which treacherous overthrow of these two noble Captains by don Consolis de Cordua called the great Captain Commander of the Spaniards in these parts they wrested from the French most of the places in Italy which they keep untill this day And therefore howsoever other men be opinionated of the Spanish faith and fidelity with your Majesty and State yet for my part I will think of them and their promises as a Noble man of Athens thought of a certain Oratour Your words quoth he my friends are like the Cypresse which although great and high bear no fruit And truely as they are Spaniards I cannot well blame them for they well know that the Crown of Spain is at stake and all the Indies and his other Signiories and therfore will not fail to put in practise all tricks that may win the game though it be by foule play For if he haue not peace with England at this time it is not unknown unto him that the foundation of his Monarchy will be shaken in peeces And we cannot but see this and yet will take no advantage therof wherby we may secure our selues both for present and future times we may be compared to the Athenians of whom I haue spoken before who by Titus Livius report were men who knew what to doe but would not doe it which is a fault so ominous to all states that it not onely presenteth it selfe against but likewise followeth disasters and ruin to the Common-wealth that refuseth For opportunitie doth not attend upon Captaines and Councellours pleasures but sheweth it selfe on a suddain and if not imbraced passeth away without returning And therfore the advantages that one State that are enemies hath of another happen so seldom to the Globes as Saturn finisheth his course but in 30 yeares But our enemy is free and I speak it to his honour from this base and earthly resolution for it is reported of them by this speciall vertue they haue raysed their state to so high a pitch which is that no people can readier finde the occasion or sooner take or resolue it when it is offered And doubtlesse to say the truth I am much more fearfull of the Spanish proceedings for that he goeth by precedent which is an excellent kind of discipline as well in Martiall as civill actions especially when the action is grounded upon a sure foundation And as all Kings and Captaines which desire to attain to great things doe imitate some one Prince or Generall that hath preceded them so doubtless haue the Kings of Spain for these many yeares imitated in all their actions as neer as the time and States with whom they haue contended would giue them leaue that noble valiant and politick Captain Phillip of Macedon who indeed laid the foundation of his sons Monarchy and this was his Maxime That where force could not prevail he alwaies used bribes and mony to corrupt the principall of the inhabitants Insomuch that at a certain time at the assault of a Citie which to a Captain of his seemed impregnable and therfore thought to divert his purpose in the besieging therof Then art a fool quoth he for I will haue this great Citie notwithstanding the walles and ramparts if the Gates be so big that an Asse laden with gold can but enter And questionless if your Majestie would but search into the Spaniards proceedings since he had the Indies you should acquaint your selfe with many such presidents of their part to be a warning to you to look at this time advisedly to your own safety lest you fall into the like misfortunes And although I could alledge many which for brevities sake I omit yet I will recite one lest it should be thought I knew none which is viz. When Ferdinand of Aragon saw by the sword he could not get the country of Rowsâ—â—ton and Perpignan out of the hands of Charles the French King which as they say had been ingaged to Lewis the 11 he fell to practise with them of Religion wherfore he corrupted with a great summe of mony one Oliver Maillandor as some say Iohn de Madron a Franciscan Frier Confessor to the Lady Brawnen the Kings sister who under the root of Religion cloaking his hypocrysie and coveteousnesse perswaded this simple Lady that unlesse restitution was made of those Territories to the King of Spain his government could not prosper nor please God she being moved in conscience with this Friers perswasions brake this matter to Lewis of Amboise Bishop of S. Albie the Kings Schoolemaster who together with her so terrified the Kings conscience that hee not onely made restitution of the said Territories by the said Bishop but likewise freely released to the King of Spaine the said Ferdinand all the mony that Lewis his father had paid for them Marry with condition that the said King and his Successors should ever loue and honour the King of France that he should make no warres against it nor aide with mony victuals nor counsell any enemies therof nor permit them to haue passage through their Dominions And thus were the countries restored to the Frenchmens griefe But the French King misreckoned himselfe in the Spanish fidelity for having occasion to warre in Italy shortly after he was no sooner past the Mountains but the King of Spaine forgat all his kindness and began to practise a leagu with his enemies So as I inferre mighty Prince that either by shew of Religion or subtle and sophisticall Arguments or in desire you haue to trust some about you on whose shoulders ever in regard of your opinion of their wisedomes and fidelities you cast your selfe and your care of your estate in all or either of these you are like without the more grace of God to receiue disadvantage in this your peace-making and yet perhaps no fault in them For it seemes to me wonderfull that the truth of things being one yet may falshood be so apparelled with the habits of likelihood and truth as changing countenance it is often retained in stead therof As for as much as upon this Treatie now in hand not onely dependeth your own happiness the happiness of your noble Issue States Kingdoms Subjects or whatsoever else is deer unto you but likewise the happiness or unhappiness of all the Princes of Europe So most gracious Lord in respect of these great and mighty dependances as well in regard of your own particular as generall good of the Christian Common-wealth which so long hath groaned under the fear of the Spanish greatness digest and distinguish every particular and in a point in your own person without trusting of any man with a matter of great importance which although it will be very intricate by the diversitie of so many things as will offer themselues to be considered yet renoumed Soveraign it will be very profitable to your Highness and most acceptable and pleasing to the people when they shall hear and see the great care the King hath of them and their
may well say and according to truth that the world of America was not so much unknown to the former ages as their monstrous outragious and new devised cruelties which these divelish and tyrannous Spanyards haue unhumanely practised amongst the simple and innocent people as appeareth by Don Bartholmew de la Casas Bishop of ... and other of their own Historiegraphers And although my selfe being a stranger which haue some time served against them both in the Indies and else where could say much of their cruelties by relation of such their slaues as I haue taken yet for that my eyes haue not seen them I will forbear in modesty to charge them onely I will relate from the mouth of a true reporter a worthy Gentleman of this land Sir Francis Drake one truth that by that your Majestie might be induced to beleeu the rest Hee once talking with me of the Indies told me That he being in the South Sea after he had taken his prize he had thought to haue ventured to haue come home by the Northward and stood his course to the I le of Canes being in 12 degrees of the North latitude and from thence to Aqua Palce upon the maine being 16 degrees at one of the poore townes of the Citie of Mexico where going a shore he found an old Negro tyed in a chain of 20 yards long which had been condemned by the justice of the place for that sometimes being oppressed with too much labour the poor old man would runne into the woods and absent himselfe from his Majesties work his sentence was that he should be whipped with whips till he was all raw and bloudy and afterwards being tyed in a chain to be eaten with flies which poore soule hee released from that miserable death and took him away with him And therfore oh Turke oh Scithians and Tartarians rejoyce yee now all since now there is to be found at this day a Nation in Christendome which by the unhappy and cursed behaviour doe increase the hatred that men haue born to the barbarous and ungracious cruelties And therfore most renowned Soveraign I should be sory in regard of the premises that you should commit so great a fault in the government of the great and mighty Kingdoms which is not sufferable to a private Captain over a few souldiers to say I doe not thinke it so when hee hath by his own temerity or fool-hardinesse committed an action for want of due respect to the subjects undertaken that hath made him disastrous and unfortunate in his honour and the times of his people which desire rather to giue them received Lawes ... For the desire of honour to advance States and enlarge Kingdoms is naturally grafted in the hearts of all Princes of noble spirits and there was never any King of a worthy and high courage but desired to leau to his posterity the memory of some noble and worthy action as the American world by doing wherof you shall not onely procure safety to your selfe and those that shall succeed you in your Royall Seat but generall happiness to so many millions of people which at this day sit in darknesse and the shadow of death and is a thing so farre from discommendation or reproach as you shall be so qualified in all succeeding ages with the most happy most gracious and most fortunate Princes of the world But yet I doe not deny but Princes may haue such grounds and reasons to trust some private men or forraign Princes as being deceived by them and they should say I never would haue thought it yet are not worthy of reprehension as for example That Prince ought not to bee blamed that hath put in a Fortresse some one Captain or place in a Country some one Prince either of which haue received goods or honours from him and yet in the end is betrayed by them and heereupon the knowledge thereof should say I would never haue thought it that such a man would haue betraied me that Prince is not to be blamed as it happened to Lewis Morre Duke of Millaine who having committed the Castle of the Citie to one Damerdine Covet whom he had so absolutely raised and made obliged to him by infinite graces and benefits yet notwithstanding was by the said Covet betrayed to his perpetuall dishonour and infamie This Duke was no way to bee blamed As also your Majestie ought not to be reproved who providing for every mischiefe is assailed by some strange accidents that was not possible for your Majestie in judgement or counsell to foresee or prevent as being not possible with reason to foresee a thing which of it selfe is a thing without reason As for example was that most grievous accident of the powder and other munition prepared to be sent to diverse places before the Castle gate of the said Citie which tooke fire and was burnt by lightning from heaven when the weather was fair and cleer wherby afterward ensued to the State so many losses and discommodities upon this occasion if the Captain of the Castle should haue said I had never thought that this weather would haue brought so great and unfortunate a chance to me hee had deserved no reproofe at all But if before your Majesties eyes it be apparant that a manifest knowne enemy to the State who as Demosthenes saith hates the verie Religion of Athens who hath not onely long thirsted after the Seigniorie of your Kingdome in his secret designes but likewise by open force of fire and sword hath assailed them If you will trust such an one and after upon his breaking say You would not haue beleeved that the King of Spaine would haue dealt so with you Doubtlesse renoumed Soveraigne the world will not faile to taxe you with such carelessenesse and improvidence as I hope shall never haue any affinity with your most Excellent Majestie or any other of your Royall Off-spring that shall sway the Scepter of this noble I le And therefore my gracious Lord in my judgement you ought to doe in this so great a matter of State as concluding a peace with so dangerous enemies as the Spanish Nation as good and wise Carpenters seeme to doe in substantiall buildings which is to make a sure foundation lest by aspiring minde or breach of the enemy you be overthrown And where as he saith in the fore-going project that hee hath right and good title to the Crowne of England by vertue of his Grandfather and Predecessours which I know to be otherwise yet contrarily can I proue your Majestie by the vertue of your Grandfather of famous memory Henry the 7 to bee as rightfull Heire to all the firme land of the Indies as the King of Spain is to the Ilands of Cuba Iannura and Hispaniola with the rest of the Ilands of Lucaites Grante and Aâ—tile and for that it is not inconvenient fully to take notice and understand how these Kings intitles themselues and their Successors to the right and Seigniories of the
Indies I haue thought good to set down my opinion how many waies they doe or may take their claim And first by discovery secondly by the Popes gift thirdly by consent of the people fourthly by conquest and consent So as if neither of these be able to proue or giue a good and sufficient title or at least such an one as may barr you and other Princes that will to inhabite in those parts I know no reason why your Majestie should not doe as he hath done that is to possesse as much as you can of those Heathen Countries especially where the Spaniard is not seated nor hath no command wherby you might not onely propagate the Christian faith amongst those Pagans and Infidels as you are bound to doe as much as you can but a golden world to the Crown of England wherby you be more enabled as well to undertake a forraign warre against the enemy of the Christian name as also to make your State the more strong by the Indian treasures against such of your neighbours as shall envie your Highness And therefore to come to his Title If he claim his interest by possession and first Discovery which doubtless must be the strongest Title that he can challenge then your Majestie hath as much title for all the firme land of the Indies as he hath for these Ilands before named As for proofe of this the Captaines of Henry the 7 being Sebastion Cabot and his companions discovered the Iland of the Indies on the north part of the Indies from 60 degrees coasting the north latitude the verie year before Christian Columbus discovered the high land of Dania on the south part of the Indies which was the first day that ever the Spaniards saw the maine and took possession of that new Discovery in the behalfe of Henry the 7 and his successours their Lord and Master So as if first Discovery and Possession be his Title your Majestie preceding him in that said Title must necessarily precede him in the right thereof If he claime it by the gift of Pope Alexander the sixth then it must be argued whether the said Pope had power to giue it yea or no if not then the gift is voide in it selfe If yea he must proue it either by Divine or Human Arguments for Human he cannot for that no way belonged to him or any other Christian Prince or Potentate at that time nor were so much as ever heard of before that present Discovery of Columbus upon which the gift was made in the year of grace 1492. All things never known to him or his Ancestors can no way of right belong to him or them so as not belonging to him directly or by circumstance hee had no right to giue or dispose thereof either in present or future and thus for Human. For Divine Arguments if he say he gaue them as Christs Vicar wherby he may dispose of Kings or Kingdoms he must proue that authority by the word of God or else we are not bound to beleeu him or think his gift of any value As for example if hee be but Christs servant heer on earth he must challenge to himselfe no more prerogatiue then his Master took on him whilst he was on earth for if he doe it is a great token of pride and arrogancie And our Saviour being but requested to make a lawfull division of a certaine inheritance betwixt one and his brother refused to doe it saying Who made me a Iudge over you as also he confessed openly to Pilate That his kingdom is not of this world Why then doth the Pope who acknowledgeth himselfe to be no better then his servant take upon him the giving of so many Kingdomes of this world But the Popes say they gaue Ireland to Henry the 2 and his successours and indeed they did so in word but when had he it when he had fast footing in it and when Dernitius the King of Lemster had made the King of England his Heir But for all that donation had not the Kings of this land by the sharpnesse of the sword more prevailed then by this gift the Popes donation had stood in little stead neither did the rest of the Irish Kings admit or allow of the Popes Donation for if they had they would never haue rebelled so often against this Crown But to conclude this point though we confesse that the Popes haue done this or that yet it is no good argument in my opinion to say that they did it and therfore it was lawfull unlesse they could shew they did it rightfully But the Popes gift of the West Indies may well be compared to the Sermon of Iudge Molineux his Chaplain in Queen Maries daies who would make it appear by a liuely text out of the Scripture to his Parishioners what a lying knaue the divell was and for his Text he took the place where the divell took Christ and carryed him up to the mountain from whence he shewed him all the Kingdoms of the world told him it he would fall down and worship him he would giue them all unto him My Masters quoth he by this you may well perceiue what a lyar he is for he had no more right to haue given him these Kingdoms if would haue fallen down and worshipt him then my selfe that am now in the Pulpit If I should say to you all now Sirs if you will all fall down and worship me before I goe out of the Church I will giue every man his Copie-hold for ever which if I should doe I should giue you your livings in words But my Masters quoth hee that sit there below to whom they belong would take them from you again And therfore saith he if he had given all these Kingdoms to Christ the Kings of the earth to whom by right they did pertain would never haue suffered him to haue injoyed them And so for that For the earth is the Lords and all that dwell therin he founded and prepared it as in the Psalmist and so consequently neither the Popes nor the divels doe dispose to whom they please The copie of which foolish donation of the Popes truely translated out of the originall hath been delivered to your Majestie long since and I hope perused before this time To proue that he hath no generall consent of all the people and Nations of the Indies appeareth most evidently by this reason for that no Spaniard farther inhabiteth northward then Florida where they haue but two little Forts or Villages the one called S. Austine the other S. Helena All the rest of that huge tract whose insinitenesse is such as no mortall tongue can expresse nor eye hath seen doe not so much as think there is another world but that they themselues inhabite except some few of them which dwell upon the edges of the shore that sometimes see both us the French the Dutch and the Spanyard when we come a fishing but are not able to distinguish of us
this time is apparant by the Kings of Cheley who hath within this few yeares beaten down the Spaniard and wonne from them the Town of Impetial wherin was wont to be placed and maintained one of the greatest Garrisons of the South Sea and not onely razed it to the ground but likewise kild and driven the Castilians quite from them Even so upon the East and North part of the Indies both upon the Coast of Brazil with all the firm land upon the Indies from Parabia to Cartagene the gulfe of Vraba the gulfe of Mexico and all alongst the Coast of Bahana even to their Forts in Florida they are in continuall warres with the Kings and peoples of those lands And surely under your Highness pardon I am confident of this opinion that it hath been a main policy of the Kings of Spain for these many yeares to keep us in continuall warres one with another in these parts or if not to encourage us himselfe whereby being forced to look to our home defences wee might not haue meanes to discover these his invasions abroad wherby he puts a mask before all the Princes eyes of Europe And therfore since he is now laid open and by no Nation so much as by your Majesties subjects of this land I hope for the prevention of future mischeife against this State as for other honourable respects and prevailent Reasons in challenging of that which is your own or at least as much yours as his you will no bee unmindfull which doubtlesse will not tend onely to the enlightning of many soules which to this day haue sate in the shadow of death but likewise lay a ground as before said for the safety and preservation of your States Glorie Person and Posterity in despite of the Spanish treacheries in the time to come which otherwise by no meanes by the wit of mortall man can be prevented as upon my life by circumstances I will make apparant But least this field of reasoning whereinto I haue walked be too tedious unto your Highnesse I will briefly end referring my selfe to Argument with any one against this mischievous and poysonous peace with Spain which I doe see cannot but proue very fatall to your Majestie and Common-wealth And though I bee not called yet considering I am your subject I cannot forbeare in respect of my great and loyall affection to your Majestie the Prince with the rest of the noble Issue and my natiue Country I cannot but presume to speake of such things which I think now fit to be considered especially at this time even as Mercaâ—ie Gataâ—er Chancellour of Spain did against the peace that was concluded betwixt Francis the first and Charles the Emperour his Master for he seeing that the Emperour was disposed to make peace with the said King and to set him at liberty and that the Viceroy of Naples and all other the Lords of the Councell tended to the same and although he knew as I doe now that his counsell would not be accepted yet failed he not to speak what he thought but likewise refused being great Lord Chancellour of Spain to signe the Articles which he defended with most excellent reasons which reasons are well delivered and with much gravity of speech by Quiccardine in the oration of the said Gataner But this event made it known that the counsell of Gataner was most noble most just and grounded as well upon the high wisedome as great zeale to the loue and good of his Country For as soon as the King was at liberty all the Spaniards wonderfull hopes that they expected of this peace and all the French Kings great promises to them vanished into smoke according to the opinion of that worthy Gentleman And I know no reason most noble Soveraign that I being your subject as hee was the King of Spaines and loving you and my Country as much as ever he did his and hauing a subject of the same quality to fear as he did them although I may well say as much more danger to us by the Spanyards if our peace be not built upon a sure foundation then it could any way be unto them by the French But to speak my opinion make what Articles you will and let them bee guilded over with the fairest shew either they or those of their Faction if you haue any about you can devise unlesse these foure be granted on their part to you you can never make any sure peace with them or at least such a peace as if he haue the minde to breake he will haue the advantage of you And Phillip Comines saith That for the many conclusions that hee hath seen in his time in the affaires of State that it were inexcusable folly for a Prince if he were able for to prevent it to put himselfe under the power of another 1 That your subjects may haue free accesse to the Indies either to traffique or plant where the Spanyards haue neither conquest Seigniorie nor tribute 2 That he doe pull down all inquisition wheresoever your people shall resort in all his Dominions and that the Customes be reduced to an ancient order 3 That he shall never come with a main Army of Ships into these Seas under colour of chastising the Hollanders 4 That it shall be as lawfull for your subjects to serue the States in warres against them as it shall be to serue them against the States these things accorded your peace may be safe otherwise not A short view taken of Great Brittaine and Spaine HIs Majestie now is of more power then any his Predecessours First because our addition of dominion Ireland is reduced to a more absolute state of obedience and increase of revenue then heretofore The footing wee had in France was rather a greatnesse of trouble to us then of strength it was alwaies in division it held us alwaies in continuall fluxe of treasure and bloud we never attempted in the Front but that attempted us in the Rear which did both distract our Armies and aggravate our charge It is a Territory so separate from us by nature as we could not advantage upon it either for offence or reliefe without the accesse of difficulty and charge that a State must undergoe when it runnes the necessity of such an undertaking by sea where the warre was bent upon a great Continent a populous Nation a plentifull Countrey and intire in its selfe and that can be succoured without passing the Seas In these things we found such disadvantage as haue been the undoing of our Expeditions In stead of departure of this broken Dominion we had in France his Majestie hath brought another whole Kingdom to England undevided from us in seate from whence we haue these benefits The back dore that was open in the assistance of our enemies both to offend us and divert our attempts from them is now open to us and his Majestie hath the key of it it saveth us the mony and the men that we were forced to employ
A TRVE SOVLDIERS COVNCEL ANNO 1624. THE motiue of this Discourse most renounmed Soveraign which at this time I intend to handle for that it hath relation to two ends or periods to wit peace and warre the one much to be preferred before the other as well by divine as human Arguments yet for that the time agreeing with the necessity we are in regard of the feare of the Spanish greatnesse hereafter which undoubtedly he will attain unto by the innumerable masses of his Indian treasures which are the nerves and sinewes of all martiall intendments by which fair opportunities offered unto the greatnesse of his desire for the enlargement of his state glory and renoume and that there may be no object that may impediment the let thereof but onely a determination in himselfe not to offend his neighbours I shall hardly beleeu that he will so much differ from his Progenitors I mean Ferdinand Charles and Phillip who raised not the fame of the Spanish Monarchie by just noble and laudible warres but by cruell bloudy and treacherous invasions especially against Princes of their own bloud who under pretence of relieving or giving them aide against the oppression of others haue made these passages unmoueable assurance for the obtaining of the lands Crowns and liues of their neerest Allies which giveth me no cause of hope of his good dealing towards your Highness and the States who are neither allied unto him by bloud as these former Princes were nor tyed unto him by offices of Confederacie wherby for former good turns received he might let you liue in peace but contrarily we being onely the stop of the Spanish fury of this part of the world and a Nation who haue not onely given him infinite disgraces as well by open battell as sundry invasions and incursions made upon his frontier Townes and Territories to the irrecoverable dishonor of the Spanish people and unmasking his former forces to all men which indeed are but a meer shew and frighting them onely knowing their Greatnes depends with filling the world with an imagination of their Mightiness For the Spaniard may well becompared to a drumme or empty vessell that being beaten upon makes a great and terrible noise but come neerer them break them and look into them and there is nothing within can hurt you Or rather like the Asse that wrapt him selfe in the Lyons skin and marched a farre off to strike terrour into the hearts of the beasts but when the Fox drew neer hee not onely perceived his long eares but likewise discovered him and made him à jest to all the beasts of the Forrest So that I inferre most gracious Soveraign that unlesse he now prevail with you and by that means gain a peace to make himself more strong for a fitter time to hunt you and your neighbours his forces at this time in respect of you and your Confederates are so weak and resistable as it may well appear unto your Highness that his Monarchy is rather maintained by Opinion then Might as it hath ever stood since the losse of the low Countries if it had been with judgment exquisitely looked into rather by giving out greater rumours of power and by secrecie then by the greatnesse of their own forces So as to make this Shadow a Substance wherby not onely his Indies should be sure but all the world tremble at his greatnesse What oath is it that he would keep What condition that he would not break Or what opportunity that he would let slip for the accomplishment thereof if therby he might assure himselfe of the I le And therfore though I commend peace before warre yet if the Country cannot obtain a good peace without a warre I think it consequently follows that it is necessary for you to make a warre with your enemy whilst you haue the advantage in your hands wherby you may lay a foundation of a sure peace for your Selfe Posterity and State for after ages rather then to dream of a peace which shall no longer hold then he is able by breaking to revenge For doubtlesse in the preservation of Kingdoms it is no injurie to doe that to your enemie which he would doe unto you if he could And therfore those Princes States or people whosoever that shall build so firmly upon the condition of peace to be kept by the enemie the breach wherof may turn to his or their great danger or destruction that Prince State or people in my opinion haue either little judgment of themselues or are ill advised of the Councell Securitie of their own estates or too much fidelity to others haue not onely been the destruction of many families but likewise of great and potent Kingdoms Provinces and Towns And therfore to this day there could never be found so great safety to private men or publique States as mistrust as appeareth by Demosthenes in his second to the Athenians against Phillip of Macedon There are quoth hee devised many strengths and defences for the maintenance of of Cities and Townes as Trenches Walls Ram-parts Dikes Bulwarkes and such like the which are made by mens hands with great cost and charge but nature saith he hath given to all wise men a common defence and safegard the which as it is profitable to all men particularly so it is a most wholesome and sure hold and fortresse to all Countries and Cities against all manner of tyrannie and what fortes to mistrust that which if it be well and truely kept it will preseru and keep you all And therfore to prevent danger in a convenient season and to provide in time against the worst is a thing most wholesome necessary and worthy of greatest commendations For as foresight makes men wary so confident suspicion helpeth judgment and bringeth to light many hidden practises and those that doe not fear the complots of their enemies nor regard of forces preparations against them are doubtlesse neer some dissastrous fortune or extrem ruin of their estates and fortunes How prejudiciall their treatise of peace haue ever been to such Princes or States with whom they haue contended is most evident as well to us as other Nations as appeares by their Armado in 88 who came with fire and sword to cut the throats of the people of this land had not God prevented their treacherous resolutions At the selfe same time they had entertained us with a main shew of a desire of peace and our Commissioners being with them for the same purpose As also when Ferdinand of Aragon the last and Phillip Archduke of Austria were in treaty of marriage of Madam Stawdii of France with Charles the fifth and after was concluded sworn and confirmed at Blois the King of France being Lewis the twelfth his Lieftenants mistrusting nothing in respect of the promises the Spaniards set upon them defeating two French Armies the one at Calabria under the conduct of the Lord D' Aubigney the other at Cernigola led by the Duke of Nemuers by