the authoritie of Frier Sauinorola carried it away who like a Prophet in the middest of their quietnesse foretolde them all the miseries of Italie by strangers to come The Pope is suspected to haue poisoned Gemin Ottoman being corrupted thereunto by the Turke for feare hee shoulde aide the French king against him after his conquest of Italie Lodouike Sforce and the Venetians seeing the incredible successe of king Charles feared now bondage to themselues and began to league together bringing thereunto the Pope the king of Romanes and the king of Spaine The Florentines were also dealt withall but what for feare and what for lothnesse to leese the traffike of Fraunce they helde backe Notwithstanding that the king heard of this league yet he caused himselfe to be crowned before hee woulde depart from Naples and treated verie earnest amitie with the Pope who made to him faire semblant and promise and yet he so little trusted the king that at his returne from Naples by Rome the Pope forsooke Rome and went secretly to Orbieta and from thence to Perugia and so to Ancona to haue commoditie of the sea if neede shoulde require The king in the mean time passed by Siena and Pisa and the confederates had a meaning to stop his passage into France but their hearts fayled them at the first After assembling an armie neere the riuer Taro vnder the conduct of the marques of Mantua they fought a long battell where the bastard of Burbon was slaine and the king almost taken prisoner had he not bene well horsed and yet in the ende the Frenchmen had the honour of the field at which time it was noted that the souldiers of Lodouike would not fight as though he had bene in as much danger of the Venetians as of the Frenchmens victorie The insolent gouernement of the Frenchmen who can better win then keepe became odious and consequently Ferdinand in hope to recouer Naples But at the first incounter his horse was slaine vnder him and himself had beene vndoubtedly slaine had not an olde page of his brother to the duke of Termini horsed him vpon his owne horse and suffred himselfe to be slaine for him a rare example in our time Within a while after the Neapolitans of themselues receyued Ferdinand and the Frenchmen retyre to the Castell Nouaria and other places are besieged by the king and the Bailie of Diuion who being willed by the king to send for ten thousand Switchers there came twentie thousand at the composition of Nouaria and a peace beginginneth to be treated betweene the king and Lodouike touching the which Monsieur de la Tremouille and the prince of Orange made two contrarie Orations and the duke of Orleance gainesayd the peace so earnestly that he gaue the prince of Orange the lie Howbeit the king and the greater part being inclined to peace and desirous to returne into France the king departed suddenly to Thurin for that the Swissers murmured threatning to take him prisoner for lacke of pay for that Lewis the eleuenth was woont euer to pay them for three moneths wherevnto the king was faine to yeelde though he were escaped himselfe out of their daungers for that they had taken prisoners the Bailie of Diuion and other Captaines At the time that the Frenchmen helde Naples the horrible disease of the pockes a thing then vncurable began in most pitifull vlcers and cankers The third Booke THis vnwise and sudden returne of king Charles put all Italie in hope to be at rest from any more such plagues and among the rest Lodouike thinking that he had so farre offended the king as it was but follie to keepe that peace which he neuer meant further then for the holding of Nouaria and for his own safetie searched forthwith some honest colour to slippe from the king and to set some other states at oddes with him which hee did with such successe that he termed himselfe The sonne of Fortune And yet within a while after hearing of the kings full resolution to returne againe into Italie he was marueilously perplexed insomuch that once againe he practised capitulations with the king wherein he would haue accorded euery article sauing that they could neuer trust one another by reason of the great iniuries secretly passed and yet certainly knowne Ferdinand in the meane time with all diligence bestirreth himselfe taketh Nuceria treateth with the Venetians who accept of his friendship and take Pisa into protection ioyneth with the Marques of Mantua and fought with Mont Pensier and his Switchers at Nuceria and by reason of the slacknes of king Charles who neither kept appointment in comming himselfe nor sending succours preuayled greatly in the kingdome of Naples But alas so destinie would he died in the middest of his hope and glorie without children according to the vision being the first king of that Realme within three yeeres whom his vncle Don Fredericke succeeded Lodouike seeing the French kings returne into Italy begin to wax cold he became verie iollie and thinking to serue his turne with the king of Romanes as he had done by the king of France that is to say to terrifie the great estates and in the meane time to gaine the smaller he perswaded with sixe hundred thousand ducats Maximilian to come into Italie Maximilian on the other side meant as subtilly as he secretly purposing to win the kingdome of Naples for Iohn heire to the king of Spaine his sonne in law which Lodouike perceyuing was sore astonished and yet in the end wan him to Fredericke The Venetians became now iealous of Maximilian and Lodouike and therefore sent Hannibal Bentiuole to Pisa and so much the rather for that they being troubled by Peter of Medices and otherwise and forsaken in their need by the Frenchmen were dealt withall by Lodouike to submit themselues to Maximilian The Pope thinking himselfe now to haue opportunitie to occupie the estates of the Vrsins the chiefe of them being detained at Naples declared Virginio and the rest rebels for taking solde of the French and so ioyning with the Colonoys assayled them on all sides to the displeasure of the Venetians who meant to gaine that familie but that in these daungerous times opportunitie serued not to fall out with the Pope Lodouike albeit that he professed himselfe altogether to the Venetians extolling Iohn Galeas the first duke of Millaine who made them executors of his testament and acknowledging that to their great charge thei had defended his estate yet his teeth so watred at Pisa which they had gotten that he caused the Pope the Emperor to perswade that it was necessarie to restore Pisa to Florence for feare of giuing cause of the French kings returne thinking vpon the restitution to get it himselfe but the Venetian ambassador impugned it with greater reasons At this time Aluiano assisted by the Guelphes sacked the houses of the Gibellins and slue Liii of the chiefe in the Popes territorie who nothing helped the matter but see the plague
hopeth to winne the Venetians from the league and so with newe forces to recouer Millaine A better hope then all this was that Pope Iulius the second nowe died in the middest of his prosperitie and Iean Cardinall de Medici was chosen named Leo the tenth by which good accident he did the easilier make peace with the Catholique King and prepared for his purpose for albeit he could not well compasse a peace with the King of Englande yet for that the English were not well prouided of readie horsed although their value chiefly consisted in footemen yet nowe by long peace and lacke of vse being driuen to hyre Almaines hee thought manie things might be done before that warre came forwarde wherefore he sent power to Triuulcio who ioyning with Aluiano Captaine of his newe confederates the Venetians he setteth vpon the duchie of Millaine and recouereth Geane and after besiegeth Nouara where being resisted by the Swissers they retired seuen miles of but the Swissers to the ende that no succours or Nation might take the glorie from them like most valiaunt souldiours hauing neither horsemen nor artillarie followed Triuulcio and Monsieur de la Tremouille and fought a most braue battaile with them gayned their artillarie slue their men with it and put their gendarmerie to flight who beastlie demeaned themselues that day notwithstanding it may not bee forgotten that Robert de la March hauing his two sonnes most daungerously beset with Swissers rushed like a Tiger into the midst of them and fought so terribly that he amazed them and deliuered his sons Aluiano perceiuing the discomfiture of the French retired to Verona and besieged it but preuayled not Padua is besieged by the Viceroy and the yong duke of Millaine taketh Pontuica by the helpe of Antonie de Leua and the Viceroy finding that he could not take Padua spoyleth the Countrey euen almost vnto Venice within two miles of Vincentia the Viceroy Prosper Celonna the Marques of Peskara gaue a great ouerthrow to the Venetians and Aluiano by the cowardise of their footmen of Romaigna At the length Caesar and the Venetians compromitted their differences to the Pope and the French king had now nothing left in Italie but the Lanterne of Geane which also was battered by sea and defended with sacks of wooll The twelfth Booke THe king of England was nowe readie both by sea and lande to war vpon the French king had also hyred the Emperor Maximilian with sixe score thousand ducats to enter al at one time into Burgundy hoping also that his father in law the Catholique king woulde ioyne with him The French king bestirred him to resist these great daungers and some what to appall the courage of the English king he allured into Fraunce the duke of Suffolke as a competitor of the crowne but he being nothing dismaied therewith in despite strake off the dukes brothers head whom he held before in prison by the king of Castiles means as you haue heard The French king farther to trouble him set Iames King of Scots the old enemie of England confederate of France to warre on that side the seas vppon him The English King was long in preparing his subiects being out of vse the maner of fight being chaunged the vse of their bowes being almost gone Neuerthelesse in Iuly being greatly furnished his armie camped neare Bullen and from thence besieged Terwin where at the first they answered not the renowne of their hardinesse in that they gaue no hardie assault but within a while after they ouerthrew three hundred men of armes The Marques of Rotelin called duke of Longuile Captaine Bayard Fayette were taken prisoners and monsieur de la Palisse escaped hardly wherewith the French king and all France were so amazed that if the English King had followed this good fortune it is thought the gappe was nowe open to take all Fraunce Terwin was raysed by the aduise of the Emperour for that the Archduke Charles pretended right vnto it and the Emperour departed the campe for that hee thought the Englishmen to be rash and without discipline King Henrie neuerthelesse passed towards Tornay and tooke it whereof the French were full glad fearing his comming farther into Fraunce with his terrible armie of fourescore thousand which perhaps hee had done if he had had experience or had beene truly aduertised of the disposition of France but he returned into England assuring the French that he would returne the next sommer At this time by chaunce of fire the richest part of all Venice was burnt and the Pope endeth the differences betweene Caesar and them The league was renued betweene the Spanish king and the French king which greatly displeased the king of England who sayde that this was the third time that his father in lawe had broken promise with him The French king practised with the Pope and the Pope with the Cardinal of Yorke to reconcile the French and English King which tooke place and the French king marieth the lady Mary the king of Englands sister This was vnpleasant both to the Emperour and the Spanish King and not pleasant to the Pope who was the procurer of it who albeit he loued with such cunning to gaine princes yet he liked not that this league shoulde helpe the French King againe to Millaine At this time King Emanuel of Portingale presented the Pope with two monstrous Elephants out of India and Lewis the xii dieth and Francis the first duke of Angolesme succeedeth taking the title of the duke of Millaine making peace with the King of England and the Archduke he meaneth to recouer the dukedome The Emperor the King of Aragon the duke of Millaine the Swissers doe league against him the King of England sendeth him word to Lyons not to passe into Italie to trouble Christendome the Swissers gard the foote straights of the Alpes against him But he like an industrious prince by the counsaile of Triuulcio leaueth the two ordinarie wayes of Mountsenis Mount Genewre and passeth by extreame toyle of Pioners nearer the sea by the Cortian Alpes by the Marquisate of Saluzzo and being passed before any man thought of him Monsieur de la Palisse tooke Colonna a noble Captaine prisoner at Villefrance as he sat at dinner which greatly astonished all Italie insomuch that the Pope vsed the duke of Sauoy to excuse him to the King forthwith The King taketh the Countreys of Alexandria and Tortona The Swissers are in diuersitie of opinions whether they shall hearken to any league with the French or farther withstand them At length the Bishop of Sion with a very perswasiue oration encouraged them to ioyne in one opinion agaynst the French and to fight with them neare vnto Marignian where the first day both they and the King fought so long as they could holde weapon in hand and departed on both sides as it were by agreement without sounde of trumpet The next day they rashly and furiously set on the French
Lewis the xii is promised to his sonne Hercules and after the Marques of Mantua entred into the same league The treatise of peace seemed vaine betweene the Emperour and the king for the Emperor sayd he could not trust the king that had once deceiued him The Kings ambassadors replied that for asmuch as he tooke himselfe to be deceyued the King might the lesse trust him In the ende the ambassadours of Fraunce and England denounced war agaynst him and many hot speeches breeding hot choler the Emperor chalenging the combat of the French king said he was a false forsworn king The French king on the other side gaue him the lie The king of England embraceth the religion of Luther and by the perswasion of the Cardinall of Yorke deuorceth his wife Katherin of Arragon Monsieur de Lautrech entreth the kingdome of Naples and Andro Dore being at the sould of the king with his gallies returneth to Geane diuerse places yeeld vnto Lautreck and by him Naples it selfe is besieged The xix Booke MOnsieur de Lautreck finding the value of the defendants of Naples to be great purposed to continue the siege hoping that though vertue fayled not yet want of money and victuall would make vertue yeeld to necessitie In the meane time Phillippin Dore with his gallies and Geneuois who were not able sea-men did sinke diuerse shippes Imperiall vpon the sea sleaing the viceroy Don Hugues di Moncada Fieramosque with diuers other to the number of a thousand taking prisoners the Marques of Guast Ascagnio Colōna the prince of Salerne and diues others This conquest of the sea would not make Naples yeeld for Phillippin Dore tooke such direction of Andro Dore to retire to Pozzouolo that Naples was oft vittailed the Venetian fleet after they had gotten Ottranto staied in hope to win the castell of Brundusium so that the defendants were encouraged and the assailants for lacke of water and other necessaries fainted and in the meane time Antonio de Leua perceyuing that Pauia was negligentlie kept assaulted it by night and tooke it and had the Captains prisoners before the souldiers were awares The Pope continued his newtrality betweene the two princes and so was neither trusted of the French king nor of the Emperour who the more suspected him for that he had sent Cardinall Campeius into England to diuorce his kinswoman Queene Katherin daughter of Aragon Now doth Andro Dore leaue the sould of the king and entreth sould with the emperor vpon conditions the french army before Naples is full of diseases Monsieur de Vaudemont almost dead Monsieur de Lautreck very sicke and shortly after dieth so that the Marques of Saluzzo is driuen to capitulate with the prince of Orange who is now viceroy Monsieur de S. Poll gained certaine townes in Lombardy for the French in the meane time Andro Dore taketh Geane for the emperials through the grosse negligence of the French king Monsieur de S. Poll marcheth on stil through Lombardy comming within xii miles of Pauia Antonio de Leua who had beene long sicke causeth himselfe to be caryed in a chayre and all his men to put on white shirtes and stealeth without noyse one night towardes the French within two miles of Ladriane vnawares setteth on Monsieur de S. Poll who albeit he fought valiantly trusting to his Lance-knights yet they ranne away and he remained prisoner with Castillon Claude Rangin and diuerse others to Antonio de Leua Now beginneth the Pope to treate a peace at Barcelone with the Emperour greatly to the Popes aduauntage both for that he should forget iniuries past be no hinderance to the Emperour who ment personally to make a voyage into Italy The like was treated betweene the French King and the Emperour at Cambray a place destinied to such great treatises being there present the two ladie Regents for the two princes the Ambassadours of the confederates and the duke of Suffolke and the Bishop of London for the King of England The French King being somewhat ashamed of this act for certaine dayes kept himselfe close and would not be seene of the ambassadours of his confederates in the ende he gaue them sweet wordes comforts and promises excusing himselfe that otherwise hee could not haue his children The Emperour after this commandeth the prince of Orange to assaile the Florentines and himselfe in royal person commeth to Geane where the princes of Italy do salute him by their Ambassadours The King and the Pope talked togither at Bolognia the pope entring first as the greater princes vse The Turke left off besieging Vienna the Emperour is inclined to capitulate with the Venetians and Francis Sforce to whom he restored the dukedome of Millaine and the Venetians to the Church that they held in Romagnia and to the Emperor that which they held in Puglia The xx Booke THese late leagues seemed nowe to establish peace each where sauing only to the poore Florentines who often had helped others to make their peace and now the peace of others drew them to a daungerous warre with the Emperour who now sent against them foure thousand Lanceknights and three thousande Spaniards and Italians vnder the prince of Orange which maketh Piscara and Prato yeeld of themselues to the Pope and the souldiours of France being well payd defended themselues valiantly In the meane time the Pope causeth the French king to send Monsieur de Cleremont to Florence to excuse himselfe for not comprehending them in the league vpon necessitie of recouering his children wishing them to take such conditions as they could get in so hard a case wherein himselfe would be a dealer for them The Emperour meaning to go to Rome to be crowned being letted with certaine importunate affaires of Germanie and chiefly to elect his brother Ferdinand king of Romanes was faine to be crowned at Bolognia Anno 1530 on his birth day of S. Matthias which was his fortunate day and there the Pope and the duke of Ferrara compromitted all their differences vnto him The Florentines being often skirmished withall and often battered though they valiantly defended after the death of the prince of Orange and departure af the Marques of Guast were yet for verie hunger and diuersitie of opinions driuen to offer to Gonsague the Captaine of the Imperials that Caesar himselfe and the Pope shoulde determine their conditions and gouernment their life and libertie saued Ferdinand is now chosen King of Romanes at a decree in Ausbourge and there is treatise agaynst the Lutherians of whom the great princes beganne to be afrayde and at the instant request of the Germaines the Emperour summoned the Pope to call a Councell the Pope vtterly misliked it as preiudiciall to his Court and abuses and yet dissembled it cunningly The French would neuer bee long quiet but the King turneth to his olde emulation of the greatnesse of the Emperour and perswadeth with the Pope and states of Italie to take heed of it To the states of Germanie he affirmeth that the Emperour ment to make it a Monarchie The King of England he pricketh forwarde in recounting vnto him how angrie the Emperour was for the diuorce of his mothers sister and last of all that which euill beseemed the most Christian King he stirreth vp the Turke who indeede was alreadie iealous of his greatnesse and hated him also in respect of his brother with whom he was at oddes for Hungarie The Emperour still calleth vpon the Councell he desireth now to renue the league of Bolognia and to comprehende in it all Italie making contribution for their common defence agaynst the French The Pope lyked not to be of any side remembring the daungers past so often as the sides were ouerthrowne but being of that calling he liked neutralitie better as the surest way The Emperour returneth into Spaine and the Pope and the French king talke at Marseilles of great matters vnder pretence of dealing against the Turke and the King of Englands diuorce To ratifie their matters Katherin of Medices the Popes neece was married to Henry the second sonne of Fraunce whome nowe the Pope woulde faine make duke of Millaine forthwith for he foreknewe as it seemed that he should shortly die in that he made his Ring and all other habiliaments and indeed died in whose place was chosen Alexander Farnese called Paule the third The duke of Wittemberg by ayde of the Lantgraue of Hesse and the French Kings money recouered the dukedome from Ferdinand and great troubles were toward but the matter was compounded without the French kings consent who in the meane time hoped to get Millaine At this time also Barbarossa Bascha generall by sea to Soliman passing to the conquest of Thunis scoured the riuers of Calabria and passed Caiette and put all Italie in such a feare as he might easily haue taken Rome if he had come forward FINIS
of God his yonger sonne the Cardinal of Valence slue his elder brother duke of Candie as he rode alone one night in the citie of Rome for that he thought him to haue greater fauour of their sister Lucrece than himselfe in whom as it is thought the father had as good part as either of them both The French king made peace with Spain the Switchers ment to return into Italy but pleasures and the Cardinall of S. Malo detained him In the meane time he dieth and Lewis the xii duke of Orleans succeedeth At the same time Sauinorola was by the Pope put to death The fourth Booke LEwes the twelfth entituled himselfe king of Hierusalem Naples and Sicill and duke of Millaine entending to conquer the dukedome Lodouike Sforce being yet more iealous of the Venetians then of him aydeth the Florentines to recouer Pisa the Pope on the other side secretly bent to fauour the French king thinking thereby vnawares of the rest to gaine many things and in the end the kingdome of Naples practising in the meane time with Fredericke to marry his daughter to his sonne the Cardinall of Valence wherein Lodouike also played a part shewing him what a strengthening it should be to him and what a weakning to the French king but Fredericke trusting neither of both vtterly refused which bredde much trouble and practise The Florentines offer accord to the Venetians but it will not be receyued For still they defend Pisa The Cardinall of Valence before the Pope and his Cardinals renounceth his Cardinals hat and prepareth to go into France where he was from Cardinal of Valence made duke of Valence a citie in Daulphinoys by the French king for that the Pope had promised him to diuorce the French Queene for sterilitie which he performed Hauing this new souldier the king made peace with all his neighbours and bendeth towards Italie and requireth Pisa to be left in his hands The Venetians are in great doubt whether they may ioyne with the king or no. Grimanni and Treuisan make excellent orations to that purpose in the ende they ioyne and that in such a secrete and straight league as Lodouike could not sounde in a great while after but when hee vnderstood it he was greatly astonished at it and to draw the Venetians againe from the French he practised a reconcilement betwene the Florētines them In the end neither they nor the Pope nor the Swissers nor Maximiliā who he thought would neuer haue ioined league without comprehending him would succour him but all fayled him in the middest of his comming Then hee bent himselfe to the fortifying of his owne but putting such gouernours in trust as had more fauour then vertue a common fault in princes he lost one towne after another and was driuen to forsake Millaine himselfe and to fortifie the castell but the Towne within yeelded to the French which newes being brought to the king at Lyons himselfe passed the mounts in person and came to Millaine where he compounded with al the states of Italie except Fredericke In this meane space the newe duke Valentinois who troubled Romagna and the vicars thereof ioyned with the French And Baiazet Ottoman assayled such places as the Venetians held in Greece and with sixe hundred horse pilled the countrey of Friuly And after him the duke Valentinoys tooke the Countrey and a most valiant ladie of the place prisoner and fearing her valew sent her prisoner to Rome The French king after the taking of the Duchie of Millaine and that he had made truce with the king of Romanes he returned into France leauing sufficient force in Italie making the cardinal of Amboyse his lieutenant and Monsieur Tremouille Captaine Lodouike immediately recouered Como and the Gibellins thereupon in Millaine reuolted from the French and Trinulcio and the Frenchmen secretely stole away hee tooke also Vigenene and Nouaria but there was he betraid by the Swissers yet were they contented that he and his brothers Galeas de S. Seuerin la fracase Antonie Maria should steale away in the habite of Swissers but they were all discried and hee caried away into France and the cardinal Ascagnio who scaped was deliuered to the king by the Venetians contrarie to the olde dignitie of that state Lodouike was brought to Lyons whom the king would not vouchsafe to fee notwithstanding his late greatnesse and excellent wit but was committed there to close prison where after ten yeares hee miserably ended his life The Cardinall Ascagnio was imprisoned in the great tower at Burdeaux where the king himselfe that sent him thither was himselfe prisoner two yeares The fift Booke THis conquest of Millaine by the French made Maximilian bethinke himselfe what a shame it was to him to leese such a fee of the Empire and to suffer Lodouike thus to be caried away who had put himselfe into his protection whereuppon hee declared himselfe against the French king and the Venetians perswading the electours and states of Germanie in time to resist their ambition and violence The French king proceedeth further to succour the Florentines against Pisa taketh Bolognia into his protection and putteth garrison into Pietre Sancte but findeth such euill successe in his forces against Pisa that he greatly stormeth at it and offereth further power which the Florentines in dispaire refuse finally though he were angrie with the Pope in that he fayled him at Millaine yet by the working of the duke Valentinois Caesar Borgeas he now accordeth with him The duke in the meane time taketh Pesara and Rimini and besiegeth Fauentia but was so mightily resisted by the inhabitants not inured to warre that considering his forces and excellent captaines he was almost mad and sware the next spring either to winne or to die The French king by meanes of the Archduke for whose young sonne Charles being then but three yeres old he offered his daughter Claude of the same age made a truce with Maximilian who most dishonourably made no mention of the king of Naples notwithstanding that he had receiued fortie thousand ducats and a bond for a pension to that end The French king thus being sure of the Germains and making no doubt to obtaine the inuestiture of Millaine by the helpe of the Archduke turned all his thoughtes vnto Naples and fearing least the kings of Spaine should oppose themselues and that the Pope and the Venetians should be iealous of his greatnesse he now began to think it the surest way to deuide it with Ferdinand king of Spaine who also pretended a certaine right to it so that the one not to be hindered in the whole the other to haue part of that hee had long desired they resolued at one time to set vppon it The French king hauing Naples Terra de lauaro and Abruzzo the Spanish king Puglia and Calabria but this should be kept secret vntill such time as the French armie were come to Rome The duke Valentinoys besiegeth againe Fauentia so forceth it that
they yeeld vpon condition that their young duke Astor a faire prince of xviii yeres might inioy his libertie and reuenue but this incarnate deuill sent him to Rome where after he had bene abused by a worse deuill then himselfe in such sort as may not be expressed he and a bastard brother of his were secretely murthered The duke passeth on and plagueth Florence and from thence to Bolognia but there the French king commaundeth him to stay for that hee had taken the Bentiuols that state into his protection He then returneth to Florēce there falleth to capitulation after surprising certaine places of the lord of Plombin he returneth to Rome and ioyneth with the French king Frederick being thus assailed by these two mighty kings being more inwardly angrie with the king of Spaine his friend then with the French king his enemie capitulated with the French and went himselfe into France where he had the dukedome of Aniow and thirtie thousand ducats pension At the same time Gonsaluo for the Spanish king tooke Calabria and Ferdinands eldest sonne by composition and contrarie to his oath sent him into Spain The French king finding his prosperitie to be enuied of the Venetians desired to keepe league with Maximilian and to warre vpon them but the disagreeing of the French and Spanish captaines in the kingdome of Naples for that the borders were not well abutted in the diuision diuerted the French king to the Spanish wars where finding himselfe the stronger he protested warre against Gonsaluo if forthwith he gaue not vp his Captainship and to that end sent two thousand Switzers and entertained the princes of Salern and Bisignan The duke Valentinois taketh Vrbin and after Camerin and repaireth to the king who was come to Vrbin and so to Ast where finding great grace he put all the states of Italie in great feare insomuch that secretly diuerse of them were driuen to confederate agaynst him In the which meane space Gindobaldo duke of Vrbin by a secrete traine of the inhabitants recouered his estate and yet within a while after is driuen to flie to Venice The Pope and his sonne plagued the familie of the Vrsins the Pope poysoned the Cardinall Vrsin his son strangled Paule Vrsin The French prosperity began now to decline in Naples aswell by their negligence and insolencie as by the warre wherein Mōsieur de la Palisse and diuerse others were taken prisoners At the length certaine bragges in words falling out on both sides it was agreed that there should be a combat of thirteene Italians against thirteene Frenchmen in which fight Albemount an Italian being first ouerthrowne and after him Miale with their swordes they killed the horses of the Frenchmen and so tooke them all prisoners sauing one who was slaine after he had ouerthrowne Albemount After this the Frenchmens hearts fayled and peace grewe to bee treated which not withstanding Gonsaluo made still warre taking no knowledge thereof and tooke prisoner Monsieur de Aubigny in the same place wherewith in fewe yeares before he discomfited Gonsaluo and the forces of Ferdinand being a most excellent captain after that at Cirignole he gaue the French an other ouerthrow where Monsieur de Nemours was slaine finally he passed through Melfe and tooke Naples The sixt Booke LEwis the French king hearing of the losse of Naples of his armies and captains when hee least thought of warre complained himselfe highly to the Archduke thinking that whiles he treated peace with his father in law the king of Spaine to be reuenged the king Queene of Spaine on the other side drewe the treatise long both to appoynt themselues and to disappoint the French king in the ende being sore pressed by the Archduke they beganne to quarrell with the Archduke himselfe saying that hee passed both his instructions and commission in making such a dishonourable peace as they neuer meant to make and much lesse to keepe whereupon the French king prepareth to assaile Naples both by sea and land But in the meane time Gonsaluo taketh the castell of Naples and besiegeth Caiette Euen as fortune began to faile the Frenchmen so did the Pope his son gathering by his dealings with them of Bolognia Tuscan that there was no farther good to be done by him And therefore being required to declare themselues for him they answered in dark ambiguities like Apollos oracles for the father neuer did as he said nor the sonne neuer said that which he did In the end vpon much treatie the Pope was content the French armie should passe through the territories of the Church and that he would not meddle with the Florentines Sienois nor Bolognians during the warres which the French king nothing beleeued if fortune frowned But see the end of this Pope as he went to suppe in a certaine Vineyard neare the Vatican with Adrian Cardinall of Cornetta he was suddenly brought forth dead being all blacke blowne and hideous to looke on his sonne also was brought foorth for dead who hauing brought two flagons of impoisoned wine to poyson the poore cardinal by gods iudgement poisoned his father himselfe yet vsing foorthwith counterpoisons knowing the baite he saued his life but lay long sicke which quayled all his deuises especially in choosing the Pope which was Pius 3. too good a man to liue long in that place so that he dying within a few moneths Iulius the seconde was chosen In the meane time the duke Valentinois is coursed by the Vrsins driuen to reconcile himselfe to the Colonois constrained to flie into the castle saint Angelo Cesena and other places reuolt from him to the Church againe the Venetians are also in hope hereby to get Romagna and soone after they take Fauentia wherof the Pope much complaineth And in the meane time aresteth the duke Valentinois and imprisoneth him in the Vatican Thus his power that suddenly grewe great by crueltie deceyt and the Church came as suddenly to nothing againe The French king maketh warres toward Spain with small profit whervpon for those parts a truce is taken all the bent is to Naples Aluiano and diuerse Vrsins ioyne with Gonsaluo which greatly encourageth him The Frenchmen are repulsed at Garillani in some disorder returne to Caiette which after Gonsaluo taketh partly by force partly by composition and after is called by no other name but the great captaine At this time was there a peace made betweene the Venetians and Baiazet Ottoman who vnlike to his father was giuen to studie and learning At this time also the Portingales did make their maruaylous nauigation of East Indies passing the equinoctiall leasing the vse of the Northwind and Loadsrone bringing great spiceries and other riches but the nauigation of Spaniards vnder Christophoro Colombo a Geneuois was farre more maruaylous who sayling thirtie dayes westwarde discouered certaine Isles neuer knowne before and after both hee and Vespuccius passing further found firme lande and diuerse ciuill nations not hauing the vse of armes but
much golde and siluer c. The duke Valentinoys about this time escaped out of prison to Naples where Gonsaluo taketh him and sendeth him captiue into Spaine and a truce is taken betweene the kings of Fraunce and Spaine Fredericke being out of hope of recouering his kingdome of Naples died and after him Queene Elizabeth of Spaine wherevpon some differences were like to arise betweene the Archduke and the Spanish king for the gouernement of Castilia About this time it may not be forgotten that Cardinall Hippolite of Esca being in loue with a yong damosel his kinswoman who made more account of his bastard brother asked her what was the cause why she so greatly loued a bastard and she answered his sweete and amiable eyes whereupon one day as he rid on hunting he caused his brother to dismount and commaunded his footmen in his presence to plucke out his eyes saying he liked no such companions in loue The seuenth Booke PHillip the archduke began to entitle himselfe king of Castile not being content that his father in law should gouerne hauing no better interest then the appointment of his wife when she lay in extremitie And the king of Romanes being hartned with the greatnes of his sonne purposeth to enter into Italie The French king hauing them al in ielousy though he were verie angry with the Pope for vsurping vpon the spiritual liuings in Millaine yet least he should stand alone he treateth with the Pope making quarrell to Venice for that he knew it a thing acceptable to him Phillip prepareth by sea to inuade Spaine and is by storme driuen into England where he is honorably receiued by Henrie the seuenth and newly furnished for his voyage vpon condition that he should deliuer the duke of Suffolke whom he had prisoner in the castell of Namures Phillip yeeldeth and requireth that he might not be put to death though he pretended right to the crowne whereunto king Henry the seuenth condiscended but Henrie the eight afterwarde strake off his heade Phillip goeth forward and by capitulation obtaineth the kingdome of Castile but dieth within a while after The French king is desirous to bee reuenged vpon Venice but first marrieth his daughter Madame Claude vnto Francis of Angolesme afterward king The Emperour treateth with the Venetians to passe through their territories to be crowned at Rome The Pope enterprised the recouerie of Bolognia vnder the conduct of the Marques of Mantua the Bolognians require ayde of the French king according to their protection but in fine the poore Bentiuoles in stead of a protection had a faire safe conduct of Monsieur Chaumont for which they payed dearly and lost the state to the Church The Geneuoys rebell against the French king and fell also at ciuil discord the Gibelines fauouring the Adornes and the Guelphes the Fregoses euery man desiring to bring the gouernment to his friendes Monsieur de Chaumont setteth vpon them and maketh them yeeld the towne to the discretion of the king who there entered in person and pardoned all sauing threescore Ferdinand king of Aragon and the French king appoynted a meeting at Sauona and there they put themselues one in anothers power as though there neuer had beene enmitie betweene them Where supping together none but the two kings and the Queene the French king would needes haue Gonsaluo make the fourth being in admiration of his fame his person his maiestie in gesture and speech After this tyme this great Captaine had neuer great occasion to exercise his vertue The ende of their great conference was that they two and the Emperour shoulde ioyne agaynst the Venetians The Emperour on the other side held a decree at Constance for the encountering of the French king in Italie and to that end treated with the Pope professing himselfe a protector of the Church and an enemie of the French vsurpation in Italie who meaned quoth he to make the Cardinall of Amboyse Pope and himselfe Emperour This troubled the king who was sure neither of the Pope nor of the Venetians and the Venetians were much perplexed whether they shoulde ioyne with the king or the Emperour to which poyntes Foskarin and Gritti made excellent orations In fine they answered the Ambassadour of the Emperour who demaunded passage that if he came armed he shoulde haue no passage if otherwise they shoulde doe him all honour possible He marcheth on notwithstanding and gaineth something but for want of good resolution looseth againe The eight Booke NOw do the Emperour and the Venetians fall to treatise of league which maketh all Italie more afraid then euer before which had beene alreadie greatly tormented by the ambition of princes and specially by the Venetians who made their profite of euery peace and euery warre and euen in this league with Caesar they demeaned themselues so cunningly that they nowe gaue cause both to the Emperour and the French king to ioyne together against them whereupon the Pope fayled not to encourage them insomuch that for the Emperour Madame Marguiret his daughter gouernesse of Flanders for the French king the Cardinall of Amboyse and for Spaine The Ambassador sware this league at Cambray The Venetians mistrusting false measure had their ambassadour there also to awaite what was done but the Cardinall sware so many othes that the French king his maister woulde keepe his league with Venice and that his meeting was to make peace betweene the Archduke and the duke of Guelders that hee made him and the Venetians verie secure This league was helde verie secrete but the Pope taking the aduauntage thereof demaunded of them Rimini and Fauentia which they had taken from the Church vttering that whereas the greatest princes in Christendome were ioyned agaynst them he would also ioyne if they denied him his demaund The Senate was deepely amazed and diuided in opinion touching the restitution and in fine were resolued to restore had not Treuisan a man of high estate next the duke most earnestly disswaded them which they repented for the Pope ratified the treatise of Cambray and so all Christendome in effect armed against them And besides that they had these euill signes and presages a shippe of theirs was drowned with tenne thousande ducats The Castell of Bresse was striken with thunder their tower of records suddenly fell downe their Arsenall was burnt twelue gallies their salt peter powder and munition was consumed The French king accompanied with the duke of Loraine and nobilitie of Fraunce passed the Alpes and sent Monsieur de Chaumont afore to set vpon them The Pope published a bull against them The French armie ouerthroweth their battaile at Gniaradadde taketh prisoner their chiefe Captaine Bartholomeo Aluiano who was wounded in the eye as for the other Captaine the Countie Petylian he stirred not nor would aduenture all vpon one day the which if hee had done it is thought hee had ouercome and yet his not venturing was not misliked These newes astonished almost vnto desperation the Venetians and yet
who kept them selues in good order and caused Aluiano with his light horsemen to set on their backes which greatly annoyed them They fought notwithstanding most valiantly but yet dispairing of victorie for that the Venetian armie approched they sounded the retraite and albeit the artillarie beate them on the backes yet did they keepe their array towards Millaine to the wonder of the French and all that looked on especially the King who often escaped death and daunger and Triuulcio who sayde they were Giantes and not men for that he neuer sawe the like battell After this victorie all the duchie of Millaine returned to the King except the Castels of Cremona and Millaine and the duke and the King fall to composition and Aluiano dieth and the Pope and the King in louing sort talke together at Bolognia and there renuing a league with the Swissers he returned into Fraunce Ferdinand king of Aragon and king of Castile in the right of his wife the winner of Granado conquerour of Naples and Nauarre died without heire male and the great Captaine Gonsaluo died one moneth before absent from the Court in disgrace and malcontent The death of the king made the French king in hope to get Naples thinking that the young Archduke Charles shoulde bee too much busied to keepe al his estates but he was distourned from that thought by the comming of the Emperour into Lombardie agaynst him and the Venetians who summoned Millaine but was faine to recule for that by delay he lost all oportunitie The Venetians recouer Brescia the Pope maketh his nephew Laurence de Medici duke of Vrbin The King of France and Spaine make a peace at Noyan The Venetians recouer Verona The xiii Booke BEsides the peace of Noyon the Kings of Spaine and Fraunce and the Emperor treat a peace at Cambray and now great quietnesse was hoped in all Italie sauing that Francesco Maria de la Rouere being folowed of many Spaniards went about to recouer such his states as the Pope had taken from him as Vrbin Fane and others driuing the Pope to complaine to the French and Spanish Kings enter league with the French for ayd agaynst all subiects and fendataries of the Church The chiefe Captaines of the Spaniards that folowed Francesco Maria namely Maldonat and Swares conspired after certaine victories to betray Francesco Maria and to deliuer him vp aliue to his enemie Laurence de Medices which treason Francesco Maria discouering made such an excellent oration to the Spaniards that they iudged their owne Captaines worthie to passe the pikes and so with their owne hands slue them At this time Alfonso Cardinall of Siena being the Popes creature most vngratefully notwithstanding conspired against him and the Cardinals of Cornette and Volaterra confessed on their knees that he had imparted it to them Alfonso the night following was secretly strangled in prison The Pope finding himselfe no more gracious among his colledge of Cardinals created thirtie new Cardinals at a clappe some for learning some for friendship and some for money which nowe went low with him and after a few conflicts with the duke of Vrbin at Ancona and Anguiare he falleth to composition by meanes of Don Hugues de Moncada the Viceroy to his great charge which the poore Florentines were driuen to defray Italy now being at quiet the Pope began to treat with Christen princes against Selim the Turke who seeing his father Baiazat to be olde partly by Ianissaries and partly by poyson dispatched his elder brother Achomat and after his yonger brother Corcut and all their race as the world supposed had a meaning to do the like to his own son the better to strengthen his owne dominion for his time which by his desperat hardnes was growne great hauing ouerthrowne the mountains Aduliens the Sophy of Persia winning from him his chiefe citie Taurus and then turned his warres vpon the Sowdan of Soria and Egypt a most mightie prince of country by reason of the warlike discipline of the Mamelukes yet neuer ouerthrown but by this Selim who highly disdaining that his victories should not be aboue Caesar Alexander nowe ment to bend toward Christendom and first against Rhodes Hungary being verie weake for that the king was a child as some thought toward Italy but this consult tooke so small effect that if God had not soone after taken away Selim who left Soliman very yong all christendome no doubt had smarted for this vngodly negligence Now was peace awhile on euery side and the French the English so farre leagued togither that the only daughter of Henrie is promised vpon condition to the Dolphin of France This peace which is an enemie to great warriers maketh Triuulcio now in his olde age to be in iealousie with the French king for the Gwelphian faction Monsieur de Lautreck and other pursue him throughly the king denieth him his countenance he dieth for sorrow in disgrace according as most great captaines do The emperor Maximilian being now aged treated with the electors Pope to choose the king of Romans Charles of Austrich king of Spain the French king thinking him to be too great alredie treated earnestly to the contrarie Maximilian dieth before any thing is done so that the French and Spanish kings are nowe most earnest competitours and countersutours for it The French King spareth neither speach Ambassadors perswasions nor mony and is abused with hope by some of the electours but in fine Charles of Austrich is chosen the which killeth the heart of the French king and his adherents in Italy and now the kingdome of Naples the restitution of Nauarre vnto Iohn and the money accorded at Nayon begin for despite to come in question and into demaund At this time the Pope abusing all the world with his indulgences and by the Bishop of Arembald making a terrible exaction in diuerse parts of Germanie to the vse of his sister Magdalen gaue occasion to Martin Luther to preach against him and to renue the doctrine of Iohn Hus and Ierome of Prage The which was verie welcom to the wounded mindes of all such as had felt the Popes abuses and so much the rather as that the Pope tooke no good course to resist it but perseuered still in his enormities This yeare did Charles the Empeperor ariue in England not as his father Phillip did by necessitie but of friendship and so passed into Flanders and to Aix and there was crowned in the meane time some broiles arose in Spaine which were appeased by his officers The xiiii Booke ITalie had at this time a little repose but it could not long continue by reason of the emulation of these two great princes Charles and Frauncis who could not endure the greatnesse the one of the other and especially for that pope Leo was horne madde to want Parma and Placentia gotten by his predecessor pope Iuly and to see that Ferrara should so long holde out against him maugre
would not once vouchsafe to see him during his imprisonment that his ambition grewe so great that he now meant to ruine the Pope the Church all Italy and to bring all Christian princes into subiection With these perswasions he hoped to bring al Italy and other princes to ioyne with him and consequently to bring the Emperour to such daungerous warre as he should of necessitie be driuen to release Burgundie and other hard conditions for money The Emperiall armie on the other side waxing euery day in Italy more and more insolent being extreamely chargeable to the Millanois and Antonio de Leua himselfe hauing euerie day thirtie ducats the people in tumultuous sort tooke weapon in hand and had driuen away both captaines and souldiours had not the cunning of the captaine and their owne disorder compounded the matter The Emperour sent the Viceroy of Naples into Fraunce to accept the perfourmance of the conditions where he was greatly welcomed but nothing was performed The Emperour was neare madde for anger and so much the more as that almost against all mens opinion and contrarie to the intelligence of the Ladie Margueret Regent of Flaunders he would needs insert the article of Burgundie which they assured him would neuer be performed but happily breed further broyle In the meane time at Coignac there is treated a league betweene the pope the French King the Venetians and the duke of Millaine to be forthwith intimated to the Emperor who had libertie to enter into it within three moneths so that he deliuered the French kings children at a reasonable ransome to be rated by the King of Englande After this treatie the Pope surpriseth the letters of Antonio de Leua touching the hard estate of the duke of Millaine and the duke of Vrbin generall of the Venetians armie taketh Loda and so passeth to Millaine where after long batterie they were faine to retire with some altercation betwene the duke and the lieutenant The Spaniards in the meane time so plagued the Millanois that one of them made a very lamentable oration to the duke of Burbon who was there ariued and yet finding no remedie but a curteous answere some hanged themselues some threw themselues out at their windowes and ended their miseries with other deaths The armie of the confederates once againe approcheth towards Millaine but not onely doth any good but also the Castell it selfe by the duke is vpon conference with the duke of Burbon yeelded to the Imperials While christen princes were thus tearing out the bowels one of another Soliman Ottoman Turke entreth into Hungarie and putteth the whole Countrey and consequently all Christendome in daunger ouerthrowing Lewis the young King and getteth a great part of that buckler of Christendome The Pope notwithstanding encourageth his confederates to set vppon Naples and Peter of Nauarre is made generall and all the confederates offer the Emperour to enter into the league perfourming the conditions he answered he could not with his honour being a league made against him especially and yet for a common quietnesse he would do it presently if the messengers had sufficient commission meaning in deed nothing lesse but onely to keepe the king of England from entering into it Rome is surprised by the Colonois and the Pope driuen to leaue the Emperour and to deale with them and the confederates by sea fight with the Emperials The xviii Booke THe French King and the Venetians had the Pope in great iealousie that hee woulde forsake their league in that he made manie treatises with the Viceroy and euer cried out of the charges of the warre and yet would not make money by creating of Cardinals nor otherwayes as other Popes did but to break the treatise if there were any such they vrged him and bent themselues with him by sea against Naples The popes Lieutenant was Monsieur Vaudemont who pretended right thereto by ancient title of king Rene where after certaine exploites of no great waight the Pope seeing no greater successe and that the duke of Burbon by the perswasion of the duke of Ferrara drew towards Rome and that the French promises were but winde he fell to agree a truce for eight moneths with the Viceroy The duke of Burbon neuerthelesse would not accept of it but marched on The Viceroy himselfe in person went from Rome to make him surcease but all in vaine for the dukes case being now somewhat desperate he draweth to Rome and either meaneth to get that noble bootie or to die and therefore most valiantly giueth the assault himselfe before all men and was slaine with a harquebuze His death enflameth the souldiours and especially the Lanceknights who before were verie cold insomuch that within fewe houres they take the towne and sacke it where they had infinite treasure The palaces of the Cardinals were rifled and the Cardinal of Siena who himselfe all his ancestors were Imperiall was yet driuen to compound with the Spaniards yet after as in all such broyles no man is sure he was taken prisoner by the Launceknights and caried bareheaded with many buffets to Borgo where he paied a newe raunsome of fiue thousand ducats In like maner were vsed all the Spanish and Dutch prelats notwithstanding the hope of their Countrey-mens fauour The Pope driuen to keepe himselfe in the castell vntill the plague wearied his enemies and composition made with the Imperials The Emperour being certified of the Popes distresse and that the plague was entred into his castell of S. Angelo made outward shew of dislike but inwardly was very glad and indeed he had caused him to be caried into Spain had it not beene for feare of the king of England as for the French king he cared not if the Pope had bene hanged and all Italie fiered so that he had againe his children The Cardinal of Yorke is now sent into France to make a league with the French king more sure and to offer the mariage of the Lady Marie either to the king if he went not on with the emperours sister or otherwise to the duke of Orleans And for that the Cardinal was honourably accompanied with xii hundred horses had three C. thousand crownes to lend the king towards his warres with the Emperour The Cardinall of Loraine was first sent to receiue him and after the king himself receiued him at Amiens In fine the king and he sent Gambare to the Pope to make the Cardinall of Yorke his Vicar generall in Fraunce England and Germanie during his imprisonment but secretly the French king withstood it by all meanes possible In this meane space the French armie vnder the conduct of Monsieur de Lautreck take Bosco and Genes by composition after the Countrey of Alexandria and then Pauia where the souldiours sacked and pilled and vsed crueltie eight dayes in memorie of the battell of Pauia where the king was taken The duke of Ferrara entereth into the league with him in respect wherof Madame Rence daughter of king