his part because his enterprizes proceeded not from any particular interest but from a sole and sincere desire of the liberty of Italy but he could not hope much from them by reason their treasure was exhausted and them-selues oppressed with sondry difficulties The French King beeing by so many experiences assured of the Popes bad meaning towards him determined to strengthen him-selfe as much as he might with the Emperors friendship and to passe in person the spring following into Italy to make warre on the Venetians or on the Pope according as the state of his affaires should petmit The end of the eight Booke of the fourth Decade The Contents of the ninth Booke of the fourth Decade WIth what boldnesse and resolution Pope Iulius marched against the Duke of Ferrara and beeing not able to ouercome him by temporall armes he vsed spirituall A Generall Councell published at Lions A new Confederacy as well offensiue as defensiue betwixt the Emperor and the French-King How greatly the marche of the French Army toward Bolognia did afright the Pope and all his Cardinals The Lord of Chaumonts retreate into the Dutchy of Milan The Duke of Ferrara defeateth the Venetians nauall Army The Popes Army taketh the Citty of Concorda Mirandolo taken by the Confederates The King doth wholy resolue to make warre on the Pope The Death of the Lord of Chaumont where vpon Triuulcio is made Generall of the Army A great Earthquake at Venice and in the Countrey neere adioyning The Popes Army is defeated before the Bastida Geniuola The French Kings discontent for that the Emperor consenteth to a peace with the Venetians The King of Arragons secret practises against the French King The Cardinall of Pauia flyes from Bolognia at the arriuall of the French The flight of the Duke of Vrbin Generall of the Popes Army Death of the Cardinall of Pauia slaine by the Duke of Vrbin The French King greatly desireth to bee at peace with the Pope How the Venetians did still maintaine their forces and greatnesse A new confederacy betwixt the Pope the King of Arragon and the Venetians The Swisses come downe into the Dutchie of Milan The Army of the Confederates before Bolognia the which is releeued by Gaston of Foix. And lastly how the Confederates Army dislodgeth from before Bolognia The ninth Booke of the fourth Decade of the Historie of Uenice THe Pope continuing his displeasure against the Duke of Ferrara omitted all other designes onely to pursue this and to this end hee came to Bolognia at the later end of September by his presence to hasten matters and to giue the greater authority to his affaires resoluing to assaill Ferrara both by land and water with all his owne forces and those of the Venetians who at his request sent two armed fleetes against Ferrara which being entred into the Po by the Fornaces and by the hauen of Primara made great spoile on the Ferrara territory the like did the Popes forces at the same time and yet they came not neere to Ferrara where besides the Dukes forces were two hundred and fifty French lances and the Popes army was not suffitient to assayle the Citty by land For allbeit the Pope gaue pay for eight hundred men at Armes six hundred light horse and six thousand foote the complete number of so many was greately wanting as also for that by his command Marke Anthony Colonna and Iohn Vittelli were gone with two hundred men at armes and three hundred foote for the gard of Modena In regard whereof he requested seeing that the Venetians had in a manner recouered the country of Friull that part of their army might be brought on the Ferrarois He did more-ouer expect three hundred lances which the King of Arragon was bound to send him according to the articles of the inuestiture of the realme of Naples making account vpon the arriuall of all these forces to assaile Ferrara for his part and that the Venetians should doe the like for theirs hee perswaded him-selfe that the people of the Citty would forth-with take armes in his behalfe against the Duke and hee would not harken to those who told him That it would not so fall out in regard of the garrison within it which was sufficient to defend the Citty and to hinder the people if they were so bent from reuolting About the same time an intelligence which the Venetians had on the Citty of Bressia was discouered the Author whereof Earle Iohn Maria of Martinenga was beheaded there Now the Pope perseuering in his hope did promise to him-selfe though all his other forces should faile to be able to take Ferrara with his owne and the Venetian fleets notwithstanding al the reasons giuen by his Captaines to the contrary but he found himselfe to be deceiued For the Duke comming forth of Ferrara did assaill the Venetians fleete which was entred by Primaria and comming to Hadria with two Galleis two Fusts and with diuers small boates hee did easily defeate it then hee went to meet with the other the which consisting onely of fustes and other small vessells had entred by the fornaces and was come to Puliselsa which attempting to retire into the riuer Adicé by a chanell neere at hand it could not by reason of the shallownesse of the water where-vpon being assailed and beaten with the enemies ordnance those of the fleet not beeing able to defend it were enforced to forsake it and to vse meanes to saue them-selâ—…es and their ordnance The Pope perceauing that his temporal armes were not of force to execute his deseignes made vse of spirituall and did publickly excommunicate Alfonso of Este and all those who were or should come to his aid and namely the Lord of Chaumont and all the cheefe persons of the French army The French King who already vpon the Popes behauiour determined to call a generall councell against him and had caused all the prelates of his Kingdome to meete at Orleans and afterwards at Tours hauing notice of his Ecclesiasticall censure executed so rashly vpon his subiects was of opinion in this assembly where he was present diuers times that before hee would free him-selfe from his obedience to send Ambassadors to him to aduertise him of the articles concluded on by the French Clergy against which if hee thought to except he should be cited to the generall councell which all Christian Princes had determined should bee assembled by a certaine day According to this resolution the Councell was published at Lyons against the first day of March next ensuing Within a while after the Bishop of Gurcia sent from the Emperor arriued at Tours where his entertainment was sumptuous which shewed how greatly his comming was desired with whome the King continuing to treat of matters which had already beene handled at the first they seemed to bee very casie but they were afterwards drawne forth at length as well by reason that the Emperors answers were very slow
the Venetians A treaty of peace held at Rome but to no purpose The great warlike preparations of the Archduke of Austria to send into Italy to the Emperors ayde The Venetians lend money to the French and to the Duke of Milan The French King resolueth to make warre vpon the Emperour on the frontiers of Spaine The Venetians solicit the King to come in person into Italy The Imperialls recouer Aquila and Matricia The Marquis of Guasto besiegeth Monopoli Brundusium is yeelded to the Venetians An allarme beeing giuen to the Duke of Vrbin hee runneth to the defence of his owne state An enterview of the French and Venetian Armies The defeate and taking of the Count Saint Paul by Antonio de Leua The Duke of Vrbins retreate to Cassan. The Duke of Vrbin defeateth a part of the enemies at the passage of a Riuer Antonio de Leua retireth to Milan The Venetian Senate are male-content with the King The Emperors arriuall at Genoa The Emperors great forces in Italy The Florentines send Ambassadors to the Emperor The great warlike preparations of the Venetians Peace concluded at Cambray betwixt the Emperor and the King The King is very earnest with the Emperor to make an accord with the Venetians And lastly a new confederacie betwixt the Venetians and Francis Sforza Duke of Milan The Eight Booke of the fifth Decade of the Historie of Uenice THE Lord Lautrec beeing dead Michaele Antonio Marquis of Salusses a couragious Lord and well beloued of the Soldiors tooke vpon him the charge of the Armie in a manner ruined who beeing councelled to discampe not so much for the present state of their affaires as for the danger and necessity that pressed him gathered together those forces that remained and retired with small losse to Auersa expecting succours from Rance de Cera Vpon his retreate the Imperialls comming foorth of Naples gaue in vpon his rereward but by reason of his good order the losse was not great Certaine French troopes were broken and Pedro of Nauarre beeing taken prisoner was ledde to Naples where hee dyed The Marquis beeing come to Auersa was neerely pursued by the Imperialls and beeing not able to make defence hee sent the Count Ouy de Rangone to parley with the Prince of Orange the Imperialls Generall with whom it was capitulated That the Marquis should quit Auersa with the Castle Artillery and Munition That as well himselfe as the other Captaines should remaine prisoners except the Count Guy who treated particularly for himselfe That the Marquis should doe his vtmost to cause the French and Venetians to render vp the kingdome with diuerse other conuentions which made this French Armie miserable who of vanquishers became vanquished to the Venetians great greefe and discontent whose fortune for the kingdome of Naples was to depend on that of the French their friends and consederates This losse was accompanied by a very greeuous and most preiudicious accident to the league and of great importance to the French which caused great strife betwixt them for the plague beeing very great in Genoa and by reason thereof in a manner forsaken by all men and likewise by the soldiers and namely by Theodore â—…riuulcio the Gouernor who retired into the Castle Anare 〈◊〉 making vse of this occasion came neere to the Citty with certaine Galleys and those few soldiors that hee had which did not exceed the number of fiue hundred footmen not hoping neuerthelesse to performe that which hee afterward did and entring it without any great resistance by the fauour of the people who were greatly delighted with the name of liberty which hee promised them became maister thereof where on a sodaine hee changed the manner of gouernment vnder the Emperors protection It lay not in Triuulcio his power to hinder it who beeing come to the Citty but a while before had much to doe to escape into the Castle hoping as hee said vpon the artiuall of succours to bee able at his pleasure to enter the Citty and to reduce it to the Kings deuotion as it had beene in time before For hee sent to the Lord Saint Paul to send him speedily three thousand footmen by whose ayde hee hoped to recouer the Citty Wherevpon the Captaines of the Confederates did determine That the Lord of Montilan should turne to Genoa with three thousand Lansquenets and Suisses which came from France and were already arriued at Alexandria The Senate in the meane time did not cease to giue order for necessary prouisions for the speedy renewing of the warre in Lombardy and for that they would not giue Antonio de Leua any time to make preparations they solicited one an other speedily to take armes they sent the Secretary André Rossi into France to hasten the forces which were to come into Italy they did besides command the Duke of Vrbin to receiue all those Almaines into their pay which had forsaken the Duke of Brunswich hauing more-ouer sent to Iuree money for the payment of fiue thousand Lansquenets so as the Republick had in a very short space more then tenne thousand footmen of sundry nations Almaines Suisses and Italians fifteene hundred light horse and eight hundred men at armes with which forces and those of the French beeing ioyned together they did hope to driue Antonio de Leua forth of Italy The Duke of Vrbins chiefe purpose was to place a strong Garrison in Lauda beeing a place of great importance for the Duke of Milan and for the Venetians likewise because the keeping there of did greatly auaile for the assurance of Bergamo and Crema and then to passe the Po so soone as the French succours should beginne to come vpon the Alpes to ioyne with the French and afterwards to goe and assaile Antonio de Leua For the supplyes of siue thousand footmen and fiue hundred Lances as many light horse which were expected beeing arriued the Duke of Vrbin talked with the Count Saint Paul at Monticella on the Po to consult in what manner they were to proceed in this warre for the profit and commodity of the common cause The Duke of Vrbin by the aduise of the Senate propounded to employ their whole forces in Lombardy to driue Antonio de Leua if it were possible foorth of the State of Milan to the end to cut off all meanes from the Imperialls of sending downe any ayde by that way into Italy forth of Germany and of hauing victuals from thence for the feeding of their Armie as they were wont The Lord Saint Paul and the other French Captaines were of a contrary opinion saying That it was not fitte to abandon the affaires of Naples vnlesse they should loose their honour and reputation both with the people and the enemies propounding besides how important a matter it was to keepe the Imperialls busied in the kingdome of Naples who by that meanes could not come and ioyne with Antonio â—…e Leua In this diuersitie of opinions
any enterprize which the King had often promised should bee done and especially at that time when there was more need then euer to stoppe the Emperours passage into Italy by offering him great resistance at his entry or by enforcing him to looke to the defense of Spaine assailed by the way of the Pirenean mountaines as was resolued which the Venetians did most of all pursue thinking thereby to breake the Emperors deseigne of comming into Italy But they peceiuing that the King did rather encline to the warre of Italy they were in great hope that at one time the warre might be renued in Lombardy and in the Realme of Naples and before that the Emperours aide should arriue to make some notable progression Vpon these hopes the Senate sent for the Duke of Vrbin to come to Venice where in the presence of the Ambassadours of France and the Duke of Milan and of one of the Lord Saint Pauls Gentlemen they might consult and aduise on meanes to make warre where in the end was concluded before all other matters to pursue the enterprize of Milan by seege rather then by assault by surprizing all the neighbour townes and places to reduce the army of Antonio de Leua to want of victuals And for this purpose it was likewise decreed for to haue twenty thousand foot-men in their army namely about some eight thousand in the French troupes and asâ—… many in those of the Venetians two thousand from the Duke of Milan and two thousand Lansequenets which they daylie expected from Lyons leauied already at the common charge and as for the enterprize of Genoa they determined for to pursue it according vnto the aptnesse of time and the successe of Lombardie Now because that the whole safety of the affaires of Italy did depend vpon the stopping of the Emperours comming thither they resolued to augment they most that might bee the French and Venetian nauall armies and especially of great vessels which might easily resist that of the Emperours which was composed of the like to the end that the Emperour vnderstanding the difficulty of his iourney might absteine from comming In the meane time they had notice that the King had changed his purpose meaning for to make warre on the Emperour on the hither side of the mounts vpon the Confines of Spaine as had beene before determined at which newes the Senate beeing assembled to dispatch Anâ—…ré Nouagera newly chosen Ambassadour to the French King the Senators were diuided in opinion whether to perswade the King to come in person into Italy or to send his army towards the Pirenean mountaines to enuade Spaine The matter being debated in open councell where Moceniga on the one side a man of authority and well acquainted with affaires of State and Mark-Antonio Cornare a man of great vnderstanding on the other being heard diuersly to maintaine the one and other opinion that of Cornare preuailed whereby they decreed to enioyne the Ambassador Nouagera to perswade the King or if he were already enclined therevnto to incite him more to depart forthwith and to come into Italy Nouagera being come into France did not faile to doe that which had beene resolued in the councell whereof there had beene sundry opinions hoping to obtaine that which he had propounded because the King had heard him with good attention and greatly commended his councell as determining to put it in practize and for that purpose the King did meane within a while after to come into Languedoc to reduce all the forces that were there into the next and neerest place to Italy whether he promised to goe being followed besides twenty thousand foot-men with tenne thousand Lansquenets and tenne thousand Pioners The Kings departure being in this manner held for assured the Senate resolued that Nouagera should remaine in France nere to the Lady Regent the Kings mother and that Sebastian Iustiniano whom Nouagera was sent to succeed should follow the King into Italy The Senate in the meane time did with speed make all necessary preparations for the renuing of the warre making account that at the latter end of Aprill the Republikes army should goe before and beeing ioyned with that of the Lord Saint Paul should march to the enterprize of Milan which being executed the Emperours comming would seeme to be wholly broken and by meanes of this victory and by the helpe of the army and the Kings presence they supposed to be afterwards able to take the city of Genoa with ease and any other deseigne that they pleased to execute The Venetians at the same time were very carefull to prouide for the guarde of the places which they held in Puglia by sending for that purpose into the same country great numbers of foot-men to preserue whatsoeuer they there possessed and to attempt to make some farther progression if occasion should be offered and also for to keepe the Imperiall forces busied and diuided farre from Lombardy This great heate of the Kings beganne by little and little without any apparent cause to coole and the prouisions for warre to goe slowly forward wherevpon money was sent very sparingly from France to the Lord Saint Paul who despayring in a manner of beeing able to entertaine the army protested that hee would gette him gonne and leaue all seeing that of tenne thousand men whom hee ought to haue hee had scarce the one halfe by reason that being badly paied they left the campe in troupes At the last the Lord Chastillon who had beene long expected came to the campe with lesse store of money then was needfull and within a few daies after he left the campe and went to Venice saying that hee would goe into Puglia to assure the troupes that were there and to carry them a certaine summe of money for which iourney the Senate hauing speedily commanded some vessels to bee made ready according vnto his request hee did daily with many eâ—…euses delay his departure which gaue a suspition that hee had neither money nor any good will for to goe into Puglia but that hee gaue out that hee would goe thither because hee would not breake off the prouisions which the 〈◊〉 had already made The King doubting the matter and knowing how great cause hee gaue them to suspect did within a while after send Iohn Iaquin his Ambassadour to Venice to soliciâ—…e the departure of the army with the other prouisions for war without making any mention at all of the Kings so much desired comming which did so highly import them This did greatly encrease the Venetians suspition and did infinitely trouble them in regard of the daungers which threatned them from the Emperour and also for that this delay did cause them to loose the fruite of so many hopes their army remayning vnprofitable on the shore of the Riuer Adda because that it was not able alone to execute the enterprize of Milan The Senate neuerthelesse did not cease still to arme soliciting
thereunto is a Chappell of his name because it is thought that he being throwne out of the Citie was stoned in the same place Godfrey and Tancred on the West-side and Raymond neere to mount Sion toward the South So soone as the campe arriued certaine skirmishes were made on both sides as occasion serued And the Armie in the meane time wanted no victualls as it did before Antioch by reason of the Sea which was not far of as also for that they possessed diuers strong townes in Palestine They attempted at times during the seege to take the Citie by Scalado but it was in vaine At the last bringing woodden Castles and other warlike engins before the walls the batterie was somewhat more furious than before and a breach being made they marched to the assault which lasted from the day-breake till noone with a great slaughter of our men the which did howerly encrease without anie likelihood of waxing better had not Baldwin followed by a troope of Soldiers mounted the wall on boards which the enemies had there placed to catch our engins which were brought before the walls For a while it was doubtfull what would become of them But the Citie-gate in the meane time being broken open and the wall neere thereunto beaten downe by the Ramme the victors entring on euerie side the enemie retired where at their first entrance they made in all places a meruailous slaughter without exception of sex or age Dauids tower fortified in manner of a Cittadell was forthwith yeelded vp All the furie of the fight was neere to the Temple whither great multitudes of people were retired They fought there with great losse on either side Despaire encouraged the one and shame the other because the Citie beeing taken the Temple was possessed and kept from them by a few Yet neuerthelesse they entred it by force and ranne so couragiously vpon the enemie as beeing thrust forward in front by those which followed them they which first entred were constrained to fight hand to hand with the whole squadron of the Armed enemie and were besides thrust forward by those which were behinde them vpon the points of their swords The enemies in the meane time did valliantly defend themselues whom the imminent danger did constrain to fight with hazard of all things Therefore the fight was verie bloudie not onely at the entrie of the Temple but in the middest thereof And so great was the slaughter aswell of the victors as the vanquished as the bloud which was spilt on the pauement of the Temple was a foot deep In the end the vppermost part of the Temple being not yet taken the retreate was sounded a little before night The next morrow after commandement was giuen not to hurt those that were disarmed they which defended the higher part of the Temple did sodainly yeeld In this manner was the Citie of Ierusalem taken in the yeare of our Saluation 1099. and foure hundred fourescore and ten yeares after it was taken by the Infidels and the thirtie ninth day after the Christians had besieged it Godfrey of Bouillon was by the consent of all men saluted king who after he had receiued all the Roiall ornaments except the Crowne would by no meanes be crowned saying That it did not become a Christian to weare a Crowne of gold in the same place where Christ the soueraigne king had worne a Crowne of thornes Whilst these things were done in Ierusalem fearefull newes was brought that great multitudes of enemies did approach To meete whom Godfrey after he had left a good Garrison in the Citie marched almost as farre as Asdona There they fought a bloudie battaile which for diuers howers space inclined to neither part In the end the enemies were broken and put to flight with great losse Some saie that there died the same daie an hundred thousand men The prisoners that were taken did report That the number of their Armie was fiue hundred thousand fighting men During this happie successe in Syria the Venetians departing from Smyrna after they had coasted the Seas of Lycia Pamphilia and Cilicia they arriued in Syria and kept the Hauen of Ioppa taken before by the Christians But I dare not affirme that the Venetians beeing departed from Smyrna did arriue in Syria before that the holie Citie was taken Neuerthelesse it is certaine that the French beeing encamped before Ierusalem were releiued with victualls comming from the Sea The which I can not see how it should be done by any other but by them at that time seeing that all the coast of Syria was as yet in the enemies power After the Venetians had left a sufficient garrison for the defence of their vessells they departed from Ioppa and marched in order of battaile towards Ierusalem from whence returning they tooke by force the Citie of Ascalon vpon the Sea which the French had a little before attempted in vaine and leauing French-men there in garrison they laid siege to Caypha which is likewise called Porphiria neere to Ptolomais the which siege lasted longer than it was suspected From whence because they would not liue idely they went to besiege Tiberias the which being yeelded by the inhabitants those of Caypha did soone after the like Some Authours attribute these exploits to Godfrey and not to the Venetians But I thinke them to haue beene done by a mutuall consent namely by Godfrey with his Armie by Land after the taking of Ierusalem and by the Venetians by Sea keeping way with him still all-along the coast And from thence it commeth that the Venetian Chroniclers attribute the whole to the Venetians and the French to Godfrey It is certaine that so soone as the Venetians arriued in Syria they ioyned with the French and that the affaires of the Christians were for the space of a whole yeare gouerned in the Prouince vnder the happie fortune of either of them These things being done the Venetian Armie returned to Venice And Godfrey of Bouillon soone after died It is reported that about the same time the bodies of Saint Nicholas and Saint Theodore were brought to Venice the one being laid in Saint Sauiours Church and the other in that which of a long time had beene dedicated vnto him on the banks of the Sea The Normans vnder the conduct of Roger brother to Beamond made incursions on Grecia and Dalmatia The Venetians after they had made a league with Caloman sonne to Geica King of Hungarie marched against the Normans But I know not vpon what ground the Normans at the same time made warre on the Venetians and Alexis The Venetian fleet being strengthned by the succours of the Barbarian passed into Apulia For Caloman had not only made a league with the Venetians but ioyned his forces to theirs I know not vpon what occasion this was done vnlesse it were that the Hungarians did at the same time hold some places in Dalmatia and that it grieued them
delay counsailed Vitalis to send his Ambassadours to Constantinople assuring him that he knew of a certaine that Emanuel would rathet choose a shamefull and discommodious peace than warre The Bishop of Equiline who spake good Greeke and Manasses Badoario were sent thither Vitalis in the meane time went to the Isle of Chios where hee soone reduced the Citie with the whole Island vnder his obedience And because the cold grew alreadie verie sharpe hee resolued to spend the winter there and to expect the returne of his Ambassadours And for that after the taking of Chyos there was some hope of peace hee absteined from making any more incursions on the lands of the Empire Emanuel in the meane time being cunning and polliticke so soone as the Ambassadours arriued made shew in publicke to desire peace sometimes crauing such things then refusing others now approuing the Ambassadours demaunds and on a sodaine saying that he would communicate them to his Councell and so of set purpose by these delaies hee mocked the Venetians At the last the Bishop of Equiline and Manasses returned to Vitalis hauing effected nothing at all accompanied with the Ambassadours of Emanuel who arriuing at Chios and alleadging now one matter and then another caused a meruailous delaie Whilest these things were doing the contagious sicknesse seizing on the Venetian Armie did in a short space carrie great numbers of them into another world The rumour was that the wells and fountaines from whence the Venetians drew their water were poisoned by the Emperours commandement and that the contagion in the Armie proceeded from the drinking of those waters Some thinke that Emanuel came with a great Armie to the rescue of the Islands but not daring to assault the enemie he returned after hee had caused all the waters to bee poisoned It is reported that the whole family of the Iustiniani was wholly extinct by this sicknesse For all the males of this familie that were able to beare Armes did follow the Prince to these warres The Citie did meruailously bewaile the losse of this family But calling to minde that there was one of the same house yet liuing called Nicholas who hauing taken holy orders on him did serue in Saint Georges Church right ouer against the market-place or as others say in Saint Nicholas Church on the shoare messengers were by the Common-wealth sent to the Pope to intreate him to permit the young man to leaue his profession and to marrie that hee might haue children Which being granted the race of the Iustiniani which hath produced since then so many learned men and great oratours was preserued in the Citie Although Vitalis was greatly vexed with this losse and perceiued the matter to be delaied by the malice of Emanuel yet would not he seeme to keepe his Souldiers idle Therefore at the beginning of the spring he departed from Chios and came to Lesbos and from thence to Lemnos then to Scyros But because the sicknesse which was begun in the winter time did still increase and that the Souldiers and Marriners did sodainely fall downe dead in the streetes being frighted with the cries and slaunders of his owne people hee refolued to bring backe the remainder of his Armie to Venice after he had lost the greatest part thereof Some Authours write that Trahu Spalatra and Ragusa did reuolt and yeeld to the Greeke Emperour which neuerthelesse diuers doe denie whilest the Venetian Armie was on the Coastes of the Islands Ciclades and that Michaeli at his returne recouered them The Armie being returned to the Citie the sicknesse followed soone after which waxing more contagious at home than abroad diuers thousands of persons died in few dayes Whereupon the people being called into the assemblie all men laid the blame of that losse on Michaeli calling him traitour to the Common-wealth and to his owne Souldiers who seeking to please Emanuel enemie to the Venetian people had suffered the opportunitie of so godly a victorie to be snatched forth of his hands hauing abandoned his Armie to the treacheries and deceits of the Greekes whereunto as hee was readie to answere and to alleadge his excuses there arose a sodaine noise among the people which was intermingled with reproaches Hee perceiuiug it dangerous to make any stay there stept aside out of the thronge hauing no man in his companie and went along the shoare the nearest way to Saint Zacharies Church Thus escaping he met with a certaine man who fell vpon him and gaue him many dangerous wounds whereof he shortly died hauing beene deuoutly confessed the seuententh yeare of his gouernmeut Others alleadge diuers other causes of his death But it is sufficient to knowe that enuie alone procured the same And nothing did him so much harme as the ouer-great desire hee had to peace the which sincerely pursuing he hid greatly endanger the Common-wealth As concerning other matters he was a vertuous man and at the beginning greatly beloued of euery one for his wisedome His funerals did manifest the good will and affection which the people bare vnto him who in great multitudes were present at the same So soone as he was buried the whole companie came into the Cathedrall Church where to cut off those troubles and seditions which seemed to threaten the Citie being yet in an vproare for the Princes murther they chose ten from among them who did sweare at that instant to elect no Prince but such an one as should bee for the profit of the common-wealth Diuers are of opinion that these ten were not appointed to elect a Duke but only for to punish the murther and not then only but likewise euer after when any one should offer outrage to the soueraigne Magistrate whose authoritie they would haue to be sacred and inuiolate Others affirme that fortie were appointed to proceede to a new election in the place of him that was deceased Now so soone as they entred into discourse concerning a new Duke it is reported that they all with one accord named Auria Maripietro a man of singular wisedome and ripenesse of counsaile and who at that time was one of the ten But he bearing an incredible affection towards his Countrie perswaded them at the same time to make choise of some other who would be more for the profit of the common-wealth than himselfe and in so saying hee named Sebastiano Cyani a man of threescore and ten yeares old and exceeding rich protesting that he was fitter for the common-wealth being one who was not able alone to helpe it in those dangerous times with counsaile but with meanes which it did chiefly want By this mans modestie wee may easily see how free those ancient Fathers were from ambition and how zealous they were for their Countries well-fare neglecting their owne priuate profit for the good of the publike According to his aduice his fellowes declared Cyani for their Prince who was forth-with receiued by the people with great applause And because diuers
not satisfied with that which he had till then done against them he drew them of Ancona from their alliance who in fauor of him did for a time bar them from their free Nauigation But the Venetians making alliance with those of Ariminium neere neighours to the Anconezans did in such sort shut vp the passages from them as their condition was like vnto theirs who are straightly besieged The Cities treasure being wholly exhausted by means of the great affaires which had hapned it was decreed That the monies of particular men laid in Deposito should be brought to the treasurie of Saint Marke to be imploied and kept in the name of the Common-wealth as neede should be vntill such time as the Citie had recouered her former wealth The which at this day is commonly called a Loane which was as some say deuised by Prince Michaeli From whence as is supposed grew the chiefe reason of the peoples hatred against him and the principall occasion of his death Diuers Ambassadours were sent likewise about the same time from sundrie places to treate af an agreement with the Emperour Thus stood the affaires of the Venetians when as to the end that the Citie might be alwaies busied about weightie matters The Cause of Alexander the third gaue them the subiect of a goodly victorie Some moderne Historians doe in no sort approue this matter But all the Venetian Annalists and some strangers likewise doe make particular mention of it and saie That after diuers secret enmities betwixt Alexander and the Emperour Frederick occasioned because 〈◊〉 the new Schisme betwixt Alexander and Octauian the Anti-Pope the matteâ—…â—…eeing referred to the decision of Frederick Alexander would not stand to his iudgement Fredrick being moued heerewith called Octauian before him and declared himselfe openly against Alexander In hatred of whom he published a Generall Councell at Dijon a Citie in France the which beeing dissolued by reason there was nothing done because Pope Alexander refused to come thither Frederick in rage resolued to returne into Italie Whereupon hauing sent his Anti-Pope before him he marched soone after with great forces beyond the Mounts but before his arriuall Octauian died In whose sted Guido of Cremona being elected Frederick promised to assist him with all his power against Alexander And after diuers exploits executed in the Prouince comming neere to Ancona hee turned towards Rome whither he sodainely marched with an intent wholly to ouerthrow Alexander Who being frighted with his comming making vse of two Gallies belonging to William King of Sicilie hee came first to Cayetta and from thence to Beneuentum Frederick after hee had installed Guido in the holie Chaire returned into Lombardie But Guido likewise died soone after Now Alexander committing the temporall gouernment to the Romans craued no more but to intend Diuine matters Prouided that they of the contrarie faction would permit him to liue in Rome But not being able to purchase his peace on these conditions and despairing of all reconciliation he departed from the Citie But it is hard to determine whither this refusall were the cause of his departure a thing scarse credible that the diuision of the inhabitants could haue constrained him to leaue the Citie the Romans not being interessed therein in regard they had the temporall iurisdiction in their own power or whither it were rather the vniust command of the Emperour whereby he was bannished forth of all Italie and those attainted of capitall Treason which should giue him meate or drinke or receiue him into their houses threatning to ruine those Cities which should giue him entertainement and to make warre on those Lords and Potentates which should fauour him which might be the cause that hauing no place of safetie in all Italie nor any good affiance in William King of Sicilie hee came through Apulia to mount Gargari and from thence taking ship as Obba of Rauenna saith in a vessell of Liburnia he came to Zara And afterwards passing through Dalmatia hee came in disguise to Venice as to the only refuge of all libertie Yet there scarce thinking himselfe in safetie as being vnacquainted with the Venetians loue and affection towards him concealing his estate which he thought best so to doe hee remained so long in the Hospitall of the Charitie in poore raiment called by the name of Commodo as at last he was knowne by a naturall marke vpon his body Some write that the better to liue there in secret he serued for Scullion of the kitchin But it is more credible that he concealed his Dignitie vnder the habit of a poore Priest which by diuers likewise is affirmed Forraine Historians doe affirme That he came to Venice with thirteene Gallies belonging to King William and not like a fugitiue to recouer the Emperours fauour in a free Citie the place hauing beene appointed for the meeting But if it were so as they say What needed so many Gallies which were sufficient not only to haue transported the Popes small houshold which is likely at that time to be but meane but all Rome likewise which in those daies was smally inhabited Besides what needed he to haue made so long and dangerous a iourney As though he had rather to haue trauersed the Sea-coasts with danger than to passe in safetie through the Duchie of Spoleta and marches of Ancona Vndoubtedly hee needed not to haue beene at so great expenses nor yet to haue so greatly hazarded himselfe had it not beene to haue auoided a greater danger For the Emperours decree made all things difficult to him Therefore in disguised habit or in these Gallies for some of our Historians couertly seeme to consent thereunto he must of necessitie come to Venice But how soeuer he arriued there all those whom we follow doe agree That being at the pursuit of Fredericke driuen from the Pontificiall dignitie hee had recourse to the Venetians and that being knowne he was honourably entertained by Prince Cyani and lodged in the Castle of Oliuollo with promise either to reconcile him to the Emperour or else that they themselues would reestablish him in his See First of all they concluded to send Ambassadours to Fredericke to entreate him in the name of the common-wealth to be reconciled with Pope Alexander and that in so doing he should not only performe a matter most profitable for all Christendome but most acceptable to the Venetians who wholly sought the profit and aduancement of Alexander It is reported that the Pope being present when the letters were writing to Fredericke and perceiuing that they sealed them with wax he commaunded in fauour of Ciani his successors That euer after the Duks letters should be sealed with lead the which is obserued euen to this daie Obba of Rauenna who liued in those times as well in regard of the antiquitie of his booke from whence we haue taken this as also because he hath curiously set downe al which passed in this
warre saith That the Venetian Princes had till then vsed two sorts of seales namely lead in all their publicke acts of perpetuall remembrance and wax in all their missiues and other priuate writings And how at that time by Pope Alexanders authoritie they decreed euer after to vse lead The Ambassadours being come into the presence of Fredericke were at the first curteously entertained But so soon as they made mention of peace with Alexander he fell into a rage and said Get yee hence and tell your Prince and people That Fredericke the Roman Emperour demaundeth his enemie which is come to them for succour whom if they send not presently vnto him bound hand and foote with a sure guard he will proclaime them enemies to him and the whole Empire And that there is neither alliance nor law of Nations which shall be able to free them from his reuenge for such an iniurie To prosecute which hee is resolued to ouerturne all diuine and humane lawes That he will sodainey bring his forces by Sea and Land before their Citie and will contrarie to their hope plant his victorious Eagles in the market-place of Saint Marke The Ambassadours being sent sent backe in this manner did report at Venice the fierce menaces which the Emperour had vttered wherewith the Citie was in some sort troubled For there was likelyhood of more sharpe warres than euer in anie time before They decreed forthwith to arme a great number of Shippes and to make themselues euer masters of the Sea For that being well defended they did not greatly feare the enemies forces Whilest the Fleet was preparing and the whole Citie in expectation of this warre speedie newes was brought that Otho sonne to Fredericke did approach with threescore and fifteene Gallies Whereupon Ciani determining to meet him caused the Fleete then presently made readie to set saile Before they went aboard the Pope celebrated diuine seruice with prayers to God That it might please him to graunt the victorie to the Prince and his followers Afterwards turning towards Ciani he honored him with the golden sword and with other signes of Knighthood who sayling from the Port with thirtie Gallies made way with speed towards the enemies It is reported that they met on the frontiers of Histria neere to the Promontoriâ—… of Salberico in the Countrie of the Piranni And that they fought there a long time where at last the enemie beeing broken and put to rout eight and fortie of his Gallies were taken and among others the Royall Gallie and two suncke in the fight The Venetians after they had gotten the masterie at Sea brought Otho prisoner to Venice At the report of this victorie the whole Citie was filled with meruailous ioie and amazement They did hardly beleeue that the battaile was so luckily obteined and that so small a number had fought so valiantly But vnderstanding that the Fleet was at hand and that Otho sonne to Fredericke with diuers other great personages were brought prisoners a great multitude of people ranne to see them The taking of so great a Prince made Ciani his return the more triumphant Vnto whom being come on shoare the Pope after he had congratulated his victorie presented a ring of gold Take quoth he Ciani this ring and by my aduice giue it to the Sea obliging it thereby vnto thee the which both thou and thy successors likewise shall for euer hereafter yearely doe on this same day to the end posteritie may know that ye haue in times passed by right of warre purchased the intire dominion ouer the Sea making it subiect vnto you as a woman is to her husband The Venetians suffered Otho vpon his word to goe vnto his father Frederick promising to returne if hee could not mediate a peace for Alexander and for them Departing vpon these promises and being come into his fathers presence he was entertained with so much the more ioy as the feare and doubt of his being aliue had beene great where after many reciprocall embracements entermingled with reares hee did briefly discourse of the battaile and referre it to haue beene done by the diuine prouidence saying hee had omitted nothing in that fight which did belong to a good Captaine and that there wanted nothing for the obtaining of victorie but a iust quarrell It behooued him then to beleeue that God was powerfull therein and not men seeing so mightie an Armie as theirs was not being slowe to fight had beene defeaâ—…ed by a few who were not halfe their number And howsoeuer they might well ouerthrowe and destroy humane forces yet it was impossible to surmount diuine Therefore hee did most humbly beseech his Maiestie no more to trouble Alezander for his place whose quarrell hee might perceiue by the successe to bee maintained not only by men but by God himselfe further alleadging That he had alreadie disâ—…uieted him with the forces of the Empire and sought to put him from his seate yet all in vaine That therfore he should do a deede pleasing to all men and worthie of a Christian if all hatred being forgotten it would please him to change his minde and after assurance taken from the Venetians for his safe comming he would be pleased to visit the Pope and openly to giue him satisfaction Which being once done they might euer after remaine good friends and consult together about the welfare of all Christendome the which hee did againe most earnestly intreat The discourse of Otho did mightily preuaile with his father who on a sodaine being changed from warre to peace began to incline toward a reconcilement with Alexander and the Venetians Whereupon so soone as hee had receiued safe-conduct from the Venetians he came to Venice Pietro Cyani the Princes sonne was sent with six Gallies to Rauenna to meet him Diuers small boates went as farre as Chioggia to doe the like But being arriued at Venice without staying in any place hee went to see the Pope who tarried for him at the gate of Saint Marks Church reuested in his Pontificalibus sitting in a chaire richly decked neare vnto whom when he approached he threw off his purple roabe and crept on his knees euen to his Holinesse feet the which hee humbly kissed The Pope raised him vp and embraced him Then both of them entering into the Church went vnto the high Altar whereon that most excellent table of gold whereof wee haue heretofore spoken enriched with most pretious gems was laid and the which is at this day to bee seene in the treasurie of Saint Marke The same was then seene and gazed vpon by the people who receiued a wonderfull contentment to see the two greatest Potentates of Christendome talking there louingly together Some say that the Pope for satisfaction of his wrongs susteined whilest the Emperour kneeled on the ground did set his foote vpon his necke speaking this verse of Dauid super aspidem Basiliscum ambulabis and that the
well to reward those whom he should bring to his succour For I know no better meanes that he had to deale with a Venetian than vpon reward The Historians make no other mention wherefore this reward was promised him at his arriuall The Authors of the rebellion were in an instant chaced thence and the townes recouered But in the meane space there arose some strife betwixt the commanders which gaue fit occasion to a mischieuous fellow called Seuastus who was desirous of innouation and watched for nothing more than how hee might disturbe the peace of the Prouince the which reuolted on a sodaine It is reported that because sufficient order was not taken for the prouision of victuailes in the Citie there was no bread to be sold on a market-day as was wont to be in the market-place This Seuastus who with others desired to disturbe the State would not let slippe such an occasion But hauing drawne together a great multitude of people they all ranne first to Sanutos lodging as to him who delt not with the Cities businesse but diuers thinke that Sanuto had concluded with them so to doe who because he would not seeme to partake in so wicked an enterprise nor to take armes to trouble the State but vpon necessitie was contented as hath beene said that they should first come to him and then afterward they came with great rumour to the Palace and the Citie was sodainely taken by a few Souldiours fore-appointed for the same purpose Tepulo perceiuing all this to tend to a rebellion retired himselfe in disguise to the house of Marco Tonisco his friend and imagining that the Towne being taken it might endanger his life if he should be found there he was secretly in the night let downe by a corde from the Citie walles in womans attire This sodaine flight caused him to take his iourney towards Themenum a verie strong Citie where thinking himselfe in safetie hee resolued to remaine after he had a little fortified the place a new because he would not seeme by too much despaire to abandon the Prouince Some saie Tepulo being driuen forth of the Citie Sanuto became Captaine of the Rebelles who forgetting his Countrey and the benefits that hee had receiued of the same did in hast with those of his faction runne vp and downe the Island causing it to reuolt from the Venetians And that after he had left Stephano Sanuto his kinsman to guard it and ioyned all the Greeke and Italian troupes together he did in short space reduce all the Cities and strong places in a manner of the Island vnder his commaund Some likewise saie That he came and besieged Temenum whither Tepulo had retired himselfe who with those that were come to his aide did brauely defend the Citie For diuers who remained loyall to the Venetians so â—…oone as they vnderstood that the Gouernour was at Temenum ranne thither to succour him The siege before Temenum being raised the Gouernour in few daies recouered Montfort and Lasitha Thus stood the affaires of Candie when as Dominico Quirino and Sebastiano Bethanio being sent as Prouidatori with great forces of horse and foote arriued in the Island The Gouernour who till then durst not rashly attempt ought against the enemie who was much stronger than himselfe after he vnderstood of the Prouidatoris arriuall who besides the forces they had brought into the Island were well furnished with weapons money and victuals being thrust forward with hope to effect some great matter departed from Temenum and came and lodged with his troopes at Panosobrita a verie fit place to execute an enterprise where hauing fortified his campe he did in hast build a fort Sanuto being aduertized of Tepulos departure and of the place where he was incamped did with his Armie forthwith march thither The Gouernour being somewhat daunted at the sodaine comming of his enemie had certaine notice by his spies what forces he had in his campe And being strengthened with new supplies which as I thinke were mingled among the Islanders he was not slacke to embattaile his troopes readie for the fight if the enemie were so pleased Sanuto on the contrarie imagining that which was true That by temporizing he was able to ouercome him made none account hereof For besides that his souldiers in regard of the commoditie of the places did greatly annoy the Tepulans he saw new forces daily to arriue at his owne campe from the Citie of Candace and from all other parts almost of the Island and on the contrarie that time would bring so many discommodities to the enemie as he would be at last enforced to die by famine or by some other violent death or else wholly to forsake the Island Tepulo soone discouered the purpose of his enemie and not being able to draw him to battaile he left a strong garrison in the fort newly builded raised â—…is campe and returned to Themenum From whence soone after departing in greaâ—… silence he came to Candace and about midnight setting vp ladders against the Citie wals he gaue entrance to all his troopes without noise or slaughter The Citie being thus recouered Stephano Sanuto who commaunded there with diuers others were taken prisoners The enemie being troubled with these newes resolued to giue eare to a peace the which he obtained of Tepulo on these conditions That after he had retired all his Garrisons which he held in the Island for all the countrey in a manner from Milopotamus vnto the Promontorie of Spatha was possessed by his souldiers he should leaue Candie and get him home into his Islands with one Galley and a little ship for the passage of his troopes or with more if neede were not of his owne but of â—…ired ones for that purpose This agreement being made with the Gouernour and assurance giuen on either side Sanuto embarked his troopes and by his so daine departure gaue peace to the Candiots This is in a manner all which some Authors set downe of the second rebellion of the Island which may yet rather be termed a ciuill warre For it is not credible that Marco Sanuto did euer beare Armes with an intent to take the Island from the Venetians but onely to driue thence the gouernour who was his mortâ—…llenemie For vpon what ground or what assurance should he beare Armes against his countrymen and countrey And what should moue him to rise against a people till then inuincible seeing he knew for a certaine that if the Venetians were once his professed enemies they would not onely haue taken Candie from him but all the other Islands which he had formeâ—…ly wonne by right of warre Besides what simplicitie had it beene in him to intend the ruine of those with whom he resolued afterward to ioyne himselfe For he would neuer haue gone about to haue drawne Count Mailloc forth of the Island if he had in any sort desired to haue taken it from the
before his Vattasus being drawne on by these promises sent thirtie Gallies to aide the Candiots At their arriuall Marco Saâ—…to being wonne by Vattasus as it is reported departed out of the Island with all his forces Whereupon the Generall of Vattasus his Armie resolued to besiege the Cities and entring Rethimna he constrained Marco Quirino to yeeld himselfe The like did Maâ—…gareto Foscari at Milopotamus and Conrad Millenius at Castel-nouo Yet all these places did not yeeld at the first summons but after they had fought and valliantly defended themselues for a time Catâ—…ldo Auenali who had seized on the Fort of Boniface with a good troope of Souldiours did valliantly defend that place till the comming of the Gouernour who was with an Armie secretly departed from Candace to relieue his owne Souldiours and to raise the siege whereby the enemie being constrained hastily to dislodge left behind him diuers engins of warre And because the victorie seemed not so easie as the Candiots had persuaded him it would be perceiuing withall that the warre was more troublesome to him than the Venetians he determined to returne to Lesbos Wherefore after he had shipped all his forces he left Candie to the Venetians and sailed thence His fleet soone after being verie great was in such sort tossed and beaten by a tempest neere to the Island of Cithera as they were all castaway three small vessels excepted Nicolao Mâ—…tatio and Marin surnamed Marini being sent Ambassadours into Greece about a peace suffered shipwracke in that tempest The Gouernour Nicolao Tonisto who succeeded Giouanni Storlato and Bartholomeo Gradonico his successor did recouer certaine townes Nicholas Seuastus and Michael Molesini Authors of the rebellion and so many mischiefes being delt with by Gradonico returned to the Venetians obedience and he gaue them all the territorie which lies from Petraea to the mount Athis on condition That they should send euerie yeare fiue hundred pound weight of Wax for the vse of Saint Markes Churche and likewise pray vnto God for the Venetian Prince and perpetually beare Armes against the Rebelles till they were all reduced vnder the Venetians subiection There remained no more Rebelles at that time but those that inhabited along the Riuer Petraea euen to the mount Summonium Gradonico dyed in the meane time and by his death the Prouidatori tooke the gouernment into their owne hands For to euerie Gouernour two Prouidatoâ—…i were giuen Gioâ—…anni Ardizino and Marco Molino had this place in the Island when the Gouernour dyed Molino being at the siege of Sithie a Sea-towne perceiued on a sodaine twelue Gallies who with full sailes came from the maine towards the Island Which Vattasus sent for supplies to the beâ—…ieged Whereupon fearing if this Fleet should enter the Hauen that the inhabitants presuming on this new aide would make some salley forth vpon him whom he should not be able to repell by reason his forces were very few or if they should saile to Candace they might at the very first take it he speedily raised his Campe and in all hast returned to the Citie from whence he sent Ardizino with those shippes of warre which he had readie in the Hauen for the same purpose to hinder the enemies landing if he found it to be necessarie for the Common-wealth Vattasus forces in the meane time were entred into the Hauen of Suda where the Venetian Gallies arriuing as soone as they did with great cries assaile the enemie who already possessed the Port. The Greekes forthwith prepared for the fight which they could not fitly doe by reason of the streightnesse of the place so as they attempted to repulse the enemies fleet by their warlike engines and shott The inhabitants bordering that place who at the first noise came running to the aid of their Countrimen did greatly helpe the Greekes For all the shoare was filled with townes-men and peasants who without intermission assailed the Venetians The fight lasted from morning till noone when as Ardizino the Prouidator beeing sore wounded commanded to sound the retreate The Venetians determined the next day to renew the fight which the Greekes fearing about midnight they left the Hauen and sailed thence into the maine Whilst the Prouidatori executed these warlike exploits Angelo Gradonico arriued in the Island as Gouernour By his wisedome the Subriti were reduced to the Venetians obedience neuerthelesse vpon condition to deliuer aliue into their hands Emanuel Dracontopulus and Constantine his brother or if that could not be done to kill them as the chiefe authors of all the Rebellions Because so long as they should liue there was no likelihood that the Island would euer be at quiet Besides that the Caleothetes and the Anatoliks who boasted to be issued from the Emperors of Greece should be bannished that thirtie of the Noblest families of the Subriti should come and dwell in the Towne of Boniface The Candiots and their affaires being thus pacified they which held the Citie of Nicella for there were diuers of Vattasus garrisons still in the Island did forthwith yeeld But it is now time to leaue the Candiots and to returne to other matters hapned at the same time in Greece as well in the firme Land as in the Islands neere adioining which being of greater importance haue more troubled and molested the Venetians For so soone as the new agreement or new affinitie as it was said betwixt Vattasus and the King of the Hexagoni was knowne abroad and that the rumor was that both of them ioining their forces together would assaile the Greeke Empire Iohn King of Ierusalem Gouernour of Constantinople beeing troubled with these newes began to consider by what cunning meanes he might preserue and defend the Empire committed to his charge in which busines the Venetians were they alone from whom he expected aid The which hauing imparted to Theophilo Zeno the Venetian Magistrate at the same time in Constantinople they both sent to Prince Tepulo to acquaint him with the League and affinitie of these two mightie Princes who by the report of all men were in Armes for the inuasion of the Greeke Empire and that therefore they had need of aide with all expedition which is a chiefe point in Martiall businesse saying That they knew of a certaine that both of them were verie busie in leuying a mightie Armie They entreated him therefore to hasten the succours if they desired to haue Constantinople preserued And not sparingly to send them this or that but all things whatsoeuer they knew to bee necessarie for the maintenance of so great and dangerous a warre Alleaging this further caution That they were not to delaie the matter for feare least the enemies which God-forbid should surprize some places fitt and commodious for the wars which afterward when they would they should not be able to remedie to the great preiudice of them and their confederats The Citie gaue a willing eare to this aduertisement and being
being debated without any resolution the Commissioners returned home without any peace So soone as they were gone they resolued to strengthen the Armie with fourteene Gallies two of which stragling by the way were by the enemie surprised who lay in wait to catch what he could Neuerthelesse he bought his peace at no meane rate The Duke being alreadie old and decaied not able for his age to attend the publike affaires by consent of all men deposed himselfe and soone after died His funeralls were great and were followed by multitudes of people to the Church of the Friers Minors where he was buried Giouanni Dandulo then absent was chosen in his place ¶ GIOVANNI DANDVLO the 48. Duke of Uenice SOme Authors affirme that vnder this Prince the peace was concluded with those of the Marches because perhaps this warre ended at the beginning of his gouernment They say besides that it was expresly mentioned in the Treatie that the decree of the impost should remaine firme without any contradiction About the same time the Sea did in such sort ouerflow the Citie as it was in a manner held for a prodigie Whereupon soone after ensued a great earthquake They began likewise at the same time to stampe diuers sorts of golden coine in the Citie A new warre was kindled against the Patriarch of Aquileia in regard of the Histrians whom he especially maintained against the Venetians Certaine people of that Prouince were reuolted whom the Venetian would reduce vnder his subiection and to that purpose had sent an Armie into the Prouince The Patriarch speedily came to their aide but considering with himselfe that his forces were not sufficient to hinder the Venetian he yeelded without any further trouble making shew for a while that he desired nothing so much as peace and thus in the meane space the Histrians were by little and little reduced vnder the Venetian gouernment But this Patriarch so soone as he had ioyned his forces with those of Count Gorician being strengthened with the new alliance of this Prince he returned againe to disquiet Histria These new commotions were followed with rebellions of diuers Cities The Venetians hauing notice hereof were constrained sodainely to arme themselues and to re-inforce their Armie It was commonly reported that the enemies Armie consisted of six and thirtie thousand men among whome were great troupes of horse The rumour of so great numbers caused the whole Citie to bee verie carefull for the preparation of this new warre They prouided therefore a great number of ships of speciall choice which were manned with the third part of all such as were able to beare Armes The Armie being gone from Venice and arriued in Histria did sodainely encampe before Thrieste For among others in this insurrection this Citie likewise did reuolt Now the Venetian resoluing to besiege it in few dayes built sundrie Fortes about it furnishing them with strong Garrisons to hinder the enemies inâ—…ursions Afterwards with other Engins they began to batter the Citie but hauing a strong Garrison within it it could by no meanes bee taken Whereupon because it was not for the Common-wealths profit to entertaine so great forces without action before the walls of Thryeste hauing small hope to take it and supposing the Forâ—…es builded at their arriuall to bee sufficiently furnished with Souldiers and victuals to continew the siege the residue of the Armie marched into other places But whither they went or how they were imploied the Authours whom we follow make no mention Not many dayes after the enemie came thither and at his arriuall assailed the Fortes which were not only well kept and defended but those likewise which were within them hauing made a sallie vpon the enemie skirmished fiercely neere to the Rampier where diuers on both sides were slaine and among others the Nephew of Count Gorician a valliant and braue young man The retreit being sounded truce was taken for a day In the meane time Gordiano a man of authoritie and who till then had held an honourable place in the Venetian Armie was suspected of treason The speech was that he had secretly practised with the enemie to yeeld the Forte vp into their hands Being apprehended and put to the torture he confessed his wicked intent whereupon the next morning by breake of day he was tied hand and foot and put into a warlike engin wherwith he was throwne into the enemies Campe who now perceiuing that hee could neither preuaile by force nor cunning being out of all hope to surprise the Fort hee returned without effecting any thing The enemie being gone the Venetian troupes returned soone after Now whether they had retired themselues of set purpose because they would not fight with the enemie whom they knew to be much stronger than themselues and that in the meane time the fleetrode at anchor in the maine or else in some hauen hard by vntill they had newes of the enemies retreate or rather whether after they had left strong Garrisons in the fortes to maintaine the siege the rest of the Armie not willing to spend the time in one only place went to besiege other townes not farre off and that at the first reporte of the enemies comming they returned to relieue their fellowes I cannot certainely determine But the Venetian being againe returned to assaile the Citie was beaten from the walls with great losse The Armie afterwards departing thence the siege was continued by those who lay in the fortes vntill such time as they vnderstood of the enemies returne Vpon the first tidings whereof they abandoned the same whether through feare or wearinesse to tarrie so long in a place I know not and retired themselues to their gallies This is all in a manner that was done for two yeares space in Histria But in Syria the Venetians which were in Acre madeâ—…ruce with the King of Babilon for two yeares who had at the same time ruined Tripolie a very famous Citie and had caused Tyre Sydon and Berithon to vndergoe the same fortune It is reported that hee made truce with the Venetians and the other Christians which were in Acre to the end that his ouermuch prosperitie might not stirre vp al Europe to take Armes against him Howbeit the same did not keepe them backe For Pope Nicholas by Letters and Ambassadors excited all the most famous Princes of Europe to succour the afflicted Christians in Syria And for his owne part hee made offer of fifteene hundred armed Horse And for their passage into Asia the Venetians offered him twentie Gallies together with victualls for the Marriners who were to be paid by his Holinesse for the expedition of which businesse the Bishop of Tripoli came to Venice The Venetians being moued at the Popes instant pursute added to these twentie Gallies which were promised fiue more armed at their owne cost because they would not seeme carelesse of the affaires of Christendome of the which
in this warre which they had against Mastin whereof wee are to speake They had likewise to the end that nothing might bee wanting to their happinesse subiected the Citie of Padua a little before the warre began For Marsilio named by others Vbertino Carrario beeing not able to preserue that Citie in her ancient libertie by reason of their ciuill dissension suffered it to fall into bondage whereunto because hee had so easily consented Escalla permitted the Carrarians to command the Citie in his name Mastin waxing proud with this good successe following humane couetousnesse which knowes lesse how to behaue it selfe in prosperitie than in aduersitie resoluing to disturbe the Venetians speedily built a Fort in the lakes neere to Petabubula which he manned with a strong Garrison The Venetians knowing whereunto his dessignes tended fortified a place likewise which they held not farre from thence Afterwards they consulted by what force or meanes they might tame and daunt this infestuous Tyrant who hauing ouerthrown the neighbouring forces panted as it were with desire to master theirs And therfore there was some likely-hood that after he had assured his owne estate he would forth with make warre on the Venetians To preuent Mastin of his purpose for hee was the eldest of all the familie of Escalla the Venetians hastened the warre His forces as they were the greatest of all his neighbours so were they the most maligned For worldly matters haue this propertie That there is nothing which so much procureth enuie and hatred as too great felicitie Although the number of those who enuied him were verie great The Venetians neuerthelesse had least causâ—… of all men to looke after him in respect that holding nothing as yet in the firme Land they had till then satisfied themselues with being strong at Sea not caring for more esteeming their fortune great enough in regard of their Sea-traffike This then being truth the Venetians had no cause to feare the Tyrant although his forces were terrible to others as to Obisso of Este Philippo Gonzaga Azzo Vis-conte and the Florentines in Tuscanie who because he had taken the Citie of Luca not far from them stood in great feare of his power Pietro Rossis of Parma with his brethren all valiant and braue men were capitall enemies to the house of Escalla for that Mastin vnder pretence of future alliance had driuen them forth of Parma laid plots for their liues which they hauing notice of fled to Pontremolla where Mastin did streightly besiege them at such time as the Venetians with others confedered them-selues against him After diuers Ambassages sent from partie to partie the Florentines and all the Princes of Trans-alpine Gaule who were iealous of the forces of those of Escalla ioined themselues with the Venetians against Mastin and his whole familie But some Authours affirme that the Florentines alone did allie themselues at the beginning aâ—…d that the rest came after the warre was begun Iohn King of Bohem did likewise ioine with them for the recouerie of the Cities which were taken from him in Italie Yet for all that the Venetians were the first motiues of the warre It is reported that they neuer vndertooke warre with more courage not for feare or enuie to them beeing free from both these passions as hath beene said but because they thought it well beseeming people borne in libertie mightie and rich to defend as well the libertie of others and chiefly of their neighbours as their own The end of the first Booke of the second Decade THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE SECOND DECAD OF THE HISTORIE Of Venice The Contents of the second Booke of the second Decad. PIETRO ROSSIS the Parmesan being made Generall of the Armie of the League defeateth the Cauallerie of those of Escalla neare to Luca in Tuscanie ESCALLA recouereth Vderza which hee had a little before lost ROSSIS so soone as he had receiued the Enseignes of S. MARKE comes and encampeth before La Mot. The Venetians mercenarie Souldiers slaine by trecherie at Mestra ROSSIS hauing with his Armie passed the Riuer Brente seizeth on the enemies camp The Venetian Armie scattered here and there about the Countrie neare to Padua with the encounter which it had neare to Verona Those of Cognilian yeeld to the Venetians Sedition in Padua Diuers Ambassadours arriue at Venice at one time to treate of peace Padua restored to her ancient libertie the faction of ESCALLA being driuen thence The Gouernement of the Citie of Padua giuen to the Carrarians PIETRO and MARSILIO DE ROSSIS soone die one after another Diuers battailes wonne from the enemies on the confines of Vincenza and Cremona GALEAS Visconte taketh Bergamo and Bressia from those of Escalla Peace with those of Escalla after the losse of the Citie of Treuiso and diuers other places The Citie afterward protected from a great inundation at the intercession of S. MARKE THe league against the Tyrants being concluded the Senate commanded that all those who were able to beare Armes should be enrolled It is reported that at the same time aboue fortie thousand men from the age of twentie yeares to threescore were enrolled with such willingnesse as many of all sorts and ages did voluntarily follow the Armie without any publike or particular pay but only pricked forward with a desire to extinguish this tyrannie which was so neare them Notwithstanding they were not of opinion to assaile the enemie with all their forces at the first but following their ancient custome to beginne sleightly and then to continue it feruently Now whilest these two mightie people of Italie were preparing their Armies it is said That vpon the report of this warre diuers ranne thither out of France and Italie to serue them who being desirous to take the Venetians pay after they had trauersed Tuscanie and Flaminia the passages through Lombardie being shut vp arriued at Rauenna For all places on this side and beyond the Po with whatsoeuer lieth vnder the Alpes Bolognia and Ferrara excepted were against the Venetians For neither Luchin Visconte who commanded in Milan nor Philippo Gonzaga had as yet shewed themselues to bee against Escalla And albeit the Bolognians were at the same time diuided among themselues and excommunicated by the Pope because they had driuen the Legate Apostolicall forth of the Citie they did neuerthelesse freely suffer the Venetians to leuie Souldiers in their Territories with whom soone after they also ioyned their forces Ostasio Polentano at that time Lord of Rauenna affecting the Venetians did willingly receiue the French-men who arriued in the Citie and sent them speedily in small boats to Venice There was prouision made in the Citie neare to the Church of Mendigotis which is one of the farthest parts of the Citie of lodging for those which came thither and of victualls and other necessaries vntill such time as the Armie were readie to march against the enemie There liued at the same time Pietro Rossis of Parma accounted among the
was afterward giuen to Marsilio but he whom they nominate had no recompence Whilst these things were done at Venice Rossis tooke certaine Townes in the Territorie of Padua from the enemies and then bringing his troupes neere to the Citie he set fire on one of the Gates called Al-Saints Moreouer those of Mestra daunted a while after with a new siege wherewith they were enuironed yeelded From thence comming to Treuiso he burnt in a night two of the Citie gates The Inhabitants were so amazed in this night-assault as diuers running fort ' of the Citie in the darke on that side where the enemie was not saued themselues by flight but many of them hauing lost their way fell into the enemies hands among whom the noble wife of Caminensis was slaine in the habit of a seruant This being done they made no farther attempt against the Citie I know not whether it were because they despaired of taking it being ignorant of the great feare and amazement of the Citizens or rather because they would speedily goe to take Serrauall which according to some came at that time vnder the Venetians obedience Mastin and Albert his brother hauing vnderstood that besides the losse of so many Cities in short space their associates likewise had forsaken them and taken armes to offend them for it was reported that Luchin Visconte hauing attained to the principalitie of Milan by the death of Accion his kins-man and Phillip Gonzaga were alreadie in the field against them or else in a readinesse so to doe being enuironed with so many michiefes knew not what to resolue on nor what they ought chiefly to follow or in what place to oppose themselues against the enemies desseignes or by what meanes to relieue their Citties But in this great incertaintie of their affaires not being able to conclude on that which was most expedient for them Mastin on a sodaine with the greatest part of his forces left Padua committing the guard of the Citie to his brother Albert and came to Verona In the meane time Marsilio Rossis after hee had passed the Riuer Adice marched with those troupes which hee had receiued from his brother directly towards Mantua where ioyning with Philip Gonzaga and Luchin Visconte they consulted together of the whole matter and after marched into the field resoluing first to assaile Verona Now hauing forraged the Countrie they entred the Territorie of Verona where they made great spoyle round about the Citie which with great clamours they besieged bringing thither all things necessarie for a siege It is reported that Charles sonne to the King of Bohemia lay at the same time before Feltre with a great Armie of Germans by meanes whereof those of Escalla were at one time affailed in three seuerall places Mastin being thus vncertaine by what meanes to oppose himselfe against the enemie after hee had a while ruminated with himselfe determined like a mad man to doe it by Armes and to fight with any that hee should meete with But before he would giue battell he Knighted his sonne Francis who was yet very yong Spineta Marquis Guiao Corregiario and Paulo Aligerio the Gouernour of the Citie after which hee marched with great noyse and furie towards the enemies and in their view put his Armie in order of battell being resolued for his part to fight Rossis made a retreat so did the rest not meaning to fight thinking it more auaileable for them to draw the Warre out at length the which by all likelihood Mastin could not long maintaine than to hazard the whole by the euent of a battell In this sort making a faire retreate not giuing shew of any manifest flight they held on their way towards Mantua Mastin as proude of this retreate as if hee had wonne the battaile returned speedily with three thousand horse and certaine foote companies to Padua and from thence to Bubulente where the Venetians Fleete lay At his arriuall hee surprised twentie small Venetian vessels left for the Guard of the munition and made an attempt to take the Castle the which being brauely defended hee was constrained to depart thence and hee encamped two miles beneath the Riuer with an intent to shut vp the passage of the victuals which came from the Citie by water It is thought that he might with more ease haue executed his determination if hee had encamped betwixt Bubulente and Mestra Rossis to cause him dislodge commanded a great quantitie of woad an hearbe belonging to Fullers to be pounded and to be throwne into the Riuer to make it vnsauorie and bitter to be drunke by those of Escalla But victuals waxing scant in the Venetians Campe by reason that the enemie lay so neere the arriuall of Marsilio called thither for the purpose as I thinke was cause that the Venetians strengthned by his comming had free passage whither they pleased being little inferiour to those of Escalla in strength Pietro Rossis likewise being often prouoked by the enemie to fight did purposely refuse it For he perceiued that Mastin could not long hold out and that hee should doe vndiscreetly to hazard the fortune of a battel knowing that the enemie was already halfe vanquished and there was no doubt but that he would be ouerthrowne without bloudiâ—…ied Whilst he lay in Campe neere to Bubulente thinking greatly to hinder the enemie by keeping of the passage of the Riuer from them hee had notice that Luchin Visconte had streightly besieged Bressia which newes he very badly dâ—…ested and marched with speede through the Territorie of Padua and Vincenza to releeue Bressia which whilest hee attempted more fearefull tidings were brought that Padua was lost his brother taken prisoner with the whole garrison This losse did in such sort abate the tyrants pride as hee neuer after hoped for better successe Marsilio Carrario so soone as Mastin was departed from the reliefe of Bressia had forthwith giuen notice thereof to Pietro Rossis and leauing open the Gate of the crooked Bridge gaue entrance to him and his whole forces which they of the Citie perceiuing for there was no hostile act committed all men with great ioy ranne to meete him calling him their deliuerer and infinitely praised him But Rossis with the generall consent did in the Venetians name giue the gouernement of the Citie to Marsilio Carrario Albert and Risse Foranensis with diuers other friends and seruants of the Tyrants were taken prisoners and their goods spoyled Albert was soone after brought to Venice Rossis gaue leaue to fiue hundred Almaine horse that were found in the Citie freely to depart thence with their Armes and Horses Mastin being daunted with so many losses receiued fresh newes that Charles had taken Feltre with other Townes and anon after that Luca was besieged by Orlando Rossis Captaine generall of the Florentines and that it was not yet certainely knowne whether those of Luca were reuolted or not But that which did most
Venetians entred the enemies Countrie and hauing made diuers skirmishes with good successe they filled all places where they came with feare and terror In this meane time Rayniero arriued at Venice where hauing receiued the publike Ensignes he hasted with greater forces to the Campe which he forthwith caused to march and hauing passed the riuer Brente he forraged and spoiled the Paduans Territorie which was next him vnto the riuer of Brentello Carrosino saith that he could not foord that riuer because it was greatly swelled with the raine and that therefore he led his Armie through the Territorie of Vincenza towards Padua from whence the Souldiors brought back great bootie And that from thence hee went and encamped neere to the Fountaines of Abana but that victualls waxing scant and strife arising betwixt him and the Prouidatori hee retired in manner of a flight towards Mestra Some Authours say That beeing desirous to passe the Brentello to bee the neerer to assaile the enemie the Prouidatori would by no meanes suffer him to doe so whereupon hee being moued with choller that hee might not manage the warre as he pleased saying that the ignorance of the Prouidatoridid snatch a goodly occasion forth of his hands gaue ouer his charge calling God and men to witnesse That their wilfulnesse did hinder him from obtaining the victorie The Prouidatori were suspected to haue beene corrupted by the enemie and by that meanes to haue endammaged the Common-wealth Yet neuerthelesse the Venetians affaires prospering and hauing taken certaine Townes from the enemie that suspition ceased The enemie perceiuing that without forraine aide he could not long resist the Venetians called the King of Hungarie to his aide with whom euer since the siege of Treuiso he had beene in league Some Authours thinke that this league was sworne at the beginning of the warre But the Venetians hauing notice that the Hungarian made preparations both by Land and Sea which hee might easily do hauing taken Dalmatia from them the Senate decreed to set forth besides the Land-Armie a fleete by Sea whereof Michaeli Delfino was mà de Generall and the Prouidatori were Pietro Iustiniano Procurator of S. Marke and Pietro Cornari This fleete being gone to Sea kept all the Sea-coasts safe for the Venetians during this warre The Paduans affaires stood at the same stay as I haue said at such time as great numbers of Hungarians came to their succour Their first arriuall was on the Treuisan where they put all to fier and sword respecting neither age nor sex and their murther still encreasing they fought at times with bad successe For Thaddeo Iustiniano at the first report of the enemies comming to resist their attempts did speedily encampe on the riuer of Piaua But the Venetians discouerers beeing surprized by the enemies the Hungarians were sooner seene than heard of whereupon they fell vnlookt for to the fight neere to the riuer and at the first because the bodie of the enemies Armie was not yet arriued the Hungarian was put to flight and pursued by the victorious Venetian euen to the riuers side whither all the Souldiours did not follow Iustinian who hasted after the fugitiue enemie who hauing put themselues in order on the riuer bankes the fight began more cruell than before wherevpon the Hungarians became victors and the Venetians beeing vanquished verie few of them escaped from the battaile the number of the dead was great and that of the prisoners small On the report of this losse the residue of the Armie retired on a sodaine to the Treuisan The enemie soone followed him thither and in his view presented him the battaile But the Venetians keeping themselues in their Fort and the enemie not being able to constraine them to come forth returned towards the Forlani first through the confines of the Bellunois and then of those of Feltre and encamped before Bassan a Citie belonging to the Vincentines Belluna and Feltre did at the same time belong to Albert Duke of Austria an Associate of King Lewis in that war Some Authors say that Carrario gaue those Townes to Albert to procure him to take Armes against the Venetians wherein the German shewed himselfe verie vndiscreet seeing that a while before the Paduan in the treatie of peace had offered them to the Venetians who refused them because they would not doe any thing to displease the German Delfino Generall of the nauall Armie hauing gone round about the Lakes in certaine light boates commonly called Ganzarioles came and builded a Fort at Lupa Podoana and then an other neere to the same by meanes of which the Venetians might more commodiously breake the enemie and offend him neere hand The greatest part of the Venetians Armie laie on the Treuisan where certain warlike exploits were executed but vnworthy of mention Diuers Soldiours were cassed and enforced to leaue the Campe who by their thefts did more molest their own people than the enemie Some Authors say that Rayniero Vasco who as wee haue said did voluntarily giue ouer his place was shamefully driuen from it Giacomo Moro being sent to command the fleete hauing staied a while at the Forts which Delfino had builded fell sick and was carried home to Venice Rayniero being gon Alberto Carrario came to command the Land Armie At this arriuall with Leonardo and Andrca Dandulo and Pietro Fontano Prouidatori they fought in the Lakes with no great successe They fortified a place which was verie commodious for the Venetians verie neere to Delfino his Forts Carrario came vnlookt-for and draue them thence who wrought in those workes Diuers Gentlemen were slaine at the first brunt and with them diuers Archers the rest fled speedily to the shippes But the losse was not so great there as the fight was afterwards fortunate to those of the Campe For both Armies being come in view one of an other the Venetians attempting to fortifie a place which lay betwixt the two Camps Stephano the Transiluanian Generall of the Hungarian horse-men marched in battaile against the Venetians to hinder their worke Leonardo Dandulo went forth to meete him resoluing to fight with him if he had beene so contented But the Transiluanian as if it had been of set purpose did the same day abstaine from the fight The morrow after Pietro Fontano whose lot was that day to command for he and Carrario commanded the Armie by turnes did by the breake of day verie couragiously embattaile the Armie the enemie for his part did the like The battaile being concluded on the Venetian commanded the men at Armes to alight from their horses and to fight among the footmen and as he was putting them in order he exhorted and intreated all of them to resolue either to die or get the victorie protesting to hold him for an enemie and to kill him which should but only make shew of flight and that himselfe would be in the foremost rankes not so much to encourage them as to note and
with hardie stroakes The Venetians light boates comming on the one side with their warlike engines and arrowes did infinitely torment the Genoueses gallies and diuers daily died on both sides They fought likewise sometimes on the shoare as occasion serued In all which encounters the Venetians had still the better For Caballa the Veronois was most skilfull in the art militarie and had good troupes of horse which the enemies at Poueggia and Malamoc had not During these combatesand encounters at the Sea Charles sonne to Lewis as some say or according to others sonne to that Charles who defeated Manfred king of Apulia came with ten thousand Almaines before Treuiso Before his arriuall Nicolao Morosino Giouanni and Zacharia Contareni were sent thither to consult with the Hungarian concerning the Commonwealth For it was reported that hee had expresse commission from his father to giue audience to the Venetians Ambassadors and to those of the league and if he and his associates likewise thought it fit to make a peace with the Venetians At his arriuall the Paduan Prince came to the campe so did the Ambassadors of the Genoueses and the Bishop of Aquileia as well to congratulate his welcome as to determine with him either for peace or warre of that which concerned the king and the confederates The Venetians the next day came to the campe which lay neere to the Church of the fortie Saints And though they were expresly commanded by all meanes to accept of peace though it were on vniust conditions yet neuerthelesse the demaundes were such and so hard on all sides as if the Venetians wealth had beene foure times greater than it was it would not haue beene sufficient to satisfie the insatiable couetousnesse of the enemie This treatie of peace lasted certain daies but the enemies shamelesse demands caused the Venetians by no means to condiscend to such vnhonest conditions chusing rather to endure all extremitie than by such basenesse to dishonour the Venetian name Prince Carrario in the middest of this parlie returned to Padua hauing left Arcuan Buccecarino to command the troupes which hee had brought to Charles After his departure the matter was a while debated on But the enemies meaning to take all from the Venetians and to leaue nothing to the vanquished but their liues the which they would haue them to enioy of their speciall fauour the despite of that disgrace being conuerted into choler the Senate commaunded their Ambassadours to giue ouer the businesse and without any conclusion at all to returne to Venice They being gone Charles after hee had laine in Campe two moneths before Treuiso perceiuing that it was to no purpose dislodged and returned into Hungarie Whilest these things were done on the Treuisan the Venetians armed fiftie small 〈◊〉 and came about sixe or seuen of the clocke in the euening to surprize the enemies Fort. There was in the dike which Carrario had hastily made neare to Montauban one Gallie commanded by Bartilmeo Vsiere of Sauona with two other small boates which serued for conuoy to those which went vp and downe The Venetians hauing sodainely assailed it tooke it in a moment the enemie making greater shewes than deedes The Venetian Archers wanne it who passing ouer the otherside of the dike did shoote directly into it being very neare to the shoare but being taken and spoiled because by reason of the ebbe they could not bring it away they burnt it This victorie did greatly reioyce the Citie and so much the more because this fortunate successe did put courage into the Citizens who were daunted with so manie losses and caused them to hope for better fortune For after these exploits diuers speeches full of discontent were euery where heard How that the Citie was become carelesse and fearefull that it durst not fight with the enemie in a set battaile that the Venetians did greatly degenerate from the valour of their ancestours who had so often ouer come the Genoueses hauing more Gallies than they That a while before the Genoueses had no place of retreat in all the Sea to retire themselues in safetie for feare of the Venetians but that now the same Venetian vigour was dead that they did no more remember their Countrie their libertie nor yet their owne priuate meanes saying that it was a folly or rather a miserable thing to stay hauing consumed all their wealth till they were basely enforced to yeeld rather by famine then by Armes That the Senate should doe well to leuie the greatest forces they could That the Citizens were resolued either to vanquish the enemie or else to die for the preseruation of their libertie These speeches being reported to the Senate made them thinke on higher enterprizes Wherevpon they concluded to Arme fortie Gallies of which Prince Contareni should bee Generall And Captaines for those Gallies were speedily appointed This decree being published did greatly reioyce the people and it was executed with such affection of the inhabitants as according to some Authours foure and thirtie Gallies were made readie in two dayes the friends kinsfolks and allies of the Captaines of the Gallies hauing imploied themselues in that busines to hire Rowers the residue of the Gallies for want of men could not be made readie For besides the losse which they receiued a few moneths before at Pola eighteene Gallies were abroade vnder the command of Carolo Zeno which they daily expected Prince Contareni in the meane time so soone as the Rowers were gone into the Gallies for to practise them in rowing for they were almost all artificers hee did daily make them to row from the Iewrie to Saint Nicholas Church Hee did it of purpose as well to accustome those new and vnskilfull people to the oare as also to delaie the battaile if it were possible till the arriuall of Zeno Because it was against reason to oppose to the victorious Armie of the enemies one lesser in number and weaker in forces than they But because the scarcitie of all things did in such sort oppresse them as it was impossible to drawe the matter out at length for feare least that delaie might cast them headlong into some greater danger they resolued to fight notwithstanding that Zeno was not returned And because in so great a dearth they might bee able to feed such an Armie before they did set forward against the enemie it was published by a decree of the Senate That whosoeuer among the people would relieue the nauall Armie or the troupes with monie victualls or Souldiers so soone as the enemies should be defeated thirtie of those who should bee thought to haue best deserued should be receiued into the number of the Senatours which honour they and their posteritie should for euer enioy And besides that the Senate would yearely distribute fiue thousand crownes among those who could not attaine to that dignitie Diuers on the hope of such a recompence did shew themselues diuers likewise being
moued with loue to their Countrie some offered one thing and some another More than threescore families did relieue the Common-wealth at this need so as by how much any man was esteemed rich by so much more did he striue to deserue well of the Common-wealth by meanes whereof great reliefe was gathered wherupon diuers were made Senatours But in reading all that aboue mentioned in some Authors who haue beene carefull to collect this historie one thing hath greatly moued me which though it be of no great importance doth neuerthelesse shew a great affection and loue towards a mans Countrie It is reported that one whose name was Matheo Fasceolo a Citizen of Chioggia this man after the taking of the Citie retired to Venice with his children came to the Senate and told them how that at the taking of his Countrie he had lost all his wealth which amounted to manie thousands of Crownes and that if they were againe in his possession hee would franckly employ them for the good and profit of the Common-wealth But that he had nothing left but his life and two children the which he freely offered to the Senate and his Countrie And if they would employ them either by Sea or Land they were readie for the seruice of the Common-wealth to expose that onely iewell which fortune had left them of all the rest The Genoueses hauing notice of the great preparations of the new Armie fearing least the Venetians being driuen forward by the flowing of the Sea should about midnight surprise the entrie of the Hauen which they held and being once entred that those of the Citie comming to assaile them in small boates before and on the sides would enuiron them and by that meanes enforce them to fight in round and so cut them in peeces they raised their siege and returned to Chioggia thinking that the Venetians being shut from victualls by Land and Sea would yeeld But before their departure they razed the Fort and ruined Malamoc and Poueggia downe to the ground Soone after foure and twentie Genoueses Gallies went into Friul to get victualls meaning to exchange salt whereof they had great store for wheate and other kind of graine In the meane time three of those Gallies which were left for the guard of the Hauen the Genoueses hauing disarmed the rest because the Citie should not be without Garrison did daily make incursions as farre as the tower Salina which was the only fort that the Venetians held of all the residue in the lakes and gaue diuers alarums to them within it Victor Pisani departing from the Citie with three hundred small boates and fifty Ganziaroles came and ambusht himselfe among the reedes neare to the tower thinking to surprize them but being descried a farre off by meanes of his slags which were not taken downe the Genoueses on a sodaine returned amaine towards Chioggia The Venetian not being able to ouertake the enemie in his flight came with speed by the lakes which did beare smaller boates first to Chioggia where at his arriuall he tooke the Fort of the Saltpits which are neare to the Citie and hauing assailed the Citie at the same instant he did greatly terrifie the enemie The furie of the fight was towardes the gate Mariana and the fight was alreadie begunne in the channels when on a sodaine these three Gallies arriued The Venetians being assailed by the enemie before behinde and on the sides were enforced speedily to retire to their enseignes Prince Contareni his sonne in Lawe died in this encounter a braue young man and of the familie of the Gradonici and diuers others likewise with eight vessels taken by the enemies And by this meanes the matter falling out vnluckily the Armie returned to Venice The Genoueses Gallies in the meane time who were returned from forrage vnderstanding what had beene attempted in their absence did resolue to fortifie Chioggia and to beat downe all the buildings neere to the salt pits and those likewise which were vpon the Walls to rampier the market place in the middest of the Citie and all the houses neere round abouts and to that purpose to stop vp all the streets which lead to the water with a bricke Wall and to make a Fort in manner of a Wall with rampiers and Towers of wood with bridges within it of double ranckes for the ease of the combatants And because they had intelligence by their spies that Carolo Zeno who was abroad with the Armie was not yet returned and that there was no likely-hood that the Venetians would attempt any thing before his comming fearing by that meanes nothing lesse than their arriuall they wrought but lasily in those fortifications Carolo Zeno as hath beene said departing from Venice with fiue Gallies at such time as Pisani was defeated at Pola met neere to Sicilie with Sicilians ships diuers of which being loden with corne and other victuailes were going to Genoa hee made himselfe maister thereof and taking as much victuailes as hee thought sufficient for his owne fleet he threw the rest into the Sea then he did let goe the Marriners who were Sicilians without any harme at all and gaue them somewhat to beare their charges forbidding them hereafter to goe no more to Genoa Besides he tooke diuers Genoueses ships as well on the coast of Trinacria as on the Tuscan and after he had spoiled them he suncke them in the Sea In this happie iourney of his foure Gallies departing from Candie came and ioyned with him These likewise before they came to him had taken three Genoueses Barzes one betweene Candie and Morea the other at Sapientia by the aide of the Modonois and the third on the Sicilian Sea The which being brought to Naples the merchandize which was within them was sold for fiue and fortie thousand crownes Then Carolo hauing of fiue Gallies made a fleet of nine for he was still Generall of them all sailed speedily towards the Riuer of Genoa to spoile there where after he had made furious incursions torne vp Trees and plants by the roots he made all things desolate from Porto-venere euen to Genoa He would not tarrie to besiege any place for feare of six of the enemies Gallies who still followed him This spoile being made returning to the maine Sea he seized on a Sicilian shippe laden with corne and other vessells going to Genoa he brought away the shippe and suncke the rest These exploits did Zeno on the lower Sea But neere to Trinacria Micheleto Iustiniano who with foure Gallies had laine in the streight besides other shippes taken from the enemies on the Propontide Sea and the Bosphorus he tooke a Neapolitan Barzeloden with Genoueses merchandize which was sold for eighteene thousand ducats The six Gallies likewise which departed from Venice at the same time in a manner or a litle before Zeno were not idle For soone after their departure they surprized two shippes of Amona vnto whom
one day but at sundrie times that both the enemies fleets did neuer lie so neere one to the other nor did neuer so much hurt one another with arrow shot It is reported that no day passed wherein aboue fiue hundred great stones were not flung forth of brazen engines from one campe to the other with great slaughter and hurt In the meane time they were not lesse infested neere to the Citie For they skirmished daily neere to little Chioggia as occasion serued The Genoueses being shut vp in this manner men began to come to Venice by the riuer of Po from La Marca Romagnia and Ferrara By meanes whereof the dearth of victuals soone ceased The price whereof had beene so high as the Citie was almost brought to the last extremitie For corne was solde at the same time at a fourefold rate and so likewise all other necessaries The Paduans by stealth in small couered boates carried victuals to the besieged The Senate to reenforce the troupes which were before Chioggia leuied fiue thousand foot The Genoueses for their last attempt would trie if by any cunning they could put their Armie forth which lay at Brondolli seeing by force they could not doe it VVherefore hauing drawne a great and broad trench from the Fort euen to the shoare they were in great hope to be able in the darknesse of the night vnknowne to the Venetians to put forth to Sea whereupon twentie gallies made account to get forth in that place whom they thought to be sufficient to molest the Venetians coast and chiefely the Citie of Venice so as they being at Sea the Venetian should be enforced whether he would or no to raise his campe But the Venetian hauing discouered the enemies designe all the souldiers thereabouts were sent for to the Princes campe where they resolued to assault Brondolli at one time by Sea and land All the forces in a manner being reduced into one bodie for this purpose there arose a quarrell betwixt the Italians and the mercenarie strangers which were in the campe who falling to blowes diuers in a moment were slaine and it would greatly haue endangered the Armie had not the Princes comming sodainly appeased the matter This tumult with the feare likewise least the enemie should draw his trench euen to Brondolli caused the Venetians to make hast and not to tarrie for Iohn d'Agons a wise and valorous Frenchman whom in his absence they had named for their Generall by land Carolo Zeno being sent with the residue of the forces which remained round about Brondolli was commanded to bring those troups which had still laine encamped vnder the publike ensignes before the Citie neere to the shoare to assaile the Fort of the Genoueses who was thought to be a Captaine better experienced on the land than sea Pisani was alreadie commaunded carefully to attend the signall and that so soon as he should be aduertized that his fellows fought at Brondolli he should likewise come on the other side and that hauing brought his gallies as neere as possibly he could he should land his troupes and assaile the enemie on that side next to the Port. All things were readie for the assault of Brondolli when as the exploit falling out fortunately at little Chioggia made them to alter their determination For the Venetian fearing that the enemie would come on their backs would first before they went to Brondolli assaile the Fort which the Genoueses held in that place The troupes marching on to this end were hardly come to the Tower when as on an instant the Genoueses as though they had beene called by a certain signal caused all those which were at Brondolli to come to Chioggia sauing a few who were left for the guard of the place who were commaunded to march in battell and to assaile the Venetians on their backes whilest they should be busied in the fight and that they on the other side would sally forth of the Citie and giue a furious onset on the enemie herein being guided after the common saying That it is better to fight with the enemie in a set battell than by a long siege to bee brought to all extremitie It is said that fifteene hundred came forth of Brondolli and about eight thousand from the Citie The Garrison of Brondolli came with great noise as issuing from an ambush and fell vpon the Venetians Zeno brauely receiued them and the fight was verie cruell At the first they shot such great store of arrowes from both sides that the aire was darkned as with a great cloud The noise which was heard from the shoare and from the ruines of little Chioggia together with the clashing of Armour filled euerie place with terror in which fight the number of the dead was great but that of the wounded much greater In the meane time that great squadron of eight thousand men came forth of the Citie and came forward in a close battallion like a torrent vpon the Venetian who was busied in fight with the first commers Zeno likewise turning towards them did valiantly sustaine their first attempts and was alreadie enforced to fight on both sides when desiring to be ridde of the one that he might intend the other he came with greater furie against those of Brondolli towards whom giuing backe by little and little and almost halfe vanquished the cauallerie speedily marched who finding them to be spent and tired in the fight with the footmen did easily breake and put them to flight with great slaughter Diuers casting themselues into the water neere to S. Katherines Church were drowned as well because they could not swim as by the weight of their Armour The victorious Venetian being freed on that side turned all his forces against the squadron of the Citie which being amazed at the mishap of their fellowes had alreadie begun by little and little to giue backe Against these being of themselues disordered the Venetian furiously marched The enemies being then affrighted loosing their iudgement with their rankes perceiuing fortune to be contrarie beganne openly to flie euerie man shifting for himselfe endeuoured to get ouer the bridge fearing if he should be shut forth to be murthered by the enemie those that were last were worst dealt with Diuers were slaine in the flight but manie more neare to the bridge which not being able to beare so manie armed men together and sodainely breaking in the middest drew diuers with it into the ruines Those which fell with the bridge and their Armor into the water did all perish some on their owne â—…auelings and others by stones which fell vpon them but the number of such was greatest who by the weight of their Armour sincking into the bottome of the water were neuer after seene More than a thousand who were shut forth of the bridge were cut in peeces and diuers likewise casting their weapons from them were taken prisoners Those who were on the farther side of the
from himselfe to the end that the Greeks should not afterward reedifie the Fort which the Venetians should demolish But on what pretence soeuer he did it the Commissioners being enforced to depart thence came to Venice The Senate tooke this refusall in bad part knowing that vnlesse Tenedos were deliuered the Common-wealths credit through one mans follie would be crackt among the Italians and forraine Princes and that all men would impute the blame to the Senate and not to one man alone And that besides their breach of faith it was to be feared that so soone as the Genoueses King Lewis and the other associates should heare that the Island was not deliuered to the Sauoyan they holding the couenants of peace to be broken would forthwith take Armes They therefore decreed to send to Mutatio and the Islanders Carolo Zeno was sent thither who neither by entreaties nor threats could alter his determination At Zeno his entrance because by one mans rashnesse the Common-wealths promise should not be infringed they decreed to proceed by Armes whereupon a speedie leuie of Souldiers was made vnto such a number as was thought sufficient to subdue the Island Fantino Georgio was made Generall of these forces He departing from Venice with sixe Gallies well Armed and arriuing at Tenedos landed his men and in an instant gaue a furious assault to the Towne and Castle There were great numbers of Archers in the Camp so was there in the Castle by meanes whereof at euery assault and sallie diuers died on either part Some say that they fought more eagerly than against ordinarie enemies For if any one were taken he was forth with hanged or else being put into one of the engines of Warre was in sted of a stone throwne into the Camp and so from the Camp into the Citie whereby it plainly appeared that it was neither the Prince nor Senates fault that the Island was not deliuered according to the treatie of peace but only through the wilfulnesse of Mutatio The siege lasted aboue seuen Moneths but victualls failing they yeelded on these conditions That neither Mutatio nor those who were with him should bee called in question for detaining Tenedos to the hindrance of the Common-wealth That the Inhabitants should depart forth of the Island with their gold siluer and other moueables That as many of them as would go dwell in Candie should haue as much Land there as they had in Tenedos and as many as would goe to Constantinople or else where should receiue money for the iust value of their Lands And in this sort those within gaue place to the Garrison The Castle being recouered Fantino entred it with two hundred Archers dismissing the residue of the Armie Giouanni Memo by the Senates decree did afterwards succeede him The residue of the Articles being performed and the Inhabitants being gone the Fort was at the last razed The Thryestines who in the hottest of the warre were reuolted from the Venetians fearing that so soone as they should be at quiet both by Sea and Land they would on a sodaine come and inuade them did yeeld to Leopold Soone after King Lewis died At the first it was thought that his death would in some sort abate the pride of Prince Carrario who till then had neuer ceased to molest the Treuisans but on the contrarie in sted of desisting he assailed them more furiously than before and gaue them so many assaults and ouerthrowes as Leopold despairing of being able to defend the Citie did on certaine conditions giue it ouer with her confines to the Paduan who in a manner was Conquerour All this hapned almost three yeares after that peace had beene established by Sea and Land But in the meane time Prince Contareni died after he had gouerned fourteene yeares and was honourably buried in St. Stephens Church ¶ MICHAELI MOROSINO the 61. Duke of Venice MIchaeli Morosino succeeded him At his entrie into the Gouernement a Law was made against Murtherers that whosoeuer should kill a man should loose his head whereas in time before they who were conuicted of such crimes were hanged according to the custome of the Countrie It was thought of a certaine that if his Principalitie had lasted any long time he would haue beautified the Common-wealth with sundrie holy Lawes and Statutes But by how much the hope thereof was greater by so much was his Regiment shorter For about foure Moneths after his Creation hee deceased and was buried in the Church of the Twinnes ¶ ANTONIO VENIERI the 62. Duke of Uenice ANtonio Venieri being absent was subrogated in his sted a man who besides his ancient Nobilitie was of a meeke and gentle disposition and beloued of all men Being called home from Candie where he remained he arriued the thirteenth of Ianuarie at Venice on S. Nicholas shore where the whole Senate and a great part of the people receiued him and from thence after diuers reciprocall embracements going into the Bucentauro he was with great ioy brought to the Ducall Palace His presence was the more welcome to all men because by reason of his long absence it had been so much desired He had beene seuen yeares absent with his familie and had well gouerned the Common-wealth in diuers places and chiefly at Tenedos His gouernment was very meeke and gentle without any tumult or strife in the Citie with plentie of all things which was greatly desired of all men But his owne domesticke losse did in some sort trouble the fortunate successe of his affaires Albeit I doe not well know whether his seuere iustice did purchace the old man more honour and reputation than his sonnes death did afflict him with griefe and sorrow He had a Sonne named Lodouico who was enamoured on a Senators wife But as it often happeneth some jealouzie arose betwixt the two louers whereupon this yong Lord by chance in disgrace of his Mistris whom he then hated caused hornes to be hung vp at her husbands gate Inquirie thereof being made the Prince being moued at the iniurie done to a Senator commanded his Sonne forthwith to be imprisoned where he remained till he died to the great griefe of all the people The same yeare at sundrie times the Marqueses of Aest and Mantua came to Venice with diuers other Princes and Princes Ambassadours to treate with the Senate concerning great affaires of State albeit some of them came but to see the Citie A while after peace still continuing abroade and at home great warre and contention arrising betweene Antonio Escalla of Verona and Francisco Carrario the elder Giouanni Galeas Visconte whose power was at the same time very great at Carrario his entreatie did make warre vpon Escalla and hauing vanquished him he tooke from him Verona and Vincenza Then as the desire of getting doth encrease when prosperitie doth follow vs he did as furiously assaile Padua as he had not long before done those of Escalla
the cause therof who hauing beene able in time to haue quenched that fire had by their mutual hatred auarice suffered it to encrease That they were to blush for shame to repent that they had not relieued that loyal Citie during the siege Therefore all men with one consent detested both the fleet and the Generall and a Decree was made that hee should be dismissed of his place and being sent for home he should giue an account why he had not relieued Nigrepont Pietro Mocenigo was by a generall consent subrogated in his place who was presently commaunded to make hast to the Armie In the meane time after the fleete had made some aboad at Sea Canalis and the rest determined to surprize Nigrepont and by an vnlookt-for assault to attempt the recouery of the Citie They concluded then among themselues that Giouanni Trono Nocolao Molino and Frederico Iustiniano should saile before with nine Gallies and so soone as they from the channell should perceiue the fleete to be neere the Citie then to land their men and march to assaile it on the other side But these men were somewhat too forward for being euuironed with great troupes of Turkes more than two hundred of them were in a moment slaine among whom was Giouani Trono a man whose valour did greatly appeare in that fight although their forces were not equall The rest of the fleete landing on the shoare being daunted with the death of their fellowes and perceiuing those in the channell to goe slowly to worke escaped to their Gallies And in this manner the fleete retired without any good successe to Aulida not farre from Nigrepont The same day somewhat before Sunne-set Pietro Mocenigo with three Gallies came to the fleet so soone as Canalis descried him hee descended into a long boat and went to meete him where after mutuall embracements hee acquainted him what his purpose had beene and why he had assembled that great fleete for the recouerie of Nigrepont which hee hoped to haue effected if hee had any longer tarried in commission But his hope was that what himselfe could not execute by reason of the losse of his place the new Generall by his valour and conduct would fortunately bring to passe all things being in a readinesse for that purpose Mocenigo said vnto him Pursue what thou hast begunne and if thou hast anie hope to recouer the Citie goe on a Gods name as for my selfe I am so farre off in this my new authority from hindering the publique good as on the contrarie I freely offer to aide and assist thee in this important businesse as a friend or ordinarie Captaine but he refusing to enter vpon an other mans charge Mocenigo dismissed the Gallies that had beene sent for and determined not to continue to the weale publiques losse and his owne dishonour an enterprize which had beene so vnfortunately begunne Then he departed for winter was at hand with the rest of the fleete into Morea determining at the Spring to remoue from thence and to attempt some notable exploit which should recompence the losse of Nigrepont Canalis so soone as hee came to Venice was condemned to perpetuall banishment Hee was confined to the Port of Gruare a town of the Forlani where to lessen the griefe for the losse of his country he spent the time in hunting and studie Mocenigo during that winter was not idle for hee repaired his Gallies and sent to the Islands on the Aegean Sea to comfort and assure the Inhabitants who were yet daunted with the losse of Nigrepont Thus was he busied when Marino Maripietro and Lodouico Bembo did about the beginning of the Spring come as Prouidators to the Armie who were sent thither that Mocenigo together with them might manage the affaires of the Republique Ricaosa came thither likewise from Apulia with tenne Gallies being sent by King Ferdinand to make warre on the Turkes in the company and by the aduise of the Venetian Generall The losse of Nigrepont had troubled all the Princes of Italie and especially king Ferdinand who the more he perceiued the frontires of Apulia and Calabria to lie open to the Turkes inuasions the more did he feare their prosperitie and aduancement Ottoman fearing that by his taking of Nigrepont from the venetians all Christian princes would arme against him was willing to trie if hee could make peace with the Venetians or at least if that could not be done to draw the businesse out in length to the end that time might sweeten the sharpenesse of that losse But because hee would not haue them thinke that hee did it for feare hee was content to vse the mediation of his mother in lawe who was a Christian and Daughter to George who in former times had beene Prince of the Tribulles She hauing beene made acquainted with her sonne in lawes meaning sent one of her houshold seruants to Venice from her to aduertize the Venetians that they should doe well to send their Commissioners to the Turke and that if they were desirous of peace it should be graunted them and peraduenture vpon better conditions than they hoped for Hereupon Nicolao Coco and Francisco Capello were sent to her by Sea who found her in a village of Macedonia where shee remained and from thence they went by land to Ottoman But peace being treated of and the Conditions propounded not pleasing and the Commissioners beeing by Letters called home to Venice Capello being troubled with a feauer died at Constantinople Coco in a fisher boat went to Lemnos and from thence in a Gallie that he found there by chaunce sailed to Candie And thus by the going to and fro of Ambassadors by treaties of peace at Constantinople and by transporting of Letters from both sides all that Summer was spent to no purpose Winter drawing neare the Kings nauie returned to Naples and the Prouidators being called home by the Senate went backe to Venice Within a while after Prince Moro died hauing gouerned the Common-wealth nine yeeres and six moneths Hee was buried in Saint Iobs Church which together with the Monasterie neere adioyning hee had erected at his owne proper costs During his gouernement the Citie was not onely beautified with that building but the inner side of the entrie into the Pallace which was begunne before then vnder Maripietro was in his time wholly finished where his Marble Statue is to be seene with two others vnderneath him representing our two first parents wrought by Antonio Crispe the skilfullest Caruer of his time Saint Peters Steeple of the Castle made of a white square stone which is an excellent peece of worke was then builded ¶ NICOLAO TRONO the 68. Duke of Venice NIcolao Trono succeeded Moro whose short gouernment was verie fortunate because the Venetians in his time made a league with the king of Persia and vnited the famous Isle of Cyprus to their dominions The Senate sent Messengers to the Pope and to King
those that were almost vanquished did at that time very cleerly demonstrate it For the Stradiots sent to assaile the French bagage began to spoile and to driue away the Mules and other wagons beyond the Riuer Their fellowes appointed to charge the French in flanke perceiuing that others returned loden with spoile incited by the selfe same desire of gaine fell vpon the bagage and by their example others both horse and foote left their files and went from the battaile to doe the like By this meanes the Italians wanting their lookt for fresh supplyes and the number of those that fought still decreasing nothing did so much incourage them as the valor of the Marquis who fighting valiantly did still abide the enemies furie incouraging his owne soldiers who much weakned by the departure of their fellowes that went to spoile and their enemies on euery side pressing in vpon them and no longer able to resist were enforced to flye and to attempt to repasse the riuer which beeing swelled by the former nights raine and by a great shower of hayle which fell during the fight they could hardly doe The French followed them very fiercely euen to the Riuer killing all those that fled taking no prisoners at all Whilest they fought so valiantly on that side of the Army the French Vantgard gainst which Count Gajazza brought part of his Cauallery presented it selfe in battaile with such furie as the Italians daunted because they were not seconded did of themselues fall into disorder and fled to the body of their Army which was on the farther side of the riuer wherevpon the Marshall de Gié would not pursue them any farther some afterwards reputing it to wisedome and discretion others to cowardize The Marquis of Mantua passed the Riuer in the best and closest order he could where he found his troopes so disordered as euery man with his booty thought on nothing but meanes how to escape but his presence and authority stayed that confusion The King with his troopes comming to his Vantgard which had not stird demanded his Captaines aduise whether hee should sodainly crosse the Riuer and assaile the enemies in their Campe but their opinions beeing various and also the troopes which had fought wearied they resolued to take vp their lodging and for that night they lodged on the hill in the village called Medezana a mile from the place where they fought Such was the end of the battaile betwixt the French and the Italians neere the Riuer Tarro where of the French side dyed scarce two hundred but of Italians more then three hundred men at armes and as many others as amounted to three thousand men in regard of which number of dead so disproportionable the victorie was attributed to the French though the Venetians challenge to themselues the glory of the day because that their campe and baggage remained whole and entire whereas the French on the contrary lost much of theirs and among others some of the Kings rich stuffe Wherevpon by publick Decree ouer all the territories vnder their obedience and especially at Venice bonefiers and other signes of ioy were made The day following the King remained in the same village and by means of the Lord of Argenton who parlied with the enemies truce was granted till night The next morning before day the King with his Army dislodged sounding neither dâ—…um nor trumpet the better to conceale his departure and all that day he was not pursued by the Confederate Army by reason that the Taro was exceedingly swelled and could not that day be foorded Sanseuerine whose selfe and soldiers had not fought in that battaile made an offer to the Marquis and Prouidators that if they would giue him a troope of light horse to cut off the taile of the Kings army hee by his incursions would amuze the French so long till their Army might ouer-take them His demand granted hee departed from the Campe with two thousand fiue hundred horse and by reason of the swelling of the Riuer tooke a longer way so as that day hee did not ouer-take the Kings troopes but so soone as hee drew neere them hee serued rather for a guide to conduct them to Ast then a disturber of their iourney so as it seemed that his request to the Marquis and Prouidators was onely to accompany and safe conduct the King His intent was afterwards knowne to bee such by Lodouicos commandement who when Bernardo Contaren would haue giuen in vpon the Kings reregard could not bee suffered so to doe So soone as the waters were downe the Marquis pursued the Kings Army which hee not beeing able to ouer-take sent sixe hundred horse after it to cut off the taile and to keepe it in continuall alarum who returned to him loden with booty The French at last comming neere to Alexandria tooke the higher way towards the mounts where the Riuer Tanare is most shallow and in eight dayes march without losse of men or other encombrances came before the wals of Ast where after the King was entred hee caused his Armie to bee lodged in the field The Campe of the league which had followed him into the Tortonois beeing no more able to annoy him ioyned with Lodouicos Sforzas forces before Nouara The Kings retreat beeing knowne at Venice the Senate commanded generall Precessions and publick prayers to bee made to giue God thankes for that by his retreat the Citty was freed from the danger which threatned it The end of the fourth Booke of the fourth Decade The Contents of the fifth Booke of the fourth Decad. THe Venetians at Genoa arme by Sea against the French and take Rapalla in the Realme of Naples Lodouico and the Confederates besiege Nouara Peace concluded betwixt King Charles and the Confederates the King returnes into France The Neapolitans reuolt from the French bring Ferdinand into Naples A Generall rebellion ouer the whole kingdome against the French The Pisans giue themselues to the Venetians The Venetians ayde Ferdinand hee giuing them three Citties in Puglia The Venetians resoluing to defend Pisa against the Florentines send ayde thether King Charles determineth to returne into Italy and makes great preparation for it The Duke of Montpensier besieged in Attella is through want of victuals enforced to Capitulate and quit the Realme of Naples The death of Duke Montpensier and other great Captaines King Ferdinands death The pursutes of Lodouico and the other Confederates to haue Pisa restored to the Florentines The death of Charles the eight French King Lewis Duke of Orleans French King Coruin sonne to the King of Hungarie made a Gentleman of Venice Caesar Borgia sonne to Pope Alexander quitts his Cardinalls Hatte and is made by King Lewis Duke of Valentinois Lodouico procureth the Turkish fleete to inuade the Venetians League betwixt Lewis the French King and the Venetians The French King sends an Army into Italy vnder the command of Iohn Iames Triuulce And lastly the taking of Caruagio by the
come within three miles nere to Bolognia delt so with the Pope as he gaue him leaue safely to depart from Bolognia with his wife and children and to dwelin what place of the Dutchy of Milan he pleased permitting him to sell and carry away with him all his mouables and to enioy the immouables which he possessed with iust title The Bentiuoles being departed the people of Bolognia sent their Ambassadors to the Pope for to giue him the entire gouernment of their City At the same time the King of Arragon being imbarked at Barcelona came along by the coast of Prouence to Genoa and from thence keeping close by the land continuing his iourney he entred into the Hauen of Gayetta Then being conducted to Naples he was receiued with great magnificence Ambassadors from all places of Italy came thither with speed and among others from Venice whither George Pisani and Marc Dandulo were sent to congratulate and honour so great a Prince The Pope likewise notwithstanding that he was displeased for that he had not sent to offer his obedience as the manner was sent a Nuntio to him to incite him against the Venetians thinking that for the recouery of the Hauens of Apuglia which the Venetians held he had wished their ouerthrow And the Venetians on the contrary did still study to keepe his friendship Soone after King Lewis came into Italy by reason of the rebellion of Genoa the Venetians sent Dominico Trenisano and Paul Pisaâ—…i their Ambassadors to him to congratulate his arriuall who came to Milan whether the king came so soone as he had recouered Genoa The Pope being at Bolognia had solicited the King to come into Italy that they might conferre together wherevnto the King did incline albeit the Popes intents were against the Venetians whom he hated in regard of the Cities of Romagnia which they possessed But when he vnderstood that the King determined to take armes in fauour of the Gentlemen against the people of Genoa because the strife betwixt the Gentlemen and the Commons had beene cause of the rebellion he was much discontented thereat because he had euer fauored the people against the Nobility and he perswaded the King as much as in him lay to absteine from armes alleaging that it might kindle some fire in Italy which would hinder the warre which they had decreed against the Venetians To the which perceiuing the King would not agree being transported with choller he gaue out on a sodaine at the beginning of the yeere 1507. contrary to al mens expectation that he would returne to Rome saying that the aâ—…e of Bolognia did not agree with his healthâ—… wherevpon the King was troubled not knowing what to thinke because he interrupted that which himselfe had â—…raued and did all he could to alter his determination But the Kings earnest instance to change his minde did encrease the Popes suspition which hee had conceiued that the King would keepe him still there where they might meet together at one selfe same place which did so much the more confirme him in his determination wherein being obstinate he departed from Bolognia about the latter end of February being not able to dissemble the disdaine which he had conceiued of the King By this wrath the hatred which he did beare to the Venetians being in some sort mittigated hee determined to passe by the City of Faenza new quarrels arising euery houre betwixt the King and him in regard of the Bentinoles whom he would haue the King to expell from the Dutchy of Milan albeit by his owne consent they were permitted to abide there in such sort as nothing could appease him complayning greeuously of the King and being thereby prouoked he did by his Nuâ—…tios and by a Breefe giue the Emperour and the Electors to the Empire to vnderstand that the French Kings preparations for his passage into Italy with a mighty army vnder pretence to appease the sedition of Genoa was in effect to oppresse the state of the Church and to vsurpe the Imperiall dignity The Venetians likewise fearing the Kings comming into Italy with so great an army did giue the like aduertizement Maximillian being desirous of nouelty hauing receiued these aduertizements held an Imperiall Diet in the City of Constance where all the Barons Princes and Common-wealths of Germany being assembled he did in such sort agrauate the matter against the French King by his oration as the mindes of all those that were there present were merueilously mooued where he exhibited the Popes and Venetians letters of aduertizement The French King hauing intelligence of the whole matter did on a sodaine cassier his army to take away the cause of such a suspition and would himselfe haue repassed the mounts had not the desire which he had to speake with the King of Arragon staied him who was preparing for his returne into Spaine and leauing Naples came directly to Sauona where he had appointed to conferre with the French King who for that cause was come from Millan to attend him there where Fernand with the Queene his wife being arriued all distrusts being laied aside on both parts with infinite numbers of reciprocall embrasings they had diuers long and secret conferences betwixt themselues and by that which fell out afterward it was apparent that they promised a perpetuall league of friendship one with the other and that Ferdinand should vse meanes to reconcile the Emperour and the French King to the end that all of them being vnited together they might afterward shew themselues open enemies to the Venetians The two Kings departed from Sauona the fourth day after their arriuall with the same shewes of loue and friendship The one went by sea to Barcelona and the other by land returned into France leauing the other affaires of Italy at the same stay King Lewis in the meane time perceiuing that the Diet of Constance continued where Maximillian had so highly animated all the German Princes against him he sent vnder-hand certaine men of purpose to Constance who should not be publikely knowne but dealing secretly should worke meanes by the hidden fauour of the Princes his friends to appease the mindes of the rest excusing those slanders which were imposed vpon him by the euidence of the effects seeing that after the reduction of Genoa to his obedience he had on a sodaine cassieâ—…ed his army and returned with all possible speed into France to take away all suspition that he would attempt nothing against the Church nor against the title of the sacred Empire and with these iustifications they wrought meanes to appease the Germans armes by the force of gold which they so highly loue These things did greatly trouble the French Kings minde who was altogether vncertaine of the Venetians meanings who would not openly discouer themselues but had euer held matters in suspense The Dyet of Constance beeing ended it was there concluded after sundry disputations that Maximillian should haue
attempted in vaine to take Monfalcone but he gaue a furious assault on the towne and castle of Cadora where he committed great slaughter on those that were within it The Venetians in the meane time tooke the towne of Valdesera by force and Bellona by composition The Emperour perceiuing that his forces were not worthy the name of Imperiall propounded to the confederates the vniting of all their forces in one to assaile the city of Venice and to that intent to vse the helpe of the sea armies and Galleis of the French King and the Pope The French King would willingly haue consented therevnto if he had seene any likelihood of the matter But the Pope and the Catholike King gainesaid it as a thing most vniust and dishonorable The Duke of Brunswicke on the other side being sent by the Emperor could not take Vdina the Capitall city of Friul nor Ciuital-D'Austria which he likewise beseeged Christoforo Frangipane did the like in Histria where nere to the village of Verme he defeated the Venetian officers and did greatly burne and spoile the whole country During these temporall accidents of armes in diuers places they disputed at Rome on spirituall armes whither before the recouery of Padua the sixe Ambassadors from the Senate were arriued namely Dominico Treuisan Leonardo Moceniga Paulo Pisani Ieronimo Donato Paulo Capello and Lodouico Maripietro who entring by night in poore and wretched habite because the Pope would haue it so who did not see them they went to the pallace of the Cardinall of Naples to conferre with him and the other Commissioners Great were the practises of the Ambassadors of the Emperour French King and the King of Spaine to hinder them from obtayning absolution and on the contrary the Archbishop of Yorke solicited for them in the behalfe of Henry King of England The Emperor in the meane time hauing assembled all the forces he was able to make as well of his owne as of others that assisted him determined with a mighty army to goe and beseege Padua The Venetians weighing how much the preseruation of that city did import them did not forget to furnish it with all necessaries for defence Wherevnto Prince Loredan did greatly incite them in an Oration full of mighty perswasions by whose counsell two hundred young Gentlemen departed from Venice to goe to the releefe of that city where they were receiued with incredible ioy of al men They receiued letters at Venice at the same time from Andre Foscole Ambassador at Constantinople for the Common-wealth neere to the great Turke whereby he assured the Senate that the Turke was mightily dipleased when he vnderstood of the defeate of their army at Gyradade and for that they had not acquainted him with their enterprizes and requested his aide and that now he freely offered them all aide and fauour it being his pleasure that Prince Loredan should bee speedily aduertized of this offer The Senate by their Ambassador did highly thanke him but would not accept the offer because it was neither seemely nor proffitable But to returne to the Emperours preparations who whilest he tarried for forces which came to him from all parts he came to the bridge of Brente three miles of from Padua where hauing taken Rimini by force and turned aside the current of the water he marched towards the Pollesin of Rouigo keeping aloofe off from Padua to open the passage to his victuals staying for his Artillery which was to come forth of Germany and tooke the village of Este by assault which he sack't and next he tooke Monselecia the castle with the town of Montagnane by composition From thence returning towards Padua he encamped nere to the bridge of Bassonella nere to the city where he attempted but in vaine to turne backe the course of the Riuer Brento To this place came the artillery and the munition which he expected with the residue of his army wherewith he went forward and encamped nere to the Suburbes of Saint Crosse determining to giue an assault in that place but when he vnderstood that it was the strongest part of the city he changed his purpose and remooued towards the little Gate on the way to Venice as well for that it was the weakest part of the city as also to cut off supplies that might come thither by land or water wherein hauing spent much time vnproffitably and giuen leisure to the enemies to fortifie and furnish themselues with victuals He approched neere to the wals with his army which besides the French Kings seuen hundred Launces vnder the command of the Lord de la Palisse consisted of one thousand Italian men at armes eighteene thousand Lansquenets sixe thousand Spaniards six thousand boot-halers of sundry nations two thousand Italianâ—… After these followed a great traine of all sorts of peeces of battery with wonderfull store of munition so as neuer any seege in Italy was of the like expectation as well for the importance of the place whereon depended the good or bad successe of the Venetians as in regard of the greatnesse and authority of such a leader which caused the number of the army daily to encrease al-be-it the souldiers were not paied who fed themselues neuerthelesse with hope of the Cities spoile On the other side the army which the Venetians had in Padua for the defence thereof was little inferior to the Emperors For there were sixe hundred men at armes fifteene hundred light horse fifteene hundred famous and well experienced Stradiots and besides the Cauallery there was twelue thousand footmen of the best souldiers of Italy and tenne thousand other footmen as well Sclauonians as Greeks and Albanezes drawne from their Galleis and besides all these all the Venetian young Gallants were there with their followers whose example did much encourage the rest Moreouer it did not want great aboundance of all necessary prouisions nor great store of artillery with a merueilous quantity of all kinde of victuals and a multitude almost numberlesse of peasants who without intermission laboured in the Cities fortifications so as within a short space it was fortified with bastions ram piers casemates parapets and necessary trenches And to the end that the courage of al those within it might be answerable to those preparations the Count Petillan who was General caused them all to be assembled in Saint Anthonies market-place where hauing encouraged them by graue valorous speeches he first bound himselfe by sollemne oth and then the captaines the whole army and the townesmen in like manner faithfully to employ themselues in the defence thereof euen to the death In the meane time the Pope the Emperor and the French King did earnestly solicite the King of Hungary to make warre on the Venetians telling him how easily he might recouer all the lands which they held in Histria and Selauonia now when as they had in a manner lost all their forces and were assailed on euery
conducted by Angelo Treuisano to make warre on the Duke of Ferrara which entring the Po at the mouth of Fornaces burnt Corbolo and other villages neere to the Po not sparing the whole country as farre as the Lake of Scarra from whence the light horse which kept way with it by land scoured as farre as Fiquerolles The incredible hatred which they had conceiued against the Duke of Ferrara did mooue them to doe so who not being content with that which he said did belong vnto him did detaine that which was none of his owne hauing receiued of the Emperour for money the village of Este in Fee and that of Montagnane by ingagement he hauing no title to those places which from time to time belonged to the Venetians The Duke of Ferrara was much amazed at the comming of this army and at the report that their land-army followed it for he had no meanes to defend himselfe till the supplies which he expected from the Pope and the French King were arriued but only with his artillery planted on the bankes of the Riuer to stop the enemies farther passage which was the cause that Treuisan lay at Ankor in the middest of the Riuer behind a little Island tarrying for the land forces without which he knew he could not goe forward And to remaine there at more safety til their arriual he caused two Bastions to bee made on the Riuer Po the one on Ferraras side and the other on the opposite shore with a bridge of boats to the end he might be able to releeue the Bastions chiefly that on Ferrara side The Duke determined to hinder the finishing of that worke whereupon hauing assembled the greatest forces he could as wel of the City as of strangers he sent them before to assaile the Bastion and he himselfe followed after with store of horse But those of the Bastion being releeued by their owne fellowes out of the vessels did with such fury charge the Ferrarois as they put them to rout so as the Duke who followed them at the heeles with his cauallery meeting with them turned them backe and encouraged them but it lasted not long For the enemies fury was such together with the safety of the place well fortified with small peeces of Ordnance as at the last he himselfe was constrained to retire with great losse of his people who were slaine and hurt This mooued the Lord of Chaumont to send a hundred and fifty French Launces for the gard of Ferrara and the Pope being incensed against the Venetians for that without respect to him they had assailed the Duke sent thither likewise the two hundred men at armes which hee had alotted for the Emperor But this aide would haue come to late if the Venetians had not beene enforced to call backe their army the which hauing conquered all the Pollesin was in readinesse to goe to the reliefe of their nauall army for it was enforced to returne backe hauing left foure hundred light horse and as many footmen for the defence of the Pollesin and for the helpe of their vessels because the Lord of Chaumont hauing entred Verona with great forces had lent eight thousand Ducats to the Emperour who had engaged to the King for the same sum and for others to be paied afterward the towne of Valeggia sixe miles from Bressia and a passage of the Riuer Mincia of great importance and made preparations beside as it was said to goe and beseege Vincenza The Venetians diuided their army into three parts which they placed in Legnaga Suaua and Vincenza then being desirous to conserue Vincenza they beganne to fortifie it with strong rampiers and with deepe ditches full of water they like they did afterwards to Suaua and Legnaga and in this manner standing on their guarde they assured the whole country especially for that winter Ferrara by this meanes was in some sort eased but not altogether freed from feare and daunger For those in the vessels seconded by the cauallery that was left with them did daylie scoure euen to the Cittie Gates and other Venetian vessels comming by an other way to assaile the Ferrarois had taken Comachia But by the arriuall of the Popes and French Kings forces the Duke and the Cardinall of Este beganne to take courage and for to make diuerse attempts to draw the enemies to fight they which they refused til the return of their army The Duke and the Cardinall perceiuing that the ouer-throw of the vessels would gaine the victory and that it might easily be effected if meanes were made for the safe planting of the artillery on the banke of the Riuer the Cardinal came and assailed the Bastion once againe and hauing beaten backe the enemies who were come forth to skirmish hee did take and fortifie the nerest part of the causey vnknowne to the enemies then in the night hee brought the artillery to the shoare opposite to the enemy and planting it with great silence it began in the morning to discharge very furiously The vessels would haue escaped by flight but not being able to make way by reason of the shot they were in a manner all sunke or taken The General leaping into a Skiffe saued himselfe by flight with the chiefe standard of the common-wealth fifteene Gallies fell into the Dukes power certaine great ships diuers Fusts with other small boates almost numberlesse two thousand men died there as well by the shot as by fire and water and threescore banners were taken Many that came on shoare were saued by the Venetian light horse men The Duke after this defeate sent forces of horse and foote to doe the like to those who had taken Comachia who recouered Loretta which the Venetians had fortified and they had defeated the army which was there if it had not retired to Bebies knowing the danger Such vnfortunate end had the seege of Ferrara which lasted about one month Their affaires prospered better on the Paduan territorie for the Emperour beeing on the Vincentin with foure thousand footmen the Venetians by the aide of the country peasants almost vnder his nose and before his face tooke the Paces of Escalla Cogola and Basciana whereof the Emperour complayning said That the departure of the Lord of La Palisse had bred diuers disorders and therevpon hee went to Bolsane and from thence to Inspruch to hold the Dyet which hee had appointed and the Lord of Chaumont following his example retired to Milan leauing strong garrisons in all places on the frontiers and especiallie in Verona which the Emperour could not haue defended alone During this cessation of armes Maximillian sought to take truce with the Venetians the Bishop of Pescera the Popes Nuntio practized it by his Masters commandement the Ambassadors were at Hospitaletto a little aboue Escalla and conferred with Iohn Cornare and Lodouico Mocenigo the Venetian commissioners But the Emperours excessiue demands brake off this treaty without any conclusion
of most importance till such time as those great nombers of Suisses should be wasted or else some fresh supplies might come to them from France to make head against them Wherevpon he did put into Bressia two thousand foote one hundred and fiftie lances and a hundred men at armes of the Florentines into Crema fiftie lances and a thousand foote and into Bergamo a thousand foote and a hundred Florentine men at armes he brought the residew of the army to Pontuico which consisted of six hundred lances two thousand French foot and foure thousand Lansquenets But the next day letters came from the Emperour who commanded the Lansquenets forthwith to abandon the French Kings seruice they not daring to disobey departed the very same day because they were all his subiects La Palisse despayring by reason of the Lansquenets departure of beeing able any longer to defend the Dutchy of Milan did in great hast retire to Pisquetona The Venetians in the meane time hauing already taken Valegia and Piscara did still with that Army winne the Contrey as they went along Those of Cremona being wholly forsaken did yeeld to the Cardinall of Syon and gaue him a good somme of money to the end that the Suisses should not enter into their Citty The like did Carauagio and Soncino wherein the Cardinall of Syon placed his owne people in Garrison in steed of deliuering it to the Venetians as it was mentioned in the treaty of the League All other townes neere to the riuer Adda did yeeld to the Venetians the like did Bergamo with her territory by reason that La Palisse had recalled his companies which lay there to ioyne them to the army La Palisse forsooke Pisquetona and went and crossed the Riuer Adda hoping to keepe the enemies from passing the riuer if the footmen which they made account to leauy had arriued But through want of money to pay them none were raised wherevpon he retired to Saint Angello and the day following to Pauia determining to stay there But after that Triuulcio came thither to him and had shewed him the vanity of his opinion and how that it was impossible to hould back so great a ruine seeing there were no footmen in the Army nor meanes to wage new as well for the shortnesse of the time as for that there was no money to pay them he went and made a bridge ouer the Po at a place where it is most narrow to the end that the companies might more commodiously passe holding on their way towards Ast. So soone as the French had passed the Riuer Adda Loda yeelded to the confederates who being come to Pauia beganne to batter the Castle The French like-wise did soone abandon it and came to the stone bridge which is ouer the riuer Thesin fearing least it should be surprised hauing but that place alone whereby to escape from Pauia All the French men with certaine Lancequenets who were not departed with the rest being come forth of Pauia the Cittâ—… promised to pay a great summe of mony to auoyde the sack thereof Milan had already done the like compounding for a great summe and all other townes Bi essia and Coma excepted did with great desire doe the same All matters were gouerned in the name of the holy league for so all men called it and all the profit fell to the Swisses which caused many more of that nation to come downe into Lombardy and to vnite them-selues with the first In this change Parma and Placentia were giuen to the Pope The Swisses â—…eazed on Lucarna and the Grisons on Voltolina and Chiauenna Iano Fregossa by the Venetians aide in whose army he serued went to Genoa and so handled the matter as the French gouernor being expelled it reuolted and created him Duke In the like manner all the townes and Castles of Romagnia did returne to the Pope Bolognia like-wise yeelded to his officers after the Bentiuoles being depriued of all hope had forsaken it The Cardinall of Medicis had already before then escaped by meanes of some stirre which hapned of purpose as hee entred into a boate at the passage of the Po wherevpon hee was taken from the French who kept him who intended flight rather then resistance The Senate in the meane time being desirous to recouer Bressia and Coma solicited the Cardinall of Syon to come with his troupes and their army to beseege those townes who making no hast beeing loth to encrease the Venetians greatnesse came in the end and encamped before Bressia neere to Saint Iohns gate battering at one time both the towne and Castle whether the Viceroy came to them with the Spanish army The Lord of Aubigni who was within it perceiuing that in the end he could not choose but deliuer it thought it best to yeeld it together with the Castle rather to the Viceroy then to the Venetians compounding with him that all the souldiors within should depart with liues and goods The French that were at Legnaga followed the same councell Crema did other-wise which was beseeged by Ranze de la Cere with a part of the Venetians forces vnto whome Benedict Cribario being corrupted by guifts and vpon promise to be made a gentleman of Venice did yeeld the towne by the consent of the Lord De Duras gouernor of the Castle the which he would not doe to Octanian Sforza Bishop of Lodi for in the name of the future Duke Maximilian Sforza being come thither for that purpose with foure thousand Swisses In these interims the Bishop of Gurcia as Lieutenant to the Emperor went to Rome who being receiued with all honor they beganne to treat of the establishment of the common businesse and how to root out particular strife and contentions to the end that Italy being vnited together might resist the French King and the hardest matter of all this was the agreement so often treated of betwixt the Emperor and the Venetians For the Bishoppe of Gurcia demanded to haue Verona and Vincenza to remaine to the Emperor and the other townes to the Venetians for which they should presently pay to Maximilian two hundred thousand florins of the Rhyne and thirty thou sand for euer after yearely in manner of rent The Venetians would not pay rent for those townes which they had enioyed for so many yeares as belonging vnto them nor consent to giue mony and much lesse to deliuer Vincenza for diuers reasons by them alleadged The Pope did what he could to attone them now inciting the Venetians then entreating them sometimes threatning The King of Arragons Ambassadors did all they could the like also did the Swisses In the end the Bishop of Gurcia persisting in his demand and the Venetians in their refusall as well of Vincenza as of the summe of mony the Pope forsooke them protesting to their Ambassadors that he should be enforced to pursue their Republick with spirituall and temporall armes and made a league with the Emperor
their City The like did Ciuidâ—…le Port Gruera and some others But the enemy finding no victuals in that Prouince wheâ—…ewith to feed the army after they had wasted and spoiled it were desirous to march towards Treuiso to ioyne with the Spanish Infantery which lay on the Paduan and Vincentyne territories to the end that being vnited they might execute some notable enterprise But one only matter delayed their deseigne which was not to leaue the fort of Osof behind them the which was able to stop their victuals and aide comming forth of Germany Therefore they resolued to assaile it before they went on any farther and that which induced Frangipan to doe so was the hope hee had to take it as he had done the castle of Chiuse strong by sytuation the which the souldiers that kept it had yeelded vpon the only sight of the enemies without feare of reproach so as Osof being taken there was nothing that could stop their victuals or reliefe from Germany or hinder them from conquering the whole country of Friul But Sauorgnane trusting to the sytuation of the place and to the valour and courage of his soldiers al-be-it he had but an hundred foot and foure score crosbowes on horse-backe with some few peasants did hope to keepe and defend it in despight of all the enemies attempts The Almains then comming to encampe before Osof seated on the top of a steepe mountaine did batter it with their ordnance and gaue diuers assaults to it in vaine which made them resolue to winne it by a long seege hauing intelligence that they within it wanted water but God prouided for them for at the sametime there fell great store of raine wherewith they were aboundantly releeued In regard whereof the enemies renued the assault but all in vaine so as despayring to take it either by assault or by long seege they raised their campe Whilest these things were done in the Friull the Venetians affaires although they were not very peaceable in Lombardy did neuerthelesse suâ—…ceed more prosperously where Rance de Cera commanding Crema for the Venetians did performe sundry notable exploits notwithstanding that the Spaniards and Sforzas forces were encamped before the towne These things did greatly displease the Pope who as a deputed arbitrator sought to bring them to accord but he could find no meanes of agreement which might content both parties by reason that by the frequent alteration of matters hopes changing according to the successe thereof it happened that when the Emperour had giuen his consent to quit Vincenza reseruing Verona for himselfe the Venetians refused it vnlesse they might be repossessed of Verona and then when the Venetians being deiected were satisfied onely with Vincenza the Emperour would haue both or none The Pope being wearied with these difficulties al-be-it he doubted that his declaration would not be accepted was desirous neuerthelesse to shew that it was not his fault to pronounce his sentence after this manner That the Emperour should commit Vincenza into his hands in deposito and all that which the Spaniards and himselfe did possesse on the Paduan and Treuisan territories That the Venetians should doe the like by Crema That as for other matters each partie should hold those possessions they enioyed till the declaration which he pretended to make within a yeere of the conditions of the peace but that in the meane time armes should bee laied downe on both sides That each of them within a month should ratifie that sentence and that the Venetians in ratifying it should pay vnto the Emperor fiue and twenty thousand Ducats and within three months after other fiue and twenty thousand And if each of them did not ratifie it the sentence should be of no validity After this maner he gaue iudgement because he would not discontent any of the parties but this sentence came to nothing by reason that the Venetians would not ratifie it for their desire was to haue had the conditions of peace pronounced at the same time Therefore they returned to armes and determined to recouer the Friull wherevpon they sent Aluiana thither for that purpose with two hundred men at armes foure hundred light horse and seuen hundred foot who marching on the high way of Portonone where part of the Almains lay his light horse which scoured before met with captaine Rissan the Almain without the towne of whom wee haue heretofore spoken with two hundred men at armes and three hundred light horse and comming to handy-stroakes with them they had beene repulsed had not Aluiana arriued with the rest of his forces wherevpon beganne a furious fight the issue whereof was at the beginning doubtfull vntill that captaine Rissan being hurt in the face was taken by Malateste Sogliane for then his forces being broken escaped into Portonone and despayring of being able to hold it did speedily forsake it and betooke themselues to flight wherby the City was wholy spoiled and diuers people of the country were slaine Aluiana at his departure thence tooke the way of Osof which Frangipan had againe beseeged with the other part of the Almaines who hauing intelligence of Aluianas approach did soone dislodge hauing raced the fortes which he had built there abouts taking his iourney towards Germany but the Venetian light horse charging him on the taile he lost his baggage and artillery By meanes whereof the whole country in a manner returning to the Venetians obedience Aluiana hauing attempted in vaine to take Goritia returned forthwith to Padua with his forces Frangipan said that the same disorder was no fault of his but that being ill disposed of his person by reason of a blow on the head with a stone which hee had receiued at Osof he could not prouide for that which was necessary for the safe retreate of his army But being afterwards healed and running vp downe the neighbour mountaines to stirre vp new troubles and to leauy new forces he fell into an Ambuscado laied for him by Iohn Vitturi where he was taken and brought to Venice A man indeed very haughty and cruell and a great enemy to the Venetians and who by his ordinary incursions had for a long time greatly molested the country of Friull In regard of this fortunate successe wherein Sauorgnanes aide did greatly preuaile his fame and reputation was much encreased wherevpon the Senate for his deserts created him Earle of Belgrado and Osof for himselfe and his heires to the end that the memory of his valour might be knowne to posterity with foure hundred Ducats of yeerely reuenue forth of the publike treasury Now to returne to Aluiana the number of the Almains being encreased by his departure they tooke againe Cremona Montfalcon enforced the Venetians to remoue their seege from before Maâ—…an for the Venetians hauing intelligence that supplies arriued dislodged thence and retired in great hast Such alterations often happened in the country of Fâ—…iull in regard of the
army to Biagrassa whilest hee stayed there the Duke of Sauoy with the other commissioners whome the King had left at Verceill had made peace with the Swisses in the Kings name But this peace was almost in one day concluded and broken by the arriuall of new Swisses who being proud for their forepassed victories hoping to carry home with them as great wealth as they saw their fellowes laden with they would not heare tell of peace refusing to yeeld vp the valleis mentioned in the agreement so as by this breach of peace matters returned to their former difficulties and to much greater in regard of the Swisses new forces as also of those of the Viceroy and Lorenzo de Medicis who approched Milan Aluiana in the meane time sent word to the French King that he would so amuse the Spanish army as it should haue no meanes to hurt him and therefore so soone as hee vnderstood that the Viceroy was gone from Verona he left the Pollesin of Rouigo and hauing crossed the Adice he speedily came along the riuer Po with nine hundred men at armes foureteene hundred light horse and nine thousand foot with greate store of artillery neere to the walls of Cremona The King according to Aluianas letters came to Marignan to giue him more easie meanes to ioyne with the royall army and to stop the companies of the Church and Spaniards from doing the like with the enemies For it did greately import the king to haue the enemies force diuided in sundry places The King being come to Marignan stayed there and wrot to the Venetian Senate giuing them notice of his arriuall in Italy and of the fortunate successe of his affaires till then together with the hope hee had that his deseignes would prosper in regard that both their affaires were managed by one selfe-same Vnion and concord But in these interims Rance de Cera who had well demeaned him-selfe against the enemies being mooued with iealozy against Aluiana for that hee would not bee enforced to obey him as Generall if the armies should come to ioyne together craued leaue of the Venetians to depart who being not able to make them friends did freely graunt it Hee was a braue Captaine and could not abide any superior and Aluiana could not endure an equall by meanes whereof they could not agree together wherevpon hauing taken his leaue hee put him selfe into the Popes pay with two hundred men at armes and two hundred light horse Marke Antonio Colonna in the meane time who remayned for the gard of Verona made a sodaine sally with three thousand foot-men and about seauen hundred horse of all sorts and went and scoured the Vincentine Territory spoyling and wasting what-so-euer he met with Albeit this did trouble the Venetians yet could it not diuert them from their former determination which was that Aluiana should ioyne with the French army knowing well that if the French Kings affaires did prosper this could not doe amisse Foure armies were at one time in one country very neere to one another The French army was of forty thousand men among whome were fiue hundred men at armes chosen out of the French Nobillity excellently well armed and mounted who after they had seazed on Nouara and Paula were come to Marignan not farre from them lay the Venetian army of twelue thousand foot and three thousand horse which stayed at Lodi both armies being well stored with artillery Against these two were two other armies of the enemies who for the same reasons were enforced to remaine deuided one from another That of the Pope and the Florentines ioyned with the Spaniards was more esteemed for the old soldiers then for the great number and it was lodged neere to the Citty of Placentia on the banke of the riuer Po. The other was of Swisses which was said to bee forty thousand men who at the pursute and perswasion of the Cardinall of Syon kept the Citty of Milan which was well furnished with all necessaries This Cardinall returning from Placentia whither he was fled wondering that his country-men practized with the French king relying on great numbers of soldiers newly come which did fauor his party he came among them who were al in a manner diuided some of them not enduring to heare tell of war and others not of peace And causing them al to come together on a day he beganne with a very vehement and affectionate speech to incite them without any more delay to go forth the same day and assaill the French King and not to set so much before their eyes the number the enemies horse and artillery as to let it make them to forget the valour of the Swisses and the victories obtained by them against the French That it was not the artillery which gaue the victory but onely the prowesse and valour of the soldier And that besides the giuing of the victory which he assured them of they should consider the great wealth they were to get as well by the spoyle of the French army as by that of the whole state of Milan And therefore hee willed them to aduance their pikes with their vsuall courage and sound their drums and without delaying one houre of time to goe and vse their armes effectually and to glut them-selues with the bloud of those who by their pride would molest the whole world and by their basenesse doe euer become a prey to all men The Swisses beeing incited by these or such like speeches did furiously on a sodaine put on their armes and going forth of the Citty did put themselues in order of battaile and albeit it was neere night they marched towards the French Army with such courage as if they had already obtayned the victory notwithstanding that diuerse of their Captaines thought it great rashnesse and a very dangerous matter to assaile the enemy in his camp who was resolued for battaile But the Cardinall of Sion fearing least delay might produce somthing contrary to his deseignes and that as the desire of fight had easily enflamed their courages it might as easily be quenched by the remonstrance of their Captaines of the contrary part he gaue forth a false rumor among them that the French gathered togeather their baggage and prepared for their departure and that their vantgard was already forth of their Camp to goe and ioyne with the Venetian army to retire afterwards to beseege Milan wherevpon he exhorted them to make hast to surprize the enemy in disorder who little doubted thereof This exhortation was seconded by diuers Captaines of his faction who did greatly praise his councell and incited them to battaile going vp and downe the rankes making the like remonstrances wherewith the soldiers being encouraged marched on with a speedy pace towards the enemies Now the French being aduertized of the Suisses comming towards them albeit they were at the first greatly amazed as it happeneth in matters not foreseene nor premeditated they did
who were particularly vnder the command of Triuulce were seuen thousand foot and about fiue and twenty hundred horse as well men at armes as light horse-men and there staied with the Duke of Bourbon after the Kings departure foure thousand Gascon and Italian foot-men and seuen hundred men at armes Now all these forces being vnited together with the Swisses who were already said to be arriued at Iuree to the number of sixe thousand seemed to be sufficient to defend the State of Milan and to make all the Emperours attempts vaine and vnprofitable al-be-it the report was that his army consisted of fiue and twenty thousand which were no great good souldiers especially the Almaine foot who had beene leauied forth of his countries in hast and his Cauallery was well worse so as his best forces were Swisses whom the Emperour did well not to trust ouer much as well in regard of the Nature of that Nation which is variable and inconstant as for the small loue they beare to the house of Austria so as the Emperours forces being such the common opinion was to march against them as they approched neuerthelesse they resolued on the contrary and the whole army departing from the Bressan Territory came vpon that of Cremona whither the Duke of Bourbon a while before was come with all his Cauallery and foot intending there to stay for the Swisses who were not yet arriued and likewise to stop the enemies from passing on any farther The Emperour being come by Trent to Verona went and encamped before Asola which was garded by an hundred men at armes and foure hundred Venetian foot-men where hauing spent diuers daies to no purpose he was enforced to depart thence and crossed the Riuer Oglio at Orcinouo wherevpon the French and Venetians determined to raise their campe and hauing left three hundred Launces and three thousand foot-men in Cremona they retired on the farther side of the Riuer Adicé resoluing to stop his passage But the French and Venetians were scarce gonne from thence but the whole country which lieth betwixt the Riuers Oglio Po and Adda were at the Emperours deuotion Cremona and Crema excepted the one garded by French and the other by Venetians After that the Emperour had crossed Oglio he drew nere to the riuer Adda to passe it at Pisquetona and finding the passage there to be very difficult he came to Riuolta the French lying at Cassiana on the other side of the Riuer who by reason that the Swisses were not yet arriued and that the Adda might be foorded in many places they marched away the next day to Milan whereby the Lord of Lautrec purchaced small honour who had published and written to the King that he would with ease stop the Emperors passage ouer that Riuer Maximillian being mooued at this retreat crossed the Adda then he pursued his iourney and being come within sixe miles nere to Milan he sent an Herald to summon those of the City threatning the Milanois that if within three daies they did not chace thence the French army he would handle them in worse manner then Frederike Barbarossa his predecessor had done saying that he was come into Italy to receiue according to the custome of his Ancestors one of the markes of the Empire in the City of Milan and to driue thence and forth of all the confines of that State the French as vniust and vnlawfull possessors thereof They answered the Herald according to the pleasure of the French That the State of Milan being in times past a member of the Empire was by the consent of Emperors cut off from it for a summe of money giuen vnto them in regard whereof Emperors could no more lay any claime to it the which was lawfully possessed by Francis the French King as well for that it was his owne inheritance as being likewise wonne by right of armes and therefore that the Milanois would keepe that City for their lawfull Lord vnto whom they had sworne homage and fealty Notwithstanding this braue answere the whole City was filled with great amazement and their determinations were different Some were of opinion to abandon the City despayring of being able to resist the enemies others on the contrary reiecting that councell as too base would not depart but perswaded to tarry still and defend the City and the better to doe it they resolued to retaine all the foot-men in Milan with eight hundred Launces and to distribute the residue for the gard of the neighbour townes Neuerthelesse the first councell had beene followed had not André Gritti and Andrè Treuisan the Prouidators disswaded it who by meanes of their authority procured them not to make so much haste so that as they were ready to depart certaine newes arriued that the day following Albert Peter would be at Milan with ten thousand Swisses and Grisons These newes did encourage the Citizens and souldiers The Emperour in the meane time came and encamped at Lambre two miles from Milan whether he was no sooner come but the Swisses arriued at the City This comming gaue spirit to the French but greater terror to the Emperor For seeing the City to be strengthened with such a garrison he doubted not but that the seege would be long and painefull whereunto he himselfe had no meanes to tarry there long for want of money victuals and all other necessaries for a seege as also for that he did greatly suspect the fidelity of that Nation by reason of matters past and for that the French might easily winne them for some great summe of money the which himselfe could not doe in regard of his pouerty calling to minde beside what had befalne Lodouico Sforza at Nouara there hauing beene Swisses in his army and in that of the French his enemies he feared least they should play him the selfe same tricke as they had don to Sforza because he could not pay them The Emperour beeing troubled with these and other such like cogitations feare hauing mightily possessed him determined to leaue his army and to returne into Germany hauing caused it to be giuen forth that his departure was only to prouide money to pay his souldiers and that he would soone returne againe And in this resolution he went on his way with two hundred horse onely Now the souldiers of the campe perceiuing themselues to be forsaken of their captaine beganne to take a new party as their particular profit vrged them The Swisses went to Lodi which had yeelded to the Emperour when hee crossed the Adda where hauing wasted the country round about they spoiled the towne and had continued their rauaging had not the other Swisses that lay in Milan protested against them that if they did not abstaine from so doing that they with the French and Venetians would come and assaile them Vpon these threatnings they ceassed from spoyling and hauing remained peaceably there for certaine daies they returned home into their country some
battaill whome ignominiously he put to death openly hee made beside a great slaughter of those Mamaluks and thereby in a manner did wholy root out their name hee tooke Cairo which is a populous citty and the Soldans ordinary residence and in a short-time seased on all Suria and Aegypt Al these great victories and encreases of his Empire had not without cause giuen occasion to all Christian Princes to stand in awe of him and cheefel◅ the Venetians of whome hee pretended to demand a yeerely tribute of 8000. Ducats which the Kings of Cyprus were wont to pay to the Soldans of Aegipt in times before Now the Venetian Ambassadors being embarked at Venice did first touch at Cyprus and from thence they went to Damasco where Selim returning from his victories had wintered with al his army The Senate had expresly enioyned them to procure that the Venetian marchants who dwelt at Tripoli Alexandria Barath Damasco and other marchant places of those Prouinces might be maintayned there in the selfe same priuiledges which they were wont to enioy in former times graunted vnto them by the former Kings of Suria and Aegypt That it might like-wise bee lawfull for the Signory to haue their Magistrates in those places with the same authority they were wont to haue to doe iustice to their Cittizens in their strife about marchandize and other such like businesse Selim ayming at other ends did easily graunt it as wel for the desire he had to entertaine the Venetians friendship as to restore trafick to his new conquered Prouinces whereby great profit and commodity might redound to him At the same time for the same purpose an Ambassador was appointed to goe to Charles King of Spaine to the end that it might be lawfull for the Venetians to traffick thorow all the lands and signories newly fallen to him as they were wont to doe in the life time of King Fernand in Spaine because that his officers did seeme to make some difficulty in it in regard of the trade with Africke whereof it shall not not be impertinent to say some thing by the way The antient founders of the citty had speciall care that the cittizens of their new citty should exercize them-selues in voyages and sea-traffick to bee able by their vertuous industry to encrease their domesticke meanes and faculties and make themselues knowne to forraine nations The situation of their citty inuited them there-vnto because the Inhabitants had not they any inheritāces wheron to busie themselues Whervpon they decreed diuers ships should traficke into sondry places of Christendome and of the Infidells in which they sent diuers gentlemen to learne them nauigation and other matters belonging to the sea some of whome remained for a time among those forraine nations and cheefely wher there was greatest trading negotiating for themselues and others whereby besides the greate wealth which they purchased they made themselues fit by experience for great maters so as returning afterwards to Venice they readyly executed all matters committed to them Now the places whether these vessels which were commonly called shippes of traffick vsed to goe at their departure from Venice was first into Sicily to the Citty of Saragossa from thence to Tripoli in Barbary and hauing coasted the Iland of Gerbes they passed on to Tunis from thence they directed their course to the realme of Tremisen staying cheefely at Tusen and at Mega two excellent Marchant townes called at this day Ona and Orana Then they went to diuers places of the Kingdome of Marocco and touching at all the hauens of Barbery which were antiently comprized vnder the Prouinces of Mauritania and Numidia they sailed into Spaine But their traffick was very different for at their departure from Venice they carried to the Affrican Moores sondry kindes of mettalls and woollen cloathes which they sould there then comming into Spaine they bought sondry kinds of merchandize as silk wool graine and other things which they found in the contrey with which being laden they returned to Venice This traffick then being interrupted by the difficulties which the agents of the new King of Spaine did set abroach and by reason of other accidents that did happen is wholly lost But to returne to our discourse the Venetians perceiuing that a great part of the time of truce betwixt the Emperour and them was spent they thought it necessary to come to some new agreement with him the which the Pope desired and that it might be by his meanes at Rome But the Venetians trusting more to the most Christian King referred the whole matter to him and made means that the Emperour should to that end send his Ambassadors into France who comming thither and concluding no peace the truce by the Kings meanes was prolonged betwixt them for fiue yeares on condition that for euery of the fiue yeares they should pay twenty thousand crownes to the Emperour The occasion of this truce was because that the Pope being mooued by the Turkes fortunate successe beganne to thinke on other milder matters he sent Breefs to all Christian Princes putting them in mind of the danger which threatened them requesting them that all discords and contentions being layd aside they would speedily prouide for the defence of Christian religion and for their common safety the which was exposed to very great dangers vnlesse that they being vnited together did transport the warre into Turky in regard of the encrease of Selims Empire and his great desire of rule and soueraignty which would prouoke him at last to oppresse all other Princes as he had done by the Souldan of Egipt and the Mamalucks These things being by the Pope represented to the Venetians as well as to other Christian Princes were cause that the Venetians consented to the truce as hath beene said made by the French King betwixt the Emperour and them seeing that peace could be hardly concluded on to the end they would not seeme by their refusall to turne away so great a good from all Christendome But as for the popes proposition made particularly vnto them to take Armes against Selim they answered that when they should see matters set foreward and ernestly pursued the Venetian Senate would be more ready for that enterprize then any else and would neuer faile of their duty knowing very well how much it did import them not only in regard of the common interest of all Christendome and for the Popes entreaties and exhortation as because their Sea-state did border vpon that mighty enemy the which he would in a moment assaile and molest with all outrages before the Confederates Army would be ready to enter into his Contrey Soone after this treaty of truce the Emperour Maximilian fell sick and dyed at Lynx in the be◅inning of the yeare 1519. which is a towne seated on the marches of Austria his death being knowne to the soldiers that lay in Garrison at Gradisca and Maran they sallied foorth vppon the lands belonging
the meane time their hapned a great disorder at Rome to the cofederates great preiudice who after the conquest of Cremona hoped to preuaile in the enterprise of Genoa and to bee able according to the proiects formerlie made to encampe in two seuerall places before Milan For the Colonnesi hauing assembled sixe hundred horse and fiue thousand foot marched with greate speed towards the Citty of Rome where no man thinking of their comming they entred by night and seazed vpon three gates then running vp and downe the Citty they sackt diuers Prelats houses the Pallace and Church of Saint Peter without any respect to the Maiesty of Relligion esteeming sacred matters lesse then Turkes would haue done so as the Pope could hardly retire with some Cardinalls and others whome hee most trusted into the Castle Saint Angelo the Colonnesi hauing determined to take him prisoner who without any long stay did sodainely leaue the Citty the Cardinall Colonna hauing first of all attempted in vaine to cause the people to rise in his behalfe They carried away with them in gould and siluer and other commodities more then three hundred thousand crownes The tumult being appeased which lasted not much aboue three howers D. Hugo after that he had taken assurance of the Pope went to the Castle to talk with him where vsing termes beseeming a Conqueror hee enforced him to grant a truce betwixt them as well in his name as in that of the confederates and the Emperors for foure monethes by meanes whereof the Pope promised speedily to cause his Army to repasse the Po to call home his Galleis into the Churches territories and to pardon the Colonessi and all others that had any hand in that assault and tumult That the Imperials and Colonesi with their Companies should depart from Rome and foorth of the Churches state and should retire themselues into the Kingdome of Naples This truce was for the time present willingly embraced by both sides by the Pope because the Castle was not well victualled by D. Hugo the Colonesi neuerthelesse making instance to the contrary because it seemed vnto him that he had done much for the Emperor and because that all those in a manner with whom he had entred Rome being laden with spoile were slipt away into diuers places The truce did interrupt all the deseignes of Lombardy and the whole fruite of the victory of Cremona But the Pope thinking afterwards more considerately and with a setled iudgement vpon the agreement which he had made and foreseeing into how many dangers he had throwne himselfe in time to come the better to free himselfe from those perrils wherevnto he was subiect if he should obserue the Articles of the truce wrote to his Nuncios to enquire of the most Christian King and the Venetian Senate whether he were bound to performe that which he had beene enforced to promise to D. Hugo or wholly to reiect it and within a while after he sent the Lord of Liege into France for the same purpose who at the same time was come to Rome The Pope knew very well that to obserue the truce was nothing else but to giue the Emperor meanes and time to beginne afterwards a greater and fiercer warre and to ouercome by that delay those difficulties wherewith he was pressed assuring to himselfe in the end his states in Italy to the great danger and hazard of the liberties of all the rest But his immeasurable feare diuerted him from al good councell and hindred him from well discerning that truth wherevppon the Generall of the Friers being come to Rome by the Emperors commandement to treat of peace he heard him attentiuely and exhorted the Venetians to incline to an accord saying That since they were of necessity one day to lay downe armes and beeing then inuited to doe so they ought not to contemne the occasion that was presented The Senate vpon this proposition assuted him that it had neuer desired warre but had on the contrary by warre procured an assured peace so that it might be treated and concluded by the most Christian King because that doing otherwise they should for euer alienate him from the affaires of Italy and should lose a most assured refuge in their necessities and occurrences therefore they vsed meanes to induce the Pope to temporize and to expect an answer from France that nothing did presse him to precipitate his affaires and to grant the Emperors demand on such vniust conditions as to giue him a great somme of money and besides to consigne into his hands for the assurance of the treaty Parma Placentia and Ciuita-uechia places most important of the Churches State That he was to consider that the Emperors forces were not so great as they were reported and that the greatest ayde that he had forth of Germany came from George Frâ—…ndsperg who at his owne charges had brought him an army the which beeing not able to hold out long would of necessity be shortly broken That the Garrison of Milan beeing not paid refused to obey hir commanders and would be gone On the contrary how that they expected Rance de Cera from France with a great somme of money and that there was great hope that the King himselfe who was come as farre as Lyons would in person come into Italy That the enterprize of Genoa was set forward with good successe in a word that all things promised an happy issue The Pope being vrged by these remonstrances and most of all perhaps by the wrongs which he had newly receiued resolued to hold in suspence the practizes of that new truce and to treat onely of an vniuersall peace by the aduise and consent of the most Christian King The arriuall of the Lord Russell did much auaile the resolution who beeing sent by the King of England to offer thirty thousand crownes to the Pope for the expence of the war came at the same time to Rome who did greatly solicite and exhort him to continue stead-fast in the league or else to labour to conclude an vniuersall peace betwixt the Princes of Christendome the which being approued by the Venetian Senate they wrote to Nouagiero their Ambassadour with the Emperour that he should enterpose that treaty of peace it being decreed that the agreement should bee treated and concluded in France and should afterwards for the Emperors honour and dignity be ratified and confirmed by him in Spaine The chiefe pointes of the treaty were That the children of the most Christian King should be set at liberty that Lombardy should be left peaceable and Francis Sforza restored to his State and that the Emperour should pay the King of England that which he pretended to bee due vnto him but difficulties dayly arising vpon these articles each of them prepared on a sodaine for warre The Pope sent his troupes which he had recalled from the campe of the league before the townes which the Colonesi had vsurped vpon the Churches State The
the other side sought to enter into the Churches territories to defend those of the Colonnesi and to enforce the Pope to disioyne himselfe from the league and to giue him a certaine summe of money for the payment of his army wherevpon he set foreward and came with twelue thousand men before Frossolona where he encamped which is a towne very weake and seated in the Champaine countâ—…y the houses of particular persons seruing in stead of walles within which neuerthelesse the captaines of the Church had left a strong Garrison to keepe him from any sure footing in that country At his first comming he beganne to batter the towne not giuing any assault to it afterwards But the arriuall of Rance de Cera and Alessandrâ—… Vitelli with the Churches forces which were much encreased by the Popes dilligence who had augmented his campe with great numbers of foot-men paied and commanded for the reliefe of that place was the cause that after certaine skirmishes on either side the viceroy raised his campe two houres before day and set fire to certaine munitions which were left leauing there behind him some bullets for great ordnance and retired to Cesenna and from thence to Cepparane This fortunate successe encouraged the Pope and at the entreaty of the confederates Ambassadors whom he could not otherwise satisfie he resolued to execute the enterprize of the Kingdome of Naples notwithstanding that it was in the middest of winter being the month of Ianuary in the yeere 1527. The Venetians for this purpose commanded Augustine de Mulla their Prouidator in the nauall army to bring it to Ciuitauecchia and ioyning there with the Popes gallies to saile together towards Naples But the French army tarrying to long that of the Venetians sailed towards Terracina to take in three thousand foot conducted by Horatio Baillon who was freed by the Pope from his imprisonment wherein Pope Leo had confined him At the same time the Earle of Vaudemont came from France to make one in the enterprize of Naples which they resolued to enuade by sea and land who determining to imbarke himselfe in the Venetian gallies they re-enforced their army with two thousand foot Rance de Cera in an other place against the Popes will entred into Abruzzo with sixe thousand men where by the meanes of the Earle of Montorias children he did hope with ease to take Aquila the which he forthwith did by reason that Ascanio Colonna fled from thence so soone as he had intelligence of their arriuall Doria likewise sailed before with his gallies and went and assailed Pozzola a place very important for the confederates in regard of the commodiousnesse of the hauen of Baja but being at his first arriuall repulsed by the artillery he dislodged from thence without assailing it afterwards other gallies of the league arriuing they resolued to assaile the sea Burrow of Stabia where Diomede Caraffa lay with fiue hundred footmen the which was taken by assault on the third day towards the side of the hill and the day after the castle yeelded The tenth day the souldiers tooke the Greeke tower and Surrenta by force diuers other places on the coast did within a while after yeeld on composition They had before then taken certaine ships laden with corne which were going to Naples where victuals were very scarce Now the army of the league finding no resistance at sea it came so neere to the Peere of Naples as the castle and the gallies plaied vpon it with their shot It was then consulted on whether it were necessary to beseege the city some saying that by the taking thereof the warre would be ended they hauing taken from the enemies all meanes to come by money for the entertainement of their army as also because their greatest hope of being able to keepe that State consisted in the conseruation of that city the which being lost they would forth-with leaue the Kingdome and retire to some other place Diuers reasons might incite them to that seege First of all the small numbers of souldiers which were in the city and yet that small number not well disposed to put themselues forward to dangers for the maintenance of the insolent Dominion of the Spaniards Secondly the Nobility stood badly affected to the Spaniards who for feare of loosing their goods durst not shew their discontent and last of all the Viceroys absence who was farre from thence and the small expectation which the Spaniards had of any speedy releefe from their fellowes Others who weare of a contrary opinion thought it best to â—…arry for Rance de Cera the better to shut in that city with greater forces on which they knew the whole end and successe of the warre depended to the end to proceed therein more considerately and with greater hope the delaying of a small time could not but prooue very commodious to them because they certainely knew that there was want of bread in the city and if succors did enter into it the scarcity would thereby be the more augmented and would be cause of the people 's disordered rising which would open a more easie passage to their victory and that therefore it behoued them in wayting for such an occasion to saile towards Salerno to seize on that city and others neere adioyning whereby Naples it selfe would at last be brought vnder their obedience But these reasons being not much approued nor thought worthy to be equaled with the profit which was to bee hoped for by the then taking of that City they resolued to send an Herald to summon those within it to yeeld the city to the consederates with the promises and threatnings determined in the councell Don Hugo of Moncada who commanded there and held the people in awe determining to defend himselfe so soone as he had notice that the army of the league was within foure miles of the City tooke two thousand fiue hundred foote as well of the Garrison as of the people and three hundred horse and with them marched forth of the City to shew that he wanted no courage to frustrate the enemies deseignes Those of the league â—…ad already landed diuers souldiers vnder the command of the Earle of Vaâ—…demont and Horatio Baillone who marching towards the City to make discouery met with Don Hugo his troupes and skirmishing together they did put them to flight in such disorder as they left certaine field-peeces behind them which Moncada hauing made a stand with his Spaniards recouered and by reason thereof hauing delaied his retreat he was so amazed as he had not the leisure at his entry to plucke vp the draw-bridge and to shut the gate the which standing open was on a sodaine seized by Baillone who followed him at the heeles hauing no great numbers of souldiers with him and considering that if hee should enter he could not keepe them from the spoile which would cause them all to be cut in peeces he retired to the gallies which
opinion to passe on nofarther with the army the which was allowed almost by all the other Captains and therefore hee did speely aduertize the Senate saying that for to releeue the Castle it behooued him to haue greater forces then he then had and in particularizing them he did affirme that to draw the Pope from thence there ought to bee in the army the number of sixteene thousand Swisses leuied by a decree of the Cantons not accounting those that were already there and besides the Swisses tenne thousand Italian Harqueguziers three thousand Pioners and fourtie peeces of ordnance These newes did greatly displease the Venetians in regard of the delaying of matters and of the Popes troubles and wearysomenesse which was much encreased by reading of a letter written by the Pope to his Liuetenant Guicciardyne who sent it to the Senate by the which hee entreated solicited and coniured the confederates by all meanes to procure his deliuerance The Senate therefore hauing heard of the opposition and hinderance made by the Prouidator Vitturi concerning the approach of the army neere to Rome discharged him of his office and being called home to Venice he was committed to the Auogario there to yeeld an account of his actions The Senate in the meane time insisting more earnestly in the same resolution to releeue the Pope and to draw him from thence wrote to the Generall and to the Prouidators to vse all meanes possible for that purpose to approach neere to the Castle the which the Generall refusing chose rather to giue ouer his place which the Senators tooke in bad part but after that the one and the other of them were appeased they confirmed him in the place of Generall for two yeares more The French on the other side greatly detesting the Popes imprisonment and enuying the Spaniards fortunate successe made great preparations of warre the King making account to come to Lyons to take order for the affaires of war hauing first commanded fifteene thousand Swisses to be leuied and tenne thousand Italian foote And that hee might like-wise haue a nauall army for that purpose hee tooke Andre Doria to his pay with eight Gallies and promised to giue him a yearely entertaynement of sixe and thirty thousand crownes and appointed the Lord of Lautrec Captaine Generall of all the troupes by land where-with the Venetians being highly pleased did the more to honour him appoint Petro Pesare Procurator of Saint Marke their Ambassador who should meet him at his comming into Italy and waite vpon him wheresoeuer hee went The Imperialls in the meane time that were in Rome albeit that their number was much encreased by the arriuall of the Spaniards that came from Naples finding them-selues to bee foure and twenty thousand foote tooke their leisure enioying with ease the wealthy spoyles that they had gotten at the sacke of the Citty their Captaines beeing not able neither to cause them to come fourth of the towne nor yet to restraine their vnbrideled licence two companies alone of Lancequenets leauing the Citty went and spoyled Terni and Narni going on no farther not-with-standing that the Confederates army was farre enough of for those of the league hauing lost their hope of the enterprize of Rome the Venetians following the Marquis of Salusses and all the French went and encamped on the confines of the Siennois to assure thereby the Florentines Territories and to bring them to this passe the which they did to ratifie the league and to entertaine fiue thousand foote in the army at their owne charges wherein they shewed them-selues so much the more willing and ready by how much they were neere vnto danger the Imperiall Captaines threatning to turne their forces vpon them being displeased with them for that in the beginning of the Popes misfortune they had made some shew to follow the Emperors party and yet after-wards had cleaued to his enemies The Venetian forces did at that time consist of sixe thousand Italian footemen two thousand Lancequenets thirteene hundred light horse and two thousand men at armes and the French Infantery was not aboue seauen thousand foote-men albeit the King paid a greater number But the great dearth of victuall and the sharpe diseases which did dayly decrease the army did hinder them from enterprizing any matter By reason whereof the enemies forces being encreased and those of the league diminished the Pope hauing lost all hope of speedy releef did wholly incline to practizes of agreement and hoping to haue a better composition of the Viceroy who was at Sienna he sent for him and by the same meanes entreated the Duke of Vrbin to suffer him safely to come to Rome The Viceroy went willingly and in great hast to the army not so much for the Popes profit as for the hope he had to be made General therof But being arriued at Rome whither he came by a safe conduct of the Captains of the league he had notice that the Lancequenets and Spaniards wisht him no good who after the Duke of Bourbons death had chosen the Prince of Orange for their Generall so as he had not the courage to speake of any agreement with the Pope but much lesse to tarry there for being not gracious in the eyes of the army he had no more authority neither in the affaires of warre nor in the treaty of agreement with the Pope who at the last being banckrout of all hope did on the sixth day of Iune make an agreement with the Imperialls on the same conditions in a manner as he might before then haue decreed vpon with them That the Pope should pay vnto the army foure hundred thousand Ducats should deliuer to the Emperor to keepe so long as he should thinke good the Castle of Saint Angelo the Forts of Ostia Ciuitauechia and Ciuitacastelane with the Citties of Placentia Parma and Modena For the accomplishment of which matters the Pope being not yet wholly set at liberty was to remaine prisoner in the Castle with the Cardinalls that were with him who were thirteene in number vntill the army had receiued the first paiment which was of one hundred and fifty thousand Ducats and that afterwards they should goe to Naples or Gayetta to expect in that place how the Emperour would determine of them This manner of proceeding did greatly displease the Venetians but the Pope fearing his owne life because of the Colonesi and the Lancequenets was enforced to allow of this agreement albeit that it was very preiudicial to him whervpon the Venetians hoping that time might bring them better fortune determined to keepe the Citty of Cremona and to that end caused the army which they had in Lombardy neere to Crema to crosse foorthwith the riuer Adda to put a Garrison into that Citty and to hinder the consignation of the others by breaking the condition agreed vpon and by spoyling the Contrey neere to Milan and Pauia to molest and weaken the Imperialls Now the Castle
of Saint Angelo was by this accord foorth-with yeelded to Captaine Alarcon who entred it with three companies of Spanish footmen and three companies of Lancequenets appointed to guard the Castle and the Pope But the other townes and Castles that were promised were not so easily consigned by reason that the Castle of Ciuita Chastelane was guarded by the Confederates and Aadrew Doria refused to deliuer vp that of Ciuitauechia vnlesse he were first paied fourteene thousand Ducats which he said was due vnto him for his entertainment Parma and Placentia on the other-side abhorring the Spanish gouernment refused to receiue them and those of Modena were reduced vnder the obedience of the Duke of Ferrara who making vse of the Popes calamity threatning the Modenois to spoile their corne which was almost ripe did enforce them to deliuer vp the citty into his handes The Confederates army remained quiet without attempting any thing expecting the arriuall of the Lord of Lautrec who was said to be already in Piedmont with great forces both of horse and foot albeit the Captaines in the meane time were of sondry opinions some thinking that being vnited with the French it would be best for them to march directly to Rome where they should find the Imperiall army in such disorder as they might easily set the Pope at li berty by reason that it was much diminished as well by the contagious sicknesse which was in the Citty as by the ouer-much licence which the Soldiers had taken for certaine monethes space liuing without al order and without any martiall discipline some of them being lodged in the Citty and others heere and there abroad and that diuers of them beeing disbanded went their waies daily without any leaue whereby they might with ease driue those few from Rome that remayned behind Those of the contrary opinion thought that for the effecting of that deseigne it were better to scoure the state of Milan beeing neere thereunto to enforce the Imperials to leaue Rome and to come to the defense thereof which might prooue either to slow or insufficient to stoppe the current of the victory wherby they might at one time execute diuers fortunate exploits and perhaps giue an end to the warre This being alowed by all men and propounded to the Lord of Lautrec at his arriuall he entred into the state of Milan with eight thousand Suisses three thousand Gascons and tenne thousand footmen conducted by Pedro of Nauarre and went and encamped before the towne of Bosco on the marches of Alexandria where was a Garrison of a thousand footmen the most of whom were Lancequenets who after they had for the space of tenne dayes sustained the battery and sundry assaults did at the last yeeld themselues at the discretion of the Victor This conquest was followed by that of Alexandria whither the Lord Lautrec came afterwards and encamped wherin lay fifteene hundred footmen who being molested at one time both by the Artillery and the mynes were enforced to yeeld their liues and goods beeing saued But the taking of Alexandria was cause of the beginning of some contention betwixt the confederates For the Lord of Lautrec being desirous to leaue fifteene hundred footmen in Garrison there to the end that at al euents his owne companies might haue one place of retreat and those which should come from France finde some comodiousnesse of meeting there the Duke of Milans Ambassador fearing that it would be the beginning of an occasion to possesse that State for his King opposed him-selfe against it the like did the Ambassadors of England and Venice wherevpon Lautrec agreed not without indignation to leaue it freely to the Duke of Milan a matter which did afterwards greatly preiudice the leagne Now Lautrec after the conquest of Alexandria propounded that he would march to Rome to free the Pope from imprisonment who although he had agreed as hath beene said with the Almaines and Spaniards did neuerthelesse still remaine a prisoner vnder their guard vntill that he had accomplished the articles of the agreement as wel for payment of the money as for the consignation of the aboue mentioned townes where-in were found sundry difficulties wherevppon the Emperor did not there-in shew him-selfe well disposed nor resolute although by his speech he sought to haue all men to beleeue the contrary But the Venetians did wholy dislike of Lautrecs proposition not that they stood lesse affected to the Popes enlargement then did the King but because they thought the enterprise of Rome lesse profitable for the common cause then that of Milan as it had beene debated before his comming and afterwards confirmed by himselfe that there was at the same time great hope of beeing able to conquer Pauia and Milan where there were weake Garrisons and that Antonio de Leua who by his dilligence and skill more then by force did gouerne that State lay greeuously sicke and was vnable to prouide remedies that losing this opportunity the affaires of the league would euer afterwards decline in regard of the huge number of Lancequenets that were ready to come down from the County of Tiroll into Lombardy But by taking Milan from them which was their only retreat and hauing neither cauallery nor victualls they would be enforced to change their mindes and to tarry at home in their houses that in the meane space it would giue time and leisure to tenne thousand Almaines payd by the King of England to come to the campe of the league and afterwards they might with those forces march to Rome and driue the enemies before them assuring together with the Churches State the libertye of all Italy The Lord of Lautrec inclining to their request determined to march towards Pauia before which with great speed he went and encamped the releefe which Antonio de Leua sent not beeing able to enter it the which being battered for the space of foure daies and a great part of the wall beaten downe the soldiors making ther approches did enter it by the breach The Citty was sackt and the French for eight daies together vsed all sorts of cruelty vpon the inhabitants who had vanted that they had beene the vanquishers of the French King because that King Francis was taken prisoner lying at the seege of the same Citty The Genowais at the same time being afflicted with sundry losses and calamities and cheefely with famine sent Ambassadors to the Lord Lautrec for to capitulate The Citties Duke whose name was Antonio Adorni retired him-selfe into the Castellet and the tumult being appeased by Phillip Doria who was prisoner there the Citty returned vnder the Kings obedience who appointed Theodario Triuulcio gouernor thereof and the Venetians because they would not leaue their Captaines vnrecompenced who had valiantly behaued themselues in the reduction of Genoa they encreased to Caesar Fregosa the conductof other thirty men at armes and doubled his pay they did like-wise acknowledge the valour and prowesse of Guy
be very conuenient for the affaires of the league beeing as it were the only Gate of Italy through which the Spaniards might enter by Sea to molest them and therfore they wished that it were at the deuotion of the French King their friend and especially at that time when the report was that the Emperor was in person cōming into Italy wherevpon they secretly exhorted the Genowaies to returne againe vnder the protection of the most Christian King as of a most mighty and meeke Prince For they could not at that time execute their desire by open force as well for the place where they wintered the which was very sharpe and difficult in Winter as for the small number of their army which was much diminished by sundry accidents and albeit they were aduertized of the great scarcity of victuals in Milan how that Antonio de leua lay sick and his Army much weakened all which were goodly occasions where on ◅o enterprize some great and notable exploit they durst not for all that in regard of the smalnesse of their forces goe forth into the field to execute any thing beeing in feare likewise of the discommodities that commonly grow in winter The Venetians were else where in great care for the townes which they possessed in Puglia which at all times both in peace and wa◅re were very commodious for them they held Trani and Monopoli and the French Barletta the others beeing abandoned these were kept and yet not without great difficulty since the route of the French Army by the dilligence of the Prouidator Vitturi who beeing aduertised at the siege of Mansridonia where hee lay of the disaster before Naples hee sent speedily by Sea a certaine number of footmen into garrison into those townes to keepe them in th◅ir duty Camillo Vrsino lay in Trani and Gioua◅ni Conrado Vrsino in Monopoli and Rance de Cera who was the Kings Lieutenant in the Prouince was retired to Barletta The Venetians then beeing very carefull to keepe those places and hoping to bee able not onely to resist the enemy and to keepe the warre farre from their owne State but likewise to make some progression in regard of the enemies letts determined to send reliefe thither as well of victuals and all sorts of munitions as of Soldiors by encreasing the Garrison with sixe hundred footmen leuyed in Dalmatia in the middest of Winter by the Prouidator Mula who hauing brought them into Puglia went back on a sodaine with his Galleis to Cor◅ou there to repaire and encrease the nauall Army to the end afterwards to ioyne it with that of the French King which was making ready at Marseilles that both of them together might oppose themselues against the Imperialls sea-forces which were reported to bee very great at Barcelona and were comming to ioyne with those of Doria The Pope in the meane time continuing his former pursutes concerning the rendring of the Citties of Rauenna and Ceruia caused the French King to send the Vicount Turenne to Venice to intreate them in some sort to sa◅isfie the Pope by yeelding vp those Citties which hee demanded The Senate making shew of nothing more then to please the King did represent to the Ambassador their iust ti◅les to them hauing receiued Rauenna of Obizzo Polente Lord thereof more then foure hundred yeares since and that Ceruia was fallen to the Republick by the testament of Dominico Malateste by the payment of cert◅ine godly Legacies which they yeerely continued by accomplishing the Testators will How that if they had beene desirous to possesse Townes beelonging to other men they would not haue refused the offers of those of Fu◅ly and of other Citties of Romagnia who were desirous to bee vnder their obedience they would not besides haue defended nor maintained with great cost and danger the Citty of Bolognia and others belonging to the Pope nor haue kept them for him that those Citties had beene taken at such time as the Pope had quitted the League and that they might now for the same occasion iustly detaine them Moreouer that they had spent a great masse of treasure in that warre which those Citties were not able to recompence That the King was to consider how much it might import him if those so commodious Citties should bee quitted by his friends and consederates to bee g◅uen to the Pope who stood badly affected towards the Crowne of France nay euen into the very hands of the Imperialls seeing that it was apparent that the Pope eyther by his owne proper motion or through feare did wholy depend vppon the Emperour that hee was beside to consider of their interest and the wrong which would bee offered to the other Consederates to the Florentines and to the Duke of Ferrara who vndoubtedly would bee greatly distasted thereby and would coole that heate which pusheth them foreward to the affaires of the league and moreouer how that those townes did presently serue for a bridle to containe the Pope in his dutye seeing that without them he would already haue openly shewed him-selfe a friend to the Emperor The Vicount giuing place to all these reasons went to Rome to the Pope were for to compose the businesse he propounded sundry offers to his Holinesse namely that those townes might be enfeoffed to the Signory of Venice with a certaine annuall acknowledgment as diuers others belonging to the Church had beene or that they might be sequestred by the French King to dispose thereof as he should thinke fitte These propositions beeing made to the Senate were neither accepted nor wholly reiected but calling to mynde the Republicks benifits to the Church and what it had done for the seruice of Popes they seemed to repose great trust in his Holinesse wisdome how that himselfe might find some honest remedy for that difficulty and in this vncertainty of businesse ended the yeare one thousand fiue hundred twenty and eight The begining of the yeare following did shew great signes of beeing disposed to peace and of feare likewise of new trobles but the discontent and wearisomnesse of Princes caused the Confederates to procee◅ slowly in their prouisions of warre wherevpon as well by reason of the speech of peace as for the sharpnesse of the winter all military factions ceafed The Emperor spake openly that he desired nothing more then an vniuersall peace and especially to fit himselfe to the Princes of Italy and to these ends had sent the Cardinall of Santa Cruz for this was the Generall of the Friars title to Rome to treat of peace and to cause Hostia and Ciuitauechia to be surrendred to the Pope The French King who wished nothing more sent a commission to his Ambassadors and the King of England sent Ambassadors to Rome for the same purpose as vnto whom it alone appertained to conclude this treaty The Venetians did the like by giuing ample power to Gasparo Contaren their Ambassador in the court of Rome whereby he was inioyned to follow the
should obtaine it at his owne priuat request it importing him so highly as hee could not otherwise redeeme his children from the Emperor who were one day to succeed him in the Kingdome The Senate answered that it did still continue in that good will and affection which it had euer borne to the King and Crowne of France the Republike being in a manner ioyned to that Kingdome by an indissoluable band in regard of sundry faire reciprocall offices and common interests that they could not deny but that they had greatly desired to haue beene comprehended in that accord made with the Emperor not so much for the prouiding for their owne safety as for to take away all suspition that they were in any fault or that the Common-wealth had not sound intelligence and correspondeâ—…cy with the Crowne of France Yet neuer-the-lesse they did so much rely vpon the Kings goodnesse and wisdom as they hoped by his interposing of his authoritie with the Emperor to obtaine peace and assurance which they so much desired But concerning the restitution of the Citties of Puglia it was euident that they were not tyed to doe it by any bond seeing that the King had concluded peace without comprehending them therein hauing thereby absolued them from the bond of the Confederacy by which was expresly mentioned that the King could not make any accord withouâ—… them Yet they neuer-the-lesse desired to giue him therein some satisfaction but hee was to tarry for some opportunity how to doe it seeing that the deliuery of my Loâ—…ds his children was to bee made within two moneths by which time they hoped to finde some meanes to compose the strife betwixt the Emperoâ—… and them whereby the same businesse might in like manner by the same meanes be finished to the Kings content Vpon this answer the King dispatcht the Admirall into Italy to exhort him to vniuersall peace and cheefely to make an accord with the Venetians by meanes whereof hee hoped to bee able to accomplish the conditions of the Treaty of Cambray by causing the Citties of Puglia to be rendered to him hauing already for his part begun that which belonged vnto him to execute by commanding Rance de Cera with all his companies to depart forth of Puglia hauing consigned into the hands of the Emperors commissioners all the places which hee held in his name in the Realme of Naples by perswading like-wise the Venetian officers to doe the like But they being before aduertized of the Senates intention had refused so to doe At this stay stood the affaires of Italy at that time The Emperor being in armes and very mighty the Pope his friend and Confederate the other Potentates of Italy being in a manner ready to obay him and the French wholy chaced forth of Italy for albeit they had not as yet layde downe their armes it was neuer-the-lesse mentioned in the Treaty that the King should no more medle with the affaires of Italy nor Germany in the behalfe of any Potentates to the preiudice of the Emperor The Venetians alone in the middest of so many difficulties made preparations to resist the Emperor if so be that he were desirous as it was thought he would bee to seaze vpon the State of Milan therefore their confederacy being broken with all others they did newly reuiue it with Francis Sforza exhorting him to take courrage and to hope well meaning in his behalfe to employ all their forces The end of the eighth Booke of the fifth Decade The Contents of the ninth Booke of the fifth Decade FIRST Soliman taketh Armes to restore Iohn Vayuode into the kingdome of Hungary with the taking of Belgrade The insurrection of the Hereticks in Germany A motion of peace betwixt the Emperor and the Venetians The enteruiew of the Pope and the Emperor at Bolognia Accord betwixt the Emperor and the Duke of Milan Accord made betwixt the Emperor and the Venetians Warre against the Florentines Pope Clement crowneth the Emperor at Bolognia Confederacy betwixt the Pope the Emperor the Venetians and the Duke of Milan The Marquisat of Mantua is made a Dutchy The Venetians send Ambassadors to Constantinople to be present at the Circumcision of Solimans children being by him entreated to that end The Almains demand a councell and the Popes answer therevnto The Emperor graunteth the Interim in Germany concerning religion vntill a councell were called Solimans great deseigns against Christendome The Venetians make great preparations and stand vpon their gard The Venetians resolue to remaine newter in the warre betwixt the Emperor and Soliman The Kings of France and England determine to make warre vpon the Emperor Soliman returneth into Hungary with a great army The Emperor commeth likewise with a great Army neere to the Citty of Vienna there to tarry for the Turke The Nauall Armies of the Emperor and Soliman Coron and Patras are taken by the Imperial army The Duke of Ferrara recouereth Modena Regio A second enteruiew of the Pope and Emperor at Bolognia The Venetians refuse to renew the league being satisfied with the former and not meaning to adde anything to it And lastly a new league concluded betwixt the Pope the Emperor and all the Potentates of Italy the Venetians excepted The Ninth Booke of the fifth Decade of the Historie of Uenice WHILEST Italy was in alarme by reason of the Emperors arriuall with such great prouisions Soliman the Turkish Emperor resolued to restore Iohn Vayuode King of Hungary to his Kingdome from whence Fernand had expulsed him and being entired to this end with a mighty army vpon the Confines of Hungary he came and encamped before Buda which he tooke with ease then hee caused his Cauallery to scoure the Champaine Country of Austria spoyling all places that were subiect to the Arch duke threatening him that hee would within a while after encampe with all his forces before Vienna Wherevpon hee caused great preparations of victualls and warlike engins to be made to send them thither by Danuby These newes did greatly trouble the Emperor perceiuing that it concerned his reputation and the safety of the States of the Empire not to suffer so mighty an enemy to come so neere him besides the trouble and care whereto his brother was reduced whilest hee busied him-selfe in matters of meaner consequence as spectator of the eminent dangers oâ—… his whole house and subiects This mischeefe was followed by an other as great for his brother aduertized him that the Sect of Hereticks did very much encrease in Germany that they were assembled in great troupes and made shew of great innouation and that if they were not speedily preuented by rooting them wholy out it was to bee feared that some great hurt would redound to the Catholike Religion which would preiudice the temporall States of Princes and cheefly those of the Empire These occasions being well weighed caused the Emperor to condescend to peace and to pursue it in effect the which desire at the
themselues likewise bee elected this authority is giuen them from their birth so as who-so-euer is borne of noble parents is noble and may at a certaine time and manner limitted by the lawes enter into the great councell where the ordinary electon of Magistrates is made Into this ranke are receiued either those who hauing beene the cheefe inhabitants of the Citty and most famous for vertue and wealth haue from the beginning had the mannaging of publike affaires or alse those who for some notable and worthy act done in serof the Common-wealth are at sundry times and for sundry accidents admitted therevnto who for the most part haue beene of the cheefe and noblest families of some other place or some others vnto whome by speciall grace and fauour this title of Nobillity hath beene giuen Wherein neuer-the-lesse they haue carried them-selues very moderately it being graunted but to Lords of great Estate and in this manner were the families of Este and Gonzaga with some others of the cheefe of Italy admitted there-vnto namely Henry King of France and Poland being at Venice in the yeare 1574. and among other honors receiuing the title of a Venetian Gentleman did seeme to be highly pleased and satisfied with that guift Besides all those that descend from them who haue beene once receaued into this degree haue the same preeminence and to the end it may continually be the better maintayned in it perfection they do curiously search out the pedegrees of those who are to enter into the great councell not only the nobillity of the father but like-wise whether they bee borne of lawfull matrimony and of no common woman but of some honorable degree and condition wherof a regester is kept by one of the cheefe magistrates termed the Auogario of the Common-wealth But to returne to our history the Emperor Charles was in all places highly praised and commended for his fortunate successe and for breaking the enemies army Duke Fredericke and the Landgraue were yet vnuanquished who despayring as authors of al those troubles of obtaining the Emperors fauour did still continew in their rebellion and yet for all that men might perceiue that they could not long resist the forces or so great and victorious a Prince The Pope calling to mind by himself whatsoeuer was past perceiued how much more proffitable it had beene for him to haue followed the Venetians councell whose wisdom he highly praised for he saw no prosperous successe of any thing that he had taken in hand The councell lay open as before the Emperor doing it to content the people of Germany although by reason of the warre certaine Prelats were gone home againe That Pietro Lodouico was in no great fafety in regard the warre was so sonne ended the which he thought would haue continued longer with diuers other matters which discontented him and gaue him cause to complaine The Emperor on the other side made his complaints saying that he had broken promise with him because the warre being not yet ended which hee had begun thorow his perswasion he had countermanded his troupes leauing him still entangled in Germany betwixt two mighty enemies the Duke of Saxony and the Landgraue of Hesse the which he much amplified to draw the Pope to a new contribution of mony or that hee might haue leaue to make vse of the wealth of the Churches of Spaine which he had often craued or els to make his victories seeme greater by exalting the enemies forces so as they made him more proud and encreased in him his desire to rule especially after that he had in battaile vanquished and taken Iohn Fredericke Duke of Saxony prisoner and enforced the Landgraue to craue his pardon wherevpon entring intriumphant manner into the Citty of Ausbourge he there held a Diet where he obtayned whatsoeuer he demanded for his owne proffit and commodity Yet neuer-the-lesse in the middest of all these prosperities his mind stil ran vpon the affaires of Italy how he might keep to himselfe the State of Milan whither he sent great store of ordnance which he had taken from diuers Lords of Germany with great numbers of Spanish foot as those in whom he reposed most trust and him-selfe going thither afterwards caused the oth of allegiance to be made vnto him-selfe and to him whom he should appoint for their Prince meaning his Sonne Philip who for that purpose was shortly to passe into Italy yet neuer-the-lesse he procured an agreement with the Swisses whereby they were bound to maintaine and defend the State of Milan He had moreouer placed foure hundred Spaniards in Siena for the gard of the Citty with an officer of his owne who in diuers matters vsed great authority and went about to build a Castle there that he might afterwards make him-selfe absolute maister thereof vnder collour of the commotions of the people and nobility who being not able in the end to endure to see them-selues brought into bondage had driuen the Spaniards forth of the citty and committed diuers other outrages against the Imperiall Maiestie he did likewise vse meanes to seaze on the towne of Piombino to take it from the true Lord vpon sundry pretences promising to recompence him with some other place hoping to make vse of the commodiousnesse of that place being seated on the sea of Tuscany and fit for his other deseigns But his seasing on the Citty of Placentia together with the death of Petro Lodouico did more then all the rest amaze euery man and especially the Pope for the ful accomplishment of the Emperors happinesse there died at the same time not long one after another the two greatest and mightiest Kings of Christendome Francis the first of that name French King and Henry the eight King of England so that all things seemed to fauour him and to fall out according to his desire seeing that those two great and mighty Princes being taken away who were his enemies and enuious of his greatnesse hee remained alone of him-selfe in a manner Iudge and Vmpier of all matters with a soueraygne authority Henry Daulphin of France succeeded King Francis his Father not onely in the crowne but in the selfe same affections and desires in no sort to giue way to the Emperors fortune The Senate were greatly greeued with King Francis death where-vpon they chose two Ambassadors namely Vittore Grimani and Mateo Dandulo who were in all hast to goe into France to the new King and according to the custome to bewaile with him his fathers death and next to congratulate his comming to the crowne and to assure him that the Venetian Republike was disposed and resolued to continue peace and friendship with him as it had done with his Father the late King As for Henry King of England Italy was not so much greeued fot him that Kingdom being farther off the Venetians alone bewayled him by reason of their ordinary commerce and trafficke into that realme for which they
Councel and haue a watchfull eie on the defence of their State supposing that remedy alone to be sufficient for that time to free them from all feare and dangers and therefore they did not thinke it necessary to enter into a more strict and particular vnion whereby they might stirre vp and prouoke those that were desirous to trouble their peace Although this answer did not greatly please the Pope and King they did neuer-the-lesse dissemble it because they would not altogether estrange them from their friendship and loose their hope of seeing them one day hauing changed their minds to bee ioyned with them Wherupon commending the graue and mature Councell of that Senate they said that when they should haue a further insight into the Emperors intention which could not bee long concealed together with the suspition which all men had conceiued of his ambition they would then on a sodaine resolue with true and firme foundations to assure that which concerned themselues and the whole State of Italy Now notwithstanding this resolution of the Venetians that their hope of their good successe in their own enterprises was for the most part lost the desire neuer-the-lesse of taking armes against the Emperor was not diminished neither in the Pope nor French King and being not able in the meane time by reason of sundry difficulties to come to open force yet diuers secret practises were broched betwixt the French and the Farneses in sundry Citties of Italy cheefly at Genoa Siena Millan Citties infected with the humors of diuers factions The yeere following 1548. was in a manner spent in such like businesses secret practizes conspiracies of Princes against one ano◅hers States yet without any effect of importance For although the French King was desirous to trouble Italy that he might altogether keepe the Emperor busied there and yet neuer-the-les he thought it a weake and feeble thing to build his hopes vpon the Popes friendship who was very old and poore one already in the graue perhaps not very firme constant to maintaine war if the Emperor should propound vnto him as it was likely he would by reason of his alliance with Octauio Farnese some means of agreement he did likewise perceiue that the Venetians being not wel resolued to take arms were stil desirous to remaine neuters were so strongly vnited with the Emperor since certen yeares as he thought it an impossibility to bee able to disioyne them besides he was desirous to pursue the war with y◠English hoping by reason of the contētion in Englād betwixt the Gouernors of the yong King not only to keepe Scotland which he hoped one day would fall to his eldest son by the mariage of the Infanta of that kingdom but likewise to win recouer the towne of Bouloigne by means whereof although he continued his sundry practizes not only with the Pope concerning Parma but likewise at Genoa Siena for the alteration of the gouernment of those townes depending on the Emperors authority yet neuer-the-les hee made no preparation to put his desiegnes in execution nor declared himselfe openly the Emperors enemy The Pope on the other side beeing extreamly desirous to reuenge the wrongs which the Emperor had done him and to restore the Citty of Placentia to his house did greatly doubt whither it were best for him to proceed therein by armes or by way of agreement some-times hee hoped that the Emperor as Lord of so many great States although hee did for a time shew himselfe sterne and seuere would not in the end depriue Octauio his sonne in lawe with his children descended from that mariage of that State and reduce them to a priuate fortune and condition for which hee had more then once sent expresse messengers vnto him to entreat him to deliuer the Citty of Placentia to Octauio and to for beare to molest him any more about the possession of the Citty of Parma but at the same time that hee sent these Ambassadors hee dealt with the Fre◅ch King to take Duke Octauto with the Citty of Parma into his protection against the Imperiall forces The Pope in this sort beeing tossed vp and downe resolued for the satisfying of the Emperor and the Almaines with whom hee was at oddes in regard of the Councel which he would haue had to be kept at Bolognia and others at Trent to send the Bishop of Fane his Nuncio to the Emperor and the Bishop of Verona at the same time for his Legat into Germany with power and authority to grant the Almains sundry things which they craued for some alteration of the ordinary customes in the Romaine Church the which the Emperor had iustly lookt into the better to bridle that nation after that he had granted them the Interim and in the meane time for an answer to the Pope hee fed him and the Duke Octauio likewise with sundry hopes without any certaine resolution propounding sundry kinds of agreement vnto them some times that hee would recompence him with some other State in an other place then he said that he would first see who had most right to that State either the Church or the Empire at other times likewise seeming to bee discontented insteed of surrendring Placentia hee demanded to haue Parma deliuered to him in a word those which best knew his inward meaning did suppose that he went about by those incerteinties to entangle the Pope in perpetuall doubts hauing already determined with himselfe by no meanes to quit the Citty of Placentia as beeing very commodious for the State of Milan but sought to prolong and giue time and to keepe himself from beeing enforced to take armes waiting for the Popes sodaine death that he might in the meane time be able to execute his other great deseignes Now whilest the Christian Princes enemies to peace did in this manner vex themselues with sundry thoughts their Estates were by meere chance and vnknowne to themselues freed from the assaults of the Turkish armes because Soliman was desirous to lead his Army appointed for Hungary against Persia beeing therevnto prouoked by a desire of glory which hee hoped to purchase by the defeate of Tamas forces This caused him more willingly to grant the truce for which Ferdinand had sent an Ambassadge to him to Constantinople which was confirmed for fiue yeares on condition that Ferdinand should pay him a yearely tribute of thirty thousand Ducats for the lands which he possessed in Hungary The Venetians in this agreement were on both sides mentioned which procured them much safety and reputation especially by that wherein it was expresly said that none of those that were mentioned should during the time of the truce trouble the peace and quiet one of another There hapned certainly at the same a matter worthy of note which was that our Princes distrusting one another did of themselues by diminishing their owne reputation encrease the authority and pride
of the common enemy For the Emperor craued that the French King might be mentioned in that agreement and enioyned to performe that which the late King Francis his father had promised him and on the other side the King did earnestly labour to haue it expressed in that treaty that the Emperor during the time of the truce should not make war vpon any Christian Prince the matter went on so sar that although the treaty was in a manner concluded King Henry did with speed send the Lord of Cottignac his Ambassador to Constantinople to crosse the accord saying that the Emperor had not consented to the truce for any other end but that hee might with more ease make warre vpon him whereby Soliman was to be aduised and not suffer the Emperors power so much to encrease who would neuer haue entertained the truce had hee not thought to profit himselfe thereby The Lord of Cottignac vsed the same speech at Venice as he passed along exhorting the Senate to vse meanes that this treaty without that clause might be of none effect which the Venetians making small account of he went forward to Constantinople where finding the truce to bee concluded and finished hee did neuerthelesse obtaine letters from Soliman to the Emperor and to Ferdinand written very imperiously but with a stile fit for a great and iust Prince how that hee had willingly granted the truce with an intent that there should bee a surâ—…ease of armes on all sides betwixt those who were friends to either party and therefore if any of the Princes mentioned in the accord should goe about to molest one another by armes hee would giue ayde and succour to the party offended against the disturber of the peace The French King in this businesse had diuerse suspitions of the Venetians who beeing desirous speedily to conclude that accord wherein they were to bee mentioned had without caring for the King their friends interest too much fauoured the Emperor and Ferdinands party and on the other side the Emperor complained of them saying That they had first giuen that councell to the French King and afterwards fauoured it at Constantinople to the end he might be more strictly enioined to be at peace with the French King by reason that they were desirous to take away all occasion of warre in Italy which was so highly displeasing vnto them At the same time the discontents betwixt the Pope and the Emperor were much encreased and men did already perceiue great signes of warre betwixt them two by reason that the Emperor continued in his resolution that the Councell should bee speedily held according as it had been published in the Citty of Trent as well to satisfie the Almains who desired it as because hee supposed that his reputation would be impaired if the Councell already published at Trent by his authority should contrary to his pleasure bee held else-where on the other side the Pope no lesse constant in his opinion would haue it to be kept at Bolognia whether diuerse Bishops and Prelates by his commandement were already come but although the Pope had commanded the Imperials to depart from Trent and to come to Bolognia saying That the Emperor without all doubt was Protector of the Councell but that hee had no authority to conuoke it did neuerthelesse tarry still at Trent obeying the Emperors authority and command who on the contrary sent to the Prelats that were at Bolognia and to the Popes selfe making great protestations and to haue more apparence on his side hee caused the Cardinal of Trent of the family of Madrucis a Prince of the Empire to go to Rome where he protested that he would not allow any other councell then that which had bin published to be held in the citty of Trent and if they should go about to crosse that and thereby be cause of infinite other miseries he did request to be acquitted of it before God and men These things being very greeuous to the Pope and hapning presently vpon the neck of the bad successe of Parma did greatly trouble him yet neuerthelesse his hope of agreement with the Emperor did make him proceed more slowly therein But during these delaies and prolongations Octauio beeing impatient of staying any longer for the euent of the businesse concerning the recouery of Parma after that he had attempted in vaine to reduce it vnder his obedience his entry into the 〈◊〉 hauing bin denied by Camillo Vrsino who commanded the citty did on a sodain determine by a precipate councell to throw himselfe into the armes of the same Spaniards of whom he had receiued so many wrongs that he might be able as the Emperors Ambassodor at Rome had craftily perswaded him by meanes of their Armes to get that Citty at which strange action the Pope greatly wondering and by reason of the greefe thereof together with his weaknesse and great age keeping his bed hee beeing foure score and foure yeares old did within a few dayes after deparâ—… out of this mortall life after hee had with great commendations gouerned the sea Apostolick fifteene yeares hauing euer shewed himselfe a good and discreet Prince and a louer of good and vertuous people and aboue all other things hee had for a time remained neuter betwixt those Princes beeing very desirous of peace and quiet The Popes death did put the Italian Princes in great feare that it would be cause of the disquiet of Italy seeing that the French and the Imperials did in diuerse places leuy forces meaning as it was thought to recouer the Citty of Parma which Camillo Vrsino did still possesse but with a very weake garrison and small prouision for the maintenance of the warre who would not obey the letters and commandements of the colledge of Cardinals who had willed him to consigne that Citty into the hands of Octauio Farnese who promised to keepe it for the future Pope This feare of troubles encreased by reason of the long time that the Cardinals spent in the creation of a new Pope for the two factions of Cardinals French and Imperials did obstinately striue one with another The Venetian Senate in these long disputations according to the custome of their ancestors would not meddle therein but ayming onely at the common good did write to the colledge of Cardinals exhorting them to choose a Pope that might bee for the wealth and commodity of Christendome The Venetians as well aduised haue neuer sought to haue Cardinals partiall on their sides nor haue medled in the creation of Popes although they had as much interest thereiâ—… as any other Prince for they beeing in the number of the chiefest Potentates of Italy there is no doubt but if they were desirous to haue a hand in it that their faction would be one of the strongest but they considered the great mischiefes which the Common-wealth might receiue by such fâ—…iendship and intelligence with particular persons in the Court of Rome and how that
hee feared vnlesse hee were releeued to bee enforced for the conseruation of his owne State to ioyne himselfe with some one or other and to deale otherwise then hee desired This demand was thought to be very suspitious and ful of cunning they supposing that the French went about by this meanes to sound their meaning the better to draw them to some confederacie or at least to discouer some-what of their interior purposes wherupon the Senate was of opinion to answer him in generall termes Now it had aboue all thinges desired the peace of Italy and that to those ends it had vsed al possible means with the Pope and others besides according as it had seene occasion but 〈◊〉 nothing preuailed therein they were at least resolued to keep themselues in peace and in their ancient neutrality and the better and more honorably to doe it and with greater assurance other men being armed they thought it â—…it to arme and by prouiding for that which concerned them had together taken care for the preseruation of the Dukes state in regard of the particular affection they did beare him and for their owne interest likewise being in manner inseparable with his by reason of the neere neighborhood of their States This answere not satisfyieng the French they resolued to discouer themselues more plainely to the Senate seeing that all men knew that they did meane to en terprize some matter of consequence vpon Italy for which Lodouico Alemani beeing sent to Genoa had vnder sundry pretences attempted to raise his faction there and craued in the Kings name that it might please the Genouois to lend him their hauen for his fleet to lie in safety where hee might land those troops which he intended to send into Italy Now the Cardinall Tournon beeing at the same time at Venice whither he came from Rome vpon the Popes commandement that all the French Cardinals should leaue the Citty King Henry wrote vnto him that he should in his name expose to the Prince and Senate in open Councell the State of the affaires of Italy the occasion and intent for which and with which he had resolued to send his troopes to the aid of Duke Octauio and to defend his cause That hee thought he should performe a noble part and worthy a great Prince and which in particular ought to be pleasing to the Princes of Italy to defend an Italian Prince weake and vniustly oppressed by the violence of other men who had cast himselfe into his armes and protection that he could hardly be perswaded that the Pope would hinder the defense and preseruation of his owne vassall with an other mans armes and aid seeing he himselfe was able to giue him small releefe and that beeing so defended he could least of all beleeue that the other Italian Princes would crosse him in going about to moderate the Emperors greatnesse and curbe his vnmeasurable desires aiming as all men did plainly see to rob weake Princes of their States and to bring Italy into bondage that the matter it selfe was able to giue sufficient testimony that his deseignes tended to none other ends seing that he stood vpon those termes that without needing the Citty of Parma possessing so many townâ—…s in Piedmont the passages lay open to himt through which hee might march against the State of Milan but because hee then knew that his actions were sinisterly interpreted he was resolued to giue ouer that enterprize yet neuerthelesse he could not be perswaded but that the Venetian Senate beeing so great and wise a Prince in Italy on whose authority all others were at last to depend would be mooued with these troubles which drew after them sundry others of very great importance that he did excuse that which the Pope had done as falling out by constraint rather then of set purpose being incompassed with feare in the midest of the Emperors power and armed forces as also in regard of the Councel already published with very dangerous deseignes the Hereticks of Germany being come to it but when his Holinesse should be assured that other men would aid him it was not then to be doubted but that hee would embrace some other resolution seeing that to quit the Emperors friendship in such a case might rightly be termed a setting of himselfe at liberty The Senate gaue the King thankes and did highly commend his generous deseigne of defending such as are destitute of helpe yet they were in good hope that by an accord already treated of with the pope who did not resist it those businesses might in som sort be composed The King notwithstanding continued the war although contrary to his desire he found none in al Italy Octaâ—…io â—…arnese excepted whom hee might bee assured did fauour him but resoluing to declare him-selfe afterwards more openly against the Emperor hauing sent other forces into Piedmont hee did vnlooktâ—… for cause diuerse places to bee assailed which were kept by the Imperialls some of which hee tooke hee did at the same time proclaime warre by sea commanding the Prior of Capua brother to Pietro 〈◊〉 Admirall of the French Galleys that scouring the seas hee should fight with the Emperors vessels whereby it happened within a while after that Doria wâ—…th his Galleys conducting Maximillian King of Boheme and his wife from Barcelona to Genoa he hardly escaped the French fleet yet neuerthelesse some of his vessels that lod'g behinde were taken and brought to Marseilles But the Kings treaty with Duke Maurice of Saxony Albert Marquis of Brandenbourg and other Princes and free Citties of Germany was of faâ—…re greater importance all these beeing merueilously distasted of the Emperor though vpon sundry occasions some beeing not able to digest the wrong done to the Landgraue whom the Emperor kept prisoner contrary to his promise and others beeing prouoked against the Emperor for matters of Religion King Henry resoluing vpon this league and hauing imparted it to Giouan Capello the Venetians Ambassador resident with his Maiesty hee did assure him that hee would in person goe into Germany earnestly entreating him to follow him thither to the end as it was supposed that hee might haue occasion to practise some confederacy with the Venetians or at least to keepe the Emperor in perpetuall iealouzie and suspition The Senate although it had determined not to enter into any farther allyance with the French did thinke it against reason to deny the King that as well to shew their good meaning towards him as in regard of the profit and commodity which the Republick might receiue thereby to the end that the Emperor who by reason of Parma and Placentia and other his actions which all Italians did greatly suspect might know that a more strict alliance might bee easily contracted betwixt the French and the Venetians to the great danger and preiudice of his Estates in Italy The Pope in the meane time beeing mooued with these troubles and considering that himselfe hauing beene the motiue thereof
seazed vpon three Imperiall citties Metz Thou and Verdun that Queene Mary hauing raised an army of Flemmings had beseeged Hesdin and how that his owne army on the contrary did dayly decay by reason of the contagious sickenesse which was crept into it whereby he was enforced to leaue the contry of Luxembourg and by breaking off the corse of his victories to send a great part of his forces to winter at home in their owne houses and to leade the residew to the frontiers of his Kingdome to gard it and in the meane time tenne thousand Spanish foote-men came and ioyned with the Emperor The Marquis Albert of Brandenbourg who in the beginning held the kings party changing his mind turned with his forces to the Emperors side so as by example diuers of the chefest of Germany did the like who at the first had made shew to fauour the King after-wards they fell at ods with him because he would not graunt their demands which were altogether vnreasonable The Emperor being moued by these new accidents resolued without any more delay to go in person with his forces to beseege the Citty of Metz not-with-standing that winter drew neare and that the Castle of the Citty which was great both by situation and arte and excellently well manned with diuers good Captaines did disswade him from that enterprize together with his owne seruants who were of a contrary opinion For that action being made out of season had no prosperous successe for after that he had extreamely trauelled his Army and lost great numbers of soldiors he was enforced to retire hauing done more hurt to him-selfe then to his enemies In the meane time an other fire which had a long time layne raked vp in ashes began to breake forth in Italy for the Siennois being not able to endure the ouer cruell and seuere gouernment of the Spaniards resoluing to driue them forth of their Citty sent messengers to Rome to acquaint the French Agents there with their resolution crauing their aide and fauour therein promising to keepe their city for the French King This offer for which diuers secret practizes had beene already made in France was willingly entertained and commandement was forthwith giuen to certaine foot companies of the Kings that lay at Parma and Miranda to goe thither and prosently after the Lord of Sansac went thither to encourage the people to whose aide other forces being brought by the Count Pettillan the Spaniards were driuen forth of the towne their fort rased and diuers other indignities were committed such force hath the peoples liberty not being restrained by lawes or power of the Magistrate to the disgrace and contempt of the Emperor they tore in peeces his Ensignes brake his priuiledges and trod his armes vnder their feete the which did make the matter more odious and did the more incense the Emperour against them who being desirous not to delay his reuenge vpon the Sienois nor to suffer the French to haue an other place of retreat in Italy did command Don Petro of Toledo Viceroy of Naples to march speedily into Tuscany with fiue thousand Almaine and Spanish footmen seeing that the Realme of Naples was in no danger to be enuaded and that he should attempt to reduce Sienna vnder his obedience It was supposed that the deseignes of the French succeeding prosperously would greatly hurt the Emperour For although the French did publikely say that they had taken the defense of the city vpon them to free it from the tyranny and oppression of the Spaniards and to restore it to her former liberty and spendor yet neuerthelesse they plainly made shew of their meaning therein in regard that refusing all motions of agreement that were propounded they went about to place their Garrisons in that city for their owne behoofe and in other places depending thereon and to leauy forces in Italy for their owne deseignes wherevpon the French King craued of the Siennois that in recompence of their liberty they would declare themselues friends to his friends and enemies to his enemies Now the Viceroy being desirous to execute the Emperors commandement hauing obtained passage through the Churches territories the Pope saying that he had giuen him leaue by reason hee had no meanes to hinder him entred with his army vpon the Siennois territory and spoyling whatsoeuer he met with he tooke certaine weake places by a voluntary reddition for the stronge townes were well fortified with men victuals and all other necessaries so that the Imperials would haue spent much time in winning them wherein the Viceroy being very wilfull beseeged Montalcina because if that fort should hold out Sienna being well prouided of all things would be in lesse danger But the Siennois doubt to be seuerely punished by the Emperour if hee should take their city did mighily encourage them to their owne defense together with the hope to bee soone rid from the Imperiall army by reason of the Turkish and French forces which were to come into the Realme of Naples The Venetians had done all they could to quench this fire kindled in Italy fearing like men that saw their neighbor houses on fire that it might fall vpon theirs but by their valor and discretion they auoided it In the meane time a famous Pirate called Mustapha Bifo scouring their seas entred the Adriatricke Gulphe with diuers Fusts spoyling and robbing whatsoeuer he met with vpon the coast of Dalmatia Cristofero Canalis Admirall of the Gulphe went forth to meet him with certaine Gallies and incountring with him he did brauely assaile him and hauing sunke all his vessels he tooke this Mustapha and struck off his head vpon the side of his Galley Thus ended the yeare 1552. the ensuing yeare was full of warre as well in Tuscany as in Piedmond and Picardy the Emperor making great preparations of men and money to renue the war with the French that he might recouer his reputation which he supposed to haue lost at the seege of Metz. At the same time Petro Zene being chiefe of the councell of forty communicated to the councell of Tenne that it was necessary to reuiue the remembrance and execution of the last will and testament of the Cardinall Zene who in his time hauing beene very rich had left a goodly and honorable Legacy of a yeerly rent of two thousand one hundred Ducats to the Prince Signory and Senate to forraine Ambassadors to the Clergy and diuers others as is more at large mentioned in his testament on condition that all of them should be present at the seruice yeerely celebrated in the month of May in Saint Markes Church by his appointment the which being granted did procure great magnificence to the memory of that great Prelat and gaue much content to the whole family At the same time great troubles arose in England by the death of yong King Edward the sixth whom his sister Mary succeeded in that Kingdome Prince Donato in the
animalls they forthwith supposed that there was some secret in them which they would not haue all the world accquainted with Diasorinus was presently apprehended his letters laid before him and beeing loath to confesse any thing hee was put to the tortures which made him to confesse that not only himselfe but diuers others of the cheife of the Island drawne by the goodly promises of Scander and wearied likewise with the Venetian Gouernment vnto whom they would not giue place either for nobility or fot wealth had conspired and determined to receiue the Turkes into the Island wherevpon he with his other complices were put to death Now to returne to the Senates determination concerning the resisting of the Turkish Army they resolued to place strong and sufficient Garrisons in the Castles of Cyprus speedily to send thither the necessary aid and beeing ready to choose a Commander to conduct those forces Eugenio Singlitico Count of Roccas a Gentleman of Ciprus who at the same time beeing Lieftenant Generall of the Army of the firme land did for the most part continew at Venice did freely offer himselfe to aid his Contrey at such a need and to serue his Prince wherevpon hauing a speedy dispatch he imbarked himselfe with a thousand footmen the Senate hauing first made him General of al the Cauallery in the Island Ieronimo Martinenga Captaine of the men at armes did likewise freely make offer â—…o raise within a few dayes vpon other princes states two thousand footmen to conduct them to the releese of Famagosta and to remaine there with them for the defense of the Citty the which hee hauing in a short space done to his great honor and brought them to Venice to imbarke them in the vessells appointed for that purpose he would first shew them in armes to the people in the market place of Saint Marke who tooke great pleasure to beehold them which being done they sailed towards Cyprus but their Captaine falling sick at Sea dyed within a few dayes after for want of looking to who was mightily bewayled being carried into Ciprus was buried in Famagosta in S. Sophias Church The Senate beeing desirous to implore the ayde of all Christian Princes sent word to their Ambassadors residing in their Courts that they should acquaint them with the cause which at that time did onely concerne themselues but would shortly bee common to all Christendom the which they did not so much for any hope they had to bee releeued as for that they were willing to take from them all cause of suspition that they despised other mens ayde and that presuming too much on their owne forces they went about to precipitate into a manifest danger the euent of that warre whereon depended the common cause of Christendome First of all they made meanes to the Pope as well to draw some succors from him as that hee by his authority should dispose other Princes to send them supplies Micaele Suriana was at the same time Ambassador for the Commonwealth at Rome who augmenting the Popes good-will and disposition by sundry reasons did continually solicite him effectually to embrace the protection of the Republick in a time so dangerous by setting before him the example of other Popes who vpon other occasions had readily ayded them against that common enemy of Christendom Hee did likewise put him in minde of the Republicks benefits bestowed vpon the Sea Apostolick for the conseruation whereof it had often-times exposed hir forces and State against very mighty Princes but hee did cheefly set before his eyes the manifest danger which threatned other Christian Realmes and especially the Churches territories if the Venetian State which all men thought to bee the Bulwarke of Christendome should bee ouerthrowne and ruined By these reasons and diuerse others the Pope beeing drawne to defend the Venetians hee seemed to bee very zealously affected to the cause and desirous to prouide for the necessity of that warre and to aide the Common-wealth yet neuerthelesse excusing himselfe for that hee was not able to doe what hee would hee bewailed the misery of his time wherein the Sea Apostolick by sundry accidents was very bare of means and especially by reason of the troubles in France which threatning the citty of Auignon had constrained him to be at great expences wherevpon although it was often propounded in the Consistory to embrace the Venetians defence and to aide them and that the proposition was approoued by the Colledge of Cardinals yet neuerthelesse it tooke no great effect at the first they were onely permitted to leuy vpon the whole Clergie of their State without any exception the sum of an hundred thousand Ducats towards the expence of the warre Hee did afterwards make a motion to ioyne with all possible speed the King of Spaines Galleys with those of the Venetians that they might make a mighty fleet able to resist that of the Turkes and to disapoint their first attempts And in the meane time to make a league with the same King and other Christian Princes whereby all their forces might continually be ioyned together to make head against the enemies greatnesse The Ambassador Suriana acquainted the Senate with his Holynesse proposition who entreated them to accept thereof and to referre the whole businesse to him that hee would manage it as the common Father with great affection to the good of all Christendom and to their owne particular desire and profit the which the Senate very willingly did The Pope for the beginning of this Treaty sent Lodouico de Torres Clarke of the Apostolick Chamber into Spaine to King Philip to dispose him to ioyne his forces with others against Setim Ottoman the common enemy vnto whom hauing related from the Pope as well the publicke interest of all Christendome as his owne particular hee found his Maiesty ready and well inclined to doe that wherevnto his Holynesse exhorted him referring neuerthelesse his finall answer till his arriuall at Siuill for hee was then at Corduba at the assembly of the Estates of Castill but vpon Torres reply that nothing would so much hinder that businesse as long delay hee granted him that his owne Galleys with those of his Pentioners and Confederates which amounted to the number of sixty fiue besides those of Spaine who by reason of the troubles of Ganado continued vpon those seas should be brought into Sicely commanding Giouan Andre Doria their Admirall to obey the Popes commandement concerning the time and meanes to ioyne them with the Venetians that they might afterwards saile into the Leuant Hee did likewise obtaine a Commission to the Viceroy of Naples and Sicill to permit the Venetians to furnish themselues forth of these countreys with corne sufficient for the fleete but as concerning the entring into the league he answered That it craued a larger and more mature deliberation for which hee referred him till some other time yet neuerthelesse within a while after his comming to Siuill he
and placed courts of gard in them which could not bee hurt by the cities ordnance then for foure daies space without intermission from morning till night they furiously with all their ordnance battered the walles but perceiuing it to bee to small purpose because the bullets for the most part fell vpon earthen Rampiers and made no breach they ceased the battery and fell to the spade and maâ—…tock so as they presently came vnderneath the counter scarpes thinking thereby to ouerthrow them then they plaied vpon foure Bulwarkes namely Podocatera Constantia Dauila and Tripoli all which they determined to assault at once in which for a long time both sides fought valliantly but in the end the Turkes were with with great losse repulsed Mustapha wondering and raging thereat beeing almost out of hope to take the City solicited and animated his souldiers to goe once againe to the assault promising great rewards to such as should doe valiantly and after that hee had made a speech to them worthy a Generall hee caused a proclamation to bee made thorow the whole Army that any three which should first mount the citty walls should be made Sangiacks and if any Bascha dyed hee that should first enter the citty should succeed in that dignity The souldiers beeing thus encouraged the assault was resolued on The next day early in the morning the Turkes marching by day breake in great silence to the same Bulwarkes assailed the besieged on a suddaine and vnlookt for hoping thereby with more ease to obtaine the victory as indeed it did For the Turkes finding those that had the garde of the Bulwarke Constantia halfe a sleepe and mounting furiously the Parapet gaue them no time nor leisure to make any defence who beeing drowned in slumber and feare forgat to retire into the Citty The great opinion which the besieged had conceiued of the arriuall of supplies from the Common-wealth of Venice which they so much desired made them beleeue that the noise which they had heard the night before whilest the Turkes were preparing for the mornings assault was a token of the enemies discamping in regard whereof and because they were oppressed with long watchings and intollerable labours they had securely disarmed themselues and fell to rest The Turkes then in this confusion entring pell mell with the Christians into the last rampiers there arose a great cry accompanied with feare and amazement whervpon many betooke themselues to open flight The Count Roccas quarter was neere to the Bulwarke who by the suddaine noyse beeing certified of that which was done did presently arme and comming in among the thickest throngs hee found so great disorder there as notwithstandding all his meanes and perswasions to cause the souldiers to stand fast and make valiant resistance his labour was in a manner lost to such a desperate passe were matters brought and himselfe beeing shot into the head with an Harquebuze fell downe dead wherevpon all those that by his arriuall had taken courage and began by little and little to make head leauing the defense of the walls ran home to their houses to prouide for the safty of their wiues and children Pietro Pisani and Bernardino Polano Captaine of Salma comming thither in hast could not by their authority and example stay the disordered runne-awayes among whom Polano thrusting himselfe and going about to hold them back by force was together with them cut in peeces Pisani perceiuing his fellow to be slaine did with the rest retire to the market place whither from all parts the poore inhabitants came who were not yet pursued by the Turkes who hauing taken the Bulwarke Constantia would before they went on any farther make themselues maisters of all the rest in which the Italian footmen did still fight brauely with the enemy but in the end when they perceiued their strong places to bee lost and that they were at once assailed in front and on their backs beeing vnable to make any longer resistance they abandoned the walls and making themselues way thorow the middest of the enemies they retired to the market place where they made head for a time vntill that the Basha of Aleppo arriued who entring the towne at the Bulwarke of Tripoli went first to make good the walls where hee made great slaughter of such as hee met with and finding no more resistance hee marched towards the market place where seeing so many armed people to make head hee caused three peeces of Ordnance to bee brought from the walls and bestowing his shot among them hee enforced them to quit the place many of whom retired to the Pallace whither the Gouernor Bishop Contaren and many of the chiefe Cittizens had already escaped those which could not enter running vp and downe heere and there thorow the streetes were presently either slaine or taken prisoners They within the Pallace hauing receiued the Baschas word for the safety of their liues so soone as they had opened the gates the Turkes presently runne in vpon them who were able to make no resistance beeing vnarmed where they were all murthered therein the Gouernor Bishop and common people running one selfe same fortune That beeing done and the Turkes freed from farther trouble they ran confusedly and without Enseignes about the citty sacking houses spoiling and ruining Churches dishonouring wiues rauishing virgins and putting all to the edge of the sword without distinction of age or condition so as that day twenty thousand persons dyed by the hands of the Turkes and those whom the cruell enemy left aliue rather to reserue them for some miserable punishment then for any compassion towards them were bound in chaines and haled to prison ouer the dead bodies of their friends and kinsfolke In this manner did this Citty in one day taste the extreamest of calamitie which for a long time had liued in great pompe and magnificence nay rather in all excesse and dissolutenesse seruing for an example of the inconstant mutability of humaine affaires The Citty was taken and sackt vppon the ninth day of September and the foureteenth day of the siege The Turkes did afterwards with ease become Lords of the rest of the Island Famagosta excepted For the other townes following the victors fortune did presently yeeld and Cerina likewise as readily as the rest notwithstanding that Giouan Maria Mudazzo Captaine of the Castle and Captaine Alphonso Palazza beeing entreated by those of Famagosta had determined to hold out and brauely to desend it Those of the mountaines did the like Scipio Caraffa Paulo Singlitico with diuerse other Gentlemen and some Greeke Preists and great numbers of Countrey people yeelding them-selues to Mustapha vnto whom they sware fealty and aleageance so that the Venetians possessed nothing in the Island but onely Famagosta whither Mustapha determined to march leauing 4000. footmen for the gard of Nicotia Mustapha hauing taken order for Nicotia marched towards Famagosta with his whole armie and encamped at the village Pomodama