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| 2 March. |
24. Lope de Soria, Imperial Ambassador in Genoa, to the Emperor. |
M. D. Pasc. d. Ga.
a. 1. Hist. d. Esp. |
Wrote on the 27th by way of Monago (Monaco), announcing the most signal victory obtained by the Viceroy (Charles de Lannoy) on the 24th, the details of which, as well as the list of killed and wounded, and prisoners among the French nobility, Commander Peñalosa took through France to Spain. Many thanks be given to God, and to the glorious Apostle St. Mathias, on whose festival this great battle was fought, and His Imperial Majesty born! |
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Through this victory His Majesty will be enabled at once to settle the matters of Christianity, and give the law to the whole world, so that God's service may be done, and all Christians live at peace with each other. His Imperial Majesty must nevertheless take possession of Marseilles, because, in so doing, the corsairs and sea-robbers who take refuge in that port shall no longer scour the Mediterranean. In the meantime orders might be sent to the mother of the French King and to her Council not to allow any vessels to cruise in sight of the coast of Provence, for there is every reason to think that the French fleet will soon break up, and, if not disarmed, its vessels might be manned by corsairs likely to do great injury to the Spanish trade. |
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All Italy holds it as certain that His Imperial Majesty will come this summer to be crowned, as there can now be no obstacle to his journey by land or by sea. Should the Emperor decide upon taking a sea route, a certain number of caracks can soon be fitted out at this port (Genoa), besides which he (Soria) has received orders from the Viceroy (Charles de Lannoy) to get the Imperial galleys and those of Genoa ready. |
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Has that very day forwarded to the Viceroy 25,000 ducats out of the 100,000 lately remitted from Spain in bills, and Stephano Grimaldo has promised besides to advance the 25,000 more upon the second instalment. |
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(Cipher:) Although this Doge and Community [of Genoa] have served well, and spent considerable sums of money during this war, yet they have not upon the whole behaved as they ought towards His Imperial Majesty's faithful servants and ministers. For whilst victory was still uncertain, and they themselves under the Emperor's protection, they are known to have treated with the King of France, and contemplated the union of the Adorni and Fregosi factions under a new republican government, all of which was done or attempted without His Majesty's consent or the advice of his ministers. They have, moreover, concluded a truce with the French King without previously informing the Viceroy [Charles de Lannoy] or him (Soria) of it, for the sole purpose, as it is understood, of improving their own private affairs. Respecting their plans of interior government the ambassador at first thought it fit to dissemble, and seemed almost to approve of their secret dealings; for, after all, were the proposed fusion of parties to be accomplished, it might prove beneficial to the Imperial cause. Such was the ambassador's view of the affair at the time, as he had occasion to write to the Viceroy, but since then has come to the conclusion that the said fusion is impracticable, considering the turbulent and factious spirit of these citizens, when divided by their feuds and partialities. |
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He (Soria) mentions the above facts that His Imperial Majesty may know what has lately occurred, and how far the people of this city may be depended upon. As far as the Doge is concerned, the ambassador believes his intentions to be good, and himself well-disposed towards the Imperial cause; but he is in bad health, and surrounded by people who are anything but friendly to the Emperor. In this way he has often listened to their exhortations, and tolerated the secret negotiations above alluded to, rather, perhaps, with a view to gain time and maintain himself as long as he could in the Imperial service than with any positive intention of deserting it, though many people in this city and near his person are known to be of a contrary opinion, and, as above stated, to have continually urged him to declare for the French. |
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(Common writing:) The Viceroy has written to him (Soria) to negotiate with Andrea Doria, if he will enter the Emperor's service with his galleys, and on what conditions. Has spoken on the subject to one of Doria's relatives now at Genoa, and will advise as soon as his answer is known. |
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The French fleet sailed yesterday bound for the coast of Romania, there to take on board most of the troops under the Duke of Albany, and convey them to France. Such, at least, appears to be their avowed intention. He (Soria) thinks the fleet is bound for Marseilles. |
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The King of France has written to the Marquis of Saluzzo, bidding him to set Don Ugo de Moncada at liberty, and let him go wherever the Viceroy (Charles de Lannoy) may be at present; but the Marquis has answered that a brother of his, taken prisoner at Pavia, must be released first. |
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(Cipher:) The Pope and the rest of the Italian powers are afraid that His Imperial Majesty may show resentment at their late conduct, and wish to chastise for their misdeeds. He (Soria) tells them that His Imperial Majesty will forget and forgive every offence and say to them, Recedant vetera, nova sint omnia. It would be advisable that all the Imperial ministers and agents in Italy should dissemble and use a similar language, but he hears they do not.—Genoa, 2nd of March 1525. |
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Signed: "Lope de Soria." |
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Addressed: "To His Sacred, Imperial, Catholic Majesty." |
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Indorsed: "To the King. 1525. Genoa. Lope de Soria. 2nd of March." |
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Spanish. Original partly in cipher. Contemporary deciphering on separate sheet, pp. 4. |
| 2 March. |
25. Cardinal Colonna to the Emperor. |
S.E.L. 1553,
f. 142. |
Congratulates him upon the victory just obtained over the French. So does His Holiness the Pope, who as Vicar of Christ on the earth, ought not to rejoice at the defeat of a Christian King and the inevitable destruction (strage) of so many thousands of Christians; and yet such has been his joy at hearing the news, that it may plainly be observed on his countenance. He (the Pope) sincerely hopes that so signal a victory will be the harbinger of peace, and that the Christian Princes, with the Emperor at their head, will soon undertake a campaign against the infidel.—Rome, 2 March 1525. |
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Signed: "Pom. [peius] Cardinalis Colunnensis Vicecancellarius" |
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Addressed: "Sacratissimæ ac Invictissimæ Cæsareæ Majestati." |
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Indorsed: "Al Rey. 1526. Del Cardenal Colonna." |
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Italian. Holograph, pp. 2½. |
| 3 March. |
26. Francesco Sforza [Duke of Milan] to the Emperor. |
| S. L. 1553, f. 146. |
Congratulations on the victory of Pavia.—Milan, 3 March 1526. |
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Signed: "Francesco Sforza." |
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Addressed: "Sacræ Cesareæ Maiestati." |
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Indorsed: "Del Duque de Milan. 1525." |
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Latin. Original. p. 1. |
| 5 March. |
27. The Demands made by the Emperor to the King of France. |
| S. Var. De. |
The following are the conditions demanded by the Emperor:—1. The duchy of Burgundy. 2. The counties of Vermandois and Boulogne, the River Somme, and the ressort of Flanders. 3. The renunciation of all the rights he may have to the duchy of Milan, besides his Neapolitan pension. 4. The surrender to the King of England of the duchies of Normandy, Guienne, and Gascony, with the levées. |
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French. Contemporary copy. p. 1. |
