that the greatest shame can befal them is to have a Coward to their husband and thus Monsieur le Gouvernor you who have lost your place you will be in a marvellous happy condition when you shall be curss'd in your own bed But what shall we say of your Children people will not only reproach them that they are the sons of a Cowardly father but they will moreoever themselves see his name in Print and the mischiefs of which his Cowardize has been the cause For a Town is never lost let it be never so considerable that it does not draw a great deal of inconvenience along with it It brings so mighty an inconvenience upon your children that to extinguish your ill repute and to raise their own to some tollerable degree of esteem they must hazard their lives upon all occasions without either fear or wit and few escape being kill'd who by this means to wipe off the stain from their family would signalize themselves How many have I seen in my time who by endeavouring to repair some notorious fault have lost themselves and expos'd themselves to death upon the first occasion has presented it self being asham'd to live And though your children should escape these dangers yet will the King be afraid what great reputation soever they may have acquir'd to trust a Town to their custody left the Son should take after the Father as it ordinarily comes to pass Thus shall you not only ruine your selves but your whole Family To avoid and to break the neck of your ill fortune and of all these mishaps there is a good remedy which I have learn'd my self and am willing to â—each it you if you know it not already First you ought to consider all this that I have told you and set on the one side the shame and on the other the honor you will obtain if you bravely defend your place remaining victorious or at the least having done all that a man of Honour could do to come off Triumphant and like a Conqueror though you be overcome as you see I did in this Siege Imagine still that you see your Prince and Master before you and what countenance you ought to hope for if by your Cowardize you lose his place And seeing nothing ever had a beginning but that it had likewise an end consider from the beginning what the end is like to be and remember that your Master has not entrusted this place in your hands to deliver it up but to defend it that he has put you into it not to live there only but to dye there also bravely fighting if occasion be If you ask him at your going away to your Command Sir must I dye before I surrender the place you have given me in trust he will tell you that you are to fight to the last moment of your life for being you are his Subject your life is his The Seigneur de Iarnac one day told the King that it was the greatest craft and Policy that ever Kings found out to make their Subjects believe that their lives were theirs and that it was the greatest honor they could have to dye for their service but that it was a great simplicity in us to believe it and to keep such a clutter with this fine bed of honor It is nevertheless true that our lives and estates are the Kings our souls belong to God and our honour is our own for over my honor the King has no power at all To return to what I was saying before if in accepting the charge committed to you you have not this resolution within your selves you would do a great deal better to make an excuse There are ways enow to put it off and there will be enow who will be glad to accept of what you refuse If you accept it with a resolution to bring it to a handsome issue do one thing never think of dying ` T is for a Coxcomb to fear death till he see it within three inches of him and yet cannot he forbear representing it to his imagination though it be a hundred Leagues off On the contrary meditate how to kill your Enemy for if you once enter into an apprehension and fear of death you may assuredly give your place for lost for that is to take away your understanding and your judgement which is the best piece in your harness T is to much purpose to be valiant if this fail you at need which if you intend to preserve you must by no means enter into this fear of dying for fear is of it self and by the fraâ—lty of our own nature â—oo apt to intrude upon us without our needing to assist it with our own imagination If then it present it self before you you must reject it and have sudden recourse to the intention of the King and to what end he plac'd you there Think of the shame and dishonor you are running into Read often or cause to be read to you Books that speak of the honor of great Captains principally those of our own times as for example Langey and another who has writ in Italian I cannot think of his name who has writ to well since King Charles the eight I have often read him and he is a very good Author Would to God that all of us who bear arms would take up a custom to write the things we see and do for I am of opinion it would be better done by our own hands I mean as to feats of war than by those letter'd men for they too much disguise the truth and this relishes of the Clerk Read then these Books and meditate with your selves if I do like Antonio de Leva at Pavie the Sieur de Lude at Fontarabie the Signeur de Bouillon at Peronne the Signior de Sansac at Miranda and Montluc at Sienna what will they say of me what honor shall I carry back to my own house and on the contrary if I surrender what shame and infamy for me and mine Then apply your selves to Almighty God and beg of him that he will defend you from falling into these misfortunes resigning up all things into his hands After this assist your selves with all that he has put into the power of men as you see I did in this Siege and above all things be always diligent and vigilant evermore mindful of your charge if you do this forgetting withal death and danger you will find means to defend your place though it were but a Dove-Coat and though it should be lost you having perform'd your duty you must conclude it to be by the hand of God We must however always trie for I have seen a place lost that was never suspected to be in danger and such a one sav'd as has been given over for gone If you there die in your defence you will neither dishonor your selves nor your posterity but shall be laid in your grave with an immortal renown which is
had made him a very eloquent Oration at Orleans whose name he had set down in his List and in pure Gift gave him the place He likewise did the same in all Employments and I have seen the same way practised by that great Odet de Foix under whom I serv'd in the beginning of my Arms he knew the names of all the Captains and remarkable persons and when any one had perform'd any signal Exploit he presently bookt him down But Sir withal you must oft turn over this Book and not content your self with taking the names of such persons only but employ and advance them according to their quality and desert and encourage them by some gracious expressions in their favour or if he be a poor Gentleman give him money which if you please to do with your own hand five hundred Crowns will be better taken than two thousand from the hands of a Treasurer for something will evermore stick to their fingers One time King Henry your Royal Father and my good Master whom God absolve had order'd me two thousand Crowns and he that was to pay it was not asham'd to detein five hundred but he met with a Gascon that was not wont to be so serv'd nor to pay such large Fees He knew I would complain of him to the King and was more overjoyed that he could perswade me to receive it than I was of the receipt If your Majestie would give with your own hand these tricks would not be put upon men of desert It was said in your Grandfathers time that his Predecessor alwaies did so and had a Chest full of Baggs stuft with Crowns in some more in some less which he himself distributed according to the quality of the person or of the service he had perform'd I know some will tell you that this is too much below a King but Sir do not believe them for these are the people that would have the moulding of all the Paste and would that your liberality should pass thorough their hands to the end that they might nim from your bounty Only one thing give me leave to tell your Majestie you should not give all to one nor to a few persons I beseech you Sir pardon my plainness you have given one Gentleman of Guienne enough to have satisfied fifty pretenders I will not say but that the man was brave and valiant but there were who deserv'd it as well or better than he and who notwithstanding had nothing at all Your Majestie may please to take what I say in good part I have one foot in the Grave and 't is the affection I bear to your Crown that prompts me to say what I do I am Neighbour to the Spaniard but he never had other than Flours-de-Lis from me I could say a great deal more if I durst for in truth there is but too much to say and but too many things to be reform'd I must now speak a little with your Majesties permission to the Monsieur your Brother your new Chancellor in arms 'T is to you then my Lord that I address my self and I should be sorry this Book should go out of my hands without some honorable testimonie of your Grandeur You are descended from the greatest Family in the world there is no Record but that these ten last descents have ever been hardie and warlike and but very few from the first Christian King have been otherwise although Races have gone out and that others have seiz'd upon the Crown which is exceedingly admirable for of four Generations of Gentlemen you shall hardly find two Descents together valâ—ant Which ought to make us believe that God has a particular providence over this Kingdom seeing he has given so great Gifts and Graces to those who are his Vicegerents as to the Kings your Grandfather and Father And although you are no King you nevertheless share in the blessing that God has so liberally conferred upon your Royal Family O my Lord you have great reason to think and to assure your self that Almighty God has design'd you for great ends as is already discern'd by the victories he has given you in your younger years which are such as therein his Almighty arm has been manifestly seen and that you have obtein'd them more thorough his Divine Will than any power of man Every one must therefore of necessitie confess that this Kingdom is the Care of Heaven that the King your Brother is God's Lieutenant and that You are his Behold what fair and honouâ—able Titles I must now take the boldness to talk a little to you You are my Lord the prop upon whom he reposes and relies you are he who are to command the Arms which are â—o carry him into all hazards perils and fortunes You are the Trumpet which is to give us the signal what we are to do You are our refuge and our hope by whose testimonie we are to expect from the King the recompence of all our services 'T is you who are to recommend us to his Majesties knowledg and who as a true Chancellor of the Sword are to make him a true Report of what we have done for his service and who when we are dead and gone ought to present our Children to him if we have behav'd our selves as men of honor ought to do Finally you have all the eyes of France upon you upon you my Lord who command Armies and who have so often bang'd and bang'd again the Rebellious Hugonots All Christendom knows that it is you for the King is constrain'd since his Council will have it so to make war in his Cabineâ— Since then you hold so high a place upon which all other Offiâ—es and Commands that concern Arms depend and that we are all to stand or fall by you for the Kings service and your own your Highness ought to repose your entire confidence and to lay out your whole care upon us who follow Arms for all other conditions of men participate nothing with yours forasmuch as all the rest depend upon men of the long Robe Of such there are a great many in the Kings Council you have nothing to do with these people neither indeed is it proper you should for too many irons in the fire never do well and it is an old saying All covet all lose If your Highness will please a little to reflect upon what I take the boldness to represent before you you will find that it will be necessary seeing you are in so high a Station to weigh and consider what it is that may help to maintain and support you in so great and so honorable a Command than which nothing can be greater Shall it be from these young Captains that you are to expect it no certainly for in these kind of people theâ—e is no manner of experience but rather levity and folly Shall it be from men of the long Robe You are yet less to expect it from them than from the other They will
are some who are men of very great judgment and who have no inclination to discountenance either good writings or good men that decry this Book for one of the vainest pieces that ever was writ and indeed they have reason on their side there being a continued thread of vanity and ostentation throughout the whole work ou par tout on trouvera les Gasconades a bon marché But the Author being a Gascon to which Nation bragging is as natural as bravery and the things he relates of himself being undeniably true I conceive he ought to be excus'd and the rather because it is for the most part in vindication of himself from the ill offices and slanders of those little Monsieurs of the Court of whom he so often complains and gives himself the best description a sort of vermin that in truth have evermore insinuated themselves into all Courts of Princes especially that of France where the worthiest men in all Ages have ever been subject to the clandestine malice and private calumny of such as durst not so much as have lookt on to have beheld the brave actions perform'd by those they were not afraid to traduce and bespatter at the distance of an hundred leagues and under the protection of their Master's presence and favour After all these objections which I have here set down as well to prevent others as to excuse my self I am now to tell you that had I not for all this thought this Book a very good one I should have found my self something else to do and I may venture to declare I think it so since it has had so great a reputation with almost all sorts of men that the truth of it in no one particular that I ever heard of was ever disputed by any and that it has been allowed by all to be the best Soldiers Book that is the best Book for the instruction of a Soldier that ever was writ Never certainly were Enterprizes design'd with more judgment and resolution nor ever carried on with greater bravery and conduct than all his were besides the labour hazard and diligence with which they were ever executed were such as perhaps had never been practis'd before nor for ought I ever heard or read ever imitated by any Frenchman since from whence I am apt to conclude that either Monsieur de Montluc was the greatest Soldier of a Subject that ever was in France or that the Historians of that Kingdom have not been so just to the rest as he has been to himself I cannot deny but that to an invicible spirit and an indefatigable constancy in suffering all the hardships of war the fierceness of his nature prompt and perfectly Gascon or else his zeal to Religion and the service of his Prince or both made him sometimes do things which seem'd bloody and cruel but the necessity of the time and the growing faction of the Hugon ots would have it so neither do I think I know not how discreet I am in declaring so much that Sacriledge and Rebellion can be too roughly handled and severity must needs appear a virtue where clemency would evidently have been a vice As to the rest the Reader will find his Harangues well fitted to the several occasions his Deliberations prudent and well grounded his Instructions sound his Arguments rational his Descriptions plain and intelligible and the whole well enough coucht from a hand that was better acquainted with a Sword than a Pen and by a man whose design as well as profession was rather to do things worthy to be written than to write things worthy to be read To conclude I shall beg of the Reader in the behalf of the brave Author to consider him a poor Gentleman bred up to Arms by which alone he pusht on his fortune to the highest degree of honor without any addition of Letters or other advantages of education the ordinary foundations of greatness than what he forg'd out of his own courage and form'd out of his own natural parts which were notwithstanding such as approv'd him a Captain of extraordinary valour and conduct and made him moreover allow'd to be a man of wit Characters which all the Historians do generally allow him and particularly Davila though he only here and there glances upon his name For my self I have nothing to say but this that although this be no elegant it is nevertheless if I mistake not an useful piece and though we have lost the use of Bows and Targets yet design and diligence will be in fashion so long as the Practice of Arms shall endure I expose my share of it then to every ones mercy and good nature such as will buy the Book will keep me in countenance 't is no matter whether they take the pains to read it or no for by that means my Bookseller's business will be done and as to the rest I shall not be much disappointed my design being in plain truth though I should be glad I confess and proud it might take chiefly to pass away my own time and to please my self THE French Printer TO THE NOBLESS OF GASCONY GENTLEMEN AS we see certain Countries yield particular fruits in great abundance which are elsewhere rarely to be found so it also seems that your Gascony does ordinarily produce an infinite number of great and valiant Captains as a fruit that is natural and peculiar to that Climate and that comparatively the other Provinces are in a manner barren 'T is to her Womb that the World stands oblig'd for those noble and illustrious Princes of the House of Foix Albret Armagnac Cominge Candalle and Captaux de Buch. 'T is to her that we stand indebted for Pothon and la Hire two happy Pillars and singular Ornaments of the Arms of France 'T is she who in our dayes has acquainted the remotest Nations with the names of de Termes de Bellegarde de la Vallette d'Aussun de Gondrin Terride Romegas Cossains Gohas Tilladet Sarlabous and divers other brave Gentlemen of the pure and true Soil of Gascony without mentioning those at this day living who generously enflam'd with the Trophies and Atchievments of their brave Predecessors are emulous of their glory and put fair for an equal share of renown 'T is your Gascony Gentlemen that is the Magazine of Soldiers the Nursery of Arms the Flower and choice of the most warlike Nobless of the whole Earth and the Mother of so many renowned Leaders as may dispute the precedency of valour with the most celebrated Captains of the Greeks and Romans that ever were But of all those who descended from your noble Families have adorn'd the practice of Arms no one for Prowess Experience or Resolution did ever excel this invincible Cavalier Blaize de Montluc Mareschal of France That Prerogative of Honor cannot be disputed with him no more than the gifts Heaven was pleased to conferre upon him of a prompt and marvelous vivacity of understanding of a present and nevertheless a
very reserved prudence which he discover'd upon the most sudden and surprizing occasions in the management of affairs of an admirable memory and so rich as the like is rarely to be found of a great facility of speech strong and bold and full of incitements of honor in the ardours of Battel and in affairs of State of a grave and temperate eloquence heightned and illustrated with Propositions Reasons and Arguments and all accompanied with so clear and lively a judgment that although be was destitute of Letters the beauty of his natural parts notwithstanding darkned the splendor of those who to a long experience in affairs had joyn'd a perfect and exact knowledg of the profoundest Arts and Mysteries both of books and men The greatest part of you who knew him and have often fought under his Ensign stand in need of no other testimony than your own knowledg but the younger sort who never had the good fortune to see this great man besides what they may have gather'd by report will perfectly know and understand him by his own commentaries the actions whereof you have seen him perform when living and which he dictated when sick and languishing of that great Harquebuze shot which shatter'd his face at the Siege of Rabasteins where for a farewel to Arms he serv'd his Prince in the quality of Pioneer Soldier Captain and General at once after which from his Bed to his Grave this generous soul could never find any rest which he was wont to say was his capital Enemy and gave him occasion towards his end to command this Distick to be engrav'd upon his Tomb. Cy dessous reposent les Os De MONTLUC qui n'eust onc repos Here with repose Montluc lies blest Who living never could find rest Seeing then that assisted by your valours he has so fortunately perform'd so many glorious feats of Arms I conceiv'd it but reasonable that this Dedication should address it self to you that you might enjoy the fruits and have the pleasure of reading those actions repeated in his Writings and of seeing the names of your noble Ancestors recorded to posterity in a Chronicle of Honor. And if I mistake not there will hardly be found a History more repleat with variety more grateful to the Reader and more rich in instructions for the conduct and direction both of Peace and War than this where I fancy at least the difference betwixt a History compil'd by a sedentary man bred up tenderly and deâ—icately in the dust of old Studies and old Books and one writ by an old Captain and a Soldier brought up in the dust and smoak of Armies and Battels will easily be discern'd I know not what ancient Histories have the vertue in a little spacâ— to render those who read them with the greatest diligence and observation very wise and circumspect leaders but if any such there be this above all others will easily obtein the precedence and enform you generous Nobless of all the good and evil events that attend the fortune or misfortune the valour or the cowardize the prudence or inconsideration of him who is Chief or General of an Army or who is Prince or Sovereign of a mighty Kingdom You have here wherewith to delight your fancy to discretion your valour to martialize your wisdom and to form the true honor of a School of War The Commentaries of this second Caesar will make you Doctors in Military Discipline and will serve you for Model Mirror and Exemple they have no fictitious lustre no affected artifice no foreign ornament of borrowed beauty 'T is nothing but simple Truth that is nakedly presented before you These are the conceptions of a strong sound and healthful digestion that rellish of their original and native soil bold and vigorous conceptions reteining yet the breath vigour and fierceness of the Author This is he who having the first arriv'd to the highest step of all the degrees and dignities of war has highly promoted the honor of your Country both by his Sword and his Pen and to such a degree that the name of the Montluc's shall gloriously live in the memory of a long and successful posterity manifesting without envy to succeeding Ages that your Captain and Historian as he knew how prudently to enterprize and bravely to execute what he had design'd was no less good at his Pen but equally eminent in that faculty to record with truth and judgment what he had acted before with the greatest courage and conduct On the brave Mareschal de Montluc and his Commentaries writ by his own hand MONTLVC how far I am unfit To praise thy valour or thy wit Or give my suffrage to thy fame Who have my self so little name And can so ill thy worth express I blushing modestly confess Yet when I read their better lines Who to commend thy brave designs Their Panegyricks have set forth And do consider thy great worth Though what they write may be more high They yet fall short as well as I. Whose is that Pen so well can write As thou couldst both command and fight Or whilst thou foughtst who durst look on To make a true description None but thy self had heart to view Those Acts thou hadst the heart to do Thy self must thy own deeds commend By thy own hand they must be pen'd Which skill'd alike in Pen and Sword At once must act and must record Thus Caesar in his Tent at night The Actions of the day did write And viewing what h 'ad done before Emulous of himself yet more And greater things perform'd until His arm had overdone his will So as to make him almost fit To doubt the truth of what he writ Yet what he did and writ though more Than ere was done or writ before Montluc by thee and thee alone Are parallel'd if not outdone And France in Ages yet to come Shall shew as great a man as Rome Hadst thou been living and a man When that great Ceasar overran The antient Gauls though in a time When Soldiery was in its prime When the whole world in plumes were curl'd And he the Soldier of the world His conqu'ring Legions doubtless had By thy as conqu'ring arms been stayd And his proud Eagle that did soar To dare the trembling world before Whose Quarry Crowns and Kingdoms were Had met another Eagle here As much as she disdain'd the Lure Could fly as high and stoop as sure Then to dispute the worlds Command You two had fought it hand to hand And there the Aquitanick Gaul Maintain'd one glorious day for all But for one Age 't had been too much T' have had two Leaders and two such Two for one world are sure enow And those at distant Ages too If to a Macedonian Boy One world too little seem'd t' enjoy One world for certain could not brook At once a Caesar and Montluc But must give time for either's birth Nature had suffer'd else and th' Earth That truckled under each alone Under them
both had sunk and gone Yet though their noble Names alike With wonder and with terror strike Caesar's though greater in Command Must give Montlnc's the better hand Who though a younger Son of Fame A greater has and better Name With equal courage but worse cause That trampled on his Country's Laws And like a bold but treacherous friend Enslaved those he should defend Whilst this by no ambition sway'd But what the love of glory made With equal bravery and more true Maintain'd the right that overthrew His Vict'ries as th' encreast his power Laid those for whom he fought still lower Abroad with their victorious Bands He conquer'd Provinces and Lands Whilst the world's conqu'ring Princess Rome Was her own Servants slave at home Thy courage brave Montluc we find To be of a more generous kind Thy spirit loyal as 't was brave Was evermore employ'd to save Or to enlarge thy Country's bounds Thine were the sweat the blood the wounds The toyl the danger and the pain But hers and only hers the gain His wars were to oppress and grieve Thine to defend or to relieve Yet each to glory had pretence Though such as shew'd the difference By their advantages and harms 'Twixt Infidel and Christian Arms. France Piedonont Tuscany and Rome Have each a Trophy for thy Tomb Sienna too that nature strain'd Only to honor thy command Proud of thy name will be content It self to be thy monument But thine own Guienne will deny Those noble Relicks elsewhere lye But there enshrin'd now thou art dead Where to its glory thou wert bred O fruitful Gascony whose fields Produce what ever Nature yields Fertile in valour as in fruit And more than fruitful in repute How do I honor thy great Name For all those glorious Sons of Fame Which from thy fair womb taking birth Have overspread the spacious Earth Yet stands the world oblig'd for none Nor all thy Heâ—oes more than one One brave Montluc had crown'd thee Queen Though all the rest had never been Past times admir'd this General The present do and future shall Nay whilst there shall be men to read The glorious actions of the dead Thy Book in Ages yet unborn The noblest Archives shall adorn And with his Annals equal be Who fought and writ the best but thee Charles Cotton On the Commentaries of Messire Blaize de Montluc To the Worthy Translator HE that would aptly write of Warlike Men Should make his Ink of bloud a Sword his Pen At least he must Their Memories abuse Who writes with less than Maro's mighty Muse All Sir that I could say on this great Theme The brave Montluc would lessen his esteem Whose Laurels too much native Verdure have To need the praises vulgar Chaplets crave His own bold hand what it durst write durst do Grappled with Enemies and Oblivion too Hew'd its own Monument and grav'd thereon It 's deep and durable Inscription To you Sir to whom the valiant Author owes His second Life and Conquest o're his Foes Ill natur'd Foes Time and Detraction What is a Strangers Contribution Who has not such a share of Vanity To dream that one who with such Industry Obliges all the world can be oblig'd by me Thomas Flatman On the Commentaries of Montluc translated I Never yet the French Tongue understood Which may what e're their Fashions are be good Yet such as I by your industrious hand Come now them and their State to understand This and your well-translated Espernon Make those brave Histories of France our own Sir these are noble Works and such as do Name you Translator and the Author too You are our Author and our thanks to you As yours to their Historians are due Nay ev'n the French themselves must thank you too For we and we are the major part who know Nothing of them but what is noise and shew Hard names for damn'd course Stuffs stinking Meat Adulterate Wine strange Habits Legs and Faces Might justly look on France not to speak worse To be of these the Mother or the Nurse But us you undeceive and do them right By these exact Translations which you write And we who understand no French now find You are both just to them and to us kind R. Newcourt ERRATA PAge 1. line 20. r. to justifie p. 2. l. 24. r. and yet p. 4. l. 50. r. the charge and honor p. 5 1. 7. r. not for p. 8. l. 32. r. and the. p. 11. l. 51. r. in in p. 12. l. penult r. a fugitive p. 15. l. 47. r. they p. 19. l. 4. r. dine aboard p. 22. l. 6. r. not dâ—ign p. 24. l. 17. r. by burning p. 28. l. 43. r. de Montpezat p. 29. l. 22. r. at that time l. 38. r. de Tande p. 31. l. 25. r. de Montpezat p. 32. l. 29. r. de Fonterailles p. 39. l. 23. r. and me to Savillan p. 41. l. 24. r. Monsieur d' Aussun l. 50. r. knew the. p. 42. l. 14. r. could avoid p. 45. l. 16. r. 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r. of which p. 355. 1. 47. r. and had they l. 49 r. they had had p. 357. l. 45. r. one near unto Tholouze p. 358. l. 12. r. the best friends I had p. 359. l. 25. He has indeed p 363. l. 8. r. the Coins were broken p. 364. l. 53. r. to the Hole of the wall p. 365. l. 38. r. and that in case I should p. 376. l. 15. r. I am sure mine never did p. 382. l. 32. r. subjects l. 53. r. your blood p. 389. l. 13. r. all other employments p. 391. l. 49. r. My Lord. p. 395. l. 44. r. tâ—an to Bourdeaux p. 403. l. 44. r. It was A Catalogue of some Books Printed for Henry Brome since the dreadful Fire of London THE History of the Life of the Duke Espernon the great Favourite of France wherein the History of France is continued from 1598 where D'Avila leaves off down toour times 1642 in fol. price 16 s. Horace a French Tragedy Englished with a Song at the end of every Act price 1 s. 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THE COMMENTARIES OF Messire Blaize de Montluc MARESCHAL of FRANCE The First Book BEing at the Age of threescore and fifteen retir'd home to my own House there to seek some little Repose after the infinite Pains and Labours I had undergone during the space of above fifty years that I bore Arms for the several Kings my Masters in which Service I past all the Degrees and through all the Orders of Soldier Ensign Lieutenant Captain Camp-Master Governour of Places his Majesties Lieutenant in the Provinces of Tuscany and Guienne and Mareschal of France finding my self maimed in almost all my Limbs with Harquebuz-Shots Cuts and Thrusts with Pikes and Swords and by that means rendred almost useless and good for nothing without strength or hope ever to be cured of that great Harquâ—buz Shot in my Face and after having resign'd my Government of Guienne into his Majesties hands I thought fit to employ the Remainder of my Life in a Description of the several Combats wherein I have been personally engag'd in the space of two and fifty years that I had the Honour to command assuring my self that the Captains who shall take the pains to read my Life will therein meet with Passages that may be useful to them in the like Occasions and of which some Advantage may be made to the acquiring of Honour and Renown And although I have in the several Engagements I have undertaken and some of them perhaps without great Reason on my side justifie my Proceedings been exceedingly fortunate and successful beyond all humane Aim I would not yet any one should conceive that I attribute the Success or the Glory thereof to any other than to God alone and indeed whoever shall consider the Dangers and Difficulties I have gone through and overcome cannot but therein acknowledge his Almighty and immediate Arm. Neither have I ever fail'd to implore his Assistance in all my Undertakings and that with great Confidence in his Grace and Mercy and Assurance of it wherein his Divine Majesty has been pleased so far to be gratiously assisting to me that I have never been defeated nor surpriz'd in any Exploit of War where I have been in command but on the contrary have ever carried away Victory and Honour And it is very necessary and fit that all we who bear Arms should ever consider and always confess that we of our selves can do nothing without his Divine Bounty which inspires us with Courage and supplies us with Strength to attempt and execute those great and hazardous Enterprises which present themselves to our Undertaking And because some of those who shall read these Commentaries for it will be very hard to please all though some will set a just value upon my Book may perhaps think it strange and accuse me of Vain-Glory for writing my own Actions and say that I ought in Modesty to have transferred that Work to another Hand I shall tell such once for all that in writing the Truth and attributing to God the Glory thereof there will be no harm done Neither besides that the Testimonies of several Men of Honour yet living will justifie the Truth of what I shall deliver can any one give a better Account of the Designs Enterprizes and Exeâ—ntions and the Actions happening thereupon than my self who was an Eye-witness and an Actor in them all and who also design not herein to deprive any one of his due and particular Honour The greatest Captain that ever liv'd was Caesar and he has led me the way having himself writ his own Commentaries and being careful to record by Night the Actions he performd by Day I would therefore by his Exemple contrive mine how rude and impolisht soever as coming from the hand of a Soldier and moreover a Gascon who has ever been more solicitous to do than to write or to speak well Wherein shall be comprehended all the Exploits of War in which I have either been personally engaged or that have bâ—en performed by my Direction and those beginning from my greener years when I first came into the World to signifie to such as I shall leave behind me how restless I who am at this day the oldest Captain in France have ever been in the Search and Acquisition of Honour in performing Services for the Kings my Masters which was my sole and only end ever flying all the Pleasures and Delights which usually divert young men whom God has endowed with any commendable Qualities and who are upon the point of their Advancement from the Paths of true Virtue and
undisputed Greatness A Book not intended however for the Learned Men of the World they have Historians enough of their own but for a Soldier and wherein a Captain and perhaps a Lieutenant of a Province may find something that may be worth his Observation At the least I can affirm that I have written the Truth having my Memory as good and entire at this instant as ever and being as perfect in the Names both of Men and Places as if all things had past but yesterday as yet I never committed any thing to Paper for I never thought at such an Age as this to undertake any thing of this kind which whether I have well or ill performed I refer my self to such as shall do me the Honour to read my Book which is properly an Account of my own Life To you therefore Captains my Companions it is that this Treatise does principally address itself to whom peradventure it may in some measure be useful And you ought to believe that having so many years been in the same Command wherein you now are and having so long discharg'd the Office of a Captain of Foot and thrice that of Camp Master and Colonel I must needs have retein'd something of that Condition and that in a long Experience I have seen great Honours confer'd upon some and great Disgraces befal others of that Degree There have been some who in my time have been cashier'd and degraded their Nobility others who have lost their Lives upon a Scaffold others dishonoured and dismist to their own Houses without ever having been more regarded either by the King or any other And on the contrary I have seen others who have trail'd a Pike at six Francs pay arrive at great Preferments performing things so brave and manifesting themselves men of so great Capacity that several who in their Original have been no better than the Sons of poor labouring Men have rais'd themselves above many of the Nobility by their Prowess and Virtue Of all which having my self been an Eye-Witness I am able to give a precise and a true Account And although I my self am a Gentleman by Birth yet have I notwithstanding been rais'd to that degree of Honour wherein I now stand as leisurely and as much step by step as any the poorest Soldier who has serv'd in this Kingdom these many years For being born into the World the Son of a Gentleman whose Father had made sale of all his Estate to only eight hundred or a thousand Livres yearly Revenue and being the eldest of six Brothers that we were I thought it principally concern'd me to illustrate the Name of Montluc which is that of our Family as I have also done with as much Peril and as many Hazards of my Life as Soldier or Captain ever did and that without ever having the least Reproach from those by whom I was commanded but on the contrary with as much Favour and Esteem as ever any Captain had who bore Arms in the Armies wherein I had the Honour to serve Insomuch that whenever there happened any Enterprise of Importance or Danger the Kings Lieutenants and Collonels would as seon or sooner put me upon it as any other Captain of the Army of which the ensuing pages will give you sufficient Testimony From the time therefore that I was first advanc'd to the Degree of an Ensign I made it my business to understand the Duty of an Officer and to learn to be wise by the Exemple of such as committed Oversights or were otherwise negligent in their Command To which purpose I first totally wean'd my self from Play Drink and Avarice as knowing well that all Captains of that Complexion are so unfit ever to arrive at any thing of Great as to be much more likely to fall into the bâ—fore-nam'd Misfortunes That Knowledge it was that made 〈◊〉 positively resolve against all these three things which Youth is very prone unto and which are very prejudicial to the Reputation of a Chief Of these Play is of such a Nature that it subjects a man neither to do nor intend any other thing and that whether he win or lose for if you win you are evermore solicitous to find out new Gamesters being prepossest with an Opinion that you shall still win more and continue in that Error until all be lost Being reduc'd to this point you run almost into Despair and mâ—ditate nothing day nor night but where and how to get more money to play again and to try to recover your Losses by a better Hand In which Condition how can you think to acquit your self of the Charge the King has put into your hands when you shall wholly bend your Study and employ your whole time in another thing and instead of coâ—triving how to overâ— reach your Enemy by laudable Stratagems of War you plot nothing else but how to ruin your Camrade and Friend by an infamous Cheat at Cards or Dice This must of necessity wholly divert you from your Duty whereas you ought to be continually amongst your Soldiers and so frequent as if possible to know every man by his distinct Name and that for these two Ends first to prevent any Acts of Insolence in their Quarters for which you may expect and fear a just Reproach from the Lieutenant of the Province or your own immediate Colonel And in the next place to take care that there happen no Mutiny amongst them nothing being more pernicious to a Company nor of more dangerous Consequence to an Army than mutinous Spirits And how can you possibly have an Eye to sâ—ch Disorders or give any tolerable Account of the Trust reposed in you when your Heart shall be wholly bent upon Play that will alarm you a hundred and a hundred times a day and put you besides your self Fly then my dear Companions fly I beseech you this hateful Vice which I have often known to be the Ruine of many not only in their Fortunes but which is more and that ought to be dearer in their Honour and Reputation Now for what concerns Wine if you be subject to debauch you cannot avoid falling into as many and as great Inconveniencâ—s as he that Plays for nothing in the World so much stupefies the understanding of a Man and that inclines him so much to sleep as Wine If you drink but little you will consequently not eat too much for Wine calls upon the Appetite to eat that you may the longer enjoy the Pleasure of Drinking So that in the end being full of Meat and Drink before you rise from Table it will be necessary to go sleep and perhaps at such a time when you ought to be amongst your Soldiers and Companions near your Colonel and Camp-Master to enquire what News or Orders they have received from the Kings Lieutenant that you may know when any Occasion is presented wherein you may employ your Valour and Wisdom To this Excess in Wine brings along with it another and extreme Danger
to the utmost of what you are able to perform and enter into the place with safety than walking at your case to be kill'd and not to enter into it wherein your selves will be the cause of your own death and the loss of the place and where you might by your dâ—ligence gain a brave reputation you will by loytering at your ease finish your life and your 〈◊〉 together and never excuse your selves upon the Souldiers nor make the Enterprize seem difficult unto them but always easie and above all things be sure to carry provision along with you especially bread and wine wherewith to refresh them by the way for as I have said before humane bodies are not made of iron always speaking chearfully to them by the way and encouraging them to go on representing to them the great honor they will acquire to themselves and the signal service they shall perform for the King and doubt not but proceeding after that manner men will go as far and farther than horses I advise you to nothing that I have not often done my self and caus'd to be done as you will find in the reading my Book for after horses are once tir'd you shall not make them budge a step with all the spurs you have but men are supported by their courage and require not so much time for refreshing they eat as they go and chear one another upon their march It will therefore Fellow Captains stick only at you do then as I have often done forsake your horses and fairly on foot at the head of your men shew them that you will undergo the same labour they do by which means you will make them do any thing you will and your example will enflame the courages and redouble the Forces of the most tir'd and overspent of all the Company Two or three days after the King mov'd with all his Army directly towards Amiens and in his first or second days march arriv'd the Gentleman from the Governor of Corbie who found his Majesty marching his Army in the field where he brought him news that Captain Brueil was entred safe into Corbie which was a great satisfaction both to his said Majesty and the whole Army to know that this place was secured whereupon his Majesty merrily said to Monsieur de Guise Who shall be the first to tell Montluc this news for I for my part will not be he Nor I neither said Monsieur de Guise for so soon as he shall hear it he will so crow there will be no dealing with him which they said because they had all of them been of opinion that it was impossible for foot to perform so long a a journey The next day his Majesty was advertised that the King of Spain had made a halt a little League from Corbie and made no shew of having any intention to besiege that place which made the King think that by reason of the succours it had receiv'd he would make no attempt against it and thereupon it presently came into his head that he would march directly to Amiens which having no more than one or two foot Companies in Garrison he immediately sent away the Marquis de Villars who is yet living with three hundred men at arms to go in extreme diligence and put himself into it commanding me to send away other seven Ensigns to follow after him with all the haste they possibly could make which I accordingly did and gave the charge of conducting them to Captain Forces who is yet living and being the Captains and Souldiers had all heard what commendations both the King and all the Army had given Captain Brueil for the haste he had made in going to relieve Corbie they would do the same and arriv'd as soon as the said Marquis at Amiens for nothing so much excites men of our Trade as glory and the desire to do as well or better than another Two or three days before this his Majesty had sent three Companies also into Dourlans and so with all great ease provided for the safety of these three important places So soon as the King was come to Amiens the King of Spain's Army also arriv'd and encamp'd within a League the River betwixt them and there the Treaty of peace was set on foot of which the Constable and the Mareschal de S. Andre had made the first overtures during the time of their imprisonment in Spain in order to which I think there was a truce from the beginning because nothing of action past on either side at least that I remember for I fell very sick of a double Tertian Ague which I got not by excess of revelling and dancing but by passing the nights without sleep sometimes in the cold sometimes in the heat always in action and never at rest It was well for me that God gave me an able body and a strong constitution for I have put this carcass of mine as much to the proof as any Souldier whatsoever of my time After all the going to and again that lasted for above two months the peace was in the end concluded to the great misfortune principally of the King and generally of the whole Kingdom This peace being cause of the surrender of all the Countreys conquer'd and the Conquests made both by King Francis and Henry which were not so inconsiderable but that they were computed to be as much as a third part of the Kingdom of France and I have read in a Book writ in Spanish that upon this accomodation the King deliver'd up an hundred fourscore and eighteen Fortresses wherein he kept Garison by which I leave any one to judge how many more were in dependance and under the obedience of these All we who bear Arms may affirm with truth that God had given us the best King for Souldiers that ever Reign'd in this Kingdom and as for his people they were so affectionate to him that not one of them ever repin'd to lay out his substance to assist him in the carrying on of so many Wars as he had continually upon his hands I shall not condemn those who were the Authors of this peace for every one must needs believe they did â—t to good intent and that had they foreseen the mischiefs that ensu'd upon it they would never have put a hand to the work for they were so good servants of the Kings and lov'd him so well as they had good and just reason to do that they would rather have dy'd in Captivity than have done it which I say because the Constable and the Mareschal de S. Andre were the first movers and promoters of it who themselves have seen the death of the King and themselves shar'd in the mishaps that have since befallen this miserable Kingdom wherein they both dyed with their swords in their hands who otherwise might yet perhaps have been alive by which any one may conclude that they did not make this peace foreseeing the
had we took nineteen and of thirteen Corâ—ets of Horse five all which we sent to Monsieur de Montpensier by that Complement acknowledging him for our Chief The Country people kill'd more than we for in the night they stole away to retire themselves into their houses and some hid themselves in the Woods but so soon as ever they were discover'd both men and women fell upon them so that they could find no place of safety There was numbred upon the Plain and in the Vineyards above two thousand slain besides those who were dispatch't by the Boors After this Victory we marcht straight to Mussidan Monsieur de Burie went before to attend Monsieur de Montpensier and we left all the Army at Grigâ—oux in two or three great Villages there are betwixt Mauriac and Mussidan where after I had seen them settled in their Quarters I also went to pay my duty to him at Mussidan where I was as well receiv'd as I shall ever be in any Company what ever so long as I live and do think that Monsieur de Montpensier took me above ten times in his arms making me stay above four hours with him He was a good Prince a truly honest man and very zealous for the Catholick Religion He was of opinion that I should return into Guienne which was also the Judgment of all the forementioned Seigneurs who were with him and indeed in the King of Navarre's Company and mine there were not thirty Horse that were not wounded and was resolv'd to take along with him Monsieur de Burie the three Companies of Gens-d'arms and that of the Mareshal de Termes together with the three Spanish Companies to go and joyn with the other ten led by Don Iuan de Carbajac who was that day to be at Bergerac This was the success of the Battel of Ver and because some perhaps may say that I commend my self as the sole cause that the Battel was fought and attribute to my own courage and conduct the entire glory of the victory Monsieur de Montpensier and Messieurs de Chevigny and de Vauguyon are yet living who if they please can bear witness what they heard the whole Army say and particularly the very Servants of Monsieur de Burie which Sieur de Burie himself did not deny but that he refer'd the whole management of that business to my conduct for he was old and not so active as I to command and to run up and down from one to another as I did being at the end of the Battel as wet as if I had been plung'd into the River Neither is the said Sieur de Burie to be reprehended for he came in good time and though he did not meddle himself yet the Battallion he brought along with him strook a terror into the Enemy which made us have a better match If this Body of Hugonots could have joyn'd with the Prince of Conde they had mated the King's Army as may well be suppos'd when without them he was very near winning the Battel of Dreux and besides had it not been for thâ—s Battel the Spaniards would never have daâ—'d to have entred into France nâ—ither could Mâ—nsieur de Montpensier himself have been there but had been sent to defend and relieve Guienne whereas by means of this victory he carried all the Forces of Guienne and Xaintonge which consisted of four Companies of Gens-d'armes and six what of his 〈◊〉 and what of Xaintonge and Monsieur de Sâ—nsac with his three and twenty Ensigns of Gascons and Spaniards which were no contemptible succours that he carried to the King of which a good part also were at the winning of the Battel and I have been told that all those who went from that side behav'd themselves admirably well at the Battel of Drâ—ux and indeed there are no Soldiers in the Kingdom that surpass the Gascons if they be well commanded especially the ten Ensigns of Captain Charry whom the King since honor'd so far as to take them into his own Guards and keeps them to this day that Monsieur de Strozzy has the command of them after the execrable murther murther of Captain Charry most viley assassinated at Paris And although a man should nâ—t commend himself I shall not nevertheless forbear to deliver the truth and to give it under my hand that I did at that time as great service for the King my Lord and Master as ever Gentleman did and in a time of extreme need and the greatest necessity of his affairs And if the Queen please to lay her hand upon her heart I am confident she will confess the same she better knew than any other the condition affairs were in and how much I traverst and prevented the intelligences the Prince of Condé had in Guienne of which he counted himself cock sure You Loâ—ds then and Companions of mine who shall read my Book take example by the great diligence and sudden execution I perform'd after the taking of Leâ—toure and do not you who are Lieutenants of Provinces I besiech you depeâ—d upon the reports others may make you of the discovery of an Enemy at least if you be able to do it your selves for you your selves ought to see and observe their order countenance and motion and in so doing shall ever be better able to command than upon the report of another Your own eyes will better discern what is necessary to be done than any other whoever you can send to perform that service you may take an old Captain or two along with you but above all things have a care of taking an old Captain out of any particular affection you have to him in company with you when you go to discover for it is to be fear'd that that affection of yours may make you take some swaggering insignificant Coxcomb instead of a good Soldier who so soon as he shall discover the Enemy will find a false friend about his heart which will be the cause that out of the opinion you have of his judgment and valour and the friendship you have for him he will make you commit so great an error and lose such an opportunity as perhaps you shall never again retrieve but alwayes take some old Captain who in all places whereever he has been shall not only have fought but have been moreover the occasion of fighting and although he may have been sometimes unfortunate and beaten provided it was not thorough default of courage or understanding do not forbear out of that consideration to take him about you For all the world are not so fortunate as Montluc who was never defeated Rather take such a one than one who has never either wonne or lost and that has never serv'd in an Army otherwise than as a looker on I do not say this without experience I have learnt these Lessons under the late Monsieur de Lautrec who was a brave commander and if he was unfortunate it was rather thorough
late Prince of Condé and Monsieur de Guise together with them I could make them confess that something else than Religion mov'd them to make three hundred thousand men cut one anothers throats and I know not if we have yet made an end for I have heard there is a Prophecy I know not whether in Nostradamus or no that their Children shall shew their Mothers as a wonder when they see a man so few shall be left having kill'd one another But let us say no more of it it goers my heart to think on 't mine who have the least interest and who am shorâ—ly going into the other world Should I repeat all the Traverses and Charities that I have read of in the Roman Histories I should never have done which Histories I have formerly delighted to read wondring why and what should be the reason that we are not as valiant as they I shall only â—eckon one or two and begin with that I have read in I know not what Book of Camillus a great Roman Captain who after he had won many Battels and enlarg'd the Roman Empire with the addition of a largâ— extent of Dominion was in the end call'd to judgment for having dedicated the spoil of his Conquests to the foundation of Temples wherein to sacrifice to their Gods of which spoil the one half belong'd of right to the Soldier but that the Gods might assist them in their Battels and Conquests he presented them this gift saying That the Soldiers stood as much in need of the assistance of the Gods as he So that upon his return to Rome for the reward of the great services he had perform'd and the famous Victories he had obtain'd for the Common-wealth they brought him to his Tryal yet did they not nevertheless put him to death but sent him into exile to a City the name whereof I do not remember for it is long ago since I read Livie not in Latin of which I have no more than my Pater Noster but in French Now when he had remain'd sometime in this City there came two or three Gaulish Kings with a mighty Army and took Rome killing almost all the Citizens saving some few who retir'd into the Capitol and there held out for some time Livie reports that one night those who were thus retir'd into the Capitol were all asleep and the Enemy had already gain'd a part of the Capitol when a Goose begining to cackle awak'd the Guards who thereupon enter'd into a combat with the Enemy and repell'd them At this time the said Camillus gathering together all the men he could took the field where the Enemy finding nothing more to plunder nor provisions to maintain their pleasures in Rome having dispersed themselves all over the Country ten or twelve leagues distant from the City he â—lew in the fields seven or eight thousand of them when I was at Rome in the time of Pope Marcellinus I caused those fields to be shew'd me taking great delight in viewing the ground where so many brave Battels had been fought for me-thought I saw before my eyes the things I had heard of and read but notwithsâ—anding I saw nothing either like or any way resembling the great Camillus The rumour of this defeat having run thorough all the neighbouring Cities caused several gallant men to repair to Camillus's Camp by which means finding himself strong enough he march'd directly to Rome possessed by an infinite number of Gauls whom he defeated and sav'd a vast summe of money which those who were retir'd into the Capitol had promised to give and was afterward call'd the second Founder of Rome The Historians can give a better account of this story than I who perhaps mistake it it being above thirty years since I have so much as taken a book in hand and much less dare to read now by reason of my ill eyes and the wound in my face In Spain the two Scipio's were defeated by Asdrubal in thirty dayes time and within thirty leagues of one another to wit Pub. Scipio the first and his Brother Cornelius Scipio afterwards and of both the one Army and the other some escap'd away who all retir'd to the Garrisons where they had lain all Winter where being come they found that all their Colonels were slain and were therefore necessitated to choose one whom they call'd the New Captain Asdrubal having intelligence that this new General had rallied the Roman Soldiers who were escap'd from the two defeats went immediately to assault them but was stoutly repus'd and constrain'd to retire himself to a certain place where this valiant Captain fell upon him by night and not only defeated the Army he had there with him but another also that lay in another place hard by insomuch that by his valour he not only sav'd those few Romans who were escaped from the two lost Battails but moreover both the Spaynes for the people of Rome which but for him had been lost to Rome for ever Now the Senate in the mean time continued a great while without hearing any news of the Scipioes or of their affaires but had at length intelligence brought of the loss of the two Scipio's together with the victories of this new Captaine I do not remember his name before he was created and call'd the new Captain the Historians will better remember it than I who have not seen the book of so many years which so soon as the Senate had notice of they sent away Scipio the younger to command the the Army I think son to the first Scipio who had been slain and withall commanded the new Captain to Rome whom so soon as he came instead of rewarding his service they call'd to judgment accusing him that he had accepted the Soldiers Election and taken upon him the command of the Army from them and not by Commission from the Senate and I think put him to death at least I find no more mention of him in Livy Oh how many other great Captains have been recompenced with such rewards in the time of the Romanâ— the Hâ—storians are full of such exemples and the Judicature of France being rul'd and govern'd by the Laws of the Romans 't is to be expected that the Kings of France shâ—uld govern themselves by their Customs Would to God the King would perpetuate his own glory and leave such a mâ—morial of his prudence as should for ever be commended that iâ— that he would burn all the Books of the Laws by which his Judicature determines of affairs and erect a new equal and upright Judicature for I dare be bold to say thâ—re is not a Monarch in Chrâ—stendom who is govern'd by his Laws the Kings of France excepted all the rest have Laws made by themselves to cut off all â—edious Suits so much as even in Bearn and Lorrain which are in two Corners of the Kingdom that no Suit might be above two years depending If his Mâ—jesty would please to do
by these fine Edicts I shall not meddle with the corruption of your Courts of Judicature nor the abuses in your Treasure I only beg leave to say something concerning the ordering of your Militia for should I plunge my self further into what has caused the ruine of your Kingdom I should be forced to speak too loud and that of no little ones I know Sir very well that your Majesty will not do me the honor to read my Book you have other employment and your time is too precious to be lavisht in reading the life of a Soldier but perhaps some one who shall have read it in discourse may give your Majesty some account of what it contains For which reason I have assum'd the boldness to direct this short discourse I am about to make to your Majesties observation and I beseech you take a little notice of it forasmuch as therein are laid open the causes of those disasters I have seen happen in our Kingdom within these fifty years in the beginning of which I first took up arms in the Reign of your Grandfather King Francis of blessed memory during whose Reign a Custom was introduced which I conceive to be very prejudicial to your State Your Majesty may alter it and in so doing do a great right to your self and your Kingdom as to the concern of arms A young Prince as you are for birth the greatest and the first of Christendom ought evermore to learn of old Captains Your Majesty is naturally martial and have a generoâ—s heart and therefore will not I hope disdain the advice of an old Soldier your Subject and Servant I remember the time when your Majesty took a delight to talk with me in private then when you went your Expedition to Bayonne and then very well perceiv'd that your discourse exceeded the capacity of your age and â—o such a degree that I dare be bold to say might your Majesty have had your own way all things had succeeded a great deal better for though you had done nothing but only shewed your self and have let your people see that you was in person in your Army you had at least gain'd the hearts of many and astonisht the rest and consequently had without dispute been much better serv'd in this your Majesties maturer Age. I do believe it was one of the greatest errors they made you commit for it was not your Majesties fault that you was shut up when your Aâ—mies marcht The people of your Kingdom are a good and an affectionate people and rejoyce to see their King so that your presence would have inspir'd a great many and particularly of our Country of Guienne with wiser and more loyal Councils than some of them have since embrac 't But I proceed to my discourse Sir when your Majestie conferres the place of a President a Chancellor a Lieutenant Criminal or any other Office of Judicature upon any one it is evermore with this reservation that they shall not execute any of these Charges till first they shall be examin'd by your Parliaments which are full of wiâ—e and learned men and oftentimes your Majâ—stie gives order that they shall first be examin'd by your Chancellor before they present themselves before the Parliaments which are to determine of their Capacities and whether or no they be sufficiently read in the Law not to be in danger of erring in the Arrests and Judgments they are to make in their Administrations that so right may be done to those of your Subjects to whom it sâ—all duly appertein This Sir is a good and an equitable way of proceeding for you owe us Justice impartial and according to the weight of the Ballance 'T is a right to which we are born and the chief thing you owe indifferently to all and therefore it is admirably well done to make them pass those strict and severe Inquisitions that are requir'd in the Chambers of your Parliaments assembled Yet can it not be ordered so that Justice in all things is alwaies duly executed You ought Sir to do the same in all other Offices and Commands you confer in your Kingdom and yet I see that the first that makes suit to your Majestie for the Government of a place a Company of Gens-d'arms or of Foot or the Office of a Camp-master without considering what loss or detriment may thereby ensue either to your own person or your Kingdom you easily grant it perhaps at the recommendation of the first Lady that speaks for it and that perhaps your Majesty has danced with over night at a Ball for whatsoever affairs are on foot the Ball must trot Sir these Ladies have too much credit in your Court O how many mischiefs have and do daily arise from having so lightly conferr'd these Commands And although your Majesties proceeding be prudent and just in exposing your Officers of the long Robe to the utmost test it is not however of so great importance to your State For what loss can you sustain if they be ignorant it falls not upon you for he that gains the Tryal though contrary to Law and right pays you the same duties that he did who is nonsuited in his cause by which means you lose nothing of your Revenue it is still in the Kingdom and what imports it to you whether Iohn or Peter be Lord of such or such a Mannor so long as you have your Fee-farm rents still duly paid you We are all your Subject But the error and ignorance of Governors and Captains who obtein Places and Commands with great case at the first word of the first that asks is infinitely prejudicial to your Kingdom and herein I am very confident all the great Captains and men of honor that are zealous for your service will be of my opinion If your Majesty give the Government of a Place to a man of no experience and who has never been in such a Command before see what will follow First it is an old saying that When the eye sees what before it never saw the heart thinks that which before it never thought If therefore a Siege be clapt down before him how is it to be expected that he should disengage himself how is it possible he should understand and discover the designs of the Enemy on what part they can or will assault him which there is a way to do without a Spy as I have made it to appear by what I did at Sienna How should he know how to fortifie and secure himself and in short do a thousand and a thousand things that will be necessary to be done if he have never before been engag'd in such affairs Such as have been ten times besieg'd are apt enough to be startled at it and oftentimes so astonisht that they know not where they are Now when your Majesty hears that your place is going to be beleaguer'd you will presently fall to raising an Armie as you have good reason to do not daring to rely upon
upon it for so great an honor that he will determine within himself if he have never so little courage rather to lose a thousand lives than be guilty of the least cowardize or commit the least offence for he will evermore think that should he misbehave himself he should do an injury to those who nam'd him for the Employment he has obtein'd and that your Majeste might justly reproach them with their oversight in that nomination by which means they will endeavour to do the best they can that they may obtein honor and that your Majestie may preferre them to a better Command knowing that they must again pass the inquisition to arrive at it and the examination of your old Captains where if they shall have behav'd themselves amiss they will evermore make a true report and will be asham'd to advise your Majestie to create such a one Maistre or Mareschal de Camp whom they have seen misdemean himself in the quality of a simple Captain The second advantage that will derive it self from this strict way of examination is that you will hereby stop the mouths of those importunate Lords and Ladies who upon so light foundations make suit to you for Commands upon which so many mischiefs depend being assur'd before hand that your Majestie will not grant them without the parties being well examin'd before your Chancellor and Doctors but will refuse them as you would do him that should ask of you the Office of a Councellor of the Parliament of Paris before he has passed the Test for the Court would not admit him I have heaâ—d that formerly your Father hearing that they had refus'd to admit one who by some Lady was recommended to them should say that one Ass might very well pass amongst so many Spanish horses but they would not believe him Sir put those by whom you desire to be serv'd to the Test. I once saw a Gentleman as I remember he was a Provenâ—â—l whose custom it was when any servant came to make him a tender of his service he would presenâ—ly put him to trial and putting a sword into his hand would command him to defend himself without permitting him nevertheless to thrust at him where if he found him a man firm and resolute he would presently entertein him if otherwise he would tell him he was not for his turn By which means he had evermore brave and resolute men about him for every one knew his custom and no one would offer himself but he was stout and hardy for he was a rude Gamester This was an Examination practis'd by a Subject of yours and a Law he establisht within himself for every man is a King in his own House as your Grandfather was answer'd by the Collier Establishing this severe Inquisition of the merits of men all Europe would presently know it and so many importunate Suitors will be astonisht at such a Law and will think of nothing but how to learn instead of courting Monsieur or Madam and you will be rid of these impertinents whom you send about their business and the other may go render themselves worthy before they offer to pretend to Employments too big for them and that till they have given a better account of themselves they cannot honestly pretend to because they do not deserve them There will also another conveniency arise from this way of proceeding which is that those you choose and honor with these Charges and Commands will hold them immediately from your self or your Doctors and not from the Ladies and the little Monsieurs of your Court who better understand how to set the â—inger of their Watches to the hour of the day than to level a piece of Canon against a Tower or so much as to discharge a Musket and yet by their haughty carriage and stately motion a man would think that all should tremble before them I once heard one of these pretty fellows talk at such a rate as if he had almost himself alone carried away the honor of the Battel of Monsieur de â—iron and that Monsieur de Tavannes nor even the Monsieur your Brother had done nothing comparable to him Now as I was saying these Gentlemen who shall have the honor to hold their Commands immediately from your self after this manner will think themselves much more highly honour'd wherefore Sir in truth these are things you ought more to desire to see regulated and to have a more especial regard unto than all the rest that concerns military discipline by how much all the Events of War whether good or evil under God depends upon the choice you shall make of men of Command I shall not here speak of Generals of Horse nor Colonels of Foot by reason those are two Employments that are only to be conferr'd upon Princes or men of very extraordinary quality who though they be young and of little experience it imports not much provided the Camp-Master be an experimented man And pursuing this method your Majesty will soon see the confusion that is crept into your Armies vanisht and gone and the ancient splendor and beauty of your Companies of Gens-d'arms restor'd One thing I perceive that we very much lose the use of our Launces either for want of good horses of which methinks the Race visibly decayes or because we are not so dextrous in that kind of fight as our Predecessors were for I see we quit them for the German pistols and indeed fighting in gross Battalions these are much more ready than Launces are for if they be not fought in file the Launceers are apt to encumber one another and also that open kind of fight is not so safe and certain as in close Bodies To return to my discourse you may please to take notice Sir that all such as desire to advance themselves by Arms will covet to be brought upon the Chequer of Examination And in my opinion it would be well and prudently done of your Majestie to keep a List of all the brave and qualified men you have in your several Provinces to the end that a vacancy of any Command falling you may think of those persons and worthily supply it by which means such as know themselves to be in your List will be highly encouraged and endeavour with all the power they have to do you some notable piece of service and such as are not in will expose themselves to a thousand dangers to be put into it This Book you should call the Book of Honor and when you hear any one highly applauded after having examin'd the particularities of his Exploits your Majestie would do well to give publick Order to have his name entred into your List. I remember I have heard when I was very young that Lewis the Twelfth did after this manner especially by those of the long Robe and that the Office of Chief Justice of Agenois a place of great profit and honor being vacant he remembred himself of a good Lawyer who
ever been assisting to me I will carry this reputation along with me to my Grave This is a marvelous contentment to me when I think upon it and call to mind how I am step by step arriv'd to this degree of honor and thorough so many dangers am come to enjoy the short repose that remains to me in this world in the calm and privacie of my own house that I may have leisure to ask God forgiveness for the sins I have committed Oh if his mercie was not infinitely great in how dangerous a condition were all those that bear arms especially that are in command for the necessity of war forces us in despite of our own inclinations to commit a thousand mischiefs and to make no more account of the lives of men than of a Chicken to which the complaints and outcries of the people whom we are constrain'd in despite of us every day to swallow up and devoure and the Widows and the Fatherless that we every day do make load us with all the curses and execrations misery and affliction can help them to invent which by importuning the Almighty and daily imploring the assistance of the Saints 't is to be fear'd lye some of them heavie upon our heads But doubtless Kings shall yet have a sadder account to make than we for they make us commit those evils as I told the King in discourse at Tholoâ—ze and there is no mischief whereof they are not the cause for seeing they will make warres they should at least pay those who venture their lives to execute their passions that they may not commit so many mischiefs as they do I think my self then exceedingly happy in that God has given me leisure to think of the sins I have committed or rather that the necessity of war has enforc'd me to commit For I am not naturally addicted to mischief above all I have ever been an enemie to the vice of impurity and a sworn adversary to all disloyalty and treason I know very well and confess that my passion has made me say and do things for which I now cry Meaculpa but 't is now too late to redress them and I have one that lies heavier upon my heart than all the rest But had I proceeded otherwise every one would have sâ—irted me on the nose and the least Consul of a Village would have clapt too his Gates against me had I not alwaies had the Canon at my heels for every one had a mind to Lord it God knows how fit I was to endure such affronts but all 's done and past my hand was ever as prompt as my tongue and it was but a word and a blow I could have wisht could I have perswaded my self to it never to have worn a sword by my side but my nature was quite otherwse which made me carry for my device Deo Duce Ferro Comite One thing I can truly say of my self that never any Kings Lieutenant had more commiseration of the ruine of the people than I in all places where ever I came But it is impossible to discharge those Commands without doing mischief unless the King had his Coffers cramm'd with Gold to pay his Armies and yet it would be much to do I know not if those that succeed me will do better but I do not believe it All the Catholicks of Guienne can witness if I did not alwaies spare the people for I appeal from the Hugonots I have done them too much mischief to give me any good testimonie and yet I have not done them enough nor so much as I would my good will was not wanting Neither do I care for their speaking ill of me for they will say as much or more of their Kings But before I put an end to this Book of mine which my name will cause to be read by many I shall desire all such as shall take the pains to read these Commentaries not to think me so ingrate that I do not acknowledg after God to hold all I have of Estate and Preferment of the Kings my Masters especially of my good Master King Henry whom God absolve And if I have in some places of my Book said that wounds were the recompence of my service it is not at all intended to reproach them with the blood I have lost in their quarrels On the contrary I think the blood of my Sons who died in their service very well employed God gave them to me and he took them from me I have lost three in their service Marc Anthony my eldest Bertrand to whom I gave the name of Peyrot which is one of our Gascon names by reason that Bertrand did not please me and Fabian Seigneur de Montesquieu God gave me also three oâ—hers For of my second Son I had Blaize and of my youngest Adrian and Blaize whom God preserve that they may be serviceable to their Kings and Country without dishonouring their Race that they may well study my Book and so imitate my life that if possible they may surpass their Grandsire and I beseech your Majestic be mindful of them I have left them amongst my Papers the Letter your Majestic was pleased to write to me from Villiers dated the 3. of December 1570 which conteins these words Assure your self that I shall ever be mindful of your many and great services for which if you shalâ— in your own person fall short of a worthy recompence your posterity shall reap the fruits of your merit as also they are such and have so well behav'd themselves in my service that they have of themselves very well deserv'd my acknowledgment and that I should do for them what I shall be very ready to do whenever an opportunity shall present it self Sir this is your Majesties promise and a King should never say or promise any thing but he will perform I do not then by any means reproach my Misters and I ought also to be satisfied though I am not rich that a poor Cadet of Gascony is arriv'd at the highest Dignities of the Kingdom I see several at this day who murmur and repine at their Majesties and for the most part those who have done little or nothing make the greatest complaints In others who have really deserv'd something it is a little more pardonable all that we have of what degree soever we are we hold it of the Kings our Masters So many great Princes Lords Captains and Soldiers both living and dead owe to the King the honors they have receiv'd and their Names shall live by the Employments they have receiv'd from the Kings they serv'd and were not only enterr'd with those honorable Titles but have moreover honour'd those who are descended of them and mention will be made of their virtue whilst any Records of honor remain in the world I have listed a good number in my Book and have my self had Soldiers under my Command who have been no better in their
I have not implor'd his Divine assistance and never passed over day of my life since I arriv'd at the age of man without calling upon his Name and asking pardon for my sins And many times I can say with truth that upon sight of the Enemy I have found my self so possest with fear that I have felt my heart beat and my limbs tremble let us not make our selves braver than we are for every man upon earth apprehends death when he sees it before his eyes but so soon as I had made my prayer to God I felt my spirits and my strength return The prayer which I continually used from my fiâ—st entring into Arms was in these very words My God who hast created me I most humbly beseech thee to preserve my Iudgment entire that this day I may not lose it for it is thou that gavest it me and I hold it from no other but thee alone If thou hast this day appointed me to die grant that I may fall with the resolution of a man of honor which I have sought for through so many dangers I ask thee not my life for I desire nothing but what pleases thee Thy will be done I resigne all things to thy divine wisdom and bounty After which having said my little Latin prayers I declare and protest in the presence of God and men that I suddenly felt a heat creep over my heart and members so that I had no sooner made an end but that I found my self quite another man than when I began I was no more afraid and my understanding again return'd to perform its Office so that with promptitude and judgment I discern'd what I had to do without ever losing it after in any Engagement wherein I have ever been How many are departed this life who were they now living could witness if ever they saw me astonisht or lose my judgment in any action of war whether at an Assault or in any other Rencounter or Battel Messieurs de Lautrec de l' Escut de Barbezieux de Monpezat de Termes du Bié de Strozzy de Bourdillon de Brissac d' Anguâ—en de Boitieres and de Guise could have given testimony of me for they had all had me under their Command and have all seen me in a thousand and a thousand dangers without the least sign of fear or amazement Who could they again return to life would be good witness of the truth of what I have deliver'd and yet they are not all dead under whom and by whom I had the honor to serve and to be commanded who although they were much younger Captains than I it was nevertheless fit I should obey them Monsieur le Duc d' Aumale and the Mareschaux de Cossé and de Vielle Ville are of this number and I beseech you my noble Lords if my Book peradventure fall into your hands to do me right and declare whether what I have here deliver'd be true or false for you have been eye-witnesses of part of it and I fancie that after my death you will be curious to see what I have writ There are others also who are able to give me the lye if I have said ought but true namely Signior Ludovico de Biraga and Monsieur le President de Birague who never abandoned that brave Mareschal de Brissac Several others are yet living who have been my Companions in Arms and many others who have serv'd under my Command all which are able to affirm the truth of what I have said and whether whenever there was a debate about any Execution I did not alwayes think nothing impossible but on the contrary concluded things feasible which others concluded impossible to be effected I undertook it and brought it about having evermore that stedfast assurance in God that he would not forsake me but open the eyes of my understanding to see what was to be done to make my Enterprize succeed I never thought any thing impossible but the taking of Thionville of which the honor is to be attributed to Monsieur de Guise alone and in truth there was more of fortune than reason in that success though the said Sieur de Guise was ever confident he should carry it and so he did Fellows in arms how many and how great things shall you perform if you put your whole trust in God and set honor continually before your eyes discoursing with your selves that if it be determin'd you shall end your dayes in a Breach ' t is to much purpose to stay behind in the Graffe Vn bel morir sayes the Italian tuta la vita honora 'T is to die like a beast for a man to leave no memory behind him Never go about to deprive another man of his honor nor ever set avarice and ambition in your prospect for you will find that it will all come to nought and end in misery and disgrace I do not say this that I have any mind to play the Preacher but meerly out of respect to truth How many are there in the world who are yet living and whom I shall forbear to name that have had the reputation of valiant men and yet have been very unfortunate in their undertaking Believe me the hand of God was in this and though they might implore his divine ayd their devotion was not right which made the Almighty adverse to them If therefore you would have God to be assisting to you you must strip your selves of ambition avarice and rancour and be full of the love and loyaltie we all owe to our Prince And in so doing although his quarrel should not be just God will not for all that withdraw his assistance from you for it is not for us to ask our King if his cause be good or evil but only to obey him And if you are not rewarded for the services you have performed you will not stomack your being neglected by reason it was not your intention nor design to fight upon the score of ambition and greatness nor out of a thirst of riches but upon the account of fidelity and duty that God has commanded you to bear to your Prince and Sovereign You will rejoyce to find your selves esteem'd and belov'd by all the world which is the greatest Treasure a man of honor ought to coveâ— For great Estates and high Titles perish with the body but a good Reputation and Renown are immortal as the Soul I now see my self drawing towards my end and languishing in my bed towards my dissolution and 't is a great consolation to me that in spite of Death my name shall live and flourish not only in Gascony but moreover in foreign Nations This then is the end of my Book and of thus far of my life which if God shall please longer to continue to me some other may write the rest if ever I shall again be in place where I shall perform any thing worthy of my self which nevertheless I do not hope for finding
follow after may learn how to behave themselves upon the like occasion Had I upon the instant known the man that had raised this fine report of me I doubt I should have shew'd him a scurvy trick but the Canon was carried back which they attended till they saw it lodg'd in safety and so we took leave of one another and departed every man to his own home I had not been long at my own house before I had every day very strange news brought me from Court and of great designs that were laid by the greatest men of the Kingdom but when I heard that the King of Navarre made one amongst them and was stoln away from Court without taking his leave I from that time forward concluded that Guienne was again to suffer many miseries for that he being a great Prince young and who gave visible hopes of being one day a great Captain would easily gain the hearts of the Nobless and the People and would keep the rest in awe So God help me a thousand mischiefs were eternally before my eyes so that I was often in mind to withdraw my self to avoid the affliction of hearing so continual ill news and of seeing the ruine of my native Country To which end a certain Priory was evermore running in my head that I had formerly seen situated in the mountains part in France and part in Spain call'd Sâ—rracoli to which place I had some thoughts of retiring my self out of the Tumult of the world I might there at once have seen both France and Spain and if God lend me life I know not yet what I may do The End of the Seventh and last Book of the Commentaries of Messire Blaize de Montluc Mareschal of France BLASII MONLUCI FRANCIAE MARESCHALLI TUMULUS Iliadis rursum nascatur conditor altae Hoc tumulo rursum conditur Aeacides FLOR RAEMONDVS Senat. Burdigal Quaeris qui siem MONLUCIUS Nomini meo satis est nomen Conjugi conjux P. C. MONLVCIVM haec urna tegit Cujus varios casus terra marique exhantlatos labores Gallia testabitur hostes praedicabunt posteri mirabuntur Vrbium propugnator oppugnator Hostes saepius fudi vici subegi Patriam in sua viscera versam quoties restitui Imis functus maxima consecutus Terrarum orbem fama complexus Fatis urgentibus lubens integerrima mente cessi Avo Patri Filius Nepos Blasius Monlucius P. RErum humanarum vices quis non miretur festinantibus Pater fatis tardantibus Avus in coelum receptus Ille ferro hic morbo I lle in insulis Oceani Atlantici hic in Gallia hominibus exemptus Ille me unicum vix primos edentem vagitus superstitem reliquit Hic tres liberos Gallicae florem nobilitatis tria Martis pignora vivens amisit eluxit Vtérque bellum lituos spirans At juventus patris sedatior senectus avi praefervidior Ex aeqüo tamen eadem utrique gloria Ore facundus corde catus manu promptus militibus pariter utérque gratus militarem veterum ducum adoream triumphalibus laureis utérque supergressus Avus nunquam victus pater etiam moriens hostium victor extitit Adlucete filio nepoti vestro virtutis egregiam facem sanctissimae fortissimae animae invicta avita pietatis columina me vestigia per vestra euntem ad aeternum stirpis nominisque nostri decus tot inter rerum caligines errorum flexus itinere inoffenso perducite ΕΙΣ ΓΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΟΠΚΑΙ ΤΟΠΑÎΔΡΕΙΟΤΑΤΟΠΤΩΠΚελων Βλασιον ✚ Μονλυκον Επιταφιον 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tombeau de Messire Blaise de Montluc CE Marbre icy passant le grand Montluc enserre Vn tel homme que luy dedans si peu de terre Ne peut estre compris ce tombeau labouré Clost seulement son corps dont il est honoré Mais juge par sa mort le dommage la perte Que la Gascongne a fait depuis vensue deserte Et franc de passion voy comme le laurier Ceignant soâ— front recâ—ut honneur de ce guerrier Ce grand guerrier qui fut la garde de son Prince Le soustien l'appuy de toute la province Oâ— lieutenant de Roy en guerre en paix Tesmoins de sa vertu il fit tant de boaus faits Qu'il a laisse mourant ce beau doute à tout aage Quel des deux il estoit plus vaillant ou plus sage En bataille rangée il deffit par trois fois L'ennemy de son Roy il remit sous ses loix La Guyenne revoltée aux factions civiles Par force il emporta print cinquante villes Le primier à Passaut en témoignant la foy Qu'l avoit à son Dieu qu'il avoit à son Roy. Par degrez il acquist d'une honorable peine Tous les tiltres d'honneur de soldâ—t capitaine Colonel Lieutenant Vice-Roy Mareschal Et tousiours commandant à soy tousiours esgal Dedans soy retenant sous égale balance La vaillance d' Ajax de Nestor l'eloquence De l'homme plus couard il animoit le coeur Et au plus courageux faisoit venir la peur A sa seule parole à sa seule presence Il fut chaud actif remply de vigilance En tout il se monstra par tout invaincu Et ne secut onc vainqueur que c'est d'estre vaincu Où fut-ce par la force ou par la courtoisie Tant il avoit d'honneur sa belle ame saisie L'Italie le sçait où de son brave coeur Mainte marque il laissa courtois vainqueur Et le sçait l'Anglâ—terre la France l'Espagne Et cette nation que l' onde du Rhin baigne Brave s'il eust voulu de l'invincible mort I leust encore peu faire languir l'effort Mais voyam la vertu faire place a l'envie L'honneur à la faveur il desdaigna la vie Et desira mourir au monde vitieux Pour aller immortel vivre dedans les cieux O vous de qui iamais l'amitié ne varie Pleurez-le ses amis vous mirant en sa vie Vous lasches envieux guidez d'un