spirits, they collected troops in divers parts, to endeavour to regain
honour by attacking the French; for, seeing them dispersed in their
garrisons, they were aware that courage, when disunited, is not so
much to be dreaded as when in a collective body. The holy father the
pope, smarting from the losses he had suffered from the French, three
times excited the Swiss-cantons to rise in arms against them, for they
had of late been neglected by the king of France. They chiefly depend,
for their maintenance, on pensions from kings and princes,--and the
pope having made the bishop of Sion a cardinal, he was an active and
able tool, by his public preachings and intrigues, to prevail on them
to comply with the wishes of his holiness. Maximilian also, having
turned his coat, was to allow them an entrance to Italy through his
territories of the Veronese and elsewhere. The Spaniards likewise
assembled from various parts of Italy; and they all advanced toward
Milan, whence the government had been withdrawn to France, so that the
poor Milanese were in despair, and knew not how to act. However, the
French having left them, they, as usual, fell in with the strongest,
and the enemy was admitted into the town. The castle was held by the
French, under the command of the lord de Louvain; and other castles
were also in their possession: that of Brescia was held by the lord
d'Aubigny.
When the French were returning from Italy, a sharp skirmish took place
at a bridge near to Pavia, between a small body of french adventurers
and the enemy, and they were inhumanly treated by the townsmen. Among
others of their villanous acts, I shall mention one. A Frenchman,
unable to keep up with the rest, was met by an inhabitant of Pavia,
who said to him, 'My friend, I love the french nation: come, I beg of
you, to my house, and I will save you from being killed.' The poor
adventurer, confiding in his fair words, followed him; but he was no
sooner within his doors than he treated him most brutally, cut off his
private parts, and thrust him into the street in his shirt, bawling
aloud, 'Here is another Frenchman!' on which numbers rushed out of
their doors, and hacked him to pieces with their swords.
There was another inhabitant of Pavia who had even devoured the heart
of a Frenchman, by way of revenge.
I am persuaded that all the evils that have befallen Italy have been
caused by their wickedness, and infamous practices similar to those of
Sodom and Gomorrah. The air would be infected, were I to recite them.
May God amend them, and all others! On the other hand, the French have
a shameful custom (which was increased when in Italy) of blaspheming
our LORD JESUS CHRIST, and our Lady, with divers indecent oaths, in
which they seem to take pleasure. God may, perhaps, have been angered
by such detestable blasphemies, and by that great vanity with which
the French are always filled, and suffered them to experience the late
unfortunate reverses, to show that from Him alone come victories and
good fortune.
The French, on leaving Italy, were in a great alarm,--and they were so
rejoiced when returned to France, they attributed it to the favour of
Heaven. Such are the chances of this world.
In this year of 1512, pope Julius, returning evil for good, was
violently animated against the French; and having partly accomplished
his wish of being the chief cause of their expulsion from Italy, died
at Rome in the ninth year of his pontificate. May God pardon him!
About this time, a truce was concluded between the kings of France and
of Arragon, for a certain space of time. Leo X. was now the reigning
pope: he was consecrated at Rome the successor of pope Julius II.
Leo was a native of Florence, of very wealthy, and renowned parents.
His father was Lorenzo de Medici, to whose family Louis XI., king of
France, had granted permission to add the three flowers de luce to
their armorial bearings[45].
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 45: I must refer the reader, for further particulars of the
french wars in Italy, to Guicciardini and other italian historians, and
to Mr. Roscoe's lives of Lorenzo de Medici and of Leo X. The grant of
Louis XI. to the Medici, to bear the arms of France, is in the appendix
to Comines.]
CHAP. XXVIII.
OF THE WAR IN GUIENNE.--THE KING OF FRANCE SENDS SUCCOURS TO THE
KING OF NAVARRE.--THE KING OF ENGLAND MAKES PREPARATIONS TO INVADE
FRANCE.--A SEA-FIGHT BETWEEN TWO LARGE ENGLISH AND FRENCH SHIPS.
It was not long before a war broke out in Guienne, or rather in
Navarre; which kingdom the king of Arragon had entered, and taken the
town of Pampeluna, with others belonging to the king of Navarre, under
pretence of being heir to that crown in right of his wife, sister to
the late duke of Nemours count of Foix, slain after the battle of
Ravenna.
The good king of Navarre[46], in consequence, demanded succour from
the king of France, to recover the places he had lost. Louis XII.,
considering how faithful an ally he had always been, ordered a large
body of men at arms and infantry to his assistance, under the command
of the duke of Longueville and Dunois. This war was very expensive
to the king of France, for the army remained long without striking a
blow. In addition to this, the English, excited by the king of Arragon,
as well as by a desire to regain Guienne, which they claimed as an
inheritance, made a landing near to Roncevaux and St John Pied du
Port,--but not being able to effect a junction with the Spaniards, they
returned[47].
In the year 1513, Henry king of England, son to king Henry VII. who,
by the aid of Charles VIII. king of France, succeeded peaceably to the
crown of England after the death of Richard of York, instead of being
grateful, for such services, to the king of France, although his late
father had charged him, on his deathbed, to do nothing against that
king, if he wished to prosper, instantly on the death of his father
acted directly contrary. King Henry, equally eager with his subjects
to invade France, sent an embassy to the lady Margaret, governess
of Flanders, to obtain armour, stores, and artillery, particularly
thirteen large cannons, which he had ordered to be cast in Flanders.
These articles were immediately delivered, in return for a large sum
of angels that remained behind,--for it had been long since they had
circulated in any other country than their own.
A secret treaty was, at the same time, concluded between Henry and
the archduke,--which having secured him the aid of the Flemings,
he continued to make his preparations for the invasion of France
without interruption. He sent his fleet, under the command of the lord
admiral[48] to cruize on the coasts of Brittany, who was himself on
board a vessel of prodigious size.
The french saw this armament with sorrow, for they had not a fleet able
to cope with it; but a valiant sea-captain, named Primaugay, embarked
on board a large ship called La Cordeliere, which the queen of France
had lately built at an immense expense. He put to sea, and boldly
attacked the english admiral in the great ship called The Regent, when
a bloody combat took place. After some time, the Cordeliere set the
Regent on fire, which having gained the powder-magazine, she blew up,
with all within her.
Primaugay, seeing it impossible to save his ship, as they were grappled
together, leapt into the sea, armed as he was, and perished: it was a
pity, for he was a bold and enterprising man[49].
These two large ships were burnt; but the rest of the fleet returned in
safety to England, to report the unfortunate news to the king, who was
much vexed thereat, and not without reason.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 46: The good king of Navarre--was of so indolent a character
that his queen, a woman of high spirit, told him, 'Had _you_ been
mademoiselle Catherine, and _I_ don John, we had never lost our realm.'
Henault.]
[Footnote 47: Henry VIII. was the dupe of Ferdinand of Arragon. The
english forces landed at Guipi-coa, under the command of the marquis of
Dorset, but were never joined by the Spaniards to unite in the siege
of Bayonne. The English returned, having gained nothing but disgrace,
while Ferdinand possessed himself of the kingdom of Navarre.]
[Footnote 48: The lord admiral,--sir Edward Howard. Sir Edward Knivet
commanded the Regent.]
[Footnote 49: In Henry's Hist. of England, it is said that both ships
took fire, and perished, with all on board, to the number of seventeen
hundred men; that the rest of the fleets, consisting of twenty-five
sail English, and thirty-nine French, separated in consternation, as if
by mutual consent, without further fighting.]
CHAP. XXIX.
THE KING OF ENGLAND DISEMBARKS WITH HIS WHOLE ARMY AT CALAIS.--THE
FRENCH ARE DEFEATED BY THE SWISS, AT NOVARA.
When the king of England had completed his preparations, he put to
sea with his army, disembarked at Calais, and thence, with part of
it, marched strait for Flanders. Had he then been attacked, the
perplexities that ensued afterwards would have been avoided.
At the same time, the king of France had collected an army for the
recovery of the Milanese, under the command of the lord de la
Trimouille, Jean Jacques de Trivulce, sir Robert de la Marche, the lord
of Albany and others,--but the lord de la Trimouille was commander in
chief.
This army crossed the Alps, and entered Piedmont, where it halted for
the arrival of the rear and baggage, and then pushed forward toward
Novara, in which place was a body of Swiss. The French, supposing them
not very numerous, determined to attack them, which they did; but the
evening before, a very large reinforcement of Swiss had joined their
countrymen in Novara, which the French were ignorant of. A battle,
however, ensued, when the French defeated the van of the enemy; but
such numbers of Swiss now poured in on all sides, the French were
thunderstruck, and hastily retreated to Turin: some, however, of their
infantry, stood their ground, and died valiantly,--and the son of the
lord de la Marche shone pre-eminent for his valour.
The Swiss gained a considerable park of artillery, which the lord de la
Marche had brought thither, and great part of the baggage. The king
of France, on hearing of this event, ordered the remainder of the army
home, and sent part of it into Guienne, where the illustrious lord of
Bourbon had the command of an army, with many nobles and able captains
under him, to carry on the war in Navarre. He had there a fine camp,
and a variety of skirmishes took place on both sides.
The king afterwards sent the next heir to the crown, the duke of
Valois and count of Angoulême, accompanied by numbers of gentlemen,
to take the command of this army and camp, where they remained a long
time,--but nothing of importance was done, and they returned to France.
The king then sent them into Picardy to oppose the English, who were
advancing toward Therouenne. The lord de Longueville died immediately
on his return from Guienne.
In this year, there was an appearance in the heavens, visible in
Piedmont, of three suns, three moons, with various figures of circles
and bows, of different colours, and a white cross in the center. These
were terrible presages,--and I believe that it was a year of wonders.
About this time, the king sent the lord de la Trimouille into
Swisserland; but the cantons would not agree to any conference until
they should receive a certain sum of money, which was paid them. The
conferences now took place; and the lord de la Trimouille staid long
among them, giving great gifts, in hopes to gain them over to the
interests of France; but after they had received large sums of money,
they dismissed him. He returned through Burgundy, to have some of the
towns of that province put into a good state of defence, to resist the
Swiss, who had determined to attack them.
The Swiss, in consequence of the resolutions they had formed, entered
Burgundy, and committed great destruction wherever they passed. By
rapid marches, they came before Dijon, into which the lord de la
Trimouille had thrown himself; but with the few men at arms and
infantry with him, it was impossible to resist such a deluge of Swiss.
However, he ordered as many things as could be carried away or drove
off, to be brought into Dijon.
The Swiss, on coming before Dijon, saluted the town with a large train
of artillery, that battered and damaged the walls and houses; but the
lord de la Trimouille, being well advised, held a parley with some of
the Swiss leaders, and agreed to pay them down one hundred thousand
golden crowns, on their marching back into Swisserland, without doing
more damages to the country, which was executed.
CHAP. XXX.
A BODY OF FRENCH ON THEIR RETURN FROM VICTUALLING THEROUENNE, BESIEGED
BY THE ENGLISH AND HAINAULTERS, ARE ATTACKED AND PUT TO FLIGHT.
The king of France marched in person to Picardy, and advanced as far as
Amiens, where he was magnificently received by those of the town and
country. Thence he sent the duke of Valois, as his lieutenant-general,
to command the camp against the English, and to order whatever
measures he should think advisable for the victualling of Therouenne.
This town was then besieged by the king of the Romans, the king of
England, and a number of flemish lords, and particularly by a body of
Hainaulters, who had posted themselves in a fort near the town, and
thence battered it with heavy artillery. The garrison and townsmen
defended the place valiantly, but they were in the utmost distress
from want of provision, and a convoy was ordered to supply their
necessities, under the command of the lord de Longueville.
He executed this order punctually by throwing in all his supplies; but
on his retreat, he fell unexpectedly into an ambuscade,--for his men,
not suspecting any such stratagem, were marching very disorderly, and
amusing themselves by playing in the fields. On the enemy sallying
from their ambush, the French were panicstruck, and began to fly,
notwithstanding all attempts of their officers to prevent them. In
consequence, the lord de Longueville, the captain Bayard, the lord de
Bussy, and many more captains of renown were made prisoners, some of
whom were carried to England, and their liberty set at a very high
ransom[50].
During this time, the king of France sent orders to the governor
of Paris to have all the companies of tradesmen, and of other
descriptions, mustered. This was done, and several companies were
richly accoutred, well armed, and in uniforms. The numbers were found
to be very great, according to the report made by the commissaries who
had been sent thither for this purpose.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 50: This was called The Battle of Spurs from the French
making more use of them than of their swords.]
CHAP. XXXI.
THE KING OF SCOTLAND ENTERS ENGLAND WITH A POWERFUL ARMY.--HE IS
SLAIN.--PEACE CONCLUDED BETWEEN THE KING OF FRANCE AND THE VENETIANS.
While king Henry of England was engaged in his war abroad, the noble
and gallant king of Scotland invaded England with a large army, on
pretence of a claim to that crown in right of his queen, and also
from his alliance with the king of France, to make a diversion in his
favour, now he was attacked, and force his enemies to quit France to
avoid greater inconveniences.
The king of Scotland, on entering England, did great mischiefs.
A battle took place, in which very many English fell, as well as
Scots,--but the greatest loss to France was the death of the king of
Scotland, who was killed valiantly fighting. It is rare to find such
friends as will put their lives and fortunes to the chance of war in
the support of a friend, especially when absent[51].
The Scots gained the field, although numbers of them were slain,--for
as both nations had been long desirous of coming to blows, it may be
supposed that hard ones were exchanged on each side. May God pardon
those who fell![52]
On Friday, the 3d of June, in the year 1513, peace was published on the
marble table in the palace, between the most Christian king Louis XII.
and the republic of Venice, and between them and their successors for
ever. By this treaty, the gallant knights sir Bartholomew d'Alviano and
sir Andrew Gritti, with others, obtained their liberty; and the king
made them many rich gifts on their departure.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 51: James professed himself the knight of Anne of Bretagne,
queen of France, who wrote him an heroic letter to claim his
assistance, sending him, at the same time, a ring off her finger and
14,000 francs.
Andrews.]
[Footnote 52: The celebrated battle of Flodden,--of late well known
from Mr. W. Scott's beautiful poem of Marmion.]
CHAP. XXXII.
THE TOWNS OF THEROUENNE AND TOURNAY SURRENDER TO THE ENGLISH ON
CAPITULATION.
To return to the wars of the English in Picardy:--they were long
encamped before Therouenne, and made several attacks on it; but those
within the town showed good courage, and defended it valiantly: at
length provision again failed them, and they were forced to capitulate
for its surrender. The enemy entered Therouenne, but did not keep the
promises they had made; for they had no sooner gained admission than
they began to ill-treat and plunder the poor inhabitants, insomuch that
they were obliged to seek out another place for a habitation, which was
great pity; but this did not satisfy the enemy, for they burnt part of
the town, and threw down the walls to the ground.
We must not be astonished that the English so boldly invaded France,
particularly Picardy, considering the evident good understanding that
subsisted between them and the Flemings, who at this day raise their
hands and tell those of Tournay that they have never changed sides,
notwithstanding they had settled the chapter _de Venditionibus_,
before the English would embark. This was not handsomely done in
them, considering they had a resident lord,--and they have derogated
shamefully from their former engagements: should they, therefore, find
themselves the worse for it, they have only themselves to thank.
Shortly after the English had gained Therouenne by capitulation, they
advanced before Tournay, which was surrendered to them by the principal
inhabitants, according to an agreement among themselves, without
striking a blow[53].
The king of England and the king of the Romans, after these conquests,
returned to their own countries, leaving a garrison in Tournay. The
king of France likewise quitted Picardy, with his queen, and went to
Blois.
While the war was carrying on in Picardy, and a little before the
siege of Therouenne, an engagement at sea took place between Pregent,
a french captain, and the lord Howard, lord-admiral of England, on
the 22nd and 25th days of April. Pregent, thinking to join the french
fleet in Brest harbour, was met at sea, on the vigil of St George's
day, by a fleet of forty or fifty sail, and was instantly attacked
by two galeasses and four or five other vessels. The combat lasted
two hours, with great slaughter on both sides; but at length the
English were forced to retire, with the loss of two vessels sunk. On
the Monday following, which was the feast of St Mark, Pregent and his
fleet fell in again with that of the English, amounting to twenty or
thirty vessels, and about thirty large boats. The galley of Pregent was
attacked by two galeasses and three ships, but he fought well,--and
all on board the first galeass were killed by pikes, or drove into the
sea, excepting two prisoners, one of whom was thrown overboard.
In this combat, sir Edward Howard was killed, whose body was embalmed
to carry to England for interment[54]. The captains of the other ships,
seeing that these five vessels had not made any impression on the
galley of Pregent, whom they had courageously attacked, held a council,
and afterwards made sail, leaving the sea open to Pregent. A large
fleet had been collected at Honnefleur, to attack the king of England
as he crossed the channel, and cut off his return; but when they were
at sea, a violent storm arose that separated this fleet, and some of
the vessels were sunk.
The winter of this year was very long and severe, so that the Seine and
other rivers were frozen hard enough for carriages to pass over them
with safety; and when the thaw came, numbers of houses and mills were
destroyed by the floods.
About this time, news was brought that the Swiss had intentions
of again entering Burgundy, when the king ordered thither the
lord of Bourbon with a large force of men at arms, infantry,
and artillery,--but the Swiss did not come. This same year, the
garrisons that had guarded different places in Italy returned to
France, in consequence of the treaty concluded with the Swiss before
Dijon,--namely, those from the castle of Milan; the lord of Aubigny,
his lance on his thigh, with his garrison, from the castle of Brescia.
When these garrisons marched away, the Spaniards took possession of the
castles, which the Venetians thought had been done for them; but when
the Spaniards had established themselves securely, they chaunted to the
Venetians the Evangile des Vierges. Such are the chances of war.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 53: I believe this town was gained by a ruse de guerre. Henry
drew up before the walls a large train of what appeared battering
cannon, (but were only of wood painted, and are now shown in the Tower)
which frightened the inhabitants into an instant surrender. This is the
popular story.]
[Footnote 54: Sir Edward Howard boarded Pregent's ship, although it
was sheltered by the rocks of Conquet lined with cannon, accompanied
only by Carroz, a spanish knight, and seventeen Englishmen. Overpowered
by numbers, Howard was forced overboard by pikes, and perished in the
waves.
Andrews.]
CHAP. XXXIII.
OF THE DEATH AND INTERMENT OF THE MOST CHRISTIAN QUEEN OF FRANCE, ANNE
OF BRITTANY.
At the time of the arrival of the above unfortunate intelligence,
the most noble queen of France, Anne duchess of Brittany, &c. lay
dangerously ill at the castle of Blois. This was on the 2d day of
January,--and her illness so much increased that the good lady, on
Monday the 9th instant, departed this life, most devoutly, in the faith
of JESUS CHRIST, our sovereign Lord, to whom she most humbly resigned
her soul. Great lamentations and grief were shown for this loss. When
the body had been embalmed, it was put into a rich coffin, and carried,
with an immense number of lighted torches, from Blois to the abbey
of St Denis, where it was interred with the usual honours due to her
rank, and followed with the tears of all her officers and attendants.
The funeral service was solemn and magnificent, becoming such a lady,
whose soul may God pardon!
In the month of April of this year 1513, and just before Easter, a
truce was proclaimed in Paris between the kings of France and of
Arragon.
CHAP. XXXIV.
THE KING OF FRANCE MARRIES THE PRINCESS MARY, SISTER TO KING HENRY OF
ENGLAND.--FRANCIS DUKE OF VALOIS AND COUNT OF ANGOULESME MARRIES THE
PRINCESS CLAUDE, DAUGHTER TO THE KING OF FRANCE.--THE NEW QUEEN MAKES
HER PUBLIC ENTRY INTO FRANCE.
After the funeral of the late queen of France, the king came to Paris,
and was lodged at the hôtel of the Tournelles, and would not that any
one should appear in his presence but in mourning. He sent for his
two daughters, the princesses Claude and Renée, who were conducted to
him from Blois by madame d'Angoulême, and shortly after summoned the
princes and great barons of his realm to a council on the present state
of affairs, and respecting a peace with England. In consequence of what
had been resolved on in this council, the king sent, as his ambassadors
to king Henry, the governor of Normandy, the president of Rouen, and
the lord Longueville, then a prisoner of war in England, was added to
them, to treat of a peace.
While this was passing, the king was taken very ill at the castle
of Vincennes, and had ordered, for his recovery, that 'O Salutaris
Hostia,' should be chaunted daily in all the churches of France, at the
elevation of the holy sacrament, which had been of the utmost benefit
to him. On his recovery, the king went thence to St Germain en Laye, to
recreate himself, and to temper the melancholy of his mourning; for it
was a pleasant country, interspersed with woods and dales, and full of
game.
Much public business was transacted during the king's stay at Saint
Germain; and a marriage was concluded between the duke of Valois, count
of Angoulême, and the princess Claude. They were married in their
mourning, in the chapel of the castle, in the presence of the king, the
princes of the blood, and many others of high rank, on the 18th of May,
in the year 1513.
About this period, and before the king had quitted St Germain en Laye,
his ambassadors sent him intelligence of their having concluded a peace
with England, on condition of his marrying the princess Mary. King
Henry sent ambassadors to Paris, to confirm the marriage between king
Louis and his sister, and to ratify the treaty of peace that had been
agreed on between the two kingdoms, which was now publicly proclaimed
in both realms.