The Constable De Bourbon. William Harrison Ainsworth

LES TRANCHERS DES DAMES.

       X. HOW POMPERANT FURNISHED A SAFE-CONDUCT TO THE DEPUTIES TO THE KING.

       XI. HOW TOULON WAS BESIEGED AND TAKEN BY THE MARQUIS DEL VASTO.

       XII. AVIGNON.

       XIII. HOW POMPERANT WAS ORDERED FOR, EXECUTION.

       XVI. THE MINE.

       XV. HOW THE SIEGE OF MARSEILLES WAS RAISED.

       END OF THE FOURTH BOOK

       BOOK V.-THE BATTLE OF PAVIA

       I. HOW FRANÇOIS I. SET OUT FOR ITALY, AND HOW HE ENTERED MILAN.

       II. BONNIVET'S LAST INTERVIEW WITH THE COMTESSA DI CHIERI.

       IV. OF THE STRATAGEM PRACTISED BY ANTONIO DE LEYVA.

       V. GEORGE VON FRUNDSBERG.

       VI. HOW FRANÇOIS I. REFUSED TO RAISE THE SIEGE OF PAVIA.

       VII. IN WHAT MANNER POMERRANT PROCURED A SUPPLY OP POWDER FOR THE

       GOVERNOR OF PAVIA.

       VIII. HOW MARCELLINE D'HERMENT CAME TO PAVIA TO SOLICIT HER BROTHER'S

       PARDON PROM THE KING.

       IX. HOW PESCARA CAUSED A BREACH TO BE MADE IN THE WALLS OF THE PARK. OF

       MIRABELLO.

       X. THE BATTLE.

       XI. HOW BONNIVET WAS SLAIN BY BOURBON.

       XII. HOW THE KING SURRENDERED TO THE VICEROY OF NAPLES.

       BONUM MIHI QUIA HUMILIA STI ME, UT DISCAM JUSTIFICATIONES TUAS.

       END OF THE FIFTH BOOK.

       BOOK VI.—CHARLES V.

       I. HOW FRANÇOIS I. WAS TAKEN TO MADRID, AND CONFINED IN A MOORISH

       CASTLE.

       33?

       II. HOW THE TREATY OF MADRID WAS SIGNED.

       END OF THE SIXTH BOOK

       BOOK VII.—THE SACK OF ROME.

       I. HOW VON FRUNDSBERG ONCE MORE ENTERED ITALY WITH HIS LANZ-KNECHTS.

       II. HOW BOURBON COMMENCED HIS MARCH TO HOME.

       III. HOW BOURBON REACHED THE APENNINES.

       IV. THE PRINCE OF ORANGE.

       V. HOW LANNOY VAINLY ATTEMPTED TO ARREST BOURBON'S MARCH.

       VI. VON FRUNDSBERG'S LAST CAROUSE.

       VIII. HOW BOURBON AND HIS BANDS ARRIVED BEFORE ROME.

       VIII. BENVENUTO CELLINI.

       IX. THE FIRST SHOT FROM THE WALLS.

       X. IN SAINT PETER'S.

       THE END.

BOOK I.—THE AFFRONT.

       Table of Contents

I. FONTAINEBLEAU.

       Table of Contents

      On a fine day, in the early part of June, 1523, a splendid cavalcade, consisting of three hundred well-mounted gentlemen, habited in velvet, and each having a massive gold chain round his neck, entered the Forest of Fontainebleau from the side of Nemours, and proceeded along an avenue bordered by noble trees towards the palace.

      For the most part, the persons composing this brilliant troop were young and handsome cavaliers, whose looks and haughty bearing proclaimed their high birth, but there were some veterans among them, whose bronzed visages and martial deportment showed that they had served in many a hard campaign. But all were equally richly attired in the sumptuous livery of their leader—black velvet embroidered with gold—and their pourpoints and the housings of their steeds bore a princely badge, woven in gold, together with a sword wrought in the same material, which denoted that their lord held the office of Constable, one of the highest military dignities of France.

      The leader of the troop, a very striking personage, whom it was impossible to regard without interest, was a man of large stature, with handsome, strongly-marked features, very stern in expression. An ample chest and