Not long after this victory, the townsmen of Milan waited on the king, to beg his mercy and pardon for what they had done, and to present him with the keys of their gates. The king mercifully received them, and forgave them, but not without making them pay a heavy fine. The french army now marched to lay siege to the castle of Milan, into which Maximilian Sforza with a body of Swiss, and others whom he collected, had thrown themselves. The artillery made, within a few days, several breaches in the outworks; and Pedro de Navarre had worked his mines under the walls of the castle with such success great part of them fell down.
Maximilian, perceiving himself in danger, made offers to capitulate, when the king sent his chancellor with other gentlemen to treat with him. They were all handsomely dressed: the chancellor had on a flowing robe of raised cloth of gold. Having entered the castle, they instantly began a negotiation with Maximilian for peace, and proceeded in it so far that he accompanied them to the king's camp, where the treaty was concluded, on condition that the Swiss in the castle should be allowed to march away with their baggage in safety, and be paid the whole of the money that had been promised them by the king of France.
Maximilian, by this treaty, resigned all pretensions to the duchy of Milan[64] to the king, who received him with kindness, and had him escorted to France, where he was henceforth to reside. The king made a brilliant entry into Milan, and staid there some time, during which he was magnificently feasted by the nobles and gentlemen of the town and duchy.
In regard to the inhabitants of Pavia, they escaped being pillaged from their poverty, for all of the richer sort had retired into Milan so soon as they heard of the king's successes,—and a treaty was concluded with them by means of a sum of money.
FOOTNOTES:
[64] This was brought about by the constable of Bourbon, who bargained that Maximilian should enjoy a yearly pension of 30,000 ducats, &c.
See the french and italian historians, and particularly Mr. Roscoe's Lorenzo de Medici and Leo X.