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
with .7400 prisoners to Genoa and neuerthelesse shortly after made peace with the Uenetians and graunted truce to theim of Pisa for 27. yeres For the whiche the Pisani yelded to the Genowaies the ile of Corsica and the citee of Saffari in Sardegnia with .135000 poundes in money ¶ The emperour Adronico Paleologo of Constantinople for the great amitee betweene hym and the Genowaies gaue theim the grounde wheron Pera standeth a myle distant from Constantinople where all the Christians now dwell fyrst builded by the Genowaies ¶ Within two yeres after beganne the discorde that caused so muche mischiefe betwene the houses of Spinela and Doria whiche before tyme had been stedfast friendes together and endured the space of .xv. yeres with muche bloudshedyng till the comyng of the emperour Henrie the .vi. to Genoa who agreed bothe parties and so behaued hym that the citesins bounde theim selfes by feaultee vnto his obedience for terme of .xx. yeres whiche was the fyrst tyme that the citee submitted hir selfe to the dominion of any straunger Notwithstandyng whan the emperour was departed those two parties Spinola and Doria fought openly in the citee so that at length the Spinoli beyng the weaker were driuen out with well nere all their partetakers and yet the warre continued betwene them the space of .24 yeres aswell within as without the citee to the great domage and almost destruction of the common wealth For many tymes the banished men by meane of friendes were reconciled againe and whan thei were ones returned than did they worse than euer they did before ¶ This discension was not onely betwene those two families of Spinola and Doria but also betwene the sectes of Guelfes and Ghibellines into whiche parties the whole citee was lykewyse diuided so that the Ghibellines whiche than were banisshed by helpe of the Visconti of Myllaine and of other Ghibellines made a great armie and vnder the leadyng of Marke sonne to Mathewe Visconti came before Genoa toke the suburbes and streigned the citee so sore that if it had not been succoured by kyng Robert of Naples who in his owne person with .25 galleis entred the hauen the Ghibellines had been lyke to haue taken it Wherfore they of the citee to make theim selfes stronge yelded the dominion into the handes of the bishop of Rome and of the foresaied kynge of Naples for the space of .x. yeres in whiche tyme were so many ciuile battailes stricken so muche bloudshedde so many townes and houses destroyed and burned so many galleis and shippes broken drowned and lost and so great summes of money spent that it seemeth a wonder how so little a countrey shuld bringe foorth so great furniture and all to mischiefe ¶ Finally kynge Robert to whom the rule of the citee was prolonged for .vi. yeres called the ambassadours aswell of the Ghibellines as of the Guelfes to Naples and there made theim to conclude a peace so that the Ghibellines were reconciled home where thei liued not longe in quiete as hereafter shall appeare ¶ In the time of this warre one notable policie was vsed by sea The yere before conclusion of this peace Federike Marabotto capitaine of .ix. galleis of the Guelfes wherof .ii. were drowned in Sardegnia was chased by Aitono Doria capitaine of .xiiii. of the Ghibelline galleis and came so neere with the nyght that they were within a flight shotte together so that Federike coulde by no meane escape Wherfore in the darke of the nyght he set foorth a little emptie vessell with a burnyng lanterne in it and caused all the lyghtes of his galleys to be put out This dooen he lette the little vessell lose whiche the wawes of the sea by little and little draue towardes the lande so that Aitono thynkyng it to be the galleis that he had in chace folowed and by that meane was so farre from Federike er it was daie that Federike easily escaped the daunger ¶ Than beganne the Catalaines to make warre to the Genowaies vpon a veraie light occasion whiche continued a great while with many notable battailes by sea more to the losse of the Catalaines than of the Genowaies though the better of bothe had no cause to triumphe But those forein warres were nothing so hurtfull to the citee as theyr owne ciuile sedicion whiche shortly after renued betwene the Guelfes and Ghibellines so that within the citee they fought a certaine space with variable fortune till at length the Ghibellines preuailed and chased awaie the Guelfes and so an other while toke the rule vpon theim Wherfore the Guelfes fortified theim selfes at Monaco and made out dyuers armies by sea whiche were dyuers tymes mette withall by the contrary parte thoughe in effecte there happened no notable battaile betwene theim ¶ Not longe after the Frenche kynge warryng with Englande hyred .40 galleis of the Genowaies wherof .xx. were of the Ghibellines in Genoa and .xx. of the Guelfes in Monaco whiche whan they had serued hym a yere retourned not well contented with their paiement so that the mariners and other meane souldiours toke the rule of the galleis from theyr capitaines and were growen to suche a courage that whan they landed they moued the commons to rebell against the rule of the common wealth and subuertyng the citee of Sauona with most part of the countrey theraboutes the commons of Genoa toke courage therupon to arme them selfes and to renne to the palaice criyng that thei wold haue an Abbotte made of the people and would no more be ruled by the capitaines Wherfore the nobles seeyng theyr power inferiour to the peoples furie assembled together and fell to counsaile for chosyng of this new Abbotte in whiche counsaile they taried so longe within that the people without were werie and vp start a poore wyredrawer or a goldsmith to geue him the better name and asked the people whether they would be ruled by hym Whervnto many answeared yea well quod he and than shall Simonine Bocanegra be our lorde and ruler Be it quod one and be it quod an other so that the people with an whole voyce cried Abbotte Bocanegra But he who was a good man did what he coulde to refuse it and they seyng that amended the mattier with criyng not Abbotte but Duke so that in conclusion whether he woulde or no the absolute power was put in his hande and he called Duke beyng the fyrst that euer had that title in Genoa Than was a law made that none should be called to any rule or office of the common wealthe vnlesse he were a Ghibelline ¶ The Turke at this tyme waxed great and had certaine galleis goyng vpon the sea called Mare Maggiore otherwise Pontus Euxinus which had robbed certaine merchaunt shippes of the Genowaies wherfore they armed theim selfes in Caffa and meetyng fought with the Turkê army and recouered not onely their owne goodê but also toke .x. Turkish galleis and a shippe with great bootie
ordeined 21. Electours of the empire 50. Empire deuided 15.46 Empire chaunged 48. Ende of the Romaine kinges 10. Ende of the Lumbardes reigne 20. Ende of the house of Normans in Sicilie 121. Ende of the house of â—ueâ—ia in the dominion of Naples 125. Ende of the hous of Durazza 132. Ende of the house of Arragon in Naples 135. Emanuel emperour 96. Eaâ—as 8. Eneas Siluius eod Ercole 211.212 Ezelino di Romano 98. F. Facion of Italy fol. 1. Faunus 8. Federico 206.215 Federike .122 kynge of Sicilie 127.135 Feedyng in Italy 2. Ferdinando 133. Ferdinando kyng of Spaine 136. Ferrandino 135. Fertilitee of Naples 11â— Fier breaking out of the earth 113. Florence destroied and reedified 140. Florentines customes 1â—8 Florentines common wealth constituted 141. Francesco Maria. 215. Francesco 204.206 Francesco Donato 112. Francis Petrarcha 60.127 Francis Dandolo 101. Francis Foscaro 106. Francis Sforza 181.196.198 Fresco. 209. GAlba Sergius 11. Galeasso di Montefeltro 214. Galeazzo 181.191.193.197 Galerius 14. Galienus 13. Garmaldus 19. Gasparo di Uicomercato 181. Gates of Rome 24. Gensericus 16. Gensualdus 19. Gentilmen of Italie 3. Gianfrancesco 205. Giangaleazo 193. Giouanni 89.91 Giouanni Dandolo 99. Giouanna prima 127. Giouanna ii 130. Giouanni Torrigiani 90. Giouanni 192.197 Giouanni Maria. 194. Giustiniano 90. Giudice di Ginarcha 169. Godfrey 117. Gonzaga 203. Gordianus 13. Gothes 15. Graners and Arsenales 36. Gratianus 14. Grimoaldus 19. Guelfes and Ghibelines faction 141. Guglielmo Ferrabach 116. Guglielmo 119.120.121.123 Guido 204. Guido Conte di Urbino 214. Guido Ubaldo 215.216 Gundebalde 16. Gundibertus 19. HEad of Tyber 23. Helius Pertinax 12. Henrico imperatore 121. Hilles in Rome 25. Hill Testacchio 35. Hippodromus 36. Historie of Naples 114. Honorius 14. Hospitalles in Uenice 82. Hospitalles in Florence 138. Hotte baines 113. Hugo Conte d' Arli 48. Hunes fol. 15. Hunfredo 117. Husbandmen of Italie fol. 5. I. IAcopo Contarini 99. Iames Tiopolo 97. Iano king of Cyprus 177. Iano Fregoso 184. Ianus 8. Images put out of churches 44.46 Ingratitude of people 175. Iohn Acton 62. Iohn Soranzo 100. Iohn Gradenico 103. Iohn Delfino eodem Iohn Mocenigo 109. Iohn Sharpe 149.210 Iouinianus 14. Italian customes and nature folio 3. Iubilie 58.60 Iulius Cesar fyrst emperour 10. Iuliano di Medici 215. Iulius Phillippus 13. Iulianus Apostata 14. Iunipertus 20. K. KYndes of marble fo 37 Kynges of Naples intitled kynges of Ierusalem 122. Kyng Alfonse taken prisoner 132. L. LAwes of Uenice 81.88 Ladislaus 130. Laurence di Medici 155 215. Latinus 8. Latinus Siluius 8. Laimpertus 20. Lewis the .12 kyng of France 135. Leather coined for money 110. Leonardo Loredano 110. Libertee of straungers in Uenice 85. Liberalitee 107. Lionello 210. Lodouico Moro. 198. Lorenzo Tiepolo 99. Lorenzo Ceâ—so 103. Lucchino 192. Lucius Tarquinius 10. Luigi Gonzaga 103. Luigi 204.205 Luitprandus 20. Lumbardes fol. 15. M. MAnfredo 56.124 â–ª Macrinus 12 â–ª Marcello 88 â–ª Marino Morosini 97. Marino Giorgio 100. Marino Falerio 102. Marco Cornario 103. Marco Barbarico 110. Marie 129. Marcus Aurelius Antonius 12. Martino Torrigiani 190. Matilda 52.201 Mattea Magno 191. Mauritio 89. Maximus 12. Maximianus 16. Merchandise of Italie fol. 2. Merchantes of Italie 4 â–ª Michele Morosini 105. Michele Steno 106. Millayne situate 188. Millaynes name 189. Morea 108. Morbus Gallicus 135. Murder 129. Mutio father to Frauncis Sforza 196. N. NApoleone 190. Narses 17. Naumachiae fol. 29. Nero. 11. Nerua 11. Nicene counsaile 43. Nicolo Trono 108. Nicolo Marcello 109. Nicolo 210.211 Nobilitee suppressed 149. Numitor. 9. Numa Pompilius 10. OBeliskes folio 33. Obelerio 90. Obierto Flisco 182. Obizone 209. Octauianus Augustus 10. Oddo 215. Odoacrus 16. Ordelaffo Falero 94. Orso 88.91 Orso Baduaro 92. Orso Orseolo 93. Orio Malipiero 96. Originall of Mantua 201. Originall and successe of the citee of Ferrara 208. Otho the fyrst 115. Otho the .ii. eodem Otho Lucius 11. Ottone Orseolo 93. Ottone 190. Ottone Uisconti eodem P. PAolo Lucio 87. Passerino 202. Pasquale Malipiero 108. Patriarke Uitellesco 132. Partharus 20. Peter kynge of Aragon 126. Peter Fregoso 180. Philippo Torrig 190. Philippo Maria .194 descriued 195. Pietro Gradenico 91.99 Pietro Candiano 92. Pietro Tribuno eodem Pietro Baduaro 92. Pietro Orseolo eodem 93. Pietro Barbolano 93. Pietro â—olano 95. Pietro Ziani 97. Pietro Mocenigo 109. Pietro Lando 112. Pietro Aluigi 213. Picus 8. Pinamonte 202. Plague of pestilence 60. Pleasures of Italie folio 2. Plinies death 113. Policie 65.164 Porches in Rome 31. Poore people 82. Poyson that worketh not till a tyme. 185. Practise of a prelate 153. Present astate of Rome 37. Priestes mariage 52. Prince Edward of England 126. Prisoners in Uenice 83. Probus 13. Proca 9. Proctours and treasure of Uenice 80. Pyllers in Rome 32. Pyramides 34. Q. QUeene Iohans housband strangled 127. Queene Iohan hanged 129. R. RAchis or Lachis 20. Rafael Adorno 180. Raimpertus 20. Rainoldes comyng to Naples 132. Raufe Duke of Burgoyne 48. Rebellion in Sicile 125. Realme of Naples 6. Renulus 9. Resort of straungers into Italy 2. Reuenew of Uenice 76. Richarde kyng of Englande 165. Rinaldo 209. Rineri Zeno. 98. Riuer of Tyber 22. Robert 127. Roberto Guiscardo created Duke 117. Rodoaldus 19. Roger .119 intitled kyng of Sicile 120. Rome destroied .iiii. times 17. Rome gotten 130. Romoaldus 19. Romulus 9. Romulus first kynge of Romaines 9. Rotharius 18. S. SAincte Peters churche 40. Saiyng of Fuluius eod Sarasines comyng into Italie first 11â— Saturnus 8. Sebastian Ziani 95. Sepulchrum Bacâ—hi 36. Seruius Tullius 10. Seuerus 12. Sicile conquered by the Normaines 118. Siluius Posthumius 8. Site of Italy fol 1. Site of Uenice 73. Sordello 2â—2 Sophia 17. Supremitee of the churche 44. Shiftyng and poysonyng of Romaine bishoppes 50. Slaughter of Frenchmen 125 States of Italie 6. State of Genoa 160. T. TAcitus 13. Tancredi the Normain 116. Tancredi 123. Tarquinus Priscus 10. Teia 17. Temperature of Italy fol. 1. Temperature of Naples 113. Temple in Rome 31. Testament broken 195. Theatres 30. Thermes in Rome 28. Theodolinda 18. Theodoricus 16. Theodorius 14.16 Thomas Beckette 55. Thomas Mocenico 106. Title of the kyngdome of Ierusalem 126. Title of the seconde line of the house of Angio. 128. Titus 11. Tullus â—ostelius 10. Turke conquered in Italie 1â—4 Trade and customes of Genoa 161. Traâ—anus 11. Treasure founde vnder the grounde 118. Tribuno Memmo 9â— Tyberinus 9. Tyberius 11. Tyrannie 190. U. VIlla 43. Ualentino Borgia 215 Ualentinianus 14. Ualens 14. Ualerianus 13. Uandales fol. 15. Uarius Heliogabalus 12. Uenetian astate 73. Uespasianus 11. Uiage into the holy lande 53. Uitale Candiano 93. Uitale Falero 94. Uitale Michaele eodem 95. Uirius Gallus 13. Uisconti 190. Uitellius 11. Walles of Rome 23. Warres of Uenice 81. Wild beastes in Florence 138 Wiues of Florence 139. Wiues of Myllaine 188. Women of Italie fol. 6. Wounder 163. ¶ Thus endeth the table of this present boke sette out by letter The circuit of Italie The facion of Italie Temperature of Italie
The site of Italie Merchandise Pleasures â–ª Feedyng in Italie Resort of straungers into Italy Gentilmen Merchantes Artificers Husbandmen Women The edificacion of Rome The fyrste king of the Romains The ende of the Romaine kinges Consules The firste emperour Donacion of ConstaÌ„tine Gothes Uandales â–ª Hunes Lumbardes Diuidyng of the empyre Rome destroied .iiii. tymes Desiderius The ende of the Lumbardes reigne Elecion of the emperour The headâ— of Tyber Ponte di S â–ª Angelo Ponte del Castello Ponte Sisto Ponte rotto Ponte de Pisona Ponte di S. Bertholomeo Ponte di quatuor Capora Ponte di S. Maria â–ª Sublicius Palatinus Fabricius Cestius Januclensis Vaticanus Elius Miluius Porta de popolo flu tuentana Flaminia P. Pinciana Collatina P. Salaria Quirinalis Aegonalis P. di sant ' Agnese Uiminalis Figulensis Numentana P. di San Lorenzo Tiburtina Exquilina P. Maggi ore Neuia Labicana Prenestina P. di San Hioanni CelimoÌ„tana Asinaria P. Latina â–ª P. di S. sebastiano Appia Capena Triumphalis P. di San Paolo Trigemina P. Portese di Ripa P. di S. Pancratio Aurelia P. del Torrione P. Portusa P. di Beluedere di San Piero. del Giardino di S. Peregrino P. del Castello Posterula Auentinus Capitolinus Palatinus Celius Exquilius Viminalis Quirinalis Transtyberim Vaticane Porta Septimiana Subtus Janum Fontinalis Janiculum Aqua Appia Aqua Martia Anfeia Traiana Claudia Pli. li. 36. nat histor Auiena Triuiana Virginia Opinions of the decai of the antiquitees Adrians curtesie and wisedome Arcus Constantini Arcus Titi. Arcus Seâ—eri Arcus Domitiani Theatrum Amphitheatrum Coliseo Arena Circuâ—â— Pantheon S. Maria Rotonda Templuni Romuli T. Paâ—is T. Jani T. Iâ—idis T. Minerue T. Palladis â–ª Structiles â–ª Columna Traiani Piazza Colonna La Guglia SepulchruÌ„ Bâ—cchi The saiyng of Fuluius Kyndes of Marbles Peter the â—postle Siluester .1 The donacion of Constantine Ualla againste the donacion â–ª Nicene counsaile Marcus Iulius Liberius Felix .2 Damasus Hierome Syritius Supremacie of the churche Gredoriâ—s .2 Images put out of churches Gregorius â— Charles Martell â–ª Zacharias â–ª Chilperike deposed Stephanus .2 Paulus Images Constantinus .2 Stephanus .3 Adrianus Leo .3 Thempire diuided Stephanus .4 Pascalis â–ª Gregorius .4 Sergius â–ª â— Iohannes .8 Adrianus .2 Iohannes .9 Adrianus â— Stephanus .6 Chaunge of the empire Berengarius .1 Berengarius .2 Raulfe Duke of Burgoyne â–ª Hugo Câ—nte d' Arli Berengarius .3 Iohannes .11 Agapitus .2 Otho Iohannes .12 Iohannes .13 Benedictus .6 Bonifatius .7 Gregorius .5 Electours of the empire Cesar. Augustus Benedictus .8 Benedictus .9 Shiftyng and poysonyng of Romayne bishops Leo .9 â–ª Stephanus .9 Nicolaus 2. Alexandre .2 Gregorius .7 Priestes mariage Uictor .3 Pascalis â–ª Matilda Uâ—age into the holy lande Gelasius .2 Calixtus â— Innocenâ—ius .2 Eugenius .3 Adrianus â–ª 4. Alexander â— Thomas Beckette â–ª Lucius .3 â–ª Celestinus â–ª 3 â–ª Innocenâ—ius .3 Honorius .3 Gregorius 9. Innocentius .4 Cardinall hattes Urbanus .4 Manfredo Clemens 4 Gregorius 1â— â–ª Nicolaus .3 Martinê° .4 Honorius .4 Celestinus 5. Bonifaâ—ius .8 yere of Iubiliâ— Benedictê° .11 Clemens .5 Iohannes .22 Benedictus â–ª 12 â–ª Frauncis Petrarke â–ª Clemens Iubiley â–ª Iubiley Plague of pestilence Innocentius .6 Urbanus â— â–ª Gregorius 11. 1â—76 Sir Iohn Acton â–ª Urbanus .6 Cardinals sacked and baked Bonifaâ—â—us .9 Annates Innocentius .7 Gregorius 12. Alexandre .5 Iohannes .23 Martinus 5. Eugenius .4 A wittie policie Nicolaus .5 Amideus Calixtus .3 Alfonse Pius 2â— Paulus .2 Sixtus .4 Innocentius .4 Alexander .6 Pius .3 Iulius .2 â–ª Leo .10 Adrian .7 Clemeâ—s â–ª 7 â–ª Paulus .3 Poore people Hospitals Prisonerâ— Paolo Lucio Lawes Marcello Orso 737 Deodato .737 Domenico Menicaccio .747 Mauritio 7â—2 Giouanni .768 Obelerio â–ª 78â— Angelo â–ª Particiaco .792 Giustiniano .810 Giouanni â–ª 813. Pietro Gradenico â–ª 82â— Auogadori Orso Particiaco â—65 Belles Giouanni â—84 Pietro Landiano 890. Pietro Tribuno .893 Orso Baduaro .915 â–ª Pietro Candiano 938. Pietro Baduaro .956 Pietro Candiano .958 Pietro Orseolo .973 Uitale Candiano 97â— Tribuno Memmo â–ª 975. Pietro Orseolo 9â—7 Ottone Orseolo .1007 Pietro Barbolano .1026 Orso Orseolo .1030 Domenico Orseolo .1031 Domenico Flabenico 1031. Domenico Contarini .1042 Domenico Siluio .1068 Uitale Falero 108â— Uitale Michele .1095 Ordelaffo â–ª Falero .1098 Domenico Michele .1115 Pietro Polano .1130 Domenico Morosini â–ª 1147. Uitale Michele 1â—â—4 â–ª Sebastian Ziani â–ª 1171 â–ª Emanuel â–ª Crueltee Orio Malipiero 1180 Arrigo Dandolo â–ª 1194 Pietro Ziani .1203 Iames Tiepolo .1225 Marino Morosini .1247 Crueltee Ezelino di Romano Rinieri Zeno 12â—0 Lorenzo Tiepolo .1267 Iacopo Contarini â–ª 1275. Giouanni Dandolo .1281 Pietâ—â— Gradenigo .1290 Marino Giorgio .1312 Iohn Soranzo .1313 Fraunces Dandolo .1329 Bartholomeo Gradenigo .1340 Andrea Dandolo â–ª 1343. Marino Falerio .1354 Iohn Gradenico .1355 Iohn Delfino .1356 Lorenzo Celso 13â—0 Marco Cornaro .1365 Andrea Contarini â–ª 1367. Michele Morosini .1383 Antonio Ueniero â–ª 138â— Michele Steno .1400 Thomas Mocenigo 1413. Fraunces Foscaro 14â—4 Liberalitee Pasquale Malipiero 14â—7 Christofero Moro 14â—2 Morea Nicolo Trono .1471 Cyprus wonne Nicolo Marcello 147â— Pietro Mocenâ—go .1474 Andrea Vendramino .1476 Iohn Mocenigo 1478. Marco Barbarico 1485. Agostino Barbarico 1486. Leonardo Loredano 15â—1 Douchemens hall in Uenice Antonio Gâ—imani Andrea Gritti Petro Lando Francesco Donato Castell Nouo Temperature of Naples Plinies death Hotte baynes Fire breakyng out of the erth Fertilitee of Naples 829. The fyrste comyng of the Sarasines into Italie 845. 864. Otho the firste 964. Otho the ii 100â— Taneredâ— the Normain Guglielmo Ferrabach Drogone Hunfredo Godfrey Bagelardo Robert Guiscardo Roberte created Duke Treasure founde vnder grounde 〈◊〉 conquered by the Normains Bishoppe of Rome besieged 108â— Roger. 1094. Guglielmo .2 Roger .2 The citiâ— of Naples gotten by the Normains Roger entitled kyng of Sicile â–ª 11â—9 Guglielmo iii. William deposed William restored Guglielmo iiii 1191. Tancredâ— â–ª 1191. Guglielmo .5 1195. End of the house of Normains Henrico .6 Imperatoâ—e 119â— Federike â–ª 122â— â–ª the kynges of Naples entitled kynges of Ierusalem 1229. Carroccio â—eather â—oygned for money â–ª 1250 â–ª Conrade Crueltee â–ª Corradino neri heire vnto Conrade 1254 â–ª Manfredo 1265. Ende of the house of Sueuia in the dominion of Naples Carlo Duca d' Angio 1268. Corradino beheaded â–ª Crueltee Rebellion in Sicile Slaughter of Frenchmen Peter kynge of Aragone Charles sonne take prisoner Crueltee 1274. Title of the kyngdome of Ierusalem 1276. Carlo 2. Prince Edwarde of Englande Federike kyng of Sicile 1309. Robert 1342. Petrarcha Bocchaciê° Giouanna prima Quene Iohans Husbande strangled 135â— â—itle of the seconde lyne of the house of Angio. 1â—â—1 Quene Iohan hanged Marie Carlo .3 Murder 13â—6 Ladislaus â–ª 1370. Rome gotten .1408 Rome the secounde tyme gotteÌ„ by Ladislaus 1414. Giouanna â— 141â— â–ª Alfonse adopted heire to Quene Iohan. Discorde 1424. 1434. Ende of the house of Durazzo Alfonse Kyng Alphonse taken prisoner Patriarke Uitelesco Rainoldes comyng to Naples 145â— Ferdinando The Turke in Italie Couetousnesse .1489 1494. Alfonse .2 Ferrandino Morbâ—â— Gallicus 1496. Federike Ende of the house of Aragone in Naples Lewys the .12 of Fraunce 1501. Kynge Ferdinando of Spaigne Charles the .v. Emperour 1515. 1528. 1547. The circuit of the citee Bridges Arno. Edifices Wilde beastes Hospitalles â–ª The Academie Women Florence destroied and reedified 1080. Diuision Guelfi and Ghibellines faction FloreÌ„tines common wealthe constituted 1308. â—326 1328. Nobilitee suppressed 1357. Iohn Sharpe Common people 138â— 1390 â–ª 1400. 1409. 1414 â–ª 1428. 1432. 1464. Cosmo di Medici Practise of a prelate 1486. Laurence d' i Medici â–ª 1495. 1495. 1530. 1532. 1534. Cittadella Duke Cosmo â–ª Wonder â—58 19â—9 Policy 1100 â–ª 1127. 1146. 1190. Richarde kynge of England 1194. 1201. 1204. 120â— 1216. 122â— â–ª 1222. 1227. 1238. 1243. 1251. 1â—57 1258. 1261 â–ª 1266. 1â—70 1376. 1282. Giudice 1284. 1289. 1290. 12â—â— 1294. 1295. 1296. 12â—â— â–ª 1304. 1306. 1â—12 1315. 1318 â–ª 133â— Policie 1332. 1335. 1338. 1339. 1340. 1344. 1345. 1346. 1350. 135â— 1356. 1363. 1370.1372 1373. 1378. Ingratitude of people 1381. 1383. 1389. 1396. 1397. 1398. 1399. 1400. 1401. 1402. 1403. Bouciquart 1409. 1413. 1415. 1416. 1421. 1422. 1437. 1434. 1436. 1442. 1443 1444 â–ª 1447. 1454. 1458. 1459. 1490. 1462. 1464. 1466. 1475. 1476. 1477. 1478. 14â—â— 1487. 1488. 149â— 149â— 149â— 1501. 1502. 1506. 1507. 15â—â— 1512. 1513. 1514. 1515. 1516. 1517. Poyson that worketh not till a time 1519. 1521. 1522. 1524. 1525. 1526. 1527. 1528. 1536. 1546 Andrea Doria Wiues of Millaine Millaine Sâ—â—â—ate Castell of Millaine Millaines â—ame Attila 1161. Giouanni Torrigiani Tiranny Martino Torrigiani Philippo Torrig Napoleone Uisconti â–ª Ottone Ottone Uisconti Matteo Magno Galeazo â—â—ene Lucchino Giouanni Bernabo Galeazo Giangaleazo 1402. Giouannâ— Maria. 1433. Philippo Maria. Philippo Maria descriued Testament â—â—oken Francesco Sforza Mutio father to Fraunces Sforza Galeazo â–ª Giouanni Lodouico Moro. Francesco 1063. Matilda Sordello Pinamonte Passerino Gonzaga Luigi Gonzaga Guido Luigi Francesco 1407. Gianfrancesco 144â— Luigi Federico Francesco Federico â—520 1539 â–ª Francesco 700. 1020 â–ª Azo 1. Aldobrandino Azo .2 Crueltee Fresco. Crueltee Obizone Azo .3 Rinaldo Obizone .2 Nicolo Alberto â–ª Nicolo Lionello Borso Nicolo Ercole Alfonso Ercole â–ª Galasso di Montefeltro .1345 Conte Guido .1428 Oddo .1440 Federico â–ª 1444. Guido Ubaldo 14â—2 Ualentino Borgia .1503 Francesco Maria .1504 1514. Iulianio di Medici Laurence di Medici 1522. Guido Ubaldo .2 1538. 1547 â–ª
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
they of their owne originall holde diuers opinions Athis or Egyptus Siluius reigned .24 yeres Capi Siluius reigned .28 yeres and builded the citee of Capua Carpentus reigned .13 yeres Tyberinus reigned .9 yeres of whom the riuer that renneth through Rome was first named Tyber by reason he was drowned in the same for before it was called Albula Agrippa reigned .40 yeres Remulus reigned .19 yeres and was slaine with a thunderbolte Auentinus reygned .38 yeres and was slaine in battaile on the hill Auentine and buried there wherof that hill toke his name though Varro saieth that the â—ame proceded of the sight of certaine birdes Proca reigned .23 yeres and ordeined by testament that of his two sonnes the one shoulde haue his realme and the other his treasure so that theldest toke the treasure and the yongest the dominion Amulius reigned .24 yeres and chased his elder brother Numitor out of his realme because he had learned by diuinacion that one of his brothers descent shoulde expell him out of his astate Wherefore he slewe his nephewe Sergistus and put his neece Rhea into a religion of virgines called Vestales where at the ende of .vii. yere she was gotten with childe by an vnknowen man and brought foorth at one burden two sonnes Romulus and Remus with the whiche Amulius was so offended that he not onely caused the mother to be buried quicke accordyng to the law but also commaunded the two children to be throwen into Tyber so that thei were left on the banke and there fed by a she woulfe as the poeâ—es feigne but the trouth of the historie is that they were founde by a shepherde whose wife for hir beauty and licenciouse liuing was called Lupa and so taken and nourished till thei grew vnto suche yeres that they reuenged theim selfes slew Amulius and made theyr graundefather Numitor kyng ¶ Numitor reigned not fully one yere til Romulus and Remus together founde the meane to slea him and than builded the citee of Rome Before whiche tyme these Latine kynges had reigned in all about .620 yeres ¶ After the citee was builded the two bretherne so contended for geuyng the name and for the dominion that Remus was slaine ROmulus than reigned .38 yeres and created .100 senatours for the rule of the common wealth And within .4 yeres after the edificacioÌ„ of the citee because the inhabitauntê beyng men assembled of diuers nacions had no women to mainteine succession he deuised sacrifices and plaies to the whiche the Sabines aswell men as women resorted So that by ordre of Romulus all the Sabine maydens that came to the feast were taken and maried amonge the Romaines Whervpon the Sabines made warre against Romulus and procured diuers other of theyr neighbours to dooe the like but the Romaine preuailed against theim all Finally as he perused his souldiers on a daie in a great tempest he was stricken with a thunderbolte and because he could neuer more be hearde of the Romaines imagined he was ascended to heauen and therfore worshipped hym as a God ¶ Numa Pompilius reigned .41 yeres and kepte the citee in peace and because the people thoroughe theyr passed continuall warres were become in maner wilde he therfore entroduced religion and Gods among them and so brought theym to ciuilitee ¶ Tullus Hostilius reigned .33 yeres and conquered the citee of Alba whiche he rased to the earthe and at last bothe he and his house were burned with thundre ¶ Ancus Martius reigned .xxiiii. yeres and subdued the Latines with diuers other people about Rome ¶ Tarquinus Priscus reigned .37 yeeres he doubled the noumbre of senatours and after he had vanquisshed the Sabines entred triumphauntly into Rome but at last he was slaine by the sonnes of Ancus Martius ¶ Seruius Tullius reigned .34 yeres he ordeined first the paiment of taxes and therby founde that he had at that tyme in Rome fourescore and foure thousande persons and was slaine at last by the procurement of his sonne in law Tarquine the proude ¶ Lucius Tarquinius reigned .35 yeeres he was the fyrst that inuented prisons and tourmentes and by reason of the odious acte that his sonne didde in enforsyng the chast Lucretia wife of Collatinus who therefore slew hir selfe he and all his were exiled out of Rome and the astate chaunged from kynges to Consules after that the kynges had reigned aboue .230 yeres ¶ Than did the Romains ordeine two Consules remoueable from yere to yere The fyrst were Lucius Iunius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus housbande to the dead Lucretia vnder whiche ordre of Consules a few chaunges excepted the Romaines mainteigned theyr common wealth well nere .500 yeres and so preuailed in conquestê ouer the worlde that none other monarchie is to be compared vnto theyrs nor almost so many other woorthy men to be read of in all the histories written as were founde in that citee for the time as he that readeth Liuie shall see But because the onely writyng of their names wold occupie a greatter part of my boke than should be requisite to my purpose I shall beseche all gentill readers to be contented that I referre theim ouer vnto the Romaine histories whiche are common to the whole worlde ¶ Finally about .700 yeres after the edificacion of Rome and .47 before the comyng of Christ the libertee of the Romaine common wealth ceased by reason that Iulius Caesar after the death of Pompeius hauyng quieted the ciuile contencions tooke on hym by force the whole empyre and had at his commaundement the greatest part of all the worlde From whom vnto the tyme of Constantine the fyrste there reigned 38. emperours as by theyr names hereafter it appeareth and they all kepte theyr principall seate in Rome as the head citee of theyr monarchie IUlius Caesar reigned in all not fullie .v. yeres for Brutus and Cassius with diuers other senatours conspired against him and slew him in the senate house ¶ Octauianus Augustus reigned .56 yeres and .vi. monethes but the fyrst .xii. yeres he had Marcus Antonius Lepidus as parteners of the empire till by force with consente of the senate he subdued them bothe and because he was happie in his enterprises the senatours surnamed him Augustus In the .42 yere of his reigne our Sauiour Christe was borne ¶ Tyberius son in lawe vnto Octauian reigned .xxiii. yeres In the .xviii. yere wherof Christe suffred his passion and Pilate wrote vnto Tyberius of the miracles that he had doen wherfore Tyberius commaunded he shoulde be woorshipped as a God but the senatours woulde not graunte vnto it because he had proclaymed it without theyr consentes ¶ Caius Caligula reigned .iii. yeres and .x. monethes A man of so yll liuyng that he shamed not to companie flesshely with his owne sisters and was flayne by his owne souldiours ¶ Claudius reigned .xiii. yeres and .viii. monethes and was poysoned Some write that the seconde yere of Claudius reigne Peter the apostle came to Rome and there continued
.xxv. yeres after Whiche other some doe disallow groundyng them vpon Peters age that reckenyng the time it was impossible Peter should liue so longe after Christes passion ¶ Neroe reigned .xiiii. yeres and .vii. monethes whose customes were odiouse to the whole worlde He killed his mother his wife his maister Seneca and dyuers other excellent men so that his owne souldiers rebelled agaynste hym and the whole Senate condemned him wherfore he fledde and because he coulde not escape desperately slewe him selfe ¶ Galba Sergius reigned but .vii. monethes by reason that his next successour laie in waite for hym and slew hym in the baines ¶ Otho Lucius reigned scarsely .iii. monethes till he was ouercome by his nexte successour so that throughe despayre he slew hym selfe ¶ Uitellius reigned but .vii. monethes For the Romaine armie that than was in the east parties elected Uespasian emperour so that in despite therof Vitellius chased Sabinus Uespasians brother with dyuers into the capitoll and there set fyre on theim Wherfore Uespasian came streight to Rome toke Vitellius made hym to be drawen through the stretes hewen to peecê ¶ Uespasianus reigned .x yeres and reduced the customes and lawes into a better ordre amonge the people whiche by Nero and the other emperours after hym were muche corrupted and beganne the Amphitheater now called Colliseo And this was he that destroied Ierusalem in fulfillyng of Christes prophecie ¶ Titus sonne to Uespasianus reigned .ii. yeres and ii monethes after his father and was a verie graciouse prince ¶ Domitianus reigned .xv. yeres .v. monethes he was brother vnto Titus but lyke Nero in condicions for he delited in vnnatural vices and in cruel death of men â–ª so that he slew diuers senatours persecuted lerned men and Christians had ill successe in his warres and finally through conspiracie was slaine ¶ Nerua reigned one yere and .iiii. monethes and was the fyrst straunger that is to wete no Romaine borne that euer was made emperour ¶ Traianus adopted son vnto Nerua and a Spaniarde borne reigned .xix. yeres and .vi. monethes so benigne and courteise a prince that for a prouerbe men vsed to saie God make the happier than August and better than Traiane For beyng sometime aduertised of his friendê that he vsed hym selfe to muche familiarly he aunsweared that a prince ought to be vnto his subiectes suche as thei should be to hym and geuyng the swoorde to a Pretor that he had newly made he saied vse this against mine enemies but see the cause be iust and if I deale vniustly than spare not me He prospered muche in his warres and greatly augmented the Romaine empyre ¶ Adrianus reigned .xxi. yeres the most part in peace for that was his studie He was well learned and yerely wrote a pronosticacion he builded a notable sepulchre whervpon Castell S. Angelo now standeth And in his tyme there rose vppe a false Messias amonge the Iewes whiche Adrian ouercame with muche a dooe ¶ Antonius Pius adopted sonne vnto Adrian reigned xxiii yeres so gentill a prince that all the worlde loued hym For he was wont to saie he had rather preserue one of his citesins than destroie a .1000 of his enemies ¶ Marcus Aurelius Antonius reigned .xix. yeres and one moueth At the first his brother Lucius Verus was ioigned with him but he liued not longe This Marcus was an excellent philosopher wrote dyuers good bokes prospered in the warres where finallie he died ¶ Commodus son to Marcus Aurelius reigned .13 yeres more lyke in condicions vnto Nero than to his father so that at last he was both poysoned and strangled ¶ Helius was surnamed Pertinax because he toke the empire on him in maner against his will and reigned not vi monethes but that his nexte successour caused hym to be slaine ¶ Didius Iulianus reigned not fully .vii. monethes for his next successour came against hym discoumfited his armie toke hym and caused hym to be beheaded ¶ Seuerus reigned .xviii. yeres and restored muche the Romaine empyre from the decaie that it was fallen in by his predecessours tyme prospered muche in his warres and died in the citee of Yorke where it is written he made a diche with a walle full of toures and bastilions from one sea to the other .132 miles of length ¶ Antonius Caracalla reigned .vi. yeres he caused his brother Geta to be slayne maried his stepmother Iulia vsed muche tyrannie and was at laste slaine by one of his owne souldiours ¶ Macrinus with his son reigned one yere and were bothe slaine ¶ Uarius Heliogabalus reigned .iiii. yeres so abhominable a man of liuyng that after he had tried all the waies of carnall vice he caused his owne membres to be cut of in hope to chaunge his kynd Wherfore his owne souldiours slewe him drewe his carcasse a longe the stretes tied a stoue about his necke and so threw him into Tyber ¶ Alexander Seuerus reigned .xiii. yeres full of vertue and good gouernaunce but because he was seuere in punysshyng his souldyours offences they rebelled agaynst him and slewe him ¶ Maximinus reigned .iii. yeres and because he was created of the armie without the Senatours consente therfore did the senate ordeine newe Emperours against hym so that his owne souldiours slewe him ¶ Gordianus reigned .vi. yeres and prospered muche in his warres but at last for lacke of vittayles the armie rebelled against him and elected his next successour emperour by whose order Gordianus was slaine ¶ Iulius Philippus with his sonne reigned .vii. yeres and were both christened but finally they were slayne by procurement of theyr next successour ¶ Decius with his sonne reigned .ii. yeres and .iii. monethes a great persecutour of the Christian religion In his time the Gothes first assailed the Romayne empyre and passed the riuer of Danubie where Decius and his sonne mette with theym and in the battayle were bothe slaine ¶ Uirius Gallus with his sonne reigned .ii yeres and were slaine bothe of theyr owne army as they were goyng against Emilianus that than woulde haue vsurped the empyre ¶ Ualerianus with his sonne Galienus reigned .xv. yeres But Valerian in the .v. yere was taken in battaile against Sapor kyng of Persia who put out his eies and vsed hym alwaies for his foote stoole whan he went to horsebacke and Galienus became so viciouse that he was faine to flee from Rome and finally was slaine of his owne men ¶ Claudius elected by the senate reigned one yere and ix monethes fought against the Gothes and Germaines and discoumfited bothe theyr powers but he sickened shortly and died Whervpon the armie elected his brother Quintilianus emperour who within .xvii. daies after was slaine ¶ Aurelianus reigned .v. yeres and .vi. monethes recouered a noumbre of regions that his predecessours had lost and was so prosperouse in the warres that Eutropius compareth hym vnto Alexander the great or Caesar But at last he was slaine through crafte of one of his owne souldiours ¶ Tacitus reigned not fully .vi. monethes but died of the
feuer And than was his brother Florianus elected but he liued little more than .ii. monethes ¶ Probus reigned .vi. yeres .iiii. monethes he recouered France ouercame Saturninus and Proculus that had made theim selfes emperoures and finallie was slaine of his owne souldiours ¶ Carus with his two sonnes reigned .ii. yeres and achieued diuers worthy enterprises But his son Carinus became so great a tyranne and so viciouse withall that he was compared to Nero and at last slaine of his owne souldiours ¶ Dioclesianus reigned .xx. yeres a great persecutour of the Christian religion because reason persuaded him that whereas diuersitee of opinions continued there coulde be no peace but perill of commocions And because he thought not him selfe able to rule the whole empire alone he ioygned Maximianus with him and either of theim made a deputie Dioclesianus toke Galerius and Maximianus toke Constantius Finally whan thei had brought the empire to a good staie Dioclesian and Maximian both renounced their astates and became priuate though Maximian woulde gladly haue taken it vpon him again to haue exalted his son Maxentius Wherfore his son in law Constantine caused him to be slaine ¶ Galerius with Constantius reigned together .ii. yeres and deuided the empire betwene theym Galerius had the east parte and Constantius the west Constantius husbande to the Queene Eleyn died in Yorke and Galerius beyng fallen sicke slew him selfe Neuerthelesse er he dyed Maxentius had gotten the Romaine souldiours called Pretoriani on his parte and so vsurped the name of emperour Against whom Galerius first sent his capitaine Seuerus and afterwardes Licinius but thei preuailed not for Maxentius continued til the comyng of Constantine to Rome who fought with him and so discomfited him that in fleing he was drowned in Tyber CONSTANTINVS the first reduced the Romaine astate to tranquillitee and toke Licinius as compagnion in the empire to whom he gaue his owne syster in mariage But as discorde is common amonge princes so it happened that Licinius rebelled against Constantine and beyng ouercome was deposed and as some write slaine So that Constantine reigned alone the tyme of whose reigne in all was .xxx. yeres and .x. monethes He was conuerted to the Christian faieth by bisshoppe Siluester vnto whom as the clergie holde opinion he gaue his roiall seate in Rome with auctoritee to vse all the imperiall rites and honours and made him head of the Christian churche and thervpon remoued his imperiall seate from Rome to Constantinople whiche citee he than had newly reedified And though authours agree that he in deede builded Constantinople and chaunged it from the auncient name which was Bizantium yet many allow not Constantines donacion to Siluester to be true but saie that some one of those bisshops of Rome longe after Siluester that vsurped the name of Peters successour to enlarge theyr creadite and auctoritee and to mainteigne theyr pompe inuented this donacion So that though Constantine or his successours remoued theyr dwellyng from Rome to Constantinople yet did thei neuerthelesse reteigne continually bothe the dominion of Rome and also the name of the Romaine empyre vntill the takyng of Rome by Alaricus kynge of the Gothes betweene whose comyng and the reigne of Constantine were these ix emperours folowyng COnstantinus Constantius and Constans sons of the first Constantine and had the empire deuided betwene theÌ„ But Constantine not contented with his part moued warre to Constans and was slaine and Constans at length was also slain by treason of one of his owne capitaines named Magnentius who vsurped the empire and after many battailes beyng ouercome by Conctantius at last slew him selfe So that Constantius remaigned emperour alone the time of whose reigne with his brethern togethers was .xxiiii. yeres ¶ Iulianus surnamed Apostata because beyng borne a Christian he became a painem reigned .ii. yeres First he rebelled agaynste his vncle Constantius that had made hym Caesar and after his death beyng made emperour he persecuted cruelly the Christian religion and at length was slaine in battaille against the Persians ¶ Iâ—â—mâ—â—nus reigned .vii. monethes restored the faieth of Christe and was constreigned of necessitee to graunt vnto the kyng of Persia a great parte of Mesopotamia Whiche was the fyrst tyme that euer the Romaines or any emperour consented to diminisshe the Romaine dominion ¶ Ualentinianus reigned .xii. yeres and was a good Christian. ¶ Ualens reigned .iiii. yeres fauoured muche the Artian secte and makyng warre agaynst the Gothes in Thracia was discoumfited besieged and burned ¶ Gratianus reigned .vi. yeres and he with his sonne were bothe slaine by treason of Maximus and Arbogastus theyr owne capitaynes ¶ Theodosius reigned .xi. yeres subdued the Gothes and discoumfited the traitours Maximus and Arbogastus that vsurped the empyre the fyrst of theim was slaine in the fielde the other for despayre slewe hym selfe and so he reuenged his predecessours death ¶ Archadius and Honorius reigned together .xiii. yeres and than died Archadius ¶ Honorius after his brothers death reigned .xv. yeres in whose time Alaricê° beforenamed king of the Gothes prouoked through treason of Stillicon themperours capitaine a Uandale borne tourned his armie that than was goyng into Fraunce against the emperour and so ouerrennyng all Italie at length besieged Rome and toke it rather by famine than force And here beganne the manifest decaie of the Romaine empyre For from this daie forward those Septentriâ—nall nacions that is to wete the Gothes the Vandales the Hunes and Lumbardes with dyuers others triumphed not onely ouer Italy but also ouer Fraunce Spaine and part of Affrike in suche wyse that though many of theyr armies were discoumfited by dyuers of the emperours capitaines and others yet in processe of tyme they myngled theim selfes so with the other nacions that they were no more knowen for strangers but became Italians Spaniardes Frenchemen and so foorth ¶ After this first destruction of Italy with the takyng and spoylyng of Rome the common people beganne to crie out saiyng that syns they lefte the woorshippyng of theyr auncient gods and had embraced the new faith of Christ all these afflictions through vengeance of the gods were fallen on theim so that many doubted whether it were good to beleue or not But surely the remouyng of the imperiall seate from Rome to Constantinople was the greatest occasion of the Romaine empyres decaie For whan the emperours beganne to dwell in Greece and to leaue Italy now and than diuidyng the empyre one to rule in the orient and an other in the occident theyr auncient reputacion declined so muche that theyr owne priuate capitaines enterprised many tymes not onely to rebell but also to vsurpe the name of emperours â–ª By reason wherof it came to passe that within the space of â—0 yeres there entred .vii. straunge kinges into Italie with so puissaunt armies that thei put eyther the whole countrey or at least a great part therof to swoorde and fyre FYrst Alaricus kyng of the Gothes before named after he had
gotten Rome by suche famine that many mothers did eate theyr owne children ouerranne all Campaigne the realme of Naples and the lande of Brutij and finally died in the citee of Cosenza ¶ After whom succeded his kynsman Athaulfus that maried Placidia sister of the emperour Honorius taken amonge the prisoners of Rome so wise a woman that whan hir husbande folowyng the trade of Alaricus determined to goe to Rome and to rase it to the earthe she with faire wordes dissuaded hym and brought hym to accorde with hir brother in suche wise that throughe the emperours procuremente he with all his nacion of Gothes lefte Italie and wente to conquere Spayne where in the citee of Barcelona he was of his owne folke traiterously slayâ—e ¶ The seconde was Attila kyng of the Hunes who with an infinite numbre of people entred into Italy and puttyng all to fyre and swoorde passed ouer the countrey now called Lumbardie vnto the Appenine hillê and as farre as Florence which he rased to the erth not withstandyng it was yelded vnto hym without resistence But finallie as he was goyng to Rome entendyng to do likewise there Leo the first than bishop of the same met him by the way and so entreated him that ceasyng from further crueltee he withdrewe hym and all his into Hungarie where not longe after he died of a sodeine death ¶ Thirdlie Gensericus entred into Italie with a great numbre of Vandales through this occasion Theodosius the .ii. assigned his cousen Valentinian to rule the weast parte of the empire who died within few yeres so that Maximianus a Romayne by force toke on him the occidentall empieâ— and maried Eudossa late wife of the same Valentinian who disdeigning this Maximian practised secretly with Gensericus then reigning in Affrica and did so much that he came to Rome toke it by force slewe Maximian spoyled and burned the citee and finallie for a worthy rewarde led Eudossa and hir doughter prisoners with hym at his retourne into Affrike ¶ The fourthe was Biorgus kyng of the Alani afterwardes called Alemani who entred into Italie by the way of Trent and ouerran all Istria La Marca Triuisana and a great parte of Lumbardie till at last by Seuerianus one of the emperours capitaines he was fought withall slaine and his host discomfited ¶ The .v. was Odoacrus kyng of the Eruli that sometime were of the countrey of Valachia beyonde the riuer of Danubie who with an infinite numbre of men twise in .xiiii. yere ouerran all Italie callyng him selfe kyng therof till the emperour Zenon sent Theodoricus kyng of the Gothes against him who fought with him discomfited all his hoste and finally slewe him ¶ The .vi. was this Theodoricus him selfe who by the emperour Zenon was inuested kynge of Italie in the title wherof he caused muche slaughter and destruction er euer he vanquisshed Odoacrus but at laste he establisshed his royall seate in Rauenna where he reigned .25 yeres and died of the fluxe leauyng behynde hym a perpetuall fame of his worthynesse and vertue ¶ The .vii. was Gundebalde kynge of Gorgoyne who with a great multytude passed the Alpes ouerranne a great parte of Lumbardie and with an infinite numbre of prisoners and a wonderfull pray of richesse returned into his owne countrey ¶ Nowe ye shall vnderstande that after Theodoriche was made kyng of Italy by the emperours consent his doughter Amalasuntha folowed in succession of the dominion who after the deathe of hir owne son Atalaricus accepted hir cousin Theodatus for companion in hir kyngdome but he rendryng yll for good founde meanes not onely to exile hir but also to make hir die to the entent he myght reigne alone Whiche vnkynde dealyng so muche offended his owne Gothish nacion that they elected an other kynge in Rome named Vitigius who shortlie caused Theodatus to be slaine by treason and yet he hym selfe prospered not longe after For er he had fullie reigned .v. yeres Bellisarius a capitaine sent by the emperour Iustinian recouered all Italie besieged Vitigius in Rauenna and finallie toke hym prisoner and so led him to Constantinople ¶ Whan the Gothes had a litel renewed their strength they made Totila theyr kyng ouerranne all Italie and twise toke the citee of Rome by force reignyng ouer the whole countrey .ix. yeres till Narses an other of the emperours capitaines came puissantly into Lumbardy and in a sore foughten battaile slew Totila with a great numbre of his nacion ¶ Notwithstandyng that discoumfiture the Gothes a fresshe chose theim an other kyng called Teia a veraie valiaunt man that wonderfully defended his dominion against the power of Narses but finally in plaine battaile Narses slew hym and so discoumfited his armie that the Gothes were constreigned to submitte theim selfes vnto the emperours obeisaunce and from that tyme foorthe beyng borne of two or three descenâ—es in Italy they were no more knowen for Gothes but taken for Italians and there ended the Gothishe name Whiche from the comyng of Theodoricus before named had reigned in Italy the space of .72 yeres ¶ A meruailouse mattier to see the instabilitee of these worldely thynges that the Romaine empyre whiche so many yeres before had triumphed in richesse welth ouer the whole worlde should now be subiecte vnto all calamitee and affliction Rome it selfe .iiii. tymes taken by force within the space of .140 yeres the walles in many places throwen to the earth the inestimable goodly buildynges of temples and palaices burned and spoyled the infinite treasures of money iewelles and other ornamentê put to sacke or hidde vnder the ground by the owners where it could neuer be founde neither man woman nor childe spared of the enemies furiouse swoorde and finally brought to that case that it was more than an whole yere desolate without any creature to dwell in it other than the wilde beastes And not Rome alone but also the most parte of all the notable citees of Italie were thus afflicted for the tyme. ¶ But whan the Gothish nacion was thus subdued Italie returned to the obedience of the empyre and was gouerned by the forenamed Narses by the space of .17 yeres till after the death of the emperour Iustinian Iustine the secounde of that name succeded whose wyfe Sophia thorough instigacion of some gentilmen of the court that enuied the vertue and glory of Narses kendled hir housband the emperour so muche that he reuoked Narses from the rule of Italy with iniurious wordes of the empresse that had bosted she would set hym amongest hir women to spinne and to make clothe whiche she saied was meeter for hym than to rule suche a countrey But the noble hert of Narses conceiued so great an vnkyndnesse of this that after he had answeared hir he woulde spinne suche a clothe as nother she nor hir vile housbande should be hable to weare out he secreâ—ly sent into Pannonia to Alboinus kyng of the Longobardi now called Lumbardes exhortyng him to come into Italie how be it ere
he came Narses repented hym and did what he coulde to haue letâ—ed it but as he trauailed therin being come to Rome with IohnÌ„ the thyrde bisshop of the same hauyng now delaied the Lumbardê coming a few yeres he died had his body caried to Constantinople and there was honorably buried ¶ This Narses with Bellisarius before named were two of the noblest capitaines that euer serued the Romayne Emperours ¶ Incontinently after the death of Narses the forenamed Alboinus with an infinite numbre of men women and childern entred into Italie and occupied all the countrey betwene the Alpes and the Appenine hilles naming it after theyr name Lumbardie And not withstandyng that the emperours for the space of .180 yeres made continuall warres agaynste theym by theyr generalles whom thei called Exarkes yet coulde they neuer so abate and vanquishe the glorie of those Lumbardes but that sometimes they wolde right well be reuenged so that in effecte they reigned ouer Lumbardie aboue 200. yeres till the comyng of Charlemaine who in fauour of the Romayne bishops warred agaynst Desiderius last kyng of the saied Lumbardes toke and ledde him prisoner into Fraunce ¶ In all whiche tyme of the Lumbardes prosperytee there reigned amongest theym .23 kynges whose names hereafter folow ALboinus slaine by procuremente of his wife Rosamunda ¶ Dapho slayne of his owne people for his tyrannie After whose death the Lumbardes wolde haue no kyng but in maner of a common wealthe elected .30 Dukes who occupied all Italie Rome and Naples excepted and so contynued the space of .xii. yeres till the Lumbardes beyng weery of theyr gouernaunce returned againe to the election of a kyng ¶ Antharis surnamed Flauius toke to wyfe Theodolinda the kynges doughter of Bauarie a woman that by persuasion of Gregorie the fyrst bisshop of Rome secretly embraced the Christian faieth and after conuerted hir nexte housdande to the same ¶ Agilulphus Duke of Turine maried Theodolinda after the death of hir other housbande and so beyng made kyng through his wifes procurement he became a Christian ¶ Adoaldus sonne of Agilulphus beyng very younge reigned about .x. yeres vnder the gouernaunce of his mother Theodolinda and after hir death was driuen out of his realme ¶ Arioldus of whom I fynde nothyng notable ¶ Rotharius a valiaunt warriour and so well learned withall that he prescribed lawes vnto the Lumbardes who from theyr coming into Italy till that time whiche was about .70 yeres had no written law ¶ Rodoaldus sonne of Rotharius was slain by one that founde hym in adoultrie with his wife ¶ Arithpertus through feigned flight obteyned a notable victorie against the frenchemen ¶ Gundibertus sonne vnto Arithpertus contended so longe with his brother for the dominion that at last thei were bothe chased awaie ¶ Grimoaldus toke the astate from the children of Arithpert and helde longe warre with the emperour Constantine the thyrd and so ouercame Theodorus the Exâ—rke that the emperour in a great rage came hym selfe with a myghty armie into Italie and after he had ouerranne the countrey of Puglia and taken the citee of Luceria whiche he put to fyre and swoorde at laste he besieged Beneuento where hapned one notable thyng woorthy the rehersall ¶ Romoaldus sonne to the king Grimoaldus was than within Beneuento and â—aliauntly defended the citee against the Greekes sendyng woorde by a foster father of his named Gensualdus â—nto his father that vnlesse he wolde shortly sende succours the citee must needes be taken Gensualde did his message and retournyng with answeare was taken of the enemies and brought before the emperour Where beyng straightly examined he confessed that Grimoalde withall the power of Lumbardie was departed from Pauia and came to reise the siege and that he hym selfe was the messenger of his comyng Wherfore the emperour hopyng incontinently to haue the towne and so to departe before the comyng of Grimoalde partely with thretenyng and partly with fayre offers persuaded Gensualde that beyng brought before the towne he should shewe Romoalde how his father through other businesse of importaunce coulde not than succour hym Gensualde promisyng so to dooe was brought to the walles and called for Romoalde who foorthwith appeared Romoalde saied he thy father is here at hand with a puissaunt armie to succour the. I lefte hym passyng the riuer of Sanguine be good to my wife and children for I am but dead and so it proued â–ª for his head was striken of and for despite with an engine throwen into the towne ¶ Whervpon Constantine with his armie retyred to Naples and from thense to Rome where he was most honourablie receiued of bishop Vitellian withall the clergie and nobilitee But he in recompence of that honour fell to robbyng and spoylyng of all the goodly thynges that he founde there aswell marble brasse and peinture as other richesse insomuche that he toke the tile of brasse wherwith the temple of Pantheon was couered and shipped all that he gotte So that Rome in a maner suffered more hurt and spoyle in .vii. daies that he remaigned there than it did by any ouerthrow from the fyrst comyng of the Lumbardes And yet he enioyed not for retournyng towardê Greece he was slaine by his owne men in the citee of Syracusa and all those preciouse thynges taken afterwardes by the Sarasines and caried to Alexandria in Aegypt where many of theim maie be seen at this daie But to retourne vnto my purpose Grimoaldus died of to muche streignyng his arme after he had been letten bloudde ¶ Garmaldus sonne of Grimoaldus reigned .iii. monethes onely and died ¶ Partharus soonne of Arithpert before named that from his youthe had been in continuall exile retourned home and was restored to the kyngdome ¶ Iunipertus or Compertus sonne of Partharus succeded after the death of his father ¶ Laimpertus or Luitpertus sonne of Iunipertus beyng a childe had not reigned vnder the tuicion of Asprandus fully .viii. monethes but that Raimpertus Duke of Turine rebelled and in plaine battaile ouercame Asprandus and so vsurped the kyngdome ¶ Raimpertus reigned not fully a yere ¶ Arithpertus son of Raimpertus was muche disturbed by the forenamed Luitpertus but at laste he slewâ— him in plaine battaile and in maner destroyed the whole house of Asprandus Neuerthelesse in the .xi. yere of his reigne Asprandus with helpe of the kyng of Bauarie retourned puissantly vnto Italy fought with Arithpert and so discomfited him that in his flight passyng the riuer of Tesino he was drowned by reason he had ouerladen him selfe with gold ¶ Asprandus reigned but .iii. monethes and died ¶ Luitprandus son of Asprandus was a great warriour insomuche that after he had gotten Rauenna and many other citees from the emperours Exarke at laste he besieged Rome Neuerthelesse at the intercession of his gossippe the frenche kyng he leauied his siege and restored to the Romains those castels and townes that he before had taken from theim ¶ Aldeprandus nephewe of Luitprandus liued not fully .v. monethes and
died without issue ¶ Rachis or Lachis as some call him Duke of Turine was next kynge who after manie gyftes made to the churche of Rome whan he had reigned .vi. yeres lefte his crowne and became a monke ¶ Aristolphus brother to Rachis contrarie to his brothers maners made so sharpe warre to the churche of Rome that Stephen then bishop called Pepine the Frenche kyng twise into Italy against him and constreigned him to obey the Romayne See and at last beyng on a day a huntyng he died sodeinely of an appoplexi ¶ Desiderius laste kyng of the Lumbardes prospered longe tyme in his warres and specially agaynste the churche of Rome which he so constreigned that Adrian the first than bishop there was faine to call kyng Charlemaine of Fraunce into Italie to succour hym who at his comyng not onelie restored vnto the churche all those citees that were taken awaie but also led Desiderius his wife and children prysoners with hym into Fraunce furnyshyng the whole regyon of Lumbardie with officers and rulers of his owne nacion ¶ Thus ended the reigne of the Lumbardes which had continued more than .200 yeres ¶ It is nowe to be vnderstanded that shortly vpon the comyng of Alboinus into Italy diuers citees prouinces of the same as theyr strength and tyme dyd serue theim vsed theyr owne libertees and leauyng the imperiall lawes made newe orders and officers amongest them selfes Wherfore the emperour Iustinus sent a generall of his into Italie named Longinus ordeinyng him to be called Exarke whiche shoulde be chiefe ouer all other officers ¶ This Exarke passyng by Rome came to Rauenna and there kept his astate appoynctyng the gouernaunce of Rome to a Duke so that many yeres after there were no mo Consulles made whiche office together with the most parte of all the other Romayne magistrates kept theyr auncient forme vnto that tyme not withstandyng that the emperours had taken from theym all maner of auctoritee except the onely gouernaunce of the citee ¶ From Longinus vnto the comyng of kynge Pepine into Italie the emperours helde in maner contynuall warre with the kinges of Lumbardy by theyr Exarkes but after Pepine had ouercome the kyng Aristolphe who before had subdued the Exarke of Rauenna he gaue the landes of that Exarcate to the churche A great part wherof the bishoppe of Rome holdeth to this day ¶ And because that from the tyme of Honorius hitherwardes I can not finde that any emperour had quiete dominion ouer Italy or was at any time resident there I therfore omitte to reherse the emperours names that haue reigned syns and woull conclude how by Charlemaines time the empire that before had none other title than of Rome wherof it toke originall was vtterlie diuided in two Orientalâ— and Occidentall the occasion wherof was this ¶ Leo the .iii. successour vnto Adrian bishop of Rome was chased awaie by the Romaines and fledde to kyng Charlemaine for succour who not onely restored hym to his bishopriche but also for a more terrour to the Romaines with a great power came to Rome in his owne person where on Christmas daie for a rewarde of his trauaile the bishoppe and clergie proclaimed hym emperour ¶ Some write that Charlemaine was very loth to take it vpon him till he had practised first with Hirena than Empresse of Constantinople and after with Niceforus nexte emperour folowyng and obteygned bothe theyr consentes ¶ In effect Charlemaine was crowned toke on him the empyre and his son Pepine was entitled king of Italy And after they had attempted to chase the grekes cleane out of the same they accorded with Niceforus to diuide the easte empire from the weast limittyng the Duchiâ— of Beneuento to be as a confyne or bounde betwene theim both ¶ And thus sens Charlemaine the occidentall empyre continued vnder the Frenche dominion till Gregorie the .v. bishop of Rome transported the election of the emperour vnto the princes of Germanie whiche to this dai endureth Like as on the other syde the Orientall empyre continued in Constantinople in the handê of Christians till Machomeâ— the second of that name emperour of the Turkes toke the citee by force slew the emperour Sigismonde and consequently enioyed the whole Greekish empyre as his successours dooe vnto this daie ¶ The descripcion of Rome THynkyng to finde a great contentacion in the sight of Rome because that amoÌ„gest al the citees of the worlde none hath been more famous than it I disposed my selfe to goe thither But whan I came there and behelde the wonderfull maiestee of buildynges that the onely rootes therof doe yet represent the huge temples the infinite great palaices the vnmeasurable pillers moste parte of one peece fine marble and well wrought the goodly arches of triumphe the baines the cunductes of water the images as well of brasse as of marble the Obeliskes and a noumbre of other lyke thynges not to be founde againe thoroughout an whole worlde imaginyng withall what maiestee the citee myghte be of whan all these thynges flourished Than didde it greeue me to see the onelie iewell myrrour maistres and beautie of this worlde that neuer had hir lyke nor as I thynke neuer shall lie so desolate and disfigured that there is no lamentable case to be harde or lothesome thyng to be seen that maie be compared to a small parte of it Neuerthelesse whan I remembred againe the occasions wherof these gloriouse thynges haue growen what noumbres of warres the Romaynes haue mainteygned with infinite bloudsheddyng destructions of whole countreys rauishmentes of chast women sacke spoyle tributes oppression of common welthes and a thousande other tyrannies without the whiche the Romaines could neuer haue achieued the perfection of so many wonders as mine eye dyd there beholde Than perceiued I howe iust the iudgement of god is that hath made those antiquitees to remayne as a foule spoyle of the Romaine pride and for a witnesse to the worldes ende of their tyranny So that I wote not whether of these two is greater either the glorie of that fame that the Romaines purchased with theyr wonderfull conquestes or their present miserable astate with the deformitee of theyr antiquities ¶ Of the riuer of Tyber THE riuer of Tyber whiche renneth throughe Rome diuideth Tuscane and Champaigne so that Transtyberim and the Vaticane wherin standeth S. Peters churche with the bishops palaice and castell Saint Angelo are in Tuscane and the rest on the other syde of the water whiche is verie Rome in deede is in Champaigne ¶ The distance betwene the citee and the sea called Mare Tirrhenum is .xv. myles And all be it the riuer be great deepe and large enoughe for an hauen from the sea to Rome yet most commonly the ships can come no neerer than Ostia whiche is .xii. myles from Rome partly by reason of the streame that reuneth very swift and partely by reason of the wonderfull quantitee of mudde that being brought downe with the swift course of the water lieth
were trymmed eyther with glasse with leade with Iesse orels with very fine peintyngê and the floores vnder foote made some of glasse and some of the finest marble or other pleasaunt deuises of diuers makyng ¶ They had many kyndes of straunge marble as white marble of the I le of Paro and of Carrara and that whiche cometh from Laconia the pleasauntest of all The redde marble not vnlike the masarde with certaine white spottes whiche thei call porphirie The blouddie marble that groweth in Troade The blacke marble called Luculleus The spotted marble called Serpentine The Onichite brought out of Arabie The alabaster and some marble transparent that is to be seene through as the Fengite with diuers others ¶ Of the present astate of Rome OF the ground conteigned within the wallê scarcely the thyrdde parte is now inhabited and that not where the beautie of Rome hath been but for the most part on the plaine to the water side and in the Uaticane because that sens the bisshoppes beganne to reigne euery man hath coueted to builde as neere the courte as myght be Neuerthelesse those streetes and buildynges that are there at this time are so fayre that I thynke no citee dooeth excell it by reason they haue had the beautifullest thynges of the antiquitees before rehersed to garnishe theyr houses withall Specially the bishop his Cardinalles prelates and other membres of his churche who haue all at theyr commaundement For though the Romains haue in theyr hertes vnto this daie a certaine memorie of theyr auncient libertee whiche they haue attempted many tymes to recouer yet doeth the bishop kepe them in suche subiection that thei dare not ones steerre for their liues but speake thei maie what thei list so it be no treason and therfore many times you shall here theim raile on the bishop and his officers that it is a wonder In effect the present astate of Rome in comparison of the auncient astate deserueth not to be spoken of and yet I beleue that in the Romaines most glorie there was neuer halfe so muche pompe vsed as now O what a worlde it is to see the pride and abhominacion that the Churchemen there mainteigne What is a kynge whaâ— is an emperour in his maiestee Any thyng lyke to the Romaine bishop No surely nor I would not wisshe theim so to be And to the entent you maie the better perceiue it you shall vnderstand that on Christmas daie the yere of our lord 1547. Paule the thyrde beyng bishop I noted his coming to church because it was a principall feast celebrated in Pontificalibus Wherfore early in the mornyng I resorted to the palaice and there waited the comyng of the Cardinalles that for the most parte lie in the citee and to come to sainct Peters must passe Ponte Sant ' Angelo where is an olde ordre that whan so euer any Cardinall passeth the bridge there is a peece of ordinaunce shotte of in the castell for an honour that the bishop is bounde to obserue towardes his bretherne ¶ I had not ben longe in the palaice but I harde two peeces shotte of at ones wherby I knew that two Cardinalles were comyng and therefore resorted to the gate to see theim and their traine ¶ From Castell Sant ' Angelo to Saint Peters staiers there is an excedyng faire strete streight and leuell more than a quarter of a myle longe called Borgo San Piero in the further ende wherof I saw these Cardinalles come and therwith out of the bisshops palaice came his garde of Suizzers all in white harueis and there alongest before the gate made a laue halfe on one syde and halfe on the other with their .ii. drummes and a fife before theim And assoone as the Cardinallê approched the drummes and fife beganne to plaie and so continued till the Cardinalles were well entred amongest the garde Than the trumpettes blewe vp an other while till the Cardinalles were almost at the gate and as they should enter the shalmes began to plaie and ceased not tyll they were alighted and mounted vp the stayers to the bisshoppes lodgeyng ¶ The lyke cerymonies were vsed vnto all the Cardinalles that came whether one came alone or many togethers And there taried more than .ii. houres harkenyng to this gunneshot and mery pipyng and rekened aboue .40 Cardinalles that came thus rydyng sometime one alone and sometime .iii. or .iiii. together ¶ There was no Cardinall that came without a great traine of gentilmen and prelates well horsed and apointed some had .40 some .50 and some .60 or mo and next before euerie of theim rode .ii. henchemen the one cariyng a coushin and a riche clothe and the other a piller of syluer and the Cardinalles theym selfes aparayled in robes of crymsen chamlet with redde hattes on theyr heades rode on moyles ¶ Whan they were all come to the palaice and had waited awhile in the chaumbre of presence the bysshop him selfe with the .iii. crowned miter full of iewelles in a veraie riche cope with shoes of crimsen veluette secte with preciouse stones and in all his other pontifical apparaile came foorth and at the chambre dore sate him downe in a chaier of crymsen veluet through the whiche reuneth two staues couered with the same Thus beyng sette the prelates and clergy with the other offycers passed on afore hym Whiche are suche a numbre as were able to make the muster of a battail if they were well ordred in the field Dataries Threasorers Clerkes of the Chambre Penitentiaries Prebendaries Notaries Protonotaries and a thousande mo eche order of theim in his diuers deuise of parliamente robes all in skarlet and for the moste parte finely furred Than came the double crosse the swoorde and the imperiall hatte and after that the Cardinallê by two and two and betwene euery two a great route of gentilmen Than came the ambassadours and next theim the bishop hym selfe blessyng all the waie and caried in his chayre by .viii. men clothed in longe robes of skarlet and on either side of hym wente his garde makynge Rome and criyng abasso abasso for they that woull not willyngly kneele shal be made kneele by force And I thynke verily the foremost of this ordre was distant from the hindermost more than a quarter of a myle ¶ Thus whan he came into the middest of the churche against the sacrament of the aulter he turned hym selfe towardes it and bowyng his heade a little seemed to make a certaine familiare reuerence ¶ Than was he caried into the chapell brought behind the aulter for the aulter standeth in the middest open euerie waie and there in a trone of wonderfull maiestee was set vp as a god ¶ The Cardinallê then bestowed them selfes after their auncientees in certaine stalles somewhat lower about the queere Than sate the Ambassadours and other prelates at theyr feete And so whan they were set the chapell beganne the offitorie of the masse and sange so sweetely that me thought I neuer heard the lyke
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
appoinâ—tment Alexander came honorablie to Uenice to mete the emperour for a treatie of peace wherby the other historie of the cookish apparaile shoulde seeme vntrewe In effect howe so euer it were there they mette and the emperour in presence of all the people kneled downe to kisse the bishops foote At whiche kissyng some affyrme that the bishop vsed these woordes Super aspidem et Basiliscum ambulabis et conculcabis leonem et draconem And the emperour aunsweared Non tibi sed Petro. wherunto the bishop replied et Petro et mihi Neuerthelesse there they concluded suche a peace that the bishop retourned to Rome and enioyed his place Immediately whervpon he called a counsaile in Laterano in the whiche iiii bishops that sens his fyrst election had been created by the emperour were condemned body and soule ¶ In his tyme Thomas Beckette bishop of Caunterburie was slaine And the kynge of Englande as some write sent ambassadours to this Alexandre protestyng the same to be doen vnknowyng to hym But the bishoppe not credityng the ambassadours sent two Cardinalles into Englande to examine the trouth who compelled the kyng to sweare that he was not giltie of Beckettes death and neuerthelesse they enioigned him in penaunce to sende .200 souldiours to serue an whole yere in Hierusalem and within the terme of .iii. yeres to goe against the infidelles hym selfe to mainteine all the libertees of the churche and to permitte mattiers to be appealed to the courte of Rome ¶ Lucie the .iii. would haue depriued the Romaine Consules of theyr dignitee but the people so resisted that he was faine to flee and as many as were taken of his partie had theyr eies put out Wherefore the bishop went to Verona called a counsaile and there died ¶ Celestine the .iii. enuiyng the succession of Tancredi bastarde sonne of Roger brother to the good kyng William of Sicile called into Italie Henrie the .vi. than elected Caesar â–ª And after he had crowned him emperour in Rome toke Constantia a Nonne out of hir cloysâ—er and because of the Normanes royall bloud maried hir to this emperour endowyng him and hir bothe with the titles of the realmes of Naples and Sicile and so transferred the Napolitane astate from the Norman succession to the Germains wherof there folowed great bloudshedyng ¶ Innocence the .iii. because Philip Duke of Sueuia sonne vnto Barbarossa was chosen emperour against his will not onely excommunicated him but also caused Otho the .iiii. to be elected and crowned hym in Rome ¶ This bishop contendyng with the forenamed Philip was wont to saie either shall Philip take from me my myter or I from hym his crowne ¶ Otho had not longe enioyed the crowne but the bishop with his excoÌ„municacions made his princes to forsake hym and he the emperour hym selfe to forsake Italie because he had moued warres against the church and gotten Montefiascone and Radicofano entendyng also to inuade the realme of Naples than belongyng to younge Frederike sonne of Henry the .vi. who by his parentes was committed to the bishops protection ¶ Finally he deposed Otho and named this Frederike emperour Wherof there folowed so sharpe warres that at length whan Frederike had afterwardes receiued the crowne of Honorius the .iii. the Romaine bishops persecuted Frederike and he them ¶ This Innocence beeyng of the familie of Conti in Rome builded a notable fayre toure of bricke there whiche yet is to be seen called La torre d' i Conti. ¶ Honorius the .iii. crowned Frederike the .ii. emperour and after excoÌ„municated him for what cause I can not tell ¶ Gregory the .ix. did likewise excoÌ„municate the emperour because he wolde not at his appoinctment goe into Asia againste the infidelles Afterwardes he assâ—yled him vpon his humble submission at Anagnia for .120 thousand ounces of golde payed by the emperour ¶ Than fell he in contencion with the Romayns for the tribute of the territories about the citie whiche the Romayns alledged that the bishops vsurped vpon theyr coÌ„mon wealth And because Frederike fauoured the Romains cause the bishop did excommunicate him againe wherof folowed cruell warres betwene the emperour and the confederate citees of Lumbardie with the battail besides Corte noua where the Mylanese and Lumbardes were so miserablie slaine and theyr Caroccio taken ¶ Than began also the ciuile sedicion of the two parties in Italie Guelfi and Ghibellini that caused so muche mischiefe ¶ The Romayns after they had ben ones by force subdued of this bishop began to rebell agayn For the pacifiyng wherof the bishop caryed about saincte Peters and Paules heades in procession and so quyeted the people ¶ Finallie beyng hardly handled by the emperour Frederike who had taken diuers legates cardinalles and prelates prisoners in theyr comyng to Rome he died for sorowe ¶ Innocence the iiii before he was elected bishop was verie friende to the emperour Frederike but after he became so mortall enemy vnto him that they ceased not the one to persecute the other as longe as they liued not withstandyng that principally for respecte of his olde amitee with the emperour Innocence was elected bishop And the emperour againste this election set at libertee diuers cardinalles that he had taken prisoners in the warres betwene hym and Gregorie the .ix. ¶ This Innocence was occasion of the great discomfiture that Frederike had before Parma and yet was the auctoritie of the Romains so great in his later dais that he durst not come in Rome ¶ He firste ordeined the Cardinalles to ryde with redde hattes and went to the citee of Naples entendyng to haue conquered the realme where trauaylyng to sette foorthe an armie he died ¶ Urbane the .iiii. seyng the armie prepared of Innocence discomfited by Manfredo than gouernour of the realme of Naples and him selfe vnhable to resist bothe Manfredos power and the Romayns also that newelie had recouered theyr libertee practised with the Frenche kyng that Charles Duke of Angiowe might come to conquere Naples and Sicile but he died er his purpose coulde take effect ¶ Clement the .iiii. folowyng the practise of Vrbane receiued the forenamed Duke Charles that came with .30 galeys from Marsiles to Rome and there created hym Senatour Whiche office he exercised for a tyme. Afterwardes he inuested him kyng of Naples and of Sicile vpon condicion he should holde it of the churche in fee paiyng tribute yerelie .40000 ducketes and by this meane broughte the Frenchemen to warre agaynste Manfredo In whiche warres Charles preuayled and the Germaine bloud ceased not onely by the deathe of Manfredo slayne in the fielde but also by the death of Corradino the ryght heyre who beeyng taken prisoner through this bishops counsayle was beheaded ¶ After longe contencion amongest the Cardinalles and two yeres vacacion of the see Gregory the .x. was elected bishop He incontinently pacified the warres betwene the Uenetians and Genowaies and called a counsayle in Lyons vnto the whiche the emperour of Greece
if he departed not the rather out of Italie Wherfore the emperour fortified hym selfe and his armie in the Theatres and Thermes of Rome resistyng the bishops fauters and specially theim of the house of Orsina but at length for lacke of victualles he was faine to forsake Rome and to retyre into Tuscane where beyng at Arezzo he somoned Robert king of Naples to appeare before hym and for lacke of apparaunce deposed hym of his realme by imperiall sentence whiche was by Clement disanulled ¶ Finally the emperour by meanes of the bishoppes legate was poysoned in receiuyng the sacrament of communion in the towne of Bonconuento After whose death the bishop hym selfe liued not longe ¶ Whan IohnÌ„ the .xxii. had receiued the myter in Lyons he went streigthe to Auignion and there created viii Cardinalles of the whiche two onely were Italians ¶ Shortly after he degraded a frenche bishop and put hym cruelly to death for a conspiracie that he was accused of ¶ In this tyme the electours of Germanie not agreeyng togethers chose two emperours Lewys of Bauarie and Frederike of Austriche eche of theim hauyng iii. voices but the bishop allowyng Frederike did excommunicate Lewys Wherfore Lewys after he had fought and taken Frederike prisoner wente with a power into Italie and receiued in Rome the imperiall crowne at the handes of the Cardinall Colonna bothe by assent of all the clergie there and of the Romaines who than had recouered to theim selfes a maner of libertee to chose theyr owne officers and vsed yerely to take for theyr rulers two presidentes of theyr owne nobilitee namyng theim vicars of the empyre And because the emperour had dyuers waies sought to the bishop for his absolution and could not obteine it therfore immediately after his coronacion he created a new bishop in Rome namyng hym Nicolas the .vii. who toke it vpon hym gaue bishoprikes and graunted dispensacions till after the emperours departure out of Italie he was taken by the Conte Bonifacio of Pisa and sent prisoner to the bishop IohnÌ„ in Auignion where he was laied in a stinkyng prison and miserablie died ¶ This IohnÌ„ condemned theim as haeretikes that wold haue had the churchemen liue poorely as Christes disciples did and burned diuers of the .iii. ordre of saincte Fraunces that than folowed this profession ¶ Finally he died in Auignion leauyng to his friendes muche more treasure than euer any of his predecessours had dooen ¶ Benedict the .xii. confyrmed the excommunicacion against the emperour Lewys of Bauarie not of his owne will as some write but in maner by constreinct of the kynges of Fraunce and Naples And the better to mainteine his quarell he assoyled all the astates of Italie of theyr feaultie to the empyre confyrmyng theim free princes in the same as vicars of the churche So that euer sens the Dukes of Mylaine with the houses of Este of Gonzaga and the common wealthes of Florence Lucca and others esteemed themperours lesse than they did before ¶ Besydes this he made the Senatours of Rome confesse theim selfes subiectes to the churche onely and not to any other power And by his tyme Frauncis Petrarke as a Laureate poete was crowned with Laurell in the Capitoll of Rome by Orso Erle of Anguillara than Senatour there ¶ Finally this bishop died verie riche in Auignion and lefte his gooddes to the churche ¶ Clement the .vi. chaunged the Iubiley that was first ordeined to be but ones euerie hundreth yeres to be kept euerie .50 yere and to holde the astates of Italie in amitee with him he confyrmed eche lorde as vicare of the churche in his owne astate Visconti in Mylaine Malatesta in Rimino Pesâ—ro and Fano Feltrano in Vrbino and a noumbre of other ¶ In his tyme the Romains recouered theyr libertee againe and created theyr officers without the bishops consent so that one Nicolas Renzo a Romaine beyng entred into a wonderfull fauour and credite with the people toke vpon hym the name and aucthoritee of emperour writyng hym selfe Nicolaus Seuerus et Clemens Tribunus libertatis pacis et iustitiae et liberator illustris sacrae reipublicae Romanae At whose beginnyng all Italie was in suche admiracion that euerie prince sent to salute him as emperour thinking he shuld restore the Romaine empyre to his auncient astate But his owne folie destroied hym For he toke part with one of the factions that were than in Rome so that where before he had no man against hym now had he a great noumbre whiche brought hym at last into suche a feare that sodeinly he disguised hym selfe and fledde from Rome to Charles the .iiii. than emperour in Almaine who toke hym as a lewde person and for a present sent hym to bishoppe Clement to Auignion and he cast him in prison sendyng certaine Cardinallê to Rome to settle the astate there whiche by meanes aforesaied had been a certaine space disobedient ¶ In this bishops tyme fell the yere of Iubiley whiche caused great noumbres of people from all countreis to resorte to Rome by reason wherof there fell suche a plague of pestilence as the like hath not been heard of For as some aucthours affyrme it endured continually the space of three yeres throughout all Italie and in most partes of the whole worlde so vehemently that of euery hundred there remaigned not .x. persons aliue and in many countreys not .x. of a thousande Some write that this plague began in the east partes of Asia ¶ Finally this Clement procured the restitucion of the realme of Naples to Queene Iohan the fyrst For the whiche and for his other good practises at hir beyng with hym in Auignion she solde the citee of Auignion with the dominion apperteignyng to the same to the churche and was contented to accept for paiement therof the arrerages of suche tributes as the bishoppe pretended that she and hir predecessours did owe vnto the churche for the realme of Naples wherof they claimed to be lordes in chiefe ¶ Innocence the .vi. was more geuen to religion than diuers of his predecessours For he reformed the courtly pompe that the Cardinals and prelates before tyme vsed and commanded spirituall men to be resident vpon theyr benefices with diuers other good ordres whiche toke litle effecte ¶ The Romaines in his time toke on theim theyr libertee creatyng a Senatour of theyr owne so that the bishop to recouer his astate deliuered Nicolas Renzo out of prison and sent hym to Rome where on the bishops behalfe he preuailed But through parttakyng he was againe constreigned to flee disguised and beyng mette was knowen and slaine ¶ This Innocence trauailed muche to haue appeased our kyng Edwarde the .iii. with the frenche kyng IohnÌ„ in the tyme of the sharpe warres betwene theim trustyng alwaies to haue brought theim to some good ende till he hearde that kyng IohnÌ„ was taken and ledde prisoner into Englande ¶ He caused Charles the .iiii. to be crowned emperour in Rome and woulde haue quieted
the Christian princê and powers and vnited them in an enterprise against the Turkes but his purpose could not take place ¶ Urbane the .v. sent Giles a Spaniarde as his legate into Italie whiche Giles with helpe of the other Italian princes so sore oppressed the house of Visconti that it was lyke to haue been destroied had not the kinges of Englande Fraunce and Cypres by theyr ambassadours procured a peace ¶ This Urbane withal his court went to Rome where after longe serche as they write he founde the heades of saincte Peter and Paule ¶ Finally returnyng into Fraunce he died by the waie of poyson as some thynke ¶ Gregorie the .xi. remoued the seate of his bishoprike from Auignion to Rome after it hadde been holden in Fraunce .70 yeres Some saie he did it because of the cruell warres that were amonge the princê and lordes of Italie whiche was ascribed to the bishoppe of Romes absence for theyr residence there staied the Italian nacion in peace ¶ Some saie he did it vpon a checke geuen hym by a bishop that was his familiare whom he asked why he was not resident vpon his bishoprike as the Canon lawes commaunded Wherunto the bishop answeared And why holy father are not you resident vpon yours But what so euer the occasion was he conueighed hym selfe with all his court from Auignion to Rome where of the Romaines and clergie he was receiued with Iubilate ¶ After whan he had pacified most parte of the Italian princê because the Florentines would neither be entreated nor refourmed by excommunicacion he made warre against theim and duryng the same died of the stone ¶ In his tyme IohnÌ„ Acton with .v. or .vi. thousande englishe horsemen sought the aduenture of the warres in Italie and fyrst serued the citesins of Pisa against the Florenâ—â—nes than the Visconti against the churche in whiche seruice he was taken prisoner but afterwardes the bishop of Rome made him his generall whilest the bishop laie in Fraunce And than did IohnÌ„ Acton gette the townes of Faenza and Bagnacauallo wherof he sold one to the Marques of Este for .20000 crownes and the other he kept to hym selfe But whan the bishop was come to Rome and had not so rewarded hym as he deserued he forsoke the bishop and was made generall of the Florentines Under whom he serued verie honourablie with suche a numbre of our nacion both horsemen and footemen that all Italie feared him and glad was that prince that myght reteigne hym For in all his enterprises he behaued hym selfe so woorthyly that the Florentines after his death buried hym honourablie in theyr cathedrall churche as a singuler defender of theyr common wealth ¶ Urbane the .vi. was elected by .xvii. Cardinalles wherof .xiii. were frenchemen that would faine haue chosen a bishop of theyr owne nacion But for feare of the people that cried a Romaine or an Italian they consented to this election and did honour Urbane the space of .iii. monethes and more ¶ The season than waxyng hote they desyred licence to goe abroade into the realme of Naples where by maintenaunce of Queene Iohan .viii. of the frenche Cardinalles elected a new bishop of their owne nacion namyng hym Clement the .vii. wherof folowed a great Schisme For Germanie Italie and Hungarie held with Urbane and the other realmes with Clement So that Urbane beyng of nature a cruell man to make his partie the stronger called Charles Durace out of Hungarie to conquere Naples from Queene Iohan. ¶ This Clement vpon displeasure depriued Charles gaue the title of the realme of Naples to Lewys Duke of Aâ—giowe who with a puissant armie of frenchemen entred into Italie purposyng not onely to expell Charles but also to take Peters mantel from Urbane but he prospered not For after he had made warre in Puglia about .xii. monethes at last he was slaine in battaile Wherof Urbane waxed so proude that because Charles kyng of Naples wolde not consent to make his nephiew prince of Campania he did excommunicate hym and if his power had been equall to his will had deposed him of his crowne But Charles handled the bishop so streictely that he was faine to flee to Genoa In whiche iourney he sacked .v. of his Cardinalles and threw theim into the sea and caused two other to be baken to poudre cariyng theyr asshes in sackes vpon moyles before hym for a terrour to the rest ¶ After this Charles death he retourned to Rome and did as muche as in him laie to destroie Charles children Wherin he preuailed not but rather procured him selfe a great daunger if he had not preuented his mischiefe with creatyng of .xxix. Cardinalles wherof .xxvi. were Napolitanes And finally by most opinions he was poysoned and died in Rome to the peoples great contentacion that for his crueltee muche abhorred hym ¶ Boniface the .ix. of .xxx. yeres of age succeded him whiche had not ben seen before And because he woulde bridle the Romaines from the libertee that the people had vsed many yeres in chosyng of theyr officers he absented him selfe with his courte from Rome and laie at Ascisa so that whan the yere of Iubiley came the Romains could by no meane get him to Rome till thei had promised to renounce theyr libertees vnto hym whiche sens that time thei could neuer recouer For incontinently as he was entred into the citee he made Castel Sant ' Angelo so strong that it hath ben and shal be a continuall bridle to the people and a great staie against emperours ¶ This bishop ordeyned the Annates that all spirituall promocions shoulde paie to the churche of Rome halfe a yeres value at euery chaunge whiche decre toke place in all realmes sauyng in Englande For the kynge and his barons woulde suffre none other but bishops to be bounde to this Annates ¶ In his tyme the yere before the Iubiley a certaine priest passed the mountaines into Italie clothed in lynnen who drew a worlde of people after hym called the white company persuadyng them that a certaine crucifixe whiche he caried before theim did many tymes weepe All the daie longe they shoulde trauaile on theyr iourney and at nyght lyke beastê lie theim downe wheras the daie light failed theim But the bishoppe fearyng this multitude as they were comyng towardê Rome sent men of warre against theim dispersed the company and brought the priest to Rome where for his abusion he was burned After whose death partely through this fonde assemblie and partely throughe the great resorte of people to Rome for the Iubiley there folowed a wonderfull great pestilence ouer all Italy ¶ About this tyme Crisolora a Constantinopolitane reuiued the Greeke letters in Italie where thei had not been vsed .500 yeres before ¶ And like as this Boniface succeded Urbane in Rome euen so did one Peter Luna succede Clement in Auignion and was called Benedict the .xiii. ¶ Innocence gouerned the Romaines with so muche tirannie that they openly murmured
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
yere some .40 some an .100 and some I wote not how longe that it is a wonder to see it And euery of these galeys hath his coueryng or house by hym selfe on the drie lande so that the longe liyng vnoccupied can not hurt theim Their mastes cables sailes ankers rooders ores and euery other thyng are redy in houses of offices by theim selfes that vnseen it is almost incredible with suche a quantitee of artillerie bothe for sea and lande as made me to wonder besides the harneyse and weapons that suffise as they saie to arme an â—00000 men Finally the noumbre of woorkemen waged for terme of life about those exercises is wonderfull For by all that I could learne theyr ordinarie is neuer lesse than .600 woorkyng in the Arsenale be it peace or warre And because thei haue suche a numbre of botemen that continually liue by gaine vpon the water within the citee they neede not to seeke further for mariners to furnishe their galeys withall For it was crediblie tolde me that there are no lesse than 12000. botes daiely seruyng in those theyr chanelles and almost no bote rowed but of a sufficient mariner So that if the Uenetians had ben men as the Romains were geuen as well vnto chiualrie by lande as vnto the exercise on the water no doubt thei might many yeres agoen haue subdued the worlde But sure theyr power hath been more warely gouerned than valiantly enlarged For sens Constantinople was gotten by the Turkes theyr dominion hath decreased bothe by reason as the â—ame gothe they rather practise with money to bie and sell countreys peace and warre than to exercise deedes of armes and for that moste Uenetians are at these daies become better merchauntes than men of warre ¶ And now methynketh it conuenient to speake in this place of the armorie that is in an hall of the Dukes palaice called La Sala del Consiglio d'i dieci whiche surely is a verie notable thyng ¶ There be as thei recken a thousande cotes of plate parte couered with clothe of golde and veluette with gilte nayles so fayre that princes myght weare theim besides diuers other fayre harneyses made of late whiche are bestowed in so fayre an ordre with theyr dyuers kyndes of weapons furnisshed of the beste sorte that a great while lookyng on could not satisfie me This hall is diuided into diuers seuerall porcions as the hous dooeth geue it and euery porcion hath his sorte by him selfe verie handsomely ¶ Finally for prouision of fresshe water it is a wonder to see theyr noumbre of costly welles made onely to receiue the raine that falleth from the houses I call theim costly because fyrst euery well hath his bottome as low as the salt water and must therfore be so surely walled and stopped with sande on the vtter syde that it defende the salte water from sokyng in And on the inner side it must haue his vent to receiue the water that falleth from the houses grauell within to passe thorough and last of all a fayre pauyng of bricke or stone in the bottome closed about lyke a cesterâ—e to preserue the purged water ¶ And though they haue a great noumbre of those welles and plentie of raine yet the poore men that dwell in the countrey doe gaine yerely aboue .20000 crownes by bringyng theyr botes laden with fresshe water from the riuers to Uenice Yet all this notwithstandyng you shall many tymes heare muche lamentacion amonge the poore folke for lacke of water Of the dominion BEsides all those townes and habitacions that are in theyr marishes and on that longe banke betwene theim and the sea as Murano Mazzorbo Torcello Malamoco Chiozza and others they haue on the maine lande the countrey of Friuli anciently called Forum Iulij the citees of Treuiso Padoa Vicenza Verona Bressa Bergamo and Crema with theyr appurtenaunces ¶ The most part of the countrey of Istria and vpon the costes of Dalmatia now called Schlauonia they haue Zara and Zebenico In the mouthe of the Adriatike sea the I le of Corfu and in the Leuant seas otherwise called Mare Mediterraneum the notable ilandes of Candia and Cyprus So that if the grounde that thei be lordes of were in one mans handes he should be no lesse woorthie to be called a kyng than most kynges that are knowen at these daies For not longe agoen Cyprus a parte of this hath had a kynge alone And how and whan they gotte these thynges this briefe historie hereafter folowyng particulerly declareth Of reuenue AS I haue been crediblie enformed by some gentilmen Uenetians that haue had to dooe therin they leauey of theyr subiectes little lesse than .4 millions of golde by the yeere whiche after our olde reckenyng amounteth to the summe of tenne hundred thousande poundes sterlyng A thyng rather to be wondred at than beleeued consideryng they reyse it not vpon landes but vpon customes after so extreme a sorte that it would make any honest herte sorowfull to heare it For there is not a graine of corne a spoonefull of wine a corne of salte egge byrde beast foule or fisshe bought or solde that paieth not a certaine custome And in Uenice specially the customers part in many thyngê is more than the owners And if any thyng be taken by the waie vncustomed be it merchaundise or other neuer so great or small it is forfeited For those customers kepe suche a sorte of prollers to serche all thyngê as they come to and fro that I thynke Cerberus was neuer so greedie at the gates of hell as they be in the chanelles about Uenice And though thei in serchyng a bote finde no forfeiture yet woull they not departe without drinkyng money And many times the meanest labourer or craftesman throughout all theyr dominion paieth a rate for the Poll by the moneth Insomuche that a Candiote my friende one that had dwelled in Constantinople sware to me by his faieth the Christians liued a great deale better vnder the Turke than vnder the Uenetians It is almost incredible what gaine the Uenetians receiue by the vsurie of the Iewes bothe priuately and in common For in euery citee the Iewes kepe open shops of vsurie takyng gaiges of ordinarie for .xv. in the hundred by the yeere and if at the yeres ende the gaige be not redemed it is forfeite or at the least dooen awaie to a great disaduantage by reason wherof the Iewes are out of measure wealthie in those parties Of dignitees and offices THei haue a Duke called after theyr maner Doge who onely amongest all the rest of the nobilitee hath his office immutable for terme of life with a certaine yerely prouision of .4000 duckates or theraboutes But that is so appoincted vnto him for certaine ordinarie feastes and other lyke charges that his owne aduauntage therof can be but small And though in apparaunce he seemeth of great astate yet in veraie deede his power is but small He kepeth no house liueth priuately and is in so muche
an other citesin of Eraclea named Marcello a very sobre and wise man was elected Duke but in diligence he was nothyng comparable vnto Paolo ¶ In the tyme of this Marcello except the stryfe and contencion betwene the patriarkê of Aquileia and Grado whiche I esteme not woorth the writyng I fynde no worthy mattier of memorie ¶ Nexte hym succeded Orso a man not onely noble of bloudde but also worthie of dedes ¶ He firste vsed to bryng vp the youthe of Uenice in the exercise of armes He augmented the numbre of souldiours in the shippes of warre and thorough his valyauntnesse restored Paolo one of the Grekish emperours capitaines vnto the astate of Rauenna In whiche enterprise Perendio Duke of Vicenza was slayne and Ildepandro nephew of Luipandro taken prysoner who by commission of the same Luipandro had by syege gotten the saied citee from the foresaied Paolo ¶ This victorie was one notable thyng that firste exalted the Uenetian name ¶ Finally vpon contencion spronge betweene the Eracleani and Equilesi for the lymites of theyr confynes for the whiche was dayly feightyng betwene theim the space of two yeres This Duke Orso supposed to be the authour of that sedicion in a tumulte of the people was slayne ¶ Surelie a lamentable ende of the gloriouse and happie begynnyng of so worthie a man The more because of an other inconuenience that folowed that the Patriarke of Aquileia toke from the Uenetians the townes of Mossone and Centenara though afterwardes thorough the menaces of Gregorie bishop of Rome he restored Mossone whan he had vtterlye destroyed Centenara ¶ After the death of Orso there beganne a new rumour for chosyng of the Duke and many grudged that Eraclea alone had so longe tyme enioyed the honour therof Wherfore now bothe the seate and election was translated vnto Malamoco whiche at that tyme was verie muche encreased bothe in people and richesse Neuerthelesse the counsaile in this election coulde not agree amongest them selfes and therfore at length concluded to chose a newe maner of officer namyng him Maister of the souldiours whose authoritee was remoueable from yere to yere ¶ The firste was Domenico Leone and succedyng hym was Felice Cornacchino the .iii. Deodato sonne of the Duke Orso who continued in that office as some saie two yeres The fourth Iuliano Ipato and the v. Giouanni Fabritiaco who before the end of his yere was put out of his office and lost bothe his eies In whiche meane tyme the olde strife betwene the Equilesi and Eracleani renewed in so muche that meetyng together neere vnto the chanell now called dell'arco so many on both sides were slain that almost thei came to naughtes ¶ The Uenetians weried with these and suche other businesses retourned to theyr olde gouernance electing the forenamed Deodato to theyr Duke who finallie beeyng occupied aboutes the fortifiyng of Brondolo was assaulted by Galla a citisin of Malamoco and beyng taken prisoner had his eies put out The naughtie dooyng wherof so muche offended the Uenetians that ere the yere passed thei toke Galla put out his eies depriued him of his vsurped astate and at last toke from hym his life chosyng Domenico Menicaccio or Monagario in his place ¶ This Domenico had not so great auctoritee as his predecessours for to abate the power of their Duke whiche by the passed experience the Uenetians thought to be ouerlarge they ioygned in company with hym two of theyr Tribunes whiche so muche offended this Domenico that at length he openly contended to recouer the wâ—nte absolute power And therfore was not onely depriued of his dignitee but also for a punisshement his eies put out ¶ And than in his place was created a woorthie riche man called Mauritio of Eraclea who in his tyme pacified muche bothe the secrete grudges and also the open contencions betwene his priuate citesins and obteined the see of a bishop to be placed in Uenice in the churche of sainct Peter Whiche bishop was afterwardes exalted vnto the degree of a Patriarke by Nicolas the .v. bishop of Rome ¶ Duryng the rule of this Mauritio the Uenetians after great debating of the mattier in counsaile to and fro graunted to ayde kynge Charlemaine with .xxv. vesselles well armed and paueysed whiche did Charlemaine great seruice in the assaulte of Pauia whan he toke Desiderio kyng of Lumbardie prisoner ¶ Finally Mauritio obteining of the Uenetians to haue his sonne Giouanni ioygned in the astate with hym and hauyng ruled .xi. yeres alone and .vii. yeres ioynctly with his sonne he died ¶ Giouanni likewyse ruled alone a certaine space and obteined his sonne Mauritio to be ioygned with hym who bothe togethers bare them selfes verie ill towardes theyr citisins And amongest other thynges Mauritio beyng sent of his father vnto Grado caused the Patriarke of that place to be throwen downe out of a toure because he was wont to warne bothe the father and sonne of theyr ill behauiours Wherfore thei became hatefull to their citisins so that a conspiracy was wrought against theim the chiefe wherof was named Obelerio that before tyme had been Tribune of Malamoco ¶ This conspiracie came so to passe that the people proclaimed Obelerio Duke and the rumour was such that Giouanni with his sonne and one Christofer a bishop theyr friende fledde all thre vnto Mantua ¶ Than was Obelerio placed in the astate who shortely obteined his brother Beato to be ioigned with him In theyr tyme the auncient malice betwene the Eracleani and the Equilesi renewed in suche wyse that it made a fowle slaughter amongest theim Wherfore it was finally concluded that bothe the one and other towne shoulde be destroied and the inhabitauntes reduced vnto Malamoco and Rialto And so was it quickely done the rather because euen than kynge Pepine sonne of Charlemaine was determined to assayle the countrey and hauens of Dalmatia against the Grekish emperour Niceforo towardes whiche enterprise Pepine required passage and vitailes of the Uenetians But they wolde not consente therto though Obelerio their Duke fauoured the frenche parte For in consultyng vpon this matter were great disputacions and many reasons laied bothe for the one parte and the other but finally this opinion of Agnolo a woorthie citesin of Eraclea was best allowed that for the neweltee of kynge Pepine they shoulde not shewe theim selfes vnconstaunt to breake theyr auncient amitee with the Grekysh emperour not withstandyng that Pepine by reason of the hauen of Rauenna might in maner vndooe their trafficque by sea ¶ So Pepine to be auenged made an armie at Rauenna and costyng towardes Uenice toke Brondolo Chiozza Pelestrina Albiola and came so neere that he constreigned the Duke and senatours of Malamoco to flee vnto Rialto with theyr richesse and children Finally Pepine was discomfited by the imperiall capitaine Nicea sent as well to succour the Uenetians as also to defende Dalmatia so that incontinently there folowed a peace betwene all three that is to saie the
the helpe of Marke Samuto rescued Candia than molested by the Greekishe Corsales ¶ Twyse he reysed the siege of Constantinople Teofilo Ziani beyng Potestate there and gatte many of the enemies shippes And after makyng truce with the Genowaies in the fauour of Gregorie the .ix. bishop of Rome he sent an armie against Federike Barbarossa gatte Terma Campo Marino and Bestice and in the hauen Manfredonia burned the Cetea a notable shippe that the emperour had made for his owne person and there slew a thousand men of warre ¶ About this tyme Ezelino di Romano gatte Padoa from the Uenetians and entred into the Uenetian marishe as farre as saincte Ellero and the Bebbe ¶ This Duke vnder the gouernance of his owne sonne sent .60 galleis to Durazo to succour the Genowaies against the emperour and the Pisani who in his returne recouered Pola and Zara and than peace was made with the kynge of Hungarie vpon condicion that from thensfoorth he should neuer pretende title to Zara. ¶ Nexte this Iames folowed Marino Morosini who was chosen of the counsaill called Pregadi and beyng prouoked by the Romish legate made warre vnto the forenamed Ezelino and recouered Padoa wherof Ausedino nephew of Ezelino was capitaine whilest Ezelino laie at siege before Mantua For whiche losse and for his labour spente in vaine before Mantua Ezelino retournyng to Uerona fell in suche a rage that he caused .12000 Padoanes part of his armie to be hewen to peeces Suche a crueltee as hath not ben heard of sens the tyme of Silla who did the like vnto .12000 prenestines friendes of his ennemie Marius ¶ Of this name Ezelino were foure one after an other that caused no small trouble in Italie ¶ The fyrste Ezelino a Doucheman borne came into Italie with the emperour Otho the thirde and by hym was made Conte di Onara a towne of the Marca Triuigiana But afterwardê he gate him selfe the lordship of Bassano vpon the riuer of Brent with maine faire territories theraboutes and so became great both of dominion and also of aliance by mariages ¶ His sonne was called Ezelino Balbo and the .iii. Ezelino Monaco all three crowell men of nature But the .iiii. Ezelino di Romano passed all thother and died rather for choler and despite of the discomfiture geuen hym by the Vicentines than for the hurte that he receiued in his legge Whom Peter Gerardo a Padoan writer descriueth thus He was harde of fauour terrible in worde and dede scarce of laughter or speche full of despite suspiciouse takyng euerie thyng to the worse daungerouse to enterprise prompte to all euill cruell to all personnes and out of measure delited in their death and tourmentes prisons yron hunger corde fyre and other suche So that to extirpe the whole stocke of so â—â—uell a generacion after his death there was no creature of his bloud suffered to lyue ¶ After the deathe of Marino succeded Rinieri Zeno who sent an armie into Soria againste the Genowaies that discomfited them betwene Ptholemaida and Tyro besides .vi. other Genowaie shippes that were loste in Candia and nere vnto Tyro in the secounde and .iii. battayle ¶ In this meane tyme Baldewyne the capitaine and Pantaleon Iustiniano patriarke of Constantinople were betraied of the Grekes and constreigned to flee to Negroponte leauing the citee empire vnto Mighell Paleologo that afterwardes through helpe of the Genowaies gatte many Ilandes trauailyng to extende his dominion vnto Morea Wherevpon the Uenetians made foorth moe galeys by .30 at a tyme to encrease their armie that than was commen out of Soria in hope to finde theyr enemies about Sicilia But all in vayne wherfore retournyng into Soria they toke the Cetea of the Genowaies and began to assaulte Tyro In which businesse the Uenetians loste a notable shippe called Castell forte with .x. others laden with merchaundise Neuerthelesse renewyng their armie with parte of their staple that laie in Candia and Dalmatia they mette againe with the Genowaies in Sicilia where after a longe fight they toke .24 Genowaie galleis burned the reste slew aboue .1200 men toke 1500. prisoners and drowned all the reste ¶ This notable victorie brought the emperour Paleologo in suche feare that he sued for truce to the Uenetians and obteined it for .v. yeres ¶ This meane while was a great mutteryng in Uenice for the treasure spent because the chambre was founde emptie and that for the maintenaunce of those warres thei were about to leuey subsidies So that the people assembled and furiousely assaulted the Dukes palaice hurlyng stones at the wyndowes with other despitefull deedes ¶ Finally the armie was renewed and in an other conflict with the Genowaies they toke .v. of theyr shippes â–ª About whiche tyme Rinieri died ¶ Than folowed Lorenzo Tiepolo in whose tyme happened a wonderfull dearth of corne in Uenice by reason theyr neyghbours for enuie of theyr prosperitee woulde suffre no corne to come to theim For remedy wherof the Uenetians made a law that all merchauntshippes passyng betweene the Goolfe of Fano and the mouthe of the ryuer Pò shoulde paie theim custome after a certaine rate of theyr merchandise Wherby to their great gaine they reuenged theim selfes vpon their ennemies But the Bologniese moste of all others being offended with this law made out an army against the Uenetians and were ouercomen constreigned to aske peace to ouerthrowe a castell that they had made at Primano on the Pò and to graunt the Uenetians free entrie into theyr riuers at all tymes ¶ About this time by meane of Philip the frenche king who trauailed to succour the Christians in Soria against the infidelles the Uenetians Genowaies and Pisani made a league together for .v. yeres ¶ After Tiepolo Iacopo Contarini was Duke in whose tyme the warre was well neere renued betwene the Uenetians and Genowaies for certeine goodes that the Genowaies had taken whiche beyng restored the armie prepared for them turned against Istria that than newly rebelled through the prouocacion of the Patriarke of Aquileia who by force were reduced to theyr wonted obedience ¶ They of Ancona beyng offended with the foresaied law of custome paiyng for theyr merchaundise beganne to robbe and spoyle alongest the costes of Istria so that the Uenetians to correcte theim besieged the citee of Ancona whiche dured not longe for the bishoppe of Rome entreated the Uenetians to agree with theim and breake vp theyr siege ¶ Finally this Contarini perceiuyng hym selfe veraie sickely and vnapte to rule the astate did willyngly renounce it ¶ Than succeded Iohn Dandolo in whose tyme the water in Uenice swelled so hygh that in maner the citee was drowned and after that folowed a wonderfull earthquake ¶ He also fyrst coygned duckates of golde And at the request of Nicolas than bishop of Rome prepared a new armie to saile into Soria but it went not foorth so that the kyng of Babylone in Aegypt toke and sacked Ptholomaida and after rased it to
blanke Charter vnto Peter Doria than capitaine of the Genowaies armie besechyng him to prescribe them what condicions he woulde and they gladly would accept them but as it hapneth commonly in prosperitee men are not contented with reasonable aduauntage he woulde not haue theim but at his owne descrecion And so droue foorth the tyme till Carlo Zeno with the Uenetian armie scoured all the leuaunte seas toke many riche shippes of theyr ennemies and with the slaughter of .300 Genowaies restored the fortresse of Constantinople vnto Caloianni emperour of Greece besieged Pera and finally after many woorthy victories in those parties aduertised of the perill that Uenice was in retyred homewardes ioigned with Vettorio Pisani capitaine of the rest of the Uenetian armie and neere vnto Brondolo Chiozza and thâ—se other places theraboutes fought diuers tymes with theim with dyuers fortune and at last slew theyr capitaine before-named recouered Chiozza through famine and toke â—0 Padoan botes with .19 Genowaie galleis besides certeine shippes laden with salte and a noumbre of prisoners ¶ This great victorie thus obteined by Vettorio Pisani and Carlo zeno was not yet enough to ende this warre For the rest of the Genowaies armie discoumfited at Chiozza departed to Trieste causyng it to rebell And than leauyng Istria in gouernaunce of the Patriarke of Aquileia retourned againe to attempte the gettyng of Brondolo and Chiozza But findyng the passages closed against theim they made towardes Pirano and Parenzo dooyng theyr best to gette theim wherin thei preuailed not and so at last withdrew them into the hauen of Marano ¶ This meane while the Uenetians endeuoured theim selfes to recouer againe Bebbe and the other placê nere about theim All whiche they obteined Capo d'aggere onely except that was holden by the Carraro ¶ Than came newes that Pola was taken and that the Genowaies renuyng theyr armie had also taken Arbe in the I le of Scardona Wherfore a new power was made out which passing into Istria sacked Iustinopoli and besieged Zara. In whiche enterprise Vettorio Pisani died so that Carlo Zeno rested capitaine alone who with .viii. galleis of new scoured all the costes of Dalmatia toke .xii. Schlauon shippes and went foorth into the riuer of Genoa where he wrought wonders whilest the Genowaies and theyr colleges on the other syde sacked Capo d' Istria toke Conigliano Nouale and Treuiso before yelded to the Duke of Austria besides .xiiii. Uenetian shippes that the Genowaies toke in the porte of Pesaro ¶ And so longe contended they thus warryng one vpon an other that at laste both parties were weried and by meane of the Duke of Sauoie accorded In the concludyng of whiche peace the Uenetians rendred the I le of Tenedo vnto the Genowaies that by the meane of the emperour Caloianni came before to their handes ¶ Finally after the Carraro of Padoa had gotten Treuiso by force from the Duke of Austria the kynge of Hungarie beyng dead this Duke Contarini finished his life ¶ Than folowed Michele Morosini that liuyng but .4 monethes made a newe lawe for the triall of murders and manslaughters ¶ Next succeded Antonio Veniero a pleasaunt wise man that in the gouernaunce of Tenedo had behaued him selfe prudently ¶ He bare so earnest a zeale to Iustice that hearyng a complainte against his owne sonne for certain dishonest partes plaied about a gentilmans dore of whose wife he was enâ—moured caused hym to be laied in pryson where he miserablie died of the plage And though he knewe that the infection was entered into that prison yet wolde he not at no friendes intercession remoue his sonne into any other Whiche acte one waie semeth commendable â–ª an other waie vnnaturall and cruell ¶ About this tyme the Uenetâ—ans entred in leage with Giangaleazo Visconti Duke of Myllaine and with the marchese Da Este of Ferrara against Carraro of Padoa so that betwene these three the territorie of Carraro was diuided ¶ Fyrste the Uenetians had Treuiso the marchese of Este had certain caâ—â—â—lles that he had before lost and the Visconti had Padoa Feltro and Ciuidale di Belluno which with Vicenza and Verona that he had also gotten a littell before sette the Uisconti of Myllaine on such a height that immediately he moued warre against the Bologniese and Florentines whereby he began to be had in Ialousie and mistruste of all the other astates about him Wherfore the Uenetians with those other two beforenamed the Manroan the Ferrarese Carlo Maâ—atesta and Robert Duke of Bauiera vnto whom the yonge Nouello Carraro was fled for succours entred all into a leage against him by reason wherof Verona was sacked Padoa besieged and the Visconti at length in suche wise discomfited that he was faine to requyre peace whiche was graunted for .x. yeres folowyng ¶ After the death of Veniero succeded Michele Steno in whose tyme .iiii. Uenetian galleis laden with merchaundise were loste in the Arcipelago ¶ Than Zeno with .xi. galleis was sent out against the Genowaies who had been in Soria sacked Baruâ—ti and taken certeine Uenetian shippes But in theyr retourne betweene Modone and Giunchio Zeno discoumfited theim notwithstandyng that in maner they were double as many ¶ This meane tyme the younge Carraro beyng partly through the Uenetians fauour restored vnto the dominion of Padoa besieged Vicenza and streigned it so sore that in despite of hym they yelded theim selfes to the Uenetians who toke occasion of vnkyndnesse towardes Carraro because he had ben the principall mouer of the Genowaies against theim and that also he had counsailed william Scala to take on hym the dominion of Verona Insomuche that the Uenetians armed and fyrst chastised Alberto da Este of Ferraâ—a for parttakyng with Carraro and finally by plaine force gattebothe Padâ—a and Verona and ledde this Nouello Carraro with his two sonnes prisoners to Uenice where by nyght they were all three straungled ¶ And albeit that the Uenetians were esteemed to haue spent in those Padoane warres better than two millyons of golde yet this victorie ouer theyr approued enemie was so gratefull vnto them that forgettyng all expences they triumphed with feastes and bonâ—fiers so longe that they sette the toppe of saincte Markes steple on fyre whiche afterwardes to theyr coste was made vp againe and cleane gilte ouer ¶ Thus the Uenetians rested not longe but that Ladislao kynge of Naples and of Hungarie warred on them in Dalmatia and toke Zara whiche they redeemed of hym for the summe of an .100000 duckates takyng also truce with hym for .v. yeres And than died Steno ¶ Next folowed Thomas Mocenigo that reformed certaine offices in the Rialto ¶ He also recouered certaine townes in Friuli that one Pippo a capitaine of the kynges of Hungarie had in the last warres before taken from theim And was authour also of the renewyng of the palaice of Sainct Marke for the mocionyng wherof he willyngly paied a thousande duckates forfaited by an ancient law made against him that shoulde
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
takyng ¶ Nexte to Vendramino succeded Marco Barbarico who neuer seking to be auenged on his enemie woulde saie It suffised a discreate prince to haue power to reuenge wherby his ennemie shoulde haue cause to feare him Therfore he vsed seueritee against the transgressours of the common wealth and not against theim that priuately offended hym In his daies hapned littell adoe ¶ The contrarie wherof folowed in the tyme of his successour Agostino Barbarico ¶ Firste by reason of the warres with Edmonde Duke of Austriche for the interest of certain mynes of yron in whiche enterprise the Uenetian capitaine Robert of S. Seuerino died than thoroughe the comyng of Charles the .viii. Frenche kynge into Italie who at lengthe partely through the Uenetian force was constreigned to retyre into Fraunce but most of all they were troubled with the Turkes who fell out with theim oueranne all their countreis as farre as Tagliomento slew aboue 7000. persons of the Uenetian parte and toke from theim Lepanto Modone Corone and Durazo Neuerthelesse this meane whyle the Uenetians gatte Cremona and diuers other townes in Italie whiche is rather a reproche to theÌ„ than an honor that wolde lieffer warre vpon their christen neighbours than bende their power to resist the Turkes ¶ After Barbarico Leonardo Loredano was elected to the astate in whose tyme all Christian princes about the Uenetians conspyred by one accorde vtterly to destroie theim And the league was suche that in one selfe tyme the emperour Maximilian Lewys the .xii. Frenche kynge Ferrando kyng of Spaine and of Naples Iulius bishop of Rome with the Dukes of Mantua and Ferrara should warre vpon theim beginnyng about the yere of grace .1509 So partly by force after many discoumfitures of the Uenetians power partly by accorde in maner all the Uenetian dominion with in the maine lande was diuided amongest these princes The frenche kyng had Bressa Bergamo Cremona and Crema the emperour Maximilian Verona Vicenza Padoa and parte of Friuli The kyng of Spaine the citees and portes in Puglia that the Uenetians before had gotten The bishop of Rome Arimino Faenza Rauenna and Ceruia with the rest of Romagnia and the Duke of Ferrara the Pollisene di Rouigo So that the Uenetians had so little dominion lefte on the maine lande â–ª that the emperour Maximilian came to Maestie v. little myles from Uenice as neere as the sea would suffre hym to approche and there for a triumphe or despite shotte of his artillerie to Uenicewardes though he coulde dooe it no hurt Wherfore the Uenetians prouoked in maner by despayre and through an oracion made by theyr Duke that encouraged theim rather to die lyke men than to suffre theim selfes thus vilie to be eaten by and despysed renued an armie by lande recouered Padoa than negligently kept fortified it and Treuiso fought dyuers tymes with variable fortune against theyr enemies fought to be reuenged on the Duke of Ferrara against whom they sent .xvii. galleis and 400. botes to assaile the Ferrarese dominion by the riuer of Pò and finally behaued theim selfes so manfully that the kyng of Spaine and the bishop of Rome made a new leage with them against the frenche kyng who at that tyme besydes the state of Myllaine had gotten Bononia and was become so great in Italy that they were all afearde of hym Upon conclusion of whiche league the citesins of Bressa retourned to the Uenetian obedience so that for defence of that citee against the Frenchemen Andrea Grâ—tti with certeine other noble Uenetians and capitaines and a conuenient noumbre of souldiours were sent thither where after a sore conflict with the Frenchemen they were all discoumfited slaine or taken and the principall prisoners sent to Myllaine to Mounser du Foys than gouernour there who sâ—nt Andrea Gritti as a singuler presente prisoner to the Frenche kyng ¶ The Uenetians not a little troubled for this losse caused the campe of the league that than laie before Bononia to draw towardes Ferrara and in succour of that campe made a new armie by water wherwith they sacked Argenta toke Mirandula and did muche hurte to the Ferrarese dominion till at laste the Vice Roy of Spaine generall of the saied campe came before Bononia and from thense to Rauenna for feare of the Frenche host that from Myllaine pursued him Unto whiche Frenche armie the Duke of Ferrara vnited his power and so together folowed the armie of the league to Rauenna where on Easterdaie in the mornyng was fought the blouddiest battaile betwene theim that hath ben heard of in our daies and so many thousandê slaine on bothe sydes that it coulde scarcely be iudged who had the better Sauyng that the Frenchemen obteined the victorie toke Rauenna put it to sacke and after gatte diuers other townes in Romagnia ¶ Whilest these thynges were doyng the Douchemens hall in Uenice called il fondago di Tedeschi was reedified a very faire and great house and of a meruailouse rent For they affyrme that it yeldeth to the Uenetians aboue .100 duckates a daie whiche after our old reckenyng amounteth aboue .7000 pounde sterlyng by the yere ¶ After Loredano succeded Antonio Grimani who beyng in exile was called home made proctour of sainct Marke and finally Duke ¶ Than Andrea Gritti before named newly retourned out of Fraunce was elected Duke by whose meanes the Uenetians entred in league with the frenche kyng and so recouered Bressa redeemed Verona for a great summe of money and ayded the Frenchemen to recouer Myllaine and to doe many feates in the realme of Naples how be it the frenchemen not longe after lost all againe through theyr ill gouernaunce and tyrannie ¶ Finally practisyng now with Fraunce now with the emperour now with the bishop of Rome as best serued for the common wealth this Duke left it in good ordre tranquillitee and peace and so died greatly bewailed of his citesins ¶ Than folowed Peter Lando in whose daies the Turke made warre to the Uenetians because they ioigned with the emperour against him so that thei to obteine peace were faine to geue hym the stronge and notable citees in Napoli and Maluagia in Greece and beside that the summe of .300000 duckates ¶ It was thought that the Turke woulde haue been appeased with a muche lesse gifte but beyng secretely aduertised by the Frenche ambassadour how the Uenetians had geuen theyr Bailo or ambassadour commission that rather than the warre should continue to make this offer he woulde none other wise agree with them ¶ This knowlage came through intelligence that the frenche ambassadour had with one of the Uenetian Secretaries who through corrupcion of money disclosed all the procedynges of the priuie counsaile whiche at length beyng discouered the same Secretarie fledde into Fraunce and .ii. other Uenetians of his confederacie were taken and hanged ¶ By this mans time Andrea Doria with a great nauie of the emperours of the bishop of Romes and of the Uenetians together
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
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
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
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
one of them mounteth into a place called the Harange a little hygher than the rest and in his owne mother tounge maketh an Oracion of an houre longe of what mattier so euer he thinketh best hym selfe This Oratour hath warnyng so to dooe by an officer a great space before his daie For thei chose euery halfe yere a Consull who appoincteth a sundrie man to the Harange for euery holidaie And whan the houre of assemblie approcheth the moste parte of the company repayre to the Consull and so bringe him honourablie to the place where he sitteth hyghest thoughe the Duke him selfe be present And for my part I neuer heard reder in schole nor preacher in pulpitte handle theim selfes better than I haue heard some of these in the Harange ¶ The Florentines wyfes are nothyng so gaie as the Uenetians For thei loue a modestie in theyr womens apparaile and specially if she passe the age of .xl. lightly she weareth but plaine blacke clothe And thei kepe theyr maidens so streict that in maner no stranger maie see theim ¶ The common people are verie religiouse and for the most part full of supersticion but thei that are reckened wysest beleue muche with Plinie And where they haue been muche burdeined with Sodomie in tyme past I can not perceiue there is any suche thyng now ¶ Of the Dukes dominion and reuenew BEsydes Florence the Duke hath vnder his dominion .vi. citees Pisa Volterra Pistoia Arezzo Cortona and Borgo with diuers other good townes and the greattest part of Tuscane and maie dispende better than .500000 crownes of yerely reuenue the greatest part wherof riseth vpon the .x. that is paied hym of all the landes within his dominion Of the edificacion and successe of the citee of Florence COnferryng the discourse of diuers authours togethers toucheyng the Florentine histories and findyng the effectes of theim all gathered in one by Nicolas Macchiauegli a notable learned man and secretarie of late daies to the common wealthe there I determined to take hym for myne onely auctour in that behalfe ¶ It is manifest that from the auncient citee of Fiesole the olde rewines wherof are yet to be seen on the toppe of an hill two myles from Florence the citee of Florence had hir beginnyng principally For by reason Fiesole slode hyghe and was painefull for merchantmen to bringe theyr cariage vnto the citesins kept their market on the side of the riuer Arno in the plaine where Florence now standeth and buildyng there shoppes for theyr wares from shoppes thei grew to houses and from a fewe to many so that at lengthe it became a towne whiche encreased muche through certaine Colonies of the Romains sent thither fyrst by Sylla and after by those three Romaines whiche after the death of Caesar diuided the empire betwene theim ¶ And albeit that some haue contended vpon the name affyrmyng that it was fyrst called Fluentia and after corrupted Florentia yet myne opinion agreeyng with Macchiauegli is that from the beginnyng it was called Florentia Under the Romaine empyre and about the beginnyng of themperours it semeth to take fyrst name and reputacion For whan the empyre beganne to be afflicted of barbarouse nacions as the Italians calle theim than was Florence also destroied by Totila king of the east Gotes .250 yeres after it was reedified by Charlemaine and so continued as one of the principall citees of Italie vnto the yere of our lorde .1215 alwaies as subiectes fyrst to the succession of Charlemaine after to Berengarii lastly to themperours of Almaine by whiche tyme the Florentines coulde dooe nothyng woorthy of memorie for the power of them whose subiectes they were Neuerthelesse in the yere .1010 they toke Fiesole and destroied it vtterly either by the emperours consent orels betwene the death of the one emperour and the election of the other ¶ But whan the bishoppes of Rome beganne to growe great and the emperour littell moste parte of the citees of Italie ganne to gouerne theim selfes with smalle regarde towardes their prince so that in the tyme of the emperour Henrie the .iii. all Italie was deuided betwene him and the churche Notwithstandyng the Florentines in all those troubles kept them selfes vnited togethers and obeied the strongeste Untill the yere .1215 But lyke as after longe health sickenesse is more perillouse so the longer Florence forbare to folow the sectes of Italie the more affliction they suffered whan they fell to diuision amonge theim selfes The firste occasion wherof was ¶ Amonges their noble families were two principall Bondelmonti and Vberti next them were Amidei and Donati In the familie of Donati was a ryche wydowe that had a wonderfull faire doughter which she purposed to bestowe on a yonge knyght chiefe of the familie of Bondelmonti But he not knowyng either the faire doughter or the wydowes purpose was betrouthed to a maide of the house of Amidei Wherwith the wydow was wonderfully offended And thinkyng with the beautie of hir doughter to breake that mariage on a daie as the gentilman passed alone by hir doore she called him and hauing hir doughter with hir saied I reioyse at your good marige notwithstandyng I haue a great while kepte my doughter here for you At whose beautie the gentilman beyng astonied and consideryng hir dower shoulde be greatter than the others without respecte to his trought geuen or to the inconueniences that might folow for the breache therof foorthwith aunswered that syns she had kepte hir for hym he shoulde be muche vnkynde to refure hir and so incontinentlie maried hir Whiche iniurie the familie of Amidei with helpe of the Vberti determined to reuenge So waityng their tyme on Easter daie in the mornyng at the foote of the brydge Ponte Vecchio as maister Bondelmonti was ridyng to churche they slewe hym Whereupon the whole citee was deuided in two partes the one with Bondelmonti and the other with Vberti And because these two famimilies had manie stronge houses and towers speciallie in the countrei thei warred togithers many yeres with diuers fortunes And although they neuer concluded a full peace yet manie times thei toke truce In which astate Florence continued vntill the tyme of the emperour Federike the .ii. who beyng kynge of Naples and at variaunce with the churche of Rome to make hym selfe the stronger in Tuscane toke parte with the Vberti by reason whereof the Ubertine parte preuailed and chased cleane out of the citee the Bondelmonti ¶ Here is to be noted that in the cōtencion betwene the emperour and the bishop of Rome the whole Italian nacion was so diuided in two partes that in many houses you should haue the father against the sonne brother against brother and commonlie one neighbour and one house against an other And to encrese the mischiefe ii brethern Dowchemen dwellyng in Pistoia 20. miles from Florence fell out for this matter and oftentimes openlie fought in maintenaunce of their diuision Wherupon it folowed that all the imperiall
the people for paiement of his souldiours they not onely refused the paiement but also withstode his force and the Ghibellines bothe in suche wise that with losse of dyuers men slaine in the bickeryng the Conte with the Ghibellines through cowardise of the Conte forsoke the citee and went to Prato and willyng to retourne was more easily kepte foorth than he coulde haue been expelled in case he had fortified hym selfe whyle he was within Thus the people recouered libertee vnto theyr citee and in hope to make all thynges well reuoked aswell the Ghibellines againe as the Guelfes But all in vaine for the Ghibellines rested still in the auncient mortall hate of the Guelfes for dyuers iniuries and the people loued theim not as ofte as they remembred theyr passed tyrannie besydes that the Ghibellines whan they heard of the puissaunt comyng of Corradino out of Almaigne to winne the realme of Naples began to deuise how to recouer theyr astate againe Wherfore the Guelfes sent to the forenamed Charlê than king of Naples for helpe to defend theÌ„ selfes whilest Corradino shuld passe And vpon the comyng of ayde from the kyng the Ghibellines .ii. daies before fled And so had the Guelfes libertie to make new lawes and new magistratê which thei did immediatly Fyrst deuidyng the Ghibellines goodes in .iii. partes one to the coÌ„mon wealth an other to the chiefe magistrates and the .iii. to theim selfes in recompence of theyr owne hurtes And the bishop of Rome the better to mainteine Tuscane Guelfe made kyng Charles imperiall vicare of Tuscane ¶ After this Gregorie the .x. passyng through Florence towardes Fraunce deuised with the Guelfes for reconsiliacion of the Ghibellines and did so muche that certaine men for the Ghibelline parte came into the citee and after longe communicacion agreed therupon But because the thing toke no effect therfore Gregory excommunicated the citee Whiche Innocent the .v. his next successour assoyled againe ¶ Thus the Guelfes forgettyng theim selfes in theyr prosperitee became so proude that they regarded neyther magistrate nor people but for euery lyght occasion woulde feyght and many tymes kyll without abidyng any iustice whiche moued the people to murmour and gaue occasion to the bishop of Romes legate to practise the reuocacion of the Ghibellines vnder pretence of vnitee and brought it to passe in deede and than was there new orders of magistrates appoincted and the citesins so vnited that for verie werinesse of longe striefe bothe abroade and at home the names of diuision began to decaie so that Ghibellines and Guelfes were almost forgotten whan there beganne a new diuision betwene the nobilitee and the commons in suche wyse that they armed them selfes and had tried the mattier with the swoorde if certaine religiouse and other indifferent men had not taken vp the mattier ¶ In effecte the pride of the nobilitee was abated and parte of the commons will bridled so that they agreed again and were quiet a while ¶ There were two notable families in Florence Cerchi and Donati betwene whome had ben an olde grudge but no fightyng of a longe tyme. In Pistoia also two yonge gentilmen Lore and Geri at plaie fell out and foughte so that Lore hurte Geri The father of Lore beyng offended therwith and thinkyng to pacifie the mattier gentillie sent his sonne to the father of Geri to submitte him selfe and aske forgeuenesse But the father of Geri toke hym and cutte of his hande saiyng that woundê were healed with yron and not with wordes This mattier so grew that the whole citee of Pistoia was deuided in two partes the one callyng them selfes Bianchi that is to saie the white and the other Neri that is to saie the blacke After longe strife within them selfes being weried the blacke bande went to Florence and fell in fauour with the Donati the like wherof did the white bande with the Cerchi so that the aunciente grudge betwene those two families encreased and at laste vpon a lighte occasion fell out and foughte in Florence By reason whereof the whole citee aswell nobles as commons were deuided and oftentimes armed so that the rulers as newters were faine to streigne their power and partely by force partely by auctoritee causyng the parties to vnarme theim selfes they banished certaine of the chiefe speciallie of the Neri whiche beyng exiled resorted to the bishoppe of Rome and obteined of hym that Charles of Ualois brother to the Frenche kynge than beyng in Rome for certaine practises of the realme of Naples shoulde be sent to Florence by whose meane the Neri recouered the citee and by force expulsed the Bianchi And like as the Neri were firste by the bishops meanes restored so also the Bianchi at the bishops intercession were receiued home but not to rule whiche greued theim so muche that vpon newe contencion their intente beyng discouered they were vtterly expulsed ¶ Thus Charles of Ualois atcheiuyng his purpose in Florence departed thense leauyng the Neri in quiete possession But it endured not longe for Corso Donaâ—i chiefe of that parte thinkyng his astate very small to remeigne as a priuate man of the common wealthe moued businesse in the citee in hope to haue all the rule him selfe Wherin he preuailed not for the commons sente for the Lucchese to succour theym and by theyr helpe did so ouermatche Corso and his partetakers that thei remaigned still in their libertee and procured a legate from Rome to stablishe an order amongeste theim Who in stede of order thinkyng to brynge certain purposes to passe sette theim further out than euer they were and departyng in great anger excoÌ„municated the citee ¶ Thus as the Florentines were daylie at stryfe and warre within them selfes there chanced so great a fyre that it burned .1300 of theyr houses so that what through the wonderfull blouddeshed and great losse of the fire for veray werinesse thei laied downe their weapons and though the legate had craftely gotten .xii. of the chiefe citesins to Rome in whose absence he so comforted the Ghibellines and Bianchi that than were in exile that folowyng his aduise they sodeinelie entred the citee Yet the commons so resisted them that thei were repulsed Not longe after perceiuyng the purpose of Corso prepensed against their libertee assaultes his house put hym to flighte and in fleyng toke and slewe hym ¶ After that the Florentines lyued in quiet tyll the comyng of Henrie the emperour who comyng from Rome where he was crowned besieged Florence on the one side and at length departed without doyng muche hurt the rather because the Florentines had receiued succours from Robert kyng of Naples to whom they had submitted their citee for .v. yeres ¶ Not longe after Vguicione della Faggiola with helpe of the Ghibellines became lorde of Pisa and of Lucca so that the Florentines for dread of hym requyred kynge Robert of Naples to sende his brother Peter to succour theim Betwene whom and Vguicione was a battaill stricken in Vale di Nieuole where 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
warre or of other like occasion that requireth or rogacions suche processions thei assemble and clothe them selfes in sacke linnen or buckeramme with their backes naked and their faces couered sauyng littell holes to loke out at And hauyng certaine skourges or whippes some of wyer in their handes they goe about the towne whyppyng theim selfes that the bloud shall renne from the backe downe to the heeles so painefully that it moueth the poore people to compassion For whan this is done thei thinke God must nedes fulfill their praier The lyke wherof is vsed in all other places of Italie but because I thynke no two citees are able to matche Genoa in the number of these Battuti I thought good to make mencion of theim here ¶ Finally the astate is holden by a Duke chaungeable euery .ii. yere who with .viii. gouernours and .viii. proctours assigned vnto hym ruleth the whole for the tyme. Neuerthelesse Andrea Doria the emperours admyrall for the myddell seas vseth all at his will in mattiers of peace or warre and almoste in euerie other thyng The buildyng of Genoa OF the edificacion of Genoa be dyuers opinionsâ— but because no certaintee is written therof I will omitte theyr saiynges that ascribe it to Ianus or to Genuus the sonne of Saturne and agreeyng with the opinion of the bishop of Nebio that perticularly wrote the Chronicle therof I thiÌ„ke it to be of suche antiquitee that neither the tyme of foundacion nor yet the authour therof can well be knowen As for the name it is not vnlyke but that because it is the veraie entrie from the seas vnto Lumbardie it was fyrste called Ianua a gate or dâ—ore and afterwardes corruptely Genoa But how or whan it was builded or for what cause it was so named this is cleere that in the Romaines tyme almost .300 yeres before the comyng of Christ this citee ruled the countrey about it as appeareth bothe by a table of brasse lately founde in the vale of Poceuera and also by the mencion that Liuie maketh of the destruction of it by Mago Anniballes brother and of the repairyng of it againe by the Romaine Consule Lucretius Spurius ¶ From whiche tyme to the comyng of Charlemaine into Italie I find nothyng notable of Genoa saue that it was one of the fyrst citees that openly professed the Christian feith But after Charlemaine was crowned emperour and his sonne Pepine made kynge of Italie Ademaro a baron of Fraunce was sent thither so be capitaine who by commaundement of kynge Pepine fought by sea with the Sarasines and though he was taken prisoner in the battaile yet the Genowaies ouercame theyr enemies toke .xiii. Sarasine shippes and the I le of Corsica whiche in maner euer sens hath remained vnder the Genowaies dominion and so continued Genoa obedient to the emperours capitaines the space of .100 yeres ¶ In the yere .936 there happened in a little strete than called Fontanella and now Bordigoto nere to the piere of the hauen a littell spryng in stede of water cast foorth bloud and ranne so a whole daie to the great wonder of the people wherupon folowed that the Sarasines armie came sodeinely vpon the towne and takyng it by force sacked and rifled it sette it on fyre and caried awaie the people men women and children in suche wise that thei left the towne as a plaine wildernesse But the Genowaies armie whiche was than abrode mette with these Sarasines on the sea about Sardegnia where they foughte with theim cutte theim in peces and recouered their prisoners with double praie and so restored their citee ¶ After this the emperour Berengario graunted theim certaine priuileges with full dominion ouer the townes that they than possessed By reason wherof thei shortly encreased not onely in welth but also in suche power that in the voiage made into the holy lande by Godfrey of Boloigne and other princes the Genowaies armie was one of the notablest of that company firste at the wynnyng of Antioche and after at the gettyng of Ierusalem in comyng to whiche secounde enterprise the Genowaies were faine to drowne theyr owne ships in the hauen of Iaffo because they were not able to resist the Soldanes armie that came vpon theim thought better to drowne them than to encrese the enemies power with their losse and shame both how be it thei firste discharged all thynges that mighte be had out of them whiche they caried with them vnto the siege of Ierusalem and there behaued them selfes so worthily that almost none other company of the christian armie was comparable to theim ¶ After this they armed .27 galleis and .vi. shippes and sente theim into Soria in ayde of Boemonde than kyng of Ierusalem where they gatte the citee of Caesarea in Palestina and leauyng it in possession of the christians retourned home with great tryumphe and praie ¶ Finally within the space of .13 yeres the Genowaies sent .vii. seuerall armies into Soria by whose meanes the principall townes from the golfe of Laiacia southewardes to the golfe of Rissa that is to wete Malinistra Solino Antioche Laodicia Tortosa Tripoli Baruti Accon sometyme called Ptholemaida Acres Ghibelleâ—to Caesaria Assur Iaffo Acaron and Ascalon were gotten out of the Turkes handes â–ª For whiche great seruice Bauldewyn than kynge of Ierusalem nexte after Boemonde gaue to the Genowaies diuers notable priuileges through all his dominion whiche thei enioied longe tyme. ¶ After these manie victoryes retournyng to Genoa the warre that ceased so farre of sprange vp nerer home For the Pisani contended with the Genowaies for consecracion of the bishop of Corsica and for the I le of Sardegnia Wherupon folowed sharpe warres betwene them for the moste parte to the disauauntage of the Pisani so that at last beyng plainely ouercomen the Genowaies entred into Pisa by force and rased all the houses therof downe to the fyrst floore ¶ Thus finishyng those warres and wantyng occasion where to be occupied thei made out an army against the Sarasines and first ouerranne the I le of Minorica and after assaulted the citees of Almeria and Tortosa in the confines of Granata whiche thei toke by force with the slaughter of an infinite noumbre of Moores besides 10000. slaues that they caried with them to Genoa and suche a quantitee of treasure and booties as fewe lyke had ben seen in those daies diuidyng the dominion that was gotten into three partes the Erle of Barcelona chiefe of this enterprise had two to hym selfe and the Genowaies the thyrde ¶ The glorie and wealth of whiche victories were such to the Genowaies that for many yeres after thei enterprised no great mattier farre from home but suche sedicion fell amonge them selfes that theyr owne braulingê many times gaue courage to forein princes to woorke against theim For the emperour Federike the fyrst after he had conquered Lumbardie thought also to subdue theim and made open preparacion for it Whiche was cause of theyr vnion againe For
of the Genowaies and after vexed the common wealth sore in diuers partes of their dominion And because the emperour had intelligence with diuers of the citesyns who withstode the maintenaunce of bishop Gregorie therefore were they for the moste parte banished and manie of theyr houses raced to the earth and as banished men procured many displeasures to their countrey dyuers waies And though the most part of the imperialles were thus banished yet diuers of that affection remained in the citee closely insomuche that the commons deuided them openly by name callyng the imperialles Mastarati and the Papistes Rampini whiche names continued till the comyng vp of Guelfi and Ghibellini that deuided the whole Italian nacion as is mencioned in the Florentine historie ¶ Than died the bishop Gregorie and Celestine his successour liued but .18 daies after whom succeded Innocence the .iiii. a Genowaie borne He folowyng the trade of his predecessours contendyng with the emperour and beyng in his daunger at Sutri in the realme of Naples wroughte so with the Genowaies that they priuily made out certaine galleys whiche came to Ciuita Vecchia besides Rome to receiue the bishop who as secretly as he coulde came thither and toke shippyng to Genoa where he was receiued with Gloria in exceâ—sis as reason wolde not a little to the emperours displeasure that before accompted him selfe in maner sure of hym And Innocence restyng hym selfe a certayne space in Genoa he departed towardes Lions in Fraunce and there helde a generall counsaill agaynst the emperour Federike duryng whose life he durste not retourne into Italy but immediately after the emperours death he came backe againe by Genoa and was there no lesse triumphantly receiued than he was the first tyme. ¶ Upon the death of this emperour the Genowaies also recouered Saona and dyuers other townes that by the emperours tyme rebelled against theim and had dooen theim notable displeasures as well by sea as by lande And bishop Innocence beyng departed from Genoa to Milaine wrought so that the banished Mastarati were restored to theyr countrey againe and .10000 poundes paied theim of the comminaltee in recompence of theyr goodes taken awaie before ¶ And not longe after the people made a commocion against the office of the Potestate so that the rumour ceasyng they elected Guglielmo Bocanigra a citesin to be theyr capitaine and superiour vnto the Potestate and all other magistrates who beyng placed in that office for .x. yeres by little and little vsurped the dominion ouer the whole and so prouoked the chiefe citesins to conspyre against hym And though he beyng aduertised of the fyrst conspiracie preuented his fall by banishyng of dyuers of the conspyratours and by reconcilyng of the rest Yet his tyrannie so muche increased that at length not the chiefe citesins alone but also the commons openly rebelled and deposed hym reducyng the citee to the former ordre of thyr straunge Potestate ¶ In his time the citee happened to haue great warres specially with the Uenetians who hauyng lyke priuileges in the citee of Acon and in other partes of Soria as the Genowaies had vpon a lyght occasion brake the peace that bishop Gregorie before had made betweene theim so that bothe the Uenetians and the Genowaies made out notable armies into Soria either of theim to mainteine his partie there and after diuers skyrmisshes and light bickerynges at last the armies mette fought before Acon where the Genowaies were discomfited xxv of theyr galleis taken So that those Genowaies that than were in Acon were constreigned to flee And thervpon the Uenetians toke sacked and rased their houses to the earth and for a more despite rooted vp a verie fayre toure of the Genowaies and made a ponde of that place and settyng botes thervpon wolde saie in scorne See where the Genowaies toure swymmeth ¶ This ouerthrowe caused the Genowaies to entre in leage with Michael Paleologo emperour of Constantinople than enemie to the Uenetians who gaue to the Genowaies the citee of Lesmirre and the I le of Sio as some affyrme ¶ Either of those common wealthes yerely made out a noumbre of galleis whiche most commonly mette togethers and fought but the notablest conflict of all was before Sicilia betwene Trapani and Mazara where the Uenetians toke .xxvii. Genowaie galleis withall the bootie and prisoners that were in theim ¶ And thoughe the Genowaies manie times gotte from the Uenetians dyuers of theyr armed galleis and many of theyr merchaunt shippes richely laden yet all thynges reckened the Uenetians had the better whether I shuld ascribe it to fortune or force I can not well iudge ¶ Lewys the Frenche kynge waged a certaine noumbre of galleis and shippes with .10000 men of the Genowaies whiche serued him in his entreprise made to Tunise in Afrike where the kynge hym selfe one of his sonnes and dyuers other princes and a numbre of souldiours died of the plague so that Charles kyng of Naples than left chiefe of the armie fell to composicion with the kynge of Tunise and vpon the receipte of certaine money with promyse of other thynges dissolued the armie and retourned homewardes without any notable acte in whiche retourne he mette with Edwarde our prince that with a goodly company was departed out of Gascoyne towardes the ayde of that enterprise and offered hym part of the money gotten towardes his charges but the prince refused it Wherfor the rest of the armie that were sore tourmented with a great tempest in whiche a noumbre of shippes and men were lost seeyng the englishe armie cleere and safe without losse affyrmed that it was onely because they woulde take no parte of the money receiued of the infidelles ¶ And thoughe the Genowaies bothe for shippes and noumbre of men deserued moste in this viage yet had kyng Charles so little respecte to theim that those that remained retourned to Genoa not onely without gaine or rewarde but gladde with theyr great losse to be at home againe ¶ About this tyme by reason of the Guelfe and Ghibelline parties that corrupted all Italie as in the Florentine historie appeareth dyuers of the chiefe houses of Genoa likewyse diuided theim selfes into those sectes insomuche that they of the houses of Doria and Spinoli with helpe of theyr partetakers by force expulsed the Flischi and Grimaldi out of the citee and banished those two families with a numbre of others which banished men with helpe of a Cardinall of the Flischi prouoked Charles than kynge of Naples to make warre against the Genowaies whiche endured not longe For Oberto Spinola and Oberto Doria that toke vpon theim the absolute power and ruled the citee certaine yeres kepyng theyr aduersaries out were by faire meanes so entreated of Innocence the .v. than bishoppe of Rome that the banished men were quietely reconciled and called home the gouernaunce of the citee neuerthelesse remainyng in the handes of the Oberti as it did before ¶ And than the
¶ 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
great feastes and honor sent home with .x. galleis of the common wealthes fyrste binding him selfe to certaine articles aswell for the paiment of a yerely tribute as also for the citee of Famagosta whiche remained in the Genowaies possession ¶ About this tyme were so many commocions in the citee for chosing of theyr Dukes that I thinke there was neuer so muche alteracion of rulers in one coÌ„mon welth for the tyme. And because the rehersall therof wolde occupie a greatter roume than my purpose dooeth here allow it shall suffise to saie that as longe as the rule of the common wealth consisted in the wil of the multitude neuer was so inconstant an astate as that of Genoa For amongest other in the chaunge betwene Domenyke di Campo Fregoso and Nicolas Guarco were .iii. Dukes in a daie Fregoso deposed in the mornyng and Adorno incontinently made and at after noone Adorno deposed and Guarco made Wherfore as superfluouse to treate of all the Dukes elections I woulle hensfoorth speake no more of theyr chaunges without great cause ¶ The Moores of Barbarie in this tyme scoured all the middle seas robbyng and spoilyng all that euer thei coulde take Wherfore the Genowaies with dyuers others made suite vnto the Frenche kynge for an enterprise to be made against the kynge of Tunise Whiche the Frenche kyng graunted and sent the Duke of Bourbonâ— as generall not onely with a greatte power of FraÌ„ce but also with aide that was sent him out of Englande in whose company the Genowaies sent .40 galleis and .xx. shippes of theirs vnder the leadyng of Iohn Centurione And theyr Chronicle maketh mencion how our Englishe archers behaued them selfes at theyr landyng in Barbarie so wel that the Moores gaue theim plaâ—e wheras without theim the armie shoulde haue had muche adooe to lande The ende of whiche iourney was that the kynge of Tunise released all Christian slaues wherof there wer a noumbre in his realme and paied the Christians .10000 duckates with promyse to trouble the seas no more ¶ From the yere .1390 till .1396 was so muche adooe for makyng and deposyng of Dukes that Antoniotto Adorno had been .iiii. tymes Duke besides .viii. or ix others that had been put in and out the meane tyme with so muche bloudshed burnyng and spoilyng that at length for veraie desperacion the citee sent ambassadours to Charles the .vi. Frenche kyng besechyng hym to take the dominion therof into his handes Who at theyr request sent the Counte of sainct Paule and the bishop of Meaux to be rulers there and to receiue the fortresses into his possession whiche immediately were deliuered to them feaultie sworne by all the subiectes ¶ The Frenche Gouernour had not been there fully a yere but the sectes of Guelfes and Ghibellines renued so sore that after muche burnyng spoilyng and kyllyng in the countrey theraboutes the Ghibellines entred into the citee and from the .xvi. of Iulie to the .v. of September fought daie by daie with the Guelfes and fortifiyng the one halfe of the citee against the other they neuer ceased till bothe parties were tyred with the fury of theyr owne bloudde and flambe For amongest their feightyng it was a common matter to set one an others house on fyre so that the losse that the common wealth susteigned in this rage was esteemed muche more than a myllion of golde ¶ The bishoppe of Meaulx than gouernour of the citee for feare of his owne life fledde in the middest of this furie So that whan it was past the Frenche kynge sent thither in his steede one Collarde a counsailour of his who by the Genowaies was honourably receiued He gouerned not muche more than a yere but by meane of a new secte called La Scorzola he was faine to habandone the citee leauyng theim together by the eares after theyr old maner feightyng and burnyng amongest theim selfes daie by daie whiche ceased not till the comyng of Bouciquart marshall of Fraunce who beyng the kynges lieuetenant entred into Genoa with a thousand souldiours and incontinently proceded against the steerrers of the common wealthe causyng two of the chiefe of the citee Battista Boccanegra and Battista de Frauchi to be taken brought to the palaice and beheaded Boccanegra vpon whose death the people beganne suche a crie that they whiche had the other in kepyng lette hym go so that whan the rumour was past Bouciquart in a great rage caused the chiefe officer of the wardes head to be stricken of because through his mens negligence happened the escape ¶ Than did Bouciquart also fortifie the little castell now called Castelletto and put a garrison into it and whan he had taken aswell from the men of the countrei as of the towne all kynde of armure theyr swordes excepted than spared he none of theim But for euerie occasion of any importaunce woulde behead the offendour without any respect to his qualitee or kinne And his procedynges were suche that the Frenche kyng confyrmed hym in that office for terme of life to the great contentacion of the citesins who in his rigorous iustice founde greater ease than in the softe procedynges of the other gouernours whose gentilnesse gaue libertee to the presumptuouse multitude to doe what thei wolde whiche was theyr owne destruction ¶ Than Iano kynge of Cyprus who had been borne bredde vp well intreated in Genoa laied siege to the citee of Famagosta intendyng to gette it from the Genowaies but an armie of .18 saâ—â—e was incontinently made thither vnder the leading of Bouciquart who not onely raysed the siege but also constreigned the kynge to paie their charges and atchieued diuers other enterprises on the costes of Soria neuerthelesse in his retourne the Uenetians mette with hym and puttyng him to flight toke .iii. of his galeis and yet was the mattier so handled that the warre betweene the Uenetians and Genowaies ceassed for this time In dede Bouciquart in his owne quarell defied the Duke of Uenice and Carlo Zeno capitaine of the Uenetian galleis to feight either hande to hande or number for number but he was not aunswered ¶ This Bouciquart for the space of .viii. yeres ruled the common wealth of Genoa by whiche tyme the citee of Serezana with the countee about came to the obedience of the Genowaies Because they were of them selfes no more able to resiste the Florentines and Bouciquart solde to the common wealthe the Porte of Ligorno besides Pisa for .26000 duckates ¶ By his tyme also Benedict the .xii. Scismatike bishop of Rome came to Genoa and was there triumphantly receiued And the office of S. George was than deuised whiche endureth to this day ¶ The Siotes also rebelled in so muche that Bouciquart with .vi. galleis went thither and reduced them to their former obedience ¶ Finally couetyng to haue the rule of the astate of Millaine he made an armie of .6000 footemen and .5000 horsmen and not mistrustyng any alteracion in
Genoa passed the â—â—reicte into Lumbardie But the meane while the people murmored aginst him and at last rebelled and slew all the Frenchemen thei coulde finde within the dominion and thau receyued the Marques of Monferrato with a certaine power of men into the citee who was made capitaine and president there with a stipende of .15000 pounde by the yere So that whan Bouciquart wolde retourne it was to late For than the Genowaies woulde bee no longer subiectes to the Frenche kynge ¶ The Marques continued not fully .iiii. yeres but they rebelled and expulsed hym out of theyr dominion partly by force and partly by agreement For thei gaue hym .24500 duckates for the restitucion of those townes and fortresses that he had of theyrs in his handes And than fell they to a newe ordre with the election of a Duke muche after their olde maner so that George Adorno was made Duke for that time ¶ And albeit there coulde no faute be founde in him for he was a good iusticer and a man endued with muche humanite yet was he scarcely .ii. yeers in that office but Battista Montaldo conspired against him Whereof folowed so muche ciuile warre betwene parties in the citee that there were aboue .100 men slaine and that manie of the best sorte and .146 houses burned spoiled and destroied and so muche hurte done besides that it were to lamentable to tell ¶ Finally bothe parties weeried they fell to agrement so that George Adorno willingly renounced the astate of Duke and Barnabas di Goano was elected in his steede Who within the space of a yere was also deposed and Thomas Di Campo Fregoso made Duke in his place ¶ This man immediately after his election to gette the loue of the people disbursed .60000 duckates of his owne to the reliefe of the common wealthe whiche at that time was farre in debte And yet for all that the common wealth was brought to suche pouertee by their owne ciuile sedicion and resisting Duke Phillip of Millaine who than made sharpe warre vpon theim that for veray necessitee they solde the porte of Ligorno to the Florentines for .120000 duckates ¶ And to encrease their calamitee kyng Alfonse of Aragone goyng out of Spaine to geâ—te the realme of Naples landed in Corsica vpon the Genowaies dominion and there besiegeyng Bonifacio put theim to no smalle charge in the rescue thereof wherin surely the Genowaies bare theim selfes wonderfull valiauntely notwithstandyng that by their continuall warres specially againste the Duke of Millaine they were broughte to suche pouertee that they were fayne at last to submitte them selfes to the Duke of Millaine and in recompence of the deposyng of their owne Duke gaue hym .30000 Florines with the lordeship of Serezana Than was capitaine Carmigniola made ruler of the citee for the Duke in whose tyme an armie was made out into the realme of Naples against kynge Alfonse vnder the leadyng of Guido Torello who by composicion toke the cities of Gaetta and Naples and did so muche that the Spaniardes forsoke the realme and so had the Duke of Millaine his purpose there though he vsed it but easely for by faire entreatie he restored to Queene Iohan all that the Genowaies had gotten from hir Besides that the Duke suffered the common wealth to decay by reason that diuers partely by his appoynctmente and partly by his consent occupied certain townes and possessions to their owne vses whiche before belonged to the comminaltee Wherwith the Genowaies were muche offended thoughe for that tyme they duâ—sâ—e not sâ—urre ¶ And Albeit that the Genowaies serued hym notablie in his warres againste the Uenetians speciallie in the conflicte betwene theim on the riuer of Pò nere to Cremona where the Uenetians receiued a great discomfiture yet whan the Uenetians made warre agayne vpon the Genowaies onely to be reuenged of their losse on the Pò Duke Phillip nothyng ayded the Genowaies so that the Uenetians discomfited their army before the churche of saincte Fruttuoso where the Uenetians toke viii galleis and pursuyng their victorie seeyng the Genowaies scarce able to arme theim and the I le of Sio vndefended made thither and gaue diuers assaultes to the citee thinkyng to gette it But the Sâ—otes with helpe of a few Genowaies that thei had there defended theim selfes so valiauntlie that the Uenetians were faine to retire with great losse of their men ¶ Than retourned kynge Alfonse of Aragone into the realme of Naples and besieged Gaetta to the rescue wherof Blasio d' Asseretto was sent with .xv. saile and not fully .3000 men who mette and fought with the kyng the sorest battaile that hapned in those daies for so small a noumbre For the kynge set on the Genowaies armie with double the noumbre of men and with great aduauntage of shippes and galleis yet did the Genowaies so obstinately feight it out that of the kynges parte thei slew aboue .5000 and toke the kyng with his .ii. bretherne a noumbre of Dukes and Erles and aboue .200 knightes prisoners with so muche spoile of golde siluer iewelles and other treasure that the lyke bootie hath not lightly been heard of All whiche they brought in saufetee to Genoa sauyng the kynges person whiche by the Duke of Myllaines commaundement was had to Sauona and from thense to Millaine where he was not entreated as a prisoner but at length not onely without raunsome but also with great presentes set at libertee and that without the Genowaies consent whiche with diuers other vnkyndnesses and iniuries dooen to theim by the Duke caused the Genowaies to retourne to theyr owne wonted willes so that thorough procurement of Frances Spinola the whole citee was in armes and expulsing and sleayng all the Dukes ministers toke on them theyr old libertie and made Thomas Di Campo Fregoso Duke againe who continued in the same about .vi. yeres In whiche time Raynolde Duke of Angio that claimed the realme of Naples came to Genoa and was not onely well receiued there but also aided with certaine armed galleis towardes his enterprise and Nicolas Fregoso sent for capitaine with him by whose helpe he gatte the Castell Nouo in Naples and so muche prospered otherwaies that it was a great whyle doubted who shoulde enioye the realme either Raynolde or kynge Alfonse But at last Raynolde for lacke of men and money was faine to leaue the entreprise so that the Genowaies retourned without any recompence of their great chargê susteigned in that quarel And than was king Alfonse in theyr taile by sea so that they were no sooner vnarmed but that he ouerranne all the Genowaie costes The like wherof did the Duke of Myllaine by lande and so was the common wealth in maner besieged on bothe sydes ¶ In the middest wherof beganne a conspiracie against the Duke who was deposed and Rafaell Adorno settled in his place Than peace was obteined of kynge Alfonse vpon certaine condicions as the necessitee
after muche fighte and longe contencion made the Cardinall to renounce so that the citesins remembryng how thei were best in quiet whan they were subiectes to the Duke of Millaine returned of newe to be vnder the Milanese dominion and than was Antony Adorno made gouernour of the citee for the Duke By whose time truce was taken with the Florentines to the Genowaies disaduauntage and Charles the .viii. Frenche kynge was ayded by the Genowaies towardes the winnyng of the realme of Naples but in his retourne thense they not onely discomfited a good parte of his army by lande but also toke .x. galleis and a great gallion that were retournyng into Fraunce from the kynges saied enterprise of Naples Whervpon diuers townes that before rebelled againste the common wealth retourned than vnto theim as Vintimiglia with others And Serezana was bought of the Castellane there for .25000 duckates ¶ The emperour Maximilian came also to Genoa and was there honourablie receiued ¶ This tyme was Lewys surnamed Moro Duke of Millaine and sins the last submission of the astate of Genoa vnto the Duke the house of Adorni had borne all the rule And because they had persuaded the common wealth to aide the Duke against the frenche kyng with 1000. men paied for .iii. monethes therefore whan the Frenche kyng had chaced the Duke from Millaine the citesins toke occasion to expulse the Adorni and sent ambassadours to kyng Lewys the .xi. than beyng at Millaine to offer them selfes to him who amiably receiued theim and made his cousen Philip of Cleues their gouernour who with .xviii. saile Frenche and Genowaies together toke his viage towardes the enterprise of Meteline to the whiche the Uenetians also sent .34 galleis But thei returned all without atchieuing their purpose ¶ Than came kynge Lewys to sporte him at Genoa and makyng great preparacion to receiue hym the nobles contended with the auncientes of the commons who shoulde goe before whiche for that tyme was iudged by Rocabertino lieuetenaunt for the gouernour that they should goe by age and nother by bloudde nor dignitee ¶ And albeit that this contencion was appeased for that time yet for this and other light causes there grew suche hate betwene the nobilite and commons that at length the multitude arose and constreignyng the gentilmen to flee out of the citee spoyled and robbed diuers of theyr houses ¶ Upon knowlage of whiche rumour the Frenche kyng sente the gouernour thither Who with .150 horse and 750. footemen entred the citee thinkyng with his presence and power to oppresse the peoples fury ¶ Than Aloise di Flisco with most parte of the nobiliteâ— had assembled a power and were come to Quarto in hope by the gouernours meanes to be reconsiled But than beganne the Artisanes with the rascall of the citee whiche for their pouertee were called Capette to assemble together in companies some of our ladie and some of saincte Iohn Baptist with other like and so to â—enne about doyng infinite harmes that the gouernour durst no more offer to beare any auctoritee For they made them .viii. rulers by the name of tribunes against whom no man mighte speake so that the gouernour seeyng his auctoritee cleane taken from hym departed ¶ A little before whose departure kynge Ferdinando of Spaine with .x. galleis and .vii. foystes entred the hauen and tariyng there a daie departed on his waie to Naples ¶ Than did they of the citee sende .iiii. ambassadours to the Frenche kynge who scarcely woulde loke vpon theim beyng determined by force to chastise theim and therfore sente commission to the Castellane that kepte the Castelletto to domage the citee all that he coulde who therupon secretly made an issue whan he knew he shoulde finde the chiefest in the churche of S. Fraunces and toke a number and ledde theim prisoners in to the castell where for their raunsomes the capitaine gatte aboue .10000 duckates But that letted him not from the execucion of his maisters commaundement for he neuer ceased but shotte of all maner of artillery into the citee and into the hauen to the great terrour and annoyaunce of the people ¶ Yet for all that these rascall Capette were so obstinate in theyr rebellion that with helpe of theyr new tribunes they made them a Duke one Paule Da Noue a dier of silke ¶ And though that the Cardinall Finaro with dyuers of the best citesins did what they could by counsaile to cause the people to submitte theim selfes to the frenche kynge who than newly was entred with an armie into Lumbardie yet would they neuer stowpe till the frenche kynge with his owne armie and with suche power as the nobilitee of Genoa could make came before the citee where the commons made a little resistence but at length he entred in armes made his armie to passe thoroughe the citee putte dyuers of the principall offenders to deathe receiued homage of the citesins sittyng in his magistee placed the nobilitie in their accustomed dignitees burned the bokes of couenauntes in steede whereof he graunted them some priuileges made theim paie .200000 crownes for his costes and .40000 to the buildyng of a fortresse at Capo di Faro encreased the garrison with .200 souldiours and finally bound theim to kepe .iii. galleis continually armed at theyr cost and charge And thus to his seemyng establisshyng all thynges retourned towardes Fraunce And at Sauona was ouertaken by the kyng of Spaine who in his retourne from Naples landed there to visite and salute the frenche kynge that lykewyse receiued hym with solemne cheere ¶ After this the Genowaies rested scarcely .ii. yeres in quiete vnder the Frenche kynges dominion Radolfo de La Noi beyng gouernour but there spronge vp a company in the citee called the felowship of the touÌ„ne whiche betokened that as the barell staues of the touÌ„nâ— were perfectly ioyned so were they knitte togethers in one will And these waxed so sâ—oute that they sente ambassadours to the Frenche kynge requiryng amongest other thynges a change of theyr gouernour whom they reputed to be an extorcioner and a tyranne But they spedde not of theyr purpose ¶ The meane whyle the bishop of Rome tempted and alteracion of the astate in so muche that the bishoppe of Vintimiglia came to the citee to the entent to slea the gouernour and to make a commocion And though he myst of his purpose yet did the great bishoppes purpose proue at length For Iano Fregoso with a certaine noumbre of men sent from the bishoppes campe entred the citee without any resistence thoroughe the gouernours cowardely flight And beyng made Duke forced the castell so sore that the Castellaine for .12000 duckates yelded it Neuerthelesse the Castell of the Lanterne helde still frenche and was besieged of the Fregosi But the Adorni rescued it and by coumforte of the frenche kynges armie by sea entred the citee Whervpon the Fregosi fledde so that the astate returned Frenche and Antoniotto Adorno
by the kynges speciall commission was made gouernour ¶ In whiche office he continued but .22 daies For assoone as the Frenche nauie was departed whiche by reason of the great discoumfiture that the frenche kyng had at Nouara could tarie no longer the Fregosi with ayde of the kyng of Spaine came so strongely to Genoa that the Adorni with theyr parteners were faine to geue place and than was Octauian Fregoso made Duke so that within the space of one yere the astate of Genoa altered .iiii. tymes ¶ This new Duke paied the Spaniardes that had ayded hym .80000 crownes out of the common treasure and made Andrea Doria capitaine of .iiii. galleis and than besieged the Castell of the Lanterne whiche for the quantitee was excellent fayre and stronge Neuerthelesse assoone as he had gotten it by composicion paiyng 22000. duckates to the capitaine incontinently he rased it to the earth ¶ The Adorni with the Flischi than conspyred against the Duke and with a certaine noumbre of men sodeinely entred into the citee Where they were not onely foughten with and theyr men repulsed but also they theim selfes taken prisoners Whervpon the Duke seeyng the instabilitee of his astate to eschew further inconuenience sent ambassadours to the frenche kynge and yelded the citee to hym and sent hym .2000 footemen whiche did him no small seruice in the battaile besides Marigniano ¶ After the notable victorie wherof this Octauian beyng from Duke chaunged to gouernour with .viii other of the chiefest citesins went to visite the frenche kynge at Myllaine and there lent hym .80000 crownes towardes his charges ¶ About this tyme Cortogoli a Turke scoured the seas and did muche hurte to the Christians wherfore an armie was made out against hym vnder the leadyng of the archebishop Fregoso with Andrea Doria and others who sailed into the costê of Barbarie and found xv foystes and certaine galleis of Cortogolies vnarmed before Biserti whiche they myght haue burned or brought awaie if they had not tended to muche to the spoyle For that by reason of a sodeine tempest they were driuen to forsake the costes and returne home with out ought dooyng ¶ The Cardinall Sauli a Genowaie borne was vpon suspicion emprisoned by Leo than bishop of Rome and by his parentes raunsomed at .25000 duckates and yet for all that it was thought that determinate poyson was geuen hym in prison For within a certaine space after his deliuerance he sickened and in lesse than a yere died ¶ The Moores of newe troubled the seas Agaynst whom Andrea Doria went out with .vi. galleis gaue the onset on .ix. saile of theyrs whiche he discoumfited with sore feight and toke .vi. of theim ¶ All this while the faction of Fregosi ruled the citee vnder the frenche kynge Wherfore the Adorni who were than as banished men armed .ix. galleis thinkyng secretely to entre the citee and to subuerte the astate But they missed of theyr purpose Neuerthelesse thei ceased not to prouoke the emperour against Genoa promisyng him large succours of theyr part So that thorough theyr procurement immediatly after the battaile of Bicocke where the frenche campe was discomfited the Duke of Myllaine the Marques of Pescara the Signior Prospero Colonna and the other imperiall capitaines with .20000 men came before Genoa and by force wanne and sacked it and takyng the gouernour Octauian with dyuers others whom thei kept as prisoners after the departure of the armie Antoniotto Adorno was made Duke And so the citee remained imperiall Adrian the .vi. elected bishop passed that waie towardes Rome and the Duke of Burbone with his bande came through to Genoa as he wente to rescue Millaine than besieged of the frenche men ¶ But the Frenche kynge shortly after passed the mountaines in his owne person and not onely recouered all that he had loste in Lumbardy Pauia excepted but also gatte Sauona and Varagine in the ryuer of Genoa Wherfore Don Hugo Da Moncada afterwardê Vice Re of Naples issued out of Genoa with .xv. saile and sette .4000 men of the Genowaies on lande thinkyng to gette Varagine where he was mette with by Iocante Corso capitaine of the Frenchemen and the Genowaies beyng discomfited him selfe the Vice Re was taken prisoner Shortely whervpon folowed the takyng of the Frenche kyng at the battaile of Pauia who in Maie after his taking was brought to Genoa and from thense conueighed into Spaine ¶ Than the bishop of Rome with the Uenetians entred in leage with the Frenche kyng againste the emperour And because the citee rested imperiall therfore was an armie of .37 galleis made that besieged Genoa by sea to the rescue whereof the emperour sent the Vice Re of Naples out of Spaine with .xxii. saile who encountred with .vi. galleis of Andrea Doria that than serued the leage againste the emperour and foughte together in whiche feight Andrew and his men behaued them selfes so valiauntly that they sparpled the imperiall armie abrode and toke .ii. of their shippes For whiche valiaunte acte the emperour made him admirall of his army and knight of his order and shortly after in Porto fino he toke .vii. galleis .iiii. of the citee and .iii. of Spaine so that the siege continewyng still the citee suffered extreme famine Wherfore partly by force Caesar Fregoso with a bande of Frenche men by lande was receiued into the towne and the citee deliuered vnto hym in the kynges name without bloudde or spoyle the Duke Antoniotto Adorno beyng fledde into the castell and than was Theodore Triulci Milanese made gouernour therof By whose time the Union beganne amongest the citesins for there had ben diuision of parties fyrste the Guelfes and Ghibellines than the nobles and commons and the commons deuided in two merchauntes and artificers and laste of all were the factions Adorni and Fregosi So that as longe as these parties reigned it was impossible the citee should prospere seeyng them daiely fall together by the eares as they did ¶ Finallie they all agreed to extynguish these diuisions and elected .28 families to be all nobles amongest whom the offices should renne in common and chaunge without naming and partie and so were thei brought to accorde that so many yeres before had continually contended ¶ Than the Frenche kyng sente a notable armie vnder the leadyng of Mounser Lautrech to the siege of Naples and because it should be besieged by sea and lande therfore Andrea Doria armed .vii. galleis whereof he made his cousen Philippino Doria capitaine and sente him to Naples where the Uice Re with .vi. galleis issued out and fought with him but Doria preuailed and the Uice Re was slaine and the Marques of Vasco with diuers others taken prisoners ¶ Whervpon it seemed that the Frenche kynge waxed vnkynde as well to the common wealth as vnto Andrea Doria For first he suffred the citee of Sauona to be exempt from the subiection of Genoa and furthermore to haue all
maner of priuileges that Genoa had with the custome of â—alte and other thynges whiche at lengthe woulde be the destruction of Genoa ¶ And though the Genoways made diuers complaintes herevpon yet as thoughe thei were not regarded no reformacion was had ¶ Than the Frenche kyng had taken from Andrea Doria diuers of his prisoners and amongest all others the prince of Orenge and besides that had paied hym his wages but verie homely so that whan Andrew began to murmour against this the kynge wrought meanes to haue had him slaine whiche comyng to his knowlage caused hym to dispose hym selfe otherwaies so that whan the tyme of his wages was expired he bare a white baner declaryng that he was at libertee to serue whom he wolde and than after certaine practises with his prisoners the Marques of Vasco and Ascanio Colonna he became the emperours man and was made prince of Melfi by reason wherof the citee beganne also to be moued against the kynge remembryng his ingratitude So that finally by meanes of Andrea Doria the Frenche kyngê officers were licenced his galleis by sea put to flight and some taken and the citee restored to hir ancient libertee Notwithstandyng that many thought Andrea Doria wolde haue taken the rule of it vnto him selfe ¶ Hereupon a counsaile was called a new reformacion established a Duke .viii. gouernours and .viii. proctours chosen accordyng to the order that yet remaineth and the citee euer sens continued in peace with increase of so much wealth and quietnesse that at this howre she maie be reckened one of the happiest and richest cities of Europe ¶ And albeit that some sterrynges haue ben sens that time for alteracion of the astate as the assaulte that the Conte Guido Rangone made with .10000 men of the Frenche kynges brought out of Lumbardy and the conspiracy that the Conte Di Flischo made now of late in the which he him selfe was drowned and Iannetine Doria slaine yet hath the citee perseuered now these .20 yeres in one astate much through the great wisedome of Andrea Doria who refusyng the dominion of it whan he might without difficultee haue taken it vppon hym hath not onely restored it to the perfect libertee of a coÌ„mon welth but also with his notable seruice in themperours affaires as in his viages to Tunise and Algier in the rescue of Coron besieged of the Turkes in defence of Barbarossa his armies the yeres .37 and .38 and in oppressyng of the great Corsales or pirattes by sea hath so mainteigned the imperyall fauour towardes the Genowaies that no man is able to hurte them at this day For though in dede thei be not the emperours subiectes yet whan any astate shoulde happen to moue warre against them it should well appere that he tendreth them no lesse than as the deerest subiectes he hath For the whiche they likewise at all times haue and yet doe serue him for his money to the vttermost of their powers The description of Myllaine AMongest other perticuler astates of Italie the Duchie of Myllaine hath been one the most notable ¶ For while the hous of Visconti reigned the same valiauntly maintened warres of great importaunce against most puissaunt princes and powers And for the interest therof the notablest warrê of our daies haue hapned betwene the emperour and the Frenche kyng insomuche that Fraunces the fyrst of that name feightyng before Pauia against the imperiall armie ledde by the Marques of Pescara and the Duke of Bourbone was taken prisoner and conueighed into Spaine where for his raunsome after a yeres imprisonment he was faine to pledge his two sonnes and consequently to marie the emperours syster with other couenauntes to longe to reherse ¶ And no meruaile though these two most mighty princes of Christendome so muche contented for his onely astate For though in name beyng but a Duchie it shoulde not seeme great yet in very deede bothe for the wealth of the countrey and for the quantitee the thyng hath been of as great reputacion as some realmes of Europe Out of doubt there haue been some Dukes of Myllaine muche greatter in territorie wealthier in reuenewes and treasure more puissaunt in warres and finally more honourable in peace than diuers of theim that had kyngly titles ¶ As for the richesse and beautie of the countrey I am afearde to speake of least to hym that neuer saw it I shoulde seeme ouerlarge in the due praisyng of it and least vnto hym againe that hath practised there I shuld seeme vnwise to treate of that that my knowlage is not hable woorthily to set foorth Neuerthelesse betwene feare and shame this muche woull I saie that suche an other peece of ground for beautifull citees and townes for goodly riuers fieldes and pastures and for plentie of fleshe foule freshewaterfishe graine wine and fruites is not to be found againe in all our familiar regions ¶ I thinke the emperour that now is lord therof woull confesse that he draweth more money yerely to his purse â—ut of that onely astate than out of some of his realmes And yet his Mylanese dominion is not halfe so muche at this present as that that diuers Dukê of Mylaine haue had For wheras the emperour besides the citee of Myllaine hath now .vii. or .viii. citees as Pauia Lodi Cremona Alexandria Vercelli Nouara and Como Dukes of Myllaine haue had some .xx. and some .xxx. citees and vpwardes Yea and some so great that they haue aspyred to the dominion ouer all Italie as in the briefe historie folowyng more plainely appeareth Neuerthelesse he that now shall happen to see the company of noble men and gentilmen that ar in maner continually attendaunt on themperours lieuetenaunt or deputie in Myllaine shall saie that the same representeth rather the courte of some puissaunt kynge than the traine of a deputie ¶ And I thynke verily that Don Ferrando Gonzaga now lieuetenaunt there rideth many times more honourably accompanied and with a greatter presence of magistee than the emperour him selfe dooeth in Germanie ¶ The like wherof with rather the more is to be saied of the Mylanese gentilwomen who in sumptuouse apparaile maie compare with the best specially in the ornamentes of theyr Chariottes with coueringes of cloth of golde of veluettes of silkes and a thousande sortes of embroderies There is almost no craftesmans wife in Myllaine that hath not hir gowne of silke and hir chaine of golde A thyng that shoulde seeme rather meruailouse than credible But the craftesmen there are so excellent in theyr dooynges and the women so experte in silke workes that it is no wonder though their gaine grow to the biyng of gaie geare ¶ Finally the citee of Myllaine standyng in the herte of the pleasauntest and fayrest plaine of all Christendome is serued of all delectable and necessarie thynges that are to be desyred for mans sustentacion Honourable for the courte gallaunt for gentilmen herborough for souldiours delicate for dames riche for merchauntes and wealthy
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
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
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