A Proclamation made in the name of his majesty of spain, for the search, finding out and apprehending of all such persons as shall be suspected to be sent out of milan by Prince Mammon and his confederates, to work the like villainy in these kingdoms as they haue done in the State of milan by their devilish powder.  
A Letter written from S. Lucas, concerning the Iustice and execution in milan, done vpon two of the principal Conspirators in the dispersing of infectious ointment and powders made by the divell, and by which( it is thought) 80000, persons haue died in a short time in the said City: the number of these infernal conspirators, is said to be above 10000: many of them being already apprehended, and in prison in so much that all the prisons in Millan are full of them, never the like villainy heard of in the world, to destroy the race of man kind.  
Al which Conspirators are said to be hired & set on work, by prince Mammon that a long time hath so reigned and domineerd in the city aforesaid.  
Translated out of the Spanish.  
Printed at London, for Nat. Butter, and Nic. Bourne. 1630.   

The Lord Don Diego Ilustado de Mendoca, Knight of the Order of Saint jago, Steward of the household to the queen our mistress, Viscount of Corzana, Assistant and Campmaster general of the Souldiers of this City of seville and the jurisdiction thereof, for the King our Lord: Maketh known unto all the neighbours, dwellers, and inhabitants living and being in seville, how his majesty hath sent his royal provision or Edict dispatched by the Lords of his royal counsel, which speaketh on this manner.  
DOn Phillip, by the Grace of God King of Castill, of Leon, of arragon, of the two Sicilies, of jerusalem, of Portugall, of Nauarre, of Granada, of Toledo, of Valencia, of Gallicia, of Maiorca, of seville, of Cordennia, of Cordeua, of Corcega, of Murcia, of Iaen, Lord of Biscay, and of Molnia, &c. To you Don Diego Ilustado de Mendoca, Viscount of Corzana, and our Assistant of the City of seville, and our Lieutenant in the same Office, and to every one of you to whom these letters shall be shewed, greeting. Know ye that wee haue been given to understand by persons zealous of the service of God and of us, that certain enemies of mankind do conspire how to sow and disperse those poulders or dust here, which hath caused so rigorous a pestilence in the state of Millan, and in other States allied in friendship to this crown; and that for the same purpose are come into these kingdoms certain persons, whose pictures and marks be in the power or custody of us and of the governor of our counsel. And because so enormous and so horrible a crime could not be intended nor executed by any but by such as having given themselves to the divell, do endeavour to destroy the whole race of mankind; and seeing it is just that they haue condign punishment, if temporal torment may suffice for so heinous and exorbitant a crime. And because it is agreeable to the service of God and of us, as a thing so important for the good of our kingdoms, to use all means for the searching out of those persons, who are come to perpetrate the said crime, and for their apprehension, so that no man may hid or conceal them; by the deliberate aduise of us and our counsel it was agreed, that wee should sand these our letters unto you for the same reason, and we held it for good. Wherefore we will and command you, that so soon as it shal be delivered unto you, you cause it to be proclaimed in the said City, and in the towns and places within the jurisdiction thereof, that wee promise presently to give, and there shall be given 20000. Ducats, besides other honors and favours to all and every person & persons, as well natives as strangers, who either personally by themselves, or by papers or letters shall manifest, declare, and bewray unto you & those other Iustices of the towns and places of that jurisdiction, the persons which are come to commit the said crime, and haue conspired so to do. And in case the person which shall make the said discovery bee one of the complices, if he come in voluntarily and give notice of the rest, the said reward of 20000. Ducats is promised and shall be given him; and besides from that time forward we give and grant him immunity & pardon of the said crime or any other crimes whatsoever, be they never so hainons or so grievous formerly committed by him, and we do free him and his goods from the danger of the same, to the end that no judge or Iudges of these realms may haue power to proceed against him or any goods of his. And all and every person and persons of what estate, quality or condition soever, which haue or shal know or understand or haue heard in any sort, what persons haue conspired and do comspire to commit the said crime, or shall know or understand any thing concerning the same matter, shal come and reveal the same unto you, and to the Iustices of the said towns and places of that precinct, within two dayes after they be acquainted therewith, vpon pain of losing their lives and goods. And forasmuch as from the first day of August of this present year wee haue notice given us of many strangers entred into these our kingdoms, and that by their entrance and abode there may bee much hazard and occasion of scarcity of bread and other provisions; we will and command, that within three dayes after the publication of these our letters, they depart out of the said City and places of the same jurisdiction, and within 15. dayes out of these our kingdoms, vpon pain of their lives, unless they haue obtained the licence of us or of our council therein to abide, which licences shal be given thē, the cause & necessity of their stay being examined; except those who are come to inhabit and people the country, and for the same cause shall bee admitted into many other places. We do also command, that of the said strangers which haue arrived since the first of August, you make a register before they depart, and that you strictly examine them of the cause of their coming into these kingdoms, without troubling them with any other judicial act, unless out of the confession of themselves or others there result a necessity of a judicial proceeding. And you shall give them their certificates and Passeportes, setting down the place from whence they depart, and the marks which they bear about them. Which perform they must vpon pain of loss of life and goods; which punishment shall irremissibly bee executed against all that shall disobey the foresaid order or any part thereof. And those natives or Strangers which shall receive, or harbour, and shall not discover those that haue come in since the said 1. day of August of this year, or shall hereafter come in, do incur and fall into the same punishment without possibility of remission or moderation, for so is our will and pleasure. And whereas wee are given to understand that many strangers are newly come into these our kingdoms, by reason of the sterility and want of victuals in other kingdoms and provinces, and for fear of the contagion and pestilence which reigneth there, in respect of the danger they bring along with them of infecting these kingdoms with the said contagion and pestilence; wee command under pain of life, that none of the said new-come strangers, shal enter into any part of our kingdoms, although he be a continual passenger, unless it be found that he haue immediately before abode in a place known to be voided of the suspicion of the Contagion forty daies together, and unless he haue obtained your licence, which you shall give him, having examined the cause and necessity of his coming, and shall name therein the port by which he entred. And as touching those strangers which were in these our kingdoms before the said first day of August, it shall suffice them to get licence and certificate from the Iustices of the place where they haue resided, who are to admonish them not to enter into this our Court without the licence of us or of our counsel, vpon pain of their lives. In the said prohibition are not comprised those Carriers, which come with dispatches from far parts unto our Royal person. And you shal both day and night keep so strict and vigilant a guard vpon that Ctty, and vpon the towns and places within that jurisdiction and vpon the parts thereto belonging, as that no stranger may enter, but with such licence and in such manner and form as is declared and intimated in this our letter and provision. And the same also is to be understood of the natural subiects of these kingdoms which shall come from foreign parts. And those strangers which we command to depart these our kingdoms, must take their certificates according as they haue been registered.  
Those that shall depart out of this our Court, being Flemings of the low Countries, and high Dutche, before the Conde de Sora; captain of the Archers of our gard, and of our counsel of Flanders. Those of the French nation before the Conde de Castrillio, one of our counsel of State, and of our Cabinet counsel. And the Subiects of Great britain before the Conde de la Puebla de Maestre, of our counsel of State, the governor of our counsel of the Indies. And the Neapolitans, Sicilians, Milaneses, and Italians, before Don joseph de Napoles, Regent of our counsel of Italy. In which Registers & certificates so be to taken out by them, it must appear, that they haue presented themselves with the same before the Licentiat Don Antonto Chumacero de Sotemayer, Alcalde of this our house and Court. From whom he is to go, carrying his reason and cause with him in the said certificate and register: and you shal not admit them in any other manner, but shall detain them, till you haue given aduise unto those of our Counfell. And wee command that no Merchant, or Factor, or any other person of what estate, quality, or condition soever, to whom letters or bills shall come directed from foreign partes, of money to be paid thereupon, may or do pay any sum of money by virtue thereof, nor shall accept the same from the person in favour of whom they were sent, not from any other in his name, without first making you our said assistant acquainted therewith, vpon pain that doing the contrary, such punishment shall bee inflicted vpon him and his goods, as may be answerable to his crime, and both parties shall bee accounted Complices and guilty in the act. And the sum being small, or the person known, in full satisfaction you may give licence to haue it paid: and in most cases you shall aduise those of our Counsel. And we command you to make a register of all strangers which shall be found in that City, or those towns and places of the same jurisdiction, setting down the time how long they haue been here, and their business, and that none depart thence without your licence and passport, putting it vpon record in the Register, which shall be made for that purpose; for making of which Register commanded by us, you shall not raise any fee; and the Notary before whom it shall be past shall take a quarto onely of each person. fail you not of doing this, vpon pain of our displeasure, and of forfeiting 20. thousand Marauedis to our Chamber.  
given in the town of Madrill the 4 day of October 1630. Don Alonzo de Cabrera. The Licentiate Don Fernando Ramirez de Farina. The Licentiate Don John de Cheues and Mendoca. The Licentiate Alarchon. Ilazato de los Rios Angulo, Secretary of the King our Lord, and Notary of his Chamber baue caused it to be written at his commandement, with the consent of those of his council. registered, Don Diego de Alarcon chancellor. Don Diego de Alarchon. Concordat cum originale. And the said viscount Astistant commanded the said royal provision to be proclaimed in the place of saint Francis, and in the Ex change of the said city, as the most publique and most frequented places.   

july 31. 1630.  
Sentence executed in Millan, vpon Gillermo Plateo and untrodden Xacome Mora Barber authors and principal guides to those that entred the contagious plague at Millan,( both naturals of the said city) with a certain powder and ointment.  
IN primis, that they be carried to the accustomend place of execution, and tormented with burning tongues, in all places where they have intended their devilish project, by conveying and strawing their contagious and pestilent powder. And before the shop of the said Barber untrodden Xacome Mora, to cut of both their right hands, and afterwards put upon the wheel of torment, and their to break the bones of their arms and legs, and there to hang upon the top of the wheel 6. houres alive, and afterwards their skin to be flayed off them, and their bodies burnt, and the ashes thrown into the River; the house of the said barber Mora, to be razed to the ground, and in the place a pillar erected called Infamous, with this Epitaph, William Plateo and Xacome Mora, for being Traytors to their Country & city augmenting the plague with inventions, were here executed. At their going to execution, to carry before them two trumpets declaring the Treason, with a sufficient guard accompanying them, and the stage whereon they are executed, fenced about with rails, to prevent the wicked intent of their complices if any should intend to infect the place, to ploclaime that those that are shut up in their houses upon suspicion of being infected, that they come not forth to be executed until july 31.  
The Governours son of Millan was apprehended, whom the aforesaid Barber Mora confessed to be one of their complices, whereupon he was committed to safe keeping with a guard, Since it is reported that he was secretly made away with poison, either by his friends, or some of his complices.  
The senator Mounty, is occupied night and day, onely in examining of suspicious persons, of which the prisons are full, and there are above 1500. persons found guilty. The said senator doth the office of an inquisitor, Notary, and judge, and afterwards gives account thereof to the Senate. Much diligence is done and with great secrecy in the aforesaid matter, thereby to prevent it from their complices notice what they are, because they are of several Nations. It is imagined that there will be a great and severe execution. Also it is reported that now there is no Iustice in Millan superior or inferior.  
The Governours son above mentioned Charles Rose Knight, of the order of St. John, a Spaniard, nephew to the President of the Contration in sevil, is said to have got away and fled to Rome, with 20 others of the complices, and that the Pope delivered him to the Millanesses, and that they did expect him in Millan hourly. But this of his taking in Rome is contradicted, and it is reported that he and his companions escaped thence and took their journey for spain, so that now in Madred great vigilancy and search is made to apprehended them.  
Before the execution of the aforesaid Plateo & Mora, the complices had intended to undermine the prison with a determination to have blown up their imprisoned infernal fraternity to prevent their discovery. But the Mine was discovered, and their project frustrated, and divers of them apprehended.  
Also, before the execution of the aforesaid, they were demanded by the Iustices and Churchmen, what preservative they had to defend themselves from infection, and if they could make an Antidote against it. They answered that nothing could be invented of efficacy sufficient to withstand the operation of that pestiferous ointment: and powders, for that it was made by direction of the devil.  
There is prisoner a Master and Treasurer of the bank, for having paid above a 100000. ducats, to several persons, who were hired to dispose the infection with the ointment and powder.  
The aforesaid executed persons likewise declared, that whosoever did once receive money to dispose this contagious venom, cannot abstain from putting it in practise upon every one he meets, yea even his own Father, For this is the compact they have made with the devil, and in the performance thereof stands their own defence or Antidote, against the operation of the contagion against themselves.  
They have asked licence of the Commissioners of the Inquisition to make a preservative for the city by magic Art but was not granted.  
At a solemn Procession which they made in Millan with great Devotion, thereby to appease the wrath of God,( as saith the original) and that he would vouchsafe to deliver the city, from so great a danger, the Delinquents strawed of their pestiferous powders about the streets, so that there dyed upon that occasion above 10000 persons.  
They have brought to Millan horse-loades of these powders, and at the entry of the gates and to pass them by the custom house, they did enter them for gold wire, and for such paid they custom and past clear.  
These pestiferous powders, are said to be made in●…, and the general report saith, they are made with Invocation of the devil, who hath written upon the gate of the Presidents house in great letters, do what thou canst, for by the day of Saint michael there will be few people left.  
Those that spread the contagion in Millan, carry about them little bottles of their pestilent powders, and all those they can come at the bee sprinkle, and upon whomsoever it falls onely upon the clothes, he is infected and dieth, so that in Millan it is prohibited to ware cloaks, or long garments, because if they touch it but with the hem of a cloak or long garment they dy.  
There is above 10000. confederates, that have all received money to be employed in executing this abominable and infernal act, and the number of them increaseth daily. There is already dead in Millan above 80000. and there dieth daily above 1500 persons, in so much that the dead bodies lie in the houses, and none to fetch them away and give them burial, and though the city be rounded day and night with companies of horsemen, yet the contagion increaseth. The clergy are all dead, and the Churches become desert.  
In Fortona which is near by, the contagion is not yet entred, but the people are much terrified, they have cut the ways and keep streight watch nevertheless, and will not suffer any to enter. Millan, Parma, Padua, Cremona and Plaventia, are wholly depopulated, and divers other neighbouring towns. It is not come, to his Majesties camp. There is not a French man dead, nor Venetian, neither is the Infection come to any town of theirs. The State of Venice is part in the Infection. The holy Father( as saith the original) hath entred a capital process or suit in law against the devil and nominated a fiscal or Officer to accuse him, and a Procurator to defend him, and hath aggravated his punishment to induce him to appear, and declare what moved him to work so great a mischief, and of the contrary what will follow.  
Thus much the 13 of August. 1630.  
Translated out of Spanish verbatim.  
I am persuaded the most part of it is true. For they writ from Madrid, that there is now come to the court with the Protraitures and signs of some of this confederacy which are come for spain, with an intent to disperse the contagion in those parts, so that great diligence is used to apprehended them, and throughout all spain a most strict watch, and no man stranger nor natural of the country can pass from town to town without a passport from the mayor declaring his person, age, and signs, and his business, every Family is registered, and every house keeper, innkeeper and private man is bound vpon pain of 500 ducats, not to receive one of another town into his house, nor without his doors, till he carry him before the Commissary of the Inquisition to be examined. Yesterday here was a proclamation published, that all strangers arriving in any Ports of spain, since the first of August last, should within 3. dayes repair a shipboard, and all Shipping arriving since the said time, should within 15. dayes depart the country, upon pain of death, whereunto divers have opposed and dispatched away to the Court, in the interim till the fifteen dayes be expired. There can but onely the Master and two more of a Ship come a shore, neither can they come a shore alone, but the council of this Nation, or some of the principal Merchants whom here the Duke, in other places the mayor, nominateth must fetch them a shore and carry them aboard, and keep them company while they are a shore. These things put all Trade to a stand. God grant all to his glory, and us grace to make a good use thereof. They report the sickness is at Lysbon. Yesterday here was taken a French man and tormented and shall as it is thought be burnt for making of false gold and false pieces of eight.  
St. Lucas the 18. of October. 1630.