the morning which day the Spanish Army made a halt in the same quarters and stayed there four dayes to make provision of victual from all parts and upon the eleventh of August drawing within four miles of Cambray discovered their design of besieging that place freeing all the rest from the suspition they had been in The Mareschal de Balagny who was in Cambray knowing himself weak in the number of his soldiers and much more hated of the inhabitants who could not indure his Dominion and besides that not having any means to pay and maintain the Soldiers solicited the Duke of Nevers by four Messengers dispatched post one after another to assist him with some men and pleasure him also with a sum of money letting him know the little confidence he had in the people and the great terror that was in thâ— Garrison by reason of the noise of the slaughter at Dourlans The Duke of Nevers having called a Council of War was doubtful a great while whether he should go into Cambray himself in person or not for on the one side the jealousie of keeping that City and the Glory of defending it spurred him on and on the other the necessity of endeavouring to recruit the Army and set it again in order disswaded him from it but all the Commanders agreeing that he ought not to engage himself since they hoped that Balagny would supply what was needful in the Command within the Town and that his presence would be most necessary to prepare relief he resolved to send his Son Charles Duke of Rhetelois with Four hundred Horse and four Companies of Firelocks which he mounted all on Horseback that they might march the faster he sent in company with his Son the Sieur de Bussy and Trumulet the first a Colonel of great experience the other Governor of Ville-Franche He gave the command of the Firelocks to the Sieur de Vaudricourt a soldier of long experience and intended that within a while after his Son Monsieur de Vic should attempt to get into the Town with an hundred Horse and Four hundred other Foot to the end that he might supply the charge of the defence in those things which the Mareschal de Balagny could not attend or had not experience in under whose obedience all those Forces were to be In the mean time the Conde de Fuentes having received Five thousand Foot sent from the confining Provinces under the Prince of Chimay and a Regiment of Walloons rais'd and payed by Louis de Barlemont Arch-Bishop of Cambray was drawn before the Town upon the fourteenth day and presently began to shut up those passes by which the relief might enter which he thought would come which diligence not at all retarding the Duke of Rhetelois he put himself upon the adventure of getting into the City and having marched all night appeared by break of day upon the Plain which largely incompasses the Town on every side His appearing by day contrary to wâ—at he had designed was caus'd not onely by an excessive Rain that fell that night but much more because being to pass a certain Water in the Village of Aune over a Wooden-bridge part of it was fallen so that he was fain to make a halt till with Planks and beams the Bridge were hastily made up again wherefore the Spaniards who had had time both to be advertised of it and to get to Horse at the Dukes arrival were drawn up into the Plain expecting him in very good order upon the straight way He made a stop when he perceived the Enemy being not well assured what he should do but the Guide that led him well versed in the Countrey shewed him that between the Enemies Horse and a lower Gate of the City there was a hollow craggy way which could not so easily be past so that turning on that side they might get under the Walls of the Town before they could be overtaken by the enemy who of necessity were to take a great compass not to disorder themselves in the hollow of that way wherefore the Duke placing himself courageously at the head of his men went out of the great Road and declining upon the left hand marched a round trot whither his guide led him hoping to get to the Gate without any obstacle of the Enemy but when he was drawn very near the Town he found a Corps de Garde of Fifty Horse who at the Alarm which sounded aloud through the whole field had set themselves in order to stop the way wherefore being necessitated to fight he shut down his Beaver and having incouraged his soldiers charg'd up with so much fury that in the first encounter he routed and beat back the Enemies Troops without the loss of any one man and having quickly wheeled about he closed up and in his first order continued to march on his way at a good rate but he was not advanced Two hundred paces further when he fell upon another body of an hundred and twenty Horse which being charged with the same fierceness were fain to retire without making any great resistance In the mean time the main body of the Spanish Horse which from the beginning had discovered him moved on with no less celerity towards him but the hinderance of the hollow way and the dirt of the field which by reason of the rain the night before was all wet and slippery retarded their march so much that when the first Troops came to charge the Duke he was already defended by the Artillery of the Town which thundering with exceeding great violence and scouring all the field hindred him from receiving any harm so that entring into the City and being received with marvellous joy by every one he found he had lost only one Page and an inconsiderable part of the Carriages which having not been able to come so fast as the rest fell into â—he hand of the Spaniards The Duke of Rhetelois his getting in necessitated the Count de Fuentes to strengthen the siege more closely that he might hinder any new relief from entring to which likewise he was perswaded by his want of money to pay and maintain the Army since though the Bishop of Cambray and the confining Provinces had obliged themselves to contribute Five hundred thousand Florines yet they denyed to pay them down before he had begun the siege and was got upon the Counterscarpe To this was added his ardent courage carried on by the felicity of former success which excited him to undertake even beyond the number and strength of his Army as it were presaging a prosperous event notwithstanding many difficulties wherefore the City being great in circuit and not having men enough he resolved with Forts and redoubts to shut up all that part which on this side the River Scheld that divides the City in the middle lies towards France judging that with the impediment of Fortifications he might supply that defect all the Soldiers in his Army not being
Walls flanked with their Bulwarks and Ravelines in some places more in some less according as it is washed more or less by the River and though in all parts it be more excellently fortified yet it is much stronger and built with greater industry on the side beyond the River towards Flanders On this side the King had given order that siege should be laid not only to hinder the commerce of Dourlans but also because he intended to fortifie the quarters of his Army in such manner and to environ the Town so closely with Trenches and Forts that the Cardinal Archduke though he came strong into the field should not have power to relieve it finding it wholly shut up on the right way But the Mareschal de Byron not having strength enough to begin the Trenches had quartered himself with the Vanguard in the Abbey of Mary Magdalen and spread himself with the rest of his Forces upon the rode to Dourlans breaking the ways with the Cavalry and hindring victual or relief from getting into the City On the other side Portocarrero though besieged much sooner than he had at first imagined having sent Serjeant dell ' Arco to Brussells as well to give notice of it as to require new supplies applied himself with his usual diligence to repair the Fortifications and to provide against all other wants and after he saw the French encamp so near he resolved while they were weak to trouble them so with sallies that they should be fain to get further off wherefore upon the thirtieth of March in the morning he gave order that the Marquiss de Montenegro should march forth to fall upon the quarter of the Vanguard which was at the Abbey of Mary Magdalen who having sent fifty Walloon Horse before to assault the first Corps de Garde kept by twenty Souldiers he himself followed so furiously with two hundred other Horse that having beaten the Corps de Garde and taken some prisoners he advanced unexpectedly to the quarter of the French and yet four hundred Horse coming forth to receive the charge they skirmished long without advantage till the Marquiss feigned to give back that he might draw the Enemy into an Ambuscado where Captain Inigo d' Ollava lay among certain bushes with two hundred Spanish Foot But the Sieur de Montigny who commanded the French having pursued them gallantly at the heels as far as the bushes made a stop out of a doubt that some ambush might be laid in so fit a place whereupon the skirmish ending both parts retired without doing any thing of moment The Marquiss sallied again the next day with three hundred Light-horse followed by an hundred Lanciers but the skirmish growing hot on all sides by their mutual Fire-arms neither would the French advance into the hollow places which are near the Walls nor durst the Spaniards draw near the Post of Mary Magdalens Abbey both the Commanders doubting they might be catched in some trap Portocarrero then took another course to free himself from being so nearly molested by the Vanguard of the French and began to batter the Abbey with many Culverines whereof he had found store in the City and continued to play upon it so obstinately that there was no staying in that Post and the Vanguard was fain to retire to a Village further back from whence though they obstructed the ways with no less facility yet they within had more means to provide themselves of Earth Bavins and other things necessary to raise new defences In this interim the Cardinal Archduke had given careful order that before the French Army grew stronger new supplies might be put into the Town wherefore Iuan de Gusman going from the Territory of Cambray with four Companies of Firelocks but all mounted and three hundred Light-horse took his way by night that he might come betimes in the morning to the Gates of the City which having prosperously done as well because the Air was cloudy and dark as because the French advertised of his coming expected him not till night yet he destroying the benefit of Fortune by an unseasonable Vanity as soon as he saw himself near the City caused his Trumpets to sound and a great Volley of Shot to be given in token of joy at which noise the French who were prepared ran so courageously to charge them that the Troops being instantly mingled pel-mel the Artillery of the Town had no longer any means to defend their own men who being constrained to yield to the greater number had retreated still fighting to the covered way and there would have been routed and defeated if Fernando Dezza who defended it with two hundred Spanish Foot giving fire without distinction at them all had not made the French retire In the mean time the Firelocks that came with the relief leaping from their Horses saved themselves almost all in the Moat and the Marquiss of Montenegro sallying with his Horse after the French were separated valiantly beat them back as far as the Abbey The relief got in with the loss of under forty men yet was it great because Kuggiero Taccone was wounded in the left Leg and Fernando Dezza slain with a Musket-shot in the head There entred together with the relief Federico Paâ—â—ioâ—te Brother to Guidobaldo who was killed at the assault of Calais an Engineer of very great fame of whom the Commanders had exceeding great need for the making of works and together with divers sorts of necessary matters there got in also a good sum of money Whilst with frequent bloody skirmishes and with minds wholly intent upon the business they fight thus under the Walls of Amiens the Mareschal de Byron watching all occasions of advantage resolves to give a sudden Scalado to Dourlans and having caused many Ladders to be prepared he gave order that the Sieur de Montigny who commanded the light-Light-horse should lead the Foot of the Reerguard upon that enterprise and he himself after having been forth in the evening and made diverâ— skirmishes under the Walls of the City to the end the Enemy might not perceive the lessening of his Camp marched with sixty Cuirassiers and his own Life-guard of Horse the same way to give courage to his men It was two hours before day when the Sieur de Flassan on the one side and the Sieur de Fouqueroles on the other both Captains of the Regiment of Piccardy seconded by two hundred Switzers clapt the Scaling-Ladders to the Walls of Dourlans which being found extreamly much too short the attempt proved vain without any other danger and the Assailants returned the next day to lie before Amiens in their old quarters But the Mareschal de Byron exceedingly vexed at this unprosperous success having received four thousand English at last after many delays sent by Queen Elizabeth to the Kings assistance in performance of the League lately made and many other Troops of Horse and Companies of Foot who made great haste from several parts being come up he
ruined and undone and yet not only the dissentions in matters of Religion but also the emulations and enmities of the great ones were still more than ever kindled and stirred up In this miserable condition no other prop upheld the State from a final subversion contrived and plotted by so many save only the wisdom and magnanimity of the Queen-Mother who by long use accustomed to resist the heaviest strokes of Fortune having presently after the Kings death taken possession of the Regency endeavoured constantly by the best means she could to stop the dangerous precipice of the present affairs But the diseases of that Kingdom were not so light nor the humours that distempered it so weak as could by gentle medicines be cured in a short time especially in the Kings absence wherefore the Queen by the experience of so many years well acquainted with the nature and quality of the sickness not presuming more upon her own strength than in reason she ought to hope thought in that present conjuncture she should do enough if she could keep the state of the Kingdom from growing worse and preserve it from falling into greater distractions suspending the present disorders till the Kings coming who afterwards with a well-grounded resolution might apply such remedies as he thought most proper and in this she imitated the ordinary custom which Physitians observe in the cure of the most desperate maladies who having in hand a body full of gross corrupt humours either in the heat of the Dog-days or the extream cold of Winter both times unfit to cleanse and purge them away endeavour by gentle lenitive medicines to allay the violence of the disease till the conveniency of the season gives them opportunity to make a perfect cure She was the rather perswaded to take that course because she knew not what the King would resolve on who though he had severely persecuted the Hugonots during the Reign of his Brother yet mens opinions and resolutions changing according to the alteration of affairs she could not be certain whether he would incline to Peace or War and therefore she thought best to reserve things in such manner that he might have power to follow that which he most approved Wherefore being resolved to dissemble and to value the substance more than the appearance of things she determined first of all to make preparations for War that she might not be taken unprovided and then in other matters with delays and prolonged hopes to lull and entertain the expectations and inclinations of the Great Ones endeavouring chiefly to keep Foreign Armies from invading any part of the Kingdome With this resolution she with all speed sent Gaspar Count of Schombergh to raise six thousand Swisses and some Troops of German Cavalry to the Duke of Montpensier who by reason of the Kings desperate sickness was come to Court she gave charge that returning presently to the Camp which was left in Poictou he should recruit both the Horse and Foot as much as he could and the same commission she gave to the Prince Daulphine who with the other Army was in the confines of Daulphine and Languedoc and nevertheless at thâ— same time having still a regard to those ends she had secretly proposed to her self though she took not away the guards which were placed upon the Duke of Alancon and the King of Navarre yet she began to use them with wonderful shews of honour and affection for alledging that it stood not with their reputation to be set at liberty without some previous testimony of their innocency and without the decree and consent of the lawful King lest the nearness of blood and relation might seem to have had greater power with her than truth and reason in all other things she shewed such an entire confidence in them that she did nothing of importance without their advice and promised besides to be a particular Instrument in effecting their hopes and pretensions by which means the Duke of Alancon being of an unconstant nature and allured by his Mothers flatteries suffered himself to be easily guided by her subtilty and the King of Navarre finding no opportunity to advance his fortune feigned to give credit to all she said Thus these two Princes either drawn though not sincerely to her party or quieted and as it were lulled asleep the Regency being confirmed in her without opposition she jointly with her Son and Son-in-law writ to the Magistrates Governours of Provinces and other Officers of the Crown not because their assent was necessary to make her Orders authentick nor because she had any great confidence in them but to shew she was both in mind and counsel united with those Princes and to take away all hopes of their protection from those who desiring new changes had set their eyes upon them with wondrous expectation These Letters besides the notice of the Kings death and his election of the Queen-Mother to be Regent contained also the confirmation of those Edicts granted by Charles lately deceased to those of the Reformed Religion as Liberty of Conscience the free permission of their Ecclesiastical Rites and finally an effectual exhortation to them all to live under the obedience of those Edicts and of the ordinary Magistrates in quietness and tranquillity on the other side exhorting those Magistrates to conserve all persons in their own just rights and to prohibite any kind of molestation to all sorts of people whatsoever which things were by Monsieur de Villeroy Secretary of State her most assured Confident laid open with many artificial flourishes and with interpretations and commissions favourable to the Hugonots to withdraw the fuel from that fire and among so many discords in part to qualifie and mitigate in the minds of such as were most credulous those so turbulent dissentions kindled in matters of Religion To these satisfactory words joining deeds no less proper and efficacious she dispatched the Abbot Giovanni Baptista Guadagni to Monsieur de la Noue to treat of a cessation of Arms in Poictou and Xaintonge where the Duke of Montpensier still increasing his Army did purposely slacken his proceedings it being the intent of the Queen Regent rather to suspend the causes than prosecute or hasten the effects With the same directions she dispatched Monsieur de St. Sulpice to the Mareshal d' Anville to the end that by giving him hopes of his Brothers liberty and of his confirmation in the Government of Languedoc he might endeavour to settle the commotions also in those parts and bring things to a truce which she was resolved to accept of though upon disadvantageous conditions The Abbot Guadagni's negotiation produced its effect for the Rochellers and other people thereabouts who by woful experience had sufficiently known the valour and severe resolutions of the new King when as his Brothers Lieutenant he made War against the Hugonots being in very great fear of him inclined easily to the Truce as it were to a forerunner and introduction of Peace for
for those respects which made him proceed warily and dissemble all things to attain to the end of his designs wherefore if he had before feigned himself sick that he might have more conveniency to ripen his determination now he was necessitated to do the same for fear of being taken and put to death by the King if he should go to the Louvre But when after the space of many days it was known that the King made no greater preparations being satisfied with having secured himself the Duke of Mayenne recovering courage resolved to leave the City and retire to his Government of Bourgongne whereupon going to the Louvre he made as if it had been necessary for him to go into the Country by reason of his want of health and asked the King leave who for all his dissimulation could not forbear to say How now Duke will you forsake your League whereat the Duke feigning not to understand him and saying That he knew not what his Majesty meant departed without further delay the King rejoycing no less to see him go and leave the Parisians without a Head and without any setled resolution then he to be out of that danger and to have escaped the Kings Forces without hazard of his life or reputation The Duke of Guise took it very ill that the Parisians had revealed their designs to his Brother as well because knowing himself to have a freer courage and a more subtil sprightly wit he desired in all things to be the man that should give the first motion and beginning and that should order the course of all enterprises as because he knew the nature and actions of the Duke of Mayenne were not altogether conformable to the aims of his intents but the Parisians excused themselves that they suspected their counsels were already discovered whereupon their fear lest the King should prevent them had caused the determination of imparting it to the Duke of Mayenne that they might execute the business without delay having also believed that the having recourse to one Brother more than to another was of no great importance since one was present and the other far off and imployed in other affairs Wherefore the Duke of Guise not to be idle in the midst of so many businesses and not to let his reputation grow stale and decay had upon slight occasions begun a War voluntarily with the Duke of Bouillon who possessing Sedan and Iamets very strong and important Towns with other less places upon the Confines of Lorain and Champagne did by them keep open the passage for the German Army which came in favour of the Hugonots to enter France wherefore the Duke of Guise who desired to shut up that way by trying to drive the Duke of Bouillon from thence having made a great complaint that the Garisons placed in those Towns which were under Sedan where great store of Hugonots were gathered together did much harm to the villages joining upon Champagne he assaulted suddenly and took Donzi a place in that territory very commodious to block up the principal City as he presently would have done if another enterprise had not diverted him The Governour of Aussone a very principal Town in the Dutchy of Bourgongne denied to yield it up to the Duke of Mayenne to whom it had been particularly assigned being encouraged by his so far distance and his having been imployed so long with the Army in Guienne and the Grand Esquier Lieutenant of that Province a man meerly depending upon the King though he made shew of desiring to force that place did yet cunningly defer to do so nor could he find the way to bring him to his due obedience Wherefore the Duke of Guise who would endure no such affronts in the Provinces held and governed by his Family and particularly in Bourgongne closely united with Champagne and standing upon the Confines of the Kingdom and jealous of his Brothers reputation and of his own laying aside the enterprise of Sedan came suddenly into Bourgongne with all the Forces of the League and without other leave from the King unexpectedly besieged Aussone which having a sufficient Garison the Defendents shewed themselves so courageous that in their first sally they defeated Colonel St. Paul's Regiment of Foot killing six Captains and three hundred Souldiers and in the following assaults which were fiercely given unto the wall bâ—at back the Assailants oftentimes with much loss but being streightned by the continual battery of three and twenty Cannon the greatest part borrowed from the Duke of Lorain and distressed with Mines Escalodoes and redoubled assaults and expecting no relief from any place because some few Foot and Horse raised in Mombelliard which State borders upon Bourgongne and in Geneva by Monsieur de Clervant were defeated by Monsieur de Rhosne Camp-Master to the Duke of Guise they capitulated in the end to yield themselves and having leave from the Duke to go to Sedan and Iamets upon the eighteenth of August they delivered up the place to the Duke of Guise who having made the Baron de Senesay Governour returned presently to the Government of Champagne and from thence went to Soissons where in a Diet of the principal Heads of the League it was resolved that the War with the Duke of Bouillon should be continued wherefore as he was resolute in his determinations and most quick in the execution having in a few days put his Army in order he attaqued Racroy a place fortified after the modern way and constantly defended by the Sieur de Monmore But in that multiplicity of assaults and variety of attempts wherein the art of the Duke of Guise was admirable and his valour no less the having no hope of relief constrained the Defendents to yield at last amongst which one called Persevalle and two other Captains corrupted with money and promises by the Duke feigned to retire to Sedan and Iamets giving him assurance they would deliver up a Gate of each of those Cities when it should be their turn to have the guard of them upon which hopes though with forces inferiour to what was requisite for the besieging a place of so great moment he quartered at Moucon a Town near Sedan and resolved under colour of streightning it to expect the performance of those promises But while the Duke of Guise does these things in Champagne the Queen-Mother the place of interview with the King of Navarre being appointed was come to Cognac attended by Ludovico Gonzaga Duke of Nevers who having left the League had put himself wholly under her protection by the Mareschal de Retz the Sieurs d' Abin and de Rambouillet by the Abbot Guadagni Secretary Pinart Monsieur de Lansac and divers other personages who for quality and wisdom were of great esteem On the other side the King of Navarre was come to Iarnac with the Viscount de Turenne the Sieur de la Force and Monguidon the Baron de Salignac and many other Lords of his party
frankness of courage and resolution it being necessary to hazard the lesser to obtain the greater and because all other hopes were weak necessity perswaded to set the sum of affairs upon the edge of the Sword nor could it seem other than faint-heartedness and cowardize not to second that prosperous beginning which fortune had favorably shewed him To all these reasons was added the opinion of the Mareschal de Byron whose counsels by reason of his wisdom and experience were by the King observed as Oracles who thought it not only difficult but in a manner altogether impossible to avoid the putting of it to a Battel and to retire without receiving some notable loss in passing the Rivers if the Duke of Mayenne should follow them in the Reer And he judged it better advice to fight resolutely with the vigour and forwardness of the Army than to be destroyed piece-meal without the least hope of any good Wherefore the King being determined to fight designed the form of the Battel and having asked the counsel of the oldest Souldiers about it all of them approved his opinion without contradiction The King knew the Enemies Army abounded with a great number of Lanciers who being spread at large along the field there was no doubt but they would break in and by consequence endanger the putting of his Cavalry in disorder composed all of Gentlemen-Voluntiers who serving upon their own expence without pay or obligation had in the revolution of the Civil Wars given over the use of Lances for their conveniency and as more ready had taken Pistols in their steads in imitation of the Reiters Wherefore desiring by industry to remedy this disadvantage which he and the most experienced Commanders were wont to deplore he divided his Cavalry into many Squadrons to render the encounter of the Lances less effectual in whose passage two or three lesser Bodies might charge them on all sides and not receive the shock of their front with a firm encounter and continued order To every Body of Horse he joined Squadrons of Foot to the end that the hail of small shot might not only favour his own men in the encounter but that falling among the Enemies and doing execution upon them it might make them weaker and their violence the less united a remedy which for the need thereof in the difference of Arms having often been consulted and approved of did that day give proof how considerable it was in effect The King having invented the Form wherein the Army was to be drawn up and imbattelled gave the design thereof into the hand of the Baron de Byron Camp-Master-General and chose Monsieur de Vicy an old Colonel of the French Infantry and a man of great valour and experience Serjeant-Major-General an Office for the high importance of it not wont to be conferred but upon such persons as by their approved knowledge and long practice in remarkable occasions had gotten the credit and reputation of Command and consequently both knew and were known of all The remainder of the night was spent in rest till the Drums and Trumpets at the first peep of light gave notice of the approaching day in the beginning whereof Mass was celebrated in all the quarters of the Catholicks and the Hugonots made their Prayers apart after which the whole Army being come forth into the field the Carriages of provision passed without tumult or confusion thorow all the files the Mareschal de Byron having care thereof whose orderly Government to the admiration of all shewed his great experience in the discipline of War The Army being refreshed and fed they began with less haste than they had done the evening before to march toward the field of Yvry appointed by the King for the place of Battel as well because it was large and spacious on all sides as by reason of many places of advantage which he preventing the Enemy had designed to make himself Master of This field takes the compass of many miles in a circular form it is bounded on the left side on which the Kings Army came by two great commodious Villages one called Fourcanville the other St. André and on the other side where the Army of the League marched a thick Wood shuts up the Plain commonly called by the Country-people Le clos de la prairie on the West-side towards which both Armies marched it ends in a deep Valley in which runs the River Eure of a reasonable breadth upon whose banks are two great Bourgs Anet towards the South and Yvry situated on the other side towards the North. The River under Anet is wont to be easily forded without danger but a large Bridge of planks upon great pieces of timber leads from the further side into Yvry The field flat and open on all sides not encumbred with hedges nor uneven with banks and ditches hath only a little natural hollowness which extends it self a little way almost in the midst of the plain right over against the above-named Village of Fourcanville The Sieur de Vicy and the Baron de Byron together with the Sieur de Surene and Captain Favas who that day executed the Office of Adjutants being all rode before into this place drew up the Army as it came and disposed it in such manner that the Village of St. André flanked it on the right side and Fourcanville on the left wherein the ill weather continuing they might quarter upon all occasions conveniently under cover and the hollow of the Plain happened to be in the Front of the Army where the Forlorn-hope which they call Les Eâ—fans perdus was to be placed The Duke of Montpensier led the Van the King commanded the Battel and the Mareschal de Byron the Reer The Cavalry of the Army was drawn into five Bodies whereof the first led by the Mareschal d' Aumont with two Regiments of Firelocks by it stood upon the left hand in the uttermost part of the field Next it was the second commanded by the Duke of Montpensier flanked on the right hand by a Squadron of Swisse Infantry and on the left by another of the Germans The third bigger than all the rest in which was the Kings Person the Prince of Conty the Count of St. Paul and the choicest number of Lords and Gentlemen was flanked by the Swisses of the Guard on the right hand and by those of Colonel Balthazar on the left The fourth led by Mareschal de Byron followed on the right hand of this and â—â—d neer it two Regiments of French Firelocks The fifth and last of German Horse â—ed by Count Theodorick of Schombergh reached down to the houses of the Village of St. Andre Two other Squadrons of Horse besides these were in the front of the Battel some fifty paces before all the rest one commanded by the Grand Prior and the Baron de Giury wherein were four hundred Light-horse and the other by the Baron de Byron in which were three hundred Cuirasses And
in the opinion of discreet men that Giovanni Mocenigo the Venetian Ambassador shewed it was a great temerity to stay for another of the Dukes attempts in that weak place so poorly manned and perswaded the Council and the other Lords that were there to retire to Chartres where besides the greatness and commodiousness of the City they might stay with more decency and also be much more secure in regard of the strength of the place and quality of the Garrison that kept it The King approved of this determination which as all things are not remembred by all men he had not thought of before and being come to Compeigne began to make ready his Army that he might advance to receive his foreign Forces But because he had not yet had intelligence of their setting forward he resolved in the mean time that he might not spend it unprofitably to lay siege to Noyon a Town upon the Confines of Champagne and Picardy which because it was much better provided of Horse than Foot molested all the wayes round about and did incommodate those places that held for him in those parts The reason that perswaded him to ease himself of it did also render it less difficult to be taken being full of Horse whereby the siege became more easie and ill-provided of Foot and those other things that were requisit for the defence of it and particularly of Ammunition Wherefore having drawn all his Army together upon the Five and twentieth of Iuly he caused the Mareschal de Biron to take up his quarter within a mile oâ— the Fauxbourgs of the Town and the same day the Sieur de Rieux perceiving the Kings intention departed from Pierrefont with Threescore Horse and as many Foot mounted behind them each having a bag of Powder at his Saddle-bow and passing secretly thorough the Woods got into the City and gave great relief to the Defendants Noyon is seated between a Mountain and a Fenn having on the South-side the Fen caused by the overflows of the River Oyse in that place and on the North the Mountain steep and not very accessible behind it thick spacious Woods distend themselves for many miles and no other way lies open save onely before thorow a little Plain that comes to the Gate of St. Eloy and to the rich Abby situate near the Fauxbourg The Town was encompassed with old Walls and great Towers from place to place but both the Towers and the Curtine were well lined with Earth The Mareschal de Biron having viewed the situation encamped before the City at a little distance from the River with a thought to assault the Fauxbourg and Abby that were in the Plain and out of the Fen and by that means to make himself a way to the Moat which of a great breadth encompasseth the Town on that side Monsieur de Ville Governor of the Town on the other side knowing the weakness of the Garison and the want of many things had not ceased some few dayes before the siege nor did yet cease after the Army appeared to sollicite relief redoubling Letters and Messages both to the Viscount de Tavannes and the Duke of Aumale Governor of the Province who no less sollicitous than he dispatched first the Sieur de Griboval with an hundred Foot and about twenty Horse and then the Sieur de Tremblecourt with his Regiment though reduced to a small number of men to try if through the Woods they could get by stealth into the Town but both of themcharged by the Garrisons of Chauny Corby and Catelet were defeated by the way so that Griboval scarce entred with sixteen of his Foot and Tremblecourt could not come no not within many miles of Noyon The loss of these necessitated the Viscount de Tavannes to put himself in hazard by attempting to get in and therefore being departed from Roye upon the first of August in the evening with Five hundred Firelocks and Three hundred Horse to convoy them under favor of the night he drew near the Guards of the Army an hour before day with great hope to pass between Guard and Guard before the Camp should have put themselves in order to oppose them but the Sieur d' Arges who by order from Biron had been out the same night with a party of Sixty Light-horse scouring the wayes chanced suddenly to meet him and not losing courage though he had so few men with him but valiantly making ready their arms and beginning the skirmish with hot vollies of shot was the cause that all the other parties which were abroad made haste to the same place Wherefore they of the League seeing themselves discovered and not knowing well in the dark by what number of enemies they were so bravely charged as the errors of the night are commonly pernicious without blood they both routed themselves without opposition and in a very great fear took flight several ways only the Viscount de Tavannes whilst with his Sword in his hand he endeavoured to stop his Soldiers being wounded in the Arm and in the thigh was at last taken prisoner by the Sieur d' Arges himself The Duke of Aumale upon whose Government the affairs of that Province did depend was much troubled at the ill fortune of his Officers and resolved to attempt the relief himself being most certain that if Foot and Ammunition were not put into the Town it must of necessity be lost within a few dayes wherefore marching from Han upon the seventh of August in the evening with Six hundred Horse and Nine hundred Foot to the end that his men might be ready and not lose courage in the dark as the others had done he determined to beat up one of the King's Quarters by break a day and whilst they sounded the Alarm there and were fighting endeavour to put in relief openly by day rather than put himself in danger of being disordered by night With this intention coming up to the Plain along the great high-way which leads directly to the gate he suddenly fell upon one of the quarters of the King's Light-horse that lay without the Trenches under cover of some scattered houses upon the same way The assault was fierce and the defence no less with which the same Sieur d' Arges a young Gentleman of high courage and his other companions sustained it But the Duke of Aumale still redoubling his fury with fresh Horse and Colonel Beranglise being come up with the Foot that followed the Light-horse though they fought valiantly would have lost their quarter and left the way free to the relief if Biron had not come in to help them with Three hundred Cuirassiers and Two hundred Reiters at whose arrival the Duke being furiously charged in the flank and even the Light-horse recovering vigour who before gave back the enemies advance was stopped until such time as new supplies coming up one after another and the Infantry of the Camp already all in Arms being fallen into their ranks
discovered some Spanish Foot who resting themselves under a Tree had set up their Pikes round about it and being about to draw near to fall upon them they on the right hand perceived two strong Troops of Horse which had been upon the Guard at the end of the high-way were already moving towards them wherefore crying out that the fruit of the Tree was not ripe they were the cause that Lavardin taking notice of the Enemy turned courageously about and at the head of his men most valiantly charged them who having in the first encounter killed his horse under him made a brisk On-set on both sides upon him but the fight was short for the King being come up with his Troop the Horse of the League retired to their main Body Then saw they the whole Army as it lay still but the Guards being diligently placed through all the Field the King found that he could not come nearer them and therefore being joyned with the rest of his men he retired that night to Berteville From thence following his design he came upon the fourth of February to Aumale a Castle seated upon a River which divides the Confines of Picardy from upper Normandy where he quartered all his men in the Suburb and the next morning being desirous himself to see the order and view the Camp of the Enemy he advanced in person with the Archers of his Guard two hundred other Light-horse and three hundred chosen Gentlemen upon the way which the Army of the League marched leaving the care of the rest that were in Aumale unto the Dukes of Nevers and Longueville But as it often hapned to that Prince that being led on by his courage and the curiosity of making discovery with his own eye in the first ranks of his Soldiers he was suddenly entangled wonderful great dangers so it fell out that day for having past a field exceeding full of Vineyards which spreads it self from Aumale beyond the River to the bottom of a Hill and being gone up the steep thereof to the top where there is a spacious Plain he fell unexpectedly among the Avant Coureurs of the League which he thought had been yet above a League from thence The encounter was so sudden because the Hill being between them had hindred each party from discovering the other that having neither time to retire nor draw up in order it was necessary to handle their Arms and fall in pell-mell without any consideration There were at the head of the French the King himself the Baron de Biron the Count de St. Paul the Sieurs de Marivaut de Chaseron de Praslin d'Aubigny de Rambures and de Champlivaut with many other valiant soldiers so that there was no doubt but the Avant-Coureurs of the League being both in number and courage much inferior must give place to their fury and valor and indeed after a short resistance they betook themselves openly to flight Then appeared the Duke of Parma's Army which being drawn into Battalia with Military order marched on its way along the same Plain The whole form of their Battel was four-square and had an open Interval in the Front through which the Squadrons in the middle might draw forth to fight and at the Angles of the Rere there were likewise two Intervals that of the Front being shut up by the flying Squadron and those in the Rere by two Bodies of Horse which were to advance first into the Battel The Flanks were defended by the wonted carriages which in admirable order went on without straggling And by the side of them were the Foot of all the several Nations drawn up in Divisions Without the Body of the Army and of the foursquare form the Light-horse and Carabines in very great numbers being divided into many Squadrons filled up the extent of the Plain on every side and in the midst of the whole Camp the Duke carried in an open Chair went himself observing what was amiss and setting all things in order But the King had hardly made a stand upon the Plain to take an hasty view of this excellent order when Georgio Basti advertised by the Avant-Coureurs coming up with the Carabines and Light-horse of the Army he found himself entangled by two great clouds of Harquebusiers on Horseback who hailing upon them on both sides forced him though very late to think of the means of retiring Almost all the Gentlemen that followed him were without their head-pieces because in such an unexpected accident they had not had time to take them and fought confusedly in disorder because haste had not suffered them to draw themselves up into a Body so that onely courage and sense of honour and the Kings presence restrained them from flight which was necessary if they would save their lives But a great number falling dead on every side since even the best of their Arms was not proof against the violence of those Bullets that flew from the extraordinary wide bore of the Carabines and the first flying Squadron of Foot already appearing which having heard the beginning of the fight came up a great pace to fall in amongst them the King commanding his men to wheel about but not to charge went on at a round trot toward the descent to meet with his Light-horse and Harquebusiers on horseback which being led by the Baron de Giury and the Sieur de Lavardin followed him not very far off The Enemy with no less readiness was at his back and on all sides the Captains of the light-Horse made haste to cut off his retreat for being known by his countenance plume and habit every one cryed out to his companions that it was the King of Navar and mutually exhorting each other to follow him they put all their utmost endeavours to get him into their hands The fury of their retreat downward making many horses stumble and fall did so much hinder their speed and order that it was necessary the King himself with evident danger should stay among the last to sustain the violence of the Enemy and be in the greatest storm of shot one of which striking at last through the cantle of his Saddle wounded him though without danger under the reins As the Kings hurt necessitated him to fly full speed to save himself so did it utterly rout his men who being come into the field below were detained by the impediment of the stakes and branches of the vines and by the abundance of the hedges so that men and horses fell at every step and were exposed to the fury of the enemies who made such a slaughter with their Carabines that besides the great number of Gentlemen which were slain the Archers of the King's Guard were almost all left dead upon the place But the light-horse who were already come up into the midst of the Plain which being but short spread it self between the Town and the place where the fight was being met by those who fled away carrying news that
being reduced to extream necessity and knowing by the effects the Cardinals intention that being intent to divert and take new places he had no hope to relieve them any other way at last yielded to the Kings power having by their constancy afforded time and conveniency to make so great and so important successes the King desirous to disengage himself that he might think of relieving Ardres granted them the conditions they demanded for it was agreed without contradiction that the Seneschal de Montelimar avouched Count of la Fere and Alvaro Osorio Governour of the Garison should march forth with all their Souldiers Foot and Horse with their Arms offensive and defensive all their Baggage Cornets and Colours flying Trumpets sounding Drums beating lighted Match and Bullet in mouth and should be convoyed safely as far as Castelet that they might take along with them one piece of Cannon which had not the Arms of France upon it and Ammunition for ten shots that the Seneschal should be acquitted of all the Payments Rents and Contributions received and that there might be no Inquest made for any past action or crime either against him or any others of the Garison nor any of them molested for the debts they had contracted that the Inhabitants taking an Oath of Allegiance should be used as good Subjects and pardoned all past offences and whosoever would go forth with the Garison might have liberty to depart With those Articles la Fere yielded it self unto the King upon the two and twentieth day and the next morning he impatient of delay moved with all his Cavalry towards Ardres leaving the Constable to follow him with all the rest of the Army intending to draw near by the way of the Woods and by all means to try his fortune but he had not marched above two miles when the news came of the Marquisses composition which seemed so much the more bitter to him by how much the more lively the hopes were he had entertained of relieving that place Being struck with a most piercing grief and no less kindled with a most just disdain seeing the course of all his designs cut off by the pusillanimity of one man he would not suffer the Marquiss to come into his presence either judging him unworthy of his sight or doubting he should not be able to contain his indignation But having caused his process to be made by the Mareschal la Chastre he was often times minded to take away his life ignominiously yet Madam Gabriele interposing effectually and begging for him the sentence published after many days delay contained nothing but that he should be deprived of all his Offices and confined perpetually to his own lands Ardres being taken on the one side and la Fere on the other the common opinion was that the Armies would meet and that the King desirous to make up his losses and being grown strong by the concourse of all the Nobility of his Kingdom was resolved not to pass by any occasion which might opportunely invite him to a Battel But the Cardinal Archduke more intent to keep what he had gotten than forward to adventure his Army to new dangers and being re-called by the urgency of the affairs of Flanders left Villeverde a Spanish Commander with a good Garison in Ardres and in three days march retired into the Territory of St. Omer and from thence having had notice that the Cavalry left behind to guard the Provinces of Flanders had had been routed by the Garisons of Bergen and Breda which freely over-ran all that Country he marched further to oppose their incursions and to turn the violence of his Arms against the States who during the War in France got daily greater footing The King stood long doubtful whether he should apply himself that year to the recovery of some of those places that were lost but finding his Infantry the principal instrument for the taking in of strong Towns much out of case by their long lying before la Fere for besides the continual watchings and toils of so many months the illness of the Air in low moorish places had bred many diseases among his men who having spent the Winter in much hardship began now to feel the effects of their sufferings Besides this he wanted the most important sinew of War for many Provinces being newly returned to his obedience and the rest that had been for him before being undone by the War the whole revenue of the Kingdom was by long troubles and infinite disorders quite out of frame insomuch that being utterly without money he was not able to maintain his Army in Picardy which Province by the last two years Wars was in great part destroyed and desolate To these two weighty difficulties was added the ill success the King had had in managing the War by his Commanders wherefore being constrained to return to Paris to receive the Pope's Legat who was come to confirm and make those things be performed which had been promised by his Intercessors in the act of the Benediction he thought he should reap but small fruit by his Army in which he could not be present in person For all these reasons after long doubtfulness in the Council he determined to dismiss the Nobility that he might have them again more fresh for future occurrences and to distribute the rest of his Forces into the Garisons of the most important places so that he might not fear the Enemies unexpected return and to go himself assoon as he had received and satisfied the Legat into some convenient City in the centre of his Kingdom where having made an Assembly of the principal Magistrates from all the several Provinces he might apply himself with diligence to set his revenues in order and regulate the domestick affairs of his Court and to make fitting provisions that upon a solid foundation he might set himself the next year to recover the places he had lost in Picardy In the mean time he hoped the League with the Queen of England and the States would be concluded so that uniting all his Forces he intended to march so strong into the field that the Enemy should not be able to forbid him the recovery of his own Having taken this resolution he left the Mareschal de Byron with Three thousand Foot and Six hundred Horse upon the Banks of the Somme to the end that coasting along the River side he might be ready upon any occasion that should happen in the Country He left Peronne Bologn Montrueil Abbeville and St. Quentin well guarded and the Count de St. Paul in Amiens though that City great and populous alledging its ancient Priviledges refused to receive a Garison being confident it should defend it self as it had formerly done in the revolutions of so many Wars In this interim Alessandro de Medici Cardinal of Florence and Legat from the Pope was come into France with mutual satisfaction as well of the King who desired wholly to gain
that passage the Commanders and Officers advanced compleatly armed and after them above an hundred Souldiers before any aid came from the City and yet the people coming up on all sides they would at last have defeated the Assailants among whom Dugnano was killed with a great wound on the head if the Bars of the Portcullis being broken and all impediments taken away the Cadet had not come in seasonably with the Walloons and Captain Bostock with the Irish by which the people who ran stragling thither without order or without Commander being beaten back and put to flight and above eighty of the Citizens killed there was no body that made resistance any longer for the Count de S. Paul who was in the Town without any Garison at the first notice of the business got out of the Forte de Beauvais and sav'd himself by flight Fernando Dezza entred presently after the first and last of all Portocarrero with the main Body keeping the Souldiers from running about to plunder as well for fear of the people a very great number in respect of them as because he doubted the Kings Forces that were not far off might strive to recover the Town in the first heat But the people too bold before the urgency of the danger and too fearful in the act dejected in so sudden an accident laid down their Arms and the Kings Cavalry advancing to the very Wall having met the Marquiss de Montnegro and seen that they could not effect any thing returned without further attempt into their own Quarters The news of this loss struck the King so deeply that despising his own health and breaking off the course of Physick he had begun he posted speedily into Picardy accompanied with none but those that were then about him being confirmed more than ever in his old conceit That where he was not himself in person businesses went on either carelesly or unfortunately and passing with great hazard in those places where the Enemy roved about victoriously he came to Corbie where the Mareschal de Byron was being resolved or rather excited by despair to begin the War again happen what would and to encounter any danger whatsoever to attempt some enterprize though without hope to effect it For he thought nothing more contrary to his success than ease and nothing more beneficial than action But this accident struck the adjacent Provinces no less than him and particularly the City of Paris between which and Amiens there not being above eight and twenty Leagues of open way not hindred by any strong place there entred a great terrour into the people fearing lest the Spaniards now victorious should advance to spoil the Country and interrupt the concourse of victual while the King had no Army wherewith he could withstand their progress and the fresh sufferings which were lately passed did by the yet bitter memory of them make dangers seem more grievous and more near than was fitting the whole people therefore was in an uproar the Country frighted the Nobility stirred up and many murmured against the King as one who accustomed only to conquer in Civil Wars yielded in all places to the discipline policy valour and diligence of Foreigners and others going yet farther spoke against his manner of life as if having given himself a prey to the love of Madam Gabriele he had retired to pass his time idly with her while the Enemy sollicitous and vigilant insulted furiously against the principal Cities of the Kingdom and that which these men said was not without probable appearance for the King having made great show of the love he bore this Lady even to the having caused the Baptism of a Daughter born of her to be celebrated with Royal pomp in the face of the Assembly at Rouen was afterwards retired in her company to the solitariness of St. Germains St. Maure and the other places of pleasure near the City in so much that those who knew not the necessity he had to take Physick attributed all to the desire of ease and to the appetite of womanish delights Nor was the King himself ignorant of the popular rumours whereupon exceedingly vexed he ceased not with words and letters to clear himself attributing the loss of Amiens to the obstinacy of the Citizens who never would receive a Garison to which he would not constrain them because that City being newly come unto his devotion he was unwilling the people should believe that he fought to violate the Priviledges of their Corporation and fail of his Promises He shewed likewise that not the pleasure of the Court but his need of Physick which would admit no delay had constrained him to enter into a course though the season were yet extreamly cold to the end that after the space of a few days he might be able with perfect strength to undergo the burthen of the War himself in person And to that which was said of his being only skilled in Civil Wars He objected the two several times he had met the Duke of Parma and what he had done the year before against the Constable of Castile's Army in which enterprizes contrary to what his Detractors said of him He had shewn as much circumspection and discipline as the custom of the French Nobility and the quality of times and occasions would allow To these words joining actions sutable though he had not above Four thousand Foot and Two thousand Horse he determined to draw near Amiens to begin the siege for he was resolved to â—et his utmost endeavours to recover that City considering that it was best to begin betimes to straighten it by what means soever he could to the end that those within might not have conveniency to provide themselves of things necessary to feed that abundance of people that dwelt continually in the Town Wherefore being departed from Corbie and past over to the far side of the River Somme he caused his men to encamp in the midst between Amiens and Dourlans to the end he might interrupt the commerce and mutual assistance of those two places and having left charge with Mareschal de Byron to advance the siege according as new supplies of men came up daily to the Camp He giving no rest unto himself went up and down to convenient places drawing Horse and Foot out of the Garisons to increase his Army the most he could and at last returned to Paris to hasten such provisions as were necessary and to raise a sum of money sufficient to go through with the siege which at that time was the utmost scope of all his thoughts The City of Amiens stands upon the River Somme which being divided into many streams runs through the midst of the Town and encompasses and washes the Wall in many places On the one sidâ— it hath the great Castle of Pequigny and Corbie on the other the Castle four Leagues and the Town seven Leagues distant from it The City is invironed with thick and well-contrived
life as he came from Court not at all suspecting any such matter Maurevell having received this order and being of a nature and inclination ready enough to put it in execution found out a little house near the Louvre which with some others thereabouts was appointed for the Dukes Family and wherein no body else lodged and having locked himself up in a lower room and covered the Iron-bars of the Window with an old Cloak he lay there with great secresie and patience watching his time to perform what he had undertaken nor had he waited above three days when the Admiral coming out of the Court in the morning on the 20 day of August to return to his own house whilst followed by his servants he walked softly on foot to read a certain paper he had opportunity to shoot him with a brace of Bullets one of which took off the fore-finger of his right hand and the other wounded him grievously near the left elbow The Admiral feeling himself shot knew the Window whence it came and shewing it to his followers the door was presently broken open and the house searched wherein they could find no body but a little Boy for Maurevell escaping out at a back-door took an horse which he had appointed to be there ready for him and was already fled out at the Port St. Antoine so that the Boy neither knowing the Name of him that had done the deed nor the way he took it was not possible to have any certainty concerning him at that time The news of this accident was brought to the King while he was playing with the Duke of Guise at Tennis in the Court of the Louvre and feigning himself exceedingly troubled at it he presently left play and departed threatning and protesting aloud that he would inflict most severe punishment upon those disturbers of his quiet who durst presume to commit so hainous a crime even at the gates of his Royal Palace He commanded all the City gates to be shut except two only for the bringing in of provisions at which very careful guards were placed and gave order that they should be kept with the greatest strictness that might be pretending left the murtherer should make escape but the truth was lest any of that party should get out and save themselves by flight The apprehension they had of the fierceness wisdom and power of the Admiral was peradventure the cause that they began with him the Council doubting that if he were alive and in health he would find some means for the safety of himself and of the rest of his Faction but the principal motive that induced them to do so was the opinion of Alberto Gondi Count of Retz who at the consultation about that business said he was really of opinion that to kill all the Hugonots together was both very easie and very just but he desired also that the execution might appear to carry some handsom colour that causing the Admiral to be killed alone every one would believe it was done only by the Lords of Lorain whereat the Hugonots according to their custom would certainly be enraged and break out into some uproar against the Guises to whose assistance the Parisians and all the Catholick party running together the Hugonots would be shut up in the net and utterly suppressed and so meer chance should effect their designs and the matter be imputed to private enmities and not to the publick determinations of the State But however it were the King who still seemed very much afflicted having dined in great haste went with the Queen-Mother and the Duke of Anjou to visit the Admiral to whose lodgings were already come the King of Navarre the Prince of Conde the Mareshal d' Anville and all the chief of the Hugonot Faction There the Admiral finding that he was brought into a very ill condition by his wound which had broken the bone and torn all his elbow as also because he knew he was in the power of his Enemies asked the King leave that he might retire to Chastillon where free from the tumults and dangers of Paris a City ill-affected to him and depending upon his Enemies he might be more safely and speedily cured but the King complaining and taking it unkindly that he should not think himself safe in his protection incouraged him and the Physicians joining in the same advice perswaded him not to take such a journey for fear the motion should cause some more dangerous accident and intreated him to take his rest quietly without suspicion To which words the Admiral replying That he doubted not of his Majesties love and favour but his fear for himself and his friends was of the insurrections of the Parisians the King seeming careful and desirous to secure him commanded that alâ— his chief dependants should be lodged near the house where he lay to the end they might be more safe and more united to defend themselves from the tumults of the people and gave order to the Duke of Anjou that drawing the Regiment of his guards into the City he should appoint a Company for the safety of the Admiral and those of his party who presently obeying the Kings Command drew in all the guards armed and to watch that house and quarter where the Hugonots were lodged together he chose Monsieur de Cossens with his Company a man who besides his fidelity to the King depended nearly on the Guises Faction The Admiral seeing he could not possibly get away recommended his affairs to the trust and protection of the King and with his accustomed Spirit all his followers raging on every side demanded justice of the insolence committed against him to which both the King and Queen having answered with great signs of reality and extream resentment for the accident that had befallen him they returned to the Louvre committing the care and custody of the City of Paris to the Duke of Anjou That night and the next day were spent in consultations on both sides for the Hugonots coming all about the Admirals Bed debated not only about the means of securing themselves from the present danger but being stirred up with anger and exasperated with the injury plotted how to renew the War without delay in which deliberations though some exhorted their Confederates to relie upon the Kings promises yet the Visdame of Chartres spake so earnestly against it that they determined whatsoever came of it to remove the Admiral out of Paris and retire together to Chastillon Teligny being confident he should get the Kings leave and the rest offering in case it were denied to carry him out of the City by force resolving afterwards unanimously to take up Arms and never to lay them down till the Catholick party were utterly destroyed and the House of Lorain quite rooted out every one speaking so fiercely in those tumultuous consultations that they neither spared the King the Queen-Mother the Duke of Anjou nor the King of Navarre himself whom already
Office and was of great authority among the people they fell a killing the Hugonots throughout all the lodgings and houses where they were dispersed and made an infinite slaughter of them without any distinction of age sex or condition All the people were up in arms under the Masters of the Parishes and candles were lighted in every window so that without confusion they might go from house to house executing the directions they had received but though those that commanded were very diligent about it yet could they not take so good order but that many of the Catholicks either through publick hatred or private spleen were slain amongst the rest as Denis Lambin and Peter Ramus men very famous for learning and divers others The Louvre was kept shut all the day following and in the mean time the King and Queen comforted the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde alledging that they were constrained to do that which the Admiral had so often endeavoured and had still a purpose to do to them but they whose errours were excused by their youth and pardoned for their nearness of alliance were reserved alive and should for the future be loved and cherished so they would but profess the Catholick Religion acknowledging and yielding obedience to the King to which words the King of Navarre serving the time and dissembling that which could not be helped being resolved to preserve himself for a better fortune answered with very great complyance That he was ready to obey the Kings will and commandment wherewith Charles being very well pleased to gratifie him saved the lives of the Count de Granmont and Monsieur Duras who as they promised served him faithfully ever after But the Prince of Conde either through the inconsiderateness of his age or a natural fierceness derived from his Ancestors in his answer made shew of opposing the Kings commands saying He desired only that no violence might be used against his Conscience whereat the King exceedingly displeased reproved him bitterly often calling him insolent mad stubborn Traitor Rebel and Son of a Rebel and threatned to take away his life if he did not within three days turn Catholick and give evident signs of his repentance so guards were placed both upon him and the King of Navarre all their chief Servants being taken from them and presently cut in pieces in whose places new ones were provided by the King according to his own mind Those Hugonots that were lodged in the Fauxburg St. Germain beyond the Seine among which were the Count de Montgomery and the Visdame of Chartres who presaging some mischief would not remove to the Admirals quarter when they heard the noise the Parisians not making haste enough to hinder their passage instantly fled but were followed by the Duke of Guise who at break of day passed the water with a great many Horse and Foot and being overtaken some without shooes some without arms some without saddles some without bridles but all equally unable to make resistance were scattered and cut off except the Count of Montgomery and the Visdame of Chartres who with about ten in company saved themselves and after many difficulties getting unknown unto the Sea side escaped over into England There were killed in the City that day and the next above 10000 whereof above 500 were Barons Knights and Gentlemen who had held the chiefest imployments in the War and were now purposely met together from all parts to honour the King of Navarve's Marriage Monsieur de Briquemaut and Arnauld Cavagnes were taken prisoners and by sentence of the Parliament were afterwards quartered as Rebels The Admirals body was pulled out of the stable and cruelly abused by the fury of the common people who detesting his very name tore his head from his shoulders cut off his hands and dragging him thorow the streets to Montfaucon the place of execution left him hanging by one of his feet upon the Gallows and a few days after all the people rejoycing at it they set fire on the same Gallows half burning it their barbarous cruelty finding no end till two Servants of the Mareshal de Momorancy stole away the relicks of his miserable carcase and buried them secretly at Chantilly Thus died Gasper de Coligny the Admiral whose name for the space of twelve years had with no less fame than terrour filled the Kingdom of France an evident example to the whole world how ruinous and sudden the end useth to be of those who not considering any thing but their own interests think by subtile cunning practices to establish a lasting greatness upon the sole foundation of humane wisdom for it is not to be doubted but that he bred up from his youth in the chief Commands of War and brought by his valour and conduct to the highest pitch of honour would have equalled if not exceeded all other Souldiers of his time and have attained to the degree of Constable and all the greatest Offices in that Kingdom if against the authority of his Prince he had not chosen to exalt himself by factions and civil dissentions since that the clear lights of his industry valour constancy and above all a marvellous ability in managing the greatest designs shined forth even in the deepest obscurity of discords and insurrections The day after the Admirals death the Duke of Anjou going from the Louvre accompanied by the Regiment of the guards went thorow all the City and Suburbs causing those houses to be broken open that made any resistance but all the Hugonots were either already dead or else being terrified had put white crosses in their hats which was the general mark of the Catholicks endeavouring by that means and by hiding themselves to save their lives but being pointed at in the streets by any one or discovered any other way they were without mercy torn in pieces by the people and cast into the River The day before this terrible execution the King dispatched posts into divers parts of the Kingdom commanding the Governours of Cities and Provinces to do the like but this Commission was performed with more or less severity according to their several inclinations for the same night at Meaux and the days ensuing at Orleans Rouen Bourges Angiers Tholouze and many other places but above all at Lyons there was a most bloody slaughter of the Hugonots without any respect of age sex or quality of persons on the other side in those places where the Governours were either dependents on the Princes or followers of the Family of Momorancy the order was but slowly and remisly executed and in Provence the Count of Tende refused openly to obey it for which cause being within a while after at the City of Avignon he was secretly made away and as it was believed by the Kings Commission Most sad and lamentable stories might be here related for this cruelty was prosecuted in so many several places with such variety of accidents against people of all
King that was as well a Catholick as legitimate and natural But that it was much more unfit for him being first Prince of the Blood to be the instrument whereby the ancient Enemies of his House should extinguish the remainder of the Royal Family That he should consider that he being old and of an age not likely to have children the House of Bourbon would be quite extinct by the suppression of his Nephews that it seemed very strange to every good man that he who all the rest of his life-time had been an Author of peace and concord how having as it were one foot in the grave should make himself the Author of War Blood Discord and Insurrection That it would be much more acceptable to God and much more commendable among men that he being united with the King to the same holy end should endeavour to withdraw his Nephews from the way of perdition and rather to reconcile them peaceably to the Church than to suppress and bury them in the total ruine and destruction of the Kingdom That he should not doubt nor suspect the reality of the Kings intentions who both openly and privately was always a Catholick and affectionate unto Religion for as concerning the Hugonots he would send him a blank to write what he would so for his own particular he would always honour and respect him as a Father being wont to say that amongst all that great multitude of the Confederates there was not one honest man but the Cardinal of Bourbon These Reasons alledged and revolved in a mind full of right intentions and uncorrupted ends were not far from effecting what they aimed at nor from bringing him to a thought of re-uniting and reconciling himself to the King by means of the Queen whom he held in the highest veneration but while he was in doubt having as a man of no great reach nor policy given some suspition of it to the Cardinal of Guise in the discourses and consultations that passed the Duke of Guise was presently recalled whose spirit did animate the whole body and move every member of that Union and though by his authority he settled the Cardinal of Bourbon's resolution yet seeing that the Swisses advanced daily and that the Duke of Mayenne had but small Forces to oppose them and considering that to make up the Pay of his German Souldiers great store of money was necessary to the furnishing whereof the Spaniards concurred not with that readiness that he imagined for being involved in the War of Flanders they could hardly supply so vast an expence and having found at last that the disuniting of the League was attempted by secret practices the members whereof were already wavering he judged that delay was his mortal Enemy as he had ever thought and therefore desiring to put a fair gloss upon his taking up of Arms to justifie his ends and to take away those scruples which had been sowed in the Cardinal of Bourbon's mind and which already were not only divulged but also had taken deep impression in many others he took a resolution to propound a very plausible offer That he desired nothing but an Edict against the Hugonots that no other Religion but the Catholick should be permitted in the Kingdom that they should be incapable of all Offices and Dignities of what kind soever and that there might be an assurance they should be persecuted with Arms renouncing all other security and conditions and offering also himself to lay down all Offices and Governments possessed by him or any of his to take away all suspition of cavillous interests This Proposition wrought two wonderful effects to his advantage one that it confirm'd the Cardinal of Bourbon whose loss would have taken away the greatest foundation of the League the other that it brought the King to a necessity of accepting the Proposition lest he should manifestly put himself on the wrong side and absolutely alienate also the remaining part of the Catholicks who were already something mistrustful of him and as concerning other securities and advantages of his Family he knew very well if the King made War with the Hugonots he must of necessity re-unite himself with the Catholicks and with the House of Guise that had all the Forces in their hands and that he must be so far from consenting that they should lay down their Offices and Governments that he should be forced to give them yet others and confer the chief Commands of the Armies upon them and in conclusion he saw that the whole perfection of his designs would necessarily follow upon the War with the Hugonots and it was so true that the War with the Hugonots and his Greatness were firmly linked together that he was always able with marvellous opportunities to advance his own Enterprizes in such manner as no other interest should appear outwardly save that of Religion So this last determination being set down in writing they presented it to the Queen the ninth day of Iune subscribed by the Cardinal of Bourbon and the Duke of Guise the Queen was not much astonished at it having long ago foreseen that the Heads of the League could not take a more expedient resolution but she dispatched away the aforesaid Myron to the King with the same Declaration giving him to understand that it was necessary for him to consent unto it in matter of Religion to avoid the present danger and to disunite the Forces of the Confederates for that in the execution there would afterwards be so many difficulties interposed that time it self would bring sufficient opposition but that by not consenting to it he should assure himself besides the universal hatred and detestation to be quickly oppressed and forced to harder conditions since that the Duke of Mayenne was already gone to hinder the entry of the Swisses and while they were retarded the Duke of Guise making haste to join with his Germans would be upon his march towards Paris with thirty thousand fighting men where nothing else was to be expected but the manifest Rebellion of the City and the general Revolt of the whole Kingdom which would constrain him to flee to those places that were possessed by the Hugonots of whose good will and Forces he could not assure himself Thus the doubt of retarding the Swisses troubled both Parties for on the one side the Queen feared the Duke of Mayenne would be able to stop them and on the other the Duke of Guise feared lest he should not be strong enough to oppose them which reciprocal fear perswaded both Parties to consent unto a Peace The King having received the Declaration and the Council of the Queen sent Secretary Villeroy presently unto her and a little while after the Duke d' Espernon to the end that the Agreement might be received and established with the best conditions that could be Wherefore the Queen being come to Nemours with the Princes of the League they concluded upon these Conditions the seventh day of Iuly That
causing the Regiments of Iarsey and Rubempre who were upon the right and left hand of the skirmish to be supplied with Ammunition commanded them to charge the Enemy and having himself drawn up the Swisses led by Colonel Galati he sent them presently to guard the City for he was no less in fear of an uproar within the City than in doubt of the assault without Above all things the King was most troubled to restrain the Gentry who stirred up by their courage and thirst of honour desired to engage themselves in the action and falling on scattered and dispersed were without doubt likely to receive some great mischief But he opposing both his own command and person to the violence of their forwardness staid and withheld them and putting them in order in small squadrons kept them near himself that he might be able to assist in more places than one if need should require In the mean time the Duke of Mayenne had planted his Culverins upon the Hill and with his furious shot had forced the defendents to quit the post of the little houses where the Sieur de Montigny who fought in the first squadrons received a Musket-shot Colonel Iarsey was slain and above Two hundred Souldiers But though the Enemy had the higher ground and that the Duke still brought up fresh Forces where there was most need yet Moncassin and Rubempre continued stoutly disputing it with an infinite thick hail of Musket-bullets whereby many fell on either side But the Duke having commanded on the Regiments of la Chataigneraye and Ponsenac made up of the old Souldiers of the late Duke of Guise his Brother and both the Kings Colonels being wounded the Foot began to retire and the Enemy putting couragiously forward at last made made themselves Masters of all the Suburb The King desiring to have it recovered lest with so little provision he should be besieged in the City which was all he had left behind him commanded Monsieur de Grillon who as Colonel of his Guards commanded the Infantry that he should make a charge to drive out the Enemy Grillon advanced valiantly with the flower of his men and two gallant Squadrons of Gentlemen advanced with him who having alighted from their horses by the Kings permission were ready to fall on with Sword and Pistol These at their arrival renewed the battel and having in their first charge recovered one of the streets of the Suburb made so fierce a conflict that they fought with various fortune and very great obstinacy till the declining of the day at which time the Dukes Artillery playing hotter than ever from the higher ground and Claude Chevalier d' Aumale being come with two fresh Squadrons to relieve his party Grillon very much wounded and his men spent with the toil of the whole day were constrained to quit the Suburb and retreated to defend the Bridge upon which the King himself was with all the Nobility that attended him The fight was fore and sharp but some small Field-pieces being planted at the entry of the Bridge they kept back the Enemy who being already Masters of the whole Suburb strove most eagerly to get possession of it But whilst they fought with doubtful event and equal courage on either side the King of Navarre having suddenly had intelligence of the business was moved with his whole Force to relieve the King and that delay might not hinder the effect of his intentions he had sent Monsieur de Chastillon before with fifteen hundred of the best Foot of his Army who arriving about Sun-set marched readâ—ly to the place of Battel They being come in fresh and desirous to make themselves remarkable in the most dangerous service repelled the violence of the Enemy in such manner that night coming upon them put an end to the business as it were with a common consent expecting the next days light The defence of the Bridge was given in charge to Monsieur de Chastillon because his men were freshest and the King with the Duke of Monbason and the Mareschal d' Aumont betook himself to guard the City having with him the Swisse Infantry and the Nobility of the Court. There were killed that day above four hundred soldiers on the King's side and many Commanders Chevalier Berton Nephew to Colonel Grillon and St. Malin the same who with his dagger gave the first wound to the Duke of Guise at Blois Of the Army of the League were slain above an hundred but onely two Commanders and few persons of quality The Chevalier d' Aumale as General of the Infantry to the League was left to make good the Suburb they had taken and the Marquess de Pienne with his Regiment drew up just over against the Sieur de Chastillon at the entry of the Bridge both sides labouring all night with infinite diligence to entrench themselves Many outrages were committed in the Suburb both to things sacred and profane nor were the Soldiers of the League more modest against Churches and Monasteries then the Hugonots would have been if they had entered it though the Duke of Mayenne by nature averse from Military insolencies did strive with all possible diligence to hinder them but the licence of a voluntary Army which is unpaid is very difficult to be restrained They lay in continual suspicion and many alarms were given all the night but upon Thursday the ninth of May the Regiments of Charboniere sent by the King of Navarre to their relief appearing about break of day and it being known that he himself was hard by advancing with the rest of his Army the Duke of Mayenne having lost all hopes of making any further progress caused his dead to be buried and leaving the Suburb which he had taken retreated in good order to his former quarters This day though they lost the Suburbs seemed very remarkable and gave exceeding great hopes to them that followed the King's party because that after so many years of ease and rest they saw in him a fearless Majesty first putting his Army in array himself though with but a little Company and utterly unarmed and then having taken his arms at the head of his Nobility in overseeing and ordering the Fight providing against all accidents and reassuming that name and authority of a General which having been practised by him with so much glory in his younger years had by reason of his hidden designs been for a time utterly laid down But on the other side the Duke of Mayenne and all those of the League making use of the outward appearance in having taken the Suburbs and beaten out the King's Infantry from their Post with Writings published in Print fit for the popular cause did by all manner of wayes magnifie and augment every circumstance of that action amplifying the number and quality of those that were slain exalting the valour of their own soldiers boasting of the death of St. Malin as a miracle of publick vengeance and prognosticating within a
the valley making it so fenny deep and dirty that there is no passing to the City along the Plain but only upon the two Hills and by another way which made by art leads along the foot of the Hill on the left hand and with many turnings and windings comes to the Gate of the Town So that only two ways lead to the City one upon the top the other at the bottom of the Hill on the left hand and the way which is upon the top of the Hill on the right hand leads straight to Pollet which Bourg is divided from the City by the interposition of the Haven and the Current of the small River Bethune The Country from one Hill to the other is all moorish and rotten by the standing of the waters and there is no passage but only by a very narrow way interrupted by many Bridges because the River divides it self into many streams Upon the Hill on the left side which is no less steep and craggy than the other stands the Castle of Arques little more than a league from the Town a place excellently fortified both by Art and Nature which commands a great Bourg of the same name that lies under it just upon the way which at the foot of the mountain leads to Diepe along the bank of the River The right-hand Hill which is much more woody than the other doth not run on equally united in one ridge as that on the left hand doth but about a league from Pollet is parted by a great Valley which extends it self as far as over against Arques and in it upon the right-hand is Martinglise a great commodious Village and on the left an Hospital of St. Lazarus which the French commonly call a Maladery The King having with his Commanders diligently surveyed every one of these places resolved to quarter with all his Army at Arques believing that if the Duke of Mayenne followed him he would not pass along the Hill on the right side which leads only to Pollet thorow the Valley and the Wood but would keep the straight way that goes to the walls of Diepe Wherefore the whole Army working speedily and likewise those few peasants which could be got together he enclosed the Castle and Bourg with a good Trench of about eight foot wide and as much in depth making Works on the inside with all the earth and distinguished it with Redoubts and Ravelines about sixty paces distant from each other and then having placed his Cannon to the best advantage he himself lodged in the Castle with all the French Foot and the Mareschal de Byron in the Bourg with the Regiments of the Swisses shutting up in that manner both the ways which lead towards the Town as well that at the top as the other at the bottom of the Hill The Horse quartered in that space which reaches from the Trenches as far as Diepe lay ready behind the Army to move where need should require there being left room enough in fitting places of the Trench to sally out conveniently fifty Horse in front a sufficient Body for any action they should undertake Many Ships were appointed at Diepe to fetch Victual for the Army from England and the Coasts of Normandy from Caen St. Lo and Carantan places which held for the King which succeeded marvellously well for some winds brought in Barks from England others those that came from Normandy supplying with interchangeable assistance the necessities of the Souldiers who in that convenient season of the year had also many miles of a most fertile Country in their power by the fruits whereof both Horse and Foot were plentifully furnished In the mean time the Duke of Mayenne having received the Marquess du Ponâ— who was come with the Army of Lorain to assist the League and likewise the Duke of Nemours who had brought up the Forces of Lyonoise Monsieur de Balagny Governour of Cambray and finally the German Horse and Foot which had been levyed by his order with the help of Spain that he might preserve his reputation and fulfil the infinite hopes he had to conquer and drive the King out of the Kingdom was moved from Paris upon the first day of September and with six thousand Swisses four thousand German Foot twelve thousand Muskettiers between French and Lorainers and with four thousand and five hundred Horse received Poissy Mante and Vernon which yielded to him and having in two days taken Gournay which would have made resistance marched on diligently towards Rouen whence finding the King departed he took along with him the Duke of Aumale and so increasing his Forces which augmented every hour continued on his Voyage with the same speed towards Diepe but he took a different way from what the King and his Commanders thought he would for leaving that by the hill on the left hand which goes to Diepe by the way of Arques and upon which he knew the Army was prepared to make opposition being excellently quartered in places of advantage he marched on by the hill on the right hand with a design to come to Pollet and making himself Master of it to block up and command the mouth of the Haven that the King being deprived of the use of Shipping and cut off from his passage to the Sea might not only want the assistance he hoped to receive from England but also be reduced to extream necessity of victual thinking he should this way very easily conquer and make an end of the War But the King to whom the Sieur de Baqueville who had the care of discovering the motion of the Enemy had brought word in time that the Duke of Mayenne had taken the way toward the hill on the right hand perceiving his aim and desiring to prevent it left the Mareschal de Byron at Arques with the Swisses besides a thousand Muskettiers and six hundred Horse not only that he might hinder the passage of the Enemy on that side as had been the first intention but also that passing cross the Valley he might advance to the foot of the right hand hill and there draw a line about the Maladerie and then make another great trench toward the bottom to shut up the Duke's passage on that side also by a double impediment to the end that he might not be able to get over to the left hand hill which if he could do he might either assault the Army in their works or else putting himself between might streighten it and separate it from the Town Care being thus taken for matters without the King with the rest of the Cavalry and the remainder of the French Muskettiers went presently thorow the City to Pollet where with continual labour day and night the Lords and Commanders taking no less pains than the common Souldiers and inhabitants of the place he environed the whole Bourg with a deep trench which ending in the form of a sput made a sharp angle in the point whereof a great Mill
least that his Army should decrease it being full of dangerous diseases resolved to try the courage of the enemies by sending a Trumpet to let the D. of Mayenne know That at last the time was come of setling the differences and putting an end to the miseries of the War and that therefore rising forth of his den where he lay rather like a Fox than a Lion he should bring his Army into the open field where the valour and courage of men might presently decide the future Victory The Duke of Mayenne sent the Trumpet to the Duke of Parma as superior who smiling answered That he knew very well what was fit for him to do for the attaining of his own ends and was noâ— come so far to take Counsel from his enemy That he saw clearly enough that his way of proceeding displeased the King but that if he were so great a Soldier as same reported him he should shew his skill in forcing him to a Battel against his will for he would never put that willingly into the arbitrement of Fortune which he had already safe in his own hands But by this time the affairs of Paris began to press for that little being consumed which they had been able to catch the City returned to its former exigency and it was necessary to open the passes to the end that Victuals might go in wherefore the Duke of Parma having in these dayes tried the King's Soldiers discovered the Country exactly and maturely deliberated what he should do gave out that he would fight in the open field and having drawn up his Army in Battalia upon the fifth of September in the morning he advanced very early towards the enemy In the Van he placed two great Squadrons of Lances and all the Light-horse of the Army and gave the Command of them to the Marquiss de Ranty giving him order that as soon as he was out of the woody place which was upon the ascent of the Hills and was come to the top where the Plain enlarged it self he should cover and take up the space of the hills as much as possibly he could by spreading his Lanciers out at length commanded by the Prince of Chimay and Georgio Basta and by making two great wings of the Light-horse and then marching toward the Enemy should begin to descend but very softly to go into the open field making many stands and staying to expect his Orders To the Duke of Mayenne he gave the charge of the Battel in which he put all the strength of the Italian and Spanish Foot together with twenty pieces of Cannon and the Rere was led by the Sieur de la Mothe with the Bourguignon Lances and the Walloon Infantry In the Flank of the Battel but separated on the right and left hand he put the Sieur de la Chastre and Colonel S t Paul with the French Horse and Foot and he himself remained free to ride every where up and down having with him Count Alessandro Sforza Nicolo Cesis and Appio Conti with onely One hundred Horse As soon as the Army of the League was seen to march resolutely toward the Enemy along the great Highway it was the general opinion of both sides that they should certainly fight that day and the King full of courage his eyes sparkling for very joy having with admirable celerity and exact diligence drawn up his Army in the same manner as it lay quartered before waited with a longing desire till the Enemy coming down into the open field should give him opportunity to fight with equal advantage The Kings Squadrons were already all in order with the Artillery placed ready to fire and the Marquiss de Ranty stretching forth his Body of Lances as far as ever he could already leaving the Hill descended but very gently toward the Plain when the Duke of Parma seeing all the Field covered with his Vanguard and that the Kings Army stood intently expecting him with a thought to fight set spurs to his horse and galloped up to the head of the Battel where having staid the Duke of Mayenne who was still marching toward the Enemy he made him turn suddenly towards Lagny which stands upon the left hand and having changed his order so that the Battel became the Van and the Rere the Battel he marched speedily to possess the Suburbs of that Town Lagny is seated upon the River Marne in such manner that the Suburbs though but of a few houses stand upon the Bank on the right side on which both the Armies were and the Town is built upon the left the passage between is by a large Bridge over the River which being the principal that brings Victual to Paris was also one of the chief Passes that was to be opened Monsieur de la Fin was in Lagny with Fifteen Colours of French Foot who contrary to his expectation seeing the whole Army of the League turned against him and not 〈◊〉 he could defend the Suburbs which stood beyond the River on that side the â—â—emy was coming having broken and thrown down the Bridge to the end they might not so easily pass over he retired with his men to defend the circuit of the Town which before they could assault it was necessary to pass the River The Duke of Parma having taken and possessed the Suburbs without resistance presently quartered the French Infantry there and about half a mile from them he encamped in the field of Pompone with the rest of the Army endeavouring with infinite diligence and with Trenches Brest-works Redoubts and Half moons to secure the Camp and to hinder and obstruct the passages of all the Countrey round about The Marquiss de Ranty after he had with the Vanguard held the Kings Army for many hours in suspence with a hope of fighting towards the evening began likewise to march toward Lagny leaving the King very doubtful what the Enemies design should be for he thought it necessary for them to pass the River if they would take that Town which he believed they could not do without great danger of losing at least their Rere-guard if nothing else and it seemed to him much more difficult to believe that the Duke of Parma would assault any place before his face but most difficult of all that he would march toward Paris on that side leaving the pass of Lagny behind him because so he should have shut himself up in the middle and depriving himself of the concourse of provisions would have besieged his own Army himself wherefore being doubtful in his mind and not knowing what to resolve on to try what the enemies intent was he sent forth the Baron de Biron the Grand Prior and Monsieur de la Noue to follow the Marquiss de Ranty and to begin as hot a skirmish as they could to take some conjecture of the designs and proceedings of the Enemy but the Carabines who were got into the woody places that were there round about having received
Spanish Army until such time as those places so necessary for the bâ—inging in of provisions were recovered The Vice-Legat dispatched the Pronotary Caraâ—â—iâ—â— to the Duke to present unto him the earnest desires and the necessity of the City of Paris and the Duke of Mayenne who was in the Army laboured with all possible efficacy to perswade him to stay But the Duke of Parma excusing himself That his Army was much diminished by sickness That the season was so contrary nothing could be done and that the Low-Countries sollicited his presence continued on his march having some hope to obtain Chasteau-Thierry by a Treaty which he held with Viscount Pinart Governor of that Town But the King who was departed from Compeigne accompanied by the Baron de Byron and the Duke of Longueville with a select number of men followed the track of the Spanish Army to hinder it from getting those places that held of his party and to watch some opportunity of doing it some mischief and having had some suspition of the Treaty he caused the Sieur de la Noue with three hundred Horses and six hundred Foot to enter into Chasteau-Thierry by which means the Duke of Parma deprived of that hope bending on the left hand took the straight way to return into Flanders The King followed and marching speedily was sometimes before him sometimes quartered besides him sometimes pressed him in the Rere and by giving frequent Alarms and bold skirmishes did both day and night molest and surround the Army The Duke of Parma proceeded with no less order and circumspection and keeping all parts of his Army under the same discipline was quick and ready to turn which way soever the enemy should press or shew himself But having marched on this manner from the thirteenth to the five and twentieth of November the King desirous to see the effect of so much diligence and of so many labours having drawn the Cavalry into five Bodies advanced upon the same way by which the Army of the League was to pass making shew that he would charge them as they marched The Carabines who were ready for all assaults received the skirmish very fiercely and coming forth of the Barricadoes of their Carriages wheeling giving fire and falling in again did no small harm to the King's Cavalry wherefore the Baron de Biron thinking to rout them and ease himself of that trouble charged up more boldly then considerately with Fourscore Cuirassiers hoping to chase them back and disorder them but the Carabines giving way according to their custom to retire behind the Squadrons of the Army the Baron advanced so far in pursuit of them and was so deeply engaged between two Squadrons of Lances of the Vanguard that his Horse being killed under him he was in manifest danger to be taken prisoner which being perceived by Count de Tillieres who was on the right hand with a body of Cuirassiers and by the Sieur d' Humieres who was on the left hand with Ninety Horse they advanced no less couragiously than he to disingage him but being charged by the whole Cavalry of the Vanguard and the other Battalions coming one after another who knowing by the ratling of the shot that the skirmish was begun had hastened their march they were fain leaving the field to retire fleeing full speed with evident hazard of being all cut off if the King himself and the Duke of Longueville with the other two Squadrons had not advanced to make the retreat wherein having disengaged Biron and with much ado set him again on horseback who at the foot of a Bank with two companions had defended himself a great while against the Enemy they were followed by them as far as a Village called Longueval where night coming on put an end to the fight and gave the King convenient opportunity to retire He quartered with all his Forces at Pont-Arsy where they stood all night in Arms nor did the enemy rest more quietly for the Kings celerity and courage kept all their Quarters in great jealousie and so much the rather because the rout of the two squadrons had been with more terror and danger than loss there being not above five men slain and only twenty wounded The next day the D. of Nevers joyned with the King with the Forces of Champagne and likewise the Sieurs de Giury and Parabiere who having taken Corbeil and put a Garrison into it were come with all diligence to find him again by which means being increased in strength he began with more boldness than before to molest the Duke's Army who intent upon his journey not stirring for any cause whatsoever out of his ranks nor out of the shelter of his Carriages marched on commodiously before But upon the nine and twentieth day the Army coming towards Guise and the King being resolved to attempt something with all his Cavalry fell upon their Rere-guard which having made a halt and put their Army in a readiness to fight the Carabines failed not with their wonted courage to begin the Skirmish but the King's Cavalry which being for that purpose divided into little squadrons and had order to charge home and not give them time to do hurt with their shot inclosed them in such manner that they all had been cut off in the place if Georgio Basti with one thousand and two hundred Lances had not disingaged them The squadron of Basti rush'd upon the small Troops of the French Cavalry so ordered to repress the Carabines but not being able to receive the shock of so many Lances the Baron of Biron was fain to â—etire half in disorder But being sustain'd by the King himself who with the rest of his Horse and a Thousand Foot of Parabiere's old Regiment mounted behind them advanced to re-enforce the Battel Basti not having order to fight retired under the shelter of his Squadrons in very good order yet could he not do it with so great circumspection but that the French remained masters of some carriages which by chance were separated from the rest But the King being come near the Rere-guard where Pietro Gaetano was making himself ready to oppose him with the Foot drawn up in order encompassed with his Carriages and the Duke of Parma who had faced about and changed the order of his march coming up with the second Battalion he resolved to retire without attempting any further by reason the Enemy was in so Soldier like order and that their Forces were so exceedingly unequal This was the last day that the King molested the Spanish Army in its march The Duke of Parma being arrived at the Frontiers took leave of the Duke of Mayenne striving with apt expressions to confirm his courage and to perswade him that within a little while he should receive powerful assistance of men and money and that he might not leave him so weak that he should be forced to make an agreement with the Enemy he commanded the Italian Tertia of
that business yet being a man of a sweet pleasing nature both very dextrous and affable in his discourse and therefore acceptable to the whole Court and even to the Pope himself coming to have audience under pretence of other businesses he at last brought in that and in the end would needs shew the Pope the Letter which the King had written to him The Pope either taken at unaware by Serafino or intending to persevere constantly in his dissimulation or being troubled to be in a manner constrained to impart his designs to other than those he had determined shewed himself highly displeased and would have broke off the discourse of that business if the Auditor talking sometimes seriously sometimes in jest had not appeased him concluding finally That one ought to lend an ear even to the Devil himself if one could believe it possible for him to be converted The Pope likewise turning the business into mirth jested a great while with Serafino who pressing him still for an answer and urging him to hear la Clielle not as the Kings Agent but as a private Gentleman from whom perchance to his satisfaction he might learn many secret particulars the Pope told him he would think upon it The same evening by the means of Sannesio he gave d' Ossat directions to go talk with the Gentleman that was come from France and to give him good hopes of his negotiation and advertising him but as from himself that he should not be dismaid for any difficulty whatsoever he should meet withal The next night Silvio Antoniani the Popes Chamberlain went to Serafino's House and taking only the Sieur de la Clielle into his Coach brought him by a private way into the Popes Chamber where he having told him that the King of France had sent him to his Holiness Feet to present those Letters to him which he had in his hand the Pope without staying till he had made an end brake forth into angry words complaining that he had been deceived and that he had thought he should have received a private Gentleman and not an Agent of a relapsed excommunicated Heretick and commanded him to depart out of his presence La Clielle not at all dismayed according to the advertisment that had been given him added many words of humility and submission and said that being able to do no more he would leave the King his Masters Letters and the Copy of his Commission which he had brought in Writing and though the Pope angerly bade him carry them away yet he left them upon the Table and having kiss'd his Foot was carried back to the place where he had been taken up The day following he had order to confer with Cardinal Toledo with whom having had very long discourses three several times still it was concluded that the Pope could not admit the Kings desires because he had formerly sent to the Apostolick See and yet had returned to the vomit of Heresie and the Cardinal having taken particular information of the Kings businesses and of the condition of the affairs of France left the matter so undecided But the night before la Clielle departed from Rome his answer was with great secrecy given him by the means of d' Ossat that the King should go forward in shewing himself truly converted and should give signs of being sincerely a Catholick for the Pope was resolved to reject the Duke of Nevers to satisfie his own Conscience and to try the Kings constancy yet with the opportunities of times he should at last obtain his intent With this conclusion la Clielle went toward France without having so much as conferred with Monsignore Serafino which had been given him in charge the Pope desiring that every one should believe him most averse from approving the Kings Conversion which the greater part of the Court of Rome thought to have passed with some dis-reputation to the Pope and that a few Prelats had licentiously arrogated that power to themselves which belonged only to the Apostolick See whereupon there wanted not those who wrote and printed divers Treatises wherein they argued that a relapsed Heretick and one declared to be excommunicate could not be admitted to a Catholick Kingdom and that the determination of the French Prelats to give him Absolution was Schismatical and to be censured by the Tribunal of the Holy Office for so they call the judgment of the Inquisition Arnaud d' Ossat wrote against these Treatises maintaining with many reasons taken out of the Sacred Canons and from the Doctors of the Holy Church and with many pious Christian Considerations that the Pope not only might but also that he absolutely ought to approve the Kings Conversion and admit him to the obedience of the Catholick Church but though in that discourse there was never any thing found that was not manifestly Catholick and though he wrote with exquisite modesty yet could he not get leave to print it and all he could do was to shew some Copies of it to discreet persons which was not only not reproved but secretly approved even by the Pope who was not displeased that mens ears should by little and little be made acquainted with this Doctrine But the Legat being wholly of another opinion and more than over-desirous of the proposed Spanish Election was busie in managing all the Engins that were proper to bring that design to perfection and therefore besides many exceeding long Letters and many distinct informations sent to the Pope and to some Cardinals he at last also dispatched Pier Francesco Montorio to give more exact advertisements and to cross the Kings Embassy but a politick device which he subtilly made use of redounded to the exceeding disadvantage of his design for Montorio falling sick at Lyons took a resolution to dispatch his instructions poste to Rome to the end they might arrive there before the Duke of Nevers in which the Legat having written that he thought it convenient by some means which should seem fit to hold the Duke of Nevers in hand and prolong the business till it could be known whether when the Truce was ended the Spaniards were like to attain to the Election and to have sufficient Forces in readiness to establish it keeping the King of Navarre also doubtful in the mean time to the end he might not apply his wonted spirit to make preparations for War This Item served the Pope afterwards for a pretence to admit the Duke of Nevers who having in this interim passed Langres was gone toward Italy through Switzerland and the Country of the Grisoâ—s but being arrived at Poschiavo a Town in the Valtoline he was met by Father Antonio Possevino a Jesuite who was sent to him by the Pope to let him know that as he rejoyced in the report of the King of Navarre's Conversion so could he not admit an Embassy in the name of a King whom he acknowledged not for such as he stil'd himself and that therefore
that being at last in such a condition that he was able to dispose of the City he resolved that he would receive the King upon the Twenty second of March in the Morning and to this end having spread a report that the Duke of Mayenne was sending Men and Ammunition from Soissons to re-inforce the City and that it was necessary to send to meet them he caused Colonel Giacopo Argenti to go forth the day before with his French Regiment in which he confided not sending them toward Beauvais by which way he said those Supplies were coming Martin l' Anglois had already dealt with and by the promise of a great sum of money drawn St. Quintin over to his party who commanded the Tertia of Walloons that was in the Town But the suspicion of it being come to the Duke of Feria he caused him to be laid hold on upon the One and twentieth day and removed that whole Tertia as likewise that other of Spaniards into the quarters near his own house which being about the Rue St. Antoine in the remotest place from that part where it was intended the King should be brought in it proved very much to the purpose that the strongest Forces were quartered at so great a distance The Neapolitan Tertia commanded by Alessandro de Monti was sent by the Governour into that part of the City which lies beyond the River saying He would keep them there in a readiness to receive a great quantity of Victual which was to be brought in on that side the next day Only the Germans were retained toward the quarters of St. Honore and St. Denis as being more easie either to be perswaded or defeated the Governour not being willing by emptying that quarter utterly to increase the suspicion that already began to spread hotly in all places The Evening being come the Governour having at his house assembled the Prevost des Marchands and those Heads and Magistrates of the People which he hoped would consent laid open to them his intention the Articles of Agreement made with the King and the necessity they were reduced to of freeing themselves by peace from those sufferings and dangers which had no other remedy and having found them all unanimously disposed to follow his advice he exhorted them to do it freely and with a good heart and to provide that the alteration of things and the introducing the King might be effected without stir or tumult to which every one there present being ready they about Nine of the Clock at night dispatched Tickets subscribed by the Prevost des Marchands to the greater part of the Masters of the several Wards whom they had changed and chosen their own way advertising them that the Peace was made and that the Accommodation being to insue the next morning they should take care there were no uproar but that every one imbracing Peace which was so necessary and so long desired should raise no tumult the safety and goods of the Citizens being certainly secure This order being given which past with infinite secresie and was willingly executed by all the Governour went to Porte Neufue about midnight and having brought the Germans thither set them in order with their Arms and in a short time caused the Earth to be taken away wherewith that Gate had been dammed up long before The like did the Prevost des Marchands at the Porte St. Denis where having left Martin l' Anglois to guard it he went to meet with the Governour at Porte Neufue The night had been exceeding rainy and with thunder and lightning very stormy and dark wherefore the King having marched with his Army from Seâ—lis to St. Denis the night before was two hours after the time appointed before he appeared and in the interim the whole City being in a commotion the noise was heard by the Spanish Ambassadors of which the Duke of Feria presently drew the Infantry that lay about him into arms and Diego d' Ivarra riding hastily on horseback to Porte Neufue asked in his wonted haughty manner What was doing there But the Count de Brissac no less haughtily answered him That he was not obliged to give him an account what was done But in courtesie he would tell him that the Men and Ammunition which were coming from the Duke of Mayenne were to be received there for that to avoid falling into the Kings hands they were come a by-way on that side and therefore he might be quiet and go take his rest Diego either believing this or knowing there could not be any opposition went also to the quarter of the Spaniards It was already Four of the Clock in the morning when Monsieur de St. Luc arrived with the first Troops of the Army at the Tuilleryes without the Gate and having given the sign by three Rockets that were fired in the Air as they had agreed the Count de Brissac advanced to see if it were he and to speak with him and being come back to the place where the Prevost des Merchands staid they presently caused the Gate to be set wide open at which Monsieur de St. Luc entred first of all marching on foot with his Pistol in his hand and placed Captain Favas with an hundred armed men in two rows to guard the same Port and he himself with the Sieur de Vic and Four hundred Souldiers of the Garison of St. Denis possessed the Rue St. Thomas then followed Monsieur d' Humieres and the Count de Belin who was already gone over to serve the King out of anger for being put out of his Government and Captain Raullet all on Foot with their Arms ready and advancing with Eight hundred men made themselves Masters of the Pont St. Michel Thirdly entred Monsieur d' O Governour of the Isle of France and destined to be Governour of Paris who with the Baron de Salignac and Four hundred Souldiers marching along the Wall went to possess the Porte St. Honore the Mareschal de Matignon who led the Switzers having at his entrance seen the German Foot in Arms cried out to them aloud to throw down their Arms which they refusing to do he having commanded those that followed him to charge their Pikes caused about twenty of them to be slain and as many cast into the River whereupon the rest throwing down their Arms were taken and brought by him to St. Thomas Church from whence he spread himself with his Switzers as far as the Croix de Tiroir in the midst of the Rue St. Honore After him entred the Sieur de Bellegarde and then the Count de St. Paul with two other Squadrons who made a stand before the Louvre spreading themselves as far as St. Germains Church After these marched the King himself on foot likewise compleatly armed at the head of Four hundred Gentlemen and inclosed between two rows of the Archers of his Guard and having found the Count de Brissac at the entry of the Bridge he
wholly to Peace But on the contrary the Duke of Aumale a man of a fierce obstinate nature was more than ever inflamed to follow the War and had determined rather to put himself and the place he held in his hands under the Dominion of the Spaniards than submit himself to the discretion and obedience of the King The Duke of Guise kept his opinion the more secret by not being present and his Secretary with excuse of giving him information of the things in Treaty and of expecting his Orders thereupon held his sentence ambiguous and unresolved But the Duke of Mayenne in whom the sum of the business consisted and who was able to turn the rest to his opinion as he was firmly resolved not to make Composition without the Popes consent so thinking â—hat might without much difficulty be obtained if it were but endeavoured was in that case uncertain what he should demand and whether it were better counsel to follow the hopes of the War or accommodate himself to the security of Peace But because he saw the Duke of Lorain and thought he found the Duke of Guise more inclined to Peace he took a middle Resolution and permitting the Duke of Lorain to manage a Treaty of Agreement in the name of them all he caused them all jointly to determine that their Forces should draw together and that Supplies from Flanders should be earnestly laboured for that they might have means to expect what end the Popes judgment would have and that by the reputation of their strength and by force they might extort more advantageous conditions of Agreement Wherefore the Duke of Lorain presently dispatched Monsieur de Bassompier into France to treat with the Count de Schombergh and Villeroy of an Agreement and at the same time gave order that two hundred Lanciers and three hundred Harquebusiers on horseback should go to Laon to join with the forces of the Duke of Mayenne who having till then by the means of Monsieur de Rosne treated with the Archduke Ernest who was newly come to Govern the Low-Countries going now to la Fere he sent the Vice-Seneschal de Montlimar and his Secretary Des Portes to him The opinions of the Spanish Ministers were no less entangled yet very different from what he believed for Count Charles of Mansfelt and Count Peter Ernest his Father a man of long experience and much reputation President Riccardotto and the major part of the Flemish Councellors were of opinion that at last giving over the vain and ruinous hopes of France and agreeing with the King in some advantageous resolution they should apply their utmost forces to their own interests in the Low-Countries where the united Provinces with the opportunity of the Armies being diverted and of the Commanders being far off had in a few years made exceeding great progresses so that the Catholick King according to the common saying lost his own State by attempting to get another's but on the contrary the Conde de Fuentes and the other Spanish Counsellors wrong informed of the affairs of France by the Duke of Feria and Diego d' Ivarra persisted still in the thoughts of getting the Infanta elected or at least to make themselves Masters of many places and get firm footing in Picardy and Bourgongne Provinces confining upon Flanders which in the end should either remain to the Crown of Spain or if the King of France got them by composition he should be necessitated to lay down money in exchange and to piece up the vast expences which the Catholick King had profusely been at for the space of so many years While the minds of the Counsellors were in this doubtfulness came the news of the loss of Paris which made the Archduke resolve upon this last Counsel of the Spaniards for now all hopes failing that the League should be longer able to subsist having lost the City of Paris its first Basis and principal Foundation and on the other side not judging that the Catholick King either could very easily obtain or for his reputation ought to demand Peace he thought it a very prudent Counsel disintangling themselves from the ingagement and impediment of the League in which it was necessary to spend without measure to maintain many who at last proved either faithless or almost fruitless to make war in King Philip's own name to imploy all their forces in one place and spend for their own interests and since to talk longer of the Infanta's election would be but ridiculous to endeavour at least with the present opportunities to get possession of the places of Picardy and Bourgongne that they might be a limit to the affairs of Flanders and serve partly to make amends for their past expences With this resolution he presently dealt with Monsieur de Rosne who agreed to serve the Catholick King for eighteen thousand Crowns of annual pension and without much difficulty compounded also with the Vice-Seneschal de Montelimar that for the recompence of thirty thousand Crowns and retaining the title of the Government for himself he should bring a Spanish Garison into la Fere the principal Fortress of all Picardy They treated at the same time with the Duke of Aumale who was inclined more than any other to follow them and with the establishment of forty thousand Crowns Pension they brought him over with the Towns he possessed and with an hundred Curassiers and two hundred Light-horse nor did they fail to work with the other Governours in both Provinces and to give warmth unto those practises the Archduke gave charge to Count Mansfelt that drawing the Army together without delay he should advance and make War resolutely upon the Confines of Picardy The Archduke wrote all this distinctly to the Court of Spain shewing that thiâ— was the most profitable and most expedient resolution but offering to consideration at the same time that it was necessary to reinforce the provisions both of men and money to maintain it that till then they had spent unprofitably to feed the instability of the French who as long as they had been able to suck their milk had made themselves fat at the expences of others and now they saw the brest dry revolted another way and returned to their own nature that their natural enmity with the Spanish Nation and their own lightness could never consent they should think of any thing either profitable or honourable for the Crown of Spain that the proposition of the Infanta though born of a Daughter of France and gotten by that King who had emptied his Kingdoms to succour their necessities seemed to them as strange and monstrous as if the Dominion of a Scythian or an Indian had been propounded that when to mitigate it they propounded that she should marry a French-man to shew clearly there was no design of subjecting them to the Spanish Empire the discords and ambition that reigned amongst them had not suffered them to consent but they had rather thoughts
waters which coming from the Fenny grounds is straightned all into one Channel and crossing through the Town empties it self impetuously into the Sea On the other side of the Haven and in the point of the Dunes which cover it on the North-side there stands a great and exceeding strong Tower called the Risbane which shutting up the mouth of the Haven is well stored with pieces of Cannon and with great ease hinders any kind of Ships from entering into it But on the side of the firm land which in respect of the moorish grounds that largely environ it is very narrow about a league from the City there stands a Bridge over a Water that runs into the Sea which being fortified with Towers doth totally shut up the passage which leads to the Town along a very narrow bank this is called the Fauxbourg de Nieulet Monsieur du Rosne knew that all the hope of obtaining this Fortress was placed in speedily possessing the Bridge of Nieulet and the Risbane for if he took not Nieulet it would be very hard to pass the water and come under the Town and if he possessed not himself of the Risbane so that he might be Master of the mouth of the Haven there would come such supplies into the Town by Sea that there would no longer be any building upon the small number of the Defendants wherefore marching to St. Omer with admirable celerity in regard of the Artillery he had along with him he came upon the ninth of April in the morning by break of day within sight of Nieulet and without giving the Defendants who were not above forty time either to take courage or to receive assistance he made it be assaulted on the one side by the Spanish and on the other by the Walloon Foot still playing with the four small pieces not because they did any great harm but to increase the terror of the Defendants who being so few ill provided taken at unawares and which imported most without any Commander who by his Authority might keep them faithful they basely quitted the defence and retired flying to the Town Nieulet being taken du Rosne left four Companies of Walloons to guard that Post and not losing a minutes time advanced the same instant to assault the Risbane and having planted his Artillery in exceeding great haste began furiously to batter about noon besides which having drawn three of the smaller pieces to the brink of the Haven with them and with the Walloon Muskettiers he hindred more defendants from entring into it so that they of the Suburb that stands on the far side of the Haven having often attempted to get in were alwayes constrained to retire There were but sixty men in the Risbane and those also without any considerable head insomuch that though the place was strong and might have been defended many dayes yet they as soon as they saw the assault was preparing against them utterly losing courage quitted it and being faln upon and routed in the flight scarce thirty of them with the help of some small Boats got safe into the Suburb du Rosne not failing to prosecute so happy a beginning entred into the Risbane set the Artillery again in order and lodged many Foot in it to the end that relief by Sea might more assuredly be hindred and there was very great need of it for the next morning many Ships of the Holland Fleet that was above Boulogne appeared and laboured with all possible industry to get into the Haven but being driven back and bored through by the Artillery of the Risbane they were at last made to tack about and one Ship loaden with Wine being sunk by many Cannon shot in the mouth of the Port the passage was so much the more stopped up against whosoever should try to enter and yet two little Barks of the Hollanders with two Captains and eighty men got in fortunately and landing in the Suburb staid there for the defence of it In the mean time the Cardinal of Austria having had notice of the prosperous progress of his Forces turning all his Army that way marched thither with the same celerity upon Maundy-Thursday being the eleventh of April in the evening and having designed the quarters of the Camp between Casal de Mer the Bridge of Nieulet and the way that leads to Gravelin he encamped in the Church of St. Pierre half a League from the Walls The Town being besieged and their quarters in respect of the situation which was all Moorish grounds and full of Ditches easily fortified du Rosne well informed of the defect of the Wall on that side that stands towards the Suburb resolved to plant a battery in the utmost part of the Haven for though the impediment of passing it seemed in appearance exceeding great yet he had observed that at the ebbing of the Sea the water fell in such manner that the utmost part of the Haven remained dry and the bottom was so firm and gravelly that it afforded very convenient means of marching on to the assault but that he might not leave the besieged without trouble on the other side and to divide their weakness he purposed to make another battery over against the way to Gravelin though the Wall on that side was extreamly well lined with Earth and defended by the Flanks of the two Royal Bastions Both the Batteries were perfected upon the fourteenth day of the month being Easter day and upon Munday in the morning as soon as it was light they began to thunder furiously on both sides nor did the Defendants disheartned by the smallness of the number make any attempt to hinder the enemy and only the first day while the Risbane was battered they sallied to bring in the Goods and Victuals nor from that day forward durst they attempt any other business In this state of Affairs the King having had intelligence of the moving of the Spanish Camp and not being able to discern which way it would bend at last lest the Constable to Command the Army before la Fere and marched with 600 Horse and the Regiment of his Guard to Abbeville and from thence sent forth the Sieur de Monluc with 2000 Foot to Montrueil doubting as some reported that the Spanish Army would fall upon that Town but having upon the 13th day had notice that the Camp was suddenly gone before Calais he sent the same Monluc the Count de St. Paul Governor of the Province and the Marquiss de Belin with great diligence to imbark at St. Vallery and try to get into the Town and though they boldly executed the orders they had received yet being driven back by contrary winds which blew impetuously all those dayes they were constrained to return to the same place without fruit wherefore the King become impatient at the near danger of his Subjects would needs go personally into that Port and the cross weather still continuing he went to Boulogne the next day hoping as the Seamen