dian to his Son Philip, refolved to fupport, by Force of Arms, their Right to this Dutchy, as making Part of the Dominions of the Houfe of Burgundy. Nevertheless, Charles Egmond, Son to Adolphus, difputed the Poffeffion with them, and maintained himfelf in the Dukedom, in fpite of the Power of the Auftrian Family, and the Judgment of the Princes of the Empire, who gave it in favour of Philip. Maximilian was now obliged to come to a fpeedy Accommodation with Charles, whereby he held Part of the Dutchy during his Life. The Reafon for this fudden Agreement was, the better to enable the Emperor to oppose the Swiss, who, about this Time, had made Incurfions into the Austrian Territories. This War was carried on between them with fuch Fury, that divers bloody Battles were fought, and not lefs than 30,000 Men cut off; the Victory fometimes inclined to the one fide, and fometimes to the other; in which different Engagements Maximilian fignalized himself by feveral glorious Actions; but at laft, by the Mediation of divers Princes, he granted them Peace, which was concluded very much to his Honour and Advantage. Whilft the Emperor was thus employed, Cafar Borgia was not idle, having, with his Father's Afliftance, formed great Projects, in order to raise his own Grandeur in Italy; and for that End he came to a Refolution to renew with more Warmth than ever a Propofal he had made for marrying the Daughter of Frederick King of Naples; judging, that, as Things were then quiet, it was the readieft Way of arriving at what he had projected; that, if he could but once get Footing in fome Part of the Kingdom of Naples, as the whole was Feudatory to the Church, he fhould in a little Time be able to ftrip his Father-in-law thereof, and get himself made Sovereign, and by Force of Arms, and the Affiftance of the Dd Pope's 6 Pope's Spiritual and Temporal Power, maintain Poffeffion thereof. Nor did this Scheme feem impracticable to him, when he confidered, that Frederick had neither Force nor Friends to fupport him. In this Attempt Borgia was affifted by the Duke of Milan, who hoped thereby to fecure himself a powerful Friend against France. But King Frederick, knowing very well the Nature of thefe Syrens, turned the deaf Ear to the infidious Mufick with which they endeavoured to allure him, and in particular the Duke of Milan fent him a Letter, wherein he reprefented, How prejudicial it might be to his Affairs, if in that critical Conjuncture he 'fhould irritate the Pope, and perhaps provoke him ' and Borgia to embrace new Meafures; and that, as they were already wavering in their Politicks, 'twould ' be too dangerous for him, by refufing his Requefts, 'to provoke the Pope to fide with the French.' Yet Frederick was inflexible; he answered his Letter, and among other Matters fet forth, That he well forefaw this Danger, but of two Evils it was most adviseable to chufe the lefs, especially that which was leaft 'difhonourable; that, if he was ruined, it fhould never be attributed to his own Choice, or his perfonal Mifdeeds.' The Cafe happened just as the Duke of Milan had imagined; for the Pope and his Son, finding they could not obtain what they expected from the King of Naples, determined at any Rate to fall in with the French Measures. Accordingly his Holiness dispatched two of his trusty Minifters to France, under Pretence of condoling with Lewis on the Decease of his glorious Predeceffor, and to congratulate him on his Acceffion to the Throne. Compliments were not the End of their Embaffy, his Holinefs gave them in Commiffion to ask the King to use his good Offices for promoting a Marriage between his Son Borgia and and Charlotta de Foix, Daughter of Jane, Queen of Navarre, which young Lady then refided at the French Court. These Ministers no fooner made the Requeft, but Lewis granted it, and withal offered to beftow very great Honours on Borgia, and give him the Poffeffion of confiderable Eftates in France, provided his Holiness would grant him three Things; which were, first, Security that he would affift him in the Expedition he very foon intended to make into Italy: Secondly, grant him a Difpenfation for annulling his Marriage with Jane his Wife: And lastly, that he would make George d'Amboife, Archbishop of Roban, his faithful Servant, a Cardinal. Alexander readily confented to what Lewis defired, upon a Profpect of establishing that Grandeur to his Family, which he much thirfted after. His Holiness, to fhew that he was very ready to please the King in the fecond Point, which he fo earneftly defired, fent a Commiffion to certain Commiffaries, who were impowered to examine into the Validity of the Marriage; the Protest made at the Time of folemnizing it, and other Reasons for making it void, were produced, and Jane herself, eminent for her Sanctity, making no Oppofition, the Matrimonial Tye was foon declared null, which was confirmed by a Bull from the Holy See. This Divorcement made Way for the King's Marriage with Ann of Britanny, his Predeceffor's Queen, whom he had formerly courted; tho' fhe on her part had loved him, yet did not fubmit to it without fome Scruple; and the Fate of this Princefs was fingular in this refpect, who had been married to Charles the VIIIth, on a kind of Divorce from Maximilian, whom she had efpoused. The Marriage Articles were refpectively figned by both Parties at Nantz, and the Nuptial Rites Dd 2 cele |