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An exact Relation of all the late Revolutions in Messina, with their Original, Causes, and Pro∣gress to this present; as it was communicated by a Letter, from an English Gentleman at Naples to a Person of Quality here.
Printed by the Original.
Naples Adj. February the 16th. 1675. S. N.
SIR,
YOU know very well at my taking my leave of you at Paris, and that you were returning for England, I designed to have in Person visited Messina; but being come thus near, I am diverted from so perilous a Voyage, by the advice of my Friends, and the consideration of the dan∣gers which attend that Man, who without any concern adventures himself into places embroyl'd in War, and involved in Rebellion; Nor indeed could I (though I long sought after it) find any means of throwing my self from hence into that City, without running the hazard of being ap∣prehended for a Spy; which (you know well) would prove a knotty affair among so jealous a Nation as the Spaniards, who in those, and Religious cases, are never sparing of their Tor∣tures: these thoughts and difficulties made me therefore resolve to proceed no farther than this City, whence yet I doubt not, but I may in some competent measure, comply with, and satisfie the the injunction you laid upon me, of giving you a particular account of the troubles of Messina.
I need not tell you how it has for some Ages past, been the hard Fate of the Sicilians, as well as Neapolitans, to have groan'd under the Yoke of Forreign Servitude, and that * 1.1they have for some Centuries of Years, been sometimes exposed to the French Rule, some times to the Spanish Tyranny, and have often by the Aid of the one struggled to rid them∣selves from the other, though yet they were impatient of either: Of which let the Sicilian Vespers, and the great Revalution of Naples in Massaniello's time, stand as ample Testimonies' to omit all other petty Rebellions and Revolts, in which this City, and that of Messina have always had the share; and though the Spaniards may seem to have enjoyed for several Years past, a tranquil and quiet Dominion over those people of Sicily; yet the embers were only raked over, and the ill humours were not buried, but lull'd asleep, and from that rest there was gathered strength and vigour in the hearts of the people in General, and of the Nobility in Special, who were continually bemoaning to one another the bitterness of their slavery, and now wanted nothing but a happy conjuncture, to endeavour to crush that Pride wherewith the Spaniard (as they alledged) trampled over Them.
There had now for some Years been held the Office of Stratico, or chief Magistrate of the City of Messina, one Pedro de Lewis de Freg•…•…, a Man of no very ill or oppressive temper, but who suffered himself wholly to be ruled and governed by the Heads of the Family of Merli, to whom he was nearly allyed by Affinity; several Matches having been made counterchangably between the two Families; and those of the Merli by many other great Matches they had made with the Spaniards, were so wholly Spanioliz'd, that they look'd with a kind of scorn and contempt upon their own Country-men, and having now got the reins of the Covernment, by reason of Don Pedro's easiness, into their own hands, rid furiously and stretched the proud and haughty temper of the Spaniards▪ upon the very Tenter-hooks, whilst that which made their rigour appear so much more Notorious, was that the rest of the people plainly perceived it proceeded from those, who should rather have joyned with them in common Defence against it; so that to see▪ them∣selves Trampled over by Men of their own Strain, made them conceive a rage and ha∣tred implacable, both against them, and the Spaniards that supported them.
This general murmur at length begot several private Meetings, and the Famlies of the Marchesi, Giri, Grilli, Bentini, Caraffi, Cartoni, Gramani, and several other of the Prin∣cipal of the City, had sundry close Assemblies in all which they bemoaned, and exa∣sperated one another; and by degrees begun to encourage each other to contrive some way for their Redemption; thus they proceeded to make strong associasions and firm resoluti∣ons