Wolsey repaid Charles's inactivity of the previous year by standing idly by, while the imperial forces with Bourbon's contingent invaded Provence and laid siege to Marseilles.

But Francis still held command of the sea; the spirit of his people rose with the danger; Marseilles made a stubborn and successful defence; and, by October, the invading army was in headlong retreat towards Italy.[466] Had Francis been content with defending his kingdom, all might have been well; but ambition lured him on (p.

163) to destruction.

He thought he had passed the worst of the trouble, and that the prize of Milan might yet be his.

So, before the imperialists were well out of France, he crossed the Alps and sat down to besiege Pavia.