IN THE LIBRARY

Northern Advocate, 22 April 1933, Page 11

IN THE LIBRARY

MASANIELLO, THE NEAPOLITAN FISHERMAN REVOLUTIONARY. 11. The duke endeavoured to address the people from one of the palace windows, but was greeted by cries of “Heath to the Viceroy! Long live the King!” accompanied by a shower of stones. Then the crowd stormed the palace, while the governor fled and tried to take refuge in the New f’astle. His wife, however, had given orders that the gates were under no circumstances to be opened or the drawbridge lowered, even for her husband. Consequently the viceroy found himself between the moat and an angry crowd, which soon came up and began to .-jostle him roughly. One of his attendant noblemen had the happy thought of suggesting that he should be taken to the nearby Church of Saint Louis, there to swear solemnly to abolish the imposts. Thinking to placate the mob, the duke 'scattered among them the gold he had in his pockets. A few among them stooped and picked up the coins, but the majority cried: “No gold! no gold! theabolition of the imposts! the people will be rich when the imposts are done away with!” In this manner they reached the church, and entered by the only door left open for the purpose, which, as soon as the duke had passed, was elammed in the faces of the crowd. Then out through a door at the. back and over a wall by aid of a ladder the viceroy fled to the Castle of Saint Elmo. Thus far his efforts had merely infuriated the revolt.

He now tried the effect of other means. He despatched the old Cardinal Filomarino, much loved by the people, with a treaty of peace, but they would listen to nothing but the charter of Charles V. Then, much against his will, the cardinal was bidden to try and bribe Masaniello with a large sum of gold, but this offer was met with scorn and anger. Matters were only going from bad to worse. After some deliberation a nobleman was sent with what purported to be the charter of Charles Y, and it was then demanded that this should be read aloud. The perusal had not. gone far before loud and indignant cries declared it to be an imposture, which it was, whether deliberately perpetrated, or because the original could not at the moment be found. The latter was the -reason then given. Whether he was aware of the fact or not, it nearly cost the noble his life, and he was only spared on the strong intervention of Pcrroric. Was the bandit already playing, with treason? if not he soon was. He agreed, for £3OOO, to allow the nobleman to escape, and, for a similar sum, to kill Masaniello. Meanwhile the people’s loader was organising his ' men, attending to the administration of rough justice; which ho carried out with an equity and fitness wholly admirable, and generally watching events.

Tlu> viceroy now brought troops into flio city, but this move was too late; in every engagement Masanidlo’s armed men defeated, them. The real charter was now discovered and read to the people. Unfortunately, in the accompanying deed, which promised fn!lilment and the king’s approval, the word “rebellion” ’was' mentioned. An uproar ensued at once, the populace repudiating any suggestion of illegal action, and it had to be amended. In spite of this the Duke of Areod was at the same time in negotiation with a troop of bandits. These rode into the city with the connivance of Pcrrone, and against the orders of Masaniello. They appeared as this latter stood upon the steps of the Del Carmine Church. As they defiled before him, suddenly some of their number opened fire, at almost point blank range'. Several persons were killed around Masaniello, but he was untouched. There was a roar of rage, the bandits were torn from their horses, and hiost were massacred instantly; one or two escaped into the church, but, in spite of being in sanctuary, tlieisc were dragged out and stabbed, one from beneath the very chair of the officiating archbishop. Pcrrone was seized, put. to the torture, and confessed. Prom .these admissions it was learned that the negotiations on behalf of the viceroy had 1 been canned out by three noblemen, the brothers Cara (fa. Two of ilienc were in time to escape from the city, but the third, Don Joseph, after lying concealed in a monastery until, having sent a letter to the viceroy, hidden between the sandal and the foot of a friar, and this being discovered, the prior became alarmed and insisted that his visitor should leave. He wao caught, butchered, beheaded, and his head" placed in an iron cage above the door of the family palace. Piom this time a change came over Masaniello, Whether it was due to the unaccustomed strain of responsibility, or resulted from the effects of power and the shedding of blood, nr whether some poisonous draught had been treacherously administered to him, will probably never be known with certainty. Hitherto mild, just and kindly in disposition, lie now developed sudden tits of fury, in which he would condemn to death for trifling or wholly insufficient causes. Ho 1 grew suspicious, and as may be .judged, with excellent cause. Sleep deserted him. From the first he had declared that it

was revealed to him that he would

(BY “THE BOOK-MAN.”]

suffer deatli at the hands..at* those he had .sought to aid, and now this feeling obsessed him at times. The .vicetoy, now thoroughly amenable, invit-ed-liirh to visit him, and they conversed for long; the duchess «si\hilarly entertained Masaniello’s 'Wife.' , The fisherman, however, had no Iqye for any pomp or show, and remained his own simple self. _

The one man in whom ' Masaniello had complete confidence was the car-dinal-archbishop, and this, worthy, simple and good old man, deserved it to the full. At times the fisherman seemed consumed with fevei> rushed from place to place, harangued'; the people) plunged fully clothed into the sea, and in other ways showed the increasing disorder of his mind.- The people still Obeyed him unquestipningly. Ho would order the demolition of a palace, and at once it disappeared. In the crowded market he would say the, one word “Peace!” and every tongue was instantly silent. After the attack by the bandits, he ordered that, none should wear a mantle, robe or long garment of any kind, lest'beneath it might be. concealed .unsuspected weapons; at once these were discarded, alike by .magistrates, ecclesiastics, nobles, and even by.the women who now wore, instead of their large farthingales, short skirts and .‘dresses clinging to the shape, The viceroy was nearly starved out of his asylum, but when; terms had been -arranged and the charter restored-, ample supplies were provided for him. For the moment Masaniello possessed the most despotic power; whatever he commanded was instantly performed,; unhesitatingly, unqucstioningly and' completely. , ■V7: There was still, among his officers, of whom some had been bribed : by*the duke, one who remained entirely trustworthy and devoted; this was Vitale, his secretary. During one of Masani-. ello’s water excursions, Vitale .was seized and imprisoned., He succeeded in escaping, but, by ill luck,- met a party of citizens armed by the governor’s orders.. He demanded who had given them this permission, • angrily and suspiciously.; Instantly he' was cut down, a .most unfortunate occurrence for his master. , . .

In his mad tits thei revolutionary louder believed that even the people were deserting . him,' arid on one 'of these he tied to the. archbishop, asking for his advice, and saying that he'was prepared to yield up hjs• authority to the viceroy. . The cardinal-archbishop bade liiiri wait until the. service he was about '|.o;A;9pd,uet was -ov-eiv YMasanicllo listened quietly throughout, but at ■its conclusion he himself mounted the pulpit and addressed the congregation, and. this so incoherently and with’ so much foolishness of utterance that his audience could not contain rtheir laughter, which threw him into; a paroxysm ,of rage. The formed, of this, sent .some of Phis monks, who coaxed Masaniello outT of the pulpit arid took him to their-cells, where, ■finding-him drenched with perspiration, they gave him fresh -linen. He now girow quieter, ami stood ..for some time looking out of a .window over,, the Bay of Naples. ‘ Yet at this very period four hired assassins were seeking him. They learned that; V.; hehad been in the church and had.pas.sed from it to the monastery. They cntcled this latter building, crying aloud: “Masaniello! Signor Mnsaniello!” .. 'V*

Hearing them, the latter opened :his door, saying; “Arc. yon seeking me? I am here, .my dear people! ’ ’ Instantly the four guns’were discharged at him. and, not having completed their work, he was dispatched with knife-thrusts. - •

The populace, instead of resenting this treacherous deed, appeared indifferent or relieved. His head was carried through the streets and his body flung into the city moats. The viceroy could not conceal his joy. He visited his spite on MasaniellojsrJamily, and allowed thc old abuscstdf rcappear. The people began to realise their loss; they recovered his remains, washed them, perfumed them, arid, after a procession through the main streets, buried thun magnificently. The duke had caused a “Te Deum’’ to be snug fur his antagonist’s death, but now he became ■frightened again, ami

sent. eight pages in his livery,' bea:ing torches, and accompanied by his entire bodyguard, to take part in the obsequies, -which' lie ordered should be bf the quality bestowed lipoula b: general of the'army. " : ) None the less within a few years

these poor remains were once more disinterred and flung none know where. As long as the throne of' Naples was attached to that of Spain, and as long ns the Spanish Bourbons, who succeeded, hold it, that is to say until 1 SCO, it was punishable to name, any child of Naples Thomas Aniello. .