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 day, the wife of don Frederic arrived in France, with some of her children and attendants.

1

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, mill-dams, 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.

CHAPTER CCXX.— -THE ARCHDUKE MAKES HIS ENTRY INTO LYON. -ANOTHER HERETIC.

THE archduke Philip made his public entry into Lyon the 23rd 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 lieutenantgeneral 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 exchequerchamber. 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 Michael

mas-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 Spaniardsand had they been properly supported, they would have driven them thence; for the lord d'Aubigny evinced much valour and prudence.

Peter II., duke of Bourbon, the last of the eldest line of Robert de Clermont, son of St. Louis. His only daughter and heir, Susanna, married Charles de Bourbon

Montpensier, afterwards constable of France and duke of
Bourbon.

CHAPTER CCXXI.—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*, 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 Saulset, 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 Aubussont, 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!" The sultan, finding this army defeated, uttered a horrid cry, to the alarm of his attendants, and swore to march another to Rhodes, and have ample revenge; but while he was employed in making preparations, he died. The grand-master of Rhodes detained the next heir to the sultan a prisoner for thirteen years, contrary to the will of many, and then delivered him up to the pope, who, in return, sent him a cardinal's hat. He had those fortifications repaired that had been damaged by the Turks, and then converted the Jews in the island to Christianity. He formed alliances with all the princes in Christendom, and did an infinite deal of good. He was succeeded by Emeri d'Amboise, brother to the cardinal of Amboise, legate to France, who instantly left France for Rhodes, to oppose the Turks, who were continually carrying on a warfare against the Christians.

Francis de Savona. This must be a mistake: his name was Julius della Rovere. He was born at Albizale, a village near to Savona.

Saulse. Q. Sault? a small territory adjoining Roussillon.

Aubusson. He was grand prior of Auvergne, and descended from the ancient viscounts of la Marche. Pope Innocent sent him the cardinal's hat for having delivered up to his guard Zizim, brother to Bajazet.

CHAPTER CCXXII.-THE SOPHI OF PERSIA MAKES WAR ON THE TURK USSON CASSAN*.

THE grand-master of Rhodes received, on the 7th of December, in the year 1502, intelligence from Armenia and Persia, that one called Sophi Christian, or Red Bonnet of Armenia, had assembled an army of forty thousand men, to enable him to revenge the death of his father by Usson Cassan, a Turk, and to recover all the Sophines who had been sent prisoners to Turkey. Having considered the iniquity of the Grand Turk, and his infamous conduct to these Sophines, he set out from his country, called Adanil, twelve days' journey from Tauris, accompanied by only one hundred warriors, and arrived near to Arziant, a town of Usson Cassan, whose friendship and alliance he besought on account of his mother, sister to Usson Cassan, pretending that he was waiting the arrival of his attendants. But he disguised his feelings of injury from the Grand Turk, who detained his Sophines in abject vassalage; however, within a fortnight he was joined by about sixteen thousand men, with whom he entered Arzian by force, and put to death all the inhabitants, both great and small. Among other acts worthy of remembrance, in all the mosques, or temples, of the Turks, he had the horses and camels tied up as in a stable, to show his contempt for them, and had them afterwards razed to the ground. There had been a temple of the Christians which the Turks had destroyed, but Sophi had it immediately rebuilt and handsomely restored. The army of Sophi continually increasing, he advanced into the province of Firnam, which belonged also to Usson Cassan. Usson Cassan, perceiving that Sophi was subjugating his country, and the whole of the Turks in this province amounting to more than fifty thousand, assembled his army, and offered battle to Sophi, who defeated him completely and made him prisoner. He entered victoriously the town of Sarda, where he stayed three months, and thence advanced to Tharabe, a town of Usson Cassan, which instantly surrendered. As he approached the country of Sultania, he was met by the children of Usson Cassan, with an army of twenty-five thousand men. Sophi gave them battle, and defeated them. One of the children was killed in the combat: the others were taken prisoners, and put to a disgraceful death, by cutting them in pieces. Not one of their army was permitted to live. The city of Tauris, seeing the great power of Sophi, and that he had destroyed their prince and his children, surrendered to him without any defence, and he remained there with his army some time. The citizens of Tauris, observing the great prudence and wisdom of Sophi, put him in possession of all the treasures of Usson Cassan. He thence departed to a large town called Lingia, three days' journey from Tauris, and to another called Passy, the last town of Usson Cassan. Sophi, finding that he had now conquered and submitted to his obedience the whole of the dominions of Usson Cassan, and established order everywhere, returned to Tauris, the capital of the country. He was continually followed by his mother, with a numerous attendance of slaves, for he was much beloved by her; and after a short stay at Tauris, she sent ambassadors to the grand Turk, to remonstrate with him on his shameful conduct to the Sophines,-ordering him to set them at liberty, and also to put on the red bonnet, after the manner of the Sophines, otherwise she would make him feel the power of her son.

The Grand Turk detained the ambassadors in Constantinople, for he suspected that Sophi would invade his country of Natolia; and, in consequence, he assembled a large army near to the town of Angora‡, and commanded all in Pera § to hold themselves in readiness to

*I cannot make out this chapter to my satisfaction. In the "Art de Vérifier les Dates," I find, that in the year 1501, which nearly answers to the date in the chapter, Schah Ismael Sophi I., &c. the restorer of the sect of Ali, in Persia, when only fourteen years old, assembles a large army of Alides, conquers Tauris from Alvand IV., successor of Uzun Cassan, and obliges him to fly to Diarbeker, where he dies in 1502. Schah Ismael gains Bagdad in 1510, putting to flight Morad Beg, son to Alvand; and, in the following year, conquers Khoristan,

&c. In the year 1514, Selim I., emperor of the Turks, gives him battle, and defeats him on the plains of Chaldéron, and takes the town of Tauris. Sophi dies, aged thirty-eight, &c.

Arzian. Q. Erzerum, or Erivan?

Angora, -a town in Natolia: Bajazet was defeated near to it.

§ Pera,-partly a suburb to Constantinople. I believe it was then possessed by the Genoese.

bear arms against Sophi Christian or Red Bonnet. They were, however, refractory, and refused to obey, showing more willingness to surrender themselves to Sophi. The Armenians say, that Sophi does not esteem the Grand Turk a button; for he has an army of ninety thousand men, well armed, without including his own countrymen from Armenia, who daily follow him. All this information was brought to the king of France, when he was at Morestel*, in Dauphiny, in the year 1503.

CHAPTER CCXXIII.—A GREAT MORTALITY FROM THE UNWHOLESOMENESS OF THE SEASON.-OF THE DEATHS OF MANY PERSONS OF NOTE.

In the course of the year 1504, a truce was concluded between the kings of France and Spain, touching the county of Roussillon: nevertheless, the Spaniards that had been garrisoned in Saulse embarked secretly for Naples. It was said that the king of Spain had bribed some of the French (of which they were afterwards accused), and by this means he had conquered Naples. The lord of Aubigny and the lord of Alegre, the principal leaders of the French army, were made prisoners; and great numbers of their men perished, more from want of food than in battle, for there was no great effusion of blood. The lieutenant of the lord of Ligny maintained his post in the territories of that lord's deceased wife +,—and the French, notwithstanding the Spanish force, made several good prisoners, who were exchanged for the lords of Aubigny and of Alegre.

This summer was exceedingly hot and dry, which prevented the corn from filling; and the harvest was very poor in the Lyonnois, Dauphiny, Auvergne, Burgundy, Savoy, and other countries. From the month of March, the farmers and peasants, foreseeing the season would be unproductive, were in great distress, and made processions to different churches in all the villages around: general processions were even made by the peasants to the churches in Lyon, where the inhabitants and monks gave them bread and wine in abundance. In these processions, the young women were dressed in white linen, with bare feet, a kerchief on their heads, and a taper in their hands: the boys were clothed also in white, bare-headed and bare-footed: then came the priests, followed by persons of both sexes, the women singing from the Litany, "Sancta Maria! ora pro nobis," and then the whole cried aloud for "Mercy!" The parishes of Lyon made similar processions to the church of Our Lady of the Island, a French league distant from that city. On the last day but one of May, the body of St. Just was brought from the suburbs into the city of Lyon, which no man living had before seen done; and his shrine was carried in procession, with chaunting and singing, from church to church. On the following day, the jaw-bone of St. John the Baptist, which had never before been taken out of the church of St. John, was carried in procession to the church of the Augustins.

Eight days afterwards it rained; but the drought was soon as great as ever. The monks of Notre-Dame-de-l'Isle, attended by the inhabitants of many villages, brought her image and that of St. Loup in procession to Lyon, which had not been done in the memory of man. This was on the 7th of June; and at the same time was brought thither the shrine of St. Hereny, prince of the nineteen thousand martyrs. Processions came to Lyon four and five leagues distant; and the inhabitants of several villages were from five to six days wandering about the fields, from one place to another, without returning home. In short, everybody appeared so miserable, the hardest hearts must have wept on beholding this great desolation of the people, and have quitted all amusements to assist them.

In the month of September, there appeared in the river Saône, above Lyon, a prodigious quantity of small eels of the size of a man's little finger, but no one dared to eat of them. Great sickness now prevailed; and on the 19th of September, Philibert duke of Savoy died at Pont d'Ain, not without suspicions of poison. He was succeeded by his next brother: the other was bishop of Geneva.

* Morestel,-election of Vienne.

+ Eleanor, countess of Ligny, princess of Altamura, duchess of Venosa, &c.

Charles III., surnamed the Good VOL. II.

Their younger

brother was Philip, who married Charlotte, daughter of Louis duke of Longueville, and was created duke of Nemours.

K K