desperate it was not unpossible hee might perhaps have attained his end if hee had not been discovered by 200 Saylours which were imployed by the Archbishop of Bourdeaux to mend the Vessels lately taken from the Dunkerkers who perceiving them climbe the Hill as they were at work fled presently and were pursued to the Barricadoes of the Campe which these Spanish troups assaulted in seven places till the Prince of Conde who was there in person drew his forces together which changing these Adventurers home slue 11 of their Officers above 600 common men wounded their Chieftain and took him prisoner forced the rest to use their heels pursued them to the Mountains and Cliffs of Saint Sebastian During this fight by land another happened by Sea where the Sea-men sped no better then their Land-men six Spanish Pionasses And two Spanish ships sunk and 12 Vessels of burthen fell upon eight ships which the French still kept before Fontaraby but after a fight of 2 houres two of the biggest Spanish Bottoms being sunk the rest hoysed saile and with the helpe of a faire winde recovered Saint Sebastians The Prince by this found no opposition abroad he had free liberty and freely used it to apply himself to the siege wherby hee brought the Town to extreme necessity but how successefull the Catastrophe was though the French will not a Spanish Capuchin by his Relation penned modestly like an Historian though with some interlarded superstition and printed at Madrid Sept. 2 12 will inform you The Siege of Fontaraby raised A Relation written from the Campe by Father Fryer Francis of Tarrazona Reader of the Arts in the Convent of Capuchins of Pampelona vnto Father Guardian of the Capuchnis of the Convent of Zaragosa FAther Guardian Seeing that the receipts of benefits are the pledges of thankfulnesse it could not seeme just in me if I should omit to amplifie my thankfulnesse to your Paternity by not declaring and imparting unto your knowledge so singular a blessing and so ful of divine mercies as was our late Victory whereof I have been an eye-witnesse and now shall make a plaine narration without complements addressing my selfe to truth only which shall be sufficient to incite your Paternity to exercise your devotion in a serious and affectionate thanksgiving The great strait and difficulty in which the French held the strong Towne of Fontaraby is not unknowne to your Paternity and how our Councell of Warre had resolved to relieve it so soone as sufficient forces might be raised to encounter with so great an Enemy though the execution was most dangerous Vpon Tuesday August 21 31. the Lord Admirall of Castile and the Marquis of Veles Generals of the Forces of Navarre and Guiapuscoa resolved to releeve it their Army consisting of 16000 Foot and 600 Horse which to that purpose being devided into 3 Squadrons the Lords Generals with the grosse of the Army marched to the descent of a hill which is scituated and runneth from the gate of the passage unto the Fort and there mounted 8. Pieces of Artillery in the place where the Marquis of Mirtaca was enquartered with the third part of the Conde Dukes Army and the Irish forces By the descent of the valley the Marquis of Torrecusa marched with a good Squadron of Soldiers and Don Piedro Giron with 2000 Foot marched towards Irun where the Enemy was fortified In this posture was the Army the 20 â—0 of August with purpose to relieve the besieged the next day following by 4 of the clock in the morning But it pleased the Almighty not without a mystery as it appeared afterwards to frustrate their resolutions by this occasion The night following was tempestuous with Lightning and thunder and the clouds dissolved into raine which fell without intermission the space of five dayes The valley was bare of wood and trees and neere the Sea and the toilsomnesse of that night is inexpressible our travell so much increasing that we could not secure our lodgings nor make Barracadoes but for want of wood we were forced to discampe the Generals compassionating the Soldiers licensing them to retire and refresh themselves in the places next adjoyning The Lord Admirall and the Marquis of Veles were in the Sally from Munday to Friday when the raine not ceasing and the waters descending to a place called Tezo they commanded the Artillery to retire that the Soldiers leaving their Tents in good order might be refreshed By which meanes the valley became so desolate that they much feared the Enemy would salley forth upon those which remained behind thus harazzed and wearied with the rigour and extreamity of the weather The foulnesse of the weather overjoyed the Enemy which thence concluded that God assisted them against the Spaniards arming the Heavens to crosse their intentions and to this purpose the Prince of Conde sent a Cartell to the Governor of Fontarabie the summe whereof was That to shew himselfe a mercifull and Catholick Prince hee advised him to render the place offering him that honorable Quarter which could no wayes impeach his Honor who had so long maintained the place and so valiantly and that the rather because all hope of succours was now taken from him the Generals being already retired and that hee was not ignorant of his want of Soldiers ammunition and Victuals by which the besieged should be enforced to yeeld which if they refused to doe of their owne accord they would be exposed to the edge of the Sword the Commander should be made shorter by the head and the rest used with such cruelties as happen in cases of assault the Officers not being able though willing to restraine the fury of their Soldiers Don Doming Leguia a Knight of Biscay then Governor of Fontarabie answered well in the courage of a great Souldier as the Gentilizza of a Courtier approving the advise and returning due thankes for the offered curtesie and counsell but in the point of impossibility of succours hee was not dis-harted there being nonecessity thereof nor himselfe being lesse confident to keepe the place then he was before being already provided and abundantly furnished of all things whereof his Excellency supposed him to be destitute and for the point of loosing his Head hee was confident no such disaster could befall him resolving rather to dye like a valiant Soldier then to become a Prisoner and have his head cut off and what hee believed impossible to winne he had no cause to feare his praesidiarie Soldiers being resolved to oppose the valour of the Besiegers The Prince of Conde being moved with this answere caused 3 assaults to be made in which divers of the French were slaine and vpon Saturday the 4. of September New stile they advanced so farre as within 30 foote of the height of the wall but they were all slaine two excepted which infected those which should have beaten them on and seconded them with such a contagion of feare that they forbare to assault the Garison The Admirall
table below the Duke of Savelli to his greater griefe who looked for place above him in this his eclipsed fortune because he had a command above him whilest he was in his glory Hinc surgit orexis hinc stomacho bilis This passage mooved the Bavarian to such an indignation that his wounds fel fresh a bleeding and that he might dishonor the duke his fellow prisoner translated the losse of the day from himselfe to the others cowardise unskilfulnesse or carelesnesse It could not be grievous to the Saxon Duke to heare them retort injurious words yet as if hee had taken no pleasure therein hee advised them to give place to their fortunes sent for a Surgeon to dresse the Barons wounds and supper being done sent them to their lodgings committing the custody of their bodies to his intrusted Deputies Then he betooke him to bed but that gave him no rest something remained yet to be done before he undertook a new expedition he knew it was not his own arm which got the victory and to ascribe the honour to him to whom it was properly due hee ordained a publique thankesgiving to bee celebrated the next day at Sauffenburgh and his prisoners were not yet in that sphear of restraint to which he meant to confine them Order was taken for this too the General de Werth Enkenfourd and some others were to bee transmitted to Benfieldt the duke of Savelli to Lauffenburg and Sperrheuter Goldt and Hinderson to Hâ—henwiel a strong fort antiently appertaining to the duke of Wirtemberg but of late seised on by the king of Hungary and newly recovered by Duke Bernhard where they are under a strict watch and more closely restrained because the duke de Savelli had escaped from Lauffenburg and evaded their hands The manner of his escape is related diversly the excuse of his Guardians making way to this fable That a woman which waited on him to bring him victuals and dresse his chamber by night let him downe by a rope from the windows of his lodging and afterwards over the city wall The most probable is this The person to whose trust hee was committed had formerly served under the Imperial colours and now to make his peace with the King of Hungary offered his helping hand to the Dukes evasion upon promise that he should mediate with his master procure his pardon and restore him againe to grace which the Duke accepted vowed was dismissed secretly This report is the more probable not onely in respect of that aphorisme of the Politicians There is no trust to be given to a reconciled enemy but in regard of the juridicall proceedings which ensued it a criminall processe beeing sued out against a Major and two Sentinels of Schombecks regiment and three or foure of the Burgesses who were all convicted of conspiring or conniving at the Dukes escape and executed according to martiall law The Duke escaped out of prison by consent of his Keepers and Iohn de Werth was in hope to have been rescued before he was brought to prison by some of his friends in despight of his Convoy March 2 12. Io. de Wert sent to Brisack the Colonell Cullembach attended with three hundred horse was commanded by his Highnesse to carry the Bavarian Generall and some officers which were surprized with him in the last battail to Benfieldt The Garrison of Brisack of which the Baron was much honoured for the services hee had done formerly The Brissâ—kers attempt to rescue him upon the way had notice of each particular concerning that designe the day way and number of his Guardians only they knew not how well they were armed but supposed them light horsmen which were Equites cataphracti armed Cap-a pee made out a strong party to encounter with the Convoy and with hazard of their lives to attempt the recovery of the Generall The provident Colonell who expected such adventurers no sooner discovered them but guarded the Waggons wherin the captives were with 20 Carabins charging his prisoners not to stirre upon forfeit of their lives and his Souldiers which attended them without respect of persons to kill the first which should offer to moove in hope of liberty himselfe and the rest of his Retinue falling instantly with all their strength upon the Brissackers And are utterly defeated by Cullembach whom unable to endure that shock he rowted totally slaying some taking others to mercy and suffering a very small number to escape death or captivity The way thus cleered hee drove on without any obstacle delivered up his charge at Benfeldt and giving this instruction to the late Generall to endure patiently what was beyond his power to amend visited Ensisheim Colmar and Strasburgh which last City he furnished with many commodities returning in liew therof with store of powder bullets and four great Cannon to the Campe at Rhinefelden which he brought thither March 9 19. in 22 Waggons to hasten the period of that siege Duke Bernhard was now setled in his sphere of activity but the Generall de Werth cooped up and barred from action Til this their brains were equally working for honorable atchievements but now their thoughts are fastened upon divers objects Io. de Werth desires to be exchanged for Horn. the Bavarian is hammering out the way for his liberty either by ransome or exchange and sent a Trumpet towards Munchen March 5 15. with petitionary letters to the Duke his Master that he might be redeemed or exchanged for Gustavus Horne in which thoughts we must leave him and the Saxon Duke to prosecute his victory is again returning to Rhinefelden whither this Narration must follow him Assoone as hee had re-begirt the Towne with his Army it was bruited in the Campe that the Generall Goetz by a speedy march was comming to relieve it a report it was which carried some shew of truth there being then a cessation of Armes till the first of May new stile concluded of betwixt that Imperiall Commander and the Hessian Lievtenant Generall Melander And this something delayed the Fate of the Towne the Duke in person with 1500 horse and as many foot the rest of his Army being then disposed about Strasburgh and Brisack going to visit him But the journy was soon accomplished the grand Mountain brought forth a Mouse the Enemy was only a crew of ragged Crabats and undisciplined Boores which had entrenched themselves in the the Waldt-schwartz which before the Duke could reach them were rowted and defeated by the Ritmaster Benheuraiah which shortned his Highnesses Expedition and caused him to returne the next day to Rhinefelden The Leaguer was laid on both sides the River where batteries were raised and nothing omitted which might be any way available to endamage the defendants The Commander and Garrison within for five days expressed a brave resolution once fallying out and with losse of 80 of their owne men making some spoile amongst souldiers from whom they carried away a Lievtenant and a Serjant as prisoners
of all beholders to doe our Christian duties in relieving the afflicted and it was our great good hap that in so great hazard wherein wee were involved our people having lesse resistance then the poore French wee exercised our Charity to the comfort of those that were at the point of death Those which fled towards Iran wee could not pursue but if wee had but stopped their way onely with 200 Musquetiers without doubt they had beene all cut in peeces or become our Prisoners which was impossible to fore-see we not imagining to have obtained so notable a Victory our counsels onely tending to relieue the Port not suspecting that so puissant an Enemy so well fortified in his Trenches would so soone turne his backe though many of them drowned themselves in the passage of Bobia Those of Fontarabie could not salley forth being reduced to so small a number which neverthelesse if they had done no doubt they had made a very great slaughter Our Generals met together about 5. of the clock in the afternoone and entred Fontarabie where they were received with incredible joy by a people which that day and before had endured so many broyles and toyles and had spent all the morning in viewing the Hills a farre off to see whether the expected succours would come and were almost past hope because they could descry no part of them The Lords Generals like most devout Catholike Princes went instantly to expresse their pious acknowledgement of so graat a Victory and sang Te Deum which though it was not attended with the greater Musicke was done with greater Zeale and affection Drummes Trumpets and Artillery beeing not necessary for such a Solemnity Their devotions ended the Lords Generals saluted the inhabitants with most loving embracements thanking them in the name of his Catholike Majesty for their constant Loyalty by which they had pleased God and defended their King and Country Don Pedro de Giron had order to make no assault vpon the French Campe till 4 of the clocke in the morning of our Lady Day but the Enemy fled that Night and concealed his flight by many false fires They left behind them much warlike provision ammunition apparell and riches not burning the baggage as they intended and Don Pedro might without resistance have possessed himselfe of Iran in the morning if hee had followed it Hee that did best for gayning this victory was the Marquesse De Torrecusa with the Navarroyes and Neapolitans Concerning the Particular Cavallieres I can say little most of them beeing unknowne to mee Some affirme that Don Francisco de Garro was the first which entred into the Enemies Trenches other say the Earle of Xaviers though he was beaten out againe by the blow of an Halbert which had undoubtedly slaine him had not his Gorget saved him Captaine Pedro de Maravidis Knight of the order of Saint Iames entred also into the same Redoubt whence he brought away a French Colours having slaine the Ensigne in sight of the whole Army others report the ficst that entred to have beene Don Iuan D' Eques a Knight of Navarre and that a Neapolitane of Valentia charged very brauely There were slaine of the French 1200 which were seene floating upon the Son most of them men of quality as it seemeth by their outward Habit wee lost not many the generall vote is not above thirty yet the Lord Admirall saith more nor had we many wounded The Prisoners taken that day were above 1000. and the number increaseth daily mamy which had hid themselves in Brakes and Thickets being compelled abroad by Hunger It is said there were 50 of the French Nobility wanting but that is scarce credible A French Trumpet came into our Army the Friday following who affirmed they had lost 6 thousand men and being demanded what the French conceived of the Spaniards hee answered the Spanish are Couragious and the French want Government which hee meant perhaps of those which betrayed the Cause by their feare and flight for they could not bee ignorant that their Forces then consisted of two and twenty thousand Foot 1000 Horse fifty good Ships well provided and that a re-enforcement of 6000 men was expected daily from Baiona the Spanish Army consisting onely of 3000 Foot and five hundred Horse more or lesse and the Enemy being fortified and wee having no place of strength how could so shamefull a flight and so glorious a Victory bee expected The Booty was great and the pillage was increased the Enemy vainely conceiving according to the relation of a Capuchin prisoner to winne ground upon Fontarabie and then to fall upon St. Sebastian a place of lesse importance and so to passe victoriously throughout all Spaine even to Madrill without resistance which was also beleeved by them as a matter of faith They came to the Siege very rich in Plate Gold costly Lodgings Pavillions very curiously wrought Cabinets and other precious furniture Wee seized the Wardrobe of the Prince of Conde wherein wee found much and very rich enamelled Plate and a most rich Ensigne of the Order which was of such estimation that the next day hee sent a Trumpeter to the Admirall of Castile intreating him to returne the Plate and the Golden Fleece and hee would allow the true worth thereof for the same The Arch-Bishop of Burdeaux wardrobe also they seized and part of his owne wearing Apparell and the foure thousand Doublous which hee promised to deliver amongst his Souldiers to encourage them to the assault It is thought hee was present in the Campe at the time of the skirmish and it is not knowne how hee escaped Because hee falls not downe towards the Sea it is thought hee betooke himselfe to the Cittadell of Saint Elmo from whence the next day it was observed the French vayled their sayles having given fire to their Cittadell cloyed it with Artillery Their Muskets Harquebuses and Pikes were all left in the place being too heauy to beare away and might hinder their escape Their cassocks of Skarlet and other of finest cloth with the orders of the Holy-Ghost were very many One of our Souldiours had 3 of them and sold one for 16. Royals which was then worth 100 Duckets The hangings were of unshorne greene Velvet broy dered with Gold embossed with Iewels and tufted with greene water Grograynes buttons of gold and rich galownes The Iewels chaines watches and many other rich ornaments were found vpon the dead bodies in the Sea In such Fishings the Irish were very skilfull diving under the waters to find them The Ensignes gained from the enemy were about a hundred though the Admirall had not so many many of them were in the hands of particular persons desirous to place them in their severall countreyes as Trophies of their Victory notwithstanding the old souldiers made no account of them saying they would only place in their Countreyes those which were taken and wonne from the hands of the enemy The pieces of Artillery which were left during the
Buffones representing Don Quixote and his Quire Sancho Pancha the Reare consisting of the Pages Squires Footmen led horses six Knights whose leader Beavervard rode upon a Dromedary all being clothed fantastically like Mountebanks Their devises were thus For Monsieur de Beaverwert a Death with this in French Ie la donne aux autres For the Count of Horn. All instruments of incision in his Shield The word in Latine Seco mel ùs quam sano For the Baron de Pontasier who was dressed like a Don of Spain an Alembick with this word in Spanish Alli dame el fuego d'Amor For Monsieur Major a hand catching of Flyes The word in French Bienheureux quien echappe For Monsieur Monomaker A Fortune presenting a cup. The word in Spanish Non ti sidur For Monsieur de Fosse A hand holding out a bowle of wine The word in Latine Bacchica pocula praestant This was the preparation their action and fortunes followed thus The Challengers and the others repaired to one end of the List to make their course successively according to the order which they observed at their entry The issue of the Tournament All confusion was avoyded every man had his three courses but the prize of that day was carried away by de Lege whose fortune was more assisting to him then his art though he was not unskilfull in managing his horse and launce A Sun-shine day never seems long the inhabitants neere the Pole are said to expresse some griefe when their long day of almost three months continuance is buried in its first short darknesse and that this gallantry so full of delight might not be too soon finished the most excellent Princesse the Countesse Dowager of the Palatinate of the Rhine the illustrious and most high-borne Lady Elizabeth her eldest daughter and the Princesse of Orange give three other Rings to the honour of such as could winne them and prolonged the sport for three days two of which were wonne by Pontasiere and the third by Resear CHAP. III. A Relation of the late Battaile fought between Duke Bernhard Weymar Generall of the Swedish Forces and Iohn D'VVerth chief Generall of the Imperiall Forces March 1638. DUke Bernhard of Weymar who had not unhappily imployed his forces about the Rhine the last Summer and Autumne in the extremitie of Winter after he had victualled Ensisheim Angelstein and Pfefsinguen and left 800 men to guard the Forts which he had built upon the Rhine with an intent rather to abandon them honorably then maintain them desperatly they being not indefence repaired to the Valley of Delspery or Delmont in the Bishoprick of 〈◊〉 to refresh his weary Army where his active spirit would searce let him rest rowsed him again speedily upon the report of the victorious proceedings of his Enemy which made an advantagious the of his absence Let the Bavarian Baron tell his owne story and let his enemies pardon him if they imagine he doth it too gloriously Modesty is not a Souldiers but a womans ornament and let the Orator spare him if hee doe it not Rhetorically or smoothly hee professed not Arts but Arms could manage his sword better then handle his pen. Thus he exprest himselfe in a letter Dated at Offenburgh Novemb. 13 3. and directed 〈…〉 wee should rob him 〈…〉 part of his glory if since hee hath undertaken it we permit him not to be his own Historian Most Revorend Father and most gracious Elector and Lord die I cannot but withall submission certifie your Electorall Highnesse that assoone as I had received certain intelligence that the Duke of Weymar was gone towards Burgundy to take up his winter quarter and my self was able but to sit on horsbacke though the wound I received in the last battail be not yet prosectly recovered the bullet still lying in my body I thought it requisite to attempt and recover the bridge and sconces which the enemy had made over and upon the banks of the Rhine that so I might get a scoure hibernall station for my forces To this end Octob. 31 new stile I passed the Rhine at Brisack with the Alinger Horsmen a part of the foot forces and certain peeces of Ordnance marching speedily day and night with an intent to assault them both by water and land Novemb. 1 I arrived there and viewed the out-most Sconces and Retrenchments on the Burgundian side where perceiving that expedition was required principally for execution and that the foot forces by reason of the uncouth way could not follow so fast as I desired I caused my life-guard to alight and assault the first bridge and Sconce on foot which they did so sunously that they forced the defendants to flie and seek their safety elswhere This was our first enterprize which though it succeeded happily cleered not the way to our easie proceeding The Enemy had thrown off the bridge and so stopped the pallage that we had no other way to regaine it then by demolishing the Sconcs and making use of the timber to repaire it This stay was no small advantage to the Enemy who made use of his time and threw off another long bridge which lay over the second River and took his Posto there yet this losse was recovered by the industry of the horsmen who again assaulted and took in the two Sconces upon the next River and forced the Defendants to run away unarmed into the fourth Sconce where they threw off a great part of that bridge too and gave such fierce fire upon us that I was compelled to attend the comming in of my Musketiers and greal Guas before I could attempt farther against them At last they came and I planted them upon the banke of the River whence by playing continually upon the Iland and Scorce they did much slaughter though they did not break downe the bridge Another Engine I had devised for that service and used it happily Some old vessels filled with powder and fire-balls I caused to be bought from Brisack which being calried downe by the violence or the strcame falling upon the Enemies artificiall bridge tore it in sunder and so separated the Iland from the Reull Sconce which lay on the other side This was a hight-work The ensuing day presented mee with a new busines The Enemy had in the Iland two Sconces and there I perceived him fortifying and endrenching himself for his more safety To prevent him I commanded the horsmen and Dragoons to passe through an arme of the Rhine and the foot forces by boats which I had prepared for that purpose to make over into the Iland and assault the fourth Sconce lying behinde the locond bridge which they did faithfully obeying my directions and effectually not returning without the prize The fifth Sconce lay before the bridge of boats neer before the Reull loōee It was well manned with 200 men and to take it in I caused the Cannon to bee carried over the River and came my selfe in person before it The strong
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