During this time, the pope had sent fifteen hundred horse, well appointed, under the command of Prospero Colonna, to join the forces of Maximilian, in the hope of surprising the king before he could pass the mountains; but Prospero, ignorant how near he was to the French, or that they had succeeded in passing the Alps, had halted at a town in Piedmont called Villa-franca[58]. Of this circumstance, a peasant of that country had informed one of the king's gentlemen, named the lord de la Morette, and that, as Prospero was quite unsuspicious of the French being so near, it would be easy to surprise him. The lord de la Morette lost no time to carry this news to the marshal de la Palisse, the lord d'Aubigny, the lord d'Imbercourt, Bayard and others, who all instantly agreed to follow the lord d'Imbercourt in the attempt to surprise Colonna. He had sent forward one of his archers to reconnoitre, who reported, that as Colonna and his men were just sitting down to dinner, and entirely off their guard, an immediate attack would be necessary: d'Imbercourt sent, therefore, to hasten the march of La Palisse and the others. Notwithstanding this, d'Imbercourt boldly advanced to enter Villa Franca,--when as his trumpet was within the gates, and had sounded his charge, his horse's neck was inclosed within them; but the men at arms came to his relief, by crossing their lances over the horse, and put to death all who had opposed them at the gate. They galloped up the streets, shouting out 'France, France!' and advanced to where Colonna was at dinner: a sharp conflict now took place,--but the lord de la Palisse and the others arrived, who soon ended it, by making Colonna prisoner, and slaying great numbers of his men. All his baggage was pillaged, and very many fine horses gained that were in the stables of the town. Prospero Colonna was carried, with the other prisoners, to the king of France, and thence sent into confinement at the castle of Montagu, belonging to the lord de la Palisse. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 55: Romorantin,--15 leagues from Amboise, 11 from Blois.] [Footnote 56: Guillestre,--near Mont-Dauphin, in Dauphiny.] [Footnote 57: St Paul,--a village in Dauphiny.] [Footnote 58: Villa-franca,--16 miles SSW. of Turin.] CHAP. XXXVII. THE KING OF FRANCE PURSUES THE SWISS WITH HIS WHOLE ARMY.--THE TOWN AND CASTLE OF NOVARA SURRENDER TO THE KING. The pope, when he heard of the defeat of Prospero Colonna and his army, and that he was sent prisoner to France, was very much surprised, and not without reason; for he never had imagined that the king of France would attempt to cross the Alps where he had, and for some time would not believe it.