faithfull held Therfore Monsuer Ioyse tooke shipping and in his shippes great store of Ordinaunce with the which hee so battered the Castell that the kéepers thereof for want of helpe yéelded and deliuered the same into his handes The men of Montpellier in the meane time not know ing of the yéelding vp of Maguelon intended to go with all the power they were able to make out of the Citie to set vpō their enemies camp being busied in the besieging of the Castell Therfore they went out of the Citie to the number of eight hundered horsemen and twelue Ensignes of footemen leauing behind them a Garrison to kéepe the Citie carying with them also certaine fielde péeces And they had not gone farre but they met with the Campe of Monsure Ioyse whether hee was retourned with al his men from the siege of Maguelon and al that day was spent betwéene them only with discharginge shot one at another Monsuer Ioyse woondering at the boldnes and courage of the men of Montpellier And while he was in a certaine Manner Place or ferme sitting at supper with certaine of his Captains and talking of the helpe and aide which he looked for at which time they assured them selues of the victory it came to passe that a certaine pellet which came out of the shot of the Protestants fell vppon the toppe of the house in the which he sate and shaking the house it berayed the whole table at the which he supt with dust made their eares to ring with the cracke and rashing rent of the house Then all of them began to feare and tremble doubting least the house would fall vppon their heades Then Petrus Lapas that spanish théese of whom we spake before being merily disposed cried to Monsuer Joyse in the Spanish tongue saying Behold Mon sure Ioyse the keyes which Montpellier offereth vnto thee deriding hereby his security The same day being the xiii day of September Baron des Adretz came out of Dolpheny with eight hundred well appoynted horsemen to the Protestants Campe of Montpellier by the rumor of whose comming Monsure Ioyse and the rest of his souldiers were not onely greatly afeard but also much offended with the delay of their fellowes Then Monsure des Adretz when he had found out the situation of their Campe minded to besiege them First therfore he got betwéene them and the Marsh or fenne thē did so beset or inclose them on euery side round about with men and ordinance that they could by no meanes escape nor yet by any way attaine to ayy vittailes And the mindes of the Papistes which had conceiued that the Protestants were many mo in num ber than they were as they were in déede were so discouraged and amazed that they durst by no meanes set vppon their enemies nor yet aduenture any waye to escape But now when the souldiers of Montpellier were throughly incouraged by the aide of Adretz to the battaile and that their enemies on the other part were quight discouraged behold Baron de Adretz tolde the Captaines that he must néedes depart from thence that night for so woord was brought vnto him from Lions And entering into the Citie of Montpellier by the break of the day he commaunded the Aldermen of the towne to giue vnto him 15000. Frankes Who for feare of force and sedition gaue vnto him so much money after the receipt wherof he departed out of the Citie minding no doubt to play the false Judas and Apostata which afterward came to passe Thus the siege being broken vp word was brought to Montpellier that Monsure Sommeriue and Monsure de Suze were come with a great Armie and that they went about to make a Bridge to come ouer the Riuer called the Rosne and that on the other part the power of the men of Auuergnoys came to the teritory of Seuenas vnder the charge and conduct of the Graun Prier Word hereof also came to the Campe of Monsure Joyse who when they vnderstoode that they were deliuered from the perill of the siege and that there had happened so soden a change they were excéedingly cōforted and reuiued as commonly it happeneth to men that haue escaped great daunger This rumour therfore dayly increasing more and more the men of Montpellier sawe that it was necessa ry for them to learne and know both what power the enemie of Fraunce had because he was nere and perillous and also how farre which way he minded to go whether there were any way to stop him Therfore by the common aduise of the Captaines Monsure Grill Monsure Bari Monsure Bulargues men very expert in the warre went to Nisines the twentie day of September with fiue hundred horsemen and thrée hundred foote men leauing the rest of their army behind thē to kéepe the Citie Who in the meane time suffered not the enemy which lay néere the citie to be in quiet comming out oftentimes euen to their Camp and skirmishings with them Now Monsieur Bulargues being a man expert and paynfull in warlike affaires was put in trust to vewe the Town of Sangiles whether the enemie minded to come and to sée whether the Towne were sufficiently fortefied to defende it selfe and what garrison it had who cōming thyther saw that the Citie was indifferently fortefied and was certefied by the inhabitants of Sangiles that they had ben summoned by the enemie to yéelde vp the citie and while monsieur Bulargues was there the enemie summoned them agayn with the same commandements saying that monsieur Sommeriue and monsieur de Suze required them to yéeld vp vnto them forthwith the citie vnlesse they would suffer and abyde all manner of extremity and cruelty if the same were wonne by force of battery So monsieur Burlargues leauing twenty of his men at Sangiles they scarse hauing in their own gar rison in the towne so many more good able souldiers and incouraging the townsmen with promise that out of hand they should haue more ayde he returned to Nismes conferring with his fellowes he had charge committed vnto him to conduct to the Towne of Sangilles two hundred Gonners And monsieur Grill and Bars promised that they would follow with the reste of the footemen and horsemen In the meane time word was brought to Sangiles that the enemie was come with a great army contayning six thousand footemen and eight hundred horsemē hauing with them also thrée great Canons that they intended to make a bridge ouer the riuer called the rosne and so besiege the towne of Sangiles The proud boasting Souldiour approched to the walles of the citie who notwithstanding were driuen backe agayne by those the kept the walles with gonnes Then the enemies began to batter the walles with their great Canons and to set ladders to the walles to scale them They of the towne séeing this called vpon their Captaines to make al spéed to defende them for they were gréeued at the proude wordes of
the papistes which bragged as if they had already wonne the towne And oftentimes the souldiers of monsieur Sommeriue would crye out to the townes mē saying Say vnto thy God Judge me O God for that psalm was made a common ryme Therefore monsieur Bulargues remoued in the night to goe from Nismes with hys two hundred gonners and troupe of horsemen which we sayd were appointed to ayde those of Sangilles hys fellowes followed after notwithstanding with not so much spéede and thereupon hée sent vnto them to make more haste from Estegell where they taried their comming In the way to Nismes from Sangiles there aryseth euen at the first a little hil which lying out in length maketh an euen playne and then assendeth agayn with an other hill betwéene both which hilles there are certaine small valleyes and then againe that playne or leuell at the entrie whereof the towne of Sangiles is situate is bounded with the Riuer of Rosne for the space of fower and twenty furlonges and so extendeth it selfe to the Castle called the Fourques which lyeth ouer against the city of Arles the riuer of Rosne running betwene them on the other part there lyeth a very large Iland and excéeding frutefull which in the vulgar tonge is called Camargua corruptly as it is thought of Campus Marius because Marius aboade there while he warred against the people of Denmarke or else of the Gréeke worde wyth the which the people of Phocis that built the citie Massilia in Prouance called the same which Gréeke worde is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying the goodnesse and fertility of the ground By this meanes following there was a bridge made by monsieur Sommeriue and his men First they tooke certayne Shippes and tyed them syde to syde with ropes crosse the Riuer vpon which then they layed bourdes plankes and so the whole armie of monsieur Sommeriue went ouer to the other shoare of Languedoc For the ryuer called the Rosne diuidteh Prouance and Languedoc asunder Monsieur Bulargues therefore looking for his soldiours at Estegel there came ryding out of the armie of monsieur Sommeriue ten horsemen not ware of monsieur Bulargues at whose commaundement eight of thē were presentlye hemde in the other twoo with great feare fled backe agayne to the armie and made report that a great number of their enemies lay hid in the valleyes besyde Estegell Therefore monsieur Sommeriue cōmaunded the horsemen to set themselues in aray and euery one to marche from thence and the footemen to arme themselues with spéede Then monsieur Bulargues hauing placed certaine scoutes vpō the top of the hill which lay betwéene them and their enemies for from thence they might easely behold the whole armie vppon the leuell was by them tolde that the horsemen of monsieur Sommeriue were comming towardes them in battayle aray Here monsieur Bulargues being like to be ouercom easely by the greater number of his enemies deuised a way out of hand and brought all his souldiers out of the valleyes and set them vpon the top of the hill to make the greater shew to terrifie his enemies Whose pollitique deuise had good successe for so soone as the enemie sawe them vppon the top of the hill they suspected that it was a trayne made to beguile them imagining also that so small a nūber durst not come so nighe except they were sure of more ayde and that therefore they shewed them selues because they would allure them forwarde vntill they had gotten the aduantage of the place and then with a great number to ioyne battayle with them Thē they stayed euen right ouer against them and so keeping a while their battaile aray they retourned backe agayne to their campe In the meane time some were sent againe to accelerate and hasten the comming of Monsure Grill and Bari who at the last came with the rest of the Army which being ioynd with those that were before with Monsure Bulargues made the whole Army to be in number one thousand fiue hundred of them horsemen and the other fiue hundred being footemen and for the space of certaine howers they abode there still in battayle aray in the sight of the Army of Monsure Sommeriue which Army when Monsure Bulargues perceyued to be quiet they came to the towne of Sangiles that as it was appointed they might both aid the Citie and also retourne out of hand to Nismes Therfore Monsure Bulargues leauing his fellowes hard by the towne sent into the towne two hundred goonners and shortly exhorted them and the souldiers that were in the towne to play the men promising vnto them that he would not be long from them And then going out of the Citie he perceyued that the enemy had raysed their siege therfore he ran in hast to sée which waye they were gon And he sawe the Army going towardes the Rosne as though they fled away Then hée ran and told this thing ioyfully to his fellowes that thei might sée the discomfited enemy fléeing away and therfore he sayde that they must not neglecte this occasion which God had offered them for God fighteth for his be therfore saith he of good courage and let vs pursue the enemy And thus talking a while with his souldiers many of them because they were a few in number refused so to do for he had with him only a hundred twentie horsemen Then he sayd Let him that loueth me followe me And so setting spoures to his horse he and so many as were with him pursued after the enemie vntill he came within thrée hundred paces of them at the sight wherof the horsemen of Monsure Sommeriue fled by and by before the footemen which were appoynted to kepe the ordinance Monsure Bulargues making no stay put forth his horse and began to skirmish and after the discharging of two small péeces the horsemen of Monsure Sommeriue leaning their great ordinance tourned their backes and brake through the raye of the footemen so the whole Army began to flée Then Monsure Bulargues with the rest of his fellowes began to crie The victory and killed whom soeuer they met though they made no resistāce and so they made a great slaughter And by reason of the comming of more aide to Monsure Bulargues there was the greater slaughter made euery where some sleing and some pursuing and ouercomming Notwithstanding they which came last delaying the time because they beléeued not the same to be true which Monsure Bulargues told them many horsemen of Monsure Sommeriue which were on the other part of y Army and had the better horses escaped by flight ouer the Bridge and among these were monsure Sommeriue and monsure de Suze who breaking the Bridge for feare least their enemies should followe after them caused a great number the more of their men to be slayne Ther fore the scattered souldiers ran vp and downe to and fro séeking how to escape but found no way Wheruppon many cast themselues into
againe with two ensignes and a very greaâ—… spâ—…il â–ª The rest of the Army caâ—…e to Narbon with monsieur 〈◊〉 â—…oyse and 〈◊〉 These were the euentes and exploytes of both partes in Languedoc But for all this â–ª the Guise â–ª and his compartners ceased not to procâ—…de in their former wicked purpose For Poictiers being wonne as we said befoâ—…e by the marshall of Santandâ—… the army was conducted with all the power that might be made to assault and winne Burges in Berry being a citie of great force and nerâ—… to Orleans Moâ—…sieur de Iuoy a man of noble birth was gouernour of this citie vnder the Prince of Conde had vnder his charge a well appointed garrisoÌ„ conteining to the nomber of ten engsignes of footemen â–ª CC. horsemen Now all the cities of Berrâ—… being rendered vp and the whole Region almost being spoiled Burges was also besieged the â—… day of August with a verie stronge Army In the which Army there were thrée thousand horsemen and fiuetéene hundered footemen and they had with them very many great gunnes The King and the Queeue the King of Nauar almost followed the Campe. The citie being shaken and â—hattered very sore with their great gunnes they made at the length great breaches in the walles â–ª the souldiers of the Guise lustely geuinge the assault Notwithstandinge they of the Towne lyke taule Souldiers â–ª manly defended themselues â–ª and gaue their enemies the repulse also dayly they brake forth of the citie to the great anoyance and hurte of the enemy But whilest there were sending from Paris more men both horsemen and foote men to ayde the Guise â–ª and greater gunnes also â–ª with store of shot and poulder â–ª the Admirall remoued from Orleans with a bande of well appointed souldiers and set vppon them at Chasteaudun as they were going with the forsaid prouision And he slew many of them tooke their great gunnes and caried away all their artillery â–ª But for want of horses and cariage to cary away the great gunnes the Admirall gaue commaundement to ouer charge the great gunnes with poulder and so to shake them in péeres and to fier the 〈◊〉 poulder that remayned Notwithstanding the same day monsieur de Iuoy either for want of ayde and vittayles as he afterwardes excused himselfe or else by treason as the souldiours for the most part commonly reported tooke truce with the Guises about the yéelding vp of the ciâ—ie vpon these condicions namely that monsieur de Iuoy his Captaynes hys souldiours and all in the towne shoulde escape with their liues and goods and be left to the libertie of their consciences and to be in no perill of harme for bearing armour or for their religion â–ª Furthermore â–ª that all his army should ioyne with the Kings power and so be vnder the kings protection and vnder the protection of the King of Nauar â–ª and of all his Princeâ— â–ª also that moÌ„sieur de Iuoy his Captayâ—…es noble men should haue leaâ—…t to salute the king And because monsieur de Iuoy sayde that hée had made an othe to the Prince of Conde preten ding the obediâ—…ce of the King it was agréed that he shold haue leaue his souldiers remayning in the mean time with the Kinges power to goe to the Prince of Conde and comming backe agayne from him should signifie vnto the King his whole mynde and conscience as whether hée and his fellowes could find in their hartes to be sworne to the King without any exception or condition if not hee shold haue leauâ—… to go home to his house without perill of any manner of harmâ—… eyther to him or too any of his Captaynes or souldiers vpon this condition that they should neuer after beare armour against the king or enter into any citie which was kept against his Maiestie And finally it was â—…gréed that whatsoeuer monsieur de Iuoy at the commaundement of the Prince of Conde had taken out of the Kings treasury or from the Church to 〈◊〉 this warre should neuer be layâ—…d to his charge or to the charge of any of his deputies or substituts and that the Decrées of the Senat of Paris or of any other Court against these things should bée â—…ayde Upon these conditions the Citie was rendered vp possessed by the Guises souldiours and the Garrison of monsieur de Iuoy brought out of the Towne to the Guise â–ª army Then monsieur de Iuoy went towarde Orleans sending a messenger before him to signifâ—…e the whole matter to the Prince of Conde and to declare the cause of his comming Who when he vnderstood that 〈◊〉 de Iuoy madâ—… request to be discharged of his othe he sent him word that hée should not approche néere the Ciâ—…ie willing him to consider what it is to make an othe to God and to Religion certyfying him herewith that he would not be an instrument and partaker of his treason and falshehood And so monsieur de Iuoy retourned to the Guiseâ—… army agayne the which hée followed afterwardes almost during all that warre and certayne other Captaynes and souldiours with him NotwithstaÌ„ding the greatest parte by the sufferance of the Guise were dismisâ—… and returned to Orleâ—…ns vnder the coÌ„duct of Damplerre Therfore al that region euen to 〈◊〉 yéelded to the Guise the faithfull being euerywhere cruelly handled to whom notwithstanding a certain town called Montargis was a present refuge by the benefite of the Duchesse of Ferrer called Râ—…nee the daughter of Lodowic the xii King of Fraunce the Duke of Guise being greatly offended thereat and threatening the Duchesse whom notwithstanding hée fauoured as his moother in Law and the Kings daughter The Duke of Guise hauing gotten the victorie remoued from Vâ—…aron the eleuenth day of September came to 〈◊〉 the chief Citie in Normandie which we sayde before Duke de Aumall besieged in vayne But now it was more strongly besieged both with a mightyer army and also with more valeant and expert Captaynes and was so assaulted that notwithanding the manhood strong defence of Countie Momtgomery and his souldiours in the towne the Guise obtayned both the Castell of Sancatharine and also the Citie Notwithstandinge Countie Momgomery and a great number of souldiours with him tooke shippe and escaped Great murther was committed in the Citie and the same throughly sacked And among others that were put to death in the Citie Augustine Marlorat was one being a Minister of gods word in the reformed Church of Roan whom they hanged openly vpon a payre of Gallowes yea the professors of the Gospell in euery corner of the Citie went to the pot In the tyme that the Citie was besieged the King of Naâ—…ar as he was leaning vpon his Tenâ—…e or makinge water agaynst the same with his backe towarde the towne was shot in the shoulder with a small pellot being sore wounded was caryed from thence by the ryuer of Sâ—…in to Paris and there within fewe dayes after
Thirdly that the King himselfe might ratefie and allow y warre which they had mayntayned and what soeuer they had spent of the Kings money to mayntayne the same that there might be a cōmon and generall Counsell appointed in some conuenient place within this six monethes in the which neyther the Pope nor any other for hym might beare any rule Or if it might not be generall that then it might onely consist of our countrey men leaue being graunted to euery one to come thyther that both armies whether they were domesticall or forreyne might depart home euery man to his owne house and that it would please the King to account the Prince of Conde his army as his owne the which he protested hée gathered togyther to serue and obeye him And finally that for the establishing of this concord it would please the King and Quéene to gyue their fayth and that euery one of the Kings Counsell and Gouernour of any Prouince within the Realme might in lyke manner sweare to obserue and kéepe this peace These were the special condicions which the Prince of Conde required which were for certayne dayes sent abroad into diuers places the Guises for the nonce practising with the Quéen subtillie so to doo that they might haue the better hope of the ayde which was comminge and also that the Prince of Conde beginning now in the winter might fall into greater straytes For the Duke of Guise went about at no time to séeke peace concord fully perswading and assuring himselfe to haue the victorie of the Prince of Conde and his And herevpon it is reported that the Duke of Guise sayd to the Quéen whē shée went about to make peace If I thought that you would make any certayne and firme pacification with the Prince of Conde I would neuer agree to the same To the which the Quéene made aunswere agayne that shée neuer ment it This therefore was the aunswer that was made in the kings name to the peticions of the Prince of Conde First the libertie of religiō was graunted but with so many exceptions that it was no libertie at all For the king denyed any of his Counsell to vse the reformed religion in his Court hée depriued the Cities of warre which were in the vtmost partes of the Realme of the benefite of the Edict among which also hée put in Lions being no citie of warre Hée also exempted Paris the whole Territory of the same from the vse of the reformed Religion commaunding the armye of the Prince of Conde to breake vp and to depart home but the Army of the Duke of Guise which was called the Kings power to remayne at the kinges pleasure as it was hée denyed also leaue for those that had forsaken the Realme to come home agayne hauing not already enioyed that benefite Hée would not haue the Decrées and sentences pronounced to bée quite frustrated but for a tyme suspended He denyed any Protestantes too enioye his office sauing the Prince of Conde And finally he refused to allow that expence of his money vppon the warre Uppon this answere the Prince of Conde was out of all hope to haue peace The Guise would not go out of the Citie of Paris mynding by delay to weaken the pow er of the Prince of Conde While these thinges had this successe on both partes the Guises because they would loose no time went about to make Monsieur Genly a Noble man whose Brother was Monsieur de Iuoy which had forsaken the Prince of Conde after the yéelding vp of Burges to take their part also Monsieur Genly therfore being earnestly trauailed withall fell from the Prince of Conde to the contrary part and was receiued into Paris Whose departure made the Prince of Conde to alter his former purpose because he knew that he being one that had knowne al his secret and priuie Counsel would now bewray the same to the Guises So that when he should haue approched néerer Paris haue besieged the Citie he altered his purpose and remouing his Campe went from Paris with his whole power going through Normandy myndinge to ioyne him selfe to the English men who were now come to the Hauen le Grace being a Citie which bordered vppon the sea coast that then he might be the better able to ioyne battayle with the Guises IN the meane time there came Armies of Souldi ers out of Gascoyne and Spaine to aide the Guises the com ming of these men grealy incouraged the Guises for they were in number xxxii Ensignes of tall and well experienced souldiers Therefore now he fully determined to pursue the Prince of Conde before he ioyned vnto his Armie the English men which were sent with great stoore of money also to aide him by the Quéene of England least by the comming of that money he shoulde bée greatly holpen to mayntaine warre for he hoped that the Germanes at length wanting their paye because the Prince was bare of money wold come vnto him Ther fore to kéepe the Prince of Conde and the English men asunder the Duke of Guise remoued with his whole Armie and power from Paris and making great hast hée come to a towne in Normandy which is called the Teritory or playn of Dreux where also the Prince of Conde stayed and both Armies pitched their Campes with in two French Leagues one of another The Guise had chosen a very conuenient place to incampe hym selue on both for the néerenes of the towne of Dreux which was kept with their Garrisons and also because there were villages and woddes hard by them to flée vnto if néede were Betwéene both the Armies there ran a pleasant long playne hauing but a little valley only which lay on the side of them THE PRINCE OF CONDE when he sawe that his enemies were approched so néere after consultation with his fellowes determined to ioyne battayle with them leauing the euent to the prouidence of god Notwithstanding the Duke of Guise had a great number of footemen more on his part than the Prince of Conde had For he had XXVI thousand footemen where as the other had scarcely XI thousand footemen But of horsemen the Prince of Conde had IIII. thousand where as the Duke of Guise had but III. thousand THE Prince of Conde intending to ioyne battayle with his enemies earely in the morning by the breake of the daye set his souldiers in their arraye the horsemen in the first front which was deuided into diuers rankes In the first ranke or vauntgard he placed Monsieur Cure with a foure square troupe of shot on horse contayning sixe Cornets vppon eche side of the which vauntgard were two winges of Launces one wing of Frenchmen vnder the charge of Monsieur Moue and Monsieur Auerill and the other wing of Germanes After the French winge which was vppon the left hand of the battaile came the Prince of Conde and Rochfocaut with a Troupe of Launces to the number of 230. After the
second wing came the Prince of Porcian and the Admirall hauing the charge of two Giddons of Launces to the number of 120. Then followed them a very strong square battaile of footemen Germanes contayning twelue Ensignes hauing a little before them 500. shot on horse Then was there a very great Squadron of Frenchmen contayning 23. Ensignes placed to kéepe the great Ordinance which were also garded with a wing of horsemen Germanes on eyther side And thus the Prince of Conde marched forward with his whole Armie to encounter with his enemie who also had his men in a readinesse First the Guise with a very huge Troupe of Launces garded the corner or poynt of the Squadron of the first Armie which was on his right hand contayning fourtene Ensignes of footemen Spaniardes and the poynt of the second Squadron which was on his left hand contayning 22. Ensignes of tall Frenchmen hauing planted before them against the enemie 14. feeld péeces of Ordinance Then the Marshal of Santandre hauing sixe Giddons of Launces came with the poynt of the third Squadron which contayned a seuen Ensignes of footemen Germanes At the other poynt of the which Germanes there were also fiue Giddons of horsemen vnder the charge of Monsieur Dan uille Betwéene which fiue Giddons and the 12. GiddoÌ„s of the Constable were placed two great Squadrons the one contayning 22. Ensignes of footemen Switzers hauing planted before them eight péeces of Ordinaunce the other contayning 17. Ensignes of Brittons French men So that in all on the Guises part there were fyue Squadrons of foote men Euery Squadron is a battaile in proporcion foure square so that betwéene euery Squadron from poynt to poynt sauing betwéene the two last there were Giddons of horsemen at Armes to gard them This battayle had his proporcion in length but the Battayle of the Prince of Conde not so much in length but more in breadth Whereuppon against the Constable the Admirall was opposite at one end against Danuille the Prince of Conde but against the other end which was the first Army where the Guise and the Marshall of Santandre were there was none opposite The Armies on both parts being placed as you heare the Prince of CoÌ„de first of all commaunded his whole Armie to make their prayers vnto God the which being done he roade round about the Army exhorted his souldiers to be of good courage and then commaunded to sound the Trompet to battayle Then Monsieur Curee Captain of the vaunfgard not staying till the great peeces which were bent against him were discharged with the rest of his troupe discharged his shot at the Swisers â–ª after whom followed the Prince of Conde and at the first encounter so charged the horsemen of the Swisers whereof Monsieur Danuille had the conduct that he both put them to the chase and also brake into the squadron of the Swisers Rochfoucant in the meane tyme standing stil and keping his ray At the first the Swisers that were the footemen both by the force of the great gunnes and also by their owne artillery withstoode the first charge giuen by the Prince notwithstanding by the often shot discharged by the horsmen they were constrayned to breake their arraye and to retire before the Launces who also brake vppon theÌ„ and caused them to forsake their great ordinance the Princes souldiers sleying and killing so much as possibly they could The Admirall also preuailed almost no lesse against the Constable and hauinge with him the troupes of the Germanes they skirmished with the horse men of Monsieur Danuill which came againe to rescue the Constable and greately anoyed them with the hayle of their shot The Prince of Conde hauing destroied and put to flight the Swisers encountered then with the next Army of french men and breakinge their ray ouer ran them and put them to flight In the meane tyme there was a sore battaile betwene the Admirall and the Constable both partes quighting themselues very valeantly Notwithstanding the Constables side being not able to make their part good the Constable himself also being sore wounded in the head with an arming swerd and in other partes of the body with diuers shot and taken in plaine fight they fled away the Prince and the Admirall pursuing the chase The Prince hauing so good successe had good hope to haue the victori for the greatest part of the enimies army was eyther slaine or put to flight the great gunnes belongyng to the second Army taken and the Constable also as is a foresaid The horsemen of the Prince of Condes parte being occupied almost euerye one in pursuinge the enemye the Armies of the Germane and French footemen of the Princes side lay open naked before the Guise Monsieur Danuille The which when Monsieur Danuille perceyued he vaunced all the power he was able to make thither ward of whose coÌ„ming so sone as the Germanes were ware they disordred themselues and fled to a village hard by called Bleinuill without any maner of resistance Then the Princes armye of French footemen being left alone a very great troupe of horsemen charged theÌ„ sore and being discouraged and made a feard euen at the first onset they turned all their backes and fled Where fore a great nomber of them were slaine in chase wyth losse of a fewe of the Guisâ—… horsemen only Thus the Princes footemen being disperfâ—… slayne the Guises by the mutable chaunce of war had good hope to foyle the Prince of Conde For almost all the horsemen of the Prince of Condes side were wholy occupyed in chasing and killing the remnante of the Switsers and FrenchmeÌ„ Whereby also it must néedes be that they were greatly disordered and out of ray Wherefore Monsieur Danuille the Constables Sonne aduaunced his power of horsemen to encounter with the Prince of Conde the rest Who being vnable so match with their enemies be gan to flée the other followed the chase And the Prince himselfe séeking to escape through a wood hard by had his horse slaine vnder him with a shot and for lacke of a fresh horse to shift him he fell into the handes of Monsieur Danuille and was taken prisoner The Admirall séeinge in euery place his men fléeinge away the Germane horsemeÌ„ also fléeing by hâ—…apes hard by according to their maner to charge their gunnes then to return againe with one force to anoy the enemy the which maner of fight bycause many vnderstoode not suspecting that the Germanes fled were afrayde and perceyuing also that they were quight discouraged bycause the Prince of Conde was taken was much troubled and greued in mind He saw also to his great grief thrée great troupes of horsemen which the Guises very pollitiquely and prudently had reseruid euen till the very pinch came in the which was the Marshall of Santandre Duke Daumale Monsieur Niueâ—…ne and other noble men which he spedily dispatched to the chase he himself tarying still behind to
part was conducted by Monsieur Boisuerd a very good Captaine The Andelot taried at a village called Saintmalin there to take his dinner In the meane time a Monsieur Boysuerd chiefe Captaine of that army was conducting his souldiers to the riuer of Loyre there met him a younge man wonderfully dismayd and abashed and when he perceyued that Monsieur Boysuerd and the rest of his souldiers were protestantes he told Boisuerd that Monsieur Martyques was come with a great army of men the greatnesse whereof he said had made him sore afraide Monsieur Boysuerd regarded not this newes vntill he sawe certaine troupes of horsmen and then he sought with all spéede to defend himselfe and sought to make out of hand bulwarkes and trenches betwéene him and the enemy beside the riuer this was a good remedy but he could not haue his purpose the enemy marched so fast â—ne â–ª Then Monsieur Boysuerd with all spéede sent woord to the Andelot of the comminge of Martiques but before Boisuerd could set his men in their array Martiques rushed vpon him with a great troupe of horsemen dispersed his souldiers and made greate slaughter of them in the chase For that they had not sufficient store of horsmen Monsieur Boisuerd also himself was slaine many of the chiefe Captaines also were taken and many slaine Notwithstanding Monsieur Martiques marched forward with his army toward Saulmur with fiue hundred horsemen and ten ensignes of footemen The Andelot for all this supposed to haue the victory becausé his enemies were fewer in nomber as he thought but when he vnderstood that Boisuerd was slain and a great sort of hys souldiers also and that Monsieur Martiques had a strong army deuided into diuers parts when also he perceyued that hys armye had gotten the vantage of ground of him he shonned them and choseâ—… more conuenient ground suffering Martigues to pas by hym toward Saulmur many of the souldyours of the Andelot not knowing what the meaning hereof should be yéelding vnto him Then the Andelot gathering togi ther his men pursued with all spéede Monsieur Martigues the which when he perceiued he rode the faster tooke Saulmur which was then kept by the Garrisons of the papistes leauing behind them the spoile which they had taken from the Souldiers of the Andelot Now the bridges being stopte vp and cut awaye the Andelot was driuen to séeke other wayes to passe ouer the riuer of Lâ—…ire he sought therfore to go ouer at some shallow forde or other but he could not by reason of the wynter floudes which had caused the riuer to bee déepe in those places where otherwise there is little or no wa ter at all Notwithstanding at the last he found a place so shallow and fléete that his horsemen footemen Ordinance waggons and his whole army passed ouer the riuer without perill being moste wonderfull and the lyke seldome heard of before After this their safe passage they gaue thankes vnto God sang altogither the 73. Psalm beginning thus IN IVKY IS GOD KNOWNE HIS NAME IS GREAT IN ISRAEL And thus as they went foreward on their iorney they sawe certayne troupes of horsemen on that syde of the ryuer against whom wheÌ„ the Andelot had sent certayne troupes of horsemen he put them to flight and slew some of them After this they passing quietly on their iorney came at the last into the countrey of Poictou tooke a certayne Towne called Tuars by surrender then ioyned them selues with the Admiral which came to méete them After this coniunction of both armies they tooke a noble Citie called Partenay the Citizens willingly yéeldinge 〈◊〉 â–ª sauing certayne popisâ—… priestes who séeking to reâ—…st were slayne Then they iointly and togither besteged a noble Citie called Engolesme but when they had assaulted the same certaine dayes and were out of hope to winne it they tooke at the last a certayne yong man whiche was sent at the eaâ—…est intrâ—…aty of the townesmen to Monpensier to crâ—…ue ayde at his hands by which yong man they learned in what great necessitie the town was in Thereupon the Admirall gaue a new assault to the other side of the Town by battery made such breaches in the same that the Townsmen being voyd of al hope to defend themselues came straightway to compositioÌ„ with the Admirall for the surrender of the Towne So that this Citie came into the power of the Prince of Conde And straytâ—… after this that Noble Citie Niort came into his handes In so muche that it maye séeme wonderful that so many Noble Cities in so short while hauing so néere vnto them great ayde of the Catholikes to defend them shoulde be taken These things happened in the moneth of September Toward the ende of this Moneth a great Army being gathered togither at Orleans the Kings Edictes were théenderedout in one of the which Edictes the vse and administration of the reformed religioÌ„ was quight taken away and forbidden It contayned this summe Knowe all men that the Kinges our Aunâ—…etours of happy memory to the end they might shew themselues to be Christians and true defenders of the church haue vsed all lawfull ways and meanes to preserue the same Church and to take awaye the diuisions of Religion sprong vp by secrete sermons and by seattering abroad of râ—…probate bookes And after the vnfortunate disceasse of ouâ—… Father King Henry there were certayne Noble men stirreâ—… vp by the Ministers of this newe opinion which withdrew themselues and moued controuerâ—… and that vpon no zeale of religion but moued by ambition to haue the gouernement of this Realme vnder King Frances our brother albeit that he himselfe was of sufficient yeres by the lawes of this Realme and was able enough to gouern both for that he had authoritie and wisdome enough and also was ruled counsayled by the vertuouse and wise counsayle of the Quéen his mother â–ª of other singular Noble men which were still about him after the death of his Father king Henry who directed him in the steppes of oure Father as playnly appeared all the time of his raigne Who had no doubt brought the kingdome into that former State and condition in the which he founde it if the Lord had lent him longer life notwithstanding the state of the Kingdome was then troubled by certaine noble men who when they durst not openly bewray their myndes concerning the getting of the kingdome vnto them â–ª by the industery of their Ministers of this â—…ewe learning they caused the tumult of Ambâ—…yse vnder the collour of offering vp a supplication with a confession of faith to our brother the King who although he knewe them to be the authors of that mischiefe yet notwithstandyng with greate clemencie following the example of oure heauenlye Father he pardoned all his subiectes by an Edicte which had straied from faith and truth would come into the righte waye agayne thinking hereby to preuaile more than by the Rigor of punishments And
and order the whole matter least the victory one the onâ—… part being to great bothe the Kingdome should be brought to great calamitie also the Church to extreame ruine and destruction Herein therfore moste miraculously appeared the great prouidence of God in afflicting his seruantes and yet notwithstanding sauing them from destruction and in punishing the great outrage of the whole Kyngdome and yet not vtterly ouerthrowing the same The Guises therfore perceiued that they must néedes stop and represse the proceedings of the Prince of Conde and his adâ—…erents with whom they had not ben equall if they had ioyned battaile and also intended to shift of the couragious forwardnes of the Prince of Condes Armâ—…e by subtill meanes vntill they had the helpe of these Straungers whom they looked for To bring y which theyr purpose to passe the vehement inclination of the Prince of Conde to peace did greatly helpe them While the faâ—…hfull were in good hope one while to haue peace another while to haue victory by dayly rumors and the Cities being more negligently kept than they were wont to be certaine of them were lost as Angeu and CaloniuÌ„ and others the which were at the first counted but small losses but afterwardes great losses as the faithfull found Now séeing there ensued no frute of the communication had betwéene the Prince of Conde the Quéene the King of Nauar as we haue before declered both Armies prepare themselues to take their iourney The Army of the Guises was neither very great in number nor yet furnished with many expertsouldiers Ther were certaine bands of souldiers footemen gathered out froÌ„ among the rascall sort of people of Paris which were so rawe that they were faine to be taught euen the first principles of Martiall feates and among thâ—…se were many popish Priestes which had obtained leaue from the Pope of the Bishoppes to go to the warre And as for horsemen they had scarse one whole army many of the Noble Captaines being with the Prince of Conde The chiefest part of the Garisons of souldiers which were appoynted to defend the strong holdes in diuers partes of the Realme were called home to helpe the Guises of the which a great number stale away secretly to the Prince of Conde The Armie of the Prince of Conde was the greater in number the moste couragious and the best appoynted The greatest and most principall part of the Nobillitie being very well appoynted and furnished both with courage and armour and a great multitude of souldiers comming vnto him from all partes of the Realme almost the which was deuided into thrée parts The first part consisted of Uascones of the which Monure Grammuntiuâ—… was general The secoÌ„d of Oscitanes of the Inhabitants of Dolpheny of whom Monsure Rohainus was Captaine The third consisted of those Inhabitants of FrauÌ„ce that are called Franci in Latine of which the Andelot was Captaine who notwithstan ding was made the Captaine generall of all the footemen Concerning field péeces or great Goonnes the enemie had great abundance wherof the Prince of Conde had small stoore which either he had taken at Orleans or els were cast of purpose for him The common Counsell and consent of all men was to go to Paris with all their power being the chiefe Mee tropolitane Citie and the head of their enemies and to assault the same Notwithstanding the Guises remoued their Armie from Paris commaundement being first of all giuen by the Kyng of Nauar that all those which professe the reformed Religion should depart out of the Citie with in three dayes And then they came to Stapulas towardes Orleans The Prince of Conde also remoued from Orleans with all his Army the twenty of June to méete the enemie Then sent the Quéene Letters to the Prince of Conde intreating and perswading him to peace and coÌ„cord vppon indifferent and reasonable conditions The Prince of Conde alwayes desiring peace sent Letters back againe was contented to come to Parley Whervpon truce was taken for sixe dayes Then the King of Nauar wrote to his brother the Prince of Conde more louingly than he was wont to do desired of him to haue for himselfe and his familie only a Citie lying neare to the riuer Loyer called Bogencia which Citie was kept with Garrisons of the Prince of Conde the which he desired but vppon this condition that if they did not conclude vppon peace he would yéelde it into his handes againe The Quéene also came into the army of the Guises wrote to the Prince of Conde very louinge frendly letters desiringe him earnestly to come and talke with her By reason hereof it was commonly reported through out the whole army of the prince of Conde that there should be peace the Guises intending nothing lesse but a farther mischiâ—…fe as the euent afterward declared The Prince of Conde in the tyme of the truce talked oftentimes with the Quéene and with his Brother the King of Nauar. Then the Prince of Conde wheÌ„ he had told his fellowes that the Quéene had promised him that the Guises and his adherentes should foorthwith depart to their owne houses and vnarme themselues vpon condition that he himselfe should come vnto her as a pleadge for the confirming of the peace that should be concluded when I say he had reported these things to his fellowes he crediting the same perswaded his fellowes to giue him leaue to bring this thing to passe that he might séeme to leaue nothing vndone that might bréede peace and concord To the which they graunted making this request in maner and forme followinge Before the matter procede let the Guises the Constable Momorentius and the Marshall of saint Andrewe departe home to their owne houses immediatly after the which departing we desire that the Prince of Conde may remaine and abide in the handes of the Quene and of his Brother the king of Nauar as a hostage pleadge of our faith promising with one consent that we will gladly and readily obey al things that shal be commaunded vs to do which concerne our obedience and dutie to the kinge the profite and commoditie of the Realme and the conseruation of our liues and goodes but specially for the glory of God and the libertie of our consciences Then was this request which the adherentes of the Prince of Conde had made brought to the Quéene with letters oâ—…t of hand the same night al to soone it was subscribed by the Prince of Conde the rest of his frends and solemnly also subscribed by the King of Nauar and sealed with the Kings seale and then it was sent backe again with letters by which the Quéene and the King of Nauar declared that thei liked very wel of the condicioÌ„s This returne was made the fower and twentye day of June being the last day of the truce taken at which time notable occasion was offered to the Prince of Conde to anoie and gaule his enemies Notwithstanding
men of Lions all that they could Wherevppon the men of Lions hauinge the Baron des Adretz the Generall came with an army to suppresse them and being entered in that Region they besieged the head Citie Monbriso and the Townesmen refusing to yéeld vp the Citie being encouraged to fight by their Captaine Monselas at the length their city was battered downe and taken by force then the souldioure that got the victorie shewed such crueltie that the streats of the citie were couered with dead carcasses Baron des Adretz himselfe vehemently encouraging the souldier to murder There remayned a fortresse in the citie into the which Monsieure Monselas with certayne of the chief citizens sled The same notwithstanding being shortly after taken partly by force partly by surrender Mon sieur des Adretz after hée had vewed all places of the castle sent in certayne souldiours to murder and spoyle who presently tooke Monsieur Monselas and his souldiours that were with him and cast them downe hedlong from the top of the houlde The which cruell kynde of death made many to mislike of Baron des Adretz the rather because hee had giuen his faith as it is reported to Monselas and to others with him to saue their liues Thus the citie Monbriso was sacked and rased and the whole Region therabout spoyled And Baron des Adretz returned againe to Lyons in the moneth of August About this tyme in the Region of Languedoc there was much businesse The inhabitants of Tolouze at the prouocation and setting on of Monsieur Monlace oftentimes assaulted the citie of Montauban into the whiche we sayd before many of the faithfull fledde from diuers places but by the singular Industrie vertue and constancy of the men of Montauban the inhabitants of Tolouze preuayled nothing at all Notwithstandinge the faithfull were thrust out of Pezenac and out of certaine other Townes by Monsieur Ioyse Liefetenant of Languedoc But Monsieur Sommeriue had very good successe in his affaires in Prouance as wée declared before the which gaue courage to the papistes to set vppon the faithfull that were in Languedoc Therefore Monsieur Ioyse Liefetenant of Languedoc Monsieur Sommeriue Fabricius of Auinion and Monsieur de Suze with others consulted among themselues determined to make so great a power as thei were able and to ioyne togither in one with as much spéede as they could to ouercome the faithfull in Languedoc All Prouance belonged to the charge of Monsieur Sommeriue to whom because of his victorie and late good successe of warre many came from diuers places Monsieur Fabricius had a great armye which came vnto him some being Italians and some comming out of the Townes territorie of Uenais And a great number attended and followed Monsieur de Suze out of Dolpheny But Monsieur Ioyse was of greater power thaÌ„ the reste who had out of the mighty cities Tolouze and Narbon both a great number of Souldiers and also all manner of artillerie and other necessaries for the war. These also were ayded by the men of Auuernoys they had hope to receyue helpe of the Spanish borderers from whom came diuers bandes whose Captain was Petruâ—… Lapia a notable theefe who came from the Mountaynes of Pyrren But the faythfull had many wel fenced and fortefied Cities â–ª land and ground enough with sufficient store of cattell Notwithstanding in men and other necessaries for warre their enemies were mightier In so muche that the Papistes perswading themselues to haue the victory thought it best to ioyne battayle out of hande Monsieur Ioyse setting vpon the faythfull on the one side and the men of Prouâ—…nce and of Auernoys on the other side Therefore while great armies were a prouidinge euery where Monsieur Ioyse Liefetenant of Languedov first of all remoued with his army with Monsieur Forquenoz LieftenaÌ„t of Narbon Their armies coÌ„tained seuen thousand footemen and a thousand horsemen they had sir great Canons and many other small péeces They pitched their Tentes the fourth day of September at a Uillage called Lates being a myle from Montpellier In this place he aboade lookinge for his fellowes thinking himselfe so sure to winne Montpellier that thei deuided the spoyles among them â–ª as if they had already wonne the Citie Thither came the Bishop of Montpellier whose name was Pelisser This man being sometime well accounted of among learned men and one that knew the trueth but now hauing forsaken the same became a notable enemie bought and sold Montpellier to certayne Marchaunts which only wayted vpon him for the pray At Montpellier beside the ordinarie and accustomed Garrison of the Towne there were certayne rescuing armies belonging to the churches contayning the num ber of eight hundred horsemen whose Captain was Iacobus Bellodine borne of a noble house who afterwarde was called Acierus according to the name of the territorie of his Lordship and did very notable seruice in the ciuill warres following and also twelue Enseignes of footemen After they vnderstood that the enemie had encamped himselfe they intended to breake out vppon them the same day to the ende they might take a better vewe of them and so they came néerer the enemie with twoo hundred horsemen and fiue hundred Gonners vnder the charge and conducte of Monsieur Ays of Nismes The enemie being ware of their comming rushed out of their tentes to méete them with all spéede and thus the battaile began to waxe hot on both parts the men of Montpellier fighting with such a courage that they constrayned the proude enemy to retire and flée backe euen to their tents from whence they discharging certaine great péeces but in vaine the faithfull retourned safe into the Citie againe with losse of two of their men only whereas on the other part there were slayne 100. For this good beginning and happie successe the faithfull caused publique and sollemne thanks to be giuen vnto God the which being done they prouided diligently for the safetie and fortefying of the Citie and at the commaundement of Monsuer Bellodine the Suburbes in the which there were certaine great Churches and great stoore of houses were with the diligent labour of the people throwne downe And after this there were certaine Skirmishes dayly betwéene both partes the Protestantes most commonly hauinge the victory Insomuch that Monsuer Ioyse was discouraged from befieging the Citie before he had more helpe and aide from his fellowes Notwithstanding because hée would not in the meane while spend the time in vaine he intended to assault a Castell which is in the I le of Maguelon For in that part bordering vppon the Sea coast there is a certaine Fen or Marshe which the Sea at certaine times ouerfloweth being of a great compasse both in length and breath in the which also there is a certaine Ileland lying out in length almost thrée miles and vppon this Ileland there standeth a Castell both of great antiquitie and also of sufficient force the which at that time the
Germain horsemen waxed faint weary he would driue me into such straights and distres that eyther he would make them to come vnto him or els which was more would cause them bend their force against mee And bycause I feared that most of all other I told Merae that it was conuenient he went againe to the Guises campe to certifie me what the Duke meant to do To which he aunswered that he was ready and willing to do it but he wanted a horse for that purpose and truly quoth I I would to God I had one to giue thee But to say the truth I haue not one left to which he replied that hee could quickly buie one if so be hee had money Marie quoth I I will giue thee money with a good will so that thou bring me certain and true tidinges what the Duke meanes to do thou shalt want for no money only make diligēt enquirie whether the Duke meane to pursue me or no if he attempt any thing against Orleans see thou carriest word of it to my brother the Andelot After this talke I gaue him 100 ▪ crowns and hee forthwith not once salutinge my brother the Andelot although he passed through the Suburbs of Orleans came to a Towne called Nun. And this was the cause why I gaue him the 100. crowns Moreouer I protest that when he began to talke with me of killinge the Duke I made him no aunswere as though I had eyther allowed or disallowed the facte for I little cared whether hee eyther would or could do it And when I gaue him the hundred crownes I protest I did it for no other end and purpose but only that he might spedely certifie me whether the Duke ment to pursue me or no. And why I should feare this thing there were both waighty and manifest causes which I will not sticke to set forth here perticularly I could not be ignorant that the Duke knew of my iourney for I was constrained to prouide and take order for it in a great assembly of horsemen eyght dayes before I departed neyther could I set forward any sooner bicause the Germaine Horsemen were faine to leaue their carriages and other necessaries behinde them and surely I had very much a do to bring that matter to an end beeing a thing neyther heard of nor practised amongst the Germanes And that the Duke of Guise knewe of this it is past all peraduenture for there were diuers that remayned amongst our horsemens bandes to entice and moue the Germans to defection and slyding away from vs to the Guises in so much that some of them were in such case and so mynded that the Marshall of Hesse and others their chief Captaynes began to mistrust them Moreouer besides that I was admonished by Mere I dyd also know for a certaintie that ther was cōmaundement geuen throughout all Normandie that all manner stops lettes and hinderances that might any waye trouble our armie should be practised against vs And for the more assurance of this matter there came certaine letters into my handes wherein was contayned very straight charge for the accomplishement thereof and for the furnishing of the Cities with victualls as afterwards we vnderstood to haue bin done in many places that the Milles shold bee so spoyled of their furniture that they should not grynd and that in euery place they should set vpon mee with all their force and power VVherefore all the Cities being takē before hand and the wayes where I shold passe stopped it was impossible for me to get to the sea side to receyue money out of England for which I longed very sore to paye the Germaine horsemen their wages The which thing as soone as they once knew there was great daunger that sedition should haue ben stirred vp amongst the souldiours in so much that they feared not to talke and mutter of it in their common and open communications VVherefore if the Duke had attempted to haue skirmished but with the straglers and tayll of our armie it was likely that we should haue bin greatly endamaged by him and shamefully foyled but sure it was past all peraduenture that he might so haue hyndered and troubled vs that we should neuer haue gotten to the sea coast wherein did consist as farre as mannes reason could reach the whole and only hope of all present aid namely of monie without the which I could not haue payd the Germaine horsemen their wages wherevppon without doubt would haue followed a most miserable calamitie and ouerthrow of all my affayres especially being thereby not of abilitie to encounter or ioyne battaile any more with my enemyes For after we had bin past the plaine of Neufburge the waye was so vneuen and discōmodius that 500. harguebuzeres did compell ten thousand horsemen most shamefully to fly and the best remedy that I could wish to ridde vs out of ◅o great distresse was that I might haue both oportunitie and occasion to ioygne battaile which neyther I could haue done without very excedinge greate and gr◅uous losse and danger being beset on euery side and as it were hedged in with fensed and fortified cities to which our enemies had free recourse and passage There was also an other let of great waight and importance and that was that the Villages and Townes were so desert wast and so forsaken of all men and the families in that countrey so scatered and dispersed abrode that very hardly there could be gathered togyther the nomber of fiftie horsemen All which difficulties and lettes the Duke and his Captaines knew full well which made mee to iudge that he would rather set forward towardes Normandy to pur sue me then to attempt the siege of Orleans For if so be my armie had bin once destroyed it was very likely that Orleance should soone haue come to ruine and wrack but if my armye had bin safe and preserued there was good hope yea although Orleans had bin won to haue maintained and gon forward with the war. These things I haue here more particularly declared and set forth to the intent I might shewe to them that haue any experience in these matters whether it had bin expediente and fit for me to haue spared my money in such an extremitie wherein it was necessary to know what way the Duke ment to worke and for this purpose I had hyred very many who receiued of mee good round summes of money and yet do not make their bragges and vauntes thereof And whereas I amongst all these distresses and daungers that I knewe to be certaine did aduenture vppon that iourney I was truly against my will compelled therevnto by the extreame perill and hazarde I should haue bin in if I had bin forsaken of the Germane horsemen through want of money To these foresaid causes that I haue shewed why I gaue this money I may ad also this that M◅rae was wont as it is to be proued by the testemonie of diuers and sundrie men
kéepe their Souldiours with in their Campes and said that he would come by and by with the reste of the army This aduise pleased the captaynes very well â—…auing onely Monsieur Mouents who vaunsing his Enseignes willed them to followe him Monsieur Pierregorde the reste of the Captayne 's fearing least by this destruction of the bandes ther should be a way made to the enemie to anoy them and protesting that the whole blame hereof should rest on him they also with their bandes marched forward But they were not scarsly gone out of the village when they saw Duke Monpensier comming with a great army of horsmen Then with spéed he prepared himselfe and choose out fyue hundred harquebuziers to be in the first front who straytway discharged a great peale of shot against the launces on horse but they presently charging their launces ran with such violence vppon them that they brake the ray of Mouents souldiours so ensued a sore skirmishe and when they had resisted a while the whole army of Mouents tourned their backes and fled the two Captaynes also themselues being slayne namely Pierregorde and Mouents and the reste whiche fled were for the most part slayne by the Inhabitantes of those quarters notwithstanding many escaped and ame to Monsieur Acier in safety In this skirm ishe there were slayne and wanting of Monsieur Aciers soldiers siâ—…e hundred and of Monpensiers side certaine horsemen of great name After this Monpensier gaue no other attempt but retourned to the Citie Perigeux and Monsieur Acier wheÌ„ he had gathered togither all his souldiers and the remnant of the souldiours of Mouenes came the next day to a village called Aulbeterre The Prince of Conde hearing of the comminge of Monsieur Acier after he had wonne Engolesme prepared himselfe to take his iorney and to méete him The Quéene of Nauarre in the meane tyme dealt very substantially at Rochel and had appointed certain Shippes to kéepe the hauens mouth belonginge to the same and also to the end shée might haue the more easie passage into England which was a great friend and fur therer of the Protestants cause Therefore the Quéene of Nauarre sente letters to the Quéene of Englande by Mousieur Shastiller a Noble man whom shée had made Generall of that Nauy and when shée had declared the causes of the warre begonne shée commended her self and her cause vnto her as followeth Beside the great good will and desire moste Noble Quéene which I always had to abyde in your fauoure there is also at this day occasion offered the which truly would greatly accuse me if I shoulde not by letters declare vnto you what causes haue led mée my children whom God hath lent vnto me hyther And my faulte should be so much the greater by how much hée according to his infinit goodnes hath bestowed so many and so great benefits vpoÌ„ you and hath geuen vnto you such a zeale for the aduauncement of his glory namely to you O Quéene whom he hath choosen to be a â—…ngular Nource of his Church By good right therefore are those things referred and brought before you which doo appertayne to this defence of the trueth of the church of god And truly as I know that you vnderstand the generall state of our affaires most noble Quéene so I pray and beseeche you perswade your selfe that there are thrée causes of the which the least ought to be sufficient which haue constrayned me to forsake my owne Dominion and to come hyther The first cause therfore is RELIGION the which would haue ben oppressed in this our Realme of FraÌ„ce by the olde and barbarouse tyrannie of the Cardinall of Lorrayne and of those which take his part that I should no doubt haue ben ashamed of my selfe and myne and to haue had my name reckoned among the faythfull if so be to withstand this error and horror and to defend the trueth I had not sought all meanes possible both by my goods and also with perill of my lyfe and except also my Sonne and I had ioyned our selues with this so honorable a company of Princes and Nobles All the which are with me determined and fully purposed by the helpe of the lord God of hoastes not to spare in thys cause by any maner of meanes neither lyfe nor goods nor any thing else which God had lent vnto vs. The seconde cause whiche also dependeth vpon the first is our obedience to the King bicause the ruyne of religion is also the ruyne of the King for the preseruation whereof we are straitly bounde And bicause my sonne and I haue obtained at the hands of God this honour and dignitie that we are so néere of bloude to the King this also most Noble Quéene hath constrayned vs to make haste and to set oure selues against those which abusing our Kings name and facillitie doe make him the author of his owne detrement and harme and althoughe of himselfe he is moste faithfull and sure of his promises the breaker of his faith and promises and that by those subtill meanes and wayes whiche they haue deuised to breake the Edicte of pacification The which Edict as it caused maintayned peace betweene the king and his good and faithfull subiectes so long as it was obserued and kepte so the same beyng broken calleth and prouoketh the fidelitie of the subiectes to lamentable and pitifull warre so coacted and constrayned that there is neuer a one of vs whiche is not violently and againste his will drawne therevnto The thirde cause moste Noble Quéene is peculiar to my Sonne and me namely for that we sée the olde and sworne enemyes to God and to our sâ—…ocke and kynred with deadly and impudent hatred to go about and séeke to rase and vtterly to destroy vs and our familie wheÌ„ as also my brother the Prince of Conde to auoyde the practises and conspiracies againste him and his was constrained with his wife and children to séeke a place of refuge and securitie the mother great with childe the children being in so pitifull a cace that I cannot repeate the same without teares besyde this also that I was certifyed knew the same for a suertie that some were appoynted to steale and violently to carry away my sonne from me With these reasons and causes we beyng moued could not chuse but come together to the ende that we beyng ioyned in one mighte lyue and dye together as also the bonde of consanguinitie wyth the which we are mutually knit together dothe bynde vs herevnto that it dothe commaunde vs to doe no lesse These are the thrée causes O Quéene which haue vrged me to take the sworde in hande We doe not as the good catholiques lay to our charge warre against God and oure King we thanke God for it there is no suche treason to be layde to our charge but are faithfull seruauntes and subiectes both to God and oure king Of the which I moste humbly pray and beséeche you
to be certifyed and persuaded and to assist vs with your aide and fauour In the meane time the mother and hir children commend themselues to your Maiestie to whom thei wishe most happy preseruation This letter was written the xv of October Certainly England did greatly fauour the cause of the faythfull as may appeare by the second demonstration of their good will in time of extreame perill binding the Frenchemen vnto them for euer by the great benefits and good turnes bestowed vppon them For they gaue liberally to such as were exiles and banished meÌ„ places to dwell in and very much comforted succoured the poore néedy and oppressed in these tumultes and garboyles of ciuill warres But to returne to our former purpose The Prince of Conde ioyned himself with the Army of Monsieur Acier the first day of Nouember at Aulbeterre and then out of hand they consulted concerninge the pursuing of Monpensier of which when they had agréed they tooke certain troupes of horsemen of the first Armie and the greatest parte of harquebuziers whiche came out of Languedoc and then the Admirall went toward a certain village called Bertrizi where it was reported the enemie aboade but when they had diligently enquired out the matter it was founde that hée was departed from thence with great spéed and so with losse of that iorney the Admirall retourned backe agayn to 〈◊〉 to the Prince of Conde To whom when hée was come agayn they determined and decréed togither to séeke all occasions of battail and sâ—… straightway they pursueâ—… Monpensier who with great expedition traueiled toward the Duke of Aniou For the Duke of Aniou with the reste of the army was at Chastelleraud in the territorie of Poictou who had also with him greate store of great Gunnes Therefore the Admirall wyth the first Army pursued Monpensier who was not farre from the Duke of Aniou in so muche that the Duke of Aniou béeing moued with so greate celeritie remoued his Campe néerer the Citie and more strongly encamped himself his souldiers the Admirall not bidding him battaile but extending his army and displayng his Ensignes in great quantitie of ground Notwithstanding this day there was nothing don The day following he marched his army more néere but first of all he gaue knowledge thereof to the Prince of Conde who sending before him his footemen came vnto him with the troupes of horsemen of the seconde Army but as he was comming on from the Admirall met hym and tolde him that he coulde not cause the Duke of Aniou to ioyne battaile with him bycause he had incaÌ„ped his souldiers within certaine valleys inuironed with hils and also by reason of a thicke myste which was so foggie that one of them coulde scarsly discerne and knowe another Therfore this day also was spent with charge and discharge of thundering shotte one agaynste another The Prince of Conde had taken a very strong castle called Caâ—…uigny by surrender which was situate near to the riuer of Vienna This castel he battered downe to the hard ground bycause it should not afterward stand the enemy in any stéede Then the Prince of Conde to the end he might entice the lingering Duke of Aniou to battail after deliberation had of the matter retired backe agayne with the Admirall and went asyde passing ouer the riuer agayn In the meane tyme Monsieur Bocard was comming to the Prince of Conde with the rest of the army and with good stoaâ—…e of great Ordinance when he had takeÌ„ Pont a strong and well fenced citie The Duke of Aniou vnderstanding of this determined to set vpon Monsieur Bocard he being yet a good way of from the Prince of Conde and passing ouer the riuer of Uienua he came to a certain Towne called Pamprui where Monpensier taried for him with the first army The Prince of Conde also was mynded to ioyne himselfe with Monsieur Bocard that if it were possible by this occasion hee might procure and allure the Duke of Anion to battaile Therfore the Prince of Conde came to that place the xvii of November was no farther then half a league from Monpensiers camp And by and by ther was a smal skirmish betwéen them which was but short by reason that night approched The Duke of Aniou was froÌ„ thence aboute a league Monpensier as though he had encamped himselfe made certaine fiers to deceiue the enemy and in the dead tyme of the night came towardes the Duke of Aniou at Iazenail By the breake of the day the Admirall sent Monsieur Briguemauld with certaine Troupes of Horsemen as scoutes to view the coste and hee himselfe aboade there still the Prince of Conde being not far from him Then Monsieur Briguemauld when he came to the place froÌ„ whence the enemy was fled found certain tentes empty and horses tyed with cariage which they had left behinde them and riding a little farther he might discern the enemy going forward then he sent Monsieur la Loe with twenty Horsemen to take a better and more certaine viewe of them who when he had ridden more neare gaue knowledge to Briguemauld that they were their enemies who straighte way with the rest of the horsemen rode against them at the sighte where of the Souldiers of Monpensier were so terrefied that thei forsoâ—…ke their cariage and fled towarde Mongontour hee leauinge his purpose to ioyne with the Duke of Aniou And it séemed now that they had occasion offered them to giue notable attemptes if so be the Admirall had not altered his purpose fearinge least the Prince of Conde on the other part should be troubled with the Duke of Aniou because hee hard oftentymes the sounde of the gonnes For the Prince of Conde fought with the Duke of Aniou with whom hee skirmished diuers tymes euen at his campe Notwithstanding this was not done without sheadinge of bloud six hundred of the Duke of Anious Souldiers being wanting and of them fiueteen captains And if they had not bene preuented by night it was to be feared least the battaile had bin more blou dy by the rescue of the Admirall The next day again the Prince of Conde came with his whole power to the same place but in vain The Duke of Aniou marched with his army to Poictiers and the Prince of Conde with his army to a towne called Mirebell within foure miles of Poictiers which straight way was yelded to the Prince of Conde where he taried eyght dayes Then the Admiral when he hard that certain bands of Souldiers taried at the citie Pontauzane tooke all his horsemen both with lawnce and shotte and trauailed in the night set vppon the whole Legion of the which the Brissac was Captaine and slewe thrée hundred of them There was also the greatest part of the enemyes horsemen whom he durst not set vpon both for that he knew not where the Prince of Conde was and also because there were great showers of rayne which muche anoyed them Therefore
neyther that he coulde so be proued by any meanes This one thing he cōfessed to be true that he went about to resist the tyrannie of the Guises with a great number of the Nobilitie of Fraunce if this were to offende the Kings maiestie sayde he they must be called Kings before I and they can iustly be condemned of treason And séeing they might not haue libertie to appeale to mortall Iudges he sayde that he appealed to the celestiall Iudge for so vniust iudgement giuen vpon him the which ere it be long will take vengeance on innocent bloude so vniustly shed The like also many others affirming and committing their innocencie to God caused manye to lament their state with teares And among the rest one whose name was Villemongius bathing his handes in the bloude of his fellowes which were newlye slayne lifted vp his handes imbrued with bloude to heauen crying Lord this is the bloud of thy seruants thou shalt take vengeance Nowe therefore these horrible slaughters a man woulde thinke had bene sufficient to make Renaudius forsake his former purpose but he notwithstanding continued in the same Wherefore he went about to gather togither againe his men which were dispersed as you haue heard euē now the which while he assayed he met with a horseman of hys enimies side who shot of at Renaudius his dag but missing him was at the last by Renaudius slayne But Renaudius by a souldiour standing by being the seruaunt of the horseman that was slaine was also wounded to death with the shot of a Dagge whome notwithstanding before he died Renaudius also manfully slue But streight after by the grieuousnesse of the wounde he dyed Whose deade carcas being brought to Ambaxia was hanged vp with this title RENAVDIVS captaine of Rebels and Author of Sedition After this it was deuided or quartered into foure partes and set vp in diuers places and his heade set vpon a forke A wonderfull and straunge thing it was that so many men should come togither from all parts of the Realme and yet be séene of none But this was not the ende of this tumult The Guises against whome this conspiracie was made made great search and inquiry for those that were suspected to be guiltie of this conspiracie Moreouer the King of Nauarre and the Prince of Conde in this contention tooke part against the Guises as hereafter shall be declared The Constable at the commaundement of the King went to the Senate of Paris and there opened the whole matter concerning the tumulte of Ambaxia commending the great diligence of the Guises in pacifying of the same But bicause he sayde that this conspiracie was made against those that were in chiefe authoritie about the King the Guises tooke the same in very euil part who would haue had all men perswaded that it was made for the destruction of the King and the whole Realme that all good order being taken away euery man might rule and gouerne as him lysted At this time Oliuarius the Kinges high Chauncelour who had condemned those that were taken in the tumult of Ambaxia was grieuously taken with sickenesse and being very extréemely handled therewith sayde that he had iustly deserued the same for that those whome he had condemned had great iniurie done vnto them Moreouer hée made exclamation against the cardinal of Loraine who hearing of his extreme sicknesse came to sée him saying Thou O Cardinall art he that bringeth destruction to vs all And so fetching déepe sighes grieuous grones be ended his life Nowe there came forth a newe Edict very cruell against those which followed the newe Religion as they termed it Notwithstanding the late conspiracie being founde to come through the cruell punishmentes layde vpon men whereat they boldly repined brought to passe that the Guises being afrayde thought it best to temper and mittigate those punishments Therefore there were sent abrode letters of pardon in the which the King declared that he would not in the first yere of his reigne begin with the miserable slaughter of his subiects although they had deserued the same but wold rather folow the example of our heauenly father to retain his seruāts by his lenitie mercie than by seueritie and punishments Therfore he sayd he sorgaue all offences concerning religion and gaue generall pardon notwithstanding vpon that condition that they which enioyed the benefite therof should liue catholikely as others did Moreouer the same that came by the conspiracie troubled also the Cardinall of Loraine being a man by nature verye fearefull and wauering insomuch that now after a sort he shewed himselfe very gentle toward the fauourers of the Gospell yea and hearde willingly many of the Ministers of Gods worde which were not afearde to talke with him concerning the chiefe pointes of the Religion nowe in controuersie affirming also that he himselfe did agrée with them in many points But the Quéene to the ende she might vnderstande the true causes of the tumult of Ambaxian and might sée also what remedies might be had for those troubles which were nowe readie to come vpon the kingdome sent for one called Planchaeus bicause he was sayde to be a man that had by long vse great experience who being come and brought into hir priuie chamber she declared that she had sent for him to this ende that she might vnderstande by him what were the causes of the troubles nowe at hande and also what remedies might be prouided for the same Of which she sayde no man coulde better satisfie hir than he Who when he coulde by no excuse shift off or denie this request at the last affirmed that for his obedience sake he woulde take this thing vpon him and so farre as he coulde satisfie hir request First therefore he began thus saying there are two sortes of them who hauing their names altered were no more called Lutheranes but Huguenotes I saye of these there are two factions the one of religious persons the other of Ciuile or politike persons Of the whiche two factions the first for their afflicted Religion the other for that the gouernement of the Realme was put into the handes of the Guises the Princes the Kings neare kinsemen beyng defrauded of the same were greatlye displeased These were the verye causes of these troubles to remedie the which there is no waye but to satisfie both their wylles The first namely the religious persons may easilye be perswaded if so be godly and learned men were gathered togither and disputation made of those articles nowe in controuersie But the others which were of the Temporaltie can not be so easilye pacified bicause they thinke that they haue iust occasion to put themselues in armour and to resist This therefore is the onely remedie if the Princes the Kings neare kinsemen be kept and set in their owne proper degrée and dignitye and the Guises by some faire and gentle meanes remooued from gouerning the Kingdome For the Nobilitie will not suffer the Princes
had dyned and boasted and triumphed greatly of the praye before the victory And when the Scouts of the Army cryed out that the enemies were come Monsuer de Suze made a iest and scorne of the matter saying that they went about in vaine to deliuer the citie out of their hand notwithstanding he gaue commaundement to certaine vnder captaynes which were with him to make better enquiry what the matter was and to commaund the souldiers to arme them selues But hée in the meane time followed his play till euery man began to crie that the enemy which had ambushed themselues on the other side of the hyll which lay betwéene them was come Therfore at the length he arose and commaunded the souldiers to set them selues in battayle araye hée him selfe tooke vnto him his Armour and had scarsely put on his brestplate when euery man began to crie that the enemy had giuen the onset vpon the first froont of the battayle which was now constrayned to retire and flée He therfore in all hast without his helme mounted on horsebacke set the souldiers in their araye ran vp and downe and cried out like a mad man so that all were now on a roare and at their wittes end Yet neuerthelesse many of them stoode stoutly vnto the battaile so that the sight began to wax fierce on both parts Notwithstanding the faithfull being vnder the conduct and charge of Monsuer de Adretze preuayled and flew a great number of their enemies Then the souldiers of Monsuer de Suze turned their backes and fled before the faithfull And Monsuer de Suze him selfe being beset with a certaine troupe of horsemen escaped by flight but very hardly Thus when the faythfull had gotten the victory with losse of a fewe of their souldiers wher as on the enemies side two thousand were slaine they tooke and caried away their tents and artillary They tooke allso some of their enemies prisoners and had it not ben that they wanted horsemen fewe of them had escaped the souldiers were so sore moued to wrath by the remembraunce of the destruction of Orenge After this when Monsure de Adretze had fortefied Uâ—…uriac which hee had now valiantly defended to the ouerthrowe of the enemie he went forward and tooke diuers townes which had yeelded them selues to Monsuer de Suze and then he came to Auinion the souldiers of Monsuer de Suze fléeing from the same with all spéede There is a certaine towne in the County of Venais of no great fame called Mornac yet notwithstandinge by reason of the cituation of the same and also of a Castell belonging thereunto it is very hard to be woone This towne also Monsuer de Adretze obtayned but the Castell the Garrison of souldiers appoynted to kéepe the same by Monsuer de Suze held with two hundered townesmen also Yet notwithstanding at the length partly by force and partly by surrender he enioyed the Castell vpon condition that the souldiers should escape with life But so soone as he was come into the Castell the men of Orenge which were in the Army cried out saying that all those souldiers which were dismist with life were at the winning of Orenge and many of them were noted to be great shewers of crueltie at that time The Inhabitants of Mornac also shewed what iniuâ—…ie they had done vnto them and how they had broken theiâ—… faith and promise after they had yéelded vp vnto them the citie Then said Monsuer de Adretze As they haue handeled others so let them bee handeled themselues Then were they caried into the Castell againe from the top wherof to requite the crueltie which they had shewed towardes the men of Orenge they were cast downe headlong The like execution was done at Pierlat when the souldiers of Monsuer de Adretze had taken a very strong holde that appertayned to the same And from hence forth this kind of punishment was vsed eue ry where among the enemies But while these men of whom we spake before were cast downe bedlong from the Castell of Mornac there happened a thing worthy to be remembred One being cast downe from the Castell fell by the way by a wilde figge trée which grewe to the banke of the Castell and caught hold of the same the which when the lokers on sawe they greatly wondered But some to cause him to fall shot at him Notwithstanding by the earnest intreatie of certaine capitaynes Monsuer de Adretze graunted vnto him his life This happened in the Moneth of Iuly And thus the name of Monsuer de Adretze was a terrour to all those that dwelt there aboutes Now the Prince of Conde as we sayd before being retourned backe againe with his Army to Orleans the Guises and his adherents hauing gotten Blaâ—… and Towers and all that Region besides shewed all the crueltie that they could against the faithfull The Marshall of S. Andrewe went with some part of the Army to Poictiers and the same being but slenderly fortefied he wan After the surrender whereof the souldiers shewed great extremitie murthering spoyling rauishing and carying away mens wiues There came also into the host of the Guises great aid from the Swisers and shortly after that there came an Armie of footemen and horsemen of Germaynes vnder the conduct and charge of the Rheingraue and the Rokendolphe Aud they looked for ayde out of Spaine and Gascoygne In the meane time the Guises vsed other meanes and wayes to helpe and defend themselues For by the decrée and ordinance of the Senate of Paris they which had put them selues in Armoure at Orleans were proclaymed to haue put on the same against the Kyng and the Realme and that therfore they were Rebelles and giltie of Treason and ought to die and to haue open warre pronounced against them Also that they ought to be depriued of such dignities as they enioyed by the Kyng Furthermore that they should be made an open shame and a perpetuall ignominie that neither they themselues nor any of their posterity euer after might beare any publique office vnder the king And last of al that their goods should be confiscate to the king But they excepted the Prince of Conde as though he had bin constrained to do that which he had done against his will. In like maner the Guises sendinge letters to all places but especially into Germany openly accused the Prince of Conde and his adherents to be the authors and deâ—…eÌ„ders of newe and monstrouse opinions that by this meanes they might make the Germanes whose helpe both they and the Prince of Conde wanted to take their parte The Prince of Conde was hindered many waies For beside the greuouse sickenesse of the pestilence at Orleans which daily wasted his armie his power was greatly also diminished by the losse of Cities and by the increase of his enemies Also by reason of the delaies of doubtfull thinges in chaunce and by the threatnings of the enemie which so triumphed of their
the Riuer called the Rosne that they might swimme ouer to the other side notwithstanding many perished in the water It is said that monsieur Sommeriue lost of his men beside those that were drownde foure thousand at the least and of the faithfull but one onely and the same was slayne by one of his fellowes vnwares And in this skirmish the most wicked murtherers and spoylers of the people of GOD were slayne of which the greatest part of that Army did consist The faithfull then caried away their tents and all other moueables of which there was great stoore thrée great field péeces and a great number of Calleuers they found also certaine letters in the cariadge of monsieur Sommeriue and monsieur de Suze by which it appeared that they were fully perswaded to haue the victory and determined also to make hauoc and spoile of the Churches in Languedoc But monsieur Sommeriue and the rest that were escaped to excuse this their effeminate consterantion and feare afterwardes pretended That they thought that Baron des Adretze had benâ—…come with an Army from Lions and Dolpheny and that beside the credible suspition the great boldnes of monsieur Bulargues and certaine red Ensignes like to the Ensignes of Baron des Adretz made them to beléeue more firmly their conceiued opinion So that of so great a number there were not many that retourned backe againe into Prouance and to Aâ—… and that without the spoyles of Languedoc While these thinges thus came to passe at Sangiles monsieur Beaudisne and the townesmen also were great ly carefull and occupied in fortefying Montpellier and in prouiding all thinges necessary for the same Notwithstandig the souldiers of monsieur Joyse boldly went about to inuade them and after consultation they went about to ouerthrow a Mill which the townesmen great ly occupied being about halfe a myle distant from Montpellier notwithstanding in vaine being driuen awaye by those that kept the Towne and some of them flayne among whom was Petrus Lapia the Spanish théefe Then newes was brought concerning the slaughter of the Papistes at Sangiles the which as it dismayed Monsieur Joyse and his men so it greatly confirmed and incouraged the inhabitants of Montpellier Whervppon they caused a sollemne assembly to be made to giue thanks vnto God the which being done monsuer Beaudisne gaue commaundement that fiers should be made vppon the toppes of euery house for at Montpellier euery house hath a tower built higher than it selfe of stone and open in the top both to put the enemies in minde of the viâ—…tory and also to discourage them quight And there were so many fiers made throughout the Citie that it seemed to be on a light fier Monsuer Grill taking his handes of men returned towardes Montpellier and was come to a little Town called Lunell being in the midway betwene Montpellier and Nismes This was well enough knowen to the enemy but not vnderstoode of monsuer Beaudisne monsuer Grill not thinking it necessary to giue intelligence here of to the inhabitants of Montpellier and because of the fame of the late victorie he conducted his Souldiers out of order and carelesly When monsuer Joyse vnderstoode of the comming of monsuer Grill he chose out the moste seruisable men in his whole Army and went out of his campe by the breake of y day making a shew as though he would go toward the sea but casting about again â–ª he toke his iourney toward Lunell The which when the watchmen that were in the Towers saw they admonished monsuer Beaudisne there of who suspectinge where about monsuer Joyse went he armed and appointed souldiers so fast as he could went out of the City and marched forward in hast and when he was come to his iournyes end he found his fellowes disperst out of their array and fléeing monsuer Joyse folowing full fast Then there began a whot skirmish betwene them But at the first méeting the Souldyers of Montpellier being the stronger part monsuer Joyse began to retire till he came to an Oliue groue behind him and there he and his men planted themselues and skirmished whotly with their guâ—…nes by which thâ—…y had now the vantage for their gonners were foote men and the place into the which they had gotten was both very san dy and also full of trées at the last monsuer Joyse entered into a vineyard so returned back again to his campe â–ª The dead bodies of both partes that were found in the fieldes were a hundered and fiftie of which the greater part were Protestantes This was done the third day after the victory of Sangiles Notwithstanding monsuer Joyse hauing no hope to be ayded from Prouans and Auuergnoys â–ª thought it not best to attempte any farther for that he was more lyke to be in perill of his enemies than to anoy them Therefore packing and trussing vp his bagge and baggage he marched his armye to Lates the third of October hauinge thus spent in vaine all the moneth with losse of C C C. of his men at the foresaid skirmyshes And the souldiers disdaining almost ready seditiouâ—…y to fall vpon monsieur Joyse bycause they wanted their wages vnder the couller of the spoyles of Montpellier for that was promised them for their seruice they sacked and spoyled by the sufferance of monsieur Joyse a litle Towne called Florence in the territorie of monsieur Cursoll Where vpon this iest was made of them They fauoured of purpose Montpellier bicause they Wanted Surgeans that they might spoile and sacke Florence but not Florence in Italy From thence they went to Villeneufue and there tariing certain daies they minded to go to Agde â–ª which bor dereth vpon the Sea to assault the same This Agde was kept by the Garrison of montpellier monsieur Senglar hauing charge of the same There were sent also from the borders of Blitter a hundred hargabuzeres to ayd those of Agde â–ª To assult this Agde monsieur Joyse planted his ordinance and began to baâ—…er tâ—…e walles and at the length maâ—…e a breach in the same forty paâ—…es brode at the which monsieur Joyse and his men seking to enter the Townes men valyantly desended themselues and gaue them the repulse â–ª slew at this skiâ—…mish CCCC of them at the â—…east among which were the Captaines and chiefe men of the Army When â—…nsieur Joyse sawe that he could not pâ—…uayle â–ª was certifâ—…ed by his scouts that the men of Mâ—…tpellier prepared theÌ„selues to raise the siege he remoued his campe from thence and had scarsly â–ª passed ouer the riuer when as the men of mont pellier came to Agde and being certified that the enemie was â—…n they went 〈◊〉 the riuer â–ª and began to pursu after monsieur 〈◊〉 in pursuing 〈◊〉 with CCC footemeÌ„ which had for saken the army went to the hill countrey to rob spoile these he with a certain troupe of horsemen sâ—…ew and then he retoâ—…rned to montpellier
condition also that they shall within sixtene dayes after the publication of these Letters put of their armoure and depart from those places and assemblies prohibited and forbidden Whatsoeuer he be that shall do otherwise shal fauour support and mayntayne his obstinate subiectes he straytely chargeth and commaundeth his Magistrates and officers seuerally to execute vppon hym such punishmentes as by the Lawes are appoynted ¶ The Duke of Guise vsed these letters which were published vnder the Kynges name to the intent hée might entangle and snare his enemies by all manner of meanes possible After the besieging of Burges the Duke of Nemours with certaine troupes of horsemen came at the coÌ„mandement of the Duke of Guise into Burgundy that ioyning the inhabitantes of Dolpheny and of Auernois with Monsieur Tauuanes Liefetenant of Burgundy he might assay to winne Lions and Dolpheny And at the very first assay he wan Vienna a noble Citie néere vnto the Rosne and bordering also vpon Lions by the meanes of the paâ—… pistes which were in the towne The souldiours were coÌ„ducted by Monsieur Mogeron who after the surrender of the Towne committed great murder and rapine The losse of Vienna was very hurtful to Lions the passage being shut vp into Dolpheny and Languedoc Then Nemours picking out so many souldiours out of his owne men and out of the Burgundians and Indwellers of Auuergnois and of Forest as would make an army remoued with the same néere Lions to besiege the Citie The Liefetenant of Lions as we sayd before was Monsieur Soubize a very wyse man who with great diligence prosperously prouided for the fortyfying of the Citie Notwithstanding Nemours dyd not incampe him selfe hard by the Citie after the manner of besieging but taking the suburbes and places bordering thereaboutes sought to kéepe them from vittailes and other necessary prouision Notwithstanding the Townes men diuers tymes brake forth vpon the enemie and lightly skirmished with them But for all this the enemie at the length was in hope to winne the Citie yet their hope was frustrated to their owne dammage and hurt There came into the handes of Nemours a certayne inhabitant of Lions of a reasonable good wit and at that time of some estimation and countenance This man declared vnto Nemours certayne meanes and wayes to obtayne Lions promising vnto him that if he might be sent thither he would prepare and make an easie enterance for him into the Citie For sayeth he I when I am in Lions am appointed to watche and kéepe the citie ioyning diuers other of the Garrison with me can open the Gate vnto you and can let in such a sufficient multitude of souldiers as coÌ„ming vnlooked for may easely take the Citie Onely set me at libertie and gyue me leaue to goe into the citie gyue me my reward when I haue brought it to passe Nemours tooke his offer and after fayre promises made hée set him frée and bad him go to Lions Hée when hée was come into the Citie declared the whole matter to Monsieur Soubize gouernour of the citie who coÌ„manded the man to kéepe the matter secrete and also to flatter Nemours in hope thereof still Therefore he appointed Nemours the tyme and place where and when hée should come to the Citie watch wordes were giuen and the matter was so appointed that Nemours had great hope to haue his purpose Wherevpon he commaunded a great number of harquebusiers and certayne troupes of horsemen when the tyme was come to go before and hée himselfe followed after with his whole army In the meane time Monsier Soubize had very wel fortified the Citie in euery place and corner the which being done he commaunded him to go toe the Gate of the citie whom Nemours had put in trust for the treason the watchmen about the gate to be very hush and silent without any manner of noyse as if they were a sléepe and then to giue the watchword The souldiours of Nemours hearing the watchword came with all spéed and were let into the Citie And wheÌ„ thrée hundred of them or there abouts were entered the warders of the gate perceyuing that the whole army of the enimies followed after a pace they discharged with all spéede a great péece of Ordinance against those that were without Whereby Nemours perceyuing that he was betrayed fled backe agayne with the reste of his armye so fast as hée conld then the Townesmen fell vpon those that were entered the Citie and slew them very fewe escaping their handes After this Nemours went his way and would neuer more come so néere Lions to besiege the same Notwithstanding they had after this certayn small skirmishes betwéene them Agaynst the comming of Nemours MoÌ„sier des Adretz had gathered togither out of all Dolpheny so many souldiours as he could to helpe the men of Lions and he conducted 1500. footemen with a very small troupe of horsemen The reporte hereof caused Nemours to take a newe deuise in hande and because he vnderstoode that the army of footemen of Monsieur des Adretz wanted horsemen to garde and defend them hée determined to set vpon him with his horsemen Wherefore not farre from Beaupere he met with Monsieur des Adretz and his men and skirmishing with them troubled them sore had slain a great nomber of them if so be both the oportunity of the place also the maÌ„lines of M. de Adretz in conducting his meÌ„ had not holpen theÌ„ So that notwithstanding the greatest part escaped few were lacking Notwithstandinge for this cause the inhabitants from Vienna all a long the ryuer Rosne were greatly afeard and greatly also the newes hereof dismaied Turnon although it was strongly fortified with Garrisons of Souldiers And about this tyme the inhabitantes of Nonay sought to winne the Citie of Sanstephen beinge a very Noble and famouse Citie in the Territory of Viuaretz and this was the occasion there is in the countrey of Forrest a Citie called Sanstephen nere vnto Nonay where dyuers kindes of weapons and artillery the place being very conuenient for the same are made by Copper Smithes of which there are there great store The men of Nonay being desierouse both to haue weapones and also the spoyle of the City which was of reasonable wealth by the aduise and counsayle of their gouernour they intended to winne the same Imageninge that by reason of the nearenes of Nemours and of Monsieur Caumont a man of greate power in that Region and of diuers other noblemen which dwelt about them they were secure and careles and might therefore more easely be opprest And in déed it came to passe according to their imagination For the greatest part of souldiers and almost al the young men and boyes in the Towne hauinge the gouernour of the Towne their Captaine went out of Nonay and trauailing all the nighte wyth great spede through woodes and secret places were very early at the Citie of Sainstephen And so soone as
faythefully to mayntayne and kéepe the peace Monsieur de Anuill was therby more earnest and hâ—…te and did straightly charge the Consuls of the Citie for so they in that Countrey do cal their chief Officers that they should leaue of their sute and enterprise otherwise they should be sure to smart for the common peoples faultes wherewith they being terrified made answere that they were ready to obeye him in whatsoeuer it pleased him to lay vpon them and calling the commons togither to an assembly did bitterly and very sharply rebuke them for their stubburnes But the commons on the other side protested that it was agaynst all law and right and that it was done con trary to the tenor and forme of the peace concluded that they would rather complayne to the King of the tyranny of thâ—… President Finally that they would not for any cause commit themselues their goods their wyues and children into the handes of the Lieuetenant being as he was so sore incensed and angrye against them But whilest wordes went too and fro amongest them there begaÌ„ a whot contention betwixt the Magistrates and the commons The people being set on a furie chased away the Magistrates and forthwith fortified and â—…ensed the citie and no entrance would be graunted to M. de Anuilles garrison Who coÌ„plaining to the King of the matter receyued commission from him to punnishe the offenders very seuerely with commaundement also that the Townsmen should receiue in the Garrison The King also sent thither Monsieur 〈◊〉 a noble man with charge that they should eyther receyue such Garrison as the Lieuftenant the Anuill should appoint or els to be greuously punnished who comming thither to the Citie was forthwith receiued in by the Citizens who declared vnto him that they had not committed that fact in way of rebellion but were ready to obey the King their chiefe soueraigne Lord and gouernour that it happened through the rashe and hasty dealing of the Magistrats that the commons being moued and stirred vp with feare of further harme to ensue had behaued themselues otherwyse against them then became them finally that they did willingly and gladly submit them selues their children and goodes to the Kinges will and pleasure So vppon this M. Ramâ—… being entered the Citie certified M. de Anuill of the Townsmennes minds who straight waies comming thither accompanied and garded with certaine bandes of horsmen and footemen was very reuerentlie and humbly receyued of the Citizens But he was no sooner entered the Towne but he immediatly began to vse and handle them as enemies The Citie was spoyled of all her priuiledges the walles razed the Noble men diuersly fined and punnisht many of them beheaded their Minister haÌ„ged their goodes giuen ouer to the Souldiours for a pray and a spoyle the furiouse Souldiers were let loose vppon the honest matrones and Uirgines of the Citie to the number of 800. Citisens were banished to be short that worthy Citie was vtterly wasted spoiled made desolate of the greatest parte of her inhabitantes by the cruell and detestable villany of the Anuill Aboute this tyme there came newes abrode of the Kinges prograce throughout the whole Realme and forsooth there was a cause of this prograce deuised and that was that it stoode the Kinge vppon to take a suruey and a vew of his whole kingedome that he in his owne person might heare and receaue the complaintes of his subiectes and with present remedy help and ease their gréeâ—…ed mindes and that with his presence hee might confirme and encourage euery on to do his duty And though this cause was pretended yet the Quéens had another fetch purpose in her head Whereof the Cardinall of Lorraine both knew and was also authour and first inuenter of it although for other causes hee was not in this prograce the marke she shot at as it is reported of diuers that were more thorowly acquainted with the matter was the King himselfe as it being ignorant of it that the sacred league with the King of Spaine which was begon in the Counsaile of Trent might bee ratified and confirmed and that in the meane season the tender mind of the youug king might be by all meanes possible prouoked and stirred vp against the reformed Religion and al thinges were of set purpose so ordered in euery Citie where the Kinge should come that the Protestantes might complaime as long as they would but al should be in vain and to no purpose yea and they themselues rather accompted and taken for the causers and authours of troubles then obtain any thing where by to redresse their wronges and iniuries Whilest preparation was made for this iourney there came a coÌ„maundement from the King to all those Cities that were holden of the Protestantes in the time of warre VVhere as now after pacification of all former troubles therâ—… is nothing that we more wish and desire than that peace and quietnes may be restored in al partes and quarters of our kingdome wee do now will and commaund to the intent all occasion of new broiles may be remoued and quight taken away that all such munitions fortifications and bulwarkes as were made and built in the tyme of warre for the defence of your Cities bee quight defaced and taken away that all our subiectes hereafter may quietly and without feare of further danger kepe and maintain our peace especially for that our faith and promise sufficiently declared in our Edicte ought to be to all true and faithfull subiectes in sâ—…eede of a sure wall and sheild of defence c. So by this meanes all kind of munition and fortifications was defaced in diuers Cities as in Orleans Mountaubane valence and diuers other of the most famous Cities in France to the great discommoditie and destruction of the whole Realme And that chiefely in 〈◊〉 a moste necessarie and profitable Citie to the whole countrey yea and that in the moste daungerous times of the Kinges and kingdome especially in the tyme of Charles the vii 〈◊〉 the Englishmen were conquerers farre and neare and when all Normandy and Paris the Metropollitane Citie of the Realme were wâ—…nne and vanquished togither with the Countries to them adioyning all the Kingdome in an vprore with enemyes then was Orleans a chiefe and special place of succour and refuge both for the King and all his Notwithstanding these Cities were defaced and marked with the tokens and blemishes of Rebellion for that in tyme of trouble they had preserued a nomber of good and true subiectes especially Orleans was shamefully spoiled and made almoste a poore simple Oraunge or Uillage and a Castle builte at the gate it leades to Paris to gouerne and kepe vnder the Citizens and a very cruell Carrison of Souldiours placed there And yet for all this the administration of Religion was not left of there Like crueltie was exercised vpon Montaubane bycause they had manfully and couragiously defended themselues against the assaultes
the Images as done againste all order and the publique authority of Magistrats They refused also the letters of the Duches of Parme as to helpe any thing at all the offenders herein Therefore gatheringe togyther a great number of Souldiers to serue their turne they toke many in all places of the protestantes and cast them into prison and after examination put them to death After this also Norcam Manques of Berge a notable enemy to the reformed Religion came with foure bandes of horsmen v. Ensignes of footmen minding to besiéege Ualencia toke as he came a Towne called Sainctaman and committed their most cruell tyrannye as rapine murther and the defiling of Uirgins beside most horrible kindes of torment then practised Thys was done in the moneth of Nouember By these cruell actes of the papistes which threatned extreame destruction the protestants sawe that it was now hygh time to prouide for themselues Therefore dyuers practised sondry wayes meanes for theyr defence but God altering and orderinge all thinges by his prouidence would not suffer theÌ„ to come to good effect Great was the multitude of people and great was their courage but they wanted Counsayle and Captaynes to guyde them There were sufficient men enough which could haue gouerned them and conducted them both with wisdome and pollicie agayn the number of Noblemen was not smal that fauoured that side who if they had taken parte with them there had bene good hope of victory and to haue had more quiet gouern ment But such as were of highest calling standing stil as lookers on and séeking neyther to defende nor to resist the one nor the other all good occasion to bring any thing happely to passe was lost The whiche brought great ruine to the protestantes of the lowe Countrey and great calamity to those noble men themselues So hard perillouse a thing it is for a man to séeke to serue two maisters so coÌ„trary the one to the other The grea test part of the Nobilitie professed the reformed religion and yet there was scarse one of them which came at any tyme to the sermons of that Religion Wherefore we must néedes confesse that our sinnes haue caused the Lord not to finish that good worke which he had begonne Herevpon came the pitiefull calamitie of the churches of the low countrey The Protestantes therefore were both destitute of counsaile and also of a goide but the Catholiques waÌ„ted neyther of them both Wherefore their cities were dayly fortified with garrisons and they besieged as is sayd before Valencia which was quight voyde and destitute of any Captayne There came diuers bandes of Souldiours also as scattered shéepe to ayde the Protestants at ValeÌ„cia and that with good courage and while they vainly looked for a Captayne the greatest part coÌ„ueyed themselues away Therefore al this mouth was spent with diuers troubles and diuers cities of the pro testantes were wonne and the inhabitants therof put to flight Antwerpe being vnder the authoritie and gouernement of the prince of Orange was not pertaker of those troubles that other places felt But the foolish men being weary of peace and ease and as though there were not at Antwerpe troublesome heades ynough they sent for Matthâ—…us Illyricus and for Flaccus Spangenberge and other to contende with the men of the reformed religion about the Supper of the Lord and the presence in the Sacrament All things growing daylye from euill to woorse the Protestantes offered vp at diuers tymes Supplications to the Magistrates to whom most humbly and reuerently they committed themselues and their cause promising vnto them a great summe of money vppon condition that they might be in safety Also when dyuers of the Princes of Germany had sought to intreat the matter and could not obtayne that which they wisshed Brederode and certayn noble men confederat with him offered vp a Supplication the eight day of February which consisted of these speciall poyntes That the agreement made betweene him and the Duches of Parme in the moneth of August might be obserued and kept that the libertie of Religion might be graunted and that the soldiours gathered togither contrary to the forme of the othe might be dismist To this within a while after the Du chesse of Parma made answere That shee neuer ment to graunt the publique administration of the Religion nor the vse of Sermons Sacraments and Consistories and as fos the interpretation of the agreemeÌ„t that saith shee dependeth vpon mee Concerning the Request to haue the souldiours dismist all men may see whereunto that tendeth VVherefore sayeth shee I pray and com maund euery man vppon payne of the Kinges displeasure to goe home to his owne house This aunswere made Brederode and his fellowes to doubt to feare the calamitie lyke to ensue And when they had taryed in vayne thirtéene dayes at Antwenpe they got them home to Uian a towne in the borders of Holland and thyther strayghtway a great many fled The reste of the moneth of February was spente with diuers troubles the faithfull Protestants beinge dayly anoyed and vexed more and more with proscriptions banishments and such lyke All this while was continued the siege of Valence which at the laste by the letters of the Duches of Parma wherein shée promysed all clemeney and fauour was surrendered to Noircarm the xxiii day of March. After the which it cannot be expressed what great cruelty was showeÌ„ vpon the townsmen the chief both of the Citie and also of the Church were taken prisoners and among these two ministers the one called Guido Bresse the other Peregrine Grage and certayne other honest Citizens were put to death for that they had Sermones in the Citie without the Kings will and pleasure and had also vsed the administration of Sacramentes In the middest of these garboyles it was reported that Fraunces de Tolede Duke of Alba was comming with a great army to ouercome and subdue all the lowe Countrey otherwyse called Belgio IN this yéere also â–ª the Churches of Fraunce were not a little troubled occasion being taken of the cruel murther committed in the lowe Countrey the whiche the Cardinall of Loraine thoughte fitte for his purpose to afflict and destroy the Churches of Fraunce with the help of the Duke of Alba of whose comming he was truely certifyed by the letters of Granuellan The same Cardinall also procured the Popes letters and the letters of King Philip to the Quéene putting her in minde therby of her promyse of the holy league Therfore this yéere they mynded to worke the vtter ruyne and destruction of the Churches of Fraunce So that they hauing theyr consultations at Marches and at Monseaux at whiche places the King and Quéene moste commonly aboade determined to prouide out of hande bandes of souldiers and to require the helpe and ayde of the Switzers all the which they determined to do vnder the collonr that the Duke of Alba with the Spaniardes ment to giue some
ministered vnto vs than hitherto it hathe bene and that according to the prescript of the Edicts Againe if any of vs be founde to offende against any of the Edictes let him be punished according to order of lawe by some vpright and vncorrupted iudge and let not the offence of one man condemne the whole multitude Oathe And if it please his Maiesty that we shall dwell peacebally and quietly vnder his protection in our cities al diâ—…sentions taken away we protest that we will neuer departe out of the same what extremity or losse soeuer we abyde but do promise that we will with harte minde hande and with all that euer we haue ioyne with our citizens to the obeyinge of them and to the defence of our cities towarde the which we will all wayes beare a true loue and faithfull harte Answer We cannot with a good conscience imbrace this Article as it is put downe because it bringeth that in doubt which is euidently graunted vnto vs by the Edictes that is to saye that by them the Kinges Maiesty doth account vs for his faithfull and true seruants as by the grace of God we haue bene hytherto and will be euer hereafter Insomuch that we cannot doubte but that we are vnder his protection beinge in those Cities of his dominion in the wich we were borne or do dwell seinge that we are ready to persiste and abyde in his obedience Therefore we are so farre from doubtinge of his wil and meaninge that we rather geue hym immortall thankes do beseche hym to continew the same towar des vs still and specially to be fauorable vnto vs in the liberty of our consciences and in the administration of our Religion Without the vse of the wich we are not only ready to forsake our Cities but also our lyues where as contrarywyse graunting the same vnto vs which is more dere by right vnto vs than oure lyfe namely the obseruation of his Edictes we will most gladly sweare and promise to kepe these thinges Oathe And also a true and sincere good will towardes the Catholikes vntill it shall please God to ende al troubles to bringe the which thinge to passe we trust that this recoÌ„cilliation will make a happy and proâ—…perouse waye Answer As concerninge that loue which by nature we owe vnto all men the Religion which we professe teacheth vs neuer to forget the same and the rather we ought to shewe it towardes them because they are our Countrey men to whome we ought to do good for euell the which we promise to do so much as we are able But where as weare required to enter into a sounde perfecte reconcilliation with them we besech his Maiesty to enioyne the Catholiques to the same oathe and specially to prouide that theire seditiouse preachers which are the principal causes of these troubles may cease to go forward as of late they haue begoon And that they may be punished except they obay according to the tenore of the Edictes To conclude yf it please his Maiesty that his Edictes may be obserued with al sincerity and vprightnes as we trust it is his pleasure and that the execution thereof resteth in his officers handes which hyther too they haue bene very neglegent in we are ready to sweare without any exception what soeuer a good prince can requyre of his subiectes This was the oathe and this was also the answer of the faithfull They were woorkemanly deuises made by theire craftes masters with which many might haue ben snared sâ—…inge there was nâ—… mencion made of Religion that by this meanes the noble men beinge woon with hope of peace and bounde with an oathe the waie might be the more easy to bringe theire matters to passe Whereas the men of Rochell as we sayd before pretending theire priuiledge had excused themselues to be frée from receiuing any Garrisonnes of Soldiers the Kinge hauinge often tymes threatened them by his letters armies of footemen and horsemen were prepared out of hande to beséege the city Monsieur de Anuil and Monluce 〈◊〉 receiued the like coÌ„maunment to beséege Montauban Notwithstandinge Danuil was very much busied in diuers places of his Liefetenantship Ther were also in euery Prouines pressinges and moysterings of soldiers but only of the catholikes side and they were suche as were counted able men These were commaunded to prouide them Armoure and to be ready at the firste call Also diuers sondry reportes were brought daily to the prince of Conde as That the faithfull congregation at Blais goingâ—… to heare a Sermon at the place which the Kinge had appointed them was almost 〈◊〉 to the nomber of â–ª 200. Beside this there were letters founde out in diuers places which greatly bewrayed the secrete Counsailes and deuises of the catholikes and theire practising of the holy League with diuers other coÌ„spiracies Therefore al things grew dayly to farther mischefe and rumors were euery where of new murthers also the proude threateninges of the catholikes as in sayinge that the faithefull shoulde enioy theire goods but one Moneth were manifest signes of warres But among all other murthers the deathe of Amanzi a noble and modest man greued very muche the prince of Conde the rest of the faithfull This Amanzi was slaine at his own doores as he stood there houlding a yong daughter of his in his hand He was a man of comly personage tall greate and no lesse beautified with giftes of the minde of singuler modesty and humanity so welbeloued of all men that a maÌ„ woulde haue thought it vnpossible that so amiable a man shoulde haue fouÌ„de any enemy There came newes also to the Prince of Conde that the Armies which were sente to beséege Rochell were called backe agayne were sent to take hym at Noiâ—…rst and that fowertene Cornets of horsemen with fowertene Ensignes of footemeÌ„ were comminge to that parte of Borgondy The comminge allso of Theligni from the Courte with the Kinges Answer which was notwithstandinge seasoned with maruellouse fayer and swete woordes fore shewed sorrowfull newes Therfore the Prince of Conde hanging doubtful and not kowing what to do and being also certified by dayly messengers in how great perill he stoode requested the Countes of 〈◊〉 that shée would go vnto the Kyng on his behalfe and declaring vnto him these thinges would also beséech him That his promises so sollemly confirmed by his othe by his Edict and by his letters might not be broken being so much the more iniurious because all these counsailes are practised vn der the couler of his name although hee doubteth not of his true and sincere meaning But the Countesse of Roteline was scarsâ—…y departed when the Prince of Conde was admonished by messengers againe That except with all spéede he did looke vn to him selfe he would afterward repent his delaye for that the armies of the enemies approched so fast and that he could not without great perill escape the hands
him and that all things mighte be done orderly â–ª he appoynted a certaine forme of discipline to be vsed among his souldiers the which we thought good here to inserte as worthy remembrance For the performance whereof this was the forme of the oath that was ministred vnto them Ye sweare and promise by the name of the liuing God that ye for the causes declared by the Prince of Conde wyll gyue your liues bodyes and goods to be at the commaundement of the same Prince of Conde whom ye acknowledge to be the captayne of this Armie Ye sweare and promise willingly to obey all those things whyche eyther he or his deputies shall commaunde and faithfully to obserue and keepe the order of discipline which he hath appointed to the gouerning of his armie And that till suche tyme as they whiche are enemyes to the common peace be openly punished by order of law for their murthers roberâ—…es spoyles and oppressions whiche they haue committed agaynst the Kynges will and againste the peace towardes the professors of the reformed Religion within the Realme that we at the lengthe maye eniâ—…ya the freedome of our consciences the securitie of ourdyues and goods peacâ—…ably vnder the Kynges obedience But this was the description and forme of the Discipline prescribed BECAVSE Order as it is profitable to all men sort is necessary for the louers of the reformed Religion I which am lawfully called to this warre haue thought good with the aduise and confent of the Nobles Captaynes and of other expert wyse men to ordayâ—…e and to giue all 〈◊〉 to vnderstande That if there be any man which will not obeye these things there is no place for him in our armye I will therefore that euery man faythfully obserue and kéepe them First whosoeuer shall come to this Army shall declare and giue his name within sixe dayes and shall â—…weare accoâ—…ding to the forme of the othe appoynted the which except they doe their horse and armour shal be taken from them and giuen to their accuser And when he hath giuen his name he shall gyue attendance and â—…de to his charge whether it be to watch and ward day or night or whatsoeuer else if not then he shal forâ—…ayte his armour No man shall forsake his Enseigne and goe to another Enseigne without the sufferance leaue of his Captain he that shall do otherwise shal be punished according to his offence And because no man shall pleade ignorance let them which are lately come to our army be certified of this decrée It shal be lawful for the souldiour to aske leaue of his Captayne if it be denied â–ª I will that he come to me and I will order the matter at my discretion I will also that the othe be ministred euery Moneth And to the ende the names of such as be lacking may be knowne I will that the hils and Scroules of the names be brought vnto mee â—… and that thâ—…re be none in the Army which kéepe backe hys name or which is not alowed by the testimony of some other He which shal be found gilty herein the third day after the publishing of this writing shall suffer death Furthermore I will and appointe that there bee in ei uery Giddon of horsemen one hundreth and of euery Enseigne of footemen CC. and euery Captayne to haue vnder him his vndercaptaynes other officers That no man presume to attempt any thing against the enemie wiihout the commaundement of his Superiours if the Captayne shal be found culpable herein then hee shal be banished his office if the Souldiour his armour shal be taken from him and then he expelled the hoaste That no man forsake his Enseigne and that suche as are found robbing and spoyling be seuerely punished as théeues and their armour and horse gyuen to their accusers And because this warre differeth from the other warres that haue bene heretofore I will that thâ—… spoyles be caryed all to one place for the common profite and wealth of the whole Army If any shall pilpher or purloyn froÌ„ his fellow he shal be punished as a theef and he that shall apprehend and detecte such a one shal be well rewarded The spoyles which shal be taken at the yéelding vp of any Citie shall 〈◊〉 to the general vse of the whole army And nothing shal be counted for spoile but that which may be proued so to be by sure arguments and testimenies otherwise it shal be accouÌ„ted for rapine and theft I will also that there be no vagrant and vnprofitable members in the Army Three footemen shall haue onely one Page attendinge vppon them who also shall followe his Maisters Enseigne if he be found otherwise he shal be hanged It shall not be lawfull for any footeman to haue horses asses or other cattell but onely for Captaynes and such like officers prouided notwithstaÌ„ding that they abuse not this libertie If any man shall take away the cattie that belonge to husband men for tillage he shall suffer death Moreouer I will that there be no braule nor contencion moâ—…ed specially that one man fight not with an other yf any shall so do he shall dye If there happen to bee any offence â—…et the Captaynes be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there may be some order taken and peace 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 that all priuie grudge and maâ—…ice be layde asyde and if any man refuse to be reconciled I commaund 〈◊〉 that Captaynes be admonished thereof that all sawfull wayes may be sought for reconciliation That no man take any other lodging thaÌ„ that which shal be appointed to him If he be a Captayne that shalâ—…e fasty herein hée shall loose his office but if he be but a common souldiour hée shal loose his armoure or horse beside other punishmeÌ„ts at my discretion And I will that all officers diligently come togither to the appointed place of méeting for the Army that they may foresée and prouide whatsoeuer shal be necessary for euery occasion That no maÌ„ steale away the vittayle and prouision belonging to the Army vpon payne of death â–ª And least any man may plead lawfully ignorance I will that these Martiall decrées be proclaymed euery wéeke throughout the whole Army in some coÌ„uenient place or other Let these things be diligently obserued and kept generally They which abused the Kings name feared least the Quéene of Nauarre should goe to the Prince of Conde with the yong Prince her sonne Therefore Monsieur Losse was fent to steale away the Prince but in vayne For the good and Christian Quéene of Nauar when she had made all things ready and had gathered certeyne bandes of men out of her dominion came with hir son to the Prince of Conde Then they practised by other meanes to stay her least she should ioyne her self with the Prince of Conde writing vnto her sugred letters to winne her from the reformed Religion With these letters was sent Monsieur Motte to perswade her and to assure her of the Kinge and
returning backe againe they met with the Prince of Conde who on the other parte went to pursue the enemy And thus for the space of certain monethes the time was spent with skirmishes of horsemen For this was the pollicie of the chiefe Captaines of the Duke of Aniou to deferre ioyning of battaile therby to alaye the force of the Prince of Condes Army that his power being deminished by delay which the Prince of Conde could not easily repaire againe they mighte so at the last oppresse him While these things were thus wroughte in Guian the Duke de Aumall was with another Armye in Loraine mynding there to reseyne the Germanes whyche were loked for to come and aide the Papistes and also to stop the passage of such as should come to ayde the Protestantes as we will declare when we come to the same While the Prince of Conde was at Mirebell there came a Messenger from the Quéene to the Prince of Conde who in the Quéenes name exhorted and perswaded him to peace To this the Prince of Conde made answere before a great multitude that he was coÌ„strained to take the sworde in hande to resist those iniuries offered vnto him and not to enterprise any thing againste the Kings Maiestie I and my friends sayth he séeke onely to inuade the Cardinall of Loraine and hys fellowes from whose tyrannie we will deliuer our consciences our liues and our goods for they are open and sworne enemyes to the King and the Realme All men know how greatly I haue wished sought for peace as of late may appeare by my tractable facillitie But sayth he bicause the king is compassed about beset with his enemies I meane godwilling to make my petitions before the King himself And so with this answere the Messenger was dismist whom fame reported to be sent onely as a Spie to vewe what power he had and also to feede hym wyth the vayne hope of peace that thereby they myghte make hym the more secure Concerninge the prince of Orange wée spake somewhat before Therfore when he had gathered together great bandes of Souldies some oute of Germauie some out of the low Countrey and some out of Fraunce and when Mons. Genly a Noble man had brought vnto hym for ayde a great Army of Frenchmen out of Picardy â—…e passed ouer the ryuer of Mense and came into Belgio otherwise called the lowe Countrey where he taryed certayne monethes and made onely certain small skirmishes with the Duke of Albas souldiers and toke 〈◊〉 oÌ„ the Papistes a fewe small Townes And hauing no occasions offered him to giue any notable attempâ—…e the Duke of Alba hauing the chiefe Townes in possession toward the ende of the Moneth of Nouember he came by Liege to Picardy and so came to Saint Remi and Râ—…bemont with his whole Armye mynding as it was reported to ioyne with the Prince of Conde By reason of the coÌ„ming of the Prince of Orange all the Cities theraboutes were afrayde and Paris it selfe also trembled neyther had they anye hope of ayde and strength the Duke of Aniou beyng in the Region of Poictou and the Aumall in Loraine sufficiently occupied For thys matter the Cardinall of Loraine so prouided that what they coulde not doe by might that they brought to passe by fraude and deceyte and soughte to drawe awaye the myndes of the Germanes by whom the chiefe strength of the Army consisted And they had the better occasion offered them to bring their purpose to passe bycause the myndes of the Germanes were offended by nonpayment of their wages One Schomberg which had accesse to the Prince of Oranges Campe by the meanes of the chiefe Captaine whome they call the Marshall of the Army to whom he was of kinne soughte to bring thys thing to passe Therefore when the Prince of Orange was mynded to March furder into Fraunce the Armies of the Germanes refused required with angry moode to be paied for y time past their wages The captaines made excuse that they made no promyse to the Prince of Orange to come to warre in Fraunce that they could not so doe bycause they were the Kings friendes And thus the myndes of the Captaines beyng distracted the whole armie was dispersed also the Germans saying that they would after so much loste labour returne into their owne countrey The French men also by reason of this distraction went dayly away by heapes And bycause there was no passage into Fraunce by that parte the Prince of Orange with certain French Captaines mynded to returne into Germany againe with the remnant of the armie that he might â—…oyne himself with the Duke of Deuxpons whiche made prouision to ayde the Protestantes The Duke of Alba beinge encouraged wyth this successe pursued and persecuted the remnant of the faithfull throughout all the lowe Countrey and laying new taâ—…es and tributes vppon the people hee prouided also new kindes of torment bringing those forth to execution whom before he had put in prysoÌ„ Euery where horrible and cruel murthering sightes were to be séen but specially at Tornay and Ualencia where fifty Citizens to the terrible feare of all the rest were executed by the common hangman Concerning the Duke D'aumall we haue spoken before and haue shewed for what causes hee was in Lorayne for the papistes to destroy the truth of the Gospel went about to win Germany to take part with them pro mising to the Germanes great rewards of money which is a â—…oble peâ—…swader and can bring mighty thinges to passe Besiâ—…e this also they vsed false perswasions saying that they dâ—…d not warre against religion which the King maintained by his Edicte but rather against Rebelles which without the Kinges commaundemente haue put themselues in armour to trouble the state the people for the most part beinge drawen to mischeuous sedition vnder the prefence of religion On the contrary part the Quéene of Nauar and the Prince of Conde vrged and declared to the Princes that the Gospell was specially assaulted and that with their accustomed guiles they went about to couer their wickednesse and the breaking of the Edict for that all men might sée both by the breaking of the Edict and also by the manyfest denouncinge of warre againste the truth by those laste Edictes published in the moneth of September that they are mere sclaunders of the papistes Therefore Wolphang Duke of Deuxpous knowing and wysely waying the cause of the faithful promised helpe liberally to the Prince of Conde and did so in déede as wee will here after declare In the meane tyme while Duke Daumall wayted for the comming of certain Germanes to serue the king he heard say that there were certain bandes of the faith full in the territory of Strausburg Their Captaine was Monsieur Cochay of Dolpheny a good warrier he had charge of eyght Ensignes of footemen and of certaine troupes of horsmen which he had gathered oute of the remnants of the men of Dolpheny of
many of the inhabitants of that place because they had destroyed suche as at that time fled through their villages for succour The Prince of Condes bandes wan and spoiled Saint florent a very rich Abbay néer vnto Salmure which was garded with two hundred Souldiours but when they had slaine the souldiours because they stood stoutly in the defence therof they set fire on the Abbay Countie Brissac one of the Duke of Anious Captains and a very expert yong man in the warres goinge out of Salmure came sodenly vpon a troupe of horsemen being in number 100. vnder the conduct of Monsieur Borsauld part wherof he flew and part he put to flight The same also came sodeynly and vnlooked for vppon Countie Momgomery in the village of la Motte in so much that Momgomery was constrayned to flée into a Castle hard by but his brother Corminuille with certain others were taken For want of vittailes the Prince of Condes Armye went from Tuarz and from Montrebell and one Army came to Partenay and the other to Niort Thither came also the Quéene of Nauarre to consult with the Prince of Conde and with other Noble men there concerninge diuers things And among all other this was decreed That for so much as the papists to maintain this war did pluck away and sell the land of Churchmen according to the prescript of the Popes letters patents whether they were Catholiques or protestants the Quéen of Nauar the Prince of Conde also should doo the like in those places which they held and kept To bring this thing to passe letters wer giueÌ„ forth in the names of the prince of Nauarre of the Prince of Conde of the Admirall of the Andelot and of the Rochfoucault By whiche letters certaine meÌ„ were commaunded to sell the land of Ecclesiasticall persones and to assure and warrant the byers in their names quietly to enioy the same By this meanes within a short time they had gotten a great masse of money And on the contrary part the Kinges Edictes of the which we spake before were executed with great rigor against Religion All the moueable goods of the faythfull at the first which were taken in spoyle reserued by the Magistrate were openly sold their landes were made to paye great fynes and subsidies to mainteyne Garrisons and souldiours Garrisons were set to keepe Noble mens housholdes and the landes of the faithful by the commaundement of the Kings letters were appointed to be solde The Prince of Conde gaue an attempt against Lasignan being a very strong Castle being come thyther with the greatest part of his armyes but fayling of his purpose he departed againe from thence Sanser a Citie in Burgundy was besiéeged by the catholiques whose captaine was Martinenge an Italian To this siege came Monsieur Nemours bringing with him thrée thousand footemen at the least and certayne troupes of horsemen all which he broughte out of Prouance to ayde Martinenge in the seige The Generall ouer these was Countie Tende Lieftenant of Prouance Wyth these also there came certayne Armies oute of Dolpheny vnder the charge and conducte of Baron des Adretz whom we sayde before forsooke the faithfull in the first warre The Townsmen valiantly for certain Monethes defended themselues and by diuers eruptions vpon the enemies and skirmishes with them they had slaine manye of them and broken manye of their great gunnes Therefore Martinenge when he had wearyed in vayne his souldiers with the extreme coulde of winter he toke vp his caryage raised the seige and departed away secretly in the nighte Then the warders watchmen of the Citie suspecting that the enemyes fled gaue knowledge thereof to the chiefe Captaynes in the Citie who goyng forth by the breake of the day with certaine souldiers slewe many straglers that lingered behinde the armie without order or raye After this countie de Tende went to the Duke of Aniou and Baron de Adretz taking Nemours with him went to the Duke D'aumall This was about the beginning of Februarie The King was nowe at Mets and before he came thether he had forbidden the Protestants to vse the reformed religion vpon paine of death The power of Duke D'aumall beyng greatlye encreased with newe and freshe ayde he determined to encounter with the bandes of French souldiers which wayted for the Armies of the Duke of Deuxpons and came to Sauerne a towne belonging to the Bishoppe of Strasburge which fauoured him and there he stopped al the passage ouer the ryuer against the enemie But he could not there abide beyng repulsed I put to flighte by the FrenchmeÌ„ his enemyes These French bands that put him to â—…light were such as had fled out of the hither part of Fraunce thither partly which were left of the Armie of the prince of Orange Aboute this time MonsGenly dyed at Bergasiber in the Dominion of Deuxpous and bycause he was generall of those Armyes Mons. de Moy a Noble man and a good Captaine was chosen in his stéede While Duke D'aumall behaued himselfe thus about the borders of Loraine there came to the Duke of Aniou two thousand and two hundred Germane horsemen conducted by the Rheingrane Bassompierre He himselfe when he had payed the rest of the armie their wages went with all his power towarde the Territorye of Engolmoys mynding to wyn Engolesme a verye fayre and copious Citie But bycause the passage to the ryuer of Charente woulde be a necessarie helpe for him be mynded to kepe the bridge And therefore he commauÌ„ded Mons. Riuiere to go and take the Citie the Castell of Iâ—…rnac which bordereth vpon the ryuer of Charente Thys was the occasion of a great and lamentable battaile The Prince of Conde beyng certified of the purpose of the Duke of Aniou came to Niort with his main battaile the first daye of Marche and from thence he came by the Towne of Sanlan Angely the Citie of Saintes The Admirall went with the Uauntgarde to Cognac and the next daye after being the fourth day of Marche he with his brother the Andelot brought all the horsemeÌ„ of the Uauntgarde both with lawnce and shot to larnac and with them two Canons two dimi Canons Then straight way the Admiral beseiged the castell of Iarnac bycause Mons. Riuiere by and by at the discouery of them left the citie and went into the castell But the roaring Canon shot did so shake the castell gates and the walles thereof that Mons. Riuiere desired parley and the next day after vpon condition that he and his sâ—…uldiers shuld escape with theyr lyues he surrendered the Castell Leauing therefore to defende that place the Uicount de Montanmoy with his LegioÌ„ the Admirall and the Andelot dâ—…parted to viewe espie the force of the enemies bicause they were said not to be far of The sixte daye of this moneth the Prince of Conde with the Admirall and the Andelot taking with them all the horsemen of the vauntgarde and maine battaile sauing certaine
troupes whiche taryed behynde at Iarnac with Briguemauld came to Beauuoire besyde the ryuer of Mate where the Duke of Aniou was with hys armie So soone as the prince of Conde sawe him he set his army in aray and commaunded certaine drummes to stricke vp behynde a lyttle hill harde by them in couert as if an Armye of footemen had bene there Notwithstandyng all that daye was spent wyth certaynâ—… small skirmishes The Duke of Aniou beyng driuen froÌ„ thâ—…nce which is a place of passage ouer the ryuer sought another way and certayne miles beyonde Engolesme he passed ouer the ryuer Charente with hys whole armie and in hys iourney he sodenly gaue assault vpon the citie of Mele and on the castell of Ruffec slewe the garrisons tokâ—… the same and after this also he toke â—…y surrender thâ—… citie of Chasteau neufe and there passed ouer the riuer â–ª Report hereof being brought to the Prince of Conde he perceiued well that there was no lingering of time he went therfore with his maine battaile from Saintes to Cognac and the Admirall came with the vaunt garde â—…o Iarnac The eleuenth day of this moneth the Duke of Aniou hauing commaunded a strong bridge to be made at Chasteâ—…uneuf came neare in the meane tyme vnto Cognac with the greatest part of his armies makinge a countenâ—…unce as though he would presently besiege the Citie The princes of Nauar and of Coude were then at Cognac their Armies being distributed lodged among the Uillages there aboutes Then by and by they sente word to the Admirall commaundinge him to come vnto them with al spéede The Admiral bicause it was nedefull for them to be at Iarnac sente his brother the Andelot to the princes to the ende they might both vnderstand the necessitie of his abiding still and also to deliberate with them what was néedeful to be done The Andelot was not so sâ—…ne gone but the Duke of Aniou with his whole army which was at Cognac rushed with great violence mindinge to recouer and get the bridge of Iarnac But beinge forced to retire by the Admiral they turned their backes and many of them and of the other part also at this conâ—…ict were slaine In the meane time the prince of Conde deliberating of the matter minded on the day followinge to remoue his army and he on the xii day came to Iarnac the Admirall remoued to Bassac And the same day the Admirall came with the Uauntgard before Chasteauneuf to viewe the place He knew that the enemy had made another Bridge of woode neare vnto the stone Bridge of Ghasteaunâ—…f that he might passe and repasse ouer them with his wholâ—… army the more spéedely And then hée â—…eturned to Bassac againe leauing there certain bandes for defence till he came backe againe But bycause of the incoÌ„modiousnes of the place which caused the army to be dispersed abroade the prince of Conde sent to the Admirall willing him to be with hym 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 day earely in the morning and to bring wyth hiâ—… all his bandes and his ordinance and to sée that the horsemen were with him euen at the breake of the day So soone as the Admiral had receiued the message he sent word that night to euery captaine hereof But many of them were so slacke that they had the nexte day in the morning scarsly taken their iorney by nine of the clock The Admirall taryed their comminge at the Riuer to kepe the same with certaine bandes of Harguabuziers In the meane tyme the Catholiques Campe passed ouer the riuer of Charente all the night with as great spéede as myght be and were come before Bassac in the sight of the prince of Conde But bycause the said prince lacked the Lord Pluueaus horsemen and his regimen of footemen leaft as you haue heard behinde and were nowe comminge he had no intent as yet to fight The morrow after being the xiii of March the prince with his horsmen that were already arryued presented himselfe in the morning in order of battaile before the enemy aboue the Uillage of Bassac When all was arryued the said prince returned with the battaile drue to Mattâ— neare Saint Iean de Angelie which the Admirall did also leauing behinde to direct the retracte the Lord de la Noue who retiring a reasonable pase and yet not far of was charged with a great hoste of horsmen which forced him to take the charge and chased hym to Bassac where the Admirall was ready to resist and repulsed the catholiques vnto the other side of the Uillage In the meane while certayne troupes of shot of the Catholiques entered the said village sought to skirmishe with the Admirall who likewise droue them out of the village Notwithstanding they were reléeued by the reste of the Campe that folowed at hand and returned to the village The Lord Admirall séeing that the Catholiques were so nye sent a Gentleman with spéede to the Prince to aduertise him that the whole campe of the coÌ„trary side was there and almost at his héeles so that séeinge no meane to retire without fightinge desired him to aduaunce such powers as he had of the battaile Immediatly the prince reculed till he was very néere the Admiral ringing himselfs in battaile at the foote of a hill on the left hand The Admirall was in battaile raye on the right hand along a little Coppies lookings towarde Bassac He had about him the Lord Pluueaus regimen of fiue Enseignes of footemeÌ„ who made a long skirmish and séeing that the Catholiques in the meane while were readie to charge him comming betwéene the Prince him turned his face right vpon them and with certain Cornets which were with him pressed vppon them so whotly that he brought to the ground a great number and so passed further At the same instant the Prince when hée had mads his praiers vnto God went to battail with great corage vpon whoÌ„ rushed a great Squadron of Reisters or Germanes and set vpon him on the syde at which charge his horse was killed and fell vppon him and his horsemen put to the chase whom the Catholiques pursued Albeit as they passed further a French Gentleman named the Lord of S. Iean knew the Prince of Conde and also the Lord de Argence both which promised him to saue his life or else to leaue theirs in aduenture Where vppon as an Archer being descended on foote to helpe to shifte the prince of Conde from vnder his horse and had set him on his féete one named Montesquion who was thought to be the captain of the garde to the Kings brother knowing the Prince shot him thorough the head with a pistolet the shot entering behinde came forth vnder his eye of which he presently dyed They which were present were very sore offended for this deed but specially they which had giuen vnto him their faith to saue his lyfe This was the ende of the Prince of Conde a Noble Prince â–ª who hath left behind him
of the sworde He made manye incursions into Poytou and anoyed them with such generall perill that the princes to ouercome him this troupes dispatched thither the Lord de la Rocheâ—…ard with vii cornettes of horsemen and the regiments of footemen of the L. la Mousson Saint Magrin Montamma whose strength and trauell was to small purpose bicause the enemye had a speciall saüetie in hys singular swiftnesse as knowyng well the straites and compasse of that countrey The princes being at Sainctes got intelligence of the enterprise whiche the Kings brother mente to execute within Angoulesme and therevpon knowing also that he was vpon his waye thyther dispatched to intercepte that purpose the CouÌ„tie Montgomery with ten cornets of horsemen ouer and besides the regimen of footemen of the Lord Montbrun and Mirabel sent thither all readie The Montgomery the better to execute his charge in the beginning of Aprill sommoned the sayd ten cornets of horsemen to be before him at Pons the monday being the fourth of April in the euening At his coÌ„ming he founde onely vi cornets with whom he departed after some expectation for the other whiche were not yet come he trauailed all that night and the next morning was receyued within the towne of Angoulesme without any let or impediment by the way the other fower cornets comming somwhat late to Pons hasted on the way after their copanie albeit as they were neere Chasteauneuf neither fearing nor for séeing any perill they were charged by a great troup of horsemeÌ„ layd of purpose in ambâ—…h to intercept theÌ„ â–ª so pursued as the chase came to Coygnac from whence they returned and found safetie in the swiftnesse of their horsses At this encounter the L. de Chaumont captaine of one of the sayde cornets with certaine other common souldiers were takeÌ„ prisoners and about xxx or xl slaine The Countie Montgomery was no sooner within Angoulesme than he begaÌ„ to deuise and prouide for the safetie of the towne wherein for his first pollicie he surueyed the wardes and warders of the towne And bycause that those which afore made the view and search of the towne passed not by the Parke which is a newe building ioyned to the towne which cut of all aduertisment of any thing done there the place it selfe also not vnapt to receiue companyes foysted in by night without knowledge to them of the towne The said Montgomery made pierce the walles and open the gates of that syde towardes the parke so that alwayes after the searchers of the towne passed and visited the gardes of the same He remoued also the Captaine of the sayde Parke to auoyde treason with order that euery nyght the warders of that place should be changed The Duke de Roauois beinge led prisoner as you haue heard to Rochell and there continuing til the moneth of Ianuary was deliuered vpon this promis to pay within thre mo nethes after twentie thousand frankes to raunsome or in default of eyther the time or summe to returne prysoner to Rochell Hee failed and therefore was sommoned to make good his worde which he refused clearing himselfe by the death of the prince of Conde to whom as he had giuen his faith so his death acquited his promise â–ª The Kinges brother kepte still about Angoulesme al be it vnderstandinge of the precise direction of the Montgomery gaue ouer his further attempt and depar ted from thence the xii of Aprill taking his way to Perigueux and passing by Aubeterre he tooke the castle by composition â–ª for whose garde the L. of the place did entertaine about a hundered men who enduring only cer tayne shot of the cannon yéelded themselues their liues saued wherein notwithstanding they were abused for that dyuers were killed and the L. of the place arested as prisoner from Aubeterre he drue to Mucedan a town of Perigueux afore the which as the Lord de Montlue attended him with his forces so the army being arryued they began to batter with such furie as a breach was spéedely enforced There were within the towne seuen or eyght score popular Souldiours who dispairing eyther to fill up the breach or to kepe it longer in respect chiefly of their small nombers abandoned the Towne and closed themselues within the castle being sufficient ly strong the catholikes being within the towne bent their batterye against the castle where they had no sooner battered a breache than they cryed to the assaulte They within susteined the first assault and likewise ii others in the necke of it repulsing at last the catholiks wherof a great nomber left their dead bodies in paune then the Kings borther vnder their word of assurance came to Parle with them wherein he so preuailed as they yéelded reseruing only their liues which notwith standinge were violently taken away from them all without exception â–ª contrarye to his faith and woorde of honour hee loste at these assaultes a great company of souldiours with sundry Lords and captaynes of choice amongest which was the countie Brissac striken with a harquebush shot in the left chéek he was a gallant gentleman and of great hope amongest the people of xxv yeares of age when he died and of great calling function in France For first he was Knight of the order cap taine of fiftie men at armes of the Kinges allowance Colonell general ouer the french footemen in the Kinges campe and gouerned also in this iorney a regimen of xl ensignes of footeman his brother succéeded him in most of his charges sauinge the estate of Colonell generall which was giuen to the Lorde of Strossie there dyed at that slege the contie Pompaden with many other to the number of v. or vi hundred Mucedan being taken in this moneth of Aprill â–ª the Kinges brother toke way againe to Angoulmois the Lorde of Montluc returned to his gouernemente and charge The Princes horsmen being thus viewed and mustered they would also suruey their footemen in which businesse the d' Andelot was chiefly vsed and theréfore immediatly dispatched to the end he might puruse the garrisons in euery towne of their obedience he began his first trauaile in this charge vppon the end of Aprill following the garrisons and mustring them in his own presence In the beginninge of May hee returned to Sainctes féeling himselfe somewhat sicke the same growing so vpoÌ„ him as he dyed the Sarterday the seuenth of the same 1569. to the lamentable griefe and displeasure of the whole army as being noted a most wyse and valeant Gentleman called commonly the knight with out feare his office of generall Colonell of the Frenche footemen was giuen to the Lord d' Acyer â–ª his company of men of armes since his death hath bin gouerned by the Lord of Beauuais his Lieuftenant It was thought he was poysoned and the phisitions that viewed his bo dy were of the same opinion Immediately after in the same moneth and at the same place dyed the Lord of Boccarde hauing lyne long
Pilles sent out by the Port Matta the same Gentleman whom he vsed afore in the supplye of succoures by whose second diligence the Lord de S. Auban a Gentleman of Daulphine accompanied with xl horsmen enterprised to come to the reliefe and succour of the sayde towne who notwithstandinge was so encountered in the way as hée was forced to retire with the losse of thrée of his people and also the Gentleman his guide The xxix day of Nouember Sebastian Luxenburge counte de Martiques knight of the order Captayne of fifty men at armes and Lieuftenaunte generall to the King in his Dutchie and countrey of Britaine being at the battery was stroken in the head with a harquebushot whereof he dyed to the generall griefe of the Papistes In the beginning of December about ix of the clock in the morninge the Catholiques demaunded to parley with the Lord de Pilles wherevnto he listened with lesse difficulty in respect he was not furnished with munition of warre for one assault more if it had bin offred ney ther had he hope to be so spéedily succoured as his perill required which was the cause that the ii of this month after hée had established extréeme actes and prouisions for the Gard of the said towne he was enforced to render it vppon the couenantes following 1 That the Protestants should depart the town their goodes saued with their horses and armour and banner displayed 2 That they should not beare armes for the generall cause of Religion in foure monethes after 3 That their whole companies as well Straungers as inhabitaunts might retire whither they would in al surety 4 That they should be safe conducted to their place of suerty where so euer it were by the Lorde de Byron according to which composition the morrow after the iii. of this moneth S Iean de Angely was yéelded into the handes of the Lord de Guitiniers The lord de Pilles departing the same day about noone by the Port de Matta with eyght hundreth footmen of all sortes and about C. horsmen ▪ taking his way towardes Angoulesme Not withstanding the conduct and presence of the saide lord de Byron the most part of the footemen were spoiled and dyuerse slaine and the baggage of the horsemen taken against their promysse of faith During this siéege died in the towne about a hundreth Souldiours and certain numbers of labourers of the catholikes side without the towne dyed aswell of the hand of the enemye as by diseases about two thousand amongst which were many great lordes Gentlemen and Captaines slayne as the great maister of the artillery whose office was giuen to the saide lord de Biron the gouernment of the towne was giuen to the lord de Guitiniers and for the garde of it the King bestowed eight companies of footemen The same day the King the Quéene mother the Cardynall of Loraine wyth dyuers great lordes of the Courte entred the towne and visited as wel the forte of the gate Aulnis and the castell as the first breach of the tower on the wall and so returned to their places where they were lodged afore Certaine of the Catholikes immediatly after the towne was giuen ouer wente towardes the yles of Marans and Marennes holden of long by them of the religion from whence they were now withdrawen by speciall commaundemente from Rochell whereby the Catholikes entred and seased vpon them wythoute resistance In this tyme were executed in Fraunce certayne iudgements diffinitiue pronounced afore against those of the reformed Religion whose processes were begon and pursued by the Kinges procurers from the begynning of the warres aswell against such as were out of the Realme as those that maintayned parte with the Princes The first sort forsooke the Realme immediatly after the second peace as being denyed to enter their houses goods contrary to the couenaunts of the same ▪ and lesse able to liue withoute mortall perill to theyr persons in the townes of their proper habitation being filled with garrisons of the contrary factiō as hath bene touched in the beginning of these discourses the other sort forsed estsoones to fal into armes were knit and tyed to the army of the Princes to resist the voluntary infringers of the peace and coniured enemyes to the whole Realme both the one and other were procéeded against by personall adiornements in three shorte dayes and for defaulte of apparance their goods were seased to the Kings vse and gouerned by speciall Commissioners of sequestration many ydle officers busied themselues to effect the execution of their goods in many prouinces the sayde iudgements dyd suspend hang vntill after the battell of Montgontour whē they awarded generall and spéedy processe against all men by defaultes procéeding to execution in Effigie and adiudication of their goods to the King wherein suche was the liberal zeale of the iudges that they executed by Effigie such as were dead long time before It hath bene sayd before that the Lord de Sansac lefte the siege of Uezeley by reason his Cannons miscaryed and now hauing got newe prouision of Artillery to the number of twelue or thirtéene péeces and beyng wythall aduertised by certaine of the Towne of Vezeley that the Lorde de Traues with a great part of the Nobilitie present at the firste siege were departed and lefte the Towne came to besiege it of freshe He battered still the tower of the Port du Barle righte against the watering place soone after he remoued his batterie to that fide of the gray Fryers following with so vehement an assaulte that they came to hande strokes vppon the breaches albeit he was repulsed During thys siege Albert de la Chasse a Bourgeys of the town wrote letters to the Catholikes reuealing the particular state of the Towne He threw his letters ouer the wall into a fielde where the Catholikes came and found them and as he was going to the Wall with a letter readye to conueye to the enemie he was taken with the facte and charging a scholemaister as partie to his treason were both hanged forthwith The batterie was such as thee wer spent aboue thrée thousand and fiue hundreth shottes of canon and al not able to force the Protestantes whiche made the Lorde Sansac raise his siege the. xvii of December 1569. loosing in this siege about xv hundreth men amongst whome the Lord de Foyssy Colonell of his footemen was hurte to death with a shot vppon the trenches Within the Towne amongst others M. Iaques Perrin a Minister was killed with a Canon The warre dyd still aggrauate in diuerse places of the Realme contrary to the opinion of such as thought it should haue ben qualified vtterly quēched by the battaile at Montgontour They of Charyte whereof hathe bene spoken before strēgthened themselues with great numbers of men of warre come with the Lord de Bricquemau and Borry with their retinue they maintayned ordinarie warre against the garrisons of the catholikes thereaboutes making many enterprises and one winning of another