cross

once delivered, it was his intention to call on his allies to unite against the infidels, who, leaving Constantinople, had marched into Germany to level the of the Redeemer to the ground. We can scarcely believe the European monarchs to have been actuated by sincerity; they expressed their determination to undertake a war of extermination against the Turks, to destroy the schism with which Louis threatened the Church, and to defend the Church from which certain rebellious cardinals had seceded : mere pretexts by which they sought to cloak over their league against France.

A treaty of alliance, offensive and defensive, was signed between the Pope, Ferdinand of Spain, and the Republic of Venice.(a) Maximilian hesitated to break with Louis XII.; he had just complained bitterly of Julius's conduct in a letter to the inhabitants of Gelnhausen. "The Emperor and the King of France," said he, "have generously accorded subsidies to the Holy See to repel the infidels; but instead of using their money for the triumph of the gospel, the Pope has employed it to ruin Italy. I have, as King of the Romans, the right to watch over the Church of Christ, and have, therefore, resolved to convoke a council in which all Christendom shall be represented."(b) Julius treated the emperor's threats with silent contempt, and Ferdinand was commissioned to point out to Maximilian that their common interest required them to oppose the progress of the French in Italy; Maximilian was convinced, and Henry offered no resistance to the prayers of the league, as the Holy See, recompensing him for his prompt obedience, had promised him the title of "Most Christian king," which Louis XII. had forfeited by his schism.(c) Wolsey also was not backward in pointing out to his royal master those portions of France which once appertained to the English crown. Young was despatched as an ambassador to France, to demand the termination of the war against the Holy See, the restoration of Bologna to the Church, the dissolution of the assembly at Pisa, the acknowledge(a) Lingard.

(b) Schmidt, quoting Lunig.
(c) Herbert's Life of Henry VIII.

ment of the Council of Lateran, and the desertion of Alphonso, Duke of Ferrara. Louis returned an evasive answer to these demands of the English sovereign; and accordingly a new treaty was signed between the kings of England and Spain, on the 17th of November, 1511.(d) After having invoked the aid of Almighty God, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Blessed Virgin, and the Celestial Court of the protectors and avengers of the Holy Church, they declared war against the King of France, whom they purposed to pursue not only in Italy, but even in his own kingdom;-at first in Guienne, a province stolen from England, and which they resolved to restore to its legitimate owner (*)

Perhaps also he

seeing the aged

To reconquer a province that had formerly belonged to England, was calculated to flatter Henry's vanity and ambition; he was too young and too fond of distinction not to be caught by it. was a little grieved at Roman Pontiff, whom one of Louis XII.'s soldiers had nearly made prisoner, deserted by some of his brethren, and imploring the aid of his allies. The supplications of the noble and fine-spirited old man were likely to touch so young a heart; for at twentytwo we are inclined to obey the first impulse; and we must not forget that Henry's mother was remarkable for her piety. He was about to make war against France in obedience to the Church, and as her champion, to defend her rights. (f) While Maximilian and Ferdinand were secretly plotting the subjugation of France, Henry acted a candid and honourable part. By his orders a new ambassador had been sent, as king-at-arins, to demand from the French monarch the restitution of Guienne, inasmuch as it had formerly appertained to the crown of England. To this insolent message Louis XII. replied as became a sovereign, and accordingly war was declared. (g) Parliament assembled the 4th of February, 1512, to receive a royal message. Henry, in communicating

(d) Rapin de Thoyras. Rymer, XIII., 311. (e) Rayin de Thoyras.

(f) That it was according to his duty and to the Church, that for God's quarrels as for recovering his own right, he would pursue and continue the war.-To Sir David Owen.Strype.

(8) Lingard.

his intention of declaring war against France, protested that the sole object he had in view was the deliverance of the Pope and the dissolution of the schismatical council of Pisa. Subsidies of two-tenths and two-fifteenths were voted.(a) It had been agreed upon between Henry and Ferdinand, that the former sovereign should, in April, have an army of 6,000 men ready, commanded by a skilful officer, while the King of Naples was on his part to raise an army of 300 men-at-arms, 1,500 light cavalry, 4,000 infantry, and a fleet manned by 3000 men for the invasion of Guienne. Henry, confiding in his allies, imagined that he would easily conquer this province; but he was deceived by his fatherin-law, whose sole object was to conquer Navarre by the aid of the English troops and the spiritual interference of Julius.(b)

At the period fixed on by the treaty, the Marquis of Dorset appeared at the head of the English forces on the coast of Guipuscoa, whilst Edward Lord Howard cruised between England and Spain.(©) Dorset soon perceived that Ferdinand's generosity towards his son-in-law was dictated by feelings of pure selfishness; the English general proposed at once marching on Bayonne, and thus opening the road to Guienne, but Ferdinand objected on the score that it was highly necessary to secure John d'Albret, King of Navarre, who had it in his power, if so disposed, to intercept all communication between Spain and the combined armies.(d) Ferdinand stated that in his opinion their road to Guienne lay through Navarre, of which they might take possession of three or four of the most important cities; the crafty monarch therefore ordered Dorset to act in conjunction with the Duke of Alva, who had marched against the King of Navarre. The English general, after consulting with his council, replied, that such conduct would not be in compliance with his instructions; but Ferdinand insisted on being obeyed, promising him in return assistance in reducing Bayonne after the capitulation

of Pampeluna. Pampeluna capitulated after a brief siege, on the 25th July, 1512, yet Ferdinand delayed joining Dorset. Were there not other important cities in Navarre to be reduced, lest they might intercept their march, and thus compromise the success of their expedition ?(e)

The Duke of Alva continued his opera. tions in Navarre, while Dorset lay idle in his camp. But this inactivity was by no means grateful to the English general, who complained to his sovereign of Ferdinand's conduct, but he had been anticipated in this step by the Spanish monarch, who had despatched an ambassador (Martini d'Ampiosto) to London to complain of Dorset's systematic inactivity. Henry, deceived by Ferdinand's representations, despatched a herald-at-arms to the marquis of Dorset, commanding him to obey the Spanish monarch; secure of Dorset's cooperation, the king stated that he purposed marching immediately if followed by his ally.(1)

The French army occupied a strong position. Encamped between Bayonne and Salvatierra, it had in front the Bidassoa, which the enemy could not cross without risk; besides, Ferdinand's plan was perfectly impracticable, and Dorset, unable to cope with his adversary at the head of an army, weakened by sickness and famine, requested the loan of some vessels to return to England. At this juncture, the Windsor herald-at-arms arrived with Henry's message, which caused the English army to mutiny, and as Dorset found himself unable to keep them in subjection, he sailed for England, where he landed on the 1st of November. Ferdinand had triumphed he had deceived Henry, and was master of Navarre, which Louis tried in vain to regain. His conquest must be preserved; and accordingly Ferdinand begged Julius II. to promulgate a bull of excommunication against John d'Albret, which was willingly accorded. By this bull, the authenticity of which we must acknowledge is exceeding dubious, d'Albret was deposed on the plea of his attachment to schismatics, and the King of Naples

(e) Mariana XXX. Campbell.—Hall. (f) Lingard, Herbert, Petri Martyris, Epis.

exhorted to make good his claim to the crown of Navarre.(a) England was also unsuccessful at sea. Henry had entrusted the command of the fleet to Edward Lord Howard, eldest son of the Earl of Surrey. Sir Thomas Knevett had placed his flag on the Regent, and Sir Charles Brandon, (afterwards created Duke of Suffolk,) attacked, without orders, the Cordelier, commanded by Primauguet, manned by a crew of 1,600, in the Brest Roads, on the 10th August, 1512. But his ship was immediately dismasted by the enemy's fire, and he was compelled to retreat. The Regent now slowly advanced under the command of Sir Thomas Knevett

to take its place. A terrible contest ensued between these two giants of the sea; the fight had continued for more than an hour, when Knevett received assistance. Primauguet seeing that all was lost set fire to the Cordelier, and then boarding the Regent communicated the flames to that vessel. Both immediately sank, amid the shrieks and groans of the crews, (b) while Lord Howard, kneeling on the deck, vowed that he would not again see Henry's face until he had revenged Sir Thomas Knevett's death.(c)

Genet, 70; The Christopher Davy, 160; The Sabyen, 120.-Archælogia. Vl., 201.

The battle was claimed by both sides, and gave rise to a literary dispute between Brice and Sir Thomas More. Brice, Bris, or Brixius, private secretary to the Queen of France (Epis. Mori Erasmo, Grenvici, 1520) composed a Latin poem of 350 hexameter verses, to celebrate the nava! victory won by the French, entitled "Herveus, sivi Chordigero navis conflagratio," Paris, 1513.-Panzer, Ann. typ. IX., p. 364. Sir Thomas More, who had already composed a Latin poem at Henry's coronation, entitled "In suscepti diadematis diem Henrici VIII., carmen gratulatorium," imagined that Brice meant to insult England, and accordingly wrote a poem in honour of Howard, (Thomæ Mori Opera.) But not satisfied with this he attacked Brice in various epigrams (In Brixium Germanum false scribentem de Chordigerû navi Gallorum et Herveo ejus duce.j Erasmus, their mutual friend, desired Brice to be silent (Epist. Brixii Lovan, 1518;) but Brice having picked up the gauntlet thrown down. by More, replied, (Germani Brixii Antissiodorensis Antimorus, Erasmi ad eum et ipsius Brixii verbosa ad hunc epistola. Venundatur apud Conrad Resch, Laietice, ex officina Petri, Vidovei, 1509.) Their quarrel did not terminate here. The following appeared in rapid succession :"In Chordigeram navem et Antimorum Sylvam Germani Brixii Galli.-In hunc hendecasyllabum, imo tredecim syllabarum versum Germani Brixii Galli, ex Antimoro sumptum. Erasmus again interfered, and thus wrote to Brice: "Postremò nolim eos inter se dissentire quorum utrumque pari complector amore," and recommended silence to More, but in vain, as the contest still went on. Scævola in his Elogia doctorum in Gallia virorum, (Jeno, 1696,) thus speaks of this discussion:

:

"Having been fiercely and unjustly attacked by a very learned English writer, Thomas More, he carried off the victory in the opinion of all learned men. His triumph, however, was not very great, as neither of the disputants equalled the poets then flourishing in Italy.'

It is certain that in this battle the English ships outnumbered the French. The English had forty-five of different sizes.-Campbell.

THIS engagement, in the Brest Roads, between forty-five of England's best ships and thirty-five French vessels, some of which were scarcely sea-worthy, was indeed a lasting stain on the British flag. The loss of the Regent was regarded in London as a public calamity; and Wolsey, on learning this melancholy event, thus wrote to Fox : "1 beseech you, my lord, to keep this news a secret, for none, save the king and myself are yet acquainted with it."(a)

Henry continued to be the dupe of his confederates who, after the French, had retreated from Italy, encouraged him to pursue his hostilities against Louis XII. by offering to place all their available troops at his disposal for the invasion of France. Guienne would now fall into the hands of England. In the letter,(b) in which Maximilian makes mention of the grievances he had received from the King of France, he showed feelings of such intense hatred that Henry imagined himself secure of his aid. Ferdinand had conquered Navarre, and therefore would also assist him: and could Julius, after the liberation of Italy, pardon one who had issued a medal with the legend, "Perdam Babylonis nomen ?" Henry, therefore, had every reason to confide in the alliance of the Holy See. But he was again doomed to become the dupe of his allies. Ferdinand only wished to make use of the name of England as a check-string whereby he might keep Navarre in awe, being assured that were

(a) Fiddes, Collec. (b) Rapin de Thoyras

Louis attacked by Henry, he would be obliged to yield that province. Maximilian's object in fomenting war was to enrich his coffers with the subsidies received from his allies, for the maintenance of forces that he never meant to levy.

Julius, contented with having established the houses of Sforza at Milan and Medicis at Florence, and recovered the ancient fiefs of the Church, had no longer any interest in prolonging a quarrel with France: besides, he was dying. Louis had not been disheartened by his reverses; for at the time of the accession of Leo X. to the Pontifical throne, the King of France was thinking of reconquering Milan, which had been for the last fifteen years the cause of so much bloodshed.(c) The Venetian Republic, ever forgetful of her allies, signed a treaty at Blois on the 13th of March, wherein she promised to assist Louis in recovering Milan, Cremona, and Ghiaradadda for France, while Bergama, Brescia. and Crema were again to become tributaries of the republic.(d) These preparations for war in France and Venice were a source of great affliction to Leo X., who hoped to have been able to inaugurate his Pontificate by the reconciliation of Christendom; thus the Holy See was for the second time menaced with the deprivation of Parma and Piacenza. Leo, being resolved to oppose the claims of Louis, applied to England for assistance.

Of all the European monarchs, with the

exception of Leo X., Henry was the most distinguished for his learning, and in order to win him over to his cause the Pontiff addressed to him a Latin letter, extolling him to the skies, mentioning his devotion to the Holy See as one of his best qualifications, and renewing the promise made by his predecessor of bestowing on him the title of "Most Christian king."(a) His Latin phraseology, his harmonious style, and his prudent choice of words and expressions, completely won the young prince's heart. The vessel conveying this letter and some presents for Henry, sailed up the Thames, and anchored amidst royal salutes off Greenwich.(b) Henry felt no hesitation in signing the treaty of Mechlin, whereby the contracting parties bound themselves to defend the independence of the Holy See. Maximilian, however, refused to sign until Henry bribed him by promising him £3,000, payable in three equal instalments. (c) Cardinal Bambridge, the English ambassador at Rome, made no secret of his master's intention of going to war with France.(d) The people believed the cardinal, and Parliament granted the sovereign a subsidy and a poll-tax, to carry on the war against Louis XII.(e) Lord Howard sailed from England in the course of April, 1513, with a fleet of thirty-two vessels for the accomplishment of his vow. He was brave even to rashness, it being his maxim that “a sailor was good

(a) Bembo, Epist. 23.

(b) Andrew's Hist. of Great Britain. (c) Appunctuamento cum Leone, Papa, pro defensione Ecclesiæ.-Du Mont.

(d) His correspondence is at the British Museum, MSS. Cott., Vitell., B. 2.

(e) The subsidy was levied on the property of every private individual, but it depended on the value of each fortune. The poll-tax was regulated in the following scale:-Registers XXVI, XXVII.-A duke, £6 13s. 4d.; a marquis or earl, £4; their ladies, £4; baron, baronet, or baroness, £2; knights, not lords of Parliament, £1 10s. ; landed proprietor of an annual revenue above £40, £1 10s., from £20 to £40, 10s., from £10 to £20, 5s., from £2 to £10, 2s., below £2, 1s.; persons possessed of personal property above £800, £2 13s. 4d., from £400 to £800, £2, from £200 to £400, £1 os. 8d,, from £100 to £200, 13s. 4d., from £40 to £100, 6s. 8d., from £20 to £40, 3s. 4d., from £10 to £20, 1s. 8d., from £2 to £10, 1s.; labourers and servants with wages above £2 per annum, ls., from £1 to £2, 6d.; the rest 4d.

for nothing unless his courage amounted to a degree of madness," and to this idea he fell a victim.(f) The French fleet, at anchor in Brest harbour, was waiting for a reinforcement, promised them by Prégent, and which Lord Howard had determined on intercepting. The English admiral felt so sure of success, that he wrote to Henry begging him to come and witness the enemy's defeat; but he was ordered on no account to attack the French while they remained in harbour;(g) this order Howard obeyed. In the meanwhile, Prégent arrived with his reinforcement, and anchored in the bay of Conquet, near Brest, between two rocks well planted with cannon. Howard advanced on the enemy with two vessels, one carrying his own flag as admiral,, and the other that of Lord Ferrers, and boarded Prégent's vessels. Unfortunately the grappling iron gave way, and Lord Howard, after performing prodigies of valour, fell into the sea, wounded by a sailor. On perceiving his vessel at a distance, the brave admiral plucked off his chain of knighthood and all the insignia of his rank, and plunging into the depths of the ocean was no more seen. (h) Prégent gave chase to the English fleet as far as the coast of Sussex, when Thomas Lord Howard, who had succeeded his brother as admiral,(i) compelled the French fleet to

(f) It was a favourite maxim of this brave man, that no sailor was good for anything unless his courage amounted to a degree of madness; and to this startling axiom he now fell a victim. -Tytler.

(g) Campbell.

(h) Ellis presents his readers with an interesting letter written by Howard shortly before his death. Howard, in 1512, received as his pay 10s. per diem, including everything. The captain had 1s. 6d. per diem, and the sailors 5s. per mensem, a month reckoning but twenty-eight days.-(Lediard, Histoire Navale d'Angleterre.) There had not been since the conquest any permament fleet in England; the ports and harbours supplied their quota of vessels, when required. Henry was the first sovereign that established a regular fleet, and instituted an admiralty.

(i) Edward Lord Howard had served at the siege of Granada as a volunteer. He bequeathed as a keepsake to Katharine the cup belonging to St. Thomas of Canterbury, and which is now in the possession of P. H. Howard, Esq., M.P., of Corby Castle.-Life of Eleanora of Aquitaine.