Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n
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A41525
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The present state of the princes and republicks of Italy with observations on them / written originally in English by J. Gailhard ...
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Gailhard, J. (Jean)
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1671
(1671)
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Wing G125; ESTC R40437
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100,916
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272
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Italy The length of it is a Thousand miles or thereabouts beginning from Susa a Town cited at the foot of the Alpes at the coming into Piemont and ending at Reggio in the furthest parts of Calabri in the Kingdom of Naples As to the breadth 't is more or less according to the places it being not full four hundred any where nor less than sixteen Parts of France and Savoy lay on the West of it parts of Germany namely Tyrot and Swisserland on the North and the Mediteranian Sea on the East and South though for distinction some call the one Jonian and Adriatick and the other Tirrenean most passages into Italy are hard and difficult The whole Country which we call Italy is by the Italians themselves divided into Italy the Kingdom and Lombardy Italy comprehends the dominions of the Pope of the grand Duke and of Luca. Naples is that which they call the Kingdom and Lombardy contains great part of the State of Venice the Dukedoms of Milan Mantua Parma Monferrat Piemont and the State of Genoa But to make use of the ancient Division and to descend to particulars I say that in Italy some are great Princes considering the Extend of their Dominions and others of an inferiour Orb may be called petty Princes The former sort come to the number of seven and with the four Republicks to eleven The Pope King of Spain Dukes of Savoy Tuscany Mantoa Parma Modena for though some do reckon the Bishop of Trent which stands between the Venetians and Tyrol yet being a Prince of the Empire having a perpetual alliance with the House of Austria and often of the same Family He may be taken for a German more than for an Italian Prince and seeing little can be said concerning him we shall pass it by to come to the Republicks which are Venice Genoa Luca and San Marino For the order of precedency Venice hath place after Spain Genoa after Tuscany though they pretend to be used as Crowned heads being Masters of Corcica formerly a Kingdom the other two Republicks take place after all the forenamed Princes who also do not agree amongst themselves about Precedency Tuscany pretends it from Savoy though he be much inferiour in antiquity and extent of Dominions and Mantoa from Tuscany neither will Modena yield it to some named before him I should also say that France having acquired Pignorolo a door into Italy and a strong place from the Duke of Savoy that King having an Interest in Italy is to be reckoned amongst the Princes of it The State of Rome THE Pope hath great Dominions conveniently seated to disturb others specially Naples for all from Ostia upon the Coasts of the Mediterranean Sea to Loretto Ancona c. is his All the Lands together are called Lo Stato Della Chiesa in particular old Latium now Campagna Romana il Patrimonio di San Pietro of which the chief City is Viterbo part of ancient Tuscany Terra Sabina Umbria ducato di spoletto la Marca di Ancona la Romagna il ducato di Urbino ducato di ferrara Perugia Orvieto and Bolognese he is Soveraign of Naples and Sicily which he gives the investiture of and receives homage for as he doth for the Dukedoms of Parma and Piacenza pretending the same over the Islands of Sardegna and Corcica He is in possession of the Dukedom and City of Benevento in the Kingdom of Naples and he pretends that in time of minority of the Kings of Spain he hath right to Govern that Kingdom by a Legat He also enjoyes the County of Avignon in France and Ceneda within the state of Venice These Countries I mean those who are united together especially from Ancona to Ravenna and Ferrara all along the Coasts of the Gulfe of Venice do afford good Souldiers which upon case of an urging necessity may be gathered to about the number of 60000 though 20000 foot and 3000 horse as had Clement the 8th in the War of Ferrara were much to be kept on foot any long while Urban the 8th in the War of Parma had 30000 but if the whole Countrey was in Armes then 't would be upon 400000. The Pope indeed may be accounted as he is really a strong Prince which strength consists in the extent of his Territories in their Scituation being all united and there being no safe nor convenient places towards the Mediterranean to make any landing and towards the Gulf they trust to the Venetians who are to keep it clear upon which condition they are acknowledged to be the Lords of these Seas further all along the Coasts of the Mediterranean and the whole Campagna Romana there is a bad air which would soon work upon any Army either in Spring Summer or Autumn This strength further consists in the temper of his Subjects and Soldiers who are esteemed to be the best Foot in Italy The Italian Proverb calls them The best of Soldiers but the worst of Subjects so this strength consists in his strong holds as Ferrara Bologna Fortezza Urbana c. in his Arsenals or Magazeens of Arms the Vatican or St. Peter hath for 5000 men in the Castle St. Angelo for 15000 in Ancona for 10000 in Ravenna for 5000 in Ferrara 25000 and Bologna for 10000 and a new one a making at Tivoly by the late Don Morto's Order for 16000 men with 80. pieces of Ordnance where he employed continually above 300 men so that they are spread up and down the Countrey to arme the People upon occasion to the number of 100000 men Upon the Mediterranean he keeps five Gallies which harbour in Civita Vecchia they are not handsome nor very good but are well maned But that which another way strengthens much the Pope is that Respect and Devotion which Popish Princes and States bear him acknowledging him though falsly to be the Vicary of Christ God on Earth and the head of their Religion so that if a Prince had seized upon any of his Dominions the Pope who had provoked him to make War being dead it would be restored to the new Elected all of them being perswaded that it were a Sacriledge to detain from that Church that which did belong to it besides that every Prince of that Religion intending any such thing would find it to be a hard work for the Pope hath ever an Army quartered upon their Land which are that vast number of Secular Priests and Regular Friars who depend on the Pope upon several accounts who having all sworn an Obedience to their Generals who usually kept at Rome they would act according to the Orders sent them from thence So that having their Pulpits Confessions and Introduction into houses of all ranks they could make strange worke Hence to me doth appear the happiness of those Princes who having shaken off that Roman yoke and turned out those Emissaries are freed of those dangers which those of that Religion are exposed to though often they are liable to their private attempts Another
politick strength of Popes consists in the Colledge of Cardinals who are most of them chosen either to gratifie Princes or who depend upon Princes without whose knowledge Princes hardly resolve any thing of importance about Popes or else are Relations to Princes and it is certain when these Princes interests come to be in competition with the Pope's and Churches this last swayes with them above all because every one of these Cardinals is not without hope of being chosen Pope one time or other Now I say that Popes as they are Temporal Princes though they be Elective ought to have that respect which deserveth the character which God hath set upon the forehead of Soveraigns but as he is a Tyrant over the Church and an Usurper over the Heritage of the Lord all good Christians and reasonable men ought to abhor him not his person but that Tyranny Usurpation and unlawful Actions of his I said that 25000 or 30000 men is a great number to be kept on foot by Popes any long while not for want of monies for as Sixtus Quartus used to say The Church can never want money in her purse as long as the Pope doth hold a pen in his hand Indeed besides the ordinary income to the Camera for the occasions of the Church so they call that State the Office of the Diataria brings to Popes for their own use exceeding great Treasures out of all parts which own his Religion besides the private wayes they have to get monies of which I shall speak some reckon that Popes have 6000 l. sterling a day besides the casual incomes which are very great every time a Legat a Latere is sent abroad he is allowed 250 l. sterling a day for proof of this vast Revenues Sixtus the 5th who Reigned but five years of a poor Countrey Family Peretti yet he builded the Palace of St. John of Lateran began that of Monte-Cavallo fortified Civita Vecchia built many Colledges made chargeable Aqueducts did many other costly works and reparations wherein 't is thought he spent a matter of 15 Millions of Crowns or upon 4 Millions of English pounds and left fâ—ve Millions of Crowns in the Castle of St. Angelo and did not charge his people with heavy Taxes and then the Popes had not the Dukedom of Urbino nor that of Ferrara and in a time that Reformation was carried on in a great measure in these three Kingdoms France Holland Switzerland Germany Sweden Denmark and other parts of the North. And Paul the 5th who indeed Reigned longer left to the Prince of Salmona one of his Nephews 1000 Crowns a day besides what he gave to several others of his Relations And Gregory the 15th of the family of Ludovisio reigned only one year and a 11 moneths and left to his Family 250000 crowns a year or 62000 and 500 l. besides Thus as Popes are temporal Princes so they lay Taxes upon their Subjects and heavy ones too The late Popes since his falling out with France within the space of two years laid Gables or Taxes upon 16 sorts of Commodities which were free before So 't was done upon the Soldiers kept within the State for every common Soldier was Taxed one Crown of his yearly pay which came to between 5 and 6000 crowns according to their number and the whole people in the City and Country were exceedingly oppressed The selling of Offices is now a setled custom in the Court of Rome which is very beneficial to Popes I shall give but an instance of the Camera Apostolica or the Apostolick Chamber the places of the Treasurer General and of the Auditor are sold for 80000 crowns a piece There are Twelve places of Chierici Clarks worth 42000 a piece the Presidents is 30000 and so of others the two forenamed Offices are the next step to the Cardinal so that if the Pope will have 160000 Crowns he makes Cardinals those who have them and from others he finds ready money for the places And what shall we say to that vast Treasure of Loretto which is inesteemable every week nay almost every day one gift or other is brought to it from Kings Queens Princes and other great Persons Cities and particular men they have whole Chambers full of Gold and Silver plate but this is nothing to that vast number of Diamonds and other precious stones which they keep in a place made a purpose in the Castle of St. Angelo are ever 5 millions of Gold and one and a half in Jewels Were it not for want of exercise of the Protestant Religion Rome is as fit a place to lead a quiet and a contented life as any is in the world a man may live there as he pleases and no body meddle with him offend no body and no body will offend you and though the inquisition be there strangers are not troubled with it except they speak against their Religion which it were a great imprudence to do 't were a madness for a man to go tell the Pope he is Antichrist this were to tempt God and contrary to the wisdom of the Serpent which is commanded us 'T is an old and common saying Cum fueris Romae Romano vivito more c. A stranger and a Traveller must be all eyes and all ears but hardly any tongue at all he must hear he must see and hold his peace I say at Rome there is a very great liberty if a Protestant pleases all Lent he may eat flesh by the means of a License which he may get for two shillings You are not obliged to go to Mass to Confession nor to any of their Superstitious wayes One thing there is which a stranger may do to satisfie his curiosity which is to go to their Stationi as they call it that is their Devotions to certain Churches which happens in one or other every week where is a great concourse of people of all sorts and constantly excellent good musick so every Saturday at the Cardinal Padrone's the Popes Nephew lodging at Monte-Cavallo all men of good fashion use to meet to tell and hear news so one day or other in the week people use to meet at the Pallace of the Preferto of the Church which is either the Popes Brother or Nephew So at Monte-Cavallo the Popes Palace when the Consistory of Cardinals is kept So one may have the company one time or other of their Academists or Virtuosi which in Rome are of three sorts Humoristi Lincei Eantastici One thing more is to follow the Corteggio of some Cardinal and Ambassadour first for Protection for if any mischance should befall a man when 't is known such a Gentleman is of the Corteggio of such a Cardinal he is respected and no harm done to him without the leave of such a Protecture into whose house one may fly for sanctuary Secondly going with them after the warning you have of it at your lodging when they receive or make visits or go to their audience one may see