foresaied realme And so folowyng that title the emperour besieged Naples but by reason of a great plage in his armie he was faine to leaue his siege and retourne into Almaine Before whose retourne whiche was .iiii. yeres after Tancredi dyed not reignyng fully .ix. yeres ¶ Immediately after his wife Sibile caused William their sonne to be crowned But the forenamed emperour pretendyng title in the right of his wyfe with a puissaunt army entred the realme and in maner without resistence obteined the whole driuing the Quene and hir son William from place to place so long that at length he besieged theim in a stronge holde where fallyng to composicion it was agreed that William should enioie the principate of Taranto with the Erledome of Leccio yeldyng therefore due obedience to the emperour who was sworen to obserue this couenaunt But contrary to his promyse the emperour assoone as he had the mother and sonne in his handes sent theim bothe into Almaine and made William to be gelded to the entente there should folow no more issue of that bloudde And so ended that noble house of the Normaines miserablie that about the space of .200 yeres had prospered and at length reigned in Italy Sicile as you haue heard ¶ After Henrie the .vi. emperour of Almaine borne of the house of Sueuia had thus extinguisshed the dominion and power of the Normaine bloudde in Italie he obteined the realme of Naples and Sicile and reigned ouer them well neere .iiii. yeres and died Leauyng the realme by testament vnto his sonne Federike whom his wife Constance bare after she was .50 yeres olde whiche being but a baabe he committed to the protection of his mother Constance of Innocent the .iii. than bishop of Rome and of his brother Phillip Duke of Sueuia ¶ So Federike not fully .iii. yeres olde was crowned kyng in Palermo shortly after whose Coronacion his mother Constance died commendyng the tuicion of the astate wholly to the bishop of Rome that accordyngly mainteigned the same to his power notwithstandyng that duryng the noâ—eage of Federike diuers businesses hapned in the realme Fyrst by Marquarde an Almain made Marques of Ancona by Henry the .vi. after by Gualtiero di Brenna a Frencheman who in the right of his wyfe one of the systers of the last kyng William the Normain pretended title to the realme Finally by Ottho Duke of Saxonie whiche after he had obteined the imperiall crowne at Rome disposed hym selfe wholly to conquere Naples and Sicile till the forenamed Innocent by waie of excommunicacion had made so many of his nobles and prelates to forsake hym that he was faine to leaue his enterprise At last Federike beyng grewen sufficiently in yeres was called into Almaine and there elected emperour after the deathe of Ottho so that returnyng to Rome he was triumphantly crowned by Honorius the .iii. than bishop in recompence wherof he gaue the Erledome of Fondi with certaine other landes to the churche but shortly after Honorius excommunicated Federike the cause why I find not so that Federike to annoy the landes of the church gathered together a noumbre of disperpled Sarasines placyng theim in Luceria and did so muche hurte that neither Honorius nor yet Gregorie the .ix. that was bishop after hym .xiiii. yeres had in maner any good daies rest Some holde opinion that Gregorie died onely for sorow Neuerthelesse this Federike was a woorthy man He had .iii. wyfes the fyrst named Constance syster to the kyng of Castile by whom he had a sonne named Henry that afterwardes for rebellyng against his father died in prison the seconde was Iolante daughter of Iohn di Brenna kyng of Ierusalem with whose maryage the tytle of the realme of Ierusalem was geuen him whiche title all the Napolitane kynges haue kepte euer sens as the emperour doth at this daie the thyrde was Isabell daughter to the kynge of Englande This Federike went into the holy lande with a puissaunt armie and there behaued hym selfe so valiauntly that the Soldane sued to hym for truce and vpon agrement deliuered to him the citee of Ierusalem with the whole realme thereunto belongyng a fewe small fortresses onely excepted insomuche that in the myddest of Lent he was in Ierusalem crowned and before his retourne reedified the citee of Ioppa now called Zaffo And after a notable victorie had againste the Milanese with other their confederates of Lumbardie he entred into Cremona in maner of a triumphe leadyng after hym a noumbre of prisoners with theyr Carroccio on the whiche Piero Tiepolo Potestate of Myllaine was hanged by one of the armes with an halter about his necke This Carroccio was a carte drawen by certeine oxen trimmed about with greeces or steppes in maner of a kyngly seate and decked with ornamentes of tapestrie and silkes of the beste sorte with the standardes and baners of all the confederate citees and nobles Unto whiche as to the principall place of iudgement or of audience all men vsed to resort And whan so euer the Carroccio in any battaile was loste than was the fielde wonne for about it was alwaies the strength of the battaile ¶ Of this battaile and triumph one wrote these wordes Hae occisis non sufficiunt sepulturae nec Cremonae palatia multitudinem non capiunt captiuorum whiche is as much to saie To theim that are slaine sepultures suffise not nor the palaices of Cremona are not able to receiue the multitude of prisoners ¶ Than Gregorie lette crie the Croisie against him and so muche prouoked hym that all the priestes he toke he caused their shauen crownes to be cutte a crosse with a number of other despites And beyng at siege before the citee of Faenza whiche he toke at last by composition wantyng money to paie his souldiours he coygned leather and valewed it whiche for the tyme serued as well as siluer or golde Afterwardes beyng returned into the realme he receiued the lether and gaue the valewe in golde for it again ¶ Entio kyng of Sardegna and sonne of this emperour Federike by his fathers commaundement fought with the Genowaies by sea and ouercame .40 saile of theim in whiche .iii. of the bishop of Romes legates with a numbre of other prelates goyng to the counsayle at Rome made against Federike were taken prisoners And Entio writing to his father to know what he should doe with theim was aunswered thus in two verses Omnes praelati papâ—mandante vocati Et tres legati Veniant huc vsque ligati Whiche is as muche to saie Sende me those prelates called by the pope With their .iii. legates bounde in a rope ¶ Finally Gregory the .ix. as I sayd before seyng he coulde by no meane preuaile against Federike sickened for sorowe and died ¶ Than succeded Innocent the .iiii. who before beyng a Cardinall was faste friende to the emperour But assoone as he was bishop he became his mortall enemy as Federike him selfe saied whan
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
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
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
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
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
enterprised a iourney against Barbarossa admirall of the Turkish nauie and yet metyng with him at great aduauntage both of power and place Doria retyred for what cause no man can tell He lefte the Uenetian Galeon the notablesse vessell of the worlde in the middest of the Turkes nauie And yet after she had been assayled .v. houers on all sydes she came hir waies safe in despite of theim all leauyng an infinite numbre of hir shotte in the Turkish beten shippes and galleis ¶ After Lando Francesco Donato was elected vnto the astate about two yeres and an halfe before the writyng hereof And because in his tyme hitherto hath not hapned anie woorthie thyng to the Uenetians I woull referre the reste to theim that hereafter shall finde occasion to write The descripcion of Naples THe citee of Naples some time called Parthenope is one of the fayrest citees of the worlde for goodly streetes and beautifull buildyng of temples and houses specially the Castell Nouo wherin the kynges were wonte as the Uicere now is to be moste commonly resident beyng one of the rarest buildyngê for greatnesse and strength that any where is lightly to be founde The countrey about is so pleasant that in maner euerie village deserueth to be spoken of aswell for sumptuouse buildynges and noumbre of commoditees namely haboundaunce of delicate fruites as also for the holesome ayre For in most places it semeth alwaies yea at the deadest of the winter to be continuall springe time In deede the heate of sommer doeth somewhat greeue them but they are so prouided of large and open buildynges that it dooeth not muche annoye theim ¶ And one thyng amongest all the rest is to be meruailed at wherof it shoulde procede that many tymes the fyre breaketh out of the earth in dyuers places vpon the sea costes like to the flambes of Mongibello aunciently called Ethna in Sicile as in the fyrst yere of the emperour Titus it hapned besides Naples in the hill Veseuio now called Summi where Plinie the same tyme seekyng the cause therof ended his life not by violence of the fyre for he approched not so nere but by the vehement opilacion of the sulfure that stopped his breath It is true that the naturall hote baines wherof there be many in Italy and namely in the realme of Naples come of the naturall heate that is in the sulfure thorough the veynes wherof the water maketh his course but what shuld be cause of this flambe that as it were against nature ascendeth out of the cold earth almost no man can make any reason In deede the best opinion that I gather is that the veyne of sulfure in the earth receiuyng sometymes through the extreme heate of the sonne a certaine kynde of fyre kendleth and as the veine is great or small so worketh it the effect If it be nere the vpper part of th earth and haue vent it breaketh out in fyre or smoke if it be so deepe that for the great weyght of the earth it can not issue than dooeth it cause th earth to quake as in those parties most subiect to the sonne earthquakê are common and sometime whole townes and countreys ar destroied withall ¶ Some thinke the fertilitee of the realme shoulde procede muche of the heate that this sulfure geueth the ground seyng there is more plenty than elswhere but whereof so euer it cometh the countrey is surely replenished of all thynges necessary for mans life and so plesaunt withall that Pandolfo Collenuccio a notable writer of the Neapolitane histories thinketh the wonderfull mutacious that haue happened in the same to procede of the desire that men had vnto the pleasers and commoditees of the countrey And further speakyng of the inconstancie of the people he saieth these woordes It seemeth that the realme of Naples is predestinate to haue in it continuall tyrannies sedicions falshead rebellions warres destruction of citees rauishementes and flambe with all the other calamitees that of auarice and ambicion true mothers of suche plages maie grow And allegeyng the auctoritee of diuers aunciente writers affirmeth that the prouinces of the realme whiche he calleth Regnicoli doe perseuer without rebellion as longe as thei finde none to rebell against Neuerthelesse Titus Liuius and the auncient Romaine histories shewe that Naples it selfe was of all other citees moste constante in their faieth towardes the Romaines aswell in tyme of daunger as of prosperitee And for the space of these .30 yeres and more they haue perseuered in quiete obedience vnder their princes Neuerthelesse in this the abbridgemente of their histories ye shall see that sens the decaie of the Romain empire no realme in al the worlde hath ben so much subiect to alteracions and warres principally through occasion of the inhabitauntes theim selfes who alwaies were diuided in partetakynges to their owne confusion And you shall yet to this houre see that the Neapolitanes are scarcely trusted on their wordes Not that I thynke thei deserue lesse credite than other men but because the wonted generall ill opinion of their vnstedfastnesse is not taken out of mens hertes Yet is the Neapolitane for his good enterteimente reckened to be the varaie courtesie of the worlde thoughe moste men repute him to be a great flatterer and full of crafte What woll you more Thei are riche for almost euery gentilman is lorde and kynge within hym selfe they haue veray fayre women and the worlde at will in so muche as Naples contendeth with Uenice whether shoulde be preferred for sumptuouse dames Finally the court about the Vicere was wont to be very princely and greatter than that of Myllaine for trayne of gentilmen but now it is somewhat diminished as you shall perceiue in the ende of this history ¶ The saiyng of theim that best can gesse is that it yeldeth the emperour .iii. millions of golde by the yere whiche after our reckenyng is about .700000 pounde A great parte wherof is consumed in mainteignyng the Uiceres astate and keping of many fortresses and in the wages of .300 men of armes continuallie mainteigned there that muste kepe euerie one his .iii. horse for the whiche he hath as good as .50 pounde stipende yerelie and many of theim haue more And one great faute there is for almost no straunger can trauaile the realme vnrobbed speciallie betwene Rome and Naples It is in maner closed about with the sea except .150 myle that is cutte ouer from the mouth of the riuer of Vfente nowe called Maseno vnto the mouth of Tronto and is of compasse in all measuryng it by the banke about .1400 miles hauyng vpon the sea costes suche a numbre of hauens and good townes as fewe realmes christened haue the like ¶ The historie of Naples AFter Charlemaine had taken on him the occidentall empire and agreed with Niceforo emperour of Constantinople for their confines leuing as I saied before the Duchy of BeneueÌ„to for a mere betwene both wherein he placed