The constable De Bourbon, wishing by his services to merit the favour
of Charles V., to whom that perfidious prince had sold himself,
undertook the siege of Marseilles. “Three cannon-shot,” said he, “will
so astonish the good citizens, that they will come with halters round
their necks to present me the keys.” But, far from surrendering, the
Marseillese swore to defend themselves to the last extremity. The women
took part in the most painful labours of the defence; their ardour
was so great, that the countermines which they dug on the side of the
attack were called, to perpetuate the memory of the fact, “The Ladies’
Trench.” A cannon-ball, fired from the city, killed two gentlemen,
and a priest who was celebrating mass. The constable De Bourbon,
attracted by the noise created by this accident, hastened to the spot,
and asked what was the cause of the tumult. The marquis de Pescaira,
his rival, coolly replied,--“It is only the consuls of Marseilles,
Monsieur, who have brought us the keys.” Bourbon well deserved this
raillery, for they had already been forty days before a place which he
had boasted would surrender as soon as he appeared. Rendered furious
by the cannon-ball and the joke, he gave orders for the fire of the
artillery to be doubled, and soon a breach was made sufficient for an
assault. The engineers who were sent to reconnoitre reported that there
was behind it a deep ditch, filled with combustibles, and defended by
a great number of soldiers. Pescaira gave a description of it to the
council of war, and added, maliciously,--“You see, gentlemen, that the
Marseillese keep a well-spread table, in order to entertain properly
all who have any desire to visit them; if you have any inclination
to sup in Paradise, go there, in heaven’s name; but, for my part, I
don’t feel disposed to go thither yet. We should do much better, I
think, to return to Italy, where the French may be before us.” The
hatred in which the constable De Bourbon was held caused this advice
to be approved of. Francis I. came to the relief of the city with an
army of forty thousand men. Instructed in the school of misfortune,
he obstinately refused to give the Imperialists battle, and contented
himself with depriving them of all means of subsistence. His army
destroyed all the mills: that of D’Aubagne was the only one left.
Francis I. was convinced that the retreat of his enemy was inevitable
if this mill were destroyed, and he ordered Barbesieux, who commanded
in Marseilles, to undertake it. This general thought the thing
impossible, because the post was so well guarded and so near to the
Imperialists. Montluc, young, enterprising, and full of resources,
thought that, with courage, secrecy, and diligence, it was possible
to succeed. Barbesieux laughed at what he called a fanfaronnade; but
as it was only at the risk of a hundred and twenty men, he gave his
consent. Everything succeeded; the mill was forced and destroyed; and
the detachment came off unhurt. This little expedition had a singular
influence over the fate of Marseilles. Deprived of provisions, the
Imperialists quickly retired, and the constable had the double disgrace
of failing against a place whilst fighting against his prince and his
country.