excepting Ireland. The 4th, which is to our prefent purpose, is as followeth, Of granting a liberty and allowing a right to all from whom due benevolence hath been with-held, or to whom upon any pretence it hath been refused, of demanding and claiming the duties of the mar riage bed. The Latin is much shorter.Reflituendi jus petendi debitum amiffum.

VINDICATION

OF

HIMSELF and his WRITINGS,

AGAINST

The IMPUTATION of IMPIETY, ATHEISM, and other HIGH CRIMES:

EXTRACTED FROM

His LETTER to his FRIEND ZENOBIUS;

And TRANSLATED into ENGLISH,

By MR. NEVILLE*.

See the Life of Mr. Neville, prefixed to the last edition of his Dialogues on Government, printed for Mr. Millar, in the Strand.

LI

MACHIAVE L's

VINDICATION

OF

HIMSELF and his WRITINGS, &c.

T

HE difcourfe, we had lately (dear Zeno bio) and the preffing importunity of Guilio Salviati, that I would use fome means to wipe off the many afperfions cast upon my writings, gives you the present trouble of reading this letter, and me the pleasure of writing it.

I have yielded, you fee, to the entreaty of Guilio, and the rest of that company, for that I esteem it a duty to clear that excellent fociety from the scandal of having fo dangerous and pernicious a person to be a member of their converfation For by reafon of my age, and fince the lofs of my liberty, and my fufferings under that monster of luft and cruelty, Alexander de Medici,

L 4

Medici, fet over us by the divine vengeance for our fins, I can be capable of no other defign or enjoyment, than to delight and be delighted in the company of fo many choice and virtuous perfons, who now affemble themfelves with all fecurity, under the happy and hopeful reign of our new prince Cofimo; and we may fay that tho' our commonwealth be not reftored, our flavery is at an end, and that he coming in ly our own choice, may prove, if I have as good skill in prophefying as I have had formerly, ancestor to many renowned princes, who will govern this ftate in great quietnefs, and with great clemency; fo that our pofterity is like to enjoy eafe and fecurity, tho' not that greatness, wealth and glory by which our city hath for fome years past, even in the most factious and tumultuous times of our democracy, given law to Italy, and bridled the ambition of foreign princes. But that I may avoid the loquacity incident to old men, I will come to the bufiness. If I remember well, the exceptions that are taken to those poor things I have published, are reducible to three.

First, That in all my writings I infinuate my great affections to the democratical government, even fo much as to undervalue that of monarchy in refpect of it, which laft I do not obfcurely in m.ny paffages teach, and as it were, perfuade the people to throw off.