Calendar of State Papers and Manuscripts in the Archives and Collections of Milan 1385-1618. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1912.
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'Milan: 1473', in Calendar of State Papers and Manuscripts in the Archives and Collections of Milan 1385-1618, (London, 1912) pp. 172-177. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-state-papers/milan/1385-1618/pp172-177 [accessed 26 April 2024]
1473
| [1473.] Feb. 12. Potenze Estere. Borgogna. Milan Archives. |
245. Pietro Aliprando to Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan. I have been to the Duke of Guelders. (fn. 1) Nothing will be done about his daughter with the King of France, because of all his duchy he holds no more than two districts. He is waiting for the Duke of Burgundy to put him in possession of his state, occupied in the name of his son, who is kept a prisoner by the Duke of Burgundy, who is trying to get that duchy of Guelders, as an excellent start for entering Germany. The Duke of Burgundy is trying to marry his daughter to a great duke of Germany. (fn. 2) He dissembles with everyone, and is even sending other ambassadors to the King of England, for the relationship, which is renewed, and where much business and negotiation are on foot (simula cum tutti, etiam manda altri oratori dal Re di Angliterra per lo parentato che renovato, dove se fano de multe pratiche et trattati.) The Duke of Burgundy is also making preparations for war, and asks for money from the people of Zeeland. On the 22nd of the month he will be at Rudella to receive the reply of the three estates of Flanders and Brabant. (fn. 3) They are discontented, but they are afraid ob ejus magnum potentiam. The affairs of the pope here are on the wheel, through the instigation of the Venetians, who are trying for all manner of mischief in order to bring about the council. The Duke of Burgundy supports them in order to have the 200,000 ducats which they have promised him. I believe that disputes will break out, as the Ambassador of Bourbon here does not act in harmony with Antonio de Legnano, because he had no money, or with the others. Thus a coolness has arisen, and the various parties are torn asunder. The Duke of Burgundy has in hand the differences between the Easterlings and the English, (fn. 4) to bring about a settlement. Nevertheless it will be difficult to restore so much plunder taken at sea, and they keep taking more from the English every day. On learning that Venetian and Florentine galleys were going to lade a quantity of goods of English merchants at Bruges they have issued a decree in England that no Englishman shall lade goods upon the said galleys upon pain of confiscation. The King of England has done this to obtain money. The Duke of Burgundy is demanding of this country more than 600,000 ducats for war. He will be at Brussels within ten days to receive the reply of the estates. Ghent, the 12th February. [Italian.] |
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| 1473. Feb. 18. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. |
246. Christoforo de Bollate, Milanese Ambassador in France to Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan. The king has recently complained very bitterly of M. Lorenzo de' Medici, saying that his money makes him more wars than the enemy, because for this fleet which they are preparing in England, numbers of the troops are paid at his bank in London, and at Bruges also they have helped the Duke of Burgundy greatly. A messenger of Messer Lorenzo recently came here from Lyons on matters of business, with a letter of recommendation. When he presented it, his Majesty in public spoke very favourably in commendation of Messer Lorenzo but in secret he subsequently made complaint of the matters aforesaid through M. de Gavort. (fn. 5) Thus between cold and hot he has had various other things said all tending to a request for money. Tours, the 18th February, 1473. [Italian.] |
| April 20. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. |
247. Christofforo de Bollate, Milanese Ambassador in France to Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan. I saw the king the day after Easter. His Majesty told me that yesterday evening he heard from Bordeaux from some of his subjects who had come from England, how Edward of York, to use his Majesty's own words, had his hands full in England, because about 60,000 persons had risen against him and were waging active war on him. I offered his Majesty my congratulations on this. Cales, the 20th April, 1473. [Italian.] |
| April 23. Potenze Estere. Spagna. Milan Archives. |
248. Francesco Maletta, Milanese Ambassador at the Court of [Portugal] to Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan. The king returned yesterday from Sarno to honour the feast of St. George which is celebrated here on the 23rd when his Majesty put on the insignia (imprisa) which the King of England sent to him. (fn. 6) The thing and the costume are ridiculous enough, but his Majesty puts up with them. (Cosa et habito assay inepta: cum supportatione, de sua Maestà). Almanzar, the 23rd April, 1473. [Italian.] |
| May 12. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. |
249. Christofforo di Bollato, Milanese Ambassador at the French Court to Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan. The King of England is devoting his attention to the expedition begun many days ago to cross this country. The arrangement is that the people have promised 13,000 men; the lords, 7,000; the country of Wales, 5,000; and the king about 6,000. On the other hand they are raising the money imposed to support the war, amounting to 300,000 crowns, and the said king never ceases to urge the marriage alliance on the King of Scotland, of which I wrote some days ago, and to get the clause excepting the King of France removed from the existing truce between the two kings. On this account the King of England has betaken himself to the frontiers of Scotland, and he always has his ambassadors together with those of the Duke of Burgundy present with that king. It is feared that he may be induced to treat. The ambassadors of the King of Scotland have been here some time, with offers to wage active war on the King of England, if he chooses to land in this kingdom, and they promise his Majesty that they will adhere to their ancient league and confederation, but that they must have what his predecessors have received from the Crown of France in the past, to wit, a pension of some 60,000 crowns a year, so that they may be able to oppose the King of England in favour of his Majesty. They are not yet despatched, but they are given good hope. This matter is being pondered, and it causes much vexation that the Scots are in effect asking for money, protesting that if they do not get it they will leave the English safe on their side (questo mo se mastica et dace grande affano che essi scocesi in effecto domandano pur el dinaro, aliter hanno protestato che assecurano dal canto loro Anglesi). Moreover the Duke of Britanny has publicly shown his extreme dissatisfaction with his Majesty about the death of the Count of Armagnac, and the brother, (fn. 7) and is beginning to stray from the path in which it was thought he would persevere now more than ever. The King of France is very anxious about it. Tours, the 12th May, 1473. [Italian; the part in italics deciphered.] |
| [1473, May ?] Potenze Estere. Savoia. Milan Archives. |
250. — to the Duchess of Savoy. As regards English news, they are all at war, but the war is not serious or fierce. The King of England has gone to treat with the King of Scotland, at which the King of France is much annoyed. [Italian.] |
| 1473. May 27. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. |
251. Christofforo di Bollato, Milanese Ambassador in France to Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan. We cannot be sure about English affairs here and are the more anxious to learn the truth from thence. We hear a great variety of things. The ambassadors of Scotland only say what suits their purpose, namely that there is a movement and preparation to cross hither. On the other hand extreme dissensions are reported among them. For this purpose the king has sent to England the Earl of Oxford, who has been here since the death of the Earl of Warwick, to become the leader of the earl's party and do what he can against King Edward. His Majesty has also sent men at arms to Normandy to increase the company of the admiral who is on the coast there, to resist the English if they should land. The Scots have sent another ambassador, but on the same business as the first. They press for a reply but nothing has been decided as yet. The Duke of Burgundy, in these truces, wants the King of France to promise not to keep the Earl of Oxford in his kingdom any longer or harbour any one of the Earl of Warwick. In this way the King of France expects to kill two birds with one stone (siche pensa Re di franza farne doi gioldi ad una calda). But I feel sure that the Earl of Oxford is agreed with the King of England and will deceive the King of France. Tours, the 27th May, 1473. [Italian; the part in italics deciphered.] |
| July 6. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. |
252. Christofforo di Bollati, Milanese Ambassador in France to Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan. The Earl of Oxford, whom the king told me he had sent to England to stir up the enemies of King Edward against him, reported his arrival in England and has sent to his Majesty twenty-four original seals of cavaliers and lords and one duke, (fn. 8) who have promised and pledged their troth to make war on King Edward. The Earl of Oxford accordingly asks for a good sum of money to begin this war. His Majesty has not yet made up his mind about this because he fears art and fraud in the earl, and that the seals may be counterfeit. On the other hand I hear from one who has just come from those parts that there is no movement of war whatever among them, and the king has taken his son to Wales and styled him prince, as is customary with their firstborn, and has left him in the country, going on afterwards to the Scotch frontier. When I asked what assurances they had with King Edward absenting himself from the kingdom, he said he was of opinion that they would remain tranquil. I observe that the King of France is very doubtful about these affairs of England, and he has decided to go to Normandy to re-victual and supply all the coast towns. Amboise, the 6th July, 1473. [Italian; the part in italics deciphered.] |
| July 25. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. |
253. Christofforo di Bollati, Milanese Ambassador in France to Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan. The king has had a fleet formed of more than forty ships for the English Channel, It is manned by about 8,000 men and very well armed. They scour the whole of those waters, without meeting with any obstacle, sometimes to the very shores of England. This brings great honour and reputation to his Majesty, who has also made good provision by land of men at arms in Normandy. He is going there now, first to Mont. St. Michael and then to all the coast towns in turn. la Rochatranzalione in Touraine, the 25th July, 1473. [Italian.] |
| Dec. 9. Potenze Estere. Francia. Milan Archives. |
254. Christofforo Bollati, Milanese Ambassador at the French Court to Galeazzo Maria Sforza, Duke of Milan. I hear that the affairs of England are at peace without war or other internal dissension, and that the Earl of Oxford (Usumforch), who reported the exact opposite here, has at length come in and taken his place at the Court of King Edward. When a brother of this earl arrived in Normandy, he was stopped, their treachery being recognised (intendo che le cose de Inghilterra sono pacifice senza guerra ne altra dissensione insieme et che quello Conte de Usumforch che notificava de qua le contrarie nove, finaliter se è reducto et stasine alla corte del Re Odoardo, essendo capitato uno suo fratello de esso conte in Normandia e stato sostenuto conoscendose la proditione loro). It is true that the subsidy, universally imposed in the kingdom of England for bringing an army over to this realm, has been collected in part; but the Northern district, which comprises practically half the island, has refused to pay any money, but they promise that when the king goes on this expedition they will supply him with the troops paid at the same rate as the others; and that king Edward was not so eager to make war on the King of France as his subjects (et vero che lo subsidio universalmente posto nel regno de Inghilterra per venire in questo regno cum armata e excosso in parte, ma lo paese de Nhiort che comprehende quasi la meta de la insula, non ha voluto pagare alcuno denaro, si non promettere che quando lo Re andera in questa expeditione, gli darano la gente pagate alla rata del denaro hano pagato li altri et che lo Re Odoardo non era tanto animato ad fare guerra ad questo Signor Re de Franza quanto li popoli et subditi suoi). Tours, the 9th December, 1473. [Italian.] |