from the church, namely, Ravenna, Imola, Faienza, and Forli. The
emperor Maximilian regained from the Venetians his towns of Verona,
Vicenza, and Padua,--but this last he did not keep long. Whether
through negligence or fear, he had never dared to come to the king's
camp, notwithstanding his repeated promises: the king, however, gave
him a large body of men, under the command of the lord de la Palisse,
to regain the city of Padua,--and it was long besieged, but nothing
effectual was done at last.
The king of Spain also regained the towns of Brundusium, Tarentum, and
others, of which the Venetians had possessed themselves.
When all this had been done through the fortunate victory of the king
of France, who had supported the pope like a true son of the church,
and had so essentially served him in the restoration of Bologna by the
expulsion of Bentivoglio, and in various other ways,--notwithstanding
all these proofs of his friendship, pope Julius, at the instigation of
the Venetians and others, formed an alliance against him, and, having
joined his arms with those of Venice, took Udina and Mirandola; which
last he restored to John Franciscus Picus, who styled himself the true
lord of it.
To return to the king of France: after his victory over the Venetians,
he went to Milan, where a magnificent triumphal entry was prepared
for him, after the manner of the ancient Romans. Brilliant cars, full
of the handsomest and best dressed ladies in Milan, went out to meet
him,--and the people greeted him with acclamations, comparing him to
Cæsar, for having conquered and reduced to his subjection those who
had been feared and dreaded by all the world before.
The king, having had so handsome a reception in Milan, went thence
to Savona, where he was met by Ferdinand, who had come thither with
a numerous fleet of galleys for the purpose. The king of France
received him and his queen with much kindness, and they made good cheer
together. They confirmed their peace by dividing the eucharist between
them at the holy sacrament; but it lasted not long, notwithstanding
this ceremony, as you will hereafter see. There are many who make a
good sale of their consciences and promises; and one of them, instead
of the host, ought to have swallowed a burning coal,--for numberless
creatures have paid dear for perjuries of which they were innocent, and
had no concern with.
CHAP. XXIV.
A WAR BETWEEN POPE JULIUS AND THE KING OF FRANCE, ON ACCOUNT OF THE
DUKE OF FERRARA.--A COUNCIL OF THE CHURCH ASSEMBLED AT THE INSTANCE OF
THE EMPEROR MAXIMILIAN AND THE KING OF FRANCE, TO THE DISSATISFACTION
OF THE POPE.--BOLOGNA TAKEN BY THE FRENCH.
About this time, the town of Mirandola was valiantly reconquered by
the French, and the town of Udina delivered up to the king of the
Romans. The marquis of Mantua was taken prisoner by the Venetians,
and carried to Venice, whence, some time after, he easily obtained
his liberty. A fresh war now commenced between the pope and the duke
of Ferrara, an ally of France,--for which reason, the king left the
count Gaston de Foix, whom he had lately created duke of Nemours, his
lieutenant-general in the Milanese, who did marvellous feats of arms
during his command in Italy.
The lord-cardinal of Amboise, on his last return from Italy, fell
sick at Lyon, and died there. His loss was great, as was afterwards
known, although at the time some thought the contrary; but they were
unacquainted with his many virtues, and the good use he made of his
talents,--for during the whole of his administration, he advised his
master with such wisdom that the people were never over-taxed. Whatever
wars king Louis may have carried on in Italy, the taxes were never
raised above their usual rates; but when the enemy attempted to bring
the war on the french territory, it became absolutely necessary to
increase them.
The king was, not without foundation, called 'the father of his
people,' notwithstanding that title may have been given him during his
life through flattery, and the worth of other kings debased, the more
to exalt his own. It is impossible to say too much of a virtuous man
in his absence; but when present, to praise him smells strongly of the
love of lucre.
The cardinal-legate having lain in state for a short time, the body
was embalmed, put into a leaden coffin, and carried to Rouen for
interment. The king came thence to Blois, accompanied by the queen,
then far gone with child of a daughter, as it turned out afterward,
whom the king had vowed to the holy St Réné, a bishop of Angers,
whither he made a pilgrimage with the queen when she recovered. The
young princess was christened Renée,--and the lord Jean Jacques de
Trivulce stood godfather with the king.
About this time, the Portuguese made some discoveries on the island of
Oran[39], on the coast of Africa, where they met savages of a blackish
colour, with countenances as if branded with hot irons, thick lips,
black and coarse hair, resembling in thickness that of a horse. They
had no beard, nor appearance of any, or of hair on any parts of the
body but on the head and eye-brows. Their boats are made of the bark
of trees, and so light, a man can with ease carry one of them. Their
bows are bent with the sinews of wild beasts: their arrows of cane,
headed with a sharp stone or piece of fish-bone. They know not the use
of bread or wine, nor the value of money, and crawl on the earth like
beasts, feeding on raw flesh, and covered with skins for clothing. They
live part of their time in the sea. Two of these natives were brought
by some Normans to Rouen, and presented to the king; but they did not
live long, nor did the others that had been brought to Europe.
But to return to my former subject: a general council was demanded
by the emperor, and king of France, to the great discontent of the
pope. He had broken his faith, by instigating the king of Arragon, the
republic of Venice, and others, to commence a new war, quitting the
chair of Saint Peter for the car of Mars, the god of war, displaying
in the field of battle his triple crown, and sleeping in watchtowers.
God knows what a sight of crosses, mitres, and sacred banners, were
fluttering in the plains; and the devil took good care not to come
near,--for benedictions were given most abundantly, and at the cheapest
rates.
The war commenced against the duke of Ferrara, ally to the king,
when many engagements took place, sieges were made and raised, for it
was continued without interruption of winter and summer. Bologna was
besieged by the duke of Nemours, who acted as viceroy in Italy, and
the Bolognese fled before him, so that he soon reconquered that town,
as you shall hear. About this time, pope Julius excited the Swiss to
invade the duchy of Milan, which they did, and advanced to the walls
of that city, committing every sort of mischief, particularly to a
monastery of nuns, whom they ravished, and plundered the convent of all
within it.
The lord de Conti, like a valorous knight, hastened to their relief,
and did wonders; but he was surrounded, and fell, which was a great
pity.--Soon after, the duke of Nemours made an agreement with them to
return home, on receiving a sum of money,--which they accepted and
retreated, to return again to seek more money.
The inhabitants of Brescia were now (unfortunately for them) advised
to quit the french interest, and put themselves under the dominion
of Venice, for which they severely suffered. In like manner, those of
Bergamo revolted to the Venetians,--but the castles of both places
remained in the hands of the French, under the command of able
captains, who gallantly served the king, especially in his italian
wars, for which some of them were but badly recompensed.
The council[40] before mentioned was first held at Tours, then at
Lyon, and then referred to a general council at Pisa, where were many
cardinals, archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, and other prelates
of the church. There were likewise some very learned theologians, and
canonists, to whom this affair would afford matter of discussion.
Several essential points were determined on in the different sessions
of this council; but, for weighty reasons, the council was transferred
to Milan, and thence to Lyon, where it remained.
The french army suffered much at the siege of Bologna, from the rigour
of the weather: but, notwithstanding this, they were victorious,
drove out of the town the pope and his archbishops, and entered it as
conquerors.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 39: Oran,--a town of Algiers. I should imagine this to be a
mistake for some place on the southern coast of Africa.]
[Footnote 40: The council--was held in 1510 at Tours, and attended
by all the prelates and doctors of France. Louis XII. proposed eight
questions, touching his declaring war against pope Julius II. in favour
of Alphonso duke of Ferrara, whom the pope had determined to deprive
of his dominions. The answers of the council confirmed the king in his
resolution for war.
I do not see any thing of these removals of the council in the Art de
Verifier les Dates, from whence the above is taken.]
CHAP. XXV.
THE DUKE OF NEMOURS MARCHES HIS ARMY AGAINST BRESCIA.--ON TAKING THE
TOWN, A GREAT SLAUGHTER ENSUES.
When the duke of Nemours heard of the revolt of Brescia, and that
the Venetians had entered the town, he instantly made preparations
to attack them, and with great diligence, marched day and night to
Brescia; for I can promise you, that the king had, at that time, an
excellent army,--and the liberal promises of the duke of Nemours urged
them on, so that they were almost immediately before it.
Those in the castle, on the first appearance of their countrymen,
opened the gate, and part of them forced their way thence in the
town. Alas! what a deluge! what cries! what lamentations of the poor
citizens! It is a great pity, and wonderful how many suffer in the
support of the quarrels of princes and great lords: however, in this
instance, they had deserved punishment, for having wantonly broken
their oaths of allegiance.
The duke of Nemours had no sooner gained the castle and palace than,
like a great warrior as he was, he entered the town, one arm bare, and
his sword on his wrist, shouting out 'France!' in which he was echoed
by all Frenchmen. The Venetians, thunderstruck, took to flight through
one of the gates, but numbers were slain[41] and made prisoners, of
whom were many of high rank in Venice, who were sent to France.
The inhabitants having attempted to defend themselves, the town was
given up to plunder; and you might have seen several french adventurers
tearing to pieces, out of spite, large bales of cloths of gold and of
silk; such merchandise might then have been bought for almost nothing.
The ladies and children made piteous moans on seeing their husbands and
fathers murdered and cast out of the windows, and all their effects
pillaged. To make short of the matter: they thought that God's whole
indignation and wrath had been poured on them; for the French treated
them with every cruelty, in revenge for the resistance that had been
made by throwing stones and beams from the tops of the houses, by which
some great french lords suffered severely. The place was completely
conquered, in spite of all that the Brescians and Venetians could do to
prevent it,--and the streets were filled with dead bodies, besides the
numbers that were slain in the open country: in the whole, there must
have been many thousands killed. Among the prisoners were sir Andrew
Gritti, sir John Paulle[42], Caufre and his son, the count Ludovico
Adanago[43], who had been the chief adviser of the town to revolt, for
which it had been treated as you have heard.
After this victory, the towns and castles in the territories of Brescia
were re-garrisoned, and provided with abundance of provision and
stores of all kinds,--and the lord d'Aubigny was appointed governor of
Brescia. The town of Bergamo also surrendered, as well as several other
places, which had revolted, and in consequence suffered great miseries.
News was brought to the duke of Nemours, that the Spaniards had left
all their heavy artillery and baggage at Imola, and were advancing,
by forced marches, into the plain, boasting that they would form a
junction with the Venetians and relieve Brescia; but I believe that,
when they learned what had passed there, they changed their intentions.
About this time, there lived in the town of Augsbourg a virgin, named
Anne, who had arrived at the age of forty years, without eating,
drinking, sleeping, or having any natural evacuations!!! by which it
may be known, that she was under the especial grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ,--and she had given herself up to devout contemplations.
Another great wonder was seen in the city of Ravenna, where a monster
was born with a horn on its head, wings of a bat, one foot like a
bird of prey, the other like a human foot! It had an eye on its knee,
and was of both sexes! It had a mark of a Y on its breast, and an
appearance of a cross, with a crescent beneath,--which signs, according
to my lords the philosophers and prognosticators, signify many things!!
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 41: Numbers were slain. Guicciardini says, about eight
thousand of the inhabitants and venetian soldiers.]
[Footnote 42: Sir John Paulle. Q. Giampaolo Manfrone and his son?
Guicciardini mentions also as prisoners Antonio Justiniano, the
Venetian governor of the town; il cavaliere della Golpe, Baldassare
di Scipione, un figliuolo d'Antonio de Pii, Domenico Busecco, captain
of the light cavalry. Count Luigi Avogaro was beheaded in the
market-place.--See Guicciardini.]
[Footnote 43: Ludovico Adanago. Q. Luigi Avogaro and his son?]
CHAP. XXVI.
THE DUKE OF NEMOURS DEFEATS THE UNITED ARMIES OF THE POPE, THE
VENETIANS, AND THE SPANIARDS, NEAR TO RAVENNA,--BUT IS HIMSELF SLAIN,
AFTER HE HAD GAINED THE VICTORY AND TOTALLY REPULSED THE ENEMY.
We must now return to the wars in Italy, and elsewhere. During the
Lent of the year 1512, the duke of Nemours marched his army before
Ravenna, wherein that of the pope, the Venetians, and Spaniards were
seeking opportunities to retaliate on the French,--and they had made
great preparations for this purpose. The duke of Nemours, having had
information of this, advanced thither, accompanied by many nobles and
valiant captains, such as the lord de la Palisse, the lord d'Alegre
and his son, the lord Jean Jacques of Trivulce, the lord de Châtillon
governor of Paris, the lord de Molarc, Maugeron, La Crotte, and other
officers of renown. When he had approached Ravenna, the French
remained some time encamped from a scarcity of provision, and many
suffered by it. Perceiving that their supplies had failed, like hardy
warriors, stirred on by the eager desire of the duke of Nemours for the
combat, they resolved, on the eve of Easter-day, to offer the enemy
battle on the morrow, which was the feast of the Resurrection of our
Lord.
The French advanced boldly to the combat, having their artillery in
front, which played four hours incessantly, and did great damage to the
Spaniards, principally to their men at arms. Some Spaniards sallied out
of their camp, and the French rushed in,--when both parties met, and
two superb and bold nations might then be seen contending with courage
and earnestness for the victory. Never was heard such clattering of
swords and lances: the gallant duke of Nemours hastened forward,
fighting most wonderfully, to encourage his men; and it was for some
time uncertain which side would have the advantage,--for the Spaniards
shouted at times 'Victory! Julius, Julius!' at others, the French cried
out 'Victory, Nemours!' At length, the French made their enemies fly.
During the battle, the lord de Molarc was killed by a cannon-shot,--a
great loss to the king, for he was a valiant, and enterprising captain.
He led that day the french infantry, a most courageous and steady band.
La Crotte and captain Jacobs, who commanded the Lansquenets, were among
the first of the slain; and their loss was a heavy blow: however, both
French and Lansquenets advanced with greater courage to revenge the
deaths of their captains, and pushed on until they came to where the
baggage was, and some famished adventurers had already begun to knock
in the heads of the casks of different wines,--when, having drank
their fill, they ran away as fast as they could: not so the Spaniards,
who still held on fighting,--for I can assure you, that these spanish
troops were no way fainthearted, and there had not been so severe a
battle fought as this for a long time. May God pardon those who were
killed!
The remnant of the Spaniards and Italians that escaped wandered here
and there. Upwards of twenty of the great lords of Italy lay dead on
the field. There were many prisoners made: in the number were Pedro
de Navarre, don John de Cardona, the marquis of Pescara, Pomare,
Epinose, Castinago, John Antony Vosino, the count de Montelon, the
marquis de Betonde, the marquis de l'Estelle, the son to the count
of Consege, and others of renown. No one knew what became of the
duke du Traict,[44] who was of their company. The viceroy of Naples
saved himself by flight, until he gained the seashore, and embarked
for Naples. The marquis de la Padulla and the count del Popolo made
good a retreat before the end of the conflict, with eleven or twelve
hundred horse, as well men at arms as light cavalry, and from sixteen
to seventeen-hundred infantry, the remains of their army, and saved
themselves as well as they could.
Numbers of Frenchmen were doubtless slain, for the Spaniards fought
with the utmost bravery; and when the french men at arms returning from
the pursuit, passed over the field of battle, the wounded laid hands
on any swords near them, and, in the miserable state they were in on
the ground, cut the legs of the horses the French were mounted on.
Pope Julius was at Rome when news of this event was brought him. God
knows how he bore it, for he had been a very great sufferer in that
battle. The instant he heard it, he would have set off without delay,
fearing that the French would follow up their victory, and come to seek
him even in Rome.
After this defeat, the illustrious and gallant duke of Nemours, having
perceived a small body of the enemy that had not dispersed, like a
magnanimous prince, but too unmindful of the signal victory God had
just given him, required of the nobles and captains around him, that
they would be pleased to march with him and drive them away. Some of
them who, from long experience, knew the uncertainty of the chances of
war, remonstrated with him on being too adventurous, and that he should
remain satisfied with the success he had gained. Notwithstanding the
truth of these remonstrances, he persisted in his resolution, and said
aloud, 'Let all who love me, follow me.' Upon this, the lord d'Alegre,
his son, Maugeron, the bastard of Cliete, seeing him thus determined
and already advancing followed him.
The duke of Nemours was the first to attack this body of the enemy,
who were greatly superior in number; and the gallant prince performed
such feats of arms as astonished them, and cleared all around his horse
with such rapid and mortal blows that none dared approach him. It was
a grand sight to view so young a man displaying such extraordinary
courage. The enemy, observing how few the French were, and that no
reinforcements were coming to them, recovered their courage and
surrounded the young hero. They first killed his horse, and then fell
upon him with battle-axes, pikes, and every sort of weapon, that he,
and all his companions, died a glorious death.
This was a most heavy loss to France, for he was a magnanimous prince,
worthy to be placed on a triumphant throne in a temple of brave men.
His liberality and frankness had gained him the love of the army, who
would have followed him any where, even without pay,--and within four
months he had gained three decisive battles.
When this melancholy event was known, the lord de la Palisse and other
captains hastened to revenge his loss, and put to death the whole body
of the enemy that had slain the duke, the lord d'Alegre and the others,
without suffering one to escape. They thence marched to besiege the
city of Ravenna, which they took by storm, killed the greater part of
the inhabitants, and plundered the town: there was much confusion,
for it was almost entirely destroyed. When this was done, the french
returned to the field of the late battle, to raise the bodies of
the duke of Nemours and the other lords, to give them an honourable
interment in sacred ground. The body of that most noble prince and
viceroy of Italy, was carried in mournful triumph to Milan, from the
ground where he had fallen, to be magnificently interred becoming so
great a prince.
The body of the duke of Nemours arrived at Milan the 26th of April,
in the year 1412, preceded by all the prisoners taken at the battle
of Ravenna. The banners, guidons, and standards the French had so
valiantly conquered, as well from the Italians as from the Venetians
and Spaniards, and of the different lords who had fallen in this
battle, were borne before him, which added joy intermixed with
grief at this mournful interment. Great order was observed in the
procession,--and it was a triumphantly melancholy spectacle. The nobles
and captains were in deep mourning,--and there was no heart so hard
not to weep on seeing his body thus carried untimely to the grave. His
pages and attendants led his horses of parade and for war: his helmet
and victorious sword, as lieutenant general for the king, were borne
before the body. In short, those of his army who attended the funeral
were loud in their lamentations; for they had always found him liberal
and courteous, and never sparing of his own personal efforts in war.
The principal inhabitants and churchmen of Milan came out to meet the
body, dressed in mourning cloaks and hoods, with a blaze of lighted
torches, on which were the arms of the deceased emblazoned. The body,
surrounded by two hundred of the choicest lances in the army and a
numerous escort of infantry, was conducted, with great pomp of grief,
to the cathedral, where a most solemn service was performed for the
repose of his soul.
Think how great must have been the sorrow of the king and queen, when
they heard of this sad event at Blois, for they loved him as if he had
been their own child; and I can assert for truth, that those who had
never seen him bewailed his loss, on the reports they had heard of his
uncommon virtues and gallantry. May God receive his soul!
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 44: Duke du Traict. Q. Utrecht?]
CHAP. XXVII.
ON THE DEPARTURE OF THE FRENCH FROM ITALY, THE SWISS TAKE THE TOWN OF
MILAN AND OTHER PLACES HELD BY THE KING OF FRANCE.
After this battle of Ravenna, where, as well as in the preceding ones,
great quantities of human blood were shed, principally of the Italians
and their allies,--but also of the French, and of some of the noblest
families, by which many ladies and damsels in France became widows and
orphans. The generals, or at least those who had the management of
the finances for the army, imagined that, by the happy event of this
battle, all Italy was subdued, as far as Rome, if not farther, and
disbanded great bodies of infantry at the very time when they should
have sought reinforcements, to garrison the towns and castles that had
been lately conquered.