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 bichet+; 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.

pounds of chesnuts.

Germaine de Foix, daughter of John viscount de Narbonne.

§ Count of Angoulême,-afterwards Francis L., king

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

and archbishop of Lyon, made his public entry into that city on the 14th of August. Many mysteries were exhibited in the streets through which he passed, and they were all hung with tapestries. On the following day, the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, he chaunted the high mass at the cathedral of St. John in his archiepiscopal robes.

This year the duke of Gueldres made war on that part of Guelderland dependent on the archduke.

CHAPTER CCXXIV.-THE DEATHS OF THE ARCHDUKE AND OF THE QUEEN OF HUNGARY.

THE archduke Philip, during his residence at Burgos in Spain, died, on the 25th of September, in this year 1506*. The queen of Hungary died also on the feast-day of our Lady, in August†, having been brought to bed a fortnight before of a son, named Louis. The marquis of Brandenbourg was proxy for the king of France, at his christening. She left a daughter likewise, three years of age,-and both children lived.

In Lombardy, there was a nun of the order of Jacobins, who, like to St. Catherine of Sienna, had, every Friday, marks on her hands and feet similar to the wounds of our Saviour, that ran blood, which appeared to all who saw it very marvellous.

CHAPTER CCXXV.—THE POPE, BY THE ASSISTANCE OF THE FRENCH, GAINS BOLOGNA. POPE Julius II. weighing in his mind that the whole of the territories of Bologna were the patrimony of the church, made preparations to reduce them to his obedience. This city and territory had been usurped, and held by force for some time, by sir John de Bentivogliot. The pope, considering that there was no prince in all Christendom so well able to afford him support in this project as the king of France (that firm pillar of the Church, who had been everywhere victorious), made him acquainted with his claims and intentions of recovering the Bolognese territories. The king, eager to serve the holy church, ordered a large detachment of men-at-arms to join the pope's forces from the Milanese, for him to use at his pleasure. The pope's army was besieging Bologna on the side towards Rome,—but when joined by the French, it was besieged on all sides. This took place in the month of October. The French, stationed on the side toward Modena, behaved very gallantly, and won Castel-franco, which was plundered because the garrison would not surrender. The pope's army gained another castle,-and both armies showed so much courage, the Bolognese were astonished and frightened: they found themselves closely besieged, and that it would be impossible for them to resist the pope and the king of France. Finding their situation desperate, they surrendered themselves to the pope, having driven sir John de Bentivoglio out of Bologna, who, as I have before said, held the town by force, although it lawfully belonged to the pope. The pope offered up thanksgivings to God the Creator for his success, and chaunted high mass most devoutly, on All-Souls day, in the church of St. Petronilla in Bologna.

* Leaving issue, by Joanna, daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella 1. Charles, afterwards emperor and king of Spain; 2. Eleanor, the wife, first of Emanuel, king of Portugal,-2dly, of Francis the First; 3. Isabella, the wife of Christian, the second king of Denmark; 4. Ferdinand, king of Hungary, and emperor of Germany after the death of his brother; 5. Mary, the wife of Lewis, the second king of Hungary; 6. Catherine, the wife of John, the third king of Portugal.

↑ Anne, the wife of Uladislaus, king of Bohemia, who

succeeded to the crown of Hungary on the death of Matthias Corvinus in 1490. By this marriage she had Lewis, afterwards king of Hungary, and Anne, the wife of Ferdinand of Austria, in whose right he became king of Hungary on the death of Lewis in 1526, without issue.

John, the second of the name, son of Hannibal, and grandson of John, who made himself master of Bologna in 1400. See the historians of Bologna, especially the "Historie Memorabili" of Gasparo Bombaci, who is by far the most interesting of these writers.

CHAPTER CCXXVI.-OF THE DAMSEL TRIVULCE.

ABOUT this time, there resided a young lady in the Milanese, who had been taught the rudiments of grammar at seven years of age, and was so earnest in her studies that, at fourteen, she was eloquent to a degree that astonished all who heard her. She was descended from the noble family of the Trivulces*. Her father, called John, was an able knight and a good scholar, as were all his family. Her mother's name was Angela, a noble lady of the race of the Martinengois. In praise of this young lady, the verse of Prosper may be well applied," Naturæ sequitur semina quisque suæ.' Her mother was not a learned lady, although full of virtue; but the daughter was so devout and eloquent in her prayers, that she seemed more angelic than human; and if she continues to abound in such virtues, and to live thus sanctified and devout, she will deservedly be worthy of her reputation of a saint.

At twelve years of age, she became a great disputant, and was invited into the companies of the most learned, as well secular as ecclesiastic,-among whom were the bishop of Lausanne, an eminent scholar, her uncles the bishop of Cumenset and Francis Trivulce, of the order of Franciscan friars, when several disputations took place,—and great praises were given to this damsel. She understood philosophy, history, and different sciences,—was mistress of Seneca, Aristotle, and Pietro of Ravenna. Whatever she saw or heard at any of the places she visited, she related the whole to her father, on her return home, as exactly as if it had been written down. She was skilful in poetry, and one day composed so long a poem, her master was surprised at her talent. She became soon expert in the Greek tongue, and wrote many letters, in that and in other languages, that were greatly admired by all the learned to whom they had been addressed. She was most patient in adversity, making a joke of it in short, everything she did or said was miraculous, and unlike to a human being. When marriage was spoken of to her, she replied, that she would never marry a man whom she did not know to be as pure in virtue as herself.

The Genoese, acting according to their accustomed treachery, forgetful of the crimes they had committed, and been pardoned for by the king, now rebelled against him, and chose for their doge one called Paul Noyust, who had been a silk-dyer. The king, hearing of this, resolved to march in person against them, and reduce them to his obedience, notwithstanding the great preparations the Genoese had made for resistance. They had, among other things, erected a bulwark they thought impregnable; but some bold French adventurers having secretly mounted this bulwark, the hearts of the Genoese failed them, and they fled into the town. They now offered to surrender themselves to the king's mercy, who from his uncommon benignity, and wish to avoid the effusion of human blood, pardoned them, and entered the town with his whole army, where he had a magnificent reception. Their lately-elected doge, Paul di Nove, was taken at sea by a French bark, when making his escape, brought back to Genoa, and beheaded. From this time forward, it was publicly proclaimed, that the populace should not shout "Adorne Fregose §!" which they had been accustomed to do before this last reduction of the town.

CHAPTER CCXXVII.—OF THE LEAGUE OF CAMBRAY, FORMED BY THE CARDINAL OF AMBOISE, BETWEEN THE POPE, THE EMPEROR MAXIMILIAN, THE KING OF FRANCE, AND THE KING OF SPAIN, AGAINST THE VENETIANS.THE KING OF FRANCE DEFEATS THE VENETIANS AT AGNADELLO.

THE king of France, about this time, through the means of the cardinal of Amboise, concluded a treaty at Cambray between the pope, the emperor, the king of Spain, and the lady

"La nudrita Damigella Trivulzia al sacra Speco."She was the daughter of Giovanni Trivulzio and Angela di Martinengo, and is celebrated equally by the historians and poets of the age.

† Cumense. Q. Como?

Paul Noyus. Paul di Nove. § Fregose. Q. Fiesco?

Margaret, governess of the Low Countries. This treaty, although of no long duration, was the cause of the deaths of two hundred thousand men, as you will hereafter see, through the treachery of the confederates, in various battles and engagements that took place; and, what is worse, we of the present time, unless God shall be pleased to apply a remedy, are still suffering from the effects of this unfortunate treaty.

The king thought to obtain by it a lasting peace and alliance with the adjoining princes; but he was deceived, as was apparent at the time of the affair of Peschiera against the Venetians; for he alone, of all the confederates, took the field, crossed the Alps, and advanced to Milan. He thence marched his army, and what is worthy of remark, had all the bridges broken down he passed over, to show that flight would be needless. His first conquest was

:

the castle of Trevi. He then marched his army to Peschiera, near to which was Agnadello, where the battle was fought. Five days after the camp had been formed at Peschiera, the Venetian army was attacked, and completely routed, chiefly by the great exertions of the lord of Bourbon, who fought manfully there was great slaughter. The confederates never thought that this could have been accomplished by the French army alone. Indeed the Venetians would not believe it until the count de Pitigliano, who had fled with the reserve, convinced them of its truth. This battle took place on the 14th of May, just six days after the king arrived in the camp, and it was certainly very fortunate. Thus the war lasted but five days; for after such a victory there was nothing to prevent the king obtaining all his demands.

I repeat, that this success was very fortunate, considering how advantageously the enemy were posted, the number of strong places in their possession, and the strength of their armies; for they had enow to oppose the confederates in the field, and to guard their strongholds. In their camp were more than seventeen hundred men-at-arms, light cavalry to the amount of nine thousand five hundred, and twenty-two thousand infantry well armed, with twenty pieces of large artillery, much superior to what the king had, and also the best captains in all Italy to command this army, particularly sir Bartholomew d'Alviano, the chief, taken prisoner as he was rallying a body of infantry. Numbers of the most renowned of the Venetian captains were made prisoners this day, and sent to different strong castles in France, their banners to the church of St. Denis. Not more than two hundred were slain of the king's army, while full fifteen thousand fell on the side of the enemy. After the battle, the king ordered the dead to be buried, and a chapel to be erected on the spot, endowed sufficiently for the celebration of daily masses for the souls of those who had died in a state of grace. It was not long afterward before those towns which the Venetians had usurped surrendered to the king's obedience, such as Bergamo, Brescia, Crema, Cremona, that had formed part of the duchy of Milan. The pope, in like manner, recovered those places that had been taken from the church; namely, Ravenna, Imola, Faienza, and Forli. The emperor Maximilian regained from the Venetians his towns of Verona, Vicenza, and Padua,-but this last he did not keep long. Whether through negligence or fear, he had never dared to come to the king's camp, notwithstanding his repeated promises the king, however, gave him a large body of men, under the command of the lord de la Palisse, to regain the city of Padua,—and it was long besieged; but nothing effectual was done at last. The king of Spain also regained the towns of Brundusium, Tarentum, and others, of which the Venetians had possessed themselves.

When all this had been done through the fortunate victory of the king of France, who had supported the pope like a true son of the church, and had so essentially served him in the restoration of Bologna by the expulsion of Bentivoglio, and in various other ways,notwithstanding all these proofs of his friendship, pope Julius, at the instigation of the Venetians and others, formed an alliance against him, and having joined his arms with those of Venice, took Udina and Mirandola; which last he restored to John Franciscus Picus, who styled himself the true lord of it. To return to the king of France: after his victory over the Venetians, he went to Milan, where a magnificent triumphal entry was prepared for him, after the manner of the ancient Romans. Brilliant cars, full of the handsomest and best-dressed ladies in Milan, went out to meet him,—and the people greeted him with

acclamations, comparing him to Cæsar, for having conquered and reduced to his subjection those who had been feared and dreaded by all the world before.

The king, having had so handsome a reception in Milan, went thence to Savona, where he was met by Ferdinand, who had come thither with a numerous fleet of galleys for the purpose. The king of France received him and his queen with much kindness, and they made good cheer together. They confirmed their peace by dividing the eucharist between them at the holy sacrament; but it lasted not long, notwithstanding this ceremony, as you will hereafter see. There are many who make a good sale of their consciences and promises; and one of them, instead of the host, ought to have swallowed a burning coal — for numberless creatures have paid dear for perjuries of which they were innocent, and had no concern with.

CHAPTER CCXXVIII.—A WAR BETWEEN POPE JULIUS AND THE KING OF FRANCE, ON ACCOUNT OF THE DUKE OF FERRARA.-A COUNCIL OF THE CHURCH ASSEMBLED AT THE INSTANCE OF THE EMPEROR MAXIMILIAN AND THE KING OF FRANCE, TO THE DISSATISFACTION OF THE POPE.-BOLOGNA TAKEN BY THE FRENCH.

ABOUT this time, the town of Mirandola was valiantly reconquered by the French, and the town of Udina delivered up to the king of the Romans. The marquis of Mantua was taken prisoner by the Venetians, and carried to Venice, whence, some time after, he easily obtained his liberty. A fresh war now commenced between the pope and the Duke of Ferrara, an ally of France,―for which reason the king left the count Gaston de Foix, whom he had lately created duke of Nemours, his lieutenant-general in the Milanese, who did marvellous feats of arms during his command in Italy.

The lord-cardinal of Amboise, on his last return from Italy, fell sick at Lyon, and died there. His loss was great, as was afterwards known, although at the time some thought the contrary; but they were unacquainted with his many virtues, and the good use he made of his talents,-for during the whole of his administration he advised his master with such wisdom that the people were never over-taxed. Whatever wars king Louis may have carried on in Italy, the taxes were never raised above their usual rates; but when the enemy attempted to bring the war on the French territory, it became absolutely necessary to increase them. The king was, not without foundation, called "the father of his people," notwithstanding that title may have been given him during his life through flattery, and the worth of other kings debased, the more to exalt his own. It is impossible to say too much of a virtuous man in his absence; but when present, to praise him smells strongly of the love of lucre.

The cardinal legate having lain in state for a short time, the body was embalmed, put into a leaden coffin, and carried to Rouen for interment. The king came thence to Blois, accompanied by the queen, then far gone with child of a daughter, as it turned out afterward, whom the king had vowed to the holy St. René, a bishop of Angers, whither he made a pilgrimage with the queen when she recovered. The young princess was christened Renée, and the lord Jean Jacques de Trivulce stood godfather with the king*.

About this time the Portuguese made some discoveries on the island of Oran†, on the coast of Africa, where they met savages of a blackish colour, with countenances as if branded with hot irons, thick lips, black and coarse hair, resembling in thickness that of a horse. They had no beard, nor appearance of any, or of hair on any parts of the body, but on the head and eyebrows. Their boats are made of the bark of trees, and so light, a man can with ease carry one of them. Their bows are bent with the sinews of wild beasts; their arrows of cane, headed with a sharp stone, or piece of fish-bone. They know not the use of bread or wine, nor the value of money, and crawl on the earth like beasts, feeding on raw flesh, and covered with skins for clothing. They live part of their time in the sea. Two of

She was married to Hercules II., duke of Ferrara, and died in 1575.

+ Oran, a town of Algiers. I should imagine this to be a mistake for some place on the southern coast of Africa.