so euer thei founde them they left not in all Sicile one frencheman on liue nor one woman that was knowen to be with childe of a frencheman Wherof yet vnto this daie the Sicilians euensonge is vsed as a prouerbe in Italie ¶ And than by accorde came the kynge of Aragone and receiued Sicile vnto his dominion the rather because he had a certaine title thervnto as in the right of his wyfe Constance daughter to the late kyng Manfredo Unto whom also the bishop of Rome graunted his consent and in deede inuested hym kyng therof by his ecclesiasticall power ¶ Many thynges happened betwene kyng Charles and kyng Peter amongest other a defiance to feight hand to hand with the place appoincted at Burdeaux before our prince Edwarde than ruler of Gascoygne where bothe kynges kepte theyr daie but nother mette nor fought And ere euer kynge Charles retourned Roger di Loria admyrall to kyng Peter had foughten by sea with Charles prince of Salâ—rn onely sonne of king Charles before Naples and taken hym prisoner with a numbre of the Neapolitane barons and gentilmen that were all sent except Charles with .ix. of the chiefest into Sicile and there for a reuengement of Corradinos death .200 of those nobles and gentilmen were beheaded on a daie ¶ Finally kyng Charles vpon his reiourne made excedyng great preparacion to inuade Sicile but er he could bringe it to passe he died for anger and melancolie after he had reigned .xix. yeres ¶ And for as muche as some holde opinion that this Charles was the fyrst Neapolitane kyng that obteined the title of kynge of Ierusalem it is necessarie to declare by what meane ¶ The ladie Marie doughter of the prince of Antioche resigned into the handes of this kynge Charles all hir tytle to the realme of Ierusalem whervpon be caused him selfe to be crowned kynge of Ierusalem and with helpe of the Uenetians sente Roger Di San Seuerino to be gouernour to receiue feaultee and homage of the christen barons there Thus and not by the interest of Federike the kynges of Naples vsed the title of Ierusalem though I fynde not who was Maries father by name nor yet by what reason that realme shoulde apperteine to hir ¶ Whan kynge Charles was deade his onely soonne and heire Charles prince of Salerne remained prisoner in Sicile vnder the kepyng of quene Constance wife to kyng Peter of Aragone and was by consente of the barons condemned to die as it were for a full reuengement of Corradinos death but the noble hert of Constance woulde not suffre it Excusyng the mattier that before she knew hir housbandes mynde she would not attempt so great a thyng Wherefore she sent hym into Aragone where he continued prisoner till kyng Peter died and than by procurement of prince Edwarde lorde of Gascoygne he was deliuered and restored to his realme of Naples Who was raunsomed at .30000 markes and for perfourmance of couenauntes .iii. of his sonnes and .100 gentilmen laie in hostage ¶ Here is to be noted that within the space of one yere died .iii. kynges and a bishop of Rome that is to weâ—e Phillip kyng of Fraunce Charles kyng of Naples Peter kyng of Aragon and Martine the .4 bishop of Rome ¶ After Peter succeded in the realme of Aragon his eldest sonne Aufus in Sicile his sonne Iames that helde in prison the forenamed Charles the secounde ¶ Finallie Aufus the elder brother beyng dead Iames to haue the kyngdome of Aragon in peace sore vexed at that time by the Frenche kyng fell at composicion with Charles to renounce Sicile vnto hym and so did But Federike yonger brother to Iames assoone as he heard therof gotte a certain power went into Sicile and gatte it to hym selfe by reason wherof betwene Charles and Federike was continuall warre manie yeres till at last Charles to haue Calabria in peace the most parte wherof Federike had gotten by force consented that Federike duryng his life shoulde quetlie enioy Sicile ¶ So Charles bringing all his thinges to a quiet reigned .24 yeres and died leauyng issue by his wife Mary doughter of kyng Stephen of Hungarie ix sonnes and v. doughters The eldeste named Charles Martell afterwardes kynge of Hungarie by the mothers title Lewis the secounde sonne bishop of Tolouse in Spaine Robert the thirde sonne kynge of Naples As for the reste though they were princes Quenes and princesses yet I passe theim ouer and will onely speake of Lewys Duke of Durazzo because Charles Da Durazzo who was next kyng after the firste quene Iohan descended of him ¶ At the death of Charles Robert his .iii. sonne beyng in Auignion was called from thens to the dominion of Naples and confirmed kyng by Clemente the .v. than bishop of Rome howebeit not longe after Caronumberto kynge of Hungarie and sonne of his elder brother Charles pretended title thervnto but after longe debatyng therof the lawiers finallie determined that Robert shoulde continue and Caronumberto shoulde contente hym with the realme of Hungarie And though Robert was muche troubled by the comyng of the emperour Henry the .vii. into Italie yet after the emperour was poisoned by a blacke frier in ministryng hym the sacrament of communion at Bonconuento besides Siena by order as thei saie of the Romish legate king Robert prospered so well in Italie by reason he was taken as heade of the Guelfi that he subdued Genoa and the Florentines with their whole astate submitted them selfes vnto him and accepted his sonne Carlo senza terra to be their lorde Whiche Charles not longe after his establishment in that dominion retourned to Naples and died ¶ Finally Robert hym selfe sickened and died without heyres males And so the inheritance remained in the iii. daughters of his forenamed sonne Charles Unto the eldest named Iohan he by his testament lefte the realme vpon condicion that she shoulde marie with his nephew Andrew younger son of the abouenamed Caronumberto In whose tyme liued Petrarcha and Bocchacio the one for verse and the other for prose famouse in theyr Italian tongue and for theyr vertues muche cherisshed of this kynge Robert ¶ Accordyng to the testament of kyng Robert his nephiew Andrew came out of Hungarie and maried Quene Iohan with whom he reigned scarcely .iii. yeeres but that she caused hym to bee hanged out at hir chambre wyndow because as the same wente he was not cockie enough to satisfie hir appetite ¶ Than maried she Lewys prince of Taranto an excellent beautifull man But Lewys kyng of Hungarie elder brother to Andrew to reuenge his brothers deathe came with a puissaunt armie into the realme insomuch that the Queene and hir husband bothe fledde to Auignion in Prouance leauyng Charles da Durazzo sonne of Lewys da Durazzo beforenamed theyr lieuetenant to defende but the Hungarien so muche prospered that in short space he gatte the whole realme and toke this Charles da
came with a noble companie and amongest other certaine infidell Tartares who there receiued baptisme ¶ He confyrmed Radulphus Erle of Holsatia emperour though he came not to Rome to receiue the crowne ¶ Nicolas the .iii. depriued Charles kyng of Naples of the vicarage of the empyre that Clement the .iiii. had geuen hym in Tuscane and toke from him also the Senatourship of Rome takyng the vse of that office into his owne handes and made a lawe that no prince from thensfoorth shoulde be Senatour of Rome He repulsed the Uenetian ambassadours with foule woordes because of the siege that they had laied to the citee of Ancona He toke many citees in Flaminia by force and practise and brought theim from obedience of the emperour to the churches subiection He went about to make two of his owne kynne of the house of Vrsina in Rome kynges the one in Tuscane and the other in Lumbardie but he coulde not bringe it to passe ¶ Finally he procured Peter kyng of Aragon to chalenge the realmes of Naples and Sicile as the inheritaunce of his wyfe Constantia doughter to the kynge Manfredo Wherof there folowed sharpe warres ¶ Martine the .iiii. a frencheman borne after longe contencion amongest the Cardinalles was elected bishop who incontinently restored vnto Charles than kynge of Naples the office of Senatour of Rome against the Romaines will For the whiche there hapned muche bloudsheedyng But at last the frenchemen so preuailed that Richarde Hanniball chiefe of the Romaines was faine to come with an halter about his necke to aske pardon at the bishops feete Wherupon the bishop made two new Senatours and so ruled Rome at his will ¶ He excommunicated king Peter of Aragone and cried the croisie against him because he had preuailed in winnyng of the realme of Sicile against kynge Charles of Naples and the excommunicacion was suche that all men myght lawfully take his landes and goodes where or how so euer they could come by them But this letted not kyng Peter of his purpose ¶ Honorius the .iiii. confyrmed the excommunicacion of Martine against king Peter entitlyng the Frenche king to the realme of Aragone and the Erle of Arras the Frenche kynges sonne to the realme of Sicile Whiche bothe with seuerall powers enforced theim selfes to occupie bothe those realmes accordyng to the bishoppes gifte but in effect they preuailed not ¶ After longe contencion at length the Cardinals chose Celestine the .v. beyng an hermite who was so simple a man continuyng still the olde maner of his abstinent life that the Cardinalles could not well supporte hym ¶ Wherfore the Cardinall Benedicte Gaietane beganne a new practise and fell at composicion with his bretherne that if he could make Celestine resigne thei shuld electe hym So he made one with a caue thorough a wall crie to Celestine in the night as he laie in his bed that God commanded hym to resigne his bishoprike vnto Benedict Whervpon this simple man beleuyng the voyce to come from heauen gaue ouer his dignitee and caused Benedict to be chosen in his place namyng hym Boniface the .viii. who for rewarde fearyng least Celestines life myght be a trouble to his glorie caused the poore man to be taken by the waie as he retourned towardes his heremitage and laied in prison in Castel Fumone where shortly after he was famished to death ¶ Boniface the .viii. cleauyng earnestlie to the Guelfe part persecuted cruelly two Cardinalles of the house of Colonna that than were chiefe of the Ghibellines and did so muche hurt to that family that after he had rased theyr townes and houses to the earthe none of theym durst appeare For Sarra Colonna chiefe of that house fled so muche the persecucion of this bishop that after he had liued a certain space in the woddê poorely amongest the sheeppeherdes at last he was taken of Pirates vpon the sea costes and made a slaue to the ore in the galeys ¶ This bishop giuing asshes on ashewednesday to Porchetto archebishop of Genoa saied to him in latine remembre man that thou arte a Ghibelline and with the Ghibellines shalt retourne into asshes and therwithall threwe the asshes in his eies ¶ He also was the firste that ordeyned the yere of Iubiley amongest the Christians which caused wonderfull resorte from all parties to Rome ¶ He excommunicated Phiâ—ip the frenche kyng because he wolde not goe into the holy lande at his appointment and deposed him of his crowne entitlyng Albert Duke of Austriche to the same To the entent the Almaines might auenge his quarell agaynste the Frenchemen But at length Sarra Colonna happened to arriue in the porte of Marsicles in Fraunce where disclosyng hym selfe he was taken out of the galey had to the frenche court and finally sent so strongely into Italy with .200 â–ª men of armes that he came sodeynlie on a nyghte to Anagnia toke the bishop in his bed and led him to Rome prisoner where within lesse than .24 daies he died for sorow So that there folowed a saiyng of hym he entred like a foxe reigned like a woulfe and died as a dogge ¶ Benedict the .xi. assoyled the frenche kyng reconsiled the two Cardinalles of the house of Colonna and condemnyng the actes of his predecessour did neuerthelesse excommunicate the authours of his death ¶ Clement the .v. a Gascoygne borne and bishoppe of Burdeux was after .xii. monethes contencion amongest the Cardinalles elected bishop of Rome who for affection to his countrey transferred the see of Rome to Lyons in France and called all the Cardinals thyther to his consecracion Wherat the frenche kyng with many other princes was present and the Duke of Britaine and diuers other slaine with the fallyng of a wall For feare wherof Clement fell from his horse and lost a carboncle of his myter esteemed to be woorthe .vi. thousande duckates ¶ Than incontinently he made .xii. frenche Cardinallee three of the whiche he sent to Rome with senatours aucthoritee to rule the citee and all Italie He oppressed the secte called Fraticâ—lli that were than newly risen in Lumbardie who woulde haue had all thynges in common without magistrates or rulers ¶ He interdited the Uenetians because they succoured the house of Este against the churche ¶ The Cardinall Orsino than legate in Tuscane excuÌ„municated the citees of Florence and Luke because they woulde not be ordered by hym but the Florentines prouided a speedie remedie For they laied suche taxes on the spirituall men that the bishoppe for his membres sake was glad to assoyle theim ¶ The Frenche kynge practised with the bishop to reduce the imperiall astate vnto hym but at length they agreed so ill that Clement caused the Germaines to â—lecte emperour Henry the .vii. of Luxemburgh who by the bishops procurement passed into Italie with a mightie armie streigned sore the Italians was crowned of the Cardinalles in Rome and finally waxed so great that the bishop mistrustyng his power threatned to excommunicate hym
one agreement cited .iii. times Eugenie to come thither with his Cardinalles And because he came not they threatned to depose hym Wherfore he sent his apostolicall bulles thyther with certaine Cardinalles to confyrme all thynges there determined ¶ Than sent he the Patriarke Vitelesco to Rome who there vsed many cruell tourmentes and deathes against the enemies of Eugenie and after went into the realme of Naples pretendyng title therunto in the churches right In whiche quarell he fought with the prince of Taranto and toke hym prisoner with two thousand horse and missed little of takyng the kyng Alfonse vnder colour of truese ¶ In his retourne to Rome he vtterly destroied Preneste the chiefe towne belongyng to the house of Colonna but at last his chaunce was to be betraied and slain hym selfe ¶ After this Eugenie called a counsaile in Ferrara wherunto Iohn Paleologo emperour of Constantinople with the principall of the greeke churche came and disputed certaine articles of religion whiche were agreed vpon in the counsaile folowyng at Florence And all be it that Eugenie had great assemblies at both these counsailes yet were there a noumbre of bishops that sate still at Basile alwaies sommonyng Eugenie to repayre thither and at last for lacke of apparance partly through instaunce of Philip Duke of Mylaine than enemie to Eugenie the counsaile of Basile deposed him and created in his place one Amideus than beyng an heremite that before had been Duke of Sauoie namyng hym Felix By reason whereof Christendome was diuided into .iii. partes Two helde with these .ii. bishops and the .iii. with nother of bothe ¶ Than retourned Eugenie vnto Rome where he was ioyfully receiued of the people and lodged the fyrste night at the gate Flaminia but the seconde daie as he went in Pontificalibus towarde sainct Peters because the custome of the citee was reysed double the people beganne to crie downe with the customes and with the inuentours of theim so that the bishop was faine to promyse theim it should be no more leuied ¶ Shortly after he made warre in the Marke of Ancona and recouered it out of the handes of Francesco Sforza and finally prouoked Charles than Dolphin of Fraunce by plaine force to driue awaie the bishops that helde the counsaile at Basile and so remaigned in his astate till he died ¶ Nicolas the .v. succeded Eugenie vnto whom Amideus renounced his title by compulsion of the emperour Frederike For whiche renunciacion Nicolas created hym Cardinall and legate in Germanie He crowned the same Frederike and his wyfe with the imperiall crownes in Rome and trauailed muche partly by fayre meanes and partly by threatningê to appease the warre betweene the princes and states of Italie but his excommunicacions could not rule theim ¶ Calixt the .iii. incontinently after his election prepared an armie against the Turkes armed .xvi. galeys of his owne and vnder the leadyng of the patriarke of Aquileia sent theim into the Leuant seas and ceased not to persuade all Christian princes as muche as in hym laie to that expedicion Amongest whom Alfonse kyng of Naples and Lewys Duke of Burgoyne toke ones the crosse on theim towardes that viage but thorough some occasions they chaunged purpose ¶ Not longe after the kynge Alfonse died Whervpon Calixt vnder pretence of title to the realme of Naples made great preparacion of warre against Ferdinando sonne to Alfonse but beyng preuented by death bothe the rumour and feare therof ceased ¶ Whan he died he lefte .150 thousande dukates in his coffers whiche he saied he had prepared for the warres against the Turke ¶ Pius the secounde shortly after his election called a counsaile in Mantua Unto the whiche came ambassadours from all Christen princes And all be it that through the bishops persuasion who was hym selfe an excellent Oratour it was there concluded that to the expedicion against the Turkes at the bishops deuise euery prince and astate shoulde be contributour as well for sendyng of men and municion as also for maintenance with money yet whan it came to the poinct there was nothyng dooen ¶ Duryng this counsaile manie rumours were reised in Tuscane yea and in Rome that one Tiburtio sonne of Angelo Massiano with certaine companions had taken the temple of Pantheon and there fortifiyng him disturbed the whole citee ¶ The partie called Auersana enemies to the bishop had also taken Viterbo whiche the bishoppe at his retourne recouered ¶ All whiche thynges with a noumbre of commocions in the Marke of Ancona in Vmbria and in the confines there at length the bishop appesed either by policie or by force ¶ He caused Lewys the frenche kynge to renounce certaine exactions granted him of the churche in the counsaile at Basile and defended Ferdinando kyng of Naples against IohnÌ„ sonne to Raynolde Duke of Angiow ¶ Finally disposyng hym selfe altogether to the enterprise against the Turkes and beyng arriued in Ancona to meete with the Uenetian galeys and capitaine named Christofer Moro for the same purpose he died of a continuall feuer ¶ And leauyng behynd hym .40000 dukates with certaine ships and galeys prepared for that viage the Cardinalles deliuered bothe the one and other to the Uenetian capitaine The money to be sent to the kynge of Hungarie to relieue his neede and the shippes to serue on the seas with the Uenetian armie ¶ Paule the secounde so muche abhorred learned men that he accoumpted all theim that were of Platos Academie to be heretikes and depriued a noumbre of vertuouse and learned men of suche offices and promocions as his predecessours had called theim to amongest whom was Platina And beyng entreated to be more graciouse vnto theim consideryng thei were olde men had folowed the courte all theyr daies and many also had bought theyr liuynges deere so that neither by law nor yet by reason he ought to depriue theim he aunsweared that forasmuche as the law and reason rested in his brest to allow or disallow what he thought good his will being so it was bothe sufficient law and reason ¶ Than picked he a quarell to the familie of Auersa and with helpe of certaine men of warre sent to him by Ferdinando kynge of Naples he assaulted theim and toke .9 of theyr castels Of the whiche â—ame were so stronge that they seemed impossible to be wonne And because the bishop through the kynges helpe had atteined these fortresses and possessions the kyng required certaine small benefites at his handes but the vncourteyse bishop would graunt nothyng wherfore thei squared a little and than agreed againe ¶ After this the bishop gaue hym selfe to idlenesse and plaies and in the shrouyng tyme deuised a noumbre of games prices to be won and distributed muche money amongest boies the better to mainteine his pastyme In the ende wherof hapned hym suche a feare that he wist not what to dooe For it was tolde hym that certaine younge men had conspyred against hym by the procurement of one
all straungers to hym ¶ In conclusion the Frenchemen toke Rauenna with diuers other citees of the bishops whiche they enioyed not longe For the bishop immediately gatte into his league the emperour the kyng of England the Germaines and the Suizers So that the Frenche kynge beyng vexed on all sides was easily constreigned to forgoe his conquestes and dominions in Italie specially through force of the Suizers that vnder the leadyng of theyr Cardinall Sedunese came in great numbre to the bishops seruice who rewarded theim with the title of defendours of the churche and gaue them a gilt sword and an hatte of maintenaunce ¶ Somewhat before his death he established his cousin Francesco Maria Duke of Vrbine ¶ Leo the .x. of the house of Medici a Florentine borne was a pleasant man of nature and gaue him selfe more to humanitee and pleasures of this life than either to religion or to encrease of dominion ¶ He encreased muche the reputacion of his house but because he expulsed by force Francesco Maria Duke of Urbine out of his astate and placed in the same fyrst his brother Iulian and after his nephiew Laurence the worlde accused hym of tyrannie For he attempted to dooe the lyke vnto the Duke of Ferrare but he preuailed not ¶ Some ill was suspected of hym for his to muche delicatenesse in bringyng vp of children and for his opinion of immortalitee ¶ Adrian the .vii. by contencion amongest the Cardinalles happened to be elected reputed of theim for an ignoraunt man though some other had a good opinion bothe of his vertue and learnyng But because his life was nothyng courtely or agreable to the Cardinalles either through gods visitacion or as most men thinke thoroughe theyr poyson practises he was soone dispatched ¶ Clement the .vii. brother vnto Leo the .x. immediately after his election toke parte with the Frenche kyng against the emperour So that whan the frenche king was taken before Pauia the family of Colonna which hath ben alwaies imperiall through helpe of Don Hugo Moncada beganne to warre with the bishop and after diuers subtill practises and persuasions so handled the mattier that they entred into Rome and missed but a little to haue taken the bishop who hearyng the rumour sodeinly fled to Castel Sant ' Angelo Wherfore after the bishop had drawen Don Hugo Moncada to his parte the Colonnesi endured cruell warre to theyr great domage ¶ Than came the Duke of Bourbone who was slaine with the shotte of an handgun from the wallê of Rome â–ª but the emperours armie wherof he was capitaine toke the citee by assault sacked spoyled and burned it and for the space of .xv. daies vsed suche triumph that for theyr passetyme thei woulde make suche Cardinallê and prelates as were theyr prisoners ride scornefully about the towne vpon asses with theyr faces to the tayle and so streictly besieged Clement that he was faine to geue theim .400000 dukates for his raunsome and to yeld the castell into the emperours handes ¶ But within lesse than .iii. yeres after the emperour came him selfe into Italie and hauing made peace with the bishop receiued of hym the imperiall crowne in Bononia with so great triumph and pompe that the like hath not been hearde of in our daies Duryng the whiche there came ambassadours to Clement with letters from Preter IohnÌ„ of great commendacions desyre of amitee and vnion of religion ¶ Before theyr departure from Bononia the emperour graunted the bishop his armie against the Florentines and concluded the mariage of his bastarde daughter to Clementes nephiew Alexander di Medici that afterwardes was Duke of Florence But ere the Florentines would lose theyr libertees they susteigned a notable warre for the space of .xii. monethes ¶ And lyke as by force he oppressed the Florentines so by treason he subdued Ancona For vnder pretence of amitee and counsaile persuadyng them that the Turkes armie by sea was comyng against theim he sent a capitaine of his called Bernardin who with certaine men of warre was receiued into the citee and so vsurped the dominion for the churche ¶ In this bishops tyme happened suche a sodeine rage of water in Rome that the high toures were drowned and a great numbre of people with infinite richesse lost so that the bishop hym selfe had muche adooe to escape it whiche maie well be thought a plage of god sent for the abhominacion that reigneth there ¶ Finally Clement mette with the frenche kynge at Marseiles in Prouaunce and there concluded the mariage that folowed betwene Katherine Clementê neece and Henrie now frenche kyng than but secounde sonne to the frenche kynge Shortly after whose mariage Clement died ¶ Paule the .iii. that now is bishop before the tyme of his election helde hym selfe so indifferent betwene the factions imperiall and frenche that no man could know to whether part he was most inclined ¶ In the beginnyng of his tyme he procured all Christian princes to warre against the Turke so that the emperour that Uenetians and he made an armie by sea vnder the leadyng of Andrea Doria who mette with Barbarossa besydes Corfu but they foughte no battaile though the Christians were more in noumbre and better furnisshed than the Turkes whether Andrea Doria were blame woorthy I can not tell But ones the Uenetian Galeon a notable shippe was lefte alone in the middest of the Turkishe nauie that assaulted hir .iiii. or v. houres and yet at length came cleane awaie in despite of theim all ¶ This bishop went to Nisa in Prouaunce where by his procurement the emperour and frenche kyng mette and concluded a peace whiche dured not longe ¶ Than died the Duke of Urbine Incontinently vpon whose death the bishop made warre to the younge Duke Guido Vbaldo for the state of Camerino and constreigned him for a little summe of money to geue ouer the astate In in whiche the bishoppe establisshed his owne sonne Pietro Aluigi Duke ¶ After this vppon a light occasion the bishoppe made warre to Ascanio Colonna thiefe of that familie and Peter Aluigi beyng generall of the bishops army handled Ascanio Colonna and his adherentes so cruelly that they were faine to abandone theyr owne townes and castelles and to liue in exile as banished men till by the emperours meanes they were restored to the bishops fauour and absolucion ¶ This Paule to exalte his owne bloudde by consent of his Cardinalles exchaunged the Duchie of Camerino with the churche for the citees and territories of Placentia and Parma Wherof he inuested his forenamed son as Duke whose behauiour was suche that he continued not fully two yeres for the nobilitee of the same detestyng his wicked life and tyrannie conspyred against hym and slew hym in his owne house in Placentia yeldyng that citee the next daie into the emperours handes ¶ The bishop sent a fayre armie bothe of horsemen and footemen to succcour the emperour in his enterprise against the Germaines and made his sonnes sonne called the
Alexander the inuestiture of the realme of Naples and prouision was made for recouerey of Rome and thother landes of the churche whiche within shorte time was broughte to passe ¶ Finally Lewys conducted an army out of France and augmentyng it with the Florentine and bishop of Romes powers entred the realme where in plaine battaile he so discomfited Ladislaus that if Lewys had knowen howe to vse his victorie he mighte haue had Ladislaus in his handes and also the whole realme as Ladislaus talkyng of this battaile was wonte to saie the firste daie saied Ladislaus if thei had folowed it thei might haue been lordes bothe of my realme and person the seconde daie of the realme but not of my person and the thyrde daie nother of my realme nor person For the leysure that Ladislaus had after this discomfiture serued hym so to fortifie the passages that Lewys notwithstandyng his victorie was faine to retyre to Rome and so backe into Fraunce By reason wherof Ladislaus remainyng quiete in his astate disposed him selfe of new to recouer Rome and partly by intelligence partly by force did so puttyng to sacke onely the Florentines gooddes that he founde there And at last sickened in Perugia some saie of a feuer some saie of poyson so that he died whan he had reigned .29 yeres And leâ—uyng none issue of his owne body the realme descended to his sister Iohan Da Durazzo ¶ Thue Iohan late Duchesse of Sterlich atteined the realme without impediment by reason of .xvi. thousand horsemen that serued hir brother at his deathe with good capitains as Sforza da Corigniola gli Aâ—â—endoli lacopuccio and diuers others But becaâ—se she was somewhat noted for keepyng companie with a goodly yonge man named Pandolfello whom she made hir chaÌ„berlaine hir barons persuaded hir to marie so that she toke to husbande Iames of Nerbona in Proâ—ance than Erle de La Marca in Italie vppon condicion that he shuld in no wyse take on hym the title of kyng But he was not longe maried till by comfort of the barons he toke the kyngly name vpon hym and caused Pandolfello to lose his head vsyng Sforza vâ—raie hardly and all thoroughe the instigacion of Iulio Caesar da Capuaâ— who therfore by the quenes policie lost his heade ¶ And thoughe the Erle Iames suspectyng his wyfes courage woulde not suffre hir to goe out of the Castell where thei laie yet at last with lowly behauiour growyng out of suspicion with hir housbande she had libertee to goe so often abroade into the towne of Naples that finally she made a conspyracie against him and gat hym into prison reignyng afterwardes hir selfe alone Than toke the Iohn Caracciolo to be hir hygh steward whom she loued more than enough so that by hym all thynges were gouerned And vpon contencion betwene hym and Sforza who was in maner as a generall amongest the men of warre the Queene defied Sforza Muche a dooe there was but at length Sforza was reconsiled and the stewarde banished And partly thorough the bishoppe of Romes intercession the Erle Iames was deliuered out of prison restored to the Quenes fauour But for all that not long after the Erle Iames beganne to worke against Sforza who perceiuing it founde the meane to bringe the steward home againe and therby not onely purchased the Quenes fauour but also brought the mattier so to passe that the Erle Iames fledde into Fraunce became an heremite and there died After whose departure by commission of the bishop of Rome Queene Iohan was crowned in Naples but er the yere was ended the Queene loste the bishops fauour and banished Sforza who by the bishops procurement became capitaine vnder Lewis the .iii. Duke of Angio than newly entitled kynge of Naples and reysyng an armie camped before Naples abydyng the comyng of Duke Lewys who with an other armie arriued there ¶ This meane whyle Queene Iohan seeyng the power of hir enemy Duke Lewis to be to stronge for hir alone practised with kyng Alfonse of Aragone to accepte hym as hir sonne to enherite the realme after hir and therof made sufficient writing with deliuerey of two strong Castelles in Naples Castell Nouo and Castell di Louo that in king Alfonse name were receiued as a pledge of possession Whervpon kyng Alfonse in person with a great armie by sea came to Naples and thâ—re fought with the Duke Lewys and his Capitaine Sforza And though fortune for a tyme was fauourable to Duke Lewys yet at length through practise and lacke of money Sforza became the Queenes man so that Lewys was fayne to leaue the enterprise and drawe to Rome by reason wherof the Queene with Alfonse remained in peace till discorde fell betweene theim The fyrst occasion was because the proclamacions were made in the Quenes name without any mencion of Alfonse which moued the barons of Aragone to conceiue a great dishonour that a kyng of suche reputacion shoulde lie there in that astate So muche grew this mattier that at last kyng Alfonse toke the Quenes best beloued steward prisoner and besieged the Queene How be it Sforza hauyng receiued hir letters came streight to Naples fought with Alfonse power had the better hand entred into Naples and conueighed the Queene awaie with hym Wherfore kyng Alfonse augmented his power and after harde feight with Sforza recouered Naples streignyng the realme so muche that by counsaile of Sforza the Queene finally agreed with Duke Lewys and adopted hym for hir soonne and heyre by whose meanes Naples was recouered againe to the Queenes vse And so .x. yeres after the Quene and Duke Lewys reigned in peace and than died bothe The queene by hir testament lefte the realme to Raynolde Duke of Lorraine brother to the foresaied Lewys Thus ended the successioÌ„ of Charles of Angio first king of that hous ¶ Whether the Queenes testamente were feygned or true it was vncerteine For incontinently vppon hir death the citee of Naples ordeined amonge theim a common wealth and made no mencion of any testament vntill they saw plainely that the bishop of Rome went about to bringe theim vnder hym Than they not onely publisshed Raynolde to be theyr kynge but also sent for him to come and receiue the possession of the realme ¶ This meane while in the warres betwene Englande and Fraunce Raynolde hapned to be taken prisoner so that he coulde not come to Naples Than kynge Alfonse came into the realme through intelligence that he had with many of the nobles and besiegeyng the towne of Gaâ—erra than defended by certaine Genowaies sent thither by Duke Filippo Maria of Myllaine at last fought with the Genowaies army by sea in whiche conflicte were slaine of the kynges part about .5000 and the kynge hym selfe with his .ii. brethren the maister of sainct Iames in Galice dyuers of the greatest princes and barons of Spaine and of knyghtes to the numbre of .200 taken prisoners and all brought to the
forenamed Duke Phillip to Myllaine who after very gentill enterteinment deliuered theim without raunsome So Alfonse beyng restored to libertee waâ—yng strong through the amitee of the Duke of Myllaine disposed hym selfe to recouer the realme and came thither immediately with his power obteined Gaietta and wente to Capua whiche had been alwaies kept for him how be it during the time of his imprisonment the Neapolitanes seeyng they coulde not haue Raynolde fette his wyfe Isabell Duchesse of Angio vnto Naples and did theyr best by waie of assaulte to winne Capua But now that kyng Alfonse was reiourned the parte of Angio so muche declined that Isabell was faine to resort for helpe to Eugenio than bishop of Rome who sent the Patriarke Vitellesco to Naples ¶ This Patriarke was a stoute man meter for the fielde than for the churche For firste he discomfited the armie of the prince of Taranto and toke the prince him selfe prisoner and longe tyme valiauntely bare him selfe in the warres againste Alphonse one while with force an other while with policie so that beyng fallen with his armie in the daunger of the kyng through besettyng of the streictes and lacke of vittaile he handled him selfe so humbly that the kyng embracyng his faire offers graunted hym truce and vnder coloure of the same truce he beeyng armed and the kynge vnarmed came to Villa Giuliana and so narowly besette it that with muche adoe the kynge escaped his handes Leauyng all his baggage and cariage for a praie to the Patriarke Finally Raynolde beforenamed beyng putte to his raunsome came with .xii. Genowaie galleys to Naples where with kyngely honours he was tryumphantlye receiued and so muche encreaced his power that it was doubted whether of the two partes were the better Raynolde defied Alfonse bodie to bodie whiche Alfonse refused not Howbeit at the daie and place of battaill appointed Raynolde appeared not And albeit that Raynolde for a time prospered and gatte into his handes the castell Nouo and castell Di Loâ—o that kynge Alfonse had alwaies kept sens he receiued theim at quene Iohans handes till that tyme yet at last after the death of Iacomo Caldora one of the principallest of the Angioyne parte Alfonses power so muche encreased what by battaile and change of diuers of the barons affections who leauyng the Angioyne parte became Aragonese that he recouered Naples and all the whole realme entryng into the citee in maner of triumphe where for a perpetuall memorie of his victory the Napolitanes before the castell gate erected a notable faire arche of marble ¶ Thus Alfonse obteignyng the quiet possession of the realme â–ª vsed newe meanes of amitee with Eugenio than bishop of Rome and did so muche that Eugenio confirmed him in the astate and inuested his bastarde sonne Ferdinando successour to the crowne For whiche inuestiture kynge Alfonse vpon couenaunte inuaded the countrey De La Marca and takyâ—g it by force from Francesco Sforza afterwardes Duke of Myllayne restored it to the churche And than in recompence of the great courtesie receiued of Phillip Duke of Millaine he made warre in his fauour againste the Florentines and atchieued manie worthie enterprises beyng in maner the onelie staie of Duke Phillip in his later daies so that the Duke by his testament made hym his heire of the astate of Myllaine but he enioyed it not as in the history of Myllaine appereth ¶ Finallie after a generall leage made in Naples betwene all the astates of Italie excepte the Genowaies Alfonse made an armie and besieged Genoa for breache of certaine articles concluded longe before at the making of a peace betwene theim whiche the Genowaies were bounde to geue to the kynge yerely in maner of a tribute a bason of golde and the cause of their witholdyng was for that the kynge woulde neuer receyue it otherwyse than sittyng in his maiestee as thoughe he triumphed ouer theim ¶ The prouision made for the continuance of that siege was so great that by common opinion the citee muste nedes haue ben his had he not died the .66 yere of his age and the .22 yere of his reigne in Naples Leauyng for successours in the realme of Aragone and Sicile his brother Iohn and in the realme of Naples his sonne the forenamed Fernando ¶ Of this kynge Alfonse aâ—e written manie great praises for his valiauntnesse his temperaunce his learnyng his liberalitee and other like vertues ¶ Ferdinando bastarde sonne to kynge Alphonse succeded his father in the beginning of whose reigne Calisto than bishop of Rome preâ—endyng the title of the realme to be fallen to the churche for lacke of laufull heires excommunicated Fernando and made great preparacion to inuade but deathe preuented hym So that Fernando warned therby vsed suche meanes of frendship with Pio his nexte successour that he was not onelie confirmed in the astate but also crowned by certaine Cardinalles sente to Naples for the purpose ¶ Newe assoone as the newes of Alphonse deathe was knowen Duke Iohn sonne of the forenamed Raynolde in hope of mutacion in the realme made an armie by sea with helpe of the Genowaies and landyng within the territorie of the Duke of Sessa oueranne diuers prouinces and gotte daielie townes and friendes so that Fernando was like to be put to the worse had not the bishop of Rome and the Duke of Millaine taken his parte by whose helpe Duke Iohn at length was by force constreigned to leaue his enterprise and most parte of those barons that toke his parte came and submitted theim selfes vnto Ferdinando who graciously pardoned them and restored theim to their astates ¶ Than died Pio and Paule the secounde succeded who oftentimes troubled the realme ¶ After the death of kyng Iohn of Cyprus Ferdinando coueityng to conquere that realme was reâ—isted by the Uenetians betwene whom happened crewell warre so that the Uenetians toke truce with the Turke and as the fame wente were occasyon that he assaulted and toke Otronto in Puglia by force whiche shoulde haue caused greater mischiefe in Italie had not the Turke than Mahomet the .ii died ¶ Immediately vpon whose deathe kynge Ferdinando sente his eldest sonne Alfonse Duke of Calabria to conquere Otronto whiche after longe siege and sore feight was for lacke of succours recouered ¶ Next Paule the secounde succeded Sixte the .iiii. bishop of Rome and after hym Innocence the .iiii. who both wonderfull inconstantly one while were friendes and an other while foes to the kynge ¶ Finallie this Ferdinando was noted to be veray couetouse For callyng a counsaile of his barons in the citee of Chieti he wolde haue encreased his subsidies and taxes And because diuers of his nobles dissuaded him from it he put some of them to death some he imprisoned from some he toke their goodes and some willyngly rebelled against hym in which trauaile and tirannie he continued till he died leauyng issue males .ii. sonnes Alphons and Federike ¶ After the deathe of
so great towardenesse to winne Florence that he caused a crowne of golde to be made to the intente to crowne him selfe kyng of Italy and had done it in dede if death had not preuented him ¶ Not longe after the commons vpon light occasion rebelled of new and in great noumbre ranne to the house of Veri di Medici offeryng hym the rule of the astate but he leadyng theim with hym to the high streete and leauyng theim there ascended into the palaice amongest the lordes excusyng him selfe that the people made him to come by force and so with thankes of theim returned to the people and persuaded them that thei should haue theyr willes so that thei woulde laie downe theyr weapons Whiche at his request they did Immediatly wherupon the rulers secretely armed theyr power and establisshyng the ordre of the citee putte dyuers of those commons to death that had been causers of this disorder ¶ Not longe after certaine of theim that were banished beyng at Bolognia determined vpon hope of the peoples inconstancie to attempt the recouerie of theyr countrey and to alter the astate of theyr citee and so thoroughe coumforte of one Piggiello and of Barroccio Cauicciâ—li than dwellyng in Florence secretly thei entred the towne and slewe one or two to the rumour wherof the people beyng assembled they declared how theyr comyng was to deliuer theyr countrey from the tirannie of theim that ruled c. But for all that there was none that woulde assist theim Wherfore they withdrew into a churche and there some in the takyng were slaine and the rest taken examined and put to execucion ¶ Besides this the Duke of Myllaine whilest he warred with the citee practised secretly by meane of the banished men to winne it but the thyng beyng discouered was occasion of the banishement of a noumbre of citesins and than within two yeres died Giangaleazzo after he had warred with the Florentines .xii. yeres So that the Florentines being peaced outwardely and indifferent quiete within theim selfes made out theyr power against Pisa and valiauntly gatte it ¶ Than had they warre with Ladislaus kynge of Naples about the citee of Cortona whiche the Florentines had before purchased And that warre was so perillouse that as most writers affyrme they procured a phisicion of the kynges to poyson hym By reason of whose death they recouered herâ— beyng before in maner desperate of the astate of theyr common wealth because the kynge hauyng already taken Rome Siena La Marca and Romagnia wanted no more but Florence onely to make his full waie into Lumbardie Where he determined with his power to proue his fortune So that the death of these two princes the Duke of Myllaine and the kynge of Naples was more auailable to the Florentines than theyr owne force But they whose nature coulde not well beare any rest liued not fully .viii. yeres in peace but that not onely the parties within them selfes renued theyr wonted contencion againe but also the citee attempted warre against Philip than Duke of Myllaine in whiche warre theyr armie at Zagonara was discoumfited and consequently all theyr holdes in Romagnia lost Castracaro and Modigliana excepted Whervpon they made suite to the Uenetians and obteined them in leage against the Duke By whose meane at length they recouered theyr townes in Romagnia notwithstandyng the charges of that warre had ben so great amountyng to the suÌ„me of thre millions and .500000 duckates and that the Florentines fell out amongest theim selfes about the paiement thereof whiche they called Catasto and the citee of Uolterra rebelled against theim though thei were soone brought to obedience againe ¶ After this beganne the Florentines to make warre against the towne of Lucca whiche endured .iii. yeeres with wonderfull domage on bothe sides specially on the Florentines whose armie was discomfited by Nicolo Piccinino sent by the Duke of Myllaine to succour the Lucchese ¶ Than beganne contencion within the citee betweene Cosmo de Medici and Rinaldo degli Albizi Not that Cosmo who was a iuste and a vertuouse man gaue any occasion thereof But vpon a consaite that Rinaldo suspected seeyng that Cosmo with his liberalitee and vertue had gotten the loue of the people he imagined streight waie that he went about to be lorde of al. Wherfore he so conspyred and wrought against hym that Cosmo was taken laied in prison and in daunger of death But finally he was confined vnto Padoa where he remaigned the space of a .xii. moneth till by meane of his friendes he was reconsiled home and his enemies some put to death and the reste banisshed and finally the whole astate of the common wealth refourmed after his owne maner Duryng whose tyme the Florentines endeuoured theim selfes muche to conquere the citee of Lucca to the entreprise wherof they enterteined Francesco Sforza that afterwardes was Duke of Myllaine to be theyr generall But because he than practised mariage with the daughter of Myllaine whose father Duke Philip was enemie to the Florentine astate he so coldly proceded that whan it came to passe that he myght haue streigned Lucca he neuerthelesse was occasion of peace beâ—wene the Florentines and the Lucchese in suche wyse that Lucca still remained in theyr libertee ¶ Not longe after folowed the counsaile of Florence at whiche the emperour of Greece with the chiefe of the Greekishe churche assembled and agreed with the Romaine churche though they stode not by it longe ¶ Than arose Nicolo Piccinino and without any iuste grounde moued warre to the Florentines wherin he did theim no small displeasures But finally he was discoumfited at Anghiari and immediately after the Conte di Poppi who before had assisted Piccinino was besieged in his owne towne and his whole astate with the towne of Poppi taken from hym by the Florentines ¶ And though the warre whiche Piccinino made was as well against the churche as the Florentines so that the bishop of Rome of the victorie of Anghiari enioied as well his parte as the Florentines yet the charge before and the cost that the bishop was at in pursuyng the victorie was suche that for verie neede of money he solde Borgo san Sepolchro vnto the Florentines for 25000. duckates All this whyle were the Florentines in league with the Uenetians against the Duke of Myllaine in suche wyse that the better to disburdeine his owne charge the Duke steered kyng Alfonse of Naples against the Florentines who entred vpon Tuscane and did theim muche hurt though at last laiyng siege to the towne of Piombino through sickenesse that fell in his armie he was constreigned to remoue his siege and vtterly to habandone his enterprise But after Duke Phillip of Millaine was deade and Francesco Sforza in possession of the astate the Florentines by meane of Cosmo di Medici did enter in amitee with hym for whiche occasion whan the Uenetians were out with Francesco they procured kyng Alfonse to warre of new on the Florentines whiche warre was not so
¶ Likewise the emperour of the Tartares made warre on the Genowaies and besieged them in Caffa a towne situate in the confines of Tartarie out of the whiche the Genowaies issuyng by night burned the Tartares engines and slewe .5000 men so that their emperour sent to Genoa for peace and vnder colour therof obteignyng it did them muche more hurte by treason than he had done in open warre For he spoiled them at one time of .200000 poundes ¶ The Nobilitee of Genoa that than were banished seeyng the astate ruled all by the people assembled theyr powers and came before the citee so that Bocanegra seeyng also the nobilitee and people within the citee in maner at an open contencion for the same deposed hym selfe of his dignitee and departed out of the citee In whose place Iohn di Morta was by the people elected and the nobilitee kepte out till by the awarde of Lucchino Visconti lorde of Millaine to whose iudgement the mattier was committed they were restored to the citee and to parte of their goodes the rule remaignyng neuerthelesse at the peoples will ¶ All this while thei of Monacho mainteigned warre against Genoa and had newly armed .34 galleis wherfore they of Genoa armed also .29 so that because they wolde not meete togethers thei of Monaco went to serue Phillip the Frenche kynge against our kynge Edwarde the .iii. in whiche warres they had so good successe that one galley of theim neuer retourned home agayne but the other army of Genoa vnder the leadyng of Simonde Vignioso prospered veray muche For after diuers enterprises atchieued in the realme of Naples he entred into the Archipelago otherwise called Mare Egeum and there gatte the ile of Sio whiche in processe of tyme hath been occasion of wonderfull gayne and wealth to the Genowaies and besides that at the same tyme he gatte the two citees called Foglie Vecchie ¶ Than renewed the warre betwene the Uenetians and the Genowaies wherin were diuers battailles stricken one before Constantinople where the Uenetians were discomfited with the losse of .30 galleis an other in Sardegnia where the Genowaies were discomfited with the losse of .41 galleis and an other at the I le of Sapientia where the Uenetians lost .40 saile besides dyuers others of lesse importaunce ¶ And though it seeme that the Genowaies gotte moste in these last warres with the Uenetians yet their gaine was so blouddie costly that in maner of necessitee thei submitted theim selfes to Iohn than archebishop and lorde of Millaine Under whom it continued scarcely .iii. yeres but that the people beyng offended with the taxes that â—he bishop required of theim restored Simonde Bocanegra to the astate of Duke wherof he had deposed him selfe before and he in recompence therof deposed all the nobilitee and gaue the offices amongest the people For whiche were dyuers conspiracies wroughte against him and as some holde opinion at length he was poysoned at a bankette made to the kyng of Cyprus as he passed that waie into Fraunce ¶ Gabriell Adorno was made Duke nexte after hym who continued the space of .v. yeres till the people misliked his rule and by force deposyng him created Domenyke Di Campo Fregoso in his roome In whose tyme happened the businesse in Cyprus betwene the Uenetians and Genowaies for goyng on the vpper hande whiche afterwardes was occasion of cruell warres ¶ It happened vpon the death of kyng Peter of Cyprus who in the nighte was slayne by his brethern that as his sonne Peter shoulde goe to the cerimony of his coronacion the Uenetians and Genowaies than presente contended veray ernestly for the vpper hande whiche at length by order of the kynges counsaill was geuen to the Uenetians so that the Genowaies preparyng theim selfes to be reuenged were discouered taken and slayne that of as many as wer in Cyprus there escaped but one to bryng home newes of this mattier whiche at length caused the destruction of that lande ¶ For the Genowaies made out an armie and the same daie .xii. monethes that thei were beaten thei entred by force into Famagosta the chiefe citee of Cyprus and toke all the nobilitee of the realme .iii. of the chiefe they put to death because they had been their enemies and hauynge all the realme at theyr disposicion they restored it to the yonge kyng Peter reseruing Famagosta to theim selfes with a trybute of .40000 Florines whiche they enioyed vnto the yere of our lorde .1464 and besides that thei brought diuers noble men and gentilmen of the Cipriottes prisoners vnto Genoa amongest whom was the kynges vncle Iames Lusigniano who beyng kept in the tower Capo di Faro begatte a sonne called Iano and was afterwardes kyng him selfe ¶ And albeit that Domenyke di Campo Fregoso who for the space of .viii. yeres had been Duke ruled the astate so well that no man coulde iustly reproue him yet the inconstant multitude with a little steryng of some that were great made a commocion against him and not onely deposed hym and put hym and his brother Peter generall of the enterprise of Cyprus in prison but also banished all theim of the house of Fregoso who for a great space had ben notable ministers of the common wealth ¶ But this ingratitude of the people can be no wonder to theim that haue redde histories For it is almost ordinarie with the people to render yll for good ¶ Than was Nicolas di Guarco elected Duke By whose tyme happened that notable warre betwene the Genowaies and Uenetians wherin after dyuers fortunes and victories on bothe partes the Uenetians loked to be beaten out of theyr houses For the Genowaies with helpe of theyr colleges so sore oppressed theyr power by sea that they were driuen into theyr owne hauen and Peter Doria came with the armie before the two castelles at Lio within two mile of Uenice so that if the Site of the place made not the citee imprenable of likelihode the Uenetians had been subdued For they sent their ambassadours to Peter Doria to require peace with large condicions who not beyng contented to haue the honour with a reasonable aduantage wold needes thei should yelde theim selfes and theyr citee to be at his discreacion The extremitee of whiche aunswere made the Uenetians so desperate that strainyng their vttermoste powers togethers at length they discoumfited the Genowaies army slew Peter Doria toke .xix. galleis and more than .4000 prisoners and so recouered Chiozza withall theyr other places about theyr marisshes that were before taken from theim And than encreased their courage so muche that Carlo Zeno with certaine Uenetian galleis entred the riuer of Genoa and helde the Genowaies short till by meane of the Duke of Sauoie the peace was made betweene theim ¶ Than died kynge Peter of Cyprus whom to succede the barons elected his vncle Iames then prisoner in Genoa who vpon aduertisement therof was not onely put at libertee but also after
kynge of Englande At the sumptuouse feaste of whose mariage Petrarcha hapned to be present How be it some haue written that she was maried to the Frenche kynges sonne with the dower of an .100000 crownes But how so euer it were hir husbande lyued not passyng fiue monethes after the mariage and shortly thervpon the father Galeazo also died ¶ After whose death his sonne Giangaleazo growen to sufficient yeres diuided the state with his vncle Bernabo on this maner He kept to hym selfe Pauia Tortona Alexandria Nouara and the other townes neere vnto the Alpes with the one halfe of Myllaine and gaue vnto Bernabo Parma Pâ—accuza Cremona Lodi Crema Bergamâ— Como and the other halfe of Myllaine with this aduauntage that for as muche as Bernabo was the more aunciente he should dwell in Myllaine and Giangaleazo in Pauia Thus beyng agreed after a certaine tyme Giangaleazo was aduertised by his wife howe Bernabo hir father and his vncle had diuers tymes sought his death to ridde hym out of the state so that Giangaleazo incontinentely determined to preuente hym and goyng vnto Millaine vnder pretence of pastyme or of some other busynesse Bernabo to honour hym the more issued out against him and so was taken died in prison and parte of his sonnes slayne parte banished Whiche acte onely excepted though it was not yet all against reason this Giangaleazo in all his doynges was accompted so worthy noble and valiaunt a prince that of the people he was called II Conte di Virtu that is to say The Eâ—le of vertue For he was not onely beautifull of personage but also lerned eloquent wise hardy and lyberall And was the fyrst that euer was inuested Duke of Millaine paiyng therfore to the emperour Vinceslao an .10000 duckates After the obteinyng of this honour he encreased his astate by the gettyng of Verona Vicenza Padoa and Bologna ¶ He discomfited the armies of the leage made betwene the Florentines and Bologniese with other their confederates at Casalecchio and broughte the Florentines at length to that takyng that had he not died the rather they muste nedes haue yelded to benne his subiectes ¶ He ouercame Antonio della Scala and buylded the fayre palayce in Pauia with that goodly librarie that yet is seen there walled the parke about beyng of a great circuite and edified the Charterhouse that to this houre amongest the beautifull buildynges of the worlde may be rekened one of the rarest ¶ He brought Italy into suche feare that the Pisani the Senesi the Perugini the Ascesiani and the Lucchesi willyngly became his men so that he founde him selfe lorde ouer .29 citees and thought to haue ben kynge of Italy if death had not so soone taken him ¶ He had two wifes the one called Lisabetta doughter to the kynge of Boeme by whom he had a doughter named La Valentina maried afterwardes to the Duke of Orliens with the dower of the Erledome of Aste that hath ben cause of no small trouble in Italie and the other wife named Caterina de Visconti by whom he had two sonnes Giouanni and Philippo Maria. ¶ He had one bastarde called Gabriello who afterwardes solde Pisa to the Florentines ¶ Finally this notable prince at Marignano died and accordyng to his owne order was from thense caried to the saied Charterhouse besides Pauia and there buried ¶ Than succeded in the astate Giaâ—maâ—â—a the eldest sonne whose dealynges were so greuouse to the Milanese without any their deseruyng that hearyng masse on a daie in the churche through the fury of the people and of his owne men together he was slayne firste causyng his mother to die in prison for ofte warnyng him of that that happened in dede ¶ He was wonte to say many times in excusyng of his errours that in a great house it was necessary there shoulde growe men of diuers sortes and that he therfore vsed the contrary of his fathers doinges so that through his crueltee and his death together many citees rebelled in suche wiâ—e that the Milanese were constreigned to call the sonnes of Bernabo to the Douchy who enioied the same vntill that Philippo maria recouered the dominion and driuing them out mette with one of them called Nestore in a skirmish and slew him ¶ This Philippo was first lorde of Pauia and had maried Beatrice the doughter or as other say sometime wife of Fazino Cane della Scala for none intente but because she was enheritour of many fayre lordeshippes beyonde the Pò and had also verie muche money By meane wherof sleayng Crabrino lorde of Verona he gatte that citee to him selfe ¶ He was constreigned to yelde Bologna Furli and Imola to the bishop of Rome Neuerthelesse he gatte Genoa though afterwardes he loste it againe ¶ He lykewyse toke Bressa whyche beyng recouered against him by the Uenetians caused betwene them verie longe and cruell warre Wherin on the Uenetian side were capitaines Francesco Carmignuola Giouanni Malauolta Gianfrancesco Gonzaga and Nanni Strozzi a Florentine knight And on the side of Philippo against the Uenetians were Francesco Sforza Agnola da Pergoletto the one and other Nicolo Guerriero and Piccinino and one Fierauante da Perugia with the helpe also of Alfonso kynge of Naples who beyng before tyme brought prisoner to Philippo by the Genowaies and by hym restored to libertee lyke a faythfull friende for a great whyle after succoured hym in all his businesse ¶ Thus whan Philippo had finyshed the enterprise againste the Uenetians and by meane of those his capitaines gotten Piacenza Como and Lodi he made the Marques of Monferrato so afearde of hym that wyllyngly he yelded vnto Philippo's handê Vercelli Alexandria and Aste And Nicolo da Este of Ferrara came to visite hym renderyng Parma that before had ben taken from Ottone and knowlageyng hym selfe to holde the citee of Reggio in fee of Philippo ¶ The citeee of Florence fearyng the power of this man entred in leage with the Uenetians whose two armies vnited togethers were foughten withall by certaine of Philippo's capitaines in the Countie of Faenza and there ouercomen ¶ Notwithstanding that the same victory was of much lesse importaunce than that whiche the noble Florentine Cosmo di Medici obteigned in the plaine of Anghiari against the army of Philippo ledde by Nicolo Piccinino towardes the Florentine damage for the whiche victory Cosmo at his retourne to Florence was called father of his countrey ¶ But for all that those warres had neuer ende as long as Philippo liued who finally fell out with the forenamed Alfonse kyng of Naples and by force restored the Queene Giouanna to hir possession ¶ He receiued into Myllaine Martine the .v. bishoppe of Rome as he retourned from the counsaile of Constance and maried his daughter Bianca vnto Francesco Sforza ¶ Finally findyng hym selfe fallen in great aduersitee what thoroughe blindenesse that toke hym in his age what through the losse of Genoa and what through the discoumfiture of his armie at Casale Maggiore
meanes the mattier was remedied and within shorte space after died Guido and his sonne Francesco bothe ¶ And than came the astate clerely to Luigi who builded the palaice wherin all his successours to this daie haue dwelled He begatte on his wife Alda a sonne named Francesco whom he maried verie yonge vnto Agnesa doughter of Bernabo Visconti and at last beyng knowen openly to haue committed auoutrie the people arose and cruelly slew hym ¶ After whose death the astate descended to his sonne Francesco than beyng of the age of .xiiii. yeres But growen afterwardes to more tyme he so muche loued peace that he refused to entre in confederacion with Giangaleazo Duke of Myllaine And vpon displeasure therfore folowyng betwene theim Francesco caused the adder that for the great amitee and aliaunce betwene those two houses had in tyme past been ioygned to the armes of Mantua to be cleane taken out therof For whiche despite Giangaleazo besieged Mantua and laie before the same an whole yere in whiche meane tyme there perisshed many notable men on bothe sydes and specially of the house of Gonzaga .4 that is to wete Guido Torello Bartolino and Galeazo Whiche Galeazo Gonzaga amongest all other was reputed the strongest and hardiest man of his daies hauing fought oftentymes bodie to bodie and remained euermore vainquisher namely against Buccialdo a notable stronge man than gouernour for the Frenche kynge in Genoa These businesses at length beeyng pacified and Francesco somewhat awakened in armes he enterprised warre in the name of Giangaleazo against the Bologniese and against Giouanni Bentiuogli in the thicke wherof he toke Iacopo Carraro of Padoa prisoner and ledde hym to Mantua geuyng him suche curteyse libertee there that yeldyng vnkyndnesse for kyndnesse Iacopo escaped awaie wherof folowed muche a dooe afterwardes For assoone as the Duke of Myllaine was dead the Uenetians consideryng the prouoked displeasure before rehersed elected the saied Francesco to be their generall in thenterprise against the Carrari and were so well serued of hym that after he had chased the Carrari out of Padoa and Verona he reduced bothe those citees to the Uenetian obedience And so after a gloriouse life died ¶ Leauyng after hym his sonne Gianfrancesco in the dominion of the age of .14 yeeres who by his wyfe Paola daughter of Malatesta lorde of Rimini had .4 sonnes Luigi Carlo Lucido and Alexandro To the fyrst wherof he obteined for wyfe Barbera daughter of the Marques of Brandenburgh and kynneswoman vnto the emperour Edmonde who at his comyng into Italie and passyng through Mantua was there honourablie receiued by Gianfrancesco insomuche that before his departure he made hym Marques and gaue hym in his armes the ensigne of the empyre ¶ After the atteignyng of whiche honours he was thre seuerall tymes made generall of the Uenetians and in euery enterprise gatte the vpper hand And at last forsakyng theim he was waged against theim by Philippo Duke of Myllaine and in that seruice in company of Niccolo Piccinino was parte of the occasion that the Uenetians than lost the citee of Verona with many other townes of the Bressane and Uicentine so he died leauyng his dominion diuided in .iiii. partes vnto his foure sonnes To Luigi as eldest the citee of Mantua with those other townes that he had about Verona to Carlo who was an excedyng stronge man Luceâ—a with the reste of those landes that he helde on the Cremonese territorie To Lucido yll shapen and weake of person Capriana La Volta and Ciregiaia and finally to Alexandro who was crokebacked and becomen religiouse Canneto with that lande that he hadde on the Bressane ¶ Thus Luigi the eldest toke the astate vpon hym and continued not longe in the same vnuexed of his brother Carlo whose mightinesse and force of body was coupled with suche an haultenesse of minde that for desire of atteignyng his elder brothers astate he coulde not be contented to liue in peace ¶ And albeit that in the warres betwene Francesco Sforza and the Milanese he fledde from one part to an other and backe again yet by his brothers meanes he recouered the fauour of Sforza at whose handes he receiued diuers benefites But Luigi seeyng now the yll disposicion of his vnquiete mynde finally toke from hym all the landes that his father lefte hym so that Carlo fledde to the Uenetians and became their captaine so longe till at lengthe through their helpe he assembled a power of men wente againste his brother and foughte with him to the ieopardy of the losse of the Mantuan astate But in conclusion the right of Luigi preuailed againste the force of Carlo who beyng discomfited and fledde died afterwardes verie poorely in exile ¶ This enterpryse beeynge thus ouercomen and the thynges of the astate quieted Luigi triumphantly receiued the emperour Federico the thyrde as he passed through Mantua to Rome and beyng than a wydower by the death of his first wife maried Margarite doughter of the Duke of Bauiera and cousen to the forenamed emperour ¶ He was so great of body that he was commonly called the Turke so well exercysed in armes and so beloued specially of the Dukes of Millaine that Duke Philippo called him sonne Francesco called him brother and Galeazo called him father ¶ He was noble of courage fine of witte and somewhat learned whiche thinges together with his liberall and courteise life made him beloued of all men ¶ Finally through some disorder in liuyng as he that loued to liue in pleasure he died somewhat before the full course of his naturall terme Leauyng by his first wife Barbara .v. sonnes Federico Francesco made Cardinall Luigi Gianfrancesco and Rodolfo all notable and vertuouse persons ¶ Federico as eldest succeded in the astate and was afterwardes generall to the Duke of Millaine and maried La Margerita Tedesca on whom he begatte a sonne named Francesco and in the Uenetian warres againste the Duke of Ferrara hauyng gotten Asola whiche afterwardes he was constreigned by force to restore sickened for sorow and died ¶ By reason wherof his sonne Francesco of the age of 18. yeres entred into the astate and at the age of .38 was made generall of the Uenetians in whose seruice he did wonders specially againste Charles the eighte Frenche kyng nere vnto the riuer of Taro besides Parma as the same kynge retournyng from the conquest of the realme of Naples laden with great richesse was goyng into Fraunce In whiche enterprise Francesco so behaued him selfe that he ledde many noble men prisoners with hym at his retourne insomuche that the Frenche kynge made verie great offers to haue had his seruice but all in vaine For continuyng his ennemie he afterwardes fought with the Frenche men in Puglia and so discomfited theim that he restored the kynge Ferrandino vnto his astate And leauyng three sonnes by his wife Beatrice doughter of Ercole Duke of Ferrara that is to wete Federico that next succeded him Ercole
feuer And than was his brother Florianus elected but he liued little more than .ii. monethes ¶ Probus reigned .vi. yeres .iiii. monethes he recouered France ouercame Saturninus and Proculus that had made theim selfes emperoures and finallie was slaine of his owne souldiours ¶ Carus with his two sonnes reigned .ii. yeres and achieued diuers worthy enterprises But his son Carinus became so great a tyranne and so viciouse withall that he was compared to Nero and at last slaine of his owne souldiours ¶ Dioclesianus reigned .xx. yeres a great persecutour of the Christian religion because reason persuaded him that whereas diuersitee of opinions continued there coulde be no peace but perill of commocions And because he thought not him selfe able to rule the whole empire alone he ioygned Maximianus with him and either of theim made a deputie Dioclesianus toke Galerius and Maximianus toke Constantius Finally whan thei had brought the empire to a good staie Dioclesian and Maximian both renounced their astates and became priuate though Maximian woulde gladly haue taken it vpon him again to haue exalted his son Maxentius Wherfore his son in law Constantine caused him to be slaine ¶ Galerius with Constantius reigned together .ii. yeres and deuided the empire betwene theym Galerius had the east parte and Constantius the west Constantius husbande to the Queene Eleyn died in Yorke and Galerius beyng fallen sicke slew him selfe Neuerthelesse er he dyed Maxentius had gotten the Romaine souldiours called Pretoriani on his parte and so vsurped the name of emperour Against whom Galerius first sent his capitaine Seuerus and afterwardes Licinius but thei preuailed not for Maxentius continued til the comyng of Constantine to Rome who fought with him and so discomfited him that in fleing he was drowned in Tyber CONSTANTINVS the first reduced the Romaine astate to tranquillitee and toke Licinius as compagnion in the empire to whom he gaue his owne syster in mariage But as discorde is common amonge princes so it happened that Licinius rebelled against Constantine and beyng ouercome was deposed and as some write slaine So that Constantine reigned alone the tyme of whose reigne in all was .xxx. yeres and .x. monethes He was conuerted to the Christian faieth by bisshoppe Siluester vnto whom as the clergie holde opinion he gaue his roiall seate in Rome with auctoritee to vse all the imperiall rites and honours and made him head of the Christian churche and thervpon remoued his imperiall seate from Rome to Constantinople whiche citee he than had newly reedified And though authours agree that he in deede builded Constantinople and chaunged it from the auncient name which was Bizantium yet many allow not Constantines donacion to Siluester to be true but saie that some one of those bisshops of Rome longe after Siluester that vsurped the name of Peters successour to enlarge theyr creadite and auctoritee and to mainteigne theyr pompe inuented this donacion So that though Constantine or his successours remoued theyr dwellyng from Rome to Constantinople yet did thei neuerthelesse reteigne continually bothe the dominion of Rome and also the name of the Romaine empyre vntill the takyng of Rome by Alaricus kynge of the Gothes betweene whose comyng and the reigne of Constantine were these ix emperours folowyng COnstantinus Constantius and Constans sons of the first Constantine and had the empire deuided betwene theÌ„ But Constantine not contented with his part moued warre to Constans and was slaine and Constans at length was also slain by treason of one of his owne capitaines named Magnentius who vsurped the empire and after many battailes beyng ouercome by Conctantius at last slew him selfe So that Constantius remaigned emperour alone the time of whose reigne with his brethern togethers was .xxiiii. yeres ¶ Iulianus surnamed Apostata because beyng borne a Christian he became a painem reigned .ii. yeres First he rebelled agaynste his vncle Constantius that had made hym Caesar and after his death beyng made emperour he persecuted cruelly the Christian religion and at length was slaine in battaille against the Persians ¶ Iâ—â—mâ—â—nus reigned .vii. monethes restored the faieth of Christe and was constreigned of necessitee to graunt vnto the kyng of Persia a great parte of Mesopotamia Whiche was the fyrst tyme that euer the Romaines or any emperour consented to diminisshe the Romaine dominion ¶ Ualentinianus reigned .xii. yeres and was a good Christian. ¶ Ualens reigned .iiii. yeres fauoured muche the Artian secte and makyng warre agaynst the Gothes in Thracia was discoumfited besieged and burned ¶ Gratianus reigned .vi. yeres and he with his sonne were bothe slaine by treason of Maximus and Arbogastus theyr owne capitaynes ¶ Theodosius reigned .xi. yeres subdued the Gothes and discoumfited the traitours Maximus and Arbogastus that vsurped the empyre the fyrst of theim was slaine in the fielde the other for despayre slewe hym selfe and so he reuenged his predecessours death ¶ Archadius and Honorius reigned together .xiii. yeres and than died Archadius ¶ Honorius after his brothers death reigned .xv. yeres in whose time Alaricê° beforenamed king of the Gothes prouoked through treason of Stillicon themperours capitaine a Uandale borne tourned his armie that than was goyng into Fraunce against the emperour and so ouerrennyng all Italie at length besieged Rome and toke it rather by famine than force And here beganne the manifest decaie of the Romaine empyre For from this daie forward those Septentriâ—nall nacions that is to wete the Gothes the Vandales the Hunes and Lumbardes with dyuers others triumphed not onely ouer Italy but also ouer Fraunce Spaine and part of Affrike in suche wyse that though many of theyr armies were discoumfited by dyuers of the emperours capitaines and others yet in processe of tyme they myngled theim selfes so with the other nacions that they were no more knowen for strangers but became Italians Spaniardes Frenchemen and so foorth ¶ After this first destruction of Italy with the takyng and spoylyng of Rome the common people beganne to crie out saiyng that syns they lefte the woorshippyng of theyr auncient gods and had embraced the new faith of Christ all these afflictions through vengeance of the gods were fallen on theim so that many doubted whether it were good to beleue or not But surely the remouyng of the imperiall seate from Rome to Constantinople was the greatest occasion of the Romaine empyres decaie For whan the emperours beganne to dwell in Greece and to leaue Italy now and than diuidyng the empyre one to rule in the orient and an other in the occident theyr auncient reputacion declined so muche that theyr owne priuate capitaines enterprised many tymes not onely to rebell but also to vsurpe the name of emperours â–ª By reason wherof it came to passe that within the space of â—0 yeres there entred .vii. straunge kinges into Italie with so puissaunt armies that thei put eyther the whole countrey or at least a great part therof to swoorde and fyre FYrst Alaricus kyng of the Gothes before named after he had
gotten Rome by suche famine that many mothers did eate theyr owne children ouerranne all Campaigne the realme of Naples and the lande of Brutij and finally died in the citee of Cosenza ¶ After whom succeded his kynsman Athaulfus that maried Placidia sister of the emperour Honorius taken amonge the prisoners of Rome so wise a woman that whan hir husbande folowyng the trade of Alaricus determined to goe to Rome and to rase it to the earthe she with faire wordes dissuaded hym and brought hym to accorde with hir brother in suche wise that throughe the emperours procuremente he with all his nacion of Gothes lefte Italie and wente to conquere Spayne where in the citee of Barcelona he was of his owne folke traiterously slayâ—e ¶ The seconde was Attila kyng of the Hunes who with an infinite numbre of people entred into Italy and puttyng all to fyre and swoorde passed ouer the countrey now called Lumbardie vnto the Appenine hillê and as farre as Florence which he rased to the erth not withstandyng it was yelded vnto hym without resistence But finallie as he was goyng to Rome entendyng to do likewise there Leo the first than bishop of the same met him by the way and so entreated him that ceasyng from further crueltee he withdrewe hym and all his into Hungarie where not longe after he died of a sodeine death ¶ Thirdlie Gensericus entred into Italie with a great numbre of Vandales through this occasion Theodosius the .ii. assigned his cousen Valentinian to rule the weast parte of the empire who died within few yeres so that Maximianus a Romayne by force toke on him the occidentall empieâ— and maried Eudossa late wife of the same Valentinian who disdeigning this Maximian practised secretly with Gensericus then reigning in Affrica and did so much that he came to Rome toke it by force slewe Maximian spoyled and burned the citee and finallie for a worthy rewarde led Eudossa and hir doughter prisoners with hym at his retourne into Affrike ¶ The fourthe was Biorgus kyng of the Alani afterwardes called Alemani who entred into Italie by the way of Trent and ouerran all Istria La Marca Triuisana and a great parte of Lumbardie till at last by Seuerianus one of the emperours capitaines he was fought withall slaine and his host discomfited ¶ The .v. was Odoacrus kyng of the Eruli that sometime were of the countrey of Valachia beyonde the riuer of Danubie who with an infinite numbre of men twise in .xiiii. yere ouerran all Italie callyng him selfe kyng therof till the emperour Zenon sent Theodoricus kyng of the Gothes against him who fought with him discomfited all his hoste and finally slewe him ¶ The .vi. was this Theodoricus him selfe who by the emperour Zenon was inuested kynge of Italie in the title wherof he caused muche slaughter and destruction er euer he vanquisshed Odoacrus but at laste he establisshed his royall seate in Rauenna where he reigned .25 yeres and died of the fluxe leauyng behynde hym a perpetuall fame of his worthynesse and vertue ¶ The .vii. was Gundebalde kynge of Gorgoyne who with a great multytude passed the Alpes ouerranne a great parte of Lumbardie and with an infinite numbre of prisoners and a wonderfull pray of richesse returned into his owne countrey ¶ Nowe ye shall vnderstande that after Theodoriche was made kyng of Italy by the emperours consent his doughter Amalasuntha folowed in succession of the dominion who after the deathe of hir owne son Atalaricus accepted hir cousin Theodatus for companion in hir kyngdome but he rendryng yll for good founde meanes not onely to exile hir but also to make hir die to the entent he myght reigne alone Whiche vnkynde dealyng so muche offended his owne Gothish nacion that they elected an other kynge in Rome named Vitigius who shortlie caused Theodatus to be slaine by treason and yet he hym selfe prospered not longe after For er he had fullie reigned .v. yeres Bellisarius a capitaine sent by the emperour Iustinian recouered all Italie besieged Vitigius in Rauenna and finallie toke hym prisoner and so led him to Constantinople ¶ Whan the Gothes had a litel renewed their strength they made Totila theyr kyng ouerranne all Italie and twise toke the citee of Rome by force reignyng ouer the whole countrey .ix. yeres till Narses an other of the emperours capitaines came puissantly into Lumbardy and in a sore foughten battaile slew Totila with a great numbre of his nacion ¶ Notwithstandyng that discoumfiture the Gothes a fresshe chose theim an other kyng called Teia a veraie valiaunt man that wonderfully defended his dominion against the power of Narses but finally in plaine battaile Narses slew hym and so discoumfited his armie that the Gothes were constreigned to submitte theim selfes vnto the emperours obeisaunce and from that tyme foorthe beyng borne of two or three descenâ—es in Italy they were no more knowen for Gothes but taken for Italians and there ended the Gothishe name Whiche from the comyng of Theodoricus before named had reigned in Italy the space of .72 yeres ¶ A meruailouse mattier to see the instabilitee of these worldely thynges that the Romaine empyre whiche so many yeres before had triumphed in richesse welth ouer the whole worlde should now be subiecte vnto all calamitee and affliction Rome it selfe .iiii. tymes taken by force within the space of .140 yeres the walles in many places throwen to the earth the inestimable goodly buildynges of temples and palaices burned and spoyled the infinite treasures of money iewelles and other ornamentê put to sacke or hidde vnder the ground by the owners where it could neuer be founde neither man woman nor childe spared of the enemies furiouse swoorde and finally brought to that case that it was more than an whole yere desolate without any creature to dwell in it other than the wilde beastes And not Rome alone but also the most parte of all the notable citees of Italie were thus afflicted for the tyme. ¶ But whan the Gothish nacion was thus subdued Italie returned to the obedience of the empyre and was gouerned by the forenamed Narses by the space of .17 yeres till after the death of the emperour Iustinian Iustine the secounde of that name succeded whose wyfe Sophia thorough instigacion of some gentilmen of the court that enuied the vertue and glory of Narses kendled hir housband the emperour so muche that he reuoked Narses from the rule of Italy with iniurious wordes of the empresse that had bosted she would set hym amongest hir women to spinne and to make clothe whiche she saied was meeter for hym than to rule suche a countrey But the noble hert of Narses conceiued so great an vnkyndnesse of this that after he had answeared hir he woulde spinne suche a clothe as nother she nor hir vile housbande should be hable to weare out he secreâ—ly sent into Pannonia to Alboinus kyng of the Longobardi now called Lumbardes exhortyng him to come into Italie how be it ere
he came Narses repented hym and did what he coulde to haue letâ—ed it but as he trauailed therin being come to Rome with IohnÌ„ the thyrde bisshop of the same hauyng now delaied the Lumbardê coming a few yeres he died had his body caried to Constantinople and there was honorably buried ¶ This Narses with Bellisarius before named were two of the noblest capitaines that euer serued the Romayne Emperours ¶ Incontinently after the death of Narses the forenamed Alboinus with an infinite numbre of men women and childern entred into Italie and occupied all the countrey betwene the Alpes and the Appenine hilles naming it after theyr name Lumbardie And not withstandyng that the emperours for the space of .180 yeres made continuall warres agaynste theym by theyr generalles whom thei called Exarkes yet coulde they neuer so abate and vanquishe the glorie of those Lumbardes but that sometimes they wolde right well be reuenged so that in effecte they reigned ouer Lumbardie aboue 200. yeres till the comyng of Charlemaine who in fauour of the Romayne bishops warred agaynst Desiderius last kyng of the saied Lumbardes toke and ledde him prisoner into Fraunce ¶ In all whiche tyme of the Lumbardes prosperytee there reigned amongest theym .23 kynges whose names hereafter folow ALboinus slaine by procuremente of his wife Rosamunda ¶ Dapho slayne of his owne people for his tyrannie After whose death the Lumbardes wolde haue no kyng but in maner of a common wealthe elected .30 Dukes who occupied all Italie Rome and Naples excepted and so contynued the space of .xii. yeres till the Lumbardes beyng weery of theyr gouernaunce returned againe to the election of a kyng ¶ Antharis surnamed Flauius toke to wyfe Theodolinda the kynges doughter of Bauarie a woman that by persuasion of Gregorie the fyrst bisshop of Rome secretly embraced the Christian faieth and after conuerted hir nexte housdande to the same ¶ Agilulphus Duke of Turine maried Theodolinda after the death of hir other housbande and so beyng made kyng through his wifes procurement he became a Christian ¶ Adoaldus sonne of Agilulphus beyng very younge reigned about .x. yeres vnder the gouernaunce of his mother Theodolinda and after hir death was driuen out of his realme ¶ Arioldus of whom I fynde nothyng notable ¶ Rotharius a valiaunt warriour and so well learned withall that he prescribed lawes vnto the Lumbardes who from theyr coming into Italy till that time whiche was about .70 yeres had no written law ¶ Rodoaldus sonne of Rotharius was slain by one that founde hym in adoultrie with his wife ¶ Arithpertus through feigned flight obteyned a notable victorie against the frenchemen ¶ Gundibertus sonne vnto Arithpertus contended so longe with his brother for the dominion that at last thei were bothe chased awaie ¶ Grimoaldus toke the astate from the children of Arithpert and helde longe warre with the emperour Constantine the thyrd and so ouercame Theodorus the Exâ—rke that the emperour in a great rage came hym selfe with a myghty armie into Italie and after he had ouerranne the countrey of Puglia and taken the citee of Luceria whiche he put to fyre and swoorde at laste he besieged Beneuento where hapned one notable thyng woorthy the rehersall ¶ Romoaldus sonne to the king Grimoaldus was than within Beneuento and â—aliauntly defended the citee against the Greekes sendyng woorde by a foster father of his named Gensualdus â—nto his father that vnlesse he wolde shortly sende succours the citee must needes be taken Gensualde did his message and retournyng with answeare was taken of the enemies and brought before the emperour Where beyng straightly examined he confessed that Grimoalde withall the power of Lumbardie was departed from Pauia and came to reise the siege and that he hym selfe was the messenger of his comyng Wherfore the emperour hopyng incontinently to haue the towne and so to departe before the comyng of Grimoalde partely with thretenyng and partly with fayre offers persuaded Gensualde that beyng brought before the towne he should shewe Romoalde how his father through other businesse of importaunce coulde not than succour hym Gensualde promisyng so to dooe was brought to the walles and called for Romoalde who foorthwith appeared Romoalde saied he thy father is here at hand with a puissaunt armie to succour the. I lefte hym passyng the riuer of Sanguine be good to my wife and children for I am but dead and so it proued â–ª for his head was striken of and for despite with an engine throwen into the towne ¶ Whervpon Constantine with his armie retyred to Naples and from thense to Rome where he was most honourablie receiued of bishop Vitellian withall the clergie and nobilitee But he in recompence of that honour fell to robbyng and spoylyng of all the goodly thynges that he founde there aswell marble brasse and peinture as other richesse insomuche that he toke the tile of brasse wherwith the temple of Pantheon was couered and shipped all that he gotte So that Rome in a maner suffered more hurt and spoyle in .vii. daies that he remaigned there than it did by any ouerthrow from the fyrst comyng of the Lumbardes And yet he enioyed not for retournyng towardê Greece he was slaine by his owne men in the citee of Syracusa and all those preciouse thynges taken afterwardes by the Sarasines and caried to Alexandria in Aegypt where many of theim maie be seen at this daie But to retourne vnto my purpose Grimoaldus died of to muche streignyng his arme after he had been letten bloudde ¶ Garmaldus sonne of Grimoaldus reigned .iii. monethes onely and died ¶ Partharus soonne of Arithpert before named that from his youthe had been in continuall exile retourned home and was restored to the kyngdome ¶ Iunipertus or Compertus sonne of Partharus succeded after the death of his father ¶ Laimpertus or Luitpertus sonne of Iunipertus beyng a childe had not reigned vnder the tuicion of Asprandus fully .viii. monethes but that Raimpertus Duke of Turine rebelled and in plaine battaile ouercame Asprandus and so vsurped the kyngdome ¶ Raimpertus reigned not fully a yere ¶ Arithpertus son of Raimpertus was muche disturbed by the forenamed Luitpertus but at laste he slewâ— him in plaine battaile and in maner destroyed the whole house of Asprandus Neuerthelesse in the .xi. yere of his reigne Asprandus with helpe of the kyng of Bauarie retourned puissantly vnto Italy fought with Arithpert and so discomfited him that in his flight passyng the riuer of Tesino he was drowned by reason he had ouerladen him selfe with gold ¶ Asprandus reigned but .iii. monethes and died ¶ Luitprandus son of Asprandus was a great warriour insomuche that after he had gotten Rauenna and many other citees from the emperours Exarke at laste he besieged Rome Neuerthelesse at the intercession of his gossippe the frenche kyng he leauied his siege and restored to the Romains those castels and townes that he before had taken from theim ¶ Aldeprandus nephewe of Luitprandus liued not fully .v. monethes and
firste mocion the alteracion of that palaice from his olde facion ¶ Whan Mocenigo was deade Fraunces Foscaro entered into the astate â–ª who beyng praied thervnto entred in league with the Florentines againste Philip Duke of Myllaine and sente Carmignuola theyr capitaine to Bressa whiche by meane of intelligence was soone gotten though the forteresse helde a certeine space On the other syde the Florentines toke Nicolos da Este marchese of Ferrara for their capitaine and sente hym into the territorie of the Genowaies where was gotten no small booties So that Duke Phillip thus troubled fearyng leaste the countrey of Romagnia shoulde returne to the Florentines dominion yelded vp the fame to the vse of the churche of Rome into the handes of the legate of Bononia and for aduoidyng of further inconuenience caused the same legate to procure him a peace whiche was sooner obteined than well obserued For Phillip encouraged with the money and large offers of the Mylanese wolde not suffer the articles to be obserued â–ª and inuadyng the Mantuane territorie prouoked his ennemies the colleges to renewe their power with whiche and by the power of the generall Carmignuola the Duke receiued such a discomfiture besides Terentiano with losse of his cariage plate and money that if Carmignuola had folowed the victorie he had ben lyke enough to haue driuen Phillip out of his Duchie ¶ Finally after sundrie conclusions and breaches at last a full peace was concluded that Bergamo and Bressa with their apportenaunces shoulde remaine to the Uenetians Cremona with his territory should be geuen to Sforza for the dower of his wife Bianca doughter to Phillip Romaningo with the fortresses of Gieradadda to be restored to Phillip by the Uenetians Pâ—schiera and Lanado onely excepted that Conzaga shoulde haue the reste of the Mantuane confines and that in those quarters Legniago Porto Riua Torboli Penetra and Rauenna shoulde remaine to the Uenetians That within the terme of two yeres Nicolas Piccinino should restore Bononia to the churche That Astorre di Faenza shuld deliuer vnto the Florentines their fortresses and finallie that Phillip shoulde no more meddle with the Genowaies ¶ This peace satisfied all the colleges the bishop of Romes legate onely excepted whose parte in Bononia semed nothyng honourable in this behalfe ¶ Duryng these businesses in Lumbardie the Turkes assaulted Thessalonica a citee of the Uenetians in Macedonia and by force toke it â–ª with Iames Dandolo and Andrea Donato gouernours of the same ¶ Not longe after Andrea Dandolo was sent ambassodour vnto the Soldan of Aegypt to excuse the senate of Uenice for the takyng of certaine of his vesselles without theyr consent ¶ In this time the water in maner drowned all Uenice so that whan the floudde was past the hurt that it had doen was esteemed aboue a myllion of golde ¶ The daughter of the kynge of Arragon wife of Lionello da Este of Ferrara came to see Uenice and the furie of the people was so great to see hir that they brake the bridge of the Rialto in the fall wherof .xx. men were slaine besides a noumbre maimed and hurte ¶ Eugenius the bishop of Rome impacient that Piccinino shoulde so longe kepe Bononia entred in league with Alfonso kyng of Naples and with Duke Philip against Sforza and so renuyng the warres in Italie the Bologniese thorough helpe of the Uenetians and Florentines recouered theyr libertee and for aduauntage gatte diuers of theyr enemies castels By meane wherof Phillip fell in hand againe with the Uenetians and Florentines that came to theyr succour so that theyr capitaine Michelle Attendulo fought with hym besides Casale Maggiore put hym to flight toke foure thousande horse of his ranne to the gates of Myllaine and brought Phillip so low that besides Myllaine he had no more lefte but Crema and Lodi Wherfore he sought peace of new but it woulde not be graunted hym ¶ This meane time Iames Foscaro son vnto the Duke for certeine his ill demeanours was twise confined into Candia and there died ¶ Than Sforza takyng parte with Duke Phillip loste Casale Maggiore and the Marca d' Ancona that the bishop of Rome toke from him but finally Phillip diseased bothe with a feuer and the fluxe died ¶ Incontinently vpon whose death Lodi and Vicenza submitted theim selfes to the Uenetians Wherfore Sforza capitaine of the Milanese came with an army to Vicenza toke it and sacked it And Aâ—tendulo on the other syde wasted a great part of the Milanese vntill suche tyme as Sforza agreed hym with the Uenetians to haue .4000 men and .13000 duckates of yerely prouision vntill he myght gette the state of Myllaine promisyng theim whan he were Duke he would be contented to renounce to theim all that that Phillip had gotten on that syde the riuer of Adda So that whan Sforza obteined the state of Myllaine whiche happened shortly after he obserued his promyse and peace folowed ¶ About this tyme a certaine Greeke called Stamato robbed the treaâ—ure of sainct Markes churche after he had been two yeres in cuttyng an hole through a verie myghtie stone wall but beyng bewraied through a tailour that he trusted the treasure was recouered the Greeke taken and for his longe pacience and woorthie thefte hanged with a golden halter ¶ Than came newes out of Sicilia that Loredano capitaine of the Uenetian armie had foughten with the Genowaies and Sicilians and had burned .47 of their shippes After whiche victorie a generall peace folowed for a tyme. ¶ The kyng of Bossina sent for a present to the Uenetians certaine vesselles of siluer .iiii. goodly horses and many Faulcones ¶ Federike the emperour retournyng from his coronacion at Rome towardes Almaine passed by Uenice where the Senate presented to the Empresse a ryche crowne sette with iewelles wherof some one stone was estemed at .3000 duckates and besides that gaue hir two couerynges for a cradell richely embrodered with stone and perle because she was at that time great with childe ¶ A newe leage made betwene the Uenetians and the Senesi the Duke of Sauoie the marques of Monferrato and the lordes of Correggio againste Sforza than newly made Duke of Myllaine For defence wherof Sforza had secret helpe of the Florentines so that the Uenetians with their colleges procured Alfonse kyng of Naples against the Florentines who after made warre vpon them in Tuscane whilest the gentill Leonesio capitaine of the leage on the tother side toke Lodi Gotolengo Manerbio Pontoglio and ranne euen to the gates of Myllaine ¶ About this tyme the Turke wonne Constantinople in the takyng wherof the emperour of Grece with diuers gentilmen Uenetians valiauntelie resistyng their ennemies both by sea and lande were slaine besides a numbre of others taken prisoners with the loâ—se of theyr nauie and substaunce Wherfore the bishop of Rome toke vpon him the appeasyng of the Italian warres agreyng the parties on this wise that Sforza shoulde restore vnto the Uenetians all that that
the newes of his election was brought hym nowe of a good friende shall I haue an ennemie For in dede Innocent all his daies ceased not to woorke against Federike all the mischiefe he coulde imagine He fledde into Fraunce and called a generall counsaile in Lyons where Federike was double accursed but he esteemed it not answearyng alwaies that as longe as the bishop went about temporall persecucion he would defend him selfe temporally ¶ Finally after many notable battailes and victories he finisshed his life in Fiorentino a little towne of Puglia leauyng generall heyre of the realme of Naples his sonne Conrado borne of his seconde wyfe Iolante who by election of the princes of Germanie succeded his father in the empyre One other laufull childe he had named Henry borne of Isabell his .iii. wyfe to whom he assigned the ilande of Sicile from the Faro di Messina forewardes Than of bastardes he had Entio beforenamed kynge of Sardegna Manfredo prince of Taranto and Federike Prince of Antioche with diuers others not so notable ¶ As soone as Conrade beyng in Almaine heard of his fathers deathe he came with a great armie fyrste into Lumbardie where he recouered many citees that newly had rebelled and after passed into the realme reducyng also vnto his obedience those townes that before his comyng were in a rumour of whiche some he destroied and put to sacke as Capua and Aquino and so finally besieged Naples whiche at length he toke by famine ouerthrowing the walles and principall houses therof with banisshement of diuers of the nobles Thus whan he had gotte Naples the whole realme was clerely his owne so after he gaue him selfe altogether to huntyng and haâ—kyng with other lyke pastymes And beyng so in peace his mother Isabell sent his brother Henry than tendre of yeres to dooe reuerence vnto him whom Conrade caused secretely to be murdered by the waie A childe in witte and beautie very towarde But the crueltee was not longe vnpunished For Conrade him selfe by procurement of his bastarde brother Manfredo as it was saied was poysoned within .v. monethes after ¶ Now it is to be vnderstanded that Henry the eldest sonne of themperour Federike who as I saied before died in prison had a laufull sonne named Corradino to whom after the death of Conrade all the dominion of Federike descended But Innocent the .iiii. yet liuyng and coÌ„sidering Corradino being but a child in Almaine made an armie and withall speede wente to Naples where he was receiued and as it was thought had in short space obteined the realme had he not died immediately ¶ By reason of whose death Manfredo by title of tutour of the younge Corradino yet still in Germanie sodeynely assaulted and discoumfited the bishops army and within very short space brought the whole realme to obedience ere the ryght tutours of Corradino in Almaine knew of this victorie ¶ Than craftily he hyred certaine Almaines to feigne that thei came streight out of their countrei with newes of Corradines death wherfore Manfredo with all his clothed in blacke seemed greatly to lamente the thyng insomuch that he caused the funeralles honorably to be executed ¶ Not longe after appered him selfe in kyngelie habite and was saluted and called kyng Wherwith Alexander the .iiii. than bishop of Rome was sore offended excommunicated Manfredo and sente an armie againste him whiche was discomfited For Manfredo gathering into his handes the treasures of his predecessours waged so many Sarasynes and banisshed men of the Florentines and Lumbardes that he was alwaies to stronge for the bishop ¶ After Alexander succeded Urbane the .iiii. who to ouercome Manfredo lette crie a Croysie vnder colour to expulse the Sarasines out of Italie and Sicile But the armie of that Croysie was not sufficient to furnish the enterprise So that Urbane of newe began to deuise a better waie callyng Charles Duke of Angio and erle of Prouance brother vnto Lewys the .x. French kynge vnto Rome where firste he made him Senatour and after crowned hym kynge of Sicile and of Ierusalem vpon condicion that he shoulde paie yerelie to the churche .48000 duckates Pursuyng the title Charles with his frenche armie inuaded the realme and at laste in plaine battaill fought with Manfredo besides Beneuentâ— where Manfredo was slaine and his power discomfited so that Charles findyng after in maner no resistence gatte the dominion ouer the whole realme and at lengthe toke the wife and sonne of Manfredo prysoners whiche sonne bad his eies put out and after died miserablie in prison in the castell De Louo ¶ Than went Charles royally to Naples where he founde an infinite treasure that Manfredo had gathered the thirde part wherof he destributed amongest his souldiours and waxed so great that Clemente the .iiii. who succeded Urbane made him vicare of the empire in Italie so that at his pleasure he rode about to Utterbo and into Tuscane vntill the comyng of Corradino beforenamed righte heire by title of the house of Sueuia vnto the crowne of Naples who hauyng certaine intelligence in Italie came with a mightie power out of Almaine to recouer his enheritaunce But Charles ouercame him more by policie than strength in the plaine of Palenta ¶ And albeit Corradino and his cousen the Duke of Austriche veray yonge men fledde in the discomfiture of the battail and did disguise them selfes in vile apparaâ—l trustyng to escape yet their yll fortune at last discouered them so that they were taken brought to Naples and there after a yeres imprisonment against all law of armes or reason openly beheaded some saie through counsaille of the bishop of Rome For whan Charles had asked counsaile of the bishop what he shoulde doe with Corradino he aunswered these wordes Vita Corradini mors Caroli mors Corradini uiâ—a Caroli ¶ But surely Peter than kynge of Aragone iustly reproued this crueltee in a letter written to Charles with these wordes Tu Nerone Neronior et Sarracenis crudelior that is to saie thou arte more Nero than Nero him selfe and more crewell than the Sarasines For in dede Charles wente into the holy lande with his brother Lewys the Frenche kynge and there beyng taken prisoners of the Sarasines were courteisly entreated and sette to theyr raunsome Whiche thyng gentilnesse and reason wolde he shoulde haue vsed towardes Corradino ¶ But see what folowed The frenche officers and souldiours in Sicile behaued them selfe to proudly with a certaine kynde of tyrannie as well against women as men that the Sicilians conspyred against them through the instigacion of one Iohn di Procida sometyme phisicion to the kyng Manfredo who after he had obteined promyse of maintenaunce by kynge Peter of Aragone wrought this conspiracie the space of .xviii. monethes a wonder it coulde so longe be kept secrete and so well it came to passe that at the daie appoincted with the fyrst ringyng of a bell to euensonge the Sicilians beyng armed slew all the frenchemen where
sharpe but that the Florentines at length did passe it ouer with out any great losse ¶ Than died Cosmo di Medici whan he had gouerned the citee about .31 yeres He in his tyme was one of the notablest men of the worlde the richeste priuate man that hath ben hearde of manie yeres and so lyberall withall that he relieued a number of his citesins not onely with loâ—e but also with the gifte of large summes of money and many times he wolde him selfe consider who had neede and helpe them vndesired His wisedome was suche and was vnlearned that he ruled the vnruliest citee of the worlde in peace without ciuile sedicion whiche before his tyme was neuer in quiete And though he might haue taken on him selfe the absolute power without difficultee beyng in suche auctoritee yet ledde he still a priuate life nor for all his great richesse neuer soughte other mariage for his doughters than amongest his owne citesins He builded .v. princely houses one within the cite and .iiii. without besides iiii monastaries .ii. churches and dyuers chappelles so that he that well considerith his doynges shall iudge theim rather mightie kynges than citesins ¶ Finally his factions were suche in Uenice in Naples in Rome and in other chiefe citees of trafficque that whan he was so disposed he wolde make them all bare of money so that with his onely reputacion many times he wroughte suche quietnesse and commoditee to his citee that all the Florentine power was not able to doe ¶ The rule that he bare was not grounded on force or tirannie but vpon suche a loue to the people that whan he died the commons bewailed hym as a father of the countrey The profe wherof was well seen what tyme through the yll procuremente of Diotisalui one that he helde as his dere and secrete friende a conspiracie was made against his sonne Peter ¶ Whan the olde Duke Francesco Sforza was deade and his sonne Galeazo established in the astate the ambassadours of Millaine came to the Florentines for confirmacion of their former amitee which Peter the sonne of Cosmo persuaded was necessary to be mainteigned In debatyng of whiche mattier Peter beganne to perceiue the intente of his aduersaries and at length fully ascertained therof he wrought so that all the citee armed theim selfes in his fauour in suche wise that beyng verie weake of bodie and sicke on his bedde the chiefe magistrates of the citee were faine to resorte to hym and to offer theim selfes at his pleasure Wherupon it folowed that the pryncipall of his ennemies were some banished and some slaine and his reputacion suche that though he ruled not in office him selfe yet might be at all times commaunde and doe what he wolde and folowyng alwaies the steppes of his father in the same reputacyon died ¶ After whose deathe Italy happened to be deuided betwene the kynge of Naples and the bishop of Rome on the one parte the Uenetians the Duke of Millaine and the Florentines on the other parte and amongest all the reste the bishop of Rome hated the Florentines speciallie the house of Medici whereof two vertuouse yonge men Iulian and Laurence sonnes of the forenamed Peter were than rulers and in maner though thei liued priuately princes of Florence and this hate was not secret for the bishop openlie in Rome fauoured the Pazi and hindered the Medici so that after the death of Phillip D' i Medici archebishop of Pisa the bishop of Rome placed in his steede Francesco Saluiati a mortall ennemie to the house of Medici who notwithstandyng the Romish election coulde not be receiued of the Florentines Wherfore with the holy fathers consente this newe archebishop beganne a practise to alter the astate of Florence and consultyng on the mattier with diuers of his friendes speciallie of the families of Saluiati and Pazi concluded that without the deathe of Iulian and Laurence D' i Medici it was impossible to bryng the mattier to passe Wherfore they procured the Cardinall of saincte George nephewe vnto the bishop of Rome to come to Florence to the intente that in visityng of him they mighte haue bothe the brethern togethers and so slea theim Of this their purposed intente twise they missed The therde tyme they deuised a solemne masse to be songe before the Cardinall vnto the which bothe the brethern came and at the eleuacion tyme Iulian was slaine and Laurence hurte but he escaped ¶ This meane while the archebishop crately gotte into the palaice with certaine men with him priuily armed in hope that whan the rumour shoulde ryse he mighte haue not onely the palaice but also all the chiefe rulers of the citee in his handes but his purpose beyng espied er he coulde atchieue it he with certaine of his complices were immediately hanged and throwen out at the wyndowes of the palaice This foule ende had theyr cursed conspiracie for whan Iulian was slayne and Laurence returned to his house it was a wonder to seâ— howe soone the people were armed rennyng vp and downe the stretes and criyng Medici Medici killyng and drawyng as many as they coulde know of the contrarie parte And almost there was no citesin of any reputacion that came not vnto the house of Laurence to offer him selfe and his goodes to succour him in case he neded ¶ Finallie the tumulte beeynge quieted as manie as coulde be founde of the Saluiati and Pazi and of the other conspiratours were put to execucion and the rest that fledde were banished ¶ But for all this theyr trouble ceased not For whan the bishop of Rome sawe that this pryuie treason toke not effect in alteracion of the astate he attempted openly the destruction of the citee not vnder pretence of hate to the Florentines but to the house of Medici onely Fyrst he excoÌ„municated the citie and after sent an army of his owne againste theim and procured the kynge of Naples to inuade them with an other armie protestyng alwaies that he desired no more but to haue Laurence D' i Medici in his handes whiche done he offered to be at peace Wherfore Laurence to be the better assured of his citesins called .300 of the best of them togethers and resonyng the mattier with theim founde theim wholy bent to his defence and therupon made prouision of resistence doyng all Italie to vnderstande that the bishop of a shepherde became a wolfe and not onelie practised this secrete treason but also openly maynteigned it ¶ These warres continued so longe that the Florentines beeyng destitute of all succour and werie of theyr great charge and losse of men determined to fall into the armes of the tone of theyr enemies and esteemyng the kynges amitee more auailable and more durable of the bothe Laurence Di Medici went hym selfe to Naples and so behaued him towardes the kyng that where most men suspected he should neuer retourne he not onely retourned but also brought a perfite conclusion of peace with hym Wherat the bishoppe of Rome was
disposed theim all at his pleasure causyng him selfe openlie to be called Duke ¶ Than died Clemente the Bishop whervpon the Cardinalles Di Medici and Saluiati with the principall of the other banished Florentines couetyng the recouerie of their citees libertee sent ambassadours to the emperour besechyng hym to consider the tyrannie of Duke Alexandre who than newly had builded the Cittadella and to regarde the condicions of peace Whiche ambassadours arriued at Barcelona euen as the emperour was takyng shippe towardes the enterprise of Tunise so that beyng returned to Rome the Cardinall Hippolito di Medici disposed hym selfe to goe vnto Tunise therfore And takyng his iourney towardes Naples died at Itri by the waie poysoned as the voice wente by procurement of Duke Alexander ¶ This Duke Alexander was yet but yonge who by bishop Clementes procurement had maried the emperours bastarde doughter he was so stoute that without any respecte he wolde haue his will in all thynges and namely in feates of loue and chaunge of women was his speciall delite And amongest all other he delited more in the company of Laurence di Medici that should succede him in the astate than of any other man But Laurence in steede of that loue hated the Duke and had longe time determined to slea him whan he might finde occasion whether he did it in hope the rather to atteigne to the dominion him selfe or to restore to the citee hir auncient libertee be diuers opinions ¶ In effecte without makyng any man priuie to his entent other than a seruante of his owne the Duke beyng on a nighte all alone in Laurences house and slepyng on a bedde Laurence and his man slewe him and thervpon counsailyng with certayne of his friendes and seeyng no man disposed to stande with him in pursuyng of his purpose the selfe same nighte he fledde and went straight to Uenice where in company of the Sâ—â—ozzi he liued till of laâ—e certaine persons in hope of the Taglia a rewardâ— prâ—claimed for the kyllyng of notable offenders he was also slayne ¶ Immediately vpon knowlage of the death of Duke Alexander the three Florentine Cardinalles that were than in Rome departed thense and makyng all the men they coulde by the waie come with an armie towarde Florence Wherfore the Medici with their friendes in Florence to make their party good that the banished men shoulde not preuayle to their destruction elâ—cted Cosmo di Medici to be their Duke a yonge man of .20 yeres of age whâ—se father Iohn Di Medici had ben a man righte valiaunt in armes And therupon senâ—e to the Cardinalles praiyng theim to state their armie by the waie and to come them selfes priuately to Florence where they shoulde finde so muche reason offered them that they shoulde neede to vse no force So thei staied their power besides Cortona and beyng come to Florence were entreated with so faire promises that thei licenced theyr men to depart By reason wherof the Duke that nâ—we is with his friendes had time to make theim selfes stronge and than wolde consent to nothing that the Cardinalles loked for so that with a playne mocke they departed lamentyng their folie that they had chaunged the suretee of their force for the vnsuretee of fayre wordes ¶ This chaunge in Florence and the mocke that the Cardinalles receiued so muche encreased their malice that they with the helpe of Phillip Strozzi and Bartholomew Valori assembled and waged the number of 4000. men whiche by Peter Strozzi that yet liueth and serueth the Frenche kynge shoulde haue be conducted to Monte Murlo and from thense to Florence had not Phillip and Bartholomew who with a smalle companie came before to Monte Murlo ben sette vpon by Alexander Vitelli taken and ledde awaie prâ—soners to Florence where the whole conspiracy of those confederates that were in the towne was discouered and diuers taken and put to execucion and so the whole enterprise broken and destroied Amongest the rest onely Phillip Strozzi was preserued from deathe notwithstandyng he was kepte in prysâ—n in the Cittadella and there died Some saie he killed him selfe rather than he woâ—â—e vndoe his children by paiyng the raunsome that was required of him beyng in dede one of the rychest priuate men that was in his time as it dothe well appeare by the wealth of his sonne Peter and of his other children whiche beyng banished men and hauyng nothyng in their owne countrey doe neuerthelesse lyue abroade in so muche reaputacion that fewe brethern of christendome vnder the degree of prynces doe the like ¶ I haue spoken before of Cittadella buylded by Duke Alexander for the more suretee of his dominion whiche at his deathe remaigned in the kepynge of one of the Dukes capitaines But assoone as Alexander Vitelli one that had serued well the emperour in his warres hearde of the Dukes deathe he came to Florence and entred into the castell to speake with the capitaine where he handled the mattâ—er so well that he excluded the capitaine and kepte it him selfe And thoughe he made many faire promises to Duke Cosmo yet at length he deliuered it to the emperour who therfore rewarded hym with fayre possessions in the realme of Naples ¶ This Duke Cosmo sued first to marrie with the wife of Duke Alexander the emperours doughter but the bishop of Rome that nowe is purchaced hir to his no small coste for his sonnes sonne Duke Octauio For the whiche there hath ben mortall hate betwene Duke Cosmo and the bishop And beyng thus preuented the Duke to obteigne the more stay towardes the emperour maried the doughter of Don Diego di Tolledo Uice Re of Naples by whose meane he hath redeemed the Cittadella of the emperour for the summe of .400000 duckates and is nowe absolute lorde and kynge within him selfe ¶ He hath diuers faier children by his wyfe and loueth hir so well that in maner he neuer goeth abrode vnlesse it be to churche without hir and is reputed to be a very chaste man He is learned and wyse he vseth fewe wordes and is neuerthelesse in his owne tounge eloquente In the administracion of iustice he is so sincere that syns the tyme of his reigne whiche is nowe aboue .x. yeres I haue not hearde that he hath pardoned any person condemned to die He hath restreigned the Uice of Sodomie which heretofore reigned more in Florence than elswhere in Italy with paine of death and hath broughte his astate to suche quietnesse as it hath not ben this .300 yeres past so that Florence may well saie that in hym she hath founde hir longe desired libertee For though he absolutely hath the whole reuenewes to his owne vse yet the suretee that the Florentynes haue in their owne thynges whiche heretofore they neuer had is muche more worthe to theym than the common reuenew was beneficiall to the citee ¶ Finally the vertue of this Duke Cosmo besides the woorthinesse of his dominion hath brought hym in suche reputacion that
for artificers But for notable or sumptuouse buildynges it maie not be compared with Uenice Rome or Florence For all be it the houses be great and fayre within yet outwardely it is nothyng of that beautie and pompe that those other citees be by reason that for the most parte the Mylanese buildyng is all of bricke because harde stone and marble is not to be had by a great waie of ¶ Neuerthelesse the Domo of Myllaine beyng theyr Cathedrall churche is one of the rarest woorkes of our tyme built all of fine marble so well grauen and cutte that the woorkemanship is a wonder But it is of so vnmeasurable greatnesse that most men doubt whether euer it woull be finished or not thoughe it haue many thousande duckates of yerely reuenew in good land towardes the continuaunce and a noumbre of woorkemen daiely labouryng theron ¶ But what speake I of the churche the castell of Mylaine being so neere whiche in mine opinion is the worthiest and strongest of all Europe For it hath warde within warde fortresse diuided from fortresse that one maie holde against an other walles of endlesse strength and large dyches well watered as fayre built ouer all as nedeth to be and so well fortified that without famine it is impregnable And this concernyng the countrey citee and people of Myllaine in generall shall suffice ¶ The beginnyng and successe of the State of Myllaine AS Liuie and diuers other authors write the yere before the comyng of Christ .259 from the edificacion of Rome .460 and from the beginnyng of the worlde .4860 in the tyme of Assueâ—e otherwise called Cirus and Longimanus sonne of Xerses and nephew to Dario kynges of Persie The citee of Mylaine was rather augmented than newly built by certaine frenchemen called Senoni or Iusubrij people of low Britaine now called Semans where likewyse is a towne called Myllaine These were the frenchemen that fyrst passed the mountaines and settled them selfes in Lumbardie and that afterwardes went vnder the leadyng of Brenne to Rome burned the citee and besieged the Campidoglio though at last they were discomfited ¶ Finally in processe of tyme beeyng becomen Mylanese and made subiectes to the Romaines Amilcare the Affricane at his comyng into Italy persuaded theim to rebell wherfore they were foughten with and twise ouerthrowen firste by Furio the Pretor and after by Claudio Marcello who in the later conflict slew Mago brother of Hanniball with .37000 Affricanes and Mylanese together and therfore at his returne vnto Rome was receyued with triumphe ¶ Nowe wherfore it was called Millaine be two opinions the one is that it toke that name of the other Millaine in Brittaine the other by reason the forme of a farowyng sowe halfe couered with woulle signifiyng fattenesse was founde at the diggyng of the foundacion they called it Milana as who shoulde saie halfe woulle But howe so euer the occasion therof proceded I finde that it had diuers names as Subria Mesopia Paucentia Alba and Ercolea of Ercole Massimino that furnished it with houses and closed it with walles and also builded a temple in it to the honour of Hercules whiche is nowe conuerted to be the churche of S. Laurence ¶ Thus after the tryumphe of Claudio Marcello Millaine encreased more and more and rested in peace about 500. yeres beyng in maner the chiefe markette of all Italy Insomuche that many Romaines came thither to dwell and many tymes the selfe emperours came thither to solace But at length in the time of saincte Ambrose bishop there whan the secte of Arrians began it was somewhat troubled and shortly after destroied by kynge Attila called of the Italians Flagellum Dei ¶ And albeit that it was after reedified yet by Totila and the emperour Iustinians capitaines it was for the more parte again and again destroied And by the Lumbardes also it was many tymes sore vexed But laste of all Galuano who beyng taken prisoner by the emperour Barbarossa by escape was retourned seeyng afterwardes the same Federico occupied with the Frenche warres reedified it of new and diyng without issue left it to his citesins who with fauour of their neighbours gouerned the same as a common wealth the space of .52 yeres tyll Giouanni Torrigiani a principall citesin vsurped the dominion by force ¶ This Torrigiani as he that was cruell and desyrouse to make his astate durable feigned daiely newe crimes and offences against his citesins and specially against the Visconti to rydde theim out of the waie And though he cloked his crueltee with the beste colour of iustice that he coulde imagine outwardesly so that no man for feare durste withstande hym yet God takyng vengeaunce suffered hym to be discomfited and slayne before Parma where he had ben two yeres generall of the emperours army against the bishop of Rome ¶ Now vpon the death of Torrigiani the Mâ—lanese beganne to contende amongest theim selfes so longe that at laste Martino Turrigiani toke the dominion vpon him and kepte it two yeres in whiche time beyng aduertised that Ezelino lorde of Uerona with many banished Mylanese caâ—e in armes against him he issued out into the fielde with his power fought with Ezelino hurt and toke hym prisoner and so beeyng victoriouse and of the age of .80 yeres died at Souzino ¶ After hym succeded his sonne Philippo who beyng but weake herted and grosse witted made neuerthelesse warre againste the Cremonese sacked Como toke Bergamo and Nouara and finally expulsed the familie of Tornielli After whiche enterprises he died leauyng the astate to his sonne Napoleone that after happened to be slaine Unto whom succeded his sonne named Philippo that by meane of the archebishop Ottone Visconti was afterwardes expulsed ¶ It is to be vnderstand that before the time of Giouanni Torrigiani the house of Visconti was equall with the beste of Millaine beyng descended of the Erles of Angiera that before tyme had ben lordes of Millaine for the name of Visconti was taken of Ottone sonne of Elipandro who by reason he was lorde both of Angiera and of Millaine called him selfe Bisconte as who should say twise Erle ¶ This Ottone being gone in a croisy with other princê to conquere the holy lande foughte there with a Sarasine hande to hande and ouercame him and because the Sarasine for his enseigne caried on his crest an adder with a littell childe in his mouthe Ottone as a perpetuall memory of his victorie vsed the same euer after in his armes ¶ But nowe to come to the purpose aboute the yere of grace .1262 there remained .iiii. bretherne of the house of visconti on liue that is to wete Ottone before named Vberto Iacopo and Gasparo sonnes of Vberto de Visconti ¶ This Ottone the archebishop beyng than a banished man through helpe of his kinsman Gregorie bishop of Rome by force expulsed out of Millaine the foresaied Philippo Torrigiani sonne of Napoleone and finally became lorde therof beyng afterwardes
confyrmed in the same as vicare of the empire ¶ Within two yeres after Ramondo Torrigiani bishop of Como and Patriarke of Aquileia retourned with a great armie to dryue Ottone out and did muche hurte in the Milanese territory But at laste he receiued a sore discomfiture by Ottone through helpe of the families of Duarosi and Palauisini whiche houses together with those of Lampugnani descended of the Goti and those of Pietrasanta comen out of Tuscane those of Porri of Caimi of Bossi of Marliani and of Triulsi were all at that time most noble and puissaunte in Millaine ¶ After the death of Ottone his brother Iacopo hauyng a sonne named Tibaldo and Tibaldo a sonne named Matteo who for his lusty courage and deedes was surnamed Magno the reputacion and state of the Visconti beganne to grow more and more For this Matteo gatte Alexandria Pauia Tortona and manie other townes ¶ Finally this Matteo puttyng Pietro Visconti in pryson whom after he deliuered beyng aduertised howe the same Pietro conspyred with the chiefe of the Torrigiani to driue him out of his astate and mistrustyng his owne power to defend the same committed the whole to Alberto Scoto lorde of Piacenza and fledde hym selfe into the marishes of the lake of Garda where he lyued longe time of his onely labour of fishyng He had .iiii. soonnes by his wife Bona Cosa the fyrste named Galeazo so called because in the nighte of his birthe the cockes crowed more than thei were wonte the secounde Giouanni the .iii. Stefano and the .iiii. Lucchino ¶ This Galeazo succeded his father and goyng afterwardes with Henrie the emperour to Rome was there made capitaine of the light horsemen and about that tyme begatte two sonnes the one called Azone and the other Marco His courage was so great that whan the emperour Lodouico di Bauiera requyred a certaine summe of money of the Mylanese Galeazo withstode it Upon displeasure wherof Lodouico toke hym prisoner and banished his sonnes Azone and Marco But at length at the instaunce of Castruccio Lucchese Galeazo was deliuered And finally beyng in company of the same Castruccio at the siege of Pistoia sickened and died in the towne of Pestia ¶ After whose death Azone and Marco for a certaine summe of money paied before hand obteined of the emperour Lodouico the restitucion of the state of Myllaine And so Azone as elder brother hauyng the dominion Marco in his name gatte the citee of Lucca and his vncle Lucchino the citees of Bergamo Bressa and Pauia wherby Azone became great and so high of stomacke that remembryng the iniuries doen to hym by the emperour Lodouico whan he wold haue passed through Myllaine as lorde of all Italy he closed the gates against hym refusyng to accepte him for his better Therfore not without good cause was he bothe feared and esteemed specially for his approued valiautnesse for beyng sent of his father to helpe Castruccio he fought with the Florentines neere to Fucecchio discomfited and pursued theim euin to the gates of Florence and laiyng siege to the citee remaigned there idell certaine daies for no man durst issue out to meddle with hym Whiche was the fyrst enterprise of the Visconti against the Florentines ¶ After whiche Azone through helpe of Castruccio became lorde of the Alco Pascio and of Bologna and as some saie beyng in campe on a daie after he had broken his fast puttyng his sallette on his head whiche before had lien on the earth there issued out an adder that glyded downe alongest his face without dooyng hym any hurte wherof it folowed that the Visconti vsed the adder in theyr armes And thoughe it so maie well be true yet this seconde opinion of the adder dooeth not so muche satisfie me as the fyrst ¶ Finally Azone diyng without issue his vncles Lucchino and Giouanni rested in his place and were confirmed in the astate by Benedetto the .xi. bishop of Rome as vicares of the churche with condicion that after the death of the emperour Lodouico di Bauiera the state of Myllaine shoulde be holden of the dominion of the churche ¶ Lucchino as elder brother toke vpon hym to gouerne and proued a veray rightuous and mercifull man He granted reconcilement vnto many of the citesins before tyme confyned by Azone and builded many deuoute places in Myllaine He gatte many townes part by force and part with loue and in maner renued the walles of Bergamo at his owne coste He reformed many thynges in Bressa and so finally died ¶ After him his brother Giouanni succeded who incontinently called home Matteo Bernabo and Galeazo sonnes of his brother Stefano before time banisshed by Lucchino ¶ And all be it that this Giouanni was an archebishop yet beyng more geuen to armes than to the churche thorough the valiantnesse of Galeazo he gatte Parma Lodi Cremona Bergamo Genoua Sauona and many other townes and finally died leauyng his astate diuided betwene Bernabo and Galeazo ¶ This Bernabo helde warre longe tyme with the bishoppe of Rome for the citee of Bologna that together with Genoua had rebelled against hym and finally toke for Bologna a great summe of money and forbare Genoa because it had been before redeemed at his handes for the summe of .600000 duckates But some saie he was enforced to lette it alone by reason that in one selfe tyme he was troubled of the Romish legate of Philippino di Gonzaga and of Cane della Scala for the thynges of Bressa where he had been ones discoumfited ¶ He had to wyfe one of the daughters of Mastino della Scala a woman that for hir vnreasonable pride was surnamed La Reina the Queene And had by hir .14 children wherof .iiii. were sonnes To Lodouico the eldest he gaue the citee of Cremona To Carlo Parma To Ridolfo Bergamo and to Mastino Lodi ¶ The rest beyng daughters he maried on this wyse La Verde vnto Leâ—poldo Duke of Austria graundfather to the emperour Federico the thyrde La Taddea to the Duke of Bauiera La Valentina to Peter kyng of Cyprus La Catherina to Giangaleazo Visconti his nephew L' Antonia to Federico kynge of Sicilia La Maddalena to the Duke of Bauiera againe L' Agnesa to Francesco Gonzaga La Lisabetta to Ernesco Duke of Monaco in Bauiera L' Angiolella to Federico the younger And La Lucia to Lodouico Duke of Angiers eldest sonne to the Frenche kynge And after to Baldasar Marques of Misna and finally to Edmonde Erle of Kent sonne to the kynge of Englande And with the mariage of euerie of these daughters he paied all .100000 duckatê ¶ Besides these he had .iiii. bastarde daughters Bernarda Ricciarda Lisaberta and Margherita And fiue bastarde sonnes Ambrosio Nestore Lancilotto Galeotto and Sagramoro ¶ On the other syde Galeazo begatte on his wyfe Bianca daughter of Amone Duke of Sauoie a sonne named Giangaleazo and a daughter named La Violante whiche afterwardes was maried to Lionell Duke of Clarence and sonne to the
made Cardinall and Don Ferrando that nowe is the emperours generall at Millaine finally he died ¶ After whose death Federico toke the astate vpon him and was made general of the Romaine churche by bishop Lyon the .x. confirmed by Adrian the .vi. and continued also vnder Clement the .vii. And as the emperour that now is retourned from his coronacion at Bologna passyng through Mantua where he was most honourably receiued his maiestee for the vertue worthinesse and nobilitee knowen in this Federico called hym from the degree of Marques and created hym Duke ¶ He maried Margerite doughter and heire of the lorde Guglielmo Paleologo Marques of Monferrato in whose righte by fauour of the emperours maiestee he obteigned hir fathers astate that is to saie the dominion of Monferrato And so notably fortifiyng the citee of Mantua he died leauyng .iiii. sons Francesco Guglielmo Lodouico and Federico ¶ Francesco after his fathers deathe entred into the dominion but because he was than of verie tender yeres and passeth not yet the age of .14 his father by testament committed the gouernaunce of hym vnto his wife with the helpe and counsaill of his brother Ercole the Cardinall vntill the yonge Duke shall be growen to sufficient yeres who by the parentes consente and by the emperours procurement hath ben contracted vnto one of kyng Ferdinando's doughters and shall marie hir verie shortly as the saiyng is ¶ Of the astate of Ferrara FErrara is one of the notablest citees of Lumbardie aswell for the beautie and greatnesse as also for the stronge site fortificacion ¶ Fyrst for beautie if that part that is called La terra nuoua had ben thoroughly finished as it was deuised it shoulde haue ben woorthie for faire stretes to haue been preferred before any other citee that I haue seen And now as it is I thynke it no lesse woorthy For you shall finde aboue a dousen streetes so iust and euenly setâ—e foorthe that I warrant you there is not so muche as the corner of a house to let a man of his full sight from the tone ende to the tother Some of whiche streetes lacke little of a myle longe with the goodly houses and buildynges on bothe sides so fayre and vniforme that it seemeth all dooen at one tyme and by one agreement as no doubte the most part hath been in deede And than in the middest it hath a verie fayre greene appoincted out for the markette place But the Duke that now is hath had no mynde to folow it although his father Alfonso bestowed the most trauaile of all his daies about it to his wonderful charge as he that shall see it maie wel consider So that the most habitacion of people resteth still in the olde parte of the citee whiche is also indifferent fayre but nothyng comparable to the new Than as touchyng the greatnesse I thynke the circuite by the walles be little lesse than .v. myles And finally for strength it hath the goodliest and strongest wall and the largest diche well watered that I haue seen specially for three partes to the lande warde And as for the fourth part though the wall be not so stronge yet is it reputed of no lesse force on that side than on the other by reason that within .20 yardes of the wall the great riuer of Pò hath his course downe towardes the sea whiche renneth so swifte and is so broade and deepe that it is not to be passed of any enemie to geue assaulte to the towne ¶ The Duke hath vnder his dominion two other citees that is to wete Modona and Reggio with a good parte of the low countreys of Romagna and maie dispende yerely by estimacion betwene .200 and .250000 duckates and is esteemed verie riche because he hath had no warre nor other charge of importaunce for the space of .xiii. yeres or more that he hath gouerned the astate The Originall and successe of the citee LYke as of other places be diuers opinions euen so is there of the beginnyng and name of Ferrara Some woull that the name therof hath growen of a certaine quantitee of yron that the same citee yelded for a tribute vnto the lorde of Rauenna as Argenta and Aureolo haue also dooen of the paiement of siluer and golde Some other woull that it be so called of the mynes of yron that haue been founde there whiche opinion is most sensible consideryng that Ferrara after the vse of the latine tounge signifieth none other but the place where yron is digged foorth as Caesare in his commentaries the .viii. boke of the Frenche warres and as Liuie in the fourthe of the Macedonicall warres dooe affyrme ¶ But to passe ouer these antiquitees and come nerer to our purpose I finde that the saied citee of Ferrara was firste closed with walles by one Smeraldo capitaine for the Greekish emperour in Rauenna and longe time after beyng a certaine space vnder the obedience of Henry the secounde emperour of Almaine it was recouered by the counteise Matilda doughter of the Conte Bonefacio as hir right enheritaunce through helpe of the Uenetians and of the lordes of Rauenna out of the handes of Henry the thirde than emperour whiche Countesse at hir death with other hir possessions lefte it vnto the vse of the Romaine churche insomuche that longe tyme it was gouerned of vicares and of legates vntill the house of Este gatte the rule therof Who firste obteigned is vnder condicion that thei shoulde for euer holde it in fee of the churche of Rome ¶ And to resite the beginnyng of that house some thinke the same is descended of those aunciente Troianes that came with Anthenor into Italy and some other woull that their sâ—ocke shoulde be of a certayne towne called Este now vnder the Uenetian dominion liyng .xv. miles from Padoa on the southeside of the Padoan hilles From whiche towne thei saie this family of Este came to dwell in Ferrara But how so euer it be the fyrst notable man of that house that ruled Ferrara was named Azo who at his death lefte issue two sonnes Aldobrandino and Azo the fyrste entred in possession and liuyng but a short space lefte the astate vnto Azo the seconde his younger brother ¶ This Azo was driuen out of it by Federike the emperour and one Salinguerra put there in his place insomuche that Azo for succour resorted vnto a certaine Ferrarese named Gregorio Montelungo beyng at that tyme Romysh legate in the citee of Bologna by whose meanes with helpe of the Uenetians of the Mantuanes and of Ezelino than lorde of Verona brother in lawe vnto this Azo Salinguerra was by force expulsed and Azo restored vnto his astate vpon condicion that he shoulde holde it for euer as vicare of the church and none otherwyse ¶ Now this Azo the seconde hauyng by his fyrst wife a soonne named Fresco maried agayne the secounde daughter of the kyng of Naples named Beatrice whiche mariage so muche offended
of the same and was of so good a nature that he wolde offer no man wronge but rather forgettyng those that were done vnto him he was wonte to saie That sooner and with more ease should a man ouercome his enemy by benefites and curtesie than by swordâ— or vengeaunce ¶ He delited muche in cunnyng men and kept diuers about him as well of learned as of others And finally was so worthy a man that the emperour Federico passyng through his dominion of his owne mocion created him Duke ¶ After the death of Borso Nicolo the sonne of Lionello accordyng to the couenaunt made betwene Borso and his father succeded in the astate ¶ He ruled not longe but the right heyre Ercole before named with helpe of the Uenetians by force expulsed hym in suchewyse that for succour he â—ledde to his vncle to Mantua where after the terme of thre yeres assemblyng about an .800 banished men he attempted to recouer Ferrara and watchyng his time whilest Ercole was foorth of the citee by night skaled the wallê â–ª and came to the market place criyng Vela Vela which was his enseigne but there was none of his friendes so hardy as to aryse to succour him so that Gismondo brother to Ercole seeyng the weakenesse of Niccolo's succours gathered together suche power as that hastie rumour allowed and not onely discoumfited Niccolo's companie but also toke hym with .xx. of his men prisoners and brought hym vnto Lionora the wife of Ercole doughter to Ferrando kynge of Naples who sent for the Duke vnto Bellosguardo And so within .iii. daies after the Duke beyng retourned vnto Ferrara Nicolo lost his head and was neuerthelesse honourablie buried amongest his auncestours ¶ Not longe after the Florentines at that tyme troubled by the bishop of Rome and the kynge of Naples elected this Duke Ercole for theyr generall who accordyngly serued theim verie honourablie ¶ Finally fallyng out with the Uenetians for the breache of certaine articles betwene them what with warre and with hunger he was so oppressed that had he not obteyned the bishop of Romes fauour he myght easily haue lost his astate After whiche enterprises beyng generall of the Uenetians and of the Mylanese bothe and vtterly suppressing his aduersaries the Erles of saincte Bonifacio at last he disposed hym selfe altogethers to religiouse woorkes and amongest all other with his owne handes he daiely distributed to .13 poore men for goddes sake two poundes of flesshe a measure of wyne three loues of bread and a little peece of money vnto euery one of theim and than died ¶ Leauyng his astate vnto his sonne Alfonso who proued so woorthy a man that notwithstandyng he had maried Lucretia daughter of Alexandro bishop of Rome yet whan the same bishoppe by force offeâ—ed to take from hym the countrey of Romagna he resisted so valiantly that the bishop was faine to forgoe his enterprise ¶ The lyke wherof he did vnto bishop Leon the .x. that purposed to haue taken Ferrara from hym ¶ And thus hauyng by Lucretia his fyrste wyfe three sonnes Ercole Hippolito now Cardinall and Don Francesco and by Laura his secounde wyfe two sonnes Alfonso and Alfonsino he died ¶ After whose death Ercole as eldest sonne entred into the astate and at this daie enioyeth the same ¶ And albeit that hitherto there hath happened no notable occasion to trie his woorthinesse yet can he not chose but proue well For he is a goodly man of personage hygh of stature stronge and well proporcionate in all his membres balde on the crowne of the head and amiable enough of countenance He hath a good witte and is somewhat learned and indifferent in the administracion of iustice And one thyng speciall I remembre of hym worthy to be recited Themperour at his beyng in Italie borowed money of all handes And demaundyng amongest the rest .100000 crownes in loâ—e of this Duke he brought hym a bagge of .50000 crownes excusyng hym selfe that to lende .100000 crownes he was not hable but to geue his maiestee those .50000 he could be contended with all his hert and by this shifte kepte the other .50000 crownes in his purse ¶ Finally of religion he is no more earnest than moste princes are and in his life he foloweth the court of loue to lose no tyme of pleasure ¶ He is friendly to faire women and cherisheth change By his fathers daies he maried madame Renea daughter vnto Lewys the .xii. frenche kyng a verie graciouse ladie By whom he hath two sonnes Alfonso and Luigi Hitherto he hath mainteined his dominion in peace and is therfore thought as I haue saied to be very riche He is well furnisshed of artillerie and municion and of deuocion is altogether Frenche So that if there should happen any businesse in Italie betwene the emperour and frenche kyng his part is like to be therin The astate of Placentia and Parma ¶ PLacentia and Parma ar two notable citees of Lumbardie liyng betwene the Appepine hilles and the riuer of Pò whose territory and pastures are so fatte and sweete that it is thought no place of all Europe hable to compare with it for the excellent cheeses it maketh which by the name of Parmesanes are right well knowen ouer all ¶ These two citees of late apperteined vnto the churche of Rome But Paule the thyrde now bishop of the same â–ª a Romaine of nacion of the house of Farnesi to encrease his owne familie founde the meane to separate these two citees with theyr territories from the churches dominion and to geue it vnto his owne sonne named Peter Aluigi creatyng hym Duke therof And in recompence annexed vnto the churche the Duchie of Camerino that he before had taken by force from the Duke of Urbine ¶ This Pietro Aluigi beeyng the yeere of our lorde 1546. entred into the astate beganne to beare hym selfe ouerstoutely against the nobilitie of the same and specially towardê the Signor Ieronimo Pallauicini di Corte Maggiore who rather disdeigning then enuiyng this mans dominion was faine at last to flee and to habandone wyfe and children gooddes and landes Insomuche that this new Duke toke all vnto him selfe and furnished the castell of Corte maggiore beyng a veraie stronge holde with his owne men toke all the rentes beyng .12000 duckates a yere to his owne purse excepte a small porcion assigned to the ladie wife of Ieronimo for hir liuyng with condicion neuerthelesse that if she reliued hir husbande with any part therof she should lose the whole Besides this he oppressed his subiectes causyng theim to bie harneis and to furnishe them selfes for the warre on theyr owne cost But most of all he occupied a great noumbre of labourers in his woorkes beginnyng the foundacion of a stronge castell in the place where the Abbey of S. Bennettes in Placentia stode The monkes wherof he appoincted vnto a spittle hous called sainct Lazares in Champaine And these labourers were taken vp by force from all partes of the Parmesane and