himselfe thereon also to hould them about the middest and vnder the foreends should the threescore Muskets and Harquebuzes appoynted arange themselues with one knee on the ground to shoote the surer as also to be somewhat defended The other ranckes of Corcelets to stande vpright almost close with the first rancke and to make the bodie of the battaile Then the horsemen comming to charge I doubt not but they shall finde themselues shrewdly anoyed by the Harquebuziers which shooting within twentie paâ—es iust in the face of the horse in my opinion will mayme the whole first rancke of the squadron but if any thinke them in small suretie there I will aunswer that they can no where bee better placed at the head then here for they must bee where they may anoye at the first brunt and although the Speares or breastes of the horse doe ouerthrowe some foure or fiue on a side it were but a small losse For it is most certaine that when a Squadron of horse shall see nine or tenne horse fall downe at the first comming such as followe will haue an eye to their consciences Thus after the Squadron shall haue borne this sharpe welcome it must likewise strike vppon the Pikes of the first rancke or els moderate the first heate as also because the first gored horses shall bee forced to stande and so stay the rest that followeth And although this defence might somewhat yeeld yet should they still finde the bodie of the battaile readie to beare their brunt wherein consisteth the principall force And in trueth I should thinke it vnpossible if the Souldiers would not bee afeard to ouerthrowe such a barre for we must thinke that though the horses runne with great force yet a small thing letteth them the smoake and noyse of the Harquebuziers scarreth them hurtes stoppe them mens conceiued feares doe make them to pull backe and the crye of the battaile hath some effect notwithstanding the greatest of all proceedeth of the resistance of the Pikes Besides all this some rancke of Harquebuziers placed in the middest of the battaile might likewise shoote ouer the heads of the Pikes who bending themselues to the fight doe somewhat stoope whereby parte of the horsemans bodie may be seene Some peraduenture will scorne hereat and say that all these small obseruations were more fit to bee practised in Dances and Maskes rather then in the warre likewise the ould custome haue alwaies bene best though wee trouble not our selues with so many impractiseable nouelties But I am not of their mindes for they put me in remembrance of many of our fathers that laughed at so many inuentions for the fortifying of the Houlds tearming them Italian deuises affirming that one good great Rampier would suffice to warrant men from the force of the Canon vppon the which they might defende themselues Pike to Pike And yet experience hath taught vs that then townes were taken within eight daies where now we coÌ„sume almost a whole season so often must wee fight before wee can winne a Raueline then the ditch then the Rampier then the inwarde trench For if in the should there bee one ingenious person and a Souldier withall such a one as was Captaine Bastian in Maistrict he maketh them that are without to sweate water and blood I would thinke that that which I require in our battell should not be so hard to practise sith our newe Souldiers when wee traine them doe make many more turnes and returnes for pleasure Why then should not the olde Souldiers labour to learne any thing that may breede their honor and safegard Two other obiections may yet be here made The first that the flankes of the battell shall still be much weaker then the heads because the couer that I haue giuen them consisting in so difficult an order it is easie to bee disordered I confesse that the saide flanks should be too weake to assaile because the battelles doe still march forwarde and not sideling but strongly to beare a brunt I thinke that obseruing the same which I haue set downe they shall be able to doe it as well as the heades To the ende likewise the conduct may be the better I would wish to each flanke two Capteynes with the pike and of the notablest souldiers The second obiection is that the fower corners of the battell though closed doe yet remaine somewhat open and weake as it were for the space of seuen or eight steppes where the horse may get entrie Truely this consideration is not amisse and for the remedie hereof it were requisite in these corners to place seuen or eight of the brauest Harquebuziers who should not discharge but vpon great necessitie as also to appoynt the Corcelets of the 4. 5. and 6. rankes that should be néerest thereto to turne their Pikes that way to beare the brunt when they see the enemie approach The greatest daunger to all the sayd footmen consisteth in the two first charges of the horse which it is to be presumed will bee braue but being borne out they may conceiue great hope in that they haue quenched the first heate of the enemie and so march forward ouer the field casting forth some lose mosquets to keepe the horsemen a loofe but when they see it come vpon them then wholy to close And bearing themselues thus I am verely perswaded they may make a gallant retraict The better to comprehende this matter the Colonels who in their regiments haue many Pikes should sometimes proue in fayned things how this order standeth with reason and peraduenture they shall finde them selues the better satisfied when they see a picture and liuely representation thereof concurre with that which they may haue imagined according to this reporte Some man will replye that the horsemen may so vndiscreetly assaile the footmen that they may indeede saue themselues before them but if they would charge them in small troopes namely of one squadron of 300. to make 3. each of 100. which might followe one after an other it would much shake the battaile For the Harquebuzery hauing discharged vpon the first as it cannot bee denyed but it will greatly endomage them the two other squadrons following shall haue great aduantage in being exempt from that daunger and so there is some likelihoode that they may shake them Truely this kinde of charge is very good but it may be prouided for for some of those Harquebuziers that should lye vnder the first rancke of the Pikes may haue charged againe before the second troope commeth vpon them also from the two sides that are not charged or from the one the harquebuzers may be brought to succour that which may bee in daunger as also some of those in the middest may likewise shoote which being handsomely performed the Corcelets shall still haue succour from their Harquebuzerie for without this their defence would be but colde To conclude I rather feare that wee shall want occasion to attempt so braue a retraict either
of importaunce thereby to make them to approche with theyr armie so as they shoulde hardlie escape battayle when they are come so neere with theyr carriage footemen and artillerie For when they come but with thirtie or fortie thousande horse to succour what so is besieged they cannot by anie meanes be ouercome by reason of the swiftenesse of theyr horse which neuerthelesse dooth greatly molest a campe I woulde also lyke verie well that in tenne or twelue dayes before the armie shoulde marche the Captaines euerie other daie shoulde cast them into seuerall orders of battayle whereby to choose the best to help themselues withall when neede shoulde require For it doe much better conceiue the trueth of thinges by liuely representations than by forecast figured vppon paper And by them is the generall the better resolued in his conception and the inferiour Captaines to bee the better prouided to the practise Heerein doo wee in our pettie warres ordinarilie faile in that wee neuer looke to the ordering of battayles vntill within two dayes before wee must fight and then dooth the Generall sette downe a fayre order in writing howe bee will haue it which hee sendeth vnto the leaders of the regimentes as well of the horsemen as of the footemen For such ordering many times as beeing made ouer rashly and without ripe deliberation proueth verie vnfit It is verie requisite that a Generall bee in minde verie perfecte in the order which hee purposeth to obserue as well in the large fieldes as in the straightes least hee bee amazed or driuen into much consultation when his businesse commeth vppon him For the chiefe groundes beeing well layde if through anie accident the order bee to be altered it is easilie performed There bee some that will saie that in so dooing wee shall warne the enimie of our order whereby hee maye prouide to preuent vs. I graunt if wee still vse but one forme it may be so But when wee practise sundrie wee shall put all men in doubt which we will cleaue vnto sauing the Generall who is to reserue the best in memorie For the well ordering of this armie it were good to haue the aduice of such Captaines as hauing serued in Hungarie doe by experience best knowe the most conuenient formes And sith I am entered so farre into this point I am content for the satisfying of those y t be curious to deliuer my opinion concerning whatsoeuer may serue agaynst these barbarous people In this case we are to cōsider of two kinds of coūtries y e one large y e other straight Concerning y e large or plaine as we terme it which is the most parte of Hungarie the battayle may be so aranged that the enimies innumerable strength of horse which wil amoūt to 200000 at the least shall not without great losse endomage them and verie hardly breake them The order were to dispearse the horsemen among the footmen as vpō the like consideration the late Duke of Guize did at the battel of Dreux I woulde therefore make a strong bodie of my armie consisting of eight battayles of footmen each comprehending 2500 pikes so as the sayd rankes should euerie of them containe ninetie men be 28. men thick besides the Ensignes to the flanks wold I ioyne 1000 harquebuziers They should be all ordered in an equal front with sufficient spaces to set in araie 2000. horse in foure squadrons each of them of fiue hundred men fortie horse in front two somewhat for warder than the other two These seauen spaces might serue them for places of aduantage and assured retraits to fall into order againe for it would be too hot to come vpon them into place where they should be so succoured by the harquebuzerie and pikes yea in my minde it were meere rashnesse Likewise in as much as the flankes of the battayles are not commonly armed but with harquebuziers which is but a weake defence against a great armie of horse I would thinke it were good both the flankes of the two battayles standing vppon the wings of the armie to bee fortefied with some other instrumentes like vnto those which the Duke of Alua inuented and vsed when the Prince of Orenge passed ouer Meuse or better which might be easily brought thether by two hundred pioners and those should suffice for one of each flanks as for the rest they shall neede none as well for that the force of this order shall supplie that want as also because it would be ouercumbersome On the right and lefte point without the battayles should stand at each sixe thousand horse euery squadron of one thousand and in two bodies the one to support the other And if anie man aske wherefore I make them so great I saie it is because the Turkes as I haue heard doe make theirs especiallie in any great combats of fiue or sixe thousand speares which swallowe vp three hundred horse as a lion would doe a mouse And therefore we must sette strength agaynst strength Then woulde I diuide my 5000. harquebuziers into ten troopes placing sixe as it were for the aduenturers at the heads of the battayles toward the wings and the other foure at the taile I would also place two thousand harquebuziers on horseback at y e head of the horsemen vpon the wings to serue in the first skirmishes Thus doe ye see in this great bodie 28000. horse 20000. Corcelets 13000. harquebuzes aranged which as I thinke will not take aboue 4000. cōmon paces in length wherin there is no great disproportion and I haue thus stretched it out to the ende to debarre the enemie from all hope of enclosing it There would be likewise in y e first ranke of this great front almost 1900. men which is sufficient The rest of the men I would thus appoynt I would make two small bodies which should be set in aray 800. paces behinde the two winges of the armie because the first shockes doe begin there In either of them would I place 4500. Corcelets in two battailes and 2500. Harquebuzes then in the spaces and poynts 4000. horse in eight squadrons which for the two bodies would amount vnto 22000. men euery wherof should stirre when they perceiued any of the first troopes to yeeld for vndoubtedly they should so make them to holde fast I would also place betweene these two troopes and 500. paces behinde them 3000. horse in three squadrons whom the Emperour or in his absence his Lieutenant should accompanie when it were requisite to fight And this should be the Holy ancker as we tearme it which should vpon great necessitie moue forward Yet doe there remaine 1000. Corcelets 2000. Harquebuzes and 1000. Reistres or Hungarian horsemen that should be appoynted to the keeping of the Campe which the Pioners should fortifie with small trenches for the safegard of the cariages for if through negligence the enemie who might appoynt twentie or thirtie thousand horse to doe the feate should peraduenture be suffered to
no difficulty for the keeping of their consciences vnspotted to leaue her countrie for a pray A most rare example in this world wherein wealth and honor are in such accompt that vnto many they be euen a domesticall God whom they serue Now likewise a maruellous encrease vnto the Protestants armie were the troopes which the Lord of Acier brought out of Daulphine Prouence and Languedoc The Prince had before written as well to him as to others the most notable in the sayd Prouinces to send him some good power to succour him and to withstand the armie Royall which came vppon him least so many Princes and excellent Captaines should encurre so great disaduantage as to see themselues besieged in the townes Whereof so farre were they from faâ—â—ing that it seemed they had dispeopled the places they came from so many men did they bring for they were not lesse then eighteene thousand bearing armes who vnder the conduct of the Lord of Acier marched But as the same was one way the 〈…〉 ole support of the armie so on the other it was the losse of sundrie places which the Catholikes after their departure seased vpon And many times I haue heard diuers Colonels reporte their departure in such numbers as if they should haue gone to seeke newe habitations for had the halfe onely come yet had they bene too many These could not neuerthelesse ioyne with the Prince of Condé without a great inconuenience that befell them for two of their regiments were ouerthrowne by the Duke of Montpensier the cause arising as I haue vnderstoode of that the Lords of Mouuans and Pierregoord finding some discommoditie in lodging so close as vntill then they had bene forced would needes scatter wéening that hauing two thousand harquebuziers no lesse then an armie could serue to offend them The said Mouuans was as braue a souldier as any in the Realme but his great valour experience brought him to attempt that which turned to his destructioÌ„ which is it also that many times bréedeth the losse of both Captaines and troopes He tought valiantly and both he and his fellow with two thousand of their men dyed in the fielde The Catholikes haue reported vnto me one course that they then tooke which I like well of That was that fearing least the Lord of Acier who lodged but two leagues of should come to the rescue they did at the same time that they charged vpoÌ„ the said Mouuans quarter with their whole footmen sende into the Lord of Aciers quarter eight or nine hundred speares and many harquebuziers on horsebacke with a great sound of Trumpets crying Battaile Battaile which they did to the ende to make him thinke that their drift was against himselfe Thus did they linger him while they performed their enterprise wherefro they caried seuenteene flagges This losse grieued the Price and his partakers howbeit the comming in of so many other regiments did soone blot out his sorow For the man of warre euen during his action against the enemie endeuoureth to abolish the memorie of all sorowfull accidents least the same should deminish this first furie which being in him doth sometimes make him terrible Of the first progresse of both the armies when being in their prime they sought with like desire to fight AFter the ouerthrowe of Mouuans the Catholicke armie retired to Chastellerault fearing least the Protestants being so mightie would come vpon them in some bad ground There was also the Duke of Anieow who brought other power very resolute in that their Captaine to whome they bare great honor and reuerence was such a Prince And in my opinion there had not of long time bene seene so many Frenchmen in both the armies The Prince of Condé his places furnished had in his eighteene thousand Harquebuziers and three thousand good horse and I take that in Monsiers were at the least eighteene thousand Souldiers and foure thousand Speares besides the Suitzers so as on both sides might haue bene found aboue fiue and thirtie thousand Frenchmen all trayned and peraduenture as bould Souldiers as any in Christendome The Protestants finding themselues strong would haue sought to ioyne and came within two leagues of Chastellerault But the Prince hauing aduice that the other campe was planted vppon a strong ground almost enuironed with a small marish whereto was in some places adioyned a slight Trench ment not rashly to attempt any thing but sought meanes to drawe them foorth to battell Hereto was he enuited by the heate that he perceiued in his souldiers likewise by his great number for he doubted that such an armie wanting pay would not long continue great as also that the sharpenesse of winter would soone deminish it It may be that in the Catholike army some of these considerations might likewise take place But there was a good vniformity in this that both the generalls were touched with equall desire to ioyne and like purpose each to goe liue vpon his enemies land so to preserue his owne from the extreeme spoyle which whole armies doe make Thus they both raised their campes and tooke their way to Lusignan neere whereto was a small quarter of land good in all perfection where each entended to lodge and albeit they were both neere together yet could neither heare newes of other which is not very straunge for we see it many times come so to passe Both parties therefore hauing appoynted their generall meeting at a great borowe named Pamprow plentifull in victualles the Marshals of both the campes came thether much about one time with their troopes from whence they beate each other forward and backward twise or thrise so desirous was euery man to catch that bone to knawe vpon which in the ende was giuen ouer Howbeit either of them knowing very well that they should haue support stood stiffe and would not flee but retired a quarter of a league of where they set themselues in battaile aray Afterward came the Lord Admirall and d'Andelot with fiue Cornets of horse onely and on the behalfe of the Catholickes came seauen or eight hundred Speares It is now sayd the Lord Admirall no speaking of lodging but of fighting and with all speede aduertised the Prince who was a long league of to set forwarde in the meane time he would set a good face on the matter He commaunded them to stand in aray vpon a small rising so to take from the enemies the viewe of a valley least they should discouer him and this did he to the ende to make theÌ„ think that we had some great power both of horsemen footmen hidden therein Being thus in aray within a Canon shot each of other he willed a Captaine of harquebuziers on horseback to set forwarde fiue hundred paces and to stay neere to a hedge which he did But as these people albeit they can discharge running are not neuerthelesse skilfull souldiers so had they not stayed there sixe paternosters while but halfe of them moued to
sacke it wee should afterward bee driuen through the inconueniences both generall and perticuler to breake vp our Campe. This armie thus ordered were able in my opinion to stand in a plaine fielde against y e whole power of the Turkes who being destitute of Corcelets Pikes and armed squadrons can hardly ouerthrowe our battailes Wee see likewise how our horse are surely prouided for in the spaces wherby I suppose that either the enemie must be endued with an extraordinarie valour or our men shewe great cowardlinesse if they lose the battaile This order haue I not here set downe as the best of all for other men may peraduenture deuise some more conuenient but it is done to the ende to inuite sundrie Captaines to seeke what may be more profitable The Christian armie thus in presence of the Turkes they after a few Canon shot I presume they will begin both because they be very proude and also that they bee ordinarily fower against one which greatly embouldeneth them and will peraduenture come with some three or fourescore thousande horse to charge gallantly vpon the flanckes of our formost horse yea euen in the middest of the head but I would thinke they should at this onset be well beaten and repulsed with y e losse of some fower or fiue thousand horse howbeit their horse being very swift they wil returne behind their maine battell to fall in aray againe Then I imagine that hauing discharged some two volees of their Artillerie whereof they haue plentie they will giue a strong charge with their whole bodie whereof so much as should strike into the battailes or spaces would bée handled God knoweth how But peraduenture the horsemen on the flanckes may bee ouerthrowne which so happening the other 2. small bodies appointed for their support should mooue who finding the victorers in disorderly pursuite which alwaies for the most part happeneth should so brauely inuade them as also should some of the Squadrons who stepping out of the spaces aforesaid should come vpon their slanckes that they should bée quite broken So should also their Harquebuzerie being ioyned with ours beare the punishment of their rashnesse Neuerthelesse the Christians should not vndiscréetly pursue them for they are very skilfull in rallying themselues and would peraduenture so doe within two Canon shot and so enclose fower or fiue thousand of the most eager vppon the chase as their forefathers did D. Iohn of Burgundie and all the French Nobilitie in their battaile against Amurathes Wherefore it were requisite for the whole Christian armie to march and sende after them some twentie thousand horse by squadrons each supporting other except the Hungarian and Polonian horse who might goe more dispersedly in chase And it may seeme enough to chase them thus one league To be briefe I suppose that in so notable a iourney they might bée defeated of halfe their footmen all their Artillerie and cariages and aboue twentie thousand horse but in case but one quarter of such an exployt were at the first performed yet would it breede great reputation and in the Souldiers harts confirme a confidence to ouercome For he who in warre winneth the first aduantages conceiueth a great hope of the issue Now must wee speake one worde of the straight countries It seemeth the armie to bée there in more safetie then in the large by reason of the great numbers of their footmen and there if the enemie should offer vpon them they might alter their order according to the places being still diligent to keepe their aduantages of the Woodes Uallies and Artillerie But especially they ought to beware of aranging their bodie in any such sorte that the first ouerthrowne should strike into the second for that was the losse of the battaile of Poictiers where King Iohn had fiftie thousande men and the English were but tenne thousand This so fauourable successe once obteyned no doubt afterwarde the rest of the great Artillerie prouided at Vienna being caused to march wee might in three moneths take from them fower or fiue of the best townes standing vppon Danowe as Strigon Bude Pest and others which the enhabitants there about do better knowe True it is there would be great lettes and the Turkish armie being refreshed would not faile to fauour their places where wee might see braue skirmishes In the meane tyme wee to keepe that earnest for our first yeeres worke I leaue to your imagination whether all Christendome would reioyce when they should heare of such a victorie obteyned ouer those who for these two hundred yeeres haue but tryumphed of our destruction Yea euen the small babes would sing foorth the praises of such valiant personages by whome such notable exploytes should haue bene performed Now let vs come to the Nauie which being so mightie must not the whiles lye idely in the Hauens but make saile to execute matters worthie thereof My best counsaile were that it should conforme it selfe to the lande power in trying to bring the enemie to a daie of battaile which peraduenture might bee easely done as being of no lesse pride by Sea then by lande so as seeing vs drawe towarde Greece they will by and by bee vpon our armie neither shall wee neede to counterfaite the besiedging of any place to bring them thereto And sith the battaile of Lepanto hath made them wise the Christians must also bee well resolued in their inuentions and other necessarie meanes to attaine to the victorie There are other reasons besides the equitie of a cause and vrgent necessitie that stirre vp men to fight couragiously As the presence of noble persons which detest cowardlinesse and exalt prowesse secondly the Captaines orations wherein they exhort their souldiers to behaue themselues manfully in solemne iorneys Thirdly confidence which encreaseth when we see men well disposed and the armie well ordered Finally hope of reward which is a good spurre to such purposes And aboue all other the Spanish and Italian Captaines are meetest to take order herein in whom being accompanied with choise of valiant persons we are to thinke that neither order courage nor prouocation shall want I will forbeare to discourse of the putting of Nauies in aray as one not so skilfull in Sea matters notwithstanding the order by Don Iohn obserued at Lepanto I haue alwaies thought to bee most conuenient and well inuented Some too fearefull or ouer circumspect person may say that the hazarding of all our strength at once is the way to bring all Christendome into great daunger Whereto I aunswer that he which voluntarily entereth the carrier doth purpose to runne and so he that shippeth himselfe in a warre as the assailant must aduenture otherwise all his former preparations and threates are in vayne For it is a greater daunger to suffer a mans selfe to be by little and little deuoured and to do nothing An other as farre too eager considering of all this power would to the contrary that wee should march directly to Constantinople
wise for albeit their meaning may be good yet may a man after some forte stumble because the sodainnesse of the matter may make him neglect diuerse circumstaunces therein to bee considered Yea although one shoulde thinke vpon all that were requisite to bee noted yet may many doe it much beter The worthinesse also of the matter in hande may be such and the number of confederates so great that euen the cheefest must haue respect as well to the one as to the other As likewise they must imagine that they to whome they promise although thinges vnreasonable will neuerthelesse vpon want oâ— performance finde themselues greeued and complaine thereof By what occasion the warre did first breake foorth betweene the two armies DUring the parlies afore mentioned there was as it were a trucâ— betweene both armies which caused that there was nothing enterprized at Paris or Orleance But when the Prince of Conde and his associats did well perâ—eiue that wordes were to weake to remedy the present alterations hee determined to adde effects and so immediately after the resolution vpon the offer made vnto the Queene hee called aside â—eauen or eight of his cheefest captaines and consulted vpon the most conuenient meanes to buckle with the enemy for the trucâ— was ended the daie before who all were of opinion that they must be preuented by diligence considering that they had two aduauntages the one that the Duke of Guise the Constable and the Marshall of S. Andrewes were then absent and so none but the king of Nauarre with the armie the other that the companies of men of armes were lodged scattering from the maine battaile That if they shoulde march forward by daie theyr light horse or forragers might giue them warning and therefore it were best to vse greate diligence in the night and so come vppon them in the dawning for thus might they vndoubtedlie be surprised likewise that because they had not ordinarily vsed any camizadoes they might nowe the more easilie put this in execution while the enimy least doubled anie such thing As for the waie it was most easie as being al plaine fields between them About one houre after the campe departed and came betimes to Feâ—te where the Generalles opened their intents to the Captaines willing them to cause their souldiours to put on shirtes and resolue them to beare themselues manfully in this so valyaunt an enterprise By eight of clocke at night the troops were in the field who after publike praier as was then vsed among the Protestants began to march with such a courage as I may in truth affirme that in souldiours I neuer see greater Before the departure did a gentleman commit a most villanous act in forcing of a maiden whose calling together with the shortnesse of the time were causes that it could not be punished This did many take to be a bad signe in this enterprise Presuming to finde the enemies in their lodginges the order to fight was this First the Lord Admirall marched formost with eight hundred speares to ouerthrowe whatsoeuer horsemen hee shoulde finde in armes then followed 1200. harquebuts in foure troopes with charge to assayle the watch of the enimies footmen and thence to enter theyr quarters Next marched eight hundred harquebuts supported with two great battayles of pikes to seaze vppon their artillerie after all came the Prince of Condee with one thousand horse in foure squadrons and the rest of the harque buzerie Now are we to vnderstand that considering at what time they set forward they should by all reason haue reached to the enimies lodging by three of the clocke in the morning for the waie lay ouer a playne field neither was there any straight passage but that the footemen might march a whole league in an houre and a halfe but when they had gone two leagues the guides perceiued that they went wrong and thinking to recouer their waie they strayed farther out remayning as men amazed and not knowing where they were to the no small discontent of the Captaines To be briefe hauing thus trauayled vntill one houre after daie they found themselues a long league of from the enimies lodgings whose scoutes descried the head of the Princes armie and so returning with al speed gaue a great alarum Heerevpon tooke they counsayle what was best to bee done but in the meane time they hearde the Canon discharged in the enemies campe for a warning to call in their horsemen which brake theyr deuise for passing any farther as well for that they weâ—e descried as also that they had yet a great waie to goe albeit if they had bene within halfe a league they were resolued to haue gone forward and fought Thus was this enterprise which in ontward appearaunce seemed verie certaine was vtterlie broken of I haue asked the opinion of sundrie good Captaines then present in the aduersaries campe what successe might haue followed if the Protestants had come in time who all affirme that they woulde haue fought albeit they were preuented by their separation from their most affectionate Captaines and the greatest parte of theyr horsemen The Lorde Marshall of Anuille a watchfull and verie skilfull Captaine was with his light horse lodged at the head of the Catholikes armie wo tolde mee that hee waked and was in armes almost all the night neuerthelesse if our whole power had come in time theyr armie had beene in daunger which is not in deede to bée doubted for albeit the hazardes of warre bee vncertaine yet the aduauntage of a surprise doth import apparaunt losse to those that suffer themselues to bee so farre ouertaken All the faulte was layde vppon the guides who to cleere themselues said that the Lord of Andelots putting the footemen in araie at the departure from the lodgings made their march the flower but I thinke this excuse more subtil than true considering there was neither bush nor hedge to stoppe them In deede if the Countrie had beene straighter it might haue had some likelihood Both armies albeit somewhat asunder stoode in araie vntill two of the clocke afternoone Afterwarde the Prince of Condie went to lodge at Lorges a small league of and the King of Nauarre with all speede certefied the Lorde of Guize and the Constable who laie at Chasteaudun of all that happened who immediatlie came to him Then fearing to be assayled by night because the Princes armie was strong in footmen and their owne lodgings verie vnfit for horsemen they made at the head of theyr battayle grounde vppon the comming in fiue or sixe great heapes of fagots with strawe inough vnder them to kindle if they were assaulted to the ende by the light thereof to discharge three or foure vollees of artillerie which woulde haue greatly annoied the assaylauntes There are that disdayne such inuentions albeit they may sometime be to good purpose In the morning they fell agayne into araie but see not one another neyther did anie but the light horsemen skirmishe The Captaines of
all olde souldiours and the others newe did so disorder them as they were forced to abandon the village and leaue him free passage Finallie within two leagues of Saumure hee founde yet another companie of footemen lodged in a Church whome hee forced and tooke theyr Ensigne and so at the shutting in of the euening came safe with his men well wearyed with fighting and marching hauing lost but twentie of them but slayne foure times as many of his enemies and scarred aboue a thousande This exploit did I thinke good to sette downe as seeming to bee replenished with a braue determination albeit it was â—o meruayle that the Lorde of Andelots troopes entered not within them for they were sodainelie surprised beeing all scattered a sunder besides that the horsemen were in too straight a roome to fight well and although they had beene gathered agayne together yet were the enemies alreadie in safetie Thus do we see how much it standeth a body in hand both to march in order and to be well determined and this is it that causeth those small troopes that are willing in valour to supplie their weaknesse ordinarily to ouercome Notwithstanding this checke yet was not the Lord of Andelot past hope of passage ouer the riuer hauing therfore closed his men in two bodies he caused them to trye euery where In the ende they found a foord as it were miraculously where no man had in mans memorie passed and the next morning both he and all his being very glad that they had met that which they hoped not of he passed ouer vnto the other side Remaining in these vncerteynties I could him that it were good for vs to consider what wee had to doe if our passage were stopped wherevpon he aunswered What can wee elâ— doe but take some extreeme partie either to dye as Souldiers or to saue our selues as Souldiers My opinion is sayd he that wee all ioyne and so retire seauen or eight leagues hence into the open countrie and thence to aduertise the Lordes of Montpensier and Martigues that we be fled are scattered euery man seking to escape the daunger which they will soone beleeue In the meane time we will encourage and prepare our men to ouercome Then if they approach neere vnto vs as vndoubtedly they will rather to spoile than to fight let vs valiantlie set vppon them so shall we bâ—eake them and afterwarde will no troope for one moneths space bee so bolde as to come before vs thus maye wee easilie gette into Germanie or vp the riuers This readie and couragious counsayle of so gallant a knight is no more in my opinion to bee concealed than the braue determination of the Lord of Martigues two personages vndoubtedly worthie the best militarie offices The last woâ—ne farre greater honour in his passage and the first much more profite as getting him and his into safetie For within eight dayes after hee ioyned with the Prince of Condie which was a greate strengthening vnto him This the Protestants so badde a beginning and enterie into the warre by such headelong retreates was a foretoken that they would vse these remedies in the continuation thereof which also came to passe albeit in the former they had but verie seldome had anie such happe whereof if there bee anie that desire to knowe the causes I will set them downe It proceeded of the contempt of discipline and the multiplication of vice the which dooth breede greate disorder and engendreth bouldnesse in many not in all who vnder colour of necessitie doo take vpon them too much libertie That the respite which his Maiestie gaue to the Prince of Conde without sending any armie against him was a meanes for him to preuaile of a great Prouince without the support whereof he could not haue continued the warre THE Protestants whole refuge in these last troubles coÌ„sisted in retiring to Rochel which hauing embraced the Gospell and reiected the doctrine of the Pope rested alreadie at their deuotion The towne is reasonable large and wel seated vpon the sea coast in a soyle abounding with victuals full of rich Marchants and good artificers which was very profitable for the preseruation of sundrie families the reaping of al commodities necessarie for the Souldiers and whole armie both by sea by land Now after the Lord of Andelots arriuall the Captaines were aduised to lose no time so as hauing taken some artillerie out of Rochell they assayled the townes of Poictow and Xantoigne which then were but weake and meanly prouided of garrisons and so became maisters of as many as they might as Nyort Fontenay S. Maixant Saintes S. Iohn d'Angely Ponts and Coignac Afterward they tooke also Blay and Angolesme some being wonne easely others with batterie and assault To bee briefe in lesse then two moneths of poore vagabonds as at the first they were they had gotten into their hands meanes sufficient to coÌ„tinue a long warre In all these places they lodged about thirtie companies of footmen and seauen or eight cornets of horse which was a great ease to the countrie and so formed a braue politicke and militarie order as well for the Frenchmen as for the guiding of the armie Herein do I consider how necessitie being followed by occasion the Protestants could helpe themselues with both Being oppressed with the first they layd open all inuentions of the minde and strength of bodie to eschue destruction And when the second came in place they found themselues readie to embrace it I sometime heard the Lord Admirall applie the goodly saying of Themistocles to the state of the affayres of that time viz. We were lost if we had not bene lost thereby meaning that had we not fled we could not haue recouered that good spring which was farre better then the same that we had before I knowe not how it fell out that the Catholikes did no sooner knowe that they whome they had driuen from about them did settle themselues a farre of and so send remedies there against for vndoubtedly if they had it might haue cut off halfe our conquestes but I thinke that at Paris they were so glad to see those Prouinces and Townes which before had made them so sharpe warre abandoned that many of their harts were so puffed vp that afterward they disdained the Protestants effects who thought Rochell only able to resist them wherein in three moneths they might bee shut vp These be the forecastes of man after some fauourable accident The Queene of Nauarre perceiuing these stirres was very diligent to draw to those quarters bringing with her her childreÌ„ and some good power which serued as well to authorise the cause as to strengthen the armie She feared least staying in her owne countries she should bee forced as well by the commotions of her subiects as by other power to let her sonne go to the Court where vndoubtedly at the least in outward shewe he should be driuen to change his religion In consideratioÌ„ wherof she made
that they haue made slaughters and ouerthrowne the speares whereby their Captaines haue learned wit and doe now make them to keepe better orders Now let vs speake of the meeting of two squadrons whervpon I will say that although the squadron of Speares doe giue a valiant charge yet can it worke no great effect for at the onset it killeth none yea it is a miracle if any be slayne with the speare onely it may wound some horse and as for the shocke it is many times of small force where the perfect Reistres doe neuer discharge their Pistols but in ioyning and striking at hand they wound ayming alwaies either at the face or thigh The second ranck likewise shooteth of so as the forefront of the men of armes squadron is at the first meeting halfe ouerthrowne and maymed Also although the first rancke may with their speares doe some hurt especially to the horse yet the other ranckes following cannot doe so at the least the second and third but are driuen to cast away their speares helpe themselues with their swordes Herein wee are to consider two things which experience hath confirmed The one that the Reistres are neuer so daungerous as when they bee mingled with the enemie for then be they all fire The other the two squadrons meeting they haue scarce discharged the second pistoll but either the one or the other turneth away For they contest no lenger as the Romaines did against other nations who oftentimes kept the field two houres fighting face to face before either partie turned backe By all the aforesaid reasons I am driuen to aduowe that a squadron of pistols doing their dueties shall breake a squadron of speares It may hereto bee replied that the man of armes carieth also one pistoll which he vseth when his speare is broken It is soone sayd but coldly practised for the most of them scarce caring to charge doe referre that to their men who haue no greater vse of it then themselues and when they come to fight the one halfe doe faile as hath bene oft enough tryed or at the least through euill charging doe no hurt He that will haue any vse of those weapons must bee as carefull of them as of a horse whereto it is hard to bring other nations which accompt this a base and seruile occupation Some man may in the fauour of the men of armes say that they may in such sorte ioyne the squadron of Reistres that they may ouerthrowe them That is that comming within 80. paces they may sende foorth their three last ranckes of speares gallantly to assaile their flancke so shall they open it breake the force therof and bring such a feare vpō them that-the squadron of speares may the better deale with them Hereto I aunswer the obseruation is good though not greatly in vse Neuerthelesse it is a matter common as well to the one as to the other For teach it to the Reistre and he will pay you in the same coyne by sending foorth parte of his troope to strike into your sides so shall your inuentions be a remedie to him and peraduenture he shall preuaile more therewith then your selues Now notwithstanding whatsoeuer I haue herein discoursed my entent is not to bring the French nation in dislike with the speare which I take to be wonderfull proper weapons for them so long as their mindes are no otherwise disposed then yet they bee And vntill they haue learned more stedfastly to keepe order and to be more carefull of their weapons they will neuer worke the like effects with the pistoll as the Reistres Such as imagine the pistoll to bee such a terrible and offensiue weapon are not greatly deceiued neither will I gainsay them in case it come in valiant hands The ende of the first Paradoxe The second Paradoxe That 2500. Corcelets and 1500. Harquebuziers may more easely retire three French leagues in a plaine fielde then 2000. Speares AMong all militarie actions accompted notable this hath the first place as one of the most difficult as also it is a great testimonie of the sufficiencie of the. Captaine that can compasse it And as there are fewe willing to vndertake it for feare of fayling so peraduenture shall we finde fewer that will beleeue that it may be done because it is a thing that happeneth so sieldome Neither would I reproue their opinion if they ment that in the weakenesse wherein our infantery now cōsisteth it were vnpossible to attaine to y t effect For hauing no vse of the pike voyd of discipline I do not thinke that 10000. harquebuziers taken frō thence durst shew themselues in the plaine before 600. speares But with the 4000. men of whō I meane to speake all of our owne nation and of no other reduced into good order and obedience and in their auncient armes I will vphould that the retraict propounded may be performed Such as will gainsay of whome there are many will propound an argument gathered of experience saying that no Historiographer setteth downe any such example at the least none of those that haue written of the warres happened since the yeere 1494. hetherto which haue bene very notable also that these proofes appeared only in the time of the Romaines Whereto for my aunswer sith they beate me with experience I will defend my selfe by the same and say that it maketh no more against me then with me For regarding what is past we may note such happes as verifie my proposition not to bee vnpossible First I will alleadge the braue retraict of Don Aluares of Sande in Afflicke He had as I haue heard 4000. Spanyards souldiers of great valour and to come where he purposed he was to passe a plaine of foure or fiue miles which trusting to his men he aduentured to doe But he was not so soone set forward but eightéene or twentie thousand horse of the Moores were at his heeles who coueted to catch him in this bad aduantage He then hauing ordered his battaile and exhorted his men went forward on his way where all these horse did fiue or sixe times set vpon him but he bare their brunt and so brauely repulsed them that with the losse of 80. men at the most he brought the rest into safetie and slew seuen or eight hundred of the enemies Some will say that they wanting armour did not pearce so sharply as do the Christian horsemen who doe farre passe them in courage I graunt ours are more valiant but theirs did not assaile very slackly or els they had not lost so many And by this exployt it appeareth that footmen resolute and well led may passe any where Guicciardine also in his historie reporteth a gallant retraict of 2000. Spanyards after the Frenchmen had broken their armie at Rauenna for being ioyned againe into their bodie although the horsemen did follow and charge them yet did they saue themselues yea and slewe Gaston de Foix the conquerour that pursued them In
these retraicts here do appeare great determinatiō but small arte which neuerthelesse is very necessarie in such affayres wherto I will also adde the instruction of the souldiers For when all these three things shall concurre in one troope I doubt not but it may worke greater meruailes then the former Some will say that the Frenchmen can at this day hardly helpe themselues with the pike which is true neither do I merueile thereat for in deliuering both it and the corcelet to any man men looke to no more but whether he hath good shoulders as if it were to carie some coffer like a moyle and as for the gentrie they haue quite giuen it ouer This is the reason why I wish the restoring of martiall discipline as also that they would againe practise the pike wherewith to fight at hand and open and to leaue to the youth and poore Souldiers the handling of the harquebuze because that therewith they ordinarily fight a farre of and in couert for the one is farre more honorable then the other Captaines in ould time venturing vpon some difficult enterprise wished to haue their Souldiers not only well ordered but also old beaten warriours because their assurance is the greater For it were but an ouersight to attempt any perillous aduenture with newe men Now will I come to Instruction which is as I haue sayd merueilously requisite in extraordinary matters And yet we now see that the Souldier contemneth it and the Captaine careth not for it But admit a Souldier bee valiant and that wheresoeuer he be placed he will doe his duetie thinke you he will not doe it much better or that he will not fight more resolutly when before he hath by good reasons bene perswaded that the horse cannot force a battaile in the face likewise that for the flancke they must vse such fortification as I will hereafter set downe then if he were vtterly ignorant and wist not what might happen I thinke no man will denie it for certainly ignorance is in parte cause of the feare that many men of warre doe oftentimes conceiue For that seeing the enemie in their faces they thinke they should according to the prouerbe euen eate yron charets I know that practise teacheth to knowe the true from the false but there is much time spent therein vnlesse it bee holpen by familier and ordinarie documents which those captaines that seeke to haue the best companies doe diligently giue to their souldiers The ordering of the footmen asorenamed to withstand the hotse in the fielde For marching but 80. paces asunder and coasting each other it followeth that the head of the battaile marked A can hardly bee charged because the side of the battaile marked 3 doth flancke it as likewise the sayd head doth as much for the sayd flancke by the same reason also one of the heads of the battaile marked 2. and the flancke of the other marked D doe also succour each other by their harquebuziers so as it is very daungerous for the horse to assayle in such places which enterflancke each other But may some man say although the two battailes cannot be assaulted but each vpon two sides why is it not as good to make but one onely which cannot be assailed in any more places For it seemeth the resistance would bee more gallant because that force vnited is much greater then deuided I am of opinion that in these actions it is not so requisite to looke to the greatnesse or smalnesse of the battailes as to the difficultie and hinderance when they finde themselues assayled on euery side For it is a great aduenture but there will growe some disorder when one bodie must make defence in foure places but when they neede not to looke but to two sides the men doe frame themselues thereto with greater ease and much better order This reason shall content me for the verifying of my speech notwithstanding I could alleadge others Concerning the ordering of the battailes I would wish euery rancke to conteyne fiftie Corcelets whereof there should be seauen at the head which would make three hundred and fiftie then tenne ranckes of harquebuziers and in the middest of them the rancke of Ensignes afterward for the tayle sixe ranckes of Corcelets which in all make sixe hundred and fiftie Corcelets and fiue hundred harquebuziers placed in foure and twentie rankes For the flanckes wherein al the difficultie doth consist they should be ordered in maner following I would neuer place there any harquebuziers as hath hetherto bene vsed but make sixe rankes of three hundred Corcelets in each fiftie men which should serue to make head on those sides The enemies being néere they should march otherwise then the rest namely close and carying their Pikes vpright leaning against their shoulders which is now sufficiently in vse Whereas at the heads of the battaile when any thing is to be done in their march they trayle them which maketh much distance betweene their rankes Now these sixe ranckes when the charge is offered after they stand shall doe nothing but make halfe a turne and so continue in their array with their face to the enemie and by my aduice they should take but threescore common paces in length which properly should bee the same which the battaile being closed to fight may haue open by the flanckes Thus should they bee armed to withstand the horsemen which cannot bee well done but with Pikes for the harquebuze shot without couert wil easely be ouerthrowne There remaine yet two hundred and fiftie harquebuziers to bee placed in the battaile counting the Muskets whom I would wish to bee distributed into foure partes in each threescore and somewhat more to stande as it were loose before the Pikes and at the charge to arange themselues vnder those of the first ranckes on the foure sides of the battaile Some will mislike I should make the heades so weake and only of sixe ranckes of Corcelets thinking them too fewe to beare the brunt of a whole hande of horse To whom I may say that if there were tenne it were the better but I haue cut my coate after my cloath howbeit I thinke such frontes sufficient to resist the horse which may easely bée done if the men haue courage and will be sure to stand strongly and fewe battailes haue wee seene ouerthrowne by any assault of the horse at the head As for the flankes which I haue described in such sorte as before they be as strong as the heades so long as they can keepe their order And this order I would wish them to keepe in their fight First while the horse were farre of it were good the battailes did goe forwarde but seeing them readie to charge to stay to the ende the better to settle themselues in order and with good footing to beare their first brunt The first rancke of Corcelets to plant the endes of their Pikes sure in the ground and not to stirre though a horse should goare
side they shoulde bring one hundred Gentlemen with armour and speare That no troops shuld come within two leagues of the place appointed That thirtie light horse on each part should sixe houres before their meeting discouer the fielde which was as playne as the sea That at the appointed houre the Queene and King of Nauarre should bee on horse backe in the place appointed where the Prince and Admirall lykewise on horsebacke shoulde meeâ—e them to intreate together of the publyke affayres In the meane time the two troopes consisting of choice men and for the most parte Lordes to houer eight hundred pates asunder the Marshall de Anuil commaunding ouer the one and the Earle of Rochefoucault ouer the other Hauing thus beheld eyther other for the space of halfe an houre each coueting to see one his brother another his vnkle cousen friende or olde companion they â—raued leaue of theyr superiours which was hardlie graunted in respect that at the first they were forbidden to meete for feare of iniuryes and affrayes But so farre were they from quarelling that contrariwise there was nothing but salutations and embracings of such as could not forbeare y e demonstration of amitie vnto those whome parentage or honestie had vnited vnto them notwithstanding the contrarie tokens that they bare For the King of Nauarres troope was clothed in cassockes of crimson veluet and redde scarfes and the Prince of Condes in white The Catholikes imagining the Protestants to bee lost exhorted them to see to themselues not to enter obstinatlie into this miserable warre wherein neere kinsmen must murther one another heereto they aunswered that they detested it howbeit if they had not recourse to theyr defence they were assured of lyke intreatie as many other Protestants had receiued who were cruellie slaine in sundrie parts of France To be briefe each prouoked other to peace and to persuade their superiours to hearken thereto Some who a parte did more deeplie consider of these things bewayled publike discord as the spring of future mischiefes Then waighing with themselues that all these greetings would bee conuerted into bloudie murthers vppon the least token of battayle that the superiours shoulde giue that the â—iseardes being shut and readie furie hauing â—ayled their sight one brother woulde scarce pardon another the water euen stoode in their eyes My selfe was then among the Protestants and I may truelie saie that on the other side there were a douzen of my friendes whome I accounted as deere as my owne brethren who also bare mee the lyke affection In the meane time as well conscience as honour bounde each one not to fayle in the one or the other Priuate amitie did as theÌ„ liue but since these great calamities had course and conuersation discontinued it is euen dead in many The Queene and Prince of Conde hauing conferred two long houres together when they coulde growe to no agreement departed each verie sorie that they had no better succesie Of the Prince of Condies promise somewhat rashlie made to the Queene mother that hee would depart the Realme of France and why it was not performed AFter the ariuall of a great number of the ordinarie bandes and parte of the olde infanterie at Paris the King of Nauarre the Constable and the Duke of Guize who contemned the Protestants as rebelles thought themselues strong inough to make them afrayde and in battayle araie marched towarde Chasteaudun The Prince vnderstanding heereof craued the aduice of such Captaines as accompanied him what were to bee done who all with one consent declared that sith they had hetherto as well in deedes as wordes set so good a face on the matter if nowe they shoulde at the beginning of the warre suffer themselues to bee shutte vp and besieged in a Towne it would bee some testimonie of cowardlynesse and greatly disgrace the Protestants affayres as well with foraine nations as with such of the Frenchmen as tooke heir partes withall considering that their power alreadie grew well toward sixe thousand footmen and two thousand horse also that by the report of the spies the enimies were not yet aboue foure thousand footmen and three thousand speares to whom notwithstanding they were not so well armed they were no whit inferiour in courage that nothing ought therefore to let them from taking the field with all speed and fighting with the enimie if occasion might so serue for they could neuer haue them at a better aduantage considering how theyr power would from time to time increase Upon this resolution ehey encamped a league and a halfe from Orleance whether the Queene sent new Embassadours to enter parley for both sides did greatly feare the vniuersall desolations ensuing of warre if once it were begun At the two first meetings they argued sufficiently though to small resolution onely it was agreed that the Catholike and leagued Lordes and Princes should depart each to his owne home and then would the Prince of Condie obey whatsoeuer the king should command for the wealth of the Realme Soone after they marched to Chasteaudun and no farther which the Protestants presumed to bee but a dissimulation Some will saie that in the sayd parlies the Prince of Conde hazarded himselfe into ouer great peril but he was still stronger than the enimie and his men too warie to be deceiued albeit in one point they ouershoot theÌ„selues vpon simplicitie which was in deliuering to y e king of Nauarre when he came to y e parley the towne of Boisgencie which was nothing worth for his fafety but was neuer restored them again this did greatly chafe them as perceiuing that thence forth they must talke with the bridle in hand Now as daily there came some from the Queene to the Prince of Conde to perswade him to peace which hee seemed greatly to desire among the rest was imploied the Bishop of Valence a man in learning and eloquence most excellent when he lyst to shew forth eyther the one or the other Hee with his fayre speech so qualyfied the Prince that he increased his desire of a good accord and finally told him that in as much as many reproched him to be the author of the war it were his part to make euident his iustificatioÌ„ by al good offers braue effects also y t if at the next enteruiew he wold tel y e Queene y t rather than to sée y e real me hazarded to fire sword he wold be coÌ„tent with his friends to depart the same shee could haue nothing to answere much lesse his enimies who had promised to returne to their habitations likewise that of this motion might ensue some good resolution that should stay all wepons which being laid downe all things might after ward be easily reestablished This sayd he departed leauing in the Prince who was loth to be constrained to fight agaynst his owne nation certaine impression to followe this counsayle which he imparted to some that were desirous of peace therefore gainsayd it not
lodge scattering abroade in the good villages the sayde commissaries besides theyr ordinarie carriages kept still in euery cornet a baker and two horse of burthen which came no sooner to their quarter but they fell to making of bread and so sent it to the footemen All these small helpes proceeding from fortie cornets for there about wee then were being gathered together amounted vnto a great deale yea and thence sometimes they sent both flesh and wine whereto the Gentrie were so affectionate that from their lodgings they would not spare their carriages for conduct of whatsoeuer was requisite The small Townes that were taken were reserued for the munitionaries and they threatned the rest that kept no garrisons to fire all a league rounde about if they sent in no prouision whereby our footmen who lodged close were ordinarilie well prouided I doe not heere speake of the booties which as well the footemen as horsemen wonne from the aduersaries neyther is it anie doubt but this denouring animall passing through so many Prouinces could still finde soule pasture where with was sometimes mixed the poore mans garment yea and the friendes to so sore did necessitie and desire to catch incite those that wanted no excuses to coulour their spoile Of these fruites were many prouided of those things which besides foode the soldiour is to buy as garments weapons which are most neâ—essarie things Now must I speake of the lodging of the armie which they were forced to scatter abroade and that for two principall reasons The one for the commoditie of virtuall the other that it might be vnder couert whereby to be defended from the iniurie of the winter for without this help it could not consist I know this to be a verie bad kinde of lodging also that in imperial royall warres men would beware of committing such ouer sights least they might be straight wayes surprised But in ciuill warres both partes were forced and accustomed so to doe at the least in France The footmen were lodged in two bodies viz. in a maine battayle and an auantgarde and the horsemen in the villages next to hand Uppon anie earnest allarum the horsemen drewe to their quarters likewise if one seuerall lodging were assayled the others went straight to the rescue Among the Cornets there were many harquebuziers on horsback and when they were come to their quarter all the wayes were very well fortefied and many times they prouided themselues in the Churches and Castles so to holde out two good houres vntill they might haue succour I haue sometimes seene one of the Generals march with fiue or sixe hundred men and beate back the enimie that had assayled some lodging Howbeit notwithstanding whatsoeuer watch on all sides yet there happened many surprises albeit the waies were beaten both night and daie Many times wee had our best aduice from the Picorers who buzzing abroade like flyes did ordinarilie meet with the enimie and so some one brought in word for these men to flie are as swift as hares and when they goe about some bootie they euen flie The head towarde the enimie who had light horsmen did commonlie consist of fiue hundred good horse and as many harquebuziers on horsebacke with small store of carriage except horse of burthen which was done to the end to keepe the enimies busie that they should make no enterprise also that the armie might alwayes haue warning Concerning the order of the march all the troopes had theyr meeting nominated at a certaine houre in place conuenient for the diuision of the lodgings and thence they repayred each to his quarter as also they vsed greate speede when they were to trauayle sundrie wayes One inconuenience there was in marching thus scatteringlie namelie that oftentimes they did vse many false allarums Neuerthelesse it was neuer noted that the Prince of Condie had euer anie notable surprise Neither woulde I that anie man should build anie rule vpon these examples which necessitie engendered vnlesse vppon the lyke reason as then bare swaie for so may they be vsed in accomodating them to time place and persons But the surest waie were to reforme our customes by the ancient militarie rules wherin is more perfection than in those which wee now a dayes doe practise Yet must we not saie that these great Captaines ought to haue done otherwise than they did for they neuer fayled in ought that either could or should be done As also their most notable actions are since their deathes vanished away Of the new forces out of sundrie Prouinces that met at Orleance which inuitéd the Prince of Condy to vndertake the voiage to Chartres IN the first ciuill warres most of the Protestants namely their heads toke this for a principle That it was hard without an armie in y e field to make anie honourable warre or profitable peace In consideration heereof they exhorted their partakers to helpe to make a braue power the benefit wher of should redound to the whole body which was the reason that made so many readie to come in But they found an inconuenience in abandoning to this effecte such good places as before they held in the prouinces for afterward they had no place of retreate as also they haue somtimes failed in the other point viz. by keeping ouer many Wherin we may learne to auoid all extremities Which notwithstanding yet were not the prouinces free froÌ„ war as wel in the first troubles as in these Yea who so list well to consider the dealings of the Baron of Adrets and other the braue exploites of sundrie Captaines both Catholikes and Protestants recorded in the histories shall see miserable matters valiantly and wisely executed But because I haue tied my selfe to speake of no more than I haue either seene or learned in good places I haue abstained from entering the carrier of vnknowen Countries for feare of stumbling Now the Prince of Condie being enformed that his forces out of Gascoyne and Daulphine amounting neere to sixe thousand men were ariued at Orleance thought it good to imploie them therefore sent them worde to be ready as also to prouide pouder and shot with three or foure bad peeces of artillerie that were left for albeit the Catholiks accounted the Protestants fierie people yet were they alwayes but meanelie prouided of such instrumentes neither haue they as themselues anie Saint Anthonie whome men saie to be president of this element His intent was before his enimies knew his purpose to haue enuironed the town that he meant to besiege whereof he thought none so commodious for his affayres as Chartres which being taken he purposed to fortefie so to keepe a continuall thorne in the Parisians foote and vnder the fauour therof somewhat to preserue his Countries which were behinde To this effect being aboue twentie leagues of he sent three thousande horse to enclose it which diligence turned to no greate profite for a regiment of footmen which lay but foure leagues off
did neuerthelesse enter thereinto which was the safegard of the towne The L. of Ligniers did commaund therein who had in all two and twentie companies neyther did anie man spare for all remedies for fortification which are vsuall in such lowe places as are preuented The assailants also for their parts noted those places that seemed most assaultable which on euery side were so bad that it was hard to say which was worst and hauing discouered a mountaine which commanded vpon the flanke of a Courtine without farther consideration they tooke it and at the first blush it promised much howbeit the remedies there agaynst were easie For the Prince hauing but fiue field peeces and foure light Culuerines what were they able to do agaynst so many men of defence and labour as were therein And in two daies and two nights it was so crossed and entrenched that they durst not enter vpon them The French man is so sodain that he will immediatly discouer y t which cannot be found without long search And through this redinesse I haue seene the discouerers of places commit so many ouer sights that I thinke it a most profitable rule to looke twice yea thrice vpon a thing before we resolue or settle our iudgement thereof After the breach was made we knew that to giue the assault on that side was to loose our men wilfullie and as we were preparing for a new batterie in some weaker place the peace was concluded which ouerthrew all militarie actions True is the Prouerbe that there is no well to the good men for the place must be verie bad wherein they cannot find meanes to accommodate themselues Men should neuer keepe anie long siege agaynst such places in deede to let an armie lie before it 3. weekes or a moneth it may be done whiles another is leauied in fauour of the besieged During our abode there the Lord Admirall attempted a braue enterprise which was determined in manner ensuing The contrarie armie being beyond the riuer of Sein durst not I wot not why approch the Princes maine power yet would it not omitte anie opportunitie to fauour the besieged And to the same effect was the Lord of Vallet a famous Captaine sent with eighteene cornets of horsemen to surprise one of our troopes in their lodgings to hinder our forage to breake off our victuals and to keepe vs in often allarums He approched within foure leagues of the camp and lodged verie close from whence he began greatlie to molest vs The Lord Admirall haere of aduertised tooke vppon him to prouide remedie thereto And vsing commonlie to march strong for feare sayd he of want of game he tooke 3500. horse departed so earlie that by the Sunne rising he was in these horsmens quarters of whom many notwithstanding their good watch kept in the fielde were ouertaken so as there were foure cloutes taken but few men slayne The Lord of Vallet who lodged in Oudan gathered together foure or fiue hundred horse with whom albeit a thousand of ours did folow he retired in good order often making head agaynst vs as indeede he had both skill and experience Hereby we see that it is not good soiourning long in the face of a strong power of horse vnlesse a man be as stronglie lodged For before he be aware he may be surprised as it were with a sodaine storme and the same may be vpon him in manner as soone as his sentinels scoutes or discouerers for it marcheth assured seareth nothing and still sayth to the foremost On charge and follow all that thou findest In such affayres the wisest and most circumspect are sometimes ouertaken The second peace concluded at Lon-iumeau THroughout the whole troubles in Fraunce wee haue still seene it fall out that they haue spoken of peace in the middest of all the war so willing was euerie man to shew himself to like of so health some a matter as also there haue ben diuerse concluded but none worse to the Protestants than this The treatie hereof was againe begun while the Prince lay before Chartres who sent the Cardinall of Chastillon with other Gentlemen to meete with the kings deputies at Lon-iumeau where they so folowed it that the articles were agreed vpon which were sent some to Paris others to Chartres there to decide the chiefe difficulties arising therein Now as a good peace was not onely greatly desired but also as necessarie so were there few that staied to consider what maner of one this was but as if y e verie name had also brought the effect most of the Protestants were fully resolud y t it must bee accepted And to speake plainly that was it that forced the P. Admiral who saw such readinesse euen in the nobilitie to condescend therto to accept of it It was as a whirle winde which they could not resist but that it carried thē awaie True it is that the P. was of himselfe somwhat inclined vnto it but the Admiral stil doubted of the obseruation thereof for he almost perceiued that they meant to be reuenged of the Protestants for y e iniurie receiued at the iourney of Meaux Yea euen then some such of the Catholiks as could conceale nothing gaue out openly that shortly they would haue a day One of our agents also for the peace sending word that hee had oft heard such speeches perceiued great indignation hidden in some of their hearts with whom they did conferre wished it might be loked vnto as noting some singular euent Some likewise euen of the court who sometime stole speeches out of the closet sent their friends kinsmen word y t vndoubtedly they would be deceiued vnlesse they wrought surely which might haue sufficed to wakē those y t slept so soundly vpō y e sweet pillow of peace but notwithstanding al aduice y e brook which alredy ouerflowed could not be restrained It may be meruailed y t these Captains being of such credit w t their partakers could not persuade thē to that which was so profitable howbeit if we consider what these voluntarie persons were also the violent desire to visite a mans home we shall perceiue y t the anchor of apparant necessitie being broken the shippe that is driuen with such vehement windes cannot be staied Sundry whole Cornets and diuerse perticular persons euen before the raising of the siege from before Chartres were departed without asking leaue toward Xantoigne and Poictou This humour also tooke place among the footmen euen those that dwelte farthest off Many also sayde that sith the King offered the last Edict of pacification it might not be refused Other of the Gentrie gaue out that they would retire into theyr owne Prouinces for the preseruation of their families whome the enimies cruelties oftentimes murthered The footmen complayned of the want of paie and that ordinarily their victuals failed them Thus might not the Generals of the Protestants cleaue to such aduertisements as they receiued and so reiect
their lodgings they were all so sterued with colde that they had no mindes to molest their enemies not so much as to giue one alarum as if there had bene some perfect truce betweene them On the morowe after the departure of Monsiers armie there fell out a braue occasion which the Lord Admirall had before foreseene and was reasonably hotly pursued which neuerthelesse had not the hoped successe He gessed that the Catholickes who the daies before were lodged half along the hedges would being gotten a little aloofe scatter into the good villages which in déede they did so as in the bodie of the armie there remayned none but Monsiers owne person the artillerie the Suitzers three or foure hundred horse and about twelue hundred harquebuziers The rest were some one league some two leagues of Now about nine of the clocke in the morning so soone as the Princes horse were arriued they sent foorth twelue or foreteene thousand harquebuziers with foure small peeces determining to set full vpon the bodie of the enemies armie which was but a small league and a halfe of They knewe well enough that there was a small brooke with diuers foords ouer it which by the report of their guides they tooke not to bee very difficult also hauing ouer night discouered and tasted the guardes thereof they found them forceable Thus they marched making a braue head and when they came to the passage which was within a quarter of a league of their campe they found it kept by some footmen who doubted no such matter The same did they charge very liuely but could not force it so stayed there vpon the skirmish Their campe hauing hereof taken a very hot alarum began to shoote of Canon after Canon to call in their scattered people and very certaine it is that at the beginning they were greatly astonied then their Captaines prouided for the reenforcing of the guard of this passage howbeit within a good quarter of an houre after the Lord Admirall set vpon an other passage which was also as well defended but could they haue bene wonne there was some likelihood that their armie might haue bene ouertaken For before they could haue had the succour of a thousand men wee should at the first comming haue set in their faces 1500. horse and 6000. harquebuziers which would haue shaken them shrewdly About two houres after being encreased they planted some peeces vpon a rising and after some shot on each side the colde caused euery man to retire As well the gentrie as common Souldiers on both sides did much murmure against their Captaines in that without any profite they were made a pray vnto the frostes and colde as also they complayned that famine assaulted them so as if they would not prouide for them in safe fortified places they being no loger able to endure such extremities would place themselues Hereto was there no contradiction for their Captaines entents did concurre with their desires The Catholicks went to lodge beyond Loyre about Saumure The Protestants returned to Montreuill-bellay and Touars In this last action I consider that many good occasions doe fall out when the armies are lodged scatteringly which should dispose their leaders to watch diligently for feare of trying one vnfortunate houre At the least ought they to labour to be able with Alexander to say I haue slept soundly for Antipater hath watched for me Some there are that thinke that the readers can gather but small instruction in the view of things not performed which they tearme vnperfect workes but I am not of their minde For whensoeuer any action together with the circumstances thereof is truely set downe albeit it reacheth but halfe the way yet may there still bee some fruite gathered thereof euen as men may take some examples by such as liue but to the third or fourth parte of the common course of mans life for vertue will somewhat appeare in all parts of mans age or actions and this shall cause me yet to set downe here one bould attempt which albeit it came not to effect is neuerthelesse worthie to be knowne The Countie of Brissack was the dealer and attempter thereof during the aboade of both armies He was bould and for his age very wise but his excessiue desire of glorie did euen rauish him to high and difficult attempts The Lords Admirall and Andelot were lodged in the towne of Montreuill-belay with their cornets which were great In one of the suburbes at hand was there also two cōpanies of footmen in the rou 〈…〉 e of a simple watch as well before their lodgings as at the gates The gentlemen did onely keepe the rounds euery houre about the walles and this seemed to suffice For by reason that vppon the way from Saumure there were in a great suburbe beyond the riuer sixe or seauen regiments of footmen the towne was couered on that side On the other side there were great marishes a league about which could not be passed but in certaine places also nine or tenne Cornets of horsemen lodged in the villages on the hether side who beate the waies both night and day All this so assured the towne as there was small likelihood that it could fall into any daunger Now as in these ciuill warres men haue alwaies had good aduertisements by reason that the secrete enemies are still hidden in the parties bowels so the sayd Countie was first aduertised of the small watch kept in the towne secondly that by going two leagues about out of the high way he might come without the daunger of our horsemens watch Howbeit he would not trust hereto but for his better assurance requested a French Captaine and an Italian by night to goe and discouer the truth One of them did assure me that they came to the foote of the wall and with a long pike and a corde with an yron hooke vpon it they gat vp for it was but lowe and about nine of the clocke at night came euen to the Lord Admirals lodging and returned againe vndescried He vnderstanding of this facilitie was very glad thereof and therevpon layed his purpose aforesaid in maner following Himselfe would with a thousand chosen and nimble harquebuziers fiue hundred horse depart in such time that he might come to Montreuill-bellay by three of y e clock in the morning so to haue at the least two houres of night to fauour his retraict if he should faile of his purpose but in case he did compasse it he should haue made great fires about the Castle so to aduertise the Catholicke armie which was at Saumure to march with all speede to his succour as assuring himselfe not to be forced without the Canon neither is it to bée doubted but in sixe houres they might haue bene there So doing he should take two notable Captaines in the middest of their assurance and 100. gentlemen of name moreouer he should disperse this aduantguard there lodged which would neuer haue abidden
the comming of the Catholicks succour so sore would they haue bene astonied yea peradueÌ„ture other inconueniences might haue ensued I for my parte who was then there haue wel viewed both the inside the outside also the state of the affaires do not think the execution therof to haue bene vnpossible But as it is requisite that God should watch ouer theÌ„ that sleep vpon the preseruation of cities so when the Countie was vpon his way to performe his enterprise he light vpon an vnlooked for mishap which ouerthrew all his entent For hauing to y t effect see forward with 12. ladders his men well resolued being within two good leagues of the towne by chaunce he met with two hundred Protestants horsemen that were going to beate about who seeing this great troope of horsemen and footmen in the fielde did suddenly returne and giue the alarum both to the towne and to the other quarters of the horsemen whereby the Countie was forced to retire Afterward the Lord Admirall caused greater watch vpon the waies and to beate the fieldes oftner albeit he neuer knewe of this enterprise nor my selfe neither vntill after the peace concluded Truely I doe greatly commend this valiant enterprise of this yong noble gentleman to whom the only daring to attempt it was an honor Howbeit I meruaile not that the Lord Admirall neuer doubted any such matter for he must as a man should say haue foreseene it by inspiration Neuerthelesse it is good for a man when he is neere a great power and such resolute Captaines to haue a double care and to thinke that the desire of honor will furnish them of wings Of the death of the Prince of Condé at Bassac THE Protestants hauing in the former daies endured much founde the more sweetnesse in their aboade in Poictow whether they were retired where they were aduertised that Monsiers armie was in the field marching toward Angolesme There were newly come to him two thousand Reistres and as I suppose to the end the sooner to ende the warre he purposed to force his enemies either to fight or els to shut vp themselues in the townes In the one he had the aduantage in the other he deminished their reputation The Prince and Admirall vpon this aduice caused their men to close determining to keepe themselues along the banckes of the riuer of Charente so to behould their countenances but to hazard nothing as also to fauour their Houlds for the furnishing wherof with men they must diminish there armie There was nothing done worthie remembranee vntil the Catholiks came to Chasteaunueuf which staÌ„deth vpon the same riuer where at theyr first comming they tooke the Castle which had but a bad keeper And because the bridge was broken in two places the Admirall himselfe to the end to discouer their countenance and the passage would needs come thether with 7. or 800. horse as many harque buziers hauing the riuer still betweene theÌ„ where he began a skirmish with some people whoÌ„ they had sent ouer either by bôate or vpon some plankes sodeinly laide which lasted not long In the meane time it might bee easily perceiued that they would labour to passe ouer there The Lord Admirall desiring as much as he might to preserue his credite and to giue his enimies to vnderstand that he would not giue them ground foote by foote that he purposed to stop their passage yet for one daie in the same place appointed two regiments of footmen to lodge within a quarter of a league of the bridge and eight hundred horse a little behinde This done with the rest of the auanâ—gard he retyred to Bassac which was a league of and the Prince came to Iarnae which is one league farther but his commandement was not performed for both horsemen and footemen seeing that in the places appointed there were fewe houses and no virtuals or forrage hauing quite forgotten the custome of the camp and wanting of prouision at home tooke their quarters else where Thus most of the troop departed to take their lodgings so as there remayned but few vppon the place who setteled themselues halfe a league from the passage whereof it ensued that the gard was very weake neither could it approch neere inough to heare or giue allarum to the enemies gard from time to time according as was deuised so to haue made them beleeue that our whole auantgard had bene there lodged The Catholikes who were resolued albeit our whole campe would haue letted them to seaze vppon this passage through the diligence of the Lord of Biron not onelie repaired the olde bridge but also made a new of such beates as are ordinarilie transported in armies royall which was also finished before midnight and then they began to passe ouer without anie noise both horsemen and footmen The Protestants that watched there did scarce perceiue their passage before breake of daie whereof immediatly they certefied the L. Admiral who vnderstanding that most of his men were lodged scatteringlie euen on the same side that the enemies came sent them worde of their passage warning them to drawe to him withall speede so to retire together in the meane time that hee woulde houer at Bassac he also commaunded the carriages and footemen to retire which was performed Now if then yea an howre after his whole troopes had beene come together they might easily haue departed euen a soft pace But the delay of time being at the leaste three howres while he stayed for them was the cheefe cause of our mishap neither woulde hee loose such troopes conteining eight or nine corners of horse-men and some ensignes of foote-men whose captains were the County of Montgomery the Lord of Acier and Colonell Pluuiault In the end beeing all ioyned with him except Colonell Acier who tooke the way to Angolesme the enimies that still passed ouer weare waren so mighty and come so neere vnto vs also the skirmish so whot that it appeared that needes wee must fight Hereupon the Prince of Condee who was already a good halfe league vpon his retraict vnderstanding that they shoulde be forced to buckle hauing the stonracke of a Lion woulde needes haue a share When to the end to retire we forsooke a small brooke which coulde not be passed but in two or three places the Catholicks set forwarde the flowre of their horsemen vnder the conduct of the Lordes of Guize Martigues and Brissac who ouerthrew fower cornets of Protestants beeing vpon the retraict where my selfe was taken prisoner then did they set vpon the Lord of Andelot in a village who bare their brunt wel ynough hauing ouerpassed him they perceiued two great battailes of horse among whome were the Prince and Admirall who seeing themselues beset prepared to charge The Lorde Admirall gaue the first onset and the Prince the second which was fiercer then y e first at the beginning they forced al y t came to turne their backs truely it was well
Howbeit howsoeuer the matter had fallen out had it not bene wonderful in an assalt to see the horsemen fight among the footmen on either part There also happened another matter contrarie to that which ordinarily chaunceth in townes not forced that is that they within lost more than they that were without neuerthelesse such as were lost it was with great commendation for we might plainlie see them come boldly and assuredly present themselues with the Canon and harquebuze shot In the ende Monsieurs armie did the Protestants greate honour in comming to assayle Chastellerault For the same was to them a lawfull occasion to raise the siedge with neuerthelesse they woulde haue raised because they wist no longer of what wood to make their boultes and I beleeue that the besieged were no lesse busied Concerning the siege of this towne thus much I will say that the captaynes doe easily yeelde to any high attemptes for hauing great stomackes they aime at obiectes of the same nature howbeit the surest way is to rely vpon the prouerbe He that gripeth too much straineth but little The D. of Guize his brother purchased great fame in kéeping so weake a hold considering their youth Some made no lesse accouÌ„t of this act theÌ„ of y t of Mets Others said y t the Admiral he staied ther purposely to catch those Princes whome they presumed to be perticularlie his enimies but himselfe hath often tolde mee that if the towne had beene taken so farre woulde hee haue beene from suffering them to bee anie waie misused that contrarywise he would haue caused them to haue bene honourablie intreated according to their dignities as hee had done their vnkle the Marques of Elbeufe when he fell into his handes at the taking of the Castle of Cane and my selfe do remember that at the capitulation he sent me because I knew him into the Castle to assure him from hauing anie harme which was obserued Monsieur seeing our armie fraught with spight rise to come towarde him hauing in vaine attempted one assault against Chatellerault where the Popes Italians who were nothing slacke in their duties were receiued according to that good affection that the Protestants doe beare to theyr maister did retire We folowed weening to haue constrayned him to buckle but still hee kept a riuer in our faces to coole our heate When an action tending to diuersion fayleth in the accessaries and is executed in the principall it is not to be complayned of for the great fruit of the one dooth sufficiently recompence the small losse of the other as also we are to note that wee ought to study thrice or foure times before we vndertake to besiege any great towne once Of the battaile of Montcontour SOme will say that this battaile was a consequence of the siege of Poictiers because the ProtestaÌ„ts power was much weakned before which in troth happened rather through sicknesse and the retiring both of Gentlemen and souldiers then by any violent death Indeed this was one of the causes of our mishap but there were others as our seiourning at the borough of Fay La Vineuse while the armie of Monsieur grewe strong at Chinon Whereto we were all forced because then all our draught horse for our ordinance were sent awaie to carie to Lusignan part of that artillery which had ben emploied at the siege of Poictiers had euer since remained in a Castle which returned so iust that had they staied but one daie longer we should haue bene driuen to haue forsaken ours by reson of the approch of Monsieurs army to London which was within three leagues of vs. Also because we were in a deuoured soyle and but badly seated the Lord Admiral thought it better to goe lodge at Montcontour where the lodginges were commodious and victualls more plentifull and I beleeue that as well he as many other were deceiued in that no man supposed that they whome we had forced to so long a retreate that in the night from before Chastelleraud could so soone haue bene readie to seeke vs. Thus on the fridaie he departed sending his carriage one waie while himselfe with the armie went another Now neere to a village called Saint Clere the one hearing in manner no noise of the other the head of the Catholikes armie led by the Lord of Biron met with ours as we marched almost vppon our flanke he seeing opportunitie with one thousand speares gaue a charge vpon the Lord of Mouie who was vpon the retreate with 300. horse and two hundred harquebuziers on foote These hee ouerthrew and put to flight and there were lost the most part of the sayd shot and about fortie or fiftie horse This happening sodainlie and at once with the sound of foure Canons that were discharged bredde such a terror among our men that without telling who had wonne or who had lost euerie man at the onelie noise they heard behinde them fled as halfe afraide One thing I will aduow not that I will speake it to our reproch but rather to shew preuention to be a cause of great disorder also that the hazards of warre are dangerous that is that had it not bene for a passage which was founde in time where there could but twentie horse passe in front and so staied the Catholikes our whole armie had bene ouerthrowen at this first encounter The Lord Admiral séeing this shewed himselfe to his men gathered togither his troopes so as at this passage there were giuen two or thrée great assaults repulses of 1500. or 2000 horse at a time and whosoeuer passed ouer was soone driuen back there did Countie Lodouicke Countie Wolrad of Mansfield behaue theÌ„selues very wel The two armies planted themselues in battell araye the one on the one side and the other on the other within a good musket shot together where ours was somewhat in couert neyther did I euer see any so neere together and not to fight a maine battell No man durst aduenture any more ouer the passage in respect of the daunger thereof for sundry squadrous would haue oppressed that which should haue aduentured But the Catholikes hauing their ordinance there and ours beeing already at Monâ—contour they vsed it and therwith slue about 100 men in the squadrons who neuerthelesse set a good countenaunce and had not the night come on vnder the fauour wherof euerie man retired we had had more hurt That at S. Denis this came wel for vs. In the morning Monsieur caused to discouer y e lodgings at Montcontour and to tast the Protestants but he found them verie well fortested in the suburbes hauing no other comming thereto where was a skirmish both of horsemen and footmen The same time it happened that two Catholike Gentlemen stragling came and spake to some Protestants in place where there was a ditch betweene My masters sayde they we weare the badges of enemies albeit we hate neither you nor your party Warne my L Admirall to