Pages 117-122
Calendar of State Papers and Manuscripts in the Archives and Collections of Milan 1385-1618. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1912.
This free content was digitised by double rekeying and sponsored by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. All rights reserved.
Citation:
1467
| 1467. 14Feb. 14. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. |
146. Giovanni Pietro Panicharolla, Milanese Ambassador in France, to the Duchess and Duke OF Milan. The king has been recently on a pilgrimage to our Lady of Bourges. There he happened to be at table with Duke John, who accompanied him on the journey. After discussing falcons and hunting they spoke to the Marshal of Burgundy, ambassador of M. de Charolais to his Majesty, who said the duke had caused him to lose that friendship. The duke said he was very glad if that was the case. When his Majesty spoke highly of the marshal, the duke vilified him to the extent of his powers. When they went on to speak of the Earl of Warwick, the first noble of England, the duke angrily rejoined that he was a traitor; he would not say or suffer any good to be said of him; he only studied to deceive, he was the enemy and the cause of the fall of King Henry and his sister the Queen of England. His Majesty would do better to help his sister to recover her kingdom than to to favour the Earl of Warwick, and many other exaggerated (gonfiate) and opprobrious words. His Majesty replied that he had more reason to speak well of the Earl of Warwick than of many others, not excepting his own relations, as the earl had always been a friend to his crown and had advised against making war on this realm. King Henry, on the other hand, had been a mortal enemy and had waged many wars against him, and therefore this friendship is worth preserving (che piu si havea a laudare de dicto Conte de Vieruic cha de molti atri etiam soi parenti perche sempre era stato amico a la corona disconfortando la guerra a questo reame. El Re Henricho autem li era stato immico capitalissimo facendoli di molta guerra; perelche merito si dovea conservare questa amicitia). As the king persisted in his praise of the Earl of Warwick, the duke said that as he was so fond of him he ought to try and restore his sister in that kingdom, when he would make sure of it as much as he was sure at present and even more so. The king asked what security they would give or if they would offer the queen's son as a hostage. This boy, though only thirteen years of age, already talks of nothing but of cutting off heads or making war, as if he had everything in his hands or was the god of battle or the peaceful occupant of that throne (quale essendo in la eta di tredece anni gia, non parla cha di fare tagliare teste o far guerra, como se tuto havesse in mano o fosse dio de la bataglia o pacifico posessor di quello regno). The king also asked, supposing they promised, if the security would be observed. At this the duke in a fume (fulminando) said that if his nephew promised at his instance and did not keep his word, he would have to reckon with him and with others, and they would fly at him and tear out his eyes. After some further discussion the duke began to complain about his Majesty without any respect, saying he had never loved their house; to which the king retorted that the House of Anjou had given him reason for this. Thus, half joking, they said very sharp things to each other during the dinner. Bourges in Berri, the 14th February, 1467. [Italian.] |
|---|---|
| Feb. 15. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. |
147. Giovanni Pietro Panicharola, Milanese Ambassador in France, to the Duchess and Duke OF Milan. The ambassadors of M. de Charolais have stated that their master has heard that his Majesty has a close understanding with the English and has promised them the county of Chaos and Vime adjacent to Picardy the better to make war on them and capture Picardy. He does not think this well done. His Majesty cannot deny or excuse it as he has it on very good authority. If the king does not pursue this he offers to help him in anything he may ask. He speaks very mildly and submissively almost amounting to contrition if he has done anything against the king's wishes, and letting it be understood that if Picardy is confirmed to him and a good part of his other demands he will give up his first contentions and agree to this marriage alliance taking place. In reply his Majesty denied ever having had such dealings. Every one could see that his nature was rather to consolidate and acquire for the crown than to alienate. It was all an invention. Bourges in Berri, the 15th February, 1467. [Italian.] |
| Feb. 18. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Arhives. |
148. Giovanni Pietro Panicharola, Milanese Ambassador in France, to the Duke of Milan. The ambassadors of England are not yet despatched. From what I have been able to gather they are seeking for a long truce and an understanding with his Majesty to help them to conquer certain lands near them on the coast in Holland that M. Charolais holds. But his Majesty does not trust them thoroughly, suspecting deceit or double dealing. However so far he has shown them many favours in this Court. Bourges in Berri, the 18th February, 1467. [Italian.] |
| April 18. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. |
149. Emanuele de Jacopo and Giovanni Pietro Panicharolla, Milanese Ambassadors to the French Court, to Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan. (fn. 1) The King of France has told us in secret that he wishes your lordship to be acquainted with the course of his affairs and the position of his state, accounting you his brother and especial friend. Although the negotiation is secret, yet, seeing that we might be trusted, he proposed to disclose everything to us, charging us straitly and also begging your lordship to keep it most secret in your own bosom. It is to the effect that his Majesty had and still has a secret understanding with King Edward of England by means of the Earl of Warwick, and they have arranged that between this and the 8th of May next the said earl shall be with his Majesty, who has already sent him an ample safe-conduct with a fitting mandate to conclude everything. They are already agreed for the most part, in this manner, that King Edward and the King of France henceforth and for ever become brothers in arms, and will live as brothers together, making perpetual peace between the realms of England and France. King Edward will yield, quit and renounce all rights, actions and claims which belong to him, and which pertain or may pertain upon the kingdom of France. His Majesty will give his second daughter to the second brother of King Edward, to wife, because the first is married to the daughter of the Earl of Warwick, giving them as dowry a part of the territory of the Duke of Burgundy and of Charolais, upon whom they have agreed to wage a war of extermination, dividing the state of those lords between them. Thus, King Edward is to have the lordship of Holland, Zeeland and Brabant for his brother aforesaid, and his Majesty Verno, the County of Flanders and the rest of their dominions. The better to prevent Charolais from having any dealings with the English, and to alienate him entirely, as he was trying to have King Edward's sister in marriage, they are negotiating to give her to Philip of Savoy. For the conclusion of this matter, although at present he pretends to be going to Paris, he will actually go to Rouen, to meet the said Earl of Warwick (Aueruic) and the brother of the Count of St. Pol, who is also to be there. Once this arrangement is concluded they say that on the day following the agreement they will begin war on the said lords of Burgundy, who with such effrontery have sought to drive out his Majesty. Notwithstanding that his Majesty forgave what Charolais had done from the beginning, by giving him his daughter, yet he has tried and is still trying to undo him if he can. He calculates that if he with his forces with the help of Philip of Savoy, two is collecting troops for this purpose, the Bernese and the Swiss on that side, with the people of Liège and the English on the other, all begin a war of this character, they must very soon prove victorious, and that neither the Duke of Burgundy nor Charolais can resist such an attack. When this has been carried out, as his Majesty hopes, he says he will send forthwith to the Duke of Britanny, to send him his brother the Duke of Berri, though he is trying to make that prince fly from Britanny by means of some transactions he is carrying on with the ambassadors of the King of Spain, who are here, as we have reported before, never doubting but the said ambassadors will send him from fear of losing their substance, otherwise they will be trampled under his feet. He prays God constantly to give him grace to carry this out, especially this project with the English, because he will then be able to attend to the favours of your lordship more readily and more quickly, and show, by his actions, that he recognises the services you have done him, having no doubt that if this takes place he will be able to defend against the attack of any one soever. Nevertheless he always says that he will do everything in his power in the mean time for the service of your lordship. He added that for the conclusion of these transactions and the agreement, King Edward has written him a letter in his own hand, a thing he had never done except upon this occasion. We would further advise your lordship that the chancellor of Liege has arrived here with other Liegois, on an embassy. We will inform you by our letters how they are despatched. Blois, the 18th April, 1467. [Italian; deciphered.] |
| May 5. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. |
150. Emanuel de Jacoppo and Giovanni Pietro Panicharola, Milanese Ambassador in France, to the Duke of Milan. (fn. 2) The Marquis of Pont, son of Duke John (fn. 3), has left Nancy in Lorraine and gone to visit the late Queen of England, who has also withdrawn to Lorraine with her son aged thirteen, because she had no other asylum. She is to come and stay at the Court here, and the king has sent the Count of Vaudemont to fetch her, and she should soon be here. Chartres, the 5th May, 1467. [Italian.] |
| May 19. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. |
151. Emanuel de Jacoppo and Giovanni Pietro Panicharola, Milanese Ambassadors in France, to the Duke of Milan. It is asserted that the Earl of Warwick will come here and soon. His Majesty will go to Rouen to meet him. There is a fresh report that M. Charolais has again opened secret negotiations to take King Edward's sister to wife, confirming once more the old league with the English. If this takes place, they have talked of treating with the Earl of Warwick to restore King Henry in England, and the ambassador of the old queen of England is already here. Chartres, the 9th May, 1467. [Italian.] |
| July 25. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. |
152. Christoforo di Bollate, Milanese Ambassador in France, to the Duchess and Duke of Milan. We hear good news from England: how the brother of the Earl of Warwick is replaced in his office with more power than ever, and so all his other friends are in great repute. Within a few days they expect the embassy from the king there for the conclusion of many good matters; and so the king here remembers that side in case the other does not take effect (e pur questo Sig. Re recorda quello partito quando laltro non habii effecto). Etampes, the 25th July, 1467. [Italian.] |
| Aug. 22. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. |
153. Christoforo di Bollate, Milanese Ambassador in France, to the Duchess and Duke of Milan. Although I have frequently written about the hopes of peace nothing has yet been decided. The king told me he was very much occupied because he had been deceived over the agreement touching his brother. He afterwards showed me with great secrecy what his ambassadors had done in England, that as a fact he has had nothing but words from the Earl of Warwick, as in the opinion of many would be the case, although he cherished some hopes from them. Finally he assured me he wished to begin war at once against the Bretons, on account of many provocations. Beaumont, the 22nd August, 1467. [Italian.] |
| Sept. 12. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. |
154. Giovanni Pietro Panicharolla, Milanese Ambassador in France, to the Duchess and Duke of Milan. The king's ambassadors have lately returned from England and as the Earl of Warwick met with many opponents to his plan, they found him unable to effect what he had promised on his departure. They therefore returned without any positive arrangement, nor are matters adjusted between the King of England, who seems very averse to France, and Warwick; they are constantly at strife. The Welshmen have taken up arms against King Edward, and proclaim Henry, whose next brother (fn. 4) late resident here, is going over there, and the late queen is sending him some of her followers to make their party take the field if possible. King Louis complains bitterly that the Earl of Warwick has made so many promises without fulfilling anything. According to report, the earl has retired to his estates to raise troops. The King of Castile has had an ambassador in England and concluded a league with King Edward, which has been proclaimed, both parties accepting and reserving a place for the King of Aragon and the Duke of Burgundy (fn. 5). Paris, the 12th September, 1467. [Italian.] |
| Sept. 15. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. |
155. Christoforo di Bollate, Milanese Ambassador in France, to the Duchess and Duke of Milan. Here is an ambassador of the King of Scotland who desires to marry his king with the consent of all the country and the participation of his Majesty here; as the king threw to the ground some friendly advances, of which I will speak afterwards by word of mouth, the ambassador is not very well pleased. He has importuned his Majesty about a marriage alliance with your lordship, that is to say, with Madame Isabetta, and has induced the king to promise to take action about it. The same ambassador has also approached him about it through the offices of others. I thought it right to advise your Highnesses of this. The Count of St. Paul has gone as ambassador to the Duke of Burgundy to keep him engaged in negotiations and not to let him conclude a marriage alliance or league with King Edward of England, until such time as the Earl of Warwick has arranged his affairs; if they come to anything it will be contrary to the opinion of most people (che se haverano effecto sera contra loppinione de la piu parte). The king told me he had ordered 800 lances against Burgundy and 16,000 franc archers and as many troops against the Bretons. In England they have proclaimed peace for 101 years with the Spaniards and Portuguese. Paris, the 15th September, 1467. [Italian.] |
| Sept. 15. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. |
156. Gio. Pietro Panicharolla, Milanese Ambassador in France, to the Duchess and Duke of Milan. In England things are upside down and in the air. His Majesty has not made any further mention to us about that marriage. I fancy the king here will not be very friendly to it, because the king, the queen, her father, and the king's brothers are all disposed to it. Moreover, a great embassy has gone from England to the Duke of Burgundy, they argue in order to arrange some marriage alliance (fn. 6). If I hear more you shall have information. Paris, the 15th September, 1467. [Italian.] |