XXVII. 1512. transferred to that of England ". Impatient alfo CHA P. of acquiring that diftinction in Europe, to which his power and opulence entitled him, he could not long remain neuter amidst the noife of arms; and the natural enmity of the English against France, as well as their ancient claims upon that kingdom, led Henry to join that alliance, which the pope, Spain, and Venice had formed against the French monarch. A herald was fent to Paris, to exhort Lewis not to wage impious war against the fovereign pontiff; and when he returned without fuccefs, another was fent to demand the ancient patrimonial provinces, Anjou, Maine, Guienne, and Normandy. This meffage was understood to be a declaration of war; and a parliament, being fummoned, readily granted fupplies for a purpofe fo much favored by the English nation 15 But BUONAVISO, an agent of the pope's at London, had been corrupted by the court of France, and had previously revealed to Lewis all the measures, which Henry was concerting against him. this infidelity did the king inconfiderable prejudice, in comparison of the treachery, which he experienced from the selfish purposes of the ally, on whom he chiefly relied for affistance. Ferdinand, his father-in law, had fo long perfevered in a courfe of crooked politics, that he began War with France. 4th Febr. XXVII. 1512. CHA P. even to value himself on his dexterity in fraud and artifice; and he made a boast of those shameful fucceffes. Being told one day, that Lewis, a prince of a very different character, had complained of his having once cheated him: "he lies, "the drunkard!" faid he, "I have cheated him "above twenty times." This prince confidered his clofe connexions with Henry, only as the means which enabled him the better to take advantage of his want of experience. He advifed him not to invade France by the way of Calais, where he himself fhould not have it in his power Expedition to affift him: He exhorted him rather to fend to Fontara forces to Fontarabia, whence he could easily bia. make a conqueft of Guienne, a province, in which, it was imagined, the English had ftill fome adherents. He promifed to affift this conqueft by the junction of a Spanish army. And fo forward did he feem to promote the interests of his fon-in-law, that he even fent veffels to England, in order to transport over the forces which Henry had levied for that purpose. The marquis of Dorfet commanded this armament, which confifted of ten thousand men, moftly infantry; lord Howard, fon of the earl of Surrey, lord Broke, lord Ferrars, and many others of the young gentry and nobility, accompanied him in this fervice. All were on fire to diftinguish themfelves by military atchievements, and to make a conqueft of importance for their master. The fecret purpose of Ferdinand in this unexampled generofity was fufpected, by no body. THE 1 1512 THE fmall kingdom of Navarre lies on the CHAP. frontiers between France and Spain; and as John XXVII. d'Albert, the sovereign, was connected by friendfhip and alliance with Lewis, the opportunity feemed favorable to Ferdinand, while the English forces were conjoined with his own, and while all adherents to the council of Pisa lay under the fentence of excommunication, to put himfelf in poffeffion of thefe dominions. No fooner, therefore, was Dorfet landed in Guipufcoa, than the Spanish monarch declared his readinefs to join him with his forces, to make with united arms an invafion of France, and to form the fiege of Bayonne, which opened the way into Guienne": But he remarked to the English general how dangerous it might prove to leave behind them the kingdom of Navarre, which, being in close alliance with France, could easily give admittance to the enemy, and cut off all communication between Spain and the combined armies. To provide against fo dangerous an event, he requir ed, that John fhould ftipulate a neutrality in the prefent war; and when that prince expreffed his willingness to enter into any engagement for that purpose, he also required, that fecurity fhould be given for the ftrict obfervance of it. John having likewife agreed to this condition, Ferdinand demanded, that he fhould deliver into his hands fix of the most confiderable places of his dominions, together with his eldeft fon as a hoftage. CHAP. Thefe were not terms to be proposed to a foverXXVII. eign; and as the Spanish monarch expected a refufal, he gave immediate orders to the duke of 1512. Deceit of Alva, his general, to make an invafion of Navarre, and to reduce that kingdom. Alva foon made himself master of all the fmaller towns; and being ready to form the fiege of Pampeluna, the capital, he fummoned the marquis of Dorfet to join him with the English army, and concert together all their operations. DORSET began to fufpect, that the interests of his master were very little regarded in all these tranfactions; and having no orders to invade the kingdom of Navarre, or make war any where but in France, he refufed to take any part in the enterprise. He remained therefore in his quarters at Fontarabia; but fo fubtle was the contrivance of Ferdinand, that, even while the Ferdinand. English army lay in that fituation, it was almost equally ferviceable to his purpose, as if it had acted in conjunction with his own. It kept the French army in awe, and prevented it from advancing to fuccour the kingdom of Navarre; fo that Alva, having full leifure to conduct the fiege, made himself mafter of Pampeluna, and obliged John to feek for fhelter in France. The Spanish general applied again to Dorfet, and propofed to conduct with united counfels the operations of the holy league, fo it was called, against Lewis: But as he ftill declined forming the fiege of Bayonne, and rather infifted on the invafion of the principality of Bearne, a part of 15126 the king of Navarre's dominions, which lies on CHAP. Return of |