The Doge writes to Cardinal Wolfey. rupted by the Continuance of the War. 66 Francis K. of France, tho' he had great Reason to be diffatisfied with his Holiness's Conduct towards him, never ceased courting his Friendship, in hopes thereby to stay him from fecretly endeavouring to rekindle a War in Milan, which might poffibly end in lofing that Dutchy. After feveral Schemes for that Purpose, The at last imagining he had found an infallible Means to attach the holy Father to his Interests, proposed to Lorenzo de Medici, the Pope's Nephew, a very advantageous Match with Magdalene, Heirefs of the House of Bologn. This Propofal was very agreeable to Lorenzo, and accordingly accepted of, who repaired to debted to the learned Sir Hans Paris, ed, was educated at Padua) and others eminent in the Faculty, with the Royal College of Phyficians in London, have greatly encouraged the Undertak ing and Publication of an Herbal of the most useful Phyfick Plants in the faid Garden, &c. engraved on Copper-Plates as big as Life, with their Roots, Stems, Leaves, Flowers, Fruits and Seeds, curioufly drawn, engraved and coloured by the ingenious Mrs. Blackwell; to which is added Explanations, with their Names in different Languages, and the proper Seafons of Blowing, & The kind Reception this Work has met with at Home, as well as Abroad, is well known. * Paris, where he married the Lady in the Prefence of his Majesty, the Duke of Bourbon, &c. Here we find he flood Godfather, in the Pope's Name, to the Dauphin, who was named Francis, and born the beginning of this Year. The Pope, as an Acknowledgment for * As this Prince will make a that he was extremely beautiful, confiderable Figure in this Hi difcreet, liberal, and valiant; nor ftory, we hope it will not be unac- did his frank Humour, which ceptable here to introduce a fhort much resembled that of the anAccount of him. Charles of tient Gauls, hinder him from Bourbon, Conftable of France, being fuccessful in all manner of was the fecond of Gilbert, Duke Intrigues; for, tho' he was very of Montpefier's three Sons, de- open, yet he governed himself fcended from the only Branch of fo well in all Negotiations, and Bourbon, which was unfortunate; delivered what he had to fay for his Father, the Duke, loft with fo much Art, that he bafhis Life in the Kingdom of Na- fled the Defigns of the most reples, where Charles the VIIIth fined Politicians. The Sweetness had left him Viceroy: His eldeft of his Manners acquired him Brother expired with Grief up- the Love of the French Nation, on his Father's Tomb:(See Vol. 1. and the exact Difcipline he kept P. 217, &c.) And the youngest among his Soldiers gained him was killed at the Battle of Ma- the Efteem of his Enemies. In ignan, in the Year 1515. As Thort, every thing feemed to to the Conflable, he appeared at confpire to his Conquefts and Court when Claudia of France Grandeur, (as if Fortune had been was married to Francis the Ift, unavoidably bound to follow in the Reign of Lewis the XIIth; him) for, from his first bearing and the Tournaments, Matches, Arms, the French had been vic and Divertisements, much in torious wherever he was, and Vogue at that Time in Europe, were vanquished wherever he gave him an Opportunity to fig. was not. And the Historians nalize his Strength and Activity: pofitively aver, """ That he was But it was his Misfortune, in beholden only to his own Dedefpite of himself, to be the Ob-"ferts for the Dignity of Conject of the Countess of Angou-" ftable: That he wanted no lefme's Affection, who, upon her thing to accomplish him for Son, King Francis's Acceffion to "the Hero of his Age, but a the Throne, had a great Share" little more Complacency for in the Administration of publick" the King's Mother, who loved Affairs. "him; or a little lefs Refent This Prince early took notice of "ment for the Injury fhe did Bourbon's rare Endowments,which him, when the faw herself tendered him worthy to be be-flighted or neglected by loved; for the Hiftorians fay,him." រ for the King's Favour to his Nephew, granted him a Power to levy the Tenths upon the Clergy in his Dominions, under Colour of making Preparations for War, to oppose the Turks; but he took care to affign out of it 50,000 Livres, to defray the Charges of the Wedding. Notwithstanding all this, his Holinefs could not help expreffing his Uneafinefs at the French having fo large Poffeflions in Italy; but it was not now a proper Time to take any Step to diflodge them, having other Affairs of greater Confequence depending. Affairs of Scotland." 1517. In the Year 1515 we left Scotland in a very unhappy Situation. Alexander Hume and his Brother, upon their Arrival in England, were commanded by the King to stay at Harbottle in Northumberland, till they fhould know his further Pleasure. Queen Margaret had been fome time in London, where he was treated with great Diftinction and Respect, both by their Majefties and the whole Court. In the mean time the Duke of Albany was very much concerned at the Flight of fuch great Perfonages, and, to prevent their making an Impreffion on his Majefty to his Prejudice, he fent a special Ambaffador into England, with a Commiffion to defend him against any Reflections, touching his Conduct in Scotland. This Ambaffador, in an Audience of his Majefty, affured the King, that the Regent had done nothing to induce the Queen, or the Nobility who had retired out of Scotland, to fear any ill Treatment in cafe they had ftaid at their own Court; and that both her Majesty and her Followers were at Liberty to return to Scotland, and enjoy their Estates the fame as before. The Ambaffador alfo, in the Duke's Name, defired a Truce with England, and, to fhew the Sincerity of the Regent's Intentions, he told the King, that the Duke was ready to come into England in Perfon, to pay him his Devoirs. This Com VOL. II. Ааа plaifance plaifance induced him to confent to a Truce with Scotland, which was afterwards prolonged to the End of this Year. However, the Humes in particular did not accept of the Terms offered by the Ambaffador, but continued in England. The States, upon their Assembling, being informed thereof, commanded Alexander to appear before them, who not appearing, they condemned him, and confifcated his Goods: Notwithstanding this, thro' the Perfuafion of his Friends, he was at laft induced to furrender himself to the Regent, was carried to Edinburgh, and put in Cuftody of the Earl of Arran, his Sifter's Hufband, who was to be deemed a Traytor, in cafe he let him Escape: But Hume, upon this, perfuaded Arran to escape with him, and form a Party, in hopes of getting the Government into their Hands. When the Regent heard this he went to the Earl's Castle, and forced it to furrender in two Days. In the mean time Hume was not idle, for he pillaged the Country round about Dunbar, and burnt and deftroyed great part of the Country. In the Spring of the Year, 1517, John Stuart, Earl of Lenox, whofe Mother was the Earl of Arran's Sifter, joined the Rebels with fome Forces; but, before any great Matters were tranfacted, at the Interceffion of Friends, the Regent was induced to pardon both the Earls and Hume; and thereupon they all returned to Court. But Alexander Hume could not reft here, for it was not long before he was plotting new Mischief, which being discovered, Alexander,* with Tho' this great Man met with fo unfortunate an End, yet the Name and Family was not loft in Scotland; for one of his Defcendants was created Earl of Hume by King James the Ift of his England; and this Title is now enjoyed by the prefent Right Honourable William Hume, Earl of Hume, who is alfo of this Family, and no fmall Ornament to that as well as his Country. his Brother William were condemned to fuffer Death, which was accordingly executed on them, by cutting off their Heads, and placing them upon the most confpicuous Parts of the City of Edinburgh, as a Terror to others: And thus Alexander Hume, one of the most powerful Men in Scotland, unhappily loft his Life. Alexander left three Brothers behind him, who all met with various Misfortunes. George, for Murder, lay as an Exile in England; John, Abbot of Jedburgh, was banished beyond the Tay; David, the youngest, fell into an Ambush, and was killed, tho' much pitied by all, being an innocent, hopeful young Gentleman. When Calamities had thus pursued and almost ruined the Family of the Humes, it was remarked, that Calamities alfo fell to John Hepburns's Share, a professed Enemy of theirs. After these different Proceedings the Affairs of the State foon became more quiet, which induced the Regent to bring the King from Sterling Castle to Edinburgh. Soon after this he had an Inclination to take a Tour to France, which was very much oppofed at first by the Nobility, tho' at laft they confented to it: But, before he fet out, he committed the Government of the Kingdom, in his Abfence, to the Archbishops of St. Andrew's and Glasgow; the Earls of Angus, Arran, Argyle, and Huntley, and Anthony Dacry, a Frenchman, Governor of Dunbar. As foon as the Duke Regent was embarked for France, Queen Margaret departed from London, highly satisfied with her Brother's generous Treatment, and was met at Berwick by her Hufband, the Earl of Angus, who conducted her to Edinburgh, where she was joyfully received by the People. Affairs of The Lord Deputy of Ireland continued very active to reprefs the Incurfions of the wild Irish, and, to fhew he was as well qualified for War as for Peace, invaded Imaly, and А за 2 1517. flew |