History. 
Francis 
makes war 
oo hun. 
A. D. 1542, 
Mis affairs 
562 
bassadors were assdssinated by order of the Milanese 
government. This was amply sufficient, in the spirit 
in which Francis had Jong been: He demanded instant 
and full satisfaction for their death ; he was evaded and 
refused ; and he resolved on instant war. ly 
had Charles returned from a id expedition into 
Africa, A. D. 1542, when five formidable French ar- 
mies entered his dominions, Spain, Piedmont, Brabant, 
Flanders, and Luxemburgh, were at once the scene of 
war. The Duke of Orleans reduced the ter part 
of Luxemburgh ; the dauphin laid siege to Perpignan : 
but, on a report that the emperor was advancing to 
its relief, the duke abandoned his conquests in Luxem- 
burgh, and hastened to support the dauphin. Perpig- 
nan was defended by the Duke of Alva, who had in- 
structions from his master to hold out to the last ex- 
tremity, as it did not enter into his plan to raise the 
siege. The event proved that Charles was wise in his 
determination ; for three months the French endea- 
voured to reduce it, but their troops fell before fa- 
tigue and disease ; and after that period, they were un- 
der the necessity of retiring from before it. The ar- 
mies of Francis were equally unsuccessful in their other 
attempts against the dominions of the emperor, so that 
he saw his vast preparations rendered utterly useless. 
The year 1543 was distinguished by few events of 
moment. Rochelle had revolted, but it was soon redu- 
ced. Luxemburgh was occupied by the armies of 
Francis ; and the city of Nice was besieged by that mo- 
narch, in conjunction with his ally the sultan: but this 
alliance was by no means prudent or politic, as it gave 
great offence to those who might otherwise have united 
with Francis, that he shou!d have allied himself to an 
infidel’; and this evil consequence of his alliance was 
not counterbalanced by success, for Nice was not re- 
duced, The year 1544 was distinguished by the battle 
of Cerizoles. The young Cont D’Enghien, had pe- 
netrated into Piedmont, where he was opposed by the 
imperial general the Marquis del Guosto. The armies 
met at Cerizoles, and the Imperialists were defeated ; 
but the vi : of the count was of little avail. The 
emperor, and Henry of England, (who at length had 
Sais decided part against Frans.) had pris Pi- 
cardy with two numerous armies ; and, as Francis was 
by no means equal in force to his opponents in this quar- 
ter, the count was obliged to abandon the fruits of his 
victory in Italy, and hasten to the north of France. 
At i period were the — of toes monarch, 
to pearance, more desperate than at this period. 
The ae of his enemies p24 so powerful, and his own 
means of resisting that force, or delaying its progress, 
so inadequate, that had Charles and Henry united their 
armies, Paris, in all probability, would have fallen: 
But they were not men likely to agree long in opinion; 
besides being suspicious of each other, they were both 
obstinate in their dispositions. Charles wasted his 
time in the siege of St Dizier, while Henry’s imme- 
diate interest directed him against Boulogne. From 
these attempts neither of them would desist, even 
though they must have perceived, that if they gave 
them up for the present, Paris would be their imme- 
diate reward, and St Dizier and Boulogne would not 
pers An out after the capital was reduced. At this 
isis, Francis, who had been long unable, from illness, 
to head his armies, committed the command of them 
to the dauphin, who was not insensible to the dangers 
and difficulties of his situation, but who conducted him- 
self, on this occasion, with considerable skill and pru- 
dence. St Dizier was bravely defended ; nor would it 
FRANCE. 
have fallen if artifice had not been employed. On its 
reduction, though the em 's army was considerably 
weakened by the losses he had sustained 
siege, he resolved pl gery still farther into France. 
Champagne was in and Chateau-Thierry was ta- 
ken,—a place within two days march of Paris. The 
fate of the capital seemed inevitable, when the dauphin 
threw himself Y between it and the enemy ; but he still 
er avoided a battle, contenting himself with in- 
cessant skirmishes, and with depriving the enemy of 
the resources of the country. is plan had its desis 
red effect: Charles, straitened for forage and necessa- Treaty of 
ries, listened to terms of accommodation, and a definis ©5PY- 
tive treaty was signed at C . _ By this trea’ 
Francis resigned his ‘acdyulsitions ta Pi and rl 
voy; and the emperor engaged, in the of two 
years, to t his daughter or his aleos th 36 i 
to the Duke of Orleans ; and, as a porti , to give up 
either the Low Countries or the TMilentse, It is evi- 
dent, that this treaty, like the rest which Francis had 
entered into with his opponent, was favourable to the 
latter, in so far as the cessions to him were immediate 
and certain ; and of doubtful advantage to the former, 
in so far as it contained merely a promise of a future 
cession to him ; while, by such arrangements, reasons 
for future warfare were supplied. 
While the n iations between the Emperor and 
Francis were going on at Crespy, Boul Mead fallen 
into the possession of the king gland; and as that 
treaty contained no stipulation respecting Charles’ ally, 
it was necessary for Francis to recover Boulogne, ei- 
ther by force or negociation. He chose the former, 
and sent an army, under the Duke of Orleans, for that 
purpose. But, at a place between Abbeville and Mon- 
treuil, the duke died, and the enterprise was abandon- 
ed. The insincerity of Charles in this condition of the 
treaty of Crespy, was immediately made manifest ; for 
he declared that the death of the Duke had freed him 
from all his agreements respecting the Low Countries, 
or the Milanese. J 
The Count D’Enghien did not long survive the 
Duke; and the mind of Francis, already weakened by 
his long and severe illness, sunk before the impression 
of these calamitous events. Even an advantageous 
peace with England did not mitigate his grief, and re- 
new his energy ; for it was more than counterbalanced 
by the enmity and intrigues of his own mistress, the 
Duchess D’Estampes, and of Diana de Poitiers, the 
mistress of the Dauphin, who divided the court into 
open and implacable factions. The death of Henry of 
England, which happened in 1547, also preyed on the 
mind of Francis, as he had long known and personally 
loved that monarch. In this state of grief and des- 
pondency, he wandered about from place to place, in 
the vain hope of restoring his health of body, or reco- 
vering his Sr ea ‘and firmness of mind ; at length 
he died at Ram et, in the 53d year of his age, and 
32d of his reign. | { 
The character of Francis was strongly marked. One peat) and 
of the distinguishing features of his mind was om poe of 
great Francis. 
tude and decision : hi C9 perception and 
activity, led him to resolve instantly, and to follow up 
his resolutions by vigorous action ;' but he did not per- 
severe ; difficulties, which at first only prompted him to 
greater efforts, ifthey were of long continuance, and 
especially if they did not promise any thing splendid in 
their overcoming, soon wearied him out. Thus he often 
abandoned his first designs, and relaxed from his origi- 
nal vigour,—-often through impatience, and sometimes 
— 
during the 
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