great authoritie at that time in Fraunce that for feare of them no Counsellor durst plead his cause wherefore necessitie enforcing him to defend him selfe he pleaded there by the space of two howers being very attentiuely heard by the whole audience and in the end so acquite himselfe that by the Iudges sentence he was discharged Among other things he rehearsed at the bar how sundrie troublesome and daungerous voiages he had sustained for the King and the common wealth How highly King Lewis both had fauoured him and for his faithfull seruice rewarded him for his owne part he said that he neuer had done any thing couetouslie ambitiouslie nor cruelly and further that if he had sought onely to aduance and inrich himselfe he might haue had as goodly possessions as any man in France He was prisoner in almost three yeeres The next yeere after his deliuerie he had a daughter borne named Iane which married with Rene Earle of Pantabria descended of the Dukes of Britaine by whom among diuers other children she had issue Iohn late Duke of Estampes Lieutenant of Britain Knight of the French Kings order and Lord of diuers goodly Seniories But to returne to Commines in prosperity he gaue for his posie this sentence He that will not labour let him not eate but in aduersitie this I sailed into the deepe of the sea and a sudden tempest ouerwhelmed me He died the threescore and fourth yeere of his age the yeere of our Lord 1509. the 17. day of October in his owne house of Argenton in the countrey of Poictu from whence his body was conueighed to Paris and there lieth buried in the Augustine Friers I was heere purposed to haue staied my pen and further not to haue spoken either of Commines historie or his life had I not called to minde diuers accusations of Iacobus Meyerus who in sundrie places of his Annales of Flanders inueigheth verie bitterly as well against Commines life as his historie whose accusations I am forced to laie open to the iudgement of the world to the end it may appeere whether they be grounded vpon iust proofe Notwithstanding before I enter into the examination of them thus much in the commendation of Commines historie I cannot passe ouer in silence that two of the greatest and woorthiest Princes that raigned in Europe these hundred yeeres namely the Emperour Charles the fift and Francis the first King of Fraunce made so great account of this historie that the Emperor caried it continually about with him as Alexander did the workes of Homer no lesse esteeming it than he did them and the King was as much displeased with the printing and publishing thereof as was the same Alexander in times past for the setting foorth of Aristotles workes called Acroamatica as rehearseth Gellius so desirous was he to haue reserued to himselfe and a few of his owne subiects the great treasures of wisedome hidden in this small volume But let vs now heare what Meyer obiecteth against this historie In the 17. booke of his Annales of Flaunders writing of the battell fought at Saintron betweene Charles Duke of Burgundie and the Liegeois he hath these words Pugna commissa caeduntur magno numero profligantur ad nouem millia cecidisse tradit qui interfuit Philippus Cominius Sed Brabantiae scriptor quidam scriptor Flandriae quibus plus habeo fidei tria tantum millia occubuisse memorant For answere heereunto if this place be indifferently weighed it shall appeere to be wholie grounded vpon malice and no colour of reason much lesse iust proofe First bicause Meyer preferreth the credit of these obscure Annalistes that write but vpon report before the credit of him that was an eie witnesse and that no way could aduantage himselfe by reporting a lye Secondarily sir Oliuer de la Marche who liued also in that time and was Steward of the Duke of Burgundies house writeth that a great number of these Liegeois were slaine at this battell and also at the siege of Saintron but that their friends and kinsfolkes trussed vp their dead bodies in vessels full of lime partly to the end the discomfiture might appeere the lesse and partlie that they might be buried among their auncestors in the which feate saith he the Liegeois shewed a woonderfull audacitie and courage whereby it shoulde seeme a great number to haue been thus trussed vp by meanes whereof the dead appeered the fewer and were reported accordingly which deceiued diuers and happilie these Annalists of Brabant and Flaunders The like practise we reade of in diuers authors of the like writeth Meyer also himselfe Lastly the Annales of Burgundy agree with Commines and report the number as he doth so that this answer I hope shall suffice for this point Againe in the same booke fol. 364. Meyer writeth thus Loquitur Cominius de nobili quadam foemina attrebatensis ditionis proditrice patriae cuius aedere non vult nomen falsus in hoc vt in caeteris historicus Sure if it were an vndoubted truth that a Ladie of Artois could not send the King such aduertisement as Commines reporteth that she did or if Meyer were Pythagoras that ipse dixit might passe for proofe the credit of Commines should happilie hang in ballance but if you reade the place in his historie the very circumstances will induce any indifferent man to thinke that which is there written of this Ladie to be no lie Againe fol. 366. Meyer hath these words Hic est Cominius ille transfuga gente Flandrus qui multa de Carolo Lodouico prouinciali lingua bene scripsit sed quaedam etiam scripsit plane mendaciter multaque dicenda infideliter reticuit This is so generall and vncertaine a charge that answer in truth it deserueth none notwithstanding I refer to the iudgement of those that shall reade this historie whether Commines conceale his Masters faults therein or not for that is Meyers meaning in this place True it is that he vttereth them not in such railing barbarous termes as Meyer very vnseemely vseth of so great a Prince as King Lewis was and is offended with Commines for not dooing the like a thing which becommeth Meyer himselfe very ill and would haue become Commines much woorse But our author as he concealeth not his masters faults but laieth them open enough to the vnderstanding of the wise and attentiue Reader so deliuereth he them so sparingly and vnder such termes as truth being vttered the Kings honor be no further impeached than verie necessitie doth enforce a matter verie commendable in a gentleman writing of a Prince a seruant of his Master and a subiect of his Soueraigne Lastly Meyer fol. 365. hath these words refert Cominius exercitum Caroliadeo fuisse extenuatum vt exhibere illum Anglis non auderet sed hoc falsum est But you must beleeue Meyer vpon his word other disproofe of Commines report he can bring none neither grounded vpon any circumstance nor produced out of any good
THE HISTORIE OF PHILIP DE Commines Knight Lord of Argenton Jmprinted at London by Ar. Hatfield for I. Norton 1596 TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE MY VERY GOOD LORD THE LORD Burghley Lord Treasurer of England Knight of the honorable order of the garter and Master of hir Maiesties Court of Wardes and Liueries IT is now R. Honorable thirty yeeres since I presented to your L. and the late Earle of Leicester my Lord and Master the historie of COMMINES rudely translated into our vulgar toong the which of later times at the request of the late Lord Chauncellor sir Christopher Hatton I perused anew and enlarged with such notes pedegrees as seemed necessarie as well for explanation as in some few places for correction of the historie Since his death certaine gentlemen to whose hands the booke happened to come tooke so great pleasure and delight therein that they determined to put it to the presse supposing it a great dishonor to our nation that so woorthy an historie being extant in all languages almost in Christendome should be suppressed in ours Notwithstanding their resolution they forbare of curtesie to put in execution till their purpose should be made knowen to me And albeit that I alleaged many reasons why in my conceit bookes of this nature treating of Princes secrets were vnfit to be published to the vulgare sort the rather bicause the Author in some places seemeth to be of that opinion himselfe yet none of my reasons could preuaile but they continued in their former determination adding thereunto that others besides my selfe had taken paines in this historie and though I of peeuishnes would suppresse my labors yet they would not suppresse theirs So that would I nould I to the presse the booke must go being already warranted by publike authoritie thereunto I seeing the matter aduaunced thus far thought it no time to draw backe any longer but in the end tooke the burthen vpon my selfe doubting if I had done otherwise both the blemishing of the historie wherein I may boldly say that I haue more trauelled than any man that hath entermedled therewith and also that the worke should be presented to some patrone that had no interest therein Wherefore hauing againe examined it and freed it from some faults that me thought fit to be reformed I haue presumed to publish it vnder the protection of your Lorships honorable name to whom of right it appertaineth in many respects First bicause the author thereof was a noble man one of your owne cote the wisest and the best acquainted with all matters of state of any man in his time Whereunto I adde that he continued a Counsellor successiuely to so many French Kings that he was reputed one of the ancientest Counsellors in Christendome at his death wherein your Lordships fortune is not onely correspondent but hath also surmounted his Secondarily your Lordship hath the aisne title to it and lastly the right of suruiuor casteth it vpon you by course of common lawe Wherefore all these circumstances well considered my particular duties also notforgotten I thought it a kinde of sacrilege to suffer your Lordship to be robbed of your right May it therefore please you to receiue this historic into your honorable protection as your owne as well in regard of the Author being a man of such condition as aboue is rehearsed as also of the worke treating of that subiect wherewith your Lordship at this day is better acquainted than any man liuing and lastly in respect of your owne title thereunto Which no whit doubting but that your Lordship will most willingly vouchsafe to do beseeching the Almightie long to preserue you to the great stay of this flourishing estate most humbly I take my leaue this first of Nouember 1596. Your L. most humble and obedient to commaund Thomas Danett The life of Philip de Commines knight Lord of Argenton gathered out of diuers good authors togither with a briefe answer on his behalfe to certaine accusations wherewith IACOBVS MEYERVS a Flemming in his Annales of Flaunders chargeth verie vniustlie both Commines history and his life PHILIP DE COMMINES author of this present history was borne at Commines a towne in Flaunders being a gentleman of a very ancient house and ioined by blood and alliance to the best of that nation His surname was Clytus his father vncle had been both of them vnder D. Philip of Burgundy chiefe gouernours of Flaunders called by Meyer Summi pretores Flandriae and to them he giueth this title Domini Ruscurii Buscurii VVatenenses whereby appeereth of how great Nobilitie and goodly reuenewes Commines was not onely in Flaunders but also in Haynault In his youth namely from the nineteenth yeere of his age and the yeere of our Lord 1464. till the 27. of his age and the yeere 1472. he serued Charles Duke of Burgundie and afterward Lewis the eleuenth of that name King of Fraunce who emploied him in his weightiest and secretest affaires He was of tall stature faire complexion and goodly personage The French toong he spake perfectly and eloquently the Italian Duche and Spanish reasonably well He had read ouer verie diligently all histories written in French especially of the Romaines and bare them all in memorie He much acquainted himselfe with strangers thereby to increase his knowledge He had great regard to the spending of his time and abhorred all idlenes He was of an excellent yea an incredible memorie for he often indited at one time to fower Secretaries seuerall letters of waightie affaires appertaining to the state with as great facilitie and readines as if he had had but one matter in hand A vertue so rare that I haue not read the like of any but of Iulius Caesar and him Nothing more greeued him than that in his youth he was not trained vp in the Latin toong which his misfortune he often bewailed After he was entered into the seruice of King Lewis he was highly in his fauour and during his raigne bare great sway in the realme The said King also greatly aduanced him for he made him first one of his priuy chamber then of his priuy Counsell Seneschall of Poictu and Lord of Argenton He married being of good yeeres a gentlewoman of the house of Montsoreau vpon the borders of Aniou named Helena But after King Lewis his death he fell into great troubles for bicause he was a stranger many enuied his prosperitie so far foorth that at the length his enimies caused him to be imprisoned in the castle of Loches in the Duchie of Berry a place appointed onely for those that are attached of high treason where he was verie extremely handled as himselfe in his historie reporteth Notwithstanding his wife by earnest and continuall sute in the end obtained so much fauour that he was remooued thence and brought to Paris where when he had remained a certaine space he was led to the parlament house to be arraigned He had many enimies those mightie and of so
should do no good vnlesse he wan those that were in credit with his brother fell in communication of this matter with Oudet of Rie Lord of Lescut afterwards Earle of Comminges who was borne and maried in the countrey of Guienne desiring him to perswade his master to accept this partage being much better than that he demanded that they mought be friends and liue togither like brethren adding also that this partage should be much more beneficiall both for his brother and his seruants especially for the saide Oudet than the other and farther assuring him that without faile he would deliuer his brother quiet possession of the said countrey By this means was the Lord Charles won to accept this partage of Guienne to the Duke of Burgundies great discontentation and his ambassadors there present And the cause why cardinall Balue bishop of Angiers 1 and the bishop of Verdun were imprisoned was for that the said Cardinal writ to the Lord Charles aduising him to accept none other partage than that the Duke of Burgundy had procured him by the treaty of Peronne which also the King had sworne and promised laying his hand within the said Cardinals to deliuer him alledging withall such reasons to perswade him thereunto as he thought necessary wherein he did cleane contrary to the Kings purpose Thus the Lord Charles was made Duke of Guienne the yeere 1469. and the possession of the countrey togither with the gouernment of Rochell deliuered him and than the King and he sawe one another and were togither a long time The Notes 1 The Cardinals imprisonment was bicause he perswaded the King to go to Peronne and aduised the Duke of Guienne to beware of poison and not to take the partage of Guienne Meyer and for disclosing the Kings secrets by letters to the Duke of Burgundie Gaguin But if the Duke of Guienne had been wise he would of himselfe without perswasion haue refused this partage For when a mans enimie offereth him that that hath an apparance of good let him euer refuse it nam latet anguis in herba as the sequele of this matter well declared for the accepting of this partage which the King alleaged and that truly to be better than the other the Duke demanded cost the Duke of Guienne his life as heer after shall appeere THE THIRD BOOKE How the King tooke occasion to make war anew vpon the Duke of Burgundy and how he sent a purseuant of the parlament of Gaunt to sommon him to appeere at Paris Chap. 1. THe yeere 1470. the King determined to be reuenged of the Duke of Burgundie supposing he had now found a time conuenient so to do for he priuily sollicited and caused also others to sollicite the towns situate vpon the riuer of Somme namely Amiens Saint Quintine and Abbeuille to rebell against the Duke and to send for succours into France and to receiue them into their towns 1 For all great Princes if they be wise will seeke euer some collour for their doings And to the ende you may perceiue what cunnig is vsed in Fraunce I will shew you how this matter was managed for the King and the Duke were both abused whereof arose whot and sharpe war which endured thirteen or foureteen yeeres The King desired greatly to mooue these townes aboue named to rebellion pretending to the end he might haue the better means to practise with them that the Duke aduanced his limits farther then the treatie would beare whereupon ambassadors ran to and fro who vnder colour of their ambassage practised continually as they passed through these townes to the end aboue mentioned In the said townes were no garrisons but all was quiet both in the realme in Burgundie and in Britaine And the Duke of Guien liued to all mens iudgments in great amitie with the King his brother Notwithstanding when the King first mooued this war his meaning was not to take one or two of these towns onely but sought to stir all the Duke of Burgundies subiects to rebellion trusting to atchieue his enterprise by this means Diuers to obtaine his fauor entertained these practises and reported their intelligence to be far greater then it was for one promised to take this towne an other that and yet indeed all was nothing Wherefore notwithstanding that the King had iust cause to be displeased for his euill vsage at Peronne yet if he had thought this enterprise would haue fallen none otherwise out then it did he would not haue broken the treatie nor mooued war for he had made the peace to be proclaimed at Paris three months after his returne into his realme and began this war with some feare but the great hope he had conceiued of it pricked him forward and marke I pray you what cunning was vsed to further it The Earle of Saint Paule Constable of Fraunce a very wise man and certaine of the Duke of Guien his seruants with diuers others desired rather war then peace betweene these two great Princes for two respects The one they feared least their great offices and pensions should be diminished if peace continued For you shal vnderstand that the Constable had vnder his charge 4. hundred men of armes or launces paied by his owne hands euery muster without controuler farther besides the fee and profits of his office he had a yeerely pension of thirty thousand frankes and better and receiued also the reuenews of many goodly places that he kept The other respect was this they sought to perswade the King and talked also to the like purpose among themselues that his disposition was such that his head could neuer be idle wherefore vnlesse he were busied with great Princes abroad he would be in hand with his seruants and officers at home For these two reasons therefore they sought to intangle him with wars whereunto the better to perswade him the Constable promised to take Saint Quintine at all times when him listed bicause his lands lay round about it vaunting further that he had great intelligence in Flanders and Brabant so far foorth that he would make a number of townes to reuolt from the Duke The Duke of Guienne also being there present and all their principall seruants offered very earnestly and promised very faithfully to serue the King in this quarrell and to leade with them fower or fiue hundred men of armes that the said Duke held in ordinary pay but their drift was other than the King supposed as heerafter you shall heare The King bicause he would seeme to proceede with due aduise and deepe consideration called a Parlament of the three estates of his realme at Tours in the moneths of March and Aprill in the yeere 1470. which was the first and last Parlament that euer he assembled But to this Parlament came onely such as were purposely named and such as the King knew would not gainsay him in any point There he caused diuers enterprises to be discouered that the Duke of Burgundie had attempted against the crowne
a strong village at the least a strong house into the which no man could enter but by a draw bridge which was a happy chance for him the rest of his armie lay in other villages round about But as he sat at dinner suddenly one came running in and brought newes that the Marques of Montague the Earles brother and certaine other were mounted on horsebacke and had caused all their men to crie God saue King Henry Which message the King at the first beleeued not but in all haste sent other messengers foorth and armed himselfe and set men also at the barriers of his lodging to defend it He was accompanied with the Lord Hastings Lord Chamberlain of England a wise Knight and of the greatest authoritie about him who was maried to the Earle of Warwicks sister yet notwithstanding was true and faithfull to his Master and had three hundred horse vnder his charge in the Kings armie as himselfe told me With the King was also the Lord of Scales the Queene of Englands brother and diuers other valiant Knights and Esquires who all perceiued that this busines went not well for the messengers brought word that the report was true and that the enimies assembled to assault the King But God so prouided for the King that he lodged hard by the sea side neer a place where a little ship laden with victuals that followed his armie and two hulks of Holland fraughted with merchandise lay at anchor he had no other shift but to run to saue himselfe in one of them 1 The Lord Chamberlaine staied awhile behinde him and talked with the lieutenant of his band and diuers other particular men in the Kings armie willing them to go to the enimies but to beare true and faithfull harts to the King and him which talke ended he went aboord to the rest being ready to depart Now you shall vnderstand that the custome in England is after the victorie obtained neither to kill nor raunsome any man especially of the vulgar sort knowing all men then to be ready to obey them bicause of their good successe Wherfore these soldiers after the Kings departure receiued no harme Notwithstanding K. Edward himself told me that in albattels that he wan so soon as he had obtained victory he vsed to mount on horsebacke and cry too Saue the people and kil the nobles for of them few or none escaped Thus fled King Edward the yeere 1470. with two hulks and a little bote of his owne countrie accompanied with seuen or eight hundred persons hauing none other apparell than they ware in the wars vtterly vnfurnished of mony and hardly knowing whither they went Strange it was to see this poore King for so might he now well be called to flie after this sort pursued by his owne seruants and the rather for that he had by the space of twelue or thirteene yeeres liued in greater pleasures and delicacies than any Prince in his time for he had wholy giuen himselfe to dames hunting hawking and banketting in such sort that he vsed when he went a hunting in the sommer season to cause many pauilions to be pitched to solace himselfe there with the Ladies And to say the truth his personage serued aswel to make court as any mans that euer I knew for he was yong as goodly a gentleman as liued in our age I meane in this time of his aduersitie for afterward he grew maruellous grosse But behold now how he fel into the trobles aduersities of the world He sailed straight towards Holland and at that time the Easterlings were enimies both to the English men and the French and had many ships of war vpon the sea wherefore they were much feared of the English men and not without cause for they were very good soldiers and had done them great harme that yeere and taken many prises These Easterlings discried afar off the ships wherin the King fled and seuen or eight of them began to make saile after him but in vaine for he was far before them and fell vpon the coast of Holland or somwhat lower for he arriued in Freezland by a little towne called Alquemare 2 as neere the which as was possible his mariners cast anchor for bicause it was ebbing water they could not enter the hauen The Easterlings came in like maner and anchored hard by them minding to boord them the next tide Thus we see that one mischiefe neuer commeth without company King Edwards good successe was now cleane altered and his thoughts quite changed for not past fifteene daies before this misfortune he would little haue beleeued him that had told him that the Earle of Warwicke should chase him out of England and subdue the whole country in eleuen daies for in that smal space he brought it to due obedience Further he mocked the Duke of Burgundie for spending his treasure in defending the sea and wished that the Earle were already landed in England But what excuse could he make now for himselfe receiuing so great losse through his owne fault saue this that such a mishap was not to be doubted of which excuse a Prince growen to mans estate ought to be ashamed for it will not serue Wherefore let King Edwards example teach all Princes that thinke it shame to feare their enimies to be wise in time for notwithstanding that the greatest part of their seruants through flatterie vphold their sayings and that themselues also by such words suppose to purchase an opinion of great courage yet sure whatsoeuer is said to their face wise men account such language but meere folly for it is great honor to feare that which is to be feared and to prouide for it accordingly Further a wise man in a Princes companie is a great treasure and iewell if he may be beleeued and haue leaue to speake the truth By chance the Lord of Gruteuse the Duke of Burgundies lieutenant in Holland was at that present in the place where King Edward arriued who being aduertised by certaine that the King sent to land both of his arriuall and of the danger he was in of the Easterlings gaue commandement foorthwith to the said Easterlings not to touch him and went also himselfe into the Kings ship to welcome him And thus he landed 3 being accompanied with his brother the Duke of Glocester who afterward named himselfe King Richard and a traine of fifteen hundred persons The King had not one peny about him but gaue the Master of the ship for his passage a goodly gowne furred with martins promising one day to do him a good turne and as touching his traine neuer so poore a company was seen But the Lord of Gruteuse dealt very honorably with them for he gaue much apparel among them defraied the King to La Hay in Holland whither he himselfe also waited vpon him Afterward he aduertised the Duke of Burgundie of this aduenture who was maruellously abashed at the newes and had much rather haue heard of the
Prince of Wales sonne to King Henry attempt to set vp againe the house of Lancaster passe with the said Prince into England discomfited in the field and slaine both he his brethren and kinsfolks and diuers other noble men of England who in times past had done the like to their enimies After all this the children of these when the world turned reuenged themselues and caused in like maner the others to die which plagues we may be assured hapned not but by the wrath of God But as before I said the realme of England hath this speciall grace aboue all other realmes and dominions that in ciuill wars the people is not destroied the towns be not burned nor razed but the lot of fortune falleth vpon the soldiers especially the gentlemen whom the people enuy to too beyond reason for nothing is perfect in this world After King Edvvard was quiet in his realme and receiued yeerely out of Fraunce fifty thousand crownes paid him in the tower of London and was growen so rich that richer he could not be he died suddenly as it were of melancholy bicause of our Kings mariage that now raigneth with the Lady Margaret the Duke of Austriches daughter For so soone as he was aduertised thereof he fell sicke and began then to perceiue how he had been abused touching the mariage of his daughter whom he made to be named the Lady Daulphinesse Then also was the pension which he receiued out of Fraunce taken from him which he called tribute although indeed it were neither the one nor the other as before I haue declared 10 K. Edward left by his wife two goodly sonnes one Prince of Wales the other D. of Yorke and two daughters The D. of Glocester his brother tooke vpon him the gouernment of his nephew the Prince of Wales being about ten yeeres of age and did homage to him as to his soueraigne Lord and lead him to London pretending that he would there crowne him King hoping by that meanes to get the other brother out of the Sanctuary at London where he was with his mother who began already to be iealous of his proceedings To be short by meanes of the Bishop of Bathe who hauing been somtime of K. Edwards Councell fell afterward into his disgrace and was put in prison and made to fine for his deliuerance the D. of Glocester executed this exploit which you shall now heare This Bishop aduertised the Duke that K. Edvvard being in loue with a certaine Lady promised hir mariage vpon condition that he might lie with hir wherunto she consented so far foorth that the said Bishop maried them togither none being present but they two and he himselfe Which matter this Bishop being a iolly courtier neuer disclosed during K. Edvvards life but caused also the said Lady to conceale it so that it was kept secret After this the said King falling againe in loue maried the daughter of an English knight called the Lord Riuers being a widow and mother of two sonnes But after K. Edvvards death this Bishop of Bathe reuealed this matter to the D. of Glocester whereby he egged him forward not a little to the executing of his mischieuous pretended enterprise For the said D. murthered his two nephewes crowned himselfe King by the name of Richard the third proclaimed his brothers two daughters bastards in open parlament tooke from them their armes and put to death all the faithull seruants of the late King his brother at the least as many as he could lay hands on But this cruelty remained not long vnpunished for when the said King Richard thought himselfe safest and liued in greater pride than any King of England did these hundred yeeres hauing put to death the Duke of Buckingham and hauing a great army in a readines God raised vp an enimy against him of no force I meane the Earle of Richmond then prisoner in Britaine but now King of England of the house of Lancaster though not This error of Commines touching K. Henry the 7. you shall finde controuled by the peâ—egree in the end of this booke the neerest to the crowne 11 whatsoeuer men say at the least so far as I can learne The said Earle told me a little before his departure out of this realme that from the fift yeere of his age he had liued continually like a prisoner a banished man And indeed he had been fifteene yeeres or therabout prisoner in Britaine to Duke Frances that last died into whose hands he fell by tempest of the sea as he fled into Fraunce accompanied with the Earle of Pembroke his vncle I my selfe saw them when they arriued for I was come of a message to the D. at the same time The Duke entreated them gently for prisoners after King Edwards death lent the said Earle great force of men a great nauie with the which he sent him hauing intelligence with the Duke of Buckingham who for this cause was afterward put to death to lande in England but the winde was against him and the seas so rough that he was forced to returne to Diepe and from thence by land into Britaine From whence soone after he departed with his band into Fraunce without taking leaue of the Duke partly bicause he feared to ouercharge the Duke for he had with him fiue hundred English men and partly bicause he doubted lest the Duke would agree with King Richard to his preiudice for he knew that King Richard practised with him to that ende Soone after the King that now is appointed three or fower thousand men to waft him ouer onely and deliuered those that accompanied him a good summe of money and certaine peeces of artillerie and thus passed he ouer in a ship of Normandie to land in Wales where he was borne King Richard foorthwith marched against him but a kinght of England called the Lord Stanley who was married to the Earles mother ioined himselfe with the Earle and brought vnto him at the least 26000. men 12 The battell was giuen King Richard slaine and the Earle crowned King in the field with the said Richards crowne Will you saie that this was fortune No no it was the iudgement of God and for further proofe thereof marke this also Immediately after the King had murthered his two nephews he lost his wife whom some say he murthered also Further he had but one onely sonne who died in like maner incontinent after this murther This example would haue serued better heereafter when I shall speake of King Edwards death for he was yet liuing at the time my former Chapter treateth of but I haue rehearsed it heere to continue my discourse which I am fallen into In like maner we haue seene of late the crowne of Spaine altered after the death of Dom Henry that last died For the said Dom Henry had to wife the King of Portugales sister last deceased by whom he had issue a goodly daughter which notwithstanding succeeded not hir father but was
it with a great oath Which words put the King in such feare that euer after he flattered him and bestowed gifts vpon him which was a maruellous purgatorie to him in this world considering of how many noble men and gentlemen he had been obeied Moreouer he had caused diuers cruell prisons to be made as for example cages being eight foote square and one foote more than a mans height some of iron and some of wood plated with iron both within and without with horrible iron works He that first deuised them was the Bishop of Verdun who incontinent was himselfe put into the first that was made where he remained fowerteene yeeres Many haue cursed him for his deuise and among others my selfe for I lay in one of them vnder the King that now reigneth the space of eight moneths He had also caused certaine Almains to make terrible heauie irons to lay men in among the which there was a fetter to put on their feete very hard to be opened like to a carquan with a waightie chaine and a great iron ball at the end thereof heauy beyong all measure These irons were called the Kings nets Notwithstanding I haue seene diuers gentlemen lie in them as prisoners who came foorth afterward with great honor and were aduanced by him to great estates as for example a sonne of the Lord of Grutuze of Flaunders taken prisoner in the wars whom the King afterward richely maried and made one of his chamber Seneschall of Aniou and gaue him charge of a hundred launces and in like maner the Lord of Piennes and the Lord of Vergy taken prisoners also in the wars who both had charge of men of armes vnder the King and other goodly offices and were of the priuie chamber either to him or his sonne The like happened also to the Lord of Richbourg the Constables brother and to one Roquebertin of the country of Cathelonie being likewise taken prisoners in the wars whom he afterward highly aduanced with diuers others of diuers countries too long to reherse But now to returne to the matter As in his time these diuers and sundrie cruell prisons were deuised euen so he before his death laie in the like yea in a much crueller prison than any of them and was in greater feare than they that stood in feare of him which I account as a great grace towards him and as part of his purgatorie and rehearse it onely to shew that euery man of what estate or condition soeuer he be is punished either secretly or openly especially those that punish others Further the King a little before his death enclosed his castel of Plessis with a grate of iron bars and at the fower corners of the said castell caused fower strong-watch houses of iron to be built The said grate was made directly ouer against the castell wall round about the castell on the outer side of the ditch which was very steepe He caused also to be masoned into the wall a great number of iron speares each of them hauing diuers heads set close togither Moreouer he appointed ten crossebowe men to be continually in the said ditches and to lie in the fower iron houses built in the bottome of the said ditches and gaue them commandement to shoote at euery man that approched neere to the grate before the gate opened He knew well that this fortification was to no purpose against a great force or an armie but that he doubted not his onely feare was that certaine noble men of his realme hauing intelligence in the castell would attempt to enter into it in the night partly by loue and partly by force and take the gouernment vpon them and make him liue as a man bereft of his wits and vnwoorthie to rule The castell gate neuer opened before eight of the clocke in the morning neither was the drawe bridge let downe till that hower and then entred his officers and the captaines of his garde placed the ordinarie warders and appointed archers to the watch both at the gate and within the court as if it had beene a frontire towne straightly kept neither entred any man without the Kings commandement but by the wicket saue the stewards of his house and such like officers that went not to him Is it possible then to hold a King I meane vsing him like a Prince in a straiter prison than he held himselfe The cages wherein he held others were about eight foote square and he being so great a Prince had but a little court in the castell to walke in yea and seldome came he into that for vsually he kept himselfe in the gallerie from whence he neuer stirred but when he went to masse at which time he passed through the chambers and not through the Court. Thinke you that he was not in feare as well as others seeing he locked himselfe in after this sort kept himselfe thus close stood in such feare of his children and neerest kinsmen and changed and remooued his seruants from day to day whom he had brought vp and whose good estate depended wholy vpon him in such sort that he durst trust none of them but bound himselfe in these strange chaines and bands The place I confesse was larger than a common prison so was his estate greater than a common prisoners But a man will say peraduenture that other Princes haue been more suspicious than he whereunto I agree but none sure in our time neither any so wise as he nor that had so good subiects as he had as touching them peraduenture they were cruell tyrants but he neuer punished any without desert All this aboue written I haue rehearsed not so much to publish the suspicions of the King our Master as partly to prooue that the patient enduring of these passions being equall with those he had caused others to endure and of this sicknes being sharpe and troublesome to him and the which he feared greatly before he fell into it is to be accounted as a punishment God gaue him in this world to ease him in the world to come and partly to giue an example to those that shall come after him to haue some more compassion on their people than he had and to be lesse rigorous in punishing than he was Notwithstanding for my part I am not able to accuse him neither saw I euer a better Prince for though himselfe pressed his subiects yet would he suffer none other so to do friend or foe After all these feares sorrowes and suspicions God according to his accustomed goodnes wrought a miracle vpon him healing him both in soule and bodie for he tooke him out of this miserable world being perfect of sense vnderstanding and memorie hauing receiued all his sacraments without all griefe to mans iudgement and talking continually euen within a Pater noster while of his death so that he gaue order for his funerall and named those that should accompanie his bodie to the graue saying euer that he trusted to die
gouernment of his roiall person according to the testament of King Levvis the 11. that the priuy Councell should consist of twelue chosen out of the body of the Nobility by whose aduise all matters should be gouerned and dispatched but all in the Kings name and vnder the signature of his hand Further Iohn Duke of Bourbon was created Constable But by little and little the whole gouernment was deriued to the said Lady of Beauieu bicause the King hir brothers person was in hir hands But Levvis Duke of Orleance being the neerest Prince of the blood royall by the perswasion of those that were about him who gaped for great preferment if the gouernment were committed to his charge and especially by the instigation of the Earle of Dunois named Francis sonne to Iohn commonly called the Bastard of Orleance a man of a subtile spirit and of great enterprise abode still at Paris and entered daily into the councell notwithstanding the decree of the three estates as one that would vnderstand of all that was done there Wherewith the Lady of Beauieu was not a little discontented which when the Prince of Orenge the Marshall of Rieux and the rest of the Barons of Britaine that were at that time fugitiues in Fraunce as heerafter shall be declared vnderstood they came to the said Lady of Beauieu and offered hir and the King their seruice which the Duke of Orleance greatly stomached Further the said Duke sought by all meanes possible to discredit the womanish gouernment of the said Lady but his perswasions little preuailed bicause the Duke himselfe being not as yet fower and twenty yeeres old was vnder the gouernment of his mother and it seemed no reason to commit the managing of the common wealth to him that was vnable to gouerne his owne priuate estate so that the same reason barred him from the gouernment now that excluded his grandfather in times past during the phrensie of King Charles the sixt But this reason satisfied not the Duke nor his friends Wherefore the Lady of Beauieu seeing that the Duke of Orleance remaining in Paris wan daily those that were in authoritie to his side seeking by that meanes to obtaine the regencie of the realme sent by the resolution of the Kings councell certaine to Paris to arrest the body of the said Duke Who being aduertised therof as he was at tenice withdrew himselfe and pretending that he went to his lodging departed in the company of Guyot Pot and Iohn of Louen one of the gentlemen of his chamber whom he greatly fauoured lodged that night at Pontoise The next day he went to Vernueil and from thence to Alençon where he remained a certaine space during the which he practised to draw to his partie the Earle of Angoulesme the Duke of Bourbon and the Lord of Alebret who in the end declared themselues to be his friends and assistants in this enterprise But all these bicause of this their confederacie with him were foorthwith remooued from all their offices and estates and lost al their pensions and their charge of men of armes yet notwithstanding they leuied a great army of the people of their countries and found meanes to win to their side the Duke of Lorraine the Prince of Orenge and the Earle of Foix. Vnder the assurance of all the which Princes the D. of Orleance assembled his army at Blois to marche therewith to Orleance but the citizens of the towne perceiuing that their Duke came thither with a purpose to supprise it and to make it the seate of the wars shut their gates vpon him and would not suffer him to enter in Wherefore with an army of fower hundred launces and a great number of footemen he went to Bougencie accompanied with the Earles of Dunois and Foix an with Carqueleuant and other French captaines where they remained a certaine space and thither the King sent to besiege them But bicause they sawe the place not to be of defence and further that the Malcontents of the realme flocked not to them as they supposed they would they made a sudden peace with the King whereby it was agreed that the Duke of Orleance should repaire to the King and so he did and that the Earle of Dunois the contriuer of all this enterprise should depart the realme which also he did and retired himselfe to Ast But this notwithstanding the Duke of Bourbon and the Earle of Angoulesme who had leuied their armies to succor the Duke of Orleance marched toward Bourges whither the King went with a great army accompanied with the Duke of Orleance who was constrained to arme himselfe against his allies and confederates Notwithstanding by the wisedome of the Marshall of Gie and the Lord of Grauille which two had great authoritie in the Court vnder the Lady of Beauieu peace was concluded betweene the King and his nobles wherein the Lord of Albret was also comprehended and thus departed all these armies without any bloodshed and the K. went to Amboise the Duke of Orleance to Orleance and the Earle of Foix and the Cardinall his brother to Nantes to the Duke of Britaine who had married their sister This tumult was called the mad war and hapned in the yeere 1485. 1485. After al this the Earle of Dunois returned from Ast and went to his owne towne of Partenay in Poitou which was then a strong towne with a double ditch and a triple wall Heerof the King being aduertised and withall that he fortified himselfe in the said towne and knowing the said Earle of Dunois to be full of practise and a man of great enterprise he sent to the Duke of Orleans who was at Orleans holding solemne iusts and turneies to come to him to Amboise And after three or fower messengers the last whereof was the Marshall of Gié the Duke of Orleans went to Blois and the next day being twelfe euen in the said yeere 1485. he departed out of Blois early in the morning with his haukes faining that he went to flie in the If you begin the yeere at Newyeeres day it was 1486. field and without any bait rode that night to Fronteraulx whereof his sister was then Abbesse from thence he went to Clisson and from Clisson to Nantes where he was very honorably receiued of the Duke This was the Duke of Orleans second comming into Britaine as by that which followeth heerafter shall more plainly appeere The King being aduertised of his departure determined to besiege the Earle of Dunois in his towne of Partenay and found meanes before any brute was made thereof to drawe to his seruice the Marshall of Rieux and the other Barons of Britaine that were then retired to Chasteaubrian to the Lady of Laual who was Lady thereof bicause the Duke of Britaine by aide of the Duke of Orleans and the Earle of Dunois sought to auenge himselfe of the said Barons for the death of Peter Landois Treasurer of Britaine whereof I will now begin to speake Of the troubles
to diuorce himselfe from the Ladie Iane the Kings sister as forced vpon him against his will by King Levvis the 11. and to marrie with Anne the Duke of Britains eldest daughter and heire the hope wherof was the cause of this his voiage into Britaine but the selfesame hope entertained also Monseur d' Alebret and drew him to the Duke of Britains part the rather bicause he had receiued assurance of the marriage in writing vnder the hands of all the noble men that were about the said D. of Britaine saue of the D. of Orleans alone Of the war the King made in Britaine and of the Earle of Dunois ambassage to the King for peace Chap. 4. THe onely care of the banished nobles of Britaine was to returne and remaine in safetie in their countrie and the Kings onely desire was to be reuenged of the Duke of Britaine for receiuing the Duke of Orleans Wherefore the King as before is said entred into league with these nobles and in their fauour leuied an armie and began war vpon the Duke of Britaine in the yeere 1486. This armie inuaded Britaine three seuerall waies for the 1486 Lord of Saint André with fower hundred launces and fiue or sixe thousand footemen entred on one side the Earle of Montpensier with a great band vpon another side and Lewis of Trimouille Vicount of Touars who had married Gabriell of Bourbon the said Earle of Montpensiers sister vpon the third in such sort that the countrie of Britaine was couered with French soldiers with whom also the barons of Britaine aboue mentioned were ioined who caused diuers castels in Britaine to be yeelded to the Kings armie by those that were of their faction whereat the Duke of Britaine was greatly astonied But the Duke of Orleans the Earle of Dunois and the Earle of Comminges being with him comforted him and vnder colour of a marriage to be made betweene the Lady Anne the Duke of Britaines eldest daughter and the Lord of Alebret who had a hundred launces vnder his charge and was able to leuie great forces of footemen in Gascoine and Guienne where he was mightie and of goodly reuenues the Earle of Dunois wan the said Lord of Alebret to ioine with them who presently forsooke the Kings seruice and tooke part with them accordingly yet that notwithstanding the Duke of Britaine leauing Nantes in the hands of his cosin the Prince of Orenge retired himselfe to the castell of Malestroit being a strong place where he leuied an armie of sixe hundred launces and 16000. footemen to succour Ploermel distant three or fower leagues from Malestroit which the Kings armie then besieged But as this Britaine armie marched thitherward one of the company brake foorth into these speeches and asked what this war meant and what was the end thereof alleaging that their Duke was wholy gouerned by the French and that the French made the Britaines at their pleasure to reuenge French quarrels vpon the French wherefore he perswaded them to returne home to their wiues and children and not to spend their liues for other mens quarrels Whereupon all the armie disparkled and returned home by meanes whereof Ploermel seeing no hope of succours yeelded by composition and yet notwithstanding was spoiled and the rich men taken prisoners and put to raunsome The Dukes of Britaine and Orleans and the other Lords that were with them at Malestroit being aduertised of the departure of their armie and of the taking of Ploermel went to Vennes vpon Whitson euen being the yeere 1487. whither the Kings armie so speedily followed them that hardly they escaped by sea and went to Croisick and from thence by the riuer of Loire to Nantes being constrained to leaue part of their carriage 1487 in the said towne of Vennes which presently after their departure yeelded without any resistance Further not long after the taking of this towne the French in a skirmish at a place called Ioue betweene Chasteaubrian and Nantes defeated a great band of Britaines led by Amaulry of la Mossay towards Nantes at the which time the King in person lay at Ancenix After the taking of Vennes the Kings armie marched to Nantes and laid the siege before the towne the 19. day of Iune in the said yeere 1487. Within the towne were the Duke of Britaine and his two daughters Anne and Isabell the Duke of Orleans the Prince of Orenge the Lady of Lauall and of Chasteaubrian the Bishop of Nantes called du Chaffault a man of holy life the Earle of Comminges and diuers other Lords all the which dislodged out of the castell and lodged in the towne And bicause the companie had some ielousie of the said bishop of Nantes and the Lady of Lauall that they were not thoroughly to be trusted they were put in garde into certaine of the townes mens hands At this siege were ten thousand French men and great store of artillerie wherewith the wals towers and vaumures of the castell and towne were throughly battered but they without were as well plied by them within both with shot and with salies of valiant men where many a goodly feate of armes was done both on the one side and the other Further you shall vnderstand that the Earle of Dunois being in base Britaine there to embarke towards England to haue aide from thence and perceiuing that the winde would not suffer him so to do brought with him to succour the towne of Nantes aboue fiftie thousand of the commons of Britaine which the French suffered to passe supposing them not to be men of seruice But the King seeing the extreme heate of the weather and perceiuing that he could do no good before the towne leuied his siege the sixt day of August and departed Then marched the Kings armie before the towne of Dolle which they tooke without resistance and spoiled and all the Britaines and soldiers that were within it were taken prisoners Further the Kings armie spoiled all the countrie slue the people and draue away their cattell But the Marshall of Rieux and the greatest part of the banished nobles of Britaine that were in the Kings seruice lamenting the miserable estate of their country waxed wearie of the wars and alleaged that their league with the King was onely to this end that they might recouer their countrie and the French that liued in Britaine be constrained to returne home into theirs Wherfore seeing the French nobles being in Britaine protested that they would willingly returne home if the King would pardon their departure to the Duke and that the Duke on the other side with the consent of all his subiects had offered these banished nobles of Britaine pardon and restitution to all their goods and lands they sawe no cause why the wars should endure but that each partie should returne home in peace but the French and diuers also of the Britaines themselues were little mooued with these allegations Wherefore the said Marshal being Lord of Ancenix a towne very
had the wardship of hir children and my selfe haue seen hir there in great authoritie being a widow and gouerned by one Cico a Secretarie and an ancient seruant of that house This Cico had banished all Duke Galeas brethren for the said Ladies safetie and hir childrens and among the rest the Lord Lodouic afterward Duke of Milan whom she reuoked being hir enimie and in war against hir togither with the Lord Robert of Saint Seuerine a valiant captaine whom she had also banished by the said Cicos perswasion To be short at the request of a yoong man that carued before hir called Anthony Thesin being a Ferrarian of very meane parentage she called them all home through great simplicitie supposing they would do the said Cico no harme and the truth is that so they had sworne and promised But the third day after their returne they tooke him notwithstanding their oth and caried him in an emptie caske through the town of Milan he was allied by mariage to one of the Viscomtes 3 and if the said Vicomt had been in the citie at that present some say they durst not haue taken him Moreouer the Lord Lodcuic caused this matter so to be ordered that the said Robert of S. Seuerin comming that way should meete with this Cico as he passed through the towne in this estate bicause he hated him extremely Thus was he led prisoner to the castle of Pauie where he died They vsed this Lady very honorably in hir iudgement seeking to content hir humor in all things but all matters of importance they two dispatched making hir priuie but to what pleased them and no greater pleasure could they do hir than to communicate nothing with hir They permitted hir to giue this Anthony Thesin what she would they lodged him hard by hir chamber he carried hir on horsebacke behinde him in the towne and in hir house was nothing but feasting and dauncing but this iollitie endured but halfe a yeere She gaue many goodly things to this Thesin and the couriers packets were adressed to him which bred great disdaine in many wherein the L. Lodouic vncle to the two children aspiring to the Duchie which afterward also he obteined nourished them as much as in him lay One morning they tooke hir two sonnes from hir and lodged them in a great tower within the castell called the rocke wherunto consented the said Lodouic the Lord Robert of Saint Seuerin one called de Palleuoisin gouernor of the yoong Dukes person and the captaine of the rocke 4 who since Duke Galeas death had neuer departed out of the place neither did many yeeres after this till he was taken prisoner by the Lord Lodouickes subtletie and his masters folly being of his mothers disposition After the aboue named had lodged these children in the rocke they seized vpon the treasure being at that time the richest in Christendome and made hir yeeld account thereof Moreouer they caused three keies therof to be made one of the which she kept but the treasure after that day she neuer touched They made hir also to surrender the wardship of hir children and the said Lodouic was chosen their guardian Further they sent letters into diuers countries especially into Fraunce which my selfe sawe written to hir great dishonor for they charged hir with this Anthonie Thesin whom notwithstanding they sent away vnharmed for the Lord Robert saued both his life and goods These two great men entred not into the rocke at their pleasure for the captaine had his brother in it with a garrison of a hundred and fiftie soldiers or better when they entred the gate was straightly kept neither entred they accompanied at any time with more than a man or two and this endured a long space In the meane time great variance arose between the Lord Lodouic and Robert of S. Seuerin for vsually two great men can not long agree but Lodouic wan the garland the other departed to the Venetians seruice Notwithstanding afterwards two of his sonnes returned to the seruice of the said Lodouic and the state of Milan namely Master Galeas and the Earle of Caiazze some say with their fathers consent others say no but howsoeuer it were the said Lodouic highly fauored them and both hath been and yet is very faithfully serued by them You shall vnderstand that their father the Lord Robert of Saint Seuerin was issued of a base daughter of the house of Saint Seuerin but in Italie they make no difference betweene a bastard and childe legitimate This I write bicause they furthered our enterprise in Italy aswell in fauour of the Prince of Salerne chiefe of the said house of Saint Seuerin as also for diuers other respects whereof heereafter you shall heare The Lord Lodouic declared immediately that he would by all meanes possible maintaine his authoritie for he caused money to be coined on the one side wherof the Dukes image was stamped and on the other his own whereat many murmured This Duke was married to the daughter of Alfonse Duke of Calabria and King of Naples after his father King Ferrandes death His said wife was a Lady of a great courage and would gladly haue increased hir husbands authority if she could but hir husband lacked wit and disclosed all hir actions The captaine also of the rocke of Milan continued long in great authoritie and neuer departed out of the place for many iealousies were now arisen so far foorth that when one of the children went abroad the other abode within To be short a yeere or two before we entred into Italy the Lord Lodouic hauing been abroad with the Duke and purposing some mischiefe waited vpon him at his returne home to the castle according to his accustomed maner The captaine came vpon the drawe bridge with his men about him to kisse the Dukes hand as their maner is The Duke at this time was somewhat without the bridge in such sort that the captain was forced to step foorth a pace or two where these two sonnes of Saint Seuerin and others that were about them laid hold vpon him They within drew vp the bridge but the Lord Lodouic caused an end of a waxe candle to be lighted sware that he would smite off their heads 5 if they yeelded not the place before the candle were burned out whereupon they deliuered it and then he furnished it wel and surely for himselfe but all in the Dukes name Further he endited the captaine of high treason laying to his charge that he would haue put the place into the Emperors hands and staied certaine Almains charging them as practisers with the captaine about this enterprise yet afterward dismissed them without farther harme He beheaded also one of his owne secretaries charging him in like maner as a dealer in the matter and yet one other who he said had been a messenger 6 between them The captaine he kept long in prison yet in the end deliuered him pretending that Duchesse Bonne had once
hired a brother of the captains to kill the said Lodouic as he entred into the castel whom the captaine withheld frō executing the fact for the which cause he now saued his life Notwithstanding if he had been giltie of so heinous a crime as a purpose to yeeld the place to the Emperor who might haue laid claim to it both as Emperor Duke of Austrich for that house pretendeth some title thereunto I thinke he would not haue pardoned him for it would haue made a great alteration in Italie and the whole estate of Milain would haue reuolted in one day For when they liued vnder the Emperors euerie household paid but halfe a ducat for tribute but now they are cruelly and tyrannouslie gouerned both the Spiritualtie Nobilitie and Commons The Lord Lodouic seeing himselfe seized of the castell and all the force of the countrie at his commandement determined to attempt further for he that possesseth Milan possesseth the whole estate both bicause the chiefe of the countrie be resident there and also bicause those that haue the charge and gouernment of the other places be all Milanois borne Sure for the quantitie of this Duchie I neuer saw a pleasanter nor plentifuller peece of ground For if the Prince would content himselfe with the yeerely reuenues of fiue hundred thousand ducats his subiects should be but too rich and the Prince liue in suretie but he leuieth yeerely sixe hundred and fiftie thousand or seuen hundred thousand which is great tyrannie and therefore the people desire nothing more than change of their Prince Which the L. Lodouic considering togither with the other reasons aboue rehearsed and being already married to the Duke of Ferraraes daughter by whom he had many children determined to accomplish his intent and endeuored to win friends not onely in the said Duchie but also abrode in Italie Wherefore first he entred into league with the Venetians for the preseruation of their estate whereunto he was great friend to his father in lawes preiudice from whom the said Venetians not long before had taken a little territorie called the Polesan enuironed with water and maruellously abounding with all kinde of wealth This country being distant but halfe a league from Ferrara the Venetians possesse yet at this day There are in it two prety townes which I haue been in my selfe the one named Rouigue the other Labadie The Duke of Ferrara lost it in the war that himselfe first mooued against the Venetians for notwithstanding that before the end of those wars Alphonse Duke of Calabria his father King Ferrande yet liuing the Lord Lodouic with the force of Milan the Florentines the Pope and the towne of Bolonia came to his aide by meanes whereof the Venetians were brought altogither vnder foote or at the least to great extremitie being vtterly vnfurnished of monie and hauing lost diuers places yet the said Lodouic concluded a treatie to their honor and profit for euery man was restored to his owne saue the poore Duke of Ferrara who was forced to leaue vnto them the Polesan which they yet hold notwithstanding that he had mooued this war at the request of the Lord Lodouic and of King Ferrande whose daughter he had married The report went that Lodouic receiued threescore thousand ducats of the Venetians for making this treatie Whether it were so or no I know not but sure I am that the Duke of Ferrara was once perswaded that it was so for at that time the said Lodouic was not married to his daughter From that day forward amitie euer continued betweene the Venetians and the said Lodouic No seruant nor kinsman of Iohn Galeas Duke of Milan sought to impeach and stop the Lord Lodouic from seizing the Duchie into his own hands saue onely the Duchesse his wife who was yoong but a very wise Lady She was daughter to Alfonse Duke of Calabria before mentioned sonne and heire to Ferrande King of Naples In the yeere 1493. the said Lodouic sent to King Charles the 8. now raigning to perswade him to come into Italie to conquer the realme of Naples and to vanquish and subdue those that possessed it for so long as they florished and were of force he durst neuer attempt that which afterward he accomplished At that time the said Ferrande King of Naples and Alphonse his sonne were puissant rich of great experience in the wars and accounted Princes of hautie courages though afterward their actions declared the contrarie The said Lodouic was also a very wise man but maruellous timorous and humble when he stood in feare and void of all faith if the breach thereof might turne to his profit I speake as one that knew him throughly well bicause I haue dealt with him in many matters But to proceede in the yeere 1493. as before I said the Lord Lodouic began to tickle this yoong King Charles being but two and twenty yeeres of age with the ambition and vaineglorie of Italie shewing him what right he had to this goodly realme of Naples which I warrant you he skilfully blazed and painted foorth In all these negotiations he addressed himselfe to Stephan de Vers then newly made Seneschall of Beaucaire and maruellously enriched though not satisfied and to the Generall Brissonet a rich man skilfull in matters of the receit and great friend at that time to the said Seneschall by whose meanes the Lord Lodouic perswaded the said Brissonet to become a priest promising to make him a Cardinall but the Seneschall himselfe he promised to make a Duke And to set all these practises on foote the said Lodouic sent in the same yeere to Paris a goodly ambassage to the King the chiefe whereof was the Earle of Caiazze sonne and heire to the aboue named Robert of Saint Seuerin who found there the Prince of Salerne his cosin for the said Prince was chiefe of the house of Saint Seuerin as I haue alreadie made mention and liued in Fraunce being banished by King Ferrande of Naples as before you haue heard and therfore trauelled earnestly that this voiage to Naples might go forward With the said Earle of Caiazze came also Charles Earle of Belleioyeuse and Master Galeas Viscount of Milan who were both in very good order and well accompanied but openly they vsed salutations onely and generall speeches This was the first great ambassage that came from the Lord Lodouic to the King True it is that he had sent before this one of his Secretaries to negotiate with the King to send his deputie into Italie to receiue homage of his cosin the Duke of Milan for Genua which was granted him against all reason 8 notwithstanding I will not denie but that the King of especiall fauor might assigne one to receiue it of him for when this Duke Galeas was warde to his mother I being then ambassador for King Lewis the 11. receiued his homage in the castell of Milan hauing an expresse commission from the King so to do But Genua was then out of