present at this conquest, for he had always been faithful to the king. The duke had in his pay an astrologer or necromancer, in whom he put great confidence; but his astrology was of no avail to prevent him being made prisoner. According to agreements entered into with the Milanese army, they were allowed to depart in safety with their arms and baggage; but the duke and his artillery remained with the French. The lord-cardinal of Amboise was then at Vercelli, and vowed the king under the protection of Our Lady des Bonnes Nouvelles.

Intelligence of this success came to the king at Lyon, the vigil of Palm-Sunday, which rejoiced him exceedingly; and bonfires were made in the streets, for joy that the French had been victorious. Immediately after, news was brought that the duke of Milan was a prisoner, which caused the rejoicings to be repeated by all ranks of persons in Lyon. The children of the duke were sent into Germany.

CHAPTER CCXV.-THE CARDINAL ASCANIUS, BROTHER TO THE DUKE OF MILAN, IS TAKEN PRISONER, AND CARRIED TO FRANCE.

THE cardinal Ascanius, brother to the duke of Milan, was in that city when he heard of the duke being a prisoner: he instantly departed thence, with six hundred horse and some artillery, accompanied by the higher nobility of Milan. He had also with him a considerable body of Estradiots; and the commander of the whole was count John, brother to the marquis of Mantua, who intended to march for the Bolognese; but it was said, that he was met by a Venetian captain, of the name of Soucin Bienson*, with a body of troops, who attacked the cardinal. At this unexpected onset, the cardinal cried out, "Qui vive?" and was answered, St. Mark and France!" The battle lasted four hours, and the Venetian captain was severely wounded, with many of his men ; but when the cardinal, who was in armour, saw the fortune of the day was against him, he fled to a castle called Rivoli, which was immediately besieged by the Venetian.

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To make short of this matter,-the cardinal lost many of his men ; and the brother to the marquis of Mantua was ransomed. With this Venetian captain was another, called Charles des Ursins. A Milanese captain, of the name of Badin, was made prisoner, with the abbot of Senselles, and four viscounts; and upwards of a hundred thousand ducats were taken, without including the baggage. The cardinal, astonished to find himself besieged in this castle without provision or money, entreated the captain to ransom him, which he refused, -so that he surrendered himself on the sole conditions of having his life spared, and of being given up to the king of France. The captain would have carried him a prisoner to Venice; but the seneschal of Beaucaire, the lord de Montoison, and the chief justice of Provence, who had gone thither to receive the cardinal, prevented it. The Venetians also, knowing that the cardinal was an enemy to the king, that he had been taken on the king's territories near Piacenza, and wishing likewise to be on good terms with France, had the cardinal delivered into the hands of the before-named persons.

The inhabitants of Milan, on their duke and his brother the cardinal being made prisoners, opened a negotiation for the surrender of their town with the cardinal of Amboise, lieutenant for the king.

CHAPTER CCXVI.-THE INHABITANTS OF MILAN ARE BRIBED INTO SUBJECTION.

On the 17th of April, which was Good Friday, in this same year, the inhabitants of Milan, acknowledging the great crimes they had committed against the king of France, their duke, most humbly besought the reverend father in God the lord George d'Amboise, cardinalpriest of the apostolical see, lieutenant-general for the said king, that he would be pleased (after having granted some small sums for their relief, to assist them in paying their fine,

* Soucin Bienson. Q.

and also to save them from the pillage and destruction which the army was ready to inflict on them) to come to the duke's palace in the city of Milan to receive their submissions, which they were determined to make publicly in acknowledgment of their misconduct, and to entreat the clemency of the king, on payment of such a fine as their means would admit of. This reverend cardinal acceded to their requests, and came to the palace called La Courtvieille, whither arrived in procession all the nobles, burghers, tradesmen, and inhabitants, preceded by little children dressed in white linen, and bareheaded, having a large crucifix, and the great banner of Our Lady, borne before them.

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The lord-cardinal being seated on the throne prepared for him in the great court of this palace, and surrounded by many of the king's counsellors and captains, master Michael Touse, doctor of laws, and town-advocate, ascended a rostrum that had been there erected, and made the following harangue : Unworthy as I am to ascend this rostrum, my most reverend and most illustrious lord-cardinal, I am very anxious to have it remembered, and thus publicly to express the complete submission and devotion my countrymen, the people of Milan, as well as myself, feel toward our sovereign lord and duke, the most Christian king of France; and although I know my own incapacity to express their wishes, notwithstanding my earnest desire so to do, yet, as a good citizen, I could not refuse their requests to undertake it, and I will accomplish it to the best of my abilities. Among all the cities and towns of Italy, Milan, without doubt, must be considered as the principal, when governed with justice by an upright lord, as all good and loyal citizens have desired. Since God the Creator has been pleased to place them in the hands of the most Christian king, their legitimate lord, they cannot wish for a better nor a more powerful prince: their duty is to persevere in the fidelity and loyalty which they have sworn to him when he received them with such benignity and humanity. It may be said, that he had reintegrated the citizens to their country, and their country to the founder; for the French had founded and built the city of Milan,—and the country, to this day, retains the name of Gallia Cisalpina. But, alas! we have sadly displayed the instability of our tempers, and committed the crimes of treason and rebellion without any reason for so doing; for neither the king our lord, nor the deputies he sent to govern us, have done any things that ought to have displeased us, or make us discontented. In regard to our lord himself, we have always found him full of humanity, affection, and clemency; and in regard to the lord de Luson, who had been appointed our chief-justice, we cannot accuse him of any improper acts, for he ever received us kindly, and heard our complaints attentively, doing justice to all parties, like as a good father would to his children.

“In like manner, the lord Jean Jacques, who has ruled us without distinction of persons or the smallest partiality, punishing rather his own people than ours, just as those excellent Romans, Brutus and Torquatus, put to death their children for the good of their country. He also has afforded us all necessary support. The lord-bishop of Como and others of the family of Trivulce have acted in a similar kind manner to us. We feel the more beholden to the lord Jean Jacques, because, knowing, as he did, the wicked intentions of many of the chief exciters to the late rebellion, he attempted to gain them over from their intentions by gratuities and honours, rather than dip his hands in the blood of his countrymen. He preferred also retiring into the castle to destroying the town by fire and sword, as perhaps strict duty would have forced him to; and from thence he departed, to return with so much the greater glory. The preservation of the town from ruin is solely owing to his prudent conduct: a superior victory to any achieved by arms, seeing that Ludovico Sforza and almost all the king's enemies are become prisoners. The cardinal Ascanius and others attached to

his party were, by God's merciful providence, induced to leave the town, when they might otherwise have injured it by obstinately holding out against the troops of our legitimate lord. The inhabitants, therefore, are greatly indebted to God and the king, who has kindly overlooked their faults, and not punished them according to their deserts.

"To check the fury of his victorious army, the king has been pleased to send you, my lord-cardinal, hither, with full powers to act according to your discretion; and this you have done with such prudence that you have saved the town to the king,—for which we, our children, and our successors, shall be ever beholden to you. We also thank my aforesaid

lord the bishop of Como for his good recommendations of us to you, and for the means he has taken for the preservation of his country,

"Since, most reverend Father in God, you have been pleased, out of your bounty and clemency, following the kind will of our lord the king, to grant to us, the inhabitants of Milan, this public audience, they have commissioned me to make, in their name, the following requests :

"In the first place, that it may be your good pleasure, when you shall return to the king, to recommend us most humbly to his good graces, and to assure his majesty that the people of Milan will never again rise in rebellion to his power and authority. They somewhat resemble St. Peter, who, having denied God the Redeemer, had afterwards such grief for his sin, that he was more ardent and determined in his service than ever, continually supplicating mercy for his crime. In like manner, most reverend father in God, and in the name of the king our lord, do I, on my bended knees, for myself, the nobles, burghers, and the inhabitants of Milan, beseech you to pardon the rebellion perpetrated by us, which was contrary to the usual custom of the Milanese, celebrated for their fidelity and loyalty.

"Secondly, most reverend father, in respect to the expenses the king our lord has been put to in countermanding the troops sent hither to punish us for our ill conduct, we have promised to pay the sum of three hundred thousand crowns: fifty thousand on the 12th of this month, fifty thousand on the 1st day of May, and the remaining two hundred thousand at his pleasure. We beseech you to intercede for us to his majesty, that he would be graciously inclined to remit payment of the balance of the two hundred thousand crowns,— for it will be impossible to raise so large a sum without totally ruining the town. Its whole wealth consists in merchandize, and in cloths of silk and woollen; and should so large a sum be withdrawn from trade, all these works must stop, to the utter ruin of the city and duchy of Milan, which depends so much upon it. The duty of a king is to enrich, and not impoverish his subjects.

"Thirdly, we most humbly supplicate, that you would dismiss all the men-at-arms from the duchy as speedily as possible, that the fruits of the coming harvest may be preserved for the use of our lord's subjects. Fourthly, we beseech you, that all persons may be restored to the offices they before enjoyed. And, lastly, that since, out of your great mercy and wisdom, you have been pleased to separate the principal instigators of the late rebellion from the more peaceable inhabitants of the town,-and that, through the mercy of God, the cardinal Ascanius and the chiefs of that party are now, for the welfare of the country, detained prisoners, we beseech you to use your interest with the king our lord, that such provisions be made to prevent them henceforth from troubling the city and duchy, as they have lately done, and put us again in danger of losing our lives and fortunes, whence we have been relieved by the merciful bounty of the king our lord.

"We assure you, most reverend father in God, and most noble lord, that we are determined to remain faithful to our sovereign prince in body and soul; and, by granting us our requests, you will never again hear of any disturbances or factions in this town,-for the inhabitants will henceforward be united in his service, as experience shall prove. We have full confidence that your benignant goodness will do everything, in regard to us, becoming the race whence you descend, which will be agreeable to God, and worthy to be engraved on marble, as a perpetual memorial of your wisdom, and to the glory of your name: all of which I and the people of Milan now assembled here, again on our bended knees, beseech you to grant."

Master Michael having finished his harangue, the lord-cardinal of Amboise consulted the marshal of Trivulce, the bishop of Luson*, chancellor of Milan, the lord de Neufchâtel, and others of the king's counsellors, and ordered master Michael Ris, doctor of civil and canon law, and counsellor to the king in his court of parliament of Burgundy, and in the senate of Milan, to make a reply, which he did in manner following

"Misertus est Dominus super Ninevem civitatem; eo quod poenitentiam egit in cinere et cilicio. My lords and gentlemen of the Milanese, the very reverend father in God and

Luson. Q. Lausanne?

most noble cardinal here present, as lieutenant-general for the king in this duchy, has more attentively listened to your humble propositions and requests than your demerits deserved. That his bounty and mercy may be more manifest, he has ordered me to lay before you your great and inexcusable rebellion, which his excellency would willingly have done himself could he have addressed you in your own language. I am, therefore, employed to do it by his command. I must, therefore, remind you, that on the day when you swore fidelity to the most Christian king, I then addressed you by his orders, and exhorted you to remain firm in your loyalty to him, whence you would derive great honour, and by acting contrary inevitable evils and disgrace would follow. I am now commanded by the most noble lordcardinal, here present, to explain your great disloyalty and infidelity, that the exceeding clemency and pity of the king, our lord, may be the more apparent.

"Your crimes and your demerits are so enormous, O Milanese! that no punishments can be adequate to them,—and they are deserving of a similar punishment from the king as the Romans inflicted upon the Samiens, as related to us by historians: Ita ruinas urbis diruerunt ut hodie Samus in ipsa Samo requiratur.' Or one equal to what Archila * king of the Goths inflicted on the Romans, whose marks are now visible on the walls and buildings of Rome. Or what Alexander did to the Thebans. It may be seen in numerous histories, that for much smaller crimes, Charles the Great, king of France, and the emperor Frederick I., punished most severely this city of Milan. To make your ingratitude more public, you have allowed that the most Christian king is your true and legitimate lord, to whom you owe love and obedience, according to the laws of God and man; for the wise regulation of the Spartans says, 'Populum in obsequia principum, principes ad justitiam imperatorum infirmabit.' In addition to the most Christian king being your natural and lawful lord, he has conferred upon you numberless benefits: he came in person to deliver you from slavery,—not out of a disorderly ambition to gain kingdoms, but from the pity he felt for you as subjects of duke John Galeazzo, your first duke, whose most excellent daughter, the princess Valentina, was his grandmother. He recalled Justice to your country, which had been banished thence. He secured to you your lives and properties, which before no one could call his own. He allowed you the liberty to marry your children as you should please, which before this could not be done; for a father could not marry a daughter, nor a mother a sister, but according to the will and appetite of the lord. Offices which were temporary he made perpetual. He abolished all pillories, concussions, and exactions.

"Besides these and numberless other benefits that he showered upon you, you were bounden by your oaths of allegiance to be faithful unto him: nevertheless, many of you, even when taking these oaths, were plotting to deceive him. All of you, ye Milanese! forgetful of the salvation of your souls and honour, and regardless of the danger into which you threw your wives, your children, and your town, have conspired against your true lord in favour of a tyrant, quitting the first of kings in Christendom for a mean fellow of low birth,-a most potent prince for one as poor in courage as in wealth and friends. Had I the powers of language to display the extent of such a crime, I should be incapable to do it under two days; but your own consciences will make you more sensible of it than I can,—and you may apply to yourselves what is written, 'Populus dure cervices,' when you committed that base act of recalling your Ludovico in opposition to your true lord.

"What was the consequence? Did he not instantly seize all the effects of private persons, and not only their wealth, but even the crosses, chalices, and jewels from the churches? What was said of Cambyses, king of Persia, may be said of him, 'Difficile enim erat ut parceret suis, qui contempta religione grassatus etiam in Deos fuerat.' Although from so great a crime many may attempt to exculpate themselves, yet I do not see how they can well do so, for it would have been easy at first to have resisted such treason: nor can one in Milan excuse himself for the joyous reception given to Ludovico, as if he had been a god descended from heaven on earth. The people of Milan assisted the lord

• Archila. Q. Attila ?

Ludovico with money and men. Feasts and entertainments were everywhere displayed to welcome his arrival, and for his short-lived victories when he gained Novara. "Observe now, O Milanese! how strongly the justice of God, the Creator, has been made manifest, and the great power that it has pleased Him to invest the king our lord with for when you thought that you had done everything by gaining Novara, at that moment you lost the whole, and your idol, the lord Ludovico, carried away a prisoner,—so that what was said of the Persians may be applied to him, Servit alteri cui nuper Mediolanum serviebat.'

"O Milanese! notwithstanding your enormous offences, the great fountain of mercy of our good king has not been dried up by your ingratitude to him: and the uncommon benignity of his lieutenant-general, my lord cardinal, has been fully shown to you, from his respect and reverence to this day, on which it pleased Our Lord to suffer an ignominious death on the cross for our salvation. He, in the king's name, pardons your lives, your honours, and your property, exhorting you, at the same time, to be more careful, henceforward, not only to avoid committing similar offences, but to avoid even the being suspected of them for should you ever relapse again into rebellion, you will be punished with such severity, the remembrance thereof shall endure to the latest ages of the world. By acting as loyal subjects towards your lord, your town and country will be daily improved, and you will live happy and contented; for it must be a great satisfaction to live under a true and legitimate prince. With regard to the requests you have made to my lord cardinal, you will deliver them to him in writing, and he will return you such answers as shall content you. It must, however, be understood, that from this pardon, all the principal actors and instigators of the late rebellion are excepted."

When this harangue was ended, all the children passed the cardinal in procession, crying out "France, France! France and mercy!"

On St. George's day, the queen of France set out from Lyon, to go to St. Claude, with a very handsome company. Before she returned, she stood godmother with the prince of Orange, for the princess had, at that time, been brought to bed of a son. On the 2nd of May, the lord Ludovico was brought to Lyon. He wore a robe of black camlet, after the fashion of Lombardy, and was mounted on a small mule. The provost of the royal household, and the seneschal of Lyon, went out to meet him, made him a prisoner in the king's name, and confined him in the castle of Pierre-en-Cise. Great numbers of people were collected in the streets to see him pass. The king was then in Lyon. The 12th of May, the marriage of the lord de la Roche, a baron of Brittany, was announced in Lyon, with the princess of Tarente, daughter to don Frederic of Naples. On this occasion were many jousts and other entertainments, at which were present the queen, her ladies and damsels,—and the wife of count Galeazzo was with the queen; but the marriage did not take place until the 18th of May at the church of St. Croix, near to that of St. John. Tournaments again were exhibited on the Grenette, and gave great satisfaction*.

The lord Ludovico was, by orders from the king and council, transferred from the castle of Pierre-en-Cise, on the 14th of May, to the castle of Loches, near Bourges. On the 24th of the same month, the lord de Ligny returned from Lombardy to Lyon, when the king sent out a large party to meet and welcome him. The cardinal Ascanius Sforza was on the 17th of June, the vigil of Corpus-Christi-day, brought prisoner to Lyon, and confined, where his brother had before been, in the castle of Pierre-en-Cise; but he afterwards found such favour with the king, that he had all France for his prison. The lord-cardinal of Amboise and the lord de la Trimouille arrived at Lyon, the 21st of June, from Lombardy, and brought with them the Lord Jean Jacques de Trévulce and his lady to France. About the end of July, pope Alexander VII. was struck by lightning at Rome, and

As I do not understand the expressions in the original, I shall transcribe them.

"Derechief on feit jouste en la Grenette. Les gentilshommes qui joustoient à cheval de bois et lisses de cordes couvertes de drap de soie qui estoit une chose si mignonnement faicte que merveilles et tres joyeuse à voir."

[This is evidently a May-game; a joust upon hobby. horses, the barriers consisting only of silken draperies suspended on ropes; and as nobles condescended to indulge in such country sports, it was doubtless "very wonderful and joyous to behold."-ED.]