The before-mentioned master Robert
Gaguin was sent on an embassy on this subject to England, in company with the lord Francis de Luxembourg and Charles de Marigny[111]. However, after all, the french army, under their king, was victorious, more especially at the battle of St Aubin[112], while the king was at Laval, when the Bretons and English were totally routed, with very great slaughter. The French gained the field of battle,—and for two leagues around, nothing was to be seen but dead bodies. Near to where the battle was fought was a wood in which the Bretons had lodged a great deal of gunpowder; and thinking that the French would attempt posting an ambuscade therein they played their artillery, which set fire to this powder, and it blew up, to the great astonishment of the French, who, by Divine Providence (the true Protector of the French blood) had not entered this wood. The explosion alarmed a stag, who ran out of the wood, with eyes full of tears, and made for the french army as for a place of refuge.
It should be noticed, that prior to the engagement, large flecks of pies and jays were seen to fight with such obstinacy in the air, at a place called La Croix de Malere, that when victory declared for one party, the roads and fields were covered with the vanquished, which seemed to the French a very extraordinary circumstance.
After the battle of St Aubin, a pursuit took place, when many prisoners were made, and others driven to seek shelter in some of their strong places, to save their lives. The French in consequence of their victory, conquered the greater part of Brittany.
The principal lords of Brittany now began to consider on the means of establishing a lasting peace with the king of France; and as they thought his projected union with the lady Margaret of Flanders was not agreeable to him, since war with Maximilian her father had hitherto been the only fruits of it, they proposed that he should marry the duchess Anne of Brittany,—and by this means that duchy would be firmly united to the crown of France, and would form an alliance of the utmost utility to all parties.
FOOTNOTES:
[108] In a note, p. 135 of Mr Andrews' History of Great Britain, a very different character is given of this pope: 'As ignorant as turbulent.' 'He received without respect, or hospitality, the learned Greeks who fled from the Constantinople, and gave so trifling a reward to Theo. Gaza for a translation that the angry sage flung it away, and, leaving the audience, repeated a greek proverb, that thistles only could delight the palate of an ass.' Luckily the pope did not understand the language of the sarcasm.
[109] Innocent VIII.—John Baptista Cibo, a noble genoese, but originally of greek extraction. He was called, prior to his elevation to the papacy, the Cardinal of Melfe. He had several children before he entered holy orders, and did not neglect them during his reign.
[110] See the english historians.
[111] Their passport is, in the Fœdera, dated 10th December 1490, for themselves and four score horses.