'And, lastly, that since, out of your great mercy and wisdom, you have been pleased to separate the principal instigators of the late rebellion from the more peaceable inhabitants of the town,--and that, through the mercy of God, the cardinal Ascanius and the chiefs of that party are now, for the welfare of the country, detained prisoners,--we beseech you to use your interest with the king our lord, that such provisions be made to prevent them henceforth from troubling the city and duchy, as they have lately done, and put us again in danger of losing our lives and fortunes, whence we have been relieved by the merciful bounty of the king our lord. 'We assure you, most reverend father in God, and most noble lord, that we are determined to remain faithful to our sovereign prince in body and soul; and, by granting us our requests, you will never again hear of any disturbances or factions in this town,--for the inhabitants will, henceforward, be united in his service, as experience shall prove. We have full confidence that your benignant goodness will do every thing, in regard to us, becoming the race whence you descend, which will be agreeable to God, and worthy to be engraved on marble, as a perpetual memorial of your wisdom, and to the glory of your name: all of which I and the people of Milan now assembled here, again on our bended knees, beseech you to grant.' Master Michael having finished his harangue, the lord-cardinal of Amboise consulted the marshal of Trivulce, the bishop of Luson[19], chancellor of Milan, the lord de Neufchatel, and others of the king's counsellors, and ordered master Michael Ris, doctor of civil and canon law, and counsellor to the king in his court of parliament of Burgundy, and in the senate of Milan, to make a reply, which he did in manner following. 'Misertus est Dominus super Ninevem civitatem; eo quod pænitentiam egit in cinere et cilicio.' My lords and gentlemen of the Milanese, the very reverend father in God and most noble cardinal here present, as lieutenant general for the king in this duchy, has more attentively listened to your humble propositions and requests than your demerits deserved. That his bounty and mercy may be more manifest, he has ordered me to lay before you your great and inexcusable rebellion, which his excellency would willingly have done himself could he have addressed you in your own language. I am, therefore, employed to do it by his command. I must, therefore, remind you, that on the day when you swore fidelity to the most Christian king, I then addressed you by his orders, and exhorted you to remain firm in your loyalty to him, whence you would derive great honour, and by acting contrary inevitable evils and disgrace would follow. I am now commanded by the most noble lord-cardinal, here present, to explain your great disloyalty and infidelity, that the exceeding clemency and pity of the king, our lord, may be the more apparent.