deliberate upon measures for the reformation of the A. C. 1511. church, in its head and members. Not that Lewis was altogether free of fufpicion: he was informed of a conference at Bologna between the pope and the bishop of Gurch, the emperor's minifter, and Ferdinand's great preparations filled him with jealousy and distruft. Thus alarmed, he ordered Trivulci, who had fucceeded to the command of his army on the death of Chaumont, to act against the enemy with all poffible diligence. He accordingly took Concordia, and approached Bologna, from whence the pope retired to Ravenna, after having endeavoured in vain to perfuade his allies to hazard a battle. He had no fooner withdrawn himself, than an infurrection enfued in Bologna. The cardinal of Pavia, whom the pope had left governor of the place, abandoned his charge. The army of the allies, which had advanced to one of the gates, understanding this commotion, fled with the utmost precipitation, leaving their artillery, baggage, and ammunition, to the inhabitants; and to complete the mortification of the pope, his favourite cardinal of Pavia, was affaffinated by his nephew the duke d'Urbino, who accused him of having lost Bologna by his cowardice. His holiness, therefore, seeing his army dispersed, and all his defigns upon Ferrara dini. defeated, retired from Ravenna to Rome; and on the road had the mortification, at feveral places to fee the placards for the council of Pifa, by which he himfelf was fummoned to appear in perfon. In this A&. Pub. extremity, he expreffed a defire of feeing the difference between him and France accommodated; and Lewis accepted of his proposals, provided they fhould be approved by the emperor: but, the Spanish fleet no fooner arrived at Naples for his fervice, than he raised his demands in fuch a manner, that Lewis plainly perceived his former proposals had been made folely with a view to gain time; and forthwith Guicciar A. C. 151. forthwith ordered Trivulci to fend fuccours to Bo. logna, which, with the princes of Bentivoglio, he took under his protection. Mean while, Julius, with a view to countermine the council of Pisa, iffued a bull, convoking another in the church of the Lateran. When the affembly of Pifa was actually opened, he excommunicated that city, as well as Florence, to which it belonged; and laid both places under an interdict. Maximilian ftill feemed to hefitate between his alliance with France and the proffers of the pope and Venetians; or rather he kept aloof at Infpruck, that he might take the advantage of the diftrefs of either party. Ferdinand declare protectors of Ferdinand on the other hand pretended, that his armament was defigned against the Moors of Afric; but as foon as he had won over his fon-in-law Henry of England, he changed his pretext, and declared, his intention was to protect the church against the violence of Lewis. He and Henry fent ambaffadors to that monarch, requiring him to defift from his hoftilities against the pope; otherwise, as chri flian princes, they could not help defending the Henry and church, which was diftreffed by his ambition. Lewis perceiving that their measures were already taken, themfelves would not deign to justify his conduct; but return. the holy fee ed fuch a lofty anfwer as they wanted to receive. Immediately after this tranfaction, the pope, the king of Arragon, and the Venetians, concluded a league at Rome, leaving a place for the king of England, tho' his ambaffador cardinal Bambridge League of did not fign the treaty. Henry hoped to conclude a feparate alliance, which fhould be more advantageous to England, than this league, which only refpected the interefts of Italy, or rather the convenience of the pope; for, the profeffed aim of it was to retrieve the city of Bologna, and all the other territories which had been wrefted from the holy fee by any prince or perfon whatsoever. In the midft againft Lewis. Rome. of Council of 349 of thefe negotiations, the council of Pifa held two A. C. 151. feffions in that city, although Julius had excom- Pifa. municated all the cardinals and prelates of which it was composed, as well as all the princes by whom it was countenanced; but, an infurrection of the populace disturbing their deliberations, they transferred the council to Milan, where they thought they might take their measures with more fafety. Among the adherents of Lewis was John d'Albret king of Navarre, who no fooner declared for the council of Pisa, than Ferdinand formed the design of depriving him of his kingdom on this pretence, and refolved to use Henry of England as the inftrument, for putting this defign into execution. He gave them to understand, that this was a favourable opportunity for recovering Guienne, which had belonged to his predeceffors, as the Italian league would find fuch employment for Lewis, that he fhould not be in a condition to defend his own country. That as Guienne was fo remote from England, he (Ferdinand) from his affection to Henry, would fupply him with troops, transports, artillery, and ammunition, without defiring any advantage for himself, but the pleasure of contributing to the fuccefs of his fon-in-law. This was the bait which allured Henry to enter heartily into the league with the pope, the king of Arragon, and the Venetians; as well as to violate the peace which he had fo folemnly renewed with France, and which was fo much for the intereft of England. Far from interfering in the affairs of Italy, he ought to have encouraged Lewis in his designs upon that country, the profecution of which would have effettually secured his kingdom from any danger of a French invasion. In about fix weeks after the ratification of the league of Rome, Henry and Ferdinand concluded another at London, in the preamble to which they expatiated A.C. 1511 expatiated upon the ambition and impiety of the French king, who had waged war against his holinefs; made himself master of Bologna; endeavoured to furprise the perfon of the pope, an old, infirm valetudinary; routed the army of the holy fee; and refused to abstain from fuch cruel hoftilities, when advised by the kings of Arragon and England, to reconcile himfelf with the fpiritual father of Christendom. In confequence of this obLondon be-ftinacy, they had for the praife and glory of God Almighty, our lord Jefus Chrift, and the whole England and triumphant hoft of Heaven; for the defence, ex. Treaty at tween the kings of Arragon. altation, and increase of the catholic faith, the chriftian religion, and the holy Roman church, unjustly oppreffed, engaged in a folemn league and alliance, importing, That the two kings fhould undertake the defence and protection of the holy Roman fee against all aggreffors: That Ferdinand should take arms for that purpofe in Italy: and, That with the fame view of protecting the holy fee, they fhould diftrefs the king of France, by carrying the war into Guienne, which fhould be conquered for the king of England, to whom it of right belonged. For the execution of this article, Henry engaged to fend thither a body of fix thousand infantry, which should not be recalled without the confent of Ferdinand, who undertook to furnish five hundred men at arms, fifteen hundred light horfe, and four thousand infantry, on the fame condition. Befides, he promised to furnish the English troops with provifion, and munitions of war at a moderate price; and the two kings agreed to equip a confiderable fleet for the purposes of this expedition. It was ftipulated, That Ferdinand fhould provide forty veffels, at a reafonable price, for tranfporting the English troops to Guienne: That the places taken in that country, or elsewhere, fhould be delivered to him of the two kings who fhould appear to have the the prior claim to fuch acquifitions: That the ar- A. C. 1511. my belonging to one of the kings, being in Gui enne, or elsewhere, they fhould both act with all their power for the defence of either's dominions, provided they should require affiftance: That they fhould adhere to the council of the Lateran, and oppose that of Pifa, with all its favourers and adherents: That neither king fhould make peace or truce without the other's confent: That this treaty fhould not cancel thofe which had been formerly concluded: and, That it should be ratified in four months by the contracting parties. Rymer Immediately after the conclufion of this treaty, A. C. 1511; which was communicated to Lewis by the pope's agent at London, whom he had bribed for intelligence, Henry called a parliament, which meeting on the fourth day of February, he made them acquainted with his design against France, folemnly protesting, that his fole aim was to defend the pope, and abolish the fchifmatic council, which had been transferred from Pifa to Milan. A war with France was never unwelcome to the English people. The commons voted a confiderable fubfidy; and feveral laws were enacted, relating to the conduct of the expedition. At last the feffion broke up, after having removed the attainder of Sir Edmund Dudley, and restored his fon John to the rank, eftate, and honours of his family. Then Henry fent Silvefter bishop of Worcester, and Sir Robert Wingfield, as his ambassadors to the council of the Lateran, with full power to confent, in his name, to every decree that should be made for the reformation of the church, in its head and members. This step being taken, he conferred the command of his fleet upon Edward Howard, eldeft fon of the earl of Surrey; and that of the army deftined to act on fhore, on Thomas Grey marquis of Dorfet. The troops intended for the Guienne expedition, embarking in the 3 month Ld. Herbert. |