the name of Lewis the twelfth a Prince as well beefore as after his comming to the crowne subiect to great varietie of fortune The first thing hee attempted after he had setled his estate was to bee deuorced from his wife the Lady Iane daughter to King Lewis the eleuenth pretending that hee had maried hir by constraint neuer had any carnall knowledge of hir But because hee doubted how his Realme would digest so great an iniurie offered to this Lady beeing a Kings daughter and sister a most vertuous Princesse who had also beene his wife a great number of yeares and had by excessiue sute and manie teares begged his life of king Charles hir brother after the wars of Bretaine ended wherein the saide Duke of Orleans as before you haue heard was taken prisoner hee sought to the Pope for reliefe hoping vnder coulour of religion to cloake his vngodly purpose and to iustifie by authoritie of the Church his ambitious desire to ioyne himselfe in marriage with Anne widdow of the late King Charles and heire of Bretaine thereby to hold still the said Dutchie of Bretaine vnited to the crowne of Fraunce which otherwise must haue beene seuered from it if this Lady had beene bestowed els where Alexander the seuenth so often mentioned in the warrs of Charles the eight a spaniard borne of the house of Borgia continewed still Pope at this time a man apt to imbrace any wicked motion that mought tend either to the filling of his cofers or to the aduancement of his house This Pope had a sonne named Valentinus Borgia a sinke of all fillthinesse the selfe same that had beene hostage with king charles in his Italian warrs being at that time a Church man and named Cardinall of Valence had escaped from him as in the said warres of Italy mention is already made This Borgia hauing lately renounced his Cardinals hatt had betaken himselfe to the warres was entred into the Kings pay And his father exchaunging spirituall graces for temporall possessions was contented to graunt the king a Bull of deuorce from the said Lady Iane his wise with these conditions that his said sonne Borgia mought be made Duke of Valence a Citie in Daulphine haue the charge of a company of men of armes vnder the king marry with Charlotte daughter of Monsieur d'Alebret a great Prince in Guyenne receaue a yearely pension of 20000. crownes and as much reuenew of inheritance all the which conditions were yelded vnto by that meanes the Bull of deuorce obtained and the King married the said Queene Anne heire of Bretaine I 1499. know not well who is most to be cried out of in this case either the Pope for graunting so wicked a Bull or the king for his extreme ambition and ingratitude towards his wife or his people for soothing him vp encouraging him to so detestable a fact or the Queene Dowager hir self in accepting so vngodly a marriage especially considering that she hauing been married before to a king of France whom shee could not enioy but by dismission of his former wife to giue hir place and beeing punished therefore as well by the sodaine death of the sayde king hir husband as by the losse of all hir children begotten in that vnlawfull marriage durst now notwithstanding aduenture vpon a second husband after the same sort But sure it well appeared that God was much offended with this match for if we consider first the Popes end his sonnes the one of the which poisoned himselfe with a flaggon of wine which his said sonne and he had prepared for the poisoning of certaine Cardinals their enemies and the other after al his great conquests in Italie his fauours in Fraunce was sodainely spoyled of all that he held in both those Countries sent prisoner into Spaine and lastly slaine being a miserable vagabond in the Realme of Nauarra Secondarely if we behold the miseries that fell vpon the king and the great dishonors and losses he receaued euen till the time of his death being tossed and chased like a tennis ball first cleane out of Italy by a prince in power much inferiour to himselfe and afterwards almost cleane out of his owne Realme by a confederacie of most of the Princes and states of Christendome against him in the last periode of his age Thirdly if we waie with our selues the continuall troubles the realme of Fraunce hath endured euer since this wicked marriage vnder the gouernment of this Ladies of-spring euen till this very day Lastly if wee obserue how in this our age hir discent is vtterly dispossessed of hir Dutchie of Bretayne which was the onely occasion of this vngodly match and the said Dutchie fallen to the hands of a king a meere stranger to hir none of hir line we must of necessitie confesse that God is a iust iudge and punisheth sharplie such offences howsoeuer flatterers that are about Princes sooth them vp and encourage them to such wicked acts cleane forgetting God and his commaundements if the breach thereof may further their affaires or enlarge their dominions Examples heerof are plentifull both in sacred and prophane Histories so that it were but lost labour to spend much breath in this discourse Cap. 2. The king conquereth the Dutchie of Milan Lodouic Sforce recouereth it and presently after loseth it againe and both hee and his brother Cardinall Ascanius are caried prisoners into France THis matter of deuorce hauing succeeded according to the Kings desier hee made peace with all his neighbours roūd about him namely with Ferdinande King of Aragon Maximilian King of Romaines and Archduc Philip his sonne and with Henry King of England which beeing done hee presently leuied men and made friends on all sides purposing to inuade the Dutchie of Milan held still as yet by Lodouic Sforce surnamed the Moore the selfe same that called King Charles the eight into Italie as before you haue heard which also the King soone conquered for you shall vnderstand that the saide Lodouic was hated of his owne people as well because of his great tirannie as also for poysoning his Nephew right heire of Milan at the least heire before him Farther hee was fallen out with his best friends the Venetians about Pisa who also partly for extreame hatred that they bare against him and partly for greedinesse of Cremona the countrey of Guyradadda which the king promised them for their part of the victorie dyd not onely incourage the king to passe into Italie and inuade Milan but entered also into league with him so that the saide Lodouic was destitute of all help the Pope and the Venetians beeing in league with the King and the poore King of Naples Frederic vnable to defend his owne much lesse to giue Lodouic any ayde So that after the French armie had taken La Roccad'Arazza Anon Valentia Basignane voghera Chasteauneuf Pontcorona and Tortona and that Galeas of Saint Seuerin to his great reproch had through cowardise
Notwithstanding soone after secretly hee reconciled himselfe to the Pope vtterly abandoned the French But the Pope by the ouerthrow which he had receiued at Rauenna and the great charges he had sustained in these wars the burthē wherof had lyen vppon his shoulders beeing brought to great pouertie and doubting also what would bee the isheu of the schisme in the Church sought for peace with the king onely crauing at his hands that hee would relinquish the protection of the duke of Ferrara which the king vtterly refusing the Pope fell farther out of pacience with him then euer hee was beefore And so happely it came to passe at that very instant for the Popes affaires that the king of Aragon sent him a secret message to perswade him to continue the warres against the French assuring him of his ayde which thing the king of Aragon dyd thereby to distract the kings forces while hee inuaded the Realme of Nauarra which hee was fully resolued to attempt And farther Monsieur de la Palisse generall of the Kings forces after Monsieur de Foix his death was constrayned to depart out of Romania with his victorious armie to the defence of the Duchie of Milan fearing that the Swyssers would inuade it as indeede they dyd wherefore the Pope by these occasions hauing recouered his spirits and being now more animated against the king then euer first continued his spirituall armes by celebrating the counsell of Lateran against him and afterwards stirred vp not onely the Venetians but also Maximilian the Emperour the King of England Spaine and the Swyssers to bee his enemies These Swyssers as before you haue heard had abandoned the kings seruice because through couetousnesse hee would not augment their wages and were entered into the Popes paye which his error the king wold willingly haue reformed afterwards and haue recouered them to his seruice againe but neuer could till his dying day The king seeing all the Princes his neighboures in armes against him by the Popes practises was constrained to withdraw his forces out of Italie for the defence of his owne Realme by meanes wherof the Pope and the Venetians preuayled so mightely in Italie that they recouered all the townes that were helde by the French namely Bolonia Cremona and diuers other Parma also and Placentia yeelded themselues to the Pope yea and the King lost his Duchie of Milan which was deliuered to Maximilian Sforce sonne of Lodouic that died prisoner in France vnder the protection and defence of the Swyssers The state of Genoua likewise reuolted from the king by meanes of Ianus Fregose who was made duke thereof the Duke of Ferrara was forced to make his submission to the Pope and to abandon the French so that the king held nothing at all in Italie saue a few castles namely that of Milan the castle of Cremona which continued French still till the next yeare after the battayle of Nouara when for want of victualls they were forced to yeeld themselues into the Duke of Milans hands but all the rest the King lost almost in a moment and withall all his friends a strange conuersion of Fortune that the King being conquerour lost all and the Pope and the Venetians being conquered wanne all But in truth they sayled not with their owne winde but with other mens for the Realme of Fraunce had at that time to many enemies by the Popes practises and to few friends Now to leaue a while the affaires of Italie and to come to the warres in Fraunce you shall vnderstand that the kings of England and Spaine determined to inuade Guyenne But the king of Spaine pretending the Realme of Nauarra to bee of great importance for the defence of the sayde Countrey of Guyenne perswaded the english men first to assault that from thence to enter into Guyenne according wherevnto they did soone toke it being void of desēce not expecting any war which cōquest being achieued and the sayde Realme of Nauarra deliuered into the king of Spaines hands the said king with faier words dismissed the English men giuing his son in law the king of England leaue to inuade Guyenne with his owne forces if he would For he had alredie obtained his pray by meanes wherof the English men being disappointed of his ayde were forced to returne home And notwithstanding that the king of Fraunce after the English mens departure attempted to recouer the said realme of Nauarra yet could he not doe it because of his great affaires else where Cap. 8. Pope Iulius dyeth Leo the tenth succedeth the King maketh truce with the King of Spaine being confederated with the Venecians recouereth Milan Genoua which notwithstanding presently after the battaile of Nouarahee loseth againe The Venetians are ouerthrowen nere to Vincense ABout this time died Pope Iulius to whome succeded Leo the tenth of the house of Medices 1513. which fell out well for the kings affaires for Pope Iulius while he liued so animated all the Princes of Christendome against the King that none of them would encline to make peace or truce with him but after his death the Kings affaires began to haue a better course for notwithstanding that Pope Leo were not frend to the French but had iust cause to hate them first because of the schisme in the Church maintained by them secondarily because by them Peter of Medices his brother and their whole house was ouerthrowen and chaced out of Florence as in the warrs of Charles the eight mention is alreadie made and lastly because him selfe was taken prisoner by them at the battaile of Rauenna being than Pope Iulius Legat yet proued he not so deadly an enemie to them nor such an annimater of Christian Princes against them as his predecessor had been all the which proceded of the Popes owne disposition who was a Prince by nature more enclined to pleasures than to warrs by meanes whereof the King burning with a desier to recouer his Duchie of Milan the rather because the Castles of Milan and Cremona held yet for him as before you haue heard sought first to make truce with the King of Spaine which the sayd King easelie enclined to to the ende that in the meane tyme without any impediment of Fraunce he mought setle his late conquest of the Realme of Nauarra Farther the king entered also into league with the Venetians who promised to ayde him with 800 men of armes 1500 light horse and 10000 foote men for the recouerie of Ast Genoua the Duchie of Milan and hee promised to ayde them till they had recouered all that they held in Lombardie and in the Marca Treuisana before the league of Cambray Thus the king being ioyned with the Venetians in truce with the king of Aragon inuaded the Duchie of Milan with a mightie armie and first recouered Genoua and then all the Duchie of Milan saue Nouara and Coma which held yet for Maximilian Sforce Farther the French armie vnder the
Duke therof who stood in continuall feare of the Duke of Milan and the Swyssers hee presently marched with his armie towards the mountaines Maximilian duke of Milan seing the tempest that hunge ouer his head sent to the Swyssers and to Pope Leo for aide The Pope sent to his ayde Prospero Coulonna with 1500. horse whom the french vpon a sodaine as they passed the Alpes by a secret way neuer passed before by horsemen surprised toke prisoner at villa francha and defeated al his troupes Frō thence the king marched beesieged Nouara which yeelded vnto him as did also Alexandria Tortona Pauia with diuers other townes Farther to make his conquest the easier he practised to pacifie with monie the Swiffers who were bound to the defence of the duchie of Milan as before you haue heard to cause thē to returne home wherevnto they agreed and rceaued some small part of the kings money in such sort that the king accompted his conquest to bee at an ende But the Cardinall of Syon so preached vnto them their league made with the Duke of Milan that they altered their mindes And when the king thought they had beene telling their money they came in a great furie and inuaded his armie which valiantly receaued their charge And what with force of canon shot and valour of the Gendarmerie of France who made a 1515. mends this day for their cowardise at the battell of Nouara but especially through the great magnanimitie of the king himselfe they were repulsed and so hewed in pieces two dayes together for so long the battayle endured that in the ende they were put to flight slaine at the least 16000. of them their courages so daunted that after this they reigned not ouer princes as before times they had done This battaile is called the battaile of Marignian which was fought the thirteenth of September in the yeare 1515. and was so bloudie on both sides that Master Iames of Treuoul who had beene in nineteene battayles reported this to haue beene a battayle of Gyaunts and all the other eighteene that hee had been in in comparison of this to haue beene but battailes of boyes These Swyssers purpose was if they had ouerthrowne the king to haue disposed at theyr pleasure of the Duchie of Milan which wholy depended vpon them But their hope was frustrate and being thus vanquished they returned home whervpon Maximilian Sforce Duke of Milan and the whole Countrey yeelded to the king The sayde Maximilian was sent into Fraunce where hee was so honorably entertained of the King that notwithstanding that he mought afterwards haue returned home yet would he neuer so do alledgeing that hee was deliuered from the seruitude of the Swyssers the euell vsage of the Emperour and the trecherie of the Spaniards wherfore hee chose rather to remaine in France wher he cōtinued till his death which happened in the yeare 1530. After this victorie the Pope and all the Princes of Italie sought the kings amitie so far forth that the Pope met with him at Bolonia yeelded vnto him Parma and Placencia as members of the Duchie of Milan which Iulius his predecessor had taken before as the possessions of the Church About the ende of this yeare dyed the valyaunt Captaine Aluiane hauing done great seruice at the battayle of Marignian aboue mentioned and was very honorably buried at Venis in the Church of Saint Stephan Cha. 2. The King returneth into Fraunce recouereth the Swissers to his seruice Ferdinande King of Spaine dyeth Maximilian the Emperour inuadeth the Duchie of Milan The Venetians recouer Bressa Verona a treatie betwene the king and Charles king of Castile at Noyon The wars of Vrbine Luther preacheth against the Pope THE King at his retourne into Fraunce lest the 1516. Duke of Burbon gouernour of Milan and so soone as hee was come into his Realme practised to recouer the Swyssers to his seruice and to make a new league with them which also was brought to passe and they promised from time to time to ayde him in his warrs against all men the Pope and the Empire onelie excepted But fiue of theyr Cantons would not agree to this accord at this time Notwithstanding about the ende of this yeare these fiue also were contented to enter into league with him but not so far foorth as the other eight for they entered into a league offensiue with the King but these fiue onely for the defence of his owne estates In this yeare dyed Ferdinande king of Aragon and Consalue otherwise surnamed the great Captaine about a moneth before him The Duke of Borbon gouernour of Milan for the King according to the kings league with the Venetians sent vnto them vnder the leading of Monsieur de Lautrech 3000. footemen and 1000. horse to recouer Bressa Verona But because the Emperour Maximilian enuying the kings great successe as did also the king of England leauied men of the fiue Swysser Cantons that were as yet not in league with the king and hauing receaued 50000. angels of the king of England and being confederated with Francis Sforce brother to Maximilian aboue mentioned inuaded the Duchie of Milan with a mightie armie of Swyssers Lanceknights and Spaniards the sayd Lautrech was constrained to returne againe with his forces to Milan The sayd Maximilian came before Milan with this mightie armie but being by nature verie inconstant and hauing receaued out of England a new supply of monie he sodainly gaue forth that he was aduertised of the king of Hungaries death which occasiō reuoked him of necessitie into Allemayne wherevppon presently he dismissed his armie without doing any matter of moment and departed home hauing filled his baggs with the king of Englands angells After his departure Lautrech returned againe to ayd the Venetians who recouered Bressa and Verona Farther Charles Duke of Austrich by his grandfathers death king of Castile seeing the kings great successe doubting that he would inuade the realme of Naples which easely at that time he mought haue done and was also purposed to haue done if the Emperour Maximilians descent into Italie had not staied him cōcluded peace with the king at Noyon wher were great demonstrations of amitie betwene these two princes promise of mariage betwene the said king of Castile Louyse the kings daughter diuers other articles agreed vpon which neuer wer performed for the said king of Castile ment onely by this dissimulation to preserue his realme of Naples which if the king would haue inuaded he was not at that time in case to defend by reason he was not as yet setled in his kingdome of Spaine the people wherof seemed better affected to Ferdinand his brother because he had been bred vp among thē then to him You haue heard beefore how the King and the Pope met at Bolonia after the battaile of Marignian 1517. where also the Pope restored to the king Parma and Placentia but with this
Emperour inuadeth Biscay recouereth Fontarabia The King of England inuadeth Picardie Bourbon inuadeth Burgundie Boniuet inuadeth Milan for the king but with euell successe Pope Adrian dyeth Clement the seuenth succedeth The Emperour inuadeth FrauÌ„ce but with euell successe THE treatie aboue mentioned with the Venetians was so earnestly pursued 1523. that in the ende they forsoke the king entered into league with the Emperour with the Archduc Ferdinande his brother and with Francis Sforce inuested by the Emperour Duke of Milan so that it was thought the king would now attempt no thing in Italie hauing so many enimies his especial frieÌ„ds namely the Venetians being become his foes but it fell otherwise out as hereafter you shall heare In the meane time Pope Adrian being come out of Spaine into Italie compounded the controuersie betwene the Duke of Ferrare and the Church and endeuoured to reconcile all those Princes together and to conuert their Armes against the Turke but all in vaine About this tyme also Charles Duke of Bourbon Constable of Fraunce and the greatest prince in the Realme reuolted from the king to the Emperour Diuers causes are alleadged by diuers men of his reuolt But I think ambition to haue bene the onely cause thereof For he being a Prince of great courage and greatly beloued in the Realme was perswaded that he could haue drawen the greatest part of the Realme after him and was promised in mariage Elenor the Emperours sister widow of Emanuell king of Portugale and to haue the earledome of Prouince conquered by the armes of the Emperour and the King of England and erected into a Kingdome deliuered to him And he for his part promised if the Emperour would giue him the leading of twelue thousand Lancknights to conquere all Burgundie from the king and to restore it to the sayde Emperour who claimed it as heire to Charles the last Duke of Burgundie slaine by the Swyssers at the battaile of Naucy in the yeare 1476. Thus oftentime are the noblest witts so drowned with an ouergreat opinion of themselues that they hould those enterprises for easie which are indeede impossible to be atchieued Notwithstanding the Emperour vsed his help in the warres and hee shewed extreame hatred against the king and his countrey all the time of his life for the which most men blame him and few commend him The Emperour hauing stirred vp almost all the Princes of Christendome against the king ment to assault him on all sides and so to destract his forces that he should haue enough to doe to defend his owne and by that meanes not bee able to offend him in Italie Wherefore first hee sent an armie to inuade Biscay which besieged Bayonne but could not take it but Fontarabia they recouered from the French God so disposing of this matter that each partie should hould their owne and no more on the other side the king of England sent the Duke of Suffolke with a mightie armie to inuade Picardie But God hauing commiseration as it is to be thought of the poore Realme of Fraunce caused the sayde English armie for want of victualles and money to retourne home without any matter of moment done The Duke of Bourbon likewise inuading Burgundie had no better successe for beeing entered with his twelue thousand Lansknights into the countrey both his money and his intelligences fayled him and his souldiours wanting pay left him and the most part of them went to serue the king Thus God fought for the king as long as hee stoode vpon the defence of his owne Realme but out of his owne Realme his successe was farre otherwise God as it is to be thought punishing his ambition in mouing vnnecessary warrs abroad to trouble the state of Italie and not being contented with his large ritch and florishing Realme at home For you shall vnderstand that at this time he was him selfe passing with a mightie army into Italie to recouer the Duchie of Milan as though without Milan the king of Fraunce were not worthie the name of king And notwithstanding that Bourbons reuolt and the inuasions aboue mentioned stayed his owne person in Fraunce yet his armie consisting of 34000. men hee sent into Italie vnder the leading of the Admirall Boniuet to recouer the sayd Duchie of Milan Prospero Colonna being gouernour of Milan for the Emperour and Francis Sforce met with this French armie at the Riuer of Thâ—sin with purpose to stoppe their passage but that notwithstanding they passed the riuer and Prospero was forced to retire to Milan whether if Boniuet had presently solowed him and giuen him no leasure to fortefie the towne it is thought he mought haue taken it without any resistance But the actions of great souldiers are not to bee censured by the iudgement of the vulgare sort many reasons great daungers mought moue him to forbeare to giue Prospero the chace attempt to take the towne by force which he being generall concealed to himselfe and deliuered not to the notice of men About this time dyed Pope Adrian to him succeded Iulius Cardinall of Mâ—dices by the name of Clement the seuenth The French armie aboue mentioned vnder the leading of Boniuet besieged Milan during the which siege Prospero Coulonne dyed in his bed to the reliefe of the towne came the Marques of Pescara with new supplies and likewise the Duke of Bourbon hauing fayled of his enterprise in Burgundie with 7000. Landsknights leuied in Allmaigne by Ferdinand the Emperours brother by meanes whereof the Venetians also ioyning with the Imperials and the Swyssers that came to the succour of the French traiterously refusing to passe the riuer of Seuze to ioine with the Admirals armie the French were forced not onely to abandon the siege but also with great losse of men especially of the noble captaine Bayarde to retire into France Bourbon and the Imperials continually charging them on the backe as they marched This successe had the king in Italie and no better had the Emperour in Fraunce who about the ende of this yeare inuaded in person with a mightie armie the Realme of Fraunce from the frontiers of Spaine supposing the small exploict done beefore Bayonne to haue proceded from the negligence of his Captaines Sauueterre he tooke a place of small importance which being done his courage being greater theÌ„ his abilitie to entertaine so mightie an armie lacking both money victuals which could hardly folow him in those straight passages beesides that the harde weather comming on which is verie terrible in that rockie and mountaine countrey he was forced to dismisse his armie returne home to abandoÌ„ this enterprise which he had attempted against the aduice of all his best souldiours and Captaines Cap. 7. Queene Claude of France dieth Bourbon inuadeth Prouince but is soone forced to retire The king inuadeth Milan and is taken prisoner at the battaile of Pauia IN Iulie in the yeare 1524. dyed Queene Claude 1524. at Bloys greatly to
the which reasons caused the king of England by little and little to straunge himselfe from the Emperours friendship But the thing that most wrought the alteration of his minde was that the Lady Regent of Fraunce the kings mother sent vnto him a gentleman with letters very humbly wrtiten wherein she signified vnto him that it was not honorable for so noble a Prince as he was to inuade a king beeing Captiue a Christian Realme afflicted with the captiuitie of their Prince which submission pearced so depely into the breast of this couragious king that presently he not onely dismissed his armie which he had leuyed to his charge not demaunding one penie in regarde thereof but also from that day forward became the greatest friend that the Realme of Fraunce had and entered into league with the Regent for the deliuerie of the king hir sonne for the accomplishment also whereof the sayd king of England so earenestly trauayled with all the states of Christendome that in the ende he effected it in such sort that so soone as king Francis had set foote in Fraunce the first thing he dyd was that presently hee wroat a letter of thanckes to king Henry aduertising him of his libertie for the which hee acknowledged himselfe more beehoulding to him then to all the Princes of Christendome besides Such true nobilitie reigned in Princes being in hostilitie at those dayes wheras now this age is so farr degenerated frō the magnanimitie of their fathers that one Prince seeketh to take away an others lyfe by treason murther poyson and such like vilanous attempts which the heathen themselues detested and abhorred But to returne to our Historie The kings captiuitie astonished not onely Fraunce but also all Italie beecause all the Princes and states thereof semed now wholy to depend vpon the Emperours clemencie none of thē being able to stand vpon his owne strength The Pope especially was not a litle grieued with this accident who notwithstanding that for his present saftie hee made an accord with the Imperials as did also the Venetians yet their hart was farr from it as the sequell wel declared for secretly vnder hand they practised to make a league betweene the state of Fraunce the Pope the Venetians and the duke of Milan against the Emperour which confederacie the Imperialls hauing discouered presently seazed all the Duchie of Milan to the Emperours vse saue the Castell of Milan into the which the Duke put himselfe and endured the siege and the Castell of Cremona both the which notwithstanding the Imperialls enuyroned with trenches on all sides But this seazing of the sayde Duchie caused the league to discouer it selfe sooner then otherwise it would The king to the ende he mought the sooner recouer his libertie went into Spaine hoping by present conference with the Emperour the sooner to compound all their controuersies But the Emperours rigor was such in rude handeling him neuer once vouchsafing to come to see him and propounding such vnreasonable conditions as the king without the ruine of his Realme could not accept that the King fell into a most daungerous and almost desperate disease for verie griefe of minde Wherefore the Emperour doubting to lose the fruits of his victorie by the kings death came visited him so in the end peace was cōcluded betwene thē at Madrid the 14 of Februarie 1525. after the French but after the Italians 1526. being iust a yeare lacking but 10. daies since the kings captiutie But you shall vnderstand that the conditions of this treatie were so vnreasonable that as it is reported the King protested hee would not obserue them when he should be returned into his Realme especially the articles for the restitution of Burgundy to the Emperour and the releasing of his soueraintie ouer Flaunders Notwithstanding for the performance of this treatie Francis and Henry the kings Children were deliuered in hostage to the Emperour and for farther continuance of amitie beetweene these two Princes it was agreed that the king should marie Elenor the Emperours sister promised as before you haue heard to the Duke of Bourbon but neuer with any meaning to performe it And thus was the King deliuered with promise that if he would not performe the treatie he should returne prisoner into Spaine Cap. 9. The Emperour marieth Fraunce refuseth the treatie of Madrid The kings confederates in Italie beesiege Milan twice but in vayne The Pope is twice taken prisoner by the Imperialls Rome is sacked Bourbon is slayne at the asault The King of England and Fraunce defie the Emperour The Pope is restored to libertie Genoua returneth to the Kings obedience The King inuadeth Milan and the Realme of Naples but by reason of the reuoult of Andre D'oria to the Emperour and the plague that entered into the French camp his enterprise was ouerthrowne ABout the beginning of this yeare 1526. the Emperour hauing refused 1526. the king of Englands daughter as beefore you haue heard maried Isabella Daughter of Emanuel and sister to Ihon King of Portugale The king being returned into his Realme complayned greatly of the Emperours great inhumanitie towards him and his vnprincely vsage of him being farre different from the entertainment that Edward the third king of England gaue to king Ihon of Fraunce taken prisoner by the Prince of Wales at the battaile of Poicters Farther hee assembled the estates of his Realme who according to the Kings minde vtterly condempned the treatie of Madrid as forced vppon a prisoner by violence and not being in the kings powre to performe and thus was the treatie broken and the Emperour deluded and so his owne councell tould him he should be before the Kings deliuerie vnlesse he altered some points of the treatie Notwithstanding the King offered him two millions of crownes for the deliuerie of his children and diuers other honorable conditions in consideration of the articles for the restitution of Burgundie and the release of the Soueraintie of Flaunders which the Emperour vtterly reiected charging the king with periurie because not performing the treatie he returned not prisoner againe according to his promise But the Pope voluntarely without intreatie had assoyled him of that oath The king perceuing the Emperours obstinacie renewed his league with the king of England and farther cōfederated himselfe in Italie with the Pope the Venetians the Duke of Milan and diuers other states against the Emperour who all ioyntly sent vnto him for the deliuerie of the kings children offering him verie honorable conditions in consideration thereof if he would accept of them but finding him to stande stifly vppon the treatie of Madrid and that hee would admit no other conditions they iointly began war vpon him inuaded his dominiōs in Italic came with their armie before Milan hoping to take it to deliuer the duke of Milan who held the Castle as yet but they failed of their purpose were constrained with dishonor to leuie their siege notwithstanding that their armie came
to doubt that he ment to doe as the Emperours letters reported namely to enter into league with him and to forsake all his other friends and thus vnderhand the Emperour made the king himselfe the instrument to cut his owne throat and to seuer from him all his friends Whervnto I also adde that to draw the king of England to his partie to ioyne armes with him he offered him of the conquest of Fraunce what portion he would desire himselfe and by these meanes was the King of England wonne from the Kings friendship and sent a Herrault to defie the King and presently passed ouer his forces to ioyne with the Emperour before Landercy as alreadie you haue heard But to returne to the matter Cap. 15. The Turke ioyned with the kings forces take Nice in Prouince the Emperour entereth into Cambray Furstembergs successe in the duchie of Luxembourg The English spoyle the Countrey of Bouloynoys The warres in Piemont and the battayle of Serizoles The Emperour recouereth Luxembourg hee and the King of England inuade Fraunce The King of England winneth Boloyn peace betwene all these Princes The death of the Kings of England and Fraunce THe King seeing him selfe thus inuaded by the Emperour and the King of England was forced to pray in ayde of the Turke who sent his nauie to ioyne with the Kings in the siege of Nice in Prouince and the towne they tooke therein executed great crueltie but the Castle they could not take wherefore they retired themselues The Emperour on the other side by cunning entered into the towne of Cambray and in apparance left them in their auncient libertie but indeede so brideled them by a citadelle which he caused the Citizens thē selues at their owne charge to build and into the which he put a garison of his owne souldiours that he brought them to plaine slauerie and bondage Farther the sayd Emperour sent also Williā Eatle of Furstemberg with an army to recouer Luxembourg who recouered diuers places in the countrey went and layed his siege before Luxembourg it selfe but hearing of the prince of Melphes cōming to succour the towne he leuyed his siege retired into Allemayne the Frēch recouered all the places that before they had lost But the English on the other side spoiled and forraged all the countrey of Boulonoys The king hauing succoured Luxembourg sent an army into Pie mont vnder the leading of the Earle of Anghien a most valiant yong prince who wan diuers townes there in the Marquisat of Salusses from the Marques of Guast generall of the Emperours forces went and besieged Carignan whether the said Marques 1544. with the army Imperiall came to leuie the siege but the French at a place called Serizoles gaue him battaile and ouerthrew him slew 7000. of his armie and tooke 2000 prisoners After the which battaile the said Monsieur d'Anghien toke Carignan and diuers other townes in Piemont in the Marquisat of Montferrat But on the other side the Emperour with a huge armie inuaded the Duchie of Luxembourg and recouered Luxembourg the chiefe Citie thereof and diuers other townes and namely S. Disier which last was takē with great difficultie long defēded it selfe against the Imperial armie This yeare also the Emperour the king of Englād being cōfederated together inuaded France with so great forces that it is reported aboue 80000. mē to haue ben in both their armies Their purpose was to haue sacked Paris as vndoubtedly they had done if the king of England had marched forward according to his promis to the Emperour had not stayed at the siege of Bouloyne by meanes whereof the Emperour seeing his armie to be in distresse of victualls that the English armie marched not forward to his succour according to their agrement concluded peace with the king and retired his forces out of Fraunce In the meane time the king of England wan Boloyne which was yelded to him by Monsieur de Veruins the fourth of September which being done the king of England returned home and landed at Douer the first of October Notwithstanding the next yeare after many skirmishes and feates of armes done betwen the french 1545. and English as well by sea as land peace was treated off betwene these two Kings and in the ende after many difficulties concluded but not proclaymed before Whitsonday being the thirtenth of Iune 1546. thus God miraculously preserued the Realme of Fraunce which vndoubtedly had stood in great daunger if God had not put into the king of Englands head to stay at the siege of Boulonie and not to march forward to ioyne with the Emperour as hee ought to haue done which his error in all apparance was the preseruation of the Realme of Fraunce The Emperour hauing made peace with the king entered into warre against the Protestants of 1546. Germanie and both he they sent to king Frances for ayde but he refused to giue ayde to eyther of them promising to be an indifferent friend to both The eight and twenteth of Ianuarie folowing died Henry king of England which newes the king tooke grieuously when he heard it as well because of the great good will that had been betwene thē as also because the king was in hope to haue made a firme league with him lastly because they two hauing beene almost of one yeares and of one cōplexion he foresaw his owne ende to draw neere Notwithstanding after the sayd king of Englands death he renewed the league lately made betwene them twaine with king Edward king Henryes son and not long after dyed also himselfe at Rambollet the last day of March in the yeare 1546. after the French accompt who begin not the yeare till Easter hauing liued 53. yeares reigned two and thirtie and three moneths and sixe dayes This was a Prince endued with many excellent parts especially magnanimitie curtesie and liberalitie and farther so great a patron louer and aduauncer of learning that he may iustly be called the father sounder of good letters What his fortune was in this world may easely be gathered out of his Historie wherin it doth appeare that she was more froward then fauourable vnto him but one great grace of God he had that no aduersitie was able to diminish the magnanimitie of his minde besides that he was of an excellent memorie and exceding eloquent in his owne tongue HENRY THE SEcond of that name King of Fraunce Cap. 1. King Henry commeth to the Crowne The Emperours warres in Germanie The English inuade Scotland The rebellion of Guyenne TO King Francis the first succeded his onely sonne Henry the second being eight twentie yeares of age in the very beginning of whose reigne the Emperour as before you haue heard in the ende of king Francis his reigne was entered into a warre in Germanie against the Protestants 1547. namely the Duke of Saxonie and the Lantzgraue of Hessen and diuers other Princes
enemy with certaine french forces and destroyed certaine villages within the Emperours dominions wherewith the Emperour being much grieued toke vpon him the defence of de' Emeriez his subiect and vpon this occasion began the warrs in those parts the flames whereof in a moment spred ouer all these princes dominions for the king perceauing the Emperors the king of Englands euell disposition towardes him determined while the Emperour was troubled with the aboue mentioned rebellion in Spaine which as yet was vnpacefed to inuade the realme of Nauarra and to restore it to Henry the trew king therof frō whose father Ferdinande king of Spaine had wrongfully taken it as beefore you haue heard The French armie at the first had good successe recouered in effect the whole Realme But the French Captains puffed vp with pride because of this cōquest moued also with couetousnesse hoping to obtaine some goodly bootie in Spaine beecause of the great diuision the countrey was in entered into the Realme as farre as the Groyne which their inuasion vnited the Spainards together that beefore were in diuision in such sort that they set vpon the French and not onely chaced them out of Spaine but also pursewing them farther entered into Nauarra from whence the Kings armie beeing in destresse both of victuals money was forced to retire lost all the places which before they had takē in the said realme as easely as they had wonne them Farther the Emperours forces incited by this victorie passed farther into France and spoyled many places in the countrey and then in saftie returned home In Italie also the Emperour and his confederats toke diuers places in the Duchie of Milan and made sharp warres vpon the king there wherewith the king being greatly irritated and purposing to draw the Emperour from the warres in Italie to looke neerer home namely into Spaine sent an armie into Biscay toke Fontarabia and fortified it and held it till the yeare 1523. when the Spaniards recouered it againe as hereafter you shall heare And on an other side also the said Emperours sorces vnder the leading of the Earle of Nassau inuaded Picardie rased Musancourt toke Moson and besieged Meziers which Captaine Bayarde valiantly defended against him Then the King with a mightie armie came downe in person into Picardie purposing to fight with the sayde Earle of Nassau but whē he saw that he would by no meanes bee drawen to the battaile the King departed leauing his armie vnder the charge of the Duke of Bourbon who tooke Hesdin diuers other townes But the king himselfe after his departure out of Picardie entered into Burgundie where he toke and spoyled diuers townes while the Emperour on the other side recouered Tournay which had continued French till this time euer since it was restored to them by the king of England who toke it in the time of King LEVVIS the twelfth as beefore you haue heard and thus proceded the warrs in these parts Cap. 5. Pope Leo falleth from the King to the Emperour The Imperials winne Milan and soone after also Genoua Pope Leo dyeth Adrian the sixth succedeth The Swyssers furiously inuading the Imperials camp are vanquished The King of England defieth the King by the Emperours procurement The Turke winneth the I le of Rhodes NOw to returne to the warrs of Italie Pope Leo seing the Emperours great successe began to straunge his mind from the king and secretly entered into league with the said Emperour pretending diuers iniuries done vnto him by the kings Ministers in the Duchie of Milan but indede burning with a desire to recouer Parma and Placentia which himselfe as you haue heard had after the battaile of Marignian yeelded to the king So the Pope the Emperour and Francis Sforce ioyned together against the king and tooke Milan which Monsieur de Lautrech defended against thē as long as hee could and afterwards also Come Cremona Alexandria and Pauia Notwithstanding Cremona the sayd Lautrech recouered soone after againe and the Castell of Milan held still for the king While these warres in the Duchie of Milan endured dyed Pope Leo and in fauour of the Emperour Adrian the sixth a Holander the saide Emperours scholemaster notwithstanding that he were at that time absent in Spaine was chosen Pope The French beeing renforced with new 1522. supplies namely with 10000. Swyssers entred againe into the Duchie of Milan and came before Milan Pauia which were so defended against thē by Prospero Colonna that they were forced to depart and abandon their siege Wherevpon the Swyssers that serued in the kings armie being wearie of the warres came to Monsieur de Lautrech and tould him that except he would fight with the enemie the next day they would depart home which the sayd Lautrech at the first refused to doe alledging the great disaduantage they should fight with because they must of force assault the enemies in their camp where Prospero Colonna and the Marques of Pescara were so strongly fortefied that he could not but vtterly despaire of the victorie But notwithstanding all these reasons fight hee must with all these disaduauntages the Swyssers hoping of as good successe heere as they had against the French when they assaulted them in their campe at Nouara But the issue fell out cleane contrarie for notwithstanding that these Swyssers furiously assaulted the enemies campe yet were they repulsed and a great number of them slaine the French in very good order retiring themselues This battaile is called the battaile of Bicocque The Swissers after the battaile returned home not once taking their leaue of Lautrech who also hauing lost the whole Duchie of Milan through this mutinous rashnesse of the Swyssers retourned into Fraunce to the king leauing at his departure Monsieur de Lescun his brother gouernour in Italie of those Peices that held yet for the king but for want both of men and money seruice hee could doe none so that the Imperials tooke Cremona and soone after also Genoua and lastly the Castle of Milan was also yeelded to them The Emperour whose affaires fell out according to his desire passed into Spaine by the way landed in England and so preuayled with king Henry that hee declared himselfe Imperiall and sent a Herrault to defie the king Farther they both sent Ambassadors to Venis to disswade them from the kings friendship and to perswade them to enter into league with them which also they obtayned in the ende But you shall vnderstand that while these Christian Princes warred thus one vppon an other the Turke to the reproch of them all wan the I le of Rhodes being as it were the bulwark of all Christendome And notwithstanding that the great master of the Rhodes sent to all these Princes for ayde yet were they so inflamed one against another that they preferred theyr owne priuate quarells beefore the publique defence Cha. 6. The Venetians forsake the King The Duke of Bourbon falleth also from him The