Marquis Spinola was perplexed He had many important difficulties before his eyes The time of yeare farre spent the Country cold the Climat unhealthfull the long drought which had bin threatned great store of raine small provision of food none of Fother the ground bare to make hutts for his Army stony to intrench it no stuffe to make any shelter no Pioners nor Gunners nor Founders few instruments to worke with miners fewer the former unfitted the latter inexpert The place fortified without and lined within Ordnance Ammunition and Men more then abundant The enemy encamped about it to hinder it from being besieged and it ready to receive him if he were assalted Forced to fight before he could besiege and expose himselfe to a dangerous battaile for to begin an incertaine enterprize a losse would put him in great danger and one Victory not sufficient to make a conquest The water the sword and want would undoe the Army The Souldiers would forsake their Colours being wounded sick and wearied They must be relieved with men out of Cantabria the Shippes and the Gallies with old and new Levies To forsake their enterprises would make the reliefe of Italie impossible weaken the defence of other Provinces and growing obstinate about a small Castle would make all provisions for the future field difficult And if the enemy should refuse to fight and goe back with his Army entire rest it encrease it and having an eye upon ours when he saw it diminished and wearied should set upon it powerfull and fresh it would be a shame to retreate dangerous to meet him and more to stay for him The ordinary manner of intrenching would be hard the extraordioary impossible The quarters of necessitie must bee so distant that they should not in an instant relieve one another every very thing would be weak and disunited so that the enemy might in a darke night give alarme in divers places set upon one quarter strongly and take it so we might lose them all without fighting but onely with the hands of a few and peradventure the weakest If we should goe to meet him wee must either forsake and slight our trenches and the labour of many dayes would be lost which the time of yeare considered would not bee made good againe in many weekes Or wee must leave men to guard them and that would weaken the Army tying it to fight with notable disadvantage The Marquis desired nothing more then to give battell and nothing assured him of victory more then to give it quickly In this perplexity was Spinola when by the advice of the Count of Saenta Columba and other head Officers it was resolved to send all the Horse and foure thousand Foote to view the place and the enemy These forces were commanded by the Maquis of Torrecusa Field-Marshall Generall and with him the Marquis of Arena Being arrived they found the French quartered behind the Fort Torrecusa determined to try them with horse and foot he caused John de Arza the field Marshall to advance with a flying squadron he gave the charge of the foot skirmish to the Marquis of Mortara It began with such valour of our Horse and Foot that gaining ground they presently forced the enemy terrified and lost to forsake their stand and retire under command of Musquet shot of Salsas with great-losse of men and greater of reputation leaving their quarters and tents in the hands of the conquering Spaniards The reliefe of the Ordnance and Musquet shot from the Castle would not have saved them if night and a confused retreat and orderly flight with much silence had not conveyed them further off This fight had engaged the Kings Generalls to advance with the whole Army and though they arrived before day thinking to fight with the enemy at the dawning yet they found him already retreated They determined to seiz upon a Fort royall and Redout which was upon the hill wherein they had prosperous successe Death stayed the course of many yet abated no mans courage where it hit not it terrified not stirring up wrath in the rest in stead of compassion as it ordinarily doth where valour is above feare They put the enemy to flight they entered the Fort and Redout and having got these with the same valour they gained the rest of the out-workes Then the whole Army charged the place with more courage then discipline For the officers endeavoured to have them stay and shelter themselves there But the souldiers in that rage refusing it could not be stayd by fear nor wounds For though their Flankes were discovered and lay open to bullets fire and stones many drunke with valour runne to the very Gate to hang on a Petard and others into the Dike to assault the Wall not discerning possibility from impossibility esteeming every thing easie for the couragious and nothing shut up from a valiant man In this fight all the Field Marshalls and particular men behaved themselves valiantly especially the Count Duke his Regiment which being all of old souldiers and reformadoes Commanded by the Marquis of Mortara and Don John di Arza made it selfe to bee knowne for the chiefe squadron of the Army In the enemies flight or retreat the French his Letters happened in the Spaniards hands There were some of the Cardinall of Richlieues which spake somewhat modestly Some from a Secretary of State which were more arrogant viz. that they expected in Paris to heare that the King of France his Army was penetrated into the very bowells of Spaine made the Provinces desolate and taken the Royall Pallace of Madrid The Duke of Luin his conceits gave more scandall then any thing else For he being esteemed a valiant and wise Captaine it was strange to heare that when our men had set upon his Cavallerie which was divers times and had alwayes made it retire or runne away hee should write That our men having presumed to set upon a few of their Horse with many men some eight or ten of their Gentlemen comming in had caused ours to run away as if he would make Ariosto be believed and turne him from a Poet to a Chronicler making that a history which was once but a fable Nothing manifested the deceipt more plainly then his last Letter when hee lay with all his men under the shelter of the Fortifications of Salsas he certainly promised that the King of Spaine his Army would not dare to looke them in the face nor come within Canon short of them And yet within few houres he saw a parcell of it set upon him in his quarters drive him out rout him and put him to flight Whilest they writ with so much contempt of the Spaniards valour the Letters of his Majesties Officers in the Army spake very honourably of the French made their forces great and though truth had shewed them to be faint-hearted gave an honourable report of them This which seemes in one part to bee folly in the other weaknesse if it be not art which
and the Contract was voided by the not having received it within the time limited though it were made and not required and much more it not being made Shee staying as it was said for order from the most Christian King and they having as it was knowne demanded it That this clause not accomplished excluded her highnesse out of the Treaty and the King of France being included therein it severed him from his Sisters interests Shewing that his Majesties Officers also had therein committed a default by not withdrawing their Forces out of such places where they were employed in her Highnesse service because the Truce concluded in Italy with the King of Spaine did not admit of the securing any of his enemies places whence might be perceived how much they had gone beyond that which was agreed upon by entering into Susa Avigliano and Canor as if it were the same thing to exchange a Garrison and to take possession of a new one to leave the state of things as it was and to better it by the gaining of three places An act so farre from what was agreed upon that though the Dutchesse had ratified the contract and made of two parties one it could not choose but be a manifest breach He marvelled not that his Eminency had spoken nothing of Canor for having neither reason likelihood nor shew to defend the seizing upon it he would take no notice of the doing it seeing the Governour thereof had immediatly before the Truce by a Letter subscribed with his Captaines hands made an acknowledgement of it to be the Princes Cardinall and Thomas That which his Eminencie insisted upon of the like done by us by bringing in Garrisons where those of Piemont were was not as yet done And if it had it would have been a thing very different The King his Master with the Princes being but one party whereas the King of France and the Dutchesse were two That it was true Nizza had changed Lord but many dayes before the Truce But the French had bettered themselves in their Workes under the Castle of Villa Franca against and since the capitulation That the Decree published in Turin was no act of hostilitie of policie it was granted and that if it were of hostilitie it might bee done against the Dutchesse already excluded from the suspension of Armes That his Eminencie might know that the Spanish officers had observed the Truce as if it had been ratified And that the most Christian Kings Officers had broken it though it had been ratified And howsoever that the want of the ratification did debarre the most sophisticall understandings from questioning the defects of the one part and the subtilties of the other His Eminencie must excuse him if hee did not satisfie his request and that hee could not remedie the inconveniencies or understand them otherwise but that he must hinder the exchange of the sixe hundred Souldiers from Casal Nor would he doe it if the Dutchesse would ratifie and the King of France desert those places which his Officers had taken not binding them with so much rigour but that they might yet have so many dayes after the truce to amend what was past The Marquis concluded his Letter which was full of the Cardinalls praises with proffers and thankes I have herein trusting to the Readers capacitie not so farre enlarged the reasons nor unfolded them with so much spirit as the Marquis did write them Yet I have not added any thing of mine owne nor taken away any thing of the substance In the meane time the Fort of Salsaâ— in Spaine was set upon in foure places In the most dangerous place wrought the Count Dukes Regiment commanded by the Marquis of Mortara and Iohn d'Arza there th' enemy made out trenches sallied sprung Mines leaving nothing unattempted to hinder the designe but all in vaine When he sallied he was driven in sometimes by the one Commander sometimes by the one Commander sometimes by another still with excellent valour and by both of them first beaten into the out Dikes and afterwards from thence dislodged giving our men thereby leave to advance which they valiantly did The Governour with great care and watchfullnesse giving every one way to obtaine reputation The enemy was closely besieged without any more hopes of sallying out the Count Dukes Regiment being gotten within the Dike close to the wall to undermine it The great fall of raine hindered the worke for a time then the report of the enemies comming on to relieve it caused it to be intermitted and at last was quite given over through a deceitfull report or relation of deceived men For some being runne out of the Fort or at least dissembling as though they had forsaken it said there was not provision within to maintaine it for a weeke and that the Souldiers died for hunger They shewed some of the Bisket mouldy and stinking and added so many circumstances that the Captaines tooke the newes for certaine And to avoid the shedding of blood about a place of no great importance and because of the incommodities of rainie and cold weather the intemperatnesse of the aire which cause diseases in men and the necessity of fortifying our selves against the approching reliefe they determined to lie still till famine caused it to yeeld seeing by force it was not to bee wonne in lesse time The terme of many dayes being spent and no yeelding spoken of it was attributed to the Governours obstinacie never perceiving the deceit And one weeke passing away after another the enemy within and without still maintaining the report of the famine it was alwaies judged ill done that they had not set upon it by force and it was now thought it could never be taken Every day some precedent error was blamed and some new one committed losing time through th' opinion of having lost it I doe not affirme there was any error committed but if there were it may bee called a most fortunate one it stayd not the Conquest so long as it increased the glory of it taking away from the enemy all manner of excuse for covering his defects even of time Leaving men enow to besiege the place close they began to cast up our workes and though they were large they brought them to that perfection that there might be some hope of defending them All this worke which caused the effect of the enterprise must be attributed to the Count Duke who whilest the Generalls writ sometimes of impossibilities sometimes of difficulties with effectuall Letters shewing them it was not impossible relieving them with men engaged them to goe on with the work and made it so easie that in the end of the Siege it was almost inpregnable In Flanders the King of France his Army being divided in two parts one under the command of the Marshall of Chatiglion the other of Migliare the Cardinall Infanta opposed the first with Piccolomini and the other with the Marquis of Fuentes Few passages happened on either
are past be added an emulation of some that are present finding greater in their owne and other families by reading and practise experience And if equalling the first consists in overcomming the last What provocations will these bee to fight with them Surely very sharpe ones And what shall be the ends of fighting with them certainly peace and quietnesse not of the world but their owne for not being able to attaine unto those ends but by overcomming the world they set that at variance and conquer it not but disquiet and ruine it Happy is the King of Spaine and by his meanes the Christian world who hath no emulators who being greater then he doe disquiet him and hath no memories of any Ancestors but such as tie him rather to keep what he hath then to gaine more His quiet is not moved but he appeaseth motions he shuns war and loves peace never takes up Armes but to cause them to be laid down The Cardinall Infanta gave order to Piccolomini to goe set upon Fucchieres and bid him battell The Marquesse of Fuenes to oppose Migliare his proceedings who after the burning of certaine Castles and Townes had laid siege to Edino And the Count of Fera was to watch the Hollander who was drawing neere to the Island of Bommell Things seemed here to be well ordered but a sudden accident had like to have disturbed them Banier had routed six thousand of th' Imperiall Foot the Emperour desired so many men of Piccolomini to supply that want It was judged in Flandars that to send those men would but little helpe the Empire and occasion the totall ruine of that Province That the French was to be more looked after then the Swede That Banier would not effect that which the King of Sweden could not doe the King of France might doe it Nothing is more easie then to know his intent and there is no Prince or Common-wealth in Germanie but if he knew it would take up armes to hinder it All of them might hinder it if they would determine so and they would all know it if they would reflect upon it The first thing the King of France desires is to make himselfe Emperour and it will bee the last hee will attaine to His Ancestors began with the taking of Metz Tul and Verdun he hath followed these with the taking in of Alsacia and Lorraine Being Lord of Teonville hee will now take Luxemburge Burgundie will totally fall the Palatinate will not bee able to defend it selfe hee will become Master of the Land of Trever and all the old Austrasia hee will subdue th'Ecclesiafticall Electors the Kings of Spaine will lose Flanders Caesar the Empire and the Common-wealths of Germanie their Liberties and the Princes their States The Father of this Emperour found himselfe in th' extreamest streights having nothing left him but Vienna and that besieged whilest he was not as yet Emperour The King of Spaine relieved him with reputation Armies and Treasures which he could not have done had he not been Lord of Flanders Hee became victorious subdued his enemies recovered his Dominions made himselfe Emperor his Son King of the Romans It is a great Error for a little evill not to shut the doore against greater ones which will suddenly happen and then bee remedilesse and a great losse of reputation for a small losse to forsake the interests of Germanie Italy Westphalia and Flanders The emperour and the King of Spaine their Dominions are separate to enjoy every one his owne in time of peace but they are not divided upon occasion of defence in time of Warre Where dangers are common it is not good to make the interests particular A man ought not to take more care of his owne state then of anothers if his greatest interest lieth in the others If the case require it th' Infanta would goe in person to defend him And would leave as hath beene done at other times the King his Masters Dominions to assist him but th' occasion doth not now require it If Piccolomini his Forces should goe away which in a manner bridle the bounds of Westphalia and the Rhine the Princes who are friends and if they faulter not doe at least feare losing courage would accept the enemies proffers which they would not doe let the pretences bee never so specious if they were not put to despaire It would be fourtie dayes before these Forces could come to the place where there was need of them in the meane time there might either bee no need of them or greater would bee required which might then bee sent him seven thousand Foot being daily looked for out of Spaine there being new levies in the Countrie and daily hopes of routing the enemy The Forces might be defeated by the way and the French might set upon Piccolominie being weakened and overcome him or with a few Horse set upon this reliefe and rout it so that it would arrive too late and defeated or being overthrowne would not come thither at all These reasons shewne by the Cardinall to Piccolomini perswaded him to stay till further order and being likewise represented to the Emperour he was contented to desist and presse it no further The King of France his Fleet consisting of forty great men of warre and more terrible by reason of thirty fire shipps which sailed along with it set saile being commanded by th'Archbishop of Bourdeaux who thus encompassed with fire and Sword as Tasso describes Lucifer withstanding heaven carried Vulcan in Neptunes lappe to fire rather then fight Hee came within sight of the Groine There commanded on the shore the Marquesse of Valpraiso who endowed with Spanish valour had also some French fantasticalnesse in him The shipping was under the command of Don Loze di Ozes a valiant Souldier and most expert Mariner most happy in all his enterprises whensoever he struggled with the Sea or fought with his enemie if so be the fire was not his enemie or the Sea became not a Hell Th'Archbishop endeavoured to draw neere the Haven hee was put back with losse He tried to burn the shipping he was opposed by floating timber which shut off the entrance of the Haven These things passed by Sea and by Land were greater dangers threatned by the preparation of Armes and provision which was made at Narbona the report went the Prince of Conde was to invade the Countie of Raciglione with a powerfull Army This Monarchy was ordained to have warres either for him or by him And hee alwayes to retire either into Spaine being persecuted by the French or into France being pursued by the Spaniard by a retreat receiving curtesies and with another repaying them Wise men imagined the Enemies intent to be rather to amaze with reports then to set upon with Armes to threaten rather then assault to divert rather then conquer The diversion possible to bee obtained by setting up three or foure Colours at home without displaying them in the field Listing men without stirring
to be stayd nor reputation endangered time lost and given to the enemy Notwithstanding all these reasons the Marquesse knowing that it was good to trie any thing which could not bee hurtfull and dealing with carelesse men that might prove easie which seemed most difficult and to avoid the censure of Criticks which alwayes thinke well of that which hath not been tried he did not oppose Prince Thomas his desires and disposed the businesses in that kind that hee would be sure to lose no reputation by beginning any trench nor any time by staying there but few dayes and not to give over his conquests by sending Trotti to Pontestura Being come within sight of Turin the Enemy opposed him with Horse and Foot our men routed them slew many and tooke some prisoners and some few that fled they pursued to the very Purcullisses of the Citie The Dutchesse sent the Popes Nuntio to negotiate an agreement between her and her Kinsmen Her Propositions now when she lost all were as high as if she were a Conquerour Shee seemed to give rather then take lawes Her demands were great and once granted could not be recalled And all shee promised was as nothing and that revocable when she pleased The Treaty broke off th' intelligences failed and the Marquesse went away and because Trotti having taken the town of Pontestura found much refistance in the Castle he resolved to divide his Army into two parts Prince Thomas with the one part went to Villanova and tooke it by storme with the other the Marquesse marched towards Pontestura Hee overthrew the enemies reliefe tooke the Castle went to Moncaluo and having taken that place he lay downe before Asti with his whole Army The Piemontesses terrified by the Kings forces brought the Keys of the Citie to the Princes and the Spaniards valour overcame the obstinacie of them that kept the Fort. The Marquesse his desires aimed at the taking in of Trino a place of it selfe being of importance and besides it cut off reliefe from Casal and safeguarded the State of Milan Hee had sent his Cavalrie thither whilest hee lay before Asti to hinder th' enemie from sending in any forces They tooke much Ammunition which would have gone in and cut off almost a whole reliefe of five hundred chosen French whom the Marquesse of Villanova sought to bring in there Trino is held to be almost impregnable fortied without and within a bogge neere it not to be medled with deep water in the Motes a strong Garrison and well victualled Notwithstanding the Marquesse besieged it made a Trench and withall his approaches as neere as hee thought fitting for raising of Batteries and resolved to give a generall assault hoping thereby to gaine some of the outworks He gave the assault tooke all the out-works the Citie and the Castle which having no time to receive the Sonldiers that fled thither being unprovided and amazed yeilded within few houres It was impossible to hinder the Army victorious and heated from pillaging slaying and burning Who shall deny valour to break forth it groweth with the heat of victory and snatching the reines out of judgements hands it guides a man and more then that it carries him Whereby being heated he goeth where he thought not and being in cold blood he findeth himselfe where now he could not goe because hee went not but was carried thither It would be needfull here to set forth the Marquesse oâ— Leganes his glories who hath filled Flanders Germany and Italy with his acts and victories mortified France and made Spaine glorious But what greater testimony can I give him of it but to make it knowne that a Letter of the Kings spake his deserts A Monarchs Pen was requisite therein that authoritie might cause it to be believed The whole world unanimously with one hand setting downe those glories which conformity causeth it to spread abroad with one tongue The affaires in the County of Ronciglione went on with various fortune the enemy had taken the Castle of Oppoli and having put a Garrison into it had laid siege to Salsas This place lieth almost in a Semicircle at the foot of the Pirenean Mountaines high hills small hillocks and standing waters are the theatre of it On the South it lookes towards Catalonia on the North are the Apennines the Sea is on the East and on the West a Poole which falls from the Pireneans almost to the Walls The Country may be called barren the aire subtile by reason of the Mountaines which overtop it and soggie because of the water which is so neere it which mixture rather hurts it then mends it The Place if you consider the situation is not very sufficient to defend the Country if the Fortifications not to defend it selfe The Motes are full of water the Walls massie high and countermined by the forme it is altogether exposed to the enemies injurie by the matter partly defensible The hardnesse of the stone will not suffer any breach to be made in it the smallnesse of the Flanckers will not hinder the approaches It was strong enough in those dayes when the art used in assaulting tied men to no greater defence The last who put it in a posture of defence found it so scituate that it was necessary either to fortifie or sleight it He fortified it because it was not because it should be there The Governour valorous but not of experience equall to it resolved to lose himselfe before he would yeild the place more faithfull then warie thinking onely upon the not yeilding of it failed in the means of keeping it He defended not the counterscarff he came not out of the wals he fortified not himselfe in the Mores he did not sufficiently meet the Mines nor he did not disturb them in their Workes Every time the enemy came with force upon him he beat him back but he did not hinder him when he used art wherby after fourty daies resistance Salsas was lost by carelesness after so many more of siege it was won by surprise For the enemy having in vain attempted with foure Batteries to beat down the wall comming to it with the mattock had very good success by reason of a Mine which springing made a hole in stead of a breach by which though little there went in a great many French before the besieged espied it or at least had time to hinder them Wherefore running too it too late and to no purpose some of the valiantest died there The Governour being lame of the Gout was not present at the action and yeelded upon Composition with those souldiers which he had left Many think they have performed their duties if they doe not yeild up a Hold as if yeilding them or having them taken were not the same thing It is better for a Captaine to want valour then experience the Souldier sometimes helpeth the one and addeth confusion to the other There is nothing worse then ignorance accompanied with valour the heart goes against th'understanding
wanting never wanteth mony I am confirmed in this opinion by seeing that this Fleet hath already layen a moneth sailing to and fro before the Groine without attempting any thing It workes towards its end without doing any thing I believe it would willingly set upon the Fleet burne our shipping and gladly hinder the reliefe of Flanders and much rather discomfit it and that if it found a Port of importance neglected it would set upon it as things casually and occasionally laid before them which fall in their way and sometimes come to be easilier effected then those which were at first conceived Like unto the difference there is between a child at first conceived and one that is bringing forth the one comming forth into the light alive and the other sometimes vanishing away wasting in its beginning or when it is reduced to an embrio I promise not my selfe that I have penetrated into th' intent of the French neither doe I care When the enemy will performe an enterprise and set upon that can performe no other it conduceth much to a defence if one can penetrate into it but when he thinketh to doe one thing and may doe many the best defence is ignorance Notice causeth man to secure that part which is threatned and suffer the rest to be neglected And that being safeguarded causeth the enemie to alter his mind and the other neglected helps him to attaine to that upon which his altered mind is fixed Hee that hath not power to defend himselfe in all parts doth necessarily lose himselfe for want of strength He thath hath sufficient loseth himself sometimes through carelessenesse and sometimes through too much providence The knowiedge of the assailing enemies intention is an ease when it is good to know it and a difficultie when the notice of it is hurtfull For where he can doe but onely one thing it is likely secured and where hee may doe diverse the understanding knoweth not how to resolve upon one and it would make the other easie if it were resolved upon The Count Duke hath with admirable wisdome secured the difficulties of provisionall things The chief Ports are sufficiently surnished Cantabria is set in posture of defence to hinder the enemy if hee should affaile it Catalonia ready to thrust him out when he is come in Don Anthonio Ochendo ready in the streights to secure the Fleet. The Marquis of Villa Franca with the Gallies to oppose the shipps of Marseilles Every thing provided for and armed But our discourses and the enemies designes were carried away with the wind which rising tempestuous lasting three dayes a thing unusuall at that time of the yeare brought the Fleet in danger of over setting or sinking The lesser Ships perished in the Ocean in the furie of the tempest The biggest of them in a calme Sea when they were going into harbour As if it did presege danger of shipwracke to great ones in tranquillitie of peace entring into harbour or in the harbour it selfe by some revolution of State after the little ones were perished in the turbulencies of Warre The enemy being become Master of the field by taking of Salsas tooke all places which lay open and ordinarily follow the fortune of the most powerfull He never skirmished nor fought with our cavallery but we carried away the best of it shewing that the Spanish horse are no way inferiour to the French if we had them The long peace this Province hath enjoyed the warres at Sea where there is no use of horses forraigne warres sometimes in the Indies where we could not convey them sometimes in Flanders where foot did the greatest execution sometimes in Italie or Germany where we found Auxiliarie ones made us first to neglect the use of them then grow carelesse in bringing them up But it is either the convenience or fate of the greatest Monarchies to have their chief strength and prop to consist in the foot the Romanes in their Legions the Macedonians in their Phalanges making up their Cavallerie alwayes with strangers friends or Auxiliaries Many yield to opinion when they have neglected art and after they have yielded for a time going to try whether the conceipt be true or no they are overcome and yield againe confessing themselves inferiour in valour when they are onely inferiour in practise Through this deceit the Spaniards would have tried and yielded a thousand times if warres had not happened in Spaine it self where necessitie hath forced and time undeceived them His Majesties Army had not as yet any convenient number it did enough doing nothing seeing it hindered the enemy from much doing But the Souldier partly valorous and partly inexperienced some for shame some through interest deâ—â—red to come in sight of the French and fight with them and he desired it most who had never seene the enemy nor knew not what fighting was The Commanders for a while did stay their heat rather then allay it Being perswaded that as in a sick man so in a Souldier one ought to hope where he hopeth and feare where he feareth a rule which is false in that hope which often deceiving causeth good to be looked for where there is evill and onely true in the feare which though deceived may bring forth evill even where it doth not finde it they went with a small Army partly of new and partly of not disciplined men to see the enemy and saw his advantage so great that they retreated without doing any thing The King and his Councell had presently a lively feeling of this disorder what incouragement the enemies might gaine and our men lose And because the Army confisted of people of that country commanded by the Count of Santa Colomba and of hired men haste was made to send them a valorous and expert Chieftaine who with generall applause was Don Philip Spinola Marquis of Balbases This man was sonne to Marquis Ambrose Spinola the renownedst Generall of our age and one of the greatest that histories mention He followeth his Fathers stepps in martiall affaires to revive the glories of them and he filleth them up so what with valour what with wisedome that it shall serve to say for the praise of them both of the one that he was borne of such a father and of the other that he begot such a sonne The Count Duke gave him his first imbossement in the best way as such a Subject could doe who being one of the greatest Generalls is defective in no quality Which this one thing would make envy it self confesse Namely that his engagement of being present in all Armies by direction hindered not his genius from being personally present in one His not fighting in any may hinder him from being stiled a great Souldier but his commanding there will admit to the title of a great Generall He that knoweth as the Count Duke doth both his Kings and the enemies forces The art of fighting the place where they fight and hath like him had experience
diversion which is made not with an intent to begin Victories but to perfect them when they are begun The fortune of the French is sudden like their temperature it rises and sets in the same field and as it is hard to overcome it when it growes so it is secure when it declines When occasion is come he that through weaknesse loseth it or through ignorance doth not know it never seeth it againe He that passeth by ripe fruit and doth not gather it when he comes again either it is gone or grown rotten whether it be that nature is an enemy to simplicitie and ignorance or that th'impersection of worldly perfection comes late stayes but a while and falls suddenly Fortune comes to every one at some time most are put off because they knew her not not because they had her not and all may become happy if they knew how to goe about it When the Romans determined to give battell no more in their owne Country they had given it there foure times already It was not wisdome but faintnesse not because they had gotten more brain but because they had lost their hearts in so many battels with such unfortunate successe That which disheartened them ought to encourage us who have once given bastell and won it and have overcom as often as we have sought If the Romanes had gotten the better in the first battaile Hannibal must have dyed there or gon back discomfited And it would now have runne in Polititians pennes that we ought to fight with the enemy presently and not give him time to take footing in the country nor assault it to dishearten the men destroy the land If fortune should prove adverse we might with the remainders keepe the country and with these entire parts at the back of them renew the Army and try our fortunes againe if it should prove prosperous we might undoe the enemy One victory would suffice to become conquerors and by one overthrow we should not be overcome But because the Romanes were overcome the Councell is blamed whereas the execution of it should having lost rather through want of valour and discipline then of wisdome It is much that Scipio a young man his advice who was more rash for his owne glory then for the profit of the common wealth great in estimation not for what he was but for what he came to be applauded onely by the people not by the Senate suffered rather then allowed of when they could neither diswade nor hinder him should now bind men in all ages to follow him being favoured by fortune which onely did approve of him condemned by Fabius Maximus his reasons by the authority of a whole Senat and much more by the experience of his Father and Uncle who in the selfe same enterprise with little glory lost part of their Army and their lives Many opinions are defended by the respect is borne to gray haires and many are borne up to the reverence due to the Majestick memory of antiquitie It is more harsh to bring ones mind to thinke they are false then to find they are so and yet it is a manner of deifying antiquity to believe their sayings without examining them When Scipio went into Affrick it had peradventure bin better to have changed Captaine then Country With that power that Army and that his valour he might more securely have conquered in Italie And if he lost in one place he might also have lost in another Neither could he have recovered himselfe being so farre from the Romans assistance nor peradventure they having sent him away so farre from them He overcame it is true but who will deny that he might have bin overcome if he had fought in Italie he had made sure the victory because he overcame in Africk he increased the common-wealth if he had lost he had ruined it The conquest had bin vaine in one part to have remedied the losse in the other In Italie the common-wealth had gon to ruine in Africk Scipio had become King Then if all that the Romanes had consisted in the end successe and fortune of the forces of Italie why did they weaken and abandon it In our times the Duke of Bavaria joyned with the Spanish forces might have taken the Palatinat and yet he went to seeke the Palsgrave where he had his Army not his dwelling Knowing that if he lost in Bohemia it was in vaine to Conquer in the Palatinat Let what hath bin in times past be as it will either well discoursed according to reason or favoured by fortune This Monarchy now the biggest that ever was must not make use of others examples she of it selfe ought to be an example to it selfe One ought not leave the doing of a good thing to doe a better when both may be done especially when they doe not hinder much more when they further one another In our case conquering the enemy in Ronciglione doth assist and not disturbe the going to Paris Let us then Sir try to overthrow the French here to profit our selves by the victory to call him to defence to offend him elfe where and over come him every where It was not Scipio his Army in Africk that overcame the Carthaginians but those forces which they had consumed in Italie So it may befall the French to lose themselves at home by going to much abroad Let us fight with this enemy in France in Italie in Flanders by Sea by Land wheresoever we find him seeing we Conquer him wheresoever we fight with him The dangers which seeme to threaten are not such as at first they seeme to be There was seldome a battaile lost but that some part of the Army hath bin saved The remainders though never so small will serve to hinder the enemy from further proceedings the gold and men of Spaine to repaire it on all sides the Officers valour sufficient to doe it and the season will afford time for it They are deceived that hold Spaine to be a desert place There be disinhabited and barren places but there are likewise many populous and fruitfull And it is so large that not counting the first measuring onely the last it would be found bigger then the fruitfullest Country of Europe Deductions and consequences from times past to the present are dangerous their examples are not available The knowledge of events if nere at hand are decitfull if farre off false Fighting now is diverse from what it was there are other men another age and I will say it another world The Iunta agreed that battaile should be given Marquis Spinola who advanced to seeke out the French Army Overtaken by night when he drew nere it he never laid hand to spade made no trench defence or fortification but set his Army open in battaiâ—e array The enemy retired towards his owne Country drew nere to Salsas under the safeguard of that place at the recovering of which the minds of the greatest part of the Spanish Commanders seemed to ayme
times because it increaseth the understanding and for the most part because it leaves a man to his free will taking away the power of Law with that of necessitie In engaging hee disingageth in raising difficulties hee makes them easie changing just things into unjust and making that necessary which was but convenient Nature be it slow wise or sparing delayeth her uttermost endeavours for the last violent assaults True it is that reserving it selfe to be able to doe it it often dies without doing it and oft-times because it hath not done it One ought not to runne upon conquests every time as one may In the execution of these orders which were the soule of the enterprise of Salsas it is fitting to speake with honour of the vigilancie and care of Don Hierome of Villanova Protenotarie of Arragon a most qualified Officer acute of understanding quick in executing great in intelligences and most faithfull in his services To have great designes come to a good end it is enough if hee undertakes them losing one hope he despaires not and never forsaking the businesse either he attaines to it by valour or tireth it with diligence and alway overcommeth it This Hold which Marquis Spinola besieged against his will being ledd unto it by chances engaged in it by fortune kept there through obedience he wonne not onely by great valour gallantnesse and vigilancy qualities by which men use to winne such holds but also by diffidencie which ordinarily loseth them He did as much as a Generall could doe to bring an enterprise to passe and writ as much as an officer could to desert it sometimes shewing a desire to raise the siege and almost still giving occasion to be commanded to continue it This way which gon about by a dejected mind would have ruined the enterprise being undertaken by a high spirit secured it The Count Duke was not daunted like one that had no heart nor grew not obstinat like those that have no braine Constancy engaged him to find a remedy for diffidencie and he stood not to dispute the matter with reasons but went on to overcome difficuties with providing money ammunition provision and men and the seemingnesse of want to be greater then it was became the cause of having the conquest by a meanes thought impossible The eminency of understanding causeth a man to be fearfull and a great heart to be rash where they are equall they oppose one another to get the conquest the braine would intimidate the breast and the breast would make the braine valiant From that conflict comes forth a mixt which is not feare but consideration and there they two being qualifyed leave off the contention betweene themselves and with one accord set upon the difficulties the breast will not yeeld to them the brain will overcome them and whereas severall they might have lost the one being abject and fearefull the other obstinate and rash being united they overcome with constancie and providence I know not whether next to God and the King the glory of the enterprise be due to the Count Duke but I know he gave it knowledge power will and accomplishment giving them order they should not give off the siege teaching them how to secure it providing for the maintenance of it and with so much abundance that it might be overcome The Cavallerie lay idle under Salsas There came Intelligence that the enemy had laid up in a Castle in France fodder and victuall and had not left a sufficient guard to defend it from a sodaine assault The Generalls with the advice of other commanders resolved to send Duke St. George with eight hundred horse and five hundred musquettiers to fire it The enterprise seemed to be bold and painefull as grounded onely upon doubtfull and unlikely advices The Duke set forward and by the way met with a body of Cavallery more numerous then his owne standing in a readinesse whether it were there before or by chance or upon notice given This unexpected accident forced him to alter his mind but not his valour nor wisedome and made him resolve to alter his fire into steeâ—e and conquer where he could not burn He sent th'Infantrie to take the passes to make his retreate good in case he should discover more forces and be with his Cavallery went to charge those horse which were in sight he routed and put them to flight slew them and tooke but few prisoners because he would not trouble himselfe and so returned victorious to the Camp This Cavalier is sonne to the Marquis of Torrecusa his actions which speake for him shew his father to be not onely valiant in fighting but also happy in begetting of children Leaving it doubtfull in what fortune hath most subjected him to envy either in what he hath performed or in that he hath begotten The King of France his Army consisting of twenty thousand horse and foot shewed it self entrenched upon a little hill with some few squadrons descending into the plaine viewed the outward workes to relieve the Place Marquis Spinola had disposed all things with watchfull prudency fearelessely expecting th' assault A troope of horse about midnight endeavoured to come neere the trenches but the ground slippery and yeelding by reason of the great quantitie of raine water engaged some to forsake their horses which were fallen and mired there and the rest to retreate A thunder bolt fell in the mid'st of them the noise gave alarme to the trenches The night was darke tempestuous and rainy His Majesties army stood impatient and desirous to fight Having laid aside their musquets as unprofitable they expected their enemy with â—pike and sword when a light descended upon them which shewed the points of their armes bright in proportion of a starre Whether it was naturall as well it might be signified the clearing up of the aire or supernaturall which may be believed in a cause so just and shewed heaven to be favourable to us But whether it indeed proceeded from a heavenly or ethereall knowne or unknowne beginning it was a light and every one saw it The Walloones whose fortifications the enemy threatned after much silence gave a great shout In doubtfull cases every thing is great There is no meane betweene silence and shouting The spirits which in danger runne to the heart cannot move the tongue and there is silence If need require to advantage our selves by uttering our voice being all heaped up in a vitall part they runne with such violence to the organs of speaking that they must needs frame a great sound The enemy had a great number of forced and new men who being already fearfull of their owne nature and dejected by reason of the waters which incessantly powred downe terrified and amazed with the light armes and shouting as if the thunder and lightning had followed them fled away the valiantest sought to stay them and when they found that to be in vaine they likewise retired and fled confusedly Their tents armes waggons
sustaine one in great misfortunes being ill used precipitates us into miserable calamities Not cōtent through it to keep our selves from dispaire we would thereby attaine to happinesse The future becomes present hope is turned into security And being deceived by our owne desires and not hopes promises we call it deceitfull and false which would not be deceitfull if we did not make it so nor false if we did not falsifie it It deceives none but leaves them perplexed without any determination and he that determineth changeth it by his opinion The Count Duke who made use of hope with a proviso that it should not prejudice wisdome comforted himselfe through it as if it were certaine and did use prevention against it as if it were false At this time the art and deceipt of the French was to be more looked too them their valour who have changed their custome though not their nature their head though not their heart That the Prince of Conde was their generall who had openly said in Dola that his understanding was much to be feared his force not so much and his fortune but little That it was unlikely he having had so much time and so covenient a season had not sufficiently victualled the place That it was to be imagined the Governour fearing force more then want to prevent that feigned he feared that most which he feared least To eate rotten bisket was in wise men not so much a demonstration of want as an argument of providence as they who reserved what was good against a greater faintnesse and for a smaller number little regarding the health and life of souldiers when they can doe no better service then to dye When shew is made in any besieged place either of abundance or want the contrary is alwayes to be doubted His advice was that two thousand of the best old souldiers should be left in the trenches the rest should be lodged some where nere thereabouts to refresh themselves and be ready upon any occasions That the void place which they left should be filled up with men our of Catalonia Arragon and Valencia with a promise of exchanging them if the siege should last long and if ended soone to discharge them That the Gallies should returne to Naples and Sicilie having first landed reliefe into the State of Milan and the rest remaine in Spaine And that the ships should make ready for the Indian voyage This opinion was applauded by all men but not wholly effected by reason of a rumour which began to be raised of a great reliefe preparing in France And likewise because that some few weekes after the Governour upon honourable conditions which are set downe in the end of the booke covenanted to yeeld up the place if he were not relieved by the day of th'Epiphanie In the meane time the Marquis of Balbases writ to the Duke of Ferrandina how he heard the enemy was advancing with a numerous and strong Army having a double intent Namely either to force their out-workes or to keep away our provisions Hee shewed that the former was not impossible to be done and the latter vere easie He spake concerning both with much valour and yet with some diffidence an ordinary thing in wife men and being done with moderation is profitable to secure one against future times If it falls cut well it credits the valour which hath overcome the difficulties if ill the advice which hath given notice of them The Marquis of Villa Franca sent the Letter to the Count Duke I have affirmed this to be a great Generall who from his Closet can command Armies I would be silent in many things concerning the Count Duke if I framed a Poem but I relate them because I write a Historie The former makes use of what is likely though false the later leaves not out that which is unlikely so it be true Be it then granted mee to prove the truth of the most unlikely thing I can speake in the commendation of this great man to honour my Historie by the Letter he writ to Marquis Spinolis I will set set down a true copy of it word by word without adding or diminishing I shall secure my selfe from the blemish of infamy if not amongst ignorant and malicious men the praise and dispraise of whom I equally contemne yet amongst understanding and well minded folk who alone can commend and discommend SIR There arrived here this morning a letter from the Marquis of Villa Franca dated the 29 of the last month and one inclosed from your Excellency of the 27. I confesse that if the advices your Excellency writes of are those which you expected for certaine I find my selfe disburthened of three quarters of the cares I tooke An Army which hath two designes doth much weaken the action with the diversity of two intentions whereas having but one it may doe much there remaining no appeale to the second I will now discourse with your Excellency upon your letter to the Marquis after I have cursorily touched something concerning the time given for the yeilding of the place it being judged to be somewhat long and though here others consider other points of the capitulation I only insist upon that of having water in the dike which being so extravagant and new to me maketh mee suspect finding no other reason for it they desired it to th' end they might have water to drinke and if they wanted water seeing thirst cannot be endured two dayes I would by no meanes have made any agreement with them but for a very short time And if this bee a customary clause and there be other reasons to enforce it I referre my selfe to experience which though it cannot hinder the prefixed time from being thought long may satisfie the strictest difficultie and chiefest ground Now comming to your Excelencies Letter wherein you relate the enemies twofold designes I will speake what I thinke of it As for the first to force the out-works I assuredly believe that after so many moneths time they are setled in very good forme and that by that meanes and with the helpe of the Cavallerie it will be more then difficult for the enemy to force those workes in such sort as to enter them with their Horse and Ordnance which not comming to passe it will bee impossible for him to obtaine his desire which I fear the lesse because I know those two thousand men are making ready for your Excellencie which I suppose you onely wanted to secure the Workes As for the hindering you from victuall if I may speake the truth I hold it impossible your Excellencie hath within your Trenches provision sufficient for twelve dayes at the least according to the reiterated orders and peradventure for longer They who must hinder them must return back to take the way of Estagel and consequently must passe under your Excellencies Canon whereby besides the discouragement an Army receives by going back you may have them pursued in the reare and if
or so many warres framed so many Armies withstood so many disasters given advice in so many enterprises and with his counsell disposed and obtained so many Victories may wed governe Armies and stay at home command them and be absent The swiftnesse of Posts makes that which is farre off to be neere the strength of the understanding soreseeth what is to come and though he cannot affirme what an enemy will do before he doth it it is sufficient if hee knoweth what he should doe The good is onely one but the evill manifold The first is to be knowne by great wisedome and the other is no great matter whether it be knowne or no. To instruct a Generall of an Army it is enough to teach him wayes to defend himselfe from the enemy and how to offend when hee doth well for if otherwise his own errour will instruct him by erring The Cardinall of Valletta was already strong in Italie and did hourely look for the Duke of Longeville to come with those Troopes which were destined to the harmes of But gundie The Dutch effe openly professed she would receive them in Monmiglian Susa and Carmagnuola The Marquis of Leganes lay under Santia which being taken Casal was quite blocked up and though it was a very strong Castle it had victuals but for eight dayes Prince Thomas was of opinion to goe into Piemont with the Army to win those places before the comming in of the French Urging that the Countries were willing to receive them and invited them thither That they once lost their oportunity of besieging Trino through the desire of streightning Casal That the Frenches stay before they came into Piemont and the Spaniards quicknesse in winning of that place had caused the opportunity to be rather deferred then lost That if now they would retard upon the same pretence and stay till Santia was taken the occasion would be lost That remedies should not be sought for the feet where the disease proceeded from the head That Santia might be held in play with small forces That being in sight of the enemy in Piemont he could not relieve Monferras the Duke of Longevill might be hindered from joyning with the other forces those Holds would be taken and so they would remaine masters of the field and of the passes of Savoy to Burgundy and Flanders that the French would be confined in Pinarole without victuall to maintaine themselves or Country to resist whereby they would bee forced to come into these parts with great strength to defend themselves and so forsake the hopes of flanders and Burgundie give over molesting of Spaine and laying downe their vast imaginations be brought to a good peace That giving them time to get into those Holds was the dividing of Piemont and bringing perpetuall warre into it more dangerous for him that is neerest with his state and furthest off with his forces That the enemie might there with small forces defend himselfe and put Flanders in danger or come with much strength and indanger the state of Milan If the Dutchesse did not admit them into Turin it would bee impossible for them to relieve Casal and if shee did admit them it would be difficult they would be opposed by evill passes deep rivers and dangerous places of abode That for a small reliefe it would bee sufficient if any neighbour Garrison were encreased with fifteen hundred Foot and as for a great one it could no way bee compassed fighting would become necessary and then one might consider whether it were better to give battell in the entrance of Piemont with so many retiring places at their backs to goe into upon occasion of losse and so many before them to conquer in case they overcome or to give it upon the very Frontier of the State of Millan farre from any place to conquer and neere to lose all That his Majesties Commanders had stumbled at Casal as at a fatall stone with much danger to the Monarchy Once thinking to surprize it by intelligence and another to take it by force and this would be the third in going about to block it up from reliefe The Marquesse of Leganes being scanted of men by diseases which had killed many by overthrowes which he had given still with some bloud any by places which he had taken and was bound to put garrisons into thought he could not without danger goe farre from what hee had gotten and expose himselfe with small tired forces to fight with a multitude of fresh souldiers which either occasion or necessity might easily have enforced him to That the Kings chiefe interest consisted in defending the State of Millan that Santia being taken Casal remained quite cut ofâ— from all reâ—iefe That staying in those parts he could make all hee had gotten sure unlesse it were Civasco the endangering of which could not counterpoise so many conveniences That no hopes invited them into Piemont but onely intelligences which he had so often found vaine that to confide in them would be a folly and much more to put themselves into irrecoverable hazzard if they should faile That it was no great matter whether the French did get into those holds or no they could do no more in them then out of them They would ingage a number of men in them would vexe the Inhabitants and make them their enemies who before were their friends The taking of Santia was made difficult to the Marquis The hold of it selfe being strong the ground without unfit for batteries wanting wood to make sconces and being without water He resolved to besiege it at large But the enemies forces recruited came marching towards Asti to relieve them The Marquis encamped himselfe in such sort that he could hinder their designes and yet not goe from the place insomuch that the enemy lying on the other side of Dora within seaven miles of the place victuals failing the besieged they yielded themselves The Cardinall of Valetta and Marquis Villa despairing of doing any good in those parts went to besiege Civasco Prince Thomas and the Marquis drew neere it with their Army but finding the enemy already fortified and without comparison surpassing in number they did not endeavour to relieve it and so the place was lost In the meane time Conio a strong hold and of great consequence for the gaining of Nizza and Villa Franca declared it self to hold with the Princes The French set upon it and were forced with great losse to retreate The Cardinall of Valletta came thither with all his Army to besiedge it The Cardinall of Savoy respecting it as his owne creature with more resolution then care threw himselfe into it to defend it Prince Thomas nor the Marquis of Leganes had not consented to his engagement But seeing the danger they sought for a remedie They marched towards Turin with their Army not with any certainty but onely with a kind of hope to divert the enemy from his former enterprize and call him thither And to make it sure the
Prince with the Marquis his advice resolved to attempt it Which he did and advancing forward one night with two thousand horse and a thousand foote he hung a pettarre upon the gate set scaling ladders to the walls and though with resistance and bloud he wonne the Citie where a thing which seldome commeth to passe the prisoners were more in number then they who tooke them The dutchesse recovered the Cittadell but so closely pursued that for want of time she was forced to leave even her very jewells behind her In this action were most taken notice of the Marquis of Carcena Don Martino of Mexica and D. Francisco Tuttavilla who bravely relieving one another revived the almost extinguished hopes and perfected the designe which was almost desperate And this is the effect which the Cardinall of Savoy his phantasticallnesse brought forth who bringing his brother and his friend into a streight occasioned the taking of Turin As births come not forth of a woman with child without great paine so the understanding cannot bring forth without great labour The expulsive vertue worketh not unlesse it be provoked and best when most valour increaseth and falls according to wrath and interest and the understanding through affliction There is none naturally carefull or valiant man but may be carelesse and fearfull in respect of him who is made carefull by danger and valorous through dispaire The King of France his Fleet rather patched up then repaired covering its nakednesse with the spoiles of English German and Holland ships which lay in the harbours of Brittanie set saile againe and comming in sight of the Province of foure Cities after some tacking about came into Laredo an open place without any forts to relieve it or souldiers to defend it he tooke the towne sacked it wasted the country about and robbing ruining and burning went abord againe With the news of Laredo there arrived into France the the newes of the surprise of Turin by Prince Thomas Paris and the whole Kingdome murmured that so many millions should be laid out upon such a powerfull Fleet to no other end or profit but to sack a poore place which had been a small matter for a poore sea rover to have done Upon a mighty Army to take a Castle which brought more losse then gaine with it causing a great Army to be kept there wasting many men and much money That with these costly vanities the interest of Italie was abandoned friends and the Royall bloud exposed to dangers fraudes accidents and fortune They accused the Officers of vanitie that they made difficult the surest enterprises where something might be gotten wasting time and the bloud and substance of subjects in those things which made but a faire shew and a great deale of noise Perswaded sometimes by passion sometimes by emulation rather to kindle coales then conquer states To those who defended them by saying that the powerfullest way to destroy the Monarchie was to set upon it in Spaine for keeping the Warre there and diverting it from other places the rest of the dominions were cut off from reliefe where there was continuall need of men and money They answered that to defend Italie by invading Spaine Flanders and Burgundie was to make one plant grow by sowing of another that it was wasting of Gold in Alchimie and like thinking to make Gold of Mercurie and brasse and give over digging it out of the mines That it was not to be thought a small matter to divert the Marquis of Leganes fortune in its fierce beginning and that it was impossible to doe it with a Fleet in the Ocean that fired three or foure straw ricks or with a powerfull Armies taking a small Castle in the County of Rouciglione and that they could much lesse make Piemont secure with onely diverting the enemies forces and not defending it That diversion required an opportune time great forces and prosperous fortune That the Romans did not make use of it with Aniball in the torrent of his victories but after his first violence was past and when though his course were not staid his fury was asswaged That they opposed him strongly in one place to call him to another that they forsooke not the defence of Italie when they invaded Africk and did not only divert him with Armies but tyed him to it with victories But whosoever shall at this time attentively consider the state of France the houses full of bloud the neighbouring Islands full of exiled men the Kingdome of tributes the publick priviledges cancelled private mens goods taken away Subjects discontented Hereticks multiplyed under the name of overcome the Province destroyed under pretence of reforming every thing by nature turned upside downe and by violence kept quiet may know that the endeavours which are used to maintaine the Swede in Germanie with store of money to assault Spaine Flanders and Germanie with powerfull Armies are prudent and necessarie that the evill may not penetrate into the inward parts of a body full of very evill humours And that the glory of being an invader losses dissembled conquests multiplied and increased may so fill the ears of the Parents that they may not heare the grievous groanes of their sacrificed children resounding in their aire Order was given the Count of Santa Columba that he should not undertake any new enterprise before th' arrivall of the Marquesse of Balbases who stayed so long that before him came the Marquesse of Torracusa the rest of the Count Dukes Regiment the old tertiaes of Cantabria the horse and foot disembarqued out of the Neapolitan and Sicilian Gallies so that at his comming he found the Army numerous and valiant desirous of enterprises and able to performe great ones But because the enemy prevailed in number of Cavalrie and many recruits were by him daily expected it was considered of in the Junta of State and warre whether it were good to goe find him out and fight with him And there was but one who was of opinion that we should not give battell That we ought not to fight with the enemy when we were too weake and that if we were too strong we could not Hee would retreat into France where the pursuit of him would bee impossible through want of victuals fotherage and traine of Artillery And that we were then to fight with them in their owne Country where their reare was secured their provisions certaine and their Cavalrie advantagious When the enemy is not afraid if it be a shame to feare yet it is wisedome to doubt and this Monarchie ought not to be exposed to a doubtfull fortune which adverse may make us unhappy and prosperous can adde no felicity to us Princes take Citizen-like advise when they adventure their estates upon a point of reputation which consists not in the losse of a Castle in the mid'st of warres but in the ending of them with great Conquests or an honourable Peace Finally it would doe small good to overthrow the French Army in