permitted her prime Nobility to serve her. For which disorders, which in such a Lady are held to be very heynous, many have spoken freely of her, That she hath not only contracted too great a familiarity, with people who seek to insnare her chastity; but it is publickly said, that she hath granted things to be the Spaniards, which are exceeding prejudicial to her honour; and her thirsting after the Spanish Gold is much talked of: An avarice which is as proper to a base dishonest Whore, as it is altogether misbecoming a chast Madam. By which disorders it plainly appears, that so noble a Princess, who before she lived so lewdly, was numbred amongst the loveliest and most beautiful Com∣monwealths, is now become deformed in her members: For the Do∣rii's Nose is grown four Inches longer, and the Spinola's right leg half a handful. To this great inequality of members, the infinite shame is added, which is cast upon her by mens publick discourse, That her Citizens serve Spaniards for Bawds; and things are so far proceeded, as there are some who do freely affirm that the Kings of Spain would have been dishonest with this Lady; and that they may know in what terms they stand with her, and what they may hope for from her, they have some few daies since, sent her a Love-Letter in form of a Citati∣on, by an Officer of theirs which they have in Italy, named Enriques Gusman, Count de Fuentes, which they say did contain very exorbitant things and which touched much upon her honour. By which all men perceive that the care and affection which the Spaniards seem to bear to this Noble Lady, hath nothing in it of the Platonick, but is a meer lust to dominier over her.
Whereupon the renowned Liberty of Genua, as soon as she got so presumptuous a Letter into her hands, first broke his nose that brought it with a Pantufle which she took from off her foot; and then shewed such resentment to the impudent fellow that sent it, by way of words, and such willingness and resoluteness, if n•…•…ed should require, to come to action, as she hath fully regained that reputation amongst men, which without any fault of hers, she had formerly lost. Whereupon so hono∣rable a Lady, to give the world a more particular account of her wor∣thy actions, and chast thoughts, hath made it plainly appear to all men, by her Ambassadors which she hath sent to all the Princes of Europe, that the domestick conversation which she holds with the Spaniards, is not only for her own honour, and the advantage of her Citizens, but very usefull for Italy, wherewith her Interest is as nearly joyned, as is that of any other of her Potentates. For in former times, and now more then ever, she hath held, and doth still hold the adverse Nation o•…•… Spain so opprest by change, and change upon exchange, and by exorbi∣tant Use, as she doth thereby make more cruel war upon the Spaniards, than do the Hollanders and Zealanders by their Fleets and Forces.