the Archbishop of Burdeaux assisted with 30 other Bishops came thither also who hindred the importation of any succors into the City by Sea and hee seeing the place not surrendred after so many assaults told the Prince of Conde that he appear'd an unexperienced Souldier to make so many assaults from the Baletta with so small reputation intimating that he would have the place assaulted vpon the Birth of our Lady by 4 of the clocke in the morning but the Prince opposed saying that the Arch-bishop was Generall at Sea and that it did not concerne him to intermeddle with the affaires by Land Hereupon ensued more contention occasioned by the Duke and d' Espernon siding with the Archbishop and vpon the overture the Prince of Conde hasted to renew the assault for the respect he gaue the Archbishop but his Highnesse entring into a more serious consideration and judging not without reason of the various events of Warre especially our men being couragious and well fortified intending to disingage himselfe from the obligation wherin he was involved in an angry moode replyed to the Archbishop that being generall at Sea it did not concern him to giue the assault by Land and that he would not loose the glory of the assault which properly belonged to his place To appease all his Highnesse prepared a mine which he intended to spring vpon the Vigill of our Lady and placed therein 29. barrels of Gun-powder by which no doubt a great part of the wall would haue fallen it being torne by other mines and batteries To effect it the Archbishop commanded out the ablest Souldiours in the Nauy and promised 4000 Doblons should be destributed amongst the adventurous which should first make the assault the most couragiously and readily The assault was made in 4 places the French being confident that the Towne would be rendered when the mine was sprung by reason the defendants were but few and they grew weary by toyle and unable to hinder their approaches Hitherto God was pleased that wee should suffer but vpon Sunday at 5. of the clocke the raine ceased and the weather holding vp our Generals placed all their forces in the same posture wherin they had beene formerly ranged a League from the Enemy Vpon Munday at night the Generals assembled at the place called Lezo desirous to succour the Towne with all expedition for the day before some sallied out of it to certifie them that if they were not relieved within 3 dayes the French would bee Masters thereof and thereupon they resolved to assayle the Enemies vpon Tuesday the Vigill of our Lady The time did not then serve to muster the forces but it is supposed that 3000 were lost by the deluge of raine and waters Vpon Tuesday in the morning the troopes were devided into 3. squadrons By the descent of the hil which runneth from the passage to the City was the Marquesse of Mortara with 2000 of the Conde Duke the Irish and others 1000 Navarrois and Provincials who were so ordered and quartered that the right wing of the Vantguard should consist of a third part of the Conde Duke his Regiment The Battaile and Reare should take vp the other people amounting in all to 4000 with some Companies of Horse At the lowest part of the hill to the Southward lay the Lord Admirall of Castile and the Marquesse of Veles with the grosse of the Army with the Master of the Campe Generall the Marquesse of Torrecusa with 2000 selected and choyse Souldiours of Don Fausto de Ludioso The ablest Souldiours were disposed in the most eminent places that the Enemy might not bee able to cut off our forces On the other side of Irun marched Don Pedro Giron with 2000 men the most of them Castilians with the Campe-master Sebastian Granero Generall of the Artillery and a troope of Horse to possesse the most eminent places about Irun and to hinder the succours which might come from any of the French Quarters at Fontarabie We that were Capuchns devided our selves into 4 parts distributing our selves with our companies of the Religious which were then there In this posture we advanced towards the Enemy in front the same day by 4 of the clock in the afternoone and the Marquesse of Mortara immediately gayned the ascent of the hill whereof hee had beene Master before but had then willingly abandoned and now compassing the little hill above he gayned the eminent places untill he approched within Musket shot of the Enemies trenches from whence hee received some round charges The Horse and Irish wheeled to the left hand towards the Sea to secure themselves from the offence of the Enemy which lay behind the hill The Marquis of Torrecusa immediatly seated himselfe in the secure place below the Hill after hee had gained two Quarters from the Enemy over against a Redoubt scituated at the end of the Trench which was the greatest Fortification the Enemy had His troopes immediatly assaulted their Enemies some with Pikes others with Sword and Target and others with Muskets which brake into a troope of French Horse forcing them twice to recoyle But the Camp-Master Generall drawing up the Corslets caused his Companies to renew their charges and joyning their Musketiers together they charged the Enemy so forcibly that he was not able to endure the assault but gaue ground In this first encounter foure or 6 men entred the Redoubt fighting like Lyons but the Enemy overmatching them in number enforced them to retire But wee returned with such fury to the assault of the Redoubt that having killed many French wee regayned the place at the very point of the Fortification and though they were many and well defended with artificiall and intricate trenches and a ditch of very great depth yet they abandoned the place The Enemies Campe removed it selfe a Musket shot the Horse before and the Foote behind where they stood amazed whilst you will repeate the Creed 6 times determining as farre as wee could perceiue to beate us backe driving them back out of the Redoubt and assaulting us by troopes But our men being Masters of the place grew so couragious-instant they charged them so roundly that they were enforced to turne their backes with much losse at one instant none of the French appearing aliue in their Trenches but leauing many dead therein and some Canons of a middle size wherewith they had much endamaged us Our forces followed the chase Some of the Enemies that is the Cavallary flying towards Iran other towards the Sea the most whereof were drowned the Tide running with great force and more then ordinary because of the Land waters wee flew many of them when they were up to the middle in water when they who had entered the small Boates and could not row against the Tide rendred themselves and with folded hands and mournfull voices cryed Vive le Roy de Espagne God quarter for Gods sake Our Companies hastned towards the Sea in extreame danger to the judgement
discomfited one Company of Imperiall Horse and a Regiment of Crabats and a thousand Horse and some Foot were sent back toward the Rhine to make head against Charles Duke of Lorraine and young Mercie who were comming with a Convoy of 40 Waggons loaden with Corn and Salt to re-victuall Brisack whom they defeated and therupon tooke in Newenburg a place of good strength upon the River but then abandoned by the Imperialists who were fled from thence for feare of the Dukes forces and then having laid in a competent Garrison returned to the Army which by that time was newly set down before Freyburg The siege here was of more difficulty then was at first imagined The siege and taking of Freyburg The Town was well fortified with a strong wall and deep ditch well mann'd with 900 resolved souldiers and inhabitants as resolute for the defence of the City as were the men of War The field afforded no convenient place where the Duke might plant his Ordnance for battery The Towne was abutted withthree Suburbs which hee first tooke in and after imployed them to that service There he mounted his Cannon which by often discharging made an assaultable breach in the wall and then he gave order for the assault which was undertaken by his souldiers cheerfully but not successefully The Ditch was deeper then it was supposed the scaling Ladders were too short to reach the lowest part of the broken wall the besieged of all sorts Religious persons old men women children repaired thither to make it good against the assaylants and with musket shot stones Grenadoes and wild fire beat them off having slain the Lievtenant Colonell to whom that service was entrusted and forty common men besides our worthy Country man and resolute Gentleman Master Thomas Cambell whose story is thus related to mee by Captain Iohn Scot who was a coactor and had command in the Army at that Expedition A worthy adventure of two English Gentlemen but unfortunate A Lievtenant by name Sandelands being upon the top of the Ladder seeing the hearts of the ordinary men to faile looking back called to Cambell second me let us not lose the Honour which our Nation hath purchased with bloud which he did these Colleagues in that service assisted only with two Dutch Souldiers and a Scottish Serjant of the Red Regiment behaving themselves so bravely that in despight of the defendants they scaled the breach slew some of those which mayntained it and put the Burgers into such a Feare that as they confessed afterwards they had then begged quarter had they not at the instant perceived the smal number of the assaylants But an Apoplexie is cured by a Fever Anger doth chase away Feare and now offended with themselves for starting at a shadow the Souldiers and Townsmen came on furiously wounded both Sandelands and Cambell who for all this went on and sent one soul more to Charons Ferry when a Country Gentleman marking how bravely Cambell behaved shot and wounded him mortally throwing him not yet dead barbarously into the midst of a burning pile which was ready for their defence Sandelands in the mean time retyring and though charged by the Enemy returning safely by the valour of a Souldier who with his Pistoll kept the sealing ladder for his safe Retreat Duke Bernherd was not a little moved with this losse yet as the purest spirits are most active in the heat reneweth and increaseth his batteries lengtheneth his ladders and prepares for a fresh assault The preparations of a potent Adversary are terrible to a weak one he was observed by the Garrison and without more blows the Town capitulated and was surrendred Ap. 5 new stile Thus this City once the Metropolis and Capitall of the Brisgow at this present more glorious though not so strong as Brisack changed her Lord a City famous for the Academy famous for excellent Rock Chrystall some of it being of that bignesse that a cup therof containing two English quarts artificially ingraven and two doozen of Spoones were presented to Duke Bernhard famous for 20 rich and sumptuous Cloysters and lastly for the goodly church and tower of curious stone The conditions concluded at the surrendry which I would not have rehearsed but upon the occasion following were these That all the Priests should march away with the commander officers and souldiers That no Burger of what quality soever should depart That those which went away should have a convoy of horse c. The breach of the second article had like to have exposed all to the conquerors mercy A rich merchant was found in the waggons and thereupon the convoy pillaged them and brought both him and the rest backe as prisoners to Fryburg Thus captain Iohn Scot relates this accident but a letter directed to Rhinacker from duke Bernh the copy whereof I have seen both in French Dutch expresseth more take it thus abstracted Yours dated at Brisack April 6 16. I have received wherein you complaine of an abuse done to the garrison of Freyburg at their departure and desire a release of the prisoners belonging to your regiment A copy of the accord I have sent you here inclosed by which you may perceive that Colonel Esher the late Governor there brake it in the beginning first because in the articles he had no colours and standards yet he caused four to be caried away before the garrison Secondly the garrison should not pillage the towne yet he tooke away the townsmens horses plundered the cloysters and mounted the cavalliers which wanted horses upon the Burghers beasts Thirdly their desire to carry away some cattell was expugned and denied by us yet they attempted to drive away many Fourthly That such as had run away from our army with their horses and armes should abide therein yet contrary to the accord they were not onely concealed in the waggons their cloathes being changed and shuffled away over the wall but the Imperiallists got upon their horses and would have stollen them away and this caused a broile betwixt the convoy and the garrison and the reducement of the Caesarians to captivity It was a faire answer and relished as much of military justice as his after act did of grace he set them at liberty without ransom meekly blaming the convoy and advising Escher to use more sincerity in observing the tearmes of capitulation The city was wonne and now hee adviseth how to keepe it first hee layd into it the red Regiment with one captaine and officer of each company but having notice that the enemy with a powerful army was comming to furnish Brisack at which hee had an emulous eye with victuals he removed the Red Regiment and appointed Karosky to that province with a regiment of horse to scour the waies betwixt Fryburg and Brisack and another of foot to maintaine the city And now to omit his severall Campings and discampings which may puzzle cannot please the Reader we will set downe his and his Officers actions
Siege were 23 and many of them Spanish with the Armes and Names of the Kings of Spaine others affirme that there were many more left they left there also many barrels of powder and about three hundred Granadoes which made such spoyle within Fontarabie It is a divellish invention an instrument of warre weying about 150 pounds of Castile Iron three fingers thick with a narrow mouth fastened with knots cimented with toe and this knot lying higher the powder is moistned and wet that it may continue a time in the Aire before the report which afterwards recoyleth from the mouth which penetrating an house though it hath five floores it will passe through them all and pierce through the whole edifice and hath left the Bullet which is a little Morter with a large mouth like the Granadoes but narrow on the contrary extremity It is reported they cost 70 Duckets a piece The morning before the battell arrived to the French 4 or 5 Pinnaces loaden with White-meates Wine Sweet-meates daynties and necessary provision all which was left in the Field and gave our Army good refreshment In one of the Pinnaces were 6 pieces of Ordnance and amongst them one curious piece belonging to the Cardinall Richeleau The Fleete was onely in want of men most of them leaving the Sea to give the assault by land and it remaining at sea till the day of our Ladies Birth without a convenient tide if there we had had but a small Army by sea we had gained that also The Forts and Walls of Fontaraby were much ruinated especially a Curtaine called the Queenes which looked towards the Mountaine which being broken by twelve Mines the breach was so large that there was no difficulty to enter it and if wee had not erected a rampire or Countermure fortified and supported with timber which the demolished houses afforded wee could not well have held it The Artillery did no great damage to the wall but rather to the Parapelts on which the Battery was made in foure places by innumerable Cannon shot for there passed not a day naturall which consists of 24 houres wherein there were not accounted 1200 and the quantity of the great shot was such that as the French observed our Artillery was cloyed thereby and could not be of any use to us without new carriages We had not beene so well assured of the place had wee not beene assisted by the Women who were very cheerefull some helping to dig in our trenches others charging our Musquets with great expedition and bringing powder and shot in their lapps that we might discharge the oftner others apparrelling themselves in the habits of men having the courage to skirmish with the enemy wheresoever they should give the assault with greatest fury which we daily expected It is affirmed that the Marquesse of Veles encountred a noble Lady in that posture with her Musquet rest and white safeguard who seeing him said let not your excellency marvell for every day since the siege I have discharged two Musquets but this day more And immediately she discharged very gracefully his excellency shewing a respective remonstrance of Honour to her feminine valour The Inhabitants of Fonteraby were so feeble that it was an extraordinary griefe to behold for their houses for the most part were battered and unserviceable for use or shelter and they had not above two Quintals of powder having wasted 800. The French gained many places in Reutoria where onely were remaining but 15 houses The Covent of Monkes were halfe burnt ours scarce received any losse at all before some of the Fathers of Bayona came thither and when wee thought we had lost all God was pleased to offer us a meanes of restitution and by the great piety and affectionate devotion wherewith the Lord Admirall was pleased to honour us having vowed to reedifie and repair all the dammages of the Monasterie caused by destruction of the Buildings I presented my selfe to give thankes to his Excellency who assured me that he had acquainted his Catholique Majesty whom God preserve therewith and hath wrote earnestly to the Conde Duke praying that it might be put to his account to repaire the dammage which the Capuchins had received whereof his Majesty tooke notice and over and besides undertooke to provide some accommodations which were wanting to the said Fathers and we owe this noble Prince an extraordinary measure of respect for his favour towards a prisoner of our habit which was amongst the French for whom the Prince sent his Trumpetter to Bayon accompanied with two Fathers of our order The father Francis Barnard of Pompelona the Father Iuan of Loarra Thus farre this Capuchin who de facto relateth a truth though he may erre perhaps in the circumstances imputing that to feare which was in probability occasioned by faction as may bee gathered by the Consequents which are to bee remembred in our next Relation FINIS London Printed for Na. Butter and N. Bourne Feb. 6. 1639. With Priviledge