I ragguagli di Parnasso, or, Advertisements from Parnassus in two centuries : with the politick touch-stone / written originally in Italian by that famous Roman Trajano Bocalini ; and now put into English by the Right Honourable Henry, Earl of Monmouth.

The XL. ADVERTISEMENT.

The Honorable Title of Messere, being faln into a miserable condition, is shamefully driven out of the Kingdom of Naples; and not being received into Rome, (as it thought it should be) for its last Refuge hath its recourse to Apol∣lo, who assigns it a very satisfactory aboad.

IN the publike meetings of the Seats of Justice at Naples, (which the Neapolitans call Chiazza) it was two months since resolved, that the Title of Messere should be expel'd that kingdom, upon pain of grie∣vous punishment if his worship were not gone within three days. And because that honorable Title thought it had not deserved so scorn∣ful usage, to appease those Princes and Lords who were so highly in∣censt against him, he alleadged the Authority of Giovanni Scopa, An∣tonio Mancinello, and other excellent Grammarians, who did all agree, that the Barbarians, who from the Northern parts overran Italy, they had not onely through their ignorance of the Latin Tongue, corrupted the supreme Title of Here into Sire, but that those that followed after, changed that likewise into Messere which signified as much as My Here which is my Master; and that such a Title with which the Kings of France are pleased to honor their sacred Persons, was unworthily so abu∣sed by the Italians; but it being hereunto answered, that in the impor∣tant business of Titles no respect was had to the true worth thereof, but to the rate according to which it went in the Market, unfortunate Mes∣sere was forced to hide himself in the houses of some worshipful very old men, who complained very much that worshipful Messere should be so hardly dealth withal, even by shop-keepers, with which they remem∣bred that in former times the Kings of Naples made their own stile to be honored, and reverenced. But the business growing at last desperate, Messere took his journey for Rome by the weekly Carryer, at the same time that those honorable Titles of •…•…agnifici, Spectabili, Sereni, and Ge∣nerosi, fled secretly from the kingdom for fear of the like affront. When Messere was come to Rome, he was but badly received, by those Cour∣tiers who long before had thought it much scorn to be cloyed with the jacket of Illustre, Molto Illustre, and who hoped shortly to manumit l'Il∣lustrissimo. Wherefore Messere took his way towards Parnassus, whe∣ther he came some few days ago, and presenting himself before Apollo, acquainted him first with all his persecutions, and then earnestly intreat∣ed his Majesty, that he would appoint him out some aboad, where he might rest quiet, till such time as the flood of Ambition, which had infected even good men, were parted from the world. Apollo did much compassionate the persecutions of that honorable Title, and having first

communicated the business to the Censors, he resolved to recommend him to the care of the Ambassador of Marca, by whom being recei∣ved with great demonstrations of Love, and carryed home into his Country, letters of the twelfth of this month, are come by the ordina∣ry Post from Marca, which say that that kinde and loving Nation hath not onely willingly received Messere, but hath in great pomp admitted him into its Country, under an imbroydered cloth of state; and that Messere in recompence of that very great civility, taught the Marchi∣ans the very next day after his arrival, the true way of rosting the leaf of a Hog, and of sopping their bread in the Dripping-pan, letting that smoak go up the Chimney; which the Neapolitans, and other Nati∣ons which study appearance more then substance, feed much upon.