The new-found politicke Disclosing the secret natures and dispositions as well of priuate persons as of statesmen and courtiers; wherein the gouernments, greatnesse, and power of the most notable kingdomes and common-wealths of the world are discouered and censured. Together with many excellent caueats and rules fit to be obserued by those princes and states of Christendome, both Protestants and papists, which haue reason to distrust the designes of the King of Spaine, as by the speech of the Duke of Hernia, vttered in the counsell of Spaine, and hereto annexed, may appeare. Written in Italian by Traiano Boccalini ... And now translated into English for the benefit of this kingdome.

CHAP. 11.

The Duke d'Alva being arriued at Parnassus, in complementing with Prospero Colonna, they fall foule about defrauding the Colones•• of their Titles.

DOn Hernando de Toledo Duke d'Alva, a few daies since, arriued at Parnassus, and by expresse order from Apollo, a diligent examination of his actions being made by the military men, he was found worthy to be admitted into Parnassus amongst those famous Captains, which without effusion of bloud, knew how to vanquish an enemy, more by patience, and art, than by open force, or valour; that durst hazard the fortune of Kingdoms vpon the doubtfull chance of a Battell. But because Lodouic•• Guicci∣ardino, an vnderstanding Writer of the affaires of Flanders, had preferred a Complaint, how that for certaine matters not very pleasing, which he had written of the Duke, hee had beene ill intreated by him, therefore he staied a long time to cleare himselfe of such an imputation; for there was an Edict of Apollo very rigorously obserued in Parnassus, whereby that Prince, or priuate man, was declared to be in∣famous, which durst offer any wrong to any Historian, or other Writer, for things written by him not very honoura∣ble, but yet true: Howbeit, of such power were the Dukes friends, that Guicciardino was contented to reuoke his com∣plaint,

whereupon with all the greatest solemnitie hee was admitted into Parnassus, and had a place in his Maiesties Company of men at Armes, which was commanded by that famous Quintus Fabius Maximus; who for the excellencie of his well-aduised warinesse, was surnamed Cunctator. And it hapned, that amongst the other Princes, and Captaines, which the said Duke visited, one was the most excellent Lord Prospero Colonna, by whom he was receiued with all kinde of honour; and so much the more, because hee vn∣derstood that the Duke made a publike profession of being the disciple, follower▪ and imitator of his slow, but sure way of making warre. Howbeit, a strange and troublesome ac∣cident fell out in this visitation; for at the first meeting, the Duke hauing giuen the Lord Prospero the Title of your Ho∣nour, he was so incensed with disdaine, that taking himselfe to be highly wronged by so vile a title, with an angry voice he said; Duke, I had thought thou wert come hither, to honour one that is greater than thy selfe, not to vndervalue him; but because it is the fashion of the Colonesi to answer the iniuries of words with deeds, goe out of this house, and in the street (with my sword in mine hand) I will proue vn∣to thee, that all those, which vse such base termes to men of my ranke, deserue not to be admitted into the company of honourable persons. The Duke remained much astoni∣shed to see that great Captaine take the matter so hainously at his hands; and going to withstand the Lord Prospero, who offered to thrust him out of the chamber, they fell to grapple one with another: And because the Spaniards, which were in company with the Duke, seeing him in such termes with Colonna, entred into the chamber to assist him, the Italians which belonged vnto the Lord Prospero did the like; whereupon in regard of the number of persons in so strait a place, there ensued a cruell fray; the noise whereof comming into the street, was the cause that the newes of so dangerous an accident was suddenly carried to Apollo; who in all haste dispatched thither the Regent of the Vicaria with the guard of Archers, who freed the Duke out of the Lord

Prosperoes hands: and the vprore being quieted, he com∣manded the Spaniards, that had beene very ill handled, to returne home to their houses; Thereupon the Lord Prospero, to preuent any sinister information that might haue beene giuen against him, presented himselfe before Apollo, vnto whom (the same goeth) with a troubled countenance hee vsed these words: Sir, it is well knowne, that men of the family of Colonna, of the quality I am of, haue alwaies in∣ioyed the title of Excellencie, Antequam Abraham fieret, and ere the Spaniards were in rerum natura; wherefore for that Nation to abuse a man of my ranke, as the Duke d'Alva did me but now, is most insupportable; for if the vilenesse of him that offended, doth infinitely aggrauate the iniurie with him that is offended, how is it possible, that an Italian Baron of my quality, should containe himselfe within the bounds of modestie, seeing himselfe vndervalued by that Nation, whose miseries, not aboue foure daies agoe to speake of, so moued the whole World to compassion, that thorow∣out all Churches they were recommended to the charitie of well-disposed Christians, of whom almes were gathered, to free them from the miserable seruitude, wherein they were so grieuously oppressed by the Moores of Granada. The Spaniards enioy the dominion of the greater part of Ita∣ly; where, by such as I am, notwithstanding that daily they threaten it with a cruell, and vniuersall seruitude, they are loued, honoured, and euen serued. With their prodigious auarice they haue depriued vs of our wealth; and in that la∣mentable sacke of Rome with their vnexpressable lust they violated the honour of our chastest Matrons. And now, in exchange of so abiect a patience, they would also take from vs this little honour of breath we enioy, and these misera∣ble Titles, the vnhappy remaines, and deplorable reliques of the Italian reputation: Which is a matter so hard to bee digested, that by euery honourable Italian Baron it ought to be reuenged, not with complaining words, as I doe, but with daggers points.

It is reported by them that were then present, how all the

while the Lord Prospero was speaking, Apollo did nothing but smile, and that when vpon his conclusion he burst out into those words, how the Spaniards abuses towards the Italians were to be reuenged with daggers points, he fell to laughing out-right, and said, Prospero, thou art, and euer wert too much giuen ouer to choller: and I am inforced to tell thee, how it infinitely mislikes me, that such a one as thou, who hast alwaies made a particular profession of pru∣dence, shouldst maruell, that slaues, which for twenty yeares together haue beene fed in the Gallies with course and mouldy Biske••, when they light vpon a batch of new white Mancher, should fill their bellies till they are ready to cracke againe: Whereas that raging appetite of theirs, and euery other dishonest act, which they vse, to asswage their hun∣ger, ought to be so farre from seeming odious vnto honest men which behold it, that it should rather moue them to pitie. Therefore doe yee Italians likewise permit, that the Spaniards, men but new in this World, and lately got out of the seruitude of the Moores of Granada, may glut themselues with meat so delicate to their taste, as are the honourable Ti∣tles, which they haue found in Italy▪ for I assure thee, that when they shall be cloyed with such vanities they also will become, as the French are, such courteous Gallanes, that they will willingly giue the Title of Excellency euen to their horse-boyes, much more to such as thou art. And I tell thee, that if thou hadst that prudence, and that perfect knowledge of the World, as I wish thou haddest, thou wouldest very well perceiue, that those exorbitances, and that so odious manner of proceeding, which the Spaniards vse in Italie, whereof thou so complainest, is euen as so much sweet su∣gar for you Italians, and bitter poyson for the Spaniards; who if to their valour to their aduisednesse, and vnspeakable ambition which they haue to raigne, they had affable and courteous manners annexed, with the vtter destruction of that remnant of Libertie, which is yet out of the Lions iawes, they would soone become absolute Masters of the World. All which are in••olencies, that with daggers points,

not by you Italians, but by the Monarchy of Spaine her∣selfe, ought to be reuenged with all kinde of cruelty on her Spanish ministers, who with their vanitie distaste the good seruants of so great a Queene, and make her gouernment nothing acceptable to her subiects: A disorder that bring∣ing much difficultie to the substance of that vniuersall Mo∣narchy, whereunto it is not possible she can arriue with the publike hatred of all Italy, hath high need of remedy.

With this answer Apollo returned the Lord Prospero ex∣ceeding well satisfied to his house, after whom the Duke d'Alva appeared before his Maiesty with all his family won∣derfull melancholy, which cast such milke in their faces, that the Spaniards seemed not so blacke, as ordinarily those Moores that come out of Granada vse to be. Then Apollo interrupting the complaint which the Duke was about to make against the Lord Colonna, said; Duke, I am much displeased with the disorder, which I vnderstand hath h••p∣ned, and so much the more, by how much the cause of such an vprore is not very iust, nor withall very honourable on thy side: And vpon this occasion it pleaseth me to remem∣ber vnto you Spaniards, that to be not only niggards, as to all men yee are knowne, but not to vse prodiga••itie in giuing vnto oth••rs those Titles, which are desired, is a manifest signe of malignitie, because the ingenuous nobilitie of a Baron is knowne, by shewing little couetousnesse in receiuing Titles, and much liberalitie in giuing them: For euen by ouer-much, not by due honour, doth greater reputation accrue to him that giueth, than to him that receiueth it. And you Spani∣ards that vse such austeritie in desiring great Titles only for your selues, are not a whit increased in reputation, but rather are become so odious and ridiculous to all men, that the Ita∣lians in their Comedies, haue deseruedly introduced the per∣sonage of the Spaniard to represent vnto the world a perfect Braggado••hia, I wonder ye should not perceiue, ••hat in think∣ing to arriue vnto the Dominiō of the earth by abusing m••n, is the wrong way to the wood; The minds of men (Duke) are taken with the bait of humanitie, with the whistle of gra∣titude,

of courtesie, of gentlenesse; and that Fowler would shew himselfe very ignorant, that should go with a drumme into a Doue-house for to take Pigeons, as I see you Spaniards foolishly doe. Moreouer, I tell you, that if euer any Nation were to make a bait of dignities, for to allure the Italians to fall into the nets of your Dominions, and light vpon the Limebush of your seruitude, it is you Spaniards, for the ends which ye haue vpon Italy: Withall yee are to consider, that the States, which yee possesse, of Napl••s, and Milan, are fast∣ned vnto you with waxe; for ye shall command ouer those two members no longer, then til the Italians resolue to chase you from thence; who if they could be assured, that after your ruine, they should not fall into the power of the French, ye should quickly know, that only with a little disturbance, which they could giue you in the Port of Genoua, they would put you into a thousand intricate difficulties: all matters that should admonish you to giue satisfactiō, at least wise in words, to them, whom in regard of your interests in Italy, yee are ob∣liged to respect. As for the iniurie, which you say you haue receiued from the Lord Prospero, I tell you plainly, that what∣soeuer affront shall be done you vpon any such like Titular occasion, I will not only be insensible of it, but I will thinke you haue desirously sought it. Then the Duke would haue excused himselfe with saying, that from his King he had in∣struction how to carry himselfe towards the Italian Barons in the particular of Titles, when Apollo told him, that the Spanish abuses to the Italians were not to extend but only to the Neapolitans, and Milanesi; and his Maiestie also added, That if too much passion did not blind the Spaniards, they might easily see, how their Grandes, whom Spaine it selfe could not containe, and that in Italy, would play the Giants, compared with the Romane Barons; and those of meane sta∣ture would proue but dwarffs. Hereupon a cloud▪ as white as snow, beginning by little and little to couer the person of Apollo, the Priests that were about him perceiued how his Maiestie would prophecie; so that euery one falling pro∣strate on the ground, and with the rest, the Duke and his fol∣lowers;

out of that hollow cloud proceeded the diuine voice of his Maiestie, which with a pleasing sound spake in this sort: I foretell vnto you Spaniards, that with your rough and odious manner of proceeding, yee will one day compell the Italian Nobilitie, which is the Mistris of the cruell Sicilian Vespres, to plot some bloudy Neapolitan Euen∣song against you; it being the proper custome of the Itali∣ans, with greater rage to reuenge the abuses of words, than the offences of blowes; as they that hauing short patience, and long hands, are borne not only with an heart most in∣clined to great resolutions, but that doe not vse to reuenge iniuries with all kinde of cruelty, before they are quite for∣gotten by those that did them. And with your owne ru∣ine, you will then finde them, with swords in their hands, to be Paladine Orlandoes, when ye shall perswade your selues they are become most suffering Asses.