our men in that quarter where his menne fledde that he might repaire that winge broken and shamefully dispersed and to staye them that fledde and to turne them againe against the enimie But the souldiours of his gard knowing his extreme weakenesse tooke his horse by the bridle and would let him goe no farther But when he would haue set his hande to his swoord to haue rid himselfe out of their handes he perceaued that his armes and hands were as stiffe as a stone with the palsey whereof he conceaued so great griefe at the heart that leauing himselfe forward vpon the pommel of his saddle he lost his speach and neuer spake worde after but that shuld they â—o forward fatter the which was done but no farther then a man could cast a stone In the meane time the gaâ—d â—ooke â—â—â—king from his horse and layd him in his horselâ—â—ter where he gaue vpp the Ghost within halfe an houre after Yeâ— his death was subtilly dissembled they bruâ—ing thâ—◠〈◊〉 was layde downe to rest him But although the Christians vanquished in the first encounter yet the rest of the king of Mortugall his Armie knew not how to vse the victorie For because there was no man to commaund what was néedeful to be done or did send the bands of succours with aide they did suffer a goodly victorie to slip out of their hands When the Moores saw so great a discomsâ—ture was giuen by the enimies their onely horsemen neither was there any man that backed them they sent out a thousand Argolets and many other who made the Portugalls before victors to flye with that force that they running vpon the middle battaile of their footemen mightely disordered all the whole armie of the Christians The thing was done in the sight and presence of the king who through the counsaile of them about him was yet in his Coch but as soone as he sawe the flight and disorder of his men hee spéedely mounted on a horse strangely bardbed and accompanied with the Duke of Auero and other men of armes charged the enime But although he were carried against his enimies with that force and féese that he brake their araie againe yet because the armie of the Moores did not abandon the place those horsemen that were scarse fiue hundreth were forced to retire whom the Moores followed with such force that flying many of them they forced the rest to runne among their footemen with such hast that they ouerranne and troade to death a great number of their owne footmen and committed a miserable misorder and slaughter In the meane while all the forces of the Mahometan armie running downe from the hill began to charge the Christians with great violence In that conflict the Duke of Auero was slaine and many other noble and valiant men and also the horse of the king of Portugall was slaine but hée himselfe safe and vnhurt and the great ordenaunce which serued the Christians to no vse in this battaile was taken Now as touching the right wing of the Moores the souldiours thereof neuer ceased from the beginning of the battaile to powre downe showers of shot vpon the Christians yea and moouing out of their place but alwayes kéeping the croisant figure of their armie they beganne to inclose the Portugall armie and to charge the hindermest battaile of the side Wherefore the king who had mounted another fresh horse perceiuing that the hindermost battayle néeded succour taking with him fiue hundreth men of armes who hadde beene appointed for that purpose charged the third tune the Moores that were vnder Muley Hamet the brother of Abdelmelec whom he did so skarre that he forced them to giue ground more than halfe a league slaying many and scattering the rest But séeing he was alone and had no man that woulde follow him he was forced with great griefe and full sore against his will to retire to his armie for to beholde the sorrowfull sight of the entire discomfiture of his whole forces For the Moores in the lefte wing after they hadde taken the Ordenance of the Christians pursuing the victorie dyd also so discomfite those Christians that stoode néere to the banke of the riuer that they ranne vppon the forces of Muley Mahamet that stoode betwéene the Christians and the Riuer and made miserable spoile and slaughter of them yea and many of Mahamet his men ranne vppon the Christian troupes Muley Mahamet séeking to saue himselfe by flight as he would haue passed ouer at the foord of the riuer of Larisla which is myrie and moorish was cast out of the saddle by his horse that striued and struggeled to get out of the durt and beeing vnskilfull to swimme was drowned and perished in the riuer The victours Moores following the vanquished came to the warde of Muley Hamet the brother of Abdelmelec and there either slue or carried awaie prisoners the principall men of the Christians being inclosed and as it were brought into a pinfolde So then our men being thus enclosed on all partes and not hauing Gunnepouder for that through negligence had taken fire and was all consumed nor anie other thing to defende themselues or else had with indifferent slaughter as wel destroyed their owne fellowes as their enimies ranne awaie amaine so that through headlong and hastie flight one ranne vppon another and many were squised with the weight of horses running ouer them with a miserable slaughter For yée might sée the heapes of men troden downe and squised lye as thicke as sheafes of Wheate cast downe in a Barnes floure The enimies also that did insatiablie thirst for Christian bloud shotte off their Harquebusies thicke and thrée folde vppon them with whom they did hurt not a fewe of their owne men and foulie tare them But as for the eight thousand pikemen whome the Portugall had in the field séeing they did nothing else then leaue so many pikes for the barbarous enimie experience it selfe taught how little good they dyd in the battaile For when the King vsed them for so many harquebuziers whom he shuld haue sent against the enimie by taking them he deuised assured ruine for himselfe And although the Christian state was now become desperate yet the king of Portugal ceased not to indamage the enimie now in this quarter now in that being accompanied with no nto then seuen or eight souldiours of Tangar for the noble men gentlemen horsemen of Portugal were so cowardly and so delicate they say that many of them leauing their horses got them to shadowy places and vnder the shadow of the wagons for to coole themselues with this minde that when they saw all lost they might séeke to saue themselues by running awaye And so when they began to flye part on foote and part on horseback towards Arzill from whence they came the Moores folowed them with such violence speede and specially the horsemen who were yet fresh that they made a miserable slaughter of them Yet king Sebastian forsaketh not his
aboue a leage and a halfe when the vantcourers aduertised the Admirall that they had discouered on this side the water a great troupe of horse whome he hauing commanded them to assaile at a signall giuen as they did with assurance that himselfe would follow them at the héeles sodainlie the battaile which the Constable lead appeared at the side of a village The which being reported to the Admirall and afterward to the Prince they caused all their horsemen to set their launces vpright ranging their battailes within a good Culuerine shot of them Afterward séeing that their enimies came not forth they two went further with only Dandelut who had a third daie Ague was mounted on an hackney apparelled for all harnesse with a furred robe vntill they came to a place from whence they might easilie iudge who had the aduauntage of the place whereby they were perswaded that it was not for them to assaile the enimie whereas he was that is to wit at the head of a village betwéene Nogent and Lormay towardes the which place the Countrie séemed to be plaine but it was not so indéede but they must néeds go vp an hill and downe againe insomuch that the Prince to passe ouer his men and to auoide the furie of their artilerie wherwith all they were well furnished was forced to hasten his people to march so fast that he put them out of breath but because they marched slowlie they abid at the least thrée volées of their péeces which might make a great checke and affright the armie in the which not all men had their eares accustomed to the sound of such flutes Furthermore the armie Catholike did couer so great a compasse of ground that if they encountered in that place one part of them might compasse in and charge the Prince in the side and so by that meanes he being inclosed should bée at the mercie of his enimies These things being considred and presupposing also that the Catholikes were not verie sharplie set to fight a resolution was takeÌ„ to go directly for to lodge at Trion following the intention the they had when they departed froÌ„ Ormoy thether were the Marshals of the lodgings sent The better to represent vnto you one of the most renowmed battailes that euer was fought in this Realme I will first figure out vnto you the seate and qualitie of the place which afterward was embrued with the bloud of so many gallant men Afterward I will set as it were before your eies the estate and disposition wherein these two armies maintained themselues before during and after the conflict Which béeing done yée may easilie iudge to whom the aduantage of one so notable occurance ought to be giuen vpon the end of the league and leuell champains of Beause Nogent le Roy doth present it selfe to Normandie pretie néere to Dreux a little towne at the foote of an hill wherevpon stands a Castle of sufficient strength within the towne by the side whereof passeth the riuer a Countrie fertile well peopled betwéen the which two Countries that are separated by the course of Eure the which comming out of Beause for to water Chartres doth trauerie Noâ—mandie euen to Pont de L'arche below the same doth léese it selfe in the Seine the nurse of Paris is a couert of certaine woodes and a number of little Towneshippes of whome the Catholickes had alwaies to that daye kept the aduantages as they that séeing themselues stronger in footemen and weaker in horsemen then the Prince would not hazard ought but where the place did fauour footemen for lacke of whome the Prince was constrained to take a contrarie course The which was the cause that at his parting from Lormoy néere Nogent he had purposed to take Dreux more for to force the Catholickes to an open and generall fight then for the importaunce of the place where Sourdeual commanded with an hundreth light horse and fiue Ensignes of footemen But the Cheiftaines Catholickes followed him coasting alwaies within fiue or sixe leagues but holding their waye thorough countries so strong and such couerts that the Prince could not finde any possibilitie to encounter them but with his disaduantage And in the ende the Catholickes séeing occasions and meanes to preuaile in that countrie by reason of the great number of their footemen resolued for to fight and therefore the .xix. daye did set forward to get before the Protestants and if they could get to Dreux before the Prince there to offer him battaile at the head of the towne vpon an high péece of ground lodging in the village two great Bataillons of footemen which garded xiiii Canons placed and prest to play before them and a little before on the side a number of Enfans perdus whome they had chosen out of all the Regiments The two flankes of these Bataillons were two great troupes of horsemen for mutuall intersuccour of the footemen and horsemen as was best for their behoofe Moreouer they had chosen a place so fauourable that the Confederates could not charge neither th one nor the other but by one way of a xiiii or xv hundreth paces the which also the Herquebuzes Catholicke did no lesse scoure then dyd their Artillerie Also a little below they had a small vnwalled towne for to gard their baggage the Riuer of Eure néere to their back But being resolute hot to fight they aduanced themselues farther for to get betwen two Villages by a woods side with far greater aduantage then before Herevpon the Prince following his resolution begaÌ„ to turne head towards Trion shewing his right side to his enimies who perceuing the Argolets one esquadroÌ„ of Reisters to be a faire marke discharged vpon theÌ„ one volée of great Ordenance which did affraie them in such sort that almost all the Argolets ran awaye the Reisters tooke the way in a litle valley for to couer theÌ„ against the Canon shot Wherevpon Anna de Montmorency Constable of France general of that Armie taking occasion to goe to the charge for to ouerthrow break theÌ„ all intirely as he had assured many the his owne battel alone was more then sufficient for to ouerthrow all the Protestant Armie caused the principal of his troupes to come néere to him vnto whome he made such a like speach At the length my maisters friends I haue brought you within sight of our enimies who haue alwaies hetherto made semblance that they sought battel the which now they cannot flye but also with the losse thereof coÌ„sequentlie of all the rest the they haue possesse in France For whether ye be assailants or defeÌ„dants the aduantage is assured you as well for number of men that doubleth theirs for the order disposition of the Armie for the qualities of the armes furniture as also for the commoditie of the places which fauoreth vs in all sorts if they wil come to vs. Adde therevnto a thing more considerable that we doe maintaine
battaillon béeing charged at one end by the Admirall and the Battaillon of the Suisses that made the other ende by the Prince as I will tell you But as the troupes of the horsemen Protestant were seuered in diuerse small Battaillons of two or thrée companies Frenchmen with as manye or moe Reisters on their side so they made diuerse charges And to set the battaile abroach the Prince set forth out of a little valley wherevpon he marched and resolued to go to the charge because that the Artillerie of the Catholikes being well leuelled lighted among his bandes with great slaughter of good men as well of one Nation as of the other but in stead of going directlie against the auantgard Catholike which was farre from him hée left it on his left hand tourning head against the side of the esquadron of the Suisses which strenthened the end and vttermost side of the battaile of the Constable the which some went about to disswade him from as well because he should thereby leaue all the auantgard of the enimie whole who might charge him on the backe or side at their pleasure as also because his footemen tarried thereby behinde all naked and abandoned to the mercie of the rest of the Catholikes Moreouer seeing that he was the stronger in horsemen he ought not to assaile the footmen of the enimies who would of themselues either break or yéeld shortlie after if the horsemen of the Catholikes were defaited but the heate of the Prince pricked him forward to effects and inconueniences which yée shall sée For hauing assembled the principal chiefe men of the armie with the Marshall of Hessen and certaine other that vnderstoode French for to report afterward the substaunce of that hée shoulde saie vnto their Captaines and souldiers hée spake to this effect My companions and good friends if that I had not long time and namelie by the false alarme yesterdaie knowen your couragiousnesse and resolution to fight I woulde stretch out my selfe in discourses and remonstraunces as much as my leasure woulde permit for to represent vnto you your deuoire in an accident of so greate consequence as this is but the néerenesse of these tyrantes which doe attend vs without daring to attach vs and your determinate courages which are knowen vnto mée by so many feates of armes whereby ye haue alwaies gotten honour ouer your enimies doe dispense with me for saying of anie other thing vnto you but that time occasion meanes doe present themselues to daie more than euer héeretofore not onelie to make the fame of your valiance to runne throughout the whole world but that which is farre greater and iuster praise of so many paines passed and of the vertuous indeauour which you haue shewed in this action the rest and tranquilitie of your Gentlemanlie soules the enfranchisment of your bond consciences and the free exercise of your religion for maintenance whereof God yea the great God of Hosts hath assembled you héere out of so many Countries and quarters so that it is more than a worldlie hononour that yée ought to séeke for in the issue of this battaile although that you cannot want it as also yée shall gaine and get an incredible bootie of so many noble men who haue alwaies feared you and fledde your fight neither durst they now approch you in anie equall and indifferent manner but fortified on all partes for the iust distrust that they haue of their partie the feare of your approued prowesse But for the honor of God by whose secret motion wée bée incited to the defence of his holie name yée must assure your selues that hée will leade and guide you himselfe that hée will double the force and dexteritie of your arme and will in such sorte fauour your furious esfortes to the mischiefe of this rascall Papist which is nothing but a blowen bladder and a vaine bragger without heart or hardinesse so that yée hauing resolutelie charged broken dispoiled and slaine these men the rest of the runawayes will send vnto you the white paper for to permit you to liue as yée will your selues Haue not yée made them runne away in all parts of France Haue ye not couped them vp in Paris as it were foxes in their earthes Haue not ye beseaged and beate them so often in this the chiefe Citie of the world out of the which they durst not put their heads for feare of blowes doe ye think that they are now more hardie What other spurre doe you expect to prick you forward for to purchase their ruine then so many losses of your goods so many of your places ruined so many of your wiues so many of your daughters defiled so manie blasphemies so many denyings of the name of God Such and infinit other barbarous facts farre more detestable will be I doe assure my selfe a sufficient occasioÌ„ for you to grow in heart strength and diligence for to clense the world of such wicked soules This doth greatly gréeue mée that wée must blouddie our hands in the bodies of our cosins of our allies of our neighbours and good friends Our victorie cannot be but lamentable but theirs deadly and what ende so euer then counter shall haue it will rest pitifull to either of the two that shal be blessed and embraced with a good houre But because we must iudge of the desert of all actions by the vprightnesse of the occasions of them we haue a strong consolation in this that seeing the motife of these diuisions came of the ambition of the Triumuirate So beâ—â—â— Guys◠〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 CoÌ„â—â—â—â—â— we shall neuer be thought to haue caused much lesse to haue begunne these warres We haue neuer sought ought then to liue peaceably vnder the Edicts of our king On the contrarie side they armed themselues for to destroy and murder our poore bretheren at Vassy onely for this because they dyd pray vnto God according to the libertie which the king had caused to be published thoroughout his whole Realme Seing then that they would take our liues from vs what dishonour and punishable vilanie will that be not to vse meanes desensiue True it is that first nature then a certaine conformitie of maners entertained by certaine lawes which we doe call bandes politicke the spring of the amiable ciuilitie that goeth betweene man and man hath so allied vs that few doe hold them for friends But if that they degenerating from vertuous passions doe pursue vs as enimies we haue so much the more iust cause to estéeme them for such because the honor of God is the true and first foundation of their hatred for the maintenance whereof we ought to expose all that we haue and leaue vs nothing at all And for the rest assure your selues that a multitude of men assembled against the ordinance of God against right against all reason diuine humane shall neuer doe faire exploite vertue hath no sympathie with wickednesse So then kéepe your selues together without
remained sole Chiefeteine of the armie hauing caused halfe a score or a dosen péeces of Ordenance to be shot of for to assemble his people made all the hurt men to be sent into Dreux and all the dead that could be found to be buried Also the Ensignes that had bene wonne from the footemen of the Prince were brought vnto him which he sent afterward to Paris in signe of victorie because the field was left vnto him On the other side the Admiral being at Neufuille hauing but slenderly rested giuen order to all that was possible assembled all the Captains aswel Frenchmen as Reisters that he could vnto whome for to encourage them to an intiere assured victorie he proposed the hope of certaine victorie if that at the very breake of the daye the next morning they would charge their enimies whome he knew were in great feare hauing lost their two principall Chiefeteines and their horsemen being for the greatest part slaine and the rest very much scatered insomuch that they should scarcely finde an hundreth horses together as he also learned by certaine souldiours prisoners that had escaped and came backe to the Campe last night Wherevnto the Reisters made aunswere that his counsell was verie couragious and good but that it was impossible for them to execute it many of their horses being hurt and the other tired besides that many of their people were yet dispersed with a good part of their Wagons the which they would not léese and that they must néedes mend and repaire their pistolles So by this meanes was that enterprise broken of Yet neuerthelesse they went foorth the next day in battaile araie out of the village and marched a litle way ouer against the quartier of the Catholickes where he tarried about an houre considering the countenaunce of his people and for to reuoke as manie of his men as he could that had bene scattered in the wood and in the ende seeing himselfe out of hope to be followed for to beginne againe the fight drew directly to Gallardon and the next day being the xxi hauing left by the way one of his great peeces to wit a Couluerine which was mired but afterward waied vp and carryed away by them of Chartres he lodged at the village of Arneau where he was chosen Generall of the armie in the absence of the Prince And from thence into Beausse and Salogne and from hence into Normandie to méete with the English winning many townes in those parts As Guyse tooke Estampes and was faire for Orleans when he was slaine by Poltrot wherevpon ensued a peace ¶ The Battaile of Sainct Gemme in Poitou fought in Anno. 1570. betweene la Noue a Protestant and Puygaillard a Catholick Out of Popelliniere PVygailliard who hadde bene sent into Poitou by the King with an Armie of about 4000 men for to impeach the roades of the Protestants of Rochell Marans other places thereabouts into Poitou built a Fort at Luson where the ordinarie and vsuall wayes met for to stop their passages and placed therein a great garrison vnder the gouernment of Mascaron with promise assured that he would succour him if he happened to be beséeged as in déede he was shortly after by la Noue Puuiant with all their forces which might be foure Cornets and eleuen Ensignes with 300 Lansquenets commaunded by Colonel Hector Reilen and Frederick Vuis his Ensigne bearer and thrée péeces of Ordenance hoping to winne it before that Puygailliard could bring thether his forces that were disperced thorough Niortois and high Poitou But the Fort was not so soone beséeged but that Puygaillard being aduertised by Mascaron as well of the desseines number and power of the Protestants as also of their incōmodities assembled his forces assuring himselfe that the meane that presented it selfe was more then pregnant for to shaue la Noue his beard as many gallants gabled He had nine companies of Ordenances and light horse his owne those of Malicorne de Bouile the gouernour of Nantes whom his Ensigne Castemer led certaine other all French with two of Italians one that Iulio Centurio led the other of Charles Birague which had Brandy his leuetenant thrée regiments of footemen to wit one of the late Counte de Brissac whereof Captaine la Rade then absent was chiefeteine and the regiment of Strossy the Colonel general of the French footemen and that which Magarin an Italian Sergent Maior led all olde souldiors of the kings garde consisting of 18. or 20. Ensignes in all He had other troupes but that he made such hast that he might enclose the Protestants betwéene Marans and Luson that he had not leasure to assemble them And the spéede that he vsed in the march was so extréeme that he made them trauaile on the way two dayes and a night without eating or drinking but verie little nor resting but a verie short time at Fontenay and almost onely so long as their baggage was in laying vp being left there that they might march more spéedely and orderly But before I doe goe any farther I thinke it expedient to giue you a topographie and describe not onelie the place were the battaile was fought but also the Countrie and the quarters néere aboutes as well to represent vnto you more plainelie the most memorable perticulars of so famous a fight as also for to make you vnderstand the better that which I haue sayde before of the fort of Luson and the waies of Poitou The Catholikes then came from Fontenay straight to Saint Gemme from whence to Luson is a good halfe league and the fight was more néere to Saint Gemme from thence going forth right there are two tuffes of woode to whome doe adioyne a great quarter of woode cut downe Betwéene the two woodes are vines which doe continue and stretch béeing separated by hedges and great bushes euen almost to Luson both on the right and the lefte side vnlesse it bée in thrée or foure places where bée certaine plaines laide out for the sowing of Corne as one comes from Fontenay to Saint Gemme néere to Nalliers the waie parteth it selfe into two the one waie goeth straight into Nalliers and from thence to Saint Gemme the other leaues Nalliers on the right hand and after it hath cut crosse ouer many quarters of vineyards and many plaine fields some marshes at the last it comes out againe into the great waie of S. Gemme vnto Luson whereof I will speake vnto you anone for by reason of it the Protestants did order their battaile otherwise than else they would haue done Puygalliard that did not beléeue that the smal number of Protestants wold present themselues vnto his old bands in a plaine yet séeing that they were come forth deuised how he might force them to a generall fight for that intent setting forward with his troupes with all spéede towards Saint Gemme he sent the Italians and Albanoises for to kéepe the passage of Moreilles for to cut off their waie
that led Roussiere prisoner whome they recouered and sent him to Puygaillard who was so ioyfull thereof that this incouraged him more to hasten his companies for to folow the luck of so good a beginning And vpon this making all his people to assemble vnder their Ensignes he placed in the front one of the companies of the kings gard to serue for Enfans perdus to skirmish with the formost of the Protestants vnder the fauour of the hedges and bushes that I haue described vnto you before As the footemen ranged themselues to march in battaile the horsemen came péece by péece and man after man to be at the medley whome he deuided into two hedges within a fielde néere to the vale of Erant directly lying betwéene Saint Gemme and Luson But afterward séeing that from that place he discouered not his enimie enough he made them passe on the left hand of the way for to enter into a Viniard which stoode almost ouerright directly against that valley where the footemen hadde encamped themselues But by reason of the diches that they must needes passe with whome I haue alreadie tolde you the most part of the way is enclosed to kéepe those that passe by that they come not into the Vines they were forced to make their horses leape ouer the dike one after an other and in like order afterward to put themselues in battaile as they ariued one after an other in a row at the place appointed the which the horsemen of the Protestants who were alreadie in battaile marked and séeing the Catholickes as it were to rise out of the groūd before them would not giue leasure to aboue sixe or seuen score horses to take range of battaile and to put themselues in estate of defēce but that they charged them before they were all assembled and in aray for the reencounter while in the meane time the footemen of the Catholikes ranged themselues also by little and little vnder their Ensignes towards the vally Eraut where I doe praie you leaue them all to take range of battaile that you may sée the disposition that in the meane time the Protestants gaue to all their companies for to sustaine the assaile of Puygaillard or according to occasion to charge to their aduantage The dawning of the daie approching beganne to chase awaie the thicke darknesse of the night when the scoutes of Puuiant aduertised la Noue that Puygaillard not willing to rest at Saint Gemme made his footemen to march forward a great pace on the lefte hand and his horsemen directlie to Luson and that he heard the noise of the formost that marched in battaile without the Borough which was the occasion that he set Puuiant in the front with fortie horses and before him la Roch with fiftéene or sixtéene horsemen and yet farther before Saint Estienne with thirtie helmet men and certaine Harquebuziers leauing at his backe twentie horsemen that Bruncliere lead Afterward he ordered the rest of the armie at leasure The footmen whereof were quicklie ranged in battaile vnder the charge of their Colonell Payet at the foure wayes of the Mill Chapitre flanked by the troupe of Soulize to whose side la Noue sent those horsemen that he himselfe woulde leade Héere was the grosse of the armie which la Noue caused to encampe in that place as well to supplie the necessitie of succour that Puuiant might craue as for to couer and hide the plaie and to kéepe the besieged stronglie in breath to the end that hée might take from them the knowledge of the armie that Puygaillard hadde brought and consequentlie to impeach them from issuing out vppon the taile of the Protestants whilest they fought with other Catholikes in front as Hambal dyd a Tesin against P. Scipio whome hée put to flight by reason that he had sent certaine Numidians to charge him in the taile during the battaile And without doubt all things séemed to laugh on Puygaillard if that fortune had not ouerthwarted the course of his desseines for he should neuer haue put him selfe betwéene two enimies although the Protestants were few Sée what hapned to the Fidenates that had put themselues betwéene Mamercus Aemilius the Dictator Quintius his Lieuetenant for they were wholie broken Lykewise Aluian the Generall of the Pisans was vnhappie because hée béeing assailed at Saint Vincent by Bentiuogli the Generall of the Florentines on the Front on the side and behinde sawe all his whole armie defaited These troupes were not so soone set in araie but that the Enfans Perdus aduanced in two bands without the bodie of the foot men in number of 100. or 120. harquebuziers lead by the Captaines Normand la Garde had the signall to charge almost at the verie same time that Puuiant and Saint Estienne were at the charge Now sée the forme of the battaile Puuiant who lead the greatest part of the forces of Poitou had distributed all his troupes in forme of an hedge by reason of the small number of his men Moreouer his troupes did not follow one another straight but as it were bias to the ende that all his troupes might bée séene within the waie of Fontenay fearing that Puygaillard woulde cause some of his troupes to march along that side to giue them the flanquado In the meane time Puygaillard set his men in araie and made the more hast because it was tolde him that the Protestants came to séeke him I haue tolde you before that betwixt Saint Gemme and Luson there is nothing but Vines enclosed with hedges and thicke bushes and certaine large plots of plaine ground which are seuered from the waie the which is straight and forth right and of a good largenesse and flanked on both sides with like defences Hauing set one front of Enfans perdus behinde those hedges and in certaine ditches and chanells that are there and namelie behinde the bushes of certaine vines separated one from another by a plaine field the which is leuell inough hée made one regiment to aduance into the valley Eraut and set the rest of the footemen more on the left hand of Saint Gemme hée would haue flanked them with horsmen but he had no leasure to doe it as I will tell you You haue séene the desseines the number the iourney the conduct and disposition of the two armies for to fight now it resteth for you to beholde what was the charge the medlie the pursuite and the flight of the lesse happie and how the victorious followed their good houre I sent Saint Estienne otherwise called young Violle-uigne followed by their helmet men to the front of the Protestants armie As soone as he sawe the Catholikes range themselues in battaile one after another in a rowe he aduertised la Noue who rightlie presuming that if Puigaillard had time and leasure to order all his troupes that he might carie awaie the honour of this battaile gaue the word of S. Estienne and commanded him to go resolutelie to the charge to
enimies and in such sort he kept his enimie continuallie occupied with alarmes and skirmishes vntill such time as Colonell Mondragon ariued with a new supplie the which Lodouicke vnderstanding retired a little and withdrewe his armie to the towne of Walkenbourg where the 18. of March Sanchio Dauila vsing a stratageme flue aboue 500. of his enimies Wherevppon they retired wholie into the towne fearing that their armie that consisted almost of all fresh water souldiers although they were moe in number yet would bee broken by the kings armie who were olde souldiers and farre better experimented in exploites of warres and namelie in supprises embusses and camisadoes And when Lodouicke sawe that by reason of the resistance that was made against him it was impossible for him to come vnto his brother nor to passe ouer the Meuse in that quarter he made semblance as though he would returne backe againe into Germanie and to that effect remoued his campe But Sanchio Dauila doubting that he wold passe the riuer lower because a long time he heard no newes of him caused his armie to dismarch the which with the regiment of Mondragon was 4000. or 5000. men and as he marched a long the riuer side to kéepe the passage he vnderstood of treason within the towne of Nieumegen and how that those within would yéeld vnto Comte Lodouick that he might passe ouer there Wherefore to preuent that enterprise he incontinentlie thrust a garison into the town and continuallie followed his enimie vntill such time as he was aduertised that the Earle woulde fortefie himselfe not far froÌ„ a small village called Moken two leagues from the kings campe by the riuers side The Earle had chosen this place because he sawe that his purpose of taking Nieumegen was discouered and also that hée might enter into Flandets vpon the first occasion that should be presented vnto him Betwéene his campe and his enimies there was a riuer without a bridge which kept the Catholiks from comming vnto him But Sanchio Dauila to bring his iourney to an end and that he might léese no time marched to Graue a towne in the confines of Brabant where he caused a great bridge to bée made with all possible spéede of many Botes and Barkes by the which he passed the riuer in the sight of the Earle and encamped himselfe in his enimies quarter When the Earle sawe this he remoued his campe towards night néerer to Moken not being minded to fight and stronglie fortefied his campe To whom Dauila gaue many alarmes that night fearing least they would steale awaie priuelie in the darke The next morning both armies stoode aranged in araie of battaile and the Trumpets called to the encounter Then Sanchio to léese no time caused a certaine number of harquebuziers with 100. pikes in the manner of an esquadron to back them for to assaile the enimies their trenches al the rest of the armie standing to look what the enimie their horsemen would doe This esquadron gaue in lustelie on the enimie who also receiued them couragioussie but were at the length broken and their trenches wonne vpon them many of the Earles footemen crying out monie monie and refusing to fight for lacke of pay Lodouicke being rather chafed than affrighted with this vnlooked for and sodaine flight and trecherie of his footmen couragiouslie charged the enimie whom this good happe at the beginning had made hot with his horsemen who also after many hadde solde their liues déerelie were in the end forced to giue place to the force of their enimie and to saue themselues by flight But the thrée noble men Christopher Lewes and Henrie refusing to saue their liues with shame honourablie ended their daies in the battaile When the Spaniardes shoulde haue prosecuted the good fortune of this battayle they fell to mutenie for their wages and two thousand of them forsaking their Ensignes and Captaines hasâ—ed to Antwerpe for to extort from the wretched citizens 35. monethes pay for themselues and their fellowes And also the kings fléete that lay in the Hauen being affrighted with this fray got them farther from the towne wher they were sodainly assailed by the Flissingers and all either taken or sunke So that the Spaniards hadde not a shippe of seruice left them in the low countries and in that predicament doe continue euen to this day ¶ The Battaile of Giblou in Brabant fought betwene Don Iohn de Austria and Mounsieur de Gugny Generall of the armie of the States in the absence of the Comte de Lalaing In An. Do. 1578. the last of Ianuarie DON Iohn de Austria Gouernour of the low Countries not long after he had sent out of the countrie all the forreyne forces and the States of the Countries fell so at two pieces that he for feare of being supprised couertlie vnder an other colour withdrew himselfe out of Brabant and fortunately thorough the practise of the Comte Barlemont and his valiant sonnes who almost onely of the nobilitie fauoured him supprised the Castell of Namur a place of great consequeÌ„ce for the recept of forraine forces and entrance into Brabant After he had furnished this towne and castell with all necessaries he went into the Duchie of Luxenburg the which onely prouince continued in his obedience there to expect men and money from the King who still fauored him and also other aides The Comte Barlemont leuied a regiment for him in Loraine and the Comte Mondraquert an other in Luxembourg also xix companies were sent him out of the Countie of Bourgogne and Charles Manfelt sonne to Peter Comte Mansfelt and gouernour of Luxembourg brought him 7000. Frenchmen also the dismissed Spamards who were not yet gone out of Italie accompanied and encreased with certaine Italian troupes leuied and ledde by the Prince of Parma Octauio Gonzaga and other were returned that he hadde now about 16000. footemen and 2000. horsemen With the which power he marched towards Namur for to make head against the great armie of the States that lay not farre from Namur winning wasting and harrying all euen to the gates of the towne And it was Don Iohns good happe to enter into Namur with 78. men the verie same night that the armie of the States whether because their cheife Captaines were retyred to Bruxelles or by reason of the colde weather for it was Ianuarie or because the souldiours demaunded their paye or for all three causes began to remoue their Campe to trusse vp their baggage to retire their artillerie and to doe other such things as in warres doe giue suspition of feare Don Iohn meruailing thereat issued out of the towne with the Prince of Parma and Octauian Gonzaga the Generall of the horsemen for to view the Campe of the enimie who came as we told you before euen to the gates of the Towne and all thrée went vp vpon a little hill from whence they might well discerne all that passed and then returning into the towne sent for the Maire and the
counsaile of the towne for to consult what was best to be done In the ende it was determined that the Colonell of the companies of Bourgogne called the manne of Gibrao should issue out at one gate with one thousand Harquebuziers of his Regiment and the Counte Reux with as many at an other for to skirmish with the enimies on two sides not onely to the entent to assaie their forces but also to take some of them prisoners of whome they might learne what the enimie was minded to doe When the Souldiours were thus issued out the enimie receaued them in suche sorte that Don Iohns men were forced to retyre â—ncontinentlie with some litâ—le losse but yet neuer the lesse with two prisoners the which was it that they dyd desire by whome they knew that the armie was conducted and gouerned by the Lord de Gugny in the absence of the Conte Lalaing that they had charge to retire themselues that night vnto the towne of Giblou néere Louuaine and that for this effect the artillerie had alreadie begunne to march and they dyd also particularly declare many other things that were enquired of them When Don Iohn vnderstoode this he caused the men of armes that were there abouts to be assembled and at the breake of daye he found there eight Coronets of horsemen Italians and Spaniards together with whome Don Iohn issued out of the towne with intent onely to take a view of his enimies or to giue them some skirmish as they had done the day before The enimie that saw him conte with this troupe of sixe huÌ„dreth men stayed although they were in march and shewed them their faces they aranged theyr troupes and placed a good part of their best souldiours who were Frenchmen in an embush betwéene trées that grew there Then afterward they did set the horsemen on the left hand of their esquadron and the front was all of Mosquetayres in such sort that the arriereward came to make the auantgard and with it ioyned the battaile because that the auantgard hauing begun to march forward galantly could not come in good time The Lord of Gugny shewed great valoure and industrie in setting in array such an Armie within so short a time séeing he dyd dispose it so well as though he had had long time to haue done it and in such sort as if it should haue encountred with a great armie He composed his rereward which was first to be charged reenforced as wel with mosquetaires as with six thousand horse of thrée companies of braue valiant French footemen and xxiiii companies of Walons who were two regiments the one gouerned by the Conte de Eghmont and the other by the Conte de la March otherwise called the Lord of Lumay He had in the battaile xiii companies of English men and Scottes and two other regiments of Flemings the Colonels of whom were the Counte de Bossu and the Lord of Champagnie In the auantgard were the regiments of the Lord Montignie and the Lord de Heze both which regiments were either of them of ten or twelue companies and euerie companie had 150. men They had also besides many other Gentlemen that serued on their owne charges in hope of aduancement The kings campe séeing this good diligence entertained them still by little and little making a stand as they that had neither forces nor intent to ioyne in battaile with their enimies vntill such time as a Captaine of a companie of Italian horsemen called Mutio aduanced himselfe a little forward with his companie béeing followed of some few souldiers and so betwéene the one and the other there beganne a skirmish when the kings men had so valiantlie charged and ventured so farre that it séemed verie hard and dangerous for them to returne backe and to retire by reason that the Frenchmen and the mosquetaires shewed by their first furie great resistaunce and gaue an honourable charge on the Spaniards but with little damage the Prince of Parma séeing this buckled down his helmet and taking his shéelde made a shew as though hée would encounter them hauing lefte the footemen at a corner of the horsemen who were seauen hundreth men and nine Ensignes of the Ordinaunces euerie Esigne of fiftie men of arms and an hundreth and fiftie archers whom wee doe call light horse The intent of Don Iohn was nothing lesse than to fight considering as wée haue tolde you the small number that hée had but hée made semblance that hée would doe it staying for mo of his people for his whole armie followed that hée might retire safelie But when the Prince of Parma that was formost in the field with a valiant knight called the Lord of Billy otherwise Colonell Robles aduanuced to encounteâ— and charge his enimies they siedde at the first reâ—â—counter without anie resistance and flying they ouerranâ—â—â—â—d desâ—â—ted the esquadron of their owne footâ—â—â—â— which were in the waie that they shoulde passe And 〈◊〉 meane time the people of Don Iohn being come in followed the horsemen that fled and perfected the defait of the esquadron and slue still following the victorie vntill they draue them into Giblow Besides those that were slaine there were taken prisoners about foure hundred souldiours and of the principall Captaines aboue thirtie among whom was the Lord of Gugny who was taken by the verie same souldiour that at another time had taken him in the towne of Antwerpe They gained 70. Ensignes of footemen and many Cornets of horsemen and all the monie that they had to paie the souldiours good store of munition and sixe peeces of artillerie After this Don Iohn diuided his armie into two partes and sent the one vnder the conduct of Signeur de Hierges to Bouinges whether the Frenchmen and certaine Almanes were fied he himself went with the other vnto Giblou whether the noblest and best of his enimies their armie were retired Who considering the present furie and the small hope that they had of succour yeelded them selues to the mercie of Don Iohn who chose amongst them twelue of the best to remaine prisoners whome he sent to the Castle of Namur for to exchange for other if occasion required the rest he sent awaie with a sticke in their hande without anie weapon vnto the estates and yet neuerthelesse amiablie receiued them that would turne to the kings sernice The Lord Hierges did as much to Bouinges for after that the artillerie had made a brech those within neuer staied assault but yéelded the next daie in the morning with the same conditions that they of Giblou did were vsed in like sort There were slaine saith Dinoth in this iourney on the states their side 10000. and but ten men on the victours part After this ourthrow Don Iohn tooke Louaine Tilemont Arescot Sichenen Diest Spie Niuelle Philippe ville and the whole Dutchie of Limburg The battaile of Couwenstein dike neere Antwerpe fought betweene Alexander Prince of Parma and Monsieur de Haultan the Admirall of Flissing
good indifferent greate many of them that serued without paie other authors doe make the number of them two thousand So then Don Iohn de Austria the Admirall Generall of the league Marke Antonie de Colonna the high Admiral of the Popes power Sebastian Veneri the Admirall of the Venetian forces consulted what was best for them to attempt there were also present at this consultation the great Comendador of the knights of Malta Ascanio de Cornia Andrew Doria Augustine Barbarigo Marke Quirino Antonio Canali the Secretarie of the Venetians with the Scribe and sometime also the Princes of Vrbine and Parma Paulo Iordano Orsino the Marques de Sant Cruz other among whom Ascanius de Cornia after he had heard many mens opinions spake to this effect For two or thrée causes onelie most Honourable may a Generall with honour refraine to ioyne in battaile with his enimie Of whome the first is if hée shall gaine lesse profite by the fruite of the victorie than hée maye feare detriment if hée happe to bée ouerthrowen whereof take this example When the Duke of Guyse not many yéeres agoe had inuaded the kingdome of Naples the Duke of Alua had done vnwiselie if hée would haue giuen him battayle for the French could haue lost no more in that battayle than their armie but if the victorie had inclined to the French partie wée dyd leese with our armie the kingdome of Naples too The second is if he doe vnderstand that his enimies armie will bée broken and scattered without fight whereof the inuincible Emperour Charles the fift your Highnesse his Father of sacred memorie maye bée an example For when hee made warres against the Protestants in Germame he wold neuer ioyne in battaile with them because hée vnderstood that their armie would bée dispearsed without battaile neither could the strength of that league long indure and continue Finallie for a third cause may a Generall shunne battaile if he doe know that his power is so much inferiour to his enimies that hée can in no wise hope for victorie But most Honourable none of the former causes dubtlesse can moue vs for although the losse of this Nauie of the Christians bée a matter of verie great consequence as some haue sayde before mée and that wée doe graunt that the victorie will fall on our enimies side yet notwithstanding if wée do fight valiantlie as it becommeth vs it is likelie also that their Nauie will bée so sore shaken and spoiled that it cannot bée easilie and lightlie repaired by the Turke neither againe are our Princes of so small strength that they shall not bée able to repaire our power at the least as much as shall bée sufficient for to defend their owne But if that we doe obtaine the victorie then whereas wée may hope for other greater matters than speciallie the enfranchisement of Greece Moreouer the which we ought chiefelie to consider and holde for a certaine as I haue often admonished also héeretofore that we can doe nothing neither with this present power neither with anie other that shall bée supplied vnto vs hereafter nor doe anie thing of moment agaynst the Turkes except that we haue first desaited and broken their Nauie But that it will be dispearsed through wearinesse or lacke of things necessarie we cannot hope but rather our enimies may promise themselues the same of vs. Séeing then that our power is now so great that we may hope for victorie in battaile mine opinion is that in anie wise wée ought to fight neither is this present occasion in anio ease to be let slippe But whether our forces be so great as theirs that in déede is to be considered The forces consist as farre as I can conceiue in men and in gallies As for the men yea although they be such as it hath sayd before me that is to wit that the Spaniardes and Italians are for the greater parte fresh water Souldiours and of small experirience and also that the Almanes are of small seruice in Sea fight and that there is but a small number of Harquebuziers amonge them yet I doe not see howe our enimies can by anie meanes be in this point better furnished both by reason of the great plague that we doe vnderstand raged and raigned in their nauie the last yéere and also because they are forced to haue a great armie in Ciprus But now of the greatnesse of their Nauie we doe heare diuerse reportes so that I cannot pronounce of certaintie whether that ours bée the greater of the smaller For séeing I am smallie experimented in sea affaires I cannot tell with how many or how great common gallies and Foists of the Turkes our great Gallies may bee matched wherefore I will leaue the iudgement of these things vnto other This onelie I doe pronounce and thinke that wée must trie fortune for warre matters cannot so be managed but that fortune may doe much in them Therefore let vs departe hence with this Fléete and saile either towards Brindisi or Corfu for when wée shall bée so néere our enimies wée shall bée able to vnderstand some certaintie of their state and thereby take aduise and vnlesse some difficultie of getting victualls doe let I doe thinke it better that we saile to Corfu than to Brindisi because the enimie must néeds passe that waie when he saileth into the Leuant But before wée doe departe hence I doe thinke that wée must first and chiefelie doe one thing and that is fullie and assuredlie to determine with our selues that wée must fight and let this bée the firme and fixed resolution of vs that whensoeuer wée shall light vpon our enimies that wée will assaile them and to this ende let all thinges bée before hand disposed and ordered For if wée goe hence doubtfull then wée shall bée forced to take aduice at the verie instant and if wée doe chaunce to fall vpon our enimies on a sodaine wée béeing out of order and vncertain what to do shall easilie bée ouerthrowen and scattered And these are the things most Honourable that I doe thinke wée ought to doe but yet so that I will willinglie subscribe to them of more skill When Cornia had made an ende of his spéech all men assented to that he had sayd for they being forced by necessitie did vnderstād that this was the onely way to doe wel for to set vppon the enimie couragiously when occasion should be offered Wherefore Don Iohn that he might omit nothing that dyd beséeme a good Generall commaunded what euery man should doe afterward and how and in what order they should goe foorth He deuided all the Nauie into foure battailes that is to wit two winges a middle battaile which they called the fight and secret succours In the eight wing were 53. Galleies vnder the conduct of Iohn Andrew Doria and they had a gréene flagge in the toppe of the mast The left wing consisted of the like number of galleies and were ledde by Augustine Barbarigo with a yelow
flagge in the starre-bord side of the mast The middle battaile wherein were 61. galleies dyd the General himselfe Don Iohn gouerne and he had a blew or skye couler flagge These thrée battailes consisted of 161. Galleies and were so enstructed that the middle battailes with the two winges on either side néere to it went forth with equall pace one neither before nor behinde an other but the winges were so farre distant from the middle battaile that thrée or foure gallies might be put into that voide space betwéene them the which was left to that ende that euery one of the battailes might turne themselues as vse and profit should require Aluares de Basan the Marques de Sancta Cruz commaunded ouer the battaile of succour whose flagge was white borne in the puppe But this battaile had 38. galleies of whome eight vnder their Cheifteine Iohn de Cordona went about 20. or 25. miles before all the fléete for to descrie and had in commaundement for to signifie vnto the fléete by swift fragats what they had séene or found but if they should descrie so great a number of Shippes that they suspected it to be the Nauie of the enimie then they should retire to the rest of the fléete and foure of them succour the left winge and so many with Cordona the right The great galleies that are called Galeazes and were set about halfe a mile before the middle battaile and the winges and Antonie and Ambrose Bragadini had the conduct of the two that went before the left wing and the two that went before the middle battaile were gouerned by Iames Guory and Antonie Duodi and they that went before the right wing were commaunded by Andrew Pisauro and Peter Pisano But euerie one of the Galeazes were almost a mile one from another that they might after a sorte protect and gouerne the whole Fleete and because they that were not so easilie rowed with oares as the rest of the Gallies the high Admirall Generall had commaunded that if the winde did not serue for them to sayle that then they shoulde be towed by other Galleyes whereof he had distrivuted the charge to certaine Captaines for he himself Colonna had taken vpon them to tow with theyr Galleies the Admiral Galeaze of Frances Duodi had committed the Galeaze of Iames Gori to Sebastian Veneri to Christopher Leyni the Galeaze of Andrew Bragadini to Augustine Barbarigo the Galeaze of Antonie Bragadini to Antonie Canali the Galleaze of Andrew Pisauro to the Prior of Messina and the Galleaze of Peter Pisano to Iohn Andrew Doria The high Admirall Generall hadde chosen a place for himselfe in the verie middest of the battaile and was garded on the right side with Antonie Colonna the Admirall of the Popes Nauie and on the lefte with Sebastian Veniero the high Admirall of the Venetian Nauie And Colonna was strengthned on the other by the Admirall Galley of Genowayes whereof Hector Spinola was Captaine and hee had with him the Prince of Parma and Venerio was also defenced on the lefte side with the Admirall Galley of Sauoy of whome Leyni had the gouernment and she also carried the Prince of Vrbine But behinde at the puppe the Admirall Generall Colonna and Venerio had the Galley called the Prince of Spaine and also the Galley of the greate Commendador of Castilia The right side of the middle battayle where it was separated from the wing dyd the Admirall of Malta commanded by the Prior of Messina close vp but the lefte side the Captaine of Peter Lomelyno vnder the gouernement of Paulo Iordano Orsino At the right wing Iohn de Corclona had ioyned himselfe to the side of Doria In the lefte wing Augustine Barbarigo had on the one side Marke Quirini and on the other Canali But in all the battayles Galleyes of the king of Spaine of the popes and of the Signories of Venice were blended together without distinction These things being dispatched the high Admirall Generall commanded all the Captains and Maisters of the Gallies that they should do their best for to see that al those vnder their charges did leade a godlie and holie life for therby it would not come to passe that God speciallie in so iust a cause woulde help them in that they went about Things being thus ordered they departed from Messina the sixtenth of September being Sundaie hauing sent the shippes for burthen the daie before vnder their Captain Iohn Dauolos and vpon sundrie occurrents and occasions went to diuerse places in the kingdome of Naples and then backe againe to Palermo in Sicile and from thence to sundrie places in the Isle of Corfu and then to port Gomenizearo a great safe hauen on the continent Here because the weather was cloudie and they had no good windes they thought good to suruey their Nauie that if anie thing lacked they might prouide it and the same night ariued there Gildas Andrada and Iohn Baptista Contarini who had giuen in as far as Zante had learned that the 28. of September the enimie was in the gulf of Patras their Nauie was in ill case for about ten of their Foists small gallies with the Moceniga Constantina ships for burthen carrying sicke men the which was yet afterward found to be false were gone toward Modone the which newes made all our men growe in heart and courage and excited them to pursue the enimie But yet the aduerse tempest continued still wherefore the high Admirall commaunded the first of October that all things shoulde be layde vp in their places and the next daie hee tooke a generall muster and spoiled foure Galleies of all their souldiours and equippage that he might furnish the rest the better The sixt of October the winde was layde wherefore they ioyfully launched out of Port Gomenizearo and had their Nauie thus particularly distributed and their battailes thus arranged In the Battaile that went before the rest of the fleete to descrye were these Galleies and their Captaines Galleyes Captaines 1 The Saint Magdalene of Venice Marco Contarini 2 The Sunne of Venice Vincent Quirino 3 The Vice Admirall of Sicile  4 The admirall of Sicile Iohn the Cardona the Admiral of the Sicilian flett of Dauid Imperiali 5 The Admirall  6 The S. Ioānica of Sicile  7 Saint Catherine of Venice Marco Ciconia 8 The Our Ladie of Venice Peter Frances Malipetrol ¶ In the left Wing The names of Galleies The names of Captaines 1 The Admirall of Venice Augustin Barbarigo the high and chiefe Prouiditore of the Venetian fleete 2 The Admirall of Venice Antony Canali Prouiditore also of the Venetian fléete 3 The fortune of Venice Andrew Barbarioo 4 The Archer of Naples Martin Pyrola 5 The treble hand of Venice George Barbarigo 6 The double Dolphin of Candie Frances Zeno. 7 The Lion and Phenix of Cania Frances Mengano 8 S. Nicholas of Cherso Colanes Drasi 9 The victorie of Naples Occauo Rocardi 10 The Lomelina Augustine Coneuali 11
5 Aligan Assan These were also Foistes 6 Cus Ali. These were also Foistes 7 Giuzel Ali. These were also Foistes 8 Curtat Celebin These were also Foistes 9 Dely bey 10 Sandagy Memy this was also a Foist 11 Dardagno Reis and he had an Admirall foist of Constantinople 12 Deli Dorni and he had a gallie 13 Caidar Memi the gouernour of the Isle of Scio. 14 Shetagi Osman These had Foists 35 Haeder These had Foists 16 Delius Heder These had Foists 17 Armat Memi These had Foists 18 Susan Reis These had Foists 19 Giafer Bey 20 Cabil Sinam his was a foist 21 Amurat Reis These were foists 22 Sariogy Grafer These were foists 23 Mor Ali. These were foists 24 Piali Murat and this was a small Gallie 25 Caragiali Rais. These were Foists 26 Murat Alius These were Foists 27 Iumez Alius These were Foists 28 Assan Sinian a Gallie of Constantinople 29 Bostagi Murat a Foist 30 Deli Suliman This was an Admirall Gallie of Constantinople The Nauie being distributed in this manner they lanched forth the seauenth of October and came to the coast of Galanga two houres before Sunne set and there they stayed But our men because they had decréed to fight determined with common consent to depart out of hand from the vale of Alexandria that making towardes Patras they might doe what in them laie to prouoke the enimie to battaile Yea and if perhaps they would refuse it that then they should goe farther forth euen vnto the mouth of the gulfe of Patras and by battering the Castels and pittifullie wasting the places adioyning vrge thenimie to battaile Therfore Don Iohn the high Admirall Generall beeing verie desirous that those things which had béene decréed by common counsaile might bee executed and namelie being at that time earnestlie desired and egged on by Augustine Barbarigo a verie valiant man and verie zealous of the Venetian safetie departed from the vale the same night which went before the seauenth of October béeing Sundaie although hee had no verie good winde and kept his course to wardes the rockes Cruzulari which are not farre from the maine with the intent to assaile the enimie the next morning in the breake of the daie But they on the other side had the same saterdaie shewed great signe of ioy triumphing before the victorie because they thought that they had now alreadie gotten our Nauie wholie at their deuotion and wrought their pleasure therewithall Wherefore they also launched from thence the eight of October verie earlie in the morning hoping to finde our men yet in the Hauen for they did not thinke that they woulde méete them and were now in their waie And so they sailed with their Sailes somewhat lowe and a good winde towardes Cefalenia and as if GOD hadde of his immeasurable power then directed these two most mightie fléets one against another although they were neuer aboue twelue miles one from other yet one of them all this while did not sée another for certaine eminences of the lande one sailing againste another not farre from the Nauie And when both kept on their course and our Nauie was gotten out from the Rockes Cruzulari in no verie good araie because the rockes did impeach them and our enimies were passing the foreland called Peschieras and of the Gréekes Mesolognias they did first descrie one another Wherefore our men reioyced that they had happilie espied their enimie and now they beganne to make all things readie for the fight they set vp their netting they laied weapons of all sortes at the sides of the Galleyes and in other conuenient places they armed the souldiours with harquebusses holbards pikes pollaxes and swords and disposed them in their places and there were in euerie common gallie almost 200. men that vsed swords in the Admirals as some were greater than another 300. and in some 400. men Which things béeing dispatched they bestowed the great Guns in their places béeing charged with chaine shot and other square shot and stones and brought forth trunkes to cast wilde fire with all And hauing made readie all things with singular diligence at last they enfranchised all the Christian prisoners that had béene condemned to the oare pulling off their yrons and armed them for to fight valiantlie for the name of Christ who had made them frée and without difference mingled them among the rest and they in hope to obtaine libertie did promise to performe the duetie of valiant Souldiours And whilest that these thinges were thus in dooing euerie Galleie was come into his appointed place and the Galeazes hadde be towed thether whereas they shoulde bée by them to whome the charge hadde béene committed and now all the whole Fléete was with singular silence sette and placed in conuenient order and araie But our enimies comming on-ward as fast as we dyd also prepare themselues to fight And when they saw that Iohn Andrew Doria the Captain of the right wing being accompanied with many Galleies stretched out his wing more into the seaward they hadde thought that he had fledde As also many of our men when they saw the enimies to make out into the sea with their sailes hoised vp aloft they then thought that the enimie had fledde And this false coniecture on both sides made both our men and our enimies the more bold and couragious to fight The two Nauies being thus furnished arranged did set forward to fight valiantly and occupied so great a space of the sea as séemed vnto them sufficient to kéepe them from running on the shore and making thereby shipwrack and so came faire and softly one towards the other And now our men had shut and locked all the cabines a certaine few excepted for the hurt men to be carried into and out of whome the scribes were to supply things necessarie And that whilest they were sailing towards the battaile they might repaire the strength of their bodies they distributed Bread Wine Chéese and such like victualls vnto the souldiours thoroughout euery Galley But in the meane time that the souldiours were at their victualls the high Admirall Generall him selfe Don Iohn of Austria going a bord a Skiffe accompanied with Don Iohn de Cardona went spedely about all the whole Nauy omitting no one thing that doth beséeme a Prince and a valiant Generall He exhorted both the Captaines of the Galleyes and also all the rest of the souldiours for to fight valiantly for the name of Christ for their Sauiour himselfe would be present to help them if they dyd the duetie of stout souldiours and that he would giue them assured victorie That this was the onely occasion to reuenge so many iniuries receaued and to attaine immortall glorie Whiles he spake thus many aunswered him couragiously that he should not in any wise doubt of their prowesse for they were come thether for no other entent therfore they would accomplish the duetie of valiant men This being done he returned to his Galley Royall neither was he
with Dares a thing that they had thought impossible they beganne to bée a little afraid In our Nauie the Drums and the rest of the instruments played and sounded still incessantlie and all our whole fléete went forward in the forme of a croisant with their ranges verie well kept and euerie Gallie was so farre one from another that the Dares of the one dyd not let another for the which consideration the rowers were forced to marke and obserue exactlie the motion of their fellowes that the order which had béene before appointed by the Captaines might bée continuallie kept And now the two nauies were not far from asunder when the maiestie of God being wearie of the prosperous successes of the most cruell tyrant and taking compassion of the wrongfull and heauie oppression of the Christian common wealth decréed at the length one daie to deliuer and extoll the name and honour of Christ our sauiour and dulie to punish the tyrant And he first beganne this thing when hée did by a certaine meane beyond all mens expectation alaie the winde that hetherto had blowen against our men and ill for them and made the Sea so quiet and calme◠that it might séeme to bée rather lande than water This happened about the leauenth houre and now the Nauye◠were almost vpon the verie point to ioyne together when the Sunne that had passed the fore part of the Heauens did with his beames strike the enimies who stoode Eastward at which time a certaine lyght small winde good for our men beganne to blowe againe from the West in déede so greate that it carried the mists and smoakes from the sight of our men vppon their enimies Now a péece of Ordenances shot out of Ali his Admiral Galley and ans wered by two other shotte from the two wings was a signe for to assaile our men with a mightie séese So then they making an hideous crie mended theyr course rowing towards our men a maine which béeing descried by Venerio he strengthened his Gallie at the puppe with the verie well furnished Gallies of Iohn Loredano and Catharino Malipetro And Colonna did the like calling two other vnto his defence and now they were come so néere together that one might reach another with their Ordenance wherefore our sixe Galeazes who went before all the rest of the fléete verie lustilie assailed the enimie with continual thūder of shot And because they neuer missed they made such a slaughter and spoile that they layed the greatest foundation of breaking the enimies and the neerer they approched the more mischiefe they did them In this terrible storme of the Ordenance the enimies could not repaire themselues wherefore being stroken with feare they kept not their cankes yet they reselued to goe forward with obstinate hearts that passing betwéene our Galeazes who they thought had borne no Ordenance on their sides they might enclose the rest of our Nauie And when they passed betwéen them our men beganne to thunder vppon them ten times worse and did indomage them so much the more as they were staied and their course hindered by the wind that blew against them for that being a litle augmented did let them so that they could not soone passe beyond the storme of mighrie pellets and also it carrying all the smoake vpon them made them that they could sée almost nothing and that also gaue our men that shot their great Ordenance lustelie out of the Galeazes time for to recharge and shoote off their péeces againe with whom almost the third part of their Nauie was destroied and broken not without the death of many men So that now our men heard a mightie cracking and noise of the falling downe of Masts and saile yardes and of the Galleyes broken trauerse and drowned many Gallies were séene light in fire and other stoode destitute of maisters to guide the healme Moreouer there was séene an infinite number of men oares and saile yards barrells hogsheads and all sortes of weapons swimming in the sea therfore was this accident most worthie of wender béecause these sixe Galeazes alone the vse of whom had neuer ben before found out in sea fight did make such a slaughter and spoile of the enimies by turning themselues round and shooting now from the stem then from the puppe and sides In this so great a checke Mehemet Syroch that lead the right wing of the enimies seuered himselfe a little from the rest of the fléete that he might prouide for the safetie of his charge and créeping close to the shoare came against our left wing But that being espied by Augustine Barbarigo he went forth to méete him kéeping his ranges and araie most exactlie and taking occasion by the helpe of a certaine mountaine called Mahanguli did so stoppe and shut vp his waie that he could not passe by no not with the least of his vessels And Marino Contarini the Nephew of Baibarigo vnderstanding that so great a number of Gallyes ranne against his vnkle made in and impelled with too good a perswasion of his owne valour and affinitie of bloud rowed in before all the rest of his fellowes so that the great ordenance thundering on both sides a mightie fight was begunne in this place The left wing of the enimies which Oluzali lead and our right commanded by Doria were almost ioyned sogether but that both the Captaines being verie skilfull in sea fight did either expect some occasion to be ministred to haue a faire hand but by diuerse and differing meanes For Oluzali béeing readie both for fight and pollicie obserued which waie the victory enclined but Doria because he knew himselfe farre inferiour in forces for that Oluzali had ninetie Gallies and he himselfe but fiftie held his enimies in suspense as much as he could for the which reason hee made out into the Sea with certaine of his Gallyes almost a mile from the rest of his wing In the middle battayle Don Iohn Colonna and Venerio kéeping their ranges verie wel and close had with their battaile met with the middle battaile of their enimies but yet before they came to hand strokes they had shot off their great ordenance twice or thrice yea and some of them fiue times which was both a great terrour also a detriment to the enimie so much the more in truth because that many of their péeces woulde not goe off by reason as it was afterwardes found that our men had shot their Gunstones into them and againe those that woulde goe off could little endomage our men because the deckes of our enimies Gallies were so much higher than ours that although they did leuell their péeces a little downward yet the shot dyd alwayes flie ouer our Gallyes But notwithstanding these incommodities they lyke men in a rage rowed in still and ioyned with our men at which time there arose a mightie tempest of arrowes and smal shot and all the whole sea séemed to burne by reason of so many arteficiall fires cast on
the one side and the other by diuerse engines And now in some places foure Gallies encountered with thrée and sire with foure and in other also sixe with one and one leaping into the other Gallies made a great slaughter with swords daggers kniues battleaxes arowes wild fire and other short weapons and also when many woulde for diuerse causes retire themselues they were hurledhead long into the Sea the which was thereby now become as redde as bloud In the meane time Syroch had in the right wing of the enimie felte the force of our valyant men of the lefte wing and sawe that hée coulde not effect that which hée hadde thought to haue done because hée beheld his Galleyes to lie broken their Saile yardes and Masts fallen downe and other things caried vp into the ayre by the shot of our great Ordenaunce Wherefore he endeauoured to his vttermost to kéepe his men in their duetie but yet for all that euer he coulde doe many of his galleies at length coueting to escape out of so great a slaughter and garboile and to saue themselues ranne headlong for hast on the shore after which mischance most leaped into the Sea that they might escape into the maine by swimming but many being wounded and many vnskilfull of swimming or else hindered and impeached by some other meanes stayed still because they had some hope in the clemencie of the Christians that they would saue their liues At the which place this olde manner of the nation of the Turks which is now plainly become a custome is worthie of noting For at the beginning of an encounter they doe shew singular fiercenesse with a most vehement féese but a little while after when they doe perceue that they are stoutly resisted they casting away courage betake them to flight And certes at this time they could not hope for helpe of their infinit number of footemen and horsemen as they are wont in battailes by land Wherefore when they could not withstand the valour of the Christians who hauing entred their gallies slew all they founde they within short time forsooke their Gallies and ranne away at the which time the Christians that had bene before prisoners in the Turkish Gallies perceiuing that now they were come into the hands of our men taking the Turkes their owne weapons brake of their chaines and manackles and valiantly reuenged the crueltie of the tyrannie which they had suffered vntill that instant Marke Quirmi and Antony Canali who were in this same wing but in an other part made out but yet they could not so soone shut in this wing of thenimies but that they had first all leaped into the sea Yet all the galleies were taken by our men and those that were left in them were all slaine for to reuenge their crueltie But of our Captaines there died in this left wing Marino Contarini Vincent Quirini and Andrew Babarigo But Augustine Barbarigo being shot into the eye with an arrow receaued a deadly wound the which did incontinently bereaue him of his speach of whose death we wil speake hereafter Also Marke Antony Ciconia was very sore hurt with wilde fire In the middle battaile Don Iohn de Austria encountered with Ali himselfe and two other Captaines that commanded Admirall Gallies And Ali had in his Admirall Galley thrée hundred Ianizars with harquebusses and an hundreth with crossebowes who fought all verie valiantly both with shot and swordes And againe with Don Iohn were foure hundred chosen harquebuziers of Sardinia vnder the conduct of Lopes de Figheroa campe maister and many other Gentlemen and valiant men besides the fought with great prowesse Colonna plied with might and paine to laie a boord the Galley that encountered him and was vehementlie stirred vp thereto because he sawe a mightie slaughter of his enimies committed by his fellowes before his face Neither did also Veneiro lesse execute the dutie of a good Admirall for that his Gallie was to fight with thrée principall Captaines of the enimies and seauen Admirall Gallies to whose succour also did other euer and anone come But in the meane time when the great Commendador of Messina sawe that our thrée high Admiralls were to fight with such a great number of the enimies he taking with him the Gallies of Loredano and Malipetro went thether with a great spéed and valour and thrusting into the middest of the troupe committed a great slaughter But Loredano Malipetro entering into the thickest of the fight like valyant men were straight waie slaine with the ordenance but the rest that were in their Gallies were so farre from béeing dismaide with their death that they rather hauing encreased their courage and after a sort their strength with desire of reuenge and anger began to fight ten times more fiercelie so that within short time they had taken two Gallies of the enimies and so many had Veniero and Colonna ouercome that fought with them And almost at the verie same moment Don Iohn of Austria who vntill now had borne the charge and force of fiue Gallies and had conquered thrée of them did take the Admirall royall of Ali whō he had slain but had beene before beaten thrice out of her with greate slaughter after that he was come as farre as the mast So then whēn Ali was slaine our men ioyfullie cried victorie victorie for although then had done the like before yet it was then doubtfull because both sides yet fought most eagerlie and verie great spoile and slaughter was yet committed on both sides But now the enimies resisted our men no more so that they did acknowledge them for victors wherefore our men were now busied in gathering together the pillage and rather in binding than killing the enimies And now a verie great number of principall men had ben either taken or slaine by our men but almost an infinite number of Ianizars and other souldiours insomuch that they onelie escaped that foreséeing the entire destruction of their fléet by the pittifull spoile that the Galeazes made had fled awaie at the verie beginning of the battaile in skiffes and other small vessels as Portau Bassa did who straight after the beginning of the fight stale awaie priuitie into the maine in a small vessell and saued himselfe by flight There died also of our Captaines in this middle battaile Iohn Loredano Catherino Malipetro Hierome Veniero Fances Bono Iohn Baptista Benedicto a Cypriot and Iames Tresino of Vicenza and ther were wounded Iohn Bembo Theodore Balbi the Prior of Messina and many other noble men knights In the left wing of the enimie when Oluzali vnderstood that his fellowes were discomfited and perceiued that hée might be assailed broken by Doria who did now acknowledge the happie euent of this battaile began diligentlie to consider what meanes he might make to saue himselfe Wherefore séeing certaine of the Gallies of our ryght wing diuided and separated from the rest hée taking holde of that occasion valiantlie charged them But cur men
spéech vsing also verie effectuall arguments for to present themselues to perills couragiouslie for the honour of God and the increase of the Christian Religion promising them great riches fauour honours and priuiledges willing them to haue good hope of the victorie speciallie through the helpe of God in whom he had all his whole trust fixed The like did the noble men that followed the king in this voiage doe to their vttermost name lie the Bishoppes of Coimbra and Portua and also the Popes Commissarie and many other spirituall persons In these adhortations all the forenoone was spent On the other side Abdelmelec séeing the Christians come in battaile araie he also commanded the signall to be sounded throughout his campe and willed the Captaines to bring forth their souldiours to dispose them into the order that he had prescribed And because that hée through sicknesse was verie weake in bodie and of coulour pale and wan and by reason of the palsie could in no wise vse his armes the wiser and warier of his counsailours dehorted him from comming in person into this instant battaile to whom he would in no case consent but whereas he had not come on horse his back in more than twentie daies before he resolued to leaue his horse litter and to bée clothed in most sumptuous apparell and to be adorned with infinite most precious stones and most excellent pearles of the East and mounted on a goodlie and lustie strong horse Being in this sort prepared to fight he began to adhort his men to valour promising honors and great warlike rewards to them that should behaue themselues like men and doe their duties and accomplish their charges valiantlie With the which wordes and promises he did so incourage and inflame his souldiours into whose sight he had not come long time before by reason of his sicknesse that they séemed to bee inspired by Mars and to runne to the battaile like Lions And although at the beginning there were some that went about to murther him or reuolt from him yet now they changing their mindes did so subiect themselues vnto him with all reuerence that they disdained not yea to kisse his féete At length his armie béeing cast into the forme of a semicircle or croisant and diuided into thrée battailes he began to aduance his armie in that order that this table doeth shew The right wing the Prince the brother of Abdelmelec dyd leade who had with him a thousand verie choice Harquebuziers on horsebacke noted He had also ten thousand horsemen with speare and shéelde The lefte wing of the new Moone which held two thousand argolets and tenne thousand horsemen with speare and sheeld These did the Vireroie Mahamet Zareo leade The third battaile which was the maine battaile wherein king Abdelmelec stoode was defenced with harquebuziers on foote Thou dyd the king followe enuironed with his garde of two hundreth souldiours that had forsworne the faith who were all weaponed with halbardes But he had in the battaile of succour twentie thousand horsmen diuided by two thousand in a troupe But the Portugal araÌ„ged his armie far otherwise for he diuided his whole armie into 4. battailes On the right side was the first battaile consisting of the light horsemen and garison of Tangar and Aluares Peres de Tauora lead them The lefte or the middle battaile consisted of Germanes and Italians which the Marques of Ireland gouerned In the third battaile of succour stoode the Spaniards and certaine Italians the Captaine whereof was Alonzo Aquilar The fourth battaile were Portugals vnder the conduct of a certaine noble man of that Nation whose name was Ludouicke Caesar Euerie battaile hadde almost thrée thousande footemen but some moe and some fewer But the Generall of the whole armie was Duartes Meneles the gouernour of the Citie of Tangar Besides these forces hée had ten thousand horsemen verie well appointed and diuided by fiue hundreths It should be tvvâ—â— doutlâ—â—â— as well in the first battaile and the battaile of succour as in both winges In the middest and middle of the whole armie were placed the baggage the weake rable the wagons and slaues Muley Hamet stoode on the right side of the battayle with his fewe Souldiours to the number of fiue hundreth harguebuziers and sixe hundreth Speares The king had placed sixe and thirtie field péeces in the front of his battaile So then the two armies were thus aranged on a mightie large plain which was so open and bare that there was neither tree plant nor stone to be séene within two leagues round about The Moores were defenced on the left side with the riuer of Alcazar which serued them for a rampire or munition and the Portugalls had on their backes the riuer of Mazaga that runneth to Larissa But for two causes hée desired to come to the riuer of Alcazar before they came within Gunshot first that he might take the winde from his enimies and secondlie that he might vse the riuer for a rampire and wall So the Christians had the winde indifferentlie well with them although at the beginning the Sunne beames were against them For afterward and that too sodeinâ—â—â— the cléere Sunne shine was turned into darke weather and so cloudie that the Sunne beames troubled them nothing But when the two armies were come within an haâ—quebusse shot one of another about halfe an houre before high noone the Moores began to staie their march and to leuell their péeces The fourth daie of August which was mundaie in the yéere of our saluation 1578. the battaile was begun between the two kings about twelue of the clocke and the Moores did first begin to shoote off their great ordenance against the Christians but they had not shot off thrée but that the Christians answered them with theirs And straight waie the harquebuziers on foote on both sides discharged as thick as haile with such an horribie furious and terrible tempest that the cracking and roaring of the Gunnes did make the earth so to fremble as though it woulde haue sunke downe to hell and the element séemed to burne with the fire flames lightning and thunder of the Gunnes After that the storme of the shot was past fiue hundreth men of armes of the first battaile whom the Duke de Auero lead gaue a charge on the left wing of the Moores and brake and scattered them and hauing slaine many compelled the rest to flie so that aboue eight thousand harquebuziers on horsebarke and twentie thousand Speares who were Alarbes left the place and flying some one way and some an other almost twentie leagues spred euery where a rumour of the victorie of the Christians In this first encouÌ„ter the Moores lost two guidons not without the great griefe of Abdelmelec who when he sitting on his horse in the middle battaile did see his men flye so soulye he was so kindled with anger and furie that although for weakenesse he could scarse sitte on his horse yet he went about to charge