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 XXVII. ADVERTISEMENT.

Apollo having for a just cause removed Gulielmo Budeo from the Lord Treasurers place; confers the aforesaid place upon Diego Covarruvia, a Noble Spanish Literato, and Dean of the Colledg of the Grand Sages of this Court, though he was much gainsaid therein by the French Mo∣narchy.

GUlielmo Budeo, a Parisian, who for his being very expert in the knowledg of monies, hath for many years, and with much reputati∣on, exercised the place of Lord Treasurer in this Court, was on the sud∣den on Munday last, not only with great disgrace removed from that place, but by express order from his Majesty, banisht for ever out of Par∣nassus; which affront was the greater, for that it is said, that the occasion of this so high resentment was, because he was infected with those mo∣dern heresies, which being invented by ambitious men, only to make sub∣jects rebel against their Princes, are not worthy to be followed by those who professing Learning, ought to let the world see that they do not on∣ly know, but do infinitely abhor the popular errors of the ignorant, who are apt to be carried about by the impostures of impiety. After Budeo his expulsion, it was suddenly noised in Parnassus, that his Majesty had de∣stin'd Diego Covarruvio to be Treasurer, a great Spanish Lawyer, a man as excellent for Learning, as for his plain-dealing, and sincerity of an irre∣prehensible life. As soon as this Apollo's resolution was known in Parnas∣sus, it begot great jealousies in the French Monarchy, who thought it stood not with her advantage, that a Spaniard should be called up to so high a Magistracy, wherein she was much interessed. The jealousie and suspition of so great a Queen, was the more augmented by Covarruvia's austerity, his steadfastness to what was just, his inflexibility, and for that alwaies preferring his Princes honour and service before all other re∣spects, he seemed to value the favour or hatred of any whatsoever Prince

in this Court, very little, or not at all, as long as he with uncorrupt since∣rity discharged the place of primo Savio Grande.

This powerful Monarchy sent first (according to the fashion of great Courts) divers of her friends to Apollo, who appearing to be well wish∣ers to Covarruvia, and very zealous of the publick good, did in a seem∣ing way of praising him, blame him, and persecute him by the cheat∣ing way of feigned favours. But this way of proceeding being too well known to Apollo, these hypocrites did easily receive a repulse from his Majesty, in so much as the very French Monarchy her self, taking off her mask of Court-dissembling, did at an extraordinary audience which she obtained from Apollo, appear so implacable an enemy to Covarruvia, as she could acquaint him, not only with the greatest faults that he had committed even from his birth, but with every his least imperfection (so narrowly do Princes observe the waies of those who were likely to come to advancement in great Courts.) Apollo, who infinitely wondred to hear the French Monarchy make so strict a scrutiny into the life and manners of Covarruvia, with that freedom which is proper to her; re∣ply'd, That he did not so much abhor human imperfections in his Vertu∣osi, but that if amongst a hundred defects, they had put one pair of per∣fections, one only rare vertue, he thought he had got an excellent Officer for his service, it being his custom to counterpoise vices with vertues; and that Covarruvia (whatsoever he were in other things) in his Charge of Savio Grande, which he had for many years discharged with such since∣rity and discretion, had not only proved himself worthy of the Lord Treasurers place, which he was resolved to give him, but of any other whatsoever better place in Parnassus; and that he would honour so high a place, by removing that signal subject from the sublime Senat of the Savi.

To this the French Monarchy answered, That the Lavi Grande of Parnassus were twelves, so as his Majesty had scope enough to satisfie her in what she desired, by chusing other instead of Covarruvia; which would be the easilier done, for that the Savi Grande were all of them men greatly learned, and of singular worth. All the standers by perceived that Apollo was highly displeased at this pressure, who angerly answered the French Monarchy, that it was a very wicked resolution to give distaste unto, and take from the reputation of such Officers, who by their assidu∣ous service, had deserved chiefest imployments from their Prince; and that when a Prince took out any person from a Senat, or from a Colledg, to advance him to a higher preferment, it was a dangerous thing to chuse the worthiest; for in such elections, the Prince his intention, were it ne∣ver so good, was interpreted partiality; and that upon such occasions, the true Judge of worth was Senioriti, and that Covarruvia being Dean of the Senat of the Savt Grande, he had such a vantage of labour, and such advancement of merit, as he could not without some apparent in∣jury, be left out by his Prince; for in all Senats, that Senator deserved the prime preferment, who had laboured longest at the continual duties of his place: A just and good precept; which when it was inviolably ob∣served, every honored Vertuoso propounded to himself his Princes ser∣vice for the ultimate end of all his labours; whereas by doing otherwise, to the ruine of Justice, and confusion of all business even the Savi Grande (a Senat whereon did consist the good Government of the State) and all

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other his good and best Officers, forgoing the honorable way of merit, and vertuous endeavour, would betake themselves to the shameful Ido∣latry of adoring such as by their favour in Court, were likeliest to help them: That therefore for the aforesaid weighty respects, he, not out of any passionate affection which he bore to Covarruvia's person, but for the duty he ought unto his merits, would reward that Vertuoso's labors with the Lord Treasurers place, and encourage the other Savi Grandi, willingly to take pains in their places, since they saw their reward was not only certain, but (which was a thing of more importance) lay only in the Prince his bosom. To all these things the French Monarchy answered, That his Majesty was Patron and supreme Arbitrator of all rewards and punishments in Parnassus; That therefore without any prejudice to his honour, he might gratifie her in her request. To this new pressure, A∣pollo more incenst then formerly, reply'd, Nor am I, nor any man in the world, master of that reward which is proposed by just Princes, to the la∣bours and deserts of faithful Officers; for the highest dignities are by good Princes conferred upon their servants out of obligation, though modest Officers acknowledg to receive them out of their Princes favour∣able liberality. And know, French Monarchy, that that Prince who doth not reward him that hath deserved well at his hands, commits a greater tyranny then he, who without any reason, sheds his subjects bloud, and takes away their livelihoods. After so resolute an answer, the French Monarchy confest ingenuously, that Covarruvia being by Nation a Spaniard, he was consequently one whom she could by no means confide in. Apollo was so incens'd at these words, as he broke forth into sudden fury, and said, Get you hence, you who will play the Master in other folks States, and learn confidence at home; I, for my part, glory at my home to be an humble slave to mens merits, which when nothing but it is found in an Officer, although he be naturally never so discour∣teous, yet God, whose will it is, that he who does well, should be reward∣ed, takes it in good part. Whereas on the contrary, his Divine Majesty (the true Master of Metamorphosis) hath made those self-affectionate people, in whom Princes, in the collation of their highest dignities, do only require confidence, prove perfidious, and so strangely ingrateful (only to confound mans depraved judgement) as they have revenged themselves of received benefits, as if they had been mortal injuries, as is clearly known to all men, by so many unfortunate examples which have hapned in Princes Courts; by which you Princes may learn, that to do righteously, is to be preferr'd before all other human interest; for when a Prince exalts one that is ungrateful, though otherwise known to be de∣serving, all the shame redounds to him that hath received the reward; whereas when it falls out otherwise, all the shame and loss redounds unto the Prince, who foolishly thinks that he may receive advantage from men by offending God.