THESE my Letters shall perhaps come to your Maiestie later, then the mat­ter required, your Maiestie desired, and my selfe pur­posed. But it is not alwayes in our po­wer to satisfie to our desires, when wee list, and businesses falling out daily doe often force vs to deferre that, whereunto we haue a propension and will. For as I was purpo­sing with my selfe to open the state of my businesses to your Maiestie, and not onely [Page] to take counsell, but also to implore your clemency and equitie in this my new con­trouersie with the King of Spaine; an Impe­riall Decree, whereof here followeth the co­pie, was sent me by the Prince of Castillion.

Wherefore hauing receiued the said De­cree, I could not but be much mooued at it, when I saw it was done against the or­ders of Law, against the ordinances of our Predecessors, and against cōmon custome, in a thing of such weight, wherein a Duke of Sauoy, Prince of the sacred Empire, and perpetuall Vicary in Italie, was to be brand­marked with the shamefull note of the Im­periall Ban, vnlesse he would dismisse the Troups by him gathered; specially when I obserued that the date thereof shewed no certaine place, and that it wanted the sub­scription of the Imperiall hand.

But what is this, how grieuous is it to reade, and harsh to heare, that being igno­rant of your former Decrees, and of all your significations and threatnings, I should be so seuerely checked as disobedient to the Imperiall iniunctions; & that being bound to represse the Gouernour of Millane, who these many moneths, with his great Troups of armed men, hath troubled the peaceable State of Italie, and attempted not only to in­uade, but also to spoile vtterly the Frontiers of my Dominions, you (as though you [Page] were ignorant of what is knowne to all the World) should wincke at his too bold at­tempts, and out of your absolute Authori­tie, command me, who doe nothing else but most iustly challenge my owne right alone to lay downe the Armes, which I haue taken vp for the preseruation of mine owne Dominions?

What meaneth this, I pray you, to dis­misse my Troups against any man else soe­uer they should be intended, but onely (if thereby the Gouernor of Millane be vnder­stood) to take from mee all meanes of de­fence in a most iust cause, which are not on­ly granted by humane Lawes, but by di­uine also, to defraude me of the hope I haue in your Iustice, in this dangerous estate of my affaires, and willingly to arme the hand of mine enemie for the destruction of my selfe and my Countrey? All which (most in­uincible Caesar) should I confesse, haue wounded my minde more deepely, if this cogitation of mine had not applyed some remedy vnto it, viz. that this Decree hath either beene made, your Maiestie being ig­norant of it, or is slipt from your hands [Page] through the deceit and fraud of some crafty and wicked men, to which it cannot haue been hard to deceiue your Maiestie, being ignorant of the subtill fallacie of this busi­nesse.

Wherefore, I thinke, I shall doe well and fitly, briefly to shew your Maiestie the state of this controuersie, repeating the same from the very beginning, that knowing the equitie of the matter, you may fully and ab­solutely iudge, not of my cause, but of yours.

What mooued me first to take Armes a­gainst the Duke of Mantua, your Maiestie may easily haue knowne, both by the pub­lishing of my Writings, and by the generall speech of all the World; neither do I thinke you are ignorant of my readinesse, in fulfil­ling the desires, both of your Maiestie, and the King of Spaine, by my surrendring, at your onely nodde, those Townes that by right belong to me, and which I had taken by force, in the Prouince of Montferrat. At which time, may it please you, but to call to minde, what great and diuers matters the Gouernour of Millane promised, though but [Page] with a wauering faith. For hauing begun to satisfie on my side, and my mind expect­ing some performance of his promises, he, without shame, hath broken his faith, which hee had obliged before so many witnesses, denying, for the most part, his said promises, lingering and delaying in those, which hee can by no meanes denie, without shewing himselfe willing to fulfill any thing. And not contented with that, hee hath not fea­red to enioyne me two things, in the King of Spaines name: First, that I should dismisse two thousand Swissers, or therea­bout, which I had been long a getting for the defence of my State, and which had been long bound vnto me, through their stipend they haue receiued, though in re­gard of their small number, they could giue no iust suspicion, specially to his Royall Maiestie. Secondly, that I should not de­ferre to ioyne by marriage, the Infant my Daughter, heretofore Duchesse of Mantua, with the now Duke of Mantua; promising that then he would procure, that my con­trouersies, with the Duke of Mantua, should be handled, which at that time could not be.

[Page]To which demaunds (as being against all reason) I let him vnderstand, both by let­ters, and by my Ambassadours, I could not satisfie, vnlesse the controuersies were first ended.

And thus thinking to haue suffici­ently answered the Kings will, the Gouer­nour of Millane found out a new tricke, to wit; that it would be a thing pleasing vnto him, that the matter should not be decided by Armes, but that the controuersies should be ended by friendly meanes; and therfore desired I should send certaine Deputies to Millane, which meeting with as many of the Duke of Mantua, should, in my name, han­dle and compound all the businesse.

Wherefore hauing thought good to yeeld thereunto, not only to auoid the note of obstinacie, but also to shew to the world by a most sure testimony, how much I did loue both mine owne quiet, and the publike Peace of all Italy; I sent to Millane three men skilfull in the Law; who hauing remained there a long time, to put an end to the con­trouersie propounded often, and at diuers times, seuerall Articles, though with da­mage [Page] to my right, and much inferior to the goodnesse of my cause.

But what did heere the Gouernour, that man (forsooth) so desirous to keepe peace, and so constant in his faith? Hee caused a great Armie, both of Horse and Foote, se­cretly to be gathered, and enrowled in the Dukedome of Millane, and the Countries thereunto adioyning, and commanded my men to depart, without effecting any thing, and to tell me, that there was order come from the King, forbidding the handling of the composition of the controuersies, be­fore I had discharged all my Troupes, and accomplished the marriage of my Daugh­ter; yea, that he was inioyned by the King to haue a care, not onely to incline mee to those things hee commanded, but also to constraine and force mee to the same by Armes.

Vpon this so sharpe and seuere Declara­tion, what counsell I tooke, and what I did, not only my published writings may testi­fie, but also the Reuerend Lord Sauellus, Nuntius of our most holy Father, comming not long after, can be a most sufficient wit­nesse; [Page] who, hauing inuited mee to the lay­ing downe of Armes, (though it were re­quisite, the same should bee done by the mightier first) found me not only not vn­willing, but most readie thereunto; conten­ted only with this condition, that I did de­sire the Gouernour of Millane should ob­liege his Faith to our most gracious Lord, the most Christian King, and the Illustrious Commonwealth of Ʋenice, that hee should hereafter attempt nothing against my Do­minions, and dismisse his Army raised a­gainst me.

Hereupon, hee said flatly, hee would doe none of all this, and shewing himselfe more ready for the destruction of my Countrey, then desirous of the peace of Italy, he en­tred at the same time with a great Army into the Prouince of Vercelles, and spoiled, ouerthrew, and burnt in a most pittifull ma­ner, some Townes of the same.

Wherefore, that I might procure some ease to my distressed Prouince, and diuerse some whither else the most vehement and impetuous furie of the enemies, I led my Troupes to Nouarre, a Towne of the State [Page] of Millane, where I shewed euidently, that I wanted no opportunitie to reuenge the in­iuries done vnto mee. I could haue taken that Towne, I may say, with no difficultie at all, as being guarded by an vnsufficient Garison, and might also haue brought, if I had had the will, the whole state of Millane into vtter danger; but that his Catholike Maiestie might see my loue to publike peace, and my respect to him, I did not on­ly spare to satisfie to my griefe, but forbad also at my depart by a most strict Edict, that none of my men should, in any sort, enda­mage the People or Lands belonging to the said Towne.

What shall I say more? when I was at Ʋercelles, the Popes Nuncius, the most re­uerend Sauellus, and the most illustrious Marques of Rambouillet, Ambassadour of the most Christian King, to preserue the publike Peace of Italie, and mine, hauing propounded certaine Articles of agreemēt, I (though little aduantageous to me) assen­ted thereunto, and signed them with mine owne hand. Whereupon they hoping, that without any doubt, the Gouernour would [Page] likewise approue and signe the same, and iudging that for my part I had satisfied to the same, and that no further thing was wan­ting in that businesse, the peace was pro­claimed by their owne mouth, as being al­ready confirmed; but the vnlookt for euent deceiued, as in other matters, so in this, not onely their expectation, but their assured trust: for the Gouernour refused to signe, and the King himselfe, neglecting the an­swere, which we lookt for in few dayes, sent word secretly to the Gouernour, that hee should suddenly oppresse mee, being vn­ready, and mistrusting nothing lesse, and enter with all speede into my Dominions, continuing the Warre vndertaken against me with all vehemency.

Thus I make no doubt, but that it had beene already done with my estate, if those Letters, whereof I haue caused a Copie to bee sent to your Maiestie, being diuinely come into my hands, as I may iustly be­leeue, had not giuen mee assurance of the whole businesse. Wherefore, who can iust­ly finde fault with me, if being stirred vp by so frequent a breach of faith, I haue recourse [Page] to Armes against my most hateful enemies, for the welfare of my selfe, my children, and my countrey; for the defence of my honor, and for the liberty and dignity of Italie, yea and of the holy Empire?

How vnworthy a thing of your Maiestie, how shamefull should it be, if the Empire of Italie, which is committed to the Empe­rour, as he is King of the Romanes, should be said by all the World, to haue onely, du­ring your Raigne, beene translated, vnder a colour and false shaddow of Religion and publike Peace, to the Kingdome of Spaine, which acknowledgeth to hold of you the Dukedome of Millane, Sicily and Naples of the Pope?

What shall we thinke the world will say, when it shall heare that the attempts of the Spaniards haue proceeded so farre vnpu­nished, as not onely to fright with threat­nings, but also to dare to assault with armed hand, and to draw to an vnwilling warre a Duke of Sauoy, most renowned through his Predecessours, and most famous through his affinitie and alliance of bloud with most Kings of Europe, a Prince of the holy Em­pire, [Page] and perpetuall Vicary in Italie, draw­ing his off-spring from the Saxonian stocke, hauing held large & ample Dominions in Italie long before the Spaniards had any footing in the same, challenging his owne by a most iust right, & attempting nothing at all against them?

Moreouer, with what minde, doe wee thinke, shall the Germane Princes of the Empire giue hearing to Fame, when shee shall tell them, that they contend that the Citie of Asty and Countie thereof, which I haue acknowledged to hold of the holy Empire by my Edict, set vp in a place neere the said Citie, while I was in the same, ac­companied with the Ambassadors of diuers Princes, belongeth vnto them, as if, by my taking Armes against him, I had forfeited the same, which should be now fallen and adioyned to his Dominions, and publish that the Subiects and Vassals of the said Countrey, are freed from the Allegeance they haue sworne to the Duke of Sauoy? For certainly those great Princes could not but be much moued at the tidings of such a thing, which by an Act of mine, published [Page] in the publike places of the Dukedome of Millane, hath appeared to be idle and vaine, and which we know of a certaine, that the Magistrates of Millane themselues ha [...]e thought to be friuolous and ridiculous.

What will they say, when they shall heare at the same time, that the Marques of Sainct Crosse vpon the coast of Genua, hauing cra­ued the help of the Citie, hath with a migh­ty Nauie seyzed vpon my vnarmed Towns of Vnelia, Macer, and Petra-Lata, which the most Illustrious Duke Emanuel my Father, hauing bought of the Lords thereof, had subiected to the power of the holy Empire, and in the Inuestiture caused the same to be named, together with his other Dominions, which are yet at this day detayned by him? I doubt much, they will confirme therewith the opinion they haue of the Spaniards too greedie desire of getting.

Hence your Maiestie may coniecture, to what end I haue caused certaine small Townes belonging to the Empire, and sea­ted within the bowels of my Dominions, to be seyzed vpon, which hath beene onely to saue them from being taken and spoyled [Page] by the Spaniards, and the better and with lesse danger, to defend my possessions from their attempts: For I haue thought, the oc­cupation of those places to belong to him, who hath promised by a publike Act, all be­ing pacified, to restore the same vnto your Maiestie, and to one that is called perpetual Vicary of the Empire, the onely Prince of the same now left in Italie, & Vassall of your Maiestie; by whom your sacred Person cō ­ming downe into the said Countrey, either to take the Imperiall Crowne, or for any o­ther cause, shall be accompanied and hono­red: For shall wee thinke, that the King of Spaine, who playeth the Emperour in Italie, will follow after your pompe? May we sup­pose, that the Common-wealth of Ʋenice, that of Genua, or the Duke of Florence, will by duty celebrate your cōming with their companie? Nay, they doe boast to be freed from the Empire.

What of the Duke of Mantua himselfe? Who is ignorant that he dependeth onely, and altogether vpon the King of Spaine, ob­serueth his nods, hath committed himselfe to his protection, and hath vowed himselfe [Page] and all hee hath very strictly to his ser­uice?

And the other Princes, What? Are they not almost all subiect to the See of Rome, and do they not al receiue their Dignitie of the same? I am then reserued alone for the Splendor and Dignitie of your Maiestie, who acknowledge my selfe a Germane Prince, and my Possessions, and of my Pre­decessors, to haue proceeded from the libe­ralitie of the Emperours; and shall the Spa­niards, with the knowledge of your Maie­stie, dare to assault, and warre against me? Shall the Title of King of the Romanes, which you beare, restrained within the most strict limits of my Possessions, be suffered to bee violated and cut off, in the person of your Subiect and Vassall? Shall your Maiestie iudge it to bee fit, that a man, whom you ought to helpe and defend with all your forces, yea, against those of your owne Nation, if neede required, should not onely bee suffered to bee oppressed by the Armes of the Spaniards, and vn­worthily vsed like a slaue by the Gouer­nour of Millane, but also esteemed worthy [Page] to be punished by the seuere Proclamation of an Imperiall Ban? What so grieuous, and so hainous a thing should haue moued the Spaniards to take Armes against my Countrey, and your Maiestie, to decree an Imperiall Edict against me? Is it because, the King bidding mee to lay downe my Armes, I haue not presently obeyed? But whence haue the Kings of Spaine this new Authoritie ouer the Princes of the Empire? Whence this altogether new power? By what signe can they proue the same? Tru­ly, seeing the King doth not acknowledge the voluntarie obseruance, which hee hath receiued from the Princes of Italy, and chief­ly from my selfe, not out of dutie, or as due, but out of good will, and of our alliance of bloud, he deserueth with good right, to haue the same no more yeelded vnto him heere­after.

Besides, after I had promised to the Illu­strious Ambassadours, to lay downe my Armes, why did he not, as I requested, free me from the feare and danger I stood in, lest hee would attempt some thing against me? Was it, because I had entred with ar­med [Page] hand into the Dukedome of Millane? But he first had not onely inuaded my Do­minions, but also by his Souldiers wickedly raged in the same. But what hurt, what da­mage can hee shew I haue done to his? I haue things inow to shew most vilely com­mitted by his men, as spoyling of houses, whole Heards carryed away, and Townes burnt.

Is it, because I haue restored the golden Fleece? But if the Spaniards bee wise, they will rather attribute this to my respect to the King, because I durst not defend my selfe by Armes against him, afore I had sent back the Coller of the Order; deeming it an vnfit thing, if being a Knight of the Kings Order, I should with the same fight against his Armes, though in defence of mine owne.

Or lastly, is it, because the Spanish Am­bassadours wife, after the depart of her hus­band, hath been ill dealt withall, which was not suffered to goe out of Turin, before she had payed whatsoeuer shee owed in the Towne for daily houshold prouisions? But how foolish and ridiculous a thing is it, to [Page] taxe me with what hath beene done altoge­ther without my knowledge, whilest I was in the Campe at Ʋercelles? For if I had been present, I would haue payed the said debts with mine owne money.

Wherein did the Magistrate offend? Should they haue denyed Iustice, to such as demanded their owne by order of Law? How often did they admonish that Lady, after a friendly manner, to giue satisfaction to those poore men, and to remoue that shame from her selfe? But shee refusing to pay, they were at last constrained against their will, to grant a Sequestration of some small houshold stuffe of hers, which not long after they released. But grant we that they offended in some thing, in that busi­nesse; must Armes be taken vp therefore? Must a small iniurie bee reuenged with so much eagernesse? Must the Duke therefore be set in the Ban of the Empire? There was more reason, that a laying downe of Armes should haue beene enioyned to the Spani­ards, which had taken them vp without any cause, onely vnder a false colour of the pub­like Peace. It was vpon them, that the thun­der-bolt of the Ban was to be throwne, not [Page] on me, whom so many times breaking their faith, they haue deceiued, whose subiects they haue gone about to draw from their sworne allegeance, whose Dominions they had entred & occupied by maine strength.

I haue taken vp Armes; I doe not denie it: but I was thereunto constrained. I haue inuaded the Dukedome of Millane, but be­ing first prouoked. But what haue done those most glorious Dukes my Predeces­sours? Haue they not for the space of al­most sixe hundred yeeres made warres in Italie? What possessions haue they brought vnder their authority by Armes? How ma­ny of their Neighbour Princes haue they constrained to do homage vnto them? And yet we shall not find, that euer any Empe­ror did check them with the Imperiall Ban.

Shall I be then the onely Duke of Sauoy amongst so many, whom the Prince of Ca­stillion (a Minister not so much of your Ma­iestie, as of the King of Spaine, of whom hee hath receiued the golden Fleece, and an yeerely entertainement) shall haue accused by his said Edict? Will hee not blush for shame, to bring against me the sentence of the Imperiall Ban, by him receiued (as I sup­pose) [Page] from the Gouernour of Millane? For I will neuer bee perswaded to beleeue, that such a Decree, dated at no place, vnsigned by the Imperiall hand, as was requisite, should haue proceeded from your Maie­stie, rather will I euer constantly affirme it, either altogether false, or at the least gotten by stealth from your Maiesties Ministers by the Gouernour of Millane.

Thus then being the matter, nothing else seemeth to remaine, but that the equitie of my cause being knowne, I should request your Maiestie out of your supreme autho­ritie, of which, as of an Oracle, not my selfe onely, but all the world besides, doth de­pend, to declare the said Edict granted a­gainst me (since it was made without the knowledge and consent of your Maiestie) to be void, & of no worth, to make knowne to all the world my innocencie, and seuere­ly to punish those Ministers of yours that haue subscribed therevnto.

It will bee your Maiesties part likewise, out of your full power, to command the King of Spaine, as Duke of Millane, and con­sequently Vassall of the Empire, to dismisse with all speede, the Troupes he hath leuyed [Page] without any cause, for to harme me, to con­firme with his owne hand the Articles of Peace, to which I haue already subscribed, and to free all Italy, troubled with the ging­ling of the Spanish Armes, from further feare, as likewise to check and chastise, as he deserueth, the Gouernour of Millane, who with a madde and furious mind, carrieth the fire-brand of warres in his hands, only to sa­tisfie his greedy desire of money, filling with his whispering the Kings eares with many false things against me. And so do­ing, I hope your Maiestie will, with more glorie, maintayne your owne, and the holy Empires authority in Italie, which otherwise will be transferred to the Spaniard.

As for mine owne part, your Maiestie shall euer finde me most ready, not only to lay down the Armes which I haue taken vp for mine owne safetie, but also (after the ex­ample of my fore-fathers) to hazard all I haue, & mine owne life at your only nodde. In the meane time, hoping to haue your sin­gular and fauourable clemency and equity, in these my hard controuersies against the Spaniards, I will earnestly pray God, the only giuer of all things, long to preserue your Maiesty in full prosperity.