1821 .] Historie of the 
Incited by this and other speeches of 
the same nature, the populace set fire 
to the Gabell Houses, where the taxes 
were collected, and immediately pro¬ 
ceeded to demand of the Viceroy the 
total abolition of the gabells, according 
to the terms of a charter which had 
been given them by the Emperor 
Charles the 5th. 
The detail would be too long of the 
evasions of this demand by the govern¬ 
ment during several succeeding days, 
in the hope, no doubt, of diverting the 
people from their object, or amusing 
them till military aid could arrive from 
Spain. A circumstance occurred, how¬ 
ever, on the fourth day, which sets in 
a most revolting point of view the con¬ 
duct of the aristocracy, who had uni¬ 
versally sided with the government, 
and were, indeed, the chief authors of 
the people’s grievances. A number of 
banditti from the adjacent country 
came into the town on horseback, pro¬ 
fessing friendship to the popular cause : 
they soon after, however, treacherously 
attempted to take the life of Masanello, 
who almost miraculously escaped seven 
shots which they fired at him unex¬ 
pectedly. Hereupon they were at¬ 
tacked, and some being made prisoners 
by the people, confessed that they, with 
other troops of the same description, 
were in the pay of the Duke di Mata- 
loni, one of the principal nobles, and 
that besides killing Masanello, they 
had planned, in the words of the His¬ 
torie, 44 to set fire to certain mines under 
the great market-place, at such a time 
when it was fullest of people,and trod by 
armed men, which commonly was used 
to be about three hours in the night, 
(nine o'clock by our time,) at the stink¬ 
ing of which hour they were to give 
fire to the mine, which consisted of 
fifty cantaras of powder and more, 
amounting to fifteen thousand pounds 
or thereabouts, spread up and down 
through the bowels of the said market¬ 
place, which had made fly into the air 
all the people then present, and blown 
up the edifices circumjacent, with the 
monastery and Church del Carmine, 
insomuch that there had perished at 
least, besides the destruction of the 
holy buildings and profane, about one 
hundred and fifty thousand soules. A 
case of infinite compassion, justifying 
any other bloody revenge which the 
people might have taken for such a 
barbarous and unheard of cruelty. 
When the mines had taken effect, the 
banditti were to disperse up and down, 
Revolutions in Naples . #99 
joining with some of the gentry, whom 
they had brought in with them, and fall 
upon the rest of the common people, 
and put all to the sword.” 
44 It was also discovered by the con¬ 
fession of other banditti, that by the 
machinations of Duke di Mataloni and 
his brother, the waters, which by aque¬ 
ducts served the city of Naples, were 
poisoned, as also the corn, which after 
much diligence being found to be true, 
(for it was proved that two poor chil¬ 
dren had died by those w aters) there¬ 
fore notice was given by sound of 
trumpet and drum, with bills fixed on’all 
quarters of the city, that none should 
drink of those waters that passed 
through the for in ale, which was the 
common aqueduct.” The information 
respecting the mines was also found to 
be correct, the pow der being discovered 
in the subterranean places in w hich it 
had been concealed by the conspirators. 
The insurrection had hitherto been 
attended with very little bloodshed, 
but it is not surprising that this atro¬ 
cious attempt of the nobility should 
irritate the people to acts of terrible 
vengeance. The Duke di Mataloni had 
escaped out of the city, but his brother, 
Don Giuseppe Caraffa, fell into their 
hands, and was immediately put to 
death, and his body exposed to public 
view. Many of the banditti, and others 
who were implicated in the plots, met 
with the same fate. The citizens in the 
mean time, under the direction of Ma¬ 
sanello, remaining firm in their de¬ 
mands, and their force being now too 
formidable to be longer trifled with, on 
the seventh day articles of agreement 
were made and solemnly sworn to by 
the Viceroy and the principal officers of 
state, by which the charter of Charles 
5th was renewed, and all the gabells 
taken off. It was also engaged that 
these articles should be confirmed with¬ 
in three months by the court of Spain. 
Thus did Masanello completely suc¬ 
ceed in accomplising the object to which 
he had devoted himself in this bold and 
hazardous enterprize. His influence 
had continued to increase every day, 
and he was now r arrived at the summit 
of his power, having under his com¬ 
mand 200,000 armed inen. and the most 
absolute con trout over every part of the 
city. His conduct appears at first to 
have been distinguished by moderation, 
combined with great resolution, pru¬ 
dence and vigilance in the cause of his 
fellow-citizens, which qualities, no 
I oubt, gained him their confidence, 
and 
