made from the great hall of the palace, with trumpets and clarions,
when the herald, called Mont-joye, proclaimed a magnificent tournament
to be holden at Paris, by the duke of Valois, Brittany, and count of
Angoulême, to which he invited all princes, lords, and gentlemen to
assist. It was about this time that the princess Mary was escorted to
France by many of the great nobles of England, in company with the
lords of France who had gone thither to attend on her. The king left
Paris, with his court, and went as far as Abbeville to meet the new
queen, where she arrived on the 8th of October, and made her public
entry very triumphantly, attended by the duke of Valois and numbers of
nobles, as well English as French, all most richly dressed, with large
golden chains, especially the English. The queen was most handsomely
attired, and seated in a brilliant car: in short, the whole was a
beautiful sight. She was preceded by a body of two hundred english
archers, gallantly accoutred, with their bows in hand, and quivers full
of arrows.
The king, hearing of her coming, mounted his horse, and, attended
by his nobles, rode out into the plain, under pretence of hawking,
but it was to meet her; and on his approaching her, he kissed her on
horseback, paying her many fair compliments, as he knew well how to do.
Her reception in Abbeville was most honourable,--and the inhabitants
exerted themselves who should surpass the other in testifying their
joy at her arrival.
On the morrow, the feast of St Denis, the king of France was married
to the princess Mary of England. She was most magnificently dressed,
with an immense quantity of diamonds and precious stones. A singular
banquet succeeded, with a great variety of all sorts of amusements.
Having staid a few days in Abbeville to solace themselves, they set out
for Paris; and through the towns of Picardy they passed, the greatest
honours were paid them. In every town, the queen gave liberty to the
prisoners, by the king's command. On their arrival at St Denis, the
ceremony of the queen's coronation took place, which was very splendid,
and numerously attended by archbishops, bishops, and nobility.
Monday, the 6th of November, the queen made her triumphant entry into
the city of Paris--the clergy, courts of parliament, of exchequer, &c.
and all the municipal officers, with crowds of people, having gone out
in procession to meet her. She was seated on a rich litter, adorned
with precious stones, and escorted by the duke of Valois, the lord of
Alençon, the lord of Bourbon, the lord of Vendôme, his brother the lord
Francis, Louis de Nevers, with other great lords, as well of England
as of France, prelates and churchmen. Her litter was followed by those
of the princess Claude, duchess of Valois, madame d'Angoulême, madame
de Vendôme, madame de Nevers, and other princesses of both kingdoms.
Thus was she conducted to the church of Nôtre Dame, and took the usual
oaths: she thence proceeded to the royal palace, where a most splendid
banquet was provided. The king and queen lay that night at the royal
palace, which served to shorten his days.
CHAP. XXXV.
OF THE TILTS PERFORMED AT PARIS.--THE DEATH AND INTERMENT OF LOUIS
XII. KING OF FRANCE.
The next day, the king and queen went to the Tournelles, to see the
tournaments, that had been before proclaimed. At the entrance of the
lists was a triumphal arch surmounted with the shields of arms of the
king and queen: below them were the emblazoned shields of the lords and
princes, the tenants and defendants of the lists. The duke of Valois
was the chief tenant, with his assistants,--and many gallant courses
were ran with lances, to the advantage of some, and to the loss of
others. In short, it was a handsome spectacle, and all in compliment
to, and for the love of, queen Mary; but her popularity would not have
lasted long, for although the poor people were already heavily taxed,
yet the king intended, had he lived longer, to have greatly increased
the taxes.
After these justs and tourneys, the king carried the queen to St
Germain en Laye, where they spent some time, leading as joyous a life
as he was able. He thence returned to his palace of the Tournelles
at Paris, and was taken so dangerously ill that he made preparations
becoming a good Christian, and rendered his soul to God on the 1st
day of January, in the year 1514. His body was aromatically embalmed,
and lay in state some days at the Tournelles, where every body went
to see it who pleased. The usual ceremonies on such occasions were
then performed, but it would be tiresome to detail them. Some days
after, the body was carried to the church of Nôtre Dame, and placed in
a chapel that had been purposely erected in the choir,--and a solemn
service was performed by the bishop of Paris. The next day it was borne
to a cross near to St Denis, where the abbot and his monks of St Denis
met it, and was, by them, interred with great pomp, amidst the tears
of his officers and domestics. He was buried beside his queen, Anne of
Brittany. May God receive their souls! The principal mourners were the
lord of Alençon, the lord of Bourbon, the lord of Vendôme, and other
princes and great lords.
It is of some moment when a king or great prince dies, who may,
perhaps, have caused the deaths of numbers of human creatures like
themselves; for I believe that in the other world they will have enough
to do, more especially respecting this circumstance, that a poor
man, with six or seven small children, not worth twenty sols in the
world, shall be taxed from ten to twenty sols, and when the collector
shall come to receive the tax, finding the man worth nothing, and
without means of raising the money, he commits him to prison, where he
languishes out his days. Now I would like to have shown any written law
for this injustice; but no one will attempt so to do, because every one
is eager to push himself forward in this world. May God assist the poor
people!
CHAP. XXXVI.
FRANCIS I. KING OF FRANCE, IS CONSECRATED AT RHEIMS.--HE MAKES HIS
PUBLIC ENTRY INTO PARIS.--HE LEAVES FRANCE TO ATTACK THE SWISS, IN THE
MILANESE, WHO HAVE TAKEN POSSESSION OF THAT DUCHY.
After the death of Louis XII. Francis, the first of the name, succeeded
him on the throne as the fifty-seventh king of France. He set out from
Paris, to be consecrated king in the cathedral of Rheims, according to
the custom of his ancestors kings of France, and was there anointed
with the holy oil on the 25th day of January, in the year 1514. The
twelve peers of France, or their substitutes, were present exercising
their functions in the usual manner on such occasions.
Madame d'Angoulême, the king's mother, was present at the ceremony,
accompanied by madame de Bourbon, madame de Vendôme, and other ladies
and damsels. The king went from Rheims to be crowned at St Denis,
and, on his return, made triumphal public entries into Laon, Noyon,
Compiègne, Senlis, and other towns. He continued his way toward Paris,
very grandly attended, and made the most brilliant public entry into
that city that had ever been seen. The accoutrements and trappings
of the horses were of wrought silver, with frized cloth of gold;
and, to sum up the whole in few words, the lords and gentlemen, with
their horses, were covered with cloth of gold: some had their dresses
interwrought with solid silver.
The king entered in triumph, dressed magnificently: the trappings of
his horse were of worked silver, and his attendants equipped in cloth
of silver brocade. He went, as usual, to the royal palace, where a
sumptuous banquet had been prepared, with a numerous band of trumpets
and clarions; after which, a grand tournament was held in the rue St
Antoine, when the king acquitted himself most gallantly.
A treaty was concluded between the king of France and the archduke,
and a marriage agreed on between the archduke and the princess Renée,
daughter to the late king, Louis XII. by the count of Nassau, and
other ambassadors dispatched for this purpose. The count of Nassau
was also betrothed to the daughter of the prince of Orange, whom
he afterwards married. At this time, the duke of Bourbon was made
constable of France,--and while the king remained at Paris, the duke of
Suffolk espoused the queen-dowager of France, sister to Henry king of
England. That king had sent the duke of Suffolk to France,--and when he
carried his queen to England, he was grandly accompanied by the highest
of the nobility. Thus was confirmed the peace between the two kingdoms.
At this time also, the king of France sent to seek Pedro de Navarre, a
prisoner of war, whom he set at liberty, gave him many rich gifts, and
the command of a large body of men.
When all these marriages, and other matters, had been concluded, the
king celebrated the feast of Easter in Paris, and then, with his queen
and court, went by water as far as Montereau-faut-Yonne. He thence
went, on the 1st of May, to a small castle called Egreville, where
were some justings, and proceeded to Montargis and Briare, where he
embarked on the Loire for Amboise. He made a public entry into all the
towns he passed,--namely, Mehun, Montereau, Montargis, Blois, Amboise,
and other small towns, where every honour was paid him.
While he was hunting at Amboise, a thorn pierced his leg, through
boot and hose, and gave him such pain that he was for a time very
ill.--During his residence at Amboise, the lord de Lorraine was married
to mademoiselle de Bourbon, sister to the constable of France. Great
feasts were displayed on the occasion, and the court of the donjon of
the castle was covered with an awning of cloth, to keep off the rays of
the sun. In the evening of that day were great maskings and mummeries,
with morris-dancers richly dressed, and divers pastimes.
These feastings being over, the king departed, very early one morning,
for Romorantin[55], where he was also grandly entertained by the lady,
his mother. While with her, he received intelligence that the Swiss
had entered Dauphiny, near to Briançon, and burnt a village close to
Château Dauphin; on which, he took a hasty leave of his mother, and
set off suddenly for Bourges, where he made a public entry. The king
departed, on the morrow, in haste, for Moulins, where the duchess
of Bourbon handsomely received him,--and his entry was splendid for
so small a town; for there were triumphant cars, filled with the
handsomest ladies of the country, representations of ships and wild
beasts, mounted by the beauties of the town, who preceded the king on
his entry. The king left Moulins for Lyon, where a most magnificent
entry was prepared for him. He gave there his final orders respecting
the provision and stores, which were in a state of forwardness to
be transported over the Alps, for the prosecution of the war in the
Milanese. During his absence in Italy, he nominated his mother, the
duchess of Anjou and Maine, countess of Angoulême, &c. regent of the
kingdom.
Shortly after, the king departed from Lyon, and went to Grenoble, where
he made a handsome entry, and staid there until his preparations should
be completed. About this period, the young son of Frederic late king
of Naples died: he had already commenced a warlike career; and had he
lived I believe he would have made a figure as a warrior, for he was
very courageous and virtuous.
When the king set out from Grenoble, he passed through Embrun, although
his army, or the greater part, had taken the road through the small
town of Duissant, for there had been formed stores of provision on all
that line of march. The king halted at Guillestre[56], and afterward at
Saint Paul[57], and then traversed a road so bad that it was thought
no man had ever before attempted it. Great difficulties attended this
march, and the poor infantry suffered much; for as the artillery was to
pass this road, the cannon were dismounted, and dragged by men over the
rocks.
During this time, the pope had sent fifteen hundred horse, well
appointed, under the command of Prospero Colonna, to join the forces
of Maximilian, in the hope of surprising the king before he could pass
the mountains; but Prospero, ignorant how near he was to the French,
or that they had succeeded in passing the Alps, had halted at a town
in Piedmont called Villa-franca[58]. Of this circumstance, a peasant
of that country had informed one of the king's gentlemen, named the
lord de la Morette, and that, as Prospero was quite unsuspicious of
the French being so near, it would be easy to surprise him. The lord
de la Morette lost no time to carry this news to the marshal de la
Palisse, the lord d'Aubigny, the lord d'Imbercourt, Bayard and others,
who all instantly agreed to follow the lord d'Imbercourt in the
attempt to surprise Colonna. He had sent forward one of his archers
to reconnoitre, who reported, that as Colonna and his men were just
sitting down to dinner, and entirely off their guard, an immediate
attack would be necessary: d'Imbercourt sent, therefore, to hasten the
march of La Palisse and the others.
Notwithstanding this, d'Imbercourt boldly advanced to enter Villa
Franca,--when as his trumpet was within the gates, and had sounded his
charge, his horse's neck was inclosed within them; but the men at arms
came to his relief, by crossing their lances over the horse, and put to
death all who had opposed them at the gate.
They galloped up the streets, shouting out 'France, France!' and
advanced to where Colonna was at dinner: a sharp conflict now took
place,--but the lord de la Palisse and the others arrived, who soon
ended it, by making Colonna prisoner, and slaying great numbers of his
men. All his baggage was pillaged, and very many fine horses gained
that were in the stables of the town. Prospero Colonna was carried,
with the other prisoners, to the king of France, and thence sent into
confinement at the castle of Montagu, belonging to the lord de la
Palisse.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 55: Romorantin,--15 leagues from Amboise, 11 from Blois.]
[Footnote 56: Guillestre,--near Mont-Dauphin, in Dauphiny.]
[Footnote 57: St Paul,--a village in Dauphiny.]
[Footnote 58: Villa-franca,--16 miles SSW. of Turin.]
CHAP. XXXVII.
THE KING OF FRANCE PURSUES THE SWISS WITH HIS WHOLE ARMY.--THE TOWN
AND CASTLE OF NOVARA SURRENDER TO THE KING.
The pope, when he heard of the defeat of Prospero Colonna and his army,
and that he was sent prisoner to France, was very much surprised, and
not without reason; for he never had imagined that the king of France
would attempt to cross the Alps where he had, and for some time would
not believe it.
The Swiss cantoned at Susa, Villaine, Rivoli and other parts, hearing
of what had passed at Villa-franca, retreated toward Milan followed by
the French as far as Turin, whence the duke of Savoy came out to meet
the king, and gave him a handsome reception. The king, having received
from the duke of Savoy five large pieces of artillery, continued
his pursuit of the Swiss who had passed the Po in an extraordinary
hurry,--for they had no boats, nor any means but cords to drag their
artillery and baggage over, with which they marched day and night.
They burnt the castle of Chivazzo, and part of that small town,
belonging to the duke of Savoy, which lay on their line of march,
killing many of the inhabitants and plundering the town, because they
would not afford them provision, nor allow them a passage through
Chivazzo. Some of the Swiss were slain, that had remained behind to
pillage.
In this interval, the lord de Prie, with a body of Genoese, arrived at
Alexandria and other towns, which he sacked, although their inhabitants
had fled,--but they were deserving of punishment for the many tricks
they had before played the French.
The french army kept pursuing the Swiss, who seemed inclined to march
to Jurea[59], but, turning short, entered Novara. The king arrived with
his army at Vercelli[60], where it was rumoured that an agreement
would take place between the king and Swiss. The lord bastard of
Savoy and the lord de Lautrec, with others, were charged with this
commission; but notwithstanding this, the king continued his march
after the Swiss, who had quitted Novara, and taken the road to Milan.
He was now joined by a considerable reinforcement of Lansquenets,
called The Black Band[61], very well equipped. The king advanced to
Novara, which was instantly assaulted by Pedro de Navarre and others,
and surrendered to the king's obedience.
In the absence of the king, his queen was brought to bed, at Amboise,
of a fair daughter, who was christened Louisa,--and soon afterwards,
her portrait was sent to him, while engaged in his Italian campaign.
The surrender of the town and castle of Novara saved them from pillage,
by the king's commands,--who pursuing his march toward Milan, went
to Bufalora. Here the agreement between the king and Swiss was made
public, which had been accomplished by means of a large sum of money
paid down, according to a promise made them by the king. The Swiss, in
consequence, swore fidelity to him, and signed the treaty,--but which
they did not keep, notwithstanding their oaths and engagements, but
falsified both.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 59: Jurea,--on the great Dora in Piedmont.]
[Footnote 60: Vercelli,--30 miles SW. of Milan, 38 NE. of Turin.]
[Footnote 61: Black band,--under the command of Ruberta della Marchia,
from lower Germany.
Guicciardini.
I must refer the reader to Guicciardini, &c. for further details of
these wars in Italy.]
CHAP. XXXVIII.
THE KING OF FRANCE DEFEATS THE SWISS ARMY AT MARIGNANO[62], ON THE
FEAST-DAY OF THE EXALTATION OF THE CROSS.--OF THE CRUEL BATTLE AND
SLAUGHTER OF THE FRENCH AND SWISS.
The king of France, thinking that he had secured the Swiss by the
payment of the sum agreed on between them and the lord de Lautrec,
marched his army to Marignano, beyond Milan; but it was not long
before he found that he had miscalculated on their keeping the promises
they had made him. In the interval between the signing of the late
treaty and the payment of the money, the Swiss had resolved to surprise
the king's army,--induced thereto by the remonstrances and preachments
of the cardinal of Sion, who had corrupted them at the instigation of
the emperor Maximilian, and of the inhabitants of the Milanese, who
had given them corslets and other armour, together with the fairest
promises. The Swiss believing that they would be joined by every
Italian, and that, if successful, they might acquire territories of a
great extent in a fertile country, and be feared and redoubted by all
the world, caused them to act in the treacherous manner they did.
The king learning that the Swiss were turned against him, was much
mortified; for he concluded, that at that moment they were receiving
the money agreed on. However, like a hardy knight, he was not cast
down, but gave his orders for the forming of his army, to receive the
enemy with the most advantage. While thus employed, news was brought
him that a large body of infantry, well armed had marched out of Milan,
to join the Swiss in the meditated attack against him. In fact, about
three or four o'clock in that afternoon, the Swiss advanced on the
king's army, but were received with such valour that many were more
inclined to seek for a retreat than to persevere in the combat.
The king, who commanded the main body, on seeing the Swiss advance,
charged them in person, attended by his gentlemen, and defeated one
band. The french volunteers now placed themselves in the position of
the Lansquenets, who had in part turned their backs; but they must not
be blamed for this, for they had before heard of the agreement made
with the Swiss, and, without any explanation, had been led on to an
unexpected battle, which made them believe that they were betrayed by
the king, who wanted to have them destroyed. But when they saw the
volunteers thus step boldly into their ranks, they recovered courage,
and fought with the utmost bravery.
The french volunteers did wonders; and although they were not numerous,
amounting to no more than two thousand, they defeated a band of Swiss
consisting of double their number. Great feats of arms were done at
this battle, with battle-axes, lances, and two-handed-swords, so that
for a long time it was doubtful on which side victory would remain.
The Swiss behaved with the utmost courage, and charged the main body
and reserve of the French with an impetuosity that astonished them,
in the hopes of succeeding as they had before done at Novara. The
artillery of the French was not asleep, and the Swiss made an attempt
to seize it, but were repulsed with much loss,--for not a cannon was
fired without killing numbers of them.
This battle lasted until the going down of the sun,--and both sides
fought as long as the dust and light allowed them to see each other.
Some, thinking to retire to their own camp, found themselves in that
of the enemy; but what caused great confusion was the Swiss shouting
out 'France, France!' and then attacking the French. The night was not
long. The king was constantly with his men, giving them every sort of
encouragement, by words and example. He was particularly anxious about
his artillery, which was well guarded by a party of Lansquenets. Having
visited the different divisions of his army, he reposed himself in his
armour, on the carriage of a cannon; and I may with truth assert, that
if the king had not been present at this engagement the French would
have had more than enough to do.
On the morrow, the 14th of September, in the year 1515, and the feast
of the Exaltation of the Cross, the Swiss, enraged against the French,
advanced on them by day-break (notwithstanding their loss on the
preceding night had been more than they supposed) with an eagerness
as if they had been going to a dance, and made their charge with
valour and steadiness. The conflict was long and doubtful; but the
king's artillery, where he was in person, did the greatest service,
particularly on a strong body that kept firmly united until their
losses were so considerable, the remainder turned their backs, and
fled for Milan. The other divisions of the Swiss made now little
resistance; and to make short of the matter, all that remained were put
to death, or taken prisoners; and had not the dust been great, fewer
would have escaped,--for it was so thick they could not see many yards
before them[63].
The heat that day was very oppressive; and the king and his lords
suffered greatly from thirst, for there was no water near that was
pure,--for all the springs and streams were discoloured with blood, of
which, nevertheless, they were forced to drink; at length, some clear
water was brought them.
The king was as much rejoiced that the Swiss had renewed the battle, on
the following day, as a huntsman when he lays blinkes in the chace of a
stag. The Swiss left full sixteen thousand dead on the field, who did
not lose their lives like children, but as men of true courage; and all
the roads toward Milan and Como were full of those who in their flight
had died of the wounds they had received in battle.
This was the first victory of king Francis I. and was very marvellous
it proved so great, considering how much he had been deceived in the
Swiss by their treaty some days prior to the combat. It is worthy of
remembrance,--for since the days of Julius Cæsar, this nation, so
valorous in war, never lost in battle so many as sixteen thousand men.
Louis XI. had defeated, when dauphin, a body of three or four thousand:
a duke of Milan had also conquered a body of two thousand, which
inclines me so much to exalt this victory of the king over enemies so
determined and numerous, for thirty-six thousand men had marched out of
Milan.
Toward the end of the combat, a reinforcement of Venetians arrived,
which the constable of Bourbon had gone to seek. The troops made all
diligence, were well accoutred and ready for battle; but they found the
Swiss defeated, and flying in all directions, for Como and Milan.