enown, made
his first essay in arms; he had two horses killed under him, and took a
standard, which he presented to the king, who after the battle made him a
present of five hundred crowns.

Charles VIII. remained master of the battle-field. "There were still to
be seen," says Commynes, "outside their camp, a great number of
men-at-arms, whose lances and heads only were visible, and likewise
foot-soldiers. The king put it to the council whether he ought to give
chase to them or not; some were for marching against them; but the French
were not of this opinion; they said that enough had been done, that it
was late, and that it was time to get lodged. Night was coming on; the
host which had been in front of us withdrew into their camp, and we went
to get lodged a quarter of a league from where the battle had been. The
king put up at a poorly-built farm-house, but he found there an infinite
quantity of corn in sheaves, whereby the whole army profited. Some other
bits of houses there were hard by, which did for a few; and every one
lodged as he could, without making any cantonment, I know well enough
that I lay in a vineyard, at full length on the bare ground, without
anything else and without cloak, for the king had borrowed mine in the
morning. Whoever had the wherewith made a meal, but few had, save a
hunch of bread from a varlet's knapsack. I went to see the king in his
chamber, where there were some wounded whom he was having dressed; he
wore a good mien, and every one kept a good face; and we were not so
boastful as a little before the battle, because we saw the enemy near
us." Six days after the battle, on the 12th of July, the king wrote to
his sister, the Duchess Anne of Bourbon, "Sister, my dear, I commend
myself to you right heartily. I wrote to my brother how that I found in
my way a big army that Lord Ludovic, the Venetians, and their allies, had
got ready against me, thinking to keep me from passing. Against which,
with God's help, such resistance was made, that I am come hither without
any loss. Furthermore, I am using the greatest diligence that can be to
get right away, and I hope shortly to see you, which is my desire, in
order to tell you at good length all about my trip. And so God bless
you, sister, my dear, and may He have you in His keeping!"

Both armies might and did claim the victory, for they had, each of them,
partly succeeded in their design. The Italians wished to unmistakably
driv