Rom. Cesar che Punto s'ha? Pasq. Si sta a Primera. Il Papa dice a voi, e vuol partito: Teme a scoprir che di trovar non tenta. Tutti stanno a vedetta. Chi di lor dui guadagni. Rom. Il Papa? Pas. E fuora Lo Imperatore ancora Teme, tien stretto, e scopre pian le carte, Metti questi in disparte. Stabilito è nel Ciel quello che esser dé, Nè giova al nostro dir, questo sarà, questo è. The French king in the summer, 1551, proclaimed war against Charles king of Spain, abusing that name for a subtlety to separate the whole quarrel from the Empire: when the emperor would not be persuaded at Augsburg that either the Turk would, or the French king durst, make him open war, or that any prince in Italy or Germany could be enticed to break out with him. Monsieur Mariliac, the French ambassador at Augsburg, even bare the emperor in hand that such rumours of war were raised of displeasure, and that his master intended nothing so much as the continuance of amity; yea this he durst do, when many in the emperor's court knew that the war was already proclaimed in France. The emperor, blinded with the over-good opinion of his own wisdom, liking only what himself listed, and contemning easily all advice of others (which self-will condition doth commonly follow, and as commonly doth hurt all great wits), did not only at this time suffer himself thus to be abused; but also afterward more craftily by the pope for the continuance of war at Parma, and more boldly by Duke Maurice for his repair to Inspruck, and not the least of all, now lately at Metz by some of his own counsellors for the recovery of that town. But princes and great personages which will hear but what and whom they list, at the length fail when they would not, and commonly blame whom they should not: but it is well done, that as great men may by authority contemn the good advice of others, so God doth provide by right judgment that they have leave in the end to bear both the loss and shame thereof themselves. Thus ye see how the pope was both the brewer and broacher and also bringer of ill luck to both these princes; and as it came well to pass, drank well of it himself, both with expenses of great treasures and with the loss of many lives, and especially of two noble gentlemen, the prince of Macedonia and Il Sign. Giovan Baptista di Monte his own nephew. But the pope's care was neither of money nor men, so that he might set the two princes surely together. And therefore he was not only content (as a man might say) to hazard Parma on the main chance; but, to make the two princes better sport and fresher game, set also even then Mirandula on a bye chance, that mischief enough might come together. When the princes were well in, and the one so lusty with good luck that he had no lust to leave, and the other so chafed with leesing [losing] that still he would venture besides their playing in sport for the pope at Parma and Mirandula, they fell to it a good themselves in Piedmont, Lorraine, Flanders, and Picardy, the French king robbing by sea and spoiling by land, with calling in the Turk, and stirring up all princes and states that had any occasion to bear any grudge to the emperor. Of all their neighbours, only our noble king and the wise senate of Venice would be lookers-on. And when the pope saw they were so hot at it, as he well knew as the one would not start in so great good luck, so the other could not leave by so much shame of loss. And although it did him good to see them so lustily together; nevertheless he thought it scarce his surety that they should play so near his elbow so earnestly, lest if they fell too far out, and the one should win too much of the other, then he peradventure would compel at length the pope himself, which began the play, to keep him sport afterward for that that he had in Italy. And therefore very craftily he gat them to play in another place, and took up the game for Parma and Mirandula, taking truce with France for certain years, and bad them make what sport they would further off in Lorraine and Picardy. And that there should lack neither injury nor spite in the pope's doings, when the emperor saw that, whether he would or no, the pope would needs fall in with France, then he desired the pope that such bastillions and forts of fence as were made about Mirandula when it was besieged, might either be delivered to his men's hands, or else defaced, that the Frenchmen might not have them; which request was very reasonable, seeing the emperor had been at all the charge in making of them: but they were neither delivered nor defaced, nor left indifferent, but so put into the Frenchmen's hands, that Mirandula now is made very strong to the French faction by the emperor's money, and the pope's falsehood. This fact was very wrongful of the pope for the deed, but more spiteful for the time: for even when Duke Maurice had won Augusta, even then the pope gave up the siege of Mirandula, and fell in with France, that care enough might come upon the emperor together, both out of Germany, and out of Italy at once. And even this day, 25th June, 1553, when I was writing this place, cometh news to Brussels, that the pope hath of new played with the emperor more foul play at Siena, than he did before at Mirandula; for when the emperor had been at passing charges in keeping a great host for the recovery of Siena, from December last unto June, the pope would needs become stickler in that matter between the emperor, the French king, and Siena, promising such conditions to all, as neither of the princes should lose honour, and yet Siena should have had liberties. The emperor, good man, yet again trusting him who so spitefully had deceived him before, dismissed his host; which done, Siena was left still in the Frenchmen's hands; who thereby have such opportunity to fortify it, as the emperor is not like, by force, to recover it. Piramus, secretary to the emperor, told this tale to Sir Philip Hobby and the bishop of Westminster openly at the table, which Piramus is a papist for his life. And being asked how he could excuse the pope's unkindness against his master the emperor; he answered smiling, Julius Tertius is a knave, but the pope is an honest man; which saying is common in this court. And although they well understand both the spite of the pope, and the shame of their master, yet are they content still to speak well of the pope, though he never theless still do ill to the emperor. And thus to return to my purpose, how the pope set the two princes together, and shift his own neck a while out of the halter, leaving most unfriendly the emperor when he was farthest behind-hand; and how Octavio, for fear of Gonzaga, and unkindness of the Emperor, fell with all his family to be French; I have briefly passed over, for the haste I have to come to the matters of Germany. THE PRINCE OF SALERNE. HE emperor being thus set upon by the Turk and France with open war, and troubled by the house of Farnesia with so sudden breaches, and most of all encumbered with the fear of the stirs in Germany, which secretly were then in working; the prince of Salerne also declared himself an open enemy. This prince in this court is much beloved for his gentleness, and openly praised for his wisdom, and greatly lamented for his fortune, who before-time hath done so good and faithful service to the emperor; that I have heard some of this court say, which love the emperor well, and serve him in good place, that their master hath done the prince so much wrong, as he could do no less than he did; who being so unjustly handled by his enemy, the viceroy of Naples, and so unkindly dealt withal by his master the emperor, was driven by necessity to seek an unlawful shift. The viceroy Don Petro de Toledo, uncle to the duke of Alva, and father-in-law to the duke of Florence, used himself with much cruelty over the people of Naples, by exactions of money without measure, by inquisition of men's doings without order, and not only |