to belong vnto her because the Masculine Line of Hugh Capet being extinct the best title to the Crowne was deuolned to her as daughter of the eldest sister of Henry the third last King of France And withall it was said that the Catholique King her father would marry her to some Prince of France Prouided the nomination of that Prince might rest in his Election Further. No solamente estaua prepuesta la Enfanta de Espana à la Corona di Francia si no tambien el Archiduque Ernesto deÌ„ Austria Bauia vbi supra hermano de Emperader That is Not only the Infanta of Spaine was proposed to the Crown of France but the Arch-Duke Ernestus also brother of the Emperour The French Lords did rest astonished at these so handsom propositions and grew warie of the danger wherein the King of Spaine had entangled them whilst hee professed to desend the Catholique Religion in France Por estas razones yotras iuntamente con las maquinationes Bauia vbi supra y negociaciones que se descubrian determinaron en la Assemblea ò Cories que el Duque de Vmena como Lugartiniente del Reyno procurasse impedir lostratos que y ase descubrian paraque en ninguna manerase eligiesse à la Corona Princessa ò principe estrangero anulando qualesquier tratos que hasta este punto hnuiessen echo y que se guardassen las leyes fundamentales del Reyno en ls tocante a la elecion de un Rey Christianissimo y Frances That is For these and other Reasons together with the Machinations and practices which were discouered it was determined in their Assembly that the Duke du Mayne as Lieutenant of the Kingdome should procure to dissolue the Treaties that already were vnmasked because by no meanes a Princesse or Prince Stranger should be elected to the Crowne anulling whatsoeuer Treaty which to that day had beene begunne and that the fundamentall lawes of the Kingdom concerning the Election of a most Christian and French King should bee obserued Now let your Maiestie see from the contexture of the forementioned matters to what termes the most holy zeale of the King Don Phillip your father was reduced and how the faire beginnings for sincere Religion were peruerted onely into an vndue end of reason of State For which also the warre after the Absolution of Henry did continue vntill the most blessed Clement the Eight did introduce the peace I could alledge to your Maiestie many other examples vpon this Argument but I esteeme these three so notable that they are enough with aduantage There may perhaps bee some who will reprehend me that I haue onely exemplified in the Kings of Spaine where I might doubtlesse haue beene furnished from Princes of other Nations and will accuse me as a man of little Iudgment and maners that speaking with your Maiestie I haue presumed to mingle my tongue in the Actions of the neuer enough praised Don Phillip the second your father I would they should consider that domestique examples moue much more then forrain from whence as noble mindes doe with all possibilitie endeauour to immitate the Actions worthy of their famous Ancestors so by all meanes they doe endustriare themselues to auoid that which in their Predecessors was iudged worthy of blame And seeing that they though Princes of worth and eminent vertue did sometimes stumble vpon vnbeseeming ActioÌ„s they do learne not to presume too much vpon themselues and to bee very watchfull not to fall where others slipt and considering that being their Descendents they should not esteem themselues better but rather worse then they seeing in descending nature doth loose as vertue doth encrease by ascending Wherefore if by nature they are Descendents they shall grow worse and onely ascending by vertue they may make them themselues better I then speaking with a Catholique King of Spaine to admonish him of a snare now with so much faire and hidden Artifice set before him that easily he might fall therein how could I better doe then to shew him where his owne Progenitors most wise and Catholique Princes haue fallen headlong into like disorders It is necessary said the great Henry of France to shew the errors of Princes that they which succeed them Pirre Mathieâ— en la vie da Mâ—ns Vill. may not erre in the same wherein others did loose themselues I haue then purposely taken these examples of the Kings of Spaine as more helpefull to your Maiestie in this present matter then any other which might haue beene produced and haue euer confirmed them with the Authoritie of Spanish writers to auoid the blame either of falshood or Calumny And because they may bee of greater credit and more efficacie in the sincere mind of your Maiestie To whose consideration I at last come to represent That the Rising of the Gouernour of Millan against the Grisons in the Valteline vnder the like pretence did apparantly tend to the same end though shadowed in the Manifest much wide of truth of which I shall now discourse published as it was voyced by the people of that Valley but in truth by the Ministers of your Maiestie of whom if your Maiestie be not more then heedfull you shall bee certainly induced to such Actions that being added to the other three Narrations of your Ancestors will serue for an example to Posteritie of an impious and wicked Enterprise vnder a Religious and godly vaile Returning to the Discourse I say that the causes of publishing that Manifest were Three The first to insinuate to your Maiestie and the World that the People of the Valteline being tyrannised by the Grisons were of their owne free and voluntary determination and not by others induced fallen into Rebellion The second to perswade your Maiestie and the World that your Ministers had iustly vndertaken the protection of those miserably oppressed that it was consonant to the greatnesse and goodnesse of a Catholique King not to obandon those Sabell Entad 9. li. 7. who refuged to his defence So formerly Don Pedro of Aragon Non potuisse se aiebat Siculis indigna fortuâ—iâ—ou opemque suppliciter suam implorantibus non auxilio adesse yet it was hee that seduced them into defection The third to render the poore Valteliues by so shameless a writing so odious to their owne Lords that they should despaire of euer obtayning pardon whereby they might rest the more obstinate in their Rebellion and willing in any sort to subiect themselues to the Dominion of your Maiestie for feare they should returne into the power of the Grisms The first is cleady expressed in the Manifest which turnâ—â— all things to the iustification of the rebellion of the Valtelines the other two which are extracted from the intrinsique thoughts of the heart might appeare Imaginations of my owne fancy if the matter it selfe did not approue them But arguing securely from the effect to the Cause true and not imaginarie Conclusions may bee deduced To
I will not censure Equivocation nor rip vp our owne wounds onely I may haue leaue to note that anciently some States were branded there was prouerbially Fides Punica and Faedus Locrense and therefore I admonish all good Townes which capitulate to haue no Cittadell built within their walls to prouide that none bee built vpon them By what blood I know not the Kings of Spaine are become heires vnto Francis Sforza Duke of Milan of whom when Lewes the Eleuenth of France pressed by the Confederate warre du bien public wherein his brother the Earle of Caralois and the Duke of Bretagny were engaged desired aydes of money hee supplied the King with a good Counsell Comines to agree to any conditions with any of the League to disband or to sowe a iealousie among them preseruing onely his Armes entire with which wheÌ„ they were separated he might humble them singly at his pleasure adding that Princes lost no reputation when they attained their ends The History is vulgar and the successe of that aduice was the flight of the Duke of Berry the staine of Charles of Burgundy and the beggery of Bretagny I am perswaded the Spaniards haue concocted the Doctrine and would come to an agreement with any of the Leagues to disunite them and the Breach once made is not easily repaired Perhaps in this Coniuncture they would if honour would suffer it consent to make a generall peace vntill Armes were deposed But here is the present danger to loose an opportunity not to bee recouered in many yeares The Counsell of Spaine doth know at how great expence of time and charge of Ambassages these Leagues haue beene composing which once dissolued and lulled asleepe in security would slowly returne to the present perfection Therefore there is great Caution to be vsed in giuing eare to the Enchantments of a Spanish Treaty For some lye nearer punishment some make easier Conditions but all singly shall feele the reuenge of their particular Interests in the generall offence Polib Occasione â—nim inuitati eos vlium ineunt qui per occasionem temporum ipsis nocuer ant The truce that Amilcar gaue the Romans Idem when the Insubrian and Alpine Nations hung ouer them like a Cloud Vine patriam retinere sine periculo potuissent did more aduance their future Empire then the three Battailes of his sonne Haniball did hinder it because hee gaue them leaue to grow and to haue no Enemy but Carthage Therefore I haue resolued there is no safety in any sudden accord nor profit in accepting wasted Countries vntill some ambitious blood bee let out and the Spanish Realls consumed and that Nation and all the World brought to know that it is possible to resist their greatnesse Polib and to abate their pride and that in themselues they are truely humbled Hoc igitur si quid aliud qui Remp regunt solicitè obseruandum meminerint vt quos animos efferant qui in gratiam positis inimicitiis redeunt aut nouam amicitiam ineunt ne ignorent quando temporibus cedentes quando victis animis pacis conditiones amplectantur vt ab illis quidem seu temporum suorum Insidiatoribus semper sibi caueant But seeing the end of all iust war is a good and safe peace qua nihil pulchrius nihil vtilius the meanes thereunto treaty and the assurance thereof publique faith when it shall be necessary to negotiate a reconciliation with Spaine Let it be accepted for a Rule and foundation that the one part is neuer secure what the other would haue esse dolum quia credidiâ— hostis and when all reasons of State are narrowly enquired and outward Counsells waighed with vtilâ— and honestum yet there is a secret fit to bee reuealed That the Kings of Spaine haue a Councell of Conscience which may approue or annull all that is or shall bee transacted and dormant dispensations which haue reference to Contingences in ordine ad spiritualia to continue or dissolve all Conclusions and this Retraict is formed like waxe to take the Impression of the present aspect and necessity of affaires In the last treaty betweene France and Spaine in which Amiens was surprised when King Phillip saw the vigorous resolutioÌ„ of Henry the fourth to recouer the Townes in Picardy by the sword and that he had giuen expresse Command to the President de Silerye to consent to no Conuention so long as one foote of ground vnsurrendered remained in the possession of the Spaniards considering that the bounds of that Prouince were the entrance into Artois Pierre Math. and that victorious Armies extend their pretences with prosperity especially the Title of Soueraignty inuiting and iustifying that progresse he consulted first his Councell of State for the restitution who loath to remit any thing of their stiffnesse interposed the respects of honour and so it was necessary not to confesse inability to keepe them but the wise King knowing to contend might draw the quarrell into the bowells of Flanders resoluing both to preuent the occasion and to saue his reputation called his Councell of Conscience to deliuer their opinion who concluded that hee could not by the Lawes of Religion vsurpe nor dye with quietnesse of soule if he restored not to euery man his owne and so those places were piously surrendered which could not safely be maintained But Conscience extended no further then present question When the same Catholique King found it necessaty for Spanish reason of State that his own braue and eldest sonne should dye Nature and honour both contended against the Sentence but obligations were pretended and found aboue humanity as the Act was without humanity The Councell of Conscience and to these a Iunto of Diuines were added to resolue the render Conscience of a Father whether hee might with safety of Conscience pardon his owne Child of offences not yet fully published and therefore for euer suspected Idem These Ephori pronounced with weeping eies que le salut deson peuple luy deuoit estre plus cher que celuy duson filz and the geatest fauour the Prince could obtaine was to choose his death that which was preferred and enioyed by Caesar facinus intra gloriam fuit Before Alua appeared neere Portugall with his Army the Duke of Ossuna and Don Christofero di Mora Cones were imploied to buy a party for the Catholique King and they promised mountaines of Gold to withdraw some of the Lords from Don Antonio When the kingdome was setled these did demand their recompence and pleaded their Contracts in the name and by vertue of the Kings order Who remitted them not to the Counsell of State for they must iustifie their owne Acts but to that of Conscience Who gaue sentence that if the Crowne belonged to Don Antonio they could not rightfully conferre it vpon Phillip If Phillip were the true heire the Petitioners could not sell their Allegiance to their owne Prince for money so that both wayes they
him their Head and subiecting that friendly Citie like an enemy which had made him a Conquerour Veluti timens ne ab hostibus sacrilegii vineeretur Iust paulò infra Ciuitates quarum paulò anto Dâ—â—fuerat qua sub anspicâ—â— eius militauerant quae gratulatae illi sibique victorians nactae fuerant hostiliter occupatas diripuit By degrees discord among the Grecians alway encreasing hee faining to helpe now one now the other side in the end deceiuing all vsurped to himselfe the whole Dominion of Greece Behold now say the Italian Princes behold another Phillip King of Spaine wholly like to that of Macedon who meditates nothing else but to subdue Italy as the other had subiected Greece and entring with the same pretences of Piety and of Religion vsing the same Arts of Deceit and Treason doth propose the same ends of absolute Monarchy whereby he may in time be celebrated with the same Encemium as was the other and it shall be said Philippus Rex Hispaniarum Just ubi supra veluti è specula quadam libertati It aliae insidiatus dum contentiones Ciuitatum alit auxilium infer toribus serendo victos parâ—ter victoresque subire Regiam seruitutem coegit They conclude the blow is foreseene we shall be very vnwise if we be not able to defend it But the English French Germanes and other Nations doe noe thinke themselues free of the danger rather they hold for certaine that the progresses of the king of Spaine in Italy are preambles to their ruine and they remember that the Romanes after the conquest of Italy did subdue the world Wherefore our defence is their interest and wee and they for this common interest are bound by common consent and with vnited forces to resist yea to suppresse the Spanish Armies Va. Max. l. 2. c. 2 quae oppressurae sunt nisi opprimamur And if perhaps some doe not beleeue that the Catholique King can haue so greedy desires let him well consider that which his Predecessors haue done to those many Kings and mighty Princes of India and from example of others let him learne to looke vnto him Foelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cantum These O sacred Catholique Maiestie are the discourses of the Italian Princes not Chimeru's of subtill witsâ— but extracted from the firme foundation of Histories and from the Actions discouered of your Ministers The Religion and Piety is knowne Salust de coniur Catel lib. 1. they are disguises to make the vnitist vsurpation of the Estate of others to appeare faire and honest and that in truth Libido dominandi causa belli habetur So Don Petro of Aragon vssirped Sicily the Catholique Kings India and Don Phillip the second attempted to get France vnder the like pretence the Ministers of your Maiestie haue now surprised the Valteline the which was not otherwise rebelled of their owne will because it was tyrannized in Religion and in the publique gouernement as is spread abroad but induced to Rebellion by the Dissentions insidiously sowed by the Ministers of your Maiestie and by the tyranny which themselues haue introduced by meanes of those Traitors Pompeio and Rodolfo Planta and others on them dependant Your Maiestie becomes deceiued by such as make you otherwise beleeue in stead of perswading you to a iust warre against the Turkes who are your perpetuall enemies and worke so great spoiles to Christendome particularly in your owne Estates doe from that diuert you vrging you with termes of Religion cruelly to destroy with force of Armes the Grisons as Heretiques whole Conuersion should benignely be produced by the sweetnesse of preaching With this and other euill actions your Ministers without any your fault doe bring great reproach to your Royall name Wherefore you ought iustly with them to bee enraged and the more seeing they practizing so wicked actions seeke to defame all good Princes with detracting words And if your Maiestie doth not refraine the tongues and hands of your Ministers they will yet say and doe much worse not onely against Secular Princes but against himselfe the High Priest to whom they desire your Maiestie should be equall superiour and that also you should vsurpe the authority of the Holy Ghost in Election of Popes that they may on you depend In briefe they pretend that your Maiesty should be sole and supreame Monarch of all Italy and doe beleeue that thereunto the Dominion of the Valteline is the direct way the which cannot by you iustly bee kept though it were true which is not that of themselues those people had rebelled but you are obliged to restore it to their owne Lords hauing no action in any kind vpon them as a supreame Prince should haue ouor his feudatory The which if it shall be well considered of your Maiestie you will know not onely the Iniustice which your Ministers desire to doe in snatching against equity the Estates of others but also the danger whereinto they thrust your owne Estates in Italy the which being continually gouerned with violence extortions and manifest Tyrannies of your Ministers doe induce a necessitie if they loue their soules health in the Pope and the Emperour their supreame Princes to depriue your Maiestie of the Inuestiture and to transferre it to another who may iustly and mildly gouerne them And if euer it shall bee thus resolued your Maiestie shall finde all the Italian Princet your opposites who from the surprise of the Valteline are confirmed in this opinion that the Spaniards proiect suddenly to subdue all Italy and referring the actions of Ministers to your Maiestie doe conclude that you certainly aspire to make your selfe thereof sole Monarch as in times past Phillip of Macedon did of Greece and after the Conquest of Italy that you haue fixed your thoughts vpon the Monarchy of the World as did once the Romans Wherefore it is the Common Interest of all the Princes of Europe to oppose your Armes that they doe not in this our World that which your Ancestors haue done in the new world of India All these matters I haue hitherto discoursed and fully declared to your Maiestie not with intent as others haue done detractingly to inueigh to staine your Reputation and to excite against you vniuersall hatred but with purpose freely to discouer that truth which neuer or rarely is brought pure sincere and chast to the eares of Princes but violated corrupted and adulterated by those who by indirect wayes without merit seeke to acquire Grace I know that your Maiestie feares God loues Iustice hates Tyrannie is content with your owne doth not couer the goods of others doth prize your owne name desires Peace abhorres Warre wishes the good of your subiects the quier of your neighbours and the concord of Christendome Whence I am secure that taking in good part my words and weighing them in the iust ballance of your great prudence you will not that Truth who is the Daughter of God sent from God and speakes in the name of God should returne backe without any fruit Let your Maiestie then command your Ministers to change their works and thoughts that the Affaires of Italy may be reduced to quiet and tranquility and that the World from the effects may know that your Maiestie is a iust Prince and a true Catholique King FINIS
and monies of that Neighbour Potentate who per ragion dâ—stato makes any thing lawfull how contrary soeuer to the honour of God and maintenance of his holy Catholique faith returned to reassemble in the City of Tauos where in their new Diett they haue not onely reconfirmed all the cuills of that of Tosana but added others making Heads of the Persecution Executioners of their Arrests against Catholiques the same hereticall Ministers and by this occasion their tyrannicall gouernment is so visibly established particularly by the Assistance and purse of that Potentate the principall Cause of so many cuills to the Christian Common Wealth that the Subiects can expect no other but a declination to a worse Condition and suddainely to arriue at the height and extremity of all cuills now already approaching Admitting what hath bin already coÌ„pendiously deliuered yet in such maner that the Reader can neuer apprehend the degree whereto their tyrannicall gouernment was truely ascended that seeing as was in the beginning said all diuine and humane law did permit the Valtelines to withdrawe themselues by all possible meanes from so great a Tyranny it will appeare so cleare to euery one that it will bee too much vanity to heape vp reasons proofes and authorities in a matter in it selfe vndoubted euen when it were discussed betweene true Subiects and Vassalls and their naturall and absolute Lord. But now by so much more shall it appeare lawfull when two things shall bee considered the one that the ancient Capitulations of the Valley with the Grisons following the end hereof doe show rather a confederation between them then a true subiection and doe speake in such sort that the Empire exercised by them in the Valley is discouered to bee a meere vsurpation particularly the Valtelines doe binde themselues to the Grisons with limitation to things lawful honest besides the obligation is made â—oyntly to the Bishop of Coira and the Three-leagues where now these Tyrants hauing de facto excluded with Sacrilegious exulation their Bishop haue alone vâ—urped that which neither to them nor him was granted The other thing is that whatsoeuer the Valtelines yet haue done hath beene prosecuted onely with Intelligence and helpe of the founder part of the Grisons themselues and nor to rebell against their Lords for such certainly the Three-Leagus neuer were but simply to reduce themselues to the true State declared in their Capitulations so far forth as the mutations alterations and other Accidents would permit them The Agreements between the Bishop of Coira and the Community of the Three Leagues of the one part and of the Valtoline of the other in the yeare 1513. Which appeare by the indented Instrument at Iant of the Grison League kept in the Rolls of Coira PRimò quod homines vallis Tollinae Communitatis Tily velint debeant Renerendissime Domino Episcopo Curiensi tribus Lighis perpetuis temporâ—bus in omnibus singulis licitis honestis parere obedire Secundò quod praelibati homines vallis Tellinae Communitatis Tiliâ— sint esse debeant nostri Vlz Reuerendissims Domini Episcopi Curiensis omnium trium Ligarum cari fideles Confaederati tales permanere pro tempore quo necesse fuerit ad Dietas nostras vocari in Concilsjs pariformiter seders emsulere omne id quod eis Communitatibus magis expediens vidditur quando ad Dietas sic pront supra vocabuntur tâ—â— debeant de quolibet Tertierio Communitate Tillij vnum mittere Consiliarium Tertiò quod homines vallis Tellinae Communitatis Tilij gaudeant vtantur coruÌ„ priniligijs antiquis consuetudinibu sisaltem fuerint de iure laudabiles Deoconsonae Quartò quod praelibatus Reuerendiss D. Episcopus Curieusis omnes Lighaesint esse debeant dictis hominibus vallis Tellina Communitatis Tilij adiutorie consilio erga Caesaream Maitstatem Ducatum Mediolans aut alibi vbicunque oportuerit liberi fiant à taleis similibus vti homines trium Ligarum Quintò quod homines vallis Tellinae Communitatis Tilij teneantur singulis annis dare soluere Reuerendissimo Episcope Curiensi omnsbus tribus foederibus Tainenses mille in promptis denarijs persoluendos per quemlibet seu quoslsbet habentes bona in dicta Valle ad ratam bonorum suorum exemptum non exemptum TO THE MOST MIGHTY CATHOLIQVE King of Spaine D. PHILIP THE THIRD Sacred Royall Catholique Maiestie THE Manifest printed in the name of the Valteline wherein the Reasons of the Resolutions lately by them taken against the tyraâ—ny of the Grisons and Heretiques are alledged hath giuen great stanâ—â—ll to all wâ—â—emen who easily doe comprehend from whence and why it was put to the Pirsse the Valtelines hauing no notice at all much lesse any part therein Whereupon hauing proposed seriously to discourse and to bring to light that truth which others doe endeanor to wâ—ap vp in darknesse I haue thought it an act of Iustice and of no little sâ—â—uice to your Maitstae whose minde truly religious it may be feared lest it become deceiued with a false apparance of Pietie and Religion with which the Deuill a perpetuall enemy of Princes well enclined vseth oftentimes to transforme himselfe into an Angell of light and to offer his help as a guide in the right path of Iustice and honestie to no other end but to draw them without discouery into the crooked way of iniquitie and tyranny But the better to ground my Discourse I will beginne somewhat high and imitate that good Architect who purposing to build a strong Tower by how much he designeth to raise the top so much lower he layeth the foundation That of Religion ô Sacred Royall Catholique Maiestie is certainly a very powerfull obiect the which though sayned and disguised euer raiseth a great commotion in the mondes of them who there of make profession For this cause many Princes of the world eyther by the counsell of ill ministers or through the greedinesse of their owne desires wherwith they embrace Prouinces Kingdomes and Empires and yet not satiated when they want all other iust title to make warre and to seize by violence that which they cannot pretend by Iustice suddenly they take the pretence of Religion vnder which Cloake they doe not onely seeke to couer their vniust Actions and to make them appeare lawfull and holy but therewith they inuite all men to fauour their attempts Many times also with an affection of holy zeale with true and vnfained Religion with most iust and honest Titles they vndertake some Enterprises truly holy But the Deuill who still practiseth to draw poyson from the fairest flowers and serueth himselfe with good for an instrument of euill in the end reduceth that very Religion to proper interest that zeale of Pietie hee conuerteth to zeale of Ambition and the most iust Titles hee vseth to the seruice of Tyrannicall Monarchy Therefore where
ordinarily the question of the Acquisition of States is handled a iust Prince ought very well to consider if hee haue lawfull cause and honest right to possesse them and where hee knowes no other Title then that of Religion much more hee ought to be aduised that it bee not a faire and honest Couer of a foule and wicked Couetousnesse Don Pedro the tenth King of Aragon and third of that name hauing raised the greatest forces in his power passed therewith into Affrica to make warre vpon the Moores the ancient enemies of our Christian Religion For which holy purpose he receiued great Aides of money from S. Lewis the most Christian King of France What more worthy action could be haue vndertaken Who would haue found occasion to blame him yet vnder the herbe lav hid the Serpent Iosephus Boufilis Hist Sicil. par 1. li. 8. Genzale de Igliescas Hist Pontif. par 1. lib 5. cap. 45. M. Anton. Sabel p. 2. Encad 9. li. 7. This King had sometime before sent into Sicily Iohn Precita who offended by Charles of Anioy his Lord desired to be reuenged disguised in the habit of a Fryar to stirre the mindes of that Nation to rebell who for some ill vsage did shew themselues distasted with the French Gouernment Iohn Precita effected his businesse The Rebellion of the Sicilians and the destruction of the French followed King Charles armed for the recouery of his lost Kingdome and the Rebells to resist him In the meane while Poter of Aragon that scarcely hauing touched the Coast of Affrica was retyred to Sardinia to be nearer Sieily obseruing the time and occasion of his designe fitting suddenly went to Palerme where hee was receiued with great ioy and gladnesse and published and proclaimed King of the Siciltans who flocked to him from all parts of the Island See now your Maiestie with what insidious and cursed Art vnder the colour of Religion the King Don Pedro faining to haue taken Armes against the Enemies of Christianity tooke that Kingdome from a Christian King and foedary of Holy Church and which is more with the help of that Gold which he had receiued from the most Christian King right Brother of King Charles Whereupon the blessed Pope Martin the fourth a man of renowned sanctitie of whom as the Spanish Pontificall Igliescas â—bi supra and other Histories doe report were seene many miracles after his death did excommunicate and depriue him of his Kingdomes and absolue his Subiects of their Oath of Allegiance giuing power to any Prince to persecute him as a common Enemy Perhaps the holy Bishop thought that with this rigour the King Don Pedro would be brought to acknowledge his error and to restore what he had ill gotten But it proued without any fruit for hee which made it lawfull vhiustly to vsurpe the rights of others did little feare Ecclesiasticall censures for their restitution And what more Catholique and more pious Enterprise could bee imagined then that of India for the enlargement or the sacred Gospell What iuster title then that which the highest Bishop Alexander the Sixt did grant to the Catholique Kings Ferdinand and Isabell in the new world ordeyning them as supreme Emperors ouer those Kings and Infidell Kingdomes But after what thing was more vniust then the Conquest of the immediat Dominion of those Countries I call it a Conquest to enter with warre to subdue the people before they were allured with the peacefull voice of preaching and to take away the life of lawfull Lords and Naturall Princes to vsurpe their States notwithstanding they did not hinder the promulgation of the Gospell but rather were ready to receiue the holy Faith And it is a certaine truth that when also they were not conuerted whilst yet they did not oppose the progresse of Christian Religiou they could not be by the way of warre subiected that being contrary to the will of Christ who said Speciosi pedes Euangelizantium pacem And much lesse could they bee spolled of their Dominion seeing the same Christ when he came into the world did declare that the empire also of the Gentiles is iust lawfull commanding euen his own Apostles to pay tribute to Casar Neither is it to bee beleeued that the Pope when hee granted to the Catholique Kings the Soueraign Empire of the Indies had any thought to preiudice the immediate Dominion of Gentile Princes because he could not doe it The which the great Atabalâ—â—a King of Peru did know by the onely light of nature to whom Friar Vincenze di val verde made the most sottish and abominable oration to reduce him to the holy faith that could be imagined amongst other Curious things which he spake this was one El Papa que ey biue did a nuestro potentissime Rey de Espana Emperader delos Romanos y Monarca del mundo Jgliescas p. 2. lib. 6. c. 26. Sect. 14. la conquista destas tierras El Emperador embia agora Francesco Picaro à rogares seays su amigo y trsbutario y que obedezeays al Papa yrecibays la feè de Christo y creays en ella porque uereys como es sanctissima y que la que vos agora teneys es mas que falsa Si esto todo no hazeys sabed que os hemos de dar guerra yos que braremos los Idolos y os for çaremos a que dexeys la Religion diuâ—estros falsos Dioses That is The Pope this day liuing hath granted our most mighty King of Spaine Emperor of the Romans and Monarch of the World the Conquest of these lands now our Emperor doth send Francesco Pisaro to desire you to be his friend and Tributary to obey the Pope to receiue the faith of Christ and to beleeue therein because you shall see that it is most holy and yours most false If you doe not all this know that wee must make warre vpon you wee will breake your Idols and enforce you to leaue the religion of your false Gods Who euer heard a holier and wiser Sermon Como siel hijo de Dios que murio per cadauno dellos Vesceuo di Chiappa nel lib della destructione di India ouiera en su lcy mandado quando dixo Euntes docete omnes gentes que se hiziessen requerimientos à los inficles pacisices y quietos y que tienen fus tierras propias y si no la ricibiessen Iuego sin etra predication y dotrina y si no diessen a si melmes al senorie del Rey que nuvca oyeron ni vieron espetialmente cuya gente y mensaieros son tan crueles tan desapiadados y tan horribles Tirannos perdiessen per el mesmo caso la hazienda y las tierras la libertad las mugeres y hijos con todas sus vidas que es cosa absurda y estulta y digna de todo vituperio escarnio y infierno That is As if the Sonne of God who dyed for euery one of
Thirty soure years he laboured in the study of holy Lawes to be well instructed in the knowledge of Iustice He affirmeth nothing which he doth not learnedly proue All his works were directed to his owne King and the Royall Councell before whom more then once hee appeared in person to entreat of this Businessa Who can then beleeue that hee durst say that which was not apparant truth Men vse not to speake ill of Princes to their owne faces Ignorance of the fact or of the Law cannot be obiected to him so much practised and who had so long studyed these matters Argument of affection or of passion cannot be imagined in a Prelat of most exemplar life who renounced his Bishopricke onely to assist in the Court of his Prince in the defence of a People from any interest in him as farre remoued as our world is distant from theirs From whence of necessity it must be said that onely the loue of truth did moue him and the inuincible reasons wherewith he maintaines all his Assertions doe most clearly demonstrate it So that your Maiestie who is as much a louer of truth as of God considering with a setled minde all the fore-alleadged discourses will in the sinceritie of your conscience 〈◊〉 that which 〈◊〉 beginning was declared That Enterprises vndertaken onely for Religion are often reduced to proper Interest and that Titles Dignities and Authorities granted with most holy zeale by the Vicar of Christ haue beaue peruersly abused It is very true that this good Prelatate hath indeauoured to excuse the Catholique Kings by saying that the aboue mentioned euills were against their Intentions clearely expressed in many orders and holy instructions giuen to those crooked ministers who obserued no part of them But this excuse is not admitted of wise men yea rather confuted with most strong Reasons First because it hath not beene found that the Catholique Kings did euer punish any of those Ministers vnlesse perhaps some for Rebellion notwithstanding their wickednesse was manifest vnto them which the foresaid Bishop doth more then once affirme Secondly because so many iniquities by them committed were neuer retracted in particular the Diuisions of the Commenda's vpon which the said Author doth exclaime euen to the Heauens Lastly because the immediate Dominions are encorporated vniuersally and particularly with the Supreme Dominions and this is euident in fact all faculty being taken from them which had it to choose their Prince and the inheritance from them to whom the estates by succession did appertaine of whom some miraculously escaping aliue in that destruction of the Indies lamentably by this Bishop described were transported into Spaine lest by the loue of their Naturall Subiects they should aspire to recouer that of which against reason they were depriued And yet to this day the Issue of that great Motezâ—ma Emperor of Mexico doe liue in the Court of your Maiestie prohibited vpon paine of life to goe out of Castile From which most true reasons the wisedome of your Maiestie may easily comprehend how little the aforesaid excuses doe pruaile and how great 〈◊〉 the Catholique Kings haue to render to God of the vsurpation of the immediate 〈◊〉 of the Indies vnder pretence of amplifying the Christian faith The religious zeale of the King Don Phillip the second father of your Maiestie cannot inconsiderately bee ouerpast when inurted by the Pope hee tooke Armes against Henry the fourth King of France The cause of Christ was in question against a publique Heretique and Enemy of Christ It was expedient that the facred Catholique King Protector of the Church of Christ should abandon his owne Affaires of Flanders to defend that of Christ The which Hereique Action the fruit of perfect vertue which is rarely found among Princes of the World did beget in many wonder and incredulity and in others it caused too malitious suspition Algunos saith the Spanish Bishop que juzgauan la virtud agena por la malitia propia Bauia Pentif par 3. vita di Griger 14. c. 9. no querian creer que el zelo de Rey Catholico fuesse tan grande che desamparando su bazienda propia con tan gran costa fuesse a remediar la agena That is Some who iudge the vertue of others by their owne malice would nor beleeue that the zeale of the Catholique King could be so great that leauing the care of his owne business hee should at so immence Charge relieue the necessitie of others Behold the wonder and the incredulity Otros as after followes in the history que no bien conocian la Religion y Christianidad del gran Filippo II. Bauia p. 3. vita de Innocentie 9. C. 9. fondauan en esta jornada un gran edificio diziendo que se queria hazer Rey de Francia ò ponelle de su mano assegurandosse ensus Estados comarcanos y sasando à bueltas no pequeno interes That is Others that did not well vnderstand the Religion and Christianitie of the Grand Phillip the second did from this vndertaking lay the foundation of a great building saying that he desired to make himselfe King of France or to place a King of his owne dependance hereby assuring his owne neighbouring States and drawing to himselfe no little aduantage Behold the malice and that truely very great against that most innocent Monarch who did clearely show to haue no other interest nor further desire then that the Catholique Religion should not be vtterly ruined as it was freshly threatned in the Kingdome of France But what cannot the Deuill doe Saints and Heremits are rarely secure much lesse Princes in Courts Scarcely hath Henry begunne inspired by the holy Ghost to shew himsefe willing to be reduced to the wombe of holy Church to be truely a most Christian King when the Catholique fell vpon a Councell by no meanes to consent that hee should bee King of France And yet to him the Rights of that Kingdome did appertaine nor for other cause was the opposition but for being an Heretique whence the impediment being taken away it was most vnrust any longer to withstand him But it was whispered in the cares of the Catholique King by certaine Machiauells rather then Disciples that the Coronation of Henry might bring some danger to his Maiestie for the kingdome of Nauarr and the County of Burgondy vpon which States the Crowne of France hath pregnant pretensions and that his Maiestie had cast away in vaine so much Gold and spent so much blood of his people in that warre Therefore La tarde antes so saith Rauia que hiziesse la absolution Pontif p. 4 vita de Cle. 8. Cap. 56 el Duque de Sessa Ambaxador del Rey Catholico de su parte hiza al Papa protestacion que la absolucion que su santitad pensau a dar à Enrico no perjudicasse al derecho de su Rey en lo teccante al Reyno de Nauarra y Contado di Borgona ui a los gastos que hauia echo
en la conseruation della feè Catholicho en el Reyno di Francia y a instantia y requesta del y que no pensaua dexar las armas hasta cobrallos O yo el pontifice atenta mente la pretestacson y tomò della el Duque instrumento publico Auertiò antes à sua Santitad de algunos inconuenientes che temia hauian de resultar de la absolucion que tenia determinado dar à Enrico That is The Euening before the Absolution should be giuen the Duke of Sessa Ambassadour of the Catholique King on his behalfe protested to the Pope that the absolution which his Holines intended to giue to Henry should not preiudice the Reasons of his King in that which concerned the Kingdome of Nauar and the County of Bourgundy nor in the expence which he had made for the Confernation of the Catholique faith in the Kingdome of France at his instance and request and that he determined not to depose Armes vntill he had recouered them The high Bishop attentiuely heard the Protest and the Duke tooke thereof a publique instrument hauing first aducrtised his Holinesse of some inconueniences which hee feared might result from the Absolution which was purposed to bee giuen to Henry These Protests did appeare to men of sound iudgement ill grounded prentencos the alleaged inconueniences false foundations of that great Building which those malicious aboue mentioned did figure to themselues They said it was requisite to the strict Christianity which the Catholique King professed all humane Interest deposed to aduance with all his spirits the conuersion of Henry and to exhort the high Bishop affectionately to receiue the prodigall Sonne seeing he was returned penitent to his fathers house and to take into his Armes the strayed sheepe which hee had now found to carry him to the Sacred sheepfold of Christ They did blame as a work very little Catholique but rather as a suggestion of the Deuill to attempt the hinderance of that Absolution which onely hee ought to haue procured for the quiet of France and the publique good of Christendome which if it had not succeeded might haue wholly alienated that Kingdome from the Church as the like had done in England They did consider that it was wide of the purpose to feare any preiudice in the kingdome of Nauarre and the County of Burgundy seeing the Absolution did not deriue any more right to Henry then that which any other which should be King of France might haue But aboue all the pretensions of the expence made in the warre did giue them greatest scandall They discoursed if only for the loue of Christ the Catholique King had disbursed that money why was he not content to haue Christ his Debtor But how a Debtor if hee doth enioy of the Patrimony of Christ aboue Three Millions yearely Reuenue granted him by the Vicar of Christ of Tenths Subsidies and Croysado's and other meanes with condition to employ them against the Enemies of Christendome why takes hee nor penne in hand and comes not to a distinct Account of the Receipts and Issues well balancing il dare conl'hauere and hee shall finde himselfe not Creditor of one Maranedi but certainely Debtor of many and many Millions spent not according to his obligation for Christianity but for the interest of his owne priuate Estates What then doth hee pretend Why then doth he not lay downe Armes Vpon what hath hee fixed his thoughts To what end doth he aspire If he prosecute this warre he prosecuteth an vniust warre How doth that correspond with the zeale of Religion for which onely at first he vndertooke it What change is this Certainely it proceedeth not from the right hand of the most High But bee it so let him follow the warre at his owne pleasure there is no remedy Henry shall bee absolued and shall bee King of France Doth the Catholique King perhaps hope with his owne forces and by strong hand to depriue him If he was not able with the vnion of so many other Princes to hinder him from taking possession of his Kingdome how shall he now be able to expell him hauing set sure footing in his Throne He attempts a dangerous Action Here they proceed with witty and politique Consideration that a good issue of this warre against Henry not ensuing hee should be sure to acquire a powerfull and perpetuall Enemy that might in time make Spaine to tremble within her owne bowels and the Prophesie had well neare beene verified the whole world knowes it if a violent death had not interposed to stay him But this yet which perhaps was foreseene they did iudge insufficient to free Spaine of the danger Seeing the offence of the father and with the offence the disdaine might descend to the Sonne his Successor as soone as hee came to ripe age and should fall into consideration that the Catholique King had done his vâ—most to keepe him from being King of France when hee indeauoured to take the Crowne from the head of his father and that if his father in despight of Spaine mainteined himselfe King he also in despight of Spaine might enioy his fathers Kingdome But all these considerations which certainely were very great before any other conceiued them were resolued by the most wise King Phillip who by common Iudgement was the Salomon of his time From whence for the same reasons that others did iudge it requisite to leaue the warre hee esteemed it necessary to prosecute it Seeing he knew he had so grieuously offended Henry that hee could by no other meanes secure himselfe from his disdaine but onely by opposing him to become King of France Wherefore seeing the cause of Religion did cease it was expedient to fasten vpon some other pretence to resist with his Holiness the absolution and in France the Corenation and to proue if it were possible already reason of State had insinuated that great building of the Malicious to make a King of his owne fashion as he had already caused to be propounded in Parliament Tarde se desengana el dessee de mandar Bauia p. 4. vita de Clem. 8. c. 30. y ser Rey Por este aunque con menos brie no desistian los pretensores Proponia el Duque de Feria al Serenissima Infanta de Espana Dona Isabel Affermaua denersele el Reyno porque hauiendo faltado la linea masculina de Hugo Capcto eraquien tenià meior derecho a la Corona como hija de hermana mayor de Eurico III vltimo Rey de Francia Y dezia con esto que el Rey Catholico su padre la ca sarsa con alâ—un principe Frances con que el nombramiento del tal quedasse en su elecion That is The desire to command and to bee King was slowly cleared from all doubt For this cause though with lesse boldnesse the Pretènders gaue not ouer The Duke of Feria did propound her highnesse Donna Isabella Infanta of Spaine He did affirme the Kingdom
this then I inuoke with all my spirits the attentiue mind of your Maiestie for when I shall haue demonstrated that all the Reasons of the Manifest are ill grounded and false and what the truth of the businesse is it shall together appeare that the Causes of said Manifest cannot bee other then those about specified The Reasons drawne to excuse the Rebellion of the Valtelines are reduced to two Heads Religion and Tyranny Vpon these are made great Amplifications but all is affirmed without proose A manifest signe that it is spoken without foundation Concerning Religion it is said that the Grisons vtterly haue taken from the Valtelines the libertie of Conscience and haue procured that all should be infected with Heresie shewing in euery occasion fauour to Heretiques and the contrary to Catholiques vpon some of whom they haue insâ—â—tod most cruell and infamous death onely in hatred of the Religion I repedre not euery particular It is sufficient to take this Mauiâ—â— to which all other matters are reduced and in the Manifest may be distinctly read Conterning Tyranny it goeth painting out a kind of gouernment of the Grisons in the Valteline like to that which hâ—â—fore Verres vsed in Sirtly and to speake more modernly like to some practised as well by the Ministers of your Maiestie as of your Predecessors in their States of Italys as by this discourse you shall fully vnderstand perhaps with some notable benefit to your poore Subiects who are waiting some ease from your Roy all hand But before wee discourse particularly in those two points it is fit to consider That the Grisons though diuided in two Religions Roman and Bâ—â—â—golique may it please the diume Maiestie that in time they may all agree in the vaine of the true Apostolique yet in all matters in respect of the publique good of the State thee haue constantly stood vnited in the politique Gouernment With which Concord they haue so many yeares maintained themselues free Princes vndependent of other and highly estemed of all For which cause wee know with how much diligence and charge many great Priaces haue sought their friendship But of late yeares in this part some Ministers of your Maiestie malignant to see them colleagued now with France now with Venice moued with an immoderate zeale of your seruice to which they supposed that such Confederations might bring some preiudice and iudging it most important to your Crowne that you onely should haue the free passage through the straighes of the Valreline into Germany and thâ—â— to all other Princes they should at your pleasure bee shot haue gone contriuing Inuentions and insiduous Artifices to diuide the Grisons as well in the politique gouernment as in Religion to the end they might easily stide into vtter ruins To this effect the late count de Fuentes Gouernour of Millan erected that Fort which to this day beares his name so preiudiciall as nothing more to the State of the Grisons Hauing first with money corrupted some of the chiefe of that Countrey to the end that if the Lords would oppose themselues they should with various Arts be disturbed as it came right to passe by the labor of lo Baptista Preuestâ— Pompeio Rodolfo Planta Nichole Rusea and others noted in the Manifest of the Grisons of the yeare 1618. Instantly after which Don Pedro de Toledo Gouernor of Millan in the yeare 1617. did attempt to make a perpetuall league with the Grisons vpon Articles molded by the Lord Alfonse Casale Ambassador of your Maiestie in that Republique after his owne fashion In which there was nothing inserted in the fauour of the Grisons but a delusory promise to demolish the fort of Fuentes where with it seemed to him that they should condiscend to all other things how contrary soeuer to their libettie The same men who did fauour the building of the Fort did not faile to aduance also this Confederacie perswading many that by al meanes it ought to be embraced but the crooked practises of these Patriots Enemies of their Countrey being to the Grisons discouered they would not accept these Capitulations but forming a Iuridicary and Capitall Processe against these Rebels they found so many Machinations treasons and other wicked Actions by them wrought that proceeding to Iustice it was requisite with Banishments and death to giue them deserued punishment Prom that time till now that they remained exiled aided with money by the Ministers of your Maiestie with which they proceeded maintayning fresh practices with their friends and adherents and corrupting many others they haue sollicited continually to sowe dissention among this people thereby to raise some insurrection as finally hath succeeded in the Valteline The truth of all this is clearly collected from the forealleaged Manifest of the Actions of the Grisons in the yeare 1618. to which Credit cannot bedenied as the Ministers of your Maiesty desire seeing the things therein related are matters of fact and iuridically approued where these affaires haue beene handled without passion or respect of persons as euery dispassionate mind by the reading thereof will iudge The intent then of your Maiesties Ministers was not to establish a Confederacy with the Grisons which had in bin so they would haue procured by lawfull wayes vpon Conditions reasonable as other Princes vsed and not by interuention of particular persons corrupted with gisâ—s and vpon Articles so vnsanory as among them are seene But then purpose was so cunningly to frame them that they should not be accepted because being promoued by the factious party of men corrupt and reiected by the sound part dis-interressed and louers of the publique good there might arâ—â—â— a discord sowed by this art to cast these people into Confusion so that from their diuision according to the Gospell the desolation of the State might follow For the Ministers of your Maiestie fomenting one part against the other did hope to oppresse both the one and the other and highly to merit of you by enlarging in what way soeuer your Empire This Artifice O Sacred Catholique Kingh to disunict Subiects from their Princes to send them into destruction is most proper and practised by the Ministers of your Crowne and who would here recount how often and in what maner they haue plotted disunion in the Kingdome of France should weaue a large Historie The French Lords doe well know it and it is a common opinion amongst them who best vnderst and the Affaires of State that if all the Hugonotts of France should bee reduced to the Catholique Religion the Spanish Ministers would therewith be grieuously displeased seeing that of them they make principall vse as of most deare friends to embroile that Kingdome whensoeuer they haue any doubt that the French may moue his forces to the dammage of Spaine And they doe glory not to seare at all the Armes of his most Christian Maiestie not because the are inualid but that they know the way to keepeth 〈◊〉 busied at their pleasure in his owne houseâ—
Which therefore being well considered might produce â—conorary effectâ—â— For if the most Christian King shall once resoluo himselfâ—â— to carry the warne abrond he shall rest most scoure and quâ—et within his owne Kingdome The gneâ—â— and warlike mindes of the French Nobilitio borne to Armes and Eliâ—tâ—â—pâ—isâ—â—â— cannot lie wasting in I dienesse While they haue not elsewhere to bee exercised it is no wonder that at hoâ—â— they may be easily excited to tumults But if they shall bee imployed in foraâ—â—â— Actions they will ronne greddyâ—â— victorins and glory of which they are most ambitiour And will desire like wise men that their owne Country should rost in peace to bee the more able with their Sword to subdue others not will they suffer themselues to bee disturbed by the treacherous maâ—hinations of them who affect thâ—â— ruine But this is spoken by the way by occasion of the like stratagom at present used among the Grisoms the which â—eeing it hath begunne to take effect in the Valteline the Gouernour of Millan is leapt into the field not with intent to sauour but to opprosse the party risen yet to giue another relish Proposing still this axioâ—â—e of Machianell that feined Roligion doth much aduantage the Actions of Princer he would make the world beleaue that he was moued with pittio to take the protection of the miserable Valtelines oppressed as saith the Manifest in Religion and politike life Of which two things it is now requisite distinctly to entreate The Grisons doe pretend that if God when hee ereued man loft him in the state of free will the Conscience ought to be free no man being able to take away that which is the gift of the Diuine Maiestie They esteeme their Condition to be most wretched and miserable who are violently forced to professe to beleeue that which their Conscience truely doth not beleeue and therefore they require libertie of Religion They are diuided into Roman and Euangelique euery one follower that part to which his Conscience â—â—olineth him Euery one doth beleeue hee beleeues well and sinnes mortally when he doth transgresse from that ancient Institution wherein he was borne and bred Violence is done to no man In the publike Gouernment aswell the one as the other doe participate without any Distinction Now the Ministers of your Maiestie say as may be need in the Manifect that the Professers of the Ramish Religion haue no more libertie to follow their true faith because the contrary faction doth tyrâ—â—nously oppresse them And hâ—â—â— they alleage many violent Actionâ— which if in case some are true certainly they are not happened but for grieuous Iniuries and offences first done by the Romanists to the Euangeliques but the truth is that the most part of them are false the effect to this day hath shewed it to be most false that euer the Euangeliques did attempt to oppresse the Romanists Vpon which for better illustration wee will with reason discourse a little in the fauour of truth These two Factions Roman and Euangelique either are equall or the one is superiour to the other If they are equall euery one doe persist in their own opinion it being certaine that in their Dâ—â—â—â— called by them Drituâ—â— the Ministers of the one and the other equally are assistant of necessitiâ— it must bee said that when any thing is handled which doth preiudine the one or the other there can noues be any agreement But seeing they doe accord as it appeares by the Diett of Tosana in the yeare 1618. in which so many Rebells as well Romans as Euangeliques without all respect were punished Then it must be concluded not to bee true that they practise one to preindice the other Then it is salse that the Euangeliques doe oppresse the Romanists But who shall say that the one is too strong and doth persecure the other How is it that in so many and so many yeares that part hath not vsurped the absolute dominion If the Roman preuaile how doe they consent that their Clergia men should bee chastised and as your Maiesties Ministem affirme in despight of Religion If the Euangelique be superiour how can it stand that putting to death the Arch Priest of Sondrie and exiling the Bishop of Coura for being of the Roman Religion afterward they admitted another Bishop and another Arch-Priest of the same Religion And why did they condemne only those two and not many other good and truely religious men of which in that State there are multitudes Let it bee then said not to be a truth that the Euangeliques doe persecute the Romanists And if the aforesaid Clergie-men haue suffered the trespasses by them committed in communem patriam did cause that with Common consent aswell of the Catholique Romans as of the Euangeliques they haue beene punished as it is notorious by the aforementioned writing of the yeare 1618. And that it was not done in the hatred of Religion may more clearely from this be discerned that amongst the accused and condemned there were many more Euangeliques then Romans Whence it is euident that with all integritie and without any respect those of the Euangelique faction haue onely aymed not sparing themselues at the administration of Iustice And Rodolfo Planta that then was banished as it knowne to all men was not onely an Heretique but a principall Head of the Heretiques With two things about this Subiect the World is greatly amazed and scandalized The one that the Ministers of your Maiestie in the Manifest printed by them for the Valtelines haue dared to giue the title of a true Martyr of Christ to the Arch priest of Sondrio a man blood-thirsty and a Traitor to his Prince whence it appeares that onely for being their fauourer he obtained the merit to be Canonised for a Saint The other is that they haue alwayes held so strict Intelligence with Rodelfo Planta and other principall Heretiques and haue fauoured and stipendiated them both before and after their Banishment and haue made vse and yet doe vse them continually in matters very indecent Neither doe they make at all scruple of Conscience thereof though they publikely proclaime themselues Protectors of the Religion and perperuall Enemies of all Heretiques If the wonder and Seâ—mdâ—ll bee iust I remit it to the Righteous Iudgement and prudent mind of your Maiestie I expect that connicted with the force of these reasons some should step forth and say That when notwithstanding the Euangeliques doe not leeke to oppresse the Romanists and doe suffer euery one to liue to himselfe yet by all meane it is requisite to extirpate the ill race of Heretiques Enemies to holy Church I vnwillingly enter into this particular but of force the matter requires that somewhat therein bee spoken I doe beleeue and I thinke am not deceiued that to punish Heretiques the Ecclesiasticall authoritie is necessary How then will the Ministers of your Maiestie intermeddle in that which to them appertaines not And who will not say that greedinesse
to vsurpe the State of others doth moue them also to vsurp the Pontisisall Iurisdiction O God if yet they did vse it well Holy Church doth continually pray for the extirpation of heresie not so of Heretiques But those Ministers with too much excesse of holy zeale will first vsurp the Estates of Heretiques and destroy their persons throughly to roote out their heresies Quidsaeuiunt vt stultitiam suam dum minuere volunt Lact. ipst Diu li. 5 C. 20. augeant longè diuersa sunt carnificina pietas nec potest aut veritas cum vi aut Iustitia cum credulitate coniungi Here a Consideration comes into my head which makes me astonished The Euangeliques among the Grisons so your Ministers affirme and I beleeue it are the superiour party These as wee say are impions wicked and our Capitall Enemies they desire our harme and our vtter ruine They might perhaps haue beene able with little difficultie with their owne force and with the ayde of those of Zurich and Berne obliged to them by loue by law and particular Confederation vtterly to ruine destroy and annihilate the Roman faction in their Countrey and to become Lords alone of the whole Dominion And yet these wicked these impious these Enemies of the true saith haue had so much humanitie that they haue abstayned and haue beene contented that the Roman Catholiques liue freely and quietly among them and to haue them friends and Companions in the politique Gouernment And those of Zurich and Berne no whit better then the Euangelique Grisons haue neuer promoued nor counselled them to Alterations On the contrary the true Sonnes of the holy Roman Church instructed in the meeknesse patience and benignity of Christ Men charitable pious and holy doe make it lawfull to rise against those who molest them not to rebell from those who admit them into fellowship of Gouernment to procure the losse of State to those who being able haue neuer attempted to expell them out of the State And the Ministers of your Maiestie who professe to bee the most true Catholiques this day liuing in the World are they who instigate foment and ayd yea who principally doe opperate in these so honest Rebellions and with warre fire and ruines doe pronounce that it is requisite to defend the holy Religion O quam honesta voluntate miseri errant Lactant. vbi supra sentiunt enim nihil esse in rebus humanis Religione praestantius eamque summa vi oportere defendi sed in defensionis genere falluntur Defendenda enim Religio est non occidendo sed moriendo non saeuitia sed patientia nonscelare sed fide Illa enim malorum sunt haec bonorum necesse est bonum in Religione versari non malum N am si sanguine si torment is si malo Religionem defendere velis iam non defendetar illa sed polluetur atque violabitur Nihil est enins tam voluntarium quam Religio in qua si animus Sacrificantis auersus est iam sublata iam nulla est The Polititians say Salust de con Catil li. 1. that Imperium his artibus retinetur quibus initio partum est So is it consequent to say of our Religion the which was planted not by killing but dying not with crueltie but patience not in wickednesse but faith With these Arts Christ laid the foundation with these the Apostles and those holy fathers of the Primitiue Church did build vpon it and since their Successors from these wayes haue declined it is diminished restrayned and in many places vtterly extinct Religion is more free then the will of man because the forced will remaines still a will but enforced Religion is no more Religion for in the will the Act is regarded and in Religion the minde And therefore If the mind of the sacrificer be auerse the efficacie is taken away and annihilated Then the Ministers of your Maiestie doe erre in these their cruell proceedings against Heretiques They too farre wander from the path in which Christ hath guided them Let your Maiestie bee aduised not to suffer your selfe to bee drawn into the same error by giuing them faculty power to prosecute so bloody Enterprises Command them by your Roiall authority to leaue so preposterously to fauour Christian Religion For now the world doth know their ends and Christ himselfe doth hate detest and abhorre them And when they shall endeauour to perswade you otherwise bee not easie to giue them credit seeing as I haue already shewed vnder holy pretences they doe counsell Deuillish actions Let your Maiestie giue full credence to their Aduices when they shall perswade you to imploy your forces against the Mahometans Capitall and continuall Enemies of Christianitie when they shall say that therein you ought to spend those many Millions which you draw from the Church for that holy end when they shall excite you to dresse your Fleets and Armies to recouer so many Prouinces vsurped by Infidells vpon miserable Christians But why doe I say recouer them I tremble O Sacred Maiestie to speake it but it may not be passed in silence I feare that they rather will counsell you to take from the Christians Arzila in Affrica enforceth me to speake wrested from the possession of the Portugalls by the King Don Phillip the second and giuen to Muley Achmett King of Marocco I well know what they will answer that he gaue it because he could not defend it But if a King of Portugall did keepe it how can it be that a Monarch of Spaine of the new World and of so many other Kingdomes and Prouinces should be vnable No no wee are not deceined how matters did then passe with the Pertugalls doth too clearely shew the truth Phillip did feare that Muley might succour Don Antonio who did claime the Kingdome of Portugall wherfore to extinguish that Christian King the Ministers did perswade King Phillip with the price of that Citie to buy the friendship of that Infidell Consider now your Maiestie this perfidious Counsell the which drew King Phillip into so euill considerations though otherwise an excellent Prince that hee became publikely reproached Giou. Hist li. 34. and it was said that he had learned this liberalitie to Barbarians of the most famous Emperour his father Charles the sift Iglies vita de Paolo 3 lib. 6. C. 27 sect 1. Giou. li. 37. Iglies nel Capit. preditto sect 9. who after the Conquest of the Citie of Tunis in Barbarie did presently tender it to the King Muleasses which he would not haue done if it had bin taken from any Christian Prince As he refused to restore Castelnouo to the Republique of Venice recouered from the Turkes at the instance of that Common-wealth and with the ayde of their owne Armado although by particular conuention thereunto obliged Then againe I say let your Maiestie take heed of the false Counsels of your Spanish Ministers who where reason of State is in question would
haue Princes vtterly depriued of Conscience Antonio de Leua discoursing Gie. Boteras detti memorabili l. 1. by occasion with Charles the sift Emperour concerning the Affaires of Italy did perswade him to put to death this and that Prince and to take possession of their States and to make himselfe Lord of all The Soule answered the Emperour What replied Leua hath your Maiestie a soule then renounce your Empiro This was truly too shamelesse an Impietie of Leua such I am sure as none of your Ministers would dare to propound to your Maiestie for knowing the great goodnesse of your most Catholique minde they should be sure to incurre your Roâ—all Indignation But it doth not therefore follow that they preserue not in their heads the same rules and that they doe not thereby gouerne all their Actions and thereunto conformable addresse all their Counsells the which are so much more dangerous in as much as they couer them vnder holy pretences as at present in the warre against the Grisons Wherefore your Maiestie hath so much more cause to feare and to take heed and so much more reason to accept in good part this Aduertisement But to returne to our Matter Let your Maiestie consider that to punish Heretiques as already I haue said is not the office of a secular Prince And therefore your Ministers doe ill to put their Sickle into anothers haruest and so much the worse be cause they know it And to deceiue the world they make it lawfull without the Pontificall authority to aduance he standard of the high Priest to iustifie a warre which they know to be vniust Wherefore his Holinesse whose Iurisdiction is directly offended ought not and cannot beare it And if hee haue and doe suffer many other things in the end a long abused patience is conuerted into a iust anger Besides let your Maiestie be aduised that all Heretiques are not to be treated as Rebells with extreame rigour but onely those who borne within the wornbe of the Church by their owne malice haue reuolted these which are borne nourished and brought vp in the Sect of their Parents it is true they erre but vnder an excuse of well doing they erre it is true but they knowe not their errour they are more worthie of Compassion then of penalty they deserue helpe and not punishment Multum enim interest inter illos qui in ignorantia sunt Chrisost 1. Math. Homil. 49 C. in ignorantia perierunt inter cos qui in veritate quidem nati sunt propter aliquod autem mundiale scientes ad mendacia tranfierunt perierunt in eis pereunt Illi enim forsitan aliquo modo habebunt remissionem isti antem nullam remissionem habebunt neque in hoc saeculo neque in futuro quoniam ipsi sunt qui blasphemauerunt in Spiritum Sanctum Illi enim iudicandi sunt quia veritatem non quaesierunt isti autem condemnandi quia spreuerunt Leuior enim culpa est veritatem non apprehendere quam contemnere apprehensam Let Preachers then be sent to instruct them let gentle meanes be vsed that they may hearken vnto them Let praiers be continually made for them and after leaue the case to God to illuminate them in the holy faith seeing that faith is the onely guift of God which he freely giues not giuen by Mars nor by the meanes of warre God did command that the Foxes which destroyed the Vines should be taken Cant. c. 2. not slâ—ine Capite nobis Vulpes paruulas quae demoliuntur Vineas Et siiuxta allegoriam S. Bernard tom 1. In Cant. ser 46. Ecclesias Vineas Vulpes Hereses seu potius Haereticos ipsos intelligamus simplex est sensus vt Hâ—retici capiantur potius quam effugentur capiantur dico non armis sed argumentis quibus reffellantur eorum errores Ipsi vero si fieri potest Ecclesiae Catholicaereconcilientur reuocentur ad veram fidem haec est enim voluntas eius qui vult omnes homines salnos 〈◊〉 ad agnitionem veritatis peruenire And a little after Quod si reuerti noluerit nec conuictus post primamiam secundam admonitionem vtpote qui omninò subuersus est erit seeundum Apostolum deuitandus This is the way ô Sacred Maiestie to proceed against Heretiques which this holy man doth teach and not that by the rigor of Armes which your Ministers practice Esteeme it a truth that to vse crueltie against Heretiques doth euer make them more peruerse And if this in no place should be done much lesse there where Heretiques and Catholiques are together mingled with libertie of Religion because our persecutioÌ„ of them for Religion doth teach them to do the like as well for preseruation of their own which they esteeme as good as we doe ours as for the securitie of their States liues From which so many losses haue hapned to the Church of God that it is a consideratition worthy of many teares Poore Germany into what state is it reduced by this occasion which perhaps but why do I say perhaps certainly certainly had bin in much better estate if therewith other proceedings had been vsed I call not England to witnesse the storie is too notorious What hath rained Flanders but a will to introduce with too much rigor the Spanish Inquisition And the Citie of Naples for the same cause hath it not fallen into generall tumult which if it had further proceeded to day by Gods grace it remaines Catholique that perhaps we had found with all that noble Kingdome full of heresie May it please the Diuine Maiestie that the present warre against the Grisons proue not a fire of faith and Religion in all Italy The Deuall hath prepared the wood the Ministers of your Maiestie haue kindled the flame If presently there be not some ready to extinguish it this paper God make me a liar which some will esteem foolishnes others call malignitie will perhaps be found a Prophesie from heauen But of this enough hath beene said let vs proceed to the rest The second head of Tyranny doth follow Great matters are related in the Manifest printed in the name of the Valtelines But seeing there is not one particular case obiected nor any thing proued it might be said the whole is false but wee will not vse that aduantage because wee know many things are most true Lucio da Monte with the money of forraine Princes supplied him by Pompeio Planta to the summe of two thousand florens distributed among particulars did procure the office of supreme Prouinciall Iudge of the Grison League binding himselfe to administer that charge not according to right and Iustice and the libertie of his Country but conformable to the will of the said Planta Whence it is confirmed for truth that the Gouernment was conferred vpon him who did offer the greatest price that from thence a thousand Tyrannies did proceed against the goods and liues of the Subiects there is
no cause to doubt seeing this is the way to riches and he that buyes an office pretends to haue right to sell it in felling Iustice as it was once said of that good Spanish Pope who by force of money ascended to the Chaire did dispence for moneyes all Rights of the Church Emerat ille prius vendere iure porost Here I could open the eies of your Maiesty with a like abuse in your own Court and tell you that los Alguaziles or as we call them Marshals or Captaines of Serieants pay for that charge fiue or six thousand Ducats Los Escriuanos or Notaties of Magistrates pay some eighteene some twenty thousand Crownes los Alcaldes or speaking in our owne Idioms the Criminall or Ciuill Iudges doe not pay a certaine summe but they neuer climbe to that degree without bestowing large donations vpon the Fauorits of your Maiestie What may then be said of Gonernours and Vice-Kings which you send into remoâ—e Prouinces All the Court doth know and the Prouinces are not ignorant that no man gratis doth obtaine these honours but they all passe in the Common way Your Maiestie may well beleeue that your Ministers are not so zealous of the weale publique profusely to expend their owne to goe and wearie themselues to gouerne others though in the most eminent dignitie Whence you may firmely collect that they propose to disburse at Interest and so prouide that the poore Subiects pay them an annuall Tribure not of fiue tenne or twenty but of a hundred for a hundred and sometimes a thousand and that at the end of their Gouernment they doe leuell the Capitall I could read in Cathedra vpon this matter as that which I haue seene with mine owne eyes and whereof in part to my great losse haue had experience But being a publique thing it behooues not that I wearie my selfe therein I returne then to the Tyranny of the Grisons Pompeio Planta aboue mentioned did vsurpe the power of Magistracie in the Praefecture of Forstenau binding all the officers not to intermeddle in any Cause of Importance without his knowledge or of Rodolpho Planta his Brother This man who was Prouinciall Captaine of the Valteline Criminall Iudg of Zernez of the bordering Communities did vsurp the power of Magistracy of the three Leagues exercising therein most great Tyranny in generall and against particular men and did arrogate to himselfe to iudge the lawes and to choose them onely Iudges who to him were pleasing and whosoeuer would not concurre with him was sodainly depriued In which course attempting to doe violence in the vpper Agnadina hee was the cause that six persons did loose their liues He did falsifie the Statutes and ordinances of the Countrey in his Iurisdiction adding and diminishing them as to him it turned best to accompt He did binde the Subiects in many Communities and free Prouinces with various corruptions and presents to elect into many offices men vpon him dependant Of which his followers he after made vse to breake the lawes to excite Commotions against honest men and to gouerne all with violent Tyranny at his owne disposition Vpon delicts of little consideration hee gaue most rigorous sentences Conuerting them after into great Ransoms to whosoeuer would redeeme his vexations When he had punished some Delinquent he found occasion to entangle many Innocents saying that the guilty had accused them of Confederacy or somewhat else and enforced them if they would anoide his persecution to compound with him in great summes of money In Agnadina he did sharpen the quâ—rrells and factions euen amongst Kindred fomenting them with men and Armes where of followed many wounds and many deaths What auaâ—â—gth it particularly to recount the Tyrannies vsed for many yeares by him and his Brother in Agnadina Valteline and other places And who is able to search the truth of infinite others practised by their adherents and followers In summe Pompeio and Rodolfo Planta haue beene Tyrants themselues and Heads of Tyrants From them and by them all those Cruelties of the people which in the Manifest written in the name of the Valtelines are exaggerated haue proceeded without contradiction they are too true we doe not deny them But let it availe to speake the Truth and who by your fauour are those but factious men and Dependents vpon the Ministers of your Maiestie From whom haue they receiued the monies to support their Tyrannicall Authoritie but of the Ministers of your Maiestie who hath constandy comforted them in their wicked Actions but the Ministers of your Maiestie Then it must necessitily bee concluded that the Ministers of your Maiestie are they who haue seated Tyranny in the Valieline and in other parts of the Grisons following the same designe aboue mentioned to breed Confusion Disunion and finall destruction of chose People to the enlargement of the States of your Maiestie and all these workings haue beene carried in a manner so artificiall that though the Grisons did see many things ill done they could not apply a remedie because they knew not from whence the euill did arise So great was the Tyrants power that there was none found who once durst witnesse a truth But at last when it pleased God to bring it to light the Grisons did not neglect to vse all diligence to dig vp the euill by the Roote The Brethren Planta's fled Conscions of their owne Iniquitie whereby not being able to apprehend them they were punished in such sort as was possible by most sharpe exile Looke vpon the writing so often alleadged of the Acts of the Grisons where more distinctly euery particular may be read But for a domonstratiue proofe of the aforesaid matters all the world doth know how these Brothers Plantds after their banishmont were alwaies sauoured and sustained by the Ministers of your Maiestie how at their Instigation and with their helpe they wrought the insurrection of the Valteline and how as yet they negotiate worse actions Here are three things fit to be aduised your Maiestie The one the Detript which is obtruded by your Ministera The other the Repreach which they bring to your Roiall name by insidious Complots which they alway extend to other Potentates The last is the Impudonce wherewith they seeke vnworthily to wound the name and reputation of good Princes against whom they haue often prouoked the Predecessors of your Maiestie and sometime your selfe and still doe attempt earnestly to induce you to actions little reasonable making you beleeue not that they are only lust but holy Vpon this first we shall haue little cause of discourse seeing from the fore alleaged matters it is euidently collected that the Grisons doe not nor haue not tyrannised their Subiects neither concerning Religion nor in the politike life That all the Tyranny which was vsed in their State was treacherously induced by the Ministers of your Maiestie and that the Rebellion of the Valtelines was not free and voluntary in them but practised procured and in a manner
Iov Hist lib. 39. diuque vel in paee inaniter vexati frustra apud surdas Caesaris aures praesidum acerbitatem querebantur Neapolitanum verò Regnum quo uihil spoliatius vnquam fuit euersum exutumque omni pristina dignitate conciderat Et in Sicilia cum annuis Tributis tum nouis rei frumentariae vectigalibus frequentibus Hispanorum astiuis hybernisque euastatn occasio potius rebellandi quam consensus deesse videbatur But certainly certainly they are in much worse estate at this present I beleeue not O sacred Catholique Maiestie that there is any Prince in this world who for reason of State doth not sometimes slip into some indecent Action because it may happen that the Iudgement and the will are surprised the one peruerted the other blinded with passion and interest To the conditions of Princes their Ministers ordinarily do conforme for these are their eyes eares hands and feet and therefore as is formerly said the Actions of Ministers are attributed to themselues the Princes Let vs then say that Ministers as well as Princes may and doe also erre either by ignorance or passion or of pure malice But in all Christendome I certainly beleeue that there haue not beene nor are found any Ministers of any Prince or Rapublike whatsoeuer who haue committed so great errors nor vsed so many wicked dealings as the Spaniards Let your Maiestie consider the few in this discourse alleaged which are scarce the thousand part of those in history recorded and bee pleased with attention to read what they haue done in India faithfully described by the aforementioned Bishop of Chiappa And you shall clearly see that to this truth there is no reply and with great griefe of heart you will compassionate the condition of your miserable Subiects you will abhorre the execrable Actions of your Ministers and as a true Catholike Prince will prouide to the whole conuenient remedie which if you shall not doe then that right of other Princes which I haue pointed at will take place Your Maiestie doth know that Millan is a feud of the Empire Naples and Sicily of the Church Therefore the Pope and the Emporer when their Subiects in these States are not gouerned with vpright Iustice are bound in conscience to God either to resume the immediate Dominion as they haue the Supreme or to prouide another Prince that rightly and iustly may gouerne depriuing your Maiestie of the Inuestiture of those feudes which will bee escheated by the Iniustice of your Ministers by you tollerated And if at present it may seeme that the State of Millan is secure the Emperour being of the house of Austria and your neare kinsman and that you feare not Naples and Sicily knowing the high Bishop most inclinable to your fauour yet in many respects there remaines much whereof to doubt The affection of the minde and the alliance of blood with some other interest ioyned to the one and the other are considerations that can doe much But the loue of Heauen and the feare of Hell and the infallible Iudgement of God which will giue the one or the other as I beleeue may much more preuaile So that at last the Pope and the Emperour will haue more care of their owne soules then of your Maiesties satisfaction I adde that the Empire Popedome are Electiue Principalities and not hereditarie whence if the present Bishop bee obsequious to your Maiesties will perhaps his successor will bee contrary And though now the Emperour bee an Austrian in short time an 〈◊〉 of the house of Austria may succead him who finding so lost occasion will certainty bereaue your Maiestie of your feudes â— and when neither of these would I may say God will doe it and might alleadg the authoritie of holy men and prophesies of Sacred Scripture but I will oâ—â—it them as superfluous onely this I will adde that when all other danger should faile you ought greatly to feare the heauy dislike of all your owne Subiects Senec. Thabai Actâ— 3. sce 2. because innisae nunquam Imperia r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diâ— Let your Maiesly then consider to close vp this Discount how your Ministers bring your States of Italy into extreame peril both in respect of your Subiects by their manor of Gouernment with the machinations which they continually weaue against other Princes And if ouer Emperor or Pope should take Armes against you you may bee assured to haue all the Princes of Italy and perhaps of Europe your Oppesites because the interest of State hath opened their eyes Let your Maiestie imagine to ouer-heare all the Italian Potentates after this manner to discourse among themselues Now what doe we doe Why doe we not oppose him who with a thousand frauds doth aspire our ruine The Spanyards possesse in Italy Millan Naples and Sicily besides many lands wrested from poore particular Lords at Monâ—â—â— Piombino Corregio and others and yet are not content If now they become Masters of the Valteline whereby they proiect to shut vp the passage of stranger Nations called to our seruice and to keepe it at pleasure open to ioyne with theirs the German forces of the house of Austria By this vnion they promise themselues vtterly to bring to nothing the power of the Republique of Venice the which being remoued they hope in Italy to finde no other resistance so that thereof they will soone acquire the absolute Monarchy Vt sunt impotentia Iou. Hist lib. 10. at que imperandi auida ingenia Hispanorum qui quum semelirrepserint ad summans sâ—â—â—per potentiam cunctis artibus contendunt Then would they expect that the Pope should bee Chapleyne of the King of Spaine and we inferiour Seruants of his Royall house wee are too sure that this is the In tention of the Spanish Ministers Already wee see in what treacherous manner they seeke to effect it and wee stand still with our thumbs vnder our girdles too late we shall repent if soone wee doe not resolue Here returning their thoughts vpon your Maiestie in whose name your Ministers worke they proceed meditating the same conceit in these words Phillip King of Macedon who alwaies with snares with treacheries with sacriledge attentiue to enlarge his Empire being by the Thebans chosen Captain of their Army against the Phacians who robbing the Temple of Apollo with sacred treasures had armed to make warre on Thebes vnder the show of piety and Religion readily accepted the charge and Enterprise and at the first Encounter ouercame the Enemy whence hee was celebrated with Immortoll glory Incredibile quantum eares apud omnes nationes Philippe gloriam dedit Illum vindicene sacrilegij illum vltorem religionum Iust 8. Quod orbis viribus expiari debuit solum qui piacula exigoret extitisse dignum Itaque Diis proximus habetur per quem Deorum Maiestas vindicatasit But finding himselfe victorious and powerfull hee discouered his dissembled piety and feined Religion breaking his faith with those who had made