of the deathe of the Duke of Burbon And lastly the Frenche kinge not holding it good pollicye to suffer the thinges of Italy so to declyne he contracted the fiftenth daye of Maye with the Venetians that they shoulde wage in common tenne thowsande Svvyzzers he to furnishe the first paye and the Venetians the seconde and so forwarde according to that rule That he shoulde sende into Italy tenne thowsande Frenche men vnder Peter Nauarre That in lyke sorte the Venetians ioyntly with the Duke of Myllan shoulde wage tenne thowsande footemen Italyans That he shoulde fende thether a newe supplye of fiue hundred launces and eyghteene peeces of artilleries And bicause the king of England notwithstanding tharticles of the contract shewed no greate readines to make warre beyonde the Mountes A dealing which was not very agreable to the French king They dispensed with that obligacion and in place of that they couenanted That the king of England to furnishe the warre of Italy shoulde defraye the paye of tenne thowsande footemen for six monethes full And at the speciall instance of the sayde kinge of England Monsr de Lavvtrech almoste agaynst his will was declared Capteine generall of the whole armye during whose preparacion to marche and passe with conuenient prouisions of money and other thinges necessarye there was nothinge done in Italy that was of any consequence for bothe thEmprours armye styrred not out of Rome notwithstanding that many perished dayly by the rage of the plague which at that tyme ranne also with greate mortalitye in Florence and through many partes of Italy And also the armye of the league into which at thinstance of the Marquis of Salusso and the Venetians the Florentyns were entred of newe with obligacion to defraye fiue thowsande footemen wherewith thEmprour felt him selfe greeuously offended for that hauing at their instance giuen to the Duke of Ferrara authoritie to compownd in his name was almost assoone aduertised of their contrary deliberacion This armye beeing greatly diminished in numbers for that the regiments of the Venetians of the Marquis and the Svvyzzers were yll payed was retyred towardes Viterba And looking altogether to temporise and enterteyne they labored to holde in the deuocion of the league Perousa Orbieta Spoleto with other places thereabowts And afterwardes hauing vnderstandinge in that place that one parte of thEmprours armye was yssued out of Rome somewhat to take breathe with the largenes and skoape of ayre fearing least the residue shoulde doe the lyke after the first payments were made they retyred to Orbietta and afterwardes neare to the borowe of Pyeua And in that inclinacion they had retyred vppon the landes of the Florentyns if they would haue giuen consent In this rage of the plague the castell of Saint Angeo was visited to the great daunger of the life of the Pope abowt whom dyed certeine speciall men that did seruice to his person who amyd so many afflictions and aduersities and no other hope remeyning to him then in the clemencie of thEmprour appoynted for Legat with the consent of the Capteines Cardinall Alexander of Farneso who notwithstanding being yssued out of the castell and Rome refused vnder that occasion to goe in the sayd legacion The Capteines desired to cary the person of the Pope with the thirteene Cardinals that were with him to Caietto but he labored against that resolucion with greate diligence peticions and arte At last Monsr de Lavvtrech after he had giuen order to thinges necessary departed from the Court the last of Iune with eyght hundred launces and honored with the title of Capteine generall of the whole league And the king of England in place to present tenne thowsand footemen was taxed to paye in money for euery moneth beginning the first of Iune the summe of xxx thowsand duckats Which money should be conuerted to the payment of tenne thowsand launceknights vnder Monsr Vavvdemont which was a regiment of very good exercise and practise for that they had many times broken the bands of the Lutherans The French king tooke also to his paye Andre Dore with eyght gallyes and xxxvj crownes for euery yeare But before Monsr Lavvtrech was past the Mounts the regiments of the Venetians and the Duke of Myllan ioyned together marched to Marignan whome Antho. de Leua yssuing out of Myllan with eyght hundred Spanyards and the like number of Italyans together with a very fewe horsemen constrayned them to retyre About which tyme Iohn Iames de Medicis Captaine of Mus who was in pay with the French king and exspected vppon the lake the comming of the Svvyzzers made him selfe Lord by suttle meanes vppon the castell of Monguzzo seated betwene Lecqua and Coma wherein dwelt Alexander Bentyuolo as in his owne house for the recouering of it Antho. de Leua sent thether Lodovvyk de Belioyense who hauing assalted it in vaine turned to Monceo But afterwards Antho. de Leua hauing espiall that the sayd Capteine Mus with two thowsand fiue hundred footemen was come to the village of Carato foureteene myles from Myllan returned to Myllan where leauing onely two hundred men notwithstanding the Venetians were almost ten thowsand and yssuing out by night with the rest of the armye he charged suddeinly vppon the rising of the Sunne the bands of Capteine Mus who at the alarme leauing their houses wherein they were lodged they retyred into a playne place enuyroned with hedges not farre from the village not thinking that all the bands were there And albeit they cast them selues into order yet by the disaduauntage of the place beeing lowe and strayted as a prison they fell all without any resistance into the calamitye of the sworde or prisoners except many who in the beginning sought their sauetye by fleeing taking their example of the Capteine In this meane while ThEmprour had aduertisement of the Popes captiuitie by letters which his high Chauncellor wrote to him from Monaco as he went into Italy whether he was sent by his authoritie And albeit by his speeches and outward forme of behauior he expressed how greeuous that accident was to him yet it was discerned by his secrete mocions and affections that he was not muche discontented with it which he well declared in publike demonstracions not forbearing to followe the feastes and torneyes begonne before for the byrthe of his Sonne But as the deliuerie of the Pope was vehemently desired by the king of England and Cardinall of Yorke and for their authoritie no lesse displeasing to the French kinge who in case he coulde otherwayes haue recouered his children woulde haue taken litle care and greefe for the calamities of the Pope and vniuersall domages of all Italy So in a cause so generally inducing to compassion bothe the one and the other king sent Embassadors to thEmprour to demaunde the deliuerance of the Pope as a matter apperteyning in common to all the Princes Christian and particularly due by the Emprour vnder whose faith he had beene reduced to that estate of miserye by his
inclinacion to reuenge thinformacion things being preferred vp to the Magistrates six of the principalls were beheaded many imprisoned and a great number bownd ouer according to the tradicions and statutes of the citie Insomuch as the citie being so much the more made weake and feeble by how much she was shaked in her pillors and chiefe foundacions And withall those that had pertaked in these reuenges and punishments being reduced into greater necessities and difficulties The power of the Medicis returned more free and more absolute yea almost royally into that citie which had for so long and great a warre remeyned much impouerished of money made naked both within and without of many inhabitants and spoyled both of dwellings and goods abroad lastly stoode now more then euer deuided in it selfe A calamitie which yet was made so much the more great and heauy by how much had bene more lamentable for many yeres their vniuersall necessitie and difficultie to make prouision of vitteis in forreine contries for the generall skarcetie and darth which the whole contry endured for as for that yeare by reason of the afflictions and impediments of the warre they made neither seede time nor haruest so it was so seueare a calamitie continued to the yeares succeeding that the citie being raked and dreyned had yssued out more money to make prouision of corne from forreine regions and cattell without the lymits of their own dominions then had bene defrayed for thexspenses of so great a warre full of heauy burdens and charges In this meane while thEmprour assembling the dyet at Auspurge had caused to be elected king of Romains Ferdinand his brother And calling into question the cause of the Lutherans both suspected touching the power of Princes and for the multitude and ambicion of their followers deuided into diuers heresies and euen the life and example of Martyn Luther the originall Author of that opinion being now almost of no consideracion The Princes of Germany could deuise of no better remedie then to assemble and celebrate a councell for both the Lutherans seeking to couer their cause with the authoritie of religion solicited vehemently to haue their cause disputed in a publike and free councell And on the other parte it was beleued that the decrees which the councell should set downe would beare authoritie sufficient if not to reduce and remoue the minds of the heretikes from their errours at least to retyre and recouer to a more sownd opinion one parte of the multitudes infected But in Germany euen those that followed the factions and opinions of the Catholikes desired the conuocacion of a councell to th ende to reforme the excessiue charges and abuses of the Court of Rome Where what with the authoritie of indulgences and with the profit of dispensacions and lastly with the annates or yearely frutes of benefices that were giuen together with the allowances that in thexpedicion of them reuerted to the offices infinitely multiplyed in that Court It seemed there was no other studye or carethen to exacte by those corrupcions a huge masse of treasor throughout all Christendome without regarding the health and true comforting of soules nor that matters Ecclesiastike were rightly administred and gouerned for both many benefices incompatible were transferred and heaped vppon one person and also without respecting the merits and worthines of men they were eyther bestowed by partialitie and fauor or at least such persons were introduced who for their age were incapable or for their doctrine insufficient or which worse is for their life and example most slaunderous The Emperour was verye forwarde to satisfie this vniuersall instance and solicitacion of the partes and states of Germanye And helde it also not out of purposse for his affayres to appease in those prouinces the causes of the tumultes and contumacye of the peoples In which regardes he vrged the Pope by reducing to his memorye the conference they had together at Bolognia to call a councell promising him least he feared his authoritye and dignitye shoulde fall into daunger to bee there in personne to take perticularly care of him But for the Pope albeit there was nothinge in the worlde that coulde bee offered more to his displeasing or discontentement then the assemblye of a councell yet to nourishe the opinion that men had of his good intencion he dissembled that inclinacion or rather cause of feare And yet in effecte he had many deepe and setled feares one was least the councell to moderate the abuses of the Court and the indiscreete permissions of many Popes woulde not too much diminishe and restrayne the power of the sea Apostolyke an other was which was no small impression in him that albeit when he was called to bee Cardinall he had proued by witnesses that he was borne in lawefull mariage yet in truthe he knewe it was contrarye And albeit there coulde bee founde no lawe written that forbadde any man not lawefully borne to ascende to the Papacie yet there was enterteyned amongest them an auncient and common opinion that no man vppon whome coulde bee proued illegittimacion coulde bee capable of a Cardinalls place Thirdely he reduced to remorsse and conscience that he was raysed to the sea Apostolyke not without some suspicion of symonie practised with the Cardinall Colonno And lastely he feared least for the seuerities and rudenes whiche he had vsed towardes his naturall contrye accompanyed with so manye tumultes and aduersities of warre he shoulde bee made perpetually infamous in the generall councell the rather for that it had appeared vppon theffectes that he was moued not to reduce that citye to a good and moderate gouernment but was induced with ambicion and enuye to put it eftsoones vnder the yoke and seruitude of his house In regarde of these causes and feares lyke as he abhorred the name of a councell and coulde not accompt the fidelitie of the Emperour a sufficient sewertye to him So after he had communicated the whole matter with some Cardinalls deputed to the discussion of a cause of so greate waight who also stoode in feare to be corrected by the councell he aunswered that there were many reasons against the calling of a councell in that time both for that there was no assured stabilitie of peace amongest the Princes of Christendom And also the feare was no lesse that the Prince of Turkes would recōtinue the warre in which case it were not good that he found the regions of Christendom encombred with the disputacions and contencions of the councell Neuerthelesse making show to referre the resolucion of it to thEmprour he concluded that he was contented that he should promisse in the dyet the induction of the councell with these obseruacions That it might be celebrated in Italy That a reasonable tyme were assigned for the calling of it That it be assisted with the person and presence of thEmprour And that the Lutherans and other heretikes promising to refer them selues to the determinacion of the councell should in the
in the warres vniustly managed against them by Pope Sixtus by Ferdinand last dead Alphonso now raigning They willed them to loke into the great profits comming to their nation by traffike and entercourse in the realme of Fraunce where they were fauored with familiaritie and offices as if they were naturall of the region itself And with that example they might hope to haue in the kingdom of Naples if he became Lord of it the selfe same libertie of trade sewertie and benefit where of them of Aragon they neuer receiued other thinges then domage daungers and displeasures They recommended to their good councells the consideracion of these things and to protest by some token that they would ioyne with him in this enterprise But if they were restrayned by some iust impediment reason or excuse atleast that they would graunt libertie of passage to his armie thorow their territories and refreshing and vittells for his money They debated these thinges with the common weale and generall state but they recommended particularly to P. de medicis the respect of many goodturnes and honors done by Levvys the xj to his father and auncestors how he in very ielous and daungerous seasons had made many demonstracions for the preseruacion of their greatnes and in signe of amitie had honored them with the skotchioâ—s and armes proper to the house of Fraunce where Ferdinand not satisfied to persecute them with open and violent warre did also with a minde sworne to their ruine take parte with the ciuill conspiracies wherein Iulyan his vncle was killed and Lavvrence his father sore hurt The Embassadors went out of Florence without resolucion being at Rome they preferred to the Popes remembrance the auncient merits and perpetuall deuocion of the crowne of Fraunce to the sea apostolike whereof were autentike testimonies all recordes both auncient and present and of the contrary they insinuated the ordinary contumacie and disobedience of them of Aragon and referred the proofe to the view and construction of their actions past Then they demaunded that the realme of Naples might be inuested in the person of their king as iustly apperteyning to him They allured him with many hopes and made many offers so that he woulde be fauorable to thenterprise which their king had taken vpon him as much by his perswasions and authoritie as for other occasions To this demaund the Pope aunswered that thinuestiture of that realme hauing bene graunted by so many his predecessors to three kinges of the house of Aragon successiuely for in thinuestiture graunted to Ferdinand Alphonso was comprehended by name it was not conuenient to giue it to king Charles afore it was declared by forme of iustice that he had good right whereunto thinuestiture graunted to Alphonso was not preiudiciall for that for such consideracion it conteyned expresse mencion that it was ment without the preiudice of any person he tolde them that the realme of Naples did directly belong to the sea apostolike whose authoritie he knew was farre from the kings will to violat and no lesse contrary to thintencions of his auncestors who had bene alwayes the principall defenders of the same But if he should doe any violent action vpon Naples it could not be without manifest intrusion transgression of the holy sea and bring dishonor to the reputacion merits of his elders it would better become his dignitie and vertues to seeke to iustifie his pretence of right by course of iustice moderate equitie wherein as Lord Patrone onely iudge of such a cause he offered him selfe ready to administer to him And that a Christian king ought not to demaund more of a Pope whose office was to restraine and forbid and not to enterteyne and nourish warres betwene Princes christened And though he should so farre incline to the kings will yet he shewed many difficulties and daungers both by the neighbourhood of Alphonso and the Florentyns whose vnitie all Tuskane followed and also for the consanguinitie alliance of so many Barons holding of the king of Naples whose estates stretched euen to the gates of Rome Notwithstanding all this he enforced him selfe not to cut of their hope altogither albeit he bare priuatly this setled resolucion not to depart from the confederacion made with Alphonso At Florence thinclinacion was great and generall to the house of Fraunce for the liberall mart traffike which that state had with the french for an olde opinion but vntrue that Charlemain was the reedifier of their citie destroyed by Tottila kinge of Gothes for the auncient coniunction and amitie which their auncestors the Guelffes haue had long time with Charles the first king of Naples and with many of his lyne protectors of the faction of Guelffes in Italy And lastly for the memorie of the warres which the olde Alphonso after him Ferdinand in the person of his sonne had areared against that citie By the reason recordacion and memorie of these thinges the communaltie and multitude cried to consent to free conduct and passage desiring no lesse the best authorised and wise citisens in that common weale to whom it seemed a great partialitie and ouersight to pull vpon the countrey of Florence for the controuersies of an other so present and daungerous a warre they held it no pollicie to oppose them selues against so mighty an armie managed in the personne of A king of Fraunce descending into Italy with the fauour of the state of Myllan and no resistance of the gouernment of Venice though they publish no manifest consent this councell they confirmed with thauthoritie of Cosmo de medicis esteemed in his time one of the wisest in Italy who in the warres betwene Iohn of Aniovv and Ferdinand gaue alwayes this councell that the citie of Florence should not obiect it selfe against Iohn notwithstanding the Pope Duke of Myllan were ioyned with Ferdinand They remembred withall the example of Lavvrence father to Peter who was of the same aduise vppon euery brute of the returne of them of Aniovv yea so much was he amased with the power of the french since the same king obteyned Britaine that he would often times say that great troubles were prepared for all Italians if the king of Fraunce knew his owne strength But Peter de medicis who measured thinges more by will then by wisedome abused him selfe to much with his owne opinion beleuing that these emocions would rather resolue into brutes then into effects wherein being gouerned by some his speciall fauorits corrupted perhaps with the presents of Alphonso determined resolutly to continue in amitie with the Aragons whereunto in the ende all the residue of the Citisens must condescend by reason of his greatnes Ambicion is an vnquiet humor in man it may be that Peter not content with thauthoritie which his father had got in the common weale yet such by his disposing that though Magistrats were created yet they determined no matters of importaÌ„ce without his aduise aspired to a power more
or crime yet for that he would somewhat bridle and restrayne their dispositions he had kepte retayned many dayes in the Castell of Millan Iohn Bentyuolo but not finding good matter wherein they had offended he ought to haue no lesse regarde to thinnocencie of the parties then to his proper honour vnder the which he stoode bounde to keepe his fayth And yet to gratifie the Pope and leaue him satisfied of his inclination he sayde he was disposed to suffer him to proceede agaynst them with curses and paynes as agaynst the rebels of the Church euen as he had endured without complaint that in Bolognia in the heate of that stirre their Pallace was destroyed euen to the fundations The Dyot of Constance continued still with the same expectation of men wherewith it was begon which Caesar forgat not to nourish with diuerse sleightes and gallant wordes publishing that he would passe into Italie so accompanied that farre greater forces then the armies of Fraunce and all Italie ioyned together shoulde not be hable to resiste him And to geue greater value and authoritie to his cause alwayes protesting that he had onely fixed in his intention the protection of the Churche he aduertised the Pope and Colledge of Cardinalles that he had declared the Frenche king rebell and enemie to the sacred Empire for that he had descended into Italie to transferre into the person of the Cardinall of Amboyse the supreme dignitie pontificall and to set vppon hys owne head the Crowne Imperiall and lastly to dryue the whole Region of Italie into one seruile subiection That he prepared to come to Rome onely to take the Crowne and to establishe a common suretie and libertie And lastely that in regarde of hys Imperiall dignitie beeing protector of the Churche and for hys proper pietie verye deuoute and desyrous to aduaunce the Sea Apostolike it was not conuenient he shoulde tarie to be requyred or prayed knowing well ynoughe that the Pope for feare of perill and harmes was fledde from Bolognia and that the same feare kept restrayned both him and the religious Colledge from communicating their daungers or sending to demaunde succours Thus the matters whiche were treated in Germanie beeing by manye intelligences signified into Italie and the brute that was spredde surpassing the truth of thinges together with the generall preparations which the Frenche king made beeing causes enforcing more credite and testimonie of the publike rumours for that it was beleeued that he feared not without occasion These thinges I say moued muche the myndes of euery one some for desire of newe thinges some for hope some for feare some for respectes generall and some for their priuate and particuler interests In so much as the Pope fente as Legate to Maximilian the Cardinall of Saint Crosse and the Venetians the Florentins with all other Potentates in Italie excepte the Marquis of Mantua that were absolute and depended vppon them selues addressed to hym messaungers speciall eyther in the name of Embassadours or vnder some other nature euery one foreseeing for hys safetie according to the ielousie of the tyme These thinges troubled muche the mynde of the Frenche king being very doubtfull of the wyll of the Venetians and more vncertayne of the disposition of the Pope aswell for many reasons and experiences of things past as especially that he had elected to this legatiō cardinal S. Crosse in whom had remained an ancient and partiall inclination to further the greatnes of Maximilian But touching the will of the Pope muche lesse that it was manifest to others seeing it was scarsly knowen to him selfe for hauing his minde full of discontentmentes and suspitions agaynst the French king sometimes to be at libertie from those humors wandring and troublesome he desired the comming of Caesar and eftsones the memorie of auncient quarels betwene the Popes Emperours disaltered and amazed him the same occasions remayning and the same propertie of spirits working In which incertentie and frailty of minde he deferred to resolue himselfe expecting first what would be determined in the Dyot And therfore proceding in tearmes generall he had instructed the Legate to perswade Caesar in his name to passe into Italy without an army offring to him greater degrees and proportion of honors then euer had bin done by any Pope at the crowning of Emperors But a litle after the counsels of men obey occasions times thexpectations that were had of the resolutions in the Dyot began to diminish for when it was credibly vnderstand in Germanie that the Frenche king had dissolued his armie immediatly after the victorie of Genes his person also returning with the same fidelitie and obseruation of promise ouer the Mountes the heate of the Princes and peoples began to abate and their fiery inclinations to resolue to smoke and fume the feare beeing ceassed that he came not to vsurpe the Popedome and the Empire Besides as it often hapneth publike respects fell not so strongly in consideration but they were ouercaried with interests priuate for that besides all other reasons there was a generall and auncient desire in all Germanie that the greatnes of Emperours should not be so absolute as the other estates should be compelled to obey them And the French king omitted no diligence that might giue aduauncement to his cause for that he sent to Constance men expresse who forbearing all publike practise but working secretly laboured by the hydden fauours of the Princes that were his friendes to appease the mindes of the residue purging thinfamies that had bene imposed by testification and euidence of theffectes since assone as he had ranged Genes he did not onely disperse his armie but also returned in person into Fraunce with that speede that was agreable to a personage of his greatnes they affirmed besides that he had not onely abstayned in example and action from offending the Empire of Rome but also in all confederations contractes or bondes he did alwayes protest and except that he would be bounde to nothing that was contrarie to the rights of the sacred Empire wherein neuertheles they reapposed not so much in these iustificatiōs but that they labored with great diligence and many liberalities to abate the fierce mindes of the Almains with the engine of golde and siluer wherof that nation is not a litle couetous A batterie of no litle force to make breaches into the minds of most sortes and properties of men that beare more inclination to corruption then to vertue The Dyot at last determined and brake vp the twentith day of August in the which was agreed after many disputations that there should be deliuered to Cesar to followe him into Italy eight thousand horse xxij thousand footmen payed for six moneths and to furnish the expences of thartilleries with other charges extraordinary six thousand Florins of Rhein to be continued so long as the artillery was in seruice the bands and regiments to be in the fielde assemble neare Constance about the middest of October It
The ende of the seuenth booke THE ARGVMENT OF THE EIGHT BOOKE MOST of the Princes of Christendome dravve into league at Cambray against the Venetians vvho being ouerthrovven by the Frenche king render the tovvnes of the Churche and make submission to the king of Romains Pisa returneth to the obedience of the Florentins The Venetians recouer the tovvne of Padua vvhich is soone after besieged by Casar Aftervvardes they make vvarre to the Duke of Ferrara The Pope giues them absolution of the Church censures THE EIGHT BOOKE OF THE historie and discourse of Guicciardin THE diuisions of Italie were not so tractable as that they could be reconciled with little labour nor the infirmities of the countrey so easie and priuate as that they stoode subiect to be readdressed or recured with light medicines But as it often hapneth that in bodies replenished with humors corrupt the remedie that is applied to repurge the maladie of one parte engendreth more daungerous infections euen so the truce made betweene the king of Romains and the Venetians in place of the vniuersall expectation of tranquillitie brought foorth to the Potentates and Communalties of Italie infinite calamities and cruelties of warre farre exceeding the examples passed for notwithstanding the regions of Italie for fourteene yeres had borne a perpetuall crosse of warres and mutations yet quarrells beeing oftentimes ended without effusion of blood and battels and skirmishes falling for the moste parte vpon the strangers only the peoples had lesse suffred then the princes and the naturall regions muche spared from the bloudie miseries and actions of warre But the gappe beeing opened to newe discordes in tyme to come there followed throwout all Italie and agaynst Thitalians themselues a miserable trayne of many calamities and cruell accidents infinite murders sackings destructions and spoyles of cities a libertie of warre no lesse offensiue to their friendes then hurtfull to their enemies and a lamentable violation of religion and all holy things with lesse reuerence and respect then if they were prophane and popular the lawe and equitie of things being measured by the wils of the souldiours and nothing iudged vnreasonable agaynst him that was hable to alleage authoritie might or will fruites ordinarie following diuill discorde and by so muche the more perillous and working by how muche they happen in a second mutation as all euils are more daungerous in a seconde degree then in the first The cause of so many afflictions in a generall consideration was thambition and couetousnesse of Princes of whom many of them coulde not brooke any limitation of power imperie or kingdome But if they be weighed in a particular consideration they may be seene to take their beginning of the too rasâ—e and insolent maner of proceeding of the Venetians by occasion whereof were ceassed those difficulties which till that time had holden in suspence and impediments the French king and Caesar from agreeing together agaynst them of whome the one beeing greatly kindled they put him in dispaire and at the same time moued the other to no small indignation or at the least gaue him meane to disclose vnder an apparant coolour that which he had long desyred for Caesar beeing netled by so many infamies and harmes receiued loasing part of his proper inheritaunce in place to conquer thestates of others was not to omit any oportunitie wherein occasion might be giuen him to recouer or repayre so greatslaunders and losses A disposition which the Venetians vndiscretly increased a newe since the making of the truce for that not sparing to aggrauate his indignation no lesse with vayne demonstrations then worse effects they receyued into Venice Aluiano with publike pompe almost resembling a ceremonial triumph And the French king albeit at the beginning he gaue a certen hope to ratifie the truce that was made yet expressing afterwardes the discontentment he tooke he complayned of the presumption of the Venetians to name him and include him as adherent and prouiding for their proper tranquillitie to giue him ouer and leaue him in the cares and trauels of the warre These dispositions of minde both of the one and the other began to burst out into speedie and manyfest experience for Caesar hauing no further confidence in his proper forces and lesse expectation that the Princes or peoples of Germanie would take to heart the iniuries that had bene done to him made as though he had a desire to confederate with the French king agaynst the Venetians as the onely remedie to recouer eftsones the honor and estates he had lost And the French king following the course and oportunitie of the tyme norished the same inclination the new disdayne renewing in him the memorie of ancient offences receiued in the warrs of Naples enterteining also a working desire to draw out of their hands Cremona other townes of the auncient possessions of the dukes of Millan Therefore to th ende that in remouing the impediments of things inferiour they might withall procede to those of higher degree they began to debate how to resolue the quarels betwene tharchduke and the duke of Gueldres whose safetie the Frenche king helde muche for recommended for thauncient alliance and commodities he had receyued by him The Pope did also communicate in this motion stirring vp at the same tyme the French king agaynst the Venetians beeing besides the auncient indignations newly kindled and made hatefull agaynst them for an opinion he had that by their meanes the exiles of Furly who were retired to Faenza had made a tryall to enter that Citie hauing withall receiued into their dominions the familie of Bentyuoleis chased by the king out of the duchy of Millan To these was added this imputation that in many things they had borne slender regarde to the authoritie of the court of Rome and of late experience had slenderly respected it in this which troubled not a litle the Popes minde the Pope had translated the Bishoprike of Vincense vacant by the death of the Cardinall S. P. ad Vincla his nephew to Sixtus his nephew also suborned by him into the dignitie of Cardinall and to those benefices But the Senate of Venice making small reckoning of this collation choase a gentleman of Venice who the Pope refusing to confirme him tooke boldnes to name him selfe Bishop of Vincense of the election of the moste excellent counsell of the Pregati But the Pope beeing not a little kindled for these obstinacies dispatched first to the king Maximus secretarie to the Cardinall of Narbona and afterwards the Cardinall himselfe who newly succeding the late Cardinall of Achx in his Bishoprike was called the Cardinall of Achx They were willingly receiued and heard of the king and brought backe with them the deuise of many meanes and plottes to put in execution that which he desired both without themperour and without any confederacie with him But the Pope shewed a more inclination to complayne then to determine any thing for that on the one side the vnquiet desire he had to make
ambicion and his power in Italy an impediment to his authoritie he ceassed not also to complaine against him and the Cardinall of Amboise indifferently but with such temperature and cunning that it seemed his discontentment proceeded chieflly of feare And yet as he was of a nature obstinate and inuincible and for the moste parte accompanied the disposicion of his minde with outward demonstracions So albeit he aspyred in his secret thoughts to an end of so great consequence and hard to obtaine reaposing onely in him selfe and the reuerence and authoritie which he knew Christian Princes bare to the sea apostolike yet he would not enter into alliance nor depend of any but expressing both in spech and working how litle account he made of all he forbare to ioyne with Maxymylian refused to enter secret intelligence with the kinge catholike but estraunging him selfe from euery one he inclined onely to the part of the Venetians expressing daily more and more a confirmacion of will to absolue them iudging it a thing very conuenient for the common safety of Italy and for his perticular sewertie and greatnes not to suffer them to perish Against this did make great resistance thEmbassadors of Maximylian and the french concurring also with them in publike practise thEmbassador of the king of Aragon notwithstanding he solicited the Pope secretly to the contrary fearing no lesse the greatnes of the french in regard of the kingdom of Naples and reaposing litle in the disposicion of Caesar for the slender stabilitie that was in him These Embassadors alleaged that it was not reasonable that the Pope should doe so great a benefite for those whom he was bound by equitie promisse to pursue by armes seeing by the confederacion of Cambray euery confederat was bownde reciprocally to ayde one an other till there was absolute recouerie of all those places which were named for euery perticular partie So that seeing Caesar had not yet conquered Treuisa neither one of them stoode acquited of such bond and promisse besides they vrged that he might iustly refuse thabsolucion both for that they had not restored to the Churche the townes of Romagna neither frankely nor willingly nor within the tearme set downe in the monicion and also for that euen then their obedience was not perfect absolute for that albeit besides the rēdring of the townes they had bene admonished to reckon for the frutes which they had not accomplished To these obiections the Pope made aunswer that since they were returned to penance had sued for absolucion in due humilitie it could not stande with the office of the Viccar of Christ to persecute them any further with spirituall weapons to the preiudice of so many soules specially hauing obteined of them the townes by that meane the occasion ceassing for the which they had bene subiect to the censures of the Church That concerning the reckoning or restitucion of the frutes it was but a matter accidental and vrged more to aggrauat their disobedience then for any necessary reason therefore not iust that it should stand against them as a matter of importance That it was an action of an other nature to pursue them with tēporall armes wherein determining to perseuer in the league of Cambray he offered him selfe to be ready and concurrant with the others notwithstanding that euery one of the confederats might iustly leaue of for that if Caesar had not Treuisa it hapned by his proper error refusing the first offers which the Venetians made to him by their Embassador both to leaue him all that they possessed in the firme land and also to set him downe a sufficient allowance and recompense in exchaunge of Treuisa And thus not being reteined by any contradiction or impedimēt of thEmbassadors he onely was slow to this action by the disposicion of his minde wherein albeit he esteemed the absolucion of the Venetians to be profitable to him and to the plots he had layd yet he determined not to giue it to them but with great regard to the dignitie of the sea apostolike and so as all those thinges which were dependant vpon the Church were wholy deliuered from their oppressions the same being one cause that he deferred to absolue them together with their vnwillingnes to consent to these two condicions the one that they shoulde set at libertie to the subiects of the Church the traffike nauigacion of the sea addriatike which they restrained against all such as would not aunswer a kind of tribute for the marchandise they brought the other that they should continue no longer at Ferrara A citie depending vpon the Church the office of Vecedomino The Venetians alleaged that they of Ferrara had consented to it Clement the sixt giuing no impediment who at that time remeyned with his Court in the citie of Auignion They proued besides that Alexander the fourth had giuen them the iurisdiction and gard of the goolfe vnder very large priuileages whereunto they were induced for that with their armies with their vertue with their exspenses they had defended it against the Sarazins and pirats Turkishe made that nauigacion assured to the Christians To these reasons it was aunswered on the Popes behalf that they of Ferrara could not in preiudice of thecclesiastik iurisdiction consent that any other should hold office or exercise dominion in Ferrara that the people of Ferrara had neuer willingly consented but were forced by a long and heauy warre after they had in vaine called the aide of the Pope whose censures the Venetians contemned were constrained to accept peace with condicions at the discression of those that could doe more with them by armes then by reason Touching their authoritie alleaged of Pope Alexander that he had graunted it to them it neither appeared by historie nor other authentike tradicion neither was there any faith to be giuen to it but by the testimonie of the Venetians A thinge of iust suspicion in their owne cause especially carying so great importance And be it there were some apparance of matter yet it was more likely that he who they sayd had accorded to such thinges in Venice had done it by threatnings or by feare then that a Pope of Rome to whom affore all others apperteineth the defence of iustice and the recourse of the oppressed would haue consented to an action so cruell and impudent and bearing domage to the whole world In this estate of affaires in this diuersitie of intencions of Princes in this slender power and reputacion of Caesar the Venetians vnder the leading of Andrea Gritti sent their armie to Vincensa where they knewe the people in a generall disposicion desired to returne vnder their iurisdiction And making their approches in the entrey of the euening they wonne the subburbes of P. after they had made great batteries with their artilleries Touching the citie albeit there were as yet within it very fewe souldiers yet the Venetians had no great sewertie to carie it
Barons of Rome which were not of the conspiracie with the others He heard willingly the comfortes of the two Embassadors but so as oftentimes he aunswered them with words full of reproche and disdayne He dissembled alwayes in incertenties whiche for the moste parte deceiued the wisedomes of suche as gaue him counsell About this time came Iulio de Medicis knight of the Roades and afterwards Pope him the Cardinal Medicis vnder the leaue of the Cardinall S. Seuerin sent from th armie vnder cooller to recommende him selfe to him in so greate a calamitie but in dede to relate vnto him in what condition and state things stoode The Pope vnderstanding by him at large how much the Frenchmen were weakned of howe many capteines they were depriued and made naked and howe many valiaunt bodies of souldiours they had lost how many lay hurt and for many dayes would be vnprofitable what spoyle of horses they had suffred and howe one parte of the armie was dispersed abroade by reason of the sacke of Rauenna the Capteines vncertaine of the kings will and not at good agreement amongst them selues because Monsr Palissa refused to endure thinsolencie of the Cardinal S. Seuerin vsurping the office of a Legate and a capteine that there were secret murmures of a discending of Svvizzers and no apparant token sene that the armie could marche so soone This discourse recomforted muche the Pope who causing the reporter to be brought into the consistorie he willed him eftsones to relate them in the presence of the Cardinalls in the same forme of discourse which he had vsed to him apart To these was added the doing of the Duke of Vrbin who whatsoeuer moued him chaunged councel sent to offer the Pope two hundred men at armes and foure thousande footemen Notwithstanding these reapportes and all the comfortes they brought with them the Cardinalls continued to aduise him to peace A matter whiche albeit in wordes outward actions seemed not vnplausible to him yet in mind he was not resolued to accept it but for a last remedy yea albeit for the present there appeared no present cure or salue for the sore yet he would rather choose to go from Rome so farreforth as he were not out of all hope that his cause might be supported by the armies of princes and principally that the Svvizzers would stirre who showing great inclination to his desires had many dayes before forbidden the French kings Embassadors to be in the place wherein were assembled the deputies of all the Cantons to determine vpon the Popes demaundes In this estate of affayres there appeared some hope of peace for that before the battell of Rauenna the french king what with the consideration of the daungers that hong vpon him on all sides and what with the despite of thinconstancie of Caesar the hard conditions he proponed respects that much induced him to yeld rather to the Popes will in many things had secretly sent Fabricio Caietto brother to the Cardinall Finalo to the cardinalls of Nantes and Strigonia who had not yet altogether abandoned the negociations of peace his charge was to require thē to propound to the Pope that he was cōtent to render vp Bolognia to him That Alfonso d'Este should giue vp to him Lugo with the other townes that he held in Romagnia That he should be bounde to paye him his auncient tributes and to make no more salte vppon his grounds And that he would agree to thextinction of the councell he demaunded no other thing of the Pope thē to haue peace with him that Alfonso d'Este might be absolued of the paynes and restored to his auncient rightes priuiledges That to the family of Bentiuoleis who should remaine in exile their proper goodes should be reserued the dignities restored to the cardinals prelates which had folowed the councell Which conditions albeit the two cardinals feared that the king would no more consent vnto by reason of the victorie that had succeeded since yet they durst not propound them in other maner And the Pope seeing them so honorable for him not yet willing to manifest that which he had secretly determined in him selfe iudged not that the king could refuse them but peraduenture that it was more profitable with these enterspeeches to staye the kings armie to haue the better leasure to see what would be done by those in whom he had reaposed the residue of his hopes So that the Cardinalls still importuning him he subsigned those articles the ninth day after the battell of Rauenna giuing to the Cardinals his fayth promise to accept them if the king did confirme them He sent also by letters to the Cardinall Finale remaining in Fraunce but absented from the Court for feare to offende the Pope and to the Bishop of Tiuoli who kept the place of legate in Auignon that they should go to the king to debate of these things but he sent them no authoritie nor power to conclude them Vntill this time th affayres of the Pope went but in an euill course vntill this day was aduaunced the full of his calamities his daungers but after this day worldly affaires haue their ordinarie mutations his hopes began to appeare greater and the wheele of his fortune ceased not with an incredible swiftnes to turne to his greatnes The thing that gaue beginning to so great a mutation was the sodayne departing of Monsr Palissa out of Romagnia he was reuoked by the generall of Normandy for feare of the discending of the Svvizzers and for that cause he drewe his armie towards the duchie of Millan leauing in Romagnia vnder the Legate of the councell three hundred launces three hundred light horsemen and six thousande footemen with eight peeces of great artilleries The feare of the comming of the Svvizzers was made greater for that the same generall thinking to do a seruice more agreable to the king had vndiscretely dismissed the Italian footmen and parte of the French footemen immediately after the battell of Rauenna contrarie to all reason pollicie and that which the present affayres required By the departure of Monsr Palissa the Pope was deliuered of the feare that troubled him moste he was more confirmed in his obstinacie and it helped him greatly to assure the affaires of Rome for the better oportunitie whereof he had leauyed certayne Romaine Barons with three hundred men at armes and debated to make capteine generall Prosper Colonno the rather for that the courages of suche as desyred newe thinges beeing abated Pompey Colonno that made preparation at Montfortin consented by the working of Prosper to depose Montfortin into the handes of Marke Antho. Colonno for the Popes suretie reteyning basely in his handes the money he had receyued of the French king By this example also Robert Vrsin who was come affore from Petillano vppon the landes of the Colonnois to leauye armes keeping likewise in his handes the money he had receyued of the Frenche king was brought in afterwardes by
the footemen of the launceknightes making a resolute defence aboue all others But passing ouer the bridge of Grauatona which was of wood the plankes breaking with the waight of the horses all the french men and launceknightes that were not yet passed ouer were eyther slayne on the place or taken prisoners That laste calamitie being so much the more lamentable and greeuous by howe much they hoped by their diligence to make waye for their sauetie which they sawe their fortune persecuted to thuttermost The towne of Pauia bownd it selfe to pay a great quantitie of money by whose example also Myllan compownded but for a greater summe And all the other townes except Bressia and Crema fled from the aduersities of the french men â–ª All the contrey cryed now vpon the name of thEmpire the state was receiued and gouerned in the name of the holy league so was it called vniuersally and all affaires disposed by thauthoritie of the Cardinall of Syon assigned Legat for the Pope But the treasor and what soeuer was taxed vpon the townes was made a reward to the Svvyzzers to whom was transferred an interest in all things that concerned gaine or profit the same beeing the cause that many other bandes and trowpes of them discended into Lombardye to ioyne with the residue after the parliament of Zurich was ended which was assembled for that cause In this mutacion the cities oâ— Plaisance and Parma gaue them selues willingly to the Pope who pretended they apperteyned to him as members of Rauenna The Svvyzzers made them selues Lordes of Lucarno and the Grisons got Valuoltolino and Chiauenna places very commodious for them And in the heate of this fortune Ianus Fregosa Capteine of the Venetian armie beeing gonne to Genes with such bandes of horsemen and footemen as he had obteyned of th armie was the cause that that citie reuolted the french gouernor beeing fled whereof he was created Duke A dignitie affore tyme inuested in his father with the same violence of fortune all the townes and castells of Romagnia returned to the Popes obedience And lastly the Duke of Vrbyn approching neare to Bolognia with the bandes of souldiours of the Churche the famulie of the Bentyuoleis left it abandoned their fortune leauing them desperat hauing by these violent degrees depriued them of all hope The Pope pursued this famulie very sharpely excommunicating all the places that should receiue them hereafter he expressed no lesse hatred against the citie And beeing most kindled for their forgetfulnes of so many his benefits bestowed vpon them and in that ingratitude not only reuolting from his obedience but also in their spite had not forborne to spurne his picture and rayle out many villanous words against him he would consent no more that they should create new Magistrates nor communicat any way in the gouernment of the towne he exacted by the meane of seuere officers huge summes of money of sundry Citisens as partakers with the Bentyuoleis yea the opinion ronne that if his deuises had not bene broken by death he had a meaning to destroy that citie and translate thinhabitants to Centa The ende of the tenth Booke THE ARGVMENT OF THE ELEVENTH BOOKE THe Duke of Ferrara is in great trouble The Medicis returne to Florence The king of Romains makes alyance with the Pope Maxymylian Sforce is put in the possession of the Duchie of Myllan The French king makes his preparacions to recouer Myllan Pope Iuho dyeth Leon the tenth is created Pope The French men are ouerthrowen neare to Nouaro and the Venetians neare to Vincensa THE ELEVENTH BOOKE OF THE historie and discourse of Guicciardin NOTwithstanding the Pope amyd his greatest aduersities daungers had not onely obteyned victorye of his ennemies contrary to all hope and coniecture but also with the same felicitie had amplified the iurisdiction of the Churche aboue exspectacion and contrary to common equitie yet his auncient couetousnes to the citie of Ferrara the first matter of all these broyles so helde him still ouerruled that he could not make his desires equal to his fortune nor conforme his wandring minde to rest and tranquilletie Such is the rage of couetousnes when it hath thassistance of authority which makes men hard to be contented with that which occasion doth offer for that those things that come first doe abhorre them so long as by the greatnes of their power and place they aspyre and thirst for better But albeit the Pope had violent desires to turne his forces against Ferrara yet the way of peace seeming more easie then the warre or rather hoping more in the benefitte of secret and artificiall practises then in actions apparant and discouered he gaue eare first of all to the Marquis of Mantua who besought him that Alfonso d'Este might come to him to Rome to demaunde pardon and that he woulde eftsoones reclayme him to grace vnder some indifferent condicions In this request was concurrant thEmbassador of the king of Aragon suing for him bothe for that he was the kinsman of his king for Alfonso came of a Daughter of tholde Ferdinand king of Naples and also for that he esteemed it more to the commoditie of the affayres of his kinge to binde him to him by this propertie of benefitte then to suffer so great an estate to bee adioyned to the greatnes of the Churche Moreouer the famulie of the Colonnois beeing become of greate amitie with Alfonso were earnest solycitors in this cause The reason of their compassion was for that after the battell of Rauenna Fabricio Colonno who was Alfonsoes prisoner beeing sent for and requyred of him he vsed so many delayes first in refusing and then in interposing many excuses that by the mutacion that hapned he brought it into his owne power to giue him his libertie without any charge or raunsom At last safe conduit was obteyned for him from the Pope by the sewertie whereof confirmed also with the faith of thEmbassador of Aragon in the name of his king which was protested to him by the consent and priuitie of the Pope he went to Rome his submission beeing greater then his hope to be forgiuen And being come to Rome the Pope admitted him into the Consistorie suspending in the meane while all censures and paynes There with great humilitie he demaunded pardon with the same submission besought him that he might bee receyued into his grace and restored to the fauour of the sea Apostolike offering to doe hereafter all those offices and duties which might apperteyne to a moste deuout and faythfull Vassall of the Church The Pope heard him with a countenance and asspect reasonably peasible and substituted six Cardinalls to debate with him touching condicions of agreement who after certeine dayes spent in disputacion and argument declared to him that the Pope neyther would nor ment to depriue the Church of the citie of Ferrara since it was lawefully reuerted to the imperie of the Churche But in recompense there should be giuen to him the citie of
withdrew him from the thing whereunto his will did driue him so amyd so many variacions of mind he deferred as much as he could to declare his intencion giuing to euery one words and aunsweres generall But being continually importuned by the Frenche king at last he made him this aunswere that there was no person that knew better then him selfe how much he was inclined to his affaires being not ignoraunt with what affection he perswaded him to passe into Italy at a time when he might haue victorie without daunger or great effusion of blood That his perswasions for that thinges were not kept secret as he had oftentimes required him were now come to the knowledge of others to the common detriment of them both for that for his parte he saw him selfe in daunger to be assailed by others that the difficulties were become the greater for the enterprise of the king since others had giuen such order to their affaires that he could no more enter into the victorie but with manifest perill and lamentable slaughter of men That the power and glory of the Turkes being newly increased by so great a victorie successe it was neither conuenient to his condicion nor conformable to thoffice of a Pope either to giue fauor or counsel to Princes christened to make warre amongest them selues And that therefore he could not otherwise aduise him then to temporise surcease exspecting some other facilitie better occasion which when it hapned he shoulde finde in him the same disposition to his glory greatnes which he hath so well discerned certaine monethes passed An answere which albeit it did not in other sorte expresse his conception if it had come to the knowledge of the king it had not onely depriued him of all hope of the Popes fauor but also haue certified him that the Pope would haue ioyned and banded against him both with counsel with armes These were the accidents of the yeare 1514. But death who bringeth with him this law authority to cut of the vaine councells of men euen in their greatest hopes was the cause that the warre so forward in apparaunce burst not out to action with that speede that was exspected for whilest the French king gaue him selfe ouer to behold too much the excellent bewty of his new wife bearing then but eighteene yeres of age nothing considering the proporcion of his owne yeares nor his decayed complexion he fell into the rage of a feauer which drawing to it a suddeine flux ouercame in one instant the life that nature gaue ouer to preserue any longer he dyed the first day of the yeare 1515. a day of memorie for the death of so great a Prince he was a king iust much beloued of his peoples but touching his condicion neither asfore he was king nor after he had the crowne he neuer found constancy or stability in either fortune for rising from a small Duke of Orleance with great happines to the crowne and that by the death of Charles younger then he and two of his sonnes he conquered with a very great facility the Duchie of Millan and the kingdom of Naples and almost all the residue of the regions of Italy being gouerned for many yeares by his direction he recouered with a very great prosperity the state of Genes that was in rebellion vanquished with no lesse glory the armies of the Venetians being in person at both those victories But on the other side euen when he was in youth and best disposicion of body he was constrained by king Lovvys the eleuenth to mary his daughter that was both barren deformed and yet could neuer get the good will nor countenaunce of his father in law And aster his death such was the greatnes of the Lady of Burbon that he could neuer get the institucion of the newe king being then in minoritie being almost compelled to retyre him selfe into Brittaine where being taken in the battell of S. Aubyn he liued two yeares in the calamity of a prisoner To these afflictions may be added the siege and famin of Nouaro the many discomfits he had in the realme of Naples the losse of thestate of Millan Genes and all the townes which he had taken from the Venetians And lastely the grieuous warre he had in Fraunce agaynst very mightie enemies his eyes beholding into what lamentable perils his realme was brought Neuerthelesse afore he died it semed he had conquered al his aduersities fortune shewed good tokens of her reconcilement both for that he had defended his kingdome agaynst mighty enemies also established a perpetuall peace alliance with the king of Englande with whom by howmuche his amitie was great and assured by so muche it gaue him hope to be hable to reconquer the duchie of Millan After Lovvis the xij ascended to the Crowne Frauncis d'Angoulesme who was the next heire male of the blood royall of the same line of the Dukes of Orleance ▪ he was preferred to the successiō of the kingdom before the daughters of the dead king by the vertue disposition of the lawe Salike a lawe very auncient in the realme of Fraunce which excludeth from the royall dignitie all women so long as there is any issue male of the same line The world had such a hope in his vertues and suche an opinion of his magnanimitie such a conceite of his iudgement wit that euery one consessed that of very long time there was none raysed vp to the Crowne with a greator exspectation he was made the more agreable to the fancies of men by the consideration of his age bearing then but xxij yeres his excellent feiture proporcion of body his great liberality general humanity together with the rype knowledge he had in many things But specially he pleased greatly the nobilitie to whom he transferred many singuler great fauors He tooke vpon him together with the title of the french king the name of the duke of Millan A dignitie which he sayd apperteined to him not only by the auncient rights of the dukes of Orleance but also as cōprehended in the inuestiture that was made by Caesar in the treaty of Cambray Besides there liued in him the same desire to recouer it that dyed with his predecessor whervnto not only the working of his owne inclination but the perswasions of al the noble yong gentlemē of Fraunce did induce him no lesse by the memory of the glory of Gaston de Foix thē for the monumēt of so many victories as the kings raigning next afore had obteined in Italie And yet not to warne others afore the time not to prepare to resist him he dissembled his desires by thaduise of his graue counselors in the meane while sell to practise the amities of other princes frō whom were sent to congratulate with him many embassadors whō he receiued with countenaunce affable gracious but specially the embassadors of the king of England who desired
Spaine all the peoples of any prouince whatsoeuer gathered into commocion not against their king as they protested but to suppresse the couetousnes of his wicked gouernors And after they had communicated together their councels they would no more obey the kings Officers but of them selues set downe a forme of gouernment dressed by the vniuersall councell of the multitude which they called La santa giunta such is the name they giue to the vniuersall councell of the popular sort The Capteines and kings Officers tooke armes against them and so thinges being reduced to a manifest warre the disorders encreased by so many degrees that thEmprour held amongest them a very small authoritie The same being the cause that aswell in Italy as out of Italie the hope of those encreased who desired the diminucion of suche a greatnes Neuerthelesse as his armie by sea had wonne vpon the Moares the I le of Gerbes so in Germanie the reputacion of the frenche king had bene somewhat embased for the king to nourrish the troubles of Germanie fauored in that prouince the Duke of VVittemberg who was disagreeing from the league of Suaue which thing his peoples finding and feeling to their damage and harme they chassed him by force out of his estate and after they had wonne his liuing vpon him they sold it to thEmperour whom they knew to be desirous to pull downe the factioners of the frenche king thEmperour bounde him selfe to defende them in all oppressions whatsoeuer insomuch as the Duke seeing him selfe reduced to hope in the succours of the frenche was constrained to haue his recourse to the clemencie of thEmperour and to receiue of him such lawes as was his pleasure to assigne not being for all that restored to the possession of his Dukedom Towards the end of this yeare a regiment of three thowsand spanishe footemen hauing no mindes to returne into Spaine according to a cōmaundment which they receiued of thEmperour and litle esteeming thauthority of their Capteynes passed to Reggia in Calabria And from thence committing many insolencies as they past they drew towards the territories of the Church A matter which put the Pope in whose minde was fixed the memorie of thaccidents of Vrbin in great feare least being either stirred vp by other Princes or ioyning them selues with Franciscomaria or with the sonnes of Iohn Pavvle Baillon or some other enemies of the Churche they were not the cause of some great emocion This feare was made greater in the Pope for that the souldiers refused the offers made to them by him the Viceroy of Naples to enterteyne parte of them in paye and to distribute money to the residue But these offers raised them so much the more into corage made them to march towards the riuer of Tronto not keeping the straite way of Capinai but spreading ouer the large way of Povvilla The resorte of other souldiers ioyning with them daily together with certeine companies of horsemen encreased more more the humor of this feare In men timerous feare is a readie impression and for the time carieth the minde in contemplacions of perill and daunger Neuerthelesse this emocion tooke ende both with more expedicion and more facilitie then was exspected since assoone as they had passed Tronto to enter into the marke of Ancona whether the Pope had sent strength of souldiers incamping before Ripatransono they were compelled to retire for the great losse of men they had susteined in a fierce assault they gaue to the souldiers within Ripatransono an accident so preiudiciall to their vallour and reputacion that they accepted willingly of thEmperours officers condicions of farre lesser quality then such as they hadreiected before The ende of the thirtenth Booke THE ARGVMENT OF THE FOVRETENTH BOOKE POPE Leo is the cause that the peace continueth not in Italy He ioyneth in league with thEmprour against the French king The French king loseth the ` Duchie of Myllan Pope Leo dyeth Adrian the sixt is created Pope Frauncis Sforce reentreth vppon the Duchie of Myllan VVarre is made in Tuskane by Ranse de Cere THE FOVRETEENTH BOOKE OF THE historie and discourse of Guicciardin ABout the beginning of the yeare 1521. was reappeased that former litle stirre touching the which mens mindes suffered more feare by a freshe recordacion and memorie of those bands of spanish footemen that inuaded the state of Vrbin then for any other cause bearing either reason likelihood or probabilitie of terrour But as one warre draweth on an other like to diseases that redouble in bodies il disposed so not many moneths after Italy began eftsoones to be vexed with warres of greater perill of longer continuance and of more importance then were all the other quarrells that had passed affore Wherein the ambicion of two most mighty kings puffed vp with mutuall ielowsies hatreds and deepe suspicions drew them on to make exercise of all their power and forces in the partes and bowels of Italy which hauing skarcely breathed three yeres in peace and yet alwayes full of doubt and suspicion it seemed that in the powers of heauen destinye and fortune was layed vp either a manifest enuie of their tranquillitie or els a supersticious feare that vnder the benefit of rest and concorde those regions woulde eftsoones returne to their auncient felicitie and greatnes Such personages were the beginners of these new emotions as albeit they had farre more interest then all others to procure the preseruacion of the peace yet generally and seuerally they troubled it more then any others and by their industrie authoritie sought to kindle the fire which they ought to haue quenched with their propper blood if other remedies had not sufficed For notwithstanding the hard moodes and inclinacions betwene Caesar and the French king grew increasing continually yet there was no cause at all to push them on so fast to make present warre neither did the one so farre exceede the other in Italy either with force or friendes or any other propertie of ayde that they were able to offend one an other without the fauors oportunities and meanes of the Italian Princes for that as the French king had noreason to feare any vexacion of Caesar neither touching the kingdom of Naples nor for any quarrel of Germany both hauing the Venetians conioyned with him for the defense of Myllan and in the Svvizzers remayning no more readynes to make warres in their owne names but stoode only disposed to serue as souldiors to who so euer would minister paye to them so also he had no meane to offende Caesar in the realme of Naples vnlesse the Pope were concurrant with him in the action who stoode solicited by them both by many offers and meanes to be their friende In so muche as it was beleeued that if the Pope continuing indifferent betweene them were carefull to temper and raunge with his high authoritie and fidelitie of a newter their disdaynes and quarrells and to cut of and stop the passage of their troublesome
thē by our armes by our vallour by our weapons This aduise was embraced and as a sentence set downe folowed by the Viceroy who accordingly dispatched to Naples the duke of Tracetta with direction to make as great leauies of money as was possible and recōmend ouer the care defense of the kingdom to Askanio Colonno the other barons of the realme And albeit he had modestly giuen answere to thembassage presented to him frō the Pope yet he wrote to Rome letters full of seuerity bitternes such as gaue manyfest signification that he would not heare speake of thaccord By reason of this the Pope declaring howe he was pushed on by necessitie for that the Duke d'Albanie aduaunced dayly published not as a thing done before that he had contracted with the french king vnder a simple promise not to offend one another This he signified by writing to themprours agents alleging the causes that induced him but specially his necessities perils increasing And when the sayd writing was presented by Iohn Corsi embassador of Florence with wordes conuenient in suche a case themprour who afore could not be persuaded that the Pope would abandon him in so great a danger fell into no litle emotion trouble of mind he set before his eyes the sundry hopes he had giuen him confirmed by many good offices and oblations he conferred together the seuerall demonstrations of amity accompanied with no lesse tokens of constancy firmnes lastly making a iudgement betwene the former promises of the Pope his present effects he burst out into publike passion against him accusing with exclamation his frayltie light condition and in that heate of nature he answered thembassador that neither hatred nor ambition nor any interest particular had stirred him vp to begin warre with the french king but onely the perswasions the suggestions and the authoritie of Pope Leo who as he sayd was drawē vnto it by the Pope raigning being at that time cardinall of Medicis and perswaded him with great vehemency of reasons that it was a matter of great importance for the publike safety vniuersall benefite not to suffer the french king to possesse any thing in Italy That the same Cardinall was the author of the confederacion made for that cause before the death of Pope Adrian In which respects he pronounced with great griefe how much it troubled him to see the Pope who aboue all others was bound not to be seperate from him in those daungers wherin by his meanes he was entred had made a chaunge no lesse hurtfull to him then without all necessity That such reuolt and seperation for the time the place and the whole manner and propertie of it could be attributed to no other thing then to a certayne seruile feare and tymerous impression such as hath falne vpon him since they within Pauia haue holden out In this humor he forgot not to debate the meanes and fauors he had vsed to encreace his greatnes alwayes since the death of Pope Leo and specially his authoritie in two Conclaues together with his perpetuall desire to transferre vppon him the soueraigne election onely for this opinion that by his meane mighte be reestablished the common libertie of Italie And on the other side he made collection howe little the Pope might assure him selfe of the French king and howe farre he was eyther to feare or to hope of his victorie Lastelye he stoode vppon this conclusion that neyther for the Popes resolution whiche was agaynst all good office and exspectation nor for anye other accident or fortune of what condition soeuer he would not forget nor abandon him selfe Wherein he protested and therewithall wished that no man shoulde exspect that for wante of money he would chaunge or vary from his purpose seeing he had vowed to set vp as a laste reast all his Crownes and kingdomes and hys life withall desiring of God that his irreuocable deliberacion in the matter mighte not be preiudiciall to the health of his soule To these complayntes thembassadour of Florence replied That the Pope since he was raysed to the soueraigne dignitie was bounde to proceede no more as Cardinall of Medicis but to put on the personne of Pope of Rome whose office was to be carefull ouer the peace of Christendome for whiche reason he had often debated with him the necessitie of peace and quietnesse and for better negociation of it he had sent to him at two seuerall tymes the Archbishop of Capua by whome he protested that by the othe and ceremonie of his office he was bounde not to bee particular but indifferent That he had also admonished him thereof at suche tyme as the Admirall Bonniuet departed oute of Italie hauing no better season and oportunitie to treate of peace for him and more for his honour wherevnto neuerthelesse he made him no other aunswere then that he coulde conclude no peace without the consent of the kinge of Englande He desyred the Emperour to remember howe often the Pope had disswaded the passage and iourney into Prouence bothe for that it troubled altogether the hope of the peace and also herein he seemed a diuine prophete of thinges to come the necessitie wherein it woulde put the Frenche king to enter into armes mighte bee the occasion to stirre vp in Italie a more daungerous combustion That the Pope by the negociacion of the Bishoppe of Verona had declared to the French king then possessor of Millan and also to the Viceroye howe farre it concerned them to harken to peace but neyther of them bare anye inclination therevnto That since that tyme he had with manye reasons and verye greate efficacie refused to giue passage through thestate Ecclesiastike to the bandes of menne of warre that marched agaynste the Realme of Naples And yet neuerthelesse the kinge dyd not onely denie to heare his reasons but also made his forces to march along the countrey of Plaisanca withoute tarrying for hys aunswere That for that cause he had lastely sente Pavvle Vittorio to induce the Viceroye to a surceassing of armes vnder condicions conformable to the tyme and withall to certifie him by howe many reasons of necessitie he was to assure him selfe of the daunger imminent seeing withall that both the Venetians stoode in suspence and also the kinge of Englande woulde not be concurrante in the defence of the Duchie of Millan if at the same tyme both by Themperour and by him the warre were not moued beyonde the Mountes But seeing the Viceroye made no reckoning of anye offers or condicions he propounded and that the kinges men of warre and armed bandes aduaunced daylye he was constrayned to take fayth and suretie of the kinge without beeing bounde to anye other thing then not to offende hym The Emperour complayned of the hardnesse of the condicion offered to the Viceroy for that it restrayned and bounde hym to leaue that which he helde not expressing any mention that the Frenche king should do the lyke And lastely
reckoning of their own saueties In which astonishmēt they set before their eyes all those daungers which either doubt or dispaire could stirre vp Their feare would not let them hope for the thinges that reasonably might comfort them And whatsoeuer their amazed minds suspected the same did they feare would assuredly happen vnto thē Lastly when they saw them selues disarmed on all sides And thEmprours forces most mighty in the field without impediment of ennemies they could not but giue a greuous sentēce against their own estate condicion And in this cōfusion they could not be so much assured cōforted by the opiniō which many had of the good intēcion of thEmprour of his honorable inclinacion to peace of his vertuous minde not to vsurpe thestates of others as their passions were redoubled by the consideracion of their great daungers most manifest to the eye and no lesse fearefull to their mindes in which lay suppressed all that resolucion and constancie which reasonable men should expresse chiefly in times of aduersities They doubted least thEmperour pushed on either by ambicion naturall almost to all earthlie Princes or by insolencie which commonly accompanieth victories or caried by the importunate couetousnes of those that gouerned his affaires in Italie or lastly set on by the vniuersall perswasions of his councell and court They doubted I say least in these vehement respectes and in an occasion so sufficient to sette an edge vppon the dullest spirite that was he woulde not dispose his thoughtes to make him selfe absolute Lorde ouer all Italie Wherein they were not ignorant howe easie it is to euerie great Prince but muche more to an Emperour of Rome to iustefie his enterprises with titles appearing comelie and resonable This feare and astonishment did not onely occupie those potentates that were of meane force and authoritie but also euen the Pope and the Venetians were no lesse trauelled then the others The Venetians beganne to call into remorse and conscience the faulte they had committed against thEmperour without iust cause in not following the capitulacions of the confederacion And also the memorie of auncient hatreds and iniuries betwene them and the house of Austrich together with the greate warres they had had not many yeares before with his grandfather Maximilian By which they feared would be reuiued in thestates which they possessed in the firme land the name and memorie of the rightes of thEmpire which were almost buried and forgotten as also they cast this coniecture that whosoeuer had any purpose to make him selfe great in Italie would haue his first recourse to lay plottes to embase and pul downe their too much puisance and greatnes And for the Pope his passion was this that except the maiestie of the Popedom which euen in the times of the auncient reuerence that the worlde bare to the sea Apostolike was oftentimes ill assured of the greatnes of thEmperours he was in all other regardes very easie to be endomaged as being disarmed of forces depriued of money the Church in an vniuersall weakenesse for want of strong townes the mindes of the people not vnited nor sirme in deuocion to their Prince all the free holdes and dependaunces of the Church full of diuisions and factions the one parte being Guelffes and the other parte Gebelins and the Gebelins by an auncient and naturall impression inclined to the name of thEmperours and lastlie the Citie of Rome more then all other places defiled and weakened with these seedes and rootes of diuisions The Pope also called into care and reckoning the estate of Florence which depending vppon him and being the verie peculiar and auncient greatnesse of his house it was happily no lesse deare to his harte then the estate of the Church and assuredlie no lesse easie to be innouated and chaunged for as that Citie since the passage of king Charles hauing chassed out the familie of Medicis and vnder the name of libertie was diuolued to a gouernment popular for eighteene yeres space stoode so ill contented with the returne of the Medicis that there were very few to whom in deede was agreable their puisance greatnes so also the Pope feared vehemently least to so mighty occasions were not added a forward will and desire to offende that state Wherein also he had reason to doubt that that same desire and enuy was not lesse not so much for the regard of ambicion in the most mightie from which who is least puisant is neuer wholly assured as for feare that for many reasons his name in that time were not odious to thEmperour And albeit he made discourses in him selfe how much both in the life of Pope Leo and afterwardes since he was Cardinall he had trauelled for the greatnesse of thEmperour so farre foorth as Pope Leo and he with their greate exspenses and daungers had opened him the waye in Italie to so greate a puissance and that for his owne particular since his election to the Popedome he had giuen money to his Capteynes and made the Florentins to contribute during the Admiralls being in Italie without reuoking from his armie the regimentes of the Church and the bandes of Florence yet either in consideracion of his office wherein he is a father and pastour indifferent betwene Princes Christian and rather the author of peace then the nourrisher of warres or else for that he had begon verie lately to suspect and feare suche a greatnesse he was retyred and so giuen ouer to runne the same fortune that neither he woulde renew the confederacion made by his predecessor for the defense of Italie neither ayde him with money when the yeare before the Duke of Burbon entred with his armie into Prouence And albeit these matters had not giuen to thEmprours Capteines any iust cause to complaine seeing he was not as yet bounde by the league of Adrian to be concurrant against the frenchemen in the warres of Italie Yet they were beginninges to make him not esteemed the same man with thEmperour but diminished muche of the faith that till that day they had in him as men who caried onely either by their appetites or by necessitie thought them selues offended if to their particular enterprises dressed to occupie Fraunce others did not as it were lay to their handes according to thexamples before of others begon vnder title to assure Italie against the power of the frenche The complaintes and displeasures beganne to discouer them selues at such times as the french king passed the mountes to recouer the Duchie of Myllan for albeit the Pope according to the complaint he made afterwardes to thEmperour by a letter which he wrote to him had secretly distributed certeine quantities of money to the frenchmen at their returne from Marseilles yet afterwardes he had no straite familiarity or intelligence with them but assone as the king had made a conquest of the Citie of Millan he entred into capitulacions with him taking his reason vppon the good euent and traine of his affaires Of which he excused
the castell S. Angelo The Pope was al this while in no smal thought to make prouision of money wherin imploring the ayde of other princes he receiued of new from the king of England a supply of thirty thousand duckets which the lord Russell his Chamberlaine brought to him And with him came Monsr de Rabandanges with ten thousande crownes sent to him by the french king vpon the benefit of the tenthes which the Pope had accorded to him by necessitie compulsion vnder this promise notwithstāding that besides the payments of the forty thousand crownes which he gaue to the league and twenty thousand which he contributed to the Pope for euery moneth he should presently minister to him thirty thousand duckets within a moneth thirty thousand more The king of Englande gaue commission also to the Lorde Russell to signifie to the Viceroy and the Duke of Burbon a surseance of armes to th end to giue sufferance and tyme to treate a peace the practise and negociation whereof according to themprours will was holden in Englande And if the Viceroy would not condiscend to it then to denounce agaynst him warre It seemed by this readynes and many other apparances that the king of Englande vnder a desire to marry his daughter with the Frenche king was well inclined to the confederates and fauoured their cause And in that good inclination he promised that assoone as the mariage were established to enter into the league and beginne the warre in Flaunders It seemed also he was particularly disposed to do pleasure to the Pope But there could be no great exspectation of ready remedies from a prince who both measured not well the present conditions of Italy nor stoode firme and resolute in his purposes beeing styll labored and retyred by the hope which themprour gaue him to commit to him the working and arbitration of the peace notwithstanding theffectes were in nothing correspondant to the semblances and showes he made for when the Auditor of the Chamber was with him for that matter albeit themprour did what he could to perswade him in many sortes that such was his intention yet for that he exspected some euentes from Italy since the discending of the launceknightes and the aryuall of his Nauy at sea wherof he had receiued some aduertisement he forbare to giue him an aunswere assured and certayne taking his excuse vppon the warrantes and commissions of the confederates as though they were not sufficient But thaccorde whiche the Pope solicited continually with the Viceroy hurt him not a little with the Confederates both for that they stoode alwayes in feare least he woulde resolue and compound with him And also the French king and the Venetians made this iudgement that all the exspences and defraymentes whiche they should make to support him would be almost vnprofitable This iudgement and suspicion tooke encreasing by certayne degrees of vehement feares whiche were discerned in him together with the lamentable protestations he made dayly that he was no more hable to susteine the warre Wherein agaynst hys ordinarye meane and remedy in that case he opposed wilfully his naturall obstinacy would not make Cardinalls for money nor releeue himselfe in so great necessities amid so many daungers of the Church with those meanes which other Popes had wont to vse yea euen in thatchieuing of their vniust and ambicious enterprises In which regarde the French king and the Venetians to be the better prepared and ready in all accidents were eftsones particularly bound to make no accord with themprour the one without the other And the French king for that cause and for the great hope which the king of Englande gaue to rayse together with him in case the mariage went forwarde great emotions in the spring following became more negligent and lesse carefull of the daungers of Italy In this time the Viceroy who solicited an inuasion vpon the Churche states dispatched a regiment of two thousande Spanish footemen to assault a small Castell of Stephen Colonno where the vallour of the defendantes made that enterprise in vayne And because the Viceroy came on and aduaunced thecclesiastikes referred to an other time to execute the resolution taken to batter the Popes rocke the garrisons of which place had surprised the Castell Gandolffo but weakly manned and at that tyme holden by the Cardinall de Monte At last the Viceroy after he had assembled into one strength twelue thousande footemen all bodyes commaunded and trayned sauing the Spaniards and Launceknights that were come with him by sea encamped with his whole armie the xxix of Ianuary before Frusolone a towne weake and without walles sauing that the howses of some particulars serue as a wall and within the which the capteines of the Church had bestowed garrison because they would leaue him no footing nor entrie into Campagnia to the weaknes of this place was ioyned a great necessitie and want of vittells and yet the situation of the towne standing vpon a hill giueth alwayes to the inhabitantes good meane and oportunitie to saue them selues of one side for that it beareth a certaine benesite of reskew and backing A matter which gaue a great resolution to the garrison within to defende it besides that they were of the best choyse of Italians whiche at that time tooke paye Moreouer the height of the mountayne was no litle impediment to thenemies to do any action vpon their artilleries of which they had planted three demy Cannons and foure Coluerines Onely the greatest care of thenemies was to stoppe as muche as they could the entry of vittells into the towne On the other side the Pope who albeit was muche impouerished for money and was more apt to suffer indignitie to desire others to releeue him then to furnishe himselfe by meanes extraordinary encreased his campe as muche as he could with bandes of footemen payed and trayned And in that incertentie of minde and dealing he had newly taken into his paye Horacio Baillon without keeping memorie or obseruation of the iniuries which he had done before to his father and afterwardes to him whom he had of long holden prisoner within the Castell of S. Angelo as a troubler of the quiet of Perousa With these supplies of souldiours his armie went on alwayes drawing neare to Ferentin to make there his generall moosters and to giue hope of succours to those that were besieged The batterye of Frusolona was reduced to perfection the xxiiij day but because it was not suche as to giue hope to cary the place there was no assault performed Onely capteine Alarcon trauelling about the walles was hurt with the blowe of a harquebuse and likewise Maria Vrsin was wounded One of the principall grounds and hopes of the Viceroy was that he was not ignorant that the souldiors within suffred great scarcitie of vittells as also the armie that moostred at Ferentin was in the same extremitie for the souldiours of the Colonnois whiche laye within Palicina Montfortin and the Popes Rocke the
counsels publike And the other not to stirre or make angrie the minde of the Pope in matters which were not of importance touching the libertie Of whiche things both the one and other had bene founde profitable to the common wealth for like as many euen of those who were persecuted as enemies to the gouernment being assured and embrased had bene firmely conioyned with the others to preserue the state knowing withall that the Pope for matters happening in the times when the gouernment chaunged was ill contented with them So touching the Pope albeit he desired vehemently the returning and restauration of his friends yet hauing no newe prouocation or matter of wrong he had so much the lesse occasion to burst out to complaine as he did cōtinually with other Princes But against these matters was opposed the ambition of certaine particulers of them who knowing wel ynough that if such shoulde be admitted to the gouernment as had bene friends to the Medicis being in deede men of most experience and vallour that their estate and authoritie should be made lesse labored by all the studies and deuises they coulde to keepe the common people full of suspicion both of the Pope and of them not sparing to slaunder the Gonfalonier aswel for those causes as also to th ende to depriue him of his magistracie for the thirde yeare to charge him that he bare not a minde so farre estraunged from the familie of Medicis as the interest and profite of the common weale required Which imputacions and chalenges not mouing him at all and holding it very necessarie not to haue the Pope incensed he tooke the more libertie to enterteyne him priuatly with letters and embassages yet such as he had not begunne nor prosecuted without the continual priuitie and knowledge of some such as were principals chiefe magistrates neyther did he manage them to other ende then to reteyne or retyre the Pope frō some act of precipitation But where as a letter that was sent to him from Rome fel by misfortune into interception bearing certaine wordes to breede suspicion in such as knew not the ground and foundation of those thinges and the same letter being passed ouer into the hands of some of those that sate and managed the supreme function There were certaine youngmen prepared to sedition who rising into armes inuaded by force the publike pallace and in their insolencie restrained the Gonfalonier almost vnder garde and going on to confirme this beginning with actes of manifest rebellion they summoned together in maner of a tumult almost all the magistrates and many citisens where they debated to depriue him of his magistracie Whiche being approued in the great counsel his cause was afterwards referred to the examination of the law wherein being absolued by iudgement and sentence he was ledde with great honour to his houses accompanied with the greatest presence of the Nobilitie In his place was preferred Frauncis Carduccio a personage vnworthie of so great a dignitie regarding his lyfe passed his customes and his wicked endes and intentions Nowe beganne new stirres to appeare in Lombardie Monsr Saint Pol hauing past the riuer of Pavv at Valencia the xxvij of Aprill by reason of which proceeding the Imperialls abandoned the Borowe of Basignagua and the parishe of Caira From thence Saint Pol sent Guido Rangon with one parte of the armie to Montaro a place strong for the double ditches flankes and waters And as they had planted by night their artilleries without prouisions of baskets without trenches and other like preparations they were by day charged by those that were within suche as did them greate harmes and cloyed two peeces of their artilleries and put the residue in daunger to be lost At that time albeit there was within Millan a slender prouision of thinges necessarie yet the preparacions of the French and Venetians were in no better condicion who complayning one of an other were both negligent to furnishe thinges needefull In so muche as amongst other difficulties the confederates fell into some dout that the Duke of Millan for the litle hope he sawe remayning to reconquer that state eyther by his owne forces or with their succours woulde make some accorde with the imperials by the meane and working of Moron But the thoughtes and deuises of the Frenche King tended altogether to peace for a distrust he hadde not to bee able otherwaies to recouer his children Whereunto also the Emperour bearing a manifest inclination two gentlemen whom the Lady Margarit had sent to him for that effect were returned from Spaine bringing to her ample commission to goe through with the peace Of whiche when the French King was aduertised by a secretarie of his whom for that matter he had dispatched into Flaunders he required the confederates for their partes to addresse commissioners also And hauing determined in him selfe to leaue there all the prouisions of the warre yet seeking to worke vnder some iust colour he complained that the Venetians had refused to contribute to the money for his passage Who albeit in the beginning so farre foorth as the Emperour passed they had earnestlye solicited him to passe which also the King had offred to perfourme with two thousande foure hundred Launces a thousand light horsemen xx thousand footmen in case the confederates would giue him mony to paie aboue this a thousand light horsemen and xx thousande footmen contribute to the moytie of the exspenses of thartilleries yet what soeuer was thoccasion they chaunged councell and retyred from those offers At this time Monsr Saint Pol with foure cannons tooke Saint Angeo by force wherein was a garrison of foure hundred footemen and in the same expedicion he conuerted his strength to Columbano to open to his campe a passage of vittells from Plaisanca and made him selfe maister of the place by composicion Afterwards being informed that there lay a force of foure thowsand footemen within Myllan but much weakned with maladies he thought to assalt it The second of Maye Moraro rendred to Monsr Saint Pol at discression though after it had suffred so great an execucion of thartilleries that there was no more possibilitie to make defense Torniello left also the towne of Nouaro but not the castel wherin he put a very slēder strength of footemen retyred his person to Myllan So that the Imperials helde no other peece beyond the ryuer of Thesin then Gaya and the rocke of Biagrassa Monsr Saint Pol hauing also gotten the rock of Vigeuena The tenth day he marched to the bridg of Locqua to ioyne with the Venetians at the borow of Saint Martyn Here the Duke of Vrbyn came to the armie And from thence being gone vp to Belioyenso to haue conference together the resolucion was in the common councell to incampe before Myllan with two armies on two sides for which expedicion Monsr Saint Pol passing ouer Thesin should turne to Biagrassa to force it the same day the Venetians to go to the
or confederacion could doe him hurt seeing that aswell for the obligacions it conteyned as for the obseruancie and execucions of the same many difficulties might happen and sundry impediments arise Thus the solicitacions and practises begon were continued betwene them And as the French king was desirous in regard of his honor and for ambicion more then for other needefull matter that the person of the Pope might come to Nyce so to allure him the more he promised not to require of him any confederacion nor to incense him to warre and much lesse to drawe him from tearmes of iustice in the cause of the king of England nor to importune him to create newe Cardinalls Neuerthelesse he was somewhat pushed on by the incitacion of the king of England who had now solemnly maried the Ladye Anne Bolleyne by whome hauing by due order of time procreated a Daughter he had to the preiudice of the Daughter of his first wife declared her Princesse of the Realme of England A title which is transferred to suche as are moste nearest the Crowne By reason of which action the Pope not hable to dissemble so great a contempt against the sea Apostolike nor refuse to graunt iustice to thEmprour had with the vowes and iustificacions of the Consistorie published that king guiltie of the cryme of contempt A matter which moued the king of England to desire with more importunitie both the parentage and enteruiewe of the Pope with the French kinge hoping muche in that kinge to remedye his cause and that if the Pope were induced to common vppon new matters against thEmprour he woulde desire to restore him and to drawe him to their coniunction and so almoste to constitute a triumuirate to giue lawes to the thinges of Italy At laste his going was concluded but not to Nyce for some difficultie interposed by the Duke of Sauoy touching the consigning of the Castel to the Pope hauing in likelyhood no inclination to displease the Emperour But the place was chaunged to Marseilles greatly to the pleasing and appetite of the French king who interpreted it not a little to his honour to reduce the enteruiew into his kingdome Neyther was it discontenting to the Pope as one that desired to satisfie him more with demonstrations to please his ambition then with effects according to true meaning The Pope caused to be published a brute that he went to this enteruiew principally to solicite an vniuersall peace secondly to perswade an enterprise agaynst the Infidells thirdly to reduce and call backe to good wayes the king of Englande and lastely and onely for common and generall interests and to establish some good fourme in the vniuersall affayres But beeing in deede not hable to dissemble the true cause of his iourney before he departed he sent his Neece to Nice vpon the gallies which the French king sent to him accompanied with the duke of Albania vncle to the young Lady Which gallies after they had deliuered the Lady to Nice returned to the port Pisan and tooke in the fourth of October the person of the Pope with a trayne of many Cardinalls whom with a happy nauigation they brought in few dayes to Marseilles There he made his solemne entry and after him entred the French king who had visited him before by night They were lodged in one Pallace and exercised reciprocally one vpon an other right great offices and demonstrations of amitie And the king who especially laboured to insinuate into his fauour and to winne him besought him to sende for his Neece to come to Marseilles which beeing perfourmed with a willing readines in the Pope who forbare to preuent the king in that motion to shewe that he would first debate of the common affayres so soone as the Lady was come the contractes wente on which were immediatly confirmed and made perfect by the consommation of the mariage to the incredible gladnes of the Pope Who albeit with such art solicited his affayres with the king that the king reapposed a wonderfull confidence in his wordes and honored him with a singular affection yet both contrary to thopinion of all men and especially agaynst thexspectation of themprour no article or capitulation was passed betweene them Onely the Pope shewed him selfe alwayes well inclined and desirous that the state of Millan might be conuerted to the Duke of Orleance husbande to his Neece A matter also vehemently thirsted after by the king for a hatred despite he bare to the Emprour and his greatnes fortunes But much more for that the duke of Orleance hauing to his share an estate of that apparance greatnes he thought that therby would be quenched the occasiōs of contentions betwene his children after his death ▪ which otherwise he feared might fall amongest them for the title of the Duchie of Britaine ▪ An estate which the king in the yere before contrarie to the couenauntes made by king Levvis with those people had annexed and vnited to the Crowne of Fraunce wherevnto he induced the subiects of that state to consent more by his kingly authoritie then of their proper inclination and will. Moreouer in this enteruiew muche lesse that the king coulde obteyne any fauour of the Pope in the cause of the king of Englande seeing beeing discontented with the inciuilities of the Agentes of that king whom he founde in the Popes chamber protesting and appealing from him to the Councell he tolde the Pope that it should nothing offende him if he pursued that king and his cause according to the rule of iustice yea he was so moderate in his demaundes and dealings that in nothing did he offende the minde of the Pope sauing that more to satisfie others of his Court and counsell then to content himselfe he solicited him to create three Cardinalls A matter not a little discontenting to the Pope not so muche for thinstance whiche themperours Embassadour made to the contrarie as for that he interpreted it to an action of great consequence both for thelection of other Popes hereafter and for the disobediences whiche might happen in hys lyfe and after to adde so many Cardinalls to the French nation beeing at that time sixe in number Neuerthelesse to preuent a greater euill with satisfying the lesser he accomplished the kings demaunde making to be concurrante in the action of that creation a brother of the Duke of Albanie to whome he had before promised the Cardinalls Cappe In all other regardes they seemed to stande firme and assured in all sortes of fidelitie and satisfaction and in that good estate of inclination and amitie the Frenche king was not curious to communicate with him many of his counsells and especially his determination to stirre vp agaynst themprour certayne Princes of Germany and chiefly the Lantgraue van Hesse and the Duke of VVittemberg who the sommer following drewe into commotion And so wyth these actions and demonstrations of amitie and office after they had passed a moneth at Marseilles the Pope returned
fortunes that might happen he married Blanche Mary sister to Iohn Gales and his Neece to Maximylian newly aspired to thempire of Rome by the death of Federyk his father to him he promised in dowrie to be payd within a certeine time iiij hundreth thowsand duckatts of ready money with iewells and other ornaments to the value of xl thowsand duckatts and of the other parte Maximylian thirsting more after money then affinitie by this mariage bound him selfe to indue Lodovvyk to the preiudice of Iohn Galeas his new brother in law with thinuestiture of the Duchie of Myllan for him his children offpringe as though that estate had remained without lawfull Dukes euer since the death of Phillip Maria Viscount At the latter payment of the money he promised to giue him all the priuileadges and prerogatiues accomplished in most ample forme The Viscounteis gentlemen of Myllan during the bluddy factions in Italy betwene the Gebelyns and Guelffes and after the Guelffes were suppressed of principall men of one part of Myllan became Lordes and absolute maisters of the whole citie such frutes for the most are bredd by ciuill discordes And in this greatnes after they had continued many yeares they sought according to the common aduauncement of tyrannies the better to disguise their vsurpacion with a show of right to strengthen first with colers lawful after to set out their fortune with most ample titles therefore after they had first obteyned of themprours of whome Italy began to know rather the name then their power the title of capteines then vicaires of thempire In the ende Iohn Galeas who for that his father in lawe Iohn king of Fraunce had giuen him the earldom of Vertus called him self Earle of Vertus obteyned of Vincislao king of Romaines for him his yssues males the dignitie of Duke of Myllan in which succeded him the one after the other Iohn Maria and Phillip Maria his sonnes But the lyne masculyne being determined by the death of Phillip albeit by his testament he had instituted as his heire Alphonso king of Aragon and Naples partly for the recompense of the amitie he shewed at his deliuery but more for that the Duchie of Myllan defended by so mighty a Prince should not fall into the subiection of the Venetians aspiring manifestly to it yet Francis Sforce at that time a capteine valiant and equally seene in affaires of peace and warre being assisted with many occasions then occurrant and more esteeming to reigne then to keepe faith held with armes the sayd Duchie as apperteining to Blanche Maria his wife the bastard daughter of Phillip And albeit it was supposed that soone after with a small porcion of money he might haue purchased of themprour Federyk thinuestiture of that state yet trusting he was able to kepe it by the same meanes wherwith he had wonne it he made small reckoning of that office in themprour thus without inuestiture continued Galeaz his sonne Iohn Galeaz his later sonne by reasō whereof Lodovvyk bearing him self wickedly at one time against his Nephew liuing doing wrong to the memory of his father brother decessed mainteined that not one of thē were lawful dukes of Myllan procuring him self as of an estate diuolued to thempire to be inuested by Maximylian by that reason bare the title not of the 7. but of the 4. Duke of Myllan which thinges so long as his Nephew liued were not suffered to come but to a fewe mens knowledge Besids following thexample of Cyrus yonger brother to Artexerses king of Persia which also he confirmed with thauthority of many lawyers he aduowched that he was before his brother not in yeares age but for that he was the first borne after their father became Duke of Myllan This reason togither with the first was bestowed amongest the imperiall priuileadges wherin to cloke with a vaine couer the ambicion of Lodovvyk there was also written in letters separate that it was not the custom of the holy Empire to consent or passe any estate to any that afore had holden it vnder thauthoritie of an other for which cause Maximylian had kept no reckoning of the peticions made by Lodovvyk to obteyne thinuestiture for Iohn Galeas hauing afore acknowledged the same Duchie of the people of Myllan In this mariage made by Lodovvyk of his Neece with Maximylian Ferdinand tooke encrease of hope that Lodovvyk would estraunge him selfe from the amitie of the french king these were the reasons and arguments of his hope for that he had knitt him selfe with Maximylian enemie and Corriuall to the french king by many occasions the departing with so great a sunme of money might induce the kings suspicion agaynst him And lastly this newe coniunction ministring occasion of corage hart he supposed he would not be fearful to diuide him selfe from the french doings This hope Lodovvyk nourished with great conning and with the vayle of the same so blinded all others that at one time he communicated with Ferdinand the other Potentates in Italy and withall enterteyned the king of Romaines and yet kept the french from ielousie Ferdinand also iudged that it could not but be displeasing and intollerable to the Senate of Venice to whom he had sent Embassadors that a Prince so mightie aboue them should enter the hart of Italy wherein they had the chiefest place opinion and authoritie besides he fedd much of the hopes in the king and Queene of Spayne who had promised him great succors if neither by perswasions offers nor authoritie he could not breake the enterprise On the other side the french king hauing taken away all impediments on that side the mountes began to practise to remoue such difficulties as might fall to his hinderance on the other side the hills In that action he sent Peron de la bache a man not ignorant in th affayres of Italy by thexperience he had there vnder Iohn of Aniovv who after he had made knowen to the Pope the Senate of Venice and the Florentyns the resolucion of his king to recouer the kingdom of Naples he made peticion to them all to enter societie fellowshippe and communitie with him But he reaped no other frute then frayle hopes and generall aunsweres for that the warre being not to be executed till the next yeare euery one refused to discouer so long before his intencion In like sort the king required of thembassadors of Florence sent to him a litle before by Ferdinands consent to excuse them selues of thimputacion that they inclined to the partie of thAragons to haue passage and vittells for his armie in their iurisdictions at reasonable rate and that to accompanie him to the kingdom of Naples they would furnish him with an hundreth men at armes which he sayd he required as a signe that the common weale of Florence stoode with him in amitie Albeit they aunswered him with many reasons and declaracions that they could not in that sort protest without great perill vntill his armie were
not without pawne and sewertie It is also reasonable in him to demaund peace because lying nearest the daunger of your forces his feares are no lesse iust then his perills likely Besides leagues which haue many competitors of their propper nature haue not that stabilitie and concord but vpon occasions they come to disagree and fall of one from an other in which case euery litle hoale that they shal make yea euen the smallest cranell or creuish that shall appeare will make to vs the victorie no lesse easie then well assured So that seeing your affayres stand in these degrees and that God hath made it impossible to mortall Princes to rule the time my aduise is that your Maiestie striue not against the streame of the time but to frame your inclinacions to the peace not that it is of it selfe profitable or commendable but because it is an office in Princes wise and of stayed condicion in causes difficult and daungerous to allow for easie and commendable that that is necessary and conuenient or at least wise such as are least intangled with daungers and nothing at all derogat reputacion and honor The Duke of Orleans rebuked sharpely the speeches of the Prince of Orange either of them taking such libertie of passion that falling from wordes to reproches and iniuries the Duke gaue him the lye in the whole presence of the councell But thinclinacion of most part of the councell and consequently of the multitude of th armie was to embrase the peace bearing so much power in them all and no lesse in the person of the king a sweete desire to returne into Fraunce that they were not able to discerne the daunger of the kingdom of Naples and much lesse to see how slaunderous it was to suffer to be lost afore their eyes the citie of Nouaro and lastly to depart out of Italy with condicions so vnequall considering the incerteintie of thobseruacion which disposicion was so vehemently fauored by the Prince of Orange that many dowted lest to gratifie the king of Romaines to whom he was most affectioned he had no lesse regard to the profit of the Duke of Myllan thē to the commodities of the french king with whom truely his authoritie was great partly for the excellencie of his wit and partly for the credit of his vallour but most of all for that it is a custom and propertie with Princes to esteme most wise such as are most conformed to their inclinacions At last the peace was made which was no sooner sworne by the Duke of Myllan then the king reiecting all other thoughtes then such as made for his returne into Fraunce wēt forthwith to Thuryn his hast was the more importunat to depart from Verceill for that those bands of the Svvyzzers that were in the campe to assure their payes of three whole moneths according to the custom of Lovvys the xj as they alleaged began to speake of staying the king or the chiefteines of his Court for the sewertie of their pay notwithstanding they could not clayme so much by promise nor yet had serued so long time from which daunger albeit the person of the king was deliuered by his suddeine departure yet they hauing made prisoners the Baylif of Dyon and others that leauyed them he was in the ende constrayned to assure all their demaundes aswell with promises as with ostages from Thuryn the king desiring to make a perfect establishment of the peace sent to the Duke of Myllan the Mareshall of Gi◠the President of Ganuay and Argenton to induce him to speake with his Maiestie The Duke seemed to be of the same desire but it was not without some dowt of treason In so much that either for that suspicion or obiecting perhappes some expresse difficulties as not to giue occasion of ielowsie to the confederats or for that his ambicion woulde not suffer him to come in a behauior inferior to the french king he propownded to haue the meting vpon the middest of a riuer where a bridge being made either with barkes or other matter there shoulde be betwene them a barre of wodde A manner of commoning together vsed heretofore by the kinges of England and Fraunce and other great Princes of the West This the king refused as a thing vnworthy his greatnes and therefore without any enteruiewe he receiued his ostages and dispatched Peron de la Basche to Genes to receiue the two carrakes that were promised him and to rigge foure others at his owne charges for the succors of the castells of Naples which he knew had not receiued the reskewes sent from Nice for that they suffred so many impediments as they could not be profitable to the seruice of Naples In which respect his people 's there beseged had made composicion to render vp the castells if they were not succored within thirty dayes The king made his plot to arme the sayd vessells with three thowsand Svvyzzers to adioyne them to the sayd nauie parted from Nice nowe retyred to Lyuorne and to certeine other vessells exspected from Prouence All which without the great ships of the Genovvays had not bene sufficient for that succors the hauen of Naples being now full of a huge armie by sea both for the vessells of the prouisions of Ferdinand and also for twenty gallies and foure shippes sent thether by the Venetians The king after he had dispatched Monsr Argenton to Venice to solicit the Senat to enter into the peace and participat with thaccord tooke his way into Fraunce with all his Court that with such equall speede and desire to be there that there was nothing coulde stay him any fewe dayes in Italy no not till the Genovvays had deliuered him their ostages promised vppon the contract at Verceill which certeinly they had accomplished if his hastie departure had not preuented their true intencion and meaning Thus then vpon the ende of October 1495. his maiestie returned on thother side the mountes resembling rather a personage vanquished then a Prince victor notwithstanding the conquest and victories he had obteyned he left as his Liefetenant in Ast a citie which it should seeme he bought of the Duke of Orleans Iohn Iacques Triuulce with fiue hundreth frenche launces who not many dayes after of their propper authoritie followed the king by whome was left no other succors for the kingdom of Naples then the nauies preparing at Genes and Prouence and the assignacion of the aydes and moneyes promised by the Florentyns After the discourse of other things me thinkes it can not be out of purpose specially it being a destinie fatall that the calamities of Italy should take their beginning of the passage of the french men or at least were imputed to them to leaue to memorie and tradicion in what sort began the disease which the french call the euill of Naples and the Italians name the botche or more commonly the disease of Fraunce It hapned as an infection to the french men whilest they were at Naples
yet he was not without his perplexities not onely by his frendes seeing Consaluo kept one part of Calabria in the name of the king of Spayne but also of his enemies reconciled for that the Prince of Bisignian being one euening sore hurt by a certeine Greeke as he went out of the new castell of Naples the Prince of Salerne was in such feare that the blow was giuen by the kings commaundement in reuenge of thoffences passed that immediatly not dissembling the cause of his suspicion he went from Naples to Salerna And albeit the king sent to vse at his will the Greeke deteyned in prison to iustifie as the truth was that he had giuen the blow for an iniurie to him done by the Prince of Bisignian in the honor and person of his wife yet in auncient great grudges it is hard to establish a faithfull reconciliacion for that it hath his propper impediments either by suspicion or desire of reuenge the Prince of Salerne coulde neuer after dispose him self to trust him which ielousie giuing yet some hope to the french keeping still the Mont S. Ange and other stronge places of some new innouacion or insurrection in the kingdom of Naples procured them with more constancie to stand to their defenses In these seasons were tokens and demonstracions of farre greater daungers in Lombardye by the emocions of the french assured for the present by the threatnings of the Spanish for that passing betwene them rather light incursions and apparances of warre then any thinge of notable action sauing that the french burned the towne of Sausses They had begon a parley of accord and for the more easie negociacion of it had made a surceasing of armes for two monethes By meane whereof the french king hauing a more facilitie to harken after the affayres of Genes and Sauona dispatched to Ast an armie of a thowsand launces three thowsand Svvyzzers and a like number of Gascoyns aduertising Tryuulso his Liefetenant in Italy to applye aydes to Baptistyn and the Cardinall of S. P. ad vincla his intencion was to send after the Duke of Orleans with a stronge armie to execute in his proper name thenterprise of the Duchie of Myllan And to make more easie thaccion of Genes he sent Octauyan Fregose to require the Florentyns to inuade at the same tyme Lunigana and the riuer of the East ordeyning also that the sowtherne riuers should be troubled by Pavvle Baptysta Fregose with seuen gallies This enterprise was begon with such astonishment to the Duke of Myllan not prepared sufficiently of him selfe and lesse sewertie of the aydes promised by the Venetians that if it had proceeded with the same directions and councells it coulde not but haue brought forth some effect of importance and more easily in the Duchie of Myllan then in Genes for at Genes Iohn Lovvys de fiesque the Adornes who were entred into reconcilement by the meane of Lodovvyk had leauyed many bandes of footemen and rigged at the charges of the Venetians and Lodovvyk an armie at sea to the which were ioyned six gallies sent by Federyk But the Pope interteyning the name of a confederat more in councells and demonstracions then in workes and meaninges woulde not in those daungers contribute to any exspenses neither by sea nor land The proceedings of this expedicion were that Baptistyn and with him Tryuulce marched to Nony of which towne Baptistyn had ben despoiled afore by the Duke of Myllan but not of the castell which he had alwayes kept and held yet But by reason of their comming in such stronge order the Count Caiezze which was there in garrison with threescore mē at armes two hundreth light horsemen and fiue hundred footemen distrusting muche to be able to defend it retyred to Sarauall The conquest of this towne augmented greatly the reputacion of the banished for besides that the towne is capable of many people it stoppes the passage from Myllan to Genes and by reason of thopportunitie and seate of the place it is very conuenient to endomage the contrey assisting After this Baptistyn made him selfe Lord of certeine other peeces neare to Nony and at the same tyme the Cardinall with two hundreth launces three thowsand footemen hauing taken Ventimille coasted ouer to Sauona where finding no insurrection by the inhabitants and hauing espiall that Iohn Adorne approched with a stronge bande of footemen he retyred to Altare A place of the Marquis of Montferat distant eyght myles from Sauone But Tryuulce in the beginning did an action of greater importance for that hauing a desire to giue occasion to kindle the warre in the Duchie of Myllan notwithstanding the kinges commission was to execut first the affayres of Genes and Sauone he tooke Bosco a borow of great importance in the contrey of Alexandria Wherein this was his pretext cooler that for the sewertie of the bands which were gone to the East riuers it was necessary to take from those of the Duke the meane to goe into Alexandria vpon the landes of the Genovvays But tempring his desire with regard to the kinges commaundement which he thought not reasonable to impugne manifestly he forbare to passe further losing a most fayre occasion for that all the contrey there about drew into great sturre and tumult for the taking of that place some for feare as the multitude popular some for desire of innouacion which commonly is familiar with the condicion of witts least moderat And of that side there was no greater strength for the Duke then fiue hundreth men at armes and six thowsand footemen besides Galeas de Saint Seuerin who was with in Alexandria began to distrust his defense without greater forces And Lodovvyk him selfe being vexed yet but with apparances and threatnings showing him selfe no more tymorous in this aduersitie then by the propertie of his nature he expressed in all other accidents solicited the Duke of Ferrara to worke some accorde betwene the french king and him But the soiorning of Tryuulce betwene Bosco Nony gaue sufficient tyme to Lodovvyk to furnish him selfe and good respit to the Venetians who seeming most ready and prepared for his defense had sent afore to Genes fifteene hundreth footemen to send into Alexandria bandes of men at armes light horsemen yea the Venetians appoynted the Count Petillane generall of their regimentes for that the Marquis of Mantua was withdrawne from their paye to marche with the moste parte of their companies to the succors of that state Thus thinges begon with so great hope now growing cold Baptistyn hauing nothing profited at Genes for the citie was quiet for the prouisions that were made returned to ioyne with Tryuulce publishing that his exployts brought forth no successe of seruice for that the riuer of the leuant was not assayled by the Florentyns who iudged it not a councell wise to enter into warre if first the thinges of Fraunce appeared not more prosperous and more puisant In like sort came and ioyned with Tryuulce
together with the porcion which apperteyned to the king to pay By reason wherof the Venetians to expresse how much they congratulated his doings toke his sayd sonne into their pay with a hundred men at armes This restitucion made with no iustice albeit was of great importance against the kinges reputacion in Italy yet he dissembled the wronge and made no such apparance of disliking as was conuenient to the grauitie of the dishonor And that which more is the Duke of Ferrara excusing the action by an Embassador sent to his Maiestie that by reason of the neighbourhood of the Venetians and Duke of Myllan both prepared to pronownce warre against him he was constrayned to obey necessitie yet the king gaue as negligent eare as if the nature of the matter had bene light and trifling Wherein this might be one reason of the kinges negligence that besides he proceeded almost at auenture in all his actions yet he was ouerwearied with a continuall care and trauell of minde ioyned to his auncient deuocion to repasse into Italy hauing now greater occasions then euer for that he had made truce with the king of Spayne renewed thalliance with the Svvyzzers and many late causes of disagreement hapned amongest the confederats But as for the most part matters of enterprise do nourish their proper impediments and to Princes their desires doe seldom succeede when their negligence is more common then their resolucions certeine so the kinges disposicion was ouerruled with newe meanes subborned by suche as were in moste principall grace about him Wherof some set afore him his pleasures others encouraged him to embrase thenterprise but with so mighty preparacions both by sea and lande and with so great prouisions of money as could not be refurnished but with a long space and interposicion of tyme others made the action slowe impossible by many difficulties and obiections And the Cardinal of S. Mallovv forgat not his accustomed delayes in thexpedicion of money In so much that not onely the tyme to marche into Italy was more incerteine then euer but also many things were suffered to suspend and miscary which were almost brought to their perfection for the Florentyns continually incensing the king to marche had contracted with him to take armes on their sides assoone as the warre should begin by him and for that effect they did agree that Monsr d'Aubigny with an hundred and fifty french launces the hundred to be payed by the king and the fifty to be mercenary by them shoulde passe by sea into Tuskane to be generall of their armie And the Marquis of Mantua who when he returned victorious from the kingdom of Naples had bene dishonorably disappoynted of the pay of the Venetians for suspicion that he solicited to be mercenary to the french king did now with great diligence and in good earnest negociat with him to that ende The new Duke of Sauoye was confirmed in his good amitie and alliance Bentyuole promised to follow his authoritie assoone as he were come into Italy And the Pope dowting whether he should ioyne with him as he was continually labored determined at the least not to be against him But all exspectacions began nowe to dissolue and mens mocions and mindes to grow colde for the detraction and negligence which the king vsed for that neither his men of warre as was promised passed into Italy to reassemble at Ast neither was Monsr d'Aubigny dispatched and much lesse money sent to pay the Vrsins the Vitellis his souldiers A thing of no litle importance for the warre he ment to make By reason whereof the Vitellis inclining to enter pay with the Venetians the Florentyns who feared they shoulde not haue sufficient respit to giue aduertisement to the king kept them interteyned for one yeare in common for the seruice of the king them selues The king commended much these actions in them but he made no ratificacion nor prouision of payment for his part onely he sent Gemell to them to intreate them to lend him for the furniture of his enterprise an hundred fifty thowsand duckats Lastly the king as he did at other tymes measuring the wils of others by his owne left all thinges to confusion and departed almost vppon the suddeine from Lyon to goe to Tovvars and then to Amboyse with his accustomed promises to returne immediatly to Lyon. For which respects hope fayling in all those that followed his faction in Italy Baptistyn Fregose was the first that reconciled him selfe with the Duke of Myllan who taking courage by these good euentes and successes discouered euery day more and more the ill disposicion he bare towards the Venetians for the regard of Pysa soliciting with continuall importunities the Pope and the king of Spayne eftsoones to call into question but with more efficacie A parliament for the restoring of the same citie And the better to aduaunce the practise the Florentyns receiuing councell and direction from him dispatched an Embassador to Rome but with a commission quallified to proceede so aduisedly that the Pope the residue might perceiue that if Pysa were rendred to them they would ioyne in vnitie with the others for the defense of Italy against the french But in case the restitucion of the citie succeeded not to keepe all things from the knowledge of the french to whom they were carefull to giue any occasion to hold them dowtfull or suspected This conference continued many dayes at Rome wherein was omitted nothing by the Pope thEmbassadors Spanish the Duke of Myllan and the king of Naples that might reasonably induce the Venetian Embassador to hold it necessary for the common sewertie of Italy that by the redeliuery of that citie the Florentyns might participat in the generall league against the french They told him that the Senat of Venice ought to consent thereunto together with others to th ende that the rootes of all emotions and troubles being supplanted there should remeyne to no estate or degree in Italy any occasion to call eftsoones forreine armes ouer the Mountes They told him also that if in that regarde the vnitie of Italy suffered impediment there woulde perhaps be giuen matter occasion to others to take new councells by the which to the common preiudice might happen some alteracion of importance But to this was quite contrary the deliberacion of the Senat of Venice who couering their couetousnes with many coolers and no lesse perceiuing from whome proceeded principally so great an instance made aunswer by the same Embassador complayning not a litle that such a mocion proceeded not of a respectiue care to the â—niuersall benefit but of an ill tempered affection which some of the confederats bare to them for that sayth he the Florentyns hauing with the french men a secret affinitie and coniunction of minde and being perswaded that by their returning into Italy the most part of Tuskane woulde diuolue to their rule and iurisdiction it was without dowt that to reestablish them in
wherein they quarelled with the lyfe of Pavvle Vitelly condemned him were these That it proceeded of his will only that Pisa was not taken hauing good meane and oportunitie thereunto the same day that the rocke of Stampaco was forced That he only did deferre to giue the assalt That hee had many tymes giuen audience to men comming to him from Pisa and neuer communicated with the Florentyns That he had leuyed the Camp against the publike commaundement and with the like contempt had abandoned Stampace That he had drawne diuers others of the Capteines to occupie with him Cascina Vicopisan and the artileries to th ende that in payments and other condicions they might manage the Florentyns as they thought best That in the couÌ„trey Casâ—tyn he had had secret intelligeÌ„ces with the Medicis at the same time treated and almost concluded with the Venetians to serue them when the time of his paie with the Florentyns should be determined which now was almost expired That in that respect he had giuen safeconduit to the Duke of Vrbyn and to Iulyan de Medicis he was straitlie examined vppon all these pointes albeit he confessed nothing particularlie yet they cut of all further examinacions fearing least the french king now come to Myllan would vrge his deliuerie they proceeded to execute him speedely Not one of his seruantes which after his death were examyned at leasure would confesse any thing sauing that he was much discontented with the Florentyns for that they had made the Count Rinucce concurrant with him in authoritie and for the difficulties they vsed in thexpedicion of prouisions which hee demaunded and sometymes in his affaires particular not forbearing at Florence to speake ordinarily to his dishonor by which testimonies and confessions of his seruantes albeit some remeyned possessed of this opinion that hee behaued himselfe not loyallie in his charge hauing a pretence to be Lord of Pisa and to occupy some other parte of the demeyne of Florence where he enterteyned many intelligences and amities yet the most parte beleeued well of his innocencie and were persuaded that he nourished a great desire to take Pisa for the reputacion glorie that would redowne to him the principall end and respect of euery great Capteine The french king being now aryued at Myllan all the Potentates of Italy except king Federyk came to him some in person and some by Embassadors some to congratulat his victorie and some to iustefie themselues of thimputacion to bee more inclined to Lodovvyk Sforce then to him and some to seeke suertie of him hereafter of their proper estates The king receiued them all graciously and compounded with them all but diuersly according to the diuersitie of condicions and according to the greatnes of the profit which he might drawe hee tooke the Marquis of Mantua into his protection and indued him with a companie of an hundred Launces with an honorable pension and the order of S. Michaell he receiued likewise into his protection the Duke of Ferrara he and the Marquis were with his maiestie in person who pertaked not in that benefit without well paying for it with other difficulties for that euer since he rendred the Castle of Genes to Lodovvyk he hath bene esteemed to beare a mynde contrary to the french he accepted also into his grace and protection but vnder a great summe of money Iohn Bentiuole who had sent to him his sonne But of all the residue the Florentyns compounded with him most hardly and chargably for that their merits all forgotten and the harmes they had so long tyme endured during the late king in folowing the frendships of FrauÌ„ce all the court almost was against them those reasons were not accepted that not to stir vp Lodovvyk Sforce against them for the matters of Pisa had constrained them to remeyne Newters for that thimpression which the frenchmen tooke when king Charles gaue libertie to the Pisans remeyned yet firmly fixed in their affections besides that the men of warre of the Camp iudged them both by brute and experience to be men of merit valour and reputacion for seruice which drew not a litle their disposicions to beare them fauour Besides the authoritie of Tryvulce was no small impediment to the purposes of the Florentyns for that aspiring ambiciously to the Lordship of Pisa he fauored wholly their cause who desired to receiue for their Lorde eyther him or any other in whom was habilitie to defende them against the Florentyns who were generally blamed by the mouthes of the whole Court for the death of Pavvle Vitelly as to execute without occasion a Capteyne of so great merit and to whom the Crowne of Fraunce owed much in honor and friendship for that his brother was killed and he made prisoner in the frenche seruice during the warres of Naples vnder the late king Charles But in the ende the king inclining more to his proper profit theÌ„ to things vaine entred into coÌ„posicion by the which his maiestie receiuing them into his protectioÌ„ bound himself to defend theÌ„ against all men with six hundred LauÌ„ces foure thousand footmen as also the Florentins to defend his estates in Italy with foure huÌ„dred meÌ„ at armes three thousaÌ„d footmeÌ„ That the king at their requests should apply that ayde of Launces if need were a strength of artillerie for the recouering of Pisa the places occupied by them of Syena and Lucqua but not of those peeces which the Genovvays helde And that if these companies were not demaunded of him before he should be bounde when he sent an armie to the enterprise of Naples to conuert either the whole or part of it to this expedicion That the Florentyns if they recouered Pisa and not otherwayes should be bounde to minister to him for the conquest of Naples fyue hundred men at armes and fiftie thousand Duckats to defraie the payes of the Svvyssers for three moneths that they should restore to him thirtie thousand duckats which Lodovvyk Sforce had lent them rebating according to th accompt which Iohn Iacques Tryvulce shoulde make so much as they had paied or dispended for him Lastly that they should take for Capteine generall of their men of warre the Prefect of Rome brother to the Cardinall S. P. ad Vincla at whose instance it was demaunded In so goodly an occasion the ambition of the Pope slept not who soliciting earnestly to haue promise kept with him the king gaue to the Duke Valentynois comeÌ„ with him out of FrauÌ„ce three hundred Launces defraied vppon the treasors of the king and guided by Yues D'alegre foure thousad Svvyssers vnder the charge of the Bailiffe of DyoÌ„ but paide of the Popes pursse which companies were for his ayde in the warre which he meÌ„t to make vppon the Viccaires of Romagna The townes of Romagna vexed with others that are subiect to the church with sundry accidents haue bene for many yeares gouerned with a iurisdiction almost seperat from the
entred the Rocke feare raised a tumult and confusion and the Dukes souldiors comming fast vppon them almost all her companies were cut in peeces and the Victors entring with the same furie into the Rocke tooke it and made slaughter of all such as were there for defēce except certeine of the chiefest which were retired with the Ladie into a Towre who were made prisoners she also communicating in their fortune whom the Duke hauing more regarde to her vallour then to her kinde sent prisoner to Rome where she was kept in the Castle of S. Ange being notwithstanding deliuered a litle after at the request of Yue D'alegre After the Duke had obteined Ymola and Furly he marched to th execution of other townes but new accidents hapning vnlooked for hindred his expedicion for after the french king had established the thinges he had gotten with orders conuenient and hauing prolonged the truse with the king of Romains comprehending therein the Duchie of Myllan and all that he helde in Italy vntil the moneth of May next ensuing he returned into Fraunce leading with him the litle sonne of Iohn Galeas giuen to him indiscreetly by the mother he dedicated him to a monasticallyfe and left Iohn Iacques Tryvulce gouerner generall of the Duchie of Myllan in whom he reapposed much aswell for his vallour and merits as for the great enuy he bare to Lodovvyk Sforce But the faith of men chaunging with the alteration of kingdoms the peoples of that state kept not fidelitie with the king partly for that the customes behauiors of the french were intollerable to many partly for that they had not found in the king that liberalitie in deposing all their tributes which vnwisely they persuaded themselues to obteine And lastly it imported much and was very greeuous to all the Gebelyn faction which was mightie in the towne of Myllan and confines that Tryvulce chiefe of the Guelffes should bee preferred to the gouernment This euil disposicion was wonderfully augmented by him selfe who bearing a nature factious and a spirit hautie and buisie fauoured vnder thauthoritie of Maiestrate much more then was conuenient those that were of his partie Besides he that is falling shall finde many stumbling blockes he estraunged much from him the myndes of the communaltie for that in the open market place he slue with his own hande certeine Butchers who following the rashnes of the other populars refusing to paye tributes from the which they were not exempted resisted with force the ministers deputed to gather the reuenues for which tyrannous and bloudie reasons most parte of the nobilitie communaltie naturally desirous of newe things wished the returne of Lodovvyk and euen began to call vppon his name with words and voices plaine and to be vnderstanded But after many thoughtes and cares trauelling commonly myndes afflicted and redobled with a lamentable remembrance of his happines paste Lodovvyk with his brother Askanius presented himselfe to Maxymylian of whom they were receiued with an humanitie expressing both compassion and comfort for that he did not only persuade them to be resolute in their fortune but also showed many tokens to be much discontented with their calamities he nourished them with continuall promises to discende in their ayde in person and with a strong armie to ioyne with them for the recouerie of their estates hauing thereunto good oportunitie for that he was then at accorde with the Svvyssers But those hopes both for the variation of his nature and for that his intencions ill grounded were as easely confounded appeared euery day to be more vaine and that so much the rather by how much being continually pressed with his accustomed necessities he made them weary with his importunate demaundes for money In so much as Lodovvyk and Askanius making no foundation of his succours lesse certeintie in his hopes promises determined to make thenterprise of themselues being continually solicited by many gentlemen of Myllan did leauy for their better strength eight thousand Svvyssers and fyue hundred Burgonion men at armes of which strong preparation Tryvulce gathered many feares and doubtes and therefore the better to encounter so great a daunger he sent immediatly to the Senat of Venice to cause their companies to march along the Ryuer of Adda signifying withall to Yues D'alegre that it were necessary to leaue for a tyme the seruice of the Duke Valentynois and returne with speede to Myllan with the frenchmen at armes and the Svvyssers And as daungers hastie and sodeine can suffer no delayes of remedie and where the fyre beginneth first to kindle there let water bee speedely applied to preuent his further violence So such was the pollicie of Tryvulce that to resist the first furie of the enemies he sent one parte of his souldiours to Coma the ielousie he had of the people of Myllan not suffring him to turne thether all his forces But the care and quicknes of Sforce and his brother preuayled aboue all diligence in others for that not tarying for the whole armie they had leauied but leauing order to marche after them with speede according to the necessitie of their perill they passed the mounteines and with a diligence aboue all exspectacion being embarked in those vessels which were in the lake of Coma they approched neare that towne which they tooke without resistance the frenche being retyred for the knowledge they had of the ill disposicion of thin habitantes The bruite of the losse of Coma fame flyeth with swifter winges in cases of reuolt and chaunge then in any other matter being come to Myllan so altered the mindes of the people and almost all the chiefest of the faction Gebelyn that they began to drawe into manifest tumult and rise into such insolent disposition that Tryvulce seeing no other remedie to the kinges affaires retired sodeinly into the Castle and the night following sledde to Nouarre together with the men at armes which were retired into the Parke ioyning to the Castle the people in their retrait following them by heapes vntill the Ryuer of Thesin And leauing within Nouarre foure hundred Launces he with the residue of his strength went to Mortaro thinking and the other Capteines also that they should more easely recouer the Duchie of Myllan with the new succours that were to come out of Fraunce then be hable to defende it being thus deuided Such is the incerteintie of fortune that she transferreth to one that which she takes from an other not regarding the equitie of causes nor the merits of persons but making her fancie the measure of her actions she takes delite to showe variacion of power vppon the Princes of the earth for assoone as the french men were gone from Myllan the Cardinall Askanius made his entrey first then Lodovvyk who recouering it in as short tyme and litle difficultie as he lost it except the Castle was also made glad at his returne with a more franke and generall show of affection and ioy of
the others to the Towne of Bellyzona scituated within the mountaines tooke the Towne as they returned to theyr countrey A place which the Frenche King might haue drawne from them in the beginning for a verie small porcion of money But as he lost oftentymes by the propertie of his nature occasions of great thinges by sparing small proporcions of expences So tymes and accidents came so about afterwardes that many tymes and by many solicitations he would haue purchased it of them with a verie great price for that it is a straite verie conuenient to hinder the descending of the Svvyssers into the Duchie of Myllan Lodovvyk Sforce was caried to Lyon where the King was and entring the towne at noonedayes many multitudes of people flocked to see a Prince who from such a greatnes and maiestie and for his felicitie enuied of many was falne into so great a miserie And not hable to obteine leaue to be brought to the Kinges presence which he much desired he was conueyed within two dayes after to the Towre of Loches wherein he remeyned prisoner ten yeares euen to the ende of his life being now inclosed in one straite prison the thoughtes and ambicion of him which earst could skarcely be conteined within the limits tearmes of all Italie A Prince certeinly most excellent for his eloquence and industrie and for many giftes of nature and spirit a creature of verie rare perfection And lastly not vnworthie of the name of mylde and mercifull if the death of his Nephew had not defiled him with bloudie infamie But on the other side he caryed a mynde vayne full of thoughtes buisie and ambicious and nourishing alwayes intentions dissembled he kept no reckoning of his promises and faith He alwayes presumed so muche of himselfe that seeming to be discontented when praises were giuen to the wisedome and councels of others he persuaded him selfe to be hable by his Arte and industrie to alter and turne the conceptions of euerie one to what purpose he listed The Cardinall Askanius folowed him a litle after but he was both receiued with more honor and humanitie and graciously visited by the Cardinall of Amboyse by whose intercession he was sent to the great Tower of Bourges a prison more honorable wherein the king that sent him had bene restrained two yeares in captiuitie So variable and miserable is the destinie of man and so incerteine to euery one what wil be his cōdicion in time to come The ende of the fourth booke THE ARGVMENT OF THE FYFT BOOKE THe vvarre of Pisa continueth The Duke Valentynoys pursueth his enterprise of Romagna The kinges of Spaine and Fraunce inuade ioyntly the kingdome of Naples they occupie it and deuide it betvveene them and aftervvardes make vvarre one vppon an other The Duke Valentynoys putteth to death the Vrsins The Svvyssers descende into the Duchie of Myllan The Spanyardes remeine victors ouer the Frenche at Cirignolo and take Naples THE FYFT BOOKE OF THE historie and discoursse of Guicciardin SVCHE is the disposition of myndes occupied with ambicion that who are desirous of glorie are easelie stirred to doe thinges contrarie to reason councell and experience Ambicion is an humor that carieth men into weenings farre aboue the possibilitie of their proper power ouerruleth their thoughtes without regard to the oportunitie of tymes places or occasions as is expressed in thinclinacion of the French King in whom the absolute happie conquest of the Duchie of Myllan had nourished suche spirites of will and courage that the selfe same sommer he woulde haue proceeded to thenterprise of the kingdome of Naples had not the feare which he had of the descending of the Alemans restrayned his rashenes and made him wyse agaynst the propertie and working of his will For notwithstanding he had the yeare before obteyned a contract of truce of Maxymylian Caesar wherein the Duchie of Myllan was comprehended yet Maxymylian debating with better consideration howe muche the maiestie of the Empyre woulde bee diminished by the alienation of so principall a Cheeff and what dishonour woulde followe him for suffring to be deuested from it Lodovvyk Sforce who not only had put him selfe vnder his protection and reapposed whollie in the hopes which hee gaue him But also had bound himselfe to his succours by receiuing his money at sundrie tymes in great quātities He would no more heare Thembassadors of the French refused also all audience to the Agents of the Venetiās as vsurpers of certein places apperteining to Thempire And lastly ioyning to the memory of aunciēt ielousies iniuries don to him and his predecessours in diuers seasons by the house of Fraunce the inflamed compassion which he had of the miserable calamities of the two brethren he helde many generall diottes and assemblies to stirre vp the electors and other Princes of Iermany to ioyne in the quarrell and reuenge of so high wrongs committed no lesse against him thē the whole nation of Iermany to whom th imperiall dignitie was proper And to giue better operaciō to his purpose in the minds of the Iermain princes he laide affore thē consideratiōs of daungers that might happen if the french king presuming more and more by so great a pacience of the Princes of Thempire and rising into pryde by so many fauours of victorie and fortune woulde so farre aspire as to set the Crowne imperiall vppon the heades of french kinges and incorporate the soueraine estate in that forreine famulie as had bene done affore tymes Whereunto the Pope would consent easelie partly by necessitie not hable to resist his power and partly for the respect of his sonne whom he studied to make to excell in greatnes and dignitie not remembring that those authorities are vniust whose meanes be vnlawfull and that the vertuous man shoulde not obtrude into rule but receiue it as if he were thereto compelled This was the cause why the king not knowing to what ende the race and course of his plottes might runne tooke truce with his enterprises deferred till an other tyme th execution of his thoughts touching the warre of Naples By reason meane wherof his men of warre being not intangled with other enterprise he was cōtēted to giue to the Florentyns those bands regiments which they did demaunde for the recouering of Pisa Pietrasanta And yet not without many doubts difficulties for that both the Pisans the Genovvays the Siennoys they of Lucqua made great instance to the cōtrary offring to giue the king presently an hūdred thousand crownes vppon condition that Pisa Pietrasanta and Mont Pulcian might be protected from the harmes and ambicion of the Florentyns to make to him a perpetuall paiment of fiftie thousand duckats yearely if the Pisans by his meanes obteined the fortresses of the port of Lyuorna with all the region of Pisa To these offers it seemed that the mynde of the king was much inclined by a couetous desire of the money Notwithstanding as was his familiar
peeces of the Sauelleis were rendred to him As also those that were within Cery suffring many and continuall afflictions of warre after the fury of sundry assaltes offred restitution with couenant that the Pope should paie a certeine proporcion of money to Iohn who was Lorde of the place and to leaue in libertie suertie and safetie of lyfe all the residue within Petillane which was sincerely obserued contrary to the custome of the Pope and exspectation of euery one Fortune hath a free will to come and go when she list not regarding times persons or causes but making her prerogatiue absolute she takes authoritie to make her will a lawe ouer the Princes of the earth And as in no humaine thing she is either certeine or resolute so chiefly in the action of warre she showeth most mutabilitie and variation not giuing successe to such as deserue best but to those that she fauoureth most her iustice not regarding the vertues and merites of men but guiding thinges to their successe according to thinclination of her fauor lyking For th affairs of the freÌ„chmeÌ„ which folowed the seruice of Naples proceeded not in such ful felicitie being incoÌ„bred with many difficulties eueÌ„ froÌ„ the beginning of the yere For the CouÌ„t de Millete being incaÌ„ped at Villeneufue with the regiments of the Princes of Falerno Bisignian DoÌ„ Hugues de Cardona passing froÌ„ Messina into Calabria with eight huÌ„dred footmeÌ„ Spanish an hundred horsmeÌ„ with eight huÌ„dred other footmeÌ„ aswell Calabrians as Sicilians marched towardes Villeneufue to reskue it Which assoone as the Count Millete vnderstoode he leauied his seege from before Villeneufue and went to meete him The Spanyardes drewe all along a plaine straite and narrow betweene the mounteine and a ryuer where was not much water but is ioyned to the way with a litle rising And the frenche men who were the greater number marched right to them beneath the ryuer desiring to drawe them into a large place But seeing how they marched close in firme order and fearing that if they cut not of their way they would get in safetie into Villeneufue they passed ouer to the other syde of the ryuer to charge them In which encounter they were broken the vallour of the Spanish footemen no lesse then the aduauntage of the place helping indifferently to the victorie Soone after arriued by sea out of Spaine at Messina two hundred men at armes two hundred horsmen mounted vppon â—ennettes and two thousand footemen all ledde by Manuel de Benauide with whom came into Italy at that tyme Anthony de Leua who of a meane soldiour rising by all degrees of warre to the state of a Capteine Generall made his vertue notable in Italy by the reputation of many goodly victories These companies passed from Messina to Regge in Calabria which the Spanish had taken before Monsr D'aubigâ—y being then in the other parte of Calabria and from thence incamped at Losarna within fiue miles of Calimere Into which place Abricourt was entred two dayes before with thirtie LauÌ„ces and the Count de Millete with a thousand footemen and presenting them selues the morning folowing before the walles of the towne wherein were no gates but barres only they forced it at the seconde assalt the vertue and resolution of the defendantes being lesse then the fortune felicitie of the assailantes Capteine Esprit remeined dead Abricourt made prisoner But the Count de Millete in fleeing to the Rocke founde safetie of life and honour the victors retiring forthwith to Villeneufue for feare of Monsr D'aubigny who came on marching with three hundred Launces three thousand footemen straungers and two thousand of the countrey After which accident Monsr D'aubigny encamping at Pollistrina within two miles of them and their perill increasing by necessitie of vittels they discamped secretly to goe to Quiercy And albeit they made thoportunitie of the night proper for their safetie yet their fortune vanquishing all cloakes of shadowe and darknes they were chased by bandes of Monsr D'aubigny vntill the rising of a crabbed mounteine where they lost threescore men at armes and many footemen And of the french opinion and rashnes carying them beyond discression and experience was slaine Captein Gruyny whom they esteemed much leading the regiment that was to Count Caiezze who dyed by naturall death a litle affore the taking of Capua At the same time came out of Spaine into Cicilie these new bandes two hundred men at armes two hundred light horsemen and two thousande footemen gouerned by Capteine Porto Carrera who dying at Regge as he passed with his regiment the charge remeined to Ferrand D'audriado his Lieftenant For the arriuall of these supplies the Spanyardes lately retired to Quiercy tooke new courage and comfort returned to Villeneufue where they fortified in that part of the towne which they held ioyning to the Castle which was thentrey of a valley whereunto is conioyned the residue of the towne A fortification not in vaine for the feare they had of Monsr D'aubigny who being comen from Polestrina with a diligence farre aboue their exspectatioÌ„ was incamped in that parte which was not holden by the Spanish euery one planting barres and fortificatioÌ„s requisit for their proper safetie But as in Monsieur D'aubigny no vertue was more familiar then circumspection which he vsed alwayes to resist sodain perils so assone as he vnderstood that the Spanish regimeÌ„ts that were disceÌ„ded to Regge drew neare to make one streÌ„gth with the other baÌ„ds he altered purpose with the necessity of the occasioÌ„ retiring to Losaro thenemies folowing the coÌ„moditie of vittels put them selues altogether within Semynaro Whilest things weÌ„t in this course in Calabria the Viceroy for the freÌ„ch returning towards Barletto encamped at Matero dispersing his baÌ„ds in seueral places thereabouts he laye to giue impedimeÌ„ts that no vittell nor succours shold enter hoping that what by the plague whose fury begaÌ„ to breed fear and skarcetie of vittels which was vniuersall in Barletto the Spanish could not by any reason or possibilitie remeine there long much lesse reskue them selues within Trany where raged the same difficulties Neuertheles amid so many incommodities and daungers their resolution and constancie was wonderfull confirmed also by the vertue and diligence of Consaluo who sometimes giuing them hopes of a readie arriuall of two thousand Almaine footemen which he had sent Octauian Colonno to leauie and sometimes promising present succours by other meanes lastly causing a bruite to bee published that he would goe to Tarento by sea He interteined them in their courage and vertue but much more with his owne example suffring in his person all their perplexeties and trauels ioyned to the want of vittelles and miserable skarcetie of all thinges necessarie Occasion doeth muche to induce the mindes of souldiours but example is it that confirmeth their vertue making them oftentimes resolute aboue their naturall inclination The warre suffring this alteration and being falne as you
other gentlemen of marke in whom the maner of their death was no lesse lamentable then their fortune ouer besides that which by imputatiō may be imposed vpō the French captains for their disagrement negligent gouerument as also that that may be obiected to the iniury of the time that neither the French nor Svvizzers are not comparatiue with the Spaniards either with resolution of mind to temporise or expect or with their bodies to sustaine the trauels and incommodities that a warre draweth with it There are principally considered two things whiche hindered the Frenche king that he remained not victorious the one was the long aboade that th armie made vppon the territories of Rome for the Popes death the same beeing the cause that wynter came vppon them and that the Vrsins were practised withall by Consaluo afore they coulde enter into the kingdome where if they coulde haue made their entrie whilest the tyme was tollerable Consaluo farre inferiour to them in forces and not fauoured with thoportunitie and rigor of the time had bene constrayned to abandon the greatest part of the kingdome to seeke out the strong places for his succor or els suffer the authoritie of an enemie farre more mightie then him selfe The other consideration was the couetousnes of the officers treasorers who beguyling the king in the payes of the souldiers and lesse trustie in the prouision of vittayles furniments for the seruice made their thefts and negligences the principall cause of the diminution of that armie since the king had expressed such a prouision and care for all things necessarie that it is certayne by good credible testimonie that at the vnhappie time when the frenchmen were ouerthrowen there were within Rome by the kings direction great quantities of siluer and other releefes for warre but so violent was the destinie that ranne to the desolation and ruine of that armie that albeit at the laste after many complayntes of the Captaynes and the whole multitude of souldiours there was leauyed an abundant prouision of vittels yet they suffered suche a penurie and scarsity in the beginning that that disorder ioyned to the other discommodities was the breeder of infinite diseases of the absenting of many of the murmuring of many and that many seeing their fidelitie could finde no refuge in the armie sought their safetie in places thereabout matters which in the ende brought foorth the absolute ruine of so braue an armie for as for the nourishing of the body it is not ynough that the head be well disposed but it is also necessarie that the other members do their office euen so it sufficeth not that the Prince do his duetie if withall the diligence and vertue which ought to be in his ministers haue not equall action the one beeing necessarie to the other as the direction of the head and brayne of man auayleth little without the execution of the other inferior members to whom suche ministration is appoynted The selfe same yere wherin so great mutations hapned in Italie was made a peace betwene the Turke Baiazet Ottoman and the Venetians which both parties embrased with great affection for the Turke in whom was expressed a spirit of mekenes and disposed to learning and studie of the Scriptures of his religion had by the working of his owne inclination a nature farre estraunged from armes by reason whereof notwithstanding he had begonne the warre with great preparations both by sea and lande and occupied in Morea the two former yeares Naupanto nowe called Lepanto Modono Corono and Iunquo yet he folowed not nor continued the warres with so great affection beeing withdrawen eyther by the desire he had to tranquilitie and rest or at least by a suspicion of hys proper daunger least for religion sake the Princes of Christendome should drawe into conspiracie agaynst him for both Pope Alexander had sent certayne galliots to the succours of the Venetians and with money had also stirred vp Launcelot king of Bohemia and Hungaria to make warre vpon the Turkes frontiers the Frenche and Spanishe kinges sending but not at one tyme their seuerall armies to ioyne with the power of the Venetians But this peace was embraced by the state of Venice with a greater desire for that by thiniquitie of the warres and that to the common detriment of the Citie and perticuler losse to euery one in priuate the traffike of marchandise which they made in diuers regions of the Leuant was discontinued the Citie also of Venice whiche euery yeere was wonte to haue from certayne prouinces of the Turkes certayne quantities of corne did suffer many necessities for the depriuation of that reliefe And lastly where they had wont to amplifie their iurisdiction by the warres which they haue managed with other princes they feared nothing so muche as the power of the Turkes of whom they had bene alwayes beaten as often as they had had warres together for Amurathus grandfather to Baiazet had occupied the towne of Thessalonica nowe called Salonica parcell of the dominions of Venice And after him Mahomet his father mainteyning continuall warre agaynst him for sixteene yeres tooke from them the yle of Negroponto a great part of Peleponesso now named Morea Scutaro with many other towns in Macedonia Albania In so much as both for that they supported the war agaynst the Turks with right great difficulties and expences hauing no hope to breede any profite by them and also by how muche they doubted at the same time to be distressed by inuasion of other Christian princes the time beeing full of conspiracies by so muche was it reasonable that they desired to be at tranquilitie with the Turkishe regions It was suffered to Baiazet by the conditions of the peace to reteyne still all that he had occupied and the Venetians reseruing onely the I le of Cesalonia aunciently called Leucado were compelled to yeelde to him the proprietie of Nerita nowe named S. Mavvra But the warre of the Turkes brought not so many displeasures to the Venetians as they receyued harmes by the king of Portugall who had taken from them and appropriated to him selfe the traffike of spices whiche the Marchantes and shippes bringing out of Alexandria a noble Citie in Egypt to Venice they sent dispersed with a wonderfull profite through all the prouinces in Chrystendome The whiche alteration beeing a thing of the most merite and memorie of all others that haue hapned in the worlde since many ages and for the harmes which the Citie of Venice receyued by it hauing some affinitie with the matters of Italie it can not much alter the estate of our historie to speake somewhat of it at large Such men of spirite and science as by depe speculation and contemplation haue considered the wonderfull motions and dispositions of the heauen and haue left the knowledge thereof recommended to succession and posteritie haue figured a line running through the round circle of the heauen frō the west to the East and bearing an
Tribunes of the people These vnder this forme of pollicie or rather apparant mutinie occupied with armes the towne of Spetie with certayne other townes of the ryuer of Leuant whereof Iohn Levvys de Fiesquo was gouernour for the king This gouernour complayned to the king of those insolencies both in the name of the whole nobilitie and for his particular interest wherin he recommended to his maiestie the manifest danger to loase the iurisdiction of Genes seeing the insolent libertie of the commons had caried them so farre that besides other oppressions and harmes they aspired proceding directly agaynst thauthoritie of the king to manage the townes of the riuer That vsing expedition there might be raysed remedies conuenient to represse so great a furie seing it was as yet but in the nature of a popular warre without the protection of any greater prince where if he ioyned negligence to thopportunitie and became slowe in leauying the prouisions that were necessarie the euill would more and more resolue and take with tract of time more firme roote for that both thimportance of Genes was suche by sea and lande that it would easily allure some forreine Prince to nourishe such a diuision so hurtfull for his estate And also the commons comming to knowe that whiche at the beginning was perhaps but in the qualitie of sedition woulde in the ende chaunge habite and turne into rebellion and so become a pray to any that would giue hope to defende it But on the other parte thembassadours sent to the king from the Commons of Genes labored to iustifie the action and to make their cause be found good They declared that no other thing had disaltered the people but the pride of the gentlemen who not contented with the dignities and honours conuenient to nobilitie aspired to higher degrees seeking to be redowted as Lords and Princes That the people had long borne the yoke of their insolencies but at last feeling outrages not onely in their goods and generall callings but also in their persons estates most priuate their patience was nowe ouercome with the weight and violence of their pride And yet albeit by these compulsions they were no longer hable to conteine them selues they were not for all that proceded to any other actions then such as without the which their libertie could not be assured for seing the gentlemen communicated by equall part in the offices and iurisdictions there was no possibilitie by the meane of courts and iudgements to resist their tyrannie And Iohn Lovvys commaunding ouer the townes of the ryuers without the traffike whereof Genes stoode at it were besieged there was no safetie for the commons to enterteine traffike and conuersation there That the people had bene alwayes most deuout and faythfull to the kings maiestie and that the mutations of Genes had in al tymes more proceeded of the ambition of the gentlemen then infidelitie of the people That they besought the king to pardon those offences which during the heate of the contentions certayne particulars had committed agaynst thuniuersall will and consent and that he would confirme the lawe made for the distribution of offices and suffer the townes of the ryuers to be managed vnder the name publike Lastly that by that meane the Gentlemen enioying honorably their degrees and dignities and the populars also possessing their libertie with suretie and all things beeing reduced by his Maiesties authoritie into suche an estate of tranquilitie they shoulde be bounde to honor perpetually the clemencie goodnes and iustice of the king The king was muche troubled with these tumultes eyther for that the licentious behauiours of the commons were suspected to him or perhaps for the honorable inclination which the French do commonly beare to the name of gentlemen In so much that he could haue bene disposed to haue punished the authors of these insolencies and reduce all things to their first degree sauing that he feared least if he should vse sharpe remedies the Genovvaies would haue recourse to Caesar whose sonne was not yet dead For which cause making conference of things more according to the necessitie and consideration of the time then agreable to the estate and merite of their doings he determined to proceede with clemencie and tolleration and therefore called into pardon and forgiuenes all their offences they had cōmitted and ratified their newe lawe for disposing of offices so farrefoorth as they would put into his hands the townes of the ryuers which they occupied Wherein the better to incline and dispose the people he sent to Genes doctor Michaell Riccio a banished man to perswade the Commons that they were better to vse and embrace thoccasion of the kings clemencie then adding to their faltes contumacie and hardned obstinacie to driue him to proceede agaynst them with seueritie But discretion hauing no societie with rashnes nor follie any cōmunitie with wisdome their minds seemed to stande blinded with immoderate ambition and couetousnes for the people and tribunes notwithstanding the lawfull Magistrates were of the contrarie opinion would not onely not render the places they occupied not accepting the softnes and tractabilitie of the king but rising into thoughtes of worse nature they determined to assayle the borough of Monaco whiche Lucian Grimault possessed eyther in regarde of a common hatred borne against all gentlemen of Genes or els for that the borowe is of great importance for the citie hauing his situation vpon the sea in a place of great conueniencie or at least for certaine particular hatreds since he to whome falleth the power and gouernment of that place absteineth very hardly from pyracies and robbing by the sea the situation giuing fauour and oportunitie to suche actions or lastly because as they suggested that borough apperteined rightfully to the common weale In whiche regardes notwithstanding the importunities of the gouernour to the contrarie they sent thither many bands both by sea and lande to besiege it the same driuing Philip de Rauastin who knewe that he taryed there vnprofitably and by thaccidents that might happen not without suspition of daunger to departe and to leaue in his place Roccabertin The king for his parte dispayring that temperaunce was vnhable to range things to a better forme and iudging withall that if he should consent that they continued in that estate it might be preiudiciall to his dignitie and suretie and lastly fearing that if he gaue longer sufferance to things the danger would be so much the greater he began openly to make preparations both by sea and land to reduce the Genovvaies to his obedience which deliberation was the cause that matters which were negociated betwene the Pope and him agaynst the Venetians were dissolued and broken Enterprises muche desired by the king who for the death of king Phillip founde him selfe well deliuered of the suspitions which he had taken agaynst Maximilian But muche more wyshed for by the Pope by reason of the townes which they occupied in Romania and did dispose of
was published at that tyme that they would happly haue furnished hym with a greater proportion of men and money if Maximilian had consented that thenterprise alwayes vnder his gouernment and counsel had bin managed wholly in the name of thempire and that thelection of Captaynes had passed by order from thempire and distribution of the places that shoulde bee conquered to bee made according to the determination of the Dyot But Maximilian reteyning still a singler ambition in this iorney would admit no companion or communitie of name or authoritie albeit all went vnder a generall title of the name of the Empire and muche lesse suffer that the rewardes of the victorie should apperteine to any other then to him and his in so muche as standing better contented with the aydes they deliuered to him in this sort then to go better accompanied with an authoritie assistant there was made no other resolution And yet albeit it answered not thexpectation that men had conceiued afore yet ceassed not for all that the feare that was in Italie of his discending for it was considered that the souldiers which his subiects would giue him with suche as he would leauie of himselfe beeing ioyned to those bands that were erected in the Dyot he would come appointed with a very mightie armie compounded of bodies resolute and trayned and furnished with sundrie natures of artilleries A matter so muche the more to be feared by howmuche Maximilian for the disposition of his nature and long exercise in armes was very hable and sufficient in martiall discipline and could well beare with the labour of his body and facultie of his minde all aduersities and difficulties whatsoeuer A sufficiencie for the whiche he merited more and caried away greater reputation then had bene giuen to any Experours many ages before He labored besides to leauie and bring into his pay ten thousande Svvizzers whervnto albeit the Baylife of Dion and others sent by the French king did oppose obiect with great instance in the Dyots of that nation reducing to memorie thalliance cōtinued for so many yeres with the crowne of Fraunce and eftsones lately confirmed by the king raigning together with the many sorts of profits which their people 's receiued by the conuersation of Fraunce And on the other side they preferred their olde and setled quarels with the house of Austria their greeuous warres they haue had with Maximilian and lastly what indifferent perill and preiudice the greatnes of thempire brought to them yet all these notwithstanding in the parliamentes dyots of the Svvizzers appeared a manifest inclination desire to satisfie the demaundes of Caesar or at the least not to take armes agaynst him for that as was supposed they would not offend the generall name and state of Germanie which it seemed was intangled and ioyned to this action For this reason many doubted that the Frenche king if he were abandoned of the Svvizzers or that the Venetians fayled to ioyne with him being not furnished with a sufficient strēgth of footmē to resist the footbāds of thenemies hoping that the fury of Thalmains entring into Italy as a landflood would vanish and dissolue for want of money would retire his army into townes the likelihood wherof was alredy manifest in this that with a wonderfull diligence he fortified the suburbes of Millan with many other places in the duchie of greatest importance In regarde of which alterations and preparations the Venetians were trauelled in no lesse perplexitie of minde then the other regions of Italy and by howmuch their deliberations counsels were of greatest consequence by somuche more busye and greater were the paines and diligence that euery one tooke to haue them ioyne with him for Caesar from the beginning had addressed to them three Embassadors of great authoritie not only to solicite that he might haue free passage throw their dominions but also to induce them to contract with him a straiter alliance wherein should be agreed that they should participate in the rewards of the victorie protesting to them on the contrarie that it was in his power to accord to their preiudice with the Frēch king with the same conditions that so often had bin offred to him at diuers times On the other side both by his Embassadors the Orator of Venice that was resident in his court labored to perswade thē to oppose with maine hand against the cōming of Caesar as a matter of equal preiudice both to the one and other offering for his part the seruice of all his forces and to remayne their perpetuall confederate But in those dayes the senate was not contented that the tranquillitie of Italie shoulde be troubled neither were they caried into humors of newe tumults by the hopes that were offred to enlarge their dominions for they had proued by a smarting experience that the benefite and fruite of the conquest of Cremona did not counteruayle the suspitions and daungers wherein they had bene continually holden since they had the Frenche king so neare a neighbour They coulde willingly haue bene contented to be newters but beeing pressed with thimportunities of Themperour they stoode in a necessitie eyther to refuse or graunt him passage if they refused him they feared to be the first that shoulde be vexed and in gratifying his demaundes they offended directly the Frenche king beeing expresly forbidden in their reciprocall confederation to graunt passage to thenemies of the one or other And they were not ignoraunt that beginning once to offende him it woulde be great indiscretion after Maximilian were paste to be ydle beholders of the issue of the warre and expect the actions of two princes wherof the one would be an enemie to the name of the Venetian and the other hauing receiued no other pleasure then libertie of passage had no great occasion to be their friend Respects which wrought much with the Senate that it was necessarie to sticke openly to the one or other parties but to whether of them their opinions for thimportance of the matter were very differēt And therfore being no longer able to temporise in a cause so earnestly laboured by thembassadors of both princes they made it at last a councell matter in the Senate house of the Pregati where Nicholas Foskarin vsed this forme of reasoning If it were in our power to set downe a resolution by the which might be cōtinued the peace and tranquillitie of our commonweale amid so many conspiring deliberations of these great princes I am sure there woulde be amongst vs no varietie of opinion and counsell and muche lesse should any hope or offers leade vs inclined to a warre of so greate expences and petill as is lyke to be this whiche standes nowe in preparation But seeing in regarde of the reasons and causes so often debated amongest vs in our late assemblies there is no expectation to entertaine that common tranquillitie The principall reason wherevppon wee are to establishe our deliberation is to consider whether wee maye
and titles of the realmes of Castillo That the Pope should exhort the king of Vngria to enter into the confederation That euery one should name within foure monethes his confederates and adherentes excepting expresly to comprehende the Venetians and the subiects freeholders of the confederates and that euery principall partie in the contract should ratifie all these articles within threescore dayes next following To this vniuersall league was adioyned the particular accorde betweene Tharchduke and the Duke of Gueldres wherin was agreed that restitution shoulde be made of those townes that were taken vppon Tharchduke in this warre but not in lyke sorte of suche as were taken vppon the Duke Assone as this newe confederation was concluded in this sorte all things that concerned the Venetians being kept as secret as might be the Cardinall of Amborse departed the day folowing from Cambray the Bishop of Paris and Albert Pio Counte of Carpi being first sent to the king of Romains to receiue his ratification in the name of the French king he made no delay to confirme al the articles with the same othe forme of solemnities with the which it was published in the Church of Cambray holding it but iust to ratifie the thing that so much tended to the confirmation of his estate and securitie as he helde it equall and reasonable to iustifie that by publike approbation which he had so long solicited by priuate desire and intention it is most certayne that albeit the wordes of the publication bare that thauthoritie of the Pope and king of Aragon did communicate in it yet the confederation was made merely without their assistance and consent An action which Caesar and the French king tooke wholly vpon themselues not doubting of the Popes and king of Aragons consent partly in regarde of their proper profite and partly for that according to the estate and condition of things present neither of them both durst gamsay their authoritie and particularly the king of Aragon to whome albeit the Articles in their due construction seemed both ielouse and intollerable for that fearing least the greatnes of the Frenche king would encrease to muche he preferred the suretie of the whole kingdome of Naples afore the recouering of one part which was holden by the Venetians yet expressing cunningly a readines dissembled and an inclination coÌ„trarie to the intentions of his mind he made present ratification with the same ceremonies which the others vsed But touching the Pope he made a farre more doubt of things wandring according to his custome betwene a desire to recouer the townes of Romania ioyned to a disdaine against the Venetians and a troublesome feare of the greatnes of the French king he sawe not howe dangerous it was to him for the power of Caesar to begin to stretch farre in Italie and therefore seeming that it was more for his profite to obteine by accorde part of that he desired then to recouer the whole by warre and sword He labored to induce the Venetians to render to him Rimini and Faenza wherein he forgat not to laye afore them that those daungers which threatned them by the vnion of so many Princes would be of greater terror and importance if he were concurrant with them in the confederation as to whose authoritie and place it belonged to pursue them with armes spirituall and temporall where if they rendred the townes which they had taken vpon the Church since he was Pope by which meanes he should make a ioynt recouerie of honor estates he should haue iust occasion not to ratifie that whervnto he had no interest either in assistance consent or authoritie he debated with them that as the confederation communicating nothing with the holy and supreme authoritie woulde easily dissolue and vanishe hauing in it selfe many difficulties so he sayde it was not reasonable they should doubt that he would not vrge to thuttermost his authoritie and industrie to keepe repressed in Italie the power of straungers which brought no lesse perill to the sea Apostolike then to their state In this perswasion he omitted nothing that might make aduaunced his cause which he followed no lesse with his authoritie and eloquence then with liberalities and offers Matters that moue not the least in a case of perswasion carying as they liste the minds of men affecting ambition or worldly desires The Senat drew to counsel vpon this demaunde some iudging it a thing of great importance to separate the Pope from Caesar and the French king and others thought it an action vnworthy and not sufficient to turne away the warre At last as in matters of debate and controuersie opinion oftentimes commaundes reason so the faction of suche as gaue the best counsell had caried it had not bene the reasons and perswasions of D. Treuisan a Senator of great authoritie and one of the procurers of the riche temple of S. Marke an honor next to the dignitie of the Duke of highest respect and reputation in the common weale of Venice he discoursed with reasons ful of efficacie and authoritie that it was an action contrarie to the dignitie profit of that renownâ—ed coÌ„mon weale to restore those townes which the Pope required and that the estate of their dangers would neither much encrease or diminish for the coniunction or separation of him from the other confederates for albeit in the negociation of the accord they had vsed the Popes name perhaps to make their cause seeme lesse dishonest yet in effect they had agreed without him hauing no necessitie of his consent and priuitie and therfore would become neither the more colde nor the more hotte in the execution of things they had concluded Of the contrarie the armes of the Pope were not of that valor and importance as to driue them to buy at so great a price the disposing of the same seeing that albeit they should be assayled at one selfe time by the others yet they might easily with a very slender garrison defende those cities which the regiments of the Church the very dishonor of souldiers men of seruice were not sufficient to take of themselues much lesse import much as touching the substance of the warre he sayd that in the stirres and heates of temporall armes men did litle respect either the reuerence or threatnings of armes spirituall which they ought not to feare to be more able to hurt them in that warre then they had done in many others namely in the expedition agaynst Ferrara In which the armes of the Churche coulde not let that they obteined not a peace honorable for them and infamous for the residue of Italie which with one vniuersall accorde in a time wherin it florished most with riches power and valour was banded wholly agaynst them And in reason concordance of causes he alleaged that it was not likely that the almightie omnipotent God would suffer that the effects of his seueritie and his mercy of his anger and his peace should rest in the
occasion she returned vnder the iurisdiction of the Venetians together with the intollerable harmes and domages she hath receyued We beleeue and your gracious aspects assure no lesse that in your hartes will be greater the compassion of our miseries then the hatred for the memorie of our rebellion if rebellion may be imposed vpon therror of that night wherein our people drawne into vniuersall confusion for that the armie of our enemie had forced the suburbs of Postello not to rebell nor to slee from the easie gouernment of Caesar but to deliuer our selues from the sacke and extreme afflictions of other cities did sende out Embassadours to compounde with the enemie To whiche action our multitudes and peoples not accustomed to armes and lesse acquaynted with the daungers of warre were altogether pushed on by the authoritie of Fracasso a capteine who experienced in so many seueral warres and appoynted of Caesar either by subtletie or by feare a matter not apperteining to vs to search gaue vs counsell to solicite an accorde for the safetie of our wiues our children and our poore afflicted countrey The same making it manifest that no yll impression of minde but onely feare increased through thauthoritie of such a capteine was the cause not that we did determine by long counsell but rather that in a very small computation of time in so great a tumult and in so fearefull a noyse of armes and artilleries thundring whose terrour vanquished our resolution we ranne rashly vnder the rule of the Venetians the felicitie and power of whome were not suche as we ought eyther to feare the one or affect the other Our condition was not to exspect or temporise for that thenemie was incamped in the places which the strength which was left for our succors had newly abandoned and as in communalties or multitudes the hope that is deferred maketh their hartes to languish so the long continuance of miseries suffiseth euen to shake the minds of the most assured Men not accustomed to aduersities haue least rule ouer their passions such as neuer liued but in securitie haue least temperance to beare a change Faults done by necessitie bring with them their proper pardon And as you are not nowe to doubt of the difference betwene faults cōmitted by feare error and offences proceding of fraude and ill intention so neuerthelesse though our fortune moue you to interpret our rebellion not to feare but to will that so vile an action was begon by counsel consent vniuersal not through cōfusion vnbridled rashnes of a few whō neither counsell nor authoritie could represse and be it lastly that the trāsgressions of this wretched citie were altogether inexcusable yet our calamities haue bin so great since that accursed reuolt that we may truly say that the punishmēt without al cōparison hath bin greater thē the fault for within our wals the garrison souldiers that were left for our safety and cōfort turned thēselues into the habit of aduersaries doing al things to thaggrauatiō of our miseries not sparing to spoyle those goods that were left vs for our releefe succor And without we haue not bene free from all those sortes of harmes which warre and hostilitie are wont to drawe with them our afflictions being so much the more greeuous and great by howmuche the warre hath bene continuall without intermission we haue nothing remayning in this miserable countrey which carieth any memorie of the riches delite or felicitie thereof All the houses of our poslessions are burned all our woods cut downe and wasted all our feelds gardens defaced and all our infinite heards of cattell driuen away and deuoured This is the seconde yeere that we haue bene driuen to reape our haruest afore the time that we haue had no securitie to sowe our seedes and lesse season to gather our fruites yea the seueritie of the time hath left vs no hope that this contrey so generally destroied can be euer readdressed Our miseries are come to these desperate tearmes and limittes that what with the needefull supportation of our lyues and to furnish thintollerable exactions whiche our necessities haue imposed vppon vs all that remayneth either of our hidden treasure or common stoare is farre insufficient to nourish the lyues of our wyues children and our selues to whome remayneth nothing but a miserable spectacle of the happinesse wherein we haue lyued If the present state of our countrey were nowe obiected to anye that had seene and knowen it before and our calamities present measured with our felicities passed I knowe it woulde stirre vp motions of pitie and compassion euen in the myndes of enemies considering specially that this Citie albeit it hath small circuite whiche was wont to bee replenished with inhabitantes stately in maiestie and presence riche through magnificence of buildinges and pallaces an assured and free retraite for all straungers a Citie reioysing in friendshippes societies and gratulations to be nowe made voyde of dwellers poore in the presence and countenaunces of men and women no place lefte for hospitallitie no one man hable to feede his familie for one moneth and in place of stately feastes meetinges and banquettes nothing left but penurie desolation and feare to showe friendshippe men sighing in the sorrowes of their wyues and children whome they can not comfort and women wayling the seueritie of their common destinie And these calamities oh gracious Prince of Hanavv woulde bee yet greater if we considered not that on your vertuous wyll dependeth eyther the laste desolation of oure afflicted countrey or the hope that once agayne vnder the winges of Caesar guided by your highe wisedome and clemencie we mighte lifte vp oure heades not to be restored for that agreeth not with our merite and fortune but consuming our lyues to thuttermost to auoyde at least an extreme and laste destruction A grace whiche wee so muche the more exspecte and hope for by howmuche your affabilitie and easinesse is knowen to vs wherein we doubt not but you wyll resemble and immitate Caesar with whose examples of clemencie all Europe is replenished All our wealth is consumed all our hopes determined all our fortunes layde at your feete there remayneth nothing else to vs but our lyues and persons agaynst the whiche to vse crueltie were neyther profite to Caesar nor prayse to you for as that benefite is vniust that is purchased with the hurte of an other so that glorie can not be without infamie that is wonne with the punishment of men in miserie Clemencie is as greate a vertue as iustice and Nature hath sowen in men aswell seedes of pitie and forgiuenesse as of crueltie and reuenge and hath enioyned Princes aboue all other creatures to beare an infinite regarde to the dignitie of vertue We beseeche you with teares which it may please you to imagine to be mingled with the miserable complaintes of euery sex of euery age of euery order that is within this Citie to make the wretched and desolate state
of Vincensa who seeming to suffer a generall priuation of all sence and feeling began eftsones with a newe estate of teares and sorowe to recommende them to the mercy of him in whom they discerned nothing more ready then a disposition to reuēge But being repulsed by the same Doctor rebuking them with words more bitter and fierce then the first they stood more desperat then before expressing by their lookes which they cast vpō Mōsr Chaumōt how much they hoped in him how greuously wrought in them the sharpe answers of the Doctor Chaumont encouraged them to obey necessitie and in giuing them selues wholy vp to the wil of the Prince to seeke to appease his wrath he comforted them in the singular humanitie and curtesie of Caesar in whome beeing a Prince of so noble race and an excellent Captayne was not to be exspected that he woulde doe a thing vnworthy of his name and vertue he wylled them not to bee amased with the seuere aunswere that was made but sayde it serued better for their turne that noble and free myndes should sometymes burste oute sharpe and byting wordes for that deliuering by that meane some parte of their anger the rygour of their dooings was thereby somewhat the more abated he offred to doo all that he coulde to moderate the minde of the Prince so farre foorth as they woulde preuente the worste by humbling them selues simply to his discression by whose counsayle and consideration of their owne necessitie the poore afflicted Vincentins falling eftsoones prostrate on the grounde referred absolutely both their honours lyues and citie to the power of him in whome they coulde yet discerne no hope of mercy Then Monsr de Chaumont beganne to solicite for them declaring to the Prince that in chastising them he was to respect more the greatnesse and glorie of Caesar then the qualitie of their offence That he shoulde not set downe suche an example to others that were to fall into the lyke faultes least dispayring to obteyne mercy they woulde become obstinate to thextremitie That clemencie had alwayes brought foorth to Princes goodwill suretie and reputation where crueltie was the cause of disobedience distruste and conspiracie not taking awaye as manye vndiscretly beleeue impedimentes and difficulties but rather serued as working instrumentes to redouble them and make them greater lastly he tolde him that it was worthy the vertue of a noble Prince to forbeare to strike when he had power to do it and not by correction to encrease thaffliction of suche as are sufficiently punished with the remorse of their proper transgressions his authoritie accompanied with the petitions of many others together with the miserable waylings of the Vincentins ranged the Prince at last to this moderation to promise them safetie of lyfe the disposition of all their goods remayning wholly at hys will A bootie greater in opinion then in effect for that the Citie was lefte almoste no lesse desolate of men then of goods The Almains in this license of warre searching after praye and spoyle vnderstoode that many of the towne and countrey were withdrawne with their goodes into two caues in a certayne mountayne neare to Vincensa called the gutter of Masano where by the strength of the place and difficultie to enter they supposed to finde securitie or at least to be free from the furie of the souldiours Thither went many trowpes of the Almains to make pillage of the Caues and beeing not hable after long tryall and many harmes to force suche as were within the great Caue they went to the lesser where making a vayne experience of their strength they vsed at laste the meane of fyres and by the benefite of the smoake carried it with the losse of more then a thousande persons Suche are the insolencies of souldiours when is no authoritie to bridle their furie and libertie hath lawe to ouercome discipline Vincensa being taken in this maner greater difficulties appeared in other thinges carying more respect and importance then was exspected in the beginning for not onely Maxymyltan did not stirre against the Venetians as he had promised but also the regiments which he had in Italy diminished continually for want of paye In so much as Monsr Chaumont was constrained to stay him selfe vpon the garding of Vincensa much lesse that he was able to execute any other enterprise thincertenties of thEmprour standing as great impediments to his vallour and most preiudiciall to the common fortune of them both Neuerthelesse he determined to goe incampe before Leguaguo A towne of such special regard that if it were not taken all that had bene done till that day serued to nothing The riuer of Adice passeth by the towne of Leguaguo and the lesser part of the same which they call the hauen is towards Montagnana where the Venetians not reapposing so much in the strength of the towne vallour of the defenders as in thopportunitie impediments of the waters had cut the riuer in one place And in an other porcion of the banke where is the greater part of the towne they had cut it in two places so as the riuer comming falling through those trenches and so spred it selfe by many armes into the lowest places had so couered the contrey about that standing drowned for many monethes it was almost become a marrishe it hapned that the rashnes and disorder of the Venetian bandes partly made these difficulties lesser for Monsr Chaumont comming to incampe with his armie at Minerua three myles from Leguaguo and hauing sent before certeine of his horsemen and footemen who as they would haue passed the last arme of the water which was within halfe a mile of Leguaguo they encowntred the bandes of footemen which kept the warde of Porto who were yssued out to stoppe them of passage But the foote bandes of the Gascons and Spanyardes rushing resolutely into the water vp to the brest repulsed them and pursued them with such vallour furie that they entred with them pellmell into Porto very fewe of the footemen of that place being saued for that as some were slaine in flying so the greater parte that sought into Leguaguo were drowned as they would haue passed the riuer of Adice This succes caused Monsr Chaumont to leauy his campe at Minerua going the same night to lodge within Porto And after he had caused to trayle vnder the water the great artilleries which the firme bottom of earth did susteine he caused the laborers and poyners the same night to fill vppe and choke the trench of the riuer And knowing that on that side to Porto Leguaguo was inexpugnable for the largenes of the riuer so great that scarcely could they fight on that side notwithstanding betwene Leguaguo and Porto for that it is incompassed with the hills it is not so large as below he cōmaunded to prepare a bridge for thartillerie and greatest part of th armie to passe on the other side but finding the boates barkes which he had caused
with that that should be reasonable But if the Pope would proue obstinat refuse to consent to their request that then they should prosecute the councel And for that cause Caesar should assemble the Prelats of Germany as the french king had done the Clergy of Fraunce to th ende to proceede further as they should after be aduised Assoone as these capitulacions were published the Bishop of Gurce receiuing many honors rich gratificacions of the king returned to his Prince And the kinge with whome the fiue Cardinalls that were parties to the calling of a councell had presently contracted that neyther he without them nor they without his consent shoulde capitulat any thing with the Pope expressed with vehement demonstracion in wordes the forward desire he had to discende into Italy in person leading such a power as shoulde be able for longe tyme afterwards to assure his affayres And to th ende that affore his marching they fell into no aduersitie or declinacion he sent to Chaumont to minister speedy succours to the Duke of Ferrara and at the same instant he added eight hundred launceknightes to the companie of two hundred launces which he had asfore sent to the Duke vnder the leading of the Lord of Chastillon On the other side the Popes armie after they had made with great delayes necessary prouisions and left Mar. Anth. Colonno for the gard of Modona with an hundred men at armes foure hundred light horsemen and two thowsand fiue hundred footemen went and incamped before Concorda which they forced the same day thartillery was planted And taking immediatly afterwards the castell by composicion they approched neare to Mirandola it drew now towards the ende of September happly the season of that yeare was much more sharpe then ordinarily it had wont to be In which respects and that the towne was strong being also beleued that the french would not leaue a place so conuenient the Capteines began to distrust of the victorie not hauing regard to the felicity of the Pope which made all things fal out well to him but iudged according to experience and pollicie which in matters of enterprise ought principally to guide men of warre Neuertheles the Pope promising to him selfe so assuredly the victorie of the whole warre that sending Cardinall Sinagale a new Legat into th armie for the discord that was betwene the Duke of Vrbyn and the Cardinall of Pauya he charged him in the presence of many that aboue all thinges when the armie should enter into Ferrara they should looke to the keeping of that citie The fourth day after the armie approached neare Mirandola the artillerie began to execute notwithstanding with no lesse trauell then discommoditie aswel for regard of the present season as for want of vittels which came very sparingly from Modona The reason of this restraint of vittells grew by thimpediments that the frenche gaue who hauing bestowed fifty launces within Guastallo as many within Corregia and two hundred and fifty in Carpy and hauing withall cast downe al the bridges occupied all the passages by the which reliefe might come from Mātua they kept the armie no lesse distressed with want of foode then the hardnes of the season hindred their other actions But as necessity is mighty to make men resolute so their extremitie stirred them vppe to a deuise that diminished their skarceties for that deliuering out a false brute that th armie would come and assayle Carpy such as were within being fearefull for that they were not furnished with artillerie did presently dislodge from thence leauing the place abandoned nor by compulsion but by feare About the ende of this yeare there fell vpon the person of the Pope some imputacion and infamie as though it was conspired by his priuitie and consenting that by the meane of Cardinall de Medicis there was practise with Marke Anth. Colonno and certeine younge gentlemen of Florence to kill Pe. Soderin Gonfalonier by whose working it was supposed that the Florentyns followed the french faction This suspicion was aggrauated by this coniecture that the Pope notwithstanding he labored by all his meanes and authoritie to winne that common weale yet he was neuer able to bring that to passe by practise by pollicie nor by compulsion which they refused for want of affection opinion and liking Besides a litle before at the french kings request and to the Popes discontentment they were broken of from the truce with the people of Syenna although they had refused to moue armes vntill six monethes after A thing which the king desired to hold the people in seare And lastly they had sent to the king two hundred men at armes for the gard of the Duchy of Myllan A matter demaunded by the king by vertue of their confederacion not so much for thimportance and necessitie of such a succor as for desire to make them enemies with the Pope In this estate of affayres did ende the yeare a thowsand fiue hundred and ten But the beginning of the new yeare was made notable by a matter not exspected according to the time present nor neuer read of in anye the actions or examples of ages past The Pope was ielous that there was not vsed that diligence in the seruice of Mirandola that was eyther necessary to such an enterprise or able to satisfie his desire wherein taking occasion of their slowe proceedings he interpreted to the ignorance and infidelitie of his Capteines but chiefly to his Nephewe that which reasonably proceeded of many difficulties for these respects together with his ambicion which helde him altogether subiected he determined to goe thether and aduaunce thinges by his presence preferring thimportunitie and violence of his minde affore all other regardes he considered not howe daungerous and vnworthye it was for the maiestie of suche a degree that a Pope of Rome shoulde in person leade armies against townes of Christians And much lesse was he carefull of the opinion and iudgement that the worlde woulde make of him to giue an apparant cooller and almost a manifest iustificacion to those factions as were in practise to call a councell and stirre vppe Princes agaynst him making their suggestion that his gouernment was hurtfull to the Churche and his vices infamous and incorrigible Suche speeches ranne thorow the Court suche coniectures were made some marueled at his furye some blamed his intemperance some feared the thinge they durst not vtter And euery one comparing his actions with the importance of his place and calling ▪ accused his indiscrecion wherein the Venetian Embassadors were no lesse forward then the residue The Cardinalls besought him with great instance his fauorits made reasons to perswade but durst not displease him And his whole Court obiected against the vnworthines of the iorney but his obstinat resolucion made vaine all their labours and deuises his singuler passion was inuincible against all reason in which disposicion he parted from Bolognia the second of Ianuarie accompanied with three Cardinalls
estats patrimonial to debate in what maner in what place the coūcel should be celebrated But as he was of natural cōdition variable inconstant an enuior of the greatnes name of the French so making no lesse vayne his proper promises then thexspectation that others had of him he declined afterwardes to inconstancie and listned to the perswasions of the king of Aragon who considering that what by the vnitie of Caesar with the French king and the embasing of the Venetians by their common armies and withall the ruine of the Pope by meane of the Councell the French might rise into a greatnes too ielouse and suspected laboured to perswade him that an vniuersall peace woulde fall out better for his purposes so farreforth as by it he obteined eyther the whole or the greatest part of those peeces whiche the Venetians vsurped vpon him he aduised him to sende to this effect some notable personage to Mantia with full power and labouring to induce the Frenche king to do the like he promised that he would also sende thither by which examples he alleaged that the Pope could not refuse to ioyne in the action lastly that he would not go agaynst the will of so many great Princes he tolde him that vpon the resolution of the Pope depended all the deliberations of the Venetians in whom was a necessitie to followe his authoritie as not beeing hable to stande alone for which reasons it was to be hoped that Caesar without difficultie without armes and without increasing the reputation and might of the Frenche king should to his perpetuall prayse reobtayne his estate together with an vniuersall peace And be it that it brought not foorth that successe which reasonably may be expected yet he should not be depriued of meanes to moue the warre at the time appoynted and with the same commodities and hopes But beeing cheefe of all Christian princes and protector of the church his iustifications would be the more augmented as also by suche a Councell would come the exaltation of his glorie for that it woulde appeare to euery one that as he principally had sought and desyred the peace and vnitie of Christians so by the obstinacie and wicked counsels of others he was constrayned to make warre These reasons no lesse by the grauitie of matter they expressed then by thauthoritie of the personage from whom they came were right acceptable to Caesar who at the same instant addressed letters to the Pope and to the French king To the Pope that he had determined to sende the Bishop of Gurce into Italie for that as apperteined to a Prince religious being protector of the church and chiefe aboue Princes Christian he was resolued in all that he might to procure the tranquillitie of the sea Apostolike and the vniuersall peace of Christendome sommoning him bearing thoffice of the high vicare of Christ to ioyne and procede with him in the same intention and to do that which belonged to the place name of Pope to th ende he were not constrayned to haue recourse to other remedies to establishe the peace of Christendome That he did not allowe the practise that was made to depriue the Cardinalls that were absent ▪ of their holy dignitie for that being absent not to any euill ende nor for hatred they bare to him neither could they deserue so great a payne neither was the authoritie of the Pope onely hable to impose it vpon them He tolde him besides that it was a matter very vnworthy and vnprofitable in so great troubles to make creation of newe Cardinalls since he was specially forbidden by the capitulations which the Cardinalls made with him when he was elected Pope He desired him to reserue that office tyll times of better tranquillitie when he should either haue no necessitie or no cause to preferre to so great dignities none but persons well allowed of for their discression their doctrine and good life To the French king he wrote that according to his vertuous disposition alwayes inclined to embrace a good and assured peace he was resolued to sende to Mantua the Bishop of Gurce to solicite a peace vniuersall wherevnto he beleeued with reasons and fundations not light nor vayne that the Pope whose authoritie the Venetians were constrayned to followe would readily incline the Embassadors of the king of Aragon concurring in thaction and promising the like on the behalfe of their king Therfore he desired him to send thither likewise his Embassadors with full power and in the generall assembly the Bishop of Gurce should beseech the Pope to do the like wherevnto if he made refusall the Bishop should denounce the councell in the names of them all hauing also giuen order that to make their procedings more iustifiable and to put ende to all controuersies the Bishop of Gurce shoulde indifferently vnderstande the reasons of euery one onely in all accidentes that he should holde this for certayne neuer to make any agreement with the Venetians if at the same time were not resolued the controuersies which he had with the Pope This solicitation pleased well the Pope not for any desire he had to peace and concorde but for that he perswaded him selfe to be hable to dispose the Senate of Venice to compounde with Caesar and so deliuering him from necessitie to remayne vnited with the French king he supposed to seperate him from him and the same easily to be made a cause of confederation of many Princes agaynst him But the Frenche king stoode not a little discontented with these resolutions bothe newe and vnexspected for that nothing hoping that an vniuersall peace would proceede of them he iudged that the least euill that might happen would be a protracting and delaying of th execution of those things which he had agreed with Caesar he feared also that the Pope promising to helpe Caesar to reconquer the Duchie of Millan and to indue the Bishop of Gurce with the dignitie of Cardinall and other graces ecclesiastike would separate him from him or at least beeing the worker of the composition with the Venetians to the aduauntage of Caesar he might be put into necessitie to accept the peace with conditions dishonest wherein one thing also that encreased his suspicion was that Caesar was newely confedered with the Svvizzers notwithstanding for defence only Besides he occupied in himselfe this perswasion that the king Catholike had bene the author of this newe counsell of whose intention he doubted muche for many reasons for he was not ignorant that his Embassador resident with Caesar made open trauell and solicitation to establish an accorde betwene Caesar and the Venetians he beleeued that he gaue secrete encouragement to the Pope in whose armie his companies and bandes of souldiours had remayned a longer time then he was bound vnto by the capitulations made touching thinuestiture of the kingdome of Naples he was not ignorant that to giue impediment to his actions he obiected him selfe manifestly agaynst the conuocation of the
confirmed by these occasions at suche time as the Secretory of the Bishop of Tyuoly ariued with the articles that had bene debated putting him also in hope that the limitacions added by the king to moderat thinfamie that might grow to him by abandoning the protection of Bolognia should bee referred to his will he determined altogether not to accept them But making semblance of the contrary in regard of the subscripcion faith he had giuen to the Colleage of Cardinalls A manner which some times he vsed contrary to the opinion that went on him to be alwayes vpright and iust he caused the articles to be red in the Consistorie and asked aduise of the Cardinalls Wherevpon the Cardinall Arborenso a Spanyard and the Cardinal of Yorke an English man according to a secret packt affore the one speaking for the king of Aragon and the other in the name of the king of England perswaded him to perseuer in his constancie and not to leaue abandoned the cause of the Churche which he had embrased with so great honor They alleaged that all the necessities that had induced him to harken to these offers were remoued and ceassed And that nowe it was manifestly seene that God woulde not suffer his shippe to perish though for some purpose vnknowne to the wit of man he had suffered it to lye open subiect to sondry stormes They told him it was not reasonable that he made peace onely for him self much lesse to debate it without the participacion of the other confederats the action being common and deuided from all particularitie Lastly they exhorted him to consider well what preiudice it might bring to the sea Apostolike and to him to seperat him selfe from true and faithfull friendes to embrace the amitie of enemies reconciled By the operacion of these councells the Pope openly refused the peace And within a very short time after proceeding in his auncient furie he pronownced in the Consistorie an admonicion against the french king charging him to release the Cardinall of Medicis vpon the penalties ordeyned in the holy Cannons But he forbare to publish it for that the Colleage of Cardinalls beseeching him to deferre asmuch as he could rigorous remedies offred to worke by letters written in the name of them all by the which they would both comfort him and beseech him as a right Christian Prince to set him at libertie The Cardinall de Medicis was caried to Myllan where he was kept vnder reasonable and easie garde And albeit his fortune had brought him subiect to the power and disposing of others yet such was his vertue spirit that thauthoritie of the sea Apostolike shined in him together with a wonderfull reuerence of religion And about this time beganne to appeare a great contemning of the councell of Pysa the cause whereof was not onely abandoned of others with deuocion with diligence with faith but also euen of such as affore had followed it with armes and fauored it with affection with studie with resolucion for the Pope hauing sent to the Cardinall of Medicis full power both to absolue from all paines and cursings the souldiours that would promise to beare no more armes against the Churche and also to giue libertie of holy buriall for all the bodies that were slaine at the battell A fauor demaunded with great importunities The concurse of people was wonderfull and no lesse maruelous the deuocion of them that came to demaund and promise such matters yea the Ministers and officers of the king were not against it onely it was not without manifest indignacion of the Cardinalls who saw euen before their eyes and in the place where was the seate of the councell the souldiours and subiects of the king contrary to his honor against his profit vpon the landes of his iurisdiction and without respecting any thing thauthoritie of the councell ronne after and follow the Romaine Church acknowledging with great reuerence as Legat Apostolike the Cardinall Medicis being prisoner great is the force of a people and multitude beginning to vary and chaunge And so much more preiudiciall and perillous their reuolt by how much vpon their numbers and forces depende principally the estate and exspectacion of affayres Nowe because the truce was ratified by Caesar notwithstanding his agents that were within Verona menteyned that it was nothing the french king called home one part of the bandes that he had in garrison in that citie as seruing to small purpose And hauing reuoked also the band of two hundred gentlemen the Archers of his garde and two hundred other launces fearing the threats of the king of England he knewe by the suspicion he had of the Svvyzzers which was redoubled in him that he should neede greater forces in the Duchie of Myllan for which cause he had pressed the Florentyns to send him into Lombardye three hundred men at armes as they were bownd by the couenants of confederacion betwene them for the defence of his estates in Italy And for that that confederacion drew to end within two monethes he compelled them the memorie and reputacion of the victorie being yet fresh to confederat with him of new for fiue yeares Wherein he bownd him selfe to defend their estates with six hundred launces and the Florentyns for their partes promised to furnishe him with foure hundred men at armes for the defence of all that he possessed in Italy And yet to auoide all occasions to enter warre with the Pope they excepted in the generall obligacion of defence the towne of Cotignole as if the Church might pretend right to it But nowe were apparantly disclosed right great daungers to the affaires of the king for that the Svvyzzers at last were determined to send six thowsand footemen to the pay of the Pope who had demaunded them vnder cooller to employ them against Ferrara Those that in this action susteyned and fauored the kings side could obteyne no other thing but to protract and deferre the deliberacion till that tyme And against those men the Communalties of people made vniuersall exclamacion in their parliaments for the wonderfull hatred they bare to the name of the french king They affirmed that the king rested not contented with this kind of ingratitude to refuse to encrease a litle the pensions of those by whose blood and vallour he had won perpetuall reputacion accompanied with a great estate but also with wordes full of reproche he had despised and reiected them as Villaines as though all men in the beginning were not conceyued vnder one element were not cast in one molde and had not one maner of creacion vpon the earth and as though any mortall man were nowe either great renowmed or noble whose Auncestors in the beginning were not poore vnknowen basely discended That he had begon to wage footemen of the launceknightes to show the contempt he had of their nation for the seruice of his warres perswading him self that suffering priuacion of his pay they could not
THE ARGVMENT OF THE THIRTENTH BOOKE The Duke of Vrbin makes an enterprise to recouer his estate out of the hands of Pope Leo the french king makes a league with the Pope The conspiracie of Cardinall Petrucci against the Pope is discouered Charles king of Spaine is chosen Emperour Martine Luther wryteth against the Pope The Pope puts Iohn Pawle Baillon to death THE THIRTEENTH BOOKE OF THE historie and discourse of Guicciardin FOrasmuch as all armes and hostilities were now surceassed betwene Caesar and the Venetians and in the french king all occasiōs restrained to make warre against Caesar or the king Catholike it seemed that to the regions of Italie afflicted with so many calamities and trauells of warre was now appointed a time of rest and tranquillitie wherein these were the reasons that the Svvizzers a mighty instrument to any that sought to innouate and trouble things seemed now reclaimed to their auncient amity with the french king and yet bare no mindes estraunged from other Princes that in thaccord made at Noyon was declared such a hope that to establish a greater alliance betwene the two kings there was working to draw them to an enteruiew at Cambray whether were gone to that end Monsr de Cheures the great Maister of Fraunce and Robertet Lastly there was expressed no lesse readines on the parte of Caesar who besides the rendring of Verona sent two Embassadors to the frenche king to solemnise and confirme the peace so that it was a iudgement accompanied with his iust cause reasons that by the benefit of peace concord betwene so mightie Princes would be dissolued the seedes of all quarrels and disagreements in Italie But as there is no certainty in the councells of mortall men so is there lesse exspectacion of their worldly euentes for men and their doings standing subiect to the law of nature and destiny haue no other libertie then to deeme and debate and to God alone is referred all power of disposicion and execucion since he is able to gouerne and commaund all things by the same power wherewith he hath created them of nothing Insomuch as in this action of Italie either for thinfelicity or destinie of the countrey or for that the vniuersall iurisdiction was deuided into so many seueral principalities and states it was almost impossible that it should suffer any dispensacion of miseries by reason of the diuersity of wills and interests of such as had it in hand for searcely were layd aside armes and hostility betwene Caesar and the Venetians yea the Citie of Verona not yet resigned when were disclosed tokens and beginnings of new tumults And of these was the breeder and conspirator Franciscomaria who had practised and drawne to his faction such bands of Spanishe footemen as had serued both within Verona and affore Verona he perswaded them to follow him to the reconquering of his estates out of the which the Pope had expulsed him the same sommer A matter wherein he found small difficulties for that to souldiours forreiners and marcenary accustomed in the time of warres to sacke townes and to make pray and spoyle of contreys there was nothing more contrary then peace whereunto they saw all the affayres inclinacions of Italy disposed at that instant There drew to him about fiue thowsand spanish footemen whereof was chiefe one Maldonato A man of the same nation and of long experience in many warres And to this regiment was ioyned a strength of eight hundred light horsemen led by Federyk Bossolo Gaiozo a Spanyard Succhar a Burgonion Andrevv Bue Constantyn Boccalo Albanoesies al Capteines of name marke especially estemed for their knowledge in warres Amongest them he that bare the greatest reputacion whether it were for the noblenes of his house or for the honorable degrees in warre which he had borne from his youth was Federyk Gonsagno Lord of Bossolo who happly was one of the greatest parties to perswade this enterprise being no lesse moued by an ambicion to make greater his merits prayses by newe warres concurring also thamity which he had with Francisco Maria then through an auncient setled hatred which he bare to Lavvrence de Medicis chiefly for that at such time as was transferred to Lavvrence the charge of all the armies of the Church the Florentyns by reason of the sicknes of Iulian his Vncle he had denied to make him Capteine generall of the footemen an estate which Iulian had assigned to him affore This army standing only vpon bodies numbers was lame in all other proporcions prouisions for they had neither resort of money assistance of artilleries nor any strengh of municions except their horses and armor they wanted all furnitures accustomed to followe armies Onely they bare estimation more by their vertue then through any other abilitie or meanes to susteine the warre They departed to go to the state of Vrbyn the same day that the citie of Verona was giuen vppe to the Venetians A matter which troubled not a litle the Pope after he had receiued aduertisement for he considered the qualitie of tharmy which was to be feared both for the hatred of the Capteines vertue reputacion of the spanish footemen And he was not ignorant with what inclinacion the peoples of that Duchie fauored Francisco Maria hauing long liued vnder the easie gouernment of the house of Montfeltro the affection whereof they had transferred to him as to one that had bene trained nourished in that Duchie bred of a sister of the Duke Guido Besides it greeued him not a litle that he was to menteine warre against an armie which hauing nothing to lose could leaue no reward to his victory And marching onely vpon desire of pray and pillage drew with them a miserable exspectacion of profit bringing nothing to the warre but what they hoped to get by the chaunce and fortune of the warre he doubted also least the sweete desire of gayne which for the most parte carieth marcenory souldiours to the fight would draw such others to ioyne to their faction as by the meane of the peace were vtterly excluded from action But the matter that moste troubled his minde was a fearefull suspicion that the French king did communicat in this conspiracie for bothe he knewe that the king was displeased with the warre made against Francisco Maria and was no lesse touched in his conscience with the consideracion of causes that he had giuen him to be ill contented of him he knewe also he had not obserued the confederacion made after the conquest of Myllan at the tyme when Caesar discended into Lombardye he considered that after he was returned to Rome he sent him a bul touching the collacion of benefices in the Realme of Fraunce and Myllan muche different from the conuencion made at Bolognia which for the shortnesse of the time was not then subsigned This Bull the king would not accept both for that it bare contradiction agaynst the agreement and also
made an end of speaking he commaunded to be read and interpreted the euidences of the crime obiected agaynst thē which being heard with very great attentiō Maldonato Snares the other two capteins not being suffred to answere were condēned by the common iudgement of the army as of a matter most manifestly proued and forthwith being committed to passe the pikes they were executed after the maner of souldiors Thus the army being purged as they sayde by this punishment of all threason they folowed on their iourney towards Perugia into the which was already entred Iohn Paule Baillon being departed from Pesero assone as he had knowledge of their intention and there arming his friends with many companies of peisants leauied in the contrey and confines there he prepared himselfe to defende it to whom the Legate had sent for succor Camillo Vrsin his sonne in law leader of the Florentins together with the men at armes of his conduct and two hundred and fiftie light horsmen with the which forces it was thought he might susteine the inuasion of his enemies the rather for that many deuises were made to hinder their proceedings for Vitello with his regiment of men at armes and Syse with the French launces who stoode now no more suspected for that betwene the Pope and the French king was established a consederation were marched to the citie of Castell Lavvrence de Medicis who being newly recured of his wound and also lately come from Ancona to Pesero was gone in post to Florence to prepare there things necessarie to the conseruation of that gouernment the cities adioyning There he tooke order that the Legate with the rest of the army should marche towards the dukedome of Vrbin to th end to counsell Franciscomaria to abandon thexpedicion of Tuskane for the gard whereof was left no other regiments of souldiors then a defence of thinhabitants Frans not without the hope of some intelligence or conspiracie did remoue his army to Perugia where Ioh. Paule riding about the city to take view he was assailed in the middest of the streete by a peisant or souldior of the countrey and fayling at that time to strike him to the death he was sodenly set vpon and slayne by the concourse of those that accompanied Iohn Paule who taking thoportunitie of this tumult caused certayne others whom he suspected to be murdred and so being deliuered from snares of conspiracie he seemed also to be acquited from all perill for that thenemies who had now many dayes lyen about Perugia had no meane to take it by force And yet Iohn Paule at a tyme when the Pope least exspected suche a matter alleaging in his iustification that the people of Perugia whose furie he had no power to resiste would no longer endure the spoyling of their countrey couenanted with th armie to paye ten thousande duckets to graunt vittels for foure dayes not to take armes agaynst Franciscomaria in that warre and they to issue presently out of the territories of Peruzia A matter very greeuous and of no little discontentment to the Pope for that it confyrmed the opinion conceyued of him from the beginning of this warre in going so slowely to the armie with the succours he promised and holding for suspected the power of Lavvrence he wyshed that Franciscomaria should conserue the Dukedome of Vrbin This also aggrauated the greese and discontentment of Baillon that whilest he was in the campe with Lavvrence Ranso and Vitello bare greater authoritie then he the memory of which things was happly the chiefest cause of his owne calamities in times following Franciscomaria hauing made condicionall agreement with the Perugians marched towardes the citie of Castello where when he had made certeine incursions with intention to enter the towne of Sansepulcro in the state of Florence the daunger of his owne state constrained him to take other counsel for that the legate Bibiena hauing eftsones leuied certaine bands of footmē Italians folowing the deliberation made at Pesero was remoued with the rest of his army to Fossombrono which city being battred with the artillery the third day was taken and sacked This done he led his army to Pergola where the day folowing the erle of Potenza with 400. Spanish launches sent from the king of Spayne to the ayde of the Pope did ioyne with the army within Pergola there was not one souldior but only a Spanish capteine many inhabitants of the regiō who being sore astonished begā to cōmon of yelding but while they were in parley the capteine who stood vpon the wal being wounded in the face the souldiors made assalt without any order or cōmaundement of their capteins wonne the town by force From Pergola they consulted to bring their army to Cagli but being aduertised that Franciscomaria hauing heard of the losse of Fossombrono was returned into that region with most great celerity they determined to retyre themselues wherfore the same night in the which the Legate receiued that intelligence they departed from Pergola hauing traueled to Montlion when knowing that there they might lodge they began to lay out the ground according to incāping being aduertised by other messengers that the celerity of the enemy was far aboue perswasion and that he sent before him 1000. horsmen euery one carying a footeman in croope to th ende that they being constrained to trauel with more leisure time might be giuen to the army to ouertake them they marched vij miles to a place called Bosco from whēce departing the morning folowing before day they came in the euening to Fano hauing almost vpon their backes the horsmen of thenemies which came with so great celeritie that if they had onely departed foure houres later they had hardly escaped the necessitie of the fight At this time the affayres of the Pope in other actions proceeded with no better felicitie then in the accidentes and euentes of the warre for that Alphonso the Cardinall of Sienna disdayning much the life of the Pope lay in wayre to betray him the rather for that the Pope hauing forgotten the trauels and daungers which Pandolpho Petruccio his father had endured to restore him and his brethren to the gouernment of Florence together with the operations whiche he with other young Cardinalls had wrought in the consistory to aduaunce him to the Popedome In recompence of so many benefits he had caused to be thrust out of Sienna Borghese his brother and him By which occasion beeing also spoyled of his fathers estates he coulde not maynteine the dignitie of the purple hatte with that glorie which he was accustomed and therefore being caried with hatred and reduced almost to dispayre he began to deuise by a young counsell to murder him with violent handes whom his hatefull hart coulde not brooke to loue but restrayned with the perill and difficulty of the fact more then with the example and common infamie that throughout all Christendome would ronne if any Cardinall should with his owne hands take away the
and made weake by the minoritie of their king who was gouerned by Priestes and the Barons of the Realme Others were of opinion that he had addressed all his thoughtes to thinuasion of Italie taking his encouragement vpon the discord of the Potentates and naturall princes whom he knewe to be muche shaken with the long warres of those regions To this was ioyned the memorie of Mahomet his grandfather who with a power farre lesse then his and with a small Nauie sente vppon the coastes of the Realine of Naples had wonne by assault the Citie of Otronto and sauing he was preuented by death had bothe opened the waye and established the meane to persecute the regions of Italie with continuall vexacions So that the Pope together with the whole Courte of Rome beeing made astonished with so greate successe and no lesse prouident to eschewe so great a daunger making their firste recourse to the ayde and succour of God caused to bee celebrated through Rome moste deuoute inuocations whiche he dyd assiste in presence bare foote And afterwardes calling vppon the helpe of men he wroate letters to all Christian Princes bothe admonishing them of the perill and perswading them to laye asyde all ciuill discordes and contentions and attende speedily to the defence of religion and their common safetie whiche he affirmed woulde more and more take encrease of most grieuous daunger if with the vnitie of mindes and concordances of forces they sought not to transferre the warre into thempire of the Turkes and inuade thenemie in his owne countrey Vpon this aduise and admonition was taken the examinacion and opinion of men of warre and persons skilfull in the discouerie of countreys the disposing of prouinces and of the nature and vsage of the forces and weapons of that kingdome and therevpon a resolucion being set downe to make great leauyes of money by voluntarie contribucions of Princes and vniuersall impostes of all people of Christendome it was thought necessarie that Caesar accompanied with the horsemen of Hungaria and Pollonia Nations warlike and practised in continuall warres agaynst the Turke and also with the footmen of Germanie should sayle along Danubi into Bossina called aunciently Misia and from thence to Thracia and so to drawe neare Constantinople the seate of the Empire of the Ottomanes That the Frenche king with all the forces of his kingdome the Venetians and the other potentates of Italie accompanied with the infanterie of Svvizzerlande should passe from the port of Brindisi in Albania a passage very easie and short to inuade Grece a contrey full of Christian inhabitantes and for the intollerable yoke of the Turkes moste ready to rebell That the kings of Spayne of Englande and Portugall assembling their forces together in Cartagenia and the portes thereaboutes should take their course with two hundred shippes full of Spanishe footemen and other souldiors to the straite of Galipoli to make roades vp to Constantinople hauing first subdued the Castles and fortes standing vpon the mouth of the straite And the Pope to take the same course embarking at Antona with an hundred shippes armed With these preparacions seeming sufficient to couer the lande and ouerspread the sea it was thought that of a warte so full of deuocion and pyetie there coulde not be but hoped a happie ende specially adding the inuocation of God and so many seuerall inuasions made at one tyme agaynst the Turkes who make their principall fundacion of defence to fight in the playne fielde These matters were solicited with no small industrie and to stoppe all matter of imputacion agaynst thoffice of the Pope the mindes of Princes were throughly sounded and an vniuersal truce for fiue yeres betwene all the Princes of Christendome published in the consistory vpon payne of most grieuous censure to suche as should impugne it So that the negociacion cōtinuing for all things apperteining to so great an enterprise he assigned Embassadors to all Princes to the Emperour he sent the Cardinall S. Sisto to the Frenche king he dispatched the Cardinall of S. Maria in Portico the Cardinall Giles to the king of Spayne and the Cardinall Campeius to the king of Englande All Cardinalles of authoritie eyther for their experience in affayres or for opinion of their doctrine or for their familiaritie with the Pope All which things albeit they were begonne with greate hope and exspectacion And the vniuersall truce accepted of all men And all men with no litle ostentacion and brauerie of words made shewe of their readines with their forces to aduaunce so good a cause yet what with the consideracion of the perill esteemed vncerteine and farre of and extending more to one Prince then to an other And what by the difficulties long tract of time that appeared to introduce a zeale and vnion so vniuersall priuat interests and respects perticular seemed to preuayle more then the pietie of the expedicion Insomuch as the negoclacion stoode not onely naked of all hope and yssue but also it was followed very lightly and as it were by ceremonie this beeing one propertie in the nature of men that those things which in their beginnings appeare fearefull doe daily take such degrees of diminucion and vanishing that onles the first feares be reuiued by new accidents they leade men in processe of tyme to securitie which propertie of negligence both touching the affayres publike affection of priuate and perticular men was well confirmed by the death that succeeded not longe after to Selym who hauing by a longe maladie suspended the preparacions of the warre was in the ende consumed by the passions of his disease and so passed into the other life leauing so greate an Empire to Solyman his sonne young in yeares and iudged to beare a witte and minde not so disposed to the warres although afterwardes theffectes declared the contrarie At this tyme appeared betweene the Pope and the Frenche kinge A moste greate and strayght coniunction for the kinge gaue to wife to Lavvrence his Nephewe the Ladye Magdaleyne noblye descended of the bludde and house of Bolognia with a yearely reuenue of tenne thowsande crownes whereof parte was of the kinges gifte and the residue rising of her owne patrimonye Besides the kinge hauing borne to him a sonne the Pope requyred that in his Baptisme he woulde impose vppon him his name By which occasion Lavvrence making preparacions to goe to marye his newe wife for his more speede performed his iorney by poste into Fraunce where he was receiued with many amities and much honor of the king to whom he became very gracious of deare accompt the rather for that besides other general respects he made a dedication of him selfe wholly to the king with promise to follow in all accidents his fortune he brought also to the king a writ or warrant from the Pope by the which he graunted to him that till the moneyes collected of the tenthes and by other meanes of contribucion were expended vppon the holy warre against the Turkes he might
substanciall With these impressions and with these accidentes ended the yere a thousande fiue hundred and eightene and as the Electors had not yet resolued and established the deliberation so it was made both more doubtfull and full of difficulties by the death of Caesar which happened in the first beginning of the yere following he dyed at Liuz a towne vpon the marches of Austriche where he remayned for the delight and pleasure in hunting the wilde Boare and other chases of the fielde He liued alwayes vnder one condition of fortune who many times fauored him in offring him many fayre occasions and as often wrought agaynst him in not suffering him to take the fruite and effect of them He was by nature inconstant and remouable and had conceites and impressions very yll disposed and different from the iudgement of other men ioyned to an excessiue prodigalitie and dissipacion of money Matters which cut off from him theffects and successe of al occasions being otherwise a prince most perfect and instructed in the ordering of warre secrete to laye and dispose a plotte diligent to followe it of body hable and suffring of minde affable and easie and replenished with many other excellent giftes and ornaments Assone as he was dead the French king and the king of Spayne began manifestly to aspire to thempire the purchase whereof albeit was a matter of right great importance and no lesse the emulacion ronning betwene two so mighty Princes yet they ordered their ambicion with great modestie neyther vsing wordes of iniurie nor threates of armes but eyther one laboring by his authoritie and by his meanes to drawe on his side the Electors The Frenche king sundry times reasoned touching thelection with great comelynesse with the Spanishe Embassadors to whome he sayde it was a matter both agreable and conuenient that eyther of them seuerally should seke by honest meanes to encrease the honor of his house by so great a dignitie which for that in tymes before had bene transferred into the famulies of their predecessors there was now the lesse occasion to breede betwene them two matter of iniurie nor diminution of their amitie and goodwill But rather he wished that in the action of thempire they might followe thexample and order of two young louers who albeit they followe the quest of one Lady and eyther one laboreth by his industrie to cary her yet they forbeare to come to contention The king of Spayne alluded with good right that thempire apperteined to him as hauing continued by a long succession of time in the house of Austriche and that it had not bene the custome of the Electors to depriue the issue of themperour without manifest cause of their dishabilitie neither was there any in Germanie of that puissance and authoritie to make him equall to stande competitor with him in that election And east of all did he holde it iuste or likely that the Electors would transport to a forreine or straunge Prince so great a dignitie continued by so many ages in the nation of Germanie And albeit some particuler amongst them eyther through the insinuation of money or other propertie of corruption might be allured to an other intention yet he hoped to stoppe him with force prepared in time conuenient not douting also but the other Electors would oppose agaynst him and the princes and free townes of Germanie would not endure so vniuersall an infamie specially to suffer it to be layde vpon the person of the French king which would be no other thing then to make great the puissance of a king enemie to their nation and from whome there was no surety that th imperiall dignitie would euer returne into Germanie he thought it would be an action easie to obteine and reduce to perfection that which had bene solicited by his grandfather who had already compounded for recompenses and donations and other diuidentes for euery of the Electors On the other side the desire of the French king was as great and no lesse were his hopes whiche tooke their principall fundation vpon an opinion he had to corrupt the voyces of the Electors with his huge summes of mony especially for that there were amongst them both pensionaries to him and otherwise assured by many good offices who incouraging him with the facilitie of thenterprise pushed him on to embrace it And for his parte as mortall men are apt to beleeue the thing they desire so he norished that hope with reasons rather apparant then true he knewe that commonly it was a matter grieuous to the Princes of Germanie to haue themperours mightie being ielouse that in so great a puissance they would not eyther in part or in all quarrell the iurisdictions and authorities imperiall occupied by many of them In which reason he perswaded himselfe that they would in no sort consent to thelection of the Spaniard and so of them selues to subiect themselues to an Emperor more mightie then had bene since a long discent and race of Emperours A matter which in his person seemed to be qualified for that hauing neyther estates nor auncient alliances in Germanie they had no occasion of suspicion of his greatnes The same reason also made him beleue wel of the cōformitie of the free townes in whō much lesse that the regarde of the glorie of the nation would carie it from him seeing it would helpe to peize the ballance on his side for that with moste men the mocions of proper and priuate interest may do more then the respect of publike and generall profite He knewe it was not a little greeuous to many noble houses of Germanie pretending to be capable of suche a dignitie to see thempire continue so long time in one house but muche more did it discontent them to suffer that so great an estate which of right ought sometimes to be giuen to one of them and sometimes to passe to an other should become a perpetuall discent and succession in one line In so muche as they might call inheritance and succession that election whiche durst not leaue the lyne of themperours That in that sort thempire was translated from Albert d'Austriche to Federike his brother and from Federike to Maximilian his sonne and nowe there was deuise to passe it from Maximilian to the person of Charles his grandchilde By these humors and indignations of the Princes of Germanie he tooke hope that the discordes and ielousies amongest themselues mighte helpe on his cause the rather for that it often happneth in the contentions of men that he that is excluded or the partie whom he fauoreth ronneth with a naturall rashnes rather to call in and aduaunce a thirde then to giue place to him that hath opposed agaynst his intention Moreouer the Frenche king was not without hys hopes in the fauor of the Pope both in regarde of thamitie and alliance newly past betwene them and also for that he was not ignorant howe inconuenient it woulde be to the sea Apostolike to haue th imperiall Crowne
bene he was suspected of Octauian Fregofo The same Bishop hauing had ill speede in the traffikes and practises whiche he managed to bring him agayne into his owne countrey promised to him selfe a better course and more happie successe in the driftes which he should driue for an other in a straunge countrey So that after he had secretly receiued of the Pope ten thousande duckets he leauyed vnder cooller to reenter Genes by force a power of two thousand footemen partly in the countreys of Rome and partly within the iurisdiction of Lunigiane By the brute and rumor of which mustering Octauian Fregosa fearing to be surprised by him made him selfe strong both by sea and lande But the Bishop making as though by the disclosing of his driftes he were falne from all hope to be hable at that tyme to alter thestate of Genes gaue aduertisement to Federike de Bossolo with whose ayde the towne of Concorda was chiefly maynteined agaynst Count Iohn Frauncis of Mirandola that he might vse the seruice of his forces vntill the expiracion of their paye which yet continued almost a moneth And after he had passed the Appenin he discended into the countrey of Corregio taking the waye by slowe marchinges to Concorda The fundacion of this treatise or solicitation was to passe the ryuer of Pavv for which effect certayne seruauntes of Albert Carpi consenting to thexpedicion had vnder cooller to be marchauntes of corne hyered many barkes ryding at the mouth of the ryuer of Secchio and passing in them the ryuer of Pavv the Bishoppe layde hys pretence to approache vppon the suddayne neare to Ferrara where for that he had beene not many monethes before he had carefullye surueyed one parte of the towne vppon the ryuer side where fortie faddomes of the wall were downe to the earth whiche was a breach sufficient enough to enter This breache or ruine of wall for that it was but lately falne was not reenforced and made vp agayne so speedily as apperteyned both for that the neighborhood of the ryuer and the priuacion of feare had norished securitie and negligence in suche as ought to haue prouided and repayred suche disorders But when the rumor ranne through the countrey that the Bishoppe of Vintemille was passed the Appenin with his souldiours the Marquis of Mantua though for no particular suspicion yet following his aunciente custome to take awaye all meanes from forreine bandes to passe the ryuers retyred to Mantua all the barkes that laye in the mouth of Secchio By whiche accident the Bishoppe loste the oportunitie and seruice of those barkes whiche were hyered and lesse meane to recouer other so soone as the necessitie of the expedicion required for that the officers for the Churche that were nearest that place were not made priuie to the practise or at least if they had any ynkling they were without Commission to deale in it In so muche that why lest he searcheth with the Agents of Albert some remedie and reaposeth his people about the confines of Corregia where by indiscression he discloseth to some the particularities of his purpose the Marquis of Mantua sendeth one of his men to imparte the intencion and discourse of the enterprise to the Duke of Ferrara who doubted so litle of any suche matter that he was hardly induced to beleeue it Neuerthelesse looking with better eyes into thestate of his daunger that parte of the wall that was ruinate mouing him more then any other thing he beganne to wage men of warre And making as though he had no suspicion of the Pope he aduertised him of the ambushes dressed against him by the Bishop of Vintemille beseeching him to giue direction to the gouernors thereaboutes to minister succours to him if neede required A request which was readily graunted and executed by the Pope by writtes and letters in his fauour notwithstanding he dispatched secretlye at the same tyme Commissions to the contrarie The rumor that ranne of the preparacions whiche were made at Ferrara ioyned to the difficulties to passe the ryuer of Pavv tooke from the Bishop all hope to accomplishe his enterprise by reason whereof he drewe with his armie towards Concorda And whylest he treated with those that were within who were alreadie entred into suspicion agaynst him to inuade Mirandola he presented him selfe sodenly in the night before the walls of Concorda and gaue thassalt to thend to induce a perswasion that he was come into those places not to go to Ferrara but to impatronise him selfe vpon Concorda But this assault as it was in vayne so the residue of thexpedicion drewe with it a light effect for that afterwards he dismissed the moste parte of his souldiors he left many men in opinion and euen Alfonso him selfe that if the meane to passe the ryuer of Pavv had not bene taken from him the breache or ruine of the wall that was reuersed had ministred to him a great commoditie to take Ferrara wherein was not one bande nor regiment of men of warre the Duke extreamely diseased and the vniuersall people in suche discontentment of him that in an accident so sodayne and vnprouided there were fewe that would haue sought their remedie by armes or offred their bodies to be opposed against suche a danger Nowe followeth the yere a thousand fiue hundred and twentie wherin the peace of Italie for the same reasons and occasions by the which it had bene preserued the yeare before tooke continuacion and helde good But newe doctrines beganne to spreade and increase first agaynst the authoritie of the Churche of Rome and afterwardes agaynst the course of Christian religion This doctrine tooke beginning in Germanie in the countrey of Saxonie by the preachinges of Martin Luther sometimes of the order of Saint Augustine who renewed at the first for the moste parte the auncient errours of the Bohemiens whiche beeing reproued by the vniuersall councell of the Churche holden at Constance by whose authoritie were burned Iohn Hus and Ierome a Prage two heades of those heresies had lyen of long tyme conteyned within the limittes of Bohemia The cause that newely stirred vp these opinions in Germanie was a contempte of the authoritie of the sea Apostolike which Pope Leo abused too licēciously he folowing toomuch the counsel of Lavvrence Puccio cardinal of the title of foure Saints touching the administraciō of graces which the court of Rome distributeth vpō things spiritual beneficiall had dispersed throughout the world without distinction of times or places most ample indulgences whervnto he had ioyned a power to helpe not onely those that were yet in this life but also to deliuer the soules of the dead out of the paynes of purgatorie And because it was manifestly knowen that those indulgences were graunted onely to drawe money from men and the same impudently demaunded by the Commissaries deputed for that exaction who had bought of the Popes officers power to exercise and distribute by sale the sayde indulgences they had bread in many places a great
councells the peace would easily be preserued without violacion And there was not discerned any apparant cause why he should seeke to incense the warre both for that he had with yll speede broken out into armes before and withall considering the greatnesse of those two Princes it stoode him vpon to keepe an indifferent feare of the victorie of eyther of them since it was euidently seene into that whether of them soeuer preuayled in that warre could not be stayed from subduing and subiecting to his obedience all the regions of Italie The Pope possessed in peace and great obedience the large estate of the Churche and of Rome and his whole Court florished wonderfully vnder him in plentifull happines and felicitie He had full authoritie ouer the state of Florence which in those times was a state mightie in people policie and riches He was naturally inclined to ease and pleasures and therefore made it an offence to his libertie and greatnes to heare speake of sutes and affayres His custome was to consume the day in hearing of Musike in seeing stage playes and trifling with skoffers and iesters so that being more effeminate then was eyther conuenient or comely it seemed he should be altogether estraunged from the warre Besides as he was full of gracious liberalities and magnificencie suche as mighte bee tearmed wonderfull though he had discended by long succession from great kings so he had not onely by his incredible prodigalities and distribucions without discression or distinction consumed the treasors gathered by Iulio but also hauing exacted an infinite quantitie of money of thexpedicions of the Court and many newe sortes of offices inuented to rayse gayne he had wasted all so excessiuely that he was still constrayned to studie meanes and deuises to interteine those immoderate exspences which grewe increasing with the vanitie of his disposition He had no deuocion to rayse or make great any of his house or kinred and though he was possessed with a vehement desire to recouer Parma and Plaisanca and no lesse ambicion to reduce to him thestate of Ferrara yet he thought them not causes sufficient to remoue him from his pleasures nor to reuerse the peasible condition of things but in his delightes and securitie he helde it better to temporise and exspect oportunities and occasions But right truely is it spoken that there is no greater enemie to great men then too great prosperitie for that it takes from them all rule of them selues it makes them full of libertie it giues them boldnes to do euill aud it breedes in them a desire and aptnes to trouble their proper weale and benefite by innouacions and newe things Leo being thus lifted to so high estate suffred to be bred in him many considerations sometimes he sawe what infamie it brought to him to loase Parma and Plaisanca gotten by Iulio with so great glorie and to that moode was ioyned his burning desire to aduaunce thaction of Ferrara sometimes he seemed to see that if he dyed without doing some thing of importance the memorie of his pontificacie woulde remayne dishonored sometimes he feared least those two kings they both beeing excluded out of hope to haue him on their side and therefore lesse hable to offende one an other would grow at last to contract betwene them selues some league preiudiciall tending to the ruine of the Church and the residue of Italie sometimes he hoped as I haue heard the Cardinal de Medicis say who knew all his secrets that the frenchmen being chassed out of Genes and Millan he might the more easely expulse Caesar out of the kingdom of Naples and so appropriate to him selfe the glorie of the libertie of Italie to the which his predecessor had manifestly aspired An enterprise which by howe muche lesse he thought he was hable to accomplishe by his proper forces by so much more did he hope by appeasing somwhat the mind of the french king either by thelection of some Cardinall whom he would preferre or by his readines to gratifie him in some other matters to draw him to giue him succors against Caesar as though it were a satisfaction to the king to see that as muche was done to Caesar as to him These were his concepcions such were the discourses of his mind in these variacions did he fashion the image of things But which soeuer of these causes moued him whether one or more or all together he tooke vnto him newe impressions and turned all his thoughtes to the warre and to ioyne him selfe with one of these two Princes to th ende that being allied with the one he might moue warre in Italie against the other And for a declaracion of his readines to the matter as also not to be oppressed in the meane while by either of them whilest he negociated with them both but more straitly and particularly with the french king he sent into Svvizzerland Antho. Puccio Bishop of Pistoyo and afterwards Cardinal to leauie and lead to the seruice of the Church six thowsand Svvizzers An armie which being deliuered to him without difficultie by the Cantons vnder the fauor of the confederacion which since the warre of Vrbin he had renewed with them hauing likewise got libertie of passage through the estate of Millan was conducted vppon the lands and dominions of the Church where he enterteined them many moneths as well in Romagnia as in la Marqua Many were vncerteine to what endes he made so great chargeable a leauie of men and not to employ them seeing there was no stirre or alteracion in Italie And albeit he assured the regions and potentacies of the same that he had armed them for his proper suerty for that he knewe well that the rebells of the Church conspired some violent action against him yet the murmure of the people being not satisfied for that his reasons bare small resemblance with trueth men discoursed seuerally vppon it according to their seuerall fancies some supposed that he called in those forces for feare of the frenche king others beleued that he would employ them against Ferrara and some thought that he would turne them against Caesar to chasse him out of the kingdom of Naples But the practise that was secret betwene him the frēch king was that they should with their ioynt forces inuade the kingdom of Naples vnder this condicion that Caietta and all that stoode betwene the riuer of Garillan and the confines of thecclesiastike state should be for the Church the residue of the realme to reuert to the second sonne of Fraunce who vntill he came to the age of maiority should be gouerned together with the kingdom by a Legat Apostolicall that should lye resident at Naples Moreouer it was an article in the capitulacion that the king should aide him against the subiects and freholders of the sea Apostolike which was a condicion affixed for the better assuring of that which the Church helde already and no lesse tending to the desire which the Pope had to
then by councell Thus was he chosen with the voyces of all the Cardinalls and had his creacion perfected the same morning wherein this was to be wondred at that euen those that had elected him could giue no reason why amidde so many troubles and daungers in thestate Ecclesiastike they had raised to the soueraigne sea a straunger a forrener and of long absence out of the contrie and wherein were helping no respects of fauor no consideracion of former merits nor any conuersacion had with any of the other Cardinalls yea they scarcely knew his name he had neuer bene in Italie and had no hope nor cogitacion to see it of which strauagant maner of dealing being not hable to excuse them selues by any reason they attributed all to the working of the holy Ghost who is wont so they alleaged to inspire the hartes of the Cardinalls in thelecting of Popes he receiued newes of his election in the towne of Victoria in Biskay and would not haue imposed vpon him any other name then his owne which he caused to be published vnder Adrian the sixt Vpon the mutacion of Perousa after the bands of souldiours had lingred certeine dayes to marche not without some litle preiudice to their other busines they went to th ende to leauie money of their frendes from Perousa and Tody where Camylla Vrsin had restored the exiles The Duke of Vrbin with the residue leauing Malatesta in Perousa marched in great diligence towardes Sienna hauing with them Lactance Petrucci whom Pope Leo had depriued of the Bishoprike of Sienna for that thEmperours officers had stayed Bourgeso and Fabio the sonnes of Pandolffo Petrucci from going from Naples Those that gouerned in Siena had no other hopes thē in the succors of the Florentins that by intelligence which they had with Cardinall de Medicis At whose instance his faction ruling for him in his absence thestate of Florence vnderstanding that the Duke of Vrbin was gon from Perousa dispatched presently to Sienna Guido Vaino with an hundred light horsemen prouision of money to ioyne with them certeine bandes of footemen which they of Sienna had leauied But the principall fundacion was vppon the forces appointed many dayes before for when they were aduertised of the first mouing of the Duke of Vrbin and the Baillons and withall hauing feare of Tuskane they had solicited to wage the Svvizzers of the Canton of Berne who being in number almost a thowsand were remeining within Bologna with the Bishop of Pistoya making no reckoning of the commaundementes sent to them by their Lordes to returne into Svvizzerlande This practise albeit it drew a longer time then was needefull by many difficulties obiected by the Bishop of Pistoy yet at last it was put in execucion not without great expenses besides the leauying of foure hundred Almaine footemen who were ioyned in Bolognia with the Svvizzers They had also called out of Lombardy Iohn de Medicis and with those forces arriuing in time they made no dout to assure the affaires of Sienna which were now reduced to verie ill tearmes both for that the greatest parte of the people enuyed the present gouernment and also for an auncient hatred against the Florentyns they could hardly endure that their bands of souldiours should enter into Sienna But the matter that redoubled the daunger present was the absence of Cardinal Petrucci in whose place notwithstanding his Nephew Frauncis did what he could to susteine thinges though his authoritie was not equall to the Cardinall for this cause being carefull either to auoid or to prolong the daunger present wherein the principalls and chiefetaines were concurrant They had dispatched Embassadors to the Duke of Vrbin assoone as he was entred vpon the territories of Syenna who notwithstanding required in the beginning a chaunge of the state and thirty thowsand duckats yet afterwards his demaunds were reduced to a moderation Insomuch as it was to be feared greatly that there would grow betwene the Duke and the Siennoys some composicion either by the consent and priuitie of the gouernors or by the mocion of the people against their wills Neuerthelesse as the bands of the Florentyns entred continually within Sienna together with a brute ronning that Iohn de Medicis approched with the Svvyzzers so such as impugned the accord and the solicitacion of the same tooke so much the more courage to hinder it from conclusion So that the Duke being drawne neare to the walls with his armie which conteyned but seuen thowsand footemen the most parte leauied at randome he eftsoones left thenterprise of Sienna to retyre into his estate the hopes of thaccord diminishing the Svvyzzers being come within a dayes iorney The same companies that succored Sienna turned towards Perousa And the Florentyns tooke occasion to execute spedely the thing which they desired being therunto also solicited by the colleage of Cardinalls vnder whose name and authoritie the state of the Church was gouerned in the absence of the Pope and by that reason the Cardinall Cortona who from the time of Pope Leo was Legat of the citie of Perousa was personally in th armie But since the creacion of the Pope there was in the colleage no greater vnitie or resolucion then had bene before in the conclaue but the variacions were more apparant their controuersies not lesse violent for they had set downe an order that euery moneth the affaires should be gouerned by three Cardinalls bearing the title of Priours whose office was to conuocate and assemble the residue and dispatch causes of which the first three that were newly entred began to oppose against the Cardinall Medicis who was immediatly returned to Florence after thelection of the Pope and cryed out that the bandes of the Florentyns should doe no harmes nor domage to the lands of the Church These bands hauing already sacked the towne of Pasignian refusing to lodge them and afterwards being bestowed within Olma three miles from Perousa vnder an assured hope almost to cary that citie they had held small reckoning of those commaundements had not ben the knowledge they had of the vanitie of their hopes for the famulie of the Baillons had made to enter Perousa many bands of souldiours and bare besides a greater authoritie with the people then Gentill who followed the armie In which regardeno lesse dispairing of the victorie then hauing proued in vaine to cary it by composicion they retyred somewhat aboue the borders of Perousa as though they would not oppose against the will of the colleage They entred into the contry of Montfeltro which except Saint Leo and the rocke of Maiuola was wholly returned vnder thobedience of the Duke of Vrbin And after they had recouered it with more facilitie then losse armes were deposed on that side as it were by a peasible conuencion both for that the Duke was not sufficiently mighty to continue the warres with the Florentyns nor they had not cause to hold him in warre neither for their owne profit nor to
except Iohn de Cardona Count Culisano striken with a small shotte thorowe his helmet The day following Monsr de Lavvtrech being wholly depriued of the hope of the victorie went to Monce to passe the riuer of Adda neare to Tresse And from thence the Svvizzers taking their way through the territories of Bergama returned into their mounteines their numbers beinge no lesse diminished then their vallour for that it is certeine that the harmes they receiued at Bicocqua so muche afflicted them that in many yeares after they expressed not their accustomed vallour The great Maister and Maister of the horse departed at the same time together with many french Capteines Monsr Lavvtrech with his companies of men at armes went to Cremona to giue order for the defense of that Citie wherein he left his brother And not many dayes after he passed the mountes carying to the frenche king not reapportes of victories or triumphes but a iustificacion of him selfe with complaintes against others for the losse of such an estate happening partely by his owne errours partely by the negligence and indiscression of some about the king and partly by the malice of fortune if suche attribucion may be lawefull Monsr Lavvtrech tooke order also affore his departure from Cremona that Bonneuall and Federike Bossolo with sixe companies of men at armes and sufficient garrison of footemen shoulde enter the towne of Loda which had bene holden for the king during the whole course of the warre He did this for that the Imperiall Capteines were let to conuert thither foorthwith their forces by reason of a tumult hapned amongest those companies of launceknightes which Frauncis Sforce had brought from Trente They required for a reward of the victory to haue a monthes pay a demaunde which the Capteines sayd was no lesse vnreasonable then vniust for that both there was a great difference betwene the defending of them selues from such as did assault them and to vanquish those that did charge them and also for that it could not be sayd that the ennemies were vanquished who were retyred not in flying but in good order carying with them their artilleries and traines Neuerthelesse thinsolencie of the launceknightes preuailing more then either necessarie reason or due authoritie of the Capteines a consent was made more by compulsion necessity of things then by iust cause arising so they were satisfied with a promise to be payed within a certeine time After many dayes past in these affaires it hapned that the same day that the french launces entred the City of Loda and the footebands following on thother side came the army Imperial and affore them all the Marquis of Pisquairo with the spanishe footemen who entred affore the frenche coulde deuide or distribute the quarters of the towne or bestowe their gardes but were occupied in confusion and tumult as often happeneth when men of warre enter a towne to lodge in it This occasion was obserued by the Marquis and ioyning readie diligence to the present oportunitie he assaulted one of the suburbes of the towne which was enuyroned with a wall where he found no great resistance he was no sooner entred then all the french men within the towne no lesse terrified with the sodeinnes of thaccident then desperat for that their footemen were not yet come yeelded to their feares and drew into tumult fleeing towards the bridge which they had built vpon Adda The Spanyards entring at the same instant the citie some by the walls and some by the rampiers followed them euen to the riuer and in the chase tooke many souldiors and almost all the Capteines except Federyk and Bonneuall And vpon their returne they forbare not in that furie to sacke that vnfortunate citie sparing no more the goods then they had done the liues of men From Loda the Marquis went to Pisqueton which he tooke by composicion And not many dayes after Prospero with the whole armie passed the riuer of Adda to goe and incampe affore Cremona which he had no sooner approched then Monsr d'Escud beganne to harken to accorde he had no other hope to susteine the warre then vppon the comming of the Lord Admirall whome the king desiring to preserue that which yet helde good for him in that estate sent into Italy with foure hundred launces and tenne thowsande footemen And therefore he thought he did good seruice to the present affayres if without daunger he could temporise and enterteyne thinges in tranquillitie till he sawe what would be the yssue of his expectacion of thAdmirall And on the other side Prospero desired to ridde him selfe speedely of th affayres of Cremona to haue the better oportunitie to reestablishe within Genes the brethren of the famulie of Adorna and that affore Italy were possest of the newe succours of thennemies Insomuche as the capitulacions bare that Monsr d'Escud shoulde departe out of Cremona within fortie dayes with all his souldiours artilleries and enseignes displayed if within that tyme which determined the xxvj of Iune there came not to him suche a reskewe as eyther might make him able by force to passe the riuer of Pavv or els to take one of those cities in the state of Myllan which was possessed with garrison That likewise he shoulde procure that all those places and holdes within the Duchie that were kept for the king shoulde bee abandoned except the castells of Myllan Cremona and Nouaro That for thobseruacion of these couenantes he shoulde deliuer foure ostages That there shoulde bee restitucion of prisoners on bothe partes and sufferance to the frenche men to passe in sewertie into Fraunce with their artilleries and traynes Vppon the conclusion of this accorde and receiuing of thostages the armie of Caesar marched forthwith to Genes which they approched in two places the Marquis of Pisquairo with his regiments of spanish footemen and Italyans were incamped on that side of Codifa and Prospero with the men at armes and launceknights vppon the opposite of Bisagnia At that time the citie of Genes was gouerned by Duke Octauyan Fregosa A Prince of excellent vertue and no lesse for his iustice then for his other good partes as greatly beloued in that citie as any Prince may be in townes full of factions retoyning yet a memorie of their auncient libertie he had waged two thowsande Italyan footemen in whose confidence he layed vppe all his hope of defence for that the peoples of the towne beeing deuyded by factions and hauing about him so mightye an armye compownded vppon so greate diuersitie of languages and nations forbare to take armes but stoode to beholde thinges in the same manner and with the same eyes wherewith in other tymes he was wont to beholde his other trauells Wherein without the daunger or domage of suche as tooke no armes the publike authoritie beeing transported from one famulie to an other there was seene no other mutacion then that in the pallayce of the Duke were bestowed other inhabitants other Capteines and other bands of souldiours
Millan who beare an vniuersall inclinacion to Frauncis Sforce And so laying him selfe downe to many difficulties and daungers and to no lesse infamie he should also go agaynst his fayth whiche till this daye we haue not founde by any token that he hath defiled A matter which we can not protest on the behalfe of the French yea he can not be touched with any demonstration or signe contrarie to his fidelitie hauing since the death of Pope Leo repossessed Frauncis Sforce of that estate and redeliuered vp the strong holdes in sorte as they were conquered and lastly reestablished him in the castell of Millan contrarie to the beleuing of many why therefore should we not rather embrase that councell wherein is discerned an apparant hope to come to the end of our intencions then to follow that which manifestly tendeth to an end contrarie to our affaires Perhappes there are that will obiect against this that this common weale would suffer greater daunger if the Duchie of Millan were in the power of thEmperour then if it should diuolue into the handes of the french for that necessitie would draw that king both for the greatnes of Caesar and for themulacion and gelousie he hath of him to perseuere in our alliance But in thEmperour all the contrarie as well for his power might as for the claimes and rights which he and his brother pretende agaynst our estate Sure I beleue that who hath that opinion of the Emperour is not beguiled considering the nature and custome of Princes which are mightie and great But God graunt that he be not deceiued that holdeth not the same opinion of the frenche king Many of the same reasons made for his predecessor yet ambicion and couetousnes bare more dominion in him then either common honestie or his proper profit And besides the causes that might keepe him conteined in league with vs are not perpetuall but subiect to chaunge from one time to an other according to the nature of humane things for bothe thEmperour hath his mortality as other men haue and withall standes subiect to infinite accidentes of fortune according to thexample of many Princes as mightie in greatnes as he it is not long since that all Spaine conspiring against him he seemed more needefull of pitie then of spite And at the leastwise there is not so great difference betwene the one daunger the other as there is oddes betwene a councell that wholly excludes vs from our purpose and a resolucion which in similitude of trueth and reason leades vs to the full accomplishment of the same Besides those reasons consider only the time to come and farre of But if we looke into the present estate of thinges we shall discerne that to reiect thalliance of thEmperour doth put vs for the present into greater perplexities and daungers for if we separate our selues from the french king it is credible that he will deferre the warre vntill better times and fitter occasions but if we continue conioyned with him it may be that thEmperour will presently make warre against vs a matter which necessarily will heape vpon vs many troubles exspenses And in whether of these elections shall the issue of the warre be more daungerous to vs If we ioyne with thEmperour it is not almost to be douted that the victorie will not fall on that side which we can not so assuredly promise to our selues if we stand conioyned with the frenche king And in confederating vs with thEmperour the victory of the french can not be so daungerous to vs as it would be in the contrarie for that in that case all the forces of the victor would be turned against vs and thEmperour would not only haue a lesse bridle and weaker impedimentes but also he woulde stande almost in an absolute necessitie to occupie the Duchie of Millan Touching thobiection made against the bond of confederacion it is easely aunswered by the same reason that is vsed to satisfie questions of equitie since our promise to the frenche king stretcheth only to aide him to defend his estates that he possessed in Italie but not to recouer them if he shoulde loase them The articles of the capitulacions beare not that and the same reasons make for vs that are brought in against vs we accomplished the bonde of all duetie and office when after the losse of Millan hapning through the default of their prouisions our souldiours and men of seruice receiued more harmes then the frenchemen We were acquited of our promisse when Monsr Lavvtrech returning to the warre with the Svvyzzers we sent him our bands of souldiours for his succours yea we haue done more then reasonably might be required of vs when in exspecting so many monethes the comming of his armie we receiued nothing from him but vaine hopes and dissembled promisses if he were stayed by his owne will why seeke we to support the imputacion of his faultes if he were holden by necessitie is not the same a sufficient reason to iustifie vs though we stood bownd I know not why we should be kept bownd any longer to the French king seeing he hath first abandoned vs it can be no iniustice to retyre from the league since we take our liberty by his example how can we stand giltie in bond and office towards him when he hath first broken the lawe of fidelitie and contract with vs In matters of league and confederacion betwene parties the breach of the one giues liberty to the other and the bond that is once broken by the one forbeareth afterwards to compell the other I will not assure that thEmprours Capteines intend to moue warre at this time against vs no more will I warrant the contrary considering with what necessitie they are pressed to interteyne their armie in the estates of others and the hope they may conceiue to draw vs by that meane to their allyance specially if the french doe not marche Of which who dowteth dowteth not without reason both for their naturall inclinacions for their necessitie and want of money and for thimpediments of the warres which they haue on the other side the Mounts with two so mighty Princes and of these impediments our Embassador hath already made credible relacion Lastly my replye conteyneth one selfe matter that we ought to foresee with all studie that the Duchie of Myllan be transferred to Frauncis Sforce and consequently I menteyne that the councell that guides vs to that effect is more profitable then that which makes reasons and arguments to exclude vs from it Thauthoritie of two such personages together with the force of their reasons did rather make doubtfull then assure the mindes of the Senators whose perplexities kept them so farre of from resoluing that the Senat deferred to determine absolutely inducing them thereunto their custom and nature the greatnes of the cause and their desire to see further aduaunced the preparacions of the french king The many difficulties also that by necessitie hapned in thaccorde with the Archeduke were some
Realme of Fraunce was to appease and assure the minde of the king of England iudging truely that if they could reduce him to amitie and reconcilement the Crowne of Fraunce should remayne without quarrell or molestation Where if he on the one side and themprour on the other should ryse in one ioynt force hauing concurrant with them the person of the duke of Burbon and many other oportunities and occasions it could not be but all things woulde be full of difficulties and daungers Of this the Lady Regent began to discerne many tokens and apparances of good hope for notwithstanding the king of Englande immediatly after the first reapportes of the victory had not only expressed great tokens of gladnes reioysing but also published that he would in person passe into Fraunce and withall had sent Embassadors to themprour to solicite treate of the mouing of warre ioyntly together yet proceding in deede with more mildnes then was exspected of so furious showes tokens he dispatched a messanger to the Lady Regent to sende to him an expresse Embassador which accordingly was accomplished that with fulnes of authority commission such as brought with it also all sortes of submissions implorations which she thought apt to reduce to appeasement the mind of that king so highly displeased he reapposed himself altogether vpon the will and counsel of the cardinal of Yorke who seemed to restrayne the king his thoughtes to this principall end that bearing such a hand vpon the controuersies quarrels that ranne betwene other princes al the world might acknowledge to depend vpon him and his authoritie the resolution and exspectation of all affayres And for this cause he offred to themperour at the same time to discend into Fraunce with a puissant army both to giue perfection to the alliance concluded betwene them before and also to remoue all scruple and ielousie he offred presently to consigne vnto him his daughter who was not as yet in an age and disposition able for mariage But in these matters were very great difficulties partly depending vpon himself and partly deriuing from themprour who nowe shewed nothing of that readines to contract with him which he had vsed before for the king of England demaunded almost al the rewards of the victory as Normandy Guyen Gascoign with the title of king of Fraunce And that themprour notwithstanding thinequality of the conditions should passe likewise into Fraunce and cōmunicate equally in thexspences dangers Thinequality of these demaūds troubled not a litle themprour to whō they were by so much the more grieuous by howmuch he remēbred that in the yeres next before he had always deferred to make warre euē in the greatest dangers of the french king So that he perswaded himselfe that he should not be able to make any fundation vpon that confederation And standing in a state no lesse impouerished for mony tresor thē made weary with labors perils he hoped to draw more cōmodities from the french king by the meane of peace then by the violence of armes warre specially ioyning with the king of England Besides he made not that accompt which he was wont to do of the mariage of his daughter both for her minority in age also for the dowry for the which he should stande accōptable for so much as themprour had receyued by way of loane of the king of England he semed by many tokens in nature to nourish a wonderful desire to haue children and by the necessitie of his condicion he was caried with great couetousnes of money vppon which two reasons he tooke a great desire to marye the sister of the house of Portugall which was both in an age hable for mariage and with whome he hoped to receyue a plentifull porcion in gold and treasor besides the liberalities of his own peoples offered by waye of beneuolence in case the mariage went forwarde suche was their desire to haue a Queene of the same nation and language and of hope to procreate children for these causes the negociacion became euery daye more hard and desperat betweene both those Princes wherein was also concurrant the ordinary inclinacion of the Cardinall of Yorke towardes the Frenche king together with the open complaintes he made of thEmprour aswell for thinterests and respects of his king as for the small reputacion thEmprour beganne to holde of him He considered that affore the battell of Pauya thEmprour neuer sent letters vnto him which were not written with his owne hande and subscribed your sonne and Cosin Charles But after the battell he vsed the seruice of Secretories in all the letters he wrote to him infixing nothing of his owne hande but the subscripcion not with titles of so greate reuerence and submission but onely with this bare worde Charles In this alteracion of affection of the Cardinall the king of England tooke occasion to receiue with gracious wordes and demonstracions thEmbassador sent by the Ladye regent to whome he gaue comfort to hope well in thinges to come And a litle afterwards estraunging his minde wholly from th affayres which were in negociacion betwene him and thEmprour he made a confederacion with the Lady regent contracting in the name of her sonne wherein he would haue inserted this expresse condicion that for the kings raunsom and deliuerie should not be deliuered to thEmprour any thing that at that time should be vnder the power or possession of the crowne of Fraunce This was the first hope which fell vppon the Realme of Fraunce And this was the first consolation in so many aduersities which afterwards went on increasing by the disorders of thImperialls in Italy They were become so insolent for so great a victorie that perswading them selues that all men and all difficulties should yeeld and giue place to their will their glory made them lose thoccasion to accorde with the Venetians and gaynesaye thinges which they had promised to the Pope and lastly brought them to fill full of suspicions both the Duchie of Myllan and all the other regions of Italy And so going on to sowe seedes of new innouacions and troubles they reduced thEmprour to this necessitie to make a rashe deliberacion daungerous for his estate in Italy if his auncient felicitie and the harde fortune and destinie of the Pope had not beene of greater force Matters assuredly moste worthy of a knowledge perticular to th end that of accidents and things so memorable may be vnderstanded the foundacions and councells which being oftentymes hid are for the most part reuealed and published after a manner most farre from the truth But skarcely had the Pope capitulated with the Viceroy when were presented vnto him the great offers of Fraunce to stirre him vppe to the warre wherein albeit he wanted not the perswasions of many to induce him to the same effecte and lesse diminucion of the distrust which he had before of thImperialls yet he determined to take suche a coursse and proceeding in all thinges
those discourses and no more deferre to take some deliberation The reasons which in the monethes before had made him inclined to the warre were not only the selfe same in nature property but also were more mightie and of greater consideration for as themprour for his part by howe muche the practises and treatises had bene holden out in tract longues of time was apte and hable to discouer what intentions the Pope bare agaynst his greatnes So the Pope tooke occasion by the contentes of the accorde which the emprour had made with the french king to enter into a iust suspicion not to be hable to obteyne of him any reasonable conditions that he had a secret resolution to proceede to oppresse the residue of Italy Wherein the daunger was more apparant then euer for that the castell of Millan beeing not hable to holde out any long time stoode almoste vpon the poynt of rendring He was also prouoked with the consideration of newe iniuries redoubled by the Imperial capteines who since the capitulation of Madrill had sent to be forried vpon the territories of Plaisanca and Parma certeine ensignes of Italian footmen suche as executed vpon the places many insolencies and domages And when the Pope complained of their oppressions they made him aunswere that they were drawne thither of their proper authority for that there was no pay distributed in the army He was likewise incensed with matters happly more light and frayle but taken in the worse part as often cōmeth to passe in suspicions quarels which haue this in propertye to take nothing in good that is not agreable to the humor of their will and liking and to turne all things to blame that hath no corespondency with their owne intentions meanings For as themprour had published in Spayne certayne Edictes pragmatike agaynst the authority of the sea Apostolike by vertue whereof his subiectes were forbidden to treate of causes of benefices within his realmes So vnder that warrant a Spanish Notary tooke boldnes euen in the court of Rome and in the Chamber of audience to commaund certen men in themprours name to desist to pleade any more in that Auditory And also it did not only seeme that by the deliuery of the french king the knot was vnfastned which had bound euery man in doubt that the French men to haue agayne their king would not sticke to abandon the league And withall it was well discerned that the societie and presence of the kings person was of farre greater importāce for the enterprise then the felowship of his mother and the generall gouernment But also there were seene other farre greater occasions for as the cōmotion of the cōmons of Millan seemed to draw with it a matter of great consequence so by the penury of vittels that passed generally ouer al that estate it was thought it could not be but a great aduantage to set vpon thimperials before they fell into the oportunity of the haruest to reuittell and refurnish their strong places and before necessity compelled the castell of Millan to yeelde and before themprour had time to sende into Italy newe supplyes of men or releeue them with prouisions of money Moreouer there fell into consideration that the French king in whom for the memorie of things past was greate likelyhoode of distrust agaynst the Pope and nowe finding not in him a zeale and forwardnes to make warre would eftsones resolue to obserue thaccord made at Madrill or else to reconfirme it of newe And it was not doubted that so great forces both by sea land being conioyned in one together with sufficient meanes to continue for long time thexspences of the warre that the conditions of thēpror stāding both abādoned of al other princes made naked of al store of mony would be farre inferior in the warre Only there was one scruple to the contrary caused by a feare that the frēch king to redeme his childré would not leaue abādoned the other cōfederates according to the doubt that was had of the gouernment of Fraunce at such time as the king was prisoner And yet there was estemed great difference for that in taking armes against themprour with so many good occasions there was so great hope to recouer them by force and the action to succede with so great a reputation of the king that he would haue no reason to open his eares to any accorde particular which would not only bring infamy to him but also would be preiudiciall to hys affayres though not for the present at least in time to come for that it could not but be a matter most daungerous for the realme of Fraunce to suffer themprour to dispose of Italy according to his owne arbitration of which reason did likewise follow that he would not fayle to make sharpe warre vpon him since it could not be but a naked Counsell in confederating agaynst themprour to depriue him selfe of the recouering of his children by thobseruation of the accord And yet on the other side to lay apart all things by the which he might hope to redeeme them gloriously by armes Suche as made their discourses in this sorte considered happly more that which reasonably he ought to do then they looked with iudgement into the nature and discression of the French men A fault wherein men do oftentimes fall in matters of deliberations and iudgementes that are made of the disposition and will of others Perhappes also they did not sufficiently consider howe much Princes that are culpable who of their proper inclination do oftentimes preferre vtilitie affore fidelitie are easily perswaded the semblable of other princes And that therefore the French king suspecting least the Pope and Venetians woulde become negligent and carelesse of his interestes when by the conquest of the duchie of Millan they should stande assured of the power of themprour would iudge that the longnes of the warre would be more profitable to him then the victorie as a meane more easie to induce themprour to restore his children vppon some newe composition beeing already made wearie of the long trauelles and exspences of warres So that partely by the reasons affore rehearsed making deepe impression in the minde of the Pope but more for repentance that he had stande an ydle beholder of the issue of the battell of Pauia and somewhat for that he was reproched by euery one of tymerousnes and lastely for the common murmure of all his Court and of all Italy who caste in his teeth that by his faulte the sea Apostolike together with the whole estate of Italy were reduced into so great daungers He determined in the ende not onely to enter confederation with the Frenche king and the residue agaynst themprour but also by hys labour and solicitation to aduaunce and pursue it to speedy conclusion In which good inclination he was pushed on partely for the other regardes but principally for this that in tyme might be aduaunced the prouisions for the reliefe of the Castell
disswaded him the rather for that he followed an action vncertayne aduising him first to sende thither his Legates But now to returne to the army whiche the confederates kept incamped before Millan After the duke of Vrbin was returned thither who saw there was no hope to cary the towne eyther by force or by famine and being with great importunity solicited by the capteins of the sea army to send out souldiors to vex by land the people of Genes he determined for the better aduauncement of that expedition to drawe the army farre from the walls of Millan yet he made such disposition direction of things that all reasort of vittells that was to come to that citie was cut off stopped for which occasion and to haue the better oportunity to that action he began to fortifie Monce to leaue there with more surety some crewe of souldiours both to empeach the traffike of vittells from the Mount Brianso and other places confining and also by the commoditie of that fortification to transport the army into suche a place as might restraine the markets of vittels comming continually to Millan from Biagresso Pauia And afterwards that place being reduced to good strength fortification the direction extended that the Marquis of Salusso should marche to Genes with his footemen accompanied for his better strength with an other regiment of Svvizzers A proportiō which the sea armies did much desire for that the town of Genes laboured in such extreme wants of vittells that it could scarcely hold out any longer But as these deliberations directions were such as they could not be put to execution but with a farre greater tract and longnes of tyme then eyther was agreable to the estate of affayres or the necessities of Genes could endure So for that the only meane to cary that citie rested in no other property of action then in the stopping of the resort of vittels which passed thither by land those counsels tooke no resolution nor were not referred to effect notwithstanding there were in the army 4000. Svvizzers 2000. Grisons the regiment of 4000. footmen of the Marquis of Salusse and 4000. others vnder Iohn de Medicis payed by the Pope together with the bandes of footmen of the Venetians which according to thobligation of the league and testimonie reapport of themselues were assured to conteine a strength of ten thousand men but in truth vpon the iust moostring view of the bands they conteined a farre lesse number At last being the last of October the army dislodged frō the place where it had so long incamped and drew to Pioltello fiue miles frō the first lodging but in discamping they had a great skirmish with the souldiors of Millan in which Burbon was in person Thintention of the Duke of Vrbin was to stay at Pioltello vntill the fortifications were ended at Monce where he deuised to leaue in garrison two thousand footmen with certayne helpes of horsmen and so to go to Marignan where he was determined to lodge the army and from thence hauing first taken and fortified that place also Biagressa as he supposed he thought to send bands of men to Genes Expeditions which drew with thē so long an execution that there was reason to accuse him notwithstāding that he alleaged for one part of his excuse the yll prouisions of the Venetians who not paying their footemen in time conuenient neither had they their nūbers complet which were promised many of those which they had diminished alwayes for the vncertenty of their payes the Duke was constrayned when the pay dayes came to furnish their places with others in suche sort as he seemed to haue euery day new companies and a new armie But this deferring or protraction which hitherunto seemed voluntarie began to haue a cause and cooller of necessitie for after many negociations and practises holden in Germany to sende a new strength of footmen into Italy the same seruing to no effect aswell for the dishabilitie of tharchduke as for the pouertie of themprour who sente no money thither George Frougspergh for the affection he bare to the affayres of the Emprour ioyned to a desire to aduaunce the glory of his nation and who with great merite had at two seuerall tymes commaunded in Italy two great armies for the Emprour agaynst the Frenchmen determined to supply with his goods and faculties priuate the charge which princes for their weaknes were not able to vndertake he stirred vp with his authority many bands of footmen whom he allured with the sweete insinuation of pray and booty concurring withall the good oportunitie and occasion that offred to make them riche with the spoyles of Italy And after he had contracted with them that in receiuing for euery man a crowne in prest they would follow him to the succors of themprour And obteined of tharchduke certen aydes of horsmen and artilleries he prepared to marche making the generall mooster and leauye of all his men betweene Bolzano and Maran The rumor of this preparation for the sodennesse not exspected and for the authoritie of the man muche redowted pearcing easily into the bowells of Italy was the cause that the Duke of Vrbin wente not on with hys resolution to molest Genes whiche was nowe reduced almoste to the laste extremitye And yet Andrea Dore for that he woulde haue thexpedition aduaunced abated some parte of his first demaunds and required nowe but fifteene hundred footemen making his reckoning to furnishe the residue by his owne meanes But the Duke refusing also that demaunde alleaged for his excuse that it was necessarye to sende from the army vppon the countrey of Vincensa a strength of 1500. footmen of the Venetians for a feare which that Senate had least the army of the launceknightes would take that way An opinion which the Duke confuted perswading him self that they would rather take the way of Lecqua and for that reason he stirred not from Pioltella for that he would be more neare the ryuer of Adda And he published that he would march to mete them and fight with them beyond Adda at their comming out of the vale of Sarcina By these variations as the affaires of Lombardy began to draw to new farre greater difficulties so also there burst out in the towne of Rome a fresh fyre of trouble and new vexation for the Pope who for the accident of the Colonnois was pulled downe in courage and in an inclination to peace was bent to goe by sea to Barcelona to contract some accorde with themprour assoone as his enemies were gone out of Rome had sent Paule d'Arezze his chamberlayne to the french king and from him to passe to the Emprour with his priuitie to negociate the peace his commissions extended also to signifie to the king his necessities his daungers and to demaund an hundred thousand crownes for his better defence In which matters he seemed so discordant and disagreable to himselfe that in demaunding
they had in the towne of Rome And in supply of the others which they were bound to administer employ to the warres of Naples they had accorded to pay three and twenty thowsand duckats for euery moneth Assuring also that for the regarde of the nauie at sea they would aduaunce xxxvj vessells to giue ayde to thenterprise of Sicilie Neuertheles they gaue manifest signes that they were weary of the burden and proceeded very slowly in the matter of exspenses by whose example the French king did the like seeing at the same time complaynts were comen from Monsr de Lavvtrech that the assignacion for an hundred and fifty thowsand crownes monthly for the charges of the warre which the king had made to him at his departure out of Fraunce of which was to receiue about two hundred thowsand crownes was reduced to three skore thowsand crownes onely the moneth and that but for three monethes to come A matter which as it brought no small greefe and dispaire to him so he burst out in complaints against the king and his omission and carelesnes as not to be moued neither with reason nor with his faith nor with the memorie and example of his propper domage This was one especiall poynt of his greefe and complayning that where the king had conuerted to thenterprise of Fontarabye his treasors and forces which ought to haue serued him for the defense of Myllan it was the cause to make him to lose the whole estate and Duchie of Myllan The enterprise of Aquila succeeded happely for that as Peter of Nauare made his approches so the Prince of Melffy went out of it for the French king did enter the sonne of the Count Montoiro In like sort the launceknights of the Venetians tooke by composicion Ciuitella A litle towne but well fortefied and hath his situacion seuen myles beyond Tronto The taking of this towne was furthered by the preuencion of two hundred harquebuziers spanish who were sent for the defense of it All Abruzza followed thexample of Aquila the whole residue of the Realme of Naples had done the like had not th Imperiall army yssued out of Rome This army after passion of many difficulties tumults and the souldiers fully satisfied of all their paies from the tyme of the Popes deliuery marched out of Rome the seuenteene daye of February A day which had bene most ioyfull and of speciall respiracion to the long miseries of the wretched people of Rome if their calamities which they supposed to be ended by the departure of the launceknights had not eftsoones recontinued in a newe course by the Abbot of Farfa and others of the famulie of the Vrsins who entring the towne with the peysants of their dominions immediatly vppon the breaking vp of the others did for many dayes many great insolencies By reason of these calamities greeuous for their continuance lamentable for their wretched succession discending from one enemie yll to an other that was worse the citie of Rome was not onely made naked of a greate parte of her inhabitants with the desolacion of many houses and pallaices But also it stoode rent and defaced in images of worthy and auncient presence of pillors representing the monument and memorye of greate Princes and Conquerors of many singular stones for their vallue precious and for their raretye greately esteemed and lastly of many ornaments of antiquitye suche as drewe delight to the eyes of the beholders and gaue greate reputacion to the towne that so longe had preserued them Neuerthelesse the launceknightes continuing in their mutynies and woulde not departe without imprest for two payes where the Spanyards were satisfied with more facilitye The Pope desirous to purge the towne of suche a contagion was constrayned to furnishe them with twentye thowsande duckatts more which he payed vnder cooller to deliuer the two Cardinalls ostages And afterwardes they reteyned twenty thowsand more as from the people of Rome and albeit it was doubted that this pay was made by the Pope yet it passed vnder that name to th end to giue lesse occasion of complaynt to Lavvtrech â–ª Who notwithstanding complayned not a litle that the Pope with that money was the cause that th Imperiall armye went out of Rome by which action his victory which was before manifest and certeyne was nowe reduced to doubtfull tearmes and vncerteyne euents of warre There yssued out of Rome according to computacion fifteene hundred horse foure thowsand footemen spanish two or three thowsand footemen Italyans and fiue thowsand launceknights So great diminucion had the plague brought vppon that nation By the remouing of thImperialls out of Rome Monsr Lavvtrech who otherwayes would haue taken the straight waye to Naples was constrayned to fetche a circuit more long by Povvylla along the sea coast he had some reason to take that marche for the difficultie to drawe his artilleries if in these places he shoulde haue found impediment of ennemies to passe the Mounteine But much more to make prouision of vittells least he fell into want if he happly were driuen to plant the coursse of his victorie before the walls of Naples So that partly by compulsion and partly vppon those reasons inducing he tooke his way to Ciuita de Chiora the capitall towne of the furthermost Abruzza for the water of Pescairo makes seperacion of the hethermost Abruzza from the furthermost There did render vnto him Sermono with many other townes of the contry and in that property of inclinacion eyther for affection they boare to the French name or for hatred to the Spanyards there was almost no towne which sent not out at least xxv and xxx myles before to yeld them selues And yet because he would passe with a greater sewertie and stabilitie he forbare to aduaunce with that diligence which both by his felicitie he might and by his fortune was offred And it was beleued to th end to gather in safetie during the moneth of Marche the reuenue of the tribute of Povvylla amounting to foure skore thowsand duckats and was leauied in fiue townes that he would send thether Peter Nauare with his regiments for whose disagreements and controuersies which Monsr Lavvtrech was compelled to endure there was litle good order in the armye But being departed from Guast and vnderstanding that one parte of thennemies to whome was ioyned the Prince of Melffe with a thowsand of those launceknights which the Viceroy Don Charles had brought out of Spayne and two thowsande Italyan footemen comen out of Aquila was arriued at Nocero fortye myles from Termyny drawing towards the sea And an other part of the ennemies to be passed to Campo Basso which is thirty miles from Termyny vppon the common or ordinary way to Naples he sent out before Peter Nauare with his regiments of footemen and went him selfe the last day of February to Sera within twelue myles of Termyny from whence the fourth daye of Marche he arriued at Saint Seuero But Peter Nouare according
alleaged the contract appeared not by writing notwithstanding the Pope mainteyned a further obligation So that he solicited to enter into the paye of the French and Florentins complayning bitterly of certaine intelligences and practises enterteyned against him by the Cardinall of Cortono and of a letter which he had surprised written by the Cardinall Medicis to Braccio Baillon But the Pope seeking indirectly to stoppe the effect of his deuice forbad by Edicts publike that none of his subiectes without his leaue shoulde take the payes of other Princes vpon paine of confiscation Neuerthelesse Malatesta forbare not for that to prosecute his deuise The Frenchmen bounde them to indue him with a charge of two hundred horsemen two thowsand crownes pension the order of Saint Michael and in time of warre with two thowsand footemen And the Florentines gaue him the title of Gouernor two thousand crownes pension a thousand footmen in time of warre fiftie horsemen for his sonne and fiftie for the sonne of Horatio with fiue hundred crownes for the paye of them both They tooke vpon them the protection of his estate and of Perousa and aswel the French King as they made him one ioynt allowance in time of peace of an hundred crownes the moneth to enterteyne ten Captaines And the Florentines a part made him a paie for two hundred footmen for the garde of Perousa and for his part he was onely bounde to this to goe to their seruice with a thousande footemen when their affaires required yea though he shoulde not haue the bandes promised from the Frenche King Of this dealing the Pope complayned highlye to the Frenche King as a matter done directlye to let him for disposing according to his will of a Citie whiche was vassall and subiect to the Churche the same making the King who bare no mynd to kindle the Pope to deferre the action of ratification and for the same cause the Pope hoping to be able to alter or retyre Malatesta perswaded him to continue out his yeare and at the same time he enterteyned secretly Braccio Baillon Sero Colonno and the exiles of Perousa who hauing assembled and mustered bands of souldiers lay incamped at Norcio But all these practises together with all offers and oblacions serued to no purpose for that Malatesta was resolutely fixed to continue no longer in the Popes paye and as the Florentins ministred ayde to him openly so he feared so much the lesse those stirres or emocions by howe much they ceassed foorthwith the Pope finding they were vnperfect and insufficient to leade on his hopes to their effectes Besides the Pope would not suffer the Duke of Ferrara to dwelin rest and he was so farre of from obseruing the couenants made with the Duke in the name of the Colledge of Cardinals that the byshoprike of Modena being newly fallen into vacacion by the death of Cardinall Gonzaguo an estate promised to the Dukes sonne by the sayde couenants he bestowed it by his authoritie vpon Ierom Moron seeking vnder colour of refusing the possession occasion to prouoke against him suche a personage and minister bearing great authoritie in the Emperours armie He enterteyned also a practise with Ierom Pio to occupie Reggia and that by the meane and operacion of Hubert de Gambaro gouernour of Bolognia But when the Duke was informed of the state of the practise and how farre it extended he passed Pio to such propertie of punishment as his offence deserued He layde plotts also to surprise Rauenna which likewise sorted to none effect And about this time inclining dayly by apparant degrees to the Emperours part and being also well aduaunced in the solicitation of things he sent vnto him the Byshop of Vasono his stewarde he called backe the cause of diuorce of the King of Englande which he had done long time before had not the regarde of the Bull which was already in Englande in the hands of his Legat Campeius reteyned him For as the good fortunes of the Emperour encreased in Italie so he sought not onely not to offende him further but also to reuoke the offence he had done him alreadie being in deede determined before he was sicke to reuoke the cause In which action he sent Frauncis Compagnio into Englande to the Cardinall Campeius dissembling to the King that he was sent for other matters including notwithstanding matter apparteyning to that cause where in deede he brought commission to Campcius to burne the Bull And albeit Campeius for a maladie the Pope was fallen into deferred for a time the execution of that commission yet when he knewe he was recured he perfourmed the thyng he was commaunded So that the Pope being thus deliuered of that feare reuoked the cause though not without great indignation of that King especiallie when he required the Bull of the Legate and vnderstoode by him the vnworthie accident of it These matters made both more seuere and more readie the ruine and fall of the Cardinall of Yorke whose authoritie the King supposed to be so great and gracious with the Pope that if his mariage with the Lady Anne had bene agreeable to him he might haue obteyned of the Pope what dispensation he had woulde By whiche occasion opening his eares to the enuie and mallice of his aduersaries he grewe kindled against him euen to the taking from him his goodes and treasure of a wonderful value and in his indignation leauing him a smal part of the reuenues of his benefices he restrayned him to his Byshoprike with a slender traine of seruants And so not long after eyther by a surprise of letters which he wrote to the French King or for some other propertie of malice of his enemies who gathering by the Kings speches that he was not without inclinacion towardes him and therefore feared least he woulde rise againe into his auncient authoritie he was conuented to appeare in counsell to speake for him selfe in matters to be obiected against him For whiche cause as he was brought towards the Court as prisoner he was suddenly taken with a fluxe engendred either of the humour of disdaine or of the passion of feare of which he dyed the seconde day after he was apprehended with the maladie an example in our dayes worthie of memorie touching the power whiche fortune and enuie hath in the Courts of Princes About this time fell out in Florence to the greate preiudice of the gouernment that then was a newe chalenge against Nicholas Cappony Gonfalonier it happened almost vpon the end of the second yeare of his magistracie and was incensed principallie by the enuie of some of the chiefe citisens who tooke occasion of the vaine suspicions and fond ignorancies of the commons Nicho. Cappony during all the time of his magistracie hath had these two principall obiectes the one to defend him selfe against the freshe enuie of those that had bene honored of the house of Medicis suffring the principals amongst them to communicat with the other Citisens in the honors and
he dispatched in post to the armie the Archbyshop of Capua who passing by Florence found them of the towne otherwaies disposed then the Pope was persuaded But in this meane while the Prince of Orenge aduaunced was come the xxiiij to Mountuarche in the vale of Arno whiche is within xxv miles of Florence abiding there for eight cannons from Sienna whiche were sent away the daye after onely they continued to bee caryed with the same tract and slownesse with the whiche they had been prepared in so muche as by their wantand impediment the Prince who the xxvii day had led the armie euen vp to Feguina and Anchisa was driuen to abide in that place vnto th end of the fourth of October And from thence proceeded the difficultie of the whole enterprise For after the losse of Aretzo when the Florentins found that their hopes failed together with the fauours and promises made from all partes and also that the fortifications which were made in the citie on that side towards the mountaine notwithstanding the continuall labour of pioners and workemen could not by the iudgement of souldiers be reduced to defence sooner then eight or ten dayes And being aduertised on the other side that the armie of the enemies aduaunced and wonne way and Ramassotto who was in armes by the Popes ordinaunce with three thousand footemen had sacked Firensolo and was entred into the countrey of Mugello which was not without daunger that he would goe vp to Prato By these arguments of feare and impediments the citisens being reduced to an vniuersall astonishment began to incline to accorde the rather for that many in their feare were fled from the daunger which in their cowardise they durst not defend So that at the counsel board of the Dieci where are debated the affaires of the warre and in which counsel were present the principall citisens of the gouernment the vniuersall consent and aduise was to dispatch to Rome a free and ample commission to submit and referre themselues to the Popes wil But when this resolucion was related to the supreame magistrate without whose consent there could no deliberacion passe the Gonfalonier who obstinately susteyned the contrarie opinion was against it who ioyning with him the Magistrate popular of the colledges who participated with the authoritie of the tribunes of the people of Rome in which office or societie were happly many persons of sinister vnderstanding and great temeritie insolency And hauing also their opiniō supported with the boldnes threatnings of many young men he brought to passe that that day nothing was established And yet it was a thing manifest that if the day folowing which was the xxviii of September the Prince had aduaunced and comen on one remoue the faction that impugned and inueyed against the accorde had not bene able to resist the strong inclinacion of all the others of so small causes depend oftentimes the moments of right great things Thus the surceance and temporising of the armie made by the Prince of Orenge in vaine whiche some interpreted to bee done expresly to interteine the warre for that he had not sufficient artilleries to affront the Citie of Florence was the cause that within the towne many entred into courage and resumed the spirits which through the former astonishment they had lost But the thing that confirmed them in this resolution was that the fortificacion continued without any intermission of time and whiche the hands of many nombers of men did so raise and aduaunce that before the Prince of Orenge remoued from the place where he lay incamped the captaines iudged that the ramparts were sufficient for defence So that ceassing nowe all inclination to accord the citisens with a generall resolucion stoode prepared to defende with their bodies liues the place which til then they had labored to make strong by their industrie and worke of their hands wherein the better to assure their mindes so wel induced they were aduertised that Ramassotto who led with him without pay or discipline not souldiers trayned but peysants rawe vnarmed had taken the field not with intencion of fight but to rob spoile after he had wasted with raking and sacking the whole countrey of Mugello He retired with the booties he had taken vppon the territories of Bolognia where did dissolue in disorder and disagreement the bandes he hadde leuyed and ledde in insolencie and licenciousnesse though after they hadde solde to him their shares and most parte of the spoyles Thus of a warre easye and tractable and whiche might haue taken ende with a small losse to anye partie was deriued a warre most heauye and hurtfull to all and such as could not be led to his end till the whole countrey was wasted and the principall Citie in hazard of her latest desolacion The fift of October the Prince of Orenge departed from Feguino but he ordred his marching so slowly to tarie for the artilleries of Syenna which now drue neare that he coulde not before the xx daye raunge all his companies and artilleries into the plaine of Ripoly which is within two miles of Florence He incamped all his armie the xxiiij day vpon the litle hills neare the rampars obseruing with the sauetie of his owne the places that most helped him to anoye his enemies And of this armie as one parte occupied all the litle hills eminent to the Citie which stretch from the gate saint Myniato to the gate saint George So the other part from the said gate saint Myniato was extended euen to the way of the gate saint Nicholas There were within Florence eight thousand footemen all bodies of seruice and their chiefest resolucion was to defend Prato Pistoya Employ Pisa and Lyuorna which places they had strengthned and fortified with sufficient garrisons leauing all other places and peeces rather to the fidelitie and discression of the peoples and the fortresses to the benefite of their situacion then to bestowe great bands of souldiers to garde them But now the warre rising by burning degrees into his heate all the countrey was filled full of combustion of incursions and bands of licensious souldiers And the Siennoys notwithstanding their former profession of league and amitie with the state of Florence did not onely rise vp to make pillage in euery place but also in that libertie of warre they sent bands of souldiers to occupie Montpulsion hoping that afterwards the Prince woulde consent that they might reteyne it Neuerthelesse finding it defended by a garrison of the Florentins their ambicion was easely stopped and their aspiring inuentions presently defeated the rather for that not long after Napoleon Vrsin arriued there a souldier of the Florentins with three hundred horsemen who woulde not depart from Rome before the Pope were vpon his way to goe to Bolognia The Prince of Orenge when he had bestowed his army and stretched it out at large vpon the hills of Monticio Gallo and Giramont and after he had brought to him
he solicited a new enteruiew and conference at Thurin betwene themprour the French king and himselfe But he was aunswered in the full counsell of the king sitting that it was enough that the children of the Crowne of Fraunce were vnder captiuitie without that the person of the king should seeke to intrude himselfe into that calamitie The Pope and themprour did now determine to go to Sienna to be more ready and apt to fauor thenterprise of Florence and afterwards to drawe to Rome for the coronation of the Emprour But whether it was a true or false deliberatiō as they were vppon the poynt prepared to depart the Emprour receiued letters out of Germany soliciting him to returne thither the electors making instance for regard of the dyets and Ferdinand standing to be chosen king of Romains and others in respect to celebrate the counsell By these new instances whether more effectuall for their sodennes or for their cōformitie to themprors will al deuises counsels to passe further were dashed in which variatiō the empror was cōtēted to receiue the Imperiall Crowne within Bolognia beeing assisted with a great affluence of people but susteyning a verye slender pompe and exspences He was crowned vppon Saint Matthievves daye a daye of many happye predictions for that on that daye was he borne in that daye was the Frenche king taken prisoner and during that daye was he celebrated with the enseignes and ornamentes of th Imperiall dignitie But before thEmperour departed to returne into Germanie he laboured to accorde wyth the Pope the Duke of Ferrara who the seuenth daye of Marche came to Bolognia vnder safeconduit And because there was no other meane of issue or ende betweene them they referred to the person of the Emperour the arbitration and Compromise of righte and action touchinge all their controuersies To the whiche the Pope was induced by the generalitie of the Compromise suche as comprehended also the quarrell and tytle of Ferrara whiche the Pope doubting that according to tearmes of righte it woulde not diuolue to the sea Apostolike he thoughte thEmperoure had an easie meane in vsing silence for Ferrara to bringe hym to render Modena and Reggia The Pope also was induced by the worde and promyse whiche thEmperour made to hym that if he founde that he had righte to those two Cities he woulde pronownce iudgemente of hys syde but if by examination it appeared otherwyse he woulde suffer to expyre and determine the tyme of the Compromise And to assure the obseruation of the sentence and resolution of the Compromise there wente a couenaunt that the Duke shoulde depose Modena into the handes of thEmperour at whose instance he had reuoked before his Embassadours from Florence and ayded the army with a proportion of Pyoners After this thEmperour departed from Bolognia the xxij daye the Pope hauing lefte hym satisfied that hys intention was to consente to the Councell if he thoughte it mighte anye waye auayle for thextirpation of the Heresies of the Lutherans The Cardinall Campeius wente wyth hym as Legate And so he passed by Mantua where after he had receyued threescore thowsande duckettes of the Duke of Ferrara he gaue to hym in chiefe for euer the towne of Carpy After whome the Pope the xxxj daye tooke hys waye to Rome leauing the matters of Florence in the same estate of difficulties they were before The Imperialls made many signes and braueries as though they would assault the Citie for whiche cause they had begon a trenche before the Bastillion of Saint George where beeing perfourmed a hoate skirmishe the xxj of Marche they without receyued greate harmes The xxv daye the Prince of Orenge finding his campe muche vexed by a towre adioyning to the side of the Bastillion of Saint George towardes the gate of Rome battered it with hys artilleries But finding it very strong and well appoynted after certayne volues of Cannon he forbare any further execution There aryued dayly at the campe newe companies and bands of souldiours by whose insolencie and licentiousnesse for that there was no warres in any other parte of Italie the harmes and ruines of the countrey of Florence encreased continually The Citie of Voltero was rendred to the Pope but the Castell holding good for the Florentins suffred greate executions with two Cannons of thimperialles and two Coluerines broughte from Genes And the Florentines desyring to succour it sente oute to Employ an hundred and fyftie horsemen and fiue enseignes of footemen who making their marche by nighte passed by the Campe neare the Mounte Olyuet and beeing discouered there were sente oute after them certayne guidons of horsemen who ouertooke them but beeing skirmished withall by the harquebuziers they retyred with some losse And the horsemen that were issued out of Florence by an other waye behinde the campe saued them selues at the same tyme with the footmen within Employ where they were receyued by Frauncis Feruccio commaunder of that place This man beeing sente in the beginning of the warre by the Florentins to Employ as commaunder ouer a verye small companie of horsemen and with a verye little authoritie had what with the obseruation of the warre and with thoportunitie of that seate and with thoccasion of prayes and ordinarie incursions assembled together a good crewe of souldiours of choyse with whome bothe by hys vallour whiche he had well expressed and also by his lyberalitie which was infinite in hym he was rysen to so good estate of reputation that the Florentins had no small exspectation of hym Feruccio then departed from Employ with two thousande footemen and fiue hundred horse with whiche armie marching with great celeritie he entred within the castell of Voltero the xxvj of Aprill earely in the morning where hauing well refreshed his souldiours he assaulted presently the towne which was garded by Iohn Baptista Borgueso with a verye slender strength of footemen and winning before night two of their trenches he had the towne the next moarning together with the artilleries that were come from Genes The first action he managed after he was Lorde of the towne was by extorsions and wayes compulsiue to exacte money of thinhabitauntes of Voltero and no lesse by that good helpe then by his vallour and industrie he constrayned to reuolte Gimignana and Collo and cutting off the traffike of vittelles that came from Sienna by that waye he had reduced the armie of the ennemies to greate difficulties whose capteines thinking of no other expedition then of the siege the Marquis of Guast retyred thartilleries within Prato But so suddayne and vncertayne are the things of warre there happned into those quarters vnlooked for Capteyne Maramus leading a regiment of two thowsande fiue hundred footemen without paye By reason of which succour beeing come agaynst the Popes will he kepte on his course for that Maramus went to incampe with his people at the suburbes of Voltero The nynth of Maye was executed a greate skirmishe without the gate called Romegate wherein remayned
all that to consigne vnto the Duke of Ferrara Modena which he had deteyned in deputacion till that daye leauing them to decyde afterwards the differences betweene them So that by reason of that dealing there was not for many moneths betwene the Pope and the Duke of Ferrara neither an open warre nor an assured peace the Popelying alwayes in watche to oppresse him with conspiracies and surprise or els to exspect the occasion to heape against him an open warre with the supportacion of greater Princes This yeare of 1531. brought forth no other accidents and the tranquillitie also went on continuing for the yeare following A yeare more daungerous for forreine warres then for the emocions of Italy for the Turke beeing kindled with the ignominie of his repulse at Vienna and no lesse vnderstanding howe thEmprour was intangled in Germany prepared a right huge and great armye wherein boasting insolently of his forces he let not to publish that his intencion was to constraine thEmprour to come to battell with him By the rumor and renowme of which preparacions both the Emprour put him selfe in as good order as he could reuoking into Germany the Marquis of Guast with his Spanish regiments and a great band of horsemen and footemen Italyans And the Pope promised to contribute to him a defraiment of forty thowsand duckats for euery moneth sending for the same expedicion as Legat Apostolike his Nephew the Cardinall of Medicis And lastly the Princes and free townes of Germany prepared in fauor of thEmprour and for the common defense of Germany A very huge and mighty army But the effects aunswered nothing the renowme and the feare for Solyman who for the greatnes of his preparacions and difficultie and distance of the way could not enter into Hungarie but verie late did not drawe directlie with his armie where thEmperour was but exhibiting onely a show of warre together with certeine bragging Caualcadoes and braueries of horsemen he returned to Constantinople leauing the enterprise vnperfect for want of vallour which he had induced and managed with so mightie preparacions Neither did thEmperour shew any greater deuocion or readines seeing that when he vnderstood the Turkes drew neare much lesse that he made out to meete them seeing vppon their retyring he omitted to pursue with all his forces the faire occasion that was offered him to reconquer Hungarie for his brother Onely yeelding to his importunate desire to go into Spaine he gaue order that certeine bands of Spanish footemen some regiments of Launceknightes should be conuerted to thenterprise of Hungarie But that order was immediatlie disordered by the insolent behauiours of thItalians who pushed on by certeine their Captaines disdaining that the authority and conduit of the enterprise was giuen to others and not to them so mutined That hauing no reason to alleage for their tumult and the presence of the Emperour who went thither to appease them being not sufficient to conteine them They tooke resolutely and vniuersally their way into Italie in which disorder they marched with great hast for feare to be followed and in their way with minds malicious they burned many villages and houses in reuenge as they said of the burnings wasting committed in many places in Italie by the Launceknights ThEmperour also returned by the way of Italie and where he had set downe in what order and by what places should passe his Court and all his trayne The Cardinall Medicis caried with humors and passions of youth would not obey the order generallie giuen to all the traine but in his insolencie respecting lesse the Emperours order then his owne ambicious will he aduaunced and gotte before together with Peter Maria Rossa vppon whom chiefly was layed the fault of that sedicion This bred no litle indignacion in thEmperour either for that he imputed the beginning and discourse of the matter to the Cardinall or else he feared least the Cardinall standing ill contented that Alexander his cossin was preferred to the administracion of thestate of Florence would goe after the bandes of Italians to lead them to trouble the affaires of Tuskane In which regard he caused to be apprehended by the way the Cardinall and with him Peter Maria Rossa But after he had better considered of thimportaunce of the matter he wrote letters for the redeliuerie of the Cardinall to whome as well as to the Pope he protested many excuses Onely Peter Maria remeyned prisoner though not long after he was released working greatlie for him with thEmperour the iniurie which it seemed he had done to the Cardinall The retyring of the Turke deliuered the regions of Italie of a great warre that threatned to fall vpon them for where the Frenche king and king of England with mindes full of emulacion against thEmperour had an enteruiewe and conference together betwene Calice and Bolleyne where taking their groundes that the Turke would abide that winter in Hungarie and hold intangled the forces of thEmperour They consulted that the French king vnder that oportunitie should inuade the Duchie of Millan and hauing a disposicion to draw the Pope to their parte by violence and astonishment whom they could neuer allure by other meanes they deuised to take from him the obedience of their kingdoms in case he would not cōsent to that which they desired of him which was for the action of Millan for the French king for the king of England to giue sentence on his side in the cause of diuorce And to relate their intencions they were determined to sende to him with sharpe commissions the Cardinalls of Tournon and Tarbes both which bare no small authoritie with the Frenche king But the newes which they receiued of the retyring of the Turke before the time of their enteruiew was determined did not onely well moderate those deuises and their seuerities but were also the cause that the king of England would not suffer to passe to Calyce the Lady Anne Bulleine to celebrate mariage with her publikely in that assembly Notwithstanding that both the cause was hanging in the Court of Rome also he was forbidden by writs Apostolike vnder paine of very great iudgements to innouate nothing to the preiudice of the first mariage ▪ But so deepe did the French king dissemble that albeit to confirme the minde of the king of England that he would be against the Pope he imposed by his owne authoritie vppon the Clergie of his Realme a taxe of tenthes dispatched the two Cardinalls to the Pope yet not obseruing the fidelitie of his word and promisse he sent them furnished with commissions farre differing from the resolucion of the two kings in the beginning The Emprour being comen into Italy with a desire to speake with the Pope the place of their meeting and enteruiewe was eftsoones assigned at Bolognia A place which the Pope accepted willingly the rather for that he would giue no occasion to thEmprour to goe to the Realme of Naples and by that occasion to make