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
they should not stick to feed them with smoak The Cavalcata was the stateliest that was ever seen in Pernassus both for the number and quality of Princes who came thither to favour and honour that great King who was placed amongst those Monarchs who have been held famous in the world more for their wisdom and sagacity in peace then for their valour shewn in War And therefore the Impressa which he bore in his chief Standard which was a writing Pen afforded much wonder to the Literati with which Pen as is fully witnessed by all Historians he had caused greater ruine and hurleyburleys in France and wheresoever else he had occasion to use it then his Father Charls the fifth could have done with all the Cannons of Europe This Impressa was much commended by all the College of the Vertuosi Writers having attributed it to great honour that a Pen in the hand of one that knew how to use it had done such remarkable things So great a King is alwaies treated in Pernassus alla Grande for even the chiefest Monarchs of Europe have thought it an honour to serve him In so much as as he was under the Barbers hands the next day after his entry the Queen of England held the basin to his neck and the warlike King of France Henry the fourth thought it great glory that he was able to wash his head which he did with such dexterity as if he had been bred up to that exercise though some Malignants say it was without sope and with very strong lye This great Monarch was presented by all the Vertuosi of Pernassus with many pieces of Poetry and other elaborat Writings which he rewarded very liberally He gave twenty crowns in Gold to a Literato who presented him with a solid Discourse wherein he shewed how the Noble Parthenope and the whole flourishing Kingdom of Naples which is now brought to utter desolation by the plundering of souldiers Judges lewdness by the Barons pilling and polling and by the general ransacking of the Vice-Roys who are sent from Spain to grow rich there might be brought to its antient glory and splendor and gave the discourse to his Confessor and willed him to have a care of it as of that which was written very highly But he gave twelve thousand crowns a year Rent to an excellent Politician who gave him a long Treaty but clean contrary to the other wherein was discust what way might be taken to afflict that Kingdom of Naples much more then it is now and how it might be reduced to such calamity and misery as that generous Steed without or saddle or bridle which the City of Naples gives for her Impresse might be brought to bear a pack-saddle and a heavy burthen patiently nay even to draw in a Cart and moreover he made him a Grandee of Spain affirming that it was discreetly written according to the true terms of good Policy All Princes Commonwealths and States are justly weighed in the Scales by Lorenzo de Medici SInce it is clearly seen that the Commonwealth of Rome after the acquisition which she made of whole Italy could in a short space arrive at that Universal Monarchy which was and is so famous and to which many ambitious Princes have since in vain aspired The Empire and Kingdoms which were afterwards built out of the ruines of so great a Monarchy came to a great contest Whether it were possible to hinder that Potentate who should be suffered to grow to such a greatness of stature and strength as that he was not to be counterpoised by anyone single other Prince as the Commonwealth of Rome could never be after she had once got to be Mistriss of Italy from arriving in a short time at Universal Monarchy Since it is evidently known by many occasions which have hapned that peoples aid and succour are but vain hopes and wofull remedies by reason of the diversity of Interests and infinite jealousies which use to reign amongst Colleagues and the Empires and Kingdoms which arose in the world after the ruine of the Roman Empire to the end that they might shun those calamities and dissolutions which those Potentates underwent who were opprest by the Roman Power did wisely make an agreement that all the Princes of Europe should meet together every fifteenth year and that their Forces should be weighed and a due counterpoise and allay should be given to him who should be found to be grown to such a greatness as might prove dangerous to his neighbours Many great wits were propounded for the honourable imployment of this poysing but for above these hundred last years it hath alwaies been discharged by the Princely House of Medici and particularly by the great Lorenzo At which Prerogative though many thought the Pope was highly offended and the Venetian Senat who have been alwaies as watchful at least if not more to maintain the power of Potentates equal as well in Italy as elsewhere as Lorenzo or any of the Florentines yet all Historians do agree that the weight of this business was bequeathed to Lorenzo The first day of August then all the Princes and Potentates of Europe met at Phocides to be present at the important affair of having perfect knowledge of their own actions and that which imports more by much in matters of State of those of others By antient and just prerogative the Aristocratical Monarchy of the Apostolick Sea was put first into the Scales and because the weight thereof did not exceed six millions of pounds the last fifteen years and now it was found to weigh seven millions and a half every one knew that the addition of the Dukedom of Ferrara was the occasion thereof And then a vail being taken off the sacred sharp edged sword appeared shining as clear as the Sun amidst spiritual and temporal Authority And because a thing of so great esteem cannot be weighted by the Scales of humane judgement it was honoured adored and admired only by the minds of all men Next to this the Roman Empire was brought to the Scales by the seven Princes Electors which was found in the old books to have weighed seventy millions of pounds But her healthful complexion being spoiled by the irregular living of many of her Emperors which made her be dreaded by every one she is fallen into such dangerous sicknesses as after a long Quartane Ague hath terminated in a Hectick Feaver which hath so macerated her as nothing is seen to remain in her in this our age but skin and bones Yet though she be so much lessened in Revenue she makes a fair appearance by the stately motion of her body Moreover to the end that her intrinsecal imperfections may not be known good people haue much imbellished her outwardly and honested her with the antient Title of August and the Majestical name of Cesar. But when she came to the Scales she was found to be altogether empty within no feather being so light as the name of a
they wondred very much to see that she should find such faithfull secrecy in all her Nobility when they had very much desired but all in vain to obtain so much from one single Secretary and a pair of Councellers A calamity affirmed by these powerfull Queens to be so much the greater as that in this present fraudulent age the first weapons which some Princes use to draw against their enemies was to corrupt other Potentates chief Officers with vast sums of Gold they therefore desired to know of her by what means she in her weightiest affairs obtained so much secrecy from her Nobility and such obedience also in the certain danger of their ruine To this the Venetian Liberty answered That she did allure her Nobility to the vertue of Secrecy by rewards and frighted them from the vice of disobedience by punishments The aforesaid Monarchies replyed That they likewise made use of the same means yet could not compass the same ends That said the Venetian Liberty is because the rewards given by Monarchies are poor and the punishments slight in comparison of those which were practised in well governed Commonwealths To this answer was made That Monarchies could affirm the contrary for the rewards of free Countries compared with the profuse liberallity which great Kings use towards their chief Ministers of State was but beggery For it was never known that the State of Venice rewarded the fidelity of any of her Senators with the rich Donatives of Castles Citadels Cities and other Noble and rich Fee-Farms with which Princes did often remunerate their Ministers of State the greatest rewards used by the Venetian Commonwealth to her most meritorious Senators being to promote them to greater Magistracies and that by degrees and not without their having taken much pains ere they could come by it Moreover that the greatest part of her imployments being rather expencefull then profitable they only brought with them an increase of reputation That then for the poynt of punishment certainly punishments inflicted by the resolute will of Princes for great offences were incomparably more severe and dreadfull then those which were decreed against a Senator by any Senat which were usually rather mild and circumspectious then precipitate and cruel And that there was a great disproportion between a Prince who judged his Vassal and a Senator who by his sufferage punisht his equal his friend one of his own bloud That the State of Venice used no worser Gibbits Gallowses Fetters Ropes nor fire in their Nobilities misdemerits then were used in Spain France England and Poland unless it were the Cavala Orfano which was the Venetians utmost severity That if Kings had not that Channel in their Kingdoms they could notwithstanding sew up their disloyal Officers in sacks and cause them to be thrown into deep Rivers and Wells The Illustrious Venetian Commonwealth did then smile and said That in lieu of those Fee-Farm Rents which Princes bestow with such a limited authority upon their well deserving servants she gave unto her Loyal and obedient Nobles the Kingdom of Candia Corfu and the other Islands subject to her Dominions the States of Dalmatia Istria Freuli Padua Vicenza Verona Brescia Bergamo Crema and that most majestical Miracle of the most Royal Cities Venice And all this with full authority to command and govern them absolutely so as her Nobility were not to be esteemed as privat men but as Kings and great Princes who in the weighty affairs of the Commonwealth were faithfull to themselves whereas the servants of Princes were faithfull to others and that the detestation which the Noble Venetians had of selling the Commonwealths secrets to forrein Princes arose from the infinite disproportion between what they should lose by their fellonious dealing and what they got by their Loyalty That there was no proportion or comparison between the remorse which a Minister of State feels for having betrayed his Prince and the fear a Senator had to be unfaithfull to his free Country Because to be unfaithfull to others was to betray himself Lastly the Venetian Liberty said That the rewards which Princes give to their Secretaries and other State-Ministers did often produce pernitious effects and clean contrary to the intention of the givers For that they did not only make the Officer grow more coole in his Masters service since he had nothing more to hope for from him but that Princes minds being so mutable and the plots of their Court-rivals so frequent it often hapned that the servant sought by his disloyalty and by suppressing his Master to secure that reward which by his good service he had got All which were pernitious effects and wherein their rewards fell so much the shorter for that the Patrimony of the Venetian Nobility encreasing alwaies with the greatness of their Empire the love of their Senators was daily encreased more and more and their charity towards the weal-publick Then she said the disproportion in punishments between her and Monarchies was far greater for she had often had experience that when her Nobles have even been in arms and much importun'd by forrein Princes if she should but mention unto them the Senats displeasure and their degradation from Nobility there was not any Venetian Senator who would not with unspeakable chearfull obedience hasten to Venice with firm resolution rather to lose his life between two pillars then to be deprived of that Liberty which is so highly valued by generously minded men and that there was not any Senator of Venice who would not willingly suffer death rather then put himself in subjection to any whatsoever forrein Prince The reason why because the Noble Venetian was a Fish which being born in those Waters of Liberty could not live out of Venice in the element of servitude The XXVI ADVERTISEMENT Francis the First that Potent King of France meeting the Lady Philosophy naked profered her his Royal Mantle which would not be accepted THe bountifull King of France Francis the First met casually yesterday the Lady Philosophy leaning upon Aristotle and Plato as she went sporting her self in Parnassus And seeing her to be naked the King had a strange compunction of mind to see that the very Queen of all human Sciences who ought to abound in all the most exquisite delights should be so poor as that she should not have wherewithall to cover her self Wherefore that magnanimous King throwing off his Royal Cloak or Mantle which was all imbroidered with Flowre-de-Luces made of Diamonds would therewithall have covered that beautifull Lady when first having rendred all due thanks to so great a King for so courteous an offer she said That she who had no shame to hide nor deformities to cover might without any prejudice to her reputation walk naked in Parnassus The XXVII ADVERTISEMENT Apollo complains bitterly of the Muses for that they inspire many mean wits with Poetical fury and they defend themselves excellently well APollo finding the products of Modern Italian Poets for the most part
Interest which is indeed the Spaniards proper charity Wherefore they resolved to believe appearances no longer but to look into the Barrels which the Spaniards brought and see what was in them Wherein instead of water to quench the fire they found them filled with Pitch Oyle Turpentine and devillish dissention to increase it Some French Barons were found to use the like treachery who appearing more charitable then the rest applyed the self-same Barrels and materials which were lent them by the Spaniards Wherefore they were immediatly put to death by the justly offended French Monarchy and were burnt in the same fire which they had with such sedition and treachery fomented in their own Country And the Spaniards were not only forbidden further assistance but were proclaimed to be hypocrites by sound of Trumpet and it was made known to all men by a particular Edict of the French Monarchy that if any one at any time hereafter should be induced to believe that it were possible for the Spaniards to have any charity for the French they should be held to be great Coxcombs And that if he should persist in his error after the first admonition he should be tost in a blanket as a seditious malignant 'T was a wonder to see that when the Spaniards and aforesaid French forbore their said assistance the French combustion which was held by judicious men to be unquenchable by human means ceased of it self so as the famous golden Flowre-de-Luces formerly so troden under foot sprung up more resplendant and glorious then before and France which through many mens too much ambition laboured for above forty years under intestine combustions became peaceful and quiet in the twinkling of an eye Which made it appear clearly to all men that the Spaniards were the first Authors of that fire in France which under specious pretences of Religion and charity they would have made the world believe their intentions were to quench 'T is said by all men that the Spanish Monarchy retired her self into her Royal Palace and did not suffer her self for many daies to be seen by any one giving her self over to a deep melancholy and that not without shedding abundance of tears she freely confest she would rather have lost two of her best Kingdoms then to see those her holy pretences whereby she had often-times much to her advantage vented stinking Arsafetida for Musk and Ambergrees so quell'd and derided She thought she had lost her richest Treasure and the unexhaustable veins of gold and silver in Peru and the new World by being deprived of being ever able to paint white for black to the common sort of people She thought it very hard for her to be reduced to that pass which she had alwaies seen the French to be of winning Kingdoms barely by the sword whereas formerly she knew she had set the whole world on fire only by her appearing holy pretences in lieu of a formidable Army She was very much grieved to have lost so much credit amongst men as she ran danger of not being believed in the future though she spake truth whereas formerly her false pretences and her hypocrisie were taken for sacred Truths and perfect Devotion The Spanish Monarchy comes to Pernassus and desires Apollo to be cured of an Issue but is dismist by the Politick Physitians THough Apollo did not only give sudden order for the solemn entry of the Spanish Monarchy who came four months ago to this Court but also for a publick Consistory of the Literati in the Royal Hall of Audience where the Muses were all to be present yet was not the Ceremony performed til some two daies ago for she spent four months time in agreeing with the Prince-Poets touching the Titles that she should give to and receive from every man and in what manner she should receive them and be received by them in visits Which made the Vertuosi wonder and bitterly bewail the condition of the present times which were infected with so much vanity But the Vertuosi werè more afflicted when they heard that many learned Princes did openly forbid that great Queen to visit them affirming that they feared to receive some affront from her for they had received fresh Letters from Italy wherein they were advised by their friends to be aware what they did in that point for it was the usual custom of Spaniards to visit people more to injure them then honour them and that therefore they thought it a great piece of folly instead of shunning affronts to wait for them at home and receive them with cap in hand And though so potent a Monarchy to the great wonder of all men seemed more close-handed in giving satisfaction to others in Titles then in giving them gold she hath notwithstanding received what greatest contentment she could desire in point of Title from the Prince-Poets and from all the potent Vertuosi who mind realities more then vain-glory 'T is true that it hath much detracted from the reputation of so great a Queen in this Court to see that though she hath great need of friends she appears so indifferent in alienating those who desire nothing of her but good words Every one noted it for a great singularity that when the Master of the Ceremonies told her that that nice punctilio which she stood upon was hatefull fit for a barbarous King but far unworthy so great a Queen as she she should in a rage reply That she wondred at him and at all Masters of Ceremony since he seemed not to know that a Prince without gravity was like a Peacock without a tail It is impossible to write with what curiosity of desire so great a Princess was expected and looked upon by these Literati For people flockt from all the parts of Pernassus to behold that powerful Queen who with such strange success had in so short a time united great Kingdoms under her and made so formidable an Empire of them as there is not any one Prince in the world who hath not for fear of her put on a Coat of Male and an Iron Brestplate This Queen attended by a numerous Navy arrived happily some months ago in the Island of Lesbos and the Lady Republick of Genua lent her her famous Haven gratis though by a certain antient prerogative the Family of the Dorii received a great Rent for it The Spanish Monarchy is young in respect of that of France England and the other antient Monarchies of Europe but of a much larger body then any of them and disproportionably great for her years whence it is believed that if she should continue to grow as long as humane bodies use to do she would become so great a Gyantess as she would arrive at that immeasurable height of Universal Monarchy at which the Roman Monarchy arrived But the accidents which attend State-affairs say for certain that she will grow no greater and that she is grown in her tenderest years to the utmost height that ever she
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
his Patrimony and having got together a good sum of money he sent for three flocks of sheep each of them consisting of 500 from Spain France and England where he knew the best sheep were and paid excessively for their transporting which being strangers and not acquainted with the Shepherd nor yet understanding his voice nor whistle they were but ill-favoredly led to their pasture in the morning and brought back again at night to their folds Wherefore Menalcas to bring his sheep to better obedience which went still wandring up and down set dogs upon them which not being known to the sheep were alwaies hated by them and they were the more incenst for that to their natural hatred they added offences which begot such obstinacy dispair and disobedience in the sheeps hearts as they began infinitely to abhor their shepherds and the being guarded by dogs Moreover when they found they were to be milkt or shorne they hid themselves in woods and then it was that all the shepherds of Arcadia knew that dispair may make Conies turn Lions Wherefore the Spanish sheep grew so inraged as they even ventur'd to bite the shepherds the French kickt the pail down with their feet wherein they had been miklt and the English sheep that they might not obey strange shepherds nor have their wool torn off by unknown dogs forbore to graze chusing rather to die for hunger then to live in that slavery It was more strange to see that the same profit of Cheese Wool and Lambs which those forrein sheep so willingly yielded to their own Country shepherds were with so ill-will paid to Menalcas as thinking they were not only ill treated but tyrannically massacred they seemed to be glad that they were become barren and laught to see their shepherd undone Menalcas being exceedingly afflicted at this novelty was forced to send to Switzerland for a new regiment of dogs to bring his sheep to better obedience which remedy proved both chargeable and unfortunate for these dogs growing so cruel to the sheep as even to worry them and eat them up this cruelty wrought such effect in the sheep as they began resolutely to throw off all obedience So as afflicted Menalcas fell at last into the misfortune of listning to a Florentine a damn'd Master of Policy who told him that wary shepherds had no better way to make forrein sheep which were disobedient serviceable unto them then by keeping them poor and lean which as soon as it was put in practice proved so prejuditial both to the sheep and sheepherd as Menalcas could not get so much as one Cheese nor half a tod of wool from his sheep and the sheep died for want of meat And in one months space Menalcas lost both his Interest and Principal and which caused much mirth in all the Arcadian shepherds from being a happy shepherd of a noble flock fell through his greedy ambition to be a woful Merchant of sheep-skins A great misfortune wholly occasioned through the ignorance that men have of shepherds Arethmatick which differs so from the Merchant-like Arethmatick used in other affairs as Menalcas who gained 500 crowns a year by 500 sheep fell far short of getting a thousand by a thousand For it is true that in common Arethmatick twice five makes ten and thrice five fifteen and so forward but in Pastoral Arethmatick twice five makes three thrice five makes one and four times five makes that cypher which ruins as many as by grasping at too much holds fast nothing The XLVIII ADVERTISEMENT The Vertuosi of Parnassus in the Assembly of Focide decide the mystery of an Host and find the keeping of an Inn to be a Noble Heroiâ—…k Vertue IN the Assembly which some daies past was celebrated in Focide by the Vertuosi for decission of some Controversies which arose amongst the Vertuosi it was resolved to the wonder of all men that Inn keeping was not a sordid occupation but a most worthy Heroick vertue only fit for such high spirited men and men of worth who born to be liberal and splendid cannot endure that their purses should be strung with avarice nor that the Coffers wherein they keep their Gold lockt up with the key of niggerliness for they think that the use of money serves for nothing but the more to inable gallant men to do gallant things The wonder was yet the greater for that it was said the Vertuosi concur'd so unanimously in this Declaration as it mist but a little that this vocation held at first so sordid was not added as an eight to the seven Liberal Sciences The meaner sort of the Litterati could hardly believe that this Paradox was approved by the noblest sort of Parnassus For Aristotle Plato Averoes and many other antient Litterati of the first Classis did highly praise this resolution of the Assembly confessing all that no nobler art no more honorabler exercise nor greater advantage could be had or made by great men then that of Inn-keeping Alwaies provided that they should be very circumspect in lodging certain quallified passengers who upon occasions which daily occur might with half a penful of â—…nk and one little word make their Host happy and not only pay for their supper and horse meat but make good the losses he had suffered by such as feed upon other mens costs and pass for noddies Presently upon this Declaration many generously minded men of Parnassus and who were formerly verst in the Noble Husbandry of sowing good turns and reaping gratitude betook themselves to the chief high-waies where they have built commodious Inns to take Sturgeons with Pilcherts And Alberto Pio Conte de Carpi one of his Majesties Councel of State dispatcht away an express by Post to acquaint his Nephew Octavius Aquaviva who was then in the Court at Rome with this news This nobly minded Prince and worthy successor to his vertuous forefathers as soon as he had read the Letter of so high advertisement took Post and riding toâ—…ds the high-way which leads from Rome to Tusâ—…ny did â—…mmediately erect a publick and Royal 〈◊〉 in Viterbo with the signe of the blew Lyon where he nobly treated all the Princes and other gallant Gentlemen that past by that way and did this with such Host-like chearfulness as having twice lodged Cardinal Nicolas Sfondrato very suddenly the said Cardinal being afterwards made Pope remembring how good cheer his Host had made him at Viterbo and considering the Noble bloud and great worth and meâ—…s which did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so great a Prelate he caused him to be sent for to Rome and discoursing with him of what he had eaten at his Inn did gratefully requite him with a sallet of boyl'd succory a dish of delicate porredg with Wardens rosted in the embers and with a Cardinals Cap in despight of some poorly conditioned fellows who are not ashamed to give scurvy nic-names to the accommodation which we receive by being well lodged and which ought to be esteemed a great happiness The