distrust This was when the warre was most hoate against the Duke of Ferrara whereunto after he had prouoked them intangled them with the quarrell receiuing of the one great displeasures without any profit and for Sixtus he did not onely chaunge purpose but also recompensed them with his spirituall curses and togither with the residue of all Italy he proceeded against them with his temporall corrections But notwithstanding all these the industrie and diligence of Lodovvyk continually soliciting the Senate and priuatly working with many in particular all these difficulties were vanquished and at last was contracted in the month of Aprill 1493. betwene the Pope the Senate of Venice and Iohn Gale as Duke of Myllan for all expedicions were dispatched in his name A new confederacion for their common defence and particular preseruation of the gouernment of Lodovvyk one of the condicions was that the Venetians and Duke of Myllan and euery of them should send immediatly to Rome for the sewertie of the Pope and state ecclesiastick an hundreth men at armes as well with those as with greater forces if neede required they should ioyne with him for the recouerie of the castells deteyned by Virginio These new councells moued not a litle the mindes of all Italy for that the Duke of Myllan remayned now deuided from that league by the which for more then a dozen yeares their common securitie was mainteyned being in it expresly defended that none of the confederats should enter any new alliance without consent of the residue And therefore seeing that vnitie was broken with vnequall diuision wherein consisted the equalitie of their generall and common busines and the mindes of the Princes replenished with suspicions and displeasures there could be no expectacion of other successe then that to a generall and common hurt there would resort frutes equall and conformable to such seedes Nowe the Duke of Calabria and P. de medicis iudging it more for the sewertie of their estates to preuent then to be preuented inclyned easily to Prosper and Fabricius Colonne who being also secretely incensed by the Cardinal S. P. ad vincla offered to surprise the towne of Rome with their companies of men at armes the ayde of the faction of the Gebelyns so that the Vrsins would follow them and the Duke of Calabria march so neare that he might reskew them within three dayes after their entry into Rome But Ferdinand who now desired no more to vexe but to appaise the courage of the Pope and to correct that which heretofore had bene done by a rash councell without discression reiected altogither those councells wherein he iudged was infection of commotion and caried not intencion and matter to breede securitie but to rayse and nourish greater troubles and daungers he determined now not faynedly but with all his hart to doe all he could to compound and accord the controuersie of the castells perswading him selfe that that occasion of so great emotion chaunge being taken away Italy would speedely returne with litle or no trauell to her first estate But it hapneth not alwayes that in taking away thoccasions theffectes doe cease hauing had of them their first beginning for as it often tymes hapneth that resolucions made by feare seeme to him that feareth lesse then the perill so Lodovvyk had no great confidence in that he had found a remedie sufficient for his securitie But dowting by reason the Pope and the Venetians had intencions and endes other then his that his foundacion could not long last which he had layd vppon the confederacion lately made with them and that therefore his affayres by diuerse accidents should be in daunger to be reduced into hard tearmes and many difficulties he applyed all his thoughts more to cure euen to the roote the originall ill that he sett before his eyes then to prouide a salue for such accidents as might happen by it neither remembring how daungerous it is to vse a medicine stronger then the nature of the disease or complexion of the patient will suffer nor that to enter into greater perills can be the onely remedie for daungers present And to the ende to build his sewertie vppon forreine strength seeing he had no confidence in his owne forces and lesse expectacion of trust in thitalyan amities he determined to doe all that he could to stirre vp the French King Charles the viij to assayle the kingdom of Naples which he pretended to appertein to him by the auncient rightes discentes of the house of Aniovv The kingdom of Naples which in the inuestitures bulls of the Church of Rome whereof it is an auncient freehold is absurdly called the Realme of Sicyle on this side the riuer of Far and being vniustly vsurped by Manfroy bastard sonne to the Emperour Frederyk the second was giuen in chiefe togither with the yle of Sicyle vnder the title of both Sicyles the one on this side and the other beyond Far by Pope Vrbyn the fourth to Charles Earle of Prouence and Aniovv brother to that Levvys king of the french who much renowmed for his power strength but more recommended for the holines of his life deserued according to the vaine affections of the frenchmen to be translated after his death into the number of Sainctes This Charles with force of armes obteyned effectually that which by title was giuen to him with thauthoritie of the Church after his death succeeded to the kingdom Charles his sonne called by the Italyans to distinguish him from his father Charles the second who left the inheritance of the Realme to Robert his sonne But because Robert died without issue male Iohane daughter of Charles Duke of Calabria sonne to Robert who died in young age before his father aspired to the kingdom but her authoritie beganne immediately to be deiected no lesse for thinfamie of her life and condicions then for the common imbecillitie of that sexe whereuppon with thincrease of time the Realme being throwne into many discordes and warres not with straungers but amongest the selfe successors of Charles the first descending of diuerse children of Charles the seconde Iohane despayring not to be able to defend her selfe adopted for her sonne Levvys Duke of Aniovv brother to the frenche Kinge Charles the fift he to whome the french men gaue the surname of wise for that he had obteyned many victories without feeling the power of Fortune This Levvys after he had passed into Italy with a mighty armie Iohane being aforehand decessed by violent meanes and the kingdom transferred to Charles called Durazzo descending likewise of Charles the first died of a feuer in Apulia euen when he was almost in possession of the victorie so that there came no other thing to them of Aniovv by this adopcion then thearldom of Prouence which had bene alwaies possessed by the yssues of Charles the first But yet of that rose the original of the colour vnder the which afterwards both Levvys of Aniovv sonne to the first
Levvys at an other tyme a sonnes sonne of the same name both stirred vp by the Popes being then in variance with the same kinges to make many inuasions vppon the kingdom of Naples but with great misfortune and preiudice Touching Charles Durazzo Ladislao his sonne succeeded him who dying without issue in the yeare 1414. the crowne diuolued to his sister Iohane the second A name much accursed for the kingdom of Naples and no lesse vnhappy to both the one and other of the women resembling one an other in dissolute gouernment and wanton customes of life for this Iohane putting the pollecie and direction of the Realme into the handes of those persons with whom she communicated vnchastly her body was immediatly brought into such straites and difficulties that being tormented with Levvys the third with the aide of Pope Martyn the v. she was at last constrayned for her last refuge to make her sonne by adopcion Alphonso king of Aragon Sicyle But entring soone after into contencion with him she brake that adopcion vnder colour of ingratitude made a new adopcion calling to her succours the selfe Levvys who persecuting her with warre compelled her by the necessities of warre to make the first adopcion In so much as hauing with force chassed Alphonso wholly out of the kingdom she enioyed it in peace all the residue of her life And dying without yssue she instituted for her heire as the brute went Rene Duke of Aniovv and Earle of Prouence brother to Levvys her sonne adoptyf who perhaps died the same yeare But the succession of Rene displeasing much the Barons of the realme besides a brute running that the testament was forged by them of Naples Alphonso was reuoked by a part of the Barons people And from thence kindled the fire of the warres betwene Alphonso Rene which by many yeres brought many afflictions to that noble realme yet the accidēts actions of the warre ▪ were more by the proper forces of the realme then by the strength of the parties In this sort the wills of men being different and contrary were kindled the factions not altogither in that time quenched betwene the Aragons and them of Aniovv their titles and coulers of rightes chaunging with the time for that the Popes following more their customs of couetousnes or the propertie of times then iustice or equitie cōsented diuersly to the inuestitures of them But touching the warres betwene Alphonso Rene the victory remained to Alphonso a Prince for his valer more renowmed for his power more mighty for his fortune better fauored who dying soone after without lawful heires without making any mēcion of Iohn his brother successor to the realme of Sicile Aragon bequeathed by testament the kingdom of Naples to Ferdinand his bastard sonne as a iust reward testimonie of his proper getting cōquest therfore he iudged it could not appertein to the crowne of Aragon This bastard notwithstanding he was immediatly after the death of his father inuaded by Iohn the sonne of Rene that by the supportacion of the principal barōs of the realme yet with his fortune vertue he mainteined not only good defēce but also so chassed his aduersaries that neuer after during the life of Rene suruiuing many yeares his sonne he neither had to debate with those of Aniovv nor yet stoode in feare of their inuacions In the end Rene died hauing no yssue male he established as heire ouer his whole estates Charles the sōne of his brother who dying soone after without childrē left by his wil his inheritāce to the frēch king Levvys the xj to whō did not only returne as to his Lord souereigne the Duchie of Aniovv which suffreth no capacity of succession in the women for that it is a mēber of the crowne but also he put him selfe in the possession of Prouence notwithstanding the Duke of Lorraine descending of one of the daughters of Rene iustified the inheritance of his estates to appertein vnto him And the sayd Levvys by iust vertue prerogatiue of the same testamēt had good power to pretend that the rightes which those of Aniovv had to the kingdom of Naples should be appropriated to him All which inheritāces being passed cōtinued after his death to the person of Charles the viij his sōne Ferdinand king of Naples began to haue a mighty enemy besides the oportunitie generally offring to who soeuer desired to annoy him For at that time this was the state of the realme of Fraunce it was very populous in multitudes of men for wealth riches euery particular region most fertill plētiful for glory in armes most florishing renowmed a pollicy wel directed discipline administred an authority dreadful in opinion hope most mighty lastly their generall condiciōs faculties so wel furnished as phaps it was not more happy in these mortal felicities since the daies of Charlemain It was newly amplified in euery one of the 3. parts wherein all Gavvle stoode deuided by the aūcients for xl yeares before vnder Charles the vij a Prince for his victories obteined with great daūgers called happy Normādie the Duchie of Guyen holden by the english were reduced to the obediēce of the frēch crowne And in the last daies of Levvys the xj the earldō of Prouence the dukdom of Burgondy almost all Picardy togither with the Duchie of Britaine were by a newe mariage inuested in the power of Charles the viij There was no wāt of inclinaciō in this king to aspire to conquer by warre and armes the kingdom of Naples as iustly apperteyning to him which continuing from his infancie by a certeine naturall instinct was enterteyned and nourished by such as were about him and for the conformetie of humors very agreeable with him they raised his thoughts into vaine regions and made him glorious aboue the triumphes of Caesar and Alexander they told him that with his heroicall minde vertues and disposition did concurre a present occasion to make him surmount the renowme of his predecessors for that in the conquest of Naples was a ready way for him to bring vnder his subiection thempire of the Turkes These things being knowne to many brought many hopes to Lodovvyk Sforce to perswade easily the thing he desired who also reapposed much in the frēdship familiaritie which the name of Sforce had in the french court ▪ for both in him in his brother Galeas afore him was continued by many demonstracions good offices the amitie begon by Francis Sforce their father who xxx yeares before hauing receiued in fee of Levvys the xj whose mind abhorred alwaies the things of Italy the city of Sauōe with the right which he pretēded to haue to Genes possessed aforetime by his father neuer failed him in his daūgers neither with coūcel succors nor affectiō But Lodovvik to solicite in Fraunce with more credit and authoritie and iudging him selfe vnable alone both for
xxx yeres sacked cōfisked at sundry times many of the Barōs had heaped togither no smal treasor on the behalf of the king they considered that his capacitie was to green to susteine alone so heauy a burdē for the direction of warres estats the councel weake thexperiēce lesse assured of such as he beleued most in To these they added the want of mony wherof they estemed to neede a great quātity They wished that the deceits suttleties of thitaliās might be depely loked into assuring them selues that it could not be pleasing neither to others nor to Lodovvik Sforce him selfe A man confessed by all the Italians to be of litle faith that the kingdom of Naples should passe into the power of a king of Fraunce they iudged it harde to winne and lesse easie to keepe those thinges that should be wonne For that reason sayd they Levvys father to Charles a Prince in all his actions following more the truth then the apparance of thinges would neuer accept the hopes which were offered him of the matters of Italy and much lesse make reckoning of the rightes falne to him in the Realme of Naples No he saw in his iudgement that to send armies beyond the mounteynes was no other thing then to search enemies and daungers with the wast of infinite treasor and blood of the realme of Fraunce They held it necessary afore all thinges if this expedicion should proceede to reunite controuersies with the kinges borderers for that with Ferdinand king of Spayne was no want of occasions of quarrells and suspicions and with Maximilyan king of Romaines and Philip Archduke of Austrich his sonne not onely many hartburnings and ielousies but also displeasures and iniuries whose minds albeit could not be reconciled without condescending to some things hurtfull to the crowne of Fraunce yet neuertheles such reconcilements would be more by demonstracions then effects for say they if any ill accident happen to the kinges armie in Italy what accord can be so well assured which will hold them from inuading the realme of Fraunce seeing this is familiar with Princes to hold for suspected the greatnes and fortunes of their neighbours and are ouer nothing so watchfull as ouer oportunities and occasions And touching the king of England Henry the vij it was not to be dowted that the naturall hate of thenglish toward the french had not more force then the peace made with him two monthes before for that it is manifest that no one thing brought him more to the composicion then that the preparacions of the king of Romaines aūswered not the promises wherwith he had induced him to lay seege to Bollogne Of this nature were the reasōs alleaged by the great Lordes partly debated amongest them selues and partly disputed in the presence of the king The chiefest of those that iustified these arguments afore the king was one Iames Grauille Admiral of Fraunce whose greatnes albeit was somewhat diminished yet his authoritie suffered no alteracion for the auncient name and credit of his wisdom rouing liberally thorow all the realme of Fraunce But the kinges minde with a wonderful gredines was wholly inclined to the cōtrary aduise what with the greennes of his yeares aspiring nowe to xxij and by his vnstayed nature not yet experienced in th affayres of the world he was caried into a wonderfull ambicion to enlarge his imperie following an appetite of glorie founded rather vpon a light will and furie of youth then vpon maturitie of councel seeing that either by his proper nature or rather thexamples and admonishments of his parents he reapposed litle faith in his Lordes and Nobles of his realme And since he came forth of the tutorship and iurisdiction of Anne Duchesse of Burbon his sister he bare no more care to the councells of thadmirall nor to others that had bene great in the gouernment But gaue him selfe ouer to the directions of certeine men of base condicion trained vp almost alwaies in the seruice of his person of these such as had most fauour and place with him perswaded him greatly to embrace the enterprise being partly corrupted for the councells of Princes are often times mercenarie with the promises and presents of Lodovvykes Embassador by whom was not forgotten any diligence or art to draw the fauours of such as might doe most in this action They were partly pushed on by certeine hopes either to be raysed to estates in the kingdom of Naples or to obteyne of the Pope dignities and pensions in the Church The principall of all these was one Stephen de Vers borne in Languedock of base place but bredd vp of long time with the king in whose chamber he vsed to lye and by the kings creacion made Seneshall of Beucaire with this man did communicate one VVilliam Briconnet who of a marchaunt created first generall of Fraunce and after made Bishop of S. Malo had not onely the charge and administracion of the kings reuenue which the french cal superintendant of the finances but also hauing confederacie with Stephen had by his meanes a great entry into all th affayres of importance albeit he had no great insight in the pollicie and gouernment of matters of estate To the helpe of this enterprise were adioyned the perswasions of Autouell of S. Seuerin Prince of Salerne and of Vernaedin of the same familie Prince of Bysignan togither with many other Barons banished the Realme of Naples who being withdrawne many yeares before into Fraunce had continually solicited the king to that enterprise laying before his eyes the great calamitie or rather generall despaire of the whole kingdom and the factions and many followers which they promised them selues to haue in the same In this diuersitie of perswasions the deliberacion remained suspended for certein dayes others being not onely in dowt what to determine but also the kings will vauering and vncerteine for that some times inclining to his ambicion and glory and some times restrained with feares and daungers he would often be irresolute estsones turne to the contrary of that which he had afore determined But in the ende his first inclinacion togither with the cursed destinie of Italy being of more force thē any thing that could be sayd to the contrary the well gouerned and peasible councells of his Nobles were altogither reiected and communicating onely with the bishop of S. Malo and the Seneshall of Beucaire and partaking nothing with the assent priuitie of all others there was a conuencion made with Lodovvyks Embassador whose condicions albeit were holden secrete for many monthes yet this is the capitulacion and summe of them That king Charles either going in person into Italy or sending thether any armie for the conquest of Naples the Duke of Myllan was bound to giue him passage thorow his iurisdictions To send thether with his men fiue hundreth men at armes paied To suffer him to arme at Genes so many vessells as he will And to lend him before he departed
your amitie and mercy So neuerthelesse your compassion hath principally respected the equitie of the complaynts of such as implored it esteming it not agreable to the lavv of vertue and account of your conscience to make your profite vpon the diuisions of your neighbours though there haue not vvanted reasons and titles to induce your desire I forbeare to make declaration to your Maiestie of the life and learning of the first Author of this booke A matter testified vvith sufficient credit and reputation in the high negociations and employments vvhich he managed long time vnder great Princes Popes common vveales And I am bolde contrary to the custome of some vvriters to leaue to particulate in my Epistle any part of the argument vvhich vvith so great grauitie he hath digested at large in so great a volume Onely the man for his integritie and roundnes vvas such one as vvhose vertues vvere farre from all suspicion of parcialitie fauour hatred loue revvard or any other propertie of humaine affection vvhich might haue force to corrupt or turne from the truth the minde of a vvriter And for the generall matter of his vvorke it doth not onely conteine the vvarres and diuerse accidentes hapned in Italy and other partes for almost fortie yeres but also he doth so distinctly set dovvne the causes the counsells and the fortunes of euery principall partie introduced into those actions that by his studie and iudgement is traced made easie to the reader the vvay to all those svvete and plentifull frutes vvhich vvith paynfulnes are sought for in Histories of this nature And for mine ovvne part vvhere in all my dedications heretofore not my vvill vvhich vvas alvvayes vvarranted by the gracious demonstrations of your Maiestie But my maner of life instituted vpon priuate customes and exercises hath holden me from approching the authoritie of this place affore vvhich nothing ought to be presented vvhich hath not a full perfection of spirite and studie yet novv taking my reason of the vvorthines of the vvorke and obseruing the examples and inducements of others in like oblatioÌ„s I am bold vnder feare humilitie to prostrate these my last payns afore that diuine moderation of mind vvhich alvvays hath holden for acceptable all things respecting learning or vertuous labours Humbly beseeching your right excellent Maiestie that vvhere the vvorke is novv to appeare in the open vievv of the vvorld and stande before the vncertaine iudgements of so many sundry straunge humors of men you vvill vouchsafe to let it passe vnder the happie name of your Maiestie and vnder your gracious authoritie to giue it defence and fauor agaynst the emulation of such as eyther through malice or ignorance may rise vp to interprete me and my labours sinisterly The Lorde blesse your Maiestie vvith a long and peaceable life and confirme in you to the comfort of your people that course of vvell tempered gouernment by the benefite vvhereof they haue so long time liued vnder the felicitie of your name At my lodging neare the Tovver of London vij Ianuarij 1578. Your Maiesties humble and true subiect GEFFRAY FENTON THE GENERALL CONTENTES OF euery booke through the whole Historie LOdovvike Sforce vncle and tutor to Iohn Galeas Duke of Millan fearing least Ferdinand vvould make vvarre vpon him breaketh of from the Le 〈…〉 that had bene renevved betvveene the sayde Ferdinand Iohn Galeas aâ—â— thâ— Common vveale of Florence agaynst the Venetians he procureth the French king Charles the eight to passe into Italy to conquer the kingdome of Naples Pope Alexander the sixth allieth himselfe vvith the king of Naples The French king hauing ordred the affayres of his kingdome discendeth into Italy vvhere he taketh many tovvnes Diuerse emotions happen in the kingdome of Naples The Pope is in great perplexitie and trauell Pisa rebelleth agaynst the Florentins The Fr. king entreth into Florence and Rome and from thence passeth to Naples Fol. 1. The Pisans continue their rebellion agaynst the Florentins The French king taketh the Castles of Naples The Pope Venetians and other Princes make league agaynst the king vvho returning into Fraunce is fought vvithall neare the riuer Taro Ferdinand vvinneth agayne Naples Nouaro is besieged by the Confederates The fr. king maketh peace vvith the duke of Millan and returneth into Fraunce Fol. 72. Lodovvike Sforce keepeth not the treatie of peace The Venetians take the tovvne of Pisa into their protection The fr. king determineth to returne into Italy The king of Romains besiegeth Liuorna The Pope makes vvarre vpon the Vrsins The fr. king dyeth at Amboyse Freare Ieronimo Sauonarola is hanged at Florence Fol. 129. Lovvis Duke of Orleance succeedeth to the Crovvne of Fraunce He determineth to recouer his Duchie of Millan Pisa and Florence make vvarre Lodovvike Sforce flieth from Millan The Florentins giue battrie to Pisa and agree vvith the French king Pope Alexander aspireth for his sonne to the iurisdiction of Romania Lodovvike Sforce recouereth Millan but beeing betrayed by the Svvizzers he is taken and ledde into Fraunce Fol. 187. The vvarre of Pisa continueth The Duke Valentynois pursueth his enterprise vppon Romania The kings of Spayne and Fraunce inuade ioyntly the kingdome of Naples They occupie it and deuide it betvveene them and aftervvardes make vvarre one vppon an other The Duke Valentynois putteth to death the Vrsins The Svvizzers discend into the Duchie of Millan The Spaniards remayne victors ouer the French at Corignolo and take Naples Fol. 244. The French king maketh his preparation to passe into Italy Pope Alexander the sixt is poysoned His successor Pope Pius the third dyeth vvithin xxvi dayes Iulius the seconde is created Pope The duke Valentynois is apprehended and made prisoner The French men are ouerthrovven at Garillan The Florentins fayle to take the Citie of Pisa Peace is established betvvene the French king and the king of Spaniards Fol. 298. Many treaties are made Pope Iulio the seconde taketh the gouernment of Bolognia The Genovvayes rebell agaynst the French king The king of Aragon meeteth vvith the French king and communicateth vvith him The Dyet of Constance The king of Romains demaundeth passage of the Venetians to go take the Crovvne at Rome He inuadeth their lands and aftervvards maketh truce vvith them Fol. 353. Most of the Princes of Christendome dravv into league at Cambray agaynst the Venetians vvho beeing ouerthrovven by the French king render the tovvnes of the Church and make submission to the king of Romains Pisa returneth to the obedience of Florence The Venetians recouer the tovvne of Padoa vvhich is soone after besieged by Caesar Aftervvards they make vvarre vpon the duke of Ferrara The Pope giueth them absolution of the Church censures Fol. 405. Pope Iulio the seconde turneth agaynst the French The frenche king and king of Romains enter league agaynst the Venetians vvho besiege Verona The Pope taketh Mirandola and maketh vvarre vpon the duke of Ferrara The famulie of Bentiuoley returnes to Bolognia A Councell is published at Pisa
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
was no meane to suspect their inclinacion more to one partie then to an other They had for Embassadors with the king Anthony Loredan and Dominick Treuisan albeit they lingered so long to send them that the king was not onely passed the mountes but arriued at Florence afore they were presented to him But now looking with iudgement and studie into the violent course of so great felicities his armies ronning like a thunder without resistance thorow all Italy they beganne to esteeme as their owne the domage of their neighbours and to feare that in the ruine of others their destruction were not conspired But chiefly the king hauing made him selfe Lorde of Pysa and other fortresses of the Florentyns leauing garrison in Sienna and almost wonne the like imperie in the state of the Church they construed all to arguments absolute that the ambicion of his thoughtes was not limited within the realme and rule of Naples for these causes the Senat gaue willing eare to the perswasions of Lodovvyk Sforce who assoone as the Florentyns had yelded to the king had begonne to solicite them to ioyne with him in a common remedie against common daungers wherein it was beleued that if the french king had met with any impedimentes eyther at Rome or at his entrye into the realme of Naples they had together taken armes against him But the kinges fortune preuented their councells and in his victorie was more suddeinnes expedicion then in all thimpediments that could be obiected The king also dowting of the practises and factions of Lodovvyk had reteyned in his pay since the conquest of Naples Iohn Iacques Triuulce with an hundred launces vnder a pension worthy and honorable and ioyned vnto him with many promises the Cardinall Fregosa and Obietto de Fiesque the one for that they were mighty instruments to trouble and rayse emotions in the towne of Genes and the other for that being a chiefe leader of the Guelffes faction at Myllan caried a minde much deuided from Lodovvyk To whom as yet the king refused to giue the principallitie of Tarenta saying his bonde had no force till he had reduced into his power all the realme of Naples These thinges being bitterly displeasing to Lodovvyk he restrayned twelue gallyes which were armed for the king at Genes and denownced the appoynting of any more vessells there for the french seruice which the king complayned to be the cause that he did not eftsoones reassayle with a new supply the rocke of Yschia Thus suspicions and disdaynes growing on all partes and the suddeine conquest of Naples representing to the Venetians and the Duke of Myllan the present perill of their estates they were constrayned to ioyne vertue to their councells and deferre no longer to put their thoughtes in execucion wherein for the furthering of their resolucion courage they had the consideracion of the mighty companies of confederats for that to this the Pope was no lesse ready to whom the greatnes of the french was fearefull and suspicious then Maximylian king of Romaines wholly disposed to whome aboue all other for many occasions of hatred to the crowne of France and for the many iniuries receiued by the king raygning the prosperities of France were hatefull But the chiefe groundes and foundacions whereuppon the Venetians and Lodovvyk wrought were the King and Queene of Spayne who being a litle before bownd to the french king not for other respect then to draw from him the earledom of Rossillion not to hinder him in the conquest of Naples had conningly reserued to them selues till that tyme a free power to doe the contrary for if their brutes be true there was a clause annexed to the capitulacions made for the restitucion of the Earledom of Rossillion which bare that they should not be bownd to any thing that touched the preiudice of the Church of which exception they inferred that if the Pope for thinterest of his chiefe desired them to succor the realme of Naples they had good right to doe so without breaking their â—aith or corrupting their promises To this they added afterwards that by the same capitulacions they were forbidden to oppose them selues against king Charles in case it appeared that the same kingdom did iudicially apperteyne vnto him But what difference so euer was betwene the truth and their constructions of thinges it is certeyne that hauing got that they desired they beganne not onely to giue hope to the succors of them of Aragon and secretly to solicite the Pope not to abandon their cause but also as they had in the beginning exhorted the french king with wordes moderat as louers of his glory and zealous to religion to conuert his armies rather against Infidells then the Christian nations So they continued eftsoones that course but with so much more efficacie and wordes suspected by howe much the victorie of the king aduaunced and flourished And to th ende they might couer their doinges with more authoritie and to nourish in greater hopes the Pope and thAragons and of the other parte giuing out a brute that they had regard onely to the gard of Sicily they were ready to sende thether an armie by sea which arriued there after the losse of Naples but yet with an equipage and furniture more in demonstracions then in effectes for that it conteyned not aboue eight hundred horsemen mounted vpon iennets and a thowsand footemen Spanyards They vsed their apparances vntill the taking of Ostia by the Collonnoys and the threates of the french against the Pope gaue them a more honest occasion to aduaunce that which they had fashioned and resolued in their mindes And following their deuise to an action and beginning they protested openly to the king whilest he was at Florence by their Embassadors that according to the office of Princes Christian they would take the defence protection of the Pope and the realme of Naples A chief of the church of Rome wherein hauing already begonne assoone as they vnderstoode of the fleeing of the Aragons to negociat with the Venetians and the Duke of Myllan for confederacion they eftsoones solicited them with a new instance to communicat with them for their common sewertie against the french men So that aswell by the solicitacion of the king of Spayne as occasions of the tyme present threatning indifferent perills to all the principalities in Italy there was at length in the month of Aprill and in the citie of Venice where were thEmbassadors of all those Princes contracted a confederacion betwene the Pope the king of Romaines the king of Spayne the Venetians and the Duke of Myllan The title and publicacion of this league was onely for the defence of the states of one an other reseruing places to whosoeuer would enter it with condicions reasonable But they all being of opinion that it was necessary so to temper thinges as the french king might not holde Naples it was agreed in capitulacions more secrete that the bandes of Spanyardes arriued in Sicily should
places holding for him they accorded with Federyk by the solicitacion of Monsr d Aubigny who for some difficulties hapning in the assignement of the fortresses in Calabria was not yet departed from Naples to leaue the towne and castel and returne by sea into Fraunce with safetie and protection of their liues and goods By reason of this agreement the french king seeing him selfe deliuered of so many cares and thoughtes to minister succors to the kingdom of Naples and on thother side being indifferently greeued with the harmes and infamies of those warres determined to sette vppon Genes wherein he hoped much in the faction of Baptistyn Fregosa aforetimes Duke of that citie and in the trayne and followers which the Cardinall of S. Peter ad vincla had in the towne of Sauone and in those riuers he applyed also to the fauor of his deuise the occasion and consent of the tyme for that in those seasons Iohn Lovvys de fiesco and the famulie of the Adornes were in discorde and all the Genovvays generally ill contented with the Duke of Myllan both for that in the sale of Pietra Sancta he had preferred the Lucquoys before them and also hauing promised to reduce it eftsoones to their hands vsing in that action the better to appease thindignacion conceiued against him the authoritie of the Venetians he had nourished them many moneths with vayne hopes But for feare of this determinacion of the king Lodovvyk who for thoccasion of Pysa was almost estraunged from the Venetians was compelled to knit of new with them and to send to Genes the horsemen and footemen of the Almains which Caesar had left in Italy for whome if this necessitie had not happened there would haue bene neither employment nor prouicion made Whilest these thinges were thus in deuise solicitacion the Pope finding now a great oportunitie to occupy the estates of the Vrsins for that the principals of that famulie were restrayned in Naples pronownced rebells in the consistory Virginio the residue of that race confisked their estates for that contrary to his commaundement they had taken pay of the french After which beginning he proceeded in further action to assayle their landes hauing ordred that the Colonnoys shoulde doe the like in all those places where they confyne with the Vrsins This enterprise was much comforted by the Cardinall Askanius no lesse for the auncient amitie he had with the Colonnoys then for a setled dissention and disagreement interteyned of long against the Vrsins The Duke of Myllan also gaue readily his consent but it displeased not a litle the Venetians in whome were secret desires to winne that famulie and draw them to their deuocion And yet not being able with any iustificacions to hinder the Pope from pursuing his rightes and withall holding it nothing profitable in that tyme to alyenat him from them they consented that the Duke of Vrbyn Mercenary in common to the Pope and to them should march to ioyne with the bands of the Church ouer whom was Capteine general the Duke of Candia and in the office of Legat the Cardinall La luna borne at Pauya A Cardinall wholly depending vpon Askanius to this armie also king Federyk of Naples sent Fabricius Colonne This armie now drawne into a campe after it had compelled many peeces to be rendered marched to incampe at Tryuignian which towne menteyning a valiant defence for certeine dayes yelded at last to discression But during the defense of that towne Bartlemevv d'Aluyano yssuing out of Bracciane put to flight within eyght myles of Rome foure hundreth horsemen that guided the artilleries to the campe Ecclesiasticke And an other day ronning with the same fortune euen to the crosse of Montmarie he lacked not much of taking the Cardinall of Valence who comming out of Rome to the chasse found his best safetie in the swiftnes of his horse After the rendring of Tryuignan the campe drewe to the yle where after they had battered one part of the rocke with thartillerie they obteyned it by cōposicion At length all the warre was reduced to Bracciana where the Vrsins had layed vp all the hope of their defense for that the place which had bene made stronge before was of new refortefied with municions and rampiers and the suburbes reenforced hauing at the entry thereof erected a bastyllion and bestowed within it a sufficient strength of men vnder the gouernment of Aluyano whose youth gaue him a body disposed and his wit no lesse quicke and resolut then his diligence incredible increased in him with exercise in armes those hopes exspectacions to the which in tymes succeeding his actions were nothing inferior The Pope ceased not to increase dayly his armie which he had of new refurnished with eyght hundreth launceknights of those that had bene employed in the warres of Naples There were dayly skyrmishes and tryal armes on both partes and that with great contencion the campe without planting their artillerie in many seueral places and they within not forgetting to repaire and fortefie with present diligence and assurance And yet within fewe dayes the defendants were constrayned to abandon the suburbes which being taken the ecclesiasticks gaue a furious assault to the towne wherein albeit their fortune made them able to aduaunce their enseignes vpon the walls yet by the vertue of the defendants they were eftsoones forced to retyre suffering a great losse in which action was hurt Anthony Sauelle The defendants expressed the like vallour in an other assault repulsing the ennemy with a furie more resolut a losse more generall for that two hundred of them were either slayne or very sore wounded wherein appeared with great merit the particular vallour of Aluyano to whom was iustly giuen the principall glory of that defense for that within he was of a liuely readines to all offices necessary and without with continuall erupcions and sallies he kept th armie of thennemie day and night in alarams In this speciall action he added much to his reputacion that by his disposing certeine light horsemen yssuing out of Ceruette which the Vrsins helde should make incursions euen to the campe and he him selfe taking thoccasion of this tumult charged them out of the towne put to flight the footebands that garded the artilleries of which he caried into Bracciana certeine small peeces And albeit at length rather ouerlayed with numbers then ouercome in vallour he and his companies were ouerwearied with the continuall trauells and perplexities of that warre hauing neither the day nor the night fauorable to their quietnes yet they began eftsoones to readresse them selues with hope of succors for that Charles Vrsin and Vitellozze who was knit to the Vrsins by a bond of the faction of Guelffes being now passed into Italy vpon the vessells of Prouence come to Lyuorne with money of the french king to reerect their bandes dispersed in the kingdome of Naples they prepared to succor them in so great a daunger for which
Pysa would not suffice to draw them from so ambicious inclinacion But of the contrary the restitucion was a thing daungerous for that by how much they should be mighty and stronge by so much would they be hurtfull to the sewertie and quiet of Italy he sayd that in this restitucion it went of the honor and faith of euery one but principally of their common weale seeing the confederats hauing promised the Pysans with one consent to protect their libertie afterwards euery one in particular putting an vnwilling hand to furnish thexpenses of the cōmon busines imposed the whole burden vpon them alone who for that cause had refused no charges cares nor trauells it coulde not but turne to their speciall dishonor to leaue them abandoned when they were in most necessitie of staye and comfort and to withdraw their faith and promise which though others esteemed litle yet with them it had alwayes caried this reputacion not to suffer stayne or violacion in any sorte he alleaged it was a thinge moste greeuous to the Senat of Venice that without respect reasonable others sought to lay vppon them by imputacion that which had bene begon with one common and generall consent and continued for the benefit of euery one and that with so great an ingratitude they were punished for their good workes That thintollerable exspenses which they had defrayed in this enterprise and many others ioyned to so many perills and trauells susteyned since the creacion of the league deserued not such recompense retribucion their actions bearing that nature and quallitie both for exspenses pollicie and care that they may say with reason and iustice that Italy hath bene preserued by their meane for that neither the battell of Taro was fought with other armes then theirs nor the kingdom of Naples recouered with other forces then of their common weale That no other armie constrayned Nouare to render and chased the french king to returne beyond the Mountes That no other strength then theirs was opposed against him in Pyemont as often as he assayed to returne And that it coulde not be denyed that those actions proceeded not principally of the desire they had to protect the safetie of Italy seing as their estates were alwayes furthest remoued from perills so for their occasion there were no disorders hapned which they ought to readdresse or amēd for they called not the frenche kinge into Italy nor accompanied him when he was come ouer the Mountes much lesse for sparing their proper treasures haue they suffered to fall into perill the affayres common and vniuersall No rather necessitie and occasion haue so required that the Senat of Venice did giue remedy to the disorders happened by the faultes of others to the common harmes of the whole All which operacions albeit they were not knowē or though they were so soone committed to forgetfulnes yet they would not for all that forbearing the ill excusable example of others defile neither the faith nor dignitie of their common weale the rather for that to the preseruacion of the libertie of the Pysans was ioyned the sewertie and well doing of all Italy Whilest thinges passed in these practises amongest the confederats with a manifest and generall disagreement there hapned a newe accident which engendred effects diuerse and much different from the thoughtes of men The night before the eyght day of April king Charles dyed at Amboyse of a catter he which the Phisicions cal apoplexie the same rising in him with such abundance as he beheld a match plaied at tennysse that in fewe howers he ended at the same place his life duringe the which he had with greater importunitie then vertue troubled the whole worlde with great apparance of daunger to kindle eftsoones newe fiers of innouation and troubles for that it was beleued of many that being pushed forwardes with a vehement desire to returne into Italy he had in the ende either of his proper knowledge or by the emulacion of such as bare enuy to the Cardinall of S. Mallovv remoued al the difficulties that had withholden thaction In so much that albeit in Italy according to his variations sometymes he increased and sometymes he diminished the opinion that men had that he would marche yet he kept them in continuall suspicion and made his intencions to trouble their coniectures and councells And for that cause the Pope puffed with ambicion to rayse his sonnes had begon already to solicit with him touching some secret innouacion the Duke of Myllan hauing done the like as was bruted to th ende he would not liue in continuall feare King Charles dying without yssue the realme of Fraunce descended to Lovvys Duke of Orleans as nearer in blud then any other of the masculyne lyne to whome remeyning then at Bloys came to doe reuerence the kinges garde and all the generall trayne of the Court together with the nobilitie of the kingdome by whome he was saluted as king with titles and inuocacions royall notwithstanding some did secretly murmure that according to thauncient statutes of the lande he was vnworthy to aspire to the crowne against the which he had taken armes in the warres of Brittaine The day after the death of king Charles a day obserued in many places by a celebracion and solemnitie of palmes tooke ende the authoritie life and doctrine of Sauonarola who hauing bene long tyme before accused by the Pope that he preached slaunderously against the manners of the Clergy and Court of Rome that he nourished sects and discordes in Florence that his doctrine was not fully catholyke and for those reasons called to Rome by many writs refused to appeare there alleaging many excuses and therefore after much a doe he was at last the yeare before separated by the Pope with censures from the fellowship of the Church of which sentence hauing absteyned from preaching for certeine monethes he had easily obteyned absolucion if he had longer continued for that the Pope who held slender reckoning of Sauonarola had proceeded against him more by the incensing and perswacion of his aduersaries then any other occasion But he iudging that it was for his silence that his reputacion came so to be diminished or at least that it brake the purpose for the which he stirred for he was principally aduaunced for his vehemēcie in preaching he fell eftsoones to despise the Popes commaundements and returned publikely to his olde office wherein affirming that the censures published against him were vniust of no force he opened his mouth eftsoones to blaspheme the Pope and the whole court of Rome with great vehemencie of this arose no small emotion for that his aduersaries whose authoritie increased dayly in greatnes with the people detested such inobedience rebuking the action for that by his innouacion and rashenes the Popes minde was drawne in vncerteinties and alteracion in a tyme specially wherein the restitucion of Pysa being negociated by him and the other confederats it was necessary to
frenche kinge coulde not with such expedicion execute any action on that side the Mountes forbare not to oppose him selfe against the Venetians in the quarrell of Pysa wherein his spyte present would not let him see the daunger that was to come an error familiar with Princes ambicious who measuring the euent of things more by their propper fancie and imaginacion then by any rule or comparison of tymes and reasons are often in that securitie caried to their vndoing as men that wander and beleue an eccho which beguiles them to their extreame ruine The Florentyns onely began to estraunge them selues in minde from the amitie of the french for albeit this new king had bene their protector afore yet now that he is made great with the estate dignitie of the crowne he had with them no league of amitie neither in regarde of faith giuen nor for benefitts receiued as his predecessor had by meane of those capitulacions which were made at Florence and Ast for regard of which they would alwayes lay them selues open to many perills and perplexities rather then to abandon his alliance Besides the discord which continually increased betwene the Venetians and the Duke of Myllan was the cause that the feare being ceased which they had of the forces of the confederats and withal hoping more in the fauors certeine and present of Lombardy then in the succors absent dowtfull of Fraunce they tooke occasion to hold lesse reckoning of his frendshippe or confederacion In this different disposicion of mindes were also no lesse diuerse thembassages that were sent for the Senat of Venice dispatched with great speede to the king one of their Secretories remeyning at that tyme in negociacion with the Duke of Sauoye And to establish with these beginnings the foundacions of a well assured alliance as the dayly affayres and occurrants of tymes required they made an election of three other Embassadors to goe to his Maiestie not onely to congratulat his right worthy ascending to the crowne but also to protest in forme of excuse that what they had done contrarye to the likinge of the late kinge Charles proceeded of no other mocion then of a tymerous suspicion confirmed by many apparant signes and demonstracions that not contented with the kingdom of Naples he would lift vp his mind to those meanes which might make him Lord ouer the whole Monarchie of Italy The Pope also whose deuocion had this determinacion sto appropriat to his sonne Caesar at that tyme Cardinall all temporall greatnes rayed his thoughtes to highe thinges and sending Embassadors to the french kinge was at a poynt to sell to his Maiestie spirituall graces receiuing in recompense possessions temporall for he was not ignorant that the french kinge had great desire to refuse Iane his wife both barrein deformed who was giuen to him almost by force by Lovvys the eleuenth And that he had no lesse liking to marie Anne now widowe by the death of the late king not so much for the auÌ„cient affection thatwas betwen theÌ„ afore the encownter of S. Aulbyn as that by the prorogatiue of that mariage he shoulde insinuate into the Duchie of Britain an estate great and very conuenient for the crowne of Fraunce this chaunge could not be done without the authoritie of the Pope The Florentyns in like sorte fayled not to sende Embassadors to the king aswel to testifie thauncient custom and deuocion of that citie to the crowne of Fraunce as to put his Maiestie in remembrance of their merits and the bondes and promises of the late king wherein they were much solicited by the Duke of Myllan hauing two intencions the one that by their meanes the practises of the Venetians might be hindered both the one and other common weale intreating of the affayres of Pysa and also that if they obteyned any credit amitie or authoritie they might vnder some occasion employ all to worke an accord betwene him and the french king A thing not a litle desired and sought by him All these Embassadors were well receiued of the kinge who began euen at the first to sownde euery one of them seuerally notwithstanding he had no meaning to put any thinge to action in Italy afore he had first assured the realme of Fraunce by newe leagues and confederacions with the Princes his neighbours and borderers But it was a thing fatal that the fire of Pysa to the which the Duke of Myllan gaue the first kindling nourished by an inflamed desire to assubiect it to him self should in the ende breake his brande vpon the heade of the author and consume him with his propper flame for that aswell by his naturall ielowsie which was infinit in him as for daunger of the greatnes of the Venetians which he saw to aspire not onely ouer him but also aboue the other Potentats of Italy he could not endure with reasonable patience that the frute of his deuises trauells should be gathered by them or transferred to the reputacion of their imperie wherein taking occasion vpon the disposicion of the Florentyns resolute to pursue in all accidents the quarrell of Pysa And seeming to him that by the death of Sauonarola and Frauncis Valory which were stronge parties against him he might now reappose moâ—e in that citie then he could doe in tymes past he determined to ayde the Florentyns in the recouery of Pysa with armes seeing neither with his practises authoritie nor the power and meanes of others he coulde hetherunto worke no good effect of that plott he perswaded him selfe vainely that either afore the french king could execute any action Pysa would be reduced by composicion or force to the iurisdiction of Florence or else the Senat of Venice guided by that wisedome which he woulde neuer suffer to gouerne him selfe would neuer desire either for enuie or other lesse occasion that to the common daunger of the whole the french armies shoulde eftsoones returne into Italy seeing it was an vniuersall trauell to chase them out so lately This indiscreete resolucion was furthered by a disorder which hapned against the Florentyns in the contrey of Pysa for their people which were at Pontadere hauing aduertisement by their espyals that a trowpe of seuen hundred horsemen a thowsand footemen of the Pysans were returning home with a great pray of cattell which they had taken in the fieldes of Voltere yssued out almost all vnder the conduite of the Count of Riuucce Guillaume of Pazzi Commissioner for the Florentyns to cut betwene them home for the recouery of the booty And encowntring with them in the valley of S. Reale and as they had almost put them to disorder and recouered the most part of the praye there ioyned to the Pysans an hundreth and fiftye men at armes sent out of Pysa to the succors of their fellowes who finding the Florentyn armie both weary and disordered with the trouble of the pillage and the authoritie of the Count not able to range the
least we ioyne with the french A feare which long tyme is not hable to conteyne him for who knoweth not that the king made frustrat of the hope which he hath that we wil ioyne with him will eyther attempt some other enterprise beyōd the mountes or at least ouercome with the perswacions offers of Lodovvyk by the meanes of his corruptions fauours he hath in the french court wil fall to some accord with him So that in the consideratiō and comparison of thinges necessitie to mainteyne our auncient dignitie and glory constraines vs to knit with the french king but much more are we compelled by the aspecte of the great and imminent daungers which can not bee auoyded by other meanes wherein it seemes that fortune followeth vs with a speciall fauour seeing she bringes to passe that wee are sought to by so great a king whom it is a iust office in vs to seeke and beseech with humilitie besides that hee offreth vs so great and honourable recompenses of the victorie as by those helpes and meanes this Senat may fashion great hopes and employe their conceyptes in the plott and compassing of great thinges specially the victorie being to bee gayned with so great facilitie and Lodovvyk so farre too weake to resist two powers so mightie and well vnited it is a vaine feare in my opinion to doubt that the neighbourhed of the french king when he shall haue conquered the Duchie of Millan wil be eyther suspicious or daungerous to vs for that in iudgement and forecast it may bee seene that many thinges which seeme nowe contrarie will then bee chaunged into fauours and good disposicion towardes vs seeing that suche an increase and amplitude of greatnes to the french Crowne will breede suspicion in the mindes of all the principallities of Italy and stir vp the king of Romains with the regions of Iermany to be discontented that a french king should occupie so noble a member of thempire In so much as euen those whom we feare to ioyne in vnitie with Lodovvyk to vexe vs would then desire for their proper interestes to preserue vs and bee conioyned with vs And my Lordes being great throughout the world the reputaciō of our dominions iurisdictions no lesse great the renowme of our riches and most great the opinion confirmed with so many honorable examples of our vnion and constancy to preserue our estate what meane what courage what oportunitie hath the french king to execute any invasion vpon vs vnles he haue coniunctiō with more or at the least with the king of Romains the vnitie agreement of whō seemes for many reasons so harde that it is too vayne to occupy our myndes either with the hope or feare of it Besides the peace which now he hopes to establishe with the princes his neyghbours beyond the mountes will not bee perpetuall seeing ielousie iniuries and feare of his greatnes will alwayes keepe wakyng all those that holde him in hatred or beare enuy to his glorie Lastly lookyng into the properties of the french natures we neede not doubt that they are not more ready to get and conquer then discreete to preserue and keepe yea it is annexed to their destiny to fall easely into the hatred of their subiectes by their pride and insolencies vppon which reasons I make this conclusion that after they haue got Myllan they will haue more neede to study howe to preserue it then any oportunitie at all to occupie their thoughtes with new enterprises for that a iurisdiction newly gotten fayling in order and wise gouerment doth rather weaken then make more mightie him that hath got it wherein we can not haue an example more freshe and notable then the victory of the late King Charles against whom were conuerted into extreame hatred the incredible desires and gladnes with the which hee was receyued into the kingdome of Naples So that the perils which may fall vppon vs at any tyme after the victorie of the French King are neyther so certeyne nor of such nature as for the auoyding of them wee neede to remayne in a daunger present and of great consequence And to reiect for feare of daungers to come and vncerteyne so large and conuenient a parte of the Duchie of Myllan could not but merit imputacion of pusillanimitie and faintnes of courage A thing reprochfull euen in men priuat but muche more infamous to a common weale more mightie in glorie riches and reputacion then euer was any except the Romaine state in any parte of the worlde There happen seldome so fauourable and fyt occasions which being transitorie fleeting it is an office in wisdom magnanimitie to embrase them when they be offred A wit to curious standing to long in considering of things to come is often hurtfull and reprouable for that the thinges of the world are subiect to so many and sundry accidentes that rarely doeth that come to passe which the wisdom of man seemes to haue foreseene imagined would happen and he that leaueth the benefit present for feare of the daūger to come if the peril be not certeine and neare at hande findes himselfe to haue lost oftentymes to his slaunder and displeasures occasions full of profit and glorie and all for standing in feare of daungers which afterwardes turne to nothing it is no great matter to suffer a mischiefe when wee are sure of the remedie and in this case if there bee anye mischiefe other then suche as wee may discerne before which is neuer so greeuous as when it chaunceth vppon the sodayne yet I haue borne alwayes this iudgement that that aduersitie is honourable whiche brynges with it prosperitie glory and reputation for these reasons my Lordes I wishe vs to accept the confederation against the Duke of Myllan for that it putts vs in suertie for the present protectes vs against all daungers to come breedes our credit with all other Potentates and offreth vs the possession of those great thinges which an other tyme we would be glad to get with intollerable expenses and trauels aswell for their proper importance as for that they be lynes to leade vs to high and honorable actions drawing with them a marueilous augmentation of the glory and empire of this florishing common weale This councell and four me of reasoning made no small impression in the myndes of the others who hard his reasons with iudgement fauoured his opiniō recommending much the lyuely valour of his spirit accompanied with a resolute loue to his countrey Against him stood vp and reasoned Melchior Treuisan singular for his wisdom and excellent in all graces and giftes of the mynde This hath bene alwayes touching offences and wronges a wise obseruation in countreys and common weales well gouerned to make true conference betweene the nature and estate of the iniuries and the oportunities to reuenge not that those wise men beheld altogether the propertie and manner of the wronges for that belonges to passion but withall they vsed
entred Auerso But as open warre ministreth many occasions to reuenge perticular wronges So Monsicur D'aubigny in his marching from Rome burned Marina and Caua with certeine other peeces of the Colonnoys being angry that Fabricio had put to executiō in Rome the messengers of certeyne Barons of the realme holding with the french which were gon thether to cōtract with him Afterwardes he tooke his way to Montfortyn where he thought Iulio Colonne would make resistance But hauing left it abandoned with verie litle honour Monsr D'aubigny passing further commaunded all the places which be along the way to Capua vntill the Ryuer of Vulturno neare Capua which being to deepe for the army to passe ouer without perill the vertue of their Generall founde out a way to passe by marching vp more high towardes the mounteyne wherof Federyk being aduertised retyred to Naples and abandoned Auerso which with Nola and many other places gaue themselues to the french whose whole strength was now brought into the confynes of Capua where they camped some on thislyde and some beyonde the Ryuer on the vpper side where the Ryuer beginneth to runne neare the towne And putting force to their fortune they battered it on all partes and charged it afterwardes with a furious assalt which albeit was not pleasant to them but were cōstrained to retyre from the walles with their many harmes Yet imparting no lesse terror and daunger to the defendantes the myndes of the Capteynes and Souldiors began to incline to accord the people of the Citie beginning to drawe into mutiny together with the regiments of Peasants withdrawne thether in great numbers But as in warres there be some insolencies which the Capteynes can not bridle and many negligences which be fatall instruments and occasions of perill So Fabricio Collonne the eight day after the Camp was planted hauing begun to Parley with the Count Catezzo vppon a Bastillion the negligent garde of those that were within as often hapneth when men be nearest accord gaue occasion to thennemies to enter And they vsing the lawe of victors tooke libertie to turne all things to the rewarde of their aduenture In so much as what for the greedines of Pillage and desire to reuenge the harmes receiued at the first assalt they put the whole towne to sack and made a wonderfull slaughter reteyning only for prisoners suche as remeyned free from theyr crueltie The licentiousnes of the victors was such that their crueltie raged vppon all ages sexes and qualities of creatures not sparing the virgins in religion whose bodies were a miserable pray to the lust of the souldiours And as many of them were solde afterwardes at Rome for a very small price so some of them esteeming it agreeable to their vertue to feare death lesse then the losse of honour threw them selues into welles and offred vp in Ryuers an oblacion of their vndefiled bodies It is sayde that besides other abhominacions worthie of prepetuall infamie many of the women which had escaped the first furie being withdrawne into a Tower vnder none other confidence then such as folow creatures in miserie The Duke of Valentynois who folowed the armie as the kinges Lieftenant went to take a view of them accompanied only with the Gentlemen of his house his guard And after he had considered not of their estates but of their beauties The compassion he showed was that he reteyned for his owne vse fortie of the most fairest of them Fabricio Colonno Dom Hugo of Cardona and all the other Capteynes and men of condicion were made prisoners amongst whom Rinucce Mariano who at the assalt had receiued a wound with a Cros bow shot being in the keeping of the soldiors of the Duke dyed within two dayes not without suspicion of poison The losse of Capua cut of all hopes to king Federyk to be hable hense forward to defend any thing Caietta yelded with a speed according to the felicitie of the victors And M. D'aubygny being come with his armie to Auerse the Citie of Naples left abādoned which made composiciō for three score thousād duckats Federik retired into the new castle immediatly after hauing only regard to his life in such extremity of fortune made couenāt with Monsr D'aubygny to deliuer vp within six dayes all the townes and fortes which he helde apperteyning to that moyetie of the deuisiō which shold discend to the french king Reseruing only for six moneths the Ile of Yschia during which tyme it should be lawfull for him to goe whether he would except in the realme of Naples And to send an hundred men at armes to Tarenta That he might take out of the newe Castle and the egg Castle what he would except thartilleries of king Charles which remeyned there That free pardon should be giuen to all faltes committed since the late king Charles conquered the realme of Naples and that the Cardinalles Colonne and Aragon should still enioy those ecclesiasticall reuenues which they had in the kingdome But within the rocke of Yschia might be seene drawne into one showe a true resemblāce figure of all the infelicities of the lyne of the old Ferdinād which was a spectacle verie pitifull For that besides the aspect of Federyk newly deuested of so noble a realme the consideration of his litle children ioyned to the lamentable condicion of Beatriss his sister redoubled his sorowes To the calamitie of his sister this increase of miserie hapned that after the death of her late husband Matthias that renowmed king of Hungary she receiuing promise of mariage of Launcelot king of Boemia inducing her to ayde him in the conquest of the same realme She was refused by him with great ingratitude after he had filled his delightes with the sweete fruites of her bodie and afterwardes maried an other by the dispensacion of Pope Alexander To this infelicitie was also ioyned Isabell affore tyme honoured with the titles dignities of Duches of Myllan but now no lesse wretched then the others for that almost at one tyme she suffred priuacion of her husbande of her estate of her only sonne Amongest these tragicall accidents I may not forget this notable example of thaffection of a sonne to his father A matter so much the more straunge by how much in those tymes the loue of children was rare towardes their fathers One of the sonnes of the L. G. Montpensier being gon to Pozzuolo to visit the sepulcher of his father suffred him selfe to be so much ouerruled with passion that after he had washed all partes of the monument with his lamentable teares he fainted and fell downe dead vppon the sepulcher of his father who had as litle sence of those his latest sorowes as he had feeling of so great a fault to giue such libertie to the rage of nature To men affilicted this is one cōsolacion to know the vttermost of their mishaps and when the perils be past that nourished their feares they returne to a
of thexpences for three yeres Wherevpon the Genovvaies hauing a deliberation to embrace the offer notwithstanding Iohn Lovvis de Fiesquo with many others were agaynst it made an instance to the French king to suffer them without whose consent they had no power to execute any deliberation They debated with the king howe daungerous it woulde be that the Pisans excluded from this their last and almost only hope should come to offer them selues to the king of Spayne from whence would succeede to his great preiudice that both Genes should be in continuall trauell and danger and almost all Tuskane by compulsion followe the Spanish faction These reasons albeit at the beginning had so much wrought with the king that he was almost at a poynt to gratifie their demaundes yet his counsell considering that if the Genovvaies should beginne to accept warres of them selues and for a desire of imperie to haue confederation with other Potentates it would be the cause that comming afterwards to rayse their thoughts to greater things they would put their state into absolute libertie he forbad them expresly to accept the iurisdiction of Pisa but not that they should forbeare to ayde or succour them notwithstanding the Florentins had made great complaynts perticular respectes bearing more force in these matters then equitie conscience or compassion About this time the peace was earnestly laboured betweene the kings of Spayne and Fraunce who offred dissemblingly to render the realme of Naples to the king Federike or to the duke of Calabria his sonne to whom the French king should resigne and giue vp all his clayme so farrefoorth as the mariage were accomplished betwene the duke and the queene widowe Nece to the same king hauing afore bene wife to yong Ferdinand of Aragon king of Naples And it was without doubt that the French king had a mind so farre estranged from the affaires of the kingdome of Naples that for his owne regarde he had accepted all sorts of peace if it had not bin for these two difficulties that restrayned him the one of lesse moment with him then the other was the shame and reproches that would be thundred vpon him to leaue abandoned the barons who for that they folowed his faction had suffred priuation of their estates and to whom were offred conditions hard intollerable the other working somewhat more strongly with him was the doubt wherin he was least the king of Spayne hauing other intentions offred according to his accustomed suttleties this restitution for some ende that though his maiesties consenting yet the effect should not folow and that in the meane while the archduke were not estranged frō him who desiring to haue the kingdome of Naples for his sonne made instance that there should be cōtinuation of the peace which he had begon before Therfore he answered generally that he desired the peace but that he could not with honor giue vp to an Arragon the rights which he had in the same realme And on the other part he continued the auncient practises with the king of Romaines tharchduke wherin as he was almost certaine of the conclusion effect to th end they should not be cut of nor hindred by the incerteine practises of the king of Spayne he let call before him the Spanish embassadors making his colour for his greater honor that the respects interests of the barōs did chiefly moue him and being set in the chaire royal in the aspect presence of al the court with solēne ceremonies far aboue the vsage of times before he cōplained that their king expressed in words his desire and disposition to the peace hauing his intētions dissembled in which regard also for that it was not a thing worthy the vertue and honor of a king to consume the tyme in vayne practises he tolde them it were their best to depart out of the Realme of Fraunce After whose going away thembassadours of Maximilian and tharchduke came to giue perfection to that which had bene negociated In whiche action because there were plottes layed to greater purposes was assistant the Bishop of Sisteron the Popes ordinarie Nuncio in that Court and the Marquis of Finalo whome the Pope sent expresly in those affayres This peace hauing bene many times afore throughly debated for the profite which appeared very great to all those Princes was finally set downe vnder these conditions That the mariage of Lady Clauda the French kings daughter commoned vpon long time before should now grow to effect with Charles theldest sonne to tharchduke And for more firme confirmation of the same there shoulde be ioyned to the othe and subscription of the Frenche king the ratification of Frauncis Counte of Angulesme who issue male fayling in the king was next heire to the crown together with many of the principals of the kingdome That all thinuestitures of the state of Millan allowed till that day being razed and cancelled for iust and honest occasions Maximilian should transferre thinuestiture thereof to the French king for him selfe and heires males and for want of suche issue it shoulde be in fauour of the mariage conueyed to Madame Clauda and to Charles and if Charles shoulde dye before the consummation of the mariage then it to discende to Lady Clauda and to the seconde sonne of the Archduke if she maried with him That betweene the Pope the king of Romains the Frenche king and Tharchduke should be made a confederation for their common defence and to offende the Venetians from whome they all determined to withdrawe those places whiche they occupied of theirs That the king of Romains should passe in person into Italie agaynst the Venetians and afterwards go to Rome to take the crowne imperiall That the Frenche king assoone as the Charters shoulde be dispatched shoulde pay for thinuestiture threescore thousande florins of Rhein and threescore thousande others within six monthes and euery yeere a payre of spurres of golde vppon the day of the natiuitie of our Lorde That there shoulde be place left for the king of Spayne to enter into this confederation within foure monthes But it was not expressed that in case he did not enter it shoulde bee suffred to the Frenche king to inuade the kingdome of Naples That the Frenche king shoulde giue no more ayde nor succours to the Counte Palatine who stirred vp by him and enterteyned with hope of his succours was in great warre with the king of Romains That the Venetians shoulde be excluded out of this league notwithstanding that both the king had giuen willing eare to their Embassadours and also the Cardinall of Amboise to cleare them from all suspition had nourished them with assured promises and othes that the king would neuer go agaynst that confederation which he had with them These matters were conteyned in letters which were solemnly passed besides the which it was moued that the king Maximilian should speake together at an other time in some place conuenient The king also promised at
during the whole coursse of his life excepting onely the death of his onely sonne for the accidents of his wiues and his sonne in lawe were the cause that he kept his greatnes vntill his death and the necessitie to depart with Castillo after his wiues death was rather a sport then a blowe of fortune In all other thinges he was right happy for being second sonne to Iohn king of Aragon he came to the crowne by the death of his elder brother he aspyred to the kingdom of Castillo by Issabell his wife he subdued the Competytors of the same kingdome and expulsed them he made a conquest of the Realme of Granado which the ennemies of Christian faith had vsurped almost eight hundred yeares he annexed to his Empire the Realmes of Naples and Nauarre and the principallitie of Orano with many other places of importance vpon the coast of Affriqua he bare alwayes the victorie and vpperhand of his ennemies he almost cloaked his ambicions and couetousnes with an honestzeale to religion and an holy affection to the common weale wherein fortune appeared manifestly conioyned with industrie About a moneth affore his deathe dyed the Great Capteine both absent from the Court and ill contented of the king And yet the king gaue order that in remembrance of his vallour there shoulde bee done to him both in the Court and through the whole partes of the Realme those honors that haue not beene vsed to bee done but at the death of kinges A matter plausiblie accepted and executed by all his subiectes who omitted no forte of reuerence or celebracion to the name of the Great Capteyne making him singuler in liberalitie in councell in discression and for knowledge in warres and martiall science excelling all the Capteines of his time By the death of this king the french king entred into a newe courage to addresse an enterprise against the realme of Naples to the which he was in mind to send forthwith the Duke of Burbon with an armie of eight hundred launces tenne thowsand footemen he seemed to reappose much in thopportunitie of the time for that the kingdome beeing in some tumult vppon the death of the king and ill prepared for defense he perswaded a facilitie of conquest speciallye the Archduke hauing no respitte or tyme to succour it And he doubted nothinge of the Popes fauour bothe for the hopes he had giuen him at the enteruiewe of Bolognia and in regarde of thalliance contracted with him and also in consideracion of his proper interest as though he shoulde bee ielouse of the wonderfull height and greatnes of tharchduke heire present to so many kingdomes by the death of the king Catholike and exspected successor of Caesar he hoped besides that tharchduke would giue him no great impediment knowing howe harmefull might be to him his ill will touching the Realmes of Spayne but specially for the regarde of the kingdome of Aragon wherevnto many of the same famulie had aspired if their power had bene as great as their right for albeit in the life of the late king and Isabell his wife it was interpreted in an open generall Parliament that the ancient constitutions of that kingdome which admit not women to the succession of the Crowne were not preiudiciall agaynst the issue males borne of them when in the lyne masculine was to be founde neither brother vncle nor nephew of the dead king nor any other that was more nearer to him then they that were discended of the womans side or at least in equall degree and that for that reason it was declared that after the death of Ferdinand the succession apperteined to tharchduke Charles wherin was brought for example that after the death of Martin king of Aragon dying without issue males the sentence of the Iudges deputed to that matter through the whole kingdome preferred Ferdinand graundfather to this Ferdinand notwithstanding he came of the womens side affore Count Vrgello and others ioyned to Martin by masculine lyne but in degree and propertie of discending further off then Ferdinand yet the people nourished amongest them selues a secret complaynt and controuersie that in that interpretation and declaration the power of Ferdinand and Isabell had more force then the lawe of iustice and equitie In this did thinterpretation seeme vniust to many that the women beeing excluded suche as discended of them might be admitted and withall that in the sentence giuen to the behoofe of tholde Ferdinand the feare of his armes ruled more then reason These matters beeing layde open to the French king and withall that the peoples of the prouince of Aragon Valence and Earledome of Catelonia all these are comprehended vnder the kingdome of Aragon stoode desirous to enioye a king proper and particular He hoped that tharchduke not to endaunger so great a succession and so many estates would not at laste be straunge or harde to leaue to him that kingdome vnder some reasonable cōposition And for the better preparing of this enterprise because he would insinuate by benefites aswell as preuayle by forces he sought at that time to set at libertie Prospero Colonno vpon whom was imposed a raunsome of xxxv thousande duckettes whereof the king procured him to be pardoned of the one moytie By whiche propertie of fauor the worlde beleeued that Prospero had made secrete promise not to beare armes agaynst him yea happly to ayde him in the warre of Naples albeit with some limitation or reseruing of his honor Albeit the king was occupied with these thoughtes and had now determined to deferre no longer the action of armes and forreine warre yet he was driuen by new accidentes to turne his minde wholly to his owne defence for that Caesar hauing receiued a hundred and twentie thousande duckets according to the former negociation begon with the king of Aragon made preparation to inuade the duchie of Millan after he had once giuen succours to Verona and Bressia for the Venetian armie commaunded by Theoder Triuulco for that the other Triuulco was returned to Millan lying encamped within six myles of Bressia suffred their estradiots to make incursions thorowe the whole contrey And one daye beeing charged by those that were within the towne and either partie ronning to the reskew and succour of their friendes they repulsed them and draue them beaten into Bressta hauing long fought for the victorie in which conflict they slue many and tooke prisoner the gouernors brother of the Citie Not many dayes after Monsr de Lavvtrech generall of the French armie and Theodore Triuulco hauing espiall that a strength of three thousand Launceknightes came to Bressia to conduct the money sent for the paye of the souldiors sent out to hinder their passage at the Castell of Aufo Ianus Fregoso and Iohn Conrado Vrsin with certayne bandes of both the armies they put the launceknights to flight and made slaughter of eight hundred of them the residue carying awaye the money founde safety by flying to Lodrono Afterwardes the Venetians sent a
in many partes of the merits seruices he had done to the crowne of Fraunce vpon the kings displeasure which cōmonly worketh many daungerous impressions in the mindes of men he renownced disclaimed al society introduction with the Svvizzers and not many dayes after following the court he fell sicke at Chartres where he gaue vp to the king his innocency and complaintes and made to God the last reckoning of his aged daies he was a man in the iudgement of many cōfirmed by sundrie experiēces of singular vallour in the discipline of warre ran a race alwayes opposed to thinconstancy of fortune who according to her mutability made him feele thoperaciō of both her humors somtimes reioising in her fauor earst again finding her sower of bitter tast By his cōmaūdement were written vpon his tombe these words not disagreable to the condicion course of his life I find the rest vvithin my graue vvhich in my life I could not haue About this time Caesar desiring after his death to establishe the succession of the Romaine Empire in the person of one of his grandchildren treated with the electors to choose one of them king of Romains a dignity which draweth with it an immediat succession to the Empire after thEmperours death without other election or confirmacion And bicause none can aspire to suche election vntill thEmperour elect haue obteyned the Crowne Imperiall he made instance to the Pope that by a newe example he woulde accomplishe his Cronacion in Germanie by the handes and deputacion of certeyne Cardinalls Legats Apostolyke for that action And albeit Caesar had affore wished that that dignitie might be transferred to Ferdinand his grandchilde as a degree to supporte him the elder hauing diuolued to him so greate a puissance of estates and albeit he iudged that for the better continuaunce of his house in fame and honor and to meete with all ill accidentes that runne vpon the eldest it were better that two personages were great then one alone ▪ yet what by the operacion of many his Courtiers and by the perpetuall labor of the Cardinall of Syon and lastly by the suborned importunities of suche as feared and hated the puisance of Fraunce he reiected the first councell and disposed all his meanes to haue the king of Spayne elected to that dignity wherein he was perswaded that it would be farre more profitable for the house of Austrich to assemble and draw into one alone all power and greatnes then in canuasing and deuiding it into many partes to make that family lesse mighty to obteine the issue of their purposes That the fundacions of the greatnes of Charles were suche so mighty that adding the dignity Imperiall there was great hope that he might reduce into one monarchie all Italie and a great parte of Christendom An action not onely apperteyning to the greatnes of his progeny and descendants but also agreable to the tranquilitie of his subiects and for the regard of the infidells most conformable to the benefite of the common weale of Christendom That it belonged to him in office equity to lay for thaugmentacion exaltacion of the dignity Imperiall which had bene so many yeares inuested in his person and his house of Austrich and which till that day both by his weakenes and infirmitie of his predecessors had bene greater in title and name then in substance and effects That there was no hope of the rising of that dignity or to reinuest in it his auncient renowme then by transporting it into the person of Charles and annexing it to his power That seeing the humor of the time presented to him thoccasion wherein also did concurre the order of nature and of fortune it ought to be farre from him to stop or hinder the course of so many helps to aduaunce lift vp the greatnes of his house That it was seene by examples and tradicions of auncient Emperours that Caesar Augustus and many of his successors for want of sonnes or other issue of their line haue searched by meane of adoption for successors very farre remoued from their alliance yea such as touched them nothng in blood and kinred wherin they were caried by a naturall gelousie lineally discending from one to an other that the dignitie which had bene so long resident in their persons should not be separate or decline to diminucion That thexample was familiar of the king Catholike who albeit he loued as his sonne Ferdinand who had bene alwayes trayned vp about him and neuer seeing Charles but found him in his last age very disobedient to his commaundements yet without hauing compassion of the pouertie of him whom he loued as his sonne he neuer imparted with him any one of those estates which he helde nor of such as he might dispose by the right prerogatiue of conquest but left all to him whom he scarcely knew but as a straūger That he would remember how the same king would alwayes vrge him to purchase new estats for Ferdinand but to leaue the dignity Imperiall to Charles that it was seene that for thaugmentacion of the greatnes of his successor he had perhaps with a councel reproued of many happily vniust deuested frō the kingdom of Aragon his proper house consented against the common desire of most men that the name of his house so noble and renowned should fall into obscurity perdicion Against this instance of Caesar the french king opposed him selfe with all industrie and meanes possible taking not a litle displeasure and enuie that to so many kingdoms and great estates holden by the spanish there should be added the dignitie Imperiall which resuming a certaine vigor and strength for so great a puisance might subdue all others vnder his feare and iurisdiction he made secret solicitacion to all thelectors to stoppe theffect of such an ambicion he stoode vpon instance to the Pope not to send with an example new and daungerous the Crowne to Maximilian And he sent Embassadors to the Venetians to induce them to hinder it with the Pope whom he admonished of the perills that might fall vpon them both by the course of suche a greatnes But the Electors for the moste parte were already drawne to the opinion of Caesar and no lesse assured of the summes of money promised thē for that election by the king of Spayne who for that purpose had sent into Germanie two hundred thousande duckets Neither could they in reason nor happly without daunger of slaunder in regarde of thexamples paste denie him suche a demaunde Besides it was not to be beleeued that the Pope notwithstanding it was discontenting to him would refuse to agree that Caesar should receiue in Germany by the ministration of Legates Apostolike the Crowne imperiall in his name seing that to make a voyage to Rome to be crowned albeit it brought a greater authoritie to the sea Apostolike yet in all other regardes it was a matter rather ceremonious then
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 importance and daunger of the thing to handle so great an enterprise sought to communicate perswade all things with the Pope in whō he knew had most dominion two stirring humors ambicion disdayne he told him that not by the fauors of the Princes of Italy and much lesse by the meane of their armies and helpes he should be reuenged of Ferdinand nor haue hope to compasse estates worthy and honorable for th aduancement of his sonnes He found the Pope to beare a vehement and ready wil to the matter perhaps for a desire to innouate and alter thinges but more likely to constraine the Aragons by feare to come to that which by consent wil they would not accord to him After they had communicated their councells they dispatched secretly into Fraunce personages of trust to sound the will of the king such as gouerned him who shewing them selues not farre from their intencion Lodovvyk turning his whole witts to the deuise of this enterprise sent in the sight of all the world but shadowing it with other occasions one Charles Balbyan Earle of Belioyense who soliciting the king certeine dayes in priuate audience working particularly with sundry of his principal fauorits was at last introduced into open councell the king present where in a publike hearing of the Prince his Lordes and Prelates of the Court he deliuered this forme of discourse Most christian king Thexperiēce of the disposiciō of harts diuersly inclined ▪ makes me dowtful whether vnder a direct absolute forme I should begin my discours or vsing the custome of Orators bring into question such obiectiōs as may be opposed against the presēt matter for in causes of perswasion the one with the other must orderly cōcurre least for want of due office in the speaker the matter seeming to suffer imperfectiō error do not bring forth resolucion effect according to thexpectacion of the parties for whom he solicites And albeit the vniuersal coniecture opiniō of your maiesties many vertues the graue aspect face of your right wise coūcel here assēbled promise no lesse ready cōsent liking thē the matter is iust innocēt ▪ yet for your maiesties better inducemēt general satisfactiō of your Lordes Prelats assisting I wil ioyne my self to the refutaciō of that general dout which in negociaciōs of this nature are cōmonly obiected more by custō thē iust cause arising If therefore right Christian king any man for what occasion so euer will hold for suspected the integritie of mind and faith with the which Lodovvik Sforce comes to councel you to beare armes to cōquer the kingdom of Naples he may easily deliuer his mind of that ill grounded suspicion if he either loke into the offers offices cōdicions wherwith he doth accompany his perswasion councell offering you the cōmoditie of his treasors men all other oportunities or at least wil cal to his memory with what deuociō both he Galeas his brother originally Francis his father did honor the late king Levvys your father continued with no lesse constancie faith piety to the glorious name of your maiestie Let him consider also that by this enterprise Lodovvyk standes possible to many great daungers with a very naked hope of any profit yea in this is conteined the only benefit he shall haue to see a iust reuenge of the ambushes wronges done by them of Aragon where your maiestie by meane of the victory shal happily aspire to a most florishing kingdom bringing with it a greater glory oportunitie of farre more high and honorable merite an action wherunto the thoughts of mighty Princes ought to be fashioned And of the other part if it happen that you come not to the end of this enterprise yet your maiestie loseth no reputacion nor your greatnes the more diminished for that onely the fortunes of Princes are subiect to opiniōs but not their estate maiesty impaired But for Lodovvyk he is of nothing more sure then to suffer general ill wil contempt of nothing more vnsure then to find remedy in his perils for that in him would concurre all the displeasures slaunders which may concerne his estate life or reputacion And therfore I see not how should be suspected the councels of him whose cōdicions fortunes are so vnequal inferior to yours But there be reasons stirring you to this honorable expedicion which for the simplicity roundnes innocency they conteine will admitte no dowt for that in them are liberally concurrant all the groundes foundacions which inconsulting of enterprises merit chiefest consideracion that is to say the iustice of the cause the facilitie of the conquest the great frut of the victory it is manifest to all the world how resolute apparāt be the rights which the house of Aniovv to whom you are lawful inheritor hath to the realme of Naples how iust is the succession which this crowne pretendes to it by the yssues of Charles who first of the blood royall of Fraunce obteyned the same kingdom both with thauthoritie of the Pope and by his proper valour And it is no lesse easie to conquer it then the action is iust for who knowes not howe much the King of Naples is inferior in force authoritie and fortune to the most mightie King of all Christendom And no nation dowteth with what terrour and renowne the name of the french thundreth throughout the regions of the world neyther with what astonishment the brute of your armies keepeth other contreys in dread At no time did the inferior Dukes of Aniovv assaile the kingdom of Naples that they put it not in great hazard And it is to late to be forgotten how Iohn sonne of Rene had in his hand the victorie against Ferdinand now reigning if Pope Pius had not taken it from him but much more Francys Sforce who forbare as is well knowen to obey Levvys the xj your father If those small forces trained with thē so great fortunes what may be hoped for of the armies authoritie of so mighty a king all oportunities being increased and the difficulties obiected against Rene and Iohn diminished seeing the Princes of those estates which gaue impediments to their victories haue now vnitie confederacion with you in them be no small meanes to offend the kingdom of Naples for the Pope by lād by reason the territories of the church are frōtiers to Naples the Duke of Myllan by sea applying to you the cōmoditie seruice of Genes will be furtherers of your victorie with many helpes ▪ fauours and commodities besides these there is no potentacie or iurisdiction in Italy wil oppose against you for it can not be iudged of the Venetians that they will throwe them selues into expenses and daungers and much lesse depriue their estate of the amitie wherein so long time they haue bene interteyned with the kinges of Fraunce to preserue or protect Ferdinand an auncient
Fraunce for the kinges sewertie And being possessed of the kings money he prepared him selfe to goe with the Vitellies to the kingdome of Naples where both before the losse of the castells and after was continuall insurrection in many places with diuerse accidents and fortunes For after Ferdinand had in the beginning made heade in the playne of Sarny the frenchmen that were retyred from Piedgrotte were incamped at Nocere within foure myles of thennemie where their forces being equall it appeared their disposicions did not differ for that they consumed the time vnprofitably in skyrmishing without any action worthy of memorie sauing that seuen hundred of the armie of Ferdinand aswell footemen as horsemen being led by a double intelligence to enter the borow of Gisone neare the towne of S. Seuerin remeyned almost all vppon the place either slaine or made prisoners But the bandes of the Pope being come to the succors of Ferdinand and by that meane the french made more inferior they retyred from Nocere which by that occasion together with the castell was taken by Ferdinand with a greater slaughter of such as had followed the french quarrell In this time Monsr Montpensier had foreseene to furnish of horses and other thinges necessary for the warre such as were come with him from the new castell with whom after he had remounted them in good order he went to ioyne with the others and after came to Ariana A towne abounding with vittells of the other side Ferdinand seeing him selfe lesse stronge then thennemie stayed at Montfuskule to temporise without assaying of fortune vntill the confederats had refurnished him with a greater succor M. Montpensier tooke the towne and afterwards the castell of S. Seuerin and with that fortune had done farre greater thinges if the want present of money and the difficulties to get some had not bene impediments to his oportunitie and vertue for hauing no releeffe sent out of Fraunce nor meane to leauye any in the kingdom of Naples he could not pay the souldiers by which reason the armie inclining to discontentment and the Svvyzzers drawing into murmure he had no possibilitie to doe thinges whose effectes might aunswer the forces he had In such like actions were consumed by the one and other armie about three monethes In which season Dom Federyk hauing with him Caesar of Aragon made warre in Pouylla he was ayded by those of the contrey against whom made head the Barons peoples that embrased the french part of the other side Gracian de Guerres made valiant defence in Abruzze against Ferdinand and the Prefect of Rome who had the kinges pay for two hundreth men at armes vexed with his estates the landes of Montcasin and the contrey thereabouts where was somewhat declined the prosperitie of the french by the long sicknes of M. d'Aubigny the same breaking the course of his victorie although almost all Calabria and the principallitie remeyned at the deuocion of the french king But Consaluo who with a strength of the spanish bandes with such of the contrey as bare frendship to thArragons now well increased by the conquest of Naples had taken there certeine places and made stronge in that prouince the name of Ferdinand where the french founde the same difficulties which were in the armie for want of money Notwithstanding the citie of Cosenze being drawne into rebellion against them they recouered it and sackt it But in these great necessities and daungers appeared no succors at all out of the realme of Fraunce for that the king staying at Lyons amused the time about iustes torneyes and other pleasures of Court leauing there all his thoughtes of the warre And albeit he assured his councell alwayes that he would eftsoones consider of th affayres of Italy yet the effects actions that proceeded from him discredited the promises he had made to haue remembraunce of them And yet Argenton brought him this aunswere from the Senat of Venice that they pretended to haue no disfrēdship with him for that they entred not into armes vntill he had gotten Nocere and yet for no other cause then for the defense of the Duke of Myllan their confederat and therefore they thought it a thing superfluous to ratifie eftsoones the auncient frendship with a new peace Besides they offered him that by the mediacion of persons indifferent they woulde induce Ferdinand to giue him presently some summe of money with constitucion of a tribut of fifty thowsand duckats by yeare and to leaue in his handes for his securitie Tarenta vntill a certeine time The king as though he had had a prepared puissant succor refused to open his eares to these offers notwithstanding besides these perplexities of Italy he was not without vexacions vpon the frontyers of Fraunce seeing Ferdinand king of the Spanish come in person to Parpignian had made incursions into Languedock where they did no small harmes adding to their present furie other demonstracions of farre greater emocions Besides it was not long since the Daulphyn of Fraunce the onely sonne of the king dyed All which thinges if he had bene capable to make wise election of peace or warre ought to haue brought him with more facilitie to condiscend to some accord About the ende of this yeare were determined the controuersies hapning by reason of the citadell of Pysa for the french king vnderstanding by good informacion thobstinacie of the capteine sent thether at last Monsr Gemel with threatnings and cōmaundements rigorous not only addressed to him but generally to all the french apperteyning to the charge and seruice of the sayd citadell And a litle after he dispatched thether expresly M. Bonne Cousin to the Capteine to th ende that being informed by a person whom he might trust both of the kinges message and also the meane to satisfie with present obedience his former faultes and contumacie and of the other part the daunger wherin he stoode continuing in disobedience he might with more readines proceede to thexecucion of his Maiesties commaundement iust will All these could not remoue the Capteine from his first resolucion who abiding in his transgression made no reckoning of the message of Gemell staying there a few dayes according to his commission to goe with Camylla Vitelli to find Virginio And much lesse was thē comming of Bonne who was hindred many dayes for that by direction of the Duke of Myllan he was reteyned at Serazena to any purpose to turne the Capteine from his obstinacie But hauing wrought Bonne to his consent opinion he made a contract with the Pysans Luke Maluezze communicating in the name of the Duke by vertue whereof he deliuered to the Pysans the first day of the yeare 1496. their citadell receiuing of them twenty thowsand duckats whereof xij thowsand to remeyne to him selfe and eyght thowsande to be deuided in shares amongest the particular souldiers This money was not leuyed of the stores or welth of the Pysans in whom was no meane to interteyne their
withdrew him from the thing whereunto his will did driue him so amyd so many variacions of mind he deferred as much as he could to declare his intencion giuing to euery one words and aunsweres generall But being continually importuned by the Frenche king at last he made him this aunswere that there was no person that knew better then him selfe how much he was inclined to his affaires being not ignoraunt with what affection he perswaded him to passe into Italy at a time when he might haue victorie without daunger or great effusion of blood That his perswasions for that thinges were not kept secret as he had oftentimes required him were now come to the knowledge of others to the common detriment of them both for that for his parte he saw him selfe in daunger to be assailed by others that the difficulties were become the greater for the enterprise of the king since others had giuen such order to their affaires that he could no more enter into the victorie but with manifest perill and lamentable slaughter of men That the power and glory of the Turkes being newly increased by so great a victorie successe it was neither conuenient to his condicion nor conformable to thoffice of a Pope either to giue fauor or counsel to Princes christened to make warre amongest them selues And that therefore he could not otherwise aduise him then to temporise surcease exspecting some other facilitie better occasion which when it hapned he shoulde finde in him the same disposition to his glory greatnes which he hath so well discerned certaine monethes passed An answere which albeit it did not in other sorte expresse his conception if it had come to the knowledge of the king it had not onely depriued him of all hope of the Popes fauor but also haue certified him that the Pope would haue ioyned and banded against him both with counsel with armes These were the accidents of the yeare 1514. But death who bringeth with him this law authority to cut of the vaine councells of men euen in their greatest hopes was the cause that the warre so forward in apparaunce burst not out to action with that speede that was exspected for whilest the French king gaue him selfe ouer to behold too much the excellent bewty of his new wife bearing then but eighteene yeres of age nothing considering the proporcion of his owne yeares nor his decayed complexion he fell into the rage of a feauer which drawing to it a suddeine flux ouercame in one instant the life that nature gaue ouer to preserue any longer he dyed the first day of the yeare 1515. a day of memorie for the death of so great a Prince he was a king iust much beloued of his peoples but touching his condicion neither asfore he was king nor after he had the crowne he neuer found constancy or stability in either fortune for rising from a small Duke of Orleance with great happines to the crowne and that by the death of Charles younger then he and two of his sonnes he conquered with a very great facility the Duchie of Millan and the kingdom of Naples and almost all the residue of the regions of Italy being gouerned for many yeares by his direction he recouered with a very great prosperity the state of Genes that was in rebellion vanquished with no lesse glory the armies of the Venetians being in person at both those victories But on the other side euen when he was in youth and best disposicion of body he was constrained by king Lovvys the eleuenth to mary his daughter that was both barren deformed and yet could neuer get the good will nor countenaunce of his father in law And aster his death such was the greatnes of the Lady of Burbon that he could neuer get the institucion of the newe king being then in minoritie being almost compelled to retyre him selfe into Brittaine where being taken in the battell of S. Aubyn he liued two yeares in the calamity of a prisoner To these afflictions may be added the siege and famin of Nouaro the many discomfits he had in the realme of Naples the losse of thestate of Millan Genes and all the townes which he had taken from the Venetians And lastely the grieuous warre he had in Fraunce agaynst very mightie enemies his eyes beholding into what lamentable perils his realme was brought Neuerthelesse afore he died it semed he had conquered al his aduersities fortune shewed good tokens of her reconcilement both for that he had defended his kingdome agaynst mighty enemies also established a perpetuall peace alliance with the king of Englande with whom by howmuche his amitie was great and assured by so muche it gaue him hope to be hable to reconquer the duchie of Millan After Lovvis the xij ascended to the Crowne Frauncis d'Angoulesme who was the next heire male of the blood royall of the same line of the Dukes of Orleance ▪ he was preferred to the successiō of the kingdom before the daughters of the dead king by the vertue disposition of the lawe Salike a lawe very auncient in the realme of Fraunce which excludeth from the royall dignitie all women so long as there is any issue male of the same line The world had such a hope in his vertues and suche an opinion of his magnanimitie such a conceite of his iudgement wit that euery one consessed that of very long time there was none raysed vp to the Crowne with a greator exspectation he was made the more agreable to the fancies of men by the consideration of his age bearing then but xxij yeres his excellent feiture proporcion of body his great liberality general humanity together with the rype knowledge he had in many things But specially he pleased greatly the nobilitie to whom he transferred many singuler great fauors He tooke vpon him together with the title of the french king the name of the duke of Millan A dignitie which he sayd apperteined to him not only by the auncient rights of the dukes of Orleance but also as cōprehended in the inuestiture that was made by Caesar in the treaty of Cambray Besides there liued in him the same desire to recouer it that dyed with his predecessor whervnto not only the working of his owne inclination but the perswasions of al the noble yong gentlemē of Fraunce did induce him no lesse by the memory of the glory of Gaston de Foix thē for the monumēt of so many victories as the kings raigning next afore had obteined in Italie And yet not to warne others afore the time not to prepare to resist him he dissembled his desires by thaduise of his graue counselors in the meane while sell to practise the amities of other princes frō whom were sent to congratulate with him many embassadors whō he receiued with countenaunce affable gracious but specially the embassadors of the king of England who desired
lac confyning vpon the territorie of Cortonne with commoditie of vittells for th armie yet they consented to neuer one of the demaundes notwithstanding the Cardinall Askanius made in the name of the Duke of Myllan great instance and the Pope commaunding no lesse by writts vehement and full of threats All this was for that since the taking of Corciana the Florentyns lending them money and giuing yearly pension to Guido and Radolpho chiefe of the Baillons and lastly hauing taken into their pay Iohn Pavvle sonne to Radolpho they were of their side conioyned with them Besides these they were estraunged from thamitie of the Pope for that they feared he stoode fauorable and inclined to the cause of their aduersaries or at least by thoccasion of their diuisions they suspected that he aspired to put absolutely that citie vnder the obedience of the Church In this time Pavvle Vrsin who with three score men at armes of the olde companie of Virginio had remeyned many dayes at Montpulcian and afterwards was gon to the borow of Pieua interteyned by the direction of Peter de medicis A practise in the citie of Cortone with intencion to execute it at such time as the bandes of Virginio should approch whose numbers nor vertue aunswered not the first plots But during that respitt of time the practise being discouered which was builded vppon the foundacion and meane of one of the exiles of base condicion one part of their generall groundes deuises began to fayle and withall many great impediments to appeare for the Florentyns in whom was alwayes nourished a carefull pollicie to prouide for daungers leauing in the contrey of Pysa three hundreth men at armes two thowsand footemen had sent to encampe neare Cortone two hundred men at armes 2. thowsand footemen vnder the leading of the Count Riuucce de Marciane whom they had made Mercenarye in their pay And to thend the bandes of the Syennoys should haue no oportunitie to ioyne with Virginio accordinge to the practise betweene them they sent to Poggi imperiall vpon the borders of the contrey of Sienna vnder the gouernment of Guidobalde of Montfeltre Duke of Vrbyn whom they had interteyned into their pay a litle before three hundreth men at armes and fiueteene hundreth footemen besides many banished from Sienna with whom they adioyned to keepe the citie in greater feare But after Virginio had giuen many assaultes to Gualda where Charles his bastard sonne receiued a wound with a small shot and hauing embrased the moneyes sent secretely to him as was supposed by the Fulignians he raysed his campe without mention or respect to thinterests of the Perusins and marched to the tabernacles and so to Panicale in the contrey of Perousa making newe instance that they would be declared against the Florentyns A thing which they did not only deny to him but also for the discontentment they had of his actions at Gualda they cōpelled him almost with threatnings to depart out of their territories In so much that Peter and he going first with foure hundreth horse to Orsaia a towne neare to Cortone hoping that in that citie which to auoyde the harmes of the souldiers had refused to receiue the men at armes of the Florentyns they should find some tumult After they saw all thinges in quiet and stabilitie they passed ouer Chianes with three hundreth men at armes and three thowsand footemen but the most part in confusion ill order because they had bene driuen backe hauing but a very smal proporcion of money They retyred vpon the contrey of Sienna neare to Montpulcian betwene Chianciana Torrite and Asinalongue where they remeyned many dayes without other action then certeine incursions and pillages hauing the bandes of the Florentyns which passed Chianes at the bridge of Valiance in camped directly opposite vpon the hill Sansouyn and other places thereabouts Neither of the side of Bolognia as they hoped was any insurrection for that Bentyuole not determining for the interests and regardes of an other to enter warre with a common weale mighty and his neighbour refused the quarrell and the defense notwithstanding the perswacions of the confederats to whom he made many excuses and vsed no lesse delayes neither was he curious to consent that many demonstracions should be made by Iulian de medicis who being come from Bolognia laboured to stirre vp the frendes which they were accustomed to haue in the Mounteynes of that contrey Amongest the consederats there was not one consent of will and inclinacion for that it was very acceptable to the Duke of Myllan that the Florentyns should be vexed with those trauells thereby to be lesse able for the matters of Pysa but it nothing pleased him that P. de medicis so greatly iniuried by him should returne to Florence notwithstanding to declare that hereafter he would wholly depend vpon his authoritie he had sent to Myllan in solemne order his brother the Cardinall And touching the Venetians they liked not to haue the burden of that warre imposed vppon them and much lesse to embrase alone the quarrell Besides the Duke and they were buysie to leauye prouisions to expulse the french out of the kingdom of Naples In which respectes fayling in Peter and Virginio not onely the hopes which they exspected but also the moneyes greatly diminishing to enterteyne their bandes of footemen and horsemen the necessities of their estates and consideracion of their proper safeties caused them to withdraw to Bagno Rapulano in the contrey of Chiusa a citie subiect to the Siennoys where not many dayes after Virginio being drawne by his destinie arriued Camylla Vitelli and M. de Gemel sent by the french king to interteyne him into his pay and leade him into the kingdom of Naples where the king desired to serue his purpose of him hearing of the defection of the Colonnoys This offer albeit many of his frendes impugned it aduising him rather to follow the seruice of the confederats who made great solicitacion to him or else to become for thArragons was embrased and accepted by him either for that he hoped by that meane to be more able to recouer the landes and contrey of Alba and Taille couss or else remembring eftsoones how thinges hapned in the losse of the kingdom and seeing the authority of the Collonnoys his auncient aduersaries was so great with Ferdinand that there was no confidence of reconciliacion and much lesse to be readdressed into his former greatnes or lastly for that he was moued as him selfe did assure with a discontentment which he had of the Princes consederat fayling to accomplish those promises which they made to him to minister fauors to Peter de medicis Virginio then entred pay with the french king receiuing cōtract aswel for him as for others of the house of the Vrsins for six hundreth men at armes notwithstanding vnder this obligacion such be the frutes of those that once haue made their faith suspected to sende his sonne Charles into