celebrated with great Solemnity. This grand Affair being effected, Lewis, that he might not be behind-hand with his Holinefs, in Return for the Favours granted him, difpatched an Ambaffador to Rome, who was charged with a Commiffion that got him a very hearty Welcome; for his Majefty fent by him. a Patert for creating Borgia Duke of Valentinois, a finall Town in Dauphine, with a proper Revenue annexed to it; he alfo granted him an Attendance of one hundred Launces; and the Ambaffador was ordered to request the Pope, to permit Borgia to repair to the French Court, which the Holy Father joyfully confenting to, and the King fent his State Gallies to Oftia, to receive and conduct him into France.

Thefe Points being fettled, the Ambassador set out in order to embark for France, accompanied by the new Duke Valentinois, who was attended by fome of the chief Lords of the Ecclefiaftical State, with an exceeding grand Retinue.

The News of Borgia's intended Journey to France, and the Friendship lately contracted between the Pope and Lewis, greatly alarmed feveral Princes, particularly Ferdinand and Ifabella of Spain, who fuggefted to themselves, that thefe Proceedings would not fail of producing Effects very much to their Prejudice. In order, therefore, to hinder as much as poffible what might be defigned between these two Powers, they difpatched two Ambaffadors Extraordinary to the Court of Rome, who arrived there before Borgia was embarked. Their chief Inftructions were to oppose his going into France, and to reprefent, that, if his Holinefs fuffered him to go there, it might be the Means of difturbing the Tranquillity and Repofe of Italy; which he, as their Spiritual Father, was bound to preferve.

The Ambaffadors being introduced to his Holiness, at firft they humbly intreated him to apply a Remedy,

in

in order to prevent the Disorders that, it was feared, would enfue, in cafe he did not recall his Confent for Borgia's going into France.

The Pope, with his wonted Eloquence, fet forth, That it was not by any Means fit to retract what ' he had confented to, because that would imply a • Meannefs of Soul, and a Want of Judgment; efpe'cially fince, having given the King of France Notice of Borgia's Purpose of taking a Journey into his Country, that Monarch had been fo complaifant 'to fend his Gallies to receive him, and, as he was on his Journey to embark on board them, there was no Remedy, he must proceed on his intended Voyage.' He further added, That they had no Occafion to apprehend any bad Confequence from his Proceedings, fince nothing was defigned thereby to Ferdinand and Ifabella's Prejudice.'

This Anfwer was no way fatisfactory to them; they still perfifted in earnestly begging his Holiness to recall his Son; but, finding him inflexible, from Representations, they fell to heavy Accusations, and from Intreaties to Threatnings. Hence Animofity and Contention arofe on both fides, mutual Reproaches were thrown out against one another in very fmart Language, infomuch that the Ambaffadors swore, Borgia fhould repent one Day or other the Refolution he had taken, and the Pope himself be forced to bite his Fingers for Rage; nay, they told him plainly, That, while he continued in his prefent Way of Thinking, their Mafter and Miftrefs would no more acknowledge him as the common Father of < Chriftians, fince it plainly appeared, that, for ag'grandizing his Family, he fuffered many fcandalous Things to be tranfacted in prejudice to the • Church,'

Alexander

Alexander anfwered, He had been elected by God Almighty, and not by Men, to be the Father of Princes, and fuch he was in fpite of Enemies : That it was not becoming the Father's Dignity to fuccumb to the Caprices of his Sons, but the Duty of Sons to obey their Father's Commands; fo that he would never efteem them as lawful Sons, but as Bastards, who fhould gainfay what he did?' To which one of the Ambaffadors replied, There are Baftards enough already in Rome, you need not bring more into the Church." At which Words Alexander was very much nettled, and in a great Rage told them, 'What he had done was right, and was it to be done again, he would do it, in fpite of those who dare to oppose it.' On which he turned his Back and retired abruptly to his Apartment. But the Ambaffadors, being as much incenfed as the Pope, declared they would not ftir till they entered a Proteftation by a Notary Publick. Accordingly, without any manner of Refpect to the Place where they were, they stamped and ftormed about the Room, making no fmall Clamour; which the Pope thinking an Infult not to be borne with, bounced again out of his Clofet, came up to the Ambaffadors, and bid them in a great Fury be gone to their own Country, and protest there, if they thought proper.

Whereupon thefe Minifters, finding they could obtain no other Answer, returned home. Tho' King Ferdinand at firft was very uneafy at the Pope's Actions, at laft he gave himself no further Trouble on that Head, and fuffered both his Holiness and France to act as they pleased, contenting himself with being a Spectator only, not doubting in the End but to reap fome Advantage from their confufed Defigns, which accordingly he did, as will hereafter be

feen.

During

During thefe Tranfactions, the French Ambassador and Borgia continued their Journey; and the Pope gave Orders to the Governors of all Places within the Ecclefiaftical Dominions to receive them with the highest Marks of Honour, and to falute them with a triple Discharge of the Artillery from the Ramparts of all the garrifoned Towns, as they passed on, which was punctually performed.

On Borgia's Arrival into the French Dominions, Lewis commanded that he should be every where received with all the Grandeur and Refpect imaginable, and that the Guards, as he paffed thro' the Towns and Villages in his Kingdom, fhould meet him without the Gates under Arms; and fo great were the Honours paid him, that Borgia himself was astonished; for wherever he came there appeared fuch Multitudes of Soldiers, and Crowds of People, who flocked from all Parts to fee him, that, when he arrived at Chinon, the Place where the French Court then refided, his Domesticks wrote to their Friends at Rome, that they had in France feen neither Tree, nor Wall, nor Village, but only the Countenances of Men and Women, and the Beams of the Sun.

His Majefty, hearing of the magnificent Train that attended Borgia, could not have Patience till his Arrival at Court, but must needs fee him before, which he did under Pretence of going out a Hunting, and met him about two Leagues without the City, where he received him with the greatest Tokens of Refpect; and, after taking Leave, he returned to his Palace, leaving Borgia to make his Publick Entry in fuch Manner as he pleased.

But as the great Splendor of this Entry is not to be matched in any Hiftories of Europe, and as it almoft exceeds common Belief, we shall give the following Account of it from Monfieur Brantome's Memoirs.

On

On the 18th of December, Cafar Borgia made his folemn Entry into Chinon, being preceded by Cardinal Amboife, Monfieur de Raveftein, the Seneschal of Thouloufe, Monfieur de Cleremont, and other Gentlemen of the Court, and conducted by them as far as the Entry to the Bridge; before him twenty-four fine Mules were led, loaded with Trunks and Baggage, over which rich Coverings were spread, with the Duke's own Arms embroidered on them. After thefe came twenty-four others with Coverings of red and yellow Colours, being the King's Livery. Next followed twelve Mules with Sumpter Cloths of yellow Sattin barred cross-ways. After them ten more, with Coverings of Cloth of Gold, having traverfe Bars raised and plain alternately, and with them other Mules, amounting to Seventy in Number. Then followed fixteen ftately large led Horfes, the Caparifons of which were Cloth of Gold, mixed with red and yellow Stripes of different Stuffs, and their Bridles tied to the Genotte or Pummels of the Saddles. After them came eighteen Pages mounted on fine Horses; of thefe Pages fixteen were cloathed in Crimson Velvet, the other two in Cloth of Gold raised. Next were fix other Mules richly accoutred with Saddles, Bridles, and Harnaffings, each led by a Groom on Foot dreffed in Crimson Velvet, the Furniture of the Mules being of the fame Stuff. After them came two other Mules carrying Coffers covered with Cloth of Gold. [The Spectators, fays our Author, had many Conjectures about what was contained within thefe Coffers, fome judging the Cargoe to be rich 'Jewels brought thither by the Duke as Prefents to his 'Mistress, others fuppofed it to be the Pore's Bulls and

Indulgences fent from Rome, or perhaps fome Kinds ' of Relicts.'] Next to these marched thirty Gentlemen cloathed in Cloth of Gold and Silver. Then came three Minstrels, two Kettle-drums, and a Rebec, which last was an Instrument very much used in thofe Days;

the