that he knewe well enough the estate of that daunger but on the other side was to be considered the perill that might breede of the disunion of those kings that in a matter of so greate importance it was harde to ballance things perfectly and to finde a councell that were wholly cleare from those daungers That in all euentes the Svvizzers woulde defende the duchie of Millan And lastly he answered that it was necessarie in deliberations so vncertayne and difficulte to referre one part to tharbitrement of aduenture and fortune What soeuer was the cause eyther for the authoritie of the Pope or by the proper inclination of the parties there began immediatly a practise of accorde betwene the king of Englande and the Frenche king The mocions and forespeeches of it were begon by the Pope with the Bishop of Yorke and were with diligence caryed into England whither for that busines the king sent the generall of Normandy but vnder culler to treate for the deliuery of the Marquis of Rhothelin Assone as he was come there was proclaymed a surceassing of armes by lande onely betweene the two Realmes so long as the generall remayned in Englande The king of Englandes inclination to peace was encreased by the occasion of newe iniuries for where Caesar had promised not to ratifie without him the truce made by the king Catholike he sent notwithstanding to the same king thinstrumente of ratification and by a letter whiche he wrote to the Frenche king he ratified in the name of Caesar but reteyned thinstrument the better to vse his artificiall semblaunces and demonstrations Assone as the negociation was begonne betweene the two kinges the Pope desirous to purchase grace with them bothe sente by poste into Fraunce the Byshoppe of Tricaro to offer him all his authoritie and facultie and to that ende he arryued in Englande by the suffraunce of the sayde king At the firste opening of this practise for peace there fell out manye difficulties for that the kinge of Englande demaunded Boleine in Pikardye wyth a greate summe of money But at laste all the differences fell vppon the towne of Tornaye the kinge of Englande stryuing to reteyne it and the French obiecting some difficultie In so muche as the king of Englande dispatched in poste to the Frenche kinge the Bishop of Tricaro whom he charged without imparting in what nature of particularitie consisted the difficultie to declare to the king from him that in regarde of so greate a benefite he shoulde not stande vppon so many suttle difficulties but to consider that in a Prince reason shoulde beare more imperie then passion The Frenche kinge because he woulde neither do wrong to his Crowne nor yll content hys people the towne of Tornay beeing verie noble and loyall to the Crowne of Fraunce caused the matter to be debated in full Councell wherein was an assistaunce of the principalles of his Courte who aduised him with one voyce to embrace peace yea vnder the condition offred And yet in that tyme the kinge Catholike dyd what he coulde to breake it offering the king manye plottes and deuises but specially to minister to hym all his meanes and fauours to conquer the duchie of Millan But the aunswere beeing returned into Englande that the Frenche king stoode contented with the resolution of Tornaye the peace succeeded and was concluded in the beginning of August betweene the two kings duryng theyr lyues and for one yeare after their death In the capitulation it was expressed that Tornay should remayne to the kinge of Englande to whome the Frenche kinge shoulde paye sixe hundred thowsande crownes and that in suche sorte of distribution that the Frenche kinge shoulde make payment of an hundred thousande frankes euery yeare till the full payment was satisfied That they shoulde bee bounde to defende their estates mutually and reciprocally with tenne thousande footemen if the warre wente by lande and with six thousande onely if the warre were made by sea That the french king should be bounde to serue the king of Englande in all hys affayres with twelue hundred launces and the king of Englande likewise to minister to his seruices with ten thousande footemen Thexpences to be defrayed by either of them that should haue nede of the men Both the one and other of them named the Skottishe king tharchduke and the Empire But Caesar and the king Catholike were not named The Svvizzers had a nomination but it bare a condition that who soeuer woulde defende agaynst the French king the estate of Millan Genes or Ast should be excluded out of the nomination This peace which was made with a wonderful readines was confirmed by the mariage of the kings sister of Englande with the Frenche king vnder condition that he should acknowledge to haue receiued foure hundred thousand crownes for her dowry The contract or handfestings were made in Englande where the king Catholikes embassador was not in presence for the great hatred the king of Englande bare to the king his maister And euen vpon the conclusion and resolution of this peace came to the Courte of Fraunce thinstrument of ratification which Caesar had made together with his commission and the king Catholikes for conclusion of the mariage that was solicited betwene Ferd. d'Austriche and the seconde daughter of Fraunce not yet foure yeares of age But the practise of that mariage vanished presently by reason of the peace that was now established And the Frenche king to satisfie better the king of England gaue order that the Duke of Suffolke Capteine generall of the Launceknightes that were in his pay should departe the dominions of Fraunce in whom the honors recompences that the king made to him ouercame all occasions of discontentment the bountie and liberalitie of the one being no greater then the affabilitie and disposition of the other The Pope had also in this time made new aliances for that according to his dissimulations he wished on the one side that the frēch king should not recouer the duchie of Millan and on the other side he sought to enterteine the king and the other princes as much as he could with sundry meanes And therfore he had delt with the king by the Cardinall S. Seuerin who managed his affayres in the court of Rome that seing the times suffred not to knit betwene them a more great and more discouered aliance that at least there might be layed a beginning fundation whervpon might be raysed a hope to accomplish at an other time a more straite intelligence to those ends he sent him the particularities of articles But the french king notwithstanding he made demonstration to like well of the motion did not answer so directly spedily as was looked for he was xv dayes in resoluing either for thimpedimēt of other affayres or that he exspected some answere from an other place to th ende to proceede according to the trayne of affayres By which delaying the Pope entred into newe capitulations for a
Realme of Fraunce was to appease and assure the minde of the king of England iudging truely that if they could reduce him to amitie and reconcilement the Crowne of Fraunce should remayne without quarrell or molestation Where if he on the one side and themprour on the other should ryse in one ioynt force hauing concurrant with them the person of the duke of Burbon and many other oportunities and occasions it could not be but all things woulde be full of difficulties and daungers Of this the Lady Regent began to discerne many tokens and apparances of good hope for notwithstanding the king of Englande immediatly after the first reapportes of the victory had not only expressed great tokens of gladnes reioysing but also published that he would in person passe into Fraunce and withall had sent Embassadors to themprour to solicite treate of the mouing of warre ioyntly together yet proceding in deede with more mildnes then was exspected of so furious showes tokens he dispatched a messanger to the Lady Regent to sende to him an expresse Embassador which accordingly was accomplished that with fulnes of authority commission such as brought with it also all sortes of submissions implorations which she thought apt to reduce to appeasement the mind of that king so highly displeased he reapposed himself altogether vpon the will and counsel of the cardinal of Yorke who seemed to restrayne the king his thoughtes to this principall end that bearing such a hand vpon the controuersies quarrels that ranne betwene other princes al the world might acknowledge to depend vpon him and his authoritie the resolution and exspectation of all affayres And for this cause he offred to themperour at the same time to discend into Fraunce with a puissant army both to giue perfection to the alliance concluded betwene them before and also to remoue all scruple and ielousie he offred presently to consigne vnto him his daughter who was not as yet in an age and disposition able for mariage But in these matters were very great difficulties partly depending vpon himself and partly deriuing from themprour who nowe shewed nothing of that readines to contract with him which he had vsed before for the king of England demaunded almost al the rewards of the victory as Normandy Guyen Gascoign with the title of king of Fraunce And that themprour notwithstanding thinequality of the conditions should passe likewise into Fraunce and cōmunicate equally in thexspences dangers Thinequality of these demaūds troubled not a litle themprour to whō they were by so much the more grieuous by howmuch he remēbred that in the yeres next before he had always deferred to make warre euē in the greatest dangers of the french king So that he perswaded himselfe that he should not be able to make any fundation vpon that confederation And standing in a state no lesse impouerished for mony tresor thē made weary with labors perils he hoped to draw more cōmodities from the french king by the meane of peace then by the violence of armes warre specially ioyning with the king of England Besides he made not that accompt which he was wont to do of the mariage of his daughter both for her minority in age also for the dowry for the which he should stande accōptable for so much as themprour had receyued by way of loane of the king of England he semed by many tokens in nature to nourish a wonderful desire to haue children and by the necessitie of his condicion he was caried with great couetousnes of money vppon which two reasons he tooke a great desire to marye the sister of the house of Portugall which was both in an age hable for mariage and with whome he hoped to receyue a plentifull porcion in gold and treasor besides the liberalities of his own peoples offered by waye of beneuolence in case the mariage went forwarde suche was their desire to haue a Queene of the same nation and language and of hope to procreate children for these causes the negociacion became euery daye more hard and desperat betweene both those Princes wherein was also concurrant the ordinary inclinacion of the Cardinall of Yorke towardes the Frenche king together with the open complaintes he made of thEmprour aswell for thinterests and respects of his king as for the small reputacion thEmprour beganne to holde of him He considered that affore the battell of Pauya thEmprour neuer sent letters vnto him which were not written with his owne hande and subscribed your sonne and Cosin Charles But after the battell he vsed the seruice of Secretories in all the letters he wrote to him infixing nothing of his owne hande but the subscripcion not with titles of so greate reuerence and submission but onely with this bare worde Charles In this alteracion of affection of the Cardinall the king of England tooke occasion to receiue with gracious wordes and demonstracions thEmbassador sent by the Ladye regent to whome he gaue comfort to hope well in thinges to come And a litle afterwards estraunging his minde wholly from th affayres which were in negociacion betwene him and thEmprour he made a confederacion with the Lady regent contracting in the name of her sonne wherein he would haue inserted this expresse condicion that for the kings raunsom and deliuerie should not be deliuered to thEmprour any thing that at that time should be vnder the power or possession of the crowne of Fraunce This was the first hope which fell vppon the Realme of Fraunce And this was the first consolation in so many aduersities which afterwards went on increasing by the disorders of thImperialls in Italy They were become so insolent for so great a victorie that perswading them selues that all men and all difficulties should yeeld and giue place to their will their glory made them lose thoccasion to accorde with the Venetians and gaynesaye thinges which they had promised to the Pope and lastly brought them to fill full of suspicions both the Duchie of Myllan and all the other regions of Italy And so going on to sowe seedes of new innouacions and troubles they reduced thEmprour to this necessitie to make a rashe deliberacion daungerous for his estate in Italy if his auncient felicitie and the harde fortune and destinie of the Pope had not beene of greater force Matters assuredly moste worthy of a knowledge perticular to th end that of accidents and things so memorable may be vnderstanded the foundacions and councells which being oftentymes hid are for the most part reuealed and published after a manner most farre from the truth But skarcely had the Pope capitulated with the Viceroy when were presented vnto him the great offers of Fraunce to stirre him vppe to the warre wherein albeit he wanted not the perswasions of many to induce him to the same effecte and lesse diminucion of the distrust which he had before of thImperialls yet he determined to take suche a coursse and proceeding in all thinges
agaynst the Pope Fol. 463. After the taking of Bolognia the French armie returneth to the Duchie of Millan The Councell that vvas to be holden at Pisa agaynst the Pope is transferred to Millan vvhere many stirres happen The Popes armie besiegeth Bolognia The French men take Bressia The battell is giuen at Rauenna The Pope publisheth the Councell at Rome Aftervvardes the affayres of the French begin to decline Fol. 531. The Duke of Ferrara is in great trouble The Medicis returne to Florence The king of Romanes makes alliance vvith the Pope Maxymylian Sforce is put in the possession of the Duchie of Myllan The French king maketh his preparacion to recouer Myllan Pope Iulio dyeth Leo the tenth is created Pope The French men are ouerthrovven neare to Nouaro and the Venetians neare to Vincensa Fol. 602. The king of England makes vvarre vppon the Fr. king The Venetians recouer Fryull The Pope as Arbitrator pronovvnceth peace betvveene them and the king of Romaines king Lovvys the xij dyeth Frauncis the first commeth to the crovvne and discendeth into Italy to reconquer Myllan Fol. 660. The D. of Vrbyn makes an enterprise to recouer his estate out of the handes of Pope Leo The Fr. king makes a league vvith the Pope The conspiracie of Cardinall Petruccio against the Pope is discouered Charles king of Spayne is chosen Emprour Martyn Luther vvriteth against the Pope The Pope putteth to death Iohn Pavvle Baillon Fol. 729. Pope Leo is the cause that the peace continueth not in Italy He ioyneth in league vvith th Emprour against the French king The French king loseth the Duchie of Myllan Pope Leo dyeth Adrian the sixt is created Pope Frauncis Sforce reentreth vppon the Duchie of Myllan Vvarre is made in Tuskane by Ranso de Cero Fol. 777. Pope Adrian comes to Rome The Venetians make league vvith th Emprour The french men beseege Myllan and are constrayned to diuert from it Cardinall Medicis is created Pope King Frauncis discendeth into Italy he taketh Myllan and beseegeth Pauya Themprour sendeth out an army to succour Pauya vvhere a battell is fought and the French king taken prisoner Fol. 838. The Pope is accorded vvith th Emprour Many practises are made for the kings deliuerie Ierom Moron conspireth against the Emprour The fr. king is deliuered out of prison returneth into Fraunce Fol. 9004. The Pope the french king Venetians and Duke of Myllan dravve into league against th Emprour The Duke of Burbon comes co Myllan The army of the league breakes vp from before Myllan The castell of Myllan is rendred to th Imperialls Many enterprises are dressed against the Pope The confederats sende their armies by sea to Genes Rome is surprised by the Colonnois The Pope makes peace vvith th Imperialls vvhich hurteth the deuises of Lombardye The D. of Ferrara is confederat vvith the Emprour Fol. 967. The Duke of Burbon yssueth of Myllan The Viceroy and the Colonnois make vvarre vpon the Pope in the states of the Church The Marquis of Salussa entreth Bolognia The Pope maketh vvarre in the kingdom of Naples The Duke of Burbon leadeth his armie to Rome taketh the tovvne and sacketh it and is slayne in the action The Pope being abandoned of all hope accordeth vvith the Imperialls Amutinie in Florence The king of England against th Emprour The confederats doe many enterprises Fol. 1034. Lavvtrech beseegeth Naples In the meane vvhile Anth. de Leua taketh Pauya and beseegeth Loda Andre Dore leaueth the pay of the French Lavvtrech dyeth The french breake vp from before Naples Monsr Saint Pol reconquereth Pauya Andre Dore taketh Genovvay The Genovvaies take Sauona and put themselues in libertie Saint Pol is taken by Anth. de Leua Th Emprour falleth to accord vvith the Pope Peace is made at Cambray betvvene the Emprour and French king The Emprour passeth into Italy vvhere the vvarre goeth against the Florentyns and peace is solicited vvith all others Fol. 1103. The Emprour taketh th Imperiall crovvne at Bolognia and from thence passeth into Germany The famulies of Medicis by the ayde of th Emprours army returne to Florence Ferdinand is chosen king of Romaines The Pope vvill not barken to a counsell The French king stirreth vp the Turke against th Emprour hath conference vvith the Pope at Marseilles Fol. 1163. The ende of the contents of the bookes THE ARGVMENT OF THE FIRST BOOKE LODOWYK SFORCE vncle and tutor to Iohn Galeas Duke of Myllan fearing least Ferdinand King of Naples would make warre vpon him breaketh of from the league that had bene renewed betwene the sayd Ferdinand Iohn Galeas and the common weale of Florence against the Venetians he procureth the French King Charles the viij to passe into Italy to conquer the kingdom of Naples Pope Alexander the vj. allieth himselfe with the King of Naples The French King hauing ordered th' affayres of the kingdom descendeth into Italy where he taketh many townes Diuerse emotion happen in the kingdom of Naples The Pope is in great perplexitie and trauell Pisa rebelleth against the Florentines The French King entreth into Florence and Rome and from thence passeth to Naples THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE historie and discoursse of Guicciardin HAVING in hand to write the affaires fortunes of Italie I iudged it cōuenient to drawe into discoursse those particularities that most nearest resemble our time and memorie yea euen since the selfe princes of that country calling in the armies of Fraunce gaue the first beginning to so great innouations A matter for the varietie greatnes and nature of suche thinges verie notable and well worthie of memorie and for the heauie accidents hatefull bluddie and horrible for that Italie for many yeres was trauelled with all those sortes of calamities with the which principalities countries and mortall men are wont to bee afflicted aswell by the iuste wroth and hand of God as through the impietie and wickednes of other nations The knowledge of these things so great and diuerse may minister many wholsome instructions aswell to all men generally as to euery one in particular considering that by the trial consent demonstration of so many examples all princes people and patrimonies may see as a sea driuen with diuerse windes to what inconstancie humane things are ordeined how harmefull are the ill measured counsells of princes many times preiudiciall to them selues but alwayes hurtefull to their people and subiects specially when they are vainelie caried awaye either with their singular errours or priuate couetousnes without hauing any impression or remembrance of the ordinary chaunges of fortune whereby turning to the domage and displeasure of others the power which is giuen them for the safetie protection pollicie of the whole they make them selues either by want of discression or too much ambition authours of innouations and new troubles But the better to make knowen the state and condition of Italie at that time together with the occasions of so many afflictions happening it is to be considered that
of their situacion they commaunde the citie were to put Verona in manifest daunger These castells were kept by the launceknights But in the other parte which is separat from this by the riuer is the olde castell looking towards Pesgara and hath his situacion almost in the middest of the citie going thorow the riuer with a bridge Not three bow shootings of drawing towards Vincensa standes the Citadell and betwene them both the walls of the citie ioyne without in forme of halfe a circle but within is a wall going from the one to the other which is in the middest of two great ditches the space betwene both the wals being called the subburbes of S. Zene which with the garde of the Citadell was appoynted for the lodging of the french Whilest armes were there as it were in rest Maxymylian solicited continually to make truce with the Venetians the Pope also interposing very diligently by the working of Achilles de Grassi Bishop of Pesero and his Nuncio And to this ende his Embassadors went to thospitall which is aboue Escalo to negociat with Iohn Coruaro and Lovvys Monseuigno Deputies for the Venetians But as all matters of state haue their proper difficulties and impediments so in this action the demaundes of Caesar were so excessiue that this conference tooke no effect to the great discontentment of the Pope who wished that the Venetians were deliuered of all trouble and with whom he had wrought so much to th ende there should be no matter of question to rēder to the Duke of Ferrara the towne of Comacho which they had burned before withall they had promised him to vexe no more thestate of the Duke of Ferrara to whom he gaue great fauor support both to make hi◠beholding to him for that he had obteyned and was to obteine by his meane and also he had hope that for these respects he would depend more vpon him then of the french king Against whom being in continual study to lay foundacions of right great importance he had secretly dispatched a Messenger to the king of England and begon to worke the Svvyzzers at that time inclining to some quarell with the french king To this action and for this reason came to him the Bishop of Ston whom the Latins call Sedunensis enemy to the french kinge and vnder that cooller pretending to be Cardinall and for that respect was receiued of him with great ioy About the ende of this yeare were accorded the king of Romains kinge Catholike betwene whom was some difference touching the gouernment of the Realmes of Castillo This controuersie was long debated in the Court of Fraunce albeit it suffered many great perplexities difficulties yet in the end it was guided to perfection by the meane vndiscreete councel of the Cardinal of Amboise who not considering how much this vnion was hurtful to the affaires of his king was caried perhaps by this ambicion that if by his working there might be stabilitie agreement betwene them it would be a degree to lift him to the Popedom being in this a daūgerous councellor to respect more his proper interests then the safetie of his contrey Such then was the power of his diligence and authoritie that he induced Maxymylian to consent that the king Catholike in case he had no yssue males shoulde be gouernor ouer those Realmes vntil their litle sonne Charles were come to the age of maioritie to whom should be no power to take vpon him the title of king during the life of his mother bearing the prerogatiue and iurisdiction of Queene for that in Castillo the issue males exclude not the general issue That the king Catholike should pay to Caesar fifty thowsand duckats that he should ayde him according to the treaty of Cambray vntil he had recouered all that apperteined to him And lastly to pay to Charles euery yeare forty thowsand duckats By this conuention the king of Aragon was confirmed gouernor ouer the Realme of Castillo standing nowe in state to haue faith credit with Caesar since both the controuersies were determined they both had equal interests touching their Nephew he might now more boldly looke into the meanes by the which he might hinder the greatnes of the frēch king which he held alwaies suspected for the regard of the kingdom of Naples About this time also the Pope entred into suspicion that the pronotary Bentyuolo remeining at Cremona labored secretly to returne into Bolognia against which accident he caused to be reteined in the pallaice of Bolognia for certaine daies Iulian de medicis And attributing all things to the ill disposicion of the french king he made knowne the feare he had that he would passe into Italy to subdue it make Pope by violence the Cardinal of Amboise And yet at the same time he spake without any regard in derogacion of the honor of Caesar as of a person incapable of such a dignitie by his incapacity had brought the name of the Empire into great contempt About the ende of this yere died the Count Petillano general ouer the Venetian armies a man for his age and graue experience in actions of warre of great name worthines with the Venetians of that credit and trust that they neuer feared he would put their state in daunger by rashnes or want of councell The yeare after which was 1510. the same dowts suspicions continuing warrs began to stirre on all parts but coldly according to the season for the Venetian army lying encamped at S. Boniface vpon the contrey of Verona helde Verona as it were beseged from whence Charles Baillon Federyk de Bossole Sacromoro Viscounte comming to their succors were charged by the stradiots who ouerthrew them taking prisoners Charles Sacromoro Federyk foūd sauety in the reskew of the french which issued out of Verona for their succors An other time they brake an other bād of frēch horsemen amongest whom Monsr de Clesy was taken prisoner on the other side fortune can both smile laugh two hundred frēch launces yssuing out of Verona with three thowsand footemen forced by assalt a bastillion towards Soaue which was garded by a band of six hundred footemen in their returne they ouerthrew a great multitude of paisantes But whilest the warre was occupied with these cold proceedings the minds of Princes were in great paine and care but specially Caesar had his perplexities who douting howe he might cary the victorie of the warre against the Venetians posting ouer according to his custome his affaires from one diet to an other had caused to be published the dyet at Auspurge and being kindled against the Pope for that the Electors of thEmpire pushed on by his authoritie made instance to negociate in the dyet rather for peace with the Venetians then for prouisions for the warre he had caused to departe from Auspurge the Bishop of Pesero his Nuncio he considered also that the deliberacions
the Popes forces gaue small obedience to this commaundement he complayned that he shoulde be constrayned not to reape the fruite which grewe to him in his proper house with small labour and to be driuen to buye of an other for the vsage of his peoples the ware whereof he had enough to replenishe forreine countreis alleaging withall that that ought not to be enforced for an example which the Venetians had made him consent vnto more by compulsion of armes then by condition of iustice Whiche reasons little auayled to content the Pope who eftsones sent to protest to him vnder great paynes and accursings to discontinue that worke suche were the thoughtes and actions of the Pope inclined altogether to rayse vp and support the Venetians But on the other side Caesar and the French king thirsted not a little after their embacement with desire to diminishe their authoritie and greatnes And beeing muche discontented with the demonstrations which the Pope expressed on their behalfe they drew into a more strayte alliance and intelligence one with an other concluding to inuade the Venetians that sommer with huge forces for the better aduauncing of which expedition the contracte bare that the Frenche king for his parte shoulde sende Monsr Chaumont with a strong armie wherevnto should be ioyned the Launceknightes that lay at Verona And Caesar for his parte should make entrie into the countrey of Friul with those leauyes of men and munitions which he hoped to obteine of thempire in the dyet of Auspurge and hauing accomplished that action he was to proceede to other enterprises according to the estate of occasions and tyme They solicited the Pope to ioyne with them according to the bonde of the league of Cambray holding it but iuste to sommon him to performe that which he had so willingly promised But he who was no lesse discontented with that motion then hauing a capacitie searching aboue the witte of other men made aunswere that he was no more bound to that confederation which hath had already his perfection seeing it had bene in the power of Caesar to haue first Treuisa and afterwards a satisfaction recompence in money Caesar likewise solicited to haue succours from the king Catholike both by vertue of the same capitulations of Cambray and also vnder couenantes and promises made particularly with him at suche time as he consented to him the gouernment of Castillo But this solicitation as it bare a forme of request to ayde him rather with money then with men so the king of Aragon whom it imported muche not to disfurnishe him selfe of the thing whereof he had moste neede aunswere that he would sende him foure hundred launces A strength of little profite for Caesar for that aswell in the Frenche armie as in his owne campe the seruice on horsebacke was plentifully furnished About this time the Citie of Verona liued in great afflictions vnder the souldiours that garded it who for that they were not payed drewe into secret conspiracie with certayne Venetian bandes by whom they thought to worke some trayterous stratageme for which purpose the Venetians issuing out of S. Boniface approched the Citie by night to skale the Castell of S. Peter and as they were entred S. Georges gate whylest they taried to fasten their ladders together for that being single they sufficed not to reach to the height of the wall eyther they were heard by the warders of the castell of S. Felix or in their feare they seemed to heare a brute of armed men And as in matter of enterprise imagination abuseth muche so whether they feared their owne shadowes or whether they doubted that to be in deede which was but a vision in their timerous fantasies they sodenly retyred leauing behinde them their ladders as testimonies of their feare and intention leauing to thenemie to doubt muche of their vallour that in so fayre an oportunitie forsooke the felicitie that their fortune had prepared The armie retyred forthwith to S. Boniface and at Verona the conspiracie comming to detection many were passed ouer to iustice and punishment though some found fauour more by clemencie then their proper innocencie In this season the Pope expressed certayne inclinations to be eftsones reunited with the french king not of goodwill but for feare for that Maximilian sommoned him with braue messages to lende him two hundred thousande duckets threatning that otherwise he would ioyne with the French king agaynst him An other reason of his feare was a brute that was spread that in the Dyet of Auspurge it was agreed to minister to him a strong succor and also the peace had bene newely established betweene the kings of Englande and Fraunce and published with great solemnitie By reason of these feares he began to trayte with great diligence with Albert de Carpy whom till that day he had interteined with wordes and hopes generall vsing in all his actions of negociation more art then true meaning and lesse fidelitie then fayre resemblaunce But besides the mutabilitie of his owne nature the variation of occasions made him not dwell long in that resolution both for that the Parliament of Auspurge without the forces and aydes of which there was no great reckoning to be made of the threates of Caesar not aunswering exspectation determined for him no other succours then a supply of three hundred thousande Florins of Rhein whereof his prodigalities had already made great wastes And also the king of England signified that he had setdowne an article in the peace expressing that it should be no peace as often as the French king should offend the state of the Churche In regard of these things the Pope reentred into new stomack and returning eftsones to his former thoughts he began to heape new cōplaintes agaynst the Duke of Ferrara who he sayd that since it was suffred to the subiects of the Church to sayle and traffike frankly through the gulfe of Venice had imposed newe tributes vppon the goods which were brought to Venice by the riuer of Pau A taxation which the Pope alleaged that the vassall coulde not leauie according to the interpretation of the lawes without licence of the Lorde paramount and withall it was a thing that brought great preiudice to the people of Bolognia who were his subjects for which consideration he made instance that they might be deposed threatning that otherwise he would bring warre vpon him Wherin to giue him a greater feare he caused to marche his bands of men of warre into the countrey of Bolognia and into Romagnia These things troubled not a little the mind of the French king beeing loath on the one side to fall at oddes with the Pope and on the other side he felt him selfe touched in honor and conscience to leaue abandoned the Duke of Ferrara to whose protection he had bound himselfe by receiuing thirtie thousande duckets No lesse was he moued with the regarde of his proper profite for that duke Alfonso depending wholy vpon him and fleeing so
neither was there any mutation at Genes as he did assuredly promise himselfe neither did the Venetians after they had in vayne assayed to take Verona hope for any aduauncement on that side neither did the Svvizzers accomplish any thing their action being rather in demonstration and showes then in matter and effect And touching Ferrara what by the ready succours whiche the French had sent â–ª and the oportunitie of the winter already come on there was no apparance of any daunger onely he had taken Modena which was no reeompence worthy of so great a mouing But suche is the nature of hope rather to prolong then to satisfie and guyding a minde vayne and glorious it norisheth him in infinite exspectations And touching this Pope disappoynted of so many hopes we may lay him in comparison with that which is written by the Poets of Anteus that beeing tamed by the forces of Hercules as often as he was throwen to the grounde so often did appeare in him a greater strength and courage Suche weening had the Pope amidde his aduersities for when he seemed most abased and oppressed it was then that he did most lift vp him selfe with a spirite more constant and resolute promising better of his fortune then euer And yet he had almost no other foundations then of him selfe and he would openly say that albeit he was made naked of valiant and loyall armes hauing no other assured friendes then the Venetians yet for that his enterprises moued not of any particular interest but of an onely franke desire to set Italie at libertie he doubted not with the ayde of God to manage them to an issue honorable happie and commendable He could not hope muche of the Venetians for that they were already drayned of money and oppressed with many difficulties and afflictions And touching the king Catholike he seemed rather to counsel him secretly then to ayde him openly vsing his ordinarie sutteltie to keepe enterteined on thother side Maximilian with the French king And albeit he made him many promises yet he helde them suspensed with many conditions and impedimentes And for the trauell he had vsed to seperat Caesar from the French king and to make him agreed with the Venetians it seemed euery day no lesse doubtfull then vnprofitable for that Caesar at suche time as the Pope had sent out an armie agaynst the duke of Ferrara had sent an Herald to charge him not to molest him And Constantin de Macedonio being gone in the Popes name to solicite an accorde betwene him and the Venetians he did not onely refuse to heare him but also giuing to know that he would more firmely knitte with the Frenche king he determined to sende into Fraunce the Bishop of Gurce to negociate with him of all their affayres Also the electors of thempire notwithstanding they bare great inclination to the name of the Pope and to the deuotion of the sea Apostolike would not heare speake of the expences in so much as being addicted onely to th affayres of Germanie they were not to do him any great seruice in those actions And lastly it seemed he could not hope muche more of the king of Englande notwithstanding he was young and desirous of innouations had made profession to affect the greatnes of the Church and heard his Embassadors not without some inclination of minde for that beeing so farre remoued from Italie aswell by lande as sea he was not hable of him selfe to embase the French king hauing withall ratified the peace with him and by a solemne embassage sent to that ende receiued the full confirmation Sure there is no man buylding vpon so weake fundations and encountring so many great impedimentes and aduersities who would not haue abated and restrayned his courage seing withall he had meane to obteine peace with the French king with such conditions as a conquerour could not in reason desire greater For the king consented to abandon the protection of the Duke of Ferrara though not directly in regarde of his honor yet indirectly to satisfie the Pope referring it to the arbitration of the lawe but vnder thauthoritie of suche iudges as would haue pronounced according to the Popes will And albeit he was certayne that he might obteine this forme of peace to his quiet and honor yet he added that ouer and besides these he woulde haue the king to leaue Genes in full libertie proceeding in these actions with suche an implacable obstinacie â–ª that not one of his dearest familiars durst once aduise him to the contrarie yea thembassador of Florence offering to sound him according to the kings commaundement purchased by his labour more displeasure then profite His resolution that way coulde suffer no counsell to the contrarie for a messanger whom the duke of Sauoy had sent to him about other affayres offring that his prince if it so lyked him would enterpose in the working of the peace he cryed out that he was sent to espie and not to negociate committing the messanger to prison and to be examined with tormentes his singuler courage carying him euery day into higher weenings made him also confirmed in the difficulties that appeared that not respecting the impediments nor daungers and determining to laye aside all his other thoughtes sauing suche as tended to the taking of Ferrara he resolued to go in person to Bolognia both to hasten things by his presence to giue more authoritie to his affayres and to encrease the courage of his captaines whose vallour seemed farre inferiour to his furie he assured himselfe that to take Ferrara his owne forces suffised ioyned with the Venetians who laboured to feede him in that perswasion for feare least in the ende loasing all hope of good successe he came not to accorde with the French king On the other side the French king being nowe made certayne by so many experiences of the affection and intention of the Pope and seeing howe necessarie it was to prouide agaynst other dangers that might happen to his estates determined to defende the duke of Ferrara and keeping established the amitie he had with the king of Romains he resolued to persecute by his consent the Pope with armes spirituall and in the meane while to enterteine and support things vntill the spring when he would passe into Italie with a puissant armie both by sea and lande to make warre eyther vpon the Venetians or against the Pope as the estate of affayres should require He perswaded the king of Romains that he would enter into action agaynst the Venetians not onely as he was wont to do but also to ayde him knowing well his auncient desire to occupie Rome together with the whole estate of the Churche as apperteineth of right to thempire and likewise to dispose all Italie except thestates of Millan Genes Florence and Ferrara By these allurementes he ranged him easily to his opinion but specially that by their authoritie ioyning with them the consent of the nations of Fraunce and Almain they might
dayes after arryued there the Bishoppe of Paris the Frenche kinge who to be more neare the solicitations of peace and the better to furnishe his prouisions for the warre was nowe come to Lyon perswading him selfe that the Pope woulde also sende thither and ioyne frankly in the action But suche was his obstinacie agaynst the deuoute willes of all these great Princes that he made greate instance to haue the Bishop of Gurce to come to him not so much that he thought it aunswered thexspectation of his dignitie Pontificall as for that he hoped that in loading him with honours ceremonies and promises ioyned to the efficacie and authoritie of his presence he might raunge him and make him conformable to his wyll beeing nowe more estraunged then euer from peace and agreement wherein to make the labour more easie and the successe agreable to hys desyre he solicited Hierome Vich whiche was of Valence and Embassadour resident for the king Catholike to goe on hys behalfe to the Bishop of Gurce The Bishoppe of Gurce refused not to condiscende to the Popes wyll but he obiected that it were good he woulde firste take order for that that was to be done afterwardes assuring that the difficulties woulde bee more easilye dissolued and decyded if the negociation were firste managed at Mantua with intention to goe afterwardes to the Pope with matters well debated and almoste resolued He alleaged that this course he was bounde to take no lesse for the necessitie then for the facilitie of thinges For as it coulde not bee conuenient for him to leaue alone the Bishoppe of Paris whome the Frenche king had sent to Mantua at the instance of Caesar so there was no hope he shoulde debate in th affayres of his king and no lesse inconuenient to require him to goe with him to the Pope seeing that neyther it aunswered his commission nor the dignitie of his king to goe to the house of thennemie affore their controuersies were accorded or at least very neare to bee resolued Of the contrarie the two Embassadors of Aragon declared that the whole hope of peace making depended vppon the agreement and composing of the affayres of Ferrara for that they beeing determined and no more cause remayning to the Pope to sustayne the Venetians they shoulde bee constrayned to yeelde to peace with suche lawes and conditions as Caesar woulde That the Pope pretended that the sea Apostolike had great and strong rightes ouer the citie of Ferrara and did esteeme Alfonso to haue vsed towards him a great ingratitude and had done him many vnworthy iniuries That to abate and qualifie the rigor of his minde whiche was nowe full of displeasure it was more conuenient that the subiect or vassall shoulde implore the clemencie of his Lorde then to come and dispute of his iustice For which reasons they perswaded that it was not only comely and honest but also conuenient and necessarie to go to him in which iuste humilitie and submission they doubted not but he woulde diminishe a great parte of his rigour They thought it not profitable that that diligence that industrie that authoritie whiche was to be imployed to dispose the Pope to peace shoulde be consumed in perswasions tending to endes doubtfull Lastely they added with very sweete wordes that neither could matters haue their full disputation nor the quarrells sufficiently searched into vnlesse all the parties were together in full assistance And that within Mantua was onely but one parte for that Caesar the French king and the king Catholike were in suche vnitie of leagues parentages and amities that in this action they were to be reputed as brethren thinterestes of euery particular beeing common to them all What by these perswasions and other respectes more speciall and priuate the Bishoppe of Gurce suffered him selfe to bee wonne to goe thither with intention that the Bishoppe of Paris shoulde exspect at Parma what woulde be the successe of his voyage During these actions the Pope notwithstanding all solicitation made apperteining to the peace had not yet altered his thoughtes from the warre interteyning the one with showes dissembled and embrasing the other with desires burning and importunat He supposed to surprise of newe the bastillion of Geniuola recommending the charge of that enterprise to Iohn Vitelli But aswell for the small and slowe paymentes that were made the numbers of footemen were farre inferiour to thappoyntment as also that all the countrey thereaboutes stoode ouerflowed bothe by the plentie of raynes that fell and by the cutting of the rysinges of the ryuer of Pavv there was nothing aduaunced Besides Alfonso d'Este was the stronger by water who with an armie of Gallies and Brigantins so charged the Venetian fleete neare S. Albert that what with the furie of that encounter and with the feare of an other fleete of lesser vesselles which they discerned sayling from Comaccho they retyred to the porte of Rauenna with the losse of two fustes two barbottes and more then fourtie smaller vesselles This accident disappoynted the Popes hope to take the Bastyllion and therefore he returned those companies to the campe whiche lodged at Finalo very muche weakened of the strength of footemen for that the paye was so small About this tyme the Pope created eyght Cardinalles partely to allure to him the myndes of Princes and partly to arme him agaynst the threatnings of the Councell Suche as he created were prelates learned and experienced and as they bare in the Court of Rome a greate authoritie so they were personages of speciall election suche as he reapposed moste suretie in Of the number of this creation was the Archbyshoppe of Yorke Embassadour for the kinge of Englande and the Byshoppe of Syon the one beeing a man of importaunce to stirre vppe the Svvizzers and the other beeing gracious with hys king whom he hoped to kindle agaynst the Frenchmen And to drawe on the Bishop of Gurce as it were with an earnest penny certayne of the same dignitie and with that hope to make him the more tractable to his desyre he reserued to him selfe with the consent of the Consistorie a power to name an other suche a one as he had fashioned already in his mynde After he vnderstoode that the Bishop of Gurce had consented to come to him he determined to receyue him with great honour wherein to expresse more office then thestate of a Bishop of Gurce coulde chalenge and lesse respect then apperteined to so supreme a dignitie as a high Bishop of Rome he went from Rauenna to Bolognia to th ende to ioyne the magnificence of the place to the residue of the honours he pretended There he receiued him with pompes and ceremonies equall to the estate and dignitie of any king the glory of his demonstrations and showes giuing great detection of his dissembled minde The Bishop also for his parte expressed no lesse pompe and magnificence for that discending into Italie with the title of Caesars liefetenant he came accompanied with a very great
declaring as nothing all election that shoulde be made by symonie and giuing an entry and meane very easie to any Cardinall to impugne it This constitution he had pronounced from the tyme he was within Bolognia standing then discontented with certayne Cardinalls who laboured openly to purchase the promises of other Cardinalls to possesse the Papacie after his death He began nowe to growe better and better eyther by his strong and hable complexion or els for that by destinie he was reserued to be the author and principall occasion of more great and long calamities for it was not reasonable to attribute the recouerie of his helth to the vertue or remedie of medicines for that he obeyed neither rule nor order eating in the greatest perill of his maladie rawe apples and things contrarie to the prescription of Phisicke The Pope was no sooner deliuered from daunger of death then he returned eftsones to his olde deuises and cogitations continuing at one time to solicite a peace with the Frenche king and a confederation with the king of Aragon and the Senate of Venice agaynst the Frenchmen suche was his desire to chase out of Italie all dominion and imperie of the Frenche And albeit his will was more inclined to warre then to peace yet he seemed oftentimes drawen with varietie of fancies and for many reasons followed sometimes one opinion and sometimes an other not beeing hable to settle in minde and iudgement hauing his thoughts wandring and reaching to endes farre aboue his power The thing that carried his inclination to the warre besides his auncient hatred agaynst the Frenche and that he was not hable to obteine all the conditions of peace which he desired were the vehement and importunate perswasions of the king of Aragon who feared nowe more then euer least the French king beeing once at peace with the Pope would not execute vppon the realme of Naples vppon the first occasion Wherein to th ende his counsells might carrie a greater authoritie besides the armie at sea which was affore repassed out of Affrika into Italie vnder Peter Nauarre he had sent newly out of Spayne an other sea armie conteyning fiue hundred men at armes six hundred horsmen mounted vpon iennets and three thousand footmen Neuertheles this king proceeding vnderhand with his accustomed subtelties made show that he desired more then euer the warre agaynst the Moores from which his owne profire or particuler interest did not draw him but onely a holy deuotion which he had alwayes borne to the sea Apostolike onely he alleaged that beeing not hable of him selfe to interteine his souldiours it was necessarie that the Pope and thestate of Venice shoulde minister to him wherevnto to th ende they might condiscende more easily his bands that were all descended into the yle of Capri neare to Naples made showes as though they prepared to passe into Affrika But his immoderate demaundes muche amasing the Pope and his suttleties pleasing him nothing at all he entred into many suspicions well knowing that that king ceassed not to giue to the Frenche king hopes all contrarie he knewe the Venetians would not willingly be drawne from his will and purposes euen so he was not ignoraunt that for the greatnes of suche a warre wherein they were they were no longer hable to beare out the burden and charges as before And that time had brought the Senate nowe to seeke more to defende their owne then to take in hande a newe warre which could not be continued without intollerable exspences He hoped that the Svvizzers by a common inclination of those contreimen would declare them selues agaynst the Frenche king but hauing no certentie thereof he seemed to holde it vndiscrete to oppose him selfe to so great daungers for a hope so yll assured not beeing ignorant that as yet were not reiected and cut off their practises with the Frenche king and many of their chieftaines and principalls to whome reuerted not small profites by the Frenche amities labored all they might that in thassembly which was presently to be holden their alliance might be renewed with the kinge Touching the will and intention of Caesar notwithstanding he had many inclinations by the king Catholik of his owne nature a sworne enemie to the Frenche name yet his hope of him was lesse then his feare knowing the great offers that were made to him of new aswell against the Venetians as against him to the which the French king was hable to giue more high state and perfection then to any others that could be made to him he sawe that if Caesar shoulde ioyne with the Frenche king he had greatly to feare the counsell by reason of his authoritie And also his owne power ioyned in good fayth and meaning with the forces and treasures of the Crowne of Fraunce and with thopportunitie of thestates of them both the Pope coulde not in reason haue any hope of the victorie which he founde very harde to obteine agaynst the Frenche king alone But that whiche gaue him the greatest stomacke was a hope he had that the king of Englande would be wonne to rayse warre agaynst the Crowne of Fraunce both by the counsels and perswasions of the king Catholike his father in lawe and for thauthoritie of the sea Apostolike which was then great in the yle of Englande and in whose name he had with vehement petitions implored his succors against the french king as agaynst an vsurper oppressor of the Church to these inducements was ioyned also the naturall hatred aswell of that king as of the people of England to the french nation much helping in this action the forwardnes of the kings youth great abundance of treasor left to him by his father which was supposed to amount to a wōderful quantity These were proper instrumēts to kindle fire in the mind of this yong king hauing neuer experiēced in his kingdom but fortunes happy plausible he was also pushed forward by an honorable desire to renew the glory of his auncestors who intituling them selues kings of Fraunce and at sundry times vexing that kingdome with great warres had not onely holden for many yeres Guyenne and Normandy rich mighty prouinces of that crowne and taken in a battell neare to Poyeters the Frenche king with two of his sonnes and many of his Nobilitie but also had occupied together with the moste part of the kingdome the citie of Paris the capitall citie of the kingdome lastly their vallours and fortunes haue bin so terrible to the Frenchmen that if Henry the fift then king of Englande had not exchaunged this life in the flower of his age and glorious course of his victories it was beleeued he had made an absolute conquest of the whole realme of Fraunce and brought subiected to him selfe the Crowne and imperie of that nation The memorie of these honorable victories working with the youth and disposition of the king were not of little force to draw him to action notwithstanding his father vppon
his dying had expresly aduised him aboue all other things to enterteine peace with the Frenche nation as the onely meane for the kinges of Englande to raigne surely and hapeply It was not to bee doubted but the warre of thEnglishe agaynst the Frenche king beeing also assayled in other places was of right great consequence for that in that action the very intralls of the kingdome were charged the Frenchemen redoubting muche the name of thEnglishe by the memorie of victories and conquestes passed Notwithstanding all these the Pope for thincerteintie of the fayth of straungers and for the farre distaunce of those contreys so farre remoued coulde not establishe or reappose his counsayles vppon those fauours These were the hopes of the Pope and thus were they limited and layed out in condition and proportion On the other side the Frenche king to whom nothing was lesse pleasing then to be in warre agaynst the Churche was greatly desirous to haue peace by meane whereof as he was to shake of the yll will of the Pope so also he was to be deliuered of thimportunate demaunds and necessities of Caesar two respects which troubled him not a litle the one offending his conscience being to muche addicted and the other consuming his treasors whereof he had made many prodigalities he made no difficultie to breake the Councell of Pisa whiche he had introduced onely to make the Pope condiscende to peace by that feare so farrefoorth as there might be pardon and remission to the Cardinalls and others that had bene partakers eyther in councell or in action But on the contrarie the demaunde for the restoring of Bolognia kepte hym in suspence a Citie by reason of his situation most conuenient to molest him he feared the peace was not sincerely accepted by the Pope nor with a minde disposed to obserue it if occasions returned but only to deliuer himselfe presently from the daunger of the Councell and from the warre of whose successe he had no small ielousie And yet he hoped to confirme the mind of Caesar with the greatnes of his offers and therefore negociating of common occurrantes as with a confederate he perswaded him vehemently amonges other things not to consent that Bolognia a Citie of so great importaunce should eftsones retourne vnder the iurisdiction of the Pope And touching the kinges of Aragon and of Englande he did not together distruste them notwithstanding the manner of proceeding of the one was already manyfest and the brute of thintention of the other no lesse publike and generall And notwithstanding their Embassadors ioyntly had perswaded him first with words of modestie bearing a pretēce of office and amitie afterwards pressed him with importunities to cōmaund that both the cardinalls prelates of his kingdome should be at the councell of Latran and also to suffer and see that the Churche were eftsones repossessed of the Citie of Bolognia one of her members not in the least degree The reason of this confidence touching thEnglish was that they made show to haue desire to perseuer in the confederation which they had with him and many of his counsell giuing him surety of the same he beleued they would attempt nothing against him And for the king of Aragon his sleights suttel apparances were such that the king gaue a lesse faith to his doings then to his speeches wherin he alwayes assured him neuer to enter into action of armes against him with which opinion he suffred himselfe somewhat to be perswaded that that king would neuer ioyne in armes so manifestly with his enemies as he professed by his counsels secret deliberations he beguiled him self so much in these opinions that notwithstāding he had hope giuen by those that were of his faction in Svvizzerlande that he might yet reconcile that nation if he would consent to their demaunds for increasing their pensions yet he eftsones refused it with no lesse obstinacy then before alleaging that it were no equity to yeld him self to be taxed by thē And vsing sharp remedies where easie meanes had bin more necessary he made restraint that they should haue no releefe of vittels out of the duchie of Millan thinking that by their vniuersall scarceties redoubled by the sterrilitie of their contrey he should in th ende bring them to agree to the renouation of thalliance according to the auncient conditions By this time was come the first day of September which had bin afore set downe for the beginning of the councell of Pisa at which day the Proctors of the Cardinals being come to Pisa celebrated in their names the actes apperteining to thexpressing of the same At this the Pope did not a litle storme specially against the Florentins for that they had consented that the Councell of Deuills for so did he alwayes call it tooke beginning vpon their estates for which transgression he declared that the cities of Florence and Pisa stoode subiect to thinterdiction ecclesiastike by vertue of the Bull of the Councell which he had caused to be published wherein it was set downe in an expresse article that whosoeuer he were that fauored the diuelishe assembly at Pisa stoode excommunicated interdicted and subiect to all paynes seuerely ordayned by the lawes agaynst schismatikes and heretikes And threatning to inuade them with armes he elected the Cardinall of Medicis Legate of Perousa And not long after the cardinall Regina Legat of Bolognia beeing dead he bestowed him in his place to th end that he who enuied their estate being vpon their marches with so great authority his presence might make them fall amongst themselues into suspicion confusion a thing which he hoped might easily succede for thestate reputation wherein he stoode at that time in that citie for besides the affections of certaine particulars desiring the returne of the Medicis discordes and diuisions the auncient maladie of that citie raigned amongst the generall number of Citizens of greatest apparance These diuisions bred at that time by the greatnes and authoritie of the Magistrate whiche they call Confalonnier which some for ambition and enuie could not suffer and others stoode yll contented for that iudging him to intrude more into the deliberation of thinges then apperteined to his place they thought he left not to them that parte of authoritie which their estates and conditions deserued They complayned that in the gouernment of the Citie ordeyned and conteined in two extremities that is to say the publike magistrate the counsell popular was manifest error touching the true institution of cōmon weales for a senat duly ordeined by the which besides that it should be as a reasonable tēperature betwene the one other extremity the principalls best qualified citizens should obteine in the cōmon weale a degree more honorable But the Gonfalonnier did the contrary either by ambition or by vaine suspiciō being notwithstāding principally chosen for the redresse order of that The thing which they desired in this action notwithstanding it was reasonable and
sauetie and the other part for glorye ioyned to a desire to sacke a citie so full of riches The Capteines besides their office to commaund and dispose most often tooke the places of meane soldiours the vertue of Monsr de Foix being singuler aboue the residue At last the Venetian armie were driuen from the place after they had made a wonderfull defense In so much as the Conquerers who nowe deuided them selues into two bandes made their entrey the one by the citie and the other by the Citadel finding in euery quarter and corner a meruelous resistance by the soldiours and by the people In whom it seemed their aduersitie had nothing diminished their vertue But the french men being alwayes followed with victorie passed thorow all impediments and chassed all their ennemies that stoode affore them They gaue not their mindes to pillage vntill they sawe them selues absolute Maisters of the towne such was their direction of their Capteine whom they obeyed and obserued so iustly that what soeuer he were that did otherwayes he was forthwith slayne by his fellowes In these encownters there dyed of the french parte many footemen and a greate number of men at armes But of thennemies were left on the ground eyght thowsand dead carkasses part of the people and part of the Venetian soldiours which were fiue hundred men at armes eyght hundred light horsemen and eyght thowsand footemen amongest whom was Contaryn commaunder of the stradiots who was slaine vpon the greene with a bullet of a harquebuze All the residue were taken except two hundred stradiots who fled by a posterne neare the gate of S. Nazareth albeit with no better fortune for that falling vppon the french armie which remeyned without the towne they were almost all taken or killed They also immediatly after the execution entred the towne by the same gate and falling to pillage aswell as the residue they enioyed the trauells and daungers of others Andrevv Gritty Anth. Iustynian whom the Senat had sent into that citie as gouernour remeyned prisoners together with Ioh. P. Manfron his sonne the Knight de la Volpe Baltazar Scipion one of the sonnes of Anth. de Pio Count Lovvys Auogato and one of his sonnes and Domynik Busechio Capteine of the stradiots These being chieftaines of th armie were reserued as miserable examples of their owne calamitie they were by the wretchednes and fortune of prisoners disposed caried about as best pleased the appetit of the Victors sometymes brought to behold the dead bodyes of their companions and friends A spectacle lamentable to be compelled to see those men deade whom in life they so much honored and loued And sometymes appoynted to stande in the presence of thennemie taking speciall glorie in that which to them could not be but an increase of discomfort by strait commaundement of Monsr de Foix the honors of the women of religion were kept vndefiled but their goods together with such others as for protection were conueyed into their couents were made a praye to the Capteines Count Lovvys was executed in the market place Monsr de Foix being present and seemed to holde it a sacrifice best acceptable and pleasing to his eyes his two sonnes albeit they were for a tyme deferred suffered in the ende the same payne thauthoritie of the Victor raigning very iudicially ouer the liues of whome soeuer it pleased him In this sort by the vallour fortune of the french men of whom they of Bressia vaunted to be discended fell into this extremitie that citie for nobilitie digniue nothing inferior to any other citie of Lombardye but in riches and plentye farre aboue them all except Myllan And as the miseries that warre draweth with it are infinit so the whole citie for seuen daies together was exposed to the couetousnes to the lust and to the crueltie of soldiours thinges sacred aswell as prophane being percell of the pray And no lesse the liues then the goods of men committed to the discression of spoylers This victorie brought great reputacion to the name of Monsr de Foix Italy no lesse then the other regions of Christendō resounding much his glory that by his celeritie and vallour in the space of xv daies he had compelled the armies Ecclesiastike and spanish to discampe from before Bolognia ouerthrowne in the plaine fielde Ioh. P. Baillon with part of the Venetian regiments and reconquered Bressia with so great a slaughter of soldiours and other sortes of peoples it was confirmed by the iudgement of wise men that touching enterprise and matters of warre Italy had not felt the like of long time the aduersitie farre exceeding the memorie and example of all times past After the action of Bressia together with the other places that were lost of whom Bergamo drawne into rebellion by the ayde of very few of the towne had by cōmon consent reuoked the french men before Monsr de Foix made his entrye into Bressia And after Monsr de Foix had set downe a forme to th affayres of Bressia and had somwhat refreshed and reordered his armie made wearie with so great trauells and no lesse disordered partly by keeping and partly by distribucion of the spoyle he determined according to the kinges commaundement to go seeke the armie of the confederats which after his departure from before the walls of Bolognia was stayed vpon the landes of the Bolognois To this direction the king was constrayned by many vrgent accidents which droaue him into necessitie to take newe councells for the sauetie and benefit of his affayres for he discerned manifestly that he should haue warre with the king of England notwithstanding that king had in franke tearmes affore assured him the contrary And since kept him in suspence with tokens and wordes doubtfull The actions which were quite contrary to his promisses could be no more couered for that there came aduertisement from Rome howe he had at lust approued and ratified the league by writing Besides the french king was not ignorant that in England were made great preparacions of men and ships and in Spayne was rigged a great nauie to passe into England where was an vniuersall disposicion in all sortes of the people of that region to make warre vppon the Realme of Fraunce To this humor of the king people was much helping the arriual of a galeass from the Pope laden with Greeke wines with cheeses and other prouisions which distributed in his name to the king Barons and Prelats of the Realme were receiued of all with a wonderfull gladnes The common sort of people which oftentymes is no lesse caried by vaine and small thinges then by matters more graue and great ronne with generall admiracion to beholde the galeasse accounting it so much more to their pleasure and glorie by how much they had neuer seene in that I le any vessell bearing the Popes banners At last Bishop Morton who had long negociated betwene the Pope and the french king induced either by his conscience or
by desire to be Cardinall was appoynted in an assembly of all the states of that ylande where he shewed with equall fauor full testimonie what was the iustice of the Popes cause Vppon this both it was determined to send the Prelats to the councell of Latran in the name of the whole Realme And also thimportunities of the Popes Embassador concurring the king commaunded the french kings Embassador to depart out of the Realme he published this reason of his commaundement that it was not cōuenient to enterteine about the person of a king and in a kingdome so deuout to the Churche a man that represented a king so manifestly persecuting the sea Apostolike Now began to be discouered the secret resolucion wherein the king of England with his armie by sea should molest the shoares of Normandy and Britaine should send eyght thowsand footemen into Spaine to make warre vpon the Duchie of Guyenu together with the forces of the king of Aragon A suspicion which not a litle afflicted the french king both for that the memorie of the warres past had made the english name very terrible to those peoples and also he knewe the daunger woulde grow so much the greater by how much the spanish forces were ioyned with them He was fearefull also by the consideracion of his owne weakenes hauing sent into Italy all his companies of men at armes sauing two hundred launces which if he should call backe eyther in part or in all the Duchie of Myllan which he esteemed much should remeyne in manifest perill And if for his resupplie he should encrease the auncient band of eyght hundred launces he could reapose litle confidence and hope for lesse assurance amyd so great daungers in persons newly created and vnexperiēced he added to this the suspicion of thallienacion of Caesar which daily more and more encreased for notwithstanding Andrevv Burgos whom he had sent with so great exspectacion and being returned brought tydings that Caesar was disposed to abide in the confederacion yet he made offers of very harde condicions entermedling many cōplaints for he required of the king to assure him to recouer al that apperteyned to him by the capitulacions of Cambray alleaging that he could no more trust in simple promisses for that he hath alwayes knowen both from the beginning and since that it was a matter very greeuous to the king that he should conquer Padoa And that to consume and hold him in continuall trauels he had willingly wasted two hundred thowsand duckats euery yeare knowing that to him the spēding of l. thowsand was much more That he had refused the last yeare to deliuer to him the person of Tryuulce being a Capteine that had both the will and the experience to put a speedy ende to the warre he required that the kings second Daughter being but two yeares olde might be promised to his Nephew induing her for her dowrye with Burgonnye and that the Daughter might presently be deliuered to his handes Lastly that there should be left referred to him the quarrells of Ferrara of Bolognia and the controuersie of the councell forbidding the french armie to march towards Rome protesting that he was not to endure that the king should any way encrease his estate in Italy These condicions of them selues greeuous and almoste intollerable were yet made more heauy by the experience he had that notwithstāding he should accord to him so many thinges yet he could not be assured that he would not varye eyther according to occasions or according to his custome yea thiniquitie of the condicions offered serued almost as a certeine argument that being already alienated from the french king he sought thoccasion to put it to effect vnder some cooller seeing that aswell in words as in works he disclosed many signes of an ill will for both the Proctors which he had so many tymes promised to sende to the councell of Pysa were not come with Burgos and also the Prelats assembled at Auspurge had at last made aunswer by a publike decree that the councell of Pysa was schismatike and detestable but yet with this moderacion that they were ready to chaunge sentence if they might be resolued in the contrary by reasons more strong and auaileable And yet notwithstanding the king at a tyme when he stoode most neede to assemble his forces was constrayned to menteyne at the request of Caesar two hundred launces and three thowsand footemen in Verona a garde of a thowsand footemen in Leguague Moreouer the feare of the Svvyzzers vexed not a litle the kings mind for albeit he had obteyned to send to their parliaments the Bayliffe of Amyens to whom he had giuen very ample commissions and was nowe resolued by discreete councell if such may be called councells discreete as are taken when thoportunitie of helping is past to spare no liberalities nor offers of money to reduce them to his amitie yet what with the hatred of the Commons which in this respit was made greater and with thimportunate perswasions of the Cardinall of Syon preuailing aboue thauthoritie of those that from parliament to parliament had hindred all resolucions that were to be made against him it was discerned that they inclined to send 6. thowsand footemen to the pay of the confederats who made demaund of them to oppose against the firme squadrons of the launceknightes Besides all this the king found him selfe depriued of all hopes of peace and agreement notwithstanding during the heate of the warre there had bene great labor and solicitacion made by the Cardinall of Nantes and the Cardinall of Strigonia A mightie Prelate of the Realme of Hungria for the Pope had made this last and resolute aunswer that if they would be better heard then before they shoulde so bringe to passe that the diabolicall councel of Pysa might be reuersed see restored to the Church her cities of Bolognia and Ferrara Wherein expressing no lesse violence in effects then furie in wordes he had newly deposed from their dignities many of the french Prelats which were resorted to the councell together with Phillipp Dece one of the most excellent lawyers of that time both for that he had written and disputed in the iustice of their cause and did follow the Cardinalls to be at hand for direction when matters required aduise and interpretacion of law In all these difficulties daungers and aduersities which inuyroned the french king on all sides he had not one firme or certeine footing in any part of Italy The estates of Ferrara and Bolognia serued him as in times past more for vexacions and charges then for any other vse And touching the Florentyns to whom he made a new instance to ioyne with him in a warre against Romagnia he could not draw from them other then general aunswers No he rather held them suspected by reason of the Vicerois Embassador of Naples ordinarily remeining at Florence but much more for that they had sent thEmbassador to the king Catholike did
could suffer no delay of action went out and sette vppon them at the village of Paterna where they were constrayned to retyre within the towne with the losse of more then three hundred men Conquest draweth with it ambicion insolencies and couetousnes And with men of warre triumphing in the victorie all things seeme to hold of equitie that they do in their rage and couetousnes for the Svvyzzers remeyning alone in the Duchie of Myllan and Pyemont deuised how to taxe and rate the whole contrey being now wholly assured of the french men And albeit the french king for the great affection he bare to the Duchie of Myllan was hardly brought to abandon altogether the affayres of Italy yet necessitie compelled him to harken to the councells of such as aduised him to deferre those deuises to an other tyme and dispose his witts for that sommer to defende the Realme of Fraunce The rather for that the king of England according to the contract made with the king Catholike had sent by sea an armye of six thowsand footemen to Fontarabio A towne of the kingdome of Spayne standing vppon the Occean sea the chiefe ende of this iorney was that ioyning to the companies of the sayd king Catholike they might in one mayne force assayle the Duchie of Guihen he beganne also with an other nauie to skower all alonge the coasts of Normandye and Brittaine to the great astonishment of the peoples of those prouinces Moreouer the french king had no hope to drawe agayne Caesar into amitie with him for that he vnderstoode by the Bishop of Marseilles his last Embassador resident in his Court that he bare a minde farre estraunged he aduertised him also that Caesar had not enterteyned him with so many hopes nor for other regarde debated with him vppon so many matters with so fayre apparance then to wynne occasion to oppresse him when he thought least of it or at least to gyue him as it were some violent and deadely blowe as he gloried that he had done at such tyme as he reuoked the launceknightes Thus Italy being for this yeare assured from the armies of the french king whose souldiours notwithstanding helde as yet Bressia Crema Leguague the castell and lanterne of Genes the castell of Myllan the castell of Cremona with certeine other fortresses of that estate There were discerned amongest the confederats many signes of difference and disagreement for the diuersitie of their wills and their endes for as the Venetians desired to recouer Bressia and Crema as due to them by the articles of capitulacion for that they had borne out the daungers troubles of the warre A matter which the Pope desired likewise for them So on the other side Caesar from whose will the king of Aragon at last could not be seperat thought to appropriate them to him selfe and also to depriue the Venetians of all that had bene iudged to them by the league of Cambray Besides Caesar and the king of Aragon practised but very secretly to make to diuolue the Duchie of Myllan to one of their Nephewes A working quite contrary to the Pope and the Svvyzzers who labored apparantly as much as they could that according to the vniuersall resolucion and consent from the beginning Maxymylian sonne to Lodovvyk Sforce might be restored to the place of his father after whose fall he had remeyned alwayes in Germanye The matter that moued the Pope was a feare he had least Italy shoulde fall into a miserable seruitude of the Almaines and Spanyards And that which induced the Svvyzzers was a desire for their owne profit that that estate shoulde not bee brought into the power of so mightie Princes but rather to stande subiected to one that could not menteyne him selfe without their ayde and succours Which election as it depended almost wholly vppon those in whose power was that estate and for the feare of their forces so the Pope the more to confirme them in that wil and in all necessities to haue in his hande the bridle with the which he might moderate thambicion of Caesar and the kinge Catholike did all that he could to winne their amitie And for that cause besides the great account he made publikely of the nation of Svvyzzers raysing to the starres the actions they had done for the sauetie of the sea Apostolike he gaue them yet for their greater honor the banners of the Church with this glorious title to bee the Champions and defenders of the Ecclesiastike libertie Besides these diuersities the Viceroy had readdressed the spanish companies which after the battell were retyred with him into the kingdom of Naples And beginning eftsoones to march and to passe with them into Lombardye the Pope and the Venetians refused to recontinue the payes of forty thowsand duckats by the moneth which had bene discontinued since the ouerthrowe Their reason was that seeing the frenche armie was chassed home they stoode no more subiect to suche bonde for that it was to ceasse by the articles of the confederacion when soeuer the frenche were expulsed out of Italy Whereunto was replyed on the behalfe of the King of Aragon that it could not bee sayde that the Frenche King was dryuen out of Italy so long as Bressia Crema with other many stronge places stoode at his deuocion Moreouer the Kinge of Aragon together with Caesar complayned in that the Pope did appropriat to him selfe the profitts of the victorie that was common to them both And vsurped that which manifestly apperteyned to an other making him selfe Lorde vnder cooller of certeine reasons subborned or at least so olde and withered that their force was gonne vppon Parma and Plaisance cities which the Lordes of Myllan had holden so long tyme as freeholders of thEmpire The diuersitie was also expressed for matters that concerned the Duke of Ferrara for as the Pope on the one side nourished his auncient couetousnes to vsurpe that Dukedom so on the other side the king of Aragon who desired to preserue protect him stoode yet discontented with the iniurie that was offered to haue staied him at Rome contrary to the law of faith safeconduit giuen for these reasons the Pope deferred to vexe Ferrara exspecting perhaps the yssue of affayres of farre greater importance whereof Caesar not thinking good that any resolucion were made without him dispatched into Italy the Bishop of Gurcy whom he had appoynted to that expedicion euer since after the battell of Rauenna there was negociacion of peace betweene the Pope and the French king he appoynted to sende him then for the feare he had least they compownded amongest them selues without respecting him and his affayres but the mutacion of thinges hapning afterwards he still continued his deuise to sende him In like sorte fell into consideracion the affayres of the Florentyns who beeing filled full of suspicion began now to feele the frutes of the newtralitie which vndiscrâ—etely they had vsed finding with all that it was not sufficient to beare themselues vpon the
the way that is vppon the toppe of the Pireney hills they tooke by assalt the towne that standes at the foote of the hills wherein was Baldes Capteine of the garde to the king of Aragon with many bandes of footemen And if to wynne the way of the willowes they had vsed the celeritie that the consideracion of the seruice required famine onely had beene sufficient to vanquishe the spanishe armye enuyroned on all sides with ennemies with ill wayes with ill fortune and with wantes But the diligence of the Duke of Alba preuented thennemye and preserued him selfe for that leauing in S. Ioh. Pie de Porto a thowsande footemen with all thartillerie he passed to Pampelune by the waye of the willowes affore they came thether So that the King of Nauarre and Palissa beeing disapoynted of that hope to whom also the Daulphin had sent a newe strength of foure hundred launces and seuen thowsande launceknightes made their approches to Pampeluna with foure peeces of artillerie which they had drawne with great difficultie by reason of the steepenes of the mountaines They gaue the assalt but with a fortune farre inferior to their forwardnes for that being not able to cary by their vallour that they were denied by the present season being then December and by the want of vittells being falne into a contrey barreine they repassed the Mountes Pireney vpon the which they were constrayned to leaue thartillerie both for the difficultie of the passages and for thimpediments of the paisants of those hills And at the same tyme Monsr de Lavvtrech who was entred Biskay with three hundred launces and three thowsand footemen making waste and pillage of the whole contrey after he had in vaine assalted the towne of Saint Sebastian he repassed the mountes and returned to the armie which now brake vp both hope and feare ceassing on all partes and the whole Realme of Nauarre remeyning free and peasible to the king of Aragon About this time there was a detection of a conspiracie that Ferdinand sonne to the late Federyk king of Naples who called him selfe Duke of Calabria had secretly conspired with the french king and to steale to the french armie not farre from the towne of Logrognia where at that time was the king of Aragon who sent him to the castell of Sciatyua whither the kings of Aragon are wont to send prisoners personages of name merit either for their nobilitie or for their vertue for this conspiracie was quartered Philip Coppolo a Neapolytane who was the secret Messenger to the french king in these actions Such is the alteracion of the state of worldly thinges that he was executed in the seruice of him whose grandfather by the father side had cutte of the heade of Counte de Sarny his father The detection of this conspyracie was of some consequence for th affayres of Italy for as it had his beginning of a certeyne gray Freare which the Duke of Ferrara had secretly sent to Ferdinand so the Kinge Catholike hauing already an inclinacion to satisfie the Popes will tooke this matter so to harte that he commaunded the Viceroy and his Embassadors resident with the Pope to conuert when they thought good his armye agaynst Ferrara seeking to exacte no further taxacions of money then suche as shoulde bee necessary to enterteyne them These were the accidents of that yeare both in Italye in Fraunce and in Spayne their yssues beeing diuerse as their causes were seuerall Nowe followeth the yeare a thowsand fiue hundred and thirteene no lesse full of occurrants straunge sundry then the other In the beginning of this yeare armes ceassed on all partes for that neither the Venetians molested others nor any other moued against them onely the Viceroy marched with three thowsand footemen to incampe affore the rocke of Tressa which immediatly was giuen vnto him vnder condicion that the bodies that were within should departe with goods and life saued But euery one vniuersally was troubled with the consideracion of thinges to come They sawe that the french king deliuered from forreine armes and eftsoones reincouraged both for the great leauy of launceknightes he had made and for thencrease of his numbers of men at armes had nothing in so great desire as to recouer the Duchy of Myllan Which disposicion albeit was very violent in him and no lesse desire to hasten the warre whilest the castells of Myllan Cremona were yet kept by his soldiours yet looking into the great impediments offered by thopposing of so many ennemyes and beeing not yet assured that the king of England woulde not make stronge warre against him the next sommer he determined to enter into no action onlesse he seperated some one of the confederats from the common allyance or else to wynne to him the amitie of the Venetians of these thinges the yeare past gaue him many hopes that some one of them might happly succeede to him for at that tyme that the Bishop of Gurcy went from Rome to Myllan he heard graciously by the way one of the familiar friendes of the Cardinall S. Seuerin sent to him from the french Queene and afterwardes he had sent into Fraunce one of his men to make these ouertures that the king should be bownd to ayde Caesar against the Venetians That the mariage should goe forward betweene the second Daughter of the king and Charles Nephewe to Caesar That to the Daughter should be giuen in dowrie the Duchie of Myllan That the king besides should giue vppe to his Daughter and his future sonne in law the rights he pretended to the Realme of Naples And because simple wordes and promisses should not stand to Caesar as a sewertie he required that the Daughter might be immediatly put into his handes And that when the king should haue recouered the Duchie of Myllan Cremona and Guiaradada shoulde bee to Caesar The king hoped likewise that he might easily ioyne to him the Venetians who were not a litle angrie at that time that the Viceroy occupied Bressia but much more for the matters which afterwards were accorded at Rome betweene Caesar and the Pope Therefore from that time the king had caused to come secretly to his Court Andrevv Gritty who being taken within Bressia remeyned as yet prisoner in Fraunce he wrought so also that Ioh. Ia. Tryuulce in whom the Venetians reaposed much did send to Venice one of his Secretories vnder shadowe of other affayres There offered him withall a certeine hope to be able to compownd with the king of Aragon who according to his custom often times to debate in his affaires by the negociacion of men religious had sent secretly into Fraunce two gray Frears to th ende that expressing howe they were touched with a conscience and zeale to the common benefitte they might beginne to negociat with the Queene in some pointes either concerning the peace vniuersall or particular betwene the two kings Wherein neuerthelesse there was no great hope the king knowing well enough that he would still
for his proper interestes labored to exclude them out of the league wherein he sayde his Embassadors had behaued themselues vndiscretly who not consenting for that they knewe suche was his intention that he was named in the head of the confederation had suffred him to be expressed in that article wherein euery one named the confederates of which the Venetians were not Moreouer that in those negociations and practises the Venetians had not aunswered thopinion that men had of their wisedome and discression holding such an estimation and accompt of Vincensa that the feare to loase it hath kept them from deliuering them selues from the trauells of the warre That it was impossible to him to nourishe the armie he had in Italie without the payes and contributions that were promised and muche lesse reasonable to susteine the whole warre vpon the confines of his realmes A matter which he knewe all the residue did desire and procure That the Pope coulde no more dissemble his desire and intention to take from him the kingdome of Naples And yet notwithstanding neyther these present iniuries nor the consideration of other wrongs could euer moue him to haue a thought to abandon the Churche and the other estates of Italie so farre foorth as he might finde in them a reasonable correspondencie to contract and capitulate with him for their common defence A matter which he hoped they would be moued vnto the rather by thopportunitie and meane of this truce He caused to expresse in the instrument of the truce the names of Caesar and the king of Englande notwithstanding he had nothing cōmunicated with them therfore it was a thing very scornefull ridiculous that at the same time that the truce was solemnly published through all partes and regions of Spayne A Heralt arriued euen in the action from the king of Englande to signifie to him the strong preparations and furnitures of warre which he leauyed to inuade Fraunce soliciting that he would likewise enter into the warre agaynst the king on the coasts of Spayne according to the articles and promises reciprocally passed betweene them The truce made in this maner amazed much in Italie the mindes of suche as had any discontentment with the rule or iurisdiction of the French men euery one holding it almost for certaine that the French king woulde not be long ere he sent an army on this side the Mountes and also that by the obstinacie of Caesar touching the conditions of the peace the Venetians would ioyne with him agaynst whom it seemed a very hard matter to be hable to resist for that the Spanish army had nowe no more meane to be enterteined notwithstāding they had at times drawē some sums of money out of thestate of Millan which stoode greatly impouerished with continuall expenses Touching the new Pope men could not discerne what was his intention he seemed to wish secretly that the power of the French king should haue his ends limites within the Alpes and yet being newly ascended to the Popedom and no lesse confused then the others for the truce that was made by the king Catholike in a time when men had greatest exspectation that he woulde applye his thoughts to the warre he was in great doubt and variation of mind Besides he was angry for that demaunding with great instance the restitution of Parma Placentia to the church he found a readynes of hope promise but very slow dispositions to execute performe all the others desiring to preserue them to the duchy of Millan happly hoping that his desire to recouer them would induce him to the defence of that state The Svvizzers seemed to be a more certayne and a more mightie defence succour but because the summes of money which according to the couenantes were necessary to wage leauie them could not be aduaunced neither by Maximilian Sforce nor the residue there was great feare that in greatest necessitie that nation would not refuse to discende to the reskew of Millan On the other side the French king after he had finished the truce determined to sende an army into Italie the reasons affore recited giuing him great hope of the victorie To those reasons also he added the propertie of his owne iudgement vppon the people of Millan who vexed with so many taxes and imposts of the Svvizzers and no lesse troubled with the harboring payes made to the Spaniards he knew had an vniuersall desire to returne eftsones vnder his obedience he gathered by generall argument that hauing nowe compared the heauy yoke of others with the easie impery of the French the seueritie of the one woulde make the other lesse contemnible And particularly he vnderstoode by many gentlemen some relating to him selfe and some enterteyning intelligence with Triuulce whome the king had sent to Lyon the better to debate with them of Millan that he was not to deferre to sende an armie hauing their promise to take armes and be his assoone as his armie were passed the Mountes To these furtherances the king wanted no sort of continuall perswasions aswell of Triuulce as of others that were banished who according to such as be depriued of the liberty of their naturall contrey omitted no reasons which might make thenterprise seeme easy specially the Venetians beeing brought to ioyne with him in the action But the matter that enforced the king to make haste was the confidence he had to preuent with the ende of that expedition the beginning of a warre which the king of England ment to make vpon him which yet he could not begin till after certayne monethes both for that that kingdome hauing liued many yeres in peace was vpon the sodein disfurnished of armes and armor of artilleries almost of all other necessary hablementes of warre and also in great want of horses of seruice for that to the inhabitantes of those regions the seruice on foote is more familiar then to make warre on horsbacke and also the footemen lacking training experience the king of England was constrained for the better strength habilitie of his army to leauye a great number of Almain footemen Matters which could not be dispatched without great tract of time The french king in like sort made more hast to haue his army to march for that he feared the castles peces that held for him would be lost for want of vittels but specially the lanterne of Genes whiche not many dayes before had missed to releeue with vittells a shippe sent for that effect which from Arbinga being thither accompanied with three ships one galeon being entred the mayne sea with a good wind had by a strainable gale passed thorow the middest of the Genovvaies flete cōming neare the castell of the Lanterne she cast anker and throwing yet with good successe her cables to those of the castell she began to vnlade her vittels and munitions whiche she had brought But euen in the action and before the desolate soules of the Castels coulde
take the frute of the benefite which their fortune seemed to offer Andrea Doria he who afterwards was so notable in marine seruice thrust in with a great ship wherof he was owner betwene the castel of the Lantern the french ship and cutting a sunder the cable that was caste to them of the castell and the cables that helde the ankers he set vpon the ship with no lesse felicitie then peril albeit in the fight he was wounded in the face yet by his vallour he wanne and caryed away the shippe The king therefore beeing determined not to deferre the beginning of the warre in which respect and to be ready in al occasions he had already sent many launces into Burgondie Dauphine he thought good now to harken with diligence after the matter debated vpon so many monthes with the Venetians They had bene somewhat deferred and protracted aswell by the one as by the other party both for that sometimes the hope to haue peace with Caesar sometimes the great instance made by the Venetians for Cremona Guiaradada had holden the king in suspence And also in the senat the opinions of Councellors were diuerse for that many of great authoritie in that cōmon weale preferred thaccord with Caesar wherin they shewed that it would be more profitable to discharge them selues for the present of so huge expences with freedome from daungers thereby to be the more ready to embrase thoccasions that would offer then their common weale being so ouerweried and trauelled and the wealth of priuat men abated to entangle thēselues with new warres in companie of the Frenche king whose amitie howe faythfull and assured it was they were not without a late and greene experience Neuerthelesse the greater parte seeming that rarelye an occasion woulde ryse to make them recouer their auncient estate and that thagrement with Caesar he reteyning Verona would not deliuer them from troubles and daungers they reiected all thoughtes and deuises for Cremona and Guiaradada resolued to make confederation with the french king in whose Court it was concluded by Andrea Gritti representing already more the person and place of an Embassador then of a prisoner By this confederation after it was graunted that Bart. Aluiano Andrea Gritti should be set at liberty the Venetians were bound to aide the king with eight hūdred men at armes a thousand fiue hūdred light horsmen ten thousand footmen that against all such as would rise vp to let him for recouering of Ast of Genes the duchy of Millan The king for his part was bound to ioyne with thē vntill they had recouered all that they possessed in Lombardy the Marquisdome of Treuisana afore the league of Cambray Vpon the resolution of this contract Iohn Iacques Triuulce and Bart. Aluiano went to Suso the one to go from thence to Venice by the more sure way and the other to assemble there the army appoynted for the warre It conteined vpon the full muster xv hundred launces eight hundred light horsmen and xv thousande footemen where of eight thousande were Launceknights and the residue of the French nation This army was committed to the authoritie and guyding of Monsr Trimouille whom the king appoynted his liefetenaunt to thend the action might proceede with more reputation In this time the french king made great request to the Pope not to hinder him in recouering his duchy of Millan And the better to conteine the Pope he offred that he would not only not passe further after the victory but also would alwayes referre himselfe to him to make peace vnder what conditions it should please him best To which motions albeit the Pope gaue gracious willing eare and that to drawe better faith to his words he vsed to solicite with the king by the meane and labour of Iulian his brother yet many things made him suspected with the king first the memory of things done afore the time of his Papacie then since he was Pope how he had sent to him Cinthio his familiar fauorit with letters very frendly cōmissions but so generall as they well declared the litle inclination of minde he bare to him or his affaires also for that he had cōsented that Prosp Colōno should be elected captein generall ouer the duchy of Millan A matter which his predecessor had alwaies hindred for the hatred he bare to the famuly of Colonno ▪ he entred also into greater dout by a signification which the Pope addressed to the king of England to cōtinue still in the cōfederation made with Caesar with the king catholike him Lastly he wrote to the cōmunalties of the Svvizzers exhorting thē almost to the defēce of Italie wherin he could not dissimule that he would continue with thē the cōfederation made by his predecessor by the which they were boūd to the defence of thestate ecclesiastik receiuing of him a yerely pension of xx thousand duckets It was also a signe of his wil intētion that he had not receiued into grace the duke of Ferrara but by many excuses deferred to render to him Reggia vntil his brother the cardinal came to Rome who to auoide the persecutions of Pope Iulio was withdrawen into the countrey of Hungaria liued vpon his bishoprike of Agria But the matter that aboue all other things made the king enter into suspicion against the Pope was that he had in great secrecy counselled the state of Venice to come to accord with Caesar A matter cleane contrary to thintētion of the king who also had interpreted in ill part that the Pope declaring that he moued not for other respect thē to satisfie his soueraine duty had writtē vnto him in a kind exhorting not to take armes but rather to expres a dispositiō to finish the war with some honorable cōposition a matter which the king would not haue blamed if for the same desire to peace he had also declared to the king of England that he ought not to make war vpō the frēch king Sure this suspiciō of the king was not without cause for that the Pope desired that the French might be cut off from all seate habitation in Italy either for that he thought it more profitable for the cōmon surety or for the greatnes aduauncement of the church or at least that he kept stil fixed in his mind the remēbrāce of harmes receiued by the crown of Fraunce whervnto albeit his father other his predecessors had borne no litle affection in sundry accidents had reaped many honors profites yet it was an iniury freshe in memorie that his brethren he had bene expulsed Florence by the comming of king Charles and that the king raigning bearing fauour to the popular gouernment had eyther alwayes reiected them or if at any time he showed inclination to them it was to vse them as instrumentes to drawe the Florentins by that suspicion to couenantes of more aduauntage for himselfe without bearing respect or
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
dangerous warres wherof I wil make present discourse both for the same reasōs with the same shortnes that I haue touched thē in the narration of the yere before The beginning of these preparations and stirres grew vppon a resolution which the king of Englande made to inuade that sommer the Realme of Fraunce with a mayne army both by sea and lande And to make the victorie of this enterprise more easie he had agreed with Caesar to furnishe him of an hundred and twentie thousande duckets to make an entrie at the same tyme into Burgondy with an army of three thousande horsemen and eight thousande footmen parte Svvizzers and parte Almains He promised also to the Svvizzers a certayne proportion of money the rather to induce them to ioyne in the action with Caesar who was contented to put into their hands in pawne one parte of Burgondy vntill he had fully satisfied them of their payes Lastely also the king of Englande occupied this perswasion that his father in lawe the king Catholike cleauing to the confederation of Caesar and him which he had alwayes protested and assured would open the warre on his side at the same instante By reason whereof the reapporte of the truce made by thenglishe with the Frenche king and yet for all that the desire to make warre was nothing diminished was so yll brooked not onely by him but by all sortes of states and peoples in Englande that the Commons had done violent execution vpon the Spanishe Embassador if the kings authoritie had not resisted their furie To these things were added thoportunitie of thestate of tharchduke not so muche that he letted not his subiectes to take paye agaynst the Frenchemen as for that he promised to giue sufferaunce and passage of vittayles out of his countreys into thenglishe armie It behoued the French king to omit no sortes of prouisions agaynst so great preparations and daungerous threatning By sea he furnished a strong nauy to encounter thadmirall of Englande and by lande he leauyed men from all partes laboring specially to haue as great a strength of launceknightes as he coulde He had also affore made great instance to the Svvizzers that since they refused to ayde him in the warres of Italie at leaste that they woulde so farre fauour him as to delyuer him a proportion of footemen to helpe to defende the Crowne of Fraunce But they beeing wholly resolued to protect and assure the Duchie of Millan refused in any wyse to minister to him vnlesse he woulde eftsoones returne to the vnitie of the Churche and giue vp the Castell of Millan which was not yet rendred and also cancelling his rights interests to that estate he would promise no more to molest neither Millan not Genes Limitations no lesse vnprofitable to the French king then contrary to his honour and preiudiciall to the soueraigne dignitie of the crowne of Fraunce Likewise the French king the more to terrifie thenglish make them more intangled with their owne affayres had called into Fraunce the duke of Suffolke as Competitor and aspirant to the Crowne of Englande A deuise little helping the purposes of Fraunce and of great daunger to the race and progenie of the Duke for that in reuenge of their dealing the king of Englande by ordinarie course of the iustice of his Realme cutte off the head of his brother who tyll then had bene holden prisoner in Englande since the tyme that Phillip king of Castillo sayling into Spayne deliuered him into the handes of the king his father The French king also was not without hope to haue peace with the king Catholike for that when the king Catholike vnderstoode of the league made betwene the French and the Venetians he began to distrust muche of the defence of the duchie of Millan and sent into Fraunce one of his secretaries to practise newe offers And it was beleued that considering howmuch the greatnes of Caesar and the archduke might alter his gouernment of Castillo he could not in good pollicy stand well contented with thembasing of the realme of Fraunce Besides all these omitting no oportunities wherein occasion might be taken the french king forgat not in these actiōs to stirre vp Iames the king of Skottes his auncient confederate to th ende that he opening the warre vpon the frontiers of Englande he might with more facilitie make defence against so many mightie inuasions The Skottish king was moued to this warre by the consideration of his proper interests for that the aduersities of Fraunce could not but be daungerous to the crowne of Skotland in which regard ioyned to the respect of confederation he prepared him selfe to the action with all diligence demaunding of the Frenche king no other ayde then fiftie thousande frankes to leauye munitions and vittels Neuerthelesse the Frenche king was very slowe in gathering together his forces and prouisions bothe for that he had turned all his thoughtes to thenterprise of Millan and reaposed not a litle in the truce made with the king Catholike Lastly his accustomed negligence was no litle impediment to the expedition of his busines A vice most hurtfull to th affayres of Princes to whom is seldome seene to returne theffect or sruite of their exspectation when they stande to temporise vpon euery new occasion after the resolution is set downe and things referred to action And touching the king of England he cōsumed many monthes in measuring his proportions in leauying his prouisions in rating the state maner of his payes and in distinguishing the sortes of his souldiors and their fashions of armor weapons for that his subiectes hauing bene many yeeres without warres and no lesse chaunged the maner of warfaring both their bowes and their other vsual natures of armes being become vnprofitable he was constrayned to make great prouision of forreine armors artilleries and munitions and by the same necessitie to leauye as souldiors trayned many bands of launceknights horsmen the ancient custome of the English being to fight on foote for these impedimentes thenglish army passed not the seas soner then the moneth of Iuly And after they had for many dayes runne vp into the champayne countrey neare vnto Bolleine they went to incampe affore Torvvaine A towne standing vpon the marches of Pikardy in the region of those peoples whō the Latins call Morini The person of the king of Englande passed the sea a litle after who had in his maine army fiue thousand horses of seruice and more then forty thousand footmen An army not more notable by the multitudes of souldiors consideration of their vallor then most glorious by the presence maiestie of their king in whose person appeared at that instant being in an age disposed and actiue al those tokens of honor magnanimitie which rising afterwards to their ful ripenes perfection by degrees of time study and experience made him the most renowmed and mightie prince that lyued in his age in all this part or circuite of the
and Amyens the other townes that are vppon the riuer of Somme his deuise was also to let them for passing the riuer and so to temporise either vntill the cold season came or els that the Skottish king in whom he hoped much were ready to aduaunce and draw them from that warre his armie marched all the meane while along the riuer of Somme to let thennemies from winning passage It was beleeued that the perswasions of Caesar were the cause of this enterprise of thEnglish for hope that if the towne of Tornay were taken it might either then or at some other tyme diuolue into the power of his Nephew to whome it was thought it did apperteyne perhappes it moued vpon a feare the armie had to be afflicted with want of vittels if they had bene in an other place or happly other places whereunto they might haue gonne had borne a more facilitie to be succored by thennemies But the towne of Tornay which was not manned but with bandes of straungers and forreyners and therefore of lesse exspectacion to bee succored was so battred with artilleries in many seuerall places that after it had made a small resistance it yelded vnder sauetie of goods and liues to aduaunce an hundred thowsand duckats towards the defrayment of the warre and to defend them from pillage The fortune of the frenchmen was no more gracious in other places for that the Skottish king comming to battell with the English armie vpon the riuer of Tvvede where the Lady Katthren then Queene of England was in person was ouerthrowen with a very great slaughter the kings person being then slaine with one of his owne sonnes who was Archbishop of S. Andrevv with many other Prelats and Nobles of that Realme and of the common soldiours more then twelue thowsand bodies After these victories about the ende of October the king of England leauing a stronge garrison within Tornay dismissed his horsemen and footemen of thAlmains and so disposed him selfe to returne into England reaping the great towne of Tornay as a frute of his warres and great exspenses for touching Torvvaine whose wals he had throwen downe to the earthe the naked seate and resemblance remeyned in the power of the french king One cause that made the king of England repasse the seas was that the season of the yeare taking away all oportunities to continue the warre in those cold regions he held it a matter vnprofitable to nourish an armie there with so great charges And an other was that he thought to take order for the institucion and gouernment of the young king of Skots who was in minoritie and the sonne of his owne sister the Duke of Albanie being gonne thether who was also of the blood of the same king By the returne of the king of England the feare of the french men beeing taken away their king dismissed all his armie except the regiments of launceknights he saw him selfe deliuered of the care of daungers present but not of feare to fall into them againe the next yeare with farre greater difficulties he gathered this iudgement by the behauiors of the king of England at his going away who vsed many high threatnings against the crowne of Fraunce promising that he would giue it a greater shake the next sommer Wherein he began already to make new preparacions to auoid the discommodities of his former delayes with more readines to open the warre assoone as the season of the yeare would suffer Besides the french king knewe that Caesar had the same intencion to annoy him and feared withall least the king Catholike who with sundrye suttleties had excused him selfe of the truce made least he should wholly alien them from him woulde not also take armes with them of this suspicion he had great tokens by the discourse of a letter intercepted wherein the king Catholike writing to his Embassador resident with Caesar and expressing an intention quite contrarie to his manyfest speeches which testified an earnest desire to make warre agaynst the infidels and to go in person to recouer Ierusalem he perswaded him to deuise diligently by what meanes the duchie of Millan mighte be brought to Ferdinand their common Nephew younger brother to tharchduke In this perswasion he occupied this maner of encouragement that that estate beeing raunged it would not be hard to reduce the residue of the regions of Italie to their deuotion and with the same facilitie ioyned with his succours Caesar might make himselfe Pope wherevnto he had alwayes aspired since the death of his wife and being once possessed of that soueraigntie he should resigne to the vse and profite of tharchduke the Crowne imperiall Neuerthelesse he concluded that matters of so highe nature and weight could not be ledde to perfection but with tyme and with occasions Besides all these the Frenche king doubted nothing of the will of the Svvizzers whose obstinacies he coulde in no wise moderate notwithstanding he made them offers aboue their merite And they were of newe incensed more then before by the euasion of the ostages deliuered by Monsr Trimouille who fearing the daunger of their lyues for want of obseruation in the king were secretly stolne away and fledde into Germanie So that it was not without cause that he feared leaste by thoccasion of so many other his aduersities they would ryse to assayle presently or at least the yere after the countrey of Burgondy or Dauphine These difficulties were partely thoccasion that made him fall to agreement with the Pope for causes spirituall of which agreement the principal article conteined thabsolute rooting out of the councell of Pisa which poynt was debated many monthes with very great difficulties specially for the regarde of things done eyther with the authoritie of the same councell or agaynst the maiestie of the Pope suche as it seemed very vnworthy for the sea Apostolike to approue and to cut them off there could not but happen right great confusion So that there was a delegation of three Cardmalls to deuise of some meanes by the which suche a disorder might be met withall This bred also one difficultie that it seemed not conuenient to graunt to the king thabsolution of penalties vnlesse he sued for it wherevnto the king woulde not consent least by imputation his person and Crowne of Fraunce were noted of schisme But at last the king was made wearye with these perplexities and no lesse ouerlabored with the importunities and willes of the people of his Realme desiring with vniuersall affection to be reunited to the Church of Rome but most of all he was stirred moued by the deuotion of the Queene to whō those controuersies were grieuous In which respectes he determined to yelde to the will of the Pope and not without some hope that vpon the reappaysement of these quarrels the Pope woulde some way ioyne to his ayde wherevnto with great arte he seemed to expresse to haue a good intention And yet a newe complaint was added to the auncient
they marched along the high way of Portonouo where lay part of the strength of thAlmains his light horsmen that scoured before encountred out of the towne with capteine Rissan an Almain accōpanied with two hundred men at armes and three hundred light horsmen by whom at the first encounter they were repulsed but Aluiano comming to the reskew with the residue of his companies the skirmish was eftsones recontinued with greater fury daunger no lesse doubtfull thissue till capteine Rissan being wounded in the face was taken prisoner by Malatesta Sogliano The chaunce of the fight threw the next calamitie vpon the souldiors of Rissan who seeking their sauety by disorder and fleing retyred in their calamitie to Portonouo But fearing they should fayle to defend the towne that were not hable to kepe the feelde in their feare they fledde from the place that earst they ranne vnto for succour abandoning the towne which immediatly was put to sacke and many bodies of the contrey men slaughtred After this Aluiano in whom no one vertue was more cōmendable then his celeritie tooke the way to Osofo which Frangipan had newly besieged with the other part of the Almains who hearing of the cōming of Aluiano leauied their siege notwithstanding they lost much of their baggage and artilleries by a charge which the light horsemen gaue vpon their tayle By the same of these encounters bringing alwayes with them their victories almoste the whole contrey of Italie became returned to thobedience of the Venetians and Aluiano attempting a vayne enterprise vpon Goritia retyred with his armie to Padoa hauing by his owne certificate to Rome subdued what by the sworde and prisoners two hundred men at armes two hundred light horsmen and two thousande footemen But by reason of his departing the number of thAlmains being encreased they tooke of newe Cromonio and Monfalcon and constrayned the Venetians to breake vp their siege from before Marano where not manye dayes before capteine Frangipan had bene taken by ambush led prisoner to Venice for the Venetians feeling supplies and succors to flocke brake vp from thence in disorder and as it were discomfited and a litle after their estradiots beeing put to flight Iohn Vetturio their assistant was taken with an hundred horsemen These chaunges and alterations hapned oftentimes in Friull by the neighborhoode of thAlmains who were not serued in that quarter with other souldiors then trayned disciplined and such as after they had ouerronne pilled those quarters and that they perceiued the comming of the Venetian regiments with whom many of the contrey ioyned they retired immediatly to their houses returning alwayes to the seruice as occasion serued The Venetians sent thither a new supply of cōpanies by reason wherof the Viceroy gaue order that Alarson one of his Spanish capteins which lay betwene Este Montagnano Cologno should go to Friull with two hūdred men at armes an hundred light horsmen fiue hundred footemen but vnderstanding on the way that a truce was made in the contry by reason of the haruest he brake off his purpose returned frō whēce he came Thus as the warres of Italie proceeded mildly and in an easie course so also the practises of peace and agreement were not discontinued for the Frenche king being not altogether depriued of hope that the Svvizzers woulde consent to receiue recompense of money in place of resignation of his interestes and rightes sent to solicite them in that poynt with great instance But the Communalties were so farre estraunged from the king and his affayres that after they had compelled with many threatninges the gouernour of Geneua when thostages fled to deliuer them as prisoner the president of Grenoble whom the king had sent to that Citie to negociate with them They examined him with many torments whether any of their nation receyued any increase of pensions or interteined secret intelligence with the French king wherein no humanitie nor iustification was sufficient to stoppe the course of their barbarous crueltie Besides the Frenche king was not without suspicion that the Pope who for the diuersitie of his plottes and intentions was constrayned to sayle with great warynes amongst so many rockes would secretly worke the Svvizzers not to couenaunt with the king without him Not that he doubted he would stirre them vp to make warre from which he disswaded them so muche as he coulde but to remayne firme in thaccorde of Dyon or else for feare that with this beginning they were not brought to be separate from him In these regardes the king threatned that he would make hast to come to accord with the residue for that he alone would not stande thrust out to the battery of the whole world he was also weary of thintollerable expences and insolencies of souldiors for that hauing called into Fraunce twentie thousande Launceknightes whom he could not haue altogether but when the king of Englande laye before Tornay he would not sende them backe agayne but reteyned them in Fraunce to haue them ready for employment in due time according to occasion and necessitie These were they that did infinite harmes in his countrey with whom his authoritie was litle respected that by force was not hable to represse their insolencies In these difficulties and in so great confusion of affayres the onely matter that began to open to the French king the waye to his surety and hope to repossesse his first power reputation was the incredible discontentment that the king of Englande receyued of the renouation of the truce which his father in lawe had made A matter contrary to his faith promise many times reitterated to make no couenant nor cōtract with the french king without his consent he complayned so much the more publikely of this by howmuch it was the thirde tyme that his father in lawe had dallyed with him and therefore he began more and more to estraunge his minde from the renewing of the warre agaynst the french The Pope was not negligent to take thoportunitie of the kings disposition and began to worke with the Cardinal of Yorke to perswade his king that contenting himselfe with the glorie he had gotten and remembring what correspondancie of fayth he had founde in Caesar in the king Catholike and the Svvizzers he would forbeare to trauell any more with armes the realme of Fraunce which the Cardinall tooke vpon him eyther for a feare he had that the Frenche king in case the king of Englande would inuade him would not make peace and parentage with Caesar and the king Catholike as he alwayes threatned or else he thoughte that peace ensuing betweene them it were good for him to aduaunce him selfe as an actor and winne some fauour with the Frenche king in an action whiche was not in his power to lette It is moste certayne that when the Pope was tolde that the Frenche king woulde take armes agaynst the duchie of Millan being once assured of the king of Englande he aunswered
yere with Caesar and the king Catholike which yet comprehended no other matter then the defence of their common estates for the king Catholike was entred afore not without cause into suspicion that be aspired to the realme of Naples for Iulian his brother and had already enterteyned in that action some practise with the Venetians This newe confederation was scarcely established and concluded when the French kings answere came By it he approued all that the Pope had propounded with this onely addition that since he was to bynde hym selfe to the protection of the Florentins of Iulio de Medicis hys brother and Lavvrence hys nephew whom the Pope had aduaunced to thadministration of th affayres of Florence that he woulde reciprocally be bounde to the defence of the Crowne of Fraunce But the Pope excused him selfe touching the action of capitulation with Caesar and the king Catholike that seeing how long he deferred to make aunswere to a demaunde so reasonable he coulde not but enter into some doubt And yet the confederation was but for a short time and conteined no matter preiudiciall to him nor to hinder the perfection of the practise begonne betwene them These iustifications were accepted by the king and so they passed the couenaunt not by instrument authentike to hold it more secret but by a priuate writing subsigned by both their handes The peace betwene the king of Englande and the French king was more sodayne and easie then was exspected being vnlikely that so great hatreds redoubled by new iniuries should with such facilitie be conuerted into amitie and aliance happly the peace was not liking to the Pope who aswell as others was perswaded that there might grow betwene them rather a truce then a peace or at least if it resolued to the nature of a peace it would eyther intangle the king with harder conditions or at least with obligation not to assayle the duchie of Millan for a certayne tyme But it brought incredible discontentment to Caesar and the king Catholike who as there is none euill in humaine actions which hath not ioyned with it some good so he assured notwithstanding that he receiued by it in his minde two contentmentes The one for that tharchduke his nephewe beeing out of hope to giue his sister for wife to the Frenche king and entring withall into distruste of the king of Englande would be nowe compelled to do nothing without his counsell and authoritie The other for that the Frenche king standing nowe in good possibilitie of children the succession of Monsr de Angonlesme was put in doubt to whome he bare no little hatred for that he norished a great desire to restore the king of Nauarre to his estate Onely the Svvizzers gaue it out that they reioysed all at that accorde notwithstanding they reteyned agaynst the French king the same hatred they did before The reason of their gladnes grew of an opinion they had that the french king being now at libertie would take occasion to recontinue the warre in the duchy of Millan by which meane they should eftsones begin to declare to all the world their vertue and their fayth And truely it was not to be doubted that the french king being now deliuered almost of al feare to haue warre beyond the Mountes would not be touched with his old desire to reconquer the duchy of Millan only it could not be discerned whether he would presently dispose him selfe to armes or deferre it tyll the yeare following for that the facilitie of thenterprise appeared to all men but there was none that discerned any signe of preparations In whiche vncertayntie the Pope notwithstanding that conquest was grieuous to him stirred him vp not to deserre nor corrupt the present occasions wherein he gaue him to vnderstande that all thinges were yll prepared to make resistance both for that the Spanishe armie was diminished and yll payed the peoples of Millan reduced to great pouertie straitnesse and also none was hable to aduaunce money to make the Svvizzers march These perswasions caryed so muche the greater force and authoritie by how much a litle before the peace with the king of Englande the Pope expressing a desire that the Frenche king should recouer Genes had giuen him a certayne hope to induce Octauian Fregoso to compound with him Assuredly the Pope in this action proceded not with sinceritie good meaning which disposition moued in him as was supposed for that seeing euery one yll furnished and no lesse doubting least the French king woulde make that expedition without his councell since he had his men at armes in readynes and many leauyes of Launceknightes at his deuotion thought by that meane to preuent and winne his frendship perhappes and in this he proceeded with greater suttletie he was enduced by the knowledge he had that the Emperour and the king Catholike were of opinion that it was not lawfull to the French king to inuade the Duchie of Millan An opinion which though they supposed to be true yet the Frenche king denied it a â—uowing that it was good in him he was not forbidden to take armes against the estate of Millan during the truce By reason whereof the Pope perswading him selfe that the king would not enter into thenterprise thought he would expresse to him a good disposicion of will which also should serue him for excuse if an other time he required succours of him And the matter succeded according to his opinion for the king being resolued either for that cause or for his present necessitie of money or lastly for the nearenes of the winter not to enter into armes affore the spring time and making show that he had confidence that euen in that time the Popes fauor woulde not faile him he wrote aunswere to him alleaging many excuses touching his deserring but conceiled the excuse of the truce which yet endured and perhappes was the principall Neuerthelesse he had desire to attempt the reconquering of Genes or at least to succour the lantern which the same yere by his direction had bene reuittelled many times with certaine proporcions of vittels by the aduenture of sundry smal vessels who making as though they woulde enter the porte of Genes dissembled with the warders and were profitable to them of the lantern But at last thextremitie of vittells growing aboue all remedie and no lesse diligence of the enemie to keepe them suppressed in that want their calamitie not able to temporise and exspect any longer after succours the garrison within was driuen to yeelde it vp to the Genovvais who in their spite rased it from the fundacions A matter not a litle displeasing to the king And albeit the losse of this fortresse tooke wholly from the king all cogitacions to vrge a present warre against the Genovvaies yet it diminished nothinge his disposicion to the action of Millan whereunto he turned all his preparacions to inuade the yeare following that state with maine armies he hoped that the Pope both for the
to continue with him thamity begon with his predecessor the iniuries he had receiued frō the king Catholik being yet fresh in memory There came at the same tyme an embassage frō the duke of Austrich wherof the lord of Nausan was chief in this embassage for the regard of th erle of Flaūders wherof the kings of Fraūce are soueraignes were discerned demonstrations of great submission in acknowledging of superiority Both the one the other of these embassages had a ready happy expedition for touching the king of England the confederation betwene him the late king was cōfirmed vnder the same conditions so long as either of thē should liue reseruing a respite of iij. yeres for the Skottish king to enter in it And for tharchduke many differences ceassed which many men supposed would haue giuē great impediments to the action of the peace But the archduke being now in full maiority newly taken vpon him the gouernment of his estates was drawne to the peace for many causes first for thinstance of the peoples of Flaunders who would in no wise haue warre with the realme of Fraunce Secondly for a desire he had to be assured of such impediments as might be opposed against him by the French in the succession of the realme of Spayne when the death of his grandfather should happen And lastly for that he thought it to great a daunger to dwell without any league of amitie in the middest of the powers of England and Fraunce being conioyned together And on the other side the king desired greatly to take awaye all occasions that might restrayne him to be gouerned by thauthoritie counsell of his grandfather eyther by the fathers or mothers side So that at last there was enacted betwene them in the towne of Paris a perpetuall peace confederation reseruing facultie to Caesar the king Catholike without whose authorities tharchduke contracted to take their place in this peace within three monethes In this capitulation was promised thaccomplishment of the mariage betwene the Archduke and Lady Renee daughter to king Lovvis solicited so many times before and that the king should endue the mariage of Lady Renee with six hundred thousande crownes and the duchy of Berry in perpetuitie aswell for her children as for her This dowry in respect of her insufficient age at that time should be assigned to her assone as she should come to the age of ix yeres vnder this condition notwithstāding that she should renounce al rights of inheritance either by the father or mother namely such as might apperteine to her of the duchy of Millan Britaine That the king should be bounde to ayde the archduke with men ships to go to the kingdome of Spayne after the death of the king Catholike At the request of the king the duke of Gueldres was also named and as some write besides the matters afore rehearsed it was agreed that in bothe their names ioyntly embassadors should be sent to the king of Aragon to require him to publish tharchduke prince of the realmes of Spayne such is the title of him to whom the succession apperteineth That he would render the kingdome of Nauarre absteine from the defence of the duchie of Millan Here it is not to be doubted that both these two Princes making this confederation looked not more to the present cōmoditie that appeared then to thobseruatiō of the same in time to come for what fundation could be layde vpon the mariage that was promised the Lady Renee bearing as yet scarcely foure yeres And how could it please the Frenche king that that damsell should be the wife of tharchduke who her eldest sister being the kings wife had her action prepared vpō the duchy of Britaine for that the Britons desiring once to haue a particular duke at such time as Anne their Duchesse maryed the seconde time agreed that the dukedome should apperteine to the youngest of the children and discendantes of her if the eldest were preferred to the Crowne of Fraunce In like sort the French king treated with the king Catholike to prolong the truce made with his predecessor but to leaue out this condition not to molest the duchie of Millan during the truce he hoped he should afterwards compounde easily with Caesar By which reason he kept in suspence the Venetians who offred to renewe the league made with his predecessor wishing that he were in his liberty to accord with Caesar agaynst them But the king Catholike notwithstanding he stoode still possessed of his desire not to haue warre in the frontiers of Spayne considering how great suspicion the prolongation of the truce might giue to the Svvizzers which mighte also be the cause that the Pope who till then had bene in doubt might turne to the french amity refused at last to prolong the truce but vnder the same conditions it had bene renued with the last king So that the Pope shut out of that hope and lesse exspecting to contract with Caesar agaynst the will and councelles of that king reconfirmed with the Senate of Venice the league in the same fourme it had bene made with his predecessor Nowe there remayned the Pope and the Svvizzers Touching the Svvizzers he required that they woulde admitte his Embassadors but they refused to giue them saffe conduit vsing the same rudenes they had done before And for the Pope vpon whose will depended wholly the Florentyns herequired no other thing of him then that he would kepe him out of all bond to th end that when by the trayne of affaires he should be councelled to resolue it might be in his power to make choice of the better perswading him that he should neuer finde in any either for his owne perticular or for the aduauncement of his house a greater amitie A more assured faith or more honorable condicions After the king had layd these foundacions for his affayres he beganne with great care to leauie prouisions of money and to encrease the bandes of his men at armes to the number of foure thowsand he published that he made those preparacions not of intencion to make warre for that yeare but onely to make head against the Svvyzzers who threatned him to inuade Burgondy or Dauphine if he would not accomplish the couenants made at Dyon in the name of the late king Many beleeued him in the semblāces he made the rather for thexample of the kings of Fraunce who haue alwaies forborne to intangle the first yeare of their raigne with newe warres But that coniecture caried not such impression in the mindes of Caesar and the king of Aragon to whome the kinges youth was suspected and the facilitie he had more then other kinges to commaund all the forces of the kingdom of Fraunce and the loue of his people opening a way and readines to all that he would desire Besides they were not ignorant of the great preparacions that king Lovvys had left the same making demonstracion that seeing he was assured
meane to execute against the parties so that dispatches went out according to the olde rates The king for his parte promised not to take into his protection any of the Cities of Tuskane And albeit afterwardes he required to haue libertie to protect the people of Lucqua who offered him fiue and twentie thowsande duckats saying he was bounde to that protection by thobligacion of his predecessor yet the Pope would giue no consent but promised for his parte that he woulde forbeare to molest them in any sorte Lastly they agreed by indifferent consent of them both to sende frear Giles Generall of the Augustins and an excellent preacher to Caesar in the Popes name to dispose him to render to the Venetians Bressa and Verona taking a recompense of money And so vppon the expedicion of these matters but not sette downe by wryting except tharticle for nominacion of benefices and payment of the Annats according to the true vallue the Pope in fauour of the king pronounced Cardinall Adrian de Boisy brother to the great Maister of Fraunce and of the greatest authoritie with the king and in the generall gouernment That the enteruiewe brake vppe the king departing from the Pope verie well contented and in great hope to haue him his perpetuall frende who for his parte expressed no lesse with all reasonable demonstracions but in his minde he nourished other impressions for that bothe it was a matter no lesse greeuous to him then affore that the Duchie of Myllan shoulde be possessed by the Frenche king and Parma and Plaisanca restored and also that the Duke of Ferrara should be eftsoones reinuested in Modena and Reggia And yet all these not long after turned to vanitie and smoake for that the Pope being gone from Bolognia to Florence remeining there about a moneth had receiued of the Duke promises of the money that should be payd assoone as he should enter into possession being there set down in writing by common consent thinstrumentes that were to passe betwene them the Pope neither denying nor accomplishing but interposing many delayes and excuses refused to giue perfection to things The king being returned to Myllan dismissed his armie except seuen hundred launces six thowsand launceknightes and foure thowsand frenchmen such as they caladuenturers whom he left for the gard of that estate And for his owne person he teturned into Fraunce with great speede about the first beginning of the yeare 1516. leauing behinde him as his Lieftenaunt Charles Duke of Burbon he thought he had left his affayres in Italie in good estate of sewertie both for the allyance newlie contracted with the Pope and also for that about that time he was newly compounded with the Svvyzzers who notwithstanding the perswasions of the king of England to haue them to reenter into armes against the frenche king renewed with him thalliance by the which they bound them selues to furnishe alwayes for his seruice and at his paye both in Italie and out of Italie for defense and offence and against all nations suche numbers of footemen as he would require and that vnder their vniuersall name and publike enfeignes onely they excepted to beare armes against the Pope the Empire and thEmperour And on the other side the king confirmed to them of newe their auncient pensions with promisse to paye them within a certaine time the six hundred thowsand duckats agreed vpon at Dyon with three hundred thowsande if they gaue vp to him the villages and vallies apperteyning to his Duchy of Myllan A matter which the fiue Cantons that possessed those places refusing to do as also to ratifie the accord the king began to pay to the other eight Cantons that parte and porcion of the money that apperteined to them who accepted it but vnder this expresse condicion that they should not be bound to take his pay against the fiue Cantons About the beginning of this yeare the Bishoppe Petruccio an auncient seruant to the Pope chassed out of Siena by the Popes aide and some helpe from the Florentins Borgueso sonne to Pandolffe Petruccio his cossing and impatronised him selfe vpon the place the authority and gouernment remeining by equity in the possession of his said cossing the Pope had two respects inducing him to this actiō the one for that that citie standing betwene the estate of the Church and the dominion of the Florentins was gouerned by a man wholly at his deuocion the other was much more particular and mouing for that he hoped with the fauor of some good occasion to make it fall into the gouernment of his brother or his nephew wherein he douted nothing of the Bishops consent hauing already framed him tractable to all his desires and ambicions The warre continued kindeled betwene Caesar and the Venetians who for their partes desired to recouer by the aide of the frenche king Bressa and Verona But for other places and regions of Italie things seemed to stand in a peasible estate onely there beganne to burst out mocions of new stirres that were pushed on by the king of Aragon who fearing least the greatnesse of the frenche king would bring some aduersities to the realme of Naples delt with Caesar and the king of Englande to recontinewe the warre A matter not onely of no great difficultie and hardnesse to drawe Caesar vnto being both desirous of innouacion and newe thinges and also was not able easily to kepe the townes which he had takē from the Venetians But also it was fullie concluded and agreed vnto by the king of England The remembraunce of the late infidelitie and breache of promise of his father in lawe being of lesse power in him then either his present emulacion or auncient hatred against the crowne of Fraunce besides he was enuious that the Skottish king being in minoritie should be gouerned by people of his appoyntment or any waye depending on him These matters had bene followed both with better councell and greater forces if during the negociacion the death of the king of Aragon had not hapned who after he had bene vexed with a long indisposicion died in an inferior village called Madrigalege as he went to Seuile with his Court he was a king excellent in councell and so furnished with al other properties of vertue that he bare no occasion matter of reprehension if he had bene constant to keepe his promisses for touching thimputacion of nigardnes or the reapport that went of him to be straite in exspenses it was proued vntrue by the testimonie and discouerie of his estate after his death leauing behinde him no amasse of treasor notwithstanding he had reigned xlij yeares But it hapneth oftentymes by the corrupt iudgement of men that in a king prodigalitie is more praysed though the raking and oppression of subiects be ioyned to it then a sparing straitnes wherin is nourished an orderly absteyning from taxing the goods of others To thexcellent vertues of this Prince was ioyned a most rare and perpetuall felicitie
and made weake by the minoritie of their king who was gouerned by Priestes and the Barons of the Realme Others were of opinion that he had addressed all his thoughtes to thinuasion of Italie taking his encouragement vpon the discord of the Potentates and naturall princes whom he knewe to be muche shaken with the long warres of those regions To this was ioyned the memorie of Mahomet his grandfather who with a power farre lesse then his and with a small Nauie sente vppon the coastes of the Realine of Naples had wonne by assault the Citie of Otronto and sauing he was preuented by death had bothe opened the waye and established the meane to persecute the regions of Italie with continuall vexacions So that the Pope together with the whole Courte of Rome beeing made astonished with so greate successe and no lesse prouident to eschewe so great a daunger making their firste recourse to the ayde and succour of God caused to bee celebrated through Rome moste deuoute inuocations whiche he dyd assiste in presence bare foote And afterwardes calling vppon the helpe of men he wroate letters to all Christian Princes bothe admonishing them of the perill and perswading them to laye asyde all ciuill discordes and contentions and attende speedily to the defence of religion and their common safetie whiche he affirmed woulde more and more take encrease of most grieuous daunger if with the vnitie of mindes and concordances of forces they sought not to transferre the warre into thempire of the Turkes and inuade thenemie in his owne countrey Vpon this aduise and admonition was taken the examinacion and opinion of men of warre and persons skilfull in the discouerie of countreys the disposing of prouinces and of the nature and vsage of the forces and weapons of that kingdome and therevpon a resolucion being set downe to make great leauyes of money by voluntarie contribucions of Princes and vniuersall impostes of all people of Christendome it was thought necessarie that Caesar accompanied with the horsemen of Hungaria and Pollonia Nations warlike and practised in continuall warres agaynst the Turke and also with the footmen of Germanie should sayle along Danubi into Bossina called aunciently Misia and from thence to Thracia and so to drawe neare Constantinople the seate of the Empire of the Ottomanes That the Frenche king with all the forces of his kingdome the Venetians and the other potentates of Italie accompanied with the infanterie of Svvizzerlande should passe from the port of Brindisi in Albania a passage very easie and short to inuade Grece a contrey full of Christian inhabitantes and for the intollerable yoke of the Turkes moste ready to rebell That the kings of Spayne of Englande and Portugall assembling their forces together in Cartagenia and the portes thereaboutes should take their course with two hundred shippes full of Spanishe footemen and other souldiors to the straite of Galipoli to make roades vp to Constantinople hauing first subdued the Castles and fortes standing vpon the mouth of the straite And the Pope to take the same course embarking at Antona with an hundred shippes armed With these preparacions seeming sufficient to couer the lande and ouerspread the sea it was thought that of a warte so full of deuocion and pyetie there coulde not be but hoped a happie ende specially adding the inuocation of God and so many seuerall inuasions made at one tyme agaynst the Turkes who make their principall fundacion of defence to fight in the playne fielde These matters were solicited with no small industrie and to stoppe all matter of imputacion agaynst thoffice of the Pope the mindes of Princes were throughly sounded and an vniuersal truce for fiue yeres betwene all the Princes of Christendome published in the consistory vpon payne of most grieuous censure to suche as should impugne it So that the negociacion cōtinuing for all things apperteining to so great an enterprise he assigned Embassadors to all Princes to the Emperour he sent the Cardinall S. Sisto to the Frenche king he dispatched the Cardinall of S. Maria in Portico the Cardinall Giles to the king of Spayne and the Cardinall Campeius to the king of Englande All Cardinalles of authoritie eyther for their experience in affayres or for opinion of their doctrine or for their familiaritie with the Pope All which things albeit they were begonne with greate hope and exspectacion And the vniuersall truce accepted of all men And all men with no litle ostentacion and brauerie of words made shewe of their readines with their forces to aduaunce so good a cause yet what with the consideracion of the perill esteemed vncerteine and farre of and extending more to one Prince then to an other And what by the difficulties long tract of time that appeared to introduce a zeale and vnion so vniuersall priuat interests and respects perticular seemed to preuayle more then the pietie of the expedicion Insomuch as the negoclacion stoode not onely naked of all hope and yssue but also it was followed very lightly and as it were by ceremonie this beeing one propertie in the nature of men that those things which in their beginnings appeare fearefull doe daily take such degrees of diminucion and vanishing that onles the first feares be reuiued by new accidents they leade men in processe of tyme to securitie which propertie of negligence both touching the affayres publike affection of priuate and perticular men was well confirmed by the death that succeeded not longe after to Selym who hauing by a longe maladie suspended the preparacions of the warre was in the ende consumed by the passions of his disease and so passed into the other life leauing so greate an Empire to Solyman his sonne young in yeares and iudged to beare a witte and minde not so disposed to the warres although afterwardes theffectes declared the contrarie At this tyme appeared betweene the Pope and the Frenche kinge A moste greate and strayght coniunction for the kinge gaue to wife to Lavvrence his Nephewe the Ladye Magdaleyne noblye descended of the bludde and house of Bolognia with a yearely reuenue of tenne thowsande crownes whereof parte was of the kinges gifte and the residue rising of her owne patrimonye Besides the kinge hauing borne to him a sonne the Pope requyred that in his Baptisme he woulde impose vppon him his name By which occasion Lavvrence making preparacions to goe to marye his newe wife for his more speede performed his iorney by poste into Fraunce where he was receiued with many amities and much honor of the king to whom he became very gracious of deare accompt the rather for that besides other general respects he made a dedication of him selfe wholly to the king with promise to follow in all accidents his fortune he brought also to the king a writ or warrant from the Pope by the which he graunted to him that till the moneyes collected of the tenthes and by other meanes of contribucion were expended vppon the holy warre against the Turkes he might
content others for the colleage wherein the aduersaries of Cardinall Medicis could do most had at the same instant couenanted with him to reteine the estate which he had recouered vntill the Popes comming into Italie and longer if it so pleased the Pope and that he should not molest the Florentins nor the Siennois nor enter into confederacy with any Prince nor any way communicate with him or administer to him Hitherunto the matters of Lombardy had bene in peasible estate the one parte hauing want of money and the other no lesse necessitie of men And therefore the souldiours of the Imperialls who were not payed refusing to stirre out of their lodgings there was dispatched into Alexandria onely Iohn Sassetella with his regiment and other souldiours and subiects of the Duchy of Millan This Capteine in the beginning of the warre chaunging a benefit certeine for hopes incerteine left the pay of the Venetians to take the wages of the Duke of Millan notwithstanding he was banished from his estate In which disposicion of minde and with a fortune more readie then a councell stayed he approched to Alexandria where the rashnes of the Guelffes defending the Citie more then the force of the french souldiours made easie to him the action which all men esteemed hard for that being issued out to skirmish with thenemies and not hable to susteine the encounter their dishabilitie gaue them occasion to enter pellmell into the Citie which by that accident more then through their vallour became a pray to the victors a reproch to the vanquished And not many dayes after with the same facilitie were chased out of Ast certeine bands of the frenche being there entred by the meane of certeine particulars of the Guelffes faction But of this short and suspected quietnes there were already discerned to draw on beginninges of verie great troubles for notwithstanding in the parliaments of the Svvizzers there were great contencions risen vpon the demaundes of the frenche king wherein as the Cantons of Zurich and Zuicz stoode obstinate against him and the Canton of Lucerna whollie with him and the residue deuided amongest them selues so also the publike affaires were troubled by the couetousnes of priuate persons some demaunding of the king pension and enterteinment present and some requiring their old payes and debts due in times past Yet they accorded to him at last those proporcions of footemen which he required for the recouerie of the Duchie of Millan which leauy making a number of more then tenne thousande bodies descended into Lombardy by the mounteines of S. Barnard S. Goddard and were conducted by the bastard of Sauoye great Maister of Fraunce by Galeas S. Seuerin maister of the horse About this time the king of England being estraunged from the amitie of the frenche had lent to Caesar a great quantitie of money the better to furnish him against so great an emocion And with that money thEmperour had sent Ierome Adorno to Trent to leauie sixe thousande launceknightes and to lead them to Millan together with the person of Frauncis Sforce his comming was then esteemed of great importance both to kepe conteined constant Millan the other places of that estate which greatly desired his presence and also by his authoritie fauors to make easie thexactions of money wherof there was extreame want At the same time they of Millan not knowing the prouisions that Caesar made had sent money to Trent to wage foure thowsande footemen and they being prepared by that time that Adorno came thither he left the other six thowsand to be made readie and with these foure thowsand drew towards Millan to descende to Coma by the vale of Voltolina And albeit the Grisons denyed to giue him passage yet his celeritie and vallour made his way passing with so great diligence vppon the territories of Bergama and from thence to Guiaradada that the Venetian gouernors who were within Bergama had no time to stoppe them And after he had led these first companies of launceknightes to Myllan he returned with the same diligence to Trent to guide thether Frauncis Sforce with the residue of that leauy In Myllan there was no care omitted to make all sortes of prouisions wherein this was chiefly obserued to forget no meanes that might augment the hatred of the people against the french to prepare them the better to defend them selues and to releue the common necessities with money To this action was much helping many counterset letters and false messages together with other cunning stratagemes proceeding from the diligence and art of Moron But the thing that most of all aduaunced so great an inclinacion was the preachings and sermons of Andrea Barbato a religious man of thorder of Saint Augustin who drawing to him a wonderfull concurse and affluence of people induced them with reasons and perswasions to take vpon them the defence of their liues and the redeming of their free contry from the yoke of straungers auncient enemies to that citie he willed them not to be lesse forward to execute then God was ready to raise them a meane to set them selues at libertie he told them the soueraigne care of mortall folkes was to care for their propper sauetie he reduced to their memories thexample of Parma a weake and small citie in comparison of Myllan and left not vnrecorded thactions of their Elders whose names had caried reputacion and glorye throughout all Italy he layed out by reasons and examples how farre mortall men were bownd to defende their contrey for the which if the Gentiles who exspected no other recompense then glorye offered their liues willingly to death then farre greater was the office and bond of Christians to whome dying in so iust and holy an enterprise was prepared for recompense not the glory of this world fraile and transitory but the fruicion of thimmortall kingdom infinite and euerlasting They had to consider what vniuersall ruine would be brought vppon that citie by the victorie of the french men whose yoke if it had seemed heauy and greeuous affore their burdens now could not be lesse then extreame intollerable And by how much their rigour raged vppon them without any cause affore by so muche had they to assure them selues of extreame oppression now vppon thoccasion of these offences That one execucion of the people of Myllan would not suffice to quench the thirst of their crueltie and hatred that all the goods of the citie could not satisfie their immoderat couetousnes yea nothing could content them but the vtter defacing of the name memorie of the inhabitants of Myllan and by a horrible example to surpasse the vnnaturall crueltie of Federyk Barberousse These speeches so redoubled the hatred of thin habitants and no lesse suppressed all feare of the victorie of the frenchmen that it seemed now more necessary to appease and reteyne them then to moue or prouoke them suchis the power of speeches aptly deliuered and duely respecting time place and all
causes helping to their deferring But the matter that most encreased the suspence of their mindes was that the French king who with great industrie prepared him selfe to the warre had sent the Bishop of Bayeulx to desire them to deferre to resolue any thing till the next moneth by whome he assured them that before that terme he would marche with a greater armie then had bene seene in Italy in the age of man And as they stoode in this doubt and perplexitie of minde Anthony Gryman Duke of the same citie dyed and Andrevv Gritty was chosen into his place An election rather preiudiciall to the French affayres then otherwaies for assoone as he was raysed to that dignitie he referred wholly to the Senat the deliberacion councell of that matter and would neuer afterwards either in word or deede showe him selfe enclyned to either part But at last because the king continued to send fresh corriers to the Senate and was importunat in offers and promisses And for that there was speciall aduertisement that to assure thexpectacion of the warre Anne Montmoransy afterwards Constable of Fraunce and Federyk Bossolo were vppon their way to Venice ThEmbassadors of thEmprour and the king of England to whome this deferring was much suspected began to protest to the Senate that they would departe within three dayes and leaue all thinges in their imperfection By reason of which protestaciō imploying a maner of thretning also that the fidelity that was gathered in the french promises began to diminish finding nothing but vaine hopes but chiefly by the aduertisement of their Embassador resident in Fraunce they were cōstrained to determine to embrace the amity of thEmperour with whom they entred into contract vnder these condicions That betwene thEmperour Ferdinand Archduke of Austria and Frauncis Sforce Duke of Millan on the one partie and the Senate of Venice on thother partie should be a perpetuall peace confederacion That the Senate in times of neede shoulde sende for the defense of the Duchie of Millan six hundred men at armes sixe hundred light horsemen and six thowsande footemen That they should administer the like proporcion for the defense of the kingdom of Naples but in case it should be inuaded by the Christians for the Venetians refused to be bound generally because they would not stirre vp the Turke against them That thEmperour should be bound to defend against all men all that the Venetians possessed in Italie and that with the like number and proporcion of men That the Venetians should pay in eight yeares to thArchduke for appaisement of their auncient controuersies for thaccord made at VVormes two hundred thowsand duckats vpon the end of this agreement the Senate hauing dismissed Theoder Triuulce chose Frauncis Maria Duke of Vrbin for gouernor generall of their men of warre with the same condicions It was a common iudgement of most of the wisemen in Italie that the frenche king finding those aides to be turned against him which affore had bene of his side would put of the enterprise of Millan for that yere Neuerthelesse when they heard that the preparacions did not onely continue but that the armie began to marche such as stoode in feare of his victorie fell the better to resist him to make a newe confederacion wherein they perswaded the Pope to be chiefe and principall Here is to be remembred that where the Pope at his first descending into Italie stoode desirous to haue an vniuersall peace and looking with great compassion into the harmes which grewe vppon Christendom by the victories of the Turkes he sent to thEmperour to the french king and the king of England to depose for the time their armes so hurtfull for the common weale of Christendom and euery of them seuerally to sende Embassadors to Rome with fulnes of power to consult of the necessary remedies and releuing of the lamentable afflictions of the Christians This was performed by them all in apparance but beginning to treate more particularly of things it was presently discerned that those labors were vaine for the infinite difficulties that fell out when they came to the point of peacemaking so many impedimentes do follow the deliberacion of great causes and so hard it is to reconcile controuersies of estate which ordinarily draw with them their infinite suspicions and differences for a truse for a short time was nothing agreable to thEmperour neither did it in any sorte serue thexspectacion of his purposes And the frenche king refused to make it for a longer time so hurtfull was it for him to protract or temporise that had all his prouisions for the warre aduaunced In which separacion of minde betwene these two great Princes the Pope either for the auncient affection which eftsoones beganne to reuiue in him towards thEmperour or for that he discerned the thoughts of the french king to be estraunged from peace and concord discouered his inclinacion and began more then he was wont to harken to those that encoraged him not to suffer the french to possesse againe the Duchie of Millan This oportunitie was obserued by the Cardinall Medicis who hauing remeyned at Florence for feare of the persecutions of his enemies but chiefly of the Cardinall of Volterro who stoode very great and gracious with the Pope tooke to him a new corage and came to Rome where he was receiued of most of the Court with great honor and respect There ioyning him selfe with the Duke of Sesso thEmprours Embassador and with thEmbassadors of the king of England he fauored that cause and furthered it all that he could with the Pope It is seene often in the course and practise of worldly things that the falling of one man is the rising of an other by which propertie of reuolucion is apparantly proued that mortal men are subiect to the law of nature and fortune for in this aduauntage of variacion and chaunge the ill hap of Cardinall Volterro which almost alwayes troubled his wit his pollicie and all his drifts heaped vpon him a great domage and daunger And in that oportunitie was giuen to the Cardinall Medicis a notable meane to enter into greater grace and authoritie with the Pope who affore bare a constant inclination to the Cardinall Volterro for that both by his industrie and apt insinuacion of wordes he had brought him to beleeue that he desired nothing more then an vniuersall peace throughout all Christendom This was thaccident One Frauncis Imperiale being banished from Sicile went into Fraunce And being staied at Castelnoua neare Rome by the deuise of the Duke of Sesso there was found about him a packet of letters written by the Cardinall Volterro to his Nephew the Bishop of Xainctes By these letters he gaue councell to the French king to inuade the I le of Sicile with an armie by sea by which inuasion thEmprours forces should necessarily be turned to the defense of it and so the enterprise of Myllan would become more easie to the French The detection of this
in chase amongest whom was a generall emulacion of hazarde and perill to kyll him that in so manyfest treason sought the lyfe of their maister but he founde more safetie in the swiftnesse of his horse then his followers founde remedie in their reuengefull desires And if fortune had aunswered the vallour and industrie of the man it might haue bene called one of the rarest most singular aduentures that euer was that one man without armor at noneday in a plaine way durst set vpon a great prince in the middest of his estate and enuironed with so great a strength of souldiors and men armed and yet to flee awaye in safetie The cause of this desperate resolucion of this gentleman was a malice that he had conceyued for the murder of Monseig Visconte who a fewe monthes affore had bene slayne in Millan by one Ierome Moron not without the Dukes will and priuitie as many supposed The Duke vpon his hurte withdrewe him selfe to Monce and for that he was ielouse that there were of the conspiracie within Millan the Bishoppe of Alexandria brother to Monseig that was slayne was apprehended by Moron and Prospero At the first rumor of the facte eyther to preuent the suspicion that might goe on him or to make his fauour the greater he put himselfe willingly into the handes of Prospero vppon his fayth and after he was sounded by examinacion they sent him prisoner to the Castell of Cremona some holding him guyltie and some speaking muche of his innocencie as the iudgementes of men were diuerse It happned almoste in the same seasons that Galeas Biraguo accompanied with thexiles of Millan and with the ayde of certayne French souldiors which were already in the countrey of Piemont was receiued into the towne of Valence by the capteine of the Castell who was a Sauoye man But Antho. de Leua lying within Ast with one part of the light horsmen and Spanish footemen being aduertised of thaccident went immediatly to incampe before it and taking the vauntage of the weaknes of the towne which thenemies had no time to reduce to fortification he planted his artilleries and tooke it the seconde daye and with the same successe battred the castell There died about foure hundred bodies aswel in the action of the towne as in th execution of the Castell besides many made prisoners amongest whom was Gale as principall leader of thenterprise According to the great preparations made in Fraunce for the warre the armie marched at laste and bandes of souldiors passed continually ouer the mountes After whome the person of the king prepared to passe whiche he had effectually accomplished had not the conspiracie of the Duke of Burbon which nowe beganne to come to lighte giuen impediment to his going he was of the blood royall and therfore his reputation more great generall for the dignitie of his office beeing great constable his authoritie was absolute ample by his large estates riches his credite was currant in Fraunce and by his naturall vallour he was mightie and stronge in the opinions of men But he had not bene of longe time in the grace and fauor of the king and in that abiection was not admitted to the secret affayres of the Realme nor respected according to the merit of his place and greatnes he was discontented with the oppression of the kinges mother who reuiuing certeine auncient rights made open clayme to the greatest part of his lands and dominions in the open parliament at Paris And for that he found in the king no disposicion to doe remedy to that griefe he suffred indignacion to enter into his hart in that discontentment admitted confederacion with thEmprour with the king of England solicited by Monsr de Beaurin of great confidēce with thEmprour his chief chamberlaine Betwene whom to assure things with a more faster and faithful knot it was agreed that thEmprour should giue him in mariage his sister Elenor the late widow of Emanuell king of the Portugalls Thexecucion of their councels was grounded vppon the french kings determinacion to goe in person to the warre In which resolucion to nourish him the more the king of England had giuen him conning hopes that he would not molest the realme of Fraunce for that yeare That the Duke of Burbon assoone as the king should be ouer the Mountes should enter Burgondy with an army of twelue thowsand footemen that were secretly leauied with the moneyes of thEmprour the king of England Wherein he doubted not well to acquite him self in that seruice both for the absence of the king for the vniuersall grace and opinion which he had through all the Realme of Fraunce And touching those thinges that should be conquered the Earledom of Prouence should remeine to him and in place of Earle he should put on the name title of king of Prouence chalenging that state to apperteine to him by the rights of the house of Aniovv And all the residue gotten by this warre to discend to the king of England The Duke of Burbon then abiding at Monlyns a principal towne of the Duchie of Burbon feyned him selfe to be sicke to haue the better excuse not to follow the king into Italy The king in his iorney to Lyons made Monlyns in his way where being already possessed of certeine light tokens of the Dukes conspiracie he gaue him an inkling that albeit many went about to bring him in distrust suspicion with him yet for his part he beleued lesse in the rumors informacions which might be full of incerteinty and errour then in his faith vallour whereof he had so good experience But the dissimulacion of the Duke exceded the roundnes plainnes of the king for keeping his intencions smothered he gaue thankes to God that had appointed him to liue vnder such a king affore whose equity grauity could not stand the false accusations imputacions of malicious men And in that cōpassion he promised the king to follow him wheresoeuer he would go so soone as he was deliuered of his malady which he said could not cōtinue long for that it drew with it no daūgerous accidēts But the king was no soner come to Lyons then he had aduertisement that many bands of laūceknights were mostred vpon the frōtiers of Burgondy which confirming the tokēs of suspicion that he had before together with certein letters surprised detecting more plainly the conspiracy he cōmitted to prison forthwith Monsr de S. Valier Monsr de Boisy brother to Monsr la Palisse the postmaster the Bishop of Autun all pertenors of the practise And thinking to make the action perfect by apprehēding the head he dispatched in great diligence to Monlyns the great maister with fiue hundred horse foure thowsand footemē to take the Duke of Burbon But his suspicion was swifter then their celerity for dowting no lesse the detectiō of things then fearing lest the passages would be stopped by his forecast he preuented
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
drawing thether with their forces The Viceroy was appointed to goe against the Marquis of Rothelin who was come ouer the Mounts with foure hundred launces Neuertheles assoone as he vnderstood of the fortune of the Admirall and that he was retyred he returned also into Fraunce holding it vaine for him to followe further thenterprise when the principall forces were dispersed Besides Monsr de Boysy and Iulio Saint Seuerin to whom was committed the gard of Alexandria made no resistance In like sort Federyk after he had demaunded respit of a fewe dayes to know if the Admirall were passed the Mountes compownded to yeeld vp Loda vppon the condicion that was accorded to them of Alexandria to leade into Fraunce the bands of Italian footemen who conteining a regiment of fiue thousande men did speciall seruice to the King afterwardes This was the end of the warre that was managed against the Duchie of Myllan vnder the gouernment of the Admiral of Fraunce By the which neither the kings power being much weakened nor the rootes of harmes remooued much lesse that so many calamities were cleane taken away seeing they were but deferred to an other season and Italy in the meane while remeining discharged of trobles present but not of suspicion of further aduersities to come And yet Themprour no lesse by the incitacion of the Duke of Burbon then by the hope that the authoritie and name of that man might serue him to speciall purpose Was of minde to transferre the warre into Fraunce to the which also the King of Englande showed a readines and disposicion In the beginning of this yeare Themprour had sent his Camp to Fontarabie a towne of verie smal circuit standing vppon the debatable lands that deuide Fraunce from Spaine And albeit the towne was very wel manned and furnished with artilleries and vittelles and leasure sufficient to them within to make it fortefied yet the fortifications being ill made through the ignorance of the Frenche men the towne laye open to the fury of thenemies who heaping vppon the defendants one necessitie after an other constrained them at last to giue it vp only with the safetie of their lyues He was not satisfied with the recouerie of this place but stretching his thoughtes further he made his ambicion no lesse then his fortune and in those conceites being raised to further enterprise he kept no reckoning of the comfortes and authoritie of the Pope who hauing sent in the beginning of the yeare to Themprour the Frenche King and to the King of Englande to solicit a peace or a truse he found their mindes very ill disposed to giue ouer the warre For the French king consenting to a truse for two yeares refused to make peace for the small hope he had to obteine thereby suche condicions as he desired And the Emprour reiecting the truse by the which was giuen good tyme to the Frenche King to reordeine his forces to folow a new warre desired to haue peace And touching the King of Englande any sort of composicion that was offred to be made by the Popes meanes was displeasing to him as in whom was alwayes a desire that the treatie of thaccorde might bee wholly referred to him To this he was induced by the ambicious counselles of the Cardinall of Yorke who seruing as a true example in our dayes of an immoderate pride notwithstanding he was of very base condicion and no lesse abiect for his parentes and discending yet he was risen to suche an estate of authoritie and grace with the King that in most of the actions of the realme the kings wil seemed nothing without thapprobacion of the Cardinall as of the contrary what so euer the Cardinall did deliberate was either absolute or at least had very great force But both the King and his Cardinall kept dissembled with the Emprour that thought by apparances showed a very forward inclination to moue warre against the realme of Fraunce which the King of Englande pretended lawfully to apperteyne to him He grounded his claime vppon these reasons King Edvvard the thirde after the death of the Frenche King Charles the fourth called the faire who dyed without issue male in the yeare of our saluacion 1328. and of whose sister the sayde King Edvvarde the third was borne Made instance to be declared King of Fraunce as next heire male to the French king deceassed Neuertheles he was put by by the generall Parliament of the realme wherein it was set downe that by vertue of the lawe Salyke an auncient lawe of that kingdome not only the persons of women were made vnable to the succession of the Crowne but also all suche as discended and came of the women line were excluded But he not satisfied with this order brought in to take away his right armed him selfe soone after and taking vpon him the title of the king of Fraunce he inuaded the realme with a mightie armie And as in that action he obteined many victories both agaynst Phillip de Valois published by vniuersall consent lawfull successor to Charles the fayre and also agaynst king Iohn his sonne who being ouerthrowne in battell was ledde prisoner into England So after long warres he forbare further to vex the realme and making peace with the sayde Iohn he reteined many prouinces and estates of the kingdome and renounced the title of king of Fraunce But after this composicion which was neither of long continuance nor of great effect the quarrell was eftsones renewed and sometimes followed with long warres and semetimes discontinued with tedious truces vntill at laste king Henry the fift entring confederacie with Phillip Duke of Burgondy who bare a minde estraunged from the Crowne of Fraunce for the murder done vpon Duke Iohn hys father preuayled so muche agaynst Charles the sixt somewhat simple of vnderstanding that he commaunded almost the whole kingdome together with the towne of Paris And finding in that Citie the French king accompanied with his wife and the Lady Katherine his daughter he tooke to wife the sayde Lady and brought the king to consent hauing no great vse of witte that after his death the kingdome shoulde apperteine to him and to his heires notwithstanding his sonne Charles did suruiue him By vertue of which title assone as he was dead his sonne king Henry the sixte was solemnly crowned at Paris and proclaymed king of Englande and Fraunce And albeit after the death of Charles the sixte his sonne Charles the seuenth by reason of great warres happning in Englande betweene the Lordes of the blood royall had chased thEnglishe out of all that they helde in Fraunce except the towne and territories of Callice yet the kinges of Englande dyd not leaue for all that to continue and vse the title of King of Fraunce These causes might happly moue king Henry the eyght to the warre the rather also for that he stoode more assured in his Realme then anye of his predecessours had done for that the kinges of the house of Yorke that was
the name of one faction hauing suppressed the kinges of the house of Lancaster whiche was the other faction and the partakers with the house of Lancaster seeing there was no more remayning of that house raysed to the kingdome Henrye of Richemont for his proximitie and nearenes with them Who after he had subdued hys aduersaries to th ende he might raigne with more suretie and with more authoritie tooke to wyfe one of the daughters of Edvvarde the laste king but one of the house of Yorke by whiche coniunction of houses all the rightes and claymes of bothe the one and the other houses were absolutelye and lawfully transferred into the person of king Henry the eyghte borne of that maryage These houses for the enseignes and cognizanses that they bare were called commonly the Redde rose and the VVhite rose But touching the mouing of the king of Englande to make warres in Fraunce he was not so muche caryed by hope to winne the Realme of Fraunce by armes for that he was not ignoraunt of the innumerable difficulties that woulde contende agaynst him as he was importunatelye pushed on by the ambicious desire of the Cardinall of Yorke who layde this plotte that the long and tedious trauells and infinite necessities of the warre woulde in the ende bring his king to be the onely arbitrator and appoynter of the peace And knowing that the negociacion of it shoulde depende muche of his authoritie he thought in one time both to make his name great through all the worlde and also to enterteine hymselfe in the good grace and lyking of the French king to whom he showed secretly to beare some good inclinacion And therefore the king of Englande sought not to binde him selfe to those condicions whervnto it was necessarie he should be bound if he had had a forwarde minde to so great a warre Thus Themperour was stirred vp to the warre by that occasion but much more by a hope that through the fauour authoritie and popular opinion whiche the Duke of Burbon caryed in that kingdome the commons of the realme would draw to commotion And therfore notwithstanding he was aduised by many of his firme and assured friends that both for his want of money which brings no small impedimentes to enterprises and for the doubt of his confederates whose fidelitie was vncertayne he would giue ouer to beginne a warre so harde and intricate and consent that the Pope mighte treate vpon the surceasing of armes yet he capitulated with the king of Englande and Duke of Burbon in this sorte That the Duke should enter the Realme of Fraunce with that parte of th armie that was in Italie And assone as he should be ouer the Mountes the king of Englande to paye an hundred thousande duckets for the defraymentes of the first monthe of the warre That it should be in the election of the sayd king eyther to continue this contribucion from monthe to monthe or else to passe into Fraunce with a strong armie to make warre from the firste daye of Iulie vntill the ende of December And in that case the countreys of Flaunders to furnishe him of three thousande horse a thousande footmen and sufficient artilleries and municions That if the victorie fell to them there should be rendred to the Duke of Burbon all those landes which the Frenche king had taken from him That Prouence should be transferred to him to the which he already pretended by the resignacion that was made after the death of Charles the eight by the Duke of Lorreine to Anne Duchesse of Burbon That he shoulde holde it by the title of king of Prouence That first he should make an othe to the king of Englande as to the king of Fraunce and do him homage whiche if he did not perfourme then this capitulacion to bee voyde That the Duke of Burbon shoulde not treate nor practise nothing with the Frenche kinge withoute the consent of them bothe That thEmperour at the same tyme shoulde make warre on that syde towardes Spayne Lastely that thEmbassadours of thEmperour and the king of Englande shoulde procure the Potentates of Italie to bee concurrant with their money in this enterprise to th ende to be for euer assured agaynst the warre of the Frenche A matter whiche neuer sorted to effect for that the Pope did not onely refuse to contribute but blamed expresly thenterprise prophesying that not onely it would haue an yll successe in Fraunce but also it would be the cause to returne the warre agayne vpon Italie and that with a greater puissance and perill then before The Duke of Burbon refused constantlye to acknowledge the king of Englande for kinge of Fraunce And albeit after the confederacion was made he gaue counsayle to marche with the armie towardes Lyon to th ende to drawe neare hys owne landes and Countreys yet it was resolutely determined that he shoulde passe into Prouence both for that Themperour shoulde with more facilitie sende him succours out of Spayne and also to bee more apte to take the seruice and oportunitie of the armie by sea which was in preparing at Genes by the commaundement and with the money of Themperour The Marquis of Pisquairo was declared capteine generall for Themperour in this warre for that he coulde not be brought to obey the Duke of Burbon The plotte and proceedinges of this expedicion were that the Duke of Burbon and with him the Marquis shoulde passe to Nice and yet with forces farre lesse then such as were appoynted for that where to the forces they had already with them which was fiue hundred men at armes eyght hundred light horsemen foure thowsande footemen Spanyardes three thowsande Italyans and fiue thowsande launceknightes there shoulde haue bene ioyned three hundred men at armes of the armie in Italy and fiue thowsande other launceknightes these laste companies fayled to come for want of money And the Viceroy kept reteyned the men at armes for the garde of the contrey hauing no meane to wage newe companies of footemen according to the resolucion sette downe in the firste councells to th ende to make heade agaynst Michaell Angeo Marquis of Salusse who beeing departed from his estate kept vppon the Mounteines with a thowsande footemen There was added to this that thEmprours armye at sea one of their principall hopes beeing guyded by Don Hugo de Mocado A man of muche malice and wickednes of life and a creature of the Duke Valentynois appeared farre inferior to the nauie of the Frenche king which beeing parted from Marseilles was stayed in the port of Villefrancho Neuerthelesse thEmperours armye entred into Prouence where were Monsr de la Palissa Capteyne Fayetto Ranso de Cere and Pederyk Bossolo All Capteynes of the French kinge and were nowe withdrawen into townes for that they were not stronge enoughe to make heade in the fielde One parte of the armye drewe alonge the sea side and tooke the tower that commaundeth the port of Tovvlon where were taken two Canons that were drawen to the armye
Besides the towne of Aix whiche for his authoritie and for that the parlyament is there resident is one of the chiefe townes of Prouence was rendred whose example drewe with it many other townes of the contreye The Duke of Burbon in whome was no lesse emulacion then vallour desiered that from Aix the armye might marche further leauing the sea side Wherein he perswaded that seeking to passe the ryuer of Rhosne there might bee loste no tyme to enter deeper into the bodye and intralls of Fraunce whilest the kinges prouisions were yet but weake and not confirmed for by reason the kinge was consumed of treasor and money the men at armes of Fraunce had suffered muche and were very ill payed and also not expecting that his ennemies would passe out of Lombardye into Fraunce his forces and companyes of men of warre were falne into that disorder that they coulde not bee readdressed with suche speede Besides the kinge hauing no confidence in the vallour of the footemen of his owne kingdome was constrayned before he coulde marche into the fielde to tarye for the comming of certeyne footebandes of the Svvyzzers and launceknightes during which exspectacion as the Duke of Burbon thought he shoulde be able to doe some matter of importance in passing ouer Rhosne so the Marquis of Pisquairo with the other Spanishe Capteines were of an other aduise They desiered that bothe for the oportunitie of the sea and to satisfie thintencion of thEmprour Marseilles might bee conquered A hauen moste conuenient to vexe the Realme of Fraunce with sea armyes and also no lesse apt to passe in sauetye out of Spayne into Italie These Capteynes what by thauthoritye of their multitude and thefficacye of their reasons so preuayled agaynste the will of the Duke of Burbon that they pytched their campe before Marseilles wherein was newely entred Ranse de Cere with those bandes of footemen which had beene ledde into Fraunce from Alexandria and Loda They laye fortye dayes before Marseilles without dooinge anye exployte of marke or memorie And albeit they executed the walles in many places with their artilleries and not preuayling with batteries labored to worke their entrie by myning yet they founde obiected many difficulties and their great labors resisted bothe by the fortune and fortification of the towne they had contending agaynst their industrie the strength of the wall bearing an auncient forme and building The vallour of the defendants moste resolute in the quarrell of their libertie The disposicion of the people bearing greate deuocion to the name of the Frenche king and very hatefull to the glorye of the Spanyardes And lastely the hope of succours aswell by sea as lande for that the Frenche kinge was comen to Auignon A citye of the Popes standing vppon the riuer of Rhosne where he assembled with greate diligence A mightie armie Moreouer want of money beganne to fall vppon thEmprours Capteines and their hopes no lesse diminished that the Frenche king beeing inuaded in other places woulde bee letted to conuert to one onely part all his forces and prouisions for that the king of England notwithstanding he had sent to the Duke of Burbon Maister Richard Pase did both refuse to paye the hundred thowsande duckats for the seconde moneth And also made slender showes to moue warre in Piccardye No hauing receiued into Englande Iohn Ioachin de Spetio whome the Frenche king had sent to him and also the Cardinall of Yorke making straunge aunswers to thEmprours Embassadors he gaue the Duke greate occasion bothe to doubt and distrust him And touching Spaine and thexspectacion there the powers and forces did not aunswer the willes of men nor the promisses that were made The reason was for that the Courtes of Castillo so are called the congregacions of the Deputies assembled in the name of the whole kingdom had refused to ayde thEmprour with foure hundred thowsand duckats A contribucion which they are wont to make both in the great neede of their king and vppon any action of importance by which occasion there could no money be sent to the armie that was in Prouence much lesse any leauie of men made against the french king in the frontyers of Spaine other then very weake and not worthy to beare reckoning So that the imperiall Capteines bothe dispairing to sacke Marseilles and also fearing to ronne into some greater daunger when the king shoulde approche brake vppe their campe the same daye that the king sette from Auignon with his whole armie hauing also marching with him a regiment of six thowsand Svvizzers The same reasons that moued th imperiall Capteines to leauie their seege from before Marseilles caried them also to turne their faces towards Italy And as in men there is nothing more violent then the passion of feare whose mocions are swifter then the winges of the winde so in thimperialls was seene no lesse diligence to hasten into Italie then to breake vp their seege showing one care to preuent the perill that might fall vppon them if either all or parte of the French kinges armie should encownter them in the contry of thennemie And on the other side the king saw a faire occasion offered to recouer his Duchie of Millan what by the puissance of the armie he had leauied by the fidelitie of his Capteines by the plentie of his prouicions by thintelligence he had of the weakenes of his ennemies and lastly by his hope that taking the nearest waye he shoulde bringe his armie into Italye affore those that went from Marseilles In which estate and aduauntage of thinges he determined to ioyne industrie to the present oportunitie and to followe the benefit that fortune presented to him he imparted this resolucion with all the Capteines of th armie to whome he declared that as he had vowed in him selfe an irreuocable promise to passe in person into Italie so whoseuer woulde rise vp to councell him the contrarie muche lesse that he would graunt him audience seeing he would not forbeare to holde him in ill opinion and affection That therefore euerie one shoulde goe to his charge and shewe the same will to execute thenterprise which they had done to consult and to conclude it That God who was a louer of iustice and thinsolencie and rashnesse of thennemies had at last layed open a meane to reconquer that that had bene violentlie rauished from him against lawe equitie and reason That they had to doubt no more of the victorie then for his parte he distrusted their vallours for that God doth alwayes accompanie an innocent cause with a happie successe To these wordes was correspondent both his constancie in deliberacion and his celeritie in execucion for that he commaunded immediatlie his armie to marche wherein were two thowsande launces and twentie thowsande footemen He tooke a contrarie waye because he woulde not meete with the Ladie Regent his mother who was come from Auignion to debate with him not to passe the mountes in person but to performe the warre in Italie by
any succours eyther secret or manifest in whiche couenant the Florentins did also communicate And also the king receiued into his protection the Pope and the Florentins comprehending especially thauthoritie which the famulie of Medicis had within Florence It was agreed that this accorde should not be published but at suche time as should seeme best to the Pope Neuerthelesse albeit it came not for the present to the knowledge of themprours Capteines yet they entred dayly more and more into ielousie of the Pope and therfore to be fully made assured of the certentie of his intention they dispatched to hym Martin Abbot of Nagero Commissary of the campe his commission was to propounde to the Pope at one time both hope and feare for of the one part they made him offer of very great â–ª things and of the other they gaue him to vnderstande that if themperour and the king came to the vttermost contencion themperour coulde not but holde for enemies and agaynst him suche as stoode in showe of newters and indifferent But the Pope answered that nothing could be lesse seeming to him his estate and place then to giue ouer newtralitie in a time when warres ranne betwene Christian Princes both for that the office of a pastour did so require it and also standing a newter he might with a greater authoritie interpose in the action of peace of the parts and couenants whereof he treated at the same time with thEmperour at whose Court since the taking of Millan was arriued thArchbishoppe of Capua to whom the Ladie Regent had giuen passeport to go from Lyon into Spayne â–ª Where after he had with the same reasons excused the Pope in that he would not renue the league a matter wherein thEmperour did instantly require him when he vnderstoode the king drewe towardes Italie he tolde him that in making peace or truse he ought to lay aside armes But that which wrought in thEmperour an inclinacion to accord was the difficulties wherein he saw his armie reduced the slender meanes he had to make leauies of money to releeue the affaires of Italie the full felicitie which followed the frenche king and the suspicion that he had least the king of England had secretly contracted with his ennemie he grounded that iealousie vpon this reason that not only he refused to sende to th armie that was in Lombardye the fiftie thowsand duckats for the which notwithstanding he had giuen order and prouided at Rome for the warre of Prouence But also he demaunded of thEmperour suffering so great necessitie both restitucion of the money he had lent him and also present payment of all such summes as he was bound vnto for thEmperour since his passing into Spaine hauing a great desire of coniunction with the king of England and the better to remoue al difficulties that might hold him in suspence bound him selfe to pay him that pension which he had yearely of the frenche king and to aunswere twentie thowsande duckats for the pensions which the frenche king payed to the Cardinall of Yorke and others together with thirtie thowsande duckats payable to Queene Blanche the widow of king Levvis of all which summes he had made no payment till that day Neuerthelesse thEmperour amidde so many aduersities made answere that it was not a matter agreeing with his dignitie to make any conuencion so long as the french king lay vexing with armes and hostilitie the Duchie of Millan This was his aunswere no lesse resolute then worthie suche a greatnes of minde being notwithstanding no lesse afflicted in thought and spirite then verie ill disposed of his person and bodie being falne into a feuer quartine either for the displeasure he had conceiued when the difficulties to take Marceilles began to appeare or for that his minde ill disposed to giue place to thennemie was not naturally made tractable by any difficulties or for that he had a firme confidence in the vertue of his armie if once they came to the battell or lastly for that he promised to him selfe that hereafter the fauors of fortune would follow him with as full a gale as they had done in times past The frenche king during these actions had determined to inuade the realme of Naples hoping that the importance of that kingdom would moue the Viceroy either to abandon Millan or at least surcesse armes vpon ill condicions a thing which the king began to desire for the difficulties he saw to obteyne Pauia and for that expedicion it was sette downe that Iohn Stuard Duke d'Albanie issued of the blood of the kings of Scotland should marche to the realme of Naples with two hundred launces six hundred light horsemen and foure thowsand footemen These to be drawne out of th armie the one halfe to be Italians foure hundred Svvizzers and the residue launceknightes And for the more glorie of thexpedicion and surety of the victory Ranso de Cere was appointed to ioyne with them and to descende at Lyuorna with those bandes of footemen that were leauied for the armie at sea which for the difficultie of necessary prouisions was yet within the baye of Villefranco he had also sent directions to the same Ranso and the Vrsins to wage foure thousande footemen in the countrey of Rome This deliberation the French king signified to the Pope by his Embassador Alberto Earle of Carpy by whom he required the Pope of suffrance to leauye bands of footemen at Rome and to consent to passage for his army through the Church dominion This demaund brought no litle griefe to the Pope to whom it could not but be intollerable that together with the Duchie of Millan the crowne of Naples should diuolue to the French king But looking into thestate of the tyme and lesse hardie to make open refusall of the kinges demaunde he aduised him only by waye of counsell not to embrace as yet that enterprise and not to driue him to that necessitie not to accorde to him that which for many iust regardes he could not consent vnto Wherein he occupied with him this wise discourse to proue the action to be agaynst his proper weale and profite That if in tymes past the desire to reconquer the Duchie of Millan had stirred vp so many enemies muche more would it moue in those dayes and in that estate of affayres when the world discerned that he aspired manifestly to the kingdome of Naples That there was great peril least suche an ambicion would drawe the Venetians to take armes for themprour and to passe the bondes of their confederacion That he had to consider that if hys affayres founde any difficultie in Lombardie the warre would procede with small reputation in the realme of Naples That if his warres and armies suffred declinacion in eyther of these two places it would be a materiall cause to bring foorth diminucion to both That lastely he should remember what offices he had commended in him in putting vpon him a minde requisite in a Pope and that therefore it was not
with the Frenche king was made no particular mention of him nor of the suretie of thestates of Italye stoode more and more confirmed in his former opinion that the ambicion and greatnes of themperour woulde in the ende be his seruitude and thraldome And therefore he determined not to accept thaccorde in the maner it was offred to him but to reserue him selfe free vntill he were assured what course the Frenche woulde take touching the obseruation of the peace In which resolution he stoode so much the more firme by howe muche besides thapparance and likelyhoodes of it he had heard by the relation of certayne speeches deliuered by the king affore hys libertie and spread abroade by some that were familiar in counsell with him that the king had a mynde altogether estraunged from performing the thinges he had promised to themperour And the better to confirme the king in that deliberation his owne suretie also depending vppon it he sent in poste into Fraunce Pavvle Vittorio a Florentin and capteine of his Gallies his charge was to be at the Court at the same tyme the king should aryue vsing that diligence not onely to know his intention assone as might be but also the king hauing a ready hope to be hable to drawe into league agaynst themprour the Pope and the Venetians he might take occasion the sooner to resolue himself It was enioyned also to the expedition of Pavvle to congratulate in the Popes name the kings deliuerie and to discourse with him at large what he had done to that ende and howe muche did induce themperours inclination to his libertie the practises of confederation that were enterteyned with the Lady Regent Lastely that he shoulde impart with the king the Popes vehement desire to haue an vniuersall peace in Christendome and that thEmperour and he woulde perfourme together thenterprise agaynst the Turke who was reapported to make mightie preparations to inuade that yeare the Realme of Hungarie These were his Commissions apparant and knowen but this was his direction most substantiall and secrete that aboue all things he should sounde throwly the kinges inclination whom if he founde resolute to obserue the resolution of Madrill then to passe no further least vaynely he should make his case more desperate with themperour then before but if he founde him to haue other thoughtes and to hang in doubt that he should labour to confirme him in that disposition and seruing hys turne of all occasions he should specially compell him to take that course giuing him knowledge of the Popes desire to ioyne with him for the common benefite He dispatched in like sort into Englande the pronotorie Gambaro to manage the like office with that king and to the same ende Besides he procured the Venetians to sende into Fraunce their secretory Andrevv Rosse with semblable commissions As Pavvle past by Florence vpon his voyage he fell sicke and dyed by reason of whiche accidēt the Pope sent to performe the legacion in his place Capui de Mantua taking it to an yll prediction that nowe the seconde tyme the Ministers which he had sente into Fraunce to aduaunce those practises were in the waye intercepted by death In the meane while making no omission of time nor oportunities he together with the Venetians did all that they could to keepe in courage the Duke of Millan and to enterteine him in hopes least the peace of Madrill ledde him not both with feare and rashnes to make some accorde with themprour By this time the french king was comen vpon the confiues of Fontaraby a towne apperteyning to themprour standing vppon the Occean sea and is a frontyer betwene Biskay and the Duchie of Guyen And on the other side the Lady Regent was aryued with the children of Fraunce at Bayonne not many leagues from Fontaraby The tormentes of the gowte tooke her by the waye which was the cause that she had lingred some tyme longer then the daye appoynted of permutation But at last the xviij daye of Marche the French king accompanied with the Viceroy and Capteine Alarcon with fifty horse was presented vpon the shoare of the ryuer that deuideth the realme of Fraunce from the kingdome of Spayne And on the other side vpon the shoare opposite appeared Monsr Lavvtrech with the kings children and like number of horse There was in the middest of the ryuer a great barke made fast with ankers in which was no person The king was rowed neare to this barke in a little boate wherein he was accompanied with the Viceroy Capteine Alarcon and eyght others all armed with shorte weapons And on the other side of the barke were likewise brought in a litle boate Monsr Lavvtrech with the ostages and eight others weaponed according to the others After this the Viceroy went into the barke with the person of the king and all his companie and also Monsr Lavvtrech with his eyght that accompanied him so that they were within the barke a like number of both partes Alarcon and his eyght being with the Viceroy and Lavvtrech the others with the person of the king And when they were all thus within the barke Lavvtrech fetched out of the boate into the barke the Daulphin who being giuen to the Viceroy and by him committed to capteine Alarcon was foorthwith bestowed in their boate and after him followed the little duke of Orleans who was no sooner entred the barke then the French king leaped out of the barke into his boate which he did with suche quicknes and celeritie that thexchaunge or permutation was thought to be done at one selfe instant Assoone as the king was on the other side of the shore his newe libertie making him fearefull of ambush he mounted vpon a Turkishe horse of a wonderfull swiftnes which was prepared for the purpose and running betwene feare and gladnes vppon the spurre he neuer stayed till he came to S. Iohn de Lus a towne of his obedience foure leagues from the place And being there readilie relieued with a freshe horse he ran with the same swiftnes to Bayonne where after he had past ouer the offices of Court done to him by his people he dispatched with greate diligence a gentleman to the king of England to whom he wrote with his owne hande letters of his deliuerie charging the messenger vnder verie louing commissions to tell the king of Englande that as he acknowledged theffect of his libertie to be wrought whollie by him and his operacions so in recompense he offred to remaine to him a perpetuall and assured frend and to be guided in all his affaires by his councell And afterwardes he sent an other solemne Embassage into Englande to ratifie the peace which his mother had made with him as one that reapposed a verie great fundacion in thamitie of that king The ende of the sixteenth Booke THE ARGVMENT OF THE SEVENTENTH BOOKE The Pope the french king the Venetians and the Duke of Millan draw into league against thEmperour The Duke of Burbon comes
to Millan The armie of the league breakes vp from before Millan The castell of Millan is rendred to thimperialls Many enterprises are dressed against the Pope The confederats send their armies by sea to Genes Rome is surprised by the Colonnois the Pope makes truce with thimperialls which hurteth the deuises of Lombardie The Duke of Ferrara confederats with the Emperour THE SEVENTEENTH BOOKE OF THE historie and discourse of Guicciardin NOtwithstanding the pledge of the two children of Fraunce of whom the eldest being heire apparant to so great a succession was one was added to the oth and faith that passed betwene the Emperour and the frenche king for confirmacion of the accorde solemnly made at Madrill and notwithstanding for the full perfection of th assurance the king had contracted thEmperours sister in his owne person Yet by his deliuerie both straunge for the maner and seuere for the assurance and pawnes that were enforced all the Princes of Christendom drew into no small exspectacion what would be the issue of thinges And as during his captiuitie the eyes of men stoode fixed vpon thEmperour to behold vnder what raunsome he would restore him to libertie so being deliuered they began now to turne all their thoughtes and contemplacions vpon the king for that they discerned sundrie and great effects depending vpon his deliberacion either to obserue or not obserue the capitulacion of Madrill for as in obseruing the contract they saw a destinie of present seruitude to hang ouer the regions of Italy both for the authoritie and greatnes of thEmprour which went increasing and for the imbecillitie of the prouinces to whome was left neither fortune nor vertue to make head against so great a course of victory So in not performing the articles of thaccord they saw the Emprour would be driuen either to put vp in forgetfulnes the conspiracies and enterprises dressed against him by the Duke of Myllan and to restore to him that Duchie least the Pope and Venetians tooke occasion to conioyne with the French king by which meane he should stand in hazard to lose the great profits he hoped to reape by his victorie or els making his indignacion against the Duke of Myllan more mighty together with his desire to haue no impediment of the French in Italy he should be compelled to assure the accord made with the king conuerting into certeyne payments of money all his obligacions and promisses to restore Burgonie or lastly neither yelding to the one nor the other he would be driuen to suffer to be brought against him by so many enemies a warre very greeuous almost by his owne confession since to auoid it he was reduced to this straite to let the king goe with so great a daunger But the world stoode not long in doubt of the will and intencion of the French king for that assoone as he was got into Bayonne being required by a gentleman of the Viceroys to ratifie thaccord according to thobligacion of his word being come into a place free and assured he deferred it from one day to an other interposing reasons and excuses generall wherein to th ende to hold still the Emprour in hope he sent to aduertise him by a man especiall that he forbare for the present to accomplish the ratificacion not by omission or willing negligence but vpon this necessitie that before he proceeded really to such an act he was to labor to reappease and reduce the mindes of his subiects ill contented with the obligacions he had made tending to the diminucion of the crowne of Fraunce Neuerthelesse he would in his time resolue all difficulties and obserue with fidelitie all that he had promised to him both in substance and circumstance By this dealing no lesse doubtfull for the manner then daungerous in meaning might easily be comprehended what were his intencions the same being more manifestly detected at the arriuall of the Messengers sent to him not many dayes after by the Pope and Venetians In whome was no great neede of industrie or labor to sownd out the plaine coursse of his inclinacion for after he had receiued them with many demonstracions and offices of Court he enterteyned them seuerally and a part with sondry speeches of compassion such as tended to manifest complaints against the inhumanitie of thEmprour who he said did neuer administer to him during his captiuitie any one office apperteyning to the ranke of a Prince Nor at any time shewed him selfe touched with that affection and commiseracion which one Prince ought to expresse vpon the calamities of an other And much lesse would vse any coursse of common comfort either to relieue the heauines of his condicion with any propertie of apt consolacion or once to enter into consideracion that the same accident that had falne vppon him might also be as heauily heaped vppon his owne heade In this complaint he alleaged the example of Edvvard king of England called of some Edvvard Longe shanke To whome when was presented as prisoner Iohn king of the French men taken by the Prince of VVales his sonne in the battel of Poytiers he did not only receiue him with greate comfort compassion of his afflicted case but also all the tyme of his imprisonment within the Realme of England he let him go at libertie vnder a free gard he had daily famillier cōuersation with him he would oftentymes haue him to accompany him on hunting to communicate in the open ayre and solace of the field and was not curious to call him to eate with him at his table And by these humanities muche lesse that he loste his prisoner or raunged him to an accorde lesse fauorable but of the contrarie by the operation of those graces and good offices there grewe betwene them suche a familiaritie and confidence that the French king after he had continued many yeres in Fraunce made a voluntary voyage into Englande to honor and gratifie vnder that propertie of office the liberalitie and franknes of the king He alleaged that as there was onely remembraunce of two kings of Fraunce that had bene taken prisoners in battell king Iohn and him selfe So the diuersitie of thexamples was also worthy of singular memorie seeing vpon the one was exercised all facilitie and mildues of the victor and to the other were ministred all those rigours and seuerities which tyrantes in the height and pride of their fortune are wont to vse That muche lesse that he boare towardes others a disposition eyther more peasible or better qualified seing he gathered by the construction of his speeches vsed at Madrill that following the humor of his ambition he employed his thoughts most how to subdue vnder seruitude the imperie of the Church the potētacies of Italie all other Princes of Christendome In which regard he wished the Pope and Venetians to prouide for their proper safety wherein he offred him selfe with great affection to be concurrant with them in the quarrell of their common safetie and to establishe agaynst
lodging of souldiours Their custom in times of warre before ronning in a coursse of greater humanitie and facilitie made the yoke of this innouacion more heauy to them In which respect looking into their owne estate both to be mighty in numbers and armes and remembring the lawe and obligacion of their freedom and libertie they beganne to murmure as men not able any longer to endure so great insolencie and moste greeuous exactions And therefore to make some honest way to be deliuered or at least to reduce them to some comely moderacion the towne of Myllan sent Embassadors to thEmprour who brought from him no other expedicion then words generall and that without any remedie to their afflictions The towne of Myllan principally and ouer and besides all the other townes of the Duchy being charged according to his proporcion with a greater number of souldiers then the other townes was also taxed to prouide money for expenses publike such as were set downe by the Capteines for the conseruacion of thEmprours things the Ministers of which exaction proceded with no lesse rigour and seueritie then the others for remedy of which aggreuances since by solicitacion they could neither be easied nor pitied the people pushed on with the impressions of men in a desperate state determined to resist with their weapons in hande those fore exactions which the iniquitie of the warre had layed vppon them to eate them vp They gaue order that whosoeuer were oppressed by the cruelty of the exactors should call vpon his neighbours to come to his defence who together with the vniuersall multitude of all the residue should ronne at the commaundement of certeine chieftaines assigned in many partes of the citie to resist the furie of the Officers and represse the insolencie of the souldiours that should rise in their fauor After this order and direction was established amongest them the first experience sell vppon a Marchant of retayle who being vexed by the Collectors of the exactions stirred vp for his defence his neighbours who calling to the alarme a great part of the populars the whole towne was forthwith in a tumult which by the diligence of Antho de Leua and the good office of the Marquis of Guast and other of the principall gentlemen of Myllan was eftsoones reappeased But vnder this condicion and promisse that the Capteines had assured the people to rest contented with the publike reuenues and would not laye vppon them other imposicions nor bringe into the towne other bands of souldiers This was an accord but for a very short tyme since it endured no longer then till the day following for the people hauing aduertisement that new regiments of souldiers approached neare the towne they fell againe into armes but both in a greater tumult and better gouerned and with a greater assistance of the people then the day before yea what with the rage of the populars which in their furie is daungerous and what with their well ordering of the vprore being taught by thexample of the daye before The Capteines fearing not to be hable to resiste so great a furie were vpon the poynt to goe out of the towne with their bandes A matter which in deede the humor of their feare had drawne them to do if the people with a setled resolution had marched on to be reuenged of them and their souldiours But as in tumultes and popular vprores there is alwayes something of imperfection and that aswell by the propertie of the action which holdeth of disobedience and rebellion as by the ignorance of the leaders who for the most parte haue more passion then reason So first of all they wente without all order or skill to sacke the olde Court a place where laye the Capteine of Criminall iustice with certayne bandes of footemen making their beginning with that which should haue bene the laste acte of their execution A matter whiche gaue no litle life and aduauntage to th imperiall Capteines who in that oportunitie omitted not to fortefie their straytes and places of accesse and reuoking from the siege the most parte of the footmen that kept the Castel enuironed they assembled al into one strength to make head agaynst the people if they offred to inuade them By that occasion the besieged within the Castell made a sally out to set vpon the ramparts caste on that side within But when they saw the people made not on to their succours they retyred eftsoones into the Castell leauing vnperfect the enterprise which with due execution would haue done muche to haue established their libertie The people partly for want of experience in actions of warre and partely for the care of the pillage they had made at the olde Court did not onely omit to do that which apperteined but also began to breake and seperate them selues euery one beeing more mindefull to preserue the praye he had made then to followe further the victorie which their fortune offred to them By which occasion the Capteines of the army concurring the ayde of certayne gentlemen of the towne reappeased eftsones this tumult with promise to leade out of the towne and contrey of Millan all the souldiours except those bandes of launceknightes which helde the Castell besieged In this sort the Capteines and men of warre by their pollicie and industrie quenched a daungerous fyre which the furie of the people had kindled in their rashnes and rightly skorned their disorders and ignorance to manage armes and weapons errours which familiarly do followe a communaltie drawne into mutinie hauing no leaders of experience and vallour But by these appeasementes and accordes all intelligences were not broken and muche lesse layde downe the armes of the people but retayning still many tokens of a disposition to stirre vp a greater emotion it seemed that who so euer would take vpon him to trouble th affayres of themprour neede not want a fitte occasion considering principally both the small forces and other great difficulties which thimperialls had and also that in the laste warres the wonderfull vallour of the people of Millan and of other townes expressed in their fauor had bene a great fundation for the defence of that estate These were the tearmes and estate of the affayres of Italy when were brought out of Fraunce the reapports of the ready disposition and offers of the king together with his request for the sending of Commissions And at the same time thembassadours of the king of Englande resident with the Pope laboured to induce him by reasons and perswasions to deuise howe to moderate the greatnes of themperour and to encourage the Frenche king not to obserue the capitulation By reason of which inducementes accompanied with thauthoritie and inclinations of their princes not onely the Venetians who in all times and in farre lesser occasions had giuen counsell to take armes but also the Pope notwithstanding his harde disposition to enter into that trauell iudged nowe that by necessitie he was to reduce and gather together the summe of all
of Naples This truce was willinglie accepted both by the one other partie it was acceptable to the Pope for that he had not in the castel sufficient prouision of vittels And Don Hugo though cōtrarie to thinstāce of the Colonnois thought it now time to take vp both for that he had done enough for thEmperour and also he saw most of those souldiors that had entred Rome with him dispersed heare there being more loden with pray bootie then bearing aptnes to any further seruice But this truce brake all the deuises plots of Lombardie tooke away all the frute of the victorie of Cremona for notwithstanding almost at the same time the Marquis of Salusso was come to the armie with the frenche launces yet the Popes regimentes beginning to faile who for the most parte by reason of the truce retyred to Plaisanca the seuenth of October yet the deuise to send souldiors to Genes was no lesse dissolued and disordered then the resolution to enuiron Millan with two armies Wherein the matter that helped also to this alteration and trouble was the Duke of Vrbin who after he had made a composition with those in Cremona went to visite his wife at Mantua without tarying for the consignation notwithstanding he was credibly aduertised of the truce made at Rome And hauing accorded to the companies that were within Cremona a prolongation of time to departe there was so long tarying about Cremona before they dislodged that he came not to the army with those companies that were before Cremona before the middest of October A matter that broughte great preiudice to all the affayres both for that there was solicitation made to send men to Genes which Peter Nauarre and the Venetian treasorer of the army by sea demaunded with greater instance then euer for that all the Venetian regimentes being reassembled there were in the army so many forces as might suffice for that effect without that it was nedeful for that matter to remoue the campe And also for that the Marquis of Salussa had brought with him fiue hundred launces and foure thousand footmen besides a dayly exspectation of two thousand Grisons who were waged according to thaccord made with them And lastly the Pope albeit he made open demonstrations to obserue the truce yet his intention being otherwise he had left in tharmy fourethousande footmen with Iohn de Medicis vnder pretence that the French king should paye them An excuse not without apparant coollers for that Iohn de Medicis was alwayes in the kings paye and in his name reteined continually a company of men at armes At last thimperialls that were within Cremona went out of that Citie the possession wherof was consigned ouer to Frauncis Sforce The Launceknightes with their capteine Conradin tooke their waye to Trente But the horsemen and footemen of the Spaniardes hauing passed ouer Pavv to returne to the Realme of Naples and the Popes Lieftenant making difficultie to giue them sufficient passeportes and safeconduites for that it was contrarie to the Pope to suffer them to goe to the Realme of Naples they suddenly turned their waye and wente vp by the Mountayne of Parma ▪ and Plaisanca and after wyth greate diligence they repassed the ryuer of Pavv at Chiarella from whence they went in safetie to Lomelino and so to Millan And the Popes Lieftenant Guicciardin for thobseruancie of the truce did not onely goe from before the walles of Millan with the Popes regimentes but also Andrea Dore remoued himselfe from Genes with his gallies Out of which towne not many dayes before were issued sixe thousand footemen aswell bodies payed and waged as men voluntarie and followers with direction to set vppon the sixe hundred footemen who were vppon the lande with Phillip Fiesquo who with the fauour of the toppe of the Mountaynes neare to Portofino had so fortified him selfe with rampars and bastillions that he constrayned them to retyre with their great losse And yet not many dayes after Andrea Dore returned to Portofino with sixe gallies to continue together with the residue the siege of Genes by sea At the same tyme that these matters succeeded in Italye wyth diuerse euentes the Embassadours of the Pope the Frenche kinge and the Venetians signified to thEmprour the fourthe daye of September the League that was made together wythe the libertye that was lefte to hym to enter accordinge to the conditions sette downe in the Capitulations At whiche an Embassadour of Englande beeing presente he deliuered to thEmprour from his king a letter modestly perswading him to enter into the League The Emperour heard with great affabilitie the reasons and relations of thembassadors but he aunswered them that it agreed not with his dignitie to enter into a confederation made principally agaynst his estate and his honor Onely he had bene alwayes moste deuoute and disposed to haue an vniuersall peace according to which inclination still continuing he offred to accomplish it presently if they had sufficient warrant commissions for the same Neuertheles it was beleeued that his intention was farre otherwise and that he did but insinuat that offer for his greater iustification and to giue occasion to the king of England to deferre to enter into the league and also to make colde with that hope the preparations of the confederates and so vnder the treatie of peace to leade them into some iealousie distrust And yet notwithstanding this practise he solicited on the other side the prouisions for the army by sea which was supposed to be fortie shippes and sixe thousande men payde And the rather to make that army aduaunce beeing assembled at the notable porte of Carthage the Viceroy departed from the Court the xxiiij daye of September By which expedition and celeritie it seemed that themprour was more ready and carefull of his affayres then the French king who notwithstanding he was pressed with so great interests and considerations yet he forbare not to follow the humor of his negligence and passed foorth the most part of his time in the pleasures of hunting daūsing and making court to Ladies And then were his captiue children caryed vp to Valdolit when it was manifestly discerned that there was no more hope that thaccord would be obserued The cōming of this army by sea cōpelled the Pope to take armes who with the iealousie of those apparances coulde not but doubte of the fidelitie of the Viceroy and the Spaniards In which daunger he did not onely call to Rome Vitelly with his regimentes and the bandes of his Nephewes but also he called in for his safety an hundred men at armes of the Marquis of Mantua and an hundred lighte horsemen of Peter Maria Rosso and there was sent to him from the armie two thousand Svvizzers at his charges and three thousande footemen Italians Neuerthelesse he continued still and assured from one tyme to an other that he would go into Spayne to conferre with themprour from the which most of the Cardinalls
the castell S. Angelo The Pope was al this while in no smal thought to make prouision of money wherin imploring the ayde of other princes he receiued of new from the king of England a supply of thirty thousand duckets which the lord Russell his Chamberlaine brought to him And with him came Monsr de Rabandanges with ten thousande crownes sent to him by the french king vpon the benefit of the tenthes which the Pope had accorded to him by necessitie compulsion vnder this promise notwithstāding that besides the payments of the forty thousand crownes which he gaue to the league and twenty thousand which he contributed to the Pope for euery moneth he should presently minister to him thirty thousand duckets within a moneth thirty thousand more The king of Englande gaue commission also to the Lorde Russell to signifie to the Viceroy and the Duke of Burbon a surseance of armes to th end to giue sufferance and tyme to treate a peace the practise and negociation whereof according to themprours will was holden in Englande And if the Viceroy would not condiscend to it then to denounce agaynst him warre It seemed by this readynes and many other apparances that the king of Englande vnder a desire to marry his daughter with the Frenche king was well inclined to the confederates and fauoured their cause And in that good inclination he promised that assoone as the mariage were established to enter into the league and beginne the warre in Flaunders It seemed also he was particularly disposed to do pleasure to the Pope But there could be no great exspectation of ready remedies from a prince who both measured not well the present conditions of Italy nor stoode firme and resolute in his purposes beeing styll labored and retyred by the hope which themprour gaue him to commit to him the working and arbitration of the peace notwithstanding theffectes were in nothing correspondant to the semblances and showes he made for when the Auditor of the Chamber was with him for that matter albeit themprour did what he could to perswade him in many sortes that such was his intention yet for that he exspected some euentes from Italy since the discending of the launceknightes and the aryuall of his Nauy at sea wherof he had receiued some aduertisement he forbare to giue him an aunswere assured and certayne taking his excuse vppon the warrantes and commissions of the confederates as though they were not sufficient But thaccorde whiche the Pope solicited continually with the Viceroy hurt him not a little with the Confederates both for that they stoode alwayes in feare least he woulde resolue and compound with him And also the French king and the Venetians made this iudgement that all the exspences and defraymentes whiche they should make to support him would be almost vnprofitable This iudgement and suspicion tooke encreasing by certayne degrees of vehement feares whiche were discerned in him together with the lamentable protestations he made dayly that he was no more hable to susteine the warre Wherein agaynst hys ordinarye meane and remedy in that case he opposed wilfully his naturall obstinacy would not make Cardinalls for money nor releeue himselfe in so great necessities amid so many daungers of the Church with those meanes which other Popes had wont to vse yea euen in thatchieuing of their vniust and ambicious enterprises In which regarde the French king and the Venetians to be the better prepared and ready in all accidents were eftsones particularly bound to make no accord with themprour the one without the other And the French king for that cause and for the great hope which the king of Englande gaue to rayse together with him in case the mariage went forwarde great emotions in the spring following became more negligent and lesse carefull of the daungers of Italy In this time the Viceroy who solicited an inuasion vpon the Churche states dispatched a regiment of two thousande Spanish footemen to assault a small Castell of Stephen Colonno where the vallour of the defendantes made that enterprise in vayne And because the Viceroy came on and aduaunced thecclesiastikes referred to an other time to execute the resolution taken to batter the Popes rocke the garrisons of which place had surprised the Castell Gandolffo but weakly manned and at that tyme holden by the Cardinall de Monte At last the Viceroy after he had assembled into one strength twelue thousande footemen all bodyes commaunded and trayned sauing the Spaniards and Launceknights that were come with him by sea encamped with his whole armie the xxix of Ianuary before Frusolone a towne weake and without walles sauing that the howses of some particulars serue as a wall and within the which the capteines of the Church had bestowed garrison because they would leaue him no footing nor entrie into Campagnia to the weaknes of this place was ioyned a great necessitie and want of vittells and yet the situation of the towne standing vpon a hill giueth alwayes to the inhabitantes good meane and oportunitie to saue them selues of one side for that it beareth a certaine benesite of reskew and backing A matter which gaue a great resolution to the garrison within to defende it besides that they were of the best choyse of Italians whiche at that time tooke paye Moreouer the height of the mountayne was no litle impediment to thenemies to do any action vpon their artilleries of which they had planted three demy Cannons and foure Coluerines Onely the greatest care of thenemies was to stoppe as muche as they could the entry of vittells into the towne On the other side the Pope who albeit was muche impouerished for money and was more apt to suffer indignitie to desire others to releeue him then to furnishe himselfe by meanes extraordinary encreased his campe as muche as he could with bandes of footemen payed and trayned And in that incertentie of minde and dealing he had newly taken into his paye Horacio Baillon without keeping memorie or obseruation of the iniuries which he had done before to his father and afterwardes to him whom he had of long holden prisoner within the Castell of S. Angelo as a troubler of the quiet of Perousa With these supplies of souldiours his armie went on alwayes drawing neare to Ferentin to make there his generall moosters and to giue hope of succours to those that were besieged The batterye of Frusolona was reduced to perfection the xxiiij day but because it was not suche as to giue hope to cary the place there was no assault performed Onely capteine Alarcon trauelling about the walles was hurt with the blowe of a harquebuse and likewise Maria Vrsin was wounded One of the principall grounds and hopes of the Viceroy was that he was not ignorant that the souldiors within suffred great scarcitie of vittells as also the armie that moostred at Ferentin was in the same extremitie for the souldiours of the Colonnois whiche laye within Palicina Montfortin and the Popes Rocke the
being corrupted with some secret summe of money within very few daies after deliuered vp those castells to the Florentyns In the meane while the people of Florence had reduced their citie to a popular gouernment and in that humor had created Gonfalonier and chiefe Magistrate of the pollicie for one yeare with facultie of confirmation for three yeares one Nicholas Cappony A Citizen of great authoritie and a louer of the publike libertie This man desiring wholly the concord and vnitie of the Citizens and no lesse zealous to reduce the gouernment to the most perfect forme of a common weale that was possible debated the action with reasons graue and resolued in a conuocacion of the great councell in whome rested absolute power to establishe lawes and create all Magistrates And sure if the Citizens had giuen faith to the perswasions of this man their new libertie had happly endured longer But as for the most parte the passion of spite and disdaine is stronger in him that recouereth libertie then in an other that defendeth it so the hatreds being great against the house of Medicis for many causes but especially for that they haue bene driuen to beare out for the most part with their owne money all the enterprises that they had begonne The people began to persecute immoderatly all those Citizens that were friendes to the Medicis together with such as boare affection to the name of the Pope They called into remembraunce how the citie had exspended not onely in the occupacion but also in the defence of the Duchie of Vrbyn more then fiue hundred thowsand duckats And as much in the warre which Pope Leo managed against the French king and in matters hapning after his death depending vppon the same warre Neither did they forget the three hundred thowsand duckats which were payed to the Capteines Imperialls and to the Viceroy before the creacion of Clement And lastly they reduced into reckoning the six hundred thowsand duckats disburssed aswell since that tyme as employed in this last warre agaynst the Emprour These reckonings beeing ioyned to the humor of their vniuersall hatreds so aggrauated their rage and furye that they defaced and reuersed through all the partes of the citie the armes and enseignes of the house of Medicis not forbearing in that course of insolencie to pull downe euen those skootchions which were affixed and emboasted to the publike pallaices builded by them selues They brake the images or portraictes of Leo and Clement set vp in so greate glorye in the temple of Annuciado so much celebrated through all the worlde yea the moste parte of them omitted nothing apperteyning to moue the Popes disdaine and to nourish the diuisions and discords of the citie wherein they had risen into greater degrees of disorder if the authoritie discression of the Gonfalonier had not bene interposed which yet was not sufficient to remedie many insolencies But by this tyme were comen to Rome with the Marquis of Guast and Don Hugo all those footebands of launceknights and Spanyards which were in the Realme of Naples So that it was sayd they had stronge within the towne of Rome eyght thowsande Spanish footemen twelue thowsand launceknights and foure thowsand Italians An armye sufficient to doe in Italy what they would aswell for the reputacion they had gotten as for the vniuersall astonishment of those regions together with the weake prouisions that were made to oppose against them Onely the armye tooke such libertie in their insolencies and disorders the Prince of Orenge being Capteine generall in title and name but not in authoritie and effect that they tooke litle care of thinterests of thEmprour beeing wholly caried with the humor of praye and spoyle and to raunsom prisoners and racke the purse of the Pope Matters whose sweetenes deteyned them still in Rome where running a race of tumult and mutinie the Viceroy and the Marquis of Guast feared least they woulde extend their furye vppon their persons to the daunger of their liues In which feare they fled leauing the souldiours to the hazard and stroake of the plague which beeing already begonne kindled amongest them greater bronds of infection to their vniuersall domage for these reasons thImperialls lost thoccasion of many enterprises but especially they omitted the oportunitie to conquer Bolognia A citie which albeit the Count Hugo de Pepoly went thether after the losse of Rome with an army of a thowsand footemen payed by the Venetians yet it stoode and perseuered in the obedience of the sea Apostolike though not without difficultie by reason of the tumult which Lavvrence Maluezzo made by the secret consent of Ramassotto and the fauor of the faction of the Bentyuoleis yea which was of no lesse importance then the residue their disorder and carelesnes gaue tyme to the French king to dispatch into Italy a moste mightye armye with great daunger to the Emperor to lose the Realme of Naples after he had triumphed gloriously in so great a victorye for matters going on long time before in Fraunce to a preparacion of a newe warre there was established the foure and twenty of Aprill A conclusion of the confederacion solycited many moneths betwene the French king and king of England Wherein one condicion was that the Daughter of the king of England shoulde be maryed to the french king or to the Duke of Orleans his second sonne the election of which shoulde be resolued at the tyme of the enteruiewe of the two kinges which was to bee performed at Whitsontyde betweene Callyce and Bolleyne An other article was that the kinge of Englande shoulde renownce the title of kinge of Fraunce receyuing in recompense a yearely pension of fiftye thowsande duckats The thirde article bare that the kinge of Englande shoulde enter the league made at Rome and to bee bownde by the next moneth of Iulye to moue warre beyonde the Mountes agaynste thEmprour with nyne thowsande footemen and the Frenche Kinge with eyghteene thowsande and a conuenient number of launces and artilleries That in the meane whyle bothe the one and the other of them shoulde sende Embassadors to thEmprour bothe to signifie the confederacion made by them to summon him to restore the kinges children and to enter into the peace with comely condicions Which in case he woulde not accept within one moneth their Embassadors shoulde denownce warre to him and beginne it Assoone as this accorde was passed the king of England entred the league who together with the Frenche king dispatched two gentlemen in post to present to thEmprour conuenient summonce Matters which were done by the Embassadors of the Frenche and Englishe with a farre greater readines then they were performed by the Popes commission for that his Nuncio Baltasar Castillion sparing to sharpen the mynde of thEmprour would not consent to denownce warre agaynst him But afterwardes the Court of Fraunce beeing possessed with the newes of the losse of Rome And the displeasure of the accident of the Pope beeing ballanced with the gladnes
of the deathe of the Duke of Burbon And lastly the Frenche kinge not holding it good pollicye to suffer the thinges of Italy so to declyne he contracted the fiftenth daye of Maye with the Venetians that they shoulde wage in common tenne thowsande Svvyzzers he to furnishe the first paye and the Venetians the seconde and so forwarde according to that rule That he shoulde sende into Italy tenne thowsande Frenche men vnder Peter Nauarre That in lyke sorte the Venetians ioyntly with the Duke of Myllan shoulde wage tenne thowsande footemen Italyans That he shoulde fende thether a newe supplye of fiue hundred launces and eyghteene peeces of artilleries And bicause the king of England notwithstanding tharticles of the contract shewed no greate readines to make warre beyonde the Mountes A dealing which was not very agreable to the French king They dispensed with that obligacion and in place of that they couenanted That the king of England to furnishe the warre of Italy shoulde defraye the paye of tenne thowsande footemen for six monethes full And at the speciall instance of the sayde kinge of England Monsr de Lavvtrech almoste agaynst his will was declared Capteine generall of the whole armye during whose preparacion to marche and passe with conuenient prouisions of money and other thinges necessarye there was nothinge done in Italy that was of any consequence for bothe thEmprours armye styrred not out of Rome notwithstanding that many perished dayly by the rage of the plague which at that tyme ranne also with greate mortalitye in Florence and through many partes of Italy And also the armye of the league into which at thinstance of the Marquis of Salusso and the Venetians the Florentyns were entred of newe with obligacion to defraye fiue thowsande footemen wherewith thEmprour felt him selfe greeuously offended for that hauing at their instance giuen to the Duke of Ferrara authoritie to compownd in his name was almost assoone aduertised of their contrary deliberacion This armye beeing greatly diminished in numbers for that the regiments of the Venetians of the Marquis and the Svvyzzers were yll payed was retyred towardes Viterba And looking altogether to temporise and enterteyne they labored to holde in the deuocion of the league Perousa Orbieta Spoleto with other places thereabowts And afterwardes hauing vnderstandinge in that place that one parte of thEmprours armye was yssued out of Rome somewhat to take breathe with the largenes and skoape of ayre fearing least the residue shoulde doe the lyke after the first payments were made they retyred to Orbietta and afterwardes neare to the borowe of Pyeua And in that inclinacion they had retyred vppon the landes of the Florentyns if they would haue giuen consent In this rage of the plague the castell of Saint Angeo was visited to the great daunger of the life of the Pope abowt whom dyed certeine speciall men that did seruice to his person who amyd so many afflictions and aduersities and no other hope remeyning to him then in the clemencie of thEmprour appoynted for Legat with the consent of the Capteines Cardinall Alexander of Farneso who notwithstanding being yssued out of the castell and Rome refused vnder that occasion to goe in the sayd legacion The Capteines desired to cary the person of the Pope with the thirteene Cardinals that were with him to Caietto but he labored against that resolucion with greate diligence peticions and arte At last Monsr de Lavvtrech after he had giuen order to thinges necessary departed from the Court the last of Iune with eyght hundred launces and honored with the title of Capteine generall of the whole league And the king of England in place to present tenne thowsand footemen was taxed to paye in money for euery moneth beginning the first of Iune the summe of xxx thowsand duckats Which money should be conuerted to the payment of tenne thowsand launceknights vnder Monsr Vavvdemont which was a regiment of very good exercise and practise for that they had many times broken the bands of the Lutherans The French king tooke also to his paye Andre Dore with eyght gallyes and xxxvj crownes for euery yeare But before Monsr Lavvtrech was past the Mounts the regiments of the Venetians and the Duke of Myllan ioyned together marched to Marignan whome Antho. de Leua yssuing out of Myllan with eyght hundred Spanyards and the like number of Italyans together with a very fewe horsemen constrayned them to retyre About which tyme Iohn Iames de Medicis Captaine of Mus who was in pay with the French king and exspected vppon the lake the comming of the Svvyzzers made him selfe Lord by suttle meanes vppon the castell of Monguzzo seated betwene Lecqua and Coma wherein dwelt Alexander Bentyuolo as in his owne house for the recouering of it Antho. de Leua sent thether Lodovvyk de Belioyense who hauing assalted it in vaine turned to Monceo But afterwards Antho. de Leua hauing espiall that the sayd Capteine Mus with two thowsand fiue hundred footemen was come to the village of Carato foureteene myles from Myllan returned to Myllan where leauing onely two hundred men notwithstanding the Venetians were almost ten thowsand and yssuing out by night with the rest of the armye he charged suddeinly vppon the rising of the Sunne the bands of Capteine Mus who at the alarme leauing their houses wherein they were lodged they retyred into a playne place enuyroned with hedges not farre from the village not thinking that all the bands were there And albeit they cast them selues into order yet by the disaduauntage of the place beeing lowe and strayted as a prison they fell all without any resistance into the calamitye of the sworde or prisoners except many who in the beginning sought their sauetye by fleeing taking their example of the Capteine In this meane while ThEmprour had aduertisement of the Popes captiuitie by letters which his high Chauncellor wrote to him from Monaco as he went into Italy whether he was sent by his authoritie And albeit by his speeches and outward forme of behauior he expressed how greeuous that accident was to him yet it was discerned by his secrete mocions and affections that he was not muche discontented with it which he well declared in publike demonstracions not forbearing to followe the feastes and torneyes begonne before for the byrthe of his Sonne But as the deliuerie of the Pope was vehemently desired by the king of England and Cardinall of Yorke and for their authoritie no lesse displeasing to the French kinge who in case he coulde otherwayes haue recouered his children woulde haue taken litle care and greefe for the calamities of the Pope and vniuersall domages of all Italy So in a cause so generally inducing to compassion bothe the one and the other king sent Embassadors to thEmprour to demaunde the deliuerance of the Pope as a matter apperteyning in common to all the Princes Christian and particularly due by the Emprour vnder whose faith he had beene reduced to that estate of miserye by his
confederates a beginning of some contencion for as Monsr Lavvtrech layed his plot to leaue there in garrison fiue hundred footemen to th end that in all euentes his bandes and regimentes might haue a sure retraite there and also suche companies as shoulde come out of Fraunce might orderlie reassemble and refreshe them selues in that Citie So thEmbassador of the Duke of Millan who beganne to suspect least that beginning extended to vsurpe and occupie that state for his king opposed against it with protestacions and wordes full of efficacie Wherein thEmbassador of Venice concurring with him in that minde and the Englishe interposing in the action Monsr Lavvtrech at last agreed albeit with great indignacion to leaue it freely to the Duke of Millan A matter which happilie was of great preiudice for that enterprise for that according to thopinion of many he vsed a greater negligence in the conquest of Millan either through disdaine or else to reserue him selfe to doe it in a time when without the regard of others he might make his proffit of it But after the losse of Alexandria it was not doubted but Monsr Lavvtrech would conuert his forces either to Millan or to Pauia and therfore that Antho. de Leua who had there with him an hundred and fiftie men at armes and fiue thowsand and fiue thousand footemen Spanish and Lanceknightes distrusting to be able to defende Millan with so small forces and amid so many difficulties shoulde retyre his companies to Pauia neuertheles considering that Pauya gaue smalreliefe or store of vittels and lesse exspectation to mainteine the armie there with robberies extortions as hadde bene done rudely and iniuriously at Myllan he chaunged purpose and stayed at Myllan sending to the garde of Pauya Lodovvyke Belioyense and to the Myllanois who with money would buy libertie to depart he solde for corruption and gaine the thing that he could not lawfully giue But Monsr Lavvtrech notwithstanding he was much weakened in nombers of Svvizzers marched on and tooke Vigeuena and afterwardes making a bridge vpon the riuer of Thesin and by the ayde of the same past his armie ouer he drewe towards Benerolo which is a village within iiij miles of Myllan In this order of proceeding he made shew as though he would in campe before that Citie whereunto he was also counselled by the Venetians but in deede he was resolued to take that course which seemed most easie And because he vnderstoode when he was within eight miles of Myllan that Lodovvyke Belioyense had sent thyther the night before foure hundred footemen by which meane there remayned no more then eight hundred within Pauya He turned way and went the day folowing being the xxviij of September to the Monasterie of Charterhouse and from thence with great celeritie he went to incampe before Pauya To the succours or reskue of which Citie Anthonie de leua taking occasion vpon the alteration of Monsr Lavvtrech and chaunging his way dispatched thyther three ensignes of footemen who coulde not enter by which impediment together with the small nombers of men of warre that were there it seemed the Towne coulde make no great resistance And in that weakenes and feare notwithstanding they of the Towne besought Belioyense to make some composition to auoyde the sacke and destruction of the Citie yet herefused to graunt them that compassion But when he saw with what importunitie Lavvtrech continued his batterie by the space of foure dayes hauing reuersed so much of the wall that the small nomber of men that were within sufficed not to reenforce it The necessitie of the place ioyned to the complaintes of the townesmen compelled at last Belioyense to sende a trumpet to Lavvtrech who hauing no speedie accesse to him by reason that he was by chaunce gone to the Venetian campe The souldiers drawing neare the towne entred into it by the ruines of the wall which being a spectacle greeuous to Belioyense and no meane to remedie or resist it he set open the gates of the towne and issued out in his misfortune to yelde himselfe to the Frenchmen who sent him prisoner to Genes The Citie was sackt in which action the Frenchmen spent eight dayes in pillage and crueltie putting fire into diuers houses which intheir furie they consumed in reuenge of the battel which they lost within the parke Then they drewe to counsel whether they shoulde execute the enterprise of Myllan or addresse their forces to Rome The Florentines made instance to passe further for feare least Lavvtrech staying in Lombardie the imperiall armie issued not out of Rome to distresse them The Venetians and Duke of Myllan who was expresly come from Myllan impugned it alleaging what great opportunitie there was to take Myllan and the profite that would rise by it for the enterprise of Naples for that as Myllan being taken there remayned no hope to thimperials to haue succours out of Germanie so that gate being layde open it was to be alwayes feared that a great armie comming from that part woulde not eyther put Lavvtrech in daunger or at least diuert him from the enterprise of Naples But he aunswered that he must necessarily passe further by the commaundementes of his king and the king of Englande who had sent him into Italie chiefelie to deliuer the Pope To which resolucion it was beleued he might be induced by suspicion that if the Duchie of Millan were got the Venetians thinking them selues assured from all daunger of the greatnesse of thEmperour would not be negligent to ayde the king in the enterprise of the realme of Naples And happily he was no lesse induced by this that the king supposed it would be for the benefitte and proffit of his affaires not to suffer Frauncis Sforce to recouer whollie that state to th ende that reteyning the power to offer to the Emperour to leaue it he might the easelier obteyne the deliueraunce of his children by way of thaccorde which continuallie was negociated with thEmperour by thEmbassadors of Fraunce Englande and Venice But in the negociacion of the same appeared many difficulties for that thEmperour made instance that the cause of Frauncis Sforce should be referred to the sentence of the lawe and that during the triall thestate of Millan to be holden by him promising in all accidentes not to appropriat it to him selfe He required that the Venetians shoulde pay to thArchduke the residue of the two hundred thowsande duckats which were due to him by the capitulacions of VVormes which the Venetian Embassador refused not so farre foorth as thArchduke woulde accomplishe the sayd capitulacions and render such places as he was bound by the obligacions of the same he demaunded of the sayd Venetians to giue to their exiles according to couenaunt an hundred thowsande duckats or at least assignacion for fiue thowsande duckats of reuenue That they should pay that which they ought him for the cōfederacion made with him which he wished might be renued That they shoulde render Rauenna to the Church and
him to Montfalcon where dismissing almoste all his bandes of footemen he was ledde by the same Levvis euen to Orbietto into whiche Citie he entred by nighte without the company of any one Cardinall An example worthy of consideration and perhaps neuer happned since the Churche was great that a Pope shoulde in that sorte fall from so great a puissance and reuerence his eyes to beholde the losse and sacke of Rome his person to bee turned ouer into captiuitie and his whole estate reduced to the disposing of an other and within fewe monethes after to be restored and reestablished in hys former greatnes So greate towardes princes Christian is thauthoritie of the Pope and the respect which mortall men do beare to him About this time which was immediatly after Monsr Lavvtrech was departed from Plaisanca Antho. de Leua sent out of Millan the bandes of Spanishe and Italian footemen both to feede and refresh themselues and also to recouer suche places of the contrey as were most weake to thend to open a way and commodity to bring a traffike of vitttelles to Myllan These bandes exchaunging the captiuitie of the towne wherein they were kept strayte for the libertie of the countrey which gaue them skope tooke that part of the countrey which is called Spetio He sent out also at the same time and to the same ends Phillip Toruiello with eleuen hundred footmen and certayne light horsemen to Nouaro in which citle was a garrison of foure hundren footemen of the duke of Millan Toruiello made his entrye by the Rocke which had bene alwayes holden in the name of the Emprour and finding a very slender defence he made himselfe maister of the towne where making pillage of some of the footemen and sending the residue to their houses he kept within Nouaro holding it for a retrayte to ouerrunne all the countrey thereabout But there were part of the Launceknightes got into Arond and an other part bestowed within Moraro To whom for that the Duke had sent a strength of other footmen for the defence of Lomelina and the countrey they became impedimentes to Toruiello that he had no libertie to make his incursions farre off In so much as that wynter running foorth in no other exploytes then in many skirmishes both partes made pillage aswell vpon their friendes as their enemies in that libertie of warre ranne ouer the whole countrey with an vniuersall ruine of all sortes of people In like sort at that time were ioyned and assembled at Liuorno the gallies of Andrea Dore and fourteene French gallies with sixteene gallies of the Venetians who after they had receyued in Ranso de Cere with three thousande footemen to put on lande they waighed anker the xiij of Nouember to departe out of the port of Liuorno And albeit it was determined before that they should make an inuasion vpon the I le of Sicile yet that resolution beeing innouated they were conuerted to the enterprise of Sardignia at the perswasion as was supposed of Andrea Dore who happly had in his minde other conceptions Monsr Lavvtreth consented easily to embrace this enterprise hoping that Sardignia beeing taken the conquest of Sicilie woulde be of lesse difficultie But what so euer the cause was the issue and effect was straunge and diuerse for that falling into the rage of a verye violent storme they were seperated and turned to their seuerall hazardes of the sea One of the Frenche gallies perished neare the shoares of Sardignia and foure of the Venetians beeing sore beaten with the fury of tempests returned to Liuorno the other gallies of the french were driuen into Corsa by the rage of the windes agaynst which the skill of the Pylotes had no force and afterwardes they reassembled with the foure Venetian gallies within Portovecchio the other eight of the Venetians were caried by violence of sea and storme into Liuorno So that after many perills by storme and weather that enterprise stoode dissolued Andrea Dore and Ranso de Cere remayning in great discorde together But Monsr Lavvtrech beeing within Reggia assone as he was aduertised of the Popes deliuerie he left the castell of Parma to the officers of the Church and went vp to Bolognia In which Citie he made his abode exspecting the comming of the last bandes of the Launceknightes who within fewe dayes afterwardes aryued vppon the countreys of Bolognia not in number of sixe thousande as was appoynted but only three thousand which was farre lesse then was looked for And neuertheles after they were aryued Lavvtrech soiourned twentie dayes within Bolognia attending the kings aduertisemēt for the last resolution touching the negociation of the peace He vsed in the meane whyle a great diligence wherin was also interposed the authoritie of the king of England to draw the Pope to make an open protestation to cleaue to the confederates But immediatly after he was aryued at Orbietta like as there went to congratulate with him the duke of Vrbin the Marquis of Salusso Federike Bossolo who dyed a litle after ar Lody and Levvis Pisano cōmissarie for the Venetians So he besought them with great instance to retire their cōpanies bands of men of warre from thestate ecclesiastik assuring them that the imperials had promised him to withdrawe their forces if they might discerne the armies of the confederats to do the like And in that cōpassion he wrote also a letter to Monsr Lavvtrech tending to thanke him both for that he had done to purchase his deliuerance and also for the counsell he gaue him to procure his libertie in any sorte what so euer He debated with him that his actions and industrie had bin of so great consequence to constrayne thimperialls to resolue vpon his deliuerie that he did no lesse acknowledge himselfe bound to the king and to him then if his person had bin taken out of that calamitie with the force of their armes The ayde and proceedings of which he would willingly haue taryed for had not his necessitie compelled him to abandon all temporising the rather for that the conditions that were proponed were alwayes chaunged from yll to worse the same testifying vnto him in cleare apparance that his fortune had lefte vnto him no other meane of deliuerye then by the benefite and operation of accorde which by how muche more it was deferred and put of by so muche more the authoritie and estate of the Church was to fall into manyfest reuersement But the chiefest matter that induced him to determine his aduersitie by accorde was a hope he had conceyued that beeing at libertie he should be made an apt instrument to solicite a common tranquillitie both with his king and the other princes of Christendome Such were at first his phrases and manner of speeches protested in simplicitie and roundnes as became the office of a Bishop but especially a Pope who had receyued at the hands of God so seueare and sharpe admonitions Neuertheles it was not long ere he returned to his
to pay thirtie thowsand duckats monthly for the warre of Italy in which was determined the contribucion promised before for six monethes But by how much were augmented and enforced the preparacions of the warre by so much and by the same degrees were kindled redoubled the hatreds of both the princes hauing especiall interest in this warre either of them tooke occasion to multiplie iniuries and enforce quarrells In which passions they contended no lesse with courage and malice then with force and armes For whereas thempror about two yeares before in the towne of Grenado when in like sorte the peace was solicited betwene the french king and him spake to the President of Grenoble the french embassador then certeine wordes inferring that he would willingly put end to all quarrells betwene the king and him by a singular combat of both their personnes to th ende to auoide so much bloode and affliction of Christians and personnes innocent And whereas also since that time he had cōfirmed the same wordes to the herald the last time he signified the warre to him with this addicion that the french king had delt with him villanously and cowardly in falsesying the faith he had giuen to him These speeches being now deliuered ouer to the king he thought he could not let them lie in silence without his ignominie and dishonor And therefore albeit the chalenge might better become the personnes of knightes then to be performed by princes of their estate and greatnes yet being no lesse guided with the enuie of the chalenge then desirous to purge and iustifie his honor he caused to assemble the xxvij of Marche in a great hall of his pallaice at Paris all his princes attending his person all thembassadors resident from the forreine and the whole presence of his court And in that aspect and stately view of nobles embassadors the king in his time discended into the hall with a great pompe and furnishment of sumptuous attire no lesse honorably accompanied with a traine of Barons where after he was with all ceremonies of state dignitie set in his seate royall he caused to be called before him themprours embassador who sued for his dispatch for that it was determined that being conueighed to Bayone he should be deliuered at the same time that the other confederat embassadors were set at libertie who for that purpose were conducted to Bayone When thembassador stoode in his presence the king spake to him excusing and alleadging that thempror had bene principally the cause of his restraining for that in an example new and against humanitie he had kept reteined his embassadors and the agents of his confederats But seing he was now to go to Bayone to th ende there might be an vniuersall deliuerie at one time he desired him to cary from him a letter to thempror and to deliuer a message from him of this tenor That whereas thempror had saied to his herald that he had falsefied his faith he had saied falsely and that hovv many times he had spoken it so many times had he lied and that for aunsvvere to th ende not to linger the tryall of their quarells he vvould assigne him the place vvhere they might together performe the combat But thembassador refusing either to cary the letter or to deliuer the message the king saied he would send to signifie no lesse to him by a herald he added also to the message that albeit he was not ignorant that themprour had spoken wordes against the honor of his brother the king of England yet he would make no mencion of that knowing that the saied king was well hable to deale in his owne defense And yet if thorow the indisposicion of his body he had any lawfull impedimēt he offred to present his person to hazard for him Not many daies after the king of England gaue the same deffiance and with the same solemnities and ceremonies The same somewhat offending the honor of the princes of Christendome who in their rage of malice could not forbeare to defile their mindes with such passions hauing ronning amongest them a warre of so great importance and so much preiudiciall to all the common wealth of Christendom But amyd these great heates and furies of warre and armes the order of our story draweth into discourse some reapport of the king of England touching the refusing of the Lady Katherine of Aragon The saied king had to wife the said Lady Katherine daughter to Ferdinand and Elyzabeth kings of Spayne a queene worthy of such parents and for her vertues and good behauior vniuersally beloued reuerenced of the whole estate of the realme In the time of the father of that king she was maried to prince Arthure eldest sonne to the crowne but being almost no sooner maried then she was made a widow by the hasty death of her husband she was eftsoones by the consent of her father and father in law married to prince Henry the younger brother but with dispensacion of Pope Iulio in regard of thaffinitie that was neare and straite of which mariage was procreated a sonne who died immediatly and afterwardes there succeded no other generacion of children then a daughter The same giuing occasion to the court to murmure that for the vnlawfulnes of the mariage being not dispensable in the first degree the crowne was by miracle depriued of issue male This occasion was aptly taken and managed by the Cardinall of Yorke who knowing the kings desire to haue sonnes began to perswade him that refusing his first wife who iustly was not his wife he might dispose himselfe to marie an other Wherein much lesse that he was induced by conscience or of a simple desier to bring issue male to the king but he was caried in that action with a secret opinion that in drawing his king to embrase a second mariage he might happlie induce him to fix his affection vpon the Ladie Renea daughter to king Lovvys A matter which was desired by him with no small industrie and ambicion for that knowing he was generally hated of all the realme he sought to prepare remedies for his owne estate against all accidents that might happen both during the life and after the death of the king he tooke also one strong inducement to that practise vpon the greate malice he had conceiued against themperour for that neither in demonstracions nor with effects he did not further and satisfie his incredible pride neither did he doute for the great authoritie the king and he had with the Pope to dispose him to publish iudicially the diuorce The king opened readely his eares to this councell not that he was caried with those endes which the Cardinall of Yorke had fashioned But according to thopinion of many he tooke the chiefest reason of his inducement vppon the loue he bare to a Ladie of the Queenes traine whome he determined to make his wife In which course of loue and choosing the king was so secret and priuate that
office of seruice by the mutinie of the paysants which still redoubled into worse degrees they abandoned the defense of the place Insomuch as the whole campe entring where no resistance was made they turned their felicitie into blood slaying in their furie all the paysants men of the towne Onely the souldiers retyred into the castell together with the Prince who not long after yeelded simply as was sayde to discression notwithstanding they pretended that their liues were excepted The Prince was saued with a very fewe of his followers all the others were put to the sword conteyning three thowsand bodies the towne deliuered vp to sacking In the towne was foūd great store of vittells to the great commoditie and comforting of the French men who for their hard prouision suffred no small wants in Povvylla The xxiiij day the Spanyards departed from Ariano and incamped at Tripaldo which is xxv myles from Naples vppon the high waye and xl myles from Ofanto with whome ioyned the Viceroy the Prince of Salerno and Fabricio Maramo with a regiment of three thowsand footemen and twelue peeces of artilleries it was thought also that Captaine Alarson yssued out of Naples with two thowsand footemen to succour Dogania But Lavvtrech stayed vpon the territories of Ofanto to make great prouisions of money had all his cōpanies incamped betwene Ascalo Melffe And since the accident of Melffe were rendred to him Barletto Trany and all the townes thereabouts except Manfredonia wherein was a strength of a thowsand footemen In this successe and rendring of townes he sent out Peter Nauare with foure thowsand footemen to take the rock of Venosa which being garded valliantly defended by ij hundred fifty spanish footemen he tooke it at last to discression reteyning the Capteines prisoners he sent away the others without weapōs And there he had giuen order that the reuenue of the tribute of Povvilla should be receyued for him which for the troubles impediments which the warre brought aūswered not the value price that were wont to rise by it In this place the commissarie Pisano with the Venetian regimentes conteining about two thousande footemen came to Monsr Lavvtrech who in this sorte was busied to assure him selfe of vittells and prouisions A matter which was made more easie to him after he had got into his power Ascoly by the meane of the Venetian regimentes And at this tyme rising into courage by the happy euent of his affayres he vrged the Pope with hawty wordes to declare him selfe for the league Who notwithstanding they of Viterbo would not before receyue him for their gouernour of which Octauian Spirito was the cause yet beeing afterwardes raunged and made plyable through feare he had transported his Court to Viterba And Vespasian Colonno being dead at the same time who ordeyned by his testament that Isabell his onely daughter shoulde be maryed to Hipolito de Medicis the Pope vnder that cooller gatte possession of all those places which he helde in the territories of Rome notwithstanding Askanio pretended that they apperteyned to him by the ceassing of the line masculine of Prospero Colonno About this time Monopoly was rendred to the Venetians for whome and to whose vse according to the laste couenauntes made with the French king were gotten all those portes of the realme of Naples which they possessed before they were ouerthrowen by king Lovvis the xij in Guiaradada By reason of these prosperities of the French the Duke of Ferrara was induced to sende his sonne into Fraunce to accomplish and giue perfection to the mariage A matter which he had deferred before by great industrie refusing with the same pollicie to be Capteine of the League But themprour who sent no men out of Spayne to releeue the daungers of the kingdome of Naples had giuen ordenance that the Duke of Brunsvvich should passe out of Germanie into Italy with new supplies of Launceknights for the succour of that kingdome These supplies were prepared with so muche the more care and diligence by how muche they vnderstoode the necessitie to reskew it was great for the comming on of Monsr Lavvtrech But to th ende the aduauncing of those supplyes should not trouble the hope of the victorie it was agreed by the consent of the king of Englande the French king and the Venetians that the Lorde Frauncis of Saint Poll discended of the house of Burbon should passe into Italy with foure hundred launces fiue hundred light horsmen fiue thousande footemen Frenche two thousande Svvizzers and two thousande Launceknightes This armie was appoynted to followe them if they passed to Naples and otherwise to make warre vppon the Duchie of Millan adioyning to them the regimentes of the Venetians and the bandes of Frauncis Sforce For the defrayment of this armie was set downe a paye of threescore thousande duckets monthly of which the king of Englande was to contribute euery moneth thirtie thousand And the Venetians had resolued in the counsell of Pregati to wage ten thousande footemen In this time the inhabitants of Millan were reduced to an extreme and miserable subiection for the intollerable exactions imposed by Antho. de Leua who the better to prouide for the payes of his souldiours had drawne into his owne handes all the vittells of the Citye and hauing bestowed them in publike storehouses and Garniers he solde them in his owne name at what rate or prise he would the inhabitantes beeing driuen to buy them according to his lawe or else to dye for hunger And yet the money raysed vppon that extreme meane beeing not sufficient to pay the Launceknightes that were lodged in houses they were suffred to make dayly raunsomes of the maisters and owners of whome suche as woulde yeelde no money were kept in chaynes and yrons And because to auoyde so great cruelties and intollerable impostes many dyd flee continually out of the Citie notwithstanding the rigour of the commaundementes and diligence of the warders there was confiscation of goodes published agaynst suche as were absent who were so many in number that to auoyde the trouble to sette them downe in writing they caused them to be putte in print The Nobles and best sorte of Citizens suche as remayned there were seene in their garmentes poore and ragged and in their countenances astonished and desolate expressing by a lamentable compassion the calamities they endured And their pallaces and places of best frequentation were reduced to ruines and rubbege suche as were heauye testimonies of the crueltie of the Spaniardes And yet all thinges succeeded happely to hym that was the causer of all these miseries For where Capteine Mus laye incamped at Lecqua with sixe hundred footemen as a souldiour of the League and hauing taken awaye the barkes to th ende the Spaniardes that were within Coma could not reskew it by the waye of the lake Antho. de Leua with the bandes of footemen that were within Nouaro issued out of Millan and incamped fifteene
but for the regarde of the iurisdiction direct which they had of any one without extending any further And that all protections taken in other forme should be interpreted voyde and derogate within one moneth That to make this amitie and coniunction more firme and stable they were to confirme it with the straite knots of parentage ThEmprour promising to giue for wife Margarit his bastard daughter with a dowrye of twenty thowsand duckats of yearely reuenue to Alexander Medicis sonne to Lavvrence late Duke of Vrbyn vppon whose person the Pope determined to conuert and bestowe the temporall greatnes of his house hauing at such tyme as he was in daunger of death created Cardinall Hipolito sonne of Iulian They contracted at the same tyme in articles seperat That the Pope shoulde accord to thEmprour and to his brother to resist the Turke the fourth part of the reuenues of benefices Ecclesiastike in the same manner that his Predecessor Adrian had done That the Pope should giue absolucion to all those who within Rome and other places had offended against the sea Apostolike and to all such as had ministred any proppertie of ayde councell or fauor or that any way participated or secretly approued or expresly allowed or directly had consented to the actions that had beene done That where the Emprour had not published the Croissade graunted by the Pope which was lesse ample then others that had bene beforetimes graunted That the Pope the first beeing reuoked shoulde passe an other of more full and ample forme according to the skoape of those that had bene graunted by the late Popes Iulio and Leo. Before this accorde was passed and after all the difficulties were resolued aduertisement came to thEmprour of the ouerthrowe of Monsr Saint Pol In regarde of which successe so honorable for the reputacion of his armies there and no lesse profitable for the generall estate of his affayres albeit it was doubted that to help his condicions he would haue chaunged some braunch or article of matters agreed vppon yet he confirmed them all both in substance and circumstance and with a singuler readines ratified them the same daye which was the xxix of Iune accomplishing with solemne othe before the high alter of the cathedrall Church of Barselona But the negociacions of peace betwene thEmprour and the French king were not pursued with lesse deuocion and diligence And the better to aduaunce them to some good successe yssue after the cōmissions on all sides were comen the towne of Cambray was indifferently appoynted for the assemblie and meeting A place fatal for so great conclusions and where were to conferre together the Lady Margaret of Austria and the Lady Regent mother to the French king The French king labored with all his meanes and diligence though he ment not in him selfe to performe it which also he confirmed by promisses to the confederat Embassadors of Italy hauing therein the consent priuitie of the king of England not to make any accord with thEmprour without the consent satisfaction of the confederats for he feared lest they entring into a ielousie suspicion of his will would not preuent him be the first that would compownd with the Emprour and by that meane to leaue him excluded out of the amitie of both sides In which respect he sought to perswade them not to hope in the peace but rather to keepe their thoughts disposed turned to the prouisiōs of the warre wherein to establish some good order forme of proceeding not ceassing to solicit continually he had sent into Italy the Bishop of Tarby with commission to goe to the states of Venice the Dukes of Millan Ferrara Florence both to solicit prouisions apperteyning to the warre and to promisse that if the Emperour passed into Italy he woulde also discend at the same tyme with a mightie armye so farre forthe as the other confederats woulde contribute for their parte touching the preparacions needefull Neuerthelesse the negociacions of accord continued more and more Insomuch as the seuenth day of Iuly both the Ladies made their entries into Cambray by seuerall gates with a great pompe And being lodged in two houses adioyning hauing an entrye the one within the other they spake together the same day and gaue order to their agents to treate of the articles Wherein because the kinge woulde be neare at hand to resolue all difficulties occurring he was gone vp to Compiequo to whome the Venetians hauing feare of the yssue of that coniunction had made many large and great offers And for the more absolute negociacion of this peace there were sent to Cambray as interposers in the action the Bishop of London and the Duke of Suffolke Embassadors for the king of England with whose consent and participacion that assembly was made The Pope sent thether the Archbishop of Capua There was also a presence of Embassadors from all the confederats To whome the French men made relacion of things farre otherwise then was the truth of that that was debated Wherein the king eyther reteyned so great an impietie or els had so simple and sole a thought of his interest perticular which consisted wholly in the recouerie of his children That where the Florentyns made greate instance to him that according to thexample of king Levvys his father in lawe and his predecessor in the yeare a thowsand fiue hundred and twelue he woulde consent that they might accorde with thEmprour for their sauetie he refused it vnder this promise that he would neuer make any accord without comprehending them in it Assuring them also that he was most ready to follow the warre and promised no lesse to all the others euen in the greatest heate of solicitacion for peace About the xxiij of Iuly came aduertisement of the capitulacions made betweene the Pope and thEmprour at what tyme albeit the present negociacion was well aduaunced yet it was so troubled and hindred for some difficulties touching certeine townes of Franche Counte that the Lady Regent gaue order to prepare to depart Neuerthelesse by the working of the Popes Legat principally by the operacion and good office of thArchbishop of Capua the conclusion was established the French king not leauing to promise to the confederats the same things he had offred before At last being the fift daye of August the peace was solemnly published in the great Church of Cambray whereof the first article conteyned That the kings sonnes should be redeliuered so farre forth as their father payed to thEmprour for their raunsome twelue hundred thowsande crownes in ready money and to the king of England for him two hundred thowsand That the king should render to the Emprour within six weekes after the ratificacion all that he possessed in the Duchie of Myllan That he should leaue vnto him Ast with resignacion of the rights apperteyning That he should leaue assoone as he could Barletto with all those peeces which he helde in the Realme of Naples That he should
dead and wounded of them within the towne an hundred and thirtie persons of the souldiors without more then two hundred bodies amongst whom was Capteine Baragnino a Spaniard Amidde these enterchaunges of skirmishes and factions of warre the Florentines forbare not to hope continually for some succours from the Frenche king who accordingly fayled not to enterteyne their hope wyth promise of a sufficient reskewe when so euer he had recouered hys children Wherein the better to assure and confirme them he gaue assignation to the Florentin Marchuntes for twentie thowsande ducketts due to them long tyme before which summe beeing lente by them to the Citie was brought to Pisa by Levvis Alaman but by suche parcelles and dribletts that it dyd little comforte the warre Moreouer Iohn Pavvle de Cere whome the Florentins had taken into their paye for the garde of that Citie came awaye to Pisa But by the conquering of Voltero was bredde to the Florentins a domage of farre greater importance for that where Feruccio both contrary to the commission giuen to him and also because he woulde goe the stronger to the action of Voltero and hauing withall to secure a confidēce in the fortres of Empoly had left for the defence of it so small a garrison that thimperials vsing thoccasion that was offred went to incampe about it vnder the conduit and leading of the Marquis of Guast And as for the weaknes of the defendantes and garrison they tooke it without any resistance and with many harmes put it to sacke So in the losse of that was brought to the Florentins more matter of affliction then in anye other thing during the warre for that hauing determined to assemble in that place newe companies and regimentes they hoped by the oportunitie of the situation which importeth muche both to reduce into distresse and difficulties the armie that lay on that side of Arno and also to open the commoditie and waye for vittells to passe to that Citie which began already to feele the want of norriture and comfort To this also was added a newe occasion to depriue them more of the hopes they had conceyued for after the French king had deliuered ouer his money which he was to paye to themprour and retyred his children which was in the beginning of Iune In place of so many aydes succours which by his promises he had reserued till that time he sent into Italy at the instance of the Pope who to haue wholly at his deuotion the kinges Agents created Cardinall the Bishop of Tarby Embassadour resident in his Court one Peter Frauncis Pontriemoly a man of great confidence with him to insinuate some motions and practise of accorde with the Florentins who by that manner of dealing discerned no further hope to be succoured by the king Wherein they beleued the more by this inducement that both he and the king of Englande ioyning together did all that they could so to allure and gouerne the Pope as they might hope to seperate him from the Emprour And in that regarde the Frenche king laboured to haue some participation and interest to reduce and conuerte the Florentins to the Popes amitie After the Marquis of Guast had taken Empoly he went with the bands of souldiours whom he ledde to ioyne with Maramus in the suburbes of Voltero where hauing in one strength almoste six thowsande footemen they began to batter the towne and when they sawe they had brought to the earth more then fortie faddomes of wall they followed th execution of thartilleries with three furious assaultes but with worse effect then their vallour deserued since in the action they lost more then foure hundred men They made afterwardes a newe batterye and with certayne chosen bands of Spaniardes and Italians consoarted together they gaue an other very braue and resolute assault but with greater domage harmes then the former assaultes in which regarde the campe brake vp rather with great prayse then good effecte of their doinges The same moarning about an howre before day Stephen Colonno issuing out of the gate of Faenza and Malatesta by the posterne that leadeth to Prato went to giue the Camisado with three thowsande footemen to the launceknightes that were lodged in the Monastery of Saint Donat where they had fortified themselues Stephen passed the trenches and slew many of them But the alarme being giuen to the residue they put themselues in order with resolution to defend their place to the last man So that after Stephen had receyued a light hurt in the mouth he retyred for feare of greater reskewes complayning muche that Malatesta had not followed him But in Florence were entred no nature of vittells nor norriture from anye parte albeit their wantes of comfortes went on encreasing dayly yet so resolute were they to defende their lybertie that there could be discerned no diminution of that constancie and fidelitie that at first armed them to so holy an action And where Feruccio was gone from Voltero to Pisa and laboured by his authoritie and industrie to assemble as great a strength as he coulde all the hopes of the Florentins were reduced to his comming for they had signifyed to hym to aduaunce and come on and not to forbeare for anye waye or other daunger to ioyne hymselfe to the defence of the Citie beeing resolued to giue battell to thennemies assoone as he had ioyned his forces with the mayne armie that was within Florence Of whiche deuise the successe and issue was not so good and happie as was greate and manyfest the rashnes of the resolution if I maye tearme those counsels rashe whiche are drawne or deryued from a laste necessitie for in this rested the errour of that counsell that they were to passe thorowe the countreys of thennemies suche as were occupyed and commaunded by a verye strong armie though dispersed into manye seuerall places The Prince of Orenge who had aduertisement of this deuise thought to goe before wyth one parte of the armie whereof he made his greatest assemblie of the Italian footemen And Malatesta Baillon with whom he had many secrete and strayte intelligences hauing happlye assured him in secrete that the Florentins suspected least in hys absence he woulde assayle the armie wente out to meete hym And fynding him neare to Ciuiniano in the mountayne of Pistoya a waye whiche he tooke passing from Pisa towardes Lucquaye in regarde of confidence reapposed in the Chauncellours faction well affected to the popular gouernment he gaue hym the skirmishe with a verye small companie of men At the firste shocke the Prince whose rashnesse was greater then his conduite and in whome was lesse the humor of counsell and discression then apperteyned to the place he managed was slayne doing rather the office of a priuate souldiour then of a Capteyne or commaunder Neuerthelesse his souldiours gotte the victorie and made prisoners together with manye others Iohn Pavvle de Cere and Feruccio whome Maramus slewe beeing prisoner in
meane while desist from the practise of their corrupcions And rendring to the sea Apostolike their due obedience they should returne to their former conuersation of Christian Catholikes This article made more hard the whole practise and negociacion of the councell ▪ for the Lutherans were not onely not to desist from their opinions and ceremonies before the celebracion of the councell but also it was beleued that they had no inclinacion to the councell where they could exspect no other matter then a reprobacion of their doctrine the rather for that their principall opinions had bene many times refuted as hereticall by the former councells yea it was thought they insisted vppon the conuocacion of this councell for that knowing it was a matter fearfull to Popes to stand in presence of a councell they were of opinion that the court of Rome would not accorde to it And so by that meane they should support their cause with the nations of the world with a greater authoritie With these actions and intencions determined the yeare a thowsand fiue hundred and thirty and successiuely followed the yeare 1531. wherein was wrought no great matter of emocion and stirre for notwithstanding it was comprehended by many signes that the French king was not onely ill contented with the accords and contracts made with the Emprour but also stoode very desirous to innouate things to new tumults with whom the king of England bare the same inclinacion especially against thEmprour for that standing in defence of the cause of the sister of his mother he impugned the matter of his diuorce yet the French king beeing both impouerished of money litle leasure to respire from the trauells of so long warrs he sawe the time was not yet apt to kindle matters of innouacion Neuerthelesse he omitted not in the meane while to conspire aswell in Germany with such Princes as bare mindes estraunged from thEmprour as in Italy with the Pope to whome the better to assure his amitie he made an ouerture of mariage betweene his seconde sonne and the Popes Neece In which practises and conspiracies he suffered him selfe to be so much ouercaried with malice and reuenge that to the great offence of God and perpetuall infamie to the crowne of Fraunce which alwayes made principall profession to defend Christian religion and for those merits was honored with the title of Christianissimus he enterteyned practises with the Prince of Turkes to stirre him vp against the Emprour Towards whome the Turkes were ordinarily ill disposed no lesse for a naturall hatred they bare to the name of Christians then for the matter of controuersies they had with his brother tending to questions for the Realme of Hungrie with the Vayuode whome he had taken into his protection The Turkes also began with much ielousie to suspect and enuye the greatnes of thEmprour By this time th Imperiall Capteines leauied their forces from the territories of Sienna to leade them to Piemont But before they departed to satisfie the Pope they reestablished within Sienna the famulie of Montonouo repossessing them of their cōtry and goods yet altered not the forme of the gouernment And to assure them in their estate they left them a garde of three hundred Spanyards depending vppon the Duke of Malfy vnder whome beeing not able to keepe his authoritie thinges so reuerted forthwith to their olde disorders that suche as had beene reestablished and restored left for feare the thinge they could not holde by force Moreouer the Emperour pronownced the forme of gouernment for Florence dissembling that parte of the authoritie giuen to him which lymited their libertie saued for that according to the very instructions which the Pope had sent to him he expressed that the citie shoulde be gouerned with the same Magistrate and in the same manner it was wont in the tymes when the Medicis ruled it he declared also for chiefe of the gouernment Alexander the Popes Nephewe and his sonne in lawe And that in case of him and his yssue extinct there shoulde succeede from hand to hande the children the descendants and the next procreated of the same famulie he restored to the citie all the priuileadges agreed vnto beforetymes by him and by his predecessors but with this condicion annexed to be deposed from them as often as the citie shoulde attempt any thinge against the greatnes of the famulie of Medicis inserting throw all the decree wordes which showed that he tooke not his ground and inducement onely vppon the power that had beene giuen to him by the parties but also vppon the authoritie and dignitie imperiall In which manner of dealing where he happly satisfied the Pope more then was extended by the facultie giuen him by the writ of compromisse he offended him as much immediatly after in a matter which was no lesse greeuous to him then the other was agreeable for after the Doctors especially assigned had heard and examined the controuersie betwene the Pope and Duke of Ferrara before whome both the parties had produced many testimonies and inscripcions with a long course of processe and pleading he pronownced sentence according to their councell and relacion that as Modena and Reggia apperteyned of right to the Duke of Ferrara so the Pope in receiuing of him an hundred thowsand duckats and reducing the tributes to the auncient manner he should inuest him of new in the iurisdiction of Ferrara Wherein the Emprour labored to insinuat into the Pope that where contrary to his promisse made in Bolognia not to pronownce in case he founde his cause not to be iust he had giuen sentence That he was not to complaine against him but rather to blame the Bishoppe of Vasona his Nuncio to whome he alwayes gaue significacion that he woulde not pronownce sentence for that he woulde not bee constrayned to passe iudgement against the Pope But he perswading the contrarye and interpreting those significacions for a discharge of the promisse he had made to giue sentence if the right were in him had pressed so muche the publicacion of the sentence that he was halfe constrayned to it for the regarde of his honour An excuse whiche the Pope woulde sooner haue admitted if the sentence and iudgement had not beene in the same sorte and manner Wherein thEmprour had many tymes assayed to reduce the matter by accorde But the poynte wherein the Pope was moste offended was that the Emperour in pronowncinge vppon the matters of Modena and Reggia hadde followed a waye and taken a coursse of a Iudge moste rogorous but in the action of Ferrara wherein the rigour was manifestelye for hym he hadde donne the office of a friendelye Arbitrator and Compromittor Therefore though he woulde neither ratifie the sentence pronownced nor accept the payment of the money wherein the Duke was condemned neither did he at the next feaste of Saint Peter accept the tribute which was publikely offred to him according to auncient custom yet the Emprour forbare not for
all that to consigne vnto the Duke of Ferrara Modena which he had deteyned in deputacion till that daye leauing them to decyde afterwards the differences betweene them So that by reason of that dealing there was not for many moneths betwene the Pope and the Duke of Ferrara neither an open warre nor an assured peace the Popelying alwayes in watche to oppresse him with conspiracies and surprise or els to exspect the occasion to heape against him an open warre with the supportacion of greater Princes This yeare of 1531. brought forth no other accidents and the tranquillitie also went on continuing for the yeare following A yeare more daungerous for forreine warres then for the emocions of Italy for the Turke beeing kindled with the ignominie of his repulse at Vienna and no lesse vnderstanding howe thEmprour was intangled in Germany prepared a right huge and great armye wherein boasting insolently of his forces he let not to publish that his intencion was to constraine thEmprour to come to battell with him By the rumor and renowme of which preparacions both the Emprour put him selfe in as good order as he could reuoking into Germany the Marquis of Guast with his Spanish regiments and a great band of horsemen and footemen Italyans And the Pope promised to contribute to him a defraiment of forty thowsand duckats for euery moneth sending for the same expedicion as Legat Apostolike his Nephew the Cardinall of Medicis And lastly the Princes and free townes of Germany prepared in fauor of thEmprour and for the common defense of Germany A very huge and mighty army But the effects aunswered nothing the renowme and the feare for Solyman who for the greatnes of his preparacions and difficultie and distance of the way could not enter into Hungarie but verie late did not drawe directlie with his armie where thEmperour was but exhibiting onely a show of warre together with certeine bragging Caualcadoes and braueries of horsemen he returned to Constantinople leauing the enterprise vnperfect for want of vallour which he had induced and managed with so mightie preparacions Neither did thEmperour shew any greater deuocion or readines seeing that when he vnderstood the Turkes drew neare much lesse that he made out to meete them seeing vppon their retyring he omitted to pursue with all his forces the faire occasion that was offered him to reconquer Hungarie for his brother Onely yeelding to his importunate desire to go into Spaine he gaue order that certeine bands of Spanish footemen some regiments of Launceknightes should be conuerted to thenterprise of Hungarie But that order was immediatlie disordered by the insolent behauiours of thItalians who pushed on by certeine their Captaines disdaining that the authority and conduit of the enterprise was giuen to others and not to them so mutined That hauing no reason to alleage for their tumult and the presence of the Emperour who went thither to appease them being not sufficient to conteine them They tooke resolutely and vniuersally their way into Italie in which disorder they marched with great hast for feare to be followed and in their way with minds malicious they burned many villages and houses in reuenge as they said of the burnings wasting committed in many places in Italie by the Launceknights ThEmperour also returned by the way of Italie and where he had set downe in what order and by what places should passe his Court and all his trayne The Cardinall Medicis caried with humors and passions of youth would not obey the order generallie giuen to all the traine but in his insolencie respecting lesse the Emperours order then his owne ambicious will he aduaunced and gotte before together with Peter Maria Rossa vppon whom chiefly was layed the fault of that sedicion This bred no litle indignacion in thEmperour either for that he imputed the beginning and discourse of the matter to the Cardinall or else he feared least the Cardinall standing ill contented that Alexander his cossin was preferred to the administracion of thestate of Florence would goe after the bandes of Italians to lead them to trouble the affaires of Tuskane In which regard he caused to be apprehended by the way the Cardinall and with him Peter Maria Rossa But after he had better considered of thimportaunce of the matter he wrote letters for the redeliuerie of the Cardinall to whome as well as to the Pope he protested many excuses Onely Peter Maria remeyned prisoner though not long after he was released working greatlie for him with thEmperour the iniurie which it seemed he had done to the Cardinall The retyring of the Turke deliuered the regions of Italie of a great warre that threatned to fall vpon them for where the Frenche king and king of England with mindes full of emulacion against thEmperour had an enteruiewe and conference together betwene Calice and Bolleyne where taking their groundes that the Turke would abide that winter in Hungarie and hold intangled the forces of thEmperour They consulted that the French king vnder that oportunitie should inuade the Duchie of Millan and hauing a disposicion to draw the Pope to their parte by violence and astonishment whom they could neuer allure by other meanes they deuised to take from him the obedience of their kingdoms in case he would not cōsent to that which they desired of him which was for the action of Millan for the French king for the king of England to giue sentence on his side in the cause of diuorce And to relate their intencions they were determined to sende to him with sharpe commissions the Cardinalls of Tournon and Tarbes both which bare no small authoritie with the Frenche king But the newes which they receiued of the retyring of the Turke before the time of their enteruiew was determined did not onely well moderate those deuises and their seuerities but were also the cause that the king of England would not suffer to passe to Calyce the Lady Anne Bulleine to celebrate mariage with her publikely in that assembly Notwithstanding that both the cause was hanging in the Court of Rome also he was forbidden by writs Apostolike vnder paine of very great iudgements to innouate nothing to the preiudice of the first mariage ▪ But so deepe did the French king dissemble that albeit to confirme the minde of the king of England that he would be against the Pope he imposed by his owne authoritie vppon the Clergie of his Realme a taxe of tenthes dispatched the two Cardinalls to the Pope yet not obseruing the fidelitie of his word and promisse he sent them furnished with commissions farre differing from the resolucion of the two kings in the beginning The Emprour being comen into Italy with a desire to speake with the Pope the place of their meeting and enteruiewe was eftsoones assigned at Bolognia A place which the Pope accepted willingly the rather for that he would giue no occasion to thEmprour to goe to the Realme of Naples and by that occasion to make
or confederacion could doe him hurt seeing that aswell for the obligacions it conteyned as for the obseruancie and execucions of the same many difficulties might happen and sundry impediments arise Thus the solicitacions and practises begon were continued betwene them And as the French king was desirous in regard of his honor and for ambicion more then for other needefull matter that the person of the Pope might come to Nyce so to allure him the more he promised not to require of him any confederacion nor to incense him to warre and much lesse to drawe him from tearmes of iustice in the cause of the king of England nor to importune him to create newe Cardinalls Neuerthelesse he was somewhat pushed on by the incitacion of the king of England who had now solemnly maried the Ladye Anne Bolleyne by whome hauing by due order of time procreated a Daughter he had to the preiudice of the Daughter of his first wife declared her Princesse of the Realme of England A title which is transferred to suche as are moste nearest the Crowne By reason of which action the Pope not hable to dissemble so great a contempt against the sea Apostolike nor refuse to graunt iustice to thEmprour had with the vowes and iustificacions of the Consistorie published that king guiltie of the cryme of contempt A matter which moued the king of England to desire with more importunitie both the parentage and enteruiewe of the Pope with the French kinge hoping muche in that kinge to remedye his cause and that if the Pope were induced to common vppon new matters against thEmprour he woulde desire to restore him and to drawe him to their coniunction and so almoste to constitute a triumuirate to giue lawes to the thinges of Italy At laste his going was concluded but not to Nyce for some difficultie interposed by the Duke of Sauoy touching the consigning of the Castel to the Pope hauing in likelyhood no inclination to displease the Emperour But the place was chaunged to Marseilles greatly to the pleasing and appetite of the French king who interpreted it not a little to his honour to reduce the enteruiew into his kingdome Neyther was it discontenting to the Pope as one that desired to satisfie him more with demonstrations to please his ambition then with effects according to true meaning The Pope caused to be published a brute that he went to this enteruiew principally to solicite an vniuersall peace secondly to perswade an enterprise agaynst the Infidells thirdly to reduce and call backe to good wayes the king of Englande and lastely and onely for common and generall interests and to establish some good fourme in the vniuersall affayres But beeing in deede not hable to dissemble the true cause of his iourney before he departed he sent his Neece to Nice vpon the gallies which the French king sent to him accompanied with the duke of Albania vncle to the young Lady Which gallies after they had deliuered the Lady to Nice returned to the port Pisan and tooke in the fourth of October the person of the Pope with a trayne of many Cardinalls whom with a happy nauigation they brought in few dayes to Marseilles There he made his solemne entry and after him entred the French king who had visited him before by night They were lodged in one Pallace and exercised reciprocally one vpon an other right great offices and demonstrations of amitie And the king who especially laboured to insinuate into his fauour and to winne him besought him to sende for his Neece to come to Marseilles which beeing perfourmed with a willing readines in the Pope who forbare to preuent the king in that motion to shewe that he would first debate of the common affayres so soone as the Lady was come the contractes wente on which were immediatly confirmed and made perfect by the consommation of the mariage to the incredible gladnes of the Pope Who albeit with such art solicited his affayres with the king that the king reapposed a wonderfull confidence in his wordes and honored him with a singular affection yet both contrary to thopinion of all men and especially agaynst thexspectation of themprour no article or capitulation was passed betweene them Onely the Pope shewed him selfe alwayes well inclined and desirous that the state of Millan might be conuerted to the Duke of Orleance husbande to his Neece A matter also vehemently thirsted after by the king for a hatred despite he bare to the Emprour and his greatnes fortunes But much more for that the duke of Orleance hauing to his share an estate of that apparance greatnes he thought that therby would be quenched the occasiōs of contentions betwene his children after his death ▪ which otherwise he feared might fall amongest them for the title of the Duchie of Britaine ▪ An estate which the king in the yere before contrarie to the couenauntes made by king Levvis with those people had annexed and vnited to the Crowne of Fraunce wherevnto he induced the subiects of that state to consent more by his kingly authoritie then of their proper inclination and will. Moreouer in this enteruiew muche lesse that the king coulde obteyne any fauour of the Pope in the cause of the king of Englande seeing beeing discontented with the inciuilities of the Agentes of that king whom he founde in the Popes chamber protesting and appealing from him to the Councell he tolde the Pope that it should nothing offende him if he pursued that king and his cause according to the rule of iustice yea he was so moderate in his demaundes and dealings that in nothing did he offende the minde of the Pope sauing that more to satisfie others of his Court and counsell then to content himselfe he solicited him to create three Cardinalls A matter not a little discontenting to the Pope not so muche for thinstance whiche themperours Embassadour made to the contrarie as for that he interpreted it to an action of great consequence both for thelection of other Popes hereafter and for the disobediences whiche might happen in hys lyfe and after to adde so many Cardinalls to the French nation beeing at that time sixe in number Neuerthelesse to preuent a greater euill with satisfying the lesser he accomplished the kings demaunde making to be concurrante in the action of that creation a brother of the Duke of Albanie to whome he had before promised the Cardinalls Cappe In all other regardes they seemed to stande firme and assured in all sortes of fidelitie and satisfaction and in that good estate of inclination and amitie the Frenche king was not curious to communicate with him many of his counsells and especially his determination to stirre vp agaynst themprour certayne Princes of Germany and chiefly the Lantgraue van Hesse and the Duke of VVittemberg who the sommer following drewe into commotion And so wyth these actions and demonstrations of amitie and office after they had passed a moneth at Marseilles the Pope returned
Cardinall of Amboyse aspireth to the Popedome Frauncis Piccolomini made pope The Vrsins against Valentynois Valentynois distressed by the Vrsins Pope Pius the thirde dieth Cardinall S. Petri Ad vincla made Pope The Pope â—oÌ„plaineth to the Venetâ—ans The VenetiaÌ„s ansvvere to the nevve Pope Faenza taken by the Venetians Duke Valentynois arested by the Pope 〈…〉 beyonde the Mounts A truce betvveene the kinges of Spayne and Fraunce VVhat hapned to the French men as they vvould haue passed Garillon Bart. Aluiano commeth to the 〈…〉 of Consaluo Peter de Medicis d 〈…〉 Peace betvveene the Turke â—â— the Venetians Discourse vpoÌ„ the nauigations of the Spaniards Complaints of the Frenchemen Consaluo deserueth the title of great captayne Valentynois prisoner by Consaluo Truce betvveene the kinges of Spayne and Fraunce Confederation betvveene the Pope king of Romains and the â—â—enâ—he king against the Venâ—â—ans The death of king Federike The death of Elizabeth Queene of Spayne Testament of Queene Elizabeth The Florentins broken by the Pisans Death of Cardinall Arkanius Consaluo aydeth the Florentins The Florentins debate vvhether they should besege Pisa The Florentins armie afore Pisa Peace betvvene the French king and king of Spayne An horrible act of a Cardinall Sedes of nevv vvarres Dissimulation very daungerous in the persons of great men King Philip saileth out of Flaunders into Spayne King Phillip caste by casualtie of sea vpon the cpasts of Englande Philip promiseth to redeliuer to king H. the duke of Suffolke Capitulations betvvene Ferdinand Philâ—p The conditioÌ„ of imperie dignitie ielous Imaginations of the French king The Pope deuiseth to vvin agayne Bolognia Malice is infinite in her actions The Pope vvill go in person to the enterprise of Bolognia The great capteine consirmed in the duchy of S. Ange. The death of king Phillip A coÌ„tinuance of the historie of Iulio d'Este The death of duke Valentynois The citie of Genes rebelleth Rebellion increaseth in occasions The seate of dominion very casual vvhere it diuolueth by election Rashnes hath no societie vvith discretion The contentes of the French armie The first defease of the Genovvies The Genovvaies sende to solicite for pardon The rebels of Genes yeelde to the French king The Frenche king entreth as a conquereâ— into Genes The sub 〈…〉 of the rebels of Genes The Pope and the Venetians incite the k. of Romains to make vvarre vppon the French king The dyet of Constance Themperour speaketh in the dyet The kings of Aragon and Fraunce haue enteruievv together The oration of Ni. Foskarin The oration of Andrevv Gritti Deliberation of the Venetians Aluiano beeing sent to suâ—â—â—r Friul giueth the rout to the Almains Truce betvvene Maximilian and the Venetians Thassâ—â—bly of Cambrâ—â— Deliberation of the Venetians The Pope ratisieth the treatise of Cambray A coÌ„tinuation of the vvarrs of Pisa Contract betvvene the French king king of Spaine and the Florentins The French king prepareth agaynst the Venetians The VenetiaÌ„s looke to them selues The ordenaÌ„ce house of Venice on fire Beginning of the vvarre The Popes Bull agaynst the Venetians The Venetians armie The armies affront one an other and feight not Deâ—ait of the Venetians Aluiano takeÌ„ prisoner The taking of many tovvnes by the french The lamentations made as Venice for the ouerthrovv The Popes souldiours in Romagnia The oration of Anth. Iustinian to Caesar Diuers opinions touching the fall of the Venetians The first hope of the Venetians The last actioÌ„ of the Florentins agaynst the Pisans Pisa rendred to the Florentins The VenetiaÌ„s determine to recouer Padoa The VenetiaÌ„s recouer Padoa The Marquis of Mantua prisoner The oration of Leonard Loredan The gentlemeÌ„ of Venice go to the succors of Padoa Description of Padoa Max returneth into Germany The Venetian armie at Vincensa The Venetian armie vpon the contrey of Ferrara Description of Verona Themâ— and the k. Caâ—h â—a to accord touching the gouernment of Castill Death of the Count Petillano The Venetian absolued The league of Caesar and the French king agaynst the Venetians The Pope threatneth the duke of Ferrara Monsr de Chaumont agaynst the Venetians The Vincentins yeelde to discression 〈…〉 M. Chaumont incampeth as Lungaro Conuencion betwene Caesar and the fr. king The taking of Monselice The Popes deliberation to chasse the french out of Italy The Popes ariuie against Ferrara and Genes The descending of the Swyzzers to the Duchie of Myllan The Venetians recouer most part of their townes after the departing of Chaumont Verâ—na beseged by the Vencuans Marquis of Mantua escapeth out of prison The Pope determineth to assaâ—le Genes Pope Iulio The kings disposition agaynst the Pope The Popes armie and the VenetiaÌ„s vppon the countrey of Ferrara Chaumont besiegeth the Pope vvithin Bolognia Chaumont retyreth from before Bolognia Mirandola beseeged The Pope in person at the campe assâ—re Mirandola Mirandâ—la yeldeth â—â— the Pope A neâ— deliberacion of the french according to the kinges direction Triuulce reasoneth The sr â–ª armie returneth to the Duchie of Myllan The sâ—â—k takes Bolognia into his protection The Pope makes ouerture of a new councell â—â— breake the councell of Pysa Friull taken agayne by the Almains The VenetiaÌ„s recouer Friul The Pope holden for dead The Pope pursueth his enterprise to chase the fr. out of Italie The hopes of the Pope The thoughtâ— of the fr. king Ouerture of the Councell of Pisa Cardinal Medicis vvho aftervvards vvas Pope Leo the tenth The Pope makes league vvith the Venetians the king Catholike 〈…〉 of the league The Pope depriueth the rebell Cardinalâ—s of the hat Pandolffo Po. councelleth the Pope A contencion betwene the Florentyns the Cardinalls rebells An ac 〈…〉 dent 〈…〉 the Card 〈…〉 lls depart 〈…〉 a. 〈…〉 The fr king suspecteth Maxymylian VVhat people the Swyzzers be Vales 〈…〉 Grisons The French king demaundeth succ 〈…〉 of the Florentins Soderin for the Frenche king The enterprise of Bolognia by the Pope and king of Aragon The Popes armie retireth from before Bolognia M. de Foix defeateth Ioh. Pavvle Baillon Bressia taken and sacked The armie of Monsr de Foix. The armie of she Confederats The seate of Rauenna The Confederats as the succours of Rauenna The order of the FrenchmeÌ„ in the battell of Rauenna Mâ—â—Soanâ—â— de 〈…〉 encourageth his souldiours to the battell The confederates army The death of Yues d'Allegre Monsr de Foix slaine The number of the dead Rauenna saâ—â—ed The Cardinals councell the Pope to harkeÌ„ to peace The Svvyzzers rise for the Pope against the frenchmen The Card. of Medicis escapeth from the french The D. of Ferrara goeth to Rome to demaund pardon of the Pope The D. of Ferrara in daunger to be prisoner at Rome The resolutioÌ„ of the treatie of Mantua by the confederates The Medicis returne to Florence Peter Sodeâ—in reasoneth in the Councell Prato taken by the Spaniards The castell of Genes taken by the Genowaies Bressia rendred by the french to the Viceroy Crema rendred to the Venetians The Bishop of Gurcy
the meane of Iulio Vrsin receyuing of the Pope in recompence of his disloyaltie the Archbishoprike of Regge in Calabria Only Peter de Margana was ashamed to kepe the money he had receiued doing the same happly with a councell no lesse honorable then happy for that otherwayes he had iustly payed the merite and payne of his deceite beeing not long tyme after taken prisoner by the successor of the king raigning But nowe the Popes mynde beeing greately confirmed by reason of these thinges and hauing no more to feare eyther enemies forreine or domesticall the thirde daye of Maye in greate solemnitie he gaue beginning to the Councell in the Churche of Saint Iohn Latran beeing nowe assured that not onely the moste regions of Italie woulde come thither but also the Realmes of Spayne of Englande and of Hungary In this firste action he was in person in habite pontificall accompanied with the colledge of Cardinalls and great multitudes of Bishoppes where the Masse of the holy Ghost besides many other prayers being celebrated according to auncient custome and the fathers exhorted with a publike oration to inclined with all their hartes to the publike benefite dignitie of christian religion it was declared the better to lay fundatiōs for other matters that afterwards should be ordeined that the councel assembled was a true a lawfull holy councel that in the same remayned vndoubtedly all the authoritie and power of the vniuersall Churche Ceremonies assuredly both goodly and holy and hable to pearce euen into the heartes of men if it might haue bene beleued that the thoughtes and intentions of the authors had bene such as were their words In this sort did the Pope gouerne him selfe after the battell of Rauenna But the french king notwithstanding that after the death of Monsr de Foix which somewhat troubled the ioy of the victorie as one whom he loued dearely had commaunded Monsr de Palissa and the Legate to leade the armie vp to Rome assoone as they could yet he seemed to abate of that inclination and began to returne with all his deuises to the desire of peace fearing that at one tyme and from many places great stormes woulde thunder vpon him and trouble his affayres for notwithstanding Caesar diminished nothing of his promises that he would remayne firme with him assuring that the truce made with the Venetians in his name was concluded without his consent neither would he ratifie it yet besides the feare of thinconstancie of Caesar and doubt whether his promises were dissembled it seemed to the king that for the conditions which he demaunded he should haue a companion in time of warre chargefull to him and to the proceeding of the peace very preiudiciall and hurtfull fearing that by his interposing he should be constrained to consent to more vnworthy conditions Besides all these he had no more doubt that the Svvizzers would ioyne with them of the league And he was sure he should haue warre with the king of Englande who had already sent a Herald to signifie to him that he pretended to be ended all confederations and couenantes betwene them for that in them all was comprehended this exception that he should make no warre neither against the Church nor agaynst the king Catholike his father in lawe Therefore the king vnderstanding with a great pleasure that the Florentins were solicited to worke the peace he dispatched spedely to Florence the president of Grenoble with verye large commission to th ende matters might be debated more at hande and if neede were he might go vp to Rome And knowing afterwards by the subscription of the articles that the Popes inclination was more ready then he seemed he gaue him selfe ouer for his parte wholly to the peace And yet fearing least for the retyring of his armie the Pope would eftsones returne to his obstinacy he sent to Monsr Palissa lying then at Parma to marche agayne immediatly into Romagnia with part of his regimentes spreading a brute that it was to passe further It seemed to him a matter greuous to deliuer vp Bolognia not so much for the instance that Caesar made to the contrarie as for the feare he had that notwithstanding the peace the Pope woulde continue his euill minde towards him and therfore it could not but be an action preiudiciall to him to depriue him selfe of the towne of Bolognia which was as the fort and bulwark of the Duchie of Millan And besides the Cardinall Finalo and the Bishop of Tiuoly being come without expresse authoritie to conclude he interpreted that to an apparant signe that he had dissemblingly giuen his consent partly for the straytes and daungers wherewith he stoode enuironed Neuerthelesse at laste he determined to accept the sayde articles vnder certayne limitations and yet not such as by them the substance of things should be troubled or altered With which aunswere the Secretorie of the Bishop of Tiuoly went to Rome demaunding in the kings name that the Pope would sende authoritie to the Cardinall and the Bishoppe to conclude or els that he would call affore him the President of Grenoble who was at Florence to whom was recommended sufficient power to doe the like But the hopes of the Pope augmented daily and by consequent if he euer had had any inclinacion to the peace it was now diminished he being a man more disposed to obserue and followe tymes then to respect and imitate the qualitie of his calling About this time arriued the commission of the king of England by the which being dispatched since the moneth of Nouember he gaue power to the Cardinall of Yorke to enter into the league The reason why he was so long in comming was the longe course he had by sea hauing bene affore in Spayne Caesar also after very longe doubtes had newely ratified the league made with the Venetians beeing principally pushed on to that action for the hopes which the kinges Catholike and of England gaue to him of the Duchies of Myllan and of Burgondye In like sort the matter that much helped to confirme the Pope were the very great hopes which the king of Aragon put him in who hauing the first knowledge of the ouerthrow by letters from the french king written to the Queene expressing that Guaston de Foix her brother was dead with great glorie carying with him the reputacion of a famous victorie obteyned vpon his enemies And afterwards more perticularly by aduertisements of his owne people comming somewhat later for thimpediments of the sea And for that withall it seemed to him that greater perill would growe to the kingdom of Naples he had determined to sende into Italy the Great Capteine with a strength of new men A remedy which he was driuen to vse hauing almost no choyse of others for notwithstanding in outward show he semed to respect much the Great Capteine for his behauior in the kingdom of Naples yet he both suspected his greatnes and durst not trust him with authoritie The Pope then being
earth which we call Christendome After the Englishe were drawne into campe which according to their custome they enuironed with trenches with cartes and so rampired it with wood and other firme matter and then planted it rounde about with artillerie that they seemed to be in a walled towne They began to batter the town of Torvvaine in many places to make many mines but they forbare to giue thassalt perhaps their prouisions beeing lesse then their vertue though their vallour was nothing inferior to the reaport that went of thē The towne of Torvvain within was very wel furnished with artilleries manned with a strength of two hundred fifty launces two thousand footmen which though it was a garrison very smal in regard of thimportaunce of the place yet their daunger was no greater then their hope of succors for that the french king was come to Amiens to th ende that by his nerenes he might giue courage cōfort to those that were besieged making great the difficultie to reskew them he was very carefull to assemble his armie which by true mustering was supposed to conteine two thousande fiue hundred launces ten thousand launceknights guided by the duke of Gueldres and ten thousand footemen leauied in the partes of his realme The greatest affliction within the town was feare to want vittels for that except of bread they had not sufficient prousion of any one nature A want which perhaps made them more bold busie then otherwise they would least the same necessitie might grow to a desperat extremitie though they durst not come to trial of their generall forces yet they forbare not to make practise of seruice vexed continually the English camp with their artillerie in which execution the great Chāberlaine of England was slayne one legge taken away from Talbot then capteine of Callice The daunger of Torvvaine troubled much the king but for that by cōmon negligence of Fraunce the difficulty to leauy laūceknights he was long ere he began to put order to his affayres his whole army was not yet assembled neither was he of mind what aduersities soeuer fortune brought vpon him to hazard the feight with thenemies for that in loasing the battell the whole realme and state of Fraunce had stand in manifest perill he hoped also that the winter comming on which in those cold clymats beginneth betimes thenemies would be driuē to dissolue the ill oportunitie and season of the yere driuing them from thenterprise which the feare of thenemies could not make them to leaue and yet his army being assembled his owne person remaining still at Amyens he sent it forth to Aire nere to Torvvaine vnder the gouernment of Monsr Longeuille otherwise called the Marquis of Rottelyn Prince of the blood and capteine of an hundred gentlemen of ordinaunce ioyning with him in the charge Monsr Palissa their commission was that eschuing all occasions to attempt the battell they should see to the well reuittelling of the townes thereabouts which till that time had bene ill furnished being subiect to the same negligence that the whole seruice was withall to do what they could to put into Torvvaine a succour of men and releefe A matter of itselfe very vneasie and yet made more hard by the small agrement that was betwene the Generals either of thē attributing seuerally to himself the whole direction and gouernment the one for his noblenesse and discending and the other for his long experience in warre Notwithstanding what by the necessity of the time brooking no long delay what by thimportunity of thē within the towne crying out for a succour of men there was a strength of a thowsand fiue hūdred launces that aduētured to approach the towne on that side that was furthest remoued frō the English And albeit there was a regiment of three thowsande Englishe bestowed at certaine passages to stoppe them yet thartilleries of the towne executed so furiously vpon them and the residue of tharmy being vnprofitable to their reskewing by reason of certeine ouerthwart trenches and ditches cast by the towne that Capteine Frontaillas ouer comming the perill by his vertue got to the gate put into the towne a supply of lxxx men at armes without horses as they had required And afterwards with the same felicity he retired with the residue of his companies finding easie by experience the enterprise that was made hard by reaport ouercomming by his vertue the daunger that without practise was holden desperat ▪ he might vnder the same aduenture haue put vittells into the towne if he had caried any with him his fortune and the state of the perill being all one By this experience the french capteines were incoraged to make their approches an other day with a great quantity of vittells hoping in the same felicity But thEnglish that tooke warning by the last example had raised newe fortificacions on that side to stoppe them and on thother side had sent out their horsemen and xv thowsand Almain footemen to cut of their way Insomuch that as they were vppon their returne the fortune of the first aduenture taking from them all suspicion and being remounted vppon their litle nagges of iorney that were led spare as men beguiled with opinion of security they were sodainly set vpon euen in the greatest coniecture of their assurance sauetie and as men being passed from a perill they feared most into a daunger they douted least they suffred the terrour of thaccident to take from them alresolucion put themselues to flight without any resistance loasing in that disorder three hūdred men at armes with whom were taken prisoners the Marquis of Rottelyn Capteines Bayard Faiette with many others of marke name Monsr Palissa was also taken prisoner but escaped away by aduenture his pollicie no lesse fauoring his sauetie then his fortune it was thought that if thEnglishe had taken the oportunity offer of that days fortune they had in that action opened to themselues a way to be masters of the whole realme of Fraunce For that behinde stoode a great battell of launceknightes which had followed the men at armes who if they had bene shocked and ouerthrowen it had bene with so great domage to the french army that it is certeine that the french king vpon the first newes beleuing that they had bene broken in dede would haue geuen so desperat a sentence of his owne safetie that he would looke howe he might flee into Britaine But there was difference betwene thintencion of thEnglish and offer of their fortune for after they had giuen the chasse to the horsemen hauing nothing of more study care in their mind then the conquest of the towne of Torvvaine they presented the frenche enseignes and prisoners before the walls a spectacle which moued not a litle the towne to dispaire of succour and ioyning to it the viewe and consideracion of their other calamities and the launceknightes withall murmuring to endure
iniuries for that the Pope by a speciall writ had commaunded the Scottish king to attempt no domage or greeuance to the crowne of Englande Neuerthelesse in the viij session of the councell of Latran which fell in the latter end of the yere the French Agents in the name of their king and protesting his commission disclaymed from the councell of Pisa and stucke to the councell of Latran They promised besides that six of those prelates that did assiste the councell of Pisa should go to Rome to do the lyke in the name of the whole French Churche and that others of the Cleargie should come to dispute vpon the pragmatike with intention to referre themselues to the declaration of the councell of which in the same session they obteined full absolution of all things committed agaynst the Church of Rome These were the accidents and actions done in Italie Fraunce and Englande in the yere a thousande fiue hundred and thirteene In the beginning of the yere following Anne the French queene passed from this life to a better hauing scarcely tasted the sweete fruite of the vnion with the church which she had so muche desired She was a verye vertuous and catholike Queene and for those partes her death was greatly sorowed of all the realme and of her naturall peoples of Brittaine When the realme of Fraunce was thus reduced to thobedience of the Churche and by that meane bothe the name and authoritie of the councell of Pisa vtterly remoued some of those that had feare of the greatnesse of the French king began to stirre and feare least his power were too much embased But specially the Pope who notwithstanding he continued in the same desire that the duchie of Millan shoulde not be recouered by him yet fearing least the king made amased with so great daungers and remembring eftsoones the matters of the yere paste would not giue him selfe sodenly to accorde with Caesar with whose wil was alwayes concurrant the minde of the king Catholike contract his daughter with one of the Nephewes of those two kings induing her for a dowry with the duchie of Millan He began to perswade with the Svvizzers that for too great hatred agaynst the French king they woulde not put him into necessitie to do a matter which should be no lesse preiudiciall to them then to him He tolde them they were not ignoraunt of the yll minde that Caesar and the king Catholike bare to them who if they obteined the duchie of Millan by vertue of accorde with the Frenche king it woulde be a matter no lesse to the daunger of their libertie and authoritie then hurtefull to the prerogatiue of the Churche and perill to the whole state of Italie That they ought to perseuer in their resolution not to suffer the French king to recouer the duchie of Millan yea they ought also to take heede least as it often hapneth in the doings of men to auoyde too muche one extremitie they fell not into an other extremitie more hurtefull and daungerous That to assure themselues more then neede was that that estate should not reuert to the French they were not the cause to make it fall into the handes of others with so muche the more perill ruine to all by howe muche lesse they should be founde hable to make resistance to a farre stronger power then the greatnesse of the Frenche king That the common weale of Svvizzers hauing made notable their name and reputation in the actions of warre with so many glorious and worthy victories was to make them selues no lesse famous and renowmed by the practises of peace That they were to foresee presently the daungers that were to come and to remedie them with wisedome and counsell without suffring things to slyde and fall into places from whence they can not be drawen out and readressed but by armes and vallour of the hande That according to the testimonie of dayly experience it happned often in warre that the vallour of men was smothered by the too great power of fortune That it was a better counsell for them to moderate in some part thaccord of Dion specially the king offring them greater paymentes and promise to make truce for three yeeres with the state of Millan so farrefoorth as they would not constrayne him to resigne his interestes which resignation beeing of greater consequence in apparance then in effect for when oportunitie shall returne to the king to reconquer it the action of resignement shall be no other impediment to him then he liste things for that difficultie ought not to be reduced to so great a daunger On the other side he aduysed the french king with many working reasons to make election of the lesser yll and rather to dispose him selfe to ratifie thaccorde of Dyon then to returne to the daunger of oppression by so many enemies in his realme the next sommer That it was thoffice of a wise Prince to auoyde the greater yll and to embrace for good and profitable thelection of the lesser That it was contrarie to the wise gouernment of a king to take himselfe out of one daunger and disorder to runne into an other of greater importance and greater infamie That it could be no honor to him to graunte the duchie of Millan with so manyfest a note of cowardise to his naturall enemies who had pursued him with so many deceites and suttleties That it was neither reste nor securitie to him by diminishing so much his owne reputation to enlarge the power of suche as conspired altogether to pull downe the Crowne of Fraunce That himselfe was a good witnesse that he could not be assured of any promise of any fayth or othe that they make A matter which he had well knowen by thexperience of other tymes to his great harmes That truely it was a harde matter to resigne hys rightes but thinfamie was so muche the lesse by howemuch a little billet or writing made not his enemies more mightie That since it had bene promised without his priuitie or consent it might be sayde that it was not his deuise from the beginning but in the execution he would be so muche the more excused being as it were constrayned for the promise made by his people to keepe somewhat his fayth Besides the world doth knowe from how great and desperate a state of daunger that accord at that time had deliuered the realme of Fraunce That he allowed well that by other meanes and offers he labored to induce the Svvizzers to his intention And that touching his parte as he desired for the suretie of his kingdome that in some sorte there were made an agreement betweene them and him so in that action he would omitte no good office of amitie and trauell to drawe the Svvizzers conformable to his will But if they woulde be obstinate he exhorted him in grauitie and fatherly deuotion to obey time and necessitie though not for other regardes yet not to take from him thexcuse to departe from thalliance he
of the king of England he did not of new determine to make warre but rather did enterteyne and recontinue the plot that was layed before Therefore because they would not be taken vnprouided they fell to solicit a confederacion with the Pope and with the Svvyzzers But the Pope enterteyning both parties with wordes gracious and studying to nourish them all with diuers hopes deferred stil to make any certaine declaracion And touching the Svvyzzers their former hatreds did not onely still continue but by time were made greater by increase of occasions for that the causes that had taken their beginning of griefes publike bothe for the deniall of augmentacion of their pensions for the calling of launceknightes to the kinges paye and for the disdaynefull and iniurious wordes deliuered against their nation were redoubled and reincreased of priuate sorowes displeasures and ambicious desires The same rising both vppon an enuie which the Commons bare to many perticulars receiuing giftes and pensions of the king also for that those factions that most hotly obiected them selues against such as followed the french amities which commonly were called at that time Gallizzanti being by that meane aduaunced with the fauor of the Commons into reputacion and greatnes feared a diminucion of their authoritie if the common weale were of new reallied with the french In so much that the councell disputacion of affaires passing not in a coursse of publike zeale but with ambicion and dissentions ciuill these bearing more credit then the Gallizanti it was obteyned that they should refuse the vnreasonable offers of the french king In this disposicion of mindes and affayres thEmbassadors of Caesar king of Aragon Duke of Myllan assembled and met affore the Svvyzzers contracted with them in the name of their Princes a confederacion for the defence of Italy reseruing a respit for the Pope to enter vntil the Monday of the lent following In this capitulacion it was agreed that to compell the french king to disclaime all his rights interests in the Duchie of Myllan the Svvyzzers receiuing monethly of the other cōfederats xxx thowsand duckats should inuade either Burgondy or Dauphyne And the king Catholike with a mightie army should make strong warre vpon the realme of Fraunce either vpon the side of Parpignan or Fonterabye By these inuasions the confederats pretended that the french king cōpelled to apply to the defense of his own realme should haue no oportunitie to molest the Duchy of Millan though he had made a resolucion agreable to his will this deliberacion of the king was kept secret vntill the moneth of Iune but at last such was the greatnes and care of the seuerall preparacions that they could no longer dissemble so great and apparant stirres The prouisions of money were great vniuersally reached to all the parts in the realme he leauied many bandes of launceknightes he caused to be drawne towardes Lyon great stoare of artilleries And had lately sent into Guyhen to leauy tenne thowsande footemen from the marches of Nauarro vnder Peter of Nauarro who was newly entred into his pay This was the reason that he ioyned him selfe to the french seruice the king of Aragon was discontented with him and charged him most of all others with the ill successe of the battell of Rauenna he would not pay his ransom that was rated at twentie thowsand duckats which the late king had giuen to the Marquis of Rottelyn to recompense in some parte the hundred thowsand crownes which he had paid in England for his ransom but the new king electing him to his seruice defraied his ransom at his first comming to the crowne tooke him into his pay which yet the sayed Peter of Nauarro would not accept till for the safetie of his honor he had sent to the king of Aragon to excuse himselfe that being abandoned of him he gaue place to necessitie renouncing notwithstanding the estates which he had giuen him in the kingdome of Naples By this time it was manifest to all the worlde that those preparacions tended to make warre vpon the Duchie of Millan that the king determined to goe thether in person So that the kinge beganne in demaundes and speaches discloased to require the Pope to ioyne with him wherein he vsed besides many other instrumentes and perswasions by the meane of Iulian his brother who had newly taken for wife Philiberta sister to Charles Duke of Sauoye and aunt to the king by the mothers side his dowrie being assigned to him vpon the hundred thowsande crownes which the Pope gaue him This gaue the kinge some hope that the Pope respecting the alliance would be readily inclined to embrase his amity the rather for that he hauing before treated with the king Catholike to mary Iuliā with one of his parentes which was of the house of Cardoua it seemed he had preferred that alliance to the other more for his owne regard then for other reason he douted not also that Iulian would not willingly help forward for desire to get by that meane some estate by the which he might furnish thexpenses conuenient to so great a mariage with all the better to establish the perpetuall gouernment which the Pope had newly giuen him of the cities of Modona Reggia Parma and Plaisance which being not supported by the fauor of mightie Princes he had litle hope to be hable to keepe them after the death of his brother But the king began euen now to fall from his hope both for that the Pope had transferred to the king of Aragon for two yeres the moneys and collections called the Croissards of the realme of Spaine whereof it was thought he would draw by way of contribucion aboue a million of duckattes And also for that he heard with great inclinacion Alberto Carpy Ier. Vich Embassadors of Caesar and the king Catholike who did not only keepe almost alwayes about him but also it seemed the Pope did communicate with them all his councells Neuerthelesse the Pope interteined the king in suspence both giuing good wordes and showing sounde intencion to those that negociated for the king but alwayes without any resolucion as one that desired aboue all other thinges that the Duchie of Millan shoulde not bee possessed by forreyne Princes Therefore the king whom it imported to bee better assured of his intencion addressed to him newe Embassadours amongest whome was VVilliam Buda of Paris a man in science of humanitie eyther Greeke or Latin of most absolute and onely erudicion of all the learned men of our time Afterwardes he sent to him in the same legacion Antho. Maria Paluoisino A man verie acceptable to the Pope seeking to omitte no meane wherein might bee any oportunitie to aduaunce his purpose But all was labour loste for that before his comminge euen from the moneth of Iulie he had verie secretlie contracted with the others for the defense of the estate of Myllan Notwithstandinge seekinge to keepe couered that resolucion
natural custome hauing not left for the calamitie of his imprisonment neither his suttleties wherin he could depely dissemble nor his couetousnes which he could not auoyde for when the Agents which Lavvtrech sent together with the Embassadour of the king of Englande were come before him to solicite him to consederate with the residue he began to giue them diuerse aunsweres Sometimes he dismissed them with hope that he would be reduced conformable to their desires and sometimes he would inferre excuses that hauing neyther men money nor authoritie as it coulde not helpe them muche to haue him to ioyne with them so the action could not but be preiudiciall to himselfe for that thimperialls would take occasion to vex him in many places And sometimes he showed a ready inclination to satisfie their demaundes so farrefoorth as Monsr Lavvtrech did aduaunce A matter which he desyred greatly to thend the Launceknightes were compelled to depart out of Rome who going on consuming the remaynders of that miserable citie and all the countrey confining would not be brought to giue ouer to hunt the praye whiche they founde so sweete but in their insolencies neyther respecting their Capteines with obedience nor for bearing ciuill tumult and mutinies amongest them selues they demaunded new payes But from the ende of the yere going before and much more in the beginning of the yere following the industrie and solicitations of the peace began to appeare vayne and by that reason the mindes of Princes and states beganne to be so muche more incensed and kindled by how much lesse they saw themselues excluded from the hope of peace For as all the difficulties were almost resolued seing themprour refused not to render to Frauncis Sforce the Duchie of Millan and to compounde with the Venetians the Florentins and the other confederates So this rested onely in question which of these two things should be put first in execution eyther the withdrawing of the French armie out of Italy or the restitution of the kinges children The king would not be bound to reuoke his armie out of Italy if first he recouered not his children offring to put ostages into the handes of the king of England to assure the obseruation of the penalties wherein he was bounde if vpon the refirming of his children he retyred not presently his armie But themprour made instance to the contrarie offring the same cawtions into the king of Englands hands Wherein the question and disputation running in whether of them it would bee more comely or honest to trust the other themprour sayde it was not reasonable to reapose confidence in him who had once deceyued him To the which the French Embassadours aunswered that by how muche more he pretended to be deceiued by their king by so much lesse could their king reapose confidence in him They alleaged also that themprours offer to consigne into the hands of the king of England the same assurances which their king offred was neyther equall nor indifferent for that both the case varyed in this that the thing which themprour promised to do was of farre greater consequence then thobligation of their king and therefore not reasonable to be assured vnder the same cawtions And also they added that the English Embassadours who had authoritie to binde their king to obserue what so euer the French king should promise had no commission to tye him to thobseruation of themprours promises And that their faculties authoritie being limited and restrayned to tearme and time they could neither exceed nor anticipate Vpon which disputation could soart no resolution for that themprour had not the same inclination to the peace which his Counsell had the rather for that he enterteined himselfe with this opinion that though by warre he should lose the kingdome of Naples yet he should be apt to recouer it by rendring the children of Fraunce yea the great Chauncellour who long time before was returned into Spayne was touched muche by imputation to haue troubled greatly the solicitations of the peace with cauillations and interpretations sophisticall At last thembassadours of Englande and Fraunce following their commissions in case they dispayred of thaccorde determined to demaund leaue of themprour to depart and immediatly afterwards to denounce warre agaynst him And with that conclusion being brought to his presence the xxj of Ianuary his Court being then at Burgos and beeing folowed with thembassadours of Venice of the Duke of Millan and Florence Thenglishe Embassadours demaunded of him the foure hundred and fiftie thousande duckets which their king had lent to him and sixe hundred thousande for the penaltie imposed vpon him in that he had refused his daughter together with fiue hundred thousande for the pensions of the French king and for other causes Whiche demaundes being proponed for greater iustification all thembassadours of the confederates asked leaue to depart away But he tolde them he woulde take aduise of his counsell before he would aunswere that demaunde beeing in deede necessarie affore they departed that his Embassadours were in places of suretie Thembassadours were no sooner departed his presence then the Heraldes of Englande and Fraunce entred to denounce warre agaynst him whiche he accepted with a greate showe of gladnes and brauerie And in that humor he gaue present direction that thembassadours of Fraunce Venice and Florence should be conueyed to a towne fifteene leagues from the Court where beeing garded with archiers and halberdiers they were forbidden eyther to communicate or to write anye thing what so euer Touching the duke of Myllans Embassadour he imposed vpon him a commaundement as vpon his subiect that he should not departe from his Court Onely on the behalfe of the Embassadour of Englande there was nothing innouated Thus all the negociations and hopes of peace being broken there remayned only inflamed and kindled the cogitatious and thoughts of the warre which as it declared it selfe in manyfest preparation through all the regions of Italy So to reduce to action and beginning the thing that as yet was but in apparance show Monsr Lavvtrech pushed on by the king but muche more by the king of Englande since the hope of peace began to diminishe was departed from Bolognia the nynth of Ianuary to marche to the kingdome of Naples by the way of Romagnia and la Marqua This way after long consultation was chosen by him contrary to thinstance of the Pope who desyred vnder thoccasion of his marching to restore into Sienna Fabio Petruccio and Montenono That election of the way was also agaynst the instance of the Florentins who to th end to haue that army more ready to succour them in case thimperialls marched to inuade Tuskane desired them to take the way of Tuskane But Monsr Lavvtrech chose rather to make his entry into the realme of Naples by the way of Tronto both for the commoditie of that way to leade the artilleries and also for the fertilitie of the countrey yeelding plenty of vittels and lastly because he would not
wont to preferre the vniuersall sauetie of the mayne body of the Realme affore the particular interest of the persons of their kings That if they would demaund condicions which were in his power to performe they should finde him most ready to ioyne with thEmprour and to fauor his greatnes But such was his desire of libertie that here he ceassed not to offer condicions diuers making no difficulty to graunt large parts of other mens estates without promising any thing of his owne This was in effect the summe of the things he accorded he offered to take to wife thEmprours sister a late widowe by the death of the king of Portugall he made confession that he would hold Burgonguie as in dowrye and that it should apperteyne to the children yssuing of that mariage That he would restore to the Duke of Burbon the Duchie that had beene confisked from him enlarging it with some other estate That in recompense of thEmprours sister who had bene promised to the Duke the king would giue him in mariage his sister a late widowe by the deceasse of Monsr d'Alenson That he would satisfie the king of England with money and pay to thEmprour a great treasor for his raunsom That he would resigne vnto him his interests and rights in the kingdom of Naples and Duchie of Myllan That he woulde send to accompany him both with a nauie by sea and an armie by lande at such tyme as he would goe to Rome to take the crowne Imperiall which was as much as if he had promised to giue him in pray the whole Monarchie of Italy Beaurayn returned with these capitulacions to thEmprour to whom went with him also Monsr Montmorancy a personage then very agreeable to the king and afterwards great maister of Fraunce and at last by the kings liberalitie indued with the dignitie of high Constable of Fraunce But now let vs say some what of the sorowes feares of Fraunce After they were possessed of the newes of the ouerthrow of th armie taking of the king there ranne thorow the whole kingdome an vniuersall astonishment and confusion for besides the incredible sorow which thaccident of the kinges imprisonment brought to that nation naturally very deuout and louing to their kinges there appeared on all sides infinite mournings and heauines aswell publike as priuate Priuate men lamented and made their sorrowes aparte for that aswell of the Courte as of the Nobilitie there were very sewe who had not loste in the battell their children their brethren or other their parentes and friends of marke They wepte and coulde not be comforted because they iudged their sorrowe could not be greater then the qualitie of their losse And in the publike and generally body of the realme might be discerned nothing but an vniuersall face of desolation and dispayre euery one crying out of so great a diminution of the authoritie glory of so flourishing a realme A perplexitie so muche the more grieuous intollerable to them by howmuch naturally they are hawty and presuming of themselues In this estate of aduersitie they set before their eyes all that feare and dispayre coulde imagine They doubted least so great a calamitie were not the beginning of a further and subuersion They sawe their king prisoner and with him eyther taken or slaine in the battel the chieftayns of the kingdome which in the imagination of their sorowes they helde a losse irreparable They behelde their capteins discomforted and their souldiors discouraged A calamitie which stopped in them all hope to be readdressed or reassured They saw the realme made naked of money treasor and enuironed with most mighty enemies an affliction which most of all caryed their thoughts into the last cogitations of desperate ruine for the king of England notwithstanding he had holden many parleys and treaties and showed in many things a variation of mind yet not many daies before the battel he had cut off al the negociations which he had enterteined with the king had published that he would discend into Fraunce if the things of Italie tooke any good successe So that the frenchmen feared least in so great an oportunity thēprour he would not leauy warre agaynst Fraunce eyther for that there was no other head or gouernor then a woman and the litle children of the king of whom the eldest had not yet runne eyght yeres accomplished or els because thenemies had with thē the duke of Burbon for his owne particular a puissant prince and for his authority in the realme of Fraunce very popular strong in opinion a mighty instrument to stirre vp most dangerous emotions Besides the Lady Regent aswell for the loue she bare to the king as for the daungers of the realme was not without her passions both proper and particular for being full of ambition and most greedy of the gouernment she feared that if the kinges deliuery drewe any long tract of tyme or that any new difficultie happned in Fraunce she should be constrayned to yelde vp thadministration of the Crowne to suche as should be delegate and assigned by the voyces of the kingdome Neuertheles amid so many astonishmentes confusions she drew her spirites to her by her example were recōforted the nobles that were of counsell with her who taking speedy order to manne the frontiers of the realme and with diligence to leauy a good prouision of money The Lady Regent in whose name all expeditions dispatches went out wrote to themprour letters full of humilitie and compassion wherein she forgot not by degrees vehement and inducing to solicit a negociatiō of accord by vertue wherof hauing a litle after deliuered Don Hugo de Moncado she sent him to themprour to offer him that her sonne should renounce disclaime frō all rightes of the kingdome of Naples and thestate of Millan with contentment to refer to the censure arbitration of the law the titles rights of Burgondy which if it apperteined to thēprour he should acknowledge it for the dowry of his sister That he should render to Monsr Burbon his estate together with his moueables goods which were of great vallour and also the frutes reuenues which had bin leauied by the cōmissioners deputed out of the regal chamber That he should giue to him his sister in mariage deliuer vp to him Pronence if iudgemēt of the interest right were made of his side And for the more facilitie and speedy passage of this negociatiō rather then for any desire she had to nourish her inclination to the warre she dispatched immediatly Embassadours into Italie to recōmend to the Pope the Venetians the safetie of her sonne To whom she offred that if for their proper securitie they would contract with her and rayse armes agaynst themperour she would for her particular aduaunce fiue hundred launces together with a great contribution of money But amidde these trauells and astonishmentes the principall desire aswell of her as of the whole