A RELATION OF THE NOW PRESENT WARS, BETWEEN the Illustrious L. CHARLES EMANVEL, D. of Savoy, Piedmont, etc. and the L. CARDINAL of Mantua, D. of Montferrat; seconded by the King of SPAIN.  
The Emperor's Decree, and the Duke of SAVOY his Letter to the Emperor, wherein the whole occasion of the Wars is briefly declared.  
Translated out of the Latin COPY.  
LONDON, Printed by W. Stansby for Nathaniel Butter, and are to be sold at his shop under Saint Augustine's Gate. 1615.   

CHARLES' EMANVEL DUKE OF SAVOY, TO HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY.  
THESE my Letters shall perhaps come to your Majesty later, than the matter required, your Majesty desired, and myself purposed. But it is not always in our power to satisfy to our desires, when we list, and businesses falling out daily do often force us to defer that, whereunto we have a propension and will. For as I was purposing with myself to open the state of my businesses to your Majesty, and not only to take counsel, but also to implore your clemency and equity in this my new controversy with the King of Spain; an Imperial Decree, whereof here followeth the copy, was sent me by the Prince of Castillion.  

THE DECREE OF HIS IMPERIAL MAJESTY, concerning the present Wars in SAVOY, etc.  
WHereas notice hath been given to his sacred Imperial Majesty, our most gracious Lord, by a true relation and authentical record, that the Imperial Decree concerning the dismissing and cashiering of the Soldiers, and the removing of all other things, which might hurt the Province of Montferrat, or in any sort trouble the peace and tranquillity of Italy, given against the most illustrious Lord, Charles Emanuel, Duke of Saucy, Piedmont, etc. hath upon the eight day of july, in the year of our Lord 1614 been duly and lawfully proclaimed and published, insomuch that the Tenor and Contents thereof are fully come to the knowledge of the said Duke, of whose obedience to which nevertheless, there is not as yet any due assurance come, either to his said Majesty, or his Imperial Deputy: Therefore his Imperial Majesty doth again seriously & severely ordain to the said Duke, presently and without any further exceptions or delays, to satisfy thoroughly, and in all points to the said Decree; to withdraw and cashier, assoon as possible may be, all his Troops, without endamaging any body; to abstain from henceforth from all actions of hostility against the Lord Cardinal of Mantua, Duke of Montferrat, and his Dominions, or against any man else; and a month after the signification hereof (which time is prefixed unto him for all term and prorogation) to show fully in the Imperial Court, to have sufficiently and thoroughly satisfied to the said Decree and this Imperial sentence, and that upon pain (if he neglect to do it within the said time) to be declared allyable now as then, and then as now, to the penalty contained in the said Decree, and that it shall be proceeded against him more sharply.  
Decreed by the Emperor the 24. of December, in the year of our Lord 1614 Subscribed, Barvitius Chancellor.   
Wherefore having received the said Decree, I could not but be much moved at it, when I saw it was done against the orders of Law, against the ordinances of our Predecessors, and against common custom, in a thing of such weight, wherein a Duke of Savoy, Prince of the sacred Empire, and perpetual Vicary in Italy, was to be brand-marked with the shameful note of the Imperial Ban, unless he would dismiss the Troops by him gathered; specially when I observed that the date thereof showed no certain place, and that it wanted the subscription of the Imperial hand.  
But what is this, how grievous is it to read, and harsh to hear, that being ignorant of your former Decrees, and of all your significations and threatenings, I should be so severely checked as disobedient to the Imperial injunctions; & that being bound to repress the Governor of Milan, who these many months, with his great Troops of armed men, hath troubled the peaceable State of Italy, and attempted not only to invade, but also to spoil utterly the Frontiers of my Dominions, you (as though you were ignorant of what is known to all the World) should wink at his too bold attempts, and out of your absolute Authority, command me, who do nothing else but most justly challenge my own right alone to lay down the Arms, which I have taken up for the preservation of mine own Dominions?  
What meaneth this, I pray you, to dismiss my Troops against any man else soever they should be intended, but only (if thereby the Governor of Milan be understood) to take from me all means of defence in a most just cause, which are not only granted by human Laws, but by divine also, to defraud me of the hope I have in your justice, in this dangerous estate of my affairs, and willingly to arm the hand of mine enemy for the destruction of myself and my Country? All which (most invincible Caesar) should I confess, have wounded my mind more deeply, if this cogitation of mine had not applied some remedy unto it, viz. that this Decree hath either been made, your Majesty being ignorant of it, or is slipped from your hands through the deceit and fraud of some crafty and wicked men, to which it cannot have been hard to deceive your Majesty, being ignorant of the subtle fallacy of this business.  
Wherefore, I think, I shall do well and fitly, briefly to show your Majesty the state of this controversy, repeating the same from the very beginning, that knowing the equity of the matter, you may fully and absolutely judge, not of my cause, but of yours.  
What moved me first to take Arms against the Duke of Mantua, your Majesty may easily have known, both by the publishing of my Writings, and by the general speech of all the World; neither do I think you are ignorant of my readiness, in fulfilling the desires, both of your Majesty, and the King of Spain, by my surrendering, at your only nod, those Towns that by right belong to me, and which I had taken by force, in the Province of Montferrat. At which time, may it please you, but to call to mind, what great and divers matters the Governor of Milan promised, though but with a wavering faith. For having begun to satisfy on my side, and my mind expecting some performance of his promises, he, without shame, hath broken his faith, which he had obliged before so many witnesses, denying, for the most part, his said promises, linger and delaying in those, which he can by no means deny, without showing himself willing to fulfil any thing. And not contented with that, he hath not feared to enjoin me two things, in the King of Spain's name: First, that I should dismiss two thousand Swissers, or thereabout, which I had been long a getting for the defence of my State, and which had been long bound unto me, through their stipend they have received, though in regard of their small number, they could give no just suspicion, specially to his Royal Majesty. Secondly, that I should not defer to join by marriage, the Infant my Daughter, heretofore Duchess of Mantua, with the now Duke of Mantua; promising that then he would procure, that my controversies, with the Duke of Mantua, should be handled, which at that time could not be.  
To which demands (as being against all reason) I let him understand, both by letters, and by my Ambassadors, I could not satisfy, unless the controversies were first ended.  
And thus thinking to have sufficiently answered the Kings will, the Governor of Milan found out a new trick, to wit; that it would be a thing pleasing unto him, that the matter should not be decided by Arms, but that the controversies should be ended by friendly means; and therefore desired I should send certain Deputies to Milan, which meeting with as many of the Duke of Mantua, should, in my name, handle and compound all the business.  
Wherefore having thought good to yield thereunto, not only to avoid the note of obstinacy, but also to show to the world by a most sure testimony, how much I did love both mine own quiet, and the public Peace of all Italy; I sent to Milan three men skilful in the Law; who having remained there a long time, to put an end to the controversy propounded often, and at divers times, several Articles, though with damage to my right, and much inferior to the goodness of my cause.  
But what did here the Governor, that man (forsooth) so desirous to keep peace, and so constant in his faith? He caused a great Army, both of Horse and Foot, secretly to be gathered, and enrolled in the Dukedom of Milan, and the Countries thereunto adjoining, 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 controversies, before I had discharged all my Troops, and accomplished the marriage of my Daughter; yea, that he was enjoined by the King to have a care, not only to incline me to those things he commanded, but also to constrain and force me to the same by Arms.  
Upon this so sharp and severe Declaration, what counsel I took, and what I did, not only my published writings may testify, but also the Reverend Lord Savellus, Nuntius of our most holy Father, coming not long after, can be a most sufficient witness; who, having invited me to the laying down of Arms, (though it were requisite, the same should be done by the mightier first) found me not only not unwilling, but most ready thereunto; contented only with this condition, that I did desire the Governor of Milan should oblige his Faith to our most gracious Lord, the most Christian King, and the Illustrious Commonwealth of Venice, that he should hereafter attempt nothing against my Dominions, and dismiss his Army raised against me.  
Hereupon, he said flatly, he would do none of all this, and showing himself more ready for the destruction of my Country, then desirous of the peace of Italy, he entered at the same time with a great Army into the Province of Vercelles, and spoiled, overthrew, and burnt in a most pitiful manner, some Towns of the same.  
Wherefore, that I might procure some ease to my distressed Province, and diverse some whither else the most vehement and impetuous fury of the enemies, I led my Troops to Novarre, a Town of the State of Milan, where I showed evidently, that I wanted no opportunity to revenge the injuries done unto me. I could have taken that Town, I may say, with no difficulty at all, as being guarded by an unsufficient Garrison, and might also have brought, if I had had the will, the whole state of Milan into utter danger; but that his Catholic Majesty might see my love to public peace, and my respect to him, I did not only spare to satisfy to my grief, but forbade 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 Town.  
What shall I say more? when I was at Vercelles, the Pope's Nuntius, the most reverend Savellus, and the most illustrious Marquis of Rambovillet, Ambassador of the most Christian King, to preserve the public Peace of Italy, and mine, having propounded certain Articles of agreement, I (though little advantageous to me) assented thereunto, and signed them with mine own hand. Whereupon they hoping, that without any doubt, the Governor would likewise approve and sign the same, and judging that for my part I had satisfied to the same, and that no further thing was wanting in that business, the peace was proclaimed by their own mouth, as being already confirmed; but the unlooked for event deceived, as in other matters, so in this, not only their expectation, but their assured trust: for the Governor refused to sign, and the King himself, neglecting the answer, which we looked for in few days, sent word secretly to the Governor, that he should suddenly oppress me, being unready, and mistrusting nothing less, and enter with all speed into my Dominions, continuing the War undertaken against me with all vehemency.  
Thus I make no doubt, but that it had been already done with my estate, if those Letters, whereof I have caused a Copy to be sent to your Majesty, being divinely come into my hands, as I may justly believe, had not given me assurance of the whole business. Wherefore, who can justly find fault with me, if being stirred up by so frequent a breach of faith, I have recourse to Arms against my most hateful enemies, for the welfare of myself, my children, and my country; for the defence of my honour, and for the liberty and dignity of Italy, yea and of the holy Empire?  
How unworthy a thing of your Majesty, how shameful should it be, if the Empire of Italy, which is committed to the Emperor, as he is King of the Romans, should be said by all the World, to have only, during your Reign, been translated, under a colour and false shadow of Religion and public Peace, to the Kingdom of Spain, which acknowledgeth to hold of you the Dukedom of Milan, Sicily and Naples of the Pope?  
What shall we think the world will say, when it shall hear that the attempts of the Spaniards have proceeded so far unpunished, as not only to fright with threatenings, but also to dare to assault with armed hand, and to draw to an unwilling war a Duke of Savoy, most renowned through his Predecessors, and most famous through his affinity and alliance of blood with most Kings of Europe, a Prince of the holy Empire, and perpetual Vicary in Italy, drawing his offspring from the Saxonian stock, having held large & ample Dominions in Italy long before the Spaniards had any footing in the same, challenging his own by a most just right, & attempting nothing at all against them?  
Moreover, with what mind, do we think, shall the German Princes of the Empire give hearing to Fame, when she shall tell them, that they contend that the City of Asty and County thereof, which I have acknowledged to hold of the holy Empire by my Edict, set up in a place near the said City, while I was in the same, accompanied with the Ambassadors of divers Princes, belongeth unto them, as if, by my taking Arms against him, I had forfeited the same, which should be now fallen and adjoined to his Dominions, and publish that the Subjects and Vassals of the said Country, are freed from the Allegiance they have sworn to the Duke of Savoy? For certainly those great Princes could not but be much moved at the tidings of such a thing, which by an Act of mine, published in the public places of the Dukedom of Milan, hath appeared to be idle and vain, and which we know of a certain, that the Magistrates of Milan themselves ha●e thought to be frivolous and ridiculous.  
What will they say, when they shall hear at the same time, that the Marquis of Saint Cross upon the coast of Genua, having craved the help of the City, hath with a mighty Navy seized upon my unarmed Towns of Vnelia, Macer, and Petra-Lata, which the most Illustrious Duke Emanuel my Father, having bought of the Lords thereof, had subjecteth to the power of the holy Empire, and in the investiture caused the same to be named, together with his other Dominions, which are yet at this day detained by him? I doubt much, they will confirm therewith the opinion they have of the Spaniards too greedy desire of getting.  
Hence your Majesty may conjecture, to what end I have caused certain small Towns belonging to the Empire, and seated within the bowels of my Dominions, to be seized upon, which hath been only to save them from being taken and spoiled by the Spaniards, and the better and with less danger, to defend my possessions from their attempts: For I have thought, the occupation of those places to belong to him, who hath promised by a public Act, all being pacified, to restore the same unto your Majesty, and to one that is called perpetual Vicary of the Empire, the only Prince of the same now left in Italy, & Vassal of your Majesty; by whom your sacred Person coming down into the said Country, either to take the Imperial Crown, or for any other cause, shall be accompanied and honoured: For shall we think, that the King of Spain, who playeth the Emperor in Italy, will follow after your pomp? May we suppose, that the Commonwealth of Venice, that of Genua, or the Duke of Florence, will by duty celebrate your coming with their company? Nay, they do boast to be freed from the Empire.  
What of the Duke of Mantua himself? Who is ignorant that he dependeth only, and altogether upon the King of Spain, observeth his nods, hath committed himself to his protection, and hath vowed himself and all he hath very strictly to his service?  
And the other Princes, What? Are they not almost all subject to the See of Rome, and do they not all receive their Dignity of the same? I am then reserved alone for the Splendour and Dignity of your Majesty, who acknowledge myself a German Prince, and my Possessions, and of my Predecessors, to have proceeded from the liberality of the Emperors; and shall the Spaniards, with the knowledge of your Majesty, dare to assault, and war against me? Shall the Title of King of the Romans, which you bear, restrained within the most strict limits of my Possessions, be suffered to be violated and cut off, in the person of your Subject and Vassal? Shall your Majesty judge it to be fit, that a man, whom you ought to help and defend with all your forces, yea, against those of your own Nation, if need required, should not only be suffered to be oppressed by the Arms of the Spaniards, and unworthily used like a slave by the Governor of Milan, but also esteemed worthy to be punished by the severe Proclamation of an Imperial Ban? What so grievous, and so heinous a thing should have moved the Spaniards to take Arms against my Country, and your Majesty, to decree an Imperial Edict against me? Is it because, the King bidding me to lay down my Arms, I have not presently obeyed? But whence have the Kings of Spain this new Authority over the Princes of the Empire? Whence this altogether new power? By what sign can they prove the same? Truly, seeing the King doth not acknowledge the voluntary observance, which he hath received from the Princes of Italy, and chiefly from myself, not out of duty, or as due, but out of good will, and of our alliance of blood, he deserveth with good right, to have the same no more yielded unto him hereafter.  
Besides, after I had promised to the Illustrious Ambassadors, to lay down my Arms, why did he not, as I requested, free me from the fear and danger I stood in, lest he would attempt some thing against me? Was it, because I had entered with armed hand into the Dukedom of Milan? But he first had not only invaded my Dominions, but also by his Soldiers wickedly raged in the same. But what hurt, what damage can he show I have done to his? I have things enough to show most vilely committed by his men, as spoiling of houses, whole Herds carried away, and Towns burnt.  
Is it, because I have restored the golden Fleece? But if the Spaniards be wise, they will rather attribute this to my respect to the King, because I durst not defend myself by Arms against him, afore I had sent back the collar of the Order; deeming it an unfit thing, if being a Knight of the King's Order, I should with the same fight against his Arms, though in defence of mine own.  
Or lastly, is it, because the Spanish ambassadors wife, after the depart of her husband, hath been ill dealt withal, which was not suffered to go out of Turin, before she had paid whatsoever she owed in the Town for daily household provisions? But how foolish and ridiculous a thing is it, to tax me with what hath been done altogether without my knowledge, whilst I was in the Camp at Vercelles? For if I had been present, I would have paid the said debts with mine own money.  
Wherein did the Magistrate offend? Should they have denied justice, to such as demanded their own by order of Law? How often did they admonish that Lady, after a friendly manner, to give satisfaction to those poor men, and to remove that shame from herself? But she refusing to pay, they were at last constrained against their will, to grant a Sequestration of some small household stuff of hers, which not long after they released. But grant we that they offended in some thing, in that business; must Arms be taken up therefore? Must a small injury be revenged with so much eagerness? Must the Duke therefore be set in the Ban of the Empire? There was more reason, that a laying down of Arms should have been enjoined to the Spaniards, which had taken them up without any cause, only under a false colour of the public Peace. It was upon them, that the thunderbolt of the Ban was to be thrown, not on me, whom so many times breaking their faith, they have deceived, whose subjects they have gone about to draw from their sworn allegiance, whose Dominions they had entered & occupied by main strength.  
I have taken up Arms; I do not deny it: but I was thereunto constrained. I have invaded the Dukedom of Milan, but being first provoked. But what have done those most glorious Dukes my Predecessors? Have they not for the space of almost six hundred years made wars in Italy? What possessions have they brought under their authority by Arms? How many of their Neighbour Princes have they constrained to do homage unto them? And yet we shall not find, that ever any Emperor did check them with the Imperial Ban.  
Shall I be then the only Duke of Savoy amongst so many, whom the Prince of Castillion (a Minister not so much of your Majesty, as of the King of Spain, of whom he hath received the golden Fleece, and an yearly entertainment) shall have accused by his said Edict? Will he not blush for shame, to bring against me the sentence of the Imperial Ban, by him received (as I suppose) from the Governor of Milan? For I will never be persuaded to believe, that such a Decree, dated at no place, unsigned by the Imperial hand, as was requisite, should have proceeded from your Majesty, rather will I ever constantly affirm it, either altogether false, or at the least gotten by stealth from your majesties Ministers by the Governor of Milan.  
Thus then being the matter, nothing else seemeth to remain, but that the equity of my cause being known, I should request your Majesty out of your supreme authority, of which, as of an Oracle, not myself only, but all the world beside, doth depend, to declare the said Edict granted against me (since it was made without the knowledge and consent of your Majesty) to be void, & of no worth, to make known to all the world my innocency, and severely to punish those Ministers of yours that have subscribed thereunto.  
It will be your majesties part likewise, out of your full power, to command the King of Spain, as Duke of Milan, and consequently Vassal of the Empire, to dismiss with all speed, the Troops he hath levied without any cause, for to harm me, to confirm with his own hand the Articles of Peace, to which I have already subscribed, and to free all Italy, troubled with the jingling of the Spanish Arms, from further fear, as likewise to check and chastise, as he deserveth, the Governor of Milan, who with a mad and furious mind, carrieth the firebrand of wars in his hands, only to satisfy his greedy desire of money, filling with his whispering the King's ears with many false things against me. And so doing, I hope your Majesty will, with more glory, maintain your own, and the holy Empire's authority in Italy, which otherwise will be transferred to the Spaniard.  
As for mine own part, your Majesty shall ever find me most ready, not only to lay down the Arms which I have taken up for mine own safety, but also (after the example of my forefathers) to hazard all I have, & mine own life at your only nod. In the mean time, hoping to have your singular and favourable clemency and equity, in these my hard controversies against the Spaniards, I will earnestly pray God, the only giver of all things, long to preserve your Majesty in full prosperity.