and Monsieur Saint Aldegonde the 26. of May in Anno. 1581. WHen the Prince of Parma had taken awaie the vse of the riuer of Scheld from the Citie of Antwerp by building of a bridge ouer the riuer The Citizens and their confederates of Holand and Zeland attempted to cut out Couwenstein dike and to bring the course of the riuer to Antwerpe that waie To the which intent the 26. daie of Maie the Antwerpians hauing sent that euening twelue ships against the bridge hoping that through the violent force of them it might be broken did that night about thrée of the clocke send another fléese against Couwenstein dike the which the enimie kept And the like was done on the other side by the Holanders who laie at anker vnder Lillou For first sending certain ships set on fire which shuld be carried against the bridge they incontinentlie after assailed the dike with about an hundreth ships full of olde souldiours and such a furious storme of great shot and so great a showee of small was sent out of those shippes vpon both sides of the dike that the kings men were not able anie longer to defend themselues on the plaine and open dike but hauing lost many of their fellowes were forced to forsake their wards and to retire themselues to safer places In the meane time the states went a shore landing their men and hauing brought with them sackes full of earth wooll other stuffe did with incredible celeritie raise them vp fortifications so that they were defenced with a Rampire and trench as high as their neckes And winning still farther and farther through the helpe of their shippes they hadde gotten more than halfe the dike the which they dyd cutte thorough in cleauen places They defended their Nations wards for the space of sixe houres together within which time they had slaine many of the valiantest Captaines and souldiers on the kings side for they sent so great force and store of shot against the kings men that they not onelie tare all their bulwarkes and fortifications but also rent almost all their artillerie and made them of no vse Now when that the Spanish state was almost desperate and the Prince standing vp to the wast in water did driue his souldiours against the enimie with his sword drawen a Spaniard called Peter de Padillia a souldier of the Tierce of Peter de Paz taking courage againe did with eight of his fellowes first renue the charge on the States but hée was slaine in the attempt and his right hand cut off by the enimie In the meane time the kings men gathering together their forces dyd verie resolutelie with all their power assayle the munition that the Antwerpians had made and bent their thrée péeces of artillerie which onelie were lefte them whole against it When they first planted their batterie there was a verie thicke mist which by little and little vanished awaie so that the Maister of the Ordinaunce might sée the enimies campe a farre of and more certainlie leuell his péeces The kings souldiours dyd twice assault this fortification and were twice repelled but at the third assault they sighting with irresistable valour wanne the trench and slue all that were within it and the rest hasting to their shippes were parte slaine parte taken and part drowned The valour of the Almanes did appeare singular in this fight of whose prowesse almost all men had now despaired Those that were in the shippes disdaining to giue place fought so long that the tide lefte them and laide their ships drie so that they could not get them from the Flats By this meanes thrée and thirtie ships were taken a great number of men slaine and mightie store of artillerie and other warlike furniture taken There was found in the shippes many dead bodies of them that had béene slaine with the Ordenance that was shot from the dike The kings men vnderstood by the prisoners that two thousand of Antwerpians were slaine in fight and many also drowned and that among other shippes there was one taken that carried the sonnes of very rich Merchants but all the men in her were slaine Moreouer not a few of the Holanders Zelanders were slaine among whome are numbred the Lord of Haultan the gouernour of Flissing two Colonells of Scottes and English but in trueth there was no English Colonel slaine there xiiii other Captains and xxix Gentlemen On the kings side were found missing about 400. or as other report 300. Italians and Spaniards among whome were diuers renowmed Captaines Colonells who were most of them hurt and slaine from the Holand shippes For whilest the Antwerpians fought on the Dike a front the enimie the Holanders that kept themselues in their shippes plagued with their artillerie the sides of their enimies This fight endured from thrée of the clocke in the morning vntill about two in the afternoone and was fatall to Antwerpe for after that time no forces were assembled nor enterprise practised to relieue the Citie which yéelded in August folowing ¶ The Battaile of Pescherias fought by sea vpon the coast of Grece betweene the Nauie of the Christian league vnder the conduct of Don Iohn de Austria and the Turkish fleete gouerned be Haly Bassa the viii of Octobar 1572. Out of Peter Contarini WHen Selini the second the great Turke had falsely on a sodaine broken the firme league of his Father with the Venetians and inuaded with a mightie Armie the Ilande of Cyptus appâ—â—teining vnto the Venetians they entred into a 〈◊〉 offensiue and defensiue against all the enimies of the â—â—â—stian name with Philip the king of Spaine aâ—◠〈◊〉 Quintus the Bishop of Rome and Don Iohn de 〈◊〉 base brother vnto the king of Spaine was ordained Generall and high Admirall of the Nauie armie of the league with whome were ioyned in Commission the high Admirall and Generall of the Venetians and of the Pope with decrée that to bée executed which should be allowed ano approued of them all thrée or else of anie two of them For the execution of this league Don Iohn departed from Spaine with fortie seauen Gallies and after he had béene at Genoa and Naples about necessaries touching men munition victuals he ariued at Messina in Sicile where Mark Antonie de Colonna and Sebastian Veneri the Admiralls of the Pope and Venetians had staied for him with their Nauies and also the foure Gallies of the great maister of Malta There were come thether also the Ambassadours of Venice for to signifie vnto the Admiralles of the consederates how the Turkish Nauie did so much hurt on the coast of Slauonie and also to bée instant on them for spéedie succour The next daie after when the thrée Admiralls or Generalles met accompanied and assisted with other men of account for to consult what was best to bée done Veneri tolde them that of a certaintie the Fleete of Candie would also bee there verie shortlie But when almost all men doubted
good indifferent greate many of them that serued without paie other authors doe make the number of them two thousand So then Don Iohn de Austria the Admirall Generall of the league Marke Antonie de Colonna the high Admiral of the Popes power Sebastian Veneri the Admirall of the Venetian forces consulted what was best for them to attempt there were also present at this consultation the great Comendador of the knights of Malta Ascanio de Cornia Andrew Doria Augustine Barbarigo Marke Quirino Antonio Canali the Secretarie of the Venetians with the Scribe and sometime also the Princes of Vrbine and Parma Paulo Iordano Orsino the Marques de Sant Cruz other among whom Ascanius de Cornia after he had heard many mens opinions spake to this effect For two or thrée causes onelie most Honourable may a Generall with honour refraine to ioyne in battaile with his enimie Of whome the first is if hée shall gaine lesse profite by the fruite of the victorie than hée maye feare detriment if hée happe to bée ouerthrowen whereof take this example When the Duke of Guyse not many yéeres agoe had inuaded the kingdome of Naples the Duke of Alua had done vnwiselie if hée would haue giuen him battayle for the French could haue lost no more in that battayle than their armie but if the victorie had inclined to the French partie wée dyd leese with our armie the kingdome of Naples too The second is if he doe vnderstand that his enimies armie will bée broken and scattered without fight whereof the inuincible Emperour Charles the fift your Highnesse his Father of sacred memorie maye bée an example For when hee made warres against the Protestants in Germame he wold neuer ioyne in battaile with them because hée vnderstood that their armie would bée dispearsed without battaile neither could the strength of that league long indure and continue Finallie for a third cause may a Generall shunne battaile if he doe know that his power is so much inferiour to his enimies that hée can in no wise hope for victorie But most Honourable none of the former causes dubtlesse can moue vs for although the losse of this Nauie of the Christians bée a matter of verie great consequence as some haue sayde before mée and that wée doe graunt that the victorie will fall on our enimies side yet notwithstanding if wée do fight valiantlie as it becommeth vs it is likelie also that their Nauie will bée so sore shaken and spoiled that it cannot bée easilie and lightlie repaired by the Turke neither againe are our Princes of so small strength that they shall not bée able to repaire our power at the least as much as shall bée sufficient for to defend their owne But if that we doe obtaine the victorie then whereas wée may hope for other greater matters than speciallie the enfranchisement of Greece Moreouer the which we ought chiefelie to consider and holde for a certaine as I haue often admonished also héeretofore that we can doe nothing neither with this present power neither with anie other that shall bée supplied vnto vs hereafter nor doe anie thing of moment agaynst the Turkes except that we haue first desaited and broken their Nauie But that it will be dispearsed through wearinesse or lacke of things necessarie we cannot hope but rather our enimies may promise themselues the same of vs. Séeing then that our power is now so great that we may hope for victorie in battaile mine opinion is that in anie wise wée ought to fight neither is this present occasion in anio ease to be let slippe But whether our forces be so great as theirs that in déede is to be considered The forces consist as farre as I can conceiue in men and in gallies As for the men yea although they be such as it hath sayd before me that is to wit that the Spaniardes and Italians are for the greater parte fresh water Souldiours and of small experirience and also that the Almanes are of small seruice in Sea fight and that there is but a small number of Harquebuziers amonge them yet I doe not see howe our enimies can by anie meanes be in this point better furnished both by reason of the great plague that we doe vnderstand raged and raigned in their nauie the last yéere and also because they are forced to haue a great armie in Ciprus But now of the greatnesse of their Nauie we doe heare diuerse reportes so that I cannot pronounce of certaintie whether that ours bée the greater of the smaller For séeing I am smallie experimented in sea affaires I cannot tell with how many or how great common gallies and Foists of the Turkes our great Gallies may bee matched wherefore I will leaue the iudgement of these things vnto other This onelie I doe pronounce and thinke that wée must trie fortune for warre matters cannot so be managed but that fortune may doe much in them Therefore let vs departe hence with this Fléete and saile either towards Brindisi or Corfu for when wée shall bée so néere our enimies wée shall bée able to vnderstand some certaintie of their state and thereby take aduise and vnlesse some difficultie of getting victualls doe let I doe thinke it better that we saile to Corfu than to Brindisi because the enimie must néeds passe that waie when he saileth into the Leuant But before wée doe departe hence I doe thinke that wée must first and chiefelie doe one thing and that is fullie and assuredlie to determine with our selues that wée must fight and let this bée the firme and fixed resolution of vs that whensoeuer wée shall light vpon our enimies that wée will assaile them and to this ende let all thinges bée before hand disposed and ordered For if wée goe hence doubtfull then wée shall bée forced to take aduice at the verie instant and if wée doe chaunce to fall vpon our enimies on a sodaine wée béeing out of order and vncertain what to do shall easilie bée ouerthrowen and scattered And these are the things most Honourable that I doe thinke wée ought to doe but yet so that I will willinglie subscribe to them of more skill When Cornia had made an ende of his spéech all men assented to that he had sayd for they being forced by necessitie did vnderstād that this was the onely way to doe wel for to set vppon the enimie couragiously when occasion should be offered Wherefore Don Iohn that he might omit nothing that dyd beséeme a good Generall commaunded what euery man should doe afterward and how and in what order they should goe foorth He deuided all the Nauie into foure battailes that is to wit two winges a middle battaile which they called the fight and secret succours In the eight wing were 53. Galleies vnder the conduct of Iohn Andrew Doria and they had a gréene flagge in the toppe of the mast The left wing consisted of the like number of galleies and were ledde by Augustine Barbarigo with a yelow
hands of the Hamiltons when they ruled yet the citie it selfe was a wast thing nor populous for the greatnesse easie to enter in all parts Other reasoned on the contrarie part that all things doe depend on their first beginnings that their departure would be infamous and next coosen to flat running awaye that suspition of feare was then vtterly to be shunned least they did encrease the courage of the enimies and bring their friends out of hart that they were néere neighbours vnto the mightie families of the Cunigames and the Semples and on the other side to Lenneux the kings priuate patrimonie that from thence those that were next would come within few houres and the rest the next daye or at the farthest within thrée dayes that they would be a sufficient guard namely with the helpe of the citizens vntill the succours farther off were come This opinion preuailed at the Councell table The French Ambassadour went to and fro betwéene both parties rather like a spye then a peacemaker as he pretended For when he sawe at the first the forces at Glasquo small and the power about Hamilton shewed greate he vehemently encouraged the Quéene to giue battaile Now had the Regent gathered together his friends out of the néerer parts and looked for other out of Marchland and Lowthian And when they wer come being about 600. very choice men he graunting them but one day to rest themselues minded so march to Hamilton and out of hand to giue them battaile if he could for he thought delaye would be hurtfull to him and his but profitable for the enimie as whome the farthest parts of the kingdome did fauour In the meane time he was aduertised the next morning betimes before daie that the enimies were gathered together from many places where they lodged for they trusting in their number for they had in armes aboue 6500. and they knew that the Regent had not full 4000 were determined for to march by Glasquo and leauing the Quéene in the Castle of Dunbritton at the pleasure either to sight or draw forth the warres or if the Regent which they hoped not would méete them in the waie to giue him battaile neither did they doubt of the euent of the fight But he that had resolued of himselfe to prouoke them to battaile as soone as he could bring forth his men stoode certaine houres in araie of battaile before the Citie in the open field in the waie that he thought they would march But when he sawe that their army marched a long the farther side of the riuer he straight waie vnderstanding their purpose passed his footmen ouer the riuer by a bridge and his horsemen by the foords which were then frée of the tide of the Sea and commanded them to march to Langside That is a stréete vppon the riuer of Carth through which their enimies their waie laie seated at the foote of an hil on the Northwest the East the North with a descent but on other partes decreasing gentlie into a plaine They hasted thether with so great spéed that they had almost gotten the hill before that their intent coulde be perceiued by the enimie who also coucted that place yea and had the shorter waie But two things happened ill for them and well for vs the first that Gilespicke Cambel the Earle of Argile who was Generall of the Quéenes armie being taken with a sodaine paine had fallen downe into a sound and by his fall staied the whole armie a while the other was that their armie being euer and anone downe in a bottome could neuer sée at one time all the kings armie and therefore they taking it to be small as in truth it was did both contemne it and also the disaduantage of the place At length when the Quéenes armie drew néere and sawe that their enimie had gotten the place where they thought to haue lodged they tooke another little hill ouer against it and diuided their armie into two battailes All the strength they had they placed in their forward wherewith if they coulde ouerthrowe the enimies battaile that stoode against it they supposed that they should conquere the rest without fight they being feared with the flight of their fellowes The kings Chieftains had also diuided their armie into two battailes in the battaile on the right hand were Iames Douglasse the Earle of Morton Robert Lord Semple Alexander Lord Hume Patricke Lord Lindsey with euerie one his followers and in the left Iohn Alexander William Earles of Mar Gleucarne and Taich and the Citizens of Glasquo the harquebussiers kept the stréete below and the gardems by the high waie WheÌ„ both armies stood aranged the Quéenes gunners being beaten froÌ„ their ground by the kings abandoned the place and on the contrarie side the kings horsemen being inferiour to the Quéenes by one halfe were not able to abide the charge but fled And when the Quéenes horsmen had thus discomfited their counterpartie they assaied to mount the hill that they might also disorder the ranges of the footmen but being repelled by the kings archers and a part of his horsemen that had rallied and returned from their flight they returned backe In the meane time the left wing of the enimie dismarching into the high waie downe a long where the hill descendeth into a valley did although that they were galled by the harquebusses yet béeing gotten out of that straight spread forth their battailen There the two esquadrons hauing before them on both sides a thicke trench of pikes fought with such vaior on both sides for the space of halfe an houre the victorie inclining to neither parte that those that had broken their Pikes dyd hurle their daggers stones and péeces of their Pikes and finallie whatsoeuer came to hand at the heads of their enimies But when some of the hindermost rankes on the Kinges side fledde whether of feare or falsehoode it is not well knowen doubtlâ—sse their flight hadde affrighted them that fought but that the thicknesse of the rankes woulde not suffer them that were in the fore rankes to perceiue what was done in the hindermoste and also those of the second battaile hauing marked the daunger and séeing no man comming against them ioyned them selues with the auantgard by deflecting certaine of theyr bands by little and little towards the right hand with their ranges whole When those on the aduerse part were not able to abide their charge they being driuen back as it wer with a great ruine ranne away neither had the vanquished escaped without some notable losse séeing the hearts of many were priuately incited by anger and hatred if that the Regent sending out horsemen into all quartiers had not commaunded that none of them should be slaine that fledde The second battaile of the kings that had stoode still vntill they sawe the discomfited enimie to flye in euerye quarter without order and then at last turning themselues to pursue them that turned their backes loosed their rankes The Quéene that had stoode almost a mile of to behold the fight tooke her way towards England with the horsemen of her part that retired out of the battaile whole but the rest ran euery man that way that would soonest bring him home There dyed few in the fight moe being worne with wearinesse and wounds were found lying euery where along the countrie the number of all slaine was about 300. but the prisoners were moe On the kings side were not many hurt and among them men in the chiefe range Alexander Lord Hume and Andrew Stuart one man onely was slaine the rest of the armie except a few horsemen that folowed the fliers farrre went ioyfully to the towne where after they had giuen thankes to God who had giuen them almost an vnblouddie victorie against farre greater forces then their own they gratulating one an othâ—â— went to dinner This field was fought the xiii of May the eleuenth day after the Quéene escaped out of prison The French Ambassadour who had stayed the euent of the battaile and had in his conceite promised assured victorie vnto the Quéene being now defranded of his hope cast vp his visard and without once taking his leaue of the Regent to whome he 〈◊〉 presâ—â—ded to be sent and taking such horses and guides as he could for soonest get galoped towards England but being robbed by the way Iames Dowglasse the Lord of Drumlanrick procured that he had that againe which he lost for the honour that he bare to the name of an Ambassadour although that he knew that he tooke part with his enimies The Regent spent the rest of the daye of the battaile in taking view of the prisoners some he let goe frée some vpon suerties the principall were kept still and chiefely those of the familie of the Hamiltons and dispersed into diuers prisons The next daye the Regent went foorth with 500. horse and tooke the abandoned Castells of Hamilton and Defran The like terror forced the Quéene to goe into England either because she thought there was no place in that part of Scotland safe enough for her or because she did little credit the fidelitie of Iohn Maxwell Lord Heris FINIS
aboue a leage and a halfe when the vantcourers aduertised the Admirall that they had discouered on this side the water a great troupe of horse whome he hauing commanded them to assaile at a signall giuen as they did with assurance that himselfe would follow them at the héeles sodainlie the battaile which the Constable lead appeared at the side of a village The which being reported to the Admirall and afterward to the Prince they caused all their horsemen to set their launces vpright ranging their battailes within a good Culuerine shot of them Afterward séeing that their enimies came not forth they two went further with only Dandelut who had a third daie Ague was mounted on an hackney apparelled for all harnesse with a furred robe vntill they came to a place from whence they might easilie iudge who had the aduauntage of the place whereby they were perswaded that it was not for them to assaile the enimie whereas he was that is to wit at the head of a village betwéene Nogent and Lormay towardes the which place the Countrie séemed to be plaine but it was not so indéede but they must néeds go vp an hill and downe againe insomuch that the Prince to passe ouer his men and to auoide the furie of their artilerie wherwith all they were well furnished was forced to hasten his people to march so fast that he put them out of breath but because they marched slowlie they abid at the least thrée volées of their péeces which might make a great checke and affright the armie in the which not all men had their eares accustomed to the sound of such flutes Furthermore the armie Catholike did couer so great a compasse of ground that if they encountered in that place one part of them might compasse in and charge the Prince in the side and so by that meanes he being inclosed should bée at the mercie of his enimies These things being considred and presupposing also that the Catholikes were not verie sharplie set to fight a resolution was takeÌ„ to go directly for to lodge at Trion following the intention the they had when they departed froÌ„ Ormoy thether were the Marshals of the lodgings sent The better to represent vnto you one of the most renowmed battailes that euer was fought in this Realme I will first figure out vnto you the seate and qualitie of the place which afterward was embrued with the bloud of so many gallant men Afterward I will set as it were before your eies the estate and disposition wherein these two armies maintained themselues before during and after the conflict Which béeing done yée may easilie iudge to whom the aduantage of one so notable occurance ought to be giuen vpon the end of the league and leuell champains of Beause Nogent le Roy doth present it selfe to Normandie pretie néere to Dreux a little towne at the foote of an hill wherevpon stands a Castle of sufficient strength within the towne by the side whereof passeth the riuer a Countrie fertile well peopled betwéen the which two Countries that are separated by the course of Eure the which comming out of Beause for to water Chartres doth trauerie Noâ—mandie euen to Pont de L'arche below the same doth léese it selfe in the Seine the nurse of Paris is a couert of certaine woodes and a number of little Towneshippes of whome the Catholickes had alwaies to that daye kept the aduantages as they that séeing themselues stronger in footemen and weaker in horsemen then the Prince would not hazard ought but where the place did fauour footemen for lacke of whome the Prince was constrained to take a contrarie course The which was the cause that at his parting from Lormoy néere Nogent he had purposed to take Dreux more for to force the Catholickes to an open and generall fight then for the importaunce of the place where Sourdeual commanded with an hundreth light horse and fiue Ensignes of footemen But the Cheiftaines Catholickes followed him coasting alwaies within fiue or sixe leagues but holding their waye thorough countries so strong and such couerts that the Prince could not finde any possibilitie to encounter them but with his disaduantage And in the ende the Catholickes séeing occasions and meanes to preuaile in that countrie by reason of the great number of their footemen resolued for to fight and therefore the .xix. daye did set forward to get before the Protestants and if they could get to Dreux before the Prince there to offer him battaile at the head of the towne vpon an high péece of ground lodging in the village two great Bataillons of footemen which garded xiiii Canons placed and prest to play before them and a little before on the side a number of Enfans perdus whome they had chosen out of all the Regiments The two flankes of these Bataillons were two great troupes of horsemen for mutuall intersuccour of the footemen and horsemen as was best for their behoofe Moreouer they had chosen a place so fauourable that the Confederates could not charge neither th one nor the other but by one way of a xiiii or xv hundreth paces the which also the Herquebuzes Catholicke did no lesse scoure then dyd their Artillerie Also a little below they had a small vnwalled towne for to gard their baggage the Riuer of Eure néere to their back But being resolute hot to fight they aduanced themselues farther for to get betwen two Villages by a woods side with far greater aduantage then before Herevpon the Prince following his resolution begaÌ„ to turne head towards Trion shewing his right side to his enimies who perceuing the Argolets one esquadroÌ„ of Reisters to be a faire marke discharged vpon theÌ„ one volée of great Ordenance which did affraie them in such sort that almost all the Argolets ran awaye the Reisters tooke the way in a litle valley for to couer theÌ„ against the Canon shot Wherevpon Anna de Montmorency Constable of France general of that Armie taking occasion to goe to the charge for to ouerthrow break theÌ„ all intirely as he had assured many the his owne battel alone was more then sufficient for to ouerthrow all the Protestant Armie caused the principal of his troupes to come néere to him vnto whome he made such a like speach At the length my maisters friends I haue brought you within sight of our enimies who haue alwaies hetherto made semblance that they sought battel the which now they cannot flye but also with the losse thereof coÌ„sequentlie of all the rest the they haue possesse in France For whether ye be assailants or defeÌ„dants the aduantage is assured you as well for number of men that doubleth theirs for the order disposition of the Armie for the qualities of the armes furniture as also for the commoditie of the places which fauoreth vs in all sorts if they wil come to vs. Adde therevnto a thing more considerable that we doe maintaine
the cause of God who wil haue but one Religion in the world that is to wit the aūcient Catholick Romane frō the which these mescreans infidels haue lewdely cut of themselues we doe also vphold the partie of our king soueraigne prince who cannot permit other exercise in his Realme then the of his predecessours finally we fight for the weale of our natural coūtrie for the suertie whereof we hauing euer to this day done infinit exploites fought in so many places with such honour and profit as your vertuous and holie desires haue deserued we should now be of lesse beléefe then they are and more timorous then women if we should not assure vs all that this acte as the last of so manie trauailes passed shall be crowned with the good honor and felicitie that all good and couragious people cannot but desire Moreouer thinke ye that we are not héere to quarrel for other mens lands nor for the defence of the borders of anie Lordes nor to enlarge the Empire of the Crowne of France but for the saluation of our soules for the maintenance of the Religion of our ancestors for the holie alters for the sacred reliks for the reuerent Priests and the wonderfull and awefull mysteries of our Religion In sum it is for the honour of Jesus Christ and then secondarilie for the conseruation of our owne liues and of the life of our Prince and of his Officers and by a consequent for the honour good and suretie of the state the which these mischiouous heretikes would no lesse reuerse than they haue done alreadie our true and Catholike faith so defiled by the mortall venim of their pestiferous heresies We might well haue hastned the battaile but that the counsaile haue alwaies bene of aduise for to staie for the cōming of all our forces as wel naturals as alies and strangers for to make them all pertakers of the present honour attended of all yet neuerthelesse rather remitted than denied anie one of you Wherefore assure your selues of the victorie if ye do not beelie and denie your valour héeretofore march resolutelie to the fight kéepe wel your rankes succour one another as shal be néedfull holde your selues certaine and assured that this one daie will bée the beginning of your honourable libertie and of a treble miserable bondage of the enimies of God of the king and of all good people But now he had caused the Artilerie to plaie vppon the formost of the Protestants who were therewithall so galled and affrighted that many going out of the rankes made them beléeue that their Generall refused the battaile for to gaine still ground which caused them to begin to make towards the troupes of the Prince who shewed vnto them his side with a dismarch and an araie and appearaunce so proude that the armie shewed how great Captaines dyd leade it The Catholike armie was compassed of fiue fiue great battailons of footemen intermedled and interlaced still with their horsemen because they were weaker than the Princes horses as their footmen were stronger by a treble The Catholike armie séemed to bée diuided into partes rather in the respect of the Chieftaines that gouerned it than for anie difference of troupes as the ancient fashion was to diuide an armie into an auantgard a battaile and a rereward for the Catholikes represented the forme of an hedge the which béeing bias high low straight and crooked according to the nature of the places where they stood made the confederates to sée more or lesse the bands Catholyke according as the nature of the passage did permit wherein the thrée chiefe Captaines seemed to bée well accomoded and placed either to receiue or to giue the charge in this battaile If you will call the troupes lead by the Marshall of Saint Andre the auantgard it was composed of ninetéene companies of men of armes Frenchmen thirteene ensignes of Spaniards so many of French and eleauen of Almanes with foure péeces of Artillerie all placed on the left of the Constable who béeing chiefe of the armie lead the battaile which was néerer the enimie than all the rest of the troupes and it consisted of xvii Estanders of men of armes three of horsemen xxii ensignes of Suisses and xvii of Frenchmen and Britons with eight péeces of Artillerie The Duke of Guise lead the rereward for to helpe the occurrents which might be presented but had but a few men they almost all standing on the right side of the Constable who stoode formost of them all and euerie one of the thrée Chieftaines hauing before them their Enfans Perdus on foot to begin the game The summe of their armie amounted to 19000. footemen and 2000. horsemen and the Prince was about 4000. horsemen all apparelled in white Casaques the which the Prince had caused them to weare for a marke of the purenesse of their conscience in the dessigne by them made for to maintaine the honour of God and the publike with 6000. footemen diuided into two battaillens of Almaines and Frenchmen Then the armie Catholike marching in this order against the Princes that shewed them his side ariued betwéene two villages L'Espine and Blainuille distant asunder 1200. pace The which space not béeing capable to comprehend the armie Catholike in length it happened that the battel Catholike was farre beyond the auantgard Protestant so that it stoode much behinde it Wherefore the Prince imagining that they marched directlie to him for to fight hée without farther leasure to make publike prayers to God for the victorie as the Parisians did that made the shrine of Saint Geneuiefue to come downe for to emploie her as an intercesseresse to God for their behoofe made his troupes tourne head with as much spéede as hée could but as a whole armie is not easilie remoued so specially by Chieftaines that haue alwayes made more of the estate of actions of the bodie than of the spirit and wit prising higher a furious valliance shan an order and araie militarie whereby the troupes accustomed to tourne and change in all sortes and in a moment doe carrie awaie moe victories without great losse than all those hardie and outragious feeses the which cannot bring but a miserie irreparable the disorder shewed it selfe to bée such that the Admirall and the auantgard found themselues ouerright against the Constable and the Battaile and the Prince and his battaile that was opposed and set agaynst the auantgard of the Catholikes was so farre behinde it as wée sayde that the Prince coulde scarce sée it at all Moreouer the onelie battaile of the Constable stretched almost as farre in length as all the whole armie of the Prince And for lacke of order if that the constant resolution of some had not serued for an example vnto the rest of the armie the Protestants had béene that daie the more vnhappie In summe that backwardnesse was the cause that the Prince and the Constable bare all the brunt the Constables horsemen that strengthned his
this daie All the time of these hot attaches the auantgard Catholike kept themselues close together and stirred not one foote for the space of about an houre and an halfe beholding with a discontented eie the euents of so meâ—tall encounters the feare of whome bredde soone inough in some a desire to take backe againe the waie to Dreux after that they vnderstoode and in parte had seene the entire discomfiture of their battaile with the taking of the Constable But the Duke of Guise had soone inough considered that after such charges and endeauours the Protestants could haue neither weapons nor araie for themselues nor their horses to sustaine and abide the shock of so many fresh men and furnished fullie with all necessaries Moreouer hée knew that their batthillon of French footemen amounting to 500. ill armed and destitute of horsemen who nowe went about to rallie with them was not able to abide him béeing resolued to die or else to carrie awaie the honour of so renowmed a battaile Wherefore vsing the counsaile of Biron he drew out 200. horses of his troupes making a good number of Harquebuziers to march on his right side and the Bataillon of Spaniardes after them while in the meane time hée made this spéech vnto the Chieftaines and personages of greatest marke that hée found néere him in that quarter Maisters good friends the onelie discouerie of this bed of honor on the which are now laid so many braue warriors your kinsmen your neighbours your allies and your friends cannot be vnto you otherwise than verie lamentable but againe therefore it is the stronger more forcible occasion for to make you runne with bowed heads against these mischieuous murthering Lutheranes who making no account of the léesing and damning of their owne soules in the fire of euerlasting punishment after that they hadde defiled our Churches and holie places with so many villanies haue with a more than brutish furie massacred so many good Catholikes throughout the whole Realme are also so rashe and so shamelesse as to attainde the sacred person of the King and of his most faithfull Officers for to confound the Stater for to tourne all thinges vpside downe and for to establish a tyrannie most agréeable to their proude passions and haue gathered together a troupe of Théeues of Roagues of Banqueroutes and spend-thriftes and of men condemned to diuerse punishmentes and other sortes of malcontents Who haue bewitched by certaine Preachers and other Huguenotes and so stronglie inchaunted my Lorde the Prince of Condee that hée is made head of this vnhappie troupe which you doe sée alreadie defaited by those violent endeuours that they haue sustained by our battaile Séeing then that they are so broken what resteth for you but that raising vp againe the honour of the Generall of this armie their Prisoner yée goe noblie to the charge and bring awaie the victorie the which otherwise the enimie will carrie awaie with their no lesse honour than the vnrepayable domage of vs and all Christendome Yée néede doe no more but looke them in the face For their horses tired with so many charges and long carriers will no more than the men wearied and vnfurnished of weapons sustaine one moment the gallant lustinesse of your fresh dismarch Doe but dare to attempt it and yée shall get the noblest victorie that euer Nation gained as on the contrarie part it will redound to so much your greater dispraise if that séeing yée haue aduauntage in all things you doe let so faire an occasion slip and holding your armes a crosse and fighting onelie with your eies ye will suffer the enimies to remaine maisters of the field of the battaile But to the end that the valiant may not be without knowledge of their reward and that these villaines doe not remaine vnpunished for their villanies I doe assure you of the liberall recompence of our king I doe sweare vnto you by God that I will shew my selfe so liberall towards them that I shall sée or heare beare themselues valiantlie that they shall neuer lacke goods besides the curtesie of the bountie of their Maiesties and the honours which the lawe of armes and the custome of the Countrie doe giue But those Chelmes and enimies of God shall bée fullie assured of the same yea and a more cruell death The most reprochfull name in Dutch whih they doe thinke to escape by running awaie for recompence of their villanie and punishment of example to all other that dare vsurpe the name of Souldiours and men of warre with an euerlasting inhibition of burying them but to lie in the field to haue none other graue than the bellies of dogs of wolues of birds other beasts that shal glut themselues of theÌ„ at their pleasure On on then my friends and let vs sée who hath most desire to sacrifice honourablie the rest of his daies for the seruice of God of the king and of France Vpon this resolution and béeing well followed by these troupes hée charging on all partes this Bataillon of footemen had a faire daie they béeing first retired that should haue conducted other and as well by wordes as Gentlemanlike examples of their persons haue encouraged them to doe their beuoire and afterward all the Souldiours but not so spéedelie as they could because they were on horsebacke and the other on soote so that none of them fought but the thrée or foure of the first rankes after they had shot off one volée of their foure field yéeces At the same time the Marshall of Saint Andre with all the rest of his horsemen went to range with the two sides of the battaillon of the Almans which did close vp the vtter bouÌ„d of the auantgard In the front whereof were seauen or eight hundreth French Harquebuziers shooting at the Reisters which had rallied themselues returning from the chase of those that had béene broken as I tolde you before Who séeing their French footemen and Lansquenets defaited and so greate forces comming against them retourned with a pretie trot towardes a woode that was néere them In the meane while Dandelot although hée were pressed with his ague yet hée forced himselfe to giue order for all thinges that were néedfull And séeing those Lansquenets of the Prince to flie crosse the village of Blaynuille néere wherevnto the Constable had béene taken hée gallopped to cut of their waie and to make them make head to a troupe of horsemen that chased them a good waie off but they had no order once to staie they were so afrighted it being most certaine that these fiftie yéeres there entered not into France more errant cowardes than they were although they had the fairest apparaunce in the worlde So that Dandelot with whome abode not aboue seauen or eight horses and who by reason of his age had no other armour than a furred Cloake could not reioyne with his fellowes but retired without great impeachment towards Trion into a place where he reposed and
that our courage redoubleth in aduersities making them to know that with the losse of our braue companions we will reuenge the wounding and taking of our Generall March then forward gallantly and lustely and as they that doe fight with heartie hatred making all the world sée that as Germanie France are two Nations of one originall so that th one can not bring foorth more resolute souldiours then the other Thus they being all encouraged marched directly to the village of Blaineuille wher the first fight was made There the Catholickes were in great number ranged in thrée esquadrons manie of whome imagined a while that the Admirall and his people séeing they came againe so soone and specially séeing that they had neuer a lance were come to yéelde themselues to their mercie but they soone knew that it was to begin againe the battaile For although their forces were vtterlie vnequal in number specially the Reisters on the left side being slipt away without doing ought yet the reencounter was very furious and mortall to a great number of gallant men In so much that the Duke of Guyse the better to breake or to slacke this furious dismarch that the Admirall made vpon him folowing his first point néere to the Mill against the village of Maumontell caused to come with all speed the French footemen lead by the young Chunte de Brissac their Colonel in Piemont Martigues and other which yet could not be perceiued because he had set them in battell behinde the horsemen they being without pikemen were 2000. harquebuziers with the Spaniards who all shooting incessantly against the Admirall hurt manie horses and a number of the Confederates thorough theyr so hot and so long a showre of harque busse shot Who yet could not let but that the horsemen of the Catholicke were perced lustelie by the Admirall with two hundred horse and by 600. Reisters in another quarter and in the end were forced to recoile and giue place to blowes and they had ben wholie broken if that the Harquebushes had not slacked the course of the horses and the furie of the Protestants who hauing now changed their trot into a gallop béeing chafed valiantlie to execute the charge behaued their hands so well that of all the horsemen on the side of the Duke of Guise there remained not with him vppon the place aboue foure score or an hundreth who in the end went to rallie themselues by the helpe of their great bataillon of Frenchmen who bare all the brunt for the which it was well cheapned by the Admirall who turned round about to finde a place of breach and ouerture whereby he might doe some great matter to the losse and euerthrow of the whole bodie of the armie But for lacke of lances and because the Admiral was not followed by all the Frenchmen nor the Almans they could neuer pearce them nor do other God than destroie and endomage many of their troupes The sight had now endured aboue fiue houres and hardlie could one discerne the white scarfes which the Admiral and his ware from the red of their enimies when he caused his troupes to close together putting the Reisters that he had left in two esquadrons and marching in the middest with the French horsemen and commanding Bouchauanes the Lieuetenant of the princes Cornet for to tarrie in the taile with about 50. horses The Duke of Guise likewise rallied his men séeing that the Admirall retired assaied for to pursue him with all his footemen as long as their breath wold serue them and a verie few horsemen that were left about his person but they had scarce gone seauen or eight hundred paces but that the darknesse of the night did take awaie the sight one of another So the Admirall retired a pace with those footemen that were saued the great artillerie and all the baggage of the armie a good league from the place of the Battaile to the village of Neufuille where hée lodged You sée howe the Protestantes retyred from the place where they had attached their enimie whom they left in the possession therof for to search spoile and burne the dead and to lift vp at leasure the spoiled confederates At the same time the Duke of Guise went to lodge in the suburbes of Dreux a little league from thence the place of the battaile remaining voide vnlesse it were of them that were appointed for the effects before said a great number of dead men lying héere and there spoiled of all about them and the Artillerie of the Constable with foure field péeces of the Princes Such was the end of the battaile of Dreux in the which God balancing the victorie as it pleased him made manie warriours to marke thrée notable occurrances and verie rare in such feats of armes The first that ther was no skirmish before the battaile the second that both the Generals were taken prisoners and thirdlie that they rallied so often As touching the dead the Catholikes sayd after that they had buried them the next daie that they found them to bée eight or nine thousand But other said assuredlie that there were dead on the place not aboue 5000. without accounting the hurt men that died shortlie after who were no small number At the reuiew which the Admiral made foure daies after he found that there remained of the French footmen neere one thousand of about 2500. that had ben there neere 900. Almanes of thrée thousand that should haue béene in their regiments of whome about 1400. that had yéelded themselurs prisoners in the chase that we spake of were sent home into their Countrie Now of horsemen to speake the most he found not missing aboue 140. both of French Reisters not comprehending those that were taken prisoners So that there died on the Prince his side but about 2200. footmen But on the Catholikes their part the abatement of the Suisses was meruailous of whom 17. Captaines were slaine their Colonell Freulich being dead before at Paris of a laske The rest of the men slaine on that side were almost all horsemen who were hardlie handled by the Reisters as well at the taking of the Constable as at the last charge in the which among other the Marshall of Saint Andre the Chieftaine of the auantgard hauing béene taken prisoner and charged behinde by a Gentleman to get a great raunsome Baubigny who had at another time taken at the heart a certaine displeasure done by him comming vpon him slew him with a Pistoll shot ouerthwart his head Many other knights and Lordes were slaine there as D'Annebault Dr Gemy with his Guidon and the Marshall of the Logis la Brosse a great fauourite of the Duke of Guise and a sonne of his It was a long time an opinion both during after the battaile that the Duke of Guise was slaine But some had taken his Esquire from him who was not much vnlike him in stature whom the Duke had mounted on one of his best
made many Catholickes and Protestants note and marke as afterward some of them dyd often confesse that as footemen are at this day furnished and conducted they must not fight in the plaine against horsemen vnlesse they be flanked or sustained by horsemen séeing that the very Suisses who kéepe their rankes best and rest most assured to rallie in case they be broken wil no more march vnlesse they be flanked with French Harquebuziers and horsemen namely against the French horsemen Sée what happened to P. Valerius and L. Aemilius against the Vosces and Latines who had ouerthrowen their footemen if their horsemen had not come to their succour And what of our blacke bands before Naples who being incited by to much hardinesse as they which had passed wel before were so ill entreated by the Neapolitan horsemen because they had no horsemen to susteine them that their braue enterprise was bpoken as were the Suisses by the Protestants at the battaile of Dreux and by king Frances at the battaile of Saint Brigide néere Marignan vpon the Milanese The footemen in generall were endebted and bound to la Noue and Soubize who caused the boucherie of the Frenchmen to cease they yéelding to haue their liues saued except one Captaine Ensigne Colonell who preferring death before dishonor the which he thought he should deserue by suruiuing so many valiant souldiours slaine wold not abandon one so honorable a péece of silke but with the losse of his life And doubtlesse the suretie and sauing of an Ensigne is of such consequence that any good souldiour will neuer omit to doe his deuoire to kéepe it for any dauÌ„ger that shall be presented him in so much that he will resolue to fight vnder the shadow of his Ensigne euen to the last breath of his lyfe Sixtéene Ensignes and two Cornettes were taken and about 500. slaine and 700. or 800. prisoners sent away with a white rodde in their hand Many Captains died there as Marguarin other but all either Liuetenants or Ensignebearers for ther were not one but la Hiliere a Captaine in chiefe of a companie of the Regiment Reall Of horsemen lesse then thirtie dyed for they saued themselues by flight Vpon a sodaine the victorious presented their Ensignes before the Fort which yéelded the foure Ensignes whereof made vp the number of two and twentie brought to Rochel And because that Mascaron complained of la Noue for the contrarie to the promise of assured compositioÌ„ he had certain baggage taken froÌ„ him which had ben permitted him to carry away la Noue tooke 400. crowns of a prisoner which he caused to be caried to him to content him and to maintaine his promise But the carier being slaine at the taking of the Minister de Chire at Mozeuill as I will tell you in an other place the money was not deliuered vnto him But to returne backe againe to our battaile the dismissed souldiours retired attributing the occasion of all the ill hap vnto the ouer hot hast of Puigallard and for that it was accompanied as some say with a contemning of the Protestants In déede he little practised the example of Paulus Aemylius the Consull and Generall of the Romans who trauailing with an armie thorough Macedonie against Perseus the king of the Macedons had marched almost all one whole day a great pace for to ioyne with the enimie and to come to fight the which was presented vnto him But although his people made countenance of accepting of the good offerre crâ—ed of themselues that he should leade them to the enimie yet neuer the lesse because be saw theÌ„ wery by reason they had marched preatie long with their bagage on their back all bathed in sweat lilling their tongue half a foot out of their mouth for extreeme thirst that tormented them their eyes mouthes and faces full of dust and burnt vp and halfe roasted with the scorching heate of midday he would not present them to the battaile nor bring them in sight of a fresh and aranged enimie seeing that for lack of strength many rested and stayed themselues vppon their bucklers and iauelins sticked in the ground for to hold them vp but contrarie to the opinion of many commaunded the formost bands to lay downe their burdens and baggage that they carryed and measure out the front of a Romane campe They were not so delicate as our bands be for the meanest of whome a dosen of baggage carriers and so many gouiats or drudges after them be not sufficient And when Publicus Nasica one of the best qualited gentlemen in the army tould him that it were better to pursue the enimie who vnto that day had alwaies fledde before them then to leaue him one night frée for the flie longer and to renew the paine of the Romans in séeking him farther he aunswered modestlie without shewing of himselfe anie whit altered for that bold aduertisement I haue had héeretofore the minde that you haue now Nasica and you will one daie haue that which I haue now Many diuerse accidents of warre haue taught mée to know the time when to fight and when to refuse But séeing that leasure is denied mée to saie anie more content your selfe for this time with the authoritie of an olde Captaine neuer contemne your enimie more than you haue had good occasion One ought also to consider the commoditie of the place the circumstance of time the qualitie of the furniture the number of men of warre the forme the manner of the fight the good heart and hardinesse of his men the obedience of his souldiers the authoritie and braue reputation of the Generall which both serue oftentimes to bring to a good end an exploit wel conceiued But so it is that alwaies fortune doth saie and sing aloud and cléere that all is hers and she doth plaie in enterprises of warre as fréelie as the fish doth in the great and wide Ocean But of all other the olde bands that serued Puigaillard as the best footemen of this age did take verie impatientlie to bée spoiled of their weapons What said one after that I haue done notable seruice to my king for the space of fifteene yéeres together shal I suffer such dishonour And shal I after twentie yeres and I after thirtie and I after fortie sayd another beare the scorne of a souldier disgraded Good fellowe for Gods sake leaue me sayde they but my harquebusse but my pike but my sword take all euen to my shirt that the face of his maiestie may not sée me in the habite of a gouiat and drudge But the Souldiers victorious growing in despite because they could not take from them their liues for the countermaund of their Generall stopped their eares against such praters The which one of the Captaines an Ensigne Colonell perceiuing for to shew in what honour wee ought to holde the Armies and degrees that haue béen given vs and also what difference there is betweene a chiefe of marke and a simple Souldier loued
enimies and in such sort he kept his enimie continuallie occupied with alarmes and skirmishes vntill such time as Colonell Mondragon ariued with a new supplie the which Lodouicke vnderstanding retired a little and withdrewe his armie to the towne of Walkenbourg where the 18. of March Sanchio Dauila vsing a stratageme flue aboue 500. of his enimies Wherevppon they retired wholie into the towne fearing that their armie that consisted almost of all fresh water souldiers although they were moe in number yet would bee broken by the kings armie who were olde souldiers and farre better experimented in exploites of warres and namelie in supprises embusses and camisadoes And when Lodouicke sawe that by reason of the resistance that was made against him it was impossible for him to come vnto his brother nor to passe ouer the Meuse in that quarter he made semblance as though he would returne backe againe into Germanie and to that effect remoued his campe But Sanchio Dauila doubting that he wold passe the riuer lower because a long time he heard no newes of him caused his armie to dismarch the which with the regiment of Mondragon was 4000. or 5000. men and as he marched a long the riuer side to kéepe the passage he vnderstood of treason within the towne of Nieumegen and how that those within would yéeld vnto Comte Lodouick that he might passe ouer there Wherefore to preuent that enterprise he incontinentlie thrust a garison into the town and continuallie followed his enimie vntill such time as he was aduertised that the Earle woulde fortefie himselfe not far froÌ„ a small village called Moken two leagues from the kings campe by the riuers side The Earle had chosen this place because he sawe that his purpose of taking Nieumegen was discouered and also that hée might enter into Flandets vpon the first occasion that should be presented vnto him Betwéene his campe and his enimies there was a riuer without a bridge which kept the Catholiks from comming vnto him But Sanchio Dauila to bring his iourney to an end and that he might léese no time marched to Graue a towne in the confines of Brabant where he caused a great bridge to bée made with all possible spéede of many Botes and Barkes by the which he passed the riuer in the sight of the Earle and encamped himselfe in his enimies quarter When the Earle sawe this he remoued his campe towards night néerer to Moken not being minded to fight and stronglie fortefied his campe To whom Dauila gaue many alarmes that night fearing least they would steale awaie priuelie in the darke The next morning both armies stoode aranged in araie of battaile and the Trumpets called to the encounter Then Sanchio to léese no time caused a certaine number of harquebuziers with 100. pikes in the manner of an esquadron to back them for to assaile the enimies their trenches al the rest of the armie standing to look what the enimie their horsemen would doe This esquadron gaue in lustelie on the enimie who also receiued them couragioussie but were at the length broken and their trenches wonne vpon them many of the Earles footemen crying out monie monie and refusing to fight for lacke of pay Lodouicke being rather chafed than affrighted with this vnlooked for and sodaine flight and trecherie of his footmen couragiouslie charged the enimie whom this good happe at the beginning had made hot with his horsemen who also after many hadde solde their liues déerelie were in the end forced to giue place to the force of their enimie and to saue themselues by flight But the thrée noble men Christopher Lewes and Henrie refusing to saue their liues with shame honourablie ended their daies in the battaile When the Spaniardes shoulde haue prosecuted the good fortune of this battayle they fell to mutenie for their wages and two thousand of them forsaking their Ensignes and Captaines hasâ—ed to Antwerpe for to extort from the wretched citizens 35. monethes pay for themselues and their fellowes And also the kings fléete that lay in the Hauen being affrighted with this fray got them farther from the towne wher they were sodainly assailed by the Flissingers and all either taken or sunke So that the Spaniards hadde not a shippe of seruice left them in the low countries and in that predicament doe continue euen to this day ¶ The Battaile of Giblou in Brabant fought betwene Don Iohn de Austria and Mounsieur de Gugny Generall of the armie of the States in the absence of the Comte de Lalaing In An. Do. 1578. the last of Ianuarie DON Iohn de Austria Gouernour of the low Countries not long after he had sent out of the countrie all the forreyne forces and the States of the Countries fell so at two pieces that he for feare of being supprised couertlie vnder an other colour withdrew himselfe out of Brabant and fortunately thorough the practise of the Comte Barlemont and his valiant sonnes who almost onely of the nobilitie fauoured him supprised the Castell of Namur a place of great consequeÌ„ce for the recept of forraine forces and entrance into Brabant After he had furnished this towne and castell with all necessaries he went into the Duchie of Luxenburg the which onely prouince continued in his obedience there to expect men and money from the King who still fauored him and also other aides The Comte Barlemont leuied a regiment for him in Loraine and the Comte Mondraquert an other in Luxembourg also xix companies were sent him out of the Countie of Bourgogne and Charles Manfelt sonne to Peter Comte Mansfelt and gouernour of Luxembourg brought him 7000. Frenchmen also the dismissed Spamards who were not yet gone out of Italie accompanied and encreased with certaine Italian troupes leuied and ledde by the Prince of Parma Octauio Gonzaga and other were returned that he hadde now about 16000. footemen and 2000. horsemen With the which power he marched towards Namur for to make head against the great armie of the States that lay not farre from Namur winning wasting and harrying all euen to the gates of the towne And it was Don Iohns good happe to enter into Namur with 78. men the verie same night that the armie of the States whether because their cheife Captaines were retyred to Bruxelles or by reason of the colde weather for it was Ianuarie or because the souldiours demaunded their paye or for all three causes began to remoue their Campe to trusse vp their baggage to retire their artillerie and to doe other such things as in warres doe giue suspition of feare Don Iohn meruailing thereat issued out of the towne with the Prince of Parma and Octauian Gonzaga the Generall of the horsemen for to view the Campe of the enimie who came as we told you before euen to the gates of the Towne and all thrée went vp vpon a little hill from whence they might well discerne all that passed and then returning into the towne sent for the Maire and the
receiued them verie couragiouslie trusting not so much to their own strength as they assuredly hoped for spéedie succour from their fellowes But Doria who I tolde you before had made out into the Sea with a parte of his wing that hée might suspende Oluzali from fight was too farre off for to come to succour them presentlie but he had prudently fet a compasse as farre as the Galleaze of Pitano that he might assaile Oluzalion the back But when Oluzah had perceaued him saw that he prepared to come against him with many of his owne Galleies and other of the left wing he passingly plagued these fewe that he had assailed and sodainly flying vp into the sea fled away with many of his Gallies But he had also taken of our Gallies and being tied to his gallies had dragged after him the gallies of Peter Bua of Corfu of the Prior of Messina and of Lewes Cipico of Trau In this forious and fierce conflict Benedict Soranzo although he had receaued thrée wounds in his face yet he fought most valiantly with a few men defended his galley a good long while vntill that the forces of the enimies being mightely augmented they tooke away from him with his Galley his life also for a sacrifice vnto Christ Neither yet was his death vnreuenged for when the enimies were entred into the Galley there was a fire kindled in the munitions wherewith the Galley was consumed and the enimies cast into the aire There dyed here also besides Soranzo Hierome Contarini Marke Antony Lando Marke Antony Pasqualigo Iames Medi George Corneli and Peter Bua But among them that were grieuosly hurt was Lewes Cypico of Trau For after he had fought valiantly and had but onely sixe men left him and had receaned seuen very great wounds he being at the last vanquished was carried away with his galley But he and the Prior of Messina were soone succoured and rescued their Gallies taken away from Oluzali who had towed them after him as taken prisoners and they themselues were brought backe againe aliue In this encounter with Oluzali there were much endamaged besides these a galley of Sauoy an other of Florence and a third of Spaine and although both in this wing and also in other places many of our men had bene grieuously hurt and staine yet so great was their valour that with the aide of Gods goodnesse they lost not one galley but that of Peter Bua of Corfu which was carryed away by the enimie And now at the 21. houre the enimie was vtterlie broken and ouercome so that the rest of the Gallies that remained were all taken by our men without resistance But they could not pursue Oluzali because it was almost night and also for that he beeing got vp into the maine Sea was said to bée gone too farre for to bée recouered But this now was a most memorable and horrible spectacle that all the sea was séene red of bloud and almost an infinite number of dead carcases were séene swimming therein and a wonderfull number of cries were heard of the wounded and swimming men as well of the one side as the other calling for helpe yea and oftentimes our men and the enimies would at one time take holde of one péece of woode séeking thereby to saue themselues with such shriking roaring and pittifull cries euerie where as woulde haue amazed a man and all these thinges seemed to bée so much the greater and more pittifull as the aire waxed darker by the approach of night After that the Fléete of Oluzali was now come into our mens handes they fell to getting and gathering together of the prise and pillage and therein they spent that little of the daie that was lefte and at euening went merrilie with the Ottomanicall spoiles into certaine Hauens called Petalici And this was the successe of this battaile by Sea which doubtlesse was very great for since Augustus his time ther was not so great a battaile fought by Sea And this victorie of ours ought to be esteemed the more worthie of admiration because it befell vnto vs néere to that place where Augustus Caesar did long before discomfite Marke Antonie at the foreland of Actium where now Preuesa is Neither doth it also lesse make for the augmentation of the renowme of this famous victorie that although they fought but onelie foure houres yet they trode to péeces the head of that great Serpent of the East and brake the strength of Selim that most mightie tyrant The first houre of the night after all our whole Nauie was brought into the Hauen through the singular industrie of our Captaines there sodainlie arose so great a wind and so great a tempest that the inhabitants of that place did affirme that they neuer in all their liues felte the like But our men lying ther safelie wer so careful for the healing of the sicke and wounded that the Captaines did take them into their owne cabines Now to grow to an end singular was the wisedome and diligence of our thrée high Admiralls Don Iohn de Austria Marke Antonie de Colonna and Sebastiano Venieri in learning out the state and intent of the enimie and also their industrie in sage consulting and discréete appointing what should be done and then again no lesse praise worthie was the dexteritie and readinesse of the rest of the Captaines in the executioÌ„ And in perticular the Marques de Santa Cruz that lead the battaile of succour shewed rare prudence in sending of succour with singular spéed vnto those that were oppressed by the enimie and finallie wonderfull was the valour of the common Souldiours in the action and fight And to conclude all that were there present at this battaile and fought for the name of Christ their sauiour if they bée aliue may glorie that they were pertakers of this so great a victorie but if they lost their liues there they doe inioy the rest of the blessed and hauing exchanged this mortall life for immortall doe possesse the true fruite of the victorie the which may bée a great comfort to their parents and kinsfolke For séeing that we doe knowe that no man can be borne immortall of mortall parents the onelie waie to obtaine immortall life is to get glorie and praise by vertue and valour The number of those that were slaine on our part as farre as could bée vnderstood were 7656. they were these Augustine Barbarigo the high Prouiditore of the Venetians who hauing as I tolde you before lost the vse of his tongue by a wound when he vnderstoode that our men had obtained the victorie lifting his handes vp to heauen dyd declare the valour of his heart by euident signes and thrée dayes after the battaile depâ—rting out of this mortall lyfe into heauen carried with him the triumph of the Turkish tyrannie Seuentéene Captaines of Gallies Eight men in compleat armour Fiue Chaplaines Priests Sixe Contes of Gallies Fiue maisters of Gallies Sixe Scribes Seuen Pilots A hundred and
great peale of great and small shot in token of ioye And there hée was forced to pitch vp his Tents and to lie there in a Campe certaine daies staying for other forces and to recouer his strength weakened by sicknesse Wherefore as soone as those forces that hée looked for were come he sooke muster of his whole armie and found fiftéene thousand footmen harguebuziers of whome fiue thousand were verie choice olde souldiours and the rest fresh water souldioure and of none experience Then he had two thousand Argolets two and fortie thousand Alarbes with shéeld and spere sixe and twentie field péeces verie well furnished and Gunners verie good and readie Moreouer all his whole armie was verie well prouided of victualles and his souldiours well paide the which is one of the chiefest thinges in warres and whereof the Generall ought to haue most speciall care So his souldiours were paide euerie moneth a Duckate or péece of golde wherefore they were also all readie to abide all extremitie for Abdelmelec and to spendr their liues for him except the horse men of the Alarbes whome hée little trusted as he that was not ignoraunt that they were full of falsehoode nor gaue their mindes to anie thing else than to gette booties and to rob they cared not whom And that I may tell you all in few words he had more trust in none than in those fiue thousand old souldiours harquebuziers But the thing that gréeued Abdelmelec most was that at so great and perillous a battaile whereat hee must néeds be present himselfe and order it vnlesse he wold endaunger the whole state of his Kingdome hee dyd finde himselfe to bée so weake and quite broken with sicknesse the which the burning Dogge dayes dyd increase Wherefore he laie still there eight or nine daies vntill that the king of Portugall constrained him yea vnwilling for to march forward and to encampe at Alcazar In the meane time the king of Portugal béeing issued out of Arzill and readie to march mustered his armie wherein besides the thousand stipendaries that he had left to kéepe the fléete and the two thousand that hée had sent to Massaga he had fouretéene thonsand footemen and two thousand horsmen a great part armed Moreouer there were thrée thousand pioners and aboue a thousand cochmen and almost an infinite number of drudges flaues Negroes mullotters horse boies land resses and those swéete wenches that the Frenchmen doe merrilie call the daughters of delight for now the world is come to that we thinke we cannot kéepe wars without these snailes So that all the insauorie companie of baggage did excéede sixe and twentie thousand persons He had also sixe and thirtie field péeces and 1500. wagons full of mattes vessell and householde stuffe onelie for noble men He might in deede haue brought a greater power in this voiage as wel out of Spain as out of other Countries but that he giuing credite to the words of Muley Hamet who said that the armie of Abdelmelec would reuoult vnto him he dismissed many Spaniards that would haue gone aboord at Caliz and did more easilie discharge them that vnder pretence of sicknesse desired that they might goe home In the armie that followed him were thrée thousand Germanes sixe hundreth Italians two thousand Spaniardes sire hundreth Souldiours of Tangar two thousand fiue hundreth light horsemen in whome hée reposed his greatest trust The rest were Portugalls And the greater parte of these forces had their wages sparingly and verie ill paide them and were distressed with want and many other ills for now victuals beganne to faile the which were so sparinglie distributed that many died for hunger The fault was in the purueiours who do full often in the time of wars through their knauerie cast princes generals into extreme calamities But that which was worst of all the greater part of the armie consisted of fresh water souldiours who were without skill of martiall discipline neither had euer séene battaile or campe That I may omit those eight thousand that bare long pikes then the which kinde of souldiours there is none of lesse vse and seruice more vnfit for wars in Barbarie By that time the king of Portugal had mustered his armie Abdelmelec was come to Alcazar with an armie full of fury and wrath Which caused the King of Portugall his Counsell to desire their Prince in no case to ioyne in battaile with his enimies who did farre surpasse him in men and might but rather that he would march with his armie to Larissa take that fortified place and prouide for himselfe But when Abdelmelec knew by espies almost euerie houre what was done in the campe of the Christians and how weake the Portugall forces were and how coldly all things were ordered and therefore did sée that the wretchen king being in the prime of his yeares was néere to death and desiruction he wrought by all meanes he could that he should not be forced to fight a battaile because he was not otherwise verie ill affected towards Christians Wherefore he laboured priuile and secretly by certaine men and they mostly merchants to certifie the king of Portugall of the guiles and deceits of Mahamet that had brought him into these daungers and so present ruine and ieoperdie of life But although these aduises of Abdelmelec were not vnknowne to the king of Portugall and his counsaillours aduised him the verie same that Abdelmelec dyd and went about to withdraw him from his purpose yet he wilfullie contemned all that could be sayde not onely that he might fulfill his burning desire to fight and to trye his strength and valiant heart but also chiefelie because he trusted the promises of Mahamet which he beléeued to be verse true To he short his Counsaile laboured to their vttermost to disuade the king from ioyning in battaile but rather adeised him to march to Larissa and they wrought so much by blaming and brging him that the king at length yéelded to goe to Larissa Wherevpon the Nauie was commaunded to make saile towards Larissa he himselfe marched by land the therwards going out of Arzil the 29. of Iulie which was tues daie and thrée daies he marched but making small iourneies by reasen of the multitude of haggage that followed the armie and then he fraied the fridaie because he looked for some aide from Arzil The Saterdaie verie earlie he began to march againe and at length came to the riuer of Mazaga which runneth to Larissa and there he lodged watches and wardes being diligentlie appointed and set after his vsed manner for feare of the Moores that were dispearsed round about him At that time Abdelmelec remained at Alcazar verie weake and sicklie and although he heard that the Portugall was gone out of Arzil and was encamped at Mazaga yet he would not stirre out of his place vntill that he vnderstood by espies that his enimies made towards Alcazar For hée would haue suffered his enimie to haue taken Larissa
thinking that the Portugall being contented with the taking of it would from thence returne home But when he was aduertised that the Saterdaie morning his enimie marched forward he also at the same time made towards Arzil by Alcazar And when he had marched with his armie a little more than halfe a league that is aboue a mile he encamped on a certaine high downe in the sight of the Portugails who were a league from that hill and were encamped on a great and pleasant plaine And being néere to the riuer of Alcazar he commanded his Tents to be pitched on the banke of the riuer not farre from confluence of another riuer that goeth to Larissa After that noone was past he and his armie refreshed themselues from the heate of the Sunne in their tents hée taking his rest in an horse litter In the meane time hee sent forth certaine horsemen for to bring him more certaine newes of the enâ—â—ie and placed souldiours before the waroes for to let that none of his people should flie out of his campe to the Portugall and Muley Hamet When the king of Portugall was come the Saterdaie morning to the riuer of Larissa was encamped néere to the place where he thought ther might be a foord fouÌ„d to passe ouer his ordenaÌ„ce was minded to go to Larissa then Mahamet a subtile fellow ambitions and deceitfull thinking with himselfe that if the Portugall should enter Larissa and did consider the power and most puisant armie of Abdelmelec that then hee would returne home and doe nothing and leaue him forsaken and alone to be deuoured of his enimies he resolued to talke with the Portugall that daie and to dehort him from the iourney the he purposed towards Larissa and the he might the better bring it to passe â—he began with a craftie tale to tel him that many Moores horse men had fled vnto him from Abdelmelec that the rest of the armie went about to do the same That if he should goe to Larissa then all men would blame him as one fearefull and such an one as reposed sasetie in running awaie That Abdelmelec was naked of friendes for hée handled his Souldiours hardlie and that they didde therefore minde to doe him a mischtefe either by slaying of him or else by forsaking him in the battaile That it was better and more wisedome to march toward Alcazar namelie séeing that enimie that came against him had not so much heart as to goe about to impeach him He added also other arguments making for his purpose by the which hee diss waded the Portagall from going to Larissa and to saie the truth it had otherwise bene an harde matter for him to haue gon forward séeing the his enimy was so néere The Sundaie morning verie earlie the Portugall remoued his campe and went vp a long the banke of the riuer that he might come into the high waie that leadeth from Arzil to Alcazar and when he had found a foord he staied and commaunded the pioners to make it readie against the next daie But Abdelmelec vnderstanding the intent of the Portugal caused a signe to be giueÌ„ by sound of Trumpet the euerie man should make himselfe readie to fight Wherefore in the afternoone he marching forward almost a quarter of a mile stayed and commaunded his armie to breath vntill he vnderstoode what his enimie that was about halfe a league off ment to doe For as we haue tolde you before Abdelmelec had determined not to ioyne in battaile except the Portugall did first desire it When the Portugall being encamped along the Riuer of Larissa heard that the enimie made towards him he was forced also to remoue his Campe and to put his people in array of battaile not for to fight because the fourde of the Riuer could not be passed ouer without very great difficultie and also there was a great troupe of Moores that dyd continually prouoke his men with skirmishes but that he might defense himselfe and he vsed the mightie Riuer in stéede of a wall against the enimie In this sort those two Armies when either did looke that the other should beginne the battaile kept themselues in the rest of the day So when it drew towards night and Abdelmelec saw that the Portugals stirred not out of their place although the chiefe Captaines were verie instant on him to fight and to giue the signall of battaile yet because night was at hand he commaunded the retreate to be sounded and ledde his Armie backe to their Campe. But yet he commaunded proclamation to be made in the Campe by sounde of Trumpet that no man should put of his armour nor lay downe his weapon that night and also commaunded the watch to be doubled as he also did the night before that no man could flye out of his Campe vnto Muley Hamet And doubtlesse this watch was the cause of Mahamets ouerthrow because that no man durst to goe out of his ward tente In the meane time Abdelmelec was fully resolued to fight for séeing he had heard that many horsemen and men that had abiured the faith were fled out of his Campe and did feare that if he deferred to fight the next day that then the greater part of his armie would reuolt he thought that he must staye no longer but determined to goe on forward and to aduenture the battaile Wherefore he commanded that it shoulde bée signified by a Trumpet that all men shoulde be in a readinesse and prepared either to liue or die After that the king of Portugall sawe that his enimies were retired into their camp he also did the like and lodged in the verie same place from whence he came He assembling in counsaile the chiefe men of the armie that night determined the next day being mundaie to offer the enimie battaile And it is the constant same of all men that Muley Hamet gaue him counsaile to beginne the battaile the next daie in the euening not so much because by this meanes the souldiours of Abdelmelec might the more commodiouslie rououlf vnto him as for that he coulde not by reason of the darknesse of the night remedie it if anie confusion did arise in his armie This counsaile as good and wholesome was approued of all men and therefore the king commanded that the same night it shoulde bee proclaimed in the campe that the next daie béeing mundaie as soone as it was light the ordenance and the carriages shoulde bée speedelie passed ouer the water through the foorde For if they had tarried longer no doubt the enimies wold haue impeached their passage which also was the cause that the battaile was not begâ—n in the euening but sooner The foord béeing made readie the armie straight waie passed ouer and they encamped beyond the riuer and also the king began to arange his battailes to set forth his bands and to dispose his ordenance in commodious places He also made a long Oration to his souldiours and exhorted theÌ„ with curteous louing
she did defend her selfe very valiantly being likewise assailed by two other shippes who after they had discharged certaine ordenance at her passed forwardes At the same time came other 2. French ships vpon the Captaine who beginning to fight with her she gaue them two such welcomes with her ordenance and harquebusse shot that one of them was ill to passe and almost sunke and so they retired hauing shot many péeces at the Captaine the Captaine at them At which time came the ship of Don Francisco de Bouadilla who was néere the Captaine who did likewise anoie the French men greatlie with their shot All this while did the Admirall and vizeadmirall of the French armie fight with the Galeon Saint Maâ—theo who did defend her selfe and offend her enimies valianâ—â—e â—he Camp maister General Don Lopes de Figueroa Don â—â—dro de Tassis ouerséer generall with the rest of the Gentlemen and souldiours that were in her couragiouslie shoâ—ting at the enimies both with great shot harquebusse shoâ—â—â—â— musket shot The marques perceiuing that the Spanâ—â—h nauie was too windward of the French and séeing the distresse that the Galeon Saint Mattheo was in by reason of the two Frenchmen he commanded the Captaine to turne towards the enimie and so did Don Christopher de â—rasso and the rest of the ships of the Spanish armie and the ships of Miguel de Oquendo Villia Viciosa other Bishaiâ—es which were before the stearnmost by changing of the wiâ—â— were then the formost who came and boorded the Admirall of the French Nauie who fought with the Galeon Saint Mattheo and afterward came the shippe wherein went Michael de Venesa who fought with the Captaine of France like a good Captaine and so in lyke sort did the souldiours that were with him and because his shippe was betwéene the marques coulde not at that time boorde the Captaine of France but passed forward In the meane tâ—â—â— the Admiral of France was in fight with the Galeon Saint Mattheo and thrée shippes moe who boorded her Villia Viciosa béeing one of the thrée hauing boorded the French Admirall at the prowe was slaine with many of his companie as shall be declared The ship of Oquendo did boord her a stearne and did enter his men into her and began to sacke and tooke foure prisoners and the ensignes The battaile beganne now to increase with that came two other French shippes to rescue their Captain putting aboord her thrée hundred fresh men she got from them In the meane time the Marques gaue another charge on the enimie with much shot and at the last boorded with the French Captaine prow to prowe and so grapled together where was a cruell fight on both sides shooting the one at the other both with great shot and small for the space of an houre vntill shée yéelded where were slaine aboue 300. French men and the Gentlemen and souldiours that were in the two fights did defend themselues valiantlie so likewise did the two Captaines Augustine Deharrara Gamboa and their lieuetenants The Marques like a Generall went through the fights encouraging his people to the assalting of the enimie foreséeing and ordering all things néedfull to be done The artillerie both below aloft did great good through the great diligence of those Captaines that had the charge thereof The battaile betwéene the other ships did proceede giuing and receiuing great charges one vpon the other The battaile continued fiue houres and at the last the enimie fled Don Anthonio was departed in a small pinasse with another ship the night before the battel Some ships were sunke some spoiled hauing slaine all the men that were found in them and some fled to other ships And for that we could not tow their ships the Marques commanded that we should burne them sinke such as we could as we had begun to doe The Carauell with the horses that had bene taken was recouered It is thought that there was of the enimies aboue 1200. slaine drowned and beheaded besides many that were hurt of them the escaped in the ships that fled There might haue ben taken many mo of their ships if we had had time marriners sufficient for to haue towed them but they were suffered to depart without men and spoiled it is certaine that the Admirall which was left for half drowned other foure or fiue ships more were cast awaie in the Isle of S. Michael and it is thought that other haue done the like in other places The number of those that were slaine in the nauie of the Spaniards was 224. men and of those that were hurt 553. which is in all 777. Besides some that were burnt with wild fire among whom was the comptroller generall Sir Peter de Tassis in the face The names of the principall men that came with Don Anthonio of whom some are prisoners some were slaine 〈◊〉 some ranne awaie Philip Strozzi Captaine Generall was taken prisoner and hurt with the shot of an harquebusse wherof he died as soone as he came into the presence of the Marques The Earle of Vimioso was prisoner and hurt with an harquebusse shot and thrust in with a sword whereof he died in the Generals ship the daie after the battaile The Countie Brisac lieuetenant some saie that he escaped in a boate of his ship other saie that he was slaine with a shot the truth is not knowen Monsieur de Piamount maister of the campe Generall was slaine in the battaile Of the principal Captaines of the eight regiments that came in the armie which was 6800. souldiours accounting the aduenturers some were slaine and some fled awaie The Lordes of Townes and Castles that were taken aliue Monsieur de Bocamaior Lord of Rousela Monsieur Iohn Delatus Lord of Heria William de Sanclear Lord of Sanclear Lewes de Clen Lord of Bronnes Peter de Oule Lord of Quenes Gilbert de Louel Lord of Vuel Peter de Bean. Monsieur de Gal Lord of Gal. Monsieur de Gifford Lord of Giffordel Monsieur de la Onet eldest sonne vnto the Lord of Gresoul Edward de Langert Lord of Piel Fabio Gansete sonne to the Lord of Gansete Monsier de Vda Lord of Vda Monsieur Fransoius Lord of Montilla Monsieur Laquesbay eldest sonne of the Lord of Biapolis Monsieur Robert Debella eldest sonne of the Lorde of Veseola Monsieur Guillam Mason Lord of Falla Monsieur Bigart de Piloart Lord of Manterie Monsieur Beltram de Amigat Lord of Stituias Monsieur Iailato Lord of Sans. Monsieur Philip Mentado Lord of Sabrussa Monsieur Iohn de Bocca maior Lord of Rosilla Claudio de Pomolin Lord of Popalin Iacobo Lasarean Lord of Lasserian Monsieur Demondoc Lord of Mondoc The Gentlemen prisoners that were no Lordes of Townes nor Castles were in number one and fiftie and of marriners and common Souldiours thrée hundreth and thrée The marques séeing that there was peace and amitie betweene the king his maister and the French king knowing
standard set forward For at that instant they dislodged for to aduertise la Noue that abode at Luson of all that we haue folde you before and to exhibite into consultation of the counsail what was to be resolued vpon in this matter The which la Noue dyd also soone doe as well for to sound the hearts of his as also not to misse but with the opinion of them all if that fortune should make their first desse in fall out ill The opinions were diuers and the assembly was diuided into two aduises as it doth ordinarely happē in a matter of such importance namely among the Chiefeteines that would manage their affaires considerately and rather by the common aduice then their own particular motion The chiefe Captaines being assembled la Noue did declare vnto them the enterprise that they had made against the Fort and the occasion thereof that now it was come to this point that they could not longer abide before the place but that they must either fight or else retire them selues As touching the first the armie of the enimie is great well furnished both for men and equipage and a third mo in number then the Protestants But that which is more to be considered in this occurrence is that although we doe obtaine the victorie yet we shall thereby not aduaunce at all the affaires of the publicke and the totall cause if that fortune fall out ill to our great armie vnder the conduct of the Admirall which euery day is in doings with the Marshall of Cosse and vppon the point to darreyne battaile with the kings forces for then shall this victorie of ours be rather lamentable then profitable For as it can not be obtained but with great effusion of bloud and the death of manie braue Captaines and valiant souldiours so that if the armie of the Princes be broken those that shall dye in this fight now at hand will so lessen our forces that we shall not be able to maintaine Rochell against the Catholickes who may soone repaire and leuie an other armie because they doe swarme in people vnder the auctoritie that they haue stolen from the king But séeing that he remitted the resolution of the one and the other vnto the pluralitie of voices those that maintained the fight carried it away in number Besides the dishonor sayde they that the armie shall gette by such a retraite it can not be done but with an other greater losse of men then shall be spent in the battaile namely séeing that the Catholickes march vpon them with so great spéede Adde therevnto that the Italians as they thought had sette foorth for to cut of the way for none other consideration but to impeach them of all wayes of retires Wherevpon Puuiant tooke the word out of their mouthes and of a particular motion sayd aloud So that wée doe goe resolutely to the charge the victorie is certainly ours for they are all so werie so couered ouer with dust by reason of the long iourney that they haue made and besides they are so charged with sléepe that they will not be able to sustaine the first charge of our people As touching the rest God who is as great as strong and as well willed towards his as euer he was hath prouided for farre greater inconueniences than those that can befall to vs if our great armie hap to be broken If in all occasions that are presented to men man shew himselfe noble and couragious God will supply the rest and furnish vp the imperfection of man of whome he demaunds no more but his deuoire Let vs then doe that lieth in vs he that hath guided vs herevnto for to maintaine his cause will of his almightie power accomplish that which our feeble power lacketh The auctoritie and no lesse the good fortune that accustometh to fauour such a Chiefeteine was of so great force with the rest of that troupe that la Noue had no sooner asked them all whether they were resolued to fight but that their long acclamatiōs laughing countenances assured him of the good will that they had to doe it In so much that hauing admonished them not discharge before they were néere their enimie to pursue their poinct furiously to recharge without cease as long as they should sée any number of their enimies in troupe for feare least they should rallie after they were broken gaue commaundement to euery Captaine for to goe order and encourage his troupes and that the Ministers should presently preach vnto euerie companie praying God to send them an happie successe in this battaile so daungerous as euerie man is more religious when he sées him selfe pressed néere to any ill but if all things laught vpon him at pleasure then our nature is to forget him quickly to whom we were so deuout whē we feared the bastonnades of a mischief néere at hand But I will leaue them at their prayers and preparing of themselues to the reencounter the which they held assured and bring Puigaillard forward who staying for nothing lesse then for feare of raising of Puuiant and his companions out of their beddes hasted amaine But he was scarse at Cheurettes but that the companies of the Kings gard who being the spéediest had made a stand for a certeine tyme staying for the rest gaue soone enough into the barries of Sainct Gemme for the Protestants had shutte vppe the wayes of Sainct Gemme and Luson which they gotte and passed without resistaunce and ran thorough the borough in the houses whereof they founde the beddes yet hot wherewithall they finding themselues grieued did whilest they stayed for the armie some of them lay them downe to sléepe other fell to filling of their bellies and some ranne to hasten Puigaillard and to carrie him the newes of taking of Sainct Gemme whereinto he entred before the pricke of the daye crying in all quarters to his Souldiours to come out of the houses to putte them in order and range of Battaile for to folow the Protestants who some sayde were fledde to Marans and from thence to passe to Beraud In the ende séeing that the most part of the companies were out of the Borough he made them turne headde directly to Luson wher he hoped to be reuenged of the occasion that had hadde slipped out of his hande There fiftie souldiours Auantcourers of the best moūted of the Kings garde whome he had sent before the armie sent him woord that they had discouered the enimie who was prettie néere and in battaile These were a nūber of Gentlemen of the countrie who going out of Luson for to deuaunce the Armie hadde giuen in as farre as the tuffes of wood which were before marked vnto you being determined to trie the assurance and resolution of the Catholickes by some notable skirmish the which yet passed lightly enough as well on the one side as the other Vpon this certaine of the Catholicke armie being returning re-encountred x. or twelue valets of the Protestants
better to die with honour couered and wrapped in his Ensigne than to drinke of such shame So before these braue chiefe died hée patientlie sawe the purple of his bloud die the white Taffetas of his Ensigne Crimson I doe remember me of the ensigne Colonell of Caesar that bare the Eagle Imperiall in the ciuile warres This Romane Captaine knowing what shame it is to leaue the Ensigne to bée wonne by the enimie when he sawe that he was neere to his end did so much with his companions that it was saued and brought vnto the handes of his Generall I must néedes also recite the notable example of the Counte de Charny that bare the Banner of France in that so famous battaile of Malpertuis néere Poitiers which king Iohn lost against Edward the Prince of Wales and the English men This gentle Frenchman loued better to die in the field with the soueraigne Banner of France in his hande stroken thorough with a thousand blowes than to liue with the reproch to haue fled from the Englishmen as farre as Poitiers as two partes of the armie did the twelfth of September Anno. 1356. But the raunsome of so many prisoners was not intollerable but moderated for the pittie and compassion that they had of so many braue warriours who yet layd all the falt of their foule daie on the conduct of the armie But that I maye omit nothing of my deuoire Puygaillard had great reasons for the iustifications of his dooings First the ennie that he bare him at the charge saying that hée was of too small an house to commaund so many seigniours was the cause that hée was forsaken by not onelie two partes of the men of armes that were appointed him but also of many Ensignes of footemen and namelie of all the Captaines in chiefe of those bandes that remained I will not speake of the Romanes many of whose armies were ouerthrowen by the hatred borne to their Generalls no more then I wil of the Counte de Galeaz despighted because that his brother Galeas Saint Seuerin was preferred before him in the estate of Generall of the armie against the French I wil also passe ouer in silence how néedfull it is that a Generall be loued of those that follow him and will not recount vnto you how Persy by reason of the authoritie that he had with the souldiers made Monpensier léese many faire enterprises at the conquest of the kingdome of Naples Some men onelie wished héere that the Generall and his souldiers had done as Liuiano and his armie did who hauing trauailed his armie through foule déepe waies and full of mire and foulie soused with continuall raine and tired with marching daie and night yet when they should haue rested themselues and béeing at the place appointed therefore he spake vnto them so effectuallie assuring them of the victorie and the greate spoile of Ruiglio that they quite forgot all their long iourneyes passed behauing themselues as they ought got no lesse honour than they did riches by their spoiled enimies But the enuie that namelie the Poiteuins bare Puygaillard ouerthrew the happie course of his faire desseines So ended the battaile the which began in the verie breake of the daie although that the mist of the thicke cloudes woulde not at the beginning thereof suffer the armies to enteruiew one another at ease And it may bée that if the Protestants had discoured so great a masse of men that they had chosen the retraite for the fight through the meanes of such fogges that gaue them the true meane for to surprise and breake the enimie After this battaile the Protestants in those partes wonne Fontenay Marans Brouage and the Isle of Santogne and besieged the Citie of Saintes when a generall peace was proclaimed The battaile at Chieuraine in Henault fought betweene Don Federike sonne to the Duke of Alua and the Lord Ienlis a Frenchman in Anno. 1572. out of Popelliniere THe Comte Lodouick of Nassau hauing fortunatlie surprised the towne of Mouns in Henault by the aide of certaine French forceâ— lead by the L. Ienlis within short time after â—â—r back Ienlis himself into France so respects First to aduertise the French king who séemed highlie to fauour these desseines of Lodouicke and the reuolt of the low Countries from the obedience of the Spaniard of the successe of their enterprise What order they had giuen to the estate of the cause of the meanes that they had to aduaunce their fortune farther of the stirres and reuolts in Holand and Zeland of the fauour that they had receiued out of England Scotland and Germanie and aboue all of the great leauie that the Prince of Orenge made in Germanie and of the hope of their spéedie ariuall that it would please his maiestie to pursue so braue a beginning or at the least to suffer men to bée leauied in France to bée sent into Flanders to ioyne with the Prince and the Almanes against the Duke that prepared an armie to take the field But if the king refused so to doe then to solicite the Princes of Bearn and Condey and the Admirall for to send as many souldiers as they could Ienlis promised him to do what was possible did for his owne perticular assure him that he would emploie all the meanes he could to leauie forces and woulde leade them himselfe into the place appointed Hée went to the Court and aduertised the king and his Counsell of all that I rehearsed before The which did diuerslie mooue their mindes according to the diuersitie of their fauours and factions Afterward hauing receiued a good answere of the king and a promission to leauie men assurance of the Admirall that hée had alredy sent forth his commissions into all parts of France for to leuie companies both of footmen and horsmen had appointed them to méete all together within one daies iourney of Paris where by that time he hoped to haue his owne companie of men of armes to conduct all these forces himselfe into the lowe Countries hée rode into Picardie where vppon the bruite of the conquest of Flanders by the king and of the great and rich booties and spoiles that they looked for there hée had within few dayes leauied thrée or foure thousand footmen 200. men of armes with two companies of harquebuziers on horsebacke The Admirall that had tould Ienlis that he should goe finde out the Prince and serue him for the auantgard willed that Beauieu the Ensigne of his companie of men of armes should take thirtie of his companie and as for the rest he should carie them that he could get without anie regard had of what religion they were The Baron of Renty had one Regiment of nine Ensignes of foote men Ieumelles of eight Berenguaruille of sixe Ianissac was appointed for to conduct the Auantcoureurs The seuenth of Iuly they began to march with a thousand insolences and misorders committed on the paisants and namely by the footemen As soone as Counte
iourney that he would needes wilfully launch forth both against winde and tide thorough the which rash part it came to passe that one of his shippes striking vpon the flattes was lost within the sight of the Citie of Antwerp and an other néere to Roiner-s wald in Zeland yet he being nothing dismayed for this vnluckie losse went forward with his iourney and lay at anther not farre from Flissing staying there as he was commaunded for Romero who also had an vnluckie abodement at the beginning For when the Comendador came downe to Bergen to the fléete and they according to their maner would welcome him with a peale of ordenance the barrelles of Gunpouder that were in one of the shippes caught on fire and tare the shippe and the men therein into péeces and yet better was the beginning than the ending For the Prince of Orenge hauing some intelligence of the intent of the enimie as hard it is to finde a sailer a Catholike commaunded Monsieur de Boisot the Admirall of Flissingen to spéede him with all the forces of his Fléete the which some report to be an hundreth great hoies and Fliebotes leauing the great ships still before Middelburg spoiled of their men and munition for a vaine skarcrowe to Dauila And such in déede was the diligence of Boisot that Romero had scarce weied vp anker when he presented him battaile in the sight of the Comendador The two Admiralls shippes of whome the one had two hundred the other an 180. men encountered the one the other verie fiercelie se that the Spaniards had boorded the Admirall of Flissengen and had gotten as farre as the mast when they were valiantlie driuen out a gaine by the Flissingers and namelie through the succour of a Flie bote that timelie laide Romero aboord on the other side and Iulian was forced to saue his life by swimming after he had séene foure of his shippes drowned and ten taken and the rest flying fast towardes Bergen but yet the Flissingers tooke foure in the chase They report that almost a ridiculous déede of a boie of Soutlant a village néere Flissing much hasted and helped the victorie Fortune shewing that her force and ficklenesse is séene in nothing more than in vniuersal conflicts and battailes This boie whilest all mens heads eyes and handes were busied belowe with fierce fight stole of the flagge of the Admirall of Spaine and wrapping it about his middle slidde downe therewithall into the Admirall of Flissing and then holding it vp cried victorie victorie not to the small terrour and discouragement of the Spaniardes it béeing thus séene on a sodaine When Sanchio Dauila heard of this ouerthrowe hée wayed vp anker and hasted him to Antwerpe for feare of a foile Héerevpon the valiant Mandragon surrendered the towne of Middlebourg whereby the Protestants became Lordes of all Zeland yea and of the Sea also the which they doe reteine still to this daie and euer since they first tooke Flissingen fortune hath fauoured them on the water As not many moneths before the Duke of Alua commaunded a Fléete to bée rigged at Amstelredam and to be conducted by the Comte Bossu to encounter the Nauie of North Holand the which the Earle did rather to accomplish the commaundement of his gouernour than of his owne good will because hée knew right well the strength of his enimie the which hée coulde in no measure match yet because hee would not séeme to be a coward and gréene liuered he with nine or ten shippes assailed aboue thirtie of his enimies The battaile was passing well fought on both parties as well at the first with the great Ordenance as afterward with small shot push of the pike and sword and target And at the first the victorie séemed to encline to Bossu but at the last the North Holanders being fortefied by a new supplie of ships the timely ariued carried awaie the victorie For while parte of them had enuironed the Admirall of the enimies casting down vpon thē incessantlie frō their tops vnslacked Lime in such sorte that they coulde not tell which waie to turne them to saue themselues from the furie thereof their fellowes had so lustelie assailed them on the other side that they within were constrained to yéeld vpon composition although they had before béene of opinion to haue put fire to their pouder and haue destroied themselues fearing that they shoulde finde no mercie with those of North Holand The which the other ships séeing hoised vp all their sailes and hasted amaine towards Amstelredam the which they all recouered except the shippe of Captaine Vesthen the which was sunke with Canon shot the Admirall a great shippe called the Inquisition wherein was found greate riches and was taken with the Comte Bossu many Captaines and carried with great triumph and ioy to Horne The battaile of Mockerheid fought in Gelderland between Lewes Earle of Nassau and Sanchio Dauila in the Easter weeke Anno. 1574. Out of Stratius THE March following this discomfiture of the Spaniards at Barrow the Comte Lodouicke of Nassau accompanied with his brother Henrie and Christopher one of the sonnes of Federike the Paulsgraue of the Rhin came downe towards Brabant with an armie of about eight thousand men leauied in Germanie hoping according to promise to haue had Mastretch Antwerpe Valencenes and Gaunt deliuered vnto him But the Comendador hauing intelligence of the approch of these troupes commaunded Sanchio Dauila to dismarch with the forces that then besieged Leiden and to hasten towardes Mastritch for to let the passage of Lewes ouer the Meuse The which hée happelie did béeing ariued at Mastritch the fourth of March a little before the Comte could come thether Wherevpon Lodouicke wrote vnto his Brother the Prince of Orenge to méete him the next daie at a place betweene the Rhin and the Meuse called Herwerd with his forces shippes barkes and boates for to bée readie to helpe him to passe ouer the Meuse And although the Prince liked nothing of this aduertisement because it was impossible for him within so short time to send downe to that place all necessaries for that desseine yet hée went with his arme as farre as Gouicque néere Bommel often saying these wise wordes Although I woulde bee gladde to see my Brother héere yet I would to God hée were with his armie an hundred leagues hence for the Prince did consider that he could not come without extreame daunger as at the last the ende shewed As soone as Sanchio was come to Mastritch hee sent forth certaine horsemen to suruey his enimies armie and to bring him word what number they were the which they did finding the Earle mustering his men about a few miles from Masricht which made him abandon his first resolution that he had to bid them battaile out of hand because they did dailie increase séeing that he found himself farre too weake yet the eight of March he laide an ambush of 200. men who slew certaine good souldiers of their
counsaile of the towne for to consult what was best to be done In the ende it was determined that the Colonell of the companies of Bourgogne called the manne of Gibrao should issue out at one gate with one thousand Harquebuziers of his Regiment and the Counte Reux with as many at an other for to skirmish with the enimies on two sides not onely to the entent to assaie their forces but also to take some of them prisoners of whome they might learne what the enimie was minded to doe When the Souldiours were thus issued out the enimie receaued them in suche sorte that Don Iohns men were forced to retyre â—ncontinentlie with some litâ—le losse but yet neuer the lesse with two prisoners the which was it that they dyd desire by whome they knew that the armie was conducted and gouerned by the Lord de Gugny in the absence of the Conte Lalaing that they had charge to retire themselues that night vnto the towne of Giblou néere Louuaine and that for this effect the artillerie had alreadie begunne to march and they dyd also particularly declare many other things that were enquired of them When Don Iohn vnderstoode this he caused the men of armes that were there abouts to be assembled and at the breake of daye he found there eight Coronets of horsemen Italians and Spaniards together with whome Don Iohn issued out of the towne with intent onely to take a view of his enimies or to giue them some skirmish as they had done the day before The enimie that saw him conte with this troupe of sixe huÌ„dreth men stayed although they were in march and shewed them their faces they aranged theyr troupes and placed a good part of their best souldiours who were Frenchmen in an embush betwéene trées that grew there Then afterward they did set the horsemen on the left hand of their esquadron and the front was all of Mosquetayres in such sort that the arriereward came to make the auantgard and with it ioyned the battaile because that the auantgard hauing begun to march forward galantly could not come in good time The Lord of Gugny shewed great valoure and industrie in setting in array such an Armie within so short a time séeing he dyd dispose it so well as though he had had long time to haue done it and in such sort as if it should haue encountred with a great armie He composed his rereward which was first to be charged reenforced as wel with mosquetaires as with six thousand horse of thrée companies of braue valiant French footemen and xxiiii companies of Walons who were two regiments the one gouerned by the Conte de Eghmont and the other by the Conte de la March otherwise called the Lord of Lumay He had in the battaile xiii companies of English men and Scottes and two other regiments of Flemings the Colonels of whom were the Counte de Bossu and the Lord of Champagnie In the auantgard were the regiments of the Lord Montignie and the Lord de Heze both which regiments were either of them of ten or twelue companies and euerie companie had 150. men They had also besides many other Gentlemen that serued on their owne charges in hope of aduancement The kings campe séeing this good diligence entertained them still by little and little making a stand as they that had neither forces nor intent to ioyne in battaile with their enimies vntill such time as a Captaine of a companie of Italian horsemen called Mutio aduanced himselfe a little forward with his companie béeing followed of some few souldiers and so betwéene the one and the other there beganne a skirmish when the kings men had so valiantlie charged and ventured so farre that it séemed verie hard and dangerous for them to returne backe and to retire by reason that the Frenchmen and the mosquetaires shewed by their first furie great resistaunce and gaue an honourable charge on the Spaniards but with little damage the Prince of Parma séeing this buckled down his helmet and taking his shéelde made a shew as though hée would encounter them hauing lefte the footemen at a corner of the horsemen who were seauen hundreth men and nine Ensignes of the Ordinaunces euerie Esigne of fiftie men of arms and an hundreth and fiftie archers whom wee doe call light horse The intent of Don Iohn was nothing lesse than to fight considering as wée haue tolde you the small number that hée had but hée made semblance that hée would doe it staying for mo of his people for his whole armie followed that hée might retire safelie But when the Prince of Parma that was formost in the field with a valiant knight called the Lord of Billy otherwise Colonell Robles aduanuced to encounteâ— and charge his enimies they siedde at the first reâ—â—counter without anie resistance and flying they ouerranâ—â—â—â—d desâ—â—ted the esquadron of their owne footâ—â—â—â— which were in the waie that they shoulde passe And 〈◊〉 meane time the people of Don Iohn being come in followed the horsemen that fled and perfected the defait of the esquadron and slue still following the victorie vntill they draue them into Giblow Besides those that were slaine there were taken prisoners about foure hundred souldiours and of the principall Captaines aboue thirtie among whom was the Lord of Gugny who was taken by the verie same souldiour that at another time had taken him in the towne of Antwerpe They gained 70. Ensignes of footemen and many Cornets of horsemen and all the monie that they had to paie the souldiours good store of munition and sixe peeces of artillerie After this Don Iohn diuided his armie into two partes and sent the one vnder the conduct of Signeur de Hierges to Bouinges whether the Frenchmen and certaine Almanes were fied he himself went with the other vnto Giblou whether the noblest and best of his enimies their armie were retired Who considering the present furie and the small hope that they had of succour yeelded them selues to the mercie of Don Iohn who chose amongst them twelue of the best to remaine prisoners whome he sent to the Castle of Namur for to exchange for other if occasion required the rest he sent awaie with a sticke in their hande without anie weapon vnto the estates and yet neuerthelesse amiablie receiued them that would turne to the kings sernice The Lord Hierges did as much to Bouinges for after that the artillerie had made a brech those within neuer staied assault but yéelded the next daie in the morning with the same conditions that they of Giblou did were vsed in like sort There were slaine saith Dinoth in this iourney on the states their side 10000. and but ten men on the victours part After this ourthrow Don Iohn tooke Louaine Tilemont Arescot Sichenen Diest Spie Niuelle Philippe ville and the whole Dutchie of Limburg The battaile of Couwenstein dike neere Antwerpe fought betweene Alexander Prince of Parma and Monsieur de Haultan the Admirall of Flissing
that it woulde be somewhat late before they would come and the time of the yéere was well spent for it was the 22. of August and because on the other side it séemed that certaine determination could be made without them some propounded this deuise and some that But amongst the rest Ascania de Cornia exhibited his opinion conceiued in writing to this purport Because you haue thought good soueraigne Generall that I shoulde declare mine opinion in writing what I thinke ought to be done in these weightie affaires with the power that we haue now I wil so d ee and will beginne with the rehearsall of our forces Wee haue now as I doe thinke 146. Gallies furnished sixe great Gallies or Galeares twentie ships for but then and so many Foistes and we doe looke for 60. gallies out of Candy of whome yet we haue not heard these many daies Againe I doe suppose that the Turkes haue two hundreth fiftie gallies furnished be in Sclauonia where they haue an other armie on the land of fortie or fiftie thousand men If this be so soueraigne Generall I doe not thinke that our forces are so great that we may be so bold as to seeke out the enimie and to fight with him without apparant perill For we are to much inferiour specially because it is likely that their nauie is passing wel furnished both with rowers and souldiours for seeing that they haue taken three of our galleies and to many of our shippes for burdeine haue conquered all the sea coast they might if they wanted ought repaire it easely and also dayely take into their nauie souldiours out of their armie on the land If you can passe ouer hence vnto Brindisi in Naples without daunger the which I doe leaue to be adiudged by these excellent men and most skilfull in Sea affaires I would thinke it very well so to doe for hereby at the east the Venetians whose affaires no doubt are administred with great feare would be brought into some hope then also séeing we should be so néere vnto our enimies perhaps God would giue some occasion for vs to haue a faire hand vpon them But if it be to be feared least the enimie doe méete vs by the waye I doe not see what we should doe but staye for the Galleies of Candy or at the least for some certaine newes of them For if we dyd knew that they would not come at all which God forbidde my adnise should be to furnish and arme passing well as great a number of our Gallies as wée are able and so to rigge them that if they lighted on the enimies they might also escape from them by flight and then I would giue charge to the rest of the Galleyes to followe also after to Brindisi with the Shippes for burdeine for with these gallies who happely wil be thrée score or foure score in nūber we shold be able to signifie many things vnto the Sclauoniās and put the whole prouince which is infested both by sea land in heart and hope whereas other waies certes we can send them no succour Moreouer if we were there we should be readie vpon euery occasion to annoy the enimie therewithall also all the whole world should vnderstand that you soueraigne Generall were most readie to serue God and the holy league in all things that may be dene But yet I would that all that I haue saide may be so interpreted that I had rather willingly subscribe vnto them that can iudge better of this matter and almightie God bring to passe that we may vse his counsells and helpe vnto an happie ende In the meane time there hadde come vnto the Turkish nauie which was at Saseno about the ende of August Mehemet Bey and the Treasorer who brought newes that Famagosta the chiefe citie and kaye of Cyprus was taken that good fidings gaue them a stomacke to attempt some new enterprise But anone after when two small gallies of the espies had returned and brought newes that they had chased a shippe of the Christians aboue Crotone but could not take her but that yet they vnderstoode that the nauie of the confederates being mette together was in rigging at Messina they leauing Saseno sailed towards the Leuant or East The case thus standing Mark Quirini and Canali ariued at Messina the second of September with 62. Galleys of Candy and were receued with great and generall ioye for they had ben looked for with great longing neither could our Captaines resolue vpon any certaintie without them Also the day before came the Marques of Sancta Cruz and Iohn Andrew Doria with twelue Galleys and anon after also 40. Neapolitane shippes for burdeine and thirtie Galleyes with whome also all the Galleys of the Palermo had ioyned themselues But the enimies sailed from Saseno to Butrinto there taking in 500. horsemen carryed them to Corfu that they 〈◊〉 wast and made the Iland But there the ordenance of the Castle brake and drowned thrée of their gallies and much other harme did also the souldiours of the garison doe them for our men did take many of the enimies prisoners and among other Baffa an Apostata Christian a man of great authoritie with the Emperour of the Turkes which made them that afterward they did not much infest the suburbes that laie about the Castell Wherefore when the enimies had indomaged the Isle as much as they coulde they shipping againe their horses departed thence the eleauenth of September And when they were come to Parga there ariued a messenger from the great Turke who signified vnto Ah the Admirall of the Nauie that séeing Famagosta was taken hée shoulde vse the fruite of the victorie that is hée shoulde take all the Isles néere hée should spare no man yea and should also assaile farther and destroie the Christian fléete as though that were in his power to doe Wherfore when hée had receiued his message hée departed from thence the sixt of September and sailed towards the Leuant into the gulfe of Patras that after hée had now furnished his Fléete with Bisket and other necessaries hée might sette forth to assaile the Christians But our men reioycing that all their forces were ioyned in one beganne to deliberate what was to bée done And nowe all Christendome was mightelie feared with the prosperous successes of the tyrant and the deuastation of the Venetian Empire and dominions Neither had the Venetians now anie more hope than in the good will of God and this same Nauie of the confederates at Messina Now there were in this fléete for the Pope twelue gallies for the king of Spaine foure score and one with twentie ships for burthen for the Signoria of Venice one hundred and eight gallies sixe great gallies that they call Galiares with a good number of Fragats and other small shipping In this fléete besides rowers and other necessarie persons in a fléete were 20000. Souldiours of Italians Spaniardes and Germanes and besides these a
5 Aligan Assan These were also Foistes 6 Cus Ali. These were also Foistes 7 Giuzel Ali. These were also Foistes 8 Curtat Celebin These were also Foistes 9 Dely bey 10 Sandagy Memy this was also a Foist 11 Dardagno Reis and he had an Admirall foist of Constantinople 12 Deli Dorni and he had a gallie 13 Caidar Memi the gouernour of the Isle of Scio. 14 Shetagi Osman These had Foists 35 Haeder These had Foists 16 Delius Heder These had Foists 17 Armat Memi These had Foists 18 Susan Reis These had Foists 19 Giafer Bey 20 Cabil Sinam his was a foist 21 Amurat Reis These were foists 22 Sariogy Grafer These were foists 23 Mor Ali. These were foists 24 Piali Murat and this was a small Gallie 25 Caragiali Rais. These were Foists 26 Murat Alius These were Foists 27 Iumez Alius These were Foists 28 Assan Sinian a Gallie of Constantinople 29 Bostagi Murat a Foist 30 Deli Suliman This was an Admirall Gallie of Constantinople The Nauie being distributed in this manner they lanched forth the seauenth of October and came to the coast of Galanga two houres before Sunne set and there they stayed But our men because they had decréed to fight determined with common consent to depart out of hand from the vale of Alexandria that making towardes Patras they might doe what in them laie to prouoke the enimie to battaile Yea and if perhaps they would refuse it that then they should goe farther forth euen vnto the mouth of the gulfe of Patras and by battering the Castels and pittifullie wasting the places adioyning vrge thenimie to battaile Therfore Don Iohn the high Admirall Generall beeing verie desirous that those things which had béene decréed by common counsaile might bee executed and namelie being at that time earnestlie desired and egged on by Augustine Barbarigo a verie valiant man and verie zealous of the Venetian safetie departed from the vale the same night which went before the seauenth of October béeing Sundaie although hee had no verie good winde and kept his course to wardes the rockes Cruzulari which are not farre from the maine with the intent to assaile the enimie the next morning in the breake of the daie But they on the other side had the same saterdaie shewed great signe of ioy triumphing before the victorie because they thought that they had now alreadie gotten our Nauie wholie at their deuotion and wrought their pleasure therewithall Wherefore they also launched from thence the eight of October verie earlie in the morning hoping to finde our men yet in the Hauen for they did not thinke that they woulde méete them and were now in their waie And so they sailed with their Sailes somewhat lowe and a good winde towardes Cefalenia and as if GOD hadde of his immeasurable power then directed these two most mightie fléets one against another although they were neuer aboue twelue miles one from other yet one of them all this while did not sée another for certaine eminences of the lande one sailing againste another not farre from the Nauie And when both kept on their course and our Nauie was gotten out from the Rockes Cruzulari in no verie good araie because the rockes did impeach them and our enimies were passing the foreland called Peschieras and of the Gréekes Mesolognias they did first descrie one another Wherefore our men reioyced that they had happilie espied their enimie and now they beganne to make all things readie for the fight they set vp their netting they laied weapons of all sortes at the sides of the Galleyes and in other conuenient places they armed the souldiours with harquebusses holbards pikes pollaxes and swords and disposed them in their places and there were in euerie common gallie almost 200. men that vsed swords in the Admirals as some were greater than another 300. and in some 400. men Which things béeing dispatched they bestowed the great Guns in their places béeing charged with chaine shot and other square shot and stones and brought forth trunkes to cast wilde fire with all And hauing made readie all things with singular diligence at last they enfranchised all the Christian prisoners that had béene condemned to the oare pulling off their yrons and armed them for to fight valiantlie for the name of Christ who had made them frée and without difference mingled them among the rest and they in hope to obtaine libertie did promise to performe the duetie of valiant Souldiours And whilest that these thinges were thus in dooing euerie Galleie was come into his appointed place and the Galeazes hadde be towed thether whereas they shoulde bée by them to whome the charge hadde béene committed and now all the whole Fléete was with singular silence sette and placed in conuenient order and araie But our enimies comming on-ward as fast as we dyd also prepare themselues to fight And when they saw that Iohn Andrew Doria the Captain of the right wing being accompanied with many Galleies stretched out his wing more into the seaward they hadde thought that he had fledde As also many of our men when they saw the enimies to make out into the sea with their sailes hoised vp aloft they then thought that the enimie had fledde And this false coniecture on both sides made both our men and our enimies the more bold and couragious to fight The two Nauies being thus furnished arranged did set forward to fight valiantly and occupied so great a space of the sea as séemed vnto them sufficient to kéepe them from running on the shore and making thereby shipwrack and so came faire and softly one towards the other And now our men had shut and locked all the cabines a certaine few excepted for the hurt men to be carried into and out of whome the scribes were to supply things necessarie And that whilest they were sailing towards the battaile they might repaire the strength of their bodies they distributed Bread Wine Chéese and such like victualls vnto the souldiours thoroughout euery Galley But in the meane time that the souldiours were at their victualls the high Admirall Generall him selfe Don Iohn of Austria going a bord a Skiffe accompanied with Don Iohn de Cardona went spedely about all the whole Nauy omitting no one thing that doth beséeme a Prince and a valiant Generall He exhorted both the Captaines of the Galleyes and also all the rest of the souldiours for to fight valiantly for the name of Christ for their Sauiour himselfe would be present to help them if they dyd the duetie of stout souldiours and that he would giue them assured victorie That this was the onely occasion to reuenge so many iniuries receaued and to attaine immortall glorie Whiles he spake thus many aunswered him couragiously that he should not in any wise doubt of their prowesse for they were come thether for no other entent therfore they would accomplish the duetie of valiant men This being done he returned to his Galley Royall neither was he
the one side and the other by diuerse engines And now in some places foure Gallies encountered with thrée and sire with foure and in other also sixe with one and one leaping into the other Gallies made a great slaughter with swords daggers kniues battleaxes arowes wild fire and other short weapons and also when many woulde for diuerse causes retire themselues they were hurledhead long into the Sea the which was thereby now become as redde as bloud In the meane time Syroch had in the right wing of the enimie felte the force of our valyant men of the lefte wing and sawe that hée coulde not effect that which hée hadde thought to haue done because hée beheld his Galleyes to lie broken their Saile yardes and Masts fallen downe and other things caried vp into the ayre by the shot of our great Ordenaunce Wherefore he endeauoured to his vttermost to kéepe his men in their duetie but yet for all that euer he coulde doe many of his galleies at length coueting to escape out of so great a slaughter and garboile and to saue themselues ranne headlong for hast on the shore after which mischance most leaped into the Sea that they might escape into the maine by swimming but many being wounded and many vnskilfull of swimming or else hindered and impeached by some other meanes stayed still because they had some hope in the clemencie of the Christians that they would saue their liues At the which place this olde manner of the nation of the Turks which is now plainly become a custome is worthie of noting For at the beginning of an encounter they doe shew singular fiercenesse with a most vehement féese but a little while after when they doe perceue that they are stoutly resisted they casting away courage betake them to flight And certes at this time they could not hope for helpe of their infinit number of footemen and horsemen as they are wont in battailes by land Wherefore when they could not withstand the valour of the Christians who hauing entred their gallies slew all they founde they within short time forsooke their Gallies and ranne away at the which time the Christians that had bene before prisoners in the Turkish Gallies perceiuing that now they were come into the hands of our men taking the Turkes their owne weapons brake of their chaines and manackles and valiantly reuenged the crueltie of the tyrannie which they had suffered vntill that instant Marke Quirmi and Antony Canali who were in this same wing but in an other part made out but yet they could not so soone shut in this wing of thenimies but that they had first all leaped into the sea Yet all the galleies were taken by our men and those that were left in them were all slaine for to reuenge their crueltie But of our Captaines there died in this left wing Marino Contarini Vincent Quirini and Andrew Babarigo But Augustine Barbarigo being shot into the eye with an arrow receaued a deadly wound the which did incontinently bereaue him of his speach of whose death we wil speake hereafter Also Marke Antony Ciconia was very sore hurt with wilde fire In the middle battaile Don Iohn de Austria encountered with Ali himselfe and two other Captaines that commanded Admirall Gallies And Ali had in his Admirall Galley thrée hundred Ianizars with harquebusses and an hundreth with crossebowes who fought all verie valiantly both with shot and swordes And againe with Don Iohn were foure hundred chosen harquebuziers of Sardinia vnder the conduct of Lopes de Figheroa campe maister and many other Gentlemen and valiant men besides the fought with great prowesse Colonna plied with might and paine to laie a boord the Galley that encountered him and was vehementlie stirred vp thereto because he sawe a mightie slaughter of his enimies committed by his fellowes before his face Neither did also Veneiro lesse execute the dutie of a good Admirall for that his Gallie was to fight with thrée principall Captaines of the enimies and seauen Admirall Gallies to whose succour also did other euer and anone come But in the meane time when the great Commendador of Messina sawe that our thrée high Admiralls were to fight with such a great number of the enimies he taking with him the Gallies of Loredano and Malipetro went thether with a great spéed and valour and thrusting into the middest of the troupe committed a great slaughter But Loredano Malipetro entering into the thickest of the fight like valyant men were straight waie slaine with the ordenance but the rest that were in their Gallies were so farre from béeing dismaide with their death that they rather hauing encreased their courage and after a sort their strength with desire of reuenge and anger began to fight ten times more fiercelie so that within short time they had taken two Gallies of the enimies and so many had Veniero and Colonna ouercome that fought with them And almost at the verie same moment Don Iohn of Austria who vntill now had borne the charge and force of fiue Gallies and had conquered thrée of them did take the Admirall royall of Ali whō he had slain but had beene before beaten thrice out of her with greate slaughter after that he was come as farre as the mast So then whēn Ali was slaine our men ioyfullie cried victorie victorie for although then had done the like before yet it was then doubtfull because both sides yet fought most eagerlie and verie great spoile and slaughter was yet committed on both sides But now the enimies resisted our men no more so that they did acknowledge them for victors wherefore our men were now busied in gathering together the pillage and rather in binding than killing the enimies And now a verie great number of principall men had ben either taken or slaine by our men but almost an infinite number of Ianizars and other souldiours insomuch that they onelie escaped that foreséeing the entire destruction of their fléet by the pittifull spoile that the Galeazes made had fled awaie at the verie beginning of the battaile in skiffes and other small vessels as Portau Bassa did who straight after the beginning of the fight stale awaie priuitie into the maine in a small vessell and saued himselfe by flight There died also of our Captaines in this middle battaile Iohn Loredano Catherino Malipetro Hierome Veniero Fances Bono Iohn Baptista Benedicto a Cypriot and Iames Tresino of Vicenza and ther were wounded Iohn Bembo Theodore Balbi the Prior of Messina and many other noble men knights In the left wing of the enimie when Oluzali vnderstood that his fellowes were discomfited and perceiued that hée might be assailed broken by Doria who did now acknowledge the happie euent of this battaile began diligentlie to consider what meanes he might make to saue himselfe Wherefore séeing certaine of the Gallies of our ryght wing diuided and separated from the rest hée taking holde of that occasion valiantlie charged them But cur men
about nine and twentie or thirtie yéeres of age of coulour blacke not bigge but yet faule and weake and of no strength and much lesse skilfull of things and endued with that wisdome which is required in the gouerning of a kingdome and that I may comprehend all in few wordes he was altogether vnlike his brother Abdelmelec for he was of a meane stature of a fine proportion of bodie with brode shoulders white face but intermixed with red which did gallantlie garnish his chéekes a blacke beard thicke and curled great eies and graie In summe he was a verie proper man and verie comelie in all his actions and iestures and verie strong the which strength he conserued by continuallie exercising of himselfe in skirmishes and in bending of bowes He spake Spanish verie well and with a great grace he could also write in Spanish But hée had the Italian tongue best of all other yet he tooke most delight in the Turkish tongue so that for loue of it he cared not for the Arabian the which was his mother tongue and wherein he was accounted for the most excellent Poet of his time He was ingenious sharpe witted and passing prudent and wise wheras in other things than speciallie in the gouernment of a kingdome He plaied wel on diuerse instruments and also daunced excellentlie but delighted aboue measure in armes and the art of warre in which things he also exercised himselfe much insomuch that he made with his owne hands many great péeces of ordenance that are yet at this daie in Barbarie For he was of a singular and wonderfull wit in all things that he went about or tooke in hand And although he professed the religion of Mahamet yet he so loued Christians and of them Spaniardes that I cannot expresse with wordes the loue and good will which he shewed towards many captiues prisoners For he suffered theÌ„ to returne into Spain being dismissed without ransome and w e this munificense liberalitie he had set at libertie aboue 200. within the 3. yeres tthat he raigned I do now omit to tel you with what fauor curtesie he vsed the prisoners least I be ouerlong or may be carried too far with his loue But the he néeds not my publication of his praise the thing it selfe doth witnesse the hospital built for sick Christians adioining to the teÌ„ple of Marocco endowed w e gret reuenues doth proue it manifestly He died in the 35. yéere of his age When he had reigned not full 3. yeeres leauing a son of 3. yéeres and an halfe olde whose name is Ismaell as yet is it at this day brought vp with the Quéene his mother the wife of Abdelmelec at Argier But as touching his nephew Muly Hamet he was younger then Abdelmelec being about xxix or xxx yéeres of age of stature meane of bodie weake of coulour so blacke that he was accompted of many for a Negro or black Moore He was of a peruerse nature he would neuer speak the trueth he did all things subtelly and deceitfully He was not delighted in armes but as he shewed in all battailes of nature cowardly and effeminate But he so cruelly hated Christians that he would kil either with famine or nakednesse those that he caught If that in these warres he being constreined by necessitie gaue any signification of good will towards them he did it against the heart in a maner vnwillingly that he might make them the more readie and chierfull to endaunger themselues for him The Battaile of Lisbon fought in Portugall betwene Antonio king of Portugal and Ferdinando Duke of Alua Generall of the Spanish forces the 24. of August An. 1581. PHillippe the king of Spaine 〈…〉 prosecuting his pretence vnto the Crown of Portugall wherin Don Antonio sonne of Don Lewes brother vnto Henry the last king was inuested sent Ferdinando the Duke of Alua into Portugall with an armie of 25000. footemen part Spaniards part Italians and 2000. light horse and 600. men of armes Against which forces king Antonio had leuied in hast of vnskilfull warriours Portugalls about 20000. Encamping himselfe before the Citie of Lisbon within a péece of ground fortified with diches and rampires there minding to expect the doings of Alua. Who being arriued néere vnto the kings campe 6000. footemeÌ„ and 80. horsmen assembled the chiefe of the armie in councell what was to be done And there it was concluded that the kings campe was to be assaulted séeing that neither the skill nor the number of their enimies were such as might make the victorie much doubtful and againe the armie being ouerthrowen the conquest of the whole kingdome would incontinently folow because there were no places of strength in the whole Realme to staye the course of the victor the late kings of Portugall being wholly busied in enlarging their Empire abroade by inuading others and vtterlye neglecting for tifications at home to withstand the iniuries of their neighbours with whome they had long liued in peace And so accordingly the next day Alua dismarched to assault the campe and sent before a great band of Italians for to take a foridge nere vnto the citie leading to Alâ—â—tara the which bridge was kept by certaine Portugals The victory for a while was doubtfull now the Italians now the Portugals hauing the better but at the length through the valor of the Italians the Portugalls were beaten from the bridge it won And ouer it Sanchio Dauila passed with many bands of footemen for to assaile the camp he had not fought long but the he wenne the first trench coÌ„mitting great slaughter sent vnto the Duke to send thether the horsemen whiles he went forward assailed the second trench In the meane time Ferdinando de Toledo comming with a part of the horsemen fought by the way with 400 Portugal footmen a few horsemen whom he met put them to flight pursuing them euen to Lisbon at the which time Sanchio wan the second trench When Ferdinando hearing a great noise of harquebusse shot at the camp rallied together his horsemen hasted towards the camp But by the way he met with 15 ensignes of footemeÌ„ almost 100. horsemeÌ„ whom he couragiously charging easely put to flight chasing theÌ„ euen to the gates of the citie And anon after the whole armie of the Portugals was defaited put to flight The Explanatâ—â—â— saies their artillarie taken many of the ensignes of the footemeÌ„ at last the king being wouÌ„ded in two places fled w e a few horsemen after he had long fought Dauila folowed the chase w e his whole power euen to the gates of Lisbon whether also shortly after came Ferdinando but they gaue no atteÌ„pt vpon the citie because the king of Spaine had seuerely coÌ„manded the they should not enter the citie although they could for feare of tacke the which he in no case could like When the citizens vnderstoode the ouerthrow of their armie they yelded their
citie themselues to the mercie of the victor who refused to receue their submission vnder any other coÌ„ditions Wher vpoÌ„ a messeger was sent vnto the king of Spaine for his resolution but before it could come the vnruly souldiors had sacked the suburbs And the citizens fearing the the like wold be done to the citie promised a certain suÌ„me of money to be diuided among the souldiors the which when they could not performe at their day they could not auoid the furie of the souldiors who endamaged theÌ„ aboue 3. Millions But when the Spanish fléete the lay before the hauen of Lisbon vnderstood of the victorie of their armie by land they assailed the Portugal nauie the lay in the hauen coÌ„sisting of 42. great ships of whom 7. were goodly galeons among theÌ„ diuers the bare aboue 90. péeces of great ordenance had 400. men in a ship But when they heard of the discomfiture of their land forces of the flight of the king neither had they any Admiral they yelded to the Spaniard not making any shew at all of defence Afterward when Alua vnderstood that king Antonio was at Monte Maior not far froÌ„ the sea with an armie of 6000. footemen he not thinking the he had the kingdom frée wherin his enimie had an armie sent Sanchio Dauila with 3000. Spaniards certain Italians 500. horsemen for to encounter him When Sanchio came to the riuer of Rubera his horsemen swam ouer he transported his footemen in flat botom boates When the king vnderstood of the smal nuÌ„ber of his approching enimie he determined to giue theÌ„ battaill séeing that he himselfe had also 600. horsemen SaÌ„chio sent certain harquebuziers before for to take a view of the kings camp in the meane time marched toward the king with the rest of his forces But the Portugals as soone as they saw the Spainiards a farre of neuer once staied for the signall of fight but shewed them a faire paire of héeles incontinently Which being knowne Dauila poursued them and slue many and came before the Port of Portugall wher many had saued themselues When the citizens vnderstood of the first second ouerthrow of their countrimen thinkeing it no wisedome to expect the fortune of woorse warre yéelded themselues voluniarilie But when the king saw that his armie so shamefullye fledde from him neither could he by any meanes reuoke them to fight neither if they dyd rallie could repose any trust in such fearefull felowes he also fledde with his horsemen and left the Spaniard the full and entire possession of the kingdome The Battaile of Saint Michaell fought at the Iles of the Aslores betwene Phillip Lord Strozzi Admirall of the nauie of Antonio king of Portugal and Aluares de Basan Marques de Santa Cruz Admirall of the fleete of Philip king of Spaine the 25. day of Iuly In An. 1582. Taken out of a letter sent by the Marquesse vnto the Kinge of Spaine his maister Wherevnto is adioyned the enarration of the same Battaile out of the booke intituled The explanation of the true and lawfull right of Antony king of Portugall c. AFter that ouerthrow at the Port of Portugall the Spaniardes sought for the king of Portugall as it were with a candle and a lanterne and yet could not finde him he was so carefully kept and concealed by the poore paisants of the couÌ„trie among whom he seiourned in wretched state vntill the ninth of Iune in An. 1581. When he happening on a shippe of Enckhusen in Holand did take shippe not farre from Setuball in Portugall and was brought to Cales in France from whence he wafted ouer into England and from thence he sent newes vnto the gouernour of Tercera that he was aliue the which newes confirmed him in his fidelitie and purpose not to yeld the I le vnto the Spaniards Wherevpon the king of Spain for to assure the trade into both Indies prepared a nauie for to conquere the Isles Whereof when the king of Portugal who was then passed ouer into France had intelligence hée obtained of the quéene mother of France a nauie of 57. saile great small wherin were embarked 4000. souldiours besides 600. gentlemen the officers of the ships mariners vnder the conduct of her cosin the Lord Philip Strozzi Captaine Generall of the French footmen his sieuetenant the Countie Brisac With this fléete the king of Portugal himselfe sailed to succour the Assores recouered the Isle of S. Michael except the castle When the king of Spaine heard that the king of Portugall was gone with a nauie towards the Assores he hasted the departure of his Admirall the Marques de Sante Cruz commanding him not to tarrie for that 19. ships 2. galeons 2. galleies 2. pinisses which wer â—â—â—ging in Andolouzia but presentlie to depart with the fleete that hee had at Lisbon The which the Marques did in such hast the 10. of Iulie with 28. ships fiue smal pinasses that he 〈◊〉 behind him thrée ships the should haue gone with him because they could not be readie before the next daie also by reason of the foule wether an Argosie wherin wer three companies of olde souldiours the Phisitions Surgeons other officers for the diseased hurt with their prouision of all things necessarie for that purpose returned backe againe to Lishon a leadging that their ship was in leake But the rest of the Nauie the 22. daie of Iulie being Sundaie approched néere vnto Villa Franca a towne of 500. houses in the Isle of S. Michael one of the Assores The daie before their ariual at the Island the Marques had dispatched two pinasses vnder the charge of Aguirrei the Capiaine of the aforesaid fiue pinasses with letters vnto Ambrose Aguer the gouernour of the Isle of S. Michael certefieng him how his maiesties nauy which he had brought was verie strong conteining 5500. souldiours in which number was Don Lopes de Figueroa with 1800. of the old souldiors of Flanders ouer and aboue 200. Gentlemen and perticular persons entertained with their aduantages who came voluntarie to serue his maiestie And that the nauie which was made readie at Caliz for the which they looked euerie houre was of the number and quantitie aforesayd with other fiue thousand souldiours of whom fiue ensignes were of the Tierce of Flanders And the Marques did desire the gouernour to send him such newes as he hadde of the French nauie whether they had passed that waies or not and the number of their ships because he was determined to goe seeke them and to fight with them And that he shuld said vnto Pisoto if he chaunced to be there that he shoulde make himselfe readie to followe him with the ships of his charge Whilest the Marques laie at anker in the roade of Villa Franca there did ariue to the Admirals ship one Carauel of the thrée that were left at Lisbon for to bring the horses who gaue him to vnderstand that
the daie before there had ariued at Villa Franca the thrée ships that had ben left at Lisbon who departed from thence the next daie after the Marques in companie with the same carauells They reported also that the three shippes after they had fallen with Villa Franca were forced backe againe into the sea and that two of the carauels were taken by the enimie The other with the horses belonging to the Generall of the field and others went back to the sea being chased by a French ship Whervpon the Marques sent some perticular men to vnderstand somewhat of them of the Iland who would not suffer them to come on land but discharged their péeces at thē But there was a Priest that told them that the Iland was for his maiestie that he knew nothing of the French armie others willed them to go to the Citie The Marques vnderstanding what had passed learning by one of the pinasses that had bene sent with Captain Aguirre that the other pinasse with the Captain was taken by a French ship other barkes that came frō the land He did then suspect that the Iland had rebelled hauing sent for Don Lopes de Figueroa General of the field to conferre with him about the landing of some good number of men that they might haue spéech with them of Villa Franca and likewise to take in fresh water and hauing sent to the Captaines Michael Oquendo and Rodrigo de Vargas for to take notice in what place they were best to anker in the meane time they that were in the top of the Admiral Galeon espied certaine ships néere to Ponta Delgada wherabouts standeth the chiefe Citie of the Isle and the Castle Wherevpon the Marques supposing that those ships should bée of the enimies he altered his determination and made straight waie to Ponta Delgada and by and by they discouered mee ships and then they perceiued that it was the nauie of Don Antonio so the Spaniards do cal Antonie the king of Portugal So our armie approching vnto the enimies hauing now certaine knowledge of them for that they prepared themselues towards the sea perceiuing them to be about 60. ships of great and small the Marques called a counsell with the aduise of Don Pedro de Tolledo Campe maister Generall the Marques de Fauora Don Pedro de Tassis Comptroller generall Don Francisco de Bouadilla maister of the camp other Captaines knights being called therevnto they determined to present the battaile to sight with the enimie who did the like put themselues in araie so they discharged a péece of ordenance towards vs in tokē of battaile With that the marques commaunded a banner of defiance to be put forth shot off one peece of ordenance and sent Captaine Marolin Captaine Rodorigo de Vargas to aduertise the whole nauie to set thēselues in order of battel which was done in this maner In the forefcont was a rank of ships galeons on the right hand of the Admiral was placed the galeon S. Mattheo wherein was the Generall of the field the comptroller generall on the left hand was the ships wherin went Don Francisco de Bouadilla the maister of the campe and foure ships mo to be assistaunt the ten Biskaines with the other ships in whom wer the Captains Michael de Oquendo and Vilia Visiosa were placed in the rereward And by reason that the ship wherein Don Christopher de Erasso went had strained the head of her maine mast by meanes whereof she could not beare her top saile she was forced to staie behinde and could not therefore take her place accordinglie to the great griefe of the Marques to lacke his helpe at such a pinch The Marques himselfe went in the galeon Saint Martin which was Admirall of the fléete He gaue this order for the battaile that in the vppermost fight vpon the poope should be 20. Gentlemen pistolets 20. caliuers below all the Gentlemen of Portugal except sir Iames de Castro who was vpon the poope lowest of all should be for help succour sir Antonie Pessoua sir Lewes Osorio sir Goston Ronkelio Colonell Mandonario Captaine Quessatha other foure pistolets vpon the hatches of the galcon 40. pistolets vpon either side vnder the charge of Captaine Gamboa néere to the chamber of the poope was the bodie of the gard with 40. souldiors most of them perticular speciall men which had ben in office before vnder the charge of Augustine Deherrara for to helpe and succour where should be most néede In the stearne of the ship was Iohn Suffono a Gentleman of Milan and the Sergeants of the Captaines Austen Deharrara and Gamboa with xv pistolets and x caliuers in the great top was the Sergeant Sir Frances Galeio with eight caliuers and in the top of the trinket sixe besides those that were in the small tops Vnder the hatches where the great ordenance doth lie were the Captaines Sir Christopher Deaccouia Scouetho and Iohn Alter the sergeant Tauste Esquiuel with euerie péece of ordenance one gunner sixe men to helpe him euerie one had an instrumēt called Hauspikes with the munition that was vpon the hatches was Marcelus Carraceolus and like seruice was beneath And for the kéeping of the gunpouder was Captaine Grimaldo appointed with foure mariners He commanded also that there should stand hard by the sterne of the galeon the great boate called the Salua and foure small ones for to carrie directions and fill tubs with water and hogsheads in diuers places of the Galeon and likewise to distribute pikes in conuenient places He also charged the mariners to be in the shippes apparaile and the Captaines Marolin and Roger Deuargas as sea men of great experience to attend on the ordenance and other necessaries All this was executed very speadely with great chéerefulnes for all this was prouided before they approches vnto the Iland This being done with great noise of Fifes drums and their banners displayed our nauie set foorth to assaile the enimies who did the like in good array But because the winde was calme they could not fight that daye but went to seaward And yet the Marques could not vnderstand of the state of the Iland but afterward within night arriued to the Admirals Galeon a Pinasse wherein was Domingo de Adutriaga maister of a shippe called the Catelina Who brought a letter from Don Iohn de Castilio containing as foloweth IN the armie of Don Anthonio there are 58. shippes of whome 28. be great shippes and the rest small and in them are 6000. Frenchmen If our armie be not strong enough to fight with them then if may draw nigh to the Castell which is for the King And I would wish you to haue a great regard to it for if you should loose the victorie great inconuenience would ensue Furthermore the Maister and his company declared that Don Authonie with his armie came
to the Iland the xv day of Iuly and the xvi did set a land 3000. men with whome Don Lorenco Noguera with fâ—ure Ensignes of footemen did encounter being in number about 500. men and with 150. harquebuziers taken out of the Biskaine shippes who a little from the Citie did skirmish with the French armie but being ouerpressed with number were forced to retire to the Castell to Peter Pisoto with the losse of tenne Castilians and twelue Biskaines Don Lorenco being hurt whereof after he dyed And in the Castell with Peter Pisoto is the sonne of the gouernour Ambrose de Aguiar and the Bishop the Corrigedor other 2. or 3. gentlemen all the rest went out of the citie some calling in Don Antonio and that the souldiours of the French army sacked the citie the Don Antonio sent to the captaine Don Iohn de Castillio willing him to yéeld vnto him the castel knowing it to be his and that he would giue him frée passage for him and his company the which â—â—ing if he refused that then he would bring aland seuen péeâ—es of ordenance from the shippes and would batter the Castell and moreouer he gaue him to vnderstand that the army of Spaine would not come this yéere To whome Don Iohn the gouernours sonne and the Bishop the Corrigeder made aunswere that the castel was the kings of Spaine and that they would not yéeld it vnto him The Marques did likewise vnderstand by the said Maister that the Frenchmen the next day hauing knowledge of the approch of our army had embarked themselues in all hast that the two Galcons and two great Carauels of Peter Pisoto were ouerthrowen néere vnto the castel the Frenchmen tooke the 4. Biskaine ships after that the men were gone a land and had withdrawen themselues into the castel The Marques being enformed of all these things wrote vnto the Captaine and gouernour others in the castell by the sayd maister encouraging certifying them of the force of the kings army not doubting but the next day to giue battaile and to haue the victorie that therewith they should hold themselues contented as he himselfe was very ioyfull of the seruice which they had alreadie done to the king which he knew should not remaine vnrewarded And with this answere they returned with the Pinasse to the Iland The next day being monday the 23. of Iuly the two armies came to present battaile the French armie hauing both the aduantage of the winde also of the Sunne came to assaile our nauie being diuided into thrée esquadrons made three seuerall attempts and yet could put nothing in execution And towards night the Spanish army making towards the sea the French army placed ten ships alongst the Iland thinking that night to haue gotten the winde of vs but by reason it was calme they could not preuaile The 24. day of Iuly the Marques returned approching néerer the French armie who hauing the aduantage of the winde gaue two seuerall attempts and yet put neither in execution Then the Marques perceuing that the course towards the lande was not conuenient for him he caused the armie to take the course towards the sea thinking with him selfe that whilest his shippes were trimming of their sailes that the enimie would assault them hauing the winde for their purpose which fell out accordingly for one of the FreÌ„ch Captaines with seuen Galeons came to assaile the Captaine of the Spaniards and the Galeon S. Matheo but approching néere vnto them did not board them but discharged great quantitie of ordenance against them and likewise did the rest of the shippes against ours of whom they were receaued accordingly in so much that our Captain did shoot at them aboue 40. péeces and also the Galeon S. Matheo shot of many as also did the ship of Don Christopher de Erasso who was now ioyned with the armie and also the shippe of Don Francisco de Bouadilla and Myguel de Oquendo and others which was a pleasant sight to beholde how the pellets sang from either side They did hit our Captaine with foure shot one in the foresaile an other in the shroudes the thrid vppon an anker the fourth on the shippes side without doing any harme They hit the Galeon S. Mathco with thrée shot without doing any harme no more dyd many other of their péeces which dyd hit many of our shippes And againe we might perccue that many of our shotte lighted in the Galeons of the Frenchmen but specially foure out of the Captaine which made them to retire whereby it appeared they had receaued some harme There came in the French armie two captaine 2. Admiralls there was a small galeon like a Patacha being excelent good of saile carrying a standard in the poope which did not approch the fight but kept a farre off to beeholde what passed There came to the number of fortie great Ships and amonge them some were verie finâ— Galleons the rest were small Pinasses dispersed round about the armie two or thrée leagues off for to discouer and to vnderstand of all things and also two Saities of Marseilles very good of saile and many other light boates with oares by whome they dyd set the battaile in order array and direct things as time serued The same daye at night the armies did seperate themselues and the Marques determined at the going downe of the Moone to procure to get the winde of the French armie and in the morning to assault them againe which he dyd so that the xxv daye of Iuly he found himselfe to windeward of his enimies so sought to board them but because his shippes were great and heauie of saile he could not put in effect that which he purposed but was forced to returne to the rescue of Don Christopher de Frasso who was in some distresse in folowing the enimie thorough default of his maine mast wherefore he gaue him a towe with his Captaine This daye there was descried a great shippe of the enimies which wanted her foremast other two ships that did helpe her but they not being able to performe it she was forced to sinke It was iudged that she hadde receued some harme by shotte the day before But memorandum that of the ten Hulkes of the Spanish nauie there wanted two which carried Almaines and likewise wer wanting the thrée shippes that departed from Lisbon after the Armado so that the Marques had in his nauy no more then xxv shippes with the two Galeons The xxvi of Iuly the French came againe to assault the Spanish armie in very good order and with a fauourable winde The Marques did cause his ships to be placed in order and array although the Galeon Saint Mathew was somewhat a sterne which was some griefe to the Marques doubâ—ing that the enimie might board her before she could conuemently be reskued and so it fell out for she was boarded by two Galeons a Captaine and an Admirall against whome