fended it; but an inundation of the river destroyed in
one night all the mounds which the soldiers during a long time, and with
infinite labor, had been erecting.

* Guicciard. lib. xv. Du Bellai, lib. ii.

{1525.} Fatigue and the bad season (for it was the depth of winter)
had wasted the French army. The imperial generals meanwhile were not
inactive. Pescara, and Lannoy, viceroy of Naples, assembled forces from
all quarters. Bourbon, having pawned his jewels, went into Germany, and
with the money, aided by his personal interest, levied a body of twelve
thousand Lansquenets, with which he joined the imperialists. This whole
army advanced to raise the siege of Pavia; and the danger to the French
became every day more imminent.

The state of Europe was such during that age, that, partly from the
want of commerce and industry every where, except in Italy and the Low
Countries, partly from the extensive privileges still possessed by the
people in all the great monarchies and their frugal maxims in granting
money, the revenues of the princes were extremely narrow, and even the
small armies which they kept on foot could not be regularly paid by
them*[**missing period] The imperial forces, commanded by Bourbon,
Pescara, and Lannoy, exceeded not twenty thousand men; they were the
only body of troops maintained by the emperor, (for he had not been able
to levy any army for the invasion of France, either on the side of
Spain or Flanders.) Yet so poor was that mighty monarch, that he could
transmit no money for the payment of this army; and it was chiefly the
hopes of sharing the plunder of the French camp which had made them
advance and kept them to their standards. Had Francis raised the siege
before their approach, and retired to Milan, they must immediately have
disbanded; and he had obtained a complete victory without danger or
bloodshed. But it was the character of this monarch to become obstinate
in proportion to the difficulties which he encountered; and having once
said, that he would take Pavia or perish before it, he was resolved
rather to endure the utmost extremities than depart from this
resolution.

The imperial generals, after cannonading the French camp for several
days, at last made a general assault, and broke into the intrenchments.
Leyva sallied from the town, and increased the confusion among the
besiegers. The Swiss infantry, contrary to their usual practice, behaved
in a dastardly manner, and deser