customes and Tolls much decayed in value through the ruine of that Port which was afterwards called Julia from the Reaccomodators name Julius Caesar. So saies Servius upon these verses in the second of the Georgicks An memorem potius Lucrinoque addita claustra Atque indignatum magnis stridoribus aequor Julia qua Ponto longe sonat unda refuso Tyrrhenusque immittitur aestus Avernis A wonderfull Adventure In our times that is in the yeer 1538 those adjacent Fields and places being for two whole yeers before shaken moved and disturbed in the end the night of the twenty ninth day of September between the foot of the mountain Gaurus and the Sea near the aforesaid Lakes there arose a new mountain called Monte Novo a mile high in the upright which now is in circuit at the bottome four mile A miraculous thing to fall out in one night At the birth of this mountain the shore and the waters of the Sea retired the space of two hundred spaces one great and entire town called Tripergolano was entirely swallowed up by the Vorago and gulf of the earth with some of its baths which were very celebrious and the near Lakes Avernus and Lucrinus were almost filled up with stones earth and ashes This was thought to have proceeded from the ashes which came out of Sulfatara how many other old memorials this new mountain hath covered cannot be known On the top of it is a large mouth about 50. paces in circuit which at the beginning vomited out fire at the bottome whereof are now found warm waters The Lake AVERNUS THe Lake Avernus hath been illustrated by the most esteemed Poets and diligently described by Strabo and other Historians for the Fables sake which the Antients gave credit to appropriated to it For this was consecrated to Pluto the God of hell Hereabouts as Fame went was the Poets Acheron or descent into hell and here was the gate of hell thorough which they caused to rise the infernal Spirits when any humane creature was sacrificed unto them And hence the Gimerian Priests the antient Inhabitants of this place sent down by certain Caverns into hell to find Pluto such Travellers and strangers as came to be resolved in any questions or to receive counsel or answer from Pluto To this day the vulgar believe that through the Caverns in the neighbouring hill hence denominated Monte della Sibylla one may descend to the subterranean residence of the Sibylla Cumana and that there she is seen and consulted by many which things Leandrus Albertus in his Italia diligently advertiseth Lactantius saieth that she among the other Sybils prophesyed of Christ. The Inhabitants further hold for certain that Christ returning from Limbus with the souls of the holy Fathers arose out of the earth through a certain mountain near the Lake Averuus and the Monte Novo and therefore they call that Mountain by the name of Monte di Christo which opinion some old Poets confirm writing of the Baths of Pozzuolo Est locus effregit quo portas Christus Averno Et sanctos traxit lucidus inde Patres And another Est locus Australis quà Portam Christus Averni Fregit et eduxit mortuos inde suos T was also believed by the multitude of hot waters springing out all over those quarters that this Lake reached to a vein of the infernal waters and therefore called Palude Acherosia the Acherontick Fenns from which Maro disagrees not when he saies Quando hic inferni janua regis Dicitur et tenebrosa Palus Acheronte refuso Though in truth this false opinion was augmented by the natural quality of the places and other circumstances to wit some rare and stupendious miracles which have there come to passe Then as to the Avernus know it lies in a low Valley almost surrounded by high hills clothed of old with thick and heavy Trees capable to keep out the wind Whence the Lake was not frequented by any but emitting an unwholsome sulphurous stink it so infected the air above it by being so closely 〈◊〉 by mountains and woods that Birds flying over it fell down dead and thence t was named by the Latins Avernus that is to say without Birds So also may we collect from Livy that in old time this Vale was a horrid place and esteemed altogether inaccessable for saith he the Romans waging war against the Samniti the enemies when the Romans put them to flight by whole Armies retreated into the Woods in the said Vale as to secure places But Strabo writes not so of it in his time but saies that then this vale and nearer hills were delitious places in respect Augustus had caused the woods to be felled and a free passage opened to the air At present the Lake is full of fish and water-foul nor hath it any of those incommodities attributed to it by the antients Yet t is true that not many ages since a vein of sulphurous pestilential water gushed out of the bottome of the Lake which suddenly killed a world of fish their colour and smell being cast on the earth confirming that to be the cause of their death Joannes Boccaccius in his little tract of Lakes saies he saw it with his own eyes in the time of King Robert about the yeeer 1380. The Sybil Cumana was she which gave AEneas free passage into hell as Virgilâ—…aith â—…aith she was called Cumana of the City of Cuma here under treated of and was one of the twelve Sybils all which prophesyed of Christ though some more obscurely yet two so fully that with submission I shall here insert somewhat of their prophecies touching the Saviour of Mankind SIBILLA CUMANA GReat Rome shall then look high Whose proud Towers from seaven hills shall brave the sky And overlook the world In those blest daies Shall come a King of Kings and he shall raise A new Plantation and though greater far Then all the Monarchs that before him are In Majesty and power yet in that day So 〈◊〉 and humble he shall daign to pay Tribute to Caesar yet thrice happy he That shall his subject or his servant be And the SIBILLA ERITHRAEA to this effect THe times by the great Oracle assigned When God himself in pity of mankind Shall from the heaven descend and be incarnate Entring the world a Lamb immaculate And as himself in wisdâ—…m thinks it meet Walk on the Earth on three and thirty feet And with six fingers all his subjects then Though a King mighty shall be Fishermen In number twelve with these war shall be tride Against the Devil world and flesh their Pride Humility shall quell and the sharp sword With which they fight shall be the sacred word Establish't upon Peter which foundation Once laied shall be divulg'd to every Nation At one side of the Lake Avernus is the Temple of Apollo at the other this Sibilla Cumana her Grott which is very spatious having at the end a magnificent ascent where the oracle stood with
a certain exorcism which if malignity proceeded in a natural course of Physick would not only require the best skill but length of time Whosoever reads the 36th Ch. of the 6th Book of Diosc. and those other Tractates writ on that infirmity may comprehend how great this miracle is Mathioli in the cited fol. of Diosc. owned the success and willing to deduce it from some natural cause saith that possibly these Priests might intermix some medicinal herb or secret with that bread which they are wont to bless for Dog-bitten Mad Persons but this may easily be answered For this Church is governed by two poor Priests who many times desert it nor are they of a selected condition and t were strange if since the time of Saint Bellino to this day none should arrive therebut he must bring that medicinal secret with him Secondly they give but one little morcel of that blessed bread to a person and it can scarce be imagined enough of the medicine should be conteyned in so small a parcel of Bread for so wonderfully a dangerous disease Thirdly the Nuns of Saint Fetro in Padoua have an antient Key which was San Bellinoes which Key heated and its sign made on the head of the mad Dogg he never after that is troubled with the least sign of madness Which being t is necessarily conluded and the Physicians must pâ—…r force confess that t is a pure Miracle wrought by God at the intercession of San Bellino who by the instigation of certain evil People was torn in pieces by Doggs and his glorious Corps layed up in the said Church of Polesene Desiring to go to Ferrara First they take the way Rosati till they arrive at the Poe which passing by Bark they reach Francolino a County some five miles from Ferrara VICENZA VIcenza is now seated in the Marca Trivigiana or the Marquisate of Ireves It was built according to Livie Justine and Paulo Diacono by the Galli Senoni who fell down into Italy in the Reign of Tarquinius Priscus in Rome giving the name of Gallia Cisalpiâ—…a to that part possessed by them But Strabo Pliny and Polybâ—…s will have it to be founded by the Antient Tuscans and that it was one of the twelve Cities under their dominion on this side of the Apenines and that it was much encreased and amplified by the Galli Senones When afterwards the Cities thereabouts performed good service for Omnipotent Rome at the descent of other French men in the yeer 366. into Italy and at their Assayling of Rome Vicenza being one of them in recompence of their assistance so oportunely contributed was created Municipal a Free City whence exercising their own Laws and Statutes they participated of the honours and dignities of Rome and thence t is we find so many of its Citizens in the Magistracy of that grand Republick among others Aulus Cecinna the Consul was General of the Army of Vitellius the Emperour In whose honour because he so much surpassed the fame of an ordinary Citizen It will not be impertinent to place here this following antient inscription A Caecinnae Felicis Viteliani exercit Imp. Ob Virtutem munus Gladi atorum apud se exhibitum Cremona To it was allotted also the Title of Republick and City as is to be seen in many antient Marble Stones up and down the Countrey and t was assigned to the Tribe Menenia It was under the protection of Brutus and Cicero as appears in his familiar Epistles and in this antient inscribed memorial D. Bruto M. Tullio Viris in Senatu contra Vernas optimè de se meritis Viceut All the time the Roman Empire continued in its Grandezza it ever followed the victorious Eagle which decaying this also suf fered much Calamity and underwent those mutations which it and all the Cities of Italy groâ—…ned under with miserable example Not at all nevertheless declining from its antient Vigour and Reputation Whence it was that the Longobardi held it very considerable and assigned to it It s own particular Dukes and Counts Those Governours calling themselves by that Title for that they continued for life and to their Heirs masculines after them Of one of whom Paolo Diacono makes a noble record in the life of Leon the Emperor which was Peredeo Duke of Vicenza who marched to Ravenna in assistance to the Pope and there dyed fighting valiantly for his Holiness This City was by Desiderio the last King of the Longobardi selected amongst all his to place securely his Son Aldigerio when himself was besiged in Pavia by Charles the great but it avoided not its total destruction The Reliques of its antient Theatre which at this day demonstrate themselves in the Gardens of the Signori Pigafetta and Gualdi wherein both the Kings of the Longobardi and those of France often sate to behold the publick shewes and Games And the fragments of the hot Bathes with the Pilasters for the Aqueducts give sufficient testimony that it had no defect of whatsoever either for Ornament or magnificence other famous Cities use to enjoy And at that time when Loâ—…arius the Emperor endeavoured in Rome in the yeer 825 to reform the occasion of the Feudes and to that end convocated the principal Lawyers of the primary Cities of Italy He also invited the Vicentine Counsellors with an honourable testimony of what esteem he had for the City Vicentia Furthermore when Ottone King of Germanie the Berengarii being overcome and discomfited was by the Pope crowned Emperor he remised the Italian Cities in Liberty granting unto them Power to elect their Podestà or chief Governour and to enjoy their own Laws among the rest Vicenza participated of that so great a gift Whence forming a Carrocio or Chariot which was the Badge of a free City and acknowleging the Empire with the ordinary Tribute it lived in the form of a Republick although much perplexed with the most cruel factions of its own Citizens until the yeer 1143. When Federico Barbarrossa having gathered the utmost of his Power forced all the Cities of Italy into servitude and destroying Milan in the rest constituted a German Podesta Vicenza endured not long this Tyranny but united with Padoua and Verona they shoke off the yoke and sent the first Embassadors to the Milanesi to offer them assistance and to perswade them to do the like and so they concluded the famous League of the Cities of Lombardy by which Colleagues Barbarossa being overcome between Como and Milan was driven to the other side of the Alpes Which victory the peace of Costanza followed to the conclusion whereof came also the Orators of Vicenza where they megliorated enough their Cities Condition and the state of their Liberty chiefly for that Henry the Son and successor of Federick confirmed the abovenamed Peace with all the conditions conceded by his Father All the Embassadors of the Colleagued Cities randezvousing at Piacense to that purpose where also was the Emperor and Michael Capra a Vicentine
been under several Lords in Anno 1527. it became a part of the Church Patrimony and so continues Whence you must passe the River Savio in whose Port Caesar Octavianus prepared a great Armada and then to the River Pistatello formerly called Rubicone famous not only for that the Romans made it the bound of two Provinces calling the one towards Rome Italia and the other towards the Alpes Gallia Cisalpina and commanded that no Commander of what quality soever should presume to pass that River towards Rome with armed Souldiers but also for that Iulius Caesar afterwards against the determination of the Senate and people of Rome conducted his Army over that River towards Rome where he first consulted by reason of the dangerous consequence might ensue so rash a Deed and in the end resolved and passed saying Eatur quo Deorum ostenta inimicorum iniquitas vocant Iacta sit alea and upon his demurr there he saw certain Birds fly called Augurii which to his Judgement seemed to invite him to transport those Souldiers he had commanded in France to commence a War against Rome his Mother and Country Travailing from Ravenna to Rimini on one hand lies the Sea and on the other fertile and pleasant Fields the Via Flaminia and Alpes at whose Feet stands the stately City Forli FORLI T Is believed that after Asdrubal was slain by the Roman Consul Livio Salinatore then united with Claudius Nero certain old Souldiers built a Castle and called it Livio in honour of the said Livius the Consul a mile and halfe's distance from where Forli now stands but because in the Via Maestra there was a fair Town wherein they made their Mart for Merchandize and Seat of Judicature for that cause called Foro they say that the Inhabitants of Livio after some time cousidering that t was more comodious to inhabite the said Town than their Castle Livio agreed with the Townes men to cohabite together and accordingly by Common consent with leave of Augustas which was easily obtained through the mediation of Livia his consort and Cornelio Gallo a Liviese they conjoyned those two names Foro and Livio and for brevity called the place Forli which in Latine by the name clearly appears being called forum Livii which union was made in the time that our Lord Christ was being on the Earth and 208. yeers after the first foundation of the Castle Livio Forli is placed between the Rivers Ronco and Montone enjoyes a delicate ayr with a most fertile Country in Wines Oyls Corn and Fruit together with Coriander seed Anniseed Cumin-seed and Woad in great abundance The men of Forli are for the most part gallant beyond measure and retains the martial disposition of their first Founders It was a long time subject to the Romans after them to the Bolonians and because four Bolonians banished out of Bolonia were courteously entertained in Forli the Bolonians raised a great Army against them but in a Battail received such an overthrow by the Forlesi that they never could raise their heads after it whereby the Bolonians power being abated the Forlesi yielded themselves up to the Roman Church from whome afterwards revolting Martin the 4th dismantled it and threw down the Walls consigning it to the Family Monfredi from whom it passed to the Ordelasi who again Walled it round but Sistus the 4th gave it to Giorlamo Biario Savonese whom Caesar Borgia Son of Alexander the 6th expelled and and took it by force of Arms but at last in the time of Giulius the second it again returned to the Church under whom to this day it continnes in peace and fidelity it hath yielded many learned and brave men as Guidon Bonato Rainiero Biondi and others BRITTONORO ABove Forli stands Brittonoro called in Latine Forum Trijarinorum this City is built upon a hill and above it hath a strong Fort fatal to Frederick the second it was a Town but created a City at the instance of Egidius Carrilla a Spanish Cardinal and Legate of Italy who having destroyed Forlimpopoli transferred thence his Episcopal Seat to Brittonoro in Anno 137. it participates a most happy Ayr and rich Country in Olives Figgs Vynes Fruitful Trees and good Waters It hath one place erected intentionally for a prospect where you have a full view of the Adriatick Sea of Dalmatia Croatia Venetia and all Romagna at one instant Barbarossa the Emperor at the instance of Pope Alexander the third being reconciled to the Venetians for this beautiful prospects sake requested Brittonora of the Pope for his habitation but the Pope perpending the constant fidelity of this People to the Sea of Rome prevayled with the Emperor by fair words not to take from the Churches government a place that in all occasions had demonstrated so sincere a Faith to it and so it continued under it till Alexander the 6th consigned it to Caesar Borgio his Son after whom the civil discords had almost destroyed it its Inhabitants being so prone to Arms that they know not how to live in Peace Finally Clement the seaventh consigned it to the Family Pii who yet enjoy it FORIMPOPOLI A Mile and halfe from Brittonoro on the Via Emilia stand Forlimpopoli called in Latine Forum Popilii which is one of the four Fori recorded in Pliny on the Via Emilia T was a City but in the year 700. Vitaliano being Pope Griomaldo King of the Longobardi secretly entred it on the Sabbath day when all the People with the Bishop were at Divine Service and slew all the Males and Females which done he sacked the City and levelled it with the ground It was afterwards renewed by the Forlinesi and again destroyed by Egiddio Carilla the Popes Legate dwelling in Avignone who in the yeer 1370. plowed it and sowed it with salt for its utter extirpation transferâ—…ng the Episcopal Seat to Brittonoro as afore aid twenty yeers after which Sinibaldo Ordelafo Lord of Forli repaired it and built the formidable Castle now there It enjoyes a good ayr fertile Fields and a great Ferry affording ample profit Bofello a most holy man of of stupenduous miracles was its Bishop in the Catalogue of Saints whose holy bones now lye in the Church called Santa Lucia Antonel lo Armuzzo with his Sons Meleagro and Brunoro much honoured this Country who by his Genius and strength from a mean person acquired the dignity of being Captain of the Popes Cavalry SARSINA NEar Forlumpopoli is seated the City Sarsino at the foot of the Appenines whose Citizens furnished 20000. Armed Souldiers in supply to the Romans against the French when they made a most furious eruption over the Alpes into Italy Its ayr is healthfull and Territory abounds with Olivs Vines and other fruitful Trees It continued a long time under Malatesti but when Rimini became subject to the Church Sarsina yeelded with it afterwards Leo the 10th bestowed it on the house of Pii this City gave birth to Vicino Bishop of Liguria a most holy man
come near him as is recorded in the 34th Chapter of Exodus To return then to our subject The Persian Kings had a Crown to be worn on their heads which Zonara sets down in greek by its proper name which can neither be commodiously expressed either in Latin or vulgar tongue and it was a capital offence among the Persians for any one to put the Kings Crown upon his head as Dion Chrysostomus denotes in his first oration De libertate servitute Likewise the priests of the Gentiles wore a crown upon their heads for demonstration of that repute which appertained to the splendidness and maintenance of their Sacerdotal office whence the Antients were stupified at a suddain view of the great Priest of the Comani to whom as Strabo writes was granted the first honour next the King and to wear a Royal Crown Besides in Emesa a City of Phoenicia the Priests went clad with a long robe having a Crown of pretious stones of various colours in token of Majesty upon their heads Which Ornament Antoninus being made Emperor of the Romans by the multitude the Souldiery and the Priests of the Sun would not part with again as Herodianus in libro quinto clearly proves and so afterwards the Emperors of Constantinople triumphing elected this ornament which was called by a proper name as we read in the life of Basilius Porfirogenitus Triumphum duxit tiara tecta quam illi tuphum appellant although some modern Authors call it Calipora as saies Niceforus Gregorius in libro sexto Or Bishops then having two royal Dignities to wit the spiritual and temporal deservedly wear a double crown as Innocent the third in his third sermon De coronatione Pontificis confirms saying that the Popebears the Mitre in token of the spiritual power and the Crown in testimony of the Temporal both which are conferred upon him by God omnipotent King of Kings and Lord of Lords But let us examine a little whether the Mitre and the Crown are Ornaments adapted to the Ecclesiastical customs The mitre by Suidas is called the swathe or Fillet of the head bound about with gold and silver as Brissonius explains and Eusebius in his second book the first Chapter calls it a shelter with which Saint James the Apostle called the Brother of our Lord was suddainly adorned when by the Apostles he was chosen and consecrated Bishop of Jerusalem which Ornament although it took beginning with Aaron Priest of the Hebrew Law is nevertheless received into the Christian Church to the end that therewith the Bishops of all Nations may be adorned Policrates Ephesinus wore the Mitre as Eusebius in the 31st Chapter of the third Book relates as Priest of Ephesus and likewise the other Priests wore almost all the Ornaments of the antient Priests as the Robe and the Mitre that they might appear the more adorned and majestick saies Eusebius in his Book whereof Amalarius Rabanus and others the gravest Authors treat more amply What we have spoken touching the Mitre is without contradiction and is held for truth by the consent of many and sundry Nations but what is to be spoken touching a Kingdome and a Royal Crown is not so perspicuous to all wherefore to our best power we will endeavour to manifest the same Then first is to be observed that t is the common opinion of all that this sort of Ornament upon the head of the Pope had its original from the Emperor Constantine the Great as appears in the Acts of San Silvestre the Pope the same opinion is also embraced by all other Roman Bishops as by Leo the ninth in the 13. chapter of his Epistle against the presumption of Michaele and Innocent the third in his first Sermon of the blessed Silvester confirms That Constantine the great at his departure from Rome to Constantinople would have bestowed his own Crown upon San Silvester which he refused but in lieu thereof put a covering upon his head entirely circular and a little after Innocent follows in words to this sence And for this cause the Roman Bishop in testimony of Empire wears a Regal crown called in Latin Regnum and in testimony of his Pontificacy he wears a Mitre which is most convenient for him in all times and places universally because the spiritual power hath been ever esteemed for the Prior more worthy and more great then the Temporal And reason will yeeld that San Silvester would not wear that Crown but such a one as only covered the Temples in respect his head was shaven as the Popes ought to be Which shaving gave good reason that t was not decent to wear such a Diadem but rather that circular covering which he chose named properly Tiara Phrigia whereof Juvenal speaks in his sixth satyr saying Et Phrygia vestitur buca tiara Which Ornament may be supposed to be borrowed either from Phrygia or Phoenicia as we please because the Phrigians had their original from the Phoenicians And that this was given the Pope by the Emperor Constantine the great is most evident in the Acts of San Silvester where the Emperor reckons up those things that he had bestowed on the Pope and being come to this gives it the name Phrygium as t was its proper name but in respect t was not manifest to all what thing Phrygium denoted he explains himself in the sence by us set down saying et Phrygium nempe tegmen capitis sive Mitram This particular required so much explanation for that Theodorus Balsamones confounding the signification of Phrygium by joining it with the subsequent Lorum which imports a perfect different thing hath caused many to erre in beleeving that Phrygium and Lorum put together do denote Pallium the Cope which Arch Bishops wear by the concession of the highest Bishop But t is not convenient for us to dwell longer upon the dispute let the intelligent read the latin Itinerary in this place where they 'l meet an ample discourse upon the significations of these words Other authors will have that this Crown came not from Constantine but from Clodoveo as they labour to draw from Segeberto under the yeer of our Lord 550. who speaks to this sence Clodoveus the King received from Anastasius the Emperor the Codicils of the Consulacy a Crown of Gold with Jewels and the red garment and on that day he was called Consul and King but the same King sent to Saint Peter at Rome the Crown of Gold with the Jewels the Royal Ensigne which is called Regnum Armonius also confirms in his first book the 24th Chapter that from Clodoveus the Pope had the Crown and Anastasius the Library Keeper under Pope Hormisda testifies that Saint Peter received many gifts In whom I have read that in the yeer 776 that Philip the first Pope and Constantine the second Pope were both consecrated in San Peters Church but we must observe that the antient Authors under the word consecration understand also the ceremony of coronation for that when they
of Pozzuolo we also have proved and tryed that dust as others did for we find that troops in the passage by foot or horse raise the dust and that at our issuing out of that obscurity we were all yellow and looking and laughing at one another we much wondered at it finding a more then desirable inconvenience in cleansing our selves of that filth The cause of which dust is easily known to proceed from the exclusion of the wind and rain so that the raised dust as Seneca saies having no Vent falls down on it self or on those that raise it whence we collect that in the time of Nero this cavern had no Casements or breathings whereby it might receive air or light more then at the entrance and end because Seneca calls it a long and obscure prison where nothing is to be seen but darkness Yet Cornelius Strabo testifies by the riving or chops of the Mountain in divers places that many windows gave it light which being closed or earthed up either through the earthquakes or the carelesness of the times we may rationally imagine rendred this longcavern so darksom Pietro Rassano a Sicilian Bishop of Lucerie writes that in his time which we may count to be above 250. yeers since this cavern was found without any holes and without light and that the entrance and the out-passage were so filled up with ruines and bushes that t was terrible to enter without light and that therefore the King of the Arragonians Alfonsus the first having reduced this Province enlarged and levelled the way and the entrance of the Caverne and closing the top of the Cavern opened two lights which obliquely enlighten it whose reflection at a distance seems to the aspicients snow scattered on the earth in the midst of this darksome way is a little sacred place cut in the walls of the mountain where night and day a lamp perpetually burns which puts the travellers in remembrance of the eternal light and shews in a painted tablet our salvation proceeding from the virgin Mother Mary a Lampe perpetually burns there and the words at the Incounter are Alla Marina Alla Montagne In our times D Pietro di Toledo magnificently restored and aggrandized this work so worthy of eternity being then governor of Naples Kingdom by the favour of the Emperor Charls the fifth the way is now become so strait that it seems to such as enter the cavern a Star to which they ought to direct their course in the darkness by means whereof with what pleasure they behold all such as enter on foot or horsback at the other end who seem like Pigmies at that distance is scarce imaginable Divers are the opinions of the learned touching the time and beginning of this great work worthy of the mind of Serse omitting the idle prating of the vulgar who attribute it to the magick incantations of the Poet Virgil whose ashes by the opinion of many ly at the mouth of the Cavern or of others who make one Basso the author of whom there is no record among the antients we beleive we may draw from Strabo Eforus Homerus and other greek writers that the Cimmerij a most antient people dwelt in that Canton of Campania between Baio Lucerno and Averno and that they lay in denns and subterranean Caves and that running the one to the other they dug out metals and hollowed mountains and in profound Caverns exercised by means of their Priests Negromancy and inchantments conducting travellers and pilgrims to the oracles of the infernal gods which people being destroyed the Greeks who succeeded them and built Cuma and Naples accommodated as most suppose those Caves of the Cimmerii into hot baths and baths ways and other conveniences for humane use So likewise the Romans after the example of the Grecians being chiefly enclined to great and magnificent impreses encreased these laborious under-ground structures and at the time when they became the Lords of the world they there erected their Palaces of Recreation and Mannor houses little inferiour to Castles when the rare quality of the dust of Pozzuolo was discovered extracted from those mountains to be very efficacious for binding building and establishing foundations of Edifices in the waters Strabo affirms that in his time M. Agrippa under Augustus cutting up the wood on the mountain Avernus which corrupted the air among the other antique magnificent things found out a subterranean cavern hollowed even to Cuma the which as was conjectured together with another between Naples and Pozzuolo was made by one Cocceio and that in his time the custom of the Countrey was to make such underground waies and Caverns from whose words we collect that for a long time before Strabo the Cocceian family were got together in Campania and that the place was called Spelonca though for truth we cannot set down any thing of certain of him that first made it nor is it probable to me that Strabo could be ignorant of the deeds of L. Lucullus the which in those places were very great and of excessive expence from which he was called Serse Togato by Pompeius Magnus by Tuberone by Cicero and the other principal men of Rome wherefore their sence pleaseth me who impose on him the concavating the Pausilipus for the conveniency of his Villa because t is written by Marcus Varro Pliny and others that L. Lucullus cut a mountain in the midst of Naples with greater cost then he expended in building his Manor house for to what end should he not to level and accomodate the way for passengers but rather to open a gulfe of the Sea whereby at his pleasure to admit and let in Sea water to his Fishponds that so the caves of the mountain might be a good receipt for his Fish which he kept alive to lye in as well in Winter as Summer At the outgoing of this Cavern you perceive by little little the odour of brimstone in the air which here and there proceeds out of divers vaults By it lies the Lake Aniano in similitude of an Amphitheatre surrounded and shut in on all sides by the Mountains and through a mouth of a hill cut with iron great plenty of Sea watet and great concaves made ponds for Fish at present filled with mud sand and ruines of structures Leandro and others write from the relation of the peasants there that in the midst of the Lake there is no mud and that in the spring time with great noyse fury fall down from the highest praecipices of the rocks there round in to these waters Knots of Serpents knit and bound together which are never seen again to get out Near them are the sweating Rooms of Germanus vaulted from under which through the superficies rise vapours so hot that who enters though naked shall soon perceive a mighty sweat trickle down his body Wherefore those places are held of exceeding validity to such as suffer under the gout by purging the bad and malevolent humours they
testifies in the 15th book of his Annals whose vast foundations remain to this day under their old name neare the Temple of Venus That of Pompey they say was on the third Mountain between the Avernus and the contiguous Tritullian hot baths whence the surname they yet retain and there some yeers since was found a statue of Pompey The Villa Academica of Marcus Tullius CICERO Pliny in the second Chapter of his thirty first book declares that the Villa of Cicero made so famous by his writings was in these quarters between the Avernus and Pozzuolo upon the Sea shore with a most delicious grove and a spacious hall to walk in wherefore Cicero called it an Academy in imitation of that at Athens wherein they ordinarily disputed walking Here Cicero made his sepulchres and so much was he pleased with it that he often spoke of it and entitled some of his books from it Questiones Academicae Academick questions Atticus being in Athens Cicero in almost every letter recommended his Academy that he might send to him from Greece whatever could be had for ennobling it with fair ornaments wherein Atticus failed not according to the occasions in statues pictures and other the like ornaments Whence Cicero in his Epistle ad Attiticum praiseth his diligence and the things sent him Cicero being retired hither in the calamitous times of the Republique to spend away the time toyl and troubles with Books many of the Principal Romans repaired thither to visit him and take some counsel Of them was C. Caesar after the victory he obtained in the civil warr C. Octavius the Successour of Julius yet before he made himself Emperour with infinite others but after that Cicero was banished the Villa Academica was possessed by C. Antistius who was the Legat of Caesar and followed his faction in the civil wars A little after Ciceroes death in his Villa sprung up fountains of hot water good among other things for the eyes and sight celebrated by Tullius Taureus the freeman of Cicero with an Epigram set down among the works of Pliny who wrote this successe and judged that Epigram worthy of memory We must believe that this Villa stood where now the Stadio is taking that name from the length of Ciceroes hall whose ruines yet remain so distinctly as that it may be measured how long t was and although this Stadio seem to stand too far from the Sea in respect of that we read touching Ciceroes Academy yet this will not create any difficulty since the Sea may be in so long a space of time through divers causes retired because truely this Villa in Ciceroes time stood over water at leastwise conducted from the Sea by certain channels so that he eating at table might cast into the waters for the fish to eat angle and fish at his pleasure The hot fountains are extant in a neere field in a cavern underground at the root of the hill which are also of wonderfull nature because they increase and decrease according to the flowing and ebbing of the sea by day and by night in their increase they cast abundance of water into the bath and when full part of the water returns to the fountain and part runs into the Sea by a certain small chanel or gutter made to that purpose This Bath vulgarly called Bagno Ciceroniano the Ciceronian bath and by phisicians Praetense or Tritulliano is as gallant and entire an antiquity as any in the Tract of Pozzuolo These waters were so soveraign not many years since over most diseases that over every bath was written for what cures t was good of which inscription some letters yet stand but the phisicians of Palermo as they tell the story finding those waters prejudicial to their custom went with instruments expresly demolish't those writings so that for the present they are unusefull the said phisicians being all cast away in their return Thus much shall suffice touching Ciceroes famous Villa for that Leander and other writers treat sufficiently of its nature and others thereabouts From the commencement of Ciceroes Academical questions is comprehended that the Villa of Ter. Varro a most learned Roman was not far distant but the determinate place is unknown The Villa of SERVILIUS VATIA SEneca demonstrates in his fifty second Epistle to Lucullus that on the shore between Cuma and the Lake Avernus stood the Villa of Servilius Vatia the magnificence and vastness of which Fabrick may be comprehended from the fragments yet extant He saies two Caves were here built with great expence into the one whereof the Sun never entred and on the other it shone from morning to night into which ran a delicious water through as pleasant a Meadow with many Fish Hither Servilius a noble and rich Man retired himself at such time as Tiberius Caesar afflicted many noble Romans and applyed himself to honest Labour far from Rome in peace for which he was styled happy and obtained the fame of knowledge in his affaires above others by that meanes avoyding dangers Touching the dead and other notable things others have abundantly writ let this therefore suffice for the purpose of the Baianian celebrious Villa's since of the other particulars in the times of those old Roman Princes t is impossible to treat exactly all things being so wholly ruinated and destroyed that scarce any footsteps remain The old City of BAIA The most fair foundations and pitched Piazzaes of the old City Baia lye underneath the waters scarce any fragments remaining on the Land but in the neighbouring Mountains in every corner lye baths hot baths and structures of Admirable Architecture notwithstanding that many great Fabricks were burnt many thrown down by earthquakes and many swallowed up by the Earth In the Sea may be clearly seen the great old Piles of the Port of Baia like those of Pozzuolo built of Brick with intollerable expence which now seem like Rocks as do the enclosures and foundations which of old stood for defence of the Lakes Lucrinus and Avernus against the storms of the Sea which was genenerally believed to be made in this manner to wit that Hercules by his strength upon two carts abrest drew as large a peice of Earth as was requisite and that a mile in length to the place and there fixed it and therefore Posterity for a perpetual remembrance and acknowledgement of so great a benefit erected to him a Round Temple near Bauli whereof some fragments yet are extant But afterwards that repair being wasted by the Sea C. Caesar again restored and bettered it as may be collected from Virgils Georgicks and from Servius his Commentator with whose opinion Suetonius seems to accord saying that Augustus perfected the Julian Port near Baia whence t is supposed that Julius Caesar had first setled it which must have been in his first Consuâ—…lship by Commission of the Senate who gave him that charge at the instance of the Receivers of the Customs and Tolls upon their allegation that the
Pelestrina named Suffucius by frequent advices and menaces which he had in his dreams was commanded to break out of a certain place a great flint stone wherat all the other Citizens his Compatriots fell a laughing but when the stone was broke the Lots or Chaunces suddenly leaped forth engraven in antient Letters which occasioned their honouring of Fortune in that place and thence became the place by little and little enclosed and shut up through respect of the Image of Jupiter there devoutly adored by the Matrons in form of a boy childe sitting with Juno in the lap of Fortune in a posture as seeking out the breast and teat and that at the same time after the Temple of Fortune was built there dropped honey from an olive tree wherewith by commandement of the Southsayers was made a chest and therein those Lotts were reposed the which were mingled and drawn out by a litle boyes hand when ever they would see the issue of any thing as Fortune had at large directed her intention to be that after this manner they should draw out the Lots This observation was most antient and such as affirm L. Sylla to be the builder of this Temple deceive themselves Which errour they took up from their reading the thirty sixth book of Pliny who doth not say L. Sylla built that Temple but that he began to make its pavement with small stones of various colours in small figures of which pavement thus wrought some yeers since certain parts were found under ground and therein figured many forrein creatures with their names in greek It may then be rationally believed that L. Sylla being victorious in the civil warrs after he had enforced C. Marius the younger to dye and his other enemies who had saved themselves in Preneste after a long siege took the City killing some part and selling others of the Citizens but repenting afterwards his impietie expressed against the sacred places for expiation of that crime he resolved to restore and embellish anew the Temple profaned and almost wholly destroyed by him It seems a notable advise and observation to me that the strength of the scite of this City hath occasioned its own destruction which hath had a much contrary event in all other strong holds The cause whereof is attributed to the assured confidence of the strength of the place for which cause in the civil warrs the weaker part ordinarily fled thither for safety but their enemies being stronger and more potent immediately layed siege to it so that at the end if they surrendred not themselves the besiegers ruined the poor City whence we read that in the following times of civil discord the Pelestrini that they might not undergoe so great misery as formerly they had done abandoned their City and retired to their dwellings To this day appear there many subterranean waies from the Castle to the foot of the adjacent mountains besides the Caves used as conservatories for water which were made for introducing of assistance or to fly the City occultly into one of which C. Marius the younger having withdrawn himself and perceiving himself to be beseiged on all sides so that he could not fly that he might not living fall into the hands of his enemies agreed with Telesinus to run one against the other with their naked swords so to kill themselves by which means Telesinus was slain but Mvrius remained alive thorugh desperatly wounded and soon after caused one of his Seâ—vants to make an end of his then begun death by killing him From which successes the Inhabitants of the place believe the stones of those subterranean waies to be still reddish with the bloud spilt there which yet is not so for over all those hills are stones red by nature and not through any accident of blood spilt thereon Preneste was first a free City and confederate with the Romans having its own Praetor as Livy and Festus declare calling her Municipal Appianus saies that the Prenestini at the time of the Italian war were made Citizens of Rome with the â—iburtini but some time after L. Sylla victorious as Cicero speaks in Catalines conspiracy having emptied this City by slaughters and banishments and deprived her of inhabitants by the many expulsions slaughters and banishments he made of them there remained so few inhabitants that he sent of the Romans to dwell there dividing its Territory among the new comers and thus made it a Roman Colony Aulus Gellius saies in the third Chapter of his 16. book that afterwards the Prenestini obtained of Tiberius Augustus a restoration to their first state that is into the condition of free Citizens having the form of a Colony wholly amoved from their City TIVOLI WHen arrived at Tivoli first go see those gardens which Hippolitus Estense Cardinal of Ferrara planted with so much cost many yeers since upon the back of the mountain together with a proud Pallace which also is beautifyed with old statues Pictures and royal houshold stuffe even to the emulation of the greatness and magnificence of the Antients But who is able with sufficiency ever to display in words the exquisite delights costs pleasure wherewith this place and palace is plentifully furnished and who shall relate the Labyrinths the Groves the half circles the triumphant Arches the Arches laden with old statues the Caverns of the Nymphs and the innumerable fountains which every where sprout forth waters the close walkes and beautifull arbours covered with trees herbs and tender branches and other like verts Ubertus Folieta of Genoua heretofore described it most gratiously But Corona Pighio cannot satiate himself with praising of it who published descriptions of that Palace and the gardens in Rome stamped from brasse cuts the view whereof in my opinion may draw as many persons to behold it as Rome doth with all its wonders Although we have scarce courage enough yet conformable to that published Table will we cursorily describe it for satisfaction of such as have not had the good fortune to see them or at least their draught in picture First then the Hill is levelled at top and upon the plain thereon is erected the Palace built of square stones with the grandure and magnificence of a Royal palace and with exquisite art and proportion On the right hand whereof lie enclosed gardens called Secreti and therein sixteen great marble Goblets emit clear waters in the midst whereof sits a Janus Quadrifrons with four faces higher raised then those goblets which makes four other fountains adorned like looking glasses and on the right hand a Tennis Court and other sumptuous places for exercise The forefront hath between the windows many old statues of Marble as hath the first Porticue from which lead two fair stone staire-cases up into the palaces Before this Porticue in the midst of a Piazza stands a Leda which Leda was wife of Tyndarus King of Laconia with whom as Poets feign Jupiter accompanying she brought forth two eggs of the one whereof came