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SIEGE OF PAVIA.

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for war, and they united themselves with the Spaniards and the Italians who were there, so they became as one in his hand.

645. And the king sent soldiers and artillery between Lodi and Pavia, to watch the road. Again he commanded, and they gathered together all the soldiers, and they dwelled together. And the men of the emperor removed from Lodi, and went on the road for Milan; and the king sent also thither against them. And it came to pass, on the morrow, that the Marquess Pescara went out against Santo Angelo*, and they delivered it into his hand on that day.

646. And on the first day of the month of February came all the hosts of the emperor into the borders of Pavia, and encamped there. And the men of the king remained on their ward day and night; and they sounded with cymbals and with trumpets of jubilee-cry, that their voices were heard from afar. And the inhabitants of the city went out to them daily. And it came to pass, on the morrow, that the men of the emperor drew nigh again to the city, and they sent messengers to Antonio Leyva, and all the people of the country were glad, and their mourning was turned into joy. And they drew nigh again with a high hand, and

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PAVIA SUPPLIED WITH AMMUNITION.

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about two thousand cubits were between them and the city; and the king was very wroth. And the king commanded, and they fortified themselves round about, and stood on their ward for fear of the night*. And it came to pass, on the eighth day of the month of February, that the nobles of the emperor heard that the gun-powder was consumed in the city; and they sent forty men riding on swift horses, who brought them gunpowder in abundance every one in his sack, and they passed the camp of the enemy in the midst, and came into the city, and Antonio Levya was very glad and it came to pass, in the morning, that he commanded, and they brought the cannon up to the tower, and battered with them the camp of the Swiss, and much people fell among them; and the men of the emperor heard it, and sounded the trumpets, and gave the signal for battle. And the horsemen of the emperor ran; and the cavalry of the king went out against them, and slew them; and the Spaniards drew back. And they sent against them three hundred Burgundians clothed with coats of mail; and the French fled, and cried with a loud voice; and the men of the camp fired with twenty cannons, and shot on them with balls; and there fell of the

i. e. For fear of an attack during the night.

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Burgundians many slain to the ground, and the rest fled at their noise, and returned to their tents with shame; and the battle ceased.

647. And on the seventeenth day of the month of February, there came some of the men of the host which belonged to Rienzo Orsino, to Savona ; and the men of Duke Francesco Sforza, who was at Alessandria, and they were slain before them, and they fled, and there were not left two together; and the king was very wroth.

648. And the Marquess Pescara said, "I will go down into the camp of these Frenchmen, and will see what will become of their dreams;" and he went in the darkness of the night, and three hundred Spaniards and Italians with him. And he fell into the place of the artillery, and they slew the watchmen with the edge of the sword, and cast the cannon to the ground. And he commanded farther, and they cast them into the trenches, and returned with gladness. And the French arose from their sleep and fought against them, and there fell many of them slain to the ground, and the chief over the artillery was taken alive. And they returned to their tents, and those that died in the slaughter were five hundred men ; and this was to the shame of the French.

649. And on the twenty-third day of the month, the hosts of the emperor gave the signal for the

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A. D. 1525-BATTLE OF PAVIA.

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battle; and Antonio Leyva* was glad, and he arrayed the soldiers who were with him; and they remained on their ward that day.

650. And it came to pass, on the twenty-fourth day of the month of February, in the year one thousand five hundred and twenty-five, in the middle of the night, that they brought the hosts of the emperor, and divided the people into three heads. And they cast down the walls of Barco†, where the king's host was, every one passed over, and they came with a high hand, and gave the signal for battle. In that night the sleep of the king left him; and he commanded, and they divided his hosts into four heads, and they put the battle in array there with a great tumult, and much people fell of the French, for fear came upon them as desolation, suddenly, and the soldiers could not find their own hands.

651. And Antonio Leyva heard it, and went out also and fell upon them suddenly; and the horsemen and the footmen fled before him, for his fear fell upon them; and Antonio Leyva drew near again. And the battle was strong between them all the night, and the earth was rent because of their voices. The morning dawned, and the

Here again, s.

.ברקו +

i. e. They were in the utmost consternation.

ליווא $

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BATTLE OF PAVIA.

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men of the king girded themselves with might, insomuch that the Spaniards drew back, and the French took the cannons from their hand with might. That day was dark, cloudy, and misty, by reason of the grievous smoke of the guns, so that hardly one might know his brother.

652. And when the Marquess Pescara, the chief of the emperor's host, saw the people that were naked, he went to the duke of Bourbon, saying, “The children are come to the birth; but there is no strength to bring forth. And now speak, I pray thee, kindly, to the people which follow thee. And I shall do so also, and we will war against these Frenchmen, and our fame will spread over all the earth; for the day which we desired, we have found and have seen;" and they did so, and they put the battle in array there, and the marquess passed over before them, and he warred against those nations, and they fell slain to the ground before him. And also the Marquess del Vasto* filled his hand, and they were counted by him as vain and as nothing, and they slew among them a great slaughter. And when the Swiss saw that the evil was determined against them, they turned their backs, and fled before them. And the Italians and Germans were left to their destruction, and fell slain to the ground.

דיל וואסטו *

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