Ornithology: The History of Birds

Belon original: "Cenomanus" — refers to Pierre Belon of Le Mans (1517–1564), a French explorer and naturalist who published a famous history of birds in 1555. dedicated his history of birds, written in French, to Henry II, King of the French. Since you, therefore, Most Blessed Father, excel these most powerful heroes in dignity, and are indeed most similar to them in genius—insisting upon that same path they took with a full, or rather, a fuller step, and striving with all your might for similar glory to the great comfort of learned men—I, overcome by both shame and the weariness of my own slowness, now at last send this first part of my Ornithology into the public under the protection of your Holiest name, intending to publish the second and third parts very soon. For what more powerful patron could I find in the whole world who is able to recommend it to posterity and to defend it against the venom of malevolence innate to certain men? Surely nothing is higher than you, nothing clearer, nothing more venerable; indeed, the world itself holds nothing equal to you. For you, who have been substituted into the place of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and who even acts out the role of our Savior JESUS CHRIST himself, are by rightful merit King of Kings and Prince of Princes. To you alone, as many as are Christians, as many as claim that name for themselves, as many as inhabit this whole world—to you alone, I say, they obey, or at least are bound by divine law to obey. He Referring to God. gave you to us as a Shepherd, who recognizes in you the revived image of those most holy ancient Pontiffs; an image we would recognize even more if the most corrupt condition of this age allowed it.

Very many things, and those altogether admirable, would have to be written by me here concerning your innumerable virtues, if it were permitted for me to explain them as I have conceived them in my mind, as I indeed would wish, and as the matter itself requires. Yet, a certain admirable and, in every respect, commendable modesty of your soul—hiding and concealing the greatness of your deeds with the deepest discretion, and fleeing from praise with greater zeal than most men seek it—forces me to speak of your affairs timidly and sparingly. But so that I may at least in some way satisfy my duty, and at the same time comply with the modesty of your mind, I shall speak very briefly, for I deem it a sin to remain entirely silent. You (I say this truly, and I say it with the great assent, joy, and comfort of all learned and good men), you, I say—which has happened to very few mortals—joining the splendor of nobility and every kind of virtue with the excellence of character; the prudence of ecclesiastical affairs with the glory of wisdom; and the ardor of soul with those desiring to protect, promote, and adorn the studies of Christian piety and learning—I will not say you have equaled them, but as they say, you have far surpassed them by many miles.

Indeed, what is nobler, what is more worthy of a Good Shepherd, than to protect his sheep? What more magnificent thing, what thing more pleasing to men professing the Christian faith, or more pleasing to God Himself, could have happened than to have led a King Referring to King Henry IV of France, who famously converted to Catholicism in 1593 to secure his throne, a major diplomatic victory for Clement VIII. straying from the sincerity of Christian piety back to the true doctrine and faith of the Roman Church, and to have led him from the deepest darkness into the light? You, CLEMENT VIII, not only protect your sheep, the Christian people, against common enemies Referring to the Ottoman Empire during the "Long Turkish War" (1593–1606). by helping with money and soldiers, but you also sent GIOVANNI FRANCESCO ALDOBRANDINI, your kinsman—a man equal to so great and even greater a burden—whenever it was necessary, so that with the Emperor and others defending the Christian name joined together, the affairs of Christians might proceed for the better through his prudence, counsel, and authority; just as, certainly with God favoring, they have proceeded.

Through the work, industry, leadership, and auspices of your most dear nephew, the Most Illustrious and Reverend Cardinal PIETRO ALDOBRANDINI—upon whom immortal God seems to have poured out all good things—you gained possession of the entire Diocese of Ferrara The Duchy of Ferrara was annexed by the Papal States in 1598 after the death of Alfonso II d'Este without a legitimate heir. with such an illustrious and bloodless victory, adding it to the empire of the Sacrosanct Roman Church. You, having set out there yourself, bound the people in a wondrous way with the bond of your incredible CLEMENCY original: "Clementia" — a pun on the Pope's name., which was more than sufficiently indicated by the statues placed throughout the city, alluding to that supreme clemency of yours. Finally, with the world settled in peace to the great delight of the whole Catholic Republic, [you handled] two principal...