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 a altar on the right hand. When the priest was about to consecrate the host, this schola snatched it out of his hands, and ran away with it into the court fronting the excheque chamber. Perceiving that he was pursued, he tore the wafer into pieces, and flung them the pavement. When taken, he was confined in the prison of the Conciergerie; but no exh tations could make him repent. Upon this his parents were sent for, who were much griev at his conduct, more especially for his obstinacy and malice; and the mother died in Paris grief. The father renounced his son for a heretic, and wanted to put him to death with ' own hands. When brought before the court of parliament, he was asked of what religi he was, and replied, Of the religion of nature. It was said that he had frequented ↑ company of some scholars from Spain, who had fled. A general procession was made to 1 holy chapel, to offer up prayers to God that the scholar might be converted; and a serm was preached, while he was present, by an eminent doctor. The court of parliament find.. him obstinate, condemned him to be dragged from prison to the place where he had thro down the host; then to be put into a tumbril, and have his wrist cut off, and carried to pig-market to be burnt. He was accompanied all the time by three doctors, who earne exhorted him to repent,—namely, master John Standun, a Cordelier, and a Jacobin: first never left him until dead, notwithstanding he continued in his obstinacy to the From the time this impiety had been committed, a canopy of cloth of gold was supp over the spot where the host had fallen, with two burning tapers beside it. The pave. was taken up, and carried to the holy chapel, with such parts of the wafer as could be fɩ to be preserved as relics, and the place repaved.

Toward the end of August, in this year, pope Alexander VII. died. at Mâcon, and immediately ordered the cardinal of Amboise, the cardinal Ascanius S The king was then a prisoner in France, the cardinal of St. George, with other cardinals, to rep Rome, for the election of a pope. About nine or ten o'clock of the Monday before Mic 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 na Pius III.; but did not live more than eight or ten days after his exaltation. During short space he had already shown how very much he was indisposed against the Fr He was the hundred and sixth pope.

On Wednesday preceding St. Luke's day, the lord Peter of Bourbon* died, whi king was at Mâcon: he was much bewailed; for he had ever been true and loyal : crown of France, and was an able counsellor. The 19th of October died pope Pius I' Rome, who, as I have said, did not outlive his election more than eight or ten day: the cardinals made another election. The French at Naples slew very many Spani and had they been properly supported, they would have driven them thence; for t 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 a
Bourbon.

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 Arzian †, 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 coinmanded 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 t,-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. Their younger

VOL. II.

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

K K

In the year 1505, died the lady Jane, duchess of Berry*, and was interred in a chapel within the castle of Bourges she had founded and endowed. From St. John's day of last year, until that feast in this, the season was most sickly, and everything very dear. Wheat sold at Lyon from twenty-six to twenty-seven sols the bichett; and from the scarcity in the country, vast numbers came from the villages to Lyon to seek charity. Some left their houses empty, others their wives and children, and the women their husbands and children. Great part of them died, although every person who had wherewithal gave them food; for alms were as abundantly bestowed in Lyon as in any city of its size. A pestilential disorder now raged, which carried off immense numbers in the hospital, both rich and poor; and this pestilence seemed to be felt everywhere, for, in the mountains of Savoy, several died of it and of hunger, so that many farms were this year uncultivated.

During Lent, the king of France had the bones of his late father, Charles duke of Orleans, removed from Blois to Paris, and interred in the chapel of the Celestins at Paris, which the dukes of Orleans had founded. Every kind of honour was paid to them during their removal, and at their re-interment,-and it was a magnificent spectacle. About this time, the king was taken with so serious an illness, it was thought he must die. His nobles and courtiers were much grieved: many of them made divers vows and pilgrimages; and processions were ordered throughout the realm, to offer up prayers to JESUS CHRIST for the king's recovery, which was granted. While he lay speechless, he had a vision, which he related; and it was so marvellous, that I firmly believe it to be more a miracle than anything else. A short time after his recovery, the king solicited the pope to grant a jubilee for his kingdom of France, and other parts under his dominion, without any expenses. On the 26th of June, the feast of St. Peter and St. Paul, a great procession took place, in which the host was carried as on Corpus-Christi day, when the king, knowing how earnestly his people had prayed for the restoration of his health, would not show himself ungrateful, but, to reward them, solicited of the pope for this free jubilee.

In this year, don Frederick of Naples died, to whom the king had behaved with the utmost liberality touching his claims on Naples. In the year 1506, died Isabella queen of Spain, who, during the wars of Granada, had shown great valour and prudence. The king of Spain was afterwards married to the sister of the lord of Foix ‡, through the interference of the king of France, who, in consideration of the match, made some agreements with the king of Spain respecting Roussillon and Naples.

A war now took place between the duke of Savoy and the Valoisiens, but it was soon made an end of. In the month of July, a general chapter of the Cordeliers was held at Rome, which had not been done since the death of their founder St. Francis. It was caused, as said, by the reformation of the Cordeliers in France, which dissatisfied several of the fraternity; and it was in this chapter determined by the pope,—that there should be only two modes of living among them; that such as had been reformed should remain so: consequently, all the convents of Cordeliers in France follow the rules of the Observantines. At this time, also, a general chapter of the knights of Rhodes was holden at Rome, and many knights were drowned in coming thither, from tempests at sea.

On the 18th of July, the feast-day of St. Pantaleone, a general pardon was granted to all repentant and confessed sinners, who should bequeath money or lands to the churches founded by the knights of Rhodes. This was done on account of a great victory the new grand-master, brother to the cardinal of Amboise, had gained over the Turks. He had defeated their whole army, which was worthy of remembrance.

On Ascension-day, in this year, the count of Angoulême §, the second person in France, was betrothed, at Tours, to the princess Claude of France, only daughter to Louis XII. by Anne of Brittany, which caused great feasts and rejoicings throughout the kingdom. The reverend father in God the lord Francis of Rohan, son to the marshal of Gié,

Jane, daughter of Louis XI., the repudiated wife of Louis XII., who, after her divorce, was called duchess of Berry.

Bichet, a measure of uncertain quantity,-from seventy to fifty-four pounds weight of corn, of thirty-six

pounds of chesnuts.

Germaine de Foix, daughter of John viscount de Narbonne.

§ Count of Angoulême,—afterwards Francis I., king of France.