with an example all new without shutting the conclaue elected Pope the same night those that were of the contrary opinion not daring to oppose against him He either hauing regard to his first name of Iulio or as coniectures were made to signifie the greatnes of his conceptions or lastly bicause he would not giue place to Alexander no not in the excellencie of name tooke vpon him the name of Iulio the second of that name Amongst all the Popes that had passed it was wondred that by so great consent they had created for Pope a Cardinall who was knowen to be of a disposition rigorous terrible and in whom was no expectation of rest and trāquilitie hauing consumed his youth in continuall trauels offended many by necessitie exercised hatreds agaynst many great personages a man to whose wit nothing was more familiar then thinuention of trouble faction and conspiracie But on the other side the causes of his election to that degree appeared clearly and surmounted all other difficulties for he had bene of long time a Cardinall of great power and might and with his magnificence wherin he had always exceeded the residue and with the greatnes of his spirit by the which he did great things he had not only made himselfe mightie in opinion and frendes but by times degrees had erected high his authoritie in the Court of Rome bearing the name title and dignitie of the principall defender of the ecclesiastike libertie But that which serued most in his aduauncement was the promises immoderate and infinite whiche he made to the Cardinals Princes and Barons and to all others whom he might make profitable to him in that action Besides he had the meane to distribute money benefices and spirituall dignities aswell such as were his owne as those that were the rightes of others for that suche was the bruite and renowne of his liberalitie that many made willing offers to him to dispose as he best liked of their treasures their names their offices and benefices They considered not that his promises were farre to great then that beeing Pope he was eyther hable or ought to obserue for that he had of so long continuaunce enioyed the name of iust and vpright that Pope Alexander him selfe his greatest enemie speaking ill on him in al other things could not but cōfesse him to be true of his word A praise which he made no care to defile staine to th ende to become Pope knowing that no man more easily beguileth an other then he that hath the custome and name neuer to deceiue any The Cardinall of Amboyse cōsented to this election for that dispayring to obteine the Popedome for himselfe he hoped that in the new Pope would be recontinued in time to come those degrees and properties of amitie which he had alwayes borne to the king his maister vsing this wisdome to seeme to beare that with liking and contentment which he could not hinder by any deuise or power The Cardinall Askanius gaue also his franke consent beeing reconciled to him before and treading vnder feete the memorie of all auncient contentions that had bene betweene them at suche time as afore the Popedome of Alexander they folowed the court of Rome in the persons of Cardinals for hauing better experience of his disposition then the Cardinall of Amboyse thought that beeing ascended to the Popedome he should haue the same vnquietnes or rather greater then he had had in a meaner fortune together with such cōceptions as might be able to opē to him a way to recouer the duchie of Millan In like sort the Spanish Cardinals yelded their consent notwithstanding in the beginning they shewed no inclination But seing there was such a concurrance of others and fearing not to be sufficient enough to let his election they iudged it more conuenient for their suretie to holde him appeased in consenting then to stir him to anger in refusing somewhat affying themselues in the great promises he made to them and for the rest induced by the persuacions and requests of Valentynois whose condition stoode so enuironed with calamities that he was constrayned to folow euery daungerous counsel He was also no lesse abused then the others with the hopes that he gaue him for that he promised him to make a mariage betweene his daughter his nephew Frauncis Maria de la Rouere prefect of Rome to confirme him captaine of the armies of the Churche And which was of greatest importance to ioyne to his ayde in the recouery of the townes of Romania All which except the Castels were almost withdrawne from his obedience The affayres of which prouince full of innouations and chaunges troubled with diuers thoughtes the spirite of the Pope both for that he knewe he was not able at that time to bring it to his deuotion and also he endured with murmure and grudge that in it should be raysed the greatnes of the Venetians enuy bearing this nature not to make men so muche to complayne of their proper wantes as to greeue in the wealth and well doing of others When it was vnderstande in Romania that Valentynois was fledde into the Castel S. Angeo and the regiments of men that were about him dispersed and passed into their seuerall calamities the Cities whiche had expected him before in great constancie hauing now their hopes turned into feares applied to the time and began to take newe parties suche for the most part is the wauering condition of communalties and multitudes not measuring things by iustice and equitie of reason but eyther by opinion which cōmonly is partiall or by cōmon report which for the most part is ful of incerteinties errors Cesena returned to the auncient deuotion of the Church Ymola the capteine of the castel beeing killed by meane of certayne the principall Citizens stoode in doubt one parte desiring to reuert to the Churche and an other part to be reconciled to the Riareis their first Lordes The Citie of Furly possessed by the Ordelaffy long tyme before it came to the Riares by the permission of Pope Sixtus had reappealed Anthonie a remeynder of the same familie who firste prouing to enter with the fauour of the Venetians but afterwardes fearing that vnder hys name they woulde reteyne the iurisdiction to them selues had recourse to the Florentynes and by their meanes was reinuested in his patrimonie Iohn Sforce returned to Pesero and to Rimini Pandolfe Malateste the one and other beeing called by the people But Denys of Nalda an auncient souldiour to Valentynois at the request of the Castlekeeper of Rimini went to their succours by whose helpe in good time Pandolffe beeing put to the chase the Citie returned eftsones to the obedience of Valentynois Faenza only perseuered longest in his deuotion but in the ende falling into a depriuation of hope for his returne casting their eyes vppon certayne remaynders of the familie of Manfreda their auncient Lordes they called home Astor a young Gentleman of the same house but
the otherside nothing more daungerous then to demaund councell And albeit councell is lesse necessary to men discreete then to such as are not tempered yet no dowt the profits are not fewe which wise men reape by councells seeing no man hath that perfect wisedom to consider alwayes and know all thinges of him selfe and in reasons contrary or different is able alwayes to discerne the better part But what assurance hath he that asketh coūcell to receiue councell according to the faith he reapposeth seeing if there be no equall fidelitie nor affection but regard to particular interests as profit reuenge or some other mocion he that giueth the councell dresseth it to that ende which best aunswereth his purpose So that those endes being for the most part vnknowen to him that comes to aske councell he perceiueth not if he be not wise the treason and infidelitie of the councell Thexperience was seene in the condicion of P. de medicis for the Venetians iudging that if he returned into his countrey it would be a cause to giue the king a greater facilitie to his demaundes and desires of the Florentyns A thing preiudiciall to them and contrary to the course of their affayres perswaded him by many liuely reasons councelling rather for them selues then for him that he should not put him selfe in the power of a king of Fraunce holding him selfe iniuried by him Wherein the better to encourage him to thymitacion of their councell they offered him to embrace his affayres and as time and necessitie required to minister to him all meanes and fauors conuenient for his restitucion wherein the better to be assured that he should not then depart Venice they set vpon him if the common brute be true very secrete espiall and guard But now for Florence in this meane while mens hartes were inflamed on all partes and almost caried into manifest contencion the king would nothing abate of his later demaundes nor the Florentyns be bownd to summes of money so intollerable and much lesse consent to any iurisdiction or preeminence in their estate All which difficulties not being able almost to be dissolued without armes were euen presently decided by the vertue of Peter Capponi one of the fowre deputed to treate with the king This Capponi was a man of spirite and great courage and of speciall reputacion in Florence aswell for his partes and qualities as for that he was of an honorable familie and discended of personages who had borne great rule in the common weale As he and his companions were one day in the presence and audience of the king that one of the kings Secretories redde the vnreasonable capitulacions offered by the king at the last he in a great furie snatched the articles out of the Secretories hands and tare them before the eyes of the king saying with a hart resolute and a voyce framed seeing you demaund of vs thinges so dishonest sound you vp your trompets and we will ringe our bells let all thinges be ruled by the sentence of the sworde and in the same heate flinges with great suddeines out of the chamber being followed with his companions The wordes of this Citisen whom the king and his court had already knowen for that a fewe monthes before he had bene in Fraunce in legacion for them of Florence astonished them all in such sort specially for that they could not beleue that such a boldnes was without occasion that they called him backe againe and without speaking more of demaundes whereunto the Florentyns had no will to condiscend the king and the citie fell to composicion in this sort That all quarrells and iniuries forgotten and cancelled the citie of Florence should be friend confederate and in the perpetuall protection of the crowne of Fraunce That for the sewertie of the king the citie of Pysa and towne of Lyuorne with all their castels should remeine in his hands And that he should be bownd to restore them to the Florentyns without any expēses or charges as sone as he had brought to end his enterprise of the kingdom of Naples the which should be cōstrued to be at an end whensoeuer he shoulde haue cōquered the citie of Naples or accorded the warre by meane of peace or truce for lesse then two yeares or that for any other occasiō his person should be gone out of Italy That those that had the keeping of the sayd castells should be sworne from the present to render them in the cases aforesayd That in the meane while the imperie the iurisdiction the gouernmēt the reuenue of the townes should be in the administraciō of the Florētyns as they were accustomed That the like should be of S. Peter Serezane Serezanelle But for that the Genovvays pretēded right to them the king should procure either by cōposiciō or iustice some reasōable end betwene thē if within the time afore said he could not determine the titles that then he should restore them to the Florentyns That the king might leaue at Florence two Embassadors and that during his expedicion for Naples there should be nothing debated concerning that action without their priuitie and calling them to it And that during the sayd tyme they should not chuse a capteine generall ouer their companies without communicating with the sayd Embassadors That all the other peeces taken away or reuolted from the Florentyns should be immediatly rēdred that they might be suffred to recouer them by armes where deniall was made That to ayde the king in his enterprise they shoulde giue him fiftie thowsand duckats within fifteene dayes forty thowsand in the month of March thirty thowsand in Iune next comming That the Florentyns should pardon the Pysans their rebellions and all other faults committed during their reuolt That they should deliuer Peter de medicis and his brethern from condemnacion and confiskacion with this condicion notwithstanding that Peter should not come by an hundred miles neare the confines of the dominion of Florence that was because he should not remaine at Rome nor his brethern nearer then a hundred myles of the citie of Florence These were tharticles of most importance in the capitulacion made betwene the king and the Florentyns which after they were lawfully passed contracted were in great ceremonie published in the great Church at diuine seruice where the king in person at whoserequest this was done the Magistrates of the citie promised by solemne othe vpon the high altar in the presence of the Court and the whole face of Florence to obserue the contents of the same Within two dayes after the king left Florence and went to Siena which citie being confederat with the king of Naples with the Florentyns had followed their authoritie vntil the going of Peter de medicis to Serezana warned them to looke to their proper safetie Siena citie well peopled and planted in a region very fertill and which of antiquitie had bene the most renowmed mighty towne
oportunitie of the scituacion Neither was this desire new but had bene nourished in him euer since he was expulsed Myllan a litle after the death of Galeas his brother for a ielowsie which the Ladye Bonne mother and tutur to the litle Duke had of him at what time soiorning many monthes vpon the borders of Pysa he cast many plotts deuises to get the rule and imperie of it wherein as touching the title he was holpen with a recorde and memorie that Pysa afore it came into the iurisdiction of the Florentyns had bene possessed by Iohn Galeas Viscounte first Duke of Myllan By reason whereof he thought it would be an increase of his glorie to recouer that which had beene possessed by his elders and seemed that he might pretende a cooller of right in not making lawfull that Iohn Galeas might leaue by testament to the preiudice of the Dukes of Myllan his successors to Gabriell Maria his bastard sonne the state of Pysa which he had gotten albeit with the treasors armies of the Duchie of Myllan The Pysans not content to haue drawne their citie from the obedience of the Florentyns sought to obtrude vppon all the places and peeces of the generall de Mayne all which for the most part in a generall sturre examples may doe muche following the authoritie of the citie receiued their commissioners euen in the first dayes of the rebellion the Florentyns making no resistance in the beginning for that they were otherwise busied in affaires of greater importance not hauing as yet composed with the french king and did perhaps expect that he would apply remedie to those harmes according to his bonde protested by publike and solemne othe But finding his order too slow and lingring happly aūswering the care he made they sent thether bandes and companies who eftsoones recouered partly by force and partly by composicion all that was occupied except Casine Buti and Vicopisan into which places the Pysans being not strong enough to make resistance against the whole had withdrawne their forces Touching the king the doinges of the Pysans did nothing displease him and much lesse was the maner of their proceedings disagreeing from the estate of his endes and purposes Their cause was apparantly fauored of many of his court induced perhaps by a compassion that they had bene straitely gouerned by the Florentyns the same notwithstanding being more in opinion then in truth But some of the chiefest both in his councells and of his court vnder thoccasion to pitie the Pysans obiected them selues against the Cardinall of S. Mallo being wholly for the Florentyns of these was principall the Seneshall of Beaucaire with whom the money of the Pysans had much preuailed but much more the discontentment he had of the greatnes of the Cardinall from whom according to the variations of Court he beganne to be estranged separate being moued with the selfe same ambicion to embase him with the which he had raysed him in the beginning These men not hauing respect to that which concerned the honor promised faith of so great a king perswaded that it agreed best with the profit and estate of his other enterprises to keepe the Florentyns in this necessitie and not to moderat the doings of the Pysans at the least til he had made perfect his expedicion vpon the realme of Naples The king caried with these perswasions framed him selfe to enterteyne both the one and other partie with seuerall hopes And therefore whilest he remeyned yet at Rome he called for thembassadors of Florence to heare in his presence the complaints made to him by the Pysans for whom spake Burgundio Loli Citisen of Pysa and aduocate of the consistorie in the Court of Rome he complayned bitterly that the Pysans had bene holden foureskore yeares in such an vniust and cruell seruitude that that citie which with many honorable victories heretofore had stretched out her iurisdiction euen to the partes of Leuant had bene alwayes one of the most mighty and glorious members of all Italy was now by the seueritie and couetousnes of the Florentyns come to her last desolacion That the towne of Pysa was almost made naked of inhabitants for that the most parte of the naturall and free borne Citisens not able to beare so heauy yokes had willingly abandoned the place of their patrimonie possessions and delites whose councell hath bene proued wise by the miseries of others whom the loue of their contrey hath made to abyde to serue as a wretched spectacle to all eyes of pitie conscience or humanitie That they for the great exactions of the Magistrates and insolent robberies of persons priuate were dispoyled almost of all their substance and yet in no libertie nor way to nourish their liues for that with a tyrannie and iniustice straunge and barbarous they were forbidden to manage trades of marchandise or to exercise any art except of the hande They had no accesse or function in any office of qualitie nor in the administracion of the gouernment of Florence no not in thinges which were transferred to persons straunge and forreine That the Florentyns by many arguments exercised all sortes of crueltie against the health and benefite of their liues And to haue a more ready way to their generall destruction they haue of late yeares shaked of an auncient and necessary care to preserue the bankes and cawsseyes of the contrey of Pysa menteyned alwayes from age to age by the Lordes of that contrey with no small studie for that otherwayes it was impossible seeing the shallownes of the contrey subiect to inundacions and water fludds that they should not be euery yere stricken with diuersitie of diseases That by this decay were made ruinat euen flat with the earth churches pallaices with many honorable buildings both publike priuate erected by their predecessors with no litle expense and charge That it was no shame to particular cities or townes if after the raigne and course of many worldes they fell into seruitude for that all mortall and earthly thinges beare their proper destinie and subiection to corruption But the memorie of their nobilitie greatnes alwaies disposed into the maiestie of a gouernment and common weale ought to breede in the spirites of conquerors more compassion then rigor chiefly euery one hauing to consider thatit is not onely in the power of time but also incident to the iust course and destinie of earthly thinges to bring vppon them the selfe same ende which is ordeyned to happen to all other cities and Empires That in the Pysans there rested no more wherein the inhumanitie and insatiable couetousnes of the Florentyns coulde be exercised with further skoape And therefore the yoke of those burdens bearing a waight aboue their strength the varietie of their miseries so infinit and intollerable they had with one minde determined rather to abandon their contrey to giue vp their liues and to forbeare the vse societie and delite of their
arearegard with the battell hasting so diligently with an esquadron afore the rest that when the charge began he was in the forefront with the first that fought Some haue written that the companies of the Marquis past the riuer not without disorder both for the height of the banks for the impediments of trees of blocks and bowes wherof commonly the riuers of landfluddes are full To this others haue left in memorie that his footemen for the same difficultie because the water was swelled with the raine that fell in the night either came late to the seruice of the battell or at least all were not there a great parte remeyning on thother side the riuer howsoeuer he was followed it is most certeine that the charge which the Marquis gaue was resolut and furious was no lesse valiantly aunswered by the french the esquadron on both sides entring the conflict Pellmelle and not according to the custom of the warres of Italy which was to fight one esquadron against an other in place of him that was weary and began to retyre to supply the fight with a fresh making in the ende but one great esquadron of many esquadrons in so much as for the most parte the skirmish or triall of armes wherein commonly died but very few people endured almost a whole day and often times the suddeine comming of the night was the cause that they brake of without victorie certeine of either parties The launces being broken at the encounter of whom fell to the earth aswell on the one parte as of the other many men at armes and many horses euery one beganne with the same furie to lay handes vpon their masses estokados and other short weapons the horses fighting with their feete and their teeth with the shocke no lesse then the men that gouerned them And truely the vertue of thItalians gaue a great show in the beginning but the vallour and resolucion of mind in the Marquis who being followed with a valiant companye of younge gentlemen and Lancepezzades these are braue and proued souldiers interteyned aboue the ordinary companies forgot nothing which apperteyned to a Capteine coragious The french men susteyned with great vallour so hott furious a charge but being ouerlayed with such odds of numbers they began almost manifestly to shake not without the daūger of the king within a very few passes of whom the bastard of Burbon was made prisonner notwithstanding he fought with great vertue the fortune of him put hope into the Marquis to haue the same successe against the person of the king being vndiscreetely led into a place so daungerous without that garde order which was conuenient for so great a Prince The Marquis with his people made many aduentures to come neare him against whom the king albeit he had fewe of his people about him yet his vertue defended his person and his naturall courage ouercame his present daunger the fiercenes and agilitie of his horse doing more to his safetie then the succors of his people In these greatperills there wanted not in him those coūcels which in actious daungerous are wont most to appeare in mens memorie and fancies for that in so great a distresse of fight seeing him selfe almost made naked of his garde and abandoned of fortune worldly succors he had recourse to the heauenly aydes making a vowe to S. Denys and S. Martyn reputed protectors particular of the realme of Fraunce that if he passed safe into Pyemont with his armie he would assoone as he was returned on the other side the Mountes make personall visitacion that with great giftes to the holy temples dedicated to their names the one standing neare to Parys and the other in the towne of Tours and that euery yeare with most solemne feastes and sacrifices he would honor and celebrate so great a grace receiued by their meane After this contemplacion promise to accomplish these vowes he entred into a new courage the strength of his body redoubling in the spirit and comfort of his minde and so beganne eftsoones to fight with greater valour then his complexion could naturally beare The daunger of the king so touched enflamed those that were left farre of that ronning to couer with their persons the person of the king they susteined thItalians And his battel which remeyned behind pressing in at the same time an esquadron of the same charged so furiously the ennemies in the flancke that it moderated somewhat their heate and presently reskued the kinges daunger whereunto was added this helpe that Rodolphe Gonzague Vncle by the mother to the Marquis of Mantua A Capteine of great experience as he encouraged the souldiers reordered such as he saw out of order doing alwayes many other good offices of an excellent Capteine as he raysed by chaunce his beauer was so hurt in the face with an estockado by a french mā that falling from his horse his people could neuer reskew him in so great a confusion and tumult and so thicke trowpes of fierce horses raging without gouernment But hauing other mē horses falling vpon him he dyed rather stiffled and smothered with the thronge of horses feete and treadings then by the armes or blowes of the ennemies A chaunce truely vnworthy such a man for that in the councells of the day before the same morning he perswaded contrary to the will of his nephewe to absteyne from fight iudging it a great want of discression to hazarde them selues to the will of fortune without any necessitie Thus the battell chaunging by diuerse accidents and no aduauntage appearing more for thItalians then for the french men the difference was now more then euer to whome the victorie would remeyne In so much that hope and feare being equall on both partes they fought with an incredible furie euery one esteeming that the victorie rested in his right hand and strength and not at the disposing of fortune An auncient perswasion in old souldiers that in actions of battell and warre the successe of the victorie followeth not the number of the souldiers but resteth in the resolucion of their mindes and innocencie of their cause The french men had a desperat courage aswell for the presence daunger of their king for that nation hath alwayes borneno lesse reuerence to the maiestic of their kings then to things of diuinitie as for that they were hemmed into such straites and places as gaue no hopes of their safetie but by the onely victorie The Italians were incouraged by the couetousnes of so rich a pillage by the honorable example of the Marquis leading them to the battell with so happy successe and with the great number of their armie by whome they had expectacion of great succors from their friendes and contreyes enuyroning a thing which the frenche coulde not hope for for that either their whole companies were already in the fight or at least attended euery instant to be charged and brought into the fortune of their
beginning of his raigne with forrein warres hauing first to looke with great study into the state of his owne gouernment at home which commonly to kinges newly inuested bringes many causes of new councells alteracions But the spirits of such as discoursed with iudgement vpon the trayne and euent of things nourished alwayes a secret suspicion that thafflictions that then were but defferred would with tyme redouble and rise growing to greater daungers and more generall harmes specially so great an Empire being falne vpon a king rype in age full of experience ruled in his councells resolut in action moderat in exspenses and in all things without comparison holding more of him selfe then did his predecessor and to whom withal did apperteyne as in the right of the crowne of Fraunce not onely the inheritance of the realme of Naples But also he menteyned that the Duchie of Myllan was his freehold by the succession of the Lady Valentina his grandmother who was maried by Iohn Galeas Visconte his father afore that of viccare of thEmpire he had obteyned the title of the Duke of Myllan to Lovvys Duke of Orleans brother to kinge Charles the sixt At which mariage there was added to the state of the dowrye which was the citie contrey of Ast with great summes of money an expresse condicion that as often and when so euer as the lyne masculyne of the sayde Galeas shoulde fayle the Lady Valentina should succeede to the Duchie of Myllan or she being dead her next heires and discendents which couenant albeit stronge enough of it selfe was confirmed if the frenche tradicions be true by the authoritie of the Pope th imperiall seate beinge voyd at that tyme for the Popes of Rome pretend that the administracion of thEmpire vacant belongeth to them by which meanes the blud male of Iohn Galeas determining afterwards by the death of Phillipp Maria Visconte Charles Duke of Orleans sonne to the Lady Valentina began to pretēd to the succession of the sayd dukedom But as thambicion of Princes is ready to helpe on their titles with euery apparant coler so there aspired at the same time to the sayd dukedom not only thEmprour Federyk alleaging that it was reuerted to the Empire for that the lyne nominated in thinuestiture made to Iohn Galeas by Vincislaus king of Romaines was extinct and dissolued But also Alphonso king of Aragon and Naples who was instituted heire by the Testament of Duke Phillipp And amongest the residue Frauncis Sforce with a fortune force and felicitie more fauorable then the others quarrelled the same title who to giue a better shadowe to the armies which he leuyed in that cause alleaged that his wife Blanche the onely daughter but a bastard of Phillipp had peculiar interest in that succession So that Charles Duke of Orleans who being taken prisoner at the battell of Agincourt in the warres betwene thenglish and french and remeyning restrayned in England xxv yeares was able to doe nothing by reason of his pouertie and hard fortunes to iustifie his title and much lesse could he obteyne ayde of king Lovvys the xj notwithstanding he was his nearest kinsman the reason was that the same king in the beginning of his raigne was much molested and manifestly inuaded in diuerse partes of his kingdom by the great Lordes and Barons of the same shadowing their conspiracies with a showe of publike profit But because the king saw that their intencions drew with them priuat regardes and particular interests he kept them alwayes in bridle and esteemed his estate and sewertie to consist in the embasing of the great ones of his realme but chiefly his nearest competitors And for that reason Lovvys Duke of Orleans sonne to Charles albeit he was his sonne in law could draw no fauors or succors from him the same driuing him after the death of his sayd father in law together with his impaciēce that the Lady Anne Duchesse of Burbon the kinges sister was preferred afore him to the gouernment of Charles the eyght then in minoritie to trouble Fraunce with a very slender successe and after retyred into Britain with a worse fortune for ioyning with those that were against thintencion of Charles to obteyne Brittain by marying with Anne heire of the state by the death of Frauncis her father leauing no yssue male yea aspiring secretly to the same mariage he was taken in an encownter betwene the french and the Brittons neare S. Aulbyn in that contrey from thence led prisoner into Fraunce where he remeyned two yeares In so much as fayling then of meanes and finding no succors in king Charles after he was out of prison he ioyned no further action to that enterprise but when the king left him within Ast he made him selfe Lord of Nouaro with a very litle profit But being now become king of Fraunce he held nothing of greater affection then to reconquer the Duchie of Myllan as a succession iustely apperteyning to him This desire planted in him from his youth was eftsones wonderfully increased and aduaunced by the successe he had at Nouaro and withall for that he greatly hated Lodovvyk Sforce by reason of the insolent demonstracions and behauiors which he vsed to him when he had the kings deputacion in Ast Therfore not long after the death of king Charles by resolucion set downe in his elect councel he intitled him self not only king of Fraunce and for the regard of the realme of Naples king of Ierusalem both the Cycillyes but also soueraigne Duke of Myllan And because he would make knowen to the world what was his inclinacion to the things of Italy he wrote letters full of amitie and congratulacion touching his ascending to the crowne to the Pope the Venetians and the Florentyns and withall dispatched mē of speciall credence to giue hopes of new enterprises but chiefly of his determinacion to conquer the Duchie of Myllan wherin the tyme running nourished for him many fauors and oportunities for that the death of his predecessor had innouated in the mindes of the Italians many new humors inclinacions much differing from the cogitacions purposes they had afore for the Pope whose ambicious thoughts could not be satisfied if Italy stoode in tranquillitie wished that thinges might grow to hurly burly seeking his peculiar aduauncement in the common diuision of principallities and states A desire not vnlikely to deriue from such a mind to whom all thinges were hatefull that held of equitie conscience or religion and nothing vnsauery that smelled of troubles innouacion and chaunge And the Venetians being now deliuered of the feare they had of king Charles for the wronges iniuries they had done him expressed manifestly that they had no distrust in the new king which disposicion increased dayly more and more for that Lodovvyk Sforce notwithstanding he knew that he had to doe with an ennemy more mighty and lesse plyable feding him selfe with this hope the same also beguiling Federyk of Aragon that the
hundred men at armes and six thowsand footemen with some bandes of Lanceknights cōmaunded all the contrey of Cassentyn except a verie few places and eftsoones gaue a new life to the olde enterprise to take Poppy but their diligence was vnprofitable and the whole action in vaine By meanes whereof the Florentyns were compelled according to the proper intencion of the Venetians to call backe from the affaires of Pysa Pavvle Vitello with his bandes leauing sufficient garde in the places of importance and also in the bastillion of Laventura his comming into the contrey Casentyn caused to retire the Venetiās who were remoued to incamppe the same day about Pratto Vecchio and Fracasso being ioyned with him sent by the Duke of Myllan with fiue hundred men at armes fiue hundred footemen in fauor of the Florentyns he brought presently into harde tearmes and difficulties the state of thennemies who were dispersed into diuerse places both for thin cōmoditie of the contrey which was straite and narrow and also for that to th ende they might haue free entrey and going out of the contrey Casentyn they were compelled to kepe the wayes of Vernia Chiusa and Montalona places verie high vpon the Alpes By which meane being inclosed in that vallye in a season verie sharppe they were without all exspectacion of aduauncement either there or in any other place the Count Rinucce being within Aretze with two hundred men at armes And in the contrey Casentyn the enterprise of Poppy not succeding in the beginning the name of the Medicis bearing no further power or authoritie for that the spirites and affections of the men of the countrey were against them they had receiued many harmes of the Paisantes afore the comming of Vitello In which regard together with an assured intelligence of his comming and the marching of Fracasse they sent backe beyond the Alpes one parte of their cariage and artillerie drew them selues all together into one strength as the nature of the place woulde suffer Against whom Pavvle Vitelli determined to vse his costume which was to carie the victorie with more ease and sewertie to beare no regard neither to the longnes of time nor to great paines and trauell and much lesse to exspences esteeming it a better office in a generall to proceede with all necessarie prouisions then for a desire of glorie to make the victorie speedy to putte in perill the yssue of thinges and the whole armie in hazarde In so much as touching the contrey Casentyn his counsell was not to attempt suddeinly any action vppon the places moste strong but in the beginning to make the ennemie abandon the peeces most weake and to choake and cloase the wayes of the Alpes and the streytes of the contrey with bastillions gardes and intrenched wayes with other fortifications both to cutte of all succours and supplies and to take from them all meanes of mutuall aides and reskew from one place to an other hoping that this forme and manner of proceeding woulde in the ende breede occasions to oppresse them further besides that the great nombers that were within Bybyenna coulde not but consume both by the incommoditie of horsemen and want of vittells With this councells hauing recouered certeine places neere to Bybienna for their qualitie but of small importance but for their commodities very proper for his intencion with the which he looked in the ende to preuaile And wynning euery daye more and more he stripped euery daye many men at armes bestowed in diuerse peeces neere to Bybienna And to cutte of all wayes from the bandes of the Venetians assembling beyond the mountes to mynister reskew to their peoples he deuised to commaunde all the places about the mount la Vernia to intrench all the wayes thereaboutes In so much as many difficulties increasing to the ennemies together with necessities and want of vittells many of them refused the camppe who stealing awaye by soundry wayes fell euery day into chaunge of distresse and fortune sometimes vexed with troublesome passages and sometimes stripped by the paisantes oftentimes slaine by the soldiours These were the actions of armes betwene the Venetians and Florentyns Now in these times albeit th' Embassadors of Florence were departed from Venice without any hope of accorde yet was there holden at Ferrara a new practise of composicion moued by the Duke of Ferrara at the instaunce of the Venetians Amongest whom many of those which held the greatest authoritie in that Senat no lesse weary of the warre drawing with it increase of expenses and difficulties then now made voyde of all hopes to preuaile further in the contrey of Cassantyn desired to shake of the studies and trauells they suffred for the defense of Pisa the cares and charges of that warre being greater without comparison then the commodities or frutes of the seruice in which regard they were ready to omitte no occasion which might minister any honest cooller to be discharged of it But whilest the regions of Italy were in these afflictions for the quarrells of Pisa the new frenche King forgatte not to make preparacions to execute the conquest of Myllan the yeare next following Wherein he hoped to haue in his fauor and on his side the freindshippe of the Venetians who caried with an incredible hate against the Duke of Myllan helde straite negociacion with his maiestie No lesse did solicite with the King in no litle secrecy earnestnes the Pope who excluded from the alliance of Federyk and embrasing still the desire to the kingdom of Naples was wholly conuerted into the hopes of the Frenche by whose meanes he sought to obteine for his sonne the Cardinall of Valence Charilotta doughter to Federyk who was not yet maried but trained vp in the court of France Wherein the king nourrishing him with some tokens of hope for that he supposed the power ouer her mariage rested in his maiestie the Cardinall ioyning with the intencion of his father entred one morning into the consistorie and with an action in speeche and gesture farre from the office and modestie of his profession besought his father and the whole colleadge of Cardinalls that seeing he entred not into priesthood of his proper will and disposicion that they woulde make it lawfull to him to leaue the dignitie and the habitte to follow the exercise whereunto his destinie and inclinacion drew him This request being made easie in the Cardinalls by purchasse and corrupcions was not denied of his father whose authoritie going with the infected partialities of the Cardinalls made his demaunde lawfull and ratified it And so resuming the habite of a personne seculer he prepared speedely to go into Fraunce by whom the Pope sent this comfort and promise to the King to make it lawfull by thauthoritie apostolike to refuse his wyfe And the king for his part became bound to ayde him assoone as he had conquered the Duchie of Myllan to reduce into thobedience of the holy sea all the townes
to foresee whether the hurt in reuenging would not exceed the harmes already hapned by the trespasse committed a forme of dealing which caried not their affections affore their wisdomes but bridling the readines of nature they oftentymes found more securitie to dissemble an iniurie thē to reuenge it And albeit it can not bee denied that the iniuries done by Lodovvyk Sforce to our common weale are not many and great and offende much our dignitie yet by how much they are great and by their propertie offende our reputation by so much more belonges it to our wisdom to moderate our iust anger with maturitie of iudgement cōsideration of the publyke interest benefit for that for men to commaund ouer themselues and vanquishe their proper passions is so much the more cōmendable by how much lesse often it hapneth in vse by how much more iust are the occasiōs that kyndle that anger or any other humain affectiō And therfore my Lords it apparteineth to this Senat to the which is ascribed of al other nations the true partes of wisdō discression who not lōg since made profession to haue deliuered Italy frō the frēch it is our office I say to cōsider wel not only of thinfamy that wil rise if now through our occasiō they prepare their returne but also to loke carefully into the daūgers that may threatē vs if the duchie of Myllā fal into the power of the french King perils which if we can not consider of our selues let vs call to memory what feares were brought vppon vs by the conquest which the late King Charles made of Naples of whom we held not our selues assured but when wee conspired against him almost with all princes Christians But in true comparison there is great difference betweene the one daunger and the other for the late king naked almost of all the vertues of a King was a Prince more in shadowe and showe then in body and substance and as the kingdome of Naples so farre remoued from Fraunce helde his forces so deuided that they weakened more then strengthned his power so that conquest for the feare of their estates so neare neighbours to the realme of Naples procured him two great enemies the Pope the King of Spaine in whom touching the one are occupied for the present many diuers intencions and the other made weary with the things of Italy will make himselfe no partie without very great necessitie But the new King both for his proper vertue is to be feared and for his wise proceeding in this action to be doubted as also the estate of Myllan bordreth so neare Fraunce that in respect of commoditie to succour or reskew it there is no hope to dryue him backe but by setting all the world in a stir In so much that we being neighbours to so great a power shal be sure to be exercised in trauels and perplexeties both in peace and warre In tymes of peace subiect to expenses and suspicions and during the warres so intangled with daungers that we shall fynde many difficulties to make our owne defence And sure I can not but maruell much at him that hath reasoned affore me who on the one side makes no feare of a king of Fraunce being Lord ouer the Duchie of Myllan and on the other side holdes for terrible Lodovvyk Sforce a Prince for power much inferior to vs and with whom this hath bene alwayes a custome eyther with fearfulnes or couetousnes to put in daūger all his enterprises he alledged feare of succours which others might make to him as though it were easie in so great diuersitie of spirits wills in so general varietie of condicions to make such an vnitie or rather as if the absolute cōcord vnion of a great and strong power were not more to be feared then the power of many which as it hath diuers endes mocions so doth it bring forth actions diuerse and discordant he seemes to haue a confidence that in those who for hate and many other reasons desire our embasement would be found that wisdom to vanquish disdaines couetousnes which we finde not in our selues to reteine his ambicious thoughts Besides I know not why we may make promise that the ielousies and new and auncient disdaines against the french king aspiring to the conquest of Myllan may doe more on the behalfe of the king of Romains the Almain nation then the rooted and setled hatred which both they beare to vs by reason of so many townes which wee hold apperteining to thempire house of Austriche Neither can I see vppon what ground or discourse of reason the king of Romains will more willingly ioyne with vs against the french then take part with the french quarrell against vs No rather the vnion of the barbarous and perpetual enemies to the name of Thitalians carieth a more likelehood of truth and seemes more propper to make a praye for that being vnited with him he may rather hope to bee victorious ouer vs then ouer him if he were knit with him Besides these such were his actions during the league past and when he came into Italie that he left no reason why we should so muche desire to haue him eftsones reunited with vs I deny not but Lodovvyk hath done vs many iniuries but euen so it is farre from councell and wisdom for a passionat desire of reuenge to put in perill the whole estate of things And seeing tymes keepe their certeine measure and course and euery tyme is enhabled to his propper function it is neither shame nor ill policie to exspect those accidentes and occasions to reuenge which a common weale may very wel attend and tarie for No rather it is infamous and meriteth imputation to be caryed with affection and prefer the suggestion of disdaine affore thoportunitie of the tyme and in matters of state it is no small slaunder when rashenes and indiscression are accompanied with domage and generall harmes No man will say that for such reasons we were mooued to make an enterprise so rashe but all the world will iudge that the desire to haue Cremona hath pushed vs forward the same giuing cause of question to euery one what is become of the auncient wisdom and grauitie of this Senat And iustly may all the world maruell that we are falne into the same rashenes to be guides to the french king into Italie into the which our selues wondred so much that Lodovvyk Sforce ranne so far Great is the profit of Cremona and the place very conuenient for many respectes But we ought to cōsider whether it be not a greater losse to haue a king of Fraunce Lord of the state of Millan yea we ought to consider whether our greatnes and reputation be stronger in Italie when of our selues we are chiefest and most absolute there or when there is in the hart of the same region a prince so mightie and so neare our neighbour we haue occupied at other tymes with
entred the Rocke feare raised a tumult and confusion and the Dukes souldiors comming fast vppon them almost all her companies were cut in peeces and the Victors entring with the same furie into the Rocke tooke it and made slaughter of all such as were there for defēce except certeine of the chiefest which were retired with the Ladie into a Towre who were made prisoners she also communicating in their fortune whom the Duke hauing more regarde to her vallour then to her kinde sent prisoner to Rome where she was kept in the Castle of S. Ange being notwithstanding deliuered a litle after at the request of Yue D'alegre After the Duke had obteined Ymola and Furly he marched to th execution of other townes but new accidents hapning vnlooked for hindred his expedicion for after the french king had established the thinges he had gotten with orders conuenient and hauing prolonged the truse with the king of Romains comprehending therein the Duchie of Myllan and all that he helde in Italy vntil the moneth of May next ensuing he returned into Fraunce leading with him the litle sonne of Iohn Galeas giuen to him indiscreetly by the mother he dedicated him to a monasticallyfe and left Iohn Iacques Tryvulce gouerner generall of the Duchie of Myllan in whom he reapposed much aswell for his vallour and merits as for the great enuy he bare to Lodovvyk Sforce But the faith of men chaunging with the alteration of kingdoms the peoples of that state kept not fidelitie with the king partly for that the customes behauiors of the french were intollerable to many partly for that they had not found in the king that liberalitie in deposing all their tributes which vnwisely they persuaded themselues to obteine And lastly it imported much and was very greeuous to all the Gebelyn faction which was mightie in the towne of Myllan and confines that Tryvulce chiefe of the Guelffes should bee preferred to the gouernment This euil disposicion was wonderfully augmented by him selfe who bearing a nature factious and a spirit hautie and buisie fauoured vnder thauthoritie of Maiestrate much more then was conuenient those that were of his partie Besides he that is falling shall finde many stumbling blockes he estraunged much from him the myndes of the communaltie for that in the open market place he slue with his own hande certeine Butchers who following the rashnes of the other populars refusing to paye tributes from the which they were not exempted resisted with force the ministers deputed to gather the reuenues for which tyrannous and bloudie reasons most parte of the nobilitie communaltie naturally desirous of newe things wished the returne of Lodovvyk and euen began to call vppon his name with words and voices plaine and to be vnderstanded But after many thoughtes and cares trauelling commonly myndes afflicted and redobled with a lamentable remembrance of his happines paste Lodovvyk with his brother Askanius presented himselfe to Maxymylian of whom they were receiued with an humanitie expressing both compassion and comfort for that he did not only persuade them to be resolute in their fortune but also showed many tokens to be much discontented with their calamities he nourished them with continuall promises to discende in their ayde in person and with a strong armie to ioyne with them for the recouerie of their estates hauing thereunto good oportunitie for that he was then at accorde with the Svvyssers But those hopes both for the variation of his nature and for that his intencions ill grounded were as easely confounded appeared euery day to be more vaine and that so much the rather by how much being continually pressed with his accustomed necessities he made them weary with his importunate demaundes for money In so much as Lodovvyk and Askanius making no foundation of his succours lesse certeintie in his hopes promises determined to make thenterprise of themselues being continually solicited by many gentlemen of Myllan did leauy for their better strength eight thousand Svvyssers and fyue hundred Burgonion men at armes of which strong preparation Tryvulce gathered many feares and doubtes and therefore the better to encounter so great a daunger he sent immediatly to the Senat of Venice to cause their companies to march along the Ryuer of Adda signifying withall to Yues D'alegre that it were necessary to leaue for a tyme the seruice of the Duke Valentynois and returne with speede to Myllan with the frenchmen at armes and the Svvyssers And as daungers hastie and sodeine can suffer no delayes of remedie and where the fyre beginneth first to kindle there let water bee speedely applied to preuent his further violence So such was the pollicie of Tryvulce that to resist the first furie of the enemies he sent one parte of his souldiours to Coma the ielousie he had of the people of Myllan not suffring him to turne thether all his forces But the care and quicknes of Sforce and his brother preuayled aboue all diligence in others for that not tarying for the whole armie they had leauied but leauing order to marche after them with speede according to the necessitie of their perill they passed the mounteines and with a diligence aboue all exspectacion being embarked in those vessels which were in the lake of Coma they approched neare that towne which they tooke without resistance the frenche being retyred for the knowledge they had of the ill disposicion of thin habitantes The bruite of the losse of Coma fame flyeth with swifter winges in cases of reuolt and chaunge then in any other matter being come to Myllan so altered the mindes of the people and almost all the chiefest of the faction Gebelyn that they began to drawe into manifest tumult and rise into such insolent disposition that Tryvulce seeing no other remedie to the kinges affaires retired sodeinly into the Castle and the night following sledde to Nouarre together with the men at armes which were retired into the Parke ioyning to the Castle the people in their retrait following them by heapes vntill the Ryuer of Thesin And leauing within Nouarre foure hundred Launces he with the residue of his strength went to Mortaro thinking and the other Capteines also that they should more easely recouer the Duchie of Myllan with the new succours that were to come out of Fraunce then be hable to defende it being thus deuided Such is the incerteintie of fortune that she transferreth to one that which she takes from an other not regarding the equitie of causes nor the merits of persons but making her fancie the measure of her actions she takes delite to showe variacion of power vppon the Princes of the earth for assoone as the french men were gone from Myllan the Cardinall Askanius made his entrey first then Lodovvyk who recouering it in as short tyme and litle difficultie as he lost it except the Castle was also made glad at his returne with a more franke and generall show of affection and ioy of
he promised the king by othe that he woulde returne of which othe he had procured secret absolution of the Pope afore not remembring that amongst men there can be no greater bond than an othe and who loaseth his fayth hath no more to lose seeing we acknowledge religion to consist in fayth it selfe But the example of the Cardinall Askanius skorning at the credulitie of the Cardinall Amboyse coulde not make the French Cardinall better aduised in the action with Pandolfe Petrucci who receyuing the Cardinall at Sienna with many honours and making insinuation into his good fauours with deepe suttleties and counsels full of art promising to cause Montpulcian to be rendred to the Florentins ouercame him so muche that at his returne into Fraunce he assured the king that he had not found in Italy a man of better spirit and wrought that his Maiestie gaue sufferaunce to his sonne to returne to Sienna remayning at that time in the Court of Fraunce for thassuraunce of his fathers promises These were the mutations that hapned in Italy by the death of the Pope But in these times thenterprises begonne with greater hopes on thother side the Mountes by the French king were brought into many difficulties for th armie sent vpon the frontier of Gascoigne no lesse for want of money then lacke of good gouernment in those that had the charge was broken with a speede quicker then they could marche thither The Galleis also which had runne all along the Spanish seas were retyred to the port of Marseilles and the armie leauied for Parpignian of the which the king promised muche beeing well furnished of all things necessarie was incamped before Saulses which is a strong place neare to Narbona standing at the foote of the hilles Pirennei in the countrey of Rossillion But beeing well defended it made a wonderfull resistaunce and albeit it was furiously assaulted by the Frenchmen vsing both the seruice of artilleries and the arte of vnderminings yet the vertue of the defendaunts kept it from spoyle and ruine There assembled an armie of all the Spanishe Realmes at Parpignian which the king did honor with the presence of his person to th ende to succour it And beeing ioyned to this armie by reason the French were discamped the regiments that had bene sent to defende the frontiers of Fontarabie and all these forces beeing drawen into one strength and marching to geue battayle to the Frenche armie the Captayne 's seeing no reason to contende agaynst fortune retyred with the Campe towards Narbona after they had lyen afore Saulses about fortie dayes The Spaniards loasing no benefite of the time and occasion made incursions vpon the territories of the French king where hauing taken certayne places of meane importance the French making no resistance for that they were withdrawne into Narbona they eftsones returned vpon their owne frontiers by the commaundement of their king who hauing obteyned the true ende of him that is assayled enterteyned but with ill will the warre on thother side the Mountes seeing albeit his Realmes and Prouinces were sufficient mightie to defende him from the French king yet he helde them farre to weake to offende him A consideration of great importance to him that entreth into a warre to foresee with a better counsell howe he may defende him selfe then offende his enemie A litle after by the interposing of king Federik they made a truce for fiue monthes comprehending onely those things that concerned th affayres on the other side the Mountes for that the Spanish king assuring Federyk that he would consent that the Realme of Naples should be restored to him and Federik expecting no lesse of the French king the rather at the contēplation of the Queene inclined to compassion had introduced betweene them the practises of peace In whiche negociation the Spanish Embassadours the warre continuing stil in Italie went into Fraunce where they gouerned their doings with suche art that Federyk vaynely persuaded him selfe that the difficultie of his restitution which the Barons of the faction of Aniovv impugned vehemently would be principally on the French kings side Thus all the warres betweene both the kings beeing reduced only into the kingdome of Naples the eyes and thoughtes of all men were turned thither for that the French men hauing passed from Rome by the landes of Valmontano and the Colonnoys where they found an easie consent to refreshe them with vittayles marched by the feeldes of the Churche towardes S. Germain a place where Consaluo leauing garrison in the Castell of Secqua and Montcassin was incamped not with intention to hazarde fortune but to be an impediment that they passed no further which by the strength and opportunitie of the place he hoped to do easily The Frenche men being ariued at Pontecorue and at Ceperana the Marquis of Solusse with suche as were within Caietta ioyned to them hauing afore by thoccasion of discamping of Consaluo recouered the Duchie of Tracetta and the Countrey of Fouery euen to the sloud of Garillon The first thing that the Frenche armie did was to assaye to get the castle of Secqua from the which after they had in vayne giuen one assault they brake of and leauied their siege But for that action they brought vpon them selues so muche contempt and imputation that it was publikely affirmed in the Spanishe armie that that day the Realme of Naples was assured agaynst the French men who ioyning feare to their fortune and distrusting for that respect to chase their enemie towards S. Germain determined to returne by the coaste side holding that way suspected in their retyring wherein they founde confidence and fauour in marching on After they had reaposed two dayes within Aquin which they had taken and left seuen hundren footemen within the Castle Guillaume they returned by Pontecorue and marched by the way of Fondy to lodge at a towne set vppon the way of the ryuer of Garillon where antiquitie holdes that the auncient citie of Mynturno was buylded A place not onely conuenient to caste a bridge and passe the ryuer as was their intention but also of great importunitie to encampe there if they should haue bene constrayned for they had Caietta and their nauie at sea at their backes and Tracetta Itri Fondy with all the circuite of the countrey to the ryuer of Garillon stoode firme in their deuotion It was thought that the French armie passing the ryuer was a thing of great consequence for the victorie for that Consaluo being so farre inferiour in forces that he durst not appeare in playne fielde the French might march without impediment euen to the walls of Naples whither also their Nauie at sea might haue approched hauing nothing to let them if their vertue had but aunswered thoportunitie And for that cause Consaluo issuing out of S. Germain was come on thother parte of Garillon to let with all his strength the passing of the Frenche affying muche in the disaduauntage and difficulties whiche armies finde to passe ryuers
other gentlemen of marke in whom the maner of their death was no lesse lamentable then their fortune ouer besides that which by imputatiō may be imposed vpō the French captains for their disagrement negligent gouerument as also that that may be obiected to the iniury of the time that neither the French nor Svvizzers are not comparatiue with the Spaniards either with resolution of mind to temporise or expect or with their bodies to sustaine the trauels and incommodities that a warre draweth with it There are principally considered two things whiche hindered the Frenche king that he remained not victorious the one was the long aboade that th armie made vppon the territories of Rome for the Popes death the same beeing the cause that wynter came vppon them and that the Vrsins were practised withall by Consaluo afore they coulde enter into the kingdome where if they coulde haue made their entrie whilest the tyme was tollerable Consaluo farre inferiour to them in forces and not fauoured with thoportunitie and rigor of the time had bene constrayned to abandon the greatest part of the kingdome to seeke out the strong places for his succor or els suffer the authoritie of an enemie farre more mightie then him selfe The other consideration was the couetousnes of the officers treasorers who beguyling the king in the payes of the souldiers and lesse trustie in the prouision of vittayles furniments for the seruice made their thefts and negligences the principall cause of the diminution of that armie since the king had expressed such a prouision and care for all things necessarie that it is certayne by good credible testimonie that at the vnhappie time when the frenchmen were ouerthrowen there were within Rome by the kings direction great quantities of siluer and other releefes for warre but so violent was the destinie that ranne to the desolation and ruine of that armie that albeit at the laste after many complayntes of the Captaynes and the whole multitude of souldiours there was leauyed an abundant prouision of vittels yet they suffered suche a penurie and scarsity in the beginning that that disorder ioyned to the other discommodities was the breeder of infinite diseases of the absenting of many of the murmuring of many and that many seeing their fidelitie could finde no refuge in the armie sought their safetie in places thereabout matters which in the ende brought foorth the absolute ruine of so braue an armie for as for the nourishing of the body it is not ynough that the head be well disposed but it is also necessarie that the other members do their office euen so it sufficeth not that the Prince do his duetie if withall the diligence and vertue which ought to be in his ministers haue not equall action the one beeing necessarie to the other as the direction of the head and brayne of man auayleth little without the execution of the other inferior members to whom suche ministration is appoynted The selfe same yere wherin so great mutations hapned in Italie was made a peace betwene the Turke Baiazet Ottoman and the Venetians which both parties embrased with great affection for the Turke in whom was expressed a spirit of mekenes and disposed to learning and studie of the Scriptures of his religion had by the working of his owne inclination a nature farre estraunged from armes by reason whereof notwithstanding he had begonne the warre with great preparations both by sea and lande and occupied in Morea the two former yeares Naupanto nowe called Lepanto Modono Corono and Iunquo yet he folowed not nor continued the warres with so great affection beeing withdrawen eyther by the desire he had to tranquilitie and rest or at least by a suspicion of hys proper daunger least for religion sake the Princes of Christendome should drawe into conspiracie agaynst him for both Pope Alexander had sent certayne galliots to the succours of the Venetians and with money had also stirred vp Launcelot king of Bohemia and Hungaria to make warre vpon the Turkes frontiers the Frenche and Spanishe kinges sending but not at one tyme their seuerall armies to ioyne with the power of the Venetians But this peace was embraced by the state of Venice with a greater desire for that by thiniquitie of the warres and that to the common detriment of the Citie and perticuler losse to euery one in priuate the traffike of marchandise which they made in diuers regions of the Leuant was discontinued the Citie also of Venice whiche euery yeere was wonte to haue from certayne prouinces of the Turkes certayne quantities of corne did suffer many necessities for the depriuation of that reliefe And lastly where they had wont to amplifie their iurisdiction by the warres which they haue managed with other princes they feared nothing so muche as the power of the Turkes of whom they had bene alwayes beaten as often as they had had warres together for Amurathus grandfather to Baiazet had occupied the towne of Thessalonica nowe called Salonica parcell of the dominions of Venice And after him Mahomet his father mainteyning continuall warre agaynst him for sixteene yeres tooke from them the yle of Negroponto a great part of Peleponesso now named Morea Scutaro with many other towns in Macedonia Albania In so much as both for that they supported the war agaynst the Turks with right great difficulties and expences hauing no hope to breede any profite by them and also by how muche they doubted at the same time to be distressed by inuasion of other Christian princes the time beeing full of conspiracies by so muche was it reasonable that they desired to be at tranquilitie with the Turkishe regions It was suffered to Baiazet by the conditions of the peace to reteyne still all that he had occupied and the Venetians reseruing onely the I le of Cesalonia aunciently called Leucado were compelled to yeelde to him the proprietie of Nerita nowe named S. Mavvra But the warre of the Turkes brought not so many displeasures to the Venetians as they receyued harmes by the king of Portugall who had taken from them and appropriated to him selfe the traffike of spices whiche the Marchantes and shippes bringing out of Alexandria a noble Citie in Egypt to Venice they sent dispersed with a wonderfull profite through all the prouinces in Chrystendome The whiche alteration beeing a thing of the most merite and memorie of all others that haue hapned in the worlde since many ages and for the harmes which the Citie of Venice receyued by it hauing some affinitie with the matters of Italie it can not much alter the estate of our historie to speake somewhat of it at large Such men of spirite and science as by depe speculation and contemplation haue considered the wonderfull motions and dispositions of the heauen and haue left the knowledge thereof recommended to succession and posteritie haue figured a line running through the round circle of the heauen frō the west to the East and bearing an
or to make a willing election of a great domage onely to auoyde since otherwyse it can not be the perpetuall infamie and dishonour of our name the magnanimitie of euery one of you so many tymes experienced in matters particular your resolute courage proper and naturall to this Nation And lastely the memorie of the auncient vertue and triumphes of our elders the very terror heretofore of all other realmes kingdomes do giue me both hope and assurance that in an action of so great importance your inuincible mindes will be awaked and receyue new life and spirite for here is nowe no question of the alienation of the duchie of Millan nor of the reuolting of the Svvizzers in which actiōs of so great cōsequence there was made no great accompt of my authoritie both in regarde of thaffinitie I had with Lodovvyk Sforce and for the particuler interests of the house of Austriche But now my Lordes what excuse may we pretend what cooller or couerture may be giuen to our ignominie What merite can we chalenge in the worlde or what maiestie can we holde at home when it is euen nowe in question whether the Almains who stande possessed of the Romaine Empire not by the hande of fortune but by their proper vertue and whose name and armes heretofore hath sounded feare and terror to moste princes in Christendome shoulde nowe cowardly depose them selues of so great a dignitie and remayning the perpetuall example of infamie of the most auncient most glorious and most inuincible monarchie of men to become the most reuersed most despised and most dishonored region that standeth vnder the view face of the skie if these reasons if these interests if these disdaines will not moue you what can be further obiected agaynst your securitie and negligence if these respectes if these contemplations of perill infamie and perpetuall ruine can stirre vp no lyfe in you what can be sayde in more importunitie what can kindle in you the seedes of the valour and resolution of your elders if your mindes be not inclined to the consideration of these aduersities In ages and posterities to come with what sorowe shall your children and descendants remember your names if you leaue not vnto them the name of Almaines in the same degree of greatnes authoritie reputation wherin your fathers left it transferred to you But let vs fall from those sortes of comfortes and persuasions for that it is an office inconuenient in me whom you haue lifted to the height of this place to vse suche libertie of wordes but rather to recommende to you deedes and examples I am determined to passe into Italie vnder pretence to receiue th imperiall crowne a solemnitie as you knowe more full of ceremonie than of substance for that the authoritie dignitie Imperiall depend wholly vpon your election But my principall intention is to breake the necke of the wicked purposes plots of the French and to chase them out of the duchie of Millan seeing we haue no other suretie agaynst their insolencies I hope there resteth in none of you all any difficulty to accompanie me according to your custome with other Emperours going to be crowned neyther doubt I that carying with me your hartes and affections ioyning withall your forces to mine I shall not passe a iorney victorious marching with suche felicitie as the moste of the potentates and communalties in Italie will meete me as petitioners some to confirme their priuileges some to implore our iustice against the oppressions they suffer and some to appease with a deuout submission the yre of the victor I doubt not but the Frenche king will giue place at the first brute of our comming that nation bearing yet in memorie that being but yong and almost an infant I brake with true valour and magnanimitie the armie of king Lovvys the eleuenth neare Guiguegaste since which time that kingdome refusing to make experience of my armes haue neuer fought with me but by ambushes and conspiracies Consider with that reputation and magnanimitie which so long hath lyued inuested in the name of Thalmains whether it agreth with your honor with your renowne and with our common perill in a case so extraordinarie to make extraordinarie prouisions The glory and greatnes of our name to the whiche this hath bene alwayes proper peculiar to defende the dignitie of the Popes of Rome and thauthoritie Apostolike and which nowe are wickedly defiled by the ambition and impietie of the French king calleth vs I say with the common decree of all Germany to drawe our swords and turne our scepters to so holy so iust and so reuerent a protection It is an interest that is wholly yours seeing I haue sufficiently acquited the duetie I owe in making so readie assemblie of you to lay afore you the common danger vrging you with thexample of my deliberation The resolution of corage shall not want in me to cōmunicate with you in all daungers and lesse shall you lacke the disposition of my person accustomed of long time to endure paine and trauell neither is my counsell in conducting a warre so insufficient eyther by greatnes of age or doubtfulnesse of experience as in this enterprise you may haue want of a leader worthy of so great an honor And by howmuche you shall honor and set foorth the greatnes of your king with fulnes of authoritie by howmuch you shall enuiron him with an armie mightie and appoynted with so muche the more facilitie and your perpetuall glory shall you be protectors of the libertie of the Churche of Rome our common mother and leaue exalted to heauen together with the reputation of the Almaine name the Imperiall dignitie common to you all in greatnesse and amplitude and particular onely to this nation in iuste office of protection This speache wrought marueilously in the mindes of thasistantes beeing nowe ashamed that in the other dyots his complaintes founde no better passage and fauor And as it is easie to set on fyre those mindes that are alreadie kindled so euery one hauing a vehement disdayne that by their negligence the maiestie of Thempire should be translated into other nations they began with a great vnity to treate vpon articles necessarie holding it conuenient to leauie a most mightie armie and of suche a sufficient appoyntment as though the whole regions of Italie woulde oppose agaynst them with the Frenche king to be hable to renewe and recouer in Italie the auncient rightes of Thempire which had bene vsurped eyther by the dishabilitie or other infirmitie of the Emperours past for so required the glorie of the name of the Almains suche a preparation worthy thassemblie of so many princes and free townes And that at last it was necessarie to showe to all the worlde that though in the willes of the Almains had remayned a long diuision and their mindes not reconciled for many yeres that ▪ yet the nation was not lesse mightie nor their spirites depriued of that magnanimitie which in
or crime yet for that he would somewhat bridle and restrayne their dispositions he had kepte retayned many dayes in the Castell of Millan Iohn Bentyuolo but not finding good matter wherein they had offended he ought to haue no lesse regarde to thinnocencie of the parties then to his proper honour vnder the which he stoode bounde to keepe his fayth And yet to gratifie the Pope and leaue him satisfied of his inclination he sayde he was disposed to suffer him to proceede agaynst them with curses and paynes as agaynst the rebels of the Church euen as he had endured without complaint that in Bolognia in the heate of that stirre their Pallace was destroyed euen to the fundations The Dyot of Constance continued still with the same expectation of men wherewith it was begon which Caesar forgat not to nourish with diuerse sleightes and gallant wordes publishing that he would passe into Italie so accompanied that farre greater forces then the armies of Fraunce and all Italie ioyned together shoulde not be hable to resiste him And to geue greater value and authoritie to his cause alwayes protesting that he had onely fixed in his intention the protection of the Churche he aduertised the Pope and Colledge of Cardinalles that he had declared the Frenche king rebell and enemie to the sacred Empire for that he had descended into Italie to transferre into the person of the Cardinall of Amboyse the supreme dignitie pontificall and to set vppon hys owne head the Crowne Imperiall and lastly to dryue the whole Region of Italie into one seruile subiection That he prepared to come to Rome onely to take the Crowne and to establishe a common suretie and libertie And lastely that in regarde of hys Imperiall dignitie beeing protector of the Churche and for hys proper pietie verye deuoute and desyrous to aduaunce the Sea Apostolike it was not conuenient he shoulde tarie to be requyred or prayed knowing well ynoughe that the Pope for feare of perill and harmes was fledde from Bolognia and that the same feare kept restrayned both him and the religious Colledge from communicating their daungers or sending to demaunde succours Thus the matters whiche were treated in Germanie beeing by manye intelligences signified into Italie and the brute that was spredde surpassing the truth of thinges together with the generall preparations which the Frenche king made beeing causes enforcing more credite and testimonie of the publike rumours for that it was beleeued that he feared not without occasion These thinges I say moued muche the myndes of euery one some for desire of newe thinges some for hope some for feare some for respectes generall and some for their priuate and particuler interests In so much as the Pope fente as Legate to Maximilian the Cardinall of Saint Crosse and the Venetians the Florentins with all other Potentates in Italie excepte the Marquis of Mantua that were absolute and depended vppon them selues addressed to hym messaungers speciall eyther in the name of Embassadours or vnder some other nature euery one foreseeing for hys safetie according to the ielousie of the tyme These thinges troubled muche the mynde of the Frenche king being very doubtfull of the wyll of the Venetians and more vncertayne of the disposition of the Pope aswell for many reasons and experiences of things past as especially that he had elected to this legatiō cardinal S. Crosse in whom had remained an ancient and partiall inclination to further the greatnes of Maximilian But touching the will of the Pope muche lesse that it was manifest to others seeing it was scarsly knowen to him selfe for hauing his minde full of discontentmentes and suspitions agaynst the French king sometimes to be at libertie from those humors wandring and troublesome he desired the comming of Caesar and eftsones the memorie of auncient quarels betwene the Popes Emperours disaltered and amazed him the same occasions remayning and the same propertie of spirits working In which incertentie and frailty of minde he deferred to resolue himselfe expecting first what would be determined in the Dyot And therfore proceding in tearmes generall he had instructed the Legate to perswade Caesar in his name to passe into Italy without an army offring to him greater degrees and proportion of honors then euer had bin done by any Pope at the crowning of Emperors But a litle after the counsels of men obey occasions times thexpectations that were had of the resolutions in the Dyot began to diminish for when it was credibly vnderstand in Germanie that the Frenche king had dissolued his armie immediatly after the victorie of Genes his person also returning with the same fidelitie and obseruation of promise ouer the Mountes the heate of the Princes and peoples began to abate and their fiery inclinations to resolue to smoke and fume the feare beeing ceassed that he came not to vsurpe the Popedome and the Empire Besides as it often hapneth publike respects fell not so strongly in consideration but they were ouercaried with interests priuate for that besides all other reasons there was a generall and auncient desire in all Germanie that the greatnes of Emperours should not be so absolute as the other estates should be compelled to obey them And the French king omitted no diligence that might giue aduauncement to his cause for that he sent to Constance men expresse who forbearing all publike practise but working secretly laboured by the hydden fauours of the Princes that were his friendes to appease the mindes of the residue purging thinfamies that had bene imposed by testification and euidence of theffectes since assone as he had ranged Genes he did not onely disperse his armie but also returned in person into Fraunce with that speede that was agreable to a personage of his greatnes they affirmed besides that he had not onely abstayned in example and action from offending the Empire of Rome but also in all confederations contractes or bondes he did alwayes protest and except that he would be bounde to nothing that was contrarie to the rights of the sacred Empire wherein neuertheles they reapposed not so much in these iustificatiōs but that they labored with great diligence and many liberalities to abate the fierce mindes of the Almains with the engine of golde and siluer wherof that nation is not a litle couetous A batterie of no litle force to make breaches into the minds of most sortes and properties of men that beare more inclination to corruption then to vertue The Dyot at last determined and brake vp the twentith day of August in the which was agreed after many disputations that there should be deliuered to Cesar to followe him into Italy eight thousand horse xxij thousand footmen payed for six moneths and to furnish the expences of thartilleries with other charges extraordinary six thousand Florins of Rhein to be continued so long as the artillery was in seruice the bands and regiments to be in the fielde assemble neare Constance about the middest of October It
the duchie of Millan as we wonne vpon Lodovvike Sforce being ioyned with him In which time if we had gouerned our selues more moderately and not feared to muche suspitions vayne and light neither should the affayres of Italie stande presently in suche trouble and alteration neither we in whom should haue bene preserued a renowne of greater modestie and grauitie should not nowe be constrayned to enter into warre eyther with this prince or that prince more mightie then our selues Into which nature of necessitie seeing we are falne it can not but be more to our wisdome and profite not to depart from the confederation we haue with the Frenche king then ouerruled with a vayne feare or hope of benefites vncertayne and hurtfull to embrace a warre which alone and of our singuler power we should not be mightie ynough to support and in those consociates and assistantes which we should haue woulde be found more burden and charge then aduauntage or profite The opinions of the Senate were diuerse in so great a varietie of reasons but in th ende preuayled the memorie of thinclination whiche they knewe the king of Romains had long enterteined to recouer vpon occasion the townes holden by them which he pretended to apperteine to thempire or to the house of Austria Their resolution was to graunt him passage if he came without an armie but comming armed with a power they determined to denie him libertie to marche And in the answere they gaue to his Embassadors they seemed to perswade that that conclusion was made more by necessitie hauing regarde to the condition of the time present and confederation which they had with the Frenche than by any disposition or will to leaue him discontented for any matter They alleaged that albeit they were constrained by the same confederation to ayde him in the defence of the duchie of Millan with a proportion of men expressed in the same yet in this action they woulde proceede with a greater modestie without exceeding in any sort their limittes and boundes and except they were compelled to any action for the defence of Millan they would not oppose agaynst any other his aduauncement according to the true meaning of their affection who so farre as their power woulde stretche woulde neuer fayle him with those oblations and reuerences which became the Senate of Venice to beare to so great a Prince with whom they neuer had any thing thē a perpetuall amitie and alliance in commemoration whereof they sought not to enter into newe confederations and bonds with the French king but desired to communicate as litle as they could with the warres that should be betweene them hoping that Maximilian not to increase his owne difficulties would at least leaue their frontiers in peace embracing their affections according to the simplicity innocencie thereof to turne his armies eyther against Burgondy or the duchie of Millan But as enterprises of high importaunce are full of imperfections and drawe with them their proper impedimentes so Caesar beeing out of hope to ioyne with him the Venetians many other difficulties began to fall vpon him which albeit he labored to surmount with the greatnes of his spirite and conceptions apte to promise him dayly more hopes then impedimentes yet they delayed muche theffects of his resolutions and purposes for that both of him selfe he had not sufficient money to leauie his proportion of Svvizzers and furnishe the other expences necessarie for so great an enterprise and also the treasures that were promised to his ayde in the Dyot were not sufficient to furnishe the least part of the substance and body of the warre And the fundation whervpon from the beginning he had layde his greatest hopes that the communalties iurisdictions of Italie would for terror of his name and comming offer composition and contribution of money grew euery day lesse and lesse for albeit in the beginning many shewed a certayne deuotion yet the conclusions of the Dyot of Constance not answering thexpectation that was conceiued that the enterprise should rather be of the whole Empire and almost of all Germanie then his owne in peculiar and seeing happly into the mightie preparations of the French king and the newe declaration of the Venetians euery one remayned in doubt not daring in ministring to him things whereof he had most neede to offende so greatly the French king Neither were the demaundes of Maximilian such in the time when he was most feared as with their facilitie they might induce men to administer to his helpe for according to his conditions he demaunded muche of euery one wherein his rates imposed vpon the duke of Ferrara whome he pretended did owe to Blanche his wife the dowrie of his sister Anne dead many yeeres before were excessiue and his proportions to the Florentins no lesse intollerable vpon whom the Cardinal of Brexe managing his affaires at Rome and hauing power to compounde with them demaunded fiue hundred thousande duckets which demaunde for the immoderation thereof was the cause that they resolued to temporise with him till they discerned better what traine his affaires would take and withall foreseeing not to offende him they protested excuses to the Frenche king demaunding men which they sayd they could not accomplishe for thimpediments of the waste and spoyle to be giuen this yere to the Pisans in great preparation and for that the Genovvaies and other neighbours beginning eftsones to administer newe succors they were constrayned to stande continually prepared agaynst them In these regardes themperour fayling contrarie to his hope to haue his turne serued with the money of Thitalians hauing onely six thousande duckets of them of Sienna he made request to the Pope that at the least he woulde suffer him to take the hundred thousande duckets whiche had bene afore leauied in Germanie vnder cooller to make warre vpon the Turkes and beeing for that effect preserued in that prouince they coulde not be conuerted to any other vse without licence of the sea Apostolike he offred him also that where he could not satisfie his demaunde not to passe into Italie with an armie that neuertheles after he had restored to the duchie of Millan the children of Lodovvike Sforce the protection of whome he protested both to make the peoples of that state more fauourable and his passage more easie and lesse hatefull he would go on to Rome without armes to receiue the Crowne Imperiall leauing all his bands in the duchie of Millan But the Pope in whom appeared no more affection to the one then to the other refused also to satisfie him in this demaund alleaging that in suche a condition and estate of affaires he could not without his great daunger prouoke the armes of the French king agaynst him And yet Maximilian according to the propertie of his inclination beeing carefull credulous and quicke to execute all things of himselfe with paynes incredible amidde so many difficulties forgate nothing that might enterteine the brute of his discending and causing to
that the Authors and workers of the same were pushed on with endes ambicious They were all caried with couetous desires of temporall thinges and vnder the shadowe of the weale and benefit vniuersall they respected their perticular interests making holines and pietie a couer to their greatnes and glorie And yet which of them should be raysed to the Popedome stoode in no lesse necessitie to be reformed then others that they went about to compell to reformacion Moreouer it was seene of many that besides the ambicion of Preestes the quarrells of Princes and questions of estates had stirred vp and nourished this councell That respect had moued the french king to procure it the king of Romaines to consent to it and the king of Aragon to desire it So that it being clearely deserned that vnder the cause of the councell was comprehended the quarrel of armes and Empires the people expressed an vniuersall horror that vnder deuout shadowes of spirituall thinges instruments of warres and troubles men should thirst and aspire to matters temporal And therefore not onely at the entrey of the Cardinalls into Pysa the common disdayne and hatred of people was disclosed but also euen in the actes of the councel their grudge and discontentment burst out more manifest for albeit they summoned the Cleargie to be in the Cathedrall church at the first session yet much lesse that any of them respected the summonce seeing the very Preests of the Church refused to lend their ornaments and vestures when according to their custome they meant to haue celebrated the Masse for thimploracion of the ayde light of the holy spirit yea the Prestes iustifying their contēpt with actes of greater insolēcie forbare not to shut the dores of their church would not suffer them to enter The Cardinals compleyned of these contempts at Florence where was commaunded that neyther the vse of Churches nor the seruice of instrumēts ordeyned for diuine office should be denied thē but as touching the Cleargie there was no compulsion eyther to be at the Church or to assist the action These directions almost repugnant in them selues as they proceded of the diuision of the Citisens by meane of them on the one side the coūcel was receiued into their dominiō on the other side followed with contēpt reiection brought at one time offence to the Pope and discontentment to the french king In regarde whereof the Cardinalls seeing howe daungerous it was to remeine in Pisa without armes no lesse considering that it would bring diminucion to thauthority of their councell to celebrat in a citie that obeyed not their decrees were vpon tearmes to depart assoone as they should haue accomplished thaffaires of the councell wherein their resolucion was further compelled and hastned by an accident hapning suddeinely which albeit was by chaunce tooke notwithstanding his foundacion of the wicked disposicion of mē for a french soldiour in a publike place committing some insolēcy vpon a strompet and such as saw it raising a present outery many soldiours aswell french as of the Cardinalls traine and other Prelats prepared in armes to the place where the brute was on the other side likewise many trowpes of the people of Pisa of the Florentyn bands flockt thether to behold the accident And as for the most part popular tumults are full of faction and varietie of affection so the alarme being sownded some cryed vpon the name of Fraunce and some vppon the title of Morzocco the signe enseigne of the common weale of Florence occupying amōgest them daūgerous fight wherin their furie made them feare nothing lesse thē the hazard of their liues which at other tymes they would seeke to preserue with no litle care ielousie But the Capteines and chieftaines of the french and commaunders of the Florentyns ioyning discression to vallour and authoritie abated the sury of the fight their diligence doing much to restrayne thintemperance on all sides In the ende the tumult was appaysed many on both partes bearing away no small hurtes amongst whom fell into that fortune the Lord Chastyllion the Lord of Lavvtrich notwithstanding neither the one nor the other bare away any wounds of peril This accident brought such astonishment to the Cardinals happly at that hower assembled in the Church of S. Michaell which is there ioyning that they made the day after the second session wherein they ordeined that the councel should be transferred to Myllan not holding thopportunitie of that place conuenient for the actes of the councel which gaue no sewertie for the sauetie of their liues And therefore before the xv day of their arriual they departed in great diligence from Pisa greatly to the reioycing of the Florentyns Pisans no lesse to the contentment and liking of the Prelats that followed the councel whom it did not a litle discontent to be come into a place which what for the incommodity of lodging what for the incōueniency of other wants growen by the long warrs that were passed did not minister to them that fulnes of helps means to liue delicatly prodigally which the Prests frēch men are wont to find in the like actions They murmured also being come thether by the kings cōmaūdement against their wils they desired chaūg of place all other accidents that might bring difficulty prolongation or dissoluciō of the coūcel But such was the vniuersal contempt of this councel that the hatred grudging of peoples following the Cardinalls to Myllan they founde there euen the like despising farre greater difficulties for the cleargie of Myllan communicating in the contempts of Pysa euen in the beginning refused of them selues to celebrat the diuine seruice as though there were entred into their city not cardinals of the church of Rome who were wont to be honored and worshipped in euery place but persons profane accursed carying with them all priuacion of honor reuerence and respect And when they had occasion to shew them selues in publike the cōmons forbare not to raile at them skorning them as well in wordes as gestures but specially their malice was most expressed vpon the Cardinal of S. Cross whō as they supposed to be the author of that stir so euery one exercised their iudgement most vpon him being also in the last session of Pisa elected President of the councell These were the manifest common murmures of people that heretofore councels were wont to bring to contreys benedictions peace cōcord but in this was bred to contreyes kingdoms peoples maledictions warres discordes That other councells were assembled to reunite the Church that was out of vnitie but this was assembled to breake her vnitie when she was in good agreement That the contagion of such a pestilence infected al such as receiued it altered all those that obeyed it abused euen those that fauored it defiled such as had conuersacion with it and seduced all those that heard it There was to
confirmed by these occasions at suche time as the Secretory of the Bishop of Tyuoly ariued with the articles that had bene debated putting him also in hope that the limitacions added by the king to moderat thinfamie that might grow to him by abandoning the protection of Bolognia should bee referred to his will he determined altogether not to accept them But making semblance of the contrary in regard of the subscripcion faith he had giuen to the Colleage of Cardinalls A manner which some times he vsed contrary to the opinion that went on him to be alwayes vpright and iust he caused the articles to be red in the Consistorie and asked aduise of the Cardinalls Wherevpon the Cardinall Arborenso a Spanyard and the Cardinal of Yorke an English man according to a secret packt affore the one speaking for the king of Aragon and the other in the name of the king of England perswaded him to perseuer in his constancie and not to leaue abandoned the cause of the Churche which he had embrased with so great honor They alleaged that all the necessities that had induced him to harken to these offers were remoued and ceassed And that nowe it was manifestly seene that God woulde not suffer his shippe to perish though for some purpose vnknowne to the wit of man he had suffered it to lye open subiect to sondry stormes They told him it was not reasonable that he made peace onely for him self much lesse to debate it without the participacion of the other confederats the action being common and deuided from all particularitie Lastly they exhorted him to consider well what preiudice it might bring to the sea Apostolike and to him to seperat him selfe from true and faithfull friendes to embrace the amitie of enemies reconciled By the operacion of these councells the Pope openly refused the peace And within a very short time after proceeding in his auncient furie he pronownced in the Consistorie an admonicion against the french king charging him to release the Cardinall of Medicis vpon the penalties ordeyned in the holy Cannons But he forbare to publish it for that the Colleage of Cardinalls beseeching him to deferre asmuch as he could rigorous remedies offred to worke by letters written in the name of them all by the which they would both comfort him and beseech him as a right Christian Prince to set him at libertie The Cardinall de Medicis was caried to Myllan where he was kept vnder reasonable and easie garde And albeit his fortune had brought him subiect to the power and disposing of others yet such was his vertue spirit that thauthoritie of the sea Apostolike shined in him together with a wonderfull reuerence of religion And about this time beganne to appeare a great contemning of the councell of Pysa the cause whereof was not onely abandoned of others with deuocion with diligence with faith but also euen of such as affore had followed it with armes and fauored it with affection with studie with resolucion for the Pope hauing sent to the Cardinall of Medicis full power both to absolue from all paines and cursings the souldiours that would promise to beare no more armes against the Churche and also to giue libertie of holy buriall for all the bodies that were slaine at the battell A fauor demaunded with great importunities The concurse of people was wonderfull and no lesse maruelous the deuocion of them that came to demaund and promise such matters yea the Ministers and officers of the king were not against it onely it was not without manifest indignacion of the Cardinalls who saw euen before their eyes and in the place where was the seate of the councell the souldiours and subiects of the king contrary to his honor against his profit vpon the landes of his iurisdiction and without respecting any thing thauthoritie of the councell ronne after and follow the Romaine Church acknowledging with great reuerence as Legat Apostolike the Cardinall Medicis being prisoner great is the force of a people and multitude beginning to vary and chaunge And so much more preiudiciall and perillous their reuolt by how much vpon their numbers and forces depende principally the estate and exspectacion of affayres Nowe because the truce was ratified by Caesar notwithstanding his agents that were within Verona menteyned that it was nothing the french king called home one part of the bandes that he had in garrison in that citie as seruing to small purpose And hauing reuoked also the band of two hundred gentlemen the Archers of his garde and two hundred other launces fearing the threats of the king of England he knewe by the suspicion he had of the Svvyzzers which was redoubled in him that he should neede greater forces in the Duchie of Myllan for which cause he had pressed the Florentyns to send him into Lombardye three hundred men at armes as they were bownd by the couenants of confederacion betwene them for the defence of his estates in Italy And for that that confederacion drew to end within two monethes he compelled them the memorie and reputacion of the victorie being yet fresh to confederat with him of new for fiue yeares Wherein he bownd him selfe to defend their estates with six hundred launces and the Florentyns for their partes promised to furnishe him with foure hundred men at armes for the defence of all that he possessed in Italy And yet to auoide all occasions to enter warre with the Pope they excepted in the generall obligacion of defence the towne of Cotignole as if the Church might pretend right to it But nowe were apparantly disclosed right great daungers to the affaires of the king for that the Svvyzzers at last were determined to send six thowsand footemen to the pay of the Pope who had demaunded them vnder cooller to employ them against Ferrara Those that in this action susteyned and fauored the kings side could obteyne no other thing but to protract and deferre the deliberacion till that tyme And against those men the Communalties of people made vniuersall exclamacion in their parliaments for the wonderfull hatred they bare to the name of the french king They affirmed that the king rested not contented with this kind of ingratitude to refuse to encrease a litle the pensions of those by whose blood and vallour he had won perpetuall reputacion accompanied with a great estate but also with wordes full of reproche he had despised and reiected them as Villaines as though all men in the beginning were not conceyued vnder one element were not cast in one molde and had not one maner of creacion vpon the earth and as though any mortall man were nowe either great renowmed or noble whose Auncestors in the beginning were not poore vnknowen basely discended That he had begon to wage footemen of the launceknightes to show the contempt he had of their nation for the seruice of his warres perswading him self that suffering priuacion of his pay they could not
then of our selues our owne feares will breede our common daungers our fraile suspicions will drawe on our propper calamities and as a destinie we shall be driuen into warre by our immoderat desires to peace which then is most holy and most to be embrased when it puts men out of suspicion when it encreaseth no daunger when it bringes a meane to sit downe in tranquillitie and to cut of great exspenses But when it appeareth in an other habit and forme begetteth effects contrary it abuseth then the name the property and the nature of peace and vnder a corrupt resemblance of peace it taketh iustly the title of a daungerous warre and vnder the show of a holsom medicine it expresseth thoperacion of a mortall poyson So that as in confederating with thEmprour we turne the French king from his enterprise of Italy leade thEmprour as it were by a lyne to occupy at his will the Duchie of Myllan and so to embase vs and our iurisdiction so it followeth that by that action with a right great infamie of our name and hazard of the faith of this common weale we buy the greatnes of a Prince who hath giuen no lesse tokens of his ambicion then proofe of his power and who ioyning with him his brother hath set downe this pretence that all that we possesse in the firme land apperteineth vnto them And on the other side we reiect and exclude out of Italy A king who vnder his equitie and greatnes assureth the libertie of vs all and is induced by a great necessitie and constraint to remeine straitly allied and conioyned with vs These reasons so euident and sensible auoyd all matter of imputacion that I am not pushed on more by affection then by truth nor more caried by any interest particular then with the loue I beare to the common weale The sauetie and preseruacion of which we neede not doubt if God giue so great grace and felicitie to your councells as he hath plentifully imparted amongest you the spirit of wisedom and forecast But against this speech did oppose one George Cornaro a gentleman of equall authority and of no lesse reputacion for grauitie and stayed condicion Rightielous were the office of Magistrates if in matters of councell it were lesse lawfull to confute then to obiect And no lesse doth it offend the estate and credit of their place where it is not thought as greate a fidelitie to aunswer as to propone Since such hath beene alwayes the law and libertie of councell giuing to assure the truth against all sinister insinuacions And albeit I am not ignorant that in nothing is more suspicion then to giue councell in matters of state yet for myne owne parte considering the equitie of this Senate affore whom I speake I doubt not but the reasons I shall giue will suffice to assure myne innocencie against all imputacions Assuredly the matter we haue in hand is great and full of difficulties both for the consideracion of the time nature of many accidents concurring And yet when I looke into thinfidelitie and ambicion of the Princes of this time and howe much they differ from the nature of common weales whose gouernment beeing not subiected to thappetit of one alone but disposed by the consents of many vse to proceede with more moderacion and regard and obserue with great ceremonie contrary to thexamples of Princes not to depart from any thing that beareth apparance of iustice honestie or reason I can not but conclude that it is most hurtfull for vs and our affayres to haue the Duchie of Millan possessed by a Prince more mightie then our selues seeing that necessarily suche a neighborhood will so holde vs suspected and afflicted that thoughe we enioye peace yet we shall alwayes liue in continuall thoughtes of warre notwithstanding all leagues of alliance or confederacion what so euer Of this auncient stories giue vs many examples which for good respectes I passe ouer for the present leauing you onely to the lamentable experience of king Lovvis the xij of whose doings I doubt not remayneth imprinted in the heartes of vs all a bitter remembraunce This Senate brought him into the Duchie of Millan and to that vnhappie resolucion many of vs heare gaue assistance we kepte with him iustly our fayth in all Capitulacions notwithstanding vnder great offers and goodly occasions we were aduised by the Spaniardes and Launceknightes to leaue his alliance as also his infidelitie gaue no small cause to drawe vs therevnto for that he solicited many practises agaynst vs But neyther the memorie of so many benefites receyued nor the merite of our fidelitie so iustely obserued nor the consideration of so many perpetuall offices exhibited could moderate in him his great desire to vex vs In so muche as in that ambicion and for that cause he made a willing reconcilement with his auncient and greatest enemies and lastly contracted agaynst vs that most perillous confederacie of Cambray If it be daungerous for the riche and poore to dwell neare together for that in the wealth of the rich are sowen the seedes of enuie to the poore and by the wantes of the poore are bred humors of couetousnes in the riche man to consume him farre greater harmes must growe by the neighborhood of great kings and princes whose ambicion caryed on the wings of authoritie runneth without limitte and is no more repulsed by the resistance of men then a swift running streame blowen by a violent winde to ouerflow his channell And therefore to escape those daungers that would alwayes hang ouer vs by so yll assured neighborhood of great Princes the necessitie of our affayres driues vs to addresse all our counsells to this ende that neyther the French king nor themperour haue anye footing in the Duchie of Millan but that it remayne to Frauncis Sforce or suche an other of his equalitie who were not borne vp with kingdomes or large dominions Vppon such a choyse dependes our suretie for the present and hereafter if the condicion of tymes do chaunge may depende a great encreasing and exaltacion of our estate We consult nowe whether we should continue amitie with the French king or confederate our selues with themperour By the one of these two deliberacions Frauncis Sforce is excluded absolutely from the Duchie of Millan and an entrie left open to the French king who is a prince farre mightie aboue vs the other tendeth to assure and confirme in the same Duchie Frauncis Sforce whom themperour offreth to comprehend as principall in our confederacion and hath made promise to the king of Englande to protect him So that though he would seeke to depriue him of that estate he should not offende vs onely and the other potentates of Italie to whom he should giue cause to turne eftsones to the Frenche but also in that action he is both to displease the king of Englande whom it behoueth him greatly to respect and also to prouoke agaynst him all thinhabitantes of the Duchie of
reckoning of their own saueties In which astonishmēt they set before their eyes all those daungers which either doubt or dispaire could stirre vp Their feare would not let them hope for the thinges that reasonably might comfort them And whatsoeuer their amazed minds suspected the same did they feare would assuredly happen vnto thē Lastly when they saw them selues disarmed on all sides And thEmprours forces most mighty in the field without impediment of ennemies they could not but giue a greuous sentēce against their own estate condicion And in this cōfusion they could not be so much assured cōforted by the opiniō which many had of the good intēcion of thEmprour of his honorable inclinacion to peace of his vertuous minde not to vsurpe thestates of others as their passions were redoubled by the consideracion of their great daungers most manifest to the eye and no lesse fearefull to their mindes in which lay suppressed all that resolucion and constancie which reasonable men should expresse chiefly in times of aduersities They doubted least thEmperour pushed on either by ambicion naturall almost to all earthlie Princes or by insolencie which commonly accompanieth victories or caried by the importunate couetousnes of those that gouerned his affaires in Italie or lastly set on by the vniuersall perswasions of his councell and court They doubted I say least in these vehement respectes and in an occasion so sufficient to sette an edge vppon the dullest spirite that was he woulde not dispose his thoughtes to make him selfe absolute Lorde ouer all Italie Wherein they were not ignorant howe easie it is to euerie great Prince but muche more to an Emperour of Rome to iustefie his enterprises with titles appearing comelie and resonable This feare and astonishment did not onely occupie those potentates that were of meane force and authoritie but also euen the Pope and the Venetians were no lesse trauelled then the others The Venetians beganne to call into remorse and conscience the faulte they had committed against thEmperour without iust cause in not following the capitulacions of the confederacion And also the memorie of auncient hatreds and iniuries betwene them and the house of Austrich together with the greate warres they had had not many yeares before with his grandfather Maximilian By which they feared would be reuiued in thestates which they possessed in the firme land the name and memorie of the rightes of thEmpire which were almost buried and forgotten as also they cast this coniecture that whosoeuer had any purpose to make him selfe great in Italie would haue his first recourse to lay plottes to embase and pul downe their too much puisance and greatnes And for the Pope his passion was this that except the maiestie of the Popedom which euen in the times of the auncient reuerence that the worlde bare to the sea Apostolike was oftentimes ill assured of the greatnes of thEmperours he was in all other regardes very easie to be endomaged as being disarmed of forces depriued of money the Church in an vniuersall weakenesse for want of strong townes the mindes of the people not vnited nor sirme in deuocion to their Prince all the free holdes and dependaunces of the Church full of diuisions and factions the one parte being Guelffes and the other parte Gebelins and the Gebelins by an auncient and naturall impression inclined to the name of thEmperours and lastlie the Citie of Rome more then all other places defiled and weakened with these seedes and rootes of diuisions The Pope also called into care and reckoning the estate of Florence which depending vppon him and being the verie peculiar and auncient greatnesse of his house it was happily no lesse deare to his harte then the estate of the Church and assuredlie no lesse easie to be innouated and chaunged for as that Citie since the passage of king Charles hauing chassed out the familie of Medicis and vnder the name of libertie was diuolued to a gouernment popular for eighteene yeres space stoode so ill contented with the returne of the Medicis that there were very few to whom in deede was agreable their puisance greatnes so also the Pope feared vehemently least to so mighty occasions were not added a forward will and desire to offende that state Wherein also he had reason to doubt that that same desire and enuy was not lesse not so much for the regard of ambicion in the most mightie from which who is least puisant is neuer wholly assured as for feare that for many reasons his name in that time were not odious to thEmperour And albeit he made discourses in him selfe how much both in the life of Pope Leo and afterwardes since he was Cardinall he had trauelled for the greatnesse of thEmperour so farre foorth as Pope Leo and he with their greate exspenses and daungers had opened him the waye in Italie to so greate a puissance and that for his owne particular since his election to the Popedome he had giuen money to his Capteynes and made the Florentins to contribute during the Admiralls being in Italie without reuoking from his armie the regimentes of the Church and the bandes of Florence yet either in consideracion of his office wherein he is a father and pastour indifferent betwene Princes Christian and rather the author of peace then the nourrisher of warres or else for that he had begon verie lately to suspect and feare suche a greatnesse he was retyred and so giuen ouer to runne the same fortune that neither he woulde renew the confederacion made by his predecessor for the defense of Italie neither ayde him with money when the yeare before the Duke of Burbon entred with his armie into Prouence And albeit these matters had not giuen to thEmprours Capteines any iust cause to complaine seeing he was not as yet bounde by the league of Adrian to be concurrant against the frenchemen in the warres of Italie Yet they were beginninges to make him not esteemed the same man with thEmperour but diminished muche of the faith that till that day they had in him as men who caried onely either by their appetites or by necessitie thought them selues offended if to their particular enterprises dressed to occupie Fraunce others did not as it were lay to their handes according to thexamples before of others begon vnder title to assure Italie against the power of the frenche The complaintes and displeasures beganne to discouer them selues at such times as the french king passed the mountes to recouer the Duchie of Myllan for albeit the Pope according to the complaint he made afterwardes to thEmperour by a letter which he wrote to him had secretly distributed certeine quantities of money to the frenchmen at their returne from Marseilles yet afterwardes he had no straite familiarity or intelligence with them but assone as the king had made a conquest of the Citie of Millan he entred into capitulacions with him taking his reason vppon the good euent and traine of his affaires Of which he excused
the cure of that which most importeth and carieth most necessitie of remedy for the safety and good health of the pacient But the better to explaine and signifie such a matter it is necessarie we discend more deepely into the discourse of one parte of those things which we haue set downe seuerally heare and there and reduce them into one place and order They of the family and house of Est besides that they haue bene possessed of long time vnder the title of the Vicaires of the Church of the iurisdiction of Ferrara were Lords also for many yeares of Reggia and Modena by vertue of inuestiture from the Emperours for that in those times there was none that called into doubt why those two Cities were not subiect to the Empire They were enioyed peasibly vntill Pope Iulio the second he whose custome was to vncouer the auncient titles and rightes of the Church long buried with tract of time vnder shadow of piety was the author of many ills begon the warre with Duke Alfonso to reduce wholly Ferrara vnder the obedience of the Church By the occasion and accidents of this warre the Pope tooke from him Modena and at the beginning reteined it for him selfe as though together with all the other townes euen to the riuer of Pavv it had apperteined to the sea Apostolike as being parte of the partage or diuision of Rauenna But a litle after he gaue it to thEmperour Maximilian for feare of the frenchemen and yet he ceassed not for all that the warre against Alfonso but tooke from him afterwardes Reggia yea it was beleued that in that humor of authority ambicion if he had liued longer he would haue depriued him also of Ferrara Not that he accōpanied his action with equitie but for the hatred and enuie he bare to Alfonso wherein he not only sought to couer his ambicion with pietie pretending vnder that pretext to recouer to the Church all that he could find had bene holden by her in any time but also vnder suche a shadowe he pushed on the disdaine he had to Alfonso for that he followed rather the amitie of Fraunce then depended of him yea in this malicious disposicion was happily concurrant the vnappeasible hatred which he boare to the memory and relikes of Alexander the sixt his predecessor whose daughter called Lucrece had bene maried to the Duke Alfonso of which mariage were procreated many children The sayde Pope Iulio left by his death to his successors not only the succession of Reggia but also the same thirst desire to get Ferrara wherunto they seemed to be inclined for the glorious memorie he had left of him selfe to posterity for which reason that ambicion was more mighty in Leon his successor then the regard to the greatnes which the house of Medicis had in Florence on whose behalfe it seemed more profitable that the puisance of the church should diminish then to haue it made more redoubted to all her neighbours by annexing of Ferrara to it And indeede after he had bought Modena he disposed his spirites and study wholly to the getting of Ferrara and that more by practise and ambushes then with force open and disclosed for that it would haue bene an enterprise of too great difficulties since Alfonso by the consideracion of his owne daungers fortefied him selfe on all sides and made plentifull prouision of artilleries and municions and as the brute went had confirmed his strength with huge proporcions of wealth and treasure it may be his hatreds were greater then the hatreds of Iulio euen so were they managed with more secrecy and suttletie wherein besides many plots which he layed to take Ferrara either by surprise or by fraude he passed such manner of obligacions with those Princes that he made alliance withall that at least they were restrained to hinder him in this enterprise That held him not onely during the life of Iulian his brother and Laurence his nephew for whose greatnes and exaltacion it was thought he was caried with that ambicion but also euen after their death Yea he was so ouerruled with that burning desire that many were perswaded that therevpon proceded his last deliberation more rashe then discrete to knitte with themperour agaynst the French king In so muche that by necessitie Alfonso was constrayned to satisfie the French king being his onely founder and hope in making warre vppon them of Modena at suche time as the armies of Pope Leo and themperour helde Pauia besieged In which warre albeit he had receyued a verye yll successe yet he had bene reduced into farre greater difficulties if Pope Leo euen amidde the course and dayes of his victories had not bene called into the other life by sodayne death An accident which assuredly chaunced no lesse aptly and conueniētly to him and to his affayres then the death of Iulio And it may be doubted whether at last Adrian that was successor to Leo was not infected with that property of couetousnesse although both for his newe creation and want of trayning in th affayres of Italie he gaue him absolution of the Censures in the very firste tymes of his comming to Rome He graunted him also of newe thinuestiture of the Duchie with permission to reteyne all that he had possessed during the vacation of the sea He brought him also into a generall hope to make restitution of Modena Reggia though afterwards vpon better information of thestate and condition of things he well expressed how farre his wyll was estraunged from his promise But by the creation of Pope Clement Alfonso entred into a great feare to returne eftsoones into the same daungers wherein he was intangled before He tooke his reason of this feare for that if things had happely succeeded with Clement the same propertie of disposition woulde haue bene found in him which had alwayes followed Iulio and Leo But as thoccasion was not yet ripe for Ferrara so he made his next practise and preparation to haue agayne Reggia and Rubiera as an enterprise of more facilitie and better to bee iustified by the late possession whiche the Churche had of them and as though in that regarde he coulde not but beare dishonour and infamie to leaue them vnrecouered Vpon which selfe suggestions and reasons he tooke occasion bothe in many other sortes affore and lastly in the capitulation with the Viceroy to occupie his memorie with that deuise more often then many desyred who as they looked into the daungers hanging ouer euery mans head by the greatnesse of themperour and to breake the same sawe no better remedie then a ready and generall vnion of all the states of Italie together that the tyme might cut out occasions and necessities euery daye to take armes So they iudged it a better course for the Pope not to stirre and kindle the Duke of Ferrara and muche lesse to put him into necessitie to seeke his reskewe betweene the armes of themperour agaynst whose forces whose fortune and whose
felicities the tyme gaue them no power to oppose And for the particular of the Duke he was a Prince riche which in conference of actions and enterprises is not of the least consideration and for his trayning and experience well hable to foresee and auoyde a vertue moste commendable in a Prince whether his case be to defende or offende Besides aswell for the congruencie of his estate as for his other conditions the present diuisions and conspiracies of the tyme required rather to cal him into affection and assurance then to leaue him perplexed with hatred or feare And yet it may be doubted whether to do benefite and pleasure to one perswaded that he hath receyued iniuries bee sufficient to wype out of a minde yll disposed and full of iealousie the memorie of wronges and offences specially when the pleasure is done at a time when it seemes it proceedes more by necessitie then of good will. After this capitulation was resolued the Pope not to omitte anye conuenient office to so great a Prince as the French king by permission of the Viceroy sent the Bishoppe of Pistoya to visite and comforte him in his name There past betwene the king and hym but generall speeches and that in the presence and hearing of Capteyne Alarcon wherein he chiefly besought the Pope to make some good solicitation for hym to themperour He asked him also in suche secrecie as the lycence of a prisoner woulde suffer what was become of the Duke of Albanie and was aunswered to his great griefe that one parte of hys armie beeing broken and retyred he was returned with the residue into Fraunce In these tymes they of Lucquay accorded with the Viceroy who receyued them into the protection of themperour vnder condition of tenne thousande duckets By whose example also thinhabitantes of Syena contracted with him for fifteene thousande duckets without bynding him to maynteine more the one forme of gouernment then the other for that of the one side the famulie of Motenouo who at the instance of the Pope and by the meane of the Duke of Albanie had resumed thauthoritie which neuertheles was not as yet well confirmed on the other part those who by the profession they made to desire libertie were commonly called Libertins tooke hart by reason of the battell of Pauia and would not endure the pollitie and gouernment introduced by the forces of the French king Both partes sent messengers to the Viceroy to incline him and to worke him fauourable to their seuerall doinges and receyuing from him no certayne resolution touching the forme of gouernment they ioyned both together and solicited readily composition whiche beeing established and set downe and the men ariued whom the Viceroy sent to receyue the money it hapned both in their presence and in the very action of counting the money that Ierome Seuerino a Citisen of Siena who had bene sometime with the Viceroy slue Alexander Dichio both chiefe of the newe gouernment and also to whom the Pope had assigned at that tyme the whole reputation The residue of the Citisens of faction and conspiracie with him vppon that alarme tooke armes concurring with them the commotion and consociation of the populars beeing yll contented that the pollicie shoulde eftsoones returne vnder the yoke of tyrannie In whiche vniuersall emotion and rysing they chased out the chieftaynes of the famulie of Montonouo and reducing the Citie to a reformation they readdressed eftsoones the gouernment popular beeing bothe enemie to the Pope and adherent to themperour It was beleeued that this alteration of pollicie was eyther done directlye with the priuitie of the Viceroy or at least not without his great allowing and approbation seeing it brought no little commoditie to th affayres of themperour to haue at hys deuotion that Citie whiche for her forces is very mightie and puissant for the oportunitie of her portes and hauens of greate regarde for marine enterprises for her fertilitie of countreys very riche and plentifull for her neighborhoode to the realme of Naples very congruent and apte and for her situation betweene Rome and Florence not of least respect and reason to fauour hys affayres And yet both the Viceroy and Duke of Sesso had giuen hope to the Pope not to alter the gouernment introduced with hys fauour There were many other townes in Italie who taking example of thinclination of them of Lucquay and Sienna followed the fortune of the victors Amongest these was the Marquis of Montferat who compounded for fifteene thousand duckets And the duke of Ferrara made a loane to the Viceroy of fiftie thousande duckets vnder promise to haue them repaied if they did not capitulate together he tooke his reason of that loane vpon the present condition of his affayres which could not be established so speedily both for the respects they bare to the capitulation made with the Pope and also for the necessitie to vnderstande firste the will of the Emperour But with the money of that loane together with a hundred thousande duckets whiche were promised from the Duchie of Millan and the imposition of Sienna and Lucquay together with some proportion of treasure sente to Genes by Themperour for the supportation of the warre whiche neuerthelesse came after the victorie the Capteines set downe the payes of the army according to the rate and quantitie of the money that came meaning to pay the souldiors for all that was paste and to sende backe from hande to hande the Almains into Germanie So that no tokens appearing that there was any intention at that tyme to followe the course of the victorie agaynst any man since the Viceroy bothe had ratified the capitulation made with the Pope according to his request and also had put in negociation at the same tyme a newe appoyntment with the Venetians whiche he greatly desyred The eyes of euery man were set to beholde with what propertie of affection themperour woulde receyue his gladsome newes and to what endes his thoughtes were disposed who so farre as exteriour demonstrations made showe of expressed great tokens of a minde muche moderated and verye apte to resiste easily the prosperitie of fortune yea the signes and inclinations appearing seemed so muche the more incredible by howmuch he was a Prince mightie and young and as yet had neuer tasted but of felicitie For after he was informed truely of so greate a victorie whereof he had the reapporte the tenth of Marche together with letters of the French kinges owne hande written rather in the spirite and condition of a prisoner then wyth the courage of a king he wente foorthwith to the Churche to make hys holye oblations to God wyth manye solemnities and the morning following he receyued with signes of righte greate deuotion the Sacrament of the Euchariste and so wente in procession to oure Ladies Churche oute of Madrill where was his Courte at that tyme His temperaunce and moderation was aboue thexspectation of his estate and farre contrarye to the custome of the
his exclaiming others tooke courage to buyld new plotts Of which if themperour thought to proceede no further in the matters of Italie did ryse a iust occasion yea almost a necessicie to take other resolutions but if he stoode vpon endes and purposes ambicious he had meanes to couer them with the most honest occasion and fayrest cooller he coulde desire And seeing from thence was deryued the very beginning and cause of righte great stirres and alterations it is necessary we reduce it to some particular rehearsall The warre which in the lyfe of the late Pope Leo was begonne aswell by him as by themperour for the chasing of the Frenche king out of Italie was leanyed vnder cooller to reestablish Frauncis Sforce in the Duchie of Millan And albeit for th execution hereof after the victorie was obteined promise was made to transfer to him the obedience of that state together with the castell of Millan and the other places of strength when they should be recouered Yet such was the magnificencie and oportunitie of that Duchy that the former feare ceassed not which men had of themperours ambition to aspire to it They interpreted the impedimentes which he receiued by the french king to be the cause that he kept cloked as yet so great a thirst for that he had altered those peoples desyring vehemently to haue Frauncis Sforce for lorde and had stirred vp all Italie agaynst him being not content to suffer the French to ryse to suche a greatnes So that Frauncis Sforce helde that Duchie but with a harde yoke and subiection and tributes and charges intollerable for all the staye and fundation of his defence agaynst the French consisting in themperour and in his armie he was constrayned not onely to respect him as his prince but also to liue subiected to the will of his capteines By whom he was miserably compelled to enterteine his regimentes of men of warre not payed by themperour sometymes with money which he leauyed vpon his subiectes with grieuous impostes and great difficulties and sometimes in suffiring them licenciously to lyue vppon his people by diseression and that in all the seuerall partes of his estate except the Citie of Millan Oppressions which albeit of themselues were heauye and grieuous yet the nature of the Spaniarde being greedy and when he hath the meane to discouer his inclination very insolent made them intollerable Neuerthelesse the daunger which was had of the Frenche men to whom thinhabitantes were enemies and the hope that those vexations would one day drawe to ende wrought in the heartes of men a greater suffraunce then their forces or faculties could well beare But after the victorie of Pauia the people could no more endure seeing the same necessities no more continuing for that the king was prisoner yet their calamities continued notwithstanding and therefore they required to bee somewhat eased of their burdens by withdrawing from the Duchie eyther all or the moste parte of the armie The like instance was also made by the Duke hauing enioyed of the Dukedome no other thing till that day then the bare name and title he feared least themprour beeing nowe assured of the French king would occupie and reteine the Duchie to himself or at least bestowe it in donation vpon some of his followers and dependanciers In which feare and suspicion deriued of the very nature of th affayres occurrant he was specially nourished by the insolent words spoken by the Viceroy affore he conueyed the king into Spayne together with the demonstrations expressed by the other capteines wherein muche lesse that they published any reputation to be holden of the Duke seeing they desired openly that themperour woulde oppresse him Besides themperour after many delayes and deferring hauing sent to the Viceroy the expedition and priuileages of the inuestiture the Viceroy when he presented them to the Duke demaunded for recompence of charges for conquering and desending that state to paye to themperour within a certayne tearme the summe of twelue hundred thousande duckets A demaunde so excessiue and intollerable that the Duke was driuen to haue recourse to the Emperour to moderate and abate the summe But these difficulties drew a doubt least the demaundes so immoderate were not interposed to make the matter alwayes deferred Moreouer suche as sought to excuse the necessitie of Frauncis Sforce alleaged many other generall causes of his iust suspicion and particularly the knowledge he had that th imperiall Capteines were resolued to restrayne or retayne him In so muche as being sommoned by the Viceroy to a certayne councell or Dyet he refused to go fayning to be sicke couering himselfe with the like excuses in all places where they had power to do him violence He nourished this suspicion whether it were true or false and ioyned withall this consideration that the state of Millan was well disburdened of the regimentes of men of warre parte of the Spanishe footemen being gone into Spayne at seuerall times with the Viceroy and the Duke of Burbon and also diuerse bandes being made riche with pillage and pray were retyred by trowpes into sundrie places And considering also the great indignation that was showed to the Marquis of Pisquairo he deuised by these aduauntages to assure himselfe of the present daunger and entred into hope that th armie might be easily defeated vsing the consent and vallour of the Marquis The author of this deuise was Ierome Moron his Chauncellor a man of high authoritie and place with him and for the facultie of his spirite facilitie of inuention flowing eloquence familiar readynes and great experience and lastly for his resolution and magnanimitie hauing oftētimes made singuler resistance agaynst aduersities was in our age a personage of right worthy memorie Whiche partes or giftes had tyed vpon his name a perpetuall fame and honor if they had gone accompanied with suche sinceritie of minde suche care and zeale to integritie and with suche maturitie of iudgement as his counsels for the moste parte had not bene discerned to holde more of precipitation and impudencie then of circumspection or honestie This man sounding the intention of the Marquis made suche insinuation into his minde already deepely grieued that they began to common to cut in peeces the remaynder of the regimentes remayning within the Duchie of Millan and to make the Marquis king of Naples An enterprise whiche they helde of easie action if the Pope and Venetians woulde be concurrant with them And touching the Pope whose minde was drawen with suspicion and doubt after he was sounded by the aduise of Moron he showed him selfe no whit disagreeing to that counsell and yet he aduertised themprour vnder cooller of friendship to interteine his capteines in deuotion and well contented not that he ment to disclose the practise but to prepare to himselfe a refuge if the matter declined to some yll euent But the Venetians embrased the deuise with resolution and sincere affection perswading them selues that no lesse readinesse of minde and will woulde
first show may happly seeme moste great and most profitable I confesse the Duchie of Myllan is an estate more riche and more commodious for many regardes then Burgonguie and that there can no amitie passe with Italy vnlesse Myllan be transferred eyther to Frauncis Sforce or to some other of the Popes lyking And yet I rather allowe to do this then to accorde with the Frenche men for that Burgonguy apperteineth to you with better equitie and iustice then Millan and beareth more facilitie to be maynteined then a contrey where is no person that willeth you good To seeke to get Burgonguy your auncient inheritance is an action of great worthynes and prayse but to aspire after Millan eyther to your owne vse or for any other that dependeth wholly vpon you can not be without manifest notes of ambicion The one calleth you to it by the honorable memorie of so many your predecessors whose bones lying buryed in captiuitie call vpon you to be deliuered and redeemed by your vertue whose compassion accompanied with their iust pityfull and holy desires may happly moue God to be more fauorable to thaction Your Maiestie must consider that it is a more discrete and easie counsell to establishe an amitie with him that vnwillingly becomes your enemie then with one who in no time can be your friend for there will neuer be in the French king but a perpetuall hate and desire to oppose agaynst your doings where the Pope and the other potentates of Italie beeing once assured of all suspicion by the reuoking of your armie that is in Lombardy will haue no occasion of controuersie with you neyther through iealousie wherein they will be satisfied nor by feare which then will be resolued into assurance and remayning your friendes you shall drawe from them both now and alwayes a greater commoditie and profite So that there are to leade your Maiesties inclination to this amitie not onely the consideration of honor which ought to be most familiar with great princes not only the regarde of profite whiche fashioneth hawty mindes to reason and facilitie not onely the respect of suretie which to princes and peoples is the swetest ende and rewarde of their warres and contentions but also the operation of necessitie which aboue all other motions in the mindes of men caryeth them violently to resolution and accorde For be it that you compounde with the king and binde him to no other thing then to ayde you in thenterprises of Italy yet it is not likely he will obserue it since this will be his opinion that in leauing you Italy for a pray he should so much the more imbarke his owne Realme in perill and desperate daunger Where on the other side his hopes and oportunities will be great that by the compulsion of so mighty an vnion he shall be hable to vex and trauell you and in the end to reduce you to accorde vnder easie conditions So that of a king whom we holde prisoner we shall not onely giue him libertie but also prepare him to be our enemie and sende home to the Realme of Fraunce a soueraigne chieftayne or leader to th ende that ioyning with the residue he might rayse warre agaynst vs both with greater forces and with more profite Howe much better were it to confederate with thItalians who haue the same conformitie of reasons with vs Howe much more necessary to contract a firme and true alliance with the Pope who hath continually desired it And howe muche assured to remoue from the Frenche all hope to ioyne with thItalians seeing that in that case not onely necessitie or feare of new leagues but also euen your owne will and qualitie of the conditions will drawe you to accorde with the french Then shall you see that their vniuersall necessitie and dispayre of their common condition will constrayne them not onely to delyuer vp Burgonguy into your handes and to followe you with greater offers but also to assure them with suche obligations and ostages that you shall not neede to doubt the obseruation For the which his children are no sufficient pawnes so long as they hope to effect so great an vnion And scarcely wyll suffice the townes of Bayon and Narbona if they put them into your hands nor an armie at sea This is the waye to draw of your victorie a frute plentyfull honorable comely and sure And otherwise if I haue any insight in the matters of the worlde by this accorde you shall embarke your estate into so great daungers that I see no way to deliuer you vnlesse the indiscression of the French king may happly be greater then ours This oration what with theloquence and good disposition of the matter ioyned with the reputation and wisedome of the man wrought muche in the minds of the greatest parte of the counsell But the Viceroy being of an other humor pronounced a contrary opinion in this sorte If it be a fault blameable in suche men as through the motion of worldly appetite and ambition seeke to embrace more then they are hable to hold the offence is no lesse in mine opinion in others who eyther by too many suspiciōs or too muche incredulitie do willingly depriue them selues of great occasions gotten with many difficulties and daungers But if there be propertie of errour in both obseruing the qualitie of the persons in whom they raygne that which proceedeth of feare and abiection of minde is more to be reprehended and condemned in a great prince then that which moueth of an inclination heroicall and true greatnes of spirit and courage And seeing it is to great thinges that the thoughts of great princes ought to be raysed and dressed it can not but be more agreable to their merite and vertue to seeke to winne muche with hazarde and daunger then by auoyding of perill which is but casuall to lose or corrupt suche occasions as verye rarely happen to mortall men This is the very course layde out to your Maiestie by the Lorde Chauncellor who doubting that by this accorde Burgongny and Millan maye not be obteyned we muste not thinke he is pushed on eyther with the loue of Italy which is his contrey or with the benefite or good turne that he wisheth to the duke of Millan hath made a resolution of awaye by the which as he sayth we shall get Burgongny and lose Millan an estate without comparison of greater importance But I feare that in following that deuise as we shall not onely lose Millan and not winne Burgongny so also where your Maiesty hath with great glory opened you a waye to the imperie and iurisdiction of all Christendome there will remayne no other frute of it if you take your direction by his counsell then great domage accompanied with perpetuall infamie Effects which in all reasonable sorte your Maiestie is to auoyde least through indiscression and sinister counsell of one priuate man you blemishe the reputation and vallour of so many princes and braue Capteines who vnder the felicity
deuises Such is the operacion of minds malicious ambicious that the thing which the law of equitie and order denieth them to do their forces too weake to further the impiety of their hart they will not faile to follow it to effect with conspiracie and infidelitie Whilest these practises were in preparacion the almighty God bringing to passe that to the affliction which the Pope suffred for his affaires particular should be adioyned other visitacions more publike and generall aduertisementes came that Solyman Ottoman Prince of the Turkes had ouerthrowen in a battell raunged and accomplished Levvis king of Hungrie a victory which it was supposed the Turke won no lesse through the temerity of his enemies then by his owne vallour forces for the Hungarians notwithstanding their numbers were but small in comparison of so huge an armie of their enemies in their rashnes reapposing more for them selues in their victories past against the Turkes then in the estate and condicion of things present yet they perswaded their king who being young in age and yeares was also more young in councell iudgement that not to obscure the auncient reputacion and glorie of warre gotten by his peoples and lesse attending the succors that were to come to him from Transiluania he would aduaunce his forces and go seeke the enemy and not refuse to fight with them in open field a maner of action wherein the Turkes are almost inuincible by reason of their infinite nūbers of horsemen So that the euent and effect falling out all one with their rashnes indiscression his armie being compounded of all the nobility and valliant men of his realme was ouerthrowen with a great slaughter of the generall multitude of souldiours and the death of the kings person with many of the principall Barons and Prelats of the realme This victorie bothe bloodie for the slaughter and daungerous for the consequence brought an vniuersall terrour and astonishment ouer all the regions and landes of Christendom euerie one seeing in his owne iudgement that nothing coulde holde back the Turke from appropriating to himselfe the whole realme of Hungria which for so many yeares had bene the onely bulwarke and defense of Christendom And as in the mindes of men alreadie troubled and afflicted newe displeasures and accidentes make a deeper impression then they do in such spirites as are free and voyde of passion So this ouerthrow was to the Pope aboue all other Princes most bitter and grieuous insomuch as expressing in his actions in his words and in his countenaunce great tokens of inward dolor and heauines he complained in that griefe affore the Cardinalls sitting in consistorie of so great a domage and ignominie done to the common weale of Christendom Which for his parte he had not failed both to foresee prouide for as well by exhorting and perswading the Princes of Christendom to peace as also in comforting in their most necessities the kingdome of Hungarie with a great contribucion of money he sayd that from the beginning he had foreseene and fortelled that that warre woulde be full of incommodities and a warre verie daungerous for the defense of that kingdom Only he alleaged that seeing there was no reckoning made of those reasonable condicions which he proponed for the tranquillitie of the sea Apostolike and Italie he was driuen by necessitie to haue recourse to armes and forces contrarie to his perpetuall intencion Wherein he referred him selfe to be iustefied both by the newtralitie which he had vsed before that necessitie and also the condicions of the league which he had made respecting all the common benefite All which he sayd aunswered sufficientlie for him that he had not bene pushed on by any consideracion of his proper interestes or particular respectes of those of his familie But since it is Gods good pleasure happilie for some good ende that the heade and principall parte of Christendome shoulde be hurte speciallie in a time when all the other members of the same bodie were deuided into other thoughtes then suche as tended to the safetie of the whole He thought that the holie will of God was that they shoulde seeke to cure so greate a maladie by some other meane And therefore seeing that care apperteyned more to him then to any other in respect of his office of Pastour he was determined contrarie to all consideracions of thincommodities of the daungers and of his dignitie and soliciting withall as soone as he coulde vnder some good condicions a surceance of armes in Italie to mount vpon his gallies and in person to go seeke the Princes of Christendom and to solicite a holie and vniuersall peace with perswasions with peticions and with teares He exhorted the Cardinalls to put them selues in preparacion for this expedicion and with one franke readines to dispose their mindes and bodies to aide their common father in so holie an enterprise which he besought God to blesse fauor And that if for the common sinnes of the world it could not be guided to his perfection he besought the goodnesse of God that at least in the negociacion he woulde rather depriue him of life then of hope to accomplishe it for that sayth he no infelicitie no aduersitie no miserie can happen to me so great as in so daungerous and mortall astonishments to loase both hope and meane to put to my hande for the remedy and redresse of so generall an euill This protestacion of the Pope was heard with great attencion and with no lesse compassion and deuocion was it holden for recommended and esteemed But it had imprinted a farre greater operacion if his wordes as touching the person had caried so muche fidelitie and credit as in them selues they seemed to beare authoritie and dignitie for the most parte of the Cardinalls were of this opinion that he was more touched with the consideracion of the difficulties wherein the present warre was reduced then with any conscience of the daunger of that kingdom A matter which they proued by this obseruacion that he had taken armes against thEmperour in a time when for the open preparacions of the Turkes the daunger of the realme of Hungarie was manifest and vndoubted But of this there coulde not be made a true experience for the faction of the Colonnois beginning to execute the treason they had pretended sent Caesar Filettin their confederate with a strength of two thowsande footemen to Agnano where was a garrison for the Pope of two hundred footemen payed And in the manner of their doinges the better to keepe couered and hidde their thoughtes and intencions they made showe as though they woulde take the towne But for that in true meaning their purpose drewe to an other effect they occupied all the passages and with an extreame diligence cutte of from comming to Rome all meane of aduertisement of their enterprise And in the meane while after they had assembled their forces whiche they had sent to keepe about Agniano and together with
the difficulties which the Duke of Burbon had to pay his souldiours wherein rested not the least impedimentes to the good fortune and felicitie of the warre The wretched people of Millan were wonderfully trauelled for prouision of money In which necessitie or rather tyrannie Ierome Moron beeing condemned to death compounded the night before he should suffer to paye twenty thousande duckets for the whiche it seemed they had passed him to sentence of death But after the releefe of his purse had auoyded the daunger of his life vnder the same good meane his person was deliuered out of prison suche was the course of his desteny working instrumentally by the dexteritie of his spirite and witte that of a prisoner to the Duke of Burbon he became his councellor and within short time he went on by the operation of hys witte tyll he became almoste his onely gouernor and director Neuerthelesse amid all these variations and vexations the treatises of truce or peace were great betwene the Pope and the Viceroy though in good meaning the plottes and purposes of the Viceroy tended rather to make warre wherein he was set on both by thincitation of the Colonnois who had breathed into him a new life since he came to Caietto and also because he vnderstoode that the Pope no lesse abated in courage then naked in money founde nothing so sweete as the desire of peace Wherein both publishing to all the world his pouerty and his feare and in his confusion refusing to create Cardinalls for money according to the counsell that was giuen him the demonstrations he made of his owne weaknes gaue courage and hope to who so euer would offende him for as the Pope not entring into the warre with that constancie of minde that apperteined had sent to themprour a letter the xxvj of Iune conteyning matter bitter and full of complayntes that he droue him by necessitie to intende to the warre So also fearing afterwardes least by the sharpe phrases of that letter he might further incense themprour whom he so much feared he sent after an other expedition compounded of an humor more temperate and reformed charging his Nuncio to reteyne the first which neuertheles was deliuered for that it came first to his handes the other was presented afterwardes but themprour vnder one expedition aunswered them both seuerally according to the argument and nature of matter they conteyned Moreouer the Pope had readely harkned to the generall of grayfreers who going into Spayne at suche time as the warre began was charged by him to deliuer to themprour embassages milde and full of amitie And beeing eftsones returned to Rome by commission of themprour he brought many reapportes and informations touching his good intention and howe he would be content to come into Italy with a trayne of fiue thousande men and from thence after he had taken the Crowne of thempire he would passe into Germany to set downe some forme to the matters of Luther without speaking any thing of the Councell That he was also well inclined to accorde with the Venetians vnder reasonable conditions That he would referre the cause of Frauncis Sforce to the arbitration of two Iudges assigned by the Pope and him and in case he were condemned he would bestow that estate vpon the Duke of Burbon That he would reuoke his army out of Italy so farreforth as the Pope Venetians would pay three hundred thousande crownes to satisfie the wages of the army which notwithstanding he would labour to make contented with a summe more moderate That he would restore to the French king his children receyuing in counterchaunge two millions of golde at two or more tearmes He showed also that it would be easie to accorde with the king of Englande bothe for that the summe that was in question was not great and also the king had made offer of it And the better to debate and worke these matters the generall of grayfreers offred a truce for viij or x. moneths protesting that he had warrantes and commissions from themprour verye large and absolute wherein all power of negociation and conclusion was giuen to him to the Viceroy and to Don Hugo In regarde of which authoritie and good inclination of themprour the Pope after he had giuen audience to Pignaloso and had receyued aduertisement that the Viceroy was gone out of the porte of S. Stephen sent the Generall to Caietta to treate vpon these matters with him Whereunto he was the rather induced for that bothe the Venetians woulde not refuse the truce if the French king would consent who for his part was not farre estraunged from it and his mother had sent to Rome Lavvrence Tuskane declaring an inclination to peace wherein shoulde be a generall comprehension of all men And also for that he thought no practise to be sure without the will and concurrencie of the Duke of Burbon he sent to him in that behalfe one of his owne Amners that was at Rome whom the Duke returned eftsones to the Pope to solicite the same matter And yet neither to loase thoportunitie of the time nor to abandon the prouisions for the warre he sent Cardinall Augustin Triuulco as Legate to the army which was then in the field And continuing also his preparations to inuade the Realme of Naples Peter Nauarre ariued the third of December at Ciuitavecchia with a Nauy of xxviij gallies of the Popes the French and the Venetians At which time also Ranso de Cere being sent for the french king for thexpedition intended vpon Naples was ariued at Sauonna with a fleete of sayles quartered On the other side Askanio Colonno with a strength of two thousande footemen and three hundred horsemen came to Valbon fifteene miles from Tiboli where are the landes of the Abbot of Farfa and Iohn Iordan with these forces the twelfth of December he tooke Cepperano finding no resistance for that it was not garded Vitelly with the Popes companies reduced himself betwene Tiboly Palestime and Velletre Afterwardes the Colonnois tooke Pontecorue which was not garded and in vayne gaue assault to Scarpa which is a litle and weake place depending vpon the Abbey of Farfa Caesar Filettin approached by night to Alagnia with fiftene hundred footemen of which fiue hundred making their entrie secretly by the fauour of a house ioyning to the walles and by the practise of certen of the townesmen that receiued them were repulsed and driuen out agayne by Lyon de Fano commaunder of the footemen that were there In this meane while the generall of grayfreers returned from the Viceroy to the Pope to whom he related the Viceroyes inclination to consent to the truce for certayne monethes to th ende that in the meane while the peace might take course Only he stoode vpon demaundes of money and for suretie he required the Castells of Ostia and Ciuitavecchia But of the contrary to him tharchbishop of Capua aryuing at Caietta after he was departed and who happly had bene sent thither with
vppon the same Gallies that brought hym But beeing with great stormes and tempestes of sea aryued at Sauona where reaposing no more confidence neyther in the prouisions of the gallies nor in the industrie and experience of those that gouerned them he sente backe agayne the same gallies that had deliuered him out of his first perilles and tooke his course to Ciuitavecchia in the gallies of Andre Dore from whence beeing returned to Rome with a right great reputation and wonderfull felicitie especially to suche as had seene him prisoner in the Castell of Saint Angeo he reioysed as it were at his wyll in the full fauour of fortune feeling notwithstanding in the secrete apprehensions of his spirite and minde the chaunge that was speedily to happen to him In which impression he seemed to foresee and discerne his laste ende for it is certayne that almoste assoone as he was returned from his voyage to Marseilles from whence he seemed to bring certayne predictions and comettes of his death he caused to make the Ring with all other habites accustomed to bury Popes assuring his familiars with a mind wel reposed resolute that his latest dayes could not be deferred for any long time Neuertheles nothing retyring for all those impressions from his cares studies accustomed he solicited as he thought for the greater suretie of his house to buyld a very strong Citadell within Florence not knowing how soone was to ende the felicity of his Nephews of whō being mortal enemies one to an other Hippolito the Cardinall dyed before the ende of the yere of the Popes death not without suspicion of poyson And Alexander the other Nephew who commanded at Florence was not without a great note of indiscression secretly slayne by night in Florence by the handes of Lavvrence one of the same famulie of Medicis The Pope sickned about the beginning of sommer whose griefe in the first apprehension was the paines of the stomack which drawing with them to passions of a feuer other accidents kept him long time vexed tormented somtimes seming to be reduced to the poynt of death and sometimes so eased and releeued that he gaue to others but not to himselfe a kinde of hope of recouering And during the time of his maladie the Duke of VVittemberg by the ayde of the Lantgraue van Hesse and other Princes concurring also the money of Fraunce recouered the Duchie of VVittemberg which the king of Romains possessed By which occasion fearing a greater combustion they came to composition with the king of Romains agaynst the will of the French king who well hoped that themprour in regarde of those emotions would stande intangled with a long and tedious warre and that happlye their armies being victorious would discende vpon the duchie of Millan In lyke sort about that time Barbarousso Bascha capteine generall to Solyman of all his Nauies and armies by sea passed to the conquest of the kingdome of Thunis In his way thither he skowred along the shores of Calabria and ranne vp aboue Caietta where setting on lande certayne bandes of his souldiours he sacked Fondy with such a feare and astonishment to the Court and peoples of Rome that it was supposed that the Citie of Rome had bene left abandoned if in that course of victorie they had passed on further This accident was kept from the knowledge of the Pope who being no longer hable to make resistance agaynst his maladie exchaunged this life for a better the xxv of September leauing behinde him in the Castell of Saint Angeo many ryche stones and iewels more then was exspected of him and in the Chamber of the sea Apostolike infinite offices contrary to custome and good order but in the treasorie a very small store of money wherein he beguyled the opinion of all men He was raysed from base degree to the place of the Popedome with a wonderfull felicitie but in managing the place he proued a verye great variation of fortune wherin if both the properties of fortune be euenly balanced the one with the other the worser fortune without all comparison was farre more familiar with him then the better For as there could happen to him no greater infelicitie then the aduersitie of his imprisonment for that with his owne eyes he behelde with so greate a ruine and destruction the sacke of Rome A desolation whiche his fortune suffred him to bewayle with pitie and compassion but not to turne away or remedie the harme So also by him moued the generall desolation of his naturall countrey to the which by howe muche more he was bounde by perpetuall obligations by so muche greater was his aduersitie to be a chiefe instrument in the ruine of the place where he had taken his first beeing He dyed hated of all the Court suspected to most Princes and for the discourse of his lyfe he left behind him a renowme rather hatefull then acceptable for he was accounted couetous of litle fidelitie and naturally farre of from doing pleasures to men And in that humor albeit during hys tyme of Pope he created xxxj Cardinalls yet vppon none of them did he impose that dignitie to content himselfe but was drawne as it were by the violent lawe of necessitie and to please others yea he called to that dignitie the Cardinall of Medicis not of his proper and free election but at the contemplation and perswasion of others and at a tyme when beeing oppressed with a daungerous maladie yf he had dyed he had lefte his friends and kinred in the state of beggers and depriued of all ayde Neuerthelesse he was in counsel very graue and in his actions much foreseeing Touching passions and affections a conqueror of himselfe and for the facultie of his minde and spirite of great capacitie and power if tymerousnes had not oftentimes corrupted his iudgement Immediatly after his death the Cardinalls going the same night into the Conclaue elected in his place with full voyce Alexander of the famulie of Farnesa a Romayne by Nation and for his time the most auncient Cardinall of the Court In which election their voyces seemed conformable to the iudgement and instance that Clement had made the person elected being moste worthy to be preferred before all the others to so soueraigne a degree for that he was both furnished with doctrine and good learning and fully replenished with good apparances and customes And for the Cardinalles they were so muche the more forwarde to passe thelection in his person by howe much for the greatnes of his age beeing already vpon the threescore and seuenth yeare and supposed to beare a weake and vnsounde complexion which opinion he nourished with arte they hoped he would not sitte long in the seate But touching his actions and operations whether they aunswered thexspectation conceiued of him or whether they were worthy of the incredible gladnes which the people of Rome tooke to haue after the end of an hundred and three yeres and after the