the ditche placed horsemen and footemen in conueniente order and commaunded a most strayt kynde of watche and ward in suche wise that it was not possible by any meanes that any man should goe out or come into the Citie When the townesmen sawe them selues to be thus inclosed they sente to diuers places for succours but specially into Germanie and into Languedoc But what came thereof we will shewe in order hereafter VVE sayde before that Harlem a towne in Hollande was beseeged by the Duke of Alba in winning whereof the Spanyards and contrariwyse in defending of the same the Prince of Orange hys souldiers tooke great paynes The wall being battered downe with shot was so fortifyed agayne by the garrison in the towne that trenches beeyng conueniently made by woonder labor round about within the Citie the inner partes of the Citie were deemed more fyrme and strong than the very walles were before Whilest this Citie was beseeged and valiant actes shewed on both parts many things in the meane time diuersly fel out The seauen and twentie day of Ianuary the Spanish nauie was taken by the Flisshiners notwithstanding it escaped away agayne with great slaughter IN THE meane tyme the Prince of Orange laboured by all meanes possible to vittayle them of Harlem beyng oppressed with famine and by due and conuenient arriuall from the bordering Cities ther aboutes as frō Leyden and Delfe and by the benefyte of the hard colde winter the way beeing frosen hard with Ise he brought to passe that victuals were conueyed to the townesmen In the beginning of March a new supply of Spanyardes to the number of fyue ensignes came into the Camp. The Flisshiners encountered happily at Ternese with the nauie of the Duke of Alba. THE Prince of Orange according to the variable chance of warre or rather by the manifolde prouidence of the Lord of hostes going about to succour them of Harlem with shippes Countie Bossu the Kings Liefetenant of Hollande encountering with him and being of more force tooke certayne shippes wherevpon ensued a new slaughter vpon the Prince of Oranges part by the meanes of them of Amsterdam ABOVT this time also the Reisters whiche were vnder the paye of the Duke of Alba taking with them the footebande with shot made an inroade in the territorie of Leyden robbing and spoyling the same and carying away a greate bootie VVITHIN fewe dayes after they of Harlem brake foorth vpon the kings armie as they were triumphing vpon the successe of their victories and were celebrating the feast of Easter and slewe a greate many and wounded many and for the good successe heereof they brake foorth agayne the daye following vppon the Duke of Alba hys campe and hauyng slayne certayne and disturbed the campe they returned into the Citie agayne But when they brake foorthe in the euenyng of the same daye and came in the dead time of the nighte vpon the Reisters Campe the Reisters were wyth feare so astonyed hauyng not yet breathed synce theyr late Conflictes that leauyng theyr Tentes they betooke them vnto theyr heeles most cowardlye they of Harlem following the chase and making a great slaughter of their enimies Notwithstandyng the townsmen hauing this successe not mynding to assaile the rest of the army for that they sawe them selues vnable to make their partie good retyred into the Citie agayne THE Kinges power wherof the Countie Bossu was generall and the power of the Prince of Orange striued who should be Lords of the Sea wherevpon diuers conflictes were had betweene them bycause the preheminence of the water might eyther helpe or hinder the towne of Harlem Therefore the Orengians wente about to winne the rampier thereby to stoppe the entercourse and passage of Amsterdam by whyche vittayles were carried into the Duke of Alba his campe But the men of Amsterdam came foorth and skirmished wyth the Orengians and beholde as they were buckeling togeather a greate number of Rusticall laborers were discouered The Orengians suspecting that the Spanyards were come were discomfyted and so for feare leauing eyght of theyr Shyppes in the power of the enimies were slayne by heapes by them of Amsterdam the reste cowardlye ranne away Thus the other practise to ayde the beseeged in Harlem was made frustrate the County Bossu defending that sea coast with the Spanish nauie But when the Duke of Alba had supplyed fresh soldiers in the roome of such as were slayne picking them out both from among the Reisters and Burgundians and also out of the old seruitours of the garrisons of the lowe countrey and thē procuring a more strayt seege notwithstandyng the constante seeking of the Prince of Orange to succour there came in the meane tyme a sore famine vpon them of Harlem for it is a Citie both copious of it selfe and was also replenished with a garrison of soldiers The Prince of Orange being only busily occupied in delyuering of Harlem leuied so greate an armie as hee coulde out of Hollande and Zelande minding to breake into the Citie to helpe the besieged The generall of this armie vnder the Prince of Orange was VVilliam Bronchorste Lorde of Battēburge He came at the last with his power to the duke of Alba his camp hauing slayne at the first onset the rereward of the Reisters encoūtred couragiously with the rest of the armie But the duke of Alba his part taking vnto thē courage so defended them selues that they did not only repulse the Orengians but also destroyed them with a great slaughter For it is sayde that there were a thousande and fiue hundred slayne the enimie hauing taken in the spoyle fourtene ensignes tenne fielde peeces and thirtie waggons Also the Lorde of Battemburge him selfe was slayne THVS the Duke of Alba hauing a great victorie folowed more vehemently the siege of Harlem Then they of Harlem being brought to great distresse by the siege whiche dured eyght monethes and by the sore famyne yeelded vp the towne vpon euyll conditions as that they shoulde submit them selues to the will and pleasure of the conquerer And to the ende the souldiers shoulde not haue the spoyle and bootie of the citie he commaunded two hundred and fortie thousande crownes to be gyuen vnto them Then the Spaniardes shewing all crueltie vpon the townesmen tormenting them by all manner of meanes The Duke of Alba commaunded sixe hundred of the souldiers to be hanged three hundred were brought out of the citie halfe naked and cast into the water a sight most pitifull and an acte with barbarous crueltie moste detestable seeing that the greatest parte of victorie consisteth in lenitie and mercie This happened the eleuenth day of Iuly NOw to returne to Rochell The Rochellians perseuered in their defence notwithstanding that they were nowe by no small occasion weakned And as the matter then seemed to require they committed the whole ordering charge of the war to certayne approued mē namely to mons Normā Riuier Charle Essarz Garguole reseruing
pray and bootie they were beseeged the ninth day of Ianuary of thys presente yeere with a copious armie contayning fyue hundred horsemen and fyue thousande footemen besyde those whych were borne and dwelling in that countrey who came thither of their owne accord to get them renowne The Lorde of Chastre knight of the order the kings gouernour of the countrey was general of the Armie He had for the batterie sixtiene great peeces and he caused a greate number of trenches and bulwarkes to be made for their defence in the seege When they of the towne sawe them selues besieged and then too late fearing the scarcitie of corne they determined to thrust out of the Citie the rusticall multitude But they to whome the executing heereof was committed so handled the matter that the greater part of the common people remayned still in the Citie wherevpon ensued both to the miserable people and also to the whole Citie an intollerable mischiefe So many groase ouersights coulde not but bring great calamitie to them of Sanserre The Lord of Chastre sending an Heralt summoned them of Sanserre to yeeld vp the towne the which if they would doe willingly he promised that he would perswade the Kyng to deale with them in clemencie but if they refused he threatned to shew all seueritie agaynst them To this the Sanserreans made no answeare but stayed the Heralt from returning agayne and kept him in the Citie the whych acte was agaynste the lawe of armes and committed by the vndiscrete counsayle of the chiefe rulers which notwithstanding was disliked of the most part of the townesmen This Acte tourned afterward to the great displeasure of mons Iohanneau the author of the same Thus the Sanserreans prepared themselues for their defence being greatly incouraged by the good successe of theyr former beseeging of the which we haue spoken in another place They disquieted the enemie by often eruption by the good conduct of mons Flore an expert and valiant Captayne who both tooke great paynes and also had happy successe in his affayres And it is certayne so farre foorth as we may iudge of humane matters humanly that if the Sanserreans had prouided in time sufficient store of corne the enemie had had the same successe whiche he had in the former warre All thyngs necessary for the siege beyng diligently prouided by the Lorde of Chastre the syxteene day of February of thys present yeere the walles of the Citie began to be battered with sixteene great peeces of ordināce two of the which were planted vpon a higher place of ground and bent against the face of the Citie to the great anoyance of the townesmen But before that time of the batterie there was fled a certayne souldier out of the Kings armie vnto the townesmen which bewrayed the place which the enemie by batterie intended to make sauteable to the which place the townesmen came with speede fortifying the same with a new countermure notwithstanding they sawe the enemie bend his force againste another place of lesse strength Yet neuerthelesse by proofe hee found the same contrary to hys expectation so well fortefyed that when he had for the space of three dayes done nothing but batter the same for in those three dayes space there were certaynely tolde three thousande and fyue hundred shot of ordinance they had made a very small breach in the wall Also credible persons whiche abode in this seege euen vntill the end of the same report a wonderfull thing worthy to be remembred namely that amiddest so many terrible thundryng shot there was not one hurt except one onely damsell whyche was slayne not with the shot but with the fyery flame of a peece howbeit houses in diuers places of the towne were shaken and rent and the weapons in the hands of soldiers broken in peeces also the helmets taken off from some of their heads and the rubbish and stone worke flewe about the eares of many withoute doyng them any hurt Also at what time there was a sermon the house it selfe wherin the people were assembled togeather was fylled with the rubbish of the next houses were beaten downe whiche things I would not report except they were approued true that it may appeare that not without cause the Sanserreans almost all perished with famine which were deliuered out of so great perilles but that God by his singular prouidence ordered the whole matter in whose hande is both life and death The breach beyng made as is aforesayd the L. Chastre determined to approche the walles with Engines that hee mighte winne the gate Viet which was next vnto the breach Also at other partes of the wall the soldiers vndermined that with dyuers assalts made together the Sanserreans might be vnable to resist The ninetienth day of March the Kings armie bente with might and mayne gaue an assalt at the breach and in the mean time the ordinance whiche was planted on the higher grounde discharged lustely at the face of the towne The townesmen feared the shaking and blowing vp of the mines standyng in doubt least they should breake foorth at those places where they were and fearing least while they were occupyed in one place on the other part an entrie mighte be made for the enimie So that they were in sore conflict with dyuers extremities Notwithstandyng they had suche successe in the ende that the enimie was not only repulsed but slayne also with a greate slaughter in somuch that he was discouraged any more to giue any assalt vnto the towne beeyng taught by the example of the former warres Wherefore the L. of Chastre perceyuing that it was but lost labour besyde the great spoyle also of his men to giue any more assalts to the towne and beeing warned by the error of mons Martinenge who aforetime was generall in the other seege but in vayne deuised another way of beseeging thinking it good to leaue off the assalting of the same and rather wyth strong bulwarkes to inclose it that neyther they whiche were within the Citie might come foorth nor yet those whych were without myght haue accesse to them whych were within that so he might cōstrayne the townesmē beyng brought to extreame famine to giue vp the towne the which in deede came to passe Therefore the daye following whiche was the twenty of March he displaced hys Artillerie and ouerthrewe and brente the fortifications which he had erected about the Citie and the whole armie almost trussed vp bagge and baggage Then the townesmen thought that the L. Chastre beeyng out of hope to take the Citie discamped but his intente was otherwise for he practised another kynde of strayt seege as we haue sayd Therefore the L. Chastre erected seauen bulwarks seuerally situated according to the conueniencie of the place in necessary places fortifyed such places of the hamlets adioyning therevnto as serued hys turne hemde in the Citie with broade trenches that the townesmen myghte haue a narrowe space left them betweene the Citie and
to battaile but when they sawe that none would come forth to encounter with them a greater number discouered themselues ouer whom Countie Luden was generall These horsemen being within the leuel of Sannicolas tower were a fayre marke so that their horses and they themselues were ouerthrowne and slaine in great number with the violent shot of the same About the euening the kings side to requite the late susteyned losse slue with theyr great Gunnes certaine Souldiers and Captaynes The next day the kings scoutewatche was hanged by the decree of the Rochellians who was sayde to bewray and disclose the secretes of the townesmen The same day two souldiers fled from the kings campe to Rochel The kings campe in the Euening chaunged theyr accustomed maner of watch and shot off twelue great peeces agaynst the townesmen The day following whiche was the first day of April the townesmen in the deade time of the night shot off a peece of ordinance which in the day time they had leuelled and bent agaynst the tents whiche were pytched beside Palercau by the which many sleeping vpon their couches were slaine Wherevppon the kings campe discharged incontinent at them againe a great peale by whiche two of the Captayne 's belonging to the towne were slaine The same day Captain Dange fled from the kings campe to Rochel IN the kings campe by reason of the great multitude of souldiers in the same and the penurie of the country therabout vittayles were so deare that the souldiers priuily stale away and the horsmen and noble men which vpon their own charge mainteyned warre for that prouender was scarce and harde to be gotten went home to their houses Vpon this contempt and negligence of warlyke order and prouision insued also in the campe great sicknesse insomuch that within few dayes the sicknesse destroyed more than the sworde had done The forragers of corne were constrayned to cary prouision from Paris and from the places theraboutes but notwithstanding that the king gaue strayt commaundement in this behalfe it profited little The king also in this backsliding of the noble men gaue strayte charge to restrayne the same but in vaine Thus whiles delayes of this siege were made the kings campe was brought into great extremitie and all men thought that the Duke of Anjou should haue bene constrayned to raise and dissolue the siege without his purpose Whervpon the king wrote vnto his brother willing him to make speede in assaulting the towne and to winne the same out of hande or else to rayse the siege For by this tyme the Duke of Anjou had spent fiue Monethes Therefore he appoynted the sixth day of Aprill to giue an assault on the which day the whole armie assayled the towne THE seuenth day about fiue of the clocke in the morning the kings campe beganne a freshe to batter with greater violence than they had done before the gate Cogne and the Bulwark l'Euangile Thus after long batterie that part of the wall was beaten downe to the ground and the greatest part of the bulwarke l'Euangile battered downe Therefore the kings armie prepared themselues to enter the breache Who tooke out of euerie bande onely twentie and fyrst of all the forefront tooke two of the Cazemates from the townesmen which notwithstanding they enioyed but few houres For the townsmen lustily discharged theyr greate Gunnes agaynst them whereby they slewe many of the kings souldiers and when they of the towne had made a newe supply of men they constrayned their enimies to forsake their Cazemates an act verily at the first assault verie manly and valiant In the meane time about the same houre the kings armie gaue an assault on the other part at the bulwarke l'Euangile and setting vnto the same a bridge made with proppes and shores they tooke some part of the same then to this part they came running by heapes hauing two hundred Corslettes bearing shields and targets before them At the same moment also the great Gunnes went off as thicke as possible they might agaynst the towne and the townsmen sustayned great losse and dammage For the accounte being made it is sayde that there were heard the same day two thousand fiue hundred blowes of great Gunnes The townesmen valiantly put forth themselues for their defence agaynst theyr assayling enimies The women courageously threw also vpon them fierie hoopes pitch barrels burning and balles of fire and such kinde of fireworke by which they did greatly anoy them Thus the enimies preuayling nothing at all were repulsed Of the townesmen there were threescore slaine and certaine chiefe Captaynes also and many wounded And of the kings side as hath appeared by their own writings and report there were aboue three hūdred slaine and many wounded Among the noble men were wounded the Duke of Niuern the Marques of Neme one of the Duke of Guises brethren M. d'Gast of Daulphine which was in great fauor with the duke of Anjou The day following about eight of the clocke the kings armie gaue another assault to the towne notwithstanding the townesmen repulsed them with like courage as they had done before with the same successe Also they preferring themselues to giue the like assault about fiue of the clocke in the afternoone the townesmen beeing in like maner readie to receyue them left off their enterprise The same night there was manifestly seene in the ayre a great fire whiche had the forme and similitude of a Dragon which fell into the sea in the sight of many The townesmen to the end they might haue libertie to mend and repayre theyr walles made a smoke so thicke and darke that the whole campe was inclosed as it were with a cloude In the meane tyme there were throwne oute of the Citie in plentifull wise suche fire workes as wee named before to the greate horror and feare of the besiegers as they themselues report The next day the kings armie stoode in battaile aray euen as if they would haue giuen an assault notwithstanding the Rochellians beeing readie to receyue them they stayed from theyr purpose In the meane tyme there were discharged from the kings fortifications fourescore shot of great Gunnes In the euening the enimies made a great shoute and crie in the campe of purpose as if they had bene oppressed with some enimie which we call a false Alarme thereby to entice forth the townesmen The tenth day about foure of the clocke in the morning the enimie stoode arayed in diuerse pearcing battayles Which was a signe of an intended assault Whervpon all the townesmen prepared for their defence women also were appoynted to their charge yea children were not ydle Aboute sixe of the clocke the kings power with great violence assayled the bulwarke l'Euangile And on the other part manie of the enimies were discouered to scale the gate Moline At Tadon Countie Luden being with his bande was also come to the tower of Moline notwithstanding he was soone repulsed thence by
the whotte and fearce shotte of the greate Gunnes discharged by the towne Ladders were set to the walles and the townesmen in the meane tyme making no resistance they climbe them but when manye of them were come to the top of the Ladders and the sayde Ladders fully replenished by and by those townsmen which before lay hid discouered themselues being prepared with speares and long poales and ouerthrew their ladders with so violent an assault that euen with one force as it were they being repulsed the troupes whiche abode at the lower part of the walles were made afearde with the great noyse and crie of those that fell and being put to flight with the great plentie of shotte ranne away like madde men and cast themselues headlong into the Marishes for feare Then incontinently the women went forth with spits and shouels such like apt weapons belonging to womens war with the whiche they layde at those whom they founde ouerthrowne and easily slue them and caryed away the spoyle no man resisting him On the other part the townesmen no lesse valiantly behaued themselues in fight at the Bulwarke l'Euangile insomuch that the showering Gunshot neuer missed the heades of the Catholikes who were also much annoyed with fireworkes cast out of the towne vpon them Therefore the kings side was constrayned to retyre aboue three hundred souldiers of his being lost at that charge The next day after the Catholikes fortefyed with a rampire that part of the Bulwarke l'Euangile which they had taken and when they had set themselues in battaile aray making a shew as if they would haue giuen a newe charge they departed without any enterprise perceyuing that the townesmen prepared themselues for their defence They made also a mine for that bulwark and made a rampire ouer against the same to anoy the townesmē for the which the townesmen prouided in making a coūtermine with a gate to the same conueniently belonging for sodaine eruptions About sixe of the clocke in the euening the Rochellians cried Alarme vpon this occasion A certaine woman whiche was gone downe into a certain Wineseller to drawe wine hearde the voyce of a man speaking By which she thought that the enimies had made theyr mynes so farre and therefore cryed oute The people at thys crie armed themselues But after enquirie made of the matter it was founde oute that certayne of the townesmen by the commaundement of the Maior were searchyng for the conducte pypes which serued the towne with water The same day great stoare of corne great plentie of munition for warre was brought into the kings campe The day followyng another parte of the bulwarke l'Euangile whiche remayned of the former breache was beaten downe by a violent batterie by the fall whereof many bothe of the Townesmen and also of the Catholiques were slayne and with them a certayne Captayne whiche had conducted a bande of souldiours to that parte to gyue an assault The next day there was nothyng done woorthy to be spoken of sauyng that the townesmen castyng fire into the ditche brente certayne souldiours and pioners The same day the townesmen brake foorth at the Casemates belongyng to the bulwarke l'Euangile and slew many of the kyngs souldiers and brought theyr armour into the Citie On the other parte the great gunnes went off from the towne agaynst the kings fortes whereby many of the Catholiques were slayne The nientene day shyppes were discryed in the sea appoinpoynted and prepared for warre the whiche roade at anker within a myle of Rochel hauen called Chef-de bois By and by the Kyngs nauie was prepared and out of the kyngs armie bandes of soldiers were appoynted to defende the coaste and others to furnishe the shyppes and strayte way a notable peale of thunderyng shotte was rung betweene them This nyghte at the commaundement of the Rochellians a Captayne went foorth with one shippe and notwithstandyng that the enemie resisted he came in safety vnto the Nauie of Mongomerie of whome they receyued a signe that ayde was come to them of Rochel Notwithstandyng those shyppes were diuided in the mornyng So the Catholiques returned into the campe Aboute the euenyng there came a messenger whiche tolde that those shyppes were not farre off Whereas the townsmen wente about with great diligence to repayre the breache and ruyne of the bulwarke l'Euangile the Catholiques sought to beate it downe with shot Twoo of the kings armie fled to the gate d'Molines to the townsmen notwithstandyng the showers of shot which were discharged after them The townesmen made a countermine agaynst that myne whiche the catholiques had made for the bulwarke l'Euangile To this they set fire but bycause there was not sufficient store of gunpowder in the same theyr labour was lost The nexte day a newe charge was gyuen The same day there came vnto Cogne Monsieur Oars and Rolli to speake with the Maior in the Duke of Anjou his name The cause of this parley was that wayes myghte be taken for peace To the kyngs Ambassadours came the Maior Nortius the Pastor of the Churche and Monsieur Essarz and diuers others and when they had spente certayne howers in communication togyther they returned into the Citie About eight of the clocke the Catholiques blewe vp the mine whiche they had made at the bulwarke l'Euangile The earth fallyng ouerthwartly slewe many of the Catholiques and fiftene of the townsmen At this tumulte all the whole citie was armed but not one of the Catholiques appeared The day followyng a freshe assaulte was giuen that the pioners whiche made a mine by the noyse of the gunnes might not be perceyued of the townsmen The nexte daye the same Ambassadours came agayne aboute the treatie of peace when as notwithstandyng theyr fellowes persisted no lesse vehement than they did before in giuing the assaulte In the dead time of the nighte of the same day a piercyng battayle of the Catholiques beyng conducted by skilfull and valiant captaines wanne the ditche notwithstandyng they were cōstrayned to retire with great losse of their men Then began the great gunnes to thunder The twentieth day there was a sore charge gyuen agaynst the bulwarke l'Euangile by the Catholiques And euen in the middest of the fight fyre was put into the myne the which the Townesmen foreseeing auoyded the daunger thereof and beguyled the enemie They fought for the space of fiue houres without staye or retraite Fifteene of the Townesmen onely were slayne and thirtie hurte but verye many Catholiques were loste who susteyned great dammage by the townesmen at the drawe bridge out of the Casemates The last day the townsmen made an inroade to the forts of the Catholiques and slew many of them and then with losse of some of their men returned into the citie agayne The Rochellians sende their requestes concerning the peace to the duke of Anjou The firste daye of May the townesmen set vp vppon the walles green boughes in token of ioy and sang Psalmes vnto
to be made Notwithstanding hee to whom this charge was committed was taken at Lions by the Lifetenant Mandelot and was kept in warde certayne monethes THE Queene was much troubled in mynde and very carefull for the auoyding of diuers dangerous straytes For she did perceiue that they of the religion were not only sproong vp in great number but also that they were more wyse and by the late successe also of matters more constant and couragious and that therefore shee should haue a sore conflict with them To these were added new enemies who hauing no regard to religion but only a care of ciuil affayres would haue the gouernment reformed and in better state And she was not ignorant how that the most famous of the nobles were both authors and also instruments of that counsaile Shee knew that hir sonne the Duke of Alancon was an enemy vnto hir gouernment furthermore that the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde were very angry with the perill and dammage which they had receyued in their owne persons therefore the ambicious woman suspected that they also were of this counsaile to remoue hir from the gouernment of the Realme The Kings health bring past all hope of recouerie and the neere approachyng of his death was giuen out by his soothsayers whose helpe and counsaile the Queene greatly vsed which caused hir to feare least according to the custome of the lawes and ordinances of the Realme the gouernement of the same should bee set ouer vnto the Duke of Alancon whereby the counsailes and deuises of hir enemyes had an open way made for them to take effecte To take away these inconueniences the woman by long experience of matters and by gouernement in great affayres being more circumspect and subtil than the wisest purposed to prouide all meanes and wayes She ioyned pollicie and force together that she might not faile to bring hir purpose to passe She pretended the kings name in all causes in euery place whom notwithstanding shee made very seldome priuy to hir counsailes bicause he was sicke as she pretended She very carefully prouided that the kings armies should bee in a readines at hir commaundement vnder the colour of warre against Languedoc the which was certainly sayde to be prepared excepte they of the Religion in Languedoc would receyue these conditions commaunded in the Edicte of Rochell And the Countie D'Retes hauing receiued a great summe of money gathered souldiers together in Germany Also the end of hir policies was that the authors of the new sturres should be destroyed by a new murther Aboue the rest d'Anuil withstood these mischeuous deuises who being far from the Courte seemed plainly to make delay notwithstanding that he was oftentymes commaunded in the kings name to come at what tyme he being in a great and large countrey most fitte conuenient for his purpose by reason of the power of them of the religiō seemed to be in possibilitie to enioy both the kings armie and also the noble cities therin he beheld dayly other enemies whō the queene sawe to be lesse appliant to do iniurie Therfore there came oftentimes letters of the king to d'Anuil that eyther setting all excuse asyde leauing the prouince in peace he would come vnto the king or els veryly that he should be apprehended amidst these communications of peace And for this purpose M. Sansulpis and M. Villeroy were sent to d'Anuil vnder the colour of peace speciall commaundements of the Queene concerning this matter being giuen to M. Suz and Mongeron who in those partes were of great authoritie among the Catholiques On the other parte the Queenes enemyes had their secret counsailes the ende whereof was that an assembly of States might bee had euen by meere commaundement and that the gouernement of the Realme might be restored to a better state concerning the which matter what we know wee wil speake anon Therfore while the Queene sent often messengers into Languedoc concerning peace both d'Anuill was diligent in his affayres and also they of the Religion wished peace Neuerthelesse they of the religion made new delayes dayly by those cōmunicatiōs of peace which they called a collation and messengers were sent to and fro from the Courte into Languedoc These things thus continued from Ianuary vnto the moneth of March. AT THE laste Henry Valoys came into Polonia and was receyued with great pompe of the Polonians And after that the royall Funeralles belongyng vnto kings was celebrated for Sigismond who notwithstanding dyed in Iune in the yeere M.D.Lxxij the newe king was crowned in a great assembly of the nobles and people of Polonia at Cracouia by the Arche bishop of Guesuen the eightenth of February of this present yeere M. Mombrune towarde the ende of the moneth of March came with his armie into that parte of Daulphine which lyeth vppon the coast of the Riuer of Rosune and tooke certayne smal townes as Loriol Liberon Ale◠Gran and Roynac and repayred the decayed walles of Liberon and Loriol After this he made an inroade and inuasion of all that countrey violently assayling the gates of Valence of L'Crest and of Montile And he conspired against the most noble Cities and specially against Montile the which conspiracies the Catholiques turned to the destruction of many Vppon this occasion the noble men of the Religion which lay in corners vntill the tyme seeing the present perill that king ouer their heades came and ioyned themselues with Mombrune VVE SAYD before that Orange was taken by Glandag to giue occasions of warre Whilest he was absent Berchon by the helpe industrie of certayne of the Citizens of Orange tooke the Castell and the Citie notwithstanding parte of the townsmen were sore afearde and they also of the Religion which dwelt there aboutes as if Berchan would haue restored the Romishe Religion and euil entreated them of the religion Neuerthelesse he going about no new thing gaue thē to vnderstande that hee helde the Castell and the Citie in the name of his Prince that all Citizens without difference of Religion might liue peaceably according to the forme of the Edicte And so their neighbours of Auinion which seemed to be in possibilitie to get that Citie to the which they bare alway a priuie grudge were put out of all hope to obtayne the same Berchon was sayd to be very familiar with Cardinall Arminiae the Popes Legate but not without great suspicion of a summe of money receyued ABOVT the same tyme the Catholiques thought that they had occasion offered them to get Nismes by treasō There is a little towne neere vnto Nismes called Margaret of the which M. Santaial a noble man had the gouernement with a strong garrison who by the meanes of certayne of the Catholiques of Nismes delt with a certain captayn of the townsmen named Deron and promised a great summe of money to tell him by what meanes he might get the Citie The captayne by and by bewrayed this matter vnto M. Sanroman
of Captayne Norman and Andiui and the Isle of Rhe vnder the charge of Captayne Virolet. They determined not to abyde the force of so great an army but to make hast vnto the Citie notwithstandyng Captayne Norman purposed first to assay the enimie Therefore he marched foorth with his bands of footemen hauing accōpanying him only fyftie horsemen and so approched nere the enimie but being to weake he had the repulse and was constrayned to flie into a Countrey place belonging to a noble man the whiche notwithstanding was of sufficient strength and was called Grimelde whither also Captaine Virolet sought to come Then Mon. Biron beset the house and battered the same with his fielde peeces insomuch that there seemed to be no way for them to escape destruction had not captain Norman taken this last shift For he leauing his horses went forth with his men on foote in the dead tyme of the night and breaking throughe the scoute watches got to the citie with his men in safety But captain Virolet seeking too carefully to saue his horses was taken himselfe notwithstanding he turned by and by to the Catholiks side hoping that if he woulde seene in that war he should haue great rewards but the ende falling out otherwise than he was promised he got him home into Brittain where within a while after he was slaine being recompenced with that rewarde of the new warres Then there came dayly new bands of souldiers M. Strozzi being general of the french footmē tooke Pilleborean M. d'Goast with six ensignes of footemen tooke Ronsel and M. Biron tooke Santandre which were the suburbs of Rochel These they fortified with ditches and bulwarkes against the sodaine eruptions of those within the Citie The townesmen from al quarters villages and farmes nere vnto them caried into the Citie so much as they could all maner of vittaile notwithstanding the kings side founde great plentie in those places for the cariage whereof they of Rochel had not prouided in due tyme. Bicause the king perceiued that those noble men which were come out of other parts of the realme to Rochel would much profit them of Rochel and would indammage much his intended siege he assayed those noble men by his letters promising vnto them that if they would come forth of the Citie they should be in safe securitie and shoulde also receyue a large recompence Notwithstanding this perswasion tooke not effect For not one of them at that tyme fell vnto the king There was a generall fast appoynted at Rochel according to the vsuall maner of the French Churches Mons Biron went about to breake the chanels and conduyt pipes which conueyed water to the fountain or conduit which serued the citie therby to take away from the citizens the vse of water But although they had brokē the conduit pipes in many places yet notwithstāding they lost their labor by reason of the great plenty of diuers springs which came from sundrie places By this occasion there was a great skirmish betwene both partes in the which the Lieutenant of Captaine Normans bande was slaine and of mons Birons part his Standardbearer called Saintgenez and diuers other on both sides A ship of Rochel being remoued to the entrie or mouth of the hauē was assayled by the kings ships but so that they gayned nothing at al therby They also ouerthrew .iiii. milles which ioyned to the city and caried from them great plentie of corne which they of Rochel had by negligence left in them BVt before we come to the forceable besieging of Rochel and to enter into a newe yeare the order of the hystorie begun requyreth that we note by the way what was done in other places by the Religious About the end of Nouember d'Anuil being come into Languedoc at the kings commaundement and hauing receyued great charge and cōmission to warre against those remnants which remayned of the Religion marched forth with his prepared armies minding as it shoulde seeme to besiege Nismes Notwithstāding this occasion disappointed him of that purpose There is a little towne nere vnto Montpellier called Sommiron the which though it be but smal yet notwithstanding it is of sufficient force strength both for the apt situation therof and also bicause it hath a wel defenced castel in the same In this towne mon. Ioyeuse had left certain great bard horses with a garison of certain soldiers suspecting no force to be offered by them of the Religion which seemed to be almost dead but beholde vnlooked for a notable captain called mon. Saintgremian tooke the city the castle and the horses of mon. Ioyeuse Therfore d'Anuil hauing giuen a vain assault to Vzes the which is an ancient city of Languedoc in the territory of Cursol hauing gone throughout the whole territory of Vzes hauing taken the castel of Sangene by surrender and woon a little town called Cauuis seeming now to come to assaile Nismes with a great armie he first of al purposed to assault Sommiron with his whole force least he should haue Montpellier a neare enimy vnto him or least he might be stayed from the pray and bootie any longer which lay open to the sight of his armie D'Anuil therfore besiegeth Sommiron omitting nothing by which he might giue a strōg assault to the same notwithstanding the vnhappy succes of that siege as it diminished the strēgth of the Catholiks in that coūtry so also it greatly enlarged the power of thē of the Religion which thenceforth began to haue better successe and the feare of those first attempts being set apart they of the Religion behaued themselues in their affayres much more constantly than they did before in the former ciuil wars hauing takē a large plentiful coūtry not so much by the forces of great armies as by diligēt painfulnes Sommirō was thus besiged by d'Anuil four moneths a great masse of mony being wasted by the Catholiks in vitailing so populous an army insomuch that they were wery of war beside the losse both of cōmon soldiers also of those noble mē which were mortal enimies to the Religion being brought thither euē as it were against their wils that they might be slain To be short they of the religiō in Lāguedoc had an opē way made for thē to bring notable things to passe frō thenceforth as we wil shew hereafter Of Sanserre we haue spoken before To intercept and take the which the same subtil practises were vsed that were practised in the Cities mentionrd before They of Sanserre had intreated monsieur Fontene a certaine noble man as we haue sayde to speake vnto the king on their behalfe and not to suffer their name to be dishonested by slaunderous reports Mons Fontene tooke this for an occasion to begin greater familiaritie He sendeth vnto them M. Candaillet a certain old courtier to assure thē of his good wil but that he himselfe was onely earnestly busied in working their safetie that
they might shew all the arguments that might be to the king of theyr obediēce Therfore the men of Sanserre assembled togither with monsieur Candaillet and testifie that they will yeelde vnto the king all obedience requiring one thing onely at his handes whiche was that they myght haue lybertie of lyfe and conscience according to the fourme of the Edict for the faythfull perfourmance whereof they sayde that they woulde yeelde vnto hym an hundred of theyr chiefe Citizens for pledges Thys was the begynning of greate dissention among the Citizens whiche almost oppressed the Citie in thys first beginning Monsieur Candaillet returned to the Court being accompanied with fiue of the chiefe Citizens of Sanserre of which two were Catholikes and three were Religious These had commission subscribed with the handes of the chiefe Citizens that they woulde allow and confirme whatsoeuer they did according to the fourme of the same The Messengers of Sanserre so soone as they were come into the Court had spoken to the King and Queene whether it were by threatnings or vpon hope of certaine rewards craued pardō of the king in the name of al the citizens of Sanserre whose persons they represented as though they had grieuously offended agaynst him beseeched the king that he would send M. Fontene to Sanserre with a power promising to vndertake that he should be welcom to the Inhabitants therabouts Therfore mon. Candaillet goeth before to tel them of Sanserre of the comming of mon. Fontene The which when they heard wondring at the matter being greatly offended therwith they assemble thēselues togither to consult of the same and at the last accord That forsomuch as the Messengers had don that thing by the kings perswasion against the forme of their cōmission they might lawfully refuse and reiect their act and agreemēt They send out to meet with mon. Fontene and to tel him that they are sory for the rashnesse of their deputies in that they had caused him to come vnto Sanserre certifying him withal that they knewe hys great good will for the which they gaue hym thankes promysing that they woulde yeelde vnto him great honour and woulde moste friendly entertayne him so that he would come to theyr citie in tyme of peace But forsomuch as it was a troublesome tyme they beseeched him to take it in good part that they could not suffer him to come into the citie Notwithstandyng Mons Fontene came to Cosne a towne two leagues from Sanserre that from thence he myght the more conueniently prosecute hys businesse The Deputies also of Sanserre were returned from the Courte Then contentions began to growe among the Citizens about the receyuyng of Monsieur Fontene For the Deputies perswaded with certaine of the chief citizens to receyue Mons Fontene into the citie shewyng the daunger which otherwise might come vnto the towne On the contrary parte others but specially forreners thought it not meete to receyue him Monsieur Fontene vnderstandyng that he was most of all resisted by forreners to enter into the citie wrote vnto them affirmyng that there was no cause why he should betray theyr safetie but rather that he had a care for the same Notwithstandyng that it was not meete that through theyr counsayle the miserable townsmen should runne into peril and that they ought not to be the procurers of them to resist the kyng seyng if they would they could not Therefore if they would determine to go to any other place he woulde bryng to passe that they should be safecōducted whether soeuer they would for the faythful performāce wherof he sayd they should haue pledges The forreners sent two Deputies to M. Fontene by which they desire that they may haue the libertie of cōscience and the peace and tranquillitie giuen vnto them by the king according to the prescripte of the pacificatorie Edicte affirmyng that they had done iniurie to no man but came vnto Sanserre vpon purpose to shunne those murders which were committed in other places and were receyued into the citie with the good leaue of the townsmen Therfore that there was no cause why theyr abode shoulde be greeuous or offensiue to any man so much that they shoulde departe to any other place To this monsieur Fontene more angerly answered that he would satisfie the kings commaundement in doyng that which shoulde be for the purpose and also for the kings dignitie Therfore that which could not be brought to passe by pollicie was assayed by force Therefore those townesmen whiche thought good to admit monsieur Fontene into the towne in the kings name by subtill deceite tooke the castell and tooke with them into the same monsieur Racam the brother of monsieur Fontene But when monsieur Fontene was come with his armie more neare to the citie to put a more strong garrison into the Castell behold the townsmen which were of the Religion gaue a violent assaulte vpon the castel by whiche they put the warders to flight and tooke the same euen the same day At that time they of Sanserre coulde not with courage inough bende thēselues to warre notwithstanding being admonished by present peril they began to arme themselues with courage and to make preparation for theyr owne defence THe affayres also of the lowe countrey accordyng to the order of the storie begon are not to be omitted but briefly touched The Prince of Orange hauyng an armie well appoynted prospered well in his affayres in the low countrey of Flaunders hauing gotten into his handes the most noble cities about that time that the murders were committed at Paris Therfore when he had taken Mechgeline Audenard and constrained Louen to pay vnto him a great summe of money he came to Mountes with all his power both to helpe his brother the Graue Lodouic and also to deliuer the towne compassed with a strayte siege by the Duke of Alba. The Prince of Orange arriued with greate speede to the Duke of Alba his campe whose cōmyng by apparance should haue brought great detriment to the Duke of Alba being hemd in on euery side by his enimies notwithstanding the Prince of Orange beyng slowe in biddyng battayle by reason of the importunate calling of the souldiers for wages departed without any attēpt giuen And retyring the Duke of Alba deuised to worke him some secrete mischiefe For the whiche purpose he sente after him fiue hundred well appoynted souldiers with calliuer shot and a troupe of horsemen to follow the pursuite who settyng vppon the Princes campe in the night and killyng the watche made greate slaughter with a Canbusadow vpon hys armie killyng many and wounding not a fewe When horrible newes of the Frēch slaughters came to the eares of the Graue Lodouic by whiche he and his fellowes were not a little troubled and beyng out of hope to haue succours from his brother the Prince of Orange the Duke of Alba also dayly more vehemently assaulting him the enimie beyng repulsed the Graue Lodouic began to intreate
the name of Cogne fort So that the temple was ouerthrown that the steeple might serue for a watch tower and the rest of the matter of the temple for a fort Ouer against the salt maryshes standeth the tower of Moreille whiche defendeth that region in large compasse by reason of the tall and hygh munition of the same Next after this foloweth the tower of Sannicolas the which is compassed about both with a naturall moorysh ground and also with wittie skyll for on the right hand the Ocean flouds beate vpon the same and the swelling floud of the sea filleth the dytch thereof whether at the length the floud maye come for from that place vnto Cogne gate the dytches of the citie are almost drye From Sannicolas gate to the gate d'Moulinez the Sea extendeth it selfe with all one course and leuell and to defende that part against the assaultes that myght be giuen by the nauie there was a verie strong bulwarke made which was called Sannicolas fort Next to this stoode Sannicolas gate with bulwarkes adioyning to the same and then Sannicolas tower ouer against the which was the tower of the hauen the saide hauen diuiding them both And to the ende the Kings nauie might haue no passage into the hauen there was fastened a strong yron chayne from one of the sayde towers to the other Betweene the tower of the hauen and the Lanterne tower there was reared a very strong wall made by Masons and furnyshed with ordinance The Lanterne tower serued to giue lyght in the night to saylers or to suche as came into the hauen in time of peace Next vnto this was placed a notable forte called the Citadel being no lesse strong than it was greate and large in so much that it was to that part of the citie as it were an Armorie or storehouse of Artillerie This Citadel was compassed about with a wall of mayne strength at one corner whereof the tower of Gayor hath his place Betwene the whiche and the nexte poynt towarde the Kings campe were framed dyuers bulwarkes and fortes as the newe gate bulwarke and platfourme the forte of the Castell the place of Cockslem and the bulwarke called l' Euangile nowe battered downe At the other fourth corner of the wall was a very strōg bulwark called Cogne bulwark Many other fortes were reared which are to be seene in the platforme belōging to this discription Also it is to be noted that the hauen called Chef de bois where the Kings Nauie roade is two myles distant from the gate of Rochell THE Duke of Anjou therefore being receyued with tryumphant peales of the great fielde peeces went to Neullj to abyde there where he tarryed the whole time of the siege with the rest of the Princes and greatest part of the nobles The same day hee tooke a viewe of the walles of the Citie and mustred the Armie The day folowyng the townesmen brake out at three seuerall places of the Citie and hauyng slayne an hundred of their enimies returned into the Citie agayne with losse of a fewe of their men Then was there a place appointed from whence the walles of the citie might be conueniently battered the batterie being layd to the gate of Cogney and by the cōmaundement of the Duke of Anjou a countermure was made and fortified with hurdels to beare and defende the shot Also he forgot not to practise subtily mischief vnder the pretēce of parley to the end the city might be assailed with two engins namely by outward force by inward craft deceit For the citizens did not wel agree among thēselues some enclining to peace of the which the duke of Anjou at that time had made an offer vnto them others thinking it better to stand manfully to their own defence saying that the offered peace was nothing but a snare to betray them according to the olde maner Captaine Norman going to spoile rob with two galleys toke a ship laden with fifty tun of wine of Burdeux and fiue and twentie tunne of wheate and returned with his men in safety into Rochell hauen notwithstanding that he was assayled by mons d' Guarde wyth great force THE Duke of Anjou hauing taken a viewe of the Bulwarke whiche bordered on the sea coaste and mynding to returne into the Kyngs campe sent before hym two hundred horsemen commaunding them to skyrmishe wyth the townsmen that hee in the meane time might passe by with the more safetie Whyle these and certayne troupes of the townesmen were in skyrmish at that place certayne horsemen ouer whom mons Grandrise a noble man was captayne carying behynde euery of them a foote man with callyuer shot set vpon the Kyngs souldiers vnprepared in another part of the campe of whom they slue many and tooke some prysoners and brought with them certayne horses into the citie SHORTLY after they of Rochell beyng dyuersly sollicited were contented at the length to parley wyth the Kyngs Lieftenants mons l' Noe with Pierrez Mortie and Maurisson beyng chosen for this purpose came into the Kyngs campe and so entred into parley with mons Biron Strozzi Villequier and Gadagne and to this parley also came the Countie d' Retz and at the length certayne of the chiefe townesmen GADAGNE hauyng spoken at large to mons l' Noe and to hys felowes of the singular good wyll of the Kyng towardes them of Rochell offered at the last to them in wryting the summe of those conditions vpon the which the King woulde come to composition of peace the whiche conditions were these Fyrst that the inhabitants of Rochell though they had grieuously offended his maiestie for that they beyng abashed with a certayne vayne feare woulde not obey his commaundements oftentimes sent vnto them were notwithstanding freely pardoned so that they woulde receyue mons Biron into the citie and would obey hym Secondly that he wold graūt vnto thē the free vse of Relygion according to the forme of the pacificatorie Edict in the which he woulde haue nothyng neyther diminished nor altered for thys he would make them most ample and large assurance Thyrdly that he would gyue vnto those whiche woulde departe to any other place full leaue and libertie to depart and to carry theyr goodes whether soeuer they woulde or otherwyse to vse them at theyr owne pleasure They which were deputed for Rochel made answere that they had hytherto in no poynt disobeyed the kyng but had euer shewed themselues hys faythfull subiectes That by the daungerous and troublesome state of the tyme they were constrained to this necessarie defence of thēselues least they should fall into the handes and willes of theyr enimies as others had done which had imbraced with them the same religion That they desired of the king this one thing namely that they might enioy the libertie of their consciences by the benefite of the Edict of peace But seing the cause in hād was not their alone but belongyng
the name of authoritie and power to the Maior who notwithstanding did nothing of him selfe without the aduise of the Senate THE same day the kings side prepared a fresh for the batterie the townsmen with no lesse haughtie courage of mynd discharged the thundring shot from the fort l'Euangile against the kings campe to the great annoyance of the same The day folowing the kings ordinance went off so thicke that the roaring stroakes thereof could scarse be numbred and so helde on all the next day The townesmen in the meane while by night left nothing vndone to repaire and fortifie the breaches of their walles Countie d' Retz was stricken behynde in the reynes of the backe with a Calieuer shot beyng come out of the couent of the Engynes The same night mons Normā made an inroade euen vnto the enimies trenche notwithstanding he was constrayned to retyre againe into the citie with losse of two of his men beside those which were wounded The day after he came again to the same place purposing by ouerthrowing the hardels of the enimy to kil many of thē but he had like successe as he had before BVT for so much as we are to describe greater conflictes in this noble siege being such as our age hath not seene and so much the more noble for that after the finall destruction as it were of the Religious the wonderfull constancie of the Rochellians had most happy successe by the wonderfull goodnesse of God we thinke it meete and conuenient to our purpose to speake somewhat more largely and particularly to shewe the exploytes and actes of euerie day seuerally The sixtene day of Marche the kings parte made baskets ouer against the bulwarke l'Euangile planting those peeces of ordināce which were in the fort of Corceile by which we sayd the passage into the hauen from the sea was stopte betweene them The townsmen fortifie that part against the batterie Mons Fontene was chiefe captaine of the watch and ward of the Mines commonly called Cazemates which were made in the dytch seruing to make eruptions and to repulse the enimie from the walles He taking with him tenne of his souldiers came vnto that part of the kings camp which was neare vnto the Lazerhouse where he founde twelue noble men sitting at supper whome he slue notwithstanding that they promised him very large raunsomes to redeeme their lyfe and when he had doone returned in safetie vnto the citie agayne This was doone in the night of the same day The seuententh day was spent wholy in giuing an assault The day folowing when the kings campe went about by trenches and baskets to approch more neare vnto the walles there ensued a sore battell the townesmen comming out of the towne to withstand the enimie The next day after the townesmen came again to the same fortification and for all that the enimie coulde doe they ouerthrewe their baskets burdels and tumbled great woolpackes full of wooll into the ditch and slaying at the same place three score of them chased the rest to the castell Palereau The same day at nyght certaine shot of the kings campe came into the trench of the bulwark l'Euangile taking some of the townsmen vnawares slue them The twentie day the batterie was begon againe with fortie three great peeces which were planted in seuerall places notwithstanding the walles of the city were not much impaired the roofes of houses in diuers places were pulled downe whereat many a vayne shot was discharged There were told the same day a thousand and fiue hundred stroakes The two and twentie day a newe assault was intended to be giuen about three of the clocke in the afternoone but bicause the towne beganne to discharge against them whereby many of the Kings campe were slayne they stayed their former purpose and encountred the towne with mayne shot vntill sixe of the clocke in the euening It was told the townesmen that the enimie had determined the same day to winne the tower which stoode betweene the gate Rambalde and the Bulwarke l' Euangile and the treasons of the citie were feared Therefore the townsmen prepared them selues for defence appoynting in diuers necessarie places watch and warde All this while the townsmen tooke great paines in making bulwarks in the citie of earth compact with turffes and stakes to bynde the same One of the kings mynes was ouerwhelmed to the greate spoyle of the pioners That nyght there was in the citie a great earthquake the which some say was the cause of the ouerturning of the sayde myne but in my iudgement it is vnlikely From the last day of Februarie vnto the sixe and twentie of this moneth there were tolde twelue thousand and seuen hundred stroakes of the kings gunnes The same daye by the commandemente of the Maior one Chale whose name was famous in Rochell and whome we reckoned before among the captaynes of the warre went out of the citie for that the Rochellians had him in suspition and so came vnto the kings campe The day folowing the townesmen made an eruption vpon a troupe of horsmen which they discouered to stande at Tadon and after a skyrmishe by which both partes sustayned losse they retyred The eyght and twentie day of Marche the whole armie of the king was set in battell araye euen as if they woulde haue giuen an assault to the gate of Cogne and to the bulwarke l'Euangile Notwithstanding after they had for the space of one houre discharged shot one against the other with the losse and hurt of both partes they sounded the retraycte About sixe of the clocke in the euening the kings campe returned agayne and placing a troupe at Sannicolas gate the rest stoode in battell aray at Cogne gate Their purpose was to take the Cazemates whiche were in the dytche And for this cause fortie of the kings souldiers went downe into the dytche notwythstanding they were so repulsed by the townsmen that many of the kings campe fell into the ditch In the meane time the great gunnes thundered both from the towne and also out of the kings campe from which fortie shot were discharged The day following was spent onely in giuing an assault But the next day after that there was a sore battaile fought betweene the Rochellians and the kings campe The cause of the battaile was this Three souldiers went out of the towne and set vpō the first watch of the kings camp Then the whole campe armed thēselues By by there came out of the towne others to rescue the first wherupō the enimie came on by heapes vpon whom the Caliuer shot came as thicke as haile and such a tempest of great shot droue agaynst the threesquare battaile whiche was set in aray wedgewise to pearce into theyr enimies that of the forefront of the same fiue with targettes were slaine and after them many other souldiers There appeared at Tadon certaine horsmen at the first but few in number to allure the townesmen
a violent charge at the first enforced the Rochellians to gyue backe but yet they persisted so valiantly in fight that they slew Mons Goaz and diuers other chiefe captaines and souldiers and caused the rest to retyre Then came the thyrde bande who gaue the thirde assault with like successe as the other had done During these assaultes the women tooke suche great paynes in castyng downe fire woorkes in such abundant manner that they deserue a great parte of the prayse of that victorie And by the miste of a certaine smoke which the townsmen made of purpose they fought with smal losse of mē the number being fortie onely But of the Catholikes there were aboue foure hundred slaine most of the which were captaynes and souldiers of great skill which fought in the forefront At Tadon also the townesmen had as happie successe in their fight agaynst the Catholikes at the time as they had before going nowe aboute to winne the Citie by scaling the walles at that part The walles of the towne were shyning bryght with the flame of the burning fyrebrandes which lay in the ditches The next day the townesmen to scorne the enimie armed their scullyons and slaues and brought them forth at Cogne gate with naked swordes in triumphant wise in their hands The Catholikes armed themselues and they streight way retyre into the Citie the townesmen in the meane time calling the Switzers to battaile in dirision The Catholikes put into the ditches certain gunnes to shake downe the Casemates but in vaine By the commaundement of the Maior threescore men and women and children of the rascal sort of people were brought out of the Citie The Rochellians were solicited to peace a Harault being sent vnto them with letters of certaine of their familiar friendes which were in the kings campe In fine the kings singular good wil to be at peace with them was declared they were also exhorted not to depriue them and theyrs of so good an occasion of peace The townesmen went forth to displace the fortes which were made ouer agaynst the gate of Sannicolas wherevpon ensued a great tempest of shot as thicke as hayle to the annoyance of both partes The day following whiche was the first of Iune foure townesmen making those afearde which lay in the next trenches and thought no doubt that there had bene a greater number and putting them to flight no man making resistance ouerthrew their baskets and bulwarkes There entered into the Citie two Souldiers with letters from Mongomerie in the which he gaue them to vnderstande that he was constrayned to returne into Englande to bring a greater power with the which he woulde shortly come vnto them Incouraging them to goe forwarde in the same constancie in the whiche they had by the goodnesse of God continued vntill that day The Catholikes fortifyed the trench which was at the bulwarke l'Euangile and that part allo whiche was somewhat nearer to Sannicolas A certaine Souldier crauing leaue of the Maior to go forth of the Citie vnder pretence to assayle the enimie fled into the kings campe The Casemates were dayly assaulted but in vaine BVT the townesmen were not onely vrged with external enimies but also with domestical and inwarde extremities Many were wearie of the war and many feared the famine by whiche the townesmen feared greate destruction Diuerse men diuerslye communed togither mislyking all that they coulde of those extremities there were manye of the rycher sorte whiche were greeued for the wasting and losse of theyr goodes insomuche that by all maner of meanes they desyred peace Therefore they withstoode the whole assembly And certaine also had determined to take the gate and to goe oute of the same For this cause certaine of the wellbyer sorte by the decree of the Senate were put in prison As yet the penurie of corne did not grieue the townesmen and yet notwithstanding their store was greatly diminished which they feared dayly more and more But the Rochellians had store of Saltfishe and wine And it is wonderful which certaine honest and credible persons do report which were at that siege how that a certaine kinde of fishe came into the hauen in such plentifull maner contrary to their woonted custome that the poorer sorte vsed to eate them in steade of breade and that the same plentie went away almost the same day when the kings army departed vpon the conclusion of peace On the contrary part no lesse extremities vrged the king as the scarcitie of money and the impaciencie of the nobles whiche were wearie of the warre coulde by no meanes be restrayned And the king was vnable to hemme in or inclose the towne of Rochel the same being so large and populous and the sea coast being so neare vnto the same Therefore both partes were fully determined to conclude a peace And to further this matter the Duke of Anjou had ioyful and acceptable newes concerning the kingdome of Polonia For the Duke of Anjou by the meanes of the nobles of Polonia was made king of Polonia in the place of Sigismond the former king of the same MONLVCE Bishop of Valence had solicited the matter to the noble men of Polonia with great diligence and with golden sermons the whiche also he caused to be put in print thereby seeking to win vnto his maister a kingdome A great scruple and doubt was obiected about the murders of Paris the causes whereof by open rumors were layde vppon the Duke of Anjou Notwithstanding Monluce so ordered the matter that in the name of the Duke of Anjou hee perswaded the states of Polonia Concerning the successe of the which election we will speake in another place This therefore was a special occasion to rayse the siege All this while the Catholikes came oftentymes to Cogne gate to intreate for a peace Amidst these communications of peace the Citie was very neare intercepted through the great securitie of the townsmen For a hundred Catholikes with Ladders clymed vp to the toppe of the walles and tooke a viewe of theyr Fortes the which being discouered the townesmen cryed Alarme and with speedie dispatch they were repulsed and put to flight but fiftene of them were slaine by falling from the walles into the Citie For ioy of the newes of Polonia there were triumphant shouts and thundring peale of great gunnes both in the kings campe and also in the nauie There fell downe twentie cubites of the walles at this peale To the ruyne and breache whereof the townesmen ranne out of hande suspecting that the enimie was come and stoode armed in a readinesse for certaine houres After long contentions it was at the last agreed betweene the kings armie and the Rochellians that the sayd Rochellians should go and submit themselues to the Duke of Anjou and desire peace of him Wherevpon the Rochellians receyued in the name of the Duke of Anjou assurance of truce and were cleared of the name of Rebels with the which afore time they