THE KING OF FRANCE ENTERS THE CITY OF NAPLES IN TRIUMPH.--THE ATTACK AND CAPTURE OF THE CASTEL NUOVO AND THE CASTEL DEL OVO.—OF THE EVENTS THAT PASSED IN NAPLES.
On Sunday, the 22d day of February, in the year 1494, king Charles dressed himself in his royal robes, and triumphantly entered the city of Naples. Although he afterwards made another entry, as shall be more fully detailed, he, however, showed himself this day the true king and potent lord of Naples, and went thence to the castle of Capua.
As some of the partisans of king Alphonso still held the citadel of Naples, the Castel Nuovo, and the Castel del Ovo, king Charles ordered them to be instantly attacked, although one side of the citadel was washed by the sea. He had his battering artillery pointed against the Castel Nuovo; and the captains of the guard for the king were sir Gabriel de Montfaucon, Jean de la Grange, and others of rank.
Not to prolong matters, the citadel was gained after a very severe attack; and the Germans, Neapolitans, and Spaniards, of the party adverse to the king of France, burnt the outworks and hastily retreated to join their associates in the Castel Nuovo. In the citadel were found the largest cannons that had ever been seen, with such quantities of other things of an extraordinary appearance that it was more than eight days before the place could be cleared, by employing numbers of people and carts.
Wednesday, the 25th day of February, the king, after hearing mass in the church of the Annonciada went to dine with the lord de Montpensier, and thence, accompanied by his lords, repaired to the citadel to examine how it had been battered, and to consult on the best means of conquering the Castel Nuovo. The next day the garrison demanded a parley, on which the artillery ceased firing,—and the lord Angilbert of Cleves, the lord of Ligny, the bailiff of Dijon, and the great chamberlain to the queen advanced to confer with them. The first demand of the garrison was, that the king would grant them a truce for twenty-four hours, which was cheerfully acceded to: the next, that they might, on the morrow, march away with arms and baggage, which was refused.
On the twenty-four hours being expired, the artillery played more fiercely than before,—and it was a pitiful sight to view the ruins of this Castel Nuovo, which was exceedingly strong. The besieged fired a piece of artillery against the church of the Franciscans of the observantine order, which broke through the roof, but did not the least mischief to crowds of persons, of both sexes, then in the church. The incessant firing of the batteries lasted from Thursday to the Monday following,—and there were so many breaches, for the king was there in person, that the garrison again demanded a cessation of arms for another parley. The lord Angilbert of Cleves and the bailiff of Dijon, who spoke German, met the deputies from the castle. They demanded permission to march away in safety with their baggage, to receive three months pay to serve the king, if it should be agreeable to him; otherwise, to receive passports for them to go whither-soever they pleased.
The cessation of arms was renewed from day to day, as the parley was prolonged by the garrison until the 3d of March, in expectation of being relieved by king Alphonso. But when they found all hopes of relief vain, and that the batteries were about to recommence with more violence than ever, they were forced to abandon themselves to the mercy of the king, into whose hands they surrendered themselves. He allowed them to keep their baggage; but all artillery, stores, and provisions, were to remain in the castle, which he immediately re-garrisoned with his troops, and with able captains, for its defence.
During the king's stay at that pleasant place Poggio-Réalé, the daughter of the duchess of Melfy[1], in company with her mother, came thither, mounted on a superb courser of La Puglia, and throwing the bridle on his neck, made him gallop four or five long courses; after which she made him curvet and bound, as well as the most excellent rider could have done, which pleased the king very much,—and he made her a handsome present.
Monday, the 4th of March, the king had the Castel del Ovo besieged, and strongly battered on the land side; the others were surrounded by the sea. This day, the king heard mass at the carthusian convent, and dined with the lord of Clerieux[2]: he afterwards visited the siege of the Castel del Ovo, of which the artillery had already destroyed great part,—for the canoniers had performed their duty wonderfully well, insomuch that about five o'clock in the afternoon the garrison demanded a parley. The king being there in person, consented to it, and sent thither the lords de Foix and de Miolan, who having heard their proposals, carried them to the king while at supper.
Thursday, the 5th of March, the king again returned to the siege, after his dinner; and while he was in the trenches with his artillery, the prince of Tarentum waited on him. The lord de Guise, the lord de Ligny, the master of the household Brillac, had advanced to meet the prince, and remained as hostages for his safe return after the conference. The king and prince were both sumptuously dressed, and conversed by themselves for some time, in a garden adjoining to the park of artillery, to all appearance with great politeness. When the conversation was ended, the king called to him the lord de Montpensier, the lord de Foix, the lord de la Trimouille, the lord de Miolan, the mareschal de Gie, and several others, with whom he talked for a considerable time, surrounded by his guards. When it was over, the prince took leave of the king, and returned to his galley, which was anchored off the shore, attended by many of the french lords, according to the king's orders. On his arrival at the shore, he took leave of these lords, commending himself to the good graces of their king; and when he had embarked in his galley they went back to relate to the king all that had passed, and his praises of the reception he had had. On this day the artillery did not play on either side.