Thomas Campanella, an Italian friar and second Machiavel, his advice to the King of Spain for attaining the universal monarchy of the world particularly concerning England, Scotland and Ireland, how to raise division between king and Parliament, to alter the government from a kingdome to a commonwealth, thereby embroiling England in civil war to divert the English from disturbing the Spaniard in bringing the Indian treasure into Spain : also for reducing Holland by procuring war betwixt England, Holland, and other sea-faring countries ... / translated into English by Ed. Chilmead, and published for awakening the English to prevent the approaching ruine of their nation ; with an admonitorie preface by William Prynne, of Lincolnes-Inne, Esquire.

CHAP. XXV. Of England, Scotland, and Ireland. (Book 25)

ALthough the English seem the least of all to affect an Vniversal Monarchy; yet not∣withstanding they have been a very great hinderance to the King of Spains designs that way: several examples whereof may be gathered from the proceedings of the aforesaid Queen Elizabeth of En∣gland, who appeared both against the Catholick King, in the Low-Countries, and against the most Christian King in France, by fomenting the corrupt Humours in the subjects of both these Princes, and in assisting the Hereticks both with her Counsels, and Forces. For they possesse an Island that is excellently well furnished both with Shipping, and Souldiers; and by this means they rob the King of Spain in all places in the North wheresoever he hath any thing; and also wander out abroad, as far as to the New World; where, although by reason of the Fortifications made upon the Sea Coast, they cannot lay the foundation of any Kingdome, yet do they do the Spaniards no small harme there. For, that same famous Englishman, Captain Drake, fol∣lowing the example of Magellan, who bad done the same before him, sailed round about the whole World more then once; and it is no•• impossible, but that the Kingdom of Bacalaos, which lies somewhat near to the English, and is very convenient for them, by reason of the temperatenesse of the Air, may be some time or other seazed upon by them. However it is most cer∣tain, that if the King of Spain could but once make himself Ma∣ster of England, and the Low-Countries, He would quickly get to be sole Monarch of all Europe, and of the greatest part of the New World. But, seeing that He is not able to reduce this Island under His Obedience, because that It is so exceeding strong; by reason both of its Situation, and multitude of Inha∣bitants, who Naturally hate the Spaniard and are quite diffe∣rent from them both in their Manners, and also their Religion; it will concern Him therefore to defend himself as well as he

can, and to fortifie and set strong Guards upon all such places of His Dominions as lye open to their Incursions; least other∣wise the English should chance to seaze upon them. And such are the Haven Corugna, and all the Sea Coast of Galicia, Leon, Biscay, and all the Kingdomes that lie in the other Hemisphere; as shall be shewed hereafter. But this he must make his cheif∣est businesse, namely, to weaken the Power of the English: for the effecting of which design, it would be sufficient, if He could but bring it about, that the Hollander, and the Freezlander should with their Fleets fall upon the English Forces at Sea, as I shall by and by make it plainly appear.

But seeing He is so far from doing this•• that his own Navies are very often damaged by the English ships, the only Remedy that is left him is, to provide himself of some Vast Fleets of ships which should lie at Corugna, and Lisbon, that when ever the Spa∣nish Fleet shall return from the Indies, they may serve as con∣voys to It, and may bring it home safely: or else they may be sent forth either against Ireland, or England, and so may divert them from lying in wait for, and infesting of the Spanish Navies. And because the King of Spain is to be Lord of the Seas, it is very necessary that He build himself many Wooden Cities, that is to say, great Navies, for the securing of His Treasure that he recieves out of the New World.

It would also be a very good course for him to hire those that are of the greatest strength among the Hollanders, though it cost him a Million of mony, to guard such Fleets of his, as are to passe to and fro in the Northern Seas; and to deal in the like manner with such Nations, as are better skilled in Nautical af∣faires, then the English themselves are: as namely the Dan∣zickers, by means of the King of Poland, who is allied to the house of Austria; likewise with the Gutlanders, Swedes, Finlan∣ders, and the rest that are of Scandinavia, Denmark, Pomerania, and Borussia, procuring them to declare against the English, and either to set upon some of their Islands, or else to invade England it self, that so they may divert them from falling upon the Spanish Fleets; or else, if the King shall think it better, to set upon the English Navy it self. If, I say, He would but be at so great a charge, as to hire the said Nations to fall upon the English, and would besides but give them all the Booties that they should take from the English, He might compasse all his desires: and

besides, the seeds of such a Feude once sown, would spread far and near, and would never be killed and choaked again. And therefore I conceive, that Mony alone would be able to set these People at Variance, and make them fall foul one upon the other.

And it is certain, that England stands in fear of no other Nations so much, as of those above named: because they are both more fierce, and more Populous Nations, and also more powerful at Sea, then the English themselves are. For, Spain cannot it self make any considerable opposition against the En∣glish, unlesse it be by makig use of some such Artifice; seeing that they are better acquainted with those Northern Seas, then the Spanish are. And then, England is an Island whose Inhabi∣tants are both very Numerous, and they are also a diligent and subtle People; and it is besides very strongly fortified both by Sea and Land, and withall a deadly enemy to Spain, partly by reason of their different Religions, and partly because the En∣glish claime a kind of Right to that Crown, by reason of the Castilian Line, which is derived by the House of Lancaster; be∣sides, diverse of the former Kings of England of the Family of York, and others, have been allied to Spain.

Now as concerning the weakning of the English, there can no better way possibly be found out, then by causing Divisions, and Dissentions among themselves, and by continually keeping up the same; which will quickly furnish the Spaniard with bet∣ter, and more advantageous Opportunities. And as for the Religion of that People, it is that of Calvin; though very much Moderated, and not so rigid, and austere as it is at Geneva: which yet cannot so easily be extinguished and rooted out there, unlesse there were some certain Schooles set up in Flanders, (with which People the English have very great commerce) by meanes of which there should be scattered abroad the Seeds of Schisme and Divisions in the Natural Sciences; as namely, be∣twixt the Stoicks, Peripateticks, and Telesians; by which the Er∣rours of the Calvinists might be made manifest. For the truth of it is, That Sect is Diametrically contrary to the Rules of Policy: for, they teach, that whether a Man do well, or ill, he doth all by Divine Impulsion; which Plato Demonstrates, against Homer, to be opposite to all Sounder Policy; which sayes, that every Man hath Free Liberty of Will, either to do

Well, or Ill; so that it is in our own Power, either to observe, or not observe what is commanded us; and from hence we are to expect either our Rewards, or Punishments; according as I have most evidently demonstrated in my Dialogue touching Po∣licy, where I have discoursed of this Point, though but briefly, and without any flourish of Language; which They, since they have become Hereticks, are grown somewhat subtle in: and yet, being of a Nature that is still desirous of Novelties, and Change, they are easily wrought over to any thing.

As concerning their Dominions, and Private Estates, the En∣glish are divided, and live in several Countries: whence some time or other the Spaniard may easily light upon some conve∣nient Opportunity of advantage against them. For the King of Englands Dominion is divided into Ireland, and England; which together with Scotland, maketh up the Isle of Great Brittain. Now Scotland it self hath also many small Islands belonging to it, which are called the Orcades. And hence it is, that the Isle of Great Brittain had alwaies two Kings reigning over it: namely, one of them was King of England; and the other, of Scotland, who, by reason of their lying so near to each other, were in a manner continually at wars, and invading one ano∣thers Territories; for their Kingdomes are severed only by a little small River, and some few hills. But now the King of Scots hovers, as it were, at this time over England, not only by rea∣son of his Neighbourhood to it, but also because of His Right, of Succession; for His Mother was Niece to King Henry the Eighth, who was Father to Queen Elizabeth that now reign∣eth; and, if we should confesse the truth, there is none so near in blood to the Crown of England, as He is. And therefore the time now draweth on, that after the death of the said Queen Elizabeth, who is now very old, the Kingdom of England must fall into the hands of their Ancient and continuall Rivals, the Scots.

We may here add, that the Peers of the Land, who when they are assembled together in a Body, are called in their Lan∣guage the Parliament, carry a great sway with them, and have very great Power: in so much that they seem to desire to set up an Oligarchy, or an Aristocratical State, according to the exam∣ple shewed them by the Netherlande••s. For, all Northern Na∣tions are Naturally impatient of Monarchy, or Abs••lute Pow∣er

in Princes; and the Kings of England were alwaies kept under by the Parliament; till that now of later times under pretext of introducing a New Religion, they have taken upon them to ex∣ercise a more absolute power over their Subjects. But in An∣tient Times the whole Kingdom of England was divided into four lesser Kingdoms; as Spain also hath been anciently distribu∣ted both into many several Kingdomes; both of which Countries did afterwards grow into two entire Kingdomes: although it cannot be denied, but that the Power of the Kings of England was never so great as that of the Kings of Spain.

My opinion is therefore, that the King of Spain should do well to employ under hand some certain Merchants of Florence, that are wise and subtle persons, and that traffick at Antwerp, who (because they are not so much hated by the English, as the Spaniards are) should treat with some such of the English as are some way or other descended from some of the former Kings of England, and should promise each of them severally (no one of them knowing any thing what is said to the other) all the possible aides that can be from Spain, for the restoring of them to their Inheritances, Legally descending down to them from their Ancestours; and undertake to effect this for them, if not as to the whole Kingdome, yet at least to some part of it: requir∣ing them to engage themselves to nothing else, (so to give a colour to the businesse) save only that they shall not joyn their forces, and assist the English in setting upon the Spanish Fleet at its return from the West Indies. For by this meanes each of them being puft up with hope, will presently fall to question the King of Scots his Title to the English Crown, and will en∣deavour to oppose him in it. Let him also send privately to King Iames of Scotland, and promise him, that He will assist him to the utmost of his Power in his getting possession of the King∣dom of England, upon this condition•• viz, that He shall either re∣store there again the Catholick Religion; for the love whereof, His Mother, Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots refused not to spend her dearest blood, and even to lay down her Life too; or at least, that he shall not annoy, or any way disturbe the said Spanish Fleet.

But then again on the other side, let him under hand la∣bour with the English Peers, and the chiefest of the Parliament, and egge them on to endeavour to reduce England into the

Form of a Republick: withal assuring them, that the King of Scots, when he shall have once gotten into the English Throne, must needs prove a cruel Prince to them, as having alwaies about him a deep remembrance, how injuriously the English have heretofore dealt with the Scots. Moreover, let Him endeavour to strike a terrour into Queen Elizabeths friends, by often put∣ting into their heads, that they will find, that King Iames will revenge his Mothers bloo•• upon Queen Elizabeths friends, see∣ing that She is like to leave behind her None of Her Own blood upon whom He might take revenge; especially seeing that His Mother, Queen Mary, when she was now to dye, seriously com∣mended unto Him the care of the Catholick Religion, and the Revenge of Her Blood.

The English Bishops are also to be exasperated, and put into Fears and Jealousies, by telling them, that the King of Scots turned Calvinist out of hope, and desire of the English Crown, and being also forced to do so by his Heretical Barons: but that, when He shall once be quietly settled in the English Throne; He will then quickly restore the Former Religion; for as much as, not onely His deceased Mother, but even the King of France also have both of them very earnestly commended the same unto Him. By which means it must necessarily follow, that the seeds of a continual War betwixt England and Scotland will be sown; in so much that neither Kingdome shall have any leisure to work any disturbance to the Spanish Affaires. Or else by buzzing in∣to their ears, that in case King Iames should be possest of this Kingdom, He wil•• however be a Friend of Spain: that the whole Island would be devided into many Dominions, or else that it would come to be an Elective Kingdom; (by which means the King of it will be the lesse careful of making himself Master of other Countries, and of adding them to the English Crown; neither indeed, though he should never so much desire it, would he ever be able to do so, as I have before shewed, where I speak of France:) or else, that this Country of England will be redu∣ced into the Form of a Common Wealth, which will perpetually be at feude with Scotland; and that all Actions It shall under∣take, will be long in bringing to effect, and so It will be able to do the lesse harm to Spain.

The Spirits of the English Catholicks also are to be rouzed up, and, as it were, awakened from sleep, and encouraged to

Action: for by this means, so soon as ever the Throne shall be vacant, the King of Spain shall come into England, under Pre∣tence of assisting them. Let Him also deal with those English Nobles, who are possessed of some certain circumjacent Islands lying about England, that they should exercise an Absolute and full Jurisdiction, each of them in their several places, and have Peculiar Courts of Justice of their own, distinct from those of England: which very thing we read to have been Anciently done by them.

The Chief of the Irish Nobility also are to be dealt with, that, as soon as they hear of the Queens death, they should new mo∣del Ireland either into the Form of a Republick, or else should make it a Kingdom of it self, throwing off all Obedience to the English; withal promising aides to each of them in particular: and that so much the rather, because that in that Kingdome, or Island, the Catholicks, and especially the Friers that are of the Order of S. Francis, are very greatly esteemed and beloved. There is also much greater agreement and correspondence be∣twixt the Spaniard and the Irish, then betwixt them and the English; whether it be by reason of the Similitude of their Man∣ners, or else by reason of the Clime, and the nearnesse of these two Countries one to the other. There are also in Ireland ma∣ny Vagabond persons, and such as have fled their Countries, being men that are most impatient of Government; and yet are good Catholicks, and such as may be able to do good service in this kind, as hath been shewed already. But this sort of Men is not very rare to be found, either in England, or Scotland also.

These, and the like Preparations may be made before hand; that, so soon as ever Queen Elizabeth is dead, they may be imme∣diately put into Execution. For, there is no man but knowes what horrid Civil Wars, and what strange Alterations, and Turns have happened several times in England. So that, what I have here proposed, ought not to appear to any man, as things either New, or Impossible.