THE SACK OF ROME. (Guicciardini's History of Italy.) 1527. ON the 5th of May, the Constable de Bourbon encamped in the fields near Rome, and haughtily sent a herald to the Pope to demand free passage through the city, that he might lead his army into the kingdom of Naples. Resolved to conquer or die, having indeed no other resource, he next day at dawn began a violent assault on the Borgo, on the side of the mountains, and of the church of San Spirito. A thick fog that had risen during the night covered the advance of the troops. At the very commencement of the attack, Bourbon, seeing that the Germans did not act with sufficient spirit, went to lead them on, and was killed on the spot by an arquebus bullet. But this mischance, far from cooling the courage of the soldiers, served only to animate them the more, and after having fought furiously for two hours, they at last penetrated into the Borgo. As it is always very difficult to storm towns without cannon, they lost about a thousand men in the assault. Their courage was aided not only by the feebleness of the defences, but also by the bad behaviour of the defenders; a plain proof of the difference between troops used to war and a mob of fighters hastily brought together. Nevertheless, a body of the youth of Rome, led by the town officers, fought bravely under the banners of the Roman people; but the great number of Ghibellines and of partisans of the Colonnas who were mingled with them, prevented a vigorous resistance being made, for these did not indeed desire the Imperialists to make themselves masters of Rome, but did not fear it much, hoping that the enemy might be induced to favour their own party. The Imperialists had no sooner secured a passage for themselves, than every one fled into the town, leaving the suburbs at the mercy of the victors. The Pope, who was awaiting the result of the assault in the Vatican, when he learned that the Borgo had been taken, fled at once into the castle of St. Angelo with It was several of the cardinals. a question whether he should remain there, or, passing through the town with his light horse, should withdraw to a place of safety; but he was destined to be an illustrious example that the sovereign pontiffs are liable to misfortune as well as the rest of men, although it is not easy to destroy the reverence inspired by the majesty of their rank. Bérard of Padua came from the imperial army to inform him of the death of the Duke de Bourbon; he told him that the soldiers, in consternation at this loss, were very ready to make terms. Clement at once sent to their commanders, and while he let a favourable opportunity of escape be lost, he ceased to take measures for the defence of the town. Without meeting any resistance, the Imperialists soon got possession of the Transtevère, and at five o'clock in the afternoon made their way into Rome by the bridge of Sixtus. With the exception of the Ghibellines and of some cardinals known for their attachment to the emperor, and who, therefore, flattered themselves that they would be treated with more favour than the others, all the inhabitants were in flight, and confusion reigned everywhere, as is always the case in such scenes. Then the soldiery spread tumultuously throughout the town and pillaged on all hands, without distinction of friend or foe, and without any regard to the dignity of the prelates; the very churches, the mon asteries, the most celebrated relics and sacred things, were not protected from the avarice of the soldiers. In fact, it is impossible to describe or even to imagine the desolation of this city, which seemed destined to pass in turn from the highest pitch of grandeur to the most frightful calamities; this was the second time that it saw itself abandoned to the martial fury, and it was nine hundred and eighty years ago that the Goths had so ruthlessly plundered it. The booty was immense, by the prodigious quantity of riches and rarities accumulated for so long in the palaces of the great and the shops of the merchants, and by the number and the rank of the prisoners, from whom very large ransoms were demanded. But the height of misfortune was that the soldiers, and especially the Germans whose hatred of the Roman Church rendered them more furious, took several prelates, and after having dressed them in their ceremonial robes, mounted them on asses, and, in this unworthy plight, presented them as a laughing-stock to all the city. Many persons perished amid tortures, or were so cruelly ill-used that they died at the end of some days after having paid their ransom. About four thousand men were killed in the attack, or in the wild rage of pillage. All the palaces of the cardinals and of the other nobles were plundered, except certain ones where the merchants had stored their goods, and which were spared in consideration of large sums of money. It hap| bishops, who had not expected to be insulted by their own countrymen, were seized and treated as harshly as the rest. * pened, indeed, that several persons who had thus compounded with the Spaniards, were pillaged by the Germans, or were obliged also Everywhere might be seen perto buy them off with more money. sons being tormented with the The Marchioness of Mantua paid utmost barbarity, to extort money fifty thousand ducats to guarantee from them, or to make them disher mansion against the greed of close where their property was the soldiery; this sum was fur- | hid. All the objects of devotion nished to her by the merchants and the relics with which the who had taken refuge with her, churches were filled, were trodden and the story was that her son, under foot, after having been deDon Ferdinand, had the fifth part spoiled of their ornaments; and to of it. The Cardinal de Sienne, these acts of sacrilege the German always, like his ancestors, a friend barbarity added blasphemies and to the emperor, was made prisoner outrages beyond number. What by the Germans, who also sacked was of least value, and what the his palace, though the cardinal had | soldiers had not thought it worth arranged with the Spaniards to be while to touch, was pillaged by the spared this misfortune; barehead- peasants from the estates of the ed and loaded with blows, they Colonnas who came to Rome when conducted him to the Borgo, and all was over. Cardinal Colonna, he only got out of their hands by who arrived the day after the giving them five thousand ducats. taking of the city, rescued several The Cardinals de la Minerve and ladies who had sought refuge in Ponant suffered almost the same | his palace. It was said that the treatment. They paid their ran- booty of the soldiers, in gold and som to the Germans, but that did silver and precious stones, was not prevent them from being both worth more than a million of led ignominiously through the ducats, and that the amount of town by these madmen. The the ransoms went far beyond this Spanish and German cardinals and sum. THE FALL OF CARDINAL WOLSEY. (Lord Herbert of Cherbury's Life of Henry VIII.) 1530. CARDINAL WOLSEY being now divested of his late power (wherein he had the glory, in some sort, to have been superior to his king) and for the rest being left alone, and exposed not only to a general hatred, but to the private machinations of the present and future queen, became sensible of his ill estate; though yet he did not believe himself so near his overthrow, as it appeared afterwards. But what could he hope for, when such puissant enemies did procure his destruction? Therefore, though he received some advices from Rome, which might argue a care rather than a power for his conservation, yet in effect what secret intelligence soever passed betwixt the pope and him, came to the emperor first, and after to Queen Catherine, who cunningly caused it to be whispered into the king's ears, by some more indirect ways, than it could possibly be imagined to proceed from her. Likewise Mistress Anne Boleyn, having learned from some of the king's wisest and gravest counsellors divers malversations of the cardinal, was so far from disguising them, that she even misinterpreted his better actions. Edmund Campion adds to these reasons, that Sir Francis Bryan being in Rome, did, by the means of a familiar of one who kept the pope's papers, obtain a letter of the cardinal's, which wrought his ruin in this manner having first showed her the cardinal's handwriting, and then corrupted her, this courtesan so dexterously performed the rest, as upon pretence of visiting her servant in his study, she conveyed away this letter and gave it Bryan, who failed not immediately to send it to our king. Which relation of Campion, though I will not contradict, yet I suppose to be the more improbable, that I find by original despatches, Bryan was come from Rome before any argument of the king's disfavour to the cardinal appeared. Howsoever, the way the king took to overthrow him was merely legal, though approaching to summum jus, after most men's opinion. In the carriage whereof yet that secrecy was used, that the cardinal did not, or, perchance, out of greatness of mind would not, take notice of what was intended against him. So that though the bill or indictment was (Oct. 9) put in (at the beginning of Michaelmas term), yet | did he ride that day to the chancery with his accustomed pomp. Of which our king being advertised, thought fit to forbid him the place; as thinking it indecent, that a man, who was upon terms of conviction, should administer that high charge. Therefore the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk were sent, Oct. 18, to require the Great Seal of him. But the cardinal, instead of rendering it, disputed their authority, alleging the place of Lord Chancellor was by the king's letters patents given him during life. The two dukes hereupon returned to court, bringing the next day the king's letters to the cardinal, who, having read them, delivered immediately the Great Seal; in sequence thereof, also submitting himself to the king, who commanded him to leave York Place, and simply to depart to Esher, a country house near Hampton Court, belonging to the Bishop of Winchester. He charged his officers also to inventory and bring forth his goods. Whereupon much brave furniture made into hangings, besides whole pieces of rich stuffs, were set upon divers tables in his house; the variety and number whereof may be imagined, when (as Cavendish hath it) of fine Holland cloth alone F there were a thousand pieces. Besides, the walls of his gallery on the one side were hung with rich suits of cloth of gold, cloth of silver, cloth of tissue, and cloth of bodkin; on the other side was placed the most glorious suit of copes that had been seen in England. In a chamber near to the gallery was a great cupboard of plate, of massy gold; and in a chamber adjoining, vast quantity of other plate. All which the cardinal commanded Sir William Gascoyne (his treasurer) to deliver to the king, when he was required. And thus fell the cardinal, together with all his vast possessions, into the king's hands. Concerning which the critics of the time gave sundry opinions, the most part yet supposing him capable of the king's mercy, had he been either less rich, or more humble. They thought him indeed condemned by law, but by the rigour of it. All which they considered the more, that the cardinal had so long exercised his legatine power, without that the king either seemed to dislike it, or any other had questioned him for it. Therefore, howsoever he was convicted by form of justice, they yet cleared him in great part, and not they only, but the king. Insomuch, that the impression taken of his ancient services was not defaced wholly. So that notwithstanding his best goods were seized on, and that the king might have taken therewith his other possessions, and (with them) his entire liberty, yet he both sent |