vol. 1, p. 39

To the Most Excellent Viceroy
To the Most Illustrious Senate
To the Most Noble People
of Naples
Fr Luke Wadding

(Fr Luke Wadding to the Viceroy, Senate and People of Naples)

Whenever I look upon the seat of your rule, in soil most productive, in weather most salubrious, I observe nature itself, and one who is above nature, fighting on your side. For what is there that Mother Earth hides in her bosom that she does not pour forth abundantly upon you from her open lap? In your domain are fine fields, well watered valleys, flourishing hills, fruitful mountains, rich gardens, established plantations, twice-cropping cereals, always hanging fruits, in short the perpetual encouragement of Liber and Ceres to your profit. Elsewhere the earth is fruitful: with you it luxuriates; and whatever can germinate develops with all its effort. If our attention is directed from the land to the shore, how welcoming is your sea? How many noble ports? Of what quality are those sea-[?]s? How calm the bays, tranquil in their waters and beautiful among the surrounding mountains? I dare truly say that in universal elegance there is no city to surpass, or indeed match, this one of yours. Hither all nations gather, here is the commerce of all peoples, hither is brought anything precious from the furthest bounds, here is an anthology of delights and of the world: indeed, could one find anything dispersed through other regions that cannot be had here diligently collected together? Great are these natural blessings, but no less the divine: "The gods themselves", to borrow what Laberius said of Caesar, "have denied you nothing." The author of human salvation desired the holy faith to be planted in you by the Chief of the Apostles, and he in turn that it be propagated through his disciples. Cultivated by them, the Christian religion so grew, and put down such deep roots in you, that it could not be discouraged by any opposition or corrupted by any errors. Impious persecutors did indeed try to cut it budding from the beautiful seed, but watered with the holy blood it germinated, beyond expectation, more abundantly, and with droplets of gore sprinkled like seeds