THE Discourse we had lately (dear Zeno. bio) in the delightful Gardens of our old deceased Friend Cosimo Rucellai, and the pressing importunity of Guileo Silviati, 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 incapable 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 aquainted with his Actions, or Apologize to the World for Imputations 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 ar­chieve [Page 2]that excellent end, without justifying himself from having any indirect and base ones, and procureing 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 yeelded (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 Choile 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, may 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 Glemen­cy; so that our Posterity is like to enjoy case and [Page 3]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 Democracie) given Law to I­taly, and bridled the Ambition of Forreign 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 insmuate my great Affection to the Democrical 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 Impie­ties, slighting and velifying the Church, as Author of all the misgovernment in the World, and by such contempt make way for Atheism and profaneness.

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 Coun­trey [Page 4]and Government have suffered more than [...] ­ges and revolutions, than ever did perhaps be­ [...] any People in so short a time, and having had till the taking of Flarence, my share in the managing of Affairs, during almost all these Al­terations; sometimes in the quality of Secretary of our City, and sometimes employed in Em­hass [...]s abroad; I set my self to read the Histo­ry 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 Acci­dens in in State Affairs, and to search out the cau­ses of them, and having in some sort satisfied my [...] therein, I could not abstain from scribling something of the two chief kinds of Govern­ment, Monarchy and Democracy, of which all o­ther forms are but mixtures, and since neither my [...]arts nor Learning could arrive to follow [...] steps of the Ancients, by writing according to Method and Art, as Plato, Aristotle, and ma­ny others have done upon this subject; I did [...] 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 Goverments of that kind upon Earth, and in my Discourses upon it, following the order of my Author, without ever taking upon me to argin problematicallie, much less to dici [...] which of these two Governments is the best: i [...] [Page 5]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 excellencie 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 eflect 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 mis-led, and to shew the World to what other causes we may impute those admirable effects, those Heroick qualities and performances, that integrity and purity of manners, that scorning of riches and life it self, when the publick was concerned: If they please to do this, they will oblidge my Readers, who will owe to such the rectifying their Judgements, and not at all offend me, who have reasoned this matter impartially and without passion; nor have positively affirmed any thing. But, what if this part of my accusation had been true? Why should I be condemned of Heresie, or indiscre­tion of preferring a Common wealth before a Mon­archy? Was I not Born, Bred, and imployed in [Page 6]a City, which being at the time I write, 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 their Declamations) I might easily have concluded from the premisses I lay down, that a Democracy 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 Flatto­rers 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, 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 Deific, a better and superiour Nature to Humanity, must Creat a necessary depen­dance of all Creatures upon him, must endue him with infinite wisdom and goodness, and even with Omnipotency it self. It will be hard for any man to be mis-led in this Argument by proofs wrested 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 [Page 7]Government was a Common wealth (where in the [...]nchadrim or Senate, and the Congregation or [...]opular Assembly had their share) and that he [...]hanifested his high displeasure when the rebelli­ [...]us people would turn it into a Monarchy; but that I may not stricke upon the rock I profess to shun, I shall pass to that which is fit indeed 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 Politlcks. And how can any man pretend to wrire concerning Policy, who destroys the most [...] sential 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 government 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 passages they imagine to tend that way, (for I can think of none my self (that so I may give such persons more particular satisfaction; I must confess I have a discourse in one of my Books, to encou­rage the Italian Nation, to assume their ancient [Page 8]valour, and to expel the Barbarians, meaning (as the ancient Romans used the word) a [...] Strangers from amongst us; but that was before the Kings of Spain had quiet possession of the Kingdom of Naples, or the Emperour of the Dutchy of Milan; so that I could not be interpre­ted to mean that the people of those two Domi­nious should be stir'd up to shake off their Prim­ces, because they were Forreigners, 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 Countrey-men not to suffer this Province to be the Scene of the Arms and Ambition 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 good were plundered, and our Lands wasted, but even the liberty of our Cities and Government 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 if the Chapter it self, 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 al [...] [Page 9] claindestine Conspiracies too, by which the peace and quiet of any Countrey may be interrupted, and by consequence the Lives and Estates of in­nocent Persons endangered. Rebellion then so described, I hold to be the greatest crime that can be committed amongst men, both against Policy, Morality, and in foro Conseientiae; but notwithstanding all this, it is an offence which will be committed whilst the World lasts, as of­ten as Princes tyrannize, 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 in justice, when ever either the weakness of their Princes, the unamity of the People, or any o­ther favourable accident, shall give them rea­sonable hopes to mend their condition, and pro­ [...]ide better for their own interest by insurrection. [...]o that Princes and States ought in the Conduct of their Affairs, not only to consider what their [...]cople are bound to submit to; if they were in­pired from Heaven, or were all Moral Philo­ophers; 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 [Page 10]only upon oppression, but even by reason of Malver [...]ation, and how some Monarchies have been wholly subverted and changed into Demo­cracies by the Tyranny of the Princes; as we see (to say nothing of Rome) the powerful Cantons of Switzerland brought by that means a little before the last age, to a considerable Common­wealth, courted and sought by all the Potents in Christendom. If Princes will seriously consider this, I make no question but they will Rule with Clemency and Moderation, and return to that excellent Maxim of the Ancients (almo [...] exploded in this Age) that the interest of Kings and of their People is the same, which truth [...] hath been the whole design of my Writings to convince them of.

I am charged then, in the second place, with Impiety, and villifying the Church, and so to make way for Atheism. I do not deny but that I have fre­quently in my Writings laid the blame upon the Church of Rome, not only for all the misgovern­ment of Christendom; but even for the Depra­vation and almost total Destruction of Christian Religion it self in this Province; But that this Di [...] ­course 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 not but refer you and all others to my Papers themselves, as they are now published (where you will find all my [Page 11]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 protestation, 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 perswaded, that all Divine Verities, which GOD then designed to rach 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 innocen­cie, and that the first of that Species, by their frailty, lost at once their integrity and their Pa­radise, and intail'd sin and misery upon their Posterity; that Almighty GOD to repair this [...]oss, did out of his infinite Mercy, and with un­parallel'd grace and goodness, send his only be­gotten Son into the World, to teach us new truths, to be a perfect example of virtue, good­ness, and obedience, to restore true Religion, de­generated amongst the Jews into Superstition, [...]orinality, and Hypocrisie, to die for the Salva­tion of Mankind; and in fine, 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 Parents [Page 12]did at that time disappoint the good intention of GOD, in making a pure World, and brought in by their disobedience the corruptions that ar [...] now in it. So that since likewise the Bishops of Rome, by their insatiable ambition and avarice have designedly, as much as in them lves, frustra­ted the Mercitul Purpose He had, in the happy Restauration He intended the World by H [...] Son, and in the renewing and reforming of H [...] ­mane Nature, and have wholly defaced, and spoiled Christian Religion, and made it a World­ly and a Heathenish thing, and altogether [...] ­capable, as it is practised amongst them, either of directing the wayes of its prosessors to viru [...] and good life, or of saving their Souls hereafter [...] I say, this do appear I know no reason why I [...] detesting thus much, and for giving warning to the World to take heed of their wayes, should be accused of Impiety or Atheism; or why [...] Holiness should be so inraged against the p [...] Inhabitants of the Valleys in Savoy, and again [...] the Albigesi for calling him Antichrist: but to fi [...] that it is an undoubted truth, I mean that [...] Popes have corrupted Christian Religion, [...] need but read the New Testament (acknowledg [...] by themselves to be of infallible truth and the [...]e we shall see, that the Faith and Religion pre [...] ­ched by Christ, and setled afterwards by his Apostles, and cultivated by their Sacred Epistle [...] is so different a thing from the Christianity th [...] [Page 13] [...] 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 Marryrdom 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 Go­vernment, 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 in stead thereof, Sordid, Cowardly, and impolitick Notions, whereby they have subjected Mankind, and even great Princes and States, to their own Empire, and never suffered any Orders or 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 [Page 14]a litle more particularly of my first assert [...] that the Pope and his Clergy have deprvied Chri­stian Religion. Upon this subject I could in [...] ­nitely wish, now Letters begin to revive agai [...] that some Learned Pen would employ it sel [...] and that some person vers'd in the Chronolig [...] of the Church (as they call it) would deduce o [...] of the Ecclesiastical Writers, the time and ma [...] ­ner how these abuses crept in; and by what A [...] and Steps this Babel that reaches at Heaven, w [...] built by these Sons of the Earth; but this mat [...] as unsuitable to the brevity of a Letter, and [...] deed more to my small Parts and Learning, shall not pretend to, being one who never hithe [...] to studied or write of Theology, further than [...] did naturally concern the Politicks; therefore shall only deal by the New Testament as I hav [...] done formerly by Titus Livius, that is, mak [...] observations or reflections upon it, and leav [...] you and Mr. Guilio, and the rest of our Society to make the judgement, nor 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 unmeasureable power, long claim'd. and now possess'd by the Bishop of Rome, is deriv­ed, first of being CHRISTS Vicar, and by that (as I may so say) pretending to a Monopo­ly of the Holy Spirit (which was promised and [Page 15]given to the whole Church, that is, to the Elect, [...] Saints) as is plain by a clause in St. Peters Ser­ [...]on, made the very same time that the mira­ [...]ulous gifts of the Spirit of GOD were first given [...]o the Apostles, who says to the Jews and Gen­ [...]iles, Repent and be Baptized every one of you in the [...]ame of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye [...]hall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, for this promise [...]s to you and to your Children, and to all that are afar [...]ff, 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 absolute 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 Iestament 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 A­ [...]ocalyps, or in one of St. Paul's Episties, where he sayes, 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 be must be ser­want to the rest; which shews that his Followers were to be great in Sanctity and Humility, and not in worldly power.

The Apostle Paul writing to the Christians [...] those times, almost in every Epistle comman [...] them to be obedient to the Higher Powers, or Mag [...] ­strates set over them; and St. Peter himself (from whom this extravagant Empire is pretended t [...] be derived) in his first Epistle, bids us submit o [...] selves to every ordinance of man for the LORDS sake whether it be to the King, or, &c and this is en [...] joyn'd although it is plain, that they who go [...] vern'd the World in those days, were bot [...] Heathens, Tyrants, and Usurpers, and in th [...] submission there is no exception or proviso for Ec [...] ­clesiastical immunity. The practice as wel as pre­cepts of those Holy Men shews plainly that the [...] had no intention to leave Successors, who should deprive Hereditary Princes from their right o [...] Reigning for differing in Religion, who without all doubt are by the appointment of the Apostl [...] 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 Jews or Gentiles. If I should tell you by what Texts in Scripture the Popes claim the powers before mentioned, it would stir you up to laughter, and prove too light for so serious a matter; yet because possibly you have never 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 pardoning sins, [Page 17]comes from CHRIST to St. Peter, and, from [...]im to them. Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock [...] will build my Church, I will give thee the Keyes of [...]he Kingdom of Heaven; whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatsoever thou [...]halt 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 wholsome Plants growing upon it; The first Text will never by any man of sense be under­stood 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 remitted, and whose sins ye retain they are retained) are all by the primitive Fathers in­terpreted in this manner, wheresover you shall effectually preach the Gospel, you shal carry with you Grace, and Remission of sins to them which shall follow your instructions; but the people who shal 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 presignified by our great Master, how [Page 18]unlike were those censures to those now thunder­ed out (as he calls it) by the Pope? these we [...] for edification, and not destruction, to affli [...] the flesh for the salvation of the Soul, that th [...] Apostolical Ordinance was pronounced for som [...] notorious scandal or Apostacy from the Faith and first decreed by the Church; that is, th [...] whole Congregation present, and then denoun­ced by the Pastor, and reached only to deba [...] such persons from partaking of the Communi [...]on 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 shal 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 Canonists, 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 lyable to any judgment himself; whereas it is obvious to the meanest understanding: St. Paul in t [...] is text means to distinguish between a person inspired with the Spirit of God, and remaining one in the state of Nature, which latter he sayes cannot judge of those Heavenly gifts and graces, as he [Page 19]explains himself when he says, The natural man [...]nnot discern the things of the Spirit, because they are [...]olishness unto him. To take my leave of this matter wholly out of the way of my Studies, I shall beg of you Zen [...]bio and of Guilio, and the rest of out Society to read over carefully the New Testament, 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 Idolatrous worship of Saints, and their Images, and particularly for speaking in their hymes and prayers to a piece of wood (the Cross I mean (Salve Lignum, &c. and then fae nos dignos beneficiorum Christi, as you may read in that Office, what colour, or rather what excuse 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 dreadful Pri­sons of this Inquisition, many faithful and pious Christians (to say nothing of honest Moral M [...]ors or Mahometans) are tormented and sa­mish'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 [Page 20]upon these poor Creatures, by those who prose to believe the Scripture, which tells us, th [...] faith is the gift of God, without whose specia [...] Illumination no man can obtain it; and the [...] fore is not in reason or humanity to be punish for wanting it: And Christ himself hath so clea [...] ­ly decided that point in bidding unlet the [...]a [...] and the wheat grow together till the Harves [...] that I shall never make any difficulty [...]o call h [...] Antichrist, who shall use the least persecuti [...] whatsoever against any differing in m [...]ers faith from himself, whether the person [...]d senting, be Heretick, Jew, Gentile, or Mo [...]bonnet Next I beseech you to observe in reading th [...] Holy Book (though Christian fasts are doubtl [...] of Divine right) what ground there is for enjoy­ing fish to be eaten (at least flesh to be abstain [...] from) for one third part of the year, by whi [...] they put the poor to great hardship, whom having purses to buy wholsome fish, are subject [...] to all the miseries and diseases incident to a b [...] and unhealthful dyet, whilst the rich, and chief [...] themselves and their Cardinals, exceed Lucull in their Luxury, of Oysters, Turbats, tinder Cral and Carpioni brought some hundreds of miles feed their gluttony, upon these penitential day of abstinence from Beeff and Perk, It may be will lye in the way of those who observe th [...] to enquire what St. Paul means when he say That in the latter dayes some shall depart from the fa [...] [Page 21]forbidding to marry, and Commanding to abstain from [...]eats which God hath ereated to be received with [...]banksgiving; but all these things, and many [...]her abuses brought in by these Perverters of [...]hristianity, will I hope [...]re long be enquired to by some of the Disciples of that bold Fryer, [...]ho the very same year in which I profesied [...]at the scourge of the Church was not far off, [...]gan to thunder against their Indulgencies, and [...]nce hath questioned many tenets long received [...]d imposed upon the world. I shall conclude is discourse after I have said a word of the [...]ost Hellish of all the innovations brought in [...] the Popes, which is the Clergy; these are a [...]t of men under pretence of ministring to the [...]ople in holy things, set a part and separated [...]m the rest of mankind (from whom they [...]ve a very distinct, and a very opposite in­ [...]est) by a humane Ceremony called by a [...]vine name; viz Ordination, these wherever [...]ey are found (with the whole body of the [...]onks and Fryers, who are called the regula [...] [...]ergy) make a Band which may be called th [...] [...]nizaries of the Papaey; these have been the causer all the Soloecisms and immoralities in Go [...] [...]ment, and of all the impieties and abomina [...] [...]ns in Religion, and by consequence of all th [...] [...]order, villany, and corruption we suffe [...] [...]der in this detestable Age; these men by th [...] [...]shop of Rome's help have crept into all th [...] [Page 22]Governments in Christendom, where there is an [...] mixture of Monarchy, and made themselves a third estate: that is, by their temporalities (which are almost a third part of all the Lands in Europ [...] given them by the blind zeal, or rather folly o [...] the Northren people, who over ran this part o [...] the world) stept into the throne, and wha [...] they cannot perform by these secular helps, and by the dependancy their vassals have upon them, they fail not to claim and to usurp, and by the power they pretend to have from God and his Vicegerent 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 Soveraignty in testamentary matters, and many other causes; and take upon them to be the sole punishers of many great Crimes, as Witchcraft, Sorcery, Adultery, and all unclean­ness; to say nothing of the forementioned judi­catory of the inquisition: in these last cases they [...]urn the offenders over to be punish'd (when [...]hey have given Sentence) by the secular arm, [...] they call the Magistrate, who is blindly to ex­ [...]cute their decrees under pain of Hell fire; as if Christian Princes and Governours were appoint­ [...]d only by God to be their Bravo's or Hang­men. They give protection and Sanctuary, to all [Page 23]execrable offenders, even to Murderers them­selves, (whom God commanded to be indis­ [...]ensably puni [...]'d with death) it they come with­ [...] their Churches, Cloysters, or any other place, which they will please to call holy ground; and [...]f the ordinary justice, nay, the Soveraign power, do proceed against such offenders, they thunder out their Excommunication; 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 Ancestors, when for but forbidding the servant of a poor Carmelite Fryer who had vowed poverty, and should have kept none) to go arm'd, and punish­ing his disobedience, with imprisonment, our whole Senate with their Confalonier 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 destructive 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 these thousand years upon the catch, and a form'd united Corporation against the parity of [Page 24]Religion, and the interest of Mankind, and has not only wrested the Holy Scripture to their on advantage (which they have kept from the La­ty in unknown languages, and by prohibitin the reading thereof) but made use likewise first of the blind devotion and ignorance of the Goths, Vandals, Huns, &c. and since of the am bition and avarice of Christian Princes, stirting them up one against another, and sending them upon foolish errands to the Holy Land, to lost their lives, and to leave their Dominions, it the mean time, exposed to themselves and their Complices, They have besides kept Leatning and Knowledge among themselves, stiffling the light of the Gospel, crying down Moral vertue [...] as splendid sins, defacing humane policy, de­stroying the purity of the Christian faith and profession, and all that was virtuous, prudent, regular and orderly upon eatth, 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 glorious 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, [...] [Page 25] [...]nd then leave this subject. The word Clergy, is [...] term wholly unknown to the Scriptures, otherwise then in this sense; a particular People or GOD'S 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 some faith with us; sometimes, To all who in all places call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus, &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 signify indifferently all the people assembled to­ [...] ther; which is likewise the literal constructi­on of the word Ecclesia, which is an assembly or [...]eeting; in these Congregations or Churches was performed their Ordination, which proper­ly signifies no more than a decree of such As­sembly; but is particularly used for an Election of any into the Ministry. 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 [Page 26]Pastor, Elder, or Deacon) some good Holy man to be Elected, which person if he had parts or gifts, such as the Church could edify 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 maintained 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 structure 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 [Page 27]his poor enslaved Members out of their Chur­ches, and 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 concucing to the best and most pru­dent policy, so fitted for obedience to Magistra­ty and Government, all which the world hath for many years been deprived of, by the exe­crable and innate ill quality, which is insepa­table from priest-craft, and the conjuration or spell of their new invented ordination; by which they cry with the Poet,

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 con­sidence 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 pretence 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 [...] believing or not believing of what they [Page 28]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 courtesie) 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 prophecy before I conclude; that if Princes shall perform this but siness by halves, and leave any root of this Cler­gy or Priestcraft, as it now is, in the ground or if that famous Reformer, fled some year since out of Picardy to Geneva, who is of to great renown for learning and parts, and who pro­mises us so perfect a Reformation, shall not it this 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 [...] cut out the core of the Ulcer, and the bag of th [...] imposture, that it may never rankle or feste any more, nor break out hereafter, to diffusive new corruption and putrifaction through the body of Christ, which is his Holy Church, [...] to vitiate and infect the good order and true [...] licy of Government.

I come now to the last branch of my charge, which is, That I teach Princes villany, and how to [...]ive and oppress their Subjects, In which accusati­on I am dealt with as poor Agnolo Canini was, who as they report, being a very learned practiser of the Laws, and lest the only man of this professi­on (one Autumn) in our City, the rest of the Advocates being fled into the countrey for fear of a contagious Disease which then reigned, was commanded 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 on slave and oppress them; but I did not expect such ingratitude from mine own Citizens, or to be served as Moses was, when he was upbraided for killing the Fgyptian, 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 in delivering them from the horrid slavery they were then under. If any man will read over my Book of the Prince with impartiality and ordinary charity, he will easi­ly perceive, that it is not my intention therein to recommend that Government, or those men there discribed, to the world; much less to [Page 30]teach them to trample upon good men, and a that is Sacred and Venerable upon earth, Law 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 manking will know them the better to avoid them, m [...] Treatise being both a Satyr against them, and [...] true Character of them: I speak nothing o [...] great and honourable Princes, as the Kings o [...] England, France, and others; who have th [...] Sta [...]es and Orders of their Kingdoms with ex­cellent Laws, and Constitution, to found and maintain their Government; and who reig [...] 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 blast that come from Rome, Olivaretto da Fermo, Borgi [...] the Baglioni, the Bentivoglio, and a hundred others who having had neither right nor honourable means to bring them to their power, use is with more violence, rapin, 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 [...] [Page 31]very Devil incarnate; or if he be neither of these, both his life and reign are alike 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 fals 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, and Ʋguccione della Fagivola to one who upbraided him, that he never employed honest men; answered, Ho­nest men will cut my throat, let the King use honest men, meaning 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 then I am accused of, I will confess, 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 strick moral sense, or point of honour, but explaing my self that defacta the infamy of the breach of word, would quickly be forgotten and pardoned by the world; which is very true. Nay, what if I had said that good success in any interprizes (a far [Page 32]less consideration than piety to our Country) would have cancell'd the bleam of such perfidy as Caesar (whom I compare to Cataline) us'd to­wards his fellow Citiz [...]ns, not only not 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 flatters 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 laying before the former, the helish 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 common­wealths and Governments, which might give hope and opportunity to those who are ambiti­ous 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 [Page 33]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, Boyles, 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 exhort men to get this Disease; much less did he bring this lamentable infirmity into the world, but discribes it faithfully as it is, to the end men may be detered, and avoid the being infected with it, and may discern and cure, whenever their incontinence and folly shall procure it them. I shall say no more in this matter; but to conclude all make a prote­station, that as well in this Book, as in all my other Writing, my only scope and design is to promote the interest and welfare of manking, 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 by 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,Chief Ma­gistrate. and of a Family which hath had many Con­saloniers of Justice in it; so I have been [Page 34]used in many imployments of great trust, both in our City and abroad; and at this hour am not in my Estate one penny the better for them all, not should I have been, al­though I had never surfered any losses by the seizure 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 Midici, but honoured the person 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 Common­wealth. During the turbulent times of Piero, and after his expulsion out of Florence, though my employments were bu [...] Ministerial, my ad­vice was ask'd in many grave matters, which I ever delivered with impartiality and indiffe­rence, 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 oblieged me to serve the pre­vailing Party, when possess'd of the Govern­ment of our City; this I speak for those changes that happened between the flight of the laid Pien [...] de Medici, and the horrid Parricide committed by Clement the 7th. upon his indulgent Mother, joyning with his greatest enemies, and uniting himself with those who had used the most trans­cendent insolence to his own person, and the [Page 35]highest violence and fury the Sun ever saw to his poor Courtiers and Subjects, and so accompain­ed he might sheath his Sword in the bowels of his own desolate Country. At that time, and during that whole Siege, I must confess I did break the confines of my Neutrality, and not only acted as I was commanded barely, but rouz'd my self, and stir'd up others haranguing (in the Streets and 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 Journeys to Ferrucio, and then into the Mugello and other parts, to bring in Succours and Pro­visions to our languishing City, and acting as a Souldier (which was a new profession to me) at the age of above sixty, when others are des­pensed 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 befel me after our Ca­tastrophe, and to rejoyce in them so far, that all the malice and cruelties of our enemies, could never draw one word from me unsutable to the honour I thought I merited, and 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, [Page 36]who hath been pleased to offer me all the prefer ments the greatest ambi [...]ion could aspire to which I did not refuse out of any scruple to serve so incomparable a Prince, who see early years manifest so much courage, humanity, and prudence, and so fatherly a care of the publick good, but because I was very desireous not to accept of a charge which I was not able to per­form, my years and infirmities having not brought me to a condition in which I am fitte [...] to live in a Cloyster then a Palace, and made me good for nothing but to talk of past times the common vice of old Age: So that I did n [...] think it just or grateful to reward this exce [...]lent person so ill for his kindness, as to give him [...] useless Servant, and to fill up the place of a fat 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 entertained with you & formerly with your deceased Father, the com­panion of my Studies, and ornament of our City. And so I bid you farewell,

The first of April, 1537.