Volume III Part 6 (1/2)

[18] Brantome, Oeuvres, tom. ii. disc. 8.--Garnier, Histoire de France, (Paris, 1783-8,) tom. v. pp. 395, 396.--Gaillard, Rivalite, tom. iv. p.

244.--St. Gelais, Hist. de Louys XII., p. 171.

[19] Chronica del Gran Capitan, cap. 76.--Giovio, Vitae Ill.u.s.t. Virorum, fol. 253-255.--Ulloa, Vita di Carlo V., fol. 17.

[20] Chronica del Gran Capitan, cap. 75.--Garnier, Hist. de France, tom.

v. pp. 396, 397.--Fleurange, Memoires, chap. 5, apud Pet.i.tot, Collection des Memoires, tom. xvi.--Giovio, Vitae Ill.u.s.t. Virorum, ubi supra.-- Guicciardini, Istoria, tom. i. pp. 303, 304.--St. Gelais, Hist. de Louys XII., pp. 171, 172.--Brantome, Oeuvres, tom. ii. disc. 8.

[21] Giovio, Vitae Ill.u.s.t. Virorum, fol. 255.--Garibay, Compendio, tom.

ii. lib. 19, cap. 15.--Bernaldez, Reyes Catolicos, MS., cap. 180.--Peter Martyr, Opus Epist., epist. 256.--Fleurange, Memoires, chap. 5.

No account, that I know of, places the French loss so low as 3000; Garibay raises it to 4500, and the French marechal de Fleurange rates that of the Swiss alone at 5000; a round exaggeration, not readily accounted for, as he had undoubted access to the best means of information. The Spaniards were too well screened to sustain much injury, and no estimate makes it more than a hundred killed, and some considerable less. The odds are indeed startling, but not impossible; as the Spaniards were not much exposed by personal collision with the enemy, until the latter were thrown into too much disorder to think of anything but escape. The more than usual confusion and discrepancy in the various statements of the particulars of this action may probably be attributed to the lateness of the hour, and consequently imperfect light, in which it was fought.

[22] Quintana, Espanoles Celebres, tom i. p. 277.--Giovio, Vitae Ill.u.s.t.

Virorum, fol. 255.--Ferreras, Hist. d'Espagne, tom. viii. pp. 248, 249.-- Ulloa, Vita di Carlo V., fol. 17.--Bernaldez, Reyes Catolicos, MS., cap.

181.

[23] It was to this same city of Venusium that the rash and unfortunate Varro made his retreat, some seventeen centuries before, from the b.l.o.o.d.y field of Cannae. Liv. Hist., lib. 22, cap. 49.

[24] Giovio, Vitae Ill.u.s.t. Virorum, fol. 255.--Peter Martyr, Opus Epist., epist. 256.--Chronica del Gran Capitan, cap. 80.

Friday, says Guicciardini, alluding no doubt to Columbus's discoveries, as well as these two victories, was observed to be a lucky day to the Spaniards; according to Gaillard, it was regarded from this time by the French with more superst.i.tious dread than ever. Istoria, tom. i. p. 301.-- Rivalite, tom. iv. p. 348.

[25] Zurita, Hist. del Rey Hernando, tom. i. lib. 5, cap. 8, 24.--Giovio, Vitae Ill.u.s.t. Virorum, fol. 250.

The reader may perhaps recollect the distinguished part played in the Moorish war by Luis Portocarrero, lord of Palma. He was of n.o.ble Italian origin, being descended from the ancient Genoese house of Boccanegra. The Great Captain and he had married sisters; and this connection probably recommended him, as much as his military talents, to the Calabrian command, which it was highly important should be intrusted to one who would maintain a good understanding with the commander-in-chief; a thing not easy to secure among the haughty n.o.bility of Castile.

[26] Giovio, Vitae Ill.u.s.t. Virorum, fol. 255.--Peter Martyr, Opus Epist., epist. 256.--Chronica del Gran Capitan, cap. 80.--Varillas, Histoire de Louis XII. (Paris, 1688,) tom. i. pp. 289-292. See the account of D'Aubigny's victories at Seminara, in Part II. Chapters 2 and 11, of this History.

[27] Since 1494 the sceptre of Naples had pa.s.sed into the hands of no less than seven princes, Ferdinand I., Alfonso II., Ferdinand II., Charles VIII., Frederic III., Louis XII., Ferdinand the Catholic. No private estate in the kingdom in the same time had probably changed masters half so often. See Cartas del Gran Capitan, MS.

[28] Guicciardini, Istoria, tom. i. p. 304.--Giannone, Istoria di Napoli, lib. 29, cap. 4.--Ferreras, Hist. d'Espagne, tom. viii. p. 250.--Summonte, Hist. di Napoli, tom. iii. pp. 552, 553.--Muratori, Annali d'Italia, tom.

xiv. p. 40.--Chronica del Gran Capitan, cap. 81.--Ulloa, Vita di Carlo V., fol. 18.

[29] The Italians, in their admiration of Pedro Navarro, caused medals to be struck, on which the invention of mines was ascribed to him. (Marini, apud Daru, Hist. de Venise, tom. iii. p. 351.) Although not actually the inventor, his glory was scarcely less, since he was the first who discovered the extensive and formidable uses to which they might be applied in the science of destruction. See Part I. Chapter 13, note 23, of this History.

[30] Zurita, Hist. del Rey Hernando, tom. i. lib. 5, cap. 30, 31, 34, 35.

--Giovio, Vitae Ill.u.s.t. Virorum, fol. 255-257.--Garibay, Compendio, tom.

ii. lib. 19, cap. 15.--Bernaldez, Reyes Catolicos, MS., cap. 183.-- Guicciardini, Istoria, lib. 6, pp. 307-309.--Ulloa, Vita di Carlo V., fol.

18, 19.--Ammirato, Istorie Florentine, tom. iii. p. 271.-Summonte, Hist.

di Napoli, tom. iii. p. 554.--Chronica del Gran Capitan, cap. 84, 86, 87, 93, 95.--Sismondi, Hist. des Francais, tom. xv. pp. 407-409.

CHAPTER XIII.

NEGOTIATIONS WITH FRANCE.--UNSUCCESSFUL INVASION OF SPAIN.--TRUCE.

1503.