which the Lorde Admirall caused to be made were onely but to take breathe and to be aduertised of what his enemies meant to vndertake for so much as hee doubted least they woulde worke some newe Mynes whereof hee coulde not haue any knoweledge at all That daye as soone as euer it beganne to breake they saluted the Towne with a full Batterie For all the shotte that had beene before came from the platfourme of the Fauxbourg D'Isle whence they sawe them worke and countermine continuing the playe of the Cannon all the whole day long and not at one onely place not much of the night passing ouer but that they still remooued their Pieces from one place to another to make a newe batterie For from the seconde day they beganne to digge and carrie forth the earth of the Ditche on their side and shortly after they propped vp coueringes with great Timber vnder which they mought trauerse to and fro and enter within the Ditches without any man beeing able to doe them harme Because there were not any Flanckers at all to commaunde the Ditch where they mought eyther viewe or laye batterie vnto them And all the stones which they were able to fling at them coulde not endammage them by reason of the coueringes vnder which they creapte They began their Batterie at the Windemyll which was neare vnto Saint Iohns gate and afterwardes scowred this place as farre as the Tower on the water with such a furie that there was not lefte one sole Tower which was not rent and razed with the better parte of the Courtayne laying the Batterie in diuerse places with fiue and fourtie Peeces All those which were within were greatly cousined and deceyued in one thing that they thought the Masons worke and Cyment of the towres and courtines much more stronger and better then it was the steares and thicknesse of the walles being very large But the stuffe was so naught that as soone as the toppe was but a little shaken and loosed all the rest fell downe of it selfe in great lumpes whereby many were slayne and hurte with the crestes and battlementes of the Parapettes On the 4 day of their Batterie they carried twelue peces alongest the side of Bourg D'Isle and mounted them within the Abbey from whence they battered the gate where the fire was put into powder vntill they had made themselues Maisters of the Ditches S. Remy still well hoped to haue perfourmed some matter of worthe but when he sawe them once lodged within he tolde the Admirall that he was not able to doe them any more harme for that they had gotten the vpper grounde of him Reiterating many times that he neuer set his foote in so badde a place and that long before that hee had aduertised the late King thereof Not for that he was the more dismayed thereat or spoke of any pusillanimitie but angrie for that hee founde no remedie at all nor such meanes as he coulde haue wished being for the rest a man very resolute and wise From the very first day of the Batterie vntill the ende thereof the Admirall D' Andelot and S. Remy went euery night to viewe the damages and onvertures which the Artillerie had made and on the day resolued with those Captaynes of the Quarters whome it concerned of that which they had to execute After that the Batterie had continued foure dayes there was a great feare engendred among those of the Towne yea and the men of Warre themselues which the Admirall getting knowledge of walking by night to remedie the same hee helde one language common and generall to them all in a place where almost all the Captaines and many souldiers were assembled together which was that hee had firmely agreed and resolued in his minde to keepe that place with those men which he had and if any man did at any time see him varie or offer any speache of composition hee gaue him leaue to throwe him downe as a cowarde into the Ditches and in like case if he founde any of them to parley to the contrary he woulde doe no lesse by them And by this occasion there neuer passed ouer daye but two or three times hee woulde walke himselfe about the quarters and in passing by would demaunde the Captaines opinions conferring and communicating with them what was done in the rest of the places according vnto that which hee had prayed them the first day that he entred within the Towne that euery man woulde aduertise him of that which he esteemed best for the conseruation of the place The batterie continued vntill the sixte daye about two of the clocke in the afternoone that they likewise presented themselues in sundry places within the ditches as farre as the Parapettes at a pikes leangth At this presente the Sentinell from the steeple of the great Churche aduertised the Admirall howe that of all handes the Armie raunged themselues into battaile and that many footemen martched towards the Trenches The which he caused to be made knowne in all places and quarters of the Towne to the ende that euery man might stande vpon his guarde imagining that they meant that day to giue the assaulte and he himselfe wente to three of the nexte breaches vnto him to see what order was there kept Where hee founde euerie man in all apparaunce willing to perfourme his duetie the like whereof he also vnderstoode from all the rest of the places whither he had sente Gentlemen to viewe Which was the cause that himselfe returned backe agayne verie well content to the Breache Which he kept being that which he supposed the enemies meante to turne their principallest strength against for that they euer most sought to batter this place to leaue nothing which might serue for Flanckes especially for that it laye iust ouer against the entrie which they had made into the Ditche As they were all thus attending the assaulte the enemies put fire to three mines all which were right vnder the Rampire the principallest were in the quarter of D' Auphin But the dammage was nothing so great as they looked for being the cause that they gaue no assaulte that day So afterwardes they did not ouermuch heate them selues but were contented to goe and viewe the breaches on the Admirals side and descende into the Ditche which D' Andelot kept After that the Spanyardes were retyred the Admirall wente to viewe what hurte those Mines had made and founde that by that onuerture they were not very like to receyue or incurre any great danger but that for all that it was fitte to worke vpon it which hee deferred vntill night for that they durste not touche there or shewe themselues by day by reason of the full viewe which their enemies Artillerie had of them Nowe were there eleauen breaches many mines the ditche gayned and the Souldiers therein well couered the Armie great to gayne the breaches against eight hundred souldiers and men at armes of all sorts distributed as the Admirall
whereof and to giue some reioycing to the long trauell of the besieged they caused the Captain Grille to enter in with one hundred harguebuziers on horsebacke The which hee brauely enterprised and executed and with such conduct as hauing forced the watch with small losse of anie of his soldiers he entered in in the sight of them all which greatly increased their courage The same daie they made a sallie in like sorte out vpon them luckily inough made their retreate like men of warre without receiuing the worse But that nation shewed it selfe so greate an enemie to this poore miserable towne that shee forgot nothing whereby shee might make her extreame desire appeare of seeing the totall destruction therof and how much by day night they ceased not to torment it by all means which they could possiblie imagine by so much more increased the courage of the French to repulse them backe for in lesse than one houre they had made vp the rampire without the ladder where they perceiued the artillery to begin to shake the wal and made stronger in an instant what in one daie had beene throwen downe then it was before Notwithstanding the lightning of their artillerie was so terrible and violent thundering without intermission as there was neither rampire banke nor defence which it turned not ouer without remedie the which continued so furiouslie for the space of neere hand ten dayes together Within which time the enemies supposing that they had made a breach reasonable and great inough as in deed it was of threescore paces long the wall rampire all the defences as well of the castle as the great tower being broken downe and battered no more remaining but a litle mount which they within had caused to bee made and the parapect and toppe of the ditch which was yet strong and hard for them to mount vp vnto notwithstanding that as well with the quarters and ruines of the wall as with faggots and hurdles they dyd what they could to fill vp the ditch to make the scale more easie That beeing knowen to those within they resolued to abide them and you may easily beleeue that they lefte nothing in theyr lodgings that was not brought out After many vollies of artillerie as well from the mountaine which gaue right on the backe of the besieged willing to defend the breach as from that which shot in face of them on the riuer side with a great noise of Fifes Drums Trumpets and diuerse cries after theyr manner they went furiously to the assault of all partes carrying ladders and all kinde of engins to scale and force the towne and there was that daie a most maruellous combat seen For if the enemies were wilfull to enter in much more had the French a better wil to defend themselues and repulse them There could one haue seene nothing but wild fire and vnquenchable crackling of armour and al kinde of weapons pittious cries of those which were burned maimed turned ouer and drawing towardes death generally all sortes of most terrible and furious executions for the space of more than ten long houres the enemies refreshing themselues three times In the end the resolute constancie of the besieged preuayled and vanquished the obstinacy of the imperials repulsing them with a great butcherie of theyr most braue men not without greate losse of them that kept it among whom the valiant Knight De Hesse lost his life whose prowesse was alreadie renowmed beyonde the frontiers of Fraunce in many places namely in the Ilandes of England and Scotland as also dyd De Viennes De Beaudisne De la Rocheposay De Blandie and the Captaine Ferriers all men of marke and of laudable conduct with other valiant Gentlemen and souldiers The King beeing aduertised how couragiously his men behaued themselues perswaded himselfe that to so victorious a beginning there coulde not insue but a most happie end without ordaining anie further succours for this litle towne almost torne in peeces of all partes sauing onely that hee caused De Hedin the Captaine Breuil and S. Romain with about three hundred footmen to assaie if they could enter in Which they most fortunatly performed not without great daunger and hazard of their persons the enemies hauing with theyr trenches and mounts compassed and inuironed the towne round about euen so far as to place their Corps de gnets within the ditches who being neuer a whit the more cooled nor discouraged for that fought daylye hand to hand with the French which kept the breach and grewe much more earnest in returning vnto it assaying by all force possible to carrie it awaie and did not onelie giue fire to diuerse hollow mines in sundrie places the most part whereof they found false and vented but they beside practised a slight neuer before vsed which was to dig vnder the parapect and backe of the ditch beeing verie hard and vneasie to mount vp to the breach all the flankers and defenses as I haue tolde you being raised and broken downe with the artillerie hauing made certaine Taudis which they call Mancelets in fashion of blinders onely to couer them from hand strokes and stones whilest that they did approach to the foot of the breach vnder which they hollowed trained their mine as themselues could desire Whereat the French maruelling inough perswaded themselues that the enemies were not able to hollowe and dig so farre as vnder their feet which were aboue them vpon the breach but rather that they wold drawe out the earth from vnder the castle or the great tower Du Chapitre but contrariwise they still digged vnder the parapect the length of the verie breach holding vp the burthen with shores and piles fylling the ditch full of the earth which they drew out The worke being finished and fire put thereto it happened that one parte of this parapect was blowen vp and fel within the ditch and the rest sunke in a heap swallowing vp many French souldyers the which made the mouth of the breach far greater and so easie as a man at armes might mount vp on horseback armed at all peeces Whereupon Frances of Montmorencie according to the counsell of all the Captaines which were within with him considering how there was no more meanes to defend the town or make anie resistance aduised at the least how to saue the persons and demanded composition which was graunted vnto him But whilest that they parlyed the Germanes and Burgonians entered in at diuerse places and thereuppon the olde Spanish Ensignes ranne vp the great breach crying Faire warres faire wars Whereupon some French men drew to them with theyr pikes and stretched out theyr handes vnto them to keepe them from beeing murthered by the Germanes Nothing beeing able to bee otherwise concluded by this composition by reason of such a surprisall where you might haue seene most strange cruelties which the Germanes and Burgonians committed speaking of nothing but cutting of throats so as the miserable
much subiect to the Cannon mine as any place might be it is a great towne scituate halfe in a bottome and halfe hanging where there is not any shew of Bulwarkes Rampiers or fortifications according to the new fashion On the side of Fraunce and the East it is in a champion and arable Countrie discouered well eight hundreth or a thousand paces in breadth not so plaine notwithstanding but there is a little descent still vnto the Towne hauing certaine small bottomes and barricades betweene both but I call it plaine for that it is not ouershadowed with trees nor thornes nor other places hindring the prospect on the west side where it is most lowe and the suburbs lye there are gardens and groues of willowes with some medowe and marshe Southwards there is a little hanging plaine towards the Towne and a little further there are little hilles and vallyes on the North side is a little Mountaine which taketh parte of the coigns of the citadell mounted ouer the highest parte of the whole towne where there was wont to be an Abbey or Cathedral Church almost square notwithstanding one of the coigns stretcheth more towardes that little mountaine then any part of the rest resembling a coyne in forme of a spurre seruing for a defence to the flankers with a platforme As touching the scituation and foundation of the Citadell one would iudge it at the first apparance white earth as marse if it were stone within I would thinke it tender and easie to be hewen as you see ascler whereof some houses are builded but it is rather a white chalke then a hard stone so as some holde that it was rather builded to holde the newter towne in subiection then to make an impregnable fortresse for being ioyned to the Towne as it is it were needfull to fortefie it the one to succour the other by reason that the towne being taken would endemnifie the Citadell which also being forced would be the cause of the losse of the Towne but the Emperour partely in consideration that this great towne would hardly be fortified or at the least not of a great and long time and partely for that he would not oppresse the inhabitants with suddaine surcharges first builded this little citadell to set one foot within and to be meet with the mutynies rebellions of the citizens to the end that by little and little he might make himselfe maister of the whole Therefore they helde out thorough the hope of a great number of men sent vnto them furnished with victuals munitions and all other necessaries besides the Imperiall armye which fortified it selfe neer vnto them to cut of victuals and annoy as much as might be the French and lastly the raines which euer begin at that season in those low Countries so great presumptions had they to recouer the siege for besides the diuers alarms which they gaue vnto them with continuall and hot skirmishes they sent out of the campe part of the field peeces and caused it to be giuen out that there were farre greater comming from Amiens Corbie S. Quentin and Castelet a great number of Gabions being already prepared and sleddes made ready to draw them to those places where the approches should be made so farre as the Marshals of the Campe went to marke and viewe the scituation the better to order their quarters notwithstanding the councell had no such intention but to the end that still holding them in this iolitye and opinion they might breake and consume the Imperials by little and little who for that cause had more enlarged and seperated themselues wherefore without any longer delay all the fortes round about being throwne downe and ruined euen to the very Churches the Towers and Steeples being vndermined and battered and fire put to all the Villages Granges and cotages euen to the very suburbes and gates of the towne the French dislodged marching straight to the castle of Cambresy In the waye there were two fortes taken and ruined obstinate vpon very small reason whereby they well felte the effect of the conquerers choler The first endured sixe and thirtie Cannon shot and a great and wide breach before it would yeelde where the Captaine Pierre-longue was slaine and twelue French Souldiers slaine and hurt notwithstanding there was not one liuing soule found within hauing cōueyed thēselues vnder ground and hidden in some caues and mines therefore they stopped close all the ventes which they were able to finde The other was not so strong as the first for that it was but a skuruie poulier of earth hanging houelwise to the halfe of a great towre with drye ditches where they within standing very obstinately to their defence notwithstanding any summons made aboade two shot of the lesser sorte after which hauing answered that they would not yeelde without sight of the Canon they made a signe to yeelde but it was too late for the Souldiers not as yet colde of their first furie neuer stayed so long as the once discharging of a Canon but rushed in as madde men to beate downe the gates where afterwardes it was great pittie to beholde the slaughter which was there made for there was not so much as one man taken to mercye the battaile lay encamped round about the Castle of Cambresy without suffering any bodye to goe in sauing one Ensigne the which was lodged there to repell other if they should goe about to make any stirre for the inhabitants were in great doubt what should befall them His Maiestie and the most parte of the Princes and great Lordes was lodged in a sumptuous house of pleasure neere hand which appertained to the Bishop of Cambray where in stead of being reuenged of the burning of his Castle of Foulembray which was done by Du Reux a kinseman of the B. he not onely straitely forbad they should not set it on fire but that nothing should be carried thence or spoyled A little aboue the riuer the Constable remained with the Vantgarde Now all these boutes and deuises were but to marke the enemies countenance for the French being aduertised that they stirred in no sorte of the worlde to followe them without any alarme or semblance to come vpon them hauing soiourned a whole day in that place descended downe to Quesnoy approching within two leagues of Valenciennes where the imperial army was imparqued within a forte which they had there addressed The next morning the 17. of September the baggage remaining in that place and one hundreth men at armes with about 2000. foote for their garde the rest of the army aduanced forwarde to seeke out the imperials and to present them battaile Their forte was about a Culuerin shotte distant from Valenciennes vpon the same Riuer of Lescau which passeth along by Cambray compassed in forme of a square enuironed with trenches and diches of a Pikes length and betweene 10. or 12. foote hollow seated halfe on the hanging of the hill towards Valenciennes and halfe
small peeces ouer which Estre was great master and chiefe gouernour a Gentleman verie watchfull and of great spirite for the first daie of this voyage the armie made no great treate incamping that night a league of Corbie in two little villages vpon a current and small riuer beeing verie commodious for the same The next morrow it followed almost the tracke and waie of the imperiall armie to lodge at Miraumont it happened that in the waie the Duke of Neuers slipped out of the armie with his regiment taking the left hand towards the woods and forrests ouer agaynst Arras where some scoutes were discouered who saued themselues by theyr swiftnesse within the thick of those forrests which beeing well looked about there was not one enimie found that made head onely a fort within a lyttle village which a lyttle after was forced by the harguebuziers and found worse prouided than they imagined The which caused him to turne to Miraumont to take his quarter The second of September the D. of Guise with two regiments of men at armes between a thousand and twelue hundred horse as well of the light cauallerie as of the nobles and ten Ensignes of French fanterie departed from the place drawing thorough the rout of those woods towards Arras to discouer and cleere the most dangerous places subdue the forces of any which should be retired thither but he found not ought which was hard vnto him hauing discouered as far as the suburbs of Arras So returning for a testimonie of this voyage fire was set on al the villages round about with a desolation and most lementable pitie Now from Miraumont there were but two good leagues to Bapaulme a strong place barren more thorough the scituation of nature than anie workemanship but much more odious and hurtful to the French bordering vpon it than euer Terroane was to the Bourgonians so as secretly the better to know the place and tempt the resolution of those that held it the thirde of September the Constable with the most parte of the Princes accompanied with fiue thousand horse as many of the French fanterie went to view this place as neere as he was able whereof Huntsimond a knight was Gouernour much esteemed of among the Bourgonians furnished with ten or twelue Ensignes of Fantassins and three or foure hundred horse who at the first fight did not any waies shew himselfe sparing of powder and bullets besides they within shewed themselues very slacke and loath to come out to the skirmishe but as farre as the Bullets of their artillerie might play they kept a loofe of and perfourmed their dutie brauely enough almost foure houres while the skirmish lasted In these light reencounters there were hurt the Captaine Breul with a Harquebuze shotte in the thigh and yong Molimont Sonne to Molimont the Gouernor of Saint Dizier and of Nogent who afterwards dyed at Peronne during the skirmish the Admiral with a smal company went round about the place and found it pregnable the rampier being of bad stuffe and the fastening wherewith it was made but a thinne crumpled sand which is no good earth But the greatest difficultie of all was the remediles necessitie of water albeit that the Constable had caused a great number of Pyoners to seeke out Conduit heads and springs but no vaines of any lasting could be found out so the determination of the siege was broke of and put ouer vntill another time during this lingering there arriued at the Court the Cardinall of Saint George being a Legate from the Pope to treate of a peace or truce betweene these two Princes At their departure hence all the Villages Abbaies and mansion places appertaining to the enemy not so much as sparing the windmilles neere to the gates of Bapaulme being partely consumed and the rest as yet of a flame and smoking the ground and waies grew so durtie and slipperie by reason of a whole day and nights raine that the Souldiers and footmen could hardly get to their other lodging named Morlincourt within two small leagues of Peronne and the waggons and baggage sustained no lesse whereof as well the garrison of Bapaulme as the rest of the Pesantes about got good booties spoyling the most scattered and worst conuoyed sorte of them the imperiall armie in the meane time coasted them within fiue or sixe leagues hauing the riuer as a barre and separation betweene them albeit it was farre lesse then the French for first euen at the nose of the imperiall Campe the French went and burned and set fire on the Villages next vnto them in respect of the fewe alarmes which they gaue vnto the French except it were sometimes vpon their vallets and fouragers the which they rather supposed grew by the spoyled and desperate Pesants then by the men of warre and lesse hurt was done to the victualers prouisions brought into their Campe all victuals being at a competent rate in the middest of an enemies Countrie where they found nought but Granges voide of Corne and fourage all sorte of victuals being already transported and withdrawne into the strong holdes The which being come vnto the Kings knowledge and sufficiently foreseeing that his enemy hoped and attended nought els then to make him temporise about some towne or other enterprise of small consequence to drawe him on vntill the season of raynes which beginneth soone enough in the colde and occidentall Countryes to the end to ruine and weaken him as well in cutting of all his victuals as by diseases and coldes afterwards to giue him battaile vpon his aduantages concluded with his Councell to giue remedy thereto The resolution then was to reduce his enemy into two extremeties the one of which he perswaded himselfe was vnpossible for him to shunne and perhaps yeeld to them both either to hold his forces close together for the meeting of a battaile or to seperate them for the defence of so many of his places vncertaine which of them all should be first attempted by the King considering the secret of his dessein and the variable turning of his army without any apparant resolution of the place whether it would turne head vpon which perswading himselfe of the aduantage of the first and that the Emperour durst not hazard a generall combate considering he had not so many men as himselfe and that they were more then halfe tired with the long time that they had remained in the fielde hee thoroughly resolued to get by force sleight or any other meane the first place hee should attempt and to sacke it and ruine the whole countrie about in the eye of the Maister and so to returne in triumph as hauing braued and caused him to refuse the day in his owne Countrie and whereof he had vaunted himselfe to be the first challenger Charles on the other side measuring his aduantage rather by the valour then number of his people supplying otherwise the long wearisomnes of these trauailes of warre by discretion
fifteene Ensignes of French Fanterie and almost two thousand horse against nineteene Ensignes of the Spanish Fanterie which lay encamped about the little towne for that the inhabitants had shutte the gates vpon them fearing to be sacked by them as their neighbours had beene The skirmish lasted almost a whole day eche partye being obstinate to the gaining of the victory which after a long hazard vncertaine combate remained to the French very few of them being either dead or hurte but many more of the Spaniards whereof in like sort diuers were brought away prisonners After all this coyle the French returned to Anchy and about Hedin where the Almanes were put in garrison the bayliwick whereof was giuen by the King to the Count Reingraue In summe towards the end of the moneth of October some companies as well of the French Fanterie as light cauallerie being cast the rest were deuided and put into garrisons to passe ouer the winter which drew on In the meane time the Emperour proceeded on to pursue a marriage betweene his son the K. of Spaine and the infant Mary new Q. of England with such earnestnes as he forgot nothing which might serue to the consummation thereof seing him selfe almost out of all hope to haue succour elsewhere or recouering of any monie at neerer hand which many of that Realme sought to hinder foreseeing an immortal warre with the French which was prepared for them by this meanes remembring well the losses and damage which they had alreadye sustained in hauing vpholden the warre against this nation from whence the Countrie of England reaped great commodities Notwithstanding so much auayled the perswasions of the Emperor with the instigation of the two Queenes Mary and Elenor and aboue all the inductions of Cardinall Pole cosin to the Q. that she being cleane rauished with this new loue and with the ambition to see her selfe wife to the Sonne of an Emperour the better to assure her estate against the reformed and other malcontents in spite of the aduise and liking of the greatest of her Realme keeping her sister Elizabeth likewise a prisonner consented to this marriage Afterwards with as much speede as was possible she affianced by Proctor which was the Earle of Aiguemont Philip K. of Spaine hoping shortlye after to perfit and consumate the ouerplus The K. knowing that all these things tended to no other end but cheefely to endamage and annoy him made a great masse of monie calling such to his aide and succour as he knew were most obedient and faithfull vnto him and as hee thought best able to aide and do him seruice Pope Iuly to the end to pacifie these great troubles of Christendome had sent the Cardinall of England to mediate a peace betweene the King and the Emperour for you must vnderstand that vpon the pursute of the warres of these two Princes Pope Iuly seeing all Europe as it were much moued with the feare of mischeefes which was likely to ensue to euery Countrye by reason of the particular quarrels of these two Monarcks with a secret remorse and gnawing of conscience for himselfe had beene the Author had sent the Cardinall of England his Legate to the King and the Emperour to aduise and by all meanes to vnite and cause them to condescend to a good peace in which he imployed himselfe so vertuously that laying aside all ambition or feare of hatred or other cōsiderations he neuer ceased to lay before them the infinite miseries wherewith the poore Christian people were afflicted togither with the vncertaintye and miserable estate whereunto the Catholicke Church by their dissentions was reduced And albeit that many accounted him to fauour the Emperour more then the King yet hee seemed to haue so well managed their hartes that the hope of a peace was alreadye common thorough out Fraunce and quarters neighbouring about yea so great that the poore borderers of the one and other Lord perswading themselues thereof so assured themselues by little and little that they reedified and began to reinhabite their cottages and small tenementes as yet besmoaked with the fire wherewith they had beene burned to ashes so farre as euery man promised vnto himselfe a happy repose if it would please God to mollifie the harts of these two great Princes But euen as all the tokens of Moses and Aaron hardened the more the obstinate courage of Pharaoh to the end afterwards to make the great wonders of the Lord to appeare so this great God not yet satisfyed and content with so small a punishment for our enormous sinnes would not permit vnto them the vnderstanding to receaue a good and assured peace for the ease and repose of all Christendome wherfore the Legate after many trottings to and fro of each side returned very sorrowfull vnto the Pope leauing in the harts of these two Princes this so inueterate an enmitie whereof the clamors could not so soone mortifie the effects The Queene was deliuered at Fontaine-bleau about nine of the clocke and three quarters past in the morning the eighteenth of March 1554. of a sonne named Hercules by Charles Cardinall of Lorraine Anne de Montmorency Constable and the Duchesse of Guyse daughter to the D. of Ferrara afterwards leauing that name he was called Francis D. of Alencon and of Aniou In the meane space and about the first of the spring there arose a certaine brute of a warre at hand betweene these Princes and much furniture and weapons were dispersed whereby they might bee polished and made readye to the seruice afterwardes to be mustered as soone as the fame was spread throughout France how the Emperour had prepared a great leauye of men of warre and all other sortes of prouisions towardes the Countries of Liege and Ardennes with intent to besiege the Towne of Mesieres hauing established Mariembourg and Auanes as store places and markets to his armye so as Bourdillon who then was at the Courte was presently sent back to fortifie strengthen this little Towne with whatsoeuer should be necessary to attend their comming On the other side the K. foreseeing the Empeperours determination and intent made all meanes to assemble his forces to the end to meet him and preuent him of this small enterprise hauing sent sufficient enough of succour into Piemont and Italye thereby to pursue and continue such good beginning as fortune in that parte had presented vnto him Besides hee dispatched Captaines and commissioners to bring him men of warre as well out of Germany as from those Cantons of Zuizers as were his confederates This was about the ende and issue of the Spring when as the Sunne raysing him selfe high to send among vs his great heates burned and consumed the fruites of the earth with so strange a drouthe that togither with the long trauayle of the warre the poore people expected nought els to the aggrauating of their miseryes then a great and mortall famine for the heape of all theyr pouertyes
discommodities the opportunitie was escaped him far attempting any matter of great importaunce Especially for that he was repulsed from the Frontier of Champaigne whither they sayde his principall entente was And albeit that other were of a contrarie opinion assuring howe there was a certaine complotte an assured Rende-vous and a full foresight determined whither he meant to turne his Forces as vnto a matter which he helde alreadie halfe conquered beeing well aduertised of such wante as there mought be so farre as the Admirall did assure by intelligence receyued the Conestable his Vnckle how that the Prince meant to haue a blow at Picardie as a place very euill prouided Ioint that the Spanishe bandes which were within newe Hedin the best Troupes which they had were not as yet dislodged the Frenche as mens senses being dispersed doe lesse apprehende one of those things which they doe beholde then if they were all fixed vpon that alone being curious to furnishe the whole prouided not sufficiently either for the armie or any other of those places whereby they mought stay the enemie who still entertayned them with his long delayes and irresolutions thorough the vncertainetie of his dissein vntill that the Prince hauing made a showe as though he woulde first encampe before Guise then at Mariembourg had enclosed rounde S. Quentins with his light Cauallerie And at the same instant causing his whole armie to martche with extreame dilligence hee founde himselfe encamped rounde about it before that euer he coulde be thought to haue bene halfe way The suddainesse whereof made the whole Campe to doubte least the place woulde be taken by surprise as well for wante of men as other prouisions and fortifications within the Towne which had but the Captaine Brueil for gouernour and Telligny Lieutenaunt to the Daulphin of a Companie of one hundred men at armes the better parte of whome were therein Garrison at which the Inhabitauntes grewe so greatly discontented considering as they alleadged that their priuiledges did exempte thē from them as whatsoeuer ensued thereupon was rather attributed to their owne faulte then to any others The Admirall being commaunded by the Conestable to get into the Towne with as many men as hee shoulde be able vnder a hope of being succoured by him albeit that Iarnac and Lusarche offered themselues to goe thither and keepe him from aduenturing so great a danger perswading him to employ himselfe somewhere else where he shoulde be able to doe the King more signall seruice then to cast away himselfe there within did so much notwithstanding as with foure hundred fiftie men as well horse as foote he entred in Afterwardes hauing made the Rounde about the walles encouraged the Inhabitauntes whome he assembled together in the common Hall visited the whole Towne thorough ouerlooked the prouisions and munitions of warre and giuen the quarters vnto Companies he prouided for all the rest the best which he was able Now for that Iulian Romero and Carondelet spanish Captaines had alreadie gayned the bulwarke of Fauxbourg d'Isle where they had settled their Enseignes notwithstanding any resistaunce which could be made Iointe that it was without parapette and the earth without as high as within the Admirall yssued out to regayne it and to burne the houses about But the besieged were so euill receyued and hottely pursued as many returned hurte counselling the Admirall to abandon that Fauxbourg considering the small number of men which he had and the two passages to the Flankers thereof by which the enemie mought cutte betweene the Fauxbourg and the Towne and so hinder the retreat of such as shoulde defende it But he would needes still holde it vntill a greater occasion were offred to set a good countenance vpon it Hereupon beeing willing to viewe the encamping of his enemies he commanded Teligny to cause 50. horse of his Cōpanie to fallie out vnder the conducte of some assured man at armes onely to viewe enioyning them by no meanes to sight and especially that he shoulde not goe himselfe But seeing the Couriers engaged and in disorder he was no sooner aduanced without armour and vpon a bad court all to cause them to retire but he was wrapped in throwne downe to the grounde wounded to death stripte naked and afterwarde carryed away by a souldier who hazzarded his life for the rewarde which the Admirall had promised vnto him This done perceyuing the preparratiues of the enemie to batter the Fauxbourg d'Isle hauing carryed away whatsoeuer was portable and prouided for the burning of the houses vpon the watch worde giuen hee quitted it and caused the whole to be burned Nowe as the Inhabitantes had hidde their prouisions notwithstanding any commaundement or dilligence vsed to forbid them among whome the Maior aloane and the Sire de Gibercourte were noted to doe their duetie so their faulte in concealing the powder which had lyen a long time hidde in the Towres of the gate of the Fauxbourg d'Isle was a cause of great inconuenience For to the ende they mought carrie it away as soone as it was discouered the cakes being all rotten and mouldering into pieces they were fayne to put it into blankettes where the fire tooke so at vnawares with such violence of this diuelishe mixtion as it made a breache of more then fiue and thirtie paces besides the losse of sixe and thirtie seruiceable men which wente all into smoake Whereupon the enemie had a fayre occasion presented to vndertake some thing to his aduantage if the fire of the houses of the Fauxbourg which burned had not taken away the sight of this breache from the Spanyardes who mought easily haue entered in at the beginning for that euery man was retired to feede and other necessaries And albeit that the Conestable greatly payned himselfe to get succour into the Towne according to the aduise which he had receyued from the Admirall who to this ende had sente foorth Vaupergue and from the toppe of a steeple had shewed him by what wayes they were to take their course yet Dandelot his brother was not able to bring any in for that certayne Englishemen prisoners among the Spanyardes had aduertised them of this enterprise An occasion that hauing entrenched and furnished the high way to Han by which they were to passe with harquebusiers for so much as that quarter being allotted to such Englishmen as were ioyned vnto King Philips Armie was lesse peopled with men of warre the thirde parte was there slayne and the rest enforced to saue themselues albeit they had a nomber of men at armes and light horse to assiste them with hotte alarmes whilest that they shoulde enter in In the meane space to viewe the Countrie and to hinder the enemie from enlarging himselfe attempting vpon him as occasions were proffered But Vaupergue had not sufficiently marked the places which were shewed vnto him for his entraunce in but gaue straight vpon a Corps de guarde of Fantassins in steade of passing betweene
the victorie Afterwardes hauing alledged a number of diuers perticular examples of marke notwithstanding and of all sortes of estates who they saide dyed of a strange and extraordinary fashion hauing beene sworne enemies to the Lutheranes they added If it please your Maiestie well to aduise thereof you shall finde that you had no sooner concluded to runne them ouer but euen as sodenly newe troubles were stirred vp by your enemies with whome you haue not beene able to fall to any accorde The which God hath not permitted for that the foundation of the peace was vpon the persecution which you determined to make of the seruantes of God As also the Cardinals haue not beene able by their crueltie to hinder the course of the Gospell which hath already taken so deepe a roote within your Realme as if God shoulde slacke you the bridle to roote them out you shoulde bee as it were a Kinge without subiectes Tertullian very well saide that the blood of Martirs was the seede of the Gospell To take away then al these mischeefes proceeding from the riches of the Papistes which causeth so great whoredoms Sodomies incests wallowing nourishing thēselues like swine with idle bellies the best way were to put them again into their former estate as the ancient sacrificers the Leuites were to wit without lands posessions as an expresse commandement therof was giuen to Iosua For as long as the ordinaunce of God tooke place and that they were exempt from ambition the puritie of religion remained in her entier But when as they beganne to aspire to principalities riches and worldly honoures then did those abhominations swell out which Iesus Christ there founde Thus was it in the Primitiue Church for shee flowrished remained in puritie as longe as her ministers were simple and sought not their owne greatnes and particular profit but onely the glory of God For when as the Popes beganne to tende to a Superintendency and vsurped the true Domaine of the Empire vnder a shadow of a false Donation they wrested the scriptures and attributed vnto themselues that seruice which we owe vnto God Therefore your Maiestie may with good right cease vpon all their temporalties in a sound conscience to imploy them to their true proper vse First to the maintainance of the faithfull ministers of Gods word which should be distributed amonge them for their nouriture and entertainement as the case should require Secondly to the maintenance of the officers of your Iustice Thirdely to the nouriture entertainement of Colledges and to bring vp the youth of the poore to what they should bee most apt to be applyed And for the rest which is infinite it should remaine for the maintenaunce of your owne estate conducting of your owne affaires and comfort of your poore people which onely carieth the burthen and possesseth as it were nothing And in doing this an infinite number of men and especially of your nobilitie which now liue of the Crucifix will imploy themselues to your seruice and the Commonwealthes so much the more diligently as they shall see that you will recompence none but such as shall haue deserued it For there is neyther Captayne nor Lorde which will not thinke himselfe better recompensed with a benefite of 500. liuers then to see 1000. to bee giuen vnto his brother to haue them spent in Dogges and whoares And there is an infinite number of men within your Realme which occupie the fayrest estates and offices and neuer deserued ought of the common wealth By this meanes it shold be an easie matter for your Maiestie to be serued onely by your owne french nation in the warres according to the aduise and councell of the Sieur de Langey For you shall finde but too many men in whome there shalbe more fidelitie then in strangers which exercise themselues in warre with your expence and cary the money cleane out of your Realme As also the sommes which yow giue yearely for pensions to forrainers such as go to Rome euery day for Collations of benefices which lend that againe to your enemies to make warre against your selfe And in thus doing all shall remaine still in your owne Realme which thereby will grow rich opulent and inuincible When the Papistes doe see that they haue no reason at all to gainesay then doe they assay to render such as they call Lutheranes odious vnto your Maiesty and tell you if their saying were true that you should bee made a priuate person and that there neuer happened any change of Religion but the like ensued of the Gouernment A matter as false as their accusing of vs to bee Sacramentaries and that wee deny the authoritie of Magistrates vnder colour of of some furious Anabaptistes which Satan hath stirred vp in our time to obscure the light of the Gospell For the histories of the Emperours which first began to receiue the Christian religion that which is happened in our owne time declare the contrary Was there 〈◊〉 Prince more feared and obeyed then Constantine was in receiuing the Christian Religion Did he therefore abandon the Empire Nay he was rather so much the more confirmed therein and those of his posterity which were contented to be guided thereby For touching those which swarued away and followed mens traditions God hated them yea their race is no longer continued vpon the earth in so great horrour doth God hold them which abandon him be it neuer so little And in our time the late Kinges of England Princes of Germany were they at any tyme constrained in purging away of such superstitions as the malice of time had brought in to abandon their kingdomes principalities Euery one may cleerly see the contrary And how great honour obedience and fidelitie doe those people beare vnto their Princes and superiours which haue receiued the reformation of the Gospell in our time Nay I might say how that Princes before knew not what it was to bee obeyed when as the rude and grosse people woulde easily receiue the Popes dispensation to driue out their Princes and naturall Lordes Did you euer perceiue any of those whome they call Lutheranes to tende to any trouble or sedition notwithstandinge the cruell punishmentes which they haue endured I call for this to witnes Monsieur le Mareshall de Brissac if he haue founde within Piemont any people more obedient then those of the valles of Angrongne and the rest and when at any time hee laide any charge vpon them were it neuer so hard if they did not beare it without murmuring Whereas if they had not held for certaine that Kinges Princes and Magistrates are ordained of God they woulde not so willingly haue obeyed but being constrayned by force would more slackely haue behaued themselues The true and onely remedy Syr is that you cause a holy and free councell to be held wherein your selfe shall proceede and not the Pope nor any of his which ought onely to defend their causes by the
the Duke of Guise that after that hee had to his best aduauntage accorded with the Pope and the Spaniardes hee shoulde bringe awaye the Armye into Fraunce with as much speede as were possible This Prince sodenlie let the Pope to vnderstand thereof and made him priuie of the necessity which called him backe into Fraunce and how his Princes affayres went Beinge the cause which made him to beseech his holines to license him and permit him to retyre after such time notwithstanding as he had compounded to his owne profit the estate of his affaires The Pope then being alredy desirous to ende this warre from which hee knewe that on the other side to bee proceeded as hee sawe it euidently and doubted least it woulde take ende with the ruine of one of these Princes and finally with his owne together with a confusion of the Ecclesiasticall estate and infinitnes of other mischeefes purposed more then before to bee agreed with Kinge Philip which wrought that ende whereof I before made mention So as the peace beinge concluded and published with all magnificence on Sonday being the 19. of that moneth the Duke of Alua entred into Rome about one of the clocke in the after noone with great apparances of ioy aswell by the salutations of the artillarie as an infinite number of squibs and other merimentes which they are accustomed to make especially in those parts at the welcome and amiable entertainement of any great Prince The Monday following they helde Consistorie where there were chosen deputed two Legates to intreate of an vniuersall peace The one which was the Cardinall of Tiuoli towardes the most Christian Kinge of France and the other which was the Cardinall Carlo Caraffe towardes the Catholique King Philip. The Duke of Guise in the meane space departed out of Italie to take his way into Fraunce and to imbarke himselfe at Ostia in the gallies french vessels which attended him with a sorte of Lordes Captaines and two thousande harquebusiers the other parte of the Armye vnder the conducte of the Duke D' Aumalle returned through the Popes lands towardes Bologne and Ferrara and so from thence they passed all for the most parte through the Grisons and Zuizers into Fraunce where the Duke of Guise beinge arriued was sodenly sent for to addresse an armie at Compienne At which place the Kinge being anone after arriued declared all such as were then in Courte beeing present howe that the Duke of Guise was come iumpe for the preseruation of his Realme and it was proposed to treate him Viceroy of Fraunce But this title beinge thought strange it was commaunded that letters shoulde bee dispatched to make him Lieuetenante Generall ouer all the Countries within his obedience The which were dispatched by Du Thier secretarie of the Commaundementes and afterwardes receyued and verified by the Parlamente of Paris and other soueraigne Courtes of the Realme whereof notwithstanding shortely after the Kinge excused himselfe towardes his Goship so he named the Constable sendinge him worde by secreate Letters that hee was constrained to doe as hee did and that hee shoulde not bee greeued for ought in that hee still reserued his place for him for he was so farre off from hauing the frendshippe which hee boare vnto him any wayes cooled through his absence and captiuitie that contrariwise it inflamed him the more so farre as that hee most diligently aduertysed him of all his secretest affayres without communicating ought gently aduertysed him of all his secretest affayres without communicating ought to any other Whereof Kinge Philip being aduertysed knew well enough how to make his profit as you shall see else where In this same tyme there happened in like sorte straunge floudes and inundations of Riuers at Rome and likewise at Florence That at Rome fell out the same day of the peace beeing the fourteenth of September Tiber one of the most renowned Riuers of Europe which some notwithstandinge number amonge the swift snowie streames being greatly swelled as though it woulde threaten Rome with great ruines encreasinge howrely for the night followinge it began to inlarge it selfe ouer all the lowe groundes of the medowes and vineyardes rounde about The next day it being encreased and broken in throughout the towne all the channels and gutters of the streetes and houses standing full the depth thereof was found in some places of the towne of the height of a man and more in the place D'Agone A la Roconde and A la Doanâ— So farre was this meruelous and dreadfull inundation from giuing leasure to the people to reioyce at this peace as that it made them more astonished and desolate then before which caused a number to thinke that it happened as a signe and aduertisement from God eyther for matters present or to come or rather to moue vs to a conuersion and amendement of our sinnes Nowe this furie of the water endured all that day and vntill foure of the clocke at night that it began a little to ebbe and decrease so as by the next morning at breake of day it was ebbed more then a shaftemente and then by little and little decreasing euery man in the afternoone might easily goe about this busines The depth of the water as some haue saide in many places exceeded the marke which was left at the other inundation in the yeare 1530. Others were of opinion that it wanted an handbredth Whereupon they alleadged many reasons among other that the Caues which were made and coured within Rome for it is augmented in buildinges a third parte had receiued and swallowed vp a great parte of the water Some iudged that the great number of newe streetes was a cause of the depth and other affirmed howe that the earth which was raysed vp since that time caused it seeme higher then it was But they which iudged it to bee the greatest say that it fell out so for that in the towne of Horta and Narin and all other places where it passed alongest it left behinde it a great abatement and ruine of houses hauing caried away halfe the bridge of Saint Marie together with the excellent chappell which Pope Iulie the thirde caused to bee builded there it vndermined and remoued certaine great peeces of marble great quarters of stone which defended the bridge of Saint Ange. It raysed and renuersed a great parte of the bulwarkes and bastions which they had caused to bee builded a yeare since ioyning to the Castle Besides that it threwe downe halfe the Temple and most parte of the buildinges of Saint Barthlemewes monasterie seated in the Ilande of Tiber. Briefely there was not within all Rome either pallace or building alongest which this furious rage of waters had passed which carried not some marke and testimonye of the wrath and violence of this angrie Element As touching that of Florence by the breaking forth of the Riuer Arno men iudged it farre greater then that at Rome and to haue
occasioned farre more incomparable and important losses as well in ouerthrowing of houses as in the destruction and perishing of golde siluer marchandises and other sortes of moueables besides which is more to bee lamented the death and suffocation of many persons It first ruined and ouerturned for the greattest parte the Conuents and monasteries of the pore maidens of Sainte Verdiane of the Kecluses and of Saint Mary Nouelle It caried cleane away the bridges of Rubaconde and La Trinite It threw downe almost the whole borough of Oquo â—anti as farre as the Medowe and on the side of Sainte Paule as it likewise did the newe market place where they exercise the Arte and occupation of skening and twisting of silke In such sorte as all the store houses and shoppes were for the most parte ruined beinge a meruellous losse The Dukes pallace was no whit exempted but was founde spoyled in a number of places As touching the region bordering rounde about the high way to Cazensin it was so deepe and ouerflowne in such a manner as it coulde very hardely bee repayred to bee made passable and in the borough there dyed seuentie and foure persons carying the houses cleane to Pontasienco and there remayned cleane sunke Pereolle and Saynte Douin with many other buildinges all alongest the floode Arno. Moreouer to speake of the depth of the water vpon the place of Saint Croix it exceeded foure good fingers in depth the inundation which happened at Florence in the yeare one thousande fiue hundred forty and seuen which made men iudge the latter to bee very great consideringe that the former was almost vncredible It was the height of one fadome and a halfe at Saynt Croix in such sorte as the losse was so great and generall as the Duke remitted to his subiectes for a certayne tyme the most parte of his taxes and subsidies which otherwise were very great At the same time there happened in like sorte on this side an other floode at the towne of Nismes in Languedoc differinge notwithstanding from the rest in that it was not by the breaking out of any floudes or riuers but by the powring downe of the cloudes and opening of the gates of heauen as the Philosophers were wonte to terme it the which accident befell the ninth of September in the same yeare together with so feareful thunderings flashes lightnings as al the people verily immagined that that wold haue been the very last day of their life this celestiall furie lastinge vntill it was past eyght of the clocke at night besides that there fell from else where so meruelous and great an aboundaunce of water as these miserable and wretched Cittizens thought that together with their whole towne they shoulde haue beene sunke and swallowed vp And albeit that it lasted not long but about some twelue or fifteene houres yet notwithstandinge it did greatly endemnifie and hurte the towne which was in very many romes and places disformed thereby and the territoryes thereaboutes greatly wasted and empouerished for that the fieldes and places of tillage were maruelously couered with stones and other ruines such as the rage of waters driueth alongest and leaueth at such time as the force and violence thereof diminisheth and the Oliue trees wherewith this Prouince much aboundeth with great care of trimming them for the great profite which is drawne thereby through the oyle were all brused and broken and the Vines clungd together and full of sande with an infinite number of other dammages and calamities Briefely many men thought that there was not almost any thing which felt not the waight of Gods wrathfull hand in this flood Hereby then were discouered sundrie antiquities hidden and buried vnder grounde at the least since the Gottes sacked and rayzed this towne a thousande yeares agonne as well appeared howe longe before vnknowne as aunciente sepulchers and Monumentes great quantity of meddalles in copper and some of golde and siluer longe pillars of one peece equally proportioned testaments Epitaphes written in harde stone and grauen in peeces after the Romanisquo There were discouered likewise fayre and rich pauementes and floors of lowe parlers chambers and shoppes wherein were founde tables of marble Porphir Iasper wrought a la Mosaque besides there were founde many fragmentes of ancient dishes and some entire of a redde earth so passing fine and sleake that it caryed his owne vernishe the which men in aunciente time caused to bee brought from farre Countries especially from Samos in Greece enriched with stories or clownes resemblances very pleasante Many other singularities were there vnterred and brought to light with great meruaile to as many as sawe them Sundrie other places of Europe were likewise touched with the same mischiefe and calamitie as numbers of celestiall signes such as the Comet of the yeare before pillars of fire and in some places hunting of dogges crying in the ayre and some men fighting and two sunnes red and inflamed such as were seene in Almaine besides many other prodigious and monstrous workes which nature brought foorth in that time vpon the earth all which signes coulde not bee adiudged to bee any other thing then threatninges and messengers of the celestiall wrath which shoulde warne vs eyther to a voluntarie acknowledginge of our sinnes and amendemente of our liues or assure vs of a vengeance at hande and punishmente of our iniquities To returne to the siege of Han it had no sooner endured twelue hundred cannon shotte together which made a reasonable breach as well at the great Tower as the Courtyne the walles being there drye without rampiers and bastions but it was yeelded and giuen ouer into the handes of Kinge Phillip the twelft daye of the moneth of September Afterwardes hee remayned there a while to aduaunce and set forwarde the fortifications which were alreadie begunne addinge thereto as much as was supposed to haue beene forgot And whilest that the Baron of Poleuille hauing beene sente by Kinge Phillip at his departure from Sauerne aduaunced forwarde to ioyne himselfe in Champaygne with twenty Ensignes of Almaines and twelue hundred horse occupyinge himselfe in the places borderinge about hee sent to sease all the stronge places remayning in the handes of the Frenche which were any wayes able to annoye the garrison Then causing a number of horsemen furnished after the French fashion to enter in hee surprised Noyon and the companies of light horse of the Baron of Clere and one of the Scottishe vpon whome they entred at fayre day the gates being open from thence they seased vpon Chauny where they placed a stronge garrison not for to fortifie it considering the imperfection of the place and howe it was to bee commaunded two seuerall wayes but onely that thereby they might the more easilie gather the Vines the vineyardes thereaboutes being very good and of great compasse Likewise to fauour the conduct of all other kinde of victualles wherewith they mente to furnishe Han Saynte Quentins and Le
finished their propositions before that the Kinge rose the Cardinall of Sens keeper of the greate Seale kneeled downe before the Kinge bowing downe his head verie lowe Afterwardes rysing vp hee returned towardes the assistantes and saide that the Kinge had commaunded him to vse this speeche vnto all the people That to beginne to restore all thinges into a good disposition for the comforte and repose of Fraunce euerie one of the Deputies of the Townes shoulde set downe in writing all theyr griefes and put those pointes into Articles which had most neede of reformation and then deliuer them into the saide Du Mortier his handes Vppon which the Kinge with the Lordes of his Councell would particularly order euerie one as hee shoulde see needefull and in such time as they shoulde bee made priuie vnto And that the Deputies shoulde not departe out of the Towne vntill they had more amplie vnderstoode the Kinges pleasure This being saide the Kinge arose and after himselfe being retyred euerie man tooke the waie of his retreate Certaine daies after the Deputies of the Townes were sent for to the Cardinall of Sens his lodging where they found the Cardinall of Lorraine with other of the priuie Councell There the Cardinall of Lorraine deliuered vnto the Deputies of the Townes the ende and scope of his assemblie to witte that the Kinge woulde borrow three Millions of Golde and that hee woulde haue found out three thousand persons within his Realme which might lend him euerie man a thousand Crownes declaring how that the Cleargie had alreadie offred a thousand men which should lend euerie man a thousand That the Townes of Fraunce should find two thousand men and that the K. would diminish his taxes for the ease of his common people which was greatly oppressed therewith And that there should bee no more custome put vpon marchandise for the entertayning of traficque charging the saide Deputies to doe one of the two thinges euerie man to giue a parte by him selfe the Roles of such as were able to furnishe money and the other to giue in writing to Du Mortier all such Articles as seemed good vnto them for the reformation of causes At their departure the deputies consulted together and concluded it touching the charge which was giuen vnto them they were not able to giue anie roles of names for that it was vnpossible for them to bee able to know the estate of the perticular persons for such a one is oftentimes reputed to haue money which hath least And for to discharge themselues from giuing anie such Roles they went the same daie to the Cardinall of Lorraine to whome they declared that it was vnpossible to giue vp any such Roles with any certaintie by reason that they were not possibly able to knowe and vnderstande the abilitie and meanes of the inhabitants for as much as some man hath store of goods in apparance which hath no money at all And for the regard of Marchants which worke vppon their credit many a one maketh great show and traficques outwardly which is neere enough at hand to be come bankroute Afterwards they of the priuie Counsell deliberated of the matter Whereuppon considering how that the Deputies of Townes were not able to make vp anie true Rowles thorough the vncertaintie of persons habilities they concluded that they would charge and taske in euerie Towne so many men as shoulde lend money and if they were not able to lend a thousand Crownes then to lende fiue hundred augmenting the number of persons The fourth estate afterwardes gaue vp Articles for the reformation of causes according as the present time required Briefely in the ende the Ecclesiasticall estate garunted vnto the King in a pure guift a Million of Golde besides the tenthes And the fouth estate two Millions of Golde declaring further vnto him that if that woulde not suffice to maintaine the warre and compell the enemie to harken to some good peace they would expose al that remayned of their goods and persons at his seruice Hereupon the King perceiuing all his forces to be ioyned together in one ouer which and his whole Realme throughout hee had already declared the Duke of Guise his Lieutenant generall determined that the conquest of Calais the countie there abouts should be the first exploite thereof and so the aduise of those which councelled him to assaie to recouer such places as were lost was differred vntill a better season considering that they were wel enough prouided to hold out a long time that winter approached on his troupes being come from so farre off especially his men at armes being altogether wearie with their great paines taking the Sommer before And the whole Countrie cleane wasted and especially vnprouided of all victuall and fourage thorough the continuance of the warres passed Now as the gentle harte awakeneth and groweth affected according to the good or euill example of an other and chiefely in seeking to doe best when any hatred or iealousie is intermingled so this Generall being curious to make it appeare that to blot out the Constables disgrace he had no smaller meanes vnder the winges of his Prince then the D. of Sauoie supported by the K. of Spaine endeuored by his long secrete and continuall diligence to take his aduantages as happily as the Prince of Piemont had done in his former exploits of Picardie Therefore vndertaking vpon his honour the conduct and finall execution of Senarpont Gouernour of Boulonnois his olde and so often differred secret enterprises to the pursuite wherof the Constable marched had not the desastre of S. Quintins crossed the course of his good happe and perceauing how all thinges had of a long time beene made ready aduised that the better to take away anye suspition from the Spanniardes of his intente and meaning the Duke of Neuers should carrie halfe the armie into Campagne giuing out that he went to batter Luxembourge Arlon and other places which Frontered vpon his gouerment and that the other part should remaine with the D. of Guise only to hinder any entire victualling which should bee brought to such places as had beene newly conquered But the Duke of Neuers seeing that nothing presented it selfe of suddaine taking that the Spaniard had dispersed his armie in fortefying the places about Luxembourg which were euill enough prouided sent backe his troupes with all diligence to the Duke of Guise who in the meane space bending towards Amiens as it were to victuall D'ourlen and after to strengthen Ardres Bolongne found meanes to vnderstand and learne the passages forces estate and desseins of them of Calais Wher vnderstanding how that al things remained in the same state as they left them with a great promptnes he presented the choysest of his men before the fort of Nieullay on the first day of Ianuarie Where finding at their ariuall a little fort palissaded raysed vp with earth which the English men had builded at S. Agathe a smal village neere hand and at the
beginning of the cawsie which leadeth to Pont de Nieullay he caused it to be assaulted by two thousand Harquebusiers chosen men seconded with thirtie horse with so great a furie as hauing put backe an Ensigne of those which kept it comming out to the skirmish by fauour of the Cannon and of the Marish which was couered ouer with a three-score horse hee caused them all in the end to abandon it and retire themselues to the great forte of Nieullay The which at the first bound greatly astonied the English men for they expected nothing lesse then such an encounter and no waies the French forts to bee either so great or so neere at hand And contrariwise this victorie at the first augmented the others courage and put them in a great hope of attaining their principall end when as they perceiued their enemies at the first entrie not to be able to withstand them At the same instant albeit it grew alreadie verie late the generall and de Termes went to view the port of Nieuillay and presently were the approches and trenches begon into which as soone as the Artillerie was brought it was planted with all possible diligence to begin the batterie as soone as day would appeare And for that all the fruite which they hoped of this effect did require a great promptnesse to the ende the besieged might grow astonished without any leasure to looke into themselues and to put them cleane out of hope of looking for any succour at the same time this Prince caused a parte of his armie and Artillerie to march on the left hand all along the Downes to occupie them and gaine an other forte which lyeth at the pointe of the Downes called Ricebanke the which commaunded and helde all the hauen subiecte so as no vessell of the enemie coulde enter in Likewise it was verie necessarie for the obtaining of the Towne of Calais after to sease at one blow vpon the fortes which kept the two passages whereof that Nieullay kept and defended all the causies and passages by land part of them being Mareshie to the end the Flemings might be cut off from succoring them And the other which is called Ricebank being taken woulde keepe anie succours from landing which might be sent out of England this hauen of Calais which Casar called Iccius Portus being distant from the first hauen of England which is called Douer but fiue leagues off the Seas able to bee passed ouer with a leading gale in two howers Therefore the Duke of Guise hauing all the night together with the D. D'aumalle his brother the Marshall Strossy De Termes D'Estre great master of the Artillerie De Sansac De Tauannes De Dandelot and De Senarpont reuisited and well viewed the Downes approched yet neerer to the forte of Ricebanke and all at one instant the Sea being verie low ebbed hee caused the young Alegre and an other Gentleman to bee conducted by Rendan vnto a certaine place of the porte where hee knew there was a passage for to sound it As it was done and speedily dispatched it was resolued among all the Captaines to batter and assaile these two forts together at one time In which Destree trauailed so diligently and caused the Vastadours and Cannoniers to take so extreame paines as on the next morrow being the fourth of the month his Artillerie was readie planted three howers before day against these two places and as soone as day peeped beganne to turne against the Englishmen The which amased in such sorte those which were besieged within the fort of Nieullay as at the second vollie they quitted the place and in all hast retired themselues within the Towne The Duke of Guise hauing in this sorte made the first passage open caused the French incontinentlie to enter and be lodged within where he found a great deale of Artillerie poulder and munition Afterwards to stop all other succour which might by land be brought vnto the towne he caused twentie Ensignes of the French Fanterie the Almanes of the Reingraue with eight hundred Reisters and two hundred men at armes vnder the conduct of the Prince de la Roche-sur-yon to bee lodged betweene the Towne and the Marish behinde the causees Leauing besides De Termes with other companies of Cauallerie Gendarmerie and Zuizers vpon the passage from Guines to the Downes whether this Prince with the rest of the armie went to encampe An hower after the taking of the fort of Nieullay they which were within the forte of Ricebanke yeelded themselues vnto the discretion of the Generall of whome they were verie courteouslie entreated And thus this Prince remained seased and possessed in one day of two principall places which were of so great importance vnto him and most necessarie for to enioy his ful victorie with all Wherfore pursuing at hand the occasion which so fauourably with open armes presented it selfe vnto him the fourth of that moneth he caused six Cannons and three long Culuerines to bee mounted before the water Gate and to breake the flankers and defences he caused the earth to bee remooued and filled vp baskets and Gabiannades therewith as if hee had intended to addresse his principall batterie in that place hauing with sundrie volleyes of the Cannon disarmed that port broken and rent a sunder certaine towers which might hinder him from going to the breach which he determined to goe in hand withall Holding thus them which were besieged in doubt which part they were best to defend to prouide for without doubting any whit at all of the Castle which was steepe drie and without any Rampires where all at a blow he planted fifteene Cannons in batterie charging and discharging all the day long a tempest of Artillerie with so great a furie as towards the night the breach grew verie large and apparant So as at the same instant before it grew night the D. of Guise caused D' Andelot Colonel of the Fanterie to passe with two hundred Harquebusiers and Corcelets followed with a number of Gentlemen and goe ioyne and fortefie himselfe all along the Kaye and breadth of the porte which was betweene the Downes and the Towne whether for to come he must necessarily passe ouer a little water ordaining further that as soone as euer he should become master therof euery man should be made worke to digge vp a trench and trauerse with such instruments as he had caused to be giuen to all the Souldiers the which might trauerse and answere to the Doue wall of the Dich in that place which they ment afterwards to breake vp wherby all the waters of the diches might sue into the porte and they likewise might goe in couert from the port vnto the diches Besides the courage which greatly conducted the worke of the French the commoditie to haue euerie thing readie and at hand helped them verie much for they had so long before artificiously prouided all matters necessarie for this siege as especially to cause the men