began the fortification of Savona, in order that from there he might be in a position to strike at the Genoese—­from a military point of view, if necessary—­but in any event to cripple the trade of that city.  Andrea Doria, as soon as he became aware of this latter action on the part of Francis, was thoroughly roused, and wrote him the letter quoted below, which illustrates the fact that he was quite aware of his own great importance in Europe.  It was not a time in which men held such language as did Doria on this occasion unless they were very sure of themselves and their followers.

  “GREAT PRINCE,

“It is an ill use of power to reverse order in human affairs.  Genoa has always been the capital of Liguria, and posterity will see with astonishment that your Majesty has deprived it of this advantage with no plausible pretext.  The Genoese are well aware how inimical to their interests are your projects with regard to Savona.  They beg of you that these may be abandoned, and that you will not sacrifice the general good to the views of a few courtiers.  I take the liberty to add my prayers to theirs, and to ask of you this grace as the price of the services I have rendered to France.  Should your Majesty have been put to expense, I shall join to my request the sum of forty thousand gold crowns.

    “With the humble duty of Andrea Doria,
      Captain-General of the Galleys of France.”

Theodore Trivulce, who held Savona for the King of France, was roundly told by Doria that “the people of Genoa would never suffer the taking of Savona by the King of France, as it had from time immemorial belonged to them,” and added, “for myself I will sacrifice the friendship of the King in the interests of my fatherland.”

The last straw came, however, when the Marshal de Lautrec demanded from Andrea the prisoners taken by Philippin Doria at Salerno.  To this Doria returned a curt negative, whereupon Francis sent one Barbezieux to supersede Doria and to seize upon the person of the veteran admiral.  But that seaman, now sixty years of age, was not to be taken by any king or soldier.  He moved his twelve galleys from Genoa to Lerici, on the east coast of the Gulf of Spezzia, and when Barbezieux arrived he sarcastically told him to take the galleys.  Barbezieux had no better fortune than his predecessor, the Vicomte de Tours, and retired discomfited and boiling over with rage to report matters to the King.

It has been said that among the prisoners of Philippin Doria was the Marquis de Guasto.  This nobleman had been an interested spectator of the quarrel, and now approached Doria suggesting that he should throw in his lot with Charles.  The admiral, who all through had been acting in the interests of his native country, seeing its ruin approaching from the ambitions of Francis, consented, and wrote to his nephew Philippin telling him of his decision, and his reasons for that which he proposed to do.  Philippin therefore