CHAP. XLI.
FRIAR JEROME SAVONAROLA[114]FORETELS THE INVASION OF ITALY BY THE KING OF FRANCE,—THE KING WHILE AT LYON PRUDENTLY ARRANGES A REGENCY TO GOVERN THE KINGDOM DURING HIS ABSENCE. HE DEPARTS THENCE FOR GRENOBLE, WHERE HE TAKES LEAVE OF THE QUEEN.
FRIAR JEROME SAVONAROLA[114]FORETELS THE INVASION OF ITALY BY THE KING OF FRANCE,—THE KING WHILE AT LYON PRUDENTLY ARRANGES A REGENCY TO GOVERN THE KINGDOM DURING HIS ABSENCE. HE DEPARTS THENCE FOR GRENOBLE, WHERE HE TAKES LEAVE OF THE QUEEN.
Beforeking Charles had shown any intentions of marching into Italy, friarJerome Savonarola preached publicly in the year 1493, in several towns of Italy, the invasion of king Charles, which caused him to be looked up to by the Florentines as a true prophet.
While the king was at Lyon, regulating the plans he should pursue in his intended attempt to recover the kingdoms of Naples and Sicily, he sent the duke of Orleans forward over the Alps, in company with many other lords and captains and a large detachment of troops, as ambassadors to Milan, Genoa, Venice, Florence, Lucca, Pisa, Viterbo and Rome, and to different towns in Lombardy, to learn whether they would keep their promises to the king, and support him in his expedition to Naples. Having been honourably received every where, the duke of Orleans returned to his county of Asti, when the promises of support were again repeated.
At this time, the lord des Querdes (more commonly called des Cordes) fell dangerouslyill at Lyon, as he was preparing to cross the Alps with the king. Being advised by the physicians to return and try his native air of Picardy, he took leave of the king and departed from Lyon, but was unable to proceed further than the town of Bresle, three leagues from Lyon, where he died. By the king's command, great honours were paid to his body, which was put into a leaden coffin; in all the towns it passed through, processions came out to meet it; and it was carried to the church of our Lady at Bologne-sur-mer for interment, according to the orders he had given.
King Charles, before he left Lyon, held several councils respecting the appointment of a regency to govern the kingdom in his absence. Duke Peter of Bourbon, who had married the lady Anne of France, was nominated sole regent of the kingdom: the lord de Baudricourt was made governor of Burgundy,—the lords de Avaugour and of Rohan, governors of Brittany,—the lord d'Orval, governor of Champagne,—the lord de Graville, governor of the country of Caux, Normandy and all Picardy—and the lord d'Angoulême, governor ofthat county and of Guienne. All these lords, having taken their leave of the king, set out for their respective governments.
The king remained, some days after their departure, enjoying the good cheer and pleasures of Lyon,—and the beauty of the Lyonnoises, was also one great inducement to detain him there; but an epidemical disorder having appeared, he set out from Lyon with his queen and court for Vienne, which is seven leagues below Lyon. When the king and queen left the ancient town of Vienne, they passed through Villeneuve, and other towns, wherein they were received with due honours, to Grenoble.
On Saturday, the 23d of August, in the year 1493, king Charles accompanied by his queen, and numbers of princes, lords, ladies and damsels, made his entry into the town of Grenoble; which entry was very magnificent, as well on the part of the clergy, who came out to meet him in rich copes and bearing relics, as on the part of the court of parliament in that town, and the nobles and inhabitants, all well dressed according to their different ranks, some in handsome liveries, otherswith divers devices, as their fancy led them. Those who had been deputed to present the keys of the town to the king, made an eloquent harangue in his praise. A rich canopy was carried over his head, and another over that of the queen; and they were thus conducted into the town, where all the streets were hung with tapestries. Several allegorical pageants and mysteries were displayed, in honour of the king and queen. When this procession arrived at the cathedral, their majesties dismounted to offer up their prayers, and were thence conducted to their lodgings, in the palace of the court of parliament.
The king and queen staid six whole days at Grenoble, where several councils were held relative to the greater security of passing the Alps with the army. It was thought advisable to send back the carriages that were there in waiting to transport the king's baggage, and other stores for the troops, and in their stead a number of mules were collected for this purpose, otherwise too much time would have been lost,—for this is the usual mode of transporting merchandise across the mountains.
Proper persons were selected to fix onthe quarters for the king and his army, so that as little confusion as possible might arise; and the chief manager in this business was Pierre de Valetaut,—and a better chief could not have been fixed on, for he was perfectly well acquainted with the whole country the army was to march through. Purveyors were also appointed to go from town to town to collect provisions for the cavalry and infantry, every article of which was to be paid for at a regulated price,—and no pillaging of any kind was to be permitted with impunity. Those among them were to have the titles of marshals, maitres d'hôtels, and provosts, accordingly as they behaved themselves well.
To preserve the friendship of those italian towns which had promised support, and to keep them to their engagements, the following persons were sent to them (as their fidelity was not overmuch to be depended upon), namely, John de Cardonne, master of the household, to Florence; the lord Charles Brillart to Genoa; Gaulcher de Tinteville to Sienna; La Ville Rigault d'Oreilles to Milan; Adrian de L'Isle toPisa; the lord de Louan to Lucca,—and others to Viterbo. With each of these envoys, were sent gentlemen of the long robe, to make harangues, should there be necessity. On the same business, the following persons were sent ambassadors to the different regencies and princes of Lombardy and Italy: the lord de la Trimouille to the king of the Romans; Louis Lucas to Ludovico Sforza, at Milan; the lord du Bocage to the Venetians; the lord d'Aubigny to Rome, accompanied by the lord d'Autun, the president Grusnay, and the general de Bidont, as ambassadors to the pope; the lord d'Argenton, in company with Monstreau, was sent elsewhere.
The commanders of the king's army were the princes of the blood and others, namely, the duke of Orleans, the lord de Montpensier, the lord de Foués, the lord de Luxembourg, the lord de Vendôme, the lord Angillebert of Cleves, the lord John Jacques, the prince of Salerne, the lord de Miolens, the lord de Piennes, the marquis de Saluces, de Vienne, de Rothelin, the marshals de Gié and de Rieux, the seneschals of Beaucaire and of Normandy,together with numbers of other barons, knights, captains of renown, and loyal gentlemen.
The following nobles were nominated for attendants in the king's company: de Bourdillon, de Châtillon, de la Palice, George Edouille,—together with some of his household, such as Paris, Gabriel, d'Yjon, and others of his domestics. They also served as masters of the household, in the room of those who had been sent forward as ambassadors or envoys. Guyot Lousiers had the command of the artillery. The lord de Chaudoyt had charge of the fleet, together with the bailiff of Vitry, Jehannot du Tertre, Perot de Baché, the lord de Villeneuve, René Parent, the bailiff of St Pierre du Monstier, John Château Dreux, Herné du Chesnoy, John de Lasnay, the lord du Fau, Adam de L'Isle, Giraut and Charles de Susaine, the lord de la Brosse, Honoré lord du Chef: and likewise the officers in ordinary to the king, such as butlers, cup-bearers, valets, grooms, ushers of the chamber, and many more, suitably to the state of so great a monarch on this occasion.
When king Charles had staid six days in Grenoble for the arrangement of his affairs, he took leave of the queen, who departed thence, for France, most honourably accompanied.
FOOTNOTES:[114]Jerome Savonarola—was a jacobin friar, and had foretold that the king of France would invade Italy, to punish the inhabitants for their vices, and their rulers for their tyranny. He afterward preached against king Charles. He was burnt at Florence by the intrigues of pope Alexander VI. at the instigation of the Venetians and the duke of Milan, against whose vices he had publicly declaimed.The death of Jerome Savonarola was a disgrace to the times. Florence supported him as an inspired person. His piety, his austere life, and his edifying sermons gained him the esteem and admiration of all the Florentines. There may, perhaps, have been some imprudence in his sermons, which persons of piety will attribute to zeal; and the pope was too severe in having him burnt for the slight censure he had passed on his conduct, which was notoriously infamous.
[114]Jerome Savonarola—was a jacobin friar, and had foretold that the king of France would invade Italy, to punish the inhabitants for their vices, and their rulers for their tyranny. He afterward preached against king Charles. He was burnt at Florence by the intrigues of pope Alexander VI. at the instigation of the Venetians and the duke of Milan, against whose vices he had publicly declaimed.The death of Jerome Savonarola was a disgrace to the times. Florence supported him as an inspired person. His piety, his austere life, and his edifying sermons gained him the esteem and admiration of all the Florentines. There may, perhaps, have been some imprudence in his sermons, which persons of piety will attribute to zeal; and the pope was too severe in having him burnt for the slight censure he had passed on his conduct, which was notoriously infamous.
[114]Jerome Savonarola—was a jacobin friar, and had foretold that the king of France would invade Italy, to punish the inhabitants for their vices, and their rulers for their tyranny. He afterward preached against king Charles. He was burnt at Florence by the intrigues of pope Alexander VI. at the instigation of the Venetians and the duke of Milan, against whose vices he had publicly declaimed.
The death of Jerome Savonarola was a disgrace to the times. Florence supported him as an inspired person. His piety, his austere life, and his edifying sermons gained him the esteem and admiration of all the Florentines. There may, perhaps, have been some imprudence in his sermons, which persons of piety will attribute to zeal; and the pope was too severe in having him burnt for the slight censure he had passed on his conduct, which was notoriously infamous.