have the instrument for release of the gabells from the Vice-Roy specially those upon corn and fruits his Eminence answer'd them that he wold make it his care to obtain it and so going out of his Coach he went in person to the second gate of the Monastery to hinder the pulling of it down by the furious rabble and he had his intent for out of the great reverence they bore to their Archbishop the fury ceas'd but still they prayed that the gabells might be abolish'd the Bishop promis'd to bring them the Instrument sign'd and seal'd but least if he parted from among the peeple the fury wold recomence he sent to that purpose to the Vice-Roy being not able to com himself to mingle speech with him that he wold send him the said Instrument which he did desiring him to deliver it with his own hands to the peeple The Bishop having receav'd the said written Instrument coach'd himself and shew'd it to all the peeple which he drew after him all along Toledo street ev'ry one being greedy to know what it contain'd but what The said written Instrument was no sooner read with a loud voice by the Bishop but the peeple cryed out again that they were cheated for that Instrument contain'd only the taking of the fruit-gabell and seven Carlins upon wheat but they wold have divers other gabells to be abolish'd The Bishop having delivered that written Instrument to the Capo del popolo to the chief of the peeple retir'd to the Palace peaceably Thereupon the peeple ran to the great Market place to give notice of the said Bill to the rest who were met there more in nomber then they and finding that this was but satisfaction in part it was necessary for the common defence of the faithfull peeple of Naples to inroll som arm'd men to procure to a totall discharge of gabells And many returning to the Palace thousands of men and boyes they wold have again have attempted an entrance into the Church and Monastery of St. Lewis and being resolv'd to burst ope the dores of that part where divers Lords and Ladies were the Spanish soldiers oppos'd them and in particular one very valerous Captain entertain'd the rabble with his sword and the soldiers with their Musquets till divers of them were killd but in the mean while the Ladies had time to retire into the Fryers cells and the Vice-Roy by the help of the Abbot of the Convent scald the walls till he came to pizzo fulcane into the Monastery of Jesuits whence putting himself in an old Sedan carried by Spaniards he transferr'd himself to the Castle of St. Elmo Thereupon it being known for certain that the Vice-Roy was gon from the Monastery the peeple returning to the Palace resolv'd to disarm all the Spaniards who were there in gard but they deliver'd them drums and half pikes and all other instruments their swords and Muskets excepted They went to all the other Courts of gards dispers'd up down the City disarming all whom they met withal Then went they to the Suburbs of Chiagia to the Palace of Don Tiberio de Caraffa Prince of Bisignano who was Field master and Colonel General of the Battalion of Naples desiring that great Cavalier who by his innated benignity had made himself belov'd of all and to be ador'd also by all Naples they desir'd that he wold be pleas'd to be their Defender and an intercessor 'twixt them and the Viceroy for a totall extinguishment of the Gabells according to the favourable priviledges granted them specially by Charles the fifth As they were expecting the Prince of Bisignano som of them going to the place where they exacted the Gabell of fruit at Chaggia they put fire to the house and burnt every thing that was in 't as they had don in other places And the rabble still augmenting in that most populous suburb they divided themselves into two Squadrons or rather into two Armies The lesser sort of boyes did put in the middle the foresaid Prince who was a horseback and desiring them to be orderly he sayed let 's go to take off the Gabells being conducted by the palace and so along the Castle and thence through all the popular places till they came to the great market The Prince seeing there the peeple wonderfully increas'd to above fifty thousand persons he endeavoured to quiet them and to do this the more conveniently he went to the Church of the most holy Lady of Carmine which is situate in that place and being got up in a high place with a crucifix in his hands he prayed exhorted and conjur'd the peeple for the love of God and of the most blessed Virgin his Divota to be quiet a while promising them by oath to obtain from the Viceroy what they desir'd But finding that all this wold do no good he entertain'd himself a while in that market to have the more opportunity to negotiate with the cape leaders of the peeple and to perswade them to a good accord assuring that he wold make it his own task to procure them complete satisfaction In the mean time many other new recruits of peeple coming from other parts of the City they went to break open the prison of Santa Maria d'Agnone and of S. Archangelo whose gards not being able to resist were necessitated to yeeld and flie for 't the gates being thrown into the midst of the streets they made all prisoners go out burning and turning to ashes all the Books and Processes of prisoners which were found in the Offices The same they did in the prisons for the arts of wooll and silk and divers other as that of the Archbishops the Nunciatura and of the great Court of the Vicaria to which two last they sayed to beare reverence as to royall prisons and because they had been in times pass'd Kings palaces the sayed Prince being their protector and being come neer those prisons 't was fear'd they wold do som mischief but the Warders had time enough to fortifie and strengthen their gates besides som being earnest for it were disswaded by the Prince of Bisignano that setting them at liberty being all foreners murtherers and theeves they would draw upon themselves great inconveniences They steer'd their course towards the Dogana or toll-house for corn with fagots on their backs and fire and pitch in their hands and the gates being wrench'd the sayed Prince being not able to take them off though he laboured earnestly they entered there with such a fury that they put fire on all sides nor were they satisfied till they saw all not onely burnt but reduced to ashes as much corn with great store of houshold-stuff and much money which the Ministers of the Dogana had in bank being either their own or in deposito or pawn'd all was consum'd in the flames This sacrifice being perform'd they went up to the piazza of S. Laurence Church the Prince not leaving their company all the while in regard of the
dwellers in the neighboring quarters they erected there according to custom a castle of wood which was to be battered with sticks and fruit upon this occasion there assembled there abundance of peeple of the meaner sort and although the houre was com that fruits were us'd to be brought to the Market to pay gabell and the boyes us'd to be there to gather such fruit that fell upon the streets but it chanc'd there came no fruit at all because the shop-keepers had mutined and agreed not to buy any fruit of purpose not to pay the gabell as they were used to do telling the Fruiterers that they shold pay the gabell if they wold for the Shopkeepers wold pay none this seeming very strange they came from words to blowes with the Shopkeepers And in regard of this difference there was no fruit then in the market which were fresh but a few of the day before A tumult did arise among the peeple which being told the Lord Zufia Grassiâ—ro Regent of the City he ordered the forenamed Anaclerio the Elect of the peeple that he shold apply himself to remedy that commotion which he attempted to do but all in vain in regard of the first and obstinate quarrell that was 'twixt the Fruiterers and the retailing Shopkeepers wherefore the Elect not to displease the peeple and Shopkeepers gave sentence against the Fruiterers as Forreners most part of whom were of the City of Puzzuolo reviling them with words and threatning to bastinado them and have them condemned to the Gallies Among those of Puzzolo there was a cosen of Massianello's who according to the instructions given him began more then any to incite the peeple who seeing that he could sell his fruit but at a low price and after he had payed the Gabell there was scarce left as much as would pay for the Barque and quit cost he flew into such a rage that throwing two great baskets upon the ground he cried out God gives plenty and the ill government a dearth therefore I care not a straw for this fruit let every one take of it The boyes eagerly ran to gather and eat the fruit Masaniello all this falling out according to his expectation rush'd in among them crying out Without Gabell Without Gabell But Anaclerio threatning him with whipping and the Gallies not onely the Fruiterers but all the peeple threw Figs Apples and other fruits in great fury into his face But this seeming but little to Masaniello he hit him upon the brest with a stone and incouraged his militia of boyes to do as he did which they did But Anaclerio breaking through the crowd in a coach made hast to the Church of Carmine where finding a felluca he imbark'd himself therein and so got towards the Pallace otherwise he had been torn in peeces or ston'd to death by the boyes Upon this success the people flocking in greater numbers as well in the said Market-place as else-where they began to exclaime aloud against those intolerable grievances under which they groan'd so a mighty rumor ran up and down the streets protesting to pay no more gabell and crying out Let thâ— King of Spain live but let the ill Government die The fury still increasing Masaniello being follow'd by an infinite company of boyes and all sorts of loose people som with sticks others with pikes and partizans taken from the Tower of the Carmine he leap'd up upon the highest table which was among the Fruiterers and with a loud voice cryed Be merry dear companions and brothers give God thanks and to the glorious Virgin of Carmine that the hour of your redemption drawes neer this poor bare-footed fellow as another Moses who freed the Israelites from Pharoahs rod shall in that manner redeem you of all gabells from the first time that they were ever imposed A Fisherman who was Peter reduc'd with his voice from Satans slavery to the liberty of Christ Rome her self and with Rome a world Now another Fisherman who is Masaniello shall release Naples and with Naples a whole kingdom from the tyranny of Gabells From henceforth ye shall shake from off your necks the intolerable yoke of so many grievances which have depress'd you hitherto Nor to effect this do I â—are a rush to be torn in peeces and to be dragg'd up and down the gutters of Naples Let all the blood in my body spin out of these veines let this head skip from my shoulders by a fatall steel and be perch'd up in this market upon a pole yet I shall die contented and glorious it will be triumph and honor unto me to think that my blood and life perish in so glorious a conquest Masaniello repeating often these and such like words inflam'd marvelously the minds of the peeple who were dispos'd in their hearts to cooperate with him to this effect and to begin the work there was fire put to the house that was next the Toll-house for fruit both which were burnt to the very ground with all the books and accounts with divers of the Farmers of the Customers goods who were there put up This being don the common peeple increas'd in such nombers up and down the streets that ev'ry one did shut up his shop ev'ry one being astonish'd at such a sudden garboyle seeming rather to dream of such a one then see it Whereupon many thousand peeple uniting themselfs went to other quarters of the Citty where all the gabell houses were as those of fruit of corn of flesh of fish of salt wine oil cheese silk and all other either edible or wearable comodities and spar'd not one of them but taking out of them all the writings and books of entrance or issues appertaining to the said gabell as also all the furniture as well of the Farmers as others and all things that were there in pawn or otherwise as Hangings Chaires Armes great quantities of moneys with other rich moveables all was hurl'd into a great fire of straw benches forms sedans with other stuff were burnt all to ashes upon the streets In which actions one thing was very considerable that in plundring those houshold stuffs and moneys not one durst meddle with the least peece of any thing because all shold be dedicated to the fire being the quintessence as 't was said of their blood therefore they wold not have a jot of any thing preserv'd from the fury of the fire The peeple taking hereby more and more boldnesse and courage because they found no resistance or obstacle and the nomber still increasing to the nomber of about 10000. they made towards the Palace of the Viceroy many of them holding upon the tops of staves and pikes loafs of bread which was then sold very dear scarce weighing 22. ounces The cry still continued more louder then ever Let the King of Spain live and let the ill government perish So the first Militia of Masaniello consistiâ—g of 2000. boyes march'd on every one lifting up his cane and tying a clout
revenge and having the said Duke della Roccella in their hands they clapt him in prison in the Monastery del Carmine by appointing a famous Bandito call'd Perrone to be his Keeper who finding himself once chain'd in the same Church was put at liberty by the peeple but this man being an ancient friend and a Confident of the Dukes did labour the business so effectually with the peeple that he obtain'd the Dukes freedom obliging himself to restore him into their hands upon all demands so the Duke having remain'd a day or two in his Palace retir'd afterward to his Country houses Ther was appointed for one of the principal Heads of the peeple to be about the person of Masaniello a Priest by name Iulio Genoino an old and well temper'd man who had been the peeples Elect during the Government of the Duke of Ossuna a person well practis'd in the Affairs of the Court and who always endeavoured the advance of the peeples good but he could not bring it then to passe in regard the said Duke was revok'd to Spain This man found himself at the beginning of these Tumults in the prison of S. Iames which was open'd partly for his sake therefore to gratifie his good will always towards them they exalted him to this charge To him they added for a companion the foresaid famous Bandito Perrone These two being joyn'd with Masaniello gave out a list of 60. and odd houses of such Ministers and others who had meddled with the farming of the Gabells or had sold let out advis'd or cooperated any way in the Custom Houses of the said Gabells having enrich'd themselfs as was given out with the bloud of the peeple therefore they deserv'd to be made examples to future ages therefore their house and goods shall be burnt to the ground which was don accordingly as more shall be said and with so much order integrity and neatness of hand that he hazarded his life who shold touch any the least thing to carry it away Thereupon one taking but a little Towel was kil'd another for the Crouper of a horse had 50. lashes on the back divers others for stealing but small trivial things after they had made their confessions to their ghostly fathers wer hang'd by the public Executioner in the Market place by the Comand of Masaniello He was held unworthy of pity and to be no well-wisher of the peeples good who commissiated the ruining or burning of any of those mens houses or goods and who seem'd to rescent it were esteem'd no better then Complices to those public Theeves Whereupon one man having unadvisedly and by natural compassion only pitied the burning of the rich furniture house and goods of the Duke of Caivano calling them by chance povere robbe poor goods as they were a burning he had much ado to scape away through a little wicket while the peeple cryed out Where is this infamous Rogue where is he Let him be found out and we will bray him in a Morter But to proceed more orderly in the Relation of the burnt Palaces let it suffice to know that the first was Gieronimo Fetitias one of the Farmers of the Corn Gabel situat in the quarters of Porta Nuovo near the houses of the Lord Mornili There the peeple being flock'd with faggots and pitch and getting into the house they threw out of the windows all kind of houshold stuff as all sorts of Plates Dishes Stools Tables Chairs Carpets Tapistries and all sorts of Utensiles with great store of Money Chains and Bracelets breaking the windows wider for that purpose all which were brought to the Market place and hurld into a great fire where they were all burnt to cinders with huge out-cries of the peeple round about who said These goods are our blouds and as these burn so the Souls of those dogs who own them deserve to fry in hell fire This first act of the fiery Tragdy being ended they went next to the house of Felice Basile This fellow at first was a poor Baker who carried bread up and down the streets of Naples but in a short time tampering with the Gabells he became very rich and having friends at Court He dwelt nere the Spirito Santo where the peeple being met and having plunderd his Palace from top to bottom they hurld out at the windows and bulcones all the houshold stuff Writings and Books with other rich Curiosities and ther were 23. great Trunks nomberd to be thrown out into the streets and som of them being broke open ther appeer'd wondrous rich things as cloth of gold and Tissues with costly Embroderies that dazzled the eyes of the beholders all these they took with a Cabinet full of Perl and other precious stones which were all hurld into the devouring Element without saving as much as a rag nor durst any take up as much as a pin unless it were to help the throwing of it into the fire These two burnings lasted five hours then they pass'd to the Palace of Antonio de Angelis a Counsellor who had bin Elect of the peeple in the time of and he concur'd with that Viceroy to impose many new Gabells This man being admonish'd by many of his friends to secure his goods and his Palace from firing he neglected their advice And because the day before they had ta'ne down his gate only he thought that their fury had terminated there as being a sign they had no further malice unto him besides he made account that they wold bear som reverence to his long robe But he reckned without his â—ost his infortunat destiny blinded him so and so stop'd his ears that he would not listen to wholsom cautions Whereupon the rabble being com before his house they furiously entred and finding â—t full of all kind of costly furniture to admiration they presently destinated all for the fire leaving not a jot unburnt and that which was of extraordinary consideration and the more to be pitied was that the Pleas Writings Charters Patents and Processes of divers poor and rich men were all consum'd ther was a Library of curious Books and many thousand Crowns found therin there was two Coches four beutiful horses and two mules all burnt and they threw bottles of oile into the fire to make it flame with more violence In his Pantry Larder house and Kitchin ther were dâ—licat provisions and divers Chests of sweet meats and a boy having ta'ne but a piece of Bacon which fell by chance he was ready to be torn in pieces by the multitud ther were 10000. Crowns in good silver burnt besides vessels of Plate double gilt The fire of this house was so great that though it was in the night time yet evry corner of the street was as clear as if it had been noon day Thence they ran to the house of Antonio Mirabella another Counsellor and a Napolitan Cavalier in the suburb of Mayds and they did the like to him where they left not one stone
yet for no other end then the advancement of the public good Therefore they pray his Eminence that he wold expose in the Church the holy Host and inorder public Orisons for 40. hours The Fathers and Gentlemen being return'd to the Cardinal Archbishop related unto him what they had propos'd and what answers they had therefore his Eminence not thinking it expedient to put his former thoughts in action against the will of a tumultuary peeple he inordred the said Prepositors and all chief Heads and Rectors of Churches as well secular as regular that the blessed Sacrament shold be expos'd and public and privat Prayers made to recomend unto his divine Majesty the woful condition of City and Kingdom which was punctually perform'd evry day until the death of Masaniello When the Archbishop had sent out those seasonable Orders it being now night his Eminence went to Castle Nuovo to confer with the Viceroy and try whether any accommodation could be pitched upon to free the City from those imminent dangers which hung over her doing this with the greatest efficacy that cold com out of the brest of a Cavalier Patriot and of a zealous Pastor associating unto him a little after to the same purpose the most illustrious the L. Altieri Apostolical Nuntio for the time in that Kingdom Ther retir'd into the said Castle likewise towards the evening divers Ministers as well of the Gown as other Officers Lords and Cavaliers as well to treat with the Viceroy concerning the same business as also to withdraw thither for their greater security then they could be in their own habitations And this is as much as happend the second day which was Munday Tuesday July 9. 1647. The third day THe Nepolitan peeple were so heated in their desires and so animated to battail and to the destroying of the houses of public Ministers and Partizans of the Royal Court as also of Lawyers and Farmers of the Gabels that no bounds were sufficient to stop their arrogance and fury As a strong currented River having burst down the banks and dikes which kept her within her chanel can hardly be brought in again to her wonted regular stream in the mean time while the fearful Countryman labours with earth stones clay wood and iron to mend her banks she pursues her raging exorbitant cours dilates her self o're fields spoils the corn undermines the trees enters boldly into house and cellar without controulment and so doth a world of mischief The numerous peeple of Naples might be said to be such a River swelling with disdain and choler against the public Officers of the Gabels and rushing o're the wonted banks which were the Laws and Royal Authority of her Prince the reverence to the holy Church the fear of Justice But she was not only like an unruly mounding River but like a tempestuous Sea figur'd peradventure by the Evangelist S. Iohn in his book of divine Mysteries wher he saith That with the waters of the Sea there joyn'd living waters of fire whence 't is call'd by him Mars mixtum igne The Viceroy the Archbâ—shop the Nobility the Lawyers labour'd to make up these banks and breaches yet all wold not do but the River was as impetuous extravagant and violent as ever Hence it came to pass that the glorious Sun scarce appeer'd in the Orient to illuminat the City the third day but the furious peeple ran with swift pace to the Palace of one Valenzano formerly a very poor Plebean and afterwards from a Petty Clerk in the Doâ—ana came to be a Farmer of the Gabel of Corn and so enriched himself extreamly He dwelt out of Saint Carlo and 't is incredible what a world of goods very precious both for the quantity and quality were found in his house which were all reduc'd to ashes ther were two boxes full of gold found in the cupboard of a window which were taken and dispositated upon account in the Kings bank Hence they pass'd to the Palace of the Duke of Caivano towards the little gate of Santa Chiara where all his Writings and public Books he being Secretary of the Kingdom with all his Library and infinit store of rich Moveables and Utensils were found all which were burnt in two great fires and the Palace harass'd to the ground What rich Coches Sedans and Couches with rare vessels of Argentry and Jewels of all kinds were consum'd in this Palace Ther were also great store of curious pictures found there the profane were burnt but som holy pieces were sent to divers Churches but reserving for the flame the frames of them although they were very gallant and rich which cours they observ'd in all other places The flame of this fire was so great that it reach'd to a Monastery of Nunns hard by of the Order of S. Francisco so that they cryed out they were all destroyed It took in a Library of Books the leaves whereof flew up aloft that some words were legible in the air among which ther happen'd one leaf to fall upon the ground from the said Cloyster which treated of the Nobility of the ancient Dukes of Milan I shold be over tedious if I shold describe all the desolations and ruines which those fires did cause with the quantity and quality of the goods I will briefly tell you that the same cruelties term'd by the peeple just revenges were us'd in all those houses whereof Masaniello gave a Catalog to destroy and ruinat These were Bartolome d' Aquino the Duke Iohn de Caivano Gio Battista Bozzacarino all three of Chiaia Iohn Andrea Tuonavoglia who dwelt out of the gate of San Gennaro the President Cinnamo Sopra Gresu Maria the sons of Mastrodatti Iuseppe Sportello Farmer of the Corn President Gieronimo Cacciotolo Cesar Loprano against the little Hospital Iohn Zaralios who being an Officer of the Pen came by his favour at Court to such huge wealth that he made himself Duke of Osturis a principal City in Puglia with sixty thousand Crowns annual rent dwelling in Toledo street whose Palace was one of the proudest and most magnificent of any in Naples built by himself from the very foundation Francesco Pallavicino alle Mortelle Geronimo Nacatella of Polysippo and Andrea Capano his son in law Agostin de Iulijs Giacomo Frezza Petrillo di Florio Bartholome Balzamo Donado de Bellis Cashier of the Gabel of Corn and many other persons had their rich Moveables and Furnitures with their Argentry and Jewels of great value all consum'd to ashes In the Palace of Aquino a Chiaia ther was an inestimable Wardrobe found proportionable to a Kings which was all destroyed And Luprano having conveyed all his goods which were most precious to the Monastery of the Hospital of the Padri Zoccolanti and Basile brought his Jewels and Moneys to the Conservatory of Santa Maria di Constantinopoli and Zavaglio brought the flower of his goods to the Monastery of the Nuns of the conception nere his Palace yet Masaniello came to know of all this