"When the carnage came to an end it was suddenly rumored that the
banditti had poisoned the springs at Poggio Reale, which supply the
greater part of the town with water. The fury of the people was again
roused. I caused a pitcher of water to be brought, and drank it in the
presence of many persons, which silenced the suspicion; and as your
holiness is much respected in this town, and even from the time in which
you were a nuncio here, they have a pleasant recollection of you, so in
the time of utmost need I bless the people in your name, and admonish
them to be quiet for the love of you, which also does not fail of its
effect."
The Viceroy was so much the further from coming to any agreement, the
more Masaniello's power and authority increased and the more
uncomfortable and dangerous the position of the Viceroy became, in the
midst of a rebellious city, in the confined space in the castle, and a
scarcity of provisions. He therefore thought himself obliged to discover
in writing a knowledge of the unsuccessful plan of Diomed Carafa, and
pressed the Archbishop to hasten the business. This was not easy, owing
to the savage excitement of the victorious and drunken populace, and the
intrigues of the artful advisers of the Fisherman, who were pursuing, at
the same time, their own selfish aims.
The streets were become to such a degree the theatre for deeds of
violence that Masaniello issued an order that each person was obliged
to keep a lamp or torch burning before his own dwelling. The assaults
made with daggers, pocket pistols, and other short weapons were so
frequent that, after the leader of the people had been twice shot at, a
prohibition was issued against wearing cloaks and long clothes that
could conceal such weapons. Even women were no longer allowed to wear
certain articles of clothing, which on account of their size were called
_guard infante_, and even Cardinals Filomarino and Trivulzio laid aside
their robes.
In the most important positions of the city barricades were built with
baskets full of earth and heavy planks for the double purpose of
repelling the sallies of the Spaniards from the castle, and preventing
them from receiving supplies from without. The people were masters of
the whole town, with the exception of Castelnuovo, the park, and the
adjoining artillery, and of the castles dell' Uovo, Sant' Elmo, and
Pizzofalcone, positions which placed it in the power of the Spaniards to
turn Naples into a heap of ruins if they made use of the artillery. But
the Duke of Arcos wished to spare the town as long as possible, and the
castles were weakly garrisoned, and still less stocked with provisions.
At length on Thursday, July 11th, on the fifth day of the insurrection,
an agreement was concluded.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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