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HISTORICAL ABSTRACT. 159
[October 26] and making arrangements for reducing the Castello, 1524.
withdraws to Pavia, and lays siege to the town 1 [October 28].
Giovanni de' Medici abandons the league and joins Francis I
[Ercole Ricotti, vol. iv. p. 34]. Bourbon leaves Italy for Germany
to collect fresh troops. Clement vii, alarmed at the power of
Charles V, concludes a secret convention with France, placing the
Papal States and Florence under the protection of Francis I.
Quarrel between the Pope and the Imperialists. Francis I forms
the project of attacking the kingdom of Naples [Guicciardini, St.
d' It. xv. ch. iv ; Nardi, bk. vii ; Ammirato, bk. xxx. sub init.].
Affairs at Floroneo.--In May, the Cardinal of Cortona, Silvio Passerini,
is entrusted by Clement VII with the government of Florence,
and takes up his residence at the palace of the Medici. On July 30,
Ippolito de' Medici [aet. 15 : son of Giuliano, Duke of Nemours : see
Genealogical Table iii] is declared eligible for office at Florence [Ammirato,
bk. xxx. p. 353] ; he assumes the title of Magnifico. Arrives
in Florence at end of August, together with Alessandro de' Medici _;
discontent at Florence [Varchi, bk. ii. sub init.].
Wraehiavolli.--Continues writing the 'Storie Fiorentine' [Op. viii.
165, 'attendo in villa a scrivere la istoria' ; letter to Guicciardini of
August 3o]. ? During this year writes 'Clizia' [Op. v. I34], an
imitation of the Casina of Plautus ; acted at Florence in 1525.
Who _'reneh in Italy.--In January, John Stuart, Duke of Albany, 1525.
passes through Tuscany with French troops, sent by Francis I
during the siege of Pavia, to create a diversion in the kingdom of
Naples, and to divide the Imperial forces. Anxiety of Clement vii,
who, fearing lest both Milan and Naples should fall into the hands
of the French, induces him to stop in the neighbourhood of Siena.
He is forced to withdraw after the battle of Pavia.
Francis I continues the siege of Pavia, defended by Leyva. [In a
skirmish on February 17, Giovanni dei Medici is wounded and
obliged to retire to Piacenza; 'qui rut une perte pour nous; car
c'estoit un grand homme de guerre'; Bellay, p. 388]. The Imperial
troops, joined-by i2,ooo men under Bourbon, advance
towards the French camp: the Battle of Pavia, February 24:
The siege of Pavia continued almost exactly four months. The Imperial
forces ' were obliged to remain in such an ignomlmous state of inaction that a
pasquinade was published at Rome, offering a reward to any person who could
find the Imperial army, lost in the month of October in the mountains between
France and Lombardy, and whzch had not been heard of since that time'
[Robertson, Charles V, vol. i. p. 5Io, Lib. Ed._.
2 So Varchi, vol. i. p. I4; but Cambl says that Alessandro arrived June I9,
I525. Capponi IS. d. Rep. di Fir. vol. iii. I67] follows Cambi. Ammirato
[bk. xxx. p. 355] says he arrived while Raffaello Girolami was Gonfaloniere,
i.e. May-June, I5a5.