esquadron of the French men commaunded by Iohn Thomas de Gallera was so farre marched away that he could not in time be at the succors of the residue And albeit Monsr Saint Pol reaposing much in a regiment of two thowsand launceknights was discended on foote and fought valliantly yet after they had menteyned a light defense he saw them beginne to retyre in whose vallour he had layed vp his chiefest confidence And albeit they were susteyned and reskewed by Iohn Ieronimo de Castillon Clavvdo Rangon Commaunders ouer two thowsand Italians who expressed great effects of their vallour yet in the ende both the horsemen and launceknightes not hable to stand against the furie and fortune of their ennemies turned their backs leauing a wretched effect of the hope that was conceyued of them By their example thItalyans did the like And Monsr Saint Pol dispayring to finde by fighting the sauetie which the residue could not finde by fleeing was eftsoones remounted vppon his horse and as he would haue passed ouer a great ditche he fell into the calamitie of a prisoner hauing pertaking with him in that fortune Iohn Ieronimo de Castillon Clavvdo Rangon Liquack Carbon with other leaders of importance All the companies were defeated many horsemen taken prisoners and all the baggage and trayne of the armye and the artilleries ryffled Almost all the men at armes founde sauetye in the swiftnes and ronning of their horses together with Count Guido leading the auauntegarde with whome he retyred into Pauya and from thence in the beginning of the night the same seare following them nowe beeing free and at large which they sawe in thextremitie of their perill they went to Loda but so perplexed with astonishment that they were almost at poynt to breake and disorder of them selues Many of the souldiours remeyned in the wayes their horses hauing no forces to cary them whether their feare would chasse them And the Capteines excused their ronning awaye for that their companies were not payed of whome the French bands returned all into Fraunce Thus armes and warre beeing almost layed aside thorowe all Italy by reason of the harde euents and aduersities of the French men The cogitacions of the greatest Princes were conuerted and disposed to accord The first accord that succeeded was betweene the Pope and the Emprour which was concluded at Barselona to the Popes greate aduauntage Wherein thEmprour had the one of these two reasons eyther for that hauing a greate desire to passe into Italye he sought to take awaye all impediments to his voyage accompting it in that regarde verye necessarye to haue the Popes amitye or els for that he woulde with verye large and ample capitulacions giue the Pope a greater occasion to forgette the wronges and offences which he had receyued of his Agents and his armye The substance of thaccorde was this That betweene the Pope and the Emperour shoulde be a perpetual peace and confederacion That the Pope should giue passage to the Emprours armye through the dominions of the Churche in case it should depart out of the kingdom of Naples That thEmprour in contemplacion of the new mariage and for the tranquillitie of Italy should restore in Florence the sonne of Lavvrence de Medicis to the same estate of greatnes wherin were his predecessors before they were expulsed hauing notwithstanding regarde to the exspenses which were to be defrayed for the sayd restitucion according to the arbitracion to be made aswell by him as the Pope That thEmprour shoulde assaye assoone as he coulde eyther by armes or some other way more comely to reestablish the Pope in the possession of Ceruia Rauenna Modona Reggia and Rubiero without preiudice to the rights of the Empire and the sea Apostolike That the Pope hauing recouered the townes aboue sayd should accord to thEmprour thinuestiture of the Realme of Naples in remuneracion of that benefit and shoulde reduce the tribute of the last inuestiture to a white horse for a fyne or acknowledgement of chiefe That he should accord to him the nominacion of xxiiij Cathedrall Churches for the which they were in difference remeyning to the Pope the disposicion of the Churches which should not be in patronage of other benefices That when thEmprour should be passed into Italy the Pope and he should meete common together to consult of the particular quiet of Italy the vniuersal peace of Christendom receiuing one an other with ceremonies and honors due and accustomed That thEmprour in case the Pope required the ayde of the arme secular to reconquer Ferrara should assist him euen to the ende as Aduocate Protector and eldest sonne of the sea Apostolike that with all the good meanes which at that time should be in his power And that they should agree of thexspenses proceedings and formes to be vsed according to the qualitie of times and accidents That the Pope and Emprour with a common councel should deuise some meanes to drawe lawfully into iustice and examinacion of the lawe by Iudges not suspected the cause of Frauncis Sforce to th ende he might be restored if he were found innocent That otherwayes thEmprour offered notwithstanding the disposing of the Duchie of Myllan apperteyned to him to dispose of it with the councell and priuitie of the Pope and to inuest in it no person which should not be agreable to him nor otherwise to transferre it but in sorte as he shall thinke most expedient for the tranquillitie of Italie That the Emperour promised to make to consent Ferdinand king of Hungria his brother that for the tyme of the Popes life and two yeares after the Duchie of Myllan shoulde be furnished of saltes from Ceruya according to the confederacion made betwene thEmperour and Pope Leo confirmed in the last inuestiture of the kingdome of Naples not approuing neuerthelesse the couenaunt that had bene made with the French king and without preiudice to the rightes of thEmpire and the king of Hungria That neyther of them a parte to the preiudice of this confederacion shoulde make touching matters of Italie new leagues nor obserue suche as were made to the contrarie of this And yet neuerthelesse the Venetians might enter this league so farre foorth as they left all that they possessed in the Realme of Naples and accomplished all their obligacions to the Emperour and Ferdinand by vertue of the last confederacion made betwene them And also to restore Rauenna and Ceruya reseruing the rightes of the domages and interestes suffered in regarde of these matters That thEmperour and Ferdinand shoulde doe all that they coulde to haue the Heretikes reduced and brought home to the true waye wherein as the Pope shoulde vse spirituall remedies so in case they woulde stande obstinate thEmperour and Ferdinand shoulde force them by armes and the Pope to labour other Christian Princes to assist them according to their seuerall meanes That the Pope and thEmperour shoulde not receiue the protection of the subiectes vassalls and feodatories of one an other
your amitie and mercy So neuerthelesse your compassion hath principally respected the equitie of the complaynts of such as implored it esteming it not agreable to the lavv of vertue and account of your conscience to make your profite vpon the diuisions of your neighbours though there haue not vvanted reasons and titles to induce your desire I forbeare to make declaration to your Maiestie of the life and learning of the first Author of this booke A matter testified vvith sufficient credit and reputation in the high negociations and employments vvhich he managed long time vnder great Princes Popes common vveales And I am bolde contrary to the custome of some vvriters to leaue to particulate in my Epistle any part of the argument vvhich vvith so great grauitie he hath digested at large in so great a volume Onely the man for his integritie and roundnes vvas such one as vvhose vertues vvere farre from all suspicion of parcialitie fauour hatred loue revvard or any other propertie of humaine affection vvhich might haue force to corrupt or turne from the truth the minde of a vvriter And for the generall matter of his vvorke it doth not onely conteine the vvarres and diuerse accidentes hapned in Italy and other partes for almost fortie yeres but also he doth so distinctly set dovvne the causes the counsells and the fortunes of euery principall partie introduced into those actions that by his studie and iudgement is traced made easie to the reader the vvay to all those svvete and plentifull frutes vvhich vvith paynfulnes are sought for in Histories of this nature And for mine ovvne part vvhere in all my dedications heretofore not my vvill vvhich vvas alvvayes vvarranted by the gracious demonstrations of your Maiestie But my maner of life instituted vpon priuate customes and exercises hath holden me from approching the authoritie of this place affore vvhich nothing ought to be presented vvhich hath not a full perfection of spirite and studie yet novv taking my reason of the vvorthines of the vvorke and obseruing the examples and inducements of others in like oblatioÌ„s I am bold vnder feare humilitie to prostrate these my last payns afore that diuine moderation of mind vvhich alvvays hath holden for acceptable all things respecting learning or vertuous labours Humbly beseeching your right excellent Maiestie that vvhere the vvorke is novv to appeare in the open vievv of the vvorld and stande before the vncertaine iudgements of so many sundry straunge humors of men you vvill vouchsafe to let it passe vnder the happie name of your Maiestie and vnder your gracious authoritie to giue it defence and fauor agaynst the emulation of such as eyther through malice or ignorance may rise vp to interprete me and my labours sinisterly The Lorde blesse your Maiestie vvith a long and peaceable life and confirme in you to the comfort of your people that course of vvell tempered gouernment by the benefite vvhereof they haue so long time liued vnder the felicitie of your name At my lodging neare the Tovver of London vij Ianuarij 1578. Your Maiesties humble and true subiect GEFFRAY FENTON THE GENERALL CONTENTES OF euery booke through the whole Historie LOdovvike Sforce vncle and tutor to Iohn Galeas Duke of Millan fearing least Ferdinand vvould make vvarre vpon him breaketh of from the Le 〈…〉 that had bene renevved betvveene the sayde Ferdinand Iohn Galeas aâ—â— thâ— Common vveale of Florence agaynst the Venetians he procureth the French king Charles the eight to passe into Italy to conquer the kingdome of Naples Pope Alexander the sixth allieth himselfe vvith the king of Naples The French king hauing ordred the affayres of his kingdome discendeth into Italy vvhere he taketh many tovvnes Diuerse emotions happen in the kingdome of Naples The Pope is in great perplexitie and trauell Pisa rebelleth agaynst the Florentins The Fr. king entreth into Florence and Rome and from thence passeth to Naples Fol. 1. The Pisans continue their rebellion agaynst the Florentins The French king taketh the Castles of Naples The Pope Venetians and other Princes make league agaynst the king vvho returning into Fraunce is fought vvithall neare the riuer Taro Ferdinand vvinneth agayne Naples Nouaro is besieged by the Confederates The fr. king maketh peace vvith the duke of Millan and returneth into Fraunce Fol. 72. Lodovvike Sforce keepeth not the treatie of peace The Venetians take the tovvne of Pisa into their protection The fr. king determineth to returne into Italy The king of Romains besiegeth Liuorna The Pope makes vvarre vpon the Vrsins The fr. king dyeth at Amboyse Freare Ieronimo Sauonarola is hanged at Florence Fol. 129. Lovvis Duke of Orleance succeedeth to the Crovvne of Fraunce He determineth to recouer his Duchie of Millan Pisa and Florence make vvarre Lodovvike Sforce flieth from Millan The Florentins giue battrie to Pisa and agree vvith the French king Pope Alexander aspireth for his sonne to the iurisdiction of Romania Lodovvike Sforce recouereth Millan but beeing betrayed by the Svvizzers he is taken and ledde into Fraunce Fol. 187. The vvarre of Pisa continueth The Duke Valentynois pursueth his enterprise vppon Romania The kings of Spayne and Fraunce inuade ioyntly the kingdome of Naples They occupie it and deuide it betvveene them and aftervvardes make vvarre one vppon an other The Duke Valentynois putteth to death the Vrsins The Svvizzers discend into the Duchie of Millan The Spaniards remayne victors ouer the French at Corignolo and take Naples Fol. 244. The French king maketh his preparation to passe into Italy Pope Alexander the sixt is poysoned His successor Pope Pius the third dyeth vvithin xxvi dayes Iulius the seconde is created Pope The duke Valentynois is apprehended and made prisoner The French men are ouerthrovven at Garillan The Florentins fayle to take the Citie of Pisa Peace is established betvvene the French king and the king of Spaniards Fol. 298. Many treaties are made Pope Iulio the seconde taketh the gouernment of Bolognia The Genovvayes rebell agaynst the French king The king of Aragon meeteth vvith the French king and communicateth vvith him The Dyet of Constance The king of Romains demaundeth passage of the Venetians to go take the Crovvne at Rome He inuadeth their lands and aftervvards maketh truce vvith them Fol. 353. Most of the Princes of Christendome dravv into league at Cambray agaynst the Venetians vvho beeing ouerthrovven by the French king render the tovvnes of the Church and make submission to the king of Romains Pisa returneth to the obedience of Florence The Venetians recouer the tovvne of Padoa vvhich is soone after besieged by Caesar Aftervvards they make vvarre vpon the duke of Ferrara The Pope giueth them absolution of the Church censures Fol. 405. Pope Iulio the seconde turneth agaynst the French The frenche king and king of Romains enter league agaynst the Venetians vvho besiege Verona The Pope taketh Mirandola and maketh vvarre vpon the duke of Ferrara The famulie of Bentiuoley returnes to Bolognia A Councell is published at Pisa
Of this armie it was agreed that one part should stay with him vpon the frontyers of Abruzze for his safetie and sewertie of the state ecclesiastike And that Virginio should remeine in the town of Rome to make head against the Collonoys for dread of whom also it was agreed that two hundreth of the men at armes of the Pope and a part of the light horsemen of the king should not stirre out of Rome That thexpedicion into Romania should be performed in the person of Ferdinand Duke of Calabria that was the title of the eldest sonne to the king of Naples A yong Prince of great hope leading with him lxx squadrons with the residue of the light horsemen and most part of the Popes companies such as he erected for defence There were ioyned with him as moderators of his youth Iohn Iacques Triuulso gouerner of the souldiers of the king of Naples and the Counte Petillane who from the Popes pay was become mercynary to the king of Naples both Capteynes of great experience and reputacion Seeing they ment to leade an armie into Lombardye it was thought good that it should passe in the person of Ferdinand for the societie of blud and duble parentage which he had with Iohn Galeas husband to Isabell his sister and sonne of Iohn Galeas brother to Hipollita who was mother to Ferdinand But touching the actions of this parliament betwene the Pope and Alphonso that of most importance was concerning the Collonois for that it was discerned by manifest signes that they aspired to new intelligences seeing that Prosper and Fabricius hauing serued in the pay of the late king of Naples and by him recompensed with estates and honorable places Prosper the king being dead after many promises made to Alphonso to reenter into his pay was by the working of Cardinall Ascanius entred into the common pay of the Pope and the Duke of Myllan refusing afterwards to take the Popes pay being much solicited And Fabricius who had continued in the seruice of Alphonso hauing regard to the disdayne of the Pope and the king of Naples against Prosper made difficultie to goe with the Duke of Calabria into Romania if first by some conuenient meanes were not reestablished and assured the affayres of Prasper and all the familie of Colonne This was the cooler of their difficulties But secretly they both were become mercenary to the french king partly drawne by the great amitie they had with Cardinall Ascanius who forsaking Rome a few dayes afore for suspicion of the Pope was retired to their landes and partly for hope of larger payes but much more moued with displeasure that Virginio Vrsin chiefe of the contrary faction bare greatest rule with Alphonso and participated more then they in his prosperities But to keepe this thing conceiled vntill they might with sewertie declare them selues his souldiers they treated continually with the Pope and Alphonso by whom was made great instance that Prosper taking pay of them would leaue the wages of the Duke of Myllan for that otherwayes they could not be assured of him The Collonoys made show of desire to accord with them but to th ende to determine nothing they moued one tyme one difficultie and sometimes an other vpon the condicions that were offered In that practise there was diuersitie of wills betwene Alexander and Alphonso for that Alexander desiring to dispoyle them of the places they held about Rome cherished the occasion to assayle them and Alphonso who had no other intencion then to assure them was not inclined to the warre but for a last remedie but he durst not oppose against the couetousnes of the Pope At last they determined to constrayne them by armes and appointed forces and orders howe it should be done assaying notwithstanding afore if within few dayes their controuersies might be accorded These things with many others were debated on all partes mens witts wandring and their mindes vnresolute their feares generall but their hopes full of suspicions and incerteinties in their wills no consent or vnitie and all their coniectures and iudgements full of error no none that could moderat their expectacion and much lesse iudge what woulde be the ende of those tragicall preparacions but at last the warre of Italy tooke beginning by the going of Dom Federyk to the enterprise of Genes leading an armie no dowt of greater proporcion and better prouision then had bene seene of long time before ronne ouer the streames and sea of Tyrrennum it conteyned xxxv light or suttle galleyes eighteene shippes with many other lesser vessells great quantitie of artillerie and three thowsand footemen to put on lande By reason of which great equipage and leading with them the exiles the armie departed out of Naples with great hope of the victorie But their lingring and slow departing caused by those difficulties which commonly follow great enterprises partly abused by the conning hopes which Lodovvyk gaue them and partly for that they stayed in the portes of Sienna to leuye to the number of v. thowsand footemen made hard and daungerous that which being assayed one moneth afore would haue ben easie and without perill for the enemies by their slow proceedings had leasure to dresse a stronge prouision putting within Genes the baylif of Dyon with two thowsand Svvyzzers leuyed and payed by the french and already ordered and rigged a great part of the shippes and galleyes which were armed in that port and one parte of the vessells furnished at Marseilles being there arriued also Besides Lodovvyk for his part spared for no expēses but dispatched thether Gasper de S. Seuerin called Fracasse with Anthonie Maria his brother with many footemen And because he would compound his strength no lesse vpon the good wills hartes of Genes then of forreine forces he confirmed with giftes pensions and promises of many recompenses the courage and intencion of Iohn Loys de Fiesquo brother to Obietto the Adornes and many other gentlemen and populars much importing to keepe that citie in his deuocion he had also called to Myllan many factions of the banished men aswell of the towne as riuers of Genes To these prouicions mighty enough of them selues did giue great reputacion and sewertie the person and presence of Lovvys Duke of Orleance who about the same tymes that the Aragons flete was discouered in the sea of Genes entred that citie by commission of the french king hauing first communicated in Alexandria vpon the common affayres with Lodovvyk Sforce who as the doings of mortall men are full of thicke darknes had receiued him with great gladnes and honor but as a companion not knowing howe soone his whole estate and life would fall into his power These accidentes were the causes why the Aragons determined before to present their fleete afore the port of Genes vnder hope that the parties and confederates with thexiles would draw into some insurrection chaunging now councell with the occasion resolued to assayle the riuer And after some
both had gone out of the right way but it was with a greater infamie and calamitie to him who raysed into greater degree made profession with his wisedom to be the guide of all others This resolucion and accord of P. de medicis did not onely assure the king of the things of Tuskane but it tooke out of his way all blockes and obstacles in Romagnia where the Aragons beganne now much to declyne for as it is a thing very hard to him that skarcely defendes him selfe from daungers imminent to prouide in one season for the perills of an other So whilest Ferdinand remeyned in sewertie within the strong fort of Faenza thennemie returned to the contrey of Ymola where after they had with a part of th armie assailed the borow of Bubane but in vaine because by his litle circuite a small strength sufficed to defend it and for his base situacion the contrey ronne ouer with waters They tooke by force the towne of Mordane notwithstanding it was very strong and plentifully furnished with souldiers to defend it But such was the furie of thartillerie and such the desperat hardines of the french in thassalt many being drowned as they passed ouer the waterie ditches that there was no abilitie of resistance by those that were within against whom the victors accompanied their fortune with such bluddy crueltie without regard to age or sex that they filled all Romania with generall feares and astonishments By reason of this accident Kathern Sforce despairing of succors accorded with the frenchmē to avoid the perill present and promised to their armie all commodities of the estates subiect to her sonne the same being the cause that Ferdinand now dowting of the wills of them of Faenza yea held it so much the more daungerous to remeyne in the middest of Ymola and Furly by how much he was wel aduertised of the going of P. de medicis to Serazana retyred neare to the walls of Cesena showing so great a feare that because he would not passe neare to Furly he led his armie by the hills a way more long and combersom neare to Castrocare a borow of the Florentyns And within few dayes after hearing of the conuencion which Peter had made with the french for which cause the bandes of the Florentyns forsooke him he tooke the way to Rome Like as also Dom Federyk being parted from the port of Lyuorne retyred with his armie towards the kingdom of Naples where begonne to be necessary for Alphonso those armies which he had sent abroad with so great hopes to inuade the estates of others for his affayres were ful of many aduersities on his side seeing that the seege of the port of Neptune not succeeding he had ledd backe his armie to Terracina And the armie by sea for the french whereof were leaders the Prince of Salerne and M. de Serenon were discouered aboue Ostia but yet giuing it out that they would not offend the states of the Church they put no men on lande nor showed any token of displeasure to the Pope notwithstanding their king many dayes before had refused to heare Frauncis Piccolhomini Cardinall of Siena Legat sent by the Pope to his maiestie But to returne to P. de medicis after the Florentyns were aduertised of the conuentions he had made so greatly to the diminucion of their territories with so slaunderous and dangerous a wound and gall to the common weale there was no litle displeasure and discontentement through out all the citie besides their great losses their hartes were moued against him for that with a newe forme and order of dealing and contrary to thexamples of his predecessors he had alyened without the councell of his citie and solemne decree of the Magistrates so great a parte of the state of Florence in so much that to the bitter complaintes made against him were ioyned the murmures and secret grudgings of the people incensing one an other to rise and recouer their libertie without that any of those that in their hartes bare fauors to the doings of Peter durst either with force or perswacion set them selues against so great an inclinacion Albeit the Florentyns hauing no strength to defend Pysa and Lyuorne had also no hope to turne the kinges will from hauing them yet because they would separate the councells of the common weale from the councels of Peter or at least that that should not be attributed to one in particular which apperteyned to them all in publike they addressed to him many Embassadors of those families which were ill contented with the Medicis But Peter knowing that that was a beginning of a mutacion of estate to th ende to prouide for his affayres afore greater disorders hapned applyed his deliberacions to the time tooke leaue of the king vnder couler to giue perfection to that he had promised At this tyme also the king parted from Serazana to goe to Pysa and Lodovvyk Sforce returned to Myllan hauing obteyned for money that thinuestiture of Genes graunted by the king a few yeres before to Iohn Galeas for him and his yssue should be transferred to him and his posteritie he went away very much discontented for that the king woulde not leaue in his keeping as he sayd he had promised S. Peter and Serazane which places seruing him as a ladder to rayse him to the citie of Pysa he demaunded as vniustly taken from the Genovvays a fewey ere 's before by the Florentyns But when Peter was returned to Florence he found the citie estraunged from him and the minds of his chiefe friendes in suspence for that against their councell and against thoportunitie of the time he had vndiscreetly gouerned all thinges The communaltie also was drawne into such an vprore mutinie that as the next day after his returne he would haue entred into the pallace wherein rested the authoritie and great magistracie of the common weale it was forbidden him by certeine Magistrats which kept the gate armed of whom the chiefest was Iacques de Nerly a yong man of equal nobilitie and riches This being spred abroad thorow the citie the people ronne with swift tumult to armes being the more moued to this vproare for that Pavvle Vrsin whom Peter had sent for was at hand with his band of armed men The aspect and consideracion of these daungers caused Peter eftsoones returned to his house and hauing lost both courage and councell and whilest the state declared him rebell to flee in great hast out of Florence following him Iohn Cardinal of the Church of Rome and Iulyan his brethren vppon whom in like sort were imposed the paynes ordeyned against Rebells he went directly to Bolognia where Iohn Bentyuole desiring in an other that constancie and resolucion of courage which he could not showe since in his owne aduersities reproued him bitterly at the beginning for that not onely to his owne preiudice but also to the ill example of all that oppressed the libertie of their contreyes
succors of Venice arriued there the bandes of Florence hauing taken the borow of Buty from thence encamped at Calcy and before they tooke it beginning for their better sewertie of vittells to build a bastillion vpon the Mount of Dolorosa the bandes of footemen that were there for the garde of the place were broken by their owne negligence by the enseignes of the Pysans And a litle after as Francisco Secco was encamped with a great trowpe of horsemen in the borow of Buty to see to the safe conuey of vittells to Hercules Bentyuole incamped with the footebandes of the Florentyns about the litle castell of the hill Verrucole he was so charged at vnwares by the footemen that came out of Pysa that by thinconueniencie of the place to apply the seruice of his horsemen he lost a great parte of them for which successes the affayres of Pysa seeming to rise increasing in fortune and that with hope of greater prosperitie for that the succors of the Venetians beganne to arriue Hercules Bentyuole lodging in the borow of Bientina hearing that Iohn Pavvle Monfrin Capteine of the Venetians was with the first part of their companies come to Vicopisan two myles from Bientina fayned to haue feare In so much that presently he raysed his companies and went into the fielde and immediatly assoone as the Venetian bandes were discouered he eftsoones retyred into Bientina But after he saw his ennemie full of boldnes and securitie he trayned him one day with great pollicie into an ambush where he put him to the worse with the losse of the most part of his companies giuing him the chasse euen to the wals of Vicopisan In which encownter the victory was not in all pointes happye for that Frauncisco Secco come to the campe that morning to ioyne with Hercules in the retyre was slayne with a shot of harquebuze After these followed the other bandes of the Venetians amongest whom were eight hundreth stradiots led by Iustynian Morosin By whose comming the Pysans being nowe farre superior Hercules Bentyuole to whome the partes of the contrey were well knowne neither willing to put him selfe in daūger nor altogether disposed to abandon the field encamped in a very stronge place betwene the borow of Pontadere and the riuer of Ere with thopportunitie of this place he restrayned much the importunitie of thennemies who in all that tyme tooke no other place or peece then the borow of Buty which yelded to their discression And as they sent out their stradiots to make pillage of the contrey there were three hundreth of them ronning vp euen to Valdere charged and broken by certeine bandes which Hercules sent after them The Florentyns were in the same seasons vexed by them of Sienna who by thoccasion of the harmes they suffered in the contrey of Pysa and at the incensing of the confederats sent to incampe afore the bastillion of the bridge of Valiane the Lord of Plombyn and Iohn Sauelle But hearing that Riuuccio de Marciano arriued with succors they retyred in great haste from before the bastillion leauing behind them one part of their artillerie by reason whereof the Florentyns seeing them selues assured on that side caused Riuuccio to turne his force to the quarter of Pysa In so much that their strength being almost equall the warre was nowe brought to the borowes about the hills But for that they were at the deuocion of the Pysans thinges fell out more to the disaduauntage of the Florentyns for that the Pysans entring by intelligence into the borow of Pont de sac stripped a whole company of men at armes and tooke prisoner Lodovvyk Marciana yet they abandoned forthwith the sayd borow for feare of the Florentyn bandes which were not farre of But the better to commaund and gouerne the hilles which were of great importance to them aswell for the vittells brought from thence to Pysa as for that they gaue impediments to the Florentyns in the traffike of the hauen of Lyuorne they fortefied the most part of those borowes amongest the which Soiana was made noble by one accident by chaunce for the campe of the Florentyns beinge marched thether with intencion to take it the same day and for that cause hauing spoyled all the passages of the riuer of Cascina and put their men at armes in battell vpon the banke to cut of the succors of thennemie It hapned that Peter Capponi a chiefe commaunder amongest the Florentyns as he was about to plant thartilleries was striken in the head by a bullet out of the towne whereof he dyed presently An end vnworthy of his vertue aswell for the ignobilitie of the place as for the litle importance of suche an enterprise By the chaunce of this accident they raysed the campe without attempting any further action Besides the Florentyns euen in those tymes were compelled to sende bandes of men into Lunigiana to the succors of the castell of Verroncole which the Marquis of Malespina held beseeged by the ayde of the Genovvays from whence he easily gaue them the chasse So that the strength of the Pysans was mighty for certeine monethes for that besides the townesmen and popular souldiers leuied of the contrey became bodies warlike by long experience the Venetians and Duke of Myllan had there many bandes of horsemen and footemen the Venetian numbers being greatest But for that afterwards the Dukes companies began to diminish because they were not payed as appertayned the Venetians vsing that defect to their aduauntage sent thether a new supply of a hundreth men at armes and six gallies loaden with prouision of vittells wherein they spared no necessary exspenses for the sewertie of that citie the same hapning in good season to winne and draw to them the affections of the Pysans who euery day more and more estraunged their mindes from the deuocion of the Duke of Myllan as neyther contented with his nigardise in thexpense and prouision of thinges necessary nor with his incerteinties and variacions expressing rather a mind neuter then affection resolut for that sometimes he would be forward in the succor of their affaires and eftsoones careles and colde leauing all to aduenture In so much as beginning almost to dowt of his will they imposed vpon him by imputacion that Iohn Bentyuole did not aduaunce to endomage the Florentyns according to the commission he had of the confederats the rather for that they knewe he had fayled him in a greate part of his payments either through his couetousnes or els that the displeasures of the Florentyns were acceptable to him but not their whole ruyne and oppression By meane of which operations he had layed of him selfe touching the state of Pysa foundacions contrary to his chiefest endes and intencions for thaduauncement whereof he onely induced the councell of the confederats to determine that Maxymylian Caesar should goe to Pysa But now returning from whence we came after it was resolued that Caesar should march to Pysa he dispatched
follow the fancies of men And albeit for the reconcilement that was made with the Colonnois it was beleeued that he would be declared for the Spanish yet being induced to that reconcilement only by feare least they would ioyne with the Vrsins he declared now that he would doe nothing contrarie to his fidelitie to the French whom he determined to folow for that both within the towne of Rome which the kings armie did nowe approach and also in his other estates they might doe him more good and harme then the Spanishe In so muche as the first daie of September he made a conuention with the Cardinall S. Seuerin and Monsr de Trans the kings Embassadour by the which he promised to aide him with his soldiours in thenterprise of Naples and in all other expeditions against all persons except the Church And on the other parte the kinges Agentes bounde the king to the protection aswell of his person as of all the estates he possessed and to concurre also in the recouerie of those which hee had lost Besides these the Duke gaue hopes to drawe the most parte of the Spanish Cardinals to giue their voyce to the Cardinall of Amboyse who puffed vp with a proude hope to obteine the Popedome with authoritie with money with the armies of his king went immediatly out of Fraūce after the Popes death to Rome carying with him the Cardinall of Aragon the Cardinall Ascanius Him he had deliuered two yeares before out of the Towre of Bourges and giuen him honourable countenance in the Court hoping that if the Pope should dye his auncient reputation might doe much to further his ambicion together with the many friendes fauourers which he had in the Court of Rome Foundations verie weake to beare so high and waightie a purpose for that neither Valentynois could wholy dispose the Spanish Cardinals more inclined according to the custome of men to their proper profite then to reacknowledge the good turnes that his father and he had done to them and withall many amongst them hauing regarde not to offende the mynde of their king would not haue bene so farre ouerseene as to chuse for Pope a French Cardinall Neither yet Ascanius if he had had any power or place in thelection would haue consented to lift to the supreme seat the Cardinall of Amboyse for that it was to the perpetuall embasing and cutting of of all the hopes that yet remeined aswell to him as to those of his house They deferred yet thelection of the new Pope Not only for that it was later then was wont ere they beganne to celebrate the obsequies of the dead till the ending of which enduring for the most part nine dayes the Cardinals haue no custome to enter into the conclaue or house of election But also the better to cut of occasions and daungers of a scisme in so great a confusion of affaires and important diuision of Princes the Cardinalles that were present had agreed to giue aduertisement to those that were absent to make their repaire And when they were come the Colledge neuerthelesse was holden in suspence suspecting that thelection woulde not be free aswell for the bandes of Valentynois as for that the French armie which at last was drawne betweene Nepi and the I le with intention to come to Rome refused to passe the ryuer of Tyber if affore hande there were not chosen a newe Pope They feared that either the contrary parte would ouerrule the Colledge in thelection or els suche was the deuise of Cardinall Amboyse no lesse for the suertie of his person then hoping to bee the better fauoured These thinges after many contencions the Colledge refusing otherwayes to enter into the conclaue were at last resolued and tooke forme for that the Cardinall of Amboyse gaue his faith to the whole Court of Cardinals that the French armie should not passe Nepi the Yle the Valentynois consenting to goe to Nepi and afterwards to Ciuita Castellano hauing sent to the French Camp two hundred men at armes and three hundred light horsmen vnder the leading of Lodovvyk de la Mirandola and Alexander de Tryvulce But the Colledge erected many bandes of footemen for the garde of Rome and gaue power to three Prelates whom they had appointed for the garde of the Conclaue to open it if they discerned sedition or tumult to th end that all the Cardinals being in libertie to go whither they will euery one might be out of hope to force them At last the Cardinals entred the Conclaue beeing xxxviij in number where the disagreement which in other times was wont to kepe things in delay was the cause nowe that they entred roundly into thaction and created in fewe daies a new Pope And albeit in thelection they had muche to do to agree vppon the person aswell for their generall couetousnesse as for the contention betweene the Cardinals depending of the French king and the Spanishe Cardinals embracing the faction of the king of Spayne And albeit they were no lesse amased with the present daunger wherein they stoode all things in Rome beeing full of suspition and tumult then with the consideration of thaccidents which in a time so troubled might happen by the vacation of the Sea yet at last euen by the consent of the Cardinall of Amboyse in whom fayled euery day all hope to be elected they created for Pope Frauncis Piccolomini Cardinall of Sienna in whome was no expectation of long life both for his extreme age and present sicknesse A Cardinall sure of vnspotted reapport and for his other conditions not vnworthy that degree who to renewe the memorie of Pius secundus his vncle tooke vpon him the name of Pius the thirde Assoone as the Pope was created the Frenche armie had no further occasion to abide there and falling speedily into the way that had bene agreed vppon before they passed sodenly the riuer of Tyber but neither for the creation of the Pope nor for the discamping of the armie the tumultes at Rome did not appease for that because there was expectation for the comming of Aluiano and Iohn Paule Bayllon who conspiring together made leauies of men in Perusa Valentynois continuing as yet sicke and fearing their comming was returned to Rome with an hundred and fiftie men at armes the like numbers of light horsemen and eyght hundred footemen hauing obteined safconduit of the Pope who hoped that he might the easelyer put ende to those things by some composition But the Valentynois beeing within one towne and walles with the Vrsins who lusted in a iust thirst after his bloud the Vrsins by the oportunitie of newe bandes ariuing notwithstanding they demaunded of the Pope and College of Cardinals a short and readie iustice determined to be reuenged vpon him with armes assoone as Iohn Paule Baillon and Aluiano were ariued by reason of these conspiring intentions there was also some controuersie betweene the towne and them of the suburbes where Valentynois
place to the will of the greater parte And therefore there were present directions to make prouisions with a celeritie incredible euery one hauing desire to preuent no lesse th expected succours of the great Capteine then the daungers of the reynie seasons in so muche as the sixt day of September the armie approched the walles of Pisa with six hundred men at armes seuen thousande footemen and sixteene Canons with many other Artilleries of execution the campe beeing pitched betwene Santa Croce and San Michele in the selfe same place wherin the Frenchmen had encamped before And as the artilleries were sodenly planted in the night so they battered the day folowing in great furie all that was betweene the gate di Calci and the turret of S. Frauncis where the walles make within an angle and hauing from the sonne rysing when thartillerie beganne to playe tyll the xxj howre brought to the earth more then thirtie fadomes of wall there was enterteyned where the ruine was moste a hotte skirmishe but to very little profite for that there was not throwen downe so great a quantitie and space of wall as had beene necessarie in a towne where the men presented them selues to the defence with their auncient valour and hardynesse therefore the morning followng to th ende to make a greater opening of the wall they beganne another batterie in a place a little remoued that place of the wall which aforetymes had bene battred by the Frenche remeining betweene the one and other battrie and after they had caste downe so muche of the wall as was thought sufficient Hercules sought to aduance the footbands which were in battell to giue a rough assalt both to the one and other breach where the Pisans trauelling according to their customes the women no lesse venterous then the men resolute had during the batterie drawne a rampier with a ditche afore But there was not in Thitalian footebandes whiche had bene leauyed in haste neyther that action nor that spirite that was to force suche a resistaunce for that ensigne of footemen to whome by lotte apperteyned the firste assalte beginning to refuse through cowardise to go to the walles neyther thauthoritie of the Capteine nor presence of the superintendent of Florence neyther the regarde of their proper honour nor the honour common of the men of seruice of Italie were sufficient to vanquishe their feare nor to shewe valour in an action so muche importing thexample of whome finding imitation and place in the residue that shoulde haue followed them all the regimentes retyred to their lodginges hauing done no other thing then by leauing thinfanterie of Italie infamous through all Europe defyled the felicitie of the victorie obteined agaynst Aluiano and defaced the reputation of the Capteine and Campemaster whiche was greate on the behalfe of the Florentins if content with the glory they had gotten they coulde haue moderated their proper fortune When the souldiours were once retyred to their lodgings there was made no more doubt to leauie the campe chiefly for that the same day six hundred Spanishe footemen of those that were at Plombin were entred Pisa by direction from the great Capteine So that the day following the Florentine armie retyred to Cascina drawing with them more dishonour then eyther prayse or profite prouing in them selues that auncient tradition of the elders that follie and rashnes haue no societie with wisedome nor fortune or aduenture any communitie with good counsell since all those things are referred to a doubtfull issue that are done by will and not by reason Within fewe dayes after there entred into Pisa fifteene hundred spanish footmen who because the seruice had no necessitie of them after they had in vayne giuen an assault to the towne of Bientina at the incitation of the Pisans continued their nauigation into Spayne whither they were sent by the great Capteine for that the peace was already established betweene the Frenche king and Ferdinand king of Spayne to the which all difficulties that earst hindred it beeing nowe remoued as both the regarde of the honour of the Frenche king and the feare to make tharchduke his enemie the death of the Queene of Spayne had giuen perfection for that both the French king enuying muche suche a greatnesse of tharchduke desyred to disappoynt his purposes And also the king of Spayne beeing aduertised that tharchduke disdayning the last will of his mother in lawe had determined to take from him the gouernment of the kingdome of Castilla was constrayned to make his stay vppon newe alliaunces for this cause the mariage was agreed vpon betweene him and Lady Germana de Foix sisters daughter to the French king with condition that the king shoulde giue her in dowry that part of the kingdome of Naples that apperteined to him the king of Spayne bynding him selfe to paye him within ten yeeres seuen hundred thousande duckets in recompence of expences and to indue the newe maried Lady with three hundred thousande duckets This mariage beeing ratified and accompanied with the peace it was agreed that the barons of the faction of Aniovv and all suche as had followed the Frenche parte should be restored without any payment into their libertie countrie estates dignities and goods and reestablished in the same condition and degree that they were in the day that the warres beganne betweene the Frenche and Spanishe whiche they accompt to be the day that the Frenchemen ranne to Tripaldo That all confiscations made by the king of Spayne and by king Federik should be holden for cancelled and voyde That the prince of Rossana the Marquis of Bitonto and of Gesualdo Alphonso and Honorio of S. Seuerin with all the other barons which were prisoners to the Spanish in the kingdome of Naples should be deliuered That the French king should no more intitle him selfe king of Ierusalem and Naples That the homages and fealties of the barons should be made according to the conuentions aforesayde and that in the same maner thinuestiture should be demaunded of the Pope That in case the Queene Germana shoulde dye in mariage without issue her part of dowrie shoulde be transferred to Ferdinand but if he dyed first it shoulde reuert to the crowne of Fraunce That king Ferdinand should be bounde to ayde Gaston Earle of Foix and brother to his newe wife to conquere the kingdome of Nauarre which he pretended to apperteyne to him which was possessed with a title royal by Katthern de Foix by Iohn her husband sonne to Monsr d'Albert That the French king should constraine the widow of king Federik with her two children that were with him to go into Spayne where should be assigned to her a competent portion to liue And if she refused to depart then the king should commaund her to issue out of his realme without making any further allowance to her or to her children by way of pention or other meane to releeue them That neyther one of the parties should enterprise any thing
other worldes had made their auncestors terrible to all estates and principallities of men by the meane of whose vertue both there was diuolued in general to the nation of Germains a liberal glorie with the dignitie imperiall in part particular many noble personages had aspired to much greatnes and dominion many of the best houses in Italie hauing by long prescription raigned in estates gotten by their valor These things were begon to be debated with so great forwardnes and inclination that it is manyfest no dyot to haue assembled of long time wherein was exspectation of so great euentes the multitudes perswading them selues vniuersally that besides the strength of all the other reasons the Electors with the residue of the Princes expressed a more quicke readines to thenterprise for a hope they had that for the minoritie of the children of king Phillip the Imperiall dignitie which had successiuely continued in Albert Federike and Maximilian all three of the house of Austriche woulde at last be passed into an other familie By these resolutions and agreementes the Frenche king was induced to dissolue his armie immediatly after the action of Genes both to take away thoccasion of so great a suspition and to leaue euery partie satisfied of thintegritie of his intention yea his owne person had eftsones repassed ouer the Mountes had it not bene for a desire he had to speake with the king of Aragon who prepared to returne into Spaine altogether disposed to resume the gouernment of Castille for that Iane his daughter was vnhable to so great an administration not so muche for the imbecillitie of her sex as for that by a superabundance of melancolie growen since the death of her husbande she was become somewhat estranged from her vnderstanding and also for the minoritie of the children common betwene king Phillip and her wherof the eldest had not yet attayned ten yeres Besides he was pushed forwarde by the desires of many whiche called him to that gouernment by a remembraunce that they had bene iustly gouerned and that those kingdomes had florished vnder him by a long continuaunce of peace the diuisions already begon amongs the great Barons together with the manifest signes of troubles to come muche encreasing this desire But his comming was no lesse desired of his daughter who wandring in minde in all other actions was neuerthelesse constant in this that she desired the returne of her father refusing obstinately agaynst the perswasions and importunities of many to subscribe with her owne hande to any expedition without whiche subscription according to the custome of those realmes the affayres occurrant had not their perfection For these reasons the king of Aragon departed from Naples where he remeyned but seuen monthes leauing vnsatisfied the great expectation that was had on him not so muche for the shortnes of tyme whiche ronnes in a voluble motion without respect nor for that it is harde to answere the conceptions of men which for the most part are inconsiderate and not measured with due proportions â–ª as for the many difficulties impediments that opposed against him by reason wherof he did nothing deseruing memorie for thuniuersall benefit of Italie nor any thing worthy of monument for the particuler profit of the kingdome of Naples for suche was his desire to returne eftsones to the gouernment of Castillo the principall piller of his greatnes that he reserued no oportunitie to thinke of the affayres of Italie onely he turned all his studies to deuise to keepe himselfe in amitie with the king of Romains and the French king to th ende the one vnder cooller to be grandfather to the little children of the dead king and the other with thopportunitie of his power giuing corage to who woulde oppose agaynst him shoulde giue no impediments to his returne And the obligation wherein he was bounde by the treatie of peace made with the Frenche king to restore the estates that had bene taken from the Barons of Aniovv and distributed eyther by couenant or by recompence to suche as had followed his faction hindred him to redresse and gratifie the kingdome of Naples for seeking not to estraunge from him the mindes of his good seruauntes he was constrayned to recompence those of Aniovve either with estates of equall reuenue whiche he must buy of others or with readie money wherevnto his Courtes of faculties and treasures woulde not suffice in which respects he was compelled not onely to raise improuementes vppon his reuenues and to refuse according to the custome of newe kings to distribute grace and exemptions and exercise any sorte of liberalitie but also with the incredible complaynt of euery one to taxe his peoples who expected to be discharged of their intollerable burdens the complaintes made by the Barons of both the one and other parte were nothing inferiour for that to such as were possessed besides that they resigned their estates with yll will necessitie made their recompences short and limitted and touching others there was restrayned as muche as was possible the benefite of restitution in all things wherein hapned any difference for that howe muche lesse was restored to those by so muche lesse was the recompence of others The great Capteine departed with him leauing behinde him a good will incredible and a renowne nothing inferiour of whom besides his merites prayses in other times his present liberalities then were most notorious promising and disposing giftes of great vallour for the which he solde a great part of his owne estates caring lesse to make him selfe poore then to fayle in suche an action of honor But the king of Naples departed very yll contented with the Pope for that demaunding thinuestiture of the kingdome the pope refused to giue it him but with those taxations and tributes wherewith it had bene giuen afore times to the former kings he made instance that there might be made to hym the same diminution which had bene made to Ferdinand his cousin and to his sonnes and nephewes demaunding thinuestiture of the whole realme in his owne name as successor of tholde Alfonso in which forme whilest he was at Naples he had receyued othe and homage notwithstanding in the capitulations of peace made with the French king it was disposed that touching the lande of Lauora and Abruzza the name of the Queene should be ioyntly acknowledged It was thought that the refusall which the Pope made of the inuestiture was the cause that Ferdinand woulde not speake with the Pope who remeyning at the same time in the rocke of Ostia it was sayde he taryed there to expect his passage But how soeuer the truth was the king of Aragon tooke his course to Sauona where it was agreed that he should haue enterview and speache with the Frenche king who staying for that cause in Italie was come thither from Millan assone as he vnderstoode he had taken passage from Naples In this enterview and conference the demonstrations on all sides were manifest free and full of
and titles of the realmes of Castillo That the Pope should exhort the king of Vngria to enter into the confederation That euery one should name within foure monethes his confederates and adherentes excepting expresly to comprehende the Venetians and the subiects freeholders of the confederates and that euery principall partie in the contract should ratifie all these articles within threescore dayes next following To this vniuersall league was adioyned the particular accorde betweene Tharchduke and the Duke of Gueldres wherin was agreed that restitution shoulde be made of those townes that were taken vppon Tharchduke in this warre but not in lyke sorte of suche as were taken vppon the Duke Assone as this newe confederation was concluded in this sorte all things that concerned the Venetians being kept as secret as might be the Cardinall of Amborse departed the day folowing from Cambray the Bishop of Paris and Albert Pio Counte of Carpi being first sent to the king of Romains to receiue his ratification in the name of the French king he made no delay to confirme al the articles with the same othe forme of solemnities with the which it was published in the Church of Cambray holding it but iust to ratifie the thing that so much tended to the confirmation of his estate and securitie as he helde it equall and reasonable to iustifie that by publike approbation which he had so long solicited by priuate desire and intention it is most certayne that albeit the wordes of the publication bare that thauthoritie of the Pope and king of Aragon did communicate in it yet the confederation was made merely without their assistance and consent An action which Caesar and the French king tooke wholly vpon themselues not doubting of the Popes and king of Aragons consent partly in regarde of their proper profite and partly for that according to the estate and condition of things present neither of them both durst gamsay their authoritie and particularly the king of Aragon to whome albeit the Articles in their due construction seemed both ielouse and intollerable for that fearing least the greatnes of the Frenche king would encrease to muche he preferred the suretie of the whole kingdome of Naples afore the recouering of one part which was holden by the Venetians yet expressing cunningly a readines dissembled and an inclination coÌ„trarie to the intentions of his mind he made present ratification with the same ceremonies which the others vsed But touching the Pope he made a farre more doubt of things wandring according to his custome betwene a desire to recouer the townes of Romania ioyned to a disdaine against the Venetians and a troublesome feare of the greatnes of the French king he sawe not howe dangerous it was to him for the power of Caesar to begin to stretch farre in Italie and therefore seeming that it was more for his profite to obteine by accorde part of that he desired then to recouer the whole by warre and sword He labored to induce the Venetians to render to him Rimini and Faenza wherein he forgat not to laye afore them that those daungers which threatned them by the vnion of so many Princes would be of greater terror and importance if he were concurrant with them in the confederation as to whose authoritie and place it belonged to pursue them with armes spirituall and temporall where if they rendred the townes which they had taken vpon the Church since he was Pope by which meanes he should make a ioynt recouerie of honor estates he should haue iust occasion not to ratifie that whervnto he had no interest either in assistance consent or authoritie he debated with them that as the confederation communicating nothing with the holy and supreme authoritie woulde easily dissolue and vanishe hauing in it selfe many difficulties so he sayde it was not reasonable they should doubt that he would not vrge to thuttermost his authoritie and industrie to keepe repressed in Italie the power of straungers which brought no lesse perill to the sea Apostolike then to their state In this perswasion he omitted nothing that might make aduaunced his cause which he followed no lesse with his authoritie and eloquence then with liberalities and offers Matters that moue not the least in a case of perswasion carying as they liste the minds of men affecting ambition or worldly desires The Senat drew to counsel vpon this demaunde some iudging it a thing of great importance to separate the Pope from Caesar and the French king and others thought it an action vnworthy and not sufficient to turne away the warre At last as in matters of debate and controuersie opinion oftentimes commaundes reason so the faction of suche as gaue the best counsell had caried it had not bene the reasons and perswasions of D. Treuisan a Senator of great authoritie and one of the procurers of the riche temple of S. Marke an honor next to the dignitie of the Duke of highest respect and reputation in the common weale of Venice he discoursed with reasons ful of efficacie and authoritie that it was an action contrarie to the dignitie profit of that renownâ—ed coÌ„mon weale to restore those townes which the Pope required and that the estate of their dangers would neither much encrease or diminish for the coniunction or separation of him from the other confederates for albeit in the negociation of the accord they had vsed the Popes name perhaps to make their cause seeme lesse dishonest yet in effect they had agreed without him hauing no necessitie of his consent and priuitie and therfore would become neither the more colde nor the more hotte in the execution of things they had concluded Of the contrarie the armes of the Pope were not of that valor and importance as to driue them to buy at so great a price the disposing of the same seeing that albeit they should be assayled at one selfe time by the others yet they might easily with a very slender garrison defende those cities which the regiments of the Church the very dishonor of souldiers men of seruice were not sufficient to take of themselues much lesse import much as touching the substance of the warre he sayd that in the stirres and heates of temporall armes men did litle respect either the reuerence or threatnings of armes spirituall which they ought not to feare to be more able to hurt them in that warre then they had done in many others namely in the expedition agaynst Ferrara In which the armes of the Churche coulde not let that they obteined not a peace honorable for them and infamous for the residue of Italie which with one vniuersall accorde in a time wherin it florished most with riches power and valour was banded wholly agaynst them And in reason concordance of causes he alleaged that it was not likely that the almightie omnipotent God would suffer that the effects of his seueritie and his mercy of his anger and his peace should rest in the
euer we will obey you in all your commaundementes lawes decrees and impositions and holding that to belong to our dutie deuotion and fidelitie which dependes vppon your authoritie or respects your securitie we will repute vs in the condition of subiects not conquered by armes and victorie but voluntarily yeelded vnder your pietie and clemencie We beseech you let our teares and true demonstrations of sorrowe induce you to defende vs from the insolencie of those who earst were our companions in armes and nowe do proue them our bitter enemies desiring nothing more then the ruine of our name In preseruing vs by your clemencie we are to call and honor you by the name of father and founder of our Citie to make you a perpetuall monument in our Chronicles and registers and to leaue perpetuall reapport to our children and posteritie of your high merites and vertues esteeme it no small increase of your prayses that you are the first Prince afore whose feete the common weale of Venice falles prostrate before whose face we bowe our knees vnder whose handes we offer our selues humbled and whom we honor reuerence and respect as a Prince holding iust authoritie ouer vs There can be nothing required which we are not ready to performe and those things which of your modestie you forbeare to demaunde our necessitie hastneth vs to offer into your handes our humilitie beeing the true interpreter of the fayth and deuotion of our mindes we hope thextremitie of our perils wil not make vs the lesse apt to receiue your fauors for that he giues a greeuous sentence agaynst the state of mans mortalitie that denieth compassion to men in miserie And the law of honor clemencie holdes vs so farre assured that you will not make vs reiected because we are afflicted since it is one cheefe office in your christian pietie to minister succors to men in necessities Compassion debates not causes and reasons but proceedes to the releefe of suche as suffer and expect it then agreeing with true magnanimitie when it ministers comfort vpon free and liberall motions The glory is greater to lende your hande to those that are already falne then by drawing your sworde agaynst your enemies to carie the prayse of their victorie and confusion the one beeing iust and necessarie and the other a high action of charitie which carrieth the doers into the fauor of God if ambition and worldly inspiration had not so commaunded our auncestors that they had forborne to aspire to thestates of others our common weale might haue stande aduaunced aboue all the cities of Europe in glory in nobilitie in magnanimitie and riches where nowe deformed altogether with infamie and reproche it is torne and broken in a moment and nothing remaining of so many honors and victories but a perpetuall monument scorne and derision And by howe muche our aduersities are great and our petitions lamentable by so muche it concernes you in clemencie as you are hable in power to reestablishe thestate of the Venetians an action that brings with it suche a reputation of name and honor as in olde age no prescription or antiquitie no lawe of time nor course of yeeres shall be hable to wipe it out of the mindes and memories of mortall men but as you shall merite with all peoples and nations the onely name of pityfull iust and pardoning so for our parts receiuing our safetie from your clemency we shall attribute to your vertue to your felicitie and to your goodnes that we liue that we breath or that we are reserued to holde communitie with men The calamities of the Venetians made them of nothing so carefull as to render those peeces which so long they had occupied of others their fortune giuing them at that time no better meanes either to appease or assure their aduersities They sent according to the same deliberation into Povvilla to restore the portes to the king of Aragon who knowing howe to enioy the frutes of other mens trauels without his owne expenses or daunger had dispatched into Spayne a small Nauie at sea which had commaunded certayne places apperteining to those cities and hauens of the sea They dispatched also into Romagnia a publike secretorie with commission to giue vp to the Pope all that they helde there vpon condition that Iohn Paule Manfron and other prisoners might be restored with libertie to drawe out their artilleries and that the people that were within the castell of Rauenna should departe in safetie Which conditions whilest the Pope made difficultie to accept for that he would not displease the confederates the castell of Rauenna was rendred the souldiours giuing it vp of them selues notwithstanding the Venetian secretarie that was entred sought to hinder it for that suche as solicited for them at Rome gaue hope that the Pope in the ende would consent to the conditions vnder the which they had offred restitution But the Pope complayned muche that they had shewed a greater contumacie agaynst him then agaynst Caesar or the king of Aragon and therefore when the Venetian Cardinalls in the name of the Senate demaunded absolution of the Bull as beeing due for that they had offred restitution within the tearme of xxiiij dayes he made aunswere that they had not obeyed because their offer was not simple but ioyned to conditions limited and for that they were admonished ouer besides the restitution of the townes to yeelde accompt of the frutes they had receyued together with the benefits they possessed apperteining to Churches or to persons ecclesiasticall In this sort was ouerwhelmed with a wonderfull furie the estate of the common weale of Venice one calamitie growing vpon an other all their hopes declining vayne and fallible and no signe remayning by the which after the losse of so great a dominion they might hope for the preseruation of their proper libertie So great a ruine touched diuersly the minds of Thitalians of whom many receiued contentment remembring that the Venetians proceeding in too great ambition without respect to iustice or obseruation of fayth aspiring to all things that occasion or oportunitie offred had manifestly quarrelled the whole Monarchie of Italie aspiring to the vniuersall subiection of all those regions things which made their names hatefull and their gouernment intollerable by the consideration of their naturall pride On the other side many looking without passion into the present estate of things and howe wretched and fowle it were for all Italie to be brought wholly vnder the seruitude and yoke of straungers felt no little griefe that suche a maiestie of citie the auncient seate of libertie and the very glory of Thitalian name through all the world should fall into suche extremitie that so worthy a member should be cutt of which more then all the residue had bene the protector of their common glory and renowme But aboue all so great a fall and declination began to be greeuous to the Pope who doubting the powers of Caesar and the Frenche king desired to
remaines no tyme hereafter to make vs assured no fortune to hope in no place to giue vs comfort nor no action wherein to showe our vertue or to expende our treasure for our libertie and safetie Time is thankfull to suche as followe it and fauoreth occasions with oportunities conuenient which if we will apply to our selues afore the season of our remedie and reskew be past we must not leaue vnproued any policie any example nor any action that may respect our succor and safetie and muche lesse expect till we remayne a pray to those that seeke to sacke our goods and washe their couetousnesse in our blood The conseruation of our countrey comprehends not onely a publike good but together with the safetie of the common weale is respected the securitie of euery particular suffring suche affinitie and coniunction together that the one can not consist without the other for the common weale falling into seruitude it can not be auoyded that the substance the honors and lyues of priuat men become not also a pray to the couetousnesse to the voluptuousnesse to the cruelties and to the vile affections of the enemies Though there were no other respect or interest in the defending of a common weale then the preseruation of a countrey is it not a thing worthy of noble Citizens full of glory and reputation in this worlde and meritorious also afore God the same so working with the people gentils and heathen that they helde it as a religion that in heauen is determined a place particular for the perpetuall fruition and comfort of suche as eyther succored preserued or augmented their countrey And what countrey did euer deserue to be better reskewed and supported by her children then this who in all ages hath retayned a soueraigne principallitie ouer all the cities of the worlde and by whome the Citizens receiue infinite commodities profites and honours It is wonderfull whether you cōsider it in the gifts which it hath receyued of nature or in the things which declare her perpetuall greatnes and happie fortune or lastly in those effects which expresse her vertue together with the nobilitie of the wittes of her inhabitantes her situation makes men amased beeing the onely citie in the worlde seated amongest the salt waters and hath all her parts so conioyned that at one time men may enioy the commodities of the water and pleasures of the lande It is assured agaynst thinuasions of the lande for that it standeth not on the firme lande and it is free from inundations of water for that it is not seated in the plaine and deepe sea I maye alleage to the dignitie and reputation of this Citie the wonderfull maiestie of publike pallaces and priuate mansions buylded at incredible charges and repolished with straunge Marbles and stones of singularitie brought hither from all parts of the world together with a stately aspect of excellent purtraites imageries sculptures pillors and other workmanshippes of worthy regard No citie of the world comparatiue with this for the concourse of all straunge nations comming hither partly for the suretie and freedome of habitation in this climat so wel tempered and partly for thexercise of their traffike and negociations whereby our common weale doth drawe more plentie of reuenues and ryches of things conteined onely within the circuit of this Citie then many absolute kings receiue of their large and whole kingdomes Great is the affluence of men of facultie and science reuerent for their grauitie doctrine and learning and no lesse wonderfull for their singularitie quallitie of witte and other vertues of men from the which ioyned to other conditions is discended the glory of actions which by this common weale and her discendants haue bene made more great then since the imperie of the Romains by any other principallitie or state in the world It may be holden not one of the least wonders to see so great abundance of things in a Citie wherein nothing groweth and yet subiecte to suche multitudes of inhabitantes At the beginning our towne was strayted and inclosed and we constrayned to retyre our selues into little rockes and caues barraine and naked of all things and yet the vertue of our elders stretching out first into the next seas and townes adioyning and afterwardes rising encreasing by degrees of successe vpon the shoares and prouinces further of yea euen to the vttermost limittes of the Leuant they got both by sea and lande so great an empire and power that beeing redowted to all the other townes in Italie it was necessarie to call in the vnitie pollicies and forces of other Christian princes to helpe to abate and depresse it Matters assuredly hapned by the ayde and fauor of the omnipotent God who with suche graces hath blessed and sanctified the lawes and obseruations of iustice indifferently administred in this citie those respects also making many peoples and nations to offer willing subiection to our gouernment What citie what empire or what principalitie giues place to our countrey for matter of religion pietie and workes of good example Where maye be seene so many Monasteries so many Temples full of so many precious ornaments and thinges of admiration dedicated to the seruice of God Where may be founde so many Hospitalls and places of pitie prepared for the perpetuall comforte of the afflicted and continuall exercise of charitie Great sure is the recōmendation of our Citie for these fauours and blessings but farre more worthy are her prayses for the glory of this onely that our countrey being from the beginning begot and brought forth in libertie there was neuer seene any man borne or dye in Venice which died not a free man and was neuer troubled in his libertie A felicitie mouing principally by thexercise of ciuill concorde which hath stande alwayes so rooted and confirmed in the hartes of men that at the instant when they enter into our Senate and our counsells they shake off all discordes and priuat quarrels Of this is the cause the forme of gouernment which hath suche temperature and communitie with all the best sortes of publike administration and compounded of suche a well consenting armonie agreeing in it selfe that it hath remayned for many ages vndefiled without partialities without ciuill sedition without armes and without effusion of blood amongst Citizens the same beeing the onely prayse of our common weale excelling in this propertie of vertue both Rome Carthage Athens and all other names of common weale of auncient commendation yea we proue in our selues suche an effect of this kinde of gouernment and pollicie that all those auncients who in ages past haue made profession of Ciuill wisdome could not describe or institute a better Let not then the children the ofspring and present people of so glorious a countrey in whom for so many worlds and ages hath bene so worthily expressed the very strength and defence of the fayth and the beautie of the whole Christian common weale bee slowe in the execution of their duetie the
the way that is vppon the toppe of the Pireney hills they tooke by assalt the towne that standes at the foote of the hills wherein was Baldes Capteine of the garde to the king of Aragon with many bandes of footemen And if to wynne the way of the willowes they had vsed the celeritie that the consideracion of the seruice required famine onely had beene sufficient to vanquishe the spanishe armye enuyroned on all sides with ennemies with ill wayes with ill fortune and with wantes But the diligence of the Duke of Alba preuented thennemye and preserued him selfe for that leauing in S. Ioh. Pie de Porto a thowsande footemen with all thartillerie he passed to Pampelune by the waye of the willowes affore they came thether So that the King of Nauarre and Palissa beeing disapoynted of that hope to whom also the Daulphin had sent a newe strength of foure hundred launces and seuen thowsande launceknightes made their approches to Pampeluna with foure peeces of artillerie which they had drawne with great difficultie by reason of the steepenes of the mountaines They gaue the assalt but with a fortune farre inferior to their forwardnes for that being not able to cary by their vallour that they were denied by the present season being then December and by the want of vittells being falne into a contrey barreine they repassed the Mountes Pireney vpon the which they were constrayned to leaue thartillerie both for the difficultie of the passages and for thimpediments of the paisants of those hills And at the same tyme Monsr de Lavvtrech who was entred Biskay with three hundred launces and three thowsand footemen making waste and pillage of the whole contrey after he had in vaine assalted the towne of Saint Sebastian he repassed the mountes and returned to the armie which now brake vp both hope and feare ceassing on all partes and the whole Realme of Nauarre remeyning free and peasible to the king of Aragon About this time there was a detection of a conspiracie that Ferdinand sonne to the late Federyk king of Naples who called him selfe Duke of Calabria had secretly conspired with the french king and to steale to the french armie not farre from the towne of Logrognia where at that time was the king of Aragon who sent him to the castell of Sciatyua whither the kings of Aragon are wont to send prisoners personages of name merit either for their nobilitie or for their vertue for this conspiracie was quartered Philip Coppolo a Neapolytane who was the secret Messenger to the french king in these actions Such is the alteracion of the state of worldly thinges that he was executed in the seruice of him whose grandfather by the father side had cutte of the heade of Counte de Sarny his father The detection of this conspyracie was of some consequence for th affayres of Italy for as it had his beginning of a certeyne gray Freare which the Duke of Ferrara had secretly sent to Ferdinand so the Kinge Catholike hauing already an inclinacion to satisfie the Popes will tooke this matter so to harte that he commaunded the Viceroy and his Embassadors resident with the Pope to conuert when they thought good his armye agaynst Ferrara seeking to exacte no further taxacions of money then suche as shoulde bee necessary to enterteyne them These were the accidents of that yeare both in Italye in Fraunce and in Spayne their yssues beeing diuerse as their causes were seuerall Nowe followeth the yeare a thowsand fiue hundred and thirteene no lesse full of occurrants straunge sundry then the other In the beginning of this yeare armes ceassed on all partes for that neither the Venetians molested others nor any other moued against them onely the Viceroy marched with three thowsand footemen to incampe affore the rocke of Tressa which immediatly was giuen vnto him vnder condicion that the bodies that were within should departe with goods and life saued But euery one vniuersally was troubled with the consideracion of thinges to come They sawe that the french king deliuered from forreine armes and eftsoones reincouraged both for the great leauy of launceknightes he had made and for thencrease of his numbers of men at armes had nothing in so great desire as to recouer the Duchy of Myllan Which disposicion albeit was very violent in him and no lesse desire to hasten the warre whilest the castells of Myllan Cremona were yet kept by his soldiours yet looking into the great impediments offered by thopposing of so many ennemyes and beeing not yet assured that the king of England woulde not make stronge warre against him the next sommer he determined to enter into no action onlesse he seperated some one of the confederats from the common allyance or else to wynne to him the amitie of the Venetians of these thinges the yeare past gaue him many hopes that some one of them might happly succeede to him for at that tyme that the Bishop of Gurcy went from Rome to Myllan he heard graciously by the way one of the familiar friendes of the Cardinall S. Seuerin sent to him from the french Queene and afterwardes he had sent into Fraunce one of his men to make these ouertures that the king should be bownd to ayde Caesar against the Venetians That the mariage should goe forward betweene the second Daughter of the king and Charles Nephewe to Caesar That to the Daughter should be giuen in dowrie the Duchie of Myllan That the king besides should giue vppe to his Daughter and his future sonne in law the rights he pretended to the Realme of Naples And because simple wordes and promisses should not stand to Caesar as a sewertie he required that the Daughter might be immediatly put into his handes And that when the king should haue recouered the Duchie of Myllan Cremona and Guiaradada shoulde bee to Caesar The king hoped likewise that he might easily ioyne to him the Venetians who were not a litle angrie at that time that the Viceroy occupied Bressia but much more for the matters which afterwards were accorded at Rome betweene Caesar and the Pope Therefore from that time the king had caused to come secretly to his Court Andrevv Gritty who being taken within Bressia remeyned as yet prisoner in Fraunce he wrought so also that Ioh. Ia. Tryuulce in whom the Venetians reaposed much did send to Venice one of his Secretories vnder shadowe of other affayres There offered him withall a certeine hope to be able to compownd with the king of Aragon who according to his custom often times to debate in his affaires by the negociacion of men religious had sent secretly into Fraunce two gray Frears to th ende that expressing howe they were touched with a conscience and zeale to the common benefitte they might beginne to negociat with the Queene in some pointes either concerning the peace vniuersall or particular betwene the two kings Wherein neuerthelesse there was no great hope the king knowing well enough that he would still
withdrew him from the thing whereunto his will did driue him so amyd so many variacions of mind he deferred as much as he could to declare his intencion giuing to euery one words and aunsweres generall But being continually importuned by the Frenche king at last he made him this aunswere that there was no person that knew better then him selfe how much he was inclined to his affaires being not ignoraunt with what affection he perswaded him to passe into Italy at a time when he might haue victorie without daunger or great effusion of blood That his perswasions for that thinges were not kept secret as he had oftentimes required him were now come to the knowledge of others to the common detriment of them both for that for his parte he saw him selfe in daunger to be assailed by others that the difficulties were become the greater for the enterprise of the king since others had giuen such order to their affaires that he could no more enter into the victorie but with manifest perill and lamentable slaughter of men That the power and glory of the Turkes being newly increased by so great a victorie successe it was neither conuenient to his condicion nor conformable to thoffice of a Pope either to giue fauor or counsel to Princes christened to make warre amongest them selues And that therefore he could not otherwise aduise him then to temporise surcease exspecting some other facilitie better occasion which when it hapned he shoulde finde in him the same disposition to his glory greatnes which he hath so well discerned certaine monethes passed An answere which albeit it did not in other sorte expresse his conception if it had come to the knowledge of the king it had not onely depriued him of all hope of the Popes fauor but also haue certified him that the Pope would haue ioyned and banded against him both with counsel with armes These were the accidents of the yeare 1514. But death who bringeth with him this law authority to cut of the vaine councells of men euen in their greatest hopes was the cause that the warre so forward in apparaunce burst not out to action with that speede that was exspected for whilest the French king gaue him selfe ouer to behold too much the excellent bewty of his new wife bearing then but eighteene yeres of age nothing considering the proporcion of his owne yeares nor his decayed complexion he fell into the rage of a feauer which drawing to it a suddeine flux ouercame in one instant the life that nature gaue ouer to preserue any longer he dyed the first day of the yeare 1515. a day of memorie for the death of so great a Prince he was a king iust much beloued of his peoples but touching his condicion neither asfore he was king nor after he had the crowne he neuer found constancy or stability in either fortune for rising from a small Duke of Orleance with great happines to the crowne and that by the death of Charles younger then he and two of his sonnes he conquered with a very great facility the Duchie of Millan and the kingdom of Naples and almost all the residue of the regions of Italy being gouerned for many yeares by his direction he recouered with a very great prosperity the state of Genes that was in rebellion vanquished with no lesse glory the armies of the Venetians being in person at both those victories But on the other side euen when he was in youth and best disposicion of body he was constrained by king Lovvys the eleuenth to mary his daughter that was both barren deformed and yet could neuer get the good will nor countenaunce of his father in law And aster his death such was the greatnes of the Lady of Burbon that he could neuer get the institucion of the newe king being then in minoritie being almost compelled to retyre him selfe into Brittaine where being taken in the battell of S. Aubyn he liued two yeares in the calamity of a prisoner To these afflictions may be added the siege and famin of Nouaro the many discomfits he had in the realme of Naples the losse of thestate of Millan Genes and all the townes which he had taken from the Venetians And lastely the grieuous warre he had in Fraunce agaynst very mightie enemies his eyes beholding into what lamentable perils his realme was brought Neuerthelesse afore he died it semed he had conquered al his aduersities fortune shewed good tokens of her reconcilement both for that he had defended his kingdome agaynst mighty enemies also established a perpetuall peace alliance with the king of Englande with whom by howmuche his amitie was great and assured by so muche it gaue him hope to be hable to reconquer the duchie of Millan After Lovvis the xij ascended to the Crowne Frauncis d'Angoulesme who was the next heire male of the blood royall of the same line of the Dukes of Orleance ▪ he was preferred to the successiō of the kingdom before the daughters of the dead king by the vertue disposition of the lawe Salike a lawe very auncient in the realme of Fraunce which excludeth from the royall dignitie all women so long as there is any issue male of the same line The world had such a hope in his vertues and suche an opinion of his magnanimitie such a conceite of his iudgement wit that euery one consessed that of very long time there was none raysed vp to the Crowne with a greator exspectation he was made the more agreable to the fancies of men by the consideration of his age bearing then but xxij yeres his excellent feiture proporcion of body his great liberality general humanity together with the rype knowledge he had in many things But specially he pleased greatly the nobilitie to whom he transferred many singuler great fauors He tooke vpon him together with the title of the french king the name of the duke of Millan A dignitie which he sayd apperteined to him not only by the auncient rights of the dukes of Orleance but also as cōprehended in the inuestiture that was made by Caesar in the treaty of Cambray Besides there liued in him the same desire to recouer it that dyed with his predecessor whervnto not only the working of his owne inclination but the perswasions of al the noble yong gentlemē of Fraunce did induce him no lesse by the memory of the glory of Gaston de Foix thē for the monumēt of so many victories as the kings raigning next afore had obteined in Italie And yet not to warne others afore the time not to prepare to resist him he dissembled his desires by thaduise of his graue counselors in the meane while sell to practise the amities of other princes frō whom were sent to congratulate with him many embassadors whō he receiued with countenaunce affable gracious but specially the embassadors of the king of England who desired
aduenture of Prospero tooke occasion to recouer the rocke of Rubiero that had bene occupied by Guido Rangon for the which he payed him at laste two thousande duckets and consumed many dayes in the countrey of Modena and Reggia Moreouer the Pope hauing recourse to his accustomed practises dispatched very secretly to the French king Cintio his familiar friend both to excuse himselfe of things that had bene passed tyll that day and also to begin by the meane of the duke of Sauoy to solicite to compounde with him to th ende that by that beginning he might haue more facilitie to passe further if the defence of the duchie of Millan fell not out well But the Cardinall of Bibbieno with certayne others carryed more by their priuate passions then by the respectes and interestes of their prince induced him to take a counsell more constrayned and suddayne for they tolde him there was daunger for the reputation of the successe and fortunes of the Frenche and happly by the perswasions and ayde of the king the duke of Ferrara would not nowe stirre to recouer Modena and Reggia and also the Bentyuoleys to repossesse their estate in Bolognia And therefore as amyd so many other trauells and perplexities he should find it a very hard matter to contend against so great a number of enemies so it imported him much more both in sauetie and discression of councel to labor to winne them with some propertie of benefit and in all chaunces and chaunges to make them his assured friendes dissembling the remembrance of iniuries past till time brought about a better oportunitie to reuenge They aduised him to reestablish the famulie of the Bentyuoleys within Bolognia and to restore to the Duke of Ferrara Modena Reggia A councell which he had presently put in execucion had it not bene for the contrary working of Iulio de Medicis Cardinall and Legat of Bolognia whome the Pope had sent thether to th ende that in so great accidents he might susteine thinges on that side and remeine as it were a moderator and counsellor of the youth of Lavvrance he was touched with the displeasure of thinfamie that would haue falne vppon the Pope by a councell so full of cowardisse which no doubt would haue bene greater then had bene the glory of Iulio in getting to the Church so great a iurisdiction he was also moued with griefe that it would make infamous the memorie of his legacion wherein being skarcely in the first action he should restore Bolognia the principall citie of the whole Ecclesiastyke state into the power of her auncient tyrants abandoning to pray and spoyle so great a nobilitie which in fauor of the Apostolike sea had openly conspyred against them In these respects he dispatched an expresse Messenger to the Pope whom with reasons and with requests he brought againe to a councell more honorable and safe Notwithstanding this Iulio was a bastard yet he was made Cardinall by Leo in the first moneths of his pontificacie following thexample of Alexander the sixt in the effect but not in the manner for Alexander at such time as he created Cardinall Caesar Borgia his sonne made to be proued by witnesses that deposed the truth that his mother at the time that she was conceiued of him had a husband inferring therevpon according to the opinion of the lawes that the sonne was to be iudged to bee begotten rather of the husband then of thadulterer But touching Iulio the witnesses preferred the grace and fauor of men affore the truth for that it was deposed that the mother of whom he was begotten being yet a maide and not maried and affore she deuided her body to the deuocion of Iuliano had of him a secrete consent to be his wife These newe accidents were likewise the cause that the Viceroy behaued him selfe farre otherwayes then he would haue done for being not yet departed from Verona both for that he could not make his souldiers marche without money and also exspected newe companies promised by Caesar who was nowe come to Yspruch to thend to leaue sufficient garrison within Verona and Bressa as neede required he beganne with these and other excuses to temporise and deferre to see what might afterwards happen to the Duchie of Myllan These matters also moued the Svvyzzers who retyred to Pignorolo immediatly after the discending of the french armie And albeit vnderstanding afterwards that the king who was passed the mounts moostred his people at Thuryn they were gon to Cyuas and had taken it and sackt it onely for that they were refused vittells doing the like at Vercelli almost affore the kinges eyes beeing at Thuryn yet beeing at laste drawne into Nouaro those factions of them that were not so farre estraunged from the french amities taking courage and disclosing themselues more and more in their aduersities they began to treate of composicion with the king About this time those regiments of the french which marched by the waye of Genes with whom were ioyned foure thousande footmen waged by the Genovvaies by the working of Octauian Fregosa became lords on the whole contrey on this side Pavv seazing first vpon the towne of Castellaccio Alexandria Tortono And the king that by this time was come to Vercilly and had there the first aduertisement that the Pope was declared agaynst him which the duke of Sauoye signified in his name A matter which albeit did muche vexe and discontent the king yet not suffring counsell and iudgement to be troubled with anger or disdayne and because he would not kindle him to thuttermost he caused to be proclaymed publikely aswell through his army as amongst the regiments that had taken Alexandria that no man should molest or inuade in any sort the lands of the Church The king remained many dayes at Vercilly exspecting the issue of the parley with the Svvyzzers who though they enterteined the practise yet on the other side they shewed thēselues full of varictie and confusion for at Nouaro where they were they began to fall into tumult taking their occasion vpon the breach of the king of Aragon for that the payes he had promised were not yet come They tooke also by force from the officers of the Pope the money he had sent to be orderly distributed amongst them in the same fury they departed from Nouaro with intention to returne into their contries A matter whiche many sortes of them did require who hauing spent three monethes in the spoyles of Italy now laden with money booty desired to conuey in safety to their houses the riches they had gotten They were no sooner gone out of Nouaro then the mony which was due for the king of Aragons porcion was sent And albeit they rauished it from the officers by violence made them selues possessed of it yet wayghing the infamies that followed for the most part suche insolent and rashe dealings they eftsones turned their furie into discression and restored both the one the other sums
during the whole coursse of his life excepting onely the death of his onely sonne for the accidents of his wiues and his sonne in lawe were the cause that he kept his greatnes vntill his death and the necessitie to depart with Castillo after his wiues death was rather a sport then a blowe of fortune In all other thinges he was right happy for being second sonne to Iohn king of Aragon he came to the crowne by the death of his elder brother he aspyred to the kingdom of Castillo by Issabell his wife he subdued the Competytors of the same kingdome and expulsed them he made a conquest of the Realme of Granado which the ennemies of Christian faith had vsurped almost eight hundred yeares he annexed to his Empire the Realmes of Naples and Nauarre and the principallitie of Orano with many other places of importance vpon the coast of Affriqua he bare alwayes the victorie and vpperhand of his ennemies he almost cloaked his ambicions and couetousnes with an honestzeale to religion and an holy affection to the common weale wherein fortune appeared manifestly conioyned with industrie About a moneth affore his deathe dyed the Great Capteine both absent from the Court and ill contented of the king And yet the king gaue order that in remembrance of his vallour there shoulde bee done to him both in the Court and through the whole partes of the Realme those honors that haue not beene vsed to bee done but at the death of kinges A matter plausiblie accepted and executed by all his subiectes who omitted no forte of reuerence or celebracion to the name of the Great Capteyne making him singuler in liberalitie in councell in discression and for knowledge in warres and martiall science excelling all the Capteines of his time By the death of this king the french king entred into a newe courage to addresse an enterprise against the realme of Naples to the which he was in mind to send forthwith the Duke of Burbon with an armie of eight hundred launces tenne thowsand footemen he seemed to reappose much in thopportunitie of the time for that the kingdome beeing in some tumult vppon the death of the king and ill prepared for defense he perswaded a facilitie of conquest speciallye the Archduke hauing no respitte or tyme to succour it And he doubted nothinge of the Popes fauour bothe for the hopes he had giuen him at the enteruiewe of Bolognia and in regarde of thalliance contracted with him and also in consideracion of his proper interest as though he shoulde bee ielouse of the wonderfull height and greatnes of tharchduke heire present to so many kingdomes by the death of the king Catholike and exspected successor of Caesar he hoped besides that tharchduke would giue him no great impediment knowing howe harmefull might be to him his ill will touching the Realmes of Spayne but specially for the regarde of the kingdome of Aragon wherevnto many of the same famulie had aspired if their power had bene as great as their right for albeit in the life of the late king and Isabell his wife it was interpreted in an open generall Parliament that the ancient constitutions of that kingdome which admit not women to the succession of the Crowne were not preiudiciall agaynst the issue males borne of them when in the lyne masculine was to be founde neither brother vncle nor nephew of the dead king nor any other that was more nearer to him then they that were discended of the womans side or at least in equall degree and that for that reason it was declared that after the death of Ferdinand the succession apperteined to tharchduke Charles wherin was brought for example that after the death of Martin king of Aragon dying without issue males the sentence of the Iudges deputed to that matter through the whole kingdome preferred Ferdinand graundfather to this Ferdinand notwithstanding he came of the womens side affore Count Vrgello and others ioyned to Martin by masculine lyne but in degree and propertie of discending further off then Ferdinand yet the people nourished amongest them selues a secret complaynt and controuersie that in that interpretation and declaration the power of Ferdinand and Isabell had more force then the lawe of iustice and equitie In this did thinterpretation seeme vniust to many that the women beeing excluded suche as discended of them might be admitted and withall that in the sentence giuen to the behoofe of tholde Ferdinand the feare of his armes ruled more then reason These matters beeing layde open to the French king and withall that the peoples of the prouince of Aragon Valence and Earledome of Catelonia all these are comprehended vnder the kingdome of Aragon stoode desirous to enioye a king proper and particular He hoped that tharchduke not to endaunger so great a succession and so many estates would not at laste be straunge or harde to leaue to him that kingdome vnder some reasonable cōposition And for the better preparing of this enterprise because he would insinuate by benefites aswell as preuayle by forces he sought at that time to set at libertie Prospero Colonno vpon whom was imposed a raunsome of xxxv thousande duckettes whereof the king procured him to be pardoned of the one moytie By whiche propertie of fauor the worlde beleeued that Prospero had made secrete promise not to beare armes agaynst him yea happly to ayde him in the warre of Naples albeit with some limitation or reseruing of his honor Albeit the king was occupied with these thoughtes and had now determined to deferre no longer the action of armes and forreine warre yet he was driuen by new accidentes to turne his minde wholly to his owne defence for that Caesar hauing receiued a hundred and twentie thousande duckets according to the former negociation begon with the king of Aragon made preparation to inuade the duchie of Millan after he had once giuen succours to Verona and Bressia for the Venetian armie commaunded by Theoder Triuulco for that the other Triuulco was returned to Millan lying encamped within six myles of Bressia suffred their estradiots to make incursions thorowe the whole contrey And one daye beeing charged by those that were within the towne and either partie ronning to the reskew and succour of their friendes they repulsed them and draue them beaten into Bressta hauing long fought for the victorie in which conflict they slue many and tooke prisoner the gouernors brother of the Citie Not many dayes after Monsr de Lavvtrech generall of the French armie and Theodore Triuulco hauing espiall that a strength of three thousand Launceknightes came to Bressia to conduct the money sent for the paye of the souldiors sent out to hinder their passage at the Castell of Aufo Ianus Fregoso and Iohn Conrado Vrsin with certayne bandes of both the armies they put the launceknights to flight and made slaughter of eight hundred of them the residue carying awaye the money founde safety by flying to Lodrono Afterwardes the Venetians sent a
vntill the mountaine which gaue no libertie of passage but by one way which was made for ease and suffrance To this passage if their bandes had come who turned from that side alwayes as they passed ouer the Spaniards had bene reduced into manifest daunger â–ª And albeit Lavvrence and his capteines were aduertised of this by Lodovvike the sonne of Oliuer de Fermo who the same day was come to the army with a thousand footmen together with a Spanish sergeant that could well discouer the countrey yet their espiall was of litle profite fortune and destinie being stronger then counsell for notwithstanding in the regimentes of Launceknights and Gascons was expressed a wonderfull readinesse and disposition to feight and the same desired with an vniuersall crye throughout the whole campe and withall the will of Lavvrence beeing fully concurrant yet that resolute deuotion of the campe was not executed by the aduise of Ranso de Cere and Vitelly who counselled him not to go meete his enemies but to drawe his armie to a little hill faste by from whence in great safetie he might do many greeuances to his enemies with his light horsemen if they attempted to passe the ryuer And so leauing that place of strength Ranso turned towardes the mountayne which assone as the Spaniards had brought to their deuotion they began to salute with the bollet those bandes of launceknightes that laye nearest them and signified with cryings other tokens full of reioysing how out of a danger manifest and desperate their vallour had made them a way into absolute safety Thus eyther by indiscression or by cowardise if we may not allowe destinie to partake in it did Lavvrence loase that day in the iudgement of all men thoccasion of the victorie The difference of counsells amongst his capteines were very preiudiciall to the glory and successe of this expedition for they stoode there to consult and debate where occasion called them on to execute the thing which their fortune had offred them and then were they least setled in resolution when they sawe most necessitie of action That night the armie was lodged in a burrow neare that place called Saltaro but such was the diligence of Eranciscomaria that marching with his camp till well of the night he gate Montebaroccio preuenting a regiment of two thousande footemen which Lavvrence sent thither to surprise it The day after he went and incamped aboue Saltaro towards the mountayne taking a place for the bestowing of his army that had his prospect vpon Montebaroccio but standing somewhat lower had his situation vpon the sea shore These were the places wherin the two armies incamped bearing no more distance then a myle one from an other onely there fell to Lavvrence greater discommodities by the often want of vittels for that the traffike lying by sea from Pesera to Fano they were driuen vppon the alteration of the winds to vse the seruice of cariages ouerlande to the which the light horsemen of Franciscomaria gaue no smal impediments by their continuall roades and incursions ouer the whole contrey hauing espiall by the peisants of euery litle mouing of thennemies About this time Franciscomaria sent a trompet to communicate with the Gascons certaine pacquets of letters found amongst the writings of the secretories of Lavvrence and taken from him with other of his trashe by the horsemen of thenemie the same day that he departed from the borowe of Saltaro By these letters was discerned that the Pope beeing wearie of the great payes of the Gascons and yet stoode to make immoderate augmentation of them euery moneth wished that trauell might be made to induce them to returne into Fraunce By whiche occasion there had bene great perill of a tumult the selfe same daye if Carbono their capteine and Lavvrence de Medicis had not by good perswasions reclaymed them making them beleeue that the exhibition of those letters was but a subborned and fallible stratageme of thennemie Neuerthelesse what by the suspicion of that daunger the necessitie of vittelles and the difficulties of the place bearing more manyfest signes to loase then any hope at all to wynne they determined to breake vppe from thence and to enter into the countrey of the Viccareage on that side that is nearest the sea and so to marche on tyll they approched Fossambrono And albeit it was not without shame to retyre so often from thenemies yet the resolution to departe was allowed through the whole campe but not without the infamy of Ranso and Vitelli agaynst whom exclaymed all the regimentes of souldiors charging him that if in the beginning they had put execution to that deuise they had brought vpon thenemies no small wantes and difficulties of vittells Lavvrence him selfe reprehended them no lesse then the others who accompanying his complaints with reprochefull suspicions imposed vpon them that eyther to make the warre long for their particular profite or to hinder his reputation and glorie by armes fearing happly to their persons the like effects by his greatnes which thestate and ambicion of Valentinois had wrought agaynst their houses they had brought so many difficulties and so many daungers vpon an army so mightie and appoynted and so farre aboue thenemies in force in fortune and in discipline But the army marched and incamped before S. Constance a borowe apperteining to the countrey of the viccareage the walles whereof they began with no lesse speede then violence to batter and execute with their artilleries And albeit the inhabitantes sued for parley and offred to submitte and render it yet knowing the facilitie to force it there was giuen to the Gascens onely a full libertie to assaulte it retyring from the walles all the other sortes of souldiors suche was the desire to reappease the angry minds of the Gascons by the spoyle and sacke of that place whereof the whole profite and riches was transferred to them From thence the campe marched two myles further and went the same day to Mandolffe the beste and strongest borowe of all the Viccareage and hauing his situation vpon a hill and a high place thereof is also inuironed with walls and trenches conuenient to the which the situation of the place serueth as a rampier hauing withall two hundred souldiors in garrison That night they planted thartilleries on that side towards the South but eyther by negligence or by indiscression of Ranso de Cere to whome was appoynted the managing of that charge they were planted in a place discouered and not defended by rampiers by whiche falte before the sunne had dispersed his brightnes one howre vpon the earth there were slayne by the artilleries from within eight Cannoniers with many pyoners and Antho. Santcrosse the capteine of their artillerie wounded by reason of whiche accident Lavvrence rising into some perturbation of minde went in person to cause thartilleries to be rampiered and defended notwithstanding all his capteines aduised him to forbeare in his owne person th execution of a daunger which
he might well recommende to the charge of an other After he had set in hande that labor and well refurnished the worke with all things necessarie about the midde of the day he retyred behinde the place to reapose him selfe vnder the shade of certaine trees thinking the height of the hill to be a sufficient couer to him agaynst all daungers But as he labored in climbing and the height of the hill diminishing by his labor he discouered a sidelong the rocke situate on that side towards the west which he had no sooner disclosed then he had in his eye suche is the swiftnesse of destinie a fyre giuen to a harquebuze layde with full leauill agaynst him And as he threwe himselfe flat on his face to deceyue the blowe the swiftnesse of the bollet was farre greater then his speede in falling in somuch as before he could fall to the earth the bollet that otherwise had ronne through his body tooke the toppe of his head and rasing vppon the boane passed along the brayne panne towardes the necke This wounding of the generall brought no small greefe to the capteines and vniuersall multitude of the armie in whom was kindled a greater desire of reuenge by howmuche lesse worthy were the people by whom they had receiued the despite and that euen in the person of the greatest amongest them And therefore redoubling their resolution by the remembraunce of the iniurie and finding that notwithstanding the battring they had made of the wall the earth was yet too high behinde they began to caste a myne wherewith entring vnder a towre that leaned to the wall which they had battred they put fyre to it the v. daye The powder and other matter vsed in the myne beeing embrased of the fyre threwe out suche a violence and strength that it brought the tower down to the earth together with a quarter of the wall ioyning to it which furious execution of the fyre was followed of the campe with an assalte but with litle order and as it were at aduenture the same yeelding no other frute then suche as is wont to growe vpon enterprises yll disposed and directed Neuerthelesse fortune in some actions doth more then eyther power or pollicie the night drawing on the souldiors that had no exspectation of succours for that Franciscomaria had not stirred from Montebaroccio eyther not to loase the aduauntage of the situation of the place or for other occasion yeelded vp the place vnder condition of goodes and lyfe saued leauing in vyle maner the people of the towne as a wretched praye to thenemies But by reason of the hurt of Lavvrence which brought his life in daunger the Pope sent as Legate to th armie the Cardinall S. Maria in Portico who yll fortune being already ioyned to yll gouernment began with very yll signes to exercise his Legation for the daye after he came to th armie there happned a quarrell by chaunce betweene an Italian and a Launceknight when suche as were nearest ronning to the fray and euery one calling vppon the name of his nation the tumult so increased through the whole campe that neyther exspecting any information of the cause nor seeking the due redresse and remedie of the same all the bandes of footemen ranne in great mutinie to the lodgings of their fellowes and companions to arme themselues The violence of their disorder caryed them so farre that whosoeuer they encountred in the waye of an other language or nation payed with their lyues the price of their fury And as suche generall calamities drawe with them many diuersities of disorders so in this vniuersall confusion whylest the bandes of Italian footemen were gone in good order towards the place where the tumult began their lodgings and houses were sacked by the Gascons No nation no regiment no companie was free from this outrage and in whom was greatest care to cure the euyll in him was moste possibilitie of perill and daunger The innocent found least safetie in absteining most from violence there was no dispensation of harmes where was no respect to person and lesse exspectation of safetie where the sworde bare moste swaye and that guyded by handes fierie and bloudy The principall capteines after they had bene in councell to remedie the disorder ranne to the fray to see if by their presence they might do the thing which they were not hable to do by counsell But finding the daunger of the tumult to be greater then their authoritie euery one cast from him the thoughtes and care of the common busines and began to looke to their particular safetie they ranne to their lodginges and houses and putting in order their men at armes they retyred for their safetie a myle from the campe drawing with them their particular companies to defende them from the furie of the popular souldiors onely the Legate Bibieno vsing the constancie and readines that apperteined to his office and honor would neuer abandon the common cause but putting him selfe oftentimes with the daūger of his life amid the presse of their bloody swords and weapons he did so much with the diligence labor of other Capteines of the footebandes that the tumult was at last reappeased during the furie whereof were slaine in many partes of the campe more then an hundred launceknights xx Italians and some Spanyards This accident was the cause that they determined for the present to enter into no enterprise but for a time to keepe the armie separat for it was feared that if the army should keepe together the souldiers not yet reconciled for the harmes receiued would recontinue the mutiny for euery light occasion knowing that by so much greater is the despite of an iniury and the desire of ruenge more violent by how much are remeining in presence memorie the first authors and doers Therefore the companies of men at armes of the Church of the Florentins were bestowed in the Citie of Pesera together with the regimentes of Italian footemen for touching the frenche launces they had not stirred from Rimini by reason the difficulties that were betweene the Pope and their king were not yet resolued The footebands of the Gascons were incamped vpon the plaine within halfe a myle of that Citie and the other companies of footemen were dispersed vppon the mount Imperialo aboue Pesero and on that side towardes Rimini And suche was the seuerall distribucion of them that the Spanyards were placed vpon the toppe of the mounteine the launceknights somewhat lower according to the descending of the mounteine and the Corsikans at the foote of the hill vpon this mounteine called Imperialo standeth a pallace which the auncestors of the familie of Maletestey had builded They continued in this order three and twentie dayes executing no other thing in that respit and intermission of time then certeyne skirmishes of the light horsemen for Franciscomaria stirred not what with desire to hold that he had gotten and that he sawe no hope to breake so great an armie in
Spaine all the peoples of any prouince whatsoeuer gathered into commocion not against their king as they protested but to suppresse the couetousnes of his wicked gouernors And after they had communicated together their councels they would no more obey the kings Officers but of them selues set downe a forme of gouernment dressed by the vniuersall councell of the multitude which they called La santa giunta such is the name they giue to the vniuersall councell of the popular sort The Capteines and kings Officers tooke armes against them and so thinges being reduced to a manifest warre the disorders encreased by so many degrees that thEmprour held amongest them a very small authoritie The same being the cause that aswell in Italy as out of Italie the hope of those encreased who desired the diminucion of suche a greatnes Neuerthelesse as his armie by sea had wonne vpon the Moares the I le of Gerbes so in Germanie the reputacion of the frenche king had bene somewhat embased for the king to nourrish the troubles of Germanie fauored in that prouince the Duke of VVittemberg who was disagreeing from the league of Suaue which thing his peoples finding and feeling to their damage and harme they chassed him by force out of his estate and after they had wonne his liuing vpon him they sold it to thEmperour whom they knew to be desirous to pull downe the factioners of the frenche king thEmperour bounde him selfe to defende them in all oppressions whatsoeuer insomuch as the Duke seeing him selfe reduced to hope in the succours of the frenche was constrained to haue his recourse to the clemencie of thEmperour and to receiue of him such lawes as was his pleasure to assigne not being for all that restored to the possession of his Dukedom Towards the end of this yeare a regiment of three thowsand spanishe footemen hauing no mindes to returne into Spaine according to a cōmaundment which they receiued of thEmperour and litle esteeming thauthority of their Capteynes passed to Reggia in Calabria And from thence committing many insolencies as they past they drew towards the territories of the Church A matter which put the Pope in whose minde was fixed the memorie of thaccidents of Vrbin in great feare least being either stirred vp by other Princes or ioyning them selues with Franciscomaria or with the sonnes of Iohn Pavvle Baillon or some other enemies of the Churche they were not the cause of some great emocion This feare was made greater in the Pope for that the souldiers refused the offers made to them by him the Viceroy of Naples to enterteyne parte of them in paye and to distribute money to the residue But these offers raised them so much the more into corage made them to march towards the riuer of Tronto not keeping the straite way of Capinai but spreading ouer the large way of Povvilla The resorte of other souldiers ioyning with them daily together with certeine companies of horsemen encreased more more the humor of this feare In men timerous feare is a readie impression and for the time carieth the minde in contemplacions of perill and daunger Neuerthelesse this emocion tooke ende both with more expedicion and more facilitie then was exspected since assoone as they had passed Tronto to enter into the marke of Ancona whether the Pope had sent strength of souldiers incamping before Ripatransono they were compelled to retire for the great losse of men they had susteined in a fierce assault they gaue to the souldiers within Ripatransono an accident so preiudiciall to their vallour and reputacion that they accepted willingly of thEmperours officers condicions of farre lesser quality then such as they hadreiected before The ende of the thirtenth Booke THE ARGVMENT OF THE FOVRETENTH BOOKE POPE Leo is the cause that the peace continueth not in Italy He ioyneth in league with thEmprour against the French king The French king loseth the ` Duchie of Myllan Pope Leo dyeth Adrian the sixt is created Pope Frauncis Sforce reentreth vppon the Duchie of Myllan VVarre is made in Tuskane by Ranse de Cere THE FOVRETEENTH BOOKE OF THE historie and discourse of Guicciardin ABout the beginning of the yeare 1521. was reappeased that former litle stirre touching the which mens mindes suffered more feare by a freshe recordacion and memorie of those bands of spanish footemen that inuaded the state of Vrbin then for any other cause bearing either reason likelihood or probabilitie of terrour But as one warre draweth on an other like to diseases that redouble in bodies il disposed so not many moneths after Italy began eftsoones to be vexed with warres of greater perill of longer continuance and of more importance then were all the other quarrells that had passed affore Wherein the ambicion of two most mighty kings puffed vp with mutuall ielowsies hatreds and deepe suspicions drew them on to make exercise of all their power and forces in the partes and bowels of Italy which hauing skarcely breathed three yeres in peace and yet alwayes full of doubt and suspicion it seemed that in the powers of heauen destinye and fortune was layed vp either a manifest enuie of their tranquillitie or els a supersticious feare that vnder the benefit of rest and concorde those regions woulde eftsoones returne to their auncient felicitie and greatnes Such personages were the beginners of these new emotions as albeit they had farre more interest then all others to procure the preseruacion of the peace yet generally and seuerally they troubled it more then any others and by their industrie authoritie sought to kindle the fire which they ought to haue quenched with their propper blood if other remedies had not sufficed For notwithstanding the hard moodes and inclinacions betwene Caesar and the French king grew increasing continually yet there was no cause at all to push them on so fast to make present warre neither did the one so farre exceede the other in Italy either with force or friendes or any other propertie of ayde that they were able to offend one an other without the fauors oportunities and meanes of the Italian Princes for that as the French king had noreason to feare any vexacion of Caesar neither touching the kingdom of Naples nor for any quarrel of Germany both hauing the Venetians conioyned with him for the defense of Myllan and in the Svvizzers remayning no more readynes to make warres in their owne names but stoode only disposed to serue as souldiors to who so euer would minister paye to them so also he had no meane to offende Caesar in the realme of Naples vnlesse the Pope were concurrant with him in the action who stoode solicited by them both by many offers and meanes to be their friende In so muche as it was beleeued that if the Pope continuing indifferent betweene them were carefull to temper and raunge with his high authoritie and fidelitie of a newter their disdaynes and quarrells and to cut of and stop the passage of their troublesome
in Rome in Florence or in Venice for three monethes paye yet all this sufficed not to assure suche a suspicion For as the Frenche men had no other ende nor intencion then to recouer their king and did manifestly professe to beare no inclinacion to the warre but when they sawe no hope to effect the accord so it was a thing verie congruent and likelie that whensoeuer thEmperour shoulde be disposed they woulde preferre affore all other regardes and interestes to compounde and accorde with him And like as they were notignorant that by how much were great and mighty the preparacions and forces of the league by so much more readily would thEmprour be inclined to compound with the French king euen so it seemed a matter full of perill to enter a confederacion to make a warre in the which the stronge prouisions of the confederats might doe as much haurt as helpe With these reasons did thEmbassadors and agents of Princes labor the Pope on all sides and no lesse was he solicited by his owne officers and Ministers for that both the multitude of his Court and the people peculiar of his councell were deuided of whom euery one in particular fauored his proper inclinacion with so much lesse regard by how much greater was thauthority they had gotten vppon him who till that time was accustomed to suffer him selfe to be caried for the moste part by the will of such as in reason ought to haue obeyed the twinkling of his eye and to serue no other office then as ministers and executors of the direction and ordenance of their maister for the better informacion whereof and of many other occurrances it is necessary to set downe a more large and particular discourse Leo was the first of the famulie of Medicis that bare any Ecclesiasticall dignitie who in the state and authoritie of Cardinall did so well support both him selfe and his house falne from a wonderfull greatnes into much declinacion that it was reduced to respire and reexspect the returne of a good fortune he was a man of great liberalitie if such a name doe worthely become him being of so excessiue exspences as they passed all rate and measure At such time as he was raysed to the Popedom he boare a presence of such magnificence and maiestie ioyned to a poart and showe royall that the representacion he made might be thought wonderfull euen in one that by long succession had discended of kings and Emprours he was not only prodigall of money and treasor but also of all other graces and distribucions belonging to the prerogatiue and power of a Pope These he disposed in such immoderate liberalitie that he made vile and base the authoritie spirituall disordered the style and course of the Court and through his prodigall exspenses reduced him selfe to necessitie to seeke money alwayes by meanes extraordinary This great facilitie was accompanied with a most deepe dissimulacion with the which he beguiled all the world in the beginning of his pontificacie The thing that made him seeme a good Prince I speake not of the goodnes Apostolike for that in those corrupted tymes then is praysed the bountie or goodnes of the Pope when it exceedes not the malignitie of other men was thopinion that was conceyued of his clemencie hauing a desire to doe good to all men and farre estraunged from inclinacion to offend any Amongest his other felicities which were many and great it was no litle happines to him to haue about him Iulio de Medicis his Cosin whom notwithstanding he was not borne in lawfull mariage yet he raysed him to the estate of Cardinall being before Knight of the order of Rhodes for Iulio being by nature graue to sownd deepely into thinges diligent in office and seruice watchfull ouer affayres not delited in securitie and pleasure but ordered and regulated in all thinges and for his modestie hauing vnder his hands thadministration of al thaffaires of importance of the Popâ—â— dome did beare out and moderate many disorders which proceded of his prodigall facilitie yea suche was his temperaunce and vertue working with a perpetuall care ouer the pope that forsaking the custome of all other cousins and brethren of Popes he preferred alwayes the honor and greatnes of Leo affore all friendshippes and fundations which he might apply to his owne stabilitie after the Popes death And beeing withall no lesse obedient to him then faythfull he seemed in all his behauiours to be a seconde himselfe to him by whom he had receyued so high considence for this cause the Pope raysed him euery day and pushed on by gratifications and benefites the minde that serued him with so great studie and sidelitie he reapposed himselfe more and more vppon him touching affayres of greatest consequence which beeing managed by two natures so different showed howe well oftentimes doth agree together the mixture of two contraries straytnes with facility watchfulnesse with securitie measure with prodigalitie grauitie of manners with pleasures and ydlenes Which thinges and the gouernment of them made manye beleeue that Leo was caryed by Iulio beeing not hable of himselfe to rule so great a charge and no disposition to hurt any one together with a vehement desyre to enjoye the frutes and delightes of the Popedome But of the contrarie they interpreted Iulio to be of a spirite ambicious stirring and addicted to innouations So that all the rigours all the actions and all the enterprises of Leos tyme were by imputation heaped vppon Iulio whom they reputed a man malicious though he caried a minde of magnanimitie and courage which opinion of his vallour was confirmed and increased after the death of Leo for that amidde infinite contradictions difficulties obiected agaynst him he supported the estate and countenaunce of hys affayres with such a dignitie as resembled the person and place of a Pope yea he so conserued his authoritie with the Cardinalls that making his entrie into two Conclaues absolute commaunder of sixteene voyces he was at laste made Pope within two yeres after the death of Leo notwithstanding the many obtrusions and emulations of the moste auncient Cardinalls And he entred into his Popedome wyth suche an exspectation that it was thought he would become the greatest Pope and bring to passe greater matters then euer did any that tyll that daye had sitte in that supreme seate But it was founde out afterwardes howe farre men were abused in their iudgementes both concerning Leo and him since in Clement were discerned many conditions farre different from that which men beleeued of him before for there was not in him neyther that ambition nor thirst after innouations and chaunges not that greatnes of courage and inclination of minde to noble and high enterprises which was supposed before yea he was interpreted to be about Leo rather an executer and minister of his plottes and purposes then a framer and introducer of his counsells and willes And albeit he was of witte very apte and capable and had a deepe
the castell S. Angelo The Pope was al this while in no smal thought to make prouision of money wherin imploring the ayde of other princes he receiued of new from the king of England a supply of thirty thousand duckets which the lord Russell his Chamberlaine brought to him And with him came Monsr de Rabandanges with ten thousande crownes sent to him by the french king vpon the benefit of the tenthes which the Pope had accorded to him by necessitie compulsion vnder this promise notwithstāding that besides the payments of the forty thousand crownes which he gaue to the league and twenty thousand which he contributed to the Pope for euery moneth he should presently minister to him thirty thousand duckets within a moneth thirty thousand more The king of Englande gaue commission also to the Lorde Russell to signifie to the Viceroy and the Duke of Burbon a surseance of armes to th end to giue sufferance and tyme to treate a peace the practise and negociation whereof according to themprours will was holden in Englande And if the Viceroy would not condiscend to it then to denounce agaynst him warre It seemed by this readynes and many other apparances that the king of Englande vnder a desire to marry his daughter with the Frenche king was well inclined to the confederates and fauoured their cause And in that good inclination he promised that assoone as the mariage were established to enter into the league and beginne the warre in Flaunders It seemed also he was particularly disposed to do pleasure to the Pope But there could be no great exspectation of ready remedies from a prince who both measured not well the present conditions of Italy nor stoode firme and resolute in his purposes beeing styll labored and retyred by the hope which themprour gaue him to commit to him the working and arbitration of the peace notwithstanding theffectes were in nothing correspondant to the semblances and showes he made for when the Auditor of the Chamber was with him for that matter albeit themprour did what he could to perswade him in many sortes that such was his intention yet for that he exspected some euentes from Italy since the discending of the launceknightes and the aryuall of his Nauy at sea wherof he had receiued some aduertisement he forbare to giue him an aunswere assured and certayne taking his excuse vppon the warrantes and commissions of the confederates as though they were not sufficient But thaccorde whiche the Pope solicited continually with the Viceroy hurt him not a little with the Confederates both for that they stoode alwayes in feare least he woulde resolue and compound with him And also the French king and the Venetians made this iudgement that all the exspences and defraymentes whiche they should make to support him would be almost vnprofitable This iudgement and suspicion tooke encreasing by certayne degrees of vehement feares whiche were discerned in him together with the lamentable protestations he made dayly that he was no more hable to susteine the warre Wherein agaynst hys ordinarye meane and remedy in that case he opposed wilfully his naturall obstinacy would not make Cardinalls for money nor releeue himselfe in so great necessities amid so many daungers of the Church with those meanes which other Popes had wont to vse yea euen in thatchieuing of their vniust and ambicious enterprises In which regarde the French king and the Venetians to be the better prepared and ready in all accidents were eftsones particularly bound to make no accord with themprour the one without the other And the French king for that cause and for the great hope which the king of Englande gaue to rayse together with him in case the mariage went forwarde great emotions in the spring following became more negligent and lesse carefull of the daungers of Italy In this time the Viceroy who solicited an inuasion vpon the Churche states dispatched a regiment of two thousande Spanish footemen to assault a small Castell of Stephen Colonno where the vallour of the defendantes made that enterprise in vayne And because the Viceroy came on and aduaunced thecclesiastikes referred to an other time to execute the resolution taken to batter the Popes rocke the garrisons of which place had surprised the Castell Gandolffo but weakly manned and at that tyme holden by the Cardinall de Monte At last the Viceroy after he had assembled into one strength twelue thousande footemen all bodyes commaunded and trayned sauing the Spaniards and Launceknights that were come with him by sea encamped with his whole armie the xxix of Ianuary before Frusolone a towne weake and without walles sauing that the howses of some particulars serue as a wall and within the which the capteines of the Church had bestowed garrison because they would leaue him no footing nor entrie into Campagnia to the weaknes of this place was ioyned a great necessitie and want of vittells and yet the situation of the towne standing vpon a hill giueth alwayes to the inhabitantes good meane and oportunitie to saue them selues of one side for that it beareth a certaine benesite of reskew and backing A matter which gaue a great resolution to the garrison within to defende it besides that they were of the best choyse of Italians whiche at that time tooke paye Moreouer the height of the mountayne was no litle impediment to thenemies to do any action vpon their artilleries of which they had planted three demy Cannons and foure Coluerines Onely the greatest care of thenemies was to stoppe as muche as they could the entry of vittells into the towne On the other side the Pope who albeit was muche impouerished for money and was more apt to suffer indignitie to desire others to releeue him then to furnishe himselfe by meanes extraordinary encreased his campe as muche as he could with bandes of footemen payed and trayned And in that incertentie of minde and dealing he had newly taken into his paye Horacio Baillon without keeping memorie or obseruation of the iniuries which he had done before to his father and afterwardes to him whom he had of long holden prisoner within the Castell of S. Angelo as a troubler of the quiet of Perousa With these supplies of souldiours his armie went on alwayes drawing neare to Ferentin to make there his generall moosters and to giue hope of succours to those that were besieged The batterye of Frusolona was reduced to perfection the xxiiij day but because it was not suche as to giue hope to cary the place there was no assault performed Onely capteine Alarcon trauelling about the walles was hurt with the blowe of a harquebuse and likewise Maria Vrsin was wounded One of the principall grounds and hopes of the Viceroy was that he was not ignorant that the souldiors within suffred great scarcitie of vittells as also the armie that moostred at Ferentin was in the same extremitie for the souldiours of the Colonnois whiche laye within Palicina Montfortin and the Popes Rocke the
Vavvdemont was dead and the Marquis of Salussa Count Guido Count Hugo and Peter of Nouare extremely afflicted with sicknes In which generall persecucion of the french campe Maramo to th end to depriue them wholly of foode and vittells yssued out of Naples with foure hundred footemen and finding Capua almost abandoned entred into it by whose comming thether the French men forsaking Pozzolo bestowed the garrison that was there within Auersa A place of very speciall importance for the campe But when Capua and Nola were lost the army was at a maze where to seeke vittells to conteine the bodies which the stroake of diseases had yet left on liue So that their extremities making them no longer to hold good and the rage of their necessities carying them necessarily to obey the aduersitie of the time they resolued to embrase their last shift and brake vp by night to retyre to Auersa ButthImperialls keeping a ielous eye vppon their doings and hauing good informacion of their dislodging set vppon them and ouerthrewe them in the waye where beeing taken Peter Nauare with many other chieftaines and personages of condicion The Marquis of Salussa escaped retyred with one part of the army into Auersa But being pursued no lesse by his owne infelicitie then by the vallour of thImperialls and being reduced to an estate not to menteyne defense he sent out of Auersa Count Guido Rangon to perley with the Prince of Orenge betwene whome ranne these capitulacions That aswell he as the other Capteines should remeine prisoners except Count Guido to whome in recompense of thaccord was graunted libertie That the Marquis should do all that he could with the French men and Venetians for the rendring giuing vp of the whole kingdom That the souldiers and such as by thaccord were to haue libertie should leaue their enseignes their armes their horses and their goods graunting onely to those that were of greatest qualitie the seruice of moyles and curtalls That the Italian souldiours should not beare armes against thEmprour for six monethes In this sorte all bands and regiments were defeated all Capteines cut of by death or made prisoners in fleing or at least takē in the accord Auersa was sacked by the army Imperial who afterwards retyred to Naples demaūded eight paies Ranso who the day following was drawen neare to Capua with the Prince of Melffe and the Abbot of Farfa hearing of the accident and aduenture of the army returned into Abruzza which contry onely together with certeine peeces in Povvylla and Calabria held good for the confederats This was the yssue and euent of thenterprise of the kingdome of Naples disordered by many causes but guided to his last errour by two principal reasons The one for the maladies and diseases engendred partely by the cutting away of the water conduits of Poggio royall to depriue them within Naples of the meane and vsage of grinding for when the waters were dispersed all ouer the playnes and hauing no yssue were driuen to stand still gather modde they so corrupted the ayre that the french men by nature intemperat and impatient of heat fell into maladies and they in time were turned into the nature of the plague whose contagion was caried into the body of the armie by certeine that were infected who were expresly sent out of Naples The other errour was that Monsr Lavvtrech who had drawne out of Fraunce all the best experienced Capteines of that nation was too singuler in his owne hope and weening And not remembring what litle honor it brought to him at such time as he lay at the defense of the estate of Myllan to write to his king that he would stoppe thennemies for passing the riuer of Adda he had nowe in the same partialitie since the seege of Naples assured his king by sundry letters that he would not leauy his campe from before the walls of Naples till he had honorably caried the victory of the towne By which proppertie of errour and selfe promise for that he would not be reproued of his worde and iudgement he stoode obstinate not to leauye the seege contrary to the councell of his other Capteines who seeing the campe full of maladies and infection perswaded him alwayes to retyre in sauety to Capus to some other place of refreshing The rather for that hauing in his hands and deuocion almost all the kingdom much lesse that he could haue wanted eyther vittells or money seeing he might with facilitie haue consumed the Imperialls to whome all things were lacking During these proceedings in the Realme of Naples the affaires of Lombardy were not without trauel and diuersitie of fortune for that after Monsr Saint Pol had assembled his forces and made prouision of vittells he tooke beyonde Pavv certeine townes and borowes commaunded before by Antho. de Leua who the thirde of August was gone to Torretta laboring to gather into Myllan so great prouisions of vittells as he could for that thorow the whole estate of Myllan the haruests were so poore and barreine that it was thought there were skarcely sufficient vittells to feede for eyght moneths the mouthes that were in the contry Afterwardes he retyred to Marignan beeing not able for want of money to abide long tyme in that place At this tyme the Duke of Vrbyn was at Bressia and Saint Pol at Newecastell in Tortono from whence beeing comen to Plaisanca they met and had conference together at Monticella vppon the ryuer of Pavv where it was resolued that the armies should vnite and assemble about Loda from thence Saint Pol passed the ryuer of Pavv neare to Cremona they of Plaisanca suffering him without resistance to conuert the barkes that were there to the vse of a bridge And therefore Antho. de Leua who had at his deuocion the bridge of Cassan Caruaggia and Treuy brake downe the bridge and abandoned the places of Guiaradada lyke as he had before abandoned Nouaro onely he had bestowed within Pauya seuen hundred footemen and fiue hundred within Saint Angeo Monsr Saint Pol had in estate and payment foure hundred launces fiue hundred light horsemen fiueteene hundred launceknights but in numbers true mooster farre lesse both through his own negligence and deceite of his officers for these forces and other companies of Svvizzers and Launceknightes which were exspected the Venetains had agreed to pay for euerie moneth twelue thowsande duckats to Monsr Saint Pol who had also at Turea three hundred Svvizzers enterteined and payed for nine hundred and three thowsande footmen French The Venetians had three hundred men at armes a thowsand light horsemen and six thowsande footemen And with the Duke of Millan were more then two thowsand footmen of choise Antho. de Leua had foure thowsand Launceknightes a thowsande Spanyards three thowsande Italians and three hundred light horsemen The regiments of the confederates passed the riuer of Adda and ioyned their forces together the two and twentie of August Antho. de Leua being yet