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
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
obligations and the saide Iuell to king Francis willing him on his part to signifie vnto the king first for the 400000. crownes of debt dew vnto the sayde king of England by the Emperour the king his master would giue the King libertie to paye them in fiue yeares The 500000. crownes forfayted to him by the Emperour for not marrying the Lady Mary the sayde king of Englands Daughter hee would frankely giue him and the flower de luce hee woulde lykewyse giue to his Godsonne Henry Duke of ORLEANS the kings second sonne and thus was the sayde flower de luce and all the Emperours oblygations by the king of Englands commandement delyuered contrarie to the Emperours expectation into the kings hands and the sayd Emperour satisfied in all his demaunds therevpon the kings children set at libertie the article for the restitution of Burgundie released and the amitie betwene the two kings continewed And the next yeare 1530. the king maried Elenor 1530. the Emperours sister and the sayde Emperour receaued the crowne Imperiall of the Pope at Bolonia vpon Saint Mathias day being his birth day where the peace betwene the king him was sworne anew All the states of Italie were reconciled to the Emperour Francis Sforce was restored to his duchie of Milan and the Emperour was inuested by the Pope of the Realme of Naples who also at the Popes request sent an armie to besiege Florence beecause the Florentines during the time of the Popes emprisonment in the hands of the Imperials had chaced all the house of Medices out of Florence and spoyled all their goods In this siege the Prince of Orenge generall of the Emperours armie was slaine But the sayd Citie was so distressed that in the end it yelded was deliuered into the Popes hands who punished them with great seueritie suppressed their liberties and cleane altered their state This yeare also Ferdinand the Emperours brother was chosen King of Romaines and the Realme of Fraunce for certaine yeares remayned in peace Cap. II. The Practises of the kings of Fraunce and England against the Emperour The Turke inuadeth Hungarie The Pope and the Emperour meete at Bolonia and the Pope and the king at Marseilles Henry the kings sonne marrieth the Popes niece The King of England falleth from the Pope Pope Clement dyeth Paulus the third succedeth The Duke of VVirtemberg recouereth his Duchie NOtwithstanding both the KINGS 1531. minde likewise the king of Englands were exulcerated against the Emperour the one beecause he saw himselfe dispossed of the Duchie of Milan the conquest whereof had beene so chargeable both to his predecessor and to him the other because the Emperour defended against him the cause of his Aunt wife to the said king of England disswaded the Pope from graunting any Bull of deuorce betweene him and the sayde Lady whom the king was desirous to put away because she had beene first his brothers wyfe and by the lawes of God could not bee lawfull wyfe to him But the king of Fraunce was so impourished and wearied with long warres that he thought it not time to attempt aught against the Emperour as yet Notwithstanding he laboured to draw the Pope to his partie by offering a mariage beetweene the second sonne of Fraunce Catherin niece to the sayd Pope which afterward also tooke effect And not content therewith hee sought also to stirre vp the Turke against the Emperour and farther both he and the king of England practised a consederacie with such of the Princes of Germanie as they knew to be euell affected to him In this yeare also the kings mother dyed and the duchie of Britaine was incorporated to the crowne of Fraunce In the yeare 1532. the Turke by the kings perswasion as the Emperour sayde inuaded Hungarie hauing 1532. spoyled and robbed all the Countrey retourned sodainely to Constantinople contrarie to the expectation of the king of England and Fraunce both the which hating the Emperour most deadly met together about this time at Bouloyne and after went both together to Calais where they were agreed to haue proclaymed warr against the Emperour during the Turkes inuasion of Hungarie But the Turkes sodaine departure out of the sayde Realme and his retourne to Constantinople caused them to alter their mindes and to deferre the warre till a more conuenient time Notwithstanding wisely they gaue foorth that their meeting was to conferre together how to make resistance against the Turck the better to colour their pretence they sent Ambassadours to diuers Princes of Germanie other potentates of christendome to perswade thē to enter into league with them against the sayd Turck But the Emperor 1533. on the otherside not being ignorant of these their practises came into Italie and the Pope and he met together at Bolonia wher in outward demonstrations were great signes of loue and amitie But it well appeared that their harts were farre asunder for the Emperour obtained no thing of that he desired For first he perswaded the Pope to bestow his niece Catherine of Medices vppon Francis Sforce Duke of Milan and secondarelie that he would assemble a generall councell both the which were denied him onely the Pope at the Emperours earnest sollicitation and because he would not altogether discontent him agreed to enter into league with the Emperour with the king of Romains his brother and the other potentates of Italie all saue the Venetians who refused to be comprehended in the sayd league for the defence of their estates in Italie and each man was rated what charges he should beare in those warrs But with what minde this league was made soone after well appeared for the Emperour was no soner departed into Spaine but the Pope the king met at Marseilles wher the mariage betwen the second sonne of Fraunce and the Popes niece was accomplished farther the king moued the Pope for the Bull of deuorce betwene the king of Engand and his wife the Emperours Aunt which had before bene graunted in the yeare 1529. and sent into England to Cardinall Campegius in whose hands it remained till the Pope for feare of the Emperour commaunded it to be burned and at this time also notwithstanding the kings solicitation for the same reason it could not be obtained Wherefore the king of England withdrew him selfe and 1534. his Realme from the Popes obedience and proclaimed him selfe supreme head of the Church within his owne dominions Soone after this meeting the Pope dyed and Alexander Farnese succeded him by the name of Paule the third Farther the Duke of Wirtemberg ioyning vnto him the Lantzgraue of Hesse by the kings solicitation with his monie inuaded the Duchie of Wirtemberg wherof the sayd Duke had before bene dispossessed by the king of Romaines and recouered it little to the sayd king of Romaines contentment who notwithstanding fearing farther troubles in the absence of his brother the Emperour in Spaine was forced to wink
and townes confederated with them against him perswading the Pope who sent him ayde in these warrs that his quarel was Religion but to the princes Protestāts of Germanie many of the which were in his Camp ayded him he pretended that he made warr vppon them for their rebellion although in truth neither of both these were the cause motife of this warre but his owne ambition for his purpose was by vsing the Germanies help against the Germaines so to weaken both parts and in the meane time so to plant garrisons of Spaniards in the strong places of the countrey that in the ende he mought make the easier conquest of the whole And such successe he had at the beginning of these warrs that he toke the Duke of Saxonie prisoner made the Lantzgraue come yeld him selfe to his mercie but with this condition that he should not be detained in prison which article the Emperour so gloased with a Spanish exposition that that notwithstanding he emprisoned him alleadging that the article mentioned onely perpetual emprisonment The Palfzgraue also and the Duke of Wirtemberg and diuers other Princes and free Townes submitted them selues to him and with their money bought their peace You haue heard before how Henry the eight king of England dyed a little before king Francis and left behinde him Prince Edward his sonne a childe about tenne yeares of age the sayed King Henry before his death had practised a marriage in Scotland betwene the sayd prince his sonne afterward called Edward the vj and the heyre of Scotland being about foure yeares of age and so farre this matter was proceded in that the greatest part of the states of Scotland had giuen their consent thereunto but after king Henrys death by the perswasion of the Queene mother being of the house of Guyse and by the practise of the French faction who could not endure this vniting of these two Realmes by the sayd mariage the treatie made with king Henry was disauowed and a practise set on foote to bestow this yong Princes vpon the Daulphin of Fraunce for the which cause the English men entered into Scotland with a mightie armie spoiled all the countrie whom the Scotts encountering with all their forces at a place called Muscleborow were ouerthrowen and a great number of them slayne in September this yeare 1547. after the which victorie the English men tooke manie Castles and strong places and entered as farre as Edemborough the chiefe Citie of the Countrey and fortified Hedington a strong Towne where what happened what issue these warres had hereafter you shall heare The Emperour hauing ended his warres aboue mentioned in Germanie and established the 1548. Interim which was a forme of Religion to bee obserued till the assemblie of a generall counsell came downe into the low countries leading the Duke of Saxonie and the Lantzgraue with him as it were in triumph to the no small griefe of diuers Princes of the Empire especially of Duke MAVRICH sonne in law to the sayde Lantzgraue as the sequell shall well declare About this tyme also the Prince of Spaine the Emperours sonne came out of Spaine into Italie and from thence to Bruxelles to his father beeing honorably receaued in all places through which he passed But the Realme of Fraunce beeing deliuered from forrayne warres beeganne to bee vexed with domesticall seditions for a great rebellion was raysed at BOVRDEAVX and through all GVIENNE and XAINTOIGNE for a newe imposition increased vppon Sault for the appeasing whereof the Constable and Monsieur d'Aumalle were sent into those partes who punished very sharply them of BOVRDEAVX because they had slaine the kings officers and commited many disorders and tooke from them all their priuiledges and condemned both them and other townes that had offended in great summes of money and so appeased the tumult Cap. 2. The King aydeth the Scots against the English hee inuadeth the Countrey of Boulonoys The Queene of Scots is caried into Fraunce Paule the third dyeth Iulius the third succedeth peace betwene England and Fraunce YOu haue heard how the last yeare the English men were entered into Scotland as farre as Edingbourg and had ouerthrowen the Scots at Muscleborow for the which cause the Scots sent into Fraunce for ayde and the King knowing how preiudiciall it should bee for him and his Realme to suffer the English men to nestle in Scotland sent thether an armie of 6000. men vnder the leading of Monsieur d'Esse Strozzi the Rhingraue and others who made head against the English men and much endamaged them wanne Hedington which they had fortefied from them while in the meane time their nauie conueighed the young Queene into Fraunce notwithstanding the English nauie that lay vpon the Sea to stoppe their passage purposly to haue surprised the sayde young Queene and to haue brought hir into England but the French nauie escaped them and ariued safly in Fraunce After the conueighing away of the young Queene the king reuoqued d'Esse and sent de Thermes a valiant souldier and a wise man to take the charge of his armie in Scotland willing him to busie the English men on that side while the French forces entered into the Countrey of Boulonoys for notwithstanding that peace had beene concluded as before you haue heard betwene king Francis and king Henry before their death and afterward confirmed also betwene the two Realmes yet that notwithstanding the French perceauing the Realme of England to be vexed with seditions because of the alteration of Religion vsed that opportunitie and besieged Bouloyne but could not take it notwithstanding diuers other small peces held by the English in the countrey of Boulonoys namely Boulonberg Hambletow and Montlambert and diuers other they toke This yeare also the tenth of Nouember died Pope Paule the third to whom after three moneths dissencion in the Consistorie succeded Iulius the third and this yeare also in December died Margaret Queene of Nauarra sister to king Francis a Lady of an excelent spirit But after these wars aboue mentioned had thus passed as you haue hard since the beginning of this kings 1550. reigne betwene the French English nations as well in Scotland as in Boulonoys both parts disposed thēselues to peace England was afflicted not onely with sorraine warrs but also with domesticall seditions of the commons and dissentions among the nobles the French king was entered into practise against the Emperour both in Italie with Octauio Prince of Parma and in Germanie with duke Maurice and diuers other Princes who hated the Emperour deadly for his extreame tiranie vsed against the liberties of their country Wherefore the King meaning to attempt somewhat against the Emperour was the more inclined to make peace with England thereby to haue all cleere on that side of Fraunce Both the Realmes therfore being thus disposed to concord their commissioners met concluded peace with these cōditions Boloyne was restored to the French for the which they payed
Fight beetweene the French and Flemish Nauies before Douer The Emperour resigneth the Empire and all his other estates THe ouerthrow the French receaued in Italie happened thus You haue heard before how while the Emperour lay at the siege of Metz the towne of Sienne in Italie reuolted from him razed the Citadelle built by him chased the Spaniards out of the towne and put themselues into the protection of France Wherewith he being not a little offended after the said siege was ended commaunded the Viceroy of Naples to spoile all the country of Sienne which he did accordinglie purposing also to besige the towne which Mouluc Termes diuers others sent therher by the king for defence thereof fortified against the Imperialls The Viceroy because of the reuoult that happened also at this very instaunt in the realme of Naples by meanes of the Prince of Salerna whereof wee haue spoken a word or two also in the said siege of Metz was forced to returne into the said realme of Naples leauing the charge of the Imperiall forces in the country of Siena to the Marques of Marignan who being ayded by Cosmus Duke of Florence and the Pope wenr and besieged Siena But vnderstanding that Strozzi with great forces was sent by the king into Italie and that hee had alreadie inuaded the Duke of Florence his dominions taken diuers places from him and was gone to batter Ciuitelle the sayd Marques raised his siege from before Syena and went with his whole power to succour the Duke of Florence wherevpon Strozzi leuied his siege held before Ciuitelle and marched to encounter the Marques and giue him battaile in the which the sayde Strozzi was ouerthrowen and put to flight and all his forces dispersed The Marques after this victorie returned to the siege of Siena neuer departed thence till he had reduced it to the Emperours obedience by whose commaundement it was deliuered to the duke of Florence The sayde siege endured till the twentieth of Aprill in the yeare 1555. But in December in the sayde yeare 1554. Brissac to repaire this misfortune of Strozzi entered into Piemont and toke diuers townes of great importaunce and fortefied them against the Imperialls This yeare also 1554. the 23. of March after the French accompt who begin not the yeare till Easter dyed Pope Iulius tertius to whom succeded Marcellus who liued but a few dayes and to him succeded Cardinall Caraffa being foure score yeares of age by the name of Paule the fourth The French armie aboue mentioned vnder the 1555. leading of Brissac toke Cassal diuers other townes in the Marquisat of Montferrat and went to besiege Vulpian in Piemont which the Duke of Alua with a mightie army came to relieue as also hee did And hauing put victuals and munition sufficient into the towne he departed and besieged Saint Iac. But the towne was so notablie defended by the French for the king had sent thether great forces to succour the place that the Duke of Alua was forced to abandon the siege retire himselfe presentlie whervpon the French with their whole forces returned to the siege of Vulpian and toke it and razed both towne and castle because it maintained none but souldiours that robbed and spoiled all the country About this time also the French and Flemish Nauy met vpon the Sea neere to Douer a hauen towne in England where was a most bloddie fight betweene them in the which the French being put to the worse fired their ships thinking thereby to cause the flemings to vngraple from them but the fire was so vehement that they had no powre to doe it by meanes wherof both the Nauies were fired and many ships on both sides burnt Notwithstanding the French being entered into the flemish ships that remained seeing the small number of Flemings that were in them tooke fiue of their ships and led them away with them This yeare also vpon the fiue and twentith of October the Emperour in great solempnitie in the great hall of Bruxelles yelded vp all his estats and dominions patrimoniall to his sonne king Phillip and the Empire to the king of Romaines his brother Cap. 8. A truce for fiue yeares betweene the King of Fraunce and Spaine The Emperour saileth into Spaine and putteth himselfe into an Abbye where hee dieth AFter the Emperour had resigned all his estats to his sonne King Phillip 1556. the saide King by the perswasion of the Queene of England his wife and as some also writ by the Emperours owne perswasion enclined to make peace with Fraunce by meanes whereof both the Princes sent their commissioners to meete treat therof who not beeing able because of the sundry difficulties to conclude a finall peace made notwithstanding a truce for fiue yeares each part holding that which they had taken in the former warrs And in this yeare the Emperour with his two sisters Elenor Queene of Fraunce Marie Queene of Hungarie sailed into Spaine and put himselfe into an Abby wher he remained till his death which happened the one and twentith of September in the yeare 1558. One notable thing is to bee remembred of this noble Emperour wherby we may perceaue how vaine a thing the glory of this world is While the Emperour stayed at Vlushing for winde to carie him his last iourney into Spaine hee conferred on a time with Seldius his brother Ferdinands Ambassador till the deepe of the night and when Seldius should depart the Emperour calling for some of his seruants and no bodie answering him for those that attended vpon him were some gone to their lodgings and all the rest a sleepe the Emperour tooke vp the candle himselfe and went before Seldius to light him downe the staires and so did notwithstanding all the resistance that Seldius could make And whan he was come to the staires foote hee said thus vnto him Seldius remēber this of Charles the Emperour when he shal be dead and gone that him whom thou hast knowen in thy time enuironed with so many mightie armies and gardes of souldiers thou hast also seene alone abandoned forsaken yea euen of his owne domesticall seruants and that hee whom thou hast serued so manye yeares hath also serued thee and borne the candle downe before thee I acknowledge this chaunge of fortune to proceede from the mightie hand of God which I will by no meanes goe about to withstand Cap. 9. The truce for fiue yeares is broken by the Popes practise The Duke of Alua inuadeth the Church Dominions The Duke of Guyse entereth into Italie and the King inuadeth the King of Spayne in diuers other places The Queene of England proclaymeth warre against the French YOu haue heard how a truce for fiue yeares was concluded betweene the 1557. Kings of Fraunce and Spaine but it was broken before the expiration of one yeare vpon this occasion which you shall now heare The Pope being an enemie to the Spaniard gaue forth whether falsly
leading of Trimouille went and beesieged Nouara but this their good successe in the beginning was ouerthrowen in the twinkeling of an eye for you shall vnderstand that the Swyssers who had bound themselues to the defence of the sayde Duchie of Milan as before you haue heard came to leauie the siege of Nouara had the french in so great contempt that they assaulted them vpon a sodaine and defeated them in their owne camp which was one of the noblest victories that euer any nation obtayned This battaile is called the battayle of Nouara After this victorie all the Duchie of Milan reuolted in a moment chaced away the French and returned to the obedience of Maximilian Sforce and the king by this ouerthrow lost his honor his treasure and all that he held in Italie as well Genoua as the whole Duchie of Milan yea and the Castels of Milan Cremona which in all these troubles had still continued French seing themselues now in vtter despaire of succors and beeing in extreame distresse of victualls were yeelded into the Duke of Milans hands and the Kings armie in great feare and distresse returned into Piemont The Venetian forces vnder the leading of Aluiana were comming to ioyne with the French but hearing of the ouerthrow they retired to Padoua whether the Viceroy of NAPLES and PROSPERO COVLONNE beeing in pay with the Pope and the duke of Milan went to besiege them but not beeing able to take the towne they leuyed theyr siege and then ALVIANA issewing out of the towne pursewed them and charged them which charge they valyauntly receaued through the vertue of the Spanish footmen and cowardise of the Italian footemen the Venetian armie was ouerthrowen and lost all their artilery cariagde and ALVIANA retired to Treuisa This battayle was fought nere to Vincense and the Venetians lost in it 400. men of armes and 4000. sootemen Cap. 9. The king of England ouuerthroweth the french winneth Therouenne and Tournay The Swyssers inuade Burgundy Queene Anne dyeth The Pope maketh peace beetweene all these Princes The king marieth the King of Englands sister and dyeth THE same yeare also Henry King of Englād with a mightie armie which the Italians report to haue been to the number of 80000 men inuaded the Realm of Fraunce ouerthrew the French in a battaile called la iournee des esperons wherin the Duke of Longueuille with diuers noble men of Fraunce were taken prisoners the Emperour Maximilian being at that time in person in the king of Englands camp being alowed dayly by the sayd king 100 crownes for his diet The English men after this battaile toke Therouanne the two and twentith of August and from thence by the Emperour Maximilians persuasion went before Tournay which was yelded to them the nine and twentith of September and hauing defcated in an other battaile in England the Scots the ninth of September slaine their King in the feeld who by the persuasion of the French had inuaded the Realme of England during the Kings absence in Fraunce the sayd king of England triumphantly returned home Farther the Swyssers being secretly hiered with the Popes monie who loued not the French for the reasons aboue reherced inuaded Fraunce also on the other side and besieged Dijon in Burgundy into the which Monsieur de la Trimouille had put him selfe who doubting the vtter ruine of the Realme of Fraunce so many enemies inuading it on all sides without any commission from the king made a composition with the sayd Swyssers more necessarie than honorable for the Realme which was this that the King should renounce all his right to the Duchie of Milan and paye them at a day agreed vpon six hundreth thousand Crownes for the which also he deliuered them Hostages and they bound them selues onelie to retourne home into their Countrie for that tyme. The Pope was not a litle offended with this theyr returne but they excused the matter because they receaued not out of England the monie that was promised them but in truth their greedinesse of the six hundreth thousand Crownes aboue mentioned was the principall cause of their returne whereof notwithstanding their hope was frustrate for the King would not ratifie this disshonorable treatie made by Trimouille notwithstanding that it were the saftie of his Realme but sought to content those Swyssers with other conditions which they would not accept but threatned if the treatie were not accomplished by a certaine day to strike of the hostages heads About the beginning of the yeare 1514. dyed 1514. Queene Anne of France Farther you shall vnderstand that the Pope being by nature an enimie to the warres and wholie giuen to delights and pleasures namely to Musick to hearing of Playes and to beeholding of Maskes bouffons and ieasters yea somewhat more then was semely for his estate Laboured earnestly to reconcile these Princes and to ende the warres But the Swyssers would in no wise bee reconciled to the king Notwithstanding the truce betwene him the King of Spaine was continewed in the which also the Emperour Maximilian contrarie to his promise to the king of England was included and ratefied the sayde truce which vnprincely dealing of the sayde Maximilian caused also the king of England to encline to peace which soone after namely the seauenth of August by meanes of the Duke of Longueuille being prisoner in England was concluded betweene king Lewis and him and afterward in October folowing more strongly confirmed by the mariage of the Lady Marie the King of Englands sister with the sayd King Thus the king hauing made peace with all his neighbours and being assured of quietnesse on this side the mountaines turned his thoughts to the recouerie of that which hee had lost in Italie namely the Dutchie of Milan and the estate of Genoua But being in the midst of his preparation and incited therevnto by the Pope though not sincerly as some thought sodaine death which cutteth of all worldly cogitations seazed vpon him for while hee tooke to extreame pleasure in the excelent beutie of his young wife without regard either of his age or the weaknesse of his complexion hee was assaulted by a feuer wherevnto a fluxe being ioyned hee departed almost sodainely out of this present life the first day of Ianuarie in the yeere 1515. after the Ducche and Italian computation who begin the yeare at newyerstide but 1514. according to the French who begin it not till Easter This king liued 55. yeeres and raigned 17. Cha. 10. A discourse of certaine vertues and vices of King Lewis the twelfth BEtweene this King Lewis and Pope Iulius the 2. aboue mentioned was deadly hatred as by the Historie aboue written easely you may perceiue so farre foorth that they pursewed one an other not onely with armes but also with gybes scoffes The Pope accused the king of sacriledge wherevnto the king answered that it was most absurde for him to accuse an other of sacrilige that miantained his estate
condition that the king should ayde him to chace Francis Maria de la Rouere Nephew to Pope Iulius owt of the Duchie of Vrbin which also the king did in the yeare 1516. And the Pope gaue the saide Duchie of Vrbin to Laurens of Medices his nephew to whom also the king the more to content the Pope gaue in mariage the lady Magdelaine heire of the Earledome of Bouloyne in France of the which mariage issued Catherin of Medices queene of france Notwithstanding in the yeare 1517. the sayde Francis Maria recouered his Duchie againe out of the Popes hands notwithstanding that afterwards by aide of the French the Pope draue the said Francis Maria to a hard cōpositiō whereby he left the saide duchie to the Pope was constrained to take a Pension in regarde therof yet cōtinued he not long in this estate for so soone as pope Adrian was chosen Pope he restored Francis Maria to his Duchie of Vrbin againe who quietly enioyed it to his dying day which happened in the yeer 1538. Thus much I thought good to write in this place of the successe of this warr of Vrbin because hereafter I meane not to make farther mention thereof This yeare also Martin Luther beegan openly to preach against the Popes pardons in Germanie Cap. 3. Maximilian the Emperour dyeth Charles king of Castile succeedeth him The King confederateth himselfe with the King of England who restoreth Tournay to him The two Kings meete beetweene Ardres and Calais The King of England and the Emperor mete also together at Calais and Grauelin a rebellion in Spain THE King perceauing by diuers apparent 1518. reasons that the King of Castile ment to performe nothing of that which was promised at Noyon and farther vnderstanding that the Emperour Maximilian laboured the electors of the Empire to choose king of Romaines the sayde king of Castile his Nephew a thing greatly displeasing the king because the Empire being ioyned to his Patrimoniall seniories the sayd king of Castile should bee so mightie that no Prince in Christendome should bee able to withstand his power dyd both with his money and by his ministers disswade the electors from that election and stayed it during Maximilians lyfe Notwithstanding after the sayde Maximilians death which happened the twelfth of Ianuary 1519 after the Duch and Italian accompt who beginne the yeare at Newyerstide but 1518. after the French who begin it not till Easter the said Charles king of Castile was elected Emperour notwithstāding all the impediments of the king and the great sute both he and his friends had made to obtaine the Empire for himselfe but god had otherwise disposed of it Wherefore the king hauing failed of his hope for the obtaining of the Empire and seeing the powre of the Emperour elect so greatly to increase determined to enter into a straight confederacie alliance with the king of England to whom he sent Ambassadors to treate of a mariage betwen 1519. their children which was concluded and as well performed as the other treatise of mariage with the king of Castile had bene Farther the king laboured the king of England to restore Tournay vnto him because it was a towne that serued the English men to small purpose being far from their dominions and the defence thereof being yearely to the King of England a great charge but stoode verie commodiously for the king to offend at his pleasure the Emperour in his low coūtries which matter was so earnestly pursued that for the summe of 400000. crownes the towne was deliuered into the kings hands and a straight league concluded betwene the king of England and him and it was agreed that the next yeare an enteruiew should be of the two kings betwen Calais and Ardres which also was accomplished accordingly with so great 1520. triumph brauerie on both sides that the French called the place of the enteruiew Le Camp de drap d'or and with so great demonstrations of loue betweene the two Princes that the like was not seene in many hūdred yeares before For besides the roiall sumptuous entertainment that they gaue each to other such brotherly loue and assurance was betwene them that in one day the two kings went dined each with others Queene and farther one morning verie earely the king of Fraūce came with a small traine to Guysnes before the king of England was stirring and tould him that he was come to yeld him selfe his prisoner in his Castle of Guysnes whereunto the King of England answered that he was come to take his hart his prisoner which was a verie readie an apt answere To conclude such signes of perfect loue amitie passed betwen these two princes by the space of 15. or 16. dayes for so long they were together that all men thought their friendship to be indissoluble that war could neuer arise betwene thē but it happened otherwise afterwards whereby it appereth that he spake truth that said Princes amitie to be no inheritance Not long after this enteruiew aboue mētioned the new Emperour elect ariued in England where contrarie to the king of Fraunce his expectation he was most honorably receaued in such sort that the King of England accompanied him to Calais afterwards to Grauelin where they were together a certaine space in great friendship and fraternitie and where diuers things were concluded betwene them no whit to the contentation of the King of Fraunce Among other articles this was one that what controuersie soeuer happened beetweene the Emperour and the King the King of England should bee the iudge thereof which article beecause the king would not agre vnto the king of England toke occasion to become his enemie therevpon Notwithstanding the warres brake not out betwene them this yeare as well because they had no apparant quarell on either side as also because they had not as yet made their prouisions for the warres beesides that Spaine was troubled with a great rebellion which the Spaniards called La Santa giunta which could not bee appeased till the next yeare that feare of the forraine enemy namely the French inuading Spaine caused the Spaniards to forget all the domesticall dissentions and to attend to the defence of their countrey Cha. 4. VVars betwene the king the Emperour The French conquer Nauarre and presently lose it againe The Imperials winne many places from the French in the Duchie of Milan The French win Fontarabia Nassau inuadeth Picardie The Emperour recouereth Tournay BVt to proceede the long dissembled euill will 1521. betweene these two mightie Princes could no longer be hidden but like a fier that had long been smothered brake sodainely forth into a great flame partly by the solicitation of the King of England Francis Sforce and partly by a quarell that happened betweene Robert de la Marche and Monsieur d'Emeriez about a Castell called Hiergie This la Marche beeing in league with the King in his protection inuaded his
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
sent 1539. to submit themselues to the king who not onely refused them but also aduertised the Emperour thereof who meaning in person to suppresse their rebellion and knowing the iourney by sea to bee long and dangerous because tempest mought cast him vpon the coast of England the king whereof was his enemie as it had done his father in times past sent to the king desiring him that he mought passe the next way through France promising him the restitution of Milan for one of his sonnes but hee besought him not to demaund any assuraunce thereof in writing till hee should be come into the low countreys least hee should seeme to yeeld the saide duchie not of his owne accord but by constraint to obtaine his passage through Fraunce The king agreed to all his demaunds receaued him into his realme and conueighed him through it into his owne dominions with all the honor that possibly mought be imagined But after he was passed out of the realme of France first he began to temporise about the restitution of the said Duchie of Milan till hee had spoken with his brother the king of Romaines and afterwards flatly denied that he had made any such promise at all and thus was the king deluded agreable whereunto certaine words much vsed by the Emperour in his passage through France wer better vnderstod after his said passage by the sequell that folowed than whan they were vttered for you shal vnderstaÌ„d that Monsieur de Sanssac was appointed to attend vpon him with all sorts of Haukes wherein the saide Emperour semed to take great delight especially with flying at the Kight which the French call Voler le Milan in so much that he vsed often to aske the said Sanssac whether they should Voler le Milan Which after his departure out of Fraunce and his deluding of the king for the restitution of the Duchie of Milan was interpreted not to be ment of flying at the Kight but as a ieast the Emperour in his owne conceit made at the Kings simplicitie in beeleeuing that for his passage through Fraunce he would restore the said Duchie The said Emperour vnder colour and promise of pardoning the Gantoys all their offences entered 1540. with his armie into Gaunt where he made a bluddy and cruell execution of all the offendors tooke away their weapons seazed all their priuiledges built a Castle of the Abby of Saint Bauon to command the towne hould it in awe in the nature of a citadelle This dissimulation of the Emperours aboue mentioned touching the restitutioÌ„ of Milan so faithfully promised gaue the king iust cause to be ielous of all his actions and to fortefie himselfe against him with as many friends as he could make wherfore he sent Caesar Fregose Ricon his Ambassadors the one to the Venetians the other to negotiate 1541. with the Turke who passing peacably through the dominions of the Emperor as the kings good brother friend and confederate were both slaine vpon the Riuer of Poe by the Marques of Guast and that by the Emperours commaundement as the King sayde whose meaning was to haue found their instructions about them and so to haue discouered all the kings secrets But the said Ambassadors for the better assurance had sent their packets an other way to Venis so the said Marques fayled of his purpose The king demaunded iustice at the Emperours hands for this wicked fact naming vnto him the men that had committed this vilanous murther directly prouing the sayde Marques to haue beene author thereof But because the Emperour refused to doe iustice heerin as reason was he should haue done it is manifest that the fact was not commited but by his commaundement In this yeare also the Emperor made his iourney by sea into Africk purposing to besiege Argier but his nauie was so tossed with tempest that with great daunger of his person and infinit losse both of treasure munition ships men he was forced to returne home But it had ben much more honorable for him to haue gone to aide his brother whom the Turke spoiled at this very time of the greatest part of Hungarie then to haue attempted this voiage into Africk which the king charged the Emperour to procede of couardise alledging that because he durst not goe against the Turke who was in person in Hungarie he chose the other enterprise as easier and of lesse daunger But to proceede Cap. 14. Warrs renewed betwene the Emperour and the king The king inuadeth the Emperour with foure armies The Emperour inuadeth the Duke of Cleues The king winneth Landersey inuadeth Luxembourg the second time The Emperor ioyned with the king of England be sieged Landersey but in vaine The causes why the king of England left the kings friendship THe king seing the Emperour returned from his voiage in Africk during the which like a Christian Prince he forbare to attempt any warre against him solicited him earnestly to doe iustice for the murther of his two Ambassadors and farther sent to Marie Queene of Hungarie the Emperours sister regent of the low countries to haue the towne of S. Pol deliuered to him according to the Articles of the late truce concluded betwene the Emperour and him But receauing vppon both these points an answer that liked him not he determined to recouer by warr that which he could not obtain by reason Wherefore he inuaded the Emperours 1542. dominions with foure seuerall armies First he sent one armie vnder the leading of the Daulphin his sonne to besiege Perpignian in the couÌ„tie of Roussilion in Spaine supposing the towne to be worse prouided for defence than in deede it was and this armie did him no seruice but was forced to returne home relinquish the enterprise The secoÌ„d armie vnder the leading of the Duke of OrleaÌ„s the kings secoÌ„d sonne inuaded the Duchie of Luxembourg toke almost all the stroÌ„g places therof euen Luxembourg it selfe Farther during the aboad of the Kings armie before Luxembourg certaine bands were deliuered to the Duke of Longueuille and Martin van Rossam who met with the prince of Orenge comming to relieue the said town of Luxembourg and ouerthrew him and pursued him euen to Andwerpe gates the suburbes also whereof they toke spoiled burned them but the towne they could â—ot take wherefore they returned to the Duke of 〈…〉 lying still at the siege of Luxembourg and ioyned themselues with him But Luxembourg being taken the king reuoqued home his sonne whose back was no soner turned but the Imperialls presently recouered all the sayd Duchie from the French The third armie vnder the leading of the Duke of Vendosme inuaded Artoys and spoiled all the countrie and toke diuers small places and that being done the sayd Duke lodged his armie all the winter in the garrison townes The fourth armie was sent into Piemont with a purpose to haue entered into the Duchie of Milan But the Emperour had prouided well
for the defence thereof besides that to stay the French from attempting aught against the sayd Duchie of Milan the Marques of Guast was sent into Piemont to make head against the French where betwene him and Monsieur de Langey generall of the French forces who dyed during these warrs and afterward betwene him and the Marshall'd Annebault many feats of armes but no great exploit was done thus these foure armies stode the king in an excessiue charge and turned him neither to honor nor profit Notwithstanding the armie that was in Picardie vnder the leading of the Duke of Vendosme winter being past put it selfe againe into the field and toke diuers places in Artoys and namely Lilliers a little 1543. but a strong towne likewise Bapaulme burned thē both finding almost no resistāce in the coūrey because the Emperour had withdrawen all his forces out of the strong places and sent for them to ayde him against the Duke of Cleues vppon whom hee made warre and whose countrey hee conquered and subdewed at this present But the King in the meane time to withdraw the Emperour from inuading the sayde Duke of Cleues being the kings confederate entered with a mightie armie into the Emperours dominions tooke Landersey and fortefied it and afterward also sent the Duke of Orleans againe to inuade the Duchie of Luxembourg who wan diuers townes in that Countrey and namely recouered Luxembourg it selfe which was now the second tyme taken by the French The Emperour on the other side being ayded by the king of England besieged Landersey fortefied by the French as you haue heard whether the King came in person with a mightie armie to relieue the towne in such sort that the two armies ioyned so nere together that the battell was assuredly looked for But the king hauing sufficiently victualed and relieued the towne which was the onely cause of his comming retired safly with his armie into France and the Emperour soone after for want of victuals and because of the continuall raine that fell the winter that approched about the seuenth or eighth of Nouember leuyed his siege A man may maruayle heere how it shoule come to passe that the King of England betwene whom and the King had bene so straight a league and from whom so many curtesies had proceded towards the king and his Realme in their most troubles and greatest aduersities should now become his foe and ioyne with the Emperour whom hee had so deadly hated in the inuasion of the kings dominions But you shal vnderstand that this proceded partly of the king of Englands owne disposition partly through the kings fault and partly through the Emperours cunning First as touching the King of England trew it is that as himselfe was a Prince of a noble and a franck minde and one that would endeuour to pleasure his friend to his vttermost power so if himselfe likewise were not satisfied in all his demaunds at his friends hands hee was by nature apte to strange himselfe from his friend not alwayes so depely considering as was requisit his friends abilitie to accomplish that which hee desired And because hee had shewed himselfe a firme yea almost an onely friend to the realme of France during the time of the kings captiuitie and afterwards at the deliuerie of the Children of Fraunce as before mention is made he toke it very vnkindely at the kings hand First that hee payed not his money dew vnto him for the which he had giuen the king fiue yeares day of payment and the payment whereof the Emperour had turned ouer vppon the king of purpose to set these two Princes at variance as before you haue heard Secondarely he was grieued that the king obtained not for him the Bull of deuorce at the Popes hāds which he was perswaded the king by his authoritie mought haue procured if he had delt so earnestly in that businesse as friendship required that he should Now as touching the king he fayled towards the king of England in the first point that is the payment of his monie through want of abilitie for the Emperor held him in such continuall wars that he was forced to leauie extreamly of his subiects neuer could be in case to pay debts as touching the second point namely the Bull of deuorce trew it is that the king after the restitution of his children trauailed not so earnestly in the busines as before he had done either because he held somwhat of the disposition of his countrey men who are saide to remember good turnes no longer thē they be in doing or because he was loth to offend the Emperour with whom he had cōcluded peace whose sister he had maried or because he found the Pope obstinate or a feard to graūt the Bull in respect of the Emperors greatnes in Italie or lastly because he held the case desperate especially after the king of Englands reuolt from the Pope Whether any of these reasons or all of them or some other vnknowne to vs caused him to deale cowldly in the king of Englands businesse we can but deuine but certaine it is that the kings remisnesse in this cause mightely grieued the King of England and diminished a great part of his loue towards the king Lastly as touching the Emperour hee vsed exceding cunning to seuer these two Princes whose amitie hee saw to bee the countermine of all his practises and procedings For first hee turned ouer his owne debt to the king of England vpon the king of Fraunce of purpose to cast a boane betweene them to set them at variance as before you haue heard Farther so soone as he perceued the king of Englands minde to bee a little alienated from the king hee fayled not to doe his endeuour to aggrauate euerie small vnkindenesse and to make a mountaine of euerie moulehill Beesides this hee wroate passing kinde letters to the king of England desiring him to remember the oulde friendship that had euer beene betwene the house of Burgundie and the Realme of England and likewise not to forget the auncient enmitie and the many quarells that were yet depending beetweene England and Fraunce adding that if any vnkindenesse had passed betweene them two in regard of his Aunts cause it was now cleane forgotten on his part by his Aunts death intimating farther vnto him that if hee the sayde Emperour would embrace the king of France his friendship the king offered to enter into league with him and to abandon his league with the sayd king of England or any other prince in Christendome that the sayde Emperour should mislike of And at such times as the Emperour had these purposes in his head hee would in apparance make so much of the king of Fraunce and haue such conference with him and his Ambassadors and seeme so wholy in all matters to depend vppon his direction and aduise that hee made not onely the king of England but all the kings other confederats in Christendome
to doubt that he ment to doe as the Emperours letters reported namely to enter into league with him and to forsake all his other friends and thus vnderhand the Emperour made the king himselfe the instrument to cut his owne throat and to seuer from him all his friends Whervnto I also adde that to draw the king of England to his partie to ioyne armes with him he offered him of the conquest of Fraunce what portion he would desire himselfe and by these meanes was the King of England wonne from the Kings friendship and sent a Herrault to defie the King and presently passed ouer his forces to ioyne with the Emperour before Landercy as alreadie you haue heard But to returne to the matter Cap. 15. The Turke ioyned with the kings forces take Nice in Prouince the Emperour entereth into Cambray Furstembergs successe in the duchie of Luxembourg The English spoyle the Countrey of Bouloynoys The warres in Piemont and the battayle of Serizoles The Emperour recouereth Luxembourg hee and the King of England inuade Fraunce The King of England winneth Boloyn peace betwene all these Princes The death of the Kings of England and Fraunce THe King seeing him selfe thus inuaded by the Emperour and the King of England was forced to pray in ayde of the Turke who sent his nauie to ioyne with the Kings in the siege of Nice in Prouince and the towne they tooke therein executed great crueltie but the Castle they could not take wherefore they retired themselues The Emperour on the other side by cunning entered into the towne of Cambray and in apparance left them in their auncient libertie but indeede so brideled them by a citadelle which he caused the Citizens thē selues at their owne charge to build and into the which he put a garison of his owne souldiours that he brought them to plaine slauerie and bondage Farther the sayd Emperour sent also Williā Eatle of Furstemberg with an army to recouer Luxembourg who recouered diuers places in the countrey went and layed his siege before Luxembourg it selfe but hearing of the prince of Melphes cōming to succour the towne he leuyed his siege retired into Allemayne the Frēch recouered all the places that before they had lost But the English on the other side spoiled and forraged all the countrey of Boulonoys The king hauing succoured Luxembourg sent an army into Pie mont vnder the leading of the Earle of Anghien a most valiant yong prince who wan diuers townes there in the Marquisat of Salusses from the Marques of Guast generall of the Emperours forces went and besieged Carignan whether the said Marques 1544. with the army Imperiall came to leuie the siege but the French at a place called Serizoles gaue him battaile and ouerthrew him slew 7000. of his armie and tooke 2000 prisoners After the which battaile the said Monsieur d'Anghien toke Carignan and diuers other townes in Piemont in the Marquisat of Montferrat But on the other side the Emperour with a huge armie inuaded the Duchie of Luxembourg and recouered Luxembourg the chiefe Citie thereof and diuers other townes and namely S. Disier which last was takē with great difficultie long defēded it selfe against the Imperial armie This yeare also the Emperour the king of Englād being cōfederated together inuaded France with so great forces that it is reported aboue 80000. mē to haue ben in both their armies Their purpose was to haue sacked Paris as vndoubtedly they had done if the king of England had marched forward according to his promis to the Emperour had not stayed at the siege of Bouloyne by meanes whereof the Emperour seeing his armie to be in distresse of victualls that the English armie marched not forward to his succour according to their agrement concluded peace with the king and retired his forces out of Fraunce In the meane time the king of England wan Boloyne which was yelded to him by Monsieur de Veruins the fourth of September which being done the king of England returned home and landed at Douer the first of October Notwithstanding the next yeare after many skirmishes and feates of armes done betwen the french 1545. and English as well by sea as land peace was treated off betwene these two Kings and in the ende after many difficulties concluded but not proclaymed before Whitsonday being the thirtenth of Iune 1546. thus God miraculously preserued the Realme of Fraunce which vndoubtedly had stood in great daunger if God had not put into the king of Englands head to stay at the siege of Boulonie and not to march forward to ioyne with the Emperour as hee ought to haue done which his error in all apparance was the preseruation of the Realme of Fraunce The Emperour hauing made peace with the king entered into warre against the Protestants of 1546. Germanie and both he they sent to king Frances for ayde but he refused to giue ayde to eyther of them promising to be an indifferent friend to both The eight and twenteth of Ianuarie folowing died Henry king of England which newes the king tooke grieuously when he heard it as well because of the great good will that had been betwene thē as also because the king was in hope to haue made a firme league with him lastly because they two hauing beene almost of one yeares and of one cōplexion he foresaw his owne ende to draw neere Notwithstanding after the sayd king of Englands death he renewed the league lately made betwene them twaine with king Edward king Henryes son and not long after dyed also himselfe at Rambollet the last day of March in the yeare 1546. after the French accompt who begin not the yeare till Easter hauing liued 53. yeares reigned two and thirtie and three moneths and sixe dayes This was a Prince endued with many excellent parts especially magnanimitie curtesie and liberalitie and farther so great a patron louer and aduauncer of learning that he may iustly be called the father sounder of good letters What his fortune was in this world may easely be gathered out of his Historie wherin it doth appeare that she was more froward then fauourable vnto him but one great grace of God he had that no aduersitie was able to diminish the magnanimitie of his minde besides that he was of an excellent memorie and exceding eloquent in his owne tongue HENRY THE SEcond of that name King of Fraunce Cap. 1. King Henry commeth to the Crowne The Emperours warres in Germanie The English inuade Scotland The rebellion of Guyenne TO King Francis the first succeded his onely sonne Henry the second being eight twentie yeares of age in the very beginning of whose reigne the Emperour as before you haue heard in the ende of king Francis his reigne was entered into a warre in Germanie against the Protestants 1547. namely the Duke of Saxonie and the Lantzgraue of Hessen and diuers other Princes
Vendosme recouered Hesdin and afterward all the other townes and on the other side the Marshall of Brissac in Piemom wâ—n from the Emperour the towne of Alba. But to returne to the siege of Metz. Notwithstanding that the Emperour vsed all warlike attempts for the taking of the towne and so coÌ„tinually beat it with artilerie that it is reported by some his batterie to haue beene heard as farre as Strausbourg and by othersome aboue 22. Duch miles from the towne yet was the industrie of those within the towne and the miserie of his souldiours without the towne such his camp being most grieuously afflicted with the plague famine bluddie flux and cold the siege continewing in the midst of an extreame winter as before you haue heard that hee was forced to leuie his siege returne into Flaunders the second day of Ianuarie 1553. after the Duch Italian accompt who begin the yeare the first of Ianuarie but 1552. after the French who begin it not till Easter At his departure to the ende hee mought returne with the more speede he cast into the Riuer a great part of his artilerie and munition for the warres farther hee lost in this siege 40000. men the ignominie thereof so much afflicted him that he forbare all communication with men and soone after resigned the Empire to his brother and his orher states to his sonne and put himselfe into an Abbie in Spaine where he ended his dayes Such misfortunes Princes often fall into when they are wedded to their owne wills and reiect all good aduise or rather when GOD is purposed to punish them and to chaunge their good fortune into bad It is reported that the Emperours armie sustayned so extreame miserie in this siege that one day as hee roade thorow his Campe a poore souldier beeing miserably afflicted with the bluddye fluxe cryed out thus to him as he passed by Thou sonne of a mad woman how much miserie doe I and many a thousand more endure heere through thy ambition and wilfull obstinancie If thou wert not tainted with thy mothers humor thou wouldest neuer haue brought vs to this siege at this time of the yeare which words the Emperour hearing gaue no euell answere therevnto but onely sayde good words souldiour this matter shall bee remedied ere long be and with that gaue the poore soule money wherewith to comfort himselfe and soone after raysed his siege leauing a great number behinde him sicke whom the enemies of very pitie succoured and relieued But notwithstanding the Emperours euell fortune here before Metz his armie in Picardie vnder the leading of Monsieur de Reux besieged Therouenne in the which siege the sayd de Reux dyed after whose death Monsieur de Lalain continued the siege with a mine ouerthrew the fortifications wherevpon Montmorency the Constables sonne Gouernour of the towne yeelded the place and withall himselfe and diuers other noble men of Fraunce prisoners Cap. 6. The Imperialls raze Hesdin The Duke of Arscot is taken prisoner The death of Edward the sixt King of England and of Duke Maurice The king inuadeth the Emperour with three armies the battaile of Renty THe Emperour because of the variance that was among his Captaines made the Duke of Sauoye generall of his armie who in Iulie recouered also Hesdin from the French in the which the duke of Bouillon was taken prisoner and razed the Castle as the Imperials before had done the Castell of Therouenne buylt a new Hesdin in a more conuenient place vppon the Riuer of Cauche which they called Hesdinfiert From thence the Duke of Sauoy marched towards Dourlans and Amiens where the Constable with part of the Kings armie met with certaine of his troupes vpon the fifteenth of August and hauing layde diuers ambushes to entrap them charged them and ouerthrew them and toke prisoner the Duke of Arscot who was led to Boys de Vincennes neere to Paris whence hee escaped in the yeare 1556 wherevpon the Emperour ieasted of him saying that he was taken like a begger and scaped away like a theefe Farther the king in person with a mightie armie entered into Artoys and came before Cambray where the Imperiall armie lay in such sort that the battaile was looked for there but it fell otherwise out wherevpon the king returned to Paris leauing the Marshall of Saint Andre to spoyle the Countrey In this yeare the sixth of Iulie dyed Edward king of England a young Prince of rare expectation and to him succeeded Marie his sister Cosin germaine to the Emperour who about Saynt Iames tide the nezt yeare maryed with the Prince of Spaine the Emperours sonne And the ninth of Iulie was a cruell battaile fought in Germanie betwene Duke MAVRICE and Albert Marques of Brandenbourg in the which the sayde Albert was vanquished and Duke MAVRICE lost his lise You haue heard how the king returned to Paris leauing the Marshall of Saint Andre behinde him 1554. to spoyle the Countrey of Artoys But the next sommer the king leuied three armies one vnder the leading of the Prince of Roche sur Yonne was sent into Artoys where it spoyled many townes villages The Constable with an other armie entered into Haynault and the Duke of Neuers with a third into the countrey of Ardennes and Liege where he burned and spoiled all the country before him The Constable likewise in Haynault burnt Cymay a towne appertaining to the Duke of Arsâ—ot Trelon and Glayon and tooke Mariembourg through the cowardise of him that defended it with the fame of the which victorie the king being incited came in person into his army and tooke Bouuines in Brabant and burned it and sacked Dinand But the Emperour leuied a mightie power to encounter him vnder the leading of the Duke of Sauoy Wherevpon the King returned againe into Haynault and destroyed Bins and Mariemount the Queene of Hungaries places of pleasure in reuenge of Folenbray in Picardie which the Imperialls burned in the yeare 1552. as before you haue heard thus hauing burned and spoiled all Haynault the King with his army entered into Artoys and besieged Renty But the Emperour with his whole force came to leauie the siege in such sort that a battaile was there fought betweene the king and him in the which the successe on both sides was so equall that the victorie can iustlie be attributed to neither part some call it but a halfe battaile Notwithstanding this was the battaile in the which it was first found by experience that the rutters with their Pistoles are not able to abide the force of the Launce if they be roughly and resolutely charged The next day as the King was returning to the siege of the towne he reccaued newes that his forces were ouerthrowen in Italie wherevpon he retired and returned to Montrueil and the Emperour likewise to Bruxelles Cap. 7. The warres of Siena Brissacs successe in Piemont Pope Iulius dieth Paule the fourth succedeth The French in Piemont take Vulpian The