neither was there any mutation at Genes as he did assuredly promise himselfe neither did the Venetians after they had in vayne assayed to take Verona hope for any aduauncement on that side neither did the Svvizzers accomplish any thing their action being rather in demonstration and showes then in matter and effect And touching Ferrara what by the ready succours whiche the French had sent â–ª and the oportunitie of the winter already come on there was no apparance of any daunger onely he had taken Modena which was no reeompence worthy of so great a mouing But suche is the nature of hope rather to prolong then to satisfie and guyding a minde vayne and glorious it norisheth him in infinite exspectations And touching this Pope disappoynted of so many hopes we may lay him in comparison with that which is written by the Poets of Anteus that beeing tamed by the forces of Hercules as often as he was throwen to the grounde so often did appeare in him a greater strength and courage Suche weening had the Pope amidde his aduersities for when he seemed most abased and oppressed it was then that he did most lift vp him selfe with a spirite more constant and resolute promising better of his fortune then euer And yet he had almost no other foundations then of him selfe and he would openly say that albeit he was made naked of valiant and loyall armes hauing no other assured friendes then the Venetians yet for that his enterprises moued not of any particular interest but of an onely franke desire to set Italie at libertie he doubted not with the ayde of God to manage them to an issue honorable happie and commendable He could not hope muche of the Venetians for that they were already drayned of money and oppressed with many difficulties and afflictions And touching the king Catholike he seemed rather to counsel him secretly then to ayde him openly vsing his ordinarie sutteltie to keepe enterteined on thother side Maximilian with the French king And albeit he made him many promises yet he helde them suspensed with many conditions and impedimentes And for the trauell he had vsed to seperat Caesar from the French king and to make him agreed with the Venetians it seemed euery day no lesse doubtfull then vnprofitable for that Caesar at suche time as the Pope had sent out an armie agaynst the duke of Ferrara had sent an Herald to charge him not to molest him And Constantin de Macedonio being gone in the Popes name to solicite an accorde betwene him and the Venetians he did not onely refuse to heare him but also giuing to know that he would more firmely knitte with the Frenche king he determined to sende into Fraunce the Bishop of Gurce to negociate with him of all their affayres Also the electors of thempire notwithstanding they bare great inclination to the name of the Pope and to the deuotion of the sea Apostolike would not heare speake of the expences in so much as being addicted onely to th affayres of Germanie they were not to do him any great seruice in those actions And lastly it seemed he could not hope muche more of the king of Englande notwithstanding he was young and desirous of innouations had made profession to affect the greatnes of the Church and heard his Embassadors not without some inclination of minde for that beeing so farre remoued from Italie aswell by lande as sea he was not hable of him selfe to embase the French king hauing withall ratified the peace with him and by a solemne embassage sent to that ende receiued the full confirmation Sure there is no man buylding vpon so weake fundations and encountring so many great impedimentes and aduersities who would not haue abated and restrayned his courage seing withall he had meane to obteine peace with the French king with such conditions as a conquerour could not in reason desire greater For the king consented to abandon the protection of the Duke of Ferrara though not directly in regarde of his honor yet indirectly to satisfie the Pope referring it to the arbitration of the lawe but vnder thauthoritie of suche iudges as would haue pronounced according to the Popes will And albeit he was certayne that he might obteine this forme of peace to his quiet and honor yet he added that ouer and besides these he woulde haue the king to leaue Genes in full libertie proceeding in these actions with suche an implacable obstinacie â–ª that not one of his dearest familiars durst once aduise him to the contrarie yea thembassador of Florence offering to sound him according to the kings commaundement purchased by his labour more displeasure then profite His resolution that way coulde suffer no counsell to the contrarie for a messanger whom the duke of Sauoy had sent to him about other affayres offring that his prince if it so lyked him would enterpose in the working of the peace he cryed out that he was sent to espie and not to negociate committing the messanger to prison and to be examined with tormentes his singuler courage carying him euery day into higher weenings made him also confirmed in the difficulties that appeared that not respecting the impediments nor daungers and determining to laye aside all his other thoughtes sauing suche as tended to the taking of Ferrara he resolued to go in person to Bolognia both to hasten things by his presence to giue more authoritie to his affayres and to encrease the courage of his captaines whose vallour seemed farre inferiour to his furie he assured himselfe that to take Ferrara his owne forces suffised ioyned with the Venetians who laboured to feede him in that perswasion for feare least in the ende loasing all hope of good successe he came not to accorde with the French king On the other side the French king being nowe made certayne by so many experiences of the affection and intention of the Pope and seeing howe necessarie it was to prouide agaynst other dangers that might happen to his estates determined to defende the duke of Ferrara and keeping established the amitie he had with the king of Romains he resolued to persecute by his consent the Pope with armes spirituall and in the meane while to enterteine and support things vntill the spring when he would passe into Italie with a puissant armie both by sea and lande to make warre eyther vpon the Venetians or against the Pope as the estate of affayres should require He perswaded the king of Romains that he would enter into action agaynst the Venetians not onely as he was wont to do but also to ayde him knowing well his auncient desire to occupie Rome together with the whole estate of the Churche as apperteineth of right to thempire and likewise to dispose all Italie except thestates of Millan Genes Florence and Ferrara By these allurementes he ranged him easily to his opinion but specially that by their authoritie ioyning with them the consent of the nations of Fraunce and Almain they might
to receiue them orderly at the hands of the officers Afterwards they went to Galero expecting an other strength of xx thousand footmen which was said to be newly ariued and three thousande went with the Cardinall of Syon to be imployed for the gard of Pauia By which occasion the king whose hope of agreement did diminishe for these variations departed frō Vercelly to go towards Millan leauing within Vercelly with the duke of Sauoy his bastard brother Monsr Lavvtrech the generall of Myllan to continue negociations begon with the Svvizzers And because after the departing of the Svvizzers out of Nouaro he had got the town he left the castell besieged which feling th execution of thartilleries yelded within fewe dayes reseruing the liues goods of those that kept it Afterwards the king to whom Pauia yelded passed the riuer of Thesin the same day Ioh. Ia. Triuulco ranne vp with a parte of his companies to Saint Christophers neare to Millan Afterwards the confidence of his vallor caried him vp euen to the suburbs of the gate of Thesin hoping to be receiued by them of the towne who il contented with the pillages raunsoms of the Svvizzers desired to returne vnder the iurisdiction of the French he saw also a more facilitie in this enterprise for that the towne was naked of souldiors The people of Millan had a great feare of the Svvizzers and the memorie was yet grene of the afflictions they had suffred the yere before when they mutined in fauor of the king the Svvizzers being retired frō Nouaro the same restraining them now to better coūsel to temporise exspect the issue of things notwithstāding they wished the victorie to fall vpon the king Therfore they sent to Triuulco to desire him to passe no further the next day dispatched embassadors to the king being at Buffaloro to besech him that resting contented with the disposition of the people of Millan well inclined to his crowne ready to giue vittells to his army he would not demaunde of them a more manifest declaration A matter which would aduaunce nothing for the substance of the warre no more then it had serued or ayded the yere before his predecessor but brought vpon them great domages They wished him to march stand assured that the towne of Millan should be ready to open their gates to receiue him at such time as he should be maister of the field The king receiued them with good countenance and affability and albeit at the first he was displeased that they had not receiued Triuulco yet he answered now that he was contented to be conformable to their demaundes From Bufaloro the king marched with his army to Biagressa and whilest he remayned there the duke of Sauoy after he had giuen audience to xx Embassadors of the Svvizzers sent to him at Vercelly and going afterwards to Galero accompanied with the bastard other deputies for the king contracted a peace with the Svvizzers in the kings name vnder these conditions That there should be betwene the crowne of Fraunce nation of Svvizzers a perpetuall peace during the kings life and ten yeres after his death That the Svvizzers and the Grisons should make restitution of those vallies apperteyning to the duchie of Millan whiche they had occupied That they should acquite that estate of a bonde to paye yerely a pension of xl thousande duckets That the king should indue Maximilian Sforce with the duchie of Nemors with a yerely pension of xij thousande frankes a company of fiftie launces a wife of the blood royall That he should restore to the Svvizzers the yerely pension of xl thousande frankes and defraye the paye of three monethes to all the bandes of Svvizzers that were already in Lombardie or on the waye to come thither That he should pay to the Cantons at tearmes and times the sixe hundred thousande crownes promised in thaccorde of Dyon and three hundred thousande for the restitution of the vallies That he should enterteine continually in his pay foure thousande of them In this peace they named by common consent the Pope so farforth as he would render Parma Plaisanca Also they comprehended the Emperor the duke of Sauoy and the Marquis of Montferat without making any mention at all of the king Catholike the Venetians nor any other Italian But this peace was made and broken almost in one day by the comming of new bandes of Svvizzers in whom for the memorie of their victories past was a settled hope to carie from that warre no lesse quantities of spoyles and riches then the welth which they saw their other contreymen loaden withall And for that cause much lesse that they would heare speake of the peace but of the contrarie to dissolue and breake it they refused to restore the vallies In so muche as the first bandes beeing not able to retyre them from these furies fiue and thirtie thousande drewe to Monso to lye in the suburbes of Millan Alberto Petro a notable capteine being gone from them with many ensignes along the way of Coma which way the king altogether lefte free and open Thus the peace being no sooner made then broken things returned to the same difficulties they suffred before yea they brought with them farre greater doubtes for the newe armies and forces that were approched neare the duchie of Millan for the Viceroy leauing for the garde of Verona Mark. Anth. Colonno with an hundred men at armes and six hundred light horsmen and within Bressia xij hūdred launceknightes was come at last to lodge vpon Pavv neare to Plaisanca hauing in his army seuen hundred men at armes six hundred light horsmen and six thousande footmen with a bridge ready prepared to passe the riuer And to leaue him no occasion to complaine Laurence de Medicis hauing with great watch and gard remayned many dayes at Parma with th armie was come from thence to Plaisanca Th armie conteined at that time seuen hundred men at armes eight hundred light horsemen and foure thousande footemen he had sent affore a trowpe of foure hundred light horsemen to the Svvizzers during the negociation of thaccord A band which he appoynted at their request to serue them to fetch in vittels and were guided by Mucio Colonno Lodovvike Count de Petillano the one a capteine of the Church and the other a commander for the Florentins He aduaunced that expedition not so much for any desire he had to ayde the cōmon cause as to giue to the Svvizzers no occasion to cōprehend the Pope within the peace if they accorded with the french king On the other side Bartlemevv Aluiano who had sent word to the king that he would so intangle the Spanish army that they should haue no meane to hurt him assone as he vnderstoode the Viceroy was departed from Verona went from Polesina passing the riuer of Adice he marched all along Pavv with ix hundred men at armes xiiij hundred light horsmen and ix
require the Venetians that according to the forme of the capitulacions of Coignar they should render the townes of Povvylla That in case they would not he should declare him selfe their ennemie and ayde the Emprour to recouer them with a monthely contribucion of thirtye thowsande crownes and with twelue gallies foure shippes and foure gallions payed for sixe monethes That he shoulde restore as muche as was in his power of the pryce of the gallyes taken at Portofino or els to aunswer the value deducting and defalking so muche as had beene taken synce by Andre Dore or other the Emprours Ministers That according to the former couenants at Madrill he shoulde renownce the soueraintye of Flaunders and Artoys and resigne the rights of Tournay and Arras That he should call in the processe agaynst the duke of Burbon and render to him that was dead his honour and to his heyres his goods and yet themprour complayned afterwards that assoone as the king had recouered his children he tooke them from them That the goods of whom so euer occupied in regarde of the warre should be restored to their successours in which poynt themprour tooke occasion also to complaine for that the king made not restitution of the goods occupied vpō the prince of Orenge That all billes of defiance and chalenge should be suppressed and cancelled and chiefly that of Robert de la Marche The Pope was comprehended in this peace as principall and the Duke of Sauoy was generally included as subiect to themprour and specially brought in by the nomination of themprour It was also set downe that the king should meddle no more in the affayres of Italy nor of Germany in fauor of any potentate to the preiudice of themprour notwithstanding the French king in times following maynteined that he was not by that defended to recouer that which the duke of Sauoy vsurped vpon the realme of Fraunce as also all that he pretended to apperteine vnto him by reason of the rightes and claymes of the Ladye Regent his mother There was also one article whiche bare that in the peace it was ment that the Venetians and Florentins should be comprehended so farrefoorth as within foure monethes they were at a poynt with themprour for their differences which was a kinde of secret and silent exclusion That the like should be of the duke of Ferrara But touching the Barons and exiles of the Realme of Naples there was no mention made of them Assone as this accorde was past to conclusion the French king went immediatly to Cambray to visite the Lady Margaret And being not without some shame for so fowle a fact agaynst the confederates he eschewed for certayne dayes with sundrye euasions eyther to see or heare their Embassadours But in the ende giuing them audience apart he excused him selfe vpon the impossibilitie to recouer otherwyse his children Onely he gaue them comfort that he would sende the Admirall to the Emperour for their benefite He gaue them also sundrye other sweete and vayne hopes promising seuerally to the Florentins to lende them for the remedie of their daungers imminent fortie thousande duckets A promise performed with the same fidelitie that his other offers were And he suffred as though it tended to their benefite Peter Stephen Colonno whose seruice he would accept no more to go to their paye But during the action and solicitation of these things Antho. de Leua had recouered Biagrassa and the Duke of Vrbin remayning at Cassiano which he laboured with the hands working of infinit pyoners to fortifie compelled them of Pauia and Saint Angeo to holde good saying that the lodging of Cassiano was very apt to minister succours to Loda and Pauia Afterwards Antho. de Leua went vp to Enzagua A place within three myles of Cassiana from whence he sent out continually bandes of souldiours to skirmishe with the Venetians And lastely from Enzagua he drewe to Vavvry eyther for that he ment to runne vp vppon the territories of Bargamasquo or else because the Venetians had cut from him the course and vsage of all water Vistarino about this time entred into Valentia by the castell and cut in peeces a garrison of two hundred footemen that were there And by this time were aryued by sea at Genes a regiment of two thousande Spaniards to tary for the comming of themprour who immediatly after he had passed the accorde with the Pope sent direction to the Prince of Orenge to reenforce the army and inuade at the Popes request thestate of the Florentins And when the Prince was come to Aquila and moostred his companies vppon the frontiers of the kingdome he was solicited vehemently by the Pope to aduaunce and passe further For which solicitation he went vp to Rome the laste of Iuly without his forces to resolue with the Pope vppon the prouisions for the warre Where after many actions and negociations which sometimes were vppon the poynt to be broken for the difficulties whiche the Pope obiected touching the defraymentes It was at laste resolued that the Pope should delyuer to him presently thirtie thousande duckets and within a very shorte tyme after fortie thousande more to th ende that at thEmperours exspences he might first reduce to the obedience of the Churche thestate of Perousa by chasing out Malatesta Baillon and afterwardes make inuasion vppon the Florentins to readdresse in that Citie the famulie of the Medicis An enterprise whiche the Pope esteemed of very easie action for an opinion he had that beeing abandoned on all sydes they woulde according to the custome of their elders rather giue place to the tyme then to bring vppon their countrey a moste manyfest daunger Vppon these conditions the Prince of Orenge assembled hys forces which conteyned three thowsand Launceknights the remaynders aswell of those companies which the Viceroy had brought oute of Spayne as of others who had passed oute of Germanye into Italye vnder George Fronspergh and foure thowsande Italians not payed vnder these Colonells Peter Levvis de Farnose the Count Saint Second Colonel Martio and Serre Colonno For their better safetie in approching anye place and to execute anye peece of force the Pope caused to bee drawen oute of the Castell Saint Angeo and to bee carryed wyth them three Cannons with other peeces of Artilleries And after the Prince of Orenge was to followe the Marquis of Guast with the bandes of Spanish footemen that were in Povvilla But at Florence both the generall deliberation was farre otherwise and the mindes of particular men very resolute to defende their countrey and their libertie An euent contrary to that which the Pope exspected of that Citie Whilest these preparations were managed on all partes the person of themperour departed from Barselona with a great fleete of shippes and gallies fraughted with a thowsande horsemen and nyne thowsande footemen And after he had runne not without perill and trauell a course of fifteene dayes at sea he aryued the twelfth of August at Genes where was
your amitie and mercy So neuerthelesse your compassion hath principally respected the equitie of the complaynts of such as implored it esteming it not agreable to the lavv of vertue and account of your conscience to make your profite vpon the diuisions of your neighbours though there haue not vvanted reasons and titles to induce your desire I forbeare to make declaration to your Maiestie of the life and learning of the first Author of this booke A matter testified vvith sufficient credit and reputation in the high negociations and employments vvhich he managed long time vnder great Princes Popes common vveales And I am bolde contrary to the custome of some vvriters to leaue to particulate in my Epistle any part of the argument vvhich vvith so great grauitie he hath digested at large in so great a volume Onely the man for his integritie and roundnes vvas such one as vvhose vertues vvere farre from all suspicion of parcialitie fauour hatred loue revvard or any other propertie of humaine affection vvhich might haue force to corrupt or turne from the truth the minde of a vvriter And for the generall matter of his vvorke it doth not onely conteine the vvarres and diuerse accidentes hapned in Italy and other partes for almost fortie yeres but also he doth so distinctly set dovvne the causes the counsells and the fortunes of euery principall partie introduced into those actions that by his studie and iudgement is traced made easie to the reader the vvay to all those svvete and plentifull frutes vvhich vvith paynfulnes are sought for in Histories of this nature And for mine ovvne part vvhere in all my dedications heretofore not my vvill vvhich vvas alvvayes vvarranted by the gracious demonstrations of your Maiestie But my maner of life instituted vpon priuate customes and exercises hath holden me from approching the authoritie of this place affore vvhich nothing ought to be presented vvhich hath not a full perfection of spirite and studie yet novv taking my reason of the vvorthines of the vvorke and obseruing the examples and inducements of others in like oblatioÌ„s I am bold vnder feare humilitie to prostrate these my last payns afore that diuine moderation of mind vvhich alvvays hath holden for acceptable all things respecting learning or vertuous labours Humbly beseeching your right excellent Maiestie that vvhere the vvorke is novv to appeare in the open vievv of the vvorld and stande before the vncertaine iudgements of so many sundry straunge humors of men you vvill vouchsafe to let it passe vnder the happie name of your Maiestie and vnder your gracious authoritie to giue it defence and fauor agaynst the emulation of such as eyther through malice or ignorance may rise vp to interprete me and my labours sinisterly The Lorde blesse your Maiestie vvith a long and peaceable life and confirme in you to the comfort of your people that course of vvell tempered gouernment by the benefite vvhereof they haue so long time liued vnder the felicitie of your name At my lodging neare the Tovver of London vij Ianuarij 1578. Your Maiesties humble and true subiect GEFFRAY FENTON THE GENERALL CONTENTES OF euery booke through the whole Historie LOdovvike Sforce vncle and tutor to Iohn Galeas Duke of Millan fearing least Ferdinand vvould make vvarre vpon him breaketh of from the Le 〈…〉 that had bene renevved betvveene the sayde Ferdinand Iohn Galeas aâ—â— thâ— Common vveale of Florence agaynst the Venetians he procureth the French king Charles the eight to passe into Italy to conquer the kingdome of Naples Pope Alexander the sixth allieth himselfe vvith the king of Naples The French king hauing ordred the affayres of his kingdome discendeth into Italy vvhere he taketh many tovvnes Diuerse emotions happen in the kingdome of Naples The Pope is in great perplexitie and trauell Pisa rebelleth agaynst the Florentins The Fr. king entreth into Florence and Rome and from thence passeth to Naples Fol. 1. The Pisans continue their rebellion agaynst the Florentins The French king taketh the Castles of Naples The Pope Venetians and other Princes make league agaynst the king vvho returning into Fraunce is fought vvithall neare the riuer Taro Ferdinand vvinneth agayne Naples Nouaro is besieged by the Confederates The fr. king maketh peace vvith the duke of Millan and returneth into Fraunce Fol. 72. Lodovvike Sforce keepeth not the treatie of peace The Venetians take the tovvne of Pisa into their protection The fr. king determineth to returne into Italy The king of Romains besiegeth Liuorna The Pope makes vvarre vpon the Vrsins The fr. king dyeth at Amboyse Freare Ieronimo Sauonarola is hanged at Florence Fol. 129. Lovvis Duke of Orleance succeedeth to the Crovvne of Fraunce He determineth to recouer his Duchie of Millan Pisa and Florence make vvarre Lodovvike Sforce flieth from Millan The Florentins giue battrie to Pisa and agree vvith the French king Pope Alexander aspireth for his sonne to the iurisdiction of Romania Lodovvike Sforce recouereth Millan but beeing betrayed by the Svvizzers he is taken and ledde into Fraunce Fol. 187. The vvarre of Pisa continueth The Duke Valentynois pursueth his enterprise vppon Romania The kings of Spayne and Fraunce inuade ioyntly the kingdome of Naples They occupie it and deuide it betvveene them and aftervvardes make vvarre one vppon an other The Duke Valentynois putteth to death the Vrsins The Svvizzers discend into the Duchie of Millan The Spaniards remayne victors ouer the French at Corignolo and take Naples Fol. 244. The French king maketh his preparation to passe into Italy Pope Alexander the sixt is poysoned His successor Pope Pius the third dyeth vvithin xxvi dayes Iulius the seconde is created Pope The duke Valentynois is apprehended and made prisoner The French men are ouerthrovven at Garillan The Florentins fayle to take the Citie of Pisa Peace is established betvvene the French king and the king of Spaniards Fol. 298. Many treaties are made Pope Iulio the seconde taketh the gouernment of Bolognia The Genovvayes rebell agaynst the French king The king of Aragon meeteth vvith the French king and communicateth vvith him The Dyet of Constance The king of Romains demaundeth passage of the Venetians to go take the Crovvne at Rome He inuadeth their lands and aftervvards maketh truce vvith them Fol. 353. Most of the Princes of Christendome dravv into league at Cambray agaynst the Venetians vvho beeing ouerthrovven by the French king render the tovvnes of the Church and make submission to the king of Romains Pisa returneth to the obedience of Florence The Venetians recouer the tovvne of Padoa vvhich is soone after besieged by Caesar Aftervvards they make vvarre vpon the duke of Ferrara The Pope giueth them absolution of the Church censures Fol. 405. Pope Iulio the seconde turneth agaynst the French The frenche king and king of Romains enter league agaynst the Venetians vvho besiege Verona The Pope taketh Mirandola and maketh vvarre vpon the duke of Ferrara The famulie of Bentiuoley returnes to Bolognia A Councell is published at Pisa
agaynst the Pope Fol. 463. After the taking of Bolognia the French armie returneth to the Duchie of Millan The Councell that vvas to be holden at Pisa agaynst the Pope is transferred to Millan vvhere many stirres happen The Popes armie besiegeth Bolognia The French men take Bressia The battell is giuen at Rauenna The Pope publisheth the Councell at Rome Aftervvardes the affayres of the French begin to decline Fol. 531. The Duke of Ferrara is in great trouble The Medicis returne to Florence The king of Romanes makes alliance vvith the Pope Maxymylian Sforce is put in the possession of the Duchie of Myllan The French king maketh his preparacion to recouer Myllan Pope Iulio dyeth Leo the tenth is created Pope The French men are ouerthrovven neare to Nouaro and the Venetians neare to Vincensa Fol. 602. The king of England makes vvarre vppon the Fr. king The Venetians recouer Fryull The Pope as Arbitrator pronovvnceth peace betvveene them and the king of Romaines king Lovvys the xij dyeth Frauncis the first commeth to the crovvne and discendeth into Italy to reconquer Myllan Fol. 660. The D. of Vrbyn makes an enterprise to recouer his estate out of the handes of Pope Leo The Fr. king makes a league vvith the Pope The conspiracie of Cardinall Petruccio against the Pope is discouered Charles king of Spayne is chosen Emprour Martyn Luther vvriteth against the Pope The Pope putteth to death Iohn Pavvle Baillon Fol. 729. Pope Leo is the cause that the peace continueth not in Italy He ioyneth in league vvith th Emprour against the French king The French king loseth the Duchie of Myllan Pope Leo dyeth Adrian the sixt is created Pope Frauncis Sforce reentreth vppon the Duchie of Myllan Vvarre is made in Tuskane by Ranso de Cero Fol. 777. Pope Adrian comes to Rome The Venetians make league vvith th Emprour The french men beseege Myllan and are constrayned to diuert from it Cardinall Medicis is created Pope King Frauncis discendeth into Italy he taketh Myllan and beseegeth Pauya Themprour sendeth out an army to succour Pauya vvhere a battell is fought and the French king taken prisoner Fol. 838. The Pope is accorded vvith th Emprour Many practises are made for the kings deliuerie Ierom Moron conspireth against the Emprour The fr. king is deliuered out of prison returneth into Fraunce Fol. 9004. The Pope the french king Venetians and Duke of Myllan dravve into league against th Emprour The Duke of Burbon comes co Myllan The army of the league breakes vp from before Myllan The castell of Myllan is rendred to th Imperialls Many enterprises are dressed against the Pope The confederats sende their armies by sea to Genes Rome is surprised by the Colonnois The Pope makes peace vvith th Imperialls vvhich hurteth the deuises of Lombardye The D. of Ferrara is confederat vvith the Emprour Fol. 967. The Duke of Burbon yssueth of Myllan The Viceroy and the Colonnois make vvarre vpon the Pope in the states of the Church The Marquis of Salussa entreth Bolognia The Pope maketh vvarre in the kingdom of Naples The Duke of Burbon leadeth his armie to Rome taketh the tovvne and sacketh it and is slayne in the action The Pope being abandoned of all hope accordeth vvith the Imperialls Amutinie in Florence The king of England against th Emprour The confederats doe many enterprises Fol. 1034. Lavvtrech beseegeth Naples In the meane vvhile Anth. de Leua taketh Pauya and beseegeth Loda Andre Dore leaueth the pay of the French Lavvtrech dyeth The french breake vp from before Naples Monsr Saint Pol reconquereth Pauya Andre Dore taketh Genovvay The Genovvaies take Sauona and put themselues in libertie Saint Pol is taken by Anth. de Leua Th Emprour falleth to accord vvith the Pope Peace is made at Cambray betvvene the Emprour and French king The Emprour passeth into Italy vvhere the vvarre goeth against the Florentyns and peace is solicited vvith all others Fol. 1103. The Emprour taketh th Imperiall crovvne at Bolognia and from thence passeth into Germany The famulies of Medicis by the ayde of th Emprours army returne to Florence Ferdinand is chosen king of Romaines The Pope vvill not barken to a counsell The French king stirreth vp the Turke against th Emprour hath conference vvith the Pope at Marseilles Fol. 1163. The ende of the contents of the bookes THE ARGVMENT OF THE FIRST BOOKE LODOWYK SFORCE vncle and tutor to Iohn Galeas Duke of Myllan fearing least Ferdinand King of Naples would make warre vpon him breaketh of from the league that had bene renewed betwene the sayd Ferdinand Iohn Galeas and the common weale of Florence against the Venetians he procureth the French King Charles the viij to passe into Italy to conquer the kingdom of Naples Pope Alexander the vj. allieth himselfe with the King of Naples The French King hauing ordered th' affayres of the kingdom descendeth into Italy where he taketh many townes Diuerse emotion happen in the kingdom of Naples The Pope is in great perplexitie and trauell Pisa rebelleth against the Florentines The French King entreth into Florence and Rome and from thence passeth to Naples THE FIRST BOOKE OF THE historie and discoursse of Guicciardin HAVING in hand to write the affaires fortunes of Italie I iudged it cōuenient to drawe into discoursse those particularities that most nearest resemble our time and memorie yea euen since the selfe princes of that country calling in the armies of Fraunce gaue the first beginning to so great innouations A matter for the varietie greatnes and nature of suche thinges verie notable and well worthie of memorie and for the heauie accidents hatefull bluddie and horrible for that Italie for many yeres was trauelled with all those sortes of calamities with the which principalities countries and mortall men are wont to bee afflicted aswell by the iuste wroth and hand of God as through the impietie and wickednes of other nations The knowledge of these things so great and diuerse may minister many wholsome instructions aswell to all men generally as to euery one in particular considering that by the trial consent demonstration of so many examples all princes people and patrimonies may see as a sea driuen with diuerse windes to what inconstancie humane things are ordeined how harmefull are the ill measured counsells of princes many times preiudiciall to them selues but alwayes hurtefull to their people and subiects specially when they are vainelie caried awaye either with their singular errours or priuate couetousnes without hauing any impression or remembrance of the ordinary chaunges of fortune whereby turning to the domage and displeasure of others the power which is giuen them for the safetie protection pollicie of the whole they make them selues either by want of discression or too much ambition authours of innouations and new troubles But the better to make knowen the state and condition of Italie at that time together with the occasions of so many afflictions happening it is to be considered that
and their present lackes greeuous Notwithstanding the Duke of Orleans somwhat to ease and fauour the hardnes of their condicion had ryd out of the towne all mouthes and members vnprofitable yet it was no remedie sufficient to so great a calamitie for that many souldiers of the french Svvyzzers not able to beare the fretting anguish of hunger and lesse enured to the other discommodities of a close seege began to languishe in diseases and sicknes By reason whereof the Duke being also troubled with a feuer quartyne made many solicitacions to the king by messengers letters not to deferre their succours which could not be aduaunced with such readines as might be able to minister to their generall necessities for that there was not assembled such sufficient strength as imported the estate of their daunger The french armie for their partes showing more forwardnes of action then able to doe good made many attempts to reuittell the towne by night vsing in that purpose the seruice both of horsemen and footemen But being alwayes discouered by thennemie there succeeded no other frutes of their enterprises then great harmes to them selues and no lesse disapoyntments to their friendes being made more wretched by their ill fortune But to stoppe altogether the passage of vittells into the towne the Marquis of Mantua assayled the monasterie of S. Frauncis standing neare to the wals of Nouaro and taking it he manned it forthwith with a garrison of two hundreth men at armes and three thowsand footemen of the Almaines By this meanes the armie confederat was discharged of a great care the way being nowe made sure by the which releeffe was brought into the towne the way also of the gate that leades to the mount Biandrane was stopped for that in it was most facilitie to enter Nouaro The day after he tooke also the bastylle made by the french vpon the poynt of the suburbes of S. Nazare and the night following were surprised the whole suburbes together with the other plotteformes neare to the gate wherein he bestowed a garde and fortefied the suburbes the Count Petillane whom the Venetians had taken into their pay with title of gouernor being hurt there with a small shott neare the girdle place and in great daunger of death For the successe of these places the Duke of Orleans distrusting to be able to defende any more the other suburbes which he had at his entrey into Nouaro he sette fire on them the night following drew all his strength to the defence garde of the city onely And touching the extremitie of famin he yet nourished him self with hopes of succors the rather for that the Svvyzzers beginning now to arriue at the campe the kinges armie passing the riuer of Stesia was marched out of Verceill a myle to lodge in the fielde and hauing bestowed a garde in Bolgare exspected the residue of the Svvyzzers who being once assembled the armie was resolued to minister succors to Nouaro an action notwithstanding full of many difficulties for that thItalian bandes were lodged in places of aduauntage well furnished and fortefied and the way from Verceill to Nouaro full of lakes and waters and very vneasie for horsemen almost impassible for the broade and deepe ditches thorow the whole contrey Besides betwene Bolgare holden by the french and the campes of thItalians was Camarian which the Italians garded In respect of these difficulties there appeared not in the mind of the king nor of the others a readines answering thexpectacion of those that attended in distresse And yet it was supposed that if the Svvyzzers had sooner arriued they had aduentured the fortune of battel the euent whereof could not but be doutfull to either of the armies And therefore they both hauing regarde to the daunger present there wanted no secret trauell to solicite an accorde betwene the king and the Duke of Myllan albeit it was with smal hope for the indifferent distrust that was betwene those two Princes and for that both the one and other for their greater reputacion made showes that they had no deuocion to peace But fortune layed open an other meane more expedient for so great a conclusion For about the same tymes the Lady Marquise of Montserat being dead and being in debate who ought to take the gouernment of a litle sonne whom she had left to which regentship aspired with one desire the Marquis of Saluzze and Constantyn brother to the sayd Lady decessed one of the auncient Lordes of Macodonia which Mahomet Ottoman had occupied many yeares before The frenche king fauoring much the tranquillitie of that estate sent Argenton to Caesar Ceruas to ordeyne and establishe a protectorship according to the consent of the subiectes and being gon thether also as a mourner for the death of the Ladie one of the principall officers of the Marquis of Mantua they two meeting vppon the way fell into discourse and deuises to haue a peace alleaging many benefits that would redownd to both parties This voluntary reasoning betwene them two succeeded to so good frute that the Lord of Argenton tooke occasion to write to the Venetian Commissioners reitterating the reasons and matters which had bene begon to be debated euer since they were at Taro they fauoring the mocion with very forward affections communicated immediatly with the Capteines of the Duke of Myllan and so with one agrement sent to require the french king nowe come to Verceill that he would assigne some of his councell to meete in some place conuenient to common with such as they should appoynt in deputacion for their part whereunto the king consenting with a readines equall to his desire there assembled the day following betwene Bolgare and Camarian for the Venetians the Marquis of Mantua and Bernard Contaryn gouernor of their estradiots for the Duke of Myllan was sent Frauncis Barnardin Viscounte for the french king the Cardinall of S. Mallovv the Prince of Orange to whome being newly come to the campe the king had giuen the principal charge ouer the whole armie the Mareshall of Gie Monsr de Pienes and Monsrd Argenton who making many meetings and certeine particulars of them making many iorneyes from the one armie to the other the differences and chiefe controuersies fell at last vppon the citie of Nouaro for that the french king making no difficulty in theffect of the restitucion but in the manner the lesse to offend his honor labored that it might be referred in the name of the king of Romaines direct Lord of the Duchie of Myllan into the handes of one of the Almaine Capteines which was in the campe of thItalians Of the contrary the confederats required that it might be left frankly These and other dowtes hapning not being able to be resolued with that speede which they that were within Nouaro required being now falne vpon such extremities that what by famine and other raging diseases rising by it there were dead of the Dukes companie aboue two thowsand bodies A truce
was made for eyght dayes with sufferaunce to the sayde Duke and the Marquis of Saluzze to goe with a small companie to Verceyll but vnder promise faith to returne to Nouaro with the same companie if the peace proceeded not And for the sewertie of the Dukes person for that he was to passe thorow the campe of thennemie the Marquis of Mantua went into a tower neare to Bolgare in the keeping of the Count de Foix The souldiers that were to remeyne in Nouaro would not haue suffered him to depart if he had not giuen them his faith that within three dayes he would returne or else by his meane they should haue libertie to goe out the Mareshall of Gie being therefor his conduit leauing also one of his nephewes for ostage for that not onely the vittells were consumed which ordinarily serued for the sustenance of man but also the vncleane and filthy skrappes from which they could not absteyne in so great an extremitie Immediatly after the Duke was come to the kinges presence the truce was eftsoones proroaged for a certeine few dayes with condicion that all his companies shoulde goe out of Nouaro that the towne should be left in the power of the people and they to make an othe not to giue it to either partie without common consent And that thirty footemen who should be vittelled daily by the campe of the Italians should remeine in the castell for the Duke of Orleans Thus all the souldiers yssued out of Nouaro whom the Marquis of Mantua and Galeas de S. Seuerin protected and conducted till they were in place of sewertie But so much were they weakened and consumed with hunger that they were no sooner arriued at Verceyll then many of them died and the residue remeyned altogether vnprofitable for the seruice of that warre About this tyme the Baylyf of Dyon arriued at the campe with the residue of the Svvyzzers of whom albeit his commission was to leauye but tenne thowsand yet he could not chuse but at the reapport of the kinges money there discēded by trowpes a farre greater number rising in the whole to an armie of twenty thowsand The one halfe was admitted to ioyne to the campe neare Verceill and the residue remeyned tenne miles of because in pollicie it was not thought sure that so great a proporcion of men of one nation should be at one tyme in one campe if their comming had bene somewhat sooner the practises of peace had bene easily broken seeing without them there were in the campe eyght thowsand french footemen two thowsand of those Svvyzzers which had bene at Naples and eyghtteene hundreth launces But thinges being now so farre aduaunced and Nouaro already abandoned the enteruiewes did not discontinue although the Duke of Orleans vsed all his labor to the contrary hauing many of the greatest of the Court of his opinion Therefore the Deputies were euery day at the campe of thItalians to solicit with the Duke of Myllan who was newly returned thether to th end to debate him selfe in a matter of so great consequence doing all thinges notwithstanding in the presence of the confederat Embassadors At length the Deputies returned to the king bringing the last conclusion of all thinges that they could for the accord First that betwene the french king and the Duke of Myllan there should be a peace and friendship perpetuall the Duke nothing derogating notwithstanding his other confederacions That the king shoulde consent that the towne of Nouaro shoulde be rendred to the Duke by the people together with the castell left to his Maiestie by the gard of xxx footemen That the towne of Spetia and all other places occupied by either parte should be rendred That it shoulde be lawfull to the king to arme at Genes his freehold and chiefe so many vessells as he would seruing his turne of all the commodities of that citie so that it were not in fauor of thennemies to the state of the same That for assurance of this article the Genovvays should giue him certeine ostages That the Duke of Myllan should cause to be rendred to the king the vessells lost at Rapale and the twelue gallies restrayned at Genes and to arme for him presently at his proper charges two grosse carrakes of Genes which with foure others of his own he determined to send to the succors of Naples That the Duke should also deliuer to the king the yeare after three others in the same manner That the Duke should giue free and friendly passage to the companies that the king should send by land to the same succors vnder this couenant that there should not passe by his estate more then two hundreth launces at a tyme That if the kinge returned eftsoones to the same enterprise the Duke should followe him with certeine bandes of men That the Venetians should haue power to enter this contract within two monethes And if they did enter then to retyre their armie by sea from the kingdom of Naples and to be bownd to giue no succors to Ferdinand But if they did not obserue this the king should leuye warre against them the Duke should be bownde to ayde him reaping to his vse all that should be conquered of the Venetian estates That the Duke should pay fiftie thowsand duckats in the next march to the Duke of Orleans for the charges of the warre of Nouaro And acquite the king of lxxx thowsand duckats percell of the money he had lent his Maiestie when he marched first into Italy the residue to be rendred by his Maiesty at a longer tearme That Iohn Iackes Triuulce should be absolued of the confiske and condemnacion wherein he had bene conuicted by the Duke and enioy restitucion of all his goods That the bastard of Burbon taken in the iorney of Furnoue and the Lord of Myolans taken at Rapale together with all other prisoners shoulde be redeliuered That the Duke shoulde withdraw from Pysa Fracasse whom he had sent thether a litle before together with all his bandes and the companies of the Genovvays That he should giue no impediment to the Florentyns to recouer that which apperteyned to their iurisdiction That within one month he should put by way of confidence the castell of Genes into the handes of the Duke of Ferrara who called to that ende by both the parties was now come to the campe of thItalians and that the sayd Duke of Ferrara shoulde keepe it two yeares at their common charges and to be bownde by othe to redeliuer it within the sayd tyme to the handes of the french king in case the Duke of Myllan shoulde not holde his promises who immediatly vpon the conclusion of the peace should giue ostages to the king for assurance to assigne the castell at the tyme agreed vpon These condicions brought to the king by his Deputies that had debated them were propownded in his publike and priuat councell wherein being founde no lesse variacion of mindes thē contrariety of reasons euery one
not without pawne and sewertie It is also reasonable in him to demaund peace because lying nearest the daunger of your forces his feares are no lesse iust then his perills likely Besides leagues which haue many competitors of their propper nature haue not that stabilitie and concord but vpon occasions they come to disagree and fall of one from an other in which case euery litle hoale that they shal make yea euen the smallest cranell or creuish that shall appeare will make to vs the victorie no lesse easie then well assured So that seeing your affayres stand in these degrees and that God hath made it impossible to mortall Princes to rule the time my aduise is that your Maiestie striue not against the streame of the time but to frame your inclinacions to the peace not that it is of it selfe profitable or commendable but because it is an office in Princes wise and of stayed condicion in causes difficult and daungerous to allow for easie and commendable that that is necessary and conuenient or at least wise such as are least intangled with daungers and nothing at all derogat reputacion and honor The Duke of Orleans rebuked sharpely the speeches of the Prince of Orange either of them taking such libertie of passion that falling from wordes to reproches and iniuries the Duke gaue him the lye in the whole presence of the councell But thinclinacion of most part of the councell and consequently of the multitude of th armie was to embrase the peace bearing so much power in them all and no lesse in the person of the king a sweete desire to returne into Fraunce that they were not able to discerne the daunger of the kingdom of Naples and much lesse to see how slaunderous it was to suffer to be lost afore their eyes the citie of Nouaro and lastly to depart out of Italy with condicions so vnequall considering the incerteintie of thobseruacion which disposicion was so vehemently fauored by the Prince of Orange that many dowted lest to gratifie the king of Romaines to whom he was most affectioned he had no lesse regard to the profit of the Duke of Myllan thē to the commodities of the french king with whom truely his authoritie was great partly for the excellencie of his wit and partly for the credit of his vallour but most of all for that it is a custom and propertie with Princes to esteme most wise such as are most conformed to their inclinacions At last the peace was made which was no sooner sworne by the Duke of Myllan then the king reiecting all other thoughtes then such as made for his returne into Fraunce wēt forthwith to Thuryn his hast was the more importunat to depart from Verceill for that those bands of the Svvyzzers that were in the campe to assure their payes of three whole moneths according to the custom of Lovvys the xj as they alleaged began to speake of staying the king or the chiefteines of his Court for the sewertie of their pay notwithstanding they could not clayme so much by promise nor yet had serued so long time from which daunger albeit the person of the king was deliuered by his suddeine departure yet they hauing made prisoners the Baylif of Dyon and others that leauyed them he was in the ende constrayned to assure all their demaundes aswell with promises as with ostages from Thuryn the king desiring to make a perfect establishment of the peace sent to the Duke of Myllan the Mareshall of Gi◠the President of Ganuay and Argenton to induce him to speake with his Maiestie The Duke seemed to be of the same desire but it was not without some dowt of treason In so much that either for that suspicion or obiecting perhappes some expresse difficulties as not to giue occasion of ielowsie to the confederats or for that his ambicion woulde not suffer him to come in a behauior inferior to the french king he propownded to haue the meting vpon the middest of a riuer where a bridge being made either with barkes or other matter there shoulde be betwene them a barre of wodde A manner of commoning together vsed heretofore by the kinges of England and Fraunce and other great Princes of the West This the king refused as a thing vnworthy his greatnes and therefore without any enteruiewe he receiued his ostages and dispatched Peron de la Basche to Genes to receiue the two carrakes that were promised him and to rigge foure others at his owne charges for the succors of the castells of Naples which he knew had not receiued the reskewes sent from Nice for that they suffred so many impediments as they could not be profitable to the seruice of Naples In which respect his people 's there beseged had made composicion to render vp the castells if they were not succored within thirty dayes The king made his plot to arme the sayd vessells with three thowsand Svvyzzers to adioyne them to the sayd nauie parted from Nice nowe retyred to Lyuorne and to certeine other vessells exspected from Prouence All which without the great ships of the Genovvays had not bene sufficient for that succors the hauen of Naples being now full of a huge armie by sea both for the vessells of the prouisions of Ferdinand and also for twenty gallies and foure shippes sent thether by the Venetians The king after he had dispatched Monsr Argenton to Venice to solicit the Senat to enter into the peace and participat with thaccord tooke his way into Fraunce with all his Court that with such equall speede and desire to be there that there was nothing coulde stay him any fewe dayes in Italy no not till the Genovvays had deliuered him their ostages promised vppon the contract at Verceill which certeinly they had accomplished if his hastie departure had not preuented their true intencion and meaning Thus then vpon the ende of October 1495. his maiestie returned on thother side the mountes resembling rather a personage vanquished then a Prince victor notwithstanding the conquest and victories he had obteyned he left as his Liefetenant in Ast a citie which it should seeme he bought of the Duke of Orleans Iohn Iacques Triuulce with fiue hundreth frenche launces who not many dayes after of their propper authoritie followed the king by whome was left no other succors for the kingdom of Naples then the nauies preparing at Genes and Prouence and the assignacion of the aydes and moneyes promised by the Florentyns After the discourse of other things me thinkes it can not be out of purpose specially it being a destinie fatall that the calamities of Italy should take their beginning of the passage of the french men or at least were imputed to them to leaue to memorie and tradicion in what sort began the disease which the french call the euill of Naples and the Italians name the botche or more commonly the disease of Fraunce It hapned as an infection to the french men whilest they were at Naples
auoyde tumultes the statutes in like cases might be dispensed withall some of those that helde the chiefe offices were with great importunities and almost by force and with threatninges constrayned to consent that notwithstanding thappeale interposed execucion was done the same night To which extreame iustice appeared more affectioned then the others the followers of Sauonarole not without his proper infamie forbearing to disswade euen his auditors the violacion of a law published a few yeares before by him selfe as a statute conuenient and necessary for the preseruacion of the common libertie In this yeare Federyk king of Naples hauing obteyned of the Pope thinuestiture of the kingdom and making his coronacion perfect with all solemnities recouered by accord Mont Saint Ange which had bene valiantly defended by Dom Iulian de Lorraine whom the french king left there he reconquered also Ciuita with other peeces holden by Charles de Sanguyn And assoone as the truce was ended he chassed out of the realme the Prefect of Rome conuerting his forces to execute the like action vpon the Prince of Salerne who being at last beseeged in the rocke of Dyana abandoned of all succors had permission to goe his way in safetie with his goods leauing that part of his estate which he had not yet lost in the handes of the Prince of Bisignian with condicion to passe it ouer to Federyk assoone as he vnderstoode that he was conduted in safetie to Sinigale About the ende of this yeare the dyet which had bene transferred from Montpellier to Narbonne being afore interrupted by the immoderat demaunds of the king and Queene of Spayne the french king the sayd king of Spayne returned eftsoones to new practises wherein were founde the same difficulties that before for that as the french king had determined not to consent to any accord wherein Italy shoulde be comprehended so it was against the pollicie of the Spanyard to leaue him a libertie free a way open to subdue the iurisdiction of it And yet it was farre from the desires of the Spanish to interteyne warres with him on thother side the Mountes because it was a warre full of troubles and exspenses and no hope of honor or profit At last the truce was concluded betwene them to indure without limitacion till it were reuoked and two monethes after There was no Potentat of Italy comprehended in it to whom the king of Spayne gaue signification of the trusse and the articles and capitulacions of the same alleaging that in him was no lesse power to resolue the contract without the knowledge of the other confederats then the duke of Myllan made it lawfull without their consent or priuitie to conclude the peace of Verceill And albeit according to the forme and couenants of the league he had begon the warre in Fraunce and continued it many moneths without receiuing one porcion of the money promised by the confederats wherein he had iust occasion not to make care of them that had consented to his disappoynting yet he had by many meanes and tymes aduertised them that if they would make payment of the hundreth and fifty thowsand duckats which they ought to him for the exspenses of the warre he had made he was contented to accept that payment in reckoning of all other actions and enterprises hereafter hauing determined to enter Fraunce with a stronge armie Whereunto as the confederats would show no wil or inclinacion and much lesse keepe faith or be carefull ouer the common safetie So he in that regard and seeing withall that the league made for the libertie of Italy was turned into an vsurpacion and oppression of the regions of the same for that the Venetians not contented with so many portes falne to their share in the kingdom of Naples had made thē selues Lordes ouer Pysa without any right he could not but hold it indifferent reasonable and iust seeing by others the affayres common were disordered to prouide for his owne particular with a truce bearinge notwithstandinge suche a forme and manner that it may rather be called an admonicion then a will to seperat from the league for that it was alwayes in his power to dissolue or reuoke it which he would doe when he shoulde discerne an other intencion with other prouisions in the Potentats of Italy for the stay of the common benefit About this tyme dyed Iohn Prince of Spayne onely sonne to the Kinge and Queene to whome the accident brought no small sorowes and heauines for that besides disappoynting of the succession his death gaue no litle impediments to the sweete delites pleasures which they reckoned to reape in their new tranquillitie and rest To this was also ioyned the death of Phillip Duke of Sauoye leauing for a posteritie one sonne of litle age and therefore of no iudgement touching his exspectacion or towardnes This late Duke after he had wauered long tyme in suspense and newtralitie beholding all their actions without mocion or inclinacion particular seemed at last to fauor the faction of the confederats who had promised to pay him euery yeare twenty thowsand duckats And yet euery one of them had so great dout of his faith that they could assure nothing of his promises and trueth if the frenche king should discend to make any stronge enterprise With this yeare ended the two yeares touching the deputacion of the castell of Genes which the Duke of Ferrara receiuing it in trust did eftsoones render to Lodovvyk his sonne in law he first demaunded of the french king that according to the capitulacions of Verceill he would see him satisfied of the halfe of thexspenses employed in the garde and keeping of it whereof the king consented to make paymēt so that the Duke would put into his handes the castell as he sayd he was bownd for the inobseruacion of the Duke of Myllan To this the Duke of Ferrara aunswered that that was not verefied and that to put the Duke of Myllan in contumacie it were necessary to haue interpellacion The kinge offered to committe the money into a third mans hand to th ende that afore payment were made there might be construction in iustice reason and lawe whether he ought not to render to him the castell But the instance made to the contrary by the Venetians and his sonne in lawe caried farre more force in the fancie of the Duke of Ferrara wherein he was not onely moued by the prayers and solicitacions of Lodovvyk who not many dayes before had indued the Cardinall Hippolite his sonne with tharchbishoprike of Myllan but also he had regard to the daungers that threatned him if he shoulde prouoke the malice of so mighty ennemies specially at a tyme wherin was continuall diminucion of the hope that the french men would discend So that applying his actions to thinclinacion of the tyme he first called home from the Court of Fraunce his sonne Ferrand and then surrendred the castell to Lodovvyk who satisfied all charges for keeping it
possessed by the Viccairs of Romagna and withall to giue him presently thirtie thousand duckattes vnder this cooller that he was constrained to interteine a greater force for the gard of his person as though to knit himselfe with the French king were to stirre vp many of the Potentates in Italie to seeke to hurt and oppresse him For th execution of these couenantes both the king began to make payment of the money and the Pope committed the action of the diuorce to the bishop of Setto his Nuncio and to tharchbishops of Parys and Roan And albeit in the trauerse of the cause the kinges wyfe impugned the iudgement yet in the ende holding for no lesse suspected the consciences of the Iudges then the might and greatnes of her aduersarie she tooke comfort in her innocencie and disclaimed her suite receiuing for thinterteinment of her person the Duchie of Berry with thirtie thousande Frankes of Reuenue And so the diuorce confirmed by sentence of the Iudges there rested nothing els exspected for the dispensing and and accomplishing of the new mariage but the comming of Caesar Vorgia lately of a Cardinall and Archbishop of Valence become a soldiour and Duke of Valentinoys the king hauing giuen him a companie of a hundred Launces and twentie thousand Frankes pension and for his title of dukedome he indued him with Valence a Citie of Danphyne with twentie thousand Frankes of Reuenue he embarqued at Ostia vppon the Gallyes which the king sent him and arryued about the end of the same yeare at the french Court where he entred with a pomp and pride incredible and brought with him the Cardinalles hatt for George Amboise Archbishop of Roan Who hauing alwayes affore participated in the daungers and fortunes of the king helde with him great authoritie grace and reputation This new Duke albeit he was receiued of the king with great honour and all other offices of court yet his manner of dealing was not well lyked in the beginning for that according to the direction and councell of his father he denied that he had brought with him the bull of dispensacion hoping that the desire to obteine it would make the king more easie to assist his plottes and purposes then would do the remembrance that he had receiued it vsing this reason that there is nothing endureth so small a tyme as the memorie of benefittes receiued the more great they bee the more commonly are they recompenced with ingratitude But the bishop of Setto reueiling the truth secretly to the king who making it sufficient to godwarde that the bull was dispatched and ratified consommated the mariage openly with his new wyfe without making more demaundes for the bull the same being the cause that the Duke could no longer keepe from him the bull Authentyke and iustefied And finding out after by suttle inquirie that the bishop of Setto had reuealed the matter he caused him soone after by secret meanes to dye of poyson the vnfortunate bishop not remembring that in matters of estate betweene princes he that discloseth his secret to another worketh to himself the occasion of his death The king being now in some stabilitie of minde by his new mariage began to be carefull to renue leagues amities with his neighbours making presentlie a firme peace with the king of Spaine who bearing now no more regarde to the thinges of Italie called home all his Embassadours remayning there except him that laye resident with the Pope and readiourned Consaluo into Spaine with all his regiment leauing to Federick all those peeces in Calabria which he had holden till that day he had a great deale more trouble to accorde with the king of Romains who was newly discended into Burgongny by occasion of some commocions stirring there being for that expediciō ayded with a round summe of money by the Duke of Myllan in whom preuayled muche this kinde of persuacion that eyther the warre which hee should make vppon the french king would turne him from thenterprise of Italy or at least if any agreement succeeded betweene them he should be comprehēded in it as the king of Romains had assuredly promised him But at last after much discourse of reasonings and meetings the king made a new peace with Tharchduke by the which were to bee rendered vnto him the places of the countrey of Artoys a thing which to th ende it might bring effect and profit to his sonne the king of Romains consented to make truce with him for many monethes without making mencion of the Duke of Myllan against whom he seemed at that tyme much discontented for that he had not alwayes satisfied his infinit demaunds of money Lastly the french king ratifiyng the peace made with the king of Englande by his predecessor reiected all solicitacions and suites made to him to receiue the Duke of Myllan to any composicion who for his part albeit he protested large offers offices vsed no lesse corrupcions to induce him yet all his industries and practises were vaine in the kings sight who to lay a more sure foūdaciō of the warre pretended sought how he might at one time tie to him in suertie of amitie the Venetians Florentyns and therefore he required with great importunities that ceassing to vexe the Pisans the Venetians would put Pisa into his hands whereunto the rather to draw the Florentyns to consent he offred secretly to restore it to thē within a short tyme This practise being founde full of many difficulties and concurring in it diuers endes and intrestes was for many monethes debated with delayes for that the Florentyns holding it necessarie that in that case they should make aliance with the french king and fearing by the remembrance of thinfidelitie of Charles the present busines should suffer no lesse breach of promyse in the king raigning coulde not agree amongst themselues nor consent in vnitie of opinion and councell wherein one reason of their disagreement was that their citie was vnquietly tossed betweene thambicion of some of the greatest Rulers and the vnbridled libertie of the gouernment popular and being reapposed by reason of the warre of Pisa vppon the Duke of Myllan the whole citie was falne into such generall diuision that it was harde to deliberat in peace and quiet vppon matters of importance some of the principall citizens desiring the victorie to the french king and others of the contrary bearing their whole affections to the Duke of Myllan The Venetians also notwithstanding all other difficulties had bene ouercome which might hinder the accorde had yet determined not to consent to put Pisa into a third hande hoping that for the regarde of the repayment of their charges and to leaue Pisa with lesse dishonor they should obteine better condicions in the negociacion that was holden at Ferrara which was vehemently solicited by Lodovvyk both for feare least the deputacion of Pisa falling to the french both those common weales would knit with the king and also hoping that the
french king which he had long solicited whilest he was in Spaine But they sent him accompanied with two Embassadors with whom he was to communicat in all actioÌ„s without whose couÌ„cel he would not treat or coÌ„clude any thing It is incredible with what magnificence honour he was receiued by the kings assignment through all the realme of Fraunce not only that the king desired to make him fauorable in the practise of the peace but also to deserue to make a perpetuall friende of that young Prince who was to become myghtie and great being the nexte successour to Thempire Romain and immediate inheritour to the kingdomes of Spaine with all their dependances All suche as had grace or authoritie about him were honoured with the same liberties and receyued presentes of great price and riches To these demonstrations was aunswerable the magnanimitie and royall behauiour of Phillip For that as the Frenche Kyng besides his worde and fayth giuen for his sure passing through Fraunce had sent into Flaunders many of the nobles of his realme for the safetie of Phillip So Phillip assoone as hee was entred Fraunce to declare that hee reapposed wholly in the kings faith gaue order that the Ostages should be redeliuered These so great tokens and apparances of amitie were not vnaccompanied as muche as was in them with lesse effectes For assembling at Bloys after they had spent certeine dayes in discourse and disputation of thinges they concluded a peace in this sort That the kingdom of Naples should be possessed according to the first diuision But that there should bee left in deputation to Phillip the prouinces for the which they first fell to difference and armes That from the present Charles his sonne and Madame Clavvda the Kinges daughter betweene whom shoulde bee a confirmation of that mariage which had bene affore solicited should bee intituled kings of Naples and Dukes of Povvilla and Calabria That that parte which apperteined to the King of Spaine shoulde bee from thenceforward gouerned by Tharchduke and the particion discending to the french king to be ordred by the proper deputies of his maiestie But that the one and other parte shoulde bee holden vnder the name of the two children to whom at the tyme of consummation of mariage the King shoulde giue his parte for the dowrie of his daughter This peace was solemnly published in the great Church of Bloys and ratified by othes of the King and of Phillip as procurer of the Kyng and Queene of Spaine his parentes in lawe A peace truely of ryght great consequence if it had brought an effect equall to thintention For not onlye armes surceassed betweene so myghtie Kynges but also peace woulde haue followed betweene the Kyng of Romains and the Frenche Kyng Which woulde not only haue bredde newe enterprises against the Venetians but also the Pope being suspected to them both and in ill opinion with the vniuersall sortes of men woulde not haue bene without his feares of councelles and other actions which myght haue brought diminution to his authoritie and greatnes But the King and Tharchduke sending with expedition to publish the peace in the realme of Naples with direction to the Capteynes and commaunders of men to forbeare to molest one an other attending the ratification of the Spanishe king and in the meane while their possession of thinges to continue â–ª The ruler for the French offred to obey to his king But the Spanyard either for the hope he had of the victorie or for that he would not bee contented with the only authoritie of Phillip answered that he could not discontinue the warre vnles he had receiued expresse commaundement from his king For the continuation whereof he was so much the more encouraged by how much the French king gouerned by his hopes both in the practise coÌ„clusion of peace esteeming for certein that which was yet vncerteine had not only dallied in all other prouisions of warre but also had foreslowed the leauying of those regiments that is three thousand footmen three huÌ„dred launces which should haue bene embarked at Genes to be led to that enterprise vnder Monsr de Persy And of the contrary were aryued at Barletto the two thousand Almain footemen which being leauied with the fauour of the king of Romains embarqued at Trieste were passed in suertie by the golphe of Venice not without the great complaint of the French king In which respect the Duke of Nemours not â—able to assure a surceassing of armes and lesse likely to refurnish his power being made weake by the oppressions he had receiued before Yet because he would occupie his whole strength if either occasion or necessitie compelled him to fight with his enemies he sent for all the French bandes that had bene dispersed into diuers places together with all the aides of the Barons of the realme except those Lordes and regiments which made warre vnder Monsr D'aubigny in Calabria But in assembling them he founde a fortuen contrarie to his exspectation For the Duke of Atry and Loys D'ars one of those French Capteines which had their companies bestowed vppon the landes of Ottranto determining to marche together to ioyne with the Viceroy for that they were aduertised that Peter of Nauarre with many Spanish footmen was in place apt to distresse them if they went separate deuided It hapned that Levvys D'ars taking his oportunitie of passe suerly departed without being carefull of the daunger of the Duke Atry who left alone marched also with his companies hauing espiall that Peter de Nauarre was gone to Matero to ioyne with Consaluo But the councels of men were not sufficient to resist fortune for that the men of Rutyliano a towne in the countrey of Bary who in the same dayes were reuolted against the Frenchemen callyng vppon the succours of Peter de Nauarre who in theyr regarde altered his way from Matero towardes Rutyliano and encountred the Duke of Atry to whom the sodeines of his peril brought him into many doubtfull cogitations what to doe But as necessitie of daunger makes men resolute so in the ende seeing no suertie in his retraite hee gaue his whole disposition to the battell And as when men are driuen to fight their constructions and iudgementes doe often varie sometimes beguiling them selues with an ouerwening in their owne strength and sometimes beleeuing lesse of their enemie then his estate and power requires So the Duke reapposing much in the seruice of his horsmen though his footemen were inferiour in numbers to the Spanish whom he vainely supposed to bee ouer wearied by the trauell they had made that night vndertooke the battell wherein euerie one expressing his vallour on both sides his people at last were broken his Vncle beyng slaine him selfe taken prisoner And as it seldoÌ„ hapneth that one fortune goeth without an other nor no aduersitie vnaccompanied with an other calamitie so foure French Gallies vnder the gouerning of Preian knight of the Rhodes appeared in the
the certeine knowledge and also the Launces of the men at armes holden vpright and the stalkes of fennels growing high in that countrey dimmed their sight that they could not well discerne The Spanyardes were the first that arriued at Ciriguole which the Frenchmen kept and incamping betweene two vines they enlarged by thaduise of Prosper Colonno a ditch or trench which was at the entrey of their Camp Whilest they were dressing their lodgings or Camp the diligence of the french in marching had brought them to the place but by the cōdition of the time drawing near night they stoode doubtfull whether they should so sodeinly accept the battell or deferre it till the day folowing Yues D'alegre and the Prince of Melfe perswaded that the fight might bee put ouer till the next day a respit conuenient for the refreshing of their owne men and to no lesse purpose to distresse the Spanyardes who they hoped would bee constrained by necessitie of vittels to remoue their Camp To this reason was ioyned also a consideration of warre howe muche it would bee to their disaduauntage to set vppon them in their lodgings specially being ignorant of the disposition of the place But as euery calamitie is ledde to his effect by his proper meane and mortall men in many thinges are made thinstruments of their owne harmes So Monsr de Nemours caried more by his rashe inclination then by the safe councell of others the Spanyardes were charged with great furie aswell by the French as Svvyzzers And the fyre hauing taken the powder of the Spanyardes either by chaunce or by other meane Consaluo vsing thoccasion of that accident cryed with a courage well resolued the victorie is ours God declares it by manifest tokens specially when we see we haue now no more necessitie of the seruice of artillerie There be sundrie opinions of the state of this battell The Frenche publishe that in the first encounter they brake the Spanish footemen and offring to the artillerie they had wonne it and set the powder on fyre only by the darkenes of the night their men at armes by negligence misknowledge had charged their owne footemen by which disorder the Spanyardes reassembled But others reason that for the difficultie to passe the ditche the French men beginning to intricate and intangle them selues fell to fleeing no lesse by their proper disorder then by the vertue of their enemies being most of all amazed For the death of Monsr de Nemours who entring with the first into the furie of the fight and as he was in the action of a noble Capteine to encourage his men to winne the trenche was striken dead with a boollet There bee others who discoursing more particularly saie that Monsr de Nemours dispairing to be hable to passe the ditch labouring to turne his strength towardes the flanke of the Camp to aduenture to enter on that side cried that they should giue backe Which voice to those that knew not thoccasion gaue a signe to flee which ioyned to the chaunce of his death in the first squadron hapning also at the same tyme caused all the armie to turne their backes and enter into a manifest fleeing Some acquite the Viceroy for taking the battell against the councel of others and do laye the blame vppon Yues D'alegre who contrary to thintention and desire of the Viceroy to fight that daie reprehending his fearefulnes induced him to doe that whereunto he bare no disposition The battell was of very small continuance and albeit the Spanish passing ouer the ditch followed the chase of their enemies yet as euen in calamities fortune is not without her fauours so by the oportunitie of the night couering all thinges with darknes there were fewe that fell into the perils that they feared most I meane that were either taken or slaine specially of the horsmen of whom Monsr Chandion was one The residue with losse of their cariage and artillerie saued them selues by fleeing The Capteines aswell as the soldiours being dispersed into many separate places not as their vertue wold but whether their feare and fortune ledde them This victorie hapned the eight daie after the ouerthrow of Monsr D'aubigny being both on Friday a day which the Spanyardes haue obserued to bee happie vnto them The French after the feare of the chase was passed reassembled againe aswell as the violence of the tyme their fortune would suffer and as men whose greater perils were yet to come debated many deuises Sometymes they thought best to ioyne with the residue of the armie in some place conuenient to take from the victors all meanes to goe to Naples eftsoones they iudged it most conuenient for their safetie to sticke to the defence of Naples And yet as it hapneth that to men in aduersitie their feares growe dayly greater and to such as bee vanquished is left nothing but consideration of difficulties So neither one of these deuises was suffred to bee put in execution For that neither had they any election of places for their safe abiding neither was their possibilitie to defende Naples for the skarcetie of vittelles For the prouision and furnishing whereof the French had sent affore to Rome to buy a great quantitie of corne which they could not transport either for the impediments that they of Rome gaue seeking to haue their towne stande in good prouision or rather by the secret persuasion of the Pope which was not the least credible The consideration of these difficulties made Alegre the Prince of Salerne many other Barons to retyre betweene Caietto and Tracetto where they reassembled vnder their names the most parte of the residue of the armie But Consaluo to whose vertue this one thing was peculiar and proper to know howe to follow his fortune aswell as he was skilfull to get the victorie after this good successe tooke his waie with the armie towardes the towne of Naples and as he passed by Melfe he made offer to the Prince to leaue him possessed of his whole estate so that hee would remeine at the deuotion of the Spanyardes But he rather chusing to go his way with his wyfe and children went to ioyne with Levvys D'ars lying at Venousa By whose departure Consaluo taking Melfe folowed his way directly to Naples at whose comming those Garrisons of the French which were in the towne retired into the new Castle and the Napolitans depriued of all hope but such as is left to men abandoned receiued Consaluo the xiiij daie of May Capua and Auersa doing the lyke in the same tyme. The ende of the fift booke THE ARGVMENT OF THE SYXT BOOKE THE French King makes his preparation to passe into Italy Pope Alexander the sixt is empoisoned His successour Pope Pius the third dieth vvithin xxvi daies Iulius the seconde is created Pope The Duke Valentynois is apprehended prisoner The Frēchmen are ouerthrovne at Garillan The Florentyns faile to take the Citie of Pisa Peace is established betvveene the French
deliuerer as he boasted afterwards of Italy from forreine nations To these endes he had absolued the Venetians of the Churche censures To these endes was he entred into intelligence and straite alliance with the Svvyzzers making semblance to proceede in those thinges more for his proper sewertie then for desire to offend an other And to these endes not being able to withdrawe the Duke of Ferrara from the deuocion of the french king he was determined to doe all that he could to occupie that Duchie blasing his deuises with this cooller that he stirred onely for the quarrell of the salt and salt pits And yet to th ende not to discloase the plainesse of his thoughts vntil he were better prepared he had continuall negociacion with Albert Pio to haue agreement with the french king not sparing to protest openly though he kept his intencions dissembled The kinge for his parte interpreting all his discontentment to come for that he had taken the Duke of Ferrara into his protection and hauing a carefull desire to auoyde his ill will consented to contract with him newe couenants referring him selfe to the capitulacions of Cambray wherein was expressed that not one of the confederats shoulde intrude into the thinges apperteyning to the Church and did insert with all such wordes and clauses as might make it lawfull to the Pope to proceede against the Duke of Ferrara so farre forth as concerned the perticularitie of the salt and salt mynes to which endes the kinge supposed that the Popes thoughtes did chiefly aspyre wherein he made such interpretacion of the protection which he had taken of the Duke of Ferrara as though there was left to him a lawefull libertie to contract with the Pope in that manner But the nearer the king approched to the demaundes of the Pope the further was he estranged and seperate from him inclining nothinge the more for the newes he heard of the death of Cardinall Amboise for to such as perswaded him to the peace and tooke their argument vppon this that his suspicions were nowe finished he aunswered that the same king liuing the same ielowsies did yet endure confirming his opinion by this that the accord made by the Cardinall of Pauya had bene violated by the king of his proper deliberacion contrary to the will and councell of the Cardinall Amboise yea such as looked deepely into the intencions of the Pope and his manner of dealings founde that his stomacke and hopes were so much the more increased and not without occasion for the qualities of the kinge being such as he stoode in more necessitie to be gouerned then that he was able or proper to gouerne it is without dout that he was much weakened by the death of the Cardinal since that besides his longe experience his abilitie of witte was great and stoode withall in such grace and authoritie with the kinge and had such power ouer his directions and councells that he would often tymes take vpon him to giue of him self a forme and resolucion of affayres A matter which could not be founde in such as succeeded him in the gouernment who durst not communicat with the kinge in affaires which they thought would displease him much lesse that they had authoritie to deliberat Besides he reaposed not the same faith confidence in their councels and being a body of a councell compounded vpon many persons they respecting one another without any great trust in their new authoritie they proceeded both more coldly and carelesly then either thimportance of the present affaires required or was necessary against the heate and importunity of the Pope who not accepting any of the offers that were made to him by the king required him at last to renoūce not with condicion and limitacion but absolutely and simply the protection which he had taken of the Duke of Ferrara not weighing to aduaunce his owne purposes with the kings dishonor And albeit the king perswaded him much that such a renunciacion would bring him great infamie yet it was in vaine to labor to stay him with wordes and reasons whose ambicions were infinit and his intencions full of malice with which propertie of minde he aunswered the king that seeing he refused to renownce simply he would also take libertie not to contract with him nor yet to be against him and not binding him selfe to any person he woulde studye to mainteyne the state of the Church in peace beginning euen then to complayne more then euer of the Duke of Ferrara whose friendes waighing wisely with what aduersary he had to doe perswaded him to giue ouer the working making of salt which he aūswered he could not do without preiudicing the rights of thEmpire to whom the iust iurisdiction of Comacho apperteyned many entred into a certeine dout and opinion which tooke increasing with time that Albert Pio the french kings Embassador not proceeding sincerely in his lagacion stirred vp the Pope against the Duke of Ferrara for a burning desire he had wherein he continued till his death that Alfonso should be deposed from the dukedom of Ferrara The reason was for that Hercules father of Alfonso hauing had certeine yeares affore of Gilbert Pio the moyty of the dominion of Carpy giuing him in recompense the borow of Sassola with certeine other landes Albert feared least in the ende the other moytye eyther by compulsion or corrupcion woulde deuolue to him thexperience often hapning that the neighbour lesse riche and able yeldeth to the couetousnes of the most welthye and mightie A matter which in all common weales hath bene seene to minister no small troubles and therefore it hath not bene thought good that the poore and rich should dwell neare together for that as in the wealth of the rich man are sowne the seedes of enuie in the mind of the poore man so of the wants of the poore superfluities of the rich are nourished the disorders of a whole people But what so euer was the simplicitie and truth of it the Pope expressing tokens of a person vnappeasable against Alfonso and hauing a full resolucion to leauye warre against him prepared first to proceede with thauthoritie and censures of the Church Wherein seking to giue some iustification to the groundes of this action he gaue it out that he had founde amongest the recordes of the chamber apostolike thinuestiture of the towne of Comacho giuen by Popes to the house of Este These were the publike and manifest behauiours of the Pope but in secrete he solicited to sette abroache farre greater mouinges wherein he seemed to haue giuen a good foundacion to his affaires in contracting amitie with the Svvyzzers and to haue at his deuocion the Venetians who nowe were vppon their feete Besides he sawe that the kinge of Aragon respected the same ende that he did or at least was not sowndly ioyned with the french kinge That the forces and authoritie of Caesar were so weakened that there was left no occasion to feare him And lastly that
dangerous warres wherof I wil make present discourse both for the same reasōs with the same shortnes that I haue touched thē in the narration of the yere before The beginning of these preparations and stirres grew vppon a resolution which the king of Englande made to inuade that sommer the Realme of Fraunce with a mayne army both by sea and lande And to make the victorie of this enterprise more easie he had agreed with Caesar to furnishe him of an hundred and twentie thousande duckets to make an entrie at the same tyme into Burgondy with an army of three thousande horsemen and eight thousande footmen parte Svvizzers and parte Almains He promised also to the Svvizzers a certayne proportion of money the rather to induce them to ioyne in the action with Caesar who was contented to put into their hands in pawne one parte of Burgondy vntill he had fully satisfied them of their payes Lastely also the king of Englande occupied this perswasion that his father in lawe the king Catholike cleauing to the confederation of Caesar and him which he had alwayes protested and assured would open the warre on his side at the same instante By reason whereof the reapporte of the truce made by thenglishe with the Frenche king and yet for all that the desire to make warre was nothing diminished was so yll brooked not onely by him but by all sortes of states and peoples in Englande that the Commons had done violent execution vpon the Spanishe Embassador if the kings authoritie had not resisted their furie To these things were added thoportunitie of thestate of tharchduke not so muche that he letted not his subiectes to take paye agaynst the Frenchemen as for that he promised to giue sufferaunce and passage of vittayles out of his countreys into thenglishe armie It behoued the French king to omit no sortes of prouisions agaynst so great preparations and daungerous threatning By sea he furnished a strong nauy to encounter thadmirall of Englande and by lande he leauyed men from all partes laboring specially to haue as great a strength of launceknightes as he coulde He had also affore made great instance to the Svvizzers that since they refused to ayde him in the warres of Italie at leaste that they woulde so farre fauour him as to delyuer him a proportion of footemen to helpe to defende the Crowne of Fraunce But they beeing wholly resolued to protect and assure the Duchie of Millan refused in any wyse to minister to him vnlesse he woulde eftsoones returne to the vnitie of the Churche and giue vp the Castell of Millan which was not yet rendred and also cancelling his rights interests to that estate he would promise no more to molest neither Millan not Genes Limitations no lesse vnprofitable to the French king then contrary to his honour and preiudiciall to the soueraigne dignitie of the crowne of Fraunce Likewise the French king the more to terrifie thenglish make them more intangled with their owne affayres had called into Fraunce the duke of Suffolke as Competitor and aspirant to the Crowne of Englande A deuise little helping the purposes of Fraunce and of great daunger to the race and progenie of the Duke for that in reuenge of their dealing the king of Englande by ordinarie course of the iustice of his Realme cutte off the head of his brother who tyll then had bene holden prisoner in Englande since the tyme that Phillip king of Castillo sayling into Spayne deliuered him into the handes of the king his father The French king also was not without hope to haue peace with the king Catholike for that when the king Catholike vnderstoode of the league made betwene the French and the Venetians he began to distrust muche of the defence of the duchie of Millan and sent into Fraunce one of his secretaries to practise newe offers And it was beleued that considering howmuch the greatnes of Caesar and the archduke might alter his gouernment of Castillo he could not in good pollicy stand well contented with thembasing of the realme of Fraunce Besides all these omitting no oportunities wherein occasion might be taken the french king forgat not in these actiōs to stirre vp Iames the king of Skottes his auncient confederate to th ende that he opening the warre vpon the frontiers of Englande he might with more facilitie make defence against so many mightie inuasions The Skottish king was moued to this warre by the consideration of his proper interests for that the aduersities of Fraunce could not but be daungerous to the crowne of Skotland in which regard ioyned to the respect of confederation he prepared him selfe to the action with all diligence demaunding of the Frenche king no other ayde then fiftie thousande frankes to leauye munitions and vittels Neuerthelesse the Frenche king was very slowe in gathering together his forces and prouisions bothe for that he had turned all his thoughtes to thenterprise of Millan and reaposed not a litle in the truce made with the king Catholike Lastly his accustomed negligence was no litle impediment to the expedition of his busines A vice most hurtfull to th affayres of Princes to whom is seldome seene to returne theffect or sruite of their exspectation when they stande to temporise vpon euery new occasion after the resolution is set downe and things referred to action And touching the king of England he cōsumed many monthes in measuring his proportions in leauying his prouisions in rating the state maner of his payes and in distinguishing the sortes of his souldiors and their fashions of armor weapons for that his subiectes hauing bene many yeeres without warres and no lesse chaunged the maner of warfaring both their bowes and their other vsual natures of armes being become vnprofitable he was constrayned to make great prouision of forreine armors artilleries and munitions and by the same necessitie to leauye as souldiors trayned many bands of launceknights horsmen the ancient custome of the English being to fight on foote for these impedimentes thenglish army passed not the seas soner then the moneth of Iuly And after they had for many dayes runne vp into the champayne countrey neare vnto Bolleine they went to incampe affore Torvvaine A towne standing vpon the marches of Pikardy in the region of those peoples whō the Latins call Morini The person of the king of Englande passed the sea a litle after who had in his maine army fiue thousand horses of seruice and more then forty thousand footmen An army not more notable by the multitudes of souldiors consideration of their vallor then most glorious by the presence maiestie of their king in whose person appeared at that instant being in an age disposed and actiue al those tokens of honor magnanimitie which rising afterwards to their ful ripenes perfection by degrees of time study and experience made him the most renowmed and mightie prince that lyued in his age in all this part or circuite of the
vntill restitution were made of the lands and places aforesayd and the peace sworne and ratified together with all the articles by thestates generall of Fraunce and inregistred in all the Courtes of Parliament of the kingdome with forme and solemnities necessary for thaccomplishing whereof there was set downe a tearme of foure monethes at which time returning the ostages there should be put into themprours hands the Duke d'Angoulesme the kings thirde sonne to th ende to trayne him vp with themprour the better to enterteine and assure the peace That the French king should renounce and giue vp to themprour all his rightes to the Realme of Naples together with all such titles and preeminences as were to come to him by thinuestiture of the Churche That he shoulde do the lyke touching his interest in thestate of Millan of Genes of Ast and likewise of Arras Tourney of the I le and of Dovvay That he should render vp the towne and castell of Hedin as a member of the countie of Artois with all the munitions artilleries and mouables that were in it when it was laste taken That he should disclayme and yelde vp all soueraigntie in Flaunders and Artois and all other places or peces which themprour possessed and that on the other side themprour should resigne and giue vp to him all the right title and quarrell which he pretended to any place possessed by the French men and especially the townes and Casteldomes of Perone Mondidier Roye the Counties of Bolleyne Guynes and Ponthievv with other townes standing vpon the one other shore of the riuer of Somme That there shoulde be betweene them a league and confederation perpetuall for the defence of their estates with obligation to ayde one another when nede required with fiue hundred men at armes and ten thousande footmen That themprour should promise to giue in mariage to the king the Lady Eleoner his sister whom assone as the dispensation should be obteined from the Pope he shoulde contract or handfast with words obligatorie for the present and afterwards she should be ledde into Fraunce to consummat the mariage at the same time that according to the capitulations the ostages were to be deliuered That she should haue for her portion two hundred thousande crownes with Iewels according to her estate the one moytie of the money to be payed within sixteene monethes and the other halfe in one yere after That a mariage should be made betwene the Daulphine and the daughter of the king of Portugall daughter to the Lady Eleoner at suche tyme as their age woulde suffer That the Frenche king shoulde do all that he coulde to induce the auncient king of Nauarre to giue vp to themperour the rightes of that kingdome whiche in case he woulde not perfourme then the king not to ayde him with any succours That the Duke of Gueldres and the Counte of Zulff and the principall townes of those estates shoulde promise with sufficient securitie to giue themselues to the Emperour after his death That the kinge shoulde giue no succours to the Duke of VVittenberg nor likewise to Robert de la Marche That he shoulde furnishe and rigge for themperour both when he shoulde passe into Italy and two monthes after beeing so required twelue gallies foure shippes and foure gallions all well municioned and appoynted except men of warre and the sayde vesselles to be rendred three monthes after accompting from the daye of his embarking That in place of tharmy by lande which the king offred for Italy he should pay him two hundred thousande crownes in money the one halfe within sixtene monethes and the other halfe within a yere after And that at the time when thostages should be deliuered he should be bounde to giue billes of exchaunge for the paye of sixe thousand footmen for six monthes immediatly after themprours ariual in Italy That he should also furnish for his seruice fiue hundred launces payed with a band of artillerie That he should saue harmeles themprour of his promise made to the king of Englande by pensions which the Frenche king should paye to him the aâ—â—erages whereof amounted to fiue hundred thousande crownes or els to deliuer so much in ready money to themprour That they should both ioyne to besech the Pope to cal a generall councell with all speede to th ende to consult vpon an vniuersall peace amongest Christians to aduaunce an enterprise agaynst the infidels and heretikes and to graunt to all the Croisade for three yeres That within sixe weekes the king should restore the Duke of Burbon in moste ample forme into all his estates goodes mouable and vnmouable and frutes and reuenues receyued not to molest him for any thing past nor constrayne him to dwell or go to the Realme of Fraunce That it should be lawfull to the sayde Duke of Burbon to demaunde by the waye of lawe and iustice the Earledome of Prouence That in like sort all those that had followed him should reenter in safetie into their goods and states and namely the Bishop of Autun and Monsr de saint Valier That the prisoners taken in the warre should be deliuered on both partes within fifteene dayes That there should be restitution made to the Lady Margaret of Austrich of all that she possessed affore the warre That the Prince of Orange should be set at liberty with restauration to the principality of Orange and all that he possessed by the death of his father which had bene taken from him for following the faction of themprour That the like should be done to other Barons That there should be made restitutioÌ„ to the Marquis of Salusse of his estate That the king assone as he ariued in the first towne of his Realme should ratifie this capitulation be bound to procure the Daulphin to ratifie it wheÌ„ he should come to the age of fourtene yeres Many were named by common consent chiefly the Svvizzers Onely there was not one of the Potentates of Italy except the Pope whome they named as conseruator of the accorde and that more for manersake and ceremonie then in effect and true meaning Lastly it was expressed in the sayde capitulation that in case the king for any occasion would not accomplish these matters promised he should returne true prisoner This accorde for the partes it conteyned brought no small astonishment to all Christendom for when it was vnderstanded that the first execution therof consisted in the deliuery of the king all mens opinions was that being in his liberty he would not deliuer vp Burgongny as being a member of too great importance for the realme of Fraunce And except a few who had counselled themprour to it all his Court had the same iudgement and namely the Chauncellor who reprehended and detested the matter with so great vehemency that notwithstaÌ„ding he was coommaunded to signe the capitulation according to thoffice of chief Chauncellors yet he refused to do it alleaging that in such matters dangerous hurtfull as that was he ought
the castell S. Angelo The Pope was al this while in no smal thought to make prouision of money wherin imploring the ayde of other princes he receiued of new from the king of England a supply of thirty thousand duckets which the lord Russell his Chamberlaine brought to him And with him came Monsr de Rabandanges with ten thousande crownes sent to him by the french king vpon the benefit of the tenthes which the Pope had accorded to him by necessitie compulsion vnder this promise notwithstāding that besides the payments of the forty thousand crownes which he gaue to the league and twenty thousand which he contributed to the Pope for euery moneth he should presently minister to him thirty thousand duckets within a moneth thirty thousand more The king of Englande gaue commission also to the Lorde Russell to signifie to the Viceroy and the Duke of Burbon a surseance of armes to th end to giue sufferance and tyme to treate a peace the practise and negociation whereof according to themprours will was holden in Englande And if the Viceroy would not condiscend to it then to denounce agaynst him warre It seemed by this readynes and many other apparances that the king of Englande vnder a desire to marry his daughter with the Frenche king was well inclined to the confederates and fauoured their cause And in that good inclination he promised that assoone as the mariage were established to enter into the league and beginne the warre in Flaunders It seemed also he was particularly disposed to do pleasure to the Pope But there could be no great exspectation of ready remedies from a prince who both measured not well the present conditions of Italy nor stoode firme and resolute in his purposes beeing styll labored and retyred by the hope which themprour gaue him to commit to him the working and arbitration of the peace notwithstanding theffectes were in nothing correspondant to the semblances and showes he made for when the Auditor of the Chamber was with him for that matter albeit themprour did what he could to perswade him in many sortes that such was his intention yet for that he exspected some euentes from Italy since the discending of the launceknightes and the aryuall of his Nauy at sea wherof he had receiued some aduertisement he forbare to giue him an aunswere assured and certayne taking his excuse vppon the warrantes and commissions of the confederates as though they were not sufficient But thaccorde whiche the Pope solicited continually with the Viceroy hurt him not a little with the Confederates both for that they stoode alwayes in feare least he woulde resolue and compound with him And also the French king and the Venetians made this iudgement that all the exspences and defraymentes whiche they should make to support him would be almost vnprofitable This iudgement and suspicion tooke encreasing by certayne degrees of vehement feares whiche were discerned in him together with the lamentable protestations he made dayly that he was no more hable to susteine the warre Wherein agaynst hys ordinarye meane and remedy in that case he opposed wilfully his naturall obstinacy would not make Cardinalls for money nor releeue himselfe in so great necessities amid so many daungers of the Church with those meanes which other Popes had wont to vse yea euen in thatchieuing of their vniust and ambicious enterprises In which regarde the French king and the Venetians to be the better prepared and ready in all accidents were eftsones particularly bound to make no accord with themprour the one without the other And the French king for that cause and for the great hope which the king of Englande gaue to rayse together with him in case the mariage went forwarde great emotions in the spring following became more negligent and lesse carefull of the daungers of Italy In this time the Viceroy who solicited an inuasion vpon the Churche states dispatched a regiment of two thousande Spanish footemen to assault a small Castell of Stephen Colonno where the vallour of the defendantes made that enterprise in vayne And because the Viceroy came on and aduaunced thecclesiastikes referred to an other time to execute the resolution taken to batter the Popes rocke the garrisons of which place had surprised the Castell Gandolffo but weakly manned and at that tyme holden by the Cardinall de Monte At last the Viceroy after he had assembled into one strength twelue thousande footemen all bodyes commaunded and trayned sauing the Spaniards and Launceknights that were come with him by sea encamped with his whole armie the xxix of Ianuary before Frusolone a towne weake and without walles sauing that the howses of some particulars serue as a wall and within the which the capteines of the Church had bestowed garrison because they would leaue him no footing nor entrie into Campagnia to the weaknes of this place was ioyned a great necessitie and want of vittells and yet the situation of the towne standing vpon a hill giueth alwayes to the inhabitantes good meane and oportunitie to saue them selues of one side for that it beareth a certaine benesite of reskew and backing A matter which gaue a great resolution to the garrison within to defende it besides that they were of the best choyse of Italians whiche at that time tooke paye Moreouer the height of the mountayne was no litle impediment to thenemies to do any action vpon their artilleries of which they had planted three demy Cannons and foure Coluerines Onely the greatest care of thenemies was to stoppe as muche as they could the entry of vittells into the towne On the other side the Pope who albeit was muche impouerished for money and was more apt to suffer indignitie to desire others to releeue him then to furnishe himselfe by meanes extraordinary encreased his campe as muche as he could with bandes of footemen payed and trayned And in that incertentie of minde and dealing he had newly taken into his paye Horacio Baillon without keeping memorie or obseruation of the iniuries which he had done before to his father and afterwardes to him whom he had of long holden prisoner within the Castell of S. Angelo as a troubler of the quiet of Perousa With these supplies of souldiours his armie went on alwayes drawing neare to Ferentin to make there his generall moosters and to giue hope of succours to those that were besieged The batterye of Frusolona was reduced to perfection the xxiiij day but because it was not suche as to giue hope to cary the place there was no assault performed Onely capteine Alarcon trauelling about the walles was hurt with the blowe of a harquebuse and likewise Maria Vrsin was wounded One of the principall grounds and hopes of the Viceroy was that he was not ignorant that the souldiors within suffred great scarcitie of vittells as also the armie that moostred at Ferentin was in the same extremitie for the souldiours of the Colonnois whiche laye within Palicina Montfortin and the Popes Rocke the
Capteynes and by his armye Abowt this tyme the Cardinalls that were in Italy made a mocion that aswell they as the other Cardinalls beyonde the Mountes might assemble together at Auignion to take councell in so troublesom a tyme what coursse to holde for the stabilitie of the Church But because they woulde not all at one tyme raunge them selues vnder the power of so mightye Princes they refused to goe thether though with diuerse excuses By whose example also the Cardinall Saluiatio Legat in the Frenche Court beeing required by the Pope to goe to thEmprour to helpe his affayres at the comming of Don Hugo who according to the capitulacion was to go vp to thEmprour refused to accomplish that legacion as though it had beene a matter hurtfull to deliuer vppe to the power of thEmprour at one tyme so many Cardinalls Onely he sent by one of his seruaunts of credit thinstructions he had receyued from Rome to thAuditor of the chamber resident with thEmprour to th ende he might negociat with him who brought from him very gracious wordes but such as promised a diuerse and vncerteine resolucion And albeit thEmprour could haue desired that the Pope had beene ledde into Spayne yet for that it was a matter full of infamye and greatly tending to incense the king of England And withall for that all the Potentates and prouinces of Spayne and principally the Prelats and Lordes detested not a litle that an Emprour of Rome Protector and Aduocat of the Church should with so great indignitie to all Christendom holde in prison the man in whome was represented the person of Iesus Christ in earth In those regardes he made gracious aunswers to all thEmbassadors which occupied his presence there At whose instance also to goe thorowe with a peace he sayde he was content to referre the action of it to the king of England which was accepted by them And seeming to confirme this good inclinacion with corespondencye of effects he dispatched into Italy the thirde daye of August the generall of the Graye Frears and foure dayes after him Veri de Miglian enhabling both the one and other with commissions sufficient to the Viceroy for the deliuery of the Pope and restitucion of all such townes and castells as had bene taken from him he consented also for the better releeuing of the Pope that his Nuncio should send him a certeine summe of money exacted vppon the collection of his Realmes who in their Courts and parlyaments had refused to contribute money to thEmprour In this time about the ende of Iuly the Cardinall of Yorke passed the sea to Callyce with twelue hundred horse The French king who had great desire to receyue him with all showes of honor sent to meete him at his landing the Cardinal of Lorraine and went afterwardes in personne to Amyens where the Cardinall of Yorke made his entrey the daye after with very greate pompe Wherein one thinge that muche augmented his glorye and reputacion was the treasor he had brought with him amownting to three hundred thowsande crownes bothe to furnishe thexspenses occurringe and to imparte it with the Frenche Kinge by waye of loane if neede were They debated betwene them aswel of matters apperteyning to the peace as of occasions tending to nourish the warre Wherein albeit the ends and intencions of the French king were different from the purposes of the king of England for that to haue his children restored he cared not to leaue abandoned to manifest praye both the Pope and all the state of Italy yet what by the authoritie of the king of England and necessitie of his owne affayres he was driuen to promisse to make no accord with thEmprour without the deliuery of the Pope And therefore thEmprour hauing sent to the king of England the articles of the peace aunswer was made to him by both the kings that they woulde accept the peace vnder condicions of restitucion of the children of Fraunce receyuing for raunsom of them two millions of duckats within a certeine tyme and deliuerye of the Popes person with the state Ecclesiastike together with the conseruacion of all the gouernments and estates of Italy as they were at that present and lastly vnder condicion of an vniuersall and generall peace And bicause the mariage of the French king with the Emprours sister should still continue there was set downe a speciall couenant that thEmprour accepting these articles the Daughter of the king of England should be maryed to the Duke of Orleans But in case the peace succeeded not the king him selfe should take her to wife After these articles were sent they refused to giue safe conduit to a man whome the Emprour required to send into Fraunce aunswering that they had done enough to send him the articles of their resolucion Which being not accepted by thEmprour the peace and confederacion betweene the two kings was sworne and published solemnly the eyght day of August They determined to employ all their forces in the warre of Italy hauing for their principall obiect the deliuerye of the Pope And touching the manner to proceede in that warre they reapposed them selues vppon Monsr Lavvtrech to whome according to the confidence they had in him they gaue absolute power and before he tooke his leaue to depart with his expedicion they suffered him to obteyne of the French king all his demaundes for that the king ment in that warre to set vppe his last rest The Cardinall of Yorke would also that the knight Casalo shoulde goe to the campe on the behalfe of his king and that the thirty thowsande duckats which were his monthly contribucion should be deliuered to him to th ende to be assured if the nūber of Almaines were compleate Thus after the resolucions and directions of the warre were established the Cardinall of Yorke returned and at his departure he dispatched the pronotorye Gambaro to the Pope to induce him to make him his Viccaire generall in England in Fraunce and in Germanye so longe as he was in prison Whereunto though the French king seemed by demonstracions to consent yet secretly and in effect he did impugne so great an ambicion In this meane whyle there passed but very fewe actions and exploytes of warre in Italy thexspectacion of the comming of Lavvtrech being very great The reason was that as the Imperiall armye full of disorder and disobedience to their Capteynes and no lesse chargeable to their friendes and townes that were rendred made no greate mouing and gaue no feare at all to their enemyes so the footebandes of Spanyardes and Italyans fleeing from the infection of the plague laye dispearsed and wandring abowt the confynes of Rome And the Prince of Orenge with an hundred and fiftye horsemen was gonne vppe to Syenna aswell to eschewe the daunger of the plague as to keepe that citie in the deuocion of thEmperour And for the better conteyning the Citie in fidelitie and order he had sent thyther before certeyne bandes of footemen the rather for that
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
the pawne and assuring of these payments themprour to kepe in his handes Coma and the Castell of Millan which he bounde himselfe to render and readelyuer vp to Frauncis Sforce assone as the payment of the first yeare were finished he gaue him also the inuestiture of the Duchie or rather confirmed that which had bene giuen to him before But to furnish three payments and to perfourme the giftes and bribes which he promised to those that gouerned the emprour he imposed greate taxes vpon the towne of Myllan and throwe the whole Duchie notwithstanding the people had bene miserably wasted and consumed both by the crueltie of their long warres and also by the rage of hunger and pestilence Touching the Venetians they accorded That they should render to the Pope Rauenna and Ceruia with their territories sauing their rightes and also the Pope to pardon all such as had conspired or donne any thing against him That they should giue vp to themprour by the ende of the next Ianuarie all that they possessed in the realme of Naples and to paye him the residue of the two hundred thowsand duckats due vpon the thirde article of the last peace contracted with them That is to saie xxv thowsand within one moneth next folowing and xxv thowsand at the yeares ende but vpon condicion that their peeces should be rendred to them within one yeare if either they were not rendred alreadie according to the tenor of the saied peace or at last the controuersies and differences iudged by common arbitratours That they should paie to the exiles fiue thowsand duckats for euerie yeare for the reuenues of their goods according to the disposicion of the treatise of the same peace That ouer and besides this they should paie to the Emprour an hundred thowsand duckats the one moitie within tenne monethes and the other halfe within a yeare after it was further accorded that the rightes of the patriarch of Aquilea which had bene reserued to him in the capitulacion of VVormes against the king of Hungria should be decided That the Duke of Vrbin should be comprehended in this peace and confederacion because he was an adherent and in the protection of the Venetians That the Venetyans should pardon the Count Brunoro de Gambaro That the traffike and entercoursse should be free amongest all their subiects and that there should be giuen no place of retraite to the corsaires or roauers who would trouble either partie That it should be lawfull to the Venetyans to continue peasibly in the possession of all those thinges which they helde That all those that had bene published rebelles for folowing the faction of Maximilian the Emprour and the king of Hungria since the yeare 1523. should be restored onely the restitucion should not extende to the goods that had bene brought to their fiske That betwene the saied parties there should not onely be a peace but also a perpetuall league defensible for their estates of Italye against all Christian princes The emprour promised that the Duke of Myllan should kepe and holde in his estate a strength of fiue hundred men at armes fiue hundred light horsemen six thowsand footemen and a good bande of artilleries for the defense of the Venetians and the Venetians to menteine the like strength for the defense of the Duke of Myllan In which article was set downe that whē either of their estates were molested the other throw their cōtreys should giue no passage of vittells municions corriers nor embassadonrs restraining all natures of aide in their estates and all passage or suffrance of succours what so euer That if any Christian prince though he were of supreame dignitie should inuade the realme of Naples the Venetians to bring to the defending of it fiftene light gallies well armed That in this present accord should be comprehended all such as the affore named and to name helde in their protection though without other obligacion of the Venetians then for their defense That in case the Duke of Ferrara accorded with the Pope and with thEmprour it was ment he should be comprehended in this confederacion for the execucion of which accordes and composicions thEmprour rendred to Frauncis Sforce Myllan and all the Dukedom and reuoked all the souldiours excepte such as were thought necessarie for the garde of the Castell and of Coma which places he rendred afterwardes according to the time couenanted The Venetians restored to the Pope the townes of Romagnia and to thEmprour the peeces which they helde in Povvilla * ⎠* The ende of the ninteenth Booke THE ARGVMENT OF THE TWENTEETH BOOKE THemprour taketh the imperiall crowne at Bolognia and from thence passeth into Almanie The famulie of Medicis by the aide of themprours armie retorne to Florence Ferdinand is chosen king of Romains The Pope will not harken to a councell The french king stirreth vp the Turke against themprour and hath conference with the Pope at Marseilles THE TVVENTEETH BOOKE OF THE historie and discourse of Guicciardin IT seamed that the conclusion of this peace and confederacion had reduced to their last ende the warres of Italye which for their continuance and longnes had drawne a space of viij or x. yeares and for their horrible accidents had left to all the regions of that climat matter of lamentable and iust compassion Onely the citie of Florence either more wretched in destinie or lesse worthy of so good participacion was not dispensed from tumultes and daungers of armes seeing that as she was a meane helpe to reduce others to peace so of the contrarie in the tranquillity of others was wrought to her selfe matter of a more heauy and daungerous warre for where it was supposed that all natures of difficulties were so resolued and disgested that there was no further dowt nor impediment to deteine the accord from his perfection Themprour leauying his companies bandes of men of warre from thestate of the Venetians sent out to make warre against the Florentins an army of foure thowsand launceknights two thowsand fiue hundred Spanish footemen eight hundred Italians and more then three hundred light horsemen with fiue and twenty peeces of artilleries But in this warre either for the ill directiō of the capteines or worse order of the soldiours much lesse that there was done any exploit notable seeing there was performed no action worthy thexercise of a penne to write it The assailantes lacking harts to inuade the towne and the defendantes hauing no deuocion to assaie the fortune of a battell They saw in the accompt of their prouisions that they had meanes sufficient to make defence for many monethes and in the reckoning of the mindes and inclinacions of men they dowted not of an vniuersall resolucion of the citie to resiste the quarrell inflicted against their common libertie in which regards they hoped by tēporising so to make weary the campe of thenemies that either for want of money which maketh the soldiour mutinus or for some other accidēts which ordinarily ensue
Italy as his LieftenaÌ„t Camâ—lla Vitelli slayne The french began to decline in Naples Mercenary 〈…〉 the mâ—st part vnfaithfull The declinacion of the french in the kingdom of Naples Consaluo surpriseth the french The french send to capitulat with Ferdinand Montpensier dyeth Virginio Vrsin prisoner The Prince of Bisignian compowndeth for himselfe and others Monsr d'Aubigny consents to depart the kingdom of Naples Ferdinand dyeth Federyk made king of Naples Lodowyk will aswell serue his turne of the king of Romaines for his ambicion as he had doÌ„e of the french king in his necessitie Lodowyk perswades Caesar to goe to Pysa Peter Capponi The Pysans begin to disclayme the Duke of Myllan Caesar sendes Embassadors to Florence The Florentyns haue small hope to be succored by the french king The Florentyns send auÌ„swer to thEmprour Caesar is come to Pysa Caesar marcheth to Lyuorna Caesar leauieth his campe from Lyuorna Caesar excuseth his suddeine departure Caesar stealeth in haste into Iermany The computacion of the Venetian armie within Pysa Tarente and Caiette are rendred to Federyk new king of Naples The french king determineth to set vpon Genes 1497. The Duke of Candia generall of the Popes armie The encownter of Soriana Capitulacions betwene the Pope and the Vrsins Consaluo entreth Rome The french prepare new enterprises against Italy The Duke of Myllan practiseth against the Venetians touching Pysa Disorders in â—lorenâ—â— for the gouernment P. de medicis determineth once againe to returne to Florenes P. de medicis ayded by the of Siena P. de medicis fayleth of his enterprise The Cardinal of Valence killeth his brother the Duke of Candia being both the Popes sonnes The Pope abhominable in the lust of his daughter The faction and intelligence which Peter de medicis had in Florence is discouered The Pope inuesteth Vede 〈…〉 the kingdom of Naples New practises betvene the kinges of Fraunce and Spayne Phillip Duke of 〈…〉 The castell of Genes rendred 〈…〉 Duke of 〈…〉 The Duke of Myllan prosecutes his practise against the Venetians The death of king Charles the eyght Loâ—â—ys Duke of Orleans 〈…〉 the croâ—ne The death of Sauonarâ—â—a Lowys 1â— The title of the french king to the Duchie of Myllan 〈…〉 12. 〈…〉 of Myllan â—â— The Venetians send Embassadors to the french king The Pope apt tâ— dispense with al things for the greatnes of his sonne Pawle Vitelli Capteine generall of the Florentyn army Quarrell betwene the famulies of Colonne and Vrsin Vicopisan reÌ„dred Embassadours of the Florentyns at Venâ—â—â— The 〈…〉 yns send Embassadours to Venâ—â—e to treate of the affaires of Pisa The Duke of Veniâ—e aunswereth the Florentine Embassadâ—â—â— 1578. Truce betwen the Siennoys Florentyns Librafatta taken by Pawle Vitelli. The VenetiaÌ„s careful to succour the Pysans Alviano taketh Bybienna Meanes of accord The doings of the freâ—h king during the warre of Pisa The cardinall of Valâ—â—â— the Popes sonne reâ—â—iâ—â—s this profession The Cardinall of Valence Duke of Valentynois The French king maketh peace vvith his neighbourâ— The french king requireth Pisa in trust The Venetians take couÌ„cell whether they should ioyne with the french king The oration of Anthonie Grymany The â—â—â—â—ell of 〈…〉 〈…〉 of the league betvveene the french lâ—ng and the state of Venice The Duke of Myllan made astonished with the league solâ—â—â—teth an accord betwene the Venetians and the Florentyns The Pissns not keeping 〈…〉 rd are beseeged by the Florâ—tins Lodowyk strengthneth himselfe against the king The french king discendeth into Italy The frenchmen take diuers peeces in the Duchie of Myllan Lodowyk mustereth all thinhabitants of Myllan and laboureth 〈…〉 the people The Count Caiazze leaueth the Duke of Myllan Lodovvyk abandoneth Myllan The towne of Myllan yelâ—â—th to the frenchmen The french king 〈…〉 to Myllan The taking of Cascina Pisa is beseeged Pawle leauieth the siege The Florentynâ—â—â—â— P. 〈…〉 to death The french king being at Myllan compoundeth with the most parte of the Potentates of Italy The state of Romagnia in the tyme of the Duke Valentynas Duke Valentynâ—is takes Ymola by the ayde of the french men The discending of the Tâ—â—ke Duke Valentynois takeâ—â— Furly The french king returneth into Fraunce hauing first â—â—â— order in the Duchie of Myllan Disorders in the french gouernment in Myllan The french abandon Myllan The Duke of Myllan made prisoner by the treason of the Swissers Cardinall Askanius leaueth Myllan abandoned Cardinall Askanius betraied and taken Cardinall Askanius deliuered ouer to the frenchmen Monsr Beaumont a chiefe leader of the french armies M. Beaumont sendeth to demaund Pisa in the kinges name The french men affraid to assals Pisa The Pisans take Librafatta Sainct Gregorâ— against ambicion The â—râ—nâ—h King 〈…〉 th ayde to the Pope D. Valentynois beseegeth Faenza D. Valentynois leauieth his Camp. D Valentinois disdaineth to be repulsed The Pope createth â—â—â— Cardinals at one tyme. Truce betweene the French king and king of Romains 1501 The kings of Spaine and Fraunce deuide betweene them the realme of Naples Faenâ—ayelded to the Duke Capitula betweene the D. Valent â–ª and the Florent The french king commauds D. Valentynoys to depart from the landes of the Floretyns The computacion of the french army The Pope giueth thinuestiture of the kingdome of Naples to the French and Spanyard indifferently Prospero Coâ—onnâ— aduiseth ◠〈…〉 ad 〈…〉 the battell Great cruelties of the French. Insatiable lust of D. Valentinois The sorows of King Federyk redoubled 〈…〉 a sonne Federyk in minde to commit him selfe to the 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 y of the french 〈…〉 Theldest sonne of king Feder sent into Spaine Accord betweene the french king and the Florentyns The frenche and the Spanyardes do disagree vppon the deuiding of Naples The beginning of warres in Naples vnder K. Lowys the twelfth Aretze rebelleth against the Flor in fauour of Pâ— â–ª de Medicis The Florentâ—ns haue recourse to the french king Duke Valentinois takes the Duchie of Vrbyn â–ª Disorder in Florence touching the gouernment Peter Soderin chosen chiefe maiestrat during his lyfe The french king in Ast. Duke Valentynois with the french king Consaluo retireth to Barletto Duke Valentinâ—is in grace with the freÌ„â—s king againe The Duke of Vrbyn recouereth his estate Confederation against Valentynois Duke Valentynois demauÌ„deth succours of the french King. Capitulation betweene the Vrsins and D. Vaâ—â—â—â— Pawle Vrsin strangled Anthony de Leua Monsr de la Paâ—â—ssa made Pr. A combat of xiij sâ—â—nâ—â—men against xiij Italians Dâ—â—â—ending of the 〈…〉 into the Puchie of 〈…〉 Phillip Archduke of Austrich in Fraunce P 〈…〉 be 〈…〉 the â— of 〈…〉 The ouerthrow of the Duke of Atry 〈…〉 D 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 The ouerthrow and death of MoÌ„sr de Nemours Consaluo in Naples The Castles of Naples taken by the Spanishe The 〈…〉 Castle of Naples assalted The Florentyn â—n the countreâ— of Pisa A prouerbe 〈…〉 Popes dissembling The Fr. king prepares mightely against the K. of Spaine Pope Alex. the. 6. dead Duke Valentynois for the French king
Cardinall of Amboyse aspireth to the Popedome Frauncis Piccolomini made pope The Vrsins against Valentynois Valentynois distressed by the Vrsins Pope Pius the thirde dieth Cardinall S. Petri Ad vincla made Pope The Pope â—oÌ„plaineth to the Venetâ—ans The VenetiaÌ„s ansvvere to the nevve Pope Faenza taken by the Venetians Duke Valentynois arested by the Pope 〈…〉 beyonde the Mounts A truce betvveene the kinges of Spayne and Fraunce VVhat hapned to the French men as they vvould haue passed Garillon Bart. Aluiano commeth to the 〈…〉 of Consaluo Peter de Medicis d 〈…〉 Peace betvveene the Turke â—â— the Venetians Discourse vpoÌ„ the nauigations of the Spaniards Complaints of the Frenchemen Consaluo deserueth the title of great captayne Valentynois prisoner by Consaluo Truce betvveene the kinges of Spayne and Fraunce Confederation betvveene the Pope king of Romains and the â—â—enâ—he king against the Venâ—â—ans The death of king Federike The death of Elizabeth Queene of Spayne Testament of Queene Elizabeth The Florentins broken by the Pisans Death of Cardinall Arkanius Consaluo aydeth the Florentins The Florentins debate vvhether they should besege Pisa The Florentins armie afore Pisa Peace betvvene the French king and king of Spayne An horrible act of a Cardinall Sedes of nevv vvarres Dissimulation very daungerous in the persons of great men King Philip saileth out of Flaunders into Spayne King Phillip caste by casualtie of sea vpon the cpasts of Englande Philip promiseth to redeliuer to king H. the duke of Suffolke Capitulations betvvene Ferdinand Philâ—p The conditioÌ„ of imperie dignitie ielous Imaginations of the French king The Pope deuiseth to vvin agayne Bolognia Malice is infinite in her actions The Pope vvill go in person to the enterprise of Bolognia The great capteine consirmed in the duchy of S. Ange. The death of king Phillip A coÌ„tinuance of the historie of Iulio d'Este The death of duke Valentynois The citie of Genes rebelleth Rebellion increaseth in occasions The seate of dominion very casual vvhere it diuolueth by election Rashnes hath no societie vvith discretion The contentes of the French armie The first defease of the Genovvies The Genovvaies sende to solicite for pardon The rebels of Genes yeelde to the French king The Frenche king entreth as a conquereâ— into Genes The sub 〈…〉 of the rebels of Genes The Pope and the Venetians incite the k. of Romains to make vvarre vppon the French king The dyet of Constance Themperour speaketh in the dyet The kings of Aragon and Fraunce haue enteruievv together The oration of Ni. Foskarin The oration of Andrevv Gritti Deliberation of the Venetians Aluiano beeing sent to suâ—â—â—r Friul giueth the rout to the Almains Truce betvvene Maximilian and the Venetians Thassâ—â—bly of Cambrâ—â— Deliberation of the Venetians The Pope ratisieth the treatise of Cambray A coÌ„tinuation of the vvarrs of Pisa Contract betvvene the French king king of Spaine and the Florentins The French king prepareth agaynst the Venetians The VenetiaÌ„s looke to them selues The ordenaÌ„ce house of Venice on fire Beginning of the vvarre The Popes Bull agaynst the Venetians The Venetians armie The armies affront one an other and feight not Deâ—ait of the Venetians Aluiano takeÌ„ prisoner The taking of many tovvnes by the french The lamentations made as Venice for the ouerthrovv The Popes souldiours in Romagnia The oration of Anth. Iustinian to Caesar Diuers opinions touching the fall of the Venetians The first hope of the Venetians The last actioÌ„ of the Florentins agaynst the Pisans Pisa rendred to the Florentins The VenetiaÌ„s determine to recouer Padoa The VenetiaÌ„s recouer Padoa The Marquis of Mantua prisoner The oration of Leonard Loredan The gentlemeÌ„ of Venice go to the succors of Padoa Description of Padoa Max returneth into Germany The Venetian armie at Vincensa The Venetian armie vpon the contrey of Ferrara Description of Verona Themâ— and the k. Caâ—h â—a to accord touching the gouernment of Castill Death of the Count Petillano The Venetian absolued The league of Caesar and the French king agaynst the Venetians The Pope threatneth the duke of Ferrara Monsr de Chaumont agaynst the Venetians The Vincentins yeelde to discression 〈…〉 M. Chaumont incampeth as Lungaro Conuencion betwene Caesar and the fr. king The taking of Monselice The Popes deliberation to chasse the french out of Italy The Popes ariuie against Ferrara and Genes The descending of the Swyzzers to the Duchie of Myllan The Venetians recouer most part of their townes after the departing of Chaumont Verâ—na beseged by the Vencuans Marquis of Mantua escapeth out of prison The Pope determineth to assaâ—le Genes Pope Iulio The kings disposition agaynst the Pope The Popes armie and the VenetiaÌ„s vppon the countrey of Ferrara Chaumont besiegeth the Pope vvithin Bolognia Chaumont retyreth from before Bolognia Mirandola beseeged The Pope in person at the campe assâ—re Mirandola Mirandâ—la yeldeth â—â— the Pope A neâ— deliberacion of the french according to the kinges direction Triuulce reasoneth The sr â–ª armie returneth to the Duchie of Myllan The sâ—â—k takes Bolognia into his protection The Pope makes ouerture of a new councell â—â— breake the councell of Pysa Friull taken agayne by the Almains The VenetiaÌ„s recouer Friul The Pope holden for dead The Pope pursueth his enterprise to chase the fr. out of Italie The hopes of the Pope The thoughtâ— of the fr. king Ouerture of the Councell of Pisa Cardinal Medicis vvho aftervvards vvas Pope Leo the tenth The Pope makes league vvith the Venetians the king Catholike 〈…〉 of the league The Pope depriueth the rebell Cardinalâ—s of the hat Pandolffo Po. councelleth the Pope A contencion betwene the Florentyns the Cardinalls rebells An ac 〈…〉 dent 〈…〉 the Card 〈…〉 lls depart 〈…〉 a. 〈…〉 The fr king suspecteth Maxymylian VVhat people the Swyzzers be Vales 〈…〉 Grisons The French king demaundeth succ 〈…〉 of the Florentins Soderin for the Frenche king The enterprise of Bolognia by the Pope and king of Aragon The Popes armie retireth from before Bolognia M. de Foix defeateth Ioh. Pavvle Baillon Bressia taken and sacked The armie of Monsr de Foix. The armie of she Confederats The seate of Rauenna The Confederats as the succours of Rauenna The order of the FrenchmeÌ„ in the battell of Rauenna Mâ—â—Soanâ—â— de 〈…〉 encourageth his souldiours to the battell The confederates army The death of Yues d'Allegre Monsr de Foix slaine The number of the dead Rauenna saâ—â—ed The Cardinals councell the Pope to harkeÌ„ to peace The Svvyzzers rise for the Pope against the frenchmen The Card. of Medicis escapeth from the french The D. of Ferrara goeth to Rome to demaund pardon of the Pope The D. of Ferrara in daunger to be prisoner at Rome The resolutioÌ„ of the treatie of Mantua by the confederates The Medicis returne to Florence Peter Sodeâ—in reasoneth in the Councell Prato taken by the Spaniards The castell of Genes taken by the Genowaies Bressia rendred by the french to the Viceroy Crema rendred to the Venetians The Bishop of Gurcy
at Rome Maxymylian Sforce restored to Myllan ThEnglish men as Fontarabye against the french king The king of Aragon taketh the Realme of Nauarre The purposes of Pope Iulio the second his death Creation of Pope Leo the tenth Coronation of the Pope Disposition of princes to the vvarre Desire of pope Leo to chase the Frenche out of Italy The Fr. men in the duchie of Millan The Pope sendeth money to the Svvizzers 〈…〉 Aluiano 〈…〉 generall â—â— the Venetians Aluiano taketh Pesquiero and other 〈…〉 Genes at the deuotion of the French. Nouaro beseged by the french The wordes of Capteine Motyn to the Svvyzzers The Frenchemen defeated by the Svvizzers The Pâ—pe 〈…〉 Humilitie of two Cardinals Padoa 〈…〉 gâ—d by the Viceroy Ouerthrowe of the Venetians armie Prouisions of the Frenche agaynst the king of Englande Torvvaine besieged by the English. The ouerthrow â—f the French neare 〈…〉 Rising of the Swizzers against the French king Thenglish as mie affore Tournay Tornay taken by thEnglish The Popes sentence touching the controuersies betwene Cesar the VenetiaÌ„s The hopes of the Frenche king Treatie of peace betwene Englande and Fraunce The Fr. king marieth the Lady Mary sister to the king of Englande Actions of the Pope The lantern of Genes rased by the people Emocions against the Venetians and of the Venetians Two ElephaÌ„ts presented to the Pope The death of king Lowys the twelfth 1515. Frauncis the first comes to the crowne The fr. king assumeth the title of duke of Millan Preparacions of the frenche king against the Duke of Millan Octauian Fregosa Duke of Genes â—â—mpoundes with the Frenche king The Swizzers seeke to stoppe the passage of the Frenche men The French armie The king of EnglaÌ„d sends to the frenche king not to passe into Italie The treatie betwene the king and the Swizzers broken The Cardinal of Syon persâ—adeth the Swizzers The battell of Marignan Pe. Nauarre afore the Castell of MillaÌ„ Death of Aluiano Enteruiew of Pope Leo the fr. king in Bolognia 1516. The french king returneth into Fraunce Death of the king Catholike Death of the Great Capteine The Venetians recouer Bressia The Pope taketh the Duchie of Vrbin giueth it to Laur â–ª de Medicis his nephew Capitulations betwene the French king and king Catholike Beginningâ— of new 〈…〉 Vrbin returneth to the obedience of the naturall Duke Fano besieged Description of the Citie of Pesero Consederacion betwene the Pope and fr. king Franciscomaria sendes to defie law de Medicis Scituacion of Fossambrono Lawrence loaseth thoccasioÌ„ of the victory Lawrence de Medicis hurt Ielousie against Iohn Ia. Tryuulce The death of Ioh. Ia. Triuulce The french aspireth to be Emperour 1519 Death of Lavv. de Medicis Charles the fife chesen Emperour Occasions of contention betwene the fr. king and themperor The Popes enterprise vppon Ferrara 1520. Martin Luther agaynst the Pope The Pope executeth Io. Paule Baillon ThEmprour in England Commocions in Spaine Pope Leo is the cause of the warre Fontarabye taken by the french Martin Luther Confederation betwene the Pope and thEmperour agaynst the fr. king The titles of thempire to the duchie of Millan Practises against the fr. king FrauÌ„cis Guicciardin the writer of this history Monsr d'Escud before Reggia Lightning vpon the castell of Millan The Marquis of Mantua for the Pope The resolucioÌ„ for the warre agaynst the Frenchmen Monsr de Lawtrech returneth to Millan Frauncis Guicciardin generall coÌ„maunder ouer the army The capteines of the league take counsell together The siege of Parma The Popes Capteines and the Emprours take councell to passe further The armie of the league passeth the riuer of Paw A fault of Monsr de Lavvtrech The Svvizzers leauied by the Pope vvoulde not march against the Frenche king The souldiers of the league passe the riuer of Adda The taking of Myllan by the league The death of Pope Leo the tenth The Frenche men before Parma The duke of Vrbin reentreth his estates Election of Pope Adrian the sixt The D. of Vrbin and the Baillons before Sienna Alexandria taken by the Imperialls Ten thowsand Swizzers discend into the Duchie of Millan for the fr. king Iohn Medicis for the french king The French men before Millan Frauncis Sforce at Millan Monsr Lawtrech before Pauia The Swvizzers woulde leaue the sr armie for that they are not payde Monsr Lawtrech determined to set vppon his enemies Thencounter of Bicocque The ouerthrow of the Swizzers Monsr Lawtrech returneth into Fraunce Loda taken by the Imperialls Genes taken by the Imperialls Monsr d'Escud returneth into Fraunce Emotions in Tuskane An accident in the towne of Lucquai The prouinces of â—â—alâ—e are taxed for the conseruation of the duchie of Millan Pope Adrian the vi coÌ„meth to Rome The king of England for thEmprour sendeth Embassadors to the Venetians to draw them from thalliaÌ„ce of the french VVhat thEmprour did in Spaine Roades taken Rhodes rendred vp to the Turke The Castell of Millan rendred by the French. The oracion of Andrevv Gritti touching thalliance vvith Caesar The oratioÌ„ of George Cornaro Andrea Gritty Duke of Venice Consederacion betwene Caesar and the Venetians Cardinall Volterro prisoner The French armie marcheth Confederacie betwene theÌ„prour the k. of England and the Duke of Burbon The french army in Italy The death of Pope Adrian Frauncis Guicciardin The taking of Reggia by the duke of Ferrara The taking of Loda by the French. The frenchmen breake vp from before Millan Cardinal Medicis is created Pope and taketh the name of Clement the seuenth The death of Prospero Colonno and his qualities The Duke of Burbon notable to doe any thing in Burgondie commeth to Myllan The imperials passe the riuer of Thesin The frenchmen go from before Millan The claime of the Kings of England to the Crowne of Fraunce The frenche king determineth to passe the mountes and to follow the ennemie The French king before Pauia The fr. king sendeth the Duke of Albanie into the realme of Naples The Pope counsellâ—th the fr. king and themperour to peace Duke of Ferrara aydes the French king during the siege of Pauia 1525. The defendantes of Pauya in necessitie The french king will â—â—t 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 of his Captemes The Imperialls take the castell S. Angeo Thimperialls drawe neare to Pauia The battell of Pauia wherin the frâ—king is take prisoner The Potentats of Italy in great feare for the imprisonment of the French king The VenetiaÌ„s solicite the Pope to confederate with them Thimperialls determine to accorde with the Pope Confederation betweene the Pope and the Emprour The rightes pretensions of the familie of Est The Pope sendes to visite the french king beeing prisoner The moderation and temperance of thâ— Emprour â—poÌ„ the neâ—es of the victory The Oration of the Bishop of Osimo touching the taking of the fr. king The opinion of the duke of Alba touching the kings imprisonment The sorowes and feares of Fraunce for the imprisonment of the king A treatise of of accord
others 158. Peter Capponi 163. The Pisans begin to disclaime from the Duke of Millan 164. Peter de Medicis determineth once againe to returne to Florence 178. Peter de Medicis aided by them of Syena 178. Peter de Medicis faileth of his enterprise 178. Pope abhominable in the lust of his daughter 179. Pope inuesteth Federike in the kingdom of Naples 180. Philip Duke of Sauoy dyeth 181. Pope apt to dispense with all things for the greatnes of his sonne 190. Pawle Vitelly Capteine generall of the Florentin army 191. The Pisans not keeping thaccorde are besieged by the Florentins 220. Pisa is besieged 231. Pawle leauieth the siege 233. The Pisans take Librasatta 248. Pope createth twelue Cardinals at one time 251. Pope giueth thinuestiture of the realme of Naples to the French and Spaniard indifferently 258. Prospero Colonno aduiseth king Federike to aduenture the battell 259. Pawle Vrsin strangled 284. Philip Archduke of Austrich in Fraūce 292. Peace betwene the kings of Spayne Fraunce 293. Prouerbe vpon the Popes dissembling 305. Pope Alexander the sixt dead 307. Pope Pius the third dieth 314. The Pope complaineth to the Venetians 317. Peter de Medicis drowned 325. Peace betwene the Turke and Venetians 327. Peace betwne the french king and king of Spaine 351. The Pope deuiseth to win againe Bolognia 357. The Pope will go in person to thenterprise of Bolognia 360. The Pope Venetians incite the k. of Romaines to make warre vpon the french king 376. Pope ratifieth the treatie of Cambray 412. Popes Bull against the Venetians 418. The Popes souldiers in Bolognia 425. Pisa rendred to the Florentins 434. The Pope threatneth the Duke of Ferrara 468. Popes deliberacion to chase the french out of Italie 479. Popes armie against Ferrara Genes 682. Pope in person at the campe before Mirandola 505. Pope maketh ouerture of a new councell to breake the councell of Pisa 534. Pope holden for dead 539. Pope pursueth his enterprise to chase the french king out of Italie 540. Pope maketh league with the Venetiās and king Catholike 545. Pope depriueth of the hatte the rebellious Cardinalls 547. Pandolffo Petruccio councelleth the Pope 552. Popes armie retyreth from before Bolognia 570. Peter Soderin reasoneth in the councell 612. Purposes of Pope Iulio the second and his death 631. Pope seeketh to appease the king 649. Padoa besieged by the Viceroy 653. Prouisions of the frenche against the k. of England 661. Preparacions of the frenche against the Duke of Millan 688. Peter Nauarre before the castell of Millan 707. Pope giueth the Duchie of Vrbin to Lawrence de Medicis his Nephew 721. Popes enterprise vpon Ferrara 769. Pope executeth Ioh. Pa. Baillon 774. Pope Leo the cause of the warre 778. Popes Captaines and themprours take councell to passe further 800. Prouinces of Italie are taxed for conseruacion of the Duchy of Millan 839. Pope Adrian the sixt cōmeth to Rome 839. Pope coūcelleth themprour french king to peace 889. Pope sendeth to visite the frenche king being prisoner 914. The Person of the french king led prisoner into Spaine 930. The Person of the fr. king extreamely sicke in the castell of Madrill 937. Pope Clement the vij makes a league against themprour 949. People of Millan rise vp against thimperialls 971. Pope Venetians and french king make league together 978. Pope moueth the confederates to inuade the realme of Naples 1008. Prouisions of themperour against the consederats 1009. Prince of Orenge with the Launceknights 1029. Pope loaseth corage and why 1048. Pope accordeth with thimperialls 1049. Pope being abandoned of all hopes compoundeth with thimperials 1067. Passion of spite and disdaine is commonly more strōg in him that recouereth his liberty then in an other that defendeth it 1069. Plague in Rome 1070. Pope goeth out of prison 1085. Pope thanketh Monsr Lawtrech for his deliuerie 1087. Popes excuses to the cōsederats 1112. Popes intention touching Florence 1113. Proceedinges of Monsr Saint Pol in Lombardy 1124. Pope at accord with themprour 1143. Peace betwene themprour and french king negociated in Cambray 1145. Pope maketh offers to Malatesta 1152. Pope themprour at Bolognia 1158. Prince of Orenge slaine 1169. Pope holdeth him selfe offended with themprour 1174. Pope wil not harken to a councel 1178. Pope refuseth to giue his Nece in mariage to the Duke of Millan 1179. The Pope knoweth his end 1182. Q Quarrrell betwene the families of Colonna and Vrsin 192. Qualities of Pope Leo and Clement 946. R Realme of Naples beginneth to reclaime the name of the Aragons 91. Rebellion increaseth by occasions 365. Rashnes hath no societie with discression 368. The Rebells of Genes yeelde to the french king 373. Rauenna sacked 589. Resolucion of the treaty of Mantua by the confederats 608. Returne of the Medicis to Florence 609. Resolucion of the warre against the frenchmen 787. Rhoades taken 840. Rhoades rendred to the Turke 841. Rights and pretensions of the family of Est 912. Rome taken and sacked 1061. Resolucion of the Imperialls within Naples 1104. S Suttelties of Lod. Sforce 23. Seege of Nouaro 116. Shiftes of Lod. Sforce to breake the peace 130. Suche is the rage of ambicion and so sweete thinsinuacion of rule and imperie c. 132. Such as are not accustomed to aduersities haue least rule ouer their passions c. 179. Such is the mutabilitie of men mercenarie that as c. 201. So busie is the humor of treason that in whom it aboundeth it rageth without respect to the c. 225. Suche as haue their destruction determined are seene to decline by degrees c. 226. Sorowes of king Federike redoubled 260. Straunge affection of a sonne 261. Suche a passion is suddeine feare that it makes men runne not whether councel directeth them but c. 270. So importunate is the passion of reuenge in the mindes of mortall men who c. 300. Such a thing is feare that ofrentimes it makes men forgetful aboue shame and all other obseruancies c. 324. So infallible is the law of iustice to take reuenge vpon wrongs not obseruing the presence of times c. 333. Seedes of new warres 353 ▪ Submission of the rebels of Genes 373 So full of quarrell is aduersitie and so infinite is the malice of the world that c. 440. Such is the frayeltie of mans nature that the suddeinnes of perill is more terrible then the daunger it selfe and by how much it c. 469. Swizzers what people they be 558. The Seate of Rauenna 580. Swizzers rise for the Pope against the frenchmen 596. Such is the instability of mortal things that they are neither certeine in thē selues for an vniuersall frayeltie in all humaine actions nor can be made assured c. 597. Swizzers seeke to stoppe the passage of the frenchmen 691. Scituacion of Fossambrono 737. Seege of Pauia 792. Swizzers leauied by the Pope woulde not march against the french king 806. Souldiors of the league passe the riuer of Adda 808. Swizzers would leaue the french army
suffer him selfe to be mocked with the hopes of Lodovvyk Sforce and that it serued better for him to amaze and vexe him then to trauell to assure or appaise him commaunded thembassador of Myllan to retyre out of Naples and reuoked his that was resident at Myllan he sequestred also and tooke into his possession the reuenues of the Duchie of Bary which Lodovvyk had enioyed many yeares by the gift of Ferdinand And not content with these thinges which were rather demonstracions of open hatred then wronges or offences he disposed all his witts to turne from the Duke of Myllan the citie of Genes A matter of right great importance for the present affayres for that by the reuolt and chaunge of that citie would happen many meanes to trouble Lodovvyk in his gouernment of Myllan and from the french king should be taken away all oportunities to molest the realme of Naples by sea Therefore hauing made secrete pact with Cardinall Pavvle Fregose afore times Duke of Genes still followed with many of the same familie and with Obietto de fiesquo two principal men both for the towne and sea togither with some particulars of the Adorneys all banished out of Genes for diuerse occasions he determined to assaie with a strong armie at sea to sett them all in the towne againe following that he was wont to say that warres are ouercomen either in preuenting thennemie or diuerting him he determined in like sort to goe him selfe into Romagnia with a mighty armie and to make suddeine inuasion vpon the landes of Parma where publishing the name of Iohn Galeas and displaying his banners he hoped that the peoples of the Duchie of Myllan would rise against Lodovvik And be it that in this were found many difficulties yet he iudged it profitable that the warre should beginne farre from his realme he esteemed it also to great importance for the substance of the warre that the french men should be surprised with the winter in Lombardye wherein hauing greate experience in the warres of Italy whose armies attending the riping of grasse and forrage for the feeding of horses were not wont to take the fielde afore the ende of Aprill he iudged that to eschew the sharpnes of winter they would be constrayned to stay in a countrey of their frendes till spring time In which intermission and respiâ—e of time he hoped that some occasion for his benefit might happen Besides he sent Embassadors to Constantinople to demaund succors as in a common daunger of B. Ottoman Prince of the Turkes for that it was resolued in the french kinges intencion to passe into Greece after he had wonne Naples which daunger he knew wel the Turke would not despise for that by the memory of the warres made in times past against the Infidels in Asia by the french nation the feare which the Turkes had of their armes was not litle Whilest these thinges were thus solicited on all partes the Pope sent his men to Ostia vnder the gouernment of Nicholas Vrsin Counte of Petillane to whom Alphonso sent strength and succors both by sea and land he tooke the towne without difficultie and then beganne to batter the castell which by the meane of Fabrice Colonne and consent of Iohn de la Rouere prefect of Rome and brother to Cardinall S. P. ad vincula was easily rendred to him by the castell keeper with this condicion that the Pope neither with censures of the Church nor temporall armes should pursue the Cardinall nor the prefect if they gaue him no new occasions And it was suffered to Fabrice in whose handes the Cardinall had left Grotta Ferrara to continue the possession of the same with the same rights paying to the Pope ten thowsand duckatts But Lodovvyk Sforce to whom the Cardinall when he passed by Sauonne had made knowen that which Alphonso by his meanes and councells negociated secretly with the exiles of Genes declared to king Charles what a great impediment that would giue to his enterprise therfore induced him to send to Genes two thowsand Svvissers dispatch into Italy with speede three hundreth launces to be ready vnder the gouernment of Mons d'aubigny who returning from Rome stayed by the kings commaundement at Myllan both to assure Lombardye and to passe further according to occasions and necessities To these should be ioyned fiue hundreth men at armes Italians enterteyned at that time in the Kinges pay vnder Iohn fr. de S. Seuerin Counte of Gaiazze Galeot Pico Counte of Myrandola and Radolphe of Gonsague togither with fiue hundreth which the Duke of Myllan was bound to furnish who not leauing his oldeshiftes and suttleties continued to confirme in the Pope and Peter de medicis his inclinacion to the peace sewertie of Italy nourishing them with varietie of hopes which were not without their apparant demonstracions It can not almost be but that which men make great sewertie of ingendreth some dowte euen in the mindes of such as haue determined to beleue the contrary for albeit there was no great faith giuen to the promises of Lodovvyk yet it hapned not for all that that their determined enterprises suffered in any sort slowe successe or proceedings And the Pope P. de medicis could haue bene well content that thenterprise had bene proued to surprise Genes But because in the action they should directly offend thestate of Myllan the Pope Alphonso requiring his gallies to ioyne his men with him in Romagnia consented to the seruice of his men for the common defence in Romagnia but not to passe further And touching the gallies he made difficultie saying it was not yet time to put Lodovvyk so much in despaire The Florentyns being required to receiue Alphonsoes armie by sea in the port of Lyuorne and to refresh them remained in suspence vpon the matter for that making excuses to the demaundes of the french king and being acquited vnder the pretence of the confederacion passed with Ferdinand they were very vnwillingly disposed to doe more without necessitie then they were bound vnto by that confederacion Matters being now not able to suffer any longer delay the armie by sea of Alphonso departed at last from Naples vnder the charge of thAdmirall Dom Federyk Alphonso in person assembled his armie in Abruzze to passe into Romania But afore any further action was done he thought it necessary to communicat with the Pope who had the same desire the better to establish all thinges that were to be done for their common safetie The Pope and Alphonso met togither the xiij of Iuly at Vicouare a place apperteining to Virginio Vrsin where after they had spent three dayes they returned well agreed In this meeting and consultacion it was determined by the councell of the Pope that the person of the king of Naples should passe no further his armie conteined litle lesse then a hundreth squadrons of men at armes accompting xx men to a squadron And very neare three thowsand crosboweshott and light horsemen
and by them in their returne from that warre was dispersed and spredd thorow all Italy This disease either altogether newe or at least vnknowne in that age in our hemispheare otherwayes then in the most extreame and furthest partes was for certeyne yeares so horrible that it well deserueth mencion and monument as a calamitie greeuous lamentable for it appeared alwayes either in vile botches or buttons which oftentimes proued vlcers incurable or else they tormented the whole bodye with payne and aches in the ioyntes and sinewes And the Phisicions hauing no experience in maladies of that nature and therefore ignorant in the remedies proper and naturall applied oftentimes cures directly resisting and contrary which inflamed the infection to greater rage euen to the killing of many bodies of all ages and sexes Many became deformed with them and subiect almost to perpetuall torments yea some such as seemed to be deliuered of them returned eftsoones in short time to the same miserie But after the course of many yeares either the influence aboue being appeased which bredd them so horrible and raging or by long experience their proper remedies and cures being founde out the disease began to be lesse malicious chaunging it selfe into diuerse kindes of infirmitie differing from the first calamitie whereof truely the regions people of our times might iustly complayne if it hapned to them without their propper disorder seeing it is well approued by all those that haue diligently studied and obserued the proprieties of that euil that either neuer or very rarely it hapneth to any otherwayes then by contagious whoredom or immoderat incontinencie The french thinke it reasonable to acquite them of thignominie for that it is knowen since that such a disease was transported out of Spaine to Naples yet not proper or natural of that nation but brought thether from the yles which in those seasons began to be made familiar to our regions by the nauigacion of Christofer Colonus a Ganovvay In which yles by the fauor of nature are remedies ready to the cure of that ill by drinking onely of the iuice of a wodd most singular for many other worthy properties which growing plentifully in those places is a remedie no lesse easie then absolut and assured to thinhabitants there The ende of the second booke THE ARGVMENT OF THE THIRD BOOKE LODOWYK SFORCE keepeth not the treatie of peace The Venetians take the towne of Pysa into their protection The french king determineth to returne into Italy The king of Romaines beseegeth Lyuorne The Pope makes warre vppon the Vrsins The french King dyeth at Amboyse Frear Ierommo Sauonarolais hanged at Florence THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE historie and discoursse of Guicciardin BY the dishonorable returne of the frenche kinge ouer the Mountes proceeding notwithstanding more of indiscression and disorders then by pusillanimitie or weakenes of his armie wise men grew into hopes and iudgements that Italy after so many skourges and greeuous stormes of infelicities would now at last resume her libertie or at least be redeliuered of the insolent iurisdiction of the french wherein by so much more were worthy and notable the vertues actions of the Senat of Venice and Duke of Myllan by how much the taking armes with a wise and resolut councell were the onely lets that so goodly a part of the world fell not into the seruitude of straungers But as nothing can satisfie the couetousnes of man so if they had not bene caried with ambicious respectes touching their interests and desires particular nor to their propper infamie and common harmes had so corrupted the vniuersall benefitte and common weale of that region No man might haue dowted that Italy readdressed by their armies and councells and eftsoones repossessed of her auncient dignities and prerogatiues had not bene for long time assured against the importunities furies and violent inuasions of the prowde nations beyonde the Mountes But ambicion which would not suffer either of them to be contented with his lymitts was the cause not onely to returne vpon Italy new inuasions and troubles but also that they could not enioy the frute of the victorie which their fortune brought into their hands against those miserable remeynders of the frenche in the kingdome of Naples A victorie which the negligence vnwise councells of the king made of easie action to them for that the succors which he had leuyed at his departure out of Italy were either vtterly vaine or at least of so litle frute that they brought no comfort to his people his prouicions of nauigacion and the aydes promised by the Florentyns seruing also to like effect This is a rule in the nature of man that to him that is iniuried and can not haue iustice nothing is more sweete then the passion of reuenge euen so by howe much the remembrance of th offence is greene and freshe by so much stronger is the desire of reuenge in the mind greeued and so much lesse the trust or confidence in the partie that hath offended Lodovvyk Sforce consented not to the peace with the king with a sownd faith and meaning for that remembring the iniuries he had done him he thought it stoode not with his sewertie eftsoones to commit him selfe to the fidelitie of the king But the desire to recouer Nouaro deliuer his owne estate from thincommodities of the warre induced him to promise that which he had no desire to keepe following the kinges humor with wordes and keeping his intencions dissembled And it may be supposed that in the peace made with this semblance did participat the consent of the Senat of Venice willing to disburden their state without their infamie of the very huge and great expenses occupied vppon the warre of Nouaro But Lodovvyk to whom in actions of shift and conning nothing was more familiar then moderacion of wit because he would not in vnaduised sort breake the articles of the capitulacion but shadow his doings with some coller accomplished that which he could not deny to be in his power he deliuered ostages he sette at libertie the prisoners paying their raunsoms of his propper treasors he restored the vessells taken at Rapale he withdrew from Pysa Frecasse whom he could not dissemble to be in his pay lastly he put the castell of Genes into the handes of the Duke of Ferrare who went thether in person to receiue it But on thother side he left within Pysa Luke Maluezzo with many bandes of souldiers as though he were in the wages and payes of the Genovvayes he suffered that two carrakes which were armed at Genes went to Naples for the seruice of Ferdinand vsing this excuse that for that he had interteyned them afore the conclusion of the peace they of Genes woulde not consent that they should be denied to him he labored secretly that the Genovvays should not deliuer in their ostages to the king And that which was of greater consequence for the losse of the castells of Naples after the
Fraunce for the kinges sewertie And being possessed of the kings money he prepared him selfe to goe with the Vitellies to the kingdome of Naples where both before the losse of the castells and after was continuall insurrection in many places with diuerse accidents and fortunes For after Ferdinand had in the beginning made heade in the playne of Sarny the frenchmen that were retyred from Piedgrotte were incamped at Nocere within foure myles of thennemie where their forces being equall it appeared their disposicions did not differ for that they consumed the time vnprofitably in skyrmishing without any action worthy of memorie sauing that seuen hundred of the armie of Ferdinand aswell footemen as horsemen being led by a double intelligence to enter the borow of Gisone neare the towne of S. Seuerin remeyned almost all vppon the place either slaine or made prisoners But the bandes of the Pope being come to the succors of Ferdinand and by that meane the french made more inferior they retyred from Nocere which by that occasion together with the castell was taken by Ferdinand with a greater slaughter of such as had followed the french quarrell In this time Monsr Montpensier had foreseene to furnish of horses and other thinges necessary for the warre such as were come with him from the new castell with whom after he had remounted them in good order he went to ioyne with the others and after came to Ariana A towne abounding with vittells of the other side Ferdinand seeing him selfe lesse stronge then thennemie stayed at Montfuskule to temporise without assaying of fortune vntill the confederats had refurnished him with a greater succor M. Montpensier tooke the towne and afterwards the castell of S. Seuerin and with that fortune had done farre greater thinges if the want present of money and the difficulties to get some had not bene impediments to his oportunitie and vertue for hauing no releeffe sent out of Fraunce nor meane to leauye any in the kingdom of Naples he could not pay the souldiers by which reason the armie inclining to discontentment and the Svvyzzers drawing into murmure he had no possibilitie to doe thinges whose effectes might aunswer the forces he had In such like actions were consumed by the one and other armie about three monethes In which season Dom Federyk hauing with him Caesar of Aragon made warre in Pouylla he was ayded by those of the contrey against whom made head the Barons peoples that embrased the french part of the other side Gracian de Guerres made valiant defence in Abruzze against Ferdinand and the Prefect of Rome who had the kinges pay for two hundreth men at armes vexed with his estates the landes of Montcasin and the contrey thereabouts where was somewhat declined the prosperitie of the french by the long sicknes of M. d'Aubigny the same breaking the course of his victorie although almost all Calabria and the principallitie remeyned at the deuocion of the french king But Consaluo who with a strength of the spanish bandes with such of the contrey as bare frendship to thArragons now well increased by the conquest of Naples had taken there certeine places and made stronge in that prouince the name of Ferdinand where the french founde the same difficulties which were in the armie for want of money Notwithstanding the citie of Cosenze being drawne into rebellion against them they recouered it and sackt it But in these great necessities and daungers appeared no succors at all out of the realme of Fraunce for that the king staying at Lyons amused the time about iustes torneyes and other pleasures of Court leauing there all his thoughtes of the warre And albeit he assured his councell alwayes that he would eftsoones consider of th affayres of Italy yet the effects actions that proceeded from him discredited the promises he had made to haue remembraunce of them And yet Argenton brought him this aunswere from the Senat of Venice that they pretended to haue no disfrēdship with him for that they entred not into armes vntill he had gotten Nocere and yet for no other cause then for the defense of the Duke of Myllan their confederat and therefore they thought it a thing superfluous to ratifie eftsoones the auncient frendship with a new peace Besides they offered him that by the mediacion of persons indifferent they woulde induce Ferdinand to giue him presently some summe of money with constitucion of a tribut of fifty thowsand duckats by yeare and to leaue in his handes for his securitie Tarenta vntill a certeine time The king as though he had had a prepared puissant succor refused to open his eares to these offers notwithstanding besides these perplexities of Italy he was not without vexacions vpon the frontyers of Fraunce seeing Ferdinand king of the Spanish come in person to Parpignian had made incursions into Languedock where they did no small harmes adding to their present furie other demonstracions of farre greater emocions Besides it was not long since the Daulphyn of Fraunce the onely sonne of the king dyed All which thinges if he had bene capable to make wise election of peace or warre ought to haue brought him with more facilitie to condiscend to some accord About the ende of this yeare were determined the controuersies hapning by reason of the citadell of Pysa for the french king vnderstanding by good informacion thobstinacie of the capteine sent thether at last Monsr Gemel with threatnings and cōmaundements rigorous not only addressed to him but generally to all the french apperteyning to the charge and seruice of the sayd citadell And a litle after he dispatched thether expresly M. Bonne Cousin to the Capteine to th ende that being informed by a person whom he might trust both of the kinges message and also the meane to satisfie with present obedience his former faultes and contumacie and of the other part the daunger wherin he stoode continuing in disobedience he might with more readines proceede to thexecucion of his Maiesties commaundement iust will All these could not remoue the Capteine from his first resolucion who abiding in his transgression made no reckoning of the message of Gemell staying there a few dayes according to his commission to goe with Camylla Vitelli to find Virginio And much lesse was thē comming of Bonne who was hindred many dayes for that by direction of the Duke of Myllan he was reteyned at Serazena to any purpose to turne the Capteine from his obstinacie But hauing wrought Bonne to his consent opinion he made a contract with the Pysans Luke Maluezze communicating in the name of the Duke by vertue whereof he deliuered to the Pysans the first day of the yeare 1496. their citadell receiuing of them twenty thowsand duckats whereof xij thowsand to remeyne to him selfe and eyght thowsande to be deuided in shares amongest the particular souldiers This money was not leuyed of the stores or welth of the Pysans in whom was no meane to interteyne their
wherein the Florentyns making conference of the qualitie of the demaund found the losse so present and certeine in regard of the profit so incerteine and litle that they refused to buy so dearly their frendships But whilest these deuises occupied the reasons and mindes of men in diuerse places The Florent n armie more mighty in horsemen then stronge in footemen aduaunced into the field vnder their newe generall By meanes whereof as the Pysans whose estradiots since the victory of S. Reall had made incursions at pleasure ouer the whole contrey retyred from Pont desac where they last incamped So Pavvle Vitelli hauing taken Calcinaia and setling his armie there in exspectacion of a newe strength of footemen bestowed one day one part of his souldiers in ambushe neare to Casâ—â—na whether the regiment of the Venetians were retyred who gouerned by Marke Martinenguo were not only without obedieÌ„ce but without order In so much as when Pavvle Vitelli gaue the charge to them he slew many of the stradiots wtih Iohn Gradania Capteine ouer men at armes and tooke prisoner Franque coronell of thestradiots with the praye of a hundreth horses The successe of this encownter much amased the companies of the Venetians and therefore supposing Cascina not sufficient for their safety they retyred to the borow of S. Marke exspecting new succors to come from Venice But Pavvle Vitelli after he was refurnished with his strength of footemen and making as though he woulde assayle Cascina which the Pysans beleued by many apparances turned his marche and beguiling the coniectures of his ennemies passed ouer the riuer of Arne and pitched his campe before the borow of Buti hauing sent afore three hundred footemen to keepe occupied the hills frontyer places And hauing drawne thether with the strength and working of a number of Pyonners thartillerie by the way of the Mounteine not without great difficultie for the troublesom wayes he tooke the towne by force the second day after he had braked his artillerie Pavvle made choyse of this enterprise for that he iudged that Pysa in the which was an incredible obstinacie aswell of thinhabitants as others retyred out of the contrey in whom by long vse was great sufficiencie touching actions of warre could not be taken by force the city of it selfe being proude in strength of walls and rampiers and hauing within it many bandes of the men at armes of Venice he held it an action of better pollicie to deuise rather to languish consume them then to execut and enforce them and setling the warre in that parte of the contrey which is on the right hand of the riuer of Arne he esteemed it a good councell in warre to lay plots to take the peeces in that quarter and to commaunde all those places by whose helpe and oportunitie he might giue impediment to the succors that might come to them by land from any forreine contrey And therfore after the taking of the borow of Buty hauing raysed a mount or fort vpon the mounteynes which be aboue S. Iohn de la Vene he drewe his campe right afore the sort which the Pysans had made neare to Vicopisan drawing thether his artillerie with the same difficulties he did before And taking almost in one season Valdecalcio building aboue Vico in a place called Pietro Doloroso an other bastyllion to keepe that no succors enter there he held beseeged the castell of Verrucola In these pollicies of this new generall to thend the Pysans dowting that he would not assaile Librafratto and Valdesâ—râ—lo might be lesse ready to be farre from Pysa the Count Riuuccio was incamped with other companies at Valdmieuolo All which notwithstanding foure hundred footemen yssuing out of Pysa brake all the regiment of footemen which were necligently bestowed in the church of S. Michaell to kepe Verrucola beseeged But Pavvle Vitelli after he had got the bastillion which yelded vpon condicion to carie their Artillerie to Vicopisan encamped affore Vicopisan not on that side where the Florentyn campe was when he was within to defende it but he laye towardes S. Iohn de la Vene to giue impediments to the succours that were to come from Pisa After the furie of his Artillerie had brought downe to the earth a great quantitie of the walles the defendants dispairing belike of reskewe rendred the place their life and goods saued They were perhappes discouraged to holde out to thvttermost for that Pavvle when he tooke Buty to giue terrour to others cutte of the handes of three Cannonyers Germains which were within the towne and vsed his victorie with many cruelties immediatly after the successe of Vicopisan there followed an other occasion of happie exployte for that the bandes which were within Pisa supposing it woulde be verie easie to surprise the bulwarke of Pietro Doloroso they sent thether affore daye two hundred light horsemen with many trowpes of footemen who finding a stronger resistaunce then they looked for loste more time then the action of their enterprise required in so much that whilest they were giuing the assalt the generall of the Florentyns discouering himselfe vppon the mountaynes there abouts and with part of th armie discending to succour the fort sent Vitellettze with the residue of the bandes to giue impediment to their retourne against whom as they interteyned skyrmishe in the plaine towardes Calcy the generall fell vpon them on the backes and putte them to flight not without the losse of many horsemen and the most part of their footebandes But in this discourse and euent of things the Florentyns hauing some likely aduertisments from the Duke of Ferrara and others that the Venetians were not without a willing inclination to peace whereunto they woulde be more easelie induced if in the action as belonged to the dignitie and respect of so great a common weale they proceeded with tokens and demonstracions as though they negociated not with equalls but with a state of more greatnes They sent as Embassadours to Venice to found their intencions Guid ' Antonio Vespuccio Bernard Rucellai two of the most honorable citysens of their common weale A matter from the which they had absteyned till that time partely for that they woulde not offend the minde of king Charles but more for that as they knew them selues not to be strong enough to oppresse the Pisans so they iudged that their peticions woulde be vnprofitable being not accompained neither with reputacion nor forces but now that they were the stronger in the fielde and that the Duke had publikely declared him selfe against the Venetians their hopes were greater then their doutes to finde some conuenient meanes of honorable composition The Embassadours were receiued with great office and reuerence and immediatly brought into councell the Duke sitting and the whole resort of Senatours in whose presence after they had formed many excuses for not sending Embassadors to theÌ„ affore the same being refrained for many regardes proceding of the quallitie of times
force of golde and siluer aboue the regarde to honor honestie or conscience And so weake is the resistance of Princes agaynst the working of that enchaunted humor of couetousnes the subuerter of all honor equitie and honest regarde But the affaires of the Pisans vpon whom all Italie was wont afore to turne their eyes were in this time of slender consideration for that the mindes of men depended on thexpectation of greater things for after the league of Cambray was ratified by all the confederates the French king began to make great preparations And albeit he vsed not as yet any protestations or threates of warre yet matters beeing no longer hable to be dissembled the Cardinall of Amboyse in the presence of the whole councell complained with vehement words to thembassador of Venice for that that Senate despising the alliance and amitie of the king caused to fortifie the Abbey of Cerreta in the territories of Crema wherin had bene of olde time a Castel which was rased by the capitulations of peace in the yere 1454. made betweene the Venetians and Frauncis Sforce newly duke of Millan with couenaunt that the Venetians should in no time make fortresse there to the capitulations of which peace was referred in this and in many other things the peace made betwene them and the king But now the king being within fewe dayes after come to Lyon his regimentes marched towards the mountes and six thousande Svvizzers leauied and payed by him prepared to discende at the same time into Italie he obtained also of the Genovvaies foure Carrakes and of the Florentins fiftie thousande duckets beeing his moytie which they should pay vpon the conquest of Pisa And ioyning to the aydes of others his owne succors he leauyed vppon the duchie of Millan desirous to repossesse the townes which the Venetians helde an hundred thousande duckets besides the honorable deuotion of many particular gentlemen and free holders of that state furnishing them selues with horses and armes to accompanie the kings person in the warre On the other side the Venetians prepared in one common and resolute courage to receiue and sustaine so great a warre labouring with money with authoritie and with the whole countenance and body of their territories to leauie prouisions worthy of so great a common weale wherein their diligence was so muche the more importunate and resolute by howmuch it seemed likely that if they sustayned the first brunt or furie the league of the Princes so yll composed and worse confirmed would easily decline and dissolue In which actions to the glory of that Senate was well expressed in those that afore had counselled in vayne to gouerne their good fortune modestly the selfe same vehemencie of minde which had bene vttered by the others that had bene authors of the contrarie for that preferring publike safety afore priuate ambition they sought not the increasing of their authoritie in reproching to others their preiudiciall counsells nor in obiecting agaynst the remedies which were ordeined to the perils hapned by their indiscression And yet considering that almost all the regions of Christendome were banded agaynst them they sommoned together all their wittes to breake so great a league repenting euen now that they so lightly reiected thoccasion to deuide the Pope from the rest hoping that he woulde not haue stirred if onely they had made restitution of Faenza In which regard ioyned to the consideration of their present condition and estate they renewed with him the first negociation and withall dispatched messangers to Caesar and the king Catholike forbearing to make any practise with the Frenche king in whom what for hatred and other hindring respects they had no hope of disposition to conformitie But the Pope had no power nowe to accept that whiche he had desired afore so vayne is the seconde offer of things that haue bene once refused The king Catholike though he had no want of will and inclination yet he was vnhable to range the residue so little power is left to him that is drawen into action by compulsion And Caesar possessed with a spirite of enuy against the name of Venice would not onely not agree but also disdayned to vnderstande with what nature of offers they tempted him refusing to see their secretarie whom they had sent to him with very large commissions In so much as beholding on all sides nothing but a face of aduersitie accompanied with a setled indignation of Princes they disposed all their deuises and studies to defende themselues by armes enterteining frō all Regions great proportions of horsemen and footemen and armed many vessels to garde the shoares of Romagnia and the townes of Povvilla and to thrust into the lake of Guarda and ryuer of Po with other places by the which they feared to be molested by the Duke of Ferrara and Marquis of Mantua But besides the threates of men they were astonished with many aduentures eyther fatall or accidentall for a small barke which they had sent to transport money to Rauenna was drowned with ten thousand duckets the castell of Bresse was striken with lightning and the house where lay the charters of their common weale called Tharchiuio fell sodenly to the ground with a wonderfull ruine But that which most filled them with feare perplexity was at the same time in the very houre that the great Counsel assembled a fire kindled eyther by chaunce or by some secrete treason in their stoare house called the Arzenale euen in the rometh where was their saltpeter which burst out with suche furie that notwithstanding the concourse of men labouring with an vniuersall diligence to quench it yet what by the force of the winde and nature of the matter proper to nourish and encrease fire it consumed to ashes twelue bodies of gallies with a wonderfull quantitie of munitions This was also added to their difficulties that hauing enterteined Iulio and Ranse Vrsins and Troillo Sauello with fiue hundred men at armes and three thousande footemen the Pope with seuere commaundementes as being subiects of the Church compelled them not to depart out of the towne of Rome inducing them withall to retayne still fifteene thousand duckets which they had receiued in prest for their payes promising to abate so muche of the debtes which the Venetians ought to the sea Apostolike for the frutes which they had receyued of the townes of Romagnia The cheefe care of the Venetians was to prepare and make themselues strong on that side by the which the Frenche king was to make his enterprise but they heard not of him neither so soone as they looked for nor so mightily as the opinion went for that from the king of Aragon notwithstanding he had made great promises to the other confederates appeared only brutes and demonstrations according to his custome executing nothing that was of any consequence And Caesar being gone into Flaunders to induce the subiectes of his sonne in lawe to make some contribution of money it was beleued that
Barons of Rome which were not of the conspiracie with the others He heard willingly the comfortes of the two Embassadors but so as oftentimes he aunswered them with words full of reproche and disdayne He dissembled alwayes in incertenties whiche for the moste parte deceiued the wisedomes of suche as gaue him counsell About this time came Iulio de Medicis knight of the Roades and afterwards Pope him the Cardinal Medicis vnder the leaue of the Cardinall S. Seuerin sent from th armie vnder cooller to recommende him selfe to him in so greate a calamitie but in dede to relate vnto him in what condition and state things stoode The Pope vnderstanding by him at large how much the Frenchmen were weakned of howe many capteines they were depriued and made naked and howe many valiaunt bodies of souldiours they had lost how many lay hurt and for many dayes would be vnprofitable what spoyle of horses they had suffred and howe one parte of the armie was dispersed abroade by reason of the sacke of Rauenna the Capteines vncertaine of the kings will and not at good agreement amongst them selues because Monsr Palissa refused to endure thinsolencie of the Cardinal S. Seuerin vsurping the office of a Legate and a capteine that there were secret murmures of a discending of Svvizzers and no apparant token sene that the armie could marche so soone This discourse recomforted muche the Pope who causing the reporter to be brought into the consistorie he willed him eftsones to relate them in the presence of the Cardinalls in the same forme of discourse which he had vsed to him apart To these was added the doing of the Duke of Vrbin who whatsoeuer moued him chaunged councel sent to offer the Pope two hundred men at armes and foure thousande footemen Notwithstanding these reapportes and all the comfortes they brought with them the Cardinalls continued to aduise him to peace A matter whiche albeit in wordes outward actions seemed not vnplausible to him yet in mind he was not resolued to accept it but for a last remedy yea albeit for the present there appeared no present cure or salue for the sore yet he would rather choose to go from Rome so farreforth as he were not out of all hope that his cause might be supported by the armies of princes and principally that the Svvizzers would stirre who showing great inclination to his desires had many dayes before forbidden the French kings Embassadors to be in the place wherein were assembled the deputies of all the Cantons to determine vpon the Popes demaundes In this estate of affayres there appeared some hope of peace for that before the battell of Rauenna the french king what with the consideration of the daungers that hong vpon him on all sides and what with the despite of thinconstancie of Caesar the hard conditions he proponed respects that much induced him to yeld rather to the Popes will in many things had secretly sent Fabricio Caietto brother to the Cardinall Finalo to the cardinalls of Nantes and Strigonia who had not yet altogether abandoned the negociations of peace his charge was to require thē to propound to the Pope that he was cōtent to render vp Bolognia to him That Alfonso d'Este should giue vp to him Lugo with the other townes that he held in Romagnia That he should be bounde to paye him his auncient tributes and to make no more salte vppon his grounds And that he would agree to thextinction of the councell he demaunded no other thing of the Pope thē to haue peace with him that Alfonso d'Este might be absolued of the paynes and restored to his auncient rightes priuiledges That to the family of Bentiuoleis who should remaine in exile their proper goodes should be reserued the dignities restored to the cardinals prelates which had folowed the councell Which conditions albeit the two cardinals feared that the king would no more consent vnto by reason of the victorie that had succeeded since yet they durst not propound them in other maner And the Pope seeing them so honorable for him not yet willing to manifest that which he had secretly determined in him selfe iudged not that the king could refuse them but peraduenture that it was more profitable with these enterspeeches to staye the kings armie to haue the better leasure to see what would be done by those in whom he had reaposed the residue of his hopes So that the Cardinalls still importuning him he subsigned those articles the ninth day after the battell of Rauenna giuing to the Cardinals his fayth promise to accept them if the king did confirme them He sent also by letters to the Cardinall Finale remaining in Fraunce but absented from the Court for feare to offende the Pope and to the Bishop of Tiuoli who kept the place of legate in Auignon that they should go to the king to debate of these things but he sent them no authoritie nor power to conclude them Vntill this time th affayres of the Pope went but in an euill course vntill this day was aduaunced the full of his calamities his daungers but after this day worldly affaires haue their ordinarie mutations his hopes began to appeare greater and the wheele of his fortune ceased not with an incredible swiftnes to turne to his greatnes The thing that gaue beginning to so great a mutation was the sodayne departing of Monsr Palissa out of Romagnia he was reuoked by the generall of Normandy for feare of the discending of the Svvizzers and for that cause he drewe his armie towards the duchie of Millan leauing in Romagnia vnder the Legate of the councell three hundred launces three hundred light horsemen and six thousande footemen with eight peeces of great artilleries The feare of the comming of the Svvizzers was made greater for that the same generall thinking to do a seruice more agreable to the king had vndiscretely dismissed the Italian footmen and parte of the French footemen immediately after the battell of Rauenna contrarie to all reason pollicie and that which the present affayres required By the departure of Monsr Palissa the Pope was deliuered of the feare that troubled him moste he was more confirmed in his obstinacie and it helped him greatly to assure the affaires of Rome for the better oportunitie whereof he had leauyed certayne Romaine Barons with three hundred men at armes and debated to make capteine generall Prosper Colonno the rather for that the courages of suche as desyred newe thinges beeing abated Pompey Colonno that made preparation at Montfortin consented by the working of Prosper to depose Montfortin into the handes of Marke Antho. Colonno for the Popes suretie reteyning basely in his handes the money he had receyued of the French king By this example also Robert Vrsin who was come affore from Petillano vppon the landes of the Colonnois to leauye armes keeping likewise in his handes the money he had receyued of the Frenche king was brought in afterwardes by
signe that he would neuer be seperate from their enemies Neuerthelesse all these daungers showes of calamities could not make them chaunge their first counsels but standing resolute to make as good head as they could against fortune they sent to their Admirall that was at Corfu to assemble his nauie assayle the marine places of Povvilla And yet considering a litle after of what importance it would be to prouoke so much the king of Aragon they reuoked that councel being more coragious then discrete no lesse for the might and power of the same king then for that he had alwayes showed that he perswaded Caesar to peace The Viceroy remained at Mōtagnano hauing as yet determined vpō nothing of that he had to do both for that the conceptions of the launceknights were diuerse and very hard the enterprises that remained to be attēpted eyther of Padoa or of Treuisa and the forces farre inferior to the difficulties for in the armie there was litle more then a thousande men at armes not many light horsemen and onely ten thousande footemen aswell Spanish as launceknights And lastly there was exspectation of the comming of the Bishop of Gurce vpon whose will direction depended resolutely all things About this time a Spanish magistrate being in Bergamo to gather the impost of xxv thousand duckets taxed vpon that citie at such time as it was rendred to the Viceroy Ranso de Cero sent thither from Cremo one part of the souldiors who entring by night by the helpe of certayne conspirators of the towne tooke the Spaniard with all the money he had leauyed and returned afterwarde to Crema There was discerned about this tyme a preparation to newe troubles in the state of Genes beeing conformable in that plot the wills of the Duke of Millan and the Svvizzers to whom Antho. and Ierome Adorno had recourse They declared to the Duke the affinitie and dependencie which their fathers had had with Lodovvike his father That by the ayde of their famuly he had recouered and many yeres holden in peace the principalitie of Genes from the whiche he had bene fraudulently deuested by the Dukes Fregoso That the famulie of the Adornei had participated with the aduersities and fortunes of the Sforceis for that at the same time that Lodovvike loste the duchie of Millan the Adornei were chased out of Genes And therfore they perswaded that it was conuenient that they should likewise communicate in the returne of good hap fortune seeing the same affection the same faith continued That they ought not to be charged by imputation if being not so muche as harde in any one place but abandoned of all hope their necessitie their goodwill had dryuen them to haue recourse to that king by whom they had bene chased expulsed before That on the other side he was to remember the auncient hatred of the Fregoset and howe many iniuries and practises had bene wrought agaynst his father by Baptista and the Cardinall Fregosa dukes of Genes successiuely and lastly he was to consider how farre he was to trust Octauian Fregosa who besides the auncient hatred he bare refused to haue a superiour in that gouernment To the Svvizzers they recommended the profite the surety the honor that they might reape by thenterprise that if by their meane they were eftsones restored to their countrey they would pay a summe of money equall to that which Octaui Fregosa payed to the Spaniards that as by their vertue the duchy of Millan had bin preserued so to them apperteined in honor the protection defence of the thing they had gotten by their vallor wherin they were to cōsider what a matter it would be contrary to the surety of that state that Genes a citie of so neare neighborhood importance should obey a duke that depended wholly vpon the king of Aragon That it were an action vnworthy their name their glory to suffer Genes the frute of the victory of Nouarro to fall to the share and profite of the Spaniards who whylest the Svvizzers with so great vallour ranne their bodies vpon the thundring shot of the Frenche were with more ease then daunger vpon Trebia watching as it were the issue of the battell to robbe vsurpe by suttletie the rewards of the victorie gotten with the blood of others Vpon these complaints accōpanied with other reasons of cōpassion the duke caused his cōpanies to march the Svvizzers aduanced foure thousand footmen but what with the threates of the Viceroy against the Duke and the authority of the Pope with the Svvizzers the enterprise ceassed euē assone as it was begō thaffectiō that the Pope bare to thaffaires of Octauian doing more to dashe thexpedition then any other thing In this meane while the Viceroy went vp to Battell a place about seuē miles frō Padoa where Caruigial riding vndiscretly with a small strength of horsmen to view the seate of the contrey was taken by Mercario capteine of the Venetian light horsmē About which time the bishop of Gurcy arriuing in the army they drew to cōsultation what was to be done The Bishop gaue coūsel to besiege Padoa saying he hoped so much in the vertue of the Spaniards launceknights against the Italiās that in the end they should be able to ouercome al difficulties he said it was a matter of lesse labor to take Treuisa but the honor rewards of the victory were far differēt for that to win only Treuisa was not of much importāce for the substance of the war but by the taking of Padoa both the townes peces of Caesars obediēce should stand assured frō troubles perils of the warre the Venetians should be lefte depriued of all hope to bee hable to reconquer the places they had loste The Viceroye and almost all the other capteines were of a contrary opinion they iudged it rather impossible then hard to force Padoa for the incredible fortifications it was throwly furnished with artilleries all things necessary for defence it was double manned with souldiors besides many yongmen of the nobilitie of Venice that were come thither as they had wōt to do at other times they alleaged that the circuit of Padoa was large in which regard as also for the multitude of the defendāts other difficulties it required to be enuironed with a siege of two armies a computation so farre from them that they were not hable to make one sufficient the number of their souldiors being not great and yet no signe of readynes in the Launceknightes for that they murmured already for want of pay Lastly they had not sufficient munitions no lesse want of poyeners a prouision very necessary for an enterprise of that difficulty But in the ende the reasons of the Viceroy and the other capteines gaue place to the authoritie and will of the Bishop of Gurce according to whose direction the armie drawing neare to Padoa encamped at Bassanella vpon the right shoare of the
followed by Frauncis Sforce Duke of Bary to performe the like for his brother Maxymylian Sforce And albeit the Bishop of Gurcy represented in Italy the ful person of Caesar as he did at other times yet laying now aside his pomp and accustomed magnificence he entred more modestly into Rome and forbare by the way to weare the cappe of Cardinall which the Pope had sent to him at Foggibonso At his comming was compownded a compromisse by him and the Venetian Embassadors in the person of the Pope of all the controuersies that were betweene Caesar and their common weale But it was a compromisse more in name and apparance then in effect and substance for that neither of the parties for thimportance of the cause would be referred to an arbytrement suspected vntill they had seuerally and secretly receiued promisse of him that he would not giue vppe his arbytracion without their consent and priuitie The Pope by this authority of Compromitting declared in writing that there should be a surceassing of armes betweene the two parties which albeit was ioyfully accepted by them both was yet ill obserued by the Viceroy for that being come betweene Montagnana and Este besides that he had done no other thing since the victorie then made pillage and ouerronne the whole contry hauing withall sent part of his souldiours to Policena he committed in sondry places many insolencies and harmes sometymes he excused his doings in that they were vpon the landes of Caesar sometimes he alleaged that he exspected new intelligence from the Cardinall of Gurcy lastly the ende of the compromisse was no more happie then had bene the middest and the beginning by reason of difficulties that fell out in the negociacion of affaires for Caesar would out consent to thaccord but with condicion to reteine parte of the townes for the other to receiue a great proporcion of money and of the contrary the Venetians demaunded all the townes and offered a very small summe of money it was beleued also that the king Catholike did secretly disswade the accorde notwithstanding openly he made demonstration to desire it yea it was said that to make it more hard he had at the same time put Bressa into the hands of Caesar a place which the Viceroy neuer til that day would giue vp alleaging that he kept it to make him more inclined to the peace But the causes were coniectured diuersly either he had so farre offended the Venetians that he iudged he would no more enterteine with them a true and assured amitie or else he knew that his reputacion and greatnes in Italie depended vppon continuing and keeping on foote the armie which for want of money he was not able to feede and nourrish but by racking raunsoming the peoples that were his frendes and in making praye and pillage of the countreys that were enemies These difficulties together with the vntowardnesse of the parties made the Pope leaue the matter vnperfect when a litle after the Almains by the helpe of the exiles and banished men tooke Marano vpon the suddeine a seafaring towne in the countrey of Friull and so discended to the like action vpon Montfalcon and albeit the Venetians both for their honor profit desired to reconquer Marano being threescore miles from Venice in that disposition did assaile it both by sea and land yet their fortune being all one in all places they receiued losse vexacion on all sides only Ranso de Cero in that time susteyned the name and credit of their armes to his great praise and merit for albeit there was a great rage of plague and hunger in Crema where he lay in garrison and that the bands of Spanyards and Millanois being dispersed into the townes thereabout by reason of the season he was as it were besieged yet he gaue a suddeine charge vppon Calcinaia a towne of the countrey of Bergamo and stripped Caesar Fieramosquo with forty men at armes and two hundred light horsemen of the regiment of Prospero Colonno And not many dayes after he entred by night into Quinsano and tooke the Lieutenaunt of the Count S. Seuerin and spoyled fifty men at armes and within Treuy stripped ten men at armes of the company of Prospero About this time thinges were quiet enough in other places of Italie sauing that the Adorneis and the Fiesqueis with three thowsand men of the countrey accompanied perhappes with the secret fauor of the Duke of Millan drew neare the walls of Genes after they had taken Spetia and other places of the riuer of Leuant But their fortune being farre inferior to their valour they went away almost ouerthrowen hauing loste parte of the men they brought to thenterprise and certaine peeces of artillerie There appeared also in Tuskane certeine beginninges of new iniuries for the Florentins beganne to molest them of Lucquay trusting that thorow feare of the Pope they should redeeme peace in restoring to them Pietrasanta Mutrona They alleaged besides that it was not conuenient that they should enioy the benefitte of that confederacion which they had broken in minstring secret succours to the Pisans Against these suggestions they of Lucquay complained to the Pope and to the king Catholike in whose protection they were but seeing there grew no remedy to them they were at last contented to auoyde greater mischiefes to referre a compromisse to the person of the Pope Who hauing like authoritie for the Florentins pronounced that they of Lucquay who had affore rendered to the Duke of Ferrara Garsagnana shoulde leaue to the Florentins the places of Pietrasanta and Mutrona and that there should remayne betwene them a perpetuall peace confederation About the ende of this yere the Castles of Millan and Cremona who for the necessitie of vittells had agreed to yeelde if they were not succored in a certayne time were deliuered into the power of the Duke of Millan So that there remayned no more that the French king helde in Italie but the lanterne of Genes which in the end of the same yere the Genovvaies assayed to caste downe by mynes They approched to it vnder the benefite of a Caske or vessell of wood conteining thirtie fadomes in length and twentie in breadth within which was stowage for three hundred men and set rounde about with packes of wooll the better to defende the shotte At the first showe it caryed great arte and deepe inuention but being brought to tryall it serued to litle vse as most often is seene by those newe and straunge workes The ende of the eleuenth Booke THE ARGVMENT OF THE TWELFTH BOOKE THe king of Englande makes vvarre vpon the French king The Venetians recouer Friull The Pope as arbitrator pronounceth peace betvvene them and the king of Romains King Lovvis the xij dyeth Frauncis the firste commeth to the Crovvne and discendeth into Italie to reconquer Millan THE TVVELFTH BOOKE OF THE historie and discourse of Guicciardin THERE happned the same yere in the regions beyonde the Mountes most
causes helping to their deferring But the matter that most encreased the suspence of their mindes was that the French king who with great industrie prepared him selfe to the warre had sent the Bishop of Bayeulx to desire them to deferre to resolue any thing till the next moneth by whome he assured them that before that terme he would marche with a greater armie then had bene seene in Italy in the age of man And as they stoode in this doubt and perplexitie of minde Anthony Gryman Duke of the same citie dyed and Andrevv Gritty was chosen into his place An election rather preiudiciall to the French affayres then otherwaies for assoone as he was raysed to that dignitie he referred wholly to the Senat the deliberacion councell of that matter and would neuer afterwards either in word or deede showe him selfe enclyned to either part But at last because the king continued to send fresh corriers to the Senate and was importunat in offers and promisses And for that there was speciall aduertisement that to assure thexpectacion of the warre Anne Montmoransy afterwards Constable of Fraunce and Federyk Bossolo were vppon their way to Venice ThEmbassadors of thEmprour and the king of England to whome this deferring was much suspected began to protest to the Senate that they would departe within three dayes and leaue all thinges in their imperfection By reason of which protestaciō imploying a maner of thretning also that the fidelity that was gathered in the french promises began to diminish finding nothing but vaine hopes but chiefly by the aduertisement of their Embassador resident in Fraunce they were cōstrained to determine to embrace the amity of thEmperour with whom they entred into contract vnder these condicions That betwene thEmperour Ferdinand Archduke of Austria and Frauncis Sforce Duke of Millan on the one partie and the Senate of Venice on thother partie should be a perpetuall peace confederacion That the Senate in times of neede shoulde sende for the defense of the Duchie of Millan six hundred men at armes sixe hundred light horsemen and six thowsande footemen That they should administer the like proporcion for the defense of the kingdom of Naples but in case it should be inuaded by the Christians for the Venetians refused to be bound generally because they would not stirre vp the Turke against them That thEmperour should be bound to defend against all men all that the Venetians possessed in Italie and that with the like number and proporcion of men That the Venetians should pay in eight yeares to thArchduke for appaisement of their auncient controuersies for thaccord made at VVormes two hundred thowsand duckats vpon the end of this agreement the Senate hauing dismissed Theoder Triuulce chose Frauncis Maria Duke of Vrbin for gouernor generall of their men of warre with the same condicions It was a common iudgement of most of the wisemen in Italie that the frenche king finding those aides to be turned against him which affore had bene of his side would put of the enterprise of Millan for that yere Neuerthelesse when they heard that the preparacions did not onely continue but that the armie began to marche such as stoode in feare of his victorie fell the better to resist him to make a newe confederacion wherein they perswaded the Pope to be chiefe and principall Here is to be remembred that where the Pope at his first descending into Italie stoode desirous to haue an vniuersall peace and looking with great compassion into the harmes which grewe vppon Christendom by the victories of the Turkes he sent to thEmperour to the french king and the king of England to depose for the time their armes so hurtfull for the common weale of Christendom and euery of them seuerally to sende Embassadors to Rome with fulnes of power to consult of the necessary remedies and releuing of the lamentable afflictions of the Christians This was performed by them all in apparance but beginning to treate more particularly of things it was presently discerned that those labors were vaine for the infinite difficulties that fell out when they came to the point of peacemaking so many impedimentes do follow the deliberacion of great causes and so hard it is to reconcile controuersies of estate which ordinarily draw with them their infinite suspicions and differences for a truse for a short time was nothing agreable to thEmperour neither did it in any sorte serue thexspectacion of his purposes And the frenche king refused to make it for a longer time so hurtfull was it for him to protract or temporise that had all his prouisions for the warre aduaunced In which separacion of minde betwene these two great Princes the Pope either for the auncient affection which eftsoones beganne to reuiue in him towards thEmperour or for that he discerned the thoughts of the french king to be estraunged from peace and concord discouered his inclinacion and began more then he was wont to harken to those that encoraged him not to suffer the french to possesse againe the Duchie of Millan This oportunitie was obserued by the Cardinall Medicis who hauing remeyned at Florence for feare of the persecutions of his enemies but chiefly of the Cardinall of Volterro who stoode very great and gracious with the Pope tooke to him a new corage and came to Rome where he was receiued of most of the Court with great honor and respect There ioyning him selfe with the Duke of Sesso thEmprours Embassador and with thEmbassadors of the king of England he fauored that cause and furthered it all that he could with the Pope It is seene often in the course and practise of worldly things that the falling of one man is the rising of an other by which propertie of reuolucion is apparantly proued that mortal men are subiect to the law of nature and fortune for in this aduauntage of variacion and chaunge the ill hap of Cardinall Volterro which almost alwayes troubled his wit his pollicie and all his drifts heaped vpon him a great domage and daunger And in that oportunitie was giuen to the Cardinall Medicis a notable meane to enter into greater grace and authoritie with the Pope who affore bare a constant inclination to the Cardinall Volterro for that both by his industrie and apt insinuacion of wordes he had brought him to beleeue that he desired nothing more then an vniuersall peace throughout all Christendom This was thaccident One Frauncis Imperiale being banished from Sicile went into Fraunce And being staied at Castelnoua neare Rome by the deuise of the Duke of Sesso there was found about him a packet of letters written by the Cardinall Volterro to his Nephew the Bishop of Xainctes By these letters he gaue councell to the French king to inuade the I le of Sicile with an armie by sea by which inuasion thEmprours forces should necessarily be turned to the defense of it and so the enterprise of Myllan would become more easie to the French The detection of this
conuenient to compell him nowe to doe the contrarie But this discourse was made in vayne for that the Duke d'Albanie not attending for other aunswere and withall halfe assured of the Popes consent passed the ryuer of Pavv at the passage of Stellato which is in the duchie of Millan And yet the fifte day after he turned backe agayne by direction from the king who vnderstanding that the launceknightes began already to ariue and that the duke of Burbon was gone to wage more thought best to reserue with him selfe his whole armie vntill his campe were possessed of the newe supply of Svvizzers and Grisons which he had sent to leauye In this meane while were made many showes and demonstrations of armes though no action of importance was performed by neyther partie The king continued the siege before Pauia working continually at the trenches and watching to vexe them within with his artilleries And the Imperialls stoode quiet exspecting the returne of the Duke of Burbon Onely the Marquis of Pisquairo vpon whose prouidence and vallour depended for the most part the counsels and executions of the whole affayres issued one night out of Loda with two hundred horsmen and two thousand footmen with which strength he surprised the towne of Melzo being negligently garded by Ieronimo and Iohn Fermo Triuulco with two hundred horsemen and in the action tooke prisoners all the capteins with the most part of their souldiors of whom Ieronimo died not many dayes after of a blow which he receiued in fight By this were ariued in the kings campe the bands of Svvizzers and Grisons by reason of whose comming the Duke d'Albanie repassed agayne the ryuer of Pavv at Stradello vpon the contrey of Plaisanca from which inclinacion the Pope was not hable to turne the king not that he did what he could but happly solicited it with very colde instance for feare to make him enter into suspicion And therefore he thought it nowe time both to manifest to thimperialls the couenantes he had made with him before and also to renew the mention of thaccord hoping that no lesse the difficultie to obteine Pauia then the daunger of the kingdome of Naples would make eyther partie lesse obstinate and lesse hard to embrase thaccord To those endes he sent Paule Vettorio to the Viceroy to signifie to him that notwithstanding the meanes and mediations he had vsed yet he could neuer diuert the french king frō his purpose to muade the realme of Naples and that as touching his owne particular least he should pull vpon himselfe the warre which he could not resist he had no reason to giue impedimēt to his passage Neuerthelesse albeit he was constrayned by vehement compulsion to seeke his suretie with him by new contracts yet he would neuer accord to any condicion which might be preiudiciall to themprour for whom like as amid so many difficulties he saw nothing more profitable nor reasonable then to embrace peace So to thend the negociacion of peace might be aduaunced afore the disorders grew greater or more immoderate he perswaded the Viceroy to consent to a surceassing of armes and to put into the hands of a person not suspected all those peces in the duchie of Millan which as yet were holden in the name of themperour and the Duke Vpon which doings and their ful accomplishments he hoped there would be found out some conuenient meane for peace wherin he proponed this deuise that the duchy of Millan being wholly seperate from the crowne of Fraunce the kings seconde sonne should be inuested therin by themprour to whom in recompence should be transferred some competent summe of money That there should be ordeined some reasonable estate and assignation for the Dukes of Millan and Burbon And lastly that the Pope the Venetians and the Florentins shoulde be bounde to confederate with themprour agaynst the French king in case he would not obserue things promised The Emprours capteins discerned well of the difficulties and daungers wherin they stoode hauing at one time to support so great a warre in Lombardie in suche an vniuersall want necessitie of money and also to prouide for the safety of the kingdom of Naples being no lesse desperate of ayde from the Pope Florentins then very certeine that the Venetians would abandon them who albeit they waged new bands of footmen and studied to enterteine thimperials in hope to obserue tharticles of the league yet they deferred th execution with diuers excuses In so much as the Viceroy being for his particular nothing estraunged from thaccorde inclined to drawe with tharmy to the kingdome of Naples for the surety of the same But the councel being assembled vpon the matter the reasons authoritie of the Marquis of Pisquaro preuailed who expressing an equall correspondencie of wisdome and courage proued how necessary it was to passe ouer the accompt of al other daungers and to fix only vpon the warre of Lombardy vpon whose victory al other things had their exspectation and depending he sayd it was not the kings intention to inuade the realme of Naples with those armies and forces which coulde not so speedily be ledde into the kingdome where both were multitudes of strong townes and an absolute resolution certentie of resistance by those bodies whom it cōcerned for their proper safety to defend it By whiche occasion as it might be susteined for certeine monthes So in that respite and time it was likely that the warre of Millan woulde be determined of which if they obteined the victory there could not but follow the speedy deliuering or rendring of Naples yea though themprour had no other holdes or peces there then one only tower That holding good in Lombardy it were easie to be victorious ouer Millan and Naples where in marching to Naples were the only waye to lose Millan and yet the kingdome not the more deliuered from daunger for that the whole body of the warre would be trāsported thither And being once reduced to a state of men vanquished with what hopes can we returne thither agayne where of the contrary the enemies would enter with such a reputation and inclination of the people who naturally eyther for feare or hatred ronne before the fortune of the victor that in the kingdom of Naples would be found no more defence then in the duchy of Millan That no other thing moued the french king standing as yet in dout of the successe of Lombardy both to deuide his army begin a new warre the first still hanging continuing then the hope he had that for the ouermuch care ielousy of the kingdom of Naples they would at last leaue vnto him as a pray thestate of Millan According to whose counsels appetites if the army should moue that so oftē had triumphed in victory it were no other thing then with eternal infamy to subiect to the vanquished by compulsion of their threatnings that honor that reputation and that estate of glory which so many times we haue won vpon
with the Frenche king was made no particular mention of him nor of the suretie of thestates of Italye stoode more and more confirmed in his former opinion that the ambicion and greatnes of themperour woulde in the ende be his seruitude and thraldome And therefore he determined not to accept thaccorde in the maner it was offred to him but to reserue him selfe free vntill he were assured what course the Frenche woulde take touching the obseruation of the peace In which resolution he stoode so much the more firme by howe muche besides thapparance and likelyhoodes of it he had heard by the relation of certayne speeches deliuered by the king affore hys libertie and spread abroade by some that were familiar in counsell with him that the king had a mynde altogether estraunged from performing the thinges he had promised to themperour And the better to confirme the king in that deliberation his owne suretie also depending vppon it he sent in poste into Fraunce Pavvle Vittorio a Florentin and capteine of his Gallies his charge was to be at the Court at the same tyme the king should aryue vsing that diligence not onely to know his intention assone as might be but also the king hauing a ready hope to be hable to drawe into league agaynst themprour the Pope and the Venetians he might take occasion the sooner to resolue himself It was enioyned also to the expedition of Pavvle to congratulate in the Popes name the kings deliuerie and to discourse with him at large what he had done to that ende and howe muche did induce themperours inclination to his libertie the practises of confederation that were enterteyned with the Lady Regent Lastely that he shoulde impart with the king the Popes vehement desire to haue an vniuersall peace in Christendome and that thEmperour and he woulde perfourme together thenterprise agaynst the Turke who was reapported to make mightie preparations to inuade that yeare the Realme of Hungarie These were his Commissions apparant and knowen but this was his direction most substantiall and secrete that aboue all things he should sounde throwly the kinges inclination whom if he founde resolute to obserue the resolution of Madrill then to passe no further least vaynely he should make his case more desperate with themperour then before but if he founde him to haue other thoughtes and to hang in doubt that he should labour to confirme him in that disposition and seruing hys turne of all occasions he should specially compell him to take that course giuing him knowledge of the Popes desire to ioyne with him for the common benefite He dispatched in like sort into Englande the pronotorie Gambaro to manage the like office with that king and to the same ende Besides he procured the Venetians to sende into Fraunce their secretory Andrevv Rosse with semblable commissions As Pavvle past by Florence vpon his voyage he fell sicke and dyed by reason of whiche accidēt the Pope sent to performe the legacion in his place Capui de Mantua taking it to an yll prediction that nowe the seconde tyme the Ministers which he had sente into Fraunce to aduaunce those practises were in the waye intercepted by death In the meane while making no omission of time nor oportunities he together with the Venetians did all that they could to keepe in courage the Duke of Millan and to enterteine him in hopes least the peace of Madrill ledde him not both with feare and rashnes to make some accorde with themprour By this time the french king was comen vpon the confiues of Fontaraby a towne apperteyning to themprour standing vppon the Occean sea and is a frontyer betwene Biskay and the Duchie of Guyen And on the other side the Lady Regent was aryued with the children of Fraunce at Bayonne not many leagues from Fontaraby The tormentes of the gowte tooke her by the waye which was the cause that she had lingred some tyme longer then the daye appoynted of permutation But at last the xviij daye of Marche the French king accompanied with the Viceroy and Capteine Alarcon with fifty horse was presented vpon the shoare of the ryuer that deuideth the realme of Fraunce from the kingdome of Spayne And on the other side vpon the shoare opposite appeared Monsr Lavvtrech with the kings children and like number of horse There was in the middest of the ryuer a great barke made fast with ankers in which was no person The king was rowed neare to this barke in a little boate wherein he was accompanied with the Viceroy Capteine Alarcon and eyght others all armed with shorte weapons And on the other side of the barke were likewise brought in a litle boate Monsr Lavvtrech with the ostages and eight others weaponed according to the others After this the Viceroy went into the barke with the person of the king and all his companie and also Monsr Lavvtrech with his eyght that accompanied him so that they were within the barke a like number of both partes Alarcon and his eyght being with the Viceroy and Lavvtrech the others with the person of the king And when they were all thus within the barke Lavvtrech fetched out of the boate into the barke the Daulphin who being giuen to the Viceroy and by him committed to capteine Alarcon was foorthwith bestowed in their boate and after him followed the little duke of Orleans who was no sooner entred the barke then the French king leaped out of the barke into his boate which he did with suche quicknes and celeritie that thexchaunge or permutation was thought to be done at one selfe instant Assoone as the king was on the other side of the shore his newe libertie making him fearefull of ambush he mounted vpon a Turkishe horse of a wonderfull swiftnes which was prepared for the purpose and running betwene feare and gladnes vppon the spurre he neuer stayed till he came to S. Iohn de Lus a towne of his obedience foure leagues from the place And being there readilie relieued with a freshe horse he ran with the same swiftnes to Bayonne where after he had past ouer the offices of Court done to him by his people he dispatched with greate diligence a gentleman to the king of England to whom he wrote with his owne hande letters of his deliuerie charging the messenger vnder verie louing commissions to tell the king of Englande that as he acknowledged theffect of his libertie to be wrought whollie by him and his operacions so in recompense he offred to remaine to him a perpetuall and assured frend and to be guided in all his affaires by his councell And afterwardes he sent an other solemne Embassage into Englande to ratifie the peace which his mother had made with him as one that reapposed a verie great fundacion in thamitie of that king The ende of the sixteenth Booke THE ARGVMENT OF THE SEVENTENTH BOOKE The Pope the french king the Venetians and the Duke of Millan draw into league against thEmperour The Duke of Burbon comes
burden of the exspences of the warre But not to hinder the traffike and entercourse which that nation had with the subiectes of themprour as also not to put in daunger their Marchantes and factors they were not named vnder the tytle of confederates Onely it was set downe that they should enioy all the exemptions priuileages and benefites of the confederation as if they had bene expresly comprehended the Pope assuring for them that they should be in no sort agaynst the league There was no prouision nor nomination of the Capteine generall of this armie and warre for that by the shortnesse of the tyme they had no leasure to bring into counsell and election vppon whose shoulders they shoulde laye so great a burden both for the authoritie and qualitie of the man and the confidence that euery one had in him Neither was it easie to finde out suche a man in whose person were concurrant so worthy conditions The League beeing thus contracted the Frenche king who had not as yet altogether withdrawne his minde from the practises whiche he enterteined with the Viceroy of Naples both deferred to ratifie it and to beginne to make to marche his companies of men at armes and also to sende the fortie thousande ducketts for the first moneth vntill the ratification of the Pope and the Venetians were accomplished And albeit suche an intermission was not a litle troublesome to them yet being pressed by their necessities to pursue their purpose they dispatched the ratification and entred immediatly to giue beginning to the warre vnder the tytle that they would reskew the Castell of Millan In which action the Pope who had before sent to Plaisanca Guido Rangon generall of the Church armie with his companies of men at armes and a strength of fiue thousande footemen sent thither of new with other regimentes of footmen and the men at armes of Florence Vitello Vitelli their Capteine and gouernour together with Iohn de Medicis commaunder ouer the Italian infanterie He created Frauncis Guicciardin at that tyme president of Romagnia his lieftenant generall ouer the armie and ouer the whole iurisdiction induing him with most ample and almoste absolute power The Venetians on their side encreased their armie which remayned at Chiara in the contrey of Bressia ouer the whiche was constituted capteine generall the duke of Vrbin and for their treasorer was appoynted Peter Pezero Both the one other armie had one direction which was to endomage the imperialls and to inuade them without deferring or suffring for any respect In this meane while was aryued at Millan Don Hugo de Moncado who albeit the league was still kept from the knowledge of the Viceroy and him yet distrusting by the kings aunswers that matters could not be reduced to the contentment of themprour he had followed his way into Italy and there carying with him into the Castell of Millan the pronotorie Carraccioll he labored to assure the Duke of the facilitie and clemency of themprour seeking to perswade him to referre him selfe to his will But the Duke made aunswere that in regarde of the iniuries which themprours Capteines had done to him he was driuen to haue recourse to the Pope and Venetians without whose priuity and participation he could not dispose of himselfe Don Hugo put him in hope that themprours intention was that the crimes that were charged agaynst him should be summarily viewed examined by the pronotorie Caraccioll who was a prelat of great confidence with the Duke A course which he sayde themprour tooke rather to restore vnto him his estate with a better conseruation of themprours reputation then for any other occasion and yet he would not consent that the siege might be first leauied nor promise to innouate any thing according to the instance of the Duke It was beleued that the authority and power which themprour gaue to Don Hugo was very ample large the same extēding not only to enhable him to contract with the Pope according to the reintegratiō of the duke of Millan but also his cōmission bare to compound with the duke alone taking assurāce that being restored to his estate he should do no act preiudicial to thaffaires of themprour Only this cōmission was vnder limitation according to the trayne of times and necessity So that Don Hugo considering into what extremity was reduced the castel that to compound with the duke profited nothing the affaires of themprour but instrumentally or as a meane to establish thaccord with the Pope and the Venetians iudged it would be a matter vnprofitable to contract with him alone Afterwards Don Hugo the Pronotory caused to be brought from Monce Moron kept prisoner within the rocke of Trezzo the same being for this cause that the Pronotorie who was to be iudge of the cause should take his information of him Immediatyle after this Don Hugo tooke his way from Millan to Rome hauing first written to Venice that they should send sufficient authority to their Embassador at Rome to negociate debate of th affayres occurrant Beeing come to Rome he was brought to the presence of the Pope together with the duke of Sesso to whom he declared with braue words that it was in his election to accept eyther peace or warre for that thēprour notwithstanding by his good intention inclination was not estranged from peace yet he was neuertheles both in courage in preparation ready disposed both to the one and to the other Wherevnto the Pope aunswered generally and complayned that what for the harde tearmes which the Emprours officers had vsed to him and the very late arriuall of Don Hugo he stoode now bound to others where afore he was in his owne liberty They returned to him the next day signifying that themprours intention was to leaue wholly the duchy of Millan to Frauncis Sforce so farreforth as the castell might be consigned into the hands of the pronotorie Carraccioll vntill for themprours honor there were examination made of the cause though not to the bottome substance yet in apparance by ceremony That also themprours intention was to put ende to the quarrels betwene him and the Venetians by some reasonable and comely meane to withdrawe his army out of Lombardy with the payes which had bene treated vpon at other times And that in counterchange and recompence of all these he demaunded no other thing of the Pope then that he would forbeare to interpose betwene him the French king To these propositions the Pope aunswered that he doubted not that all the world had not taken sufficient knowledge how carefully he had alwayes desired to kepe amitie with themprour that he had neuer demaunded greater things then those which themprour himselfe did willingly offer him Matters which could not be more to his contentment for that his desire was always greater to the cōmon benefite then for his profite That still he continued in the same inclination though there were giuen to him many occasions to
money of the king and vrging him to a greater readines in the warre he would not only not consent to the tenthes without condition of a moytie to himself which the king refused vnder this reason that it was cōtrary to the tradition vsage of Fraunce but also in his contradiction he could not be resolued to create Cardinal the Chauncellor Prat who both for the authority swaigh he bare in the kings councells and for that all expeditiōs of money passed through his handes might haue bene a necessarie instrument to helpe forward all his purposes Suche was his confusion that his counsells were no lesse dilatorie and slowe then th execution vncertayne and irresolute which passion as it tooke beginning of his astonishment for the tumult of the Colonnois so it went on encreasing by newe terrours whose operations ledde him into manyfest contradiction in matters concerning his owne safetie But the French king forgat not to be sorrowfull with Paule d'Arezzo and the other Nuncios for the accident of Rome and in that compassion he offred to the Pope all things for his defence and wishing he would reapose no more confidence in themprour he aduised him to perseuer no longer in the truce vppon which condition and not otherwise he promised still to satisfie the twentie thousande duckets which he was bound vnto for euery moneth To this the Pope was also aduised by the king of Englande who disswaded him from his voyage to Barcelona and to comfort his present distresse he sent him xxv thousand duckets The French king discounselled the Pope from his purpose to go visite the Princes of Christendome as being a matter which for the importance required a deeper consultation And at the first he refused to consent that Paule d'Arezze should go to themprour eyther for suspicion that the Pope would begin to enterteine with him some practise seperat or else that he helde it a matter more honorable to worke the peace by the meane of the kinge of Englande then to seeme vnder those wayes to begge it of themprour Neuerthelesse by a newe instance made by the Pope he gaue his consent to lette hym goe eyther for that he desyred the peace in deede or else because he beganne not well to brooke to haue it wrought by the king of Englande who bare suche a hande and gouernment in these actions that the French king coulde not but doubt least for his interestes particular he would drawe him to conditions harde and inconuenient Wherein he tooke the reason of his doubt vppon the disposition of the king of Englande or rather the Cardinall of Yorke vnder his name who caried with ambition and a glorious desire to be iudge of all set downe conditions very straunge and farre of and hauing also endes different from the purposes of others he feared by reason of those endes least he woulde suffer him to be abused by themprour and woulde not be grieued that the Duchie of Millan should fall vpon the person of the Duke of Burbon by the benefite of the peace so farreforth as he maryed themprours sister to th ende it remayned in his power to giue his daughter in mariage to the Frenche king So that what by these perswasions tendred to the Pope by the one and other king and what through his feare not to loase thamity of the confederates and so by the priuation of their aydes to remaine in pray to themprour and his officers and what by thimportunities and vehement inducements of his owne counsellors and what for the hatred and disdayne conceyued agaynst the Colonnois together with the burning desire to recouer by way of reuenge the honor he had lost he was induced to conuert against the townes lands of the Colonnois all those forces which he had called into Rome onely for the surety of his person And in this variation and ballansing of reasons and causes he iudged there was no law of equitie nor order to compell him to obserue thaccord which he had not made by will and free consent but vnder the abuse of their fraudes and forced by their armes contrary to the law of fayth he sent out immediatly Vitelly with his companies to vex the lands of the Colonnois making his account to burne and raze all their townes for that for the auncient affection of thinhabitantes it could not be a matter very preiudicial to them to take the townes only without doing other violence And in the humor of his anger he published a Bull against the Cardinall and others of that famuly by vertue wherof he proceded afterwards to depriue the Cardinall of the purple hat who seeking before to defend himselfe with the bull of symonie had made publike appellations at Naples and had appealed to the generall councell to come onely the Pope deferred to pronounce sentence against the residue of the house of the Colonnois who were not negligent to wage both horsmen footmen in the realme of Naples But the Popes bands being entred into their towns they burned Marina Montfortin whose Castel held good as yet for the Colonnois And in this rage of victory aduantage they rased Gallicana and Tagarola the Colonnois being careles of al other townes then to defend their places of strength chiefly the towne of Paliano which is a pece strong by situation of very hard accesse for great artilleries besides hath no accesse but by three wayes wherof one can not succor an other and hauing about it walls of good fortification thicknes the inhabitants were determined with great resolution to defend it Neuertheles it was beleued that if he had marched with diligence to assayle it notwithstanding many of thinhabitants of those towns that had bin taken were retyred thyther he had easily caried it for that there was not a souldior within it but whilest he stood temporising deferring to go thither folowing the inclination working of his nature which was full of irresolution feare when things were to be put in execution There entred into the towne by night a strength of 500. footemen aswell launceknights as Italians being sent from the realme of Naples a reliefe which as it made the taking of the towne so hard desperate that Vitelli who at the same time kept his companies about Grotta Ferrata not daring to attempt further enterprise vpon Paliano much lesse to execute any action against the peece called the Popes rock So after he had sent to batter with his artilleries the rock of Montfortin garded by the Colonnois he determined to gather together all his forces at Valmonton more to looke to the defence of the contrey if any stirre or emotion were made on Naples side then with hope to be able to do any thing of importance for the which he was blamed much of the Pope who at a tyme when his deuise was to inuade the kingof dome Naples and afterwards when he called into Rome the regimentes for his defence wished to be sent
the difficulties which the Duke of Burbon had to pay his souldiours wherein rested not the least impedimentes to the good fortune and felicitie of the warre The wretched people of Millan were wonderfully trauelled for prouision of money In which necessitie or rather tyrannie Ierome Moron beeing condemned to death compounded the night before he should suffer to paye twenty thousande duckets for the whiche it seemed they had passed him to sentence of death But after the releefe of his purse had auoyded the daunger of his life vnder the same good meane his person was deliuered out of prison suche was the course of his desteny working instrumentally by the dexteritie of his spirite and witte that of a prisoner to the Duke of Burbon he became his councellor and within short time he went on by the operation of hys witte tyll he became almoste his onely gouernor and director Neuerthelesse amid all these variations and vexations the treatises of truce or peace were great betwene the Pope and the Viceroy though in good meaning the plottes and purposes of the Viceroy tended rather to make warre wherein he was set on both by thincitation of the Colonnois who had breathed into him a new life since he came to Caietto and also because he vnderstoode that the Pope no lesse abated in courage then naked in money founde nothing so sweete as the desire of peace Wherein both publishing to all the world his pouerty and his feare and in his confusion refusing to create Cardinalls for money according to the counsell that was giuen him the demonstrations he made of his owne weaknes gaue courage and hope to who so euer would offende him for as the Pope not entring into the warre with that constancie of minde that apperteined had sent to themprour a letter the xxvj of Iune conteyning matter bitter and full of complayntes that he droue him by necessitie to intende to the warre So also fearing afterwardes least by the sharpe phrases of that letter he might further incense themprour whom he so much feared he sent after an other expedition compounded of an humor more temperate and reformed charging his Nuncio to reteyne the first which neuertheles was deliuered for that it came first to his handes the other was presented afterwardes but themprour vnder one expedition aunswered them both seuerally according to the argument and nature of matter they conteyned Moreouer the Pope had readely harkned to the generall of grayfreers who going into Spayne at suche time as the warre began was charged by him to deliuer to themprour embassages milde and full of amitie And beeing eftsones returned to Rome by commission of themprour he brought many reapportes and informations touching his good intention and howe he would be content to come into Italy with a trayne of fiue thousande men and from thence after he had taken the Crowne of thempire he would passe into Germany to set downe some forme to the matters of Luther without speaking any thing of the Councell That he was also well inclined to accorde with the Venetians vnder reasonable conditions That he would referre the cause of Frauncis Sforce to the arbitration of two Iudges assigned by the Pope and him and in case he were condemned he would bestow that estate vpon the Duke of Burbon That he would reuoke his army out of Italy so farreforth as the Pope Venetians would pay three hundred thousande crownes to satisfie the wages of the army which notwithstanding he would labour to make contented with a summe more moderate That he would restore to the French king his children receyuing in counterchaunge two millions of golde at two or more tearmes He showed also that it would be easie to accorde with the king of Englande bothe for that the summe that was in question was not great and also the king had made offer of it And the better to debate and worke these matters the generall of grayfreers offred a truce for viij or x. moneths protesting that he had warrantes and commissions from themprour verye large and absolute wherein all power of negociation and conclusion was giuen to him to the Viceroy and to Don Hugo In regarde of which authoritie and good inclination of themprour the Pope after he had giuen audience to Pignaloso and had receyued aduertisement that the Viceroy was gone out of the porte of S. Stephen sent the Generall to Caietta to treate vpon these matters with him Whereunto he was the rather induced for that bothe the Venetians woulde not refuse the truce if the French king would consent who for his part was not farre estraunged from it and his mother had sent to Rome Lavvrence Tuskane declaring an inclination to peace wherein shoulde be a generall comprehension of all men And also for that he thought no practise to be sure without the will and concurrencie of the Duke of Burbon he sent to him in that behalfe one of his owne Amners that was at Rome whom the Duke returned eftsones to the Pope to solicite the same matter And yet neither to loase thoportunitie of the time nor to abandon the prouisions for the warre he sent Cardinall Augustin Triuulco as Legate to the army which was then in the field And continuing also his preparations to inuade the Realme of Naples Peter Nauarre ariued the third of December at Ciuitavecchia with a Nauy of xxviij gallies of the Popes the French and the Venetians At which time also Ranso de Cere being sent for the french king for thexpedition intended vpon Naples was ariued at Sauonna with a fleete of sayles quartered On the other side Askanio Colonno with a strength of two thousande footemen and three hundred horsemen came to Valbon fifteene miles from Tiboli where are the landes of the Abbot of Farfa and Iohn Iordan with these forces the twelfth of December he tooke Cepperano finding no resistance for that it was not garded Vitelly with the Popes companies reduced himself betwene Tiboly Palestime and Velletre Afterwardes the Colonnois tooke Pontecorue which was not garded and in vayne gaue assault to Scarpa which is a litle and weake place depending vpon the Abbey of Farfa Caesar Filettin approached by night to Alagnia with fiftene hundred footemen of which fiue hundred making their entrie secretly by the fauour of a house ioyning to the walles and by the practise of certen of the townesmen that receiued them were repulsed and driuen out agayne by Lyon de Fano commaunder of the footemen that were there In this meane while the generall of grayfreers returned from the Viceroy to the Pope to whom he related the Viceroyes inclination to consent to the truce for certayne monethes to th ende that in the meane while the peace might take course Only he stoode vpon demaundes of money and for suretie he required the Castells of Ostia and Ciuitavecchia But of the contrary to him tharchbishop of Capua aryuing at Caietta after he was departed and who happly had bene sent thither with
determined to accord with Fieramosque and Serenon whom the Viceroy had sent to Rome for that matter The articles of thaccorde were these That there should be a surceance of armes for eight monethes the Pope paying to th Imperiall army three score thowsand duckats That whatsoeuer had bene taken vpon the Church vpon the realme of Naples and vpon the familie of the Colonnois should be rendered That Pompey Colonno should be restored to the dignitie of Cardinall with absolucion of all paynes and Censures This was a condicion moste greeuous to the Pope and wherunto he condiscended with a verie ill will That the Frenche king and Venetians might enter this accord within a certeine time That in case they did enter the Launceknightes shoulde goe out of Italie and if they did not enter then they shoulde departe from the Church estate and likewise from the territories of Florence That the Pope should pay in fortie thowsand duckats within two and twentie dayes accompting from the present day and to satisfie the residue within one moneth after That the Viceroy shoulde come to Rome which the Pope supposed to be the best meane to assure him that the Duke of Burbon should obserue thaccorde a hope wherein he was eftsoones confirmed by the relacion of a letter surprised by Guicciardin by which the Duke of Burbon aduertised the Viceroy of the difficulties of the armie for remedie whereof he councelled him to growe to accorde with the Pope so farre foorth as it might be done with thEmperours honor Immediatlie vpon the concluding of thaccorde either partie retyred their bandes of souldiours reuoked their armie by sea and the places that were taken were rendered the Pope vsing good faith and meaning in thexecucion of the contentes of the capitulacion notwithstanding at that time he had the better in all the realme of Naples sauing that in the parte of Agnila the sonnes of the Count Montoiro douting to remeine there in safetie deliuered vp their father who foorthwith with the fauor of the faction Imperiall chased them out of that prouince together with all those that were against him After this the Viceroy came to Rome by reason of whose presence there the Pope iudging he stoode euerie way in good suretie for thobseruacion of thaccorde dismissed with a verie ill councell all those bandes of souldiours that were in his pay in the quarters of Rome Reteining only two hundred light horsemen and two thowsand footemen of the blacke bandes he was induced to this dismission of his regimentes by an opinion he had that the Duke of Burbon was inclined to thaccord both for the difficulties that increased vpon him dayly and also for the testimonie he had alwayes giuen of his desire and disposicion to peace But the affaires tooke an other course about the confines of Bolognia for assoone as the truce was established the Pope dispatched Caesar Fieremosquo to the Duke of Burbon to approue and confirme thaccord to see him depart from of the Church lands so soone as he should receiue money But contrarie to their exspectacion and the restinionies he had giuen before the Duke of Burbon shewed a hard disposicion to the peace and in his souldiours appeared a farre more forward inclinacion who semed to stand resolut to follow the warre either for that they stoode fixed vpon the hope of a great profit or because the moneys promised by the Pope were not sufficient to satisfie two paies A matter which induced many to beleue that if the Pope had aduaunced to the summe of an hundred thowsande duckats the souldiours had easely accepted the truce But whatsoeuer was the ground or campe of their obstinacie it is certaine that after the comming of Fieremosquo they ceassed not to take and harrie the partes of Bolognia as before and expresse vpon the people all demonstracions and actes of ennemies Neuerthelesse the Duke of Burbon who caused to cast platformes and Fieremosquo gaue continuall hope to the Popes Lieutenaunt that notwithstanding all these difficulties insolencies the army should accept the truce together with which promise Burbon assured him that he was constrained to cast platformes and expresse other apparaunces of enterprise only to enterteine the armie in hope to passe further vntill he had reduced them to his desire which was to keepe amitie with the Pope Notwithstanding at the same time were brought to the campe many prouisions of meale pyenors cartes powder and other like necessaries sent by the Duke of Ferrara who afterwards iustefied him selfe that neither the money he had sent them nor all other releues of what nature so euer passed not the value of three score thowsand duckats But on the other side the Duke of Vrbin vnder a semblance of feare that if the army did accept the truce it would returne towards Polisena de Rovvigno retyred the Venetian regiments beyonde Pavv and incamped at Casalmaior in this estate of suspense and temporising continued the affayres of the warre for eyght dayes But at last the Duke of Burbon eyther for that such had bene alwayes his intencion or bicause the army was falne into an insolencie aboue his power to restrayne wrote letters to the Lieuetenant Guicciardin that since he was not able to raunge the souldiers to his will necessitie constrayned him to passe further And putting it accordingly in execucion he remoued the daye following being the last of Marche and went to incampe at the bridge of Rene where the furie of the footemen of the campe had killed a gentleman sent by the Viceroy to solicit the Duke of Burbon to imbrace the truce had he not both with good celeritie and fortune auoyded the daunger of his life by fleeing away But in that humor of rage and mutinie they expressed farre more insolent demonstracions against the Marquis of Guast who being gon from tharmye to draw to the Realme of Naples by reason of his indisposicion or not to be concurrant with others to impugne thEmprours will or induced happly by some other cause was published and proclaymed rebell by the souldiers of tharmy The comming of the Duke of Burbon to the bridge of Rene assured the Marquis of Salusso and the Popes Lieuetenant that the army would drawe directly towardes Romagnia By reason whereof after they had left one parte of thItalian footemen for the gard of Bolognia and with great difficultie brought thether the Svvyzzers for whose payes the Popes Lieuetenant was driuen to lend tenne thowsand duckats to Iohn Vetturio they went the same night with the residue of the army to Furly whereinto they entred the third day of Aprill leauing within Imola a sufficient garrison to defend it Somewhat beneath the same citie the Duke of Burbon passed the fift day and incamped more lower vnder the high way But thaduertisement being come to Rome that the Duke of Burbon had not accepted the truce the Viceroy made many semblances to be discontented wherein perswading him selfe that according to the former aduertisements he had receiued
day passed the Alpes lodged at Saint Stephens which towne defended brauely thassalt of his souldiers And the more to blind the Pope with excuses and reasons artificiall and to haue a greater occasion to offend him he sent one of his gentlemen to keepe him stil confirmed in his good deuocion and desire to haue accord with him Onely he alleaged that as in regard of the obstinacie of his armye which he could not resist he was driuen to accompany his souldiers to auoyde a greater harme so he besought him to beleeue well of his fidelitie with this councell not to leaue of the solicitacions of accorde and not to sticke for any summe of money But it was a matter superfluous to vse those diligences with the Pope who beleeuing too much the thing which he desired and desiring too much to ease him selfe of exspenses assoone as he was aduertised of the conclusion made at Florence in the presence priuitie of the procurer of the Duke of Burbon did vndiscreetly dismisse almost all his footemen of the blacke bands And in that securitie Monsr Vavvdemont was gon by sea to Marseilles as if the peace had bene as firme as the Pope was secure But all the armies beeing thus drawne into the bodye of Tuskane and the confederats hauing vnderstanding that the Duke of Burbon was gonne in one daye which was the three and twenty daye from Saint Stephens to incampe at Chiassa neare to Aretzo conteyning a distance of eyghteene myles The Capteines who were assembled at Barberina drewe into councell what was to bee done Amongest whome many of them together with the agents of the Pope and Florentyns made instance that the armies knitte in one strength shoulde marche and bee bestowed in some place beyond Florence to take from the Duke of Burbon all meanes to approache that citie which instance being somewhat qualified it was resolued to suffer the regiments to repose in the lodgings where they were And that the Captaines the daye following shoulde goe to Ancisa thirteene miles from Florence to th ende afterwardes to call thether all their companies if they founde that place to bee assured which Federyk Bossolo the Author of that councell did promisse But as they were the daye after vppon the waye and very neare Florence there happened an accident which might haue brought forth very daungerous effects if it had not beene remedied the same hindring greatly thexecucion of that councell and many other good complots which might haue deriued of it This was the discourse of the accident At Florence the mindes of men were much stirred of whome as the most part of the populars were discontented with the present gouernment so the youth of the towne concurring in that insolencie made a prowde instance to the Magistrates to giue them libertie of publike armes to defende them as they sayde agaynst the oppressions of the souldiours But before the Magistrates could establishe any resolucion the discontentment which before was but in opinion burst out into a manifest and open tumult in the publike place where the most part of the Commons and almost all the concurse of the youth proclayming armes beganne in their furie to ronne to the pallace One matter that inflamed and pushed on this tumult was the indiscression and tymerousnes of Siluio Cardinall of Cortono who being determined to yssue out of the towne to goe meete the Duke of Vrbyn to doe him honor forbare not to abandon the towne notwithstanding he was not ignorant before his going that the tumult was in action So that the towne being possessed with a rumor of his fleing away euery one was the more ready to ronne to the pallace which being in the power of the youth that were conspirators and the Court and greene all full of the Commons armed The high Magistrate was constrayned to proclayme rebells by a solemne decree Hipolito and Alexander the Popes Nephewes with intencion to introduce againe the popular gouernment But in the meane while as the Magistrat held the people appeased with this proclamacion the Duke and the Marquis entred Florence with many Captaines and were accompanied with the Cardinall of Gortono and Hipolito de Medicis They managing at first certaine bands of fifteene hundred footemen who had bene kept armed in the citie many dayes for feare of the Duke of Burbon reduced them all into one resolut and firme strength and drew in warlike order towards the greene or mayne place which the Commons immediatly abandoned and in their feare left to their power the thing which they had no vallour to defend Neuerthelesse what by the violence of stones cast from within the pallace and fury of the small shot that played vpon them there was no sauetye for them to abide there but somewhat to auoyd the importunitie of the daunger and not altogether to be farre from the place they had gotten they retyred them selues into the streetes and quarters thereabouts The Duke of Vrbin was of opinion A reason which albeit seemed to beare but small consequence yet it was the principall cause that Florence that day was deliuered of so great a daunger that the bands that were within Florence were not sufficient to winne the pallace And doubting according to thexperience of a souldier that if it were recouered by night least the Commons would eftsoones haue recoursse to armes he determined with the priuitie of Cardinalls Cibo Cortono and Radolffo together with the consent of the Marquis of Salusso and the Venetian Legats being all assembled in the streete of Garba ioyning to the pallace greene to send for one part of the Venetian bands incamped vpon the plaine of Florence neare the citie By meane of this deuise there was towards a daungerous encownter for that neyther the pallace could be subdued without the slaughter of most of the nobilitie that were within and also the drommes striking vp to armes there was daunger least the souldiours in that libertie would not put to sacke the residue of the citye yea that daye had beene very vnhappye for the Florentyns if the ready witte and councell of the Lieuetenant Guicciardin had not cutte in sunder the knotte that of it selfe was very harde to bee vndone he seeing to come towardes them Federyk Bossolo and comprehending in his imagination the cause of his comming left the others with whome he was deuising and ranne to meete him to th ende to bee the first to speake to him In the beginning of the mutinie Federyk went vp to the pallace hoping to reappease the riot aswell through his authoritie as for the familiaritye he had with the moste parte of the youthe But muche lesse that he profited by that labour seeing of the contrary he receyued from some of them wordes iniurious and reprochefull suche as the humor of men drawne into rebellion coulde afforde yea beeing kept reteyned certeyne howers he founde greate difficultie to bee sette at libertye But beeing got from them more full of disdayne then of compassion
natural custome hauing not left for the calamitie of his imprisonment neither his suttleties wherin he could depely dissemble nor his couetousnes which he could not auoyde for when the Agents which Lavvtrech sent together with the Embassadour of the king of Englande were come before him to solicite him to consederate with the residue he began to giue them diuerse aunsweres Sometimes he dismissed them with hope that he would be reduced conformable to their desires and sometimes he would inferre excuses that hauing neyther men money nor authoritie as it coulde not helpe them muche to haue him to ioyne with them so the action could not but be preiudiciall to himselfe for that thimperialls would take occasion to vex him in many places And sometimes he showed a ready inclination to satisfie their demaundes so farrefoorth as Monsr Lavvtrech did aduaunce A matter which he desyred greatly to thend the Launceknightes were compelled to depart out of Rome who going on consuming the remaynders of that miserable citie and all the countrey confining would not be brought to giue ouer to hunt the praye whiche they founde so sweete but in their insolencies neyther respecting their Capteines with obedience nor for bearing ciuill tumult and mutinies amongest them selues they demaunded new payes But from the ende of the yere going before and much more in the beginning of the yere following the industrie and solicitations of the peace began to appeare vayne and by that reason the mindes of Princes and states beganne to be so muche more incensed and kindled by how much lesse they saw themselues excluded from the hope of peace For as all the difficulties were almost resolued seing themprour refused not to render to Frauncis Sforce the Duchie of Millan and to compounde with the Venetians the Florentins and the other confederates So this rested onely in question which of these two things should be put first in execution eyther the withdrawing of the French armie out of Italy or the restitution of the kinges children The king would not be bound to reuoke his armie out of Italy if first he recouered not his children offring to put ostages into the handes of the king of England to assure the obseruation of the penalties wherein he was bounde if vpon the refirming of his children he retyred not presently his armie But themprour made instance to the contrarie offring the same cawtions into the king of Englands hands Wherein the question and disputation running in whether of them it would bee more comely or honest to trust the other themprour sayde it was not reasonable to reapose confidence in him who had once deceyued him To the which the French Embassadours aunswered that by how muche more he pretended to be deceiued by their king by so much lesse could their king reapose confidence in him They alleaged also that themprours offer to consigne into the hands of the king of England the same assurances which their king offred was neyther equall nor indifferent for that both the case varyed in this that the thing which themprour promised to do was of farre greater consequence then thobligation of their king and therefore not reasonable to be assured vnder the same cawtions And also they added that the English Embassadours who had authoritie to binde their king to obserue what so euer the French king should promise had no commission to tye him to thobseruation of themprours promises And that their faculties authoritie being limited and restrayned to tearme and time they could neither exceed nor anticipate Vpon which disputation could soart no resolution for that themprour had not the same inclination to the peace which his Counsell had the rather for that he enterteined himselfe with this opinion that though by warre he should lose the kingdome of Naples yet he should be apt to recouer it by rendring the children of Fraunce yea the great Chauncellour who long time before was returned into Spayne was touched muche by imputation to haue troubled greatly the solicitations of the peace with cauillations and interpretations sophisticall At last thembassadours of Englande and Fraunce following their commissions in case they dispayred of thaccorde determined to demaund leaue of themprour to depart and immediatly afterwards to denounce warre agaynst him And with that conclusion being brought to his presence the xxj of Ianuary his Court being then at Burgos and beeing folowed with thembassadours of Venice of the Duke of Millan and Florence Thenglishe Embassadours demaunded of him the foure hundred and fiftie thousande duckets which their king had lent to him and sixe hundred thousande for the penaltie imposed vpon him in that he had refused his daughter together with fiue hundred thousande for the pensions of the French king and for other causes Whiche demaundes being proponed for greater iustification all thembassadours of the confederates asked leaue to depart away But he tolde them he woulde take aduise of his counsell before he would aunswere that demaunde beeing in deede necessarie affore they departed that his Embassadours were in places of suretie Thembassadours were no sooner departed his presence then the Heraldes of Englande and Fraunce entred to denounce warre agaynst him whiche he accepted with a greate showe of gladnes and brauerie And in that humor he gaue present direction that thembassadours of Fraunce Venice and Florence should be conueyed to a towne fifteene leagues from the Court where beeing garded with archiers and halberdiers they were forbidden eyther to communicate or to write anye thing what so euer Touching the duke of Myllans Embassadour he imposed vpon him a commaundement as vpon his subiect that he should not departe from his Court Onely on the behalfe of the Embassadour of Englande there was nothing innouated Thus all the negociations and hopes of peace being broken there remayned only inflamed and kindled the cogitatious and thoughts of the warre which as it declared it selfe in manyfest preparation through all the regions of Italy So to reduce to action and beginning the thing that as yet was but in apparance show Monsr Lavvtrech pushed on by the king but muche more by the king of Englande since the hope of peace began to diminishe was departed from Bolognia the nynth of Ianuary to marche to the kingdome of Naples by the way of Romagnia and la Marqua This way after long consultation was chosen by him contrary to thinstance of the Pope who desyred vnder thoccasion of his marching to restore into Sienna Fabio Petruccio and Montenono That election of the way was also agaynst the instance of the Florentins who to th end to haue that army more ready to succour them in case thimperialls marched to inuade Tuskane desired them to take the way of Tuskane But Monsr Lavvtrech chose rather to make his entry into the realme of Naples by the way of Tronto both for the commoditie of that way to leade the artilleries and also for the fertilitie of the countrey yeelding plenty of vittels and lastly because he would not
action of entring into league with the french king vpon the wil and inclination of the Pope who then commaunded them and vpon the law of necessitie which had hithervnto compelled them to continue in it They sayd they could not passe further for that they were not enhabled by commission only they had expresse commaundement from their common wealth not to open their eares to any practise with the Pope and to visite his other Embassadours but not the Cardinall Medicis The great Chauncellor newly called to the dignity of Cardinall made them aunswere that it was necessary they should satisfie the Pope and reduce him contented both of their doings and of their meanings And they complayning of the iniustice of that demaund he eftsones replied that seeing their Citie was confederate with thenemies of themprour and had sent out armed bandes agaynst him that it was falne from her priuileages and diuolued to thempire and therefore it was in themprour to dispose of it according to hys owne arbitration But at last it was sayde vnto them on themprours behalfe that they should procure to be sent to them sufficient commission to compounde with the Pope and that afterwardes shoulde be considered the differences that were betwene the Pope and them which if they were not first resolued and compounded themprour would not common with them of their proper interests Whereuppon thestate of Florence dispatched a commission very large and ample to compounde with the Emprour but not to accord with the Pope In so much as themprour departing from Genes the xxx of August and went vp to Plaisanca the Embassadours following his Court were not admitted into Plaisanca for that is was vnderstanded that their commission was not such as themprour had demaunded By which meane all things suspended and remayned without accord Themprour caused also to depart from his Court thembassadors of the duke of Ferrara whom he receiued with hard tearmes and yet returning afterwardes with new conditions and happly with new fauors they were admitted and heard Moreouer the emprour sent embassador to the french king the Count Nausavv to congratulate with him the newe accorde confirmed with the knot of parentage and to receiue the ratification In recoÌ„pense of which embassage and for the same expedition the king sent to him thadmirall of Fraunce The king sent money to Ranso de Cero to th end that with all his companies he might retyre from Povvilla and caused to be rigged twelue gallies to be sent thither vnder Phillip Dore agaynst the Venetians agaynst whom themprour sent out Andre Dore with xxxvij gallies Neuertheles the king iudging that the recouering of his children would be more certayne if there remayned any difficultie in Italy to themprour he continued to giue diuerse hopes to the confederates and promised particularly to the Florentins to sende money to them secretly by thadmirall Not that he had any desire to minister to the wantes of them or the others but to th end they should shew themselues more hard and seuere to compound with themprour During all this while there was solicited a continuall practise of accord betwene themprour and the Duke of Millan the action wherof was managed wholly by the Pronotory Caraccioll whose office was to come and go from Cremona to Plaisanca But where themprour helde it straunge that the Duke reapposed lesse confidence in him then he looked for and the Duke on the other side was hardly brought to trust him at all there was an ouerture and motion made that tyll the Dukes cause were throughly examined Alexandria and Pauia should be deposed of trust into the Popes handes To this thEmprour would not consent bothe for that he thought the Duke was not hable to resiste his forces and also for that Anthony de Leua was gone vp to Plaisanca who beeing alwayes an enemie to peace and quietnes had incensed themprour with many reasons to pursue the warre And therefore themprour charged him to goe on with thenterprise of Pauia hauing a deuise also that at the same tyme Capteine Felix who was come with the new supplies of Almains aswell footemen as horsemen and with artilleries and had first passed by Pesquiero and afterwards was entred vpon the lands of Bressia should make warre on that side vpon the Venetians of which expedition he had made Capteine generall the Marquis of Mantua newly returned to the deuotion of the Imperialls All this whyle the Pope was not ydle to labour a peace betwene themprour and the Venetians with hope to conclude it at his coÌ„ming to Bolognia for that where he had before solicited to meete themprour and confer with him at Genes they had sithence by coÌ„mon consent referred the place of their enteruiew to Bolognia chiefly for many apt coÌ„modities which that city yelded to so great an assembly They were not induced being Princes of the greatest importance to meete together by a common desire only to confirme the league of their new amitie and coniunction but also they had to cary them their further seuerall respects themprour pushed on by necessitie being determined to take the Crowne of the Empire the Pope by ambition hauing a desire to aduance the enterprise of Florence and in theÌ„ both indifferently did concur a ioynt deuotion to establish some orderly forme ouer the affaires of Italy a matter which they could not accomplish without resoluing the affaires of the Venetians duke of Millan and without keping some good hande vpon the imminent dangers of the Turke who being entred into Hungria with a puissant army came on to inuade Austria take Vienna In this time were done no actions of consequence betwene thempror Venetians for that the Venetians hauing an absolute inclination to accord with him because they would not incense him further had giuen order to retyre their army by sea froÌ„ thenterprise of the castell of Brundusa to Corâ—â—u And seking only to preserue the townes which they helde they forbare also for that time all exploytes in the regions of Lombardy except certen light rodes and incursions and so being only carefull for the gard of their townes they had put into Bressia the duke of Vrbin Touching the Almains they were reduced to Lunaro conteining a nuÌ„ber of a thousand horsmen eight or ten thousand footmen They had resolued together with the Marquis of Mantua to execute thenterprise of Cremona where was the duke of Millan who seeing himselfe excluded from all accorde with thempror that Anth. de Leua was gone to incampe before Pauia Caracciol gone vp to Cremona to denounce warre to him coÌ„tracted with the Venetians to conclude no accord with thempror without their consent and in recompence of that coÌ„tract they bound theÌ„selues to minister to him for the defence of his estates a regiment of 2000. footmen payed with contribution of 8000. duckets for euery moneth They sent also artilleries men to Cremona with which proportioÌ„ of succors promises the duke had confidence to be able to
all that to consigne vnto the Duke of Ferrara Modena which he had deteyned in deputacion till that daye leauing them to decyde afterwards the differences betweene them So that by reason of that dealing there was not for many moneths betwene the Pope and the Duke of Ferrara neither an open warre nor an assured peace the Popelying alwayes in watche to oppresse him with conspiracies and surprise or els to exspect the occasion to heape against him an open warre with the supportacion of greater Princes This yeare of 1531. brought forth no other accidents and the tranquillitie also went on continuing for the yeare following A yeare more daungerous for forreine warres then for the emocions of Italy for the Turke beeing kindled with the ignominie of his repulse at Vienna and no lesse vnderstanding howe thEmprour was intangled in Germany prepared a right huge and great armye wherein boasting insolently of his forces he let not to publish that his intencion was to constraine thEmprour to come to battell with him By the rumor and renowme of which preparacions both the Emprour put him selfe in as good order as he could reuoking into Germany the Marquis of Guast with his Spanish regiments and a great band of horsemen and footemen Italyans And the Pope promised to contribute to him a defraiment of forty thowsand duckats for euery moneth sending for the same expedicion as Legat Apostolike his Nephew the Cardinall of Medicis And lastly the Princes and free townes of Germany prepared in fauor of thEmprour and for the common defense of Germany A very huge and mighty army But the effects aunswered nothing the renowme and the feare for Solyman who for the greatnes of his preparacions and difficultie and distance of the way could not enter into Hungarie but verie late did not drawe directlie with his armie where thEmperour was but exhibiting onely a show of warre together with certeine bragging Caualcadoes and braueries of horsemen he returned to Constantinople leauing the enterprise vnperfect for want of vallour which he had induced and managed with so mightie preparacions Neither did thEmperour shew any greater deuocion or readines seeing that when he vnderstood the Turkes drew neare much lesse that he made out to meete them seeing vppon their retyring he omitted to pursue with all his forces the faire occasion that was offered him to reconquer Hungarie for his brother Onely yeelding to his importunate desire to go into Spaine he gaue order that certeine bands of Spanish footemen some regiments of Launceknightes should be conuerted to thenterprise of Hungarie But that order was immediatlie disordered by the insolent behauiours of thItalians who pushed on by certeine their Captaines disdaining that the authority and conduit of the enterprise was giuen to others and not to them so mutined That hauing no reason to alleage for their tumult and the presence of the Emperour who went thither to appease them being not sufficient to conteine them They tooke resolutely and vniuersally their way into Italie in which disorder they marched with great hast for feare to be followed and in their way with minds malicious they burned many villages and houses in reuenge as they said of the burnings wasting committed in many places in Italie by the Launceknights ThEmperour also returned by the way of Italie and where he had set downe in what order and by what places should passe his Court and all his trayne The Cardinall Medicis caried with humors and passions of youth would not obey the order generallie giuen to all the traine but in his insolencie respecting lesse the Emperours order then his owne ambicious will he aduaunced and gotte before together with Peter Maria Rossa vppon whom chiefly was layed the fault of that sedicion This bred no litle indignacion in thEmperour either for that he imputed the beginning and discourse of the matter to the Cardinall or else he feared least the Cardinall standing ill contented that Alexander his cossin was preferred to the administracion of thestate of Florence would goe after the bandes of Italians to lead them to trouble the affaires of Tuskane In which regard he caused to be apprehended by the way the Cardinall and with him Peter Maria Rossa But after he had better considered of thimportaunce of the matter he wrote letters for the redeliuerie of the Cardinall to whome as well as to the Pope he protested many excuses Onely Peter Maria remeyned prisoner though not long after he was released working greatlie for him with thEmperour the iniurie which it seemed he had done to the Cardinall The retyring of the Turke deliuered the regions of Italie of a great warre that threatned to fall vpon them for where the Frenche king and king of England with mindes full of emulacion against thEmperour had an enteruiewe and conference together betwene Calice and Bolleyne where taking their groundes that the Turke would abide that winter in Hungarie and hold intangled the forces of thEmperour They consulted that the French king vnder that oportunitie should inuade the Duchie of Millan and hauing a disposicion to draw the Pope to their parte by violence and astonishment whom they could neuer allure by other meanes they deuised to take from him the obedience of their kingdoms in case he would not cōsent to that which they desired of him which was for the action of Millan for the French king for the king of England to giue sentence on his side in the cause of diuorce And to relate their intencions they were determined to sende to him with sharpe commissions the Cardinalls of Tournon and Tarbes both which bare no small authoritie with the Frenche king But the newes which they receiued of the retyring of the Turke before the time of their enteruiew was determined did not onely well moderate those deuises and their seuerities but were also the cause that the king of England would not suffer to passe to Calyce the Lady Anne Bulleine to celebrate mariage with her publikely in that assembly Notwithstanding that both the cause was hanging in the Court of Rome also he was forbidden by writs Apostolike vnder paine of very great iudgements to innouate nothing to the preiudice of the first mariage ▪ But so deepe did the French king dissemble that albeit to confirme the minde of the king of England that he would be against the Pope he imposed by his owne authoritie vppon the Clergie of his Realme a taxe of tenthes dispatched the two Cardinalls to the Pope yet not obseruing the fidelitie of his word and promisse he sent them furnished with commissions farre differing from the resolucion of the two kings in the beginning The Emprour being comen into Italy with a desire to speake with the Pope the place of their meeting and enteruiewe was eftsoones assigned at Bolognia A place which the Pope accepted willingly the rather for that he would giue no occasion to thEmprour to goe to the Realme of Naples and by that occasion to make
all the companies and all the Capteines which they could leauye eyther by fauor authoritie or money one trench which we shall winne one rampier which we shall force will put into our bosomes things honorable and great not onely the empire and treasors of Italy but also the meane to be reuenged of all our common and priuat wronges which two spurres or mocions alwayes accustomed to pricke forward mindes base and cowardly if they stirre not with an other quicknes our nation warlike resolute we may iustly say that our vallour hath rather failed vs then our fortune by whom is prepared thoccasion to winne in so litle place in so few howers so great and worthy recompenses that the wisedom and desires of men reasonable can wishe no more The time the place thoccasion our fortune all other oportunities and circumstances to be considered in enterprises offer vs the victorie there wanteth nothing but action in men which for so much ought to be more ready in vs by how much it importeth men of vertue not to lose the honor they haue gotten nor leaue suspicion that want of vallour makes them vnworthy of that which their fortune offereth with so great fauor and further reputacion The Prince of Orange hauing a contrary affection spake against this opinion in this sort If your affayres right Christian king were not so much pressed with time but that they would giue you leasure to accompany your forces with industrie and discression or if they stoode not vpon degrees and condicions so immoderat as you are constrained if you will continue the warre to proceede with importunities contrary to all the precepts and directions of warre I coulde be one of those that would giue councell to reiect the peace for that by many reasons we are encouraged not to accept it as also it can not be denied that it would not be a thing honorable to continue the warre and no lesse conuenient for the affayres of Naples But the tearmes whereunto are brought the towne and castel of Nouaro not prouided of vittells for one day compell vs if we will succor it to set spedely vpon our enemies with a resolucion suddeine to take away that respitt which makes them stronge and able and increaseth in our armie incommodities hurtfull and daungerous And if in suffering it to be lost we meane to transport the warre into an other parte of the state of Myllan The season of the winter nowe at hande very vnfit to make warre in places so low and full of waters and the qualitie of our armie for the nature great multitudes of Svvyzzers who being not spedely employed may be more preiudiciall to vs then to our ennemies And lastly our generall want of money making our aboade here impossible for any long time enforce vs not accepting thaccorde to seeke the meane to put suddeinly an ende to the warre A thing which can not be done otherwayes then directly to goe charge thennemies which aswell for their condicions as the disauauntages of the contrey is so daungerous that in reasonable conference of thinges the action cannot but hold of rashnes and indiseression for that their campe is so strong by nature and art according to the time they haue had to rampier and fortefie it The places round about where their garrisons are so conuenient for their defence and so well manned the contrey for the quantitie of ditches and impediment of waters so vnapt to the seruice of horsemen That to goe seeke them directly and not to accoast them with commodities and aduauntages and as the saying is to winne vpon them by litle and litle is no other thing then to tempt fortune and aduenture vppon perills most certeine and desperat for with what discourse with what reason of warre or with what example of notable Capteines may we with such rashnes and importunitie inuade so great an armie that in trenches so strong and well furnished with artillerie No it is better if you will proceede otherwayes then at aduenture to seeke to driue them from their trenches by winning some place which they commaunde or at least in restrayning their vittells wherein I can see no other thing to assure our hopes then by proceeding deliberatly with the length of time which we haue no meane to attend our affayres bearing nothing more preiudicially then to tēporise exspect Besides our horsemen conteyne neither those numbers nor that vallour which happly many doe weene for that many are made weake by diseases many returned into Fraunce with leaue and without leaue and many of those that remeyne ouertrauelled with this long warre haue more desire to goe home then to fight And touching the Svvyzzers who for their vertue are the principall forces of our armie yet their great number may happly be more hurtfull then would be vnprofitable a lesser proporcion for such hath bene alwayes thexperience of the customs and nature of that nation that to manage them being so strong and many together can not almost be without certeinty of some daungerous tumult specially things as is necessary proceeding with sufferance and length of time During the which by reason of their payments wherein they are insatiable and other accidents which follow of course may happen a thowsand occasions to turne and chaunge them so we should remeyne vncerteine whether their ayde would s 〈…〉 e vs as a medicine or a poyson And in such an vncerteintie we can not establish any thing in our councells and much lesse resolue our mindes to any enterprise of vallour or importance No man dowteth but the victorie is more honorable and sure for the defence of the kingdom of Naples then the agreement to peace But in all actions of men and specially in warres we must accommodat our councels to necessitie and not for the desire to obteyne that part which is hard and impossible to put the whole in manifest perill seeing it is an office as equall and iust in a Capteine to show wisedom in his actions as courage The enterprise of Nouaro Sir was not your principall intencion neither doth it touch you but indirectly for that you pretend no right to the Duchie of Myllan and much lesse are you come out of Naples to stay to make warre in Pyemont but to returne into Fraunce to giue order to leuye treasor men to th ende with more mighty succors to minister ayde to your companies at Naples who in the meane while what with the reskew of your nauie departed from Nyce and what with the men moneyes of the Florentyns will haue so good meane to defend their condicion that they may without daunger attende the great prouisions which you are to areare at your returne into Fraunce I am none of those that will assure that the Duke of Myllan will iustly obserue these capitulacions yet receiuing ostages of him and the Genovvays and the castell also committed according to the forme of the contract you are
farre from stay and resolucion knowing withall that the frenchmen offred as a pray to thEmperour the regions of Italie that by necessitie he went temporising hauing not whereupon to fix his fundacion In this time thaccord betwene the Viceroy the Venetians was solicited continually wherin besides the Viceroy sought to bind of new the Venetians to the defense of the Duchy of Millan he demaunded great summes of money to satisfie their fault of inobseruaciō of the cōfederacion passed The Venetians had many reasons to incline thē to giue place to necessity but of the contrary they were caried with more reasonable perswasiōs to remeine in suspence amid which incerteinty of estate their coūcels were ful of variety irresolucion Neuertheles after many conferences meetings their astonishmēt being no lesse then their neighbours for so great a victory of thEmprour their estate only being abādoned reduced to priuacion on all sides they addressed new cōmissions to P. Pesero their Embassador residēt with the Viceroy to confirme the league in the same manner it had bene made affore paying ouer to thEmperour foure score thowsand duckats for satisfaction of penalties past But the Viceroy being made so much the more obstinate by howe muche they seemed fearefull aunswered them resolutely that he would not renue the confederacion onlesse they payed in the hūdred thowsand duckats which obstinacy drew with it this ill accident as oftentimes is seene to happen in matters deliberated with longnes of time and no readines of wil for so long a tract was taken in the disputing and debating of this litle summe that the Venetians had aduertisement how the king of England bare no more so ill a minde to the aduersities of Fraunce as was feared in the beginning and besides the Imperiall armie had both payed and dimissed many regimentes of Launceknights Matters which the Venetians interpreting to their aduauntage and better suretie from vexacion they determined to dwell as yet in suspence and to reserue in them selues as much as they could power election to take those deliberacions which by the traine euent of generall things they knew were best for thē The Viceroy and the other Capteines Imperiall were not a litle stirred vp by these variacions to transport the person of the french king into a place of suretie iudging that for the ill disposicion of others they could not without perill kepe him garded in the Duchie of Millan In which feare ioyned to their continuall desire so to doe they resolued to conueye him to Genes and from thence by sea to Naples where his lodging was prepared within the newcastell This determinacion brought no litle greefe to the king who from the beginning of his captiuitie had vehemently desired to be caried into Spaine perhappes he had opinion measuring happily an other man by his owne nature or else running with the common error of mortall men being easely beguiled in things they desire that if once he were brought to the presence of thEmperour he doubted not of some easie passage for his liberty either through thEmperours benignitie or by the condicions he ment to offer The Viceroy was of the same desire for the augmentacion of his owne glory but being reteined for feare of the french army by sea they dispatched by common consent Monsr Montmerancy to the Ladie Regent she graunted to him six light gallies of those that lay in the port of Marseilles vpon promise to haue them restored assoone as the king was arriued in Spaine With these gallies he returned to Portofino where the kinges person was alreadie ariued and ioyning them to sixteene gallies of thEmperour which was the nauy appointed at first to conduct him to Naples he reduced them all into one fleete and armed them all with footemen of the Spanish The Captaines Imperialls the Duke of Burbon were perswaded that the kinges person shoulde be ledde to Naples but of the contrarie setting saile the seuenth of Iune they tooke suche course that the eight daye they arriued with a happy voyage at Rosa a hauen of Catalognia Their comming brought no small ioy to the Emperour who till that day had vnderstande nothing of that resolucion And assoone as he was made assured of the kings being there he dispatched cōmaundements to all places where he should passe to receiue him with great honors only till it should be otherwise determined he gaue order to kepe him in the castel of Sciatiua neare to Valence a castel anciently vsed by the kings of Aragon for the garding of great personages wherein had bene kept prisoner for many yeares the Duke of Calabria But the deliberacion to keepe him in that place seeming farre too rigorous to the Viceroy and nothing agreeable to the promises he had made to the king in Italie he won so much of thEmperour that till he had taken an other councell the kinges person might remeine neare Valence in a place apt for hunting other delights of the field There he left him lodged with sufficient gard vnder the charge of Capteine Alarcon in whose custodie he had alwayes remayned since his vnfortunate day And from thence the Viceroy together with Montmerancie went to themperour to make reapport of thestate of Italie and the discourse of things which tyll that day had bene debated with the king with whom he perswaded themperour with many reasons to drawe to accorde for that he could not haue a faythfull amitie and coniunction with the Italians Themprour after he had heard the Viceroy and Montmerancy determined to conuey the king into Castillo to the castell of Madrill a place farre remoued from the sea and the confines of Fraunce where being honored with ceremonies reuerences agreable to so great a prince he should neuerthelesse be kept vnder carefull and straite garde with libertie to take the ayre abrode certayne times of the day mounted onely vpon a moyle Themperour coulde neuer be brought to admitte the king to his presence if first thaccorde were not eyther established or at least in an assured hope of resolution And to th ende there might be interposed in the negociation a personage honorable and almost equall with the king Montmerancie was sent in great diligence into Fraunce to bring the Duchesse of Alenson the kings sister and a widowe with fulnesse of authoritie to debate and contract And to th ende this negociacion of accorde were not hindred by newe difficulties there was made a little afterwardes a truce vntill the ende of December betweene themperour and such as administred the gouernment of Fraunce Moreouer themperour gaue order that one parte of those gallies which were come with the Viceroy should returne into Italie to bring the Duke of Burbon into Spayne without whose presence and priuitie he gaue out that he would make no conuention and yet the gallies what for want of money and other impedimentes were prepared but with slowe diligence Themperour showing him selfe vehementlye disposed to establishe an vniuersall
peace betweene the Princes of Christendome and also at one tyme to giue some reasonable forme to th affayres of Italie solicited instantly the Pope to hasten away the Cardinall Saluiatio or some others with sufficient authoritie He sent also to be excused to the king of Englande taking the reasons of his excuse vpon this that he could not resist the generall wyll and vniuersall inclination of his peoples and sent withall to the Pope Lopes Vtrado for a dispensation to marry the infant of Portugall his cousin german and by that meane conioyned to him in second degree He sent also by the same Lopes who departed vpon the ende of Iulie the inuestiture of the Duchie of Millan to Frauncis Sforce but vnder this condition to pay presently an hundred thousande Duckets with obligation to paye fiue hundred thousand more at diuerse tearmes and to take the trade of saltes of the Archduke his brother The same Lopes caryed also commission to dispose of his men of warre in this sorte that except the regimentes of Spanishe footemen who were to remayne in the Marquildome of Salusso all the others shoulde be dismissed That sixe hundred men at armes should returne to the realme of Naples and the residue remayne in the Duchie of Millan And lastly that the Marquis of Pisquairo should be capteyne generall of his armie The Emperour added to this commission that those moneys which he had sent to Genes to defray foure Carackes with the which he intended speedily to passe in person into Spayne should be conuerted to the necessities and vsage of th armie for that he was nowe determined not to departe out of Spayne The Commission bare also to sende in themperours name the Protonotarie Carracciolo to Venice to induce that Senate to a newe confederation or at least to insinuate his disposition and leaue them satisfied that all his actions tended to an vniuersall peace amongest Princes Christian But the going of the French king into Spayne brought no little perplexitie to the Pope and the Venetians who seeing themprours armie was muche diminished considered that into what part of Italie the kings person should be transported thimperialls could not but finde many impedimentes by the necessitie to haue him well garded so that by that meane eyther there might easily aryse some occasion to deliuer him or at least the difficultie to cary him into Spayne and the litle surety to kepe him in Italie would constrayne themperour to giue some good forme to the generall affayres But when by transporting his person into Spayne both his owne hopes were disappoynted and meane giuen to his enemies to leade him into sure prison they discerned that all treatises and negociations were wholly in the hands of themperour and that there could be established no fundation vpon the practises and offers of the French In so muche as the reputation of themperour rising into augmentation by dayly degrees all men began to exspect from his Court and from his hande lawes and rules to dispose all affayres In these discontentmentes were concurrant also but for diuers causes the displeasures of the Duke of Burbon and the Marquis of Pisquairo for that the Viceroy tooke vppon him without their priuitie to leade the French king into Spayne Suche is the emulation of men in the case of glorie or reputation which more then all other worldlye passions hath a naturall propertie to carye their mindes headlong into ambition of other mens merite The Duke of Burbon tooke the reason of his discontentment vpon this that beeing expulsed Fraunce for thalliance he had made with themperour he chalenged a more interest then any others to be called and to communicate in all the practises of accorde In regarde whereof he determined to passe also into Spayne and yet he was driuen to stande longer vpon his going then willingly he would for that he taryed for the returne of the gallies that caried the Viceroy The Marquis tooke displeasure with the Viceroy for the small estimation he made of him and was no lesse yll contented with themprour for that he was not thankfull as apperteined to his merites and many seruices done in the laste warres and lately in the battell of Pauia touching which victorie albeit he had deserued more prayse and glory then all the capteines of tharmy yet themperour contrary to the lawe of equitie and reason had transferred the whole reputation to the Viceroy with many highe honours and demonstrations This the Marquis could not disgest with suffrance but in the passion of his wrong as he thought he wrote letters to themprour full of detraction against the Viceroy tempered with complayntes to be so muche disfauoured of him as not to be thought worthy atleast to be made priuie to suche a resolution and that if in the warre and daungers thereof the deliberation of things had bene referred to his counsell and proper arbitration the French king had not onely not bene taken but also assone as the losse of the duchie of Millan had followed th imperiall army beeing dryuen to abandon the defence of Lombardie would necessarily haue retyred to Naples Lastely he charged the Viceroy to be gone to triumphe of a victorie wherein it was manifestly knowen to the whole armie he had no part at all yea for proofe that in the heate and moste furie of the battell he was both without courage and without counsell there were many that heard him crye many times VVe are loste and vanquished and that if he would denie this chalenge he offred to iustifie it vppon his body by the execution of armes according to the lawes and rules of warre The Marquis also was further incensed vpon this that sending immediatly after the victorie to take possession of Carpy thinking themprour would deliuer it to him he was not satisfied in that desire The reason was that themperour hauing graunted it two yeres before to Prospero Colonno assured that notwithstanding he neuer had thinuestiture yet in memorie of him that was dead he would to the profite of Vespasian his sonne leaue to his house the same recompence which in his lyfe time he had intended in recordation of his vallour and actions Whiche reason albeit was iuste and that suche examples of gratitude ought to be acceptable to the Marquis though not so muche for thexcellencie of them yet for the hope they brought that his great seruises should be brought into liberall consideration by themperour yet it was not embrased of him not for that it was not iust equall but because for the opinion he bare of him selfe he helde it conuenient that that peculiar humor appetite of his proceding of a couetousnes irreconcileable hatred which he bare to the name of Prospero should be preferred before all other interests how iust soeuer they were In this intemperācie of passion he cried out of themprour and the whole counsell sending his complayntes through all the Regions of Italie and that with such detestatiō of themprours ingratitude that by