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
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
he had taken from them in those warres the castelles of Gieradadda onely excepted that the kynge of Naples shoulde do the like to the Florentines Castiglione excepted and the Florentines to doe the lyke to the Senese And that whan anie controuersy shoulde happen of newe betwene them the bishop of Rome should order the mattier without any businesse of warre ¶ The Genowaies were left out of this peace by meane of the kyng of Naples ¶ Federike emperour of Almaine requyred ambassadours from all the princes of Europe to make a newe league against the Turke ¶ But this meane whyle Bartholomeo Marcello retourned from Constantinople with an ambassadour of the Turkes that brought certeine articles of agreement to the senate whiche the Uenetians accepted and thervpon was confyrmed amitee betweene the Turke and theim ¶ After the death of Foscaro succeded Pasquale Malipiero of whom I fynde nothyng of importaunce sauyng that in his time hapned the terrible earthquake in Italie that specially in the realme of Naples did so muche hurte and that emprintyng was than fyrste inuented ¶ After him succeded Christofero Moro in whose time the Turkes wanne by force and rased to the earth the Uenetian walle made vpon Istmus of Morea and after didde in maner what they woulde thoroughout all that region ¶ This Morea aunciently called Peloponnessuâ— is the chiefe parte of Greece a verie riche countrey compassed about with the sea except in one narow place that it seemeth racked vnto the maine lande in whiche place beyng about sixe myle ouer was suche a walle made as with reasonable furniture had been sufficient to resiste a wonderfull power But the Uenetians because they fyrste of Christian princes entred in amitee with those infidelles trustyng to muche in theyr newe friendship attended more to the vndoyng of theyr neighbours at home than to the earnest prouision that so worthie a countrey agaynst so puissaunte an ennemie the Turke requyred So that shortly after the losse of that wall thei were shamefully discoumfited at Patrasso Iames Barbarico beyng theyr Proueditore And than also they loste Negroponte where was suche a slaughter of Christians as woulde make any Christian herte wepe to heare it Besides a huge summe of money that they were constreigned to geue to the kyng of Hungarie to resist the Turkes passage that with an other armie by lande was than comyng towardes Dalmatia ¶ Than succeded Nicolo Trono who was cause of the establishemeÌ„t of Ercole da Este in the duchie of Ferrara ¶ He entred in league with Vsnucassan kyng of Persia whose successour is nowe called Sophie against the Turke ¶ In his tyme the Uenetians gatte the realme of Cyprus by this meane Iames last kyng of the same for the great amitee betweene his forefathers and the Uenetians came vnto Uenice and requyred the Signoria to adopte one of theyr daughters as daughter of theyr common wealth and than woulde he be contented to accepte hir vnto his wyfe ¶ This large offer was soone accepted and Katheryn Cornaro a goodly yonge gentilwoman espowsed to the kynge who therupon retourned into his realme continuyng in peace the tyme of his life At his deathe leauyng his wife great with childe he ordeined that she and hir childe not yet borne shoulde enioy the realme â–ª But the childe after the birth liued not longe Assoone as the Uenetians hearde of the kynges death they armed certaine galleis and sent them with Georgio Cornaro brother to the Quene into Cyprus to comforte hir on the Signorias behalfe with this wile that whan Cornaro shoulde arriue before Famagosta the principall citee of Cyprus he should feigne him selfe so sicke that he might not goe out of the shippe and whan his sister the Quene with hir barons shoulde come to visite hym than shoulde he kepe theim sure from retournyng and sodeinelye entre the citee subduyng it with the whole realme vnto the Uenetian obedience As it was deuised so it happened from poinct to poinct albeit that the Quene was counsailed not to go abourde the galey and that some businesse was made after for it yet in effect the Uenetians preuailed the Quene was brought to Uenice where she passed the rest of hir yeres ¶ Some esteme this doing treason but many men allow it for a good policie ¶ After Trono folowed Nicolas Marcello in whose tyme happened no notable thyng other than the victoriouse defence of the towne of Scodra in Albania against an infinite numbre of Turkes ¶ Next hym succeded Peter Mocenigo whiche at the tyme of his election was capitaine of an armie by sea wherwith he had in Cyprus quieâ—ed a great rebellyon preserued Scodra from the Turkes furie and restored the kynge of Carramania to his astate ¶ For these woorthie deedes and for his other vertues was in his absence first made Proctour of S. Marke and than as I saied created Duke And beyng called home from the armie to gouerne the dominion Antonio Loredano was sent foorth in his stede who deliuered Lepanto frâ—m the Turkes siege and vsed great diligence in the conseruacion of the countrey of Morea ¶ After Mocenigo Andrea Vendramino was elected Duke In whose tyme the Turkes retournyng into Albania came fyrste before Croâ—a and after ouerran all the countreis betwene that and the riuer of Tagliamento in Fâ—riuli so that the Uenetians were faine to call backe the capitaine Carlo Montone who not long before put out of wages was than gone into Tuscane ¶ This Duke attempted a peace with the Turkes but his purpose was interrupted by meanes of the kynge of Hungarie and of Naples ¶ After Vendramino folowed Iohn Mocenigo brother to Peter beforenamed ¶ This man agreed with the Turke after they had warred with him .17 yeres The articles of accorde were that the Uenetians shoulde yelde into the Turkes handes Scodra the principall citee of Albania with the ilandes of Corfu Tenaro and Lemno and besides that shoulde paie him .8000 duckates a yere In consideracion wherof the Turke for his parte graunted theim safe passage for trafficque of merchaundise into the sea nowe called Mare Maggiore and auncientlie named Pontus Euxinus and that the Uenetians shoulde haue power to sende an officer of theirs vnder the name of Bailo to Constantinople to iudge and order all their merchauntes businesse ¶ Not longe after this agreement the I le of Corritta in Dalmatia was broughte vnder the Uenetian dominion ¶ And in the .iiii. yere of this mans rule warre was moued against Ercole Duke of Ferrara for the breache of certeine articles betwene hym and the Uenetians ¶ After that Robert of S. Seuerino was sente with an armie against Ferrando kyng of Naples in whiche enterprise the Uenetians discomfited Alfonse Duke of Calabria sonne of the foresaied kynge But those warres by meane of the other Princes of Italie were soone appeased whan the Duke of Ferrara besides the losse of Comacchio had susteined verie great damage for his parte
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
out measure wroth but at last the Florentines sent their ambassadours to hym Who beyng brought to audience in Pontificalibus at length obteined his absolucion The rather because euin than newly the Turke had assaulted and taken Otronto in Puglia and mynded to conquere Italie whiche occasion caused all the princes of Italie to vnite theim selfes together more for feare than loue as afterwardes did well appeare For the Turke was no sooner dead and the feare of his inuasion paste but they fell out againe as farre as euer they were For betwene the bishop and the kynge grew hote warres and the Florentines in helpe of the kynge assaulted the bishop on the other side and besides that the camâ—e of the league was lyke to haue taken from the Uenetians all theyr dominion in Lumbardie so that Italie was full of warre vntill by procurement of the kynge of Spaines ambassadours a generall peace thorough all the astates of Italie was concluded the Genowaies excepted By meane wherof the Florentines with theyr more ease warred vpon the Genowaies and gatte Pietra Santa with other townes from theim and gaue them a notable discoumfiture besides Serezana ¶ Finally the moste renoumed priuate man of his tyme Laurence D' i Medici died leauyng one of his sonnes a Cardinall who was called therunto beyng not fullie 13. yeres old and his eldest sonne Peter in great reputacion and his doughters also verie well maried ¶ He fauoured cunnyng men specially theim that were learned he was eloquente in reasonyng quicke of invention wise in determinyng and hardie in doyng Besides the conspiracy wrought against hym whan his brother was slayne he was twyse in peryll of death by treason and yet preuented theim bothe to the confusion of the conspiratours All the princes of Italy honoured hym the kynge Mathew of Hungarie shewed hym great signes of loue the Soldan of Aegypt sent hym presentes and ambassadours the Turke deliuered Bernardo Bandini that slewe his brother Iulian into his handes and his owne citesins so muche loued him that I thynke of his tyme died no man happier than he Contrary wise his sonne Peter di Medici who notwithstandyng his gentle enterteigment of all men at the beginnyng whiche made the worlde to hope well of him did at length proue so ambiciouse so wilfull and so vndiscrete in his procedynges that neither the magistrattes the citesins nor yet the people could well beare him to the encrease wherof whan Charles the .viii. Frenche kynge passed by Florence towardes Naples Peter mette hym on the waie and saied to him that his father commaunded hym .iii. thynges the fyrst to honour God the secounde to worship the frenche kyng and the thyrd to defende his countrey So that Charles seeyng hym thus well disposed entreated hym so fayre that he deliuered into his handes Serezana Pietra Santa and finally sette Pisa at libertee whiche was so great a hinderaunce to the Florentine astate that the magistrates and commons moued of iuste disdeigne draue him out of the citee toke his goodes and patrimonie as forfaicte and condemned him to perpetuall exile with a noumber of his friendes and partetakers and the furie of the people was suche that they brake and defaced all the armes that coulde be founde of the Medicies in Florence ¶ And albeit that he attempted manie waies to recouer his countrey yet was his fortune so yll that the more he sturred the more was he hated whiche at lengthe was the vndoyng both of him selfe and of a great many moâ— as well of his adherentes as of his aduersaries ¶ Thus the familie of Medici loste reputacion and credite for the tyme so that the astate of Florence retourned vnto the common rule of the magistrates and citesins that endured till the tyme that Leo the .x. of the familie of Medici was made bishop of Rome who though he restored not his house vnto the full rule they had before in the citee did neuerthelesse so muche partely with auctoritee and partely by friendship that diuers of that name were receiued and made partetakers of the common wealth whiche by little and little so encreased againe that in the tyme of bishop Clement the .vii. who also was of the Medici whan the Duke of Burbon passed by Florence to Romewardes the commons of the citee made a commocion against Hippolito di Medici then gouernour of the same he than beyng departed out of the citee in companie of the Cardinall of Cortona to goe visite the Duke of Urbine But assoone as he retourned he did so muche that they yelded theim selfes againe vnto hym vpon couenant he should hurt no man for that mattier ¶ Than bishop Clement made this Hippolito a Cardinall whervpon he lefte the administracion of the common wealth and so was the citee at libertee againe But Clement beeyng determined to make it perpetuall subiect to his owne familiâ— handled hym selfe so well towardes the emperour at his coronacion at Boloigne that he obteigned the imperiall power to the oppression of his owne naturall countrei and brought to passe that the prince of Orenge with the emperours army besieged Florence ¶ This siege endured a whole yere which for the many enterprises and battailes fought on bothe partes maie be compared to the best Troiane Greekish or Romaine warres namely because the common wealth alone with out helpe of any other prince or state susteigned the violence of two so mightie powers as the emperours and the bishops of Rome vntill famine and not force ouercame theim ¶ Finally the prince of Orenge and dyuers other notable capitaines beyng slaine in the often battailes and skyrmisshes at last the Florentines for lacke of vittailles were faine to fall to composicion and yelded vpon these condicions that the citee should continue in hir libertee referryng the reformacion of thastate to the emperour who within the terme of .iiii. monethes should thervpon declare his pleasure That all banished men should be reconciled without remembraunce of any iniurie before passed That the Medici should be restored to theyr goodes taken from theim by violence of the magistrates That the citee shoulde paie .80000 â–ª crownes to the dispatche of the armie with other couenauntes of lesse moment Upon whiche accorde Bartholomew Valori commissarie for the bishop of Rome entred with dyuers of the imperiall capitains and there behaued theim selfes so stoutely that notwithstandyng the couenauntes of peace they founde the meane within lesse than a moneth to behead .vi. of the chiefest citesins and to confine .150 besides a noumbre of others that habandoned and fledde the citee of them selfes so that theyr promysed libertee was tourned into a moste cruell seruitude ¶ Shortely after came Alexander Di Medici nephew to bishop Clement sente by the emperour out of Flaunders who at his first comyng made a shew of sobrietee in goyng priuately vnto his house and receiuyng the citesins amiably but yet at lengthe by little and little he vsurped the offices and magistrates and finally
or three where vnder the fresshe herbers hedges and boowes amongest the delicate fruites they triumph in as muche pleasure as maie be imagined And for the most parte eche man hath his make with some instrumentê of musicke and suche other thynges as serue for his recreacion And if euer the tenaunt haue good daie than lycketh he his lippes of his maisters leauynges As for the women Some be wonders gaie And some goe as they maie Some at libertee dooe swymme a flot And some woulde faine but they can not Some be meerie I wote well why And some begile the housbande with finger in the eie Some be maried against theyr will And therfore some abyde MAIDENS still In effect they are women all Euer haue been and euer shall ¶ But in good earnest the gentilwomen generally for gorgeouse atyre apparaile and iewelles excede I thynke all other women of our knowen worlde I meane as well the courtisanes as the maried women For in some places of Italie speciallie where churchemen doe reigne you shall finde of that sorte of women in riche apparaill in furniture of householde in seruice in horse and hackeney and in all thynges that apperteyne to a delicate Ladie so well furnisshed that to see one of theim vnknowynglie â—he shoulde seeme rather of the qualitee of a princesse than of a common woman But because I haue to speake hereafter in perticuler I woull forbeare to treate any further of theym in this place Of the states of Italie THe greatest prince of dominion there at this present is Charles the .v. emperour of Almaine who for his part hath the realme of Naples and the Duchie of Mylaine whiche realme is diuided into .8 regions and to the entent the readers maie the better be satisfied I haue set foorth as well the auncient names of those regions as the present The realme of Naples ¶ The present names ¶ The auncient Parte of Campagnia di Roma Maremma Latium Terra di Lauoro Campania Principato Picentini Basilicata Lucania Calabria Brutij Grecia magna Puglia terra d'otranto Salentini Calabria antiqua Iapigia Mesapia Puglia Apulia Peucetia Aetholia Apulia Daunia Abruzzo Frentani Peligni Marrucini Vestini Precutij Marsi Valle Beneuentana Samnites As for that parte of the Duchie of Mylaine that the emperour hath it lieth in Lumbardie aunciently called Gallia Cisalpina for the most part on that side of the riuer Pò that was called Transpadana The bisshop of Rome hath for his parte the citee of Rome with these countreys folowyng ¶ The present names ¶ The auncient Parte of Campagnia Maremma Latium Parte of Tuscane Hetruria The Duchie of Sposeti Vmbria Marca D' Ancona Piceni Romagnia Flaminia Emilia The citee of Bononia  The Uenetians for theyr parte haue the Citee of Uenice with those townes in and about their marishe called La Contrada di Venetia La Marca Triuigiana and a great part of Lumbardy aunciently called Gallia Cisalpina on the same side of the Pò that was called Transpadana And parte of the countrey of Istria The common wealthe of Genoa haue the countrey about theim nowe called Jf Genouesato and auncientlie Liguria Tuscane auncientlie called Hetruria is diuided into diuers dominions wherof a small parte the bisshop of Rome hath but the greatest is the Duke of Florence who hath .vii. citees vnder him And than there be two common wealthes Siena and Lucca whose territories are not great The Duke of Ferrare hath parte of Romagnia and parte of Lumbardie The Duke of Mantua is all in Lumbardie And the Duke of Urbine is betweene Marca d' Ancona and Tuscane whose people are called of Plinie Metaurensi The Citees of Parma and Placentia in Lumbardie haue ben of late transposed from the churche vnto the astate of a Duchie but nowe it is diuided agayne as hereafter you shall perceiue ¶ Now here is to be noted that euery perticuler prince and common wealthe of Italie within his owne dominion accompteth him selfe absolute lorde and kyng and lyueth vpon the customes taxes and tallaiges that he raiseth of his subiectes For lightlie they haue littell or no landes at all of theyr owne And generallie they procede all together by the ciuile lawes and are so diligent in the administracion of iustice specially against murderers and theues that I thynke no countrey more quiete than it the realme of Naples and some part of the Romaine territorie excepted where many tymes happeneth muche robbyng by the waies ¶ An abbridgement of the state of Italie from the beginnyng vntill the Romaine empyre was vtterly diuided AFter the generall floudde remaigned no moe but Noe his .iii. soonnes and theyr wifes betweene whom it shoulde seeme the whole worlde was diuided Sem toke the easte parte Cham the southe and Iafet the weast Some write that Iafet was the same Ianus that fyrst reigned in Italie and some that Ianus was Iafettes soonne But whether so it be this Ianus was euer taken for father of the gods and was peinted with two faces either because he was father of two nacions the Greekes and Italians orels because the moneth of Ianuarie whiche hath two respectê one to the beginnyng and an other to the ende of the yeere toke name of hym While this Ianus reigned in Italie Saturne beyng chased out of the realme of Candia by his soonne Iupiter came in a maner naked vnto hym and Ianus not onely receiued hym But also gaue him the halfe of his dominion For memorie wherof either of theim builded a citee to his owne name that is to wete Ianicula and Saturnia from Ianus vnto Numitor were .xxi. kyngê of the latines whose names with the yeres of theyr reigne hereafter folow Ianus Saturnus Picus beyng a great talker was therfore feigned of the poetes to be conuerted into a pie Faunus was after woorshipped for a God of the wooddes Latinus chaunged the name of his people from Laurentini to Latini and gaue his daughter Lauinia to Eneas the Troiane promised before vnto Turnus sonne of kyng Daunus These .v. kynges reigned about .200 yeres Eneas maried the daughter of Latinus and after his death reigned .iii. yeres and builded the citee Lauinia Ascanius sonne of Eneas and of Creusa kyng Priamus daughter reigned .38 yeeres and builded Alba longa to the whiche he brought his fathers idollê called the gods Penates but they of theim selfes tourned iii. tymes backe againe to Lauinia Siluius Posthumius seconde son of Eneas and begotten on Lauinia reigned .xxix. yeres Of whom all the latine kynges afterwardes surnamed theim selfes Siluij and after some authours he was father to Brutus that first named this realme Britaine and that slewe his owne father by mischaunce whiche thyng Polidorus Virgilius doeth not grauâ—t Eneas Siluius reigned .31 yeres Latinus Siluius reigned .50 yeres Alba Siluius reigned .39 yeres and builded Alba whiche he made his royall citee but after it was destroyed by Tullus Hostilius Of that citee descended those that to this daie are called Albanesi though
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
power than before tyme it had dooen in aucthoritee ¶ True it is that the emperour sent his ambassadouâ—rs vnto Pepine to claime this exarkate wherof he and his predecessours had ben in possession .170 yeres but those ambassadours could not be heard ¶ Blondus saieth that these thynges happened in the time of bishop Gregorie the .iii. ¶ Of this Paule I finde nothyng notable sauyng he did his beste to dissuade Constantine the .v. emperour from the defacyng and hurlyng of images out of the christian churches but Constantine folowyng the exaumple of his father Leo not onelie extirped the images but also put diuers to deathe that wente about to resist it ¶ After the death of Paule Desiderius king of the Lumbardes made Constantine bishop by force but within a yere the clergie of Rome deposed him and elected Stephen the .iii. in his place in whose tyme happened no notable thyng in the churche sauyng that he with all the clergie immediatly after his election in token of humilitee wente barefoote in procession from the Laterane churche to Saint Peters ¶ This Adrian was so haulte of courage that whan Desiderius the kyng sent ambassadours to congratulate his election and to enter in amitee with him he answeared theim howe maie I trust him that so ofte hath broken his faith wherwith Desiderius toke suche displeasure that he inuaded the churches dominion and tooke by force Faenza Ferrara Comacchio Montefeltro Vrbino Senegalia and was come as farre as Spoleti entendyng to goe to Rome had not .iii. bishops mette hym there with an excomunicacion for feare wherof he retourned to Pauia without anie more adoe But because he helde still in possession the foresaied citees the bishop of Rome procured Charlemaigne than frenche kyng to come into Italie who with a mightie power besieged Pauia tooke Desiderius with his wife and children prisoners restored to the churche all that his father Pepine had geuen with more and reserued vnto him selfe the dominion of Lumbardie ¶ In this bishops time Tyber rose so high that Rome was in maner cleane drowned ¶ After Adrian succeded Leo the .iii. who because the Romaines conspyred against him fledde vnto Charlemaigne and by hym was restored with great pompe into his astate for pacifiyng this Romayn furie against the bishop Charlemaigne him selfe with a great army came to Rome where for the high seruice he had doen to holie churche the Romaine bishop annointed and proclaimed him emperour August and his sonne Pepine kyng of Italie So that from this time forewardes the emperours of Constantinople were no more reputed Romayne emperours but emperours of Greece For Charlemaigne did so muche that at lengthe the empires were deuided by confines and the Greeke Emperours consented to suffer the Frenchemen in quyette bothe with the name and dominion of the Occidentall empire ¶ After the death of Charlemaigne and of Pepine this Leo remembryng the olde conspiracie made against him caused many of the chiefe Romaines his enemies to be put to death For the whiche at laste he was faine to withdrawe him from Rome and liyng at Blera the Romaynes in a sodayne rage spoyled and rased to the earth all the buildynges that he had made or procured to be made in Rome And because the bishop died shortelie thervpon Lewys the frenche kynge and emperour sent his cousin Bernarde as kyng into Italie to be a staie against the inconueniences that of this furie might haue folowed whiche Bernarde within few yeres after rebelled but at last he was constreigned to yelde him selfe and so beyng brought into Fraunce was beheaded ¶ This Stephen went into Fraunce and there crowned the forenamed Lewys emperour who for his great curtesie and gentilnesse was called Lewys the meeke and at his retourne to Rome this bishop brought many Romains home with him that his predecessour had exiled ¶ After Stephen succeded Pascall who crowned Lotharius sonne of Lewys the meeke kyng of Italie and successour to his father in the empyre and with faire persuasions obteined of Lewys the election or confyrmacion of all bishops whiche before that time depended onely vpon the emperours pleasure And further procured the confines and limites of the churches dominion to be made certaine and that with the largest ¶ But Gregorie the .iiii. woulde not take vpon hym the bishoprike till he had receiued his confyrmacion from the emperour Lewys before named ¶ In his tyme the Sarasines in great noumbre landed in Italie besieged Rome toke it spoyled it and all the countrey about but at last they were repulsed by the Marques Guido of Lumbardie with helpe of the frenchemen ¶ Sergius the secounde fyrst gaue president to all his successours to change theyr names by reason that his owne name Bocca di porco that is to saie swynesmouth was so vnseemely that he thought it not agreable to his dignitee He repayred the walles of the Vaticane and builded Castel Sant ' Angelo vpon the tombe of Adrian ¶ Iohan the .viii. was an englishe woman that in hir youthe disguised in a boies apparaile was brought to Athenes in Greece where she profited so muche in learnyng that whan she returned to Rome for hir good behauiour and singler reputacion she was elected bishop and so continued more than two yeres till at last goyng in procession towardes sainct Iohn Lateranes she fell in trauaile of childe in the high waie and there died For whiche cause the bishops to this daie dooe forsake that waie and as they saie whan any new bishop is elected he is brought to sainct Iohn Lateranes and there set in a chayre with an hole that the eldest Deacon of the Cardinalles maie feele vtrum habet testiculos ¶ Adrian the seconde was elected and establisshed bishop without the emperours consent wherwith the emperours ambassadours than resident in Rome beganne somewhat to be moued but at length the emperour him selfe was so contented withall that from thensefoorth the clergie in maner esteemed not the emperours ¶ Iohn the .ix. succeded Adrian and willyng to crowne Lodouicus Balbus frenche kynge emperour the Romaines that fauoured more Charles the .iii. kynge of Germanie who than was entred into Italy with an armie put the bishoppe in prison but he was shortly conueighed out and fledde into Fraunce where he annointed the kyng emperour Neuerthelesse within a while after the frenche kyng dyed and than was the bishop reconsiled to the foresaied kyng Charles whom he afterwarde crowned emperour ¶ Adrian the .iii. bishop made a law that from thensfoorth the emperours shoulde haue naught to dooe with his successours elections ¶ Stephen the .vi. bearyng malice in his hert against his predecessour Formosus caused hym to be taken out of his graue to be spoyled of his pontificall vestementes his fingers to be cut of and his body to be throwen into Tyber as an excomunicate and damned person For whiche act there grewe heynous contencion amongest the Romains that ceased
armie came to Rome and wolde haue besieged it had not the Romayns receiued him so that Crescentius and the bishop Iohn both fled into Castel Sant ' Angelo and there helde them till thei had so faire offres made on themperours behalfe that vpon trust therof they came foorthe and submitted theim selfes But for all that they were both turmented and at last put to death Wherupon it folowed that this Gregorie who was a Saxon borne transferred the election of emperours vnto .vii. princis of his owne nacion that is to wete The kyng of Boeme cupbearer the Marques of Brandenburgh chamberlayne the Conte Palatine sewer and the Duke of Saxonie swoordbearer with .iii. Archebishops of Mentes Treueâ—e and Coleyn And ordeyned further that from the emperours election to his coronacion he shoulde be called none other but Caesar and kyng of Romayns and after that the bishop of Rome had crowned him he shoulde be called Emperour and August whiche order by consent of the forenamed Otho was established about .200 yeres after Charlemaignes coronacion ¶ Benedicte the .viii. crowned Henrie the secounde emperour who was the fyrste that accordyng to the order of Gregorie the .v. was elected by the princis of Germanie Some call him Henrie the fyrste because Henrie Duke of Saxonie that succeded Conrade neuer came to Rome to be crowned ¶ Benedict the .ix. for his naughtie behauiour was expulsed and Siluester the .iii. placed in his roume who helde it .40 daies and than was Benedict restored Neuerthelesse Benedict mistrustyng that he coulde not kepe it longe solde his iurisdiction vnto Gregorie the vi but the emperour Henrie the .iii. came to Rome deposed these .iii. bishops and created Clement the seconde who liued not fullie .x. monethes by reason that his next successour Damasus the seconde founde meane to poyson him beyng after so serued him selfe the .23 daie nexte folowyng his election ¶ Leo the .ix. beyng sent as bishop to Rome at the Romaines request that desired the emperour to sende theim a good man mette with .ii. monkes by the waie who persuaded him so muche that he put of his pontificall habite and priuatelie came to Rome saiyng that he repented hym to haue taken of the emperour that whiche apperteined to the clergies free election For whiche humilitee the clergie embraced him and neuerthelesse made him their bishop ¶ He made an armie against the Normains than reignyng in the realme of Naples to recouer Beneuento that they had wonne from the churche where his army was discoumfited and he with diuers of his Cardinalles taken prisoners But the Normaines freely deliuered hym and honourablie sent hym home ¶ In his time was the counsaile of Vercelli called against the opinion of Berengarius for the sacrament of communion ¶ Stephen the .ix. brought the churche of Myllaine to the obedience of the churche of Rome whiche for .200 yeres before would neuer knowlage Rome for hir superiour ¶ Nicolas the .ii. after the clergie had deposed Benedicte the .x. was elected who made a decree that from thensefoorth the Cardinalles onely shoulde choose the bishoppe ¶ He created Robert Guiscarde Duke of Calabria and Puglia and made hym lieutenaunt of the churche by whose power he subdued to the churches dominion the Prenestini Tusculani and Numentani with diuers other territories about Rome ¶ Alexandre the .ii. in the beginnyng of his astate was disturbed by Gadolo bishop of Parma for the whiche they fought two battailes but finally Alexandre preuailed by reason that at a counsaile holden in Mantua where the emperour was present the whole clergie agreed vppon Alexander and exempted from all emperours the aucthoritee of confyrmacion of the Romaine bishops whiche afterwardes was occasion of many inconueniences ¶ Gregorie the .vii. incontinently vpon his election beganne to proue maistries with the emperour Henrie the .iii. Fyrst he woulde not be confyrmed of the emperour and afterwardes where the emperour before tyme had vsed to geue bishoprikes Gregorie would geue theim hym selfe So that whan a bishop died the emperour woulde name one and Gregorie an other Wherof folowed excomunicacions as thicke as hayle so that at laste the emperour hym selfe was not onely excomunicate but also by the ecclesiasticall power deposed of the empyre And yet had religion so muche power in hym that whan he was come into Italie and had besieged his enemie Gregorie within the towne of Canosso the emperour hym selfe went barefooted to the towne gates in the harde frost and snow to aske forgeuenesse of the bishop who for all that stode styfe .iii. or .iiii. daies ere he woulde assoyle hym At lengthe they agreed vpon condicion that the emperour shoulde obey the bishops commaundementes ¶ But the bishop not yet contented within a whyle after so offended the emperour againe that he came to Rome and was there receiued of the Romaines Wherfore Gregorie fled into Castel Angelo and there kepte hym till he was rescued by Robert Guiscarde for feare of whose comyng the emperour retyred into Germanie Where by the bishops procurement the princes had elected Radulphus de Sueuia emperour betweene whom and Henry were many blouddy battailes foughten and not onely Radulphus him selfe slaine at length but also the emperours owne sonne so suborned that he warred against his naturall father and besieged hym in the towne of Mentz Neuerthelesse muche against the bishops will nature and friendes wrought a peace betwene theim at last ¶ And though Guiscarde deliuered this bishop out of themperours handê yet he was so hated of the Romaines that he durst not abide in Rome but went with Guiscarde into the realme of Naples and there died ¶ Some write that this Gregorie was the fyrste that prohibited matrimonie vnto priestes ¶ Uictor the .iii. was poysoned by the emperours procuremente as some write but some holde that he died of a naturall infirmitee ¶ Pascall the .ii. fell at varyaunce with the familie of Colonna in Rome by reason wherof whiles he was at the gettyng of Beneuento which by the helpe of Roger Duke of Puglia he obteined the Colonesi by force toke the towne of Caua apperteinyng to the churche But the bishop at his retourne both recouered Caua and also toke from them Zagarolo and Colonna their owne enheritaunce Wherupon folowed so muche busynesse that almoste no man coulde passe in quiete anie where through Campania ¶ This Pascall went into Fraunce to reforme the disordinate life of the clergie there ¶ After his retourne into Italie he condemned the doynges of Henry the .iiii. emperour so that whan the emperour him selfe was come as far as Sutri with a great armie the bishop forbade hym the comyng to Rome till he had promised not to medle with the churche matters and further to cause those bishops that he had made to renounce their bishoprikes ¶ But whan the emperour had kyssed the bishops foote at the heade of S. Peters staiers and was receiued with solemne procession into
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
Calimaco a simple man And further that one Luca Totio a banished Romaine had ben seen with a noumbre of banisshed men in the wooddes there by Upon whiche enformacions he caused diuers men of reputacion to be taken aswell courtiers as other and without any matter or good grounde of suspicion put theim to suche terrible tourmentê that it wold greeue and gentill hert to heare it ¶ He attempted the winnyng of Tolfa fyrst by treason than by siege and lastly whan he could not so get it he purchased it for .7000 dukates ¶ Likewyse he assaulted the citee of Rimino to haue taken it from the familie of Malaâ—esta but he failed of that enterprise ¶ He vsed verie great Symonie and whan any bishoprike fell he would translate the bishops from one see to an other for the gaine of theyr fyrst fruites by reason wherof he gathered a great treasure and delited verie muche in iewelles ¶ Finally he persuaded all men to kepe their children at schole till thei could write and reade and no longer and died sodeinly ¶ Sixtus the .iiii. was bothe learned and eloquent and contrarie to his predecessours nature delited in learned men ¶ He did his beste to succour the princes that were driuen out of theyr countreis by the Turke as the quene of Bossina the Paleologi the Despoti and diuers other And yet did he vniustly bothe reise warres him selfe and also cause other princes to dooe the lyke ¶ Fyrst he beganne with the Florentines because they had emprisoned his nephiew a Cardinall and had hanged the archebishop of Pisa for killyng of Iuliano di Medici ¶ He made warre to Ferdinando kyng of Naples because he had not ayded the Duke of Ferrara against the Uenetians ¶ He made warre also to the Uenetians and gathered all the astates of Italie into a leage against theim leauyng theim excommunicate whan he died ¶ He leuied many dismes and subsidies of the clergie through all Christendome and was verie beneficiall to his owne kynne and friendes ¶ Finally by his tyme Macomet the .ii. emperour of the Turkes had taken Otronto in Puglia and prepared hym selfe to the conquest of Italie Wherfore the bishop made hym readie to flee into France and had fledde in deede if God by preuentyng of that enterprise had not set a staie to the Turkisshe furie with Macometes death ¶ Innocence the .iiii. assoyled the Uenetians and trauailed muche to agree the Christian princes together Neuerthelesse because his last predecessour had released to the kyng of Naples certaine pretended duties of the churche therfore procuryng fyrste certaine astates of the realme to rebell he moued warre against Ferdinando and at length constreigned him to agree at his owne appoinctment ¶ He pacified also a great contencion betweene the families of Colonna and Orsina whose variaunce had been cause of no small fyre bloudde and spoyle He had a sonne and a daughter whom he left verie riche and was neuerthelesse reputed bothe liberall pitifull ¶ Alexander the .vi. was a Spaniarde borne and a great philosophier He entred in league with Alfonse king of Naples against Charles the .viii. Frenche kynge who than prepared hym selfe to come into Italie Neuerthelesse Charles power was suche that the bishop not onely gaue hym passage but also receiued hym in Rome honourablie And yet mistrustyng the frenche kynges hygh courage seyng he feared but little the ecclesiasticall power the bishop withdrew hym selfe into Castel Sant ' Angelo though by fayre entreatie he came out againe and yelded all his dominion at the kynges will and besides that deliuered hym Zizimo brother to the great Turke that before was the bishoppes prisoner ¶ But ere euer Charles retourned out of the realme of Naples which was within lesse than halfe a yere after the bishop had wrought a new league against him wherin the emperour Maximilian the kyng of Aragone the Uenetians and the Duke of Mylaine were his collegê So that Charles in his retourne towardes France was fought withall and sore handled ¶ Finally Charles beyng thus departed this bishop beganne to waxe hygh and imaginyng how to extoll his owne name he created his son Valentino Borgia Duke causyng hym fyrst to renounce his cardinall hatte whiche at his fathers creacion was geuen hym and than made he hym capitaine of an armie sent into Romagnia where fyrst he warred against Katherine ladie of Imola and Furli and not onely toke hir iust possessions from hir but also sent hir prisoner to Rome and than proceded further against the other lordes theraboutes So that hauyng chased awaie the families of Manfredi Ordelaffi Malateste Feltrani Veranei and diuers other in maner of no lesse astate than princes he gatte into his possession the countreis of Romagnia and Marca d' Ancona with the dukedomes of Vrbino Camerino and Spoleti Of all the whiche his father entitled hym Duke and entred into so great a pride with his sonnes prosperitee that he woulde saie to hym eyther a Caesar or nothyng ¶ Through coumfort wherof beyng geuen to ouermuche couetousenesse in hope of empyre he poysoned diuers riche Cardinallê to haue theyr goodes and amongest his other practises he appoincted poysoned coumfettes for a Cardinall that dined with his father but the father hym selfe was serued of the wronge boxe and died And the sonne not longe after slaine in the middest of all his glorie notwithstandyng that by his fathers tyme he was coupled in mariage with the daughter of the Duke of Ferrara ¶ Pius the .iii. died within a moneth not without suspicion of venim ¶ Iulie the .ii. beyng a man more geuen to armes than to praier more like Iulius Caesar than Symon Peter was wont to saie that Maximilian had been meete to be bishop and he emperour ¶ Fyrst he procured suche a league against the Uenetians that they had neuer a foote of grounde lefte theim on the maine lande so that he had for his parte Rauenna with the other citees of Romagnia ¶ He destroied the familie of Borgia and quieted muche the ciuile sedicion that had longe time reigned in the Romaine nobilitee ¶ He made warre against the Bentiuogli that thaÌ„ were lordes of Bononia and hauyng chased theim awaie entred into that citee with lyke triumph as the auncient Romaine conquerours were wont to dooe into Rome ¶ Many tymes he woulde goe armed hym selfe specially in the enterprise against Lodouicus Picus of Mirandula ¶ Finally fearyng the frenche kyngê to muche prosperitee he entred in league with the Uenetians and the kyng of Spaine against the Frenche kyng whiche was occasion of the notable battaile of Rauenna fought on Easter daie where on bothe sides were slaine aboute 30000. men For as I haue been crediblie enformed whaÌ„ both battailê were ioigned Spaniardes on the one syde and frenchemen on the other the Duke of Ferrara that came on the frenche parte shotte of his artillerie amongest the thickest and slewe a multitude aswell of his friendes as enemies but thei were
the Uenetians succoured the citee of Bari than besieged of the Sarasines Finally after he had dooen many charitable deedes in Uenice he was persuaded by a pilgrimme monke of Gascoygne to forsake the worlde And so habandonyng wife children and friendê staâ—e awaie and died a frier in Gascoygne ¶ Than folowed Vitale Candiano who fallyng sicke renounced the astate became a friere and so died ¶ After whom Tribuno Memmo succeded whiche either for feare of the emperour Ottone or throughe the great debate betwene the families of Morosini and Caloprini than the chiefe of Uenice forsoke the dignitee became a friere and within .vi. daies after sickened and died for sorow ¶ Than folowed Pietro Orseolo who conquered Dalmaâ—ia with the ilandes ioygnyng therunto And therfore obteined the fyrste title of Duke of Dalmatia and Venetia ¶ The emperours Basilio and Alesso graunted hym free passage for the Uenetians throughe theyr dominions without custome paiyng And the emperour Ottone helde his sonne at the crisme and for his sake granted many libertees vnto Uenice ¶ After whose death as a recompense of the fathers merite Ottone Orseolo his sonne of the age of .18 yeres was elected Duke who ouercame the Adrianesi with the kyng of Coruatia and so retournyng victoriousely out of Dalmatia fell into the handes of Domenico Fâ—abenio with others that had conspyred against him who shauâ—d his bearde for despite and finally confined hym into Greece where shortly after he died ¶ Than folowes Pietro Barbolano who endeuoured hym selfe to pacifie the rumour of the people offended for the oultrage dooen vnto Ottone but all in vaine For at length by meane of Orso Patriarke of Grado brother vnto Ottone Barbolano was taken his beard cutte of clothed in a friers weede and banisshed ¶ And because the death of Ottone was than vnknowen the Patriarke Orso supplied the place as his liuetenaunte But incontinently vpon knowlage of his death the Patriarke called a counsaile and after a long Oracion lamentyng the iniurie dooen vnto his brother surrendred the astate ¶ Wherupon craftily and in maner by force Domenico Orseolo toke the dignitee vpon hym But finally beyng expuâ—sed of the people he fledde vnto Rauenna and there miserablie died ¶ Than succeded Domenico Flabenico who made a a law that from thensfoorthe no Duke shoulde take a companion to hym He was the principall cause of Ottones exile as it well appeared after For he found the meane that the familie of Orseoli was clerely put besydes the counsaile And finally hauyng well pacified and refourmed all thynges he died ¶ After whom succeded Domenico Contarini that in his tyme recouered Zara whiche before rebelled by returnyng vnto the obedience of the kyng of Coruatia He ouercame Roberto Guistardo in Puglia and reedified the citee of Grado that was halfe destroyed by Pepo Patriarke of Aquileia and after died ¶ Than was chosen Domenico Siluio the greatest man of reputacion that thitherto had ruled Uenice He maried the syster of the emperour Niceforo and at his requeste sente an armie vnto Durazo against Roberte Duke of Puglia and Calabria whiche armie fyrst preuailed but at length was so discoumfited that Domenico was therfore deposed Though some write that he died in the astate His wife was so delicate a woman that she woulde haue dewe gathered to make hir vaine withall with many other curiouse perfumes and trickes to longe here to reherse and yet ere she died hir fleshe did rotte that no creature could abide hir ¶ Domenico beyng thus deposed Vitale Falero was elected who in fauour of Alesso the Greekish emperour renewed an armie against the forenamed Duke Robert whiche armie was also discoumfited Neuertherlesse he caused the Uenetians to be called lordes of Dalmatia because he valiauntly conquered the same bothe by sea and lande ¶ After whose death succeded Vitale Michele a worthy warriour on the sea in whose tyme the Uenetian nauie was rekened .200 saile armed of shippes and galleis whiche beyng sent into Asia with Michele his sonne fell out with the Pisani a littell besydes Rodes and fought with theim and toke .22 of their galleis ¶ After whiche victorie he and many other Christians went against the Infidels and gatte Smirna Soria and Ierusalem ¶ Finally this armie beyng retourned vnto Uenice was agayne sente out into Puglia and there toke Brundizi and ouerranne all those seas about and so retourned loded with glorie and riche praie ¶ After hym Ordelaffo Falero was created Duke In whose tyme the Uenetians sent an other armie into Soria to succour Bawdewyne kynge of Ierusalem to gette Ptholemaido otherwise called Acres ¶ About the same seasone the emperour Henrie the .iiii. agreed the Uenetians and Padoanes togither for theyr confines after the Padoanes with great slaughter had ben ones discomfited ¶ There chaunced also a fyre begun in the house of one Henry Zeno that burned a great parte of Uenice Whiche fyre was no soner ceased but newes came that Calonâ—ano kynge of Hungarie had passed the mountaines of Coroatia and constreigned the citee of Zara to rebell Wherfore an armie was made out vnder the leading of Ordelaffo who not onely recouered Zara but also passed the mountaynes and conquered the countrey of Coruatia and so victoryously retourned to Uenice where he rested not longe but woorde came that the Hungariens were commâ—n againe before Zara. To the succour wherof he sped hym and there in the fighte was slayne with a darte and his armie discomfited so that the Uenetians were fayne to sue to the Hungariens for truce whiche for .v. yeres with muche adoe they obteyned ¶ Nexte folowed Domenico Michele who at the intercession of Calixto bishop of Rome with .200 sayle toke his waie into Soria â–ª to rescue Ioppe that tyme besieged with .700 saile of Infidelles againste whom he obteined the victorie And folowyng the same went vnto Tyro toke it and gaue it vnto Ualmondo Patriarke of Ierusalem ¶ The prosperouse successe of whyche victories was occasion that Emanuell emperour of the Greekes sent and forbâ—dde him to procâ—de any further But he beyng offended with that commaundemente bent him selfe against the emperour and by force toke from hym the ylandes of Scâ—o Rodes Samo Metellino and Andro and so with great honour retourned to Uenice where he died ¶ Than was Pietro Polano chosen his successour who broughte the citee of Fano vnder the Uenetian obedience and fought first with the Pisani and after with the Padoani bothe whose armies he ouercame so that of the Padoani he brought 35â— prisoners vnto Uenice and after released theim without raunsome ¶ This Duke fauouryng the parte of the emperoure Emanuell against Rogier Duke of Puglia wente in his owne person vnto that enterprise recouered Corfu and ouerronne and sacked all Sicilia And thorough his great trauayle syckened and died was broughte to Uenice and buried ¶ After hym Domenico Morosini entred into thastate who besieged Pola
Roger remained quietely Duke of Puglia and Calabria from the beginnyng of his reigne aboute xxv yeres ¶ Next hym succeded his sonne Guglielmo that thynkyng to marie one of the daughters of Alessio emperour of Constantinople â—oke shippyng to goe thither and commended his astate to the protection of Calixt the seconde than bishop of Rome But while Guglielmo was absent Roger than Erle of Sicilâ— sonne vnto Roger brother of Robert Guiscardo without any regarde of the bishop assaulted Calabria and gotte the better parte ere euer Calixt coulde succour it And albeit the bishop reised suche an armie as the hastie tyme woulde serue and came foorth as farre as Beneuento sendyng a Cardinall before with exhortacions and excommunicacions yet wolde Roger nothyng decline from his purpose but was rather more hotte in his enterprise and fortune so muche fauoured hym that after a noumbre of the bishoppes armie were fallen sicke and many of his deere friendê dead the bishop him selfe sickened so sore that he was caried in a horselitter backe to Rome and all his people desperpled By reason wherof Roger in maner without resistence in short time gatte all Puglia and Calabria into his owne possession and so kepte it that whan Guglielmo retourned deceiued of his pretended mariage findyng him selfe also spoyled of his dominion he was fayne to repayred to his cousen the prince of Saern where not longe after he died leauing none issue ¶ So Roger remaignyng successour by inheritaunce woulde no more be called Duke but entitled hym selfe kynge of Italie whiche Calixt and Honorius next bishop after him dissembled because thei could not chose but Innocence the seconde theyr next successour would not abyde that name and therefore moued of disdeine without measuryng his force sodenlely assembled suche people as he coulde make and went against Roger with so great a furie that ere euer Roger coulde make any preparacion he draue hym from S. Germaines and out of all the abbey laudes where Roger thought to haue defended hym selfe and finally constreigned hym to flee into the castell Galuzzo and there besieged hym till William Duke of Calabria sonne of Roger coming with an army to succour his father discoumfited the bishops power finally toke the bishop him selfe withall his Cardinals prisoners whoÌ„ Roger the father entreated very courtesly and at last licenced them to depart at theyr pleasure In consideracion wherof the bishop graunted Roger all his owne requestes the title of kyng onely excepted and amongest other thinges the citee of Naples whiche till that tyme had alwaies ben the emperours For ioye wherof Roger at his entrie made an hundreth and fiftie knightes But Innocence returnyng to Rome founde a new bishop made in his absence one Peter sonne of Pierleone and was called Anacletus Wherfore Innocence fledde with certaine shippes of Pisa into Fraunce The meane whyle Roger visityng this other bishop Anaclete obteined of him the title of kyng of bothe the Siciles on this syde and beyonde the Faro But within three yeres after Innocence by helpe of the Pisani returned and brought with hym Lothayre Duke of Saxonie whom he crowned emperour After whiche Coronacion they bothe with a puissaunt armie went against Roger and toke from him all that he had gotten in Italie as farre as the Faro di Messina but within fewe yeeres whan Innocent was dead Roger recouered againe all that they toke from hym and did afterwarde many notable feates against Emanuell emperour of Constantinople whose ilandes and townes he toke by force as Corfu Corinthe Tebes and Negroponte and burned the suburbes of Constantinople assaulted the emperours palaice and for a memorie of his beyng there gathered apples in his Orcharde ¶ He also fought with the Sarasines and rescued Lewys the .vii. Frenche kynge out of their handes taken by theim by the waie goyng into the holie lande And so reigning .24 yeres lorde of Sicile he died in the citee of Palermo ¶ Than succeded his sonne William before named who immediately ouerran the churche landes and was therfore excommunicated insomuche that many of his owne barons conspired with Adrian bishop of Rome againste him But finally after muche a doe he humbled him selfe to the bishop of whom he was assoiled and inuested kynge of â—ewe in the dominion of bothe the Siciles And after that made an armie into Barbarie where by force he toke and sacked the citee of Tunyse In his retourne from thense he vanquished the Grekish armie by sea though they were manie moe in numbre than he But because he waxed afterwardê somewhat couetouse and burdeined the people with taxes and subsidies his barons rebelled toke him in his palaice at Palermo and put him in prison Than toke they his eldest sonne Roger and made him ryde through the streetes After whom the people went criyng Life to kynge Roger and death to the tiranne kyng William ¶ But the inconstante people repentyng theim of their errour or fearyng leste Roger woulde reuenge the iniurie done to his father retourned to the palaice with a new rumour and findyng it closed began to assaulte it so that Roger thinkyng to appease them came to a window and as he wolde haue spoken was shotte in to the heade with an arrowe wherof he died ¶ Than was William taken out of prison and restored to his kyngdome wherin after he had reigned in all .21 yeres he died â—euyng his sonne also named William in the astate ¶ This William for his good and peasible gouernance was surnamed The good kynge William For in 26. yeres reigne he neuer had warre with any christian prince excepte that littell that moued onelie of a noble courage he made againste Andronico who beyng lefte tutour to Emanuell the seconde a childe vsurped his empire of Constantinople But the Constantinopolitans theim selfes arose against him and hewed him to peeces creatyng Isaac emperour in his place ¶ Manie worthy feates did this William with his galleis against the infidelles specially in the vâ—age that the two kynges Phillip of France and Richard of Englande made into the holy lande Duryng whose beyng at the siege of Acres the good kynge William died in Palermo without issue of his body ¶ Than the barons fearyng the bishop of Rome should subdue theim whose subiectes thei wolde in no wise be incontinently elected Tancredi bastarde soonne of the last Roger before named to be their kyng But shortlie Celestine the .iii. bishop of Rome founde meane to trouble him on this wise ¶ He crowned Henry the .vi. emperour on condycion that he at his owne charges should conquere the realme of both Siciles to hold it in fee of the churche restoryng certain citees and paiyng a certaine tribute And to make his mattier the better he secretlie toke out of the monastarie of Palermo Constance a nunne doughter of the forenamed Roger and dispensyng withall gaue hir in mariage to this emperour Henrie crownyng them both with the title of the
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
Durazzo with his son Charles prisoners The father was beheaded as giltie of the death of Andrew being of secrete faction in armes with the Quene the sonne was ledde prisoner into Hungarie Finally kynge Lewys after he had been .iii. monethes in the realme leauyng a stronge garrison of Hungariens at Naples retourned into his countrey ¶ Than Clement the .v. bishoppe of Rome entreated a peace betweene kyng Lewys and the Queene in suche wyse that Iohan retourned into hir state with couenaunt that hir housband shoulde in no wyse beare the title of kyng But what auailed that for she was no sooner in possession of the realme againe but she by fauour of Clement caused hir husband to be crowned king in Naples and by Clementê procurement gotte the consent of the kynge of Hungarie therunto For the whiche she gaue to the bishop the citee of Auignion that the churche euer sens hath kepte But Lewys couetyng to satisfie hir flesshely appetite fell in a consumpcion and died within .iii. yeres after ¶ Than she mariâ—d Iames of Taâ—racone a young gentilman borne in Maiorica than reputed the goodliest felow in the worlde But to hym she graunted not the title of kynge Within fewe yeres he died some saie by naturall infyrmitee other saie she caused his head to be stricken of for companiyng with an other woman ¶ After she maried Ottho Duke of Brainswich in Saxonie â–ª who than at that time serued in the warres of Italy reteigned with the bishop of Rome ¶ Finally Queene Iohan who fauoured not Urbane the .vi. elected bishop immediately procured certain Cardinalles to electe one of the Frenche faction so they elected Clement the .vii. by reason wherof grew a great schisme in the churche For Italy Hungarie and Almaine fauored Urbane Fraunce Spaine fauored Clemâ—nie And Urbane to be reuenged on the quene made an armie and did so muche that he constreigned bothe Clement and the quene to flee from Naples to Auignion where the quene consideryng she had no chylde adopted Lewys Luke of Angio secounde sonne to kynge Iohn of Fraunce to be hir heire of the realmes of Naples and Sicile and therof made sufficiente writyng whervpon the secounde line of the house of Angio haue euer sens mainteigned their tytle that they haue to the realme ¶ Shortly after the quene retourned to Naples But Urbane this meane while had inuested Charles da Durazzo who as you haue herde before was ledde prisoner into Hungarie kynge of Naples and wroughte so well that Charles by helpe of the kynge of Hungarie that than fauored him muche broughte a great armie with him and inconclusion toke Naples and the quene with hir husbande prisoners ¶ The husbande Ottho was sette at libertee vpon condicion he shoulde departe out of the realme But the quene by sentence of the kyng of Hungary was hanged at the same wyndowe where she caused hir firste husbande to be hanged Hir sister Marie of hir counsaill in that mattier was beheaded ¶ This Marie was she of whom Boccace was enamoured and for whose sake he wrote the two bokes Fâ—ammeâ—â—a and Filocolo And amongest other verses writen of this quene Iohan I finde .ii. veraie notable Regna regunt vuluae gens tota clamat simul oh veh Interitus regni est à muliere regi Whiche in english are of this effect Helas crien the people all A womans shappe weareth the crowne Womans rulyng the wealth turne shall Of realmes quite vpside downe ¶ Quene Iohan beyng thus dyspatched Charles remeigned peasablie in possession of the realme till Lewis Duke of Angio beforenamed heire adopted came with a greâ—t armie out of Fraunce to recouer the realme as his enheritaunce and by the helpe of certaine princes of Italy passed through Lumbardy La Romagnia and La Marca and so entred into Puglia where many townes yelded vnto hym continuyng so a yere and more and to strengthe his armie Mounser de Couci was sent after him with .12000 hâ—rsemen from the Frenche kyng But he not folowyng the Duke passed through Tuscane and besiegeyng the Castell of Arezzo taried so longe that er â—uâ—r he coulde come to the succours the Coâ—â—e Alberico genâ—rall of the kynges armie had discomfited the frenche armie and slayne the Duke in the fielde For whose death Charles withall his courte mourned in blacke a moneth Mounser de Couci hearyng of the Dukes death solde the towne of Arezzo to the Florentines for .40000 duckaâ—es and immediately retourned into Fraunce so Charles had the realme in peace till Urbane the bishop who called him vnto the realme fell out with him because Charles wold not coÌ„sent to make Butillo the bishops nephew borne of a vile stocke prince of Capua Upon which breache Urbane cursed him and because he had not power to reueÌ„ge him vpon Charles he tourned his wrath vpon .vii. Cardinalles that he suspected Of whom he put .v. into sackes and threw theim into the sea and the other two he putte to deathe at Genoa and dried their bodies in a furneise cariyng theim afterwardes on moyles before hym for an example to the reste ¶ Finallie kynge Lewys of Hungarie deceasyng without heire male the barons of the realme called kynge Charles to the dominion therof who at laste wente thither and was crowned in Alba but afterwardes goyng to Buda he was frendely called to a supper by the olde quene and hir doughter and there traitelously slaine at the table ¶ This Charles had geuen to hym to wife by Lewys kynge of Hungarie Margarete yongest sister of quene Iohan before mencioned on whom â—e begatte two children Ladislaus and Iohan. But assoone as the Napolitanes hearde of Charles death they toke their owne libertee vpon theim so that quene Margarete with hir children was faine to flee to Gaeâ—ta where she remained in muche care and trouble .iiii. yeres why lest the whole realme was tourned and tossed firste by Ottho late husbande to quene Iohan who gatte a great parte therof and died at Foggia than by Lewys the secounde Duke of Angio who folowyng his fathers title sente certain galleâ—s to Naples to mainteigne those Napolines that toke his parte ¶ Finallie Boniface the .ix. than bishop of Rome admitted the excommunicacion made againste Charles and caused Ladislaus to be crowned kyng at Gaetta And albeit the forenamed Lewys of Angio came to Naples with an armie by sea and was there receiued yet Ladislaus by littell and littell so allured the barons to hym that he not onely constreigned Lewys to withdraw him into Prouance but also brougte Naples and the reste of the realme obediente to hym Thries he attemted the gettyng of Rome whiche the fourth tyme he obteigned insomuche that entryng tryumphantly the Romain nobilitee did him homage But what folowed Alexander the .v. beyng made bishop of Rome in the counsaill at Pisa receiued the forenamed Lewys of Angio that than was newely comen thither to doe hym honour For the which he obteigned of
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
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
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
¶ 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
of the time would allow amongest whiche one was that the Genowaies shoulde yerely sende hym a basen of golde as a present or rather as a tribute as he toke it ¶ Rafaell Adorno beyng persuaded that the common wealth should amende if he renounced the Duchie lefte it willyngly Whervpon Barnabas Adorno toke vpon hym but Ianus Di Campo Fregoso entred by nyght into the citee and deposyng Barnabas by force toke the astate vpon hym and died within two yeres ¶ After whom succeded Lewys Fregoso and after him Peter Fregoso In whose tyme the dominion of Corsica with the profittes comyng out of Caffa and out of the other places subiecte to the Genowaies in the easte were all conuerted to the magistrate of saincte George and the citee of Pera against Constantinople whiche apperteined before to the Genowaies was yelded to the Turke whan Constantinople was gotten ¶ Iohn Duke of Angio sonne to the forenamed Raynolde came this yere vnto Genoa where by accorde of the citesins he receiued the citee into the dominion of the Frenche kyng and therupon toke their feaultee But than came kyng Alfonse before the hauen with a notable army and so sore streigned the citee by siege that if death had not taken hym the rather out of the waie he muste needes haue gotten it Wheras his death vnloked for caused the whole armie to skatter here and there by reason whereof the Genowaies were delyuered euen whan they despaired of all mercy knowyng how muche the kynge was bent to their destruction ¶ Than incontinently thei made out an army in fauour of Duke IohnÌ„ towardes the recouerie of the realme of Naples whiche did hym notable seruice though in effecte his purpose proued not ¶ This meane while Peter Fregoso that had been Duke seeyng the power of the citee well abated by sendyng out of this armie made a power and imagenyng howe he myghte recouer his astate entred the citee by nyght But this Duke Iohn with the citesins resisted fought with hym all nyght and a part of the daie and at last repulsyng his men by chaunce locked hym with a few moe within the gates where at last he was slaine and some of his alies and confederates taken and beheaded ¶ But Duke IohnÌ„ after this victorie rested not longe till the commons beganne to contende for paiement of taxes and findyng faulte with the burdein that was laied vpon theim toke their weapons in hande and constreigned the Duke with all his frenchemen to flee into the Castell Where they besieged him and than made Prospero Adorno theyr Duke so that Raynolde father vnto the besieged Duke with helpe of the frenche kynge made a great armie by sea and lande and came to Genoa where he was well fought withall discoumfited and lost .2500 men so that the Genowaies remained in theyr libertee and yet were the ennemies no sooner retyred but ciuile sedicion sprange vp amongest theim within the citee For the Duke Adorno could not be contented to suffre the Fregosi to tarie within the citee whervpon either of theim made what power they coulde And the Fregosi hauyng the better hande expulsed Adorno made one of theyr owne name Duke ¶ This ouerthrow was so displeasaunt to the Frenche kynge that kepyng Sauona a certaine space in his handes and seeyng the maintenaunce therof ouerchargeable for hym gaue it vnto Fraunces Sforza than Duke of Myllaine withall his right vnto the astate of Genoa Whervpon Sforza sent an armie thither vnder the leadyng of Gasparo di Vicomercato and easely obteined the dominion of the citee by reason that Paule Fregoso than bothe Duke and archebishop of Genoa fledde without makyng any resistence knowing that the people hated hym for his great tyrannie ¶ Thus Gasparo beyng in the Dukes name placed in the rule of the citee the Genowaies sent .xxiiii. of their chiefest citesins in ambassade to Myllaine to gratifie the Duke that amiably receiued them And glad were the Genowaies that thei had gotteÌ„ him to be theyr lorde because the good gouernaunce of his owne subiectes made them to hope for lyke wealth and rest as it proued in deede But he lyued not fully .ii. yeres after ¶ Than succeded his sonne Galeazzo In whose time the Turke gatte the citee of Caffa with dyuers other townes in the easte parties apperteinyng to the Genowaies Whiche was not onely a great hyndraunce to theyr wealth but also to theyr reputacion ¶ And because this Galeazzo shewed hym selfe some what vnthankefull to the Genowaies beyng in deede a wilfull yonge man therfore the people murmoured against him and ones rebelled by procurement of Ierome Gentile whiche neuerthelesse without muche a doe was pacifiâ—d so that Galeazzo continued lorde thereof tyll he was slayne in Millaine through a conspiracie made againste hym As in the Milanese historie appereth ¶ But incontinently vpon his death the commons arose again and expulsyng the gouernour there for the Duke toke a newe order for the rule of their common wealth Wherfore incontinently a great armie was sente from Millaine whiche by the helpe of the Adorni with theyr parttakers discomfited Obietto di Flisco with the comminaltee and so beyng entred into the citee Prospero Adorno was established as the Duke of Millains liuetenaunte there But he continued scarcely one yere till by meane of new practises that he helde with Ferdinando kynge of Naples he was had in suspicion to the Milanese who willyng to depose hym raised a newe commocion of the people so that where he was before the Dukes liuetenaunte nowe he was made gouernour absolutely of the common wealth Wherupon a new armie was sente from Millaine to Genoa and there foughte withall and so discomfited that of .15000 men whiche departed from Millaine retourned not fully 3000. the rest some were slaine but the most parte taken This battaill beyng thus atchieued the Genowaies had no rather recouered their libertee but that their olde ciuile sedicion renewed For the Fregosi coulde not suffer the Adorni to rule wherfore within the citee they fell together by the eares And albeit that for a season the Adorni preuailed yet at length they were oppressed and constreigned to flee and Battista Fregoso made Duke after their olde maner who the .iiii. yere after his election was deposed by the procurement of Cardinall Fregoso and the Cardinall made Duke in his steede by whose tyme the Florentines made warre againste the Genowaies and gatte from theim the townes of Serezana and Pietra Santa whiche with the countreis aboute theym were of notable importaunce to the common wealth But it is no meruaile though the Florentines preuailed For the Genowaies were at that time habandoned of all the astates about them Wheras the Florentines were in leage with the bishop of Rome with the Uenetians and diuers others ¶ Than were the commons so wery of the Cardinalles rule that Obietto Flisco vpon compforte therof entred by night into the citee and
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
In folowyng the victorie wherof the Uenetians had alreadie passed the riuer of Adda and scoured the countrey euen to the gates of Myllaine he at last a little before his deathe bequethed his astate by testamente vnto the kynge Alfonso as to one the deerest friende he had ¶ This Philippo had ben a prince of a subtill nature wittie a louer of trauaile couetouse to learne and to haue and yet liberall in geuyng easie of pardonyng but suspiciouse out of measure and so light of credence that many tymes he wrongefully ridde out of the waie the deerest friendes he had Wherof it folowed that in his most businesse he founde him selfe vtterly habandoned leauyng the state of Myllaine in maner naked For the Duke of Orliens in the right of his wyfe Valentina daughter of Giangaleazo enforced hym selfe to atteine the possession whiche the emperour Federico for his parte in titell of the empyre denyed But Francesco Sforza as soonne in lawe of the deade Philippo withstode theim bothe insomuche that thorough this rumour the Mylanese rent the testament in peeces and toke on theim theyr libertee electyng .xii. men to diuise order for the gouernaunce of theyr citees whervnto they had the helpe of Carlo Gonzaga who beyng lately departed from the campe of Sforza was present in Mylaine the same time And so the new officers beyng ordeined there were many of those nobles slaine that were knowen fauourable to the part of Francesco whose power courage the Mylanese feared muche more than the puissance of France or of themperour ¶ The father of this Francesco named Mutio was borne besydes the castell of Cotignuola and folowyng the warres fyrst serued the souldiours with cariyng of woodde and water Than gettyng a little with sackyng here and there became so stronge and hardie that many tymes he would by force take the bootie from his owne companions and therfore was called Sforza ¶ From whiche base condicion he beganne to waxe an aduenturer and to feight on horsbacke so that finally he became a capitaine and in short space was iudged equall vnto Braccio Montone the valiauntest and honourablest generall of those daies ¶ But at last after he had long time serued the Queene Giouanna against kyng Alfonse in the realme of Naples and in other places dooen many notable enterprises couetyng to saue a lakey in the riuer of Pescara he was drowned hym selfe and coulde neuer after be founde nor heard of ¶ Than was this Francesco his sonne fyrst waged of the forenamed Queene and after of the Uenetians than of Philippo and after Philippo of the Mylanese against the Uenetians and lastely of the Uenetians against the Mylanese In all whiche doynges as well in the realme as in Lumbardie he euermore shewed great prouffes of his worthinesse and at last with helpe of the Uenetians came against Myllaine and besieged it Insomuche that after longe resistence constreigned with hunger and deceiued of theyr promised helpe from the Uenetians the Mylanese fyrst sleayng the Uenetian ambassadour accepted Francesco for theyr prince Who not longe after stablishyng the thynges of Mylaine at his pleasure made warre to kynge Alfonso and to the Uenetians bothe in whiche warres he was serued of these valiaunt capitaines Tiberio Brandolino Nicolo Guerriero Dolce dell ' Anguillara Carlo di CaÌ„po Basso and Iacopo Piccinino whiche Iacopo was promysed to haue to wyfe his daughter Drusiana before tyme maried vnto Iano Fregoso Duke of Genoa How be it the Duke Francesco afterwardes for suspicion caused this Iacopo to be slaine ¶ Aboutes the same tyme whylest Eugenio bishoppe of Rome was occupied at the counsaile of Basile Francesco as his enemie attempted to take the state of Marca from hym And there kept warre longe tyme with kynge Alfonso whom the saied bishop had sent thither against hym where they saie Francesco was defied by Nicolo Piccinino and beyng chalenged to feight hande to hande would in no wyse accept it That notwithstandyng he was vndoubtedly a worthie man of armes the most happie and valiaunt of all other in his tyme. For in those .xvi. yeres that he reigned Duke he in maner extinguisshed the sedicion of the parties of Guelâ—i and Ghibellini insomuche that the Genowaies fallen in discorde amongest theim selfes seeyng the good gouernaunce of this Duke Francesco with the louyng enterteinement of his subiectes willingly embraced him for theyr lorde He loued muche Cosmo di Medici of Florence by whose helpe and counsaile it is thought he prospered not a little in the beginnyng of his astate seyng that Cosmo assoone as he was made Duke sent ambassadours vnto hym reioysyng at his prosperitee For the friendship wherof Francesco afterwardes succoured Piero di Medici in the coniuracion made against hym by Luca Pitti whom Borso Duke of Ferrara fauoured ¶ This Duke Francesco reedified the little Forte in the Castell of Myllaine called Gioue and builded many deuoute places Neuerthelesse in his age he was somewhat blamed for his disordinate loue to women more than his astate his age and his passed vertues did allowe ¶ Finally finisshyng the course of this life he lefte by his wife Bianca .v. sons Galeazo Lodouico surnamed Moro Ascanio Philippo Oâ—tauiano and a daughter named Hippolita Maria that afterwardes was maried to Alfonso Duke of Calabria ¶ Whan Galeazo beyng in the warres in France with kynge Lewys heard of his fathers death he retourned to Myllaine where he was receiued as Duke And all be it he was expert in armes yet did he neuer shew any honourable prouffe thereof as he that entred into an astate ouermuche wealthie and quiete And because he had so muche felicitee that he thought it impossible euer to decaie he set so little by men and by vertue that many of his owne citesins and seruauntes hated him And thei whom he fauoured most conspyred his death and slew hym The principall wherof was oâ—e Gianandrea Lampugnano that with his owne handes fyrst strake hym in the churche of saincte Stephen whan Galeazo had his garde of Halberders rounde about hym Whiche Halberders incontinently slewe the same Giauandrea that fleeyng through the women happened to be tangled by the spurre muche after the maner as he was serued that slew Asdruball in Spaine ¶ And albeit that this Galeazo through his delicate or wanton life became odiouse and vnworthy to theim that delited in chieualry and also hated of them that had the fairest wifes and doughters with whom he wolde be familiar as the fame went yet the commons lamented hym a great deale more than many of his predecessours because that duryng his life thei remaigned in peace For in peace whan the souldiour doeth begge the plow prospereth and in warre whan the plow man is fledde the souldiour plaieth the swyne ¶ These thynges beyng thus happened Giouanni the sonne of Galeazo than but a childe succeded in the astate vnder the gouernaunce of his mother Bona and of one Cecco that longe tyme had ben broughte vp in that
house ¶ This Cecco was borne in Calabria of verie lowe degree But through his wisedome he became noble and of so good credite with Francesco Sforza that he gouerned most thynges in Millaine ¶ Finally whan Galeazo was deade to the entente that Giouanni might the more quietly enioy the dominion he sente away his other brethern into exile But at length Lodouico Moro vncle to Giouanni was reuoked by the people and ineontinently vpon his retourne Cecco beheaded and Bianca the mother exiled ¶ After whiche time Giouanni remayned in the astate aboutes .xii. yeres But his proufe was so simple that in maner by force he committed the rule of all thynges to Lodouico By whose meanes as he that was not yet contented some say Giouanni at length was poisoned and died in Pauia leauyng issue a sonne called Francesco Sforza begotten on his wife Isabella doughter of Alfonso kyng of Naples ¶ Now incontinently as Giouanni was deade this Lodouico Moro bothe of the people and also by consent of the emperour Maximilian was proclaymed Duke and shortely after maried his neece Bianca doughter of his brother Galeazo vnto the same Maximilian takyng also vpon him the protection of his nephew the yonge Francesco Sforza and of his mother Isabella ¶ Than maried he Beatrice the doughter of Ercole Duke of Ferrara and begatte on hir Francesco Sforza with a secounde sonne in whose birth the mother died ¶ This Moro was a wittie man of veray gooo disposicion and one that delited muche in the administracion of iustice in peintyng and in cunnyng men ¶ In the beginnyng of his astate he entred in amytee with the Florentines the Senese the Bologniese with Ercole da Este with the Marques of Mantua with Lewis kyng of Fraunce and with Alfonso kyng of Naples But lyke as he was easy to enter into frendeship so for a trifle wolde he sodeinly breake with the best of theim ¶ He helped Charles Duke of Sauoy against Lodouico Marques of Saluzzo and confined his brother the Cardinall Ascanio because in Ferrara he had practised diuers new thynges against him ¶ He toke Boccalino by siege that had rebelled against the Romayne churche and therby gratyfied the bishop of Rome ¶ With his great policie he recouered Genoa that before had rebelled against him He founde the meanes to bryng Charles the .viii. Frenche kyng into Italy to expulse kyng Alfonso out of Naples because he had before taken him for his ennemie for sekyng to mainteigne the astate of Giouanni the sonne of Galeazo againste him ¶ This comyng of the Frenche kynge not onely annoied Alfonso but also troubled all Italy ¶ Finally he made warre against the Uenetians which dured till that after the death of kynge Charles Lewys succeded in the realme of Fraunce who hated so muche this Duke Moro that beyng entred in leage with the Uenetians Moro was constreigned to flee into Almaine where he remained whilest the Frenchemen toke Millaine and the Uenetians Cremona and Gieradadda How be it not longe after the Frenchemen through their yll gouernaunce were driuen from Millaine and Lodouico reuoked home out of Douchelande who after his arriuall takyng Neuara and trauaylyng to chace the Frenche men out of Italy was betraied of the Douchemen and bothe he and Ascanio taken and ledde into Fraunce where finally he died ¶ This Lodouico reignyng in his dominion vsed to answere them that counsailed him to encrease his treasure with taxes and tallages that the office of a good shepeherde was to shere his sheepe and not to flaie theim ¶ Thus Lodouico Moro taken and deade as is beforesaied his sonne Francesco shortely after the battaill of Rauenna beyng than but tender of yeres was astablished Duke of Millaine by the emperours meanes and continued in the astate till the comyng of Fraunces the Frenche kynge into Italy who with the helpe of the Uenetians chaced him away and gatte the state of Millaine by force leauyng Mounser de Lautrech gouernour of the same so that Francesco Sforza withdrew him to Trent and there remained till the Frenche men through their tyranny and yll gouernaunce became so hated of the Milanese that at length they were chased away and Francesco reuoked home though in effect he enioyed it not longe For the Frenche kynge shortly after with a great power came in his owne person into Italy and so chaced Francesco againe out of the state of Millaine and prospered muche in his warres there vntill the iourney of Pauia where he with many of his nobles were taken prisoners After whiche discomfiture Francesco Sforza by the emperours fauour was ones again restored to the Douchie of Millaine and continued in the same till through enuy and malyce of some piâ—â—ethankes the emperour was vniustly persuaded that the saied Francesco was not so faithfull towardes his maiestee as his goodnesse had merited so that the emperour conceiuyng an vnkyndenesse and a mistrust in hym constreigned him by force not onely to habandone Millaine but also for his saufegarde to flee into the castell whiche after a verie longe siege he yelded vnto the imperialles to departe freely with bagge and baggage ¶ And so beyng letted of the imperialles from goyng to Como where he entended to sodgiourne tyll he might cleere his innocency towardes the emperour in maneâ— halfe desperate he agreed with the Frenche men drew to the campe of the leage that than was made against the emperour ¶ Finally he went vnto Cremona till after the taking of sainct Polo the Frenchemens dooynges in Italie went all to wracke Wherfore seeyng the emperour Charles the .v. that nowe is come to Bologna to bee crowned he went simplie thither vnto hym and there submittyng hym selfe with iust excuses recouered his magistees fauour with restitucion of the astate of Myllaine vpon these condicions folowyng That the Duke shoulde marie the emperours neece daughter of the kynge of Denmarke and of the emperours syster that he shoulde paie the emperour nine hundreth thousande duckates in tenne yeres by equall porcions And finally that diyng without issue he should leaue his astate of inheritaunce to the emperour ¶ Incontinently vpon which agrement Alexandro Bentiuogli as vice Duke with diuers other officers were sent to Myllaine to leauey the fyrste paiemente of this money whiche was easily gathered vp For the Mylanese couetyng the retourne of theyr Duke whom for his gentill and temperate gouernance in tymes past thei hertilie loued sticked not to streigne them selfes for his reliefe in suche wyse that thoughe theyr customes and taxes were doubled by reason of these paiementes yet theyr hope of better life to come vnder their Duke made theim not to esteeme theyr present charges ¶ Than came themperours neece the daughter of Denmarke to Myllaine and there was most solemnely receiued with infinite triumphes and finally maried to the Duke in presence of the Cardinall of Mantua with suche feastes and plaies afterwardes as so great a mariage requyred ¶ But ere a yere went about the Duke through
Ferdinando his sonne Alphonse than Duke of Calabria with consente of all the barons and nobles was admitted kynge and sendyng to Rome to Alexander than bishop for his confirmacion the Cardinall Borgia with a numbre of prelates was sente to Naples where by auctoritee of the Romish bulles he inuested and crowned the kyng ¶ Than the kyng fell at variance with Lodouico Sforza Duke of Myllaine because he vsurped the astate that of right apperteined to his nephiewe Giangaleazzo sonne in law to kyng Alfonse so that Lodouico mistrustyng the kynges power that in deede was bent against hym founde the meane to bringe Charles the viii Frenche kynge into Italie who pretendyng to goe against the Turkê founde no resistence by reason wherof he not onely ouerronne Tuscane and toke thastate of Rome from the bishoppe but also conquered the whole realme of Naples although he enioyed it not long For all the princes of Italie immediately so colleged theim selfes against hym that he was faine to retyre with spede and was neuerthelesse ouertaken and fought with besides Parma where he lost the greatest parte of his câ—tâ—ages and dyuers of his nobilitee were taken prisoners ¶ Now assoone as kyng Alfonse heard that the frenche kynge was arriued in Lumbardy consideryng him selfe to be hated of his barons and his son Ferrandino contrariwise welbeloued incontinently renounced the astate vnto his soonne toke his treasure with hym and sayled into Sicile where for the tyme of his shorte life that dured scarce one yere he disposed hym selfe to studie solitarinesse and religion ¶ Than Ferrandino was embraced of all men in suche wyse that he was thought hable to resist the Frenche kyng Yet notwithstandyng that the streictes and passages were kept and the Neapolitanes armie great in the fielde the frenche men preuailed not onely in the conquest of the realme but also in the gettyng of that disease that for euer shall be a memorie vnto theyr name ¶ In effect kyng Ferrandino seeyng his owne debilitee in respecte of Charles force determined with pacience to ouercome his aduerse fortune and so with .vii. galleis departed out of the realme and went into the I le of Procida where he remained till he heard of the Frenche kynges departure and than beyng reuoked by the Neapolitanes not onely Naples but also diuers other citees theraboutes expulsed the Frenchemen and raysed theyr owne kynges standardes ¶ Upon this Ferrandino sent for succours to the Uenecians offeryng theim Brundusio and .iii. other hauen townes in Puglia to helpe hym to expell the Frenchemen out of the realme Whiche offer was accepted and Frauncesco Gonzaga Marques of Mantua with an armie sent thither who together with the Neapolitane power within the space of one yere draue the frenchemen cleane awaie Not longe after recouerey of his whole astate Ferrandino without issue died of the fluxe Leauyng his vncle Federike inheritour to the realme ¶ Note here that within the space of .xvi. monethes were .iiii â–ª seueralle kynges of Naples that is to wete Ferdinando Alphonso Ferrandino and Charles ¶ Finally Federike brother to the laste Alfonse succeded to the crowne but er he had fully reigned .iiii. yeres hearyng of the Frenche kynges comyng Lewys the .xii. and consideryng hym selfe destitute of money friendship and abilitee to resist he solde his armures and municion for .30000 duckates to the Duke Valentino Borgia sonne to the bishop of Rome and with the rest of his treasure and implementes went into France and there yelded bothe hym selfe and his realme into the Frenche kynges handes who receiued hym and appoinctyng hym an honourable prouision kepte hym in Fraunce till he died And thus ended the reigne of the house of Aragone in the realme of Naples ¶ And though vpon the surrendre of this Federike whoÌ„ many charge with cowardise for the vile submittyng of him selfe without any proufe of force the frenche king obteined the whole realme yet he died not loÌ„ge enioiyng it either by reason of the intollerable proude behauiour of the Frenche gouernours or els through the inconstant nature of the Neapolitanes Ferdinando king of Spaine commonly called Il Re Catholico coumforted therevnto vnto by many of the barons and specially by the citesins of Naples sent a puissaunt armie into the realme against the Frenchemen Who within lesse than two yeres partly by force and partly by treatie were cleane expulsed so that in fine the realme rested wholly in peasable possession of the Spanishe kyng ¶ Ferdinando the .v. of that name kynge of Spaine chasyng awaie the Frenchemen enioyed quietely the realme of Naples vnto his death and easily recouered of the Uenetians the foure portes in Puglia that Ferrandino had geuen theim By reason that whan all the Christian princes were entred into a league at Cambray against the Uenetians thei at that time made none offer of resistence but rather consented vnto the renderyng of theim lyke as in hope of peace they graunted vnto all the other princes what they woulde axe Uenice onely excepted ¶ Finally Ferdinando deceasyng Charles the .v. now emperour of Almaine sonne and heyre of Phillip Duke of Burgoyne and of Iohan his wyfe eldest daughter and heyre of the forenamed kyng Ferdinando suceeded in the realme of Naples as he did in all the other realmes and dominions that Ferdinando had and hitherto enioyeth the same ¶ It is true that the Frenche kynge sente Mounser de Lautrech his generall with a puissaunte armie to conquere the realme Where betwene the parties Frenche and Spanish were done manie worthy deedes of armes Naples it selfe was besieged by sea and lande vntill Andrea Doria generall of the frenche kynges armie by sea reuolted from the Frenche kyng to the seruice of the emperour From whiche tyme the hope of the Frenche armies prosperitee began to abate and fortune so much to goe againste theim that what through extreme plage and through the hardinesse of the imperialles that began to take courage the Frenchemen were constreigned to reise their assiâ—ge Mounser de Lautrech with many other of the best Frenche capitaines beyng deade some of the plage and some of the sworde so that of .60000 whiche vnder the Frenche standarde came thither to the siege escaped not fullie .2000 on liue From whiche tyme hitherwardes the emperour hath had no notable trouble there sauyng that now of late is begonne a little striefe betwene the Vicere Don Diego di Tolledo and the barons of the realme for makyng of certain lawes and some bicketing and slaughter hath hapned betwene the Spaniardes and theim and manie gentilmen are fledde to Rome and other places for feare of punishmente But because the thyng is not of suche importaunce as should seeme to moue warre I shall not nede to make further rehersall The descripcion of Florence Florence an excellent faire citee standeth at the foote of the Appenine hilles in a little valey named Arno of the riuer Arno that renneth through it