yeers and died with great honor and renowme The Notes 1 Vnderstand this of the County of Burgundy not of the Duchy THE FIFT BOOKE How the Duke of Burgundie making war vpon the Swissers was ouerthrowen at the straights of the mountaines neere to Granson Chap. 1. THe Duke of Burgundie hauing conquered the Duchie of Lorraine and receiued Saint Quintins Han and Bohain with all the Constables goods of the King treated with him of a finall peace for accomplishment whereof they two resolued to meete vpon a bridge built ouer a riuer like to that made at Piquigny at the enteruiew of the Kings of England and Fraunce About the which meeting messengers passed to and fro so far foorth that the Duke was once purposed to dismisse the greatest part of his armie to the end his men being in very euill order as well bicause of the siege of Nuz as also of this small war in Lorraine might refresh themselues and the rest to put in garrison into certaine of the Earle of Romonts places neere to the townes of Berne and Fribourg vpon the which he was fully resolued to make war bicause they had inuaded his dominions while he was before Nuz had holpen to take the countie of Ferrette from him as you haue heard and had also conquered from the Earle of Romont part of his countrie The King earnestly pressed him to come to the meeting appointed to leaue these poore Swissers in peace and to refresh his armie The Swissers also seeing him approch so neere them sent their ambassadors to him offering to restore all that they had taken from the Earle of Romont who on the other side pressed him earnestly to succour him in person whereupon the Duke altered his minde and determined to march against them leauing that course which in all mens opinions seemed best considering both the time of the yeere and the state of his armie Further it was agreed betweene the King and him that for the Duchie of Lorraine they should not fall at variance The Duke departed out of Lorraine with this poore wearie and defeated armie and entred into Burgundie where the ambassadors of these ancient confederates of Almaine commonly called Swissers repaired againe to him making larger offers than before for besides the restitution of the Earle of Romonts places they offered to depart from all leagues that he should not allow of especially their league with the King and to enter into confederacie with him and to serue him against the King with sixe thousand men well armed and that for very smal pay as often as he should require which offers he refused for God was fully purposed to bring him to destruction In those countries are certaine townes called the new confederates namely Basill Strasbourg and diuers other imperial cities 1 situate neer the riuer of Rhene which in times past had beene enimies to the Swissers in fauour of Sigismond Duke of Austrich whose confederates they were during the wars betweene the said Swissers and him But now all these townes ioined with the Swissers and a league was made betweene them for ten yeeres and peace also betweene Duke Sigismond and them which league as before you haue heard was concluded by the Kings procurement earnest sute and great expences at the same time that the countie of Ferrette was taken from the Duke of Burgundie and his lieutenant there called Peter Archambault beheaded at Basill The onely cause of which inconuenience proceeded of this Archambault himself which sure was a shrewd check to the Duke of Burgundy being the very fountaine of all his other miseries Wherefore a Prince that hath lately ioined a strange countrie to his dominions ought to be circumspect what gouernors he placeth there For whereas subiects newly conquered ought to be curteously intreated to haue Iustice truly administred and to be better vsed than vnder their former gouernment this Archambault did the cleane contrary for he vsed great violence and extortion whereupon ensued vtter destruction to himselfe his Master and many a good man besides This league aboue mentioned made by the Kings onely procurement turned afterward to his great benefit yea greater than the world weeneth so far foorth that for my part I account it one of the wisest deeds that euer he did and most to the domage of his enimies For the Duke of Burgundy once destroied the King of Fraunce neuer found man afterward of his owne subiects that durst lift vp his finger against him for they sailed all with his winde Wherefore it was a woorthy exploit to ioine Duke Sigismunde of Austrich and these newe confederates in league with the Swissers whose ancient enimies they had beene and I warrant you it was neuer brought to passe without great expenses and many voiages After the Duke of Burgundy had put the Swissers from all hope of peace they returned to aduertise their confederates therof and to make preparations for defence The Duke led his army into the countrey of Vaulx in Sauoye which the Swissers as you haue heard had taken from the Lord of Romont There he wan three or fower places belonging to Monseur de Chasteauguion which the Swissers held and negligently defended From thence he remooued and laid his siege before a towne called Granson 2 belonging also to the said Lord of Chasteauguion within the which were eight or nine hundred Swissers 3 choice men for bicause the place was neere their countrey they had manned it well The Dukes force was reasonable great for diuers bands came daily to him out of Lombardy and the subiects also of this house of Sauoy were in pay with him He loued strangers better than his owne subiects notwithstanding that he might haue leuied in his owne dominions great force of good soldiers but the Constables death togither with certaine other conceits he had in his head caused him to mistrust his owne people His artillery was maruellous strong and he lay in great pompe and triumph in his campe to shew his magnificence to the ambassadors that came to him out of Italy and Almaine for the which purpose also he had brought with him all his best iewels and plate and great aboundance of all kinde of furniture Moreouer he had many phansies in his head touching the Duchy of Milan where he trusted shortly to haue great intelligence After he had besieged this towne of Granson and battered it with the canon certaine daies they yeelded to his mercy 4 and he put them all cruelly to death The Swissers were assembled but in small number as diuers of them haue told me for they are not able to leuy so great force in their countrey as the world supposeth and at that time much lesse than now bicause sithence most part of them haue forsaken their husbandry and giuen themselues to armes Further of their confederates fewe were with them bicause they were forced to succor the place in haste but so soone as they were abroad in campe they heard of their companions death
Plaisance and marched towards the Florentines territories meaning either to cause them to declare themselues for him or to take their townes being vnfortified and lodge his men in them all the winter which was already begun Diuers small places yeelded vnto him so did also the citie of Luques enimie to the Florentines shewing him all pleasure and seruice that in them lay Now you shall vnderstand that the Duke of Milan had two purposes in his head first he sought by all meanes possible to staie the King from passing further that sommer 2 Secondarily he hoped to obtaine of him Pisa a great and a faire citie togither with Serzane and Petresancte which two places had been subiect to the Geneuois not long before and were woon from them by the Florentines in Laurence de Medicis time The King passed through Pontreme one of the D. of Milans townes and went to besiege Serzane the strongest and the best castle the Florentines had but vnfurnished bicause of their great diuision To say the truth the Florentines neuer beare armes willingly against the house of Fraunce for they haue euer faithfully serued it taken part with it both bicause of their great traficke in Fraunce also bicause they haue euer been of the Guelphes faction 3 If this place had been well furnished the King must of necessitie haue broken his armie for the countrie is verie barren ful of hils victuals there were none to be gotten besides that the snow lay maruellous deepe vpon the ground After the Kings siege had lien before it three daies the Duke of Milan came thither no composition being yet made betweene the Florentines and the King 4 and passed through Pontreme where the townesmen and the soldiers of the garrison fell at such variance with our Almaines led by one Buser that certaine of the saide Almaines were staine of the which braule sprang a great inconuenience as heereafter you shall heare For although I were not my selfe present at the doing of these things yet vnderstood I of them both by the King the Duke and diuers others The Florentines began now to practise and appointed fifteene or sixteene to go to the King saying that they would no longer continue in this great danger nor sustaine the displeasure of the King and the Duke of Milan who had continually an ambassador resident at Florence And Peter of Medices consented to the sending of this ambassage for to say the truth he could not remedie it considering vpon what termes they stood for if they had done otherwise they had been vndone being vnprouided of all things and vtterly vnacquainted with the wars When these ambassadors came to the Kings presence they offered to receiue him into Florence and their other places neither cared the greater part of them how the world went so that we would come to Florence to chase away Peter of Medices which matter they earnestly pressed bicause they had good intelligence with the aboue named that gouerned then the Kings affaires On the other side Peter of Medices practised by a seruant of his owne named Laurence Spinelly who was his factor at Lyons and an honest man in his vocation and had liued long in Fraunce but of the state of our Court he could vnderstand nothing no hardly they that had beene Courtiers all their liues bicause of the often changes and alterations This Spinelly negotiated with those that heeretofore had borne all the sway namely the Lord of Bresse afterward Duke of Sauoye and the Lord of Miolans chamberlaine to the King Soone after the aboue named ambassadors were returned to Florence Peter of Medices accompanied with certaine of the citie came himselfe to the King to make answer to our requests for they within the citie sawe vtter destruction before their eies vnlesse they yeelded to all the Kings demaunds whose fauour they hoped to obtaine by offering him some greater seruice than any of the other townes that had already receiued him At his arriuall Monseur de Piennes a Flemming borne and Chamberlaine to the King and the generall Brissonnet were sent to treate with him who required him to yeeld vnto the King the castell of Serzane which presently he did They required him further to lend the King Pisa Ligorne Petresanct and Librefacto whereunto he also agreed incontinent neuer communicating the matter with his collegues who supposed that the King should onely haue lodged in Pisa and these other places to refresh himselfe but not haue held them still well by this meanes they yeelded their whole estate and force into our hands Those that negotiated with the said Peter haue told both me and others since scoffing and iesting at him that they woondred to see him so lightly condescend to so waightie a matter granting more than they looked for To conclude the King entred into Pisa and the aboue named ambassadors returned to Florence where the said Peter caused the Kings lodging to be made in his owne house which was the goodliest of a citizens or merchants house that euer I saw and better furnished than any mans house in the world of his estate I must heere speake a word or two of the Duke of Milan who now wished the King with all his hart out of Italy notwithstanding that both already he had made his profit by him and sought also still so to do for he was in hope to obtaine of him the places yeelded by the Florentines and pressed him earnestly for Serzane and Petresancte which he said appertained to the Genuois he lent him also at that present 30. thousand ducats and he hath since told both me and others that these places were promised him But when he sawe that he could not obtaine them he departed in great displeasure from the King pretending that earnest busines called him home which was the last time the King saw him notwithstanding he left Master Galeas of Saint Seuerin behind him whom he ioined in commission in all matters with the Earle Charles of Belleioyeuse The said Master Galeas while the King lay in Pisa sent by his Masters aduise for the chiefe citizens of the towne to his lodging where he perswaded them to rebell against the Florentines and to desire the King to restore them to their ancient liberty trusting by this meanes that Pisa would fall into the Duke of Milans clawes vnder whose obedience it had been 5 in the time of Iohn Galeas the first Duke of Milan of that name a great and wicked tyrant though very honorable whose body lieth buried in the charterhouse of Pauia by the parke 6 so high aboue the high altar that men go vp to it by a ladder certain of the monkes shewed me it at the least his bones which smelt as naturally they should Further one of the said monkes who was borne at Bourges called him Saint as he talked with me and I asked him in his eare why he called him Saint considering he might behold painted round about him the armes of
King was yet at Rome where he remained about twenty daies busied with a number of matters He had with him at the least eighteene Cardinals besides diuers others that repaired to the citie from all parts The names of these Cardinals were the Cardinall Ascaigne the Popes vicechauncellor and brother to the Duke of Milan the Cardinall Petri-ad-Vincula the which two were deadly enimies to the Pope and great friends each to other the Cardinals of Guese 3 Saint Denis Saint Seuerin Sauelli Coulonne and diuers others all the which would needs haue proceeded to a new election and deposed the Pope being within the castle of Saint Ange against the which the artillery was twise bent as I haue heard the noblest personages there present report but the King of his goodnes euer withstood it The place was not of defence for the seate thereof is vpon a little hill made by force of man besides that these Cardinals alleaged that the wals thereof were fallen down by miracle and charged the Pope that he had obtained this holy dignitie by simonie and they said true but Cardinall Ascaigne himselfe was the chiefe merchaunt that solde it and receiued a great summe of money for his part togither with the Popes house where he lodged before he was Pope being then Vicechauncellor and all the furniture thereof and his said office of Vicechauncellor with diuers places of the patrimonie of the Church For there had been great controuersie between them two for the said dignitie 4 Notwithstanding I thinke they would both willingly haue agreede to chuse a newe Pope of the Kings naming yea and a French man so that I know not whether the King did well or euill in concluding peace though all things considered I suppose he tooke the best course for himselfe was yoong and vnprouided of men sufficient to manage so waightie a matter as the reformation of the Church though I confesse his power to haue been sufficient thereunto Sure if he could haue reformed it I thinke al men of wisedome and vnderstanding would haue accounted it a good a woorthie and a holie worke But there were too many things requisite to so high an enterprise notwithstanding the Kings will was good and yet is if he had good assistance The King being in Rome made a treatie with the Pope which could not long endure for it was vnreasonable in some points and serued for the chiefe colour of the league whereof heereafter you shall heare By the said treatie peace was concluded betweene the Pope and his Cardinals and all other their adherents and partakers And it was agreed that the Cardinals should receiue all rights and duties belonging to their Cardinals hat as well absent as present and that the Pope should lend the King fower places to wit Terracine Ciuita-vechia Viterbe which the King already held and Spolete but this last he neuer deliuered notwithstanding his promise All the which places the King sware to restore at his returne from Naples as also he did notwithstanding that the Pope had abused him By this treatie he deliuered also into the Kings hands the Truks brother for the safe keeping of whom he receiued yeerely of the Turke sixtie thousand ducats and held him also by meanes of his said brother in great feare 5 He promised further to put no Legate into any fortified place or towne of the Church without the Kings consent Certaine other articles there were touching the consistorie or college of Cardinals which I ouerpasse For the performance of all these conditions the Pope deliuered his sonne the Cardinall of Valence in hostage to the King who accompanied him as his Legate and the King did vnto the Pope the dutie of a sonne with all humilitie and obedience Further the Pope created two Cardinals at his request the one the generall Brissonnet so often before named lately made bishop of Saint Malo and the other the bishop of Mans of the house of Luxembourg who was heere in Fraunce The Notes 1 He meaneth in their voiages to Naples vnder the house of Aniou 2 This riuer is called Liris or Gariliano 3 Gurcense Gazzo and I suppose our author write it Gurse but the letters of the ancient copie being defaced the vnskilfull corrector at the first Printing gessing but at the vvord changed R into E. Guicciar hath Gurce 4 The Pope before his papacie had been Vicechauncellor Ascanio and he stroue for the dignitie but in the end Ascanio relented being recompensed as heere is mentioned Notvvithstanding seeing an occasion against the Pope offered by the Kings comming his rancor brake foorth a newe 5 Gemes or Gemin Ottoman heere mentioned brother to Baiazet the second rebelling against his brother fled to the Soldan of Aegypt for aide but being vanquished he fled to Rhodes from whence he was sent into Fraunce to King Lewis the eleuenth to the end he might not escape for the Turke for his safe keeping paid yeerely to the knights of the Rhodes 40000. crownes K. Lewis gaue him to Pope Innocent the 8. So her remained till this present that he was deliuered to K. Charles at Rome in the Popes hands How the King departed from Rome towards Naples what hapned in the meane time in diuers parts of the said realme and through what places he passed till he came to Naples Chap. 13. THese matters being thus ended the King remooued from Rome in great amity friendship with the Pope in apparance at which time eight Cardinals departed also out of the citie highly displeased with this treatie namely the said Vicechauncellor Ascaigne and the Cardinall S. Peter-ad-Vincula with sixe of their faction But many thought that Ascaigne did but dissemble and that in deed he was in good amitie with the Pope notwithstanding I am able to affirme nothing thereof for his brother had not as yet declared himselfe our enimie From Rome the King remooued to Iannesanne and from thence to Belistre where the Cardinall of Valence escaped away The next daie the King tooke Chastelfortin by assault and put all that were with in it to the sword bicause the place belonged to Iames Comte who was reuolted from the King notwithstanding that he had taken his pay for the Comtes haue euer been partakers with the Vrsins From thence he marched to Valmonton a town of the Colonnois and from thence remooued and lodged about fower miles from mont Saint Iehan which is a towne held of the Church but belonging to the Marques of Pescaire and very well fortified notwithstanding after it had beene beaten seauen or eight howers with the cannon it was taken by assault and all that were within it or the greatest partslaine and there the Kings whole force ioyned togither 1 Then he marched towards Saint Germain sixteen miles thence where this newe King Ferrande as you haue heard laie in campe with all the force he could leuy And indeed this was his onely refuge and the place where he must fight or neuer bicause it was the
comprehend not in this number for within there are besides these the fower orders of friers and threescore and twelue parishes besides a number of chappels of the companies of occupations commonly called Confrairies 3 And sure it is a strange sight to behold so many great and goodly churches built in the sea To the said place of Chafousine came fiue and twenty gentlemen to receiue me sumptuously apparelled in silke and scarlet the which welcommed me with an oration conuaied me to the church of Saint Andrew neere to the towne where as many other gentlemen met me being accompanied with the ambassadors of Milan and Ferrara and heere also they receiued me with an oratiō afterwards led me into other botes which they call flat being much greater than the former two of them were couered with crimosin sattin and decked within with arras ech of them being large inough to haue receiued 40. persons They placed me between these two ambassadors for the midst in Italy is the honorablest place and conuaied me along through the great streete called the great chanell 4 which is so large that the gallies passe to fro through it yea I haue seen hard by the houses ships of foure hundred tun and aboue Sure in mine opinion it is the goodliest street in the world and the best built and reacheth in length from the one end of the towne to the other Their buildings are high and stately and all of fine stone 5 The ancient houses be all painted but the rest that haue been built within these hundred yeeres haue their front all of white marble brought thither out of Istria an hundred miles thence and are beautified with many great peeces of Porphire 6 and Sarpentine 7 In the most part of them are at the least two chambers the seeling whereof is gilded the mantletrees of the chimneies very rich to wit of grauen marble the bedsteds gilded the presses painted and vermiled with golde and maruellous well furnished with stuffe To be short it is the most triumphant citie that euer I sawe and where ambassadors and strangers are most honorably entertained the common-wealth best gouerned and God most deuoutly serued so far foorth that notwithstanding they haue diuers imperfections yet thinke I verily that God prospereth them bicause of the reuerence they beare to the seruice of the Church In the companie of these fiftie gentlemen I passed to Saint Georges which is an abbey of reformed blacke monks where I lodged The next day they returned againe to me and led me to the Seniorie where I deliuered my letters to the Duke who presideth in all their assemblies being honored as a King 8 and all letters are directed to him but of himselfe he cannot do much Notwithanding this Duke is of great authoritie yea greater than euer was any of his predecessors 9 and no maruell for he hath beene Duke these twelue yeeres 10 and for my part I euer found him a vertuous and a wise man of great experience in the affaires of Italie and a courteous and gentle person This was all that I did the first day saue that they led me into the palace and shewed me three or fower chambers the feelings whereof were richly gilded and likewise the beds and presses and sure it is a very stately and sumptuous building for the greatnes thereof for it is all of square marble and all the front vermiled with gold and likewise the edges and borders of the angles about the bredth of an inch There are moreouer fower goodly hals within it richly gilded and a number of faire lodgings but the court is very small The Duke out of his chamber may heare masse at the high altar of the chappell of Saint Marke 11 which is the goodliest and richest church in the world bearing but the name of a chappell for it is built throughout of the curious worke called Musaique or Marqueterie 12 the art also whereof they vaunt themselues to be authors of and sure they haue diuers workmen thereof as I my selfe can testifie In this chappell is their treasure so famous through the world being onely things appointed for the furniture of the church among the which are twelue or fowerteene Rubie ballais the greatest that euer I saw for two of them waigh the one aboue seuen hundred and the other aboue eight hundred carrets but they are vnpolished There are twelue other stones like to little pillers set in gold and garnished and bordred with excellent good stone Moreouer twelue crownes there are of golde wherewith in times past at certaine feasts in the yeere twelue women decked themselues whom they called Queenes the which went about these ylands and churches but the said Queenes and the greatest part of the women of the citie were stolen and caried away perforce by theeues that came out of Istria or Friole 13 being borderers vpon the Venetians the which lurked priuily behinde these yles but their husbands pursued these theeues and recouered their women and offered all these crownes to Saint Marke and built also a chappell vpon the place whither the Seniorie resorteth yeerely the same day they obtained this victorie Sure this is a goodly furniture for the church for besides these things aboue rehearsed there are diuers other iewels of gold and a sute of Amethists and Agates a few Emeraulds But this is no such treasure to make account of as ready monie and yet of monie they haue no treasure for the Duke himselfe told me before the Seniorie that it is among them a capitall crime to make mention of treasure in coine And sure in mine opinion they do therein very wisely for feare of diuision that thereby might arise among them Afterward they shewed me their treasure namely their Arsenal 14 where they arme their gallies and prepare all other furniture necessary for their nauie which vndoubtedly is the goodliest thing at this day in the world and the best in order for that purpose To be short I abode there eight moneths vpon their charge as did all the other ambassadors there resident And sure thus much I dare boldly say of them that they are men of such wisdome and so inclined to inlarge their dominions that vnlesse they be looked to in time all their neighbors shall repent it too late for the Kings comming into Italy and the wars that haue been betweene him and them since that time which yet endure haue made them much skilfuller in fortification and defence of places euer they were before Besides that they haue of late enlarged their Seniorie for they haue seuen or eight cities engaged to them in Pouille which I doubt me they will neuer restore At the Kings first comming into Italy they could not be perswaded that places might be taken so easily and in so short space for they made not war with such expedition 15 but both they and diuers others haue fortified since and do daily fortifie many places in Italy They cannot grow mightie
chamber to die in notwithstanding that he had so many goodly houses and built one so sumptuous at that present These two examples aboue rehearsed declare the greatnes of Gods power and the shortnes and miserie of mans life which traineth with it great cares for the purchasing of worldly goods and honors and shew withall that death is common to all men the which a Prince can no more auoid than a poore plowman The Notes 1. Vnderstand to the end he might deliuer it to the Florentines 2 They withhold from the house of Austrich a part of Istria and Furly and from the empire Padoa and Veronne How the holy man Frier Hierom was burned at Florence by the procurement of the Pope and of diuers Florentines and Venetians his enimies Chap. 19. I Haue told you before in this discourse of our voiage to Naples that there was at Florence a Frier Iacobin called Hierome who had been resident there the space of fifteen yeeres being a man famous for his holy life and whom my selfe saw and communed with in the yeere of our Lord 1495. The said Frier as aboue is mentioned foretolde diuers things and affirmed alwaies that the King should passe ouer the mountaines into Italie and preached so openly saying that he vnderstood both this and all the other things whereof he spake by reuelation He said further that the King was chosen of God to reforme the estate of the Church with the sword and to chastice Tyrants But bicause he affirmed that he vnderstood these things by reuelation many murmured against him and he procured himselfe the displeasure of the Pope and of diuers others in the towne of Florence He led the holiest life that any man could leade as appeered both by his conuersation and also by his sermons wherein he preached against all kinde of vice so that he reformed the loose liues of many in the said citie But in this yeere 1498. about the selfe same time that King Charles ended his life died also this Frier Hierom within fower or fiue daies the one of the other The cause why I write this vnto you is for that he preached alwaies openly that the K. should return again into Italy to execute the commission that God had giuen him which was to reforme the Church by the sword and to chase tyrants out of the countrie and that in case he did it not God would punish him cruelly and all his former sermons and all that he made at this present he put foorth in print and are to be sold This threatning that he vsed against the King saying that God would punish him cruelly vnlesse he returned the said Frier writ also diuers times to him before his death and the like told he me with his owne mouth when I spake with him at our returne out of Italie saying that God had pronounced sentence against the King in heauen vnlesse he executed that which he had commanded him and restrained his men from spoile Now you shall vnderstand that about the time of the Kings death the Florentines were at great variance within the citie some desired the Kings returne and waited daily for it bicause of the great hope Frier Hierom gaue them thereof but in the meane time they consumed themselues and waxed maruellous poore by reason of the great charges they sustained in hope to recouer Pisa and the other places that they had put into the K. hands whereof the Venetians held Pisa But other some gaue aduice to take part with the league and vtterly to abandon the King saying that they were abused that it was folly to looke for his returne and that Frier Hierom was an heretike and a whoormaster and that it were almes to put him into a sacke and throwe him into the riuer but he was so friended in the towne that they durst not attempt it The Pope also and the Duke of Milan writ often against this Frier offering the Florentines to cause Pisa and their other places to be restored them if they would depart from their league with the King and take Frier Hierom and punish him And by chance at that present a new Seniorie was chosen in Florence whereof many were enimies to this Frier For you shall vnderstand that the said Seniorie changeth at euery two moneths end Wherefore the said Hieroms enimies suborned a Frier Franciscan to picke a quarrell to him and call him heretike affirming that he abused the people in saying he vnderstood any thing by reuelation for proofe whereof he offered himselfe to the fire and these words he spake before the Seniorie Frier Hierom would not present himselfe to the fire but a companion of his said that he would enter into the fire for him and then another companion of the Frier Franciscans presented himselfe on the other side whereupon a day was assigned when they should enter into the fire Vpon the which they both came accordingly accompanied each of them with his couent but the Iacobine brought the sacrament in his hand which the Frier Franciscans and the Seniorie also commanded him to lay downe which he refused to do wherfore they returned againe to their couents Then the people mooued by the said Frier Hieroms enimies went with the Seniories commission and tooke him with two others of his companions in his conuent and at the very first racked him cruelly they slue also the chiefest citizen in the towne called Francis Vallorie bicause he was the said Friers great friend Moreouer the Pope sent his commission whereby he authorized them to make their processe and in the end they burned them all three They charged him with these two points onely first that he raised discord in the towne and secondarily that he vnderstood by his friends of the councell all that he vaunted to know by reuelation For my part I will neither accuse them nor excuse them for this deed neither know I whether they did well or euill in putting him to death but sure he told many things that prooued true which he could not receiue from the councel of Florence And as touching the King and the euils he said should happen to him they came to passe as he prophesied for first he tolde him of the Doulphin his sonnes death and after of his owne as my selfe can witnesse for I haue seene the letters he writ thereof to the King Of the obsequies and funerals of King Charles the eight and of the coronation of King Lewis the 12. his successor with the genealogies of the Kings of Fraunce continuing to the said Lewis Chap. 20. THe Kings disease was a Catarre or an Apoplexie his Phisitions hoped it would haue fallen down into one of his armes the losse whereof they somwhat doubted but feared no whit any danger of death notwithstanding the contrarie to their expectation hapned He had fower Phisitions but gaue credit onely to the woorst of them and that so great that the others durst not vtter their minds for they would gladly haue
and estimation his subiects are the more obedient they deny him nothing that he demandeth his soldiers also waxe thereby the hardier and the more couragious Notwithstanding oftentimes the Princes themselues after a victory obteined are so puffed vp with pride and vaine glory that commonly their good successe turneth to their harme all the which hapneth by Gods disposition who sendeth alterations according to mens deserts When they within Sainctron saw the battell lost and themselues inclosed on all sides supposing also the discomfiture to be much greater then indeede it was they laid downe their armor yeelded the towne and deliuered such men to the Dukes mercy as he demanded whom he incontinent caused to be beheaded sixe of them being of the hostages that he had dismissed a few daies before vnder such conditions as you haue heard From thence he dislodged and marched to Tongres which abode the siege but bicause the towne was nothing strong they yeelded before the battery vnder the same conditions that their neighbors of Sainctron had accepted and deliuered also ten men to the Duke who were put to death as the former fiue or sixe of them being likewise of the hostages aboue mentioned The Notes 1 The newe copie hath Liny but the old and La Marche name it Huy Guicci Hoey Hubertus Huyum Meyer Hoyum and almost all other good authors 2 The Liegeois armie to succour Sainctron was of 20000. men but understand besides the Kings forces lead by Messir Bare or Barrado as Meyer termeth him who vvas slaine in the battell Meyer 3 The King sent to aide the Liegeois 400. men of armes and 6000. archers Meyer 4 There were slaine at this battell 6000. saith the old copie 3000. Meyer grounding himselfe vpon certeine obscure Annalists one of Flanders the other of Brabant of purpose to contrarie our author as in my epistle is shevved more at large 5 This battell vvas fought vpon Alhallovve Eeuen De la Marche but Meyer saith the 27. of October How some of the citizens of Liege agreeing to yeeld their towne and others refusing so to do the Lord of Hymbercourt found meanes to enter into it for the Duke of Burgundie Chap. 3. FRom Tongres the Duke marched to the citie of Liege where the people were in great diuision for part of them gaue aduise to defend the towne saying that they had force sufficient within it so to do the cheife of the which faction was a knight called Master Raz of Laitre but others seeing all the countrey about burned and destroied would in any wise haue peace were the conditions neuer so vnresonable wherefore when the Duke approched neere to the city diuers ouertures of peace were made by certaine meane persons as prisoners and such like But the principall dealers in the matter were certaine of our hostages who doing cleane contrary to the others aboue mentioned and acknowledging the great fauor the Duke had shewed them brought to his campe with them three hundred of the best citizens in their shirts bare headed bare legged who presented the keies of the city to him and yeelded themselues to his mercy humbly beseching him onely to giue them his word that the towne should neither be fired nor sacked And at the selfe same time that they came in this estate to the Duke the Kings ambassadors being Monseur de Mouy and a secretary called Iohn Preuost were there present who were come to the Duke with the same demandes that the Constable had made a few daies before Farther the verie day of the composition the Duke supposing to enter the citie sent the Lord of Hymbercourt thither before him bicause he was well acquainted in the towne and had beene gouernor thereof vnder Duke Philip during the yeeres they liued in peace notwithstanding entrie was denied him for that day whereupon he retired and lodged in an abbey without one of the towne gates being accompanied with fiftie men of armes the whole number amounting to two hundred souldiers and I my selfe being one of them The Duke of Burgundie sent him word if the place where he laie were strong not to dislodge otherwise to retire backe to him for he could hardlie haue succoured him bicause all that countrey is rock and stone The said Hymbercourt resolued not to mooue for the place was very strong but retained with him fiue or sixe of the citizens that brought the keies to â—he Duke minding to vse their helpe to good purpose as heereafter you shall peceiue At nine of the clock at night we heard a bell ring at the sound whereof the citizens vse to assemble whereupon the said Hymbercourt doubted that this bell called companie togither to issue foorth to assaile vs for he was aduertised that Master Raz of Laitre and other of the citizens would not agree to peace and in deed his surmise was true for that was their determination and they were euen vpon the pointe to sally Then said the Lord of Hymbercourt to vs if we can dalie with them but till midnight we are safe for they will waxe wearie and desirous of sleepe and then those that are our enimies in the towne will flie when they shall see their enterprise frustrate wherefore to bring his purpose to passe he dispatched two of the citizens that he had staied with him and deliuered them certeine freindly articles in writing meaning only to busie the citizens with farther talke to win time for their maner was yet is to assemble togither at the Bishops pallace to debate of their affaires when the bel aboue mentioned is rung These two Burgesses which had been of our hostages when they came to the gate being hardlie two bow shot from the abbey where we lodged found a great number of the citizens there in armes some of the which would needs issue foorth to assaile vs some not Then our two Burgesses tould the Maior of the citie aloude that they brought certeine friendly articles in writing from the Lord of Hymbercourt the Duke of Burgundies lieutenant in those countreis willing him to returne to the pallace to read them whereunto he agreed and incontinent we heard the bell ring againe wherby we vnderstood that they were busied about our articles Our two Burgesses returned not but about an hower after we heard a greater noise at the gate than before and a much greater number came thither in armes crying and rayling vpon vs from the wals whereby the Lord of Hymbercourt perceiued our danger to be now rather increased then diminished wherefore he dispatched the other fower hostages that were yet with him by whom he wrote a letter the contents whereof were that during the time he was gouernor of the citie for the Duke of Burgundie he had vsed them gentlie and louinglie neither would for anie thing consent to their destruction especially seeing not long before he had beene a commoner of one of their companies in the towne namely the Goldsmithes companie 1 wherefore they ought so much the
Duke returned to the pallace The King had already dined and seemed greatly to reioice at the taking of the towne and commended also much the Dukes courage and valiantnes knowing that report thereof should be made to him and that these good words would somwhat further his returne into his realme which was his speciall desire After diner the Duke and he met and communed togither very pleasantly and if the King commended his valiantnes behinde his backe I warrant you he dispraised it not before his face which the Duke tooke in very good part I must now returne to speake somwhat of this miserable people that fled out of the city for proofe of a discourse I made in the beginning of this history touching inconueniencies I haue seen ensue a battell lost by a King a D. or a meaner Prince These miserable soules fled through the countrey of Ardennes with their wiues and children But a Knight dwelling in those parts who euer to fore had taken part with them slew now a great number of them and to recouer the conquerors fauor sent word thereof to the Duke reporting the number of those that were slaine and taken to be much greater then in deed it was Notwithstanding that it were great whereby he made his peace with the Duke and saued him selfe Others fled towards Meziers vpon the Maz being within the realme of Fraunce but vpon the way two or three of their Captaines were taken one of the which was named Madoulet who were lead to the Duke and by his commandement put to death Some of these people died also of hunger some of cold and some for lacke of sleepe The Notes 1 Some write that there were slaine in one day at Liege 100000. and Munster writeth 40000. and 12000 women drowned in the riuer which seemeth to disagree with Commines who reporteth not aboue 200. to haue beene slaine notwithstanding our author must heere not be vnderstood so strictlie as though there had not died aboue 200. in all for his meaning is onely that at the entrance into the towne there were not slayne aboue two hundred othervvise considering the number that vvere slaine in Churches houses and flight it cannot be but that manie thousands died neither is our authors meaning othervvise 2 Some copies haue Saint Lavvrence but the old copie Saint Lambert vvhich Annal. Burgund and Guicci report to be the principall Church in Liege 3 The Duke slue before the Church of Saint Lambert tvvo or three archers vvith his ovvne hand La Marche 4 There vvere in Liege to the number of 32. Churches and eight Colleges of priests Meyer fovver abbies fovver frieries three nunneries and vvithout and vvithin the tovvne aboue an hundred Churches Guicci Hubertus How King Lewis returned into Fraunce with the Duke of Burgundies consent and how the Duke proceeded in destroying the countries of Liege and Franchmont Chap. 14. FOwer or fiue daies after the taking of the towne the King began to sollicite such of the Dukes seruants as he held for his friends to mooue their Master for his departure but he himselfe first brake the matter to the Duke after a sage and a wise sort saying that if he could stand him in any more stead he should not spare him otherwise he desired to returne to Paris to cause the treatie to be recorded in the Court of parlament for the maner in Fraunce is to record all treaties there otherwise they are of no force notwithstanding the Kings authority may do much therein He required also the Duke that the next sommer they mought meete againe in Burgundy and make mery a month togither whereunto the Duke in the end agreed mumbling somwhat to himselfe Farther the Duke commanded the treatie to be read againe before the King to know whether ought were passed in it that he misliked putting him to his choise to alowe or disalowe thereof at his pleasure Somwhat also he excused himselfe for bringing him to this siege Lastly he besought him that one article mought be added to the treaty in fauor of the Lords of Lau and Vrfé and Poncet of Riuiere to wit that they mought be restored to all their estates and offices that they enioied before the wars began which request misliked the King for there was no reason why the Duke should require to haue them comprehended in the treaty both for that they were none of his partakers in the wars aboue mentioned 1 and also bicause they serued the Lord Charles the Kings brother not the Duke Notwithstanding the King answered that he would grant his demand vpon condition that he would accord the like to the Lords of Neuers and Croy wherunto the Duke replied nought This was a very wise answer of the King for the Duke hated these Lords by him named so extremely and held so goodly possessions of theirs that he would neuer haue condescended to restore them of the other articles the King answered he would alter none but confirmed the whole treaty as they two had sworne it at Peronne Thus was it agreed that the King should returne home and the Duke accompanied him about halfe a league But at their leaue taking the King said thus vnto him if my brother who is now in Britaine will not accept this partage that I haue giuen him for your sake what will you that I do 1 Whereunto the D. answered thus sodainly without farther deliberation if he will not I refer the order thereof to you two of the which demand and answer sprang a great matter as heereafter you shall heare Thus returned the King in great ioy being safe conducted by the Lords of Cordes and Meriens 2 great bailife of Haynault to the frontiers of the Dukes dominions The Duke abode still in the city of Liege which was extremely handled I must needs confesse but sure they had well deserued so to be delt with bicause of the great cruelties they had cōtinually vsed against the Dukes subiects euer since his grandfathers daies Besides that they neuer performed any promise nor kept any treaty they made and this was the fift yeere that the Duke himselfe had been there yeere by yeere in person and concluded peace which ordinarily the next yeere they brake Farther they had continued excommunicated of long time for their great cruelty against their bishop whereof notwithstanding they made no account neither would obey the commandements of the church on that behalfe Immediately after the Kings departure the Duke with small force determined to go into Franchemont a countrey alitle beyond Liege lying among sharpe rockes and thicke woods From thence came the best soldiers the Liegeois had and of this countrey were they that made the desperate saly aboue mentioned Before his departure a great number of poore prisoners that hid themselues in houses at the taking of the towne were drowned Farther it was concluded that this citie heeretofore so populous should be burned at three seuerall times 3 and three or fower thousand footmen of the
Priest there present mistrusting who he should be communed thereof with the ferry man and viewed well the yoong Duke and knew him There he was taken and led to Namur where he remained prisoner till the Duke of Burgundies death after the which the Citizens of Gaunt deliuered him and would perforce haue constrained the Dukes daughter afterward Duches of Austrich to marry him They led him also with them before Tournay where being weakly accompanied in a certaine skirmish he was miserably slaine in full reuenge of his impiety against his father The father during his sonnes imprisonment died the Duke of Burgundy yet liuing whom bicause of his said sonnes ingratitude and vnnaturalnes he made his heire by the which title the Duke at this present conquered the saide Duchy of Gueldres 5 where he found some resistance but bicause he was mighty and in truce with the King he easily subdued it and held it all the daies of his life and his ofspring possesseth it yet at this day and shall do as long as it pleaseth God This as I said at the beginning I haue rehearsed onely to shew that such cruelty and impiety neuer remaineth vnpunished The Duke of Burgundy being returned into his countrey grew woonderfull lofty and high minded bicause he had gotten this Duchy into his clawes and began to finde great sweetenes in this Duch enterprises both for that the Emperor was a Prince of an abiect minde enduring all things rather than he would spend any thing and also bicause without aide of the Princes of the Empire his owne force was but small Wherefore the Duke prolonged the truce with the King Some of the Kings seruants were of opinion that the King did vnaduisedly to prolong the turce and suffer the Duke to grow as he did And sure they had some apparance of reason to leade them so to say but bicause they lacked experience and had not seene the world abroad they wist not what the matter meant But others that vnderstood the case better than they and were able to say more therein bicause they had trauelled those countries aduised the King to prolong the truce and permit the Duke to weare and weary himselfe against the country of Almaine the greatnes and force whereof is almost incredible 6 alleaging that after he had taken one place or atchiued one enterprise he would foorthwith attempt another for one good aduenture could not content his nature wherein he was of disposition cleane contrary to the King for the Duke the more he was busied the more he sought to busie himselfe Wherefore they told the King that he could no way better be reuenged of the Duke than by suffering him to run himselfe out of breath as he did aduising him withall rather to send him some small aide than put him in any doubt of breach of the truce further alleaging that it could not otherwise happen but that he must of necessity vtterly consume himselfe against the greatnes force of Almaine bicause the Princes of the Empire would make resistance were the Emperor neuer so simple a man and so it came to passe in the end There was a quarrel 7 between two pretending title to the Bishoprick of Coulon one of the which was the Lantzgraue of Hesses brother and the other the Palzgraue of the Rhene his cosen 8 The Duke of Burgundy tooke part with the Palzgraue and attempted to place him in the sea of Coulon by force trusting thereby to seaze some places of the countrey into his owne hands and to that end went and laid his siege before Nuz a towne neere to Coulon in the yeere 1474. He had so many great enterprises in his head that in the end the burthen thereof pressed him to the ground for in the selfesame sommer he both trauelled with Edward King of England to passe with his army into Fraunce being in a readines by his sute and sollicitation and purposed also to atchieue his enterprise in Almaine which was this If he had taken Nuz he meant to man it well and two or three other places aboue Coulon 9 wherby the citie of Coulon being at his commandement 10 he might haue gone vp countermount against the riuer of Rhene into the countrey of Ferrette which he then held and so all the Rhene should haue been vnder his subiection euen downe to Holland where it entreth the sea vpon the which riuer are more strong townes and castels than any realme christened except Fraunce The truce with the King was prolonged for sixe moneths which time being now almost expired the King trauelled to prolong it still to the ende the Duke might do his pleasure in Almaine whereunto the Duke would not agree bicause of his promise to the English men I would gladly passe ouer this siege of Nuz bicause it is out of the course of my historie for I was not present at it notwithstanding somewhat I am forced to speake thereof bicause of diuers accidents depending thereupon The said towne of Nuz was maruellous strong and within it was the Lantzgraue of Hesse 11 with many of his kinsfolkes and friends to the number of 1800. horsemen as I haue beene informed who valiantly behaued themselues and of foote men sufficient The Lantzgraue as I haue said was brother to the Bishop elected against him whom the Duke of Burgundy defended who laide his siege before Nuz in the yeere 1474. His force was neuer so great as then especially of horsemen for bicause he meant to attempt somewhat in Italie he had in pay a thousand Italian men of armes good and bad vnder the leading of one called the Earle of Campobache a Neapolitan borne of the house of Anious faction a dangerous and a traiterous fellow In the Dukes campe serued also Iames Galeot a valiant gentleman of Naples and diuers others whose names for breuitie I passe ouer Further he had in his armie three thousand English men excellent good soldiers and of his owne subiects a maruellous number well armed and who long had been trained vp in the wars besides great force of goodly peeces of artillerie all the which preparation he put in a readines to ioine with the English men at their landing who vsed as great diligence in England as they could But it is long before an army can be leuied there bicause the King may attempt no war before he haue assembled his court of Parlament being the same in effect that the three estates in Fraunce which me thinke is a very good and a laudable custome For the King by that meanes is the stronger and the better serued in all enterprises he taketh in hand with the consent of his estates to whom when they are assembled he declareth his intent and desireth aide of his subiects for no subsidie is leuied in England but for inuasion of Fraunce or Scotland or such like enterprises of great charge which then the people grant willingly and liberally especially to passe into Fraunce wherefore the Kings of England
great harme afterward in the two countries aboue named for they spoiled and burned many goodly villages and faire farms more to the dammage of the inhabitants of Tournay than of any other for the reasons aboue alleaged To be short so long they spoiled that the Flemmings arose and tooke out of prison the Duke of Guelderland whom Duke Charles had held prisoner and made him their captaine and in this estate came before the towne of Tournay where they lay not long but fled in great disorder and lost many of their men and among the rest the Duke of Gueldres who had put himselfe behinde to maintaine the skirmish being euill followed was there slaine as afterward you shall heare more at large Wherefore this honor and good successe that happened to the King and the great losse his enimies receiued proceeded of the said Master Oliuers wisedome and iudgement so that peraduenture a wiser man and a greater personage than he might haue failed to atchieue the like enterprise I haue spoken ynough of the great charge this sage Prince committed to this meane person vnfit to manage so waightie a cause onely adding that it seemed that God had troubled the Kings wits in this behalfe For as I said before if he had not thought this enterprise far easier than indeede it was but had appeased his wrath and laid downe his greedy desire of reuenge vpon this house of Burgundy vndoubtedly he had held at this day all those Seniories vnder his subiection The Notes 1 The King claimed this Lady as his vvarde bicause diuers of hir dominions namely Flaunders Artois c. were held of the crowne of Fraunce besides that he was hir godfather which vvas the cause vvhy he commanded this Oliuer to mooue this request Of the ambassadors the Lady of Burgundy daughter to the late Duke Charles sent to the King and how by meanes of Monseur de Cordes the citie of Arras the townes of Hedin and Bollein and the towne of Arras itselfe were yeelded to the King Chap. 15. YOu haue heard how Master VVilliam Bische yeelded Peronne to the King The said Bische was a man of base parentage borne at Molins-Engibers in Niuernois but inriched and greatly aduanced by Duke Charles of Burgundy who made him captaine of Peronne bicause his house called Clery being a strong and goodly castell that the said Bische had purchased was neere vnto it But to proceede after the King had made his entry into the towne certaine ambassadors came to him from the Lady of Burgundy being all the greatest and noblest personages that were able to do hir any seruice which was vnaduisedly done to send so many togither but such was their desolation and feare that they wist not well what to say or do The aboue named ambassadors were these the Chauncellor of Burgundy called Master VVilliam Hugonet a notable wise man who had been in great credit with Duke Charles and was highly adaunced by him The Lord of Himbercourt so often before mentioned in this history was there also who was as wise a gentleman and as able to manage a waighty cause as euer I knew any togither with the Lord of la Vere a great Lord in Zeland and the Lord of Grutuse and diuers others as well noble men as church men and burgesses of good townes The King before he gaue them audience trauelled both generally with them all and apart with euery one of them to draw them to his seruice They all gaue him humble and lowly words as men in great feare Notwithstanding those that had their possessions far from his dominions in such countries as they thought to be out of his reach would not binde themselues to him in any respect vnlesse the mariage betweene his sonne the Daulphin and the said Lady their Mistres tooke effect But the Chauncellor and the Lord of Himbercourt who had liued long in great authority wherein they still desired to continue and had their lands lying neere to the Kings dominions the one in the Duchy of Burgundy the other in Picardy neere to Amiens gaue eare to his offers and promised both to serue him in furthering this mariage and also wholy to become his the mariage being accomplished which course he liked not though it were simply the best but was displeased with them for that they would not then absolutely enter into his seruice Notwithstanding he shewed them no countenance of displeasure bicause he would vse their helpe as he might Moreouer the King hauing now good intelligence with Monseur de Cordes captaine and gouernor of Arras by his counsel and aduise required these ambassadors to cause the said de Cordes to receiue his men into the city of Arras 1 for at that time there were wals and trenches betweene the towne and the city but the towne was then fortified against the city 2 and now contrariwise the citie is fortified against the towne After diuers perswasions vsed to the said ambassadors that this should be the best and readiest way to obtaine peace in shewing such obedience to the King they agreed to his demaund especially the Chauncellor and Himbercourt and sent a letter of discharge to the said de Cordes wherein they aduertised him of their consent to the deliuerie of the citie of Arras Into the which so soone as the King was entred he raised bulworks of earth against the gates of the towne and in diuers other places neere to the towne Further bicause of this discharge Monseur de Cordes and the men of war that were with him departed out of the towne 3 and went whither them listed and serued where them best liked And as touching the said de Cordes he now accounting himselfe discharged of his Mistres seruice by the ambassadors letters aboue mentioned determined to do homage to the King and to enter into his seruice both bicause his house name and armes were on this side the riuer of Somme for he was called Master Philip of Creuecoeur second brother to the Lord of Creuecoeur and also bicause the territories so often aboue mentioned which the house of Burgundie had possessed vpon the said riuer of Somme during the liues of Duke Philip and Duke Charles returned now without all controuersie to the crowne For by the conditions of the treatie of Arras they were giuen to Duke Philip and his heires males onely Wherefore seeing Duke Charles left no issue but his daughter the said Master Philip of Creuecoeur became without all doubt the Kings subiect so that he could commit no fault by entering into the Kings seruice and restoring to him that which he held of him vnlesse he had done homage anew to the Lady of Burgundie Notwithstanding men haue reported and will report diuersly of him for this fact wherefore I leaue the matter to other mens iudgements True it is that he had beene brought vp enriched and aduaunced to great honor by Duke Charles and that his mother for a certaine space was gouernesse of the Lady
of Burgundie in hir childhood and further when the Duke of Burgundie died he was gouernor of Picardie Seneschall of Ponthieu Captaine of Contray gouernor of Peronne Montdidier and Roye and Captaine of Bolloin and Hedin All the which offices he holdeth yet at this present of the King in such maner and forme as after the Dukes death the King our Master confirmed them vnto him After the King had fortified the citie of Arras as you haue heard he departed thence to besiege Hedin leading thither with him the said de Cordes who had beene captaine of the place not past three daies before and his men were yet within it and made shew as though they would defend it for the Lady of Burgundie saying that they had sworne to be true vnto hir but after the artillerie had beaten it two or three daies they fell to parlament with the said de Cordes their late captaine and yeelded the towne to the King But this was indeede a compact matter betweene the King and them From thence the King went before Bolloin where the like was also done but they held as I remember a day longer than the others This was a very dangerous enterprise if there had been soldiers in the countrie and that the King knew well ynough as he afterward told me for diuers in Bolloin perceiuing this to be a meere collusion between the soldiers and him trauelled to put men into the towne if they could haue leuied them in time and to haue defended it in good earnest During the space of fiue or sixe daies that the King lay before Bolloin they of Arras perceiuing how they had beene abused and considering in what danger they stood being enuironed on euery side with a great number of soldiers and great force of artillery trauelled to leuy men to put into their town and write thereabout to their neighbors of Lisle and Douay At the said towne of Douay was Monseur de Vergy and diuers others whose names I remember not with a fewe horsemen escaped out of the battell of Nancy These determined to enter the towne of Arras and leuied all the force they could being to the number of two or three hundred horse good and bad and fiue or sixe hundred footemen But they of Douay whose pecockes feathers were not yet all pulled constrained them spite of their teeths to depart the towne at noone day which was great folly and so came of it For the countrey beyond Arras is as plaine as a mans hand and betweene Douay and Arras are about siue leagues If they had taried till night as they would if they might haue been suffered they had sure accomplished their enterprise But when they were vpon the way they whom the King left in the city of Arras namely Monseur de Lude Iohn de Fou and the Marshall of Loheacs companie being aduertised of their comming determined with all speed to issue foorth and encounter them and to put all in hazard rather then to suffer them to enter the towne for they well perceiued that if they entered the towne the city could not be defended Their enterprise was verie dangerous yet they executed it valiantly and put to flight this band issued out of Douay the which also they so speedily pursued that they were all in a maner either slaine or taken and amongst the prisoners was Monseur de Vergy himselfe The next day the King arriued there in person reioicing much because of this discomfiture and caused all the prisoners to be brought before him and of the footemen commanded a great number to be slaine to put thereby those few men of war yet remaining in those quarters into the greater feare Moreouer Monseur de Vergy he kept long in prison bicause he would by no meanes be brought to do him homage notwithstanding that he lay in close prison in irons But in the end hauing been prisoner a yeere and more by his mothers perswasion he yeelded to the Kings pleasure wherein he did wisely For the King restored him to all his lands and al those he was in sute for He gaue him farther ten thousand franks of yeerely reuenewes and diuers other goodly offices They which escaped out of this discomfiture being verie fewe in number entred the towne before the which the King brought his artillerie and laide his batterie The artillery was goodly and great and the batterie terrible but the towne wall and the ditch nothing strong wherefore they within were in great feare the rather bicause the town was vtterly vnfurnished of soldiers Furher Monseur de Cordes had intelligence within it to say the truth the citie being in the Kings hands the towne could not be defended wherefore they fell to parlament and yeelded it by composition which notwithstanding was euil obserued wherof Monseur de Lude was partly to blame For diuers burgesses and honest men were slaine in the presence of him and Master VVilliam de Cerisay who maruellously inriched themselues there for the said de Lude told me that he got during the time of his being there twenty thousand crownes and two timbers of Marterns Moreouer they of the towne lent the King 60000. crownes which summe was much too great for their abilitie but I thinke it was repaied them for they of Cambray lent 40000. which I am sure were restored as I thinke were these also The Notes 1 This request the King made as Tutor and Godfather to the yoong Ladie in which respect also the said ambassadors did as he required 2 Arras was cut in two to wit into the towne and the citie the towne vnder the Dukes of Burgundie was fortified and the dravve bridge was drawen into the towne but the King beat downe the fortification of the towne and fortified the citie and altered also the drawe bridge and drew it vp into the ccitie whereas before it was drawen vp into the towne 3 If the King had demanded the towne of Arras the ambassadors would neuer haue granted it bicause it was the whole strength of the countrey but by obtaining the citie at that time not greatly accompted of bicause it was vtterly vnfortified he got the said de Cordes discharge who soone after procured him both the towne of Arras and the greatest part of the countrey of Artois 4 For they vvere vvilling to yeeld it but bicause they vvould depart like souldiers and vvithout suspicion of treason they desired to haue the cannon brought before it How the citizens of Gaunt hauing vsurped authority ouer their Princesse after hir fathers death came in ambassage to the King as from the three estates of their countrey Chap. 16. THe same time the siege lay before Arras the Ladie of Burgundie was at Gaunt in the hands of hir mutinous subiects greatly to hir losse but to the Kings profit for alwaies ones losse is an others gaine These citizens of Gaunt so soone as they vnderstood of Duke Charles his death thinking themselues thereby cleerely deliuered out
this mariage was accomplished in August 1477. Introduct de la Marche so that he was eighteen yeeres old and sixe moneths when he was married 3 This is Philip father to the Emperors Charles the fift and Ferdinande he was borne the 23. of Iune 1478. and died the 25. of September 1506. 4 This Margaret is she whom they of Gaunt against hir fathers will betrothed to King Charles the 8. as Commines writeth in this booke cap. 9. The said King Charles neuer accomplished the mariage with hir but being growen to mans estate sent hir home to hir father as Commines writeth lib. 7. cap. 3. Afterward she married the Prince of Castile as is mentioned lib. 8. cap. 17. and lastly Philibert Duke of Sauoy She was borne anno 1480. de la Marche 5 This Frauncis was borne anno 1481. Introduct de la Marche he died a childe and another sonne also as other historiographers report named George 6 Or rather the fift for she was married anno 1477. and died 1482. as our author in the 7. chapter of this booke reporteth She was borne anno 1457. and King Lewis christened hir Meyer Annal. Burgund 7 She died 2. of March an 1482. by reason that through womanly bashfulnes she would not suffer hir thigh vvhich vvas broken vvith the fall from hir horse to be cured but chose rather to die How King Lewis by the conduct of Charles of Amboise his lieutenant recouered diuers townes in Burgundie which the Prince of Orenge had caused to reuolt from him Chap. 4. THe war endured still in Burgundy where the King could not atchieue his enterprise bicause the Prince of Orenge being reuolted from him was made lieutenant of the Burgundians and had some aide of the Almaines for his money but not in fauor of Duke Maximilian for as touching him there neuer came man into the countrey for his seruice at the least during the time I now write of But these Almains were certaine bands of Swissers that serued the Prince of Orenge as aduenturers but not as Maximilians waged soldiers for the Swissers are not friends nor well willers of the house of Austrich other aide this countrey of Burgundy had little notwithstanding inough it might haue had if their paiment had been good And as touching aide no man might better haue giuen it than Duke Sigismunde of Austriche Duke Maximilians vncle 1 whose dominions bordered vpon these countries of Burgundy especially the County of Ferrette which a fewe yeeres before 2 he sould for 100000. gildons to Charles Duke of Burgundy and tooke it afterwards againe without paying backe the money 3 by the which title he yet possesseth it He was a man of small wisdome and little regarding his honor and in such friends men finde small helpe Further he was one of those Princes aboue mentioned that vnderstand nothing of their owne affaires further then it pleaseth their seruants to acquaint them with who are euer plagued for their beastlines in their age as this Duke Sigismunde was For his seruants during these wars made him take part with whom them listed so that for the most part he ioined with the King our Master against his nephew and would haue giuen his inheritance being very large from his owne kindred to a strange house for he neuer had childe notwithstanding that he were twise married But now within these three moneths by the perswasion of another faction of his seruants he hath conueied a present estate of his whole patrimony to the said Maximiliam his nephew King of Romaines reseruing to himself a pension onely amounting to the third part of his reuenues without any further power or authority in the countrey But as I haue heard he hath often repented him thereof and if I haue heard a lie yet it is like inough to be true Such is the end of all Princes that liue like beasts against whom I inueigh thus vehemently bicause of the great office and charge that God hath giuen them in this world Notwithstanding those that are bereft of their wits ought to be free from all reproch but sure those that haue good wits and healthfull bodies and yet employ their time in nothing but folly and idlenes are not to be moaned when any misfortune falleth vpon them as on the other side those that spend their time according to their age somtime in wisdome and councell and somtime in honest ' recreation are greatly to be commended and happie be the subiects that liue vnder such a Prince This war in Burgundie endured long bicause of the Swissers small aide aboue mentioned notwithstanding the Kings force was much too strong for them besides that the Burgundians lacked monie for the which cause the garrisons that were in the strong places turned by intelligence Monseur de Cran the Kings lieutenant there laide the siege before Dolle the chiefe citie of the countie of Burgundie the force within it being so small that he despised it which turned to his losse for they salied foorth and assaulted him on a sudden and tooke part of his artillerie and slue certaine of his men which was a great dishonor to him and put him also into the Kings disgrace who being troubled with this accident determined to send a new gouernor into Burgundie partly bicause of this misfortune and partly bicause of the great pillings and pollings the said de Cran had vsed in the countrie which were in deede too excessiue Notwithstanding before his departure he ouerthrew a band of Almains and Burgundians and tooke prisoner Monseur de Chasteauguion 4 the greatest Lord in Burgundie Other exploit none was done that I haue heard of notwithstanding the report went that the said de Cran behaued himselfe there very valiantly as touching his owne person The King as before I said determined for the reasons aboue alleaged to place a new gouernor in Burgundie not diminishing any whit of the said de Crans profits offices or estates saue onely that he tooke from him all his men of armes except halfe a dosen or a dosen archers left to accompanie him home This Monseur de Cran was a very grosse man and willingly departed to his owne house where he liued at ease The King placed in his roome Master Charles of Amboise Lord of Chaumont a valiant wise and diligent gentleman Moreouer he practised to win all the Almaines that made war against him in Burgundie to his seruice not so much to vse their helpe as thereby to conquer the easilier the rest of the countrie The King sent also to the Swissers whom he called the Lords of these Almaine leagues making them many goodly offers for he promised a yeerely pension of 20000. franks 5 to their townes which be fower Berne Lucerne Zurich and I think Fribourg was the fourth Their Cantons also as I suppose receiued part of this pension which be three villages situate in the mountains namely Swisse whereof the whole countrie is named Soleurre and Ondreual other 20000. franks he
many cities which he had wrongfully vsurped 7 and seeing the image of him and his horse being of fine marble stood higher than the altar and yet his body lay vnder his horse feete He answered me softly Sir in this countrey we call all those Saints that haue done vs any good and he built this goodly charterhouse church which in very deed is the fairest that euer I saw for it is all of fine marble But to proceede the said Master Galeas sought to make himselfe great and so I thinke did the Duke of Milan also bicause he had married his base daughter for he manifestly declared that he would aduance him as his owne sonne bicause at that time his owne children were all very yoong The said Pisans were I confesse cruelly handled by the Florentines for they vsed them like slaues They had subdued them about a hundred yeeres before euen in the selfe same yeere that the Venetians conquered Padua which was the first victory that they obtained vpon the firme land And the fortune of these two cities was almost alike for they had been ancient enimies to those whom now they serued many yeeres before they were conquered and almost of equall force with them These Pisans consulted togither about this motion and seeing themselues counselled by so great a personage and being also of themselues desirous of libertie a great number of them both men and women came crying to the King as he went to masse Libertie libertie desiring him with weeping eies to graunt it them One of the Masters of the requests who was a counsellor of the parliament in Daulphine named Robot going before the King or executing his office said vnto him were it bicause he had promised the Pisans so to do or bicause he vnderstood not what they demanded that it was a lamemtable case and that of right he ought to graunt them their petition adding that neuer men were so cruelly handled The King not vnderstanding well what this word meant but bewailing in his minde the miserable estate of the Italian nation and the cruelty that both Princes commonalties vse towards their subiects notwithstanding that in reason he could not graunt them their liberty seeing the towne was none of his but lent him vpon friendship at his great need answered that he was contented to grant their request so the counsellor aboue named declared vnto them wherupon the people incontinent began to proclaim holiday in token of ioy and went to their bridge which is a very goodly one built ouer the riuer of Arne threw down to the ground afterward into the riuer a great lion standing vpon a strong pillar of marble called maior representing the Seniorie of Florence vpon the which pillar they caused to be erected the image of a K. of Fraunce holding a naked sword in his hand treading the maior or lion vnder his horse feet But after when the K. of Romains entred the town they did with the Kings image as now with the lion for such is the nature of the Italian nation to turne euer with the strongest Notwithstanding these Pisans were then yet are so cruelly handled that they are to be holden for excused The Notes 1 It was Fodormi in the French but corruptly 2 He meaneth that the Duke of Milan found delaies to cause the King to stay all the winter in the Florentines territories hoping that their townes would yeeld vnto him as indeede they did and that then he might obtaine of the King such as he would 3 The factions of the Guelphes and Gibellines began in Italie vnder the Emperor Frederike the second anno 1240. The Gibellines held for the Emperor the Guelphes for the Pope 4 This composition he speaketh of afterward in this chapter 5 It was sold to this Iohn Galeas and he sold it ouer to the Florentines 6 This parke was made by the said Iohn Galeas after he had conquered Pauia it was twenty miles in circuit walled round about and stored with all kinde of beasts but now by meanes of the wars it is destroied by this parke he built also the castell In this parke was Francis the French King taken prisoner 7 This Duke conquered in Italy 29. cities among the which were Pauie Bolonia Verona Senes Perouse Luques Verceil c. How the King departed from Pisa to Florence and of the flight and ruine of Peter de Medices Chap. 8. AFter the King had soiourned at Pisa certaine daies he departed to Florence where they declared vnto him the great wrong he had done their estate by restoring the Pisans to libertie against his promise Those that were appointed to make answer heereunto excused the fact saying that the King had not well vnderstood with what conditions Pisa was deliuered vnto him neither vnderstood he another treatie he made with the Florentines 1 whereof you shall heare after I haue spoken somewhat of Peter de Medicis ruine and shewed how the King entered into Florence leauing a garrison in Pisa and the other places lent him The said Peter after he had yeelded to the King the places aboue mentioned with the consent of certaine of the towne returned to the citie supposing that the King would not hold them still but restore them at his departute from Pisa where he would but repose himselfe three or fower daies Yet am I of opinion that if it had pleased him to winter there they would willingly haue agreed thereunto notwithstanding that Pisa be of greater importance to them than Florence it selfe saue that their persons and goods be resident in Florence 2 At the said Peters returne to Florence euery man frowned vpon him and not without cause for he had dispossessed them of their whole force and of all that they had conquered in a hundred yeeres so that their mindes seemed already to foretell them the euils that afterward fell vpon them Wherefore partly for this cause which I suppose to be the principall though they neuer vttered it partly for the great hatred before rehearsed which they bare him and partly also to recouer their libertie wherof they thought themselues bereaued by him they determined to banish him the towne forgetting all the benefits of Cosmus and Laurence de Medicis his ancestors The said Peter hauing no certaine intelligence of this their determination yet doubting it went to the palace with his ordinarie garde to aduertise them of the Kings comming who was about three miles from the towne but when he came to the palace gate and knocked one of the house of Nerly being the father and many sonnes whom my selfe knew well all of great wealth refused to let him in saying that if he would enter alone he should otherwise not and he that made him this refusall was armed The said Peter returned incontinent to his house and armed both himselfe and his seruants determining to make resistance against his enimies in the towne Whereof he also aduertised one Paule Vrsin who was in pay
who practised continually after the manner of Italy They being in Rome the Pope in the night receiued Dom Ferrand with his whole forces into the towne whereupon our ambassadors and some fewe of their seruants were staied but the selfe same day the Pope dismissed them Notwithstanding he held still in prison the Cardinall Ascaigne his vicechauncellor and brother to the Duke of Milan and Prospere Coulonne some said by their owne accord Of all these accidents I was aduertised incontinent by the Kings letters but the Seniorie more amplie by their ambassadors All this hapned before the King entred into Viterbe for neither party staied aboue two daies in a place But as touching our affaires they prospered better than we could wish and no maruell for the Lord of Lords gaue them successe as all men might manifestly perceiue This army that lay in Ostie could do no seruice bicause of the foule weather further you shall vnderstand that the force which the Lord of Aubigny led was returned to the King and himselfe also neither had he further charge thereof The Italians were also dismissed that had been with him in Romaine vnder the leading of the Lord Rodolph of Mantua the Lord Galeot of Mirandula and of Fracasse brother to the L. Galeas of Saint Seuerin the which with their said company being to the number of fiue hundred men of armes were well paied by the King for they serued him as before you haue heard The King after his departure from Viterbe remooued to Naples 5 which the Cardinall Ascaigne held Further it is most certaine that while our men lay in Ostie aboue twenty fathomes of Rome wals fell to the ground on the same side they should haue entred The Pope seeing this yoong King come thus suddenly with such successe agreed that he should enter the citie for to saie the truth he could not otherwise choose and desired a safe conduct 6 which the King willingly granted for Dom Ferrand Duke of Calabria and onely son of K. Alphonse who in the night retired to Naples the Cardinall Ascaigne conueying him to the gate 7 Then the King entred the citie in armes as a Prince hauing power to dispose of all things at his pleasure and diuers Cardinals with the gouernors and Senators of the towne came foorth to receiue him He lodged in Saint Markes pallace which is the Culonnois quarter who were his friends and seruants at that time But the Pope retired into the castle of Saint Ange. The Notes 1 This Cardinall was afterwards Pope Iulius the second and prooued a deadly enimie to the French Further this towne of Ostie distressed Rome by meanes that being the very entrie into the riuer of Tyber it kept all victuals from comming to Rome by vvater for the vvhich cause the olde Romanes called the towne Ostia bicause it vvas the very doore or mouth as it vvere of the riuer 2 The factions of Houc and Caballan began in Holland 1444. Berlandus Reade Meyer lib. 16. fol. 300. pag. 2. 3 The King gaue to Fabrice Colonne the countrie of Albe and Taillecousse vvhich vvere before Virginio Vrsins and to Prosper the Duchie of Tracette and the citie of Fondi 4 This Corsique being corrupted in the French vve haue restored according to Panlus Iouius Guicciar hath Corse 5 This is not the citie of Naples but a little tovvne called in the Annales of Fraunce Neple in Latin Nepesum of the Italians Nepi 6 Ferdinande Duke of Calabria refused the pasport Guicciar 7 Ferdinande vvas sonne to Hypolitie sister to Duke Galeas of Milan to the Lorde Lodouic and to this Cardinall How King Alphonse caused his sonne Ferrande to be crowned King and then fled himselfe into Sicilie with a discourse of the euill life that his father the olde Ferrande and he had led Chap. 11. WHo would haue thought that this proude King Alphonse hauing beene trained vp all the daies of his life in martiall affaires that his son and al these Vrsins whose faction was so great in Rome would thus haue abandoned the citie through cowardise especially seeing they knew and vnderstood perfectly that the Duke of Milan began to wauer and the Venetians to stir and to treate of a league which had then been concluded as I was certainly informed if they had made any resistance at Viterbe or Rome to stay the King but a few daies but God meant to shew that all these proceedings passed far the reach and compasse of mans braine And heere note by the way that as the citie wall fell downe so did fifteene fathoms also of the vaumure of the castell of Saint Ange as I haue beene aduertised by diuers especially by two Cardinals there present Now I must returne to speake a word or two of King Alphonse So soone as the Duke of Calabria called the yoong Ferrande was returned to Naples his father King Alphonse iudged himselfe vnwoorthie longer to raigne bicause of the euils he had committed and the manifold cruelties he had vsed against diuers barons and Princes of his realme For you shall vnderstand that whereas his father King Ferrande and he had taken notwithstanding their safe conduct to the number of 24. of them and had held them in prison from the time of their rebellion against the said Ferrande 1 till the hower of his death this Alphonse immediately after his fathers decease for a surplusage of all crueltie caused them miserably to be murthered and with them two other whom his father had also taken vnder safe conduct the one Duke of Sesse 2 a man of great authoritie and the other Prince of Rosane who had married the said Ferrandes sister and had issue by hir a sonne a very goodly gentleman True it is that the said Prince had wrought great treason against him for the which he had well deserued death if he had not been taken vnder safe conduct but King Ferrande to rid himselfe of all feare tooke him that notwithstanding being come to him by his commandement and laide him in a maruellous stinking prison and afterward his said sonne also being betweene fifteene and sixteene yeeres of age Thus had the Prince of Rosane liued a prisoner when King Alphonse came to the state about fower and thirty yeeres But the said Alphonse immediately after his coronation commanded these prisoners to be led into an Iland neere to Naples called Iscle 3 whereof heereafter more mention shall be made and there villanously to be slaine all saue one or two whom he held still in the castell of Naples namely the said Prince of Rosans sonne and the noble Earle of Popoli I haue diligently inquired after what sort he caused them thus cruelly to be murthered for many supposed they had been yet liuing when the King entred into the good towne and citie of Naples and diuers of their principall seruants haue informed me that he caused them villanously and horribly to be slaine by a Moore of Afrike not sparing these ancient Princes some of the which
verie keie as it were of his realme and a place much for his aduantage as well bicause of the riuer as of the mountaine Further he had sent men to defend the straight of Cancello lying among the mountaines sixe miles from Saint Germain yet notwithstanding all this preparation before the Kings arriuall at S. Germain he raised his campe and departed in great disorder abandoning both the towne and the passage Our vaward was led that day by the L. of Guise the L. of Rieux was sent to this strait of Cancello against the Arragonnois but they also before his comming abandoned the place and then entered the King into S. Germain K. Ferrande rid straight to Capoua where they refused to giue his soldiers entrance but receiued his person with a fewe that attended vpon him he staied not there but desired them to continue true and faithfull subiects to him promising the next daie to returne and so departed towards Naples fearing the rebellion that afterwards happened All his force or the greatest part should haue tarried him at Capoua but the next daie when he returned he found them all departed The Lord Virgile Vrsin with his cosin the Earle of Petillane went to Nola where they and all their company were taken prisoners by our men They alleaged that they had a safe conduct and that we did them wrong so had they indeed but their safe conduct was not yet in their hands notwithstanding they paied no ransome but much they lost when they were taken and sure in mine opinion they had wrong done them From Saint Germain the King remooued to Mingamer and to Triague and lodged at Calui two miles from Capoua whither they of Capoua came and yeelded themselues by composition and the King entered into the towne with his whole army From Capoua the next daie he marched to Auersa being in the midway between Capoua and Naples and fiue miles distant from each of them Thither came they of Naples and yeelded themselues in like maner by composition hauing receiued assurance of the King that their ancient liberties should not be infringed nor empaired The King sent thither before him the Marshall Gié the Seneschall of Beaucaire the president Ganay keeper of the Seale and certaine Secretaries whereof King Ferrande being aduertised and seeing the people and Nobles of his realme in armes against him who also at his first arriuall thither had spoiled his stable being maruellous great tooke sea and sailed into Iscle an Iland eighteen miles from Naples 2 then the King was receiued into the towne with great ioy and triumph For all the people came foorth to meete him yea and those first that were most bound to the house of Arragon namely all the Carraffes who held of the saide house of Arragon to the value of forty thousand ducats of yeerely reuenues partly of inheritance and partly of gift from the Prince for the Kings of Naples may giue away their crowne lands so do they also other mens and I thinke there are not three in the realme whose lands be not crowne lands or other mens Neuer people shewed so great affection to Prince or nation as they shewed to the King the reason whereof was bicause now they thought themselues deliuered from all tyranny so that they voluntarily yeelded vnto vs. For al Calabria became French incontinent whither Monseur d'Aubigny and Peron of Basche were sent themselues alone without any force All the countrey of Abrousso 3 yeelded likewise the town of Aquila which hath euer been great friend to the French being the first beginner In like maner all Pouille turned sauing the castle of Brandis which was strong and well manned and Gallipoli which had a garrison in it otherwise the people would haue turned also In Calabria three places held for King Ferrand two of them were Mantie and Turpie ancient partakers with the house of Aniou the which at the first had set vp the armes of Fraunce but bicause the K. gaue them to the L. of Persi and would not receiue them as percell of the demaines of his crowne 4 they reared vp againe the armes of Arragon The third was the castle of Reges which held also for King Ferrande But it was our owne fault that ought held for we sent no forces thither no I am well assured that into Pouille and Calabria there went not men sufficient to haue defended one castell for the King Tarente yeeded both castle towne so did also Otrante 5 Monopoli Trani Manfredonne Barle all the other places the aboue named onely excepted Moreouer the people came from their cities three daies iourney to meet our men and to yeeld themselues To be short the whole realme sent to Naples and all the Princes and noble men repaired thither to do homage to the King sauing the Marques of Pescaire 6 whose brethren and nephewes came notwithstanding The Earle of Acri and the Marques of Squillazo fled into Sicilie bicause the King had giuen their lands to the Lord of Aubigny At Naples also arriued the Prince of Salerne newely come from the sea but hauing done no seruice Thither came also his brother the Prince of Bisignan and his sonnes being accompanied with the Dukes of Melfe of Grauine and the olde Duke of Sora who not long before had solde his Duchie to the Cardinall Petriad Vincula whose brother yet at this day possesseth it 7 To Naples also repaired the Earles of Montorio of Fondi of Tripalda and of Celano who had long been banished out of the realme and was now newely returned with the King The Earle of Troy was there in like maner who was a yoong gentleman of Scotland brought vp in Fraunce and the Earle of Popoli whom we found prisoner at Naples The yoong Prince of Rosane before mentioned after his long imprisonment with his father who had lien in prison fower and thirtie yeeres was at the length deliuered and went with King Ferrand whether willingly or by constraine I know not To Naples came also besides these aboue named the Marques of Guefron with all the Caldoresques and the Earles of Matalon and Merillano the which had both they and their ancestors euer gouerned the house of Arragon To conclude thither repaired all the nobles of the realme the three aboue named onely excepted The Notes 1 For the Coulonnois and certaine of the Kings captaines had been sent about to come vpon King Ferrandes backe These tooke the tovvne of Aquila and all those parts and heere ioyned againe vvith the King bicause they looked for the battell 2 Guicciar saith thirtie miles 3 Samnium or Samnites 4 These vvere lands held in Capite of the King of Naples 5 Hydruntum first yeelded to the French then reuolted againe Guicciar 6 Alphonse Daualo Marques of Pescare Guicciar 7 Iohn de Rouuere prefect of Rome vvas the cardinals brother and he it vvas that held this Duchie How King Charles was crowned King of Naples of the faults he committed in the defence
that the King writ to the Duke of Orleans this enterprise of Nouarre which is but ten leagues from Milan liked him so wel that he was contented to giue eare thereunto and was receiued into the citie in great triumph both of the Guelphes and Gibelines which his exploit the Marchionesse of Monferrat greatly furthered The castle held two or three daies and then yeelded also But if in the meane time the Duke had gone or sent to Milan where he had good intelligence he had been receiued into the towne with greater ioy than euer he was into his castle of Blois as diuers of the noblest men of the countrey haue enformed me And the three first daies he might haue gone thither in safetie for when Nouarre was taken the Duke of Milans whole force lay yet at Nom neere to Ast and returned not to Milan till the fourth day after But I suppose the Duke beleeued not all the intelligence he receiued thence The Notes 1 The French corrector supposeth it should be Motron but the author himselfe aftervvard chap. 14. calleth it againe Mortron Guicciar hath it Mutron 2 The Duke of Orleans immediately after the skirmish vpon the sea at Rapalo fell sicke of an ague and returned to Ast and passed no further vvith the King tvvo gentlemen called Opizins brought the Duke of Orleans into Nouarre Guicci How King Charles passed diuers dangerous straights in the mountains between Pisa and Serzane how the towne of Pontreme was burned by his Almaines and how the Duke of Orleans behaued himselfe in the meane time at Nouarre Chap. 4. YOu haue heard already of the Kings departure from Sene to Pisa and of al that he did at Pisa Thence he remoued to Luques where the citizens honorably receiued him and there he abode two daies Afterward he marched to Petrosancte which Entragues held making no account of his enimies neither himselfe nor those that carried all the credit with him He passed maruellous straights in the mountaines betweene Luques and Petrosancte which a handfull of footemen might easily haue defended against him but our enimies were not yet assembled Neere to the said Petrosancte is the straight of Seire on the one side and the straight of Roctaille on the other being great deepe salt marshes where we were forced to passe ouer a narrow way like to a causey in a standing poole and this was the straight that betweene Pisa and Pontreme I most feared and which was reported to be most dangerous for one cart set ouerthwart the way with two good peeces of artillerie and but a handfull of men might haue stopped our passage had our force beene neuer so great From Petrosancte the King remooued to Serzane where the Cardinall Saint Peter ad vincula offered to make Genua reuolt and desired to haue some part of the Kings forces sent thither The matter was debated by the Kings Councell my selfe being present at it in the companie of a great many wise men and good captaines all the which concluded that no eare should be giuen to this enterprise bicause if the King obtained the victorie Genua would yeeld of it selfe and if he were ouerthrowen it could do him no seruice and this was the first time that I perceiued any of them to doubt the battell Report was made to the King of our resolution yet notwithstanding thither he sent the Lord of Bresse afterward Duke of Sauoy the Lord of Beaumont the Lord of Polignac my brother in lawe and the Lord of Ambeiou of the house of Amboise with sixe score men of armes and fiue hundred crossebowe men newly come out of Fraunce by sea But I woondred that so yoong a Prince had no trustie seruants about him that durst boldly tell him into how great danger he put himselfe by diminishing his force after this sort for as touching me me thought he beleeued not all that I said We had a small armie vpon the sea returning from Naples vnder the leading of the Lord of Myolens gouernor of Daulphin and one Stephan de Neues of Montpellier They were in all about eight gallies and sailed to Specie and Repalo where at this present they were all defeated and led prisoners to Genua in the selfesame place where we had vanquished King Alphonses forces at the beginning of this voiage and by the selfesame men that tooke part with vs at that battell namely Master Iohn Lewis de Flisco and Master Iohn Adorne but if the matter had been well ordred they should haue been with the King and all little ynough The Lord of Bresse and the Cardinall aboue mentioned went and lodged in the suburbes of Genua thinking that their faction within the towne would haue risen in their fauor But the Duke of Milan and the Adornes that gouerned the towne and Master Iohn Lewis de Flisco a wise knight had giuen so good order to preuent this mischiefe that our men were in great danger to be defeated heere also as the others were before vpon the sea for their number was small and had it not been bicause the faction that ruled at Genua durst not issue foorth of the towne for feare least the Fourgouses should rebell and shut the gates vpon them vndoubtedly they had all been slaine for this notwithstanding they were in great distresse vpon the way as they retired to Ast besides that they were not at the battel with the King where their seruice might haue stood him in good stead From Serzane the King marched to Pontreme through the which he was forced to passe bicause it is the very entrie into the mountaines The towne and castell were well fortified and the seate of them maruellous strong but within them were not past three or fower hundred footemen for if they had beene well manned they had beene impregnable Wherefore Frier Ieroms prophesie prooued true which was that God would leade the King by the hand till he were out of danger for it seemed that his enimies were blinded and bereft of their wits in that they defended not this straight To the said place of Pontreme the King sent his vaward led by the Marshall Gie accompanied with Master Iohn Iames of Treuoul whom the King had receiued into his seruice at Naples after King Ferrandes departure thence with whom he was them in pay he was a gentleman of Milan of a good house a good captaine a very valiant man and a great enimie to the Duke of Milan for he was banished by him when King Ferrande receiued him into his seruice By the said Master Iohn Iames his meanes the place yeelded immediately without batterie and the garrison that was within it departed But a great inconuenience happened there for as before is mentioned when the Duke of Milan passed last that way they of the towne and certaine of our Swissers fell at variance of whom about forty at that time were slaine for reuenge whereof the said Swissers at this present notwithstanding the composition slue all the men they found
ended so that none sought to endammage other but each partie to defend their own They sent to King Charles a gentleman accompanied with certaine Monks of Montferrat for all their affaires they gouerned by such men either to saue charges thereby or to dissemble by such instruments with the lesse suspition as for example they did by Iohn de Mauleon the Frier Franciscan aboue named who perswaded the King to restore vnto them the countrey of Roussillon These ambassadors at their first audience besought the King to forget the great wrong the King and the Queene had done him I name alwaies the Queene bicause the crowne of Castile mooued by hir and bicause hir authority was greater there than hir husbands and vndoubtedly this was a very honorable mariage betweene the King hir husband and hir Then these ambassadors began to treat of truce desiring to haue all their league comprehended therein The ouuertures they made were these that the King should keepe the possession of Caietta and the other places he yet held in the realme of Naples and that during the truce he might victuall them at his pleasure Further that there should be a place assigned whither all the Princes of the league should send their ambassadors at the least as many as would to treat of peace the which being concluded the said King and Queene meant to continue their conquest or enterprise against the Moores and to passe the sea out of Granado into Africk there to inuade the King of Fessa who was their next neighbour on that side Notwithstanding some were of opinion that they meant rather to hold themselues contented with that they had already conquered I meane the realme of Granado which vndoubtedly was the greatest and honorablest conquest that hath been obteined in our time 8 yea such as their predecessors were neuer able to atchieue And I wish with all my hart for the honor I beare them that they had neuer mooued other war than this but had faithfully performed their promise to the King The King sent the Lord of Clerieux in Daulphine backe into Castile with their ambassadors and sought to conclude a peace or truce wherein their confederates should not be comprehended notwithstanding if he had accepted their offer made by these their ambassadors he had saued Caietta which had been sufficient for the recouerie of the whole realme of Naples considering the great fauour he had there The said de Clerieux at his returne brought a new ouuerture for Caietta was lost before he entred into Castile which was that the King and they should renew their former ancient league and attempt betweene them at equall charges the conquest of all Italie wherat the two Kings should be togither in person but they said they would first conclude a generall truce wherein all their league should be comprehended and then assigne a diet at some place in Piemont whither euery of their confederates should send their ambassadors to the end they might honorably depart from their said league All this ouuerture as we suspected then and vnderstood perfectly afterward was but meere dissimulation to win time to the end King Ferrand while he liued and afterward Dom Frederic newly crowned King might repose themselues notwithstanding I thinke they wished with all their harts the said realme of Naples to be their owne and sure they had better title to it than they that possessed it9. But vndoubtedly the house of Anious right which the King had was the best although to say the truth considering both the seate of the countrey and the disposition of the people that inhabite it me thinke he hath best right to it that can get it for they desire nothing but alteration The King afterward sent the aboue named de Clericux back againe into Castile one Michaell of Grammont with him with certaine other ouertures This de Clerieux bare some affection to these Princes of Arragon and hoped to obtaine of them the Marquisat of Cotron in Calabria which the King of Spaine conquered in the last voiage that his men made thither The said de Clerieux pretended title to it and he is a good plaine dealing man and one that will easily giue credit especially to such personages as these were At his second returne he brought with him an ambassador from the King and Queene and made his report to the King which was that they would hold themselues contented with that part of the realme of Naples that lies next to Sicilie to wit Calabria for the right that they pretended to the said realme and that the King should hold the rest and farther that the said King of Castile would be in person at this conquest and beare equall charges in all things with the King and indeed he held then and yet holdeth fower or fiue strong places in Calabria whereof Cotron is one which is a good and a well fortified citie I was present at this report which seemed vnto most of vs but meere abuse and dissimulation Wherefore it was determined that some wise man should be sent to them to sound the bottom of this ouuerture and thereupon the Lord of Bouchage was ioined in commission with the former ambassadors he was a man of deepe iudgement and one that had been in great credit with King Levvis and so is he also at this present with King Charles his sonne The Spanish ambassador that came with de Clerieux would neuer auow his report but answered that he thought the said de Clerieux would not make the report if the King his Master and the Queene had not willed him so to do which answer caused vs so much the more to suspect their dissimulation besides that no man would beleeue that the King of Castile would go in person into Italy or that he either would or could beare equall charges with the King After the said Lords of Bouchage Clerieux and Michaell of Grammont with the rest of their collegues were come to the K. and Queene of Castiles court they lodged them in a place where no man could com to commune with them for the which purpose also certaine were appointed to watch their lodgings But they themselues spake thrise with them when the said du Bouchage aduertised them of the report aboue mentioned made to the King by de Clerieux and Michaell of Grammont they answered that they would willingly endeuor themselues to conclude a peace for the Kings honor and profit And as touching the said report they confessed that indeed such speech had passed them by way of communication but not otherwise with the which answer de Clerieux being discontented and not without cause aduowed his report to be true before them both in the presence of the said Lord of Bouchage who with the rest of his companions concluded a truce the King hauing two moneths respit to accept it or refuse it wherin their confederates were not comprehended but their sonnes in lawe and the fathers of their sonnes in lawe namely the
and the Earle of Charolois and his confederates page 40 Chap. 15 How by the diuision that hapned betweene the Dukes of Britaine and Normandy the King recouered the said Duchie which he had giuen his brother page 42 Chap. 16 How the new Duke of Normandy returned into Britaine in very poore estate and vtterly discouraged bicause he had failed in his enterprise page 43 The second Booke Chap. 1 Of the wars betweene the Burgundians and Liegeois and how the towne of Dinand was taken sacked and rased page 45 Chap. 2 How the Liegeois brake the peace with the Duke of Burgundie then Earle of Charalois and how he discomfited them in battell page 48 Chap. 3 How some of the Citizens of Liege agreeing to yeeld their towne and others refusing so to do the Lord of Hymbercourt found meanes to enter into it for the Duke of Burgundy page 52 Chap. 4 How the Duke of Burgundy made his entrie into the towne of Liege and how the citizens of Gaunt where he had beene euill intreated before humbled themselues vnto him page 55 Chap. 5 How the King seeing what had happened to the Liegeois made war in Britaine vpon the Duke of Burgundies confederats and how they two met and communed togither at Peronne page 57 Chap. 6 A discourse wherein is declared how greatly learning especially in histories profiteth Princes and Noble men page 60 Chap. 7 How and for what cause the King was staied and held prisoner in the castle of Peronne by the D. of Burgundies commandement page 62 Chap. 8 A discourse wherein is shewed that an enteruiew betweene two great Princes for treatie of their affaires hurteth more than profiteth page 64 Chap. 9 How the King to deliuer himselfe out of the castle of Peronne renounced his league with the Liegeois page 67 Chap. 10 How the King accompanied the Duke of Burgundie making war vpon the Liegeois who before were his confederates page 69 Chap. 11 How the King arriued in person with the Duke of Burgundy before the citie of Liege page 71 Chap. 12 How the Liegeois made a desperate salie vpon the Duke of Burgundies men where he and the King were in great danger page 73 Chap. 13 How the city of Liege was assaulted taken and spoiled and the Churches also page 75 Chap. 14 How King Lewis returned into Fraunce with the Duke of Burgundies consent and how the Duke proceeded in destroying the countries of Liege and Franchmont page 77 Chap. 15 How the K. by subtill meanes perswaded the Lord Charles his brother to take the Duchie of Guienne for Brie and Champaigne to the Duke of Burgundies discontentment page 80 The third Booke Chap. 1 How the King tooke occasion to make war anew vpon the Duke of Burgundy and how he sent a Purseuant of the Parlament of Gaunt to sommon him to appeere at Paris page 82 Chap. 2 How the townes of Saint Quintin and Amiens were yeelded to the King and for what causes the Constable nourished the war between the K. and the Duke of Burgundy page 84 Chap. 3 How the Duke of Burgundy tooke Piquigni and afterward found meanes to make truce with the King for a yeere to the Constables griefe page 86 Chap. 4 Of the wars among the Princes of England during these troubles betweene King Lewis and Charles Duke of Burgundy page 89 Chap. 5 How by King Lewis his aide the Earle of Warwicke chased King Edward out of England to the Duke of Burgundies great griefe who receiued him into his countries page 92 Chap. 6 How the Earle of Warwicke tooke out of prison King Henry of England page 96 Chap. 7 How king Edward returned into England where he slew in battell first the Earle of Warwicke and then the Prince of Wales page 99 Chap. 8 How the wars reuiued betweene king Lewis and Charles D. of Burgundy by the sollicitation of the Dukes of Guienne and Britaine page 101 Chap. 9 How the finall peace treated of betweene the Duke of Burgundy and the king brake off bicause of the Duke of Guiennes death and how these two great Princes sought to deceiue each other page 105 Chap. 10 How the Duke of Burgundy seeing that he could not take Beaunais before the which he had laid his siege went to Roan page 108 Chap. 11 How the king made peace with the Duke of Britaine and truce with the Duke of Burgundy how the Earle of Saint Paul escaped for that time a conspiracie that these two Princes made against him page 110 Chap. 12 A discourse very fit for this place of the wisedome of the king and the Constable with good aduertisements to such as are in credite with Princes page 114 The fourth Booke Chap. 1 How the Duke of Burgundie being seazed of the Duchie of Gueldres sought to encroch further vpon the Almaines and how he laid his siege before Nuz page 116 Chap. 2 How the towne of Nuz was succoured by the Emperor and the Almaines against the Duke of Burgundie and of other enimies that the king procured the Duke page 120 Chap. 3 How the king wan from the Duke of Burgundie the castell of Tronquey the townes of Montdidier Roye and Corby and how he sought to perswade the Emperor Frederic to seiz vpon all that the said Duke held of the Empire page 122 Chap. 4 How the Constable began to be had in suspition againe as well of the king as of the Duke of Burgundy page 124 Chap. 5 How the Duke of Burgundy leuied his siege before Nuz by composition and how the king of England his confederate sent to defie king Lewis page 126 Chap. 6 Of the trouble the Constable was in and how he sent letters of credit to the king of England and the Duke of Burgundy which after were in part cause of his death page 129 Chap. 7 How the king clothed a poore seruant in a cote armor with a scutchin and sent him to speake with the king of England in his campe where he receiued a very good answere page 131 Chap. 8 How truce for nine yeeres was treated of betweene the kings of Fraunce and England notwithstanding all the lets and impediments that the Constable and the Duke of Burgundy made page 133 Chap. 9 How the king feasted the English men in Amiens and how there was a place assigned for the enteruiew of the two kings page 136 Chap. 10 How the two kings met and sware the treatie before concluded and how some supposed that the holy Ghost came downe vpon the king of Englands pauilion in the likenes of a white pigeon page 140 Chap. 11 How the Constable after the truce made with the English men sought to excuse himselfe to the king and how truce was also concluded for nine yeeres betweene the king and the Duke of Burgundie page 143 Chap. 12 How the Constables death was fully concluded and sworne betweene the king and the Duke of Burgundy and how he went into the Dukes dominions where by his commandement he was
staied deliuered to the king and after put to death page 147 Chap. 13 A discourse of the fault the Duke of Burgundie committed in deliuering the Constable to the king contrary to his safe conduct and what ensued thereof page 150 The fift Booke Chap. 1 How the Duke of Burgundy making war vpon the Swissers was ouerthrowen at the straights of the mountaines neere to Granson page 153 Chap. 2 How after the ouerthrow of Granson the Duke of Milan king Rene of Sicilie the Duchesse of Sauoy and others departed from their league with the Duke of Burgundy page 156 Chap. 3 How the Swissers vanquished the D. of Burgundy in battell neere to the towne of Morat page 159 Chap. 4 How after the battell of Morat the Duke of Burgundy tooke the Duchesse of Sauoy how she was deliuered and sent home into hir countrey by the kings meanes page 161 Chap. 5 How the D. of Burgundy liued as it were solitary the space of certaine weekes during the which time the D. of Lorraine recouered his towne of Nancy page 163 Chap. 6 Of the Earle of Campobaches great treasons and how he kept the D. of Burgundy from hearing a gentleman that would haue reuealed them to him before he was put to death and how the said D. made no account of the aduertisements the king gaue him page 166 Chap. 7 How the Duke of Lorraine being accompanied with good force of Almains came to the towne of Saint Nicholas during the siege of Nancy and how the king of Portugale who was in Fraunce came to see the Duke of Burgundy during the said siege page 169 Chap. 8 How the D. of Burgundy refusing the good counsell of diuers of his men was discomfited slaine in the battell fought betweene him and the D. of Lorraine neere to Nancy page 171 Chap. 9 A discourse vpon certaine vertues of the D. of Burgundie and of the time his house florished in prosperitie page 173 Chap. 10 How the king was aduertised of the Duke of Burgundies last ouerthrow and how he gouerned his affaires after the said Dukes death page 175 Chap. 11 How the king after the Duke of Burgundies death seazed into his hands the towne of Abbeuille and of the answere they of Arras gaue him page 177 Chap. 12 A discourse not appertaining to the principall matters of the great ioy the king was in to see himselfe deliuered of so many enimies and of the error he committed touching the reducing of these countries of Burgundy to his obedience page 178 Chap. 13 How Han Bohain Saint Quintin and Perronne were yeelded to the king and how he sent Master Oliuer his barber to practise with them of Gaunt page 179 Chap. 14 How Master Oliuer the kings barber failing to execute his enterprise at Gaunt found meanes to put the kings forces into Tournay page 182 Chap. 15 Of the ambassadors the Lady of Burgundy daughter to the late Duke Charles sent to the king and how by meanes of Monseur de Cordes the city of Arras the townes of Hedin and Bollein and the towne of Arras it selfe were yeelded to the king page 184 Chap. 16 How the citizens of Gaunt hauing vsurped authority ouer their Princesse after hir fathers death came in ambassage to the king as from the three estates of their countrey page 187 Chap. 17 How they of Gaunt after their ambassadors returne put to death the Chauncellor Hugonet the Lord of Himbercourt against their Princesses will and how they and other Flemmings were discomfited before Tournay and their generall the Duke of Gueldres slaine page 190 Chap. 18 A discourse vpon this point that wars and diuisions are permitted of God for the chastisement â—â— Princes and euill people with diuers good reasons and examples for the instruction of Princes wâ—â—â—â— happened in the Authors time 〈◊〉 The sixt Booke Chap. 1 How the Duchie of Burgundie was yeelded to the King page 205 Chap. 2 How the king entertained the English men after the death of Charles Duke of Burgundy to the end they should not hinder his conquest of the said Dukes dominions page 206 Chap. 3 How the marriage betweene the Lady of Burgundie and Maximilian Duke of Austrich afterward Emperor was concluded and accomplished page 209 Chap. 4 How king Lewis by the conduct of Charles of Amboise his lieutenant recouered diuers townes in Burgundy which the Prince of Orenge had caused to reuolt from him page 214 Chap. 5 How Monseur d'Argenton during these wars of the conquest of Burgundie was sent to Florence and how he receiued homage of the Duke of Milan in the kings name for the Duchy of Genua page 217 Chap. 6 Of Monseur d'Argentons returne out of Italie into Fraunce and of the battell of Guinegate page 219 Chap. 7 How king Lewis being visited with sicknes lost his wits and lay speechlesse sometime recouering and eft soones falling into his disease againe and how he behaued himselfe in the castell of Plessis les Tours page 222 Chap. 8 How the king caused the holy man of Calabria to come to Tours thinking that he could heale him and what strange things the said king did to maintaine his authoritie during his sicknes page 226 Chap. 9 How the marriage betweene the Daulphine and the Lady Margaret of Flaunders was concluded and how she was brought into Fraunce whereupon Edward king of England died for sorrow page 228 Chap. 10 How the king behaued himselfe towards his neighbors and subiects during the time of his sicknes and how diuers things were sent him from diuers places for the recouerie of his health page 231 Chap. 11 How king Lewis the 11. caused Charles the Daulphin his sonne to come to him a little before his death and of the commandements and precepts he gaue both him and certaine others page 232 Chap. 12 A comparison betweene the sorrowes and troubles that king Lewis suffered and those he caused diuers others to suffer with a rehearsal of all that he did al that was done to him til his death page 234 Chap. 13 A discourse vpon the miserie of mans life by the examples of those Princes that liued in the authors time and first of king Lewis page 238 The conclusion of the Author page 243 A supplie of the historie of Philip de Commines from the death of king Lewis the eleuenth till the beginning of the wars of Naples to wit from 1483. till 1493. of all the which time Commines writeth nothing page 247 Chap. 1 Of king Charles his comming to the crowne of the death of Oliuer king Lewis his Barber and others and of the reuoking of king Lewis his superfluous gifts ibid. Chap. 2 Of the assembly of the states held at Tours of the Duke of Orleans pursute for the regencie of the madwar raised by him and of his departure into Britaine page 248 Chap. 3 Of the troubles that hapned in Britaine betweene the Duke and his nobles and of Peter Landois death page 250 Chap.
coasted continually along by the Earles campe but could not endamage him for his force was so small that when the Earle drew neare to Paris he retired thither All the way as the Earle passed he made no war but what his men took they paid for wherfore the towns vpon the riuer of Somme all other townes that he passed by receiued his men in small troupes and sold them for their money whatsoeuer they would buy as men resting in suspence whether the king or the princes should haue the vpper hand 8 So far marched the Earle that he came to S. Dennis neare to Paris where all the Lords of the realme had promised to meete him but none came notwithstanding that the Vicechauncellor of Britaine the D. and Ambassadorresident in the Earles campe forged newes of their comming from time to time at his owne pleasure vpon certaine blanks that he had signed with his masters hand he was a Norman borne and a very wise and sufficient man and so it behooued him to be for the whole campe murmured against him The Earle of Charolois shewed himselfe before Paris 9 where was a hot skirmish hard at the towne gates but to the Citizens disaduantage Men of war within the towne were none saue onely the Marshall Ioachin with his companie and the Lord of Nantoillet afterward Lord great Master who did the King as good seruice in these wars as euer did subiect King of Fraunce at his neede and yet in the ende was euill recompensed rather by his enimies malice than the Kings fault though neither of both are cleerely to be excused The poore people of the citie were in so great feare the day of the skirmish that they cried often as I was afterwards credibly enformed that we were entred the towne but without cause Notwithstanding the L. of Hault-bourdin aboue mentioned who had been brought vp in the towne when it was nothing so strong as now it is gaue aduise to assault it and the soldiers desired nothing more contemning the townes men bicause the skirmishes were hard at their gates yet the contrary opinion tooke place whereupon the Earle retired to S. Denis The next day in the morning he debated with his Councill whether he should go to meet with the Dukes of Berry and Britaine or not who were at hand as the Vicechauncellor of Britaine said shewing also their letters testifying the same but he had forged them vpon his blanks and other newes knew he none In the end the Earle resolued to passe the riuer of Seine notwithstanding that the most part of his Councill gaue aduise to returne home seeing the rest of the confederates had broken day alledging it to be sufficient to haue passed the riuers of Somme and Marne and more than needed to passe this riuer of Seine Some also put foorth great doubts bicause we had no places on our backe to retire into if we should be distressed But all this notwithstanding the Earle passed the riuer and encamped at Pont S. Clou 10 wherefore the whole army murmured much against the Earle of S. Paule and this Vicechauncellor who were the principall perswaders of him thereunto The next day after his arriuall there he receiued letters from a Lady of this land written with hir owne hand wherein she aduertised him that the King was departed out of Bourbonnois and came downe with all speede to fight with him I must heere declare the occasion of the Kings voyage into Bourbonnois which was this So soone as he vnderstood that all the princes of his realme had conspired against him at the least against his gouernment he determined to preuent them and before they were assembled to inuade the D. of Bourbon who was the first that openly discouered himselfe to be of the confederacie 11 and bicause his countrey was weake he hoped soone to subdue it as in deede diuers places he tooke and would easily haue taken all had not succours come thither out of Burgundie vnder the leading of the L. Coulches the Marquesse of Rottelin the L. of Montague and others with whom Master VVilliam of Rochefort Chauncellor of Fraunce a man at this day of great estimation was also in armes This force was leuied in Burgundie by the sollicitation of the Earle of Beauieu and the Gardinall of Bourbon 12 brethren to D. Iohn of Bourbon and by them receiued into Molines Aide came also of another side to the D. of Bourbon vnder the leading of the D. of Nemours the Earle of Armignac and the L. of Albert being accompanied with a great band of soldiers some of the which were good men of armes of their countries who lately had forsaken the Kings pay and put themselus into their seruice But the greatest part of their men were vtterly vnfurnished of all things and forced for lacke of pay to liue vpon the poore people The King notwithstanding these their great forces gaue themynough to do wherefore in the end they fell to treate of peace especially the D. of Nemours who solemnly promised and sware to take part with him and yet did afterwards the contrary whereupon the King conceiued so great displeasure against him that afterward he could neuer brooke him as eftsoones he hath told me To be short the King perceiuing that he could not atchieue his enterprise in Bourbonnois so speedily as at the first he hoped and fearing if the Earle of Charolois forces which approched neare to Paris and the forces of the Duke of Berry his owne brother and of the D. of Britaine which were comming out of Britaine should ioine togither that the Parisians would receiue them into their towne bicause they all pretended the common wealth for colour of their enterprise knowing also that as the towne of Paris did so all the other townes in his realme would follow for these causes I say he resolued with all speed possible to put himselfe into Paris meaning to keepe these two great armies asunder but his purpose was not to fight as he hath himselfe diuers times told me in communing of these affaires The Notes 1. The Earle of S. Paul had betrothed his daughter to the L. of Croys sonne but seeing the Earle of Charalois hatred against the said Croy he would haue broken off the mariage againe but Croy in whose house the said daughter remained contrarie to hir fathers wil made vp the match for the which cause the Earle of S. Paul hated the said Croy to the death Annal. Burgund 2. The Earle of Charolois besides this matter heere alleaged charged Iohn L. of Croy that he had called him great diuell threatned him and sought to poison him Meyer 3. Euery French man of armes is allowed three men to accompanie him in the wars one to beare his headpeece called in Latin Ferentarius and two archers La Marche but the Burgundians had heere some 5. some 6. 4 These archers were bow-men mounted on horsebacke as harquebusiers on horsebacke are now 5 He that maketh such offer of
acquainting vs with ages past and the other by teaching vs more in a booke in three monthes than twenty men liuing successiuely can learne by experience so if a man lack wit to put that which he readeth in practise his reading serueth to no purpose Wherfore to end this discourse me think the greatest plague that God can lay vpon a realme is to giue them an vnwise Prince the roote and fountaine of all mischiefe for first diuision and ciuill wars arise thereof among his subiects bicause he giueth his authority to others which especially aboue all things he ought to reserue to himselfe After diuision ensueth famine and mortality and all other euils that accompany the wars wherefore heereby we may consider how much a Princes subiects ought to lament when they see his children wantonly brought vp and gouerned by euill conditioned persons The Notes 1 Of treasons in treaty we haue numbers of examples First of Iugurtha taken by his father in law Boccus and deliuered to the Romaines Sertorius slaine at a banquet by Perpenna In England we haue the treason of Hengist to Vortiger In Scotland we reade of William Earle of Douglasse slaine by Iames King of Scots in treaty In Germanie Albert Earle of Franconia betraied in treaty by Ottho Bishop of Mentz Iohn of Angieu slaine by Albertus Bauarus Earle of Henault and Flanders notwithstanding his safe conduct In Fraunce Iohn Duke of Burgundie slaine by Charles the 7. William Duke of Normandie by Arnulph Earle of Flanders Lewis King of Fraunce taken prisoner by the Normans and Danes at Roan Iohn Duke of Britaine taken at a banquet and imprisoned by Margaret Countisse of Pontibera Guido Earle of Flanders twice taken prisoner vnder safeconduct by Philip le Bell King of Fraunce Charles the simple slaine by the Earle of Vermandoys VVhat should I speake of the tresons of Ferrande and Alfonse Kings of Naples or of Christiern King of Denmarke with numbers of others recorded in histories as our author heere very truly reporteth 2 Others be of a contrarie opinion that our life is as long as in Dauids time appeereth by the 90. Psalme where he sheweth the vsuall age of man in his time to haue beene 70. and sometime 80. yeers which men reche to at this day also and if mans life be as long now as then it is a good consequent that his body is as strong as is to be prooued by manie reasons too long to reherse Now that our faith is as good as theirs appeereth also by the ancient histories for if this be a true saying Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis And the Princes in times past were so euill as none could be worse as who so list to reade without partiality shal be forced to confesse I see no reason that the world should be worse now then in times past although it seeme so to many bicause we see the worst of our owne age yea and feele too many times but commonly the histories deliuer to vs but the best of times past and burie the worst and though they did yet the euill seene with our eie is more liuely imprinted in minde then the euill we conceiue by our eare which is the cause men euer thinke better of the times past then the present estate 3 Imaruell if King Lewis were learned he would haue his sonne to learne onely this lesson Qui nescit dissimulare nescit regnare How and for what cause the King was staied and held prisoner in the castell of Peronne by the Duke of Burgundies commandement Chap. 7. YOu haue heard how the King and this army of Burgundie arriued at Peronne both in one istant for the Duke could not countermand them in time bicause they were well forward vpon the way when the Kings comming was first communed of Their arriuall troubled the feast bicause of diuers doubts that sprang thereof Notwithstanding these two Princes appointed certeine of their seruants to negotiate togither about their affaires in most louing and freindly sort But after three or foure daies communication these strange newes came from Liege which I will now reherse The K. comming to Peronne had cleane forgotten the two ambassadors sent to Liege to sollicite them to rebell against the Duke who so diligently executed their charge that before the Kings arriuall at Peronne the Liegeois had leuied great force and were gone to surprise the towne of Tongres where the Bishop of Liege and the Lord of Hymbercourt lodged accompanied with two thousand men and better and the said Bishop and Hymbercourt they tooke with certein other of the Bishops familiar friends but few they slew neither was the number of the prisoners great the rest fled as men discomfited leauing bag and bagage behinde them This done the Liegeois returned towards their citie not far distant from Tongres and vpon the way thitherward the Lord of Hymbercourt compounded for his ransome with a knight called Master VVilliam de Ville named by the French Le Sauuage who fearing lest this furious people should kill him suffered him to depart vpon his word which notwithstanding he neuer chalenged for soon after himselfe was slaine the people reioiced much for the taking of their Bishop Farther you shall vnderstand that they hated extremely certaine chanons of the Church taken prisoners that day of whom for the first repast they slew fiue or sixe one of the which was named Master Robert the Bishops speciall friend whom I my selfe haue often seene armed at all peeces waiting vpon his Master for such is the maner of the Alemaigne Prelates 1 The said Master Robert they slew in the Bishops presence and hewed him into a number of small gobbets which they threw one at another in dirision To be short before their returne to Liege which was but eight leagues from Tongres they slew sixteen chanons and others all in maner the Bishops seruants This done they receiued aduertisement that the treatie betweene the King and the Duke was alreadie begun wherefore they dismissed certaine Burgundians supposing to excuse their fault by seeming to haue attempted nothing against the Duke but only against their Bishop whom they led prisoner into the citie Those that escaped put all the countrie in an vprore as they went by means whereof this newes came soone to the Duke some said all were slaine others the contrarie for such aduertisements are neuer reported after one sort At the length certaine arriued that saw these chanons slaine who supposing the Bishop and Hymbercourt to be of the number auowed constantly that all were murthered and farther that they saw the Kings ambassadors in the companie whom also they named All this was told the Duke who foorthwith beleeued it and fell into an extreme furie saying that the King was come thither to abuse him and gaue commandement to shut the gates of the castell and the towne spreading a fond rumor that he did it bicause of a budget with iewels and monie that was lost The King
there in person against them and offering in maner the selfe same conditions of peace on their behalfe that were demanded The Duke alowed not of this opinion which was a happie turne for him for if he had he had marred all but his suspition of the King caused him to take the wisest course sure his Captaines opinion in thinking themselues too strong proceeded either of great pride or of great follie Notwithstanding I haue often heard diuers Captaines giue the like aduise some bicause they thinke thereby to win an opinion of hardnesse and some for that they vnderstand not the matters debated but wise Princes weigh not such fond opinions As touching this point the King our Master had learned his lesson for as he was slow and fearfull in attempting any thing so when he tooke once an enterprise in hand he so throughlie furnished him selfe of euery thing thereunto appertaining that he could not but obtaine his purpose Order was then giuen that the Marshall of Burgundie with his band should go before and lodge in the citie and if the citizens made difficulty to receiue him as it was thought they would not bicause diuers of them were already come to the Duke to treate of peace that then he should attempt to enter by force The saide Marshall and his company went to Namur and the next day departed thence and the King and the D. arriued there But when the Marshall approched neer the city this foolish people salied foorth to the skirmish and were easilie repulsed and a great number slaine the rest retired into the towne and at that verie instant escaped their Bishop and came to vs. Within the towne was a legate sent thither by the Pope to vnderstand of the variance betweene the Bishop and the people and to pacifie the matter For the sentence of excommunication pronounced against them was yet vnreuoked bicause of their offences aboue rehersed This legate passing the bands of his commission fauored altogither the people in hope to obtaine the Bishoprick for him selfe and commanded them to take armes for their defence and encouraged them to diuers other folies Notwithstanding now seeing the city in this danger he issued foorth with intent to flie but was taken and all his traine being to the number of fiue and twentie very well mounted The Duke hearing these newes seemed notwithstanding to take no notice thereof but sent word to those that tooke him that they should leade him into some secret place and make their profit of him as of some merchant and in no wise to aduertise him of this accident alleaging that if he came openly into his campe he could not suffer them to keepe him but must of force deliuer him for honor of the sea apostolike Notwithstanding they could not do as they were commanded but fell at variance for him in such sort that openly at diner time certaine that claimed part in the bootie came and complained to the Duke wherefore he sent immediately and tooke him from them and restored him all that he lost and entertained him very honorably This vaward led by the Marshall of Burgundie and the Lord of Hymbercourt marched straight to the citie supposing to enter without resistance and through couetousnes hoping to haue the spoile thereof to themselues refused the composition that was offered neither thought it needfull to tarrie for the King and the Duke being seuen or eight leagues behinde them but marched with such speede that they arriued at the towne by twilight and entred into a certaine suburbs leading straight to a gate that the citizens had somewhat repaired There the Liegeois and they parled togither but could not agree In the meane time they were benighted their lodgings were vnmade neither was the place large ynough for the seate of their camp beside that they were in great disorder some walked vp and downe some called their masters their companions and their captains which folly and disorder Master Iohn de Villette and other captains of the Liegeois perceiuing tooke hart and determined to issue foorth and their misfortune I meane the ruine of their wals serued them to good purpose in this enterprise for they salied foorth where liked them best by the breaches thereof and came in order of battell to the foremost ranks of the Burgundians Farther among the vines and little hils they assailed the pages and straglers that walked their Masters horses without the suburbs by the which our men entred A great number of good soldiers were there slaine but a greater number fled for the night couereth all shame To be short the Liegeois so couragiously executed their enterprise that they slue at the least eight hundred one hundred of them being men of armes But the hardie and valiant soldiers of this vaward being in maner all men of armes and gentlemen of good houses ioined themselues togither and marched with ensigne displaied straight to the gate fearing the citizens salie there The waies were maruellous deepe bicause of continuall raine in such sort that the men of armes being all on foote stood in mire aboue the ankles Once all the citizens thought to salie foorth at the said gate with great torches and lights but our men had mounted fower good peeces of artillerie in the very mouth thereof the which shot twise or thrise along the high streete and slew a great number whereupon they all retired out of the suburbes and shut their gates But during this skirmish in the suburbes the others that had salied forth to assaile the pages aboue mentioned tooke certaine carts neer to the towne in the which they lodged themselues very vncommodiously and taried without the citie from two of the clocke after midnight till six in the morning but so soone as the day brake that one might descry another they were repulsed and in their retract master Iohn de Villette and one or two more of their captaines hurt who died all within two daies after How the King arriued in person with the Duke of Burgundy before the citie of Liege Chap. 11. NOtwithstanding that salies out of a towne be somtimes necessary yet are they very dangerous for those that defend the place for the losse of ten men is more to them than of an hundred to those that besiege them first bicause their number is not equall secondarily bicause they cannot put men into the towne at pleasure and lastly bicause haply they may loose one of their cheefe captaines which mishap causeth oftentimes the losse also of the place These discomfortable newes were foorthwith brought to the Duke lying fower or fiue leagues from the towne and the first report was that his whole vaward was discomfited yet that notwithstanding he and the whole army mounted on horsebacke commanding that no word should be made to the King of this misfortune And when he drew neere the citie on the contrary side to that where his vaward lay he was aduertised that all was well and the losse nothing so
great as was thought neither any man of name slaine but a knight of Flaunders named Monseur de Sergine notwithstanding they sent him word that the valiant gentlemen and soldiers of his vaward were vtterly wearied and in great trouble and distresse for all that night they had stoode vpright in the mire by the towne gate Farther they told him that certaine of the footemen that fled were returned so discouraged that they seemed vnfit for any great exploit Wherefore they desired him for Gods loue to make haste to the end the citizens might be forced to retire euery man to the defence of his owne quarter and that it would please him to sende them some vittails for they had not one morsell of meat The D. foorthwith commanded two or three hundred to ride thither as fast as their horses could gallop to cōfort his soldiers and sent after them al the vittails he could come by and so was it high time for by the space of two daies almost and a night they had neither eaten nor drunke vnlesse it were some one that caried a draught of wine in a bottell Besides that the weather was maruelous foule neither could they possibly enter the town on that side they lay vnlesse the Duke embusied the enimie on the other side A great number of them were hurt and among the rest the Prince of Orenge whom I had forgotten to name before who behaued himselfe that day like a couragious gentleman for he neuer mooued foote off the place he first possessed The Lords of Lau and Vrfé did also very valiantly but the number of the footmen that fled the night of the skirmish was at the least ten thousand It was almost darke night when the Duke receaued this newes but after he had dispatched all his busines he returned to his ensigne and rehearsed the whole order of the skirmish to the King who reioiced to heare that all was so wel for the contrary might haue turned to his preiudice When they approched neere the towne a great number of gentlemen and men of armes lighted on foote with the archers to take the suburbes which were easely won and there the bastard of Burgundy who had great charge in this army vnder the Duke the Lord of Rauastaine the earle of Roucy the Constables sonne and diuers other gentlemen lodged euen hard by the gate which the enimies had also repaired as the former The Duke lodged in the midst of the suburbes but the King lay that night in a great grange a quarter of a league from the town where was very good lodging being accompanied with a great number of men as well of his owne as of ours This towne is situate vpon mountaines and vallies and in a maruellous fruitfull soile 1 the riuer of Maz runneth through it it is about the greatnes of Roan and was at that time a maruellous populous citie From the gate where we lodged to the other where our vaward lay the way was short through the towne but without it was at the least three leagues going so crooked and foule are the waies especially in winter in the midst whereof we came thither Their wals were all rased so that they might saly foorth where best liked them and their defence was onely a little rampire of earth for the towne was neuer ditched bicause the foundation is hard and sharpe rock The first night of the Dukes arriuall our vaward was much refreshed and eased for the force within the towne was then diuided into two parts About midnight they gaue vs a hot alarme whereupon the Duke issued foorthwith into the street and soone after arriued also the King and the Constable with great speede considering how far off they lay Some cried they saly out at such a gate others spake diuers discomfortable words the darke and rainie weather increased also their feare The Duke lacked no courage but failed somtime in good order giuing and to say the truth at this time he behaued not himselfe so aduisedly as many wished bicause of the Kings presence Wherefore the King tooke vpon him authoritie to command and said to the Constable Leade your men into such a quarter for if they salie that is their way and sure both his words and behauiour shewed him to be a Prince of great vertue and wisedome and well acquainted with such exploits notwithstanding this great alarme prooued nothing whereupon the King and the Duke returned to their lodging The next morning came the King and lodged also in the suburbs in a little house hard by the Dukes lodging accompanied with an hundred Scottish men of his garde and his men of armes lying in a little village hard by him which bred great suspicion in the Duke that he would either enter the citie or escape before it were taken 2 or peraduenture worke him some displeasure lying so neere him Wherefore he put into a great grange iust betweene their two lodgings three hundred men of armes being all the flower of his house who brake downe the panes of the wals to saly foorth the more speedily if neede so required and these had their eies continually vpon the Kings lodging which was hard by them The siege continued eight daies during which space neither the Duke nor any of the company vnarmed themselues But the euening before the towne was taken the Duke determined to assault it the next morning being Sonday the 30. of October the yeere 1468. and the token giuen to our vaward was this that when they heard one bombard and two great serpentines discharged one incontinent after another without more shot they should then couragiously go to the assault and the Duke on his side would do the like Farther the hower appointed for the enterprise was eight of the clocke in the morning the same night the assault was thus concluded the Duke vnarmed himselfe which since the beginning of the siege he had not done and commanded the whole armie especially those that lodged in the grange betweene his lodging and the Kings to do the like to the end they might refresh themselues but the selfesame night the citizens as though they had beene aduertised of this determination concluded to make a salie out of the towne on this side as they had before on the other The Notes 1 Of the seate of this towne read Guicci pag. 370. 2 Basinus vvriteth that the Duke for diuers considerations had rather haue lacked the Kings companie then haue had it but that the King to blinde the Duke vvith a pretence of good vvill offered himselfe to go vvith him which report all the circumstances considered seemeth vtterly repugnant to truth How the Liegeois made a desperate salie vpon the Duke of Burgundies men where he and the King were in great danger Chap. 12. I Will now rehearse an example whereby you shall perceiue how easely euen a few enimies may worke a great Prince displeasure and how much it importeth Princes throughly to waie their enterprises
before they attempt them Within this citie there was not one man of war but of their owne territory they had with them neither knight nor esquire for those fewe they had were either slaine or hurt two or three daies before in the saly aboue mentioned They were vnfurnished of gates wals trenches artillery ought worth To be short within the towne were none but the citizens themselues and seauen or eight hundred footemen of a litle territory beyond Liege called Franche-mount true it is that the people of those parts haue euer beene accounted good soldiers But now to the matter These Liegeois despairing of succours seeing the K. there in person against them concluded to make a desperate saly and to put all things in aduenture knowing themselues to be but lost men Their enterprise was this they determined that by the breaches of their wals hanging ouer the backside of the Dukes lodging their best soldiers being sixe hundred men of the countrey of Franchemont should salie foorth leading with them for guides the hosts of the Kings lodging and of the D. Farther there laie a priuie way through the rocks by the which they might come vnder couert almost to the lodgings of both these Princes before they were discouered prouided that they made no noise and as touching our scoutes that laie in their way they made account either to kill them or to be at the Princes lodging assoone as they Thus they resolued to follow these two hosts into their houses where the two Princes lodged without staying by the way in any place hoping to steale vpon them on such a sudden that either they would kill them or leade them away prisoners before their forces could come to rescue them considering withall how short their retrait was into the towne and if the woorst fell that was to die they were fully resolued in the executing of such an enterprise to take their death in good part for they saw themselues but lost men on all sides They gaue order also that all the people of the towne with hue and cry should issue foorth at the gate opening vpon the suburbs where we lay trusting thereby to discomfite all our company that lodged there Neither were they out of hope of a goodly victory at the least they were sure of a glorious end This their enterprise notwithstanding it had been desperate and dangerous though they had been accompanied with a thousand valiant men of armes yet these fewe failed not much to atchieue it For according to their determination these six hundred men of Franche-mont salied foorth by the breaches of their wals about ten of the clock at night and came on a sudden vpon our scouts and slew them three of them being gentlemen of the Dukes house and if they had gone straight foorth without any noise to the place appointed vndoubtedly they had slaine both these Princes in their beds But you shall vnderstand that behind the Duke of Burgundies lodging there was a pauilion where the Duke of Alenson that now is and Monseur de Cran lodged There these Liegeois staied a while and thrust their pikes through it and slew a seruing man within it whereupon a noise arose in the campe which caused some to arme themselues at the least to arise From this pauillion they departed towards the two Princes lodgings whereunto adioined the graunge aboue mentioned into the which the Duke had put three hundred men of armes There they staied a while also and thrust their pickes in at the panes of the wals which these men of armes had broken downe to salie foorth with the more speed All the gentlemen that lay there had vnarmed themselues not past two houres before to refresh them against the assault the next morning in the which estate the Liegeois found them Notwithstanding a few of them hauing put on their quiracies bicause of the noise they heard at the Duke of Alensons pauilion fought with their enimies at the broken panes of the wals and at the doore which was the onely preseruation of these two great Princes liues for this delay gaue a great many leisure to arme themselues and to come foorth into the street I lay that night in the Dukes chamber which was very straight with two other gentlemen of his priuie chamber and aboue him lodged twelue archers that kept the watch and sat vp at dice but the body of his watch stoode by the towne gate farre from his lodging To be short the Dukes host came with a band of Ligeois and assailed his owne house the D. being within it vpon such a sudden that we hardly had leisure to buckle his quirace about him and put a sallet on his hed for immediately as we went downe the stayres to issue foorth into the street we found our archers busied in defending the doore and windows against the Liegeois farther there was a maruellous noise in the streets some cried God saue the King others God saue the Duke and others God saue the King kill kill kill It was two Pater nosters while before our archers and we could get foorth of the house we knew not in what estate the King was nor whether he were with vs or against vs which much troubled vs. Incontinent after we were issued foorth with two or three torches we met others in the streets with lights also and saw fighting and killing round about vs but the conflict soone ended for men came running on all sides to the Dukes lodging The first man of the enimies that was slaine was the Dukes host but he died not presently for I my selfe heard him speake To be short all the Liegeois that accompanied him a very few excepted were also slaine They assailed in like maner the K. lodging into the which his host entred and was slaine by the Scottish men of his gard who shewed themselues talle felows for they neuer stirred from their Masters foote but shot arrowes continually which hurt moe Burgundians then Liegeois The citizens appointed to issue foorth at the town gate salied accordingly but our watch being assembled togither repulsed them incontinent neither shewed they themselues so desperate as these others Immediately after these were beaten backe the King and the Duke met doubting bicause of the number they saw slaine their owne losse to be great notwithstanding of their men few were slaine but many hurt Vndoubtedly if these Liegeois had not staied at these two places aboue mentioned especially at the grange where they found resistance but had followed these two hosts being their guides they had slaine both the King and the Duke and thereby peraduenture discomfited the whole army Both the Princes returned to their lodgings woonderfully abashed at this desperate enterprise and foorth sat in counsell to take aduise what should be done touching the assault the next morning The King seemed to stand in great doubt of the matter in respect of himselfe in very deed for knowing how greatly the Duke doubted wars
with Fraunce if he were once out of his hands he feared if the citie could not be taken by assault that his returne into his realme should be delaied and peraduenture himselfe put in prison for the Dukes better assurance Whereby you may perceiue in how miserable estate these two princes liued which could by no meanes assure themselues each of other for they had concluded and solemnly sworne a finall peace not past fifteen daies before yet could al this put neither of them in assurance How the citie of Liege was assaulted taken and spoiled and the Churches also Chap. 13. THe King to rid himselfe of all danger about an hower after his returne from this salie aboue mentioned to his lodging sent for certaine of the Dukes principall seruants that had been in counsell about the assault and inquired of them what was concluded They told him that the resolution was to assault the citie the next morning according to the order first appointed Then he very wisely began to alleage diuers great doubts which pleased well the Dukes men for they all feared the assault maruellously both bicause of the great number of people within the towne and also bicause of the desperate salie made not past two howers before wherefore being desirous to stay the assault for two or three daies and take the towne by composition they went foorthwith to the Duke to make report of the Kings allegations I my selfe being present when they came There they rehearsed all the doubts the King alleaged and as many as they themselues could deuise but al they fathered vpon the King doubting that he would not take it well at their hands The D. answered that the King alleaged these doubts only to saue the citizens tooke it in euill part saying that there could be no danger in the enterprise considering that they within could make no counterbatterie neither had any wals for their defence adding also that the rampires they had made at the gates were already beaten down wherfore he would vse no further delaies but go to the assault the next morning as it was concluded Notwithstanding he would be contented that the King if it so pleased him should go to Namur till the taking of the towne vnder this condition not to depart thence till the issue of this enterprise were seene which answer pleased none of them all for euery man feared the assault bicause of this salie The Dukes answere was reported to the King not in so hard termes as he deliuered it but in much milder language The King vnderstood the meaning of it well ynough and said he would not go to Namur but be at the assault the next day among the rest In mine opinion if he had been so disposed he might very easily haue escaped that night for he had with him an hundred archers of his garde and certaine gentlemen of his house besides three hundred men of armes that lodged hard by him but vndoubtedly where he stood vpon his honor he would not be stained with cowardize Euery man reposed himselfe in his armor til morning and some disposed of their consciences bicause the enterprise seemed very dangerous When it was brode day light and that the hower appointed drew neer which was eight of the clock the Duke commanded the bombard and the two serpentines to be discharged thereby to aduertise our vaward of the assault which lay on the other side far from vs if you take the way without the towne but not far going through it as before you haue heard They hearing the shot incontinent prepared themselues to the assault The Dukes trumpets sounded and his ensiegnes were anaunced towards the wals their bands folowing them The King stood in the midst of the streete very well accompanied for all his three hundred men of armes his garde and certain noble men and gentlemen of his house were with him And when we approched so neere the wals that they and we should haue ioined no resistance was founde neither any man vpon the wals saue two or three of the watch all the rest were gon to diner supposing we would not giue the assault vpon the Sonday so that we found the cloth laid in euery house at our entry Small account is to be made of rude people vnlesse they be led by some captaine whom they reuerence although somtime in their fury they be greatly to be feared These Liegeois were before the assault maruelously spent and wearied partly bicause of their two salies wherein they lost a great number of their men and all their leaders and partly bicause of the great labor trauel they had sustained the space of eight daies for bicause they lay open to the enimy on all sides they were all forced to be continually vpon the wals and I suppose they thought to repose themselues this day bicause of the Sabaoth but it chaunced to them contrary to their expectation On that side we entred was no resistance made and lesse yet on the other where our vawarde lay which entred the towne before vs. Fewe were slaine 1 for all the people fled by the bridge ouer the riuer of Maze towards the countrey of Ardennes and from thence to other places for their more safety On the side that we entred I sawe but two men and one woman slaine neither thinke I that there died two hundred persons in all for the rest fled or hid themselues in churches and houses The King seeing no resistance and the whole army being as I ghesse to the number of forty thousand throng into the towne at two breaches marched forward at leasure to whom the Duke being entred a good way into the city sodainly returned accompanied him to the palace from whence he went to the cathedrall Church of Saint Lambert 2 which his men were about to breake into by force to take the prisoners and spoile that was conueighed thither And notwithstanding that he had appointed certaine of his house to garde the said church yet could they not do it bicause the soldiers assaulted both the dores Wherefore the Duke himselfe went thither and one man I sawe him slea with his owne hand 3 whereupon all the company disparkled and the church was vnspoiled Notwithstanding in the end they that were within it were taken and their goods also The rest of the churches being so many in number that I haue heard the Lord of Himbercourt who knew the towne well report as many masses to be song there euery day as in Rome 4 were in maner all spoiled vnder colour of taking prisoners For mine owne part I entred into none but the cathedral church but thus I was aduertised and sawe also good proofe therof for the Pope many yeeres after excommunicated all those that withheld any of these church goods vnlesse they restored them and the Duke appointed certaine commissioners to go through his countrey to see the Popes commandement executed The city being thus taken and sacked about noone the
countrey of Lambourg 4 being neighbors to the Liegeois and almost of the same maners and language were appointed to fire it but to saue the churches First the great bridge built ouer the riuer of Maze was beaten downe then a great number were chosen out to defend the chanons houses about the cathedrall church to the end they might haue lodging that should say deuine seruice In like maner also diuers were appointed for defence of the other Churches This done the Duke departed into the countrey of Frachemont and immediately after he was out of the towne we saw a great number of houses on this side the riuer on fire he marched forwarde and lodged fower leagues off yet heard we the noise as easilie as if we had beene there present I wot not whether it were bicause the winde sat that way or bicause we lodged vpon the riuer The next day the Duke departed thence and those that were left behind in the towne continued still the fire as they were commanded but the Churches were all saued afew excepted and aboue three hundred houses to lodge the Church men which caused the towne so soone to be replenished againe for much people returned to dwell with these Priests Bicause of extreme frost and cold the greatest part of the Dukes army was forced to go on foote into the countrey of Franchemont which had neuer a walled towne in it but all villages The Duke lodged fiue or sixe daies in a litle valley called Polleneg his armie was deuided into two bands the sooner to destroy the countrie All the houses he commanded to be burned al the iron mils broken which is their onely trade of liuing Farther our men hunted the poore people out of great woods and forests where they lay hidden with their goods and manie they slew and tooke prisoners and there the soldiers got good booties The cold was more extreme then is almost credible for I saw a gentleman that with cold lost the vse of his foote and neuer recouered it and a Page that had two of his fingers rotted from his hand and in like maner a woman dead for cold and her childe with her whereof shee was newely deliuered Farther by the space of three daies all the wine that was drunke in the Dukes lodging was cut with hatchets for it was so frozen in the vessels that we were forced to breake them and cut the wine being a masse of yse into small peeces which men bare away in hats and baskets as best liked them I could reherse diuers other strange accidents of the cold too long to write To conclude at eight daies end hunger drew vs thence in haste and the Duke departed to Namur and so into Brabant where he was honorably receiued The Notes 1 This was the treaty of Conflans at the conclusion vvhereof these three heere named as our auhor himselfe before reherseth vvere the Dukes enimies and tooke part vvith the King vvherefore no reason it vvas that the Duke should seeke to haue them comprehended in the treatie as his freinds seeing at the conclusion thereof they vvere his enimies 2 This des Murz the old copie nameth De Meriens La Marche d'Emeries Annal. Burgund d'Aymeries The tovvnes name is Aymeries in Henault vpon the riuer of Sambre Guicci in the description of Henault yet the same author in his description generall nameth the man d'Emery Annal. Burgund in another place nameth him d'Esmeriez Meyer Aymericius and Emericius so that I suppose it best to reade it as I haue translated it but that des Murz is very corrupt I am out of doubt 3 This city vvas diuided into three quarters as appeereth by Guic. description for the vvhich cause it vvas fired at three seuerall times 4 The old copie hath Lambourg as I haue translated it the nevv Luxembourg as haue also Annal. Burgund but not vvell in mine opinion For Lambourg is hard by Liege but Luxembourg farther off How the King by subtill meanes perswaded the Lord Charles his brother to take the Duchie of Guienne for Brie and Champaigne to the Duke of Burgundies discontentment Chap. 15. THe King after his departure from the Duke returned with great ioy into his realme attempting nothing against the Duke for his euill vsage at Peronne and Liege but seeming to take all in good part Notwithstanding sharpe warre arose afterward between them but not soon neither was this the cheif cause thereof though happily it might in part further it for if this treatie had beene concluded at Paris it had passed in effect as it did at Peronne But the Duke by his officers aduise sought to aduaunce the bonds of his dominions besides that diuers subtill practises were vsed to set these two Princes againe at variance as you shall heare when occasion serueth The Lord Charles of Fraunce the Kings onely brother and late Duke of Normandie being aduertised of this treatie made at Peronne and the partage assigned to him thereby sent foorthwith to the King desiring him to accomplish the treatie and performe his promise The King sent in like maner to him about that matter and manie messengers ran to and fro betweene them The Duke of Burgundie sent also his ambassadors to the saide Lord Charles desiring him to accept no other partage then Champaigne and Brie which by his meanes was granted him shewing him withall how great good will he bare him sith notwithstanding he had abandoned him yet would not he do the like as the sequell well declared but had also comprehended the Duke of Britain in the treatie as his confederate Farther he sent him word that Champaigne and Brie lay very commodiously for them both bicause if the King should at any time attempt ought against him he might within two daies warning haue succours out of Burgundie the two countries bordering on vpon another Lastely he aduertised him that his partage was very good and that he might leuie in his countries aides customes and subsidies neither could the King claime any thing there but homage resort and soueraignity This Lord Charles was a man doing little or nothing of himselfe but wholy lead and gouerned by others notwithstanding that he were aboue fiue and twenty yeeres of age Thus passed the winter which was well spent before the Kings departure from vs messengers ran continually to and fro about this partage for the King ment nothing lesse then to giue his brother that he had promised bicause he would not haue him and the Duke of Burgundie so neere neighbours But he treated with his brother to take Guienne which is in maner all Aquitaine for Brie and Champaigne The Lord Charles feared to displease the Duke of Bourgundy and doubted if he yeelded to the Kings request and he should not keepe touch with him that then he should loose both freend and partage and so be left bare boord But the King being the subtilest prince then liuing and the cunningest dealer in such treaties perceiuing that he
league should remaine firme and vnuiolable between vs and the King and the realme of England saue that for Edward we named Henry This appointment pleased well the Duke of Burgundy for the Earle of Warwick was sending fower thousand English men to Calice to make sharp war vpon his dominions neither could the D. pacifie him by any meanes Notwithstanding the rich merchants of London diuers of the which were then at Calice in the end perswaded him to peace bicause their staple of wools is there which is a far goodlier thing than a man would beleeue for it is almost incredible of how great value the wooll is that is transported thither twise a yeere and lieth there till merchants come to buy it The chiefe vent whereof is into Flaunders and Holland which was the principall cause that mooued these merchants to labour so earnestly for peace and for stay of the soldiers the Earle was sending ouer which sure was a happy chance for the Duke of Burgundie for it was euen at the very same instant that the King tooke Amiens and Saint Quintine and if both the realmes had made war vpon him at once vndoubtedly he had been vndone He trauelled to appease the Earle of Warwick by all meanes possible alleging that he would attempt nothing against King Henry seeing he was himselfe of the house of Lancaster and vsing such words as might best serue for his purpose Now to returne to King Edward he came to Saint Paule to the Duke of Burgundy and pressed him earnestly for aide to return home assuring him that he had great intelligence in England and desiring him for Gods loue not to abandon him considering he had maried his sister and that they were brethren of one order The Dukes of Somerset and Excester labored him to the contrary to wit to take part with King Henry The Duke could not tell whom to please and either party he feared to displease But in the end bicause sharpe war was already begun vpon him euen at his very nose 3 he inclined to the Duke of Somerset and others aboue named accepting their promises against the Earle of Warwick their ancient enimy Wherwith King Edvvard there present was woonderfully disquieted But the Dukes seruants alleaged the best reasons they could in excuse herof saying that the Duke vsed this dissimulatiō to auoid war with both the realms at once adding therto that if he should be ouerthrowne he could not after aide him at his ease Notwithstanding the Duke seeing that he could no longer stay the King there but that needs he would returne into England and fearing for diuers considerations altogither to discontent him pretended openly that he would not aide him and made proclamation that no man should go to his seruice but couertly he deliuered him 50000. gildons of the Saint Andrewes crosse and caused three or fower great ships to be armed for him at La Vere in Zeland 4 which is a hauen where all nations are receiued Besides all this he entertained for him secretly fowerteen ships of the Easterlings well appointed who promised to serue him till he were landed in England and fifteen daies after which was great aide considering the time The Notes 1 He meaneth whether he should aide the King or no. 2 Our author reporteth this ragged staffe to be blacke but bicause the Earles of VVarwicke neuer gaue it blacke but the Earles of Kent I haue translated it white no whit doubting but that either the printer hath faulted heere or our authors memory failed him 3 To wit by the Englishmen sent ouer by the Earle of VVarwick 4 La Vere otherwise called Camphere is in the I le of VValkeren in Zeland not in Holland and is the Scottish staple wherefore I haue beene bold to amend the booke How King Edward returned into England where he slew in battell first the Earle of Warwick and then the Prince of Wales Chap. 7. KIng Edward departed out of Flanders the yeere 1471. at the selfe Heere our English affaires begin the yeere 1471. same instant that the D. of Burgundie went to Amiens against the King The said Duke thought now howsoeuer the world went in England he could not speede amisse bicause he had friends on both sides King Edward immediatly after his landing marched straight towards London bicause three or fower hundred Knights and Esquires of his faction togither with others of the meaner sort to the number of two thousand and better had retired themselues into the Sanctuaries of the citie which was a happy chance for him for if he landed with small force The Earle of Warwick being in the north parts with a great armie hearing these newes made haste to be at London before him rather for other respects than for that he greatly feared the reuolt of the towne notwithstanding the contrarie happened For King Edward was receiued into the citie with great ioy and triumph the tuesday before Easter contrarie to the expectation of most men for all the world accounted him as vtterly vndone And vndoubtedly if they had shut the gates against him he had been past all recouerie for the Earle of Warwicke was but a daies iourney behinde him There were three things especially as I haue heard that caused the towne to reuolt First the gentlemen that were in the sanctuaries and the yoong Prince lately borne The second the great debts that the King owed in the towne in respect whereof the merchants to whom he was indebted thought it their best way to take part with him The third a great many women of honor and rich merchants wiues with whom in times past he had been familiar perswaded their husbands and friends to incline to him He staied not past two or three daies in the towne for vpon Easter euen he departed with all the force he could leuy and marched against the Earle of Warwicke whom he met the next morning being Easter day and as they stood in order of battell the one in face of the other suddenly the D. of Clarence the Kings brother who was reconciled to the King as before you haue heard reuolted to the King with twelue thousand men and better 1 which no lesse astonied the Earle than encouraged the King whose force was not great But all this notwithstanding the battell was cruell and blooddy They were all footemen on both sides of the Kings vaward a great number were slaine then his battell and the Earles met and ioined so fiercely togither that the King himselfe fought in person more valiantly than any man of either army The Earle of Warwick vsed neuer to fight on foote but his maner was when he had led his men to the charge to take horse and if the victory fell on his side to fight among his soldiers otherwise to depart in time But at this battel he was constrained by his brother the Marques of Mountacute a valiant knight to light on foote and send away his horse To conclude in this battell died
vse often when money faileth them to leuy an armie and make shewe as though they would inuade Scotland or Fraunce But after they haue receiued money for a yeere they lie abroad in campe three moneths and then returne home and dismisse their army which practise King Edward was well acquainted with and vsed often It was at the least a yeere before this English army could be in a readines but when it was furnished of all things necessarie the King of England aduertised the Duke of Burgundie die thereof who in the beginning of the sommer went before Nuz trusting in short space to put his Bishop in possession and to retaine certaine places as Nuz and others in his owne hands to what purpose you haue heard before I thinke verily that this proceeded of God who beheld with a pitifull eie this realme of Fraunce which vndoubtedly the Duke might shrewdly haue shaken considering that his army was mightie and all of olde soldiers accustomed by the space of many yeeres to enter and spoile this realme without any resistance saue onely by defence of the strong townes True it is that this proceeded of the King who would hazard nothing partly for feare of the Dukes force and partly for doubt of rebellion in his realme if he should receiue an ouerthrow for he knew himselfe not to be beloued of all his subiects especially the nobilitie And if I may vtter all he hath eftsoons told me that he knew his subiects well ynough and should finde them rebellious if his assaires happened to haue hard successe wherefore when the Duke of Burgundie entred into the realme he manned the townes well by the which he passed whereby in short space the Dukes army brake it selfe and the King neuer endangered his estate which vndoubtedly proceeded of great wisedome But all this notwithstanding the Dukes force being so great as it was if the King of Englands army had also entred in the beginning of sommer as assuredly it would had not the Duke so obstinately line before Nuz vndoubtedly the realme had stood in great danger for neuer King of England passed at once with so great force nor so well disposed to fight All the great Lords of England were there none excepted Their men of armes were 1500. at the least which was much for the English men all wel appointed and well accompanied and 14000. archers on horseback besides a great number of foote men that serued in the army and in all their campe was not one Page Further the King of England had in a readines three thousand men to land in Britaine to ioine there with the Duke of Britaines forces I saw my selfe two letters written with the Lord of Vrfés owne hands then seruant to the Duke of Britaine but afterward Master of the horse to King Charles the one addressed to the King of England and the other to the Lord Hastings Lord great Chamberlaine of England 12 The contents whereof among diuers other things were that the Duke of Britaine would do more in Fraunce by intelligence in a moneth than the King of England and the Duke of Burgundie notwithstanding their great forces in halfe a yeere which words I thinke would haue prooued true if the matter had come to execution But God who hath alwaies loued this realme disposed of these affaires as heereafter you shall heare These letters aboue mentioned the King bought of one of the King of Englands Secretaries for three score marks of siluer The Notes 1 This Duke Adolph maried Katherine daughter to Charles Duke of Bourbon and Agnes sister to Philip Duke of Burgundy Meyer 2 Duke Arnold lay in prison sixe yeeres Meyer but he misseth the cushion for other approoued authors and namely Guicciardin agree with Commines 3 The French hath Mambourg or Membourg which is as much as captaine or gouernor looke more heerof in the pedegree of the Dukes of Gueldres 4 Least it seeme strange that this yoong Duke whom our author in this very Chapter reporteth to haue beene well fauored of the Duke of Burgundy should be staied and imprisoned in his dominions you shall vnderstand that the Duke of Burgundy vpon hope to be Duke Arnolds heire himselfe altered his minde and of the yoong Dukes friend became his foe 5 The Emperor stirred not against the Duke of Burgundy for taking by force the Duchy of Gueldres which was held of the Empire bicause the Dukes of Gueldres by the space of thirty yeeres had done no homage to the Empire The Duke subdued Gueldres anno 1473. Meyer 6 It was our author himselfe that gaue the King this aduise Meyer 7 This quarrell began anno 1473. Meyer 8 The Palzgraues name was Robert his Chapter and he were at variance in such sort that they had gotten him excommunicated chosen Harman the Lantzgraue of Hesses brother to gouerne the charge Then the Duke of Burgundy tooke vpon him to place him againe in his Sea which appertained not to him but to the Emperor and the Pope in the end this Robert was taken and died in prison 9 The league betweene the Duke and the Bishop was that these places heere mentioned belonging to the Church of Coulon should haue remained to the Duke for his charges Nuz was besieged the 28. of Iuly 1474. 10 Nuz is beneath Coulon so that if the Duke had held that and three or fower places aboue Coulon the said city of Coulon being on al sides inuironed by him must perforce haue been at his commandement 11 This Lantzgraue was Lodouicus grandfather to Philip that last died 12 The Lord Hastings was indeed but Chamberlaine of the King house How the towne of Nuz was succoured by the Emperor and the Almains against the Duke of Burgundy and of other enimies that the King procured the Duke Chap. 2. THe Duke of Burgundy as you haue heard was now busied before Nuz and found the enterprise of more difficulty than he supposed The city of Coulon situate vpon the riuer of Rhene fower leagues aboue Nuz spent monethly 1 in the wars 100000. golde gildons for feare of the Duke And they and certaine other townes aboue them had already put fifteene or sixteene thousand footemen into the fielde who encamped on the other side of the riuer directly ouer against the Duke and planted great force of artillery vpon the banke thinking thereby to cut off his victuals that came vp the streame out of Guelderland and to sinke the botes by canon shot Moreouer the Emperor and the Princes Electors of the Empire assembled togither about this busines and concluded to leuy an army wherunto the King sent diuers messengers to sollicite them to whom also they sent a Chanon of Coulon of the house of Bauiere accompanied with another ambassador who brought him a roll of the army the Emperor was resolued to leuy if he for his part would ioine in the enterprise It is not to be doubted but that they receiued a good answer with promise of all they demanded
from the Duke of Burgundie the castell of Tronquoy the townes of Montdidier Roye and Corbie and how he sought to perswade the Emperor Frederick to seiz vpon all that the said Duke held of the Empire Chap. 3. ABout this time the truce ended between the King and the Duke to the Kings great griefe who gladly would haue prolonged it but seeing no remedie he went and besieged a little castel called Tronquoy in the yeere 1475. in the very beginning of sommer the pleasantest time of the yeere The castell in short space was taken by assault The next day the K. sent me to parle with them that were within Montdidier who yeelded the place departed with bag baggage Thence I went the third day being accompanied with the Admiral of Fraunce bastard of Bourbon to parle with them that were within Roye who in like maner yeelded the piece bicause they were vtterly in despaire of succors which sure if the Duke had been in the countrie they would not haue done Notwithstanding both these townes were burned contrarie to our promise Thence the King departed and laid his campe before Corbie which abode the siege Goodly approches were made to the towne and the Kings artillerie bet it three daies within it was the Lord of Contay 1 and diuers others who yeelded the place and departed with bag and baggage two daies after this poore town was also sacked and burned as the two former Then the King thought to repaire home with his armie trusting to perswade the Duke of Burgundie to make truce considering the distresse he was in But a certaine Lady whom I know well yet will not name bicause she is still liuing writ him a letter willing him to leade his armie to Arras and into those parts whereunto the King agreed for she was a woman of honor I commend hir not in thus doing for she was in no respect bound to the King The King sent thither the Lord Admirall bastard of Bourbon with a great band of men which burned many townes in those quarters and spoiled all the countrie betweene Abbeuille and Arras whereupon the citizens of Arras who were puffed vp with pride bicause of their long prosperity compelled the garrison of the towne to issue foorth But being too weake to encounter with the Kings forces they were put to flight and pursued so speedily that many of them were slaine and taken togither with all their captaines namely Master Iames of Saint Paule 2 the Constables brother the Lord of Contay the Lord of Carency and diuers others some of the which were neere kinsmen to the Lady hir selfe that caused this enterprise so that she receiued great dammage by the ouerthrow but the King for hir sake repaired all in time The King sent to the Emperor as you haue heard Iohn Tiercelin Lord of Brosse partly to sollicite him not to make peace with the Duke of Burgundy and partly to make his excuse for not sending his forces according to his promise and further to assure him that he would shortly send them and would also continue to spoile and endamage the Dukes dominions as well in the marches of Burgundy 3 as also in Picardy Lastly he made him a new ouuerture which was that they should sweare each to other not to make peace the one without the other and that the Emperor should seaze into his hands all the seigniories that the Duke held and ought to hold of the Empire and proclaime them forfaited to him and he would do the like with all those that were held of the crowne of Fraunce namely Flaunders Artois Burgundy and the rest The Emperor though all his life time he had made small shew of any valor yet was he wise and of great experience bicause of his ancient yeeres Further these practises between vs and him had continued so long that he waxed weary of the wars notwithstanding that they cost him neuer a grote For all the Princes of Almaine lay there vpon their owne charge as their maner is when the war concerneth the state of the empire The Emperor answered the Kings ambassadors after this sort There was somtime neere to a certaine city in Germany a great Beare that much endamaged the countrie three good fellowes of the which city being tauerne haunters came to a tauerne where they were indebted desiring their host yet once more to giue them credit promising him within two daies paiment of the whole debt for they would take this Beare that did so much harme in the countrey whose skin was woorth a great sum of money besides the presents that good folkes would giue them whereunto their host agreed and when they had dined foorth they went toward this beasts caue neere to the which when they approched they met with the Beare vnlooked for and being stricken with sudden feare fled one got vp into a tree the other fled towards the towne but the third the Beare tooke and ouerthrew and foiled vnder hir feete holding hir mussell hard to his eare The poore soule lay flat vpon the ground as though he had been dead Now you shall vnderstand that the nature of a Beare is such that whatsoeuer she holdeth in hir clawes man or beast so soon as she seeth it leaue stirring she foorthwith forsaketh it supposing it to be dead as also this Beare left this poore fellow not doing him any great harme and returned to hir den Then he seeing the danger past arose and went towards the towne But his fellow that stood in the tree hauing beheld all this pageant came downe and ran crying after him to stay and when he had ouertaken him desired him to tell him faithfully what counsell the Beare gaue him in his eare whereto she held hir mussell so long whereunto his fellow answered that she bad him neuer to sell the Beares skin till the Beare were slaine And with this fable paid the Emperor our King not giuing his ambassadors any further answer as though he should haue said come hither according to your promise and let vs take this Duke if we can and then make partition of his goods The Notes 1 This Contay is successor to him mentioned in the wars against the Liegeois 2 This Iames is named in other histories Lord of Richebourg 3 For in the marches of Burgundy the Duke of Bourbon had giuen the Burgundians a great ouerthrow as our author in the next chapter maketh mention How the Constable began to be had in suspicion againe as well of the King as of the Duke of Burgundy Chap. 4. YOu haue heard how Master Iames of Saint Paule and others were taken prisoners before Arras Their captiuity was to the Constables great greefe for the said Master Iames was a louing and naturall brother to him But this was not the onely misfortune that fell vpon him for at this very instant was also taken the Earle of Roussy his sonne gouernor of Burgundy for the Duke 1 and likewise his wife died which was a
earnestly the other the hope he had to reserue to himselfe a great part of the subsidie leuied in England for this voiage for as before I haue said the Kings of England receiue onely the bare reuenues of their lands saue when they leuie money to make war in Fraunce Further K. Edward had deuised this subtiltie to appease his subiects he had brought with him ten or 12. great fat paunches as well of the citie of London as of other townes in England who were the wealthiestmen of the commonaltie and had been the chiefest instruments both in perswading the King to passe into Fraunce and also in leuying this mightie army The King caused them to be lodged in good tents but that was not the life they were accustomed to lead wherefore they soone waxed wearie of it At their first arriuall they looked for the battell within three daies after their landing But the King of England alleaged many doubts vnto them and endeuored to put them in feare of the battell and to perswade them to allow of the peace to the ende they might aide him at their returne into England to pacifie the murmuring and grudging of the people that happily might arise bicause of his returne for neuer King of England since King Arthur passed at one time with so great force and so many noble personages into Fraunce But after the peace was concluded the King of England repaired homeward with speed reseruing to himselfe a great summe of monie leuied in England for the paiment of his soldiers so that he obtained in effect all his purposes His bodie could not away with such labor as a King of England must endure that mindeth to atchieue any great enterprise in Fraunce Further the King our Master had made great preparation for resistance though to say the truth he could not well haue prouided defence sufficient against all his enimies for he had too manie Lastly the King of England had a maruellous great desire to accomplish the marriage of his daughter with King Charles the 8. now raigning which caused him to winke at a number of inconueniences that turned after to the King our Masters great profit After all the English men were returned home sauing the hostages the King tooke his iourney towards Laon and lodged in a little towne vpon the maâ—â—â—es of Henault called Veruins and to Auennes in Henault came the Chauncelloâ— oâ— Burgundie with the Lord of Contay and other ambassadors from the Duke The King was very desirous at this time to conclude a finall peace for this mightie English armie had put him in feare and no maruell for he had seene in his time of their doings in this realme and would in no wise their returne The said Chauncellor writ to the King desiring that it would please him to send his Commissioners for the peace to a certaine bridge in the midway betweene Auennes and Veruins saying that he and his colleagues would meet them there The King sent him answer that he would come thither himselfe and notwithstanding that diuers whose aduise he asked in this matter perswaded him to the contrarie yet thither he went leading also with him the English hostages who were present when he receiued the Dukes ambassadors the which came very well accompanied with archers and men of war At this first meeting they did but salute the King then went to dinner One of the English men began to repent him that the treatie was concluded and said to me at a window that if they had seene many such men with the Duke of Burgundie peraduenture they would not haue made peace Which words the Vicount of Narbonne 1 now Lord of Fouez hearing said Were you so simple to thinke that the Duke of Burgundie had not great force of such men he had sent them onely to refresh themselues but you were so desirous to returne home that sixe hundred pipes of wine and a pension the King giueth you blew you quickly backe into England The English man in a great furie answered I perceiue now their sayings to prooue true that told vs you would deride vs for making peace Call you the money the King giueth vs a pension it is tribute and by Saint George you may babble so much that you may soone make vs to returne But I brake off their talke and turned it to a iest notwithstanding the Englishman was discontented and cast out a word thereof to the King who was maruellously offended with the Lord of Narbonne for his speech The King communed not long at this first meeting with the Chancellor and the other ambassadors for it was agreed that they should go with him to Veruines where when they arriued he coÌ„manded M. Tanneguy du Chastell and M. Peter Doriole Chancellor of Fraunce and others to negotiate with them much ado there was betweene them many reasons alleaged and many demands made on each side The Kings Commissioners made report to him that the Burgundians vsed fierce and stout language but that they had paid them with the like and withall tolde him what their answers were Which he much misliked saying that the like answers had been made diuers times before and that they treated not of a finall peace but onely of truce wherefore he would haue no more such language vsed but would himselfe commune with them and thereupon caused the said Chauncellor and the 〈◊〉 â—â—bassadors to come into his chamber out of the which all men were commanded to auoid saue the late L. Admirall called the bastard of Burbon Monseur de Bouchage and my selfe There the King concluded truce for nine yeeres wherein it was agreed that euery man shuld be restored to his former estate But the ambassadors besought the King that the truce might not yet be proclaimed to saue the D. their Masters oth who had sworne not to make truce before the King of England had been a certaine space in his realme least he should thinke their Master had accepted his truce But the King of England who thought great scorne that the Duke would not be comprehended in his truce being aduertised that he treated with the King of an other sent ouer into Fraunce a knight neere about him called Sir Thomas Montgomery who came to Veruins at the very same instant that the King treated with the Duke of Burgundies ambassadors of this truce aboue mentioned The said Sir Thomas required the King in the King his Masters name to make no other truce with the Duke of Burgundy than that which was already concluded betweene them two Further desiring him not to deliuer Saint Quintins into the Dukes hands offering that if he would continue war with the Duke his Master would be content the next sommer to passe the seas againe for him and in his aide with these conditions First that the King should recompence the losse the King of England should sustaine by the wooll custome of Calice amounting yeerely to 50000. crownes which if the war opened with
the Prince of Wales at the battell of Poictiers paied for his raunsome three millions of franks and yeelded to the English men all Aquitaine at the least all that he held in his hands with a number of other cities townes and places yea in a maner the thirde foote of his realme whereby he brought his realme into such pouertie that manie yeeres after they vsed leather monie with a little stud or naile of siluer in the middest thereof And all this gaue he and his sonne King Charles surnamed the VVise for his raunsome And if they would haue giuen nothing yet would not the English men haue put him to death but his greatest paine had beene imprisonment But admit they had put him to death yet had not that pain been so great by the hundred thousandth part as the least paine in hell Why gaue he then all this great raunsome aboue rehearsed destroying his children and subiects but onely bicause he beleeued that which he saw and perceiued well that he could not otherwise be deliuered But peraduenture when he committed the fault for the which this punishment fell vpon him his children and subiects he beleeued not firmely that the offence he made against God and his commandements should be punished Now to conclude there is no Prince or very few that will restore one towne they withhold from their neighbor for the loue of God or to eschew the paines of hell and yet King Iohn gaue all this to deliuer his bodie out of prison I asked a question before who will search out great mens faults who will informe the Iustice of them and who will be the Iustice to punish them Whereunto I now answer that the information shall be the lamentable crie and plaint of their subiects whom they tyrannize and oppresse so many waies without any compassion the sorrowfull lamentation of widowes and orphans whose husbands and fathers they haue wrongfully put to death by meanes whereof their wiues and children haue euer after liued in affliction and miserie and generally the complaints of all those whom they haue persecuted either in their persons or goods These I say shall giue information against them by their great mourning wailing and pitious teares and shall accuse them before the Lord God who will be the iust iudge thereof and peraduenture will not delay the punishment till the world to come but will also punish them in this world which punishment proceedeth of lacke of faith bicause they had not a firme and stedfast beleefe in Gods commandements We must therefore of necessitie confesse that God is forced to shew such tokens and examples to the end both Princes themselues and all the world may beleeue that these punishments fall vpon them for their misbeleefe and sinnes and that God sheweth his mightie power and iustice vpon them bicause none other in this world but he hath power ouer them At the first happily they amend not their liues for Gods scourges be they neuer so great and long But no misfortune falleth vpon a Prince vpon those that gouerne his affaires or vpon those that rule great commonalties but the issue is hurtfull and dangerous to the subiects When I say misfortunes I meane none but such as cause the subiects to smart for to fall from a horse to breake a leg to be punished with a sharpe ague are no misfortunes to a Prince bicause he may be cured of them and peraduenture they may do him good and teach him wit but I call these misfortunes when God is so displeased with a Prince that he will no longer suffer him to raigne but shew his power and iustice vpon him For then first he weakeneth his wits which is a shrewd blowe for all those that haue to do with him he troubleth his house and suffereth it to fall into diuision and disquietnes and the Prince himselfe is so far in Gods disgrace that he flieth the counsell and companie of the wise and aduaunceth none but yoong fooles voide of wit oppressors flatterers and such as soothe him in all his sayings If he take one penie they bid him take two if he threaten a man they bid hang him and after that sort in all other actions Further they giue him counsell in any wise to cause himselfe to be feared and they also behaue themselues cruelly and proudly trusting by this meanes to hold men in awe of them as though authoritie were their inheritance Those whom such Princes by the aduise of these new Counsellors haue banished and displaced hauing serued many yeeres and being well acquainted and friended in their countrie will storme at this vsage and for their sakes their friends and well willers also and peraduenture such iniurie shall be offered them that they shall be forced either to defend themselues or to flie to some Prince their neighbor who perchance is enimy to him that banisheth and chaseth them and so by inward diuision stangers shall enter into the land Is any plague or miserie so great as wars betwixt friends and acquaintance Is any malice so ranke and deadly As touching forren enimies when the subiects are linked togither they may easily make resistance bicause their enimies haue no intelligence nor acquaintance in the realme Thinke you that an vnwise Prince being accompanied with fooles can smell a far off how great a mischiefe diuision among his subiects is or beleeue that it can hurt him or proceedeth of God he eateth and sleepeth no whit the woorse for it he hath neither fewer horses in his stable nor fewerrobes in his wardrobe but many mo companions For he allureth men vnto him by promises and by parting among them the spoiles and offices of those whom he hath banished he giueth also of his owne to win thereby fame and renowme but when he shall least thinke of it God will raise vp an enimie against him whom peraduenture he neuer mistrusted Then will he waxe pensiue and suspect those whom he hath iniuried yea he will feare such as indeede owe him no euill will yet notwithstanding he will not haue his refuge to God in this extremitie but seeke to redresse this inconuenience by force Haue we not seene in our daies examples heerof euen among our next neighbors Haue we not seene the late King of England Edward the fourth of that name heire of the house of Yorke vtterly destroy the house of Lancaster vnder the which both his father and he had liued many yeeres Further the said King Edward hauing done homage to King Henry the 6. being of the house of Lancaster did he not afterward hold him prisoner many yeeres in the tower of London the chiefe citie of the realme where in the end he was put to death Haue we not also seene the Earle of Warwicke principall gouernor of all the said King Edwards affaires after he had put to death all his enimies especially the Duke of Sommerset in the end become deadly enimy to his Master giue his daughter in mariage to the
these conditions that if the marriage were accomplished they should permit him quietly to enioy the counties of Burgundie Auxerrois Masconnois and Charolois and he for his part would restore vnto them Artois reseruing onely to himselfe the citie of Arras in such sort as he had fortified it for the towne was now nothing woorth considering the fortification of the citie For before the King tooke Arras the towne was fortified with ditch and rampire against the citie but now the citie was fortified against the towne and held for the King by the Bishop wherein the King did contrarie to the Princes of this house of Burgundie For they alwaies at the least by the space of these hundred yeeres made Bishop whom they listed and placed a captaine in the towne besides but the King to increase his authoritie did cleane contrarie and caused also the towne wals to be beaten downe and the citie to be fortified so that now the citie shutteth vpon the towne a great ditch being betweene both Wherefore the King indeed offered nothing for whoso hath the citie hath the towne at commandement Of the Duchie of Burgundie the countie of Bolloin the townes situate vpon the riuer of Somme the territories of Peronne Roye Montdidier no mention was made After these ouuertures were once set on foot they of Gaunt furthered them to the vttermost of their power and vsed very rudely the Duke and Duchesse his wife as did also diuers other great townes of Flaunders and Brabant which were fully bent to follow the proceedings of them of Gaunt especially Brucelles which was growen so wealthie bicause of the continuall residence that Duke Philip and Duke Charles of Burgundie had made there as did also at this present the Duke and Duchesse of Austriche that the wealth â—nd quietnes wherein they had liued vnder these two Dukes aboue named made them forget God and their dutie to their Prince so that they procured themselues that misfortune which afterward as you haue seene fell vpon them The Notes 1 The old copie saith but 500. men of armes 2 There were slaine at the battell of Guinegate 11000. Burgundians and 5000. French men Gaguin How King Lewis being visited with sicknes lost his wits and lay speechlesse somtime recouering and eftsoones falling into his disease againe and how he behaued himselfe in his castell of Plessis les Tours Chap. 7. ABout this time in the yeere 1479. in the moneth of March truce was made betweene these two Princes The King was verie desirous of peace especially in those parts so that it might be altogither for his aduentage For he began now to waxe old and sickely so far foorth that once being at dinner at Forges neere to Chinon he was suddenly taken in all parts of his bodie and lost his speech he was taken vp from the table and held to the fire and the windowes shut to the which notwithstanding that he desired to go yet some of his freiends held him and would not suffer him so to do meaning all for the best This disease tooke him in the yeere of our Lord 1480. in the moneth of March he laie altogither speechlesse he knew no man and his memorie was wholly taken away At the which instant you my Lord of Vienna came thither and serued him at that time in steed of a Phisition for you gaue him a glister and caused the windowes to be opened and the aire to be let in whereupon immediately he recouered his speech and his memorie after a sort and tooke horse and returned to Forges for this disease tooke him in a village a quarter of a league thence whither he went to heare masse He was diligently tended made signes what he would haue done among other things he desired that the officiall of Tours might be called to shriue him and made signes also that I should be sent for for I was gone to Argenton being ten leagues thence when I came I found him at the table with Master Adam Fumee who sometime had beene King Charles the seauenths Phisition and was at that present Master of the requests and another Phisition called Master Claude he vnderstood little what any man saide notwithstanding griefe he felt none he spake plainely almost neuer a word but made signes that I should be in his chamber I waited vpon him the space of 15. daies 1 at his table about his person as one of the groomes of his chamber which I accounted great honor to me and thought my self in dutie bound so to do After two daies he recouered his speech his memorie after a sort and bicause he thought that no man vnderstood him so well as my selfe his pleasure was that I should alwaies be by him and he confessed himselfe to the officiall in my presence otherwise they would neuer haue vnderstood one an other He had not much to say for he was shriuen not long before bicause the Kings of Fraunce vse alwaies to confesse themselues when they touch those that be sicke of the Kings euill which he neuer failed to do once a weeke If other Princes do not the like they are to blame for continually a great number are troubled with that disease After he was somewhat recouered he began to enquire who they were that held him by force from going to the windowes whose names when he heard foorthwith he banished them the Court so that they neuer came afterward to his presence some of them also he put out of office From others namely the Lord of Segre and Gilbert de Grasse Lord of Champeroux he tooke nothing but commanded them to depart Many woondered at this toie blaming him for so vsing them considering that all that they did was for the best and they said truth but Princes imaginations are strange and a number are bold to prattle of them that vnderstand them not The King feared nothing so much as the diminishing of his authoritie being maruellous great for the which cause he would not be disobeied in any point Further he remembred that when King Charles his father fell into the disease whereof he died he entred into suspition that his seruants sought to poison him at his sonnes request 2 which phansie sanke so deepely into his head that he refused his meate Wherefore it was concluded by the aduise of his Phisitions and of his chiefest and trustiest seruants that he should be forced to eate the which was executed verie orderly and aduisedly by those that serued him for cooliz was powred into his mouth but soone after this force he died The King our Master who had euer misliked this ordering of his father stomacked maruellously that he had been held thus perforce but yet made shew of much greater displeasure than indeed he had conceiued therof The chiefe cause that mooued him so to do was feare least they should Master him in all other things especially in the expedition of his waightie affaires vnder colour of the imperfection of his wits After
so had his father done also but so wisely that they held themselues in maner contented therewith In the second ambassage the said Peter sent to Lions one called Peter Capon with diuers others by whom he excused himselfe as before he had done for not accomplishing the Kings requests saying that King Levvis the eleuenth had commanded the towne of Florence to enter into league with King Ferrande in the time of Duke Iohn of Aniou and to depart from their league with the said Duke wherefore seeing by the Kings commandement they were entred into this league which endured yet certaine yeeres they could not abandon nor forsake the house of Arragon But if the King hapned to come into their countrey they promised to do him great seruices which offer they made bicause they thought as the Venetians did that the King would not come into Italy In both these ambassages there was some one enimy to the said de Medicis especially in the latter this Capon who oftē aduertised vs by what meanes the citie of Florence might be brought to rebell against the said Peter and deliuered also his message in far woorse termes than indeed it was sent and further gaue aduise to banish all the Florentines out of Fraunce and so were they 8 Thus much haue I written to the end you may the better vnderstand that which afterward ensued for the King became mortall enimy to the said Peter and the Seneschall and generall had great intelligence with his enimies in the citie especially with this Capon yea and with two also of the said Peters cosin germaines being both of his owne name The Notes 1 The King came to Ast the 9. of September 1494. Guicciar 2 The King abode at Ast till the 6. of October Annal. Franc. Aquit 3 Alphonse in person leuied men in Abruzzo to haue fought with Duke Aubigny but in an assembly held between him and the Pope at Vicouare the third of Iuly it was agreed that he should passe no further but giue the charge of the armie to his sonne Guicciar 4 This Duke Aubigny was a Scottish man and a Steward and of him the now King of Scots is by his father lineally descended 5 Genua was euer diuided into the factions of Fregosi called here in many places Fourgousi Adorni Dorei and Spinoli 6 The Italians haue Aretio which is a towne betweene Florence and Perouse but Guazzo de Regio which is a little towne neere to Parma 7 That was after the rate of one hundred ducats for euery man of armes for the Italian men of armes haue not their archers as the French and therefore their wages is lesse by the halfe 8 They gaue this counsell to the end the Florentines being barred their trafficke in Fraunce might murmur against Peter of Medicis for what misfortune soeuer happeneth the Prince is alwaies blamed as cause thereof How the King remaining yet in Ast resolued to passe foorth towards Naples at the earnest sute of Lodouic Sforce How Philip de Commines was sent ambassador to Venice of the Duke of Milans death after whose decease the said Lodouic seized vpon the Duchie to the preiudice of a sonne the said D. left behinde him Chap. 6. I Haue told you alreadie what happened vpon the sea at Rapalo Dom Frederike retired to Pisa and Ligorne leauing his footemen behinde him whom he had landed The Florentines waxed maruellous wearie of him for they be and euer haue been better affected to the house of Fraunce than to that of Arragon Our armie that was in Romaine notwithstanding that it were the weaker furthered greatly our affaires for it made Dom Ferrande D. of Calabria by little little to retire which when the K. perceiued he resolued to passe forward being earnestly sollicited therunto by the Lord Lodouic and the others aboue named The said Lodouic at his first meeting with the King spake thus vnto him Sir feare not this enterprise there are in Italie but three mightie estates one of the which taketh part with you which is Milan another mooueth not to wit the Venetians so that you haue onely to do with the force of Naples But diuers of your ancestors haue ouerthrowen vs all three being ioined togither Sir if you will credit me I will helpe to make you greater than euer was Charleman for we will easily chase the Turke out of the Empire of Constantinople hauing subdued the realme of Naples And sure he said true of the Turke that now raigneth 1 if all things had been well ordered on our side Then the King began to gouerne all his affaires by the order and direction of the said Lodouic wherewith certaine of our men I meane some of the Kings chamber and such like were not a little discontented which was great folly for without him we could do nothing and this that they did was onely to flatter the Duke of Orleance who pretended title to the Duchie of Milan 2 But the Generall especially was highly offended therewith for now he thought himselfe a great man and some breach was happened betweene the Seneschall and him for the which cause the L. Lodouic mooued both the K. and the saide Seneschall that the Generall might be sent home which his words caused the saide Generall openly to babble against him and to say that he would deceiue the whole companie but silence would better haue becommed him Notwithstanding as touching him neuer wise man made account of him in matter of estate both bicause he vnderstood not what it meant and also bicause he was light of talke but sure he was well affected to his Master They concluded in the end to send abrode diuers ambassadors and my selfe among the rest was appointed to go to Venice but my dispatch was delaied awhile bicause the King was sicke of the small pocks and in danger of death for an ague was ioined with his disease but it endured not past sixe or seuen daies Then I departed leauing the King in Ast and verily beleeuing that he would passe no further in sixe daies I went to Venice with my mules and carriage for the way was maruellous faire But I departed from the said towne of Ast in great feare doubting the Kings returne home notwithstanding God had otherwise disposed of this enterprise for he went straight to Pauie and passed through Casall where the Marchionesse of Montferrat lay which was a good Lady and great friend to vs but deadly enimie to the Lord Lodouic and he also to hir When the King arriued at Pauie some small ielousie began to arise for they would haue lodged him in the towne and not in the castell but he would not lodge but in the castell and so he did Those that were neere about him haue told me that he was there in some danger Wherefore the selfesame night the watch was r'enforced whereat the Lord Lodouic maruelled greatly so far foorth that he communed thereof with the King demanding if he had conceiued any suspicion of him
their towne reared vp againe the armes of Arragon and Dom Frederick being at Brandis sent a garrison thither To be short fortune began now to frowne vpon vs which but two moneths before so highly had fauored vs in such sort that through the whole realme they began to reuolt as well bicause of the league as also of the Kings departure and the small forces he left behinde him which was nothing in respect of the number of soldiers though diuers of the captaines were of great valor He appointed for his lieutenant generall in the said realme the Lord of Montpensier of the house of Bourbon a valiant and a hardy knight but of no great sense and so careles that he kept his bed euery day til noone In Calabria he left the Lord of Aubigny a Scottish man borne a vertuous wise honorable a valiant knight him he created high Constable of the realme and gaue him as before you haue heard the Earldome of Acri and the Marquisat of Squillazzo He had made Lord great Chamberlaine of the realme at his first comming thither the Seneschall of Beaucaire called Stephan de Vers who was also captaine of Caietta Duke of Nola and Lord of diuers other seniories Further all the treasure of the realme passed through his hands so that his charge was much too waightie for him but sure he was well affected to the defence of the realme He created the Lord Don Iulian Lorrain a Duke and left him in the towne of Saint Angelo where he behaued himselfe passing well He left in Manfredonia Master Gabriell of Montfaulcon a man of whom he made great account and to all these he gaue goodly possessions but this Gabriell behaued himselfe very childishly for at fower daies end he yeelded the towne for lacke of victuals notwithstanding that at his entrie into it he found it very well furnished besides that it was seated in a countrie abounding with all kinde of graine Diuers sold all the prouision they found in the castels and the report went that this Gabriell fled himselfe and left VVilliam of Vilneufue for defence of the towne whom his owne seruants sold to Dom Frederick who put him into the gallies where he remained a long time At Tarente the King left George of Suilly who carried himselfe there very gallantly and died of the plague and this citie held for the King till famine forced it to yeeld In Aquila he left the bailife of Vitry where he did great seruice and in Abruzzo master Gracian des guerres who likewise made good proofe of his valor there They were all left vnfurnished of monie for order was giuen that they should receiue their pay there of the reuenues of the crowne but all was too little Notwithstanding the K. left the Princes of Salerne and Bisignan very well appointed who did him good seruice as long as they were able He delt also very bountifully with the Coulonnois for he granted them al their demaunds put aboue thirty places into their hands their friends which if they would haue defended for him as both by dutie oth they were bound they had don him great seruice and purchased to themselues both honor and profit For I thinke they were not so highly aduanced these hundred yeeres as by the King at that time yet notwithstanding before his departure they began to practise with his enimies True it is that they serued him in fauour onely of the Duke of Milan bicause they haue euer been of the faction Gibilin but they ought not in respect thereof to haue dealt faithlesly with him who so highly had aduanced and pleasured them not only this way but diuers others For in their fauor he had prisoners with him vnder garde the Lord Virgill Vrsin and the Earle of Petillane 3 with diuers others of the Vrsines their enimies yea and that against all right and reason for notwithstanding that they were taken prisoners yet knew the King right well that they had a safe conduct the benefit also whereof he meant they should enioy as himselfe well declared for he was determined to leade them no further than Ast and there to release them All this did he at the Coulonnois request and yet before his returne to Ast they shrunke from him yea they were the very first that reuolted though they could alleage no cause that mooued them thereunto The Notes 1 Guicciar saith the King left behinde him halfe his Swissers part of his French footmen 800. French launces and 500. Italian men of armes 2 These are certaine ships hauing both saile and ore the which are very much vsed in the meridionall seas 3 Virginio Vrsin and the Earle of Petillane followed the King onely vpon their word not to depart without leaue How the King departed from Naples and passed againe through Rome whereupon the Pope fled to Oruiette of the communication the King had with Monseur D'Argenton at his returne from Venice how he tooke aduise whether he should restore the Florentines places to them or not and of the Sermons woorthie of memorie of Frier Ierom of Florence Chap. 2. THe King hauing giuen order for his affaires as he thought good put himselfe vpon the way homeward with the rest of his forces 1 being as I suppose nine hundred men of armes at the least comprehending therein the ordinarie retinue of his house two thousand and fiue hundred Swissers so that I thinke the whole armie contained seuen thousand men taking paie besides the traine of the Court being to the number of fifteen hundred able to do seruice 2 The Earle of Petillane who tooke the iust muster of them told me after the battell whereof you shall heare that the whole force was nine thousand men The King marched straight to Rome where the Pope would not tarie his comming but was first determined to haue gone to Padua into the Venetians dominions so far foorth that his lodging was made there But afterward he altered his minde for both the Venetians and the Duke of Milan sent him certaine bands of men to Rome where though they arriued in time yet durst he not abide notwithstanding that the King meant him no harme but would haue done him all honor and seruice and had also sent an ambassador thither purposely to desire him to staie But he retired to Oruiette and thence to Perouse leauing the Cardinals at Rome to receiue the King who staide not there 3 neither harmed any man The K. wrote vnto me that I should meet him at Sene whither I repaired accordingly he receiued me of his goodnes verie graciously and asked me somewhat merily whether the Venetians would send to stop him vpon the waie for his army consisted altogither of yoong men who thought none in the world comparable to them I answered that the seniorie told me at my departure in the presence of one of his secretaries named Lourdin that they and the Duke of Milan would put forty thousand men into the field not
to offend him but to defend themselues adding further that they aduertised me the day I departed from Padua by one of their prouisors who came with their army that they sent against vs that their force should not passe a certaine riuer in their dominions neere to Parma 4 called as I remember Olye vnlesse he inuaded the Duke of Milan The said Prouisor and I gaue secret tokens each to other by the which messengers might passe to and fro betweene vs if need should so require to treat of some good end for I would breake off no ouuerture of peace bicause I knew not what might happen to the King my Master At this our communication was present one Master Lewis Marcell who by the seniories appointment accompained me out of their dominions and gouerned for that yeere the Motz viere 5 which is a certaine treasure they haue in like maner certaine of the Marques of Mantuas men who caried money to their Master were also present at it but they heard not our talk From these or frō som others I brought the K. in writing the number of their horsemen footmen and Estradiots 6 and the names of their captaines but few of those that were neerest about him credited my words After the King had reposed himselfe two daies at Sene and well refreshed his horses and his company I earnestly pressed him to depart for his enimies were not yet assembled and I feared onely the Almaines arriuall of whom the King of Romaines mustered great force and leuied great summes of money for their paiement But notwithstanding all my solicitation the King put foorth two matters to his councell which were soone debated the one whether he should restore the Florentines places to them and accept the offers they made for the restitution of them being these to pay him the thirtie thousand ducats remaining yet vnpaide of the summe they gaue him 7 to lend him besides seauen tie thousand and to serue him as he passed out of Italie with three hundred men of armes and two thousand footemen vnder the leading of Master Frauncis Secco a valiant knight and in good credit with the King My selfe and diuers others were of opinion that he should accept these conditions retaining onely Ligorne in his hands till his returne to Ast And if he had so done he might haue paied his soldiers and reserued money ynough to haue withdrawen part of his enimies forces and then haue fought with them But this resolution tooke no place for Monseur de Ligny a yoong man cosin german to the King ouerthrew it not alleaging any reason to the contrarie but onely for pitie of the Pisans The other point debated was a matter that Monseur de Ligny himselfe caused to be propounded by Gaucher of Tinteuille by one of the factions of the Senois the which desired the said Monseur de Ligny for their captain For you shall vnderstand that these Senois are euer in diuision and gouerne their common wealth more fondly than anie other towne in Italie 8 I being first asked mine aduise said that I thought it best for the King to march forward not to busie himself with these foolish offers which could not stand him in steed one week to an end alleaging further that bicause this was an imperiall towne we should by this meanes prouoke the whole Empire against vs. All the rest were of the same opinion yet was the cleane contrarie done for the Senois receiued Monseur de Ligny for their Captaine and promised him yeerely a certaine summe of money whereof he neuer receiued peny This foolish matter staied the King there sixe or seauen daies during the which space he solaced himselfe with the Dames Further he left there three hundred of his men diminishing his force by so much and then remooued to Pisa passing by Poggibonzia a castle of the Florentines But they whom he left at Sene were chased thence within a moneth after I had forgotten to tell you how I being at Florence iourneying towards the King went with one of the stewards of his house named Iohn Francois a wise and discreet person to visite a Frier Iacobin called Frier Hieronime 9 a man of holie life as all men reported abiding in a reformed couent where he had remained fifteen yeeres The cause why I went to commune with him was for that he had euer preached very fauorablie on the Kings behalfe so far foorth that his words had staide the Florentines from reuolting from vs for neuer preacher caried so great credit in any citie he had euer assured them of the Kings comming whatsoeuer was said or written to the contrarie affirming that he was sent of God to chastice the tyrants of Italie and that no force should be able to withstand him He preached further that the King should come to Pisa and enter into the towne and that the selfe same daie the estate of Florence should be altered as also it happened for the same daie was Peter of Medicis banished the towne Diuers other things also foretold he long before they happened namely the death of Laurence of Medicis all the which he saide he vnderstood by reuelation He preached yet further that the estate of the church should be reformed by the sword This is not yet come to passe but was very neer and he auoweth still that it shall be Many found great fault with him bicause he saide that God reuealed these things to him but some beleeued him sure I for my part take him for a holie man I asked him whether the K. should passe out of Italie without danger of his person seeing the great preparatiō the Venetiās made against him whereof he discoursed perfectlier than my selfe that came from thence He answered me that the K. should haue som troble vpon the way but that the honor therof should be his though he were accompanied but with an hundred men and that God who had guided him at his comming would also protect him at his returne Adding notwithstanding that bicause he had not done his dutie in the reformation of the Church but had suffered his men to spoile and rob the people as well those that tooke his part voluntarily receiued him into their cities as his enimies God had pronounced sentence against him and would shortly scourge him Neuerthelesse he bad me tell him that if he would haue compassion one the poore people and endeuour himselfe to keepe his men from doing euill and punish the offenders as he was bound by his office to do that then God would reuoke his sentence at the least mittigate it adding thereunto that he ought not to thinke it a sufficient excuse that he in his owne person did no harme He said moreouer that himselfe would go and tel the King thus much and so indeed he did and perswaded with him to restore the Florentines places to them When he spake thus of Gods sentence the death of my Lord the Daulphin came suddenly to my minde for
I saw no other thing that could greatly trouble the King Thus much I haue written to the end it may yet more manifestly appeere that this voiage was in deed a meere miracle of God The Notes 1 He departed from Naples the 20. of May. Annal. Franc. Guicciar 2 The King departed Naples with 800. French launces two hundred gentlemen of his garde a hundred launces vnder Triuulce three thousand footmen Swissers a thousand French and a thousand Gascoines Guicciar 3 He arriued at Rome the first of Iune and a bode there two daies Annal. Franc. 4 For Parma it is better to reade Creme or Bergame for the Venetians dominions lay not neere to Parma besides that the riuer Olio is not neere Parma for the Pau runneth betweene Parma and it so that the Venetians must haue passed the Pau after they had passed Olie before they could haue come to Parma 5 The French Corrector readeth it Montvieil called in Italian Monte Vechio which is a certaine treasure the Venetians haue to pay the interests due vnto the ancientest creditors of their commonwealth as appeereth in the booke of Donato Giannotti 6 VVhat these Estradiottes were looke after Cap. 5. 7 They had giuen the King 120000. ducats as mention is made Cap. 9. lib. 7. 8 The people of Sene were diuided against the order of Montenoue which held a gard of soldiers in the palace The citizens promised de Ligny 20000. ducats a yeere to protect them against the said Montenoue but foorthwith after the Kings departure the faction of Montenoue chased Ligny and his men out of the towne Guicciar 9 This Friers surname was Sauanarola who hath written many goodly homilies and sermons he was borne at Ferrara How the King retained in his hands the towne of Pisa and certaine other of the Florentines places and how in the meane time the Duke of Orleans entred on the other side into Nouarre a towne of the Duchie of Milan Chap. 3. AFter the King was entred into Pisa as you haue heard all the Pisans both men and women besought their guests for Gods loue to make intercession to the King that they might no more returne vnder the Florentines tyrannie who in truth handled them extremely but diuers cities in Italy that be in subiection to others are as euill intreated as they besides that the Pisans and Florentines had been in wars togither the space of three hundred yeeres before the Florentines subdued them These lamentable words before mentioned ioined with teares mooued our men to pitie and caused them so far foorth to forget the Kings promise and oth made vpon the aultar of Saint Iohn at Florence that all sorts of men busied themselues in this matter euen the poore archers and the Swissers who also threatned those that they thought perswaded the King to performe his promise namely the Cardinall Saint Malo so often before named generall of Languedoc whom I my selfe heard an archer threaten There were in like maner that gaue very rough language to the Marshall of Gié The president Gannay by the space of three daies and more durst not lie in his lodging But the Earle of Ligny aboue all the rest fauored the Pisans cause who came in troupes weeping and lamenting to the King in such sort that we all pitied them and would willingly haue releeued them if it had lien in vs so to do One day after dinner fortie or fiftic gentlemen of the Kings house assembled themselues togither and went with their partisans into the Kings chamber where he was playing at tables with Monseur de Pienncs accompanied onely with two groomes of his chamber One of these gentlemen sonne to Sallezard the elder spake as mouth of the rest to the King desiring him to be gratious Lord to the Pisans and accusing certaine of those lately named as traitors to him But the King with so stout language commanded them to depart that after the like neuer hapned The King spent sixe or seuen daies needlesly in the towne of Pisa and then changed the garrison and made captaine of the Citadelle one Entragues a man of lewd conditions seruant to the D. of Orleans whom he thus preferred by Monseur de Lignis sute and left with him in the said Citadelle certaine footemen of the Duchie of Berrie Further the said Entragues procured such friendship I suppose by his money that he was also made captaine of Petrosancte and of another place neere to it called Mortron 1 and in like maner of Librefacto which is neere to Lugues The castle of Serzane being very strong was put at the request of the said Earle of Ligny into the hands of a bastard of Roussi and an other place called Serzanelle into the hands of another being both his owne seruants In these places the King left a great part of his forces notwithstanding that he shall neuer haue such need of men as he had at that time Moreouer he refused the Florentines aid and offers aboue mentioned and draue them into vtter despaire Yet was he aduertised before his departure from Sene that the Duke of Orleans whom he had left behind him in Ast 2 had taken the city of Nauarre in the Duchie of Milan and therefore was well assured that the Venetians would declare themselues his enimies for they sent him word that if he inuaded the Duke of Milan they would aide the Duke with their whole force according to their league lately made and their force was great and in a readines Now you shall vnderstand that presently vpon the conclusion of their league the Duke of Milan thought to haue surprised Ast supposing to finde it vtterly vnmanned but my letters had hastened the forces that the Duke of Bourbon sent thither and the first that arriued were about fortie launces of the Marshall of Gies companie which had tarried behinde in Fraunce and came thither in good time Soone after them arriued also fiue hundred footmen sent thither by the Marques of Saluce The comming of the which staied the Duke of Milans forces led by Master Galeas of Saint Seuerin who hearing these newes retired to Nom a castle of the Duchie of Milan two miles from Ast In the necke of these arriued also three hundred and fiftie men of armes and certaine gentlemen of Daulphine and two thousand Swissers with certain franke archers of the said countrey of Daulphine so that their whole number was 7500. men taking paie But they lingred so long vpon the way that they serued not to the purpose they were sent for For the K. sent for them to come succor him but instead of aiding him he was forced to aid them The K. had also giuen commandement to the D. of Orleans his captaines not to attempte any thing against the Duke of Milan but onely to defend the towne of Ast to meete him at the riuer of Thesin to helpe to conuey him ouer it for that was the onely riuer to trouble him But notwithstanding all
in seruice 4 He addressed himselfe to the Prince of Orenge according to the stewards agreement and mine at our departure from Casal and aduertised him that he had a commission from the Marquesse of Mantua the Prouisors and the other captaines of their armie to demaund a safe conduct for the said Marquesse and others to the number of fiftie horses to come and treate with such as it should please the King to appoint for they acknowledged that it was reason they should first come to the King and his Commissioners and declared also that they would do him that honor Afterward the said Earle desired to commune with the King apart which his request being granted he then counselled him not to make peace reporting our enimies armie to be in so great feare that shortly they would raise their siege depart by which words he seemed rather desirous to break off the treatie than to further it notwithstanding that his commission openly were such as you haue heard At this communication M. Iohn Iames of Treuoul was present who bicause he was great enimie to the Duke of Milan would also gladly haue broken off the treatie But aboue all others the Duke of Ferrara the said Earle Albertins Master being newly arriued at the Duke of Milans campe who had married his daughter desired war for he was great enimie to the Venetians bicause they withheld from him diuers countries namely the Polesan and others After the King had communed with this Earle he sent for me and debated with his Counsell whether he should grant this safe conduct or not Those that would gladly haue broken off the treatie as Master Iohn Iames and others who spake in fauor of the Duke of Orleans as they pretended desired the battell saying that they were sure the enimies would shortly dislodge bicause they starued for hunger but the greatest part of those that gaue this aduise were clergie men who would not haue been at the battell themselues Diuers others and my selfe among the rest were of the contrarie opinion saying that we should sooner starue for hunger than they being in their owne countrie And as touching their dislodging we answered that their force was too great to flie for feare of vs by that means to cast themselues away Wherfore these words we said proceeded of men that would haue vs fight hazard our liues for their particular quarrels To be short the safe conduct was granted and sent and promise made that the next day by two of the clocke at after noone the Prince of Orenge the Marshall of Gie the Lord of Piennes and my selfe should meete the said Marquesse and his collegues betweene Bourg and Camarian neere to a towne where they kept their watch to the end we might there commune togither According to the which appointment the next day thither we went accompanied with a good band of soldiers and there the said Marquesse of Mantua and a Venetian that had the charge of their Estradiots met vs 5 and gaue vs very courteous language saying that for their parts they desired peace Further we there concluded that to the end we might the more conueniently commune togither they should send certaine Commissioners to our campe and afterward the King certaine of his to them whereunto they agreed and sent vnto vs the next day on the Duke of Milans behalfe Master Francisco Bernardin Viscomte and with him one of the Marquesse of Mantuas Secretaries with whom we aboue named and the Cardinall of S. Malo began to negotiate They demanded Nouarre where the Duke of Orleans was besieged and we Genua saying that it was held of the King by homage and that the Duke of Milan had taken it by confiscation 6 Then they made their excuses saying that they had attempted nothing against the King but onely in their owne defence that the Duke of Orleans had taken the said citie of Nouarre with the Kings forces and had first mooued this war and further that they thought their Masters would neuer agree to such conditions but willingly do any other thing to content the King They were with vs two daies and afterward returned againe to their campe whither the Marshall of Gie Monseur de Piennes and I were sent after them to demand the said citie of Genua and as touching Nouarre we offered to deliuer it to the King of Romans men that were in their campe vnder the leading of Master George de Pietreplane and Master Frederick Capelare and one named Master Haunce For we could not succour it but by battell and that we desired not wherefore this offer we made to discharge our selues of it with honor for the Duchie of Milan is held by homage of the Emperor Diuers messengers ran to and fro betweene our campe and theirs but nothing was concluded Notwithstanding I lodged euery night in their campe for the Kings pleasure was that I should so do bicause he would breake off no ouerture In the end all we aboue named returned againe to them being accompanied with the President of Gannay and Moruillier Bailife of Amiens which two went with vs to pen the articles in Latin for hitherto I had negotiated with them in such bad Italian as I had Our order of proceeding was this When we arriued at the Dukes lodging he and the Duchesse came foorth to receiue vs at the end of a gallerie and then we entred all before him into his chamber where we found two long ranks of chaires set neere togither the one before the other in the one of the which they sate downe and we in the other They sate in this order first one for the King of Romanes then the ambassador of Spaine then the Marquesse of Mantua and the two Prouisors of Venice and an ambassador of Venice then the Duke of Milan and his wife and last of all the ambassador of Ferrara of their side none spake but the Duke alone and of our side but one But our maner is not to proceede so calmly nor so orderly as they for we spake somtimes two or three togither but then the Duke vsed to reclaime vs saying ho one to one When we came to pen our articles all that was agreed vpon was written by one of our Secretaries and likewise by one of theirs which also at our departure the two Secretaries read the one in Italian and the other in French and likewise at our next meeting as wel to the end that nothing should be altered as also for the more expedition and sure it is a good maner of proceeding in great and waightie affaires This treatie endured about fifteen daies or more but it was agreed the first day that the Duke of Orleans might depart out of the towne and the selfesame day we made truce which continued from day to day till the peace was concluded Moreouer the Marquesse of Mantua put himselfe in hostage into the Earle of Foix his hands rather for his owne pleasure than for any doubt we
yet after the King our Masters death raise any sedition against the K. that now is the nobilitie and commons tooke they armes against their yoong King went they about to chuse an other sought they to diminishe his authoritie or to bridle him that he should not vse the authoritie of a King I thinke no and to say the truth how could they though diuers glorious fooles said they might But his subiects did cleane contrarie for they all repaired to him as well the Princes as the gentlemen and Burgesses of good townes they all acknowledged him for their King and did him homage and fealtie and the Princes and nobilitie presented their requests in writing humbly kneeling vpon their keenes Further they chose among themselues a counsell of twelue men and the King being but thirteen yeeres of age commanded vpon report of the said counsell Moreouer at this assemblie certaine supplications were made and bils exhibited in the presence of the King and his Counsell in great humilitie for the common wealth of the realme referring all to the King and his Counsels pleasure They granted the King without any deniall all that was demanded and all that was shewed in writing to be necessarie for the maintenance of his estate The summe the King demanded was two millions and a halfe of franks 9 which was ynough and ynough againe yea rather too much than too little without some extraordinarie accident Further the said estates humbly required that at two yeeres end they might assemble againe saying that if the King had not money ynough they would giue him more at his pleasure They promised moreouer if he had wars or that any enimie should inuade him to aduenture their bodies to spend their goods not to refuse any thing for his seruice Are subiects that giue thus liberally to be choked with priuileges whereby the Prince may take what him listeth shall not the King do iustlier both before God and the world to leuie after this sort rather than by extraordinarie will seeing no Prince as I haue said before hath authoritie to command money but by grant vnlesse he will vse tyrannie and incurre the danger of excommunication But a number of Princes are verie beasts not knowing what is lawfull or vnlawfull for them to do in this behalfe Subiects there are also that offend their Prince and refuse to obeie him and succour him in time of neede yea in stead of aiding him when he hath great affaires in hand contemne him and stir vp rebellion and sedition against him contrarie to the allegeance that they owe him When I say Kings or Princes I meane either themselues or such as gouerne vnder them when I say subiects I mean such subiects as haue preheminence beare swaie in the common wealth The greatest mischiefes are wrought commonly by those that are mightie for the weake desire peace quietnes When I say mighty I meane aswell women as men somtime in some places where they haue rule and authoritie either bicause of their husbands affection towards them or bicause they gouerne their affaires or for that their Seniories are their wiues inheritance If I should write of men of meane calling in this world my discourse would be too tedious Wherefore it shall suffice to speake of great estates bicause in them the power and iustice of God is most apparant For although two hundred thousand mishaps chaunce to a poore man no man regardeth them but attributeth them either to pouertie or euill looking to as for example if he be drowned or breake his necke they say this chaunced bicause he was alone so that hardly men will giue eare to it But if some misfortune fall vpon a great citie it is otherwise talked of yet not so much as when it chanceth to a Prince What is the reason then that God sheweth his iustice rather vpon Princes and great men than vpon men of low degree bicause meane and poore men finde ynowe in this world to punish them when they offend yea oftentimes they are punished without desert either for examples sake or for their goods or peraduenture through the iudges fault sometime also they deserue punishment and then it is reason that iustice be done But as touching great Princes or Princesses and their gouernors and counsellors againe as touching prouinces and townes rebellious and disobedient to their Princes and gouernors who wil search out their liues Who wil informe the Iustice of their actions What Iustice will take notice thereof or who will punish their faults I speake of the euill not of the good but few there are of those What is the cause then that mooueth both them and all others to commit these faults aboue rehearsed and many mo which for breuitie I ouerpasse not regarding the power and iustice of God I answer that it is lacke of faith and in those that are ignorant lacke of wit and faith togither but especially of faith which in mine opinion is the onely fountaine of all mischiefes I meane such mischiefes as fall vpon those that complaine that they are troden vnder foote oppressed by those that are mightier than they For if men were fully perswaded the paines of hell to be such as indeede they are and beleeued firmely as we ought all to beleeue that who so hath taken ought by violence or possesseth ought that his father or grandfather tooke wrongfully shall neuer enter into the ioies of paradise vnles he make full satisfaction and restitution of all that he withholdeth from his neighbor whether it be Duchies Earldoms townes castels mooueables medowes ponds or mils euery man according to his estate there is no man liuing be he poore or rich or of what estate and condition soeuer he be that would withhold ought that is not his owne No if all men beleeued this firmely it is not to be thought that there is either Prince Princesse or any other man through the whole world what estate or condition soeuer he be of be he high or low spirituall or temporall man or woman that would wittingly withhold any thing from his subiect or neighbor wrongfully put any man to death hold him in prison take from one to giue to enrich another or seeke to procure dishonesty to his kinsfolks and seruants for his wanton pleasures as for women and such like which is the filthiest attempt that may be made No vndoubtedly we would neuer do as we do if we had a stedfast faith and beleeued that which God and his Church commandeth vs to beleeue vnder paine of damnation knowing our daies to be short and the paines of hell horrible and endlesse Wherefore we may conclude that all mischiefes proceede of want of faith For example whereof when a King or Prince is taken prisoner and feareth to die in prison is there any thing in the world be it neuer so deere vnto him that he will refuse to giue for his deliuerance as appeereth by King Iohn who being taken prisoner by
before and appointed me also to be his bedfellow notwithstanding that I were vnwoorthy of that honor and that diuers others were fitter for that place than my selfe but he was so wise that no man could faile to please him if he executed his commandements without adding ought thereto of his owne braine The Notes 1 This Archbishops name was Francis Saluiat and this vprore was the 27. of Aprill anno 1478. Of Monseur d'Argentons returne out of Italie into Fraunce and of the battell of Guinegate Chap. 6. AT my returne the King our Master looked somwhat aged and his body was disposed to sicknes but his disease brake not foorth as yet His affaires he gouerned with great wisedome and the war endured still in Picardie wherewith he was not a little discontented as were his enimies also in the said countrie but they could not remedie it The Duke of Austriche now King of Romans hauing the Flemmings this yeere at his deuotion laid the siege before Therouenne but Monseur de Cordes the Kings lieutenant in Picardie leuied all the forces the King had in that countrie and the frontiers thereabout to the number of eight thousand franke archers and went to succour the place Whom when the Duke of Austriche perceiued to approch he leuied his siege and marched against him the two armies met at a place called Guinegate The Duke had of Flemmings to the number of twenty thousand or better and certaine Almaines togither with three hundred English men led by an English Knight that had serued Charles Duke of Burgundie called sir Thomas Abrigan The Kings horsemen being much stronger than their enimies brake the Dukes horsemen and pursued them and Master Philip of Rauastain their captaine as far as Ayre whereupon the Duke ioined himselfe with his footemen The King had in this armie at the least 1100. men of armes of his ordinarie retinue 1 all the which followed not the chase but Monseur de Cordes who was generall did and Monseur de Torcy with him which was a valiant deede but against the law of armes for the captaines of the vaward and rereward ought not to follow the chase Some of the Dukes horsemen retired vnder colour of defending the strong places but others fled in good earnest The Dukes footmen fled not yet were they vpon the point so to do but they had with them on foote two hundred valiant gentlemen their leaders among whom were the Lord of Romont of the house of Sauoye the Earle of Nassaw and diuers others yet liuing The courage of these gentlemen staied the footemen which was a woonder considering they saw their horsemen broken The Kings franke archers fell to spoile the Dukes carriage and the straglers that followed it as victuallers and such like but certaine of the Dukes footmen set vpon them discomfited them and slue some of them The Dukes losse was greater than ours for more of his men were taken and more slaine 2 but the honor of the field was his And I thinke verily if he had returned to Therouenne he had not found a man neither in it nor in Arras and it was greatly to his losse that he durst not attempt so to do But in such cases men are not alwaies informed of the best and to say the truth great cause he had to feare that enterprise I speake of this battell but by hearsay for I was not present at it notwithstanding to continue the order of my historie somwhat I was forced to write thereof I was with the King when these newes were brought him which vndoubtedly nipped him at the verie hart for he was not accustomed to lose but had such successe in all his attempts that fortune seemed to be at his commandement which vndoubtedly his wisedome greatly furthered For he would hazard nothing neither feared any thing more than a battel and as touching this now mentioned it was fought without his knowledge His armies he made so strong that few Princes were able to encounter them he was better furnished of artillerie than any King that euer raigned in Fraunce he attempted alwaies to take places vpon a sudden especially such as he perceiued to be euill fortified which after he had once gotten he furnished so well both of men and artillerie that it was impossible for his enimies to recouer them Further if the captain of any strong place or any other within it would practise to yeeld it for monie he was sure of a copes mate neither would he shrinke were the summe neuer so great that was demanded but liberally giue it He was afeard at the first when newes was brought him of this battell supposing the truth had not been told him but that his whole force had beene ouerthrowen knowing if it were so all to be lost that he had conquered ouer this house of Burgundie in those parts and the rest in great danger but when he vnderstood the truth he tooke the matter patiently and was well ynough contented with Monseur de Cordes Notwithstanding he purposed to giue order that no more such enterprises should be attempted without his knowledge From this day forward he resolued to treate of peace with the Duke of Austriche so that it might be wholy to his owne aduantage and that he might thereby so bridle the said Duke by meanes of his owne proper subiects whom he knew to be inclined to practise against their Prince that he should neuer be able to do him harme Moreouer he was very desirous to redresse all disorders in his realme especially the long delaies of processes and sutes in law which thing the better to compas he minded to bridle the Court of parlament not by diminishing their number or authoritie but many things were done there against his minde for the which he hated it He was also desirous to reduce his whole realme to one custome and one kinde of waight and measure and further that all the lawes and customs should be written in the French toong in a faire booke to auoid the pillings and pollings of the Counsellors in law which are more excessiue in this realme than in any other as the nobilitie hath good cause to knowe And vndoubtedly if God had spared him life and health fiue or sixe yeeres longer he would haue done much good in the realme as great cause he had to do for he had more oppressed it than euer had any of his predecessors but neither authoritie nor perswasions could haue woon him to vnburden his people till it had come of himselfe as in his latter daies sure it would if God had preserued him from sicknes Wherefore it is requisite to do good while a man hath leisure health and vnderstanding The treatie the King desired to make with the Duke and Duchesse of Austrich and their dominions was this he meant by meanes of the citizens of Gaunt to treate of a marriage betweene the Daulphin his sonne now our King and the daughter of the said Duke and Duchesse vnder
To be short their behauiour was such on both sides that their amitie could not long endure but we babbled much more than they not the King himselfe but certaine of his neerest kinsmen 3 In this castell of Pauie was Iohn Galeas Duke of Milan and his wife daughter to King Alphonse in very pitious estate for hir husband being sicke was held in this castell as vnder garde and hir sonne who is yet liuing with a daughter or two The childe was then about fiue yeeres old and him euery man might see but no man might see the Duke for my selfe passed that way three daies before the King and could by no meanes be suffered to come to him Euery body said he was extreme sicke notwithstanding the King spake with him for he was his cosin germane 4 and he hath told me that their communication was onely generall talke bicause he would in no wise offend the Lord Lodouic notwithstanding that he were very desirous to haue aduertised his said cosin of diuers matters At the same time the Duchesse fell vpon hir knees before the said Lodouic desiring him to haue pitie vpon hir father and brother He answered that it could not be But to say the truth she might better haue intreated for hir husband and hir selfe being at that time a goodly yoong Lady From thence the King remooued to Plaisance where the said Lodouic receiued letters that his nephewe the Duke Milan lay at the point of death wherefore he tooke his leaue of the King to go to him The King desired him to returne and so he promised to do Before he came to Pauie the Duke died whereupon he rid incontinent as it were in poste to Milan Al these newes I vnderstood by a letter that the Venetian ambassador resident with the said Lodouic sent to Venice wherein also he aduertised the Seniorie that he meant to make himselfe Duke whichboth the Duke of Venice and the Seniorie vtterly misliked so far foorth that they asked me whether the King would not defend the childe which though reason required that he should yet I made the matter doubtfull considering how necessary an instrument the said Lord Lodouic was at that time for the Kings affaires To be short he made himselfe to be receiued at Milan as Duke which was the onely end as some said why he had caused vs to passe the mountaines Manie also charged him with his nephewes death whose kinsfolkes and friends in Italy were in armes to haue taken the gouernment from him which they would easily haue done had not the Kings comming stopped them For they were already in Romaine as you haue heard But the Earle of Caiazze and the Lord of Aubigny made them to retire For the said Lord of Aubigny had with him a company of a hundred fifty or two hundred men of armes French and a good band of Swissers Dom Ferrande and his forces retired towards their friends dislodging euer halfe a daies iourney before our men and marched towards Furly 5 which belonged to a Lady being a bastard of Milan and widow of the Earle Hieronime nephew to Pope Sixtus 6 This Lady fauored them as the report went notwithstanding after our men had taken by assault a little towne of hirs being first beaten halfe a day with the canon she reuolted to vs being indeed well affected to vs before Further the people of Italy began in all places to take hart and to desire change and alteration for they sawe that which before they had neuer seene I meane the feate of artillerie which they were vnacquainted with which in Fraunce was neuer more practised than at that time The said Dom Ferrande approched still neerer and neerer to his realme and went to Sesenne a faire citie of the Popes in the Marque of Anconne but the people spoiled his carriage stuffe whensoeuer they tooke his men at aduantage And through all Italy they would haue rebelled if the wars had been ordered on our side without spoile but all was done cleane contrary to my great griefe bicause of the honor and renowme the French nation might haue obtained by this voiage For at our first arriuall the people honored vs as saints supposing all faith and vertue to be in vs but their opinion endured not long partly bicause of the disorder and spoile our men vsed and partly bicause of the slanderous reports our enimies made of vs in all places charging vs that we forced women and robbed and carried away money and whatsoeuer we could lay hands on of heinouser crimes they could not haue accused vs in Italy for no nation is so ielous and couetous as the Italian As touching women they belied vs but the rest was not altogither vntrue The Notes 1 He meaneth bicause he vvas a man of no vertue as before is said 2 VVhat right the Duke of Orleans had to it the petegree in the end of the booke will declare 3 He meaneth the Earle of Ligny the King and vvho vvere sisters children 4 King Charles his mother vvas Charlotte and this Dukes mother Bonne both daughters to the Duke of Sauoy 5 It vvas corruptly in the French Sorly for Furly vvhich the old Romaines called Forum liuii 6 Octauian sonne to Hieronime of Riare vvas Lord of Furly and Imola vvith title of Vicar of the Church but he vvas vnder the gouernment of Katherin Sforce his mother heere mentioned Guicciar How Peter of Medices yeelded fower of the Florentines strongest places to the King and how the King restored Pisa being one of them to their ancient liberty Chap. 7. THe King as before you haue heard was at Plaisance where he caused a solemne funerall to be made for his cosin germaine the Duke of Milan for other thing wist he not what to do the new Duke of Milan being departed from him They that best vnderstood the course of these affaires haue told me that the whole cōpany desired to returne home aswel for that they were vnprouided of all things necessarie as also bicause of diuers doubts that were arisen for certaine that at the first seemed to haue great good liking of this voiage began now vtterly to disallow thereof namely the Lord of Vrfé Master of the horse who was not with the King but lay sicke at Genua whence he wrote him a letter giuing him therein to vnderstand of diuers doubts and iealousies whereof he was aduertised But as before I haue said in diuers places God manifestly declared that he himselfe gouerned this enterprise For suddenly in the necke of this letter newes came to the King that the Duke of Milan would shortly return and that the Florentines began to fauor vs in hatred of Peter de Medicis who gouerned them as if he had been their Prince to the great discontentation both of many of his owne neere kinsmen and of diuers also the best citizens namely the Capons the Sonderini 1 the Nerly and in maner the whole citie Wherefore the King departed from