For the better management of these affairs, the Lord Ludovic, in the year 1493, sent a great embassy to the king at Paris. The chief of the embassy was the Count di Cajazzo, eldest son of Robert di St. Severino (whom I mentioned before). At Paris the Count di Cajazzo met the Prince of Salerno, who was his cousin, and chief of the house of St. Severino, and who, having been banished his own country by King Ferrand, was then in France, pressing and soliciting our king to an enterprise against Naples. With the Count di Cajazzo came also Count Charles de Bellejoyeuse[243], and the Lord Galeas Visconti[244] of Milan: both of them were well attended, and in great splendour; but their discourse was only in public, and then in general terms by the way of compliment and visitation; and this was the first solemn embassy that ever Ludovic sent to the king. He had formerly sent one of his secretaries to endeavour to procure that his nephew, the Duke of Milan, might be permitted to do homage for Genoa, by proxy, which was granted against all reason. It is true, the king was at liberty to do him that favour, and depute some person or other to receive his homage; for, when he was under the guardianship of his mother, I (being then ambassador at Milan for the late King Louis XI.) received it by commission from the king in the castle of Milan; but then Genoa was out of his hands, and in the possession of Baptista di Campoforgoso[245], and now the Lord Ludovic had recovered it, and gave eight thousand ducats (to some chamberlains of the king) to have the investiture of it. But they did their master a mighty injury thereby, for they might have had Genoa for him if they had wished; or, if it must be sold, why for so little; as Duke Galeas paid my master, King Louis, fifty thousand ducats at one payment, of which sum I had thirty thousand crowns given me by his majesty, whom may God pardon! and yet they pretended they received the eight thousand ducats by the king’s consent. Stephen de Vers was one of the number of those that received the money, and I think he beat down the price to prepare and oblige Ludovic to back his interest, when his design should be fit for execution.