hess obliged, by the necessity of her
affairs, to submit to such rigid conditions, imposed by any ally so
much concerned in interest to protect her. The forces arrived under the
command of Lord Willoughby of Broke; and made the Bretons, during some
time, masters of the field. The French retired into their garrisons;
and expected by dilatory measures to waste the fire of the English, and
disgust them with the enterprise. The scheme was well laid, and met with
success. Lord Broke found such discord and confusion in the counsels of
Brittany, that no measures could be concerted for any undertaking; no
supply obtained; no provisions, carriages, artillery, or military stores
procured. The whole court was rent into factions: no one minister had
acquired the ascendant: and whatever project was formed by one, was
sure to be traversed by another. The English, disconcerted in every
enterprise by these animosities and uncertain counsels, returned home
as soon as the time of their service was elapsed, leaving only a small
garrison in those towns which had been consigned into their hands.
During their stay in Brittany, they had only contributed still further
to waste the country; and by their departure, they left it entirely at
the mercy of the enemy. So feeble was the succor which Henry in this
important conjuncture afforded his ally, whom the invasion of a foreign
enemy, concurring with domestic dissensions, had reduced to the utmost
distress.

The great object of the domestic dissensions in Brittany was the
disposal of the young duchess in marriage. The mareschal Rieux, favored
by Henry, seconded the suit of the lord D'Albret, who led some forces to
her assistance. The chancellor Montauban, observing the aversion of the
duchess to this suitor, insisted that a petty prince, such as
D'Albret, was unable to support Anne in her present extremities; and
he recommended some more powerful alliance, particularly that of
Maximilian, king of the Romans.

{1490.} This party at last prevailed; the marriage with Maximilian was
celebrated by proxy; and the duchess thenceforth assumed the title of
queen of the Romans. But this magnificent appellation was all she
gained by her marriage. Maximilian, destitute of troops and money, and
embarrassed with the continual revolts of the Flemings, could send
no succor to his distressed consort; while D'Albret, enraged at the
preference given to his rival, deserted her cause, and received the
French into