and their present lackes greeuous Notwithstanding the Duke of Orleans somwhat to ease and fauour the hardnes of their condicion had ryd out of the towne all mouthes and members vnprofitable yet it was no remedie sufficient to so great a calamitie for that many souldiers of the french Svvyzzers not able to beare the fretting anguish of hunger and lesse enured to the other discommodities of a close seege began to languishe in diseases and sicknes By reason whereof the Duke being also troubled with a feuer quartyne made many solicitacions to the king by messengers letters not to deferre their succours which could not be aduaunced with such readines as might be able to minister to their generall necessities for that there was not assembled such sufficient strength as imported the estate of their daunger The french armie for their partes showing more forwardnes of action then able to doe good made many attempts to reuittell the towne by night vsing in that purpose the seruice both of horsemen and footemen But being alwayes discouered by thennemie there succeeded no other frutes of their enterprises then great harmes to them selues and no lesse disapoyntments to their friendes being made more wretched by their ill fortune But to stoppe altogether the passage of vittells into the towne the Marquis of Mantua assayled the monasterie of S. Frauncis standing neare to the wals of Nouaro and taking it he manned it forthwith with a garrison of two hundreth men at armes and three thowsand footemen of the Almaines By this meanes the armie confederat was discharged of a great care the way being nowe made sure by the which releeffe was brought into the towne the way also of the gate that leades to the mount Biandrane was stopped for that in it was most facilitie to enter Nouaro The day after he tooke also the bastylle made by the french vpon the poynt of the suburbes of S. Nazare and the night following were surprised the whole suburbes together with the other plotteformes neare to the gate wherein he bestowed a garde and fortefied the suburbes the Count Petillane whom the Venetians had taken into their pay with title of gouernor being hurt there with a small shott neare the girdle place and in great daunger of death For the successe of these places the Duke of Orleans distrusting to be able to defende any more the other suburbes which he had at his entrey into Nouaro he sette fire on them the night following drew all his strength to the defence garde of the city onely And touching the extremitie of famin he yet nourished him self with hopes of succors the rather for that the Svvyzzers beginning now to arriue at the campe the kinges armie passing the riuer of Stesia was marched out of Verceill a myle to lodge in the fielde and hauing bestowed a garde in Bolgare exspected the residue of the Svvyzzers who being once assembled the armie was resolued to minister succors to Nouaro an action notwithstanding full of many difficulties for that thItalian bandes were lodged in places of aduauntage well furnished and fortefied and the way from Verceill to Nouaro full of lakes and waters and very vneasie for horsemen almost impassible for the broade and deepe ditches thorow the whole contrey Besides betwene Bolgare holden by the french and the campes of thItalians was Camarian which the Italians garded In respect of these difficulties there appeared not in the mind of the king nor of the others a readines answering thexpectacion of those that attended in distresse And yet it was supposed that if the Svvyzzers had sooner arriued they had aduentured the fortune of battel the euent whereof could not but be doutfull to either of the armies And therefore they both hauing regarde to the daunger present there wanted no secret trauell to solicite an accorde betwene the king and the Duke of Myllan albeit it was with smal hope for the indifferent distrust that was betwene those two Princes and for that both the one and other for their greater reputacion made showes that they had no deuocion to peace But fortune layed open an other meane more expedient for so great a conclusion For about the same tymes the Lady Marquise of Montserat being dead and being in debate who ought to take the gouernment of a litle sonne whom she had left to which regentship aspired with one desire the Marquis of Saluzze and Constantyn brother to the sayd Lady decessed one of the auncient Lordes of Macodonia which Mahomet Ottoman had occupied many yeares before The frenche king fauoring much the tranquillitie of that estate sent Argenton to Caesar Ceruas to ordeyne and establishe a protectorship according to the consent of the subiectes and being gon thether also as a mourner for the death of the Ladie one of the principall officers of the Marquis of Mantua they two meeting vppon the way fell into discourse and deuises to haue a peace alleaging many benefits that would redownd to both parties This voluntary reasoning betwene them two succeeded to so good frute that the Lord of Argenton tooke occasion to write to the Venetian Commissioners reitterating the reasons and matters which had bene begon to be debated euer since they were at Taro they fauoring the mocion with very forward affections communicated immediatly with the Capteines of the Duke of Myllan and so with one agrement sent to require the french king nowe come to Verceill that he would assigne some of his councell to meete in some place conuenient to common with such as they should appoynt in deputacion for their part whereunto the king consenting with a readines equall to his desire there assembled the day following betwene Bolgare and Camarian for the Venetians the Marquis of Mantua and Bernard Contaryn gouernor of their estradiots for the Duke of Myllan was sent Frauncis Barnardin Viscounte for the french king the Cardinall of S. Mallovv the Prince of Orange to whome being newly come to the campe the king had giuen the principal charge ouer the whole armie the Mareshall of Gie Monsr de Pienes and Monsrd Argenton who making many meetings and certeine particulars of them making many iorneyes from the one armie to the other the differences and chiefe controuersies fell at last vppon the citie of Nouaro for that the french king making no difficulty in theffect of the restitucion but in the manner the lesse to offend his honor labored that it might be referred in the name of the king of Romaines direct Lord of the Duchie of Myllan into the handes of one of the Almaine Capteines which was in the campe of thItalians Of the contrary the confederats required that it might be left frankly These and other dowtes hapning not being able to be resolued with that speede which they that were within Nouaro required being now falne vpon such extremities that what by famine and other raging diseases rising by it there were dead of the Dukes companie aboue two thowsand bodies A truce
lesse hope to be hable to bring forth any good effect and withall for that the souldiours of his armie who were driuen to defende their liues by praye and pillage were now of equall terror to his frends and to his enemies he began not to discerne any good expedicion or ende for his affaires And the bands offootemen who had so long followed him seeing no pay ministred and no more hope remeyning to liue by discression because they had no municion of qualitie to force townes and noting withall that to their calamitie of want of vittells was ioyned an increase of the force reputacion of their enemies by the grace of many Princes disclosed in their fauor they beganne to be weary with the longnes of the warre the rather also for that they could hope for no good issue or successe neither by the oportunity of present battell nor by the benefit of longer time The Pope for his parte felt likewise the same perplexities and afflictions for he was both made naked of wealth and treasor and no habilitie of him selfe to continue the prouisions of his campe and also he stoode more doutfull then euer of the fidelity of other Princes but chiefly of the french king who with greatslownes and negligence did prouide for the reliefe of money which he was bound vnto by the capitulacion And for that Monsr de Foix hauing by the Popes direction remeyned in Romagnia refused to send parte of his launces into Tuskane alleaging that he would not deuide his strength before the armies were passed the Appenin there arose many arguments and perswasions of accord betwene the Legat and Franciscomaria his Capteines In which good inclinacion to peace there interposed betwene them Monsr de Foix and Don Hugo da Moncado and for that effect also the Viceroy of Sicilia was sent by the king Catholike But vntill that day nothing succeded for the hard condicions which Franciscomaria vrged At length the bands of spanishe footemen induced both by the difficulties that appeared and also by the solicitacion instance of Don Hugo who ioyning threates to the authoritie of his place and satisfying them that suche was precisely the will of the king of Spaine they were brought to incline and embrace peace which with a very hard consent of Frantiscomaria and the negociacion of the Bishoppe of Auellino sent thither for the Pope by the Legat was contracted in this sorte concurring also the consent of the bands of Gascoine footemen by the interposing of Monsr de Foix That the Pope should pay to the spanish footmen fiue and forty thowsand duckats for the full satisfying of foure monethes paye and to the Gascoines Germaines ioyned with them three score thowsand duckats That they should all departe within eight dayes out of the state of the Churche the iurisdiction of Florence and the territories of Vrbin That Franciscomaria leauing abandoned all that he possessed in that state might passe in securitie to Mantua That he might cary with him his artilleries his houshold stuffe and namely that famous librarye which with so greate charge and diligence had beene erected of Federik his grandfather by the mothers side A Capteine for leading of an armie of moste renowme of all the Capteines of his time but most famous amongest all other his vertues for his patronage of good learning That the Pope shoulde absolue him of all censures and giue remission to all the subiects of the gouernment of Vrbyn and to all others that had risen against him in this warre But whilest they were reducing the substance of these capitulacions into articles and writing Franciscomaria sought to haue inserted in speciall wordes that the Spanyards were they who promised to deliuer vp to the Pope the state of Vrbyn A matter which they refused for the regard of their honor whereuppon they came to contencion when Franciscomaria suspecting least they would sell him to the Pope went suddeinly to Sestina leading with him part of the light horsemen with the footemen Italyans Gascons Germains and foure peeces of artilleries Assoone as perfection was giuen to the peace the Spanyards receiued their payes they went into the Realme of Naples conteining at their departure a strength of six hundred horsemen and foure thowsand footemen by their example the other bands of footemen departed after they had receiued the reward of their disloyaltie Onely to thItalians nothing was neither giuen nor promised And touching Franciscomaria ouer whose sauetie it seemed Monsr de Foix had a care particular seeing him selfe now abandoned challenged the benefit of the firste peace and went thorowe Romagnia and the country of Bolognia to Mantua being accompanied with Federik de Bossolo an hundred horse and six hundred footemen In this sort did ende the warre of Vrbyn continued eyght monethes with great exspenses and ignominie to the Victors on the Popes part were exspended eyght hundred thowsand duckats the greatest masse whereof was drawne out of the common weale of Florence for the authoritie he bare there at that time And touching the Capteines to whom was referred the administracion of those warres there was heaped against them great imputacion of cowardise of disordered gouernment adioyning to it want of sinceritie or sownd intencion for that in the beginning of the warre when the forces of Lavvrence were mighty and the power of thennemies in great weakenes they neuer could vse any occasion neither by apparant vallour nor by their industrie and much lesse by their prouidence or forecast To which beginnings drawing with them losse of their reputacion negligence in discipline and disobedience of th armie were adioyned in the proceedings and further coursse of the warre want of many prouisions in the campe And at last fortune seeming to take her sport and pleasure vpon their errours did by her working so heape calamities vppon their disorders that the affayres of the warres were reduced to these tearmes that the Pope detecting the snares that were layd against his life and being much shaked in the gouernment of the Church and eftsoones fearing the estate of Florence was constrained with peticions and new obligacions to implore the aydes of all men And yet he could not be deliuered from those calamities but by defraying of his owne treasor vpon the armie of his enemies And such as either were the originall mouers of the warre or els being enterteyned in his paye had vilely reuolted against him after they had vexed him with many extorcions In this yeare and almost in the end of the yeare the king of Spayne went with prosperous nauigacion to take possession of his kingdoms he had obteyned before of the french king betweene whome and him went many demonstracions of amitie both of them couering the secret intention of their minds assurance that he would forbeare for six monethes the first payment of an hundred thousand duckets which he was bound to pay in by the articles of the laste accord contracted betwene them The Venetians also made a
diuersitie of opinions whether in the riuer of Leuant or the West were best to beginne the aduise of Obietto preuayled who promising him selfe much vppon them of the waters of Leuant they adressed them selues to the towne of Portouenere to the which they gaue assault for many howers in vayne for that it was refurnished from Genes with fowre hundreth footemen and the courages of thinhabitants well resolute and confirmed by Iohn Lovvys de Fyesquo lately come thither Being out of hope to carie the towne by assault they retyred to the porte of Lyuorne to reuittell their shippes and refurnish their companies of footemen for when they vnderstood that the townes and peeces vppon the riuer were in good condicion of defence and prouicion they iudged that to that action was necessary a greater supply of force At Lyuorna Federyk being aduertised that the french armie inferior to his in gallyes but mightier in shippes was in preparacion to fall out of the port of Genes sent backe agayne to Naples his shippes to be able with more readines by the swiftnes of his galleyes to keepe aloof from thennemie if with their shippes and gallyes togither they shoulde sett on him hoping notwithstanding to vanquish them if their gallyes were separate from their shippes eyther by aduenture or by will. In the selfe same seasons the Duke of Calabria marched towardes Romania with the armie by lande with intencion to passe afterwardes into Lombardye according to the first resolucions But to haue his passage more free and easie and to leaue no impediments or perills behind his backe it was needefull to ioyne to him the state of Bologne and the cities of Gmola and Furly for Cesene a citie immediatly subiect to the Pope and the citie of Faense belonging to Astor de Manfreddi a young gentleman pensionary and gouerned vnder the protection of the Florentyns were to giue willingly all commodities to the Aragons armie Octauyan sonne to Ieronimo de Riare was Lord of Furly and Gmola with a title of vicaire of the Church but in minoritie vnder gouernment of Katthern Sforce his mother with whom many monethes before the Pope and Alphonso had practised to enterteyne Octauyan in their common pay with condicion to defend his estates but the matter remeyned imperfect partly by the difficulties she alleaged to the ende to get better condicions And partly for that the Florentyns dwelling still in their former purpose not to exceede the bondes they had with Alphonso to the preiudice of the french king could not be resolued to be concurrant in this practise to the which their consent was necessary because the Pope the king would not alone susteyne the charge but much more for that Kattherne would not put in daunger that citie onles with the others the Florentyns would be bound to the gard and defense of the estates of her sonne These difficulties were taken away by the meting and speaking togither which Ferdinand drawing his armie by the way of Marrechia into Romania had with Peter de medicis in the village of S. Sepulcher where he offered him in the name of his father king Alphonso franke power to dispose of him and his armie in all the seruices which he had intencion to execute for the affayres of Florence Siena Faensa these offers giuing a newe life to the auncient courage of Peter as soone as he was returned to Florence he ordeyned notwithstanding the disswasions of the wisest Citisens that thaccord should be subsigned for that Ferdinand had instātly desired him This being dispatched at the common charges of the Pope Alphonso and the Florentyns not many dayes after they had the citie of Bolognia at their deuocion enterteyning Iohn Bentyuole vnder whose authoritie and direction the citie was gouerned in the same maner the Pope promised hauing withall the faith of king Alphonso and P. de medicis to create Cardinall Anthonie Galeas his sonne then pronotorye of the sea These thinges gaue to the armie of Ferdinand a great reputacion which yet had bene more great if with those successes he had sooner entred into Romania But by his slow speede to march out of the kingdom and the diligent care and watching of Lodovvyk Sforce Ferdinand was no soner arriued at Cesena then Monsr D'aubygny and the Count Caiazze gouernor ouer the companies of Sforce togither with a great part of the armie appoynted to make heade against the Aragons being passed without let by Bolognia entred the countrey of Ymola by meanes whereof Ferdinand hauing lost his first hopes to passe into Lombardie was compelled to setle the warre in Romania where other cities following the partie of thAragons Rauenna and Ceruia cities of the Venetian iurisdiction barefauor to neither side This litle countrey stretching along the riuer of Pavv in the possession of the Duke of Ferrara spared no one cōmoditie to the companies of the french Sforce Touching P. de medicis neither the difficulties hapning in thenterprise of Genes nor thimpediments occurring in Romania could bridle his rashnes for being bownd by a secret cōuencion without the knowledge of the common weale made with the Pope and Alphonso to oppose him self openly against the french king he had not only cōsented that the Neapolytan armie at sea should be receiued refreshed in the hauē of Lyuorne with power to leuye footemē through the whole territory of Florence but also restraining his rashnes to no limit he wrought so that Anniball Bētiuole sonne of Iohn mercenary to the Florentyns wēt with his charge the cōpanies of Astor de Manfreddi ioyned with the campp of Ferdinand as soone as he entred into the contrey of Furly sent besides to the sayd Bentyuole a thowsand footemen with artilleries Such a like disposicion was alwaies diserned in the Pope who besides the prouisions of warre not contented to haue exhorted by writing the yeare before king Charles not to passe into Italy but to proceede by way of iustice and not armes reinioyned him eftsoones by an other signeture the selfe same thinges vppon payne of the Church censures And by the bishop of Calagorre his Nuncio at Venice whether for the same effect were gone thēbassadors of Alphonso they of Florence who notwithstanding made not such open demaundes he perswaded much that Senate that for the common benefite of Italy they would protest publike resistance against the french purposes or at least to giue Lodovvyk roundly to vnderstand that he was much discontented with this innouacion But the Senate aunswered by the Duke that it was farre from the office of a wise Prince to pull the warre vpon his owne howse and take it from an other nor to consent to doe either by demonstracions or effects any thing that may displease either of the parties And because the king of Spaine solicited instantly by the Pope Alphonso promised for the succors of Naples to send into Scycile an armie by sea well furnished and at last made excuse that
which is a practise very common and familiar in all partes of Italy but that the king and all his court besides the suspicion they had conceyued against the faith of Lodovvyk had his name in honor yea the king esteemed it an iniurie done to his owne honor and greatnes that he had solicited his comming into Italy to be the better able without daunger to execute an act so abominable yet in the ende the resolucion was to march on Lodovvyk continually laboring him thereunto with promise to returne and visit the king within few dayes for that both the kinges aboade in Lombardie his hastie returne into Fraunce were wholly contrary to his intencions The same day the king departed from Plaisance Lavvrence and Iohn de medicis came to him who being secretly fledd from their howses in the contrey made great instance that his maiestie would come neare Florence promising him much of the affections and goodwill of the people towardes the howse of Fraunce and no lesse of the hate against P. de medicis against whom the king was aggrauated by occasions new and greene for the king sent from Ast an Embassador to Florence to propound many offers if they would graunt him passage and absteyne hereafter from ayding of Alphonso and of the other side to pronounce threatnings to them if they perseuered in their former councell wherein to astonish them the more he gaue expresse charge to his Embassador to returne immediatly if they would not giue speedy resolucion he was aunswered with excuses to deferre and expect for that the chiefest Citisens of the gouernment being withdrawne to their howses of solace in the contrey ▪ according to the custom of the Florentyns in that season they could not with such speede giue him an aunswere certeine but would with all diligence aduertise the king of their intencion by a particular Embassador it is most certeine that it was agreed in the kinges councell without contradiction that the armie should rather take the way that leades thorow Tuskane and the territories of Rome directly to Naples then that which lying along Romania la marque passing the riuer of Troute entreth into Abruzze not for that they did distrust to giue the chase to the bandes of thAragons which with difficultie resisted Monsr D'Aubygny But for that it seemed a thing vnworthy of the greatnes of such a king and no lesse infamous to the glorie of his armies the Pope and Florentyns being declared against him to giue occasion to men to thinke that he eschewed the way for distrust that he was not able to force them But much more because they esteemed it daungerous to make warre in the realme of Naples and leaue as ennemies at their backes the state ecclesiastike and Tuskane And therefore the armie turning to the way of Tuskane it was determined to passe rather the Appenyn by the mountaine of Parme then to march the direct way to Bolonia This was Lodovvyks direction when he was at Ast for that he had a desire to make him selfe Lord of Pysa So that the vauntgard ouer whom was gouerner and leader Gilbert de Montpensier of the house of Burbon and Prince of the bludd And the king following with the residue of the armie passed to Pontreme a towne of the Duchie of Myllan sett at the foote of thAppenyn vpon the riuer of Magre which diuides the contrey of Genes aūciently called Liguria from Tuskane from Pontreme M. Montpensier entred the contrey of Lunigiana a part of which obeyd the Florentyns certeyne castells belonged to the Genovvays and the residue were subiect to the Marquis of Malespine who mainteyned their small estates vnder the protection sometimes of the Duke of Myllan sometimes of the Florentyns and sometimes of the Genovvays About those quarters ioyned with M. Mountpensier the Svvyzzers which had ben at the defence of Genovvay togither with thartillerie which was come by sea to Spetia And being come neare the towne of Finizana belonging at that time to the Florentyns whether they were guided by Gabriell Malespina Marquiss of Fodisnoue who was recommended to them they tooke it by force and sackt it making slaughter of al the souldiers straungers that were within and many of thinhabitants A maner of making warre very newe and so much the more terrible to all Italy accustomed for many yeares past to warres rather flourishing in pompes and fine furniture like to warres showed by maskers in a stage playes then to skirmishes bluddy and daungerous The Florentyns were determined to make their principall resistance at Serezana which they had greatly fortified but not with strength sufficient and necessary to resist so mighty an ennemie because they had not furnished it with any Capteine of warre that had authoritie to minister discipline nor yet souldiers neither resolute nor seruiceable other then such as lost hart at the first voyce of thapproch of the french armie yet they of Florence were of opinion that it coulde not be easiely taken specially the castell and much lesse the rocke Serazana both wel furnished and bearing his situacion vpon the hil aboue the towne Besides it was not possible that th armie should remeyne long time in those places the contrey being barreine and straite being inclosed betwene the sea and the mountaynes was not sufficient to nourish so great a multitude and their vittells comming farre of could not obserue such iust tyme oportunitie as to serue their present necessities by reason whereof it seemed the kinges affayres began to fall vpon hard tearmes and that his armie stoode possible to many daungers distresses for albeit he could not with conuenient impediments be let from assayling Pysa leauing behind him the towne and castell of Serazana and the rocke nor kept by the contrey of Lucques which citie by the working of the Duke of Myllan had secretly determined to receiue them that he entred not an other part of the territorie of Florence yet he could hardly be brought to that deliberacion and much lesse condescend to it because he had a perswacion in his secrete fancie that if he wonne not the first towne that resisted him it would diminish much his reputacion and leaue a daungerous example to others to vse insolencie against him But so it was ordeyned that eyther by the grace and blessing of fortune or by an ordenance of more high power if at the least thindiscressions and faults of men deserue such excuses to such an impediment hapned a suddeine remedie seeing that neither the courage nor constancie of P. de medicis were greater in his aduersities then had bene his modestie and discression in his prosperities By this must be vnderstanded that the displeasures which the citie of Florence had receiued from the beginning for thimpediments which were giuen to the king were continually multiplied both for a new chase and banishment of their marchauntes out of all partes of the realme of Fraunce and also for feare of the power of the
nor faction of men sparing to ronne to behold him as if he had bene their patrone and first founder of the citie yea there was a plentifull and willing presence of those who either in them selues or in their auncestors had bene raysed to honors and estates by the house of Aragon with this affluence and concurse of people after he had visited the great Church he was ledd because new castell was yet to thennemies to be lodged in the castell Capua the auncient resort and residence of the kinges of Fraunce hauing with a wonderfull course of felicitie farre aboue the example of Iulius Caesar rather vanquished then seene his enemie and that with so ready fortune and facilitie that during the whole expedicion he neuer had neede to display one pauilion or tent much lesse to breake a launce And touching helpes and prouisions he had so great plenty and superfluitie that his armie at sea prepared with so great expenses being caried by violence of wether into the yle of Corse was so long in approching the shoares of the kingdom that the king had accomplished his conquest afore there was necessitie of their seruice Thus by ciuill discordes which so long hath blinded the Princes of Italy to the great dishonor and skorne of the men of warre of that nation and common daunger and ignominie of euery region of the same was transferred one of the most goodly and mighty partes of Italy and of the Empire of Italy to an Empire and gouernment of a nation beyond the mountes for albeit olde Ferdinand was borne in Spaine yet for that from his youth he had his trayning in Italy either king or the sonne of a king and holding no other principallitie in any region else where togither that his sonnes and sonnes sonnes were bredd vppe in Naples I may with good right appropper them to the contrey and call them Italyans The ende of the first booke THE ARGVMENT OF THE SECOND BOOKE THE Pysans continue their rebellion against the Florentyns The french king takes the castells of Naples The Pope the Venettans and other Princes make league against the king who returning into Fraunce is fought withall neare the riuer Taro Ferdmand wynnes agayne Naples Nouarre is beseeged by the confederats The king makes peace with the Duke of Myllan and returnes into Fraunce THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE historie and discoursse of Guicciardin IN the booke before haue bene sett downe the foundacions of the french warres in Italy both out of what founteyne they spronge and with what course and mocions they had their proceedings euen to an action of conquest farre aboue the memorie and examples of all tymes and ages before But as in all powers and causes naturall this is a propertie infallible to haue their reuolucion by the same swift and violent returne where with they did rise to their exaltacion and fulnes So the french king rising with his felicitie into humors of securitie saw the declinacion of his fortune and great triumphes in the like measure and proporcion of tyme by the which he aspired to them And suffering togither the priuacion of the kingdom with the honor of his new cōquest he shewed him selfe more happy to get glorie then able to keepe it Then whilest thinges went in this course at Rome and the kingdom of Naples there kindled in an other parte of Italy sparkes of a litle fier wherein was nourished a smothering heate ordeyned to burst out to a great burning to the hurt of many but specially to the ruyne of him who by too great a desire of dominion and rule first kindled it and set it on slames for albeit the king was bownd by the contract of Florence that Pysa remeining in his handes till he had conquered the realme of Naples the iurisdiction reuenues should be administred by the Florentyns yet at his departure he had sett no order for thexecucion of his word and promise In so much that the Pysans presuming much of the Capteynes and souldiers left by the king for the gard of the citie did determine no more to returne to the obedience of Florence And therefore expulsing some of their officers and others that solicited there for the citie they made the residue prisonners with confiskacion of all their goods and confirmed wholly their rebellion both by demonstracions and actions In this reuolte to be the better able to continue it they dispatched not onely Embassadors to the king to pray him of defence and protection to their doings but also for their stay and strength more assured they recommended their cause vnder many argumentes of compassion to the cities of Syena and Lucques who being auncient ennemies to the name of Florence could heare of nothing more to their liking and gladnes then of the reuolt of the Pysans to whom in common they sent forthwith a proporcion of money and Syenna a part furnished them with an ayde of horsemen In like sort the Pysans sent Embassadors to Venice to sownde the wills of that Senat of whom albeit they were graciously receiued yet they brought away nothing but hopes dowtfull and incerteyne But they reapposed their chiefest confidence and soundacion in the Duke of Myllan for that as he was the first breeder of their rebellion so they hoped he would not fayle to support them with succors countenance and councell The Duke albeit he made other showes and demonstracions to the Florentyns yet he solicited secretly the confirmacion of this reuolt and breathing courage into them with many offers perswacions promises he communicated presently with the Genovvays to furnish the Pysans with armor and municions and to sende to them a commissioner with three hundred footemen There hath bene auncient quarell betwene the Florentyns and Genovvays rising at first by the conquest of Pysa and continued by many degrees of displeasures both for buying the port of Lyuorne of their Duke Tomasin Fregosa which they possessed and also the taking away of Pietra Santa and Serazena The memorie of these ioyned to thoccasion offered was sufficient to arme them with a wonderfull readines to doe all thinges that might annoy the Florentyns occupying euen already many of their places in the contrey of Lunigiane and were become Lords of the borders of Pietra Santa vnder cooller of a letter obteined from the french king for the restitucion of certein goods confisked The Florentyns complayning of these actions at Myllan were aunswered by the Duke that according to the contract and capitulacions which he had with them of Genes he could not well doe any thing to the restraint and impediment of them And laboring to content them with wordes and diuersitie of hopes he forbare not with a studie more secret and sutle to practise and execute the contrary as one that nourished an ambicious expectacion to draw Pysa to his obedience if the Florentyns did not eftsoones recouer it a thing much desired by him no lesse for the qualitie of the citie then
in the riuer of the ponent the citie of Vintemille which in the same dayes had bene occupied by Pavvle Baptista Fregosa and certeine others of the banished In the same times the warre was also as hoat in the realme of Naples as in the partes of Lumbardye but with a more diuerse fortune for Ferdinand after he had takeÌ„ Regge considered how he might recouer the places bordring hauing in his army six thowsand men comprehending such of the contrey and Sicile as willingly followed him togither with the horsemen and footemen of the Spanish ouer whom was Capteine Consaluo Eruandes of the house of D'aghilar and contrey of Cordone A man very valiant and long exercised in the warres of Granado This man at his first comming into Italy being called by a Spanish bragge the great Capteine the better to signifie with this title the soueraigne power that he had ouer them did well deserue by many goodly victories which he there achiued that that surname might be iustly appropriated confirmed and perpetuated in him by vniuersall consent in testimony of his great vertue and excellencie in the knowledge of warre To this armie which had already stirred vp a great part of the contrey Monsr D'Aubygny presentes him selfe neare Somynare a towne vppon the sea with the men at armes of Fraunce remeyning for the gard of Calabria and such bandes of horsemen and sootemen as the Lordes of the contrey of the french faction had sent to him And being come to the battell the vallour of the souldiers which were oftrayne and exercise caried the victorie against the ignorance of the other litle experienced for not onely the Italians and Sicilyans which Ferdinand had gathered in hast but also euen the Spanyardes were souldiers new and vntrayned to seruice with whom notwithstanding he mainteyned the skirmishe with great stoutnes for that the vertue and authoritie of the Capteines failing nothing of their place and office susteyned such as for all other regardes were much inferior Ferdinand aboue the residue applying vertue to thinnocencie of his quarrell behaued him selfe as well apperteyned to his vertue â—n so much as his horse being slayne vnder him he had in all coniecture remeyned either dead or taken if Iohn de Capua brother to the Duke of Termyny who had bene his page from his childhood whom he intyerly loued in that flower of age had not alighted and remounted him vpon his horse and with an example of faith and loue very notable and worthy offered his owne life for the safetie of his Lorde in whose presence he was slaine vpon the place Consaluo sleeth along the mounteines to Regge and Ferdinand to Palma which lyeth vppon the sea neare to Semynara and there tooke gallies and sayled to Messina And as in aduersities necessitie is mightie to make men resolute so by this ouerthrow there increased in him a new courage and will to assay againe the triall of fortune for he was not onely aduertised that the whole citie of Naples thirsted with great desire to haue him but also by secret intelligence he knew that he was generally called by the principalls of the nobilitie people And therefore eschewing delayes where was so great necessitie of expedicion and fearing least lingring ioyned to the reapport of his ouerthrow in Calabria might not eftsoones make cold that new disposicion After he had assembled besides the gallies which he had led from Yschia and the foure that serued his fathers first departure from Naples the other vessels that brought the Spanyardes into Sicyle with all others that he could recouer of the cities and Barons of Sicyle he hoysseth sayle out of the port of Messina not tarying for that he had not men of warre sufficient to arme them wherein wanting forces conuenient for such an enterprise he was constrained to furnish and serue his turne no lesse with demonstracion and apparance then with theffect and substance of thinges he departed from Sicyle with lxx vessells of cable and anker and twenty others of lesse proporcion accompanied with Ricaiense of Catelognia Capteine of the Spanish vessels a man whose experieÌ„ce was equall to his resolucion in seruices at sea he had so small proporcions of fighting men that in most parte of these vessells there were almost no other sortes of natures of men then such as necessarily were appoynted to the seruice of the nauigacion In this sort his forces were small but great towards him were the fauors and goodwills of the people in so much that being arriued in the roade of Salerne Salerne it selfe the coast of Melff and of Cauo hoyssed their streamers to the winde After wards he remeined two daies aboue Naples in expectacion to heare of some tumult in the towne But for the time his fortune being slow made his desire vaine for that the french men ronning presently to armes and planting sure garde vpon places of perill suppressed immediatly the rebellion that euen already was kindled yea they had put remedie to all their daungers if they had valiantly followed the councell of some amongest them who gessing that the vessells of th Arragons were ill manned with souldiers able to fight aduised Monsr Montpensier to refurnish the french vessells which were in the hauen with bodies resolute and men of action and so giue the charge to thennemie The third day Ferdinand despairing of commotion in the citie turned his sayles into the seaward to retyre to Yschia by which it hapned that the conspirators with Ferdinand considering that their faction and intelligence was now discouered and therefore his cause was become theirs and proper and general to euery one of them drew them to an assembly and determined to be blind against all daungers and difficulties making of their common necessitie a speciall vertue This deliberacion was followed to effect for that they dispatched secretely a litle boate to call home Ferdinand beseching him to put on land either all or the greatest part of his companies to th ende to ioyne meane and courage to such as were inclined to make insurrection in his fauor vppon this intelligence Ferdinand returned eftsoones aboue Naples and the day after the battell of Furnoue he approched neare the shoare to take land at Magdalena a mile from Naples and where the riuer of Sebeta falls into the sea it is rather a small brooke then a riuer which yet had lyen vnknowen if the verses of the Poets of Naples had not giuen it a name Monsr Montpensier to whom all thinges were disclosed shewed him selfe no lesse hardy and ready to charge them when was cause to feare them then he was vnresolute and fearefull the day before when courage was necessary In so much that yssuing out of the city almost with all his strength to stoppe the discending of Ferdinand The Neapolytans taking thoportunitie of thoccasion which was such as they could not haue desired better rose suddeinly into armes And sounding a larme by ringing the greate bell of the frears next to
places holding for him they accorded with Federyk by the solicitacion of Monsr d Aubigny who for some difficulties hapning in the assignement of the fortresses in Calabria was not yet departed from Naples to leaue the towne and castel and returne by sea into Fraunce with safetie and protection of their liues and goods By reason of this agreement the french king seeing him selfe deliuered of so many cares and thoughtes to minister succors to the kingdom of Naples and on thother side being indifferently greeued with the harmes and infamies of those warres determined to sette vppon Genes wherein he hoped much in the faction of Baptistyn Fregosa aforetimes Duke of that citie and in the trayne and followers which the Cardinall of S. Peter ad vincla had in the towne of Sauone and in those riuers he applyed also to the fauor of his deuise the occasion and consent of the tyme for that in those seasons Iohn Lovvys de fiesco and the famulie of the Adornes were in discorde and all the Genovvays generally ill contented with the Duke of Myllan both for that in the sale of Pietra Sancta he had preferred the Lucquoys before them and also hauing promised to reduce it eftsoones to their hands vsing in that action the better to appease thindignacion conceiued against him the authoritie of the Venetians he had nourished them many moneths with vayne hopes But for feare of this determinacion of the king Lodovvyk who for thoccasion of Pysa was almost estraunged from the Venetians was compelled to knit of new with them and to send to Genes the horsemen and footemen of the Almains which Caesar had left in Italy for whome if this necessitie had not happened there would haue bene neither employment nor prouicion made Whilest these thinges were thus in deuise solicitacion the Pope finding now a great oportunitie to occupy the estates of the Vrsins for that the principals of that famulie were restrayned in Naples pronownced rebells in the consistory Virginio the residue of that race confisked their estates for that contrary to his commaundement they had taken pay of the french After which beginning he proceeded in further action to assayle their landes hauing ordred that the Colonnoys shoulde doe the like in all those places where they confyne with the Vrsins This enterprise was much comforted by the Cardinall Askanius no lesse for the auncient amitie he had with the Colonnoys then for a setled dissention and disagreement interteyned of long against the Vrsins The Duke of Myllan also gaue readily his consent but it displeased not a litle the Venetians in whome were secret desires to winne that famulie and draw them to their deuocion And yet not being able with any iustificacions to hinder the Pope from pursuing his rightes and withall holding it nothing profitable in that tyme to alyenat him from them they consented that the Duke of Vrbyn Mercenary in common to the Pope and to them should march to ioyne with the bands of the Church ouer whom was Capteine general the Duke of Candia and in the office of Legat the Cardinall La luna borne at Pauya A Cardinall wholly depending vpon Askanius to this armie also king Federyk of Naples sent Fabricius Colonne This armie now drawne into a campe after it had compelled many peeces to be rendered marched to incampe at Tryuignian which towne menteyning a valiant defence for certeine dayes yelded at last to discression But during the defense of that towne Bartlemevv d'Aluyano yssuing out of Bracciane put to flight within eyght myles of Rome foure hundreth horsemen that guided the artilleries to the campe Ecclesiasticke And an other day ronning with the same fortune euen to the crosse of Montmarie he lacked not much of taking the Cardinall of Valence who comming out of Rome to the chasse found his best safetie in the swiftnes of his horse After the rendring of Tryuignan the campe drewe to the yle where after they had battered one part of the rocke with thartillerie they obteyned it by cōposicion At length all the warre was reduced to Bracciana where the Vrsins had layed vp all the hope of their defense for that the place which had bene made stronge before was of new refortefied with municions and rampiers and the suburbes reenforced hauing at the entry thereof erected a bastyllion and bestowed within it a sufficient strength of men vnder the gouernment of Aluyano whose youth gaue him a body disposed and his wit no lesse quicke and resolut then his diligence incredible increased in him with exercise in armes those hopes exspectacions to the which in tymes succeeding his actions were nothing inferior The Pope ceased not to increase dayly his armie which he had of new refurnished with eyght hundreth launceknights of those that had bene employed in the warres of Naples There were dayly skyrmishes and tryal armes on both partes and that with great contencion the campe without planting their artillerie in many seueral places and they within not forgetting to repaire and fortefie with present diligence and assurance And yet within fewe dayes the defendants were constrayned to abandon the suburbes which being taken the ecclesiasticks gaue a furious assault to the towne wherein albeit their fortune made them able to aduaunce their enseignes vpon the walls yet by the vertue of the defendants they were eftsoones forced to retyre suffering a great losse in which action was hurt Anthony Sauelle The defendants expressed the like vallour in an other assault repulsing the ennemy with a furie more resolut a losse more generall for that two hundred of them were either slayne or very sore wounded wherein appeared with great merit the particular vallour of Aluyano to whom was iustly giuen the principall glory of that defense for that within he was of a liuely readines to all offices necessary and without with continuall erupcions and sallies he kept th armie of thennemie day and night in alarams In this speciall action he added much to his reputacion that by his disposing certeine light horsemen yssuing out of Ceruette which the Vrsins helde should make incursions euen to the campe and he him selfe taking thoccasion of this tumult charged them out of the towne put to flight the footebands that garded the artilleries of which he caried into Bracciana certeine small peeces And albeit at length rather ouerlayed with numbers then ouercome in vallour he and his companies were ouerwearied with the continuall trauells and perplexities of that warre hauing neither the day nor the night fauorable to their quietnes yet they began eftsoones to readresse them selues with hope of succors for that Charles Vrsin and Vitellozze who was knit to the Vrsins by a bond of the faction of Guelffes being now passed into Italy vpon the vessells of Prouence come to Lyuorne with money of the french king to reerect their bandes dispersed in the kingdome of Naples they prepared to succor them in so great a daunger for which
their weakenes and necessities then bearing any compassion to their calamities denied to accept the offers of their Embassadors sent to him and encamped before the towne the last day sauing one of Iune betweene the gate of Plages and the gate Calcesana right ouer against the quarter called Barbagianui he battered all that night with great furie and continued the action the most parte of the day following in which time the artillerie both good of itselfe and planted to all conueniencie had made euen with the earth threescore Cubits of the wall And assoone as the batterie ceassed to shoote the horsmen and footemen entermedled together runne without order or discipline to giue thassalte not considering in what sorte they might passe a deepe trenche which the Pisans had made betweene the wall that was battered and the Rampier that was within In so much as when they had discouered the greatnes of it and wondred much at his deapth they consumed the residue of the day rather as beholders of the difficultie then disposed to make good thassalt The fortune of this day ioyned to the consideration of the impediments disclosed made diminishe more and more the hopes of the frenchmen to cary Pisa partly for that they fainted in courage aswel for the qualitie of the Rampiers as resolucion of those in the towne and partly for that the Pisans renuing the practises and meanes which they were wont to vse the auncient inclination of the french began to take new lyfe and nourishe newe fauours towardes them In so muche as the frenchmen beginning to enterteine meetinges familiarities with those that were within the towne communicating together with a friendship and libertie not suspected and they for their partes recontinuing the same offers to resigne themselues wholly to the kings deuocion vppon condicion not to be eftsoones passed ouer to the oppression of the Florentyns The cause of the Pisans was fauored thorow the whole Camp and oftentimes defended with such declarations of good meaning euen affore the Captaines that the greatest part of the Camp gaue thē corage to meinteine their defēce wherin besides the incitation of the frenchmen they were specially incouraged by Fraūcis Tryvulce Lieftenant of the regiment of Iohn Iacques and by Galeas Paluoysin which ledde a band in the french Camp By thoportunitie of these disorders sufferance of the Camp Tarlatyn of the towne of Castello entred into Pisa on that side towards the sea with certeine olde souldiours which Vitellozze sent to the succours of Pisa A man at that tyme but darke and vnknowen but aspiring afterwardes to the place of Capteine he continued and followed the defence of that Citie to the ende to his great honour To this common inclination many bands of horsmen and footmen added many other insolencies for that desiring that the seege might beleauied they began to sacke and spoile the vittels that were brought to the Camp And so farre multiplied they in all disorders thauthoritie of the Generall being not sufficient to restraine them that the footbands of the Gascoines abandoned the armie in manner of tumult their example breeding the lyke mutinie in all the residue And at parting certeine footbandes of the Svvyssers which were come from Rome according to the kinges direction staide as prisoner Luke D'albisse Commissarie for Florence The occasion as they alleaged was for that their paies were deteined which were due for a seruice they had bene at affore tyme within Lyuorna The Camp dispersed by degrees for that the regiment of Svvyssers and other footebandes went awaye foorthwith Only the men at armes staied somewhat neare about Pisa where they had not spent many dayes in reapposing themselues but they returned into Lombardy without tarying till they knew the kinges wil and direction leauing the affaires of the Florentyns in great disorder for that they had dismissed all their footbandes to be more hable to furnishe the paies of the Svvyssers The Pisans turned these confusions into an occasion of exploit and enterprise and with an expedicion agreeable to the consent and oportunitie of the tyme they went and planted a Camp affore Librafatta which they tooke easely no lesse by thin discression of thennemie then by their proper strength The manner of that successe was this Whilest the assalt was in charging all the footemen that were within running to the breach some of those of the Camp by skaling Ladders entred by the highest Iawme of the Castle which was not garded Which surprise both sodeine and terrible so astonished the footemen that they yelded themselues And linking still their fortune with their victorie they drue their Camp with a present speede affore the Bastillion Ventura whilest thassalt was in action the footemen yelded either by faintnes of courage or by treason of the Capteine S. Brandano Cunstable of the Florentyns of nation a Luckoys and there remeining in Garrison But as the conquest of these places was verie profitable to the Pisans for that it had opened to them a larger skoape on that side towardes the Lucquoys and giuen elswhere almost a generall libertie So yet such successe of the thinges of Pisa troubled not a litle the minde of the french king who saw howe much it would diminish the reputation of his armie besides that he bare very impaciently that one perticular Citie supported only by her inhabitantes wherin was not only one Capteine of name shold resist the armies of Fraunce which had runne thorow all Italy to the generall terror feare of euen the chiefest Potentates wherein as men in thinges that be greeuous to them doe oftentimes beguile themselues he occupied in him selfe this persuasion that the aduersities of Pisa hapned by this defalt that the Florentyns had not made due prouisions of vittelles Pyonners and Munitions as his people assured him for their discharge beleeuing that all other thinges had rather failed in th armie then vallour he complained also that fauouring too much thimportunities of the Florentyns he yelded to commit so great an armie rather to M. Beaumont then to M. D'alegre by which indiscression those disorders were hapned And of the other parte desiring to recouer the reputacion lost he sent to Florence M. de Corocu his Chamberlaine not so muche to be informed if the reapportes of his Capteines were true as to practise with the Florentyns that not losing hope to haue hereafter a better successe they would consent that his men at armes might returne to soiorne in the countrey of Pisa the better to keepe that Citie for the winter following in continuall feare bridle with intencion in the spring tyme to recontinue the seege with an armie more reasonable compounded of Capteines better experienced and souldiours more obedient This offer was refused of the Florentyns as dispairing of any better issue by the ayde of the Frenche armies a matter which made worse their condicions for that a bruite running in all places that the King had left them the Genovvays
french king which he had long solicited whilest he was in Spaine But they sent him accompanied with two Embassadors with whom he was to communicat in all actioÌ„s without whose couÌ„cel he would not treat or coÌ„clude any thing It is incredible with what magnificence honour he was receiued by the kings assignment through all the realme of Fraunce not only that the king desired to make him fauorable in the practise of the peace but also to deserue to make a perpetuall friende of that young Prince who was to become myghtie and great being the nexte successour to Thempire Romain and immediate inheritour to the kingdomes of Spaine with all their dependances All suche as had grace or authoritie about him were honoured with the same liberties and receyued presentes of great price and riches To these demonstrations was aunswerable the magnanimitie and royall behauiour of Phillip For that as the Frenche Kyng besides his worde and fayth giuen for his sure passing through Fraunce had sent into Flaunders many of the nobles of his realme for the safetie of Phillip So Phillip assoone as hee was entred Fraunce to declare that hee reapposed wholly in the kings faith gaue order that the Ostages should be redeliuered These so great tokens and apparances of amitie were not vnaccompanied as muche as was in them with lesse effectes For assembling at Bloys after they had spent certeine dayes in discourse and disputation of thinges they concluded a peace in this sort That the kingdom of Naples should be possessed according to the first diuision But that there should bee left in deputation to Phillip the prouinces for the which they first fell to difference and armes That from the present Charles his sonne and Madame Clavvda the Kinges daughter betweene whom shoulde bee a confirmation of that mariage which had bene affore solicited should bee intituled kings of Naples and Dukes of Povvilla and Calabria That that parte which apperteined to the King of Spaine shoulde bee from thenceforward gouerned by Tharchduke and the particion discending to the french king to be ordred by the proper deputies of his maiestie But that the one and other parte shoulde bee holden vnder the name of the two children to whom at the tyme of consummation of mariage the King shoulde giue his parte for the dowrie of his daughter This peace was solemnly published in the great Church of Bloys and ratified by othes of the King and of Phillip as procurer of the Kyng and Queene of Spaine his parentes in lawe A peace truely of ryght great consequence if it had brought an effect equall to thintention For not onlye armes surceassed betweene so myghtie Kynges but also peace woulde haue followed betweene the Kyng of Romains and the Frenche Kyng Which woulde not only haue bredde newe enterprises against the Venetians but also the Pope being suspected to them both and in ill opinion with the vniuersall sortes of men woulde not haue bene without his feares of councelles and other actions which myght haue brought diminution to his authoritie and greatnes But the King and Tharchduke sending with expedition to publish the peace in the realme of Naples with direction to the Capteynes and commaunders of men to forbeare to molest one an other attending the ratification of the Spanishe king and in the meane while their possession of thinges to continue â–ª The ruler for the French offred to obey to his king But the Spanyard either for the hope he had of the victorie or for that he would not bee contented with the only authoritie of Phillip answered that he could not discontinue the warre vnles he had receiued expresse commaundement from his king For the continuation whereof he was so much the more encouraged by how much the French king gouerned by his hopes both in the practise coÌ„clusion of peace esteeming for certein that which was yet vncerteine had not only dallied in all other prouisions of warre but also had foreslowed the leauying of those regiments that is three thousand footmen three huÌ„dred launces which should haue bene embarked at Genes to be led to that enterprise vnder Monsr de Persy And of the contrary were aryued at Barletto the two thousand Almain footemen which being leauied with the fauour of the king of Romains embarqued at Trieste were passed in suertie by the golphe of Venice not without the great complaint of the French king In which respect the Duke of Nemours not â—â—able to assure a surceassing of armes and lesse likely to refurnish his power being made weake by the oppressions he had receiued before Yet because he would occupie his whole strength if either occasion or necessitie compelled him to fight with his enemies he sent for all the French bandes that had bene dispersed into diuers places together with all the aides of the Barons of the realme except those Lordes and regiments which made warre vnder Monsr D'aubigny in Calabria But in assembling them he founde a fortuen contrarie to his exspectation For the Duke of Atry and Loys D'ars one of those French Capteines which had their companies bestowed vppon the landes of Ottranto determining to marche together to ioyne with the Viceroy for that they were aduertised that Peter of Nauarre with many Spanish footmen was in place apt to distresse them if they went separate deuided It hapned that Levvys D'ars taking his oportunitie of passe suerly departed without being carefull of the daunger of the Duke Atry who left alone marched also with his companies hauing espiall that Peter de Nauarre was gone to Matero to ioyne with Consaluo But the councels of men were not sufficient to resist fortune for that the men of Rutyliano a towne in the countrey of Bary who in the same dayes were reuolted against the Frenchemen callyng vppon the succours of Peter de Nauarre who in theyr regarde altered his way from Matero towardes Rutyliano and encountred the Duke of Atry to whom the sodeines of his peril brought him into many doubtfull cogitations what to doe But as necessitie of daunger makes men resolute so in the ende seeing no suertie in his retraite hee gaue his whole disposition to the battell And as when men are driuen to fight their constructions and iudgementes doe often varie sometimes beguiling them selues with an ouerwening in their owne strength and sometimes beleeuing lesse of their enemie then his estate and power requires So the Duke reapposing much in the seruice of his horsmen though his footemen were inferiour in numbers to the Spanish whom he vainely supposed to bee ouer wearied by the trauell they had made that night vndertooke the battell wherein euerie one expressing his vallour on both sides his people at last were broken his Vncle beyng slaine him selfe taken prisoner And as it seldoÌ„ hapneth that one fortune goeth without an other nor no aduersitie vnaccompanied with an other calamitie so foure French Gallies vnder the gouerning of Preian knight of the Rhodes appeared in the
with an example all new without shutting the conclaue elected Pope the same night those that were of the contrary opinion not daring to oppose against him He either hauing regard to his first name of Iulio or as coniectures were made to signifie the greatnes of his conceptions or lastly bicause he would not giue place to Alexander no not in the excellencie of name tooke vpon him the name of Iulio the second of that name Amongst all the Popes that had passed it was wondred that by so great consent they had created for Pope a Cardinall who was knowen to be of a disposition rigorous terrible and in whom was no expectation of rest and trāquilitie hauing consumed his youth in continuall trauels offended many by necessitie exercised hatreds agaynst many great personages a man to whose wit nothing was more familiar then thinuention of trouble faction and conspiracie But on the other side the causes of his election to that degree appeared clearly and surmounted all other difficulties for he had bene of long time a Cardinall of great power and might and with his magnificence wherin he had always exceeded the residue and with the greatnes of his spirit by the which he did great things he had not only made himselfe mightie in opinion and frendes but by times degrees had erected high his authoritie in the Court of Rome bearing the name title and dignitie of the principall defender of the ecclesiastike libertie But that which serued most in his aduauncement was the promises immoderate and infinite whiche he made to the Cardinals Princes and Barons and to all others whom he might make profitable to him in that action Besides he had the meane to distribute money benefices and spirituall dignities aswell such as were his owne as those that were the rightes of others for that suche was the bruite and renowne of his liberalitie that many made willing offers to him to dispose as he best liked of their treasures their names their offices and benefices They considered not that his promises were farre to great then that beeing Pope he was eyther hable or ought to obserue for that he had of so long continuaunce enioyed the name of iust and vpright that Pope Alexander him selfe his greatest enemie speaking ill on him in al other things could not but cōfesse him to be true of his word A praise which he made no care to defile staine to th ende to become Pope knowing that no man more easily beguileth an other then he that hath the custome and name neuer to deceiue any The Cardinall of Amboyse cōsented to this election for that dispayring to obteine the Popedome for himselfe he hoped that in the new Pope would be recontinued in time to come those degrees and properties of amitie which he had alwayes borne to the king his maister vsing this wisdome to seeme to beare that with liking and contentment which he could not hinder by any deuise or power The Cardinall Askanius gaue also his franke consent beeing reconciled to him before and treading vnder feete the memorie of all auncient contentions that had bene betweene them at suche time as afore the Popedome of Alexander they folowed the court of Rome in the persons of Cardinals for hauing better experience of his disposition then the Cardinall of Amboyse thought that beeing ascended to the Popedome he should haue the same vnquietnes or rather greater then he had had in a meaner fortune together with such cōceptions as might be able to opē to him a way to recouer the duchie of Millan In like sort the Spanish Cardinals yelded their consent notwithstanding in the beginning they shewed no inclination But seing there was such a concurrance of others and fearing not to be sufficient enough to let his election they iudged it more conuenient for their suretie to holde him appeased in consenting then to stir him to anger in refusing somewhat affying themselues in the great promises he made to them and for the rest induced by the persuacions and requests of Valentynois whose condition stoode so enuironed with calamities that he was constrayned to folow euery daungerous counsel He was also no lesse abused then the others with the hopes that he gaue him for that he promised him to make a mariage betweene his daughter his nephew Frauncis Maria de la Rouere prefect of Rome to confirme him captaine of the armies of the Churche And which was of greatest importance to ioyne to his ayde in the recouery of the townes of Romania All which except the Castels were almost withdrawne from his obedience The affayres of which prouince full of innouations and chaunges troubled with diuers thoughtes the spirite of the Pope both for that he knewe he was not able at that time to bring it to his deuotion and also he endured with murmure and grudge that in it should be raysed the greatnes of the Venetians enuy bearing this nature not to make men so muche to complayne of their proper wantes as to greeue in the wealth and well doing of others When it was vnderstande in Romania that Valentynois was fledde into the Castel S. Angeo and the regiments of men that were about him dispersed and passed into their seuerall calamities the Cities whiche had expected him before in great constancie hauing now their hopes turned into feares applied to the time and began to take newe parties suche for the most part is the wauering condition of communalties and multitudes not measuring things by iustice and equitie of reason but eyther by opinion which cōmonly is partiall or by cōmon report which for the most part is ful of incerteinties errors Cesena returned to the auncient deuotion of the Church Ymola the capteine of the castel beeing killed by meane of certayne the principall Citizens stoode in doubt one parte desiring to reuert to the Churche and an other part to be reconciled to the Riareis their first Lordes The Citie of Furly possessed by the Ordelaffy long tyme before it came to the Riares by the permission of Pope Sixtus had reappealed Anthonie a remeynder of the same familie who firste prouing to enter with the fauour of the Venetians but afterwardes fearing that vnder hys name they woulde reteyne the iurisdiction to them selues had recourse to the Florentynes and by their meanes was reinuested in his patrimonie Iohn Sforce returned to Pesero and to Rimini Pandolfe Malateste the one and other beeing called by the people But Denys of Nalda an auncient souldiour to Valentynois at the request of the Castlekeeper of Rimini went to their succours by whose helpe in good time Pandolffe beeing put to the chase the Citie returned eftsones to the obedience of Valentynois Faenza only perseuered longest in his deuotion but in the ende falling into a depriuation of hope for his returne casting their eyes vppon certayne remaynders of the familie of Manfreda their auncient Lordes they called home Astor a young Gentleman of the same house but
or crime yet for that he would somewhat bridle and restrayne their dispositions he had kepte retayned many dayes in the Castell of Millan Iohn Bentyuolo but not finding good matter wherein they had offended he ought to haue no lesse regarde to thinnocencie of the parties then to his proper honour vnder the which he stoode bounde to keepe his fayth And yet to gratifie the Pope and leaue him satisfied of his inclination he sayde he was disposed to suffer him to proceede agaynst them with curses and paynes as agaynst the rebels of the Church euen as he had endured without complaint that in Bolognia in the heate of that stirre their Pallace was destroyed euen to the fundations The Dyot of Constance continued still with the same expectation of men wherewith it was begon which Caesar forgat not to nourish with diuerse sleightes and gallant wordes publishing that he would passe into Italie so accompanied that farre greater forces then the armies of Fraunce and all Italie ioyned together shoulde not be hable to resiste him And to geue greater value and authoritie to his cause alwayes protesting that he had onely fixed in his intention the protection of the Churche he aduertised the Pope and Colledge of Cardinalles that he had declared the Frenche king rebell and enemie to the sacred Empire for that he had descended into Italie to transferre into the person of the Cardinall of Amboyse the supreme dignitie pontificall and to set vppon hys owne head the Crowne Imperiall and lastly to dryue the whole Region of Italie into one seruile subiection That he prepared to come to Rome onely to take the Crowne and to establishe a common suretie and libertie And lastely that in regarde of hys Imperiall dignitie beeing protector of the Churche and for hys proper pietie verye deuoute and desyrous to aduaunce the Sea Apostolike it was not conuenient he shoulde tarie to be requyred or prayed knowing well ynoughe that the Pope for feare of perill and harmes was fledde from Bolognia and that the same feare kept restrayned both him and the religious Colledge from communicating their daungers or sending to demaunde succours Thus the matters whiche were treated in Germanie beeing by manye intelligences signified into Italie and the brute that was spredde surpassing the truth of thinges together with the generall preparations which the Frenche king made beeing causes enforcing more credite and testimonie of the publike rumours for that it was beleeued that he feared not without occasion These thinges I say moued muche the myndes of euery one some for desire of newe thinges some for hope some for feare some for respectes generall and some for their priuate and particuler interests In so much as the Pope fente as Legate to Maximilian the Cardinall of Saint Crosse and the Venetians the Florentins with all other Potentates in Italie excepte the Marquis of Mantua that were absolute and depended vppon them selues addressed to hym messaungers speciall eyther in the name of Embassadours or vnder some other nature euery one foreseeing for hys safetie according to the ielousie of the tyme These thinges troubled muche the mynde of the Frenche king being very doubtfull of the wyll of the Venetians and more vncertayne of the disposition of the Pope aswell for many reasons and experiences of things past as especially that he had elected to this legatiō cardinal S. Crosse in whom had remained an ancient and partiall inclination to further the greatnes of Maximilian But touching the will of the Pope muche lesse that it was manifest to others seeing it was scarsly knowen to him selfe for hauing his minde full of discontentmentes and suspitions agaynst the French king sometimes to be at libertie from those humors wandring and troublesome he desired the comming of Caesar and eftsones the memorie of auncient quarels betwene the Popes Emperours disaltered and amazed him the same occasions remayning and the same propertie of spirits working In which incertentie and frailty of minde he deferred to resolue himselfe expecting first what would be determined in the Dyot And therfore proceding in tearmes generall he had instructed the Legate to perswade Caesar in his name to passe into Italy without an army offring to him greater degrees and proportion of honors then euer had bin done by any Pope at the crowning of Emperors But a litle after the counsels of men obey occasions times thexpectations that were had of the resolutions in the Dyot began to diminish for when it was credibly vnderstand in Germanie that the Frenche king had dissolued his armie immediatly after the victorie of Genes his person also returning with the same fidelitie and obseruation of promise ouer the Mountes the heate of the Princes and peoples began to abate and their fiery inclinations to resolue to smoke and fume the feare beeing ceassed that he came not to vsurpe the Popedome and the Empire Besides as it often hapneth publike respects fell not so strongly in consideration but they were ouercaried with interests priuate for that besides all other reasons there was a generall and auncient desire in all Germanie that the greatnes of Emperours should not be so absolute as the other estates should be compelled to obey them And the French king omitted no diligence that might giue aduauncement to his cause for that he sent to Constance men expresse who forbearing all publike practise but working secretly laboured by the hydden fauours of the Princes that were his friendes to appease the mindes of the residue purging thinfamies that had bene imposed by testification and euidence of theffectes since assone as he had ranged Genes he did not onely disperse his armie but also returned in person into Fraunce with that speede that was agreable to a personage of his greatnes they affirmed besides that he had not onely abstayned in example and action from offending the Empire of Rome but also in all confederations contractes or bondes he did alwayes protest and except that he would be bounde to nothing that was contrarie to the rights of the sacred Empire wherein neuertheles they reapposed not so much in these iustificatiōs but that they labored with great diligence and many liberalities to abate the fierce mindes of the Almains with the engine of golde and siluer wherof that nation is not a litle couetous A batterie of no litle force to make breaches into the minds of most sortes and properties of men that beare more inclination to corruption then to vertue The Dyot at last determined and brake vp the twentith day of August in the which was agreed after many disputations that there should be deliuered to Cesar to followe him into Italy eight thousand horse xxij thousand footmen payed for six moneths and to furnish the expences of thartilleries with other charges extraordinary six thousand Florins of Rhein to be continued so long as the artillery was in seruice the bands and regiments to be in the fielde assemble neare Constance about the middest of October It
that which in the beginning had semed so hard daūgerous for the Duke Cardinal hoping to be able to defeate the nauy with the artillery if they had meane to make it discēd in sewerty vpon the banke of the riuer the Cardinal returned to charge the bastillion with one part of the bandes wherein his fortune was so equal with his vallour that giuing the repulse to thennemy which were issued out to the skirmish making slaughter of some of them he occupied fortefied that part that was next to the rising so without all priuitie knowledge of thennemie vpon the beginning of the night he drew thartillerie to the banke side right ouer against them breaking it planting it with a wonderful silence he began to execute vpon thēnemies with a wōderful furie making terrible to them that aduauntage which he had wonne of them by his industrie and vallour The vessells would haue sought sauetie by flying but because there was a long traine ranke of great artilleries which managed by men experiēced bet a farre of they chaūged rather the place of peril then auoided the daūger hauing withal the presence labor of the dukes person who knew both how to force artilleries how to manage thē by thaffliction of so many shots of artillerie notwithstanding the ennemies for their parts ceassed not to shoote but in vaine for that they that plaied vpō the brinke were couered with the rising of the hil their vessels fel into diuerse fortunes were consumed with sundry miserable aduentures some of them that had no more abilitie to gouerne their ships defend their bodies against the furie of the shot yelded them selues without respect of condicion some whose destiny was driuen with a more violēce were miserably burnt with the men that were in them others gouerned by desperat resolucion gaue them selues a pray to the bottō of the waters for that they would not fall into the mercie of thennemie And the Capteine leaping into a litle skyff almost in the beginning of the skirmish founde sauertie by the swiftnes of his oares his gallye being galled thorow both sides was sonke after he had fled aboue 3. miles vsing cōtinual defence against the aduersitie of her fortune In this discomfeyture all things beingful of blud ful of fire dead bodies the calamitie of thennemy brought to the power of the Duke fiftene gallies certain great ships many foystes with infinit smal vessels There died about two thowsand bodies some by shot some by fire some by water threescore enseignes were taken but not the principal standard which was saued with the general And as in a general calamity euery one hath his fortune so many winning shoare land were gathered vp by the Venetian light horsemen in whose vallour they found sauety for their liues others that could not auoid the persecution of thēnemy fell into thaduēture of imprisonment others in flying hapned into many harmes by the paisants escaping from the daunger they feared most they were driuē into perils which they douted least The prise of the vessells was caried to Ferrara where in memorie of so great a victorie they were kept ▪ many yeares vntil Duke Alfonso made restituciō hauing desire to gratifie the Venetians Immediatly after the ouerthrow of this nauy Duke Alfonso dispatched with expedicion 3. hundred horsemen 5. hundred footemen to defeat the other army that had takē Comachio who recouering Loretto which the Venetians had fortefied it was thought they had brokē the whole army if seeing into their daūger it had not retyred to Beb. finding more sewerty to auoid the peril then to hope in fortune This was the ende of the seege of Ferrara which continued about a moneth the euent issue wherof which ordinarily is the true touchstōe by the which mē may iudge of worldly things did wel declare how much wiser were the coūsels of a few who perswaded that leauing all other enterprises reseruing their treasors to be employed in actions more conueniēt profitable they should only looke to the preseruacion of Padoa Treuisa with other places recouered thē of such who though more in nūbers yet inferior in discressiō replenished with passions of hate disdain were easie to be intāgled with those enterprises who as their begīning was bred in rashnes so their cōclusion brought forth at last incredible exspēses with no lesse infamies harmes to the cōmon weale such cōmōly are the frutes that follow enterprises begō with light councels being gouerned by a fortune equal to the condicion nature of thaction But on Padoa side matters succeeded rather to the furtherance of the Venetians then others for notwithstanding Caesar kept vpon the contrey of Vincēsa with fower thowsand footemen yet one part of the regiment of the Venetians and that neither strong nor great ioyning with them thaide of the peisants of that quarter tooke almost before his eies the passage of Escale Cogolo Basciana a place of so much more importance by how much it is conuenient to hinder the discending of thalmains into Italy And as him selfe cōplaining much that for the departure of Monsr la Palisse many disorders were hapned went at last to Bolsaue to assist the dyet which by his ordenance was to be kept at Yspruch So according to his example Monsr Chaumont left there all his thoughts and great desires to performe thenterprise of Vincensa and Leguague And ioyning to this disposicion to depart these reasons and consideracions that both those places were well manned and fortified also the season of the time very contrary he retyred to Myllan leauing good garrison within Bresse Pesquiero Valegge And within Verona for that Caesar of his singuler forces was not able to defend it he bestowed six hundred launces and foure thowsand footemen who being seperat from the souldiours of Caesar were lodged in the subburbes of S. Zena hauing yet in their power the Citadell for their greater sewertie The citie of Verona of great name and antiquitie is deuided by the riuer of Adice a riuer both large deepe comming from the mountaines of Almany and as it falls into the playne it goeth crooking on the left hande touching vppon the foote of the mountaines so entreth into Verona And when it yssueth out he ronneth from the mountaines and spreadeth into a goodly playne and very fertill That parte of Verona which hath his situacion vpon the coast and somewhat into the playne is beyond Adice towards Almanye the other part which is on this side Adice and all in a goodly plaine hath Mantua for his prospect vpon the mountaine neare S. Georges gate standeth the castell of S. Peter and within two bowes shooting from thence drawing against the hil is the castel of S. Felix the one standing vpon the very toppe of the hill and they both no lesse stronge by situacion then by walls And yet to lose them for that by the aduauntage
foure hundred light horsemen and twelue hundred footemen to encampe within the I le of Eskalo he made haste thether to charge him with three hundred launces seuen hundred Archers the residue of th armie comming after which otherwayes could not march with such diligence But finding that he was remoued an hower affore his comming he put him selfe in order to follow him without tarying Ioh. P. Baillon had receiued aduertisement that Barnardin de Montono to whom was left the garde of the bridge made at Albero had broken it vp hearing of the comming of the french for feare he should not be inclosed by them and the launceknightes which were within Verona whether Casar had a litle before sent three thowsand footemen which he had in Fryull being at that time released of all gard at Fryull for that all was returned to the power of the Venetians except Gradisqua who more then the rest expressed her fidelitie against the aduersaties of the warre for this cause Ioh. P. Baillon had gotten into Bressia if he had not bene told that a litle beneath Verona the riuer might be passed ouer by foard But as he went to performe his passage he discouered a farre of Monsr de Foix whose incredible celeritie for that it was farre more then the reaport and renowme that went of him he thought they could be no other trowpes then one part of the soldiours that were within Verona And in that perswasion ranging his companies in battell araye he taried their comming with great courage at the tower Magnanino which is somewhat neare Adice and of a very litle distance from the tower of Eskalo The encownter of both parties was very furious with their lauÌ„ces and afterwards falling to other weapons the battell was hoatly continued more then an hower But the condicion of the Italians grew worse and worse for that the other part was continually supplied with newe releefe of soldiours from the armie which was left behind And albeit not so much by the vallour of their enemies as by their proper imbecillitie of numbers they were often put to disorder yet by their vertue and gouernment they reassembled as often At last being not able to make a perpetual resistance against the greater number they were broken and put to flight and were chassed by thennemie the night now beginning euen to the riuer which Ioh. P. passed in safetie his fortune being better then many of his people who were drowned by the furie of the chasse In this medley were slaine and taken about foure skore and ten men at armes of the Venetians Amongest whom fell into the calamitie of prisoners Guido Rangon and Baltazar Signorello de Perousa The footemen were all dispersed and broken and two falconnets lost which was all they had to leaue to thennemie as monuments of that miserable aduenture In this calamitie it seemed fortune respected much the french men for that few of them fell into the mercie of thennemie and fewer into the miserie of imprisonment their felicitie with their vallour making them free from those daungers which reason and coniecture threw vpon them The day after they encowntred Meleager de Furly with certeine light horsemen of the Venetians whom they easily put to flight Meleager remeyning prisoner And in this course of felicitie holding it not necessary to lose one hower of time the ninth day after they parted from Bolognia Monsr de Foix with the vauntgard incamped within the subburbs of Bressia about two crosbowshootes from the gate of Tourlonguo and the residue of th armie more backeward along the way that leades to Pesquiero Assoone as he was incamped not giuing to him selfe as it were any leasure to breathe he sent one part of his footemen to charge vppon the Monasterie of S. Fridian which is halfe way to the hill vnder the which he was incamped and the hill kept by many paysants of the vallye Tropia This gard was soone broken and most of them slaine by the footemen who made their entrey into many places by clyming being fauored with certeine showers of rayne by the which thartilleries that were in the Monasterie could not execute The day following Monsr de Foix sent a trompet to somon the towne to render with condicions of sauetie for their liues and goods except the Venetians And his Messenger being prowdly aunswered in the presence of Andrevv Gritty he turned his armie â—o thother side on the towne to be more neare the castell and was lodged in the subburbes of the gate called S. Iohns gate The morning following euen by the first reuealing of the daye he chused out of the mayne armie more then foure hundred men at armes all armed in white and six thowsand footemen part Gascons and part launceknightes And with them putting him self on foote he went vp on that side towards the gate of the piles and entred without resistance within the first waste of the castell â–ª where causing his companies to rest and refreshe them selues a litle he encouraged them with short speeches to mount resolutly vp to that riche and welthy citie where the glorye and bootie would be greater without all comparison then the paine or perill hauing to fight with soldiours of Venice who were manifestly inferior to them in numbers in vertue and in fortune he contemned their numbers for that being people vnexperienced in warre he iudged them more apt to flee then to fight he bad them hope that the cowardise of some bringing disorder to the residue woulde be the cause that the whole would fal into feare negligence confusion be put them in remeÌ„brance of their auncient victories wherein their vertue was no lesse meritorius then their fortune he told them that to men of action nothing more hindreth their glory then to be slow to take the benefit of occasions and the resolute man neuer findeth want of fortune where he expresseth no want of vallour he desired them lastly that as he had chosen them for the most valiant of the whole armie so they would not bringe shame to them selues and to his iudgement but that they would consider what infamie and dishonor it would be to them if they who made profession to enter cities notwithstanding the resistance of soldiours of artilleries of walls and of rampiers should not now reioyce in their desires hauing no other impediment then men only in whom nothing was lesse familiar then disposicions to fight Immediatly he put his footemen before his men at armes and began to march out of the castell and at his going out he found certeine bandes of footemen who with their artillerie assayed to stoppe him for passing further But his vallour making them to retyre he discended furiously by the skirtes of the pallaice greene of the Capteine Burletto where the Venetian regiments well raunged and cloase together exspected him with great resolucion They fell immediatly to hand strokes when the medley was terrible for a long time the one part fighting for their proper
vpon the earth Fabricio cryed aloude and with greate importunities by messengers called on him to issue out to the battell and not tarye tyll they were consumed with the shotte of thartilleries But it was in vayne to raunge the Capteine of Nauarre in whome bare more dominion a cursed ambition then eyther reason or conduit for imagining that by the vallour of the Spanishe footemen though all the residue perished he should cary the victorie he esteemed his glory would by so much be augmented by howmuche shoulde be increased the daunger of th armie By this tyme thartillerie had made suche mortallitie of the men at armes and light horsemen that they were hable to susteine no longer There might be seene with a miserable spectacle mingled with cryes lamentable bothe men and horses fall dead to the grounde their quarters flye into the ayre and their heades and armes separate from the residue of their bodies An execution so bloudy in the eyes of Fabricio that he cryed out shall we all dye heare through the wretched obstinacie of one straunger shall this galland Army be offred to the butchers bowle without anye reuenge of the blood that is spilte Where is the glorie of our victories so oftentymes obteyned agaynst the Frenchmen Shall the honour of Spayne and Italie be loste for the pleasure of a particular man of Nauarre In whiche rage and furie of complainte he caused his companies to issue out on the other side of the trenche without tarrying for licence or direction from the Viceroy And beeing followed with all the horsemen Peter of Nauarre was compelled to make signe to his footemen who beeing risen from the ground charged with incredible furie the footemen of the launceknightes whiche were already come vpon them By this meane all the squadrons being ioyned pelmell there began a moste desperate and hoat battell and out of doubt one of the greatest and best executed that had bene fought in Italie of long time for the battell of Taro was almoste no other thing then a gallande encounter of launces and the deedes of armes in the kingdome of Naples were rather actions of disorder and rashnes then battels pitched and performed and in Guiaradada the lesser part onely of the Venetians was brought to the feight but here there was not a body which passed not through the middest of the battell the feight beeing in the playne feelde without impediments of waters or rampiers both the armies fought with a wonderfull resolution and courage they came to the fieldes with mindes indifferently determined to dye or lyue beeing kindled not onely with glorie with hope and with daunger but also with hatred of Nation agaynst Nation In the heate of the feight there hapned this spectacle worthy of memorie In the medley of the launceknightes with the Spaniards two capteines of great reputation marching affore their squadrons fought hande to hande as it were by defyance where the Launceknight beeing slayne the Spaniard had no more glory by his victorie then the other had honor by his death The horsmen of the league which ordinarily were not equall to the French and that day hauing suffred muche by the artillerie were become farre inferiour being not hable to make further resistance gaue their backes to thenemie hauing long borne out the furie of the feight more with courage then with strēgth And Yues d'Allegre also whom Monsr la Palissa had called comming with the rearegard to charge them in the flanke and with a thousande footemen that had bene left at Montona were taken prisoners by the souldiours of the Duke of Ferrara together with Fabricio Colonno feighting valiauntly In this giuing backe the example of the capteines did muche for that the Viceroy and Caruagiall without making a laste proofe of the vertue of their men began to flee carying with them the thirde squadron almoste whole and vnbroken with them fled Antho. de leua a man at that tyme of very base condition but rysing by continuall exercise of armes to all the degrees of warre he became at laste a capteine of singular reputation and name All the light horsemen were likewise ouerthrowen and their capteine the Marquis of Pesquiere taken prisoner hauing his armor all couered with blood and his body full of woundes expressing his vallour to be greater then his fortune There was taken also the Marquis of Palude who in great disorder had ledde the seconde squadron to the battell through a fielde full of diches and bushes And albeit by the wretched successe of that daye all the place was couered with bodies of dead men and carkasses of horses yet the footemen of the Spaniards abandoned of their horsmen continued to feight with an incredible vallour and assurance for albeit in the beginning of the feight and at the first encounter with the launceknights they were somewhat shaken by the firme and close order of the pikes yet comming afterwards to the swordes poynt and many of the Spaniards couered with their targets running with their daggers and short weapons betwene the legges of the launceknightes they came with a wonderfull slaughter almoste euen to the middest of their squadron And neare vnto them the Gascon footemen hauing occupied the way betwene the ryuer and the rysing had charged the Italian footmen and albeit they had much suffered by the artilleries yet they had expulsed them to their great prayse if with a guidon of horsemen Yues Allegre had not thrust in amongest them with a greater vallour then fortune for Monsr Vinarai◠his sonne bringslaine in the action euen affore his eies he thought to take present reuenge of his new sorow or happly hauing lesse delite to liue after he sawe the priuation of his sonne he thrust in with his horse into the thickest presse of enemies where he cōmunicated in the miserable destinie of his sonne fighting as apperteined to a valiant capteine The Italian footmen gaue backe being no more hable to resist so great a multitude but one part of the Spanish footmen running to their succors susteined them for a time neither could the footmen of the launceknightes make any further resistance being also oppressed by the other part of the Spaniards but the horsmen being already fled Monsr de Foix turned him to charge them with a great troupe of horsmen by reason wherof the Spaniards rather retyring then chased out of the battel and winning the way which is betwene the riuer and the rising without shewing any maner of disorder they began to gette further off not giuing faster back then by foote pases keping the front of their squadron very close by whose force they repulsed the frenchmen It was at that time that Peter de Nauarre hauing lesse desire to liue thē to saue himself in that mind would not go out of the battell was taken prisoner receiuing a rewarde of his obstinacie to the vniuersall ruine of tharmy The minde thirsting after glory is infinite in opinion weening and to the man that is caried
of places of most importance hoping that by temporising so great a multitude and number of Svvyzzers would at last disperse and breake Wherein they were gouerned with this reason that the Pope no lesse cold to furnish the exspenses then hoat to further the warre was very slow in sending their payes being no more able to aduaunce the wages of so great a number The french men bestowed within Bressia two thowsand footemen an hundred fifty launces and an hundred men at armes of the Florentyns To Crema they sent fifty launces and a thowsand footemen And in Bergama they put a thowsand footemen and an hundred men at armes of the Florentyns The residue of th armie which conteyned six hundred launces two thowsand footemen french foure thowsand launceknightes was retyred to Pontuiqua A place very stronge by the benefit of his situacion and no lesse conuenient to succour Myllan Cremona Bressia and Bergama and there they hoped to be able to susteine thennemies But the day after came letters and commaundements from Caesar to the Almain footemen to depart immediatly from the pay of the french king And they being subiects of the contrey of Tyroll obeyed the letters the same day they receyued them as not to be disobedient to their natural Lord By reason of their departure no lesse suddeine and vnlooked for then most preiudiciall to the french affayres Palissa and his Capteines lost all hope to be able any longer to defend the Duchie of Myllan And in that passion of feare and dispaire they retyred in great haste from Pontuique to Pisqueton by whose departure they of Cremona being left abandoned gaue them selues vp to the armie of the confederats which was at hande binding them selues to paye to the Svvyzzers xl thowsand duckats But as amongest such varieties of nations nourishing not few differences of ambicion desire and opinion there was no certeintie in whose name the money should be receyued so after some disputacion the Venetians making great instance that it might be deliuered to them it was at last receiued the french men notwithstanding holding as yet the castell in the name of the league and of Maxymylian sonne to Lodovvyk Sforce on whose behalfe the Pope and the Svvyzzers pretended the conquest of the Duchie of Myllan At the same tyme the citie of Bergama fell into the power of the confederats the meane was this After Monsr Palissa had called backe the companies that were there to ioyne them to th armie certeine of the banished crewes who entred assoone as the other companies were departed procured them to reuolt it beeing no hard matter to alter a multitude that hath no heade to hold them from Pisqueton Monsr Palissa passed the riuer of Adda where the three hundred launces appoynted for the defence of Bolognia came to him hauing reuoked them to him for the greatnes of the perill There he hoped to be able to giue impediment to thennemie to passe ouer the riuer if the strength of footemen that were appoynted to be leauyed had come But it was in vayne for him to thinke vpon those things for that neyther was there present money to wage so many footemen neither could the generall of Normandye binding for securitie the kings demaine raise it by any deuise credit being wholly lost in so great daungers â–ª And therefore hauing remeyned therefoure dayes assoone as he saw thennemies approch the riuer three myles below Pisqueton he retyred to S. Ange to goe the day following to Pauia And so their daunger redoubling and no exspectacion of succours in a state so desperat both the hope to defend Myllan being taken away the contrey already drawing fast into tumult Ioh. Iacq Tryuulce the generall of Normandie Anth. Maria Paluoisin Gale as Visconte with many other gentlemen and all the kinges seruauntes and officers went from Myllan sought their sauetie in Piemont Not many dayes affore the Cardinalls fearing no lesse the people then thennemies were fled notwithstanding to showe that vallour in decrees which they durst not expresse in other actions they had at that tyme almost suspended the Pope from all administracion spirituall and temporall of the Church A degree to depriue him of the place which he helde These tumultes were much helping to the sauetie of the Cardinall Medicis whom it seemed God reserued to a greater happines for as they were leading him into Fraunce and the morning that he entred the barke at the passage of Pavv which is right ouer against Bassignany called in histories Angusta Bacienorum certeine paisants of the village beginning to murmure one Reignold de Lallo chiese of the conspiracie accompanied with certeine of the Cardinalls fauorits lodging there all night assembled a number and tooke him from the french men that garded him They whom other aduersities had made fearefull of all accidents hearing a noyse of a tumult which they durst not abide to suppresse were more carefull to flee then to fight losing their prisoner by cowardisse whome they had wonne in the daunger of a battel Palissa being entred into Pauia determined to stay there sending for Tryuulce and the generall to come to him thether Whereupon Tryuulce by thaduise of the general and principalls of the french side laied affore him the vanity of the councell and how vnpossible it was to abide so great a ruine the armie being vnmanned with footemen That the shortnes of the time suffered not to wage new companies And much lesse to drawe any but from places farre remoued and with great difficulties Lastly that though all these impediments were not yet there was no money to pay them all their reputacion being lost their friendes full of astonishment and the people puffed vp with incredible hatreds for the immoderat insolencies which the soldiours had vsed so long time Tryuulce applying this councell to the present necessitie of thinges wente and caused to caste a bridge where the riuer is straightest and furthest of from Valence towards Ast by the commoditie of which he ment to passe his companies ouer Pavv But by this the armie of the confederats to the which after the french men were retyred from Adda the citie of Lody was rendred together with the castell discamping from S. Ange was come neare to Pauia where the Venetian Capteines euen at the first arriuall began to batter the castell one part of the Svvyzzers to passe the riuer that ioyneth to the citie with boates The french men fearing they shoulde finde impediments to passe the stone bridge which is vppon the riuer of Tesin by the which onely they might saue them selues wonne the other bridge to be able to yssue out of Pauia But affore the rearegard was come forth wherein to susteine the horsemen certein footemen of the launceknightes which were not yssued out with the others were bestowed the last of all with whom the Svvyzzers yssuing out of the new gate and of the castell which was now abandoned went skirmishing all along Pauia and the bridge
the diuision of Citizens and thinclination of the multitude to newe thinges They were verye weake in men at armes and had no other strength of footemen then suche as were eyther leauyed in haste or at least drawen out of their garrisons an estate of souldiours not yet experienced in warre They had no excellent capteine vppon whose vertue and authoritie they might reappose the guyding of an army and their other leaders were such as in the memorie of man they had not in their paye men of lesse exspectation Their weaknesse was great in regarde of the strength that was comming agaynst them their wantes were farre inferiour to the preparations of their enemies their wisdomes vnhable to preuent the daungers that threatned their wealth vnprofitable where wanted men for action Lastely they had nothing amongest them which did not helpe to the desolation of their estate and wanted all thinges wherein they might hope for comfort counsell or compassion Their feares were vayne for that their perill was swifter then their prouision And there coulde be no place for confidence where was nothing to assure their hope All thinges were full of confusion and the soddennesse of the calamitie made them lesse apte to consulte for their safetie And yet making suche prouision as they coulde according to the shortnesse of time they reassembled their men at armes distributed into many places they waged footemen but suche bodies as they coulde get They choosed out the beste bandes of their Pensioners and drewe to Florence all their principall forces both for the suretie of their Citie and to refurnishe from thence all other places that shoulde suffer moste daunger And amidde these meanes of prouisions for the warre they forgate not but very late to proue what they coulde do by way of accorde for which cause besides the continuall solicitation of their Embassador with the Viceroy they wrote to the Cardinall of Voltero lying at Gradoli neare to Rome to go to the Pope and labour to appease him with offers with petitions with humilities and all other sortes of offices what so euer But he hauing a heart hardned aunswered notwithstanding with words contrarie to his doings that the enterprise came not of him and that it was followed without his forces onely not to stirre vp the league agaynst him he was constrayned to consent to it and to suffer the Cardinall of Medicis to drawe artillerie from Bolognia That he was not hable to staye the expedition affore it was begon and muche lesse coulde he breake it nowe that it was in action He made him selfe sorrowfull for their affliction and yet expressed no inclination to compassion his wordes were doubtfull and his intentions dissembled he sawe the humor that was offended and yet woulde not applye the medicine to comfort it iudging it best for the seruing of his turne to suffer them to languishe in their proper calamities By this time the Viceroy had passed the mountaynes of Barberina within fifteene myles of Florence from whence he sent to signifie to the Florentins that it was not thintention of the league neither to alter the iurisdiction nor chaunge the libertie so farrefoorth as for the suretie of Italie they would depose the Gonfalonnier from his estate He desired that the Medicis might be restored to their countrey not as chieftaynes of the gouernment but as persons priuate subiected to the lawes and to the Magistrates and not seperate in any thing from other Citizens This proposition being knowen throughout the Citie the opinions of men were diuerse according to the diuersitie of iudgementes passions and feare Some blamed the Councell that would for the regard of one onely preferre to so great a daunger the generalitie of Citizens and the vniuersall iurisdiction seeing that in deposing him they lost neyther the councell popular nor the publike libertie A thing which it could not be hard to keepe though the Medicis depriued of reputation and power woulde striue to exceede their degree priuate and limited That it was to be considered in what sorte the Citie might resiste thauthoritie and forces of so great a league that of themselues they were not hable that all Italie was become their enemie that they had wholly loste all hope of succours with the Frenche men both for that beeing driuen with cowardise out of Italie they had enough to do to defende their owne Realme and also knowing their weaknes they had aunswered to the demaundes of the Florentins that they were contented to set them at libertie to make accord with the league Of the coÌ„trary others reasoned how vayne it was to beleue that so great a stirre was made onely for hatred to the Gonfalonnier or to set vp the Medicis in Florence as Citizens priuat That farre otherwise was the intention of the confederates who to ioyne the Citie to their willes and to make it contributorie to their wantes of money respected no other ende then to bring in the Medicis in tyrannie onely they disguised their corrupt intentions with demaundes not sharpe nor seuere and yet pretended the same effect for it was no other thing to take out of the pallace the Gonfalonnier in a time so troubled and with suche threatning and compulsion of armes then to leaue a â—â—ocke wandring without a pastor the more easily to fall into the iawes of the wolfe It comprehended no other thing to bring the Medicis into Florence in so greate a tumult then to strike vp the dromme and aduaunce the standarde that suche might followe it as liued in no other studie then to deface the name the memorie and the forme of the great councell an estate of gouernement whiche could not be deposed without the absolute ruine of the common libertie And what is there to let the Medicis backt from the forreine with the Spanishe armie and followed at home with trowpes sedicious and ambicious that they maye not oppresse the libertie euen assone as they make their entrie into Florence They haue the time by election the place is prepared mens minds altered the good men of the towne do feare the euill sort exspect if there be any place of the towne free from tumult at least there is none voyde of suspicion few to be trusted and none assured all things in confusion yea euen the wysest furthest of to auoyde the storme which euen nowe is gathered into a cloude and ready to breake It were good to consider what the ouerture of suche thinges might engender and what maye happen by yeelding to demaundes vniust and preiudiciall That it is no good affection so muche to feare their daungers as thereby to forget the safetie of their lyues and to consider how intollerable it woulde be to lyue in seruitude to suche as haue bene borne and bredde vp in libertie That they were to remember with what vallour they had opposed agaynst the late king Charles the eight for the protection of their libertie at such tyme as he was possessed of the Citie with a mightie armie
followed by Frauncis Sforce Duke of Bary to performe the like for his brother Maxymylian Sforce And albeit the Bishop of Gurcy represented in Italy the ful person of Caesar as he did at other times yet laying now aside his pomp and accustomed magnificence he entred more modestly into Rome and forbare by the way to weare the cappe of Cardinall which the Pope had sent to him at Foggibonso At his comming was compownded a compromisse by him and the Venetian Embassadors in the person of the Pope of all the controuersies that were betweene Caesar and their common weale But it was a compromisse more in name and apparance then in effect and substance for that neither of the parties for thimportance of the cause would be referred to an arbytrement suspected vntill they had seuerally and secretly receiued promisse of him that he would not giue vppe his arbytracion without their consent and priuitie The Pope by this authority of Compromitting declared in writing that there should be a surceassing of armes betweene the two parties which albeit was ioyfully accepted by them both was yet ill obserued by the Viceroy for that being come betweene Montagnana and Este besides that he had done no other thing since the victorie then made pillage and ouerronne the whole contry hauing withall sent part of his souldiours to Policena he committed in sondry places many insolencies and harmes sometymes he excused his doings in that they were vpon the landes of Caesar sometimes he alleaged that he exspected new intelligence from the Cardinall of Gurcy lastly the ende of the compromisse was no more happie then had bene the middest and the beginning by reason of difficulties that fell out in the negociacion of affaires for Caesar would out consent to thaccord but with condicion to reteine parte of the townes for the other to receiue a great proporcion of money and of the contrary the Venetians demaunded all the townes and offered a very small summe of money it was beleued also that the king Catholike did secretly disswade the accorde notwithstanding openly he made demonstration to desire it yea it was said that to make it more hard he had at the same time put Bressa into the hands of Caesar a place which the Viceroy neuer til that day would giue vp alleaging that he kept it to make him more inclined to the peace But the causes were coniectured diuersly either he had so farre offended the Venetians that he iudged he would no more enterteine with them a true and assured amitie or else he knew that his reputacion and greatnes in Italie depended vppon continuing and keeping on foote the armie which for want of money he was not able to feede and nourrish but by racking raunsoming the peoples that were his frendes and in making praye and pillage of the countreys that were enemies These difficulties together with the vntowardnesse of the parties made the Pope leaue the matter vnperfect when a litle after the Almains by the helpe of the exiles and banished men tooke Marano vpon the suddeine a seafaring towne in the countrey of Friull and so discended to the like action vpon Montfalcon and albeit the Venetians both for their honor profit desired to reconquer Marano being threescore miles from Venice in that disposition did assaile it both by sea and land yet their fortune being all one in all places they receiued losse vexacion on all sides only Ranso de Cero in that time susteyned the name and credit of their armes to his great praise and merit for albeit there was a great rage of plague and hunger in Crema where he lay in garrison and that the bands of Spanyards and Millanois being dispersed into the townes thereabout by reason of the season he was as it were besieged yet he gaue a suddeine charge vppon Calcinaia a towne of the countrey of Bergamo and stripped Caesar Fieramosquo with forty men at armes and two hundred light horsemen of the regiment of Prospero Colonno And not many dayes after he entred by night into Quinsano and tooke the Lieutenaunt of the Count S. Seuerin and spoyled fifty men at armes and within Treuy stripped ten men at armes of the company of Prospero About this time thinges were quiet enough in other places of Italie sauing that the Adorneis and the Fiesqueis with three thowsand men of the countrey accompanied perhappes with the secret fauor of the Duke of Millan drew neare the walls of Genes after they had taken Spetia and other places of the riuer of Leuant But their fortune being farre inferior to their valour they went away almost ouerthrowen hauing loste parte of the men they brought to thenterprise and certaine peeces of artillerie There appeared also in Tuskane certeine beginninges of new iniuries for the Florentins beganne to molest them of Lucquay trusting that thorow feare of the Pope they should redeeme peace in restoring to them Pietrasanta Mutrona They alleaged besides that it was not conuenient that they should enioy the benefitte of that confederacion which they had broken in minstring secret succours to the Pisans Against these suggestions they of Lucquay complained to the Pope and to the king Catholike in whose protection they were but seeing there grew no remedy to them they were at last contented to auoyde greater mischiefes to referre a compromisse to the person of the Pope Who hauing like authoritie for the Florentins pronounced that they of Lucquay who had affore rendered to the Duke of Ferrara Garsagnana shoulde leaue to the Florentins the places of Pietrasanta and Mutrona and that there should remayne betwene them a perpetuall peace confederation About the ende of this yere the Castles of Millan and Cremona who for the necessitie of vittells had agreed to yeelde if they were not succored in a certayne time were deliuered into the power of the Duke of Millan So that there remayned no more that the French king helde in Italie but the lanterne of Genes which in the end of the same yere the Genovvaies assayed to caste downe by mynes They approched to it vnder the benefite of a Caske or vessell of wood conteining thirtie fadomes in length and twentie in breadth within which was stowage for three hundred men and set rounde about with packes of wooll the better to defende the shotte At the first showe it caryed great arte and deepe inuention but being brought to tryall it serued to litle vse as most often is seene by those newe and straunge workes The ende of the eleuenth Booke THE ARGVMENT OF THE TWELFTH BOOKE THe king of Englande makes vvarre vpon the French king The Venetians recouer Friull The Pope as arbitrator pronounceth peace betvvene them and the king of Romains King Lovvis the xij dyeth Frauncis the firste commeth to the Crovvne and discendeth into Italie to reconquer Millan THE TVVELFTH BOOKE OF THE historie and discourse of Guicciardin THERE happned the same yere in the regions beyonde the Mountes most
wyll seeke to eschewe the hazarde that makes their king affrayde if with this armie that conteyneth the vallour and forces of the whole countrey of Svvizzerlande you haue not the courage to sette vpon them with what power with what fortune with what mindes can you hope to bee hable to make resistance agaynst them To what ende are we discended into Lombardie why haue we taken into our protection the walles of Millan if we haue feare to go charge our enemies To what infamie will be interpreted the braue wordes and prowde threates which we haue vsed all this yere both vaunting that we would discende into Burgondy and reioysing of thaccord of thEnglish king the Popes inclination to confederate with the french king wherin we estemed our glory would be so much the greater by how much al those great Princes were ioyned in conspiracie agaynst the state of Millan It had ben better we had rested cōtented with the termes of our auncient renowme and neither enioyed the yeres before so many honorable victories nor chased the Frenche out of Italie then now with an vniuersall cowardise to deceyue thexpectation of all men Nowe is the worlde to iudge whether our vertue was the cause of our victorie at Nouaro or our fortune If we showe our selues fearefull of our enemies euery one will ascribe to aduenture and chaunce the victorie which we gotte with our incredible vallour and resolution But if we expresse the same vertue we can not but drawe with vs the same successe we did before fortune hauing no interest in those actions whose course is guyded wholly by a resolute vallour no more then the Moone can chalenge any other propertie of light then suche as it pleaseth the sunne to imparte to her So shall we confirme thexpectation of the worlde so shall we be redoubted and feared by the nations and peoples of the age present so shall we be recommended and wondred at by the worldes and posterities to come and so shall we make the reputation and merite of the Svvizzers be raysed aboue that great name and monumentes of the Romains for that it is not read of them that they haue euer vsed suche a resolute hardynesse nor wonne victories with so great vallour nor neuer without necessite sette vpon their enemies with so great disaduauntage But of vs may be read the battell we gaue neare to Nouaro where with a fewe souldiors without artilleries and without horsemen our vallour putto flighte a mightie armie not onely refurnished of all forces and strength necessarie but also guyded by two most notable capteines the one the most flourishing in all Fraunce and the other the floure of Italie We shall leaue behinde vs also the memory of the encounter at S. Donato executed on our partes with the same difficulties agaynst the person of a Frenche king and so many huge bodies of launceknightes who by howmuche they are many in number by so muche will they fill and satisfie our hatred and by how muche in this action we shall for euer depose the name of their armes and discipline by so muche shall we passe them and their fortunes into a perpetuall subiection neuer after to holde vp their heades or once to laye them selues in comparison with the Svvizzers in matters concerning warre and armes It is contrarie to the reason and iudgement of warre that we should stande to temporise and exspect seeing it is almost impossible for many difficulties that we shoulde be succoured by the Viceroy or the bands of the Church yea their impediment ought to be more agreable to vs then their comming can be necessarie for that entring into th execution alone the glory will be particular to vs and the spoyles and welth of our enemies armie a most plentyfull rewarde of our victorie Muche lesse that capteine Motin would communicate his glory to straungers seeing the greatnes of his courage could not suffer participation euen with his owne companies and contrey men Let not vs then esteeme so basely of our vallour hardines that though they may conueniently ioyne with vs yet we will not exspect to communicate so great honor and merite to straungers The reputation of the Svvizzers can not endure nor the state of asfayres requires not that we deferre any longer or stande vppon any more councells and resolutions It belonges to cowardes to whom daungers are fearefull to consult and spende tyme in councell and not to a nation of such warlike mindes as we beare to whose glorie it apperteines to make triall of thennemie assone as he is disclosed In matters of action oportunitie can not brooke delayes neither can it be good to take counsell after thoccasion be fully rype and offred Let vs then take the fielde and vnder the wings and ayde of God who by a iust reuenge persecuteth the pride of the Frenchemen sound vp your drommes and manage your pykes with the same courage you were wont to do and let vs loase no more time to aduaunce our enseignes and satisfie our thirst with the blood of those who by their ambicion and pride seeke to subiect the whole worlde but by their cowardise are left alwayes an infamous pray to many These speaches gaue great incouragement to the Svvizzers who ioyning to thexhortacion the remembraunce of their auncient vallour felicitie armed them selues And assoone as they were issued out of the gate towardes Rome they fell into aray and order albeit the day was almost spent yet they marched with their squadrons towards the French army vsing such showtes and cries that to such as knewe not the cause it was a reasonable perswasion that they had obteined some glorious victory The Capteines encoraged the souldiours to marche and the resolucion of the souldiours was suche that they put their leaders in remembraunce that at what hower soeuer they came neare the campe of thenemies they should giue the signe of the battell assuring them that that was the day wherein they woulde couer the fieldes with dead bodies vtterly rase out the name of the launceknights namely of such who prophecying of their death bare blacke enseignes And as in this estate of furie and resolucion of minde they were come neare the place where the Frenchmen lay albeit there remeined not two howers of day yet they beganne the battell and with a desperate corage charged thartilleries and fortifications of thenemies breaking and dispersing at this first charge the bandes that made head against them and with their incredible vallour wonne one parte of thartilleries But what with the horsemen bringing on a great parte of tharmy the presence of the king inuironed with squadrōs of valliant gentlemē their great furie was somwhat abated Neuerthelesse a cruell feight began betwene them which with diuerse chaunces and to the grieuous losses of the men at armes of Fraunce who were broken continued till iiij howers within night diuerse french Captaines lay dead on the ground and the king him selfe receiued many
accomplished Monsr de Lavvtrech who had bene slowe to marche for the long tarying of suche as came to th armie hauing nowe assembled the most part of his men of warre aduaunced and marched fiue miles holding alwayes along the riuer He had in his army fiue hundred launces seuen thousand Svvizzers foure thousand footemen brought the same day by Monsr S. Valier out of Fraunce and foure hundred men at armes with foure thousande footmen vnder Theodor Triuulco commaunder of the Venetian bandes and Andreas Gritti their Legate or commissarie There followed this armie the Duke of Vrbin and Marke Antho. Colonno the one as souldior to the French king but without title and charge and the other folowing the coÌ„mon hope of such as were banished he exspected also a regiment of six thousand Svvizzers which the Cantons had made him graunt of they were already vpon their way but according to their custome they marched slowly and with many difficulties All which forces beeing ioyned to his armie he would not haue refused for the reskew of Parma to aduenture the fortune of battell In which regarde what in exspecting suche as were to come and what in soliciting and laboring the bandes already arriued he stayed on the waye and went not farre from the shores of the ryuer of Pavv Onely he feared least whylest he temporised vppon those good causes his brother might compounde with thennemies and therefore he sente to him to lette him vnderstande that the cause whye he prolonged and lingered so muche was that he taryed for a greater force of Svvizzers who were neare at hande and withoute whome the regimentes that were alreadye with hym made difficultie to passe Pavv Neuerthelesse he woulde drawe neare to Parma and woulde giue him a token of hys comming by shooting of certayne peeces of artilleries and so the daye following he woulde affront thennemie and prouoke them to feight sending out certayne trowpes of his horsmen to enterteine the skirmishe to th ende he mighte wyth better oportunitie issue out and ioyne with the armie A matter whiche Monsr d'Escud dyd chieflye solicite who assured hym that he was not hable to holde oute aboue two or three dayes in that parte of the towne and not aboue two dayes more beyonde the ryuer both for that the towne was large and weake and his forces remayning not aboue two thousande footemen for that many of them were stragled awaye and also the men at armes beeing but three hundred vppon whome laye the burden of the seruice were not hable to make resistance if the towne were assaulted in many places Thus afterwardes the same daye he had promised he accoasted thennemies in the borough of Zibelle which is about twentie myles from Parma and from thence dispatched foure hundred horsemen to runne vp euen to the tents of thennemies who hauing brought their mynes euen to the wall and afterwards turning them and dressing them in the place where the fyre shoulde bee putte Count Guido Rangon wyth thItalian footebandes ouer whome he was Capteine generall beganne to plante thartilleries on the other syde of the wall But the French men hearing the brute that was made in executing the mynes hauing for two howres affore abandoned the Codipont retyred in order and without noyse on the other side the water drawing with them their artilleries which retraite being knowen to those that were without they entred into the Codipont the morning following at the breake of the daye some making their waye by the breache and some vsed the seruice of skaling ladders They were receyued with an vniuersall gladnes of the Parmesans to whom nothing coulde be more acceptable then to returne vnder the dominion of the Churche But it was a ioye that drewe with it a present sorrowe and heauynes and a gladnes that was easily conuerted into dolour and lamentations for that they sawe affore theyr eyes their â–ª houses sacked and spoyled in no lesse rigour and furye then if they had bene mortall ennemies And it was not to be doubted that if certayne dayes before the artilleries had beene planted in the same place the French men had not in the same maner abandoned the Codipont After their entrie they fell to breaking open the gates which affore had beene rammed vp with no small industrie and so the artillerie hauing passage euen to the shoare of the ryuer they beganne to batter the wall that defendeth the other banke of the ryuer but the neare approache of the night hindred the benefite and effecte of their working that waye and by the little tyme they had lefte it was well knowen they coulde do no great execution for that daye The same daye Monsr Lavvtrech came and incamped vppon the ryuer of Taro within seuen myles of Parma some supposed hys comming so neare was to bydde battell to thennemie but others were of opinion that he aduaunced the full showe of his armye to th ende that eyther he mighte be readye to receyue his brother and his companies if they issued out of Parma by night beeing no longer hable to holde oute or else to enterteine some â–ª treatie or parley with thennemie for the better deliuerie of his brother and his souldiours with safetie and without obligacion according to thexample of Federike de Bossolo who had begonne a conference by the solicitation of the Marquis notwithstanding he had receiued a hurte in his shoulder with a shotte not many dayes before as he walked about the rampiers But the parley was not so farre forwarde as that there coulde be made anye certayne coniecture of the wyll of Monsr d'Esud The truth was by thexperience of things that happned afterwardes that Monsr Lavvtrech was not determined to fight vnlesse the regimentes of Svvizzers came to him for notwithstanding he had somewhat the aduauntage both for the numbers and vallour of men at armes and also was more mightie in artillerie yet the ennemie was stronger then he in footemen conteyning according to a iust computacion and accompt nyne thousande Launceknightes and Spaniardes two thousande Svvizzers and more then foure thousande Italians Let it here be considered howe often and how much vpon smal accidentes momentes in warres depend things of very great consequence for the night after the armie entred the Codipont it hapned iust at thinstant that by aduertisemeÌ„ts comming from Modona Bolognia they vnderstood that Alfonso d'Este issuing out of Ferrara with 100. men at armes 200. light horsmen and two thousande footemen amongest whom were a thousand aswell Corsegneis as Italians whiche Lavvtrech had sent him and with twelue peeces of artillerie had surprised the borowes of Finalo and S. Feliâ—â— with great feare that he would passe further This bred no small trouble and terror in the mindes of the Capteines notwithstanding they had feare of suche a leauye long time before beeing not ignorant with what vehement instance the Frenche men solicited him to it And yet had they not made at Modona suche a prouision as might suffice for the suretie
They went in three remouings of campe through the landes of the Venetians to Orchiueche a towne of their obedience making this excuse to the Senate that it was a passage necessarie and that they had no intencion or desire to offende them In the same sorte was it excused to them when Andrevve Gritty their Agent was constrayned to consent to Monsr Lavvtrech to sende artilleries to Pontvvyke At Orchiâ—eche arriued certeyne Corryers sent by the Lordes of the Cantons to commaunde the Svvyzzers to departe from the armie sending also the like commaundement by other poastes to the bandes that were in the frenche campe to whome was alleaged that it was a thinge vnworthie the reputacion of their name and countrey to suffer the footemen of their nation to serue vnder publike enseignes in the armies of two ennemies But these commaundementes brought foorth diuerse effectes for the poastes that were dispatched to the campe of the league were by comminge stayed in the waye so that they came not so farre as to those bandes that were with the Cardinall of Syon And touching the companies that followed the french campe they dismissed them selues immediatly without bidding farewell not that they were moued by the commaundementes that were sent and much lesse for the longnes of the warre wherin they are wont to be most impacient aboue all other nations But they saw into the dishability of Monsr de Lavvtrech to aunswer their payes who as he had of long time receiued no money out of Fraunce so tâ—extreame exactions which he leauied vpon the Duchie of Millan were farre insufficient to satisfie his charge Here may be gathered a fitte experience how muche the enuie and indiscression of officers bringes preiudice and domage to Princes who either through negligence haue no employment in affaires or else by incapacitie are not hable of them selues to discerne good councells from euill for where direction was giuen for the leauying of three hundred thowsande crownes to be sent to Lavvtrech according to the kings promise The Ladie Regent being the kings mother bare so great emulacion to his greatnes that vsing her enuie against the profit of her sonne she procured the Treasorers and Receiuers without the kinges priuitie to turne that summe to an other vse The same being the cause that Monsr Lavvtrech suffered him selfe to runne into confusion and priuate griefe since by the departing of the Svvizzers the successe of the warres which affore he promised to be good happy was become full of doutes and dispaire And therefore forbeating to contend against enuy fortune and the time he bestowed garrisons in Cremona Pisqueton and reduced him selfe with the residue of th armie to Cassan hoping to giue impediment to thennemies to passe Adda both in respect of thordinary difficulties which follow armies that are to passe riuers when there stands resistance vpon the shoare opposit and also for thoportunity of the place bearing his banke towardes Millan verie high and raised therfore the offence is greater that is done to the ennemies with thartilleries then that which they can receiue On the other side the Legats Apostolike and the Capteines were broken vp from Orchiueche and passing eftsoones the riuer of Oglio were come in three remouinges to Riuolco not feeling any more thincommoditie of vittells for that they were plentifully relieued by the townes of Guiaradadde which the frenchemen had left abandoned At this place as both the armies were vppon tearmes th one to winne and the other to stoppe the passage of the riuer Prospero and the other Capteynes made preparacion to build a bridge betwene Riuolco and Cassan a matter very doutfull and hard for the stopping of the ennemies Wherein hauing consumed two or three dayes in controuersies and councells at last Prospero who would not communicate his thoughtes with the Marquis of Pisquairo to th ende he should haue no interest in the glory of that action and much lesse would vse the seruice of the Spanyards least they would disclose his deuise caused secretly to be taken from the riuer of Bembo two small barkes and sent by night with great silence certeine bandes of Italian footemen to passe the riuer right against the towne of Vaury Vaury is a towne open discouered and without walls and hath his scituacion vppon the bankes of Adda fiue myles from Cassan There is conuenient passage ouer the riuer and in the middest of the towne is there a small circuit of wall raised in forme of a litle castell There were for the gard of this place certeine bandes of horsemen vnder the charge of Hugh de Popoly Lieutenaunt to the men at armes which the frenche king had giuen to Octauian Fregosa vppon the hearing of the noyse that was made he presented him selfe vppon the banke or shoare from the which he was presently repulsed with force of shot and yet it was thought that he might easely haue mainteined resista nce if a certeine trowpe of harguebuziers had ioyned with those horsemen which he had with him a matter which afterwardes he sayd he did require of Monsr Lavvtrech As the footemen passed in trowpes and numbers so they assembled and drewe into strength in a place within the towne raised and somewhat fortified exspecting there the succours which Prospero had appointed who assoone as he was aduertised of that happie beginninge caused to be turned that waye almost all the footebandes of the armie bestowed in diuerse boroughes of Guiaradadde to whome he gaue this order that as they arriued they should passe successiuely vpon the same small barkes and vppon two others that were appointed to follow th armie to serue for bridges ouer riuers which by night were caried ouerlande to the same banke or shoare Then he and the other Captaines with the Cardinall Medicis tooke foorth with the same way leauing this commaundement to such as taried at Riuolto that if the frenchemen retyred from thence they shoulde immediatly sette vp the bridge But at Vaury the successe of thenterprise was vncerteine for certeine howers for if Monsr Lavvtrech vppon his first aduertisement of the passing of his enemies had conuerted thither one parte of th armie he had no dout giuen them the ouerthrowe But after he had spent certeine howers in dout what he had to doe he dispatched thither Monsr d'Escud with foure hundred launces and the bands of the frenche footemen causing to be drawne afterwardes certeine peeces of artilleries Monsr d'Escud and his regiments marched thither in great diligence and beganne verie resolutely to charge the place where thenemies were retyred euen at the same time that the succours which were exspected appeared vppon the other shoare For whose comming together with the hope that they brought thenemies made a valliant defense notwithstanding that Monsr d'Escud discended on foote with all his men at armes and made so resolute a fight in the straightes of the streetes that if thartilleries had come in time his vallour no dout had giuen them the ouerthrowe But
come the souldiors that were drawne into insurrection published in maner of tumult that if they were not payde they woulde departe the towne So little assurance is there in souldiors marcenarie in whom in times of triall and daunger is commonly founde lesse fidelitie then forwardnes more corruption then constancie seruing but for pay they haue no regards aboue the desire of money gayne Neuertheles the Agent or treasorer obteined with many perswasions of thinhabitantes to furnish one part of the mony which though they had promised before yet they became slow to performe notwithstanding he declared to thē that in all euents and chaunges that action would stande them in no small steade of iustification with the Popes to come with this mony he reappeased the tumult aswell as he could the same being the cause that the feare of the people augmented And as the souldiors who for their smal numbers saw thēselues at the discression of the people had no surety of any one of the Citie so they entred into present suspicion that the forces that were both within without would set vpon them at one time In so muche as they rather wished that the Citie woulde render by accorde vnder capitulacions of their safety then to continue dwell in that daunger So vnquiet a passion is feare that whom it possesseth it makes thē in nothing lesse apt then to be resolute or constant kepeth them depriued of that reason counsell which in other cases is the guide of mortal men their doings But in this estate of affaires reduced thus to extremities it was necessary for the gouernor to show him selfe constant and absolute and therfore he sometimes assured the souldiors that the perill was aswell common to him as to them sometimes he stirred vp the principalls of the towne assembled in counsell with whom he reasoned that there was no occasion of feare for that he was assured thenemies caused not to march their great artileries without the which it was both childish skornfull to doubt that by the benefite of skaling ladders they would offer to enter or force the towne wherin was a sufficient strength of youth souldiors to make resistance agaynst a farre greater violence He tolde them he had sent to require succors at Modena where were the Svvizzers Vitelli Guido Rangon with their bands not douting but that the day following he should be supplied with such a strēgth as would be able to enforce thenemie to depart That aswel in regard of their owne honor as for feare least with the losing of Parma there hapned not a greater disorder those succors would make hast and their reskew be almost as ready as their danger That he had sent to Plaisanca for the same matter and for the same reasons he had manifest hope to be releeued from thence That they had to consider that the Pope being dead who had honored him with the credit of that place wherin he was there remayned to him no interest or bonde if things stoode vpon suche tearmes as they imagined to subiect himselfe to a perill so apparant for that according to experience and common examples past muche lesse that the officers of the Pope deceased can exspect of the Pope to come any degree of recompence since it was moste likely that the Pope of the newe election would become enemie to Florence his naturall contrey for which reasons he had no cause to desire the greatnes of the Church respects publike being no lesse agaynst it then occasions priuate Only suche might be the concurrance of accidentes that the diminucion of the same would be most acceptable to him That touching his owne particular he had not within Parma eyther wife children or any goodes for the whiche he was to feare that by the translation of the gouernment they might be made a praye to the lustes to the insolencies and rapines of the Frenche That lastely since he had no reason to hope for any profite by the defence of Parma and lesse feare by rendring it of the aduersities they had proued vnder the harde yoke of the Frenche and taking it by force his person communicating in the same daungers that they did They mighte be assured that no other thing moued him to remayne constant then the manyfest knowlege he had that the enemies had no habilitie to force the towne without their great artilleries of whiche as he was assured they had none at all so if he stoode in doubt it stoode him vpon not to stande agaynst thaccord hauing no lesse care of his owne safetie then all they had desire to auoyde their common daunger Seing withall that by the vacacion of the sea Apostolike and he not hable in suche a towne as that was to oppose him selfe agaynst so great an inclinacion and wyll of the people he could not be within daunger of imputacion and muche lesse stand charged with their reuolt With these reasons sometimes dealing aparte and seuerall with manye particulars and sometimes disputing with them all together and sometimes leading them along the walles and eftsones reasoning with them of other prouisions he robbed the time from them and interteined them all the night yea he was not ignorant that notwithstanding they had vehemēt imaginacions to compound with thenemies that not for other cause then for feare to be passed into captiuitie and spoyle yet they reteyned this consideracion that in according without his consent they coulde not auoyde the note of rebelles and fayth breakers But assoone as the day appeared which was a day dedicated to Saint Thomas thapostle they beganne to knowe by the bullets that were shotte from the two sakers planted there the same night that thennemies had no peeces for batterie whiche made the gouernour to hope that returning to counsayle he shoulde finde them chaunged and assured but he founde them of disposicion contrarie their feares beeing by so muche augmented and redoubled by howmuche by the light of the day making them hable to discerne they esteemed themselues to be neare the perill In so much as laying aside al regards to fidelitie and aptnes to heare reason they began with manifest instance with protestacions and threatnings to compell him to aduaunce the composition Suche is the rage of a multitude vnbridled and so violently do they runne to recure the thing which in their feares they haue imagined that their mindes beeing once made tymerous there is nothing lesse respected with them then the thing whiche should moste assure them The gouernour made aunswere with a liuely resolucion and libertie of minde that since he had no power to stoppe in them the course of those speches thoughtes which he would do if he had in Parma a greater strength there remayned to him no other satisfaction of the iniurie which they were determined to do to the sea apostolike and to him being a minister of the same then that they could not auoyd thinfamy of rebelliō imputation
likewise made in the name of his brother Maleteste yet he would not ratifie it hauing affore receyued money to be ioyned with Ranso de Cere with a charge of two thousande footemen and an hundred light horsemen On the one side he would openly blemishe his proper honor and on the other side he was loath to prouoke the Cardinall and the Florentins by newe occasions Therefore to wade in a meane betwene both he fayned him selfe to be sicke and sent to Ranso being then come to the borowe of Pieua two thousande footemen an hundred light horsemen and foure falconettes making excuse by the rage of his sicknesse that he was not hable to goe in person And to the Cardinall he gaue hope that he would take no more new payes of thenemie and that assone as the tearme were finished for the which he was payed he would ratifie the contract made in his name and in the meane time would proceede with as great moderacion as he could in such actions as he could not refuse for the payes he had receiued After this Ranso entred into the territorie of Siena with fiue hundred horse and seuen thousande footemen with intention to practise the mutation of that gouernment with the trayne of the selfe same exiles which had followed the Duke of Vrbin wherein if thenterprise had drawne to good issue it was not to be doubted that hauing power by that meane to enter on that side into the bowels of the Florentin dominion that the like successe had not followed him touching the particular of Florence But the Florentins no lesse foreseeing that daunger then desyring that thenemies should not approche to Siena had sent to that state all their regimentes of men of warre vnder the conduit of Guido Rangon elected for that emotion generall of th armie he had this speciall intention both to temporise with thenemies to make them lose tyme for that he was not ignorant that without expedicion they would fall into wante of money and also vnder one tyme to vse all thimpedimentes he could to cut off and stoppe their vittells So that gouerning him selfe according to the proceedinges of thenemies he labored to put seuerall garrisons into those townes that were nearest the estate of the Sienois and the Florentins In which remouing of souldiors from one place to an other it hapned that the guydon of horsemen of Vitelli going from Torrito to Asinolongo encountred on the way with three hundred horsemen of thennemies and were ouerthrowne Ieronimo de Peppoli lieftenant to Vitelli being taken prisoner with fiftie men at armes and two ensignes Ranso addressed him selfe firste to the Citie of Chiusa a Citie more noble for the memorie of his antiquitie and the renowmed actes of Porsene their king then for his fortunes and condicions present his hope was deceyued to carye it bringing with him no other sortes of artilleries then foure falconetts A force farre to weake to take townes that are defended with souldiors He marched further betwene Torrito and Asinolongo to drawe neare to Siena but hauing no commoditie of vittels amidde so many townes of thennemies and seeking to get some by force he assayled the borowe of Torrito where was in garrison an hundred men at armes of Guido Rangon and fiue hundred footemen But he leauyed his campe from thence without dooing any thing to aduaunce his purpose and keeping his way he went to Monteliste and from thence to Bagno de Rapolano within twelue myles of Siena in which Citie the Florentins in the beginning had bestowed the Count Petillano But the Count Guido by whose diligence and celeritie all these deuises were preuented entred the same daye into Siena with two hundred light horsemen leauing his armie behinde to followe after So that what for the succours that approched and the reputacion of Ranso which was greatly diminished in this expedicion aswell with his owne companies as amongest thenemies together with the knowledge they had that he was reduced to a great necessitie of vittells brought no little discourage to them of Siena to whom could haue bene acceptable a chaunge or alteracion Neuerthelesse he presented himselfe within halfe a myle of the walles and seeing no insurrection made in his fauour he retyred hauing remayned there xxiiij howres The same daye he retyred but after he was gone the bands of the Florentins entred within Siena who albeit were put in readinesse to pursue him yet they made no great labour when they sawe he was to farre gone they suffred certayne light horsemen to pursue the chase and certeine bandes of footemen which were before at Siena of whom he receyued no great domage onely his retrayte being hastie and happly no lesse for famine then for feare he leste his artilleries by the way which to his great dishonor fell into the power of thennemies he stayed at Aygueponte to readresse his companies which were muche diminished a place so muche the more assured to him by howmuche he knewe that the Florentin bands would be curious to enter vpon the landes of the Churche But falling into wantes of money and other prouisions and the Cardinalls of Voltero of Monte and of Come with whom by the French kings direction he communicated touching his affayres beginning nowe to reiect him he conuerted those few bands of souldiors that his fortune had left him to pill and robbe the shoares or water-sides of Siena and in vayne gaue assault to Orbatella for which cause the Florentins hauing made their armie to marche towardes the bridge of Centino whiche is the confine limit betwene thestate of Siena and the dominion of the Church threatned to make inuasion of the lands of the Church for that they sawe Ranso did not wholly dissolue his companies In which respect the Colledge of Cardinalles who stoode ielouse to suffer suche an action vpon thestate of the Churche interposed to accorde them A matter indifferently agreable to them both It was acceptable to the Florentins for that by it they were drawne out of a burden of exspences whiche they made without any frute And to Ranso it was no lesse welcome for that both he was yll furnished for the present and also had no hope to increase his forces specially the French affayres suffring yll tearmes in Lombardie The accorde conteined no other matter then a bare promise not to offende one an other whiche promise ranne betwene the Florentins and Sienois on th one parte and Ranso de Cero on the other parte putting in pledge in Rome of fitie thousande duckets for the suretie of obseruation And touching the things that had bene made pillage and spoyle they referred them to tharbitracion of the Pope when he should come into Italie This winter there happned in the towne of Lucquay this daungerous accident one Vincent Poggio of a noble discending and famulie and Lavvrence Totti vnder cooller of particular discords but more likely pushed on by ambicion and pouertie tooke armes and in the publike pallace slewe
reputacion and authoritie He was a father of soldiours a director of their councelles a framer of their disposicions an example of vertue and a guide to true glorie and fame He was not apte to embrace lightly all occasions that the disorders of thennemies might offer for this propertie was ioyned to his wit rather to doubt too much then beleue too hastely And so ielous was he ouer the safetie and suertie of his people that he would not easily giue any aduauntage to thennemy to oppresse him He would alwayes saye that in a Generall the glorie was greater to feare a mischiefe and foresee it then to runne with occasions which can not bee without their hazardes He was by nature easie slow in his actions and seeking alwayes to administer warres more with councelles then with the sword he left to others this propertie of example to defend estates by temporising and not without great necessitie to commit the euent of battelles to fortune For in our tyme the managing and gouernment of warres hath farre differed since that affore Charles the eight past into Italy The brunt of the warre being more borne out with horsemen armed at all partes then with footemen and no lesse inconuenient and troublesome the engines wherwith they were wont to take townes notwithstanding the armies came oftentymes to the shock of battell yet the slaughter was litle very rare the bloud that was spilt And townes also that were beseged defended themselues with suche facilitie not for that they had more knowledge in defense but through ignorance to take them that there was not so litle or weake a towne which was not able for many dayes to resist great armies of enemies At that tyme Princes did not intrude vppon thestates of others without very great difficulties But when King Charles made his first discending into Italy the regions of that nation were so replenished with terror astonishment what through the feare of new nations and the vallour of the footemen whose feight was in another manner but most of all through the furie of thartilleries by whose vnacquainted roaring noyse the ignorant people feared no lesse then if the frame of the world had falne that there was no hope for any Prince to be able to defende himselfe that were not strong enough to keepe the fielde For men that had no knowledge to defende townes yelded at the first approach of thenemies and if happly any towne stoode to her defence it was taken within fewe dayes suche was the surie of thartilleries and suche the ignorance of men that had yet no custome nor familiaritie with them By that meane the realme of Naples and the Duchie of Millan were no sooner inuaded then they were conquered In that sort the Venetians being vanquished in one battell only left abandoned immediatly all their iurisdiction in the firme land And in that sort the Frenche men hauing skarcely seene thenemyes left the Duchie of Myllan But since the witte of man comprehending better the furie of batteries began to oppose engine and industrie for their defence and fortefied townes with mountes trenches flankes rampiers and Bastillions which they made apte to bestow artilleries vppon And being planted in a place which men seeke to defend doe farre more hurt then that that is braked without So that at this daye it is verie harde to take a towne where is any resistance made And happlie those inuentions began in Italy in the dayes of our fathers when the towne of Ottranto was reconquered vppon the Turkes wherin when Alfonso Duke of Calabria entred afterwardes he founde that the Turkes had made many rampiers and fortifications suche as were vnknowen to the Italians but yet those sortes of fortificatiōs remeined rather as images in the myndes of men then that they were folowed Prospero either was the only man or the first man of all other that with greatest reputacion hath twise by those meanes defended the Duchie of Myllan And aswel in offending as in defending and cutting of thenemies from vittelles as also in prolonging the warre with suche cunning that pouertie disorders and other extremities consumed them he hath borne out the warre and vanquished without once aduenturing the battell without breaking of a Launce yea almost without drawing a sworde So that he standing in example to others that haue come after many warres continued for many moneths haue bene ouercome more with industrie with stratageame and with temporising then with the force or fortune of armes These thinges were done in Italy in the yeare 1523. And the yeare folowing were made beyond the mounts preparacions of right great exspectation and yet brought forth no effectes worthy of so mightie Princes For where the Emprour the King of Englande had cōtracted promised the Duke of Burbon to enter with a strong armie the one into Piccardy the other into Guyen The mouing of the King of Englād was to smal purpose thēterprise of the Duke of Burbon to inuade Burgōdy was turned into a moūteine of smoke For that wanting mony to paie his Laūceknights besides the diminuciō of their nombers by the practise of certein Capteins that stoale away to the Frēch king he dispaired to do any thing in Fraūce in that mind wēt to Millan There themprour hauing no mind that he shold passe into Spain perhaps because he wold not haue the mariage of his sister go forward which the Duke of Burbon desired sēt to hī Mōsr de Beaurain to persuade hī to staie there gaue him thauthority title of his lieftenāt general in Italy to induce him with better wil to abide there Neither did things happē more happily to Thēprour on the coast of Spaine for that albeit in a burning desire to the warres he was come to Pampeluna to passe in person into Fraunce and had already sent his armie beyond the Mountes Pireney where he had taken Saueterra which is not farre from S. Iohn de pied de Porc yet drawing with him many other imperfections he founde at last that his readines was farre greater then his power for that as for the want of money he was not hable to enterteine so great forces as were necessarie for so great an enterprise so for that want also he was not able to assemble his armie vntill the latter ende of the yere when the nature of the season doubled vpon him his difficulties and tooke from him the libertie of the wayes These impediments compelled him to dissolue his armie erected almost agaynst the counsell of all his capteines which made the Duke of Albe a prince of great authoritie say in the heate of the warre that themprour who in many things resembled king Ferdinand his grandfather by the mother side did in this deliberacion beare moste similitude and likenesse with his grandfather by the father side Nowe came on the yere a thousande fiue hundred twentie and foure when the difficulties of the Frenche men stirring vp themperours capteines to looke to
first show may happly seeme moste great and most profitable I confesse the Duchie of Myllan is an estate more riche and more commodious for many regardes then Burgonguie and that there can no amitie passe with Italy vnlesse Myllan be transferred eyther to Frauncis Sforce or to some other of the Popes lyking And yet I rather allowe to do this then to accorde with the Frenche men for that Burgonguy apperteineth to you with better equitie and iustice then Millan and beareth more facilitie to be maynteined then a contrey where is no person that willeth you good To seeke to get Burgonguy your auncient inheritance is an action of great worthynes and prayse but to aspire after Millan eyther to your owne vse or for any other that dependeth wholly vpon you can not be without manifest notes of ambicion The one calleth you to it by the honorable memorie of so many your predecessors whose bones lying buryed in captiuitie call vpon you to be deliuered and redeemed by your vertue whose compassion accompanied with their iust pityfull and holy desires may happly moue God to be more fauorable to thaction Your Maiestie must consider that it is a more discrete and easie counsell to establishe an amitie with him that vnwillingly becomes your enemie then with one who in no time can be your friend for there will neuer be in the French king but a perpetuall hate and desire to oppose agaynst your doings where the Pope and the other potentates of Italie beeing once assured of all suspicion by the reuoking of your armie that is in Lombardy will haue no occasion of controuersie with you neyther through iealousie wherein they will be satisfied nor by feare which then will be resolued into assurance and remayning your friendes you shall drawe from them both now and alwayes a greater commoditie and profite So that there are to leade your Maiesties inclination to this amitie not onely the consideration of honor which ought to be most familiar with great princes not only the regarde of profite whiche fashioneth hawty mindes to reason and facilitie not onely the respect of suretie which to princes and peoples is the swetest ende and rewarde of their warres and contentions but also the operation of necessitie which aboue all other motions in the mindes of men caryeth them violently to resolution and accorde For be it that you compounde with the king and binde him to no other thing then to ayde you in thenterprises of Italy yet it is not likely he will obserue it since this will be his opinion that in leauing you Italy for a pray he should so much the more imbarke his owne Realme in perill and desperate daunger Where on the other side his hopes and oportunities will be great that by the compulsion of so mighty an vnion he shall be hable to vex and trauell you and in the end to reduce you to accorde vnder easie conditions So that of a king whom we holde prisoner we shall not onely giue him libertie but also prepare him to be our enemie and sende home to the Realme of Fraunce a soueraigne chieftayne or leader to th ende that ioyning with the residue he might rayse warre agaynst vs both with greater forces and with more profite Howe much better were it to confederate with thItalians who haue the same conformitie of reasons with vs Howe much more necessary to contract a firme and true alliance with the Pope who hath continually desired it And howe muche assured to remoue from the Frenche all hope to ioyne with thItalians seeing that in that case not onely necessitie or feare of new leagues but also euen your owne will and qualitie of the conditions will drawe you to accorde with the french Then shall you see that their vniuersall necessitie and dispayre of their common condition will constrayne them not onely to delyuer vp Burgonguy into your handes and to followe you with greater offers but also to assure them with suche obligations and ostages that you shall not neede to doubt the obseruation For the which his children are no sufficient pawnes so long as they hope to effect so great an vnion And scarcely wyll suffice the townes of Bayon and Narbona if they put them into your hands nor an armie at sea This is the waye to draw of your victorie a frute plentyfull honorable comely and sure And otherwise if I haue any insight in the matters of the worlde by this accorde you shall embarke your estate into so great daungers that I see no way to deliuer you vnlesse the indiscression of the French king may happly be greater then ours This oration what with theloquence and good disposition of the matter ioyned with the reputation and wisedome of the man wrought muche in the minds of the greatest parte of the counsell But the Viceroy being of an other humor pronounced a contrary opinion in this sorte If it be a fault blameable in suche men as through the motion of worldly appetite and ambition seeke to embrace more then they are hable to hold the offence is no lesse in mine opinion in others who eyther by too many suspiciōs or too muche incredulitie do willingly depriue them selues of great occasions gotten with many difficulties and daungers But if there be propertie of errour in both obseruing the qualitie of the persons in whom they raygne that which proceedeth of feare and abiection of minde is more to be reprehended and condemned in a great prince then that which moueth of an inclination heroicall and true greatnes of spirit and courage And seeing it is to great thinges that the thoughts of great princes ought to be raysed and dressed it can not but be more agreable to their merite and vertue to seeke to winne muche with hazarde and daunger then by auoyding of perill which is but casuall to lose or corrupt suche occasions as verye rarely happen to mortall men This is the very course layde out to your Maiestie by the Lorde Chauncellor who doubting that by this accorde Burgongny and Millan maye not be obteyned we muste not thinke he is pushed on eyther with the loue of Italy which is his contrey or with the benefite or good turne that he wisheth to the duke of Millan hath made a resolution of awaye by the which as he sayth we shall get Burgongny and lose Millan an estate without comparison of greater importance But I feare that in following that deuise as we shall not onely lose Millan and not winne Burgongny so also where your Maiesty hath with great glory opened you a waye to the imperie and iurisdiction of all Christendome there will remayne no other frute of it if you take your direction by his counsell then great domage accompanied with perpetuall infamie Effects which in all reasonable sorte your Maiestie is to auoyde least through indiscression and sinister counsell of one priuate man you blemishe the reputation and vallour of so many princes and braue Capteines who vnder the felicity
charge to Iames Phillip Sacco whom he had sent to the Duke of Burbon to promise it to thimperialls if composition coulde not be obteined otherwise But he discerning by their words and maner of dealing what desire they had to accorde and declaring vnto them that the Duke could neuer passe suche a matter obteyned so muche that there should be nothing spoken of it for albeit the Capteines imperials had great coniectures that the Castell had no great store of vittells and that the necessitie of the defendantes would ere it were long make them satisfied of the ende and exspectation of their intention yet being desirous to be assured of it they were determined to accept it vnder any conditions for that they stoode doubtfull whether the army of the league that lay neare would aduenture to succour it In which case hauing no confidence to be hable to defende the trenches they had resolued to issue out into the fielde and fight Which doubtfull euent of fortune they were willing to auoide in accepting what conditions they could obteyne of the Duke who the day following issued out of the Castell and being accompanied with many of th imperiall capteines euen as farre as the barryers and limites of tharmy he taryed there one day and afterwards he tooke the way to Coma thimperialls standing vpon this that they had promised to giue him safe retrayte and lodging within Coma but not to make departe out of the towne their companies of souldiors that were there in garrison In regarde of which dealing he sawe no cause to reappose further confidence in them and albeit he had determined before to do nothing that might incense or stirre vp the minde of themprour yet for his safety he tooke the waye to Loda which Citie the confederates restored wholly into his handes and there for that there was no one article of the capitulations obserued to him sauing that he his companies came away in safety he ratified by publike instrument the league made in his name by the Pope and Venetians But in this time albeit the Pope who for the commotion of the Colonnoys had published a Bull agaynst the Cardinall and all others of the famulie of Colonno yet seeing his hope to chaunge the gouernment of Siena much diminished and no lesse grieuous and troublesome to him to be vexed and trauelled in the territories of Rome he began with better inclination to open his eares to Don Hugo de Moncado who not with intention to contract with him but to make him more negligent in aduauncing his prouisions made a motion that vnder certayne conditions the offences should cease agaynst the Siennois and all quarrels betweene him and the Colonnois And to deale in this negociation Vespasian Colonno whom the Pope trusted muche came to Rome by which occasion the Pope hauing loste all hope of successe about Sienna and treating to leauye the armie from before the walls delayed th execution of that good counsell exspecting to runne into a lesser slaunder to make it breake vp assone as the accorde nowe in negociation shoulde be concluded And yet for the disorders and confusions of the army which went encreasing it was determined at Florence that it should retire But sodayne and straunge be the accidents of warre The day before the army was appoynted to departe a regiment of foure hundred footemen issuing out of the towne marched towards the artilleries which were garded by Iames Corso who seeing the faces of the souldiors comming ranne away in feare from the place that he had promised to defende By whose example together with the noyse and brute of the accident comming to the armie the whole armie hauing neyther order nor obedience tooke to flying beeing neyther charged nor folowed In which confusion of running away there was striuing who could make best speede and for the desyre they had to escape the daunger whiche their tymerous imaginations stirred vp the desire to flee was all one in the capteins and the souldiors and in the horsemen and the footemen nothing being hable to assure them in whose eares the noyse of feare did continually ring They left to the enemies their vittels their baggage and artilleries of which ten peeces great and small belonging to the Florentins and seuen apperteyning to Perousa were caryed into Sienna with no little gladnes tending almoste to a triumph By the example of this accident the people began with great showting and cryes to renewe the infamies deserued by the Florentins in the like case loasing long time before euen afore the wals of Sienna their artilleries which were garded vpon the publike place of the same city This chase was giuen the day after the rendring of the castell of Millan to the Imperials At which time also the publike calamities of all Christendome being added to afflictions particular the Pope had aduertisement out of Hungary that Solyman Ottoman who was come from Constantinople with a mighty army to inuade the kingdome of Hungary hauing passed the ryuer of Sauo without impediment by the commoditie of Belgrado which he had subdued fewe yeares before had taken the Castell of Peter Varradin and passed the ryuer of Drauo in so muche as hauing no impediment of mountaynes or ryuers the rage of the Turke was like to reduce the whole kingdome of Hungary into manyfest daunger Nowe for as muche as the Castell of Millan was falne into the handes of themprour it seemed that in Italye the state of the warre was wonderfully chaunged Wherein the Duke of Vrbin tooke his reason vppon necessitie to take newe counselles suche as they shoulde haue set downe and taken if from the beginning of the warte the Castell of Millan had not beene in the handes of Frauncis Sforce And in that regarde the same day the Castell was rendred amplifying a discourse which he made to the Popes lieftenant and treasorer of Venice touching the estate of affayres he added that it was necessary to create a Capteine generall ouer the whole league to take charge and commaunde all the armies Wherein he sayd he ioyned with himselfe the interestes and respects of others beeing determined for his owne particular without that authority not to intangle him selfe with care of any other thing then to commaunde ouer the Venetian army A resolution which he prayed them to signifie to the Pope and Venetians Wherupon the Senat agreed the rather to remoue him from that demaund which was made in a time so inconuenient so greatly discontenting the Pope to sende to the campe Lovvis Pisan a gentleman of great authority by whose working his vehement inclination was rather moderated then his determination altered But touching the maner of proceding in the warre hereafter it was determined that the armie shoulde not remoue from the place where it was tyll the Svvizzers were come who were waged vnder the name and with the money of the Frenche king The Duke of Vrbin thought it necessarye after they were come to lye about Millan
esquadron of the French men commaunded by Iohn Thomas de Gallera was so farre marched away that he could not in time be at the succors of the residue And albeit Monsr Saint Pol reaposing much in a regiment of two thowsand launceknights was discended on foote and fought valliantly yet after they had menteyned a light defense he saw them beginne to retyre in whose vallour he had layed vp his chiefest confidence And albeit they were susteyned and reskewed by Iohn Ieronimo de Castillon Clavvdo Rangon Commaunders ouer two thowsand Italians who expressed great effects of their vallour yet in the ende both the horsemen and launceknightes not hable to stand against the furie and fortune of their ennemies turned their backs leauing a wretched effect of the hope that was conceyued of them By their example thItalyans did the like And Monsr Saint Pol dispayring to finde by fighting the sauetie which the residue could not finde by fleeing was eftsoones remounted vppon his horse and as he would haue passed ouer a great ditche he fell into the calamitie of a prisoner hauing pertaking with him in that fortune Iohn Ieronimo de Castillon Clavvdo Rangon Liquack Carbon with other leaders of importance All the companies were defeated many horsemen taken prisoners and all the baggage and trayne of the armye and the artilleries ryffled Almost all the men at armes founde sauetye in the swiftnes and ronning of their horses together with Count Guido leading the auauntegarde with whome he retyred into Pauya and from thence in the beginning of the night the same seare following them nowe beeing free and at large which they sawe in thextremitie of their perill they went to Loda but so perplexed with astonishment that they were almost at poynt to breake and disorder of them selues Many of the souldiours remeyned in the wayes their horses hauing no forces to cary them whether their feare would chasse them And the Capteines excused their ronning awaye for that their companies were not payed of whome the French bands returned all into Fraunce Thus armes and warre beeing almost layed aside thorowe all Italy by reason of the harde euents and aduersities of the French men The cogitacions of the greatest Princes were conuerted and disposed to accord The first accord that succeeded was betweene the Pope and the Emprour which was concluded at Barselona to the Popes greate aduauntage Wherein thEmprour had the one of these two reasons eyther for that hauing a greate desire to passe into Italye he sought to take awaye all impediments to his voyage accompting it in that regarde verye necessarye to haue the Popes amitye or els for that he woulde with verye large and ample capitulacions giue the Pope a greater occasion to forgette the wronges and offences which he had receyued of his Agents and his armye The substance of thaccorde was this That betweene the Pope and the Emperour shoulde be a perpetual peace and confederacion That the Pope should giue passage to the Emprours armye through the dominions of the Churche in case it should depart out of the kingdom of Naples That thEmprour in contemplacion of the new mariage and for the tranquillitie of Italy should restore in Florence the sonne of Lavvrence de Medicis to the same estate of greatnes wherin were his predecessors before they were expulsed hauing notwithstanding regarde to the exspenses which were to be defrayed for the sayd restitucion according to the arbitracion to be made aswell by him as the Pope That thEmprour shoulde assaye assoone as he coulde eyther by armes or some other way more comely to reestablish the Pope in the possession of Ceruia Rauenna Modona Reggia and Rubiero without preiudice to the rights of the Empire and the sea Apostolike That the Pope hauing recouered the townes aboue sayd should accord to thEmprour thinuestiture of the Realme of Naples in remuneracion of that benefit and shoulde reduce the tribute of the last inuestiture to a white horse for a fyne or acknowledgement of chiefe That he should accord to him the nominacion of xxiiij Cathedrall Churches for the which they were in difference remeyning to the Pope the disposicion of the Churches which should not be in patronage of other benefices That when thEmprour should be passed into Italy the Pope and he should meete common together to consult of the particular quiet of Italy the vniuersal peace of Christendom receiuing one an other with ceremonies and honors due and accustomed That thEmprour in case the Pope required the ayde of the arme secular to reconquer Ferrara should assist him euen to the ende as Aduocate Protector and eldest sonne of the sea Apostolike that with all the good meanes which at that time should be in his power And that they should agree of thexspenses proceedings and formes to be vsed according to the qualitie of times and accidents That the Pope and Emprour with a common councel should deuise some meanes to drawe lawfully into iustice and examinacion of the lawe by Iudges not suspected the cause of Frauncis Sforce to th ende he might be restored if he were found innocent That otherwayes thEmprour offered notwithstanding the disposing of the Duchie of Myllan apperteyned to him to dispose of it with the councell and priuitie of the Pope and to inuest in it no person which should not be agreable to him nor otherwise to transferre it but in sorte as he shall thinke most expedient for the tranquillitie of Italie That the Emperour promised to make to consent Ferdinand king of Hungria his brother that for the tyme of the Popes life and two yeares after the Duchie of Myllan shoulde be furnished of saltes from Ceruya according to the confederacion made betwene thEmperour and Pope Leo confirmed in the last inuestiture of the kingdome of Naples not approuing neuerthelesse the couenaunt that had bene made with the French king and without preiudice to the rightes of thEmpire and the king of Hungria That neyther of them a parte to the preiudice of this confederacion shoulde make touching matters of Italie new leagues nor obserue suche as were made to the contrarie of this And yet neuerthelesse the Venetians might enter this league so farre foorth as they left all that they possessed in the Realme of Naples and accomplished all their obligacions to the Emperour and Ferdinand by vertue of the last confederacion made betwene them And also to restore Rauenna and Ceruya reseruing the rightes of the domages and interestes suffered in regarde of these matters That thEmperour and Ferdinand shoulde doe all that they coulde to haue the Heretikes reduced and brought home to the true waye wherein as the Pope shoulde vse spirituall remedies so in case they woulde stande obstinate thEmperour and Ferdinand shoulde force them by armes and the Pope to labour other Christian Princes to assist them according to their seuerall meanes That the Pope and thEmperour shoulde not receiue the protection of the subiectes vassalls and feodatories of one an other
action of entring into league with the french king vpon the wil and inclination of the Pope who then commaunded them and vpon the law of necessitie which had hithervnto compelled them to continue in it They sayd they could not passe further for that they were not enhabled by commission only they had expresse commaundement from their common wealth not to open their eares to any practise with the Pope and to visite his other Embassadours but not the Cardinall Medicis The great Chauncellor newly called to the dignity of Cardinall made them aunswere that it was necessary they should satisfie the Pope and reduce him contented both of their doings and of their meanings And they complayning of the iniustice of that demaund he eftsones replied that seeing their Citie was confederate with thenemies of themprour and had sent out armed bandes agaynst him that it was falne from her priuileages and diuolued to thempire and therefore it was in themprour to dispose of it according to hys owne arbitration But at last it was sayde vnto them on themprours behalfe that they should procure to be sent to them sufficient commission to compounde with the Pope and that afterwardes shoulde be considered the differences that were betwene the Pope and them which if they were not first resolued and compounded themprour would not common with them of their proper interests Whereuppon thestate of Florence dispatched a commission very large and ample to compounde with the Emprour but not to accord with the Pope In so much as themprour departing from Genes the xxx of August and went vp to Plaisanca the Embassadours following his Court were not admitted into Plaisanca for that is was vnderstanded that their commission was not such as themprour had demaunded By which meane all things suspended and remayned without accord Themprour caused also to depart from his Court thembassadors of the duke of Ferrara whom he receiued with hard tearmes and yet returning afterwardes with new conditions and happly with new fauors they were admitted and heard Moreouer the emprour sent embassador to the french king the Count Nausavv to congratulate with him the newe accorde confirmed with the knot of parentage and to receiue the ratification In recoÌ„pense of which embassage and for the same expedition the king sent to him thadmirall of Fraunce The king sent money to Ranso de Cero to th end that with all his companies he might retyre from Povvilla and caused to be rigged twelue gallies to be sent thither vnder Phillip Dore agaynst the Venetians agaynst whom themprour sent out Andre Dore with xxxvij gallies Neuertheles the king iudging that the recouering of his children would be more certayne if there remayned any difficultie in Italy to themprour he continued to giue diuerse hopes to the confederates and promised particularly to the Florentins to sende money to them secretly by thadmirall Not that he had any desire to minister to the wantes of them or the others but to th end they should shew themselues more hard and seuere to compound with themprour During all this while there was solicited a continuall practise of accord betwene themprour and the Duke of Millan the action wherof was managed wholly by the Pronotory Caraccioll whose office was to come and go from Cremona to Plaisanca But where themprour helde it straunge that the Duke reapposed lesse confidence in him then he looked for and the Duke on the other side was hardly brought to trust him at all there was an ouerture and motion made that tyll the Dukes cause were throughly examined Alexandria and Pauia should be deposed of trust into the Popes handes To this thEmprour would not consent bothe for that he thought the Duke was not hable to resiste his forces and also for that Anthony de Leua was gone vp to Plaisanca who beeing alwayes an enemie to peace and quietnes had incensed themprour with many reasons to pursue the warre And therefore themprour charged him to goe on with thenterprise of Pauia hauing a deuise also that at the same tyme Capteine Felix who was come with the new supplies of Almains aswell footemen as horsemen and with artilleries and had first passed by Pesquiero and afterwards was entred vpon the lands of Bressia should make warre on that side vpon the Venetians of which expedition he had made Capteine generall the Marquis of Mantua newly returned to the deuotion of the Imperialls All this whyle the Pope was not ydle to labour a peace betwene themprour and the Venetians with hope to conclude it at his coÌ„ming to Bolognia for that where he had before solicited to meete themprour and confer with him at Genes they had sithence by coÌ„mon consent referred the place of their enteruiew to Bolognia chiefly for many apt coÌ„modities which that city yelded to so great an assembly They were not induced being Princes of the greatest importance to meete together by a common desire only to confirme the league of their new amitie and coniunction but also they had to cary them their further seuerall respects themprour pushed on by necessitie being determined to take the Crowne of the Empire the Pope by ambition hauing a desire to aduance the enterprise of Florence and in theÌ„ both indifferently did concur a ioynt deuotion to establish some orderly forme ouer the affaires of Italy a matter which they could not accomplish without resoluing the affaires of the Venetians duke of Millan and without keping some good hande vpon the imminent dangers of the Turke who being entred into Hungria with a puissant army came on to inuade Austria take Vienna In this time were done no actions of consequence betwene thempror Venetians for that the Venetians hauing an absolute inclination to accord with him because they would not incense him further had giuen order to retyre their army by sea froÌ„ thenterprise of the castell of Brundusa to Corâ—â—u And seking only to preserue the townes which they helde they forbare also for that time all exploytes in the regions of Lombardy except certen light rodes and incursions and so being only carefull for the gard of their townes they had put into Bressia the duke of Vrbin Touching the Almains they were reduced to Lunaro conteining a nuÌ„ber of a thousand horsmen eight or ten thousand footmen They had resolued together with the Marquis of Mantua to execute thenterprise of Cremona where was the duke of Millan who seeing himselfe excluded from all accorde with thempror that Anth. de Leua was gone to incampe before Pauia Caracciol gone vp to Cremona to denounce warre to him coÌ„tracted with the Venetians to conclude no accord with thempror without their consent and in recompence of that coÌ„tract they bound theÌ„selues to minister to him for the defence of his estates a regiment of 2000. footmen payed with contribution of 8000. duckets for euery moneth They sent also artilleries men to Cremona with which proportioÌ„ of succors promises the duke had confidence to be able to
greate personages to make his cause fauoured and recommended There remained now the two articles of most importance and difficultie concerning the Venetians and Frauncis Sforce with whom as touching to accord and compounde themprour seamed now nothing so seuere and hard as he had bene before which as it was altogether contrary to the inclinacion with the which he was come into Italye so he tooke his reason both vpon the difficultie of thinges appearing greater then he imagined in Spaine and also for that he found by reason of the new coniunctiō which Frauncis Sforce had made with the Venetians that the conquest of thestate of Myllan would not be a matter of easie action he saw also how farre he was imbarked into exspenses and charges by so greate a traine of soldiours and folowers which he had brought with him and caused to come after him aswell out of Spaine as Germanie But the chiefe cause was thimportunitie of his brother who for the tumultes of the Lutherians and other signes appearing of innouacion solicited him to passe into Almanie whether it was credible that within a shorte time the power of the Turkes would eftsones retorne a matter which he gathered vpon the protestacion which Solyman made who in his passion of spite and ignominie had sworne at his breaking vp from before Vienna that he would eftsones recontinue the quarrell with an armie more mighty and prepared In these regardes were equally concurring thinterests of his honour and sauetie For that themprour to whom it seamed that if he should go out of Italye and leaue thinges vnperfect he could neither cary awaie assurance for him selfe nor reputacion to his name beganne to giue out many signes and tokens of a minde inclined not onely to come to accord with the Venetyans but also to pardon Frauncis Sforce In which good disposicion the Pope omitted no good office of perswacion and inducement both to solicite confirme him no lesse mouing him a deuowt desier to haue an vniuersall tranquillity then for that themprour standing no more restrained and intangled with other enterprises he might with better opportunitie drawe him to conuert all his forces against Florence Onely themperour seamed most of all to be deteined by this reason that it could not but be against his dignitie to giue occasion to the world to beleue that necessitie had almost induced him to pardon the crime of Frauncis Sforce And Antho. de Leua being with him at Bolognia solicited vehemently that he would make an other resolucion and disposing of that estate sometimes preferring the memorie of Alexander the Popes nephew and some times naming others meete to receiue such a preferment Neuerthelesse for that there could not easely be found out to gouerne that estate a personage with whom Italie would be contented the Pope hauing no inclinacion to conuert it to any of his not that he wanted ambicion to embrace so great a thing but because he sawe he could not accomplishe it without newe warres and newe troubles ThEmperour at last was brought to consent to graunt safeconduit to Frauncis Sforce vnder colour to haue accesse to him to submit and iustefie him selfe but in true meaning that libertie of accesse was graunted to th ende thinges might be reduced to some composicion The Venetians were not ill contented with his going to themprour for that they hoped that at one time would be introduced some forme of accord to their affaires Neuerthelesse the course of armes and warre ceassed not for all these in the regions of Lombardie for that Belioyenso who in the absence of Antho. de Leua was chiefe Commaunder at Myllan went out with seuen thowsande footemen to incampe before Saint Angeo wherein were remayning for the strength and garrison of the towne foure companies of footemen of the Venetians and the Duke of Millan And after he had vsed vppon it the seruice of his great artilleries and that by reason of certeine raynes and showers that fell from aboue the harquebuzes that manned and defended the walls vncouered were made vnprofitable He brought neare his souldiours couered with their shields and being armed with their swords and pykes he gaue thassault in which he presented in his owne person no lesse vallour and resolucion then was seene in any of the others But when the defendantes were no longer hable to keepe fire in their matches by reason they stoode open to the rayne and in that regarde being driuen to feight with other weapons they beganne to abandon the walls no lesse thorow the vallour of their enemies who pressed on with a furie equall to the fortune that fauoured them then for their owne astonishment which was made so much the greater by howe much they were made lesse apt to doe seruice by the wretched accident of rayne that tooke away the vse of their peeces As soone as thImperialls saw the walls abandoned of bodies to defende them the same fiercenesse that ledde them to giue the assault brought them on to enter the place where in the rage of their victorie all suche wretched creatures as they founde they made them eyther passe by the edge of the sworde or at least put them vnder the sentence of bitter captiuitie After this he determined to passe ouer to the other side of the riuer of Adda and by that time he had put ouer one parte of his armie at the bridge of Casciano he saw certeyne bands of Spanyardes of a newe leauie departing to goe to Millan but preuenting them he caused the souldiours that were left in the towne to take armes by which impediment being stopped and denied to enter they returned againe to the armie But notwithstanding all these euents and that the armie of Launceknightes was alreadie vpon the landes of the Venetians the negociacions of the peace were so farre aduaunced and in so good tearmes that all councells and studies of the warre beganne to vanish and growe colde for when Frauncis Sforce was brought to the presence of thEmperour at Bolognia and hauing with humilitie and submission praised his benignitie in admitting him to his presence He tolde him that so much did he reappose for him selfe in his owne iustice and equitie that for all thinges happened before the Marquis of Pisquairo restrained him within the castell of Myllan he desired no other propertie of suretie or supporte then his owne innocencie And that therefore he renounced frankely the safe conduit the bill or escript whereof the Duke holding in his hande he layed it at his feete a matter which much pleased the Emprour There was a moneth spent in debating of the difficulties aswell concerning his accord as the composition with the Venetians But at last by the continuall working and interposing of the Pope both the one and the other were concluded the xxiij of December Frauncis Sforce being bounde to paie to the Emprour within one yeare foure hundred thowsand duckats and fiue hundred more within tenne yeares that is fiftie thowsand euerie yeare and for