The Constable De BourbonAinsworth, William Harrison
General
The Constable De Bourbon
Ainsworth, William Harrison
Bourbon, Charles, duc de, 1490-1527 -- Fiction
“The Pope will think so if they once get within the walls of Rome,”
remarked Bourbon. “They are all impatience to be there, and I do not
mean to balk them.”
“Then you do not design to attack Florence?” inquired the Prince of
Orange.
“I have no artillery,” replied Bourbon, “and I do not wish to waste time
in a siege. Florence will be defended by the army of the League and the
Pontifical troops. Rome is more important.”
While they were thus conversing, Von Frundsberg and Zucker came up, and
their new leader was presented to them by Bourbon.
Philibert possessed some of the qualities of Bourbon himself, and could
put on, when he pleased, the rough frankness of a soldier. His manner
pleased Von Frunds-berg, and that hardy veteran was delighted with him
when they became better acquainted, and had passed half the night in a
carouse.
V. HOW LANNOY VAINLY ATTEMPTED TO ARREST BOURBON'S MARCH.
|Next day, from the heights of the Apennines, Bourbon and his bands
looked down upon the lovely city of Florence, and on the incomparable
valley of the Amo. When the soldiers beheld Florence in all its
ravishing beauty lying before them--when from the heights on which they
stood they could count all its palaces and churches, their cupidity was
so strongly excited that they demanded with frenzied eagerness to be led
to the assault.
“Let us sack Florence, noble general!” they shouted.
“No, my brave companions, I cannot grant your request,” rejoined
Bourbon. “Florence is too well defended. Mark the cannon on the walls
and bastions? Mark the army encamped outside the walls, placed there to
cover the city? Florence cannot be taken without artillery, and we have
none, We must march on to Rome, which ean be easily taken, and where ten
times the wealth of Florence is collected.”
Convinced by these arguments, the men ceased their solicitations, and
Bourbon descending to the valley, and avoiding Florence, crossed the
Upper Arno, and continued his march without molestation to Viterbo, in
the neighbourhood of which city he halted.
It was during this halt that he was informed by his scouts of the
approach of Lannoy with a small escort. An hour later the Viceroy of
Naples arrived, and was received by Bourbon in his tent. The Prince of
Orange, Del Vasto, Von Frundsberg, Zueker, and the other leaders were
present at the interview.
“I have come to forbid your highness's further advance,” said Lannoy to
Bourbon. “I have just concluded, on the part of the Emperor, a truce
with the Pope, and have undertaken that the army shall retire.”
“Your highness has undertaken more than you can perform,” said Bourbon.
“I need scarcely inform you that the troops are unpaid.”
“Let not that concern you,” rejoined Lannoy. “His Holiness has supplied
me with sufficient money to pay them. The army must retire, I say. I am
the representative of his Imperial Majesty in Italy, and I issue that
order.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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