greate detrimentes and notable reproches But although these were greate and very waighty matters yet did he not thinke them to be causes worthy of warres but his only request was to haue Amurathes hys brothers sonne yet his enimy and the waster of Cappadocia deliuered into his hands whom if he would according to equity friendly yéelde vp vnto him that then as the mutuall rightes betwéene Kings for the defending and strengthning of theyr Empires required he would withdraw his army and retourne into his own dominions But if the Sophy neglected thus to doe that then hée would wast Armenia and Persia with fire sword The Herald being dismissed both princes kept themselues within their camps But the nexte day Selym by the encouragement of all his Souldiours brought foorth his power into the open fielde and marched in array of battell towards the enimy who lodged two miles off thinking that Jsmaell a chieftaine of so great name would make no stay but according to hys worde incontinently ioyne in battell wyth hym But as for the number of Persians what kinde of horsemen they were what armour and weapons they bare hee coulde not lightly learne for besides the natures and wittes of that nation fraught with subtile pollicies and wisedome so greate was the loue of the souldiours and so greate their reuerence towarde Jsmaell their king that there was not one man found that fledde vnto the Turkishe Camp wheras on the other side as it was afterwarde learned by the Persian prisoners diuers dayly fled from Selym vnto Jsmaell Selym who is reported to haue had that day in the fielde foure score thousand horsmen placed in the right wing Cassembassa the Capitaine of the Europian horsmen and in the left Sinambassa an Eunuch with the horsemen of Asia the Acanzi going before or auauntcurryng whiche Acanzi are horsmen of dyuers nations that voluntarily folowe the warres being thereto excited in hope of bootie and spoile The middle battell was assigned vnto the Asappes a multitude of râ—â—â—l and half vnarmed footmen who for that they are accompted no losse at all are alwayes obiected vnto the firste encounter and brunt thereby to blunt their enimies blades Behinde the Asappes was the greate ordinaunce disposed in directe fronte guarded wyth foure thousand horsemen Hee hymselfe wyth the chosen horsemen of the guarde and all the Janizars stoode for an aide and succour in a place somwhat higher than the rest and being entrenched wyth a double circle or trench of ordinaunce and carriages rounde aboute hym had placed the sumpter Camelles according to their custome so linkyng them one to an other with long chaines going crosse their breasts that they seemed to bee a strong munition wherwith he being enclosed might aide those that hee sawe in distresse and if any harder chaunce should happen from thence as from a Castle wyth the floure of the whole army susteine all the force of the enimy Moreouer hee willed the Asappes that assoone as the ennimies horsemen began to approch that then they shoulde immediatlye seuer themselues a side into two partes therby to leaue an open gappe to shoote off the great artillery full on the ennimye On the other side Jsmaell who had certainly learned by fugitiues all the counsels of the enimy calling vnto him his Captaines tolde them that it woulde bee nothing to winne the victory if they could but escape the tempest of the ordinaunce whiche thyng hee affyrmed myght easily bee broughte to passe if the horsemen as soone as they once sawe the battel of the Asappes deuided wold also be intentiue and redy incontinently to breake their array and likewise to seuer theÌ„selues into two wings Wherefore hee caused two chiefe standardes to be borne the one was the Emperiall standarde the whiche he disposed in a certaine place where hée stoode hymselfe wyth the force and floure of the horsemen the other he assigned vnto hys approued Captain Vstaogle with the rest of the armie Jsmaell had about hym thirty thousand horsemen without any aide of footemen and of them were there aboue ten thousand men of armes very valiaunt Souldiours well practised in the warres and famous for their nobilitie They had very excellent horses barded with strong steele and theyr helmets were all crested bothe for a brauerne and also to terrifie the ennimye moreouer they bare Semiters and after our maner malles of yron also very strong Launces The rest of the horsemen being armed with open and somwhat long head peeces and curasses vsed either great bowes or else launces of Ashe after the Sparishe manner and as for guns they had none in whiche one only thing they were ouermatched by the Turkes But so greate courage and valiauncye was in the heartes of the Persians that they despysing the multitude of theyr enimies and contemning the perill of the ordinance doubted nothing to giue them battell The signall being giuen Jsmael sette forwarde with all his army adhorting all his Souldiours that they would reteine in memorie their olde martiall praise and that they woulde folowe him their chieftaine whom they hadde thoroughe many moste prosperous battells made the most mightye Kyng of all the Orient nowe marching againste the enimie that they were to encounter wyth a sorte of vnarmed Turkes vsing only a light staffe and a Target whose horses are of stature lowe weake and carreine leane and almoste starued wyth hunger that they wold neuer abide no not the first shock of the men of armes On the other side Selym seing the duste of the enimies army comming commaunded it to be proclaymed vnto all the armye by the Colonelles and capitains that the battel was at hand wherein if they fought valiauntly and vanquished the Persians the conquerours of nations they shoulde enlarge the Othomanicall Empire from the Persian Ocean vnto the mount Caucasus But if they remitted any thing of their wonted prowesse that then being in that huge wildernesse of the straunge Countrey and vnmmeasurable deserts there were no hope of escape to be looked for for eyther they should shamefully dye or else wyth euerlasting reproche be slaues vnto the Persian women since that behinde them so farre from their Country both the mightye riuer Euphrates and the monstrous mountaines of Taurus and also beside that the vnfaithfull Aladule possessing the streights hadde taken away from the vanquished all hope of returne into Cappaâ—ocia Nowe when Jsmaell approcked and the Asappes at the signall giuen opened their rankes and in the space betwéen them the Fashons were shorte off hée incontinently deducting his horsmen gaue a charge vpon the right wing of the Turkes with suche seruencye that there was a very sharpe encounter betwéene the halfe armed Turks and the complete armed Persians so that Cassembassa and the formost rankes being slayne and so shootly the other one after another discomfited defeated they propelled all that wing euen vnto the aides and succours where Selym himselfe stoode In another quarter Vstaogle receiuing no small detriment
night viewe and suruey all thinges it is reported that he withdrewe from nature the desires and necessaries of â—â—ats and fléepe to the gréeuous hurt of his health But sithence it was apparant that the Kings Munitions coulde not be wonne but with doubtfull euent and assured losse of souldiours he determined to enter into the Parke by breaking open the wall that fetching a little compasse about he might come to Mirabelle the which is a lodge of singular pleasure very commodions for Hanking and hunting standing almost in the midst of the Parke the which is sixtene myles about In that place the King remouing from his elde lodging â–ª had placed his horsemen and had left there a great company of marchants and straglers and men of peace Nowe was Pescara desirous to take this place speciallye for two causes for if he coulde without empechement of the enimie get Mirabella the whiche thing was first purposed in this iourney then he manifestly sawe that with his surpassing prayse and the infamie of the French men Leua were deliuered from â—â—ege and also the enimies were vtterly excluded from the Citie of Milane But if the King to impeache that iourney would nothing doubt to issue out of the munition of his campe for to fight then ability woulde be gyuen commodiously to ioyne in battayle wyth him the which thing the Emperials did so greatly desire wyth ardent heartes and in very dede were forced by necessitie to wyshe and seke it bycause they wanted money to paye the souldiours and also nowe the hearts of their olde allies were not doubtfully turned vnto the French kyng All these things as they were inuented and deuised by a saylfull and sharpe percing wyt in lyke maner did Pescara declare vnto the captaynes descrybing euery thing wyth so great efficacie and couragiousnesst that he seemed to reioyce not in the victorye surely surueyed and founde out but gotten and obteyned And also Lanoy and Burbon conceyuing greater confidence did nowe beleeue that they hadde vanquished For when that hée proued all things by most weightie arguments and graue speaches his credit and authority encreased so almoste immesurably that it was vtterly voide of obtrectation and enuie the which vice doth alwaies hurte flourishing vertue and in so much that the chiefe captains did of their owne accordes commit vnto him the supreme authoritie in wholy ordering this matter the which thing was almost more glorious vnto him than afterwarde to haue vanquished as he that hauing often at other times tamed his enimies yet had this one worke only left him to ouercome enuy by vnwonted glory and certes it séemed a wonder that Lanoy who was yea ambitiously desirous of honor and the highest authoritie and Burbon who had the chiefe charge of martiall affaires preferred him before themselues as the better warrior not only by secret but also by frée and open iudgemeÌ„t for Piscara was at that time voide of all authoritie and honor because he had before in the iorney to Marsilas giuen vp the office of gouerning the footemen vnto the Marquesse of Guasto his vncles sonne and hys owne heire apparaunt But he was so loosed of peculiar charge that he aloue almost administred all things and taking incredible toile bothe in bodye and minde was still among the footemen the horsemen â–ª the victuallers the purueyors and ordinaunce continually viewing and séeing that nothing were done ouer hastily negligently or vnskilfully So then the resolution being allowed of all the inferiour Captaines and the exploite taken vpon hym Pescara sent Arrio one that had charge of horsemen promising him greate rewardes vnto Antony Leua to tell him that he shold incontinently sally out of the Citie when he should haue intimation thereof at the tyme appoynted by the shooting off of twoo mightie greate péeces of ordinaunce Neyther didde fortune faile vnto Arrio for he setting foorth in the deade time of the nyghte came in safely with his troupe fetching a greate compasse about vnto the backe gate of the town hauing deceyued the Frenchmen that watched by an happy lye for when they asked hym for hys watch word he faining himselfe to be one of Mediceâ— companies as hée had also counterfeited their habite wyth a while crosse made his excuse that he could not tell the watch word because he had bene two dayes out of the Kings campe in a woode After the Pescara had intelligence by a fire made out of the top of the toure that Arrio was fortunately entred the towne he commaunded Salsede to breake open the wall of the Parke deliuering vnto him to doe it withall Rammes made after the auncient forme and also yron Crowes and Pickares But he commaunded Lewes Viacampe and also Hercera and Gaioses to stande with their bands in seueral places ouer right against the munitions of the enimy and make a noyse all the night long with their weapons and Drummes and by putting them in feare and prouoking them kéepe them still occupied But when they had receyued word that he was entred the Parke they shoulde incontinentlye followe with their bandes He also willed Honofito Montano to stande not farre from the Parke wall vpon an high banke ouer right against the blacke regiment of the Lansquenets and so to bestirre himselfe and his men that it might séeme that the bandes were in armes throughout all the campe as they had vsed to be many nightes before He also commaunded that all the cariages of the armie shoulde go forth into the high way towardes Lodi with a garde of a troupe of light horsemen and also commaunded an other companie of horsemen to take waye that laye vpon the left hande that if there were espies in the Campe they being distracted and deceyued by so many and diuers goings forth and so suÌ„drie preparation of all things might not be able to tell the FreÌ„ch men any thing for certaintie But Salsede who had come in the deade time of the night vnto the place before prescribed spente the night in long beating and bouncing in vaine so that the dawning was broken before that he had opened the wall in thrée places somwhat later than Pescara woulde haue had it For the wall being made of Bricke after the olde buylding was verye strong and resisted the Rammes with singular contumacie although they were driuen against it with the armes and strength of whole bandes The first man of all that was sent into the Parke by Pescara was Alphons Marques of Guasto with the valiantest of the Spanishe and Almaine footemen and thrée companies of horsemen Incontinently Greco Iustiniano a Genouese who watched in the station nexte vnto the place where the enimies brake in was chased awaye There were with Guasto about fiue thousande men vnto whome it was enioyned to marche directlye to Mirabello and to take that place without any returne When that Guasto entred the Parke Pescara sayde vnto him with seuere but yet with chearefull countenance Plucke vp a good heart vnto thée valiant
waightie considerations thoughte it best to deferre the fight vntill the next day but Monsieur Cyandey the Captayne of the Switzers and Signeur de Alegre stoutely contended that victorie whiche had alwayes luckely happened vnto the Frenchmen when they were hardie was not to be sought by flouthfull and dishonorable lingering but by spéedy and manly encounter By whiche sentence Nemoures vnderstoode that his honor and fame was greately touched for hée had heard a little before how Alegre had spread very euill words of him as though he being no greate skilfull nor valiaunte Chiefetayne was afraide to ioyne in battell with the enimie and had suffered with the foule blot of the French honor and the great empayring of their strength his army to be fléesed and pulled by the suttle enimie Whervpon he not enduring this reproche without stay said these wordes Go to then séeing it séemeth so to some that we must this day by battell make one end or other of the wars suche as Fortune will alotte certesse I will satisfye by honorable death if not the publike desire of the French King yet at the least myne owne honor and this sayd he incontinently gaue the signall of battell although the Sunne were scarce an houre and an halfe high and made towardes the enimie with thrée araunged battels not with equall front but one a little behinde another so that wheÌ„ the righte wing wherein he and Arsye were ranne forth Ciandey should shoote off the great ordinance from the middle battell wherin stoode all the footemen and shoulde followe a certaine space behinde the fore warde and in like maner Alegre should admoue the thirde battell vnto the lefte syde of the Switzers when he shoulde thinke good so that the Frenche battels by reason of their vnequall length muche resembled in the setting forth the thrée hindermost fingers of a mans hand But on the other side Gonsalues set against them sixe battels with direct front two of Horsemen were in the wings and one backed the Almaine footemeÌ„ so néere vnto whome stoode the Spanish footemen that a farre off they séemed to be both one battell but yet so that there was space ynough lefte for the Horsemen that stoode in the middes to issue out if it were néedefull But all the light Horsemen he sent forth vnder the conduct of Fabricio de Colonna and Didaco de Mendozza to stay the enimie by skirmishing whereby such a thicke cloude of dust was raised that the French vauntcurrers could not one whit sée before them and this was augmented by the smoke of the great ordinance whiche fléeing ouer both armies did hurt neyther of them But when GoÌ„salues coÌ„manded the great ordinance to be shot off againe Leonard Aleccio told him with great feare and sorrow that all the barrels of Gunpowder were there by chance or falsehood set on fire with whyche newes Gonsalues being nothing dismaide sayd I do gladly receiue this good abodemeÌ„t for what greater ioy can happen vnto vs than to haue séene the lightes of victorie comming forth neyther was his prognostication false for Nemours charging the Almaines the Horsemen of the left wing vntimely sticked fast in the ditch the Gonsalues had cast vp before his Camp in somuch that when he being repulsed turned his troupe to séeke some other way to come vnto the enimie he was slayne with an Hargubusse shot almost before Cyandey hadde giuen the onset on the Almaines And the like lucke receyued Cyandey of the same ditche for the Almaynes wyth their Pykes and the Spanyardes with their harquebuziers disordered and slewe the Switzers beyng very yll troubled with the ditche and also Cyandey hymselfe who tourned the handes and eyes of all his enimies vppon him bicause he fought on foote with a great plume of whyte feathers on his headpeece and stoutly striued to get out of the troublesom place to come to the enimie But when Nemours was slayne Arsy and Alegre fledde whome the Spanishe horssemen pursued slaying and taking many among whom was Formantes and then retourned vnto the Campe when the Sunne going downe had not giuen so muche as halfe an houre of perfect lyghte to ende the battayle whyche doubtlesse saued Alegre and Arsye There were slayne of Frenchemen foure thousand and that with so greate celeritie and felicitie that when the battayle was begonne and ended within halfe an houre there peryshed not an hundred of the Spanyardes I hearde Fabricio de Colonna saye when he tolde the successe of this battayle that the victorie was not gotten so muche eyther by valiauncie of the Souldyers or prudence of the Generall as by the small rampyre and shallowe ditche cast vppe before the Campe whyche caused the Captaynes that ranne after him to reuine the auntiente martiall discipline in fortifying their Campe. Gonsalues following the victorie expelled the Frenchmenne quite out of the Kyngdome of Naples the which he conquered for his Soueraigne the King of Spayne Thys battell was foughte the nine and twentith of Aprill seauen dayes after the battell of Gioia ¶ The Battell of Vaila or Giaradda fought in Lumbardie betvveene Levves the .xij. King of Fraunce and the Venetians in An. Domini 1509. MAximilian the emperor Lewis the FreÌ„che King Ferdinande king of Spaine Iulius bishop of Rome Alfonse the Duke of Ferrara being entred in to league againste the Venetians bicause they had eueroched vppon them all Lewes the French king marched from Milan with a great army agaynst the Venetians who hadde also a great power in the fielde beyond the riuer of Adda vnder the conducte of the earle of Petilia Generall Barthlomew de Aluian the Campe maister and George Cornarie and Andrewe Grittie Legates or Prouiditori But when the Frenche king being desirous to fight coulde get the Venetians by no prouocation out of their fortified campe he dislodged wyth entent the nexte night to lodge eyther at Vaila or Pandino where by cutting off theyr victuals that were brought from Cremona and Crema hée might force them to dislodge as in very deede it didde Now there were twoo wayes to come vnto those places one the lower and nexte to the riuer of Adda which was the longer bicause it was â—rooked the other further from the riuer which was the righter and the shorter The lower way tooke the Frenche army wherin were aboue two thousand men of armes six thousande Switzers and twelue thousand Gascoignes and Italians footmen with great furniture of ordinaunce and Pioners On the vpper way on the right hande marched the Venetian armye wherein were two thousand men of armes aboue twenty thousaÌ„d footemen and a great number of light horsemen part Italians part Grecians The Greeke horsemen were the auauÌ„tcurrers but by reason of the bushes and shrubbes that occupied all the space betwéene the twoo armies they straggled not so wide as otherwise they commonly vsed to doe and this also was a cause that one army coulde not descrye another And as they thus marched but the Venetians with swifâ—er
were comming forwarde in arraye of battell Whervpon some counselled the King to take downe his tentes but the King said I wil this day that my fielde be made and sette in as royall wise as may bee and all my riche tentes sette vppe whyche was done Then the King called the Lorde Darcie and commaunded him to keepe his fielde treasure ordinaunce and other stuffe who was loath to goe from his maister but by straight commaundement Then euery man prepared hymselfe to battell resorting vnto the standard the horsemen marched before the footemen by the space of a mile still came Curriours bearing tidings that the French armye approched The King bad set forward in the name of God and S. George The Almaines that serued the King séeyng this to what purpose it was not knowen suddaynely embattayled theÌ„selues on the left hand of the King and left the front or brest of the Kings battayle bare As the King was thus marching forward towards the battaile to him came the Emperoure Maximilian with thirtie me of armes he and all his company armed in one sute with redde Crosses then by the counsayle of the Emperoure the King caused certaine fielde pieces to be layde on the toppe of a long hyll or banke for the out-scourers Thus the Kings Horsemen and a few archers on Horsebacke marched forward The Kyng woulde fayne haue bin afore with the Horsemen but his Counsayle perswaded him the contrarie and so he tarried with the footemenne accompanyed with the Emperoure The Frenchmen came on in thrée rankes sixe and thirtie mens thicknesse and well they perceyued the Kings battaile of footemen marching forward the Earle of Essex Captayne of the Horsemen and Sir Iohn Peche with the Kings Horsemen and the Burgonions to the number of eleuen hundreth stoode with banners displayde in a valley The Lorde Wallon and the Lord Ligny with bastarde Emery Burgonions and their bands to the number of foure hundred Horsemen seuered themselues and stoode asyde from the Englishmen so then the Englishmen were but seuen hundreth yet they with banner displaied remoued vp to the toppe of the hil and there they mette with Sir Henrye Guilforde with an hundreth tall Archers on Horsebacke whiche had askryed the Frenchmen Nowe on the toppe of the hill was a faire playne of good grounde on the left hand a lowe wodde and on the right hand a fallow fielde The Lord Wallon and the Burgonions kept them aloofe then appeared in sighte the Frenchmen with banners and standerdes displayed Then came to the Captaines of the Englishmen of armes an English officer of armes called Clarenseux and sayd in Gods name set forward for the victorie is youres for I sée by them that they wyll not abyde and I will goe with you in my coate of armes Then the Horsemen did set forward and the archers alighted and were et in order by an hedge all along a village called Bomy the FreÌ„chmen came on with thrée and thirtie standerdes displayed and the Archers shotte apace and galled their Horses and the Englishe Speares set on freshly crying Saint George and fought valiantly with the Frenchmen and threw downe their Standerdes the dust was great and the crie more but suddaynely the Frenchmen shocked to their Standerdes and fledde and threwe away theyr Speares Swords and Maces and cutte off the bardes of theyr Horses to runne the lighter When the hinder part saw the former part flie they fledde also but the sooner for one cause whiche was this As the Englishmen mounted vp the hyll the Horsemenne of Albany commonly called Stradiotes were commyng downewardes on the syde of the hill before the Frenche host whych suddaynely sawe the banners of the English Horsemen and the kings battayle following vpwarde thinking to them that all hadde bin Horsemen then they cast themselues about and fledde the Frenchmen were so fast in aray that the Stradiotes coulde haue no entrie and so they ranne still by the endes of the raunges of the freÌ„ch army and when they behinde sawe the fall of the Standerdes and theyr Stradiotes in whome they had greate confidence returne they whiche were farthest off fledde fyrste then vppe praunced the Burgonions and followeth the chase whyche was pursued thrée myles Thys battell was of Horsemen to Horsemen but not in equall number for the Frenchmen were tenne to one whiche had not bin séene before tâ—me that the Englishe Horsemen got the victorie of the men of armes of Fraunce The Frenchmen call thys battell The Battell of Spurres bycause they ranne away so fast on Horsebacke This Battell was fought the sixtenth of August in the whyche was taken the Duke of Longuile the Lord Cleremonde and manye other noble men to the number of twelue score and also all the standerdes and banners which with the prisoners were broughte to the Kings presence The Burgonions kepte their prisoners and brought them not to sight The same wente that Monsieur de la Palice was by them taken and let goe But the other syue thousand Horsemen that had bin appoynted to inuade the Earle of Sherewsbury came not downe but only skirmished with Sir Rice ap Thomas But the Citizens sallied and were valiauntly beaten backe by the Lorde Herbert After this victorie the Citie yéelded as also not long after dyd the famous Citie of Tournay ¶ Flodden fielde fought betweene Iames the fourth King of the Scottes and Thomas Earle of Surrey Generall for Henry the eyghte Kyng of Englande in Anno. 1513. out of Paulus Iouius WHilest Henrye the eyghte Kyng of England thus molested the Frenche Kyng in Fraunce Iames the Scottish King incited by the Frenche King and also egged on by hys owne naturall hate towarde England which he well hoped now in the absence of the Kyng greately to annoy proclaymed warres against the King of Englande and withall entred hys lande with a great armye besieged Norrham Castell tooke it and made it leuell with the grounde and from thence marched wasting wyth fire and sworde to besiege the strong towne of Berwike In the meane time the Earle of Surrey whome King Henry for his approued fidelitie and prowesse had left behinde him in Englande hys Lieutenaunt with a power to kéepe the borders towards Scotland leuying an army went against the Scotte who miserably wasted all the Countrey There were with him the Lord Dacres warden of the West marches a renowmed man for all martiall prayse Edward Stanley and Bastard Heron which Heron brought with him a strong troupe of Horsemen which he being of late banished both from England and Scotland had cunningly trained in robberies and other with aides whiche were leuyed in all partes by the Quéene for at the bruite of the newe warres not only the countreys néere vnto the Scots as lying opeÌ„ to the daunger but also the shires farre off of their owne frée willes rather for hatred than feare hasted to the Earle all men taking very vnpatiently the iniurie of violating the league lately concluded betwéene the two Kyngs Iames
But Andrewe Gritti gotte hym to Vicenza and was there verye hardly saued for assoone as the Venetians beganne to flye the perculleis of the gate was let down which was the cause of many a mans death for they missing their hope of entring Vicenza in going backe againe met with the ennimies by whome were slayne Captaines of companies of horsemenne Charles Monrons 〈◊〉 Saxatello Constantius Pio sonne to Anthony and Meleagriâ— of Fonli but there were slaine of Captaines footemen and pety captains aboue sixe and twenty Many were saued by the Italians and Spâ—â—mardes but those whome fortune caste on the Almaines hauyng before sworne to spare no man were al slaine There dyed of the Venetian army that day being the .vij. day of October about vij M. whereof .iiij. C. were men of armes a thing that had neuer happened before in any battell There were also taken .xxiij. péeces of ordinaunce wyth all the ensignes yea and this almoste atâ—â—icued without wounde of theyr enimies for there were lost but only two men of marke they were of Mittius de Colonnd is company Eberard de Cornia his ensigne bearor and Camillo Maximo knight of Rome a yong Gentleman of rare towardenesse There was neuer armye in our age that had foughte eyther wyth more shamefull ende or was vanquished with lesse damage of the enimie in so much that the Marquesse of Pescara euen in the mids of his ioy for the victory detesting the dast arolynesse of the Venetian Souldiors openly protested that he was very hartily sory that it was his lucke to haue béen inserted by dys auncessours into the land of Italy that brought forth so feeble faint harted souldiors But after this greate ouerthrowe giuen the army of the League by reason of the approch of winter wer forced to forsake the field and to returne vnto their wintering places ¶ A Battell fought in anno 1514. at the riuer of Boristhenes betvvene Basilius the great Duke of Moscouie and Constantine Generall of Sigismunde King of Polande Out of Iouius WHen Basill the gâ—â— are Duke of Mosconie had by treason taken the strong towne of Smoleincho he sent thrée companies of horsmeÌ„ to waste Littaw Against whom Sigismunde King of Polon sent his approued Captaine Constantine with an army of 〈◊〉 thousaÌ„d Foloman mâ—â— of auntes twelue thousand Lithuamâ—â—◠〈◊〉 â—bâ—oâ—â—e aâ— archers on horsebacke and three thousande footemen part harquebusierz and parte pikemen in whose puissance if they once ioyned in battel the reposed assured hope of victorye Basill who had aboue fourtse thousand horsemen doubting nothing of the euent of the 〈◊〉 battell suffred the Pâ—â—lonian power quietly to passe ouer the riuer of Boristhenes or Neptâ—â— that he might haue the more full and noble victorye and when bee vnderstoode by his espites that all the Polonians were passed ouer turning himself towardes his Captaine her spake as followeth Our eniuâ—â—â—ane passe the Riuer to late to retourne againe if ye 〈◊〉 playe the men Wherefore moste valiaunt fellowe Souldiours aâ—â—â—one as euer ye shall receyue the signall breake forth as thicke togither as ye can clustes and after ye haue once powred downe shorte of shaftes vppon your enimies battels then euery two of you encountes one enimie and persuade your selues that by this dayes victory ye shall sacke the riche Cities of vilâ—â—nd 〈◊〉 the Chiefâ— Cities of Liâ—â—â—â— and Polâ—â— When hee had thâ—â— sayde â—eechâ—se out of all the whole hoste aboute seauen thousande horseâ—â—â— whome hee commaunded to enclose the enimye behinde at the backe and when they perceyued the battell waxed hotte at the front then they shoulde wyth all their power sette vppon the ennimyes at the backe fearing no suche think for on the lefte hande was there a little valley hedged in as it were with little hilles running along and couertly clothed with very thicke buâ—yes and briers fitly seruing to hyde such an ambushe But of the reste of hys power hee made thrée battells The forewarde wherein were twelue thousande horsemenne hee placed an the right wing and made Michaell Golijza a valiaunt man Capitaine thereof the seconde hee appoynted for the lefte wing neare vnto the hilles to the ende it shoulde bee as it were a battell of succour but at the wagons cariages and baggâ—â—â—â— of the armye â–ª bee hymselfe stâ—â—de wyth the middle battell wherein were placed the strength of the army On thâ— câ—â—trary â—â—e Constantiâ—â— not being ignoraÌ„t that the vnâ—â—aned enimie wold in no respect be equall vnto hym if he could at the firste brunt susteine the multitude of their arrowes and bring the matter to hande strokes and that the battell might not altogâ—â—â—e be foughtes by thicke troâ—â—es of horsemen he placed all the men of â—â—mes in the â—roâ—â— to receyue the firste force of the â—â—â—â—wes but strengthned both wings with Lithuanians and their backes with the footemen And riding from ranke to ranke he saide vnto them we must this daye fight not for glory nor by armes to recouer Smoleâ—cho lately loste by â—râ—uds but to impeache that the perfidious and moste shamefull Moscoâ—ites maye not raigne ouer the Polonians and Lithuanians Neyther fellowe Souldiours will I enkindlâ— you vnto prowesse and vyctorie more by any adhortation than by putting you in mâ—nd that the riuer Boristhenes is at your backe which if yee beyng discomfited by the armed enimye cowardly thinke ye maye agayne passe ouer by giuing place or shamefulye fleing ye shall make it famous for a perpetuall ignominy of your Country and your notble discomfiture and â—aughter But that ye do not suffer so great dishonoâ— and soule fact to be coÌ„mitted vnder my conducte I doe beseeche and obtest thée O God moste bounteous and almightie and yee holy Ladist and Caffimire the defenders and pastrons of the Polontas Empire and I do bowe an altare and Church vnto both of you if it maye stande wyth your pleasures that the Poldnian vanquish and I discomfiring and putting to flight the annimye may bring home a speedy and entire victorye While Constaâ—â—ine was yet speaking the Moscouils founded the battell and the rewithall Michaell commaunded his horsemen to run forth fâ—ourth eâ—â—â—â—ng and to shote theyr arrowes Neyther did Constantine as hed instructed the Captains when hee arranged the battels keepe in the men of armes but they were commaunded incontinently to charge their stames but running vppon the enâ—â—â—ys spee dyly to bring the rouflices vnto the sworde And sucâ—â—e in deebe was the 〈◊〉 that being come beyond the fall of their euiâ—◠〈◊〉 they escaped the greatest part of that shoure and aâ—â— represting in with the be easts of their horses and their weapons tooke from the arhers on horâ—â— backe the vse of their bowes and their second arrowes in whom they had reposed greate consideâ—â— On the other shoe the Luâ—â—â—nians streâ—â—ving out their widge as long as they coulde possible charge the sides all the iuâ—â—â— shâ—ting innumerable arrowes vppon their thick battels where with all the Moscouites
the very nighte had not brought an ende vnto so great a slaughter Tomumbey who no doubt was vanquished distrusting the entier losse of the fielde first commanded the retreate to be founded that his men who now could not matche the esquadron myghte séeme not to haue bene beaten back but ledde backe The which thing he thought was of very great moment to establish the harts of his souldiors and also to reteyn his owne authoritie for that same dame Fortune who had deceyued his first hope did séeme to promise vnto him who hoped as meÌ„ in miserie do for better lot prosperous euents of things if that his heart quayled not and he sauyng that power whiche was yet lefte woulde repaire the warres The battell being broken off by the commyng of the night the Turkes who were victors and had gained the ordinance and tentes of the enimies pursued vntill it was late nights the Mamaluches that marched to Caire almost in fléeing manner In the flight were taken Biadarius who could make no spéede by reason of his gréeuous wounds and with him Bidon who had one of his knées broken with the shotte of a falcon whiche dyd also kill his horse The next day Selym commaunded both of them to be slayne either bycause they coulde not be healed or for that it was decent that he myght with so worthie sacrifices appease the spirite of Synambassa for whom he singularly lamented Although the Turks had nobly vanquished yet was their power vehemently decayed yea through these fortunate battells The fourth parts of them was quite spent with sicknesse and woundes and also a great number of their horsses were brought weake through the toyle of the long fourney and specially by the wearinesse of this day For the which causes Selym was constrained to renut somewhat of his olde manner in hasting for he knewe not as yet the myndes and deuotion of the Aegiptians that inhabited Cair neyther did he yet vnderstande by fame in what place Tomumbey soforned and what he intended to dâ— But before he had maturely and diligently learned out all these things hée in no case minded to commit the safety of his owne person and of his whole armye vnto the innumerable Citizens the greatest Citie of the whole worlde Wherefore staying foure dayes in his olde Campe at Rhodania he caused the wounded to be cured and the bodies of hys slaine souldiors to be buryed in the ground but lefte the carkasses of the enimies to be torne into péeces by byrdes and beastes And then hée dislodged and marching towarde Caire encâ—mped in a plaine betwéene olde Caire and Bulach for the Citie of Caire is diulded into thrée townes olde Caire new Caire and Bulach that they might be the more commodiously serued of water The Battell at Caire IN the meane tyme Tomumbey beyng nothyng broken with so many and so lamentable vnfortunate successes of things but gathering togyther the Mamaluches from all partes had pitched his campe in a commodious place betwéene newe Caire and the riuer of Nilus had armed an eight thousande Aethiopian bondmen the whyche kind of meÌ„ he had not vsed before by reason of the memorie of an olde rebellion Morcouer he opening the olde armoury had deliuered armour and weapons vnto the sonnes of the Mamaluches and the Moores their reteyners the Iewes and the Arabians with all diligence had prepared greater and more cruell wars against the Turkes than he had made before But after warde when his deuise to giue a camisado vnto the Turkishe campe had béene disclosed vnto the Turkes who beyng prepared therefore had with losse repelled his foremoste rankes hée by the adhortation of all hys captains entred the citie of Caire for the Mamaluches being vanquished in all battells thought that they muste take another way in administring the warres and therefore counselled him to strengthen the Citie by placing his army in guarde in the most commodious places thereof and to impeache the enimy from entring the towne for in this lamentable state seeing that they must néedes fight for their houses wiues children they thought it honorable correspoÌ„dent to the glory of their antient valor to dye fighting in the sight of them before the dores of their houses So euery horseman or Mamaluch going to his owne house furnished all his houshould and the toppe of his house with all kinde of weapons and euerye one suppliauntlye desired the Aegyptians of hys streate and warde that they woulde take armes against the common and cruell enimies nor suffer them selues to be slayne and their wiues and children to bée carried away for slaues for if the sauage and moste couetous enimy should win the victory which God forbidde they woulde not spare no not them yea though they woulde beare them selues indifferent and healye neyther the one parte nor the other bycause that victory being fraught ful of licentiousnesse and insolencie will knowe no man but hym that without staggering and doubting what to do did helpe with goodes and hand the fortune of their parte while that the warres were of vncertaine euent Moste of the richer sorte of the Aegiptians as they did foresée that the alteration of the state and of the Empire would be very hurteful and bring greate losse and hinderaunce vnto their traffique and wealth so in deuotion and healpe they failed not vnto the Mamaluchs Contrariwise moste of the meane sorte of the Citizens and a mightye multitude of the worser who being voide of danger do always gain by other mens losses remembring all the villanies and extreame oppressions that they hadde suffered almoste thrée hundreth yeares vnder the Mamaluches in wailefull and wretched slauery kept themselues within the dores waiting for the euent of the supreame fight and reioyced in their sléeues that not without the care of almighty God a time had come when their wicked and outragious lords shold be punished for so many heynours facts yea and the reuenge shold be sought by the bloud of strangers whereby it wold come to passe that they shold anone fully satisfy their eyes with a most desired and wished spectacle and sight In the meane tyme Tomumbey with most intentise labor and trauell fortified the gates and all the wayes into the Citie appointed Capitaines ouer euerye streate made adhortatorie orations in euery court market place and assemble of people suffered not any light loytering to be vsed in the works and finally whiche is thought to be the moste hardest thing in calamitie and danger shewed a surpassing great hope and a renued and singular valor in his vnappalled face and countenaunce But the Mamaluches ouer and aboue necessitie the whiche doe vse in extremities to enkindle and to make mad and desperate yea the very cowards being stirred vp by emulation did spéedily and couragiously execute the duties and offices of Captaines for euery one of them as his witte inuention and industrie did bear made ditches crosse the most notorious streats and also laid mighty greate péeces of
sharpâ— witted â—nimies most manifestly sée that by stay and tariance our power groweth stronger and strongâ—t and contrariwise that theirs is greatly lessened and also their deuises and endeuours do waxe weake and will be turned into an vncertainty séeing that within these fewe dayes their mony and victuals prouision and the good willes and aides of all men will quite and vtterly faile them Al things surely if we play the wise men wil spéedily fall out fortunate for vs and aduerse for them so that we get vs out of this poundâ— and encampe our selues at large at Binasco that the battell being auoided we may by continuall lingering frustrate the rage and violent fease of these wilde beastes thereby to obtaine assured victory for the Almaines vnlesse I be deceyued will assoone as euer they come out of Pauia demaunde their due wages of the â—eâ—y Captaines as poore men that are almost starued vp for lacke of meate and also wanting all other necessary things neyther will gay glosing and large promises nowe any longer serue their tourne to appease and please their souldiors but present and greate store of gold for ouer and aboue their ferocitie naturally ingrafted their valiaunt seruice wyll not without iuste cause make them insolent and thus they being defrauded and deluded wil either raise vp some sedition or else being contented with the glory of constancie will incontineÌ„tly returne home in so much that I do not despaire but that the reste of them as then which haue nowe deliuered their kinsemen from siege â–ª wil returne into Germany when that no present mony shal be paid them In the meanetime both that priuers that are our friendes wil with more open end euour helpe vs and also Fraunce at hand wil commodiously and abundantly supply al things that the warres shal require Surely your Maiestie hath vanquished if that you will vaÌ„quish by newe and holsome reason your mind which is induced with the vaine praise of perseuerance For it séemeth not to be the part of a wise and good chieftain to séeke glory by 〈◊〉 that may bring dishonor 〈…〉 assured destruction vnder a certaine false or shadowed name of constancie These things were true and so much the greater aucthoritie was in Palice his wordes as he was accompted to by more forward to fighte and more feruent than the rest of the Captains For it did appeare that he had bin adduced not by some doubtful but a most certayne reason for to forsake hys olde wonte and hys naturall iudgement sith that he had before time deserued the name rather of an effectuall and valiant than a lingering doubtful and wary Captaine And also vnto this effect which séemed to be sente out of Clemente the Popes mouth did Albert Pio Erle of Carpi the kings Ambassadour write vnto him from Rome and very diligently and earnestly admonished and counselled him to shun the hazard of vniuersall sight by remouing his campe backe vnto Binasco bycause it séemed that the fease and violence of the freshe and fierce Almain enimie was not to be broken by force but by timely and commodious staying and lingering This also very wel liked Renee of Sauey the kings vncle who as one hofull for the kings safetie had condemned al hazarde of battell But one aboue al other Bioâ—niuet the Admirall who had through his sine wit great arte vigilancie and seruisablenesse gotten hym a most sure and firme place of fauour with the king spake against them that counselled the breaking vp of the siege in company modestly but in priuate and withdrawen talke when hée was alone with the king very vehemently What saith he shall a King of so passing courage and instructed with the surpassing precepts and experimentes of martiall discipline as your Maiestie is be with this roote of dishonor and infamy ruled by Tremouille a man very extreame olde or Galeaze al the sense of bothe whiche mens liuely and spedy vigour and lusty courage thrée score and ten years haue dulled and blunted What and hath not that noble order of fight wherein of late Palice most surmounted now waxed through colde in him by encroching age It is so in very déede in so much that me thought he plaieth to daye the very fond man in counselling that thyng olde man like wherein he himselfe was neuer good nor doth not nowe lende vs the helpe of valiaunt hand the which we do to day néede and he hath bin always â—â—â—â—â—t to 〈…〉 also â—â—sely therein excell among the stoutests But as for Theodoer it is méete that he folow the inclination of his age nature and disposition seyng that he had rather by suspectyng doubtyng and prouydyng that euery thyng whych is far off fall not warely to saue himselfe and your royall army than by fightyng valyauntly and byentryng into the chaunces of wars with not most certaine and infallible euent séeke for and get yea almost an assured victorye What then doth empeach but that I may set against these worne olde men fire hundreth others that haue for valor of courage and their noble actes deserued the name of captains Generall whose noble harts fear neuer entred for it is the vsage maner of French men to vanquish famously when their king is present doth giue them the signall of battell doth encourage them and fight hymself as we haue learned to â—â—ght valiantly fortunately at Tarro vnder the conduct of king Charles at Adda vnder king Lewes and vnder your Maiestie with so great commeÌ„dation at Milan Surely we are not the same men that we haue alwayes béene that is valiant desirous of honour if we do once thinke that we ought to feare least these mighty high rampires these strongly entrenched campes may be expugned and scaled one night as it wer by théeues and cut throate robbers But for Gods sake lette not this dismaiall of a fewe bloudlesse men redounde vnto the ignominie of the Switzers and Almaines that serue your highnesse and the old horsemen who whereas they do vtterly despise and contemne yea in an indifferent field this armie of the enimies leuied vp by sodeyne and hasty musters and choyse and hyred for smal wages do also repose in the fortune name of your roial person who laying apart Maiestie will fight most valiantly of all other the moment of most assured victorie But although the king being suspended with a very sharpe care did very diligently weigh in equall ballance the wordes of his Captaynes yet fortune inclining he followed those counsels which séemed most honourable and most méete for his hie heart But this habite of heartes was among Themperials that not only euery Captaine but also euerye common souldiour did thinke that the victorie was certainely theirs if that they coulâ—e ioyne in battell with the king by anye indifferent means before that he got him thence On the which only occasion of fight among other Pescara was so vehemently bent that whilest he with incredible patience and desire did both daye and
couetously defrauded by the Italian Captaines who did take wages for a great number mâ— than they had in their bandes Finally that he was to hastily forsaken by the thirde battayle of the horsemen And the thirde thing that I note is that all which he had written and namely of this battell he had learned it by the report of the greatest Princes and Captaines themselues whose great frendship and familiaritie he had deserued and gotten that he mighte be able to write the truth in his hystories But in that long and harde studie of honest labour no man did more fréelyâ— and cloquently fauour him than Francis the French king who told him all things with maruellous order and vpright truth of the successe of the warres and namely of this battell first at Marsiles and afterwarde at Nizza with his so greate admiration that those things which were vncertaine and obscure he conferring them with the testimonies of his enimies founde them to be most true and playne ¶ The Battell of Nugas in Hungarie fought in Anno domini 1526. betvvene Solyman the great Turke and Lewes the king of Hungarie ANno domini 1526. Lewes the King of Hungarie hauing intelligence that Solyman the Turke was sette forwarde from Constantinople with a myghtie power to inuade Hungarie sent Legates in vaine vnto all the Princes of Christendome for aide and summoned an armed parliament after their order where the Bishops brought the bands that they were bounde by the tenure of their lands to finde scarce halfe full and also lesse money than they ought But the nobles of the Temporaltie as they that had forgotten the olde discipline of warre and had neuer séene the Campe of the Turkishe kings but vsed to fight by incursions inskirmishes did of a certaine arrogancie naturally ingrafted in their proude heartes so contemne the Turkes that they boasted that they woulde with a small power ouerthrowe and destroye in a pitched fielde yea a mightie armie of Turkes And among all other Paule Tomorrey a Frier Archbishop of Tolosse who in roades had vsed often to skirmish was caried with so great fiercenesse of minde and so great desire of hoped victorie that he made many sacred sermons vnto the souldiours to encourage them to fight and promised that he himselfe inflamed with religion woulde breake his inâ—estuous staffe first before all the Nobilitie on the front of the Turkish battels A little before they had leuied with the Popes money certaine bandes of Almaines and Bohemians with whose garde they thought that the battell of their horsemen might be established and the force of the Barbarians susteyned For neyther yea by a very diligent muster could they finde that there in their were army both of horsemen and footmen fiue and twentie thousand souldiours so that the desperatenesse of Tomorrey and the rasâ—â—esse of the rest of the Captaines that requested the battell was greatly condemned by the olde souldiours who sayde that it was moste miserable to encounter with that enimie who woulde bring into the battell a power eyght times greater than theirs Wherefore some thought it good that the yong King shoulde be remoued out of the imminent daunger Stephan Verbet councelling in vainâ— that for the publike safetie the person of the yong king should be kept in the castell of Ofen without the hasarde of fight for both the euentes of the battell But the enraged souldiours cried oute against it and sayde they woulde not fight vnlesse the King led them Then Tomorrey speaking his opinion obteâ—ned that they shoulde fight out of hande and the â—â—â—ble King vnder the defence of the great God shoulde go â—â—â—th against the enimie to giue the signall of the battell So with frantike fease and vnluckye aduise Lewes marched euen vnto Nugass which is a small towne almoste middle waye betwéene Ofen and Belgrade Nowe the Turkishe auantgarde approched very neare when that the Christians consulted whither it were best to keepe them selues in their campe enuironed round with wagons on the banke of Thoâ—aw vntill that the power of Iohn the Veruode or Leiutenant of zipserland were come who was reported to haste thither with great iourneyes But Tomorrey who should obey the Veiwoode if he were come by reason of the dignitie of his office blaming all cause of stay that he might still retayne the gouernement of the armie for hope of victorie and hasting headlong to his fall so withstoode this wholsome counsell that he drought the vnwarie king into a verye vnequall hazard of battill For the Turke had sent foure battels of horsmen before who by course diâ—iding betwéene theÌ„ the houres of the day and night should continually molest the Kinges Campe on all sides And they besieged it so streightlye that no man durste to go forth eyther for fewell or forage no nor vnto the neare banke of the riuer of Thoâ—aw to water hys horse but that he fought with great daunger and disaduauntage by reason of the multitude of the Turkes Throughe the which necessitie Tomorey was forced to arrange his battayles and to fighte a pitched fielde for the auncient honour of that Nation before tyme inuincible and the dignitye of the Kings name The forme of the battaile or the araye was almoste single that is to witte the bandes of the footemenne were stretched forth in a long ranke and in commodious places the horsemen were interlaced that the Barbarians ouermatching in number shoulde not inclose the whole battayle and the Hungarians be forced to fighte almoste in a ring The Campe and tentes being entrenched with chayned wagons were lefte on the ryghte hande with a small bande to guarde them and neare vnto the trenche had Tomorey placed not with absurde counsayle a bande of chosen horsemen that the King might be defenced by theâ—â— strong and readye guarde agaynste all vncertayne chaunces But that daye vnluckye vnto the Hungarian name and â—â—â—ste vnfortunate vnto the King ouerthrewe this laste wholsome deuyce for at the verye firste encounter althoughe the greate ordinaunce of the Turkes being lenesled to highe did no hurte yet were our battayles withoute anye labour quite ouerthrowne namelye Tamorey and almost all the nobles of the Hungarians being slaine and the Vsarones whiche are the light horsemen of the Hungarians being scattered and put to flighte and with them all the rest of the horsemen being fouly discomfited and slayne In this so greate asperitie of fortune when that a troupe of Turkishe horsemen hadde galloped to rifle the tentes and they were hardlye defended by the garde that was placed in them that bande of chosen horsemenne the whiche as I sayde before shoulde haue bene a garde vnto the King coulde not conteyne themselues but brake oute vpon the assaulting Turkes that they myght saue the Campe. In the same moment of halfe an houre King Lewes séeing all his power in all places beaten downe and also being bared of them whome he had hoped and prepared for his garde did begynne to flée but his head-strong horse
shoulde go backe vnto Cassiano vpon Adda and suffer nothing to be brought into the Citie out of the moste fertile Countrie of Martia but in another quarter S. Poule should lie at Abiato and cut off all victuals that might be brought vnto Milan by an arme of the riuer of Tesino For they did hope that their enimies which coulde not be subdued by force woulde not be able to abide the incommodities of a long siege This being determined at a village called Landriano ten myles from Milan Vrbine dislodging marched vnto Cassiano admonishing S. Poule with equall digresse to bende his iourney to Abbiato But the day being well spent S. Poule sayde that he woulde not remooue that daye but woulde go the next morowe vnto Pauia and leaue there certaine great ordinance and other weightie cariages But Leua who most diligently watched for all occasion to hurt his enimies vnderstanding that Vrbine was departed from S. Poule and coniecturing that the French men would not spéedily set forward called togither all the Captaines and commaunded them to be in a readinesse with all their souldiours to go forth with him about one of the clocke in the morning cohorting them to go this iourney chearefully and promised to giue them for a bootie the vanquished French men before the sunne arose But if sayd he they do more hastily flée as surely I do not thinke but they will yet the tayle of them will fall vnto vs for an assured bootie The souldiours crying out answered that he shoulde procéede to conceiue in his mightie minde valiant actes correspondent to his former victories for they woulde with chearefull and fearelesse heartes take vpon them this daungerous iourney and doubtfull hasarde that he had commaunded them And without stay he putting on his glittering armour althoughe he were tormented with the payne of the goute almost in euery ioynt sent the horsemen before and he himselfe with two battels on ech side the Almaines on the one side and on the other the Spaniardes flanking the Italians that were appointel to the garde of the great ordinance hasted to the enimies whome he founde not yet remoued and busied about dispatching away of their baggage S. Poule who had thought nothing lesse than that Leua woulde come vpon him with all his power aranged in battell when he was preparing to dislodge séeing the sunne was nowe risen the battels of his enimies with shirtes ouer their armour after the manner of them that giue a Camisado in the night was astomed and as it doth commonly happen vnto those that are so caught vnwares was attached with great feare and not without cause namely for that he had commaunded the Conte Guido de Rangoni to go before with the auantgarde vnto Pauia and there to prouide lodging for him and the rest of the armie Thus he being vnprepared and vnreadie and also disioyned farre from the forewarde was circumuented with so greate perturbation of the middle battell and rerewarde that he was forced with wonderfull vprore and tumultuously to set his men in araye and in vayne to repugne being quite put out of heart by the violence and celeritie of hys vrging enimie Fortune also gaue Leua space to winne the victorie by an vnlooked for chaunce For when one of the great péeces had broken his whéele and fallen in the middes of a dirtie waye it was a great discommoditie vnto them for the French horsemen yea and the best of them were lighted on foote to lifte vp and amende it For by an olde vsage of theirs they doe accounte it a great dishonor to leaue any of their ordinaunce behinde them as they march to be gotten by the enimie Through this staying both Rangoni was gotten so farre before that he coulde neyther be called backe nor in time tolde of the sodaine comming of the enimie and also Leua had time to bring forwarde his footemen who being aduaunced forth and the horsemen fighting very couragiously the middle battell of the Conte S. Poule with whom the rerewarde had also ioyned began in a moment of time both to turne their backes When that Antonie de Leua cladde in glysteting armour and adorned with a braue crest commaundeth him self to be brought into the forefront borne â—y force of me noâ— with terrible voice adhorteth his souldiors and terrifieth the Frenche men with his fierce looke and fierie eyes In the meane time the Almaines that serued the French king a thing which had almost neuer happened at other times shamefully turned their backes as they that were of the omnigatherum that had in former time serued the French King or else had bene taken vp in the region which is on this side the Rhein and doth abutte vpon Lâ—râ—iâ—â— who haue no greate estination for Almaine valor and discipline The Almeynes and the French footemen and after them also the Italian bandes followed without any care had of dishonor and small was the slaughter bicause that neyther the harquebusiers coulde shoote among the confounded and blended rankes nor the great ordinance be discharged without equall perill The Conte S. Poule assaying daungerously to take a dich with his horse was taken by the horsemen nor far froÌ„ him the valiant Claude de Rangoni the Captaine of the rerewarde had the like lucke but Sâ—â—phan de Colonna escaped although he had bene cast by his horse headlong into a diche Leua hauing gotten all the Ensignes and ordinance and taken the Generall prisoner wanne great estimation in the worlde But the French men openly complayned of Guido de Rangoni whome they sayde had left them to the spoyle through his ouer hastie pasting but Guido defended his honor by alledging the commaundement of his Generall chalenging all his obtrectors to the combat But afterwarde in familiar talkâ— the Duke of Vrbine decided this controuersie both Leua and the Marques of Guasto assenting vnto him who gaue iudgement that they had both with almost equall error swarued from the discipline of warre the which doth will that in marching the Captaines that leade distict and seuerall bandes doe with mutuall diligence by horsemen ryding to fro measure the march nor suffer the Ensignes to go any thing out of sight the auantgard to obserue with what pace the middle battell marcheth and so likewise the middle battayle the rerewarde that euerye battayle mayâ— be readis at hande for al sodeyne incursions of the enimie and to succour that battayle which is circumuented and finally to sight with all their power vuited into one This victorie vtterly destroyed the French power in Milan and made Francis Sfuza whome the French King maintayned to come in and suppliantly yéelde himselfe vnto the Emperour ¶ The Battell of Frumentaria fought on the sea by Rodoricke Portundo Admirall vnto Charles the fift and Aidin and other miscreant Pirates in Anno Domini 1529. AFter that Rhedoricke Portundo had brought Charles the Emperour out of Spayne into Italie to be crowned He in his returne hearing that fiftéene vessels
without any mercie slue euery man of our men that abode furthest in prease and a sixe me of Bulloners and other than I haue here named in all to the number of xxvj and most part gentlemen My Lord Grey yet and my Lord Edwarde as some grace was returned againe but neyther all in safetie nor without euident markes they had bene there for the one with a Pyke through the mouth was raced a long from the tip of the tongue thrust that way very daunger ously more than two inches within the necke my L. Edward had his horse vnder him with swords wounded sore I think to death Like as also a litle before this onset sir Thomas Darcie vpoÌ„ his approch to the enimies was stricken glauncing wise on the righte side with a bullet of one of the field péeces thereby his bodie brused with the bowing in of his harnesse his sword hilts broken and the forefinger of his right hand beaten flat euen so vpon the parting of this fray was sir Arthur slash at with swords so hurt vpon the wedding finger of his right hand also as it was counted for the first part of curing to haue it quite cut away About the same time certaine of the Scots ran out hastily to the kings Maiesties standard of the horsmen the which sir Andrew Flammake bare laying fast hold vpon the staffe therof cried a king a king that if both his strength his hart his horse had not ben good hereto somewhat aided at this pinch by sir Rafe Coppinger a Pencioner both he had bene slaine the standard lost which the Scots neuerthelesse helde so fast that they brake and bare away the nether ende of the staffe to the burrell and intended so much to the gayne of the standard that sir Andrew as happe was scaped home all safe and else without hurt At this busines also was my Lord Fitzwaters captaine of a number of demilances vnhorst but soone mounted againe scaped yet in great danger and his horse all hewen Hereat further were Cauerley the standard bearer of the men of armes and Clement Paston a pencioner thrust ech of them into the leg with pikes and Don Philip a Spaniard in the knée Diuers other mained and hurt and many horses wounded beside By this time had our fore ward accordingly gotten the full aduantage of the hils side and in respect of their march stood sidelong toward the enimie who neuerthelesse were not able in all parts to stande full square in aray by reason that at the west ende of them vpon their right hand and toward the enimie there was a square plot enclosed with turfe as their maner of fencing in those partes is one corner wherof did let the square of the same aray Our battel in good order next them but so as in continuance of aray the former part thereof stoode vpon the hilles side the tayle vpon the plaine and the rerewarde led by the Lord Dakers of the north wholy vpon the hill so that by the placing and countenaÌ„ce of our armie in this wyse we shewed our selues in a manner to compasse them in that they should no way scape vs the which by our power and number we were as well able to do as a Spiders web to catch a swarme of Bées These vndiscrete gadlings that so fondlye brake aray from the horsemen in the retire as I sayd ran so hastily through the orders and rankes of our fore ward as it stood that it both there disordred many feared manye was a great encouraging of the enimie The earle of VVarwicke who had the guyding of our fore ward right valiantly had conducted the same to their standing there did very nobly encourage and comfort them bidding them pluck vp their hearts and shew themselues meÌ„ for there was no cause of feare But to return vnto the Scots they were somwhat disordred with their coÌ„ming out about the slaughter of our meÌ„ the which they did so earnestly then entend that they tooke not one to mercy but more they were amased at this aduenturous hardy onset My Lords grace hauing before this for the causes aforesaid placed himselfe on this Fauâ—siae Bray thereby quickly perceiuing the great disorder of these stragâ—ng horsmen hemd the in froÌ„ further straying who sir â—â—se Vaâ—e sone after with great dexteritie brought in good order again therewith the rest of our strengths by the policie of my Lords grace diligence of euery captain officer beside were so aptly applied in their feate that where this repulse of the enimie retire of vs was doubted of many to turn to the danger of our lesse the same was wroughte according as it was deuised to our gayne and victorie For first at this slough where most of our horsemen had stood sir Peter Meutas captaine of all the hackbutters afoote did very valiantly conduct place a good number of his men in a maner at the faces of the enimies Wherevnto sir Peter Gamboa a Spaniarde Captaine of two C. hackbutters on horsebacke did readily bring his men also who with the hot continuance of their shot on both partes did so stoutly staye the enimies that they coulde not come further forwarde then our archers that marched in aray on the right hande of our footemen and next to the enimie prickt them sharply with arrowes as they stoode Therewith the maister of the ordinance to their great annoyance did gall them with hayleshot and other out of the great ordinaunce directlye from the hill toppe and certaine other gunners with their péeces a flanke from our rerewarde most of our artillerie and missiue engines then wholy thus at once with great puissance and vehemencie occupied about them here with the full sight of our footemen all shadowed from them before by our horsemen and duste raised whome then they were ware in such order to be so neare vpon them and to this the perfect aray of our horsemen againe comming couragiouslye to set on them a freshe The miserable men perceyuing themselues then all to late howe much too much they were misenformed began sodenly to shrinke Their gouernour that brought them firste to the bargaine like a doughtie Captaine tooke hastily his horse that he might runne foremoste away The Earle of Anguishe and other chiefe Captaines did quickly followe as their Gouernour ledde and with the foremost their Irishmen Therewith then turned all the whole route cast downe their weapons ranne out of their wardes off with their Iackes and with all that euer they might betooke them to the race that their gouernour began Our men had founde them at the first and sharply and quickly with an vniuersall outerie they flée they flée pursued after in chase amaine and thereto so egerly and with such fiercenesse that they ouertooke many and spared in déede fewe Before this at the time of our onsette came there Eastwarde fiue hundreth of their horsemen vp along thys Fauxside â—raye
footemen to garde the great ordinance and this Esquadron was guarded with a wing of Reystres Thus Conde went towardes the enimie in aray somewhat broade déepe But his enimies were redy aranged in this order the Duke of Guise led the one wing of the auantgarde with a strong troupe of horsemen nere vnto whoÌ„ stoode two Esquadrons of Spaniardes footemen and of Frenche footemen olde souldiours with fouretene péeces of ordinance and the Marshall of Saint Andrewes guided the other wing with a strong troupe of horsemen and was garded on the one side with a battallion of Lansquenets and on the other with a battallion of horsemen Of the maine battell the Constable led one wing with a strong troupe of horsemen neare to whome were placed a battallion of seuentene ensignes of French footemen whome there followed xxij ensignes of Switzers with eyghtene péeces of greate ordinance the other wing his soune Danuille ledde with a strong troupe of horsemen Thus stoode the battels of the Catholikes in grat length on a row here footemen and there horsemen being still interserted The Admirall stoode ouer right against the Constable and Conde against Danuille and the Switzers but no bodie againste Guise and the Marshall of Saint Andrewes who were in the auantgarde Conde first gaue commaundement that the souldiours shoulde be present at diuine seruice and that being ended he ryding about vnto the rankes abhorted them to constancie and confidence and hauing thus prepared their heartes he gaue the signall and he himselfe Curey going before with the light horsmen charged vpon the Switzers in that part where he sawe they were bared of horsemen and strongly brake thorowe them Rochfocault in the meane time standing still The Switzers at the first stoutly susteyned the charge partly through the power of their ordinaunce and also the strengthe of their owne weapons but yet through the thicke hayle of the shotte they began to giue grounde and anon after not being able to beare the force of the horsemen their Launces brake their aray and forsooke the great ordinance and were scattered the Condeans raging with great slaughter And almost at the same momeÌ„t the Admirall charged the Constable and in the meane time the vpper troupes of the Reysters ryding vnto Danuils troupes skirmished with their pistolets WheÌ„ Conde had with great slaughter defeated and put to flight the Switzers he gaue a charge on the next battallion of French footemen and breaking throughe their rankes discomfited and put them to flighte But there was a furious fighte betwéene the Admirall and the Constable but at length the Constable his men begaune to shrinke backe and after that the Constable being wounded in the face with a Curtelace and sore bruised with small shot of pistolets was taken they fledde the Admirall and Conde pursuing them But whyle that Conde his horsemen were busied in pursuing of the enimie the French and Almaine footemen were left naked which Danuill espying charged vpon the Almaine footmen who fledde at the first sight of the enimye towardes a village called Blinuill Then a strong troupe of Guises horsemen gaue a charge on the French footemen and brake their araye and quyte defeated them at the first shocke taking the ordinaunce and committing great slaughter yet when that diuers of the Frenche footemen fought couragiouslye manye of the Guisian horsemen were slayne Moreouer Danuill séeing Conde his horsemen to be disordered and dispersed by pursuing the Switzers and the Constables troupes charged vpon them wounding the Conde with a Pistolet and vnhorsing him did take him prisoner When the Admirall sawe his fellowes fléeing in all places and also the Reysters giuing backe vnto a woode in a thicke troupe after their guyse that when they had recharged their Pistolets they might lustily altogither recharge the ennimie the which vsage of theirs being vnknowen vnto manye did put them in greate feare they suspecting them to flée and finally when he perceyued that all the Condeans were nowe in dispayre bicause that Conde was taken prisoner he was verye pensife namely when he saw thrée mightie troupes of horsmen of the auantgard of the enimie wysely reserued by Guise for the last brunt to make towardes him In these troupes were the Marshall of Saint Andrewe the Dukes Daumall and of Neuers and other noble men but they saye that the Duke of Guise stoode still with other bandes that had not yet foughte for to beholde the ende of the battell then the Idmirall spéedilye relying all the Frenche and Almaine horsemen that he was able to make and also by the returne of those Reisters that I sayde went aside vnto the woode their heartes being confirmed stoutlye susteyned the charge of their enimies Then there beganne a sharpe encounter bothe sides fighting full suriouslye their heartes being constantlye sette to murther one another with almoste equall fortune yet the Guisians gaue grounde and by little and little drewe backe and more grieuous had bene the fighte namelye the souldiours of Conde being chased if that the nighte had not parted them who were wearied with long labour of fighte Both partes caused the retire to be sounded and returned vnto their Campes The Admirall for lacke of horses lefte foure fielde péeces behinde him In this laste encounter were slayne the Marshall of Saint Andrewes with a Pistolet after he was taken Monbrun the Constables sonne the Lorde Piennes the grand Prior one of the Guises two Brosseys Giures Anneboult and a greate number of other of the Nobilitie Daumâ—ll was grieuouslye hurte and also Neuers who died thereof and manye other and an hundreth of the nobler sorte were taken prisoners and also certaine of the order as Beauâ—ayâ— Roâ—â—fort â—t Of the faithfull or Protestantes Mouy and diuers other noble men and Captaynes were eyther taken or slayne God so mode rated the euent of so great a battell that neither part coulde be sayde eyther to haue wonne or to haue lost the fielde for on the part of the faithfull was Conde the patron of the cause taken and on the Catholikes their side the Constable was taken and the Marshall of Sains Andrewes slayne And as the faythfull flewe a greate number of the Catholikes their footemen so did the Catholikes of the faithfull their footemen but mo horsemen were slayne on the Catholikes part and also footemen for of the xxij ensignes of the Switzers few were saued but Conde his losse was more difficill to be borne and repaired but Guise being better furnished for the warres had great incommoditie by the losse of so many great Captaines and noblemen as were there slayne taken This battel was fought the xix of December The Admirall gathering togither his power returned vnto Orleans and the Guise vnto Paris eyther of them to repayre their sore weakened armies ¶ The Battell foughte at Saint Dennis neare to Paris in France betvvene Levves of Burbon Prince of Conde and Annas Montmorencie Constable of France in Anno. 1567. Taken out of the booke intituled