terra Lennia and terra Sacra it is much commended by Galen and many other Physitians as an excellent remedy to heal wounds and the bloudy flux and pestilent diseases and the biting of venomous creatures and to preserve a man from poyson and to vomit poyson already taken and for other infirmities There is also a Mine of natural and artificial Salt-peter In the Province of Calauria on this side In the Territy of the Country of Martorano is a Mine of Steel In the Territory of the City of Cosenza near the River Iovinio are Mines of Gold and Iron and in a place commonly called Macchia germana is a Mine of Gold of Lead and Brimstone and a little farther in another place called Miliano is a Mine of Salt and Alume In the Territory of Pietrâ— fitta near the River Ispica are Mines of Steel Lead and Salt In the Territory of the Country of Regina are Mines of Alabaster of Brimstone and of Coperas In the Territory of the Country of Longobucco are Mines of Silver and Quicksilver In the Territory of Rossano are Mines of Salt and of Alabaster and the Marchesite stone In the Territory of Alto monte are Mines of Gold of Silver of Iron and of Alabaster and there grows Cristal and there also mighty Hils of white salt In the Province of Calauria on the other side In the Territory of the City of Regio are Mines of Alabaster of Brimstone and Saltpeter In the Territory of the City of Taverna is a Mine of Antimonium which is a stone of the colour of lead and very brittle like that which grows in Britany In the Territory of the Country of Agata is a Mine of Iron and Steel and of the Adamant stone In the Territory of Belforte is a Mine of Gold and of Iron and there grows Coprass and Cristal In the Territory of Calatro is a Mine of Iron In the Territory of Belvedere are Mines of Silver of Iron of Brimstone of Alume of Salt and of white and black Alabaster and there grows a stone which shineth like Silver In the Territory of Soriano is a Mine of Quicksilver In the Territory of Nicastro is a Mine of Quicksilver and there are also goodly Hils of mixed Marble In the Territory of Mesuraca is a Mine of Earth which yields a colour called of Latinists Giluus In the City Cotrone grows a Thistle which yieldeth Mastick and also it grows in Castrovillare and in many other places of Calauria And to conclude Calauria is a very goodly Region and yieldeth plenty of all good things The Castles and Forts of defence which are in the Kingdom of Naples with the number of Souldiers which remain in every Guard and their monthly pay The names of the Castles The number of souldiers The pay what it monthly imports In Naples are these 3 Castles  Duckets 1. The new Castle 167 775.2.12 2. The Castle of Eramo 110 452.2.9 3. The Castle of Vovo 25 90.4.11 The Castle of Baia. 69 233.0.13 The Castle of the Isle Ischia 34 116. The Castle of Gaeta 86 322.3.3 The Castle of Capoa 51 200.1.13 The Castle of Aquila 53 197.1.13 The fortified Castle of Brindesi 56 175.3 The Castle of Leccie 54 201.1.13 The Castle of Otranto 86 144.1.13 The Castle of Civitella 94 Duckets 321.0.13 The Castle of Pesara 62 303.2.10 The Castle of Viesti 36 247 1.13â— The Castle of Momfredonia 34 137.1.13 The Castle of Barletta 52 194.1.13 The Castle of Bary 28 118.1.13 The Castle of Monopoli 29 140. The Castle of Brindesi 41 151. The little Castle of Brindesi 63 223.4 The Castle of Cosenza hath only a Capt. with the pay of 10 crowns monthly 1 10 The Castle of Gallipoli 30 Duckets 125.1.13 The Castle of Taranto 46 176.0.4 The Castle of Cotrone 39 136.3.6 The Castle of Biâ—eglia hath but only a Captain 1 10 The Castle of St. Germano hath only a Captain with the allowance of 200 duckets yearly 1 17 The Castle of Trani hath only a Captain with the pay of 10 crowns monthly 1 10 In the Isle of Nisâ—ta the Court maintainâ—th a Gaâ—ison  Duckets The Fort of the City of Amanâ—eâ— maintaineth 6 souldiers 6 20.4 The Fort of St. Cataldo maintain there 6 262. In the Isle of Tipare are two Gunners 2 2 A CATALOGVE Of the Earls and Dukes of Puglia and Calauria and of all the Kings of Naples Normans Sâ—evi Angioini Durazzeschi Aragonesi Castilliani Austriaci ALthough I have more at large written in another book of the lives of all the Kings which have ruled the Kingdom of Naples but being now to speak of the same subject I will handle every thing with as much brevity as may be hoping that as it will be no small ornament to this work so it will give no little contentment to the Reader It is then to be understood that in the year of our Lord 987. the last year of the reign of Lewis the fifth King of France avaliant Norman souldier and of great magnanimity called Tancred having twelve sons which he had by two wives that is to say of Moriella Lucha his first wife he had Frumentino Gotfredo Sarno Tancred Malugero Dragone Godfredo and Alberedo of the second wife called Fresanda Rotaria the daughter or as some write the sister of the Earl of Altavilla he had Guglielmo Feraback Vnfredo Ruberto Guiscard and Ruggieri Bosso with these twelve sons Tancred determined to seek out some new Country to inhabit and to try some new and better fortune with hope to find some other place to live better and more richly through his industry and wit and coming into Italy first arived in Romagna and perceiving that Landolfo Prince of Salerno was much opprest through the excursions and outroads of the Saracins sent in his aid six of his sons who being well provided by the Prince both of horse and arms in three battels wherein they incountred the enemy made an admirable slaughter of them whereupon they returned as it were in triumph to Salerno and were by the Prince and all the people received and with much intreaty were sollicited to remain in that Court But they declaring that what they did was not for any human pomp nor for any other end but the service of God refusing all gifts returned to their own habitation But within a few years following there fell certain controversies between Pandolfo of St. Agata and Guaimaro Prince of Salerno Pandolfo sent Ambassadors into Romagno requesting Guglielmo Dragone and Vmfrido three sons of Tancred with many promises and offers to serve under his pay which that he might the better do in the manner of another Narsetes sent them not only rich furniture for horses and costly apparel for themselves but great store of money These worthy men made no delay to come to the Prince Pandolfo through whose assistance the enemy being foild was forced with shame and sorrow to retire but Pandolfo being brutish and ungratefull made no great account of them
Emperour by the death of Don Carlo de Lannoi sent for his Viceroy into Naples Don Hugo Moncada a man very expert in Arms and a valiant Captain in the which year Monsignor Odetto Fois Lotrecco went with thirty thousand Footmen and six thousand Horsmen into the kingdom of Naples in the name of King Frances and overcame Melfi Venosa and many other places in Basilicata and Apulia and with the success of victory besieged Naples the which siege continuing certain moneths in the mean time Andrea d'Oria sent the Count Philip d'Oria his Nephew with eight Gallies to annoy the Gulf of Naples wherewith Moncada being much discontented seeking to remedy the same he caused to arm six Gallies and two Foists which were within the Haven and putting therein the very flower and principall of the people that were in the Citie he in his own person with the Marquis of Vasto Ascanio Colonna great Constable Cesare Ferramosca and many other worthy men with a resolution to encounter the enemy and confidently to overcome were imbarked there The Count which suddenly perceived the Imperiall Gallies to go forth of the Haven retired himself presently to the sea and encountring together at the Cape of Orso the Imperiall Forces were overcome and there dying with many others Don Vgo and were taken prisoners the Marquiss Vasto and Colonna the great Constable with other worthy men The Count obtaining the victory presently victoriously went to Genoway to find the Admirall Andrea his Uncle who disdaining the dealing of the French King because he had taken from him the office of the Admiralty and Generall of the Sea and given it to Monsignor Barbigios he agreed by the means of Vasto with the Emperour and brought Genoway and Savona under his Crown Whereupon he went with all expedition into the kingdom in the behalf of the Emperour and discharged the French Army which lay at the siege of Naples Afterward Charls made peace with the French King and gave him for wife the Lady Elinora and the King forsook Barletta and that which he held in the kingdom of Naples and payed to the Emperour for a fine one million and two hundred thousand crowns and yeilded up unto him all the right and possession that he held in the Dukedom of Millane and the kingdome of Naples The Emperour having ended his peace went by Sea to Genoway from thence he past to Bolonia where in the moneth of February 1530. was by Pope Clement the seventh which was come thither with his whole Court to that effect and was solemnly crowned with the Imperiall Crown Afterward the Emperour departed from Bolonia went into Germany and what he afterward did there is written in Histories In the year 1535. Charls having made a voyage to Tunis there subdued Mâ—leasson the lawfull King of the Moores and made him his Feudary with certain conditions went into Sicilia From whence afterward he departing came to Naples the 23 of November in the same year and entred in in triumphant manner where were made him by the Citie many triumphant Arks and huge Colosses with divers and learned Inventions Charls remained with great delight in feasting and tilting all that Winter in Naples where understanding that the French King was entred into Italy with his Army and not knowing to what end and purpose was much moved and displeased with him went to Rome and so proceeded in his journie But at length the Emperour becoming a mortified man and growing into contempt of the world being unwiliing to sustain any longer the heavy burthen of the Empire wisely determined to renounce it And to that end having caused all the Knights of the order of the Golden Fleece to assemble at Brussels and all the States of the Low Countries the first thing he did the 25 of October in the year 1555. he made King Philip his son head of the Knights of the Golden Fleece and after dinner solemnly resigned unto him all Flanders with the other States and Titles and right of Burgony descending unto him from his predecessors Not long after the Emperour continuing his determination resigned and renounced in like manner in Brussels to the forenamed King Philip the kingdom of Spain Sicilia Majorica Minorica with the new Countries called America and the new world reserving onely certain rents and revenues to sustain himself and his family reduced to a small number of servants His Majesty also giving not onely full and absolute power to the King of the Romans his brother to govern and rule as some write the Empire in his place but also freely resigned the Title the Scepter and Imperiall Dignity So Cesar voluntarily deprived himself of his Monarchy a thing truly worthy of consideration that from the Emperour Lotharius till this present never in so many ages chanced the like although Amurath the great Turk resigned the Empire of Constantinople to Mahumeâ— his son In September 1556 Charls departed from Brussels with a great Fleet towards Spain carrying with him Queen Elinor and Queen Mary his sisters and so sailing with fair weather and a prosperous wind they soon arrived in safety Charls constantly persevering in his purpose retired himself to the Monastery of of St. Iusto neer to the village called Sciarandiglia eight leagues from the Citie of Piacenza in the Realm of Castile where living godly and with great devotion he ended his dayes the 21 of September in the year 1558 being of the age of 58 years having ruled even to the time of his renunciation 37 years 2 moneths and 3 dayes the Empire and 37 years and 8 moneths the kingdom of Naples which he resigned to his son Philip. He was married as is before declared to Isabella of Portugall the sister of Iohn King of Portugall by whom he had the Catholique King Philip and two daughters the one called the Lady Mary which with the Popes dispensation was married to Maximilian King of Bohemia the son of the Emperour Ferdinando his brother The other called the Lady Ione was espoused to Iohn the King of Portugals son He had children by another naturall means as Don Iohn and Margarita which was first married to Alexander de Medici Duke of Florence and afterward to Octavio Fernese Prince of Parma and Piacenza Upon the Supulcher of this invincible Emperour are engraven these two Epitaphs 1. LIquisti exuvias gelido sub marmore sed non Quantum eras Caesar marmor urna capit Pro tumulo ponas orbem pro tegmine coelum Pro facibus stellas pro Imperio Empireon 2. Non aurum non marmor erunt non gemma sed omnis Carole terra tui corporis urna decens Conteget immensum quantum patet undique coelum Sol tibi funerea pro face lumine erit Proque tua memori fama pro nomine stabit Aeternum tempus quod tua facta notet Natura effundat lachrymas elementa gemiscent Persitient
me I will seek justice in my Armes defence being allowable God preserve your Majesty DON JOHN the fourth King of PORTVGALL THis huge loss and horrid disaster gave a shrewd alarm to the Spanish Monarchy for there feâ—l from her by this revolt the East-Indies the Tercera Islands the Kingdom of Algarve Brasile and all she had in Afric except the Town of Ceuta which is the only appendix that remains to Spain of the large Dominions of Portugal but t is like a small crust left of a Christmas Loaf A little before this revolt there was a portentous strange accident hapned neer the Tercera Ilands which are subject to the Crown of Portugal for in one of them there was a Town built upon the Sea-side under divers Clifts and Rocks among which there was a great Lough which suddenly one day broak out into a fearfull fire proceeding it seems from som bituminous matter in the bottom the flakes of fire and smoak did so darken and obnubilat the whole Region of the Cirâ—umambient air for many daies that they of the Town beneath thought verily the day of Judgâ—ent was com for they could go ankle deep in the ashes which the fire drove to the streets at last the huge Lake came tumbling down the Hills and carryed many of them with part of the Town into the Sea This was held to be an ominous thing and to presage som great change but the yeer following there hapned a stranger thing for a new Iland poppd out of the Sea therabouts and peed above water which was never seen before Now â—is worth the while considering what a mighty alteration it hath made in the Christian World to set down the right of title that both the King of Spain and the house of Bragansa hath to the Crown of Portugal therfore we will plant here the Tree of their Genealogy that the Reader may pass his judgment accordingly The fortunat and famous Alphonso having in the yeer 1139. obtaind a mighty battell against the Moors in Portugal by the unanimous consent of the people he was chosen King and solemnly Crownd in Lamego and his Posterity made capable to succeed him to all perpetuity all which was confirmd afterwards by the Pope Among other Lawes which the three Estates being assembled at Lamego did enact one was this Let it be a Law for ever that the King of Portugals eldest Daughter marry a Native of Portugal that so the Crown never descend to a stranger and in case she shold marry to a Prince who is a stranger let her not be Queen for we will never have our Kingdom go out of the Race of the Portugals who have made us Kings by their own valor and by the effusion of their own blood without forraign assistance Now Don Emanuel was the fourteenth King of Portugal from Don Alphonso and had for his Issue six Sons and two Daughters as followeth 1. The Prince Don Iohn his eldest 2. The Infanta Donna Beatrix who was married to the Emperor Charles the fift by whom he had Philip the second 3. The Infanta Dona married to Emanuel Duke of Savoy 4. The Infant Don Luis who left behind Don Antonid an illegitimat Son 5. The Infant Don Fernando dyed without Issue 6. The Infant Don Alfonso Arch-bishop of Lisbon and Cardinal never married 7. The Infant Don Henry Cardinal and Arch-bishop of Dragon â— The Infant Don Edward who left two Daughters the eldest was Mary Wife out of the Kingdom to Alexander Farnesse Duke of Panna the younger was married to Don Iohn Duke of Bragansa After the death of Emanuel succeeded his eldest Son Don Iohn who was named before and was called Iohn the third whose onely Son called also Iohn dying before his Father left behind him Don Sebastian who succeeded his Grand-father and was slain without Issue at that notable battell in Barbary 1578. where most of the Nobility and Flower of Portugal did also fall Upon the death of Sebastian the Crown returnd to the eldest Survivor of his Grand-fathers Brothers viz. Henry the Cardinal whose old age as well as his Function made him incapable of marriage he raignd peaceably two yeâ—rs After his death there were no less then eight Pretenders to the Crown 1. The People claimd right to elect their own King jure Regni 2. The Pope challengd Iure divino to be Arbiter herein in regard that Alfonso the first King made himself Feudetary to the See of Rome 3. Don Antonio gave out he was no Bastard but his Father Don Luis was lawfully married 4. Katherine de Medici Queen Regent of France claimd a right as descending from Don Alphonso the third since whom alâ— the Kings of Portugal have bin no better then Usurpers 5. Philibert Duke of Savoy Son to one of King Emanuels Daughters 6. Ranuccio Duke of Parma claimd the Crown in right of his Mother Mary Daughter to Don Duarte King Emanuels youngest Son 7. Katherine Dutchesse of Braganza claimd the Crown as being born in Portugal wheras all the rest were Aliens according to the Primitive Law made in Don Alphonsos time 8. Philip the second claimd the Crown by right of his Mother the Empresse being Heir Male of Don Emanuels eldest Daughter Now touching the first Pretender which was the people it was answerd that untill the Royall Line of a Kingdom be quite extinct there can be no right of Election in them Touching the Titles of the rest they were solemnly debated in many Universities but most concluded for King Philip first in regard that the Kingdom of Portugal had bin before Alphonsos time An 1138. under the protection of the Crowns of Castile and Leon wherof he was King Secondly because he could not properly be calld an Alien because he was born upon the Continent of Spain wherof Portugal is part being calld according to the old division Hispania Lusitanica Thirdly he might claim it a digniori partu because he was the first Male of an Empress who had bin also first Daughter of Portugal Besides this fatall defection of the Kingdom of Portugal with the sundry Dominions far and neer that belongd unto it there were many other cross traverses besides that happend to the Spanish Monarchy There was an illfavourd fire kindled in Palermo in Sicily which by a popular fury did so rage and was like to be so destructive that the Marquess de los Velez the then Vice-roy was forcd to publish a Manifesto wherin to content the rabble he took off and abolishd to perpetuity the Taxes that were layed upon Meat Wine Oyle and Cheese Moreover the people having in the sayed Mutiny broke open the Prisons and let out the Prisoners the Vice-roy was constraind to publish another Instrument wherin he pardond all such Prisoners as also those who let them out and all this was don sub verbo fide Regia The Kingdom of Naples which is also Sicily beyond the Phare a little arm of the Sea and thought at the Creation to be one
Service it cold receive therfore her Motherly affections enforcd her to discover to his Majesty what perhaps others durst not adventure to do for humane respects So she presented unto him the generall affliction of his people the sad condition of his Kingdom the many unfortunat successes which happend by Sea and Land shewing him that these evills were the judgments of Heaven for suffering the Government of his Kingdoms which God Almighty had appointed only for himself to continue in the hands of another she sayd that it was high time for his Majesty to be now out of his Nonage and that he should not incense the indignation of Heaven by suffring his poor Subjects to be longer abusd at least that he wold have compassion on the Prince his Son who ran a hazard to be simple King of Castile or less so she concluded that if she had offended his Majesty she was ready to receive what punishment he pleasd being well contented having given her milk for the good of his Majesty to sacrifice also her blood if need requird The King hearkned unto her all the while with much attention and answerd t is all truth that you have sayd Add hereunto that there was another thing happend that provd fatall to the Duke which was that the Infanta Margarita of Savoy who had bin Governess of Portugal having bin restraind som yeers from coming to the Court by the practises of Olivares at last venturd to com thither and by the Queens favour she was admitted to speak with the King where with stout and pressing reasons she made it appear that the loss of his Kingdom of Portugal was to be imputed principally to the carelesness of the Conde for she had often written to him in what a hazardous discontented state that Country was but to her Avisos and Letters she receivd from him odd uncivill messages telling her that she was fitter to govern a Family then a Kingdom and bidding her that if she comprehended the mysteries of State at least she shold not discover them This Speech made deeper impressions on the Kings heart then any of the rest for it was most home and plain insomuch that this was the mortall wound which was given Olivares Thirdly The designs he had to aggrandize his base Son who had gone many yeers by the name of Iulian Valeasar and had married a common Strumpet being of a dissolute one himself and under that name of Valeasar he had born Arms in Flanders Italy and the Indies where he was like to be hangd Yet Olivares having no Children of his own nor like to have any sent for him for Donna Margarita Spinola a Merchants Daughter and somtimes a Concubine of Olivares took it upon her death that Olivares had got him by Her So being com to Court Olivares had his name changd to Don Henry Pbilip de Gusman he procurd him also to be divorcd from his first wife and proposd a marriage for him with the high Constable of Castiles Daughter Donna Iuana de Velasso prime Lady of the Court which took effect so having provided a great Palace for him the Grandees and Ambassadors came to give Don Henry the conjugall joy treating by the Title of Excellency and sending him Presents he was declard Gentleman of the Kings Bed-chamber and to be president of the Indies But Don Henries carriage was so ridiculous and so unsutable to a Noble-man that there were Libells made of him up and down This strange design of Olivares got him much hatred specially from the Marquess of Carpio who had married his sole Sister by whom he had Don Luis de Haro the Present who was common Heir in Law to Olivares and was like to be deprivd of it by the foresayd Bastard But upon the fall of the Conde down fell also his Bastard and the Constable of Castile sent home for his Daughter saying that he had rather have his Daughter to be reputed a Whore then to continue Wife to such a Rascall Fourthly The just hatred which the Grandees and Noble-men conceivd against him did accelerat his ruin specially the Marquess of Carpio his Brother-in-law whose Son though a very hopefull Gentleman he could not abide though his Nephew by his only Sister Lastly the little Prince Don Balthasar helpd to push him down who though he was fourteen yeers of age yet by the practises of the Duke he had no Court or Servants settled for him but was still left under the Government of women Now it was about the Prince that the King first discoverd his displeasure to Olivares for asking him what Lodgings in the Palace were fittest for him and he answering those of the Infante Cardinal the King replyed and why not yours for they were my Fathers and mine also while I was Prince This struck an Earth-quake in the Dukes brest so that evening the King writ a Note to him with his own hand that he shold intermeddle no more with his affairs but retire to Loches a place hard by Madrid untill further order The next day his wife came weeping to the Queen to intercede for her husband but the Queen answerd her very calmly Lo que hecho Dios loâ— vassallos y lot malos sucessos no lo puede deshazer el Roy ni yo Neither the King nor I can undo that which God Almighty the Subjects and ill Successes have done So a few daies after Olivares went to Loches in a close privat Coach at the back-gate of the Court for fear of the fury of the people and he was seated between two Jesuits as if he had bin going to execution which was a true morall one but som two yeers after Death the common Executioner of all Man-kind took him away The next day the King calld a Councell of State where he made a Speech unto them that he had deprivd the Conde Duke of Olivares of his Service not for any Crime that he had committed but to give satisfaction to his Subjects therfore his desire was that the memory of the Conde Duke might be kept in esteem among all men for the good Services which he had so faithfully rendred to the Crown so many yeers protesting for the future not to give the Title of Privado or Favorit to any Minister whatsoever being resolvd that all weighty matters shold pass through his own hands This was the sad Catastrophe of Olivares his Greatnes a man nothing of so candid and debonnair dispositions as his Predecessor witnes his disaffection to his neerest Kindred as also to the Duke of Lerma against whom he discoverd much malevolence to his death Among others one passage was that when the Prince of Wales was to pass by Valladolid where Lerma livd he had a speciall Mandat sent him to absent himself in the interim from the Town till the Prince was gone this went to the heart of the old Duke who sayd therupon that Olivares had done him from time to time many ill offices but this carried more malice then
quotannis Ecclesiae Romanae persolvam omnes Ecclesias quae in mea consistunt ditione cum earum possessionibus in tua potestate dimittam defensor ero earum ad fidelitatem Romanae Ecclesiae Et si tu vel tui successores antè me ex hac vita decesserint pro ut monitus fuero à primis Cardinalibus clericis laicis Romanis opem feram ut Pontifex erigatur ordinetur ad honorem S. Petri. Haec omnia suprascripta servabo S. R. Ecclesiae tibi successoribus tuis ad honorem S. Petri ordinatis qui mihi firmaverint investituram à te mihi concessam Sic me Deus adjuvet c. Afterward by commandment of the Pope Ruberto went with his Army against the Roman Barons and never ceased untill he had subdued them all and made them obedient to the Pope Having then a purpose to expell the Saracins out of Sicilia made many progresses into that Isle took Messina surprised Rimeto built in the Valley of Demona the Castle of St. Mark and from hence returning into the Country of Otranto took Taranto by assault four years after it was besieged through the faction of Argirizo of Bari returned again into Sicilia and with a puissant Army besieged Palermo the which City when he had taken committed the Government of that Isle to his brother Ruggieri Bosso determined for a difference risen between him and the Prince Gisulfo his brother in law to subdue Salerno whereupon with a mighty siege he begirt the said City into the which he entred by a breach in the Wall and easily obtained it as he had done many other places and so became Lord of Salerno in the year 1076. and without any delay followed the conquest of the rest of Campania and forsomuch as he had an ingenious and deep conceit took advantage by the dissention and ill government of the Grecian Princes purposing to make war upon them because many years before they attended no other thing but the chasing and dispossessing the one the other Then he past the Sea with an Army of 15 thousand â—ighting men and meeting with the Army of Alessio gave him a mighty overthrow Not long after Pope Gregory the 7 being afflicted with cruel war by the Emperor Henry the 4. requested aid of Ruberto Guiscardo and for to induce him the rather to his desire they met together at Aquino and after at Ceperano and there the Pope confirmed to Roberto the same things which Nicholas the second and Pope Alexander had first granted unto him And so Roberto was again made a Liegeman of the Church and took his Oath in this manner Ego Robertus Apuliae Calabriae Siciliae Dux postâ—ac ero fidelis tibi Domino meo Gregorio Pontifici neque auctor ero aut operam dabo ut vitam aut membrum amittas aut dolo malo capiaris consilium quod mihi communicaveris in tui damnum sedens non enunciabo S. Romanam Ecclesiam te adjuvabo ut teneas acquiras desendas regalia Sancti Petri ejusque possessiones pro meis viribus contra omnes homines praeter partem Firmanae Marchiae Salernum Amalsim de quibus adhuc non est decretum adjuvabo te ut tutò honorificè teneas Pontificatum Terram S. Petri quam nunc tenes vel habiturus es post quam sciero tuae esse potestatis nec invadere nec acquirere conabor nec praedari audebo sine tuo tuorumque successorum permisit pensionem de terra S. Petri quam ego teneo aut tenebo quot annis bona side persolvam S. Romanae Ecclesiae omnes ecclesias quae in ejus sunt ditione tuae potestati dimittam easque desendam Si tu aut sucdessores tui ante me ex vita ingraverint pro ut monitus fuero auxilio ero ut Pontifex eligatur ordinetur Guiscardo having finished his saying Gregory thus replyed Ego vero Gregorius Pontifex investa â—e Roberte de terra S. Petri quam tibi concesserunt antecessores mei Nicolaus Alexander De illa autem terra quam injuste tenes Salernum dico Amalsim partem Marchiae Firmanae nunc te putienter sustinâ—o in considentia Dei omnipotentis tuae bonitatis ut tu postea ad honorem S. Petri ita te geras sicut te gerere me suscipere decet sine periculo animae tuae meae Presently Ruberto answered in this manner Ego Robertus Dux ad confirmationem traditionis recognitionem fidelitatis de omni terra quam ego teneo propriè sub Domino meo promitto me quotannis pro unoquoque jugo boum pensionem duodecim denariorum Papiensium soluturum B. Petro tibi Domino meo Gregorio Pontifici omnibus successoribus tuis aut tuis aut successorum tuorum nunciis ubi dies Sanctae Domini Resurrectionis advenerit Within a while after the Emperor Henry begirt Pope Gregory with a very dangerous siege the which Guisâ—ardo understood being in Grecia with one part of his Army leaving the other to his son Boemund came with all celerity to relieve the Pope and entring in by the port del popolo drove the Emperor away by force deliver'd the Pope from the siege and conveyed him to Montecasino and afterward to Salerno where he liv'd the remnant of his life Guiscard afterward returned to his enterprises beyond the sea where having done many worthy exploits beseeming a most valiant Prince died in Corfu of Grecia the year of our Lord 1085. in the month of Iuly being 62 years of age his body was afterward conveyed into Italy and buried in the City of Venosa in Apulia Ruberto was of a high spirit provident and very ingenious whereupon he was called by the Normans for his sirname Guiscardo which signifieth subtile and witty He had successively three wives the first was Albereda sister to the Prince of Capoa which brought him Ruberto who died young and Boemundo Sigelaica his second wife sister to the Prince of Salerno by whom he had Ruggieri Sivardo and Eria Of his third wife named Isabella the daughter of Vgone the first of this name King of Cypris he had not any child After the death of Ruberto Boemundo his eldest son was altogether imployed in the war which he had in Grecia in the mean time Ruggiero his younger brother with great cunning took upon him the Government of the Dukedom of Apulia and Calauria and obtained of Pope Vrban the second the confirmation of the State in the Councel which was held in the City of Troia the which Boemund understanding came with his Army to drive him away but forune offered him the opportunity of a more glorious enterprise forsomuch as in he Councel held in France in Chiaromonte of Alvernia the voyage beyond the Sea to recover the Sepulchre of Christ from the hands of the infidels was made manifest whether went
so many Christian Barons French Germans and Englishmen Boemond being of a generous mind and full of magnanimity animated by emulation of the glory of so many honourable men which went in this noble enterprise leaving all things to his brother went with these to the Conquest of the Holy Land where having streightly besieged Antiochia took it and was therefore by the general consent of the Army for that enterprise made Prince and Earl of Tripoli he afterward married Constance the eldest daughter of Philip King of France which brought him a son named Boemund which succeeded in the said Principality But returning to Ruggieri who having held the Dukedom of Calauria and Apulia 25 years died in the year 1110. and left William his eldest son his heir born of Adelandra his wife daughter of Robert Frisone Earl of Flanders This Duke William peaceably possest his State and made Pope Galasio his special friend by whom he was invested in the said Dukedome of Apulia and Calauria in the year 1118. The year following the Duke thinking to marry the daughter of Iohn Comneno Emperor of Constantinople being promised unto him imbarked himself to go thither and committing the tuition of his State to Pope Calisto the second In the mean time the year 1123. Ruggieri Earl of Sicilia his Nephew the sonne of the aforesaid Ruggieri Bosso following so fit an oportunity nothing esteeming the Pope invaded Calauria and before the Pope could well bethink himself how to relieve it he had got the possession of all Calauria and Apulia The Duke William being deceived and returned without his wife retired himself to the Prince of Salerno his kinsman where not long after without leaving any issue he died in the year 1127. The Kings of NAPLES Ruggieri 1. King of Naples RVGGIERI by force of arms and by the right of inheritance being Lord of so great a State with whose power the Pope Honorius the second being not able to contend made peace with him and received of him an Oath of Loyalty and homage and so created him Duke of Apulia and Calauria The said Act was solemnly done and registred in Troia a City of Puglia in the year 1128. Afterward Ruggieri began War with the Prince of Capoa and so afflicted him that in the end he usurped his Principality but growing proud with this great prosperity would be no longer called Duke of Apulia and Calauria and Earl of Sicilia but entituled himself King of Italy the which thing Honorius seemed to dissemble but Innocentio the second which succeeded him could not by any means indure being moved with rage without measuring otherwise his strength raised a sudden tumultuous Army and with all expedition and violence came against Ruggieri which knew nothing of that preparation that he chaced him from St. Germano and through all the Country of Abadia and besieged him being within the Castle Galluccio above Sessa where flying was forced to retire back again The other William son of the besieged Ruggieri understanding thereof with great celerity came to relieve his father and did a very admirable exploit in breaking their forces and taking the Pope prisoner with many Cardinals and at the same instant delivering his father from the siege Ruggieri through his great courtesie and reverence used to the Pope obtained without the Title of King particularly the City of Naples which till this time had been under the Greek Empire Ruggieri perceiving the good will of the Neopolitans created 150 Knights Innocentio being set at liberty returned to Rome and found that in his absence had been created one Pietro an Ante-Pope the son of Pier Leone a very powerfull and factious Citizen of Rome which was called Anacleto the second Innocentio having no doubt thereof with the help of the Pisani past into France Ruggieri went to Benevento and visited Anacleto and obtained the Title and Crown of King of both the Sicilies which was done the 25 of Iuly 1130. and was the first that in this part of Italy had the Title of King and was made a Liegeman and Vassal of the Church the which Instalment as Sigonius noteth was the same that the aforesaid Pope Innocentio afterward confirmed in the year 1139. declaring him lawfull King of Sicilia Duke of Apulia and Calauria and Prince of Capoa Ruggieri having performed many noble enterprises died in the year 1153. being 59 years of age his body was laid in a Costly and stately Tomb of Porphery in the Church of Monreale of Palermo where these Verses are ingraven Si fastus homines si regna slemmata ludunt Non legum recti sit norma Rogerius ist is Est lusus rebus comite à quo nomine natus Virtutem his splendor situs diademà que Regum Vixit ann LIX Regnavit an XXIII Menses V. obiit an MCLII Ruggieri had four wives the first was Airolda the daughter of the Earl of Caserta the second was called Albira daughter of the King of Spain the third named Sibilla sister of the Duke of Burgony the fourth was called Bettrice which was the daughter of the Earl of Resta of his two first wives he had not any children Sibilla brought him Ruggieri which was Duke of Apulia and Amalso and Guglielmo which was Prince of Capoa and Salerno which died both in their fathers time Of Bettrice his last wife he had William Prince of Taranto which was afterward King of Naples and a daughter named Constance who by the advice and Councel of the Abbot Giachimo Calaures the King put her into a religious house of Nuns He had a base son called Tancredi who was Earl of Leccie and King of Naples William the wicked the 2. King of Naples WILLIAM called by his sirname the wicked William the first begotten son of Ruggiero his father succeeded in the Kingdom and in the beginning of his State usurped by force of arms Ceperano with the Suburbs of Benevento and Banco with other places belonging to the Church for which cause he was excommunicated by Pope Adrian the fourth and deprived also of the title of King and discharged his subjects of their obedience towards him William conceiving a most violent hatred against the Pope raised a mighty Army with a purpose to go for Rome but being for his perverse nature hated of his Barons many of them rebeld against him and called the Pope into the Kingdom The which was the occasion that William changed his purpose and converted his fury against the Prince of Capoa which had been the Author of that conspiracy The Pope which saw all the Kingdom in Arms with admirable celerity made a mighty Army pass to Benevento and without any resistance took a great part of the Kingdom by the which victory the Barons which called him did swear unto him loyalty and homage William understanding that Emanuel Emperor of Constantinople and Frederick Barbarossa the first Emperor of Germany made expedition to aid the Pope
therefore he thought it his best way to be reconciled with the Church sent an honourable Ambassage to the Pope wherein much humbling himself desired to be restored to the grace and favour of the Church and possession of his Kingdom and promised to restore whatsoever he wrongfully detained from the Church The Pope willing to extinguish the War went to Benevento and expected William who prostrate at the Popes feet desired absolution and took an Oath of Loyalty and homage and first restoring whatsoever he had taken from the Church was invested in the Kingdom the year 1156. William afterward lived alwaies in peace with the Church but was ever much troubled and molested by his Barons and hated of the people and sirnamed for his evil conditions William the wicked He departed this life the year of our Lord 1167. and lived 47 years and in the principal Church of Palermo near his fathers Tomb was buried He had by his wife Margarite the daughter of Garzia the second King of Navar Ruggieri which was proclaimed King by the Sicilians William Prince of Taranto which succeeding in the Kingdom was called William the good and Henry Prince of Capoa William the good 3. King of Naples WILLIAM Prince of Taranto called the good as differing from his father was after his death Crowned King at eleven years of age and presently pardoned all those which had been Rebels to his father and took away all the grievances imposed by him upon the people defended alwaies the affairs of the Roman Church against whosoever sought to molest it and especially in the time when the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa strongly besieged Pope Alexander the 3 within Anagni Whereupon Alexander ignorant of the coming of William not only with great courage and stoutness maintained the Pontifical dignity but many times foiled the Imperial Army But being afterward perswaded by Philip King of France to retire with his honour from the said siege had from King William a Gally which for that purpose he had secretly sent wherein he being imbarked with certain of his Cardinals went to Clarimont in France for his better security where he excommunicated and deprived the said Frederick of the Empire and aggravated likewise the censure against Octavian the false usurping Pope William strongly armed himself both for Sea and Land against Andronico the Emperor of Constantinople for the injuries done in Italy He afterward defended the City of Tire and with his Navy foiled the Forces of Salandine and afterward cleared the Sea from Rovers And this good King having honourably ended all his actions after he had reigned 21 years and lived 32. died in Palermo in the year of our Lord 1188. his body with great honour Ione his wife sister to King Richard of England caused to be laid in a Tomb of Marble curiously wrought and embossed upon which caused this inscription to be ingraven Hic situs est bonus Rex Gulielmus The said Sepulchre being ruinated and spoiled through the injury of time hath newly been very magnificently repaired and renewed with fair Marble by the Archbishop of Torres where this new Epitaph is to be read Inâ—lita quas verbis sapientum turba recenset Virtutes solus factis hic praestitit omnes Egregius quare bonus est cognomine dictus Vtque bonus magno longe est praestantior illo Major Alexandro sic Rex Guillielmus habetur Artibus ipse etenim pacis bellique fuisti Clarus ut semper justa ac pia bella gerebas Sic quoque laeta tibi semper victoria parata est Et nunc ne vilis jaceas Rex optime praesul Te decurat tumulo hoc Ludovicus Torrius Hoc ipso in templo quod tu Guillelme dicasti Tancred the 4. King of Naples TANCRED Earl of Leccie the natural son of King Ruggieri and Unkle to the good William was by the death of his Nephew which had not any child created King of both the Sicilies in the year 1188 Pope Celestine the third being desirous to bring the Kingdom under the jurisdiction of the Church as feuditory of the Apostolick Sea invested in the year 1191. Henry the sixth Emperor the son of Frederick Barbarossa with these conditions That he should recover at his own charge the Kingdom of the two Sicilies with acknowledging the Church and to pay the accustomed Tribute and to the end it might seem more colourable and be the better done he gave under a pretence of Inheritance as a dowry for his wife Constance the lawfull and natural daughter of the aforesaid Ruggieri whom secretly he caused to be brought from the Arch-Bishop of Palermo from the Monastery of St. Mary in the City aforesaid where she was Abesse being now 52 years of age very unfit for the procreation of children dispensing with her although she had been a profest Nun and Crowned them in Rome of both the Sicilies in the year 1191. The first thing then which Henry did he went to besiege Naples but in the beginning of the third month the Plague growing very hot he returned into Germany without any more adoe The Emperors Army being departed Italy Tancred having recovered his Kingdom at the same time among these affairs his son Ruggieri died which was also Crowned and proclaimed King and had married Irene the daughter of the Emperor Isacio and within a little while after him Tancred his father conceiving so passionately the death of his son growing grievously sick died His body was buried in the principal Church of Palermo and in the same Tomb they laid his son Ruggieri Tancred departed this life in the end of the month of December the year of our Lord 1194. having reigned little more then eight years He left behind him three daughters and one son called William whom Sibilla his mother caused instantly to be crowned King of Sicilia The Emperor Henry understanding of the death of Tancred pretending that the Kingdom appertained to him as before is recited returned from Germany in the year 1195. and with a mighty Army entred the Kingdom of Naples which he finding full of civil discord easily obtained without the loss of much bloud and took prisoner Magarito King of Albania which was come thither in the aid of Tancred He had afterward Sibilla in his hands the late wife of Tancred together with his son William and three daughters that is to say Alteria Constanza and Modonia and sent them all prisoners into Germany and afterward caused William to be gelded to the end he should be unable to beget children and afterward blinded him and then released the said daughters Alteria was married to the Earl Gualtiero of Brenna son of the Earl Girardo of Brenna and brother of Iohn of Brenna which was afterward King of Ierusalem Modonia was married with Iohn Sforza Frangipane a Roman Lord which was Earl of Tricarico Constanza was the wife of Pietro Ziano Earl of Arba and Duke of Venice who being old with the
consent of his said wife became a Munk of the Order of St. Benedict which was in the year 1229. Thus ended the ancient and noble masculin race of the Norman Guiscards in the Kingdom of Naples and Sicilia which from the time of William Ferabach continued 188 years and governed the Kingdom of Naples and Sicilia with much honour and renown SVEVI Henry the Suevian sixth Emperor and fifth King of Naples HENRY the Emperor having extinguished the male-issue and progeny of the Normans and remained absolute Lord of both the Sicilies caused Frederick his son to be Crowned by the Electors of the Empire King of Germany Afterward purposing better to establish the affairs of the Kingdom of Naples sent thither a Lieutenant one of his Barons called Marqueredo d' Amenueder whom within a few months following he created Duke of Ravenna and Romagna and Marquiss of Ancona and at the same tine gave to Philip Duke of Suevia his brother the Dukedom of Toscane with the Lands of the Countess Mattilda So Henry being carefull to range his Army to invade England for certain hatreds conceived against Richard the first King of that Land altered his mind in Messina through his delight in hunting being in the time of Harvest whereupon the Feaver growing grievously upon him ended his life the 8 of May in the year 1197 having ruled the Empire 9 years and governed in peaceable possession the Kingdom of Naples and Sicilia four years and one month His body with the stately pomp of solemn obsequies was buried in the Church of Monreale in Palermo in whose sumptuous Tumb of Porphyrie is ingraven this Epitaph Imperio adjecit Siculos Henricus utrosque Sextus Suevorum candida progenies Qui monacham sacris uxoris duxit ab aris Pontificis scriptis hic tumulatus inest Imperavit an 9 men 1. obiit Messanae Anno 1197. Frederick 2. Emperor and 6. King of Naples FREDERICK the second Emperor the son of the aforesaid Henry succeeded in the Kingdom of Naples and Sicilia and because he was a child and but three years of age Constanza his mother caused him to be Crowned King of both the Sicilies and with him in his name began to govern the Kingdom and had the enstalment of the Kingdom from Pope Innocent the third in the year 1198. Frederick being of perfect age married Iola the only daughter of Iohn Count of Brenna and of Mary the daughter of King Conrado of Montferrato and for her dowry among other things had the title and the right of the Kingdom of Ierusalem and hereupon Frederick and all the rest which succeeded in the Kingdom of Naples were called Kings of Ierusalem In the year 1220. two years after his Coronation of the Empire Frederick being in grace and favour with the Pope Honorius the third and with the Church made and published in Rome that Law which beginneth Ad decus seu nos Fredericus the which Law is registred in the book of the feuds under the Title De statutis consuetudinibus contra libertatem Ecclesiarum the which Law the said Pope confirmed and approved Frederick also made at the same time the constitutions of the Kingdom which afterward the learned Doctor Afflitto expounded Frederick having ordered his affairs in Germany went in the time of Gregory the 9 into Soria and after much wars made peace with Salandine for 10 years and for that cause had Ierusalem and all the Kingdom thereof except a few certain Castles whereupon on Easterday in the year 1229. he took the Crown of that Kingdom in the City of Ierusalem Afterward there grew between him and Pope Honorius great discord because he took upon him to bestow the Bishopricks in Sicilia and Frederick pretending he might lawfully do it and dispose at his own pleasure by reason of a Bull which by Pope Vrban the second was granted to Ruggieri the Norman concerning the Monarchy of the said Isle the Pope misliking the presumption and ostentation of Frederick excommunicated him and deprived him of the Empire and the Kingdom the which censure Pope Innocent the fourth confirmed in the year 1245. Frederick lived five years after in continual trouble and vexation and at length having ruled the Empire 33 years and the Kingdom of Naples and Sicilia 51. and that of Ierusalem 28. died of an infirmity that grew in his throat the 13 of December in the year 1250. in the Castle of Fâ—orentino in Apulia having lived 54 years Manfred his base son caused his body to be carried with great pomp and honour into Sicilia to the stately Church of Monreale in Palermo and there buried him in a sumptuous Tomb of Porphiry whereupon these Verses were ingraven Qui mare qui terras populos regna subegit Caesareum fregit subito mors improba nomen Sic jacet ut cernis Fredericus in orbe secundus Nunc lapis hic totus cui mundus parvit arcet Vixit an 54. Imperavit an 33. Regni Hierusalem an 28. Regnorum utriusque Siciliae 5 â— Oblit an Domini 1250. He left of six wives which he had many children of the first which was Constance of Aragon the sister or as others write the daughter of Don Ferdinando King of Castile he had Conrado which died young Henry and Giordiano Henry was King of the Romans who in the year 1236. he put to death because he favoured the Popes faction Of Iola his second wife the daughter of Iohn of Brenna King of Ierusalem he had Conrado which was Emperor of Germany and afterward King of Naples Of Agnese his third wife the daughter of Otho Duke of Moravia he had not any children Of Ruthina the fourth wife the daughter of Otho Earl of Vvolfferzhausen he had Frederick which died in his infancy Of Elizabeth his fift wife the daughter of Lewis Duke of Bavaria he had Agnese which was married to Conrado the Landtgrave of Turingia Of Matilda his last wife daughter of Iohn of England he had Henry which was King of Sicilia and Constance who was married to Lewis the Landtgrave of Nescia Frederick had also by Blanca Anglana of Aquosana his concubine these children Manfred Prince of Taranto and usurper of Naples Enzo King of Sardinia Anfisio of whom he made small account and Frederick Prince of Antiochia Of daughters he had Ann which was married very young to Iohn Dispote of Romania Of Henry and of Margarite the daughter of Lupoldo Duke of Austria was born Frederick which was Duke of Austria and Henry Of Conrado and of Elizabeth the daughter of Otho Duke of Bavaria came Coradine which coming to the conquest of the Kingdom was taken by Charls of Angio King of Naples and beheaded Of Manfred his natural son which married Helena the daughter of Michel Dispote of Romania came Henry Godfrey Aufisio and Elena Conrado the 4. Emperor and 7. King of Naples CONRADO the son of Frederick understanding the death of his father
came with a great Army into the Kingdom and was received with great joy and honour by Manfred in Barletta of Apuglia and being informed that Naples Capoa Aquino and the whole Abby of St. Germano were become Rebels through the instigation of the Earl of Caserta and dinoted to the Church conceived thereat so great indignation and ire that with his Army he wasted and overrun the Country and made Tomaso Earl of Cerra to come and submit himself to his mercy and had by agreâ—ment St. Germano and all the State of the Earl of Caserta He afterward besieged Capoa and having spoiled and destroyed all the Country took the City and threw the Walls thereof to the ground he did the like to Aquino the which he sacked and burned Afterward he besieged Naples both by Sea and Land and after eight months had it by agreement but they not observing their Covenants he caused afterward the Walls to be ruinated and the Fortresses of the City and many Noble houses of Gentlemen and Citizens he banished Conrado having Naples at the same instant had the rest of the Kingdom He now remaining in peaceable state and given to his pleasures being inhumane and of a cruel nature caused Henry his Nephew to be slain upon the high-way the son of Henry King of the Romans which was come from Sicilia to visit him But that revenge was not long delayed for Manfred his natural brother which endeavoured by all means to become King with a poysoned potion upon a light occasion kil'd him which was in the year 1254. and the 3 of Iune having held the Empire 3 years and 5 months and the Kingdom of Naples and Sicilia 2 years and 19 daies His body was buried in the principal Church of Naples under a little narrow Marble stone Conrado before his death made his Will and ordained his youngest son his heir general born of Elizabeth the daughter of Otho Duke of Bavaria Manfred the 8 King of Naples MANFRED Prince of Taranto the natural son of the Emperor Frederick the second having usurped the Kingdom was by Pope Alexander the fourth excommunicated The said Pope died within a while after and Pope Vrban the fourth a Frenchman was created in his place who fearing the threatnings of Manfred called unto the conquest of the Kingdom Charls of Angio Earl of Province brother of St. Lewis the 9 King of France to whom he gave the oath of both the Sicilies with the right and title of the Kingdom of Ierusalem and at his own charge should maintain the War and conquer it Charls being animated by his brother and others of the Nobility with a valorus courage undertook this famous enterprise In the mean time Vrban died leaving the Papacy to Clement the 4. in whose Popedom Charls with a most glorious Army came to Rome in the year 1265. and was then with Beatrice Berenguer of Aragon his wife in the Church of S. Iohn Lateran by Pope Clement again invested with solemn ceremony and Crowned with an Imperial Crown King of both the Sicilies and of the Kingdom of Ierusalem and made exempt from the Empire with Covenant that neither he nor his successors that should be chosen Emperors should by any means accept thereof the which was done with solemn oath and so Charls was made a Liegeman and Feudary of the Church and promised to pay for tribute a yearly Rent of 40 thousand markâ— to the Bishops of Rome Charls towards the end of February in the year 1265. came into the Kingdom and incountred with Manfred and after divers fortunes both on the one and the other side Charls remained conqueror and Manfred was overcome Manfred reigned 10 years 4 months and 16 daies ANGIOINI Charls of Angio the 9 King of Naples CHARLS remaining Conqueror was received by the Neopolitans with royal pomp and proclaimed King and having ordered the affairs of both the Kingdoms was made by Clement the 4. Deputy of the Empire of Italy Understanding afterward that Corradine the Suevian the son of the Emperor Conrado sometime King of Naples was come with a mighty Army to recover the right of inheritance of his Kingdoms made great preparation of War Corradine entreth the Kingdom and after divers and sundry skirmishes at length Corradine was overcome and flying disguised was taken in Asturi by Iohn Francipane Lord of that place which sent him to Charls who after he had kept him more then a year in prison caused him to be beheaded in the midst of the Market-place of Naples which was in the month of October 1269. and so Charls with little labour recovered all the Kingdom He made afterward great Wars with the Saracins and especially with Arageno King of Tunis because that barbarous King refused to pay the Tribute which was accustomed to be paid to the Kings of Naples Charls did in such wise afflict him that he inforced him not only to pay the charges of that War but also doubled the Tribute In the year following 1276. Vgone Lusignano the 11 of this name King of Cypress and Mary the daughter of Melisenda and of Raimond Rupini Prince of Antiochia contending about the inheritance of the Kingdom of Ierusalem Mary being at variance with Vgone came to Rome and caused the said King Vgone to be convented before the Pope the Pope by his decree commanded that the examination and decision of the cause should be determined by the Barons of the Holy Land and the Master of the Hospital and the Temple who were accustomed to have a voice in Councel in the election of the Kings of Ierusalem The which the Princess Mary considering being a woman very aged faint and wearied with travel and the dangers of so long a journey being advised by her friends and by Pietro Manso knight of the Temple his Ambassador compounded with King Charls and receiving of him a great sum of money resigned all her right and Title which she had unto the said Kingdom Whereupon Charls afterward by means of the Pope obtained a favourable sentence and was declared lawfull and absolute King of that Kingdom as well by the ancient right of Fâ—ederick as also by that of Mary Charls afterward for the more security of things sent the Earl Ruggiero Sanseverino Governor into Soria who in the name of Charls received the faith and oathes of homage of the Knights and Barons which were in the kingdom By these aforesaid reasons all the posterity of the said Charls and also all the other Kings of Naples as heirs are always intitled Kings of Ierusalem Charls reigned 19 years 2 moneths and 26 days Charls the second 10 King of Naples CHarls the second son of Charls of Angio reigned 25 years and 17 days Charls was also King of Hungary by the right of Mary his wife the daughter of Stephen the 5. of the name the King of that kingdom who being slain by the Cumani Ladislao the fourth son of the aforesaid
of the Articles of peace concluded between the Catholique Ferdinando and the said King returned with her children to Ferrara where she was very courteously received by Duke Alfonsus of Este her kinsman where she died in the year 1533 her children remaining desolate and much persecuted by Fortune went to Valentia in Spain where was the Duke Ferdinando their brother and no long time following the one after the other died And in the year 1559. the fifth of August the aforesaid Duke ended his life without leaving any issue And so in him was extinguished the Progeny of the old King Alfonsus of Aragon FRANCES I. Lewis the 12 King of France and 23 King of Naples LEwis the twelfth of this name King of France divided with the King of Spain according to their covenants the kingdom of Naples and obtained of Pope Alexander the sixth the instalment according to the tenor of those conditions which he had made But in the year 1502. their Lieutenants growing into difference about the Confines fell to Arms and at last the Frenchmen were driven out of that kingdom through the valour of that worthy Captain Consalvo Fernando and Ferdinando the Catholique King remaining absolute possessor thereof King Lewis held the Realm of Naples one year and ten moneths but in France he reigned sixteen years and died in the beginning of the year 1514. ARAGONES I. Ferdinando the Catholick 24 King of Naples FErdinando the Catholique remaining absolute Lord of the kingdom maintained it in great peace all the time of his life and obtained of Pope Iulio the second the investing of all the kingdom Finally after many victories atchieved in divers parts he died in Madrigaleio a City of Castile the 22 day of Ianuary in the year 1516. having been King of Naples twelve years and three moneths His body was buried in the Royal Chappell of the City of Granata and upon his Tomb this Inscription was engraven Mahometicae-sectae prostratores haereticae pravitatis extinctores Ferdinandus Aragonum Helizabetha Castellae vir uxor unanimes Catholici appellati marmoreo clauduntur hoc tumulo Ione the third 25 Queen of Naples IOne the third of this name daughter of Ferdinando the Catholique King being now the widow of Philip Archduke of Austria succeeded in the kingdom and having fourteen moneths governed all her kingdoms substituted her heir Charls her eldest son who had scant accomplished 16 years of age Charls remaining at Brussels in Flanders being much exhorted by the Emperour Maximilian his Grandsire reformed in the year 1516. the order of the Knights of the Golden Fleece and so reduced them to the number of 31. And because many through death were void he elected to the said Order amongst others these Lords Francis 1. King of France Don Ferdinando Infant of Spain Emanuel King of Portugal Lewis King of Hungary Frederick Count Palatine Iohn Marquis of Brandenburgh Charls de Lannoi Lord of Sanzelle Moreover Don Lodovico of Vaimonte great Constable of the kingdom of Navarre took in Naples the possession of the kingdom for the said Queen Charls so soon as he was invested by the Queen his mother sailed into Spain and was received of all the people with infinite joy but yet many of the greatest Nobility and principall of the kingdom would not accept him as King but onely as Prince for offering wrong to the Queen Ione since by Testament of the Catholique King her father it was decreed that after the death of Ione Charls of Austria should succeed Upon the which succession grew great tumults and contentions but in the end things were well qualified admitting him for King together with the Queen his mother to be done with this condition That the affairs of the kingdom should be governed in both their names the money stampt and so all other business whatsoever And so once again on the 25. of March in the year 1517. the said Queen confirmed to Charls the former endowment The year ensuing the 13 of April Charles was proclaimed King together with his Mother And the 18 of the moneth of May Prospero Colonâ—a took in Naples the possession of the kingdom in the name of Charls which was done with all solemnity Charls then being received to the Administration of Spain sent also to the administration of all the other kingdoms In the year 1519. Charls elected into the number of the Knights of the Golden Fleece in place of Gismondo K. of Polonia lately dead Christerno K. of Denmark and Frederick of Toledo Duke of Alva In the mean time died the Emperour Maximilian and the Electors of the Empire assembled according to their ancient custome at Francford a Citie of low Germany for the election of a new Cesar and by a general consent the 18 of June in the year 1520. they chose Emperour Charls of Austria King of Spain Ione having reigned as we have said absolutely 14 moneths and together with Charles the 5 Emperour her son 38 years and four moneths retired herself to Tordezilla a Citie of Spain where within a little while after she ended her life the thirteenth of Aprill in the year 1555. AVSTRIACI Charles 5 Emperour and 26 King of Naples CHarls the fifth Emperour after the death of Ione his mother remained absolute Lord of all his kingdoms and being as is said elected Emperour the same year past the Sea from Spain into Flanders and from thence into Germany where he was received in the moneth of October in Aquisgraue a noble City both for the ancient residence the famous Tomb of Charls the Great with a mighty concourse of people was first crowned In the moneth of January 1526. Charls celebrated his marriage in Hispali with Isabella of Portugal his wife the sister of King Iohn of Portugal Afterward he went into Spain where being arrived proceeded very severely against many who had been authors of sedition all the other he pardoned and discharged And to joyn with justice and clemency examples of gratitude and remuneration in the acknowledging of that wherein he was ingaged to Don Ferdinando of Aragon Duke of Calauraia who having refused the Crown and the kingdom of Spain offered unto him by the States thereof though he were a prisoner set him at liberty and with great honor called him to the Court and married him to the richest Princess then living even the Widow of the Catholique King Ferdinando by which means he much gladded the people and the Duke received honor liberty and infinite wealth and was created for his life time viceroy of Valentia The Emperour without any charge or the expence of a peny got the friendship of the Duke the love of the people and great security to his State The year ensuing 1527. on the 21 of May the Emperess Isabella was delivered of her son Philip in the Citie of Castilia through whose happy birth was made every where generall seasting and triumphs In the moneth of October 1528. the
the 7 offices of the kingdom cause him to swear to do the duty of a good Prince and to observe the priviledges immunities of the Citie and Kingdom Afterward they lead him to sit on the left hand not far from the Legate in a chair of state covered with cloth of gold and the Legate with a loud voyce proclaimeth him King of Naples and Ierusalem And the seven officers of the kingdom with the Recorder in token of obedience kisse his hand and the like is done by the Princes and Nobility of the kingdom These ceremonies finished the King receiveth the Communion where begins to sound the Organs Trumpets Cornets and other Instruments discharging the Artillery and making great triumph and joy and so Mass being ended the King useth to invest many Lords into their States The King being mounted upon his horse entreth under the Canopy embrodered with gold in the top whereof gently wave up and down the Kings Arms both of the Kingdom of the Citie and of the Provinces carried by men of dignity and honor which at one and the same time succeed in their honors and in their labours Then beginneth the order of the pomp and state to march forward the which I will omit to declare lest I should seem too tedious leaving it to every one to consider thereof And this great King is exempted from the Empire neither acknowledgeth he any superior being a feudist of the Church the which Andrea d' Sormia confirmeth in his Preambles concerning tribute in the ninth column and likewise Mattheo d' Afflitto many other worthy Lawyers discourse thereof the which the most say that the King of Naples is one of the aforesaid four Kings that are anointed and crowned by the order of the Pope Besides he goeth before the elected Emperour being not crowned because that before his coronation he is called King of the Romans but being anointed and crowned he is then called the Roman Emperour Moreover the said four kings do not follow behind the Emperor as other kings that are subject to him but go by his side whereby it appeareth that the King of Naples is one of the great Kings of the world as well in dignity as honor of the Empire therefore I think it not much expedient to take any great pains in expressing it since the reputation thereof is well known to all that have any experience in learning Sufficient is said hereof for the Emperour Charls the 5. in the year 1554. marrying his first begotten son Philip Prince of Spain to Queen Mary of England would not invest him with any other Title then the kingdom of Naples and Ierusalem to the end he should not be inferior to so great a Queen And so much concerning the coronation of the Kings of Naples A brief Discourse of the Kings of IERVSALEM Beginning from Godfrey where is shewed the true cause why the Kings of NAPLES are intituled to that Kingdom THe subject of this Discourse we have here to handle requireth that I also shew and declare the reason and cause by what right all the Kings of Naples have been intituled to the kingdom of Ierusalem a discourse both for the greatness and excellency of the matter worthy to be known from the true understanding whereof every one may evidently see and perceive the great dignity and honor of the Kings of Naples and by what right and title the said kingdom more justly belongeth to them then any other For the better knowledge whereof it is necessary I briefly begin from the first Christian King of that kingdom After the death of Godfrey was Baldwin beforesaid Count of Edissa his brother made King of Ierusalem in his place which was a man of great valor for he wan the Citie of Tiberiade in Galile Sidon Accaron and many more upon the Sea-coast and with the help of the Genoways and Venetians afterward overcame the strong Citie of Tolomaida he had also the Castle of Soball which stands upon the river of Iordan and did much increase his dominion At length having reigned 18 years ended his life without children and was buried in the same Sepulcher with his brother By the death of Baldwin was Baldwin the second of Burges in France made King by the generall consent of the Christians who was cousin germain to the two aforesaid Kings of Ierusalem and in the second year of his reign the Prince of the Turks in Asia minor coming upon Gaza with a mighty Army he valiantly encountred overcame and took him prisoner And in the year following the King of Damasco suddenly besieged the gates of Ierusalem with fifteen thousand fighting men Baldwin couragiously issuing out and valiantly charging them at length put them to flight and slew two thousand of them and took their King with a thousand prisoners and lost but onely thirty men Not long after Balach King of the Parthians arriving with a mighty Army encountred with Baldwin hand to hand overcame him and carried him prisoner to Cairo with many Christian Noble men But at length Baldwin with the said Christian Nobility were released with the payment of a great sum of money and the King returned to Ierusalem where reigning thirteen years died without issue Male and Fulk Count of Anjou his son-in-law succeeded him in the kingdom who had married his daughter Melesina against whom the Barbarians durst never move any war because of his two sons Baldwin and Almerich expert and valiant souldiers who being imployed as Deputies in his affairs executed many great slaughters on the Turks After this valiant King had reigned 11 years running in hunting after a Hare his horse falling with his head downward died presently Whereupon his son Baldwin the Great and third of this name was made King who took Ascalon and Gaza ancient Cities and gave them to the Knights of the Temple Baldwin performing other famous and worthy deeds of Arms after he had reigned 24 years died and was buried in the holy Temple with the other Kings and Almerich his brother succeded in the kingdom a valiant man who had many conflicts with the Turks and took the Citie of Alexandria in Aegypt Afterward he went against the great and mighty Citie Cairo called in ancient time Carra and besieged it and being very likely to win it notwithstanding through the instigations of the Citizens received a great sum of money left the siege and returned again to Ierusalem and not long after died having reigne 12 years leaving behind him three children Baldwin Sybilla and Isabella to whom succeeded in his kingdom Baldwin the fourth of this name his first begotten who though he had the leprosie notwithstanding he did very valiantly and politickly govern the kingdom and having no wife yet because the Realm should not want a sufficient heir to succeed him he married his sister Sybel to William Longspath Marquess of Montferrato and Isabell his youngest sister he promised with
Jewels Treasure to Erfrando of Tours Governor of the Rhodes This Marquess William had the government of Ierusalem but being a weak impotent King did notwithstanding many famous and worthy deeds but he little enjoyed the benefit of his victories for that in the beginning of the second year of his reign he died and left after him one onely son called Baldwin Baldwin the King being desirous to provide for his Nephew married again his sister Sybell to Guy of Puite Lubrun son of Hugh Lubrun Duke of Merchia and Governor of Lusignon in France with this agreement that after his death the said Guy should govern the kingdom till Baldwin his Nephew were of sufficient age But Guy carrying himself haughty and over-proud in the government of the said kingdom was dismist again by Baldwin the King This was in the year 1183. Moreover he procured Pope Lucius the third to annoint and crown his Nephew King Baldwin the fifth being but a child and appointed him Bertrand Count of Tripoly his Governor and protector of the kingdom Thus King Baldwin the fourth reigning 6 years died leaving Count Tripoly Tutor as is said of young Baldwin the fifth but he resigning his charge being withstood by Sybel the mother of the Boy and Guy her husband But in the beginning of the eighth moneth the little king Baldwin died whose death the mother concealed so long as the effecting of her intended purpose required insomuch that what with flattering and fair words and with large gifts she wan the Patriark Eraclio with the Nobility and principal men of authority in the kingdom to create Guy her husband King The Count understanding this fuming thereat being incensed with rage and envying the prosperity of Guy made peace with Salandine King of the Sarasins promising to aid him against King Guy The Salandine being now at peace with the Christians found opportunity by the discord of these Princes to break it because the Christian Prince of Montreale which governed the countrey from that to the river Iordan being on every side inhabited with Sarasins who continually carried their commodities to Ierusalem without the Kings knowledge suddenly brake the truce for the Salandine saw the time was now come which he long expected assembled together fifty thousand Horsmen and an infinite company of Footmen without number and got many cities of the Christians and increasing their Army with the people of the countrey took Ierusalem by covenant after they had besieged it one moneth This was done the second of October 1187 in the third yeare of King Guy having been in the possession of the Christians 89 years Salandine entring Ierusalem caused first the steeples and bells to be thrown down and of the Churches he made stables for his horses onely he reserved the Temple of Solomon which was washed with Rose-water at his first entrance Afterward he went to Tolomayda and besieged it wherein was the King and Sybel his wife with four children who with the children died together of a bloody flux Now as we have said before was promised to Erfrando of Turon Master of the Rhodes a noble young man Isabel to wife the sister of Sybel a virgin and also the daughter of Baldwin the fourth and sixth King of Ierusalem who now by the death of Sybel was next heir to her Fathers kingdom This expectation increased a better regard of the Barons and Christian Princes towards Erfrando But Conrado Longspath Marquess of Monferrato understanding the sudden death of Sibel and her children being desirous of Soveraignty and also enamored of Isabel his neer kinswoman secretly stole her away but with her own consent and conveyed her to Tyre and there privatly married her And so all the right of the kingdom of Ierusalem came to him by his wife Isabel whereupon he was intituled King of that kingdom The year 1190 after Philip King of France had sollicited Richard King of England to go into Soria but King Richard defer'd his going till the year following Richard afterward observing his promise came to Messina in the moneth of September where Philip also was from whence they departed having a prosperous wind Philip in a short time arrived at Tolomayda but Richard by a tempest was driven to Cyprus where Chirsack Duke of the Island denied him harbour whose discourtesie he took with such discontent as by meer force surprized the Island and sacking it planted a strong guard of his own people and from thence passed to Tolomayda to joyn with the Christian Army Not long after he sold the said Island to the Knights of the Temple for a hundred thousand crowns who ill governing the same were forced by the power of the Cypriots to depart thence and so the Knights restored it again to Richard who likewise returned them their money and with the same conditions the year 1193 gave it to Guy of Puite Lubrun Lusignon in France husband to Isabel sister of King Baldwin who before was enforced to flye Ierusalem in consideration whereof he resigned unto him all the Title and Interest he had to the kingdom of Ierusalem and for this cause the King of England began to be called King of Ierusalem and King Guy took the possession of Cyprus and was called King of the said Isle The which right to the kingdom of Ierusalem was nothing because the same by all law now justly belonged to Isabel the daughter of King Baldwin wife of Conrado Marquess of Monferrato therefore can no right or title be attributed to the King of England herein Not long after the King Conrado of Monferrato was slain in Tyre by two Sarazins called Arsacides not leaving any male children but one onely daughter called Mary The Queen Isabel married again and had to her husband Henry Count of Campania who indowed her with the Signiory of Tyre but that unhappy young man living not many years with his wife unfortunately sell from a loft or chamber in his own Palace and so died leaving three daughters Agnesa Melisina and Alicia Queen Isabel remaining thus a widow married again the third time with Almerick Puite Lubrun Lusignon King of Cyprus who by the death of Guy his brother succeeded in the said kingdom and was second King of Cyprus and in the right of Isabell his wife was also called King of Ierusalem by whom he had three children Amarin Sybilla and Melisenda but Amarin died young King Almerick married Sybil to Livon King of Armenia and Melisenda the youngest daughter was married to Raymond Rupini Nephew of the said King of Armenia and his successor in the kingdom the which Raymond was then Prince of Antioch Of this Melisenda wife of Prince Raymond Rupini was born that Mary who in the year 1276 resigned to Charls of Anjou King of Naples the claim and Title she pretended to the kingdom of Ierusalem At length King Almerick died leaving his kingdom of Cyprus to Hugo his son whom he
a stately kind of gravity which he affected much and therin was a tru Spaniard who will hardly change his pace though it be with a whip He very much honord the Sacerdotall dignity esteeming that reverence which he did to Gods Ministers to reflect upon his own divine Majesty A gentleman of Toledo shott a Musket at a Canon of the Church though it missd him yet he causd the gentleman to be beheaded and another for giving but a cuff to a Capuchin Fryer Ther was a process of fower and twenty yeers standing in Valentia who shold give the Pax at Mass to the Priest the Vice-roy or the Arch-bishop the Duke of Naiara had contested much for it not long after King Philip came to his City of Valentia upon som signall ocasions and being at a conventuall Masse in a Monastery he commanded him who carried the Pax to give it first to the Arch-bishop so the suit was ended he held that a reverend aw to the Governors of the Church was the prime support of piety they having charge of the noblest part of man which is his Soul And herein he was much in the right for wher this awfull Reverence is lost nothing but Sacriledg confusion and Heresy will follow as we find by late woful experience besides this reverence to Church-men is often very available to compose tumults As he did put a sudden end to that church contestation betwixt the Arch-bishop and Vice-roy so he had a Magisteriall and Majestick way of reconciling differences and emulations among his Nobles In a Parliament he had once summond ther fell a high debate twixt the two great Cities of Toledo and Burgos the one being the head of old Castile the other of the new who of them shold speak first and the debate grew very high Phillip hearing of it came with all the Ensigns of Majesty to the Parliment-house and ended the difference by this witty way hable Burgos que por Toledo hablare yo let Burgos speak for Toledo I will speak my self so they did acquiesse but which of them had the better I leave it to the judgment of the Reader Thus the practise of this King may be a pattern for all Princes to govern by his way of ruling may be a rule to raign by the manner of his living and dying may be a rule to dy and live by yet a little before his death he commanded Christoval de Mora to burn all his privat papers Philip the second had four Wifes the first was the Infanta of Portugal Donna Maria the second was Mary Queen of England the third Isabel the eldest Daughter of France and the fourth Anne the Emperours Daughter his Neece of whom he had Philip the third who succeeded him he had in all five Sons and three Daughters Don Carlos was his first begotten who dyed in the flower of his age but because ther have bin and continue to this day divers dark discourses of the cause of the Princes death I will be more large in the relation according to the Manuscript I had from a person of knowledg and honor Don Carlos eldest Son to Philip the second of Spain was born in Valladolid somtimes the Court of the Catholic Kings In his Fathers absence he was being com to the age of foutteen yeers bred under the King of Bohemia his Uncle who then governd Spain with his Ant Donna Iuana during that charge they had of him they wer more carefull of the conservation of his health and growth then of his Education shewing herein too much indulgency and suffering him to have his will too much His Father at his return to Spain observd in him som wildish humors which he connivd at thinking that time wold correct them At sixteen yeers of age he was sworn Prince in the City of Toledo with the greatest solemnity that ever was seen in Spain his Father then sent him and his Uncle Don Iohn of Austria together with Alexander Prince of Parma to Complutum or the University of Alcala to get somthing of the Latin Toung and som knowledg in the Mathematicks It happend that in a waggery climing up a Ladder as he came down he fell so unluckily that he was mortally hurt in his skull and back-bone the King went instantly to see him when he found him in a swown all the Churches prayed for him and the body of Saint Diego which is the greatest relique they have in Alcala was brought and put upon him a good while he then began to com to himself again so a while after by the care and skill of Andria Basili he was cured but to make vent for som congeald corrupted blood that was within he was forcd to open part of the Pericraniuâ— which made him ever after to be of a weak brain subject to extravagancies he wold somtimes go up and down his Fathers house and abuse his Servants he wold hurl out som out at the windows kick and cuff others One time he made his Shoomaker to eat a peece of his Boots because they wer too streight for him Cardinal Espinota coming one day to Court he grappld him by the Rocket and threatned him by the life of his Father These and such like exorbitances did much afflict Don Philip his Father who once intended to have sent him to Flanders upon the beginning of the commotions there and withal the Emperor Ferdinand seemd to invite him offring the Infanta Dona Anna to him in marriage but the Prince continuing in his maddish fits the King alterd his resolution and sent thither the Duke of Alua who coming to kiss the Princes hands before his departure he told him in a great fury that he shold not go to Flanders for the voyage belonged unto him and if he contradicted him he wold kill him A little after he writ to divers of the Grandees that they wold assist him in a business which much concernd him they returnd a respectfull answer that they were ready to serve him in any thing so it were not against his Father These Letters were sent to King Philip and Don Iohn of Austria being then at Court discoverd unto him the extravagant designs of the Prince which was to steal away to Germany to marry his Cosen the Emperors Daughter having for his jorney sent him from Sevill 150000. Crowns and he exspected â—50000 more King Philip being then at the Escurial and having timely notice hereof came presently to Madrid whither he sent for the Duke of Feria with others of his privy Counsellors In the dead of night he went with them to the Prince his Quarter the first who entred was the Duke of Feria the Prince â—â—aring upon him from his bed sayed Duke what do you here this time of night presently after appeard his Father wherat the Prince started saying que es esto quiere me matar vuestra Magestad What 's this will your Majesty murther me the King answerd no si no poner orden en vuestra vido quietaos no
Barbary And this the holy Ferdinand did so a little after that he had receivd the Title of Catholic King from the Apostolicall See nor do I think King Almansor that you ever heard or read of an Act of more infidelity and ingratitude by Saracen Infidel or Pagan Almansor went on and sayed truly I have conversd with divers Chronicles wherin I have met with many odd foul traverses of State done by ambitious Princes in hope to raigne But touching this Act of Ferdinand I do not remember to have read any that can parallell it Naples sayed again but O King Almansor if your Nation kept fast Spain so many yeers in that Chain what way did they use to shake it off Almansor sayed that cursed Union which was made twixt Castile and Aragon by the nuptials of Ferdinand and Isabella was the cause of my ruine and of my Successors after me as also of the servitude wherof you complain a most fatall union which all the Potentates of Europe specially of Italy have as much cause to curse to this day as I have for the jealousies twixt the Castilians and Aragonians securd alwaies my Kingdom of Granada Add hereunto that the countenance and succours which the Popes gave to Ferdinand did accelerat the work Hold there King Almansor sayed Naples for since you were cast out of Spain the Popes have sufferd more by the ambitious designes of the Catholick Kings then they did before for nothing could be so disadvantagious to Rome as to have so potent a Prince so neer a Neighbour unto her witness that Siege and lamentable sack which she sufferd so soon after my servitude by the Spaniard Bourbon being his General wherby he hansomly payed her for that assistance she gave him for the Conquest of Granada since which time the ambition of Spain hath bin felt in Italy and in other places so that it had bin more for the tranquility of Europe that the Moors had still continued in Spain Add hereunto that these new additions of power to Spain have tended much to the disorders ever since that have hapned unto you in matters of Religion The jealousies that Germany had of the growing greatness of Charles the fift were the cause that many Princes revolâ—ed from him and Rome but since the Spaniards have taken such firm footing in Italy the main reach of their policy is to joyn me and Milan in one entire peece by subduing all the interiacent Territories which if it happen farewell the freedom of all Italy as well as mine But sayd Almansor how are the Milaneses usd your Conterranean fellow Subjects Naples answerd that they of Milan were washd only with dashes of Rain water but a whole deluge hath over-whelmd me Moreover the disposition of the Lombard differs from mine for the Noble-men and Gentry there are more free and resolute and more far from vice they are better Patriots and carefull of their Countries liberty insomuch that I dare say if there were but one tru Cremona brain among my Napolitan Barons it wold be enough to dash that forcd Donative which is exacted of me ever and anon which brings me often to feed upon bread and Onyons Add hereunto that the confines of the Grisons of the Duke of Savoy and the Venetian who are all jealous of the King of Spains growing power makes him proceed with more discretion and caution in his Territories in Lombardy This dialog twixt Naples and Almansor being ended the same Author faignes all the States of Europe to be summond before the oracle at Delphos to be weighd in a great balance held by Lorenzo de Medici where the Monarchy of Spaine making her apparance in a high majestic garb among other passages there was a Book presented unto her by one of the Witts the substance wherof was to discover a way for Spain to reduce to her ancient splendor and freedom the most noble Parthenope and the once most florishing Kingdom of Naples wheras by plundrings of the Soldiers the corruption of the Iudges the fleecing of the Barons the rapacity of the Viceroys who are sent thither as Hoggs to a sty only to fatten the former lustre of that delicate Countrey is quite decayd The Author receavd twenty Crowns of the Spanish Monarchy for a guerdon for this Book promising that she wold deliver that discours and avisos to her Confessor to consider of Another pure Polititian presented Her with a Treaty clean contrary shewing her a way how the Napolitan Courser might be brought to bear a Pack-Saddle of a heavier burden and to be made so docil that he might be fitt to draw her Coach upon ocasion To the Author of this discours the Monarchy gave 12000 Crowns and a little after he was Grandee of Spain At this great Assembly in Delphos ther was a Contrasto happend twixt Rome and Naples who shold have the precedency it was decided that for the Majesty of a Citty Naples must eternally vayle to Rome and Rome to Naples for a delicat situation that Rome must confesse there are more people in Naples but that Naples must acknowledg ther are more men in Rome Moreover it was necessary that the Witts and Wines of Naples shold be transported to Rome to receave perfection it was also decreed that Naples had more skill to break Colts and Rome to tame Men It was confessd further that ther were more Cavaliers in Naples and more Câ—mendums in Rome That among the Romans they were only calld Knights who carried a red Crosse upon their Garments but in Naples all men indifâ—erently might be calld Knights because the Spaniard made them carry Crosses upon their very skins Thus this ingenious Italian doth descant upon the comportment of the Spaniard in Italy and his Book kept a great noise in the World but the Spaniard owing him a revenge and after a strict and long inquisition not lighting upon him in any of his own Dominions there were two Valentones two Banditi two Hirelings for bloud found him out in Verona and watching their oportunity they went to his Lodging under colour of a visit and every one of them having a bagg of Sand in his pockett they so crushd his bones that they rattled within his skin and having so dispatchd poor Boccolini out of this World they fledd having stoned him to death with Sand. PHILIP The Fourth of AVSTRIA xxix King OF NAPLES PHILIP the third left behind three Sons and two Daughters the Sons were Philip who succeeded him in all his Dominions with Charles and Ferdinand who was Cardinal and Arch-bishop of Toledo they both dyed young in the Meridian of their yeers one in Spain the other being Governour of Flanders The two Daughters were Anna of Austria and the Infanta Donna Maria the first was married to Lewis the thirteenth King of France yet living the other to the Emperor Ferdinand now Raigning King Philip was but young when he took the Reins of the Government being but sixteen yeers of age There was
young Don Iohn of Austria weighs Anchor with a Royal Fleet of Galeons and Gallies made sayl for Sicily having bin so wonderfully fortunat as to extinguish that prodigious fire that had ragd so violently in Town and Country which the Capitall Citty being reducd quickly conformd it self to its old obedience Nor was this youthfull Generall succesfull only in Naples but also in composing the affairs of Sicily which also was in a dangerous disorder Add hereunto the reducing lately of Catalonia by making himself Master of that proud Metropolitan Citty of Barcelona after a bloody stubborn Siege of two and twenty months where the Lord Goring his Lieutenant did signall Services no less heroik then hazardous During these hideous Combustions in Naples there was a notable peece of inhumane Villany discoverd sutable to those times which was this One Francisco Severino a public Notary had a Sister who was a young Widdow but being to pay her six hundred Duckets towards her Dower he clapt her up with a little Daughter of hers in a dark Cave twixt four walls where he fed them with bread and water with som few Roots for seventeen yeers together This Widdow had a Son under the Tutele of an Uncle all the while who being com to yeers demanded of the sayd Notary his Mothers Dowry thinking she had bin dead The rumor hereof flying among the people being in Armes they rushd into the Notaries house the women in the Cave hearing an extraordinary noise began to shriek which being heard they broke down the Wall where they found two women like Savages or Furies with long dischevelld hair dangling about their sholders hereupon the Villany being discoverd the Notary was put to exemplary punishment These Risings of the Napolitan people and those of Sicily with other unlucky Traversâ—s gave a shrewd shock to the Spanish Monarchy It shook also Olivares the great Favorit of the Catholic King and that so ill favourdly that his utter downfall followd Now in regard that this Favorit slept in the Kings bosom and swayd the Monachy of Spain so long it will not be improper to insert here a short Legend of his life He was born in Rome during his Fathers Embassy there in the unlucky Palace of Nero and being a younger Brother at his coming to Spain he became a Student in the Law in Salamanca and then got a Lay Prebendary in Sevill which was his first preferment Having got som subsistence and knowledge he came to Court and insinuated into the favor of this King then Prince so dextrously that he came afterwards to have an absolute power over his inclinations after the fall of the Duke of Lerma and Don Balthasar de Zuniga upon whose ruines he built his fortunes In a short time after the death of Philip the third he was made Master of the Kings Wardrobe Master of the Horse great Chancellor of the Indies which Offices with som Comanderies he got of the three Equestrall Orders of Saint Iago Alcantara and Calatrava were worth him communibus annis 240000. Crowns But he had other reaches to grow rich for when the Galeons set forth from Sevill and the Caracks from Lisbon every yeer for the Indies he usd to embark in them great Cargazons of Corn Wine and Oyle Custom free all which grew in his County of Olivares and with the proceed of those Commodeties there were Jewels Silks and Spices bought and sold afterward for his account wherby he could not choose but gain many millions For engrossing the Kings Favor more entirely he had a way to restrain the Grandees but whom he pleasd from being about the Kings person and for the Queen she was only Co-partner of the Kings Bed but he kept her from having any power at all in other things He found divers inventions for inhancing the Royall Revenew as that all Offices and Benefices which were bestowd shold pay half a yeers in-com to the King which was calld Mediannates There were waies also found out to decry and raise the value of Coin and not long before his fall there was a project calld Papell Sellado which was that no legall Instrument not so much as a Bill Obligatory shold be of force unless it were written in the Kings Paper with a particular Seal to it and all public Notaries with others were to buy these seald Papers at the rate the King imposd upon them by these means there was a Computation made that above two hundred millions of gold came extraordinary to the Kings Coffers in his time Now these new things being imposd upon Catalonia and Portugal which claim more priviledges of enfranchisements then Castillia it was among other the ground of their Revolt Now there were many things conspird to demolish this Grand Minion of the Catholic Kings First A series or crowd of ill successes which tumbled one upon the neck of another both in the Indies as the loosing of Ormus and Goa as also in Europe and in Spain her self by the revolt of Catalonia and Portugal in Flanders by the loosing of many Towns which Francis the first had payd for his ransom Nor was there any signall Exploit worth the speaking atchievd all his time but that of Spinolas when he took the Palatinat Secondly The disaffection of the Queen whom he may be sayd to have kept to her Needle and Distaff all the while who one day broke out into such a passion against him having done her som ill office a little before that meeting him in a Lobby she took off one of her Chapines and banging him ill favourdly about the Pate sayed That she wold have him know that she was Daughter to Henry the Great as well as wife to the King of Spain But this breach was made up presently by the patience and humble protestations of the Conde never to offend her for the future Awhile after the Kings affairs necessitating him to go in person to Catalonia he left the Queen Governesse of Madrid during which time she wonderfully gaind upon the affections of the people by allaying the austere humor of the Spaniard with the affability of the French At the Kings return she took heart then to speak of his affairs of state of the interest of his Monarchy of the revolt of Kingdome ruine of Armies and how all things went from bad to worse and were like to continue so if they whom his Majesty intrusted most with the management of his affairs did not look better to things This discourse sunk somwhat deep into the Kings brest which made his thoughts to reflect upon Olivares his chief Minister and now the Ice being broken the next night after Donna Anna de Guevara the Kings Nurse took heart of grace to speak also to the King having put her self in a convenient place where the King was to pass where falling on her knees she told him That she was not there to beg any grace at his Majesties hands but to render the Crown of Spain the greatest
any of the rest which he much resented in regard he had so earnest a desire to see the Prince and to speak with him he having bin the first who put the Treaty of alliance on foot therfore it was suspected that he wold have discoverd somthing unto him prejudiciall to Spain But to give Don Gaspar de Olivares his due he had solid and sufficient parts for a great Minister of state his passions were very high for the greatning of his Master to the transactions of whose affairs he indefatigably addicted himself He was a professd Enemy to all Presents he never usd to give audience to Ladies or any women but wold receive their busines by Letters Lastly the greatest fault which I find he could be guilty of was that he was not so succesfull as he was sedulous Thus fell that huge Swayer of the Spanish Monarchy above thirty yeers and it seems with the Kings favor his spirits quickly fayld him for removing from Loches to Toro he there met with his last about sixteen months after His body being opend there was found in his Skull above two pounds of Brains and at the day of his buriall there was a huge Tempest fell with extraordinary fulgurations and cracks of Thunder as we read that when Katherin de Medici was buried in France there fell such a hidious storm that fifty Sayl of Merchant-men were cast away upon the Coasts of Britany The sorest Enemy Olivares had was the Queen which made him say that Muger hizo echar el primer hombre fuera de'l parayso y muger hizo echar a mi fuera del palacio A Woman was the cause that the first man was thrust out of Paradice and a Woman was the cause that I also was thrust out of the Kings Palace The Conde de Castrillo brother to the Marquess of Carpio who was brother-in-law to Olivares was one of the chiefest Engins which helpd to pull down this great Tree being a sober and wise well weighd man He is now Vice-roy of Naples having succeeded the little Conde d Ognate who had done such signall supererogatory Services in suppressing those horrid tumults in Naples where the power of Spain was upon point of sinking and his wisdom was no less discernd in settling peace and stopping the wide breaches wherwith that Kingdom had bin so miserably rent as also in finding out and punishing the chiefest Incendiaries wherof there were divers who felt the sharp Sword of Nemesis And lastly for devising waies to raise sums countervaylable to those Gabels and Taxes which the King was enforcd to abolish by the fury of the people And now will I take leave of the gentle Parthenope that three Castled and high crested Citty but a few words further of her Pedigree before we part she was built presently after the Wars of Troy by a young Grecian Lady calld Parthenope whose statue is to be seen there She was Daughter of Eumelus Son to Admetus King of Thessaly after her Fathers death she consulted with the Oracle at Delphos what her Fortunes shold be the Oracle told her that she was designd for another Country to be the Foundress of a noble Citty which shold be famous all the Earth over therfore she embarkd her self with divers more and sayling along the Tyrrhen Sea she landed at last in the next Promontory to Naples whence as the Legend tells a white Dove conducted her to that palce where Naples now stands where she began to build and trace a Citty which she calld by her own name Parthenope or the Virgin Citty which appellation continued till Octavianus the Emperor who first calld her Neapolis or the City of Navigation she being in rising postures like an Amphitheater on the Sea-side and wonderfull comodious for trafic she abounds with Silks Oyles Flowers Fruits and a most generous Race of Horses as any place upon the earthly Globe As her Horses are generous so they are observd to be more docile and neer to rationall Creatures then any where else for which this instance shall be producd Cardinall Bentivoglio sent Henry the Fourth of France a choice Napolitan Courser with his Keeper when the Horse was brought before the King he commanded one of his Riders to mount him who neither with Switch or Spur wold scarce stir or shew any feats of activity the King herupon and the Beholders began to disparage the Horse taking him for som dull Jade hereupon the King desird an Italian Rider to mount him the Horse when he saw his own Rider ready to back him fell a trembling all over but the Rider being got up he began to prance and flounce so nimbly as if he wold have flown into the Air to the amazement of all the Spectators so King Henry with the Present beggd the Rider of the Cardinall whom he entertaind all his life-time The Napolitan being born in a luxurious Country is observd to be the greatest Embracer of pleasure the greatest Courtier of Ladies and the most indulgent of himself of any other Nation insomuch that no command of the King can make a Napolitan Gentleman to go upon any Service for three months in Sommer till the heats are over They are full of Noble Friendship one to another and somtime they make their love to men controul their lust to women As there was a notable example these late yeers in the person of the young Marquess Oliverio who being desperatly in love with the Countess of Castlenovo layd siege to her a good while and the Count going to a Country-house of his and taking his Countess and Family with him the Marquess being more and more enflamd goes to the Country hard by one day a Hawking and let flies his Hawk into the Count of Castlenovos Gardens where it chancd he and his Countes were walking the Marquess made bold to retreeve his Hawk the Count with very high Civilities did welcom him and causd a Banquet to be presently provided where he and his Lady entertaind him being gone the Count began to commend the Marquess telling his wife that he was one of the hopefullst young Noble men and the fullest of parts of any in the whole Kingdom These praises made such impressions in the Countess that a little after he gaind her so the time and place of pleasure being appointed he was let in a privat way to her Chamber where she being a bed as he was undressing himself to go to her she told him that he was beholden to the Count her Husband for this Favor for she never heard him speak so much in commendation of any Is it so sayd the Marquess then I shold be the arrantst Villan in the world to abuse so noble a Friend so he put on his Dubblet agen and departed but with much civillity in the very height and heat of lust though he had so commodious conjuncture of time as his heart could desire But as the Napolitan have a high noble method of Friendship amongst them so are they as