streets that in case the Banditi entred the City they might be more easily discern'd by the light of those fires dispers'd up down the streets all this was executed with punctuall and exact celerity by all as far as the Regents of the Chancery as by all the Gown-men Nobles Cavaliers Regulars and by all conditions of peeple being all very much affrighted by the sad tragedy of poor Caraffa and 150. heads of the Banditi all which was don in less then the space of 6 hours which were seen fix'd upon divers poles up down the streets They were also terrified at the huge number of 150000. men all arm'd and being ready to obey the beck of Masaniello who as he had been another Cola di â—enza did no sooner signifie his pleasure but it was don in a minut in such a maÌ„ner that if he sayed bring me the head of such a one or let such a Palace be burnt the house of such a Prince be plundred or any other the least thing commanded at the very instant without any doubts or replies 't was put in Execution a glory that no King or Emperour yet enjoy'd And to put a period to the tragicall acts of this day he declared by the dreadfull noise of Drum and Trumpet the Duke of Mataloni to be a rebell to his King and Countrey and whosoever shold bring him in shold have thirty thousand Crownes in gold and his head shold ransom one hundred and fifty Banditi and ten thousand Crowns were were added for a reward to him that shold bring him alive so he sent Companies up and down to find him out but Masaniello imployed his own brother to find him out at Benevento with a considerable strength of Horse and Foot Thursday the 11. of Iuly 1647. The fifth day 'T Is well knowne by that which Pliny and Tiraquello do affirm that in the Olympick Games it often fell out the Judges did give the palm and prize in doubtfull combats not as much according to the vertue and valor of the combitant as for the favour and applause of the peeple one may deservedly think then that Masaniello although but young and of a very low birth but having the empty gale of popular applause blowing upon him and of such a huge masse of peeple as are in Naples obtain'd the truncheon of generall command over them But the wonder is the greater that so base a creature I will not say a Fisherman but a Fishermans boy nor a complete man but a youth in a manner shold draw after him such swarmes of peeple and the second day to be attended by the civillest and discreeter sort of men the third to make himself absolute Commander o're them and the charge of Generalissimo ev'ry one shewing obedience to his commands accordingly the fourth and fifth day by his sagacious orders ready dispatches and oportune expedients and above all by his spiritfulness efficacy and capacity in negotiating businesses of so great importance he was held to be of such wisdome and counsell that he rais'd a kind of admiration in all men and particularly in the mind of the Archbishop who more then any other had occasion to try his capacity and treat with him and by the rigorous justice from the first day of his reign to the last end of his usurped dominion which he exercis'd as also for his precipitated barbarismes as we shall touch anon the ugly horrors and astonishments he struck into the whole City he had with an unspeakable boldness which seem'd wonderfull to the present and will seem incredible to the absent not as a Plebean or som abject fellow but like a kind of great martiall Commander having threats in his looks terrors in his gestures and revenge in his countenance subjugated all Naples Naples the head of such a Kingdom the Metropolis of so many Provinces the Queen of so many Cities the Mother of so many glorious Hero's the Rendevouz of Princes the Nurse of so many valiant Champions and spiritfull Cavaliers this Naples by the impenetrable judgements of heaven though having six hundred thousand souls in her saw her self commanded by a poor abject vile Fisher-boy who rais'd a numerous Army amounting in few hours to one hundred fifty thousand men he made trenches set Sentinells laid Spies gave signes chastised the Banditi condemn'd the guilty view'd the Squadrons rank'd their Files comforted the fearfull confirm'd the stout incouraged the bold promis'd rewards threatned the suspected reproach'd the coward applauded the valiant and marvellously incited the minds of men by many degrees his superiors to battell to burnings to plunder to spoile to blood and to death The whole City yea the Spaniards themselfs stood astonished that in so great and so confus'd a multitude of infinite numbers of armed peeple he could proceed so regular in his orders and that they were so exactly observed that there was never seen nor known the like that he should be so observant to Ladies so respectfull of the holy Church and her Officers that all the while he wold not suffer any outrage to be offer'd them except only in Sancta Maria della Nuova in the quest of Mataloni that among such a world of tempting rich goods which there were burnt up and down he wold not suffer the value of a pin to be converted to private use The first order that was published by Masaniello upon Thursday morning betimes was that all men shold go without Cloaks Gowns wide Cassocks or such like which was generally obeyed not only of the common sort but of all the Nobility of all the Churchmen Religious Orders 't was a marvellous thing if not rather ridiculous to see the Dominicans Carmelites the Regular Canons Iesuits Teatins Priests and all sorts of Regulars yea the Canons and Dignitaries of the Cathedral Churches the Chaplains of the Archbishop Filomarino of Cardinal Trivultio of the Viceroy the Apostolicall Nuncio and of all the Bishops residing then in NAPLES and if we give credit to the relation of many their Eminences themselves went without upper garments all the while that Masaniello reign'd every one submitting to so vile a fellow He commanded also that all women of what degree or quality soever they were shold go without fardingalls which was also obey'd and that when they went abroad they shold tuck their petticoats somwhat high that it might be discern'd whether they carried any arms underneath it having bin discover'd that under such long robes sundry sorts of arms have bin brought to the Banditi and other enemies of the peeple And besides the night before there were many papers thrown up and down wherein ther were inklings given of som notable design against the peeple That morning also all the streets were intrench'd and the Cannons from the Magazing of San Lorenzo were brought down and set upon carriages and plac'd in divers parts of the city which lay most advantagious and companies both of foot and horse were dispers'd up and down
dwellers in the neighboring quarters they erected there according to custom a castle of wood which was to be battered with sticks and fruit upon this occasion there assembled there abundance of peeple of the meaner sort and although the houre was com that fruits were us'd to be brought to the Market to pay gabell and the boyes us'd to be there to gather such fruit that fell upon the streets but it chanc'd there came no fruit at all because the shop-keepers had mutined and agreed not to buy any fruit of purpose not to pay the gabell as they were used to do telling the Fruiterers that they shold pay the gabell if they wold for the Shopkeepers wold pay none this seeming very strange they came from words to blowes with the Shopkeepers And in regard of this difference there was no fruit then in the market which were fresh but a few of the day before A tumult did arise among the peeple which being told the Lord Zufia Grassiâ—ro Regent of the City he ordered the forenamed Anaclerio the Elect of the peeple that he shold apply himself to remedy that commotion which he attempted to do but all in vain in regard of the first and obstinate quarrell that was 'twixt the Fruiterers and the retailing Shopkeepers wherefore the Elect not to displease the peeple and Shopkeepers gave sentence against the Fruiterers as Forreners most part of whom were of the City of Puzzuolo reviling them with words and threatning to bastinado them and have them condemned to the Gallies Among those of Puzzolo there was a cosen of Massianello's who according to the instructions given him began more then any to incite the peeple who seeing that he could sell his fruit but at a low price and after he had payed the Gabell there was scarce left as much as would pay for the Barque and quit cost he flew into such a rage that throwing two great baskets upon the ground he cried out God gives plenty and the ill government a dearth therefore I care not a straw for this fruit let every one take of it The boyes eagerly ran to gather and eat the fruit Masaniello all this falling out according to his expectation rush'd in among them crying out Without Gabell Without Gabell But Anaclerio threatning him with whipping and the Gallies not onely the Fruiterers but all the peeple threw Figs Apples and other fruits in great fury into his face But this seeming but little to Masaniello he hit him upon the brest with a stone and incouraged his militia of boyes to do as he did which they did But Anaclerio breaking through the crowd in a coach made hast to the Church of Carmine where finding a felluca he imbark'd himself therein and so got towards the Pallace otherwise he had been torn in peeces or ston'd to death by the boyes Upon this success the people flocking in greater numbers as well in the said Market-place as else-where they began to exclaime aloud against those intolerable grievances under which they groan'd so a mighty rumor ran up and down the streets protesting to pay no more gabell and crying out Let thâ— King of Spain live but let the ill Government die The fury still increasing Masaniello being follow'd by an infinite company of boyes and all sorts of loose people som with sticks others with pikes and partizans taken from the Tower of the Carmine he leap'd up upon the highest table which was among the Fruiterers and with a loud voice cryed Be merry dear companions and brothers give God thanks and to the glorious Virgin of Carmine that the hour of your redemption drawes neer this poor bare-footed fellow as another Moses who freed the Israelites from Pharoahs rod shall in that manner redeem you of all gabells from the first time that they were ever imposed A Fisherman who was Peter reduc'd with his voice from Satans slavery to the liberty of Christ Rome her self and with Rome a world Now another Fisherman who is Masaniello shall release Naples and with Naples a whole kingdom from the tyranny of Gabells From henceforth ye shall shake from off your necks the intolerable yoke of so many grievances which have depress'd you hitherto Nor to effect this do I â—are a rush to be torn in peeces and to be dragg'd up and down the gutters of Naples Let all the blood in my body spin out of these veines let this head skip from my shoulders by a fatall steel and be perch'd up in this market upon a pole yet I shall die contented and glorious it will be triumph and honor unto me to think that my blood and life perish in so glorious a conquest Masaniello repeating often these and such like words inflam'd marvelously the minds of the peeple who were dispos'd in their hearts to cooperate with him to this effect and to begin the work there was fire put to the house that was next the Toll-house for fruit both which were burnt to the very ground with all the books and accounts with divers of the Farmers of the Customers goods who were there put up This being don the common peeple increas'd in such nombers up and down the streets that ev'ry one did shut up his shop ev'ry one being astonish'd at such a sudden garboyle seeming rather to dream of such a one then see it Whereupon many thousand peeple uniting themselfs went to other quarters of the Citty where all the gabell houses were as those of fruit of corn of flesh of fish of salt wine oil cheese silk and all other either edible or wearable comodities and spar'd not one of them but taking out of them all the writings and books of entrance or issues appertaining to the said gabell as also all the furniture as well of the Farmers as others and all things that were there in pawn or otherwise as Hangings Chaires Armes great quantities of moneys with other rich moveables all was hurl'd into a great fire of straw benches forms sedans with other stuff were burnt all to ashes upon the streets In which actions one thing was very considerable that in plundring those houshold stuffs and moneys not one durst meddle with the least peece of any thing because all shold be dedicated to the fire being the quintessence as 't was said of their blood therefore they wold not have a jot of any thing preserv'd from the fury of the fire The peeple taking hereby more and more boldnesse and courage because they found no resistance or obstacle and the nomber still increasing to the nomber of about 10000. they made towards the Palace of the Viceroy many of them holding upon the tops of staves and pikes loafs of bread which was then sold very dear scarce weighing 22. ounces The cry still continued more louder then ever Let the King of Spain live and let the ill government perish So the first Militia of Masaniello consistiâ—g of 2000. boyes march'd on every one lifting up his cane and tying a clout
the intervention of the Capo popolo who shold be a Lord by Title as it was anciently when the Prince of Salerno was Capo popolo That he shold be nam'd by the peeple and the Elect likewise made by the Capistrada to be all chosen by the peeple without any dependency or having any recourse to the Viceroys for the future They stuck not to demand that the Castle of Sant Elmo shold be put into their hands but they proceeded not very far in that proposition His Excellency perceiving the Treaty of Peace to be still delayed and the people to be so implacable and pleasing themselves with that kind of loose living wold lend no ear to any accomodation of Peace he judged it expedient to do som favors to the Duke of Mataloni and Don Ioseph Caraffa his brother and make them go out the one out of the Castle of Sant Elmo the other by making him com from Benevento that joyning with other Lords and Knights they might go up and down the City to perswade the peeple to conformity and quietness which was don for many Lords did ride up and down the streets in divers quarters and in particular the Prince of Bisignano Caraffa di bel nuovo Il principe di Monte Sarchio of the house of Avalos the Prince di Satriano Ravaschiero the Duke di Castel di Sangro Don Ferrante Carraciolo the Prince della Rocella the Lord Don Diomede Caraffa the Lord of Conversano with other Lords dwelling in the Piazza of the great Market where there were infinit store of peeple They signified unto them that his Excellency the Viceroy was very ready to give them all satisfaction But they answered That they desir'd no more but that the Priviledges of King Ferdinando shold be made good to the City which was confirm'd by Charles the fift of happy memory who by Oath promis'd the City of Naples at his Invectiture to the Kingdom had from Pope Clement the 7. to impose no new Taxes upon City or Kingdom as well He as all his Successors without the consent of the Apostolical Seat and being so impos'd they shold be well impos'd otherwise the City might rise up with sword in hand without any mark of rebellion or irreverence to the Prince for the maintenance of her Liberties Now in regard that most of the Gabels ever since some few of small consequence excepted have bin layed without his holiness consent it was just that they shold be all taken oft and that the peeple shold have the Original of the said Priviledg which was within the Archives of the City which is in the Church of S. Laurence Those Lords and Gentlemen understanding all this they went back to Castel nuovo to impart all this to the Viceroy who presently convok'd the peeple Collateral Counsel with that of State as also the sacred Councel of Santa Chiara to consult what Answer shold be return'd unto the peeple In the mean time the Arch-bishop according to his accustomed vigilance and paternal zeal to spiritual peace as also to the temporal quietness of the people comitted unto him as likewise for the Devotion and Vassallage he profess'd unto the Catholic King to the Service of his Royal Person and State Ordain'd That the most holy Sacrament shold be openly expos'd in many Churches to invite all comers to implore at such an exigent divine assistance This was don nella Capella del Tesoro where the Dome is where the miraculous bloud and the holy head of San Gennaro the glorious Protector of Naples was laid out Moreover all orders went in solemn Processions up and down the City as the Dominicans Franciscans those del Carmine the Augustins the Iesuits Capucins Teatins and others who gave som general edification That day mighty diligences were made by the peeple who shold be their Chief that by their authority they might make their addresse to the Viceroy and obtain what they desir'd and in regard that among others which rid up and down the City the Lords della Rocella were of the chiefest in regard they also had their Palaces in the great Market Therefore they made motions to the said Lords That they wold please to imploy themselfs in behalf of the peeple to find out the foresaid Original Priviledg of Charls the fift The said Lords did promise to do so and for the execution thereof they went to Castel nuovo accompanied by many peeple where his Excellency comanded them to be admitted and to enter the concourse of peeple remaining without all the while expecting not without much anxiety an answer from the Viceroy At the same time and to the same purpose the Lord Prior was sent for from S. Laurence with a great train of peeple and the multitude was so great as if his horse had bin carried in the air out of the lively hopes they had to find the said Priviledg But the Lord Prior finding it wold prove a difficult thing for him to find it as also to be suffer'd to enter into the Stanzas of S. Laurence by a turn which he gave in a straight street going off his horse and faigning to withdraw himself upon some business he got away in the twinkling of an eye with som of his servants by an incredible way of art and velocity retiring himself into the Church of the holy Apostles among the Fathers Teatins This administred cause of extraordinary murmuring and discontent to the peeple who thought themselves baffled and deluded by him who they expected shold have bin their kind of Defendor and Advocat although ther want not som who affirm that the Lord Prior had brought them a kind of Paper in a sheepskin giving out 't was the Original out of a mind of the great Charter of Charles the fift he had to quiet them But because when the peeple shew'd it to their Satrapons and Councel and being told them that it was a counterfeit one they fell into such a fierce disdain that if he had not fled that good Lord had met with death as they write it happen'd som hours before to the Prince of Monte Sarchio The Duke de Roccella in the mean while was return'd from the Castle attended by much peeple to the great Market place where the gross of the multitude was carrying with him a Coppy of of the Priviledg desir'd by the peeple and because he had heard of the dangerous success the Lord Prior was like to have he durst not say it was the very Original but he clearly told them it was a true and real Coppy the Original not being to be had for the present Hereupon it was receav'd at the beginning with some applause but being read and read again and found imperfect it rais'd a mighty discontentment in the hearts of the peeple who cryed out they were mock'd cozen'd and betray'd by the said Duke as they were by the Prior and so falling into a mortal hatred of all the Nobility they rag'd against them threatning them ruin and
yet for no other end then the advancement of the public good Therefore they pray his Eminence that he wold expose in the Church the holy Host and inorder public Orisons for 40. hours The Fathers and Gentlemen being return'd to the Cardinal Archbishop related unto him what they had propos'd and what answers they had therefore his Eminence not thinking it expedient to put his former thoughts in action against the will of a tumultuary peeple he inordred the said Prepositors and all chief Heads and Rectors of Churches as well secular as regular that the blessed Sacrament shold be expos'd and public and privat Prayers made to recomend unto his divine Majesty the woful condition of City and Kingdom which was punctually perform'd evry day until the death of Masaniello When the Archbishop had sent out those seasonable Orders it being now night his Eminence went to Castle Nuovo to confer with the Viceroy and try whether any accommodation could be pitched upon to free the City from those imminent dangers which hung over her doing this with the greatest efficacy that cold com out of the brest of a Cavalier Patriot and of a zealous Pastor associating unto him a little after to the same purpose the most illustrious the L. Altieri Apostolical Nuntio for the time in that Kingdom Ther retir'd into the said Castle likewise towards the evening divers Ministers as well of the Gown as other Officers Lords and Cavaliers as well to treat with the Viceroy concerning the same business as also to withdraw thither for their greater security then they could be in their own habitations And this is as much as happend the second day which was Munday Tuesday July 9. 1647. The third day THe Nepolitan peeple were so heated in their desires and so animated to battail and to the destroying of the houses of public Ministers and Partizans of the Royal Court as also of Lawyers and Farmers of the Gabels that no bounds were sufficient to stop their arrogance and fury As a strong currented River having burst down the banks and dikes which kept her within her chanel can hardly be brought in again to her wonted regular stream in the mean time while the fearful Countryman labours with earth stones clay wood and iron to mend her banks she pursues her raging exorbitant cours dilates her self o're fields spoils the corn undermines the trees enters boldly into house and cellar without controulment and so doth a world of mischief The numerous peeple of Naples might be said to be such a River swelling with disdain and choler against the public Officers of the Gabels and rushing o're the wonted banks which were the Laws and Royal Authority of her Prince the reverence to the holy Church the fear of Justice But she was not only like an unruly mounding River but like a tempestuous Sea figur'd peradventure by the Evangelist S. Iohn in his book of divine Mysteries wher he saith That with the waters of the Sea there joyn'd living waters of fire whence 't is call'd by him Mars mixtum igne The Viceroy the Archbâ—shop the Nobility the Lawyers labour'd to make up these banks and breaches yet all wold not do but the River was as impetuous extravagant and violent as ever Hence it came to pass that the glorious Sun scarce appeer'd in the Orient to illuminat the City the third day but the furious peeple ran with swift pace to the Palace of one Valenzano formerly a very poor Plebean and afterwards from a Petty Clerk in the Doâ—ana came to be a Farmer of the Gabel of Corn and so enriched himself extreamly He dwelt out of Saint Carlo and 't is incredible what a world of goods very precious both for the quantity and quality were found in his house which were all reduc'd to ashes ther were two boxes full of gold found in the cupboard of a window which were taken and dispositated upon account in the Kings bank Hence they pass'd to the Palace of the Duke of Caivano towards the little gate of Santa Chiara where all his Writings and public Books he being Secretary of the Kingdom with all his Library and infinit store of rich Moveables and Utensils were found all which were burnt in two great fires and the Palace harass'd to the ground What rich Coches Sedans and Couches with rare vessels of Argentry and Jewels of all kinds were consum'd in this Palace Ther were also great store of curious pictures found there the profane were burnt but som holy pieces were sent to divers Churches but reserving for the flame the frames of them although they were very gallant and rich which cours they observ'd in all other places The flame of this fire was so great that it reach'd to a Monastery of Nunns hard by of the Order of S. Francisco so that they cryed out they were all destroyed It took in a Library of Books the leaves whereof flew up aloft that some words were legible in the air among which ther happen'd one leaf to fall upon the ground from the said Cloyster which treated of the Nobility of the ancient Dukes of Milan I shold be over tedious if I shold describe all the desolations and ruines which those fires did cause with the quantity and quality of the goods I will briefly tell you that the same cruelties term'd by the peeple just revenges were us'd in all those houses whereof Masaniello gave a Catalog to destroy and ruinat These were Bartolome d' Aquino the Duke Iohn de Caivano Gio Battista Bozzacarino all three of Chiaia Iohn Andrea Tuonavoglia who dwelt out of the gate of San Gennaro the President Cinnamo Sopra Gresu Maria the sons of Mastrodatti Iuseppe Sportello Farmer of the Corn President Gieronimo Cacciotolo Cesar Loprano against the little Hospital Iohn Zaralios who being an Officer of the Pen came by his favour at Court to such huge wealth that he made himself Duke of Osturis a principal City in Puglia with sixty thousand Crowns annual rent dwelling in Toledo street whose Palace was one of the proudest and most magnificent of any in Naples built by himself from the very foundation Francesco Pallavicino alle Mortelle Geronimo Nacatella of Polysippo and Andrea Capano his son in law Agostin de Iulijs Giacomo Frezza Petrillo di Florio Bartholome Balzamo Donado de Bellis Cashier of the Gabel of Corn and many other persons had their rich Moveables and Furnitures with their Argentry and Jewels of great value all consum'd to ashes In the Palace of Aquino a Chiaia ther was an inestimable Wardrobe found proportionable to a Kings which was all destroyed And Luprano having conveyed all his goods which were most precious to the Monastery of the Hospital of the Padri Zoccolanti and Basile brought his Jewels and Moneys to the Conservatory of Santa Maria di Constantinopoli and Zavaglio brought the flower of his goods to the Monastery of the Nuns of the conception nere his Palace yet Masaniello came to know of all this