The king, having left the Granges, advanced toward Pavia,—and when he was near that city, the clergy came out in handsome procession, to meet him. They conducted him in this state to the principal church, called Il Duomo, and thence to his apartments in the castle, which was large and well situated. The duchess and her young son were waiting there to welcome him on his happy arrival; and he and his company were well feasted with a variety of meats and wines, from the 14th until the 17th, when he took his departure, after hearing mass, to dine at Beriofle, and sup and lie at Castel San Joanne. On the morrow, he dined at Roqueste, and thence resolved to make his entry into Piacenza.
As the king approached Piacenza in the afternoon of the 18th of October, the clergy, judges, officers, and principal inhabitants came out to meet him in a handsome procession, as all the other towns had done, and led him in triumph to the apartments that had been prepared for his reception. While he was in this town, a messenger came to him in haste with letters, containing in substance, that on that day the young duke of Milan had died, which much afflicted and vexed the king. Tears filled his eyes, without any dissembling, and to perform his duty to God, he ordered on the morrow a solemn funeral service to be celebrated,—after which were distributed large sums in alms to the poor, all at the king's expense, and chiefly under the direction of the lord Reginald d'Oreilles. It should not be forgotten, that the king invited the nobles and principal inhabitants to this funeral service: and that they, in gratitude for his benignant humanity, presented him with several immense cheeses, as large as our greatest millstones, which he sent to France, as a gift to the queen. The king, having staid six days in Piacenza, departed.
CHAP. XLVII.
OF THE SEVERAL TOWNS THE KING OF FRANCE PASSES THROUGH IN HIS MARCH FROM PIACENZA TO LUCCA.
After the king had heard mass at Piacenza, on the 23d of October, he set out to dine and sup at the little town of Fiorenzuola[127], where the people received him very affectionately. On Friday, he lay at another small town called Borgo San Domino[128], where he was equally well received. On the 25th, he was quartered at Fornove[129], which is of tolerable size, having a large abbey, and lies at the foot of the Appenines.
On the Sunday, he went to Borgo di Val di Taro[130]; and the next day, after hearing mass, he went to Beers, where he and his train were much straitened for room; but it was necessary to exercise patience according to the country they were in. On Tuesday he left Beers to lie at Pontremoli[131], where he was received with processions, and lighted tapers and torches, as in the preceding towns. At this place, Pietro de Medici waited on the king with intelligence from Florence, and placed himself under his protection. To obviate any attempts of those who were inimical, he promised to place in his hands a small town called Sarsina[132]; and he afterwards delivered up another good place of the Florentines, called Sarsonella, near to Sarsane.
On Wednesday, the king visited the church of Nôtre Dame des Miracles, near to the town of Pontremoli, and dined at Yole. This day owing to some quarrel, several Germans were killed in Pontremoli, for which their countrymen revenged themselves severely on their return from Naples. The whole army marched on the 30th into Sarsina, and there halted for six days, on account of a rebellion among the Florentines. Ludovico Sforza, who was already beginning to form his plans of treachery, came again to visit the king at this place, and returned suddenly to Milan.
On the 6th of November, the king marched his army to Massa, a burgh with a castle having deep ditches all around it: near to it is a mountain whence white and black marble is dug,—and from it is seen the sea, about half a league off. He was honourably received by the lady of the place.—On Friday, he left Massa, and took up his quarters at Pietra Santa[133], a small town belonging to the Florentines; but the king having been duly informed that it formed part of the duchy of Genoa, and that the inhabitants had put themselves under the Florentines for their better security, and through subtilty, he placed in the castle a strong garrison of gens d'armes until his return.
FOOTNOTES:
[127] Fiorenzuola, 13 miles from Piacenza.