state of affairs, he spoke very contemptuously
of the king's person and character.

"The Most Christian King," he said, "is young and foolish, with little
presence and still less mental power. When I was with him at Asti,
treating of important matters, his councillors spent their time eating
and playing cards in his presence. Sometimes he would dictate a letter
by one man's advice, and then withdraw it at the suggestion of another.
He is haughty and ill-mannered, and when we were together, he has more
than once left me alone in the room like a beast, to go and dine with
his friends."

And he proceeded to remind the Venetian envoys how he had sent his wife,
Duchess Beatrice, to warn the Signoria of the critical state of affairs,
and how his advice had been neglected, and nothing had been done.

"It is true," the duke added, "that I lent the king money, but at the
same time I gave him good advice. 'Sire,' I said to him, 'drive out the
tyrant Piero de' Medici, and give Florence her old liberties;' and when
I refused to accompany him further, I desired Messer Galeaz to defend
the freedom and rights of both Florence and Siena. You see how little
the king has followed my advice and how cruel and insolent he has shown
himself. These French are bad people, and we must not allow them to
become our neighbours."

In reality, what disturbed the Duke of Milan far more than the success
of Charles in the south, was the presence of Louis of Orleans with a
body of troops at Asti. When Charles left Asti in October, his cousin
was ill with an attack of fever, and had been compelled to remain
behind. The close vicinity of this dangerous neighbour, and the boldness
with which Orleans asserted his claim on Milan, led the Moro to use all
his influence with Maximilian to induce him to join his old enemies, the
Venetians, in a common league against the French. While these
negotiations were being secretly carried on, the victorious French king
had, on the 15th of January, signed a treaty with the Pope, by which the
crown of Naples was bestowed upon him, and the chief fortresses of the
Papal States were surrendered into his hands until his return. The next
day Charles attended mass at St. Peter's, and met the Pope in the
Vatican--"a very fine house," he wrote to his brother-in-law, the Duke
of Bourbon, "as well furnished and adorned as any palace or castle I
have ever seen."

On the 19th of January, he did homage to His Holiness before the C