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 XXXIII. ADVERTISEMENT.

The Hereditary Princes in Parnassus, do very much press Apollo, that the Emperor Tiberius may be removed from their Classis, and placed in that of Tyrants, and he defends his cause Victoriously before his Majesty.

IT is above 1500 year since Tiberius, who succeeded Augustus, was admitted into Parnassus, and had an honorable place alotted him, a∣mongst the Legitimate hereditary Princes, where he hath lived with such glory and splendor, as he hath always been held by the greatest Potentates of Parnassus, to be the Prince of wisdom, the very picture of vigilancy, not onely the Counceller, but the Oracle of all those Princes who go about by violence and severity to establish not onely a new Tyranny, but the mastery of any newly conquered State. For though it be to be confest by all men, that Caesar the Dictator was he who laid the first foundations of the Roman Empire, and that Augustus raised up the walls thereof even to the highest Cornish, it is not yet to be denyed but that Tiberius, when by happily transmitting it over to his Nephews son Caligula, he made it hereditary in the blood of the Iuli•…•… and Claudii, did wisely establish it, and gave it compleat perfection. A great action certainly, and onely becoming that Tiberius, who knowing so excellenly well how to conceal his own private passions, made him∣self be known to be an excellent Dr. in the cunning Art of discovering other mens thoughts; by which he may be said to have set the roof over the Roman Monarchy. A great Conspiracy was discovered some few days ago against this so mighty an Emperor, which was long before plotted against him by the greatest Princes of this Court, who accused him before his Majesty of being a Tyrant, as he who to the prejudice of Augustus his heirs, had by wicked means possest himself of the Empire, which they said he had governed with unheard of barbarous cruely for the space of two and twenty years, shewing himself always to be an im∣placable enemy of the Nobility, ravenous over the wealthy, bloody to men of great worth, and ungrateful to those that had served him faithfully; and this shameful accusation was aggravated by the Testi∣mony of Cornelius Tacitus, who having ever appeared by all his actions in this Court, to be circumspect, suffered himself notwithstanding to be so far carryed away by the violent Passion of hatred against Tiberius, as he made Affidavit before his Majesty, that under the rigorous go∣vernment of this Monster of Nature, Nobilit•…•…, opes, omissi, gesti∣que honoris pro Crimine, & ob vertutus certicimum exitium. Tacit. lib. 1. Hist.

This accusation wrought much with Apollo, who truely said that it was a great error, to have placed so cruel a Tyrant in the honorable Classis of Legitimate Princes; and at the same instant gave command that Tiberius should have notice given him, to appear in the Court the next day, and defend himself against that accusation. Then did all men call to mind the unfortunate condition of Princes, when Tiberius was seen to come out of his house alone, and forsaken by all his friends, to appear before the Judges; who though he thought that disertion to be an evident sign of his condemnation, yet entered he the Court with an undanted spirit; where though he was received with severe looks, and threatning jestures, both by his Majesty and the whole Senate of Ver∣tuosi, yet he seemed even then to be fullest of courage, when his danger appeared to be greatest. Silence being then proclaimed, Egiddio Bossio the Atturney General, read the accusation to Tiberius, and then Tiberius was commanded to say what he could in his own defence. Whereupon he thus began:

Prince of Learning! the accusations laid unto my charge by my ill-willers, are two; that I possest my self of the Ro∣man Empire by bad means; and that by the Government thereof I have used much cruelty towards the Nobility and other subjects of much merit and worth: the first is false; for how can it be objected that I came by the Roman Empire fraudulently, since by his last will and Testament Augustus made me his Heir, I confess that Agrippa Posthumus, and Germanious were neer allyed in blood to Augustus, but it must be considered that Augustu, was not so great a fool, as to be de∣ceived by any, how crafty and fraudulent a wit soever, in so important an affair, as the leaving of an Heir who might succeed him in so great an Empire. It must be believed that some weighty respect moved him to prefer me, who was not at all akin to him, before his Nephews: and thought I could upon this occasion, much to my praise, relate the ex∣cellent Art I used to work my self into the good will and affection of this great Prince, I will in this place onely mention this, that if Augustus had found such qualities in those of his blood, as he knew were requi∣site in him who was to be his heire, and which by all exquisite dili∣gence I endeavoured to make appear to be in me, neither would the love which Tacitus says Augustus bore to my mother, nor her allure∣ments, nor all my cunning, ever have been sufficient to induce that wise Prince to do so cruel an act as to disinherit his Nephews, and make a stranger his heir. But it will make for me, in this place, and upon this occasion to make known that my action, from whence I have always acknowledged my access unto the Roman Empire, as that which did compel Augustus to love me so immeasurably. It is wel known to al men that after the death of Marcus Agrippa, Augustus gave me his daughter Giulia for wife; it is likewise known to all men, what a one that great Princess proved; so as being scorned, by the pride and lasciviousness of that unchaste woman, when I found my honor wounded, I knew how to make use of that very occasion for my greater advancement, which was likely utterly to ruine all the hopes of my good fortune, wherein I had made so good a progress. For considering, that if (as my ho∣nor bound me to do) I should revenge the injury done me by my wife by putting her to death, the little respect which I should have born to Augustus his blood, might alienate him from me, and make him give

over his intentions of exalting me: and long arguing with my self the great difference that there was between an injury received from a wife of a disproportionable greatness to her husband, and that which is done by ones equal, I put on the bitter resolution of preferring the glory which I should win by obtaining the Roman Empire, before the shame of being publikely cuckolded by Iulia. Tiberius had gon thus far in

pleading his own excuse, when a lowd voice was heard in the Court to cry out thrice, O Traytor. Tiberius thinking that this was meant by him, protested to Apollo that that scorn was put upon the Court, and not up∣on him; Apollo finding how little he was respected by that rash fellow, whosoever he was that had said those words, commanded that he should be diligently sought for, and imprisoned, which was forthwith done, and it was found to be Iacomo Count of Marcia, a famous Prince of the blood of France; yet Apollo preferring the injury done unto him∣self, before the linage of that Prince, commanded him to be led to pri∣son. Then the Count did publikely profess, that he had not said those words either to injure his Majesty, or Tiberius, but that to unburthen himself of somewhat which lay heavy in his heart, he had called him∣self Traytor, not meaning Tiberius, nor any other person; for when he was marryed to the unchaste Queen Iane, by his foolish proceeding against her, (who had brought with her the Kingdom of Naples for her portion) as if she had been a private Gentlewoman, and by the severity which he like a Coxcomb used towards her, he to his infinite shame, lost both his wife, and Kingdom and consequently his reputati∣on; and was forst to flye from Naples, and to bury himself alive in a Monastery in France, where he dyed for meer madness; and that he had learnt by Tiberius his wise demeanor in the like case, that it had been more honorable for him to have lived a cornuted King in Naples, then a private man of honor in France. Apollo did then pardon the distur∣bance which that noble Frenchman had occasioned, and bad Tiberius proceed to make his defence, who said:

And because the too great connivance at the shameful life which my wife led in Rome, would cer∣tainly have rendred me contemptible both to the Senate and people of Rome, (a thing which would have been of equal danger to such a per∣sonage as I, who lived in hope of that greatness which I afterward ac∣quired, as the resentment of such an injury by way of revenge would have been) I chose the middle way between these two dangerous ex∣treams, which in dubious resolutions proves always best. So as not to be an eye-witness of that injury which I could neither revenge nor tolerate, I went from Rome under a pretence of living privatly, and hid my self in Rhodes. This my modesty, this great respect which I bore to Augustus his blood, was the true and chief cause which did not only induce him to love me, but which did oblige him to demonstrate that his love, in such sort as the world hath seen since his death, For this Pr. who was as wise as he was glorious, pittying my so much scorned con∣dition, and infinitely loathing his daughters infamous life, behaved himself so rigorously towards her, as his demeanor may serve for a rule to every wise Prince, how to handle their unchast daughters. If then so great Patience, if the respect, reverence, and perfect obedi∣ence, and so many other lawful pieces of cunning, which I continual∣ly used to work my self into Augustus his affection, be vitious com∣portments,

and fraudulent deceits, (as my enemis have represented them to your Majesty) I refer my self to those who are to judge upon my reputation. I now come to the second Article of my impeach∣ment. I acknowledge the cruelty which I am accused to have used towards the Romish Nobility to be true, and all that Tacitus hath said of me in that point, to be very true; but I desire that such difference as ought to be, be put between the cruelties used by a new Prince, and those which are practised by an ancient and hereditary Prince: for if I have taken away any mans life out of an innate cruelty, or thirst after humane blood, or out of any capricious inhumanity, I submit my self to the rigour of the Cornelian Law, as if I were one of the meanest and most abject plebeians of this State; but if it were meer State ne∣cessity which forced me to be cruel to those of Augustus his blood, to the chiefest Senators, the commanders of any extraordinary worth, and in fine, even to worth it self; I desire every one to consider how new Princes are necessitated to do horrid and cruel acts, though it be much against their Inclination. And upon this occasion, I will for my defence make use of my implacable accuser Tacitus his words. He hath openly profest that the horrible Proscription made by Augustus (which I confess did surpass all the most immense cruelties, that were ever commanded by cruel man) was done not out of any inclination to severity by those who of themselves did infinitely blame such an act, but onely out of meer State necessity. Sane Proscriptionem Civi∣um, divisiones Agrorum, neque ipsis quidem qui fecere Laudatas. Tacit. lib. 1 ••nnal.

These are Tacitus his words. Which if it be true, am I to be con∣demned for having wisely known how to establish my self in a new Principality, and for having had the wit to execute those precepts, which not only every other Politician, but even Tacitus hath publisht? and if it be true that indulgence, mansuetude, and clemency are then vices in a Prince, when such signal vertues are used towards those, who though they be pardoned, keep malice in their hearts, and covet re∣venge; is there any one here present who thinks that if I should have suffered Agrippa Posthumus, Germanicus, and the others of Augustus his blood, to have lived, that they would ever have sincerely loved my greatness? and if it be a grounded precept in Policy, that Princes ought to indeavour above all things, to reign void of jealousie, and if a Prince can never be said to be safe in a State, whilst those live who were driven out of it, or who pretend more right thereunto then he, will not every one, how little knowledge soever they have of worldly affairs, confess with me, that it was not any innate cruelty in me, but meer necessity of state Policy which forst me to appear so severe to∣wards those of Augustus his blood: for a Prince is wise in his cruelty, when (as Tacitus himself says he runs danger by being merciful. More∣over, the many slaughters, which I, and after me many other Empe∣rors gave order for, against the chiefest of the Roman Senators, ought not to be imputed to our cruelty, (as they do unjustly affirm who do now persecute me) but to the indiscreet pride of those Senators, who though they law Liberty banisht from out their Country, y••t through a proud stubbornness of not putting on the cloak of humbleness, or rather through a foolish ostentation of free speaking, when they

were inslaved, and of commanding in subjection, did every day more and more irritate Princes to use all sorts of severity and inhumanity, against people so proudly spirited. Hence it is Sir, that neither Taci∣tus, nor any other who writes my story, could ever say that I was se∣vere against any Citizens, or any of the Roman, or Provincial Plebei∣ans; for they never gave me any just occasion of suspition, but onely say that which I confess to be true, that I did persecute the noblest of the Roman Senate, the which I did to abase them, to terrifie them, to make them mistrustful one of another, to disunite them, and to make them indure that slavery, which I saw they did abhor: nor can any Politician teach me any better rules then these, to be made use of to the Nobles of a Country, which being but a little before bereft of its Li∣berty, will not onely not accommodate it self to servitude, but foolish∣ly pretends to limit the Princes Authority in commanding, and in ser∣vitude keeps the pride of freedom, and an inraged mind, upon any good occasion, to revenge the injury done unto its Liberty: whence it is, that hang-men, spies, and Atturney-Generals are the fittest in∣struments to establish a mans self in those new states which but a little before hath lost the Liberty of a free Commonwealth; for every cruel action is held a prudent resolution, when it secures the life, the state, and honor of that new Prince, who knows how to use it. More∣over I heartily desire every one to consider, that those who boasting of their worth and great vertue in the Roman Senate, would be known to be of a better condition then the rest did it not for that they were inamored of Vertue, not out of that onely nobleness of minde which ought to be in every one, who can be content to dye a private man, but that they might have a noble retinue, to win popular favour, & the Armies love: a great truth, & which hath not been better taught to such a Prince as my self by any writer, then by thee Tacitus: for thou freely sayst, that new Princes meet with no worser nor more wic∣ked a subject, then that worthy Senator, who makes use of Vertue, to chalk out the way to the ambition which he hath of Government. For after thou in thy Annals hast painted to the life the demeanor of that Traytor Sejanus, thou sayst these following words, which cleerly prove my intention. Palam compositus pudor, intus summa adipiscendi libido; ejusque causa modo largicio, & luxus, saepius industria ac Vigilantia, haud minus noxiae, quoties parando Regno finguntur. Tacit. lib. 4. Ann. And thou hast said well: for in a new State, not being yet secured in an hereditary descent, and where the tumultuous choosing of a Prince hath so large a scope, as it is lawful even for him that murders the Prince to aspire unto the Empire, those great subjects, those worthy, and all-deserving Officers, who are so much admired by private men, as they are thought by them to merit their Princes integral love, the highest preferments, best rewards; are notwithstanding known by him that reigns to be most pernitious, & fit to be rooted out. So as, the con∣dition of the Roman Empire being no less disorderly in her hereditary succession, then greatly tumultuous in her election, required in me that severe way of proceeding, which was onely able to save my life and preserve the State. Nor can I see how any man can blame the cruelty which I used towards the Roman Nobility, and the worthiest subjects of the Empire, since it would have been thought a great defect, and

much mis-becoming such a one as me, if I should have used that cle∣mency towards them, that mildness, and familiarity, which Caesar to his cost did, whose miserable end, dos cleerly teach all men, that states which are fraudulently possest, ought to be establisht by extraordinary severity. For the Nobility of subjugated Commonwealths, make use of the new Princes Clemency, only as of an excellent means to suppress him by Conspiracies: nor doth it any whit at all avail (as a man would think it should do) for the allaying of that rage of hatred, or quenching the great and perpetual desire which they have to vindicate the injury done them in their lost liberties, though thereby they run the greatest hazards and danger that can be incur'd.

The Judges did much approve of Tiberius his defence, for they did not onely allow of Augustus his last Will and Testament, and consequent∣ly of the legitimacy of Tiberius his succession, but they also considered that he being a new Prince, no ways allyed in blood to Augustus, and there being many Roman Senators better born then himself, according to the true rules of Tyrannical Policy, he was forced to use cruelty there where that veneration and Majesty was wanting, which the being born of Royal blood brings with it, and made his way, by sword and poy∣son, making himself be dreaded by those, who presumed too much upon themselves, and dared to paragonise their privat Nobility, with his im∣mense fortune who reigned; and that where to use clemency was preju∣dicial to the new Princes, the use even of unusual severity ought to be esteemed lawdable.