This year, a marriage was concluded between the king of Hungary and Anne of Candale, daughter to the lord of Candale of the house of Foix. She soon after made her public entry into Lyon, where several splendid mysteries were represented, and thence continued her route to Hungary, where the marriage was consummated, and they had a fine family of children.
About a fortnight before St George's day, the prince of Orange died, and was succeeded by his infant son.
Not long after this, the king of France went to Lombardy, and made his public entry into Genoa, the inhabitants having placed themselves under his dominion. The town made him many rich gifts,—and having staid there some time, he returned to France in September. About this period, Réné bastard of Savoy was driven out of that country, and took refuge with the king of France, to the great displeasure of the duke and duchess of Savoy; for Réné had revealed divers machinations that were going forward to the prejudice of the crown of France. Shortly, a suit was instituted against the duchess, to recover some places which the duke had given her, that belonged to Réné by purchase.
While the king was in Dauphiny, the duke and duchess of Savoy visited the queen at Lyon, but made no public entry: they staid only four or six days, and went back to Savoy a little before the king's return.
Shortly afterward, the general of the order of cordelier friars came to France, to establish a reform, and to make them follow the regulations of the Observantines,—for the king would have it so, as he knew them to be too worldly inclined, and that it was better to have ten good monks than two thousand vicious ones.
On the vigil of St Martin's clay, the wife of don Frederic arrived in France, with some of her children and attendants.
In the year 1503, the picture of our Lady of the Cloister, which had been in the cloister of the cordeliers at Lyon was removed into the church, and placed in the chapel of St Francis. This painting was so large that the wall was broken down to admit it into the chapel, where it now is most richly decorated.
About the beginning of Lent, the king's palace at Dijon was burnt down, by the firing a culverin up the chimney to clean it; the king soon afterwards rebuilt it with greater magnificence.
The 21st of April, when the king was at Lyon, he made a general abolition of a variety of tolls and imposts that had existed for a hundred years, without any legal sanction,—with orders not to re-establish them, under severe penalties. This was contained in letters patent he granted to the merchants who trafficked on the Rhône and Saone, and other navigable rivers falling into them, from the town of Pontarlier, above Auxonne, to the sea,—and also to those who trafficked by land through France, the Mâconnois, Lyonnois, Languedoc, and Dauphiny. By these letters, all obstructions to the navigation, such as wears, milldams, and the like, were ordered to be instantly removed, excepting such as may have been particularly erected by the king.
The french army at Naples gained ground daily, and had nearly conquered Sicily, so that all trembled before them.