Read Online Henri II: His Court and Times by H Noel Williams - Free Book Online
Authors: H Noel Williams
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hatred with which the Regent and Du Prat
were regarded threatened serious trouble.
However, Louise of Savoy, with all her faults and her vices,
did not lack courage and capacity, and took energetic steps to
meet the danger. She assembled at Lyons what troops she
could muster and entrusted the command to the Duc de
Vendome, with whom she associated Lautrec and Claude
de Lorraine, Duc de Guise. She summoned delegates from
the
Parlement
of Paris to Lyons, "gave them many fair
words" and submitted to them the measures which she
proposed to take for the preservation of the kingdom. 02 She convened a council of notables, which controlled Louise
herself sometimes, but which put an end to all dissension, at least
so far as regarded armaments and foreign negotiations; and
she sought friends everywhere, "even in hell," since not only
did she renew the old alliance with the Venetians, and induce
Henry VIII, jealous of the growing power of the Emperor,
to recall his troops from the frontier of Picardy and enter into
a treaty of neutrality with her, but opened negotiations with
the Porte, the first of that long series of friendly dealingsbetween France and Turkey directed against the House of
Austria.
Even before the defection of England, whose co-operation
was of course essential to the success of a fresh invasion of
France, Charles V had already abandoned all idea of such an
undertaking, which would have entailed demands upon the
Imperial coffers which they were at that moment in no
condition to meet, and had decided to confine his efforts
to the exaction of a favourable treaty. He announced that
he intended to use his victory with moderation, but, though
his terms were not unjust, they could scarcely be called
moderate, including as they did the cession of the duchy
of Burgundy, with its dependencies of Maçon, Auxerre,
Auxonne, and Bar-sur-Seine. The indignation in France was
extreme when they were made known; while François
refused even to consider them. However, Charles believed
that his rival's impatience of imprisonment would ere long
assure their acceptance.
In June, Lannoy, at François's own request, took upon
himself the responsibility of removing the illustrious prisoner
to Spain, in order that he might treat in person with the
Emperor. 03 The King sailed from Genoa on June 10, and
arrived at Barcelona nine days later, where he was lodged in
the palace of the Archbishop of Tarragona and treated with
all the honours due to royalty. Next day, he re-embarked
and sailed for Valencia, where he was conducted to the castle
of Benisano, which belonged to the governor of the province,
Don Geronimo Cabanillas.
Charles V was then at Toledo, holding the Cortes of Castile,
and thither Lannoy proceeded, to ascertain the wishes of his
master in regard to his royal captive. François, on his side,
sent Anne de Montmorency, who had accompanied him to
Spain, 04 to demand a
personal interview with the Emperor,which he believed would suffice to smooth over all difficulties;
a truce which would permit François de Tournon, Archbishop
of Embrun, and Jean de Selve, First President of the
Parlement
of Paris, to come to Spain, furnished with powers from
the Regent to treat regularly for peace, and a safe-conduct for
his sister, the Duchesse d'Alençon, whose presence would
console his captivity and serve to facilitate the negotiations.
After some hesitation, Charles consented to the truce, which
was to last six months, and accorded the safe-conduct for the
Duchesse d'Alençon, at the same time intimating that if the
princess did not arrive with power to surrender Burgundy, she
might spare herself the fatigue of the journey. On the question of the interview which François had demanded he was
silent, being resolved not to see his prisoner until after the
negotiations had been concluded. 05
In order that the French envoys on their arrival might be
able to communicate easily with their sovereign, Charles
directed that the King should be
were regarded threatened serious trouble.
However, Louise of Savoy, with all her faults and her vices,
did not lack courage and capacity, and took energetic steps to
meet the danger. She assembled at Lyons what troops she
could muster and entrusted the command to the Duc de
Vendome, with whom she associated Lautrec and Claude
de Lorraine, Duc de Guise. She summoned delegates from
the
Parlement
of Paris to Lyons, "gave them many fair
words" and submitted to them the measures which she
proposed to take for the preservation of the kingdom. 02 She convened a council of notables, which controlled Louise
herself sometimes, but which put an end to all dissension, at least
so far as regarded armaments and foreign negotiations; and
she sought friends everywhere, "even in hell," since not only
did she renew the old alliance with the Venetians, and induce
Henry VIII, jealous of the growing power of the Emperor,
to recall his troops from the frontier of Picardy and enter into
a treaty of neutrality with her, but opened negotiations with
the Porte, the first of that long series of friendly dealingsbetween France and Turkey directed against the House of
Austria.
Even before the defection of England, whose co-operation
was of course essential to the success of a fresh invasion of
France, Charles V had already abandoned all idea of such an
undertaking, which would have entailed demands upon the
Imperial coffers which they were at that moment in no
condition to meet, and had decided to confine his efforts
to the exaction of a favourable treaty. He announced that
he intended to use his victory with moderation, but, though
his terms were not unjust, they could scarcely be called
moderate, including as they did the cession of the duchy
of Burgundy, with its dependencies of Maçon, Auxerre,
Auxonne, and Bar-sur-Seine. The indignation in France was
extreme when they were made known; while François
refused even to consider them. However, Charles believed
that his rival's impatience of imprisonment would ere long
assure their acceptance.
In June, Lannoy, at François's own request, took upon
himself the responsibility of removing the illustrious prisoner
to Spain, in order that he might treat in person with the
Emperor. 03 The King sailed from Genoa on June 10, and
arrived at Barcelona nine days later, where he was lodged in
the palace of the Archbishop of Tarragona and treated with
all the honours due to royalty. Next day, he re-embarked
and sailed for Valencia, where he was conducted to the castle
of Benisano, which belonged to the governor of the province,
Don Geronimo Cabanillas.
Charles V was then at Toledo, holding the Cortes of Castile,
and thither Lannoy proceeded, to ascertain the wishes of his
master in regard to his royal captive. François, on his side,
sent Anne de Montmorency, who had accompanied him to
Spain, 04 to demand a
personal interview with the Emperor,which he believed would suffice to smooth over all difficulties;
a truce which would permit François de Tournon, Archbishop
of Embrun, and Jean de Selve, First President of the
Parlement
of Paris, to come to Spain, furnished with powers from
the Regent to treat regularly for peace, and a safe-conduct for
his sister, the Duchesse d'Alençon, whose presence would
console his captivity and serve to facilitate the negotiations.
After some hesitation, Charles consented to the truce, which
was to last six months, and accorded the safe-conduct for the
Duchesse d'Alençon, at the same time intimating that if the
princess did not arrive with power to surrender Burgundy, she
might spare herself the fatigue of the journey. On the question of the interview which François had demanded he was
silent, being resolved not to see his prisoner until after the
negotiations had been concluded. 05
In order that the French envoys on their arrival might be
able to communicate easily with their sovereign, Charles
directed that the King should be
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