who had usurped the kingdom of Naples and Sicily. Charles arriving overthrew Manfred at Benevento, slew him, and took possession of Sicily. Conradine, to whom the kingdom belonged in right of succession, brought a force from Germany and engaged Charles, but was defeated, made prisoner, and beheaded. Charles reigned in Sicily, and the French began to exercise great tyranny over the Sicilians, and, among other enormities, committed violence on their women. Hence a plot was concerted all over the island, that as soon as the vesper bell rang, the inhabitants, ready armed, should sally forth from their houses, and fall upon their oppressors. This was put into execution, and eight thousand French were slain to revenge the dishonour offered to the Sicilians in the persons of their wives.”—H.
I will observe, with reference to this fact, that cecere, the shibboleth used on this occasion, is still the Sicilian’s word of threat, though all memory of the transaction is lost among the people. It is his equivalent for the Italian’s “Tu me la pogherai,” or, “Thou shalt pay for it.”
How, through the Alps, a captain out of Gaul,
To war upon the great Viscontis, steers.
Stanza xxi. lines 3 and 4.
“The count of Armagnac came with twenty thousand French soldiers in aid of the Florentines and Bolognese, against Galeazzo duke of Milan, who, having left a numerous garrison in Alexandria, with the rest of his forces attacked the enemy, at the same time that they were attacked by those from the city, and cut all the Franks to pieces; the count dying soon after of his wounds in prison.”—H.
Successively that, castellain displayed
One hight of Marca, &c.
Stanza xxiii. lines 1 and 2.
“Joan queen of Naples took for her husband James count
