beginning of his raigne with forrein warres hauing first to looke with great study into the state of his owne gouernment at home which commonly to kinges newly inuested bringes many causes of new councells alteracions But the spirits of such as discoursed with iudgement vpon the trayne and euent of things nourished alwayes a secret suspicion that thafflictions that then were but defferred would with tyme redouble and rise growing to greater daungers and more generall harmes specially so great an Empire being falne vpon a king rype in age full of experience ruled in his councells resolut in action moderat in exspenses and in all things without comparison holding more of him selfe then did his predecessor and to whom withal did apperteyne as in the right of the crowne of Fraunce not onely the inheritance of the realme of Naples But also he menteyned that the Duchie of Myllan was his freehold by the succession of the Lady Valentina his grandmother who was maried by Iohn Galeas Visconte his father afore that of viccare of thEmpire he had obteyned the title of the Duke of Myllan to Lovvys Duke of Orleans brother to kinge Charles the sixt At which mariage there was added to the state of the dowrye which was the citie contrey of Ast with great summes of money an expresse condicion that as often and when so euer as the lyne masculyne of the sayde Galeas shoulde fayle the Lady Valentina should succeede to the Duchie of Myllan or she being dead her next heires and discendents which couenant albeit stronge enough of it selfe was confirmed if the frenche tradicions be true by the authoritie of the Pope th imperiall seate beinge voyd at that tyme for the Popes of Rome pretend that the administracion of thEmpire vacant belongeth to them by which meanes the blud male of Iohn Galeas determining afterwards by the death of Phillipp Maria Visconte Charles Duke of Orleans sonne to the Lady Valentina began to pretēd to the succession of the sayd dukedom But as thambicion of Princes is ready to helpe on their titles with euery apparant coler so there aspired at the same time to the sayd dukedom not only thEmprour Federyk alleaging that it was reuerted to the Empire for that the lyne nominated in thinuestiture made to Iohn Galeas by Vincislaus king of Romaines was extinct and dissolued But also Alphonso king of Aragon and Naples who was instituted heire by the Testament of Duke Phillipp And amongest the residue Frauncis Sforce with a fortune force and felicitie more fauorable then the others quarrelled the same title who to giue a better shadowe to the armies which he leuyed in that cause alleaged that his wife Blanche the onely daughter but a bastard of Phillipp had peculiar interest in that succession So that Charles Duke of Orleans who being taken prisoner at the battell of Agincourt in the warres betwene thenglish and french and remeyning restrayned in England xxv yeares was able to doe nothing by reason of his pouertie and hard fortunes to iustifie his title and much lesse could he obteyne ayde of king Lovvys the xj notwithstanding he was his nearest kinsman the reason was that the same king in the beginning of his raigne was much molested and manifestly inuaded in diuerse partes of his kingdom by the great Lordes and Barons of the same shadowing their conspiracies with a showe of publike profit But because the king saw that their intencions drew with them priuat regardes and particular interests he kept them alwayes in bridle and esteemed his estate and sewertie to consist in the embasing of the great ones of his realme but chiefly his nearest competitors And for that reason Lovvys Duke of Orleans sonne to Charles albeit he was his sonne in law could draw no fauors or succors from him the same driuing him after the death of his sayd father in law together with his impaciēce that the Lady Anne Duchesse of Burbon the kinges sister was preferred afore him to the gouernment of Charles the eyght then in minoritie to trouble Fraunce with a very slender successe and after retyred into Britain with a worse fortune for ioyning with those that were against thintencion of Charles to obteyne Brittain by marying with Anne heire of the state by the death of Frauncis her father leauing no yssue male yea aspiring secretly to the same mariage he was taken in an encownter betwene the french and the Brittons neare S. Aulbyn in that contrey from thence led prisoner into Fraunce where he remeyned two yeares In so much as fayling then of meanes and finding no succors in king Charles after he was out of prison he ioyned no further action to that enterprise but when the king left him within Ast he made him selfe Lord of Nouaro with a very litle profit But being now become king of Fraunce he held nothing of greater affection then to reconquer the Duchie of Myllan as a succession iustely apperteyning to him This desire planted in him from his youth was eftsones wonderfully increased and aduaunced by the successe he had at Nouaro and withall for that he greatly hated Lodovvyk Sforce by reason of the insolent demonstracions and behauiors which he vsed to him when he had the kings deputacion in Ast Therfore not long after the death of king Charles by resolucion set downe in his elect councel he intitled him self not only king of Fraunce and for the regard of the realme of Naples king of Ierusalem both the Cycillyes but also soueraigne Duke of Myllan And because he would make knowen to the world what was his inclinacion to the things of Italy he wrote letters full of amitie and congratulacion touching his ascending to the crowne to the Pope the Venetians and the Florentyns and withall dispatched mē of speciall credence to giue hopes of new enterprises but chiefly of his determinacion to conquer the Duchie of Myllan wherin the tyme running nourished for him many fauors and oportunities for that the death of his predecessor had innouated in the mindes of the Italians many new humors inclinacions much differing from the cogitacions purposes they had afore for the Pope whose ambicious thoughts could not be satisfied if Italy stoode in tranquillitie wished that thinges might grow to hurly burly seeking his peculiar aduauncement in the common diuision of principallities and states A desire not vnlikely to deriue from such a mind to whom all thinges were hatefull that held of equitie conscience or religion and nothing vnsauery that smelled of troubles innouacion and chaunge And the Venetians being now deliuered of the feare they had of king Charles for the wronges iniuries they had done him expressed manifestly that they had no distrust in the new king which disposicion increased dayly more and more for that Lodovvyk Sforce notwithstanding he knew that he had to doe with an ennemy more mighty and lesse plyable feding him selfe with this hope the same also beguiling Federyk of Aragon that the
state of Sienna at ten thowsand and the citie of Lucquay at a thowsand And to thend to be found prepared against all suddeine vnlooked for inuasions vntill defense might be made with the contribucions afforenamed it was agreed that immediatly should be leauied a loane of a summe of money almost equall to the taxacions and that not to be exspended onlesse the preparacions to inuade Italy were manifestly discerned There was also set downe a small contribucion yearely for thinterteinment of those Capteines that remeyned in Italy and to defraye certeine pensions to the Svvyzzers to stoppe that nation for giuing ayde of men to the French king Ouer this league was declared Capteine generall by common consent Antho. de Leua with ordenaunce that he should remeine in the Duchie of Myllan Touching the generall councell there was nothing cōcluded to the liking of thEmprour who stil solicited the Pope to send out present summonce for it But he refused to accomplishe the mocion alleaging that as in that ill disposicion of the time and mens mindes there would be daunger lest the kings of England and Fraunce would not appeare So if the councell were celebrated without them much lesse that there could be introduced either vnion or reformacion of the Church seeing it was to be feared lest things would diuolue to a manifest scisme Onely he was content to send out Nuncioes to all Princes to induce them to so holly a worke But albeit thEmprour made a question to him what would be the yssue of thinges if those two Princes did dissent from them without iust cause and pressed him in that case to intimat the councel yet he could neuer dispose him to it So that his Nuncioes were assigned and sent out with a very slender hope to bring backe any good conclusion ThEmprour was no better satisfied touching the negociacion of the parentage for that when the two Cardinalls which the French king had sent were comen to Bolognia and had eftsoones recontinued the negociacion of the mariage with the second sonne of Fraunce The Pope gaue aunswer to the offer made for the Duke of Myllan and exhibited by the Emprour That whereas the Frenche king had long time before made an ouerture of mariage for his sonne he had harkned to the mocion by the consent of thEmprour declaring at that time his good consent and liking he should nowe doe too greate a wronge to the Frenche king if during the negociacion he should giue his Neece in mariage to one of his ennemies But he perswaded him that that practise was artificially introduced by the French king to enterteine him and not with intencion to conclude it seing there was betweene the parties so great disagreement and inequalitie of degree and condicion Lastly he assured him that he would not commit so great an offence to the king if he sawe not before the practise and solicitacion altogether broken And the Emprour for his parte beeing not to be perswaded that the French king would adioyne his sonne to a matche so farre vnequall to him encouraged and aduised the Pope that for the better vncouering of the kings dissimulacions he would presse the Cardinals to send for a procuracion to contract them which accordingly was accomplished in fewe dayes and exhibited in very ample forme By which readines and resolute meaning not onely was lost all hope of affinitie with Frauncis Sforce but also the solicitacion with the French king was pursued with so muche the more importunitie and to it was further added according to the deuise betweene them longe before that the Pope and the Frenche kinge shoulde contracte together at Nyce A citye of the Duke of Sauoye standing vppon the ryuer of Var and separateth Italye from Prouence These matters were not a litle discontenting to thEmprour aswell for a suspicion he had that betwene the Pope and French king were concluded a greater coniunction to his preiudice as also for that he was ielous that in the Pope remeyned not some secrete memorie and impressions of his imprisonment of the sacke of Rome of the mutacion of Florence and of other wronges To these he adioyned the passion of disdayne wherein he iudged that the honor which the Pope had done to him in making two iorneyes to Bolognia to speake with him woulde stande derided and diminished if he shoulde make a voyage by sea so farre as Nyce to meete with the French king But in vaine were these suspicions and the causes of them though he could not dissemble them for that in the Popes mind was vehemently norished and affected the desire of that affinitie beeing happly moued more with ambicion and appetit of glorye in that beeing of a house almoste simple and priuate he had obteyned in recompense of a bastarde Nephewe of his A bastard Daughter of so mightye an Emperour and nowe in exchaunge of his Neece legyttimate he had honored his howse with the seconde sonne of Fraunce lawefully borne and orderly assured Then that he was induced which many councelled him that by the meane of that parentage he might giue cooller of right though more apparant then true to the Frenche king to enter for his sonne and for his Daughter in law vppon the estate of Florence To these discontentments of thEmprour may be added also as a full accomplishment of his disliking That where he made instance to the Pope to create three Cardinalls exhibited by him he obteyned onely and that with difficultie the calling of thArchbishop of Bary the Pope making his excuses vppon the contradiction of the Colleage of Cardinalls The Emprour stoode litle appeased in the readines which the Pope showed to make a secret confederacion with him wherein he promised to proceede iudicially to pronownce iudgements and censures and all other things that might be done by right against the king of England and against the Lady Anne Bolleyne And they were bownd to make no new confederacions or accords with Princes without reciprocall consent one of an other Thus thEmprour departed from Bolognia the daye after the conclusion of the confederacion being now no lesse assured in him selfe that the sayd mariage would goe on together with thenteruiew betweene the Pope and the French king Then he had reason to doubt some greater coniunction And beeing embarked at Genes he passed into Spaine with this resolute intencion that if the mariage of Katherine de Medicis were celebrated with the seconde sonne of Fraunce he woulde dissolue and breake the matche made betwene his Daughter and Alexander de Medicis Not many dayes after the Pope departed to goe to Rome beeing accompanied with the two French Cardinalls and nothing troubled with the newe confederacion for that as he was excellent in simulacions and practises in which he was not surmounted with feare so he had told them that vppon concluding the league the spanish armie was to dissolue decasse A matter which would turne more to the benefit of the french king then the league
the Bishoprikes vacant in their iurisdiction without any respect to the sea Apostolike and lastly did intrude them selues into many things apperteining to the lawful authoritie of the Church By reason whereof bearing a setled inclination to enterteine amitie with the king he solicited him to passe into Italie and to haue conference together whervnto the king consented the Pope hauing afore in gratification of the kings requests consecrated Cardinals the Bishops of Bayeux and Achx. But the affections of Princes suffer alterations according to times and occasions the Pope vnderstanding afterwards how the king had determined to take armes agaynst the commons of Genes in fauour of the gentlemen tooke it to great discontentment for that hauing of long time frowned vpon the gentlemen he had alwayes borne fauor to the dispositions of the people wherein he made great instance to the king to be contented without changing the state popular to haue that citie in his obedience and persuaded him as much as he could to absteine from armes alleaging many reasons but chiefly the danger least by that meane some great alteration kindling in Italie the warres which they had determined agaynst the Venetians were not cut off or hindred The king bearing no inclination to these demaundes the Pope eyther ouerruled with anger or sorowe or els for that the olde suspition of the aspiring minde of the Cardinall Amboyse did eftsones stirre in him either by the naturall operation of himselfe or by the subtill suggestion of others whiche made him feare that he were not reteyned by the king when they should meete in one place and perhaps aswell for the one as the other occasion he published vppon the sodayne in the beginning of the yeere 1507. agaynst thexpectation of euery one that he would eftsones returne to Rome not for other reason then that the ayre of Bolognia was contrarie to his health and that his reuenues were much diminished by his absence from Rome This alteration of counsell brought no little maruell to euery one but specially to the king for that without occasion he would leaue vnperfect the practises he had so much desired to aduaunce and breake of him selfe the enterviewe and conference which he had somuche required and therefore calling into consideration the estate and intricate disposition of things he labored what he coulde to draw him from that new counsell and make him change opinion wherein his paynes were more hurtfull to him then vayne for that the Pope entring into a greater suspition for the request the king made made eftsones an obstinate confirmation of his first counsel departing from Bolognia vpon the ende of February he expressed how litle he could dissemble the contempt he had conceiued agaynst the king Afore he issued out of the Citie he set with vnfortunate signes the first stone of the castle which was made there by his commaundement neare the gate which leades to Ferrara in the selfesame place where Phillip Maria Viscounte duke of Millan had aforetime erected another with no lesse yll fortune And his newe anger agaynst the Frenche king hauing in some sort qualified his auncient hatred agaynst the Venetians and not minding to turne out of his right way he determined to passe by the citie of Faenza new controuersies hapning from time to time betwene the French king and him both for that he required that the familie of the Bentyuoleis might be expulsed the duchie of Millan notwithstanding they were referred to that habitation by his consent and also for that he would not render to the pronoterie the possession of those benefices which he had promised by his proper accorde and consent so often preuayled more in him the contention of his minde his wilfull election then eyther reason or equitie Which disposition the king labored not to appease with any art or diligence but standing aggreued for so great a variation and entring withall into suspicion least as the trueth was he gaue secrete encouragement to the people of Genes he forbeare not to threaten him openly and to obiect with iniurious words his infamous place and birth the Pope beeing discended of a very base place and trayned for many yeres in very vile estate And resoluing more and more in his first deliberation touching the affayres of Genes he prepared his armie with great diligence to go thither in person hauing well experienced by his former successes in the kingdome of Naples what difference there is to administer a warre in proper person and to recommende it ouer to the doing of Capteines These preparations amased nothing the Genovvaies being busie to take Monaco about the which they kept employed many vessels and six thousande men leauyed of the communalties and general multitudes of the countreis of Genes These bands were ledde and commaunded by Tarlatin a capteine of the Pisans who together with Peter Shortlegge and certaine vniuersall souldiours had bene sent by them in fauor of the Genovvaies And at Genes as they perseuered in their first offences adding alwayes some newe transgression the capteine of the Castell who till then had expressed no action nor had not bene molested by the conspirators vpon the sodain made many of the commons prisoners and began to vexe the hauen and citie with his artilleries This was eyther by the kings commaundement or vpon his owne authoritie ioyned to a desire to make pillage by reason of which Roccabertin conferring with the common danger of the towne the priuate feare he had of his owne person went his way not whither he woulde for extremitie leaues no libertie but whither the necessitie of his fortune suffred him the footebandes of the Frenche which were set to guarde the publike pallace retyring into the Castell A litle after the siege which had remeined afore Monaco many monethes tooke ende and brake vp the reason was that suche as were encamped afore it vnderstanding that Yues d'Alegre and many gentlemen were at hande to succor it with a strength of three thousande footemen of their owne pay and certaine other bands which the duke of Sauoy had sent had leauyed the siege hauing no corage to abide the armie that marched Besides the brute ranne that the maine armie appoynted for the king passed continually into Lumberdie by reason whereof those men rising into encrease of furie who ought to haue bene the authors of better counsels the commons that till that day had dissembled with words the rebelliō which they had exercised in dedes and neither forbearing to call vpon the name of the French king nor once touching his Armes nor remouing his ensignes nor banners out of the publike places created Duke of Genes one Paule de Noue a silkedyer a man for his vertues of no merite and for his birth and discending of very base place and condition declaring themselues in this manifest rebels for that to the creation of Duke was ioyned a declaration that the citie of Genes should beare no subiection to any prince The same so stirring the
neuer consented to the conuocacion of Pysa disauowing all such as had vsed his name Assoone as he had thus ratified the councell of Latran he departed from Rome to be present when Maxymylian Sforce being now come by commission of Caesar to Verona should take possession of the Duchie of Myllan the Cardinall of Syon disposed him selfe very hardly to exspect and attend his comming and also the Embassadors of the whole nation of Svvyzzers that were at Myllan for that they would that in the demonstracions and solemnitie of thactions that was to be vsed it might appeare that the Svvyzzers were the men that had chassed the french men out of that state and by their vallour and courage Maxymylian receiued it They would that the veritie and effect of that conquest might be transferred to them by such publike ceremonies as were to be vsed in the enstalling of him whom their vertue onely made Lord of the Duchie But such was the working of the Viceroy that more by practise then by his authoritie he obteyned so much that they taried for the comming of the Bishop of Gurcy who after he had ratified at Florence in the name of Caesar the confederacion made in Prato and receiued certeine summes of money of the Lucquoys whome he tooke into protection came at last to Cremona where Max. Sforce and the Viceroy attended him from thence they went al together to Myllan to make their entrie at the day appoynted into that citie with solemnities and honors accustomed to newe Princes In which action albeit it was long disputed betweene the Cardinall of Syon and the Viceroy which of them should giue him the keyes at the entry of the gate in signe of possession yet in the ende the Viceroy giuing place the Cardinall put into his handes the keyes of the towne in the vniuersall name of the Svvyzzers And that day being one of the last dayes of December he did all thinges both in showe and act that were necessary to make knowen that Maxymylian Sforce receiued the possession of them he was receiued with an incredible gladnes of all the people both for the desire they had to haue a Prince proper and perticular and also they hoped he would resemble his grandfather or his father of whome the memorie of one remeyned very fresh in the mindes of the people of that state and touching the other the despites they had receiued by the gouernment of straungers had turned their hatred into good will The working of tyme with thexperience of the yoke of straungers had made in that people a wonderfull conuersion and nature in those actions works not a litle bringing that people to reioyce at the returne of him whose father they abhorred with a iust and vniuersall hatred But these gratulacions and ioyes were yet vnperfect vntill the castell of Nouarro were recouered A matter not long deferred for that they within yeelded it vp their fortune being farre inferior to their faith The confederacion made at Rome had not altogether broken the hopes of agreement betweene Caesar and the Venetians for that the Pope had vppon the suddeine sent to Venice Iacques Staffilio his Nuncio with whom went accompanied three Embassadors of the Svvyzzers to perswade them to accord And on the other side the Senat the better to enterteine the goodwil of the Pope and not to giue cause to Caesar to inuade them with armes had sent to their Embassadors a newe direction to cleaue to the councell of Latran They had commaunded also the men of warre assoone as the confederacion was made to retyre vpon the territories of Padoa And for that cause the Viceroy not willing to trouble the hopes of the peace had turned his armie towards Myllan But all these thinges serued to no purpose for that the same difficulties did yet continue touching the restitucion of Vincensa and the payments of money which Caesar demaunded That was the cause that the Pope assayled not the Duke of Ferrara whom agreement going betweene Caesar and the Venetians he supposed he should be able to vanquish with the aydes of the Venetians together with the brute that the Spanyards were to come on if neede should be otherwayes he had resolued to deferre that expedicion till the springe tyme for that he accounted it a matter of hard action to take in a season of winter the towne of Ferrara the situacion being strong in respect of the riuer and greatly fortefied besides by the continuall industrie of Alfonso It may happly seeme to some if I intangle my historie with thaccidents of Fraunce in that yeare that I wander or chaunge my course which is not to speake of matters hapning out of the bondes of Italy But because the affayres of that nation haue some affinitie and relacion with the busines of these partes And that to the successe of the one the councells and yssues of the other were oftentymes conioyned I am constrayned not to passe them altogether vnder forgetfulnes and silence About the beginning of Maye an armie of six thowsand English footemen sailed in vessells of England and Spayne to Fontarabye A frontyer towne belonging to the crowne of Spayne vpon the coast of Fraunce and standing vpon the Occean sea The seruice and purpose of this armie according to the couenants made betweene the father in law and sonne in law was together with the forces of Spaine to set vpon the Duchie of Guyen which is a part of the prouince of Aquitaine according to the auncient names and diuisions of the same Against this warre the french king not yet assured on the coast of Picardy prepared a new pencionary band of eight hundred launces which he had erected waged many bands of footemen of the lower parts of Germany not subiected to thEmprour And knowing of what importance for the defence of the Duchie of Guyen was the Realme of Nauarre which was both appropriat and dowrie to Katherin de Foix and possessed ioyntly with Iohn the sonne of Albert who was her husband he called to the Court the father of the sayd Iohn and carefully considered how he might make him his friende and consociat Wherein serued to good purpose the death of Gaston de Foix by the instigacion of whome pretending the same kingdom not to fall vpon the femall and by consequent to apperteine to him as to the next heire male of the house of Foix the french king had pursued the sayd Iohn On the other side the king Catholike who had sette his eyes vppon that Realme required the king of Nauarre to stande Newter betweene the french king and him And to suffer to passe thorow his Realme his souldiours that were to enter Fraunce And for the assurance of these things he would put into his handes certeine places of strength vnder promise to render them assoone as the warre should ende It hath bene a perpetuall desire in the auncient kings of Spaine to impatronise them selues vpon the Realme of Nauarre In which respect the
gaue this as a warning and lesson that that man was neither to be excused nor esteemed worthy of compassion who beeing once beguiled by an other returneth eftsoones to reappose confidence in him An enemie reconciled charitie leades vs to loue him but wisedome willeth vs not to trust him and to a friend once disproued there can be no greater daunger then eftsoones to reenter into confidence with him The Cardinall of S. Seuerin was of an other opinion who as his aduersaries sayd crossing Tryuulce more through enuie then for other occasion for that with his brethren he had alwaies defended the Gebelin faction in Myllan replied in the contrary that nothing could be more profitable to the king and his seruices then in ioyning with Caesar to breake the vnion of thennemies specially the confederacion being made by such meane as they might hope it would last That it was the propertie of Princes in their councells and deliberacions to preferre alwayes profitte affore good will affore hatred and affore other affections And what greater benefit could be done to Caesar then to ayde him presently against the Venetians with hope that his Nephew should come to succeede in the Duchie of Myllan That Caesar being seperat from the others the king Catholike would not obiect against his authoritie as well for thinterests of his Nephew as for other regards Moreouer that as nothing could more amaze the Pope then this confederacion so of the contrary to confederat with the Venetians was full of indignitie since there must be accorded to them Cremona Guiaradada members so conuenient to the Duchie of Myllan that to recouer them the king had stirred vppe all the worlde And yet if the vnion of the others were not broken and deuided the confederacion with the Venetians would not suffice to obteyne the victorie At last this opinion caried the king the rather for thauthoritie of the Queene who desired greatly thaduauncement of her Daughter onely her desire was accompanied with this condicion so farre forth as it might bee obteyned that till the consummacion of the mariage the younge Damesell might remeyne with her And she to bind her faith and promisse to keepe her in the name of Caesar as the spowse assigned for his Nephew to whome she would redeliuer her assoone as her age and yeares made her able to the full office of mariage But the Kinge beeing afterwardes certefied that Caesar woulde not agree vnder this forme of lymitacion but rather that he foysted in those offers for the tyme and by suttletie to detract his diligence and giue him cause to proceede more slowely in his other plottes he brake off from this practise and sent backe againe for Monsr de Asperot brother to Monsr de Lautrech already gone from the Court with his commission to finde the Bishoppe of Gurce On the other side the feare of the vnion betweene the king and the Venetians encreasing dayly the king of Aragon aduised Caesar to render Verona and to transferre the warre into Burgondy by the helpe of the money which he shoulde receiue of the Venetians and with the Spanishe armie Of this aduise was the Bishop of Gurcy who hoping to be hable to moue Caesar by his presence nowe returned into Germanie being followed not onely of Dom Peter de Vree which was come with him but also of Iohn Baptista Spinella Count of Carriato Embassador to the sayde king of Aragon resident with the Venetians And because no newe difficulties should breake of the matters that were nowe in action he induced first the senate to make truce with Caesar for the whole moneth of Marche And those Embassadors gaue them their fayth that Caesar shoulde render Verona if they would promise him within certayne times two hundred and fiftie thousande duckets and for yerely pension fiftie thousande In these alterations of affayres and in these times so deuided and conspiring the Pope fell sicke And happly he was then more full of high conceites and trauelling thoughts then at any time before for notwithstaÌ„ding he had brought his fortune to be equall to his desires obteined the thing he aspired vnto yet his deuises plots did nothing diminish but grewe increasing by the same meane which should haue satisfied them he had determined in the beginning of the spring and first opening of the yere to sende to thenterprise of Ferrara which he so muche desired and his opinion was that that state was hable to make no resistance both for that it was naked of all succours because the Spanish armie was to ioyne with his companies He had secretly bought of Caesar for the price of xxx thousande duckets the Citie of Siena for the behoofe of the Duke of Vrbin to whom except Pesera he woulde neuer giue any thing of thestate ecclesiastike to th ende to reserue to him selfe the whole glorie to haue simply and onely studyed for thexaltation of the Churche he agreed to lende to Caesar fortie thousande duckettes receyuing Modona in gage he threatned them of Lucquoy who in the heate of th affayres of the Duke of Ferrara were become lordes of Garsagnana making instance that they woulde deliuer it to him He was out of conceite with the Cardinall of Medicis for that he thought him to cleaue more to the king Catholike then to him And because he knewe he was not hable to dispose of the Citie of Florence as he thought he studied already newe plottes and newe practises to alter that estate He was yll contented with the Cardinall of Sion from whom he tooke the name of Legate and enioyned him to come to Rome for that in the Duchie of Myllan he had appropriate to him selfe a yerely rent of more then thirtie thousande duckets of the estates and goods of diuers persons The better to assure the Duke of Vrbin of Sienna by intelligences of his neighbours he had of newe taken into his paye Charles Baillon to chafe out of Perousa Iohn Paule who by affinitie was very neare ioyned to the sonnes of â—andolffe Petruccio successors to the greatnes of their father He would of newe create Duke of Genes Octauian Fregosa deposing Ianus from that dignitie an action wherevnto did consent the others of the house of Fregosa because for the degree that his auncestors helde in that state it seemed best to apperteine to him He studied continually either howe he might worke out of Italie the Spanish armie or cut it in peeces by the ayde of the Svvizzers whom aboue all others he exalted and embraced In this deuise he had this intention that the kingdome of Naples beeing occupied by him Italie should remayne free from straungers A speeche that often passed out of his mouth and to that ende he had hindred that the Svvizzers did not confederate with the king Catholike And yet as though it had bene in his power to batter all the world at one time he continued his accustomed rigour agaynst the French king and notwithstanding he had heard a message
farre from Parma when Federike departed was called in by an vniuersall consent of the people and made his entrie The Capteines and Assistantes of the League deuised howe to recouer the residue of the estate vnder this foundacion to make no more so greate expences And accordingly they dispatched from Millan at the same tyme the Marquis of Pisquairo with his bandes of Spaniardes and the Launceknightes and Grisons to laye siege to Coma In whiche enterprise in maye be doubted whether was more forwarde his desire or his fortune for he had no sooner begonne to enforce the terrour of his artilleries then the defendantes dispayring of reskew agreed to render vp the place vnder condicion of sauetie of life and goods aswell to the Frenche bandes as to thinhabitantes of the towne And yet when the Frenche men were vppon their departure the Spaniardes made their entrie and sacked it to the greate infamie of the Marquis who beeing afterwardes accused of fayth breaking by Iohn Chabannes chiefe of the Frenche bandes within Coma was by him defyed and chalenged to the combat At the same instant they of the League sent the Bishop of Verula to the Svvizzers to assure them of their willes neuerthelesse assoone as he was come to Belinsone they committed hym to warde for that standing yll contented that their regimentes of footemen had marched agaynst the French king they did not onely complayne of the Cardinall of Syon and the Pope but also of all their ministers and officers But chiefly they inueyed agaynst the Bishoppe of Verula for that being the Popes Nuncio with them at suche tyme as they leauyed their men he laboured to induce them to goe agaynst thexception vnder the which they had bene accorded The estate and affayres of the warre was reduced into these tearmes with a wonderfull hope in the Pope and Caesar to confirme the victorie bothe for that the French king had no meane to dispatche with expedicion newe companies into Italie and also for them selues they thought the power of those who had wonne Millan vpon him with the moste parte of the Duchie was sufficient not onely to preserue it but also to runne through all the residue that remayned in the handes of thenemie Yea suche a thing is terrour that the Senate of Venice fearing least the warre begonne agaynst others would not fall vpon them gaue hope to the Pope to cause the French bandes to depart out of their landes But of thoughtes sodaine began to spring an accident vnlooked for for newes came that the Pope was dead sodenlye the first day of December As he laye at the village of Magliana whither he went oftentimes for his recreation he heard the first reapport of the taking of Millan which stirred in him suche an extreme passion of ioye that the same night he entred into a small feauer and for his better remedie he caused himselfe the next daye to be remoued to Rome where he dyed within very fewe dayes after notwithstanding the Phisitions in the beginning made no great reckoning of his disease There was great suspicion that he was poysoned by Barnabie Malespina his Chamberleine whose office was alwayes to giue him drinke And yet though he was made prisoner through the suspicion of the fact and the vehement reasons of the same yet the matter was dashed and thexaminacion thereof for that the Cardinall Medicis assone as he came to Rome set him at libertie fearing to fall further into the disgrace of the Frenche king by whose practise it was supposed that Barnabie gaue him the fatall drinke This was but whispred secretly the author being no lesse doubtfull then the coniectures vncertayne He dyed if we consider the cōmon opinion of men in very great glory felicity not so much for that by the surprising of Millan he saw himself deliuered of daungers and exspences intollerable whiche hauing drayned him of all store of money and treasor he was constrayned to aduaunce all meanes and maners for his supply and releeuing But also that a very fewe dayes affore his death he receyued aduertisement of the taking of Plaisanca and the very day he dyed newes came to him of the winning of Parma A matter so greatly desired by him that at such time as he debated to moue warre agaynst the Frenche men it is very well remembred that he sayde to the Cardinall de Medicis laboring to disswade him that as he was in nothing more caryed to the desire of that warre then to recouer to the Churche those two Cities so when so euer God should blesse him with theffect of that desire it would not greue him to dye He was a prince in whom were many thinges worthy to be commended and blamed and in the estate and discourse of his life he deceyued greatly thexpectation that was had of him when he was created Pope for that his gouernment was with a greater discression but with farre lesse bountie then was looked for The death of the Pope did greatly diminishe th affayres of Caesar in Italie as also it was not vnlikely that suche an enemie beeing taken away with whose money the whole warre was both begon and continued both the French king would enter into a newe sprite and dispatche a newe armie into Italie and also the Venetians for the same causes would recontinue the confederacion they had with him So that it seemed that by this accident the deuises to assayle Cremona and Genes vanished were dissolued and the officers of Caesar who till then had payed the Spanishe bandes with great difficultie were constrayned to dismisse a great part of them A matter not without daunger since there were holden yet for the king Cremona Genes Alexandria the Castell of Millan the Castells of Nouaro and Tressa Pisqueton Domussolo Arona and all the Lake maior Besides the Rocke of Pontremo was eftsones returned to his deuocion which being lost before was reconquered by Sinibaldo de Fiesquo and the Count Nocero Neither had the affayres of the French king any good successe beyonde the Mountes for that Caesar bringing warre vpon Flaunders had taken from him the Citie of Tornay and not long after the Castell wherein were no small quantities of artilleries and municions In so muche that by reason of the Popes death newe gouernmentes newe counsells and newe estates of affayres and doings were introduced into the Duchie of Millan The Cardinalles of Syon and Medicis made foorthwith to Rome to communicate in thelection of the newe Pope The Imperials kept retayned with them fifteene hundred footemen Svvizzers and dismissed all the others together with the Launceknightes who went their waye The bandes of the Florentines tooke their way to returne into Tuskane Touching the regimentes of the Church Guido Rangon ledde one part of them to Modona and the other remayned in the state of Millan with the Marquis of Mantua and that more of his proper resolucion then by the consent of the College of Cardinalles who standing deuided amongest themselues could bring