The king, after his return from his expedition to Naples, as we have already mentioned, continued a long time at Lyons, entertaining himself with jousts and tournaments; and though still desirous to regain the places he had lost in the kingdom of Naples, whatever it cost him, he would take no pains to manage his own affairs. He had very good intelligence in Italy, and great designs were set on foot in his favour; which could easily have been managed by the kingdom of France, which is very populous, and plentiful in corn, especially in Languedoc and Provence, and other countries, out of which it is no difficult task to raise money. But if any other prince besides the King of France should embrace the cause of the Italians, and undertake their assistance, it would impoverish and exhaust him to no purpose; for they will do nothing without money; nor, indeed, are they able to do anything, unless it be the Duke of Milan, or some of the great States. But a private governor or general, how well affected soever he may be to the House of France, and its pretensions to the kingdom of Naples, or the duchy of Milan, let him be as devoted as he will to its interest (and from Italians you must expect nothing more than partisanship), yet he cannot serve that house long after the pay begins to fail; for the poor general would be deserted by his own soldiers, and would himself be utterly undone; because for the most part they have nothing wherewith to raise men, but their reputation and credit; and the soldiers are paid by the general, and the general by him who employs him in his service.