and the Contract was voided by the not having received it within the time limited though it were made and not required and much more it not being made Shee staying as it was said for order from the most Christian King and they having as it was knowne demanded it That this clause not accomplished excluded her highnesse out of the Treaty and the King of France being included therein it severed him from his Sisters interests Shewing that his Majesties Officers also had therein committed a default by not withdrawing their Forces out of such places where they were employed in her Highnesse service because the Truce concluded in Italy with the King of Spaine did not admit of the securing any of his enemies places whence might be perceived how much they had gone beyond that which was agreed upon by entering into Susa Avigliano and Canor as if it were the same thing to exchange a Garrison and to take possession of a new one to leave the state of things as it was and to better it by the gaining of three places An act so farre from what was agreed upon that though the Dutchesse had ratified the contract and made of two parties one it could not choose but be a manifest breach He marvelled not that his Eminency had spoken nothing of Canor for having neither reason likelihood nor shew to defend the seizing upon it he would take no notice of the doing it seeing the Governour thereof had immediatly before the Truce by a Letter subscribed with his Captaines hands made an acknowledgement of it to be the Princes Cardinall and Thomas That which his Eminencie insisted upon of the like done by us by bringing in Garrisons where those of Piemont were was not as yet done And if it had it would have been a thing very different The King his Master with the Princes being but one party whereas the King of France and the Dutchesse were two That it was true Nizza had changed Lord but many dayes before the Truce But the French had bettered themselves in their Workes under the Castle of Villa Franca against and since the capitulation That the Decree published in Turin was no act of hostilitie of policie it was granted and that if it were of hostilitie it might bee done against the Dutchesse already excluded from the suspension of Armes That his Eminencie might know that the Spanish officers had observed the Truce as if it had been ratified And that the most Christian Kings Officers had broken it though it had been ratified And howsoever that the want of the ratification did debarre the most sophisticall understandings from questioning the defects of the one part and the subtilties of the other His Eminencie must excuse him if hee did not satisfie his request and that hee could not remedie the inconveniencies or understand them otherwise but that he must hinder the exchange of the sixe hundred Souldiers from Casal Nor would he doe it if the Dutchesse would ratifie and the King of France desert those places which his Officers had taken not binding them with so much rigour but that they might yet have so many dayes after the truce to amend what was past The Marquis concluded his Letter which was full of the Cardinalls praises with proffers and thankes I have herein trusting to the Readers capacitie not so farre enlarged the reasons nor unfolded them with so much spirit as the Marquis did write them Yet I have not added any thing of mine owne nor taken away any thing of the substance In the meane time the Fort of Salsaâ— in Spaine was set upon in foure places In the most dangerous place wrought the Count Dukes Regiment commanded by the Marquis of Mortara and Iohn d'Arza there th' enemy made out trenches sallied sprung Mines leaving nothing unattempted to hinder the designe but all in vaine When he sallied he was driven in sometimes by the one Commander sometimes by the one Commander sometimes by another still with excellent valour and by both of them first beaten into the out Dikes and afterwards from thence dislodged giving our men thereby leave to advance which they valiantly did The Governour with great care and watchfullnesse giving every one way to obtaine reputation The enemy was closely besieged without any more hopes of sallying out the Count Dukes Regiment being gotten within the Dike close to the wall to undermine it The great fall of raine hindered the worke for a time then the report of the enemies comming on to relieve it caused it to be intermitted and at last was quite given over through a deceitfull report or relation of deceived men For some being runne out of the Fort or at least dissembling as though they had forsaken it said there was not provision within to maintaine it for a weeke and that the Souldiers died for hunger They shewed some of the Bisket mouldy and stinking and added so many circumstances that the Captaines tooke the newes for certaine And to avoid the shedding of blood about a place of no great importance and because of the incommodities of rainie and cold weather the intemperatnesse of the aire which cause diseases in men and the necessity of fortifying our selves against the approching reliefe they determined to lie still till famine caused it to yeeld seeing by force it was not to bee wonne in lesse time The terme of many dayes being spent and no yeelding spoken of it was attributed to the Governours obstinacie never perceiving the deceit And one weeke passing away after another the enemy within and without still maintaining the report of the famine it was alwaies judged ill done that they had not set upon it by force and it was now thought it could never be taken Every day some precedent error was blamed and some new one committed losing time through th' opinion of having lost it I doe not affirme there was any error committed but if there were it may bee called a most fortunate one it stayd not the Conquest so long as it increased the glory of it taking away from the enemy all manner of excuse for covering his defects even of time Leaving men enow to besiege the place close they began to cast up our workes and though they were large they brought them to that perfection that there might be some hope of defending them All this worke which caused the effect of the enterprise must be attributed to the Count Duke who whilest the Generalls writ sometimes of impossibilities sometimes of difficulties with effectuall Letters shewing them it was not impossible relieving them with men engaged them to goe on with the work and made it so easie that in the end of the Siege it was almost inpregnable In Flanders the King of France his Army being divided in two parts one under the command of the Marshall of Chatiglion the other of Migliare the Cardinall Infanta opposed the first with Piccolomini and the other with the Marquis of Fuentes Few passages happened on either
more desperate and that questionlesse when she is assaulted Her mind cannot be gained it must be forced she will give unto the French whatsoever the Spaniards doe not take That the King ought to procure that shee might be wonne to her selfe taking away her estate that she may not lose it with an intent as a guardian to restore it to her again when her Frenzie is over-past and that shee hath recovered her health In the mean time that it is necessarie to hinder her from casting it into the hands of the French and binde these to leave that by force which they had through covetousnesse usurped or to restore it through envie The presence of those Princes to bee necessary they had not yet gathered so many intelligences as they would gather Let Potentates and strange Common-wealths Armies once heare them and they will know that the King of Spaine goeth to protect and not to gaine Let the Subjects see their faces and they will believe they come to govern them and not to fight with them All will follow them partly confessing themselves oblieged for received favours and partly knowing themselves freed from the oath which was given them honour and conveniencie not hindering them and feare and interest pricking them on That those people hate the French and distrust the Spaniards and so being unresolved between distrust and hatred they shall scarce see the Princes but without exact examination of the businesse they will without any further consideration cast themselves into their armes He who is in a streight betweene two contraries feares hurt from each and as soone as he seeth a third without further advise he runnes precipitously to him The hatred will be encreased towards a womans government and contempt of a childes Distasters will be imputed some to the ignorance and some to the evill will of them that rule They will desire to change their Lord and at last they will change him They confessed that intelligences which are had in States promise more then they can doe counting of that which others shall doe and that others are deceived in the doing making accompt of that which hath been promised them Hee that means to undertake an enterprise and sets intelligences foremost in an accompt shall find himselfe deceived These ought to follow hopes not to frame them doing service enough when other things are disposed as if they served for nothing Great forces confirme those who are well affected and gaine those who stand doubtfull Small forces lose every one even those whose understandings were before perswaded That his Majestie did confide in the greatnesse of Armies as in a substance in that of intelligences as in an accident Who comes into a State with these two runnes like a torrent and the further hee goeth the more he increaseth That Prince Thomas his valour and experience in his owne Countrie if no other circumstances did concurre promised victories That the Marquesse of Leganes gentlenesse of mind who without losing the Supream power could yeild the supreame honour would secure all disturbances in the progresse And the good intention of the King and Princes after they had gone forward The King not weighing whether it were profitable or hurtfull that Prince Thomas should goe into Italie onely willing to satisfie the desire he seemed to have of it granted him leave and he came thither just at that time that the Marquisse of Leganes incited by many Letters of Count Duke resolved to take the field Hee knew that to overcome the Frenches valour it would be very advantagious to conquer their nature Hee already for two yeares time had happily found by experience what a great helpe celeritie was in Matiall affaires and that greater swiftnesse was able to counterpoise greater force The nature of the heavens sheweth it wherein the weakest are made the swiftest because the inferiour shall not be hindered by the mightier The Moone whose influence hath not vertue to equall Saturnes sheweth her effects more cleete and if she doth not produce them greater shee reiterateth them more often supplying the weaknesse of her beame with the swiftnesse of her motion The French is brought into streights by being prevented either he believes not himselfe to be come time enough to opperate and so gives himselfe over or he moves out of time and so loseth himselfe The Spaniard is not so his nature is slow and when that slownesse imprints a quality which seemes to be hurtfull not failing in what is necessary he brings into consequence the others which follow it in such manner equalled with the first that they make it profitable or at least they doe correct it Who so is overcome in his peculiar quality ruines with the consequent Not by reason of the first which he hath lost but of the rest which he hath not changed The Marquesse of Leganes sent D. Martino d' Arragon with a part of the Army to the passes And hee with the rest came to Novara Thither came Prince Thomas they discoursed of the surprisall of Civasco and it was resolved in Vercelli to attempt it The Prince with two thou and Horse did attempt it and having had good successe hee being strengthened with two thousand foot which the Marquesse sent him set upon Jurea assaulted it got within the Walls and wonne it Veglia yeilded to him and becomming Lord of both their Territories hee became Master of the vale of Osta Don Martino of Aragon thinking that to gaine Cencio it was first necessary for him to take Saliceto a small Castle sent D. Lewes of Lincastro thither he raised a Battery against it with two Demi-Cannon D. Martino went to view the place and a Musket-shot hitting him in the forehead slew him A Souldier of extraordinarie valour who had with his hand justified what he was He was loving to his inferiours affable to his equalls and reverent to his betters Great in place experience hope and merit Worthy to live to performe greater matters or to die upon a greater service But there was nothing to be found fault with in him if so unhappy a death had not given cause to accuse fortune The losse of D. Martino might have occasioned some competition amongst the chiefe Officers which useth to end in tumults But D. Lewis Ponze of Leon giving no time to discourses came to remedie it with his perswasions and chiefly by his example For calling them altogether he shewed them that he was one of his Majesties Councell of warre the eldest field Marshall and of the tertia of Lombardie hee said that by reason of these qualities and of some circumstances by right the government belonged to him which he did voluntarily lay downe sacrificing his owne interest to the good of the King his Master who when he receives dammage by a competition every he who is in the right doth deserve punishment there being no private respect that can parallel a publike dammage That advices came of the enemies approaching That the command might bee
of the Rhine was shut up the former and present proceedings in Burgundie by the King of France and his confederates forces and the greater which were feared caused the most attentive Politicians to cast their eyes to see what the Switzers would doe therein who were bound by confederacie interested by traffick and by all that as was or might befall Some said that old grudges not yet forgotten suspicions though vaine often renewed Militarie art abandoned valour qualified weapons rustied and profit proffered all put together would smother up conveniencie and reason of State But the wisest sort held suspicions to be so vaine and the conveniencie so apparant that they were confident to see the Switzers armed in defence of Justice If they would know what the King of Spaines thoughts were they should consider this Province which subject to him hath most happily enjoyed all the blessings of liberty and profits of Monarchy the King acting there the part rather of a Protector then a King Leaving to them the pleasure of living free and taking upon himself the burthen of maintaining their freedome That in Burgundie there is liberty because they enjoy it and a Lord because they have none That in cannot be imagined he will goe about to make of Common-wealths-subjects who of subjects makes Common-wealths If the King of Spaine hath Burgundy they border upon a great power but small because he himselfe doth not border upon Burgundie If the King of France hath it they border upon the lesser power but all And if it were their convenience and not their ruine rather to let that Province be lost why should they bee enticed to it by proffers of the Salt pits It is not to be believed that he desireth a companion in his conquests that taketh away from companions friends kinsmen nephews and from them most that he can get most That Common-wealths may be bought as well as conquered When it may availe the King of France to give away that which is other mens to gain States theirs were not secure nor they Lords of them Hee would give them another to subject them and hee should prevaile most in the world who possessed least having the more to give away That a vaine mistrust of the Spaniards and a most vaine confidence in the French deceived them That which may doe most hurt ought to bee feared though it were profitable and that which can doe none is to be upheld though it may bee thought hurtfull Let them not feare the Austrians but the French A great power dis-joyned from its Lord by having cut the bonds in sunder with the Sword and abolished the memorie thereof with time there bee many examplss of it hath returned to its ancient yoake And many are likewise read of that have fallen under another onely to keep themselves from the first whom they ought not to be afraid of his anger being asswaged the shame forgotten and the strength overcome and yet there is nothing that doth more ruine them then this mistrust to free themselves from which they fall where they thought not Even so a starting horse being on the secure side affrighted by some vaine object casting himselfe inconsideratly on the other side breakes his neck downe a precipice One might truly doubt that things would returne to be as they were by the figure of the heavens from whence they have their influences But what then Though it be circular they move with such diverse motions and that heaven which giveth most influences moveth so slow a pace that though every instant they vary their aspect there would an infinite number of yeares passe away before they if it were possible at all returned to the same being A Nation so vigilant that hath formerly been moved through a little zeale and once moved hath gained such glorious victories a terrible name and warlike renowne how can it now choose but bee stirred up with mistrust wrath and shame seeing a King of Prance endeavour himselfe to be Lord of Burgundie after he had stolne away Loraine partly usurped and partly bought Alsatia made himselfe master of divers places in Savoy Piemont and Montferrat under pretence of preserving them That trieth to enter into Flanders and Spaine to ruine Germanie to overthrow the Empire and make himselfe Emperour And if he should come to be so as he undoubtedly would if the house of Austria did not hinder him who would then defend them from so great a violence Peradventure that Justice which would have no Tribunall Seat to appeale unto Titles are not wanting where there is power The greedy desire of commanding though it be a most unjust plague seemes to be the mother of Justice time the Father and both being joyned seeme to bring it forth That the King of France already blocked up their passages from reliefe and trading and would shut them up likewise for corne impoverish starve and subdue them they being not able to live free who have not meanes of subsistence comming to them freely If they should so basely forsake their confederates they would lose the reputation which their Ancestors had gained with the losse of so much bloud and so many conquests and feeing the default could not bee ascribed either to conveniencie or reason of State it would be attributed to feare and they would fall in contempt if not slavery That to preserve their libertie it was necessary for them to fight And for those against whom they fought to obtaine it It was determined at the Diet as it was divulged that to not engage themselves they would mediate with the King of France rather to obtaine a neutrality in Burgundie then to oppose him with violence Any one may bee a mediator in those things which are already counterpoised in matter of interest for they want nothing but one to interpose himselfe but when they are unequall there is no other way but to make ones selfe a party For in seeking to equall two unequalls hee loseth his credit time and friends the one thinking himselfe offended because he desired to hinder his fortunes the other because he would not helpe him in his diasaster In warres which are already ancient there ought to be great cause to make one entermeddle with them They see those Countries which were fruitfull and plentifull made barren and poore men impoverished houses ruined all things full of bloud death and miserie They compare those losses to their happinesses Neither doe they thinke that any bond shame or conveniencie can be sufficient meanes to counterpoise the disasters of warre with the emoluments of peace When there are bloudy and lasting warres between mighty Kings they that are not ingaged in them looke on astonished and dejected and though they may wrong them and sometimes doe yet they can take no true counsell nor resolution This which is true in all formes of State is almost infallible in a popular it lives more conformable to nature then to art it teacheth onely to defend its own when
times because it increaseth the understanding and for the most part because it leaves a man to his free will taking away the power of Law with that of necessitie In engaging hee disingageth in raising difficulties hee makes them easie changing just things into unjust and making that necessary which was but convenient Nature be it slow wise or sparing delayeth her uttermost endeavours for the last violent assaults True it is that reserving it selfe to be able to doe it it often dies without doing it and oft-times because it hath not done it One ought not to runne upon conquests every time as one may In the execution of these orders which were the soule of the enterprise of Salsas it is fitting to speake with honour of the vigilancie and care of Don Hierome of Villanova Protenotarie of Arragon a most qualified Officer acute of understanding quick in executing great in intelligences and most faithfull in his services To have great designes come to a good end it is enough if hee undertakes them losing one hope he despaires not and never forsaking the businesse either he attaines to it by valour or tireth it with diligence and alway overcommeth it This Hold which Marquis Spinola besieged against his will being ledd unto it by chances engaged in it by fortune kept there through obedience he wonne not onely by great valour gallantnesse and vigilancy qualities by which men use to winne such holds but also by diffidencie which ordinarily loseth them He did as much as a Generall could doe to bring an enterprise to passe and writ as much as an officer could to desert it sometimes shewing a desire to raise the siege and almost still giving occasion to be commanded to continue it This way which gon about by a dejected mind would have ruined the enterprise being undertaken by a high spirit secured it The Count Duke was not daunted like one that had no heart nor grew not obstinat like those that have no braine Constancy engaged him to find a remedy for diffidencie and he stood not to dispute the matter with reasons but went on to overcome difficuties with providing money ammunition provision and men and the seemingnesse of want to be greater then it was became the cause of having the conquest by a meanes thought impossible The eminency of understanding causeth a man to be fearfull and a great heart to be rash where they are equall they oppose one another to get the conquest the braine would intimidate the breast and the breast would make the braine valiant From that conflict comes forth a mixt which is not feare but consideration and there they two being qualifyed leave off the contention betweene themselves and with one accord set upon the difficulties the breast will not yeeld to them the brain will overcome them and whereas severall they might have lost the one being abject and fearefull the other obstinate and rash being united they overcome with constancie and providence I know not whether next to God and the King the glory of the enterprise be due to the Count Duke but I know he gave it knowledge power will and accomplishment giving them order they should not give off the siege teaching them how to secure it providing for the maintenance of it and with so much abundance that it might be overcome The Cavallerie lay idle under Salsas There came Intelligence that the enemy had laid up in a Castle in France fodder and victuall and had not left a sufficient guard to defend it from a sodaine assault The Generalls with the advice of other commanders resolved to send Duke St. George with eight hundred horse and five hundred musquettiers to fire it The enterprise seemed to be bold and painefull as grounded onely upon doubtfull and unlikely advices The Duke set forward and by the way met with a body of Cavallery more numerous then his owne standing in a readinesse whether it were there before or by chance or upon notice given This unexpected accident forced him to alter his mind but not his valour nor wisedome and made him resolve to alter his fire into steeâ—e and conquer where he could not burn He sent th'Infantrie to take the passes to make his retreate good in case he should discover more forces and be with his Cavallery went to charge those horse which were in sight he routed and put them to flight slew them and tooke but few prisoners because he would not trouble himselfe and so returned victorious to the Camp This Cavalier is sonne to the Marquis of Torrecusa his actions which speake for him shew his father to be not onely valiant in fighting but also happy in begetting of children Leaving it doubtfull in what fortune hath most subjected him to envy either in what he hath performed or in that he hath begotten The King of France his Army consisting of twenty thousand horse and foot shewed it self entrenched upon a little hill with some few squadrons descending into the plaine viewed the outward workes to relieve the Place Marquis Spinola had disposed all things with watchfull prudency fearelessely expecting th' assault A troope of horse about midnight endeavoured to come neere the trenches but the ground slippery and yeelding by reason of the great quantitie of raine water engaged some to forsake their horses which were fallen and mired there and the rest to retreate A thunder bolt fell in the mid'st of them the noise gave alarme to the trenches The night was darke tempestuous and rainy His Majesties army stood impatient and desirous to fight Having laid aside their musquets as unprofitable they expected their enemy with â—pike and sword when a light descended upon them which shewed the points of their armes bright in proportion of a starre Whether it was naturall as well it might be signified the clearing up of the aire or supernaturall which may be believed in a cause so just and shewed heaven to be favourable to us But whether it indeed proceeded from a heavenly or ethereall knowne or unknowne beginning it was a light and every one saw it The Walloones whose fortifications the enemy threatned after much silence gave a great shout In doubtfull cases every thing is great There is no meane betweene silence and shouting The spirits which in danger runne to the heart cannot move the tongue and there is silence If need require to advantage our selves by uttering our voice being all heaped up in a vitall part they runne with such violence to the organs of speaking that they must needs frame a great sound The enemy had a great number of forced and new men who being already fearfull of their owne nature and dejected by reason of the waters which incessantly powred downe terrified and amazed with the light armes and shouting as if the thunder and lightning had followed them fled away the valiantest sought to stay them and when they found that to be in vaine they likewise retired and fled confusedly Their tents armes waggons
the one will doe and the other knoweth not what to doe so that one doth and knowes not what he doth Warre requires art and valour and all enterprises doe not require these two qualities in an equall proportion sometimes there is most need of the one sometimes of the other but because this distinction is seldome made and lesse knowne though many times one overcome with one alone it is judged he hath done it with both So men deceived sometimes by th'understanding and most-times by the heart doe give the command of all enterprises to such as are not good for all To few men hath nature given both great valour and great understanding whether because they require a contrary temperature which is impossible to be given them or an even counterpoise which cannot be joyned to them Sometimes the great heat of the heart over-heateth the braine and sometimes the coldnesse of the braine does coole the heart too much And though in Armies there be seen more valorous then understanding men Commanders it is not because these be lesse necessary but because they are not so easily found It is hard in warres to become famous without valour and men attaining to command if they be not famed Vnderstanding attaines not to it for want of heart and the heart because it hath no understanding loseth it after it hath attained unto it Th'Archbishop of Burdeaux seeing his attempts vaine at the Groine despairing of force and his art being bound up by our men with chaines of timber set ashore two thousand men at Ferol His Majesties forces though not great caused them to retreat rather confusedly then in order He returned to the Groine then putting to Sea he sailed out of sight leaving every one suspicious and doubtfull In the Junta of State and warre th'opinions were different Some believed the enemies thoughts were deep and impenetrable Some said their ends were to take the Groine some that it was to hinder the reliefe of Flanders some to ransack the Fleet some to passe into Italy some to joyne with the Holland Fleet in the Channell some to burne our ships in their harbours and some that it was to set upon Cantabria Amongst so many and so various opinions there was one who began to speake thus SIR Though man may well be deceived in seeking to divine or imagine what the ends and intents of mighty ones are and the imagining to have found them may be hurtfull yet it is necessarie to discourse thereof not to affirme what they will doe but to hinder them from doing it And as it is true that great Princes ends cannot be understood so it is likewise certaine that the ends of great affaires may be found out for the greatnesse it selfe discovers them It is the opinion of some that this great Fleet was raised for inscrutable ends I forsake the opinion or feare not the ends especially in Spaine where we need not doubt of any traitors that will yeild up Holds or raise tumults in Kingdomes and much lesse in this Junta full of so excellent men that it cannot be doubted that they should in discoursing omit any thing which may be possible And if the enemies end be any of those that is discoursed of it is not impenetrable if it be known it will be avoided if not knowne it will not be feared But because it is more easie to denie then to affirme in affirmations for the most part arguments of likelihood being used and in negations certaine demonstrations it will be the easiest way to shew the intent of raising this Fleet by making known for what intent it was not raised for often-times where the truth of an opinion cannot make it selfe known by it selfe one may attaine to the doing of it by the falshood of other opinions And that which cannot come to effect by proving may be gained by disproving It was not raised to th' end to ransack the Indian Fleet which they ought suppose to have been already come into Spaine nor to hinder the reliefe for the Lowe Countries which they might imagine already arrived into Flanders nor to fire the Navie which they believed was gone All these things being ordered to be done some moneths before it came out of the harbours of France and all save onely the Fleet staid upon such accidents as the French could neither see nor imagine The Forces which the enemy hath sent to Luxemburg and into the County of Artois have caused some to thinke that the intent was to land them in Flanders an open and rich Countrie abounding in fodder and victuals And this opinion might be confirmed by the instances the Hollanders made to the King of England when he came to Cadis that he should forsake the hopes of the barren sands of Spaine and land his men in those fruitfull Provinces But the King of France hath too many Forces in the Low Countries and is too neere and too mighty to have the Hollanders suffer him to set footing there much lesse to invite him to it This opinion is controlled as likewise another viz. that they should imagine to find some part of Spaine unprovided to land their Forces there and to take it by an advertisement or animadversion which is this Fleets doe manifest which way their enterprises tend by their forces If their greatest strength consists in shipping their intents are for the Sea if in the strength of men traine of Attillerie provision of horses they intend land service But this Fleet being powerfull in vessells of great burden without any horses or carriages for Ordnance weake in men which are new raised of a base condition and violently shipped gives no cause to feare any conquests by Land And much lesse can we be perswaded that it is intended for Italy by reason of the place where they were built namely the Ocean Sea the greatnesse of the ships dangerous for the Mediterranean and the prosperous wind they have had to goe thither and went not The enemies thought may in mine opinion be to draw us with the feare and report of the Army to furnish all the sea coasts of Spain with men and they to assault with the Navie of Marseilles the Countiâ— of Ronciglione incouraging the Army which is there and hath already taken Salsas to besiege Perpignane and with the Fleet in the Ocean and the forces which are raising about Bayona by Sea and Land to invade Cantabria lay siege to St. Sebastian first disperse our forces into divers parts and then force them to come strongly into severall places thinking it impossible for us to defend a vast Countrie and with two mighty Armies to relieve two invaded Provinces There is an erroneous opinion spread amongst the chiefe Officers of France that the Spaniard hath no men and amongst the common sort of Spaniards another that the French have no mony A Monarch that hath great store of mony may find men enough And a King that hath great store of men if obedience be not
Autumne and to regaine Salsas much lesse but to lose a battell might bee a great prejudice And if we should win it the enemie by vertue of their numerous Cavallerie might retire with little losse with the remainder of their Army by th' assistance of the Sea it being now October and having so populous a Country might by the Spring be recruited Ours would diminish in the fight and more afterwards Those of the Province thinking the enterprise to bee at an end and that they had done enough to maintaine their reputations being raw in the profession weary of the field and troubled by the waters which were naturally neere upon comming would hinder the besieging of Salsas or the gaining of it if it were besieged To know what his Majesties victorious Army would doe in Catalonia let it be considered what they did in Cantabria If any thing had remained to doe after the Battell there was nothing left to doe it withal ' Armies raised in Spain as if they were raised but for one end last but for one enterprise The profit attained by the winning of Salsas would not counterpoise the dammage that might follow a disaster which God forbid This Army being overthrowne which for want of Horse if conquered would bee quite destroyed How could it be recruited in a Country scarce both of horse and men at such a time as the proud conquering enemy emboldened would prepare to assault Cantabria by land and having a mighty Fleet at Sea would engage us either to secure this vast circumference of Spaine or oppose them with a greater Fleet beside that which is needfull to convoy the Plate Fleet defend Brasil and guard the Streights Where should men be levied if there were fighting in so many places especially if we imagined we were to fight where there is now no fighting being bound to defend all this Province besides Italy Germanie Burgundie Flanders and the Indies That the enemy had an advantage above us viz. that hee could beare many losses Hee was this yeare overthrowne at Theonville and routed with great slaughter and at the same time he tooke another Hold and within few dayes came into the field againe with a new Army The last yeare at the Siege of Fountainarabie hee lost a Battell and he is now returned more powerfull both by Sea and Land giving us cause of feare one way and another way besieging Holds and winning them If the French doe not take Perpignane they have done nothing nor we if wee take not Narbona They will not take Perpignane with keeping Salsas nor wee Narbona by routing of them The best revenge one can take is to take none The greatest conquest is to be content with losse If a man cannot alwaies conquer when he loseth a small losse it seemeth to be a great victory and many times it is a preparation to it It is easier to goe on in prosperous fortune then to stop in a disaster The one doth not please the mind with so powerfull a charme as the other with a sharp goad wounds it He that stops in good successe oftentimes loses it he that doth it in a disaster oftentimes changeth it Two small things ruine a foole a little victory and a small losse in the one hee groweth carelesse in the other he is provoked Being carelesse hee loseth that which he had not gotten and provoked hee adventures that which hee had not lost That Battells ought to bee given in France by any other way but this getting into the heart of it and driving it to defend it selfe There is a difference between fighting with one who defendeth himselfe and with one that offends The first being overcome hath lost the means of defending himselfe and the other may defend himselfe with that which he hath not lost The Romans at the same time as they avoided fighting with the Carthaginians in Italy sent Scipio to fight with them in Africk Hee that overcommeth in France Italy and Germany shall be the umpire of the world That it was not fitting to leave it to a Generalls will to fight or not if they be not much inferiour they will fight They see those who last yeare disswaded it have lost their credit They find this counsell inclining to it and they will adventure to put that reputation in question by fighting which they would be sure to lose by retiring The Count of Lauta Columba would have fought before it was time Marquesse Spinola doth judge it to bee time now One is moved by one reason the other by another and both if they be left to their own mind will fight This Army which is the most flourishing that hath been seen in this Monarchie since the memorie of man either may be lost in battell or wasted in a siege and either lost or wasted there will not such another bee gotten together in a hundred yeares for it is a hundred years since any such was seen They should keep it till such time as they might better secure themselves from losses and profit themselves more by victories They should imagine Perpignane was the Frontire They should lodge their Army maintaine it increase it The Spring would shew where it might best bee employed and the Gallies would convey it where need should require Contrary to this another began to say SIR There is amongst Counsellers a maxime more wylie then honest profitable for themselves but most pernicious to Princes viz. not to give any dangerous counsells but to let Princes take them of themselves The intent is to avoid danger and hatred which is done by exposing their Lord to hatred and abandoning him to danger It is a mistake of a shallow braine rather then deepe wisedome to disswade battells when there is no greater reason then the danger of trying it That which is lost cannot be recovered nor that defended which is assaulted but by endangering what remaines The preservative power in man which sweetly governs the body when it is in health if once set upon by sicknesse goeth not about to sooth it up it useth violence assaults it and adventures to overcome it putting it to the fortune of a Duell either to live or die If your Ancestors had not adventured themselves in battells they had not conquered if your Majesty doth not adventure he will lose No Monarchie did ever subsist long if it did not sometimes adventure Saying that the enemy ought to bee gotten out of Spaine by diverting not by battell is a vanity Either he would not be turned away and we shall then remain weaker or if he be diverted wee should but onely change our danger Consider nature which employing its forces to divert humors raw before she hath overcome them if being violented they yeeld unto her it lames and kills not heales if they contumaciously resist having weakened her strength by seeking to divert them it remaines unable to overcome them she then obtaines her end when she first concocts and then diverts them That is a wise
that should not hinder their good order yet might you keepe backe their reliefes and provisions in those rough and narrow waies and provide as is fitting for Perpignane Out of which in my opinion it would bee good to leave some Commanders of Horse and Foot who uniting themselves with the men of the Province might upon any occasion either obstruct the enemies provisions or bring him in between those Troops and your excellencie For as it may be believed and as upon the last Orders advice is given that the Catalanes were raising forces whereof the faintest part increasing the bulk and the best strengthening Perpignane would make the enemies intentions exceeding difficult if not impossible Besides I hold it very painfull there being no provisions ready upon the Frontiers the 24th day to bring all necessary provisions from Sicas to Rivas altas for an Army which stands in want of it by reason of the great compasse which by reason of the ill way they must fetch and the short time of ten dayes which they have to worke in your Excellencie being abundantly stored with every thing for above twelve If the enemy should make his attempt by the way of Rivas altas your Excellencie would not have so much time as I think of between the one and the other action But before any such passage could bee made you would have had it by that which I have spoken of Perpignane and alwayes cut off the enemies Convoyes they being at such a distance or burne their provisions in their Magazines For it is impossible and not to be imagined that he can keep such a guard upon his provisions and other places and secure himselfe Whence shall he provide such a strong Army both in quality and quantity as might stand for seaven whole leagues in every place stronger then the body of your Excellencies to secure him from receiving a blow which may disorder him and utterly overthrow his designe I beseech your Excellencie to pardon me as Don Pietro de Toledo was wont to say if I souldiour it with so great a fouldiour who am altogether inexpert in that art I conclude Sir that we are and ought to be Gods hoping he will not forsake his cause I send your Excellency money I will also rehearse the circumstances they will seeme weake but they are necessary to lay open the great ones they will abase my stile but what is that to the purpose so they doe exalt anothers glories He did not elaborate this letter with his pen he did dictate it without any intermission not when he was quiet and farre from any noise sitting at his desk but in his coach running not imparting it to any onely dictating it to Don Antonio Carnero one of his secretaries a man of great understanding and knowledge of most unspotted fidelity and cleane hands in service attentive and infatigable I beare with them who set me out for a flatterer They see me rewarded they examine my talent and because they find no great worth they blemish it with a great vice They find me a writer of great actions they examine what they can doe and because they find it come short they call my relations fables The conciousnesse of what themselves would doe causeth them to thinke ill of him that writes that which they cannot do to misunderstand him that doth it An Historian of understanding flatters himself if he imagines he can avoid slanders He hath somewhat within him which he concealeth a great vertue and a great vice which being hid from the eyes of the vulgar when it comes to be manifested it seeming he addeth it of his own because that though it were so it was not knowne they call him if he writes of excellent good ones a flatterer if of exceeding bad ones a malicious person I would be pleasing to heare vice reproved but with modesty and vertue extolled but with moderation and its displeasing to have the secrets of vertues and vices discovered They would be willing to embrace the one and not have it knowne and to not labour for the other and yet have it imagined that they have it They heare the writers expressions blame vice wholly but in vertue praise onely the greatest and men having commonly of the one and the other and few of the latter excessively participating of the reproof which extends it selfe even to mediocrity and not of the praise which goeth onely upon the extreames on the one part they remaine ill satisfied on the other offended Upon the report of the reliefe comming out of France his Majesties Army was increased by a considerable number of Catallanes who in this occasion carried themselves cunningly and by many souldiours who having recovered their healths went to employ it in their masters service Above all others remarkeable was the arrivall of the Duke of Naccara and Maccheda not so much because he brought three hundred of the choicest musquettiers of the Fleet with him as for the person of so compleate a Gentleman who not through any other perswasion but of his own well-guided courage voluntarily came to increase it in that Army and whereas before he without feare stood expecting the enemy now fearelesse came to challenge him He put himselfe in the regiment of the Count Duke under the Command of the Field Marshall Don Iohn de Arze to make himselfe famous with his pike in his hand Let it be a sufficient attestation for the nobility of his bloud that I have named him Of the great endowments of his person the relation of this action In the former are rehearsed the memories of his many illustrious forefathers and a person is set forth in whom is made the union of all those greatnesses in the latter shines modesty wisdome valour and devotion to the King and gallantnesse in serving him Th' intelligences which many wayes came out of France were That the most Christian King was resolved to have the Fort relieved That to that purpose came cut of Paris Monsieur de Poncourle Marquis of Coastin Nephew to the Cardinall of Richelieu That the old and new Forces of Languedock were appointed for that purpose soure companies of forraign Nations the Regiment of Lionnois the Regiment of guards eight which came out of Lorraine downe the Rone all the Cavallerie that was in pay the bound Nobility which was bound to come and that which came voluntary and because they should be enow for such a great enterprise there being a scarcitie of them in France they resolved to remedy it by the same way as it came taking the Baron of Bassompier out of prison for so they write him that hee might with the Duke of Luin and Marshall La Force goe to the reliefe All this rumour ended with the approach of the Vanguard within foure miles of the place the day before that which was agreed upon for the yielding of it And to th' end the default might be imputed to want of time or peradventure to the Governour