standard set forward For at that instant they dislodged for to aduertise la Noue that abode at Luson of all that we haue folde you before and to exhibite into consultation of the counsail what was to be resolued vpon in this matter The which la Noue dyd also soone doe as well for to sound the hearts of his as also not to misse but with the opinion of them all if that fortune should make their first desse in fall out ill The opinions were diuers and the assembly was diuided into two aduises as it doth ordinarely happē in a matter of such importance namely among the Chiefeteines that would manage their affaires considerately and rather by the common aduice then their own particular motion The chiefe Captaines being assembled la Noue did declare vnto them the enterprise that they had made against the Fort and the occasion thereof that now it was come to this point that they could not longer abide before the place but that they must either fight or else retire them selues As touching the first the armie of the enimie is great well furnished both for men and equipage and a third mo in number then the Protestants But that which is more to be considered in this occurrence is that although we doe obtaine the victorie yet we shall thereby not aduaunce at all the affaires of the publicke and the totall cause if that fortune fall out ill to our great armie vnder the conduct of the Admirall which euery day is in doings with the Marshall of Cosse and vppon the point to darreyne battaile with the kings forces for then shall this victorie of ours be rather lamentable then profitable For as it can not be obtained but with great effusion of bloud and the death of manie braue Captaines and valiant souldiours so that if the armie of the Princes be broken those that shall dye in this fight now at hand will so lessen our forces that we shall not be able to maintaine Rochell against the Catholickes who may soone repaire and leuie an other armie because they doe swarme in people vnder the auctoritie that they haue stolen from the king But séeing that he remitted the resolution of the one and the other vnto the pluralitie of voices those that maintained the fight carried it away in number Besides the dishonor sayde they that the armie shall gette by such a retraite it can not be done but with an other greater losse of men then shall be spent in the battaile namely séeing that the Catholickes march vpon them with so great spéede Adde therevnto that the Italians as they thought had sette foorth for to cut of the way for none other consideration but to impeach them of all wayes of retires Wherevpon Puuiant tooke the word out of their mouthes and of a particular motion sayd aloud So that wée doe goe resolutely to the charge the victorie is certainly ours for they are all so werie so couered ouer with dust by reason of the long iourney that they haue made and besides they are so charged with sléepe that they will not be able to sustaine the first charge of our people As touching the rest God who is as great as strong and as well willed towards his as euer he was hath prouided for farre greater inconueniences than those that can befall to vs if our great armie hap to be broken If in all occasions that are presented to men man shew himselfe noble and couragious God will supply the rest and furnish vp the imperfection of man of whome he demaunds no more but his deuoire Let vs then doe that lieth in vs he that hath guided vs herevnto for to maintaine his cause will of his almightie power accomplish that which our feeble power lacketh The auctoritie and no lesse the good fortune that accustometh to fauour such a Chiefeteine was of so great force with the rest of that troupe that la Noue had no sooner asked them all whether they were resolued to fight but that their long acclamatiōs laughing countenances assured him of the good will that they had to doe it In so much that hauing admonished them not discharge before they were néere their enimie to pursue their poinct furiously to recharge without cease as long as they should sée any number of their enimies in troupe for feare least they should rallie after they were broken gaue commaundement to euery Captaine for to goe order and encourage his troupes and that the Ministers should presently preach vnto euerie companie praying God to send them an happie successe in this battaile so daungerous as euerie man is more religious when he sées him selfe pressed néere to any ill but if all things laught vpon him at pleasure then our nature is to forget him quickly to whom we were so deuout whē we feared the bastonnades of a mischief néere at hand But I will leaue them at their prayers and preparing of themselues to the reencounter the which they held assured and bring Puigaillard forward who staying for nothing lesse then for feare of raising of Puuiant and his companions out of their beddes hasted amaine But he was scarse at Cheurettes but that the companies of the Kings gard who being the spéediest had made a stand for a certeine tyme staying for the rest gaue soone enough into the barries of Sainct Gemme for the Protestants had shutte vppe the wayes of Sainct Gemme and Luson which they gotte and passed without resistaunce and ran thorough the borough in the houses whereof they founde the beddes yet hot wherewithall they finding themselues grieued did whilest they stayed for the armie some of them lay them downe to sléepe other fell to filling of their bellies and some ranne to hasten Puigaillard and to carrie him the newes of taking of Sainct Gemme whereinto he entred before the pricke of the daye crying in all quarters to his Souldiours to come out of the houses to putte them in order and range of Battaile for to folow the Protestants who some sayde were fledde to Marans and from thence to passe to Beraud In the ende séeing that the most part of the companies were out of the Borough he made them turne headde directly to Luson wher he hoped to be reuenged of the occasion that had hadde slipped out of his hande There fiftie souldiours Auantcourers of the best moūted of the Kings garde whome he had sent before the armie sent him woord that they had discouered the enimie who was prettie néere and in battaile These were a nūber of Gentlemen of the countrie who going out of Luson for to deuaunce the Armie hadde giuen in as farre as the tuffes of wood which were before marked vnto you being determined to trie the assurance and resolution of the Catholickes by some notable skirmish the which yet passed lightly enough as well on the one side as the other Vpon this certaine of the Catholicke armie being returning re-encountred x. or twelue valets of the Protestants
better to die with honour couered and wrapped in his Ensigne than to drinke of such shame So before these braue chiefe died hée patientlie sawe the purple of his bloud die the white Taffetas of his Ensigne Crimson I doe remember me of the ensigne Colonell of Caesar that bare the Eagle Imperiall in the ciuile warres This Romane Captaine knowing what shame it is to leaue the Ensigne to bée wonne by the enimie when he sawe that he was neere to his end did so much with his companions that it was saued and brought vnto the handes of his Generall I must néedes also recite the notable example of the Counte de Charny that bare the Banner of France in that so famous battaile of Malpertuis néere Poitiers which king Iohn lost against Edward the Prince of Wales and the English men This gentle Frenchman loued better to die in the field with the soueraigne Banner of France in his hande stroken thorough with a thousand blowes than to liue with the reproch to haue fled from the Englishmen as farre as Poitiers as two partes of the armie did the twelfth of September Anno. 1356. But the raunsome of so many prisoners was not intollerable but moderated for the pittie and compassion that they had of so many braue warriours who yet layd all the falt of their foule daie on the conduct of the armie But that I maye omit nothing of my deuoire Puygaillard had great reasons for the iustifications of his dooings First the ennie that he bare him at the charge saying that hée was of too small an house to commaund so many seigniours was the cause that hée was forsaken by not onelie two partes of the men of armes that were appointed him but also of many Ensignes of footemen and namelie of all the Captaines in chiefe of those bandes that remained I will not speake of the Romanes many of whose armies were ouerthrowen by the hatred borne to their Generalls no more then I wil of the Counte de Galeaz despighted because that his brother Galeas Saint Seuerin was preferred before him in the estate of Generall of the armie against the French I wil also passe ouer in silence how néedfull it is that a Generall be loued of those that follow him and will not recount vnto you how Persy by reason of the authoritie that he had with the souldiers made Monpensier léese many faire enterprises at the conquest of the kingdome of Naples Some men onelie wished héere that the Generall and his souldiers had done as Liuiano and his armie did who hauing trauailed his armie through foule déepe waies and full of mire and foulie soused with continuall raine and tired with marching daie and night yet when they should haue rested themselues and béeing at the place appointed therefore he spake vnto them so effectuallie assuring them of the victorie and the greate spoile of Ruiglio that they quite forgot all their long iourneyes passed behauing themselues as they ought got no lesse honour than they did riches by their spoiled enimies But the enuie that namelie the Poiteuins bare Puygaillard ouerthrew the happie course of his faire desseines So ended the battaile the which began in the verie breake of the daie although that the mist of the thicke cloudes woulde not at the beginning thereof suffer the armies to enteruiew one another at ease And it may bée that if the Protestants had discoured so great a masse of men that they had chosen the retraite for the fight through the meanes of such fogges that gaue them the true meane for to surprise and breake the enimie After this battaile the Protestants in those partes wonne Fontenay Marans Brouage and the Isle of Santogne and besieged the Citie of Saintes when a generall peace was proclaimed The battaile at Chieuraine in Henault fought betweene Don Federike sonne to the Duke of Alua and the Lord Ienlis a Frenchman in Anno. 1572. out of Popelliniere THe Comte Lodouick of Nassau hauing fortunatlie surprised the towne of Mouns in Henault by the aide of certaine French forceâ— lead by the L. Ienlis within short time after â—â—r back Ienlis himself into France so respects First to aduertise the French king who séemed highlie to fauour these desseines of Lodouicke and the reuolt of the low Countries from the obedience of the Spaniard of the successe of their enterprise What order they had giuen to the estate of the cause of the meanes that they had to aduaunce their fortune farther of the stirres and reuolts in Holand and Zeland of the fauour that they had receiued out of England Scotland and Germanie and aboue all of the great leauie that the Prince of Orenge made in Germanie and of the hope of their spéedie ariuall that it would please his maiestie to pursue so braue a beginning or at the least to suffer men to bée leauied in France to bée sent into Flanders to ioyne with the Prince and the Almanes against the Duke that prepared an armie to take the field But if the king refused so to doe then to solicite the Princes of Bearn and Condey and the Admirall for to send as many souldiers as they could Ienlis promised him to do what was possible did for his owne perticular assure him that he would emploie all the meanes he could to leauie forces and woulde leade them himselfe into the place appointed Hée went to the Court and aduertised the king and his Counsell of all that I rehearsed before The which did diuerslie mooue their mindes according to the diuersitie of their fauours and factions Afterward hauing receiued a good answere of the king and a promission to leauie men assurance of the Admirall that hée had alredy sent forth his commissions into all parts of France for to leuie companies both of footmen and horsmen had appointed them to méete all together within one daies iourney of Paris where by that time he hoped to haue his owne companie of men of armes to conduct all these forces himselfe into the lowe Countries hée rode into Picardie where vppon the bruite of the conquest of Flanders by the king and of the great and rich booties and spoiles that they looked for there hée had within few dayes leauied thrée or foure thousand footmen 200. men of armes with two companies of harquebuziers on horsebacke The Admirall that had tould Ienlis that he should goe finde out the Prince and serue him for the auantgard willed that Beauieu the Ensigne of his companie of men of armes should take thirtie of his companie and as for the rest he should carie them that he could get without anie regard had of what religion they were The Baron of Renty had one Regiment of nine Ensignes of foote men Ieumelles of eight Berenguaruille of sixe Ianissac was appointed for to conduct the Auantcoureurs The seuenth of Iuly they began to march with a thousand insolences and misorders committed on the paisants and namely by the footemen As soone as Counte
thirtéene Gunners Thirtie two shipwrights appointed to repaire the Gallies A hundred and foure and twentie Marriners Nine hundred and fiue and twentie voluntarie souldiours Two thousand two hundred thrée score and fouretéene rouers A thousand thrée hundred thirtie thrée common souldiours Two thousand of the Spanish fléete dead Eight hundred in the Popes fleete But on the other side there were of the enimies slaine or taken nine and twentie thousand nine hundred foure score and ten that is to wit Thirtie foure Captaines of the dignitie of Sanzaches An hundred and twentie Captaines of Gallies Fiue and twentie thousand Ianizars voluntarie foote men and rowers Thrée thousand eight hundred fortie sixe taken Our men did take 117. common Gallies and thirtéene small and all of them verie well furnished with bread tallow butter rise beanes and other such kinde of victualls and the same night they carried them awaie with them into the Hauen Besides these there were drowned or otherwise destroyed about foure score of the enimies gallies and those that escaped were thought to bée almost fortie Which thinges béeing thus dispatched our men lying safe in the Hauen praised God for giuing of them so great a victorie and kept it holie daie for the space of thrée daies shewing sundrie signes of reioycing and making good chéere Neither did they in the meane time omit anie of those things that might make for the reparation of theyr Gallies or for the pursuite of the fruite of the victorie For the which cause when they had tarried in those Hauens vntill the fiftéenth of October yet by reason of the aduerse season of Winter at hand and because many of their wounded men did dailie drop awaie by death they thought good to depart from thence For Don Iohn because hée thought that no memorable thing more coulde bée done that yéere would saile towardes Messina but did put them in great hope that he would ioyne his forces with the rest the next yéere But in truth he did not so neither the next yéere nor next after that so that the VenetiaÌ„s after that they had spent in these wars 14000. li. of gold euerie pound conteining 100. Duckets were forced to by peace of the Turke who also hauing repaired his Nauie did in Anno. 1574. conquere the kingdome of Tunes from the Spaniard his vassall king slaying aboue 10000. Hyspaniards in the Guletta Biserta So that the fruit that the Christians gained by giuing this great ouerthrow was nothing but the recouering of an obscure towne or two that Winter by the Venetian Fléete besides the staie of the Turkish prosperous course and the prise and spoile gotten in this battaile the which when they came to Corsu they diuided by common consent as followeth Gallies The Pope had ninetéene common Gallies two small The king of Spaine 58. common Gallies with an halfe and sixe small Gallies and a halfe The Signorie of Venice 39. common Gallies a halfe and foure small gallies and an halfe Great Ordenance The Pope had nintene great péeces and of péeces that shot stones thrée lesser péeces 42. The King of Spaine fiftie eight great péeces an halfe eight péeces to shoote stones in and 128. lesser péeces The Seignorie of Venice had 39. great péeces and an halfe fiue stone péeces and an halfe 86. lesser péeces Prisoners The Pope had 881. The King of Spaine had 1713. The Signorie of Venice 162. The chiefe men of name takn prisoners were the Sanzaches of Alexandria and Nigreponto and two of All the Admiralls sonnes The Battaile of Alcazar fought in Barbarie betwene Sebastian King of Portugall and Abdelmelec the King of Marocco the fourth of August 1578. Taken out of a namelesse Portugall auctor translated into Latine by Thomas Freigins THat ye may the better vnderstand what the principall Persons that were present fought at this Battaile were also to know the quarel and cause thereof I haue thought good to insert myne auctors whole Historie not omitting his as it wer pleasant and profitable preamble of the foundation and familie of these mightie Kings that reigne now at Marocco The founder of that familie and house which are now Kings of Marocco and the first king of that stocke was a certaine Moore of the Mahometicall superstitioÌ„ called Muley Mahamet Xeque His father Muley Xarif being accompted in his countrie of Mecha in Arabia the chiefe man of the Moores as he that was descended of the bloud line of the damned and cursed false Prophet Mahomet had heaped together an immeasurable masse of money and greatâ— innumerable treasure He being moued by I know not what dreame did take occasion to depart out of his Countrie and to get him into Africa with all that he had Wherfore that he might bring to effect that which he had determined with himselfe he going from Mecha with his onelie sonne whom we spake off before and trauailing all Aegypt and Africa and other regions subiect to the Turkish Empire came at last into that parte of Barbarie that is at this daie called Sus. In this Countrie when Muley Xerife had gotten a great opinion of wisedome as touching their sect and religion among the Moores of Barbarie and had obtained a singuler surpassing fame throughout the prouinces there defiled with the superstition of Mahomet he wanne also the grace and fauour of the Alarbes that doe dwell in this Barbarie and namelie of those that did inhabite in the kingdome of Sus. Héereby it came to passe that within short time he had gotten about a thousand horsemen to bée as it were his clients vassalls or reteiners at command that I may passe ouer in silence a great number of seruantes and ordinarie waiters that still attended on him with horse and armour Through the helpe of these men and many other that did afterward ioyne with him he tooke certain Cities of that kingdome and made them subiect vnto him But in all tourneies he carried about with him his sonne Muley Mahamet Xeque that the people subdued might be sworne vnto him and promise to doe all those things that faithfull subiects docâ—â—â—e â—o performe vnto their Princes And in déed both the Father and the sonne did so stirre them about their businesse that within short time they had gotten them that power and strength that they tooke by force Turodant the head Citie of the kingdome of Sus and there the sonne Xeque was constituted king of that Countrie This victorie did mightelie augment the power and courage of this nâ—w king Wherefore he ordeined a strong legion of eight thousand pike men with purpose to attempt the Citie of Marocco where the Marines reigned Wherefore leauing his Father in Sus who being now broken with age had become vnable to do anie seruice besieged Marocco with fiue hundred harquebussiers and 7000. pikemen that he brought with him The twelfth day of the siege the citie yeelded and taking also other cities townes and fortresses adioyning to Marocco tooke vpon him the
aboue a leage and a halfe when the vantcourers aduertised the Admirall that they had discouered on this side the water a great troupe of horse whome he hauing commanded them to assaile at a signall giuen as they did with assurance that himselfe would follow them at the héeles sodainlie the battaile which the Constable lead appeared at the side of a village The which being reported to the Admirall and afterward to the Prince they caused all their horsemen to set their launces vpright ranging their battailes within a good Culuerine shot of them Afterward séeing that their enimies came not forth they two went further with only Dandelut who had a third daie Ague was mounted on an hackney apparelled for all harnesse with a furred robe vntill they came to a place from whence they might easilie iudge who had the aduauntage of the place whereby they were perswaded that it was not for them to assaile the enimie whereas he was that is to wit at the head of a village betwéene Nogent and Lormay towardes the which place the Countrie séemed to be plaine but it was not so indéede but they must néeds go vp an hill and downe againe insomuch that the Prince to passe ouer his men and to auoide the furie of their artilerie wherwith all they were well furnished was forced to hasten his people to march so fast that he put them out of breath but because they marched slowlie they abid at the least thrée volées of their péeces which might make a great checke and affright the armie in the which not all men had their eares accustomed to the sound of such flutes Furthermore the armie Catholike did couer so great a compasse of ground that if they encountered in that place one part of them might compasse in and charge the Prince in the side and so by that meanes he being inclosed should bée at the mercie of his enimies These things being considred and presupposing also that the Catholikes were not verie sharplie set to fight a resolution was takeÌ„ to go directly for to lodge at Trion following the intention the they had when they departed froÌ„ Ormoy thether were the Marshals of the lodgings sent The better to represent vnto you one of the most renowmed battailes that euer was fought in this Realme I will first figure out vnto you the seate and qualitie of the place which afterward was embrued with the bloud of so many gallant men Afterward I will set as it were before your eies the estate and disposition wherein these two armies maintained themselues before during and after the conflict Which béeing done yée may easilie iudge to whom the aduantage of one so notable occurance ought to be giuen vpon the end of the league and leuell champains of Beause Nogent le Roy doth present it selfe to Normandie pretie néere to Dreux a little towne at the foote of an hill wherevpon stands a Castle of sufficient strength within the towne by the side whereof passeth the riuer a Countrie fertile well peopled betwéen the which two Countries that are separated by the course of Eure the which comming out of Beause for to water Chartres doth trauerie Noâ—mandie euen to Pont de L'arche below the same doth léese it selfe in the Seine the nurse of Paris is a couert of certaine woodes and a number of little Towneshippes of whome the Catholickes had alwaies to that daye kept the aduantages as they that séeing themselues stronger in footemen and weaker in horsemen then the Prince would not hazard ought but where the place did fauour footemen for lacke of whome the Prince was constrained to take a contrarie course The which was the cause that at his parting from Lormoy néere Nogent he had purposed to take Dreux more for to force the Catholickes to an open and generall fight then for the importaunce of the place where Sourdeual commanded with an hundreth light horse and fiue Ensignes of footemen But the Cheiftaines Catholickes followed him coasting alwaies within fiue or sixe leagues but holding their waye thorough countries so strong and such couerts that the Prince could not finde any possibilitie to encounter them but with his disaduantage And in the ende the Catholickes séeing occasions and meanes to preuaile in that countrie by reason of the great number of their footemen resolued for to fight and therefore the .xix. daye did set forward to get before the Protestants and if they could get to Dreux before the Prince there to offer him battaile at the head of the towne vpon an high péece of ground lodging in the village two great Bataillons of footemen which garded xiiii Canons placed and prest to play before them and a little before on the side a number of Enfans perdus whome they had chosen out of all the Regiments The two flankes of these Bataillons were two great troupes of horsemen for mutuall intersuccour of the footemen and horsemen as was best for their behoofe Moreouer they had chosen a place so fauourable that the Confederates could not charge neither th one nor the other but by one way of a xiiii or xv hundreth paces the which also the Herquebuzes Catholicke did no lesse scoure then dyd their Artillerie Also a little below they had a small vnwalled towne for to gard their baggage the Riuer of Eure néere to their back But being resolute hot to fight they aduanced themselues farther for to get betwen two Villages by a woods side with far greater aduantage then before Herevpon the Prince following his resolution begaÌ„ to turne head towards Trion shewing his right side to his enimies who perceuing the Argolets one esquadroÌ„ of Reisters to be a faire marke discharged vpon theÌ„ one volée of great Ordenance which did affraie them in such sort that almost all the Argolets ran awaye the Reisters tooke the way in a litle valley for to couer theÌ„ against the Canon shot Wherevpon Anna de Montmorency Constable of France general of that Armie taking occasion to goe to the charge for to ouerthrow break theÌ„ all intirely as he had assured many the his owne battel alone was more then sufficient for to ouerthrow all the Protestant Armie caused the principal of his troupes to come néere to him vnto whome he made such a like speach At the length my maisters friends I haue brought you within sight of our enimies who haue alwaies hetherto made semblance that they sought battel the which now they cannot flye but also with the losse thereof coÌ„sequentlie of all the rest the they haue possesse in France For whether ye be assailants or defeÌ„dants the aduantage is assured you as well for number of men that doubleth theirs for the order disposition of the Armie for the qualities of the armes furniture as also for the commoditie of the places which fauoreth vs in all sorts if they wil come to vs. Adde therevnto a thing more considerable that we doe maintaine
the cause of God who wil haue but one Religion in the world that is to wit the aūcient Catholick Romane frō the which these mescreans infidels haue lewdely cut of themselues we doe also vphold the partie of our king soueraigne prince who cannot permit other exercise in his Realme then the of his predecessours finally we fight for the weale of our natural coūtrie for the suertie whereof we hauing euer to this day done infinit exploites fought in so many places with such honour and profit as your vertuous and holie desires haue deserued we should now be of lesse beléefe then they are and more timorous then women if we should not assure vs all that this acte as the last of so manie trauailes passed shall be crowned with the good honor and felicitie that all good and couragious people cannot but desire Moreouer thinke ye that we are not héere to quarrel for other mens lands nor for the defence of the borders of anie Lordes nor to enlarge the Empire of the Crowne of France but for the saluation of our soules for the maintenance of the Religion of our ancestors for the holie alters for the sacred reliks for the reuerent Priests and the wonderfull and awefull mysteries of our Religion In sum it is for the honour of Jesus Christ and then secondarilie for the conseruation of our owne liues and of the life of our Prince and of his Officers and by a consequent for the honour good and suretie of the state the which these mischiouous heretikes would no lesse reuerse than they haue done alreadie our true and Catholike faith so defiled by the mortall venim of their pestiferous heresies We might well haue hastned the battaile but that the counsaile haue alwaies bene of aduise for to staie for the cōming of all our forces as wel naturals as alies and strangers for to make them all pertakers of the present honour attended of all yet neuerthelesse rather remitted than denied anie one of you Wherefore assure your selues of the victorie if ye do not beelie and denie your valour héeretofore march resolutelie to the fight kéepe wel your rankes succour one another as shal be néedfull holde your selues certaine and assured that this one daie will bée the beginning of your honourable libertie and of a treble miserable bondage of the enimies of God of the king and of all good people But now he had caused the Artilerie to plaie vppon the formost of the Protestants who were therewithall so galled and affrighted that many going out of the rankes made them beléeue that their Generall refused the battaile for to gaine still ground which caused them to begin to make towards the troupes of the Prince who shewed vnto them his side with a dismarch and an araie and appearaunce so proude that the armie shewed how great Captaines dyd leade it The Catholike armie was compassed of fiue fiue great battailons of footemen intermedled and interlaced still with their horsemen because they were weaker than the Princes horses as their footmen were stronger by a treble The Catholike armie séemed to bée diuided into partes rather in the respect of the Chieftaines that gouerned it than for anie difference of troupes as the ancient fashion was to diuide an armie into an auantgard a battaile and a rereward for the Catholikes represented the forme of an hedge the which béeing bias high low straight and crooked according to the nature of the places where they stood made the confederates to sée more or lesse the bands Catholyke according as the nature of the passage did permit wherein the thrée chiefe Captaines seemed to bée well accomoded and placed either to receiue or to giue the charge in this battaile If you will call the troupes lead by the Marshall of Saint Andre the auantgard it was composed of ninetéene companies of men of armes Frenchmen thirteene ensignes of Spaniards so many of French and eleauen of Almanes with foure péeces of Artillerie all placed on the left of the Constable who béeing chiefe of the armie lead the battaile which was néerer the enimie than all the rest of the troupes and it consisted of xvii Estanders of men of armes three of horsemen xxii ensignes of Suisses and xvii of Frenchmen and Britons with eight péeces of Artillerie The Duke of Guise lead the rereward for to helpe the occurrents which might be presented but had but a few men they almost all standing on the right side of the Constable who stoode formost of them all and euerie one of the thrée Chieftaines hauing before them their Enfans Perdus on foot to begin the game The summe of their armie amounted to 19000. footemen and 2000. horsemen and the Prince was about 4000. horsemen all apparelled in white Casaques the which the Prince had caused them to weare for a marke of the purenesse of their conscience in the dessigne by them made for to maintaine the honour of God and the publike with 6000. footemen diuided into two battaillens of Almaines and Frenchmen Then the armie Catholike marching in this order against the Princes that shewed them his side ariued betwéene two villages L'Espine and Blainuille distant asunder 1200. pace The which space not béeing capable to comprehend the armie Catholike in length it happened that the battel Catholike was farre beyond the auantgard Protestant so that it stoode much behinde it Wherefore the Prince imagining that they marched directlie to him for to fight hée without farther leasure to make publike prayers to God for the victorie as the Parisians did that made the shrine of Saint Geneuiefue to come downe for to emploie her as an intercesseresse to God for their behoofe made his troupes tourne head with as much spéede as hée could but as a whole armie is not easilie remoued so specially by Chieftaines that haue alwayes made more of the estate of actions of the bodie than of the spirit and wit prising higher a furious valliance shan an order and araie militarie whereby the troupes accustomed to tourne and change in all sortes and in a moment doe carrie awaie moe victories without great losse than all those hardie and outragious feeses the which cannot bring but a miserie irreparable the disorder shewed it selfe to bée such that the Admirall and the auantgard found themselues ouerright against the Constable and the Battaile and the Prince and his battaile that was opposed and set agaynst the auantgard of the Catholikes was so farre behinde it as wée sayde that the Prince coulde scarce sée it at all Moreouer the onelie battaile of the Constable stretched almost as farre in length as all the whole armie of the Prince And for lacke of order if that the constant resolution of some had not serued for an example vnto the rest of the armie the Protestants had béene that daie the more vnhappie In summe that backwardnesse was the cause that the Prince and the Constable bare all the brunt the Constables horsemen that strengthned his
good indifferent greate many of them that serued without paie other authors doe make the number of them two thousand So then Don Iohn de Austria the Admirall Generall of the league Marke Antonie de Colonna the high Admiral of the Popes power Sebastian Veneri the Admirall of the Venetian forces consulted what was best for them to attempt there were also present at this consultation the great Comendador of the knights of Malta Ascanio de Cornia Andrew Doria Augustine Barbarigo Marke Quirino Antonio Canali the Secretarie of the Venetians with the Scribe and sometime also the Princes of Vrbine and Parma Paulo Iordano Orsino the Marques de Sant Cruz other among whom Ascanius de Cornia after he had heard many mens opinions spake to this effect For two or thrée causes onelie most Honourable may a Generall with honour refraine to ioyne in battaile with his enimie Of whome the first is if hée shall gaine lesse profite by the fruite of the victorie than hée maye feare detriment if hée happe to bée ouerthrowen whereof take this example When the Duke of Guyse not many yéeres agoe had inuaded the kingdome of Naples the Duke of Alua had done vnwiselie if hée would haue giuen him battayle for the French could haue lost no more in that battayle than their armie but if the victorie had inclined to the French partie wée dyd leese with our armie the kingdome of Naples too The second is if he doe vnderstand that his enimies armie will bée broken and scattered without fight whereof the inuincible Emperour Charles the fift your Highnesse his Father of sacred memorie maye bée an example For when hee made warres against the Protestants in Germame he wold neuer ioyne in battaile with them because hée vnderstood that their armie would bée dispearsed without battaile neither could the strength of that league long indure and continue Finallie for a third cause may a Generall shunne battaile if he doe know that his power is so much inferiour to his enimies that hée can in no wise hope for victorie But most Honourable none of the former causes dubtlesse can moue vs for although the losse of this Nauie of the Christians bée a matter of verie great consequence as some haue sayde before mée and that wée doe graunt that the victorie will fall on our enimies side yet notwithstanding if wée do fight valiantlie as it becommeth vs it is likelie also that their Nauie will bée so sore shaken and spoiled that it cannot bée easilie and lightlie repaired by the Turke neither againe are our Princes of so small strength that they shall not bée able to repaire our power at the least as much as shall bée sufficient for to defend their owne But if that we doe obtaine the victorie then whereas wée may hope for other greater matters than speciallie the enfranchisement of Greece Moreouer the which we ought chiefelie to consider and holde for a certaine as I haue often admonished also héeretofore that we can doe nothing neither with this present power neither with anie other that shall bée supplied vnto vs hereafter nor doe anie thing of moment agaynst the Turkes except that we haue first desaited and broken their Nauie But that it will be dispearsed through wearinesse or lacke of things necessarie we cannot hope but rather our enimies may promise themselues the same of vs. Séeing then that our power is now so great that we may hope for victorie in battaile mine opinion is that in anie wise wée ought to fight neither is this present occasion in anio ease to be let slippe But whether our forces be so great as theirs that in déede is to be considered The forces consist as farre as I can conceiue in men and in gallies As for the men yea although they be such as it hath sayd before me that is to wit that the Spaniardes and Italians are for the greater parte fresh water Souldiours and of small experirience and also that the Almanes are of small seruice in Sea fight and that there is but a small number of Harquebuziers amonge them yet I doe not see howe our enimies can by anie meanes be in this point better furnished both by reason of the great plague that we doe vnderstand raged and raigned in their nauie the last yéere and also because they are forced to haue a great armie in Ciprus But now of the greatnesse of their Nauie we doe heare diuerse reportes so that I cannot pronounce of certaintie whether that ours bée the greater of the smaller For séeing I am smallie experimented in sea affaires I cannot tell with how many or how great common gallies and Foists of the Turkes our great Gallies may bee matched wherefore I will leaue the iudgement of these things vnto other This onelie I doe pronounce and thinke that wée must trie fortune for warre matters cannot so be managed but that fortune may doe much in them Therefore let vs departe hence with this Fléete and saile either towards Brindisi or Corfu for when wée shall bée so néere our enimies wée shall bée able to vnderstand some certaintie of their state and thereby take aduise and vnlesse some difficultie of getting victualls doe let I doe thinke it better that we saile to Corfu than to Brindisi because the enimie must néeds passe that waie when he saileth into the Leuant But before wée doe departe hence I doe thinke that wée must first and chiefelie doe one thing and that is fullie and assuredlie to determine with our selues that wée must fight and let this bée the firme and fixed resolution of vs that whensoeuer wée shall light vpon our enimies that wée will assaile them and to this ende let all thinges bée before hand disposed and ordered For if wée goe hence doubtfull then wée shall bée forced to take aduice at the verie instant and if wée doe chaunce to fall vpon our enimies on a sodaine wée béeing out of order and vncertain what to do shall easilie bée ouerthrowen and scattered And these are the things most Honourable that I doe thinke wée ought to doe but yet so that I will willinglie subscribe to them of more skill When Cornia had made an ende of his spéech all men assented to that he had sayd for they being forced by necessitie did vnderstād that this was the onely way to doe wel for to set vppon the enimie couragiously when occasion should be offered Wherefore Don Iohn that he might omit nothing that dyd beséeme a good Generall commaunded what euery man should doe afterward and how and in what order they should goe foorth He deuided all the Nauie into foure battailes that is to wit two winges a middle battaile which they called the fight and secret succours In the eight wing were 53. Galleies vnder the conduct of Iohn Andrew Doria and they had a gréene flagge in the toppe of the mast The left wing consisted of the like number of galleies and were ledde by Augustine Barbarigo with a yelow
king of Portugall ought diligentâ—ie to weigh and thinke with himselfe how iust and lawfull a cause he hath to come into Africa For séeing that he â—â—eth about to take the kingedome from him to whome it dotâ— of right appertaine to giue it to the Negro and that with no profit nor commoditie to the Christians that will almightie God who is a iust Iudge neuer suffer Furthermore Abdelmelec as he was a man of a sharpe witte and in such matters of surpassing diligence and prouidence began also to make prouision for the warres and to bethinke him of things necessarie therefore Wherefore he commaunded Tents to be set vp in a fielde a league from Marocco and warres to be openlie proclaimed through his kingdome against the Christians the which thing highlie pleased the Moores He also commanded a great number of great Guns and speciallie field peeces and also infinite store of victualls and of horses and Camells for to carrie necessaries for their armie to be prouided Which being done when he heard that the king of Portugal was now vpon the point to goe a ship boord and to ariue at Arzil he also went out of Marocco the sixtéenth day of April with great applause of the people and with almost an infinite companie of men into the campe and kept the armie in the Tents where he staied twentie daies looking for the rest of his forces From hence he marched with Ensignes displaied by small iourneyes towards Arzill and that he might the more commodiouslie ioyne with those forces that he looked for he staied a little while at Temocen which is in the confines of his kingdome But the king of Portugall who was hot set on his voiage commanded before he went on shipboord processions and praiers to be publikelie made throughout all the kingdome that God might vouchsafe to graunt happie successe to this enterprise and victorie against his enimie At length on Midsommer daie the whole armie was embarked and the next daie after verie earlie in the morning king Sebastian hauing nominated before seauen of the chiefe of the Realme gouernours of the kingdome because the Cardinall his vnkle had refused the gouernment for that he could not intreate the king to relinquish the voiage launched out of the Hauen and hoised vp sailes the 26. of Iune with ten or twelue Galeons in whom were embarked almost all the whole Nobilitie of his kingdome The sea was passing calme the fléete of the whole armie launching from Lisbon was of great and small vesselles about a thousand and thrée hundreth saile so pleasant a spectacle that many sayd they neuer sawe such a fléete before and hauing a good winde they ariued at Caliz on Saint Peters eue The king being receiued with singular gratulation and ioy of the people staied there fiftéene dayes for to prouide necessaries that he lacked and that he might transport with him certaine bands of Spaniards that were leuied for him in Andaluzia Which things being dispatched he departed from Caliz the eight of Iulie and sailed with the Galeons towards Tangar but commanded the rest of the Fléete to kéepe their course towards Arzil So the tenth of Iulie the king ariued at Tangar but before he was come into the hauen Mahamet sent his sonne a child almost ten yéeres old named Muley Xeque against the king in a small vessell whom the king did verie gentlie and curteouslie salute But béeing come on land he shewed greater signes of good will and friendship to Mahamet and verie liberallie offered his trauaile aide for to restore him into his kingdome When Mahamet was come to the kings presence although he had before sufficientlie certefied him both by Letters Ambassadours of his will and mind yet that he might more safelie prouide for his state he did then more-plentifullie and more at large open vnto him by spéech what he was minded to doe and did tell him how that his vnkle supported by the power and strength of the Turke did vsurpe the kingdome the which hée had taken from him by force Hee added moreouer that the vassalles and subiects of Abdelmelec did practise nothing else and were wholie busied how they might secretlie kill Abdelmelec or at the least forsake him and reuoult to Mahamet and that thereof hée receiued dailie without intercession Letters from the Péeres of the Realme in the which Letters they promised to renoult vnto him as soone as euer hée would come agaynst the enimie yea and if it were but with a small power Hée woulde also perswade the king of Portugall that he shoulde not fight with the Abdelmelec but onelie go into the field which thing if hée did then his vnkles souldiours would immediatlie bée at his deuotion and command Hée promised also to giue the king of Portugall two or thrée Hauens in Barbarie with their territories adioyning and for suretie thereof hée gaue his sonne in hostage The king of Portugal as hée was a Prince of noble passing good nature credited all that Mahamet spake and assented to his petition without conditions couenants and sureties From hence hée went with Mahamet to Arzil where his armie was and there Muley Xeque was Generall of his Fathers small forces and had with him the horsemen and footmen of the garison of Tangar The king came to Arzil on Sundaie béeing the fouretéenth of Iulie and as soone as hée was come on shoare hée commaunded the Ordenaunce victuall and the rest of the warlyke furniture to bée disbarked but sent foure shippes well appointed to Massaga to carrie thether Muley Xeque his pledge but commaunded his campe to bée pitched néere the walles of Arzill and it to bée entrenched rounde with rampires and ditches that hée might lye there the safer But that wée may returne to Abdelmelec as soone as hée came to Temocen a greate multitude of horsemen that serued with shéelde and Speare and many other forces ioyned with him But thrée dayes after hée came thether hée fell verie sicke the cause wherof as then no man vnderstood But anone after when he felt a mightie torment in his stomacke it was easilie vnderstoode whereof it came that is hée had eaten gréedelie of sowre milke which had curded in his stomacke That he might cast it vp hée assayed in vaine two and almost thrée daies to make himselfe vomite as he had vsed to doe and so at the length be cast vp a great gobbet of Chéese which made his stomacke so weake and faint that afterward it could concoct no meate Also his sicknesse was increased by harde and ill lodging But as soone as hée heard that the king of Portugall was departed from Caliz to sayle to Arzil although hée were at that time nothing well yet hée commaunded his armie to march forward towardes Arzil he himselfe béeing carried in an horse litter And now he was from Alcazara where his brother expected him with an armie not aboue a dayes iourney but when hée drew néere him his comming was receiued with a
thinking that the Portugall being contented with the taking of it would from thence returne home But when he was aduertised that the Saterdaie morning his enimie marched forward he also at the same time made towards Arzil by Alcazar And when he had marched with his armie a little more than halfe a league that is aboue a mile he encamped on a certaine high downe in the sight of the Portugails who were a league from that hill and were encamped on a great and pleasant plaine And being néere to the riuer of Alcazar he commanded his Tents to be pitched on the banke of the riuer not farre from confluence of another riuer that goeth to Larissa After that noone was past he and his armie refreshed themselues from the heate of the Sunne in their tents hée taking his rest in an horse litter In the meane time hee sent forth certaine horsemen for to bring him more certaine newes of the enâ—â—ie and placed souldiours before the waroes for to let that none of his people should flie out of his campe to the Portugall and Muley Hamet When the king of Portugall was come the Saterdaie morning to the riuer of Larissa was encamped néere to the place where he thought ther might be a foord fouÌ„d to passe ouer his ordenaÌ„ce was minded to go to Larissa then Mahamet a subtile fellow ambitions and deceitfull thinking with himselfe that if the Portugall should enter Larissa and did consider the power and most puisant armie of Abdelmelec that then hee would returne home and doe nothing and leaue him forsaken and alone to be deuoured of his enimies he resolued to talke with the Portugall that daie and to dehort him from the iourney the he purposed towards Larissa and the he might the better bring it to passe â—he began with a craftie tale to tel him that many Moores horse men had fled vnto him from Abdelmelec that the rest of the armie went about to do the same That if he should goe to Larissa then all men would blame him as one fearefull and such an one as reposed sasetie in running awaie That Abdelmelec was naked of friendes for hée handled his Souldiours hardlie and that they didde therefore minde to doe him a mischtefe either by slaying of him or else by forsaking him in the battaile That it was better and more wisedome to march toward Alcazar namelie séeing that enimie that came against him had not so much heart as to goe about to impeach him He added also other arguments making for his purpose by the which hee diss waded the Portagall from going to Larissa and to saie the truth it had otherwise bene an harde matter for him to haue gon forward séeing the his enimy was so néere The Sundaie morning verie earlie the Portugall remoued his campe and went vp a long the banke of the riuer that he might come into the high waie that leadeth from Arzil to Alcazar and when he had found a foord he staied and commaunded the pioners to make it readie against the next daie But Abdelmelec vnderstanding the intent of the Portugal caused a signe to be giueÌ„ by sound of Trumpet the euerie man should make himselfe readie to fight Wherefore in the afternoone he marching forward almost a quarter of a mile stayed and commaunded his armie to breath vntill he vnderstoode what his enimie that was about halfe a league off ment to doe For as we haue tolde you before Abdelmelec had determined not to ioyne in battaile except the Portugall did first desire it When the Portugall being encamped along the Riuer of Larissa heard that the enimie made towards him he was forced also to remoue his Campe and to put his people in array of battaile not for to fight because the fourde of the Riuer could not be passed ouer without very great difficultie and also there was a great troupe of Moores that dyd continually prouoke his men with skirmishes but that he might defense himselfe and he vsed the mightie Riuer in stéede of a wall against the enimie In this sort those two Armies when either did looke that the other should beginne the battaile kept themselues in the rest of the day So when it drew towards night and Abdelmelec saw that the Portugals stirred not out of their place although the chiefe Captaines were verie instant on him to fight and to giue the signall of battaile yet because night was at hand he commaunded the retreate to be sounded and ledde his Armie backe to their Campe. But yet he commaunded proclamation to be made in the Campe by sounde of Trumpet that no man should put of his armour nor lay downe his weapon that night and also commaunded the watch to be doubled as he also did the night before that no man could flye out of his Campe vnto Muley Hamet And doubtlesse this watch was the cause of Mahamets ouerthrow because that no man durst to goe out of his ward tente In the meane time Abdelmelec was fully resolued to fight for séeing he had heard that many horsemen and men that had abiured the faith were fled out of his Campe and did feare that if he deferred to fight the next day that then the greater part of his armie would reuolt he thought that he must staye no longer but determined to goe on forward and to aduenture the battaile Wherefore he commanded that it shoulde bée signified by a Trumpet that all men shoulde be in a readinesse and prepared either to liue or die After that the king of Portugall sawe that his enimies were retired into their camp he also did the like and lodged in the verie same place from whence he came He assembling in counsaile the chiefe men of the armie that night determined the next day being mundaie to offer the enimie battaile And it is the constant same of all men that Muley Hamet gaue him counsaile to beginne the battaile the next daie in the euening not so much because by this meanes the souldiours of Abdelmelec might the more commodiouslie rououlf vnto him as for that he coulde not by reason of the darknesse of the night remedie it if anie confusion did arise in his armie This counsaile as good and wholesome was approued of all men and therefore the king commanded that the same night it shoulde bee proclaimed in the campe that the next daie béeing mundaie as soone as it was light the ordenance and the carriages shoulde bée speedelie passed ouer the water through the foorde For if they had tarried longer no doubt the enimies wold haue impeached their passage which also was the cause that the battaile was not begâ—n in the euening but sooner The foord béeing made readie the armie straight waie passed ouer and they encamped beyond the riuer and also the king began to arange his battailes to set forth his bands and to dispose his ordenance in commodious places He also made a long Oration to his souldiours and exhorted theÌ„ with curteous louing
inhabitants for to acknowledge him for their Lorde and to paie him tribute as to their king These robberyes and roades he vsed the space of seauen or eight moneths so that Abdelmelec was forced to leuie forces for to coole his lustinesse to driue the théeues out of the dens of the mountains For the doing of the which exploit he vsed the seruice of the new prince Muley Hamet who was with a power in the kingdome of Sus for to make excursions He discomfited Muley Mahamet in certaine places and almost wholie destroied all his band as wel footemen and horsemen and forced him to hide himselfe in the verie thicke woodes and inaccessible cragges of the mountaine where hée lurked aboue a yéere almost killed with colde snowe and other miseries and the inclemencie of the aire and most miserablie molested and beaten with despaire of his lyfe and feare of awaites which his Vnkle layde for him proposing greate rewards to him that could bring him eyther dead or aliue At length he was driuen by necessitie the sharpest weapon to that which hée hadde before refused and tooke scorne off that is to desire the aide of the Kinge of Portugall for to deliuer him from the awaites and hands of his vnkle and to restore him vnto his graund fathers and fathers kingedome For the which cause he sent a messeÌ„ger from Mount Clario with letters vnto the king of Portugall and willed him to goe by Mazaga But that he might receaue some aunswere more safely speadely he resolued to leaue the mountaines and to get him to Tangar So through the woodes and wildernesses of the mountaines where the way was very safe and not beaten with tract of mens féete he came without any great daunger vnto Penon where after he had stayed a few dayes to gather his men together he went towards Tangar where he was courteously receaued into the Citie by the Gouernour but leauing his forces without the walles From that Citie he sent two of his Captaines in Ambassade with letters accompanied with two gentlemen of Tangar vnto king Sebastian and desired of him aide for to restore him vnto his Fathers kingdome And because the gouernour of Tangar was not ignorant that if he vsed the king of Marocco courteously that he should thereby well please the king of Portugall he dispatched a Carauell to Lisbon with the Ambassadours for their spéedier passage of whose iourney and successe we wil speake after that we haue first admonished the reader of certaine things necessarie to be knowen King Sebastian being by nature verie much giuen to loue of armes sought for no other pleasure then by martiall matters which had caused him in former yéeres to passe ouer to Tangar to th entent to conquere Barbarie but with vaine endeuour For Mahamet as we haue tould you before had of a vaine and foolish confidence twise refused aides offered him by the Portugall But when the king of Portugall saw that now his ayde was desired by the letters of the king of Marocco he was very glad that a most wishshed occasion whereby he might fill his long lust and longing was offered vnto him who was desirous of praise and studious to enlarge his Empire and Religion Wherefore he receued magnificently the Ambassadour of Muly Mahamet being ariued in Portugall and graunted them their request in all demaunds and also wrote letters to Mahamet wherein he promised his trauaile helpe and fauour in restoring him into his fathers kingdome no man of his couÌ„seile or of the nobilitie holding much against it And this might be the cause of that interview where the Catholick king and the king of Portugall met and talked together in An. 1578. at Guadalupea a citie of Castilia Where the Catholicke king laboured all that he could to feare the king of Portugall from that enterprise or if he would néedes goe through with it nor could not be disuaded froÌ„ his purpose that then he would doe it very substantially and effectually prouiding and furnishing himselfe passing well with all things néedefull for so great an attempt But when the King of Portugall continued constant in that he had once purposed he returned home whither anone after the Catholike king sent his Ambassadours for to deale with him about the same matter that he himselfe had talked with him off in presence For the Catholick king was not ignorant how the king of Marocco did surpasse in strength power how skilful expert valiant a warriour he was and how great power and prouision so great an enterprise required wherof he knew that the Portugall was yet fully vnfurnished But the king of Portugal remained constant in his purpose began to prouide all things necessarie for the voiage First he made leuies of souldious throughout his own kingdome he sent some into Germany to take him vppe 5000. footemen He also wrote letters to certain knights of Andalouzia to bring vnto him olde souldiours Moreouer he commaunded great store of ordenance wepons armour other munition victualls to be prouided brought together that all these things might be the more coÌ„modiously transported he commaunded shippes to be staied in all hauens of his kingdome The number of the souldiours that he leuied in his owne kingdome was great but they were ill furnished freshwater souldiours taken vp of clownes hushandmen and a rable nothing fit for the field As for the Germaines they were also fresh water souldiour and vnskilfull of martiall matters and when they came to Lisbon they fell sick and aboue 2000. of them died There came also vnto the king 600. Italians with whom the Pope had furnished the Counte of Ireland who being ariued at Lisbon offered his seruice to the king promised to follow him in the iourney Moreouer the king caused proclamation to be made with sound of Trumpet thoroughout his whole kingdome that all Noblemen and Gentlemen his vassailes should attend vpon him to the warres vppon 〈◊〉 of losse of landes and rentes and all priuiledges gâ—â—â—â—ted by the king So then all things néedefull for an armie being prouided and sufficient store of shippes and boates gathered together he commaunded the ordenaunce victualls munition horses and other necessaries to be shipped that when the feast of Saint Iohn Baptist on which day he had determined to leaue his house drew néere ther might be nothing to let hinder but that the armie might be embarked and transported into Africa When Abdelmeleâ— the king of Marocco was admonished and aduertised of these things and what the king of Portugall entended against him he was verye sorrowfull therefore not so much because he feared the King of Portugall his forces as for that he being well affected towards men of the Christian Religion did foresée in minde that Africa would be the graue of the King of Portugall yea though he brought with him thrise so great an Armie as he had Wherefore it is well knowne that he spake one day to this effecte The