of private persons, and not only their wealth but even the crosses,
chalices, and jewels from the churches? What was said of Cambyses, king
of Persia, may be said of him, 'Difficile enim erat ut parceret suis,
qui contempta religione grassatus etiam in Deos fuerat.' Although from
so great a crime many may attempt to exculpate themselves, yet I do
not see how they can well do so, for it would have been easy at first
to have resisted such treason: nor can one in Milan excuse himself
for the joyous reception given to Ludovico, as if he had been a god
descended from heaven on earth. The people of Milan assisted the lord
Ludovico with money and men. Feasts and entertainments were every where
displayed to welcome his arrival, and for his short-lived victories
when he gained Novara.
'Observe now, O Milanese! how strongly the justice of God, the Creator,
has been made manifest, and the great power that it has pleased Him to
invest the king our lord with: for when you thought that you had done
every thing by gaining Novara, at that moment you lost the whole, and
your idol, the lord Ludovico, carried away a prisoner,--so that what
was said of the Persians may be applied to him, 'Servit alteri cui
nuper mediolanum serviebat.'
'O Milanese! notwithstanding your enormous offences, the great fountain
of mercy of our good king has not been dried up by your ingratitude
to him: and the uncommon benignity of his lieutenant general, my lord
cardinal, has been fully shown to you, from his respect and reverence
to this day, on which it pleased our Lord to suffer an ignominious
death on the cross for our salvation. He, in the king's name, pardons
your lives, your honours, and your property, exhorting you, at the same
time, to be more careful, henceforward, not only to avoid committing
similar offences but to avoid even the being suspected of them: for
should you ever relapse again into rebellion, you will be punished
with such severity the remembrance thereof shall endure to the latest
ages of the world. By acting as loyal subjects towards your lord, your
town and country will be daily improved, and you will live happy and
contented; for it must be a great satisfaction to live under a true and
legitimate prince.
'With regard to the requests you have made to my lord cardinal, you
will deliver them to him in writing, and he will return you such
answers as shall content you. It must, however, be understood, that
from this pardon all the principal actors and instigators of the late
rebellion are excepted.'
When this harangue was ended, all the children passed the cardinal in
procession, crying out 'France, France! France and mercy!'
On St George's day, the queen of France set out from Lyon, to go to St
Claude, with a very handsome company. Before she returned, she stood
godmother with the prince of Orange,--for the princess had, at that
time, been brought to bed of a son.
On the 2d of May, the lord Ludovico was brought to Lyon. He wore a robe
of black camlet, after the fashion of Lombardy, and was mounted on a
small mule. The provost of the royal household, and the seneschal of
Lyon, went out to meet him, made him a prisoner in the king's name, and
confined him in the castle of Pierre-en-Cise. Great numbers of people
were collected in the streets to see him pass. The king was then in
Lyon.
The 12th of May, the marriage of the lord de la Roche, a baron of
Brittany, was announced in Lyon, with the princess of Tarente, daughter
to don Frederic of Naples. On this occasion were many justs, and
other entertainments, at which were present the queen, her ladies and
damsels,--and the wife of count Galeazzo was with the queen; but the
marriage did not take place until the 18th of May, at the church of St
Croix, near to that of St John. Tournaments again were exhibited on the
Grenette, and gave great satisfaction[21].
The lord Ludovico was, by orders from the king and council transferred
from the castle of Pierre-en-Cise, on the 14th of May, to the castle of
Loches, near Bourges. On the 24th of the same month, the lord de Ligny
returned from Lombardy to Lyon, when the king sent out a large party to
meet and welcome him.
The cardinal Ascanius Sforza was on the 17th of June, the vigil of
Corpus-Christi-day, brought prisoner to Lyon, and confined, where his
brother had before been, in the castle of Pierre-en-Cise; but he
afterwards found such favour with the king that he had all France for
his prison.
The lord-cardinal of Amboise and the lord de la Trimouille arrived at
Lyon, the 21st of June, from Lombardy, and brought with them the lord
Jean Jacques de Trivulce and his lady to France.
About the end of July, pope Alexander VII. was struck by lightning, at
Rome, and much hurt; but, recommending himself to God and our lady,
he was cured, and ordered a solemn procession, which he attended
in person, and granted a full absolution to all who assisted. This
happened, as said, on the vigil, or on the day preceding it, of the
feast of St Peter. The same day the king and queen of France left Lyon
for Troyes in Champagne, to meet an embassy from Germany that was
expected there.
On St Anne's day, the 26th of July, the king of Yvetot[22] died at
Lyon: he was buried in the church of Sainte Croix, near to that of St
John.
The 28th, on a Sunday Morning, the last arch but one of the bridge over
the Rhône, at Lyon, near to Bechevelain, fell down: the wall and the
other arch remained,--but it could not be crossed without great danger,
and by going along the top of the wall.
This year, the Swiss made war on the king's territories,--on which
account his Swiss-guards returned home, but the war was soon put an end
to.--About St Simon and St Jude's day, M. de Bordeaux, archbishop of
Lyon, died, and was succeeded by François de Rohan, son to the marshal
de Gié.
The king of France, about this period, sent a doctor of divinity
from Paris to La Vaupute[23], to convert the inhabitants from some
fantastical opinions they had imbibed,--but he failed of success.
Near Christmas, the river Saone was frozen as high as Mâcon, which
prevented any corn and other victual coming to Lyon, and raised the
price of bread very high. On St Thomas's day, the Rhône suddenly rose
in the afternoon, and higher than was ever known in so short a time.
In the year 1501, the bishop of Amiens, a native of Burgundy, died at a
place called Arbois[24], and was succeeded by the bishop of Nevers.
A jubilee took place, this year, in France, for the support of a war
against the Turks,--and a tenth was raised, from all benefices, for the
same purpose.--The archduke Philip and his consort came, in the course
of the year, to Paris, and declared themselves friends to the king.
They went thence into Spain, where the archduchess was brought to bed
of a son.
A large body of infantry, with great stores of salted provision, were
ordered to Naples; and the king and queen went to Lyon, to see these
troops march through that city. The wife of duke Réné of Lorraine
came to Sainte Claude, with her son, and thence proceeded to wait on
the king and queen at Lyon. Her son remained at the court, and had a
pension; and on the mother's returning to Lorraine, the king presented
her with a white palfrey, most richly caparisoned in crimson velvet,
with knotted cord-work in embroidery.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 19: Luson. Q. Lausanne?]
[Footnote 20: Archila. Q. Attila?]
[Footnote 21: As I do not understand the expressions in the original, I
shall transcribe them.
'Derechief on feit jouste en la Grenette. Les gentils-hommes qui
joustoient _à cheval de bois et lisses de cordes couvertes de drap de
soie qui estoit une chose si mignonnement faicte que merveilles_ et
tres joyeuse à voir.']
[Footnote 22: King of Yvetot. Yvetot is a small burgh in the country of
Caux, six leagues from Rouen. Clotaire I. king of France, having killed
Gautier lord of Yvetot, as a compensation erected it into a kingdom.
--See La Martiniere's or Baudrand's Geographical Dictionaries.]
[Footnote 23: La Vaupute. Q. Vault-de-Puis-de-Sacs? a village in
Burgundy.]
[Footnote 24: Arbois,--in Franche Comté, celebrated for its vineyards,
38 leagues from Lyon.]
CHAP. XIII.
THE KING OF FRANCE SENDS TROOPS TO RECONQUER NAPLES, WHICH IN A SHORT
TIME IS WON,--AND FREDERICK, STYLING HIMSELF KING THEREOF, COMES TO
FRANCE.
The king was very anxious to recover his dominions in Naples, and, for
this purpose sent thither a considerable force by sea and land. The
king's lieutenant-general, the lord d'Aubigny, was so diligent, on
his arrival, that he soon won the town of Naples. Frederick, calling
himself king of Naples, was then in the town; for, after the decease
of the duke of Calabria, he claimed it as his inheritance. Seeing all
resistance vain, he consented to meet the king of France, to make
arrangements respecting his claim; for he was unwilling to remain the
king's enemy, seeing that it was impossible for him to resist. Some of
his children, however, were carried away secretly to the king of Spain.
The king of France received the news of the capture of Naples, and of
Frederick, the 8th of August, when at Lyon, where great rejoicings,
with bonfires, and solemn processions, were made on the occasion, to
render thanks to the God of all victories.
On the feast of our Lady, in September of this year, the convent
of the Celestins at Lyon took fire, and nearly the whole of it was
destroyed. The fire began in the chimney; but the convent was soon
afterwards rebuilt, handsomer than before. The same day, friar John
Tisserant, an Observantine, of whom mention has been before made, died.
On All-souls-day, don Frederic arrived at Lyon, from Naples, and was
conducted further into France.
CHAP. XIV.
THE CARDINAL OF AMBOISE MAKES HIS PUBLIC ENTRY INTO LYON, AS LEGATE TO
FRANCE.
Sunday, the 7th of October, the lord-cardinal of Amboise made his
public entry into Lyon, having been appointed legate from the holy see
to France. His entry was very sumptuous and handsome: the streets hung
with rich tapestries, and several allegorical mysteries represented in
those streets he passed through. The populace were greatly rejoiced at
his arrival, as he had established a peace among the Christian princes,
which was proclaimed at Lyon on Saturday preceding Christmas, when
bonfires were made in all the squares.
About this time, the lady Margaret[25] was married to the duke of
Savoy, and made her public entry into Geneva in the course of the month
of December.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 25: The lady Margaret--of Austria, daughter to the emperor
Maximilian, and widow to John son to Ferdinand the catholic king of
Spain.]
CHAP. XV.
THE FRENCH, AFTER THE CAPTURE OF NAPLES, MAKE WAR ON THE TURKS.
The year 1502 was the jubilee for a croisade against the Turks. It
was, as said, celebrated throughout Christendom to excite every prince
to take up arms on the occasion. But there were divisions among them;
and all failed in their engagements excepting the king of France, who
showed himself deserving of his title of most Christian king.
After the conquest of Naples, he ordered his troops to make war on
the Turks by sea and land,--for they, having declared war against the
Venetians, had landed troops near to Venice. The french army were eager
to advance to the conquest of Constantinople, under the command of
the lord Philip of Ravenstein; and they had undertaken the siege of
the town of Metelino, under a promise of pay, and of being victualled,
made by the Venetians to the king of France. They failed in the last
article, for the french army was five days without provision; and what
was worse, the Venetians allowed the Turks to march through part of
their territories, who fell on the French, killed numbers, and made
thirty-two prisoners,--for whose release the pope issued his pardons to
obtain the necessary sums, as is specified in the bull. By these means,
the french army was ruined; but had the promises made to the French
been kept, they would soon have conquered the greater part of Turkey.
Good-Friday, this year, falling on the feast of our Lady in March,
pardons were fully granted at the church of our Lady at Puys, in
Auvergne, where such multitudes attended that a melancholy accident
happened, by the falling down of a wall from the crowd pressing against
it, which killed numbers, and wounded more. Several also perished from
the great pressure.
This year, a marriage was concluded between the king of Hungary and
Anne of Candale, daughter to the lord of Candale of the house of Foix.
She soon after made her public entry into Lyon, where several splendid
mysteries were represented, and thence continued her route to Hungary,
where the marriage was consummated, and they had a fine family of
children.
About a fortnight before St George's day, the prince of Orange died,
and was succeeded by his infant son.
Not long after this, the king of France went to Lombardy, and made his
public entry into Genoa, the inhabitants having placed themselves under
his dominion. The town made him many rich gifts,--and having staid
there some time, he returned to France in September. About this period,
Réné bastard of Savoy was driven out of that country, and took refuge
with the king of France, to the great displeasure of the duke and
duchess of Savoy; for Réné had revealed divers machinations that were
going forward to the prejudice of the crown of France. Shortly, a suit
was instituted against the duchess, to recover some places which the
duke had given her, that belonged to Réné by purchase.
While the king was in Dauphiny, the duke and duchess of Savoy visited
the queen at Lyon, but made no public entry: they staid only four or
six days, and went back to Savoy a little before the king's return.
Shortly afterward, the general of the order of cordelier friars came to
France, to establish a reform, and to make them follow the regulations
of the Observantines,--for the king would have it so, as he knew them
to be too worldly inclined, and that it was better to have ten good
monks than two thousand vicious ones.
On the vigil of St Martin's clay, the wife of don Frederic arrived in
France, with some of her children and attendants.
In the year 1503, the picture of our Lady of the Cloister, which had
been in the cloister of the cordeliers at Lyon was removed into the
church, and placed in the chapel of St Francis. This painting was so
large that the wall was broken down to admit it into the chapel, where
it now is most richly decorated.
About the beginning of Lent, the king's palace at Dijon was burnt down,
by the firing a culverin up the chimney to clean it; the king soon
afterwards rebuilt it with greater magnificence.
The 21st of April, when the king was at Lyon, he made a general
abolition of a variety of tolls and imposts that had existed for
a hundred years, without any legal sanction,--with orders not to
re-establish them, under severe penalties. This was contained in
letters patent he granted to the merchants who trafficked on the Rhône
and Saone, and other navigable rivers falling into them, from the
town of Pontarlier, above Auxonne, to the sea,--and also to those who
trafficked by land through France, the Mâconnois, Lyonnois, Languedoc,
and Dauphiny. By these letters, all obstructions to the navigation,
such as wears, milldams, and the like, were ordered to be instantly
removed, excepting such as may have been particularly erected by the
king.
The french army at Naples gained ground daily, and had nearly
conquered Sicily, so that all trembled before them.
CHAP. XVI.
THE ARCHDUKE MAKES HIS ENTRY INTO LYON.--ANOTHER HERETIC.
The archduke Philip made his public entry into Lyon the 23d of March,
and it was very handsome. He came from Spain; but before he entered the
king's territories, he demanded that five or six of the princes of the
blood should be sent to his country, as hostages for his safety during
his stay in France. This was done, for the king had no evil intentions;
but the archduke had made the above demand imagining that he might be
somewhat inclined to be suspicious of him.
The populace were rejoiced at his coming, because he was charged to
make peace between the kings of France and Spain, which he did; and it
was proclaimed while the king, queen, and their court were at Lyon, on
the 4th of April. The peace included, beside the kings of France and
Spain, the archduke, the king of the Romans and their allies.
The archduke on leaving Lyon, went to Bourg en Bresse in Savoy, where
he met the duke, and his sister the duchess of Savoy.
About the 13th of April, the lord John de Horne, bishop of Liege,
waited on the king at Lyon, on account of a quarrel that had taken
place between him and the lord de la Marche, which they had mutually
referred for the king's decision, and he made peace between them.
The archduke had not been long at Bourg en Bresse before it was known
that the king of Spain had landed a large army at Naples, and had
instantly attacked the French unexpectedly,--for they understood that
they were at peace with Spain. Notwithstanding this, a severe conflict
took place,--and the duke of Nemours was killed treacherously. The
Spaniards conquered the town of Naples, in contradiction to the oath
their king had so lately made to observe the peace. It was said that
pope Alexander VII. had supplied the Spaniards with provision. The
lord d'Aubigny retired into Calabria with a few of his men; but had
the French been supported, they would have prevented the Spaniards
succeeding in their enterprise. It was likewise reported, that some of
the French had joined the Spaniards, having an understanding with the
king of Spain,--but this perhaps was discovered afterwards. The lord de
la Trimouille was, in consequence, sent to Naples as lieutenant-general
for the king; but he was seized with so grievous a malady on his road,
he was forced to return to France.
In this year, an extraordinary event happened at Paris. A young
scholar, twenty-two years old, a native of Abbeville, whose parents
were of worth, and much respected, went on the feast of St Louis,
to the holy chapel in the palace, while mass was celebrating at an
altar on the right hand. When the priest was about to consecrate
the host, this scholar snatched it out of his hands, and ran away
with it into the court fronting the exchequer-chamber. Perceiving
that he was pursued, he tore the wafer into pieces, and flung them
on the pavement. When, taken, he was confined in the prison of the
Conciergerie,--but no exhortations could make him repent. Upon this
his parents were sent for, who were much grieved at his conduct, more
especially for his obstinacy and malice,--and the mother died in Paris
of grief.
The father renounced his son for a heretic, and wanted to put him to
death with his own hands. When brought before the court of parliament,
he was asked of what religion he was; and replied, Of the religion
of nature. It was said that he had frequented the company of some
scholars from Spain, who had fled. A general procession was made to
the holy chapel, to offer up prayers to God that the scholar might
be converted,--and a sermon was preached, while he was present, by
an eminent doctor. The court of parliament finding him obstinate,
condemned him to be dragged from prison to the place where he had
thrown down the host; then to be put into a tumbril, and have his
wrist cut off, and carried to the pig-market to be burnt. He was
accompanied all the time by three doctors, who earnestly exhorted him
to repent,--namely, master John Standun, a Cordelier, and a Jacobin:
the first never left him until dead, notwithstanding he continued in
his obstinacy to the last.
From the time this impiety had been committed, a canopy of cloth of
gold was supported over the spot where the host had fallen, with two
burning tapers beside it. The pavement was taken up, and carried to
the holy chapel, with such parts of the wafer as could be found, to be
preserved as relics, and the place repaved.
Toward the end of August, in this year, pope Alexander VII. died.
The king was then at Mâcon, and immediately ordered the cardinal of
Amboise, the cardinal Ascanius Sforza, then a prisoner in France, the
cardinal of St George, with other cardinals, to repair to Rome, for the
election of a pope.
About nine or ten o'clock of the Monday, before Michaelmas-day, the
whole arch of the bridge over the Rhône at Lyon fell down.
The cardinal of Sienna, nephew to pope Pius II. was elected pope, and
took the name of Pius III., but did not live more than eight or ten
days after his exaltation. During that short space, he had already
shown how very much he was indisposed against the French. He was the
hundred and sixth pope.
On Wednesday preceding St Luke's day, the lord Peter of Bourbon died,
while the king was at Mâcon: he was much bewailed, for he had ever been
true and loyal to the crown of France, and was an able counsellor.
The 19th of October, died pope Pius III. at Rome, who, as I have said,
did not outlive his election more than eight or ten days,--and the
cardinals made another election.
The French at Naples slew very many Spaniards,--and had they been
properly supported, they would have driven them thence, for the lord
d'Aubigny evinced much valour and prudence.
CHAP. XVII.
THE CARDINAL OF ST PIETRO AD VINCULA ELECTED POPE.
The cardinal of St Pietro ad vincula, legate of Avignon, and by name
Francis de Savona[26], was elected the hundred and seventh pope of
Rome, and took the name of Julius II. He was nephew to the late pope,
Sixtus IV. and had accompanied king Charles of France at the conquest
of Naples. After his election, he made his nephew cardinal of St Pietro
ad vincula, and legate of Avignon.
The french army before Saulse[27], in the county of Roussillon, was
badly conducted by some in whom the king had great confidence; for it
was so well equipped, wonders were expected from it. The commanders
might have taken the castle and the garrison, on allowing their
captains to march away in safety; but although many were for it,
the majority were against them. The castle was mined to its very
foundations, and the army was so strongly encamped it could not
be hurt; but the king of Spain, by dint of money, as it was known
afterwards, blinded the eyes of the commanders, to the astonishment and
vexation of all loyal Frenchmen when it was discovered.
The commander in chief, the marshal de Rieux, a Breton, marched away
to Narbonne, to the great discontent of the French, as the camp was
left without a leader. Every one behaved with the utmost courage, and
raised the siege, carrying off the artillery and baggage without loss
in their retreat. However, had all behaved as they ought to have done,
conformable to their engagements with the king, in a short time they
would have made great advances into the enemy's country, considering
the fine army of the French.
The lord de la Roche-pot was killed, when before Saulse, by a cannon
shot: it was a great loss, for he was a good and valiant knight, and
the king and whole court were much grieved at it.--The french army in
Naples not only kept its ground, but even made some conquests.
On Christmas-eve, in this year, the lord Louis of Luxembourg, lord of
Ligny, died, about twelve o'clock at night at Lyon, and was very much
regretted by the king and all who knew him, for he was universally
beloved.
The 3d day of July, in this year, died Pierre cardinal of Aubusson[28],
grand master of Rhodes, which he had governed for twenty-seven years:
during the early part of which, Rhodes was attacked by the Turks with
an immense army: but he and his knights made so gallant a defence, he
was victorious, and the Turks left upwards of forty thousand dead: the
rest saved themselves by flight, to the great vexation of all Turkey,
in spite of their cries, 'Mahoun, avenge us!'