In the course of this great butchery, a body of Swiss retreated toward a cassino of the van-guard, where was posted the duke of Bourbon, constable of France: he instantly pursued them, had the cassino set on fire, and unless they could have flown through the flames, not one could have escaped. May God have mercy on their souls, and of all those who fell on this day! It is a great pity that it should be in the power of two or three persons to cause the deaths of so many human creatures, whom they seem to estimate no more than as so many sheep. Alas! they are not beasts, and have sense and reason, or at least ought to have, although sometimes their strength fails through wicked intentions. Some of the wounded Swiss fled to Milan, others to Como: those who entered Milan told the citizens that they had gained the battle, on which they were led to the great hospital to be cured,--but when the Lansquenets afterwards entered that city, they finished to cure them in a strange and terrible manner. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 62: Marignano,--eleven miles SE. from Milan.] [Footnote 63: The marshal de Trivulce said that he had been at eighteen pitched battles, but that they were children's play compared with this.] CHAP. XXXIX. MILAN SURRENDERS TO THE KING OF FRANCE.--THE CASTLE, BESIEGED BY THE FRENCH, SURRENDERS ON CAPITULATION. 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.