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 XC. ADVERTISEMENT.

Christopher Columbus, and other famous discoverers of the new world, desire Apollo that Immortality may be decreed them for their noble daring, but are denied it.

CHristophano Colombo, Ferrante Cortese, Magelin Pizzaro, Gama, Americo Vespuchi, and many other famous discoverers of the new World, appeared two daies since in this Court: Never was there seen a more signal pleasing spectacle in Pernassus, nor fuller of curiosity, then the entrata made by these Gentlemen, who were met, accompani∣ed, visited, welcomed, and lodg'd by the Princely Poets, with as much affection and honour as men deserve, who by their incessant labour, and numberless hazards, have inriched the Universe with a new World. Nor is it to be believed what consolation the Vertuosi received, for having at last come to the clear and distinct knowledg of the quantity and quality of that great Machine of the earth, which immortal God hath created to be an habitation for men: In so much as Ptolomy, Varro, and other Cosmographers did very often visit these Gentlemens houses; not be∣ing able to satisfie their curiosity of seeing those parts of Asia, Africa, and whole America together with the Cape of good Hope, and the Straits of Magelen, which for so many thousand years were unknown to Anti∣quity. Astrologers have hardly satisfied their desires by the purchast knowledg which they had of the Stars of the other Pole. Aristotle was greatly amazed when these Gentlemen told him, that the Torrid Zone did not only not burn through the heat of the Sun, as all Philoso∣phy-Schools did hold affirmatively, but that it is rather too humid, and that it is inhabited by an infinite number of people: and it was a novel∣ty which appeared to surpass all human miracles, to hear that the Win∣ters were there too cold and rainy, when the Sun was perpendicular o∣ver

the peoples heads: By which he clearly found how many falshoods he and other Philosophers had published of the Torrid Zone, and how fallacious it was to give positive judgement, out of meer conjectures upon the wonders of the all powerful God miraculously fabricated; and he was very much pleased to arrive at last at the knowledge of the true cause of the flowing of the River Nile, whereof, together with many other Philosophers, he remembred he had said many foolish things. Se∣neca the Tragedian made use of so great a novelty, arrived in Pernassus to his immortal glory, boasting every where, that being inspired by Divine Poetical fury, he had by his famous Verses foretold for above 1400 years ago so great a discovery: And some Literati, who laugh∣ing at him, said that Seneca in that his Tragedy spoke but by guess, tast∣ed of his Majesties displeasure; who thinking that the honour of the Muses was much concern'd by that incredulity, made them inhabit for many daies amongst the ignorant. Dantz Aligieri won more glory, who had affirmatively held in his Verses, that the Antartick Pole, which had never been seen by any in his daies, was un Grand Crosiero.

These famous Hero's had audience on Tuesday last in the Royal Hall, where Apollo was assisted by the Muses, who were come thither out of a curiosity to see the faces of those men who had courage enough not to dread the incensed Seas, and to plough them up (though they were unknown unto them, and full of shelves and rocks) even in the darkest and most tempestuous night. Columbus, after having kist the last step of the Royal Throne, and the nethermost hem of the Muses garment, and made low reverence to the Colledg of Literati, said in a stately O∣ration for him and his Companions, that the two glorious Princes, Fer∣dinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile having extirp'd the wicked Mahometan Sect from out the Catholick Kingdoms of Spain, at the expence of much gold and bloud, God was resolved to gratifie them with a gift worthy of so great piety: And that therefore his Divine Majesty having debarred the courage and curiosity of men in former times from discovery of the new world, had reserved it to remune∣rate the zeal which he had discovered in those two famous and powerful Princes, to his service; who being born to propagate the holy Christi∣an Religion amongst Infidels, had piously caused it to be planted a∣mongst those Idolaters; and that the ever living God having at last per∣mitted men to make discovery of the new world, he himself first, and then those other famous Pilats that were there with him, had so succes∣fully sailed over all the vast Ocean, as after having discovered new and large Provinces, and very rich Kingdoms, they following the same source which his Majesty had laboured so much in, from the East to the West, had compassed the whole world about. By which their fortunate fate, not only Cosmography, Astronomy, and the Meteors, but even Physick, and the other praise-worthy Sciences had received singular ad∣vantage; and that to boot with the curiosity of infinite diversity of Customs and Rites, newly discovered by them amongst incredible num∣bers of people: they had also inriched the old world with spices, and medicines excellently good for the life of man, and with such riches, as they had caused Rivers of Gold and Silver to run throughout Europe, and great store of pretious stones; and that in reward for so great labours, they only desired that that eternal fame might be grant∣ed

to them and to their memory, for the purchase whereof they had freely undertaken, and happily finished that which appeared so dread∣ful to men of former times. Columbus's Speech was attentively list∣ned unto; and it was immediately decreed by his Majesty, that these so famous Heroes should be preferred before the Argonauts, and that the glorious Ship-Victory, with which Mageline had first compassed the world, should be placed in heaven amongst the fixt stars, and that the names of so illustrious men should be ingraven with indilable Chara∣cters in the Tables of Eternity, in the Foro Massimo. And whilst Ni∣cholas Perinotto the Delphick chief Chancellor, held forth the Decree that it might be the more binding, Mario Molza appeared in the Royal Hall, a cry'd up Poet, but very deformed, as not having any hair ei∣ther on his head or face, who was yet rendred more monstrous by his having no nose, his face full of gum and scabs, who pointing with his finger to his wounds, said with a lowd voice, These which you see, Sir, in my face, are the new Worlds, the new Customs and rites of the Indians; these are the Jewels, Pearls, Drugs, Astrology, Meteors, Cosmography, these are the Rivers of Gold wherewith these new and unfortunate Argonauts of the French Pox, who are come into Pernas∣sus only to add scorn and derision to our mischiefs, have enriched and filled the world; these are the new receits which they have brought with them to infect mankind with a disease so contagious, so cruel and shameful, as it is greatly disputed amongst the Learned, whether it do more pollute the body, or shame reputation: These hair-braind men have enrich'd and beautified the world with these Jewels wherewith you see my face blistered, and my body wounded; these implacable ene∣mies of mankind have corrupted the very generation of man. Then turning towards Colombo, Molza began to unty his briches, but the Muses, to keep their eyes from being contaminated with the sight of a∣ny obscenity, commanded the under Officers to hinder him from so do∣ing; which Molza perceiving; I, said he, most Divine Dieties; will shew no dishonesty in this august place, but the woful calamities, and miserable wounds brought by these men from their stately new worlds, which are unknown to all former Physick and Chyrurgery. And how, Signor Christophano, would you have men taste the odoriferousness of those Aromaticks which you so much glory to have brought from the Indies, if the French Pox, wherewith you have so perfumed the world, be a capital enemy to the nose? I know not with what face you can say, that God, to reward the merits of your Potent Princes, hath bestowed upon them the world which you have discovered, when it is much more true, that his divine Majesty hath made use of you to trans∣plant the pestiferous French Pox, which is so sore a scourge to the li∣bidinous, into Europe. And how dare you say that you have enrich'd the world with Drugs, if Pepper, Cynamon, and Cloves cost thrice as much now as they did, before you did imbitter those Dolci Fichi, which I have so highly praised in my Verses, with the Arsnick, and Nax Vomica of those tortering plasters, and shameful incissions which I dare not name in this place? And do you think that your having brought such quantity of Gold and Silver as you speak of, from the new world, into the old, can be termed our felicity, when our greatest happiness would have been, never to have been acquainted with any of those

damn'd mettals which are the chief cause of all our evils? But you and your companions may doubly glory, first for having put the old world into such confusion, with the great store of Gold which you say you have brought with you, and then for having brought the new world to a final ruine, by introducing the sword. But what need hath Eu∣rope of so much Gold, since all things necessary for human life grow daily dearer, and the peoples poverty increaseth every day? And not to conceal that which ought to make you odious to his Majesty, and to all his Vertuosi, it is not any thi•…•…st after honour, nor (as you have false∣ly affirmed) the desire of that glory which eternizeth mens memories, which hath eg'd you on to so dangerous and damnable an enterprise, but incited by avarice, spur'd on by ambition, and driven on by the thirsting after that gold which your Country doth value so lightly, is that which made you rashly pass those Hercules his Pillars, which wise Antiquity set for bounds to the insatiable curiosity of man; and for proof of what I say, did not you, Signor Christophano, compel your Kings of Spain to pay your good deserts, by making you be brought prisoner from your Judges, and fettered as a publick thief of the Regal Trea∣sure? And you, Marquiss Pizzaro, Did not you play the trick of a special Gentleman to Antabalipa King of Peru, in robbing him of the great store of Gold which you found he had? And fully to compleat your infamy, Did not you rebel against the Emperor your Master? An action so much the more shameful, for that such bruitishness is seldom seen to fall out amongst the Spanish Nobility. For these reasons, Sir, and for the evil behaviour which these famous Argonauts of Torters have used to the Indians, wrought off their legs in the Forges of Gold, are so far from receiving any favour from your Majesty, as they ought to be cudgeled out of Pernassus, as pernitious people, and fatal to mankind. Molza's discourse appeared to Apollo, and to the reverend Colledg of Literati, to deserve better consideration then did appear at the first; wherefore Colombo was answered in his Majesties name, that he should take back the French Pox, the Gold and Silver which he found in his Judges, and that he and his companions should with all speed quit Pernassus; for that he had gained enough; and because mans happiness consisted in living in a little world well inhabited by men, and not in being Master of many great worlds, for the most part uninhabited by men, and only fraught with wild beasts.