eformed:
wherfore we shalbe right glad, that you conserue the Common
wealth in the state wherin your vncle Nerua left it, consideryng
specially that new Prynces vnder colour to introduce new
customs, do ouerthrow their common Wealths: fourtene Prynces
your predecessours in the Empyre were naturally borne in Rome,
and you are the firste straunger Prynce. Wherefore we pray the
immortall Gods, (sith that the stocke of our auncient Caesars is
dead) to send thee good Fortune. Out of the countrey of Spaine
was wont to come to this our Romane city great abundance of
gold, siluer, steele, leade, and tinne, from theyr mines: but
now in place thereof, she giueth vs Emperours to gouern our
common wealths: sith then that thou commest of so good a
countrey as Spayne is, from so good a Prouince as is Vandolosia,
and from so excellent a citty as Cales is, of so noble and
fortunate a Linage as is Cocceius, and aduaunced to so noble an
Empire, it is to be supposed that thou wilt proue good and not
euil: for the Gods immortall many times do take away their
graces from vngratefull men: moreouer (most excellent prince)
sith you wrote vnto vs the maner and order what we ought to doe:
reason it is that we write to you agayne what you ought to
foresee: and sith you haue tolde vs, and taught vs to obey you,
meete it is that we may know what your pleasure is to commaunde:
for that (it may come to passe) that as you haue bene brought vp
in Spayne, and of longe time bene absent from Rome, through
followinge the Warres, that not knowing the lawes whereunto we
are sworn, and the customes which we haue in Rome, yee commaunde
some thinge that may redound to our damage, and to your
dishonor: and therefore we accoumpt it reason that your Maiesty
bee aduertised hereof, and the same preuented, for so much as
Princes oftentimes be negligent of many things, not for that
they wil not foresee the same, but rather for want of one that
dare tell them what they ought to doe: and therefore we humbly
beseech your most excellent maiesty, to extende and shewe forth
your wisedome and prudence, for that the Romanes hearts bene
drawen and made pliant rather by fauourable diligence, than by
prouoked force. Touchinge the vertue, Iustice, may it please you
to remembre the same: for your olde vncle Nerua was wont to say,
that a Prince for all his magnanimity, valiaunce, and felicity,
if he do not vse and maintayne Iustice, ought not for any other
merite to be praysed a