and supposed that hee stood without the reach of any misfortune Sundry great princes conspire against the French presently the wheele began to turne about and sundry secret practises were set abroch to cut short the French proceedings in the end a league was concluded which darkened the faire shining of the Flower delis to proue the variable and vncertaine estate of all things whatsoeuer Although Alphonsus were driuen out of Italy yet did hee continually fight against the French by procuring as many enemies against him as possibly hee might hee daily layde before the eyes of other Princes howe perilous a matter it would bee for them to suffer the King of France to grow so great and sought especially to stirre the Venetians against him The Turke on the other side threatened them at the request of the Pope if they would not declare themselues open enemies vnto him The King of Spaine began to feare the losse of Sardinia and Cicilia and the Emperor grew iealous of his Empyre All these Princes sent their Ambassadors to Venice and in the end banded with one consent agaynst the French who being aduertised hereof began to bethinke them The King o◠France hasteth to get out of Italie how they might returne into France And resoluing presently to retyre from Naples set all things in as good order as might bee and so dislodged purposing to returne by the same way that they came Sundrie Cities and good Townes vnderstanding of the league began to reuolt forthwith and to pull downe the Armes of Fraunce which not long before they had so hastily set vp Sundry cities rebel against the French and to place those of Aragon in their stead Thus begin fortune to frowne and to looke an other way and to abandon the French on all sides The King being as desirous now to get to Paris as hee was before to conquer Naples marched toward Rome with some nine hundred men at armes and eight or nine thousand footmen Switzers Almaines and French The Pope flieth from Rome But the Pope hearing of his comming fled to Padoua so that he entred without any resistance but he staid not long there for intending to make al the hast that might be he remoued to Sennei and from thence to Pisa still passing forward though verie slowly by reason of the euil waies By this time had the Venetians gathered a strong power wherwith they ment to stop his passage And hauing appointed Francis Gonzaga Marques of Mantoua for their generall The Marques of Mantoua generall of the Venetian forces with whom they ioyned two Venetian Lieutenants or Prouiditori Melchior Creuisano and Luke Pisano commaunded them to put themselues betweene home and the French and if it were possible to stay the King and force him to pay the Almendate for the harme he had done to the Italian Nation Gonzaga being a lusty yong Gentleman desirous to win renowme by some memorable act hauing intelligence by his espials that the French marched toward Foro Nouo sent his light horsemen before vnder the conduct of Nicholas Annonio a Sclauonian to stay the enemie with light skirmishes vntill he might ouertake them with the strength of his armie who readily accomplishing the commandement of the generall hasted forward with great speed taking the French auantgard at aduantage slue many of them and forced the rest to retire to their strength The king ouertaking his vantgard encamped at Foro Nouo hard by the riuer of Terro The marques was encamped on the other side right in the way that the French men should passe so that the King seeing there was no remedie but that he must needes fight The battell of Terro and open the way by the dint of the sword disposed of his army in as warlike maner as he could and resolued as that day to try the vttermost of his fortune And being mounted vpon a braue and lusty courser enuironed with 7. yong gētlemen of approued fidelity prowes armed in all points like vnto himself rode about his ranks to encourage his soldiers who with their cheerful countenances seemed to assure him of the victorie and with the hazard of their owne liues to defend him from the violence of his enemies The Bastard of Burbon in whom he reposed a speciall trust The order of the French armie with Robinet Framesell the valiaunt conductour of the Duke of Orleance his men at Armes enuironed him with their companyes of horsemen on both sydes The Rerewarde was ledde by Foix a Noble man of Guien and Segnieur de Trimouille and with them was there a great troupe of men at Armes the Switzers and Almaines in whom consisted the strength of the battaile garded the Ordinance which being drawne with equall pace close to the battaillon of the footmen was placed right in the front of the enemie The Mareschall Guy and Tribulzi a man of great fame and experience in the warres marched before with certaine light horsemen to lead the way to them which followed The Marques seeing the French come downe from Foro Nouo in aray of battaile The order of the Venetian armie quickly arraunged his men and diuiding them into nine battaillons as well for the mutuall succour each of other as thereby to assaile the French on all sides and intended to abide the comming of his enemies In the first battaile was Petro Dodo a Venetian with sixe hundred Greeke horsemen and almost as many Archers on horsebacke who were appointed to compasse the hils and to assaile the enemie on the backe The second battaile was led by the earle Giazza consisting of sixe hundred men of Armes and three thousand Almaine and Italian footemen The Generall himselfe with his Vncle Radulph and Ranucio Farnesi with fiue hundred men of Armes and as many Archers with foure thousand footemen tooke vpon him to encounter with the middle battaile wherein was the Kings owne person The fourth battaile was assigned to Fortebraccio de Montoni who was commaunded to charge the Rerewarde Three other battailes were appoynted to Anthonie de Feltri Annibal Bentiuoli and Galeazzo Palauicini which should serue to ayde and succour where there was most need The eight and ninth battaile were likewise prouided against all vncertaine chances which might ensue Each armie being thus readie raunged awayted the signall of the battaile which was no sooner giuen The hardie encounter of both armies but they ranne togither with great furie the trumpets sounded the drummes stroke vp the great Ordinance thundered from either side and all sorts fought verie couragiously But the Estradiots who had beene repelled by the French men of armes espying the Kings baggage which by counsaile of Triuoltio had beene obiected to the enemie to the ende that hee beeing busie about the spoyle a more readie and easie passage might bee opened for the King flung out of their rankes and fell to ryfling in most greedie manner Which thing in the opinion of all men
departed but the Cittie began to reuolt and tooke part with their olde Duke Howbeit the Switzers in whom he reposed especiall confidence and by whose valour The D. of Millan taken prisoner hee verily perswaded himselfe hee shoulde bee able to maintaine his quarrell agaynst his enemyes betrayed him to the French who sent him prisoner to the King at Lions Then there was a maruellous concourse of people assembled to beholde this captiue Duke who not long before in fame dignitie and renowme had beene equall to anie Prince in Italie The King woulde not vouchsafe to see him but sent him to prison vnto the Castell of Locces The miserable end of the D. of Millan where hee continued for the space of tenne yeares and there in verie miserable manner ended his life And thus was this Noble Duke an other argument of the mutabilitie and chaunge of frowarde fortune Now was the French King wholy set vpon the conquest of Naples and least hee might any wayes bee hindered he thought it conuenient to procure Ferdinando King of Spaine to ioyne with him The French and Spanish Kings ioyne for the conquest of Naples who was easily drawne thereto and the better to countenaunce the matter pretended a title whereby hee would proue himselfe rightfull heire to the Neapolitan Crowne Ferdinando King of Naples beeing wonderfully dismayed heerewith yeelded vppon composition to the King of Fraunce and so his Kingdome was diuided betweene the French and Spanish Kings which two Princes could not long agree but falling at dissension betweene themselues there were manie sharpe bickerings the French still going by the woorst Monsieur de La Palissa and diuerse others were taken prisoners and Monsieur de Nemours was slaine by the Spaniardes vnder the leading of the great Consaluo who albeit there were a treatie of peace and an abstinence of warre concluded yet woulde hee take no knowledge thereof but proceeded still in the warres The Spaniniards driue the French out of Naples and so brought the whole Kingdome of Naples vnder the Spanish yoake Lewis of Fraunce hearing of all this was not a little greeued in his minde but there was no remedie but patience nor any wayes to doo any good but by force Wherevpon he sent newe armies into Italie with a purpose to repayre his former losses but a composition was made and all the warre beganne to bee diuerted towarde the Venetians who were brought to marueylous great extremities But by reason the Pope beganne to growe iealous of his owne hee forsooke the French and ioyned with the Venetians taking them into his protection The Pope taketh the Venetians into his protection Whereupon the French king thought it best to desist from any further proceedings and so entring league with the Pope returned hom Notwithstanding hee quickely smelling out the fetches of his late reconciled enemie ioyned againe with the Emperour and sendeth Monsieur de Chaumont into Italie with a strong power who with the Prince of Heâ—ault ouerthrew the Venetians and tooke Legnague Mountsilice and manie other places Not long after by reason of the death of Monsieur de Chaumont Gaston de Foix a valiaunt young Gentleman was sent into Italie to bee Generall ouer the French forces who hauing intelligence that the power of the Spaniardes was comming downe to succour Marke Anthonie de Colonna whom hee besieged in Rauenna fearing the irruption of those within the Towne brake vp his siege and withdrewe his forces three miles of towards the armie of his enemies with whom for that hee intended to fight he marshalled the troupes as followeth The vauntgard wherein was seuen hundred men of armes The battel of Rauenna besides the Almaines footmen was led by the Duke of Ferrara and the Seneschal of Normandy Neere vnto them were arraunged the footmen of the middle battaile which amounted to the number of eight thousande French vnder the conduct of Monsieur de Allegres The Rereward was composed of fiue hundred Italians ouer whom commaunded Frederick de Bosuolo This battailon was flanked both by the archers on horsebacke and by the light horsmen being in all three thousand Behind al these esquadrons which were so placed as they rather resembled a croysant or new Moone then any thing else were six hundred men of armes led by Seigneur de la Palaice and Cardinall Sanauerino Monsieur de Foix had made choyce of no peculiar charge for himselfe but taking out some durtie of the valiantest Gentlemen purposed to haue an eye to euerie place and to be ready to helpe where most neede was In this warlike maner he marched towardes his enemies whom he found strongly encamped by a Riuers side who being certified of the approach of the French had thus raunged their battailes In the vauntgarde were eight hundred men of Armes and sixe thousand footmen vnder the leading of Fabricio de Colonno high Constable of Naples In the middle battaile were sixe hundred men of Armes flanked with foure thousand footemen whose principall leader was the Viceroy himselfe and with him were the Marques of Palude and the Popes Legate called Iohn de Meâ—â—â— The Rerewarde was conducted by Caruaiall a Spaniard In which battaile were foure hundred men of Armes and foure thousand footemen The light horsemen commanded by Daualos the Marques of Pescara a very yong man but of passing great hope who guarded the right side of the footmen Peter de Nauarro the General of the Spanish footmen would not tie himselfe to any certaine place but determined to helpe where most neede required And in this order they expected the comming of their enemyes who by this time were aduaunced verie neare and the skirmish began to grow hote on both sides The fight continued long and manie were slaine but the Spanish troupes beeing maruaylously torne The Spaniards ouerthrowne at Rauenna by the French and scattered with the French Ordinaunce could not endure before the men of Armes of Fraunce For Fabritio de Colonna beeing taken by the Souldiours of the Duke of Ferrara the Viceroy and Caruaiall neuer staied any further tryall of theyr fortune but fled amaine leauing the Marques of Pescara and the Marques of Palude at the mercie of their enemies Although the horsemen were ouerthrowne yet the Spanish footemen fought valiauntly and with incredible fiercenesse maintained the battaile for a long time but being wearied in the ende and not able any longer to endure they began to giue ground Nauarro taken prisoner yet so as they rather seemed to retyre then to bee driuen out of the field which Nauarro beholding rather desyred to die then liue and therefore not departing out of the battaile hee suffered himselfe to be taken prisoner Gaston de Foix general of the French army slaine after he had gotten the victorie But when as Monsieur de Foix could not abide to see Spanish footemen to go away in such souldier-like maner with their rankes vnbroken hee in a great furie charged them
the Lord Clermont Autragne one of the Captaines of the kings guard the Lord Tishcombert Longanuay Crenay Vienne Muauille Fequiers with some other twenty or thirtie Gentlemen at the most The Marquesse of Neste the Eearle Choysy the Lord de O the Count Lud the Lords Mouleuet Lauergue Rosne and many others were hurt but not in danger of death and this was the ende of this great battaile fought in the plaine of Saint Andrew the fourth of March 1590. The fame of this glorious victorie ouer the Leaguers so terrified sundrie townes that they yeelded forthwith and sent to craue pardon for their former offences Mante Vernon Cressy Lagny Poysy Saint Germaine and Saint Clow were the first that were drawen to their due obedience by whose examples sundrie others were easily reclaimed and yeelded vppon their first sommance the king beeing glad of this fortunate successe resolued to besiege Paris whereof when as the Parisians The Parisians prepare to endure a siege were enformed as also of the ouerthrowe of the Duke de Maine they were maruailously affrighted and tâ—e rather for that they had promised themselues an assured victorie grounding vppon the Dukes proude bragges and the fantasticall prophesies of sundrie seditious Friers and had not the Duke Henrico Caietanc the Popes Nuntio and Barnardin Mendoza scattered good store of Crownes among the Iesuites and such frierlike fellowes who shoulde with theyr seditious Sermons encourage the people to persist in theyr rebellious actions and corrupted the principall inhabitants with money and fayre promises the Parisians hadde in that conseruation of minde come to aske pardon as well as others but they beeing seduced by their chiefetaines and ringleaders beganne to bethinke them howe to fortifie their Cities and to make themselues able to endure a siege The king seeing their obstinacy followed his course and knowing the Citie to bee very populous and nothing well prouided for so many moneths determined to take all the passages and to blocke in the Parisians so sure that they should come by no victuals making choyse to vanquish them rather by famin then by the sword as the safest way to punish his enimies and to saue his friends Hee therefore seised vppon all the stronge Townes about the Citie as Corbeil Melun Montereaufault Yonne and Charenten and stopping the Riuer of Oyse Marne Yonne and Seyne would not suffer any prouision to bee conuayed into the Citie Whereupon there beganne to grow great scarcenesse The Duke de Maine goeth to Bruxelles to the Duke of Parma for ayde and a sore famine threatned that rebellious multitude The Duke de Maine was gone into Peronne in Picardy and from thence to Bruxelles to the Duke of Parma to entreate him to come to the succours of the League and vsed all the other meanes hee could to leuie newe forces and hauing had some promises from Spaine assured himselfe of ayd out of the low Countryes wherwith he should be once againe able to meete the king who all this while lay before Paris and attempted nothing but onely to keepe it from victuals and by that meanes had so famished the towne of S. Dennis S. Dennis yeeldeth to the King that after that they had consumed all their old store and had eaten vp their horses dogs cats rats mice rootes hearbs much bread made of ground straw beaten to powder they were enforced to yeeld to the kings mercy who vsed them very graciously Penury and want likewise so pressed the Citie of Paris Great famin in Paris that by the beginning of Iuly there were no dainties to be found in the Citie but the Parisians were glad to fall to such homely viands as not long before had serued for a dish at S. Dennis Yea so great and so horrible was the famine that there were many children eaten and deuoured by those hungry and staruen rebelles When the Duke da Maine who was still attending vppon the Duke of Parma was aduertised of the great and extreme penury that was among the Parisians as also of the vprores and murtherings of the people hee wrote letters full of rich promises assuring them of the comming of the Duke of Parma and himselfe with a sufficient number to raile the siege The miserable people oppressed with the tyrannie of their rulers hardned with seditious sermons blinded with ignorance seduced with malice and sed with much villanie from Spaine from the Pope and from this Duke and by Gods iust iudgement giuen ouer to a reprobate sense held out obstinately and would by no perswasions be enduced to submit themselues vnto the Kings mercie The hope that the Spaniard had to conquere France and to cloath himselfe with the rich spoyle of the Flower de Lis made the Duke of Parma to giue better eare to the Duke de Maine The Duke of Parma entreth into France and to hearken to the succours of the distressed Leaguers so that hauing gathered a power of some 15000. Spaniards Italians Wallons and Flemmings all of the olde bands of the countrey in the latter ende of August hee entred into France and ioyning with the forces of the Duke de Maine marched towards Paris The King hauing to deale with so great an enemie brake vp his siege and went to meete him as farre as the plaine of Boundy and there ordered his battailes made himself readie to end the quarrell by a generall fight the Kings army consisted of 10000. French footmen 4000. Switzers 4000. horsemen the greatest number wherof were gentlemeÌ„ of the cheerest houses in France and 800. Rutters there were sixe Princes two Mareschalles of France and a great number of noblemen captaines and Gentlemen who were able to leade as great an armie as that was The Duke of Parma hauing discouered all his warlike multitude from the top of a hill returned to his campe and caused his souldiers to entrench themselues as strongly as they could and refused to fight The Duke of Parma refuseth to fight albeit the king staied for him by the space of three daies together but afterward perceiuing that the Duke would not be drawen to a battaile by no meanes hee determined to breake vp his armie and to sende his souldiers into seuerall prouinces to rest and relieue them after so painfull and laborious a iourney and so to make them fresh and lustie against hee should haue better opportunitie to fight against his enemies Assoone as the king was departed wel neere twenty Leagues off and that he had deuided his forces by sending them into seuerall places The Duke of Parma entreth into Paris the Duke gat him out of the treaches hasted to Paris where he was welcomed with great ioy but he had not continued there long but the tyrannie pride and villany of the Spaniard and hispaniolized was such that the Parisians waxed weary of that intollerable burthen would faine haue bin rid of them and they had wist how they therfore entreated the duke to open the riuer
defeated and no hope left for the Catholikes had not the Duke of Guise reserued his forces whole and entyre and with a sudden charge crossed the happy course of the victorious Prince whose battaillons of footmen being bared of their horse could not endure the furious assault of the Guisards but fled as fast as they could to saue their liues notwithstanding all the encouragement vsed by Dandelot who perswaded them all that he might to abide their enemies Moreouer Danuille one of the sonnes of the Constable espying the princes horsmen disordered with pursuing their victory charged theÌ„ before they could be rallied afresh and hauing first wounded Conde in the hand and then slain his horse the red crosses so pressed on him on all sides before he could be remounted that he was constrained to yeeld himself prisoner Conde taken prisoner to the immeasurable grief of all the confederates The Admirall gathering togither so manie as possible he might of his dispersed troupes gaue a fresh charge vppon the Guise where there was a sore and cruell fight but for that he was not able to match his enemies after the death of many braue men on both sides Dinothus saith that there were 10000. Catholikes slaine The Mareschal S. Andrew slaine he retired to Neufuil leauing the honour of that iourney to the Guise At the last encounter were slaine the Mareschall of S. Andrew Monbrune the Constables sonne the Lord Picues Annebaut Brossy Giury and many other leaders The Duke of Aumaile was greeuously hurt and likewise the Duke of Neuers who dyed shortly after The principall prisoners which were taken were the Constable who was forthwith sent to Orleanâ—e with Orayson Rochfort Esclauoles and sundrie other Gentlemen of good account There were slain on the Princes side verie neare a thousand fiue hundred footmen seuen hundred Almains some foure hundred horse as Dinothus reporteth The principall of which were the Baron of Arpaion Saux Shandeu Liencourt Fredomere Carliere Rongnac Mazelles Saint Germier al which for the most part were of the Cornet of Mouy who was taken prisoner at this last conflict The newes of this battaile was verie vncertaine each side supposing yea and constantly reporting their owne ouerthrowe But vpon more certaine intelligence how that both Generals were taken and that they had parted in a maner with equall losse each faction beganne to rowse vp themselues and to hope for better successe in their future wars wherupon they resolued to choose them new Generals vntill the old were againe restored to libertie The duke of Guise was thought the meetest to commaund ouer the Catholikes The D. of Guise chosen generall ouer the Catholiks and the Admirall ouer the protestants and the Admirall ouer the confederates who pondering their harmes lately receiued by the death of so many braue men and their want of many necessaries requisit for to keepe the field thought it best to retire the one to Paris the other to Orleance and there to repaire their broken armies The Duke of Guise lay not long idle but assayed to recouer certaine townes from the Confederates as Pluuiers Estamps and some others The Admirall on the other side beeing as carefull to maintaine heade agaynst the enemie besieged Selles in Berry which was yeelded vpon composition where he found good store of gold and siluer for the payment of his Reisters Rochfaucont tooke S. Agnan and the Prince Portian entered Monrichard The gayning of which Townes greatly countenanced the wauering estate of the Protestants Thus did these two armyes flote vp and downe each seeking to encroach vppon other so much as might bee At length the Admirall espying the drift of the Guise which was to inuest Orleance on the sudden put himself with all his forces within the Citie Where notwithstanding vpon better aduice he remayned not long but marched towards Normandie to meet with the Englishmen The admiral goeth towards New-hauen to meete with the Englishmen whose landing was dayly expected at New-hauen which was the place appoin for that purpose and that by the consent of the confederates The Queene mother being aduertised hereof laboured to stop his intended voyage by propounding a parle of peace but the Admirall being well acquainted with such stratagems would in no wise hearken thereto but folowed his formed proiect and so with some 3000. horse passingly well furnished and far better then at the battel of Dreux held on his course And being a man of great experience and singular expedition in all his enterprises he surprised on the sudden sundry places which proued afterward of no small moment for the aduancing of the affaires of the confederates The duke of Guise hauing his armie in a readinesse and vnderstanding of the Admirals departure from Orleance leauing Dandelot his brother for the guarde therof vntill his returne thought it best to besiege them who were there assembled while the Admirall with the flower of all their troupes was busied other wheres With this resolution he dislodged and planted his siege about the towne The Duke of Guise besieheth Orleance which he so sore battered and couragiously assailed that the Citie was in imminent perill and all the confederates were in a wonderfull feare least it should haue beene taken Yea the Duke so assured himselfe thereof that hee wrote to the King and Queene Mother that he hoped now to extirpe the race of the Hugonots who had for so many yeares troubled the whole land and that he would send them newes therof within foure and twentie houres But while he was thus in his ruffe firmely perswading himselfe that all was his bebold there fell out a straunge and vnexpected accident which brake the necke of all his deuises There was a poore Gentleman named Iohn Poltrot The storie of Poltot that killed the Duke of Guise one of verie little stature but full of spirite and lyfe and generally reputed of such as best knewe him to bee somewhat a rash headed fellow and verie vndiscreete and one that durst attempt any thing Who being brought vp for a long time in Spaine had learned the language verie perfectly And for that both for his colour complection and stature he was so like vnto them of that nation he was commonly called the little Spaniard This fellow seruing sometime vnder Soubize who commaunded at Lyons woulde often vaunt that this was the hande stretching out his arme that shoulde kill the Duke of Guise and deliuer Fraunce from that monstrous and cruell Tyrant And this hee vsually vttered in great brauerie so that as manie as heard him knowing the humour of the man laughed at his follie little imagining that hee meant as hee sayde for if hee had then it was lykely hee woulde haue kept his purpose more secrete and not haue beene so open mouthed It happened so that immediately after the battaile of Dreux Soubize sent this Poltrot with a Letter to the Admirall who was nowe at Selles in Berrie whither hee was no sooner
who continuallie incensed the King agaynst the Hugonots and after the confusion and ruine of all his former Armyes perswaded him to assayle those of the Religion in Guyen with newe forces vnder the conducting and leading of Duke Ioyense for that it was thought that the Mareschall Biron was of too milde a nature and had dealt somewhat too fauourably in his late voyage Thus Duke Ioyense being armed with the Kings authoritie The Duke Ioyense sent against the Protestants and ayded with a mightie power inuaded Guyen where he tooke sundry townes as Mote Saint Cloy Saint Mexent Tonnay Charauty Maylezay and some others but the plague encreasing among his souldiers he was forced to breake vp his campe and to disperse his forces and hee himselfe posted to Paris to the rest of the principall Leaguers The King of Nauarre vnderstanding of his retreate set vpon his stragling troupes killed many tooke sundrie prisoners and in a short space recouered all that had beene lost Thus the Leaguers had caused the King to spend much money about nought intending thereby to weaken him and strengthen themselues for by this meanes they were still in authoritie and did in a maner what soeuer they lifted empouerishing their enemyes and inriching theyr friends as the readyest way to effect that which they had long before determined to accomplish About this time were the Germains readie to march towards France The great preparation of the King to withstande the Germans whereof the King being aduertised he prepared three seuerall Armies with the which he ment both to defend himselfe and to offend his enemies The duâ—e of Guise was made generall ouer the first wherin were 23000. French men besides 400 Launces 2000. Italians and sixe hundred light horse sent to him out of the low Countryes by the Duke of Parma All which were appointed to barre the Germaines out of Lorraine if it were possible or else to hinder them that they should not passe through Champaigne The King led the second army into Berry wherein was 88. companies of men of Armes ten thousand French footemen 12000. Switzers 4000. Rutters 12. double CanoÌ„s 2000. pioners with which power the King determined to keepe the Loyre The duke Ioyense conducted the third army against the King of Nauarre to keepe him occupied and to withhold him from ioyning with the Germaines The battell of Contras The King of Nauarre gathered as great forces as he could and being accompanied with the prince of Conde Count Soyssons the Lord Trimouille the vicount of Turen and many other honorable estates hasted to incorporate himselfe with his strangers vsing great speed gat ouer the riuer of Droune where the duke Ioyense had intended to stop his passage and so marched forwarde purposing to lodge at Contras The duke supposing that the aduauntage was his for that the king of Nauarre was weake in power inclosed between two riuers so that he could not escape without fighting as one desirous to do some notable exploit resolued to trie his fortune by some generall fight Whereupon hee tooke his place for the battell neare vnto Contras The King of Nauarre was glad of the Dukes resolution and hauing disposed all his troupes in very warlike manner wayted his best oportunitie to begin the battell About eight of the clock in the morning the Artillarie on both sides began to play And for that the king of Nauarres Ordinance was commodiously placed it did maruellously endomage the Dukes men of armes which stood at his right hand as also the regiments wherwith they were flanked for their better assurance wherewith when many were rent and torne in peeces the rest resolued rather to charge then to die so miserably without any further fight The harquebuziers came no sooner in reach each of other but they powred out their shot as thicke as haile each partie endeuoring to do well and to annoy one another to their vttermost The king of Nauarre had diuided his horsemen into foure squadrons the first was led by himselfe the second by the Prince of Conde the third by the Count Soysons who stood on the left hand of the king and the fourth by the vicount of Turenne who was at his right hand equally aduaunced with the formost These standing still beheld the skirmish of their footmen vntil the duke hasted to the generall onset then these three Princes of the blood euerie one in the front of their regiment began to change their pace into a trot and so into a gallop giuing such a furious charge vpon their enemies that they wholy defeated them and hauing killed a great number the rest betooke them to flight The footmen seeing their horsemen ouerthrowne lost courage and ranne away for company then was the mortalitie great for the Protestants pursuing them committed a maruailous carnage among them that fled There was slaine the Duke of Ioyense D. Ioyense slâ—ine and his army ouerthrowne generall of the armie and Saint Suuer his brother Bressay Rousay count Suxe Count Ganeto Count Aubiyon Fumel Rochford Neufny Gurats Saint Fort Tercelin maister of the campe Chesner and Vallade besides many other Lordes and Gentlemen of marke Bellegard Saint Luc the Marques of Prennes Count MoÌ„soreau Sansac Cipierre Santray Montigny Villecomblim Chasteaurenauld Parriere Chasteauueulx Chasteloux and Auuerdiere all captaines and commaunders were taken prisoners Diuerse Castels and strong holdes were presently yeelded vnto the king of Nauarre and a verie great feare possessed the hearts of the rest of his enemies CHAP. XXIII The great armâ—e of the Germaines ouerthrowne The death of the Duke of Bonillon The Guises slander the King The Leaguers besiege the Duchesse of Bonillon Their ouerthrow The Prince of Conde poisoned The Parisians rebel against the King The King flieth to Charteres The Guisards vow to kill the King THe French King 1588 The army of the Germains commaunded by the Duke of Bonillon and Duke of Guise were all this while verie busie in prouiding of all necessarie meanes to withstande the Germaines who still came on forwardes Their armie consisted of fiue thousand Ruttars fiue thousand Lancequenets sixteene thousand Switzers with whom were ioyned foure thousand French harquebuziers and three hundred French horse The Lord Mouy brought also two thousand French harquebuziers on horsebacke the Lord Villeneufe one thousand and the Lorde Louers one thousand The Lord Chastillon likewise ioined with them with one thousand fiue hundred harquebuziers and two hundred horses The whole number came to some thirtie fiue thousand besides the companies brought by the Prince of Contie They had sixteene peeces of great Ordinance with store of all warlike munition The general of all these was the Duke of Bonillon who commaunded as Lieutenant for the King of Nauarre This mightie and puyssant armie was the terrour of the League and the hope of the Protestants but the expectation of both was disappoynted for after that the Germaines had marched through Lorraine and were gotten into Fraunce as
his bodie The death of Henry the 3 the French King not withstanding all the remedies that could be deuised or imagined hee yeelded vp his life into the handes of him that gaue it him hauing reigned fourteene yeares and seuen moneths And this was the ende of Henrie the third the French king and king of Polonia and the last of the house of Valois who being bewitched with the sorceries of his mother and inclyning to euill by his owne bad disposition opposed himselfe agaynst Gods true religion and being giuen ouer to worke his owne destruction followed the wicked counsailes of his notorious and sworne enemies who spake him fayre to his face but inwardly hated him and neuer ceased persecuting of their deuelish deuises vntill they had brought his state to confusion and procured his vntimely death and destruction CHAP. XXVI Henrie the fourth the French King ouerthroweth the Leaguers in two seuerall battels Great famine in Paris The Duke of Parma entreth into Fraunce relieueth Paris From whence he flieth againe in great haste into the Lowe Countryes The Pope excommunicateth the King VVho causeth his Bull to be burned at Towers The great Armie of the Germianes The Duke of Parma goeth the sâ—conde time into Fraunce and preuayleth greatly agaynst the King The Leaguers seeke for peace The King encline to Poperie His coronation Paris with most of the great Citties of Fraunce turne to the King IMmediately after the death of Henrie the third Henrie of Burbon King of Nauarre and the true inheritour to the Crowne of Fraunce both by his owne right and by the last will and testament of the late King The princes Nobles and souldiers take their oath of obedience to Henry the fourth was proclaimed King of Fraunce by the name of King Henrie the foorth and so acknowledged by all the Princes Nobles Colonels Captaines and souldiours in the Campe after the ancient maner of choosing the Romane Emperors giuing him their oaths of fidelitie and obedience with protestation to assist him to maintaine his royall and princely authoritie against all traitours rebels and leaguers to the vttermost of their powers The Prince Montpensier being then at Audly a towne vpon the Riuer of Seyne caused likewise all his army to take the like oath exhorting them to defend constantly the late kings wil and valiantly to oppose theÌ„selues against al seditious persons despisers of gods lawfull ordinance traitors to their King sworne enemies to their own couÌ„try This Henry of Burbon King of Nauarre and now the French king and so hereafter he shall be tearmed considering the strength of his open enemies and fearing the treacherie of many in the Campe who were deuoted to the league knowing that they might be a meanes to distresse him beeing so neare vnto a great number of his euill willers who were likely to double their rage by reason of this exploit done vpon the late Kings person The French King retireth toward Norman de thought good to licence so many as he suspected to depart the campe and determined to retire with the rest into Normandie somewhat further from his enemies and to gather as great a power as hee could of his trustiest and most assured friends and in the meane time to view the attempts and preparations of the Leaguers The armie of the D. de Maine The D. de Maine besides all the bands which he had collected of the French rebels receyued certaine Swart Rutters vnder the leading of the Duke of Brimswicke The Duke of Lorraine sent his sonne likewise called the Marques of Pont. with certaine companies of horsemen with this great armie which amounted to the number of 25000. men The Duke de Maine marched towards Deep where the King lay with some nine or ten thousand men who vnderstanding of the approach of the enemie tooke the field with those forces which he had and encamped at Arques about two miles froÌ„ Deepe where he stayed not long but that the enemie appeared in fight at a village not far off called Martinglize The king sent out forthwith his light horsmeÌ„ to discouer between whoÌ„ the foreruÌ„ners of the Leaguers there were many hot skirmishes On the 19. day of September the enemie passed ouer a little riuer which ranne betweene both Armies and put himselfe in battaile array very well ordered strongly appointed and marched directly towards the king The Lord Billing with two thousande shot was appointed to charge first and the Duke de Maine stood behinde him with a strong battaile readie to succour as need required The king had quickly ordered his battailon hauing disposed of all things in as warlike maner as he could deuise sent forth his light horsemen to charge the enemie who were backed with the Prince of Conde led by the Lord Montaret His battailon of footemen was flanked with his owne cornet wherein were the Lord Graund Pryer of France the Count Rochfaucoult the Count Rossy his brother the Count Rochford with diuers other Gentlemen of great reckoning and such as were neerest about his person and hauing called vppon God to ayde him in his iust and righteous quarrell so furiously charged the enemie that hee left fiue hundred dead vpon the place at that instant The rest seeing the slaughter of their fellowes and the furie of the kings souldiers began to shrinke and in a short time to flie away in great feare and disorder The Principall men of the Leaguers which were slain were the Lord Saint Andrew Sagne Collonell of the light horsemen the Lord Saint Vidal Lieutenant of the Ordenance the Lord Vienuille Count Billing Temblecourt Sauelak and diuers others were taken prisoners The king lost the Count Rossy brother to Rochfaucont and the Lord Bake Ville a Gentleman of very worthy and commendable parts and not past some thirtie or fortie others The Duke de Maine seeing his bad lucke retyred his beaten troupes towards Picardy the king being strengthened with the forces of the Prince of Soysons Duke Languauille and Mareschall Haultmont besides foure thousand Englishmen newly sent him out of England The Lord VVillowby vnder the leading of the right noble and valiant Lord VVillowby departed from Deepe coasted the enemie til he came to Menlau and then returned toward Paris supposing that by that meanes hee should draw the Duke to follow him and so bring him to a battaile The king bringeth hiâ— army before Paris The King comming to Paris about the 28. of October determined to assault the suburbs and hauing prepared all things in a readinesse for that purpose assailed them the first of Nouember following where hee founde some resistance but the courage of the Souldiers redoubled with the presence of the Prince was such The suburbs of S. Germaines takeÌ„ that they quickly gayned them and slew aboue a thousand and fiue hundred of their enemies there were also taken fourteene ensignes and thirteene peeces of Ordenance The king seeing the Leaguers attempted nothing but
a time and the yong Prince continued in verie good grace vntill at length by reason of newe occasions of suspition hee was forced to auoyde the Realme so exceedingly was the King his father incensed agaynst him and going to Philip Duke of Burgundie who at that present was a verie great and mightie potentate was most honorably intertained furnished with all things necessarie for himselfe and his retinue where hee remained for a long time notwithstanding the duke was very often earnestly solicited to the coÌ„trarie by the king his father At the last all the stormie tempests being blowne ouer and he vpon the decease of his father being called home to receiue the Diademe and crowne of France Lewis the 11. K. of France he departed from the Court of Burgundie where he had liued a stranger and vnder the coÌ„trolment of others towards his new kingdome and naturall Countrie which he found very peaceable and flourishing in all wealth and prosperitie where hee was no sooner quietly established but that remembring some olde iniuries Lewis the 11. reiecâ—eâ—h his faâ—hers old counsellors and disliking manie of his fathers most faithfull and trustie counsellers hee remoued sundry out of their rowmes and offices and imprisoned others electing new into their places to the great griefe of diuerse of his best affected subiects the exceeding discontentment of most of his chiefest Nobilitie wherupon ensued maruellous trouble to the common wealth and vnspeakeable care and vexation of mind to himselfe The Duke of Britaine and sundrie other of the nobility rise against the King For the Duke of Brytaine the Duke of Berry the Duke of Nemours the earle of Saint Paule the earle of Arminake Beauleu Albret and manie other great Lords and states being highlie displeased with the King and with his gouernement banded togither against him and calling to theyr ayde Count Charolois sonne and heyre to Philip Duke of Burgundie raysed a mightie and puyssaunt armie wherewith they approched Paris and held besieged the chiefest Cittie of the land The King vnderstanding the daunger wherein the towne stoode The K. marcheth toward Paris and the resolution of his enemies hasted by all possible meanes to put himselfe within Paris the safekeeping whereof woulde be most auayleable for the aduancement of his other affayres Wherefore hauing gathered a strong power marched forwardes on his intended voyage not purposing to hazarde his fortune vppon anie aduauntage that shoulde be offered but onelie to defende himselfe and to amuse his enemies vntill the tyme might minister some better meanes to accomplish his desyres notwithstanding The k forced to forsake the field through the rash headinesse of the Lieutenant of Normandie called Le Bressy who had the leading of the auauntgarde the King was constrained to fight and to aduenture to open his passage by force of armes But being valiantly resisted by his enemies after a terrible and bloodie fight hee was forced to forsake the field and to retyre towards Corbeile leauing the entyre glorie of that victorie to Count Charolois and his associates As this good fortune puffed vp the haughtie minde of the Conquerour making him proude disdainfull and highly conceyted of his owne valour which in the ende bred his owne confusion and ouerthrowe The King reconcileth his subiects and maketh peace with Count Charolois so did it teach the conquered to pull downe his spirits and with all circumspect diligence and care to prouide for his future safetie in the most politike manner that hee might and hauing though with much adoo made peace with Count Charolois an enemie that hee greatly feared and reconciled his discontented Nobles who were a long time as prickes in his eyes and thornes in his sydes and withall concluded a league with Edwarde the fourth King of Englande at Pikquennie to his great aduauntage there remayned nothing that might any way endaunger his estate but onelie the greatnesse of Charles Duke of Burgundie who though he were at amitie with the King yet for that hee had a most turbulent spirite and of all other could least abide to continue for anie long time together in peace the King thought hee had iust occasion to suspect him Charles D. of Burgundy slaine at Nancy and therefore howsoeuer in outwarde shewe he made much of him yet in heart hee wished for nothing more then his confusion and ouerthrowe which appeared most apparantly by his secrete practises agaynst the Duke and then coulde no longer be hidde when as hee heard of his discomfiture at the battaile of Nancy where the sayde Duke was slaine his armie put to flight and the glorie of that noble house of Burgundie which had flourished for the space of an hundred and twentie yeares in all pompe and magnificence was vtterly defaced and obscured For presently vppon the newes the King was so exceeding ioyfull that hee did not in a maner regarde how richly and bountifully he rewarded the Messengers of so glad and ioyfull tydings Nowe beganne hee to studie for nothing so much as howe to dismember this poore afflicted Dukedome and by all meanes possible to teare and rent it in peeces K. Lewis of France getteth a great part of Burgundie He first gayned by liberall rewardes and fayre promises the chiefest of the Burgonian Nobilitie and likewise the Captaines of sundrie strong Townes by which meanes hee gate Abbeuille Peronne Arras Hesdin Bollogne Dyion and manie other principall places so that it seemed that the better part of the Dukedome of Burgundie was nowe brought vnder the kings obedience and annexed to the rest of the Dominions of the Flower de Lis By which meanes the reuenewes of the Crowne were greatly augmented the lande exceedingly strengthened the same and honour of the king wonderfully encreased all thinges falling out in a manner as well as might be wished or desired But hee had no sooner attayned to so high a degree of happinesse but hee was presently crossed with newe miseryes and afflictions which in small continuance of tyme did wholie bereaue him of his former ioyes For beeing at dinner at a Village neare vnto Chynon hee was suddainlie stroken with so vehement a payne The King stroken with a sudden disease that hee lost his speach and sences for the space of two dayes togither not remembring nor knowing any that were nearest about him And albeit by reason of those great meanes which were vsed his bodie was somewhat recouered and his mynde much bettered so that he seemed to come to some reasonable vnderstanding and knowledge yet was hee so weakened and euerie parte of him so mightilie decayed that it was not possible to free him of his maladie so long as hee lyued Besides hee grewe so suspitious of all sortes and so iealous of his owne sonne and sonne in Lawe that hee was neuer at quyet but lyued in such continuall feare least that honour and reuerence which had beene for so long a tyme giuen vnto him shoulde now be
home to defende their owne territories Much confusion beganne nowe to growe among the Kings Souldiers and many of his mercenaries or hyred souldiers departed before the battaile beeing called home for the defence of theyr owne Countrey and the number which was least was farre lesse then indeed it was reported vnto the King so that the Emperialles spying theyr aduantage sette forwarde and with surpassing courage inuaded the Kings Campe in the dead of the night hauing couered their armour with whole shirts the better to discerne one another Their army was diuided into foure Battailons the first consisting of sixe thousand Almains Spaniards and Italians was led by the marquesse of Guasto a valiant yong Gentleman and of great towardnesse in the warres The second consisting wholy of Spaniards was conducted by the Marquesse of Pescara who commanded as principall in the army in the third and fourth battailes were the Dukes of Burbon and Lanoy who went as resolutely to the charge as any others The King being certified of their approch and hauing ordered his troups in as warlike manner as might bee deuised couragiously prepared himselfe for the encounter both armies were no sooner met The great valor of the King but the fight grew very terrible on both sides each partie doing his best for the glorie of their nation and for the obtaining of an entire victorie The King like a valiant captaine and noble souldier fought couragiously and forced the marquesse of Pescara to giue ground whereas hee being endangered to loose all sent to the Vizroy who had the leading of the formost battaile to come to his succors who vnderstanding in what danger the marquesse was furiously set on the Switzers who that day answered not the kings expectation breaking their array wholy defeated them in a moment Then appeared the misery of the French and the king himselfe was forthwith in imminent perill albeit he fought manfully and was seconded with a valiant troupe of French Nobilitie who did their vttermost for their owne securitie and honor of their country yet hauing the marquesse in his front and Antonio de Leua The King of France taken prisoner who was nowe issued out of Paua with al his forces on his backe after he had beene sore wearied and greeuously wounded both in the face and hand and had his horse killed vnder him hee was forced to yeelde to fiue common Souldiers which knew him not but shortly after the Viceroy passing by the king called vnto him and making himself knowne was with great reuerence receiued as Caesars prisoner Thus was the French king who not long before had beene in so flourishing estate commanding not onely ouer al France but also a great part of Italy being so mightie rich and puissant that hee was dreaded of all his neighbor princes subiected to a maruailous change and alteration The King of France sent prisoner into Spaine being made first a prisoner to common souldiers and conuaied from one place to another vntill at length he came into Spaine hauing left all his army to the mercie of their enemies who slew of them well neere to the number of 10000. and among them there perished twentie of the greatest of the French Nobilitie as Boniuet Chauany Monsieur de la palissa Tremoile Obigny and sundry others of especiall account The great slaughter of the french Nobilitie as Henry the king of Nauarre Renee the bastard of Sauoy Duke Memorancy Francis of Burbon Earle of Saint Paul Biron Imbercourt Floranges Colonell of the Switzers with a great number of especiall account were taken prisoners The Duke of Alanson escaped this bloudy conflict and recouered France with a mighty troupe of men of armes who serued for messengers of this wofull newes The emperials lost not past some 700. men and among them no man of any especiall account but onely Ferdinando Castriota the marquesse of Saint Angelo The Spaniards were maruailously enriched with this victorie for neuer had so few souldiers so great a bootie The gold siluer and precious moueables of the French Nobilitie were that day diuided among their enemies and euerie Spanish bisoneos seemed to walke in a world of wealth brauing it out in most superbious manner with the spoyles of the Flower de lis All Europe was mightily dismaied with the newes of this victorie and all estates beganne to grow iealous of the Emperials greatnesse The Venetians of all others thought themselues most neerely touched therewith The Pope the Venetians and other potentates make a league against the Emperour and therefore they offered to ioyne with the Pope and to hire a ten thousand Switzers to defende Italy against the Emperials hoping that the Lady Regent of France the Duke of Ferrara and many other Princes would ioyne with them against their common enimie In the meane time the King of France was as is alreadie declared transported into Spaine and sent vp into the Castle of Madrill This was no doubt a bitter receipt and a sharpe corrosiue to this magnanimous prince who had not been vsed to be confined in so narrow a roume but patience with hope was his best comfort for the Emperour would not see him much lesse minister any matter of consolation in that his wofull distresse neither yet did he seeme to shewe any externall signes of ioy for so glorious a victorie The moderation of Charles the fift he prohibited bonefires ringing of belles and such like accustomed solemnities saying that it might bee seemely to vse outwarde reioycings for victories against the Turks Sarrazins and other infidels but not against christian Princes The Emperours Councell were long before they could well tell what to do with this prisoner they beeing distracted into diuers opinions but in the ende it was fully concluded to make as great a gaine of him as might bee and therefore they earnestly pressed him to yeeld ouer all his claime and title to Burgondy Millan and Naples besides hee was bound to pay a huge summe of money for his ransome The agreemēt betweene the Emperor and the french King and to condiscend to sundrie other things and those so great that no man of iudgement thought hee would bee so good as his word Yet for assurance the King was contented to marry the Lady Elynor the Emperors sister and to grant that his two sons the Dolphin and the Duke of Orleance shuld be left in hostage for the better performance of the conditions Now was France brought to a lowe ebbe and the auncient splendor and glorie thereof mightily obscured yea that renowmed Kingdome which had beene alwaies accounted the parragon of all Europe and hadde beene a terror vnto the Romane monarchy sate as a desolate widow that had lost her husband in weeping wailing and great lamentation But shortly after this afflicted countrey began to bee recomforted and as it were reuiued after it had felt the pangs of death for the king being once set at libertie and gotten into France
Wherupō assembling a new army as soone as the time of the yeare permitted he besiged Teroanne The emperor purposeth to besiege Teroanne which Pauuilliers is commaunded to defend Which the K. vnderstanding commanded Pauuilliers to leuie what forces he thought conuenient and to keep it from the enemy Wherupon Francis Memorancy eldest son of the Constable accompanied with many valiant captaines and gentlemen of good qualitie his followers repaired to Teroanne purposing by their heroycall and noble acts to win themselues honour and renowme The towne being defended with so strong a garrison and sufficiently prouided of all necessaries was thought to bee tenable agaynst the strongest enemie that was and therfore the emperials were suffred to do what they listed Who endeuouring to effect some notable exploit laboured night and day and made their approches without any empeachment placing their batterie vpon a little mount from whence they might annoy the defendants at their pleasure They had brought with them all warlike prouision as powder shot and all sorts of great and small Ordinance from sundry townes and castels of Flanders For this place was so odious vnto all that inhabited neare vnto it that as soone as it was besieged not onely the women and little children ranne thither to behold so gladsome a sight but in token of their ioies they sung songs with dauncing and leaping and brought into the campe corne beere bread sheepe and beeues in great abundance Their battery being once planted The furious batterie of Teroanne they began to beat the towne in such furious sort that the besieged were exceedingly endaungered no place being free from iminent perill Notwithstanding like men of valour and courage they resolutely defended themselues often issuing forth and fighting with the emperials in their trenches killed many of them poisoning some of their great Ordinance drew other some into the towne in despite of their enemies And albeit the emperials were much endomaged herewith yet were they so readily relieued from other places and all their wants so diligently supplied that they easily amended as much in a day as the French had marred in a week So that wanting nothing that might either helpe themselues or hurt their enemies they ceased neither day nor night but thundring continually with the Canon beat downe the walles and ouethrew the Towers and Bulwarks leauing nothing in a maner vnder which the besieged might shroud themselues The courage of the besieged Howbeit they labored continually to repaire the breaches and as men desperate and carelesse of their owne securitie they would be most busie where the Canon was most furious bringing earth dung fagots and such like necessarie matter for defence Which continuall trauell did maruellously weaken the defendants and by reason they were no great number they were forced to be both souldiors and pioners to watch in the night and fight in the day alwayes in action without ceasing or intermission In the midst of these great extremities there entred into the towne one called captaine Greille with a hundred Carabins Captaine Greille entreth Teroanne with 100. Carabins Who forcing the enemies Corps degard with the losse of a fewe of his men was readily receiued by the French who attended his comming with great deuotion The assailants were nothing discouraged herewith but plied their batterie more hotely then before shooting for the space of ten dayes togither And hauing beaten downe all their flankers and other places of defence and therwithall made a reasonable breach of sixtie paces in breadth prepared to giue an assault Collonell which the French resolued to abide Then stroke vp the drums the trumpets soūded the ensignes were displaied the emperials marched on with crying showting and after their maner making a terrible noyse approching the breach striued to enter with maruellous furie The French on the other side valiantly resisted and with equall courage defended themselues The emperials are repulsed The fight continued long and many were slaine on either side But in the ende the emperial captains seeing the great mortality of their men caused them to retire hauing lost many of their brauest and most forward souldiors The King of Fraunce vnderstanding of the noble valour of his men albeit hee feared not the losse of the towne yet the more to animate them hee sent a new supplie of three hundred Breuit and S. Romain enter Teroanne with 300 fresh souldiers vnder the leading of Captaine Breuit and Saint Romain who with great hazard and perill gat into the Towne They without still continued their siege and what with raysing forts without and with vndermining within the ground they endomaged the besieged more thē before And hauing after much ado enlarged the breach and made the ascent so easie that a man of Armes might passe out and in at pleasure they cryed to a newe assault The French beeng greatly dismayed herewith and knowing they wanted all necessaryes to defende themselues anie longer demaunded a parlee Teroanne surprised by the emperials whilest the French are talking of a composition whereto the emperials yeelded But whilest they were talking the Almaines and Burgonians entered in sundrie places and the Spaniardes approached the great breach And so was the Towne taken without anie resistaunce The Almaines and Burgonians enraged agaynst the poore French committed manie barbarous factes and straunge cruelties killing and murthering whō soeuer fel into their hands Francis Memorancie hardly scaped and was led prisoner to Binecour lieutenant to the emperor Martigues Dampier de Losses Bandiment Baylet Saint Roman and sundry other great captains yeelded themselues to such as would take them The towne was sacked and spoiled whatsoeuer was worth any thing Teroanne is dismanteled was caried away by the emperials the emperor commanded it should be dismanteled and the houses fired so that in short time it was vtterly spoiled and defaced When as the French King vnderstood of this losse he was wonderfully greeued and fearing least the emperor who was on the other side as ioifull for the good newes would follow his fortune The French K. gathereth a great power to resist the Emperor Hedyn besieged and won by the Emperials and besiege Hedyn he gathered a strong power of French and Switzers and made all things ready with as great celeritie as might be to stop the enemies proceedings if need required but it was so long before his troupes could be assembled that the emperials vnder the leading of the Prince of Piemont were gotten before the towne which they straightly besieged battered on all sides And for that it was not very well fortified it was quickly gained There were slaine on the French part Horatius Farnelius duke of Castres Martigues Monuille Cizieux Lusignan Dampier and diuerse other captains and commaunders The duke of Bouillon Riou the Count Villars with the baron of Culan were taken prisoners The King was more and more inwardly vexed to see himselfe thus thwarted Wherfore
assembling his army neere vnto Amiens and Piquenny vnder the leading of the Constable hee waited his oportunitie to be reuenged of his enemies who after the taking of Heyden spoyled the frontiers of Fraunce without pitie or mercie The French espying theyr aduauntage The French killeth seuen or eight hundred Emperials set vpon them on the suddaine and slue seuen or eight hundred and tooke the duke of Askot prisoner and almost fiue hundred others This losse somewhat abated the pride of the emperiall souldiours and encouraged the French to attempt greater matters for they presently marched towards Baupalme which was very well manned sufficiently appointed of all necessaries encamping before the town straitly enuironed it on al sides There were with the Constable the duks of Neuers of Vendosme Anguien Montpensier and the admiral Chastillon with their regiments amouÌ„ting to the nuÌ„ber of 8. or 9. thousand men the Rhingraue was collonel of the Lancequenets with whom was Reisberg This whâ—le â—â—my â—o sâ—â—d â—f 275â—◠〈◊〉 men and fiuâ— thousand hâ—rsmeâ— both which had also 4. regiments diuided into twenty ensignes being in the whole sum 12000. besides foure companies of Scots and two of English in all not past 1500. men The Nobilitie and Gentlemen made wel neare three thousand horse vnder the conduct of La Fayle Sansac was captaine of the light horse being in all two thousand reckoning the foure hundred English who were very valiant souldiers and of great courage Monsieur d' Esire was master of the Ordinance whereof there were in all about a hundred peeces This mighty army besieged Baupalme which place was as odious to the FreÌ„ch as Teroanne was to the Burgonians The Conestable vieweth Baupâ—lme but seeing the resolution of the defendaÌ„ts marcheth toward Câ—mbray The Constable taking with him 4000. horsmen and as many footmen first viewed the town aswell to see the countenance of those within as to make choise of a conuenient place to encampe in Hausimont was gouernor for the emperor a man of very great account hauing with him some twelue ensignes of footmen and foure hundred horse who vpon the approch of the French thundred from the towne with their great Ordinance and fallying forth at their gates skirmished very valiantly The French seeing the resolution of the defendants finding an exceeding want of water which could not by any meanes be supplied were enforced to depart to defer their siege vntil some other time hauing first spoiled and wasted all the country rouÌ„d about and so marched towards Cambray where hauing summoned the towne and seeing he could not be suffred to enter he fired the suburbs vsing all kind of hostilitie towards them tooke certaine litle castles and holds neer adioyning And albeit the emperor being certified of all this had commaunded the Prince of Piemont to aide those of Cambray and to relieue them by all possible meanes yet the French did in a maner what they listed and being maisters of the field helde the emperials verie short who for that they were not able to encounter them kept themselues within their strengths and would not bee drawne to aduenture their fortune vpon any occasion which was offered The king considering that the emperor did procrastinate seeking by delaies to spend the time vntil either the extremity of winter should approch or his soldiers be wearied with continual toile trauaile hauing wonderfully indomaged his enemies by sacking burning spoiling all the country ouer The K. breaketh vp his campe and braued the emperor at home at his own doores thinking he had sufficiently reuenged the former wrongs performed al things with great honor renowme resolued to break vp his army and to licence his nobles to depart and to recreat theÌ„selues after so long tedious trauail placing strong garrisons in sundry froÌ„tier towns the better to bridle the enemy if he should attempt any thing in his absence The emperor was not a little vexed with these French brauados and enuying the glory of the King sought for nothing so much as for reuenge wherfore casting about how he might best effect his desire he first compassed a mariage betweene Marie Queene of England and his sonne Philip King of Spaine The French King gathereth three new armies thereby to strengthen and fortifie himselfe the better agaynst Fraunce VVhich when King Henrie vnderstood he againe gathered his forces with all conuenient speede purposing indede to preuent the Emperour or at least to meete with him as soone as anie oportunitie serued His whole forces were diuided into three Armies the first which consisted of nine thousande footemen three hundred men of armes and six hundred light horse with as many harquebuziers on horseback was sent into Picardie vnder the leading of the prince de la Roch sur Yon. In the second were fiue and twentie ensignes of French footmen two regiments of Almaines with their Coronels the Rhingraue and Reisberg and fiue and twentie ensignes of Switzers foure hundred men of Armes and two thousand light horse ouer whom the Conestable was appointed generall The third army was led by the Duke of Neuers wherein were twentie ensignes of French footmen drawn out of the garrisons of Metz Verdune Thoule d' Anuille Yuoy and Momedie two regiments of the Count Rakendolph and of the Baron of Frontenay three hundred men of armes eight hundred light horse two hundred Pistoliers vnder the leading of the Prince of Conde The fortunate successe of the Kings armies These three armies entred the emperours dominions at three sundry places burning spoyling and making hauocke after a strange and cruell maner The Duke of Neuers tooke Ardennes Lincbante Villarcy besides many other strong Castels and well fortified places The Conestable marched towardes Auannes and caused it to be bruted that he would besiege it but vnderstanding that there was but a slender garrison in Mariambourg he secretly dispatched the Mareschall of Saint Andrew with the Switzers and certaine companies of the French footmen who approching on the suddaine enuironed the towne and kept those within from receyuing of anie newe supplie Wherewith they being greatlie terrifyed yeelded vnto the Conestable vpon the first summaunce From thence they passed foorth towarde Dinon where the Duke incorporating himselfe with an other strong power brought by the King layde siege to the Castle which for that it was verie strong would not condiscende to anie composition whereupon the batterie was planted and the walles were continually beate with thirtie Canons wherewith the French ouerthrowing the Towers Bulwarkes and whatsoeuer might serue for anie defence made a sufficient breach Certain Captains cassierd for their cowardlinesse and gaue a verie hote assaulte but they were repulsed by reason of the cowardlynesse of some leaders who therefore were presentlie cassierd and discharged of theyr places and pronounced villains to their perpetuall infamie and disgrace Yet those within being not able to holde out yelded at last to the kings mercy and
made verie great preparation both to with stande the French abroade and also for to finde them occupied at home and the rather because a third armie vnder the leading of their Admirall Chastillon gouernor of Picardy inuaded Artâ—oise wasting and spoyling the Countrey exceedingly Thus was the league which was so solemnly sworne and so necessary for all Christendome broken againe by the sinister counsels of the Guyse and the warres beganne afresh betweene these two mightie Princes King Phillip prepareth a great army to besiege S. Quintines King Phillip being highly discontented with the French King for so many iniuries and indignities offered hauing gathered a great army wherein was thirtie fiue thousand footmen and twelue thousand horse besides some eight thousand English vnder the leading of the Earle of Penbrooke purposed to besiege Saint Quintines in Vermandoise Chastillon putteth himselfe within S. Quintins which the Admirall Chastillon suspecting putte himselfe within the Towne with such power as hee hadde in a readinesse and fortified it as strongly as he could the French king likewise prepared to withstande the Spanish inuasion and hauing prouided an hoste consisting of eighteene thousande footmen Almaines and French The Conestable sent to releeue Saint Quintins and some fiue or sixe thousand horse sent the Conestable of France to front the enemie and to keepe him from entring into the fat fieldes of the Flower de Lis. But before this power could bee in a readinesse the prince of Piemont generall of the Spanish forces hadde inuested Saint Quinsines Saint Quintins besieged and planted his siege before the Towne which he watched so narrowly that it was impossible for any succours to enter without apparant daunger The Conestable notwithstanding espying a conuenient time conuayed certaine troups of footmen and horsemen into the Towne vnder the fauour of a skirmish maintained by the Duke of Neuers and the Prince of Condy The Conestable of France releeueth Saint Quintins and retireth which beeing performed hee beganne to retyre as not willing to hazard his fortune at that present which at the first was not discerned by the Spanish But after that the victuallers and pages of the French Campe perceiued the retrait of theyr Armie and howe farre they were engaged they beganne to runne after in great haste and with theyr yelling and crying gaue such euident proofe to the enemie of their exceeding feare so that the Count Egmond Count Egmond chargeth the Conestable who first discouered the French dismarch hauing aduertised the prince commaunded the trumpets to sounde Dedans dedans and with two thousand horse charged them on the side The Count Henry and Ernest of Brunswick each of them hauing a thousand beeing backed with the Counte Horne who hasted on with great fury did likewise assaile them at one instant who in their retiring turning head receiued them with equall valour While the French were thus assailed in the flanke the Count of Mansfeild Dostrate and Gueldres with three thousand horse ranne vpon them in the front and that with such a furious feast that hauing ouerthrowne theyr formost ranke the rest were soone defeated and compelled to flie away The Conestable is ouerthrowne and takeÌ„ prisoner with a great number of the French Nobilitie Iohn of Burbon Duke of Angolesme was dismounted at the first encounter and beeing horsed againe was slaine at the second Francis de la Tour vicount of Turin Saint Gelais and aboue a hundred and twentie Gentlemen of good account beside sixe hundred common souldiers died at that battaile The Conestable beeing wounded in the hippes was taken prisoner and brought to the Prince and so were the Dukes of Montpensier the mareschall Saint Andrew Lewis prince of Manfona the Ringraue Rochfaucont Saint Heran Burdillon Mouy Montsales and many other of the Nobilitie of great reckoning and reputation There were also aboue three hundred Gentlemen of Marke taken prisoners and many of the footmen beeing slaine the rest were taken to mercy and driuen away by troups as if they hadde beene flocks of sheepe and presented to King Phillip with theyr ensignes and colours as monuments of his glorious and triumphant victorie The King of France was wonderfully astonished with this ouerthrowe and the rather for that Paris the cheefe Citie of his Realme seemed to be straightly terrified that sundrie of the principall Citizens beganne to flie The great feare of the Parisians after the ouerthrow at S. Quintins and to withdraw themselues towardes the vttermost bounds of the lande fearing the comming of the enemie who had nowe libertie to doo what hee listed Howbeit hauing borrowed thirty thousand pounds of the Parisians he presently hired fourteene thousande Switzers and sent to the Duke of Guyse who was in Italy to repaire into France with all expedition and to bring with him all the forces hee could make Thus was the King driuen to an exigent and hee who not long before hadde sent the Guyse to anoy other men was nowe glad to call him home againe to defende himselfe The Hugonots tooke their name of a gate in the Citie of Tours called Hugon because thâ—se of the reformed religion being greatly persecuted did many times in the night assemble neere that gate where they had preaching and other exercises so that in the beginning in the way of mockage they they were called Hugonots which name being carried from one to another at length became a common name and vsed of al sorts who stood almost in a desperate state and lay open to the inuasion of his enemies In the meane time the King was earnestly busied in gathering of another Armie sending out his proclamations into all quarters fortifying Paris and appoynting the Duke of Neuers who by great happe escaped at Saint Quintins to bee his Lieutenant and to empeach the enemie from entering any further into France The number of those who were called * The Hugonots persecuted in France Hugonots began to increase and were dispersed in a manner ouer all the lande and because the affaires of the state went thus backward almost nothing prospered that was taken in hand one of the principall men about the king perswaded him that God was angrie and punished the land for that such sects and heresies as they tearmed them were suffered to increase and multiplie in a manner without controlement and that the King to pacifie the wrath of GOD must take a more seuere course in punishing such as were offenders heerein who hadde beene the principall meanes to pull downe the wrath of God vppon the King and the whole Lande Whereuppon there immediatly ensued horrible crueltyes towards the poore Hugonots and infinite multitudes were putte to death in a short time so that the rage of persecution grewe very great supposing thereby as by an expiation to turne away the hand of the almightie which was so heauie vppon France but they were exceedingly deceiued heerein for by applying a wrong medicine the disease dayly increased and
God seeing them wilfully repugne his truth augmented theyr sorrowes more and more for the Prince of Piemont did nowe more narrowly besiege Saint Quintins then before and hauing strongly fortified his Campe and stored himselfe with all conuenient necessaries for to maintaine the siege raised his mounts and planted 45. peeces of great ordenance wherewith hee battered the walles in most furious maner ‡ The Admirall would not hearken to a composition The admiral who was a very valiant pollitike and wise chiefetaine would not hearken to any composition but repayring the breaches resolued to keepe the place in despite of the enemie the Prince on the other side plyed the battery and hauing with much adoo made a sufficient breach disposed his bandes and gaue order for the assault the first place was assigned to Captaine Cazares maister of the Campe and to Lazaro Collonell of fifteene hundred Almaines The second to Captaine Nauarre with certain bands of Spaniards and to count Meigue with his Wallones the third to Iulian Romero with 3. ensignes of Spaniards 2000. English and the fourth to captain Carronnellet with 3. ensignes of of Burgonians all which beeing in a readines valiantly approched the wals Saint Quintins taken by assault The Admirall had likewise determined how to receiue the enemie and putting himselfe into that place where hee supposed most danger with great hardinesse expecting the comming of the Spaniards but there was not the like resolution on all hands for the souldiours beeing discouraged with the late ouerthrow and the inhabitants beeing timorous as men not accustomed to such daungers made small resistance so that the enemie entred at his pleasure which when the admirall to his vnspeakeable griefe beheld hee was enforced to seek to saue himself by yeelding to a common souldier The admiral yeldeâ—h himself to a common sâ—uldior who brought him to captain Cazares by whom he was led prisoner to the prince Dandelot his brother was likewise taken but he found the means to escape by a desperate aduenture to recouer his libertie Irnac S. Remy La Gard Cuzneux Moulins Bruell Bretanie Rambouâ—llet S. Romain S. Andre Linieres Soleil did likewise remaine prisoners Fayet le Iaune Salleuert Oger Vignes la Barre Estang Gourds and many other braue men were slaine The whole towne was sacked and spoiled and a maruellous masse of wealth gotten and caried into the low countries The French king was all this while prouiding his forces and deuising by what meanes he might best make head against his enemie fearing indeed the Prince would follow his good fortune and proceed further into France by reason that he had sent the Count of Frembarg with 1000. horse and 3. regiments of Lancequenets containing 14. ensignes 20. peeces of batterie to besiege Castellet a place of very great strength yet was it soone taken by the enemie the French not daring to abide the Canon so exceedingly were they afrighted with their former losses In the middest of all these mischiefs there fell out one thing which turned to the great aduantage of the French king A mutiny in the Spanish campe and brought no small hinderance to the Spanish kings proceedings and that was the mutinie among the Almaines and Spaniards who falling at dissention about their booties and spoiles gotten at S. Quintins the ransoms of their prisoners were the occasion of much trouble and tumult in the army Which when the French king vnderstood he practised in such maner with sundry of the Almain captains that their oath being expired with King Philip they were contented to be reclaimed by him and to serue against the enemies of the Flower de Lis. By this time was the Duke of Guise come out of Italie and being made the Kings Lieutenant was sent with a strong power toward Amiens with a secret commandemeÌ„t to enterprise against Calice if occasion serued The duke finding the towne slenderly prouided suddenly planted his siege about it The duke of Guise besiegeth Calice winneth it and that in the midst of winter And first assailed a fort called Nieulay which was easily gayned From thence he sent part of his army along the downes to Risebank which he likewise tooke without any great resistance The duke hauing gotten two principal places that in one day planted his battery against the towne wherin was gouernor the L. Wentworth who seeing the vnexpected successe of the French how fortune fauored the D. in all his dessignes disposed of all things as well as he might and endeuored to remoue the French out of their trenches but that was impossible for the duke was so strongly fortified and had gotten such places of aduaÌ„tage that he could not be forced by any means whatsoeuer The duke hauing planted 15. Canons began his battery against the old castle that with great fury And for that the wals were ruinous easie to be pearced the breach was soone made assault giuen but the French were repulsed at the first with the losse of their forwardst men notwithstanding they being incouraged with their former successe continued their enterprise and at last gayned the Castell which the Duke did forthwith cause to be strongly fortified This was a very great losse to the English for that from thence the French might shoote into the towne at their pleasure Now was Calice narrowly besieged and all passages were stopped in such sort that it was impossible to conuay in any succours or to send forth any to giue aduertisement of the distressed estate of the inhabitants Which when the Lord Wentworth perceiued and how that for want of necessaries he was not able to keepe the towne any longer he was content to parle with the Duke and to yeeld vpon composition Whereto the Duke of Guise willingly assented so that after much debating on either side the towne was yelded vpon condition Calice yeelded to the D. of Guise that the inhabitants might safely depart without impeachment whither they listed and the lord Wentworth with diuerse others to the number of fiftie of the chiefest to remaine prisoners Thus was Calice in lesse then seuen daies recouered by the French which had bin besieged by Edward the third king of England by the space of a whole yere and which had remained in the English mens hands for the space of 210. yeres to the incredible ioy of the French And as it was lost vnder Phâ—lip of Valois the French King so was it regained by the French in the time of Philip king of England The duke folowing his good fortune did forthwith besiege Guines wherin commaunded the valiant lord Gray who albeit he did stoutly hold out for a time abiding the planting of the Canon and a furious assault yet was he forced in the end to yeeld and to resigne his office to another man Which when the garrison of Hams vnderstood they abandoned the fort withdrew themselues to a place of greater securitie The French king was not a
them that shee for her parte did thinke very honourably of all their proceedings and did not doubt but the King her sonne would bee mindfull hereafter to recompence so many deserts The Queene mother alloweth of the proceedings of the protestants seeing it was very apparant that both his estate and her owne was maintained by their royall seruices They againe humbly thanked her maiestie for her good opinion beseeching her to continue their gracious Lady and to bee a meanes that there might bee an ende of those miseries which nowe so fearefully threatened the crowne of France promising for their parts to bee most ready to employ their whole studies yea their goods and liues and whatsoeuer other meanes they had to assist her maiestie in so good and laudable an action so that they might enioy a peace with a free exercise of their Religion according to the Kings edict They further declared vnto the Queen mother the manifold greeuances of the kings subiects with a meanes to remedie so many so lamentable disorders to al which sundry other remonstrances albeit she seemed to giue some allowances yet for that shee stood so stiffly against the free exercise of Religion and would needes vrge the Prince to depart the Realme as indeed he had promised rather then hee would bee any occasion of the continuance of ciuill wars albeit presently vppon better and more mature consideration hee repented him of the speech there could bee nothing concluded Whereupon the Prince returned to his campe The Prince of Conde returneth to his Campe prepareth for warre exceeding glad that God had deliuered him out of the snares of his enemies and resolued with all for his forces to fight it out and to hazard his fortune assoone as any oportunitie was offered With this resolution he dislodged and marched towards the Catholikes hauing in his army ten thousand fiue hundred footmen and a thousand horse Now when he approched the enemie hauing disposed his troupes in very warlike maner he twice presented the battaile but the Catholikes refused The Catholikes refuse to fight for that all their forces were not as yet assembled The Prince seeing hee could not drawe them out of their strength hauing braued them in the faces and maintained some light skirmishes with them retired towardes Orleance sending abroad into all quarters to prouide all necessaries for the warres and for the more speedy accomplishment heereof it was decreed that Soubize shoulde bee sent to Lyons Rochfaucont into Xaintoigne Duras into Guyen and Briquemault into Normandy and so into England to procure both men and money and as many friendes as might be gotten Dandelot was likewise sent into Germany to hasten such succours as were promised by the Princes Protestants Conde and the Admirall with the rest of the Captaines and Gentlemen with two and twenty ensignes of footmen remained stil in Orleance By this time were the forces which came out of Germany to the aide of the Catholikes in a readinesse to march vnder their Collonelles Forces sent out of Germany to aide the Catholikes Rokendolf Frewlich and the Ringraue who besides certaine Cornets of Reisters had likewise twentie ensignes of Lansquenits These were no sooner arriued at the campe but that the Triumuirate thought it best to employ them with al the rest of their forces against the Hugonots and that before they should haue any aide come out of Germany For the hastening whereof Dandelot hadde assayed all possible meanes and had so pollitikely handled the matter that notwithstanding all the practises of his enemies hee procured great ayde for the strengthening of the cause The Catholikes were long in suspence whether they should besiege Orleance or Rohan The Catholikes besiege Rohan and take it the principall Citie in Normandie but at last they resolued to assay their forces agaynst Rohan Where hauing first gayned the fort of Saint Katherins which commaunded the towne through the treacherie of the captaine who was corrupted with money and faire promises they foorthwith entred by force killing spoyling and murthering the inhabitants in most cruell and horrible manner and making hauocke of all thinges without pittie or mercie Augustine Marolat Marlorat hanged a famous learned man and chiefe Minister of the Towne was there hanged with Mautreuill the president of the Parliament besides sundrie other of speciall account The Catholikes lost manie of theyr brauest men and amongst others the King of Nauarre who beeing shot with a Harquebuz in the left shoulder as hee was making water in the Trenches dyed the seuenteenth of September following The King of Nauarre wounded to death neuer attaining that Marittime Kingdome the hope whereof had so bewitched him that he forgat wife children kinsfolks friends Religion yea and God himselfe and thought of nothing but of the Sardinian Crowne beeing happie in nothing but in this that hee dyed in the beginning of the Ciuill warres and neuer lyued to see the miserie of his owne Countrey whereof hee had beene a chiefe and principall cause The losse of this Citie being a place of so great importance was a maruailous discouragement vnto many who stood but faintly to their tacklings before and had no doubt wrought a more daungerous effect had not this breach beene repayred or at least well amended by the surpassing care and prouident circumspectnesse of Dandelot who so plied his friends in Germany Dandelot bringeth forces out of Germany to the ayd of the Protestants that he had gathered about 3300. horse and 4000. footmen with whom there met the Prince Portion at Strausbourge with 100. French horse The ioiful news of which power encouraged the confederates to hold out in hope of their future help and maruellously animated such as before were exceedingly daunted with the remembrance of their former losses These new supplies marched towards Lorrain and passing ouer the riuer of Seine trauersed the country by Yonne Creuen Montargis and arriued at Orleance in despite both of the duke of Neuers and the Mareschall S. Andrew who were sent to stop their passage with 14. cōpanies of men of Armes 16. cornets of Argoletters 25. ensignes of footmen 9. companies of launces and 13. of light horse besides the old troupes of Picardie vnder the leading of Pauan Monsales Giury Crenay and many other Chieftaines This noble and valiant Dandelot gayned a verie honourable report euen of his enemies for so wise and politique a conduct insomuch as hee was not onely reputed a Gentleman of surpassing courage and of an vndaunted spirit in greatest perils but also a leader of excellent skill Dandelot esteemed for an excellent captaine and deepe foresight to preuent all daungers About the same instant there met with him also Rochfaucont and Duras with some three hundred horse and a thousand fiue hundred footmen al which were no sooner assembled at Orleance but that the Prince determined to take the field and hauing prouided all thinges in a readinesse departed towarde Phiuiers and
so to Baugencie both which places were quickelye gayned from the Catholikes with the strong Towne of Estamps where was founde great store of prouision as Corne Wine Powder shot and all necessaries for the warres The Prince after some smal stay to repose his wearied troups marched on towards Paris The Prince of Conde marcheth towards Paris which he no sooner approched that the bands vnder the leading of the P. Portian and Mouy had giuen in so farre as the suburbs of S. Victor but that all the Citie was in an vprore and euery man at their wittes ende so wonderfully were they daunted with the sight of the Princes armie albeit they were not past eight thousande footemen and some fiue or sixe thousande horse Whereas there were within the Citie at the least a hundred thousand able to beare armes hauing the Constable the Duke of Guise the Duke of Neuers the Mareschals and in a manner all the braue leaders of Fraunce for their chieftaines and commaunders But such was their timorousnesse that they kept themselues close albeit the battell was presented vnto them twise at the least and onelie amused the Prince with certaine conditions of peace about the which there were manie meetings In the end all being found to be but meere delayes and onelie to gaine time vntill the comming of the Spaniardes the Prince resolued to assaile the enemie in his Trenches but the same night which was appoynted for this exployte and immediately before it shoulde haue beene put in execution Genlis a principall man among the Protestants secretely fledde to the Catholikes which vnexpected accident quite altered the councell of the Confederates supposing that now there was some aduertisement giuen of their intended enterprise Genlis flieth to the Catholikes and therefore they deferred the execution of that proiect vntill some other tyme. But by reason of the wants that were in the Armie as the penurie of victuals and other necessaries as also a secrete discontentment among the straungers for that they lacked theyr pay it was agreed to stay no longer before Paris which was not so easie to bee gotten nor in so short a tyme as was requisite to supplie theyr present necessitie but to dislodge and to retire towards New-hauen The prince leaueth Paris and marcheth to-towards New hauen there to attende such succours as were expected out of England By the way the Prince tooke Galardon a towne of good importance where he stayed to giue some breath to his wearyed troups and to accommodate his armie of such things as were most necessarie The Catholikes coasted him all the way watching to catch him at some aduantage howbeit nothing was attempted vntill both the camps were come vnto Dreux where they approched so neare and either partie had so farre engaged themselues that there was no remedie but they must needes fight so that now each Generall began to bethinke of all good meanes for the strengthening of himselfe and the weakening of his enemyes The Catholikes had made choyse of a verie strong place to encampe in beeing neare vnto Dreux The battel of Dreux wherein there was a garrison of their associates and likewise adioyning vnto a wood which was a verie fit and conuenient place to effect diuers stratagems There was a large and spacious plaine through which there ran a little valley seruing as it were for the bounds and limits of both armies The Constable hauing gotten this aduauntage presented himselfe in battell aray at the head of the village vppon the toppe of a little hill hauing placed two strong battaylons of footemen in the towne which should gard fourteene Cannons so planted that they were ready to play vpon the army of the confederates as soone as the signall should be giuen Each battaillon was flanked with certaine troupes of horse as it were for a mutuall succour one for another with their Enfans perdus in their fronts and those of the choysest of all their regiments They had the Riuer Eureux at their backes and espying that they were likely to come to a triall of their fortune they forthwith emparked themselues betweene two villages in a place of more aduantage then before The Mareschall S. Andrew led the auauntgard The Catholike armie which was composed of nine companies of French launces thirteene ensignes of Spaniards with as manie French and eleuen of Almaines with foure field peeces all which were aranged on the left side of the Conestable who led the maine battaile further aduaunced then eyther the Mareschall or the Duke of Guise wherein were seuenteene Cornets of men of Armes and three of light horsmen with two and twentie ensignes of Zwitzers seuenteene of French and Britons and eyght peeces of great Ordinance The Duke of Guise led the rerewarde which seemed to flanke the battaile of the Conestable on the right side with a strong troupe of horsemen and two esquadrons of Spanish footemen with sundrie others his followers men of especiall account and much renowmed for their valyantnesse The prince had so araunged his battailes that the horsemen wherein they ouermatched his enemies were in the formost rankes The Protestants armie and taking vnto himselfe Rochfaucont with certaine light horsemen of Guries companie with some other Cornets led by Mouy and Auarell besides a troupe of Reisters all which serued as flankers for his battailon of footmen resolued to encounter the Conestable who seemed to be readie to giue the charge Each generall hauing disposed of all things in this warlike sort the great artillarie began to vomit out their deuilrie and the Conestable prepared to assaile the battaile of the Prince which hasted in like maner to the encounter and that with so stately and superbious a dismarch that it gaue euident testimonie that it was led by a generall of noble courage and great experience The Prince charged the Zwitzers who valiantly endured the first shotte and stoode to it verie manfully The Prince of Conde charge the Switzers ouerthroweth them But at length by reason of the smal shot which hailed vpon them without ceasing and somwhat cleared their ranks they began to giue ground which the valiant and couragious Mouy espying incorporating his troups with Monsieur de Daneret set on them with such furie that he made them flie amaine And being seconded by the Prince wholy defeated them as renowmed Pykemen as they were The Reisters who followed the Princes good fortune gaue in with great courage committing a maruellous carnage and mortalitie vpon their enemies At the same instant the Admirall charged the Conestable and that so lustily that his men began to shrinke and he himselfe being wounded in the face with a Curtelas and sore bruised with small pistoll shot was forced to yeeld to Vezines But the Reisters passing by at that instant tooke him away by force and carryed him to the Prince as a prisoner of their owne The Conestable taken prisoner The rest of the Conestables battaile was quickely
after hee had braued them for a good space and had wasted and spoyled hard to the suburbs seeing that no man durst appeare to impeach his proceedings considering that victuals and other necessaries for his army waxed scant and that the Catholikes hourely reenforced themselues as also vnderstanding that Cassimer was comming with a great army to his ayde he dislodged then from S. Dennis the fifteenth of Nouember and went towards Lorrayne to receiue his Almaines Beeing on his way at Montargis hee receiued letters from Truchares who was a little before elected Maior of Rochell that if hee would sende some especiall man of account to be Lieutenant in his absence they would yeeld the towne to his deuotion The Prince was wonderfull glad to heare this good newes knowing that to bee a place of no small importance and therefore hee foorthwith dispatched Saint Hermin his Cousin with letters to the Mayor and Shriues of the towne giuing them hearty thankes for their great fauour and kindnesse with a request to remaine constant and to receiue his Cousin as his Lieutenant in his absence Rochel yeelded to the Protestants This gentleman was very welcome to the Rochelers where hee arriued the tenth of Februarie 1568. and so Rochell being a maruailous strong place accomodated with a goodly hauen by which meanes it was growne very rich remained euer after at the deuotion of the Confederates The troups of Poictou Xaintoigne c. By this time were there newe troupes leuied in Poictou Guyen Xaintoigne Angolesme and Gascongne vnder the leading of Saint Cyre Soubize Puuiant Pilles and other chiefetains amounting to the number of eighteene Cornets of horse and twenty leauen ensignes of footmen who marching to ioyne with the Prince tooke by the way Dorat Lusignan and Pont Sur Yon where they ioyned with the vauntgard ledde by the Admirall Chastillon from thence passing by Sens they tooke Bray Nogent Montereau and Espernay Thus did the Protestants stil aduance their affaires the Catholikes being not able to impeach or hinder them notwithstanding all their practises and deuises Monsieur Duke of Aniou made the Kings lieutenant generall Now was Monsieur the Duke of Aniou brother to the King by reason of the death of the Constable proclamed Lieutenant generall ouer all his brothers territories and Dominions who beeing assisted by the Prince de Nemours Longauille the Mareschall Cossy Tauannes Martigues Carnaualet Losses and sundrie other great Captaines was commaunded to bridle the Protestants as much as might be The Duke of Aumaile was sent into Lorraine to ioyne with the Marques of Baden who had raysed a power of some three thousand horse for the seruice of the King and the Duke of Alua sent the Count of Aremberg with a thousand and two hundred horse and two thousand footmen Spaniards and Burgonians who shoulde ioyne with Monsieur against the Prince of Conde The marques of Baden and the Duke of Alua send forces to Monsieur and the rest of the Confederates The yong Lonsac was sent to the Count Palatine to hinder the leuie of the Reisters made by his sonne Cassimer and nowe readie to march for the succour of the Protestants Thus was there great preparation made on all sides to continue the warres and to consume Fraunce with the flame of ciuill broyles The Prince being aduertised of all this hasted to meete with his Reisters and with much adoo being followed in the taile by the Catholikes at length arriued at Saint Michaell where hee passed the Riuer of Meaux and so entered into Lorraine still proceeding forwardes vntill hee came as farre as Mousoâ— where hee met with Cassimer and his Almaines The Prince of Conde meeteth with Cassimer his Almains who accompanyed with the two young Countes of Barbie the Count Holo the Mareschall of the Palatinate Scomberg and manie others of great reckoning and account had long expected the comming of the Confederates After some stay made for the refreshing of their wearied troupes they determined to returne towards the pleasant and fertile fieldes of the Flower de Lis there to assay if they could bring their enemies to any honest and reasonable conditions Monsieur had speedie intelligence of the returne of both Armyes wherefore hee sent great numbers both of horsemen and footemen to stoppe all the passages and amongst others commaunded the Duke of Neuers with his Italian bandes to defende the Riuers of Merne Seyne Yon The Duke of Neuers appointed to stop the passage of the Almains into France and sundrie other places And that if hee could not hinder theyr course yet he should annoy them by all possible meanes to the ende that beeng wearied and wasted so much as might bee his excellencie might fight with them afterwards in grosse with more aduauntage The Protestants minding not to forslowe theyr businesse dislodged from Chalons and marched towards the head of the Riuer of Meuse and so leauing Comercyon on their right hande passed ouer at Marne and went towardes Chastillon where they were assayled by certaine troupes of Italians and French who set vpon the taile of the army to cause them to hasten their pace But Scomberge Certain Italian troupes ouerthrowne by Scomberg being sent with part of his owne Regiment assisted by some fewe of the French gaue them such a furious charge that hee wholy defeated them and brought theyr colours to the Prince The armie was forthwith aduaunced and marching through Hurepoise by Bleueau and Montargis arryued at last in Beausse and encamped before Charters which they determined to besiege for that it was verie rich and well able to relieue the armie with manie necessaries The comming of this great power encouraged diuerse who had kept them selues close to put forth theyr heads and to attempt manie things in fauour of the Confederates Those of Languedocke Prouence and Gascoigne were presently vp in armes vnder their leaders Sipteres Montbrun Moâ—â—ans Senas Bâ—urinqâ—et Rapin Montacut and sundrie other Chieftaines and suddenly surprised Nismes Montpellier Saint Marcell Saint Esprit Saint Iean Boue all which they fortified for their greater profite and securitie The Catholikes were not idle but sought to catch whatsoeuer they coulde come by which might any way tend to their aduauntage Montaret gouernour of the Countrey of Burbonois with Terride La Valette and Monsales surprised certaine troupes of the Protestants whom they quickely defeated and put to flight Mascon was taken by the Duke of Neuers Mouluc likewise tooke certaine Isles in Xainctoigne and prepared all necessaries to besiege Rochell one of the principall retreates of the Protestants The Count Martinengo Richleu and sundrie others besieged Orleance Thus were they in euery corner of Fraunce vp in Armes and no man knewe where to bee safest from the violence of the souldiours and men of Armes Now were all things in a readinesse for the siege of Chartres Charters besieged so that hauing raysed theyr mounts and planted theyr artillarie they began to beate
Catholiques who hauing gayned Chasteaunef repayred the Bridge which was in the possession of the Protestants and made an other with Boats The battell of Bassac The Admirall being appointed to impeach the making of these new bridges considering he was not able to effect that which he desired retired vnto Bassac ordayning Soubize Puuiant and other troupes of Poictou to fauour his retreate The Prince all things being well considered was not willing to resolue of a battaile and therefore willed the Admirall to dislodge with the auauntgarde and to bee with him at Farnac the next morning by the breake of the day Which in no wise could be performed by all for the companies ledde by Puuiant could not march so speedily the Catholikes being at their taile and so strongly pressed them that they could not bee disgaged but with the hazarde and perill of all the Protestants For the footemen of his excellencie hauing passed a Riuer doubled their pace to gaine a little hill which was a place of some aduauntage from which they discouering how small a companie the Admirall had aduaunced still forward knowing that he could not retire without the intire losse of all his troupes By this time Puuiant was so farre engaged that had not La Noue and La Loue who made the retreate of the Auauntgarde with fortie Harquebuziers speedilie come to his succours hee had remayned at the mercie of his enemies But when as they had with all theyr deuoir succored them in their need they were forthwith compelled to defend themselues vpon the bay of a pond where they were so lustily charged by Martigues Malicorne and others to the number of fiue of sixe hundred horse that La Noue and La Loue were taken prisoners La Noue La Loue taken prisoners and all their bands intirely broken and defeated Puuiant hauing charged and finding himselfe too weake retired to the rest of the footmen During these hot skirmishes sundry of the Catholikes were aduanced forwards wherof some two hundred came hard to the village whoÌ„ when the Admirall and Dandelot discouered beeing ignorant of the ouerthrow aforesayde for that the village hindered theyr sight they resolutely charged and Dandelot being formost with his cornet gaue in so furiously that he made them all to run amaine Dandelot maketh the Catholiques to runne leauing behind them Monsales and thirteen others dead vpon the place Dandelot pursued them hard to the village from whence he was no sooner returned but those Catholikes being backed with 1200. harquebuziers reentred more strongly accompanied then before Whilest things passed on after this maner al the rest of the troups of the Catholikes began to shew themselues euery regiment taking his place for the last encounter The Prince of Conde beeing aduertised of all this and of the daunger that the Admirall with all the Auauntgard was in if they were not speedily succoured aduaunced himselfe with those few horsemen of his battaile which he tumultuously assembled in that vprore the rest beeing dispersed into seuerall quarters here and there hasted to the rescue with all the speede that might bee Each Generall began nowe to seeke his aduauntage and to prepare himselfe to the fight The Admirall espying that Monsieur came fast on vpon the left hand which was the meanes to enclose the Protestants betweene the riuer and the armie of the Catholikes commaunded La Touer to bring the companies of the Auantgard further forwards which he did and bare himselfe so that his horse being ouerthrowne he was taken and beeing knowne to be the man that had slaine captaine Carry at Paris was killed forthwith La Touer slaine besides many others who had no better fortune The army Catholike still stretched it selfe forth vpon the left hande towards the troupes of Soubize Languillier Puuiant Cressomere and the rest of the Chieftaines of Poictou who thinking it not conuenient to expect anie occasion for a better charge seeing the enemie reenforce himselfe more and more assayled the formost Troupes with such furie that they made them recule but by reason of newe supplyes which were sent continuallie Soubize and Languillier were taken prisoners Soubiz and many other taken prisoners Mesauchere Brandamere and manie others were then slaine In the meane time his excellencie desirous to breake them on all sides brought a great part of his armie an other way purposing to enclose them who kept the bay of the ponde and to assayle them on the backe But this pretence being espied the confederates who had maintained the aduantage of the ground a good while thought it best to retyre into a place of greater safetie Whilest the fight was thus hotely continued on either side the Prince of Conde with three or foure hundred horse gaue a hote charge vpon the Catholiques and being chaufed to see his men in rout and the whole army to bear it self no better flang in with such fury that he bare to the ground or made to run all that were before him vntill such time as his horse beeing wounded hee was ouerthrowne and not able any longer to doo any thing for the blowes hee had receyued and because hee was not succoured with a fresh horse in tyme seeing his enemies to presse sore vppon him hee yeelded vnto Argence and Saint Iean who promised to saue his life but Montesquion as some say passing by at that instant shot him into the head with a pistoll whereof he died forthwith The prince of Conde slaine Now was the disorder exceeding great among the Protestants who hauing lost their Generall began to flie as fast as they could and to get out of the daunger of their pursuing enemies The Admirall and Dandelot seeing the fight irreparable and the affray so maruellous retired with a few of the nobilitie vnto S. Iean d'Angely and from thence to Xanctes The admiral and Dandelot flie to Xanctes to the young Princes of Nauarre and Conde There dyed in this iourney of Bassac besides the Prince La Touer yong Chasteliere Portant Chandemer Mesauchere Brandaniere Tabariere Barette La Mesteray and aboue fiftie other Gentlemen Stuard a Scot was slaine with a dagge and diuerse other died shortly after of their wounds Puuiant Soubize Languillier Corbeson brother to Montgommery La Noue La Loue and Guerchy the ensigne bearer of the Admirall were taken prisoners But shortly after Soubize found the meanes to deceiue his keepers La Noue was exchanged for Sessac Lieutenant to the duke of Guise Corbeson and Guerchy were set at libertie vpon their faithfull promises The whole number of the Protestants that were slaine in this battaile were almost foure hundred and some two hundred Catholikes The number of those who weâ—e slaine at the battell of Bassac and among them were Monsales the Barons Ingrand and Prunay the Count de la Mirande de Morette Moâ—canure Linieres and certaine others of marke Monsieur sent the King worde forthwith of the victorie Who presently aduertised the Pope thereof sending
with this losse Monsieur raiseth his siege and vnderstanding that the Admirall with his whole armie was at hande thought best to remooue his siege and to depart to a place of more securitie and there to stay vntill he had assembled the rest of his troupes The protestants beeing quickly enformed heereof pursued him at the heeles and often skirmished with him by the way vntill they came to a conuenient place and fit for an entire fight where they presented the battaile but his excellency refused reseruing himselfe for a more fortunate time CHAP. XII The Battaile of Montcounter The battaile of Montcounter AFter some small reposing of his wearied and tired bandes and that his Army was reenforced by the comming of fresh Souldiers so that hee thought himselfe able to match the Confederates hee againe returned towards them purposing to trie it out by some bloudy fight as soone as any oportunitie was offreed The yong Princes the Admirall and the rest of the cheefest Protestants were quickly aduertised of his intent who for that the aduancement of their affaires consisted principally in celerity and expedition as also in assailing their enemies whereby they did the better maintaine their honour and reputation and likewise the importunate desires of the Almaines who were continually crying vppon the Admirall that they might fight determined to accept the iourney assoone as it was offered in any fit and conuenient place They had not marched long but they came to the plaines of Saint Clere not farre from Montcounter which his excellencie vnderstanding caused his troups to amende their pace purposing to stop their course and to compell them to a generall combate which was a thing that hee much desired The Admirall who commanded all by reason the Princes were but yong The order of the Protestants battaile finding the plaine afore said to be a conuenient place to darrain the fight arranged his battails in the most conuenient ground hee could choose and there expected the comming of his enemies and hauing sent Mouy and Saint Auban with certaine Cornets to discouer the Catholikes he in the meane time lodged his Ordinance vpon certaine little hilles and made the battaile which was led by Ludouick Count of Nassau to aduance more on the right hande to whome were deliuered three Cannons and one Culuering The aduauntgard was on the left hand led by the Admirall himselfe assisted by Puygreffyer La Noue Teligny and certaine others backed with the Count Mansfeild and a great battailon of Reisters besides the Lansquenets conducted by Cranuilliers All which hauing kissed the ground after their accustomed maner swore to succour each other and to die in the place rather then to giue one iot of ground to their enemies These were likewise flanked on both sides with tne Regiments of the French harquebuziers led By Pilles Rouuray Briquemant the yonger Ambâ—es and Chellar the whole army consisted of 6000. horse 8000. harquebuziers 4000. Lansquenets six Cannons two culuerings and three musquets His excellency with the direction of his best aduisants The order of Monsieurs battaile deuided his whole forces into a vantgard and a battaile the aduantgard was composed of Frenchmen Almaines and Italians ledde by the Prince Dauphin the Duke of Guyse Martigmes Chauigny La Valette the Count VVestemberg the Reingraue Bassompier Saint Fior Paul Sforza Disci Santelle with well neere three thousand horse The grosse battailon of Switzers which consisted of foure thousande was led by Collonell Clere flanked with fiue Regiments of harquebuziers Frenchmen and Italians vnder the conduct of La Barthe Sarlabois Onoux and sundry others ouer all these commanded the Duke of Montpensier The battaile was composed of the Dukes of Aumaile and Longauille the Mareschal Cossy Tauannes the Marquesse of Villiers c. with three thousand horse and another Count Mansfeild cousin to the Protestant and fiue Cornets of a thousand or a thousand and two hundred horse The marquesse of Baden had wel neere a thousand horse vnder his leading these were flanked with the Spaniards Burgonians which the Catholike K. had sent to the aide of his brother All these had theyr Enfans Perdus in their front who carried death engrauem in their foreheads as well for themselues as for whomsoeuer they first attached All this Armie which consisted of aboue nine thousande horse 17. or 18. thousand footmen and 15. peeces of great Ordenance was commaunded by his excellencie Duke Montpensier chargeth the Protestants and beeing ready arranged awaited when the signe shoulde bee giuen but first they fought a farre off with theyr great shotte which for that it was skilfully directed by the Cannoneres made a sore slaughter on both sides This thundering and terrible noyse was no sooner ceased and the Artillery retired but the Trumpets sounded Dedans dedans and the Duke Montpensier went resolutely to the Charge and gaue in so hotly vppon Mouy and his Regiment Mouy with his bands defeated that hee being abandoned by his two Cornets of Reisters who were appointed to second him was forced to get him as fast as he could out of the danger and to saue the greatest part of his troupes among the footmen who being mightily dismaide with so pittious an accident lost their hearts and disbanding themselues ranne all away for the best game Now beganne the Duke of Guyse with his associats to come lustily forwardes and in their appointed quarter to charge their enemies who receiued them with equall courage so that there grew a very warme fight on both sides The harquebuziers whome the Admirall had interlaced among his French Launces played the men and set of the Catholikes at their pleasure knowing they were well assured by their horsemen who serued to guard them at their neede The Admirall who by reason of his great experience in the warres both at home and abroade The princes withdraw themselues from the battaile as secretly as they could and the diligent marking of so diuers euents as had run before his eyes iudging of the sequell by this vnfortunate beginning counselled the yong Princes to retire as couertly with as smal a traine as they could but many whose eyes were prying about and glad to take any occasion to bee gone espying the retreat coueting to enfranchise themselues from so great perill as was present before their faces would needes accompanie them whether they would or not so that they had quickly more attendants then eyther they expected or desired By this time was the rest of the aduauntgard which was led by the Admirall and Acier hotly charged by the Reisters Catholikes who so furiously encountred them that many ended their daies at that instant The Admirall himselfe was in such danger The admiral hurt and in danger to bee taken that hee was hurt in the face through the default of such as should haue couered him and was so farre intermedled among the Catholikes that had not Count Mansfeild with foure or fiue cornets of
should be reuenged and that three of the principall Burgesses of euerie Citie and towne should be put to death in reuenge of the saide murther These with many other notorious vntruths were openly declared in their pulpets wherewith the common sort were mightily enraged against the Protestants and desired nothing more then their vtter subuersion and ouerthrow The Guyses hauing likewise obtained good store of Spanish pistolets corrupted diuers great personages The beginning of the seauenth ciuill warres called the warres of the Leaguers and had hired sundrie Captaines to take their parts Hauing laide this foundation and prouided all necessaries that could be deuised for the rest of their building about the fourth of March 1585. they brake foorth and shewed themselues openly seising vpon sundrie the kings Townes Cities and fortresses supposing indeede that the rest would ioyne with them and take their parts but things falling out contrarie to their expectation they were forced to plucke in their heads for a while and to attend some better oportunitie and that so much the rather for that the K. the better sort of the Nobilitie and the courts of Parliament opposed themselues against their proceedings declaring them Rebelles and willing all the gouernours of Townes and prouinces to apprehende them and to see them punished as seditious persons and perturbers of the State This audacious action seemed very odious in the eyes of many which the Guyses perceiuing they drew in the Cardinall of Burbon by sundrie fine deuises to ioyn with them whose credit and countenance serued their turnes in many great attempts And because sundrie of the Kings Councellers were either the Guyses creatures or by some one way or other deuoted vnto them The king betrayed by his Councell the king was neuer duly enformed of the danger of the League for they told him that it was nothing but an inconsiderate zeale of some few who fearing the innouation of Religion were growne somewhat passionate and sought for nothing indeed but to maintain the people in their obedience to the holy church who if hee should but once frowne vppon them they would all come and fal downe at his maiesties feete and vowe their goods their liues and whatsoeuer meanes they had to doo his maiestie seruice and therefore hee neede not feare them who were so good and deuout Catholikes but rather had cause to animate them in their Religious proceedings considering that they opposed themselues against none but such as were tearmed Hugonots the kings sworne enemies and such as had beene the occasion of all those miseries which had continued in France for so many yeeres The King was brought into such a securitie of his estate by this wicked Councell that he did not onely reiect such aduertisements as were sent to him from time to time both from the King of Nauarre Duke Cassimer and other Princes touching the monstrous conspiration of the Leaguers but also as one that knew not what hee did hee made great preparation against them of the reformed Religion and suffered the Leaguers in the meane time to grow and fortifie themselues at their owne pleasures vntill they were become so mighty that they thought themselues able inough if neede were to go through with theyr intended course whosoeuer shoulde say nay Which was no sooner effected but that they sette the Kings Councellers on the sodaine to enfourme the king of the great power and puissance of the Leaguers howe that quite besides their expectations there was an vniuersall consent of all his good subiects to restore the Catholike Religion that great numbers of his Nobilitie and cheefest Citties highly commended the zeale of the Leaguers and were resolued in theyr defence and therfore that it were good for the king considering the time not to make any resemblance to call any of them to account for any of theyr actions least he should giue some suspicion that hee was a fauorer of the heretikes which might breed a grudging in the hearts of his people wherby some commotions might rise to the imminent perill of his royall person and the extreme danger of the whole state The King maketh peace with the Leaguers The king beeing maruailously amazed with these and such like remonstrations thought it best to make peace with them and to countenance them as his best subiects They were glad that they had brought him to that passe and now seeing they had found him so submisse they meant to make further tryall of his courtesie and therevppon they required that all their former actions might be ratified by the kings authoritie as good and lawful and done for his seruice and that whatsoeuer had passed in preiudice of the Leaguers should be reuoked as wrongfull and vniust and for that they sawe the king was willing to gratifie their smal requests they were bold to proceed further to intreat him that the Duke of Guyse the Duke de Maine the Duke of Aumaile the Cardinall of Guyse the Lord Brissac the Lord Antragnes the Lord Chastre and the rest of the principall Leaguers might haue the gouernement of sundrie the strongest places of the land The Leaguers require to be made gouernours of the principall holds in France as of the Cittadell of Metz the Castle of Diâ—â—n Rhemes the strongest holds of Picardy Orleans Caen Aniou Bourges Lyons and many others of like importance They further perswaded with him to proclaime open warres against the Protestants to declare the king of Nauarre the Prince of Conde and all others who had beene infected with heresie as they tearmed it to be for euer vncapable of any office in France and that they should packe out of the Countrey with all speede and for the better countenancing of all theyr proceedings against these great States they procured Pope Sixtus to excommunicate them thereby to make them more odious with the people As soone as they had gotten in a manner whatsoeuer they desired and had made themselues as good maisters as the King they with sundrie and most cunning deuises gayned great multitudes to ioyne with them and euerie man eyther for feare or for loue was foorthwith at their will and commande They mustered great forces and gathered mightie armies to inuade the king of Nauarre and the rest of the Protestants who seeing themselues abandoned of their king and exposed to the furie of their mercilesse enemies stood vpon the defensiue and resisted the rage of the League as well as they could The Prince of Conde growing strong determined to besiege Brouage The Prince of Conde besiegeth Brouage which was kept by the Lord Saint Luc for the Leaguers where after hee had spent some time in gayning many of the principall forts he departed towards Angiers leauing al his footmen to continue the siege and albeit the Prince vsed great expedition labouring with all speede to releeue those who had taken the Castle of Angiers The Prince goeth towards Angiers yet could hee not come time inough
farre as Lancy in Masconois where by reason that manie principall Captaines were corrupted with money and fayre promises and the rest suffered great wants they concluded to returne backe so that hauing made their capitulation and gotten theyr Passeportes Sundry of the Germaine Captains corrupâ—ed by mony caused the whole armie to retire The death of the duke of Bonillon euerie man made all the speede home that might bee loden with miserie shame and dishonour with the losse of many Ensignes and Cornets besides their chiefest leaders and commaunders The Duke of Bonillon generall of that armie with the Lord Clerebant and Van being not able to draw them forwards by any perswasion returned to Geneua where they died shortly after The Count de La Marke brother to the duke of Bonillon was deceased long before at a place called Loyne Great numbers of this dispersed armie were inuaded by their enemies and slaine in their passage homewards contrarie to the promise which had beene made vnto them by the Catholiques The Colonels and Captaines of the Switzers the chiefe authours of the dissolution of that Armie were seuerely punished by their Segneuries so that this whole armie was maruellously afflicted and euerie one was scourged after one sort or other and hauing spent and spoyled infinitely did nothing but worke their owne calamitie and ouerthrow The King vndoubtedly had taken maruellous care to sâ—uer this mightie puyssaunce and by cunning handling of the matter The Guises slaunder the King had brought them to this extreame passe that vnder the colour of a Passeport hee exposed them to the butcherie and rage of their enemies And although that by reason of this politique dealing he deserued high commendation yet the Guise so handled the matter that all redownded to his further discredite and caused his subiects to speake worse of him then at anie time before For the Guise had caused it to bee bruited abroad that not onely the King had willingly suffered the Germaines to escape contrarie to the counsaile and aduice of the Duke of Guise but also had giuen them the meanes to retyre in safetie some into Germanie and others into Languedocke there to ioyne with the King of Nauarre and so to continue further troubles in the lande to the great and intollerable harme of the good Catholiques and the encouraging of Heretikes and such as were enemies to holy Chuch When the Friers and Iesuits in Paris and other principall cities were possessed with these newes they brake forth into very seditious speeches openly exclayming against the King and extolling the wisdome prowesse noble acts of the duke of Guise whereby they procured him much fauor among the multitude that knew nothing but what they heard by the Leaguers and their fauorites which made them think that the King had killed his thousand but the Guise his ten thousand All which treacherous dealings tended to no other end but this either to make the French beleeue that the K. was not indowed with such noble and heroycall vertues as were requisite for him that should gouerne so mightie and puissant a nation or else that he was a notorious dissembler a maintainer of Heretikes a secret enemy to the Catholikes And then what should they doo with such a King let theÌ„ make choise of another more valiant more wise more prouident more religious a more stout defender of holy Church and who should that be but the Guise who for the zeale courage valour and singuler dexteritie in the mannaging of matters of estate was not onely superior to the King The leaguers attempt against the yong duches of Bonillon but the paragon of all Europe The leaguers being assured of the death of the duke of Bonillon and that hee had left his sister Madame Charlate de la Marke a yong and tender Ladie heyre to all his soueraigne segneurie and principalitie of Bonillon thought it their best to let the king of Nauarre alone for a time at whose handes there was little to bee gotten vnlesse they payed deare for it and to enterprise somewhat aagaynst this desolate Ladie and either by hooke or by crooke as wee vse to say to get the Dukedome into their possession VVhereupon the Duke of Guise vsed all the cunning hee coulde to match his sonne the Prince Ienuill with her and the Duke of Lorraine was as earnest a suter for his sonne called Marthuis de Pont and Lorde Vaudemont But neither of them being able by all their deuises to winne that Ladies fauour they thought it best to ioyne together and to compell her to match according to their lykings With this resolution they entered the Dukedome of Bonillon with a great power burning wasting killing murthering rauishing and committing all other horrible and detestable villanies that coulde bee imagined The crueltie of the leaguers against the dukedom of Bonillon and besieged the sayde Ladie and her two principall Townes Sedan and Iamets where they continued a long tyme spent much Treasure and lost most of theyr men and in the ende with shame and dishonour beeing well beaten at a womans hand by the valiant conduct of the Lord Necuile were glad to giue ouer and returne home Whilest the dukedom of Bonillon was vexed and tormented with these troublesome sutors the principal leagers assembled at Nancie in Lorrain where there was a great consultation helde how they might aduance themselues and ouerthow the King against whose person and state they had for a long time bout all their endeuors There they agreed to present certain articles to the king which they would haue him agree vnto and those were such as tended to the vtter destruction of the King and the auncient Nobilitie of Fraunce and the safetie of themselues First they requested the King to ioyne more openly with the League and to put all such as they dislyked out of their offices The petitions of the leâ—gue to the king To cause the Councell of Trent to bee proclaymed throughout all his Dominions To establish the Spanish inquisition To put such Castels and strong Townes into their handes as they should name vnto him That hee shoulde sende an armie into Lorraine vpon the borders of G rmanie to let the entrie of strangers into the land and for the maintenance thereof should cause all the goods of those whome they tearmed Heretikes or fauourers of Heretikes to bee solde and the money to bee deliuered into theyr handes That the Catholiques shoulde pay the tenth of their reuenewes for the same purpose and that the surplussage shoulde bee to pay the most needfull debts of the principall Leaguers and that the life of no Heretike prisoner shoulde be spared vnlesse hee would abiure and put in good securitie to liue Catholiquely hereafter and to giue all his goods or the iust valew of them which hee hath then in his possession to the supporting of the League and to binde himselfe to serue three yeares wheresoeuer he should be commaunded The
but that he perswaded himselfe that seeing his brother was dead The duke de Maine rebelleth aga nst the King he might now peraduenture obtaine the Crowne for himselfe if hee would lay in for it for hee had a great power in a readinesse and no doubt but the most of the Leaguers woulde followe him for feare least if they shoulde fall into the Kinges handes hee woulde punish them according to theyr deserts With this resolution hee left Dauphiny and hasted into Burgundie and Champaigne taking with him such strength and power as hee could get and making sure as manie places as hee coulde come by prepared to make warre agaynst the king Paris which was the capitoll Citie of the whole kingdome and had more fauoured the Guise then anie other was mooued to great indignation Paris and the rest of the principal Cities rebell against the King and shewed it selfe highly offended And being further incensed with the piteous outcryes and lamentable complaints of the Duchesses of Guise and Nemours and with the inuectiue Sermons of the Iesuites and Friers grewe into a desperate madnesse shaking off the yoake of obedience and rebelled openlye agaynst theyr naturall Prince and liege Lorde Most of the greatest rychest and strongest Cityes as Orleance Roan Amiens Aniou Lyons Abeuille Remes Tholous and manie others followed the example of the Parisians and conspiring with the rest of the Leaguers imprisoned the Kings friendes seyzed vpon his strong holdes robbed him of his treasure and vsed him in all outragious and rebellious maner The King vnderstanding of all these seditious sturres sought by faire meanes and in gentle maner to reduce them to their obedience sending out his proclaimations to pardon whatsoeuer was past and to burie it in the graue of obliuion so that they woulde lay downe their Armes and liue peaceablie vnder his authoritie The seditious diuinitie of the Sorbonists as in dutie they were bound but they made no reckoning of the Kinges clemencie but tearmed it cowardlinesse as though hee were afrayed of their forces beeing animated by the Sorbonists and their Doctours in Theologie who had resolued that they were set free from theyr oath of obedience and former allegiaunce made vnto Henrie the thirde And that it was lawfull for them and for all the residue of the people of Fraunce to take Armes agaynst the sayde King Henrie and to persecute him and all his adherents with fire and sworde as enemyes to God to their Countrey and to holy Church When they had once gotten this aduauntage that they were able to colour their proceedings as it were with an oracle from heauen they made no more conscience at the matter The duke de Maine made general of the Leaguers but presently determined to choose them a Generall for the leading of their forces and to establish a new Councell by whose direction they might manage the rest of their affayres They refused all the Princes of the blood and chose the Duke de Maine who was a man much fauoured of the leaguers The leaguers appoint a councell of state and one that was well acquainted with all their practises The Dukes of Aumaile and Nemours with the Cheualier of Aumaile were made gouernours of Paris There were also 47. of the most seditious turbulent factious and bitterest enemies to the King appoynted to order the state as the kings priuie councell had done in former times These had no sooner gotten this authoritie into their handes but they committed most horrible outrages against all such as they suspected to be the kings friends imprisoning murthering robbing sacâ—ing and spoyling them in such sort as was neuer heard of within any mans remembrance and going to the royall pallace called the Louure they seyzed vpon all the kings goods The leaguers notorious disobedience they violated the great Seale of France brake it in peeces and trode it vnder their feete They rent and tore the Armes of Valois and Burbon and trayled them in most despitefull manner in the mire and dyrt through the Streetes and assembling as manie of the principall Leaguers both of the Nobilitie Cleargie and Communaltie as they coulde wrote to other Cities theyr Confederates to follow their example and to ioyne with them and also to procure as manie partakers as they might the better to countenance their proceedings The king had often and very seriously disswaded them from this seditious course and with all lenitie sought to reduce them to their former obedience but considering that he preuailed nothing by gentlenesse and clemency but rather that the people waxed worse worse he therfore now determined to take a sharper course and by force to bring them vnder his obedience but fearing his owne weaknesse and want of sufficient power to bring his purposes to passe for that he was as it were coÌ„passed about with his enemies not knowing what to doo or whome to trust The king maketh peace with the 〈◊〉 of Nauarre perceyuing that the most of those who were about him were fauorers of the rebels hee was content to follow the aduice of his most trustie councellors and to make peace with the King of Nauarre and to vse his counsal and forces for his iust and lawfull defence and the rather for that the Duke de Maine approched verie neare vnto him with a great and puissant armie Thus was the king for the safetie of his person forced to cast himselfe into the armes of him whom for manie yeares hee had reputed for his mortall enemie and glad to seeke to be preserued by such an one whose destruction he had sought with all extremitie The King of Nauarre being aduertised of the Kings intent and solicited by sundry messengers to come to his ayde with all expedition called his Nobles and Captaines and gathered all his forces together and passing ouer the Loyre at Samnur went towards the King who was greatly distressed at Toures and in imminent perill to bee oppressed by the Leaguers The meeting of the King of France the King of Nauarre The King vnderstanding of his approach the thirtie of Aprill sent the Mareschall Haultmont accompanied with a great number of the Nobilitie to desire him to come to Plesis de Tours where hee with all his Court staid for him The King of Nauarre readily obeyed passing ouer the bridge of Saint Saphorin where hee left all his forces in battaile array and went towardes the King whom hee sound staying for him in the Parke of Plessis There was such a concourse of people and so great a throng that the two Kings were forced to stay aboue halfe a quarter of an houre stretching and holding out their hands before they could embrace one another so great was the prease and such a multitude were slocked togither to beholde this ioyfull and blessed meeting The kind embracings and louing salutations betweene these two Potentates did euidently declare their inward ioy contentation The reioysing of all sorts was incredible
nothing was heard for the space of halfe an houre but God saue the King a voyce which had not beene heard neare the Court in more then foure Moneths before And reiterating their ioyfull acclamations they ceased not but cryed out God saue the Kings God saue the King and the King of Nauarre Here wee may see a straunge and maruailous alteration on the sudden for these two Princes which had beene so bitter enemies each hauing for a long time pursued other by cruell and bloodie warres are now reconciled and are become louing and kind friends And the king who not long before stoode in daunger either to be murthered or else to be deliuered into the hands of those who thirsted for nothing more then for his blood is now freed from all feare and restored to his former libertie and is fortifyed by the arryuall of this Prince and Armie which did both countenaunce his authoritie and encourage his friendes and so daunted his enemyes that the Duke de Maine The Duke de Maine hasteth to Paris was glad to giue ouer his siege before Chasteaurenault and so retire to Paris with all speede The two kings sate often in councell about their affaires deuising of the best means to prosecute their warres for their most aduantage The king of Nauarre made many roades into the Countrie to the great domage and hurt of the Leaguers and so scoured the coast that no enemie durst once appeare in sight In the meane while the king receiued certaine Regiments of Switzers and help came from all parts of his Realme so that his armie dayly encreased in number fame and power And being now able to meete his enemies in the face he marched toward Paris The King marcheth toward Paris aad tooke by the way Ponthois Saint Clow Poysey Saint Germaines Charewton and sundrie other townes By which means that great and populous Citie beganne to bee sore distressed for want of victuals and other necessaries This made the conspirators to tremble and to lay their heads togither howe to auoyd this perill The leaguers conspire to kil the King which now hung ouer their heads whereupon the dukes of Maine Aumatle and Nemours the Archbishop of Lions whom the King a little before had pardoned and set at libertie the Lord Rosue Bosdauphin Brissac Sagone the 47. which were chosen for the Councell and the 17. Colonels which were appointed ouer the 18. wards of the city assembled togither and after much reasoning pro contra at last resolued that the onely meanes to saue themselues and to aduaunce their affaires was to kill the King who otherwise was likely to get the Citie in short time and to take an exemplarie punishment vpon them and all their adherents Hereupon the King is once againe condemned to die and as speedie a course taken as might be deuised to hasten his execution Frier Iames Clement appointed to kill the King They perswaded with one Frier Iames Clement of the order of S. Dominicke a lewd and bold hypocrite and enduced him with many reasons who was otherwise readie enough to any mischiefe to attempt this tragical and bloody act They forced the first president of the Senate named Harlay whom for his faithfulnesse to his Prince they had long detained in prison to write letters to the K. which this Frier should carrie with him They taught the sayd Clement likewise a lesson containing matters of great weight and importaunce aduising him that he should not disclose them to any but to the King and that in priuate and great secrecie Prouiding him besides a sharpe long knife enuenomed with deadly poyson wherewith he should aduenture to murther the sayd King as soone as he espied any fit occasion offered and entreated Pagarola the Popes Legat to blesse him and his knife for his better speed Frier Clement goeth to the campe at Saint Clow. The Frier being throughly schooled by this accursed companie prepareth for his iourney he putteth on his hypocriticall weed on his back layeth vp his lesson in his head and secretly hideth his poisoned knife in his sleeue and taking an other Frier as bad as himselfe in his companie hasted to execute his deuilish purpose and intent Hee was no sooner come to the Campe which then lay at Saint Clow but hee tolde such as hee mette first that hee had Letters to the King from the first President and certaine other Parisians well affected to his Maiestie contayning matters of verie great importaunce besides manie other waightie things to bee declared by worde of mouth The King being foorthwith aduertised hereof commaunded that hee shoulde attende vntill hee were called Within a while after the king willed that the Frier shoulde bee brought before him The Frier entered verie boldlie into the kings Chamber and being asked what his errant was hee aunswered that hee had matters of great waight and importaunce to declare vnto his Maiestie and such as highly concerned his seruice the king supposing that all was Gospell that the Frier sayde commaunded such as were about him to auoyde the Chamber and sate downe in a Chayre to heare the Friars newes The Frier approched to the King and falling vpon his knees beganne to tell a long tale and occupying the Kinges eares with a long and lying discourse espying his aduauntage drewe out his knife out of his sleeue Frier Clement woundeth the king with a poysoned knife and stabbed the King in the lower part of his belly and then made hast to get away The king being wonderfully terrified with that vnexpected attempt cryed out and laying hand vpon a dagger which was neare him strooke the Frier and wounded him The Lords and Gentlemen which were attending in an vtter Chamber hearing the noyse came running in and with their Swordes and Rapiers Frier Clement is slaine slue the Frier The Kings Surgeons were presently called and his wound dressed and he layde on his bed And for that he knewe not whether he should die or not he called for the king of Nauarre all the Princes Lordes and Noble men that were in his Campe and for the Captaines Colonels The King of Nauarre made heire apparant to the crowne of Fraunce and Chieftaines of the straungers before whom hee declared that the king of Nauarre was the true and indubitate heyre to the Crowne of Fraunce praying and exhorthing all of them to acknowledge him and to promise true obedience vnto him and to cause the lyke to bee acknowledged in the whole Campe and forthwith caused Letters to be written to all Prouinces and Cities to aduertise them howe things had passed at Saint Clowe and of his last will and Testament requiring all his faithfull subiects to protest the fulfilling of the same instantly requiring all true Frenchmen to reuenge his death and to take condigne punishment vppon the authors of that impious execrable fact and so the two and twentie of Iulie 1â—89 the poyson preuayling and dispersing it selfe through
toward Paris there to refresh them after so long and tedious trauailes as also to make tryall what store of Crownes might be gotten to satisfie his greedie Souldiers The King pursued him and following him in the taile watched to skirmish with him vpon euerie aduauntage But seeing hee coulde not effect that which hee so earnestly affected which was to drawe him to an entyre fight hee caused all his troupes to turne heade and ledde them before Caudebecke which he foorthwith recouered from the Leaguers and leauing a strong garrison to defende the Riuer he retyred to Deepe The King goeth to Deepe giuing leaue to the greatest part of his army to go refresh themselues in more fertile and commodious Countreys Thus was Roan deliuered out of the hands of the King by the comming of the duke to the great encouragement of the Leaguers who seeing the Kinges fortune to frowne began to triumph and to reioyce exceedingly for this their vnexpected reliefe and the rather for that this their good hap was seconded by diuerse other fortunate exploits in other places for the Duke Ioyense ouerthrew certaine of the Kinges troupes before Lautrech as they went to surprise the saâ—d towne being betrayd by some of those who had promised them to bee a meanes to let them enter without anie empeachment But they vsing this as a stratagem to entrap the Kings souldiours The leaguers ouerthrow sundry of the Kings forces enformed the Duke of all theyr proceedings who as soone as hee had intelligence thereof gathered a strong power and lying in ambush by the way as they sâ—ould passe suddenly set vpon them and slue three or foure hundred and tooke 200. prisoners among whom were Monsieur de Violet de Godius sundry others of very good account Three hundred fled to a castell not farre off called la Trappe which was forthwith besieged by the said Duke and the leaguers they who were within the castell valiantly defended the place for a while induring some thirtie or fortie Canon shot at length considering their want of necessaries how they were not able to maintaine themselues as they desired they yeelded hauing lost Colaun bieres Tanieuse L'estolies Raueleus Bertrand Deluan Biense de Lucques La Brosse Lespinac and many other chieftains and commanders La Barry Portaleâ—se Pibrac besides sundry gentlemen were taken prisoners and well neare two hundred common souldiers About the same time Duke Mercury likewise ouerthrew the power of the prince of Conty the prince D' Ombes in Britany and hauing taken ten field peeces froÌ„ them slue many of their brauest and valiantest men as Membraise Rochpot Picheres with some others preuailing mightily in those quarters and reducing sundry townes vnder the obedience of the seditious league Thus did the Kings affaires begin to go backward and many townes who were wauering before did nowe wholy abandon the King and ioyne with the rebels Sundry of the nobilitie who were popishly affected and therefore glad of the Kings bad successe reuolted and secretly conueyed themselues away either to the enemy or into their owne countries and by their bad example drew on infinite numbers to take the same course forsaking their lawfull prince when hee stood in greatest need of their seruice exposing that noble kingdome to the barbarous villanie of that viperous broode who neuer cease gnawing out of the bowels of her that should be their dearest and best beloued mother The King wanting sufficient power to stop these wicked proceedings was forced to suffer the rebels to range at large and to get many of his townes both in Normandy Britany Prouince and Dauphiny They took likewise Espernon wherin they found great store of wine corne other necessaries for the wars These fortunate exploits so encouraged that rebellious route and so puffed them vp with the pride of their owne forces that they vtterly refused to bow their necks vnder the yoake of obedience or to admit of any other gouernment then such as pleased theÌ„selues The king was loath to loose Espernon being a towne of verie good importance and therfore drew all his forces to the siege therof where the Mareschall Biron was slaine Mareschall Biron slaine with a shot from the wall while hee was verie busie in viewing the army in giuing order for the planting of the siege Yea and the king himself was in great perill The daunger of the King hauing his horse killed vnder him with the same bullet wherewith the Mareschall was slaine before Duke Mercurie in the meane time tooke Manus in Britain and the duke de Maine recouered Caudebecke and cleared all the riuer froÌ„ New-hauen vp to Roan The D. of Nemours gouernor of Lions took Vienna and Valence and by that means coÌ„manded the riuer of Rhodanus Now were the Germains who came into France in 91. desirous to returne home so that taking their leaue of the French K. they marched toward Germany as fast as they could but by reason they were not so many nor so strong as when they came first into France they were desirous to passe rather by leaue then by force and therefore they thought it conuenient to send to the Duke of Parma for to obtaine License of him that they might quietly passe through the Dukedom of Luxemburge who readily condisceÌ„ded therto vpon condition that they should not rifle the Countrey as they went but should trauaile in peaceable manner and pay for whatsoeuer they tooke Thus this great and mightie Army which had in conceite deuoured halfe France The Germaines returne home and at theyr comming had opened their way by fine force returned home without dooing of anie great matter and were driuen to aske leaue and to sue to their enimies for their pasport such and so strange an alteration ensued in a short space The Leaguers beeing drunken with this prosperous successe began to consult about the election of a new King and to that ende the Duke of Ferta and the Cardinall of Sens The Leaguers consult about a new King the Popes Nuntio were sent to Paris to bee present as assistants in this waightie businesse as well to aide with their aduise and counsell as to perswade with sundrie great states who as yet were not fully resolued in this poynt neyther whether they shoulde assent to so wicked and desperate proceedings Now albeit that the rebellious multitude had prospered for a long time and were growen in a maner to the ful period of their desires hauing effected many things greatly tending to the countenancing of their affaires in so much as that they had gayned the strongest richest cities with infinit numbers of turbulent and seditious heades to ioyne hand in hand with them and to take parte in these their wicked and desperate attempts yet as it alwaies falleth out among such a confused and brainesicke rable each mistrusted other and being often admonished by the secret warnings of their owne consciences how damnable a course they had runne as