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THE Discourse we had lately (dear Zenobio) in the delightful Gardens of our old deceased Friend Cosimo Rucellai, and the pressing importunity of Guilio Salviati, that I would use some means to wipe off the Many aspersions cast upon my Writings, gives you the present trouble of reading this Letter, and me the pleasure of writing it; which last would be infinitely
greater, if I were not at this day too old, and too inconsiderable, and by the change of our Government wholly uncapable of performing, either with my brain or my hand, any further service to my Country; for it hath ever been my opinion, that whosoever goes about to make men publickly acquainted with his actions, or apologize to the world for imputat••ons laid upon him, cannot be excused from vanity and impertinence, except his parts and opportunities be such, as may enable him to be instrumental for the good of others, and that he cannot atchieve that excellent end, without justifying him∣self from having any indirect and base ones, and procuring trust from men, by clearing the repute of his justice and integrity to them. But although this be far from my case; yet I have yielded (you see) to the entreaty of Guilio and the rest of that Company, not only because I am sufficiently (both by the restraint of our Press, and the discretion of the person I write to) assured that this Letter will never be made publick; but for that I esteem it a Duty to clear that excellent Society, from the Scandal of having so dangerous and pernicious a person to be a member of their conversation; for by reason of my Age, and since the loss of our Liberty, and my sufferings under that Monster of lust and cruelty Alexander de Medeci, set over us by the Divine vengeance for our sins, I can be capable of no other design or enjoyment, than to delight and be delighted in the company of so many choice and virtuous persons, who now assemble themselves with all security, under the happy and hopeful Reign of our new Prince, Cosimo, and we may say, that though our Common-wealth be not restored, our slavery is at an end, and that he coming in by our own choice, my prove (if I have as good Skill in Prophesying as I have had formerly) Ancestor to many renowned Princes, who will govern this State in great quietness, and with great clemency; so that our Posterity is like to enjoy case and security, though not that greatness, wealth, and glory, by which our City hath for some years past (even in the most factious and tumultuous times of our Democracy) given Law to Italy, and bridled the ambition of foreign Princes, But, that I may avoid the Loquacity incident to old men, I will come to the business. If I remember well, the exceptions that are taken to these poor things I have published, are reducible to three.
First, That in all my Writings, I infinuate my great affection to the Democratical Government, even so much as to undervalue that of Monarchy in respect of it, which last I do, not obscurely in many passages, teach, and as it were, perswade the People to throw off.
Next, That in some places I vent very great impie∣ties, slighting and villifying the Church, as Author of all the misgovernment in the world, and by such contempt make way for Atheism and Prophane∣ness.
And Lastly, That in my Book of the Prince I teach Monarchs all the execrable Villanies that can be
invented, and instruct them how to break faith, and to oppress and enslave their Subjects.
I shall answer something to every one of these; and that I may observe a right method, will begin with the first.
Having lived in an Age when our poor Country and Government have suffered more changes and revolutions, than ever did perhaps befall any people in so short a time, and having had till the taking of Florence, my share in the managing of affairs, during almost all these alterations, sometimes in the quality of Secretary of our City, and sometimes em∣ployed in Embassages abroad, I set my self to read the Histories of Ancient and Modern times, that I might by that means find out whether there had not been in all Ages the like vicissitudes and accidents in State affairs, and to search out the causes of them, and having in some sort satisfied my self therein, I could not abstain from scribling something of the too chief kinds of Government, Monarchy and Democracy, of which all other forms are but mixtures, and since neither my Parts nor Learning could arrive to follow the steps of the Ancients, by writing according to Method and Art, as Plato, Aristotle, and many others have done upon this Subject, I did content my self to make slight observations upon both; by giving a bare Character of a Prince, as to the Monarchical frame, and as to the popular chusing the perfectest and most successful of all Governments of that kind upon earth, and in my Discourses upon it, following the order of my Author, without ever taking upon me to argue problematically, much less to decide which of these two Go∣v••rnments is the best; if from my way of handling matters in my discourses upon Livy, and from those incomparable virtues, and great Actions we read of in that History, and from the observations I make, men will conclude (which is, I must confess my opinion) that the excellency of those Counsels and Atchievements, and the improvement which Mankind, and as I may so say, humane nature it self obtained amongst the Romans, did proceed naturally from their Government, and was but a plain effect and consequence of the perfection of their Common-wealth; I say if Readers will thus judge, how can I in reason be accused for that; it would become those who lay this blame upon me to undeceive them whom my Papers have missed, and to shew the world to what other causes we may impute those admirable effects, those Heroick qualities and performance, that integrity and purity of manners, that scorning of riches and life it self, when the publick was con∣cerned: If they please to do this, they will oblige my Readers, who will owe to such the rectifying their Judgments, and not at all offend me, who have reasoned this matter im∣partially and without passion, nor have possitively affirmed any thing. But what if this part of my accusation had been true? Why should I be condemned of Heresie or indiscre∣tion for preferring a Common-wealth before a Monarchy? was I not born, bred, and im∣ployed in a City, which being at the time I writ, under that form of Government, did owe all wealth and greatness, and all prosperity to it? If I had not very designedly avoided all dogmaticalness in my observations (being not willing to imitate young Scholars in the••r Declamations) I might easily have concluded from the premises I lay down, that a De∣mocracy founded upon good orders is the best and most excellent Government, and this without the least fear of confutation; for I firmly believe, that there are none but Flatte∣rers and Sophisters would oppose me, such as will rest Aristotle, and even Plato himself, to make them write for Monarchy, by misapplying some loose passages in those great Authors, nay, they will tell their Readers, that what is most like the Government of the world by God is the best, which wholly depends upon his absolute power; to make this comparison run with four feet, these Sycophants must give the poor Prince they intend to diefie, a better and superior Nature to humanity, must create a necessary dependance of all Creatures upon him, must endow him with infinite wisdom and goodness, and even with omnipo∣tency it self. It will be hard for any man to be misled in this Argument by proofs wresled
from Theology, since whosoever reads attentively the Historical part of the Old Testament, shall find that God himself never made but one Government for men, that this Govern∣ment was a Common-wealth (wherein the Sanhadrim or Senate, and the Congegation or popular Assembly had their share) and that he manifested his high displeasure when the rebellious people would turn it into a Monarchy; but that I may not strike upon the rock I profess to shun, I shall pass to that which is indeed ••it to be wip'd off, and which if it were true, would not only justly expose me to the hatred and vengeance of God, and all good men, but even destroy the design and purpose of all my Writings, which is to treat in some sort (as well as one of my small parts can hope to do) of the Politicks; and how can any man pretend to write concerning Policy, who destroys the most essential part of it, which is obedience to all Governments. It will be very easie then for Guilio Salviati, or any other member of our Society, to believe the Protestation I make, that the animating of private men either directly or indirectly to disobey, much less to shake off, any Govern∣ment how despotical soever, was never in my Thoughts or Writings; those who are unwilling to give credit to this, may take the pains to assign in any of my Books, the pas∣sages they imagine to tend that way, (for I can think of none my self) that so I may give such person more particular satisfaction; I must con••ess I have a discourse in one of my Books, to encourage the Italian Nation, to assume their ancient valour, and to expel the Barbarians, meaning (as the ancient Romans used the word) all Strangers from amongst us; but that was before the Kings of Spain had quiet possession of the Kingdom of Naples, or the Emperor of the Dutchy of Milan; so that I could not be interpreted to mean that the people of those two Dominions should be stir'd up to shake off their Princes, because they were Foreigners, since at that time Lodovic Sforza was in possession of the one, and K. Frederick restored to the other, both Natives of Italy; but my design was to exhort our Country-men not to suffer this Province to be the Scene of the Arms and am∣bition of Charles the 8th. or K. Lewis his Successor, who when they had a mind to renew the old Title of the House of Anjou to the Kingdom of Naples, came with such force into Italy, that not only our Goods were plundered, and our Lands wasted, but even the liberty of our Cities and Governments endangered, but to unite and oppose them, and to keep this Province in the hands of Princes of our own Nation, this my intention is so visible in the Chapter it sel, that I need but refer you to it. Yet that I may not answer this imputation barely by denying, I shall assert in this place what my principles are in that which the world calls Rebellion, which I believe to be not only rising in Arms against any Government we live under, but to acknowledge that word to extend to all clandestine Conspiracies too, by which the peace and quiet of any Country may be inte∣rupted, and by consequence the Lives and Estates of innocent persons endangered. Rebel∣lion then so described, I hold to be the greatest crime that can be committed amongst men, both against Policy, Morality, and in foro Conscientiae; but notwithstanding all this, it is an offence which will be committed whilst the world lasts, as often as Princes tyranize, and by enslaving and oppressing their Subjects make Magistracy, which was intended for the benefit of Mankind, prove a Plague and Destruction to it; for let the terrour and the guilt be never so great, it is impossible that humane Nature, which consists of passion as well as virtue can support with patience and submission the greatest cruelty and injustice, when∣ever either the weakness of their Princes, the unanimity of the people, or any other favourable accident, shall give them reasonable hopes to mend their condition, and provide better for their own interest by insurrection. So that Princes and States ought in the Con∣duct of their Affairs, not only to consider what their people are bound to submit to, if they were inspired from Heaven, or were all Moral Philosophers, but to weigh likewise what is probable de facto to fall out, in this corrupt age of the world, and to reflect upon those dangerous Tumults, which have happened frequently not only upon oppression, but even by reason of Malversation, and how some Monarchies have been wholly subverted and changed into Democracies by the Tyranny of their Princes, as we see (to say nothing of Rome) the powerful Cantons of Swisserland brought by that means a little before the last age, to a considerable Common-wealth, Courted and sought to by all the Potentates in Christendom. If Princes will seriously consider this matter, I make no question but they will Rule with Clemency and Moderation, and return to that excellent Maxim of the Ancients (almost exploded in this Age) that the interest of Kings, and of their people is the same, which truth it hath been the whole design of my Writings to convince them of.
I am charged then, in the second place, with impiety, in villifying the Church, and so to make way for Atheism. I do not deny but that I have very frequently in my Writings, laid the blame upon the Church of Rome, not only for all the misgovernment of Christen∣dom; but even for the depravation and almost total destruction of Christian Religion it self in this Province; but that this Discourse of mine doth, or can tend to teach men impiety; or to make way for Atheism, I peremptorily deny: and although for proof of my innocence herein, I need but refer you and all others to my Papers themselves, as they are now published (where you will find all my reasons drawn from experience, and frequent examples cited, which is ever my way of arguing) yet since I am put upon it, I shall in a few lines make that matter possibly a little clearer; and shall first make protesta∣tion, that as I do undoubtedly hope, by the merits of Christ, and by Faith in him, to attain eternal Salvation; so I do firmly believe the Christian profession to be the only true Religion now in the world: Next, I am fully persuaded, that all Divine verities, which God then designed to teach the world, are contained in the Books of Holy Scripture, as they are now extant and received amongst us. From them I understand that God created man in purity and innocence, and that the first of that Species, by their frailty, lost at once their integrity and their Paradise, and inta••l'd sin and misery upon their posterity; that Al∣mighty God to repair this loss, did out of his infinite mercy, and with unparallel'd grace and goodness, send his only begotten Son into the world, to teach us 〈…〉〈…〉, to be a perfect example of virtue, goodness, and obedience, to restore true Religion, degenerated amongst the Iews into Superstition, Formality, and 〈…〉〈…〉 for the salvation of Mankind, and in sine, to give to us the Holy Spirit, to regenerate our Hearts, support our Faith, and lead us into all Truth. Now if it shall appear, that as the lusts of our first Paren••s did at that time disappoint the good intention of God, in making a pure world, and brought in by their disobedience the corruptions that are now in it; so that since like∣wise the Bishops of Rome, by their insatiable ambition and avarice, have designedly, as much as in them lies, frustrated the merciful purpose he had, in the happy restauration he intended the world by his Son, and in the renewing and reforming of humane Na∣ture, and have wholly defaced and spoil'd Christian Religion, and made it a worldly and a Heathenish thing; and altogether uncapable, as it is practised amongst them, either of directing the ways of its Professors to virtue and good life, or of saving thus Souls hereafter. If, I say, this do appear I know no reason why I, for detecting thus much, and for giving warning to the world to take heed of their ways, should be accused of Im∣piety or Atheism, or why his Holyness should be so inraged against the poor Inhabitants of the Valleys in Savoy, and against the Albigesi for calling him Antichrist; but to find that this is an undoubted truth, I mean that the Popes have corrupted Christian Religion, we need but read the New Testament (acknowledged by themselves to be of infallible truth) and there we shall see, that the Faith and Religion Preach'd by Christ, and setled after∣wards by his Apostles, and cultivated by their Sacred Epistles, is so different a thing from the Christianity that is now profess'd and taught at Rome, that we should be convinc'd, that if those Holy men should be sent by God again into the world, they would take more pains to confute this Gallimaufry, than ever they did to Preach down the Tradition of the Pharisees, or the Fables and Idolatry of the Gentiles, and would in probability suffer a new Martyrdom in that City under the Vicar of Christ, for the same Doctrine which once animated the Heathen Tyrants against them. Nay, we have something more to say against these Sacrilegious pretenders to Gods power; for whereas all other false worships have been set up by some politick Legislators, for the support and preservation of Go∣vernment, this false, this spurious Religion brought in upon the ruines of Christianity by the Popes, hath deformed the face of Government in Europe, destroying all the good principles, and Morality left us by the Heathen themselves, and introduced instead thereof, Sordid, Cowardly, and impolitick Notions, whereby they have subjected Man∣kind, and even great Princes and States, to their own Empire, and never suffered any Orders of Maxims to take place where they have power, that might make a Nation Wise, Honest, Great or Wealthy; this I have set down so plainly in those passages of my Book which are complained of, that I shall say nothing at all for the proof of it in this place, but refer you thither, and come to speak a little more particularly of my first asser∣tion, that the Pope and his Clergy have depraved Christian Religion. Upon this subject I could infinitely wish, now Letters begin to revive again, that some Learned Pen would employ it self, and that some person vers'd in the Chronology of the Church (as they call it) would deduce out of the Ecclesiastical Writers, the time and manner how these abuses crept in, and by what arts and Steps this Babel that reaches at Heaven, was built by these Sons of the Earth; but this matter as unsuitable to the brevity of a Letter, and in∣deed
more to my small parts and Learning, I shall not pretend to, being one who never hitherto studied or writ of Theology, further than it did naturally concern the Politicks; therefore I shall only deal by the New Tes••ament as I have done formerly by Titus Livius; that is, make observations or reflections upon it, and leave you and Mr. Guilio, and the rest of our Society to make the judgment, not citing like Preachers, the Chapter or Verse; because the reading of Holy Scripture is little us'd, and indeed hardly permitted amongst us. To begin at the top, I would have any reasonable man tell me, whence this unmeasurable power, long claim'd, and now possess'd by the Bishop of Rome, is derived, first of being Christ's Vicar, and by that (as I may so say) pretending to a Monopoly of the Holy Spirit (which was promised and given to the whole Church, that is, to the Elect or Saints) as is plain by a Clause in St. Peter's Sermon, made the very same time that the miraculous gifts of the Spirit of God were first given to the Apostles, who says to the Iews and Gentiles; Repent and be Baptized every one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of Sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, for this promise is to you and to your Children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call, Next, to judge infallibly of Divine Truth, and to forgive Sins as Christ did. Then to be the Head of all Ecclesiastical persons and causes in the world; to be so far above Kings and Princes, as to Judge, Depose, and deprive them, and to have an absolu••e jurisdiction over all the Affairs in Christendom, in Ordine ad Spiritualia; yet all this the Canonists allow him, and he makes no scruple to assume, whilst it is plain that in the whole New Testa∣ment there is no description made of such an Officer to be at any time in the Church, except it be in the Prophecy of the Apocalyps, or in one of St. Paul's Epistles, where he says, who it is that shall sit in the Temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Christ tells us his Kingdom is not of this world, and if any will be the greatest amongst his Disciples, that he must be servant to the rest, which shews that his followers were to be great in sancti∣ty and humility, and not in worldly power.
The Apostle Paul writing to the Christians of those times; almost in every Epistle com∣mands them to be obedient to the higher Powers, or Magistrates set over them, and St. Peter himself (from whom this extravagant Empire is pretended to be derived) in his firs•• Epistle, bids us submit our selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake, whether it be to the King, or, &c. and this is enjoyn'd although it is plain, that they who govern'd the world in those days, were both Heathen, Tyrants, and Usurpers, and in this submis∣sion there is no exception or proviso for Ecclesiastical immunity. The practice as well as Precepts of these Holy men shews plainly that they had no intention to leave Successors, who should deprive Hereditary Princes from their right of Reigning for differing in Reli∣gion, who without all doubt are by the appointment of the Apostle, and by the principles of Christianity, to be obeyed and submitted to (in things wherein the fundamental Laws of the Government give them power) though they were Iews or Gentiles. If I should tell you by what Texts in Scripture the Popes claim the Powers before mentioned, it would stir up your laughter, and prove too light for so serious a matter; yet because possibly you may never have heard so much of this Subject before, I shall instance in a few: They tell you therefore that the Jurisdiction they pretend over the Church, and the power of par∣doning Sins, comes from Christ to St. Peter, and from him to them. Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build my Church. I will give thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven; whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth, &c. From these two Texts ridiculously applyed, comes this great Tree which hath with its Branches over-spread the whole Earth, and kill'd all the good and wholsom Plants growing upon it; The first Text will never by any man of sence be un∣derstood to say more, than that the Preaching, Suffering, and Ministry of Peter, was like to be a great foundation and Pillar of the Doctrine of Christ; the other Text (as also another spoken by our Saviour to all his Apostles, whose sins ye remit they are remit∣ted, and whose sins ye retain they are retained) are by all the Primitive fathers interpreted in this manner, wheresoever you shall effectually Preach the Gospel, you shall carry with you Grace, and Remission of Sins to them which shall follow your instructions; but the peo∣ple who shall not have these joyful Tidings communicated by you to them, shall remain in darkness, and in their Sins. But if any will contest, that by some of these last Texts, that Evangelical Excommunication, which was afterwards brought into the Church by the Apostles, was here praesignified by our great Master, how unlike were those censures to those now thundered out (as he calls it) by the Pope? these were for edification, and not destruction, to afflict the flesh for the salvation of the Soul; that Apostolical ordinance was pronounced for some notorious Scandal or Apostacy from the Faith, and first decreed by the Church; that is, the whole Congregation present, and then denounced by the
Pastor, and reached only to debar such person from partaking of the Communion or fellowship of that Church, till repentance should readmit him, but was followed by no other prosecution or chastisement, as is now practised. But suppose all these Texts had been as they would have them, how does this make for the Successors of St. Peter or the rest? or how can this prove the Bishops of Rome to have right to such succession? But I make haste from this subject, and shall urge but one Text more; which is The spiritual man judgeth all men, but is himself judged of none; from whence is inferred by the Cano∣nists, that first, the Pope is the Spiritual man; and then, that he is to be Judge of all the world, and last, that he is never to be liable to any judgment himself; whereas it is ob∣vious to the meanest understanding, St. Paul in this Text means to distinguish between a person inspired with the Spirit of God, and one remaining in the state of Nature, which latter he says cannot judge of those Heavenly gifts and graces, as he explains himself when he says, The Natural man cannot discern the things of the Spirit, because they are foolishness unto him. To take my leave of this matter wholly out of the way of my Stu∣dies, I shall beg of you Zenobio and of Guilio, and the rest of our Society to read over carefully the new Tes••ament, and then to see what ground there is for Purgatory (by which all the wealth and greatness hath accrew'd to these men) what colour for the Ido∣latrous worship of Saints, and their Images and particularly for speaking in their hymns and prayers to a piece of wood (the Cross I mean) S••lve Lignum &c. and then fac nos dignos beneficiorum Christi, as you may read in that Office, what colour, or rather what ex∣cuse for that horrid unchristian, and barbarous Engine called the inquisition, brought in by the command and authority of the Pope, the Inventor of which, Peter a Dominican Fryer having been slain amongst the Albigesi, as he well deserved, is now Cannoniz'd for a Saint, and stil'd San Pietro Martine: In the dreadfull Prisons of this Inquisition, many faithful and pious Christians (to say nothing of honest Moral Moors or Mahometans) are tormented and famish'd, or, if they out-live their sufferings burnt publickly to death, and that only for differing in Religion from the Pope, without having any crime, or the least misdemeanor proved or alledged against them, and this is inflicted upon these poor Crea∣tures, by those who profess to believe the Scripture, which tells us, that faith is the gift of God, without whose special illumination no man can obtain it, and therefore is not in rea∣son or humanity to be punished for wanting it: And Christ himself hath so clearly decided that point in bidding us let the tares and the wheat grow together till the Harvest, that I shall never make any difficulty to call him Antichrist, who shall use the least persecution whatsoever against any di••••ering in matters of faith from himself, whether the person so dissenting, be Heretick, Iew, Gentile, or Mahometan: Next, I beseech you to observe in reading that Holy Book (though Christian fasts are doubtless of Divine right) what ground there is for enjoying fish to be eaten (at least flesh to be abstained from) for one third part of the year, by which they put the poor to great hardship, who not having purses to buy wholsom fish, are sujected to all the miseries and diseases incident to a bad and unhealthfull dyet, whilst the rich, and chiefly themselves and their Cardinals, exceed Lucullus in their Luxury, of Oysters, Turbats, tender Crabs, and Carpioni brought some hundreds of miles to feed their gluttony, upon these penitential days of abstinence from Beef and Pork. It may be it will lye in the way of those who observe this, to enquire what St. Paul means when he says That in the latter days some shall depart from the faith forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving; but all these things, and many other abuses brought in by these Perverters of Christianity, will I hope e're long be enquired into by some of the Disciples of that bold Fryer, who the very same year in which I prophecyed that the scourge of the Church was not far off, began to thunder against their Indulgencies, and since hath questioned many tenets long received and imposed upon the world. I shall conclude this discourse after I have said a word of the most Hellish of all the innovations brought in by the Popes, which is the Clergy; these are a sort of men under pretence of ministring to the people in holy things, set a part and seperated from the rest of mankind (from whom they have a very distinct, and a very opposite interest) by a humane Cere∣mony called by a divine namé, viz. Ordination, these wherever they are found (with the whole body of the Monks and Fryers, who are called the regular Clergy) make a Band which may be called the Ianizaries of the Papacy, these have been the causers of all the Soloecisms and immortalities in Government, and of all the impieties and abominations in Religion, and by consequence of all the disorder, villany, and coruption we suffer un∣der in this detestable Age,; these men by the Bishop of Rome's help, have crept into all the Governments in Christendom, where there is any mixture of Monarchy, and made them∣selves a third estate; that is, have, by their temporaliti••s (which are almost a third part
of all the Lands in Europe given them by the blind zeal, or rather folly of the Northern people, who over-ran this part of the world) stept into the throne, and what they cannot perform by these secular helps, and by the dependancy their vassals have upon them, they fail not to claim and to usurp, by the power they pretend to have from God and his Vice∣gerent at Rome. They exempt themselves, their Lands and goods from all secular jurisdiction; that is, from all Courts of Justice and Magistracy, and will be Judges in their own Causes, as in matters of tithe, &c. and not content with this, will appoint Courts of their own to decide Soveraignly in testamentary matters, and many other causes, and take upon them to be sole Punishers of many great Crimes, as Witchcraft, Sorcery, Adul∣tery, and all uncleanness; to say nothing of the fore-mentioned judicatory of the Inqui∣sition: in these last cases they turn the offenders over to be punish'd (when they have given Sentence) by the secular arm, so they call the Magistrate, who is blindly to execute their decrees under pain of Hell fire; as if Christian Princes and Governours were ap∣pointed only by God to be their Bravo's or Hangmen. They give Protection and San∣ctuary, to all execrable offenders, even to Murderers themselves (whom God commanded to be indispensably punish'd with death) if they come within their Churches, Cloysters, or any other place, which they will please to call Holy ground; and if the ordinary justice, nay, the Soveraign power, do proceed against such offender, they thunder out their Ex∣communication; that is, cut off from the body of Christ, not the Prince only, but the whole Nation and People, shutting the Church doors, and commanding divine offices to cease, and sometimes even authorizing the people to rise up in Arms, and constrain their Governours to a submission, as happened to this poor City in the time of our An∣cestors, when for but forbidding the servant of a poor Carmelite Fryer (who had vowed poverty, and should have kept none) to g•• arm'd, and punishing his disobedience with imprisonment, our whole Senate with their Gonfalonier were constrained to go to Avignon for absolution, and in case of refusal, had been massacred by the people. It would almost astonish a wise man to imagine how these folks should acquire an Empire so distructive to Christian Religion, and so pernicious to the interests of men, but it will not seem so miraculous to them who shall seriously consider, that the Clergy hath been for more than this thousand years upon the catch, and a form'd united corporation against the purity of Religion, and the interest of mankind, and have not only wrested the Holy Scriptures to their own advantage (which they have kept from the laity in unknown languages, and by prohibiting the reading thereof) but made use likewise first of the blind devotion and ignorance of the Goths, Vandals, Huns, &c. and since of the ambition and avarice of Christian Princes, stirring them up one against another, and sending them upon foolish errands to the Holy Land, to lose their lives, and to leave their Dominions, in the mean time, exposed to themselves and their Complices. They have besides kept Learning and Knowledge among themselves, stifling the light of the Gospel, crying down Moral vir∣tues as splendid sins, defacing humane policy, destroying the purity of the Chistian faith and profession, and all that was vertuous, prudent, regular and orderly upon earth; so that whoever would do good, and good men service, get himself immortal honour in this life, and eternal glory in the next, would restore the good policy (I had▪ almost said with my Author Livy the sanctity too) of the Heathens, with all their valour, and other glo∣rious endowments; I say, whoever would do this, must make himself powerful enough to extirpate this cursed and apostate race out of the world, and that you may see this is lawful as well as necessary, I shall say but one word of their calling and original, and then leave this subject. The word Clergy is a term, wholly unknown to the Scriptures, otherwise than in this sence; a peculiar People or Gods lot, used often for the whole Jewish Nation, who are likewise called a Kingdom of Priests in some places. In the New Testament the word Cleros is taken for the true Believers, who are also called the Elect, and often the Church, which is the Assembly of the faithful met together, as is easily seen by reading the beginning of most of St. Paul's Epistles, where writing to the Church, or Churches, he usually explains himself, To all the Saints in Christ; sometimes, To all who have obtained like faith with us; sometimes, To all who in all places call upon the Name of the Lord Iesus, &c. by which it appears, that neither the word Church nor Clergy was in those days ever appropriated to the Pastors or Elders of the flock; but did signifie indiffe∣rently all the people assembled together; which is likewise the literal construction of the word Ecclesia, which is an assembly or meeting; in these Congregations or Churches was performed their Ordination, which properly signifies no more than a decree of such As∣sembly; but is particularly used for an Election of any into the Ministery. The manner was this, sometimes the Apostles themselves in their Perigrinations, and sometimes any other eminent Member of the Church, did propose to the Society (upon vacancy, or
other necessity of a Pastor, Elder, or Deacon) some good Holy man to be Elected, which person is he had parts or gifts, such as the Church could edifie by, was chosen by the lifting up of hands, that is by suffrage, and oftentimes hands were laid upon him, and Prayer made for him. These men so set apart did not pretend to any consecration, or sacredness more than they had before, much less to become a distinct thing from the rest of mankind, as if they had been metamorphos'd, but did attend to perform the several functions of their calling, as prophecying; that is, Preaching the Gospel, visiting the sick, &c. and never intermitted the ordinary business of their Trade or Profession, unless their Church or Congregation was very numerous, in which case they were main∣tained by alms or contribution, which was laid aside by every member, and collected the first day of the week by the Deacons, this was said to be given to the Church, and was imployed by suffrage of the whole Collective Body to the poor, and to other incidencies, so far was it from Sacriledge in those days to employ Church goods to Lay uses. From these words, Church, Clergy, Ordination, Pastor, (which last hath been translated of late years Bishop) you see what conclusions these men have deduced, and how immense a stru∣cture they have raised, upon so little a foundation, and how easily it will fall to the ground, when God shall inspire Christian Princes and States to redeem his truths, and his poor enslaved Members out of their Clutches, to bring back again into the world, the true original Christian faith, with the Apostolical Churches, Pastors, and Ordination, so consistent with moral virtue and integrity, so helpful and conducing to the best and most prudent Policy, so fitted for obedience to Magistracy and Government, all which the world hath for many years been deprived of, by the execrable and innate ill quality, which is in∣seperable from Priest-craft, and the conjuration or spell of their new invented ordination; by which they cry with the Poet,
Iam furor humanum nostro de pectore sensum Expulit & totum spirant praecordia Phoebum.Which makes them so Sacred, and Holy, that they have nothing of integrity, or indeed of humanity left in them. I hope I shall not be thought impious any longer, upon this point, I mean for vindicating Christian Religion from the assaults of these men, who having the confidence to believe, or at least profess themselves the only instruments which God hath chosen or can choose to teach and reform the world (though they have neither Moral virtues, nor Natural parts equal to other men for the most part) have by this pre∣tence prevail'd so far upon the common sort of people, and upon some too of a better quality, that they are perswaded their salvation or eternal damnation depends upon believing or not believing of what they say. I would not be understood, to disswade any from honouring the true Apostolical Teachers, when they shall be re-established amongst us, or from allowing them (even of right, and not of alms or curtesie) such emoluments as may enable them cheerfully to perform the duties of their charge, to provide for their Children, and even to use hospitality as they are commanded by St. Paul. But this I will prophesie before I conclude, that if Princes shall perfom this business by halves, and leave any root of this Clergy or Priest-craft, as it now is, in the ground; or if that famous reformer, fled some years since out of Picardy to Geneva, who is of so great renown for learning and parts, and who promises us so perfect a reformation, shall not in his model wholly extirpate this sort of men, then I say I must foretel, that as well the Magistrate as this Workman, will find themselves deceived in their expectation, and that the least fibra of this plant will over-run again the whole Vineyard of the Lord, and turn to a diffusive Papacy in every Diocess, perhaps in every Parish: So that God in his mercy inspire them to cut out the core of the Ulcer, and the bag of this imposture, that it may never ranckle or fester any more, nor break out hereafter, to diffuse new corruption and putrifaction through the body of Christ, which is his Holy Church, nor to vitiate and infect the good order and true policy of Government.
I come now to the last branch of my charge, which is, that I teach Princes villany, and how to enslave and oppress their Subjects, in which accusation I am dealt with as poor Agnollo Canini was, who, as they report, being a very learned Practiser of the Laws, and left the only man of this profession (one Autumn) in our City, the rest of the Advocates being fled into the Country for fear of a contagious Disease which then reigned, was comman∣ded by our Judges to assist with his Counsel both parties, and to draw Pleas as well for the Defendant as the Plantiff, else the Courts of Justice must have been shut up. In the same manner my accusers handle me, and make me first exhort and teach Subjects to throw off their Princes, and then to instruct Monarchs how to enslave and oppress them; but I did
not expect such ingratitude from mine own Citizens, or to beserved as Moses was, when he was upbraided for killing the Egyptian, by one of his own people for whose sake he had done it, whereas he believed they would have understood by that action, that he was the person whom God intended to make use of in delivering them from the horrid slavery they were then under. If any man will read over my Book of the Prince with impartia∣lity and ordinary charity, he will easily perceive, that it is not my intention therein to recommend that Government, or those men there described, to the world; much less to teach them to trample upon good men, and all that is sacred and venerable upon earth, Laws, Religion, Honesty, and what not; if I have been a little too punctual in designing these Monsters, and drawn them to the life in all their lineaments and colours, I hope mankind will know them the better to avoid them, my Treatise being both a Satyr against them, and a true Character of them; I speak nothing of great and honourable Princes, as the Kings of France, England, and others, who have the States and Orders of their Kingdoms with excellent Laws and Constitution to found and maintain their Govern∣ment, and who reign over the hearts as well as the persons of their subjects; I treat only of those vermin bred out of the corruption of our own small Common-wealths and Cities, or engender'd by the ill blasts that come from Rome, Olivaretto da Fermo, Borgia, the Baglioni, the Bentivoglii, and a hundred others; who having had neither right nor honourable means to bring them to their power, use it with more violence, rapine, and cruelty upon the poor people, than those other renowned Princes shew to the Boars, the Wolves, the Foxes, and other savage beasts which are the objects of their chase and hunting: whosoever in his Empire over men is ty'd to no other rules than those of his own will and lust, must either be a Saint to moderate his passions, or else a very Devill in∣carnate; or if he be neither of these, both his life and reign are like to be very short; for whosoever takes upon him so execrable an employment as to rule men against the Laws of nature and of reason, must turn all topsie turvy, and never stick at any thing, for if once he halt, he will fall and never rise again: I hope after this I need say little to justifie my self from the calumny of advising these Monsters to break their faith, since to keep it is to lose their Empire, faithfulness and sincerity being their mortal enemies, an Ugucceone della Faggivola to one who upbraided him, that he never employed honest men; answered, Honest men will cut my throat, let the King use honest men, mean∣ing the King of Naples, who was established in his Throne, and had right to it, But that I may have occasion to justifie my self against a little more than I am accused of, I will con∣fess, that in a work where I desired to be a little more serious, than I was in this Book of the Prince, I did affirm, that in what way soever men defended their Country, whether by breaking or keeping their faith, it was ever well defended, not meaning in a strict mo∣ral sence, or point of honour, but explaining my self that de facto the infamy of the breach of word, would quickly be forgoten and pardoned by the world, which is very true, Nay, what if I had said that good success in any interprize (a far less cosideration than Piety to our Country) would have cancell'd the blame of such perfidy as Caesar (whom I compare to Cataline) us'd toward his fellow-Citizen, not only nor detested by posterity, but even crown'd with renown and immortal fame; insomuch as Princes to this day (as I have observed elsewhere) think it an honour to be compared to him, and the highest pitch of veneration their flatterers can arrive at, is to call them by the name of one who violated his faith, and enslav'd his Country. I hope that in shewing as well these Tyrants as the poor people who are forced to live under them, their danger, that is by lay∣ing before the former, the hellish and precipitous courses they must use to maintain their power, by representing to the latter, what they must suffer, I may be instrumental, first, to deter private Citizens from attempting upon the liberties of their Country, or if they have done it, to make them lay down their ill gotten authority; and then to warn the rest of the Nobility and people, from these factions and malignancies in their several common-wealths and Governments, which might give hope and opportunity to those who are am∣bitious amongst them, to aspire to an Empire over them. However it prove, I hope I am no more to be blamed for my attempt, then that excellent Physician of our Nation is, who hath lately taken so much pains to compose an excellent Treatise, of that foul Disease which was, not long since, brought from the new world into these parts; wherein though he be forced to use such expressions as are almost able to nauseate his Readers, and talk of such Ulcers, Boyls, Nodes, Botches, Cankers &c. that are scarce fit to be repeated, especially when he handles the causes of those effects, yet he did not intend to teach or ex∣hort men to get this Disease; much less did he bring this lamentable infirmity into the world, but describes it faithfully as it is, to the end men may be bettered, and avoid the being infected with it, and may discern and cure it, whenever their incontinence and folly shall procure it them. I shall say no more in this matt••r; but to conclude all make a pro∣testation,
that as well in this Book, as in all my other Writings, my only scope and design is to promote the interest and welfare of mankind, and the peace and quiet of the world, both which I am so vain as to believe, would be better obtained and provided for, if the principles I lay down were followed and observed hy Princes and People, than they are like to be by those Maxims which are in this Age most in vogue. For my self I shall only say (and call you all to witness for the truth of it) that as by my Birth I am a Gentleman, and of a Family which hath had many Gonfaloniers of Justice in it;* 1.1 so I have been used in many employments of great trust, both in our City and abroad, and at this hour I am not in my Estate one peny the better for them all, nor should I have been, although I had never suffered any losses by the seisure of my Estate in the year 1531. for my carriage it hath ever been void of faction and contention; I never had any prejudice against the House of Me∣dici, but honoured the persons of all those of that Family whom I knew, and the memory of such of them as lived before me, whom I acknowledge to have been excellent Patriots and Pillars of our City and Common-wealth. During the turbulent times of Piero, and after his expulsion out of Florence, though my employments were but Ministerial, my ad∣vice was ask'd in many grave matters, which I ever delivered with impartiality and indif∣ference, not espousing the heady opinions of any, much less their passions and animosities; I never sided with any Party further than that the Duty of my charge obliged me to serve the prevailing Party, when posses'd of the Government of our City; this I speak for those changes which happened between the flight of the said Piero de Medici, and the horrid Parricide commited by Clement the 7th. upon his indulgent Mother, joyning with his greatest enemies, and uniting himself with those who had used the most transcendent in∣solence to his own person, and the highest violence and fury the Sun ever saw to his poor Courtiers and Subjects, that so accompanied he might sheath his Sword in the bowels of his own desolate Country. At that time, and during that whole Seige, I must confess I did break the consines of my Nutrality, and not only acted as I was commanded barely, but rouz'd my self, and stir'd up others haraunging (in the Streets places of the City) the People to defend with the last drop of their blood, the Walls of their Country. and the Liberty of their Government; taking very hazardous Journey to Ferruccio, and then into the Mugello and other parts, to bring in Succours and Provisions to our languishing City; and acting as a Soldier (which was a new profession to me) at the age of above sixty, when others are dispensed from it. For all which, I had so entire a satisfaction in my mind and conscience, that I am perswaded this cordial made me able to support the sufferings which befell me after our Catastrophe, and to rejoyce in them so far, that all the malice and cruelty of our enemies, could never draw one word from me unsutable to the honour I thought I merited, and did in some sort enjoy, for being instrumental to defend (as long as it was possible) our Altars and our Hearths. But all that I have undergone, hath been abundantly recompenced to me by the favour and courtesie of the most excellent Signior Cosimo, who hath been pleased to offer me all the preferments the greatest ambi∣tion could aspire to, which I did not refuse out of any scruple to serve so incomparable a Prince, whose early years manifest so much Courage, Humanity, and Prudence, and so Fa∣therly a care of the publick good, but because I was very desirous not to accept of a charge which I was not able to perform, my years and infirmities having now brought me to a condition in which I am fitter to live in a Cloyster than a Palace, and made me good for nothing but to talk of past times, the common vice of old Age: So that I did not think it just or grateful to reward this excellent person so ill for his kindness, as to give him a useless Servant, and to fill up the place of a far better. This is all I think fit to say of this matter, I chuse to address it to you Zenobio, for the constant friendship I have ever enter∣tained with you, and formerly with your deceased Father, the companion of my Studies, and ornament of our City. And so I bid you farewel.
The first of April, 1537.
Chief Magi∣strate.