and inevitable death of all Commonwealths And though the prime wits of the world have laboured sufficiently to institute long lived Common-wealths against the eternity of Monarchy yet could they never compass their intent Olegarchies being known to be the insufferable Tyrany of a few have been soon turned to Principalities and the Institutors of Democracy could never find out a good way how to curb the people so as it might have the chief Authority to command but after bloody seditions hath precipitated into cruel slavery and hath nursed up a Serpent in her bosom some ambitâ—…ous Citizen who by the certain way of the universal affection of ignorant people hath known how to get the chief Lordship over the free Countrey Moreover we have often seen popular Government prove so hateful to the Nobility as first the Romans after the death of Caesar and then the Florentines when Alexander Duke of Medecis was slain chose rather to live under new Princes then return to the cruel servitude of the Plebeians who are always seditious And the very Aristocratical Governments which of all others hath cost so much sweat have at last ended in Monarchies for the founders of such Republicks could never perfectly compass those two important qualities which make Aristocracy eternal of maintaining such an equality amongst the Nobility but that there would arise an odious disproportion of honours and riches amongst them the fruitful mothers of Tyrany and of giving such satisfaction to signal subjects to the haughty minds of Citizens excluded from publike Government so as they may be content to live servants in that Countrey which hath the name of being Free And those who have boasted to make mixt Commonwealths eternal have been likewise mightily deceived for as in humane bodies the four elements whereof they are composed after an agreement of long health do at last alter and that which proves most predominant kills the man so the mixture of Monarchy Aristocracy and Democracy in a Common-wealth one of the three humors getting at length the upper hand she must needs in length of time alter which alteration changing the form of Government at last bereaves Liberty of her life as we may have seen a thousand examples in former times for all that learned men have set down in writing and proved by good grounds of reason doth not prove true in practice it being clearly seen that Licurgus Solon and other Legislators for living free who have thought to tame the unvanquishable spirits of men by the excellent provision of holy institutions and to curb the malice of the ambitious by severe punishments have been more then much abused in their opinions But now nor can I speak it without great terror and grief of heart we plainly see with our own eyes that the Germans being excellent Artificers no less of Commonwealths then of Clocks and Watches have at last invented those eternal Liberties which for so many ages the wisdom of ancient Philosophers have in vain sought for and from whence Monarchies have great reason to apprehend their death and utter extirpation Never was there a more golden sentence said most glorious Monarchs then that That every least despised sparkle is apt to occasion great combustions For who would ever have believed that that little spark of of liberty which first arose amongst the Switzers would have been able to kindle a fire which should afterwards dilate it self so far in Germany as the World now sees and wonders at And what man how wise soever could have foretold that in so short a time it would have caused the combustion of so many Cities and warlike Nations which to the great shame and infinite danger of Monarchy have vindicated their liberty Certainly it is a thing almost miraculous to believe that the little liberty which began to have a being amongst the Switzers a poor people and husbandmen of a very barren soyl and which was so much despised by you should afterwards be able to infect the most warlike Nations of Germany with the same disease and which is yet the greatest miracle who could ever have foreseen that these Commonwealths should in so short a time win such credit with all Potentates as well in civil affairs as for matter of Arms as that they should not onely be held the supreme Umpires of peace and war in Europe but the very greatest Terror of the chiefest Princes of the World The Commonwealths of Germany most illustrious Princes are Trumpets which should awaken you from the too supine sleep wherein you have so long lain Know your evils look upon your dangers which cry aloud for speedy remedy Since in the German Commonwealths you see not onely Aristocracy grounded with so wise laws as they promise long life but that which all men thought impossible quiet and peaceful Democracy The Commonwealth of Rome which with an unparalel'd ambition proposed unto her self as her ultimate end the absolute Dominion of the World that she might arive at so immense an tent was forced to be continually in arms and to put weapons into her Citizens hands who by continual command of Armies and by the long Government of large Provinces filled their private houses with treasures befitting any King but very disproportionable for Senators of well regulated Republiques and by the too great authority which was unwisely and fatally given them by the Senate of bestowing even whole Kingdoms on whom they best liked they swole so big with the wind of ambition as that equality of Authority which is the soul of free Countreys was wholly disordered in the Roman Nobility By reason of these disorders it was that first the Silli and Marii arose in Rome and then the fatal Pompeys and Caesars who after long and bloody civil wars slew that so famous Liberty And for the last calamity of Monarchy it cannot be hoped that this wide gate should ever be opened in the well-regulated German Commonwealths where all ambition of commanding over vanquished people and neighbour nations being utterly banished the glorious resolution and firm purpose reigns onely in them of not yielding obedience unto any A happy resolve which maintains that necessary equality between the Citizens of those Hans-Towns and between the chief Senators and works this effect that whilst they wage not war to impose that slavery upon others which they themselves seem so to shun their neighbours do neither hate them nor are they jealous of them So as it is no wonder if they promise unto themselves long lives and think themselves unvanquishable by the power of whatsoever Potentate for they are of opinion that the best Politick precept which by others is to be admired in the German Hanf-Towns is to detest the acquisition of neighbouring Nations for with like wisedom they enjoy that publike peace with Foreigners and that private agreement amongst their Citizens which makes their freedom formidable abroad and safe at home This that I say is clearly seen by the miseries into vvhich the Roman
Learning which fire cannot consume deluges devour nor Tyrants take away instead of breeding up men that may be useful for their own Families and serviceable to their Countries and to the world do most unfortunately breed up unuseful and vitious lumps of flesh who not knowing wherein else to spend their lives girting their swords about them that to the end that they may appear true Gentlemen imitate those unfortunate pismires who are then sure to fall into rain when they put on wings For it is evident that those great patrimonies which are got by Learning are ruined by the use of Arms. Thus said Apollo when the famous Philip Commines Lord of Argenton appeared before his Majesty and shewed his Memorials to the Senat of Litterati and then desired that together with their Author they might be consecrated to Immortality When Argentonne had made his demand Apollo commanded Titus Livius Prince of the Colledg of History to give his opinion upon Argentons Memorials who said he saw no reason why that French Lord should desire that his Writings should be placed amongst the Learned Labours of Historians which were preserved in the Delfick Library since there was in them no gravity of stile no strength of eloquence no good contexture of times no frequent Sentences no Orations nor any other thing worthy an indifferent Historian But that he having woven these his Memorials according to the vain fantastick way of Romance in sundry Chapters wherein are handled the weighty matters of fact between the two glorious and potent Princes Lewis the twelfth King of France and Charls Duke of Burgony the first known by all men to be wise the other valiant he thought him fitter to be placed amongst the Writers of Romances then in the Historical Classis Apollo was so little satisfied with this Relation of Livy as not without some commotion of mind he answered Livy those requisites which as I perceive by your relation you think ought first to be had in consideration in a perfect Historian are those which I think ought to be considered last in my Vertuosi History is meat not only well seasoned to please the curious pallat but substantially and magnificently served in to please the soul and therefore more respect is to be had therein to profit then to pleasure And you are very much deceived if you believe that to the study of History it be requisite to have a neat polite phrase either in Latin Greek French or Italian the sole end of so honorable a study is to come by that wisdom which is only drunk in by the reading of past affairs And though I highly commend your stately stile and Cesars so polished speaking yet I would have you know that those things which you hold the first are the last in a perfect Historian Truth is the soul of History which makes it long liv'd and well esteemed of amongst men as also the knowledg how to explain the deep Councels most secret thoughts of Princes all the cunning Intriegoes used in times of peace and war in the Government of their States which though they be written in poor Law-Latin affords such content to vertuous minds as doth eternize his Writings who hath wit enough to weave such Histories And amongst these I esteem judicious Commines the chief and doe not only think him very worthy a place in Parnassus but command that the first place amongst French Historians be assigned to him It grew now very late and Apollo having taken great pains in listning to the reading of so many writings and hearing so many requests was very weary when Berni Mauro Molza and other pleasant and jovial Poets to make his Majesty merry brought a Poet into the Court so sordidly aparrelled with his clothes all tattered and smelling of smoak as he was not unlike a Chimney-sweeper This man having moved great laughture in the Senat came before Apollo to whom with a rude discomposed reverence he presented a very greasie Poem His Majesty asked him who he was who answered That he was the Author of the famous Poem di Bovo d' Antona Apollo seemed then to have heard of him and told him that he was the Ariosto of Ballad-makers Apollo listned then so attentively to one whole Canto of that Poem scowling sometimes as he made all men wonder that his Majesty could so much as cast an eye upon so foolish a thing Apollo who observed his Litterati's amazement said that he much admired that Writer whom they so much scorned and laught at since knowing so little he had the courage to write so much A thing which might make many of them blush who knowing much had writ little And that the excuse made by many was very naught and altogether unbecoming a Vertuoso That there was no more need of writing Verses since Princely Virgil had writ that matters of Physick being treated on by Hippocrates and Galen ought not be toucht upon by any others and that he spent his time in vain in writing about the Mathematicks who had well considered Euclids writings for there was no book which had not somewhat of good in it and that conceits and doctrines were found in many Latin Poets in more writers of Physick and in some Authors of the Mathematicks which did not only equal but exceed any in Virgil Hippocrates or Euclid and that he hated some wits who having noble Talents in several Sciences able to eternize their names did cloke their sloathfulness and hatred of writing with the name of modesty But when Apollo gave order to Platina to take that greasie Poet into his Pastery to make him clean to the wonder of all men all the bels of Parnassus were heard to sound an alarm and presently after Mutio Iustinopolitano came out of breath into the Court and brought the dreadful news that the Monarchies and Commonwealths of all the world being falne at ods a bloudy battel was likely to insue unless some speedy remedy were found out Apollo though at the very instant hearing of this so sodain chance he was able of himself to put on a resolution worthy of his own wisdom yet in a business of such danger he would hear the opinion of his Council of State though tumultuary given And though most were for quenching the sparkles of so dangerous a fire with the usual guards of the Palace with two legions of Satyrical Poets and with the Pretorian Lyrick Souldiers and that his Majesties Royal Person should be reserved for a more urgent remedy when all other hopes failed yet Tacitus his sole opinion prevailed with Apollo who resolutely said Ire ipsum opponere Majestatem Imperatoriam debuisse cessuris ubi Principem longa experientia eundemque severitatis munificentiae summum vidissent Tacit. lib. 2. Ann. Wherefore Apollo marched speedily toward Parnassus where the ordinary Guards of Provincial Poets and the Company of Curasiers of Italian Litterati who were in all haste sent before found not only the chief streets chained up
Majestie had been pleased to grant to Princes who to purge their States from evil weeds and seditious plants which to the great misfortune of good men do grow there in such abundance had obtained the miraculous Instruments of Drum and Trumpet at the sound whereof Mallows Henbane Dogs-caul and other pernitious plants of unusefull persons doe of themselves willingly forsake the ground to make room for Lettice Burnet Sorrel and other usefull hearbs of Artificers and Citizens and wither of themselves and die amongst the brakes and brambles out of the Garden their Country the which they did much prejudice and that the Gardners would esteem it great happiness if they could obtain such an Instrument from his Majestie To this Apollo answered That if Princes could as easily discern seditious men and such as were unworthy to live in this worlds Garden as Gardners might know nettles and henbane from spinnage and lettice he would have onely given them halters and axes for their instruments which are the true pickaxes by which the seditious herbs Vagabonds which being but the useless luxuries of humane Fecundity deserve not to eat bread may be rooted up But since all men were made after the same manner so as the good could not be known from the bad by the leaves of face or stalks of stature the Instruments of Drum and Trumpets were granted for publick peace-sake to Princes the sound whereof was chearfully followed by such plants as took delight in dying to the end that by the frequent use of gibbets wholsom herbs should not be extirpated instead of such as were venemous The Ambassadors would have replyed again but Apollo with much indignation bad them hold their peace and charged them to be gon from Parnassus with all speed for it was altogether impertinent and ridiculous to compare the purging of the world from seditious spirits with the weeding of noysom hearbs out of a Garden The Seventeenth ADVERTISEMENT A doubt arising upon the truth of a usual Saying That a man must eat a peck of Salt with another before he can perfectly know him Apollo makes the point be argued in a general Assembly of Learned men which he causeth to be called for that purpose THe common saying That to know a man exactly one must eat a peck of salt with him being questioned by some Vertuosi Apollo being unwilling that the Addages of the Learned which are general Rules and inviolable Laws by which his Vertuosi steer their lives being I say unwilling that the truth of them should be any waies scrupled at many daies since made it be disputed very exactly and diligently in a general Assembly of the Vertuosi Where this saying was proved to be so true as many of the Assembly were of opinion that half a peck more should be added to the former dose grounding their Judgements upon this apparent reason That the shamefull vice of dissembling and infamous practice of hypocrisie being known daily to encrease amongst men it stood with all the grounds of good Arithmatick that as corruptions encreased in wicked men necessary remedies should be multiplyed by the Learned whereby stoutly to resist vice in its rise But not so farr to shame the present age as to shew that whilst the malady of vice encresed in the world remedies grew less the wiser sort of the Vertuosi thought it not good to alter the ancient measure wherefore it was generally concluded by them all that the saying was very true for what concerned men but was very false in women who without eating either salt or oyle knew the very thoughts of their husbands the first night they lay with them The Eighteenth ADVERTISEMENT The Hircanians send Ambassadors to Apollo to be resolved by his Majestie in the Important Article Whether it be lawfull for the people to kill a Tyrant AMbassadors came the 19 of this present monenth from the Warlike Nation of Hircania to this Court where two daies after they had Audience given them in great pomp by his Royal Majestie For the Vertuosi being very desirous to see the Customs and Habits of Forreiners came in great numbers to honour Personages so quallified The Ambassadors being brought before Apollo the chiefest of them said That the famous Nation of Hircania being at present miserably opprest by a Prince who with unheard of cruelty did Tyrannize over them had been perswaded by the fame of his Majesties wise and true answers to send them so farr a Journey as to Parnassus only to know the true decission of that weighty Question Whether or no it were lawfull for the common people to kill a Tyrant It is not to be believed how strangely Apollo was incenst to hear such a question propounded he was so mightily moved to anger against those Ambassadors as giving no other answer he straitway rose up in an unwonted fury and commanded that for example to others who should dare to propound so pernitiously seditious doubts they should be immediately drag'd out of the Hall which was accordingly done Such an action appeared so hidious to the Illustrious Muses and the Senat of Vertuosi as not any one of them durst intercede with his Majestie in the behalf of these unfortunate Ambassadors But Apollo seeing much confusion and amazement in the faces of his beloved Muses and Vertuosi said he thought he had too slightly revenged himself upon those Ambassadors for this their so scandalous and perfidious demand for that it was not only not lawfull for the people to dispute so seditious an Article but that they should keep it like fire from entring into their brests since such a doubt would be apt to cause more mischief in the world then Paris his Apple had done For those that were born in a Republicks Liberty had no occasion to raise any such Dispute since in a free Country every light shadow little semblance farr-fetcht suspition or least jealousie that a Senator should affect to Tyrannize over his free Country was sufficient to cause revenge be taken by a halter or hatchet without cavelling upon such foolish words and calling in question a business of so great importance for in a well governed Commonwealth if a Senator should incur any such suspition any colour shew or suspition though never so remote ought to serve for so convincing proofs as the party accused must first be hanged and his process to be made afterwards by usual course of Law But that in Monarchies where the base Plebeians were incapable of themselves to discern between a lawfull Prince and a Tyrant they ought for the great commodity which the peoples ignorance gives to such as are ambitious seditious lovers of novelty and such as dispair of their own affairs of painting out wicked Tyrants for legitimate Princes and legitimate Princes for cruel Tyrants to keep the world from slaughter and execrable confusion they ought I say according to Tacitus his precept Bonos Imperatores voto expetere qualescunque tollerare Tacit. lib. 4. Hist. To pray for good Princes
to live and die what they were born For if it should so fall out that any one to better his condition should presume to make himself head of any Heresie the power of all the other free Towns who were joyntly interessed in Liberty with that City where factions began to arise would presently assist with arms in hand to beat down that faction Moreover that though the diversity of religions occasioned in those Cities by the Liberty of Conscience were less dangerous in them yet could it not be said that they were totally free nor that the humor was not pernitious and apt to occasion deadly evils and that no father of a family was ever induced to set his own house one fire for having the means of quickly quenching it by a neighbouring River But that in Empires and great Kingdoms it fared otherwise for in them there were oft-times brothers to him who Governed in Chief and other Princes of the bloud and there were alwaies therein great store of particular privat men eminent for birth riches and adherents who were all of them ambitious and out of a thirst of reigning thought any enterprize how desperate soever easie And that to boot with these they had potent forreign enemies upon whom they confined who were more then ready to foment such heads of faction as should appear to arise as had lately been seen in France and in Flanders and that as well the lay Princes Electors as every other Prince of the Empire who had imbraced the present Heresies did not live with liberty of conscience but with a particular thirst accommodated to human Interest As appeared clearly in the Lutheran impiety which taking its beginning in the Dukedom of Saxony to the end that he who declared himself to be Head thereof might not grow too great the rest of the Heretick Princes had introduced the new Sects of Calvin Zwinglius and of others in their States with such confusion to sacred things as it might be truely said that there was as many Heresies in Germany as Princes and Potentates that did rule there And that which made me wonder most was to hear that some Subjects in Germany were forced to alter their Religion at their Princes pleasure an inconvenience which was seen to happen so often amongst them as some Cities have past sundry times from one Heresie to another in less then one months space All which are things of very bad example and an excellent means to introduce that Atheism amongst men which I said I thought was not to be found amongst beasts Wherefore Bodin as a horse which is long suffered to go without a bridle becomes fierce and unserviceable to man so people when they have the Reyns of Religion let loose in their necks grow wild seditious unruly and no longer apt to be governed or ruled by a Prince For he who is not taught by a sound and well regulated religion to love honor and fear God cannot obey honor nor fear man So great a truth as it is the nature of all people who alwaies err in the extreams to despise Humane Laws when they are miss-led in those that are Divine for the freedom which they have to offend the Majestie of God provokes them against their Prince who gave them that liberty This truth which I tell you is apparently seen in those who seduced the Flemmish to change their religion and to rebell against their natural Prince who to bring them to so wicked an enterprize permitted them to plunder Churches and Church-men and when at last they would have refrained and regulated them in their highest Towring Tumults they found that when God is despised men are so likewise The Government of people is a weighty affair for any Prince how wise soever nor is it possible for him alone to support so heavy a burthen but being assisted by Religion it becomes so easie unto him as one Prince may govern many millions of men for very many are so ill conditioned as they despise human Laws yet do they often fear divine ones and many who little esteem the anger of an earthly Prince dread the King of heaven and live peaceably Bodin was sorely cast down when he heard the Ottaman Emperor speak so solidly of the care which Princes ought to have of the unity of Religion and was then more grieved when the Judges told him that it was wicked ignorance to maintain that Princes are Lords of mens bodies and not fit to rule their souls as if the Allegiance which by Gods command Subjects owe their Princes be not as well a duty of the soul as of the body and that God hath constituted the most Christian Kings of France and other earthly Princes only that they might feed their ambition by reigning and pass away their time in delight wallowing in the plenty of so many earthly blessings and had not made them his Lieutenants on earth to the end that they may observe his holy Law for these reasons all the Lords of Parliament ordered that he might be immediately punished by fire who had publisht a Tenet fit only to set the world on fire The LXV ADVERTISEMENT Apollo punisheth a Poet severely for having been so desperate as to blaspheme APollo doth so abhor Blasphemy above all other vices as two daies ago he caused a Poets tongue to be struck through with a naile in the Delfick Temples Porch who had presumed to say that Nature had dealt injuriously with him in having indowed him with a Princely soul and allotted him but a beggarly fortune And though many Litterati earnestly beseeched his Majesty that he would in some sort mittigate this punishment he did not only deny to do it but in a great rage said that such wits deserved the severest punishments who being born to a poor fortune consumed all their time in afflicting themselves by seeking out new conceits which might make poverty appear unto them more shamefull and insupportable which they should imploy in seeking out such Instructions as might make it appear less shamefull and more tollerable and that he would teach men of but mean fortunes by this example how to accommodate their minds to their means it being a hatefull piece of petulancy to envy great Princes fortunes whilst others in tattered clothes died of hunger The LXVI ADVERTISEMENT The Vertuosi of Parnassus visit the Temple of Divine Providence whom they thank for the great Charity which she hath shewn to mankind THis morning according to the ancient custom of this Court all the Prince-Poets and the Litterati-Lords of Parnassus went to visit the Temple of Divine Providence to whom Giovan Ioviano Pontano made a learned Oration wherein he highly praised the infinite Charity and immence love which she had shewed to mankind in creating frogs without teeth For it would have been of no advantage to man that this world canopied by so many heavens full of so many stars should not only abound in all things necessary but even be fully fraught
of Europe of admitting foreigners into places of imployment thereby to inrich and aggrandize them and of exalting mean and ignorant persons to a higher degree then the jealousie of the State will bear meerly out of their capretious affections and that in a particular of so great concernment they should imitate the wisdom which wise nature had taught dogs who cannot endure that a strange dog should come within the doors where they live onely out of fear that they should steal their masters favour from them which they are very jealous of and that bread which is deservedly their due for having by their continual watchfulness kept the house in safety XVII That in the Edicts which they should publish they should imitate well governed Commonwealths the end of whose Laws is always seen to be the common good not private interest as it is often found to be in Principalities XVIII That they should for ever banish from out their houses those Flatterers Buffouns and Minions who do so stain the reputation of any great Prince and that they should not onely be inamored of the vertue worth and merit of their Magistrates and deliver themselves wholly up unto their power but that they should even worship them XIX And because to be cast in suits did redound as little to the reputation of private men as for Princes to go to law with their vassals and carry the cause against them be it right or wrong all such disputes should be first made known to men learned in the Law and commence no suit wherein their right did not evidently appear to all men And that to free themselves from the stain of rapine and tyrany they should appear more content when they had not onely lost the cause but were condemned in damages then over-joyed when the sentence went on their side XX. That answerable to the custom of good Commonwealths the ultimate end of their thoughts should hereafter be the peace and quiet of their States which makes the people that enjoy it so happy and that they should vent their over much ambition in acquiring the singular glory of well governing their people which God hath given them and not to affect other mens Dominions by fire rapine and the effusion of mane blood That they should make poormens faults pecuniarly punishable but that they should punish proud wealthy men in their lives making them pay composition of blood that they might make the whole world see that they punishmens faults out of zeal to justice not for greediness of money he being a great enemy to publike peace whom riches made proud and spurred him up to commit faults XXI That they should endeavour to effect the good and vertuous living of their subjects more by their own examples then by rigour of law it being impossible to keep people from committing those faults which their Princes are addicted unto XXII That in the Government of their States they should not use that carelessness which is proper to Princes who possess great Kingdoms or that too exact diligence which doth so disquiet the people and which is usually seen in Princes who having great wit command over a little State but that they should sail with the safe north wind of Nequid Nimis XXIII That they should punish onely great â—…aults with the rigour of the law and seem not to see or take notice of little ones or as becomes Princes who govern men not Angels freely pard on them that for faults of a middle sort they should use such punishments as were suitable to the misdemenors and that they should shun shewing themselves too severe in punishing at the present to deter future excesses that they should chiâ—…fly study that the Princes clemency might clearly be seen in the punishment of any guilâ—…y person either in mitigating the pain changing the punishment or by pardoning confiscated goods XXIV That private injuries as well as publique offences should always be vindicated by the chaâ—…table arm of justice and that when any of their subjects should offend them they should not hate the whole family but onely the party offending with whose punishment their anger should cease and should shun the custom of preserving rancor and of transmitting those eternal fewds and immortal defiances to their heirs which making men dispair were not onely very dangerous to Princes but made Monarchies be hated XXV That all of them should as soon as may be endeavour to free their people from the disease which so much molests their minds afflicts their bodies and consumes their estates of the eternity of law suits and that of all things they should keep themselves from that foul fault of reaping profit out of yearly revenues that so they might shun the publike hatred which they would incur when people should see that these so great disorders served only for Leeches to suck money out of the very bowels of their afflicted people who finding no greater hell in this life then the torment of pleading and of being in the hands of ravenous Judges Advocates Notaries and Sergeants it was the duty of every good Prince rather by his own expence to free his people from being so pilled and pooled then to make use of them for a rich though very wicked commodity XXVI That they should preserve such grain oyl and wine and other things which appertain to the food of man as grew in their dominions yea even in years of greatest abundance and when their was much superfluity of them and should by no means make sale thereof to foreign Nations for since no man can secure himself of the next years plentiful harvest Princes could commit no greater folly then to be blamed for that scarcity which even God himself sends XXVII That the greatest advantage which Commonwealths have over Monarchies lying in their being free from the impediment of women All Princes should keep their wives and all other women of their blood from having any thing to do in Government or in publike affairs as those who by their indiscrete and avaritious proceedings had caused sad Tragidies in many Principallities And that they should firmly believe that the great Polititian Tacitus had never said a greater truth then Non imbecillem tantum imparem laboribus sexum sed si licentia adsit saevum ambitiosum potestatis avidum Tacit. 3. Annal. That it is not onely a weak sex and unfit for business but if permitted cruel ambitious and greedy of power These Articles being agreed upon and sworn unto the same Lord Chancellor heartily desired the Monarchs of the Diet that to the end that the world might not see the scandalous example of the States of Holland and Zealand they would quite lay aside all other whatsoever kind of private interest and that if as they were obliged to do both out of wisdom and State-policy they would give no assistance to the Spaniards so as they might the better witness to the world that it was impossible for rebellious people to purchase
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
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