A Continuation of the Historie of France from the death of Charles the eight where Comines endeth till the death of Henry the second Collected By Thomas Danett Gentleman LONDON Printed by Thomas â—â—st for Thomas Charde 1600. To the Right honorable my very good Lord the Lord Buckhurst Lord high Treasorer of England and knight of the most noble order of the Garter AFter I had Right Honorable about three yeares sithence presented to the late LORD TREASORER of worthie memorie your Lordships predecessor the Commentaries of Comines translated into our English tongue I was earnestly pressed by some of my friends to continue the Historie of Fraunce from Charles the eight where he endeth till this our present age which a long time I vtterly refused to doe knowing that to annex my poore collections to the workes of so excellent a writer as Comines is should be as arrogant a part and as much to my discredit as if a Painter should haue attempted to finish the Image of Venus beegunne but not ended by Apelles which was a worke of so rare excellencie that no Paynter after him durst aduenture to perfect it Notwithstanding when I called to mynde that others before mee had attempted this that they required at my hands and withall not being able to withstand the importunitie of my friendes I beganne though somewhat timorously to take penne in hand And whereas there are in all learnings two kindes of methodes the one proceeding from the causes to the effectes and the other iudging of the causes by the effectes which is called Iudicium a posteriori my selfe not being able to performe the former as Comines doth who was priuie to the hidden misteries of Princes deseignes and of Counsell with their secret cogitations determined onely to follow the second course namely to set downe the effectes and the naked truth forbearing either to giue graue aduertisments as well to Princes themselues as to their seruaunts as hee doth or to enter into deepe discourses of high points of pollicie gouernment as a matter farre aboue my capacitie wherewith his workes are singularly beautified In the which course hauing waded in the Historie of Fraunce till the death of Henry the second and purposing to continew it further both my hart hand fainted and my pen fell foorth of my fingers of it owne accord For the actions of the ciuill warres of Fraunce are so blouddie cruell and barbarous and so farre I will not say srom all Christianitie but from all humanitie and militarie discipline vsed in former times that for my owne part I iudge them worthie to bee buried in the dongeon of eternall obliuion Agreeable to the which actions were also the effects wherof my selfe haue beene an eie witnesse For passing out of Spaine through France in the yeare 77 in companie of a Gentleman of good seruice not long sithens gone to God whom hir Maiestie employed at that time to the King of Spaine for hir affaires we found such a wildernes in all the country betwene Bayonne and Bourdeaux that whole forrests and woods were turned vp and consumed the townes vtterly desolated the people despearsed the churches quite subuerted and the children a lamentable thing to bee recorded remaining vnchristened by the space of ten yeares which bred in mee such a commiseration to see so noble a member of Christendome so miserablye torne in peeces with hir owne teeth that it did not onelie visiblie as it were set before mine eyes the destruction of Sodoma Gomorha and the rude Chaos wherein the world lay buried and hidden before God placed all things in this goodly order which wee now see them in but also made mee call to minde the example of Africanus Minor who wept bitterly with a certaine Sinpathie of sorrow whan he saw Carthage all on flaming fier calling to minde that the like mought happen to his owne countrey Rome in time to come The vices that ouerflowed Fraunce at the beeginning of their ciuile warres are noted to bee these three Magia Atheismus Libido which I pray God England bee free from at this day But I will no longer dwell vpon this argument least my Epistle become to your honourable Lordship odious and my booke beecome in it selfe monstrous by hauing to great a head to so small a bodie wherfore to returne to my principall purpose hauing reduced the Historie of Fraunce so farre as for the reasons aboue aledged I determined to proceede in it I was soone resolued to whom to dedicate these my simple labours for hauing presented Comines to your Lordships predecessor to whom could I fitlier consecrate this my continuaunce of his Historie then to your Lordship being his successor in office in honour in gouernment in Wisedome and in all other vertues beelonging to a most worthie counsellour so that GOD hath raysed you vp vnder hir most excellent Maiestie to bee no lesse famous in matters of Councell then others are in matters of warre which Cicero as your Lordship knowerh preserreth farre beefore warly actions beecause Councell preserueth the common welth without warrs but warre cannot desend it without counsell The handeling of the worke is meane I confesse and too vnworthie of so noble a patron yet notwithstanding it contayneth the principall matters of state that passed in thâ—se parts by the space of three score yeares Wherefore if your Lordship shall vouchsafe to accept it as our Sauiour in the Scripture dyd the poore Widowes Mite I shall thincke my selfe a happie man in hauing obtained the fruit of my desier and shall daylie pray to Almightie GOD long to preserue your Lordship in all honor and felicitie as well for the aduauncement of hir Maiesties seruice as for the benefit of the whole common wealth Your Lordships most humble and obedient to commaund Thomas Dannett In the Epistle in the first line last page for those read these Page 29. line 18. for Nauara reade Nouara Page 34. line 6 for in battaile read in a battaile Page 46. line 12. for estate read estates Page 69. line 12. for charge read great charge Page 81. line 7. for predecessors read predecessor Page 87. line 8. for vs read vp Page 94. line 23. for Rossam reade Rosseim Page 102. line 15. for Aughien read Anghien Page 121 line 2. for duchie read duchesse Page 139. line 21. for 20000. read 10000. For Aluiana reade in all places Aluiane A Continuation of the Historie of Fraunce from the death of Charles the eight where Comines endeth till the death of Henry the second namely till the yeere 1559. LEVVIS the twelfth of that name King of FRAVNCE Cap. 1. Lewis the twelfth commeth to the crowne hee is deuorced from his wife and marrieth the Lady Anne King Charles his widow and heire of Bretaine A briefe discourse of the euills that ensewed that marriage AFter the death of King Charles 1498. the eight Lewis Duke of Orleans as next male of the blood royall succeded to the crowne of Fraunce by the name of Lewis the twelfth a Prince as well beefore as after his comming to the crowne subiect to great varietie of fortune The first thing hee attempted after he had setled his estate was to bee deuorced from his wife the Lady Iane daughter to King Lewis the
onely by sale of holy things for the Pope made money of al ecclesiasticall liuings dignities againe when the king heard that the Pope had extremely cursed him hee aunswered that this was a Pope made to curse but not to pray sarther the Pope called the french Micturi vinos that is to say wine pissers noting thereby their immoderate drincking of wyne which as he said issued as it entered but this gibe euell besemed the Pope being himselfe more giuen to drinke then any man in his time But the French partly to requite this scoffe partly to content the king made these verses of the Pope Patria cui Genua est genitricem Graecia partum Pontus vnda dedit qui bonus esse potest sunt vani Ligures mendax est Graecia ponto nulla fides malus est haec tria quis quis hahet Which you may thus English Whose countrie is liguria whose damme of Greekish bloud whose cradle is the sourging seas can ought in him be good Ligurians are counted vaine Greekes lyers so I finde the sea inconstant all these three hath Iulius by kinde But these verses are answered thus on the Popes beehalfe Est venus orta mari Graium sapientia solers ingenium est ligurum qui malus esse potest cui genus vt veneri a Graijs sapientia solers ingenium a Genua est Mome proterâ—e tace Which you may thus English Out of the sea dame Venus sprang with learning grece is clad Ligurians are full of wit how can hee then bee bad whose birth is like a Godesses whose learning is of Grece whose wit is of Liguria iack gyber hold thy peace But to returne to king Lewis he was a prince subiect to great varietie of Fortune through the whole course of his life both before he was King after but especially towards his later end she most frouned vpon him as in this briefe discourse of his actioÌ„s is plainely to bee seene his vices were in his youth loue of women and in his age couetousnesse which caused him to loose many opportunities besides that hee was a prince wholy gouerned by others but his good fortune was to fall into the hands of honorable personages and such as gouerned his Realme well Farther he was also charged with ingratitude both towards his wife who had saued his life and also towards some with whom hee had liued familiarlie beefore his comming to the crowne namely the Marshall Gyé whom also hee banished the court notwithstanding the great seruice that hee had done the Realme But herein he is partly to be excused for the said Marshalls banishment proceeded principally from the Queene who hated him extreamlie because the sayde marshall had oncc stayed hir cariage vpon the Riuer of Loyre wherein she had packed vp all the kings principall Iuells Plate and other things of great price and the which shee was conueighing downe the sayde Riuer to Nantes the King being at that time very sick and in great daunger of death This king was also giuen to suspicions but that is a fault all princes are subject to especially all those that be wise on the other side this king was beautified with many goodly vertues first hee was so louing and carefull of his people that in all his forraine warres hee could neuer be induced to increase his impositions vpon his subiects true it is that when he was inuaded in his owne Realme he was forced to leauie of them somewhat more then ordinarie for the which his milde gouernment he was called Pater patriae so iusta Prince he was where the necessitie of his affaires enforced him not to the contrarie that the Archduc Philip committed to him at his death the gouernment of his sonne Charles omitting both his owne father and his father in law being both Graundfathers to the said Childe which charge king Lewis most princely performed as well in the education of the sayde Charles afterwards Emperour as also in the preseruation of all his estate Farther he was a prince voide of all pride affable and curteous to all men and liuing in great quietnesse mildenesse with those that were familiar with him and the soonest forgetting all iniuries past so that I caÌ„not better coÌ„pare him to any prince then to the Emperour ADRIAN whose pleasant answeres and Apophthegmes being voide of all scurrilitie hee was also much addicted vnto some of the which because they bee worthie of memorie I will be bould to rehearse Hee had in king Charles his time beene euell vsed by diuers of whom hee was aduised to take reuenge at his comming to the crowne wherevnto hee aunswered that it became not a king of Fraunce to reuenge the iniuries done to a Duke of Orleans Likewise looking vppon the roule of King Charles his seruaunts he found two that had been his deadly enimies in King Charles his time vpon each of whose names he made a crosse wherewith they being in a wonderfull perplexitie supposed the galowes to be prepared for them which their feare being discouered to the king he sent them word to bee of good cheare for hee had crossed all their euell deedes out of his remembraunce hee vsed to say that the condition of horsses was much worse then Asses for Horsses were killed vp in running post to Rome to fetch liuing for Asses meaning vnlearned prelats when the Queene his wife by importunitie thought to bring to passe a mariage betwene hir daughter Claude Archduc Charles afterwards Emperour the king told hir that shee sought to make a mariage betwene Cats and Mice Againe when a certaine courtier complained grieuously of his wiues vnchastnesse the king hearing thereof bad him bee of good cheare for hee that respected his wyues incontinencie or the Popes curse should neuer sleepe quiet night Diuers other such like sayings of his I could rehearce which for breuitie I ouerpasse FRANCIS THE FIRST OF that name King of Fraunce Cap. 1. King Francis commeth to the crowne surpriseth Prospero Colonna vanquisheth the Swyssers recouereth Milan The Pope and hee meete at Bolonia TO Lewis the twelfth succeded King Francis the first beeing both his sonne 1515. in law and the next of his bloud a Prince of yong yeares but of goodly personage great magnanimitie who finding a mighty armie in a redines that his predecessor had leuied to inuade the Duchie of Milan burning with no lesse desier to recouer the said duchie theÌ„ his predecessor had done determined to lose no time but hauing renewed the league made by the late king with Henry king of England and with the selfe same coÌ„ditions likewise with the Venetians and receaued homage at Paris by the Earle of Nassau of the Archduc Charles afterwards Eemperor for Flaunders and hauing also made peace with him with promes of mariage beetwene the said Charles and the Lady Renee daughter to king Lewis sister to the Queene and withall Genoua beeing reduced to his obedience by the meanes of Octauian Fregose
against his sonne in law the Archduc Philip who in the beginning of the yeere 1506 sailed into Spaine 1506. with a purpose to take the gouernment of Castile in to his owne hands But by the entermise of the NObles of the realme an accord was made betweene his father in law him and the king of Aragon departed into his realme of Naples with very honorable conditions But not long after died the Archduc because his wife daughter of the said King Ferdinand was distracted of hir wits both hir selfe being mad in all points but in this likewise hir whole realme of Castile reuoqued king Ferdinand out of Italy reestablished him in the gouernment of Castile till such time as Charles the saide Archducs sonne nephew of the said Ferdinand being very yong should be of age to gouerne the Realme him selfe About this tyme also the Pope by ayde of the French king recouered Bolonia from the Bentiuoli though litle to the kings honor who had receiued the sayd citie of Bolonia the Bentiuoli into his protection in the yeare 1500 yet now betraied theÌ„ to the Pope more regarding the Popes pleasure theÌ„ his owne honour and faith for the which fact the Pope wel requited him as hereafter you shall heare But to returne to the french affaires The Genuoys 1507. seing the Kings greatnes so mightely to decline in Italie by losse of the realme of Naples and being also desirous to recouer their libertie determined to rebell and to withdraw their obedience froÌ„ him which also they did and began first to chace away his officers afterwards to spoile the noble mens houses in the towne But the king being aduertised thereof passed in person with a mightie armie into Italie soone reduced them to their former obedience which being done he presently dismissed his army and returned into France therby deliuering all the states of Italie froÌ„ the ielousie they had conceiued of him that he ment to make some farther attempt Cap. 5. A confederacie is made at Cambray against the venetians the french ouerthrow them at the battell of Guyradadda SOone after this the practise aboue mentioned 1508. against the Venetians which had been long treated off vnder hand had long ere this ben concluded but that so many strings could not so soone be tuned for the Pope the kings of Romains FrauÌ„ce Aragon were concurring in the accion brake openly foorth For you shall vnderstand that Pope Iulius hating the Venetians extremly because they detained from him certain towns in Romania beloÌ„ging to the Church receiued into their protection the church rebells namely the Bentiuoli others laboured to make peace among these Princes and to conuert their armes not against the Infidels but against the said Venetians which also he effected in the end the rather because euery one of these Princes had priuate quarells to them The Popes quarell you haue already heard and the cause of the french kings displeasure towards them I haue in part touched also before said it was for that they refused to ayde him in his wars of Naples according to their league which was the onely losse of the said realme as he said But in very deede his principall hatred against theÌ„ was because they held Cremona the couÌ„trie of Guiradadda members of the Duchie of Milan which notwithstanding that they wer deliuered to theÌ„ by his own agreemeÌ„t at such time as they aided him to chace Lodouic Sforce out of the said duchie yet now considering their ingratitude towards him withall how necessary those countries were for the strength defence of the said Duchie of Milan he determined to recouer theÌ„ againe into his owne hands Maximilian and the Archduc Charles his Nephew had an auncient quarell to theÌ„ first for Verona Padoua vincâ—nse and diuers other townes with helde from the Empire and secondarelie for the countries of Friull and Treuisa which they with hold from the house of Austria Besides that Maximillians quarrell was lately greatlie increased for euen in this very yeere 1508 they had not onely denied him passage through their countries for his souldiers whose passage he pretended to be onely because he ment to goe to take the crowne imperiall at Rome though they knew well the contrarie but had also defeated his companies being entred into their dominions by force And notwithstanding that they had reason so to doe knowing his purpose to be no thing lesse then that which he pretended that he came with a resolution to surprise those places which he claimed to be his yet this defeate of his men exasperated him not a little against them for few Princes can endure the contrarying of their wills be it neuer so iustly done The king of Spaine likewise hated them because they held in the realme of Naples certaine townes engaged to them by Ferdinand King of Naples in the warrs of Charles the eight which by no meanes they would restore Thus all these princes beeing animated against them a generalleague was concluded among them against the said Venetians at Cambray The Pope 1509. began first with spirituall armes and sent forth a terrible bull against them from the which they appealed to the next generall Counsell But of all the other Princes the king of Fraunce was first in a redinesse and with an armie of 24000 men inuaded their dominions And they encountered him with noe lesse forces and vnder the conduct of Aluiane the Earle of Petillian gaue him battaile in the which they were ouerthrowen Petillian sayde through Aluianas temeritie and ouergreat heate and Aluiana sayde through Petillians cowardise or malice who would not ayde him with his troups beecause the battaile was fought against his aduice But howsoeuer it were certaine it is that the Venetians lost in this battayle 10000 men and Aluiana himselfe was taken prisoner therein This battel is called the battell of Guiradadda or de la Vaile After this victorie almost all the townes that the Venetians held in Italie yeelded to the king who restored to the king of Romaines those that he pretended Title to to the Pope those that hee quareled which being done he returned to Milan This yeare dyed Henry king of England the two and twenteth of Aprill to whom succeeded Henry his sonne a young Prince eighteene yeares of age of whom heereafter ample mencion shall bee made and this yeare also the seuenteenth of October dyed Philip de Commines Lord of Argenton a worthie counseler and no lesse worthie writer Cap. 6. The Venetians are reconciled to the Pope and the King of Aragon all they three toyne together against the King The Swyssers also beecome the Kings enemies the quarell beetweene the Pope and the Duke of Ferrare the Pope loseth Bolonia The King withdraweth himselfe from the Popes obedience The Pope excommunicateth the whole Realme of Fraunce The battayle of Rauenna wherein the Pope and his confederats are ouerthrowen THE
Duke therof who stood in continuall feare of the Duke of Milan and the Swyssers hee presently marched with his armie towards the mountaines Maximilian duke of Milan seing the tempest that hunge ouer his head sent to the Swyssers and to Pope Leo for aide The Pope sent to his ayde Prospero Coulonna with 1500. horse whom the french vpon a sodaine as they passed the Alpes by a secret way neuer passed before by horsemen surprised toke prisoner at villa francha and defeated al his troupes Frō thence the king marched beesieged Nouara which yeelded vnto him as did also Alexandria Tortona Pauia with diuers other townes Farther to make his conquest the easier he practised to pacifie with monie the Swiffers who were bound to the defence of the duchie of Milan as before you haue heard to cause thē to returne home wherevnto they agreed and rceaued some small part of the kings money in such sort that the king accompted his conquest to bee at an ende But the Cardinall of Syon so preached vnto them their league made with the Duke of Milan that they altered their mindes And when the king thought they had beene telling their money they came in a great furie and inuaded his armie which valiantly receaued their charge And what with force of canon shot and valour of the Gendarmerie of France who made a 1515. mends this day for their cowardise at the battell of Nouara but especially through the great magnanimitie of the king himselfe they were repulsed and so hewed in pieces two dayes together for so long the battayle endured that in the ende they were put to flight slaine at the least 16000. of them their courages so daunted that after this they reigned not ouer princes as before times they had done This battaile is called the battaile of Marignian which was fought the thirteenth of September in the yeare 1515. and was so bloudie on both sides that Master Iames of Treuoul who had beene in nineteene battayles reported this to haue beene a battayle of Gyaunts and all the other eighteene that hee had been in in comparison of this to haue beene but battailes of boyes These Swyssers purpose was if they had ouerthrowne the king to haue disposed at theyr pleasure of the Duchie of Milan which wholy depended vpon them But their hope was frustrate and being thus vanquished they returned home whervpon Maximilian Sforce Duke of Milan and the whole Countrey yeelded to the king The sayde Maximilian was sent into Fraunce where hee was so honorably entertained of the King that notwithstanding that he mought afterwards haue returned home yet would he neuer so do alledgeing that hee was deliuered from the seruitude of the Swyssers the euell vsage of the Emperour and the trecherie of the Spaniards wherfore hee chose rather to remaine in France wher he cōtinued till his death which happened in the yeare 1530. After this victorie the Pope and all the Princes of Italie sought the kings amitie so far forth that the Pope met with him at Bolonia yeelded vnto him Parma and Placencia as members of the Duchie of Milan which Iulius his predecessor had taken before as the possessions of the Church About the ende of this yeare dyed the valyaunt Captaine Aluiane hauing done great seruice at the battayle of Marignian aboue mentioned and was very honorably buried at Venis in the Church of Saint Stephan Cha. 2. The King returneth into Fraunce recouereth the Swissers to his seruice Ferdinande King of Spaine dyeth Maximilian the Emperour inuadeth the Duchie of Milan The Venetians recouer Bressa Verona a treatie betwene the king and Charles king of Castile at Noyon The wars of Vrbine Luther preacheth against the Pope THE King at his retourne into Fraunce lest the 1516. Duke of Burbon gouernour of Milan and so soone as hee was come into his Realme practised to recouer the Swyssers to his seruice and to make a new league with them which also was brought to passe and they promised from time to time to ayde him in his warrs against all men the Pope and the Empire onelie excepted But fiue of theyr Cantons would not agree to this accord at this time Notwithstanding about the ende of this yeare these fiue also were contented to enter into league with him but not so far foorth as the other eight for they entered into a league offensiue with the King but these fiue onely for the defence of his owne estates In this yeare dyed Ferdinande king of Aragon and Consalue otherwise surnamed the great Captaine about a moneth before him The Duke of Borbon gouernour of Milan for the King according to the kings league with the Venetians sent vnto them vnder the leading of Monsieur de Lautrech 3000. footemen and 1000. horse to recouer Bressa Verona But because the Emperour Maximilian enuying the kings great successe as did also the king of England leauied men of the fiue Swysser Cantons that were as yet not in league with the king and hauing receaued 50000. angels of the king of England and being confederated with Francis Sforce brother to Maximilian aboue mentioned inuaded the Duchie of Milan with a mightie armie of Swyssers Lanceknights and Spaniards the sayd Lautrech was constrained to returne againe with his forces to Milan The sayd Maximilian came before Milan with this mightie armie but being by nature verie inconstant and hauing receaued out of England a new supply of monie he sodainly gaue forth that he was aduertised of the king of Hungaries death which occasiō reuoked him of necessitie into Allemayne wherevppon presently he dismissed his armie without doing any matter of moment and departed home hauing filled his baggs with the king of Englands angells After his departure Lautrech returned againe to ayd the Venetians who recouered Bressa and Verona Farther Charles Duke of Austrich by his grandfathers death king of Castile seeing the kings great successe doubting that he would inuade the realme of Naples which easely at that time he mought haue done and was also purposed to haue done if the Emperour Maximilians descent into Italie had not staied him cōcluded peace with the king at Noyon wher were great demonstrations of amitie betwene these two princes promise of mariage betwene the said king of Castile Louyse the kings daughter diuers other articles agreed vpon which neuer wer performed for the said king of Castile ment onely by this dissimulation to preserue his realme of Naples which if the king would haue inuaded he was not at that time in case to defend by reason he was not as yet setled in his kingdome of Spaine the people wherof seemed better affected to Ferdinand his brother because he had been bred vp among thē then to him You haue heard beefore how the King and the Pope met at Bolonia after the battaile of Marignian 1517. where also the Pope restored to the king Parma and Placentia but with this
Emperour inuadeth Biscay recouereth Fontarabia The King of England inuadeth Picardie Bourbon inuadeth Burgundie Boniuet inuadeth Milan for the king but with euell successe Pope Adrian dyeth Clement the seuenth succedeth The Emperour inuadeth FrauÌ„ce but with euell successe THE treatie aboue mentioned with the Venetians was so earnestly pursued 1523. that in the ende they forsoke the king entered into league with the Emperour with the Archduc Ferdinande his brother and with Francis Sforce inuested by the Emperour Duke of Milan so that it was thought the king would now attempt no thing in Italie hauing so many enimies his especial frieÌ„ds namely the Venetians being become his foes but it fell otherwise out as hereafter you shall heare In the meane time Pope Adrian being come out of Spaine into Italie compounded the controuersie betwene the Duke of Ferrare and the Church and endeuoured to reconcile all those Princes together and to conuert their Armes against the Turke but all in vaine About this tyme also Charles Duke of Bourbon Constable of Fraunce and the greatest prince in the Realme reuolted from the king to the Emperour Diuers causes are alleadged by diuers men of his reuolt But I think ambition to haue bene the onely cause thereof For he being a Prince of great courage and greatly beloued in the Realme was perswaded that he could haue drawen the greatest part of the Realme after him and was promised in mariage Elenor the Emperours sister widow of Emanuell king of Portugale and to haue the earledome of Prouince conquered by the armes of the Emperour and the King of England and erected into a Kingdome deliuered to him And he for his part promised if the Emperour would giue him the leading of twelue thousand Lancknights to conquere all Burgundie from the king and to restore it to the sayde Emperour who claimed it as heire to Charles the last Duke of Burgundie slaine by the Swyssers at the battaile of Naucy in the yeare 1476. Thus oftentime are the noblest witts so drowned with an ouergreat opinion of themselues that they hould those enterprises for easie which are indeede impossible to be atchieued Notwithstanding the Emperour vsed his help in the warres and hee shewed extreame hatred against the king and his countrey all the time of his life for the which most men blame him and few commend him The Emperour hauing stirred vp almost all the Princes of Christendome against the king ment to assault him on all sides and so to destract his forces that he should haue enough to doe to defend his owne and by that meanes not bee able to offend him in Italie Wherefore first hee sent an armie to inuade Biscay which besieged Bayonne but could not take it but Fontarabia they recouered from the French God so disposing of this matter that each partie should hould their owne and no more on the other side the king of England sent the Duke of Suffolke with a mightie armie to inuade Picardie But God hauing commiseration as it is to be thought of the poore Realme of Fraunce caused the sayde English armie for want of victualles and money to retourne home without any matter of moment done The Duke of Bourbon likewise inuading Burgundie had no better successe for beeing entered with his twelue thousand Lansknights into the countrey both his money and his intelligences fayled him and his souldiours wanting pay left him and the most part of them went to serue the king Thus God fought for the king as long as hee stoode vpon the defence of his owne Realme but out of his owne Realme his successe was farre otherwise God as it is to be thought punishing his ambition in mouing vnnecessary warrs abroad to trouble the state of Italie and not being contented with his large ritch and florishing Realme at home For you shall vnderstand that at this time he was him selfe passing with a mightie army into Italie to recouer the Duchie of Milan as though without Milan the king of Fraunce were not worthie the name of king And notwithstanding that Bourbons reuolt and the inuasions aboue mentioned stayed his owne person in Fraunce yet his armie consisting of 34000. men hee sent into Italie vnder the leading of the Admirall Boniuet to recouer the sayd Duchie of Milan Prospero Colonna being gouernour of Milan for the Emperour and Francis Sforce met with this French armie at the Riuer of Thâ—sin with purpose to stoppe their passage but that notwithstanding they passed the riuer and Prospero was forced to retire to Milan whether if Boniuet had presently solowed him and giuen him no leasure to fortefie the towne it is thought he mought haue taken it without any resistance But the actions of great souldiers are not to bee censured by the iudgement of the vulgare sort many reasons great daungers mought moue him to forbeare to giue Prospero the chace attempt to take the towne by force which he being generall concealed to himselfe and deliuered not to the notice of men About this time dyed Pope Adrian to him succeded Iulius Cardinall of Mâ—dices by the name of Clement the seuenth The French armie aboue mentioned vnder the leading of Boniuet besieged Milan during the which siege Prospero Coulonne dyed in his bed to the reliefe of the towne came the Marques of Pescara with new supplies and likewise the Duke of Bourbon hauing fayled of his enterprise in Burgundie with 7000. Landsknights leuied in Allmaigne by Ferdinand the Emperours brother by meanes whereof the Venetians also ioyning with the Imperials and the Swyssers that came to the succour of the French traiterously refusing to passe the riuer of Seuze to ioine with the Admirals armie the French were forced not onely to abandon the siege but also with great losse of men especially of the noble captaine Bayarde to retire into France Bourbon and the Imperials continually charging them on the backe as they marched This successe had the king in Italie and no better had the Emperour in Fraunce who about the ende of this yeare inuaded in person with a mightie armie the Realme of Fraunce from the frontiers of Spaine supposing the small exploict done beefore Bayonne to haue proceded from the negligence of his Captaines Sauueterre he tooke a place of small importance which being done his courage being greater theÌ„ his abilitie to entertaine so mightie an armie lacking both money victuals which could hardly folow him in those straight passages beesides that the harde weather comming on which is verie terrible in that rockie and mountaine countrey he was forced to dismisse his armie returne home to abandoÌ„ this enterprise which he had attempted against the aduice of all his best souldiours and Captaines Cap. 7. Queene Claude of France dieth Bourbon inuadeth Prouince but is soone forced to retire The king inuadeth Milan and is taken prisoner at the battaile of Pauia IN Iulie in the yeare 1524. dyed Queene Claude 1524. at Bloys greatly to
this enterprise They began the siege the first day of Ianuarie and tooke the towne the morrow after twelfth day and soone after also Hams and Guysnes and all that the English helde on that side the sea In Aprill following Frauncis the Daulphin maryed Marie daughter and heire of Iames the fift King of Scotland in Iune following the French besiged Theonuille held for an impregnable towne in the Dutchie of Luxembourg Yet notwithstanding they tooke it but in that siege was Peter Strozzi slaine to the Kings great griefe for he had beene a most valiant and expert Captaine Cap. II. The French inuade Flaunders and sacke Dunkerke they are ouerthrowen in their retrait to Calais The English Nauy taketh Conquet Peace betweene the Kings of Spaine and Fraunce and Elizabeth Queene of England Bourg and other Councellours of the law are sent to the Bastile The Kings daughter is maried to the King of Spaine The King is slaine at the iusts BVt the King supposing this reuenge of his losses not to be sufficiēt as yet determined to attempt farther Wherfore in the beginning of Iulie he sent Monsieur de Termes to inuade Flaunders who tooke Dunkerke and burned it But the Earle of Egmont leuying an army of 12000. foote and 3000 horse met with the French as they retired towards Calais vpon the sandes betweene Dunkerke and Grauelin where he charged them and by the helpe of the English Nauy which by chaunce sailed at that time close by the shoare and discharged their great shot into the middest of the French troups they were deseated and Termes himselfe taken prisoner to the great astonishment of all Fraunce which in sower yeares space had receaued three great ouerthrowes the first in Italie the second at Saint Quentin and the third this heere mentioned And thus the King not beeing contented with a reasonable reuenge but seeking to recouer all his honour lost euen that which hee had in part recouered before and put both himselfe and his Realme into greater daungers than euer heeretofore they had beene in Termes had left behinde him three enseignes of footemen to spoile and fier Dunkerke who being in the middest of their blouddie execution were all surprized by the Burgundians and cut in peeces The Duke of Guise hearing of this ouerthrow retired into Picardie and held himselfe in places of safetie After this victorie the English Nauy consisting of 100. saile of ships and 10000. men and 20. great hulks ioyned with them inuaded Bretaine and toke Conquet but partlie by the force of the countrey that came downe vpon them partlie by tempest they were forced to returne home with speed King Phillip being encouraged by this his good successe and many victories leuied a mightie army and encamped neere to Dourlans in Picardie beeing a French towne his whole force was 30000. foote 15000. horse all his souldiours being well paied The king on the other side neere to Amiens leuyed a great armie but seemed not willing to hazerd an other battayle considering the losses hee had alreadie receaued Notwithstanding in the ende both the Princes to auoyde the effusion of Christian blood enclined their mindes to peace The two and twentith of Ianuarie Charles Duke of LORRAINE maryed the Ladie Claude the kings younger Daughter and the Februarie after peace was treated of at Cambresis beetweene the two Kings and ELIZABETH Queene of England latelie succeded to the Crowne of that Realme by the death of hir Sister MARIE who dyed the seauententh of Nouember 1558. The Commissioners agreede reasonably well about euerie thing saue CALAIS which King Philip would haue in any case restored to the English againe and the French would by noe meanes part with which matter was so whotlie debated betweene them that all the treatie had assuredlie broaken of if newes had not beene brought from the Queene of England that shee was contented to accept of the peace with these conditions that at eyght yeares ende Calais should bee restored to hir agayne or fiue hunfiftie thousand crownes in lieu thereof for assuraunce whereof shee should haue delyuered vnto hir foure hostages of the nobilytie of Fraune such as shee would demaund This article beeing agreed vpon peace was concluded beetweene these Princes the third of Aprill and solemply proclaimed with great ioye 1559. And King Philip maryed ELIZABETH the Kings eldest Daughter promised beefore to CHARLES Prince of Spayne King Philips sonne and the Duke of SAVOY Philibert maryed MARGARET the Kings sister Thus the king hauing concluded peace to his great comfort with all his enemies and beetrauthed his Daughter to the king of Spayne by meanes of the which allyaunce hee assured him selfe of an euerlasting amitie with that Prince beganne to embrew his handes in the bloud of the LVTHERANS and committed BOVRG and foure other Iudges of the Law to MONTGOMERIE Captaine of his Guarde who sent them prisoners to the Bastile where they were layde in yrons The only cause of their emprisonment was for that they had delyuered out of prison certayne Lutherans and had forborne to publish the kings bloudy edicts till a generall or a nationall councell should take order in so wayghtie a cause This beeing done the king in great triumph departed to his Daughters mariage who was maryed to king Philip by his Deputie the Duke of Alua who represented the king his Masters person in this case which beeing accomplished the king gaue himselfe to sports and pastimes and the eight and twenteth of Iune entered into the Lists to iust and continewed so long therein and ranne so many courses three dayes together that with excessiue trauayle his whole body was become stiffe wherevppon diuers of the nobilitie and especially the Queene his wyfe besought him to runne no more the rather because that night the Queene had dreamed that shee saw him wounded to death diuers other prognosticatiōs of his death are also written which I ouerpasse But he refusing all perswasions despising his wiues dreame all the other prognostications entered againe into the listes ranne diuers courses excellently well for he was a perfect man at armes At the last he called foorth Montgomerie the selfe same that had caryed BOVRG and the other foure Councellours to prison as before you haue heard Montgomerie had runne diuers courses the day before had sayled in them all for the which cause hee was loath to come forth But being constrained by the king in the ende foorth he came being reserued by God to giue one sound blow at the last to counteruaile all his faylings before For as the king and hee met together with great violence a splenter of Montgomeries staffe which brake all to sheuers strake the kings head-peece full vpon the visard which being vnbuckled either through negligence or because the king would haue it so meaning to make this his last course flew vp in such sort that one of the splēters strake the king full in the right eye and entered into
Notwithstanding soone after secretly hee reconciled himselfe to the Pope vtterly abandoned the French But the Pope by the ouerthrow which he had receiued at Rauenna and the great charges he had sustained in these wars the burthē wherof had lyen vppon his shoulders beeing brought to great pouertie and doubting also what would bee the isheu of the schisme in the Church sought for peace with the king onely crauing at his hands that hee would relinquish the protection of the duke of Ferrara which the king vtterly refusing the Pope fell farther out of pacience with him then euer hee was beefore And so happely it came to passe at that very instant for the Popes affaires that the king of Aragon sent him a secret message to perswade him to continue the warres against the French assuring him of his ayde which thing the king of Aragon dyd thereby to distract the kings forces while hee inuaded the Realme of Nauarra which hee was fully resolued to attempt And farther Monsieur de la Palisse generall of the Kings forces after Monsieur de Foix his death was constrayned to depart out of Romania with his victorious armie to the defence of the Duchie of Milan fearing that the Swyssers would inuade it as indeede they dyd wherefore the Pope by these occasions hauing recouered his spirits and being now more animated against the king then euer first continued his spirituall armes by celebrating the counsell of Lateran against him and afterwards stirred vp not onely the Venetians but also Maximilian the Emperour the King of England Spaine and the Swyssers to bee his enemies These Swyssers as before you haue heard had abandoned the kings seruice because through couetousnesse hee would not augment their wages and were entered into the Popes paye which his error the king wold willingly haue reformed afterwards and haue recouered them to his seruice againe but neuer could till his dying day The king seeing all the Princes his neighboures in armes against him by the Popes practises was constrained to withdraw his forces out of Italie for the defence of his owne Realme by meanes wherof the Pope and the Venetians preuayled so mightely in Italie that they recouered all the townes that were helde by the French namely Bolonia Cremona and diuers other Parma also and Placentia yeelded themselues to the Pope yea and the King lost his Duchie of Milan which was deliuered to Maximilian Sforce sonne of Lodouic that died prisoner in France vnder the protection and defence of the Swyssers The state of Genoua likewise reuolted from the king by meanes of Ianus Fregose who was made duke thereof the Duke of Ferrara was forced to make his submission to the Pope and to abandon the French so that the king held nothing at all in Italie saue a few castles namely that of Milan the castle of Cremona which continued French still till the next yeare after the battayle of Nouara when for want of victualls they were forced to yeeld themselues into the Duke of Milans hands but all the rest the King lost almost in a moment and withall all his friends a strange conuersion of Fortune that the King being conquerour lost all and the Pope and the Venetians being conquered wanne all But in truth they sayled not with their owne winde but with other mens for the Realme of Fraunce had at that time to many enemies by the Popes practises and to few friends Now to leaue a while the affaires of Italie and to come to the warres in Fraunce you shall vnderstand that the kings of England and Spaine determined to inuade Guyenne But the king of Spaine pretending the Realme of Nauarra to bee of great importance for the defence of the sayde Countrey of Guyenne perswaded the english men first to assault that from thence to enter into Guyenne according wherevnto they did soone toke it being void of desēce not expecting any war which cōquest being achieued and the sayde Realme of Nauarra deliuered into the king of Spaines hands the said king with faier words dismissed the English men giuing his son in law the king of England leaue to inuade Guyenne with his owne forces if he would For he had alredie obtained his pray by meanes wherof the English men being disappointed of his ayde were forced to returne home And notwithstanding that the king of Fraunce after the English mens departure attempted to recouer the said realme of Nauarra yet could he not doe it because of his great affaires else where Cap. 8. Pope Iulius dyeth Leo the tenth succedeth the King maketh truce with the King of Spaine being confederated with the Venecians recouereth Milan Genoua which notwithstanding presently after the battaile of Nouarahee loseth againe The Venetians are ouerthrowen nere to Vincense ABout this time died Pope Iulius to whome succeded Leo the tenth of the house of Medices 1513. which fell out well for the kings affaires for Pope Iulius while he liued so animated all the Princes of Christendome against the King that none of them would encline to make peace or truce with him but after his death the Kings affaires began to haue a better course for notwithstanding that Pope Leo were not frend to the French but had iust cause to hate them first because of the schisme in the Church maintained by them secondarily because by them Peter of Medices his brother and their whole house was ouerthrowen and chaced out of Florence as in the warrs of Charles the eight mention is alreadie made and lastly because him selfe was taken prisoner by them at the battaile of Rauenna being than Pope Iulius Legat yet proued he not so deadly an enemie to them nor such an annimater of Christian Princes against them as his predecessor had been all the which proceded of the Popes owne disposition who was a Prince by nature more enclined to pleasures than to warrs by meanes whereof the King burning with a desier to recouer his Duchie of Milan the rather because the Castles of Milan and Cremona held yet for him as before you haue heard sought first to make truce with the King of Spaine which the sayd King easelie enclined to to the ende that in the meane tyme without any impediment of Fraunce he mought setle his late conquest of the Realme of Nauarra Farther the king entered also into league with the Venetians who promised to ayde him with 800 men of armes 1500 light horse and 10000 foote men for the recouerie of Ast Genoua the Duchie of Milan and hee promised to ayde them till they had recouered all that they held in Lombardie and in the Marca Treuisana before the league of Cambray Thus the king being ioyned with the Venetians in truce with the king of Aragon inuaded the Duchie of Milan with a mightie armie and first recouered Genoua and then all the Duchie of Milan saue Nouara and Coma which held yet for Maximilian Sforce Farther the French armie vnder the
the which reasons caused the king of England by little and little to straunge himselfe from the Emperours friendship But the thing that most wrought the alteration of his minde was that the Lady Regent of Fraunce the kings mother sent vnto him a gentleman with letters very humbly wrtiten wherein she signified vnto him that it was not honorable for so noble a Prince as he was to inuade a king beeing Captiue a Christian Realme afflicted with the captiuitie of their Prince which submission pearced so depely into the breast of this couragious king that presently he not onely dismissed his armie which he had leuyed to his charge not demaunding one penie in regarde thereof but also from that day forward became the greatest friend that the Realme of Fraunce had and entered into league with the Regent for the deliuerie of the king hir sonne for the accomplishment also whereof the sayd king of England so earenestly trauayled with all the states of Christendome that in the ende he effected it in such sort that so soone as king Francis had set foote in Fraunce the first thing he dyd was that presently hee wroat a letter of thanckes to king Henry aduertising him of his libertie for the which hee acknowledged himselfe more beehoulding to him then to all the Princes of Christendome besides Such true nobilitie reigned in Princes being in hostilitie at those dayes wheras now this age is so farr degenerated frō the magnanimitie of their fathers that one Prince seeketh to take away an others lyfe by treason murther poyson and such like vilanous attempts which the heathen themselues detested and abhorred But to returne to our Historie The kings captiuitie astonished not onely Fraunce but also all Italie beecause all the Princes and states thereof semed now wholy to depend vpon the Emperours clemencie none of thē being able to stand vpon his owne strength The Pope especially was not a litle grieued with this accident who notwithstanding that for his present saftie hee made an accord with the Imperials as did also the Venetians yet their hart was farr from it as the sequell wel declared for secretly vnder hand they practised to make a league betweene the state of Fraunce the Pope the Venetians and the duke of Milan against the Emperour which confederacie the Imperialls hauing discouered presently seazed all the Duchie of Milan to the Emperours vse saue the Castell of Milan into the which the Duke put himselfe and endured the siege and the Castell of Cremona both the which notwithstanding the Imperialls enuyroned with trenches on all sides But this seazing of the sayde Duchie caused the league to discouer it selfe sooner then otherwise it would The king to the ende he mought the sooner recouer his libertie went into Spaine hoping by present conference with the Emperour the sooner to compound all their controuersies But the Emperours rigor was such in rude handeling him neuer once vouchsafing to come to see him and propounding such vnreasonable conditions as the king without the ruine of his Realme could not accept that the King fell into a most daungerous and almost desperate disease for verie griefe of minde Wherefore the Emperour doubting to lose the fruits of his victorie by the kings death came visited him so in the end peace was cōcluded betwene thē at Madrid the 14 of Februarie 1525. after the French but after the Italians 1526. being iust a yeare lacking but 10. daies since the kings captiutie But you shall vnderstand that the conditions of this treatie were so vnreasonable that as it is reported the King protested hee would not obserue them when he should be returned into his Realme especially the articles for the restitution of Burgundy to the Emperour and the releasing of his soueraintie ouer Flaunders Notwithstanding for the performance of this treatie Francis and Henry the kings Children were deliuered in hostage to the Emperour and for farther continuance of amitie beetweene these two Princes it was agreed that the king should marie Elenor the Emperours sister promised as before you haue heard to the Duke of Bourbon but neuer with any meaning to performe it And thus was the King deliuered with promise that if he would not performe the treatie he should returne prisoner into Spaine Cap. 9. The Emperour marieth Fraunce refuseth the treatie of Madrid The kings confederates in Italie beesiege Milan twice but in vayne The Pope is twice taken prisoner by the Imperialls Rome is sacked Bourbon is slayne at the asault The King of England and Fraunce defie the Emperour The Pope is restored to libertie Genoua returneth to the Kings obedience The King inuadeth Milan and the Realme of Naples but by reason of the reuoult of Andre D'oria to the Emperour and the plague that entered into the French camp his enterprise was ouerthrowne ABout the beginning of this yeare 1526. the Emperour hauing refused 1526. the king of Englands daughter as beefore you haue heard maried Isabella Daughter of Emanuel and sister to Ihon King of Portugale The king being returned into his Realme complayned greatly of the Emperours great inhumanitie towards him and his vnprincely vsage of him being farre different from the entertainment that Edward the third king of England gaue to king Ihon of Fraunce taken prisoner by the Prince of Wales at the battaile of Poicters Farther hee assembled the estates of his Realme who according to the Kings minde vtterly condempned the treatie of Madrid as forced vppon a prisoner by violence and not being in the kings powre to performe and thus was the treatie broken and the Emperour deluded and so his owne councell tould him he should be before the Kings deliuerie vnlesse he altered some points of the treatie Notwithstanding the King offered him two millions of crownes for the deliuerie of his children and diuers other honorable conditions in consideration of the articles for the restitution of Burgundie and the release of the Soueraintie of Flaunders which the Emperour vtterly reiected charging the king with periurie because not performing the treatie he returned not prisoner againe according to his promise But the Pope voluntarely without intreatie had assoyled him of that oath The king perceuing the Emperours obstinacie renewed his league with the king of England and farther cōfederated himselfe in Italie with the Pope the Venetians the Duke of Milan and diuers other states against the Emperour who all ioyntly sent vnto him for the deliuerie of the kings children offering him verie honorable conditions in consideration thereof if he would accept of them but finding him to stande stifly vppon the treatie of Madrid and that hee would admit no other conditions they iointly began war vpon him inuaded his dominiōs in Italic came with their armie before Milan hoping to take it to deliuer the duke of Milan who held the Castle as yet but they failed of their purpose were constrained with dishonor to leuie their siege notwithstanding that their armie came
his very braine which put this poore Prince to extreame paine Vpon the ninth of Iulie he caused the mariage of his sister the duke of Sauoy to bee accomplished without any pomp which should not haue bene solempnisated till eight dayes after and the next day he dyed of the sayde hurt The wound soone made an ende of his owne life but his realme hath bled of that wound euer since the blood is hardly stenched as yet This king liued one forty yeares and reigned twelue yeares and 3. moneths and tenne dayes Thus haue I continued as compendiously as I could the Historie of Fraunce frō Charles the eighth till the death of Henry the second namely til the beginning of their owne ciuill broyles and dissentiōs which because they cōtaine nothing but murthers massacers trecheries treasons and no orderly disciplined warres are nothing pleasaunt for mee to write nor I thinke acceptable to any man to reade much lesse fit to be annexed to the martiall actes of those Princes whom I haue here before in this Historie treated of Notwithstanding if any man shall take pleasure in writing them I had rather hee handeled such a bucherly argument then my selfe Cap. 12. The conclusion of the Historie NOw to conclude this Historie can we haue any more notable examples than these heere aboue mentioned to proue that mans cogitations are vaine and all his thoughts wicked for if you consider how all these Princes tossed and turmoiled themselues with continuall warres what infinit treasures they consumed what slaughters they made of their subiects what sacking and burning of townes defiling of yong Maidens and Virgins murthering of women and Children with all such like mischiefes as be appendant to the warrs and that is worst of all charging their owne soules with manie promises and oathes which they neuer ment to performe when they sware them neither performed at all when they had sworne them And if we farther consider how little they haue effected and brought to passe of their owne desires by all these their bloddy Martiall actions with the which they troubled the world by the space of many yeares we cannot but confesse and say with the Psalmist Hee that dwelleth in the Heauen shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision For first of all consider well the example of Lodouic Sforce surnamed the More Duke of Milan hee poisoned his nephew to obtaine therby the said Duchie and set all Italie on fier by calling in the French to establish him therin but himselfe was within 5. yeares after taken prisoner by the French and put into a dongeon wher he miserablie ended his life his eldest sonne Maximilian being restored to the said Duchie of Milan by meanes of the Swissers the Pope and the Venetians was within three yeares after likewise taken prisoner by the French and in Fraunce ended his daies Afterward his other sonne Francis was established in the said Dutchie by the Emperour Charles but with such slauish conditions that he rather deserued the name of a noble slaue than an honourable Prince and in the end died of poison as it was thought and was the last of this wicked race of Sforces after his death the Emperour seazed all the Duchie of Milan into his owne hands whose race holdeth it yet and shall doe so long as it pleaseth God And all these miseries fell vpon the said Lodouic and his sonnes within the space of 34. yeares Now way likewise the example of Pope Alexander the sixt and Valentinus Borgia his sonne The said Valentine in his fathers life time obtained so many conquests in Italie some by armes some by crueltie some by treason and trecheries some by periurie and by all other wicked meanes that may be imagined that all Italie stoode in feare of him and he was growen to such a pride in himselfe that hee gaue Aut Caesar aut nullus for his deuise The Father poisoned himselfe with the same wine that he had prepared for the poisoning of diuers cardinalls his enemies and so fell himselfe into the pit which he had digged for others and the son after his fathers death was spoiled by Pope Iulius of all that he had conquered in Italie and the King of Fraunce toke from him all his estates that he held in Fraunce Wherefore he fled to Consalue vnder his safe-conduct and remained with him a while at Naples in great kindnes in outward apparance But soone after by King Ferdinands commandement hee was sent prisoner into Spaine by the said Consalue who also tooke from him the safe-conduct that he had giuen him In Spaine he was emprisoned in the Rocque of Medina del Campo from whence by cunning he escaped and went into Nauarre where hee liued a while in very base and miserable estate and in the end was there slaine The Venetians likewise for hatred they bare against Lodouic Duke of Milan aboue mencioned called Lewis the twelfth into Italie to conquer the said Duchie and had for their part of the bootie the countrey of Guiradadda deliuered vnto them by the King But soone after the same king toke it from them againe became their deadly enemie so that notwithstanding all their charges employed in those warres and diuers other since yet hould they not at this day one foote of ground in Lombardie more then they did before those warres began and in other parts of Italie lesse Againe fower kings of Fraunce successiuely namely CHARLES the eight LEVVIS the twelfth FRANCIS the first HENRY the second by the space of three score yeares and better made continuall warres in Italie with infinit expences of money toyle of themselues and the death not of so few as a hundered thousand of their subiects for the duchie of Milan the realme of Naples and what haue they gotten in recompence therof onely this that they hould not at this day one foote of Land in neither of both those countreys Likewise Charles the Emperour who was so ambitious a Prince that hee thought to haue swalowed vp both Fraunce and Germanie was chaced out of both those countries with great ignominie and was neuer able to hould no not one pore towne in either of both those realmes in the end through moodinesse of his euell successe gaue a deffiance to all the world and dyed in an Abby among a companie of Monkes Lastly king Henry the eight who was so noble a Prince and obtained so many conquests in Fraunce both in his youth and in his age what hath he lest to his posteritie in that Countrey for his infinite charges employed in those warres not one towne no nor one foote of French land These examples I thinke may suffice to teach Princes to bee wise and not to attempt ambitiouslie vnnecessarie warrs seeing the sequell that enseweth therof but to liue peaceably at home to entertaine the good will of their neighbours by all the good meanes they may to se iustice done among their subiects which is their principall charge and especially to ground all their actions vpon God who is the guyder of all their enterprises and the giuer of all good successe Happie is the Prince that thus gouerneth his subiects and happie are the subiects that liue vnder such a Prince FINIS
the kings griefe for she was a most wise and vertuous Ladie The Imperials hauing chaced the French armie cleane out of the Duchie of Milan as before you haue heard but knowing the kings magnanimitie to bee such that hee would not faile to attempt the recouery therof determined to inuade him first in his owne Countrey thereby to cause him to attend to the defence of his owne Realme to stay him from trobling the Emperour on the other side of the mountains Wherefore the Duke of Bourbon with a mightie armie entered into Prouince promising the Emperour to worke wonders there for his seruice and besieged Marseilles But the king in person with a great armie came to succour the towne wherevpon Bourbon for all his great bragges and the Imperials were forced to leuic their siege and in great hast retired to Milan whether the king with his whole armie folowed them soone recouered Milan and in a manner the whole countrie except Pauia before the which he went and layde his siege Wherevpon the Pope entered into league with him and the Swyssers who the last yeare had traiterously refused to ioyne with the Admirall Boniuets armie and had abandoned the French as before you haue heard returned to the kings seruice againe But while the king lay beefore the siege of Pauia and had brought it to extreame necessitie Bourbon went into Germanie and brought with him 6000. footemen and 2000. horse Farther 6000. Rhetians being corrupted by the Imperials abandoned the kings campe and returned home leading also certaine bands of Swyssers away with them The king also by the Popes perswasion had sent the Duke of Albanie from the siege of Pauia vvith 10000. footemen and 600. horse to inuade the Realme of Naples supposing to drawe the Imperialls thither for the defence of that Realme vvhich notwithstanding wisely they forbare to do knowing the Realme of Naples to be in sufficient saftie if they ouerthrew the king Thus the kings camp being by the departure of those aboue mentioned greatly weakened and the forces that remayned with him through the corruption of his officers not being the one halfe of the number that he payed which was a wonderfull thing that such an abuse should be offered to a Prince beeing with his armie in person himselfe the Imperialls being ignorant of none of these disorders determined to inuade him in his owne Campe where through the defect of courage in the Swyssers hee was taken prisoner him selfe fighting more valiauntly then any man in his armie many of the nobilitie were slayne and many taken and the Swyssers were in manner all cut in pieces by the Landsknights in reuenge of the auncient hatred betwene the sayde Swyssers and them This battaile is called the battaile of Pauia and was fought vpon Saint Mathias day being the day of the Emperours Natiuitie in the yeare 1525. according to the Italians but 1524. according to the French which variance ariseth as before I haue mentioned because the one beginne the yeare vpon the first of Januarie and the other not before Easter The Duke of Albanie after the kings captiuitie by the Popes meanes passed by sea with his armie safly into Fraunce Thus was this noble King through the disorders principally proceding from his owne officers and Captaines taken prisoner as you haue heard who not being dismayed with this sodaine blow of fortune behaued himself with such princely magnanimitie that he was honored had in admiratiō euen of his enemies in such sort that his captiuitie blemished not but rather caused his noble vertues the more to shine as by this one example which I will rehearse shall well appeare So soone as hee was brought to his lodging hee sent for the leaders of the Imperiall armie and tould them that hee had a sute vnto them which he trusted they would not denie him Wherevnto when they semed doubtfull what answere to make supposing it to bee some great matter of difficultie that they mought not aduenture to graunt without the Emperours priuitie he perceauing their immagination tould them it was no such important suit that required any such doubt onely his desire was that the young French boyes taken in the battel mought not remaine with the Italians but in exchaunge of other prisoners bee deliuered to the Spaniards which was presently graunted and executed accordingly though not without great admiration of the Imperialls who wondered that the king forgetting his owne misfortune being of a Prince made a prisoner in one day could remember to bee so carefull of the chastitie of these young boyes Cha. 8. The King of England confederateth himselfe with the estate of Fraunce and the Princes and states of Italie themselues against the Emperour The Imperialls seaze vpon the Duchie of Milan The King sayleth into Spaine The treatie of Madrid The king is deliuered The Children of Fraunce goe in hostage into Spaine T The Emperour hauing receaued the 1525. newes of the kings captiuitie semed to take it very modestly forbidding all signes of ioy to be vsed alledging that we ought to reioyce at the ouerthrow of Turkes and infidels but not of any Christian Prince which his modest behauiour put the world in great hope that hee would deliuer the king with such honorable conditions as mought establish a quiet peace in Christendome perpetual amitie betweene them twayne But his rigor to the king afterwards declared his spirit to be farre from any such moderation as his externall beehauiour made shew of Farther you shall vnderstand that the king of England vpon the receipt of these newes leuied amighty armie purposing in person to inuade Fraunce but hee continued not long in that minde vppon these occasions folowing First certaine difficulties arose betwene the Emperour and him the king demaunding bearing but equall charges with the Emperour an vnequall part of the conquest of Fraunce and the Emperour hoping to obtaine better conditions of the King of Fraunce by making peace then he should doe if he ioyned with the king of England by making warre Secondarely the Cardinall of YORKE being altogether French and enemie to the Emperour diswaded the king of England from farther ioyning with the Emperour who was alredie so mightie that his greatnesse was become terrible to all his neighbours round about him Thirdly after the battaile of Pauia the Emperour semed not to make so great accompt of the king of England as before he had done for first he refused to marie the Lady Mary the king of Englands daughter being very young and maried the sister of Ihon king of Portugale as hereafter you shall heare with whom he receiued a great masse of money whereof he stood in great neede Farther whereas beefore the battaile of Pauia he neuer wroat letter to the king of England but with his owne hand and with this subscrption Your sonne and Cosin Charles after the battaile he neuer wroat letter with his owne hand nor with other subscription then his simple name Charles all