THE great and horible earthquakes , the excessiue and vnrecouerable losses , withe the great mortalitie and death of people , the ruine and ouerthrowe of an infinite number of Monasteries , Pallaces , and other howses , and the destruction of his graces excellencies Lastell , haue altogether amased with feare , impouerished , afflicted , and astoined the hartes of the poore people : in such wise , that the death wold be more agreable vnto thē , then the expectation of the like scourge to come againe . The which made vs all thinke for a certaintye , that thende of the world was at hand . You shall therfore vnderstande , that on thursday the xi . day at x . of the clock in the night there happened an earthquake whiche endured the space of an Aue Marie ( as the Italian phrase is ) whereby manye Chymneyes of howses fell down . And within a litle while after another earthquake was heard . In the whole vntill ij . a clocke in the morninge there happened xiiij . earthquakes wherewith many howses were ouerthrowen . The frydaye folowinge which was the xvij . of the sayde moneth the earth quaked all the whole daye . If it had bene but thrise in one houre . What a noise and dreadfull feare with lammentable waylings might it haue made thinke you : But in dede al those were none in comparison of that whiche happened in the night at iii . of the clocke : whereby the skie or elem ent became obscure & darke : There rose a vehement & great windes at iiij . of the clocke , the clement was cleare , & the moue rose & appeared with a comete ioyned to it , hauing a tayle two fadomes longe to mens iudgement , & within an houre after which was at v. of the clocke : suche obscuritie and darkenes was in the element that one man coulde not see an other . And sodenlye arose diuers earthquakes . Of whiche one continued the space of an houre & then fell the Castle & the Bishops howse , and the Palace de la Ragion , xij . Monasteries , S Paule with diuers churches and palaices , & an infinite number of houses , O God what a lamentable thinge was this , what ruinous ouerthrowes & terrible dreades happened . The Duke & the Duches went spedelie to a garden of theirs withoute Ferara . And caused a Pauilion to be pytched , wherin they remayned : three of his graces pages & iiij . of the Duchesses were slayne with the houses of the Castell that fell vpon them , & many other officers that could not escape away in tyme . I my self at that instant was in my chamber sitting at the table which was raised vp a fadom in height , & I fell downe & perceyued the toppe of the house fallen and the ●… ou●… rent & breake in peeces : wherewith being astoyned I lept out at the window in a maner a pikes length to the ground , & withdrew my selfe into the new● market place whiche is greate withoute measure . I lefte my golde and syluer behinde me , thinkinge my self happie to haue saued my life . I found in the sayde newe market place more then v. thousand persons men and woman whiche had the is children in their armes making suche a lamentable noise that it was heard ( as certen countreymen reported ) x . Italian miles of . we were all on oure knees prayinge & sayinge many prayers on eache parte that it was merueilous to heare . And no doubt but that any stonye harte would haue bene moued to pytie & compassion thereby . And being on oure knees , aboue vi . tymes we fell on the ground meruelouslye shaken & tossed with the earthquakes . And continued so vntyll saterdaye at x . of the clocke in the night and two a clocke in the morninge . I leaue the consideration of the pytyfull lamentacion of noble gentlewomen & others , & the clamorous criinge out of the people with execrable cursinge of the Duke , seing their houses abound & flowe with wyne & corne and all thinges appertayning to the state ( I saye ) of gentill and honorable , and in one houre to be depryued and bereft of all and impouerished altogether . They are in dede matters worthie to be remembred and noted of vs. The pryson fell down & the prisoners escaped : wherefore the gates were shutte , & none could yssue out , manye leaped ouer the walles , and by the meanes saued themselues . At my comming I shall recoumpt euery thing to you at large : But fyue shetes of paper wil not suffice to write the whole matter . The Duke gaue commaundemente , that euerye man mighte bake breade in their howses , whiche was a token that he began to remember his couetous & gready errour . In dede his eruell tyrannyes were the occasion of all these ruynes . Do not you thinke it a great matter that he had solde all the taxes or tributes vnto a Venetian gentleman of his name Il Sforza . And none afore could bake any breade vpon a great payne without his commission : Also if one dyd we are a payre of newe shoes without paying tare or tribute he lost L d . Italian , & should suffer three pulles with the cord afterward , was not this a rauenous suckinge of the common peoples bloude Marke whether God reuealed not these things to come by the Dukes Secretarye named M. Iohn Baptist Pigna a very learned man , a great Philosopher , and braue & conninge Astrologier : who the sondaye before whiche was the xij . of this presente moneth framed these woordes vnto the Duke his Maister , My Lord I perceyue , that the people do greatly murmure against your grace which if you redresse not I doubt ( no I am very sure ) that this weeke will not be ended before you shall see very● earthlye and heauenlye tokens as might be earthquakes : The Duke aunswered , it was tolde me that there should haue bene earthquakes in Maye past , and yet there was none sene . M. Secretarye without other Replie sayde , God graunte there happen none . And the Secretary the day before the earthquake , went from Ferrara and caried all hys stuffe with him and all that was in hys house , hauing builte a goodly Palaice a little while before , the which was also ouerthrown . The earthquakes are numbred to haue bene a hundred and foure in xl . houres . Yet for all these , they ceased not , but on Twesdaye the xxi . of the moneth in the mornyng , there were iiij . other greate earthequakes , wherewith many houses that stoode not ouerthrowne , thoughe shaken and torne , fell to the ground . And it is sayd , that this earthquake shall endure xl . dayes . To morrow I take my iourney towarde you , and then will reporte you thereof at large . This Citie is smothe like a rased or shauen table , a man can not walke by the streates , halfe the houses are fallen downe , the rest haue bene shaken likewise . And if the earthquake do continue , you may read what will come thereof . The Duke and Duches make their aboade as yet vnder the pauilion , the reporte goeth , that they will come and lie at Mantua . Looke for me to morowe , for I am in dread that of neuer so litle a puffe of winde will growe an earthquake . The iuste number of the people that be slayne is not knowen . It is thoughte to be aboute . 2000.