omew, received
them with a cry of insulting defiance and a shower of arrows. The
contest being thus engaged, forty of the French remained on the field.
The rest fled precipitately for refuge to the castle of Scaletta; and
the Sicilians, tearing down the banners of Charles, marched upon
Messina to compel her to join the rebellion. In the city thousands
were willing, but none had courage, for the work, till a man of the
people--Bartholomew Maniscalco by name--conspired with several others
to give the signal of action. Meanwhile, forces were preparing to
repulse the insurgents from Taormina, and the more prudent of the
citizens deplored the impending effusion of the blood of their
brethren. The people were on the alert, nor did the conspirators hold
back.

Perhaps the entrance into the port of a Palermitan galley, and the
slaughter by her crew of a few French who had fallen into their hands,
hastened the event. It was the 28th of April when, from the midst of
the tumultuous crowd, broke forth the cries of "Death to the French!
Death to those who side with them!" and the massacre commenced. The
victims, however, were but few, as the previous threatening aspect of
the people had cleared the city of the greater number of the French.
Maniscalco meanwhile, with his confederates, hoisted the cross of
Messina in the place of the detested banner of Anjou; for a brief
space he was captain of the people, but owing either to his own
modesty or to the influence of the more powerful citizens, which
always prevailed in the industrial city of Messina, that same night,
by their advice, he resigned the government to Baldwin Mussone, a
noble returned but a few hours before, with Matthew and Baldwin de
Riso, from the court of King Charles. On the following day, the
municipal council having been assembled in form, Mussone was hailed
captain by the entire people; and calling on the sacred name of
Christ, the republic was proclaimed, under the protection of the
Church. The gonfalon, or great banner of the city, was displayed with
the utmost pomp. The judges Raynald de Limogi and Nicoloso Saporito,
the historian Bartholomew of Neocastro, and Peter Ansalone were
elected as counsellors of the new government; and all the public
officers, even to the executioners, were likewise elected--as if to
show that henceforward the sword of justice was to rule in place of
disorder and violence. But it was yet too soon for so complete a
revolution.

On the