fortunes that might happen he married Blanche Mary sister to Iohn Gales and his Neece to Maximylian newly aspired to thempire of Rome by the death of Federyk his father to him he promised in dowrie to be payd within a certeine time iiij hundreth thowsand duckatts of ready money with iewells and other ornaments to the value of xl thowsand duckatts and of the other parte Maximylian thirsting more after money then affinitie by this mariage bound him selfe to indue Lodovvyk to the preiudice of Iohn Galeas his new brother in law with thinuestiture of the Duchie of Myllan for him his children offpringe as though that estate had remained without lawfull Dukes euer since the death of Phillip Maria Viscount At the latter payment of the money he promised to giue him all the priuileadges and prerogatiues accomplished in most ample forme The Viscounteis gentlemen of Myllan during the bluddy factions in Italy betwene the Gebelyns and Guelffes and after the Guelffes were suppressed of principall men of one part of Myllan became Lordes and absolute maisters of the whole citie such frutes for the most are bredd by ciuill discordes And in this greatnes after they had continued many yeares they sought according to the common aduauncement of tyrannies the better to disguise their vsurpacion with a show of right to strengthen first with colers lawful after to set out their fortune with most ample titles therefore after they had first obteyned of themprours of whome Italy began to know rather the name then their power the title of capteines then vicaires of thempire In the ende Iohn Galeas who for that his father in lawe Iohn king of Fraunce had giuen him the earldom of Vertus called him self Earle of Vertus obteyned of Vincislao king of Romaines for him his yssues males the dignitie of Duke of Myllan in which succeded him the one after the other Iohn Maria and Phillip Maria his sonnes But the lyne masculyne being determined by the death of Phillip albeit by his testament he had instituted as his heire Alphonso king of Aragon and Naples partly for the recompense of the amitie he shewed at his deliuery but more for that the Duchie of Myllan defended by so mighty a Prince should not fall into the subiection of the Venetians aspiring manifestly to it yet Francis Sforce at that time a capteine valiant and equally seene in affaires of peace and warre being assisted with many occasions then occurrant and more esteeming to reigne then to keepe faith held with armes the sayd Duchie as apperteining to Blanche Maria his wife the bastard daughter of Phillip And albeit it was supposed that soone after with a small porcion of money he might haue purchased of themprour Federyk thinuestiture of that state yet trusting he was able to kepe it by the same meanes wherwith he had wonne it he made small reckoning of that office in themprour thus without inuestiture continued Galeaz his sonne Iohn Galeaz his later sonne by reasō whereof Lodovvyk bearing him self wickedly at one time against his Nephew liuing doing wrong to the memory of his father brother decessed mainteined that not one of thē were lawful dukes of Myllan procuring him self as of an estate diuolued to thempire to be inuested by Maximylian by that reason bare the title not of the 7. but of the 4. Duke of Myllan which thinges so long as his Nephew liued were not suffered to come but to a fewe mens knowledge Besids following thexample of Cyrus yonger brother to Artexerses king of Persia which also he confirmed with thauthority of many lawyers he aduowched that he was before his brother not in yeares age but for that he was the first borne after their father became Duke of Myllan This reason togither with the first was bestowed amongest the imperiall priuileadges wherin to cloke with a vaine couer the ambicion of Lodovvyk there was also written in letters separate that it was not the custom of the holy Empire to consent or passe any estate to any that afore had holden it vnder thauthoritie of an other for which cause Maximylian had kept no reckoning of the peticions made by Lodovvyk to obteyne thinuestiture for Iohn Galeas hauing afore acknowledged the same Duchie of the people of Myllan In this mariage made by Lodovvyk of his Neece with Maximylian Ferdinand tooke encrease of hope that Lodovvyk would estraunge him selfe from the amitie of the french king these were the reasons and arguments of his hope for that he had knitt him selfe with Maximylian enemie and Corriuall to the french king by many occasions the departing with so great a sunme of money might induce the kings suspicion agaynst him And lastly this newe coniunction ministring occasion of corage hart he supposed he would not be fearful to diuide him selfe from the french doings This hope Lodovvyk nourished with great conning and with the vayle of the same so blinded all others that at one time he communicated with Ferdinand the other Potentates in Italy and withall enterteyned the king of Romaines and yet kept the french from ielousie Ferdinand also iudged that it could not but be displeasing and intollerable to the Senate of Venice to whom he had sent Embassadors that a Prince so mightie aboue them should enter the hart of Italy wherein they had the chiefest place opinion and authoritie besides he fedd much of the hopes in the king and Queene of Spayne who had promised him great succors if neither by perswasions offers nor authoritie he could not breake the enterprise On the other side the french king hauing taken away all impediments on that side the mountes began to practise to remoue such difficulties as might fall to his hinderance on the other side the hills In that action he sent Peron de la bache a man not ignorant in th affayres of Italy by thexperience he had there vnder Iohn of Aniovv who after he had made knowen to the Pope the Senate of Venice and the Florentyns the resolucion of his king to recouer the kingdom of Naples he made peticion to them all to enter societie fellowshippe and communitie with him But he reaped no other frute then frayle hopes and generall aunsweres for that the warre being not to be executed till the next yeare euery one refused to discouer so long before his intencion In like sort the king required of thembassadors of Florence sent to him a litle before by Ferdinands consent to excuse them selues of thimputacion that they inclined to the partie of thAragons to haue passage and vittells for his armie in their iurisdictions at reasonable rate and that to accompanie him to the kingdom of Naples they would furnish him with an hundreth men at armes which he sayd he required as a signe that the common weale of Florence stoode with him in amitie Albeit they aunswered him with many reasons and declaracions that they could not in that sort protest without great perill vntill his armie were
saw their ennemie inferior but when things were brought to an equallitie the place apt their forces indifferent all other oportunities consenting either one eschewed to assay the fortune of battell and in them both was approued that which very rarely hapneth that one councell was pleasing to two armies being ennemies For the french thought they shoulde accomplish their intencion for the which they were come out of Lombardie if they hindred thAragons for passing further And Alphonso iudged it greatly to his benefit if he could amuse hold thennemies bridle vntill winter And therefore gaue expresse charge to his sonne and Ioh Iacques Tryuulso with the Count de Petillane that without great occasion they should not put in the power of fortune the realme of Naples which was vtterly lost if that armie were defeated But these remedies sufficed not for his sauetie for that king Charles whose forwardnes could not berestrained neither by the season of the time nor any other difficulties marched into the field with his armie as soone as he had recouered his health And because Iohn Galeas Duke of Myllan his cosin iermayne for the king he discended of two sisters daughters to Lovvys the second Duke of Sauoye lay sore sicke in the castell of Pauya he went with great humanitie to visit him making his way by the towne lodging in the same castell The speches he vsed to him were generall for the presence of Lodovvyk onely expressing howe much greeued he was for his sicknes and perswaded him to take hope and courage to recouer his health But touching the effect of the minde the king with all those that were with him had great compassion of him euery one iudging for certeyne that the yong gentleman by the wickednes of his Vncle had not long to liue This compassion was much encreased by the presence of Isabell his wife who not onely full of many sorrowes for thinfirmitie of her husband and estate of her litle sonne borne by him but also much afflicted for the perill of her father and his adherents she fell with great humilitie in the publike presence at the feete of the king recommending to him with pitifull teares her father and his howse of Aragon towardes whom albeit the king for her age â–ª for her bewtie and her present fortune expressed an apparant inclinacion to pitie yet being not able to staye the course of so great a matter for so light occasion he aunswered her with signes of will to doe that he could not saying thenterprise being so farre aduaunced he was constrayned to prosecute and continue it From Pauya the king marched to Plaisance and during the aboade he made there newes came of the death of Iohn Galeas by which occasion Lodovvyk that had followed him thether returned in no small diligence to Myllan where by the principals of the councell which the Duke had subborned it was propownded that in regarde of the greatnes of that estate and the daungerous times that prepared now for Italy it would be a thing preiudiciall that the sonne of Iohn Galeas hauing not v. yeares in age should succeede his father And therefore aswell to keepe the liberties of the state in protection as to be able to meete with thinconueniences which the time threatneth they thought it iust and necessary derogating somewhat for the publike benefite and for the necessitie present the disposicion of the lawes as the lawes them selues doe suffer to constraine Lodovvyk for the better stay of the common weale to suffer that into him might be transported the title dignitie of Duke a burden very waighty in so conspiring a season with the which couler honestie giuing place to ambicion the morning following vsing some forme of resistance he tooke vpon him the name and armes of the Duchie of Myllan hauing secretly protested before that he receiued them as apperteining to him by thinuestiture of the king of Romaines It was published that the death of Galeas hapned by immoderat cohabitacion but the vniuersall iudgement of Italy was that he dyed not of infirmities naturall nor by incontinencie but by poyson and violent compulsion wherof Theodor de Pauya one of the Phisicions assisting when the king visited him assured the king to see most apparant manifest signes And if he were dispatched by poyson there was none that dowted that his Vncle was innocent either directly or indirectly as he who not content with an absolute power to be gouerner of the state but aspiring according to the common desires of great men to make them selues glorious with titles honors and specially he iudged that both for his proper sewertie and the succession of his children the death of the lawfull Prince was necessary and therfore sought to establish in him selfe the power and name of Duke wherin ambicion and couetousnes preuailed aboue conscience and law of nature the ielous desire of dominion enforced his disposicion otherwayes abhorring bludd to that vile action It was beleued of many wisemen that he hath had that intencion euer since he began to solicite the french kinges iorney into Italy iudging thoccasion and the time would well concurre to aduaunce theffect for that the french houering vppon the borders of that state with a mayne armie it would alter mens coniectures and humors and cary their witts from remembrance of an act so wicked But some hauing opinions more particular supposed both for the suddainnes of his death diligent transferring the imperie to the other that it hapned by a new thought proceeding of feare least the king the councells of the french are suddain would turne him self with a contrary course to deliuer his cosin Galeas from so great a subiection being induced thereunto either for respect of parentage and compassion of his age or that he might thinke it was a thing more sure for him selfe that the Duchie of Myllan were in the power of his cosin rather then commaunded by Lodovvyk whose fidelitie many of his great Lordes laboured continually to make suspected with him But because Lodovvyk had gott the yeare before thinuestiture of the Duchie of Myllan and a litle before the death of his nephew had dispatched with diligence th imperiall priuileadges it makes a congruent construction that it was a deliberacion voluntary and foredeuised and not suddeine nor in respect of the present daunger The king stayed certeine dayes at Plaisance not without inclinacion to returne into France for that aswel the want of money which being the more generall was so much more intollerable as not seeing any new thing in Italy discouer in his fauour he had many dowtes of his successe hauing withall no litle suspicion of the new Duke of Myllan who notwithstanding when he parted sayd he would returne yet the iudgement was that he would not come againe at all it is not out of all likelihood that being vnknowen to the nations on thother side the mountes that wicked custom to poyson men
others consenting to this conspiracie The reason was that they had a hope that assayling it there would easily rise some mutation seing there was a slender strength of the men at armes of Fraunce many of the nobilitie were abroade the peoples much enclined to the name of Sforce and the French king on whom was falne a great maladie languishing in so dangerous extremitie that for many houres there was a generall dispaire of his health and though he should somewhat reuiue yet his disease had made him so yll disposed that there was no hope of lyfe and lesse expectation of action And such as looked into things with a deper counsell doubted least Askanius with whom at that time the Venetian Embassadour had familiar conuersation at Rome interteined a secret intelligence not onely with the great Capteine but also with the Venetians who had bene of late more ready and more bold to offende the French then in times past for that the French king who newly was entred into suspition and distrust of the king of Romaines his sonne seeing after the death of the Queene of Spayne what would be the greatnes of the Archduke forsooke apparantly their amitie and ayded agaynst Tharchduke the Duke of Gueldres his sharpe enemie and inclined to practise particular intelligence with the king of Spayne But as the thoughtes of men are deceitfull and their hopes full of infirmitie and frayltie so whylest these things were in solicitation the French king whose recouerie was holden desperate went dayly growing into health and Cardinall Askanius dyed sodenly at Rome of the plague By whose death albeit the dangers to the estate of Millan were cut of yet the plottes layed to molest the Florentins were not altogether remoued and therefore P. Petruccio Iohn Paule Baillon and Bartlemevv Aluiano assembled together in the borowe of Pregai vpon the confins of the Perusins and Siennois not with hope to be strong ynough to restore the Medicis into Florence but with this intention that Aluiano entring into Pisa with the wills of the Pisans should inuade for the suretie of that Citie the frontier of the Florentins with deuise to passe further as occasion would present These preparations smothered hithervnto beginning nowe to burst out into light the Florentins feared muche of the disposition of the great Capteine both for that they knewe that the time for the which Aluiano was interteined in the Spanish pay remeined yet till the next Nouember and also for that they could not beleeue that P. Petruccio would enter into newe enterprises without his consent seeing the said Petruccio neuer satisfying the French king of the summes of money which he promised and hauing often times abused him in other properties depended altogether of the king of Spayne Besides the suspition of the Florentins was augmented in this that fearing the Lorde of Plombin which vas vnder the protection of the Spanishe king to be assayled by the Genovvaies Consaluo had sent to Plombin for his suretie a thousand footemen vnder the charge of Nuguo de Campo and to the riuer of Plombin three ships two galleis with certeine other vessels which forces brought into a place so neare the Florentins gaue them great occasion to feare that they were not come to ioyne with Aluiano as he himselfe assured that they were promised But the truth was that the king of Spayne after the truce made with the French king gaue direction for diminution of thexpences that aswell the regiment of Aluiano as the bands of others which had bene limited should be reduced to a hundred launces Wherevpon he taking occasion to be greeued did not onely refuse to binde him selfe eftsones with newe othe but also meinteined that he was acquited of the first both for that he was not satisfied of his paies passed and also the great Capteine would not holde his promise to giue him after the conquest of Naples two thousande footemen to serue his turne agaynst the Florentins in fauor of the Medicis Lastly the minde of Aluiano was trauelling naturally desirous of new things and altogether impacient of thanquilitie and rest The Florentins for their defence agaynst so violent stormes had recourse to the French king who was bounde by the capitulations of protection to defende them with foure hundred launces they sent to him to refurnish them with two hundred but he beeing more caried with couetousnes of money then with regarde to the prayers of his friends or compassion of his auncient confederates aunswered that he would giue them no succours if first they made him not satisfied of the thirtie thousande duckets which were due to him by thobligation of protection And albeit the Florentins made many humble requests and suites that he would yet temporise and expect a litle alleaging how muche they were aggreeued with intollerable expences necessarie for their defence yet being more caried with couetousnes then with reason or indifferencie he perseuered obstinately in his deliberation in so muche as he whom they most suspected and had most offended ministred more to their helpe and safetie then he of whom they seemed to be best assured to whom they had done greatest pleasures finding least safetie where they reapposed moste confidence and greatest perill where they iustly expected their protection for the great Capteine desiring that the tranquilitie of Italie should not be troubled eyther because he would not should be broken the practises of peace begonne of newe betweene the two kings or for that he nourished some deuise to appropriate to him selfe the kingdome of Naples vsing thoccasion of the death of the Queene and the sedes of future discord betwene the father in lawe the sonne he vsed all diligence to induce Aluiano to reenter into the pay and commaunded him as a vassall souldiour of his king to make no further proceeding beeing nowe gone to Petillano to obey the Popes commaundement to dissolue his companies or rather to go out of the Churche dominions vpon payne of depriuation of thestates which he had in the kingdome of Naples bearing a value in yerely reuenue of seuen thousande duckets he signified to the Pisans whom a litle before he had secretly receiued into the protection of his king and also to the Lorde of Plombin that they should not receiue him And he caused to be tolde and offred to the Florentins that he was content they should haue the seruice of his footemen that were within Plombin whome he ordeined to be commaunded by M. Anthonio Colonno their capteine he sent also to P. Petruccio that he should in no wise support Aluiano forbidding to followe him Lovvys sonne of the Counte Petillano Frauncis Vrsin and Iohn de Cery who were in his pay But notwithstanding all these inhibitions Aluiano with whō were Iohn Levvys Vitelli Iohn Conrad Vrsin three hundred men at armes and fiue hundred footmen of good resolution passed alwayes further though slowly they of Sienna furnishing him with vittels he came at last by
agaynst those whom any of them should name and they named ioyntly in Italie the Pope and the French king apart named the Florentins That for strengthning of this peace there was ment to be made betweene the two kings a perpetuall confederation for the defence of their estates wherevnto the king should be bounde with a thousande launces and six thousande footemen and Ferdinand with three hundred launces two thousande Iennytairs and six thousande footemen After the peace was made and published wherin the king of Englande promised obseruation for both the parties the Barons of Aniovv who were in Fraunce hauing taken their leaue of the king went almost all with the Queene Iermana into Spayne the king vsing towards them at their departure a very small gratulation of their seruices past Isabell the widowe of Federike hauing her leaue went to Ferrara refusing to put her children into the power of the Catholike king In this towne of Ferrara Alphonso the sonne of Hercules beeing nowe succeeded to the Dukedome there hapned vpon the ende of the yere a straunge and tragicall accident suche one as had some similitude with the barbarous actions of thauncient Thebanes but for farre more lighte occasions if th unbridled furie of loue be lesse then the burning ambition and desire to reigne The Cardinall Hypolito d'Este louing feruently a young mayde his kinswoman who for her parte was no lesse amarous of Don Iulio naturall brother to the Cardinall and confessing her selfe to the Cardinall that that which aboue all other things made so vehement her affection to his brother was the sweete aspect and beautie of his eyes Loue is a Lorde of the worlde and aboue all naturall impressions hath a tyrannicall subiection ouer the creatures whom he possesseth for the Cardinall enuying the communitie of his brother turned his loue into ielous furie and setting espiall ouer Don Iulio when he should go out of the towne on hunting set vpon him in the fielde with a crewe of tormentors prepared to mischiefe whose violent handes the Cardinall in his owne presence suffred to thrust out the eyes of his brother for that they were the companions of his loue An action no lesse infamous to the Cardinall then intollerable to all humanitie and which afterwards trayned with it many occasions of seditious and Ciuil quarrels betweene the brethren Suche was the ende of the yere a thousande fiue hundred and fiue The ende of the sixt booke THE ARGVMENT OF THE SEVENTH BOOKE MAny treaties are made Pope Iulio the seconde takes the gouernment of Bolognia The Genovvaies rebell agaynst the French king The king of Aragon meeteth vvith the French king and communicateth vvith him The dyet is holden at Constance The king of Romaines demaundes passage of the Venetians to go take the Crovvne at Rome he inuadeth their lands and aftervvards maketh truce vvith them THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE historie and discourse of Guicciardin THESE were thaccidents of the yere a thousande fiue hundred and fiue whiche albeit left apparant hopes that the tranquilitie of Italie would recontinue the warres for the quarrell of Naples being nowe quenched yet suche is the mutabilitie of worldly affaires there began to appeare in other places seedes of newe innouations and chalenges tending to many ciuill calamities for Philip which nowe tooke vpon him the title of king of Castillo and was no lesse discontented that suche a kingdome was gouerned by his father in lawe inclined to thincitation of many Barons and prepared him selfe to passe into Spayne agaynst his will pretending as the trueth was that the late Queene had no power eyther to dispose or to prescribe lawes or to bequeath the gouernment of the kingdome after her death The king of Romains also taking stomack by the greatnes of his sonne solicited to passe into Italie And lastly the Frenche king albeit the yere before he was muche discontented with the Pope for that he had disposed and inducted the benefices whiche were voyde by the death of Cardinall Askanius and others in the duchie of Millan without his participation And for that also in the creation of other Cardinals he had refused to call the bishop of Achx nephewe to the Cardinall of Amboyse and the bishop of Baieux nephewe to Monsr Trymouille being earnestly solicited by the king who in those regardes had caused to sequester the frutes of the benefices which the Cardinall S. P. ad Vincla others of the Popes amitie possessed in thestate of Millan yet the king on the other side holding both suspected and feared the greatnes of Caesar and his sonne iudged it necessarie not to nourish occasions of reuenge but to reenter into reconcilement with the Pope to whom after he had releaced all the sequestrations he sent in the beginning of this yere the bishop of Sisteron thapostolicall Nuncio to negociate with him many plotts and offers agaynst the Venetians to whom he knewe the Pope could not but continue to beare an yll will with a hatred redoubled for the desire he had to recouer the townes of Romania An humor which the Pope did so muche the more dissemble by how much vntill that day he had proceded in al things so tractable respectiue that euery one tooke occasion to maruell greatly that he who in his estate of Cardinall had bene alway full of immoderate and aspiring thoughtes and who in the time of Popes Sistus Innocent and Alexander had bene many times thinstrument to trouble Italie expressed now that he was become Pope an estate for the most part administred with ambition and troublesome imaginations to be more easie and abated in courage then did well beare th ambicious profession which he had alwayes made to the contrarie not making any showe or demonstration to remember olde iniuries or to seeme to be like to him selfe So dangerous is dissimulation in the persons of great men whose authoritie and place shadowing their dispositions defends all things from blame though they haue nothing vnworthy of reprehension for the intentions of the Pope were farre other wayes then agreed with the propertie of his actions for that hauing a determination to surmount the former opinion that was had of him and to do more then was expected turned all his wittes deuises and labours contrarie to the custome of his auncient magnanimitie to heape vp a wonderfull masse of treasure to th ende that to the will he had to kindle the warre might be ioyned also the meane and power to susteine it And finding in that time that he was furnished with sufficient treasures and money he beganne euen then to discouer his thoughtes aspiring to right great things suffring nothing to stay th execution of that whiche he had pretended with so great studie secrecie and hope Therefore the Bishop of Sisteron being receyued and hard with a gladnes agreable to the nature of his desire was dispatched and sent backe agayne with diligence to solicite betweene them a new reunion and amitie wherein the
Tribunes of the people These vnder this forme of pollicie or rather apparant mutinie occupied with armes the towne of Spetie with certayne other townes of the ryuer of Leuant whereof Iohn Levvys de Fiesquo was gouernour for the king This gouernour complayned to the king of those insolencies both in the name of the whole nobilitie and for his particular interest wherin he recommended to his maiestie the manifest danger to loase the iurisdiction of Genes seeing the insolent libertie of the commons had caried them so farre that besides other oppressions and harmes they aspired proceding directly agaynst thauthoritie of the king to manage the townes of the riuer That vsing expedition there might be raysed remedies conuenient to represse so great a furie seing it was as yet but in the nature of a popular warre without the protection of any greater prince where if he ioyned negligence to thopportunitie and became slowe in leauying the prouisions that were necessarie the euill would more and more resolue and take with tract of time more firme roote for that both thimportance of Genes was suche by sea and lande that it would easily allure some forreine Prince to nourishe such a diuision so hurtfull for his estate And also the commons comming to knowe that whiche at the beginning was perhaps but in the qualitie of sedition woulde in the ende chaunge habite and turne into rebellion and so become a pray to any that would giue hope to defende it But on the other parte thembassadours sent to the king from the Commons of Genes labored to iustifie the action and to make their cause be found good They declared that no other thing had disaltered the people but the pride of the gentlemen who not contented with the dignities and honours conuenient to nobilitie aspired to higher degrees seeking to be redowted as Lords and Princes That the people had long borne the yoke of their insolencies but at last feeling outrages not onely in their goods and generall callings but also in their persons estates most priuate their patience was nowe ouercome with the weight and violence of their pride And yet albeit by these compulsions they were no longer hable to conteine them selues they were not for all that proceded to any other actions then such as without the which their libertie could not be assured for seing the gentlemen communicated by equall part in the offices and iurisdictions there was no possibilitie by the meane of courts and iudgements to resist their tyrannie And Iohn Lovvys commaunding ouer the townes of the ryuers without the traffike whereof Genes stoode at it were besieged there was no safetie for the commons to enterteine traffike and conuersation there That the people had bene alwayes most deuout and faythfull to the kings maiestie and that the mutations of Genes had in al tymes more proceeded of the ambition of the gentlemen then infidelitie of the people That they besought the king to pardon those offences which during the heate of the contentions certayne particulars had committed agaynst thuniuersall will and consent and that he would confirme the lawe made for the distribution of offices and suffer the townes of the ryuers to be managed vnder the name publike Lastly that by that meane the Gentlemen enioying honorably their degrees and dignities and the populars also possessing their libertie with suretie and all things beeing reduced by his Maiesties authoritie into suche an estate of tranquilitie they shoulde be bounde to honor perpetually the clemencie goodnes and iustice of the king The king was muche troubled with these tumultes eyther for that the licentious behauiours of the commons were suspected to him or perhaps for the honorable inclination which the French do commonly beare to the name of gentlemen In so much that he could haue bene disposed to haue punished the authors of these insolencies and reduce all things to their first degree sauing that he feared least if he should vse sharpe remedies the Genovvaies would haue recourse to Caesar whose sonne was not yet dead For which cause making conference of things more according to the necessitie and consideration of the time then agreable to the estate and merite of their doings he determined to proceede with clemencie and tolleration and therefore called into pardon and forgiuenes all their offences they had cōmitted and ratified their newe lawe for disposing of offices so farrefoorth as they would put into his hands the townes of the ryuers which they occupied Wherein the better to incline and dispose the people he sent to Genes doctor Michaell Riccio a banished man to perswade the Commons that they were better to vse and embrace thoccasion of the kings clemencie then adding to their faltes contumacie and hardned obstinacie to driue him to proceede agaynst them with seueritie But discretion hauing no societie with rashnes nor follie any cōmunitie with wisdome their minds seemed to stande blinded with immoderate ambition and couetousnes for the people and tribunes notwithstanding the lawfull Magistrates were of the contrarie opinion would not onely not render the places they occupied not accepting the softnes and tractabilitie of the king but rising into thoughtes of worse nature they determined to assayle the borough of Monaco whiche Lucian Grimault possessed eyther in regarde of a common hatred borne against all gentlemen of Genes or els for that the borowe is of great importance for the citie hauing his situation vpon the sea in a place of great conueniencie or at least for certaine particular hatreds since he to whome falleth the power and gouernment of that place absteineth very hardly from pyracies and robbing by the sea the situation giuing fauour and oportunitie to suche actions or lastly because as they suggested that borough apperteined rightfully to the common weale In whiche regardes notwithstanding the importunities of the gouernour to the contrarie they sent thither many bands both by sea and lande to besiege it the same driuing Philip de Rauastin who knewe that he taryed there vnprofitably and by thaccidents that might happen not without suspition of daunger to departe and to leaue in his place Roccabertin The king for his parte dispayring that temperaunce was vnhable to range things to a better forme and iudging withall that if he should consent that they continued in that estate it might be preiudiciall to his dignitie and suretie and lastly fearing that if he gaue longer sufferance to things the danger would be so much the greater he began openly to make preparations both by sea and land to reduce the Genovvaies to his obedience which deliberation was the cause that matters which were negociated betwene the Pope and him agaynst the Venetians were dissolued and broken Enterprises muche desired by the king who for the death of king Phillip founde him selfe well deliuered of the suspitions which he had taken agaynst Maximilian But muche more wyshed for by the Pope by reason of the townes which they occupied in Romania and did dispose of
in Italie At Verona he receyued the othe of fidelitie in that citie Pe. Guicciardin father to the author of this booke with the other Florentin Embassadors couenanted with him in the name of the cōmon weale induced besides their owne respects by the perswasions of the French king to pay him in a short time xl thousande duckets for which promise they obteyned of him in most ample maner many priuileges for the confirmation aswell of the libertie of Florence as of the dominion and iurisdiction of the townes and estates which they helde together with remission and acquittance of all dueties and demaundes for times past Thus Caesar resting determined to returne into Germany to giue order as he sayde for the warres which he entended in the spring time sent for Monsr Chaumont to come and communicate with him of the present affayres he layed afore him by demonstration the perilles of the tyme and what daunger there were that the Venetians would recouer Citadella and Bassana places of greate importance which they prepared to assayle beeing made proude by the defence and successe of Padoa he feared the same opinion of their fortune would encorage them also to the like action agaynst Monselica Montagnana and Este the felicitie of victorie making men insolent and carying their mindes into enterprises aboue the proportion of their proper power and habilitie He alleaged howe necessarie it were to consider not onely of the protection of these places but also to enter into practise howe to recouer Leguague wherein being of himselfe not sufficient enough to leauie prouisions necessarie for suche effects it touched the king in good pollicie to minister ayde to him whose places were to fall into manyfest perill if the peces which he held were not supported To these demaunds Monsr Chaumont in whom was no power to make any certayne resolution gaue aunswere that he woulde see the king aduertised on whose behalfe he aduouched a minde conformable to his desires being all that apperteined to his place to promise well hauing no authoritie to assure After this conference Caesar went to Chiusa leauing the Marquis of Brandebourg for the garde of Verona And a little after Monsr de Palissa remayning with fiue hundred launces vpon the countrey of Verona alleaging the difficulties and incommodities of the place where he laye gate leaue with great importunities to retyre to the frontiers of the duchie of Millan for that the kings intention was that if his men of warre should remeine in garrison and do nothing they should not abide vpon his estate but should returne to the seruice of Maxymylian to exspect such enterprise as he would embrase but chiefly the action of Leguagua which notwithstanding it was much desired and solicited by him yet it was so long differred by his accustomed difficulties that the raines fell so fast by the propertie of the season that it was impossible to incampe in that contreye being for his lownes much subiect to waters for these impediments Caesar was driuen to desire truce for certaine moneths with the Venetians but they rising into courage by his disorders and seeing how slowly the confederats ministred to his ayde had more regard to the fortune that followed them then to the mocions he made iudging it not for their profite to consent to any ceassing of armes Amyd these suspicions and ielowsies of thinges thEmprour at last returned to Trente leauing those places that he held in great daunger and all the gouernments in Italy in generall dout for there began to appeare betwene the Pope the french king a new contencion the foundacion whereof albeit seemed to be layd vpon light occasions yet there was feare lest it was intangled with more secret practise causes of greater importance then such as were expressed The outward cause appearing was that a Bishoprik being void in Prouence by the death of thincumbent dying in the Court of Rome the Pope had disposed it against the wil of the frēch King who pretended such action to be contrary to the capitulacion which the Cardinal of Pauya had made betwene them wherein albeit the wordes bare not expresly that there should be equall respect and obseruacion touching the Bishoprikes falling in the Court of Rome as of such as fell vacant in other places yet he was assured no lesse by the mouth and promisse of the Cardinall which the Cardinall confessed not to be true more perhaps for feare then for other occasion The Pope affirmed the contrary alleaging that he tooke no knowledge of any thinge promised in priuitie and secret onely in the ratificacion he had regarde to that that appeared in the writing and particular articles wherein he had set downe distinctly all the contents of the capitulacion chapter by chapter And tharticle concerning the dying of the Byshops in the Court of Rome being not comprehended he was not bownde to thobseruation of that that was not expressed This did so much aggrauate the discontentement of them both that as the Kinge reiecting contrary to his custome the councells of the Cardinall Amboise who had alwayes aduised him to enterteyne agreement with the Pope made sequestracion of the frutes of all those benefices which the Churchmen resident in the Court of Rome held in the Duchie of Myllan So the Pope refused to indue the Bishop of Alby with the hat who according to the promisse made to the King was gone to Rome to receiue it And albeit the Pope ouerruled by the importunities of many friendes was brought in the ende to dispose of the Bishoprike of Prouence according to the Kinges minde And albeit there was eftsoones agreed betweene them a new forme of proceeding in benefices that hereafter shoulde fall in the Court of Rome and in that regarde the sequestracions to ceasse on the one side and on the other part the hat to be transferred to the Bishop of Alby yet these agreements sufficed not to moderat the minde of the Pope who was not a litle kindled for many reasons but specially for that hauing from the beginning of his Popedom transferred very vnwillingly the legacion of the Realme of Fraunce to the Cardinall of Amboise A matter hurtfull to the Court of Rome and bearing preiudice to his authoritie it was now most greeuous to him to be constrained to auoid displeasure with the french King to continue it to him he was ielous also that the same Cardinal aspired with all his thoughts meanes to the souereign seat therefore he stoode in feare dout of euery aduauncement and rising of the frenche These were the apparant causes of his discontentment but as farre as could be afterwards coniectured by his thoughts and disposicions he layed greater plots and aspired to farre greater endes desiring vehemently eyther for greedines of glorie or for some secret hatred against the french Kinge or atleast for the libertie of the Genovvais that the Kinge might lose all that he possessed in Italy iudging his greatnes a bridle to his
speede euill 110. Ferdinand to reconquer his kingdom of Naples Ibid. French pockes their beginning 128. Factions breede insurrections 135. French nauy ariue at Caietta 147. French king maketh a posting pilgrimage to Towers and Saint Dennys 149. French king determineth to send Tryuulce into Italy as his Lieuetenant 150. The french begin to decline in Naples 154. The french send to capitulat with Ferdinand 157. Ferdinand dyeth 158. Federyk made k. of Naples 159. Florentyns haue small hope to be succored by the fr. king 165. Florentyns send aūswer to thEmprour 165. Frenche kinge maketh peace with his neighbours 204. French king requireth Pisa in trust 205 French king discendeth into Italy 224. French men take diuers peeces in the Duchie of Millan Ibid. Florentyns put Pawle Vitelly to death 233. French king being at Myllan compoūdeth with the most part of the Potentats of Italy 234. French kinge returneth into Fraunce hauing first set order in the Duchie of Millan 237. French men abandon Myllan 239. French men affraid to assalt Pisa 247. French k. sendeth aide to the Pope 249 Faenza yelded to the Duke 253. French king commaundeth the D. Valentynois to depart from the landes of the Florentyns 256. Federik in mind to cōmit him self to the honor clemency of the french king 261 French and Spanyards do disagree vppon the deuiding of Naples 266. Florentyns haue recourse to the french king 269. French king in Ast 273. Fortune hath a free will to come goe when she listeth c. 287. Florentyns in the contry of Pysa 303. Frenche kinge prepareth mightely against the king of Spayne 306. Frauncis Piccolominy made Pope 312 Faenza taken by the Venetians 318. Florentyns broken by the Pysans 347. Florentins debate whether they should beseege Pisa 348. Florentyns army before Pisa 350. First defeating of the Genowaies 372. French kinge entreth as a Conqueror into Genes 373. French king prepareth against the Venetians 414. French army returneth to the Duchie of Myllan 532. French king taketh Bolognia into his protection 533. French king demaundeth succours of the Florentyns 561. Frēchmē defeated by the Swizzers 646 French king marieth the Ladye Mary sister to the king of England 676. Frauncis the first cōmeth to the crown of Fraunce 685. Frenche king assumeth vppon him the title of Duke of Myllan 685. French army 691. French king returneth to Fraunce 713 Fano beseeged 733. Francisco Maria sendeth to defie law de Medicis 736. French k. aspireth to be Emprour 762. Fontaraby taken by the french 780. Frauncis Guicciardin generall of the army 789. Fault of Monsr de Lawtrech 805. French men before Parma 814. French men before Myllan 827. Frenchmē breake vp before Myllā 864 French king before Pauya 884. French k. sendeth the D. of Albanie into Naples 887. French king will not followe the councell of his Captaines 897. Frēch k. marieth themprours sister 963 French king complaineth vpon thEmprour 968. French men beseege Naples 1102. Feight at sea betwene thImperials and the french 1105. Ferdinand elected k. of Romanes 1171 French king and the king of England ill disposed to thEmprour 1173. French king inciteth the Turke against thEmprour Ibid. G Good estate of Italy before the troubles 2. Greate men doe seldome holde it any breache of iustice to be reuenged of him that doth the first iniurie 20. Gilbert Burbon Duke of Montpensier the kings Lieuetenant in Naples 91. Great cruelties of the french men 260. The great Capteine confirmed in the Duchie of S. Angeo 363. Genowaies send to solicit for pardon 372. Gentlemen of Venice goe to the succour of Padoa 444. Greate is the force of a multitude and people beginning to vary and chaunge so much the more c. 596. Genes at the deuocion of the Frenche king 642. Genes taken by thImperialls 833. Genes returneth to the obedience of the fr. king 1077. Genes taken by Andre Dore. 1125. H Howe and when great shot came first into Italy 45. Horrible act of a Cardinall 352. Hope rather prolongeth then satisfieth c. 490 Humilitie of two Cardinalls 650. I Intencion of the Author 1. Impudency of the Pope to iustifie his children 10. Iohn Iacques Tryuulce goeth to the french king 67. Ieronimo Sauonarola esteemed for a Propher in Florence 82. Ieronimo Sauonarola a Freare Preacher in Florence 97. In warres there is no further assurance of the souldier mercenary then he findeth sewertie of his pay c. 155. Intelligence factiō which Pe. de Medicis had in Florence is discouered 180. In matters of enterprise wise men will debate all things at large c. 205. In matters of daunger discression and councel are remedies no lesse assured then courage and discression c. 〈…〉 215. Insatiable lust of Duke Valētynois 260. In all humane actions there is nothing which with lesse perill may not temporise and exspect then rebellion c. 268. In matters of warre it is a daungerous errour to transgresse direction c. 279. Imaginations of the french king 356. In matters of enterprise nothinge is more hurtfull then delayes and nothing more hindreth c. 454. In tymes of perill wise men feare all thinges and doe hold it necessary for their sewertie to hold a suspicion c. 553. Ielousie against Ioh. Ia. Tryuulce 760. Imperialls take the castell of Saint Angeo 898. Imperialls draw neare to Pauya 900. Imperialls determine to accorde with the Pope 908. In worldly things there is no assurance till the end be knowen all mortall men their actions are put vnder an estate of incertainty and errours 990. Inhabitants of Millan ill handled by the Spanyards 996. Inhabitantes of Myllan implore the compassion of the Duke of Burbon 998. K King of Naples sendeth out his force 35. King of Naples sendeth out an army to take the citie of Genoway 36. Kingdom of Naples beginneth to conspire 64. Kings of Fraunce and Spayne deuide betwene them the kingdome of Naples 252. King Philip faileth out of Flaunders into Spayne 354. King Philip cast by casualtie of sea vppon the coast of England 355. Kinge Philip promiseth to redeliuer to the king of England the Duke of Suffolke 355. Kings of Aragon Fraunce haue enteruiew together 381. King of Aragon taketh the Realme of Nauarre 625. King of England sendeth to the french king not to passe into Italy 692. King of England for thEmprour 840. Katherine de Medicis 993. King of Hungarie ouerthrowen in battell by Solyman 1017. Katherine de Medicis 1042. Katherine de Medicis 1177. Katherine de Medicis maried to the second sonne of Fraunce 1181. L Lawrence de Medicis praysed for his vertues and gouernment 2 League for twenty yeares betwene the king of Naples Duke of Myllan and Venetians 3. law de Medicis dyeth 4. Lodowyke Sforce is ielous ouer the amities betwene Pe. de Medicis and thArragons 5. Lod. Sforce insinuateth enuye into the Pope against the Aragons and Medicis 8. Lod. Sforce seeketh to drawe the Pope to his purposes 14. Lewys Duke
past into Italy And albert they affirmed that he might be well assured that in all accidents and fortunes that citie should not faile to minister to him all those conuenient effects of office obseruāce deuocion which of long time they had borne to the crown of Fraunce yet they were constrayned according to the french importunities to promise all those thinges otherwaies they were threatned to suffer priuacion of that great mart and traffike of marchandize which the Florentyne nation had in that realme it was knowen after that these compulsions were inforced by Lodovvyk at that time the principall disposer of all the french practises with thItalians Peter de medicis labored much to perswade Ferdinand that those demaunds imported so litle the substance of the warre that it would be more for his profit if the common weale he continued amitie with the french king hauing by that meane good way and oportunitie to make some composicion then in refusing those small demaundes to declare them selues his enemies and so suffer no possibilitie to doe good to him he alleadged with all the generall complaynts and hatreds which he should heape vpon him selfe if the traffike of Florence were restrayned in Fraunce or that thentercourse there so necessary to thupholding of the citie should suspende and perhaps come in time to lose his libertie and practise he told him it was conuenient in good faith and meaning the principall ground of consederacions that euery confederate should suffer patiently some incommoditie to th ende the other ronne not into more greater harmes But Ferdinand who considered how much of his reputacion and sewertie would diminish if the Florentyns were deuided from him was not satisfied with these reasons but complayned greeuously that the faith and constancie of Peter beganne so soone not to aunswer his owne promise thexpectacion he had conceiued of him by reason whereof Peter resolutly disposed aboue all thinges to continue in amitie with them of Aragon vsed many meanes to suspend and deferre the aunswer importunatly demaunded by the french referring them in the ende to vnderstand the full wills and intencions of the common weale by new Embassadors About the ende of this yeare the alliance made betwene the Pope and Ferdinand beganne to wauer and shake either for that the Pope in obiecting newe difficulties aspyred to obteyne of him greater thinges then he had or else that he perswaded him selfe to induce him by this meane to bring agayne to his obedience the Cardinall S. P. advincula whom offering first for his securitie the faith of the colleadge of Cardinalls of Ferdinand and of the Venetians he desired much to see returned to Rome he held his absence much suspected for thimportance of the rocke of Ostia holding in his handes about Rome Roncillon and Grotaferare by the fauors opinion and authoritie which he had in the court But chiefly he was ielous ouer him for that naturally he was desirous of innouacion and obstinate to hazarde rather all daunger then to be cut of from one poynt of his councells and purposes Ferdinand excused him selfe much that he had no power to apply the Cardinall thereunto whose suspicion was so great that all sewertie seemed to him lesse then the perill he complained to the Pope of his hard fortune that on him alwayes was layd thimputacion of thinges which in truth proceeded from others he was sory that the Pope had beleued that by his mocion and by his money Virginio had bought the castells being in deede bought without his priuitie or medling ▪ In deed he had disposed Virginio to the composicion for that effect had furnished him with the money which was giuen in repayment recompense of the castells The Pope receiued not these excuses but with hard and bitter wordes complayned of Ferdinand so gaue shew that there could be layed no firme ground of their reconciliacion With such a disposicion of mindes and confusion of thinges so apparantly drawing to new troubles began the yeare 1494. I enterpret the yeare according to the vse of Rome A yeare very vnhappy for Italy and in deede the first of the vnfortunate and miserable yeares for that in it was made open the way to infinite and horrible calamities whereof we may well say a great part of the worlde by many accidents hath tasted euer since In the beginning of this yeare King Charles refusing to heare speake of any agreement with Ferdinand enioyned his Embassadors as messengers of a king enemie to depart with speede out of the realme of Fraunce And almost in the same concurrance of time the sayd Ferdinand dyed suddeinly of an appoplexy being more trauelled with cares perplexities of mind then loaden with yeares or weakned with olde age he was a Prince of singular wisedom and industrie with the which accompanied with happy fortune he kept him selfe in the kingdom newly obteyned by his father against many difficulties appearing euen in the beginning of his reigne and brought to it much more amplitude and greatnes then was done vnder any other king perhaps long before A good king if he had continued to reigne in the same maner he began But either with the variation of times or chaunge of maners because he knew not with most Princes now a dayes how to resist the furie of dominion and rule or perhaps according to the iudgement of euery one his nature and inclinacion beginning nowe to disclose which he had couered afore with great conning he was esteemed a man of litle faith and of such violent and cruell moodes that euen by his owne followers he was iudged worthy of the name of inhumanitie The opinion was that the death of Ferdinand hapned very inconuenient for the common affayres for that where he would haue proued all remedies to hinder the descending of the french men it was not now to be dowted but it would be more hard to make Lodovvyk assure him selfe of the haughtie immoderate nature of Alphonso then it was to dispose him to renew amitie with Ferdinand in whom was for the most part expressed a ready inclinacion the better to auoyd all quarrels with the state of Myllan to yeld and condescend to his will And amongest other things it is manifest that when Isabell Alphonsoes daughter was brought to Iohn Galeas her husband Lodovvyk at the first sight suffred him self to slide into so great affection towards her that he desired her of Alphonso for his wife and to that ende according to the vniuersall opinion of Italy he did so much by magick and enchauntments that Iohn Galeas for many monethes was made vnable to the actiō of mariage Ferdinand was not intractable to this mariage but Alphonso so refused and resisted it that Lodovvyk making no hope of it tooke an other wife by whom hauing children he turned all his studies and thoughtes to transferre to them the Duchie of Myllan some suppose and write that Ferdinand being determined for the auoyding of the present warre
disorder or special tumult which he exspected would rise in his fauor A plot which happely had drawne some good yssue for him if fortune had not supplyed the negligence of his aduersaries for as in the beginning of the night he was lodged in the tabernacles certein smal houses vpon the high way with intencion to march the residue of the night so he was so hindred by wonderfull raynes and stormes continuing long that he could not present him selfe before Florence till long space after the sunne rising A chaunce which gaue leasure to such as made profession to be his particular enemies for the communaltie and all the rest of the Citisens stirred not exspecting quietly what woulde be the yssue of thinges to take armes with their frendes and followers and to prouide that the citisens suspected should be called restrayned in the publike pallaice by the Magistrats And lastly to make them selues stronge at the gate which leades to Siena was at their request Pavvle Vitelli ariuing there the night before in his returne from Mantua In so much as no commotion appearing in the citie Peter not stronge enough to force the gate which he had approched within a bow shoote And after he had remeyned there foure howers fearing with his daunger the suddeine comming of their men at armes whome he thought and his conceite was true the Florentyns had sent for from the seruice of Pysa he returned to Sienna where Aluiano parting from him and let into Tody by the Guâ—lffes he sacked almost all the houses of the Gebelyns and put to the slaughter liij of the principall bodies of that faction According to which example Anthonie Sauelle entred into Terny and Gattesquies by the fauor of the Colonnoys and lett into Viterby did the like execucions against the Guelffes in both the one and the other place and all the peeces thereabouts without that the Pope prouided for so great disorders in the state ecclesiastike because he abhorred all exspenses in like cases bearing by the propertie of his nature no compassion to the calamities of others he was nothing troubled with those thinges that offended his honor so that his profits or pleasures were nothinge hindered yet he coulde not auoyde the secret iustice of God expressed in domesticall miseries troubling his house with examples tragicall and a whordom and crueltie horrible aboue all the barbarous regions for where he had determined from the beginning of his election pontificall to appropriat all teÌ„porall greatnes to the Duke of Candia his eldest sonne The Cardinall of Valence who altogether estraunged from priesthood aspired to thexercise of armes hauing no patience to suffer that place to be vsurped by his brother enuying withall that he had better part then he in the loue of Madonne Lucrecia their common sister inflamed with lust and with ambicion mighty ministers to all mischiefs caused him to be killed one night as he rode alone in the streetes of Rome casting his bodye secretly in the riuer of Tyber The brute was if such an enormitie be worthy to be beleued that in the loue of Mad. Lucrecia were concurrant not onely the two brethren but also the father who when he was chosen Pope taking her from her husband being inferior to her degree he maried her to Iohn Sforce Lorde of Pesere And afterwards not able to suffer her husband to be his corriuall he made dissolucion of the mariage already consomated hauing made proofe before Iudges delegats of his owne creacion by witnesses subborned afterwards confirmed by apostolicall sentence that her husband was imperfect in the operacion of nature and vnable to cohabitacion The death of the Duke of Candia afflicted not a litle the Pope burning aboue all other Popes in a vehement loue to his children And as it is the greatest tryall of wisedom and courage of men to be temperat in mortall chaunces so such as are not accustomed to aduersities haue least rule ouer their passions they that neuer felt but prosperitie can litle iudge of the worthines of patience This Pope was so vnacquainted with the accidents of fortune much lesse enured with earthly losses and priuacions that from his infancie to that age all thinges had happely succeeded to him the same making this affliction so greeuous and intollerable to him that in the consistory after he had with a great compassion of minde and publike teares greeuously bewayled his miserie accusing many of his propper actions and manner of liuing which he had vsed till that day he assured with wordes full of efficacie that hereafter he would gouerne his life with other thoughtes and with a forme of liuing more moderat and ruled And for a beginning he assigned presently certeine of the number of Cardinalls to ioyne with him in the reformacion of maners orders of the Court wherein after he had employed certeine dayes at what tyme began to be manifest the author of the death of his sonne for the which at the first he had the Cardinall Askanius and the Vrsins in stronge suspicion he left there his former holy intencion his teares and all his complaints and returned more disorderly then euer to those thoughtes and operacions wherin he had consumed his age till that day There hapned in those seasons new trauells within Florence by reason of thenterprise of Peter de medicis for thintelligence and faction which he had with certeyne particlers in the citie was disclosed by reason whereof many noble Citisens were imprisoned and some fled And after the Magistrates had vsed meanes iudicial to verifie the order of the conspiracie not onely many were condemned to death which had solicited him to come and giuen him releefe of money but also Bernardyn de Nero to whom was imputed no other thing then that knowing the practise he had not reuealed it which fault of it selfe punishable by the head by the statutes of the Florentyns and by thinterpretacion which most part of lawyers giue to the common lawes was found so much the more haynous in him by howe much he was chiefe Magistrate when Peter came to Florence as if he had bene more greatly bownd to do the office rather of a person publike then priuate But the parents and kindred appealing from the sentence to the great councell of the people and that by vertue of a law made when the popular gouernment was established Those that had bene authors of the condemnacion fearing least the compassion of the age of the nobility and of the multitude of parentes woulde moderat in the mindes of the people the straitnes of the iudgement wrought so muche that they obteyned that to the lesser nuÌ„ber of the Citisens should be referred the resolucion whether the appeale should be suffered to be prosecuted or restrayned wherein being more stronge the authoritie and number of them which held it a thing daungerous and no lesse drawing to sedicion seeinge that the Lawes them selues suffered that to
the certeine knowledge and also the Launces of the men at armes holden vpright and the stalkes of fennels growing high in that countrey dimmed their sight that they could not well discerne The Spanyardes were the first that arriued at Ciriguole which the Frenchmen kept and incamping betweene two vines they enlarged by thaduise of Prosper Colonno a ditch or trench which was at the entrey of their Camp Whilest they were dressing their lodgings or Camp the diligence of the french in marching had brought them to the place but by the cōdition of the time drawing near night they stoode doubtfull whether they should so sodeinly accept the battell or deferre it till the day folowing Yues D'alegre and the Prince of Melfe perswaded that the fight might bee put ouer till the next day a respit conuenient for the refreshing of their owne men and to no lesse purpose to distresse the Spanyardes who they hoped would bee constrained by necessitie of vittels to remoue their Camp To this reason was ioyned also a consideration of warre howe muche it would bee to their disaduauntage to set vppon them in their lodgings specially being ignorant of the disposition of the place But as euery calamitie is ledde to his effect by his proper meane and mortall men in many thinges are made thinstruments of their owne harmes So Monsr de Nemours caried more by his rashe inclination then by the safe councell of others the Spanyardes were charged with great furie aswell by the French as Svvyzzers And the fyre hauing taken the powder of the Spanyardes either by chaunce or by other meane Consaluo vsing thoccasion of that accident cryed with a courage well resolued the victorie is ours God declares it by manifest tokens specially when we see we haue now no more necessitie of the seruice of artillerie There be sundrie opinions of the state of this battell The Frenche publishe that in the first encounter they brake the Spanish footemen and offring to the artillerie they had wonne it and set the powder on fyre only by the darkenes of the night their men at armes by negligence misknowledge had charged their owne footemen by which disorder the Spanyardes reassembled But others reason that for the difficultie to passe the ditche the French men beginning to intricate and intangle them selues fell to fleeing no lesse by their proper disorder then by the vertue of their enemies being most of all amazed For the death of Monsr de Nemours who entring with the first into the furie of the fight and as he was in the action of a noble Capteine to encourage his men to winne the trenche was striken dead with a boollet There bee others who discoursing more particularly saie that Monsr de Nemours dispairing to be hable to passe the ditch labouring to turne his strength towardes the flanke of the Camp to aduenture to enter on that side cried that they should giue backe Which voice to those that knew not thoccasion gaue a signe to flee which ioyned to the chaunce of his death in the first squadron hapning also at the same tyme caused all the armie to turne their backes and enter into a manifest fleeing Some acquite the Viceroy for taking the battell against the councel of others and do laye the blame vppon Yues D'alegre who contrary to thintention and desire of the Viceroy to fight that daie reprehending his fearefulnes induced him to doe that whereunto he bare no disposition The battell was of very small continuance and albeit the Spanish passing ouer the ditch followed the chase of their enemies yet as euen in calamities fortune is not without her fauours so by the oportunitie of the night couering all thinges with darknes there were fewe that fell into the perils that they feared most I meane that were either taken or slaine specially of the horsmen of whom Monsr Chandion was one The residue with losse of their cariage and artillerie saued them selues by fleeing The Capteines aswell as the soldiours being dispersed into many separate places not as their vertue wold but whether their feare and fortune ledde them This victorie hapned the eight daie after the ouerthrow of Monsr D'aubigny being both on Friday a day which the Spanyardes haue obserued to bee happie vnto them The French after the feare of the chase was passed reassembled againe aswell as the violence of the tyme their fortune would suffer and as men whose greater perils were yet to come debated many deuises Sometymes they thought best to ioyne with the residue of the armie in some place conuenient to take from the victors all meanes to goe to Naples eftsoones they iudged it most conuenient for their safetie to sticke to the defence of Naples And yet as it hapneth that to men in aduersitie their feares growe dayly greater and to such as bee vanquished is left nothing but consideration of difficulties So neither one of these deuises was suffred to bee put in execution For that neither had they any election of places for their safe abiding neither was their possibilitie to defende Naples for the skarcetie of vittelles For the prouision and furnishing whereof the French had sent affore to Rome to buy a great quantitie of corne which they could not transport either for the impediments that they of Rome gaue seeking to haue their towne stande in good prouision or rather by the secret persuasion of the Pope which was not the least credible The consideration of these difficulties made Alegre the Prince of Salerne many other Barons to retyre betweene Caietto and Tracetto where they reassembled vnder their names the most parte of the residue of the armie But Consaluo to whose vertue this one thing was peculiar and proper to know howe to follow his fortune aswell as he was skilfull to get the victorie after this good successe tooke his waie with the armie towardes the towne of Naples and as he passed by Melfe he made offer to the Prince to leaue him possessed of his whole estate so that hee would remeine at the deuotion of the Spanyardes But he rather chusing to go his way with his wyfe and children went to ioyne with Levvys D'ars lying at Venousa By whose departure Consaluo taking Melfe folowed his way directly to Naples at whose comming those Garrisons of the French which were in the towne retired into the new Castle and the Napolitans depriued of all hope but such as is left to men abandoned receiued Consaluo the xiiij daie of May Capua and Auersa doing the lyke in the same tyme. The ende of the fift booke THE ARGVMENT OF THE SYXT BOOKE THE French King makes his preparation to passe into Italy Pope Alexander the sixt is empoisoned His successour Pope Pius the third dieth vvithin xxvi daies Iulius the seconde is created Pope The Duke Valentynois is apprehended prisoner The Frēchmen are ouerthrovne at Garillan The Florentyns faile to take the Citie of Pisa Peace is established betvveene the French
was lodged a contention which troubled not onely the people of Rome and the court but also was supposed to bring great preiudice to th affayres of the Frenche for that the Vrsins assoone as they were once dispatched of the quarrell agaynst Valentynois preparing to go to the pay eyther of the Frenche or Spanishe king and iudging that their strength was of no little importaunce to the victorie they were sought to by both partes with ample conditions But bearing a naturall disposition to the parte of the Frenche the Cardinall of Amboyse enterteyned in the kings name Iulio Vrsin who contracted for all those of his familie except Aluiano for whom was reserued place with honorable conditions but his comming reuersed all for albeit in the beginning be was almost agreed with the Cardinall of Amboyse yet couetousnesse ouercomming his inclination and beeing in one moment restrayned with the Spanish Embassadour he entred paye with the king of Spayne with fyue hundred men at armes and prouision of lx thousande duckets yerely assuring him selfe of all those of his familie except Iohn Iordan to which deliberation he was chiefly induced as he frankly confessed by despite that the Cardinall of Amboyse burning more and more in ambition to be Pope fauoured Valentynois hoping by his meane to obteine the most parte of the voyces of the Spanish Cardinals notwithstanding that the Cardinall clearing him selfe of the fault by transferring it to an other gaue out that he was persuaded that the Venetians were authors of it who for the desire they had that the French king should not obteine the realme of Naples had not only consented that he should leaue their paye promising to reserue for him the same place but also to th ende the first paymentes should be more ready they had lent to the Spanish Embassadours fifteene thousand duckets A matter which though it be not in euery part certeine yet it can not be denied that the Venetian Embassador did not manifestly intrude himselfe into that practise Some were of opinion that the conditions large offers of the Spaniards were the cause for that they bound them selues to distribute estates in the kingdome aswel to him as to al those of his familie and to indue his brother with reuenues ecclesiasticall And lastly which he estemed much to ayde him when the warre was finished with two thousande Spanish footmen in thenterprise which he determined agaynst the Florentins in the fauour of Peter de Medicis It was beleued that Iohn Paule Bayllon comen now to Rome with Aluiano and who folowing his example treated at one time with the French and with the Spanish would also accompany him in the same deliberation but the Cardinall d'Amboyse not a little amased that Thursins had left the king a dealing whiche made doubtfull the hopes of the Frenche beeing afore almoste certayne interteyned him immediatly into the kings seruice with an hundred and fiftie men at armes he almost accorded whatsoeuer the other demaunded but al vnder the name of the Florentins for that Iohn Paule would it so to th ende to be more assured of his paies which were to be rebated of the summes they ought to the king by vertue of their conuentions he beeing more curious to prouide for the suretie of his paie then carefull to keepe his fidelitie with the king for the seruice that was required for being returned to Perousa to put his people in order and receiuing xiiij thousand duckets he was coÌ„tented to gouerne himself more according to the successe of the time coÌ„mon euent of things and by his passions perticuler interests theÌ„ according to the reputation faith of souldiours In which respects deferring with many excuses to go to the French armie he would not depart froÌ„ Perousa A matter which the cardinal Amboyse supposed to procede vpoÌ„ this that Iohn Paule imitating the incoÌ„stancy of the captains of Italie of that time had froÌ„ the houre he was interteined made promise to Barthelmevv Aluiano the Spaniards to do so as holding that most resonable indifferent for him to do wherin was most surety for his pay safety A maner of dealing familiar with meÌ„ that be mercenarie but far froÌ„ those that hold deare eyther honor or reputation Assone as the Vrsins were entred into the pay of the Spanishe peace proceded betwene theÌ„ the Colonnois resolued set down at the same instaÌ„t in the lodging of the Spanish embassadour to whoÌ„ to the Venetian agent they referred the resolutioÌ„ of al their differeÌ„ces The agremeÌ„t of those houses brought no litle feare to ValeÌ„tynois for that being determined to leaue Rome preparing to go to Bracciana Iohn Iordan hauing giueÌ„ his fayth to the Cardinall of Amboyse to leade him thither in suretie Iohn Paule the Vrsins were determined to assaile him who hauing no meane to enter into the suburbs by the gate of the castle S. Angeo they issued out of Rome fetching a loÌ„g circuit to come to the gate Torrono they found it shut and burnt it finding nothing to resist the fury of their reuenge prouoked by so iust occasions Assone as they were entred the gate they begon to skirmish with certein horsmen of Valentynois to whose succors albeit many of the french souldiers did run who were not yet departed out of Rome yet what by the increasing of the numbers of his enemies their rage redubling his own people whose strength was much diminished afore making signes to abandon him the necessitie of his peril constrayned him together with the prince of Squillace certayne Spanish Cardinals to seke his safetie within the pallace of Vatican froÌ„ wheÌ„ce he retyred with a fearefull spede into the castle S. Angeo hauing by the Popes consent receiued fayth of the captayne of the castell who was the same that had that charge in the dayes of the dead Pope to suffer him to go out when he would al his people fled whither their feare or fortune would leade them In this garboyle the baylife of Caen was lightly hurt and the Cardinall of Amboyse had no little feare but the matter of quarrell being taken away by this accident the tumults also were immediatly appeaâ—ed within the towne of Rome In so much as they began all in peace to prepare for the election of a newe Pope for that Pius not beguiling the hopes which the Cardinals conceyued of him at the time of his creation the xxvj day after his election passed into a better life After the death of Pius the Cardinalles deferring for certayne dayes to enter the Conclaue for they thought good that Thursins afore should issue out of Rome where they yet remayned to refurnish the numbers which they should leade to the Spanish armie resolued vpon the election out of the Conclaue And the Cardinall S. Petri Ad vincla mighty in frends reputatioÌ„ riches had drawn to him the voices of so many Cardinals that entring the conclaue he was
of Millan eight thousand duckets with ten thousand to be distributed in liberalities amongst his regiment and he cōfirmed vnder Bul subsigned the promise he had made before to create Cardinal his brother the bishop of Alby And yet turning all his wittes studies how he might annoy the Venetians to leaue quicker motions in the French king Cardinal Amboise to ayde him he would not at that time publish Cardinalls the bishops of Achx Bayeux according to the solicitatiōs that were made writts which were already subscribed About this tyme the king of Aragon passed by sea into Italie and embarking at Barcelonia there came to him a gentleman from the great Capteine who offred him selfe prepared to receyue the king and giue him all obedience To whome in recompence of his fidelitie and merites the king ratified not onely donation of the duchie of Saint Ange which king Federik had giuen him but also al his other profites which he possessed in the kingdome of Naples amounting to twentie thousand duckets in yerely reuenue together with the office of great Constable of the kingdome and promise to be great maister of Saint Iames both subsigned vnder the kings owne hande The king embarking at Barcelonia with no lesse contentment of the present then better hope hereafter was honorably receiued with his wife in all the ports of Prouence according to the French kings commandements and with the same oblation and reuerence was welcomed into the hauen of Genes where he was expected by the great Capteine who was gone thither to mete him not without thadmiration of many for that not onely the popular sort but euen the Pope him selfe nourished an opinion that aswell for his disobedience past as for the present suspitions whiche the king had in him he would passe into Spayne fearing to stande in the presence of the king The king of Aragon departing from Genes remeined many dayes at Portofino both for that the winde was contrarie and also he helde it not conuenient to be farre from the shore with his light galleis Whilest he soiorned at Portofino he was aduertised that king Phillip his sonne in lawe young in yeeres and well disposed in body had chaunged this life for a better within the towne of Burgos his infirmitie was a feuer raging with violent motions but of very fewe dayes continuance hapning in the very ripenes and full reputation of his age and in a season wherin he was lifted to his greatest felicitie as oftentimes is wonderfully expressed in the variation of fortune neuerthelesse the king in whom it was beleeued that for the desire he had to recontinue in the gouernment of Castille would eftsones turne sayle to Barcelonia kept on his first way and entred the port of Caietta the same day that the Pope marching to Bolognia made his entire into Ymola from whence he was conueyed to Naples and receyued into that Citie which was wont to reioyce in kings of Aragon with no lesse magnificence maiestie and honor of the Nobles then vniuersall desire and expectation of the communaltie for an opinion they had that vnder a king so glorious for the many victories he had obteyned aswell against thinfidels as the Christians and no lesse reuerenced for his high wisdome and temperature of spirite ioyned to the generall teapporte of his singular iustice by the which he had guyded his Realmes in tranquilitie he would also restore and releeue the kingdome of Naples of so many afflictions and oppressions and reduce it into an estate peasible and happie with restitution of the pottes which the Venetians helde there to the great displeasure of the whole kingdome There came to him to Naples from all partes of Italie many Embassadors not onely to congratulate and honor so great a prince but also for many practises occasions euery one beeing persuaded that with his authoritie and wisdome he would readdresse things and giuing a new forme to affayres he would be the eauen ballance and counterpeise for many matters for that both the Pope who helde himselfe yll contented with him for that he had hot honored him with legation and embassadors according to the custome studied to kindle him agaynst the Venetians thinking that for the desire to recouer the portes of Povvylla he had reason to wishe their declination and embasing And the Venetians of the contrarie solicited for many good respects to be recontinued in his amitie And also the Florentins with the other peoples of Tuskane negociated with him diuersly for the regarde of Pisa which this yere was lesse molested then others with the incursions of the Florentins not hindring their haruest either for that they were weerie of the charges or els that thexperience of the yere passed made them esteme it a thing vayne and without fruite knowing that the states of Genes and Lucques had agreed together to support that citie for one yere with a determinate and certaine charge whervnto P. Petrucci had prepared them before offring like portion of contribution on the behalfe of the Siennois notwithstanding on the other side beeing a man dissembled in all his intentions he obteined of the Florentins by disclosing thestate of the negociation and to th end to seperate himselfe from the rest that the truce which yet continued betwene the Florentins and Siennois should haue prolongation for three yeres with an expresse couenant that it should not be lawfull to the Siennois nor to Pandolffe to minister any ayde to the Pisans with whiche excuse forbearing to leauie any expenses for them he refused not to fauour them with all the counsels and actions he could in all other sortes About this yeere there hapned a newe and straunge accident of the tragedie whiche had beene begonne before Ferrara for Ferdinand brother to Duke Alphonso and Iulio whose eyes the Cardinall had violently caused to bee pluckte out but by the readie helpe of Phisitions were restored without losse of hys sight conspired together wyth the saide Iulio the death of the Duke Ferdinand who was nexte in succession after the Duke was moued to thys conspiracie by an aspyring desire to occupie that state the humour of dominion and rule carying him into dispositions of bloud contrary to honor nature humanitie And Iulio embraced the treason with so muche the more affection by howmuche he iudged that Alphonso had not ministred sufficient iustice to the wrong that was done him being withall out of hope to be able otherwise to wreake his reuenge vppon the Cardinall To these counsels they called as a partie the Counte Albertin Boschet a gentleman of Modona with whom albeit they had wonne and corrupted certeine felowes of base cōdition gouerning much the person of Alphonso for that they were his fauorits in matters of sport and delight and had many times sundrie oportunities to kill him yet being withholden by a certaine fatall timerousnes they let passe alwaies thoportunitie In so much as so it hapneth for the moste parte
his experience come to anye degree of marciall knowledge And the men at armes were the same bodyes who a little before had bene spoyled and stripped in Lombardie To this was added what by the shortnesse of the tyme and thignoraunce of suche as had the charge to make prouisions bothe greate wante of artilleries and not halfe the munitions and other thinges necessarie to defende the place The Viceroy had in hys armie two hundred men at armes fiue thousande footemen Spaniardes and two Cannons onely An armie very small in numbers and other prouisions but greate as touching their vallour for that the footemen were all of those bodies who in so great reputation were retyred from the battell of Rauenna and who reapposing muche in their vertue despised greatly thignorance of their aduersaries But being brought to marche and no order taken for their vittayles and lesse releefe through the whole countrey for that as yet haruest was fullye finished and all gleaned and carryed into places of strength they beganne immediatly to fall into necessityes of foode whiche made the Viceroy to incline to accorde and the same followed with continuall solicitation that the Florentins suffring the Medicis to returne equall with the other Citisens there was no more speache of the deposing of the Gonfalonnier onely the Citie shoulde paye to the Viceroy to th ende to withdrawe his armie from their dominions a certayne summe of money whiche was supposed not to exceede thirtie thousande duckets In respect of this he had graunted safeconduit to thembassadors elected for that expedition and had absteined vntill their comming from any further action agaynst Prato if they within had furnished him with vittells There is nothing that fleeth faster awaye then occasion Nothing more daungerous then to iudge of thintention and profession of an other Nor nothing more hurtefull then an immoderate suspition All the cheefe Citisens desired agreement beeing accustomed by thexamples of their elders to defende their libertie agaynst armes with golde And therefore they made request that thembassadors elect shoulde departe incontinently beeing charged amongest other things to see them of Prato furnishe the Spanish armie with vittells to thend the Viceroy should exspect with pacience if the composition that was now in action woulde bring foorth anye effect But the Gonfalonnier perswading himselfe agaynst his naturall tymerousnes that thenemies dispayring to be hable to do any more would depart of themselues or fearing that the Medicis by one meanes or other would returne to Florence or whether his destinie pushed him on to bee the cause of his owne ruine and the calamities of his countrey he helde artificially in delay the dispatche of thembassadors not suffring them to departe the daye that was appoynted according to the resolution which had bene made In so much as the Viceroy both pressed with the want of vittells and vncertayne whether thembassadors would come dislodged by night from the gate Mercatale and incamping before the gate called Seraglio from the which the way goeth to the mountayne he began to batter the next wall with two Cannons choosing that place for the commoditie of a high heape of earth ioyning to the wall by the which he might easily go to the breache of the wall from aboue that was battred whiche facilitie for the campe beeing turned into a difficultie for the towne for that the breache that was made aboue the heape of earth remayned within very high and thicke of earth one of the Cannons was broken at the firste execution and the other with the whiche the battrie was continued had so loste his force with often shooting that his boollets came slowely to the wall and yet did no great harme Lastely after they had executed many howres and made an opening in the wall of more then twelue faddomes certayne of the Spanishe footemen got vp to the terrasse or heape of earth and began to assayle the breache from thence they got to the toppe of the wall where they slewe two of the footemen that garded it whose death giuing feare to the residue and driuing them to retyre the Spaniards forbare not to take thoportunitie of their tymerousnesse and clymbe vp by the helpe of skaling ladders And albeit there was within neare the wall a squadron of shotte and pykes bestowed there both to suffer none of thennemies to staye vppon the wall and also to make slaughter of the firste man that reshely should leape within or otherwise go downe yet suche is the feare of men vnexperienced in daungers assone as they sawe thennemies vpon the wall they brake their rancke and of themselues abandoned the defense of the place This cowardise depending somewhat vppon wante of experience in the seruice and perilles of warre gaue courage to the Spaniardes to make their entrie in sundrie places without anye impediment And crying Victorie they followed their fortune with vallour and beganne to runne thorow the towne where was seene no other thing then flying violence spoyling blood murders and crying the footemen of the Florentins making no resistance but casting away their weapons they offred their bodies to the rigour of their enemies from whose couetousnesse luste and crueltie nothing had escaped if the Cardinall Medicis by bestowing gardes in the great Churche had not saued the honor of women whiche in their calamitie were fledde thither for safetie There were more then two thousande men that dyed not in fighting for almost not one would ioyne him selfe to the fray but in fleing in hyding and in crying mercy to thenemies who disdayned to shewe compassion vpon men of so small merite The residue were reserued prisoners together with the Florentine commissioners none escaping the calamitie that so wretched a fortune did bring By the losse of Prato they of Pistoye not falling otherwise from the iurisdiction of the Florentins agreed to releeue the Viceroy with vittayles receyuing his promise not to be distressed by his armie But at Florence assone as the successe of Prato was knowen and thembassadors that went to the Viceroy beeing on the halfe waye were returned by the bruite of thaccident there were discerned manifest alterations in the minds of euery one some lamenting the losse that was happned some fearing greater harmes some suspecting by nature more then they ought to do by reason some distrusting shadows whose bodies were farre of all things in confusion and euen those men the least assured in whom was moste reason of confidence and resolution The Gonfalonnier repenting now the vanitie of his counsell was no lesse amased then the residue and hauing almoste altogether loste both reputation and authoritie he stoode so irresolute vngouerned that he gaue him selfe vp to the wills of others without making prouision either for his own safety or the cōmon tranquilitie others who desired thalteration of the gouernment tooke audacitie by the state of their fortune blamed publikly the things present but the multitude of citisens not accustomed to tumults armes hauing alwayes affore
from the Queene yet he styrred vp to make warre the king of Englande to whom he had transferred by publike decree of the councel of Latran the name of Christianissimo whereof there was already a Bul written and in it likewise was conteyned the priuation of the dignitie and name of the king of Fraunce giuing his kingdome to who coulde occupie it In these conceptions no lesse straunge for their varietie then great for the importance they drewe and perhaps in other thoughtes more secret and singuler for in a minde so fierce and terrible all sortes of imaginations howe great and vayne so euer they be are not incredible after the continuation of his sicknesse for many dayes he declined towardes death And feeling the ende of his mortalitie to hasten on and the same to preuent th execution of his high thoughts he caused to cal together the consistorie which albeit he could not assist in person by reason of his disease yet by the authoritie of it he caused to be confirmed the Bull which he had published before against suche as by symonie would climbe to the Popedome He declared that thelection of his successor apperteined to the colledge of Cardinalls and not to the councell And that the Cardinals schismatikes could haue no presence or communitie there to whom he protested there to pardon the iniuries they had done him and prayed to God to forgiue them the wrongs they had done to his Churche After this he besought the Colledge of Cardinalls that in his fauor and for his sake they woulde graunt to the Duke of Vrbin his Nephew the Citie of Pezera in patronage or vicarage alleaging the consideration that by meane of the duke it had bene recouered to the Church after the death of Iohn Sforce In no other matter he expressed no priuate or particular affection In so muche as Madame Felice his daughter ioyning with her the petitions of many others beseeching him with great importunitie to create Cardinall Guido de Montfalcon being her brother by the mothers side he aunswered roundly that he was not worthy of that degree He made not his affections conformable to their desires In that laste action of lyfe he showed no partialitie in worldly causes his present debilitie coulde diminishe nothing of his auncient resolution but expressed in all things the same constancie and seueritie together with that iudgement and force of minde whiche he had before his sicknesse In whiche firme estate disposition of spirite he receiued deuoutly the offices of the church and the xxj day of February he ended his course of these mortal and present paines He was a prince of incredible constancie and courage but so full of furie and vnruled conceptions that the reuerence that was borne to the Churche the discorde of princes and the condition of times did more to staye him from his ruine then eyther his moderation or his discression Worthy no doubt of great glory if eyther he had bene a Prince secular or if that care and intention which he had to rayse the Churche into temporall greatnesse by the meane of warre had bene employed to exalte it by the mediation of peace in matters spirituall Neuerthelesse he was lamented aboue all his predecessors and no lesse esteemed of those who hauing eyther loste the true consideration of things or at least ignorant howe to distinguishe and peaze them rightly iudged it an office more duely apperteining to Popes to increase the iurisdiction of the sea Apostolike by armes and blood of Christians then by good example of life and due curing and correction of corrupt maners to trauell for the sauing of those soules for whom they glory so much that Iesus Christ hath named them his Vicars in earth The Viceroy of Naples who was marched with his Spanishe armie towards Plaisanca constrayned that Citie to returne vnder the gouernment of the Dukes of Millan on whom it depended by auncient tenure They of Parma did the like hauing the same feare of the Spanishe souldiours beeing followed in all places with more terror then loue On the other side the Duke of Ferrara after he had in great spede recouered the townes of Romagnia drewe neare to Reggia but finding no stirre nor tumult within the towne he durst not abyde there for feare of the Spanishe armie which laye dispearsed betweene Plaisanca and Reggia Touching thestate of the Churche there appeared no other stirre nor mouing and the Citie of Rome nor the Colledge of Cardinalls felt none of those difficulties which they had felte in the death of the two laste Popes So that the obsequies and funeralls beeing ended according to thaccustomed maner xxiiij Cardinalls entred peasibly into the Conclaue hauing graunted afore that the Marquis of Mantuaes sonne whom Pope Iulio kept with him for ostage shoulde be made free and acquited of his fayth and promise with libertie to returne to his father The first matter that was debated in the Conclaue was with straite articles to moderate thauthoritie of the Pope to come which they sayde the laste Pope had vsed too immoderately And yet as amongest men some haue not the heart to oppose agaynst a prince and great Lorde and some desire to enter into his grace and lyking so within small time after they dissolued and cancelled of themselues the articles which they had made with so great aduise and to so good purpose The seuenth day they choosed Pope without any discorde of consent the Cardinal of Medicis who tooke vpon him the name of Leo the tenth He bare but xxxvij yeres of age which albeit was so muche the more marueilous and wonderfull by howmuche the election was contrarie to custome yet the yong Cardinalls were the principall causers of it by their industrie hauing long time affore secretly agreed amongest themselues to create the first Pope of their number The moste partes and nations of Christendome reioyced muche at this election euery one enterteining an assured exspectation of his vertues aswell by the present and greene memorie of the vallour of his late father as for an vniuersall reputation that went of his owne inclinations and liberalities To this estimation also was ioyned a generall opinion of his continencie and life not attaynted together with a gladsome hope that by thexample of his father he would be a furtherer of learning and beare fauor to wittes disposed to studie and knowledge To these hopes was muche helping the maner of thelection beeing made in his person sincerely and without symonie or suspicion of other corruption And it seemed that God began to approue and confirme his seate for that the fourth day after his election came into his power the Cardinalls of S. Crosse and S. Seuerin who assone as they heard of the death of Pope Iulio went by sea to Rome accompanied with thembassador of the French king In their passage they stroke into the hauen of Lyuorno where vnderstanding that the Cardinall of Medicis was chosen Pope they tooke lande the one hauing
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
tearmes of extremitie that in abandoning one place to releeue an other they putte bothe in daunger not hauing numbers sufficient to furnishe the seruice and lesse exspectation of reskewe amydde perilles so raging and desperate So that what for that their necessities were greater then their hopes and their defence lesse hable by the continuall diminucion of their numbers and lastely holding it no breache of honour to preserue by wisedome and composicion that they coulde no longer defende by their vallour and prowes they gaue place to theyr destinie and capitulated with the Turke That the greate Maister of their order shoulde leaue the towne to him That aswell he as all hys knightes shoulde departe in safetie wyth libertie to carie wyth them as muche of their goodes as they coulde And for assurance of this capitulacion the Turke shoulde withdrawe oute of those seas his fleete or Nauie and retyre hys armye by lande fyue myles from Rhodes By vertue of whiche capitulacion Rhodes remayned to the Turkes and the Christians passed into Scicilie and so into Italie keepinge theyr faythe and profession vnuiolated They founde in Scicilye an Armye by sea compounded of a certayne number of vesselles wyth greate releefe of vittayles and munitions and readye to hoyse sayle at the nexte wynde to reuittle Rhodes The slownesse of this reskewe was layde to the Popes faulte After they were departed Soliman for a more contempte of Christian religion made his entrie into the Citie vppon the daye of the birthe of the sonne of God whiche daye beeing celebrated in the Churches of Christians with noyse of musike and holy inuocations he conuerted all the Churches of Rhodes dedicated to the seruice of Iesu Christ into Mosqueis so they call their temples which after all the Christian rites and ceremonies were abolished they made dedicated to Mahomet This was the ende of the yeare 1522. infamous for the name and tytle of Christendome and this was the fruite drawne of the discordes of our Princes whiche yet mighte be somewhat tollerable if at least thexamples of harmes past might make them better tempered in tyme to come As the discordes of Princes continued so increased also the trauels perplexities of the yere 1523. In the beginning of which the famulie of the Malatesteis knowing howe vnhable they were to resist the Popes forces were in th ende contented by the mediacion of the Duke of Vrbin to leaue Rimini and the Castell albeit vnder this vncertayne hope that there shoulde be reserued for Pandolfe some reasonable estate and meane to lyue wherein nothing was done Afterwardes the Duke of Vrbin wente to the Pope with whome and with the moste parte of the Court the glorious memorie of Pope Iulio working muche for him he obteined absolucion from all paynes and imposicions and was eftsones reinuested in the Duchie of Vrbin but with this exception not to preiudice the rightes and application that had bene made of the countrey of Montfeltre to the Florentins who sayde they had lent to Pope Leo three hundred and fiftie thousande duckets for the defence of that Duchie and had exspended since his death in diuerse places for the preseruation of thestate of the Churche more then threescore and tenne thousande The Pope receyued also into grace the Duke of Ferrara whome he dyd not onely inuest of newe in the imperie of Ferrara and of all that he possessed apperteyning to the Churche affore the warre of Pope Leo agaynst the Frenche men but also he lefte to him not without a note of infamie bothe to him selfe and ministers that abused his ignoraunce the iurisdiction of the borowes of Saint Felix and Finale Which townes as he gotte at suche tyme as he began the warre agaynst Pope Leo and afterwardes loste them before his death so he had eftsones taken them of newe by thoccasion of the vacancie of the sea For recompence of this grace and inuestiture the Duke was bounde to ayde and succour the Churche in times of neede with certayne numbers of men for so muche as belonged to the defence of hys imperie and estate And in case hereafter he shoulde fall agayne and transgresse or offende the sea Apostolike besides his submission to great fines and amarciamentes he consented to haue this inuestiture made nothing and to the priuacion of all his rightes Moreouer the Pope gaue him great hopes to restore to him Modena and Reggia notwithstanding afterwardes he estraunged his minde from hys promise aswell for the importance of suche an indument whiche was afterwardes tolde him as also for thinfamie of thexamples of his predecessors which coulde not but redounde vpon him About this tyme the Castell of Millan suffring no lesse wantes of all prouisions except bread then being vniuersally afflicted with sicknes and diseases agreed to deliuer vp their charge vnder condicion of life and goods saued if they were not succored by the xiiij day of Aprill at which day the composicion being accomplished the most part of the souldiors were found dead Caesar was contented to deliuer it ouer into the possession of Duke Frauncis Sforce wherein he wonne no little reputation and prayse amongest thItalians And albeit there was no other peece in Italie that helde for the French men except the Castell of Cremona whiche had as yet a plentyfull prouision of all thinges yet these successes did nothing qualisie thinfelicities and aduersities of the peoples of that Duchie who were wonderfully oppressed by the armie of Caesar for that it was not payed In which discontentment beeing gone to lodge within Ast and the confines about it and falling into tumult for the same cause their disorder led them to make pillage of the whole cōtrey euen as farre as Vigeneua for regarde of which vniuersall wasting as also to auoyde the harmes and daungers of the countrey thinhabitantes of Millan were driuen to make promise of their payes amounting to an hundred thousande duckets And yet the feeling of so many aduersities and rigours could nothing abate the hatreds of that people agaynst the French wherein the thinges that susteined them were partly a feare through the memory of olde iniuries done agaynst them by that nation and partly a hope least vpon ceasing of the daunger the French king would eftsones assayle that state and also that they should be deliuered from those great burdens for that it should be no more necessarie for themperour to interteine in that Duchie any regimentes of souldiors The negociacion of the peace betwene Caesar and the Venetians continued still and as for many difficulties that hapned and diuerse sortes of delayes interposed by the Venetians the mindes of men were holden in great suspence what successe or effect it would drawe So one chiefe matter that made that action dilatorie and augmented the difficulties was the death of Ierome Adorno whose yeares albeit were not many yet his experience was rare and his witte raysed to the comprehension of high thinges whiche he well expressed in this treatie wherein