THE PRINCIPATE OF PARMA AND PLACENTIA.
This PRINCIPATE hath on the North Mantuae, on the South the Appeni••e, on the West Millaine, on the East the coun∣try of Modenae. The revenues are 50000 crownes, the commo∣dities common to the rest of Italy; here are also the excellent Cheeses, called Parmesans. The City of Parma is seated on a li∣tle riuer called ••irnia; Placentia is seated on the Po. They haue both partaken of diuersity of fortune, being sometime vnder the Venetians, sometime vnder the Millanois, and finally vnder the Romane ••relates. Paul the third gaue them to his son Peitre Alvigi Farn••sis, 1546; adding in recompence to the Church, the Signiory of Caemerine, which he had taken from Guido Ma∣ria; D. of Vrbin. This Peitro Aluigi, or Lewis Farnesis, was a man of a most villanous behauiour; and amongst other crimes committed an vnspeakable violence, on the person of Cosmus Charius, Bishop of Fanum, and then poysoned him; for which detestable action, he receiued no other chastisement of his Fa∣ther Christs Vicar, then Haec vitia me non cōmonstra••ore didicit. At last behauing himselfe so insolently, he was slain by Count Iohn Aguzzolo; and Placentia was yeelded to Fernand Gon∣zaga, the Spanish Viceroy in Millaine; Parma being fortified by the Pope, was giuen to his Nephew Octavian Farnesis. Yet could not this donation so assure the Estate, but that Octavian had quite lost it; if Henry 2d of F••ance had not taken him into his protection. For the Emperour Charles fully determined, (notwithstanding that Octavian had married his base daugh∣ter) to haue made hims••l•• Lord of the towne: and the French King was loath to see so great a strength added to the Empe∣rours possession in Italy. When the warre had now last••d foure yeares, Philip the second, which succeeded Charles, considering how necessary it was for his affaires in Italy, to haue this Octa∣vian