Bern had every reason to feel aggrieved. It found itself wrong-footed since earlier
that month Savoy’s envoys had approached both Bern and Geneva with an offer to
renew their old joint alliance (though they soon dismissed the proposed articles).419
Bern also took exception to Geneva’s execution of an unnamed Savoyard (presumably
a member of the League of the Spoon) and its arrest of several others, for that could
only inflame the situation.420 Geneva had other ideas: a month later it demolished
the duke’s manor and used the masonry to strengthen the city’s walls.421 Events then
moved quickly. Duke Charles set about mustering troops to invade Geneva;422 the
bishop was also rumoured to be raising an army in Burgundy to join the attack.423
Bern and Fribourg prepared to send an army (including some men from Solothurn)
to relieve Geneva, attacking castles of league members on the way,424 with Bern seek-
ing and being promised support from its co-religionist Zürich.425 Alas, not for the
first time, Bern’s troops plundered their way through the Vaud, including the sacking
of Morges, in defiance of the council’s express instructions.426 It later transpired
that Fribourg’s troops were just as guilty.427 The recourse to arms aroused concerns
among the other cantons. The bishop of Sion and the Valais communes, as Savoy’s
allies, regretted the cities’ action.428 The V Catholic cantons meeting at Brunnen
on 7 October pondered whether to come to Geneva’s aid, but decided in view of
previous failures at mediation to keep out of trouble.429
In the Vaud confusion reigned. The Vaud Estates received an assurance from
Duke Charles that he had known nothing of any attack—a preposterous assertion.
He also claimed to have punished some members of the League of the Spoon who
had committed individual acts of violence against the city.430 Bern meanwhile
419 EA IV, 1b, 724 (no. 363: I, 1) (Aug. 1530); 780 (no. 392: 2) (Sept. 1530).
420 EA IV, 1b, 724 (no. 363: to II, 4) (Sept. 1530).
421 EA IV, 1b, 780 (no. 392: 1) (Sept. 1530). 422 EA IV, 1b, 790–1 (no. 397: 1) (Sept. 1530).
423 EA IV, 1b, 792 (no. 399: 2; 7) (Oct. 1530).
424 The army together is supposed to have numbered 10,000 men. Documenti di Storia Sabauda,- Paquier, Pays de Vaud, 2, 241 gives 5000 from Bern, 3500 from Fribourg, and 500 from Solothurn,
a total of 9000.
425 EA IV, 1b, 792–5 (no. 399: 1; 3; 4; 7; 17) (Oct. 1530). Disingenuously Bern told Zürich:
Wir könnent(s) nit anders verstan, dann (daß) es fürnämlich wider die sye, so göttlichem recht
anhängig. However, it was God’s providence that Fribourg and Solothurn should assist in the
enterprise!
426 Paquier, Pays de Vaud, 2, 241.
427 EA IV, 1b, 795 (no. 399: 20) (Oct. 1530); 800 (no. 402: 4) (Oct. 1530).
428 EA IV, 1b, 794 (no. 399: 16) (Oct. 1530). 429 EA IV, 1b, 795–7 (no. 400: a) (Oct. 1530).
430 EA IV, 1b, 797–8 (no. 401: 1; 2) (Oct. 1530).