made Cardinall and Don Ferrando that nowe is the emperours generall at Millaine finally he died ¶ After whose death Federico toke the astate vpon him and was made general of the Romaine churche by bishop Lyon the .x. confirmed by Adrian the .vi. and continued also vnder Clement the .vii. And as the emperour that now is retourned from his coronacion at Bologna passyng through Mantua where he was most honourably receiued his maiestee for the vertue worthinesse and nobilitee knowen in this Federico called hym from the degree of Marques and created hym Duke ¶ He maried Margerite doughter and heire of the lorde Guglielmo Paleologo Marques of Monferrato in whose righte by fauour of the emperours maiestee he obteigned hir fathers astate that is to saie the dominion of Monferrato And so notably fortifiyng the citee of Mantua he died leauyng .iiii. sons Francesco Guglielmo Lodouico and Federico ¶ Francesco after his fathers deathe entred into the dominion but because he was than of verie tender yeres and passeth not yet the age of .14 his father by testament committed the gouernaunce of hym vnto his wife with the helpe and counsaill of his brother Ercole the Cardinall vntill the yonge Duke shall be growen to sufficient yeres who by the parentes consente and by the emperours procurement hath ben contracted vnto one of kyng Ferdinando's doughters and shall marie hir verie shortly as the saiyng is ¶ Of the astate of Ferrara FErrara is one of the notablest citees of Lumbardie aswell for the beautie and greatnesse as also for the stronge site fortificacion ¶ Fyrst for beautie if that part that is called La terra nuoua had ben thoroughly finished as it was deuised it shoulde haue ben woorthie for faire stretes to haue been preferred before any other citee that I haue seen And now as it is I thynke it no lesse woorthy For you shall finde aboue a dousen streetes so iust and euenly setâ—e foorthe that I warrant you there is not so muche as the corner of a house to let a man of his full sight from the tone ende to the tother Some of whiche streetes lacke little of a myle longe with the goodly houses and buildynges on bothe sides so fayre and vniforme that it seemeth all dooen at one tyme and by one agreement as no doubte the most part hath been in deede And than in the middest it hath a verie fayre greene appoincted out for the markette place But the Duke that now is hath had no mynde to folow it although his father Alfonso bestowed the most trauaile of all his daies about it to his wonderful charge as he that shall see it maie wel consider So that the most habitacion of people resteth still in the olde parte of the citee whiche is also indifferent fayre but nothyng comparable to the new Than as touchyng the greatnesse I thynke the circuite by the walles be little lesse than .v. myles And finally for strength it hath the goodliest and strongest wall and the largest diche well watered that I haue seen specially for three partes to the lande warde And as for the fourth part though the wall be not so stronge yet is it reputed of no lesse force on that side than on the other by reason that within .20 yardes of the wall the great riuer of Pò hath his course downe towardes the sea whiche renneth so swifte and is so broade and deepe that it is not to be passed of any enemie to geue assaulte to the towne ¶ The Duke hath vnder his dominion two other citees that is to wete Modona and Reggio with a good parte of the low countreys of Romagna and maie dispende yerely by estimacion betwene .200 and .250000 duckates and is esteemed verie riche because he hath had no warre nor other charge of importaunce for the space of .xiii. yeres or more that he hath gouerned the astate The Originall and successe of the citee LYke as of other places be diuers opinions euen so is there of the beginnyng and name of Ferrara Some woull that the name therof hath growen of a certaine quantitee of yron that the same citee yelded for a tribute vnto the lorde of Rauenna as Argenta and Aureolo haue also dooen of the paiement of siluer and golde Some other woull that it be so called of the mynes of yron that haue been founde there whiche opinion is most sensible consideryng that Ferrara after the vse of the latine tounge signifieth none other but the place where yron is digged foorth as Caesare in his commentaries the .viii. boke of the Frenche warres and as Liuie in the fourthe of the Macedonicall warres dooe affyrme ¶ But to passe ouer these antiquitees and come nerer to our purpose I finde that the saied citee of Ferrara was firste closed with walles by one Smeraldo capitaine for the Greekish emperour in Rauenna and longe time after beyng a certaine space vnder the obedience of Henry the secounde emperour of Almaine it was recouered by the counteise Matilda doughter of the Conte Bonefacio as hir right enheritaunce through helpe of the Uenetians and of the lordes of Rauenna out of the handes of Henry the thirde than emperour whiche Countesse at hir death with other hir possessions lefte it vnto the vse of the Romaine churche insomuche that longe tyme it was gouerned of vicares and of legates vntill the house of Este gatte the rule therof Who firste obteigned is vnder condicion that thei shoulde for euer holde it in fee of the churche of Rome ¶ And to resite the beginnyng of that house some thinke the same is descended of those aunciente Troianes that came with Anthenor into Italy and some other woull that their sâ—ocke shoulde be of a certayne towne called Este now vnder the Uenetian dominion liyng .xv. miles from Padoa on the southeside of the Padoan hilles From whiche towne thei saie this family of Este came to dwell in Ferrara But how so euer it be the fyrst notable man of that house that ruled Ferrara was named Azo who at his death lefte issue two sonnes Aldobrandino and Azo the fyrste entred in possession and liuyng but a short space lefte the astate vnto Azo the seconde his younger brother ¶ This Azo was driuen out of it by Federike the emperour and one Salinguerra put there in his place insomuche that Azo for succour resorted vnto a certaine Ferrarese named Gregorio Montelungo beyng at that tyme Romysh legate in the citee of Bologna by whose meanes with helpe of the Uenetians of the Mantuanes and of Ezelino than lorde of Verona brother in lawe vnto this Azo Salinguerra was by force expulsed and Azo restored vnto his astate vpon condicion that he shoulde holde it for euer as vicare of the church and none otherwyse ¶ Now this Azo the seconde hauyng by his fyrst wife a soonne named Fresco maried agayne the secounde daughter of the kyng of Naples named Beatrice whiche mariage so muche offended
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
kynge of Englande At the sumptuouse feaste of whose mariage Petrarcha hapned to be present How be it some haue written that she was maried to the Frenche kynges sonne with the dower of an .100000 crownes But how so euer it were hir husbande lyued not passyng fiue monethes after the mariage and shortly thervpon the father Galeazo also died ¶ After whose death his sonne Giangaleazo growen to sufficient yeres diuided the state with his vncle Bernabo on this maner He kept to hym selfe Pauia Tortona Alexandria Nouara and the other townes neere vnto the Alpes with the one halfe of Myllaine and gaue vnto Bernabo Parma Pâ—accuza Cremona Lodi Crema Bergamâ— Como and the other halfe of Myllaine with this aduauntage that for as muche as Bernabo was the more aunciente he should dwell in Myllaine and Giangaleazo in Pauia Thus beyng agreed after a certaine tyme Giangaleazo was aduertised by his wife howe Bernabo hir father and his vncle had diuers tymes sought his death to ridde hym out of the state so that Giangaleazo incontinentely determined to preuente hym and goyng vnto Millaine vnder pretence of pastyme or of some other busynesse Bernabo to honour hym the more issued out against him and so was taken died in prison and parte of his sonnes slayne parte banished Whiche acte onely excepted though it was not yet all against reason this Giangaleazo in all his doynges was accompted so worthy noble and valiaunt a prince that of the people he was called II Conte di Virtu that is to say The Eâ—le of vertue For he was not onely beautifull of personage but also lerned eloquent wise hardy and lyberall And was the fyrst that euer was inuested Duke of Millaine paiyng therfore to the emperour Vinceslao an .10000 duckates After the obteinyng of this honour he encreased his astate by the gettyng of Verona Vicenza Padoa and Bologna ¶ He discomfited the armies of the leage made betwene the Florentines and Bologniese with other their confederates at Casalecchio and broughte the Florentines at length to that takyng that had he not died the rather they muste nedes haue yelded to benne his subiectes ¶ He ouercame Antonio della Scala and buylded the fayre palayce in Pauia with that goodly librarie that yet is seen there walled the parke about beyng of a great circuite and edified the Charterhouse that to this houre amongest the beautifull buildynges of the worlde may be rekened one of the rarest ¶ He brought Italy into suche feare that the Pisani the Senesi the Perugini the Ascesiani and the Lucchesi willyngly became his men so that he founde him selfe lorde ouer .29 citees and thought to haue ben kynge of Italy if death had not so soone taken him ¶ He had two wifes the one called Lisabetta doughter to the kynge of Boeme by whom he had a doughter named La Valentina maried afterwardes to the Duke of Orliens with the dower of the Erledome of Aste that hath ben cause of no small trouble in Italie and the other wife named Caterina de Visconti by whom he had two sonnes Giouanni and Philippo Maria. ¶ He had one bastarde called Gabriello who afterwardes solde Pisa to the Florentines ¶ Finally this notable prince at Marignano died and accordyng to his owne order was from thense caried to the saied Charterhouse besides Pauia and there buried ¶ Than succeded in the astate Giaâ—maâ—â—a the eldest sonne whose dealynges were so greuouse to the Milanese without any their deseruyng that hearyng masse on a daie in the churche through the fury of the people and of his owne men together he was slayne firste causyng his mother to die in prison for ofte warnyng him of that that happened in dede ¶ He was wonte to say many times in excusyng of his errours that in a great house it was necessary there shoulde growe men of diuers sortes and that he therfore vsed the contrary of his fathers doinges so that through his crueltee and his death together many citees rebelled in suche wiâ—e that the Milanese were constreigned to call the sonnes of Bernabo to the Douchy who enioied the same vntill that Philippo maria recouered the dominion and driuing them out mette with one of them called Nestore in a skirmish and slew him ¶ This Philippo was first lorde of Pauia and had maried Beatrice the doughter or as other say sometime wife of Fazino Cane della Scala for none intente but because she was enheritour of many fayre lordeshippes beyonde the Pò and had also verie muche money By meane wherof sleayng Crabrino lorde of Verona he gatte that citee to him selfe ¶ He was constreigned to yelde Bologna Furli and Imola to the bishop of Rome Neuerthelesse he gatte Genoa though afterwardes he loste it againe ¶ He lykewyse toke Bressa whyche beyng recouered against him by the Uenetians caused betwene them verie longe and cruell warre Wherin on the Uenetian side were capitaines Francesco Carmignuola Giouanni Malauolta Gianfrancesco Gonzaga and Nanni Strozzi a Florentine knight And on the side of Philippo against the Uenetians were Francesco Sforza Agnola da Pergoletto the one and other Nicolo Guerriero and Piccinino and one Fierauante da Perugia with the helpe also of Alfonso kynge of Naples who beyng before tyme brought prisoner to Philippo by the Genowaies and by hym restored to libertee lyke a faythfull friende for a great whyle after succoured hym in all his businesse ¶ Thus whan Philippo had finyshed the enterprise againste the Uenetians and by meane of those his capitaines gotten Piacenza Como and Lodi he made the Marques of Monferrato so afearde of hym that wyllyngly he yelded vnto Philippo's handê Vercelli Alexandria and Aste And Nicolo da Este of Ferrara came to visite hym renderyng Parma that before had ben taken from Ottone and knowlageyng hym selfe to holde the citee of Reggio in fee of Philippo ¶ The citeee of Florence fearyng the power of this man entred in leage with the Uenetians whose two armies vnited togethers were foughten withall by certaine of Philippo's capitaines in the Countie of Faenza and there ouercomen ¶ Notwithstanding that the same victory was of much lesse importaunce than that whiche the noble Florentine Cosmo di Medici obteigned in the plaine of Anghiari against the army of Philippo ledde by Nicolo Piccinino towardes the Florentine damage for the whiche victory Cosmo at his retourne to Florence was called father of his countrey ¶ But for all that those warres had neuer ende as long as Philippo liued who finally fell out with the forenamed Alfonse kyng of Naples and by force restored the Queene Giouanna to hir possession ¶ He receiued into Myllaine Martine the .v. bishoppe of Rome as he retourned from the counsaile of Constance and maried his daughter Bianca vnto Francesco Sforza ¶ Finally findyng hym selfe fallen in great aduersitee what thoroughe blindenesse that toke hym in his age what through the losse of Genoa and what through the discoumfiture of his armie at Casale Maggiore
meanes the mattier was remedied and within shorte space after died Guido and his sonne Francesco bothe ¶ And than came the astate clerely to Luigi who builded the palaice wherin all his successours to this daie haue dwelled He begatte on his wife Alda a sonne named Francesco whom he maried verie yonge vnto Agnesa doughter of Bernabo Visconti and at last beyng knowen openly to haue committed auoutrie the people arose and cruelly slew hym ¶ After whose death the astate descended to his sonne Francesco than beyng of the age of .xiiii. yeres But growen afterwardes to more tyme he so muche loued peace that he refused to entre in confederacion with Giangaleazo Duke of Myllaine And vpon displeasure therfore folowyng betwene theim Francesco caused the adder that for the great amitee and aliaunce betwene those two houses had in tyme past been ioygned to the armes of Mantua to be cleane taken out therof For whiche despite Giangaleazo besieged Mantua and laie before the same an whole yere in whiche meane tyme there perisshed many notable men on bothe sydes and specially of the house of Gonzaga .4 that is to wete Guido Torello Bartolino and Galeazo Whiche Galeazo Gonzaga amongest all other was reputed the strongest and hardiest man of his daies hauing fought oftentymes bodie to bodie and remained euermore vainquisher namely against Buccialdo a notable stronge man than gouernour for the Frenche kynge in Genoa These businesses at length beeyng pacified and Francesco somewhat awakened in armes he enterprised warre in the name of Giangaleazo against the Bologniese and against Giouanni Bentiuogli in the thicke wherof he toke Iacopo Carraro of Padoa prisoner and ledde hym to Mantua geuyng him suche curteyse libertee there that yeldyng vnkyndnesse for kyndnesse Iacopo escaped awaie wherof folowed muche a dooe afterwardes For assoone as the Duke of Myllaine was dead the Uenetians consideryng the prouoked displeasure before rehersed elected the saied Francesco to be their generall in thenterprise against the Carrari and were so well serued of hym that after he had chased the Carrari out of Padoa and Verona he reduced bothe those citees to the Uenetian obedience And so after a gloriouse life died ¶ Leauyng after hym his sonne Gianfrancesco in the dominion of the age of .14 yeeres who by his wyfe Paola daughter of Malatesta lorde of Rimini had .4 sonnes Luigi Carlo Lucido and Alexandro To the fyrst wherof he obteined for wyfe Barbera daughter of the Marques of Brandenburgh and kynneswoman vnto the emperour Edmonde who at his comyng into Italie and passyng through Mantua was there honourablie receiued by Gianfrancesco insomuche that before his departure he made hym Marques and gaue hym in his armes the ensigne of the empyre ¶ After the atteignyng of whiche honours he was thre seuerall tymes made generall of the Uenetians and in euery enterprise gatte the vpper hand And at last forsakyng theim he was waged against theim by Philippo Duke of Myllaine and in that seruice in company of Niccolo Piccinino was parte of the occasion that the Uenetians than lost the citee of Verona with many other townes of the Bressane and Uicentine so he died leauyng his dominion diuided in .iiii. partes vnto his foure sonnes To Luigi as eldest the citee of Mantua with those other townes that he had about Verona to Carlo who was an excedyng stronge man Luceâ—a with the reste of those landes that he helde on the Cremonese territorie To Lucido yll shapen and weake of person Capriana La Volta and Ciregiaia and finally to Alexandro who was crokebacked and becomen religiouse Canneto with that lande that he hadde on the Bressane ¶ Thus Luigi the eldest toke the astate vpon hym and continued not longe in the same vnuexed of his brother Carlo whose mightinesse and force of body was coupled with suche an haultenesse of minde that for desire of atteignyng his elder brothers astate he coulde not be contented to liue in peace ¶ And albeit that in the warres betwene Francesco Sforza and the Milanese he fledde from one part to an other and backe again yet by his brothers meanes he recouered the fauour of Sforza at whose handes he receiued diuers benefites But Luigi seeyng now the yll disposicion of his vnquiete mynde finally toke from hym all the landes that his father lefte hym so that Carlo fledde to the Uenetians and became their captaine so longe till at lengthe through their helpe he assembled a power of men wente againste his brother and foughte with him to the ieopardy of the losse of the Mantuan astate But in conclusion the right of Luigi preuailed againste the force of Carlo who beyng discomfited and fledde died afterwardes verie poorely in exile ¶ This enterpryse beeynge thus ouercomen and the thynges of the astate quieted Luigi triumphantly receiued the emperour Federico the thyrde as he passed through Mantua to Rome and beyng than a wydower by the death of his first wife maried Margarite doughter of the Duke of Bauiera and cousen to the forenamed emperour ¶ He was so great of body that he was commonly called the Turke so well exercysed in armes and so beloued specially of the Dukes of Millaine that Duke Philippo called him sonne Francesco called him brother and Galeazo called him father ¶ He was noble of courage fine of witte and somewhat learned whiche thinges together with his liberall and courteise life made him beloued of all men ¶ Finally through some disorder in liuyng as he that loued to liue in pleasure he died somewhat before the full course of his naturall terme Leauyng by his first wife Barbara .v. sonnes Federico Francesco made Cardinall Luigi Gianfrancesco and Rodolfo all notable and vertuouse persons ¶ Federico as eldest succeded in the astate and was afterwardes generall to the Duke of Millaine and maried La Margerita Tedesca on whom he begatte a sonne named Francesco and in the Uenetian warres againste the Duke of Ferrara hauyng gotten Asola whiche afterwardes he was constreigned by force to restore sickened for sorow and died ¶ By reason wherof his sonne Francesco of the age of 18. yeres entred into the astate and at the age of .38 was made generall of the Uenetians in whose seruice he did wonders specially againste Charles the eighte Frenche kyng nere vnto the riuer of Taro besides Parma as the same kynge retournyng from the conquest of the realme of Naples laden with great richesse was goyng into Fraunce In whiche enterprise Francesco so behaued him selfe that he ledde many noble men prisoners with hym at his retourne insomuche that the Frenche kynge made verie great offers to haue had his seruice but all in vaine For continuyng his ennemie he afterwardes fought with the Frenche men in Puglia and so discomfited theim that he restored the kynge Ferrandino vnto his astate And leauyng three sonnes by his wife Beatrice doughter of Ercole Duke of Ferrara that is to wete Federico that next succeded him Ercole
the Uenetians succoured the citee of Bari than besieged of the Sarasines Finally after he had dooen many charitable deedes in Uenice he was persuaded by a pilgrimme monke of Gascoygne to forsake the worlde And so habandonyng wife children and friendê staâ—e awaie and died a frier in Gascoygne ¶ Than folowed Vitale Candiano who fallyng sicke renounced the astate became a friere and so died ¶ After whom Tribuno Memmo succeded whiche either for feare of the emperour Ottone or throughe the great debate betwene the families of Morosini and Caloprini than the chiefe of Uenice forsoke the dignitee became a friere and within .vi. daies after sickened and died for sorow ¶ Than folowed Pietro Orseolo who conquered Dalmaâ—ia with the ilandes ioygnyng therunto And therfore obteined the fyrste title of Duke of Dalmatia and Venetia ¶ The emperours Basilio and Alesso graunted hym free passage for the Uenetians throughe theyr dominions without custome paiyng And the emperour Ottone helde his sonne at the crisme and for his sake granted many libertees vnto Uenice ¶ After whose death as a recompense of the fathers merite Ottone Orseolo his sonne of the age of .18 yeres was elected Duke who ouercame the Adrianesi with the kyng of Coruatia and so retournyng victoriousely out of Dalmatia fell into the handes of Domenico Fâ—abenio with others that had conspyred against him who shauâ—d his bearde for despite and finally confined hym into Greece where shortly after he died ¶ Than folowes Pietro Barbolano who endeuoured hym selfe to pacifie the rumour of the people offended for the oultrage dooen vnto Ottone but all in vaine For at length by meane of Orso Patriarke of Grado brother vnto Ottone Barbolano was taken his beard cutte of clothed in a friers weede and banisshed ¶ And because the death of Ottone was than vnknowen the Patriarke Orso supplied the place as his liuetenaunte But incontinently vpon knowlage of his death the Patriarke called a counsaile and after a long Oracion lamentyng the iniurie dooen vnto his brother surrendred the astate ¶ Wherupon craftily and in maner by force Domenico Orseolo toke the dignitee vpon hym But finally beyng expuâ—sed of the people he fledde vnto Rauenna and there miserablie died ¶ Than succeded Domenico Flabenico who made a a law that from thensfoorthe no Duke shoulde take a companion to hym He was the principall cause of Ottones exile as it well appeared after For he found the meane that the familie of Orseoli was clerely put besydes the counsaile And finally hauyng well pacified and refourmed all thynges he died ¶ After whom succeded Domenico Contarini that in his tyme recouered Zara whiche before rebelled by returnyng vnto the obedience of the kyng of Coruatia He ouercame Roberto Guistardo in Puglia and reedified the citee of Grado that was halfe destroyed by Pepo Patriarke of Aquileia and after died ¶ Than was chosen Domenico Siluio the greatest man of reputacion that thitherto had ruled Uenice He maried the syster of the emperour Niceforo and at his requeste sente an armie vnto Durazo against Roberte Duke of Puglia and Calabria whiche armie fyrst preuailed but at length was so discoumfited that Domenico was therfore deposed Though some write that he died in the astate His wife was so delicate a woman that she woulde haue dewe gathered to make hir vaine withall with many other curiouse perfumes and trickes to longe here to reherse and yet ere she died hir fleshe did rotte that no creature could abide hir ¶ Domenico beyng thus deposed Vitale Falero was elected who in fauour of Alesso the Greekish emperour renewed an armie against the forenamed Duke Robert whiche armie was also discoumfited Neuertherlesse he caused the Uenetians to be called lordes of Dalmatia because he valiauntly conquered the same bothe by sea and lande ¶ After whose death succeded Vitale Michele a worthy warriour on the sea in whose tyme the Uenetian nauie was rekened .200 saile armed of shippes and galleis whiche beyng sent into Asia with Michele his sonne fell out with the Pisani a littell besydes Rodes and fought with theim and toke .22 of their galleis ¶ After whiche victorie he and many other Christians went against the Infidels and gatte Smirna Soria and Ierusalem ¶ Finally this armie beyng retourned vnto Uenice was agayne sente out into Puglia and there toke Brundizi and ouerranne all those seas about and so retourned loded with glorie and riche praie ¶ After hym Ordelaffo Falero was created Duke In whose tyme the Uenetians sent an other armie into Soria to succour Bawdewyne kynge of Ierusalem to gette Ptholemaido otherwise called Acres ¶ About the same seasone the emperour Henrie the .iiii. agreed the Uenetians and Padoanes togither for theyr confines after the Padoanes with great slaughter had ben ones discomfited ¶ There chaunced also a fyre begun in the house of one Henry Zeno that burned a great parte of Uenice Whiche fyre was no soner ceased but newes came that Calonâ—ano kynge of Hungarie had passed the mountaines of Coroatia and constreigned the citee of Zara to rebell Wherfore an armie was made out vnder the leading of Ordelaffo who not onely recouered Zara but also passed the mountaynes and conquered the countrey of Coruatia and so victoryously retourned to Uenice where he rested not longe but woorde came that the Hungariens were commâ—n againe before Zara. To the succour wherof he sped hym and there in the fighte was slayne with a darte and his armie discomfited so that the Uenetians were fayne to sue to the Hungariens for truce whiche for .v. yeres with muche adoe they obteyned ¶ Nexte folowed Domenico Michele who at the intercession of Calixto bishop of Rome with .200 sayle toke his waie into Soria â–ª to rescue Ioppe that tyme besieged with .700 saile of Infidelles againste whom he obteined the victorie And folowyng the same went vnto Tyro toke it and gaue it vnto Ualmondo Patriarke of Ierusalem ¶ The prosperouse successe of whyche victories was occasion that Emanuell emperour of the Greekes sent and forbâ—dde him to procâ—de any further But he beyng offended with that commaundemente bent him selfe against the emperour and by force toke from hym the ylandes of Scâ—o Rodes Samo Metellino and Andro and so with great honour retourned to Uenice where he died ¶ Than was Pietro Polano chosen his successour who broughte the citee of Fano vnder the Uenetian obedience and fought first with the Pisani and after with the Padoani bothe whose armies he ouercame so that of the Padoani he brought 35â— prisoners vnto Uenice and after released theim without raunsome ¶ This Duke fauouryng the parte of the emperoure Emanuell against Rogier Duke of Puglia wente in his owne person vnto that enterprise recouered Corfu and ouerronne and sacked all Sicilia And thorough his great trauayle syckened and died was broughte to Uenice and buried ¶ After hym Domenico Morosini entred into thastate who besieged Pola
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
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
¶ Likewise the emperour of the Tartares made warre on the Genowaies and besieged them in Caffa a towne situate in the confines of Tartarie out of the whiche the Genowaies issuyng by night burned the Tartares engines and slewe .5000 men so that their emperour sent to Genoa for peace and vnder colour therof obteignyng it did them muche more hurte by treason than he had done in open warre For he spoiled them at one time of .200000 poundes ¶ The Nobilitee of Genoa that than were banished seeyng the astate ruled all by the people assembled theyr powers and came before the citee so that Bocanegra seeyng also the nobilitee and people within the citee in maner at an open contencion for the same deposed hym selfe of his dignitee and departed out of the citee In whose place Iohn di Morta was by the people elected and the nobilitee kepte out till by the awarde of Lucchino Visconti lorde of Millaine to whose iudgement the mattier was committed they were restored to the citee and to parte of their goodes the rule remaignyng neuerthelesse at the peoples will ¶ All this while thei of Monacho mainteigned warre against Genoa and had newly armed .34 galleis wherfore they of Genoa armed also .29 so that because they wolde not meete togethers thei of Monaco went to serue Phillip the Frenche kynge against our kynge Edwarde the .iii. in whiche warres they had so good successe that one galley of theim neuer retourned home agayne but the other army of Genoa vnder the leadyng of Simonde Vignioso prospered veray muche For after diuers enterprises atchieued in the realme of Naples he entred into the Archipelago otherwise called Mare Egeum and there gatte the ile of Sio whiche in processe of tyme hath been occasion of wonderfull gayne and wealth to the Genowaies and besides that at the same tyme he gatte the two citees called Foglie Vecchie ¶ Than renewed the warre betwene the Uenetians and the Genowaies wherin were diuers battailles stricken one before Constantinople where the Uenetians were discomfited with the losse of .30 galleis an other in Sardegnia where the Genowaies were discomfited with the losse of .41 galleis and an other at the I le of Sapientia where the Uenetians lost .40 saile besides dyuers others of lesse importaunce ¶ And though it seeme that the Genowaies gotte moste in these last warres with the Uenetians yet their gaine was so blouddie costly that in maner of necessitee thei submitted theim selfes to Iohn than archebishop and lorde of Millaine Under whom it continued scarcely .iii. yeres but that the people beyng offended with the taxes that â—he bishop required of theim restored Simonde Bocanegra to the astate of Duke wherof he had deposed him selfe before and he in recompence therof deposed all the nobilitee and gaue the offices amongest the people For whiche were dyuers conspiracies wroughte against him and as some holde opinion at length he was poysoned at a bankette made to the kyng of Cyprus as he passed that waie into Fraunce ¶ Gabriell Adorno was made Duke nexte after hym who continued the space of .v. yeres till the people misliked his rule and by force deposyng him created Domenyke Di Campo Fregoso in his roome In whose tyme happened the businesse in Cyprus betwene the Uenetians and Genowaies for goyng on the vpper hande whiche afterwardes was occasion of cruell warres ¶ It happened vpon the death of kyng Peter of Cyprus who in the nighte was slayne by his brethern that as his sonne Peter shoulde goe to the cerimony of his coronacion the Uenetians and Genowaies than presente contended veray ernestly for the vpper hande whiche at length by order of the kynges counsaill was geuen to the Uenetians so that the Genowaies preparyng theim selfes to be reuenged were discouered taken and slayne that of as many as wer in Cyprus there escaped but one to bryng home newes of this mattier whiche at length caused the destruction of that lande ¶ For the Genowaies made out an armie and the same daie .xii. monethes that thei were beaten thei entred by force into Famagosta the chiefe citee of Cyprus and toke all the nobilitee of the realme .iii. of the chiefe they put to death because they had been their enemies and hauynge all the realme at theyr disposicion they restored it to the yonge kyng Peter reseruing Famagosta to theim selfes with a trybute of .40000 Florines whiche they enioyed vnto the yere of our lorde .1464 and besides that thei brought diuers noble men and gentilmen of the Cipriottes prisoners vnto Genoa amongest whom was the kynges vncle Iames Lusigniano who beyng kept in the tower Capo di Faro begatte a sonne called Iano and was afterwardes kyng him selfe ¶ And albeit that Domenyke di Campo Fregoso who for the space of .viii. yeres had been Duke ruled the astate so well that no man coulde iustly reproue him yet the inconstant multitude with a little steryng of some that were great made a commocion against him and not onely deposed hym and put hym and his brother Peter generall of the enterprise of Cyprus in prison but also banished all theim of the house of Fregoso who for a great space had ben notable ministers of the common wealth ¶ But this ingratitude of the people can be no wonder to theim that haue redde histories For it is almost ordinarie with the people to render yll for good ¶ Than was Nicolas di Guarco elected Duke By whose tyme happened that notable warre betwene the Genowaies and Uenetians wherin after dyuers fortunes and victories on bothe partes the Uenetians loked to be beaten out of theyr houses For the Genowaies with helpe of theyr colleges so sore oppressed theyr power by sea that they were driuen into theyr owne hauen and Peter Doria came with the armie before the two castelles at Lio within two mile of Uenice so that if the Site of the place made not the citee imprenable of likelihode the Uenetians had been subdued For they sent their ambassadours to Peter Doria to require peace with large condicions who not beyng contented to haue the honour with a reasonable aduantage wold needes thei should yelde theim selfes and theyr citee to be at his discreacion The extremitee of whiche aunswere made the Uenetians so desperate that strainyng their vttermoste powers togethers at length they discoumfited the Genowaies army slew Peter Doria toke .xix. galleis and more than .4000 prisoners and so recouered Chiozza withall theyr other places about theyr marisshes that were before taken from theim And than encreased their courage so muche that Carlo Zeno with certaine Uenetian galleis entred the riuer of Genoa and helde the Genowaies short till by meane of the Duke of Sauoie the peace was made betweene theim ¶ Than died kynge Peter of Cyprus whom to succede the barons elected his vncle Iames then prisoner in Genoa who vpon aduertisement therof was not onely put at libertee but also after
of the time would allow amongest whiche one was that the Genowaies shoulde yerely sende hym a basen of golde as a present or rather as a tribute as he toke it ¶ Rafaell Adorno beyng persuaded that the common wealth should amende if he renounced the Duchie lefte it willyngly Whervpon Barnabas Adorno toke vpon hym but Ianus Di Campo Fregoso entred by nyght into the citee and deposyng Barnabas by force toke the astate vpon hym and died within two yeres ¶ After whom succeded Lewys Fregoso and after him Peter Fregoso In whose tyme the dominion of Corsica with the profittes comyng out of Caffa and out of the other places subiecte to the Genowaies in the easte were all conuerted to the magistrate of saincte George and the citee of Pera against Constantinople whiche apperteined before to the Genowaies was yelded to the Turke whan Constantinople was gotten ¶ Iohn Duke of Angio sonne to the forenamed Raynolde came this yere vnto Genoa where by accorde of the citesins he receiued the citee into the dominion of the Frenche kyng and therupon toke their feaultee But than came kyng Alfonse before the hauen with a notable army and so sore streigned the citee by siege that if death had not taken hym the rather out of the waie he muste needes haue gotten it Wheras his death vnloked for caused the whole armie to skatter here and there by reason whereof the Genowaies were delyuered euen whan they despaired of all mercy knowyng how muche the kynge was bent to their destruction ¶ Than incontinently thei made out an army in fauour of Duke IohnÌ„ towardes the recouerie of the realme of Naples whiche did hym notable seruice though in effecte his purpose proued not ¶ This meane while Peter Fregoso that had been Duke seeyng the power of the citee well abated by sendyng out of this armie made a power and imagenyng howe he myghte recouer his astate entred the citee by nyght But this Duke Iohn with the citesins resisted fought with hym all nyght and a part of the daie and at last repulsyng his men by chaunce locked hym with a few moe within the gates where at last he was slaine and some of his alies and confederates taken and beheaded ¶ But Duke IohnÌ„ after this victorie rested not longe till the commons beganne to contende for paiement of taxes and findyng faulte with the burdein that was laied vpon theim toke their weapons in hande and constreigned the Duke with all his frenchemen to flee into the Castell Where they besieged him and than made Prospero Adorno theyr Duke so that Raynolde father vnto the besieged Duke with helpe of the frenche kynge made a great armie by sea and lande and came to Genoa where he was well fought withall discoumfited and lost .2500 men so that the Genowaies remained in theyr libertee and yet were the ennemies no sooner retyred but ciuile sedicion sprange vp amongest theim within the citee For the Duke Adorno could not be contented to suffre the Fregosi to tarie within the citee whervpon either of theim made what power they coulde And the Fregosi hauyng the better hande expulsed Adorno made one of theyr owne name Duke ¶ This ouerthrow was so displeasaunt to the Frenche kynge that kepyng Sauona a certaine space in his handes and seeyng the maintenaunce therof ouerchargeable for hym gaue it vnto Fraunces Sforza than Duke of Myllaine withall his right vnto the astate of Genoa Whervpon Sforza sent an armie thither vnder the leadyng of Gasparo di Vicomercato and easely obteined the dominion of the citee by reason that Paule Fregoso than bothe Duke and archebishop of Genoa fledde without makyng any resistence knowing that the people hated hym for his great tyrannie ¶ Thus Gasparo beyng in the Dukes name placed in the rule of the citee the Genowaies sent .xxiiii. of their chiefest citesins in ambassade to Myllaine to gratifie the Duke that amiably receiued them And glad were the Genowaies that thei had gotteÌ„ him to be theyr lorde because the good gouernaunce of his owne subiectes made them to hope for lyke wealth and rest as it proued in deede But he lyued not fully .ii. yeres after ¶ Than succeded his sonne Galeazzo In whose time the Turke gatte the citee of Caffa with dyuers other townes in the easte parties apperteinyng to the Genowaies Whiche was not onely a great hyndraunce to theyr wealth but also to theyr reputacion ¶ And because this Galeazzo shewed hym selfe some what vnthankefull to the Genowaies beyng in deede a wilfull yonge man therfore the people murmoured against him and ones rebelled by procurement of Ierome Gentile whiche neuerthelesse without muche a doe was pacifiâ—d so that Galeazzo continued lorde thereof tyll he was slayne in Millaine through a conspiracie made againste hym As in the Milanese historie appereth ¶ But incontinently vpon his death the commons arose again and expulsyng the gouernour there for the Duke toke a newe order for the rule of their common wealth Wherfore incontinently a great armie was sente from Millaine whiche by the helpe of the Adorni with theyr parttakers discomfited Obietto di Flisco with the comminaltee and so beyng entred into the citee Prospero Adorno was established as the Duke of Millains liuetenaunte there But he continued scarcely one yere till by meane of new practises that he helde with Ferdinando kynge of Naples he was had in suspicion to the Milanese who willyng to depose hym raised a newe commocion of the people so that where he was before the Dukes liuetenaunte nowe he was made gouernour absolutely of the common wealth Wherupon a new armie was sente from Millaine to Genoa and there foughte withall and so discomfited that of .15000 men whiche departed from Millaine retourned not fully 3000. the rest some were slaine but the most parte taken This battaill beyng thus atchieued the Genowaies had no rather recouered their libertee but that their olde ciuile sedicion renewed For the Fregosi coulde not suffer the Adorni to rule wherfore within the citee they fell together by the eares And albeit that for a season the Adorni preuailed yet at length they were oppressed and constreigned to flee and Battista Fregoso made Duke after their olde maner who the .iiii. yere after his election was deposed by the procurement of Cardinall Fregoso and the Cardinall made Duke in his steede by whose tyme the Florentines made warre againste the Genowaies and gatte from theim the townes of Serezana and Pietra Santa whiche with the countreis aboute theym were of notable importaunce to the common wealth But it is no meruaile though the Florentines preuailed For the Genowaies were at that time habandoned of all the astates about them Wheras the Florentines were in leage with the bishop of Rome with the Uenetians and diuers others ¶ Than were the commons so wery of the Cardinalles rule that Obietto Flisco vpon compforte therof entred by night into the citee and
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
confyrmed in the same as vicare of the empire ¶ Within two yeres after Ramondo Torrigiani bishop of Como and Patriarke of Aquileia retourned with a great armie to dryue Ottone out and did muche hurte in the Milanese territory But at laste he receiued a sore discomfiture by Ottone through helpe of the families of Duarosi and Palauisini whiche houses together with those of Lampugnani descended of the Goti and those of Pietrasanta comen out of Tuscane those of Porri of Caimi of Bossi of Marliani and of Triulsi were all at that time most noble and puissaunte in Millaine ¶ After the death of Ottone his brother Iacopo hauyng a sonne named Tibaldo and Tibaldo a sonne named Matteo who for his lusty courage and deedes was surnamed Magno the reputacion and state of the Visconti beganne to grow more and more For this Matteo gatte Alexandria Pauia Tortona and manie other townes ¶ Finally this Matteo puttyng Pietro Visconti in pryson whom after he deliuered beyng aduertised howe the same Pietro conspyred with the chiefe of the Torrigiani to driue him out of his astate and mistrustyng his owne power to defend the same committed the whole to Alberto Scoto lorde of Piacenza and fledde hym selfe into the marishes of the lake of Garda where he lyued longe time of his onely labour of fishyng He had .iiii. soonnes by his wife Bona Cosa the fyrste named Galeazo so called because in the nighte of his birthe the cockes crowed more than thei were wonte the secounde Giouanni the .iii. Stefano and the .iiii. Lucchino ¶ This Galeazo succeded his father and goyng afterwardes with Henrie the emperour to Rome was there made capitaine of the light horsemen and about that tyme begatte two sonnes the one called Azone and the other Marco His courage was so great that whan the emperour Lodouico di Bauiera requyred a certaine summe of money of the Mylanese Galeazo withstode it Upon displeasure wherof Lodouico toke hym prisoner and banished his sonnes Azone and Marco But at length at the instaunce of Castruccio Lucchese Galeazo was deliuered And finally beyng in company of the same Castruccio at the siege of Pistoia sickened and died in the towne of Pestia ¶ After whose death Azone and Marco for a certaine summe of money paied before hand obteined of the emperour Lodouico the restitucion of the state of Myllaine And so Azone as elder brother hauyng the dominion Marco in his name gatte the citee of Lucca and his vncle Lucchino the citees of Bergamo Bressa and Pauia wherby Azone became great and so high of stomacke that remembryng the iniuries doen to hym by the emperour Lodouico whan he wold haue passed through Myllaine as lorde of all Italy he closed the gates against hym refusyng to accepte him for his better Therfore not without good cause was he bothe feared and esteemed specially for his approued valiautnesse for beyng sent of his father to helpe Castruccio he fought with the Florentines neere to Fucecchio discomfited and pursued theim euin to the gates of Florence and laiyng siege to the citee remaigned there idell certaine daies for no man durst issue out to meddle with hym Whiche was the fyrst enterprise of the Visconti against the Florentines ¶ After whiche Azone through helpe of Castruccio became lorde of the Alco Pascio and of Bologna and as some saie beyng in campe on a daie after he had broken his fast puttyng his sallette on his head whiche before had lien on the earth there issued out an adder that glyded downe alongest his face without dooyng hym any hurte wherof it folowed that the Visconti vsed the adder in theyr armes And thoughe it so maie well be true yet this seconde opinion of the adder dooeth not so muche satisfie me as the fyrst ¶ Finally Azone diyng without issue his vncles Lucchino and Giouanni rested in his place and were confirmed in the astate by Benedetto the .xi. bishop of Rome as vicares of the churche with condicion that after the death of the emperour Lodouico di Bauiera the state of Myllaine shoulde be holden of the dominion of the churche ¶ Lucchino as elder brother toke vpon hym to gouerne and proued a veray rightuous and mercifull man He granted reconcilement vnto many of the citesins before tyme confyned by Azone and builded many deuoute places in Myllaine He gatte many townes part by force and part with loue and in maner renued the walles of Bergamo at his owne coste He reformed many thynges in Bressa and so finally died ¶ After him his brother Giouanni succeded who incontinently called home Matteo Bernabo and Galeazo sonnes of his brother Stefano before time banisshed by Lucchino ¶ And all be it that this Giouanni was an archebishop yet beyng more geuen to armes than to the churche thorough the valiantnesse of Galeazo he gatte Parma Lodi Cremona Bergamo Genoua Sauona and many other townes and finally died leauyng his astate diuided betwene Bernabo and Galeazo ¶ This Bernabo helde warre longe tyme with the bishoppe of Rome for the citee of Bologna that together with Genoua had rebelled against hym and finally toke for Bologna a great summe of money and forbare Genoa because it had been before redeemed at his handes for the summe of .600000 duckates But some saie he was enforced to lette it alone by reason that in one selfe tyme he was troubled of the Romish legate of Philippino di Gonzaga and of Cane della Scala for the thynges of Bressa where he had been ones discoumfited ¶ He had to wyfe one of the daughters of Mastino della Scala a woman that for hir vnreasonable pride was surnamed La Reina the Queene And had by hir .14 children wherof .iiii. were sonnes To Lodouico the eldest he gaue the citee of Cremona To Carlo Parma To Ridolfo Bergamo and to Mastino Lodi ¶ The rest beyng daughters he maried on this wyse La Verde vnto Leâ—poldo Duke of Austria graundfather to the emperour Federico the thyrde La Taddea to the Duke of Bauiera La Valentina to Peter kyng of Cyprus La Catherina to Giangaleazo Visconti his nephew L' Antonia to Federico kynge of Sicilia La Maddalena to the Duke of Bauiera againe L' Agnesa to Francesco Gonzaga La Lisabetta to Ernesco Duke of Monaco in Bauiera L' Angiolella to Federico the younger And La Lucia to Lodouico Duke of Angiers eldest sonne to the Frenche kynge And after to Baldasar Marques of Misna and finally to Edmonde Erle of Kent sonne to the kynge of Englande And with the mariage of euerie of these daughters he paied all .100000 duckatê ¶ Besides these he had .iiii. bastarde daughters Bernarda Ricciarda Lisaberta and Margherita And fiue bastarde sonnes Ambrosio Nestore Lancilotto Galeotto and Sagramoro ¶ On the other syde Galeazo begatte on his wyfe Bianca daughter of Amone Duke of Sauoie a sonne named Giangaleazo and a daughter named La Violante whiche afterwardes was maried to Lionell Duke of Clarence and sonne to the
great infyrmitee blinded of one eye died without issue leauyng the astate of Myllaine wholly to the emperour who euer sens hath gouerned the same by his lieuetenauntes The fyrst wherof was named Antonio di Leua so lame a man of his limmes that he vsed to be caried on mens shoulders but on the other side so prudent and ware a capitaine in his doyngê as in his daies was not lyghtly to be founde againe ¶ Next vnto whom folowed the Marques of Vasco a verie honourable and courtly man but not altogether man but not altogether so happie in his procedinges as suche noble men couette to be ¶ Finally after his death the emperour hath placed there the famouse Don Ferrando Gonzaga vncle to the Duke of Mantua whose prosperitee hath not onely been great in feates of warre but also wonderfull in purchasyng of fame through the sincere and rare administracion of iustice that he vseth ¶ I call it not rare for other cause than for the rare correction he hath vsed against the offendours wherby he hath wonne the hertes of theim that loue iustice ¶ As for the progresse of the thynges happened in the state of Myllaine sens the death of Francesco Sforza in whom it semeth the house of Visconti to haue taken his ende I shall not neede here to make any rehersall because on the one syde the dooynges of the same haue not been verie great and on the other side they are present and fimiliare ¶ Of the astate of Mantua THe citee of it selfe is very fayre and stronge and standeth richely by reason the countreis about are plaine and no lesse plentiful than the other partes of Lumbardie be It is stronge because the riuer of Meltio or Mentio as some call it fallyng out of the lake of Garda thoroughe the towne of Peschiera passeth to the Pò by Mantua and maketh about it suche a poole that thre partê of the citee are defended with the bredth of a quarter of a myle of water euery waie whiche in some places is deepe and in some shalow that it can not be passed with botes And than in the necessarie places suche bulwarkes are made to defende that it semeth impossible to be wonne by assaulte on that side ¶ And for the .iiii. parte whiche is towarde the weast it is verie well fortified with stronge wallê and bulwarkes and a large byche well watered besides that the grounde on that side is in maner all marisshe or at the least so ranke that in the driest of the sommer there can none artillerie passe so that the citee is vndoubtedly one of the strongest that I haue seen ¶ The dominion that the Duke hath is not great neyther of circuite nor of reuenew For at the best as I haue ben enformed the rentes neuer passed an .100000 duckates a yere and many times it hath ben much lesse by reason it is not standyng but riseth of customes and casualtees ¶ It is true that the state is muche encreased by reason of Monferrato that the last Duke had by the mariage of his wyfe so that now the Duke of Mantoa's rentes by estimacion are reckened at .130000 duckates or theraboutes ¶ And as for notable buildinges in Mantua other than suche as be vniuersall in the goodly citees of Italie I finde none sauyng certaine propre lodgeynges that the Duke Federico deceased hath made on the southe part of his palaice whiche vndoubtedly are galaunt and riche Wherfore procedyng now to the originall of the citesins and citee with the successe therof hitherwardê ¶ The Originall of Mantua BY agreement of most aucthours I fynde that the people of Mantua are descended of those auncient Tuscanes that before the siege of Troie departed out of Lydia in Asia and vnder the leadyng of theyr prince Tirreno came and enhabited the region of Italie Part of whiche Tuscanes chosyng afterwardes the place of Mantua for theyr habitacion builded the citee before the comyng of Eneas into Italie and before the edificacion of Rome more than .300 yeres The capitaine of which people at that time was named Ogno a verie expert man in Astronomie or in the science of diuinacion For his vertue in whiche science folowyng the Greeke woorde Mantia he named the citee Mantua How be it Dante speakyng therof referreth the beginnyng of Mantua to Manto daughter of Tiresia kynge of Thebes whom the poetes feigne lost his sight for iudgeyng betwene Iupiter and Iuno that the woman in the vse of nature had more pleasure than the man taken for iudge in this mattier because through the killyng of certayne serpentes he before tyme had ben chaunged from a man to a woman and had vsed in bothe kyndes So that Iupiter in recompence of his sight that Iuno had taken from him gaue hym the science of diuinacion and he hauyng a doughter afterwardê according to that science named hir Manto who comyng into Italy was aucthour bothe of the beginnyng and also of the name of Mantua But howe so euer it were I finde that ones it was destroied by Attila kyng of the Goti and after by Agilulfo kynge of the Lumbardes thyrdely by Cacciano kyng of Bauiera and lastly by the Hungariens And than beyng reedified Nicolas the secounde bishop of Rome helde a generall counsaill there in the which these holy Pilates I wold say Prelates decreed that from thense forth the bishops of Rome shulde be elected by the college of Cardinalles to the intent the emperours shoulde haue no more to doe withall At the tyme oâ— whiche counsaill Matilda doughter of the Conte Bonifacio was ladie of Mantua ¶ This Conte Bonifacio was lorde of the citees of Luca Parma Reggio Mantua and Ferrara called altogethers at that tyme Il Patrimonio and was so great a man that he obteigned vnto wife Beatrice sister of Henry the secounde emperour of Almaine Whiche Beatrice after hir husbandes death gouerned the whole dominion 15. yeres and was finally buried in Pisa leuyng hir doughter Matilda before named with an husbande named Godfrey in the astate ¶ Matilda after the death of hir husbande Godfrey maried againe and at length founde meane to be diuorsed insomuche that diyng without issue she lefte hir whole astate vnto the churche of Rome and was buried in the abbey of S. Benette di Bondeno besides Mantua ¶ After whose death the citee of Mantua was gouerned by Romaine vicares and legates vntill aboutes the yere of grace .1220 one Sordello founde the meanes to be principall gouernour therof the mightiest man of body and strength that was in those daies insomuche that beyng prouoked many tymes to feighte he alwaies remained vanquisher Through the notable fame wherof the Frenche kynge sente for hym and beyng arriued in his presence merily saied vnto him he belieued not that he shoulde be Sordello wherwith Sordello beyng offended incontinently tourned his backe without speakyng any worde and beyng called againe was demaunded by the Frenche kyng what he meaned so sodeinly to tourne
his backe he aunswered I wolde haue retourned to Mantua to bryng witnesse that I am Sordello ¶ He maried one of the doughters of Ezelino da Romano who first beyng enamoured on him vsed secretly to departe from hir fathers house and goe to Mantua vnto him Wherof Ezelino at length hauyng knowlage tempted by meane of his doughter that Sordello shoulde haue betraied the Mantuanes into his handes but Sordello wolde neuer consent therunto insomuche that at laste Ezelino came him selfe and besieged Mantua hopyng to gette it by force But all in vayne for after he had lien before it certaine daies he finally was constreigned to raise his siege and not longe after died So that the Mantuanes prouoked through that example immediately endeuored them selfes to fortify their citee with diches and water to the ende that in tyme to come their vittailes might not easily be cutte from theim And in shorte space after fell in contencion with the Cremonese for the possession of the ryuer of Oglio In whiche time the notablest families of Mantua were the Poledroni that had chaced awaie the Crabrosi and next theim were the Arloâ—â—i the Caccialodi the Grassolani and the Agnelli but at length the Buona Colsi became most puissaunte of all the rest the heade of whiche house was named Pinamonte who beyng conspired against by all the other forenamed families founde the meane to ouercome all their forces And beyng elected with an other named Ottonello vnto the chiefest office of iudgement vpon life and death for terme of .vi. monethes he founde the meane also to slea his colleage and to vsurpe the dominion ouer the citee by force ¶ Neuerthelesse afterwardes he behaued hym selfe so well that throughe his gentile and iuste dealynges he gatte the citesins fauour and continued in the astate .18 yeres After whom succeded Bardelaio yll beloued of all men and nexte him Botticello indifferently well beloued on the other side But last of all Passerino enioied the dominion whose sonne named Francesco caused the destruction of his father of him selfe and of their other kynne and friendes by this meane ¶ Amongest his many friendes Philippino sonne of Luigi Gonzaga was one Of whom this Francesco beganne to conceiue a ialousy touchyng his wife and so muche encreased this suspicion that beyng on a day as â—he maner is greeted by Philippino he churlishly aunswered that he wolde be euen with him by forsyng his wife again openly in the markette place The arrogancy of whiche aunswere so muche enflambed the innocent hert of Philippino that incontinently he began to imagine how to be auenged not on Francesco alone but also on the father Passerino considering that the one coulde not be well done without the other And so declaryng the terrible wordes of Francesco lamented the case vnto his brother Guido Gonzaga and to diuers other of his friendes and kynne who all togethers with the helpe of Cane lorde of Scala determined to dispatche Passerino And at the daie appoyncted assemdled in armes in the markette place and there slewe Passerino as he fledde towardes his owne house to haue saued hym selfe So that whan Passerino was slayne the house of Gonzaga toke on it the dominion banished diuers of the contrary part beheaded Francesco and therwith ceased from further crueltee against their enemies by commaundement of the forenamed Luigi Gonzaga that firste of that name was lorde of Mantua ¶ This familie of Gonzaga had his beginnyng of one Luigi Tedesco an Almaine of royall bloudde who in the tyme that all Italie was in armes and so many armies about Robicone had taken place for hym and all his familie at Mantua Of whom afterwardes descended this Luigi Gonzaga before named that aboutes the yere of grace .1328 beganne his dominion ouer Mantua and gouerned the same afterwardes the space of 53. yeres He had three wifes and by euery wife three sonnes By the fyrst he had Guido Philippino and Feltrino By the seconde Currado Alberto and Federico And by the thyrde Azo Iacopo and Giouanni Insomuche that there hapned in Mantua three notable mariagê of that house in one time Luigi him selfe to his last wife of the house of Malespini Currado his son to the sister of Mastino della Scala and Vgolino his sons son borne of Guido vnto a little girle of Becacci da Pauia At whiche mariagê there assembled a wonderful nuÌ„bre of people insomuche that Luigi him selfe gaue away amongest nobles gentilmen .120 goodly horses ¶ After the successe of these thynges whylest Philippino was folowyng the warres in seruice of the kynge of Hungarie against the kynge of Naples there hapned a mischaunce vnto the house of Gonzaga ¶ Isabell wyfe of Lucchino Visconti lorde of Myllaine a verie fayre woman feigned to hir husbande that she had made a vow to goe in pylgrimage vnto Uenice and vnder that colour obteignyng licence she toke Mantua in hir waie where she lodged in the house of Gonzaghi auncient friendes vnto hir husbande And after she hadde supped secretely sent for Vgolino vnto whom she declared that for the feruent loue she bare to hym she had taken on hir that iourney praiyng hym therfore to kepe hir company vnto Uenice ¶ This thyng came to the eares of Lucchino who prouoked therby laied siege to Mantua Neuerthelesse findyng the friendes of Vgolino innocent of the fault and that Guido the father did his best to correcte hym Lucchino through intercession leueied the siege And shortly after Luigi Gonzaga of the age of .93 died hauing ledde an happie life to see so many forewarde persones to the .iii. and fourthe degree of his owne generacion ¶ After whom Guido his eldest sonne entred into the astate and whilest the empyre was vacant by the helpe of his brother Philippino gatte Lamporeggio and contended longe tyme in armes with Obizone Marques of Ferrara who at length was ouercomen by Philippino and with great losse constreigned to withdraw hym home vnto Ferrara ¶ This Guido had .iii. soonnes Vgolino Francesco and Luigi And because the two younger perceiued that the father fououred more the eldest they takyng counsaile together determined to ridde hym out of the waie and so biddyng hym to supper on an euenyng slew hym ¶ This vnnaturall part of the sonnes was supported of the dolorouse father as well as nature woulde suffre it But because the correction therof shoulde haue drawen more bloudde of his owne he therfore sought to abate his passion with the new mariage of his sonne Francesco vnto the doughter of Guido Polenta lorde of Rauenna Neuerthelesse Bernabo Visconti vncle to the wife of Vgolino to auenge Vgolino's death after he had first fette awaie his neece laied siege to Mantua by reason wherof Guido was constreigned to sue for helpe to the emperour Charles that than warred in Italie who before time goyng towardes his coronacion and passyng through Mantua had been there most honourablie receiued by Luigi father of Guido so that by the emperours
his sonne Fresco as he that was desirouse to reigne that prisonyng his father put hym vnto death and after with helpe of the Uenetians toke on hym the astate ¶ But his owne citesins abhorryng so great a crueltee procured so muche the Romysh legate Palagurra to the vengeaunce of Fresco that bothe Fresco and the Uenetians were excommunicated and warre moued against theim the generall wherof was named Diego Catelano a Spaniarde ¶ Now Fresco waxyng more cruell through these businesses than before put to death all those of his subiectes that were contrarie to hym and after burned the one halfe of the citee purposyng to destroie the whole But the furie of the people was so moued therby that takyng weapon in harde they sought hym and as he woulde haue fledde out at the Lyon gate slew hym And Rinaldo his brother to whom of right the astate ought to haue descended was also dead in prison ¶ So than Obizone sonne of Rinaldo toke on hym the astate and was the first that beganne to enlarge his dominion through the gettyng of Modena and Reggio ¶ And after Obizone succeded Azo his sonne the .iii. of that name who delited muche in armes many times attemptyng to conquere Parma and Bologna and at length 〈◊〉 without issue ¶ Leauyng his astate vnto his nephewes Rinaldo and Niccolo sonnes of his brother Aldobrandino ¶ This Rinaldo desirouse to encrease his dominion with the helpe of Passerino Buona Colsi than lorde of Mantua obteined Argenta after ioignyng his power with an armie of the lordes of Scala laied siege to the towne of San felice on the Modenese Whiche towne the kyng Manfredi together with .30 other townes had lefte in custodie of Charles sonne to the kyng of Boeme so that the same Charles with Manfredi and with Beltrame the bishop of Romes generall vnityng their campes together assaulted Rinaldo and discomfited him takyng parte of his men amongest whom Nicolo brother vnto Rinaldo rested prisoner insomuche that the Romish legate waxyng immoderately proude of this victory addressed his power towardes Ferrara and besieged it But at laste Rinaldo issued out and discomfited him takyng prysoners Galeotto da Rimini Francesco de gl' Ordelaffi Ricciardo Manfredi di Faenza and Astagio da Polenta whom he deliuered in exchaunge for his brother Nicolo and after lette the reste goe freely vpon theyr othes that they shoulde no more be against hym ¶ Finally this Rinaldo was so muche persuaded by his owne citesins that he restored Argenta to the byshop of Rome wherby he recouered the bishoppes blessyng and so at length died without issue ¶ Leauyng his astate vnto his nephewe Obizone the secounde of that name sonne vnto his brother Nicolo ¶ This Obizone through fauour of the legate was the first that was made generall of the churche and had therfore .10000 duckates of yerely prouision assygned vnto hym And shortely after was Parma also geuen into his handes by Azo da Correggio not withstandyng that it appertaigned vnto Mastino della Scala and that the same Azo also had before offered to sell it vnto the Florentines for .50000 duckates ¶ Not longe after there grewe a controuersy betwene Obizone and Philippino di Gonzaga for the citee of Reggio wherof there folowed so sharpe warre betwene them that Obizone mistrustyng his owne power yelded the citee of Parma into the handes of Lucchino Visconti and finally leauyng issue two sonnes Nicolo and Alberto died ¶ After whom Nicolo the eldest succeded beyng alwaies fast friende to the Romaine bishoppes in whose fauour many tymes he fought with Bernabo Visconti and had the better specially in that notable iourney that happened betwene theim on the Bressane territory nere to the hill Morlano ¶ He purchased also of Giouanni Aguto an English capitaine the citee of Faenza for .20000 duckates and bought also the towne of Baguacauallo though he kepte it not longe for Astorgio Manfredi gatte it from him by treason ¶ Finally he did muche for his citesins and greately augmented Ferrara ¶ He was eloquente mercifull and learned constante bothe of nature and of countenaunce and so liberall that he neuer repulsed person that soughte benefite at his handes At laste diyng without issue he lefte his astate vnto his brother Alberto who also at his deathe hauyng no laufull childe left it vnto Nicolo his bastard sonne than beyng but a childe ¶ Nowe was there one Azo of the house of Este that seyng Nicolo yet tender of yeres vnder the gouerne of tutours and vnapte to rule did as muche as he coulde to preuaile him selfe But with the helpe of the Uenetians of the Florentines and of the Bologniese Nicolo was not onely mainteined in the astate but Azo for his presumpcion confined also into Candia And afterwardes beyng growen vnto age this Nicolo became so mortall ennemie vnto Ottone lorde of Parma that feignyng at lengthe to mete with hym for a treatie of peace caused him secretly to beslayne by the waie by meane of Sforza Cotignola and so recouered the citees of Reggio and Parma that Ottone before had occupied ¶ After the whiche beyng all geuen vnto the commoditee of Ferrara he builded the great palaice or castell in the herte of the citee wherin the Dukes euer sens haue dwelled and besides that the palaices of Ficcarolo and of Bellosguardo and toke vnto wife the doughter of Francesco Vecchio da Carrara By reason wherof he became enemie to the Uenetians and prouoked against hym selfe a daungerouse warre ¶ But finally in feates of armes he became excellent and in the gouernyng of his astate verie prudent and of suche reputacion that he caused the generall counsaile of that tyme to be kepte in Ferrara At the whiche the emperour of Grece happened to be present and not longe after he died leauyng two bastarde sonnes Lionello and Borso and two laufull sonnes by his secounde wife of the bloudde of the Marqueses of Saluzo named Ercole and Gismondo ¶ Of whom Lionello beyng the eldest succeded in the astate by what reason I can not tell but that the father wolde so ¶ This Lionello was a verie wise man and in his tyme made of new the wall of Ferrara on the side of the Pò and amended the houses and stretes on that parte of the citee And because his sonne Nicolo whom he had begotten gotten on the doughter of Gianfrancesco Gonzaga was a verie childe at the time of his death on his death â—edde he committed his astate to his brother Borso besechyng him that whan his sonne Nicolo shulde be growen vnto sufficient age he wold vouchesafe to restore it vnto him ¶ Thus entred Borso into the dominion and incontinently reuoked his brethern Ercole Gismondo whom Lionello had before confined into the realme of Naples and to the entent there should grow none enuy betwene them he alwaies nourished theim together a like ¶ He fortified Ferrara with stronge walles and builded the Chatterhouse