etire from Italy. In the following year the
Constable of Bourbon deserted Francis to espouse the Emperor's cause,
because he had received many insults from court favourites. He had
been removed from the government of Milan, and was fond of quoting the
words of an old Gascon knight first spoken in the reign of Charles VII:
"Not three kingdoms like yours could make me forsake you, but one
insult might."

Bourbon was rebuked for his faithlessness to his King at the battle of
La Biagrasse where Bayard, that perfect knight, _sans peur et sans
reproche_, fell with so many other French nobles. The Constable had
compassion on the wounded man as he lay at the foot of a tree with his
face still turned to the enemy. "Sir, you need have no pity for me,"
the knight answered bravely, "for I die an honest man; but I have pity
on you, seeing you serve against your prince, your country, and your
oath."

Bourbon may have blushed at the rebuke, but he took the field gallantly
at Pavia on behalf of the Emperor. Francis I had invaded Italy and
occupied Milan, but he was not quick to follow up his success and met
defeat at the hands of his vassal on February 24th, 1525, which was
Charles V's twenty-fifth birthday. The flower of France fell on the
battle-field, while the King himself {68} was taken prisoner. He would
not give up his sword to the traitor Bourbon, but continued to fight on
foot after his horse had been shot under him. He proved that he was as
punctilious a knight as Bayard, and wrote to his mother on the evening
of this battle, "All is lost but honour."

The Emperor's army now had both France and Italy at their mercy.
Bourbon decided to march on Rome, to the joy of his needy, avaricious
soldiers. He took the ancient capital where the riches of centuries
had accumulated; both Spaniards and Germans rioted on its treasures
without restraint. They spared neither church nor palace, but defiled
the most sacred places. The very ring was removed from the hand of
Pope Julius as he lay within his tomb. Clement VII, the reigning Pope,
was too feeble and vacillating to save himself, though it would have
been quite possible. He was made a prisoner of war, for political
motives inspired the Emperor to demand a heavy ransom.

The Ladies' Peace concluded the long war between Charles V and Francis
I. It was so called because it was arranged through Louise, the French
King's mother, and Margaret, the aunt who had taken charge o