As soon as the king had refreshed himself for some few days at Asti, he marched to Turin[432]; and at his departure from Asti he despatched Peron de Basche, the steward of his household, to equip a fleet at Nice with all speed for the relief of the castles of Naples, which held out for the king. Peron obeyed his majesty’s orders, prepared a fleet, and gave the command of it to the Lord d’Arban[433], who sailed with it as far as Pruce[434], within sight of the enemy; but the weather was bad, and would not suffer them to engage, so that the fleet did nothing; for the Lord d’Arban returned to Leghorn, where most part of his men got on shore, and ran away from their ships; and the enemy came with their fleet into the port of Bengon[435], not far from Piombino, where they continued two months; so that our men were able to send some small supplies into Naples, by reason that the nature of the port of Bengon is such, that unless it be by one single wind ships can hardly get out, and that wind blows seldom in winter. The Lord d’Arban was valiant in person, but not a very skilful admiral. During the king’s stay at Turin many proposals of treaties passed between the king and the Duke of Milan; and some were managed by the mediation of the Duchess of Savoy, who was the Marquis of Montferrat’s daughter, a widow, and mother to the young duke[436] that was then living. Others were transacted by other people: I was also concerned therein: for the confederates (by whom I mean the commanders at that time before Novara), had a great desire to have me employed in the matter, and sent me a passport; but (as there are always emulations at court) the Cardinal would not suffer it, but prevailed that the overture proposed by the Duchess of Savoy might be preferred, which was managed by the Cardinal’s landlord, who was treasurer of Savoy, a wise man, and a good servant to his mistress: this treaty took up a long time, and for this cause the Bailiff of Dijon was sent ambassador into Switzerland, to raise five thousand of their men.