hopeth to winne the Venetians from the league and so with newe forces to recouer Millaine A better hope then all this was that Pope Iulius the second nowe died in the middest of his prosperitie and Iean Cardinall de Medici was chosen named Leo the tenth by which good accident he did the easilier make peace with the Catholique King and prepared for his purpose for albeit he could not well compasse a peace with the King of Englande yet for that the English were not well prouided of readie horsed although their value chiefly consisted in footemen yet nowe by long peace and lacke of vse being driuen to hyre Almaines hee thought manie things might be done before that warre came forwarde wherefore he sent power to Triuulcio who ioyning with Aluiano Captaine of his newe confederates the Venetians he setteth vpon the duchie of Millaine and recouereth Geane and after besiegeth Nouara where being resisted by the Swissers they retired seuen miles of but the Swissers to the ende that no succours or Nation might take the glorie from them like most valiaunt souldiours hauing neither horsemen nor artillarie followed Triuulcio and Monsieur de la Tremouille and fought a most braue battaile with them gayned their artillarie slue their men with it and put their gendarmerie to flight who beastlie demeaned themselues that day notwithstanding it may not bee forgotten that Robert de la March hauing his two sonnes most daungerously beset with Swissers rushed like a Tiger into the midst of them and fought so terribly that he amazed them and deliuered his sons Aluiano perceiuing the discomfiture of the French retired to Verona and besieged it but preuayled not Padua is besieged by the Viceroy and the yong duke of Millaine taketh Pontuica by the helpe of Antonie de Leua and the Viceroy finding that he could not take Padua spoyleth the Countrey euen almost vnto Venice within two miles of Vincentia the Viceroy Prosper Celonna the Marques of Peskara gaue a great ouerthrow to the Venetians and Aluiano by the cowardise of their footmen of Romaigna At the length Caesar and the Venetians compromitted their differences to the Pope and the French king had now nothing left in Italie but the Lanterne of Geane which also was battered by sea and defended with sacks of wooll The twelfth Booke THe king of England was nowe readie both by sea and lande to war vpon the French king had also hyred the Emperor Maximilian with sixe score thousand ducats to enter al at one time into Burgundy hoping also that his father in law the Catholique king woulde ioyne with him The French king bestirred him to resist these great daungers and some what to appall the courage of the English king he allured into Fraunce the duke of Suffolke as a competitor of the crowne but he being nothing dismaied therewith in despite strake off the dukes brothers head whom he held before in prison by the king of Castiles means as you haue heard The French king farther to trouble him set Iames King of Scots the old enemie of England confederate of France to warre on that side the seas vppon him The English King was long in preparing his subiects being out of vse the maner of fight being chaunged the vse of their bowes being almost gone Neuerthelesse in Iuly being greatly furnished his armie camped neare Bullen and from thence besieged Terwin where at the first they answered not the renowne of their hardinesse in that they gaue no hardie assault but within a while after they ouerthrew three hundred men of armes The Marques of Rotelin called duke of Longuile Captaine Bayard Fayette were taken prisoners and monsieur de la Palisse escaped hardly wherewith the French king and all France were so amazed that if the English King had followed this good fortune it is thought the gappe was nowe open to take all Fraunce Terwin was raysed by the aduise of the Emperour for that the Archduke Charles pretended right vnto it and the Emperour departed the campe for that hee thought the Englishmen to be rash and without discipline King Henrie neuerthelesse passed towards Tornay and tooke it whereof the French were full glad fearing his comming farther into Fraunce with his terrible armie of fourescore thousand which perhaps hee had done if he had had experience or had beene truly aduertised of the disposition of France but he returned into England assuring the French that he would returne the next sommer At this time by chaunce of fire the richest part of all Venice was burnt and the Pope endeth the differences betweene Caesar and them The league was renued betweene the Spanish king and the French king which greatly displeased the king of England who sayde that this was the third time that his father in lawe had broken promise with him The French king practised with the Pope and the Pope with the Cardinal of Yorke to reconcile the French and English King which tooke place and the French king marieth the lady Mary the king of Englands sister This was vnpleasant both to the Emperour and the Spanish King and not pleasant to the Pope who was the procurer of it who albeit he loued with such cunning to gaine princes yet he liked not that this league shoulde helpe the French King againe to Millaine At this time King Emanuel of Portingale presented the Pope with two monstrous Elephants out of India and Lewis the xii dieth and Francis the first duke of Angolesme succeedeth taking the title of the duke of Millaine making peace with the King of England and the Archduke he meaneth to recouer the dukedome The Emperor the King of Aragon the duke of Millaine the Swissers doe league against him the King of England sendeth him word to Lyons not to passe into Italie to trouble Christendome the Swissers gard the foote straights of the Alpes against him But he like an industrious prince by the counsaile of Triuulcio leaueth the two ordinarie wayes of Mountsenis Mount Genewre and passeth by extreame toyle of Pioners nearer the sea by the Cortian Alpes by the Marquisate of Saluzzo and being passed before any man thought of him Monsieur de la Palisse tooke Colonna a noble Captaine prisoner at Villefrance as he sat at dinner which greatly astonished all Italie insomuch that the Pope vsed the duke of Sauoy to excuse him to the King forthwith The King taketh the Countreys of Alexandria and Tortona The Swissers are in diuersitie of opinions whether they shall hearken to any league with the French or farther withstand them At length the Bishop of Sion with a very perswasiue oration encouraged them to ioyne in one opinion agaynst the French and to fight with them neare vnto Marignian where the first day both they and the King fought so long as they could holde weapon in hand and departed on both sides as it were by agreement without sounde of trumpet The next day they rashly and furiously set on the French
his head in respect whereof he treated amitie with the French King and hyred sixe thousand Swissers and in secret they concluded to diuide the kingdome of Naples In the meane time the French king taking the oportunitie of sturres in Spaine sent Monsieur Asperrot with a power easily without resistance recouered the kingdom of Nauarre And the Swissers refusing the amitie of Caesar ioyned with the French The Pope notwithstanding his league contracted with the French king ioineth also in league with the Emperor to defend Florence the Medici to recouer Millaine to Sforce and Parma and Placentia to the Church At that very instant on S. Peters day at Millaine there fell fire out of the ayre which tooke certaine barrels of powder which ouerthrew a fayre Marble tower and so shooke the castell and city of Millaine as a greater portent neuer chaunced vnto them The Pope had in solde the Marques of Mantua and Prospero Colonna and the king sent Monsieur Lautreck to defend Millaine by the helpe of the Venetians whose Captaines were Theodore Triuulcio Andrew Gritti who after they had skirmished to and fro with the other side about the riuer of Paw in the ende the Swissers hired by the Pope sayd that they were content to defend the states of the Church for which cause they were purposely hyred but agaynst the French King they would not march On the other side the Swissers that were with the French king departed without any bidding farewell or any worde speaking The popes army the Emperors marcheth on towards Millaine and at the first assault the Marques of Pescara Captain of the Spaniards maketh the Venetians to forsake the walles and Triuulcio is taken and al Millaine al Pauia and Lody diuerse other places yeeld crying out vpon the French and reioycing to become imperiall Now died pope Leo the tenth which no doubt much weakned the Emperor for that his money beganne and entertayned the warre in whose place was chosen Adrian the sixt a Flemming by the fauour of Caesar agaynst all their minds for that they thought a stranger of that Countrie and education not verie fit for Italie The duke of Vrbin recouereth his estate and with the helpe of Baillous asiegeth Siena And ten thousand Swissers of Lucerne contrarie to the minds of Surick Suith come ouer the mount Godard and Bernard into Lombardie to helpe the French king to recouer Millaine Prospero Colonna is as busie on the other side to defend it and Antonio de Leua to defend Pauia Mōsieur de Lautreck besiegeth it which he hopeth in time to get by famine but their industrie within deceyueth his hope Wherupon Lautreck retireth towards Fraunce and three thousand of his Swissers were slain at Bicoque by the emperiall armie Lody also and Gene were taken by them At Lucques at this time Poggio and Totty two men of noble familie vnder colour of priuate enmitie in the open palace slue the Gonfalonier of that citie but afterward were chased by the citizens Sagusanac Malateste vsurpeth vpon Rimini The xv Booke THe French King being euerie where at peace his returne into Italy is suspected and therfore Florence Geane Siena and Luca are taxed with great summes for the maintenance of a continuall armie to defend Naples and Millaine and Don Charles de Lanoy is made Viceroy of Naples The Pope taketh his iourney towards Rome and Charles the Emperour into Spaine and talketh with king Henrie of England by the way they two ioyntly sent Ambassadours to Venice to perswade them to leaue the amitie of the French king and to ioine with the Emperour The king of England moreouer sent an Herault to the French king to protest warre against him in case he would not make truce with the Emperour for three yeares the which woulde not be granted but the league betweene the Emperour and the Venetians succeded and touching the same two excellent orations were made by Andrew Gritti and George Cornare While christian princes were thus vndermining and vexing one another Soliman Ottoman the Turke in person with infinite power besieged the Rhodes the which though it were to the vttermost defended by the grand maister and the knights thereof yet by the negligence of the pope christian princes they were faine to yeeld and on Christmasse day the Turke in triumph entered and dedicated all the Churches to Mahomet The French kings armie being now passing the Alpes and himselfe readie in person to follow he discouered that the discontented duke of Burbon Constable of Fraunce was conspired with the Emperor the King of England and should marrie with Elenor the emperours sister widow of Emanuel late king of Portingale and that assoone as he was ouer the Alpes the duke of Burbon and the King of England should set vpon Fraunce and the duke should be King of Prouence and the King of England should haue the rest These newes though they appalled and stayed the Kings person yet did it breake the attempt and caused the duke to flie in a straunge weede first into la Franche Conte and after to Millaine In the meane time Pope Adrian dieth and the Cardinal de Medices is chosen calling himselfe Clement the seuenth The French armie being now passed the Alpes Monsieur de Boniuet a French Captain taketh Loda the rest of the French power being vnder the conduct of the Admirall before Millaine were not in great hope to take it but making diuerse skirmishes still came by the worst And shortly after retyred from thence in which meane space the noble Captain Prospero Colonna died The Pope refused to be of either side whereof the French King is glad the Emperour verie angrie for that he helped him to that dignitie The Emperials passe the riuer of Thesin and foyle the French in diuers places insomuch that they begin to abandon the duchie of Millaine but in warlike aray The Marques of Pescara followeth with light horses and Chabanes is slain and captaine Bayard is taken prisoner who died of his wounds and the Admirall returneth into Fraunce After which time the duke of Burbon counsailed the Emperour to turne the warres into Fraunce alledging that the desire the English king had to conquer that realme would much helpe him The King of England also much encouraged the Emperour thereunto but seeing the difficulties and charge for himselfe and being disswaded by the ambitious cardinall of Yorke who was secretly French he moued little The Emperor vpon this confidence maketh warre in Prouance the duke of Burbon and Marques Pescara being Captaines The duke would haue passed on into the bowels of France but the Marques other captaines would by no meanes from the seas but lay in siege before Marsiles fortie daies without profite And for that before their comming they hoped that the king of England would so haue fired the French king on his side that all his forces should haue bent that way that they should haue receiued money
much golde and siluer c. The duke Valentinoys about this time escaped out of prison to Naples where Gonsaluo taketh him and sendeth him captiue into Spaine and a truce is taken betweene the kings of Fraunce and Spaine Fredericke being out of hope of recouering his kingdome of Naples died and after him Queene Elizabeth of Spaine wherevpon some differences were like to arise betweene the Archduke and the Spanish king for the gouernement of Castilia About this time it may not be forgotten that Cardinall Hippolite of Esca being in loue with a yong damosel his kinswoman who made more account of his bastard brother asked her what was the cause why she so greatly loued a bastard and she answered his sweete and amiable eyes whereupon one day as he rid on hunting he caused his brother to dismount and commaunded his footmen in his presence to plucke out his eyes saying he liked no such companions in loue The seuenth Booke PHillip the archduke began to entitle himselfe king of Castile not being content that his father in law should gouerne hauing no better interest then the appointment of his wife when she lay in extremitie And the king of Romanes being hartned with the greatnes of his sonne purposeth to enter into Italie The French king hauing them al in ielousy though he were verie angry with the Pope for vsurping vpon the spiritual liuings in Millaine yet least he should stand alone he treateth with the Pope making quarrell to Venice for that he knew it a thing acceptable to him Phillip prepareth by sea to inuade Spaine and is by storme driuen into England where he is honorably receiued by Henrie the seuenth and newly furnished for his voyage vpon condition that he should deliuer the duke of Suffolke whom he had prisoner in the castell of Namures Phillip yeeldeth and requireth that he might not be put to death though he pretended right to the crowne whereunto king Henry the seuenth condiscended but Henrie the eight afterwarde strake off his heade Phillip goeth forward and by capitulation obtaineth the kingdome of Castile but dieth within a while after The French king is desirous to bee reuenged vpon Venice but first marrieth his daughter Madame Claude vnto Francis of Angolesme afterward king The Emperour treateth with the Venetians to passe through their territories to be crowned at Rome The Pope enterprised the recouerie of Bolognia vnder the conduct of the Marques of Mantua the Bolognians require ayde of the French king according to their protection but in fine the poore Bentiuoles in stead of a protection had a faire safe conduct of Monsieur Chaumont for which they payed dearly and lost the state to the Church The Geneuoys rebell against the French king and fell also at ciuil discord the Gibelines fauouring the Adornes and the Guelphes the Fregoses euery man desiring to bring the gouernment to his friendes Monsieur de Chaumont setteth vpon them and maketh them yeeld the towne to the discretion of the king who there entered in person and pardoned all sauing threescore Ferdinand king of Aragon and the French king appoynted a meeting at Sauona and there they put themselues one in anothers power as though there neuer had beene enmitie betweene them Where supping together none but the two kings and the Queene the French king would needes haue Gonsaluo make the fourth being in admiration of his fame his person his maiestie in gesture and speech After this tyme this great Captaine had neuer great occasion to exercise his vertue The ende of their great conference was that they two and the Emperour shoulde ioyne agaynst the Venetians The Emperour on the other side held a decree at Constance for the encountering of the French king in Italie and to that end treated with the Pope professing himselfe a protector of the Church and an enemie of the French vsurpation in Italie who meaned quoth he to make the Cardinall of Amboyse Pope and himselfe Emperour This troubled the king who was sure neither of the Pope nor of the Venetians and the Venetians were much perplexed whether they shoulde ioyne with the king or the Emperour to which poyntes Foskarin and Gritti made excellent orations In fine they answered the Ambassadour of the Emperour who demaunded passage that if he came armed he shoulde haue no passage if otherwise they shoulde doe him all honour possible He marcheth on notwithstanding and gaineth something but for want of good resolution looseth againe The eight Booke NOw do the Emperour and the Venetians fall to treatise of league which maketh all Italie more afraid then euer before which had beene alreadie greatly tormented by the ambition of princes and specially by the Venetians who made their profite of euery peace and euery warre and euen in this league with Caesar they demeaned themselues so cunningly that they nowe gaue cause both to the Emperour and the French king to ioyne together against them whereupon the Pope fayled not to encourage them insomuch that for the Emperour Madame Marguiret his daughter gouernesse of Flanders for the French king the Cardinall of Amboyse and for Spaine The Ambassador sware this league at Cambray The Venetians mistrusting false measure had their ambassadour there also to awaite what was done but the Cardinall sware so many othes that the French king his maister woulde keepe his league with Venice and that his meeting was to make peace betweene the Archduke and the duke of Guelders that hee made him and the Venetians verie secure This league was helde verie secrete but the Pope taking the aduauntage thereof demaunded of them Rimini and Fauentia which they had taken from the Church vttering that whereas the greatest princes in Christendome were ioyned agaynst them he would also ioyne if they denied him his demaund The Senate was deepely amazed and diuided in opinion touching the restitution and in fine were resolued to restore had not Treuisan a man of high estate next the duke most earnestly disswaded them which they repented for the Pope ratified the treatise of Cambray and so all Christendome in effect armed against them And besides that they had these euill signes and presages a shippe of theirs was drowned with tenne thousande ducats The Castell of Bresse was striken with thunder their tower of records suddenly fell downe their Arsenall was burnt twelue gallies their salt peter powder and munition was consumed The French king accompanied with the duke of Loraine and nobilitie of Fraunce passed the Alpes and sent Monsieur de Chaumont afore to set vpon them The Pope published a bull against them The French armie ouerthroweth their battaile at Gniaradadde taketh prisoner their chiefe Captaine Bartholomeo Aluiano who was wounded in the eye as for the other Captaine the Countie Petylian he stirred not nor would aduenture all vpon one day the which if hee had done it is thought hee had ouercome and yet his not venturing was not misliked These newes astonished almost vnto desperation the Venetians and yet