Finally unto the siege of Pavia came the French king personally with .lx. thousand men of war,1 of which .xij, thousand were horsemen, and with money enough And the Emperors host was under .xx. thousand, of which were but .iij. thousand horsemen, with no money at all. For he trusted unto the Pope for aid of men, and unto ⟨image 65⟩our Cardinal for money. But the Pope kept back his men till that the frenchmen had given them a field, and our Cardinal kept back his money for the same purpose. And thus was the silly Emperor betrayed, as all his predecessors have been this .viiij. hundred years. How be it there be that sa•e, how that the Emperors soldiers so threatened Pace,2 the kings graces ambassador, that he was fain to make che•esaunce with merchants for money in the kings name, to pay the soldiers with all. Wherefore the cardinal toke from him all his promotions, and played tormentors with him when he came home, because that he presumed to do one Jot more than was in his commission But how so ever it was, the emperors men, in tarrying for help / had spent out all their victuals. Whereupon Bourbon the chief captain of the Emperor said unto his under captains: ye see,3 help cometh not, and that our vitals are spent. Wherefore there is no remedy but to fight though we be unequally matched. If we win, we shall find meat enough: if we loose, we shall loose no more th•n we must lose with hunger / though we fight not. And so they concluded to set upon the Frenchmen by ⟨image 66⟩night. The king of france and his lorde• purposing that the moon would sooner have fallen out of the sky, then that the Emperors host durst have fought with them / were some what negligent, and went the same night a mumming that Bourbon set upon them. The Emperors host therefore with their sudden coming upon them, amazed the frenchmen / and drave them upon heaps together one on an other, so that they never could come in array again, and toke the king and diverse of his lords & slew many and wan the field. And there came out all the Cardinals privy treason / for in the French king's tent (say men) were letters found / and beside that in the French king's treasure, and in all the host among the soldiers were english ships found innumerable which had come sailing a thousand miles by land.
Fynallye vnto the sege of Pauye came the Frenchkyng parsonallye with .lx. thousand men of warre,1 of whych .xij, thousand were horsemen, and wyth money ynough And the Emperours host was vnder .xx. thousand, of whych were but .iij. thousand horsemen, wt no money at all. For he trusted vnto the Pope for ayde of men, and vnto ⟨image 65⟩oure Cardynall for money. But the Pope kepte backe hys men tyll that the frēchmē had geuen them a felde, and our Cardinall kepte backe hys money for the same purpose. And thus was the selye Emperoure betrayed, as all hys predecessours haue bene this .viiij. hūdred yeres. How be it there be that sa•e, how that the Emperours sodiars so thretened Pace,2 the kynges graces embassadoure, that he was fayne to make che•esaunce wyth marchauntes for money in the kinges name, to paye the soldyars with all. Wherfore the cardinall toke from hym all his promocions, and played tormētours wyth him whē he came home, because that he presumed to do one Iore more thē was in his commissiō But how so euer it was, ye emperours mē, in tarieng for helpe / had spent out all their vitayles. Whervpō Burbon the chefe captayne of the Emperoure sayd vnto his vnder captaynes: ye se,3 helpe cometh not, and that our vitales are spent. Wherfore there is no remedy but to fight though we be vnequally matched. If we wynne, we shall fynd meate ynough: if we loose, we shall loose no more th•n we must lose with hūgre / thogh we fyght not. And so they cōcluded to set vpō ye Frenchmē by ⟨image 66⟩night. The king of fraunce and his lorde• purposing that the mone wolde soner haue faullen out of the skye, then that the Emperoures host durst haue fought wyth them / were som what negligent, and wēt the same night a mummynge that Burbon sett vppon them. The Emperours host therfore with their sodayn comyng vppon thē, amased the frenchmen / and draue them vpon heapes to gether one on an other, so yt they neuer coulde com in aray agayne, and toke the king and diuerse of his lords & slew many and wanne the felde. And there came out all the Cardinals preuye treason / for in the frenchkinges tent (say men) were letters founde / and besyde that in the Frenchkyngs treasure, and in all the host among the sodiars were englysh shippes found innumerable whiche had come saylynge a thousande myles by land.
- 1Pauye.
- 2Pace•
- 3BourbonBurbo•
