Hall's Chronicle 1492. In this war and tumultuous business in Italy, which was the most terrible and sorest plague, that any man can remember of that nation, there was no person, no place, no private house, no noble family, no captain or prince, but he was oppressed either with the heaps of the dead carcasses, or with the blood of his friends or subjects, or else sutired some affliction injury or detriment. And in some wise at one time or another, every man did taste and suffer all the mischiefs that appertained to the victory gotten by their enemies. The which defacing and blotting of the beauty of that country, sometime called the Queen of the Earth, and flower of the world, chanced not of her own self of hearing cause or desert, but the Italians her own sucking children opened the gap, and made the way of her destruction. For at that time thus it chanced, that when the potentates and seignories of Italy perceived, that all things under them succeeded, even as they would desire and wish, to their great exultation and rejoicing by reason whereof they sat still at home like sloggardes (as women be accustomed to do) scolding and brawling, exercising and practising privy displeasure and malice, not against their enemies as they were accustomed, but among themselves one against another, casting out of memory drowning their ancient renown, glory and honour with desire of rule and appetite to be revenged, and so destroyed the common weal, and subverted the olde monuments and acts of their forefathers and predecessors. And because some of them, thinking themselves, not of force and puissance sufficient enough to bring their purpose to effect, and to revenge their quarrel, they enticed, stirred and procured with gifts, rewards and promises, strangers and foreign nations to their aide and assistance. The other seeing them so desirous to have their help, partly moved with their gifts, partly with desire of rule, spoils, prayes, gathered together a great company and entered into Italy, and there destroyed, spoiled and possessed the better part of it. And so the Italians, as men out of their wit, where as they thought one to noye and hurt another with hateful warring, they destroyed their native country, being of nature enclosed and munyte with high hills and the main sea round about, and opened the way to strangers to their utter ignominy and final destruction, which they might have kept out of all danger, if they had bene their own friends, and loved their own wealth and commodity. Therefore, I may say: O progeny, as well wicked as ungodly, hath discord and dissention pleased the so much that thou wouldest utterly extinguish and confound the glory and honour of thy native country? And in conclusion, thou thyself art come to the deepest pit of wretchedness, because that thou perceiving the ruin that thou hast caused and procured, thou art more repentant for the beginning of it, then glad to desist and cause it, and so according to thy desert thou hast thy penance and guardon. The grand captain and beginner of this mischief was Sforcia, which at that time ruled at his will the duchy of Milan under Duke John Galeas his nephew: but for a truth this Louis ruled all, and the Duke did nothing. Wherefore Alphons Duke of Calabria, and after King of Naples, grudging that this Duke John his son in law, should be defrauded of his superiority and dominance, threatened sore this Louis Sforcia. Where he fearing to be put from his authority, solicited and by great entreaty procured Charles the French King to invade the realm of Naples. By reason of which procurement, Alphonse duke of Calabre, which succeeded his father Ferdinand in the Kingdom of Naples (which also as you have heard, was made Knight of the Garter) was first deprived of his Kingdom by the said King Charles, and shortly after of his life. But Louis’ force had no long joy after the death of his enemy, for he was betrayed and taken by the Swytzers which warred under King Louis the twelfth, then being French King, and carried into France, where he in the Castell of Loches miserably finished his life, according to the saying of the Gospel, woo be to him by whom a slander begins. Thys mischief began at that time when Charles came thither, and continued yet, which is the yere of our Lord MDXLIII for an example to other, the strangers invited to a prosperous country be loath to depart from the sweet savour once thereof tasted.