In the month of September, there appeared in the river Saone, above Lyon, a prodigious quantity of small eels, of the size of a man's little finger, but no one dared to eat of them. Great sickness now prevailed; and on the 19th of September Philibert duke of Savoy died at Pont d'Ain, not without suspicions of poison. He was succeeded by his next brother: the other was bishop of Geneva.
In the year 1505 died the lady Jane duchess of Berry, and was interred in a chapel, within the castle of Bourges she had founded and endowed. From St John's day of last year until that feast in this, the season was most sickly, and every thing very dear. Wheat sold at Lyon from twenty-six to twenty-seven sols the bichet[34]; and from the scarcity in the country vast numbers came from the villages to Lyon to seek charity. Some left their houses empty, others their wives and children, and the women their husbands and children. Great part of them died, although every person who had wherewithal gave them food; for alms were as abundantly bestowed in Lyon as in any city of its size.
A pestilential disorder now raged, which carried off immense numbers in the hospital, both rich and poor; and this pestilence seemed to be felt every where, for, in the mountains of Savoy, several died of it, and of hunger, so that many farms were this year uncultivated.
During Lent, the king of France had the bones of his late father, Charles duke of Orleans, removed from Blois to Paris, and interred in the chapel of the Celestins at Paris, which the dukes of Orleans had founded. Every kind of honour was paid to them during their removal, and at their re-interment,—and it was a magnificent spectacle.
About this time, the king was taken with so serious an illness it was thought he must die. His nobles and courtiers were much grieved: many of them made divers vows and pilgrimages; and processions were ordered throughout the realm, to offer up prayers to Jesus Christ for the king's recovery, which was granted. While he lay speechless, he had a vision, which he related; and it was so marvellous that I firmly believe it to be more a miracle than any thing else. A short time after his recovery, the king solicited the pope to grant a jubilee for his kingdom of France, and other parts under his dominion, without any expenses. On the 26th of June, the feast of St Peter and St Paul, a great procession took place, in which the host was carried as on Corpus-Christi-day, when the king, knowing how earnestly his people had prayed for the restoration of his health, would not show himself ungrateful, but, to reward them, solicited of the pope for this free jubilee.
In this year, don Frederick of Naples died, to whom the king had behaved with the utmost liberality touching his claims on Naples.
In the year 1506, died, Isabella queen of Spain, who, during the wars of Granada, had shown great valour and prudence. The king of Spain was afterwards married to the sister of the lord of Foix, through the interference of the king of France, who, in consideration of the match, made some agreements with the king of Spain respecting Roussillon and Naples.
A war now took place between the duke of Savoy and the Valoisiens, but it was soon made an end of.—In the month of July, a general chapter of the Cordeliers was held at Rome, which had not been done since the death of their founder St Francis. It was caused, as said, by the reformation of the Cordeliers in France, which dissatisfied several of the fraternity,—and it was in this chapter determined by the pope, that there should be only two modes of living among them; that such as had been reformed should remain so: consequently, all the convents of Cordeliers in France follow the rules of the Observantines.
At this time also, a general chapter of the knights of Rhodes was holden at Rome, and many knights were drowned in coming thither, from tempests at sea.