[118] Villanne. Q. if not Villa-nova d'Asti? a town in Piedmont, about four leagues distant from Turin and from Asti.
[119] Quiers,—five miles to the eastward of Turin.
[120] It was an attachment to the beautiful daughter of a physician that detained Charles at Quiers, and made him repeat his visits.—See further particulars in the notice of a MS. history of Gohori, in the viith vol. of Notices des MS. in the National Library at Paris.
CHAP. XLIV.
THE KING LEAVES QUIERS FOR ASTI, WHERE HE IS INFORMED OF THE GALLANT CONDUCT OF THE DUKE OF ORLEANS AT GENOA.—LUDOVICO SFORZA AND HIS LADY VISIT THE KING AT ASTI.—A MARVELLOUS EVENT AT GENOA.
On Tuesday the 9th of September, the king, after thanking the lords and ladies of Quiers for the honourable reception they had given him, departed for Villa-nuova; and thence went to supper in the town of Asti, belonging to the duke of Orleans, where he was received by all ranks of inhabitants with greater magnificence than at any other town, considering their means. The king was lodged at the house of one John Roger, and the other lords in different houses.
The duke was absent on the coast of Genoa, on the king's business, and to provide for the security of his expedition. The morning after the king's arrival, a false messenger arrived at Asti, with every mark of bringing hasty news,—and it was instantly rumoured that the French had been defeated at sea. The king immediately assembled his council, to consider how to act in consequence of this unfortunate event; but the messenger was not now to be found, to hear the particulars from him; and within a short time another messenger arrived with better news, for he brought certain information that the duke of Orleans, whilst cruizing in the gulph of Rapallo, near Genoa, had defeated the army of the prince of Tarentum, and taken forty thousand prisoners, and that the slaughter of the enemies of France had been so great that the numbers were not known: a few had escaped over the mountains: and among the prisoners were a son to sir John Fregoso[121], and a nephew to the cardinal of Genoa: Frederic[122], who was the commander of the neapolitan army, had expired through fear. The flower of the italian nobility was in this battle.
The duke of Orleans had with him, at this glorious victory, the lord de Piennes, John de la Grange, Charles de Brillac, who was then knighted, the bailiff of Dijon, the lord Guyot de Lousiers, with numbers of other nobles and gentlemen of name. After the victory, the duke of Orleans was seized with a fever, which forced him to return to Asti, where the king still was.
To Asti came also, from Milan, Ludovico Sforza, and his consort, the daughter of the duke of Ferrara, who brought with her a profusion of rich dresses and jewels to display before the king. They conversed together, like old friends,—for the traitor Ludovico had not then manifested the iniquity of his malignant mind, as he afterwards did, but for which, in the end he was severely punished[123].
When king Charles had staid some time at Asti, he was much indisposed for two or three days[124], and removed from his lodgings to more airy apartments in the convent of the Jacobins, that overlooked their gardens. It was there the duke of Orleans and the other lords of the council arranged many things for the furtherance of his expedition, and also for the general welfare of his kingdom. During this interval, Ludovico went back to Milan, but shortly returned, although his support was but feigned and full of deceit.