I ragguagli di Parnasso, or, Advertisements from Parnassus in two centuries : with the politick touch-stone / written originally in Italian by that famous Roman Trajano Bocalini ; and now put into English by the Right Honourable Henry, Earl of Monmouth.

The LXXIX. ADVERTISEMENT.

The ancient Commonwealth of Rome, and the Modern Veneti∣an Liberty, argue together, what the true rewards of Ho∣nour be, by which well ordered Commonwealths do acknow∣ledge the worth of their well-deserving Senators.

THough the flourishing Commonwealth of Rome, formerly the Worlds Mistriss, be now reduced by reason of her great misfortunes, into a far differing condition from what she was in; yet in memory of her pristine greatness she still lives well esteemed, and much honored in Par∣nassus; not only for that her politick Precepts are held by all men in pow∣er, as divine answers; but because she is believed to be the true Oracle of Military affairs: as also for that nor Princes nor privat men, take any more praise-worthy or heroick examples wherewith to adorn their minds more frequently, or more advantagiously from any other place. And though so splendid a Princess hath been sundry times deflowred and ravisht, as wel by her own ingrateful and ambitious Citizens, as by her barbarous ene∣mies, by Augusto's and Silla's Proscriptions; as by the general sacking of T•…•…tilla and Atilla, and other Kings of forrein Nations; yet doth she ex∣cellently well recover her past dishonor, and her present misery, by the fame of her antient greatness. This so famous Princess, came some few daies since to visit the Venetian Liberty; a Lady of greatly famed Cha∣stity, and the best beloved and highest esteemed of as many as are in this Plebeian Court, for the opinion of her great wisdom, and for the re∣putation of her unexhaustible wealth. And whilst the Roman Liberty discoursed of her past greatness, and the Venetian Commonwealth of her present felicity, 'tis known that the Roman Commonwealth said to the Venetian Liberty, That she being purely Aristocratical, and consequent∣ly the most perfect form of a Commonwealth, did doubtlesly by her ex∣cellent Laws which promised her long life, surpass any, either past or pre∣sent Republick. But that though to maintain peace at home, and war a∣broad, the orders she observed were excellently good, yet had she not made such acquisition of States, as was expected from the wisdom, and as well publick as privat wealth of so famous a Republick; which was thought to happen by reason of her being very backward in giving such rewards as were usually given by well ordered Commonwealths, to her well deserving Senators; and that she, the Commonwealth of Rome, ac∣knowledged all the glory she had in having won the whole world in so short a time, to proceed wholly from the extraordinary worth of her Se∣nators,

whereunto they were awakened, not by any wealthy gifts, but by the rewards of eternal honor in erecting their Statues, by their trium∣phant Vestments, Trophies, by the building and dedication of famous Temples, Baselisks, and Theatres, and chiefly by that glory so much covet∣ed by those who do thirst after eternal fame of stately Roman Triumphs: Rewards which raised such Military valor, such excellent civil vertue in her Citizens, as the insuing Nations did admire, but could not imitate: And that the Venetian Liberty was so backward in rewarding the worth and merits of her honorable Senators, with the memorial of perpetual honors, as she might very well be termed ingratefull; and that infinite Noble men of Venice, having done things worthy the sublimest triumphs, both in times of peace and war, and all those rewards which eternize the memory of great Senators, she thought it very strange to see a Narnesan Statue on horseback in Padua, and one of Bergamasco in the midst of Ve∣nice, and that the famous services of Andrea Gretty, of Sebastian Venieri, and of a thousand other famous Venetian Senators, who had not only ex∣celled the Gatta Melati, and the Colleoni, in parts both of soul and body, but might deservedly be paralel'd with Pompey and Cesar, were not re∣compenced with the reward of perpetual memory, which their glorious actions had deserved.

Menante, who writes all these things with great integrity and faithful∣ness, had it from a very good hand, that the Venetian Liberty, not any whit at all moved, answered the Roman Republick; That she had not so inlarged her Territories as the Romans had done theirs, not for that (as she gave her self to believe) the thirst after glory and fame was wanting in her Senators; but for the clean contrary ends which the two Common∣wealths had propounded unto themselves; for the Venetian Senators made peace the utmost bounds of their ambition, whereas the Roman Senat made war theirs. And that she had clearly learnt by her most unfor∣tunate end, that too greatly disproportionate atchievements made by States, did disorder all the politick Laws of whatsoever well-governed Commonwealth; but chiefly such as were Aristocratical, the Nobility whereof being to consist but of a few, and not sufficient to govern a great State, the wholsom Laws of living free, would be filled with confusion, should the number of the Nobility be rendred immensly great. As her Majestie of Rome had by her infinite calamities, made it appear unto the world, who by adding people whom she had subjected to the number of Roman Citizens, did happily aggrandize her State, but much lessen her Liberty. And that for her part she was satisfied with so much Em∣pire, as might serve to secure the Venetian Liberty from forrein Forces; and that she did not covet the greatness of State, out of an ambitio•…•… to command, but out of glory not to serve: That as for honorable rewards which well ordered Commonwealths ought to barter with worth, and therewith to reward the merits of her Senators, she took her self to be in∣jured by being stiled ungratefull; for eternal Trophies, and perpetual triumphant Arches were seen in Venice, not made of brittle Marble, or mettals subject to the violence of fire, but of incorruptible materials, wherewith she largely rewarded her well deserving Senators, as it very well became her to do; to the end that the memory of their worthy acti∣ons might be gloriously conveyed to futurity.

To this the Roman Liberty answered, That she had often seen all the

rooms of her Highness's Palace, and does not remember that she ever saw any Trophies, triumphant Arches, or other things to perpetuate the memory of her Nobility. Hereupon the Venetian Liberty caused many of her Nobility of all ages to enter the room, whom she stript naked, and then opened their brests, and then much to her astonishment, the Roman Liberty saw all those triumphant Arches, Trophies Statues, and other stately triumphs, which they by their glorious actions had merited of their Country, erected in the hearts of her Gritti, Venieri, Capelli, Grimani, Bragadini, Basqualigi, and other of her deserving Senators: and that which encreased the wonder of the Roman Dame, was to see in the hearts of those Noble Venetians, a fervent charitable desire to reward the egre∣gious works of so deserving Senators, in their posterity; and a fire of e∣mulation to imitate those worthy Heroes, and to do acts which they saw were so gloriously rewarded. Then the Venetian Liberty with testimony of great affection, said thus unto the Roman Lady; Such as we, ought to recommend the vertue and deserts of our Citizens to posterity, by these triumphant Arches, and with these demonstrations which you, Madam, see written in the hearts of my Senators. These are the Statues, and o∣ther publick Memorials which wisdom awakens in the hearts of honora∣ble Senators who thirst after glory. These are the places where Tro∣phies, and other publick Memorials of deserving Senators should be ere∣cted, and not in Piazza's: For the memory which the Nobility of a Com∣monwealth keeps eternally in their hearts, of the deserts of such as have done glorious actions, is that which awakes emulation and true vertue: Things which alwaies produce good effects tending to the service of a Free Country; whereas Triumphs, Trophies, Statues, and such like things, which are so familliarly seen built in your streets of Rome, in me∣mory of your well-deserving Senators, hath served only to procure them that number of followers of the rabble sort of people, which occasioned the ambition of Reign in your unfortunate Senators, Silla, Marius, Sin∣na, Crassus, Pompey, and Cesar, which was that which put upon you the unfortunate and shameful chain of servitude, which you now drag at your heels: A great disorder, and from whence I know that you doe acknow∣ledge all those evils to proceed, which have made you so famous even in calamities. And know, that our Senators do very fitly resemble those young Virgins who marry, being chaste both of mind and body,: For as those careless husbands hazard the making of them whores, by send∣ing them abroad to all Balls and Festivals; so Free Commonwealths do imprudently infuse into the minds of their civil and well composed Sena∣tors, a desire of becoming Tyrants, by the rewards of publick Me∣morials, which purchase popular breath, and the attendance of the rab∣ble rout.