The works of the famous Nicholas Machiavel, citizen and secretary of Florence written originally in Italian, and from thence newly and faithfully translated into English.

THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER Concerning the following LETTER.

Courteous Reader,

IT hath been usual with most of those who have Translated this Author into any Language, to spend much of their time and paper in taxing his impieties, and confuting his errors and false principles as they are pleased to call them, if upon perusal of his Writings I had found him guilty of any thing that could deceive the simple, or prejudice the rest of Mankind, I should not have put thee to the hazard of reading him in thy own Language; but rather have suffered him still to sleep in the obscurity of his own, than endanger the world; but being very well assured of the contrary, and that the Age will rather receive advantage than damage by this Publica∣tion, I did yet think that it was fit to say something in a Pre∣face to vindicate our Author from those Slanders which Priests, and other byass'd Pens have laid upon him; but still I thought, that it might prove a bold and presumptuous un∣dertaking, and might excite laughter, for a person of my small parts and abilities, to Apologize for one of the greatest Wits and profoundest Judgments that ever lived amongst the Moderns: In this perplexity, I had the good fortune to meet with this Letter of his own writing; which hath deli∣vered me from those scruples, and furnished me with an op∣portunity of justifying this great person by his own Pen. Receive then this choice Piece with benignity, it hath never before been published in any Language, but lurk'd for above 80 years in the private Cabinets of his

own Kindred, and the Descendents of his own admirers in Florence, till in the beginning of the Pontisicat of Vrbane the 8th. it was procured by the Jesuits and other busie-bodies, and brought to Rome with an intention to divert that wise Pope from his design of making one of Nicholas Machiavel's Name and Family Cardinal, as (notwithstanding all their op∣position) he did, not long after. When it was gotten into that City, it wanted not those who had the judgment and curi∣osity to copy it, and so at length came to enjoy that privi∣ledge which all rare Pieces (even the sharpest Libels and Pas∣quils) challenge in that Court, which is to be sold to Strangers, one of which being a Gentleman of this Country, brought it over with him at his return from thence in the year 1645. and having translated it into English, did communicate it to divers of his friends, and by means of some of them, it hath been my good fortune to be capable of making thee a present of it, and let it serve as an Apology for our Author and his Writings, if thou thinkest he need any. I must confess I be∣lieve his Works require little, but rather praise and admiration; yet I wish I could as well justifie one undertaking of his not long after the writing of this Letter; for we find in the Story of those times, that in the Month of August following; in the same year 1537. this Nicolo Machiavelli (except there were another of that name) was committed Prisoner to the Bar∣gello, amongst those who were taken in Arms against Cosimo at the Castle of Montemurli, notwithstanding all his Compli∣ments in this Letter to that Prince, and profess'd Obligations to him; if this be so, we must impute it to his too great zeal, to concur with the desires of the universality at that time, in restoring the liberty of their Country, which hath so far da∣zel'd the judgments even of great and wise men, that thou ••eest many grave Authors amongst the Ancients have even commended and deified the ingratitude and Treachery of Bru∣tus and Cassius. But certainly this crime of his would have been much more unpardonable, if he had lived to see his own Pro∣phesie fulfilled in the Persons and Descendents of this great Co∣simo, for there was never any succession of Princes since the world began, in which all the Royal vertues and other qua∣lities necessary to those who rule over men, were more emi∣nently perspicuous than in every individual of this line; so that those people have as little cause as ever any had to lament the change of their Government; their great Dukes having been truly Fathers of their Country, and treated their

Subjects like Children, though their power be above all limitation, above all fundamental Laws; but they having no Law, are a Law to themselves, I cannot chuse but instance in some few of their benefits to their people, first the making the River Arno Navigable from Pisa to Florence in a year of Dearth, that so the Poor might be set on work and have Bread, and the Traffick of both Cities infinitely facilitated, their making at their own charge a Canal from Livorne to Pisa, their erecting at Pisa a famous University, paying the Professors, who are eminent for Learning, and discharging all other incidencies out of their own Revenue, besides the rai∣sing stately Buildings for Schools and Libraries, their found∣ing a renowned Order of Knighthood, and keeping the Chap∣ter in the same City, and ordering a considerable number of Knights constantly to reside there, both which were intended and performed by them, to encrease the concourse, and restore the wealth to the once opulent Inhabitants of that place. Their new Building fortifying and enfranchizing Livorne, that even by the abolishing their own Customs they might enrich their Subjects; and make that Port (as it now is) the Magazine of all the Levant Trade. And lastly, Their not having in 140 years ever levyed any new Tax upon their people, excepting in the year 1642. to defend the Liberties of Italy against the Barbarini. These things would merit a Panegyrick if either my parts, or this short Advertisement would admit it, I shall conclude then after I have born a just and dutiful testimony to the merits of the Prince who now governs that State, in whom (if all the Princely vertues and endowments should be lost) they might be found and restored again to the world: As some ingenious Artists in the last Age, retrieved the Art of Sculpture by certain bas relievos remaining on some Pillars and Walls at Rome; The Prudence, Magnanimi∣ty, Charity, Liberality, and above all the Humanity, Cour∣tesie, and Affability of this Prince, though they exceed my expressions, yet they are sufficiently known, not only to his own Subjects (the constant objects of his care and goodness) but even to all Strangers, more particularly to our Nation, he having undertaken a troublesome Journey to visit this King∣dom, and to make it witness and partaker of his transcendent generosity and bounty, which he hath continued ever since, as can be testified by all who have had the honour to wait upon him in his own Country, or the good fortune but to see him in ours. I my self who have been so happy to be ad∣mitted

into his presence, and have been honoured since in having his Highness my customer for many choice Books to encrease (not his knowledge, for that is beyond receiving any addition by Books) but his curiosity, and his Library, do think my self bound in Duty to take this poor opportunity of testifying my gratitude and devotion to this excellent Prince. As to this Letter I have nothing more to say, but that thou mayest see how right this Author was set in Prin∣ciples of Religion, before he could have the information, which we have had since from the Pens of most learned and rational Controversists in those points, and therefore thou maist admire the sagacity of his Judgment. Read him then, and serve God, thy King, and thy Country, with the know∣ledge he will teach thee. Farewel.