sortes of diseases in diuerse souldiours on both sydes and after dyed in lamentable numbers towardes the euening the Kings Lieuetenaunt retired to Chynon albeit certeyne Captaynes of the Princes armie charging vpon their tayle discomfited aboute vij or .viij. score Suyzers and thrée enseignes of footemen sodeynly set vpon as they were refreshing them selues in the village The Princes returned to Touars and the Admirall to Monstrueit-beley to winter there leauyng the Lorde d'Yuoy brother to the Lorde de Ianlis as gouerner within the towne of Loudun and for the garde of the same the regimens of the L. of Mont-brun Mirabel with .ij. cornets of horsemen the Lorde Ianlis not long after dyed of a disease in Almayne The Lord de la Coche who as is sayd was led prisoner to Metz was this .v. of January 1569. murdered by certein garrison soldiours of the towne who taking him out of prison and bynding him with Mychallon his ensigne bearer tolde him they were commaunded from the King to leade them to the Court and so exchange them for other prisoners within the princes Campe albeit they wer no sooner cut of the town than they were stabbed with daggers and so murdered Néere vnto Saulmur is an abbey called Sainct Florent wherin were two hundred footemen as a garrison to the Catholikes who with their abbay were besieged in this moneth of January by the vauntgarde of the Princes and they after they had beateÌ„ a breach entred by force-putting al that were beseeged to the mercy of the sworde immediatly after the garrison of Saulmur recouering the sayde Abbay vsed the like execution of all that they found Whiles the princes soiorned at Towars they dispatched into Gascoyne the Lorde de Pilles aswell to leuie newe force as other matters of speciall charge At his first arriuall he toke Bergerac and Saintfoy and hauing spéedily erected certaine forces of horsmen and footmen he bestowed his footmen and drew towards Perigueux with his horsemen and passing along the place where the Lords of Mouuans and Pierregourde were discomfited hée fyred many villages and killed as many peisauntes as hée mette as a reuenge of the bloud of so manye Souldioures whiche they hadde ouercome and slayne in the same ouerthrow The Kinges armye wintred at Chynon Saulmur Poyctiers and other places thereabout the princes armie in the beginning of February departed from Towars and Monstrueu-beley discending lower intoo the countrey to fynde vittells the vauntgarde drew to Partenay and the battell to Niort harbouring in the places thereabout The thirde day of this moneth the Lord de Boursaut captayne of a hundred lyghts horsmen and his company were sodeinly set vpon within a village néere to Towars by the Counte Brissac accompanyed with vij or .viij. hundred horsmen presently issued out of Saulmur There were many of them taken and many killed and the rest as the Lord de Boursaut and others saued themselues by help of the dark night In the beginning of February y quene of Nauarre came to â—â—orâ— where shee founde the Princes wyth dyuerse other greate Lordes with whome shee entred into Counsell for the affaires and disposition of the warre There was agreed a sale of temporal goods of the Churchmen toward the mayntenaunce of the generall cause for y purpose wer drspatched preseÌ„t letters vnder the names and authoritie of the sayd Quéene Princes of Nauarre and Gonde the Lorde Admirall Dandelot Rochefoucaut with wordes of ample power giuen to their procurors and commissaries to promise and binde them for warrant requisite in suche case These comissions were published in towns holden vnder their obedience with present sale and alyenation made accordingly the same raysing great summes of money Whilest the said Quéene Princes and other stats remained in consultation with in Nyort certeine horsmen of the Lord of Verac captaine of a hundreth light horsemen making often incursion vppon the next enimies toke the Lord of Cassac lieutenant of the men at armes to the Duke of Guyse as he was bayting in an Inne whome they ledde to Niort and so to Rochell The Counte Mountgomerey lodgyng in a village called la Motte was charged vpon the sodeyn by the Counte Brissac and enforced to retyre within the Castel of the same place seruyng somewhat to hys defence so that he receyued no other losse than his yonger brother whiche was led to the Castell of Luzignan this was the xij of February The Princes now determyned to perfourme their enterprise vppon the castell of Luzignan and to take it the same mouyng as it séemed eyther by a practyse of Montgomories brother or else by some secrete intelligence they hadde with the Gouernours Lieutenaunte of the same place where they were in good order and vppon the sodayne the .xx. of February very early in the mornyng dyuers of their Captaynes and souldiours entring within albeit being discouered their further attempt was intercepted and they returned without any thing doing The Counte of Tande gouernour for the King in Prouence in the begynning of Nouember the yeare before put himselfe vppon his waye with thrée thousand footemen and certeine horsemen of that country marching intoo Fraunce as hée was coÌ„maunded and passing by Dauphiné the baron of Adretz who also had leuyed a Regyment of footemen conteyning .xvij. enseignes ioyned with him too passe also in company into Fraunce In theyr waye they came by the siege of Sanserre whiche the Counte Mertiuengo an Italyan and gouernoure of Gyran had long continued where as they spente long tyme wythout aduauncyng the ende and purpose of the siege so procuryng the siege to bée raysed the Counte â—ande drew to Poyctou to the Kyngs Campe where hée arriued aboute the ende of Februarye and the baron of Adretz marched into â—orayn to the Duke d'Aumale sent thither as you haue heard to withstande the entrie of straungers into Fraunce The Kynges brother hauing receyued these newe succours and made shewe to his men of armes of two hundred thousande frankes which the house of Parys had lent the Kyng vpon the temporal goodes of the Church men he gathered ageyn hys Campe and drewe towardes Angoulmoys Immediatly after in the same moneth arryued two thousande and fyue hundred Reistres vnder the conduct of the Counties Reyngraffe and Bassompier who béeing much harried in theyr long and paynful iorney to come into France refreshed themselues certayne tyme aboute Poyctiers afore they ioyned wyth the Kyngs Campe whoe approched still to Angoulesme and taryed them And bycause hée woulde haue the libertie of the Ryuer of Charente to passe and repasse at his pleasure he dispatched the Lorde de la Riuiere a Gentleman of Poyctou for to sease vppon the Towne and also the Castell of larnacke The Princes nowe béeing truely enfourmed what waye the Kynges Campe tooke departed from Nyort and vppon the begynning of March aryued at Sainct lean d'Angely marchyng from thence with theyr battayle to Sainctes The Admirall with the vauntegarde lodged at Coygnac and
A discourse of the Ciuile warres late troubles in Fraunce drawn into Englishe by Geffray Fenton and deuided into three bookes Wherof The first beginneth from the breach of peace in March. 1568. coÌ„tinueth till the death of the Prince of Conde The second from his death till the battell at Mongontour which was the first of October 1569. The third conteineth varietie of matters chauncing in sundry places since that tyme. Seene and allowed MON HEVR VIENDRA Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman for Lucas Harrison and George Bishop To the right honourable my singuler good Lord Sir Henry Sidney knight of the order the Q. Maiesties deputy gouernour in her realme of Ireland Lord PresideÌ„t of her highnesse CouÌ„trey and Marches of Wales in Englande NOtwithstaÌ„dyng right honorable my present insufficiencie to write things woorthy any generall view and much lesse to stand afore your peculiar graue iudgement yet in respect of your naturall affabilitie inclinable to honest indeuours I am bolde vnder this argument to exhibite a simple effect of my seruiceable mynde so long tyme vowed to you yours as partly encouraged by the honourable regard of your vertuous Lady and wyfe to my first dedication and partly induced by your name of singuler merite to all sortes but most of all by an auncient setled desire leading me as it were in an aspiring imaginacion to bring forth somewhat worthy your honorable view protectioÌ„ wherin hauing as yet nothing of mine own to present your honor withal it may like you in the meane while to receiue this short report of the third and late French troubles the same as they were lately writteÌ„ by a diligent eye witnes assisting all their actuall procedings vntill Ianuary last so not vnmeetâ— to be reuealed to our countrey no lesse for the qualitie or freshenesse of the matter which is very graue in it selfe than for the truth and indifferencie of the author who certeinly in either part procedes with great modesty obseruing with al such singuler integritie as both the good sorte may settle and confirme the rest suffice satisfie without cause of offence vnlesse temperance and truth be offences to such whose tastes can abide no better dispositions thaÌ„ their own And this as it is a most commendable order in writing so hath it no smal grace in an history and as carefully to be imitated of all sortes as the contrary is contemnable in any besides if there be any dignitie next after the sacred word of God to wise writings on earth a true history may iustly chalenge a first place being in dede no small parcel of the same sacred word it selfe If we also discend into Philosophy History is her chiefest part in what degree so euer wise men wil place her which Plato forgets not to affirme in reckening such cities and people very happy whose princes and soueraigne gouernours be Philosophers as though no parte of Philosophy did more liuely and generally instruct a vertuous lyfe thaÌ„ histories who as with a certaine harmonie swetenesse to draw men to good by aliâ—â—ing examples of good meÌ„ so of the contrary expressing terrible successes of the wycked with their tragicall endes do euen hale vs from the cuill to the better the same happening most wheÌ„ writers be vpright speakers of the truth sincere hable iudges of the same likewise moderate praisers but free reprehenders without affectation accordyng to the indifferent desertes of the parties which so much the more becomes the histories of our tyme to be thus seasoned when we our selues be professours of that heauenly and deuine Philosophye which in teaching vs the chiefe and hygh truthe willes vs also to bee lesse negligent of our own estimation than in swaruing from that which is honest and true eyther to bleamish the one or slaunder the other in our christian pietie and that with such a notable blot for euer as liuing men obiecting our faultes as witnesses eyther of malice or falshode may also coÌ„mende them to a perpetuall posteritie Such therefore is the excellent Maiestie of a true historie as nothing in humayne things is to bee preferred before it and such the necessitie of it both in priuate and publicke as well in all states and pollicies as also conducible to Religion directing withall euerie degree in his duetie and true vse of the same And lastly it is the liuely Image of time and seasons whiche vnder God most absolutely doth gouerne and esolue oure transitorie endeuours and actions A most true looking glasse for the soueraigne to beholde continually and a sound studie for the subiect to bee had still in vse Wherein right honorable if I haue indutifully abused your wisdom and graue experieÌ„ce and by to much speach and circuÌ„stance slipt into Phormyos faulte when he red to Hannibal de re militari It may like you to measure with my vehemencie to the cause my respectiue desire to your honour who albeit is not I know without your deepe sight and excellent iudgement in the tunges yet it may please you to suffer this small treatise by your mediation to becommunicated to others to a publik benefit of many and speciall deface of slaunderers who in this coÌ„spiring tyme do labour to confound both deuine and humayne things leauing nothing vnstayned which they may bring within the compasse of their carping natures And lykewyse for my parte albeit I am bolde to vse this breefe discourse to sollicite rather in my vnfayned faith and disposition to your honour than in any worthynesse in the trauayle yet if youre honoure vouchsafe too receyue me and my meaning vvith that vertue vvhiche surely is peculiar in you I shall not onely bee encouraged too greater things hereafter but also others of woorthie skill in dede wil labour to honour you for this example wherin I most humbly and faithfully commend vnto you my hart deuotion as also if I had any other thyng more deare or precious I present it with an vnfained will to be commaunded as it best pleaseth your honour whom God long preserue to your prince country and frendes At London the xxiiij of May. 1570. Your honors humbly to commaund Geffray Fenton THE TABLE A AEsse vpon Vienne fol. 89 The Lord of Acier fo 13 deuideth his horsmeÌ„ fo 14 the numbre of his armye fo 19 the order of the same fol. 19 his sicknes fol. 137 The Duke of Alba a Spanyard Fol. 5 Ales at Seuennes fol. 15 The Lord Admirall sicke fol. 137. he sendeth Monsieur de la Noue Monsieur de la Loue to Montgontour fol. 153 Monsieur de Amazey slain hewen in peeces fol. 6 The Lord de Andelot fol. 11. his death fol. 74 Angoulesme beseeged fol. 20 and taken fol. 20. and sommoned fol. 77 The Duke of Angiou the kings brother fol. 12. seeke the rest in the name of Monsieur The Armye of the Duke of Sweburg or Deux Ponts fol. 87 Argence fo 62 The Assembly of Catholikes
depart froÌ„ their caÌ„p with the discourse of their viage 170 Martigues death 211 N the siege raised from Nauerreis 127 Earles of Naslau â–ª Lodouic and Henry brethren 87 the Nobilitie of Daulphinois 7. excuse them selues of taking othe 7 Noutron a toune taken 85 the Lord de la Noue 60 Noyers in Burgondy 9. the same taken 185 Nyort besieged 94. giueÌ„ ouer Nimes the toune and castle taken 201 O Oisans a borough 16 Ordering of the princes army 32 Ordering of the armye at La Roche 90 OrleaÌ„s asseÌ„bly of catholiks 28 Ouerthrow of the Lorde of Mouuaus 29 Othe to the king 6 Oth of the prince of Nauar. 68 P Peace made 1 Peace more hurtful thaÌ„ war. 8 PaÌ„prow a vilage in Poitou 34 the Lord of Pardillan 59 Pope sendeth succour 88 Parley of Angoulesme 70 Pasquier a captaine 14 Paslage ouer Lot. 18 the Lorde of Pierre Gourd 15. his discomfiture 29 Peter Viret prisoner 97 Perrol a captaine slainae 93 the Lord of Pilles taketh the ile of Medoc 76 the Lord of Pluueau 59 Pluueas regimeÌ„t of fotemeÌ„ 62 the earl of Pampadon slain 73 Pons in Santonge besieged 3â— taken 34 Poitiers besieged 120. all the discourse til the raising of the siege 142 Prince of CoÌ„de disarmeth him self 1. watched by spies 8. departeth from Noyers 9. with draweth himselfe to Rochell 10. answereth a messenger seÌ„t vnto him for peace 41. hys death before Iarnac 62. his horslemen flee 63. a notable deuâ—â—e in his ensigne 65 Prince of Nauar sweareth 68 Princes depart from Nyort 55 Princes constrayned to take armes 82 Princes marche to ioyne with the Almans 84 Princes army described 88 Partenay in Poitou lost 166 Q the Queene mother at Limoges 88. encourageth the soldiors 89 the Queene of Nauarre and hir childreÌ„ arriue at the caÌ„p 20 hir coÌ„ming to Thony Charante 65 hir departure from thence 66 R RAncon an Italian Marquis taken Rapin hewn in peeces 6 Regiments of Dolphine wyth the names of their chefe captaines 13 Rutters come to ayd the kings brother 54 Remedy to conserue the kingdome 103 Reynold Cracco 87 Renell a Marquis 88 Request of those of the religion to the king 101 Roannois a Duke taken 13. after set at libertie 71 la Roche fâ—ucaut 9 â—a Roche a village in Limosin 90 Rochelle 1 the Lord of Rouray 77 Ruffeâ— a castle taken 57 Request made to the Princes by those of Daulphine and their answer 170 S SAinctes in Saintonge 37 Saint Genais a toun in Poitou taken 97 Saint Titier la Perche a toune in Limosin 99 Sanserre a toune 1 Sauigny a castle taken 44 Saulmur a toune 11 Sanzay entreth into Poitiers with bands of men 145 Succour from the duke of Aumale to late 84 the Lord of Sessac taken 52 Siege of Angouleâ—me 20. of Ponts 30. of Mirebeau 45. of Sanzarre 53 of Mucidan 72 of Bourge in Bourdelâ—â—s 76. of la Charite 83. of Nyort 94. of la Charite by Sansac 99. of Lusignan 99 of Poitiers 120. of Nauerreâ—â— 227. of Chastelleraut 140 Siege raised froÌ„ Poitiers 142. from Chastelleraut 140 the Lord of Soubize 59 the Lord Strossy taken 92 the lord steward Sâ—â—â— slain 62 Skirmishes at Iazenail 25. at Beaudo 〈…〉 on Marca 56. at Bassac 60. at Coignac 64. at Aesle in Lymosia 89. at Port de Pille 143. at Mont-gontour 154 S. Iohn d'Angely somoned to yelde with all the discourse of the siege 176 the Lord of S. Heran hurt 193 T TAllard in Daulphine takeÌ„ vnwares 11 the Parle of Tandes 53 Tanlay in Burgonie 9 the Lord of Tarrides 127. hys ouerthrow 128 the Lord of Tauanies 154 the Lorde of Teligny sent to Nyort 65. leadeth men to succour Chastellerault 142 the Temporall goodes of the church men sold 51 the Territories of the Quene mother exempt from preaching and the territories of the kings brother 5 at Tours the kings brothers assembly 28 the Third ciuill warres 2 Towns takeÌ„ by the prince 10 V VAcherie a captaine slaine 122 the Lord of Vallauoire 14 Valfreniere a captain slain 76 Villages burnt in Perigueux 32 the Lord of Villiers 98 Vill et lord of s Mary slain 71 Viret a minister enprisond 97 the Vicountes 85 Visere a riuer 28 La Viue a riuer of Montgontour 156 Wolfgange duke of Swebrug 78. the duke of Aumal writeth to him 9 Wolrard of Mansfield 87 the third ciuill Warre 2 Warle in Bearne 127 Y The Lord of Iuoye 49 ⧠FINIS ¶ A shorte Discourse of the Ciuill warres and last troubles in Fraunce vnder Charles the ninth The fyrste Booke IMmediatly vppon the peace in Marche 1568. and the same published in the Princes armie afore Chartres the sayd Prince the better to aduouch his ready obedience to the Kyng did not only disarme himself and people with present dismisse of suche strangers as were come to his succours but also disgarrysoned with a ready and dutyfull spéede euery towne and village which he eyther held or gouerned wherin he was reuerently obeyed vpon the very fyrst motion onely the towne of Rochell was exempted as in respecte of their auncient priuiledge pretendyng frée dispence that waye The townes also of Montauban Sanserre delayed their consentes as séeing matters not so surely quieted as the case required This peace gaue great hope of perpetuall benefit to suche as seeke and embrace the quiet of Fraunce albeeit it broughte foorthe a contrarie issue for as it was in some singular parte a confirmation of a former peace in the yeare 1562. So is it also the begynning and originall cause of a third ciuill warre incensed in this realme whereof we meane to giue present report Immediatly that the said towns were surrendred the Prince absolutely disarmed the gouerners of the prouinces which be all of the Romish religion seased vpon all the towns ports passages for tresses in FraÌ„ce bestowing therin huge mighty garrisons at their plesure and such as resembled themselues in condition touching the general cause quarel by which mean many of the reformed religioÌ„ abiding stil within those townes hapned into sundry heauy disquiets troubles bothe in theyr goods and prouisions for reléef descending to their enimies as praie spoiles also in their persons violentely enduring the inciuil disposition of murdrous souldiors enclined altogither to bloud wherin notwithstanding his maiestie dispatched ordinarie coÌ„mandements by letters patents and other expeditions to the gouerners people directers of his iustice aswel to suffer them of the Religion to remayn within the townes of their naturall dwelling as also to communicate in a generall vse and exercise of their religion goods honors charges and estates according to the edict of peace yet there was either nothing don at all or else to small purpose of redresse for if they suffred any to reenter the sayde townes they were such as they esteemed of least affection to the sayde religion and they bothe constrayned in the very entrie into the townes to yelde vp
and infinite murders and abused so long the milde pacience of the protestantes as thinking vppon no bridle to gouerne his furie he woulde not stick to lay haÌ„ds of the princes of the blood whereof she commended a present and lamentable experience in his conspiracie agaynst the Prince her brother whom his crueltie hath enforced to séeke succours amongst his parentes and allies so that for her part she and her son resembling the Prince so neere and dearely in proximitie of bloud coulde do no lesse than offer him that which the direct law of frendship and coÌ„sanguinitie did demaund and therefore as shee didde assuredly stay and repose hir selfe vpon the goodnesse natural affectioÌ„ of his maiestie enclined rather to norish preserue than teare rent them vp by the rootes so she besought him with al humilitie to tolerate in the best part their depar ture from their houses of entent to serue God the kyng their adherents in bloud and to impugne to the vttermost of theyr lyues and power the violente malice of such as publikely haue entred into conspiracie agaynst them and lastely to beléeue that for these thrée causes onely they had put their weapons betwéene their hands least they shoulde bée vtterly extermined from the view and face of the earth according to their sinister resolutioÌ„s like as also y sayd Cardinall deuysed to rauysh her son from betwéen her armes peruerting the power authoritie of his maiestie into vnnatural violeÌ„ce as though the simple commandement of his maiestie could not sufficiently gouerne her her son his maiesties most humble obedient seruants so finally if his maiestie wold waigh in indiffereÌ„t balance y faith of them and infidelitie of the sayd Cardinal measuring y one other by a direct straight lyne his maiestie shold fynde more truthe in their effects than in the wordes of the other In her letters to the Quéene she stoode vppon thrée poyntes that moued her to leaue her houses and offer her lyfe goodes and all her possible meanes to aduaunce the cause of Religion The fyrst was in respecte of the seruice of GOD seeing the Cardinall and his confederates studied to roote vp from the earth suche as made profession of the true Religion secondly to doo seruice to the souerayntie of the King and with mayne lyfe and goodes to helpe that the Edicte of pacification may be obserued and that Fraunce the mother couÌ„trey and nursse of so many sorts of people become not barreyn and so suffer her children to die Thirdly that bloud and coÌ„sanguinitie did call her to offer succoure and ayde to her brother harryed and pursued ageynst the Kyngs will by the malice of suche as possesse aboute his person such place as no waye is due to them neyther can shée better paynte out the Cardinall than by hys owne colours that is to say as well by a number of tragicall and lameÌ„table murders whose complaint doo sorowfully sounde in euery religious eare as also to see so many desolate soules hoping by the edict of pacification to enioy a plausible quiet and rest in their houses miserably dispersed to their aduenture and cruelly excluded from their soyle of naturall and auncient aboade The same Cardinall also and his wicked adherentes puffed vp with a generall pacience that euery one hath vsed to their barbarous tirannie attempted ageinst the Princes of the bloude with intent in common likelihod to roote vp the mayne grafte stock after they had wickedly defaced and spoyled y tender braunches And bycause the zeale of their Religion did in no sorte induce them as they haue affirmed she solicited the Queene to a remeÌ„braunce of the conspiracie done the laste tyme shee was sicke from the whiche the Cardinall of Bourbon her brother was not exempted albeit he was a Catholike So that it is only the bloude of Fraunce whiche gripes them so at hart wherof what better experience and example can be aduouched thaÌ„ their vngodly pursuite against the Prince of Conde and his little children to whose succours according to the dutifull office of bloude and kynred she would neuer fayle desiring notwithstanding aboue all things a good peace and so well assured as the Cardinall of Lorayne nor his adherents could eyther dissolue or corrupte it She declared in her letters to the kings brother how iustly she was enticed to her iourney to Bergerac with hope to pursue the ful voyage for the seruice of their Maiesties with requeste that it would please him in good earnest to put his hand to the worke and helpe to defend the poore countrey of FrauÌ„ce against the pollicies of such as séeke to aspire to confounde it with a thirste and desire as it semes to buylde their greatnesse and authoritie vppon the decayed and ruinouse stones of such as like firme pillers do and haue susteyned it By her letters to y Cardinal of Bourbon her brother that it was nowe more than tyme if there were any at all to gather stomacke to hym and laye afore their Maiesties the lamentable state and desolation of Fraunce whereunto he was bound aboue the reste in respect of the honour he bare to bee a Prince of the bloud Shée sommoned him also to remember the shame and outrage thundred vppon the persone of his proper Brother Systers and Nephews and all by a Cardinall of Lorraine who also abused him as one of his suffragans If all these could not moue him topitifull consideration of their case at least let him remember Vespra Siciliana pretended by hys coadherentes the laste tyme the Queene was sicke And lastly notwithstanding the separation of Religion shee coniured him by the proper office of friendship and dutie of nature and bloud concurring togyther to consider their present pursute against the Prince his brother All these letters were written and dated at Bergerac the xvâ— of September 1568. After the siege of Angoulesme the sayd Quéene with the yong Ladye her daughter retired to Rochel leauing the Prince her sonne in the Campe whiche afterwardes was called The Campe of the Princes bycause the sayd Princes of Nauarre and Conde commaunded togither in the Armie Whyles these things were thus ordered the Duke of Aniou brother to the King and Chief ouer the Catholykes forbare neyther diligence nor meanes to aduaunce his force and erect his Camp at O 〈…〉 and other places there about wherewith he diffended towardes Poytiâ—â— where vnderstanding of the comming of the Lord 〈…〉 er â—aâ—ching with the succoures he brought determined to fight with â—â—â— and â—o â—â—â—der him to ioyne with the Prince of Conde and for that purpose departed from Poytiers with .iiij. thousand horsemen .iiij. enseignes of footmen and entred with great iourneys the towne of Perigueux in like sort the Lord d'Acier marched euery day passing the ryuers of Leyllâ— and Vâ—serâ— in the sayd countrey and so the xxv of October being neer the town of Perigueux and lodged in a village called S. Chastie
of Pons hauing taken the Castel by composition and sent the Lord and Ladye of the place prisonners to Rochel marched with his Artillerie to ioyne with the Princes campe which the kings brother thought to intercept and for that cause passed Vienne by a Bridge of boates which he caused to be made at Chastellerant drawing directly to Pamprou néere vnto which his vauntgarde gouerned by the Lorde Montpensier came the .xvij. of Nouembre The Princes campe likewise marched to ioyne with the Lord de Boccard arriuing the same day somewhat late at Pamprou néere the Lord de Montpensier the same euening there were offred and receiued certaine shorte skirmishes by reason the night gaue let to their longer fight the army of the Princes camped nere the very houses of Pamprou halfe a league from the lord Mountpensier who caused to kindle great fires as though he would encampe there stealing away albeit about midnight and went to Jazenail to ioyne with the kinges brother that was there with the battell The morrow after being the xviij of the same month the Princes army was ready ringed in battel at the first appearing of the day who hoping to finde eftsones the lord Mountpensier where they left him the day before determined to bidde him battell but séeing he was so gone as neither forme nor figure remained of his being there the Prince spedde him so swiftly in the pursuite that he ariued at Jazenail almost as soone as he there began a warme skirmishe from noone till night the Admirall was not there at the beginning as following the chase of certaine troupes drawing towardes Menigours where he toke about lx chariotes charged with baggage of the kings brothers campe and amongest others the baggage of the duke of Guyse and the Countie Bryssack with the most parte of their siluer vessell all being a pray to the souldioures In the euening the Admirall arriued with the troupes which he led Immediatly after whose comming the skirmishe qualified the Princes army retiring into a wood nere to that place towarde Menigours This was the first proofe and experience of the Dauphynoys which were in the Princes campe who not withstanding did so wel as they deserued and had high commendacion they driue the Catholikes from thrée or foure of their trenches and enforced them to leaue the next towne to their campe albeit they had sundry aduauntages of the Princes footemen aswell by the multitude and numbers of shotte which thundred violently to defeÌ„d their trenches as also that their horsemen were alwayes a redy and singuler succour to their footemeÌ„ which the princes horsemen could not do by reason of hedges and maine ditches besides the naturall and troublesome situation of the place In this skirmish were brought to the earth on both sides about thrée hundreth bodies and almost all footemen the number notwythstanding of the dead being farre greater of the Papists than Protestants whose armie being now in great néede to be refreshed as hauing had neyther rest nor releese for two dayes for horsse nor man caused their footemen to marche the morning after to Menigours to recreate themselues and ioyne with the Lord de Boccard and all the horsemen after they had presented themselues in order of battell at the place where they were the day before retired also thither without any thing doing The Kings brother after thys skirmishe tooke his way to Poytiers and the Princes drewe towardes Mirebeau a Towne in Poictou foure leagues from Poytiers which was rendred wythout resistance to the Princes who with theyr armie soiourned there aboute eyghte dayes The Quéene of Nauarre being now at Rochel wrote to the Quéenes Maiestie of England the reasons of her departure from her owne and soueraign countreis in the first she preferred the cause of Religion so oppressed with the inueterate and barbarous tyrannie of the Cardinall of Loraine assisted by people of his owne humor that shée accompted in shame to bée numbred amongst the faithfull if she did not oppugne that horrible error with all such helpes as God would sturre vp confederating her selfe and sonne with so holy and honorable societies of Princes resolued vnder the fauoure of the great God of Armes to spare neyther bloud lyfe nor goodes to effect so blessed a purpose Her second reason resemblyng also the first was in respect of her Seruice to the king making the ruine of the church the confusion of him and his kingdome with whome because she and hir sonne hadde the nearest affinitie they thoughte it also theyr firste and propre office of duetie to intercept suche as vsurping vppon the naturall goodnesse and enclynation of theyr King woulde make hymselfe the Author of his owne destruction with suborned imposition albeit he is one of the most true princes of the world to be a falser of his promise and that by inuentions of their owne contriuing to infringe the edict of pacification which so long as it was preserued enterteined a ioyfull peace betwene the king and his faithful subiects and now being broken doth conuert the said fidelitie of his people to a lamentable warre and so inforced as there is not any one of them which hath not bene drawne into armes by violence The third cause peculiar to her selfe sonne was in that she sawe the auncient enemies of God her house with a shamelesse and perillous malice bent vtterly to exterminate their race Besides as she behelde on the one side with pitifull eyes the Prince her brother who to escâ—ue the mortal peril pretended against him was constrained afore hée entred into armes with his biggebellied wife and little children to searche places of securitie and that in such desolation as the very remembraunce is able to kindle remorse in any christian harte so on the other side being credibly informed of diuers expeditions and traines to rauish from betwene her handes her dere and onely sonne she could do no lesse thaÌ„ to imparte her selfe and sonne with the said consociacioÌ„ and to share with them in their generall fortunes according to the due office and bonde of blood and yet not to vndertake armes to contende against heauen as the good catholikes do suggest and much lesse to warre vpon the soueraigne maiestie of the king but rather to confront those who with their auncient spite to the generall cause do conioyne that wherof they haue geuen so many particular and publike effectes About the ende of Nouember the Admirall departed from Mirebeau in the night with all the horsemen and shot of the vauntgarde drawing towarde Pontd'Auzance as hauing aduertisemeÌ„t that there wer at that place certain troupes of the soueraigne lieuetenaunts campe And being there he founde in deede the Regiment of footemen of the Counte Brissack whom he charged and put them in part to flight killing two or thre hundred of them he was in minde to charge their horsemen which were also there sauing for the vehement rayne which enforced them to retire to Mirebeau besides he had
forbeare the assalt but also raised forth with his siege retired his army reping notwithstaÌ„ding of so redy obedieÌ„ce but a bloudy peace promise full of infidelitie if also during the same sturre the morrow after the battel at Sainct Denys where both the Prince had the better the Constable principall leader of the army was slaine The said Prince dispatched to your maiestie the Lord de Theliguy aswel â—o warne you of the ruine and desolacion threatning from the instaunt your realme if the straungers were suffred to enter houering there vpoÌ„ the froÌ„tiers as also to mediate and sollicite in means and remedies to knit an absolute peace onely in the cause of religion if in short your edictes haue bene alwais published the peace accorded at such times as they of the religioÌ„ if they would haue abused the opinion of your purpose might in respect of their forces persuade and beleue that aswell in all your parleyes and treaties of peace there was no other mencion than of the matter of religion as also that their enemies haue not bene brought to it but by necessitie being vnable by open force to maintain any longer against them in what conscience or with what face or countenance may it be sayd that these troubles moue and continue for the matter and cause of religion And yet neuerthelesse the more to choke and conuince the Cardinall of Loraine and other his adherentes of their lies slaunderous impositions which they publishe daily the said Princes Lords knightes gentlemen and others of their companies forgetting the infidelitie and all disloyall attemptes heretofore conspired against them declare and protest this day both before God your maiestie y what so euer hath bene done or offred to theÌ„ in euill from the beginning to this houre they neither haue nor will once impute it to your maiestie as knowing your nature to be nothing touched with such iniust seuerities wherof you haue giuen so many publike experiences that there is now no cause of doubt neither haue or do they thinke to chaunge or diminishe in any respect their duetie and naturall regarde which they haue alwayes bente to the true aduancement of your greatnesse royall estate wherin also in so many effectes aforesaid if it be both knowne and seene that they enterteine no other purpose nor meaning than vnder the obedience and authoritie of your Edictes to serue God according to his will and as they are instructed by his holy word with desire to be maintained with equall care as your other subiectes in their honours liues and goodes they are now ready to geue such further manifest proofe witnesse as their most enemies shall haue lest cause henceforth to doubt theÌ„ And y neither to enter into any iustification of their actions passed as their innocencie iustice of their cause being sufficiently known to your maiesty al other kings princes poteÌ„tates what strangers so euer they be if they be not of the faction partie of Spain and much lesse to seke to capitulate with your maiestie knowing god be praised what is the duety of good and faithful subiectes to their souâ— raigne prince natural lord But sir in respect of the large peny worthes and common marchandize which heretofore hath ben made of the faith and worde of your maiestie which aboue all ought to be holy sacred and inuiolable and withall with what vnseming boldnes your authoritie name hath ben abused to the extreme peril of all your people of the reformed professioÌ„ it nede not seme strange if the sayd Princes with their coÌ„sociates do humbly besech you to declare by an edict solemn per petual irreuocable your resolute wil in a libertie exercise of their religioÌ„ to the ende y by the same such as heretofore at â— seueral times both rashly with al impunitie haue infringed and violated your former constitutioÌ„ in the cause may by this third be more brideled restrained wher in because such as wer not able to endure the vnitie vniversal rest maintained amoÌ„gst your people by the good obseruacioÌ„ of your edicts haue takeÌ„ occasion to alter corrupt theÌ„ by new constructioÌ„s modificacioÌ„s contrary to the true substace of the same sincere meaning of your maiestie And y also the sayd Princes with the rest of their factioÌ„ confesse to haue borne a most iust iudgemeÌ„t of god in more sorts of afflictioÌ„s in time of peace than when it was opeÌ„ war as in coÌ„senting to easily to y treaties of peace which haue ben made the same prouiding a general contentmeÌ„t on all sides y good should be serued only in certein places of the realme by certain persons as though in a souÌ„d conscience there belonged no other thing to the seruice of God. They most humbly besech your maiestie to accord and graunt generally to all your subiectes of what qualitie and condicion so euer frée vse of the said religion in all cities villages and boroughes and all other places corners of your realm and countreys within your obedieÌ„ce and protection without any exception reseruacion modificacion or restraint of persons times or places and that with suerties necessary in so high a cause and besides to ordeine and enioyne to make manifest profession of the one or other religion to the ende to cut of hereafter all meanes and occasions to many who abusing such benefite and grace are slipt into Atheisme and carnall libertie and who standing vpon no exercise and profession of religion desire nothing more than to sée an vniuersall confusion in this realm and all order pollicie and Ecclesiasticall discipline reuersed and abolished a thing so daungerous as not to be tollerated in any christian state And because sir we doubt not at all that those who hetherunto haue pitched the foundacion of their deuises vpon slaundrous reproches impudently published to make vs hatefull euen to such as God be praysed bée free from the seruitude and tyrannie of Antichrist will not sticke to impose vppon vs an inctuile obstinacie rather to defende without reason that we haue once resolued to beléeue touching the Articles of Christian Religion than to correct or retract our erroures Wée declare and proteste as hereunto we haue done that if in any point of the coÌ„fession of faith heretofore presented to youre maiestie by the reformed Churches of your realm it may bée found by the word of God comprehended in the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scripture that wée swarue from the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles we will foorthwith lend our handes and giue place to such as will instructe vs better in the word of GOD if we erre in any Article than we haue bin from the beginning For which cause and the better to effecte so happie a purpose wée desire nothing more than a conuocation of a councell frée and generall and lawfully called wherein as euery one may haue heaâ—â—ng scope to deduce his reasoÌ„s at
meaner péeces There was no other thing worthy of report done this month but making and filling of baskets deuiding of quarters dyspesing the camp casting trenches ditches and digging of earth to couer and shroude the shot The battrie began the Monday being the first of August on the ryght side of the Tower of the bridge Anionbert and the wall fast by planting .viij. or .ix. péeces of battery vpon the rock or hill right against the sayd bridge aboue and betwene the suburbes of Pympaneau and S. Sornyn which cōtinued .iij. dayes the reason was that other wayes the sayde tower myght greue the army and other batteries they forbare not also to prouoke skirmishe wherein they that kept the suburbes beyonde the bridge as captaines Arsach and Bonneau with their companie were forced to leaue the said suburbes Assoone as the said suburbes were abandoned there was brought downe .ij. Canons to beat the foote of the wall piercing of purpose to make it a house to serue for baskets of earth the same being perceiued by them in the towne foorth with discharged certaine volues of the cannon against it to make it fall and so enforced the sayd ij cannons to be haled away in the mean while the protestantes labored to winne the suburbes of Rochreull garded by the captaine La Vacherie skirmishing contynually within a vyne lying directly betwene the said suburb and the castel wher was hoat warre without intermission The .v. of August the sayd captaine la Vacherye as he maintained the skirmish was shot thorow the head with a harquebush where of he dyed in the fielde I haue noted before that the L. d'Aunoux maister of the camp of the regiment of the late counte Brissac was left wythin S. Mesen by the counte Du-lude since his returne from Nyort who nowe by commaundement from the Duke of Guyse coolled out .iiij. or .v. hundred of the best souldiers in his companies to come to the succours of Poyctyers sending the residue with his cariage to Pertnay where was the captaine Allard and so he aryued at Poyetyers about two houres after mydnight the sixt of August The batterie hauing ceassed at the bridge Anionbert from the .iiij. of this moneth began againe the ▪ vij of the same albeit not on that side but against a towre of the bridge S. Cyprian next to the suburbs by meane wherof they within were inforced to discende and leaue the sayd towre and entrenche themselues vppon the bridge with vessels and hogsheades and other such like things the Protestants from that tyme afterward being vnable to greue them within the Abbay of S. Cyprian as they did afore The company of captayne Reynaut was ordained for the garde of this towre and quarter After the defences of this towre were raised the Princes remoued their péeces to the right side of the wal of the Abbots meade thinkyng that place most weake of all the towne and to that effect they planted theyr cannons the nynth of thys moneth to make a breach bestowyng others in other places to batter the flanke syde hauing y day before set vp in thys quarter vppon the riuer of Clyn a bridge of pypes and boordes tyed togyther with great cables The battrie was so vehement and fierse that in small time they had enforced two great breaches the one neare the other skowringe suche defenses as annoyed them by reason of a towre and mylne which were there by they within laboured to fill vp their breaches albeit with great difficultie and distresse as not able to shew them selues within the Abbotes meade without gret perill bycause the hilles gouerned all the sayde medow The breaches thus battered the Protestantes were of mynd to assault them bestowing for this purpose their people in squares and wings and shewed themselues vppon the hilles in very good order They firste sent certeyne Capteynes and Souldioures to viewe the breaches who brought reporte that they could not bee entred without great perill the rather bicause the bridge which they hadde erected vppon Clyn ouer the whiche they must passe to go to the breache was neyther conuenient for the matter nor sufficient to beare the souldioures that should passe ouer it neither could the horssemen what distresse or neede so euer chaunced go to the succoures of the footemen within the said Abbots meade if it happened that thei were charged by the horsemen of the Catholykes Besydes they within had planted a counter batterie of .iij. or .iiij. Canons fast by Carmes whych dischargyng right vpon the breaches might much endaunger them that offred the assault these were the causes that nothing was done that day Captain Caluerat being in a towre neare the breach and going to see it was killed the same daye in the nyght the catholickes discended to the ryuer and cut the cordes of the bridge before mencioned and so brake it vsing this pollicy to couer and disguise their enterprise they brought down great volues and noyse of Harquebushot bestowing them against the bodye of the watch being neare the artillery to the ende they should be neither heard nor séene whilst they brake the bridge These things hanging thus in traine afore Poyctyers the king and Q. mother accompanied wyth the Cardinals of Bourbon and Loriain came to Amboise from thence to Towars whether the Kings brother came to them there they deliberated vppon meanes to succoure Poyctiers and to that ende was dyspatched spéedelye the knight Montluc wyth fiue hundred harquebusiers on horsback to get if he could within Poyctyers albeit he was so discouered in the way y his enterprise quailed he returnd to y camp The king sēt for the L. de Sancsac lying before the siege of La Charite to come to him with all his forces he procured also a spedy leuy within Paris of .20 enseignes of footmen certain horsmē dispatching special letters to all the Nobilitie of Fraunce to repaire spedely to him to the camp which he was determined to folow in person that vpon payn of confiscation of bodies goods or to be declared within the danger of contempt he raised also his arrear banks in many prouinces who forth with came to him in the sayd country of Touraine in effect he assembled with wonderfull diligence asmuch succours as hée could for the reskue of Poyctiers Ther were certain cornets which ordinarily vsed to beat the streets ways within half a league of Chastelleraut amongst whom were specially the L. of Boniuets companies sonne to y Lord of Creuecoeur of the baron of Numburg a Normande which being knowen to the garrison of the said Chastelleraut together with the certaine place wher the said Lord Boniuet was wont to come the x. of August .ij. or .iij. hundreth horsmen with certaine shot of the captain Norman made a sally vpon them toke y said L. Boniuet with his company in a village nere to Liguers wher they entred without let as keping negligent garde and were foūd layd lodged after
defenses of the wall which are before and right against the sayd temples Those defenses thus beaten and skowred the battrie beganne the morrow after being the .xxiij. of August in that place and the byshops mead The catholickes labored to theyr best to repaire their breaches and had no assault that day The Lorde of Briançon brother to the counte Du lude going the same day to viewe a platforme neare to Carmes to supply some speciall want with his aduise had his head striken from hys shoulders with a bollet Lykewyse the Lorde d'Aunous stryuing the same day to dryue the Protestantes from a Towre which they occupied neare the breache of the Abbottes meade was striken in the head with a harquebush whereof he dyed shortly after The Lorde of Prunaye also beinge amongst his souldiers at the breache had his left legge taken away with a cannon and so dyed Of the protestants side were killed the Lorde of Chanay called Frauncis du Fay and one of the Marshalls of the campe of the vauntgarde hurte wyth a musketie in the arme broken in two partes The foure and twenty of thys moneth in the morning the Princes renewed oftsones the batterye with twelue or .xiiij. peeces agaynst the wall before the sayde Temples the same being of such vehement furie that there was discharged that day more than seuen hundreth shottes of cannon which beat a large breach before thrée of the clocke in the afternoone and the protestantes ringed in battell vppon the toppe of the hilles towardes the subburbes ready to geue the assault which they entended foorthwith to do by the Abbots meade as hauing disposed most part of their army on that syde The catholikes were busie to releue their breaches with beds faggots and other matters apt to fill vp The Duke of Guyse being at the one breach and the counte Du-sude at the other seing the enemy prepared strongly and spedely to the assault rong the alarm bel of the towne to the end that euery one might retyre into his quarter Ther was a captaine of the protestantes who beyng followed with ten or twelue and couered onely with his target ranne ouer one of the bridges within the bishops meade and came euen to the little corner or arme of the ryuer that toucheth the wall and so viewed the breache whiche hee reported to the Admirall not to bée sufficiently assaultable aswel because the ruine and breakings of the wall were faine within the town had not filled vp the riuer which runneth at the foote of the wal as also that they within had raised great trenches and rampiers wherupon the army retyred in the euening without any assaulte Thys day captaine Gascourt Knight of Malâ—e was slaine with a cannon being sent by the Guyse to view the breach and consider what was necessary to defend it The morrow being the .xxv. of August the princes army was eftsones ringed in order as thoughe they would go to the assault the breaches were once agayne viewed aswell that within the abbottes meade as the other at S. Radegonde by certaine captaines and souldiers who in their return reported the perillous estate of the same The same daye the Protestantes bestowed certain shotte of artillery as well against the bridge Anioubert as Rochereul wherein were beaten certaine holes or creuisses to auoyde the water out of Abbottes mead the same beyng filled and stopped againe the same euening by the Catholikes The rest of this August passed without any great effectes sauing certeyne light batteries to purge the waters and raze the mylne of Tyson togither with certein sallies made sometyme by the Bridge Achâ—rd It was thought that the sicknesse of the Admiral and the L. d'Acier was the cause why there were no more attempts aduaunced The first of September the Princes determined to winne the suburbes of Rochereul to the ende by that meane the sooner to rydde the waters And bicause they would cut off from such as kept the sayde suburbes all succours and releefe from the towne they bent first certeyne canons against the towre of the bridge of Rochereul discharging vpoÌ„ it aboue an hundreth voleys whiche battered a great parte of it winning in the ende the vyne whereof is spoken before whiche houered and valted on highe ouer the streate of the suburbes This was almoste the chiefest place of skirmishe since and during the siege The morrowe they battered the defenses of the Castell and Rochereul bridge pitching also newe batteries vnder the Nut trees neare the Riuer betweene the way that goeth to Hostel-dieu at the parting of the suburbes drawing to the meadow towardes Chastelleraut The saterday the .iij. of September the battery began in the morning against the wall and gate of the suburbs which by .ij. of the clock in the after noone had thrown open a wyde breach wherevpon the protestants did spéedely ring them selues in battaill as well on highe de la Cueil where lay a piece that gouerned the Offices of the Castell as beneath the sayde Hostel-dieu and in .iij. squares neare the Nut trees of the place where the batterie was made The Catholikes restored the breaches as much as they could with vessels wood earth and rampiers and there were the Capteynes Passac Nozieres the Lorde of Moâ—tail and Carbonieres with others prepared to susteyne the assaulte They had bestowed about foure hundreth harquebusears in the Towers galleries and offices of the Castell which flancked all along as they should come to the assaulte All whiche notwithstanding the Protestantes aboute three of the Clocke in the after noone came to the assaulte the Lorde Pilles with hys regimen was the formost beyng followed with diuerse other regimentes of the Frenche footmen who valtauntly came vppon the breache and stoode till they hadde bestowed diuerse blowes with their Curtillaxes albeit they were constrained to turne face in respect of the flankers whiche greeued them greatly Immediatly followed the second assaulte gyuen by certeyne numbers of horssemen descended on foote with diuerse footemen and they likewyse repulsed These firste assaultes beyng performed by the Frenche men the â—ansquenets would needes followe with a third which albeit was performed with such courage as they foughte valiauntly vppon the breache yet seeing the present defense and generall daunger to maynteyne it long they reculed and retired euery one into his quarter In these assaultes the Protestantes loste an hundreth or sixe score Souldioures with certeyne numbers hurte The Lord de Pilles was hurt in the thigh with a small shot whereof he was spéedely cured The Lorde Bricquemaus sonne Colonell of the footemen was also hurte with a harquebush whereof after certeyn dayes he dyed The Lorde de S. Marie of Dauphinoys with others of marke were also killed On the Catholikes part were killed Capteyn Passac and the Lorde de Montall with a good number of footmen Before these assaultes the Catholikes sent two men to the King and his brother for succours with charge to reueale the estate of the Towne and penurie
horse which the Lord de Mouy had geuen hym who notwithstandyng hys hurte determined not to depart the towne albeit beyng specially aduised by his frendes to be caried where hys hurte may bée cured hée left Nyort the seuenth day of October and came to Sainctes and from thence he was caried to Rochell where within fewe dayes after he died to the griefe of the armye for he was of stayed counsel in any cause of estate of great spéede and iustice in execution and of long experieÌ„ce in matters of warre as witnesse his actes as well in the battaile of Dreux as other places of worthy memorie the rest appointed vnder him within Niort left also the town together with the Lorde de la Brosse gouerner there retiring with .iij. hundred shot to Rochell This was the same Lord de la Brosse who with the ayde of the lord de Pluueau made headageynst the Conte du Lude at the siege aforsayd The kings brother finding the towne forsaken entred withoute let whether also came very shortly after the king the Quéene mother and Cardinall of Lorain being then néer Chynon they began ther to deuise and deliberate vpon their present businesse accompting it of speciall purpose to recouer the Castell of Lusignan wherin was gouernor the L. de Mirambeau and that afore the Protestants had eyther renued their strength or wel assured their present companies In this mynd they dispatched forthwith certein to summon the Castell who so preuayled with perswasions to the gouernour that easily inough he gaue vp the Castle only with liues and goodes saued certen days afore the battel there were bestowed in this hold fiue Cannons which discended to the catholikes by couenaunt this was .iiij. or .v. dayes after the battell of Mont-gontour Nyort being thus abandoned the Princes went to S. Jean d'Angely the â–ª ix of this month and so to Sainctes and bicause they gathered that the catholikes wold besiege it they determined to maÌ„ it with great numbres of men of warre causyng to enter forthewith the horsemen of the L. de la Motte wyth certein footmen like wise captein la Mures company beyng of the regimen of the L. de Virieu At that time was gouernor the L. d'Oryoll a gentleman of Sainctonge who after was content to giue order to the policie and state of the towne leauyng the consideration of matters of war to the L. de Pilles whom the prince established there for that purpose and who as yet was not fully cured of the hurte in his thigh receiued at the siege of Poyctiers Hee with the Souldiers and the reste of the inhabitauntes resolued to defende the Towne and endure the siege The morow after the princes came to Sainctes and there made their armie passe ouer Charante The tent he of this sayd moneth the Lord of Montbrun and Myrabell departed from the Campe to go into Languedocke a iourney pretended by them long tyme before so that they might lead thither their Regiments and for this cause at the siege of Poicâ—iers as is aforesayde the Lord de Pontais Marshall of the Princes Campe aswell in theyr owne name as for other Colonelles Captains and Gentlemen of Dauphyne were sutors for leaue to goe for a certaine tyme into Dauphyne and the more to enforce theyr motion they shewed howe long they had followed the Campe and that their Souldioures wearyed with so continuall warre stoode in néede to be releeued with the freshe aire and fellowshippe of their Countrey and lastly as their generall feare to bée so euill wintered as the yeare before dryue diuers numbres to retire without order to the Townes holden by the Religion in Viuares where they had sure aboade so if they bée not somewhat reléeued of theyr long and lothsome trauell alwayes in a campe it is also to be feared that by little and little they doe not abandon their Ensignes and leaue their Colonelles in the fields without Souldiors The same being already reuealed vnto them by certaine numbers of their Soldioures they could do no lesse than coÌ„mend their sute with humble request in themselues for leaue and libertie to depart nowe that the siege of Poictiers is raysed The Princes answered that they coulde not order their request and satisfie the tyme together bicause they were as yet incertaine what would bée the ende and issue of the siege and therefore they thought it conuenyent that they taryed till the ende of the Monthe of September hoping after they had seene the resolute proceedings of the Catholyques to bestowe their armie in garrisons to rest all wynter This answer qualified their requests with expectation of y end of Septembre When the armie being returned from the countrey of Touraiue and soiourning néere to Fay la Vineuse their sute was eftsoones put vpon new tearms for which cause the gentlemen capteins and colonels of those countrey men assembled to deliberate vppon the motion some were of opinion to pursue in generall a leaue and libertie of the Princes seeing their tyme of September is expired But others iudged the present season most inconuenient to entreate for leaue considering the state disposition of the warre euery day enclinyng to battayle where they were bounde in dutie to bée onlesse they wold deface the honor of their actions passed Which laste opinion so settled into the most of them that they resolued vniuersally bothe to mortifie their desire to go home and also to giue ouer to attempte further leaue attendyng eyther by battayle or by some happie peace to make them selues frée of the warre and so returne and remayne quietly in theyr houses And thus the Lord de Montbrun and Myrabell remayned in the Campe vntyl the tyme wherein they thoughte to execute theyr enterprise wherein after they had communicated with the Lorde de Verbelet brother to the bishop of Puy in Auuergne and many other as wel of Dauphyne as the countreys thereabout as of purpose to haue their company in the voyage they went to Angoulesme to the end to tary there for their furniture and strength This béeing knowne in the Campe many came to Angoulesme to assist the voyage so that they were in all about foure hundred horsemen in very good poynte to fyght with certeyn numbreof shotte on horsebacke with the whyche the sayde Lorde de Mountbrun Mirabell and Verbelet departed the fouretéenth day of the moneth of October and takyng theyr waye by Perigueux came to Solliac the Sondaye the sixtéenth of October aboute twoo of the clocke at after noone They thoughte there to passe Dordonne but it was so swelled by the greate raynes falne certeyn dayes before that it was not possible to wade ouer By whiche difficultie they were constrained to stay there sendyng for suche boates as they could find by which they beganne to ferry the same day and all the next night not with such spede in respect of their fewe boates but certaine numbers were not yet passed in the morning Which being espied of the Catholike garrisons
with the troupe hée had left afore the Castell with charge not to departe till it were taken M. de Sallâ—â—â—s to whome bothe the place and charge belonged lay very sicke who in respect of his small strength hauing not aboue sixe souldiers and withall douting spedy succours made no great resistance but yelded the Castel by composition to haue only their lyues saued whiche albeit was faithfully promised yet traiterously perfourmed because both her husbande was killed and she led prisoner to Saint Floure charged to be the onely cause of S. Heran's hurt The taking of the towne of Oryllac whereof is spokeÌ„ before amazed greatly them of Auergne wherefore hauing gathered people from many partes determined to besiege it afore they within could haue meane to fortify them selues And for this purpose the Lorde Rochebonne gouernour of Puy and the graunde pryor of Auergne with their regimentes of footmen came to Marzillac in Roargues attending there as it was sayde certaine cannons which shuld be sent from Rhodes to batter Orillac In the meane while also the Lord de Saint Heran with no lesse diligence aduaunsed at S. Folure the other forces and also the Nobilitie of Auergne whom hée summoned spéedely to repayre thether Albeit hearing in the heat of his diligence of the Princes comming to Argentall be let fall his enterpryse The men of Auergne fearing the princes would sease vpon the lowe countrey called la Lymagne ther to winter in respect of the generall fertility of that place drew in troupes of paisants comminalties into the straites of the mouÌ„taines by which they imagined the army shoulde passe and there hewing downe greate numbers of trées bestowed them athwart the highe wayes to trouble the passage of the horssemen The rest of the countrey were bestowed by the Lorde de S. Heran in townes and Castels â–ª to the end they should not be sodenly taken the princes beguyled their opinion as not passing the way but directed their iorny ouer Dordone so into Quercy and beneath Cadenat passed the Riuer of Lot and so from thence arriued at Montaubon in Nouember 1569. The Lorde de Mirabell and Foulques hauing remained about Oryllac since the charge they hadde neare to Rolliat tooke way about this tyme with their troupes to ende their voyage who passing the riuer of Lot beneath Cadenat and after they had trauersed the mountaines of Rouarges and Sauennes arriued withoute let at Priuas and Aulbenas townes in Viuarez holden by those of the religion The siege continued all this whyle afore S. Fean d'Angely where the King the Quéene mother and Cardinal of Lorrain were in persone The morrowe after that the breache of the Fort was assaulted the King procured the protestants to be commoned withall to the ende to render the Towne by composition Wherein they vsed this persuasion the rather to entice them that his Maiestie hadde determined to erect a puissant Armie to make warre in Allemaigne wherein as they might steade that seruice in speciall turne so his Maiestie was carefull not to spill men of such experience value and other wayes if they would not embrace his Maiesties offer and composition he would thunder vppon them all hys forces till he hadde wonne the Towne They aunswered as before that they would not render the Towne till there were a peace assured to the profit quiet of the whole realme where vppon the King required to speake with the Lorde de Personne as well in causes concerning the Towne as to sende him to the Princes in the meane and matter of peace Whereunto the Protestantes condescended and sent oute of the Towne the Lorde de Personne receyuing in hys pleadge and hostage the Lorde de Guyteniers After the King hadde conferred with the Lorde de Personne they grewe to capitulations as followed First that if the Lorde de Pilles were not succoured within ten dayes to render the Towne to the King their lyues and goods saued 2 That for the assurance of this there should bée deliuered in hostage .ij. Knights of the Order and they to bée sent eyther to Rochel or Angoulesme at the Protestantes choice 3 That during this space of the .x. dayes truce shoulde bée betwéene them with charge that neyther they should fortifie in the Towne nor they without vppon their trenches nor yet approche the wals of the Towne 4 Lastely that in the meane whyle the Lorde de Personne should go to the Princes with a Gentleman of his Maiestie to treate of peace According to the whiche the sayde L. de Personne with the Kings Gentleman went to the Princes in the Gentlemans place the L. de Guytiniers was sent oute of the Towne to the Campe. They which the Princes lefte as you haue hearde at Sainctes to defende the Towne maynteyned their charge tyll now And hearing that Sainct Iean d'Angely was in parleye and at point to yéeld fearing withall that it was their lot and turne to bée besieged nexte They forsooke the Towne and retired to the other garrisones whiche were theraboute wherin the King forgatte not to embrace the oportunitie sending foorthwith certayne companies to sease vppon it to the ende that by that meane the waye myght bee cloased from them of the Religion beyng at Angoulesme and Coygnac to goe or come to Rochell Lykewyse they of Rochell should bée harde to sende succoures to them The Lorde of Bricquemau laye all this whyle in the Towne of Bourg-dieu in Berry as hath bin sayde by reason of his sickenesse During whose aboade there his troupes made ordinarie warre vppon the garrison of Chasteau-roux vppon Indre wherein the Lorde of the place reteyned thrée companies of footemen for the Catholykes There were often incursions enterviewes betwéene them the same continuing almoste sixe wéekes in which tyme were killed of the one and other syde almost two hundreth men After the sayde Lorde Bricquemau was restored to health he retired in thys moneth of Nouember with his troupes to Charitié During the siege of S. Fean d'Angely the town of Nimes in Languedoc was taken by the religion the .xv. of this moneth and by this meane There is a mylne in the towne neare to the walles and to make it grynde there comes a spring or fountayne not farre of thorow a sluse or creuish in the wall dressed with grates or barres of yron They of the religion in that countrey practised intelligence wyth the myller by whose ayde they pluckt vp by night the sayd yron grate and so conueyed into the towne by that creuish and channell about a hundreth souldiers who â—id them selues within the myll attending the houre to execute their enterprise in the meane while they sent from Pryuas and Aubenas two hundreth horssemen and euery one a harquebushear behynde him who being in good point afore the gates of the towne at the houre appointed they within the mill issued out and got to the gate which with certaine engines and instrumentes apt to countermyne the locke they set open
hys promise This enterprise hadde bin of long practised and for the executioÌ„ of it the parties to the practise imparted it with the Lorde de Bricquemau de Guercy Liuetenant to the Lorde Admirall ouer hys men of Armes and Gouernour at the present of Charyte for the King vnder the Princes to the Lorde de Borry Baron of Reury des Essartz with others Lords and Captaynes in those quarters Who vnderstanding the enterprise at large with the meanes to execuâ—e it iudged with it as a thing verie conuenient to be pursued This Vrsyn Pallus in the meane while reuealed it to the Lord de la Charstre gonernour of the towne of Bourges and countrey of Berry and also to Capteine Martyn keeper of the greate towre of Burges who aduysed him to enterteine the enterprise and assure to them of Charite day place and meane to effect it who lykewyse applyed him selfe to their instructions In the meane while the sayde Gouernour of Charstres omitting no preparatiue fitte to welcome them deuysed gynnes of fyer and traynes of powder within the ditches of the place asseigned He bestowed also two grates the one at the entry of the little Forte and the other at the dore or false porte by whiche they enter into the greate towre bringyng lastly into the towne diuerse horsemen and footmen Italians for their better suretie and defence The daye and howre speciall for this purpose was asseigned by the sayd Pallus on S. Thomas night the one and twenteth of December at two of the clocke at after midnight whiche they of Charite fayled not to obserue in poynt And bycause they were dispersed in diuerse places the place of generall méeting was at Baugy a Castell taken before by the barron of Reury about six leagues from Bourges There met about a M. or twelue C. harquebusheares on foote of the troupes of the Lorde Borry and Loruaye with thrée cornets of horsemen guided by the Lorde Bricquemau all which in very good poynt obserued both the houre and place asseigned called la Grange Francois halfe a leage from Bourges where lykewyse mette them the sayde Vrsin Pallus assuring them still of the facilytie of the enterprise and that he bring them to the great tower without daunger whereunto to couer all cause of doute hée offered to bée their first leader They of the religion vnder the fayth of his worde made march first and formost with him the Lorde de Lespau accompanied with twelue aswell Captaines as souldiers and entred by a wicket towarde the fort of the false port where they pitched ladders to enter within the false port which was fyue foote aboue ground After him entred the baron Reury with fiue and twenty men and then the Lord de Sarts with fifty souldiers to sustaine the first but as his troupe entred the cordes of the grate were cut when they also within applyed their seuerall engynes to vse and put fyre to the traines and at the instant the artillery bestowed in flanks thundred vppon them that were to enter as also Captaine Martyn with his number of armed men charged such as were vnhappely entred who seing them selues and enterpryse betrayed deuised and labored for their safety aswell as they could some lept from the wall downe some gat out of the grate the same being somewhat hyer because Buysiere stewarde to the late Lord d'Autricour was inclosed vnder it being notwithstanding taken froÌ„ thence by his company who not able otherwyse to effect their enterpryse were constrayned to retyre They killed of theÌ„ of the Religion twelue or fourtene aswel captaines as souldiers and almost as many kept prisoners within the towne besydes such as were hurt the Lord de Lespau the baron of Reurye de Lessarts des Milles with certain other were taken within the grosse towre After this they of Bourges fearing y courses y they of the religion made euen to their gates aduertised the king of their necessity who succored them spedely with sixe cornets of horsmen which had bene before at the siege of S. Iean d'Angely they arryued at Bourges vppon the ende of December The Princes being come to Montauban as is sayd executed the cause of their comming adioyning to their army the forces of the two Vicounts and Montgomerye In this time the king sent back to Poyctyers the Duke d'Aumall with three cannons and one culuerine guyded by the Lord de Gouas and his regiment of footemen And so bestowing his campin garrisons to wynter lycensing afore the ItaliaÌ„s to go home his Maiestie came to the Towne of Angiers wherein hath bin since as is sayd certain conference for peace ⸫ The prince of Conde disarmeth him selfe The third cyuill warre Garisons put in the towns surrendred Those of the religion shut out of towns Meanes to disarme theÌ„ of the religion Letters of the king coÌ„trary to the Edicte of peace Counsell of the duke of Alba. Amanzay Hercules houshold seruant to the prince Request to offer an oth to the King. Generall musters The Prince and the Admiral watched Noyers Tanley Countie Rochefoucaut Rochell â—ssemblie â—f the Caâ—â—olikes â—ssemblie â—â— the â—rince Tallard taken 〈…〉 uke of 〈…〉 njou bro 〈…〉 er to the 〈…〉 ing Duke de Roauuoâ—â— prisoner The Lord d'Acier â—he Lord â—e Mouâ—ans â—euies of â—en in LaÌ„â—uedoc â—euiâ—e of â—e â—d'A 〈…〉 r in his Corner Kyngs edict Another edict of the King. Marz taken and the towre Sainct Christophle Number of of the L. Daeiers armie Angoulesme besieged Angoulesme taken The Quene of Nauarre his sonne Regiment of â—aâ—â—â—yn Letters of the Q of Nauarre The Princes Camp. Baudine hurt Ouerthrew of the L. of Mouuans P. Gourde Pons besieged The castle of Pons taken 〈…〉 ebeau 〈…〉 endred The castell of Mirebeau taken The meeting of the two armies Abbay S. florent taken The Abbay recouered A sale of the principall goods of the Churche The Queene of Nauarre returnes to Rochel The othe of the Prince of Nauarre l'Endureau reuoltes Brissac slaine Conte Pompadon slain The Lorde Boccard dead Charyte besieged and taken The Duke de deux Poâ—s dead Description of the dukes camp Description of the princes army Succours from the Pope The Quene mother encourageth the souldiours The Lord Strossi taken Strosies men slaine The death of the Lord â—f Moruil The siege of Nyort The Lord pluucau succours it 〈…〉 aâ—â—le 〈…〉 ig The Protestants requ to the king for peace whome troubles â—t to be â—uted Office of true subiects Luzig rendred Lords and Captaynes â—ithin Poyâ—yers Poict besieged Battery against Poye Battery against Poye Three assaultes gyueÌ„ to the subburbes of Roâ—l Assault of Italians The Lord de Mouy hurt S. Iean de Angeli besieged Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman dwelling in Knight Ryder streat at the signe of the Mâ—rmayde For Lucas Harrison and George Byshop