if he departed not the rather out of Italie Wherfore the emperour fortified hym selfe and his armie in the Theatres and Thermes of Rome resistyng the bishops fauters and specially theim of the house of Orsina but at length for lacke of victualles he was faine to forsake Rome and to retyre into Tuscane where beyng at Arezzo he somoned Robert king of Naples to appeare before hym and for lacke of apparaunce deposed hym of his realme by imperiall sentence whiche was by Clement disanulled ¶ Finally the emperour by meanes of the bishoppes legate was poysoned in receiuyng the sacrament of communion in the towne of Bonconuento After whose death the bishop hym selfe liued not longe ¶ Whan IohnÌ„ the .xxii. had receiued the myter in Lyons he went streigthe to Auignion and there created viii Cardinalles of the whiche two onely were Italians ¶ Shortly after he degraded a frenche bishop and put hym cruelly to death for a conspiracie that he was accused of ¶ In this tyme the electours of Germanie not agreeyng togethers chose two emperours Lewys of Bauarie and Frederike of Austriche eche of theim hauyng iii. voices but the bishop allowyng Frederike did excommunicate Lewys Wherfore Lewys after he had fought and taken Frederike prisoner wente with a power into Italie and receiued in Rome the imperiall crowne at the handes of the Cardinall Colonna bothe by assent of all the clergie there and of the Romaines who than had recouered to theim selfes a maner of libertee to chose theyr owne officers and vsed yerely to take for theyr rulers two presidentes of theyr owne nobilitee namyng theim vicars of the empyre And because the emperour had dyuers waies sought to the bishop for his absolution and could not obteine it therfore immediately after his coronacion he created a new bishop in Rome namyng hym Nicolas the .vii. who toke it vpon hym gaue bishoprikes and graunted dispensacions till after the emperours departure out of Italie he was taken by the Conte Bonifacio of Pisa and sent prisoner to the bishop IohnÌ„ in Auignion where he was laied in a stinkyng prison and miserablie died ¶ This IohnÌ„ condemned theim as haeretikes that wold haue had the churchemen liue poorely as Christes disciples did and burned diuers of the .iii. ordre of saincte Fraunces that than folowed this profession ¶ Finally he died in Auignion leauyng to his friendes muche more treasure than euer any of his predecessours had dooen ¶ Benedict the .xii. confyrmed the excommunicacion against the emperour Lewys of Bauarie not of his owne will as some write but in maner by constreinct of the kynges of Fraunce and Naples And the better to mainteine his quarell he assoyled all the astates of Italie of theyr feaultie to the empyre confyrmyng theim free princes in the same as vicars of the churche So that euer sens the Dukes of Mylaine with the houses of Este of Gonzaga and the common wealthes of Florence Lucca and others esteemed themperours lesse than they did before ¶ Besydes this he made the Senatours of Rome confesse theim selfes subiectes to the churche onely and not to any other power And by his tyme Frauncis Petrarke as a Laureate poete was crowned with Laurell in the Capitoll of Rome by Orso Erle of Anguillara than Senatour there ¶ Finally this bishop died verie riche in Auignion and lefte his gooddes to the churche ¶ Clement the .vi. chaunged the Iubiley that was first ordeined to be but ones euerie hundreth yeres to be kept euerie .50 yere and to holde the astates of Italie in amitee with him he confyrmed eche lorde as vicare of the churche in his owne astate Visconti in Mylaine Malatesta in Rimino Pesâ—ro and Fano Feltrano in Vrbino and a noumbre of other ¶ In his tyme the Romains recouered theyr libertee againe and created theyr officers without the bishops consent so that one Nicolas Renzo a Romaine beyng entred into a wonderfull fauour and credite with the people toke vpon hym the name and aucthoritee of emperour writyng hym selfe Nicolaus Seuerus et Clemens Tribunus libertatis pacis et iustitiae et liberator illustris sacrae reipublicae Romanae At whose beginnyng all Italie was in suche admiracion that euerie prince sent to salute him as emperour thinking he shuld restore the Romaine empyre to his auncient astate But his owne folie destroied hym For he toke part with one of the factions that were than in Rome so that where before he had no man against hym now had he a great noumbre whiche brought hym at last into suche a feare that sodeinly he disguised hym selfe and fledde from Rome to Charles the .iiii. than emperour in Almaine who toke hym as a lewde person and for a present sent hym to bishoppe Clement to Auignion and he cast him in prison sendyng certaine Cardinallê to Rome to settle the astate there whiche by meanes aforesaied had been a certaine space disobedient ¶ In this bishops tyme fell the yere of Iubiley whiche caused great noumbres of people from all countreis to resorte to Rome by reason wherof there fell suche a plague of pestilence as the like hath not been heard of For as some aucthours affyrme it endured continually the space of three yeres throughout all Italie and in most partes of the whole worlde so vehemently that of euery hundred there remaigned not .x. persons aliue and in many countreys not .x. of a thousande Some write that this plague began in the east partes of Asia ¶ Finally this Clement procured the restitucion of the realme of Naples to Queene Iohan the fyrst For the whiche and for his other good practises at hir beyng with hym in Auignion she solde the citee of Auignion with the dominion apperteignyng to the same to the churche and was contented to accept for paiement therof the arrerages of suche tributes as the bishoppe pretended that she and hir predecessours did owe vnto the churche for the realme of Naples wherof they claimed to be lordes in chiefe ¶ Innocence the .vi. was more geuen to religion than diuers of his predecessours For he reformed the courtly pompe that the Cardinals and prelates before tyme vsed and commanded spirituall men to be resident vpon theyr benefices with diuers other good ordres whiche toke litle effecte ¶ The Romaines in his time toke on theim theyr libertee creatyng a Senatour of theyr owne so that the bishop to recouer his astate deliuered Nicolas Renzo out of prison and sent hym to Rome where on the bishops behalfe he preuailed But through parttakyng he was againe constreigned to flee disguised and beyng mette was knowen and slaine ¶ This Innocence trauailed muche to haue appeased our kyng Edwarde the .iii. with the frenche kyng IohnÌ„ in the tyme of the sharpe warres betwene theim trustyng alwaies to haue brought theim to some good ende till he hearde that kyng IohnÌ„ was taken and ledde prisoner into Englande ¶ He caused Charles the .iiii. to be crowned emperour in Rome and woulde haue quieted
against hym and at length sent .xi. of theyr chiefe citesins to requyre theyr libertee with the fortresses that he helde as Campidoglio Castel Sant ' Angelo and Ponte Molle but all in vaine For he kendled with yre thoroughe the message caused those .xi. citesins to be put to death and throwen out at the wyndowes of his nephiewes house So that the Romaines assembled and not onely caused the bishop to flee to Viterbo but also sacked and spoyled the houses and richesses of all his prelates and Courtisanes and the Capitoll with Ponte Molle and woulde haue gotten Castel Sant ' Angelo had it not been impregnable ¶ Than called they Ladislaus kyng of Naples to ayde theim but Paulo Orsino with the bishops power discoumfited Ladislaus and so constreigned the Romains to aske mercie to receiue theyr bishop home againe and to obey hym as he woulde Whervpon the bishoppe made his nephiew Lewys Marques of Ancona and prince of Fermo and so died ¶ Gregorie the .xii. was than chosen vpon condicion that if Bennet the .xiii. than resident in Auignion for the vnion of the churche woulde consent to be deposed he also shoulde depose hym selfe Whervpon a counsaile was called at Pisa in the whiche they two were deposed and Alexander the .v. elected But for all that the Schisme ceased not till the counsaile of Constance ¶ Whilest this Gregorie was absent Ladislaus kynge of Naples came to Rome and there was receiued of the Romains as their soueraigne lorde But he enioyed it not longe For Paolo Orsino fought with hym to so muche aduauntage that Ladislaus was faine to retyre into his owne realme and diuers of the principall Romaines were for this cause beheaded ¶ Alexandre the .v. gaue the title of the realme of Naples to Lewys Duke of Angiowe and by his ecclesiasticall aucthoritee deposed Ladislaus and did what he coulde in helpyng Lewys to subdue hym but it preuailed not ¶ IohnÌ„ the .xxiii. succeded Alexandre more by force than by free election by reason that he beyng legate in Bononia where Alexander died and hauyng the men of warre at his commaundement threatened so the Cardinalles that they durst chose none other ¶ He in deede resembled more a man of warre than a prelate ¶ He moued warre against the kynge Ladislaus but at lengthe he was repulsed and constreigned to forsakeÌ„ Rome And beyng by the whole consent of the astates of Christendome called to the counsaile of Constance where diuers crimes were laied vnto hym he fledde awaie thense was taken laied in prison and finally he with Gregorie the .xii. and Benedict the .xiii. all three than liuyng deposed of theyr pontificalitee and Martine the .v. elected in theyr place ¶ Martine the .v. rested .xii. monethes after his election at the counsaile in Constance the better to establish his owne aucthoritee and than went into Italie where he pacified the warres betwene the Duke of Mylaine and the Uenetians By force he constreigned Braccio di Montone a notable man of warre to humble hym selfe at his feete and to restore certaine townes that he before had taken from the churche and finally so behaued hym selfe that he was ouer all quietely accepted for supreame bishoppe so that the Schismes that had so longe continued ceased And comyng to Rome whiche was greatly decayed he so disposed hym selfe to the repayryng of it that in shorte tyme it became indifferent fayre and pleasaunt ¶ Eugenie the .iiii. had so great prease of people at his consecration that the bishop of Senegalia was styfled to death And shortly after beyng persuaded that his predecessour Martine had lefte a great treasure hydde he caused Oddo Poccio that had been Martines vice-chambrelaine to be sent for by his capitain Stephen Colonna who onely of the house of Colonnesi fauoured the bishop And because the seruauntes of this Stephen sacked Oddos goodes and brought hym like a theefe to the bishop wheras he commaunded no violence to be vsed therfore the bishop fell out with Stephen so that Stephen fledde to Preneste to the prince Colonna enformyng hym that Eugenie purposed the destruction of theyr whole name and familie Wherevpon the Colonnesi made an armie came to Rome entred in at the gate called Appia and goyng foorthe as farre as sainct Markes without hurt doyng mette there with the bishops power and fought a sore battaile so that at length contrary to all mens expectacion the Romaines toke the bishops part and constreigned the Colonnesi to withdraw In whiche retyryng they toke prisoners and praies as in open warre and after that vsed suche practises for poysonyng of the bishop and betraiyng of Costel Sant ' Angelo with other lyke featê that Eugenie was glad to entreate them for peace whiche he easily obteined ¶ Than came Edmonde sonne of Charles the .iiii. emperour to Rome and there with great solenmitee and pompe receiued the imperiall crowne of Eugenie and retourned into his countrey without attemptyng any thyng of importaunce ¶ Not longe after the Duke of Mylaine made warre against the bishop and sent Nicolas Fortebraccio with a great noumbre of chosen men to Rome who arriued there with so muche diligence that he passed Ponte Molle and came to the gate Flaminia ere euer the bishop was ware of hym ¶ This Nicolas Fortebraccio had serued the bishoppe before in a certaine enterprise that was made at Vetrala and Ciuita Vecchia and because he had gotten there many fayre booties therfore at his retourne the bishop refused to paie hym his wages saiyng that his fayre gayue ought to suffise hym For the whiche Nicolas departed and now retournyng vnder the Duke of Mylaine with helpe of the Colonnesi encouraged the Romaines so to chalenge theyr libertee that Eugenie was faine to disguise hym selfe in a monkes habite and to take his bote towardes Ostia And yet ere he were farre onwardes on his waie the people hearyng of his departure folowed hym downe the riuer with hurlyng of stones and shotte of arrowes and than created new magistrates after theyr owne maner deposyng and chasyng awaie all suche as had ought to doe in the bishops name and laied siege vnto Castel Sant ' Angelo whiche was all theyr vndooyng For the capitaine therof wrought this policy he sent his meÌ„ foorth daily to skyrmishe and ordeined certaine of them to suffre them selfê to be taken who for theyr libertee and money withall shoulde promyse to slea theyr capitaine and to betraie the castell It came to passe as it was deuised so that after theyr returne to the castell thei shewed out a dead mans head and requyryng theyr money offered to deliuer vp the castell Whervpon certaine of the principall Romaines entred and so beyng taken were occasion that within the space of .v. monethes after the Romaines returned to theyr former obedience the bishop than beyng at Florence ¶ This meane while the princê and prelates of all Christendome beganne to assemble for kepyng of the generall counsaile at Basile and by
so euer thei founde them they left not in all Sicile one frencheman on liue nor one woman that was knowen to be with childe of a frencheman Wherof yet vnto this daie the Sicilians euensonge is vsed as a prouerbe in Italie ¶ And than by accorde came the kynge of Aragone and receiued Sicile vnto his dominion the rather because he had a certaine title thervnto as in the right of his wyfe Constance daughter to the late kyng Manfredo Unto whom also the bishop of Rome graunted his consent and in deede inuested hym kyng therof by his ecclesiasticall power ¶ Many thynges happened betwene kyng Charles and kyng Peter amongest other a defiance to feight hand to hand with the place appoincted at Burdeaux before our prince Edwarde than ruler of Gascoygne where bothe kynges kepte theyr daie but nother mette nor fought And ere euer kynge Charles retourned Roger di Loria admyrall to kyng Peter had foughten by sea with Charles prince of Salâ—rn onely sonne of king Charles before Naples and taken hym prisoner with a numbre of the Neapolitane barons and gentilmen that were all sent except Charles with .ix. of the chiefest into Sicile and there for a reuengement of Corradinos death .200 of those nobles and gentilmen were beheaded on a daie ¶ Finally kyng Charles vpon his reiourne made excedyng great preparacion to inuade Sicile but er he could bringe it to passe he died for anger and melancolie after he had reigned .xix. yeres ¶ And for as muche as some holde opinion that this Charles was the fyrst Neapolitane kyng that obteined the title of kynge of Ierusalem it is necessarie to declare by what meane ¶ The ladie Marie doughter of the prince of Antioche resigned into the handes of this kynge Charles all hir tytle to the realme of Ierusalem whervpon be caused him selfe to be crowned kynge of Ierusalem and with helpe of the Uenetians sente Roger Di San Seuerino to be gouernour to receiue feaultee and homage of the christen barons there Thus and not by the interest of Federike the kynges of Naples vsed the title of Ierusalem though I fynde not who was Maries father by name nor yet by what reason that realme shoulde apperteine to hir ¶ Whan kynge Charles was deade his onely soonne and heire Charles prince of Salerne remained prisoner in Sicile vnder the kepyng of quene Constance wife to kyng Peter of Aragone and was by consente of the barons condemned to die as it were for a full reuengement of Corradinos death but the noble hert of Constance woulde not suffre it Excusyng the mattier that before she knew hir housbandes mynde she would not attempt so great a thyng Wherefore she sent hym into Aragone where he continued prisoner till kyng Peter died and than by procurement of prince Edwarde lorde of Gascoygne he was deliuered and restored to his realme of Naples Who was raunsomed at .30000 markes and for perfourmance of couenauntes .iii. of his sonnes and .100 gentilmen laie in hostage ¶ Here is to be noted that within the space of one yere died .iii. kynges and a bishop of Rome that is to weâ—e Phillip kyng of Fraunce Charles kyng of Naples Peter kyng of Aragon and Martine the .4 bishop of Rome ¶ After Peter succeded in the realme of Aragon his eldest sonne Aufus in Sicile his sonne Iames that helde in prison the forenamed Charles the secounde ¶ Finallie Aufus the elder brother beyng dead Iames to haue the kyngdome of Aragon in peace sore vexed at that time by the Frenche kyng fell at composicion with Charles to renounce Sicile vnto hym and so did But Federike yonger brother to Iames assoone as he heard therof gotte a certain power went into Sicile and gatte it to hym selfe by reason wherof betwene Charles and Federike was continuall warre manie yeres till at last Charles to haue Calabria in peace the most parte wherof Federike had gotten by force consented that Federike duryng his life shoulde quetlie enioy Sicile ¶ So Charles bringing all his thinges to a quiet reigned .24 yeres and died leauyng issue by his wife Mary doughter of kyng Stephen of Hungarie ix sonnes and v. doughters The eldeste named Charles Martell afterwardes kynge of Hungarie by the mothers title Lewis the secounde sonne bishop of Tolouse in Spaine Robert the thirde sonne kynge of Naples As for the reste though they were princes Quenes and princesses yet I passe theim ouer and will onely speake of Lewys Duke of Durazzo because Charles Da Durazzo who was next kyng after the firste quene Iohan descended of him ¶ At the death of Charles Robert his .iii. sonne beyng in Auignion was called from thens to the dominion of Naples and confirmed kyng by Clemente the .v. than bishop of Rome howebeit not longe after Caronumberto kynge of Hungarie and sonne of his elder brother Charles pretended title thervnto but after longe debatyng therof the lawiers finallie determined that Robert shoulde continue and Caronumberto shoulde contente hym with the realme of Hungarie And though Robert was muche troubled by the comyng of the emperour Henry the .vii. into Italie yet after the emperour was poisoned by a blacke frier in ministryng hym the sacrament of communion at Bonconuento besides Siena by order as thei saie of the Romish legate king Robert prospered so well in Italie by reason he was taken as heade of the Guelfi that he subdued Genoa and the Florentines with their whole astate submitted them selfes vnto him and accepted his sonne Carlo senza terra to be their lorde Whiche Charles not longe after his establishment in that dominion retourned to Naples and died ¶ Finally Robert hym selfe sickened and died without heyres males And so the inheritance remained in the iii. daughters of his forenamed sonne Charles Unto the eldest named Iohan he by his testament lefte the realme vpon condicion that she shoulde marie with his nephew Andrew younger son of the abouenamed Caronumberto In whose tyme liued Petrarcha and Bocchacio the one for verse and the other for prose famouse in theyr Italian tongue and for theyr vertues muche cherisshed of this kynge Robert ¶ Accordyng to the testament of kyng Robert his nephiew Andrew came out of Hungarie and maried Quene Iohan with whom he reigned scarcely .iii. yeeres but that she caused hym to bee hanged out at hir chambre wyndow because as the same wente he was not cockie enough to satisfie hir appetite ¶ Than maried she Lewys prince of Taranto an excellent beautifull man But Lewys kyng of Hungarie elder brother to Andrew to reuenge his brothers deathe came with a puissaunt armie into the realme insomuch that the Queene and hir husband bothe fledde to Auignion in Prouance leauyng Charles da Durazzo sonne of Lewys da Durazzo beforenamed theyr lieuetenant to defende but the Hungarien so muche prospered that in short space he gatte the whole realme and toke this Charles da
The site of Italie Merchandise Pleasures â–ª Feedyng in Italie Resort of straungers into Italy Gentilmen Merchantes Artificers Husbandmen Women The edificacion of Rome The fyrste king of the Romains The ende of the Romaine kinges Consules The firste emperour Donacion of ConstaÌ„tine Gothes Uandales â–ª Hunes Lumbardes Diuidyng of the empyre Rome destroied .iiii. tymes Desiderius The ende of the Lumbardes reigne Elecion of the emperour The headâ— of Tyber Ponte di S â–ª Angelo Ponte del Castello Ponte Sisto Ponte rotto Ponte de Pisona Ponte di S. Bertholomeo Ponte di quatuor Capora Ponte di S. Maria â–ª Sublicius Palatinus Fabricius Cestius Januclensis Vaticanus Elius Miluius Porta de popolo flu tuentana Flaminia P. Pinciana Collatina P. Salaria Quirinalis Aegonalis P. di sant ' Agnese Uiminalis Figulensis Numentana P. di San Lorenzo Tiburtina Exquilina P. Maggi ore Neuia Labicana Prenestina P. di San Hioanni CelimoÌ„tana Asinaria P. Latina â–ª P. di S. sebastiano Appia Capena Triumphalis P. di San Paolo Trigemina P. Portese di Ripa P. di S. Pancratio Aurelia P. del Torrione P. Portusa P. di Beluedere di San Piero. del Giardino di S. Peregrino P. del Castello Posterula Auentinus Capitolinus Palatinus Celius Exquilius Viminalis Quirinalis Transtyberim Vaticane Porta Septimiana Subtus Janum Fontinalis Janiculum Aqua Appia Aqua Martia Anfeia Traiana Claudia Pli. li. 36. nat histor Auiena Triuiana Virginia Opinions of the decai of the antiquitees Adrians curtesie and wisedome Arcus Constantini Arcus Titi. Arcus Seâ—eri Arcus Domitiani Theatrum Amphitheatrum Coliseo Arena Circuâ—â— Pantheon S. Maria Rotonda Templuni Romuli T. Paâ—is T. Jani T. Iâ—idis T. Minerue T. Palladis â–ª Structiles â–ª Columna Traiani Piazza Colonna La Guglia SepulchruÌ„ Bâ—cchi The saiyng of Fuluius Kyndes of Marbles Peter the â—postle Siluester .1 The donacion of Constantine Ualla againste the donacion â–ª Nicene counsaile Marcus Iulius Liberius Felix .2 Damasus Hierome Syritius Supremacie of the churche Gredoriâ—s .2 Images put out of churches Gregorius â— Charles Martell â–ª Zacharias â–ª Chilperike deposed Stephanus .2 Paulus Images Constantinus .2 Stephanus .3 Adrianus Leo .3 Thempire diuided Stephanus .4 Pascalis â–ª Gregorius .4 Sergius â–ª â— Iohannes .8 Adrianus .2 Iohannes .9 Adrianus â— Stephanus .6 Chaunge of the empire Berengarius .1 Berengarius .2 Raulfe Duke of Burgoyne â–ª Hugo Câ—nte d' Arli Berengarius .3 Iohannes .11 Agapitus .2 Otho Iohannes .12 Iohannes .13 Benedictus .6 Bonifatius .7 Gregorius .5 Electours of the empire Cesar. Augustus Benedictus .8 Benedictus .9 Shiftyng and poysonyng of Romayne bishops Leo .9 â–ª Stephanus .9 Nicolaus 2. Alexandre .2 Gregorius .7 Priestes mariage Uictor .3 Pascalis â–ª Matilda Uâ—age into the holy lande Gelasius .2 Calixtus â— Innocenâ—ius .2 Eugenius .3 Adrianus â–ª 4. Alexander â— Thomas Beckette â–ª Lucius .3 â–ª Celestinus â–ª 3 â–ª Innocenâ—ius .3 Honorius .3 Gregorius 9. Innocentius .4 Cardinall hattes Urbanus .4 Manfredo Clemens 4 Gregorius 1â— â–ª Nicolaus .3 Martinê° .4 Honorius .4 Celestinus 5. Bonifaâ—ius .8 yere of Iubiliâ— Benedictê° .11 Clemens .5 Iohannes .22 Benedictus â–ª 12 â–ª Frauncis Petrarke â–ª Clemens Iubiley â–ª Iubiley Plague of pestilence Innocentius .6 Urbanus â— â–ª Gregorius 11. 1â—76 Sir Iohn Acton â–ª Urbanus .6 Cardinals sacked and baked Bonifaâ—â—us .9 Annates Innocentius .7 Gregorius 12. Alexandre .5 Iohannes .23 Martinus 5. Eugenius .4 A wittie policie Nicolaus .5 Amideus Calixtus .3 Alfonse Pius 2â— Paulus .2 Sixtus .4 Innocentius .4 Alexander .6 Pius .3 Iulius .2 â–ª Leo .10 Adrian .7 Clemeâ—s â–ª 7 â–ª Paulus .3 Poore people Hospitals Prisonerâ— Paolo Lucio Lawes Marcello Orso 737 Deodato .737 Domenico Menicaccio .747 Mauritio 7â—2 Giouanni .768 Obelerio â–ª 78â— Angelo â–ª Particiaco .792 Giustiniano .810 Giouanni â–ª 813. Pietro Gradenico â–ª 82â— Auogadori Orso Particiaco â—65 Belles Giouanni â—84 Pietro Landiano 890. Pietro Tribuno .893 Orso Baduaro .915 â–ª Pietro Candiano 938. Pietro Baduaro .956 Pietro Candiano .958 Pietro Orseolo .973 Uitale Candiano 97â— Tribuno Memmo â–ª 975. Pietro Orseolo 9â—7 Ottone Orseolo .1007 Pietro Barbolano .1026 Orso Orseolo .1030 Domenico Orseolo .1031 Domenico Flabenico 1031. Domenico Contarini .1042 Domenico Siluio .1068 Uitale Falero 108â— Uitale Michele .1095 Ordelaffo â–ª Falero .1098 Domenico Michele .1115 Pietro Polano .1130 Domenico Morosini â–ª 1147. Uitale Michele 1â—â—4 â–ª Sebastian Ziani â–ª 1171 â–ª Emanuel â–ª Crueltee Orio Malipiero 1180 Arrigo Dandolo â–ª 1194 Pietro Ziani .1203 Iames Tiepolo .1225 Marino Morosini .1247 Crueltee Ezelino di Romano Rinieri Zeno 12â—0 Lorenzo Tiepolo .1267 Iacopo Contarini â–ª 1275. Giouanni Dandolo .1281 Pietâ—â— Gradenigo .1290 Marino Giorgio .1312 Iohn Soranzo .1313 Fraunces Dandolo .1329 Bartholomeo Gradenigo .1340 Andrea Dandolo â–ª 1343. Marino Falerio .1354 Iohn Gradenico .1355 Iohn Delfino .1356 Lorenzo Celso 13â—0 Marco Cornaro .1365 Andrea Contarini â–ª 1367. Michele Morosini .1383 Antonio Ueniero â–ª 138â— Michele Steno .1400 Thomas Mocenigo 1413. Fraunces Foscaro 14â—4 Liberalitee Pasquale Malipiero 14â—7 Christofero Moro 14â—2 Morea Nicolo Trono .1471 Cyprus wonne Nicolo Marcello 147â— Pietro Mocenâ—go .1474 Andrea Vendramino .1476 Iohn Mocenigo 1478. Marco Barbarico 1485. Agostino Barbarico 1486. Leonardo Loredano 15â—1 Douchemens hall in Uenice Antonio Gâ—imani Andrea Gritti Petro Lando Francesco Donato Castell Nouo Temperature of Naples Plinies death Hotte baynes Fire breakyng out of the erth Fertilitee of Naples 829. The fyrste comyng of the Sarasines into Italie 845. 864. Otho the firste 964. Otho the ii 100â— Taneredâ— the Normain Guglielmo Ferrabach Drogone Hunfredo Godfrey Bagelardo Robert Guiscardo Roberte created Duke Treasure founde vnder grounde 〈◊〉 conquered by the Normains Bishoppe of Rome besieged 108â— Roger. 1094. Guglielmo .2 Roger .2 The citiâ— of Naples gotten by the Normains Roger entitled kyng of Sicile â–ª 11â—9 Guglielmo iii. William deposed William restored Guglielmo iiii 1191. Tancredâ— â–ª 1191. Guglielmo .5 1195. End of the house of Normains Henrico .6 Imperatoâ—e 119â— Federike â–ª 122â— â–ª the kynges of Naples entitled kynges of Ierusalem 1229. Carroccio â—eather â—oygned for money â–ª 1250 â–ª Conrade Crueltee â–ª Corradino neri heire vnto Conrade 1254 â–ª Manfredo 1265. Ende of the house of Sueuia in the dominion of Naples Carlo Duca d' Angio 1268. Corradino beheaded â–ª Crueltee Rebellion in Sicile Slaughter of Frenchmen Peter kynge of Aragone Charles sonne take prisoner Crueltee 1274. Title of the kyngdome of Ierusalem 1276. Carlo 2. Prince Edwarde of Englande Federike kyng of Sicile 1309. Robert 1342. Petrarcha Bocchaciê° Giouanna prima Quene Iohans Husbande strangled 135â— â—itle of the seconde lyne of the house of Angio. 1â—â—1 Quene Iohan hanged Marie Carlo .3 Murder 13â—6 Ladislaus â–ª 1370. Rome gotten .1408 Rome the secounde tyme gotteÌ„ by Ladislaus 1414. Giouanna â— 141â— â–ª Alfonse adopted heire to Quene Iohan. Discorde 1424. 1434. Ende of the house of Durazzo Alfonse Kyng Alphonse taken prisoner Patriarke Uitelesco Rainoldes comyng to Naples 145â— Ferdinando The Turke in Italie Couetousnesse .1489 1494. Alfonse .2 Ferrandino Morbâ—â— Gallicus 1496. Federike Ende of the house of Aragone in Naples Lewys the .12 of Fraunce 1501. Kynge Ferdinando of Spaigne Charles the .v. Emperour 1515. 1528. 1547. The circuit of the citee Bridges Arno. Edifices Wilde beastes Hospitalles â–ª The Academie Women Florence destroied and reedified 1080. Diuision Guelfi and Ghibellines faction FloreÌ„tines common wealthe constituted 1308. â—326 1328. Nobilitee suppressed 1357. Iohn Sharpe Common people 138â— 1390 â–ª 1400. 1409. 1414 â–ª 1428. 1432. 1464. Cosmo di Medici Practise of a prelate 1486. Laurence d' i Medici â–ª 1495. 1495. 1530. 1532. 1534. Cittadella Duke Cosmo â–ª Wonder â—58 19â—9 Policy 1100 â–ª 1127. 1146. 1190. Richarde kynge of England 1194. 1201. 1204. 120â— 1216. 122â— â–ª 1222. 1227. 1238. 1243. 1251. 1â—57 1258. 1261 â–ª 1266. 1â—70 1376. 1282. Giudice 1284. 1289. 1290. 12â—â— 1294. 1295. 1296. 12â—â— â–ª 1304. 1306. 1â—12 1315. 1318 â–ª 133â— Policie 1332. 1335. 1338. 1339. 1340. 1344. 1345. 1346. 1350. 135â— 1356. 1363. 1370.1372 1373. 1378. Ingratitude of people 1381. 1383. 1389. 1396. 1397. 1398. 1399. 1400. 1401. 1402. 1403. Bouciquart 1409. 1413. 1415. 1416. 1421. 1422. 1437. 1434. 1436. 1442. 1443 1444 â–ª 1447. 1454. 1458. 1459. 1490. 1462. 1464. 1466. 1475. 1476. 1477. 1478. 14â—â— 1487. 1488. 149â— 149â— 149â— 1501. 1502. 1506. 1507. 15â—â— 1512. 1513. 1514. 1515. 1516. 1517. Poyson that worketh not till a time 1519. 1521. 1522. 1524. 1525. 1526. 1527. 1528. 1536. 1546 Andrea Doria Wiues of Millaine Millaine Sâ—â—â—ate Castell of Millaine Millaines â—ame Attila 1161. Giouanni Torrigiani Tiranny Martino Torrigiani Philippo Torrig Napoleone Uisconti â–ª Ottone Ottone Uisconti Matteo Magno Galeazo â—â—ene Lucchino Giouanni Bernabo Galeazo Giangaleazo 1402. Giouannâ— Maria. 1433. Philippo Maria. Philippo Maria descriued Testament â—â—oken Francesco Sforza Mutio father to Fraunces Sforza Galeazo â–ª Giouanni Lodouico Moro. Francesco 1063. Matilda Sordello Pinamonte Passerino Gonzaga Luigi Gonzaga Guido Luigi Francesco 1407. Gianfrancesco 144â— Luigi Federico Francesco Federico â—520 1539 â–ª Francesco 700. 1020 â–ª Azo 1. Aldobrandino Azo .2 Crueltee Fresco. Crueltee Obizone Azo .3 Rinaldo Obizone .2 Nicolo Alberto â–ª Nicolo Lionello Borso Nicolo Ercole Alfonso Ercole â–ª Galasso di Montefeltro .1345 Conte Guido .1428 Oddo .1440 Federico â–ª 1444. Guido Ubaldo 14â—2 Ualentino Borgia .1503 Francesco Maria .1504 1514. Iulianio di Medici Laurence di Medici 1522. Guido Ubaldo .2 1538. 1547 â–ª
he came Narses repented hym and did what he coulde to haue letâ—ed it but as he trauailed therin being come to Rome with IohnÌ„ the thyrde bisshop of the same hauyng now delaied the Lumbardê coming a few yeres he died had his body caried to Constantinople and there was honorably buried ¶ This Narses with Bellisarius before named were two of the noblest capitaines that euer serued the Romayne Emperours ¶ Incontinently after the death of Narses the forenamed Alboinus with an infinite numbre of men women and childern entred into Italie and occupied all the countrey betwene the Alpes and the Appenine hilles naming it after theyr name Lumbardie And not withstandyng that the emperours for the space of .180 yeres made continuall warres agaynste theym by theyr generalles whom thei called Exarkes yet coulde they neuer so abate and vanquishe the glorie of those Lumbardes but that sometimes they wolde right well be reuenged so that in effecte they reigned ouer Lumbardie aboue 200. yeres till the comyng of Charlemaine who in fauour of the Romayne bishops warred agaynst Desiderius last kyng of the saied Lumbardes toke and ledde him prisoner into Fraunce ¶ In all whiche tyme of the Lumbardes prosperytee there reigned amongest theym .23 kynges whose names hereafter folow ALboinus slaine by procuremente of his wife Rosamunda ¶ Dapho slayne of his owne people for his tyrannie After whose death the Lumbardes wolde haue no kyng but in maner of a common wealthe elected .30 Dukes who occupied all Italie Rome and Naples excepted and so contynued the space of .xii. yeres till the Lumbardes beyng weery of theyr gouernaunce returned againe to the election of a kyng ¶ Antharis surnamed Flauius toke to wyfe Theodolinda the kynges doughter of Bauarie a woman that by persuasion of Gregorie the fyrst bisshop of Rome secretly embraced the Christian faieth and after conuerted hir nexte housdande to the same ¶ Agilulphus Duke of Turine maried Theodolinda after the death of hir other housbande and so beyng made kyng through his wifes procurement he became a Christian ¶ Adoaldus sonne of Agilulphus beyng very younge reigned about .x. yeres vnder the gouernaunce of his mother Theodolinda and after hir death was driuen out of his realme ¶ Arioldus of whom I fynde nothyng notable ¶ Rotharius a valiaunt warriour and so well learned withall that he prescribed lawes vnto the Lumbardes who from theyr coming into Italy till that time whiche was about .70 yeres had no written law ¶ Rodoaldus sonne of Rotharius was slain by one that founde hym in adoultrie with his wife ¶ Arithpertus through feigned flight obteyned a notable victorie against the frenchemen ¶ Gundibertus sonne vnto Arithpertus contended so longe with his brother for the dominion that at last thei were bothe chased awaie ¶ Grimoaldus toke the astate from the children of Arithpert and helde longe warre with the emperour Constantine the thyrd and so ouercame Theodorus the Exâ—rke that the emperour in a great rage came hym selfe with a myghty armie into Italie and after he had ouerranne the countrey of Puglia and taken the citee of Luceria whiche he put to fyre and swoorde at laste he besieged Beneuento where hapned one notable thyng woorthy the rehersall ¶ Romoaldus sonne to the king Grimoaldus was than within Beneuento and â—aliauntly defended the citee against the Greekes sendyng woorde by a foster father of his named Gensualdus â—nto his father that vnlesse he wolde shortly sende succours the citee must needes be taken Gensualde did his message and retournyng with answeare was taken of the enemies and brought before the emperour Where beyng straightly examined he confessed that Grimoalde withall the power of Lumbardie was departed from Pauia and came to reise the siege and that he hym selfe was the messenger of his comyng Wherfore the emperour hopyng incontinently to haue the towne and so to departe before the comyng of Grimoalde partely with thretenyng and partly with fayre offers persuaded Gensualde that beyng brought before the towne he should shewe Romoalde how his father through other businesse of importaunce coulde not than succour hym Gensualde promisyng so to dooe was brought to the walles and called for Romoalde who foorthwith appeared Romoalde saied he thy father is here at hand with a puissaunt armie to succour the. I lefte hym passyng the riuer of Sanguine be good to my wife and children for I am but dead and so it proued â–ª for his head was striken of and for despite with an engine throwen into the towne ¶ Whervpon Constantine with his armie retyred to Naples and from thense to Rome where he was most honourablie receiued of bishop Vitellian withall the clergie and nobilitee But he in recompence of that honour fell to robbyng and spoylyng of all the goodly thynges that he founde there aswell marble brasse and peinture as other richesse insomuche that he toke the tile of brasse wherwith the temple of Pantheon was couered and shipped all that he gotte So that Rome in a maner suffered more hurt and spoyle in .vii. daies that he remaigned there than it did by any ouerthrow from the fyrst comyng of the Lumbardes And yet he enioyed not for retournyng towardê Greece he was slaine by his owne men in the citee of Syracusa and all those preciouse thynges taken afterwardes by the Sarasines and caried to Alexandria in Aegypt where many of theim maie be seen at this daie But to retourne vnto my purpose Grimoaldus died of to muche streignyng his arme after he had been letten bloudde ¶ Garmaldus sonne of Grimoaldus reigned .iii. monethes onely and died ¶ Partharus soonne of Arithpert before named that from his youthe had been in continuall exile retourned home and was restored to the kyngdome ¶ Iunipertus or Compertus sonne of Partharus succeded after the death of his father ¶ Laimpertus or Luitpertus sonne of Iunipertus beyng a childe had not reigned vnder the tuicion of Asprandus fully .viii. monethes but that Raimpertus Duke of Turine rebelled and in plaine battaile ouercame Asprandus and so vsurped the kyngdome ¶ Raimpertus reigned not fully a yere ¶ Arithpertus son of Raimpertus was muche disturbed by the forenamed Luitpertus but at laste he slewâ— him in plaine battaile and in maner destroyed the whole house of Asprandus Neuerthelesse in the .xi. yere of his reigne Asprandus with helpe of the kyng of Bauarie retourned puissantly vnto Italy fought with Arithpert and so discomfited him that in his flight passyng the riuer of Tesino he was drowned by reason he had ouerladen him selfe with gold ¶ Asprandus reigned but .iii. monethes and died ¶ Luitprandus son of Asprandus was a great warriour insomuche that after he had gotten Rauenna and many other citees from the emperours Exarke at laste he besieged Rome Neuerthelesse at the intercession of his gossippe the frenche kyng he leauied his siege and restored to the Romains those castels and townes that he before had taken from theim ¶ Aldeprandus nephewe of Luitprandus liued not fully .v. monethes and
died without issue ¶ Rachis or Lachis as some call him Duke of Turine was next kynge who after manie gyftes made to the churche of Rome whan he had reigned .vi. yeres lefte his crowne and became a monke ¶ Aristolphus brother to Rachis contrarie to his brothers maners made so sharpe warre to the churche of Rome that Stephen then bishop called Pepine the Frenche kyng twise into Italy against him and constreigned him to obey the Romayne See and at last beyng on a day a huntyng he died sodeinely of an appoplexi ¶ Desiderius laste kyng of the Lumbardes prospered longe tyme in his warres and specially agaynste the churche of Rome which he so constreigned that Adrian the first than bishop there was faine to call kyng Charlemaine of Fraunce into Italie to succour hym who at his comyng not onelie restored vnto the churche all those citees that were taken awaie but also led Desiderius his wife and children prysoners with hym into Fraunce furnyshyng the whole regyon of Lumbardie with officers and rulers of his owne nacion ¶ Thus ended the reigne of the Lumbardes which had continued more than .200 yeres ¶ It is nowe to be vnderstanded that shortly vpon the comyng of Alboinus into Italy diuers citees prouinces of the same as theyr strength and tyme dyd serue theim vsed theyr owne libertees and leauyng the imperiall lawes made newe orders and officers amongest them selfes Wherfore the emperour Iustinus sent a generall of his into Italie named Longinus ordeinyng him to be called Exarke whiche shoulde be chiefe ouer all other officers ¶ This Exarke passyng by Rome came to Rauenna and there kept his astate appoynctyng the gouernaunce of Rome to a Duke so that many yeres after there were no mo Consulles made whiche office together with the most parte of all the other Romayne magistrates kept theyr auncient forme vnto that tyme not withstandyng that the emperours had taken from theym all maner of auctoritee except the onely gouernaunce of the citee ¶ From Longinus vnto the comyng of kynge Pepine into Italie the emperours helde in maner contynuall warre with the kinges of Lumbardy by theyr Exarkes but after Pepine had ouercome the kyng Aristolphe who before had subdued the Exarke of Rauenna he gaue the landes of that Exarcate to the churche A great part wherof the bishoppe of Rome holdeth to this day ¶ And because that from the tyme of Honorius hitherwardes I can not finde that any emperour had quiete dominion ouer Italy or was at any time resident there I therfore omitte to reherse the emperours names that haue reigned syns and woull conclude how by Charlemaines time the empire that before had none other title than of Rome wherof it toke originall was vtterlie diuided in two Orientalâ— and Occidentall the occasion wherof was this ¶ Leo the .iii. successour vnto Adrian bishop of Rome was chased awaie by the Romaines and fledde to kyng Charlemaine for succour who not onely restored hym to his bishopriche but also for a more terrour to the Romaines with a great power came to Rome in his owne person where on Christmas daie for a rewarde of his trauaile the bishoppe and clergie proclaimed hym emperour ¶ Some write that Charlemaine was very loth to take it vpon him till he had practised first with Hirena than Empresse of Constantinople and after with Niceforus nexte emperour folowyng and obteygned bothe theyr consentes ¶ In effect Charlemaine was crowned toke on him the empyre and his son Pepine was entitled king of Italy And after they had attempted to chase the grekes cleane out of the same they accorded with Niceforus to diuide the easte empire from the weast limittyng the Duchiâ— of Beneuento to be as a confyne or bounde betwene theim both ¶ And thus sens Charlemaine the occidentall empyre continued vnder the Frenche dominion till Gregorie the .v. bishop of Rome transported the election of the emperour vnto the princes of Germanie whiche to this dai endureth Like as on the other syde the Orientall empyre continued in Constantinople in the handê of Christians till Machomeâ— the second of that name emperour of the Turkes toke the citee by force slew the emperour Sigismonde and consequently enioyed the whole Greekish empyre as his successours dooe vnto this daie ¶ The descripcion of Rome THynkyng to finde a great contentacion in the sight of Rome because that amoÌ„gest al the citees of the worlde none hath been more famous than it I disposed my selfe to goe thither But whan I came there and behelde the wonderfull maiestee of buildynges that the onely rootes therof doe yet represent the huge temples the infinite great palaices the vnmeasurable pillers moste parte of one peece fine marble and well wrought the goodly arches of triumphe the baines the cunductes of water the images as well of brasse as of marble the Obeliskes and a noumbre of other lyke thynges not to be founde againe thoroughout an whole worlde imaginyng withall what maiestee the citee myghte be of whan all these thynges flourished Than didde it greeue me to see the onelie iewell myrrour maistres and beautie of this worlde that neuer had hir lyke nor as I thynke neuer shall lie so desolate and disfigured that there is no lamentable case to be harde or lothesome thyng to be seen that maie be compared to a small parte of it Neuerthelesse whan I remembred againe the occasions wherof these gloriouse thynges haue growen what noumbres of warres the Romaynes haue mainteygned with infinite bloudsheddyng destructions of whole countreys rauishmentes of chast women sacke spoyle tributes oppression of common welthes and a thousande other tyrannies without the whiche the Romaines could neuer haue achieued the perfection of so many wonders as mine eye dyd there beholde Than perceiued I howe iust the iudgement of god is that hath made those antiquitees to remayne as a foule spoyle of the Romaine pride and for a witnesse to the worldes ende of their tyranny So that I wote not whether of these two is greater either the glorie of that fame that the Romaines purchased with theyr wonderfull conquestes or their present miserable astate with the deformitee of theyr antiquities ¶ Of the riuer of Tyber THE riuer of Tyber whiche renneth throughe Rome diuideth Tuscane and Champaigne so that Transtyberim and the Vaticane wherin standeth S. Peters churche with the bishops palaice and castell Saint Angelo are in Tuscane and the rest on the other syde of the water whiche is verie Rome in deede is in Champaigne ¶ The distance betwene the citee and the sea called Mare Tirrhenum is .xv. myles And all be it the riuer be great deepe and large enoughe for an hauen from the sea to Rome yet most commonly the ships can come no neerer than Ostia whiche is .xii. myles from Rome partly by reason of the streame that reuneth very swift and partely by reason of the wonderfull quantitee of mudde that being brought downe with the swift course of the water lieth
forwarde fauoured the Arrianes and ordeyned that euery bishop should be resident on his benefice and applie him selfe to fede his flocke ¶ Damasus succeded Liberius who contented with Vrcisinê° one of the decons of the church that was likewise elected vnto the bishoprike For the Romayns at that tyme were diuided into sectes so that a numbre of either side were slaine but finally Damasus preuailed and Vrcisinus was confyned to Naples ¶ This Damasus was afterwardê accused of adultery and therfore called .40 bishops together and cleryng him selfe of the cryme not onelie punished his accusers but also made a decree Sub poena tallionis that none of the clergie from thensefoorth shuld be accused whiche Poena tallionis condemneth the accuser to the payne of the accusacion in case he prouet it not ¶ At this tyme lyued sainct Hierome that than hadde newelie translated the bible out of Hebrue into the latine tonge and had set it foorth to the edificacion of the churche whiche before had none other but the .70 interpretours ¶ Syritius was next bishop in whose tyme the secte of the Manichees encreased muche of all other most pestilent to our Christian religion It beganne thorough one Maneph a Persian borne who named hym selfe Christ chose vnto him .12 apostles reproued the olde testament folowed the new and saied that Christ had but a fantasticall and a feigned body and with wonders gate hym suche creadite that in maner all the east partees were corrupted with his heresies ¶ Finally Syritius to refourme this and other lyke sectes called a generall counsaile in Constantinople of 1350. bishoppes where these opinions were vniuersally condemned though they could not be clerely extinguished many yeres after ¶ But because it apperteygneth not to my purpose to write of sectes and opinions seyng that till the time of Gregorie the seconde about the yere of our lorde .720 the Romaine bishops trauailed most in mattiers of religion beyng alwaies obedient and ruled by the emperours without peculier dominion I woull passe theim ouer for that space ¶ True it is that in the tyme of Phoca the emperour vppon controuersie moued betweene the Patriarke of Constantinople and the bishop of Rome for the supremacie of the churche Boniface the .iii. obteined a priuilege of the emperour that he and his successours from thensefoorth shoulde be taken for Primates and chiefe of all Christian bishops By reason of whiche preferrement not longe after the Romaine bishops not onely toke on theim the direction of all other bishops with grauntyng of Dispensacions Iubilees and Pardons but also wold put foorth their feete to be kissed of princes yea and of emperours theim selfes as appeareth by the example of the emperour Iustinian who kissed the feete of bishop Constantine the fyrst as Platina affirmeth like as other emperours sens haue accustomed to dooe But for all that I fynde not that any bishop openly contended with the emperours till the time of this Gregorie the seconde ¶ Leo the .iii. emperour commaunded throughout his dominion that all maner of images shoulde be cleane had out of the churches for auoydyng of Idolatry but the most parte of the people disalowed this ordinaunce Through comfort wherof this Gregorie so contended against it that in most partes of Italie the emperours officers executyng their princê commandement in this behalfe were heweÌ„ to peces as the exarke of Rauenna with his son Marinus Spatarius duke of Rome with his son and diuers other Insomuche that Gregorie not onely sequestred from the emperour the customes and taxes due vnto hym out of Rome and manie other citees in Italie but also called a counsaile and excomunicated the emperour as an heritike and leauyng the churche in that astate died Blondus saieth that the doer hereof was Stephen the secounde who was bishop before this Gregorie but by agreement of most authours it shoulde not seeme to be so ¶ Than succeded Gregorie the .iii. who folowyng the example of his predecessour called a counsaile in Rome of a .1000 bishops wherin the emperour was not onely excomunicate againe but also by decree depriued of his imperiall title and iurisdiction and the Italian nacion procured to rebell against him ¶ By reason whereof whan Luitprandus kynge of the Lumbardes had besieged the citee of Rome the bishop could not for shame requyre succours of the emperour but was faine to sende to Charles Martell than beyng chiefe ruler in Fraunce by whose fayre meane and entreatie the Lumbarde withdrew his siege the rather because Charles Martell had made hym his gossippe And here beganne the fyrst amitee betweene the kynges of Fraunce and the Romaine churche ¶ Zacharie succeded Gregorie who to encrease the reputacion of the Romaine churche at the intercession of Pepine sonne vnto Charles Martell than great maister of the frenche kyngê house deposed Chilperike than beyng kyng and made hym a monke closed vp in a cloyster and afterwardes inuested Pepine kyng of Fraunce For whiche acte the heyres of Pepine were euer after earnest friendes to the Romaine See ¶ This Zacharie vppon occasion wente to Narnia to Luitprandus kyng of Lumbardes and there partly with makyng a sermon and partly with his huÌ„ble behauiour entred in suche grace with the kyng that he gaue to the churche of Rome .iii. citees Narnia Ancona and Humana with a great valey in Sutri whiche were the fyrste notable possessions that the churche of Rome obteined For vntill this tyme if the churche had any temporaltees thei were so small that they serued scarcely to the necessarie findyng of the ornamentes and ministers But after this they encreased so muche that they passed princely astates ¶ After Zacharie folowed Stephen the secounde in whose tyme Aristolfus or Aistolfus kynge of Lumbardes troubled all the astates of Italie by reason he had gotten Rauenna with diuers other citees and was like to haue subdued the reste Wherfore the bishop that than had taken vpon hym to rule the Romaines sent for ayde vnto Constantine the .v. than emperour From whom he receiued so small coumfort that for his last refuge he repayred to Pepine kyng of France and procured hym to come into Italie ¶ Pepine to gratifie the Romaine churche vsed all his power and two seuerall times passed the Alpes against Aristolfe At the first he besieged Pauia and there constreigned Aristolfe to promise more than he perfourmed in deede and at the secounde tyme for breache of that promyse to forgoe the exarkate of Rauenna whiche he had before taken by force from the emperours exarke there so that Pepine at his last viage gaue vnto the Romaines although the bishop vnder that name receiued it as his owne all the territorie of Pentapoli and Aemilia from Placentia to Pesaro liyng betwene the Appenine hillê the Po and the Adriatike sea whiche are at the least .xi. or .xii. citees with the countreis about theim Through the gifte wherof the Romaine bishoprike encreased no lesse in
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
not many yeres after ¶ At this place Platina began to lament the tyranny of the Romaine bishops because from hense foorthf there reigned no more humilitee temperance religion trouth nor charitee amonge theim but in stede therof ambicion disdeygne auaryce falshead and tyrannie For shortly after Leo the .v. was by force deposed and put in prison by Christofer the fyrste one of his owne bryngyng vp who continued scarcely .vii. monethes but was likewyse serued by Sergius the .iii. ¶ Here I haue thought good to make a litle digression because of the notable chaunge of the empire ¶ About this time began the contencion betwene Lewis the Frenche kyng and Berengarius Duke of Friuli for the empire and dominion of Lumbardie ¶ The Italians wolde not that the bishops of Rome shoulde crowne any other emperour than one of theyr owne nacion wherupon Berengarius tooke on hym the name of emperour and kyng of Italie and in that quarell fought twise with Lewys The first battaile he lost but the second he wan in the which Lewys was taken prisoner and one of his eies put out And thus ended the empire in Charlemaignes descent for the which was no smal contencion awhile betwene the .iii. nacions Italian Frenche and Douche ¶ Fyrste this Berengarius reygned with the name of emperour .iiii. yeres and had no small warres speciallie with the Conte Guido di Spoleti who at the laste was discomfited and slayne in the fielde And as some write the bishop Lando gaue Berengarius the crowne ¶ After him reigned Berengarius the secound .vii. yeres who suffred the Hungariens to passe into Italie vpon condicion they shoulde not offende his subiectes but they kepte not theyr couenaunt with him ¶ And than came Raulfe Duke of Burgoyne and draue him out of Italie whiche he ruled for the space of .iii. yeres till Berengarius with helpe of the Hungariens recouered it againe ¶ Than came Hugh Conte d' Arli and reigned after Berengarius .x. yeres askyng of Italie ¶ The last of the Italians was Berengarius the .iii. who reigned about .xi. yeres and was expulsed as you shall here afterwardes ¶ Iohn the .xi. a better warriour than churchman with the helpe of Alberico Marques of Tuscane gathered an armie and fought with the Sarasines that than had ouerronne Puglia and Calabria and were comyng to Rome and in effecte so discomfited theim that they fled to Monte Gargano where thei fortified them selfes and did muche hurte afterwardes in the realme of Naples Finally he fell at variaunce with the forenamed Marques who therfore called the Hungarians into Italie and scourged the whole nacion aswell his owne subiectes as others So that the Romains to be auenged toke Alberico and beheaded hym and the souldiours tooke the bishop and strangeled hym ¶ Agapet the seconde seeyng the puissance of Berengarius the .iii. and fearyng to come vnder his subiection with consent of the Romains procured Otho than newly chosen emperour in Germanie with a great armie to come into Italie Where he fought twyse with Berengarius and at either tyme toke hym and his soonne Albert prisoners The fyrst tyme he restored hym to the astate of Lumbardie vpon condicions But the secounde tyme he and his sonne bothe were ledde awaie and confined the one to Bamborough in Almaigne and the other to Constantinople where thei died miserably ¶ Iohn the .xii. not by free election but by the power of his father Alberico than chiefe of the Romaines was made bishop For though the bishops had longe time continued like kynges I meane for theyr astate and temporall possessions yet for all that the Romaines created yerely certaine Consules and other officers after theyr olde facion and had belongyng to theyr common wealth diuers townes neere vnto Tuscane betwene Vrbeuentano and Tudertino and all that is betwene Naples Marsi Riete and Rome so that the chiefe Romaines bare a great stroke in the bisshops elections ¶ This bishop crowned Otho beforenamed fyrst emperour of the Germaines For neither Henrie Duke of Saxonie last emperour before him nor yet Conrade successour to Lewys before named of Charlemaignes descent were euer crowned though they bothe toke vpon theim the imperiall aucthoritee ¶ This Iohn was a man of so ill liuyng that two of his Cardinalles complained on hym to the emperour besechyng hym to see a reformacion for an exaumple to the worlde But the bishop hearyng of this was soone euin with theim For he cutte of the ones nose and the others handes and afterwardes receiued the emperour with so good a countinance that he seemed nothing giltie till the clergie with one voyce accused hym wherevpon he fledde into the mountaines and hidde him selfe so that the emperour with consent of the clergie chose Leo the .viii. But assoone as the emperour retourned home Iohn by force of his friendes expulsed Leo recouered his bishoprike and so continued till he died ¶ Some write that this was Iohn the .xiii. For amongest the aucthours is some confusion in the numbre of these Iohns specially because some recken the english Iohan for one and some recken hir not but how so euer it be this Iohn succeded Agapet the secounde and as some write was taken in adoulterie and slaine by the womans housbande ¶ Iohn the .xiii. elected by the clergie against the Romaines will was taken by Geffroie Conte di Campania and exiled till this Geffroie and his sonne were slaine by an other lorde of Campania Insomuche that the emperour Otho hearyng of this bishops exile made an armie and came to Rome where after a solemne entrey he toke all the senatours and put theim in prison sent the Consules prisoners into Almaigne and one Peter that had been chiefe of the conspiracie against Iohn was drawen througe the stretes whipped naked hanged by the heare of the head and finally in maner halfe dead sent prisoner into Germanie where he finished his daies For whiche courtesie this Iohn crowned Otho the secounde sonne of this fyrst Otho emperour by the fathers consent and his wyfe Theophila empresse ¶ Benedict the .vi. was taken by Cinthio a noble man of Rome and beyng laied in prison in Castel Sant ' Angelo was either strangled or famished to death ¶ Boniface the .vii. beyng constreyned to forsake Rome toke all the richesse of S. Peters churche with hym to Constantinople and there solde it and at length retourned to Rome where after he was well receiued he put out one of his Cardinalles eies ¶ Gregorie the .v. by reason of a commocion in Rome fled first into Tuscane and afterwardes into Germanie because he wolde not consente to crowne Crescentius emperour who beyng the noblest amongest the Romaines was prouoked by the Italians to take the empyre vpon hym So that whan Gregorie was fledde they made one that had been bishop of Placentia bishop of Rome and named him Iohn the .17 but Otho the .iii. than emperour with a puisant
the churche than he requyred Pascall to confirme his bishops who refusyng so to doe he with diuers of his cardinals and prelatê were taken spoyled of their myters and copes and so ledde into the armie that laie without the citee and from thense into a stronge holde till the bishop so consented to the emperours will that he not onely crowned him there but also confyrmed his bishops How be it shortlie after the emperours retourne into Germanie Pascall called a counsaile in Laterano and reuoked all his doynges to the emperour because they had ben doen through compulsion and not of free will Wherfore the emperour with a puisaunt armie retourned to Rome and findyng that Pascall was withdrawen into Puglia for feare of displeasure he caused him selfe to be crowned a newe by the archebishop of Barcare of whom he also toke auctoritee to dispose the bishoprikes at his pleasure ¶ Aboute this tyme died the Countesse Matilda that gaue vnto the churche of Rome all the territorie from the riuer Pissea and San Quirico vpon the Senese vnto Ceperano betwene the Appenine hilles and the sea with the Feodariship of Ferrara ¶ And in this bishops tyme was the great viage made of the Christians into the holy lande where Hierusalem was wonne and Godfrey of Boloigne crowned kynge ¶ Gelasius the .ii. succeded Pascall by the clergies election but the familie of Frangipani in Rome which were of the imperiall faction toke hym by force and put hym the fyrst nyght in prison but there was suche a commocion of the people the nexte mornyng that the chiefe of his enemies was faine to kysse his feete and to let hym goe Wherfore shortly after the emperour came so soddeinly to Rome that no man knew thereof till he was in sainct Peters churche so that the bishop incontinently fledde and by boote escaped downe Tyber vnto Ostia and so into Fraunce where he died After whose departure the emperour created the abouenamed bishoppe of Bracare in his place callyng hym Clement and so committyng hym to the protection of the Frangipani retourned into Almaigne ¶ Calixt the seconde before archebishop of Vienna was elected successour vnto Gelasius by the Cardinallê that than were resident in Fraunce how be it he would not take the dignitee vpon hym till he had woorde from Rome that the clergie there were contented withall Upon good aduertisement wherof he repayred thither and findyng the imperiall bishop to be fledde settled his astate there sendyng to the emperour for peace and fauour whiche he easilie obteined ¶ And hearyng that the imperiall bishop was gone to Sutri and there had fortified he made an armie went thither besieged Sutri toke his aduersarie brought hym to Rome made hym ride about the stretes on a camell with the taile in his hande and at last closed him vp in an abbey He trauailed muche for William Duke of Puglia in the defence of his countrey against Roger Erle of Sicile but it auailed not ¶ Innocent the seconde immediately after his coronacion sodeinly reised an army and went against the forenamed Roger that than wrote him selfe kyng of Sicile whom he founde so vnprouided that he made hym flee to Castell Galuzzo and there besieged him till his son William with a great power came to the rescue fought with the bishops armie and toke the bishop withall his Cardinalles prisoners Neuerthelesse they were afterwardes courtesly let goe and accompanied towardê Rome where in the meane season was a newe bishoppe made named Anaclete And this new bishoppe vsyng the iewelles of sainct Peters as his owne made so many friendê that Innocent was faine to flee from thense to Pisa from Pisa to Genoa and so into Fraunce Finally he went vnto Lotharius the .iii. than elected Caesar and by his meanes was restored to his bishoprike againe For the whiche he rewarded Lotharius with the imperiall crowne as the custome was causyng hym afterwardes so to inuade the realme of Naples that Roger who than called hym selfe kyng therof forsoke Italie cleane for a tyme. ¶ The emperour was no sooner retourned into Germanie but the bishop thinkyng hym selfe in peace fell at variaunce with the Romains for chosyng of senatours because somewhat before that tyme the other bishops his predicessours had taken all temporall power clerely from the citesins and vsed it priuately as theyr own In the heate of whiche contencion Innocence died ¶ Eugenius the .iii. incontinently vpon his election forsoke Rome because the Romains were resolutely determyned to mainteigne theyr Senatours and he to the contrarie vsyng his vttermost power constreigned them to crie him mercie and to committe the ordre of all magistrates vnto him Neuerthelesse after his retourne the people that coulde not brooke the losse of theyr lybertees so rebelled agaynste him that he was faine to flee and went into Fraunce where declaryng his case vnto Lewys the kyng he obteined suche succours that in maner by force he retourned to Rome and had his owne will ¶ Adrian the .iiii. an englishman borne constreigned the Consulles and Senatours of Rome to depose theym selfes and to committe all theyr rule vnto the churche He crowned Frederike Barbarossa emperour thoughe afterwardes he did excommunicate hym He also graunted the title of kyng to William the third descended of the Normaine bloud beyng than lorde of Sicile and of the realme of Naples He encreased not a litle the Churches territorie but he was muche hated of the Romains for takyng awaie of their libertees Finally before his death he repented the excoÌ„municacion of the emperour saiyng that there coulde be none so miserable an astate as the Romaine bishoprike gotten with bloudde ¶ Alexander the .iii. had vnto his election the voyces of 22. Cardinalles and Octauian had but .iii. as moste authours agree Neuerthelesse betwene theim two grewe so great a Schisme that the emperour Frederike was faine to call diuers counsayles for the mattyer cityng both the parties there to appeare that the mattier might be rightuously iudged Octauian came at the emperours callyng but Alexander wolde neuer appeare Wherfore the emperour became so muche his ennemie that he was fayne to flee from Rome into Fraunce and other regions to procure helpe of other princes So that there happened much bloudde fyre and destruction for this mattier manie yeres together ¶ Some write that Alexander was so pursued of the emperour that in a cookes apparayle he was fayne to flee vnknowen from place to place till at laste he came to Uenice and there in a monastarie toke a gardeyners wages and serued in the kitchin Where he was discouered by a pilgrime and therupon apparailed and brought in Pontificalibus with procession to S. Markes churche remaignyng there honorably enterteigned till after fore feight by sea betwene the emperour and the Uenecians Otho the emperours son was taken prisoner by whose meanes a peace was made betwene Alexander and the emperour Some writers make no mencion of this historie but saie that by
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
came with a noble companie and amongest other certaine infidell Tartares who there receiued baptisme ¶ He confyrmed Radulphus Erle of Holsatia emperour though he came not to Rome to receiue the crowne ¶ Nicolas the .iii. depriued Charles kyng of Naples of the vicarage of the empyre that Clement the .iiii. had geuen hym in Tuscane and toke from him also the Senatourship of Rome takyng the vse of that office into his owne handes and made a lawe that no prince from thensfoorth shoulde be Senatour of Rome He repulsed the Uenetian ambassadours with foule woordes because of the siege that they had laied to the citee of Ancona He toke many citees in Flaminia by force and practise and brought theim from obedience of the emperour to the churches subiection He went about to make two of his owne kynne of the house of Vrsina in Rome kynges the one in Tuscane and the other in Lumbardie but he coulde not bringe it to passe ¶ Finally he procured Peter kyng of Aragon to chalenge the realmes of Naples and Sicile as the inheritaunce of his wyfe Constantia doughter to the kynge Manfredo Wherof there folowed sharpe warres ¶ Martine the .iiii. a frencheman borne after longe contencion amongest the Cardinalles was elected bishop who incontinently restored vnto Charles than kynge of Naples the office of Senatour of Rome against the Romaines will For the whiche there hapned muche bloudsheedyng But at last the frenchemen so preuailed that Richarde Hanniball chiefe of the Romaines was faine to come with an halter about his necke to aske pardon at the bishops feete Wherupon the bishop made two new Senatours and so ruled Rome at his will ¶ He excommunicated king Peter of Aragone and cried the croisie against him because he had preuailed in winnyng of the realme of Sicile against kynge Charles of Naples and the excommunicacion was suche that all men myght lawfully take his landes and goodes where or how so euer they could come by them But this letted not kyng Peter of his purpose ¶ Honorius the .iiii. confyrmed the excommunicacion of Martine against king Peter entitlyng the Frenche king to the realme of Aragone and the Erle of Arras the Frenche kynges sonne to the realme of Sicile Whiche bothe with seuerall powers enforced theim selfes to occupie bothe those realmes accordyng to the bishoppes gifte but in effect they preuailed not ¶ After longe contencion at length the Cardinals chose Celestine the .v. beyng an hermite who was so simple a man continuyng still the olde maner of his abstinent life that the Cardinalles could not well supporte hym ¶ Wherfore the Cardinall Benedicte Gaietane beganne a new practise and fell at composicion with his bretherne that if he could make Celestine resigne thei shuld electe hym So he made one with a caue thorough a wall crie to Celestine in the night as he laie in his bed that God commanded hym to resigne his bishoprike vnto Benedict Whervpon this simple man beleuyng the voyce to come from heauen gaue ouer his dignitee and caused Benedict to be chosen in his place namyng hym Boniface the .viii. who for rewarde fearyng least Celestines life myght be a trouble to his glorie caused the poore man to be taken by the waie as he retourned towardes his heremitage and laied in prison in Castel Fumone where shortly after he was famished to death ¶ Boniface the .viii. cleauyng earnestlie to the Guelfe part persecuted cruelly two Cardinalles of the house of Colonna that than were chiefe of the Ghibellines and did so muche hurt to that family that after he had rased theyr townes and houses to the earthe none of theym durst appeare For Sarra Colonna chiefe of that house fled so muche the persecucion of this bishop that after he had liued a certain space in the woddê poorely amongest the sheeppeherdes at last he was taken of Pirates vpon the sea costes and made a slaue to the ore in the galeys ¶ This bishop giuing asshes on ashewednesday to Porchetto archebishop of Genoa saied to him in latine remembre man that thou arte a Ghibelline and with the Ghibellines shalt retourne into asshes and therwithall threwe the asshes in his eies ¶ He also was the firste that ordeyned the yere of Iubiley amongest the Christians which caused wonderfull resorte from all parties to Rome ¶ He excommunicated Phiâ—ip the frenche kyng because he wolde not goe into the holy lande at his appointment and deposed him of his crowne entitlyng Albert Duke of Austriche to the same To the entent the Almaines might auenge his quarell agaynste the Frenchemen But at length Sarra Colonna happened to arriue in the porte of Marsicles in Fraunce where disclosyng hym selfe he was taken out of the galey had to the frenche court and finally sent so strongely into Italy with .200 â–ª men of armes that he came sodeynlie on a nyghte to Anagnia toke the bishop in his bed and led him to Rome prisoner where within lesse than .24 daies he died for sorow So that there folowed a saiyng of hym he entred like a foxe reigned like a woulfe and died as a dogge ¶ Benedict the .xi. assoyled the frenche kyng reconsiled the two Cardinalles of the house of Colonna and condemnyng the actes of his predecessour did neuerthelesse excommunicate the authours of his death ¶ Clement the .v. a Gascoygne borne and bishoppe of Burdeux was after .xii. monethes contencion amongest the Cardinalles elected bishop of Rome who for affection to his countrey transferred the see of Rome to Lyons in France and called all the Cardinals thyther to his consecracion Wherat the frenche kyng with many other princes was present and the Duke of Britaine and diuers other slaine with the fallyng of a wall For feare wherof Clement fell from his horse and lost a carboncle of his myter esteemed to be woorthe .vi. thousande duckates ¶ Than incontinently he made .xii. frenche Cardinallee three of the whiche he sent to Rome with senatours aucthoritee to rule the citee and all Italie He oppressed the secte called Fraticâ—lli that were than newly risen in Lumbardie who woulde haue had all thynges in common without magistrates or rulers ¶ He interdited the Uenetians because they succoured the house of Este against the churche ¶ The Cardinall Orsino than legate in Tuscane excuÌ„municated the citees of Florence and Luke because they woulde not be ordered by hym but the Florentines prouided a speedie remedie For they laied suche taxes on the spirituall men that the bishoppe for his membres sake was glad to assoyle theim ¶ The Frenche kynge practised with the bishop to reduce the imperiall astate vnto hym but at length they agreed so ill that Clement caused the Germaines to â—lecte emperour Henry the .vii. of Luxemburgh who by the bishops procurement passed into Italie with a mightie armie streigned sore the Italians was crowned of the Cardinalles in Rome and finally waxed so great that the bishop mistrustyng his power threatned to excommunicate hym
the Christian princê and powers and vnited them in an enterprise against the Turkes but his purpose could not take place ¶ Urbane the .v. sent Giles a Spaniarde as his legate into Italie whiche Giles with helpe of the other Italian princes so sore oppressed the house of Visconti that it was lyke to haue been destroied had not the kinges of Englande Fraunce and Cypres by theyr ambassadours procured a peace ¶ This Urbane withal his court went to Rome where after longe serche as they write he founde the heades of saincte Peter and Paule ¶ Finally returnyng into Fraunce he died by the waie of poyson as some thynke ¶ Gregorie the .xi. remoued the seate of his bishoprike from Auignion to Rome after it hadde been holden in Fraunce .70 yeres Some saie he did it because of the cruell warres that were amonge the princê and lordes of Italie whiche was ascribed to the bishoppe of Romes absence for theyr residence there staied the Italian nacion in peace ¶ Some saie he did it vpon a checke geuen hym by a bishop that was his familiare whom he asked why he was not resident vpon his bishoprike as the Canon lawes commaunded Wherunto the bishop answeared And why holy father are not you resident vpon yours But what so euer the occasion was he conueighed hym selfe with all his court from Auignion to Rome where of the Romaines and clergie he was receiued with Iubilate ¶ After whan he had pacified most parte of the Italian princê because the Florentines would neither be entreated nor refourmed by excommunicacion he made warre against theim and duryng the same died of the stone ¶ In his tyme IohnÌ„ Acton with .v. or .vi. thousande englishe horsemen sought the aduenture of the warres in Italie and fyrst serued the citesins of Pisa against the Florenâ—â—nes than the Visconti against the churche in whiche seruice he was taken prisoner but afterwardes the bishop of Rome made him his generall whilest the bishop laie in Fraunce And than did IohnÌ„ Acton gette the townes of Faenza and Bagnacauallo wherof he sold one to the Marques of Este for .20000 crownes and the other he kept to hym selfe But whan the bishop was come to Rome and had not so rewarded hym as he deserued he forsoke the bishop and was made generall of the Florentines Under whom he serued verie honourablie with suche a numbre of our nacion both horsemen and footemen that all Italie feared him and glad was that prince that myght reteigne hym For in all his enterprises he behaued hym selfe so woorthyly that the Florentines after his death buried hym honourablie in theyr cathedrall churche as a singuler defender of theyr common wealth ¶ Urbane the .vi. was elected by .xvii. Cardinalles wherof .xiii. were frenchemen that would faine haue chosen a bishop of theyr owne nacion But for feare of the people that cried a Romaine or an Italian they consented to this election and did honour Urbane the space of .iii. monethes and more ¶ The season than waxyng hote they desyred licence to goe abroade into the realme of Naples where by maintenaunce of Queene Iohan .viii. of the frenche Cardinalles elected a new bishop of their owne nacion namyng hym Clement the .vii. wherof folowed a great Schisme For Germanie Italie and Hungarie held with Urbane and the other realmes with Clement So that Urbane beyng of nature a cruell man to make his partie the stronger called Charles Durace out of Hungarie to conquere Naples from Queene Iohan. ¶ This Clement vpon displeasure depriued Charles gaue the title of the realme of Naples to Lewys Duke of Aâ—giowe who with a puissant armie of frenchemen entred into Italie purposyng not onely to expell Charles but also to take Peters mantel from Urbane but he prospered not For after he had made warre in Puglia about .xii. monethes at last he was slaine in battaile Wherof Urbane waxed so proude that because Charles kyng of Naples wolde not consent to make his nephiew prince of Campania he did excommunicate hym and if his power had been equall to his will had deposed him of his crowne But Charles handled the bishop so streictely that he was faine to flee to Genoa In whiche iourney he sacked .v. of his Cardinalles and threw theim into the sea and caused two other to be baken to poudre cariyng theyr asshes in sackes vpon moyles before hym for a terrour to the rest ¶ After this Charles death he retourned to Rome and did as muche as in him laie to destroie Charles children Wherin he preuailed not but rather procured him selfe a great daunger if he had not preuented his mischiefe with creatyng of .xxix. Cardinalles wherof .xxvi. were Napolitanes And finally by most opinions he was poysoned and died in Rome to the peoples great contentacion that for his crueltee muche abhorred hym ¶ Boniface the .ix. of .xxx. yeres of age succeded him whiche had not ben seen before And because he woulde bridle the Romaines from the libertee that the people had vsed many yeres in chosyng of theyr officers he absented him selfe with his courte from Rome and laie at Ascisa so that whan the yere of Iubiley came the Romains could by no meane get him to Rome till thei had promised to renounce theyr libertees vnto hym whiche sens that time thei could neuer recouer For incontinently as he was entred into the citee he made Castel Sant ' Angelo so strong that it hath ben and shal be a continuall bridle to the people and a great staie against emperours ¶ This bishop ordeyned the Annates that all spirituall promocions shoulde paie to the churche of Rome halfe a yeres value at euery chaunge whiche decre toke place in all realmes sauyng in Englande For the kynge and his barons woulde suffre none other but bishops to be bounde to this Annates ¶ In his tyme the yere before the Iubiley a certaine priest passed the mountaines into Italie clothed in lynnen who drew a worlde of people after hym called the white company persuadyng them that a certaine crucifixe whiche he caried before theim did many tymes weepe All the daie longe they shoulde trauaile on theyr iourney and at nyght lyke beastê lie theim downe wheras the daie light failed theim But the bishoppe fearyng this multitude as they were comyng towardê Rome sent men of warre against theim dispersed the company and brought the priest to Rome where for his abusion he was burned After whose death partely through this fonde assemblie and partely throughe the great resorte of people to Rome for the Iubiley there folowed a wonderfull great pestilence ouer all Italy ¶ About this tyme Crisolora a Constantinopolitane reuiued the Greeke letters in Italie where thei had not been vsed .500 yeres before ¶ And like as this Boniface succeded Urbane in Rome euen so did one Peter Luna succede Clement in Auignion and was called Benedict the .xiii. ¶ Innocence gouerned the Romaines with so muche tirannie that they openly murmured
one agreement cited .iii. times Eugenie to come thither with his Cardinalles And because he came not they threatned to depose hym Wherfore he sent his apostolicall bulles thyther with certaine Cardinalles to confyrme all thynges there determined ¶ Than sent he the Patriarke Vitelesco to Rome who there vsed many cruell tourmentes and deathes against the enemies of Eugenie and after went into the realme of Naples pretendyng title therunto in the churches right In whiche quarell he fought with the prince of Taranto and toke hym prisoner with two thousand horse and missed little of takyng the kyng Alfonse vnder colour of truese ¶ In his retourne to Rome he vtterly destroied Preneste the chiefe towne belongyng to the house of Colonna but at last his chaunce was to be betraied and slain hym selfe ¶ After this Eugenie called a counsaile in Ferrara wherunto Iohn Paleologo emperour of Constantinople with the principall of the greeke churche came and disputed certaine articles of religion whiche were agreed vpon in the counsaile folowyng at Florence And all be it that Eugenie had great assemblies at both these counsailes yet were there a noumbre of bishops that sate still at Basile alwaies sommonyng Eugenie to repayre thither and at last for lacke of apparance partly through instaunce of Philip Duke of Mylaine than enemie to Eugenie the counsaile of Basile deposed him and created in his place one Amideus than beyng an heremite that before had been Duke of Sauoie namyng hym Felix By reason whereof Christendome was diuided into .iii. partes Two helde with these .ii. bishops and the .iii. with nother of bothe ¶ Than retourned Eugenie vnto Rome where he was ioyfully receiued of the people and lodged the fyrste night at the gate Flaminia but the seconde daie as he went in Pontificalibus towarde sainct Peters because the custome of the citee was reysed double the people beganne to crie downe with the customes and with the inuentours of theim so that the bishop was faine to promyse theim it should be no more leuied ¶ Shortly after he made warre in the Marke of Ancona and recouered it out of the handes of Francesco Sforza and finally prouoked Charles than Dolphin of Fraunce by plaine force to driue awaie the bishops that helde the counsaile at Basile and so remaigned in his astate till he died ¶ Nicolas the .v. succeded Eugenie vnto whom Amideus renounced his title by compulsion of the emperour Frederike For whiche renunciacion Nicolas created hym Cardinall and legate in Germanie He crowned the same Frederike and his wyfe with the imperiall crownes in Rome and trauailed muche partly by fayre meanes and partly by threatningê to appease the warre betweene the princes and states of Italie but his excommunicacions could not rule theim ¶ Calixt the .iii. incontinently after his election prepared an armie against the Turkes armed .xvi. galeys of his owne and vnder the leadyng of the patriarke of Aquileia sent theim into the Leuant seas and ceased not to persuade all Christian princes as muche as in hym laie to that expedicion Amongest whom Alfonse kyng of Naples and Lewys Duke of Burgoyne toke ones the crosse on theim towardes that viage but thorough some occasions they chaunged purpose ¶ Not longe after the kynge Alfonse died Whervpon Calixt vnder pretence of title to the realme of Naples made great preparacion of warre against Ferdinando sonne to Alfonse but beyng preuented by death bothe the rumour and feare therof ceased ¶ Whan he died he lefte .150 thousande dukates in his coffers whiche he saied he had prepared for the warres against the Turke ¶ Pius the secounde shortly after his election called a counsaile in Mantua Unto the whiche came ambassadours from all Christen princes And all be it that through the bishops persuasion who was hym selfe an excellent Oratour it was there concluded that to the expedicion against the Turkes at the bishops deuise euery prince and astate shoulde be contributour as well for sendyng of men and municion as also for maintenance with money yet whan it came to the poinct there was nothyng dooen ¶ Duryng this counsaile manie rumours were reised in Tuscane yea and in Rome that one Tiburtio sonne of Angelo Massiano with certaine companions had taken the temple of Pantheon and there fortifiyng him disturbed the whole citee ¶ The partie called Auersana enemies to the bishop had also taken Viterbo whiche the bishoppe at his retourne recouered ¶ All whiche thynges with a noumbre of commocions in the Marke of Ancona in Vmbria and in the confines there at length the bishop appesed either by policie or by force ¶ He caused Lewys the frenche kynge to renounce certaine exactions granted him of the churche in the counsaile at Basile and defended Ferdinando kyng of Naples against IohnÌ„ sonne to Raynolde Duke of Angiow ¶ Finally disposyng hym selfe altogether to the enterprise against the Turkes and beyng arriued in Ancona to meete with the Uenetian galeys and capitaine named Christofer Moro for the same purpose he died of a continuall feuer ¶ And leauyng behynd hym .40000 dukates with certaine ships and galeys prepared for that viage the Cardinalles deliuered bothe the one and other to the Uenetian capitaine The money to be sent to the kynge of Hungarie to relieue his neede and the shippes to serue on the seas with the Uenetian armie ¶ Paule the secounde so muche abhorred learned men that he accoumpted all theim that were of Platos Academie to be heretikes and depriued a noumbre of vertuouse and learned men of suche offices and promocions as his predecessours had called theim to amongest whom was Platina And beyng entreated to be more graciouse vnto theim consideryng thei were olde men had folowed the courte all theyr daies and many also had bought theyr liuynges deere so that neither by law nor yet by reason he ought to depriue theim he aunsweared that forasmuche as the law and reason rested in his brest to allow or disallow what he thought good his will being so it was bothe sufficient law and reason ¶ Than picked he a quarell to the familie of Auersa and with helpe of certaine men of warre sent to him by Ferdinando kynge of Naples he assaulted theim and toke .9 of theyr castels Of the whiche â—ame were so stronge that they seemed impossible to be wonne And because the bishop through the kynges helpe had atteined these fortresses and possessions the kyng required certaine small benefites at his handes but the vncourteyse bishop would graunt nothyng wherfore thei squared a little and than agreed againe ¶ After this the bishop gaue hym selfe to idlenesse and plaies and in the shrouyng tyme deuised a noumbre of games prices to be won and distributed muche money amongest boies the better to mainteine his pastyme In the ende wherof hapned hym suche a feare that he wist not what to dooe For it was tolde hym that certaine younge men had conspyred against hym by the procurement of one
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
all straungers to hym ¶ In conclusion the Frenchemen toke Rauenna with diuers other citees of the bishops whiche they enioyed not longe For the bishop immediately gatte into his league the emperour the kyng of England the Germaines and the Suizers So that the Frenche kynge beyng vexed on all sides was easily constreigned to forgoe his conquestes and dominions in Italie specially through force of the Suizers that vnder the leadyng of theyr Cardinall Sedunese came in great numbre to the bishops seruice who rewarded theim with the title of defendours of the churche and gaue them a gilt sword and an hatte of maintenaunce ¶ Somewhat before his death he established his cousin Francesco Maria Duke of Vrbine ¶ Leo the .x. of the house of Medici a Florentine borne was a pleasant man of nature and gaue him selfe more to humanitee and pleasures of this life than either to religion or to encrease of dominion ¶ He encreased muche the reputacion of his house but because he expulsed by force Francesco Maria Duke of Urbine out of his astate and placed in the same fyrst his brother Iulian and after his nephiew Laurence the worlde accused hym of tyrannie For he attempted to dooe the lyke vnto the Duke of Ferrare but he preuailed not ¶ Some ill was suspected of hym for his to muche delicatenesse in bringyng vp of children and for his opinion of immortalitee ¶ Adrian the .vii. by contencion amongest the Cardinalles happened to be elected reputed of theim for an ignoraunt man though some other had a good opinion bothe of his vertue and learnyng But because his life was nothyng courtely or agreable to the Cardinalles either through gods visitacion or as most men thinke thoroughe theyr poyson practises he was soone dispatched ¶ Clement the .vii. brother vnto Leo the .x. immediately after his election toke parte with the Frenche kyng against the emperour So that whan the frenche king was taken before Pauia the family of Colonna which hath ben alwaies imperiall through helpe of Don Hugo Moncada beganne to warre with the bishop and after diuers subtill practises and persuasions so handled the mattier that they entred into Rome and missed but a little to haue taken the bishop who hearyng the rumour sodeinly fled to Castel Sant ' Angelo Wherfore after the bishop had drawen Don Hugo Moncada to his parte the Colonnesi endured cruell warre to theyr great domage ¶ Than came the Duke of Bourbone who was slaine with the shotte of an handgun from the wallê of Rome â–ª but the emperours armie wherof he was capitaine toke the citee by assault sacked spoyled and burned it and for the space of .xv. daies vsed suche triumph that for theyr passetyme thei woulde make suche Cardinallê and prelates as were theyr prisoners ride scornefully about the towne vpon asses with theyr faces to the tayle and so streictly besieged Clement that he was faine to geue theim .400000 dukates for his raunsome and to yeld the castell into the emperours handes ¶ But within lesse than .iii. yeres after the emperour came him selfe into Italie and hauing made peace with the bishop receiued of hym the imperiall crowne in Bononia with so great triumph and pompe that the like hath not been hearde of in our daies Duryng the whiche there came ambassadours to Clement with letters from Preter IohnÌ„ of great commendacions desyre of amitee and vnion of religion ¶ Before theyr departure from Bononia the emperour graunted the bishop his armie against the Florentines and concluded the mariage of his bastarde daughter to Clementes nephiew Alexander di Medici that afterwardes was Duke of Florence But ere the Florentines would lose theyr libertees they susteigned a notable warre for the space of .xii. monethes ¶ And lyke as by force he oppressed the Florentines so by treason he subdued Ancona For vnder pretence of amitee and counsaile persuadyng them that the Turkes armie by sea was comyng against theim he sent a capitaine of his called Bernardin who with certaine men of warre was receiued into the citee and so vsurped the dominion for the churche ¶ In this bishops tyme happened suche a sodeine rage of water in Rome that the high toures were drowned and a great numbre of people with infinite richesse lost so that the bishop hym selfe had muche adooe to escape it whiche maie well be thought a plage of god sent for the abhominacion that reigneth there ¶ Finally Clement mette with the frenche kynge at Marseiles in Prouaunce and there concluded the mariage that folowed betwene Katherine Clementê neece and Henrie now frenche kyng than but secounde sonne to the frenche kynge Shortly after whose mariage Clement died ¶ Paule the .iii. that now is bishop before the tyme of his election helde hym selfe so indifferent betwene the factions imperiall and frenche that no man could know to whether part he was most inclined ¶ In the beginnyng of his tyme he procured all Christian princes to warre against the Turke so that the emperour that Uenetians and he made an armie by sea vnder the leadyng of Andrea Doria who mette with Barbarossa besydes Corfu but they foughte no battaile though the Christians were more in noumbre and better furnisshed than the Turkes whether Andrea Doria were blame woorthy I can not tell But ones the Uenetian Galeon a notable shippe was lefte alone in the middest of the Turkishe nauie that assaulted hir .iiii. or v. houres and yet at length came cleane awaie in despite of theim all ¶ This bishop went to Nisa in Prouaunce where by his procurement the emperour and frenche kyng mette and concluded a peace whiche dured not longe ¶ Than died the Duke of Urbine Incontinently vpon whose death the bishop made warre to the younge Duke Guido Vbaldo for the state of Camerino and constreigned him for a little summe of money to geue ouer the astate In in whiche the bishoppe establisshed his owne sonne Pietro Aluigi Duke ¶ After this vppon a light occasion the bishoppe made warre to Ascanio Colonna thiefe of that familie and Peter Aluigi beyng generall of the bishops army handled Ascanio Colonna and his adherentes so cruelly that they were faine to abandone theyr owne townes and castelles and to liue in exile as banished men till by the emperours meanes they were restored to the bishops fauour and absolucion ¶ This Paule to exalte his owne bloudde by consent of his Cardinalles exchaunged the Duchie of Camerino with the churche for the citees and territories of Placentia and Parma Wherof he inuested his forenamed son as Duke whose behauiour was suche that he continued not fully two yeres for the nobilitee of the same detestyng his wicked life and tyrannie conspyred against hym and slew hym in his owne house in Placentia yeldyng that citee the next daie into the emperours handes ¶ The bishop sent a fayre armie bothe of horsemen and footemen to succcour the emperour in his enterprise against the Germaines and made his sonnes sonne called the
.5 14 3 1430 218 Eugenius .4 15  1438 219 Phelix .5 9  1447 220 Nicolaus .5 8  1455 221 Calixtus .3 3 3 1458 222 Pius .2 5 11 1464 223 Paulus .3 6  1471 224 Sixtus .4 13  1484 225 Innocentius .8 5 11 1492 226 Alexander .6 11  1503 227 Pius .3  1 1503 228 Iulius .2 9 4 1513 229 Leo .10 9 3 1522 230 Adrianus .6 1 7 1523 231 Clemens .7 11  1535 232 Paulus .3 14  ¶ Authours dooe varie somewhat in the times of these bishoppes but I haue agreed the best togethers and so haue set it foorthe ¶ The Uenetian astate BEcause the meruailouse Situacion of the citee of Uenice amongest other thynges seemeth vnto me moste notable I therefore haue thought good fyrst to treate therof and than consequently to procede vnto the declaracion of the Uenetians astate theyr customes and procedynges ¶ Of the meruailouse Site Whan I consider what thinges necessitee causeth hauyng an earnest proufe for my parte therof I nothyng meruaile to see the wonders that it worketh For he that beholdeth the place where Uenice standeth and would imagine it to be without any buildyng or habitacion shoulde saie it were the rudest vnmeerest and vnholsomest place to builde vpon or to enhabite that wâ—re againe to be founde thoroughout an whole worlde It standeth open vpon the maine sea foure miles from the neerest maine lande in suche a marishe as at euery low water leaueth the muddy ground vncouered and at euery full sea drowneth it cleane And yet men constreigned of necessitee haue brought this marishe to suche a passe that it is now not onely excedyng full of people and riche of treasure and buildynges but so holesome withall throughe the muche haunte of people and the great noumbre of continuall fyres that I thynke none other citee hable to shewe so many olde men But were it not that as it seemeth nature hath of purpose made a banke two or thre miles of betwene it and the sea it were impossible to be enhabited Because the citee standyng equall with the water the floudde by reason should passe through the houses at euery full sea But this banke that beginneth at Chiozza and stretcheth towardê the citee of Concordia 60. myles of length dooeth so defende the water floudde that within those marishes it hath nothyng the lyke force as on the other sea costes For it is a great mattier whan the sea swelleth in Uenice .iiii. or v. foote aboue the lowe water marke Notwithstandyng that the citee seemeth to be rather in a part of the sea than in a marisshe For euerie chanell as who woulde saie euery streete is full of water and the chanels are so many that you maie row through all partes of the citee though there be waies also to goe on land if you list Whiche streetes for the most parte are verie narow and the houses nothyng so faire as on the water side And in the marisshe betwene the citee and the maine lande whan the water is low the most parte of the chanels are so shalow that the botes haue muche a dooe to passe to and fro For the mudde encreaseth daiely by reason of the lande flouddes that a noumbre of riuers fallyng into the same dooe carie with theim And a wonderfull treasure the Uenetians spend in continuall diggyng and cariyng awaie of that mudde to preserue theyr foresaied chanelles and to defende that theyr citee ioygne not to the maine lande ¶ The banke before rehersed is broken in .vii. places through the whiche botes maie come in but no shippe can passe to Uenice sauyng at the porte of Malamoco or at the two Castelles of Lio. The entrie wherof is so daungerous by reason the sandê are mouable here there that whan any shippe cometh in she taketh fyrst pilottes to sounde the waie whiche in effect is reputed to be one of the greatest sureties that the Uenetians haue for defence of theyr citee against all ennemies by sea and than by lande it is impossible to hurt or besiege it vnlesse the enemie were hable to occupie .150 myle compasse with his armie Of buildynges NExte vnto the situacion the maner of theyr buildyng is most to be meruailed at For almost euery man that buildeth an house maketh his foundacion lower than the water and er euer he set in hand withall is constreigned to make suche a stronge pale of pyles and mudde betwene his buildyng and the water as shall be hable to defende his woorke whan after he hath closed it well the water and mudde that resteth within is clensed and emptied out Than causeth he stronge pyles of timber of a great length to be driuen in and therupon with stone and grauell beginneth his foundacion So that whan he hath brought it to the full sea marke he rekenneth to haue furnished one halfe of his buildyng notwithstandyng that aboue water I thynke no place of all Europe hable at this daie to compare with that citee for numbre of sumptuouse houses specially for theyr frontes For he that woull rowe throughe the Canale grande and marke well the frontes of the houses on bothe sydes shall see theim more lyke the doynges of princes than priuate men And I haue been with good reason persuaded that in Uenice be aboue .200 palaices able to lodge any kyng ¶ But now to the particuler of theyr notable buildynges The new Castell at the mouthe of the hauen Lio for strengthe and beautie is one of the rarest thynges dooen in these daies ¶ The churche of S. Marke is a verie antike thyng furnisshed with goodly pillers of fine marble to the noumbre of .900 as they saie besides the floore vnder foote of small marble stones wrought in knottes of diuers colours and foure faire brasen horses ouer the fronte ¶ The Dukes palaice is a verie sumptuouse buildyng and not yet finished ¶ The streete called La Piazza di San Marco is verie fayre and large and the one syde is built of harde stone all vniformely with faire glasen wyndowes and the streete by low paued ouer with bricke ¶ Saincte Markes steeple is a veraie hyghe and fayre toure of bricke so well built that within foorth an horse maie be ledde vp vnto the bellfroy ¶ The Rialto is a goodly place in the hert of the citee where the merchauntes twyse a daie assemble ¶ The schooles of S. Rocke and S. Marke are two notable thynges the frontes wherof are the fayrest and costliest that euer I haue seen ¶ Finally the Arsenale in myne eie excedeth all the rest For there they haue well neere two hundred galeys in suche an ordre that vpon a verie small warnyng they maie be furnisshed out vnto the sea Besydes that for euerie daie in the yere whan they woulde goe to the cost they shoulde be hable to make a new galey hauyng suche a staple of tymber whiche in the water within Th'arsenale hath lien a seasonyng some .20
an other citesin of Eraclea named Marcello a very sobre and wise man was elected Duke but in diligence he was nothyng comparable vnto Paolo ¶ In the tyme of this Marcello except the stryfe and contencion betwene the patriarkê of Aquileia and Grado whiche I esteme not woorth the writyng I fynde no worthy mattier of memorie ¶ Nexte hym succeded Orso a man not onely noble of bloudde but also worthie of dedes ¶ He firste vsed to bryng vp the youthe of Uenice in the exercise of armes He augmented the numbre of souldiours in the shippes of warre and thorough his valyauntnesse restored Paolo one of the Grekish emperours capitaines vnto the astate of Rauenna In whiche enterprise Perendio Duke of Vicenza was slayne and Ildepandro nephew of Luipandro taken prysoner who by commission of the same Luipandro had by syege gotten the saied citee from the foresaied Paolo ¶ This victorie was one notable thyng that firste exalted the Uenetian name ¶ Finally vpon contencion spronge betweene the Eracleani and Equilesi for the lymites of theyr confynes for the whiche was dayly feightyng betwene theim the space of two yeres This Duke Orso supposed to be the authour of that sedicion in a tumulte of the people was slayne ¶ Surelie a lamentable ende of the gloriouse and happie begynnyng of so worthie a man The more because of an other inconuenience that folowed that the Patriarke of Aquileia toke from the Uenetians the townes of Mossone and Centenara though afterwardes thorough the menaces of Gregorie bishop of Rome he restored Mossone whan he had vtterlye destroyed Centenara ¶ After the death of Orso there beganne a new rumour for chosyng of the Duke and many grudged that Eraclea alone had so longe tyme enioyed the honour therof Wherfore now bothe the seate and election was translated vnto Malamoco whiche at that tyme was verie muche encreased bothe in people and richesse Neuerthelesse the counsaile in this election coulde not agree amongest them selfes and therfore at length concluded to chose a newe maner of officer namyng him Maister of the souldiours whose authoritee was remoueable from yere to yere ¶ The firste was Domenico Leone and succedyng hym was Felice Cornacchino the .iii. Deodato sonne of the Duke Orso who continued in that office as some saie two yeres The fourth Iuliano Ipato and the v. Giouanni Fabritiaco who before the end of his yere was put out of his office and lost bothe his eies In whiche meane tyme the olde strife betwene the Equilesi and Eracleani renewed in so muche that meetyng together neere vnto the chanell now called dell'arco so many on both sides were slain that almost thei came to naughtes ¶ The Uenetians weried with these and suche other businesses retourned to theyr olde gouernance electing the forenamed Deodato to theyr Duke who finallie beeyng occupied aboutes the fortifiyng of Brondolo was assaulted by Galla a citisin of Malamoco and beyng taken prisoner had his eies put out The naughtie dooyng wherof so muche offended the Uenetians that ere the yere passed thei toke Galla put out his eies depriued him of his vsurped astate and at last toke from hym his life chosyng Domenico Menicaccio or Monagario in his place ¶ This Domenico had not so great auctoritee as his predecessours for to abate the power of their Duke whiche by the passed experience the Uenetians thought to be ouerlarge they ioygned in company with hym two of theyr Tribunes whiche so muche offended this Domenico that at length he openly contended to recouer the wâ—nte absolute power And therfore was not onely depriued of his dignitee but also for a punisshement his eies put out ¶ And than in his place was created a woorthie riche man called Mauritio of Eraclea who in his tyme pacified muche bothe the secrete grudges and also the open contencions betwene his priuate citesins and obteined the see of a bishop to be placed in Uenice in the churche of sainct Peter Whiche bishop was afterwardes exalted vnto the degree of a Patriarke by Nicolas the .v. bishop of Rome ¶ Duryng the rule of this Mauritio the Uenetians after great debating of the mattier in counsaile to and fro graunted to ayde kynge Charlemaine with .xxv. vesselles well armed and paueysed whiche did Charlemaine great seruice in the assaulte of Pauia whan he toke Desiderio kyng of Lumbardie prisoner ¶ Finally Mauritio obteining of the Uenetians to haue his sonne Giouanni ioygned in the astate with hym and hauyng ruled .xi. yeres alone and .vii. yeres ioynctly with his sonne he died ¶ Giouanni likewyse ruled alone a certaine space and obteined his sonne Mauritio to be ioygned with hym who bothe togethers bare them selfes verie ill towardes theyr citisins And amongest other thynges Mauritio beyng sent of his father vnto Grado caused the Patriarke of that place to be throwen downe out of a toure because he was wont to warne bothe the father and sonne of theyr ill behauiours Wherfore thei became hatefull to their citisins so that a conspiracy was wrought against theim the chiefe wherof was named Obelerio that before tyme had been Tribune of Malamoco ¶ This conspiracie came so to passe that the people proclaimed Obelerio Duke and the rumour was such that Giouanni with his sonne and one Christofer a bishop theyr friende fledde all thre vnto Mantua ¶ Than was Obelerio placed in the astate who shortely obteined his brother Beato to be ioigned with him In theyr tyme the auncient malice betwene the Eracleani and the Equilesi renewed in suche wyse that it made a fowle slaughter amongest theim Wherfore it was finally concluded that bothe the one and other towne shoulde be destroied and the inhabitauntes reduced vnto Malamoco and Rialto And so was it quickely done the rather because euen than kynge Pepine sonne of Charlemaine was determined to assayle the countrey and hauens of Dalmatia against the Grekish emperour Niceforo towardes whiche enterprise Pepine required passage and vitailes of the Uenetians But they wolde not consente therto though Obelerio their Duke fauoured the frenche parte For in consultyng vpon this matter were great disputacions and many reasons laied bothe for the one parte and the other but finally this opinion of Agnolo a woorthie citesin of Eraclea was best allowed that for the neweltee of kynge Pepine they shoulde not shewe theim selfes vnconstaunt to breake theyr auncient amitee with the Grekysh emperour not withstandyng that Pepine by reason of the hauen of Rauenna might in maner vndooe their trafficque by sea ¶ So Pepine to be auenged made an armie at Rauenna and costyng towardes Uenice toke Brondolo Chiozza Pelestrina Albiola and came so neere that he constreigned the Duke and senatours of Malamoco to flee vnto Rialto with theyr richesse and children Finally Pepine was discomfited by the imperiall capitaine Nicea sent as well to succour the Uenetians as also to defende Dalmatia so that incontinently there folowed a peace betwene all three that is to saie the
the helpe of Marke Samuto rescued Candia than molested by the Greekishe Corsales ¶ Twyse he reysed the siege of Constantinople Teofilo Ziani beyng Potestate there and gatte many of the enemies shippes And after makyng truce with the Genowaies in the fauour of Gregorie the .ix. bishop of Rome he sent an armie against Federike Barbarossa gatte Terma Campo Marino and Bestice and in the hauen Manfredonia burned the Cetea a notable shippe that the emperour had made for his owne person and there slew a thousand men of warre ¶ About this tyme Ezelino di Romano gatte Padoa from the Uenetians and entred into the Uenetian marishe as farre as saincte Ellero and the Bebbe ¶ This Duke vnder the gouernance of his owne sonne sent .60 galleis to Durazo to succour the Genowaies against the emperour and the Pisani who in his returne recouered Pola and Zara and than peace was made with the kynge of Hungarie vpon condicion that from thensfoorth he should neuer pretende title to Zara. ¶ Nexte this Iames folowed Marino Morosini who was chosen of the counsaill called Pregadi and beyng prouoked by the Romish legate made warre vnto the forenamed Ezelino and recouered Padoa wherof Ausedino nephew of Ezelino was capitaine whilest Ezelino laie at siege before Mantua For whiche losse and for his labour spente in vaine before Mantua Ezelino retournyng to Uerona fell in suche a rage that he caused .12000 Padoanes part of his armie to be hewen to peeces Suche a crueltee as hath not ben heard of sens the tyme of Silla who did the like vnto .12000 prenestines friendes of his ennemie Marius ¶ Of this name Ezelino were foure one after an other that caused no small trouble in Italie ¶ The fyrste Ezelino a Doucheman borne came into Italie with the emperour Otho the thirde and by hym was made Conte di Onara a towne of the Marca Triuigiana But afterwardê he gate him selfe the lordship of Bassano vpon the riuer of Brent with maine faire territories theraboutes and so became great both of dominion and also of aliance by mariages ¶ His sonne was called Ezelino Balbo and the .iii. Ezelino Monaco all three crowell men of nature But the .iiii. Ezelino di Romano passed all thother and died rather for choler and despite of the discomfiture geuen hym by the Vicentines than for the hurte that he receiued in his legge Whom Peter Gerardo a Padoan writer descriueth thus He was harde of fauour terrible in worde and dede scarce of laughter or speche full of despite suspiciouse takyng euerie thyng to the worse daungerouse to enterprise prompte to all euill cruell to all personnes and out of measure delited in their death and tourmentes prisons yron hunger corde fyre and other suche So that to extirpe the whole stocke of so â—â—uell a generacion after his death there was no creature of his bloud suffered to lyue ¶ After the deathe of Marino succeded Rinieri Zeno who sent an armie into Soria againste the Genowaies that discomfited them betwene Ptholemaida and Tyro besides .vi. other Genowaie shippes that were loste in Candia and nere vnto Tyro in the secounde and .iii. battayle ¶ In this meane tyme Baldewyne the capitaine and Pantaleon Iustiniano patriarke of Constantinople were betraied of the Grekes and constreigned to flee to Negroponte leauing the citee empire vnto Mighell Paleologo that afterwardes through helpe of the Genowaies gatte many Ilandes trauailyng to extende his dominion vnto Morea Wherevpon the Uenetians made foorth moe galeys by .30 at a tyme to encrease their armie that than was commen out of Soria in hope to finde theyr enemies about Sicilia But all in vayne wherfore retournyng into Soria they toke the Cetea of the Genowaies and began to assaulte Tyro In which businesse the Uenetians loste a notable shippe called Castell forte with .x. others laden with merchaundise Neuerthelesse renewyng their armie with parte of their staple that laie in Candia and Dalmatia they mette againe with the Genowaies in Sicilia where after a longe fight they toke .24 Genowaie galleis burned the reste slew aboue .1200 men toke 1500. prisoners and drowned all the reste ¶ This notable victorie brought the emperour Paleologo in suche feare that he sued for truce to the Uenetians and obteined it for .v. yeres ¶ This meane while was a great mutteryng in Uenice for the treasure spent because the chambre was founde emptie and that for the maintenaunce of those warres thei were about to leuey subsidies So that the people assembled and furiousely assaulted the Dukes palaice hurlyng stones at the wyndowes with other despitefull deedes ¶ Finally the armie was renewed and in an other conflict with the Genowaies they toke .v. of theyr shippes â–ª About whiche tyme Rinieri died ¶ Than folowed Lorenzo Tiepolo in whose tyme happened a wonderfull dearth of corne in Uenice by reason theyr neyghbours for enuie of theyr prosperitee woulde suffre no corne to come to theim For remedy wherof the Uenetians made a law that all merchauntshippes passyng betweene the Goolfe of Fano and the mouthe of the ryuer Pò shoulde paie theim custome after a certaine rate of theyr merchandise Wherby to their great gaine they reuenged theim selfes vpon their ennemies But the Bologniese moste of all others being offended with this law made out an army against the Uenetians and were ouercomen constreigned to aske peace to ouerthrowe a castell that they had made at Primano on the Pò and to graunt the Uenetians free entrie into theyr riuers at all tymes ¶ About this time by meane of Philip the frenche king who trauailed to succour the Christians in Soria against the infidelles the Uenetians Genowaies and Pisani made a league together for .v. yeres ¶ After Tiepolo Iacopo Contarini was Duke in whose tyme the warre was well neere renued betwene the Uenetians and Genowaies for certeine goodes that the Genowaies had taken whiche beyng restored the armie prepared for them turned against Istria that than newly rebelled through the prouocacion of the Patriarke of Aquileia who by force were reduced to theyr wonted obedience ¶ They of Ancona beyng offended with the foresaied law of custome paiyng for theyr merchaundise beganne to robbe and spoyle alongest the costes of Istria so that the Uenetians to correcte theim besieged the citee of Ancona whiche dured not longe for the bishoppe of Rome entreated the Uenetians to agree with theim and breake vp theyr siege ¶ Finally this Contarini perceiuyng hym selfe veraie sickely and vnapte to rule the astate did willyngly renounce it ¶ Than succeded Iohn Dandolo in whose tyme the water in Uenice swelled so hygh that in maner the citee was drowned and after that folowed a wonderfull earthquake ¶ He also fyrst coygned duckates of golde And at the request of Nicolas than bishop of Rome prepared a new armie to saile into Soria but it went not foorth so that the kyng of Babylone in Aegypt toke and sacked Ptholomaida and after rased it to
firste mocion the alteracion of that palaice from his olde facion ¶ Whan Mocenigo was deade Fraunces Foscaro entered into the astate â–ª who beyng praied thervnto entred in league with the Florentines againste Philip Duke of Myllaine and sente Carmignuola theyr capitaine to Bressa whiche by meane of intelligence was soone gotten though the forteresse helde a certeine space On the other syde the Florentines toke Nicolos da Este marchese of Ferrara for their capitaine and sente hym into the territorie of the Genowaies where was gotten no small booties So that Duke Phillip thus troubled fearyng leaste the countrey of Romagnia shoulde returne to the Florentines dominion yelded vp the fame to the vse of the churche of Rome into the handes of the legate of Bononia and for aduoidyng of further inconuenience caused the same legate to procure him a peace whiche was sooner obteined than well obserued For Phillip encouraged with the money and large offers of the Mylanese wolde not suffer the articles to be obserued â–ª and inuadyng the Mantuane territorie prouoked his ennemies the colleges to renewe their power with whiche and by the power of the generall Carmignuola the Duke receiued such a discomfiture besides Terentiano with losse of his cariage plate and money that if Carmignuola had folowed the victorie he had ben lyke enough to haue driuen Phillip out of his Duchie ¶ Finally after sundrie conclusions and breaches at last a full peace was concluded that Bergamo and Bressa with their apportenaunces shoulde remaine to the Uenetians Cremona with his territory should be geuen to Sforza for the dower of his wife Bianca doughter to Phillip Romaningo with the fortresses of Gieradadda to be restored to Phillip by the Uenetians Pâ—schiera and Lanado onely excepted that Conzaga shoulde haue the reste of the Mantuane confines and that in those quarters Legniago Porto Riua Torboli Penetra and Rauenna shoulde remaine to the Uenetians That within the terme of two yeres Nicolas Piccinino should restore Bononia to the churche That Astorre di Faenza shuld deliuer vnto the Florentines their fortresses and finallie that Phillip shoulde no more meddle with the Genowaies ¶ This peace satisfied all the colleges the bishop of Romes legate onely excepted whose parte in Bononia semed nothyng honourable in this behalfe ¶ Duryng these businesses in Lumbardie the Turkes assaulted Thessalonica a citee of the Uenetians in Macedonia and by force toke it â–ª with Iames Dandolo and Andrea Donato gouernours of the same ¶ Not longe after Andrea Dandolo was sent ambassodour vnto the Soldan of Aegypt to excuse the senate of Uenice for the takyng of certaine of his vesselles without theyr consent ¶ In this time the water in maner drowned all Uenice so that whan the floudde was past the hurt that it had doen was esteemed aboue a myllion of golde ¶ The daughter of the kynge of Arragon wife of Lionello da Este of Ferrara came to see Uenice and the furie of the people was so great to see hir that they brake the bridge of the Rialto in the fall wherof .xx. men were slaine besides a noumbre maimed and hurte ¶ Eugenius the bishop of Rome impacient that Piccinino shoulde so longe kepe Bononia entred in league with Alfonso kyng of Naples and with Duke Philip against Sforza and so renuyng the warres in Italie the Bologniese thorough helpe of the Uenetians and Florentines recouered theyr libertee and for aduauntage gatte diuers of theyr enemies castels By meane wherof Phillip fell in hand againe with the Uenetians and Florentines that came to theyr succour so that theyr capitaine Michelle Attendulo fought with hym besides Casale Maggiore put hym to flight toke foure thousande horse of his ranne to the gates of Myllaine and brought Phillip so low that besides Myllaine he had no more lefte but Crema and Lodi Wherfore he sought peace of new but it woulde not be graunted hym ¶ This meane time Iames Foscaro son vnto the Duke for certeine his ill demeanours was twise confined into Candia and there died ¶ Than Sforza takyng parte with Duke Phillip loste Casale Maggiore and the Marca d' Ancona that the bishop of Rome toke from him but finally Phillip diseased bothe with a feuer and the fluxe died ¶ Incontinently vpon whose death Lodi and Vicenza submitted theim selfes to the Uenetians Wherfore Sforza capitaine of the Milanese came with an army to Vicenza toke it and sacked it And Aâ—tendulo on the other syde wasted a great part of the Milanese vntill suche tyme as Sforza agreed hym with the Uenetians to haue .4000 men and .13000 duckates of yerely prouision vntill he myght gette the state of Myllaine promisyng theim whan he were Duke he would be contented to renounce to theim all that that Phillip had gotten on that syde the riuer of Adda So that whan Sforza obteined the state of Myllaine whiche happened shortly after he obserued his promyse and peace folowed ¶ About this tyme a certaine Greeke called Stamato robbed the treaâ—ure of sainct Markes churche after he had been two yeres in cuttyng an hole through a verie myghtie stone wall but beyng bewraied through a tailour that he trusted the treasure was recouered the Greeke taken and for his longe pacience and woorthie thefte hanged with a golden halter ¶ Than came newes out of Sicilia that Loredano capitaine of the Uenetian armie had foughten with the Genowaies and Sicilians and had burned .47 of their shippes After whiche victorie a generall peace folowed for a tyme. ¶ The kyng of Bossina sent for a present to the Uenetians certaine vesselles of siluer .iiii. goodly horses and many Faulcones ¶ Federike the emperour retournyng from his coronacion at Rome towardes Almaine passed by Uenice where the Senate presented to the Empresse a ryche crowne sette with iewelles wherof some one stone was estemed at .3000 duckates and besides that gaue hir two couerynges for a cradell richely embrodered with stone and perle because she was at that time great with childe ¶ A newe leage made betwene the Uenetians and the Senesi the Duke of Sauoie the marques of Monferrato and the lordes of Correggio againste Sforza than newly made Duke of Myllaine For defence wherof Sforza had secret helpe of the Florentines so that the Uenetians with their colleges procured Alfonse kyng of Naples against the Florentines who after made warre vpon them in Tuscane whilest the gentill Leonesio capitaine of the leage on the tother side toke Lodi Gotolengo Manerbio Pontoglio and ranne euen to the gates of Myllaine ¶ About this tyme the Turke wonne Constantinople in the takyng wherof the emperour of Grece with diuers gentilmen Uenetians valiauntelie resistyng their ennemies both by sea and lande were slaine besides a numbre of others taken prisoners with the loâ—se of theyr nauie and substaunce Wherfore the bishop of Rome toke vpon him the appeasyng of the Italian warres agreyng the parties on this wise that Sforza shoulde restore vnto the Uenetians all that that
he had taken from them in those warres the castelles of Gieradadda onely excepted that the kynge of Naples shoulde do the like to the Florentines Castiglione excepted and the Florentines to doe the lyke to the Senese And that whan anie controuersy shoulde happen of newe betwene them the bishop of Rome should order the mattier without any businesse of warre ¶ The Genowaies were left out of this peace by meane of the kyng of Naples ¶ Federike emperour of Almaine requyred ambassadours from all the princes of Europe to make a newe league against the Turke ¶ But this meane whyle Bartholomeo Marcello retourned from Constantinople with an ambassadour of the Turkes that brought certeine articles of agreement to the senate whiche the Uenetians accepted and thervpon was confyrmed amitee betweene the Turke and theim ¶ After the death of Foscaro succeded Pasquale Malipiero of whom I fynde nothyng of importaunce sauyng that in his time hapned the terrible earthquake in Italie that specially in the realme of Naples did so muche hurte and that emprintyng was than fyrste inuented ¶ After him succeded Christofero Moro in whose time the Turkes wanne by force and rased to the earth the Uenetian walle made vpon Istmus of Morea and after didde in maner what they woulde thoroughout all that region ¶ This Morea aunciently called Peloponnessuâ— is the chiefe parte of Greece a verie riche countrey compassed about with the sea except in one narow place that it seemeth racked vnto the maine lande in whiche place beyng about sixe myle ouer was suche a walle made as with reasonable furniture had been sufficient to resiste a wonderfull power But the Uenetians because they fyrste of Christian princes entred in amitee with those infidelles trustyng to muche in theyr newe friendship attended more to the vndoyng of theyr neighbours at home than to the earnest prouision that so worthie a countrey agaynst so puissaunte an ennemie the Turke requyred So that shortly after the losse of that wall thei were shamefully discoumfited at Patrasso Iames Barbarico beyng theyr Proueditore And than also they loste Negroponte where was suche a slaughter of Christians as woulde make any Christian herte wepe to heare it Besides a huge summe of money that they were constreigned to geue to the kyng of Hungarie to resist the Turkes passage that with an other armie by lande was than comyng towardes Dalmatia ¶ Than succeded Nicolo Trono who was cause of the establishemeÌ„t of Ercole da Este in the duchie of Ferrara ¶ He entred in league with Vsnucassan kyng of Persia whose successour is nowe called Sophie against the Turke ¶ In his tyme the Uenetians gatte the realme of Cyprus by this meane Iames last kyng of the same for the great amitee betweene his forefathers and the Uenetians came vnto Uenice and requyred the Signoria to adopte one of theyr daughters as daughter of theyr common wealth and than woulde he be contented to accepte hir vnto his wyfe ¶ This large offer was soone accepted and Katheryn Cornaro a goodly yonge gentilwoman espowsed to the kynge who therupon retourned into his realme continuyng in peace the tyme of his life At his deathe leauyng his wife great with childe he ordeined that she and hir childe not yet borne shoulde enioy the realme â–ª But the childe after the birth liued not longe Assoone as the Uenetians hearde of the kynges death they armed certaine galleis and sent them with Georgio Cornaro brother to the Quene into Cyprus to comforte hir on the Signorias behalfe with this wile that whan Cornaro shoulde arriue before Famagosta the principall citee of Cyprus he should feigne him selfe so sicke that he might not goe out of the shippe and whan his sister the Quene with hir barons shoulde come to visite hym than shoulde he kepe theim sure from retournyng and sodeinelye entre the citee subduyng it with the whole realme vnto the Uenetian obedience As it was deuised so it happened from poinct to poinct albeit that the Quene was counsailed not to go abourde the galey and that some businesse was made after for it yet in effect the Uenetians preuailed the Quene was brought to Uenice where she passed the rest of hir yeres ¶ Some esteme this doing treason but many men allow it for a good policie ¶ After Trono folowed Nicolas Marcello in whose tyme happened no notable thyng other than the victoriouse defence of the towne of Scodra in Albania against an infinite numbre of Turkes ¶ Next hym succeded Peter Mocenigo whiche at the tyme of his election was capitaine of an armie by sea wherwith he had in Cyprus quieâ—ed a great rebellyon preserued Scodra from the Turkes furie and restored the kynge of Carramania to his astate ¶ For these woorthie deedes and for his other vertues was in his absence first made Proctour of S. Marke and than as I saied created Duke And beyng called home from the armie to gouerne the dominion Antonio Loredano was sent foorth in his stede who deliuered Lepanto frâ—m the Turkes siege and vsed great diligence in the conseruacion of the countrey of Morea ¶ After Mocenigo Andrea Vendramino was elected Duke In whose tyme the Turkes retournyng into Albania came fyrste before Croâ—a and after ouerran all the countreis betwene that and the riuer of Tagliamento in Fâ—riuli so that the Uenetians were faine to call backe the capitaine Carlo Montone who not long before put out of wages was than gone into Tuscane ¶ This Duke attempted a peace with the Turkes but his purpose was interrupted by meanes of the kynge of Hungarie and of Naples ¶ After Vendramino folowed Iohn Mocenigo brother to Peter beforenamed ¶ This man agreed with the Turke after they had warred with him .17 yeres The articles of accorde were that the Uenetians shoulde yelde into the Turkes handes Scodra the principall citee of Albania with the ilandes of Corfu Tenaro and Lemno and besides that shoulde paie him .8000 duckates a yere In consideracion wherof the Turke for his parte graunted theim safe passage for trafficque of merchaundise into the sea nowe called Mare Maggiore and auncientlie named Pontus Euxinus and that the Uenetians shoulde haue power to sende an officer of theirs vnder the name of Bailo to Constantinople to iudge and order all their merchauntes businesse ¶ Not longe after this agreement the I le of Corritta in Dalmatia was broughte vnder the Uenetian dominion ¶ And in the .iiii. yere of this mans rule warre was moued against Ercole Duke of Ferrara for the breache of certeine articles betwene hym and the Uenetians ¶ After that Robert of S. Seuerino was sente with an armie against Ferrando kyng of Naples in whiche enterprise the Uenetians discomfited Alfonse Duke of Calabria sonne of the foresaied kynge But those warres by meane of the other Princes of Italie were soone appeased whan the Duke of Ferrara besides the losse of Comacchio had susteined verie great damage for his parte
takyng ¶ Nexte to Vendramino succeded Marco Barbarico who neuer seking to be auenged on his enemie woulde saie It suffised a discreate prince to haue power to reuenge wherby his ennemie shoulde haue cause to feare him Therfore he vsed seueritee against the transgressours of the common wealth and not against theim that priuately offended hym In his daies hapned littell adoe ¶ The contrarie wherof folowed in the tyme of his successour Agostino Barbarico ¶ Firste by reason of the warres with Edmonde Duke of Austriche for the interest of certain mynes of yron in whiche enterprise the Uenetian capitaine Robert of S. Seuerino died than thoroughe the comyng of Charles the .viii. Frenche kynge into Italie who at lengthe partely through the Uenetian force was constreigned to retyre into Fraunce but most of all they were troubled with the Turkes who fell out with theim oueranne all their countreis as farre as Tagliomento slew aboue 7000. persons of the Uenetian parte and toke from theim Lepanto Modone Corone and Durazo Neuerthelesse this meane whyle the Uenetians gatte Cremona and diuers other townes in Italie whiche is rather a reproche to theÌ„ than an honor that wolde lieffer warre vpon their christen neighbours than bende their power to resist the Turkes ¶ After Barbarico Leonardo Loredano was elected to the astate in whose tyme all Christian princes about the Uenetians conspyred by one accorde vtterly to destroie theim And the league was suche that in one selfe tyme the emperour Maximilian Lewys the .xii. Frenche kynge Ferrando kyng of Spaine and of Naples Iulius bishop of Rome with the Dukes of Mantua and Ferrara should warre vpon theim beginnyng about the yere of grace .1509 So partly by force after many discoumfitures of the Uenetians power partly by accorde in maner all the Uenetian dominion with in the maine lande was diuided amongest these princes The frenche kyng had Bressa Bergamo Cremona and Crema the emperour Maximilian Verona Vicenza Padoa and parte of Friuli The kyng of Spaine the citees and portes in Puglia that the Uenetians before had gotten The bishop of Rome Arimino Faenza Rauenna and Ceruia with the rest of Romagnia and the Duke of Ferrara the Pollisene di Rouigo So that the Uenetians had so little dominion lefte on the maine lande â–ª that the emperour Maximilian came to Maestie v. little myles from Uenice as neere as the sea would suffre hym to approche and there for a triumphe or despite shotte of his artillerie to Uenicewardes though he coulde dooe it no hurt Wherfore the Uenetians prouoked in maner by despayre and through an oracion made by theyr Duke that encouraged theim rather to die lyke men than to suffre theim selfes thus vilie to be eaten by and despysed renued an armie by lande recouered Padoa than negligently kept fortified it and Treuiso fought dyuers tymes with variable fortune against theyr enemies fought to be reuenged on the Duke of Ferrara against whom they sent .xvii. galleis and 400. botes to assaile the Ferrarese dominion by the riuer of Pò and finally behaued theim selfes so manfully that the kyng of Spaine and the bishop of Rome made a new leage with them against the frenche kyng who at that tyme besydes the state of Myllaine had gotten Bononia and was become so great in Italy that they were all afearde of hym Upon conclusion of whiche league the citesins of Bressa retourned to the Uenetian obedience so that for defence of that citee against the Frenchemen Andrea Grâ—tti with certeine other noble Uenetians and capitaines and a conuenient noumbre of souldiours were sent thither where after a sore conflict with the Frenchemen they were all discoumfited slaine or taken and the principall prisoners sent to Myllaine to Mounser du Foys than gouernour there who sâ—nt Andrea Gritti as a singuler presente prisoner to the Frenche kyng ¶ The Uenetians not a little troubled for this losse caused the campe of the league that than laie before Bononia to draw towardes Ferrara and in succour of that campe made a new armie by water wherwith they sacked Argenta toke Mirandula and did muche hurte to the Ferrarese dominion till at laste the Vice Roy of Spaine generall of the saied campe came before Bononia and from thense to Rauenna for feare of the Frenche host that from Myllaine pursued him Unto whiche Frenche armie the Duke of Ferrara vnited his power and so together folowed the armie of the league to Rauenna where on Easterdaie in the mornyng was fought the blouddiest battaile betwene theim that hath ben heard of in our daies and so many thousandê slaine on bothe sydes that it coulde scarcely be iudged who had the better Sauyng that the Frenchemen obteined the victorie toke Rauenna put it to sacke and after gatte diuers other townes in Romagnia ¶ Whilest these thynges were doyng the Douchemens hall in Uenice called il fondago di Tedeschi was reedified a very faire and great house and of a meruailouse rent For they affyrme that it yeldeth to the Uenetians aboue .100 duckates a daie whiche after our old reckenyng amounteth aboue .7000 pounde sterlyng by the yere ¶ After Loredano succeded Antonio Grimani who beyng in exile was called home made proctour of sainct Marke and finally Duke ¶ Than Andrea Gritti before named newly retourned out of Fraunce was elected Duke by whose meanes the Uenetians entred in league with the frenche kyng and so recouered Bressa redeemed Verona for a great summe of money and ayded the Frenchemen to recouer Myllaine and to doe many feates in the realme of Naples how be it the frenchemen not longe after lost all againe through theyr ill gouernaunce and tyrannie ¶ Finally practisyng now with Fraunce now with the emperour now with the bishop of Rome as best serued for the common wealth this Duke left it in good ordre tranquillitee and peace and so died greatly bewailed of his citesins ¶ Than folowed Peter Lando in whose daies the Turke made warre to the Uenetians because they ioigned with the emperour against him so that thei to obteine peace were faine to geue hym the stronge and notable citees in Napoli and Maluagia in Greece and beside that the summe of .300000 duckates ¶ It was thought that the Turke woulde haue been appeased with a muche lesse gifte but beyng secretely aduertised by the Frenche ambassadour how the Uenetians had geuen theyr Bailo or ambassadour commission that rather than the warre should continue to make this offer he woulde none other wise agree with them ¶ This knowlage came through intelligence that the frenche ambassadour had with one of the Uenetian Secretaries who through corrupcion of money disclosed all the procedynges of the priuie counsaile whiche at length beyng discouered the same Secretarie fledde into Fraunce and .ii. other Uenetians of his confederacie were taken and hanged ¶ By this mans time Andrea Doria with a great nauie of the emperours of the bishop of Romes and of the Uenetians together
Roger remained quietely Duke of Puglia and Calabria from the beginnyng of his reigne aboute xxv yeres ¶ Next hym succeded his sonne Guglielmo that thynkyng to marie one of the daughters of Alessio emperour of Constantinople â—oke shippyng to goe thither and commended his astate to the protection of Calixt the seconde than bishop of Rome But while Guglielmo was absent Roger than Erle of Sicilâ— sonne vnto Roger brother of Robert Guiscardo without any regarde of the bishop assaulted Calabria and gotte the better parte ere euer Calixt coulde succour it And albeit the bishop reised suche an armie as the hastie tyme woulde serue and came foorth as farre as Beneuento sendyng a Cardinall before with exhortacions and excommunicacions yet wolde Roger nothyng decline from his purpose but was rather more hotte in his enterprise and fortune so muche fauoured hym that after a noumbre of the bishoppes armie were fallen sicke and many of his deere friendê dead the bishop him selfe sickened so sore that he was caried in a horselitter backe to Rome and all his people desperpled By reason wherof Roger in maner without resistence in short time gatte all Puglia and Calabria into his owne possession and so kepte it that whan Guglielmo retourned deceiued of his pretended mariage findyng him selfe also spoyled of his dominion he was fayne to repayred to his cousen the prince of Saern where not longe after he died leauing none issue ¶ So Roger remaignyng successour by inheritaunce woulde no more be called Duke but entitled hym selfe kynge of Italie whiche Calixt and Honorius next bishop after him dissembled because thei could not chose but Innocence the seconde theyr next successour would not abyde that name and therefore moued of disdeine without measuryng his force sodenlely assembled suche people as he coulde make and went against Roger with so great a furie that ere euer Roger coulde make any preparacion he draue hym from S. Germaines and out of all the abbey laudes where Roger thought to haue defended hym selfe and finally constreigned hym to flee into the castell Galuzzo and there besieged hym till William Duke of Calabria sonne of Roger coming with an army to succour his father discoumfited the bishops power finally toke the bishop him selfe withall his Cardinals prisoners whoÌ„ Roger the father entreated very courtesly and at last licenced them to depart at theyr pleasure In consideracion wherof the bishop graunted Roger all his owne requestes the title of kyng onely excepted and amongest other thinges the citee of Naples whiche till that tyme had alwaies ben the emperours For ioye wherof Roger at his entrie made an hundreth and fiftie knightes But Innocence returnyng to Rome founde a new bishop made in his absence one Peter sonne of Pierleone and was called Anacletus Wherfore Innocence fledde with certaine shippes of Pisa into Fraunce The meane whyle Roger visityng this other bishop Anaclete obteined of him the title of kyng of bothe the Siciles on this syde and beyonde the Faro But within three yeres after Innocence by helpe of the Pisani returned and brought with hym Lothayre Duke of Saxonie whom he crowned emperour After whiche Coronacion they bothe with a puissaunt armie went against Roger and toke from him all that he had gotten in Italie as farre as the Faro di Messina but within fewe yeeres whan Innocent was dead Roger recouered againe all that they toke from hym and did afterwarde many notable feates against Emanuell emperour of Constantinople whose ilandes and townes he toke by force as Corfu Corinthe Tebes and Negroponte and burned the suburbes of Constantinople assaulted the emperours palaice and for a memorie of his beyng there gathered apples in his Orcharde ¶ He also fought with the Sarasines and rescued Lewys the .vii. Frenche kynge out of their handes taken by theim by the waie goyng into the holie lande And so reigning .24 yeres lorde of Sicile he died in the citee of Palermo ¶ Than succeded his sonne William before named who immediately ouerran the churche landes and was therfore excommunicated insomuche that many of his owne barons conspired with Adrian bishop of Rome againste him But finally after muche a doe he humbled him selfe to the bishop of whom he was assoiled and inuested kynge of â—ewe in the dominion of bothe the Siciles And after that made an armie into Barbarie where by force he toke and sacked the citee of Tunyse In his retourne from thense he vanquished the Grekish armie by sea though they were manie moe in numbre than he But because he waxed afterwardê somewhat couetouse and burdeined the people with taxes and subsidies his barons rebelled toke him in his palaice at Palermo and put him in prison Than toke they his eldest sonne Roger and made him ryde through the streetes After whom the people went criyng Life to kynge Roger and death to the tiranne kyng William ¶ But the inconstante people repentyng theim of their errour or fearyng leste Roger woulde reuenge the iniurie done to his father retourned to the palaice with a new rumour and findyng it closed began to assaulte it so that Roger thinkyng to appease them came to a window and as he wolde haue spoken was shotte in to the heade with an arrowe wherof he died ¶ Than was William taken out of prison and restored to his kyngdome wherin after he had reigned in all .21 yeres he died â—euyng his sonne also named William in the astate ¶ This William for his good and peasible gouernance was surnamed The good kynge William For in 26. yeres reigne he neuer had warre with any christian prince excepte that littell that moued onelie of a noble courage he made againste Andronico who beyng lefte tutour to Emanuell the seconde a childe vsurped his empire of Constantinople But the Constantinopolitans theim selfes arose against him and hewed him to peeces creatyng Isaac emperour in his place ¶ Manie worthy feates did this William with his galleis against the infidelles specially in the vâ—age that the two kynges Phillip of France and Richard of Englande made into the holy lande Duryng whose beyng at the siege of Acres the good kynge William died in Palermo without issue of his body ¶ Than the barons fearyng the bishop of Rome should subdue theim whose subiectes thei wolde in no wise be incontinently elected Tancredi bastarde soonne of the last Roger before named to be their kyng But shortlie Celestine the .iii. bishop of Rome founde meane to trouble him on this wise ¶ He crowned Henry the .vi. emperour on condycion that he at his owne charges should conquere the realme of both Siciles to hold it in fee of the churche restoryng certain citees and paiyng a certaine tribute And to make his mattier the better he secretlie toke out of the monastarie of Palermo Constance a nunne doughter of the forenamed Roger and dispensyng withall gaue hir in mariage to this emperour Henrie crownyng them both with the title of the
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
the newes of his election was brought hym nowe of a good friende shall I haue an ennemie For in dede Innocent all his daies ceased not to woorke against Federike all the mischiefe he coulde imagine He fledde into Fraunce and called a generall counsaile in Lyons where Federike was double accursed but he esteemed it not answearyng alwaies that as longe as the bishop went about temporall persecucion he would defend him selfe temporally ¶ Finally after many notable battailes and victories he finisshed his life in Fiorentino a little towne of Puglia leauyng generall heyre of the realme of Naples his sonne Conrado borne of his seconde wyfe Iolante who by election of the princes of Germanie succeded his father in the empyre One other laufull childe he had named Henry borne of Isabell his .iii. wyfe to whom he assigned the ilande of Sicile from the Faro di Messina forewardes Than of bastardes he had Entio beforenamed kynge of Sardegna Manfredo prince of Taranto and Federike Prince of Antioche with diuers others not so notable ¶ As soone as Conrade beyng in Almaine heard of his fathers deathe he came with a great armie fyrste into Lumbardie where he recouered many citees that newly had rebelled and after passed into the realme reducyng also vnto his obedience those townes that before his comyng were in a rumour of whiche some he destroied and put to sacke as Capua and Aquino and so finally besieged Naples whiche at length he toke by famine ouerthrowing the walles and principall houses therof with banisshement of diuers of the nobles Thus whan he had gotte Naples the whole realme was clerely his owne so after he gaue him selfe altogether to huntyng and haâ—kyng with other lyke pastymes And beyng so in peace his mother Isabell sent his brother Henry than tendre of yeres to dooe reuerence vnto him whom Conrade caused secretely to be murdered by the waie A childe in witte and beautie very towarde But the crueltee was not longe vnpunished For Conrade him selfe by procurement of his bastarde brother Manfredo as it was saied was poysoned within .v. monethes after ¶ Now it is to be vnderstanded that Henry the eldest sonne of themperour Federike who as I saied before died in prison had a laufull sonne named Corradino to whom after the death of Conrade all the dominion of Federike descended But Innocent the .iiii. yet liuyng and coÌ„sidering Corradino being but a child in Almaine made an armie and withall speede wente to Naples where he was receiued and as it was thought had in short space obteined the realme had he not died immediately ¶ By reason of whose death Manfredo by title of tutour of the younge Corradino yet still in Germanie sodeynely assaulted and discoumfited the bishops army and within very short space brought the whole realme to obedience ere the ryght tutours of Corradino in Almaine knew of this victorie ¶ Than craftily he hyred certaine Almaines to feigne that thei came streight out of their countrei with newes of Corradines death wherfore Manfredo with all his clothed in blacke seemed greatly to lamente the thyng insomuch that he caused the funeralles honorably to be executed ¶ Not longe after appered him selfe in kyngelie habite and was saluted and called kyng Wherwith Alexander the .iiii. than bishop of Rome was sore offended excommunicated Manfredo and sente an armie againste him whiche was discomfited For Manfredo gathering into his handes the treasures of his predecessours waged so many Sarasynes and banisshed men of the Florentines and Lumbardes that he was alwaies to stronge for the bishop ¶ After Alexander succeded Urbane the .iiii. who to ouercome Manfredo lette crie a Croysie vnder colour to expulse the Sarasines out of Italie and Sicile But the armie of that Croysie was not sufficient to furnish the enterprise So that Urbane of newe began to deuise a better waie callyng Charles Duke of Angio and erle of Prouance brother vnto Lewys the .x. French kynge vnto Rome where firste he made him Senatour and after crowned hym kynge of Sicile and of Ierusalem vpon condicion that he shoulde paie yerelie to the churche .48000 duckates Pursuyng the title Charles with his frenche armie inuaded the realme and at laste in plaine battaill fought with Manfredo besides Beneuentâ— where Manfredo was slaine and his power discomfited so that Charles findyng after in maner no resistence gatte the dominion ouer the whole realme and at lengthe toke the wife and sonne of Manfredo prysoners whiche sonne bad his eies put out and after died miserablie in prison in the castell De Louo ¶ Than went Charles royally to Naples where he founde an infinite treasure that Manfredo had gathered the thirde part wherof he destributed amongest his souldiours and waxed so great that Clemente the .iiii. who succeded Urbane made him vicare of the empire in Italie so that at his pleasure he rode about to Utterbo and into Tuscane vntill the comyng of Corradino beforenamed righte heire by title of the house of Sueuia vnto the crowne of Naples who hauyng certaine intelligence in Italie came with a mightie power out of Almaine to recouer his enheritaunce But Charles ouercame him more by policie than strength in the plaine of Palenta ¶ And albeit Corradino and his cousen the Duke of Austriche veray yonge men fledde in the discomfiture of the battail and did disguise them selfes in vile apparaâ—l trustyng to escape yet their yll fortune at last discouered them so that they were taken brought to Naples and there after a yeres imprisonment against all law of armes or reason openly beheaded some saie through counsaille of the bishop of Rome For whan Charles had asked counsaile of the bishop what he shoulde doe with Corradino he aunswered these wordes Vita Corradini mors Caroli mors Corradini uiâ—a Caroli ¶ But surely Peter than kynge of Aragone iustly reproued this crueltee in a letter written to Charles with these wordes Tu Nerone Neronior et Sarracenis crudelior that is to saie thou arte more Nero than Nero him selfe and more crewell than the Sarasines For in dede Charles wente into the holy lande with his brother Lewys the Frenche kynge and there beyng taken prisoners of the Sarasines were courteisly entreated and sette to theyr raunsome Whiche thyng gentilnesse and reason wolde he shoulde haue vsed towardes Corradino ¶ But see what folowed The frenche officers and souldiours in Sicile behaued them selfe to proudly with a certaine kynde of tyrannie as well against women as men that the Sicilians conspyred against them through the instigacion of one Iohn di Procida sometyme phisicion to the kyng Manfredo who after he had obteined promyse of maintenaunce by kynge Peter of Aragone wrought this conspiracie the space of .xviii. monethes a wonder it coulde so longe be kept secrete and so well it came to passe that at the daie appoincted with the fyrst ringyng of a bell to euensonge the Sicilians beyng armed slew all the frenchemen where
Durazzo with his son Charles prisoners The father was beheaded as giltie of the death of Andrew being of secrete faction in armes with the Quene the sonne was ledde prisoner into Hungarie Finally kynge Lewys after he had been .iii. monethes in the realme leauyng a stronge garrison of Hungariens at Naples retourned into his countrey ¶ Than Clement the .v. bishoppe of Rome entreated a peace betweene kyng Lewys and the Queene in suche wyse that Iohan retourned into hir state with couenaunt that hir housband shoulde in no wyse beare the title of kyng But what auailed that for she was no sooner in possession of the realme againe but she by fauour of Clement caused hir husband to be crowned king in Naples and by Clementê procurement gotte the consent of the kynge of Hungarie therunto For the whiche she gaue to the bishop the citee of Auignion that the churche euer sens hath kepte But Lewys couetyng to satisfie hir flesshely appetite fell in a consumpcion and died within .iii. yeres after ¶ Than she mariâ—d Iames of Taâ—racone a young gentilman borne in Maiorica than reputed the goodliest felow in the worlde But to hym she graunted not the title of kynge Within fewe yeres he died some saie by naturall infyrmitee other saie she caused his head to be stricken of for companiyng with an other woman ¶ After she maried Ottho Duke of Brainswich in Saxonie â–ª who than at that time serued in the warres of Italy reteigned with the bishop of Rome ¶ Finally Queene Iohan who fauoured not Urbane the .vi. elected bishop immediately procured certain Cardinalles to electe one of the Frenche faction so they elected Clement the .vii. by reason wherof grew a great schisme in the churche For Italy Hungarie and Almaine fauored Urbane Fraunce Spaine fauored Clemâ—nie And Urbane to be reuenged on the quene made an armie and did so muche that he constreigned bothe Clement and the quene to flee from Naples to Auignion where the quene consideryng she had no chylde adopted Lewys Luke of Angio secounde sonne to kynge Iohn of Fraunce to be hir heire of the realmes of Naples and Sicile and therof made sufficiente writyng whervpon the secounde line of the house of Angio haue euer sens mainteigned their tytle that they haue to the realme ¶ Shortly after the quene retourned to Naples But Urbane this meane while had inuested Charles da Durazzo who as you haue herde before was ledde prisoner into Hungarie kynge of Naples and wroughte so well that Charles by helpe of the kynge of Hungarie that than fauored him muche broughte a great armie with him and inconclusion toke Naples and the quene with hir husbande prisoners ¶ The husbande Ottho was sette at libertee vpon condicion he shoulde departe out of the realme But the quene by sentence of the kyng of Hungary was hanged at the same wyndowe where she caused hir firste husbande to be hanged Hir sister Marie of hir counsaill in that mattier was beheaded ¶ This Marie was she of whom Boccace was enamoured and for whose sake he wrote the two bokes Fâ—ammeâ—â—a and Filocolo And amongest other verses writen of this quene Iohan I finde .ii. veraie notable Regna regunt vuluae gens tota clamat simul oh veh Interitus regni est à muliere regi Whiche in english are of this effect Helas crien the people all A womans shappe weareth the crowne Womans rulyng the wealth turne shall Of realmes quite vpside downe ¶ Quene Iohan beyng thus dyspatched Charles remeigned peasablie in possession of the realme till Lewis Duke of Angio beforenamed heire adopted came with a greâ—t armie out of Fraunce to recouer the realme as his enheritaunce and by the helpe of certaine princes of Italy passed through Lumbardy La Romagnia and La Marca and so entred into Puglia where many townes yelded vnto hym continuyng so a yere and more and to strengthe his armie Mounser de Couci was sent after him with .12000 hâ—rsemen from the Frenche kyng But he not folowyng the Duke passed through Tuscane and besiegeyng the Castell of Arezzo taried so longe that er â—uâ—r he coulde come to the succours the Coâ—â—e Alberico genâ—rall of the kynges armie had discomfited the frenche armie and slayne the Duke in the fielde For whose death Charles withall his courte mourned in blacke a moneth Mounser de Couci hearyng of the Dukes death solde the towne of Arezzo to the Florentines for .40000 duckaâ—es and immediately retourned into Fraunce so Charles had the realme in peace till Urbane the bishop who called him vnto the realme fell out with him because Charles wold not coÌ„sent to make Butillo the bishops nephew borne of a vile stocke prince of Capua Upon which breache Urbane cursed him and because he had not power to reueÌ„ge him vpon Charles he tourned his wrath vpon .vii. Cardinalles that he suspected Of whom he put .v. into sackes and threw theim into the sea and the other two he putte to deathe at Genoa and dried their bodies in a furneise cariyng theim afterwardes on moyles before hym for an example to the reste ¶ Finallie kynge Lewys of Hungarie deceasyng without heire male the barons of the realme called kynge Charles to the dominion therof who at laste wente thither and was crowned in Alba but afterwardes goyng to Buda he was frendely called to a supper by the olde quene and hir doughter and there traitelously slaine at the table ¶ This Charles had geuen to hym to wife by Lewys kynge of Hungarie Margarete yongest sister of quene Iohan before mencioned on whom â—e begatte two children Ladislaus and Iohan. But assoone as the Napolitanes hearde of Charles death they toke their owne libertee vpon theim so that quene Margarete with hir children was faine to flee to Gaeâ—ta where she remained in muche care and trouble .iiii. yeres why lest the whole realme was tourned and tossed firste by Ottho late husbande to quene Iohan who gatte a great parte therof and died at Foggia than by Lewys the secounde Duke of Angio who folowyng his fathers title sente certain galleâ—s to Naples to mainteigne those Napolines that toke his parte ¶ Finallie Boniface the .ix. than bishop of Rome admitted the excommunicacion made againste Charles and caused Ladislaus to be crowned kyng at Gaetta And albeit the forenamed Lewys of Angio came to Naples with an armie by sea and was there receiued yet Ladislaus by littell and littell so allured the barons to hym that he not onely constreigned Lewys to withdraw him into Prouance but also brougte Naples and the reste of the realme obediente to hym Thries he attemted the gettyng of Rome whiche the fourth tyme he obteigned insomuche that entryng tryumphantly the Romain nobilitee did him homage But what folowed Alexander the .v. beyng made bishop of Rome in the counsaill at Pisa receiued the forenamed Lewys of Angio that than was newely comen thither to doe hym honour For the which he obteigned of
Alexander the inuestiture of the realme of Naples and prouision was made for recouerey of Rome and thother landes of the churche whiche within shorte time was broughte to passe ¶ Finally Lewys conducted an army out of France and augmentyng it with the Florentine and bishop of Romes powers entred the realme where in plaine battaile he so discomfited Ladislaus that if Lewys had knowen howe to vse his victorie he mighte haue had Ladislaus in his handes and also the whole realme as Ladislaus talkyng of this battaile was wonte to saie the firste daie saied Ladislaus if thei had folowed it thei might haue been lordes bothe of my realme and person the seconde daie of the realme but not of my person and the thyrde daie nother of my realme nor person For the leysure that Ladislaus had after this discomfiture serued hym so to fortifie the passages that Lewys notwithstandyng his victorie was faine to retyre to Rome and so backe into Fraunce By reason wherof Ladislaus remainyng quiete in his astate disposed him selfe of new to recouer Rome and partly by intelligence partly by force did so puttyng to sacke onely the Florentines gooddes that he founde there And at last sickened in Perugia some saie of a feuer some saie of poyson so that he died whan he had reigned .29 yeres And leâ—uyng none issue of his owne body the realme descended to his sister Iohan Da Durazzo ¶ Thue Iohan late Duchesse of Sterlich atteined the realme without impediment by reason of .xvi. thousand horsemen that serued hir brother at his deathe with good capitains as Sforza da Corigniola gli Aâ—â—endoli lacopuccio and diuers others But becaâ—se she was somewhat noted for keepyng companie with a goodly yonge man named Pandolfello whom she made hir chaÌ„berlaine hir barons persuaded hir to marie so that she toke to husbande Iames of Nerbona in Proâ—ance than Erle de La Marca in Italie vppon condicion that he shuld in no wyse take on hym the title of kyng But he was not longe maried till by comfort of the barons he toke the kyngly name vpon hym and caused Pandolfello to lose his head vsyng Sforza vâ—raie hardly and all thoroughe the instigacion of Iulio Caesar da Capuaâ— who therfore by the quenes policie lost his heade ¶ And thoughe the Erle Iames suspectyng his wyfes courage woulde not suffre hir to goe out of the Castell where thei laie yet at last with lowly behauiour growyng out of suspicion with hir housbande she had libertee to goe so often abroade into the towne of Naples that finally she made a conspyracie against him and gat hym into prison reignyng afterwardes hir selfe alone Than toke the Iohn Caracciolo to be hir hygh steward whom she loued more than enough so that by hym all thynges were gouerned And vpon contencion betwene hym and Sforza who was in maner as a generall amongest the men of warre the Queene defied Sforza Muche a dooe there was but at length Sforza was reconsiled and the stewarde banished And partly thorough the bishoppe of Romes intercession the Erle Iames was deliuered out of prison restored to the Quenes fauour But for all that not long after the Erle Iames beganne to worke against Sforza who perceiuing it founde the meane to bringe the steward home againe and therby not onely purchased the Quenes fauour but also brought the mattier so to passe that the Erle Iames fledde into Fraunce became an heremite and there died After whose departure by commission of the bishop of Rome Queene Iohan was crowned in Naples but er the yere was ended the Queene loste the bishops fauour and banished Sforza who by the bishops procurement became capitaine vnder Lewis the .iii. Duke of Angio than newly entitled kynge of Naples and reysyng an armie camped before Naples abydyng the comyng of Duke Lewys who with an other armie arriued there ¶ This meane whyle Queene Iohan seeyng the power of hir enemy Duke Lewis to be to stronge for hir alone practised with kyng Alfonse of Aragone to accepte hym as hir sonne to enherite the realme after hir and therof made sufficient writing with deliuerey of two strong Castelles in Naples Castell Nouo and Castell di Louo that in king Alfonse name were receiued as a pledge of possession Whervpon kyng Alfonse in person with a great armie by sea came to Naples and thâ—re fought with the Duke Lewys and his Capitaine Sforza And though fortune for a tyme was fauourable to Duke Lewys yet at length through practise and lacke of money Sforza became the Queenes man so that Lewys was fayne to leaue the enterprise and drawe to Rome by reason wherof the Queene with Alfonse remained in peace till discorde fell betweene theim The fyrst occasion was because the proclamacions were made in the Quenes name without any mencion of Alfonse which moued the barons of Aragone to conceiue a great dishonour that a kyng of suche reputacion shoulde lie there in that astate So muche grew this mattier that at last kyng Alfonse toke the Quenes best beloued steward prisoner and besieged the Queene How be it Sforza hauyng receiued hir letters came streight to Naples fought with Alfonse power had the better hand entred into Naples and conueighed the Queene awaie with hym Wherfore kyng Alfonse augmented his power and after harde feight with Sforza recouered Naples streignyng the realme so muche that by counsaile of Sforza the Queene finally agreed with Duke Lewys and adopted hym for hir soonne and heyre by whose meanes Naples was recouered againe to the Queenes vse And so .x. yeres after the Quene and Duke Lewys reigned in peace and than died bothe The queene by hir testament lefte the realme to Raynolde Duke of Lorraine brother to the foresaied Lewys Thus ended the successioÌ„ of Charles of Angio first king of that hous ¶ Whether the Queenes testamente were feygned or true it was vncerteine For incontinently vppon hir death the citee of Naples ordeined amonge theim a common wealth and made no mencion of any testament vntill they saw plainely that the bishop of Rome went about to bringe theim vnder hym Than they not onely publisshed Raynolde to be theyr kynge but also sent for him to come and receiue the possession of the realme ¶ This meane while in the warres betwene Englande and Fraunce Raynolde hapned to be taken prisoner so that he coulde not come to Naples Than kynge Alfonse came into the realme through intelligence that he had with many of the nobles and besiegeyng the towne of Gaâ—erra than defended by certaine Genowaies sent thither by Duke Filippo Maria of Myllaine at last fought with the Genowaies army by sea in whiche conflicte were slaine of the kynges part about .5000 and the kynge hym selfe with his .ii. brethren the maister of sainct Iames in Galice dyuers of the greatest princes and barons of Spaine and of knyghtes to the numbre of .200 taken prisoners and all brought to the
forenamed Duke Phillip to Myllaine who after very gentill enterteinment deliuered theim without raunsome So Alfonse beyng restored to libertee waâ—yng strong through the amitee of the Duke of Myllaine disposed hym selfe to recouer the realme and came thither immediately with his power obteined Gaietta and wente to Capua whiche had been alwaies kept for him how be it during the time of his imprisonment the Neapolitanes seeyng they coulde not haue Raynolde fette his wyfe Isabell Duchesse of Angio vnto Naples and did theyr best by waie of assaulte to winne Capua But now that kyng Alfonse was reiourned the parte of Angio so muche declined that Isabell was faine to resort for helpe to Eugenio than bishop of Rome who sent the Patriarke Vitellesco to Naples ¶ This Patriarke was a stoute man meter for the fielde than for the churche For firste he discomfited the armie of the prince of Taranto and toke the prince him selfe prisoner and longe tyme valiauntely bare him selfe in the warres againste Alphonse one while with force an other while with policie so that beyng fallen with his armie in the daunger of the kyng through besettyng of the streictes and lacke of vittaile he handled him selfe so humbly that the kyng embracyng his faire offers graunted hym truce and vnder coloure of the same truce he beeyng armed and the kynge vnarmed came to Villa Giuliana and so narowly besette it that with muche adoe the kynge escaped his handes Leauyng all his baggage and cariage for a praie to the Patriarke Finally Raynolde beforenamed beyng putte to his raunsome came with .xii. Genowaie galleys to Naples where with kyngely honours he was tryumphantlye receiued and so muche encreaced his power that it was doubted whether of the two partes were the better Raynolde defied Alfonse bodie to bodie whiche Alfonse refused not Howbeit at the daie and place of battaill appointed Raynolde appeared not And albeit that Raynolde for a time prospered and gatte into his handes the castell Nouo and castell Di Loâ—o that kynge Alfonse had alwaies kept sens he receiued theim at quene Iohans handes till that tyme yet at last after the death of Iacomo Caldora one of the principallest of the Angioyne parte Alfonses power so muche encreased what by battaile and change of diuers of the barons affections who leauyng the Angioyne parte became Aragonese that he recouered Naples and all the whole realme entryng into the citee in maner of triumphe where for a perpetuall memorie of his victory the Napolitanes before the castell gate erected a notable faire arche of marble ¶ Thus Alfonse obteignyng the quiet possession of the realme â–ª vsed newe meanes of amitee with Eugenio than bishop of Rome and did so muche that Eugenio confirmed him in the astate and inuested his bastarde sonne Ferdinando successour to the crowne For whiche inuestiture kynge Alfonse vpon couenaunte inuaded the countrey De La Marca and takyâ—g it by force from Francesco Sforza afterwardes Duke of Myllayne restored it to the churche And than in recompence of the great courtesie receiued of Phillip Duke of Millaine he made warre in his fauour againste the Florentines and atchieued manie worthie enterprises beyng in maner the onelie staie of Duke Phillip in his later daies so that the Duke by his testament made hym his heire of the astate of Myllaine but he enioyed it not as in the history of Myllaine appereth ¶ Finallie after a generall leage made in Naples betwene all the astates of Italie excepte the Genowaies Alfonse made an armie and besieged Genoa for breache of certaine articles concluded longe before at the making of a peace betwene theim whiche the Genowaies were bounde to geue to the kynge yerely in maner of a tribute a bason of golde and the cause of their witholdyng was for that the kynge woulde neuer receyue it otherwyse than sittyng in his maiestee as thoughe he triumphed ouer theim ¶ The prouision made for the continuance of that siege was so great that by common opinion the citee muste nedes haue ben his had he not died the .66 yere of his age and the .22 yere of his reigne in Naples Leauyng for successours in the realme of Aragone and Sicile his brother Iohn and in the realme of Naples his sonne the forenamed Fernando ¶ Of this kynge Alfonse aâ—e written manie great praises for his valiauntnesse his temperaunce his learnyng his liberalitee and other like vertues ¶ Ferdinando bastarde sonne to kynge Alphonse succeded his father in the beginning of whose reigne Calisto than bishop of Rome preâ—endyng the title of the realme to be fallen to the churche for lacke of laufull heires excommunicated Fernando and made great preparacion to inuade but deathe preuented hym So that Fernando warned therby vsed suche meanes of frendship with Pio his nexte successour that he was not onelie confirmed in the astate but also crowned by certaine Cardinalles sente to Naples for the purpose ¶ Newe assoone as the newes of Alphonse deathe was knowen Duke Iohn sonne of the forenamed Raynolde in hope of mutacion in the realme made an armie by sea with helpe of the Genowaies and landyng within the territorie of the Duke of Sessa oueranne diuers prouinces and gotte daielie townes and friendes so that Fernando was like to be put to the worse had not the bishop of Rome and the Duke of Millaine taken his parte by whose helpe Duke Iohn at length was by force constreigned to leaue his enterprise and most parte of those barons that toke his parte came and submitted theim selfes vnto Ferdinando who graciously pardoned them and restored theim to their astates ¶ Than died Pio and Paule the secounde succeded who oftentimes troubled the realme ¶ After the death of kyng Iohn of Cyprus Ferdinando coueityng to conquere that realme was reâ—isted by the Uenetians betwene whom happened crewell warre so that the Uenetians toke truce with the Turke and as the fame wente were occasyon that he assaulted and toke Otronto in Puglia by force whiche shoulde haue caused greater mischiefe in Italie had not the Turke than Mahomet the .ii died ¶ Immediately vpon whose deathe kynge Ferdinando sente his eldest sonne Alfonse Duke of Calabria to conquere Otronto whiche after longe siege and sore feight was for lacke of succours recouered ¶ Next Paule the secounde succeded Sixte the .iiii. bishop of Rome and after hym Innocence the .iiii. who both wonderfull inconstantly one while were friendes and an other while foes to the kynge ¶ Finallie this Ferdinando was noted to be veray couetouse For callyng a counsaile of his barons in the citee of Chieti he wolde haue encreased his subsidies and taxes And because diuers of his nobles dissuaded him from it he put some of them to death some he imprisoned from some he toke their goodes and some willyngly rebelled against hym in which trauaile and tirannie he continued till he died leauyng issue males .ii. sonnes Alphons and Federike ¶ After the deathe of
Ferdinando his sonne Alphonse than Duke of Calabria with consente of all the barons and nobles was admitted kynge and sendyng to Rome to Alexander than bishop for his confirmacion the Cardinall Borgia with a numbre of prelates was sente to Naples where by auctoritee of the Romish bulles he inuested and crowned the kyng ¶ Than the kyng fell at variance with Lodouico Sforza Duke of Myllaine because he vsurped the astate that of right apperteined to his nephiewe Giangaleazzo sonne in law to kyng Alfonse so that Lodouico mistrustyng the kynges power that in deede was bent against hym founde the meane to bringe Charles the viii Frenche kynge into Italie who pretendyng to goe against the Turkê founde no resistence by reason wherof he not onely ouerronne Tuscane and toke thastate of Rome from the bishoppe but also conquered the whole realme of Naples although he enioyed it not long For all the princes of Italie immediately so colleged theim selfes against hym that he was faine to retyre with spede and was neuerthelesse ouertaken and fought with besides Parma where he lost the greatest parte of his câ—tâ—ages and dyuers of his nobilitee were taken prisoners ¶ Now assoone as kyng Alfonse heard that the frenche kynge was arriued in Lumbardy consideryng him selfe to be hated of his barons and his son Ferrandino contrariwise welbeloued incontinently renounced the astate vnto his soonne toke his treasure with hym and sayled into Sicile where for the tyme of his shorte life that dured scarce one yere he disposed hym selfe to studie solitarinesse and religion ¶ Than Ferrandino was embraced of all men in suche wyse that he was thought hable to resist the Frenche kyng Yet notwithstandyng that the streictes and passages were kept and the Neapolitanes armie great in the fielde the frenche men preuailed not onely in the conquest of the realme but also in the gettyng of that disease that for euer shall be a memorie vnto theyr name ¶ In effect kyng Ferrandino seeyng his owne debilitee in respecte of Charles force determined with pacience to ouercome his aduerse fortune and so with .vii. galleis departed out of the realme and went into the I le of Procida where he remained till he heard of the Frenche kynges departure and than beyng reuoked by the Neapolitanes not onely Naples but also diuers other citees theraboutes expulsed the Frenchemen and raysed theyr owne kynges standardes ¶ Upon this Ferrandino sent for succours to the Uenecians offeryng theim Brundusio and .iii. other hauen townes in Puglia to helpe hym to expell the Frenchemen out of the realme Whiche offer was accepted and Frauncesco Gonzaga Marques of Mantua with an armie sent thither who together with the Neapolitane power within the space of one yere draue the frenchemen cleane awaie Not longe after recouerey of his whole astate Ferrandino without issue died of the fluxe Leauyng his vncle Federike inheritour to the realme ¶ Note here that within the space of .xvi. monethes were .iiii â–ª seueralle kynges of Naples that is to wete Ferdinando Alphonso Ferrandino and Charles ¶ Finally Federike brother to the laste Alfonse succeded to the crowne but er he had fully reigned .iiii. yeres hearyng of the Frenche kynges comyng Lewys the .xii. and consideryng hym selfe destitute of money friendship and abilitee to resist he solde his armures and municion for .30000 duckates to the Duke Valentino Borgia sonne to the bishop of Rome and with the rest of his treasure and implementes went into France and there yelded bothe hym selfe and his realme into the Frenche kynges handes who receiued hym and appoinctyng hym an honourable prouision kepte hym in Fraunce till he died And thus ended the reigne of the house of Aragone in the realme of Naples ¶ And though vpon the surrendre of this Federike whoÌ„ many charge with cowardise for the vile submittyng of him selfe without any proufe of force the frenche king obteined the whole realme yet he died not loÌ„ge enioiyng it either by reason of the intollerable proude behauiour of the Frenche gouernours or els through the inconstant nature of the Neapolitanes Ferdinando king of Spaine commonly called Il Re Catholico coumforted therevnto vnto by many of the barons and specially by the citesins of Naples sent a puissaunt armie into the realme against the Frenchemen Who within lesse than two yeres partly by force and partly by treatie were cleane expulsed so that in fine the realme rested wholly in peasable possession of the Spanishe kyng ¶ Ferdinando the .v. of that name kynge of Spaine chasyng awaie the Frenchemen enioyed quietely the realme of Naples vnto his death and easily recouered of the Uenetians the foure portes in Puglia that Ferrandino had geuen theim By reason that whan all the Christian princes were entred into a league at Cambray against the Uenetians thei at that time made none offer of resistence but rather consented vnto the renderyng of theim lyke as in hope of peace they graunted vnto all the other princes what they woulde axe Uenice onely excepted ¶ Finally Ferdinando deceasyng Charles the .v. now emperour of Almaine sonne and heyre of Phillip Duke of Burgoyne and of Iohan his wyfe eldest daughter and heyre of the forenamed kyng Ferdinando suceeded in the realme of Naples as he did in all the other realmes and dominions that Ferdinando had and hitherto enioyeth the same ¶ It is true that the Frenche kynge sente Mounser de Lautrech his generall with a puissaunte armie to conquere the realme Where betwene the parties Frenche and Spanish were done manie worthy deedes of armes Naples it selfe was besieged by sea and lande vntill Andrea Doria generall of the frenche kynges armie by sea reuolted from the Frenche kyng to the seruice of the emperour From whiche tyme the hope of the Frenche armies prosperitee began to abate and fortune so much to goe againste theim that what through extreme plage and through the hardinesse of the imperialles that began to take courage the Frenchemen were constreigned to reise their assiâ—ge Mounser de Lautrech with many other of the best Frenche capitaines beyng deade some of the plage and some of the sworde so that of .60000 whiche vnder the Frenche standarde came thither to the siege escaped not fullie .2000 on liue From whiche tyme hitherwardes the emperour hath had no notable trouble there sauyng that now of late is begonne a little striefe betwene the Vicere Don Diego di Tolledo and the barons of the realme for makyng of certain lawes and some bicketing and slaughter hath hapned betwene the Spaniardes and theim and manie gentilmen are fledde to Rome and other places for feare of punishmente But because the thyng is not of suche importaunce as should seeme to moue warre I shall not nede to make further rehersall The descripcion of Florence Florence an excellent faire citee standeth at the foote of the Appenine hilles in a little valey named Arno of the riuer Arno that renneth through it
the people for paiement of his souldiours they not onely refused the paiement but also withstode his force and the Ghibellines bothe in suche wise that with losse of dyuers men slaine in the bickeryng the Conte with the Ghibellines through cowardise of the Conte forsoke the citee and went to Prato and willyng to retourne was more easily kepte foorth than he coulde haue been expelled in case he had fortified hym selfe whyle he was within Thus the people recouered libertee vnto theyr citee and in hope to make all thynges well reuoked aswell the Ghibellines againe as the Guelfes But all in vaine for the Ghibellines rested still in the auncient mortall hate of the Guelfes for dyuers iniuries and the people loued theim not as ofte as they remembred theyr passed tyrannie besydes that the Ghibellines whan they heard of the puissaunt comyng of Corradino out of Almaigne to winne the realme of Naples began to deuise how to recouer theyr astate againe Wherfore the Guelfes sent to the forenamed Charlê than king of Naples for helpe to defend theÌ„ selfes whilest Corradino shuld passe And vpon the comyng of ayde from the kyng the Ghibellines .ii. daies before fled And so had the Guelfes libertie to make new lawes and new magistratê which thei did immediatly Fyrst deuidyng the Ghibellines goodes in .iii. partes one to the coÌ„mon wealth an other to the chiefe magistrates and the .iii. to theim selfes in recompence of theyr owne hurtes And the bishop of Rome the better to mainteine Tuscane Guelfe made kyng Charles imperiall vicare of Tuscane ¶ After this Gregorie the .x. passyng through Florence towardes Fraunce deuised with the Guelfes for reconsiliacion of the Ghibellines and did so muche that certaine men for the Ghibelline parte came into the citee and after longe communicacion agreed therupon But because the thing toke no effect therfore Gregory excommunicated the citee Whiche Innocent the .v. his next successour assoyled againe ¶ Thus the Guelfes forgettyng theim selfes in theyr prosperitee became so proude that they regarded neyther magistrate nor people but for euery lyght occasion woulde feyght and many tymes kyll without abidyng any iustice whiche moued the people to murmour and gaue occasion to the bishop of Romes legate to practise the reuocacion of the Ghibellines vnder pretence of vnitee and brought it to passe in deede and than was there new orders of magistrates appoincted and the citesins so vnited that for verie werinesse of longe striefe bothe abroade and at home the names of diuision began to decaie so that Ghibellines and Guelfes were almost forgotten whan there beganne a new diuision betwene the nobilitee and the commons in suche wyse that they armed them selfes and had tried the mattier with the swoorde if certaine religiouse and other indifferent men had not taken vp the mattier ¶ In effecte the pride of the nobilitee was abated and parte of the commons will bridled so that they agreed again and were quiet a while ¶ There were two notable families in Florence Cerchi and Donati betwene whome had ben an olde grudge but no fightyng of a longe tyme. In Pistoia also two yonge gentilmen Lore and Geri at plaie fell out and foughte so that Lore hurte Geri The father of Lore beyng offended therwith and thinkyng to pacifie the mattier gentillie sent his sonne to the father of Geri to submitte him selfe and aske forgeuenesse But the father of Geri toke hym and cutte of his hande saiyng that woundê were healed with yron and not with wordes This mattier so grew that the whole citee of Pistoia was deuided in two partes the one callyng them selfes Bianchi that is to saie the white and the other Neri that is to saie the blacke After longe strife within them selfes being weried the blacke bande went to Florence and fell in fauour with the Donati the like wherof did the white bande with the Cerchi so that the aunciente grudge betwene those two families encreased and at laste vpon a lighte occasion fell out and foughte in Florence By reason whereof the whole citee aswell nobles as commons were deuided and oftentimes armed so that the rulers as newters were faine to streigne their power and partely by force partely by auctoritee causyng the parties to vnarme theim selfes they banished certaine of the chiefe speciallie of the Neri whiche beyng exiled resorted to the bishoppe of Rome and obteined of hym that Charles of Ualois brother to the Frenche kynge than beyng in Rome for certaine practises of the realme of Naples shoulde be sent to Florence by whose meane the Neri recouered the citee and by force expulsed the Bianchi And like as the Neri were firste by the bishops meanes restored so also the Bianchi at the bishops intercession were receiued home but not to rule whiche greued theim so muche that vpon newe contencion their intente beyng discouered they were vtterly expulsed ¶ Thus Charles of Ualois atcheiuyng his purpose in Florence departed thense leauyng the Neri in quiete possession But it endured not longe for Corso Donaâ—i chiefe of that parte thinkyng his astate very small to remeigne as a priuate man of the common wealthe moued businesse in the citee in hope to haue all the rule him selfe Wherin he preuailed not for the commons sente for the Lucchese to succour theym and by theyr helpe did so ouermatche Corso and his partetakers that thei remaigned still in their libertee and procured a legate from Rome to stablishe an order amongeste theim Who in stede of order thinkyng to brynge certain purposes to passe sette theim further out than euer they were and departyng in great anger excoÌ„municated the citee ¶ Thus as the Florentines were daylie at stryfe and warre within them selfes there chanced so great a fyre that it burned .1300 of theyr houses so that what through the wonderfull blouddeshed and great losse of the fire for veray werinesse thei laied downe their weapons and though the legate had craftely gotten .xii. of the chiefe citesins to Rome in whose absence he so comforted the Ghibellines and Bianchi that than were in exile that folowyng his aduise they sodeinelie entred the citee Yet the commons so resisted them that thei were repulsed Not longe after perceiuyng the purpose of Corso prepensed against their libertee assaultes his house put hym to flighte and in fleyng toke and slewe hym ¶ After that the Florentines lyued in quiet tyll the comyng of Henrie the emperour who comyng from Rome where he was crowned besieged Florence on the one side and at length departed without doyng muche hurt the rather because the Florentines had receiued succours from Robert kyng of Naples to whom they had submitted their citee for .v. yeres ¶ Not longe after Vguicione della Faggiola with helpe of the Ghibellines became lorde of Pisa and of Lucca so that the Florentines for dread of hym requyred kynge Robert of Naples to sende his brother Peter to succour theim Betwene whom and Vguicione was a battaill stricken in Vale di Nieuole where the
out measure wroth but at last the Florentines sent their ambassadours to hym Who beyng brought to audience in Pontificalibus at length obteined his absolucion The rather because euin than newly the Turke had assaulted and taken Otronto in Puglia and mynded to conquere Italie whiche occasion caused all the princes of Italie to vnite theim selfes together more for feare than loue as afterwardes did well appeare For the Turke was no sooner dead and the feare of his inuasion paste but they fell out againe as farre as euer they were For betwene the bishop and the kynge grew hote warres and the Florentines in helpe of the kynge assaulted the bishop on the other side and besides that the camâ—e of the league was lyke to haue taken from the Uenetians all theyr dominion in Lumbardie so that Italie was full of warre vntill by procurement of the kynge of Spaines ambassadours a generall peace thorough all the astates of Italie was concluded the Genowaies excepted By meane wherof the Florentines with theyr more ease warred vpon the Genowaies and gatte Pietra Santa with other townes from theim and gaue them a notable discoumfiture besides Serezana ¶ Finally the moste renoumed priuate man of his tyme Laurence D' i Medici died leauyng one of his sonnes a Cardinall who was called therunto beyng not fullie 13. yeres old and his eldest sonne Peter in great reputacion and his doughters also verie well maried ¶ He fauoured cunnyng men specially theim that were learned he was eloquente in reasonyng quicke of invention wise in determinyng and hardie in doyng Besides the conspiracy wrought against hym whan his brother was slayne he was twyse in peryll of death by treason and yet preuented theim bothe to the confusion of the conspiratours All the princes of Italy honoured hym the kynge Mathew of Hungarie shewed hym great signes of loue the Soldan of Aegypt sent hym presentes and ambassadours the Turke deliuered Bernardo Bandini that slewe his brother Iulian into his handes and his owne citesins so muche loued him that I thynke of his tyme died no man happier than he Contrary wise his sonne Peter di Medici who notwithstandyng his gentle enterteigment of all men at the beginnyng whiche made the worlde to hope well of him did at length proue so ambiciouse so wilfull and so vndiscrete in his procedynges that neither the magistrattes the citesins nor yet the people could well beare him to the encrease wherof whan Charles the .viii. Frenche kynge passed by Florence towardes Naples Peter mette hym on the waie and saied to him that his father commaunded hym .iii. thynges the fyrst to honour God the secounde to worship the frenche kyng and the thyrd to defende his countrey So that Charles seeyng hym thus well disposed entreated hym so fayre that he deliuered into his handes Serezana Pietra Santa and finally sette Pisa at libertee whiche was so great a hinderaunce to the Florentine astate that the magistrates and commons moued of iuste disdeigne draue him out of the citee toke his goodes and patrimonie as forfaicte and condemned him to perpetuall exile with a noumber of his friendes and partetakers and the furie of the people was suche that they brake and defaced all the armes that coulde be founde of the Medicies in Florence ¶ And albeit that he attempted manie waies to recouer his countrey yet was his fortune so yll that the more he sturred the more was he hated whiche at lengthe was the vndoyng both of him selfe and of a great many moâ— as well of his adherentes as of his aduersaries ¶ Thus the familie of Medici loste reputacion and credite for the tyme so that the astate of Florence retourned vnto the common rule of the magistrates and citesins that endured till the tyme that Leo the .x. of the familie of Medici was made bishop of Rome who though he restored not his house vnto the full rule they had before in the citee did neuerthelesse so muche partely with auctoritee and partely by friendship that diuers of that name were receiued and made partetakers of the common wealth whiche by little and little so encreased againe that in the tyme of bishop Clement the .vii. who also was of the Medici whan the Duke of Burbon passed by Florence to Romewardes the commons of the citee made a commocion against Hippolito di Medici then gouernour of the same he than beyng departed out of the citee in companie of the Cardinall of Cortona to goe visite the Duke of Urbine But assoone as he retourned he did so muche that they yelded theim selfes againe vnto hym vpon couenant he should hurt no man for that mattier ¶ Than bishop Clement made this Hippolito a Cardinall whervpon he lefte the administracion of the common wealth and so was the citee at libertee againe But Clement beeyng determined to make it perpetuall subiect to his owne familiâ— handled hym selfe so well towardes the emperour at his coronacion at Boloigne that he obteigned the imperiall power to the oppression of his owne naturall countrei and brought to passe that the prince of Orenge with the emperours army besieged Florence ¶ This siege endured a whole yere which for the many enterprises and battailes fought on bothe partes maie be compared to the best Troiane Greekish or Romaine warres namely because the common wealth alone with out helpe of any other prince or state susteigned the violence of two so mightie powers as the emperours and the bishops of Rome vntill famine and not force ouercame theim ¶ Finally the prince of Orenge and dyuers other notable capitaines beyng slaine in the often battailes and skyrmisshes at last the Florentines for lacke of vittailles were faine to fall to composicion and yelded vpon these condicions that the citee should continue in hir libertee referryng the reformacion of thastate to the emperour who within the terme of .iiii. monethes should thervpon declare his pleasure That all banished men should be reconciled without remembraunce of any iniurie before passed That the Medici should be restored to theyr goodes taken from theim by violence of the magistrates That the citee shoulde paie .80000 â–ª crownes to the dispatche of the armie with other couenauntes of lesse moment Upon whiche accorde Bartholomew Valori commissarie for the bishop of Rome entred with dyuers of the imperiall capitains and there behaued theim selfes so stoutely that notwithstandyng the couenauntes of peace they founde the meane within lesse than a moneth to behead .vi. of the chiefest citesins and to confine .150 besides a noumbre of others that habandoned and fledde the citee of them selfes so that theyr promysed libertee was tourned into a moste cruell seruitude ¶ Shortely after came Alexander Di Medici nephew to bishop Clement sente by the emperour out of Flaunders who at his first comyng made a shew of sobrietee in goyng priuately vnto his house and receiuyng the citesins amiably but yet at lengthe by little and little he vsurped the offices and magistrates and finally
disposed theim all at his pleasure causyng him selfe openlie to be called Duke ¶ Than died Clemente the Bishop whervpon the Cardinalles Di Medici and Saluiati with the principall of the other banished Florentines couetyng the recouerie of their citees libertee sent ambassadours to the emperour besechyng hym to consider the tyrannie of Duke Alexandre who than newly had builded the Cittadella and to regarde the condicions of peace Whiche ambassadours arriued at Barcelona euen as the emperour was takyng shippe towardes the enterprise of Tunise so that beyng returned to Rome the Cardinall Hippolito di Medici disposed hym selfe to goe vnto Tunise therfore And takyng his iourney towardes Naples died at Itri by the waie poysoned as the voice wente by procurement of Duke Alexander ¶ This Duke Alexander was yet but yonge who by bishop Clementes procurement had maried the emperours bastarde doughter he was so stoute that without any respecte he wolde haue his will in all thynges and namely in feates of loue and chaunge of women was his speciall delite And amongest all other he delited more in the company of Laurence di Medici that should succede him in the astate than of any other man But Laurence in steede of that loue hated the Duke and had longe time determined to slea him whan he might finde occasion whether he did it in hope the rather to atteigne to the dominion him selfe or to restore to the citee hir auncient libertee be diuers opinions ¶ In effecte without makyng any man priuie to his entent other than a seruante of his owne the Duke beyng on a nighte all alone in Laurences house and slepyng on a bedde Laurence and his man slewe him and thervpon counsailyng with certayne of his friendes and seeyng no man disposed to stande with him in pursuyng of his purpose the selfe same nighte he fledde and went straight to Uenice where in company of the Sâ—â—ozzi he liued till of laâ—e certaine persons in hope of the Taglia a rewardâ— prâ—claimed for the kyllyng of notable offenders he was also slayne ¶ Immediately vpon knowlage of the death of Duke Alexander the three Florentine Cardinalles that were than in Rome departed thense and makyng all the men they coulde by the waie come with an armie towarde Florence Wherfore the Medici with their friendes in Florence to make their party good that the banished men shoulde not preuayle to their destruction elâ—cted Cosmo di Medici to be their Duke a yonge man of .20 yeres of age whâ—se father Iohn Di Medici had ben a man righte valiaunt in armes And therupon senâ—e to the Cardinalles praiyng theim to state their armie by the waie and to come them selfes priuately to Florence where they shoulde finde so muche reason offered them that they shoulde neede to vse no force So thei staied their power besides Cortona and beyng come to Florence were entreated with so faire promises that thei licenced theyr men to depart By reason wherof the Duke that nâ—we is with his friendes had time to make theim selfes stronge and than wolde consent to nothing that the Cardinalles loked for so that with a playne mocke they departed lamentyng their folie that they had chaunged the suretee of their force for the vnsuretee of fayre wordes ¶ This chaunge in Florence and the mocke that the Cardinalles receiued so muche encreased their malice that they with the helpe of Phillip Strozzi and Bartholomew Valori assembled and waged the number of 4000. men whiche by Peter Strozzi that yet liueth and serueth the Frenche kynge shoulde haue be conducted to Monte Murlo and from thense to Florence had not Phillip and Bartholomew who with a smalle companie came before to Monte Murlo ben sette vpon by Alexander Vitelli taken and ledde awaie prâ—soners to Florence where the whole conspiracy of those confederates that were in the towne was discouered and diuers taken and put to execucion and so the whole enterprise broken and destroied Amongest the rest onely Phillip Strozzi was preserued from deathe notwithstandyng he was kepte in prysâ—n in the Cittadella and there died Some saie he killed him selfe rather than he woâ—â—e vndoe his children by paiyng the raunsome that was required of him beyng in dede one of the rychest priuate men that was in his time as it dothe well appeare by the wealth of his sonne Peter and of his other children whiche beyng banished men and hauyng nothyng in their owne countrey doe neuerthelesse lyue abroade in so muche reaputacion that fewe brethern of christendome vnder the degree of prynces doe the like ¶ I haue spoken before of Cittadella buylded by Duke Alexander for the more suretee of his dominion whiche at his deathe remaigned in the kepynge of one of the Dukes capitaines But assoone as Alexander Vitelli one that had serued well the emperour in his warres hearde of the Dukes deathe he came to Florence and entred into the castell to speake with the capitaine where he handled the mattâ—er so well that he excluded the capitaine and kepte it him selfe And thoughe he made many faire promises to Duke Cosmo yet at length he deliuered it to the emperour who therfore rewarded hym with fayre possessions in the realme of Naples ¶ This Duke Cosmo sued first to marrie with the wife of Duke Alexander the emperours doughter but the bishop of Rome that nowe is purchaced hir to his no small coste for his sonnes sonne Duke Octauio For the whiche there hath ben mortall hate betwene Duke Cosmo and the bishop And beyng thus preuented the Duke to obteigne the more stay towardes the emperour maried the doughter of Don Diego di Tolledo Uice Re of Naples by whose meane he hath redeemed the Cittadella of the emperour for the summe of .400000 duckates and is nowe absolute lorde and kynge within him selfe ¶ He hath diuers faier children by his wyfe and loueth hir so well that in maner he neuer goeth abrode vnlesse it be to churche without hir and is reputed to be a very chaste man He is learned and wyse he vseth fewe wordes and is neuerthelesse in his owne tounge eloquente In the administracion of iustice he is so sincere that syns the tyme of his reigne whiche is nowe aboue .x. yeres I haue not hearde that he hath pardoned any person condemned to die He hath restreigned the Uice of Sodomie which heretofore reigned more in Florence than elswhere in Italy with paine of death and hath broughte his astate to suche quietnesse as it hath not ben this .300 yeres past so that Florence may well saie that in hym she hath founde hir longe desired libertee For though he absolutely hath the whole reuenewes to his owne vse yet the suretee that the Florentynes haue in their owne thynges whiche heretofore they neuer had is muche more worthe to theym than the common reuenew was beneficiall to the citee ¶ Finally the vertue of this Duke Cosmo besides the woorthinesse of his dominion hath brought hym in suche reputacion that
with .7400 prisoners to Genoa and neuerthelesse shortly after made peace with the Uenetians and graunted truce to theim of Pisa for 27. yeres For the whiche the Pisani yelded to the Genowaies the ile of Corsica and the citee of Saffari in Sardegnia with .135000 poundes in money ¶ The emperour Adronico Paleologo of Constantinople for the great amitee betweene hym and the Genowaies gaue theim the grounde wheron Pera standeth a myle distant from Constantinople where all the Christians now dwell fyrst builded by the Genowaies ¶ Within two yeres after beganne the discorde that caused so muche mischiefe betwene the houses of Spinela and Doria whiche before tyme had been stedfast friendes together and endured the space of .xv. yeres with muche bloudshedyng till the comyng of the emperour Henrie the .vi. to Genoa who agreed bothe parties and so behaued hym that the citesins bounde theim selfes by feaultee vnto his obedience for terme of .xx. yeres whiche was the fyrst tyme that the citee submitted hir selfe to the dominion of any straunger Notwithstandyng whan the emperour was departed those two parties Spinola and Doria fought openly in the citee so that at length the Spinoli beyng the weaker were driuen out with well nere all their partetakers and yet the warre continued betwene them the space of .24 yeres aswell within as without the citee to the great domage and almost destruction of the common wealth For many tymes the banished men by meane of friendes were reconciled againe and whan thei were ones returned than did they worse than euer they did before ¶ This discension was not onely betwene those two families of Spinola and Doria but also betwene the sectes of Guelfes and Ghibellines into whiche parties the whole citee was lykewyse diuided so that the Ghibellines whiche than were banisshed by helpe of the Visconti of Myllaine and of other Ghibellines made a great armie and vnder the leadyng of Marke sonne to Mathewe Visconti came before Genoa toke the suburbes and streigned the citee so sore that if it had not been succoured by kyng Robert of Naples who in his owne person with .25 galleis entred the hauen the Ghibellines had been lyke to haue taken it Wherfore they of the citee to make theim selfes stronge yelded the dominion into the handes of the bishop of Rome and of the foresaied kynge of Naples for the space of .x. yeres in whiche tyme were so many ciuile battailes stricken so muche bloudshedde so many townes and houses destroyed and burned so many galleis and shippes broken drowned and lost and so great summes of money spent that it seemeth a wonder how so little a countrey shuld bringe foorth so great furniture and all to mischiefe ¶ Finally kynge Robert to whom the rule of the citee was prolonged for .vi. yeres called the ambassadours aswell of the Ghibellines as of the Guelfes to Naples and there made theim to conclude a peace so that the Ghibellines were reconciled home where thei liued not longe in quiete as hereafter shall appeare ¶ In the time of this warre one notable policie was vsed by sea The yere before conclusion of this peace Federike Marabotto capitaine of .ix. galleis of the Guelfes wherof .ii. were drowned in Sardegnia was chased by Aitono Doria capitaine of .xiiii. of the Ghibelline galleis and came so neere with the nyght that they were within a flight shotte together so that Federike coulde by no meane escape Wherfore in the darke of the nyght he set foorth a little emptie vessell with a burnyng lanterne in it and caused all the lyghtes of his galleys to be put out This dooen he lette the little vessell lose whiche the wawes of the sea by little and little draue towardes the lande so that Aitono thynkyng it to be the galleis that he had in chace folowed and by that meane was so farre from Federike er it was daie that Federike easily escaped the daunger ¶ Than beganne the Catalaines to make warre to the Genowaies vpon a veraie light occasion whiche continued a great while with many notable battailes by sea more to the losse of the Catalaines than of the Genowaies though the better of bothe had no cause to triumphe But those forein warres were nothing so hurtfull to the citee as theyr owne ciuile sedicion whiche shortly after renued betwene the Guelfes and Ghibellines so that within the citee they fought a certaine space with variable fortune till at length the Ghibellines preuailed and chased awaie the Guelfes and so an other while toke the rule vpon theim Wherfore the Guelfes fortified theim selfes at Monaco and made out dyuers armies by sea whiche were dyuers tymes mette withall by the contrary parte thoughe in effecte there happened no notable battaile betwene theim ¶ Not longe after the Frenche kynge warryng with Englande hyred .40 galleis of the Genowaies wherof .xx. were of the Ghibellines in Genoa and .xx. of the Guelfes in Monaco whiche whan they had serued hym a yere retourned not well contented with their paiement so that the mariners and other meane souldiours toke the rule of the galleis from theyr capitaines and were growen to suche a courage that whan they landed they moued the commons to rebell against the rule of the common wealth and subuertyng the citee of Sauona with most part of the countrey theraboutes the commons of Genoa toke courage therupon to arme them selfes and to renne to the palaice criyng that thei wold haue an Abbotte made of the people and would no more be ruled by the capitaines Wherfore the nobles seeyng theyr power inferiour to the peoples furie assembled together and fell to counsaile for chosyng of this new Abbotte in whiche counsaile they taried so longe within that the people without were werie and vp start a poore wyredrawer or a goldsmith to geue him the better name and asked the people whether they would be ruled by hym Whervnto many answeared yea well quod he and than shall Simonine Bocanegra be our lorde and ruler Be it quod one and be it quod an other so that the people with an whole voyce cried Abbotte Bocanegra But he who was a good man did what he coulde to refuse it and they seyng that amended the mattier with criyng not Abbotte but Duke so that in conclusion whether he woulde or no the absolute power was put in his hande and he called Duke beyng the fyrst that euer had that title in Genoa Than was a law made that none should be called to any rule or office of the common wealthe vnlesse he were a Ghibelline ¶ The Turke at this tyme waxed great and had certaine galleis goyng vpon the sea called Mare Maggiore otherwise Pontus Euxinus which had robbed certaine merchaunt shippes of the Genowaies wherfore they armed theim selfes in Caffa and meetyng fought with the Turkê army and recouered not onely their owne goodê but also toke .x. Turkish galleis and a shippe with great bootie
great feastes and honor sent home with .x. galleis of the common wealthes fyrste binding him selfe to certaine articles aswell for the paiment of a yerely tribute as also for the citee of Famagosta whiche remained in the Genowaies possession ¶ About this tyme were so many commocions in the citee for chosing of theyr Dukes that I thinke there was neuer so muche alteracion of rulers in one coÌ„mon welth for the tyme. And because the rehersall therof wolde occupie a greatter roume than my purpose dooeth here allow it shall suffise to saie that as longe as the rule of the common wealth consisted in the wil of the multitude neuer was so inconstant an astate as that of Genoa For amongest other in the chaunge betwene Domenyke di Campo Fregoso and Nicolas Guarco were .iii. Dukes in a daie Fregoso deposed in the mornyng and Adorno incontinently made and at after noone Adorno deposed and Guarco made Wherfore as superfluouse to treate of all the Dukes elections I woulle hensfoorth speake no more of theyr chaunges without great cause ¶ The Moores of Barbarie in this tyme scoured all the middle seas robbyng and spoilyng all that euer thei coulde take Wherfore the Genowaies with dyuers others made suite vnto the Frenche kynge for an enterprise to be made against the kynge of Tunise Whiche the Frenche kyng graunted and sent the Duke of Bourbonâ— as generall not onely with a greatte power of FraÌ„ce but also with aide that was sent him out of Englande in whose company the Genowaies sent .40 galleis and .xx. shippes of theirs vnder the leadyng of Iohn Centurione And theyr Chronicle maketh mencion how our Englishe archers behaued them selfes at theyr landyng in Barbarie so wel that the Moores gaue theim plaâ—e wheras without theim the armie shoulde haue had muche adooe to lande The ende of whiche iourney was that the kynge of Tunise released all Christian slaues wherof there wer a noumbre in his realme and paied the Christians .10000 duckates with promyse to trouble the seas no more ¶ From the yere .1390 till .1396 was so muche adooe for makyng and deposyng of Dukes that Antoniotto Adorno had been .iiii. tymes Duke besides .viii. or ix others that had been put in and out the meane tyme with so muche bloudshed burnyng and spoilyng that at length for veraie desperacion the citee sent ambassadours to Charles the .vi. Frenche kyng besechyng hym to take the dominion therof into his handes Who at theyr request sent the Counte of sainct Paule and the bishop of Meaux to be rulers there and to receiue the fortresses into his possession whiche immediately were deliuered to them feaultie sworne by all the subiectes ¶ The Frenche Gouernour had not been there fully a yere but the sectes of Guelfes and Ghibellines renued so sore that after muche burnyng spoilyng and kyllyng in the countrey theraboutes the Ghibellines entred into the citee and from the .xvi. of Iulie to the .v. of September fought daie by daie with the Guelfes and fortifiyng the one halfe of the citee against the other they neuer ceased till bothe parties were tyred with the fury of theyr owne bloudde and flambe For amongest their feightyng it was a common matter to set one an others house on fyre so that the losse that the common wealth susteigned in this rage was esteemed muche more than a myllion of golde ¶ The bishoppe of Meaulx than gouernour of the citee for feare of his owne life fledde in the middest of this furie So that whan it was past the Frenche kynge sent thither in his steede one Collarde a counsailour of his who by the Genowaies was honourably receiued He gouerned not muche more than a yere but by meane of a new secte called La Scorzola he was faine to habandone the citee leauyng theim together by the eares after theyr old maner feightyng and burnyng amongest theim selfes daie by daie whiche ceased not till the comyng of Bouciquart marshall of Fraunce who beyng the kynges lieuetenant entred into Genoa with a thousand souldiours and incontinently proceded against the steerrers of the common wealthe causyng two of the chiefe of the citee Battista Boccanegra and Battista de Frauchi to be taken brought to the palaice and beheaded Boccanegra vpon whose death the people beganne suche a crie that they whiche had the other in kepyng lette hym go so that whan the rumour was past Bouciquart in a great rage caused the chiefe officer of the wardes head to be stricken of because through his mens negligence happened the escape ¶ Than did Bouciquart also fortifie the little castell now called Castelletto and put a garrison into it and whan he had taken aswell from the men of the countrei as of the towne all kynde of armure theyr swordes excepted than spared he none of theim But for euerie occasion of any importaunce woulde behead the offendour without any respect to his qualitee or kinne And his procedynges were suche that the Frenche kyng confyrmed hym in that office for terme of life to the great contentacion of the citesins who in his rigorous iustice founde greater ease than in the softe procedynges of the other gouernours whose gentilnesse gaue libertee to the presumptuouse multitude to doe what thei wolde whiche was theyr owne destruction ¶ Than Iano kynge of Cyprus who had been borne bredde vp well intreated in Genoa laied siege to the citee of Famagosta intendyng to gette it from the Genowaies but an armie of .18 saâ—â—e was incontinently made thither vnder the leading of Bouciquart who not onely raysed the siege but also constreigned the kynge to paie their charges and atchieued diuers other enterprises on the costes of Soria neuerthelesse in his retourne the Uenetians mette with hym and puttyng him to flight toke .iii. of his galeis and yet was the mattier so handled that the warre betweene the Uenetians and Genowaies ceassed for this time In dede Bouciquart in his owne quarell defied the Duke of Uenice and Carlo Zeno capitaine of the Uenetian galleis to feight either hande to hande or number for number but he was not aunswered ¶ This Bouciquart for the space of .viii. yeres ruled the common wealth of Genoa by whiche tyme the citee of Serezana with the countee about came to the obedience of the Genowaies Because they were of them selfes no more able to resiste the Florentines and Bouciquart solde to the common wealthe the Porte of Ligorno besides Pisa for .26000 duckates ¶ By his tyme also Benedict the .xii. Scismatike bishop of Rome came to Genoa and was there triumphantly receiued And the office of S. George was than deuised whiche endureth to this day ¶ The Siotes also rebelled in so muche that Bouciquart with .vi. galleis went thither and reduced them to their former obedience ¶ Finally couetyng to haue the rule of the astate of Millaine he made an armie of .6000 footemen and .5000 horsmen and not mistrustyng any alteracion in
by the kynges speciall commission was made gouernour ¶ In whiche office he continued but .22 daies For assoone as the Frenche nauie was departed whiche by reason of the great discoumfiture that the frenche kyng had at Nouara could tarie no longer the Fregosi with ayde of the kyng of Spaine came so strongely to Genoa that the Adorni with theyr parteners were faine to geue place and than was Octauian Fregoso made Duke so that within the space of one yere the astate of Genoa altered .iiii. tymes ¶ This new Duke paied the Spaniardes that had ayded hym .80000 crownes out of the common treasure and made Andrea Doria capitaine of .iiii. galleis and than besieged the Castell of the Lanterne whiche for the quantitee was excellent fayre and stronge Neuerthelesse assoone as he had gotten it by composicion paiyng 22000. duckates to the capitaine incontinently he rased it to the earth ¶ The Adorni with the Flischi than conspyred against the Duke and with a certaine noumbre of men sodeinely entred into the citee Where they were not onely foughten with and theyr men repulsed but also they theim selfes taken prisoners Whervpon the Duke seeyng the instabilitee of his astate to eschew further inconuenience sent ambassadours to the frenche kynge and yelded the citee to hym and sent hym .2000 footemen whiche did him no small seruice in the battaile besides Marigniano ¶ After the notable victorie wherof this Octauian beyng from Duke chaunged to gouernour with .viii other of the chiefest citesins went to visite the frenche kynge at Myllaine and there lent hym .80000 crownes towardes his charges ¶ About this tyme Cortogoli a Turke scoured the seas and did muche hurte to the Christians wherfore an armie was made out against hym vnder the leadyng of the archebishop Fregoso with Andrea Doria and others who sailed into the costê of Barbarie and found xv foystes and certaine galleis of Cortogolies vnarmed before Biserti whiche they myght haue burned or brought awaie if they had not tended to muche to the spoyle For that by reason of a sodeine tempest they were driuen to forsake the costes and returne home with out ought dooyng ¶ The Cardinall Sauli a Genowaie borne was vpon suspicion emprisoned by Leo than bishop of Rome and by his parentes raunsomed at .25000 duckates and yet for all that it was thought that determinate poyson was geuen hym in prison For within a certaine space after his deliuerance he sickened and in lesse than a yere died ¶ The Moores of newe troubled the seas Agaynst whom Andrea Doria went out with .vi. galleis gaue the onset on .ix. saile of theyrs whiche he discoumfited with sore feight and toke .vi. of theim ¶ All this while the faction of Fregosi ruled the citee vnder the frenche kynge Wherfore the Adorni who were than as banished men armed .ix. galleis thinkyng secretely to entre the citee and to subuerte the astate But they missed of theyr purpose Neuerthelesse thei ceased not to prouoke the emperour against Genoa promisyng him large succours of theyr part So that thorough theyr procurement immediatly after the battaile of Bicocke where the frenche campe was discomfited the Duke of Myllaine the Marques of Pescara the Signior Prospero Colonna and the other imperiall capitaines with .20000 men came before Genoa and by force wanne and sacked it and takyng the gouernour Octauian with dyuers others whom thei kept as prisoners after the departure of the armie Antoniotto Adorno was made Duke And so the citee remained imperiall Adrian the .vi. elected bishop passed that waie towardes Rome and the Duke of Burbone with his bande came through to Genoa as he wente to rescue Millaine than besieged of the frenche men ¶ But the Frenche kynge shortly after passed the mountaines in his owne person and not onely recouered all that he had loste in Lumbardy Pauia excepted but also gatte Sauona and Varagine in the ryuer of Genoa Wherfore Don Hugo Da Moncada afterwardê Vice Re of Naples issued out of Genoa with .xv. saile and sette .4000 men of the Genowaies on lande thinkyng to gette Varagine where he was mette with by Iocante Corso capitaine of the Frenchemen and the Genowaies beyng discomfited him selfe the Vice Re was taken prisoner Shortely whervpon folowed the takyng of the Frenche kyng at the battaile of Pauia who in Maie after his taking was brought to Genoa and from thense conueighed into Spaine ¶ Than the bishop of Rome with the Uenetians entred in leage with the Frenche kyng againste the emperour And because the citee rested imperiall therfore was an armie of .37 galleis made that besieged Genoa by sea to the rescue whereof the emperour sent the Vice Re of Naples out of Spaine with .xxii. saile who encountred with .vi. galleis of Andrea Doria that than serued the leage againste the emperour and foughte together in whiche feight Andrew and his men behaued them selfes so valiauntly that they sparpled the imperiall armie abrode and toke .ii. of their shippes For whiche valiaunte acte the emperour made him admirall of his army and knight of his order and shortly after in Porto fino he toke .vii. galleis .iiii. of the citee and .iii. of Spaine so that the siege continewyng still the citee suffered extreme famine Wherfore partly by force Caesar Fregoso with a bande of Frenche men by lande was receiued into the towne and the citee deliuered vnto hym in the kynges name without bloudde or spoyle the Duke Antoniotto Adorno beyng fledde into the castell and than was Theodore Triulci Milanese made gouernour therof By whose time the Union beganne amongest the citesins for there had ben diuision of parties fyrste the Guelfes and Ghibellines than the nobles and commons and the commons deuided in two merchauntes and artificers and laste of all were the factions Adorni and Fregosi So that as longe as these parties reigned it was impossible the citee should prospere seeyng them daiely fall together by the eares as they did ¶ Finallie they all agreed to extynguish these diuisions and elected .28 families to be all nobles amongest whom the offices should renne in common and chaunge without naming and partie and so were thei brought to accorde that so many yeres before had continually contended ¶ Than the Frenche kyng sente a notable armie vnder the leadyng of Mounser Lautrech to the siege of Naples and because it should be besieged by sea and lande therfore Andrea Doria armed .vii. galleis whereof he made his cousen Philippino Doria capitaine and sente him to Naples where the Uice Re with .vi. galleis issued out and fought with him but Doria preuailed and the Uice Re was slaine and the Marques of Vasco with diuers others taken prisoners ¶ Whervpon it seemed that the Frenche kynge waxed vnkynde as well to the common wealth as vnto Andrea Doria For first he suffred the citee of Sauona to be exempt from the subiection of Genoa and furthermore to haue all
for artificers But for notable or sumptuouse buildynges it maie not be compared with Uenice Rome or Florence For all be it the houses be great and fayre within yet outwardely it is nothyng of that beautie and pompe that those other citees be by reason that for the most parte the Mylanese buildyng is all of bricke because harde stone and marble is not to be had by a great waie of ¶ Neuerthelesse the Domo of Myllaine beyng theyr Cathedrall churche is one of the rarest woorkes of our tyme built all of fine marble so well grauen and cutte that the woorkemanship is a wonder But it is of so vnmeasurable greatnesse that most men doubt whether euer it woull be finished or not thoughe it haue many thousande duckates of yerely reuenew in good land towardes the continuaunce and a noumbre of woorkemen daiely labouryng theron ¶ But what speake I of the churche the castell of Mylaine being so neere whiche in mine opinion is the worthiest and strongest of all Europe For it hath warde within warde fortresse diuided from fortresse that one maie holde against an other walles of endlesse strength and large dyches well watered as fayre built ouer all as nedeth to be and so well fortified that without famine it is impregnable And this concernyng the countrey citee and people of Myllaine in generall shall suffice ¶ The beginnyng and successe of the State of Myllaine AS Liuie and diuers other authors write the yere before the comyng of Christ .259 from the edificacion of Rome .460 and from the beginnyng of the worlde .4860 in the tyme of Assueâ—e otherwise called Cirus and Longimanus sonne of Xerses and nephew to Dario kynges of Persie The citee of Mylaine was rather augmented than newly built by certaine frenchemen called Senoni or Iusubrij people of low Britaine now called Semans where likewyse is a towne called Myllaine These were the frenchemen that fyrst passed the mountaines and settled them selfes in Lumbardie and that afterwardes went vnder the leadyng of Brenne to Rome burned the citee and besieged the Campidoglio though at last they were discomfited ¶ Finally in processe of tyme beeyng becomen Mylanese and made subiectes to the Romaines Amilcare the Affricane at his comyng into Italy persuaded theim to rebell wherfore they were foughten with and twise ouerthrowen firste by Furio the Pretor and after by Claudio Marcello who in the later conflict slew Mago brother of Hanniball with .37000 Affricanes and Mylanese together and therfore at his returne vnto Rome was receyued with triumphe ¶ Nowe wherfore it was called Millaine be two opinions the one is that it toke that name of the other Millaine in Brittaine the other by reason the forme of a farowyng sowe halfe couered with woulle signifiyng fattenesse was founde at the diggyng of the foundacion they called it Milana as who shoulde saie halfe woulle But howe so euer the occasion therof proceded I finde that it had diuers names as Subria Mesopia Paucentia Alba and Ercolea of Ercole Massimino that furnished it with houses and closed it with walles and also builded a temple in it to the honour of Hercules whiche is nowe conuerted to be the churche of S. Laurence ¶ Thus after the tryumphe of Claudio Marcello Millaine encreased more and more and rested in peace about 500. yeres beyng in maner the chiefe markette of all Italy Insomuche that many Romaines came thither to dwell and many tymes the selfe emperours came thither to solace But at length in the time of saincte Ambrose bishop there whan the secte of Arrians began it was somewhat troubled and shortly after destroied by kynge Attila called of the Italians Flagellum Dei ¶ And albeit that it was after reedified yet by Totila and the emperour Iustinians capitaines it was for the more parte again and again destroied And by the Lumbardes also it was many tymes sore vexed But laste of all Galuano who beyng taken prisoner by the emperour Barbarossa by escape was retourned seeyng afterwardes the same Federico occupied with the Frenche warres reedified it of new and diyng without issue left it to his citesins who with fauour of their neighbours gouerned the same as a common wealth the space of .52 yeres tyll Giouanni Torrigiani a principall citesin vsurped the dominion by force ¶ This Torrigiani as he that was cruell and desyrouse to make his astate durable feigned daiely newe crimes and offences against his citesins and specially against the Visconti to rydde theim out of the waie And though he cloked his crueltee with the beste colour of iustice that he coulde imagine outwardesly so that no man for feare durste withstande hym yet God takyng vengeaunce suffered hym to be discomfited and slayne before Parma where he had ben two yeres generall of the emperours army against the bishop of Rome ¶ Now vpon the death of Torrigiani the Mâ—lanese beganne to contende amongest theim selfes so longe that at laste Martino Turrigiani toke the dominion vpon him and kepte it two yeres in whiche time beyng aduertised that Ezelino lorde of Uerona with many banished Mylanese caâ—e in armes against him he issued out into the fielde with his power fought with Ezelino hurt and toke hym prisoner and so beeyng victoriouse and of the age of .80 yeres died at Souzino ¶ After hym succeded his sonne Philippo who beyng but weake herted and grosse witted made neuerthelesse warre againste the Cremonese sacked Como toke Bergamo and Nouara and finally expulsed the familie of Tornielli After whiche enterprises he died leauyng the astate to his sonne Napoleone that after happened to be slaine Unto whom succeded his sonne named Philippo that by meane of the archebishop Ottone Visconti was afterwardes expulsed ¶ It is to be vnderstand that before the time of Giouanni Torrigiani the house of Visconti was equall with the beste of Millaine beyng descended of the Erles of Angiera that before tyme had ben lordes of Millaine for the name of Visconti was taken of Ottone sonne of Elipandro who by reason he was lorde both of Angiera and of Millaine called him selfe Bisconte as who should say twise Erle ¶ This Ottone being gone in a croisy with other princê to conquere the holy lande foughte there with a Sarasine hande to hande and ouercame him and because the Sarasine for his enseigne caried on his crest an adder with a littell childe in his mouthe Ottone as a perpetuall memory of his victorie vsed the same euer after in his armes ¶ But nowe to come to the purpose aboute the yere of grace .1262 there remained .iiii. bretherne of the house of visconti on liue that is to wete Ottone before named Vberto Iacopo and Gasparo sonnes of Vberto de Visconti ¶ This Ottone the archebishop beyng than a banished man through helpe of his kinsman Gregorie bishop of Rome by force expulsed out of Millaine the foresaied Philippo Torrigiani sonne of Napoleone and finally became lorde therof beyng afterwardes
In folowyng the victorie wherof the Uenetians had alreadie passed the riuer of Adda and scoured the countrey euen to the gates of Myllaine he at last a little before his deathe bequethed his astate by testamente vnto the kynge Alfonso as to one the deerest friende he had ¶ This Philippo had ben a prince of a subtill nature wittie a louer of trauaile couetouse to learne and to haue and yet liberall in geuyng easie of pardonyng but suspiciouse out of measure and so light of credence that many tymes he wrongefully ridde out of the waie the deerest friendes he had Wherof it folowed that in his most businesse he founde him selfe vtterly habandoned leauyng the state of Myllaine in maner naked For the Duke of Orliens in the right of his wyfe Valentina daughter of Giangaleazo enforced hym selfe to atteine the possession whiche the emperour Federico for his parte in titell of the empyre denyed But Francesco Sforza as soonne in lawe of the deade Philippo withstode theim bothe insomuche that thorough this rumour the Mylanese rent the testament in peeces and toke on theim theyr libertee electyng .xii. men to diuise order for the gouernaunce of theyr citees whervnto they had the helpe of Carlo Gonzaga who beyng lately departed from the campe of Sforza was present in Mylaine the same time And so the new officers beyng ordeined there were many of those nobles slaine that were knowen fauourable to the part of Francesco whose power courage the Mylanese feared muche more than the puissance of France or of themperour ¶ The father of this Francesco named Mutio was borne besydes the castell of Cotignuola and folowyng the warres fyrst serued the souldiours with cariyng of woodde and water Than gettyng a little with sackyng here and there became so stronge and hardie that many tymes he would by force take the bootie from his owne companions and therfore was called Sforza ¶ From whiche base condicion he beganne to waxe an aduenturer and to feight on horsbacke so that finally he became a capitaine and in short space was iudged equall vnto Braccio Montone the valiauntest and honourablest generall of those daies ¶ But at last after he had long time serued the Queene Giouanna against kyng Alfonse in the realme of Naples and in other places dooen many notable enterprises couetyng to saue a lakey in the riuer of Pescara he was drowned hym selfe and coulde neuer after be founde nor heard of ¶ Than was this Francesco his sonne fyrst waged of the forenamed Queene and after of the Uenetians than of Philippo and after Philippo of the Mylanese against the Uenetians and lastely of the Uenetians against the Mylanese In all whiche doynges as well in the realme as in Lumbardie he euermore shewed great prouffes of his worthinesse and at last with helpe of the Uenetians came against Myllaine and besieged it Insomuche that after longe resistence constreigned with hunger and deceiued of theyr promised helpe from the Uenetians the Mylanese fyrst sleayng the Uenetian ambassadour accepted Francesco for theyr prince Who not longe after stablishyng the thynges of Mylaine at his pleasure made warre to kynge Alfonso and to the Uenetians bothe in whiche warres he was serued of these valiaunt capitaines Tiberio Brandolino Nicolo Guerriero Dolce dell ' Anguillara Carlo di CaÌ„po Basso and Iacopo Piccinino whiche Iacopo was promysed to haue to wyfe his daughter Drusiana before tyme maried vnto Iano Fregoso Duke of Genoa How be it the Duke Francesco afterwardes for suspicion caused this Iacopo to be slaine ¶ Aboutes the same tyme whylest Eugenio bishoppe of Rome was occupied at the counsaile of Basile Francesco as his enemie attempted to take the state of Marca from hym And there kept warre longe tyme with kynge Alfonso whom the saied bishop had sent thither against hym where they saie Francesco was defied by Nicolo Piccinino and beyng chalenged to feight hande to hande would in no wyse accept it That notwithstandyng he was vndoubtedly a worthie man of armes the most happie and valiaunt of all other in his tyme. For in those .xvi. yeres that he reigned Duke he in maner extinguisshed the sedicion of the parties of Guelâ—i and Ghibellini insomuche that the Genowaies fallen in discorde amongest theim selfes seeyng the good gouernaunce of this Duke Francesco with the louyng enterteinement of his subiectes willingly embraced him for theyr lorde He loued muche Cosmo di Medici of Florence by whose helpe and counsaile it is thought he prospered not a little in the beginnyng of his astate seyng that Cosmo assoone as he was made Duke sent ambassadours vnto hym reioysyng at his prosperitee For the friendship wherof Francesco afterwardes succoured Piero di Medici in the coniuracion made against hym by Luca Pitti whom Borso Duke of Ferrara fauoured ¶ This Duke Francesco reedified the little Forte in the Castell of Myllaine called Gioue and builded many deuoute places Neuerthelesse in his age he was somewhat blamed for his disordinate loue to women more than his astate his age and his passed vertues did allowe ¶ Finally finisshyng the course of this life he lefte by his wife Bianca .v. sons Galeazo Lodouico surnamed Moro Ascanio Philippo Oâ—tauiano and a daughter named Hippolita Maria that afterwardes was maried to Alfonso Duke of Calabria ¶ Whan Galeazo beyng in the warres in France with kynge Lewys heard of his fathers death he retourned to Myllaine where he was receiued as Duke And all be it he was expert in armes yet did he neuer shew any honourable prouffe thereof as he that entred into an astate ouermuche wealthie and quiete And because he had so muche felicitee that he thought it impossible euer to decaie he set so little by men and by vertue that many of his owne citesins and seruauntes hated him And thei whom he fauoured most conspyred his death and slew hym The principall wherof was oâ—e Gianandrea Lampugnano that with his owne handes fyrst strake hym in the churche of saincte Stephen whan Galeazo had his garde of Halberders rounde about hym Whiche Halberders incontinently slewe the same Giauandrea that fleeyng through the women happened to be tangled by the spurre muche after the maner as he was serued that slew Asdruball in Spaine ¶ And albeit that this Galeazo through his delicate or wanton life became odiouse and vnworthy to theim that delited in chieualry and also hated of them that had the fairest wifes and doughters with whom he wolde be familiar as the fame went yet the commons lamented hym a great deale more than many of his predecessours because that duryng his life thei remaigned in peace For in peace whan the souldiour doeth begge the plow prospereth and in warre whan the plow man is fledde the souldiour plaieth the swyne ¶ These thynges beyng thus happened Giouanni the sonne of Galeazo than but a childe succeded in the astate vnder the gouernaunce of his mother Bona and of one Cecco that longe tyme had ben broughte vp in that
house ¶ This Cecco was borne in Calabria of verie lowe degree But through his wisedome he became noble and of so good credite with Francesco Sforza that he gouerned most thynges in Millaine ¶ Finally whan Galeazo was deade to the entente that Giouanni might the more quietly enioy the dominion he sente away his other brethern into exile But at length Lodouico Moro vncle to Giouanni was reuoked by the people and ineontinently vpon his retourne Cecco beheaded and Bianca the mother exiled ¶ After whiche time Giouanni remayned in the astate aboutes .xii. yeres But his proufe was so simple that in maner by force he committed the rule of all thynges to Lodouico By whose meanes as he that was not yet contented some say Giouanni at length was poisoned and died in Pauia leauyng issue a sonne called Francesco Sforza begotten on his wife Isabella doughter of Alfonso kyng of Naples ¶ Now incontinently as Giouanni was deade this Lodouico Moro bothe of the people and also by consent of the emperour Maximilian was proclaymed Duke and shortely after maried his neece Bianca doughter of his brother Galeazo vnto the same Maximilian takyng also vpon him the protection of his nephew the yonge Francesco Sforza and of his mother Isabella ¶ Than maried he Beatrice the doughter of Ercole Duke of Ferrara and begatte on hir Francesco Sforza with a secounde sonne in whose birth the mother died ¶ This Moro was a wittie man of veray gooo disposicion and one that delited muche in the administracion of iustice in peintyng and in cunnyng men ¶ In the beginnyng of his astate he entred in amytee with the Florentines the Senese the Bologniese with Ercole da Este with the Marques of Mantua with Lewis kyng of Fraunce and with Alfonso kyng of Naples But lyke as he was easy to enter into frendeship so for a trifle wolde he sodeinly breake with the best of theim ¶ He helped Charles Duke of Sauoy against Lodouico Marques of Saluzzo and confined his brother the Cardinall Ascanio because in Ferrara he had practised diuers new thynges against him ¶ He toke Boccalino by siege that had rebelled against the Romayne churche and therby gratyfied the bishop of Rome ¶ With his great policie he recouered Genoa that before had rebelled against him He founde the meanes to bryng Charles the .viii. Frenche kyng into Italy to expulse kyng Alfonso out of Naples because he had before taken him for his ennemie for sekyng to mainteigne the astate of Giouanni the sonne of Galeazo againste him ¶ This comyng of the Frenche kynge not onely annoied Alfonso but also troubled all Italy ¶ Finally he made warre against the Uenetians which dured till that after the death of kynge Charles Lewys succeded in the realme of Fraunce who hated so muche this Duke Moro that beyng entred in leage with the Uenetians Moro was constreigned to flee into Almaine where he remained whilest the Frenchemen toke Millaine and the Uenetians Cremona and Gieradadda How be it not longe after the Frenchemen through their yll gouernaunce were driuen from Millaine and Lodouico reuoked home out of Douchelande who after his arriuall takyng Neuara and trauaylyng to chace the Frenche men out of Italy was betraied of the Douchemen and bothe he and Ascanio taken and ledde into Fraunce where finally he died ¶ This Lodouico reignyng in his dominion vsed to answere them that counsailed him to encrease his treasure with taxes and tallages that the office of a good shepeherde was to shere his sheepe and not to flaie theim ¶ Thus Lodouico Moro taken and deade as is beforesaied his sonne Francesco shortely after the battaill of Rauenna beyng than but tender of yeres was astablished Duke of Millaine by the emperours meanes and continued in the astate till the comyng of Fraunces the Frenche kynge into Italy who with the helpe of the Uenetians chaced him away and gatte the state of Millaine by force leauyng Mounser de Lautrech gouernour of the same so that Francesco Sforza withdrew him to Trent and there remained till the Frenche men through their tyranny and yll gouernaunce became so hated of the Milanese that at length they were chased away and Francesco reuoked home though in effect he enioyed it not longe For the Frenche kynge shortly after with a great power came in his owne person into Italy and so chaced Francesco againe out of the state of Millaine and prospered muche in his warres there vntill the iourney of Pauia where he with many of his nobles were taken prisoners After whiche discomfiture Francesco Sforza by the emperours fauour was ones again restored to the Douchie of Millaine and continued in the same till through enuy and malyce of some piâ—â—ethankes the emperour was vniustly persuaded that the saied Francesco was not so faithfull towardes his maiestee as his goodnesse had merited so that the emperour conceiuyng an vnkyndenesse and a mistrust in hym constreigned him by force not onely to habandone Millaine but also for his saufegarde to flee into the castell whiche after a verie longe siege he yelded vnto the imperialles to departe freely with bagge and baggage ¶ And so beyng letted of the imperialles from goyng to Como where he entended to sodgiourne tyll he might cleere his innocency towardes the emperour in maneâ— halfe desperate he agreed with the Frenche men drew to the campe of the leage that than was made against the emperour ¶ Finally he went vnto Cremona till after the taking of sainct Polo the Frenchemens dooynges in Italie went all to wracke Wherfore seeyng the emperour Charles the .v. that nowe is come to Bologna to bee crowned he went simplie thither vnto hym and there submittyng hym selfe with iust excuses recouered his magistees fauour with restitucion of the astate of Myllaine vpon these condicions folowyng That the Duke shoulde marie the emperours neece daughter of the kynge of Denmarke and of the emperours syster that he shoulde paie the emperour nine hundreth thousande duckates in tenne yeres by equall porcions And finally that diyng without issue he should leaue his astate of inheritaunce to the emperour ¶ Incontinently vpon which agrement Alexandro Bentiuogli as vice Duke with diuers other officers were sent to Myllaine to leauey the fyrste paiemente of this money whiche was easily gathered vp For the Mylanese couetyng the retourne of theyr Duke whom for his gentill and temperate gouernance in tymes past thei hertilie loued sticked not to streigne them selfes for his reliefe in suche wyse that thoughe theyr customes and taxes were doubled by reason of these paiementes yet theyr hope of better life to come vnder their Duke made theim not to esteeme theyr present charges ¶ Than came themperours neece the daughter of Denmarke to Myllaine and there was most solemnely receiued with infinite triumphes and finally maried to the Duke in presence of the Cardinall of Mantua with suche feastes and plaies afterwardes as so great a mariage requyred ¶ But ere a yere went about the Duke through
of the same and was of so good a nature that he wolde offer no man wronge but rather forgettyng those that were done vnto him he was wonte to saie That sooner and with more ease should a man ouercome his enemy by benefites and curtesie than by swordâ— or vengeaunce ¶ He delited muche in cunnyng men and kept diuers about him as well of learned as of others And finally was so worthy a man that the emperour Federico passyng through his dominion of his owne mocion created him Duke ¶ After the death of Borso Nicolo the sonne of Lionello accordyng to the couenaunt made betwene Borso and his father succeded in the astate ¶ He ruled not longe but the right heyre Ercole before named with helpe of the Uenetians by force expulsed hym in suchewyse that for succour he â—ledde to his vncle to Mantua where after the terme of thre yeres assemblyng about an .800 banished men he attempted to recouer Ferrara and watchyng his time whilest Ercole was foorth of the citee by night skaled the wallê â–ª and came to the market place criyng Vela Vela which was his enseigne but there was none of his friendes so hardy as to aryse to succour him so that Gismondo brother to Ercole seeyng the weakenesse of Niccolo's succours gathered together suche power as that hastie rumour allowed and not onely discoumfited Niccolo's companie but also toke hym with .xx. of his men prisoners and brought hym vnto Lionora the wife of Ercole doughter to Ferrando kynge of Naples who sent for the Duke vnto Bellosguardo And so within .iii. daies after the Duke beyng retourned vnto Ferrara Nicolo lost his head and was neuerthelesse honourablie buried amongest his auncestours ¶ Not longe after the Florentines at that tyme troubled by the bishop of Rome and the kynge of Naples elected this Duke Ercole for theyr generall who accordyngly serued theim verie honourablie ¶ Finally fallyng out with the Uenetians for the breache of certaine articles betwene them what with warre and with hunger he was so oppressed that had he not obteyned the bishop of Romes fauour he myght easily haue lost his astate After whiche enterprises beyng generall of the Uenetians and of the Mylanese bothe and vtterly suppressing his aduersaries the Erles of saincte Bonifacio at last he disposed hym selfe altogethers to religiouse woorkes and amongest all other with his owne handes he daiely distributed to .13 poore men for goddes sake two poundes of flesshe a measure of wyne three loues of bread and a little peece of money vnto euery one of theim and than died ¶ Leauyng his astate vnto his sonne Alfonso who proued so woorthy a man that notwithstandyng he had maried Lucretia daughter of Alexandro bishop of Rome yet whan the same bishoppe by force offeâ—ed to take from hym the countrey of Romagna he resisted so valiantly that the bishop was faine to forgoe his enterprise ¶ The lyke wherof he did vnto bishop Leon the .x. that purposed to haue taken Ferrara from hym ¶ And thus hauyng by Lucretia his fyrste wyfe three sonnes Ercole Hippolito now Cardinall and Don Francesco and by Laura his secounde wyfe two sonnes Alfonso and Alfonsino he died ¶ After whose death Ercole as eldest sonne entred into the astate and at this daie enioyeth the same ¶ And albeit that hitherto there hath happened no notable occasion to trie his woorthinesse yet can he not chose but proue well For he is a goodly man of personage hygh of stature stronge and well proporcionate in all his membres balde on the crowne of the head and amiable enough of countenance He hath a good witte and is somewhat learned and indifferent in the administracion of iustice And one thyng speciall I remembre of hym worthy to be recited Themperour at his beyng in Italie borowed money of all handes And demaundyng amongest the rest .100000 crownes in loâ—e of this Duke he brought hym a bagge of .50000 crownes excusyng hym selfe that to lende .100000 crownes he was not hable but to geue his maiestee those .50000 he could be contended with all his hert and by this shifte kepte the other .50000 crownes in his purse ¶ Finally of religion he is no more earnest than moste princes are and in his life he foloweth the court of loue to lose no tyme of pleasure ¶ He is friendly to faire women and cherisheth change By his fathers daies he maried madame Renea daughter vnto Lewys the .xii. frenche kyng a verie graciouse ladie By whom he hath two sonnes Alfonso and Luigi Hitherto he hath mainteined his dominion in peace and is therfore thought as I haue saied to be very riche He is well furnisshed of artillerie and municion and of deuocion is altogether Frenche So that if there should happen any businesse in Italie betwene the emperour and frenche kyng his part is like to be therin The astate of Placentia and Parma ¶ PLacentia and Parma ar two notable citees of Lumbardie liyng betwene the Appepine hilles and the riuer of Pò whose territory and pastures are so fatte and sweete that it is thought no place of all Europe hable to compare with it for the excellent cheeses it maketh which by the name of Parmesanes are right well knowen ouer all ¶ These two citees of late apperteined vnto the churche of Rome But Paule the thyrde now bishop of the same â–ª a Romaine of nacion of the house of Farnesi to encrease his owne familie founde the meane to separate these two citees with theyr territories from the churches dominion and to geue it vnto his owne sonne named Peter Aluigi creatyng hym Duke therof And in recompence annexed vnto the churche the Duchie of Camerino that he before had taken by force from the Duke of Urbine ¶ This Pietro Aluigi beeyng the yeere of our lorde 1546. entred into the astate beganne to beare hym selfe ouerstoutely against the nobilitie of the same and specially towardê the Signor Ieronimo Pallauicini di Corte Maggiore who rather disdeigning then enuiyng this mans dominion was faine at last to flee and to habandone wyfe and children gooddes and landes Insomuche that this new Duke toke all vnto him selfe and furnished the castell of Corte maggiore beyng a veraie stronge holde with his owne men toke all the rentes beyng .12000 duckates a yere to his owne purse excepte a small porcion assigned to the ladie wife of Ieronimo for hir liuyng with condicion neuerthelesse that if she reliued hir husbande with any part therof she should lose the whole Besides this he oppressed his subiectes causyng theim to bie harneis and to furnishe them selfes for the warre on theyr owne cost But most of all he occupied a great noumbre of labourers in his woorkes beginnyng the foundacion of a stronge castell in the place where the Abbey of S. Bennettes in Placentia stode The monkes wherof he appoincted vnto a spittle hous called sainct Lazares in Champaine And these labourers were taken vp by force from all partes of the Parmesane and
Placentine of whiche there perished at one time with the fall of an holow banke aboue 50. persons so that what with one thyng and what with an other beyng also a man knowen full of abhominacion in all kinde of vices and specially in the vnnaturall in conclusion he became hated of all men insomuche that the Conte Giouanni Aguzzolo and the Conte Augustino di Pallauicini with certaine of theyr kynne and friendes conspired against hym and at theyr tyme appoincted findyng hym with a small garde in his owne hous in Plancense slew him hangyng afterwardê the deade body out at a window for a spectacle vnto the people ¶ Finally these gentilmen foreseeyng the daunger that for this doyng might folowe vnto them in case the state shoulde continue of the churche practised before with Don Ferrando Gonzaga to see whether he wolde backe them by receiuyng the stronge citee of Placense vnto the emperours behoufe so that beyng at a poinct with him the mattier was so handled that the nexte night after the Dukes death there were secretly receiued into the towne .800 of the emperours men and so the citee wonne without stroke strickyng ¶ All the money plate iewelles and stuffe that coulde be founde of the Dukes to the value of .30000 crownes and vpwardes were diuided amongest the confederates and the Conte Giouanni Aguzzolo who kylled the Duke his owne handes allowed by the emperour .20 men for his garde ¶ Finally the bishop of Rome being hereof aduertised incontinently caused Parma to be fortified and furnished with men of warre and tempted by corrupcion of money to haue had one of the gates of Placense deliuered hym by nighte but his practise was discouered and certaine Spaniardes therfore taken and hanged And euer sens for more than this halfe yere the emperours power vpon the Placentine and the bishoppes on the Parmesane haue kept diligent watche and warde loking euery houre for open warre What it woull proue to he best knoweth that gouerneth all ¶ Of the astate of Urbine THe citee of Urbine standeth almoste on the toppe of the Appeâ—yne hylles in maner betwene the marke of Ancona Tuscane the people wherof as Plinie writeth haue ben surnamed Metaurensi and it seemeth to haue taken name of Vrbes Binae two townes For who that well considereth the proporcion of it shall iudge by the miter facion therof that it hath been two townes ioigned together and the middell whiche is a holow descent betwene two hillê is the sklenderest part of the citee ¶ The Dukes palaice is a verie faire house but not so excellent as the Conte Baldasar in his Courtisane doeth commende it ¶ The Dukes dominion is two citees Vrbine and Pesaro his reuenew passeth not .60000 crownes by the yere But his auncestours for the most parte serued other astates as the Duke that now is also doth wherby they kepte muche greatter portes than their owne habilitee wolde beare ¶ Amongest other this Dukes father builded an house within a mile of Pesaro called Imperiale whiche in mine opinion is one of the best deuised litle thynges that may lightly be founde It standeth on the syde of an hyll and hath prospect bothe to the citee and to all the valey it hath many fine little chambers goodly open vaultes and excellent faire fountaines But that whiche most of all pleased myne eye was that being of a great height you may out of the highest gardeine â—yde about on the toppe of the house which is very faire paued with bricke and railed on bothe sides with fine pillers and railes of white marble ¶ As for the edificacion of Urbine or other notable memory before the yere .1345 I finde nothyng mete to be written At whiche time by reason of the variaunce betwene bishop Clement of Rome and the emperour Lewis of Bauarie who to make their parties stronge made diuers new lordes in Italy Galasso di Montefeltro was made vicare for the emperour in the citees of Urbine and Eugenio against the bishop of Rome and his adherentes in whiche his succession continued enheritours vnto the yere .1444 that Federike after made Duke obteigned the astate The occasion wherof was that Guido Conte di Vrbino hauyng no heire male by his firste wife feigned that he had gotten a Concubine with childe and so secretly toke the sonne of his nere kinnesman Bernardino della Corda whiche euen than was newly borne and namyng it Federike caused it to be nourished as his owne ¶ Not longe after his wife died and mariyng agayne engendred a sonne named Oddo who in deede succeded the father in his astate But he was so viciouse of liuyng and so busie with gentilmens wifes that in a sodein rumour of the people he was slaine and a Protonotary called Carpesiano with him ¶ Wherupon this Federike the putatiue sonne by the whole voice of the people was elected their prince who in his youthe had ben verie well brought vp specially in feates of armes in the exercise wherof he loste one of his eyes ¶ This Federike was not onely valiaunte but also verie well learned and so happie a man that in his tyme he was generall of .viii. seuerall armies and died capitaine of the Uenetians armie in the fielde before Ferrara ¶ The bishop of Rome for his worthinesse made hym Duke the kyng of Englande not onely gaue him money but also made hym of the Garter For whiche curtesy all Englishe men haue a certaine priuilege of freedome in his dominion and the Frenche kyng made him also of his order Besides that there was none astate in Italy but that at one tyme or other presented hym with some worthy gifte ¶ And aboue all the rest his fidelitee seemeth to me most worthy of commendacion For whan Francesco Sforza was forsaken of all his other friendes and pursued with 20000. men he onely receiued him and therby putte him selfe and his whole astate in ieopardy which he determined rather to lose than to seeme an vnfaithfull friende and in effecte mainteigned Sforza till time serued him to recouer ¶ After the death of Federike his sonne Guido Vbaldo of the age of .xii. yeres succeded who reigned quietly about .xxi. yeres till the comyng of Valentino Borgia sonne of Alexandre the .vi. bishop of Rome that fyrst by suche crafte gatte the astate into his handê that Guido Vbaldo was faine to flee disguised in plowmans clothyng Neuerthelesse through the good will of his subiectes he recouered his astate in shorte tyme againe But Ualentines force was suche that at length this Duke toke suche treasure as he had and fledde to the Marques of Mantua whose sister he had maried there diyng without issue ended the house of Montefeltro that had reigned in Urbine the space of .157 yeres ¶ Valentino Borgia helde it but a verie smalle space for shortly after his fathers death Iulie the seconde bishop of Rome persecuted him and brought the house of Borgia to naughtes and thervpon gaue
the astate of Urbine to his nephiew Francesco Maria Prefettino della Rouere whom he created Duke there ¶ This Francesco Maria was a verie wise and valiant prince nothing inferiour to Federike beforenamed who reigned not fully .x. yeres but Leo the x. that succeded Iulie the .ii. made a puissaunt armie and expulsed him out of his astate and rased the walles of the citee euen to the earth Whervpon he established his nephiew Iuliano di Medici Duke in his place and after his death for he liued but a while his brother Laurence di Medici who continued in the same till Adrian the .vi. that succeded Leo expulsed him and restored the astate vnto Francesco Maria that enioyed it till he died the space of .xvi. yeres in so great reputacion that all princes and astates of Italie loued and honored him and the greatest of them were glad to enterteine hym for their generall in the warres Wherin he gatte infinite summes of money But he was so great a builder and so liberall vnto his souldiours that whan he died he lefte no kynde of money in his coffers ¶ By his life tyme he builded the palaice besides Pesaro called Imperiale and fortified the citee of Pesaro and the castel there with diuers other goodly buildyngê and gatte Katherine daughter and heyre to the Duke of Camerine to be maried vnto his sonne Guido Vbaldo that now liueth In whose right he enioyed that astate duryng the fathers lyfe ¶ Assoone as Francesco Maria was dead Paule the iii. now bishop of Rome seyng this Duke that now lyueth a younge man without money or great friendes made so great a power against him that for feare to lose the whole he was contente for a little money and some other small recompences to yelde to the bishoppe the astate of Camerine whiche the bishop hitherto enioyeth And yet for all this the same bishoppe hath founde the meanes to marie his neece to the same Duke wherat many men meruaile not a little ¶ Finally this Duke Guido Vbaldo is generall ouer all the Uenetians landes townes and fortresses and hath of theim .10000 crownes annuitee But hitherto he hath had none occasion of triall in the warres He is meane of strature hard of fauour and very graue in countinaunce And though he be well learned his wysedome hath had no great triall as yet but men trust he woll proue as vertuouse as his predecessours ¶ The conclusion ¶ THere be dyuers other astates in Italy specially the common wealthes of Siena and Lucca the byshoprike of Trent called Tridentum in latine Piombino Mirandula Castell Geffroie and suche like but because they are not of suche reputacion either for dominion power or continuaunce of yeres that they shoulde be numbred amongest the principall I haue forborne to speake particulerly of theim though some in deede deserue notable praise besechyng all gentill readers to accept my trauaile and deligence vsed in this behalfe as a thyng done for their commoditees And thoughe I want learnyng and eloquence to accomplishe so high an enterprise as to descriue pithily the astates of countreis and commom wealthes yet sens I spared no paine nor labour to doe profite I wolde at the leaste wise for my rewarde craue good report JMPRINTED AT LONDON IN FLETESTRETE IN THE HOVSE OF THOmas Berthelet Cum priuilegio as imprimendum solum ANNO. M. D. XLIX ¶ The table of this present boke by letter AEbrigement of the astate of Italy froÌ„ the begynnyng vntill the Romain empire was vtterly diuided folâ—o 8. Abbrigement of the lyues of the Romaine bishops fo 41. Abbrigement of the Uenecian histories from the edificacion of the citee to this daie 85. Academie in Florence 139. Adoaldus 18. Adrianus 12. Agilulphus 18. Agostino Barbarico 110. Agrippa 9. Alaricus kyng of Gothes 15. Alba Siluius 8. Alboinus 18. Alberto 210. Aldeprandus 20. Aldobrandino 208. Alfonse kyng of Naples 66. Alfons adopted heire to quene Iohan. 131. Alfonse the seconde 134. Alfonso 212. Alexander Seuerus 12. Amalasuntha 17. Amulius 9. Ancus Martius 10. Andrea Dandolo 102. Andrea Contarini 104. Andrea Uendramino 109. Andrea â—ritti 111. Andrea â—oria 185.186.187 Angelo Particiaco 90. Annates 63. Antonio Ueniero 105. Antonio Grimani 111. Antonio di Leua 200. Antonius Pius 12 â–ª Antonius Caracalla 12. Antharis Flauius 18. Arches of Triumphe 29. Archadius 14. Arrigo Dandolo 96. Arno the riuer 137. Artificers of Italie 5. Arioldus 18. Aristolphus 20. Arithpertus 19.20 Ascanius 8. Asprandus 20. Astate of Mantua 200. Astate of Ferrara 207. Astate of Placentia Parma 212. Athalphus 16. Athis or Egyptus Siluius 9 Attila 10. and 190. Auentinus 9. Augustus 50. Auogadori 91. Aurelianus 13. Azone 191. Azo the fyrste and secounde 208. Azo the .iii. 209. B. BAgelardo 117. Bartholomeo Gradenico 101. Beginning and successe of the astate of Myllaine 189. Belles 91. Berengarius 48. Bernabo 191. Bishoppes palaice with Beluedere 4â— Bishoppe of Rome besieged 118. Biorgus 16. Boccatius 127. Borso 211. Bouâ—iquart 177. Bridges in Rome 23. Brâ—dges in Florence 137. Buildynges in Rome 41. Buildynges of Uenice 74. Buildyng of Genoa 163. C. Caesar. fol. 50. Cains Caligula 11. Caesar Fregoso 188. Capi Siluins 9. Cardinall hattes 56. Cardinalles sacked and baked 62. Cardinall Sauli 185. Carlo duca de Angio. 125. Carlo ii 126. Carlo iii. 129. Carpentus 9. Carus 13. Castell Cantâ— Angelo 41. Castell â—ouo 113. Caroccio 122. Castell of Millaine 189. Cercles 31. Charles Martell 45. Charles sonne taken prisoner 126. Charles the .v. emperour 136. Chilperike deposed 45. Christoforo Moro. 108. Circuite of Italie 1. Citee of Florence 137. Citee of Naples gotten by the Normaines 120. Citee of Urbine 214. Citta della 159. Claudius 11.13 Colosses and images 34. Comodus 12. Commoditees of Italie 1. Common prouision and charitable deedes in Uenice 82. Common people 149. Conrade 124. Constantius 14. Constantinus eodem Consules 10. Conduites of water in Rome 27. Counsaile of Uenice 78. Corradino .124 beheaded 125 Cortogoâ—â— 184. Cosino di Medici 152. Couetousnesse 134. Crueltee 96 98.124.125.12â—.208.209 Customes in theyr liuyng in Uenice 8â— Cyprus wonne 109. D. DApho fol. 18. Decius 13. Deâ—dato 89. DescripcioÌ„ of Italy 1. Descripcion of Rome 22. Descripcion of Naples 11â— Descripcion of Florence 137 Descripcion of Millaine 187 Desyderius 18.20 Didius Iulius 12. Dignitees and offyces in Uenice 77. Dioclesianus 11. Diuidyng of the empire 15. Diuision 141. Discorde 131. Dominion of Uenice 7â— Domenico â—â—one 89. Domenico Menicaccio eo Domenico Orseolo 9â— Domenico Flabenico eodem Domenico Contarini eod Domenico Siluâ—o eod Domenico Michele 94. Domenico Morosini 45. Dominion and gouernaunce of Genoa 161. Domitianus 11. Don Ferrando Gonzaga 188.200.213 Donacion of Constantine 14.43 Douchemens haull in Uenice 111. Drogone 116. Duke of Florence dominion and reuenew 139. Duke Cosmo. 159. E. EDificacion of Rome 9. Edificacion and successe of the citee of Florence 140. Edifices in Florence 137. Election of the emperour whan and by whom it was