarded with great riches and honored with the standard of Captaine Generall of the Sea They who at present liue by tradition of their old men and for as much as themselues haue proued doe testifie before God that that kingdome hath continually suffered grieuances cruel extortions but that the people had almost veterly forgotten them when they felt the heauy yoake of the Duke of Ossuna because in respect of extreame euills moderate may be called goodnesse They exclaime to the Heauens that he hath left the wretched Sicily desolate and rooted vp They complaine with miserable outcryes to haue more then once sent into Spaine to lament to your Maiestie and alwaies without fruit And since they remaine wholly confused and astonished with the consideration how he like another Don Vgo in stead of receiuing punishment should be honored and recompenced with the charge of the Vice-King of Naples And now it is time to discourse of Naples it selfe I should vndertake a great worke to recount that which I haue seene and tryed and perhaps I might seeme as passionate I will then mention onely that which I haue found in Histories that which the kingdome with full voice doth proclaime It was practiced lately in Naples to introduce the Inquisition al vso de Spania Igles p. 2 l. 6. c. 27 Sect. vlt. Bonfigl p. 2 l. 4. The people cryed out there was no need of so great rigour because by Gods grace that Kingdome was not full of Moores and Spaudo Christians The Vice-King insisting on his purpose began to vse force the people instructed by nature armed to oppose against such violence The Pope informed of the business cōmanded the Vice Roy in vertue of holy obedience to be quiet and he well may doe it both as Prince of the Church in respect of Eaelesiasticall Iurisdiction and as temporall Prince that Kingdome being the proper faude of the Sea Apostolique yet for this the Vice-King would not desist but with small and great Artillary attempted to bring his purpose to effect All the Citie rose in vptore Many houses were loueiled with the ground and men not a few slaine But sooner hee might destroy all then those generous mindes be subiected to his will so that he did great harme and obtained nothing Who shall well consider these Actions cannot be perswaded that Christian zeale transported the Vice-King to intermeddle in Ecclesiastique Iurisdiction and to desire to burden that people with a yoake little needfull and lesse reasonable against the will of the Vicar of Christ Soueraigne Prince as well in Temporals as Spiritualls in the Kingdome of Naples From whence it must be concluded that vnder that pretence the Vice-Roy had some other end which certainly could not be but little for the good of the Subiect I know not how to excuse of Tyranny that Action in the yeare 1585 Bau. Pontis p. 3. vita Siste 5 c. 5. when the officers drew out of that kingdome so great a quantitie of Corne to send into Spaine that although the yeare were most abundant the poore Citie of Naples did perish of famine A Crueltie indeed horrible to take from the Neapolitans their owne broad to feed their Spaniards Therefore not without cause that people conducted by necessitie to desparation rose all in tumult from whence the vice-Vice-King this also was a Duke of Ossuna tooke after occasion to vent his sury putting to death forty sending to the Gallies a hundred and exiling infinite numbers The present State thereof imitates that of Sicily as the Duke of Ossuna succeeded in that Gouernment after Sicily To performe my promise I will say no more let that Inscription no lesse true then compassionate by the Kingdome it selfe published to the World speake which shall remaine of that Duke a perpetuall and famous Elogte Miserescite Exteri Exhorrescite Posteri Petrus Gironus Dux Osscinensium Natione Hispanus Genere Perduellis Religione Turcicus Italici Dalmatici Germanici Fax Cruenta Bellorum Non. Vnius Sicilia Verres Neapoli Pollutis Templis Conspurata Nobilitate Depredato Aerario Monito Mauro Accersito Trace Veneta Vrbe Per. Insidias Ad. Excidium Tenta Regis Simplicitate Per. Corruptos Aulicos Diu. Multumque Delusa Hospitum Manubiis Per. Triennium Ditato Milite Compulsisque Populis Ad. Eorum Stationes Redimendas Foedata Infandis Exemplis Ah. Nimis Ad. Infandū Prona Ciuitate Nobilibus Aliquot Adse Vario Quà Munere Quà Vaframenta Pellectis Largitionibus Et. Vanis Spebus Plebe Delusa Atque Eorum Seditiosissimo Bis. Extra Sortem Renunciato Tribuno Denique Frustra Vetatis Armis Tentatis Arcibus Et. In. Armatos Ciues Per. Triduum Circumducta Acie Scelestorū Opportune Successoris Aduentu Cedere Solo. Et. Salo. Compulsus Aurum Nostrum Quod. Hic Corrasit Nequiter Alibi Lasciue Sparsurus Prouinciae Neapolitani Heu Quondam Regni Inermes Enerues Populorum Deglubiti Greges Palantes Balantes Teterrimas Suas Clades Ignotas Regi Longirquo Et. Torpenti Fascino Sandonallico Pagella Et. Calamo Quae. Sola Sunt Reliqua Representant Vrbi Et. Orbi Miserescite Exteri Exhorrescite Posteri In so wofull manner sacred Maiestie Naples doth lament No lesse doth Sicily grieue and Millan equally complaine But of all their vexations the vnhappy people are afraid to speake All their iniuries with open voice it is not lawfull to expreise Scarcely they dare publikely bewaile their extreame miseries whence their hearts are more corroded Tacitus moeror lust lib. 8. luctus verentibus ne ipsae lachrymae pro contumacia hubeantur Crescit dissimulatione ipsa dolor hoc altius dimissus quo minùs profiteri licet Of these three principall Prouinces of Italy vnder the gouernment of the Emperour Charles the fift I find recorded in Historie that Insubres ex opulentissimis ad egestatem redacti