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 Spanish Monarchy complains that her falshoods are dis∣covered.

IT is not known whether it were occasioned through the malice of a∣ny of the French, or by chance, or as some have very much suspected, through the plotting of that Nation which is so implacable an enemy to the French for these many years, that the Royal Palace of the French Mo∣narchy fell on fire, and so great and fearful were the flames, as the neigh∣bouring Monarchies began to fear lest that fire might end with the ruine of their States. So as every one for their own concern, ran to quench the fire of their neighbours house. The English (though naturally ene∣mies to the French) brought with all speed the water of their Thames; the Germans, those of the Mause and Rhein; the Venetians did almost drain all their Marish grounds; and the most wise Dukes of Tuscany hasted to quench that fire with their Arno, which wise men thought was to end with an universal combustion. And truely it was strange to see, that the very Monarchy of Spain her self, which was held to be so great an enemy to the French, did bestir her self amongst other friends, to quench that fire, at which it was generally believed she did rather de∣sire to warm her self: In so much as every one wondred to see how soli∣citous and charitable she was in bringing thither not only the waters of her Tagus and Heber, but the very Ocean it self, of which she is absolute Mistriss, when the English and Hollanders permit her to be so. For Politicians giving a sinister interpretation to the Spaniards charity, would needs have it pernicious for the French, to admit in their necessities, of aid from the Spaniards, who having been alwaies mortal enemies to the French, were rather to be esteemed the contrivers of the ruine of that Kingdom, then zealous of its good; as being men who measuring the actions of all that Reign, only with the Compass of self-concernment, do often not admit of piety towards God, in what belongs unto the acti∣ons of Princes, much less of charity towards men. And such Politici∣ans became the more abominable, for that it was plainly seen, that the Spaniards in their diligence and charity of bringing water to that fire, did not only equal, but out-doe the best friends that the French had. And that which was yet more miraculous, and which won much honour to the Spanish Nation amongst simple men, was, that when Flanders and Austria, her antient Patrimonies, were cruelly pestered with the fire of War, she had preferred the welfare of the French before charity to her self. But no human help, no water whatsoever was able to quench any sparkle of so terrible a fire, for all the diligence and remedies that could be had, the flames of that bloudy civil War did daily more and more in∣crease. Wherefore the best and most devout of the sillier sort of peo∣ple began to listen to Politick Records, and to suspect that the Spanish Monarchies Charity was wholly Interest; which is indeed the Spaniards proper charity: Wherefore they resolved to believe appearances no longer, but to look into the Barrels which the Spaniards brought; and see what was in them. Wherein, instead of water to quench the fire, they found them filled with Pitch, Oyle, Turpentine, and devillish dis∣sention to increase it.

Some French Barons were found to use the like treachery, who appear∣ing more charitable then the rest, applyed the self-same Barrels and mate∣rials which were lent them by the Spaniards. Wherefore they were im∣mediatly put to death by the justly offended French Monarchy, and were burnt in the same fire which they had with such sedition and treachery fomented in their own Country? And the Spaniards were not only for∣bidden further assistance, but were proclaimed to be hypocrites by sound of Trumpet, and it was made known to all men by a particular Edict of the French Monarchy, that if any one, at any time hereafter should be induced to believe that it were possible for the Spaniards to have any cha∣rity for the French, they should be held to be great Coxcombs: And that if he should persist in his error after the first admonition, he should be tost in a blanket as a seditious malignant. 'Twas a wonder to see, that when the Spaniards and aforesaid French forbore their said assistance the French combustion, which was held by judicious men, to be unquencha∣ble by human means, ceased of it self; so as the famous golden Flowre∣de-Luces, formerly so troden under foot, sprung up more resplendant and glorious then before; and France, which through many mens too much ambition, laboured for above forty years under intestine combusti∣ons, became peaceful and quiet in the twinkling of an eye. Which made it appear clearly to all men, that the Spaniards were the first Au∣thors of that fire in France, which under specious pretences of Religion and charity, they would have made the world believe their intentions were to quench. 'Tis said by all men, that the Spanish Monarchy re∣tired her self into her Royal Palace, and did not suffer her self for many daies to be seen by any one, giving her self over to a deep melancholy, and that not without shedding abundance of tears, she freely confest she would rather have lost two of her best Kingdoms, then to see those her holy pretences, whereby she had often-times, much to her advantage, vented stinking Arsafetida, for Musk, and Ambergrees, so quell'd and derided. She thought she had lost her richest Treasure, and the unex∣haustable veins of gold and silver in Peru and the new World, by being deprived of being ever able to paint white for black to the common sort of people.

She thought it very hard for her to be reduced to that pass which she had alwaies seen the French to be, of winning Kingdoms barely by the sword: whereas formerly she knew she had set the whole world on fire, only by her appearing holy pretences, in lieu of a formidable Army. She was very much grieved to have lost so much credit amongst men, as she ran danger of not being believed in the future, though she spake truth, whereas formerly her false pretences, and her hypocrisie, were taken for sacred Truths, and perfect Devotion.