1511. Henry was now determined to follow the fuggeftions of the pope and Ferdinand. For in June he appointed commiffioAft. Pub. ners to take care that the militia of the kingdom were proXIII.p.300. vided with good arms, and ready to ferve upon the first nc He guards against Scotland. tice, which it was not cuftomary to order, but when a war was forefeen. The reafon alledged by the king for these orders, plainly fhew what was his defign. He faid, though the kingdom was in perfect tranquillity, nevertheless, as the arms were commonly fuffered to ruft in time of peace, he wished that his fubjects would be in a readiness to serve him as well against invafions, if any were intended, as in defence of his allies. Thefe laft words could refpect only the pope, the king of Arragon, and the Venetians, from whence it may be inferred, that the king had now given his word. But the fequel will show it ftill more clearly. The antient and strict union between France and Scotland gave Henry juft caufe to fear, that as foon as the war with France was begun, the king of Scotland as ally of Lewis XII. would interpofe in the quarrel. And therefore, to Jb. p. 301. remove all pretence of rupture, he took care to appoint commiffioners with power to repair all the outrages committed fince the late peace. But his precautions proved ineffectual. An accident this year afforded the king of Scotland that pretence of breach which Henry would have prevented. Caufe of England and Herbert, Hall. Stow. Andrew Breton a Scotch merchant, complaining to the king of Scotland that the Portuguese had killed his father and feized his fhip, the king gave him letters of mart, after having in vain fought redrefs from the court of Portugal. Buchanan. Whereupon, Breton equipped two ftout fhips, and found means to make himself ample amends for his loffes, by falling upon all the Portugal fhips trading to Flanders and England. The Portugal ambaffador refiding at London, complained to the council, and represented that fince the king of England pretended to the fovereignty of the narrow feas, it was but reafonable he should protect the foreign fhips that came into the channel. Upon this complaint, the king 'equipped two large men of war, and appointed the two fons of the earl of Surrey to command them, with orders to take the Scotch pirate. These two lords watched him fo narrowly that they met with him at laft, as he was returning from Flanders to Scotland. Breton fought desperately, Sir Thomas Dacre, and Sir Robert Drury. Rymer's Fed, tom, XIII. р. зол Thomas and Edward, which laft lord admiral, Herbert, p. 7. Hail, fol. 15. was but but was killed in the fight, and his two fhips taken and 1511. brought into England . The king of Scotland hearing of this, fent and demanded the two fhips, with fpeedy reparation of the outrage committed against the peace. The am- Hollingh baffadors were told, that pirates were not included in the peace, and that to punish fuch people according to their deferts was no breach of treaty. Probably, Breton had made himself more than amends for the damage he had fuftained, as it too frequently happens on fuch occafions. But however, king James not being able to obtain any thing from the court of England, protefted against the injuftice, being determined to refent it the firft opportunity. French Mezerai. I left Julius II. after the taking of Mirandola, bent upon The pope the fiege of Ferrara, and only waiting the return of good th weather. Though Lewis XII. was in part ignorant of what king'soffers. paffed in Spain and England, he knew however enough not Guicciard. to doubt that the pope was endeavouring to raise him enemies P. Daniel, on all fides. He was even fatisfied, that though he seemed to have no other defign than to become mafter of Ferrara, yet that was only the first step to fome greater project. Mean while, he was very much embarraffed. He had properly nothing to gain upon the pope, unless he would feize the church's patrimony. But he had a great deal to lose, befides the troubles which the obftinate and haughty temper of the pope might create him. Wherefore he refolved to try all poffible ways to be reconciled with him. To that end, whilft the pope was employed in the fiege of Mirandola, he made him fome overtures by Chaumont, but it was to no purpofe. The pope would hearken to nothing, and continued the fiege till he forced the town to capitulate. At last, Lewis seeing there was no hopes of a reconcilia- Lewis retion, ordered Chaumont to regard him no longer, and at any rate to fupport the duke of Ferrara. Chaumont receiving pope no thefe orders takes the field in the midft of winter. His ar- longer. my, joined by the duke of Ferrara, was not fo numerous as the forces of the pope, Ferdinand, and the Venetians, but compofed of fo good troops, that the allies durft never hazard a battle, though it was offered them more than once. Mean while, the pope was greatly perplexed. Instead of quietly preparing for the fiege of Ferrara, he was forced to keep the field during the winter, without knowing even how to fave Modena, which was in danger of a fiege. Ferdinand, king pardoned the men, and fent them out of the kingdom. Herbert, ibid, Though he was grievously wounded, he encouraged his men, with his while, even to his laff breath. The C 2 who folves to regard the Sardi, 1511. Julius II. gives up who forefaw what trouble that place would give the pope, had advised him to refign it to the emperor. Nay, that affair had been negotiated, but without fuccefs, because Maximilian would receive it only as a place held of the empire, to which the pope would not confent. At last, upon Chaumont's approach to befiege it, the pope was willing to deliModena to ver it as the emperor defired, because it was not to be saved Guicciard, without venturing a battle. The terms of the bargain are Mezerai. not precisely known. But from thenceforward all the emperor's proceedings gave occafion to fufpect, Modena was acquired upon conditions very prejudicial to the king of France his ally. the emperor. Ferdinand's tion. The king of Arragon pretended to be in alliance with diffimula France. He would not declare against her till he had fecured the king of England, with whom he was privately negotiating a treaty which required a long difcuffion. Indeed, his troops which were to ferve the pope but three months, according to the terms of the inveftiture of Naples, were ftill joined with thofe of the allies. But he pretended, the viceroy of Naples acted contrary to his orders, in remaining in the pope's army longer than he was commanded. Mean while, the army was preffed by Chaumont and the duke of Ferrara, who followed them close, and endeavoured to provoke them to a battle. So, to gain time, Congrefs of Ferdinand, who would ftill pafs for a neutral prince, and Mantua in- well affected to the repofe of Italy, propofed a congrefs at Guicciard. Mantua for a peace. The pope immediately accepted the effectual. overture. The emperor agreed to it likewife, and Lewis XII. durft not reject it, left he should be charged with being the fole author of the troubles of Italy. It is certain, if, in this juncture, inftead of fuffering himfelf to be amufed by a negotiation, the fole aim whereof was to rob him of the opportunity of pufhing his enemies, he had ordered his troops to advance, he would have over-run the whole ecclefiaftical state; with fo great a terror had his arms infpired the allies. But he had to manage his fubjects as well as his queen, who confidered a war with the head of the church as a crime, though there was but too much provocation. He had himfelf likewife fcruples upon that account, which he could not eafily furmount. But however, he was willing to try once more, whether the propofed congrefs of Mantua would produce fome good effect. He hoped at least, that the breaking off the negotiation, in case it was not fuccefsful, would fully juftify him. The congrefs produced the effect expected by the allies, that is, it cauled caufed the French to lofe a great deal of time to no pur- 1511. pose. fummoned to Pifa in A few days before the congrefs of Mantua, the bishop The emperor' of Gurck, who was to be there from the emperor, had fides pria conference at Bologna with the pope, after which they the pope. vately with pretended to part in great difcontent. But what followed Guicciard, plainly fhewed the contrary, fince the emperor never after did any thing agreeable to his alliance with Lewis XII. He A council confented however, that the council of Pisa should be called in his name, and the fummons fet up at Modena, and fe- the empe veral other places belonging to him, because it was not yet ror's and time to declare himself. The fummons ran, that Julius French II. having refused to call a council, pursuant to the decree of Conftance, the cardinals were empowered by the fame decree to fummon a council in their own name. And therefore with the confent of the emperor and the king of France they ordered the council to meet on the ift of September, in the city of Pifa, to endeavour the reformation of the church, in the head and members. king'sname. emperor and The bishop of Gurck's conference with the pope, and Lewis fufthe breaking up of the congrefs of Mantua, made the pects the king of France greatly fufpect the emperor. On the other king of hand, he could not help fearing the king of Arragon, Arragon. knowing by experience what was to be expected from him. He faw him making great preparations under colour of the African war, and knew withal, that notwithstanding his daily affurances that he would not concern himself with the troubles of Italy, he was ufing his utmoft endeavours to procure a peace between the emperor and the Venetians: that is, properly speaking, he was labouring to difengage Maximilian from the intereft of France. In fhort, Ferdinand fent him brotherly admonitions to make his peace with the pope, and not draw on himself the juft reproach of waging an unnatural war with the common father of Chriftians. Lewis could not but confider these remonftrances as a fort of proteftation to affift the pope in cafe of need. At the fame time, he could not believe he would engage in such an undertaking without being fecure of the emperor. These things made him uneafy, and apprehenfive that he should at laft be the dupe of the pope, the emperor, and Ferdinand. So, for fear of being prevented, he gave exprefs orders to Triulzi, who commanded his army in the room of Chau- He orders mont lately deceased, to take all the advantages of the allies that lay in his power. C 3 Triulzi Triulzi to push the war vigorously. 1511. Mezerai. approaches Triulzi upon this order affaulted and took Concordia in the beginning of May, at the time the calling of the Guicciard. council of Pifa was every where pofted up. Then he Triulzi endeavoured by feveral marches to oblige the allies to a takes Con- battle, without being able to fucceed. At laft, he refolved cordia. He to approach Bologna; not that he believed himself in conBologna. dition to befiege the city, but to draw the allies from their advantageous pofts, and give the Bolonnois opportunity to rife in favour of the Bentivoglios whom he brought with him. The pope had now done his utmost to perfuade the generals of the allies to hazard a battle without being able to prevail, io much did they dread engaging with the French. Wherefore, knowing how the army food difpofed, and diftrufting the Bolonnois, who loved him not, he retired to Ravenna, leaving in Bologna the cardinal of Pavia his prime minifter. He was no fooner gone, but a tumult arofe in the city, during which the inhabitants called in their old mafters the Bentivoglios, and put them in poffeffion of the government. The cardinal of Pavia had taken to flight the moment he perceived their refolution. On the other hand, the army of the allies advancing to one of the gates of Bologna, and hearing the Bentivoglios were admitted, and the legate withdrawn, ran away in confufion, leaving in the camp their artillery, baggage, and ammunition. Whereupon the inhabitants fallying out, and joining with the peasants, completely ftripped the fcattered army, and rendered it entirely unferviceable for feveral months. The duke of Ferrara improving the opportunity, very eafily recovered the places lately taken from him by the allies. Amidst all thefe mortifications, the pope ftill met with The cardinal another which fenfibly touched him. The cardinal of of Pavia Pavia was ftabbed by the duke of Urbino, who taxed him the duke of with being the caufe of the lofs of Bologna. The pope's concern was the greater as he durft not punish, in the perfon Guicciard. of his nephew, a crime he would have thought worthy of the fevereft treatment, had it been committed by any other hand. His army being difperfed, and his defigns upon Ferrara vanifhed, he quitted Ravenna and retired to Rome. In his way, he had the frequent mortification to fee the papers pofted up for the calling of the council of Pifa, wherein he was himself fummoned to appear in person. The army of the allies takes to flight of their own accord. stabbed by Urbino. The pope retires to Rome. It was univerfally expected that Lewis XII. would purLewis orders fue his fucceffes, and certainly in the then fituation of Italy, bis army to it was his own fault that he was not mafter of Rome. The pope had no remedy fpeedy enough to free himself retire to Milan. from |