except Iohn de Cardona Count Culisano striken with a small shotte thorowe his helmet The day following Monsr de Lavvtrech being wholly depriued of the hope of the victorie went to Monce to passe the riuer of Adda neare to Tresse And from thence the Svvizzers taking their way through the territories of Bergama returned into their mounteines their numbers beinge no lesse diminished then their vallour for that it is certeine that the harmes they receiued at Bicocqua so muche afflicted them that in many yeares after they expressed not their accustomed vallour The great Maister and Maister of the horse departed at the same time together with many french Capteines Monsr Lavvtrech with his companies of men at armes went to Cremona to giue order for the defense of that Citie wherein he left his brother And not many dayes after he passed the mountes carying to the frenche king not reapportes of victories or triumphes but a iustificacion of him selfe with complaintes against others for the losse of such an estate happening partely by his owne errours partely by the negligence and indiscression of some about the king and partly by the malice of fortune if suche attribucion may be lawefull Monsr Lavvtrech tooke order also affore his departure from Cremona that Bonneuall and Federike Bossolo with sixe companies of men at armes and sufficient garrison of footemen shoulde enter the towne of Loda which had bene holden for the king during the whole course of the warre He did this for that the Imperiall Capteines were let to conuert thither foorthwith their forces by reason of a tumult hapned amongest those companies of launceknightes which Frauncis Sforce had brought from Trente They required for a reward of the victory to haue a monthes pay a demaunde which the Capteines sayd was no lesse vnreasonable then vniust for that both there was a great difference betwene the defending of them selues from such as did assault them and to vanquish those that did charge them and also for that it could not be sayd that the ennemies were vanquished who were retyred not in flying but in good order carying with them their artilleries and traines Neuerthelesse thinsolencie of the launceknightes preuailing more then either necessarie reason or due authoritie of the Capteines a consent was made more by compulsion necessity of things then by iust cause arising so they were satisfied with a promise to be payed within a certeine time After many dayes past in these affaires it hapned that the same day that the french launces entred the City of Loda and the footebands following on thother side came the army Imperial and affore them all the Marquis of Pisquairo with the spanishe footemen who entred affore the frenche coulde deuide or distribute the quarters of the towne or bestowe their gardes but were occupied in confusion and tumult as often happeneth when men of warre enter a towne to lodge in it This occasion was obserued by the Marquis and ioyning readie diligence to the present oportunitie he assaulted one of the suburbes of the towne which was enuyroned with a wall where he found no great resistance he was no sooner entred then all the french men within the towne no lesse terrified with the sodeinnes of thaccident then desperat for that their footemen were not yet come yeelded to their feares and drew into tumult fleeing towards the bridge which they had built vpon Adda The Spanyards entring at the same instant the citie some by the walls and some by the rampiers followed them euen to the riuer and in the chase tooke many souldiors and almost all the Capteines except Federyk and Bonneuall And vpon their returne they forbare not in that furie to sacke that vnfortunate citie sparing no more the goods then they had done the liues of men From Loda the Marquis went to Pisqueton which he tooke by composicion And not many dayes after Prospero with the whole armie passed the riuer of Adda to goe and incampe affore Cremona which he had no sooner approched then Monsr d'Escud beganne to harken to accorde he had no other hope to susteine the warre then vppon the comming of the Lord Admirall whome the king desiring to preserue that which yet helde good for him in that estate sent into Italy with foure hundred launces and tenne thowsande footemen And therefore he thought he did good seruice to the present affayres if without daunger he could temporise and enterteyne thinges in tranquillitie till he sawe what would be the yssue of his expectacion of thAdmirall And on the other side Prospero desired to ridde him selfe speedely of th affayres of Cremona to haue the better oportunitie to reestablishe within Genes the brethren of the famulie of Adorna and that affore Italy were possest of the newe succours of thennemies Insomuche as the capitulacions bare that Monsr d'Escud shoulde departe out of Cremona within fortie dayes with all his souldiours artilleries and enseignes displayed if within that tyme which determined the xxvj of Iune there came not to him suche a reskewe as eyther might make him able by force to passe the riuer of Pavv or els to take one of those cities in the state of Myllan which was possessed with garrison That likewise he shoulde procure that all those places and holdes within the Duchie that were kept for the king shoulde bee abandoned except the castells of Myllan Cremona and Nouaro That for thobseruacion of these couenantes he shoulde deliuer foure ostages That there shoulde bee restitucion of prisoners on bothe partes and sufferance to the frenche men to passe in sewertie into Fraunce with their artilleries and traynes Vppon the conclusion of this accorde and receiuing of thostages the armie of Caesar marched forthwith to Genes which they approched in two places the Marquis of Pisquairo with his regiments of spanish footemen and Italyans were incamped on that side of Codifa and Prospero with the men at armes and launceknights vppon the opposite of Bisagnia At that time the citie of Genes was gouerned by Duke Octauyan Fregosa A Prince of excellent vertue and no lesse for his iustice then for his other good partes as greatly beloued in that citie as any Prince may be in townes full of factions retoyning yet a memorie of their auncient libertie he had waged two thowsande Italyan footemen in whose confidence he layed vppe all his hope of defence for that the peoples of the towne beeing deuyded by factions and hauing about him so mightye an armye compownded vppon so greate diuersitie of languages and nations forbare to take armes but stoode to beholde thinges in the same manner and with the same eyes wherewith in other tymes he was wont to beholde his other trauells Wherein without the daunger or domage of suche as tooke no armes the publike authoritie beeing transported from one famulie to an other there was seene no other mutacion then that in the pallayce of the Duke were bestowed other inhabitants other Capteines and other bands of souldiours
meane to execute against the parties so that dispatches went out according to the olde rates The king for his parte promised not to take into his protection any of the Cities of Tuskane And albeit afterwardes he required to haue libertie to protect the people of Lucqua who offered him fiue and twentie thowsande duckats saying he was bounde to that protection by thobligacion of his predecessor yet the Pope would giue no consent but promised for his parte that he woulde forbeare to molest them in any sorte Lastly they agreed by indifferent consent of them both to sende frear Giles Generall of the Augustins and an excellent preacher to Caesar in the Popes name to dispose him to render to the Venetians Bressa and Verona taking a recompense of money And so vppon the expedicion of these matters but not sette downe by wryting except tharticle for nominacion of benefices and payment of the Annats according to the true vallue the Pope in fauour of the king pronounced Cardinall Adrian de Boisy brother to the great Maister of Fraunce and of the greatest authoritie with the king and in the generall gouernment That the enteruiewe brake vppe the king departing from the Pope verie well contented and in great hope to haue him his perpetuall frende who for his parte expressed no lesse with all reasonable demonstracions but in his minde he nourished other impressions for that bothe it was a matter no lesse greeuous to him then affore that the Duchie of Myllan shoulde be possessed by the Frenche king and Parma and Plaisanca restored and also that the Duke of Ferrara should be eftsoones reinuested in Modena and Reggia And yet all these not long after turned to vanitie and smoake for that the Pope being gone from Bolognia to Florence remeining there about a moneth had receiued of the Duke promises of the money that should be payd assoone as he should enter into possession being there set down in writing by common consent thinstrumentes that were to passe betwene them the Pope neither denying nor accomplishing but interposing many delayes and excuses refused to giue perfection to things The king being returned to Myllan dismissed his armie except seuen hundred launces six thowsand launceknightes and foure thowsand frenchmen such as they caladuenturers whom he left for the gard of that estate And for his owne person he teturned into Fraunce with great speede about the first beginning of the yeare 1516. leauing behinde him as his Lieftenaunt Charles Duke of Burbon he thought he had left his affayres in Italie in good estate of sewertie both for the allyance newlie contracted with the Pope and also for that about that time he was newly compounded with the Svvyzzers who notwithstanding the perswasions of the king of England to haue them to reenter into armes against the frenche king renewed with him thalliance by the which they bound them selues to furnishe alwayes for his seruice and at his paye both in Italie and out of Italie for defense and offence and against all nations suche numbers of footemen as he would require and that vnder their vniuersall name and publike enfeignes onely they excepted to beare armes against the Pope the Empire and thEmperour And on the other side the king confirmed to them of newe their auncient pensions with promisse to paye them within a certaine time the six hundred thowsand duckats agreed vpon at Dyon with three hundred thowsande if they gaue vp to him the villages and vallies apperteyning to his Duchy of Myllan A matter which the fiue Cantons that possessed those places refusing to do as also to ratifie the accord the king began to pay to the other eight Cantons that parte and porcion of the money that apperteined to them who accepted it but vnder this expresse condicion that they should not be bound to take his pay against the fiue Cantons About the beginning of this yeare the Bishoppe Petruccio an auncient seruant to the Pope chassed out of Siena by the Popes aide and some helpe from the Florentins Borgueso sonne to Pandolffe Petruccio his cossing and impatronised him selfe vpon the place the authority and gouernment remeining by equity in the possession of his said cossing the Pope had two respects inducing him to this actiō the one for that that citie standing betwene the estate of the Church and the dominion of the Florentins was gouerned by a man wholly at his deuocion the other was much more particular and mouing for that he hoped with the fauor of some good occasion to make it fall into the gouernment of his brother or his nephew wherein he douted nothing of the Bishops consent hauing already framed him tractable to all his desires and ambicions The warre continued kindeled betwene Caesar and the Venetians who for their partes desired to recouer by the aide of the frenche king Bressa and Verona But for other places and regions of Italie things seemed to stand in a peasible estate onely there beganne to burst out mocions of new stirres that were pushed on by the king of Aragon who fearing least the greatnesse of the frenche king would bring some aduersities to the realme of Naples delt with Caesar and the king of Englande to recontinewe the warre A matter not onely of no great difficultie and hardnesse to drawe Caesar vnto being both desirous of innouacion and newe thinges and also was not able easily to kepe the townes which he had takē from the Venetians But also it was fullie concluded and agreed vnto by the king of England The remembraunce of the late infidelitie and breache of promise of his father in lawe being of lesse power in him then either his present emulacion or auncient hatred against the crowne of Fraunce besides he was enuious that the Skottish king being in minoritie should be gouerned by people of his appoyntment or any waye depending on him These matters had bene followed both with better councell and greater forces if during the negociacion the death of the king of Aragon had not hapned who after he had bene vexed with a long indisposicion died in an inferior village called Madrigalege as he went to Seuile with his Court he was a king excellent in councell and so furnished with al other properties of vertue that he bare no occasion matter of reprehension if he had bene constant to keepe his promisses for touching thimputacion of nigardnes or the reapport that went of him to be straite in exspenses it was proued vntrue by the testimonie and discouerie of his estate after his death leauing behinde him no amasse of treasor notwithstanding he had reigned xlij yeares But it hapneth oftentymes by the corrupt iudgement of men that in a king prodigalitie is more praysed though the raking and oppression of subiects be ioyned to it then a sparing straitnes wherin is nourished an orderly absteyning from taxing the goods of others To thexcellent vertues of this Prince was ioyned a most rare and perpetuall felicitie
then for his proper vertue he assigned other Capteines in many partes of the realme on whom he had bestowed estates and reuenues of these the chief was M. D'aubygny whom he had made great Constable of the realme for Calabria In Caiette the Seneshall of Beaucaire whom he had raysed to thoffice of highe Chamberlaine And in Abruzze Gracian a valiant Capteine and of great reputacion promising them all in one generall faith and worde of a Prince to sende them speedy reskew of money and men But in the meane while to enterteyne the warre he left them no other prouicion thē the assignacion of those moneyes which should be dayly gathered of the reuenues of the realme which beganne already to wauer and shake for that the name of thAragons beganne to reuiue in many places For at the same tyme that the king would departe from Naples Ferdinand accompanied with the spanish armie that came by sea into the yle of Sicile was discended into Calabria to whom slocked with a swift readines many trowpes of the contreymen the citie of Regge rendring it selfe to him whose castell had bene alwayes kept in his name At the same tyme was discouered about the shoares of Pouylla the Venetian armie by sea ouer whom was Capteine Anthony Grymany a man in that common weale of great authoritie But neither for these nor many other signes of chaūges towardes the king did not forbeare no not once suspende or linger his deliberacion to goe his way for besides that happly they were driuen by necessitie the desire was incredible in the king and all his court to returne into Fraunce as though fortune that was sufficient to make them get so great a victorie had bene still so able to preserue it for them he did not remember that the getting of a victorie is referred to fortune but the losse of a kingdom is imputed to the king who standes then in most necessitie of councell and discression when fortune makes him beleue he is in most securitie it is familiar with fortune to doe more harme in one day then she doth good in many yeares vsing for her delite to rayse vp vayne men for her glory and suffer them eftsoones to fall with the waight of their propper vanitie and want of gouernment In this tyme also held good for Ferdinand the yles of Yschia and of Lipara which albeit were neare to Sicile yet they are members of the kingdom of Naples he held Reggi which he had newly recouered and euen in Calabria he commaunded Villenenfue with the castell and places about Brondusa where Federyk was retyred also Galipoli la Mantia and Turpia Before the king parted from Naples many thinges were innegociacion betwene him and the Pope not without great hope of concorde In which actions was sent from the Pope to the king and after returned to Rome the Cardinall S. Denys and for the french king M. Franci The king desired greatly thinuestiture of Naples and that the Pope if he would not ioyne with him at the least that he would not be for his enemies that he would receiue him into Rome as a friende To which demaundes albeit at the beginning the Pope bare some inclinaciō yet distrusting much in him selfe of the king and esteeming that to separate him selfe from the confederats and consent to thinuestiture would be supposed a meane sufficient to make a faithfull reconciliacion with him he obiected many difficulties to thother demaundes and to that of thinuestiture albeit the king would condiscende to take it vnder this condicion not to be preiudiciall to the rightes of an other he aunswered that he wished the lawes might be looked into afore to see to whom the right apperteyned And of the other side seeking to giue impediment by force to the kinges entrye into Rome he sent to the state of Venice and to the Duke of Myllan to refurnishe him with succors and strength of souldiers who immediatly sent him a thowsand light horsemen and two thowsand footemen with promise of an ayde of a thowsande men at armes with which bandes ioyned to his owne forces he hoped to be able to make resistance But the Venetians and Duke of Myllan considering afterwards that it was a thinge too daungerous to sende their strength and companies so farre from their owne estates seeing that neither the whole armie agreed vpon was yet in order and parte of their puoples occupied in thenterprise of Ast and ioyning withall to these dowtes thinfidelitie of the Pope remembred in a late experience when king Charles past that way he called Ferdinand into Rome with his armie suddeinly with a coūcell chaunged made him yssue forth againe They began to perswade him to withdrawe to some place of sewertie rather then to aduenture his person to so great a daunger in striuing to defende Rome These thinges increased the 〈…〉 nges hopes to come to composicion with the Pope The french king departed from Naples the xx day of May But for that he had not taken in the beginning with the ceremonies accustomed the titles enseignes regall of the kingdom A fewe dayes afore his departure he receiued solemnlie in the cathedrall Church with great pompe and celebracions the royall ornaments the honors othes and homages accustomed to be done to new kinges At this coronacion the oracion was pronounced in the name of the people of Naples by Iohn Iouian Pontan to whose prayses very cleare and shining for thexcellencie of his doctrine his life and ciuilitie of maners this action brought no smal stayne and a slaunder for that as he had bene of long a principal Secretorie to the kinges of Aragon of very priuate and familiar authoritie and the teacher and maister of Alphonso So whether it were to obserue iustly the partes proper to orators or to show his affection to the french he tooke too great a libertie to speake in the disprayses and derogacion of the kinges by whom he had bene so much aduaunced So hard it is sometymes for a man to keepe in him selfe that moderacion and those rules which he following with so great doctrine had taught to others writing of morall vertues by his wit and knowledge had made him selfe wonderfull to the world in all kindes of philosophie and learning The king ledd with him viij hundreth french launces two hundred gentlemen for his garde a hundreth launces vnder the Lord Triuulce three thowsand Svvyzzers footemen a thowsand frenchmen and a thowsand Gascoyns hauing ordeyned that in Tuskane Camylla Vitelli and his brother should ioyne with him with two hundreth and fiftie men at armes that the armie by sea should draw towards Lyuorne Virginio Vrsin and the Count Petillane followed the king without other garde or sewertie then their faith not to goe away without leaue Their cause for that they reasoned that they were not iustly made prisoners had bene disputed in the kinges councell afore whome they alleaged that at the tyme they yelded them selues
the walls of the towne all the other Churches doing the like they seazed vpon the gates of the towne and began to publish the name of Ferdinand This suddeine tumult so amazed the french men that holding it a place of no sewertie to remeyne betwene thennemies and the citie rebelled and lesse exspectacion to returne by that way they yssued out they determined to reenter Naples by the gate that belonged to the new castell for thaccomplishment whereof they must take a long way ful of hills troublesom compassing the walls of the towne But in this meane while Ferdinand being entred and mounted on horsebacke with certeine of his followers by the Neapolytaines rode thorow the towne to thincredible ioy and gladnes of euery one the communaltie receiuing him with great cryes and shewtes and the Ladies and women beholding him out of windowes and casements could not be satisfied to couer him with flowers and sweete smelling waters yea many of the nobles ronne in the streete to embrase him wype the sweate from his face not being negligent for all this in thinges necessary for the defence of the citie for the Marquis of Piscaire accompanied with the souldiers which were entred with Ferdinand and the youth of Naples looked to the intrenching and fortefying of all places for their defence against the french who after they were come vpon the greene of the new castell and doing what they could to reenter into the hart of the citie were so repulsed by crosbow men and small shot that finding at all the entreyes and commings to the streetes a resistance stronge and sufficient and the night nowe drawing on they retyred to the castell leauing almost of all sortes two thowsand horses vpon the greene hauing no place nor feeding for them in the castell within the castell were inclosed with Monsr Montpensier Messire Yues D'alegro a Capteine of reputacion and Anthony Prince of Salerne with many others french and Italians of marke who albeit spent certeine dayes in skirmishing aswell on the castell greene as about the port discharging their artillerie into the towne yet finding in their repulses a redobled vallour in thennemie they remeyned voyd of hope to be able to recouer the citie of them selues The example of Naples was immediatly followed by Capua Auersa the rocke of Montdragon many other peeces there aboutes yea most part of the kingdom was suddeinly in reuolt Amongest whom those of Caietta taking armes with more courage then force and their hopes farre greater then their fortune for that certeine gallies of Ferdinand were discouered afore the hauē they were with general slaughter oppressed by the french garrisons there who with a furie agreing with the cause giuen sacked all their citie At the same time the nauie of the Venetians being come neare to Monopoly one of the cities of Povvylla after they had set on lande their estradiots and many of their footemen assalted it both by sea land where Peter Bembo owner of one of the Venetian gallyes was slayne with a shot out of the towne But in the ende fortune yelding to vertue the citie was taken by force and the castell likewise rendred for feare which the french Capteine had that kept it the sayd nauie tooke also by composicion the towne of Puligniane Ferdinand was not without apparant hopes to haue the new castell and the castel of the egge for that famine which is an ennemie troublesom serued more for him then his force or pollicie there remeyning a very smal quantitie of vittells in regard of the proporcion of men that were within And winning vppon them continually the places about the castel to thend to keepe them at a straiter compasse the french men succoring the aduersities of their fortune with industrie pollicie seeing their armie by sea had no sewertie in the hauen which conteyned fiue shippes foure light gallies a galliot and a gallion they retyred them betwene the tower of S. Vincent the eggecastell and Pizifalcone which yet they helde as also the hinder partes or skirtes of new castell where were the gardyns of the kinges In so much as keeping peeces euen to Capella and fortefying the monasterie of the crosse they made incursions euen to Piegrotte and S. Martyn Against whom Ferdinand hauing taken and fortefyed Hipodrome and made couert wayes by Incoronato he possessed the Mount of S. Herme and afterwards the hill of Pizifalcone the french holding the castell seated in the highest part of it To hinder the succors that were to come from it for in taking it they might endomage and batter from the steepe places the nauie of thennemie Ferdinand assailed the monasterie of the crosse At whose first approch they receiued such harmes by the artillerie that dispairing to winne it by force they deuised to betray it by practise and intelligence A deuise very vnhappy and wretched to him that was thautor for that a Moare which was within hauing fraudulently promised to the Marquis of Piscare aforetimes his master to put him within the place and in that action hauing made him come by night by a ladder fastened to the wall of the monasterie to speake with him to th ende to agree vpon the manner and time to enter it the same night he was by great treason and double intelligence slaine with the shott of a crosbow ronning thorow his throate It was not of litle importance for the affayres of Ferdinand the reuolt first of Prosper and then Fabrice Collonne who during the bonde of their seruice and othe contracted with the french king going with the streame of the time returned to the pay of Ferdinand almost assoone as he had recouered Naples They excused themselues that they were not satisfied in time of their due payments promised And that to Virginio Vrsin and the Count Petillane with small regard to their merits were giuen many fauors and aduauncements of the king A reason that seemed to many very weake and farre inferior to the greatnes of the benefits which they had receyued of him But it may be dowted that that which reasonably ought to serue as a bridle to restrayne them was the very mocion that led them to doe the contrary seing by how much the benefits they had receiued were great and many by so much perhaps was great in them the desire to keepe them looking withall into the ill disposicion of the affayres of the french which began euen then to shake and declyne But now the castell thus hemmed in and the sea restrayned by the names of Ferdinand the want of vittells increased more and more and they that were beseeged interteyned themselues onely with hopes to haue succors out of Fraunce by sea the rather for that the king assoone as he was arriued at Ast had dispatched Peron de la Basche to rigge in the hauen of Ville franche neare to Nice an armie at sea of two thowsand Gascoins and Svvyzzers with prouision of vittells whose leader and Capteine should
within Pysa pyring to the soueraigne imperie of the whole Thus armes being layd a side on all partes or at least at poynt to cease from all action The Duke of Myllan albeit in his latest daungers he had expressed with what great contentment he embrased the Senat of Venice for the ready and full succours he had receiued from them no lesse exalting with publike and heroicall words the vertue and power of the Venetians then greatly commending the prouidence of Iohn Galeas first Duke of Myllan for that he had committed to the faith of the same Senat th execution of his Testament yet hauing no patience to endure that the pray of Pysa followed by him with so many paynes and practises should be transferred to them as was likely in manifest apparance of reason And therefore assaying to obteyne with industrie and councell that which he could not winne with armes and force he so wrought that the Pope and the Spanish Embassadors to both which such a greatnes of the Venetians was displeasing should set downe that to leaue to the french no foundacion in Italy as also to reduce all into one concord it were necessary to induce the Florentyns to enter into the common league causing Pysa to be restored to them seeing otherwayes they could not be brought to it for that so long as they were seperated from the residue they would not cease to stirre vp the french king to discend into Italy to whom in such an action they might hauing their scituacion in the middest of Italy with their money and with their forces doe thinges of great importance But this proposicion was impugned by thEmbassador of Venice as very preiudiciall to their common safetie alleaging withall thinclinacion of the Florentyns to be such to the french king that not with this benefitt it was not reasonable to trust them if they deliuered not sufficient securitie to obserue the thinges they should promise And that in a matter of so great estate there was no other sewertie then to put Lyuorne into the handes of the confederats This was very artificially alleaged by him to thend to haue alwayes a greater meane to gaynesay the proposicion knowing well they would neuer consent to commit to deputacion a place of such respect for their estate wherein the matter drawing afterwardes such successe as he loked for he still opposed against it with such vehemencie that the Pope and the Duke of Myllans Embassador not daring to obiect against him for feare to estraunge the Venetians from their frendship the deuise rested there And there begon betwene the Pope and the Venetians a new plot to turne away with violence the Florentyns from the amitie of the french The ill condicions of that citie giuing corage to whom so euer would offend it For from the beginning that thauthoritie popular was founded there was not introduced those temperatures which assuring the libertie with due and reasonable meanes might haue bene the let that the common weale should not haue bene disordered by the ignorance and licence of the multitude In so much that the Citisens of greatest qualitie and condicion being lesse esteemed then seemed conuenient and on thother side their ambicion being suspected to the people and many oftentymes intruding into deliberacions waighty who were but litle capable and the soueraigne Magistrate to whome was referred the summe of the most waighty affayres being chaunged from two monethes to two monethes the common weale was gouerned with a great confusion To this was added the great authoritie of Sauonarola whose auditorys were almost entred into secret intelligēce And albeit ther were amongest them many honorable Citisens and they surpassing in number such as were of thoppinion contrary yet it seemed Magistracies and publike honors were distributed rather to those that followed him then to others of better merit And therefore the city being manifestly deuided in thassemblies and councels publike one faction charged an other no man making conscience which hapneth in states falne into diuision to hinder the benefit publike to embase the reputacion of his aduersaries These disorders were so much the more daungerous by howe much for the long trauells and great exspenses suffered by the sayd citie there was that yeare a generall darth and want of vittells of all natures by reason whereof it might be presumed that the people vexed with hungar would be desirous of newe thinges This ill disposicion of the ciuill affayres of Florence gaue hope to Peter de medicis who besides those occasions was pushed on by certeine particular Citisens to be able with ease to be Maister of his long and iust desire And therefore applying industrie and diligence to thoportunitie of the tyme he communicated his intencion with the Cardinall Saint Seueryn his auncient frend and with Aluyano in whom he much reapposed for the merits of his vallour and long familiaritie And herein being also secretly incouraged by the Venetians to whom it seemed that by the trauells of the Florentyns the affayres of Pysa would be assured he determined to surprise the towne of Florence the rather being aduertised that they had created their supreame Magistrate which they cal Gonfaloniere of iustice Bernardyn de Nero A man of auncient grauitie and authoritie and had bene of a continued frendshipoe with his father and him hauing in the same election ioyned to him in assistance of that Magistracie certeine others in whom for auncient merit and benefits he supposed was no small inclinacion to his greatnes The Pope fauored this plot with his full liking and consent desiring to deuide the Florentyns from the frenche kinge with iniuries seeing he could not separate them with benefits Neither was the Duke of Myllan against it to whom it seemed that albeit he could not make a foundacion or intelligence stable with that citie because of the disorders of the present gouernment yet on thother side he tooke no delite in the returne of Peter aswell for the wronges he had done him as for dowt least he should depend too much of the authoritie of the Venetians But assoone as Peter had leauyed what by his owne meanes and with the ayde of his frendes and fauorers as much treasure as he could possible hauing receiued as was beleued some small quantitie in prest of the Venetians he went to Siena and after him Aluyano with the horsemen footemen marching alwayes by night and by wayes particular to th ende his comming might be conceiled from the Florentyns At Siena by the fauor of Iohn Iacques and Pandolphe Petrucci principalls in that gouernment and assured frendes to his house he was secretly refurnished with bandes of souldiers So that with six hundreth horsemen foure thowsand footemen of choyse two dayes after the truce was begon wherein they of Sienna were comprehended he put him on the way to Florence hoping that ariuing there by the breake of the day and at vnwares he should finde his entrey easie either for the general
see into this estate of fortune and chaunge those that till that daie had bene inferiours and as it were kept suppressed began now by the negligent and insolent dealing of the french to make their light shine and become superiours For the men of Castellanetto a place neare to Barletto dispairing for the oppressions and wronges which fiftie men at armes of the French and garrisoned there did them drewe into armes by common assent and stripped them And not many dayes after Consaluo being aduertised by ospyall that Monsr de la Palissa remeyning with a hundred Launces and three hundred footemen in the towne of Rubos twelue myles from Barletto stoode negligently vppon his guarde marched one night to Rubos and drawing with him with a wonderfull diligence and facilitie of the way beyng playne and harde certeyne peeces of great artillerie Hee assalted the towne with suche a furie that the Frenche to whom all other daungers had bene more tollerable beyng so muche more confused in theyr perill by howe muche the assalt was sodeyne made a certeine weake resistance and in the end rendred the place Palissa with the residue remeyning prisoners The same daie Consaluo returned to Barletto without daunger to receyue in retyring any domage of Monsr de Nemours who a litle before was come to Canosa His safetie happlie was by this occasion that the French compaines being disposed into seuerall places to keepe Barletto beseeged on many sides could not bee reassembled in sufficient tyme besides that fiftie French Launces sent to make praie of certeyne money caryed from Trany to Barletto ▪ were ouerthrowne by such as Consaluo had sent for the suertie of the treasure To these also myght bee adioyned an other accident which diminished greatly the vallour of the frenche men and which was the proper worke and effect of vallour and not to bee attributed to the iniquitie of fortune For a Trumpet going to Barletto to solicit the raunsom of certeyne souldiours taken prisoners at Rubos certeyne speeches were vttered against the Frenche by some of Thitalian men at armes which beyng caryed by the Trumpet to the Frenche Camp and aunswere eftsoones returned to Thitalians bredde suche enuie and inflamation of courage in both partes that to iustefie the honour of their seuerall nations they agreed that thirteene men at armes of the Frenche and thirteene Italians should fight in combatt to thuttrance within listes vntill the one were maisters ouer the other The place of the combatt to bee assigned in a Champion betweene Barletto Andria and Quadrato where they shoulde bee accompanied with an equall number of assistantes to bee Iudges of their vallour Neuertheles to assure all ambuskados or suttle traines of conspiracie the Capteynes with the greatest parte of both the armies accompanied their Champions to the myd way comfortyng them that for that they were chosen out of the whole armie they would with manifest action and courage make good thexspectation that was on them the same beyng suche that in their handes and vallour was reapposed by common consent the honour of so noble nations The Viceroy of the Frenche declared to his that their aduersaries were the selfe same Italians who hauyng no courage to abyde the Frenche men had alwayes made them waie without expressing any tryall or experience of theyr vertue euen since they had runne from the Alpes to the extreame bondes and limits of Italy That they were not now pushed forwarde eyther with a newe nature or newe resolution of finde But beyng marcenorie to the Spanyardes and subiect to theyr commaundementes they had no libertie to resist the will of those men whose custome being to fight not with vertue but with ambushes made them selues beholders and idle lookers on the daungers of others And that therefore assoone as Thitalians were entred into the listes should see before them the armes furie of suche as had alwayes ouercome them they would either returne to their accustomed feares or at least if any seruile respect to the Spanysh would pushe them to the feight that compulsion no lesse then theyr naturall feares woulde make them an easie praye the foundation layde vppon the vaine bragges and braueries of the Spanishe being a Target too slender to beare the blowes of the puissant Frenchmen On the other side Consaluo prepared the myndes of his Champions with persuasions agreeable to the nature of the action they had in hande Hee reduced to theyr remembraunce the auncient honours of that nation and the reputation and glorie of their armes with the which they had earst tamed the whole worlde That it was nowe in the power of a fewe to declare that they were not inferiour to the vertue of their elders And though Italy whose vallour had vanquished the most regions of the worlde had bene of late yeares ouertunne by forreine armies that it was by no other occasion then the indiscression of Princes whose ambicion accompanied with ciuill discords had called in straunge armies to roote out and ruinate one an other That the french had neuer obteined victory in Italy by their own strength or vertue but by the aide ministration of the armes of Thitaliās who had suffred them to passe so farre into the bowels of their countrey not by the terror or agillitie of their armes but by the fury of their artilleries which were fearfull so long as they were newe and vnaccustomed That they were now to fight with the force and vertue of their proper personnes and that not only in the presence of so great a nobilitie of their owne syde but also in the spectacle and eye of the principall nations of Christendome who aswell of th one parte as of thother had an honourable desire of their victorie That they had to remember that they were raysed by the most famous Capteynes of Italy and as by them they had had continual nourishment trayning in armes so for theyr seueral parts they had in many perillous actions giuen an honorable experiēce of their vertue And that therefore eyther the honor to readdresse the name of Italy with that glorie wherin it had ben not only in yeares of their elders but also in the ages tymes of them selues was by destinie appoynted to them Or els so great an honour not beyng wonne by theyr hands there can bee no other exspectation of the florishyng region of Italy then to remeyne dishonoured and in perpetuall seruitude and slaunder by the pusillanimitie of her proper children With these persuasions ioyned to the comfortes of other Capteynes and souldiours perticular of both tharmies the parties appointed for the combat were ledde into the fielde Where both partes desirous by their proper vertue to bryng glorie to their nation assoone as thassistantes were placed according to thorder of the fielde and that the signe was giuen they run furiously with their Launces At which encounter no aduauntage inclining to either parte they showed the same emulation of mynde in the action of their other
lands of Iohn Iordan but also to the conquering of Sienna And yet when they were vppon the point of conclusion they varied introducing newe difficulties as men who according to their custome to be at libertie to take councell of the euent of things had no desire to declare them selues according to good meaning And therefore there was propounded an other nature of practise by the which the Pope seeming not to declare for any of the parties but to remeine in the person of a common father consented to giue passage to the french armie through the dominions of the Church with promise not to molest neither the Florentyns the Siennois nor the Bollonois during the warres in the realme of Naples Which conditions had at length bene accepted by the king to th ende to giue expedition of passage to his armie to Naples albeit he knew they were neither honorable for him self nor sure for suche as depended on him in Italy seeing he had no assurance that the Pope and Valentynois would not declare against him if any misfortune hapned to him in the realme Besides there was this daunger least assoone as his armie was out of the territories of Rome they would not rise contrary to their faith to assaile Tuskan which for the disagreement of the people and the numbers of men which hee had drained out of it was become weake and almost disarmed being a thing not vnlikely that he would either set vppon that enterprise or some other seeing they had so long tyme exspected occasions thinking to draw out of them a wonderful profit But as the cogitations of men are vaine and their thoughtes full of deceipt So when they stoode in the highest estate of their hopes beholde the Pope who went to supper in a Vineyarde neare the Vatican to reioyce in the delight and pleasure of the freshe ayre is sodeinly caried for dead to the Bishoppes Pallaice his sonne also communicating in the same accident but with better fortune For the daie folowing which was the eightiene day of August the dead corps of the Pope according to custome was borne into the Church of S. Peter blacke swolne and most difformed most manifest signes of poison But Valentynois what by the vigour strength of his youth and readie helpe of strong medecines and contrepoisons had his lyfe saued remeining notwithstanding oppressed with a long and greeuous sicknes It was assuredly beleeued that thaccident proceeded of poison the discourse whereof according to common reapport was in this sort The Duke Valentynois who was to bee present at that supper had determined to poison Adrian Cardinall of Cornette reseruing that tyme and place to execute his bloudie resolution For it is most certeine that in his father and him were naturall customes to vse poison not only to be reuenged of their enemies or to bee assured of suspitions but also vppon a wicked couetousnes to dispoile rich men of their goods whether they were Cardinalles or Courtiers although they had neuer done them wrong as hapned to the Cardinall Saint Ange who was verie riche This maner of rage they would vse also agaynst their greatest friendes and familiars and suche as had bene their most faithfull seruantes such as were the Cardinalles of Capua and Modeno A recompense vnwoorthie the merits of good men and not disagreeable to the disposition of such a father and sonne whereof the one made all things lawfull by vile dispensation and with the other nothing was dishonest wherin was oportunitie to his purposes The Duke Valentynois sent before certeine Flagons with wine infected with poison which he gaue to a seruant that knew nothing of the matter commaunding that no person shoulde touche them A commaundement preiudiciall to his maister as the ignorance of the seruant was thinstrument in the euill that hapned both to the father and sonne Such is the suffrance of God who in the execution of his iudgementes raiseth one murderer to kill an other breaketh the brandes of the fyre vppon the head of him that first kindled it For the Pope comming by aduenture somewhat before supper and ouercome with the drought immoderate heat of the tyme called for drinke And because his owne prouision was not yet brought from the Pallaice he that had the infected wine in charge thinking it to bee recommended to his keeping for a wine most excellent gaue the Pope to drinke of the same wine which Valentynois had sent Who arriuing whilest his father was drinking drunke also of the same wine being but iust that they both should taste of the same cup which they had brued for the destruction of others All the towne of Rome runne with great gladnes to Saint Peters about the dead bodie of the Pope their eyes not being satisfied to see dead and destroied a Serpent who with his immoderate ambition and poisoned infidelitie together with all the horrible examples of crueltie luxurie and monstruous couetousnes selling without distinction both holie thinges and prophane thinges had infected the whole world And yet was accompanied with a most rare and almost perpetuall prosperitie euen from his young age to the ende of his lyfe desiring alwayes great things and obteining most often that he desired An example of much importance to confound the arrogancie of those men who presuming to know and see perfectly with humain eyes the depth of Gods iudgements do assure that what hapneth either good or ill to mortall men proceedeth either of their merites or faltes As though we sawe not daily many good men vniustly tormented and many wicked persons aboue their deseruings liue in ease honour Wherein who makes an other interpretation derogates the iustice and power of God the greatnes of which being not to bee conteined within any scriptes or tearmes present knoweth howe well and largely to discerne in an other tyme and place the iust from the vniust and that with rewardes and eternall punishments The Duke Valentynois no lesse sorowfull for the death of his father then languishing in his owne infirmitie retyred all his bandes of men of warre about him lying sicke in the Pallaice And hauing alwayes thought partly by the feare of his armes partly through the fauour of the Spanish Cardinals which were eleuē to create a Pope at his pleasure after the death of his father He founde nowe impediments aboue his exspectation specially in the matter of the election all his other plottes and deuises to suffer imperfection and errour by reason of his disease which was verie daungerous In which respect he complained greeuously for that hauing oftentimes foreseene all the accidents that might happen to him by the death of his father and withall cast all the remedies that the witte of man might comprehende yet he could neuer imagine that at the same time he should be restrained with a sicknes so daungerous And therefore finding it necessarie to frame his councelles not to the plottes he had layde before but to the necessitie
bandes of thenemie being entred and gouerning those partes of the towne wherein laye their chiefest protection In so muche as standing thus abandoned of fortune and hope they were constrayned with the losse of many of their men to retyre with speede into the castell and Cytadell and they but weakly manned were by the necessitie of the present perill yeelded to discression within a fewe howres after they beeing no lesse vnhable to repulse a violence offred then they were negligent to foresee it afore it hapned By this meane the Venetians being eftsones made Lordes of the whole labored to appease the tumult and saue the Citie whereof the greatest parte by the insolencies of the others were ranged to their deuotion nothing receyuing spoyle or harme but certayne houses and stoare places of the Ievves whiche were afore declared enemies to the name of the Venetians This accident hapned the daye of S. Marina a daye solemnly celebrated at Venice by publike decree as a firste daye of their felicitie and beginning of the restoring of their common weale The brute of this victorie dyd muche to moue the whole countrey thereaboutes whiche had found imitation in Vincensa if Constantin de Macedonia had not entred with a very small strength But as there is no worldly thing more mightie then the course of fortune so by the felicitie of this conquest the Venetians became with a present diligence maisters of the whole countrey the commons of townes and popular multitudes ioyning fauor to the felicitie that folowed thē They recouered by this meane the towne and castelles of Leguagno a place of great conueniencie to trouble the countreys of Verona Padoa and Vincensa They made attempt also to take the tower Marquisano within eight miles of Padoa a passage of singular oportunity to dissresse the countrey of Mantua but by the reskewes which the Cardinall of Este sent their enterprise was defeated It was thought that the taking of Padoa did nothing stay the French king from returning beyond the Mountes and as he was vpon his discamping he made in the towne of Biagrasse newe conuentions with the Popes Legat by the which the Pope and the king bound eche other to a mutuall protection with libertie that either of them might contract with any other Prince so farre sorth as it was not preiudiciall to the present confederation The king promised not to holde in his protection nor to accept into the same hereafter any subiect homager or dependant eyther directly or indirectly of the Churche cancelling expresly all articles of protection vntill that daye A promise not muche agreable to the honour of so great a king for that a little before he had taken into his protection the Duke of Ferrara for a consideration of thirtie thousande duckets besides it was agreed that the Pope shoulde dispose by his discression the Bishoprikes that then were voyde in all the landes of the kings obedience but for suche as shoulde fall voyde within a certayne tyme they shoulde be at the nomination of the king for whose better satisfaction the Pope sent the Bulles of Cardinalshippe to the Bishop of Alby promising to indue him with the Hatte assone as he came to Rome Immediatly vppon the conclusion of this contract the king hasted out of Italie carrying with him into Fraunce no small glory for so great a victorie gotten with so swift a course vpon the Venetians And yet he caried home by this victorie neyther the more tranquillitie of mind nor greater assurance for his affayres A matter that often hapneth that in things obteined after they haue bene long desired men finde neither that contentment nor that pleasure which they imagined before yea men might discerne matter prepared to greater daungers and innouations together with a manifest incertentie of his minde by the deliberations he had to make by reason of those accidentes newely hapned for if thinges had good successe with the king of Romains his feare was farre greater of him then of the Venetians And if the greatnes of the Venetians beganne eftsones to be readressed he muste be constrayned to dwell in continuall suspitions and expences to keepe the things he had taken from them besides he must needes contribute to Maximilian bothe in men and money for that in abandoning him he was to feare least he would knitte with the Venetians agaynst him and withall least the king Catholike would not be of the faction and happly the Pope Besides meane aydes and succors would not suffice to interteine him in amitie with Caesar to whome he must minister so liberally as by them he might obteine the victorie agaynst the Venetians and on the other side if he sent him strong and hable succors besides that it coulde not but drawe with it intollerable expences and harmes yet he confirmed his owne daungers touching the greatnes of Caesar The king waighing thestate of these difficulties stoode in the beginning in doubt touching the mutation of Padoa whether he should holde it agreable or troublesome But conferring the suretie which the depriuation of the firme land frō the Venetians might bring to him with the perplexities and daungers which he feared to suffer by the greatnes of Caesar and with hope to obtayne of him by money in regarde of his necessities the citie of Verona which he desired muche as a place of singuler oportunitie to suppresse the mouinges on the side of Germanie he iudged it at last more to his profite and suretie to haue things remayne in that estate then for that there was great apparance of a long warre betweene Caesar and the Venetians both the one and other beeing made wearie by so continuall expenses would become more weake In this nature of opinion he stoode better confirmed when he had contracted with the Pope with whom he hoped to haue a confederation well assured and resolued And yet he left vppon the limittes of Verona Monsr de Palissa with seuen hundred launces to be disposed by Caesar no lesse for the preseruation of things gotten thē to obteine that which the Venetians stil possessed And because by the commaundement of Caesar they being conueyed into Vincensa the citie of Verona was assured which was in great daunger and suspicion for the small numbers of men of warre that were within it and by that meane the Venetian armie which lay encamped before the Citadell was retyred After the kings departure this good aduenture fell also to the Venetians Their horsmen which were within Leguagna made continuall incursions ouer the whole countrey euen to the gates of Verona doing many violences and harmes of warre agaynst whom the garrison of Verona could make no great resistance being but two hundred horsmen seuen hundred footmen by reason wherof the Bishop of Trent whom Caesar had appoynted gouernour ouer it determined to plant his campe there and for the better execution he called to thaction the Marquis of Mantua who expecting the preparations that were in hande laye incamped with those bandes
sauetie and the other part for glorye ioyned to a desire to sacke a citie so full of riches The Capteines besides their office to commaund and dispose most often tooke the places of meane soldiours the vertue of Monsr de Foix being singuler aboue the residue At last the Venetian armie were driuen from the place after they had made a wonderfull defense In so much as the Conquerers who nowe deuided them selues into two bandes made their entrey the one by the citie and the other by the Citadel finding in euery quarter and corner a meruelous resistance by the soldiours and by the people In whom it seemed their aduersitie had nothing diminished their vertue But the french men being alwayes followed with victorie passed thorow all impediments and chassed all their ennemies that stoode affore them They gaue not their mindes to pillage vntill they sawe them selues absolute Maisters of the towne such was their direction of their Capteine whom they obeyed and obserued so iustly that what soeuer he were that did otherwayes he was forthwith slayne by his fellowes In these encownters there dyed of the french parte many footemen and a greate number of men at armes But of thennemies were left on the ground eyght thowsand dead carkasses part of the people and part of the Venetian soldiours which were fiue hundred men at armes eyght hundred light horsemen and eyght thowsand footemen amongest whom was Contaryn commaunder of the stradiots who was slaine vpon the greene with a bullet of a harquebuze All the residue were taken except two hundred stradiots who fled by a posterne neare the gate of S. Nazareth albeit with no better fortune for that falling vppon the french armie which remeyned without the towne they were almost all taken or killed They also immediatly after the execution entred the towne by the same gate and falling to pillage aswell as the residue they enioyed the trauells and daungers of others Andrevv Gritty Anth. Iustynian whom the Senat had sent into that citie as gouernour remeyned prisoners together with Ioh. P. Manfron his sonne the Knight de la Volpe Baltazar Scipion one of the sonnes of Anth. de Pio Count Lovvys Auogato and one of his sonnes and Domynik Busechio Capteine of the stradiots These being chieftaines of th armie were reserued as miserable examples of their owne calamitie they were by the wretchednes and fortune of prisoners disposed caried about as best pleased the appetit of the Victors sometymes brought to behold the dead bodyes of their companions and friends A spectacle lamentable to be compelled to see those men deade whom in life they so much honored and loued And sometymes appoynted to stande in the presence of thennemie taking speciall glorie in that which to them could not be but an increase of discomfort by strait commaundement of Monsr de Foix the honors of the women of religion were kept vndefiled but their goods together with such others as for protection were conueyed into their couents were made a praye to the Capteines Count Lovvys was executed in the market place Monsr de Foix being present and seemed to holde it a sacrifice best acceptable and pleasing to his eyes his two sonnes albeit they were for a tyme deferred suffered in the ende the same payne thauthoritie of the Victor raigning very iudicially ouer the liues of whome soeuer it pleased him In this sort by the vallour fortune of the french men of whom they of Bressia vaunted to be discended fell into this extremitie that citie for nobilitie digniue nothing inferior to any other citie of Lombardye but in riches and plentye farre aboue them all except Myllan And as the miseries that warre draweth with it are infinit so the whole citie for seuen daies together was exposed to the couetousnes to the lust and to the crueltie of soldiours thinges sacred aswell as prophane being percell of the pray And no lesse the liues then the goods of men committed to the discression of spoylers This victorie brought great reputacion to the name of Monsr de Foix Italy no lesse then the other regions of Christendō resounding much his glory that by his celeritie and vallour in the space of xv daies he had compelled the armies Ecclesiastike and spanish to discampe from before Bolognia ouerthrowne in the plaine fielde Ioh. P. Baillon with part of the Venetian regiments and reconquered Bressia with so great a slaughter of soldiours and other sortes of peoples it was confirmed by the iudgement of wise men that touching enterprise and matters of warre Italy had not felt the like of long time the aduersitie farre exceeding the memorie and example of all times past After the action of Bressia together with the other places that were lost of whom Bergamo drawne into rebellion by the ayde of very few of the towne had by cōmon consent reuoked the french men before Monsr de Foix made his entrye into Bressia And after Monsr de Foix had set downe a forme to th affayres of Bressia and had somwhat refreshed and reordered his armie made wearie with so great trauells and no lesse disordered partly by keeping and partly by distribucion of the spoyle he determined according to the kinges commaundement to go seeke the armie of the confederats which after his departure from before the walls of Bolognia was stayed vpon the landes of the Bolognois To this direction the king was constrayned by many vrgent accidents which droaue him into necessitie to take newe councells for the sauetie and benefit of his affayres for he discerned manifestly that he should haue warre with the king of England notwithstanding that king had in franke tearmes affore assured him the contrary And since kept him in suspence with tokens and wordes doubtfull The actions which were quite contrary to his promisses could be no more couered for that there came aduertisement from Rome howe he had at lust approued and ratified the league by writing Besides the french king was not ignorant that in England were made great preparacions of men and ships and in Spayne was rigged a great nauie to passe into England where was an vniuersall disposicion in all sortes of the people of that region to make warre vppon the Realme of Fraunce To this humor of the king people was much helping the arriual of a galeass from the Pope laden with Greeke wines with cheeses and other prouisions which distributed in his name to the king Barons and Prelats of the Realme were receiued of all with a wonderfull gladnes The common sort of people which oftentymes is no lesse caried by vaine and small thinges then by matters more graue and great ronne with generall admiracion to beholde the galeasse accounting it so much more to their pleasure and glorie by how much they had neuer seene in that I le any vessell bearing the Popes banners At last Bishop Morton who had long negociated betwene the Pope and the french king induced either by his conscience or
the place where they were incamped But refusing to assaile thē at so great a disaduantage they passed further the vauntgard lodging in the borow of Bubana foure myles from Ymola and the other part of th armie at Mordana and Baguaro townes somewhat more then a myle one from an other They chused their lodging places beneth the high way for the oportunity of vittels which with sewertie were brought by the riuer of Pavv Lugo Bagua Cauall and the townes thereabout being abandoned of the Spanyards eftsoones returned to the deuocion of the Duke of Ferrara when Monsr de Foix entred vppon the territories of Bolognia The day after the Spanyards leauing sufficient garrison in the castell of Ymola and lx men at armes in the towne vnder Ioh. Sassatello went to Castell Boulonnois and incamped vppon the high way their campe stretching towards the Mounteines And the same day the french men tooke by force the borow of Solarola the terror whereof made Cotignola and Granarola to render to them where they remeyned the daye following And the ennemies encamping in a place called the sielde of flees In these litle remouings and nearenes of places the two armies marched alwayes in good order their artillerie going formost with the face to thennemye as though the battell were to beginne at euery hower And yet both the armies marched with very great respect the one not to be constrayned to come to blowes but in a place where thaduauntage of the situacion shoulde recompense the disaduauntage of their number and forces And the other to seeke to drawe thennemies to a necessitie to fight but with this regarde that at one tyme both the weapons and place shoulde not bee contrarye to them In that place Monsr de Foix receyued a newe commaundement from the Kinge to hasten the battell the same causes and reasons still increasing that had first induced him to aduaunce to seeke thennemyes For where the Venetians had obstinately refused to make peace with Caesar but vppon condicion that they might reteyne Vincensa notwithstanding they were muche weakened by the accident of Bressia and also muche pressed first by requestes and after by protestacions and threatninges of the Pope and Kinge of Aragon There was at last made betwene them a truce for eyght monethe◠before the Pope with couenant that either partes should reteyne the thinges they possessed and to pay to Caesar fiftye thowsand florins of the Rhein The same remouing from the king all doubtes that he would not be deuided from him and at the same tyme he had intelligence that he would haue warre beyond the Mountes for Ierome Cabauillo the king of Aragons Embassador and resident in his Court making instance to be heard in playne councell tolde him he had receiued commaundement from the king his Maister to departe exhorting him in his name to forbeare to fauor against the Church the tyrants of Bolognia for so vniust a cause to leaue of to trouble a peace of so great importance and profit to the whole common weale of Christendom In which exhortacion he offered that in case he feared to receiue any domage for the restitucion of Bolognia he would assure him in all sorts he would desire Adding in the ende for a resolucion immouable that he would not nor could not faile to defend the Church according to the office of euery Christian Prince Therefore Monsr de Foix being now certeine that he should neuer accomplish his intencion in accoasting and following thennemie for that for the commoditie they had of the townes of Romagnia he could not easily cut of their vittells nor force them to the battell without great disaduauntage And his owne armie also suffering no small necessitie of vittells by the barreinnes of places where he lay he tooke councel of his Capteines and determined to goe to incampe affore Rauenna he hoped by this meane thennemies not to diminish their reputacion would not suffer to be lost before their eyes a citie of that importance And withall he doubted not vnder this occasion to fight with thennemies in a place of indifferencie And to lette the ennemie happly suspecting his deuise to approche to Rauenna he incamped betwene Cotignola and Granarola seuen myles from them where he stayed foure dayes exspecting from Ferrara twelue Cannons and twelue other lesser peeces of artillerie Thennemies doubted such a resolucion and for that cause sent to Rauenna Mark. Anth. Colonno who before he entred into the iorney tooke the fayth and promisse of the Legat the Viceroy Fabricio and Peter of Nauarre with all the other Capteines of th armie otherwayes he woulde not vndertake thenterprise that if the frenche came to encampe affore it they should make to his succours with the whole armie There went with him in this expedicion three skore men at armes of his owne bande An hundred light horsemen vnder Peter de Castre and six hundred spanishe footemen commaunded by Capteyne Parades and Salezart touching the residue of th armie they encamped neare the walls of Faenza along the gate that goeth to Rauenna enterteyning the tyme of their abyding there with a hoat skirmishe with thennemie About that tyme Monsr de Foix sent an hundred launces and fiueteene hundred footemen to take the borowe of Russi garded by a garrison of the place it selfe who notwithstanding in the beginning according to the manner of commons and popular men showed them selues very resolure and assured yet their naturall feares vanquishing their frayle showes of courage they entred the same daye into a parley to render and yeelde during which commonings the French men taking thopportunitie of their negligence and disorder entred the place with no litle furie and sacked it putting to the sworde more then two hundred men and reduced all the residue to the calamitie of prisoners from Russi Monsr de Foix drewe neare to Rauenna and the day after incamped neare the walls betweene the two riuers in the middest whereof the towne hath her situacion The ryuer of Ronquo which olde histories call Vitis and the ryuer of Montono not a litle esteemed for that next after Pavv it is the chiefest of those riuers that haue their heade on the left hande of th Appenyn and entreth into the sea of his propper coursse fall from th Appenyn hills And where they take their head there they make the separacion of Romagna from Tuskane These riuers make their coursse so as they inclose the citie of Furly Montono that ronneth on the left hande toucheth almost the walls And Ronquo falling on the right hande passeth within two myles of it and afterwards are restrayned and drawne narrow neare Rauenna with so litle space that the one on the one parte and the other on the other make their coursse fast by the walls A litle belowe which walls their waters meeting and embrasing together they fall afterwards into the sea beeing nowe three myles of but in olde tyme as is sayd did beate vpon the walls of the towne Monsrde Foix
earth which we call Christendome After the Englishe were drawne into campe which according to their custome they enuironed with trenches with cartes and so rampired it with wood and other firme matter and then planted it rounde about with artillerie that they seemed to be in a walled towne They began to batter the town of Torvvaine in many places to make many mines but they forbare to giue thassalt perhaps their prouisions beeing lesse then their vertue though their vallour was nothing inferior to the reaport that went of thē The towne of Torvvain within was very wel furnished with artilleries manned with a strength of two hundred fifty launces two thousand footmen which though it was a garrison very smal in regard of thimportaunce of the place yet their daunger was no greater then their hope of succors for that the french king was come to Amiens to th ende that by his nerenes he might giue courage cōfort to those that were besieged making great the difficultie to reskew them he was very carefull to assemble his armie which by true mustering was supposed to conteine two thousande fiue hundred launces ten thousand launceknights guided by the duke of Gueldres and ten thousand footemen leauied in the partes of his realme The greatest affliction within the town was feare to want vittels for that except of bread they had not sufficient prousion of any one nature A want which perhaps made them more bold busie then otherwise they would least the same necessitie might grow to a desperat extremitie though they durst not come to trial of their generall forces yet they forbare not to make practise of seruice vexed continually the English camp with their artillerie in which execution the great Chāberlaine of England was slayne one legge taken away from Talbot then capteine of Callice The daunger of Torvvaine troubled much the king but for that by cōmon negligence of Fraunce the difficulty to leauy laūceknights he was long ere he began to put order to his affayres his whole army was not yet assembled neither was he of mind what aduersities soeuer fortune brought vpon him to hazard the feight with thenemies for that in loasing the battell the whole realme and state of Fraunce had stand in manifest perill he hoped also that the winter comming on which in those cold clymats beginneth betimes thenemies would be driuē to dissolue the ill oportunitie and season of the yere driuing them from thenterprise which the feare of thenemies could not make them to leaue and yet his army being assembled his owne person remaining still at Amyens he sent it forth to Aire nere to Torvvaine vnder the gouernment of Monsr Longeuille otherwise called the Marquis of Rottelyn Prince of the blood and capteine of an hundred gentlemen of ordinaunce ioyning with him in the charge Monsr Palissa their commission was that eschuing all occasions to attempt the battell they should see to the well reuittelling of the townes thereabouts which till that time had bene ill furnished being subiect to the same negligence that the whole seruice was withall to do what they could to put into Torvvaine a succour of men and releefe A matter of itselfe very vneasie and yet made more hard by the small agrement that was betwene the Generals either of thē attributing seuerally to himself the whole direction and gouernment the one for his noblenesse and discending and the other for his long experience in warre Notwithstanding what by the necessity of the time brooking no long delay what by thimportunity of thē within the towne crying out for a succour of men there was a strength of a thowsand fiue hūdred launces that aduētured to approach the towne on that side that was furthest remoued frō the English And albeit there was a regiment of three thowsande Englishe bestowed at certaine passages to stoppe them yet thartilleries of the towne executed so furiously vpon them and the residue of tharmy being vnprofitable to their reskewing by reason of certeine ouerthwart trenches and ditches cast by the towne that Capteine Frontaillas ouer comming the perill by his vertue got to the gate put into the towne a supply of lxxx men at armes without horses as they had required And afterwards with the same felicity he retired with the residue of his companies finding easie by experience the enterprise that was made hard by reaport ouercomming by his vertue the daunger that without practise was holden desperat ▪ he might vnder the same aduenture haue put vittells into the towne if he had caried any with him his fortune and the state of the perill being all one By this experience the french capteines were incoraged to make their approches an other day with a great quantity of vittells hoping in the same felicity But thEnglish that tooke warning by the last example had raised newe fortificacions on that side to stoppe them and on thother side had sent out their horsemen and xv thowsand Almain footemen to cut of their way Insomuch that as they were vppon their returne the fortune of the first aduenture taking from them all suspicion and being remounted vppon their litle nagges of iorney that were led spare as men beguiled with opinion of security they were sodainly set vpon euen in the greatest coniecture of their assurance sauetie and as men being passed from a perill they feared most into a daunger they douted least they suffred the terrour of thaccident to take from them alresolucion put themselues to flight without any resistance loasing in that disorder three hūdred men at armes with whom were taken prisoners the Marquis of Rottelyn Capteines Bayard Faiette with many others of marke name Monsr Palissa was also taken prisoner but escaped away by aduenture his pollicie no lesse fauoring his sauetie then his fortune it was thought that if thEnglishe had taken the oportunity offer of that days fortune they had in that action opened to themselues a way to be masters of the whole realme of Fraunce For that behinde stoode a great battell of launceknightes which had followed the men at armes who if they had bene shocked and ouerthrowen it had bene with so great domage to the french army that it is certeine that the french king vpon the first newes beleuing that they had bene broken in dede would haue geuen so desperat a sentence of his owne safetie that he would looke howe he might flee into Britaine But there was difference betwene thintencion of thEnglish and offer of their fortune for after they had giuen the chasse to the horsemen hauing nothing of more study care in their mind then the conquest of the towne of Torvvaine they presented the frenche enseignes and prisoners before the walls a spectacle which moued not a litle the towne to dispaire of succour and ioyning to it the viewe and consideracion of their other calamities and the launceknightes withall murmuring to endure
whose euill affection also appeared in other actions making many exceptions and difficulties to confirme vnto him the tenth of the benefices of the realme of Fraunce which he had promised him at Bolognia And yet so great is the respect and maiestie of a Pope the king so labored to appease him with offers offices that albeit after the departure of Caesar he had determined to molest Mirandula Carpy and Correge as townes imperiall to th ende to make some leauyes of money of them yet he forbare from all action in regarde of the complaynings of the Pope who had receyued affore into his protection the Lordes of those townes Moreouer the Mores of Affrica commaunding the sea inferior with many vessels he offred to sende him for the suretie of those seas his nauie of ships which Peter of Nauarre armed at Marseilles by his consent for thinuasion of the streames and creekes of Barbarie with a strength of six thousande footemen But notwithstanding all these offers obseruances the Pope perseuered in his opinion and as sometimes he would vse deniall sometimes occupie excuses yet he would neuer so muche as consent to that demaunde the king had made to him with great instance to call out of Svvizzerlande the Bishop of Verulo and much lesse would he remoue Mucio Colonno from the territories of Modona where he fained he remained of his owne authoritie vntill by the departure of Prospero from Bolognia and all that practise dissolued into smoke there was no more necessitie of his abiding there Only the breaking vp from thence was a matter of great aduersitie to Mutio for that entring afterwardes by night into the towne of Ferma with the forces of the Colonnois and with certayne bandes of footemen Spanish as he was busie in sacking the Citie he receyued a blowe whereof he dyed within fewe dayes after In this estate of affayres and the Senate of Venice making instance for the recouerie of Verona Monsr Lavvtrech with his armie of sixe thousand Launceknightes whome the Venetians agreed to paye for that enterprise came to the riuer of Adice to th ende to passe to Vsolinguo and so to encampe affore Verona together with the Venetian armie But what by the rumour of the comming of the Svvizzers nowe redoubled and the suspicion recontinued of the being of Prospero Colonno at Modona where also remayned the Cardinall of S. Maria in Portico he retyred to Pesquiero not without the complaintes of the Venetians making distribution of his bandes both on this side beyond the riuer of Mincia And notwithstanding the said suspicions were ceassed and that from a regiment of two thousand footmen both Spanish and Launceknightes were gone to the paye of the Venetians and more did go dayly yet he remayned in that place more then a moneth exspecting as was sayde bothe a newe prouision of money out of Fraunce and a greater proportion of artillerie municions and money from the Venetians But the true cause of his temporising was to obserue what would be the issue of the treatie betwene his king and the king Catholike for the Frenche king knowing howe muche and howe necessarily his amitie did import the king Catholike both to remoue the difficulties of his passage into Spayne and to assure him of thobedience and iurisdiction of his kingdomes he seemed not content with the matters that had bene agreed vpon affore at Paris but deuised both to impose vpon him more harder conditions and by his working to haue peace with Caesar which he could not bring to passe without rendring Verona to the Venetians And touching the Spanishe king whose minoritie hauing not aboue fyfteene yeares was wholly gouerned by Monsr de Cheures he refused not to applye his deliberations to the present time and necessitie of thinges By reason whereof on the parte of the Frenche king were sent to Noyon the Bishoppe of Paris the greate maister of Fraunce and the President of the Parliament of Paris And for the king Catholike were Monsr de Cheures and the great Chauncellor of Caesar In whiche respite or intermission the rigour of armes and hostilitie as is the custome of warfaring of our tyme was continually imployed agaynst the poore paisantes and countrey men Monsr de Lavvtrech lying still to see what woulde come of the negociation for by the benefite of a bridge which he had buylded at the village of Monzarban he beganne to cutte downe the corne of the countrey of Verona and gaue libertie to his light horsemen to make incursions in all places He sent also one parte of his armie to incampe vppon the landes of the Mantuans making hauocke of the commodities of that countrey with so vniuersall and generall domage that to redeeme their harmes together with the retyring of so daungerous an enemie the Marquis of Mantua was contented to contribute to him twelue thousande crownes And the souldiors of Verona executing dayly hostilities vppon the territories of Vincensa and Padoa put to sacke the wretched Citie of Vincensa Afterwardes Monsr de Lavvtrech bearing compassion to the great complayntes of the Venetians passed the ryuer of Adice by a bridge whiche he caused to be sette vp at Vsolingua and afterwardes hauing made a greate praye of the countrey for it was neuer thought that th armie would passe on that side he drewe neare to Verona to besiege it winning Chiusa in the meane whyle by the ayde of the countrey men to make more harde the passage of succours that were to come out of Germanie Neuerthelesse the same daye that he approched to Verona the regimentes of Launceknightes beeing nowe three monethes since they had bene enterteined with the money of the Venetians eyther of their voluntarie will and motion or by the secrete subornation of Caesar protested openly that they woulde not serue at the siege of a towne possessed by Caesar and wherein the Frenche kinge had no principall interest By whiche mutinie drawing with it a suspicion of greater conspiracies Monsr de Lavvtrech repassed Adice and incamped a myle from the walles of Verona to whome the Venetian armie wente to ioyne with him not supposing it sufficient for their suretie to remayne on the other side the ryuer thoughe their armie conteyned a strength of fiue hundred men at armes fiue hundred light horsemen and foure thousande footemen About this tyme the deputies of those two kinges passed capitulations in this sorte in the towne of Noyon That there shoulde be a perpetuall peace betweene the French king and the king of Spayne with the like confederation for the defence of their estates agaynst all the worlde That the French king should giue in mariage to the king Catholike his daughter being then but one yeare of age and he to indue her for dowry with the rightes whiche he pretended to apperteine to him in the kingdome of Naples according to the partition made afforetime betwene their predecessors but vnder this couenaunt that vntyll she bare an age hable to be maried the
content others for the colleage wherein the aduersaries of Cardinall Medicis could do most had at the same instant couenanted with him to reteine the estate which he had recouered vntill the Popes comming into Italie and longer if it so pleased the Pope and that he should not molest the Florentins nor the Siennois nor enter into confederacy with any Prince nor any way communicate with him or administer to him Hitherunto the matters of Lombardy had bene in peasible estate the one parte hauing want of money and the other no lesse necessitie of men And therefore the souldiours of the Imperialls who were not payed refusing to stirre out of their lodgings there was dispatched into Alexandria onely Iohn Sassetella with his regiment and other souldiours and subiects of the Duchy of Millan This Capteine in the beginning of the warre chaunging a benefit certeine for hopes incerteine left the pay of the Venetians to take the wages of the Duke of Millan notwithstanding he was banished from his estate In which disposicion of minde and with a fortune more readie then a councell stayed he approched to Alexandria where the rashnes of the Guelffes defending the Citie more then the force of the french souldiours made easie to him the action which all men esteemed hard for that being issued out to skirmish with thenemies and not hable to susteine the encounter their dishabilitie gaue them occasion to enter pellmell into the Citie which by that accident more then through their vallour became a pray to the victors a reproch to the vanquished And not many dayes after with the same facilitie were chased out of Ast certeine bands of the frenche being there entred by the meane of certeine particulars of the Guelffes faction But of this short and suspected quietnes there were already discerned to draw on beginninges of verie great troubles for notwithstanding in the parliaments of the Svvizzers there were great contencions risen vpon the demaundes of the frenche king wherein as the Cantons of Zurich and Zuicz stoode obstinate against him and the Canton of Lucerna whollie with him and the residue deuided amongest them selues so also the publike affaires were troubled by the couetousnes of priuate persons some demaunding of the king pension and enterteinment present and some requiring their old payes and debts due in times past Yet they accorded to him at last those proporcions of footemen which he required for the recouerie of the Duchie of Millan which leauy making a number of more then tenne thousande bodies descended into Lombardy by the mounteines of S. Barnard S. Goddard and were conducted by the bastard of Sauoye great Maister of Fraunce by Galeas S. Seuerin maister of the horse About this time the king of England being estraunged from the amitie of the frenche had lent to Caesar a great quantitie of money the better to furnish him against so great an emocion And with that money thEmperour had sent Ierome Adorno to Trent to leauie sixe thousande launceknightes and to lead them to Millan together with the person of Frauncis Sforce his comming was then esteemed of great importance both to kepe conteined constant Millan the other places of that estate which greatly desired his presence and also by his authoritie fauors to make easie thexactions of money wherof there was extreame want At the same time they of Millan not knowing the prouisions that Caesar made had sent money to Trent to wage foure thowsande footemen and they being prepared by that time that Adorno came thither he left the other six thowsand to be made readie and with these foure thowsand drew towards Millan to descende to Coma by the vale of Voltolina And albeit the Grisons denyed to giue him passage yet his celeritie and vallour made his way passing with so great diligence vppon the territories of Bergama and from thence to Guiaradada that the Venetian gouernors who were within Bergama had no time to stoppe them And after he had led these first companies of launceknightes to Myllan he returned with the same diligence to Trent to guide thether Frauncis Sforce with the residue of that leauy In Myllan there was no care omitted to make all sortes of prouisions wherein this was chiefly obserued to forget no meanes that might augment the hatred of the people against the french to prepare them the better to defend them selues and to releue the common necessities with money To this action was much helping many counterset letters and false messages together with other cunning stratagemes proceeding from the diligence and art of Moron But the thing that most of all aduaunced so great an inclinacion was the preachings and sermons of Andrea Barbato a religious man of thorder of Saint Augustin who drawing to him a wonderfull concurse and affluence of people induced them with reasons and perswasions to take vpon them the defence of their liues and the redeming of their free contry from the yoke of straungers auncient enemies to that citie he willed them not to be lesse forward to execute then God was ready to raise them a meane to set them selues at libertie he told them the soueraigne care of mortall folkes was to care for their propper sauetie he reduced to their memories thexample of Parma a weake and small citie in comparison of Myllan and left not vnrecorded thactions of their Elders whose names had caried reputacion and glorye throughout all Italy he layed out by reasons and examples how farre mortall men were bownd to defende their contrey for the which if the Gentiles who exspected no other recompense then glorye offered their liues willingly to death then farre greater was the office and bond of Christians to whome dying in so iust and holy an enterprise was prepared for recompense not the glory of this world fraile and transitory but the fruicion of thimmortall kingdom infinite and euerlasting They had to consider what vniuersall ruine would be brought vppon that citie by the victorie of the french men whose yoke if it had seemed heauy and greeuous affore their burdens now could not be lesse then extreame intollerable And by how much their rigour raged vppon them without any cause affore by so muche had they to assure them selues of extreame oppression now vppon thoccasion of these offences That one execucion of the people of Myllan would not suffice to quench the thirst of their crueltie and hatred that all the goods of the citie could not satisfie their immoderat couetousnes yea nothing could content them but the vtter defacing of the name memorie of the inhabitants of Myllan and by a horrible example to surpasse the vnnaturall crueltie of Federyk Barberousse These speeches so redoubled the hatred of thin habitants and no lesse suppressed all feare of the victorie of the frenchmen that it seemed now more necessary to appease and reteyne them then to moue or prouoke them suchis the power of speeches aptly deliuered and duely respecting time place and all
man troubled not a litle the Pope who was so much the more aggreued against him by howe much his dissembled demonstracions had beguiled him And in that iust discontentment he was vehemently furthered by the incitacion of the Duke of Sesso and Cardinall Medicis by whose industries he was committed to the castell S. Ange and afterwards examined by Iudges delegate as guiltie in the crime of violacion of the Popes maiestie for that he had incensed the french king to inuade with hostilitie the Iland of Sicile A free hold of the sea Apostolike Wherein albeit they proceded with lenitie and fauor and after the actes of interogatories he had libertie of councell to pleade for him yet they proceeded not with the same moderacion against his goods since the same day he was apprehended the Pope sent to make seasure of all the moueables and riches that were in his house And as one conspiracie reuealeth an other so by thimprisonment of the sayd Imperialo there was discouered an other detection for the French king in Sicile for the which were executed by iustice the Count Camerato the maister of the ports and the Treasorer The veritie consideracion of these matters insinuated in the Pope a great displeasure against the French king in which ill disposed inclinacion he began to consult more and more with Cardinall Medicis And lastly the rumor of the discending of the french armies redoubling daily the Pope published manifestly his intencion to oppose against them for which cause he summoned the assembly of the Cardinalls to whom after his accustomed protestacions of the present feares and daungers of the great Turke he declared that as onely the French king was the cause why so great perills were not remoued from Christendom for that he refused with great obstinacy to consent to the peace that was negociated So seeing it apperteyned to him as the Viccaire of Iesus Christ and successor to Peter to be carefull ouer the preseruacion of Christian peace he was compelled by that zeale which he oweth to their vniuersall safetie to confederat him selfe with such Princes as did what they could to defend Italy from troubles for that of the quiet or trouble of that region depended the tranquillitie or vexacion of the whole Christian parte of the worlde According to this declaracion concurring with the industrie of the Viceroy of Naples beeing come to Rome for that purpose a league was concluded for the defence of Italie the thirde daye of August betweene the Pope themperour the king of Englande tharchduke of Austria the Duke of Millan the Genovvaies and the Cardinal Medicis and thestate of Florence ioyntly The publication bare also that it should continue all the time of the confederates lyues and a yere after the death of euery of them There was reseruacion of place and tyme for any other to come in so that the Pope themprour and the king of Englande thought good with this prouision that in matters of quarrell and controuersie they should vse iustice and not armes That they shoulde erect an armie to be opposed agaynst whom so euer would inuade any of the confederates to which armie the Pope shoulde sende two hundred men at armes themperour eight hundred the Florentins two hundred the Duke of Millan two hundred and two hundred light horsemen That the Pope the Emprour and the Duke of Millan should make all the prouisions of artilleries municions together with al exspences and charges apperteining That to leauy the bands of footmen necessary for tharmy to furnish al other exspences requisite for the warre the Pope should pay euery moneth xx thousand duckets the duke of Millan as much the Florētins the like summe That the Emperour should pay xxx thousand the Genovvaies Lucquois and Siennois together ten thousand and the Genovvaies notwithstanding to remaine bound to the army by sea and other defraimentes necessary for their defence To this contribucion they should be all bounde for three monethes and so muche tyme ouer the three monethes as should be set downe by the Pope themprour and the king of Englande That it should be in the power of the Pope and themprour to name the capteine generall of the whole warre who it was sayde should fall vppon the person of the Viceroy of Naples for whom the Cardinall Medicis whose authoritie was great with thimperialls labored what he coulde chiefly for the hatred he bare to Prosper Colonno The Marquis of Mantua was ioyned to this confederacion by an indirect meane for that the Pope and the Florentins interteyned him for their Capteine generall at their common pay But neither the league made by the Venetians with themperour nor the vnion of so many great Princes contracted with so ample contribucions and great prouisions could alter the resolucion of the French king who being come to Lyons prepared to passe in person with a strong army into Italie where the brute of his comming was no sooner spred then newe tumultes began to appeare for Lionell the brother of Albert Pio recouered by surprise the towne of Carpy being negligently garded by Iohn Coscia whom Prosper had created gouernor there which he might do of good authoritie for that thempror had giuen that towne to him after he had deposed Albert for his offence of rebellion to thempire But in the duchie of Millan there was like to haue chaunced a greater accident both more terrible for the property for the person of greater preiudice This is the discourse of it Frauncis Sforce riding frō Monce to Millan vpon a litle Mulet causing the horsemen that were for his gard to ride farre frō him to auoyd the trouble of the dust that in sommer time the traine of horses makes to rise in great abundance through all the playnes of Lombardie Boniface Visconto a yong gentleman better knowne by the noblenes of his house then for his wealth estates or other condicions offred him selfe onely to accompany the Duke being well mounted vpon a Turkishe horse and as they came riding together vpon a particion of a way Boniface being somewhat slipt behind obseruing the oportunitie of the place and the distance of the Dukes trayne spurred his horse and ranne in a mayne race with his dagger drawne to strike the Duke on the head But what with the feare of the Mulet shrinking with the noyse of his horse and the fiercenesse of his horse whom he could not stoppe together with the difference of the height of his horse from the Dukes mulet the blowe that he made at the Dukes head swarued and fell vppon his shoulders and afterwardes drawing his sworde to accomplishe the execution the same impedimentes made it vayne or at least the hurt was light beeing but a blowe slentwise By this tyme manye of the horsemen making in to the Dukes reskewe he fell to flying hoping to shake off by hys fortune the daunger that by his vallour he was falne into Many of the horsemen of the Dukes garde had him
science and insight in all the affayres of the worlde yet when it came to poyntes of resolution and execution that propertie of gifte was not correspondent to him selfe for that it was not onely hindred by a certayne tymerousnes of spirite which was not little in him together with a desyre of nygardnesse and sparing an humor hurtfull in a minde raysed to high things but also he was followed with a certayne irresolution perplexitie which was so naturall in him that for the most parte it kept him conteined in suspence and doubt euen when he was at poynte to establish things which he had aforetime with great foresight considered measured and almost resolued by which it happned that aswell in his deliberations as in thexecucion of his councells euery trisling regard rising of new in his conceite and euerie light impediment that appeared seemed sufficient to lead him into the same confusion wherein he was affore he deliberated being alwayes perswaded that after he had consulted that councell was the best which he had reiected for in that case calling only into reckoning representacion those reasons which he had not estemed before he forbare to reduce into discourse the argumentes which had moued him to make suche election which being conformed and compared with the contraries would haue made weaker the force and strength of the others neither did he take experience by the memorie of his naturall timerousnes to beware to slide into the passion and humor of vaine feare In which disposicion intangled and maner of dealing confused he suffered him selfe oftentimes to be transported and gouerned by his officers in which case he seemed rather caried the 〈…〉 counselled by them Of whom these bore most authoritie with him Nicolas Scombergh a Germain and Mathievv Gibert a Genovvay the one almoste reuerenced and seared of the Pope and the other loued and fauored with a singular affection Scombergh was a disciple of Ierome Sauonarola and of the order of freare preachers whilest he studied the lawes but afterwards leauing his religion and profession he reteyned onely the habit the name and followed the vocacion of secular affaires Gibert had bene bestowed verie young in the function of religion but afterwards he left that vocacion by the priuitie of his father and notwithstanding he was not borne in lawefull mariage yet he disclaimed both the habit and the name of his profession They two were of one society and agreement together whilest he was Cardinal and also in the beginning and entrie to his Popedom bearing such a hande on him as they gouerned his thoughtes and drewe his will to their wayes but as amongest mortall men there can be no perfect concord where is no conformitie of condicions so beginning afterwardes to disagree eyther through ambicion or by the diuersitie of their natures they brought ruine vpon him whom they had before supported and ledde his affaires into great cōfusion for freare Nicolas either for that he was a Germain of nation which catied him to fauor immoderatly thaffaires of his contrie or for some other regard mouing bore great affection to the name of thEmperour by which occasion concurring also his obstinacie in his opinions which oftentimes were different from others the Pope stoode many wayes suspicious that he preferred more the profit of an other then was studious ouer the aduauncementes of his affaires And touching the other both by nature and all other respects of office he was verie deuoute to the person of the Pope whom he acknowledged alone for his Lord and maister and simply caried very careful studious impressions ouer his affaires And albeit in the time of Leo he had bene a great ennemie to the Frenche and fauored highly the affaires of thEmperour yet after the death of that Pope he was conuerted into an other humor and habit Thus these two principal ministers of the Pope being in manifest discord bewene them felues neither proceeded in his affaires with soundnes of councell nor for the honor of his person with reuerence and regards agreable by which diuision euery one knowing howe irresolute and weake the Pope was of his owne condicion he was made contemnible skorned to the world by those men who ought with better modestie to haue couered his imperfections Insomuche as being priuie to his owne weakenes and by the property of his nature alwayes irresolute he knewe not what course to take in a deliberacion so slipperie and full of difficulties seeing that those to whom it apperteined to stay and resolue him were the men that caried him into greatest confusion so daungerous is it for Princes to haue faction and diuision in their councells which of all others haue the greatest facilitie to leade their persons and estates into perill of ruine and subuersion Neuerthelesse at the last more by necessitie to deliberate something then by resolution or firme iudgement and standing chiefly in these tearmes that to deliberate nothing was in a kinde to deliberate he inclined to go through with the league and in companie of the residue to beginne the warre agaynst themprour Wherein they fell to accorde and drew the capitulations into particulars wanting no other thing then to giue his full perfection at such time as he receyued newes that the Commandador Erraro whom themprour sent to him was ariued at Rome He was thought to be sent in diligence with some good and gracious dispatche In which respect the Pope determined to attende his comming which droue thembassadors to complayne whom he had assured to passe the same day the confederation The cause of his comming was that themprour after he had sent such a commission to the Marquis of Pisquaro to reteine at the least in his power to impatronize himselfe vpon the state of Millan and fearing least by that occasion there were not incensed some newe stirres in Italy dyd begin to debate more straytly and sincerely of thaccorde with the Legat Salutatio so that there passed betwene them one capitulation reseruing neuerthelesse the condition of the ratification by the Pope wherein bothe he was satisfied touching the restitution of Reggia and Rubiera and also the defence and conferuation of the Duke of Millan was comprehended in it Matters which the Pope did principally desire Moreouer it was expresly set downe that if the Duke should dye themprour neyther should reteine that dukedome nor giue it to tharchduke his brother but should inucst it in the Duke of Burbon which the Pope very vndiscretly by the setting on of tharchbishop of Capua had accorded vnto together with George of Aus̄tria brother to themperour Maximilian at suche tyme as the lyfe of Frauncis Sforce was almoste holden desperate Assone as the capitulation was made the Legate not tarying for Pope Clement to giue it perfection eyther could not or would not refuse to present themprour with the writte of dispensation for his mariage so muche desired Which for that it was made before onely with mention of stoppe and impediment to the
and bringing away a true discouerie and informacion howe easie it were to take the place bothe for the litle forces they had and for the lesse order they kept he perswaded the residue to assault it presently But the Lieuetenant cutting of that deuise stept in and with very short speeches tolde him what greese the Pope woulde conceyue by those disorders together with the domage that consequently woulde followe vppon all the affayres of the Confederates In which regardes as it were better to labour rather to appease and settle then to kindle and incense the heartes of men So also it was a matter not a little preiudiciall to make knowen to the Duke of Vrbin and others so great a facilitie to carye it In so muche as raunging him to his opinion he procured him so to temper with the residue and to reconcile the mutinie without the helpe of armes that they all approued his deuise and made choyse of them two to goe vp to the Pallace to deale with the Conspirators and assure them in generall and particular that what so euer they had committed agaynst the lawes of the state that daye shoulde not in any sorte be imputed agaynst them And beeing gone vp to the Pallace vnder safeconduit of those that were within they induced them at laste after many difficulties to condiscende to abandon the Pallace which they coulde no longer keepe Thus was the tumulte appeased more by industrie then by armes And the Citie that earst was full of insolencie and furie was thus by counsell deliuered from daunger and all thinges returned to the same estate wherein they were before the mutinie But oftentimes as ingratitude and reproche are farre more ready then the remuneration and prayse of good workes So albeit for the present the operation and witte of the lieftenant Guicciardin was highly esteemed and commended yet not long after the Cardinall of Cortono burst out into murmure and complayntes agaynst him that holding more deare the safety of the Citizens and particularly Levvis Guicciardin his brother being at that time chiefe Magistrate then carefull ouer the greatnes of the house of Medicis his artificial dealing had bin the cause why thestate had not bin that day established for euer in the house of Medicis with the armes blood of the Citisens And on the other side the commons and populars followed him with accusations and complayntes for that bringing backe from the Pallace reaportes that the daungers were farre greater then they were he had betrayed the vallour of the Nobility by inducing them for the benefite of the famulie of the Medicis to render without any necessitie So hard it is to do the thing that beareth a cleare sight in the eyes of all men for that no good action what dignitie so euer it hath if it bring not with it the fauour of the time wherin it is done and the opinion iudgement of those into whose hearts it seeketh to insinuate and winne place it is but a candle that burneth dimme and whose shadowe seemeth more then the lighte Albeit you see the tumulte of Florence appeased the same daye without murder and blood yet from that originall ground did ensue successiuely many great disorders yea it may be inferred that had it not bin for that accident the ruine that happned immediatly after had bin accompanied with his euasion for bothe the Duke of Vrbin and Marquis of Salusse abyding still at Florence for the occasion of the mutinie went not on according to the first resolution to view the lodging of Ancisa And also the day after the appeasement Lovvis Pisan and Marke Foscaro Embassadour for the Venetians with the Florentins taking occasion vppon the inconstancie of the Citie protested that they would not suffer the armie to passe Florence vnlesse there were made a conclusion of the confederation which had bin negociated In which they demaunded contribution for ten thousande footemen seeking through the oportunity of the time to serue their turnes of the necessities of the Florentins But in the end the cōclusion was accomplished the xxviij day referring the matter of the cōtribution to the sentence of the Pope who was beleued to be alredy reunited with the confederates Besides the time being accomplished for the payes of the Svvizzers Loys Pisan hauing no mony to furnish them for the yll ordenāce and addresse which the Venetians had giuen there past certen dayes before he could make prouision of money In so muche as through these variations and other impedimentes subsisting the good counsell to drawe with the armies to Aneisa was made vayne But in this estate and condition of affayres the Pope looking with better eye into the wyles wherewith the Duke of Burbon had abused the Viceroy and also seeing him to aduaunce forwarde into the heart of Tuskane turned by necessitie all his cogitations to the warre And in that humor discerning on all sides nothing but visions of daunger and feare after the xxv daye he made a newe confederation with the Frenche king and the Venetians by the whiche as they were bounde to minister to him a greate summe of money so he would not restrayne him selfe nor the Florentines to anye further obligation then their faculties were hable to beare alleaging that vppon them both had bene layde already heauy burdens of exspences and trauelles But albeit these conditions very grieuous of themselues were approued by thEmbassadours of the confederates to seperate entirely the Pope from the accordes made with the Viceroy yet they had not their perfection and confirmation by their maisters and heades principall in whom eyther their authoritie or their will did muche to dissolue the conditions of the action for the Venetians charged Dominike Venerio with a great errour for that without commission of the Senate he had concluded a confederation of great exspences and little frute since they gathered by the Popes inconstancie that in all occasions he would eftsoones turne to his firste desire to accorde with the Viceroy And touching the French king both drayned of money and driuen more to weary themprour with the longnes of the warre then with the victorie he iudged it would suffice nowe to enterteyne the warre with a small exspence And which more is albeit in the beginning whē he vnderstood the Pope had made truce with the Viceroy both the matter and manner of the truce were grieuous to him yet looking better afterwardes into thestate of affayres he wished that the Pope would dispose the Venetians without whom he could make no conuention to embrace the truce But at this tyme the Pope was not a little discontented to see the body of the warre transferred into Tuskane and yet lesse grieued then if it had imbraced the towne of Rome and in that regarde he leauyed bands of souldiours made prouisions for money but not with that property of diligence which the estate of his daungers required He had also a purpose to sende Ranso de Cere agaynst them of
Rome The Pope vnderstanding of the approching of these succours by the relation of Guicciardin writing to him from Viterbo tooke occasion that hauing almoste concluded thaccorde with thimperialls he refused to subsigne the articles Not so much for the hope hereceyued by the letters which albeit they were aduisedly written made some discouery to him of things which by discoursing of matters past he was to looke and hope for of the time to come as to auoyde thimputation and note of ignominie to saye vpon his fearfulnes and rashnes the sault that he had not bene reskewed There was in the French an vniuersall readynes to succout the Castell in whom the Venetians with letters and relations of great affection augmented the same disposition the prince soliciting the matter with great vehemency in the counsell of the Pregati So that all excuses beeing taken away from the Duke he consented that the day following a mooster should be made of all the armies and men of warre hoping perhaps that finding suche diminution of numbers amongst the regimentes and particular bandes that he might make it a iuste cause to refuse the feight A deuise which he could not reasonably vse to serue his turne since vpon presenting the armies to the moosters there were founde fifteene thousande footemen strong with an vniuersall resolution to feight and do the office of souldiours Immediatly after the mooster and suruey of the armies a generall counsell was taken for the maner of their proceeding further whiche drewe to this determination to leade the armie to incampe at the crosse of Montmary according to the great instance and solicitation of those of the Castell They alleaged that in respect of the strength of the place and the small distance thereof from Rome conteyning but three myles together that there was no feare of thimperialls to issue out of Rome to incampe They might not onely remayne there in safety but also retyre without daunger And lastely that by the oportunitie of that place they might better take a view and better execute the occasion to succour the Castell But this resolution nothing pleasing the Duke of Vrbin he embraced an other deuise propounded by Guido Rangon who offred to approche the Castell the same night with all the horsemen and footemen of the Churche and in that action to aduenture to reskew the Pope out of the Castell So farre foorth as the Duke of Vrbin with the residue of the mayne armie would marche vp to the three Cauannes to backe him But that deuise was not executed that night because the Duke went vp to suruey the lodging of Montmary being earnestly pressed by the importunities of the Pope And albeit he offred to make his approches that night yet eyther for his wante of vallour or his too much iealousie of his own safety he passed not the three Cauannes In so much as many howres being vaynly spent in that temporising they were driuē to deferre th execution of thenterprise till the night following But the same daye they were aduertised by their espials whether true or suborned that as the trēches which the Imperialls had made in the medowes were more strong and braue then they were in deede So also that they had broken vp in many places which also was false the gallery wall that leadeth from the Vatican to the Castell Saint Angeo to thend to minister succours of many sides in case any inuasion were offred Vppon which reaport the Duke tooke occasion to alleage many difficulties which were all consented vnto by Guido and approued almost by all the other capteines Wherevpon ensued the conclusion that it was a matter impossible to giue succours to the Castell for the present wherein some other of the Capteines that rose vp to dispute defend the contrarie opinion were bitterly reprehended of the Duke who wanted patience to be drawne to that by reasons and argumentes wherunto he had no inclination of will and vallour In this sorte the person and presence of the Pope remayned in pray not one launce beeing broken to reskewe and recouer out of prison him who to succour others had leauyed so many bandes of souldiours exspended suche huge masses of money and treasure and stirred vp to warre almoste all the Nations of the worlde Neuerthelesse they disputed if the helpes that were not to be giuen presently might be ministred at an other tyme with more forces A deuise which beeing proponed by the Duke was also aunswered by him selfe that vndoubtedly the Castell might be succoured when so euer the armie were possessed of a strength of sixteene thousande Svvizzers leauyed by ordenance of the Cantons not comprehending in the reckoning suche as were there already as beeing become vnprofitable for the seruice by their long abyding in Italy And besides this cooplement of Svvizzers he required a newe proportion often thousande harquebuziers Italians three thousande pyoners and fortie peeces of artilleries With which resolution he required the Lieftenaunt to comfort the Pope whom they knewe to be furnished with vittells for a weeke that amid his aduersities he woulde temporise and deferre to make anye accorde till his forces might be assembled together The Lieftenaunt aunswered that as he lyked of his deuise so farreforth as in the meane whyle the estate of affayres did not chaunge So beeing very likely that those within Rome would make the reskew more harde with newe trenches and fortifications and also that from Naples woulde come to Rome the bandes which the Viceroy had ledde thither by sea he desyred to knowe what propertie of hope he could giue to the Pope in case matters drew that successe according to the sensible apparances and coniectures that were discerned But the Duke replied that in suche case should be omitted no indeuour or action tending to so good an office adding withall that if the bandes that were at Naples were ioyned with those of Rome their strength woulde be in all more then twelue thousande Launceknightes and eight or ten thousande Spanish footemen and that if the Castell were loste there could be made no rekoning to remayne maisters of the warre if there were not at least xxij or xxiiij thousande Svvizzers strong Whiche demaundes being contemned of all the Capteins as vnreasonable and impossible the army beeing diminished in footemen retyred the first day of Iune to Monterga notwithstanding the great instance which the Pope made not to depart so soone to thend to make his aduauntage of tharmy in the practise negociation of thaccord The same night Peter Mariarossa Alexander Vitelly with two hundred light horsmen passed vp to Rome towards thenemies But nowe the Pope hauing small expectation of succours and no lesse feare and ielousie of his life by the rage of the Colonnois and furie of the Launceknightes sente for the Viceroy who was at Sienna to come to Rome And as the Pope hoped that by the interposing of the Viceroy his composition would be both more easie and reasonable so the Viceroy went with
him to Montfalcon where dismissing almoste all his bandes of footemen he was ledde by the same Levvis euen to Orbietto into whiche Citie he entred by nighte without the company of any one Cardinall An example worthy of consideration and perhaps neuer happned since the Churche was great that a Pope shoulde in that sorte fall from so great a puissance and reuerence his eyes to beholde the losse and sacke of Rome his person to bee turned ouer into captiuitie and his whole estate reduced to the disposing of an other and within fewe monethes after to be restored and reestablished in hys former greatnes So greate towardes princes Christian is thauthoritie of the Pope and the respect which mortall men do beare to him About this time which was immediatly after Monsr Lavvtrech was departed from Plaisanca Antho. de Leua sent out of Millan the bandes of Spanishe and Italian footemen both to feede and refresh themselues and also to recouer suche places of the contrey as were most weake to thend to open a way and commodity to bring a traffike of vitttelles to Myllan These bandes exchaunging the captiuitie of the towne wherein they were kept strayte for the libertie of the countrey which gaue them skope tooke that part of the countrey which is called Spetio He sent out also at the same time and to the same ends Phillip Toruiello with eleuen hundred footmen and certayne light horsemen to Nouaro in which citle was a garrison of foure hundren footemen of the duke of Millan Toruiello made his entrye by the Rocke which had bene alwayes holden in the name of the Emprour and finding a very slender defence he made himselfe maister of the towne where making pillage of some of the footemen and sending the residue to their houses he kept within Nouaro holding it for a retrayte to ouerrunne all the countrey thereabout But there were part of the Launceknightes got into Arond and an other part bestowed within Moraro To whom for that the Duke had sent a strength of other footmen for the defence of Lomelina and the countrey they became impedimentes to Toruiello that he had no libertie to make his incursions farre off In so much as that wynter running foorth in no other exploytes then in many skirmishes both partes made pillage aswell vpon their friendes as their enemies in that libertie of warre ranne ouer the whole countrey with an vniuersall ruine of all sortes of people In like sort at that time were ioyned and assembled at Liuorno the gallies of Andrea Dore and fourteene French gallies with sixteene gallies of the Venetians who after they had receyued in Ranso de Cere with three thousande footemen to put on lande they waighed anker the xiij of Nouember to departe out of the port of Liuorno And albeit it was determined before that they should make an inuasion vpon the I le of Sicile yet that resolution beeing innouated they were conuerted to the enterprise of Sardignia at the perswasion as was supposed of Andrea Dore who happly had in his minde other conceptions Monsr Lavvtreth consented easily to embrace this enterprise hoping that Sardignia beeing taken the conquest of Sicilie woulde be of lesse difficultie But what so euer the cause was the issue and effect was straunge and diuerse for that falling into the rage of a verye violent storme they were seperated and turned to their seuerall hazardes of the sea One of the Frenche gallies perished neare the shoares of Sardignia and foure of the Venetians beeing sore beaten with the fury of tempests returned to Liuorno the other gallies of the french were driuen into Corsa by the rage of the windes agaynst which the skill of the Pylotes had no force and afterwardes they reassembled with the foure Venetian gallies within Portovecchio the other eight of the Venetians were caried by violence of sea and storme into Liuorno So that after many perills by storme and weather that enterprise stoode dissolued Andrea Dore and Ranso de Cere remayning in great discorde together But Monsr Lavvtrech beeing within Reggia assone as he was aduertised of the Popes deliuerie he left the castell of Parma to the officers of the Church and went vp to Bolognia In which Citie he made his abode exspecting the comming of the last bandes of the Launceknightes who within fewe dayes afterwardes aryued vppon the countreys of Bolognia not in number of sixe thousande as was appoynted but only three thousand which was farre lesse then was looked for And neuertheles after they were aryued Lavvtrech soiourned twentie dayes within Bolognia attending the kings aduertisemēt for the last resolution touching the negociation of the peace He vsed in the meane whyle a great diligence wherin was also interposed the authoritie of the king of England to draw the Pope to make an open protestation to cleaue to the confederates But immediatly after he was aryued at Orbietta like as there went to congratulate with him the duke of Vrbin the Marquis of Salusso Federike Bossolo who dyed a litle after ar Lody and Levvis Pisano cōmissarie for the Venetians So he besought them with great instance to retire their cōpanies bands of men of warre from thestate ecclesiastik assuring them that the imperials had promised him to withdrawe their forces if they might discerne the armies of the confederats to do the like And in that cōpassion he wrote also a letter to Monsr Lavvtrech tending to thanke him both for that he had done to purchase his deliuerance and also for the counsell he gaue him to procure his libertie in any sorte what so euer He debated with him that his actions and industrie had bin of so great consequence to constrayne thimperialls to resolue vpon his deliuerie that he did no lesse acknowledge himselfe bound to the king and to him then if his person had bin taken out of that calamitie with the force of their armes The ayde and proceedings of which he would willingly haue taryed for had not his necessitie compelled him to abandon all temporising the rather for that the conditions that were proponed were alwayes chaunged from yll to worse the same testifying vnto him in cleare apparance that his fortune had lefte vnto him no other meane of deliuerye then by the benefite and operation of accorde which by how muche more it was deferred and put of by so muche more the authoritie and estate of the Church was to fall into manyfest reuersement But the chiefest matter that induced him to determine his aduersitie by accorde was a hope he had conceyued that beeing at libertie he should be made an apt instrument to solicite a common tranquillitie both with his king and the other princes of Christendome Such were at first his phrases and manner of speeches protested in simplicitie and roundnes as became the office of a Bishop but especially a Pope who had receyued at the hands of God so seueare and sharpe admonitions Neuertheles it was not long ere he returned to his
office of seruice by the mutinie of the paysants which still redoubled into worse degrees they abandoned the defense of the place Insomuch as the whole campe entring where no resistance was made they turned their felicitie into blood slaying in their furie all the paysants men of the towne Onely the souldiers retyred into the castell together with the Prince who not long after yeelded simply as was sayde to discression notwithstanding they pretended that their liues were excepted The Prince was saued with a very fewe of his followers all the others were put to the sword conteyning three thowsand bodies the towne deliuered vp to sacking In the towne was foūd great store of vittells to the great commoditie and comforting of the French men who for their hard prouision suffred no small wants in Povvylla The xxiiij day the Spanyards departed from Ariano and incamped at Tripaldo which is xxv myles from Naples vppon the high waye and xl myles from Ofanto with whome ioyned the Viceroy the Prince of Salerno and Fabricio Maramo with a regiment of three thowsand footemen and twelue peeces of artilleries it was thought also that Captaine Alarson yssued out of Naples with two thowsand footemen to succour Dogania But Lavvtrech stayed vpon the territories of Ofanto to make great prouisions of money had all his cōpanies incamped betwene Ascalo Melffe And since the accident of Melffe were rendred to him Barletto Trany and all the townes thereabouts except Manfredonia wherein was a strength of a thowsand footemen In this successe and rendring of townes he sent out Peter Nauare with foure thowsand footemen to take the rock of Venosa which being garded valliantly defended by ij hundred fifty spanish footemen he tooke it at last to discression reteyning the Capteines prisoners he sent away the others without weapōs And there he had giuen order that the reuenue of the tribute of Povvilla should be receyued for him which for the troubles impediments which the warre brought aūswered not the value price that were wont to rise by it In this place the commissarie Pisano with the Venetian regimentes conteining about two thousande footemen came to Monsr Lavvtrech who in this sorte was busied to assure him selfe of vittells and prouisions A matter which was made more easie to him after he had got into his power Ascoly by the meane of the Venetian regimentes And at this tyme rising into courage by the happy euent of his affayres he vrged the Pope with hawty wordes to declare him selfe for the league Who notwithstanding they of Viterbo would not before receyue him for their gouernour of which Octauian Spirito was the cause yet beeing afterwardes raunged and made plyable through feare he had transported his Court to Viterba And Vespasian Colonno being dead at the same time who ordeyned by his testament that Isabell his onely daughter shoulde be maryed to Hipolito de Medicis the Pope vnder that cooller gatte possession of all those places which he helde in the territories of Rome notwithstanding Askanio pretended that they apperteyned to him by the ceassing of the line masculine of Prospero Colonno About this time Monopoly was rendred to the Venetians for whome and to whose vse according to the laste couenauntes made with the French king were gotten all those portes of the realme of Naples which they possessed before they were ouerthrowen by king Lovvis the xij in Guiaradada By reason of these prosperities of the French the Duke of Ferrara was induced to sende his sonne into Fraunce to accomplish and giue perfection to the mariage A matter which he had deferred before by great industrie refusing with the same pollicie to be Capteine of the League But themprour who sent no men out of Spayne to releeue the daungers of the kingdome of Naples had giuen ordenance that the Duke of Brunsvvich should passe out of Germanie into Italy with new supplies of Launceknights for the succour of that kingdome These supplies were prepared with so muche the more care and diligence by how muche they vnderstoode the necessitie to reskew it was great for the comming on of Monsr Lavvtrech But to th ende the aduauncing of those supplyes should not trouble the hope of the victorie it was agreed by the consent of the king of Englande the French king and the Venetians that the Lorde Frauncis of Saint Poll discended of the house of Burbon should passe into Italy with foure hundred launces fiue hundred light horsmen fiue thousande footemen Frenche two thousande Svvizzers and two thousande Launceknightes This armie was appoynted to followe them if they passed to Naples and otherwise to make warre vppon the Duchie of Millan adioyning to them the regimentes of the Venetians and the bandes of Frauncis Sforce For the defrayment of this armie was set downe a paye of threescore thousande duckets monthly of which the king of Englande was to contribute euery moneth thirtie thousand And the Venetians had resolued in the counsell of Pregati to wage ten thousande footemen In this time the inhabitants of Millan were reduced to an extreme and miserable subiection for the intollerable exactions imposed by Antho. de Leua who the better to prouide for the payes of his souldiours had drawne into his owne handes all the vittells of the Citye and hauing bestowed them in publike storehouses and Garniers he solde them in his owne name at what rate or prise he would the inhabitantes beeing driuen to buy them according to his lawe or else to dye for hunger And yet the money raysed vppon that extreme meane beeing not sufficient to pay the Launceknightes that were lodged in houses they were suffred to make dayly raunsomes of the maisters and owners of whome suche as woulde yeelde no money were kept in chaynes and yrons And because to auoyde so great cruelties and intollerable impostes many dyd flee continually out of the Citie notwithstanding the rigour of the commaundementes and diligence of the warders there was confiscation of goodes published agaynst suche as were absent who were so many in number that to auoyde the trouble to sette them downe in writing they caused them to be putte in print The Nobles and best sorte of Citizens suche as remayned there were seene in their garmentes poore and ragged and in their countenances astonished and desolate expressing by a lamentable compassion the calamities they endured And their pallaces and places of best frequentation were reduced to ruines and rubbege suche as were heauye testimonies of the crueltie of the Spaniardes And yet all thinges succeeded happely to hym that was the causer of all these miseries For where Capteine Mus laye incamped at Lecqua with sixe hundred footemen as a souldiour of the League and hauing taken awaye the barkes to th ende the Spaniardes that were within Coma could not reskew it by the waye of the lake Antho. de Leua with the bandes of footemen that were within Nouaro issued out of Millan and incamped fifteene
counsels publike And the other not to stirre or make angrie the minde of the Pope in matters which were not of importance touching the libertie Of whiche things both the one and other had bene founde profitable to the common wealth for like as many euen of those who were persecuted as enemies to the gouernment being assured and embrased had bene firmely conioyned with the others to preserue the state knowing withall that the Pope for matters happening in the times when the gouernment chaunged was ill contented with them So touching the Pope albeit he desired vehemently the returning and restauration of his friends yet hauing no newe prouocation or matter of wrong he had so much the lesse occasion to burst out to complaine as he did cōtinually with other Princes But against these matters was opposed the ambition of certaine particulers of them who knowing wel ynough that if such shoulde be admitted to the gouernment as had bene friends to the Medicis being in deede men of most experience and vallour that their estate and authoritie should be made lesse labored by all the studies and deuises they coulde to keepe the common people full of suspicion both of the Pope and of them not sparing to slaunder the Gonfalonier aswel for those causes as also to th ende to depriue him of his magistracie for the thirde yeare to charge him that he bare not a minde so farre estraunged from the familie of Medicis as the interest and profite of the common weale required Which imputacions and chalenges not mouing him at all and holding it very necessarie not to haue the Pope incensed he tooke the more libertie to enterteyne him priuatly with letters and embassages yet such as he had not begunne nor prosecuted without the continual priuitie and knowledge of some such as were principals chiefe magistrates neyther did he manage them to other ende then to reteyne or retyre the Pope frō some act of precipitation But where as a letter that was sent to him from Rome fel by misfortune into interception bearing certaine wordes to breede suspicion in such as knew not the ground and foundation of those thinges and the same letter being passed ouer into the hands of some of those that sate and managed the supreme function There were certaine youngmen prepared to sedition who rising into armes inuaded by force the publike pallace and in their insolencie restrained the Gonfalonier almost vnder garde and going on to confirme this beginning with actes of manifest rebellion they summoned together in maner of a tumult almost all the magistrates and many citisens where they debated to depriue him of his magistracie Whiche being approued in the great counsel his cause was afterwards referred to the examination of the law wherein being absolued by iudgement and sentence he was ledde with great honour to his houses accompanied with the greatest presence of the Nobilitie In his place was preferred Frauncis Carduccio a personage vnworthie of so great a dignitie regarding his lyfe passed his customes and his wicked endes and intentions Nowe beganne new stirres to appeare in Lombardie Monsr Saint Pol hauing past the riuer of Pavv at Valencia the xxvij of Aprill by reason of which proceeding the Imperialls abandoned the Borowe of Basignagua and the parishe of Caira From thence Saint Pol sent Guido Rangon with one parte of the armie to Montaro a place strong for the double ditches flankes and waters And as they had planted by night their artilleries without prouisions of baskets without trenches and other like preparations they were by day charged by those that were within suche as did them greate harmes and cloyed two peeces of their artilleries and put the residue in daunger to be lost At that time albeit there was within Millan a slender prouision of thinges necessarie yet the preparacions of the French and Venetians were in no better condicion who complayning one of an other were both negligent to furnishe thinges needefull In so muche as amongst other difficulties the confederates fell into some dout that the Duke of Millan for the litle hope he sawe remayning to reconquer that state eyther by his owne forces or with their succours woulde make some accorde with the imperials by the meane and working of Moron But the thoughtes and deuises of the Frenche King tended altogether to peace for a distrust he hadde not to bee able otherwaies to recouer his children Whereunto also the Emperour bearing a manifest inclination two gentlemen whom the Lady Margarit had sent to him for that effect were returned from Spaine bringing to her ample commission to goe through with the peace Of whiche when the French King was aduertised by a secretarie of his whom for that matter he had dispatched into Flaunders he required the confederates for their partes to addresse commissioners also And hauing determined in him selfe to leaue there all the prouisions of the warre yet seeking to worke vnder some iust colour he complained that the Venetians had refused to contribute to the money for his passage Who albeit in the beginning so farre foorth as the Emperour passed they had earnestlye solicited him to passe which also the King had offred to perfourme with two thousande foure hundred Launces a thousand light horsemen xx thousand footmen in case the confederates would giue him mony to paie aboue this a thousand light horsemen and xx thousande footmen contribute to the moytie of the exspenses of thartilleries yet what soeuer was thoccasion they chaunged councell and retyred from those offers At this time Monsr Saint Pol with foure cannons tooke Saint Angeo by force wherein was a garrison of foure hundred footemen and in the same expedicion he conuerted his strength to Columbano to open to his campe a passage of vittells from Plaisanca and made him selfe maister of the place by composicion Afterwards being informed that there lay a force of foure thowsand footemen within Myllan but much weakned with maladies he thought to assalt it The second of Maye Moraro rendred to Monsr Saint Pol at discression though after it had suffred so great an execucion of thartilleries that there was no more possibilitie to make defense Torniello left also the towne of Nouaro but not the castel wherin he put a very slēder strength of footemen retyred his person to Myllan So that the Imperials helde no other peece beyond the ryuer of Thesin then Gaya and the rocke of Biagrassa Monsr Saint Pol hauing also gotten the rock of Vigeuena The tenth day he marched to the bridg of Locqua to ioyne with the Venetians at the borow of Saint Martyn Here the Duke of Vrbyn came to the armie And from thence being gone vp to Belioyenso to haue conference together the resolucion was in the common councell to incampe before Myllan with two armies on two sides for which expedicion Monsr Saint Pol passing ouer Thesin should turne to Biagrassa to force it the same day the Venetians to go to the