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CHAP. " at home. I must therefore express myself "without it; particularly as this will be sent

XIII.

66 by our own messengers.

A. D. 1515.
A. Et. 40.

A. Pont. III:

"Our most reverend cardinal and the "magnificent Lorenzo recommend themselves "to you as fully as can be expressed. I hope 66 you will not omit to write to them, and es"pecially to his holiness, whom I ought to "have mentioned first. In this I trust you "will not fail, as the reverence due to his "holiness and the love which they bear you "require it. The cardinal has received the placet of his most christian majesty for the "cathedral of Narbonne, and wholly through "the means of the duchess of Angoulême,(a) "on which account your excellency may re" turn thanks in the name of his holiness to "the duke and his consort. The business "was concluded in the consistory the day be"fore yesterday and the bull dispatched to "France, as I believe Ardinghelli informed you, as well as with the alliance which the "Swiss have made with the emperor, the ca"tholic king, and the duke of Milan. The "substance

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(a) The mother of Francis I. and sister to the wife of Giuliano de' Medici.

"substance of this treaty Ardinghelli must CHAP. "have transmitted to you, as I

XIII.

him a

gave

copy of the heads of it. To this his holi66 ness is not, not, for many reasons, disposed to assent; it appearing to him to be proper "that when a league is agreed upon in which "he is to be included, it should be negotiated "and stipulated with him, as the head of the "league and of all christendom.

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"Tomaso says, that he expects they "should accept and agree to what he proposes, and not that he should have to accept what is done by others.(a)

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"We hear by way of France that the king "of England intends to give his sister to the "duke of Suffolk, to which she is not averse. "This is not much believed, and yet the intelligence is pretty authentic.

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"It is thought his most christian majesty "will not this year make his attempt against "Lombardy.

"The

(a) These passages afford a presumptive proof that the pope had not at this time determined to enter into the league against Francis I,

A. D. 1515.

A. Et. 40

A. Pont. III,

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"The king of England is resolved that "his sister shall on no account remain in "France.

"The emperor and the catholic king are 66 using all their efforts to have her married to "the archduke. This is what we hear from "our nuncios in Germany and in Spain.(a) "I recollect nothing further that can be new to you. I leav I leave the festivities of this car“nival to be narrated by others. I shall only "mention that on Monday the magnificent "Lorenzo will have the Panulus(b) repre"sented in your theatre, and will give a sup<6 per in your salon to the Marchesana. And

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on Sunday, in Testaccio, he and the most "reverend cardinal Cibò will exhibit a mag"nificent gala with twenty persons, dressed "in brocade and velvet, at the expense of his "holiness. It will be a fine sight,

,66 You

(a) It is not improbable that the attachment of the widow of Louis XII. to the duke of Suffolk, and the sudden celebration of their marriage, terminated a negotiation which might have had such important consequences to these kingdoms and to Europe.

(b) Of Plautus,

XIII.

"You have never yet informed us whether CHAP, you have excused yourself to the duke of "Milan; whether you have sent to the Swiss "and the cardinal of Sion, as was spoken of and

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advised; or whether you have had any com"munication with his most Christian majesty. "Respecting all these matters it is requisite "that his holiness should be fully informed.

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"Remember that next to his holiness, every "one regards you as the person in whom all "the thoughts, the expectations, and the designs, of the pope are concentred. I must. "also remind you, that all your actions are "not less noted and considered than those of "his holiness; and I therefore entreat you, by the great affection which I bear you, that you will daily if possible manifest such a course of conduct as may be worthy of your "character.

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"THE CARDINAL DA BIBBIENA,"

From Rome, the 16th Feb. 1515.

Could the French monarch have remained satisfied with the neutrality of the pontiff, the motives which had led to its adoption were sufficient to have induced Leo to persevere in it; but

A. D. 1515.

A. t. 40.

A. Pont. III.

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XIII.

CHAP. but as the contest approached, Francis. became more desirous of engaging the pope to take a decided part in his favour. Such, however, was the aversion which Leo entertained to the establishment of the French in Italy, that even the solicitations of his brother to favour their cause

A. D. 1515.
A. Pont. III

A. Et. 40.

Leo X. compelled

decisive

part, ac

cedes to

France.

to take a were of no avail. As far as expressions of respect and paternal admonitions could appease the king, Leo spared nothing that might be the league likely to conciliate his favour; but the more against Francis pressed him to a decision, the more apparent became his inclination to the cause of the allies. In order, however, to ascertain his intentions, Francis dispatched as his ambassador to Rome, the celebrated Budæus, who is deservedly considered by Guicciardini, as "perhaps one of the most learned men of the 66 age both in Greek and Roman literature."(a) He was shortly afterwards succeeded by Anton-Maria Pallavicini, a Milanese nobleman, who was supposed to possess great influence with the pope ;(b) but the endeavours of the king to obtain a positive sanction to his enterprise were still ineffectual. Sometimes Leo

appeared

(a) Guicciard. Storia d' Ital. lib. xii. ii. 86.

(b) Ligue de Cambr. liv. iv. ii. 410.

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