to protect them whence it follows that his chief care who doth command a place when he fore-sees an assault ought to be to provide his fortifications that they bee in a condition proper for it and that hee have preparations in a readinesse to repair the breaches He will find it too no small advantage against his enemies since it is much easier to repulse an enemy who attempts to enter a place by Scaling-Ladders then if there were a Breach where many might come in a Breast or his Fortifications should be in want of repair But whatever advantage it is to have good and strong Fortifications yet the valour of the Souldiers is that which is most of all considerable What said Pompey It is not Walls or Houses which makes Towns but men neither can they be defeated be they what they will without the help of men we often see the very strongest places soon delivered up when not defended by men of heart and courage Azarius being besieged in Quiers by Vastius had indeed notable good Fortifications and had also placed in the Breach store of combustible matter with Fire-works but all would not hinder the Town from being taken for that no one man appeared to withstand the Assault Archimedes his Engines could not defend the losse of Syracusa Engines and Fortifications are all in animate and their Powers are limited to certain effects in despight of all which a Besieging Army will soon take in any place if there be not men of resolution and courage to resist their attempts But that we may mention some order which History teacheth in enduring a Siege or sustaining an Assault it ought to be known That he who commandeth a place must not then draw up his Souldiers when the enemy appears at the Breach or mount their Ladders but he ought so to dispose them into every Quarter how strong soever it be that no part be left without a sufficient number of men to guard it Caesar when he committed this fault by staying untill Pharnaces was at his Elbow found himself much perplexed and troubled Jugurtius as Salust reporteth it having been defective in this one point gave Marius opportunity to become Master of one of his strongest places Thrasybulus took Sicyonian's Port finding it dis-furnished of Souldiers who were all gone to a certain Breach which he had made and where he onely pretended he would assault them Vegetius adviseth that the first assault be sustained by the most experienced and stoutest souldiers because an enemy when he meets with resolute opposition and finds himself ill handled loseth his Courage and few have any mind to march over their Companions dead bodies unto a second assault But I shall refer the prosecution of this discourse to them who have written whole Tracts upon it Prosecution of the Subject THE King having been informed of the good successe in the late encounter dispatched in great hast the remayning four thousand five hundred foot and Horse allotted out for the Relief with good store of Munitions It cannot be expressed how careful his Majesty was for the shipping off of them how dilligent in choosing the Officers and Souldiers one by one animating by his presence those who carried the provisions into the Ships and incouraging those who went aboard on this expedition telling them they might be confident of victory seeing they fought for God's cause The Marshal de Schomberg was appointed Marshal de Camp The wind changing about just as they were put off to Sea they were forced to give back again some one way some another But the Marillac came at last to the point of Sablanceau without being hindred by the Enemy and passed without difficulty to the Fort De La Pree and the next day the Marshal de Schomberg came with fifty Barques about three in the morn being the eight day of November He Landed very fortunately being not discovered by the Enemy and his Souldiers being all upon the shore he forthwith ranged them into four Battalions and his Horse likewise into four Squadrons which he extended into two wings and in this order they marched up to the Fort. About day break they came up where he found all the Forces which had formerly been sent thither draw into order according as he had instructed Marillac When he had been informed of what had passed he sent out to discover the enemy and put all things in order to fight But first he would hear Masse that he might implore Gods assistance without which there is no hopes of good success as also he caused the general Prayers to be made which are used in all Battailes Then he caused his Souldiers to eat that they might be strong at which time he was informed that the enemy had drawn part of their Forces out of their Trenches and made as if they would retreit whereupon he concluded there was no more time to be lost So he reviewed the Army to see if every one were in readiness and then marched upon the head of them toward St. Martin The Sieur de Thoyras came out to meet him with as much joy as a person delivered from such eminent peril could expresse for the Enemy had forsaken their Trenches and left him the liberty of comming forth The Marshal having likewise intelligence that the enemy had quited the Town of St. Martin presently called a Counsel of war to consider of what was fit to be done The Sieur de Thoyras proposed to march up directly to them being confident that in the fear they were it would be easie to cut them in pieces The Sieur de Marillac was of a contrary opinion thinking that nothing ought to be hazarded seeing the successe of Arms is uncertain That his Majesties Army was not sure of a victorie against the Enemy though they retreited and concluded it improper to fight with them But the business having been debated it was resolved that a Medium should be taken that without quitting the Station they had taken the Motion of the Enemy should be observed and that in case they should passe unto the I le d'Oye where it was not unknown that they had prepared a Passage for their re-imbarquing then to follow them in order of Array and charge them when they were half over but without putting any thing in hazard This resolution accompanied with prudence was excecuted with Courage for the English advancing towards the place of their retreit the Kings Army marcht up to them in Battalia and being arrived to the Marsh The Sieur de Thoyras could no longer suffer them to go away without paying for the trouble which they had put him to but concluding that the Honour of France obliged him to have a parting bout with them and that it would be a wrong to the Kings Arms to let them go clear off when such an advantage was offered against them went on and the Command being given the Horse had order to begin Piedmont and Champain followed and each of them observing
Execution The Motives which invited the Duke of Savoy to cast himself into the Emperor and Spaniards party BEfore I proceed any farther I am obliged to appeal unto all men even those who have the least sparks of Justice is them to condemn that envious Quill which makes open profession and endeavours with Calumnie to sully if it were possible the Glory and Splendor of the Cardinal whilst truth doth not furnish him with any one subject of that nature to work upon It is said by him the Calumniator I mean that the Duke of Savoy had never with drawn himself from the Kings Interests had not the Cardinal being mis-informed of his Person and proceedings despised and in effect forced him to cast himself upon the Spanish party much contrary to his own will and inclination But what Was the continual and daily sending to him Persons of the best ranck and quality of the Army with all imaginable proffers of Peace a despising of him Were those many Conferences with the Prince of Piedmont and those extraordinary Civilities done to him which would have wrought upon the most savage disposition a despising of him Was the Passing by of a thousand tricks and delayes for a whole Months time in which the whole Army had like to have been ruined by him and yet not to fall out with him a despising of him Was the sending of the Siour de Servient the very day before the absolute breach to desire him with all earnestness not to ingage his Majesties Arms in this extremity only for having once refused to see him a despising of him Was the delivery of so great a quantity of wheat at Nice and the Permission of carrying as much as he pleased out of Bresse Burgogn and Dauphine a despising or deceiving him Was the having pay'd before hand for the wheat and provisions a despising and deceiving him Was the having pass'd his promise to him for the according to him the Valley of Tizery and the Bridge of Gresin a despising and disesteeming of him Was the proffering to him of what Souldiers he pleased to go for Genoa and to make good his pretensions there a despising him Was the deferring to enter upon his Territories for 3 Weeks or more though he had given just cause for it as soon as ever the Cardinal came to Lions a despising or deceiving him There need no more then barely to open ones eyes and a man shall soon behold the falseness of this Calumnie which this unworthy Pen sets down under the vail of his usual disguisements but without the least truth or proof at all Politique Observation MAlice is like a Serpent which turns the fairest Flowers into the ugliest Poysons and verifies the truth of that antient saying Honor is the Mother of Calumnie There are no actions how just and honourable soever which it will not attempt to bespatter with some base unworthy mis-representation No Innocence can be secure from it's Violences It cannot more aptly be compared then to those looking glasses which never represent the true Ideas of the face It maketh molehils appear mountains It fretteth and vexeth at vertue it self and will raise its Batteries to demolish it and though it come to be convinced of their Innocencie whom it persecuteth yet it thinketh willfulnesse and obstinacy in its wickednesse to be more honorable then vertuous repentance The Phylosophers have given a good Character of it when they liken it to a black and thick cloud which hinders and obscures the light and exercises of Reason Hence it comes to passe that as all Bodies represent themselves to our sight for others and quite contrary peradventure to what they are if look't upon through clouds and in disorders so the most commendable and worthiest Actions will appear and passe for low and unmanly if considered through the Perspectives of Malice and hatred and revera it makes lyes and Impostures passe for Realities and Currant truths High and generous Souls are unconcerned at the backbitings of Envie and do not cease to continue vertuous notwithstanding all her detractions They know that not only Malice but Envy too hath alwayes endeavoured to defame the greatest Personages and ablest Ministers of State and that good men cannot believe any of their false Commentaries without doing an injury to themselves that this Monster is easilest overcome by scorn And that the Integrity of their undertaking is their Bulwark and like the Sun dissipateth and dispelleth all those clouds and storms which would obfuscate and diminish their Splendour and in fine maketh them Triumph and Glory over the Malice of their Enemies Prosecution of the History AFter this resolution the Cardinal appointed a place where there were two Fords which he had given notice of about the 17 or 18 of March for a Rendezvous to the whole Army where he might draw into Batalia a good part of the Army and likewise gave order for the planting of six pieces of Cannon in two Batteries in places very proper for it upon the Rivers side by which means the Forces of Savoy which had seized the passes were compelled to retire whilst the Horse march't over the Fort in Squadrons and took the field giving the foot Liberty of marching over in file upon Boats prepared for that purpose And thus he made it apparent by this Excellent disposure and order that his Conduct was as much to be esteemed in Execution as in Counsel Politique Observation THE Passing of an Army over a River is a Theater where the Conduct of a General is more taken notice of then upon any other occasion because a whole Army not being able to march a brest but only file by file and by little and little it is no difficult matter for their Enemies to cut them off as fast as they come on unlesse good order be taken to prevent it So Timoleon defied the Carthaginans in Sicilie upon passing the River Crimesus The most proper order that can be in such occasions is first to choose the Fords so that the Horse may march over by Squadron to make way for the foot which cannot passe but upon Boats and that in small numbers that thereby they may rallie and bring themselves into Order whilst they stand the first shock of their enemies A Squadron of choise Horse is most proper to bear the first brunt upon such occasions it being a hard matter to break or disorder men who are stout and lusty well ranked and lockt as it were one within t'other Indeed nothing can so much conduce to the passing of an Army over a Ford or River as a good Battery of Cannon which forceth the Enemy to retire from their violence and fury and giveth them leave and issure to passe with more ease and to put themselves in Batalia before they come to any fight at all The Siege of Pignerol THere could not any thing be thought on which could mend the care and order of the Cardinal in his affair The Army indeed had not the
setting such a watch over them that hardly-a man could peep out but he was presently discovered Politique Observation THose Sallies which the besieged make upon an Army lying before them are still accompanied with danger to themselves for the least losse of their Souldiers is of great concernment because they being once gone it is difficult to have a recruit or relief of others The valour indeed which they have opportunity of shewing in such incounters may perchance quell the resolutions of the Besiegers especially if the place be well stored and likely to receive fresh supplies but that not being so the Besiegers by standing still in their Forts and Works and keeping good guard in their Trenches will be sure every time to lessen their number of some few and in fine reduce them to none at all Philip de Commines saith all Sallies made without necessity are to be blamed for they cannot without it be allowable that which sometimes maketh to vanquish against hope by the courage which it infusethinto the most cowardly for there is not any danger which they are not easily perswaded toattempt who are convinced of the inevitableness of their present death This is that which all those who are besieged ought to consider before they make a salley now as for the Besiegers they have onely two ways to avoid all misfortunes the first the well ordering of their works the second the good watch of those works If the Trenches are well contrived not any where at too great distance from the Town if they flank one another if they be high enough to shelter the foot if their Parapets be Faulcon proof if they be so well fortified by Forts and Redouts from distance to distance if they be large enough to fight in and so disposed that one be not surprised behind they will bring great matters to passe they ought also to be lined with Souldiers well accoutred well disciplined and such as wil be careful to keep good watch day and night neither is it lesse needful to place Sentinels upon the Avennues and all along upon the Trenches and at last when the Enemie doth appear then is the time to repel force by Force then ought the most resolute of the Souldiers be placed in Front to sustain the charge as likewise in that quarter which is neerest the Town because they who bear the first brunt are the men that do the work and upon whom all the rest doth depend and in those places it is that the first assaults are alwayes made But above all he who commandeth in the Trenches ought alwayes to have Forces in a readinesse from the out-guards for seconding courage with numbers doth much conduce to the repelling of an Enemie with advantage and if he find that those who are upon the guard be not either proper or able to sustain a charge if the Enemie should come out then ought he to place them in the strongest Redouts from whence it will be more difficult to force them until recruits shall come up and this was the order which Caesar observed in besieging the City of Alexia as is to be seen in his Commentaries The Duke of Rohan continueth his designes in Languedoc WHilest the Rochelois were acting these pieces of Rebellion the Duke de Rohan was no lesse intent upon carrying his designes in Languedoc for the gaining of such Towns where the Hugonots had most power to his party About the beginning of the year he attempted to make himself Master of Briateste by means of one Toubze but the inhabitants who desired nothing more then to live in peace and under his Majesties obedience hearing of it layd hold on that seditious brother of theirs and sent him to Thoulouze where he was shortly after hanged for his pains Rohan was much displeased at the ill usage his forces had received at Montpellier whereupon he commanded the Seneschal de Castres to send ten or twelve Horse and fifty Musqueteers about the Castle of Clermont de Lodove knowing that there were divers Lords and Gentlemen met there together that he might intice them to come out and be revenged on them The Sentinel of the Castle gave notice to the Count de Clermont that he saw eight or ten Horse eye the Castle in such a manner that he conceived them to be Enemies presently the Count and those that were with him issued out in their doublets and hose with their Swords and Pistols and fell upon them These Horse-men as soon as ever they perceived them made as if they fled towards a Wood where they had left their fifty Musqueteers in Ambush being come up to them they faced about and discharging all together upon the Noblemen who pursued them within Pistol shot they killed twelve of them The Baron d'Ambre being then with the Count de Clermont seeing his Cornet killed vowed he would be revenged of them for his death and turning about again to charge them he was in an instant so surrounded that he saw it was impossible to escape he asked them if ten thousand Crowns would save his life they told him no and bid him remember Montpellier This seemed onely to be a stratagem of War but their cruelty was in processe evidently to be seen for not contented with this advantage they cut off the noses and ears of all they took Not long after his exployt the Duke de Rohan ingaged the City of Rohan to revolt Those of his faction in Montauban where no lesse insolent there they forced out of their City the Lieutenant Paxticulier the Doyen of the Senechil two Councellours and the Lieutenant General and presently perswaded the people to rise Those of Nismez Cosne Saint Sever Saint Frigue and divers other places of Languedoc Vivarets and Dauphine did the like neither were these the onely Provinces in which they had their Intelligencers at work Mosieur the Cardinal had bin acquainted about the beginning of March whilest his Majesty was at Paris that certain Gentlemen of his party did endeavor to make factions and divisions in Limasin against the Kings service he not ignorant that such fiers ought to be extinguished on their first births sent the Mareschal de Schomberg Lieutenant General of that Province to take order in it who no lesse prudent then valorous soon dissipated them that not a man durst shew his head About the same time he had also by some device or other gained one Le Parc Son to one of the Captains of a Gate at Callais to deliver the Town to the English by letting them in at a Bastion which was somwhat decayed and delivering them up the old Castle where there was only one old Souldier of his acquaintance who lay in gard But this contrivance being discovered by the Vicompte de Fruge Le Parc was apprehended his Processe drawen up and finished and himself broken alive On the other side the Sieur de Maritignon found out some correspondencie between certain Hugonots of Normandy and the English and how
cuts and rends the air on every side So likewise a great Minister cannot be moved at any shocks of Fortune his courage never permitting her to Triumph in the least over his resolution or to Byas him from the Laws of Prudence the rule of all his conduct and this it is you will find our Cardinal to practise in all and every the transactions of this year The Promotion of the Arch-bishop of Lions and Monsieur Bagny to the Cardinalship I Will begin with the Honours which the King procured his holiness to bestow with the Cardinals Hats on the Arch-bishop of Lions and Monsieur Bagny the Popes Nuntio The great Worth of the former at the least equalized that honour of the Cardinalship and his sublime vertue made it apparent to all the World that to have left him in the solitudes of a Cloyster had been a great injury and wrong to the whole Church I shall not need say more of him then that he was the Cardinals Brother seeing that qualification were sufficient to render him capable of so eminent a dignity The King who slips not any occasion of acknowledging the services which he had done both to his Person and Estate could not endure to see him have a Brother in the Church and not advanced to the utmost degree of Honour which the French are capable of and the Pope had but too much assurance and knowledge of the great advantages he had procured to the Church so that he could not do lesse then honour his Brother with a hat seeing it was not in his power to raise himself to any higher Eminency It s true by the Laws of the Roman Court it is not permitted that two Brothers be Cardinals at the same time But as these Laws are not so considerable as those of gratitude and acknowledgment so his Holiness did not so much as once scruple at it And for that which concerns Monsieur de Bagny besides the custome of ordinarily conferring the Cardinalship on such as have for some time resided neer his Majesty in the quality of his Holiness Nuntio which seems to give him some right or claim to the Hat His own Worth which rendered him deserving in the judgments of all the Grandees in the Kingdom not only of the Cardinalship but even of the Papal Miter every one predicting that he would one day wear is invied nay enforced the King to contribute his utmost to obtain it for him and not only that but the quality of his Genius caused every one to conclude that he would one day be very considerable in the Court of Rome when before he had arrived to that pitch of Honour he could not but be very advantageously useful to the Interests of France which upon frequent occasions depend upon their well management in the Consistory Politique Observation ALthough the Cardinals are not regarded in France but as Princes who are strangers Yet this their promotion doth not render them lesse useful or important to the State they being more considerable then other Princes of the same condition by reason of the affairs which are daily negotiated with his Holiness the Pope and indeed ought to be respected as the principal conservators under the King of the Liberties and Franchises of the French Church and State they being his Majesties Chief Ministers in Ordinary neer the Pope and it hath been alwayes held necessary that there were some one of this quality either a French man by Nation or at least very affectionate by Nature to the Interests of France who might cordially advance the designs and concerns of the French King and Church with his Holiness the Pope And from hence it came to passe that if they were naughty French little affectionate either to the State or his Majesties Person or infected with the Maximes of Spain that great Inconveniences befell as hath been heretofore seen and for my particular I believe it to be safer for his Majesty to permit France to be with out any rather then such Cardinals But we live not in an age which hath any reason to complain of such an unhappiness seeing France oweth the restauration of its greatness and glory to the Cardinal as to the Prime and first of second Causes which Act under the King for to him chiefly belongs the Honour in that he had so great an influence upon the Popes disposition that he gave the Italians themselves a just occasion to say that his Holiness was turned Cardinal The dispatch of the Marshal d' Etree to the Commonwealth of Venice concerning the Affairs of the Duke of Mantua I Shall passe from the consideration of those reasons of State which might be made upon the aforesaid Lords Promotion to the Cardinalship that I may tell you how about the end of the foregoing year Fortune being become seldome favourable to the house of Austria or their Arms the Imperialists found themselves so oppressed with diseases and incumbred with sicknesses and necessities that they were enforced to raise the siege of Mantua But it was as if they had only withdrawn themselves into their Winter quarters The Duke of Mantua was vigilant for the preservation of his State and well knew the ambitious humor of Spain which had sought all occasions for fifty years past to render themselves Masters of Italy and would not now bee wanting to reassume their former design in causing new Troops to come from Germany and in giving better Orders and Instructions then heretofore that they might give new life to their intentions and designs This moved him to make addresses to the King that he would be pleased to interpose his Authority with the Venetians to induce them to raise an Army and make themselves Masters of the field which would discourage the Imperialists to return or make any more approaches towards Mantua This request of his was granted and the Marshal d' Estree dispatched towards Venice about the beginning of January to treat there concerning those succours with order to retirs himself into Mantua after the conclusion of his Embassie according as the Cardinal had perswaded the King to be most proper before he had began his Journy thither And thus it being business of no small importance for the Venetians to hinder the Spaniard from seating himself so neer them as Mantua His Dominion being like the Eagles Feathers which frets and eateth away those which are next and neerest unto it they readily imbraced the protection of the said Duke of Mantua and chose the Duke of Candal for their General and gave him after many importunities continually suggested by the Marshal d' Estree about twelve thousand foot and three thousand Horse to which were joyned the Regiments of Candale and Valette which were about three thousand men a piece sent by the King Politique Observation IT is very necessary to know the designs of an Enemy before he be in a condition to put them in Execution and this foresight is so much the more commendable by how much it
his industry Prudence without doubt acquires great glory when it surmounts force Thucydides in his History prefers its victories before all others Prudence it self which ought to be so much more honoured as it cuts the evill in the roote and preserves an Army oft times from running the hazard of a combate weaken in such sort the Forces of an Enemy that he has not the boldnesse to dare an encounter as the Cardinal hath made appear in several occasions The Kings gives the command of his Army to the Duke de Montmorancy Marquis d' Effiat and the Marshal de la Force IT was requisite besides that to send new Troups to the Kings Army the Marshall de Marillac having show'd himself obstinate till then not to follow his Majesties commands in leading the Army of Champaigne into Italy the Cardinal thought to go himself to make them passe the Mountains and take the reins into his own hand But the great Cabals he found at Court which were capable not only to hinder the relief of Cazal but to overthrow the whole State if not dissipated constrained him to stay at Lyons with his Majesty who thought fit to send in his place the Duke of Montmorancy the Marquis of Effiat and the Marshal of la Force Those great Captains commanded the Army every one his week by turns with such Order that notwithstanding the Marquis of Effiat was above the two others one commanded the Van-Guard one week the other the Battalia the third the Rear-Guard and he who commanded the Battalia gave during his week all the general Orders necessary for the conduct of the Army The principal consideration which induced the Cardinal to propose this expedient to the King of committing the command of his Army to many Generals was the necessity of Councel and the great need which he saw there was of the advice of many persons of great understanding and experience in those affairs which should happen Now it was impossible to send them thither without command by reason that being persons of great quality they would hardly be under command in the Kings absence if they might not have Governed in their turn Not that he was ignorant that the multitude of Generals often stirs up envy among them and consequently is cause of great confusion in an Army but his incomparable Prudence who could find remedies for the most desperate maladies of the State wanted not inventions to hinder those inconveniences and this same to make them command the Army in their turn in the Van-Guard Battalia and Rear-Guard was an excellent one by reason that making them all participate of the same glory they had no occasion to envy one another Politique Observation AS there is no person goes under the notion of being excellent in any profession whatsoever if he doth not shew some effects which are not common so a Minister of State shall never passe with the reputation of being endued with an extraordinary Prudence if there be nothing singular in his conduct And he doth not set up a new Order both in Peace and in War which is evidently advantagious to the Publick The ordinary rules of War admit but of one General to command an Army because the Commonalty know not the wayes of conserving a good intelligence amongst divers to whom the charge of them is committed But this here was found to be so much the more profitable as the Counsel of several persons whose judgment and experience being as eminent as there qualities is advantagious upon all occasions Who knoweth not that a happy successe doth as often depend upon good Counsel as upon the quantities and indeed the courages of Souldiers But who is more capable of giving and resting stedfastly upon good resolutions then several great Captains the least of which is able to command an Army One only person of this temper is worth six Regiments and that expedient which happens not in the thoughts of one falls into those of another and if one misse to discover any Stratagem of the Enemy another doth not if one foreseeth any danger the other finds out a necessary remedy to prevent it It is difficult to find in any one man all the qualities necessary for the General of an Army but whoever joynes three together supplies that defect provided he keep them from dissention one perchance excels in stoutnesse and being blinded with it is by consequence fitter for execution then Counsel another is more dexterous in the Prudence of his Counsels and to invent necessary expedients but being of a colder constitution is lesse proper to be made use of when there is occasion of a sudden execution and another haply may have an admirable addresse and a winning carriage to retain the Souldiers in their Discipline and to make them live in good order so that joyning these great persons in commission together and giving them the same commands in the Army not leaving any ground of jealousie or cause of confusion there cannot follow any other then a glorious successe The Prosecution of the History EXperience hath made it appear a truth amongst these three great Captains who advanced the Kings Arms to so high a pitch of glory in Italy that the Spaniards and Germans will not easily resolve to give them a new occasion of encounter The first encounter that they had with the Enemy was upon passing the Bridge of Villane where the Duke of Savoy and the Prince of Piedmont came with 6000 foot and 200 Horse and made a most furious assault upon some Troops which remained to passe over But the successe was so disadvantageous notwithstanding the great inequality of the Forces that all the Enemies Army was either put to flight or cut in pieces The two Princes that led them sweating as was afterwards heard that they never saw any fight so well In Prosecution of this victory they maâ—ched directly to Saluces with design to take it and to make use of it in the room of Pignerol whence the plague did hinder the drawing out of any necessary commodities The Marshal de la Force whose week it was commanded his Son with 500 Horse to go summon the Town with all sorts of civility to surrender thinking it proper so to deal with them that he might get the good will of the people of whom he intended to make use in the design which he had to raise a Magazine there Those of the Town could not imagine the Kings Army to be so neer so that they desired leave to send their Deputies to treat with the Generals which was granted to them and accordingly they were conducted where they then were But upon their return 500 choise men were clap't into it discharging both at them and ours too with such insolence that the Generals being informed of it advanced with the Army Many who made the first approches were slain and wounded But the courages of others who saw them in his condition could not endure to suffer the Kings Army to receive
Luzern and Roche-Britant and in fine by that of the Cardinal led by the Marquis de Mony and Coeslin so that the skirmish became very hot and many Charges pass'd on both sides untill at last they fell to it with their Swords only so long that in conclusion the Comte de Ysembourg's horse having long sustained the French were repelled and falling in upon their own foot disordered them so that the French had the pursuit of t hem untill the night concluded the businesse and favoured the enemies retreit The Imperialists left four score Nobles forty prisoners their Convoy and two Cornets behind them which were presented unto the King by the Sieur de Chezelles Bautru After this dafeit the Marshal d' Estree looking more strictly into the siege found some things in disorder which he quickly rectified and brought all things into such method that the garrison was soon forced to surrender The Chapter were sensible of their Treason and acknowledge their lawfull Prince and thus the Town was taken by composition of which the Chevalier de Seneterre was made Governour This piece of service thus happily effected the conquest of those other places in the Spanish hands was not long in agitation the Arch-Bishop being restored to the possession of his States and Revenues by which he became sensible what a happinesse it was to injoy the protection of France which secured him from all those dangers fallen upon the rest of his neighbours Politique Observation AMongst the most heroick actions of Kings the defence of those who desire their protection is one which addeth very much to their glory and raiseth their power to an eminent greatnesse Nothing doth more liken them unto the Divinity then the defence of the weak and feeble and if in petty Princes it be a mark of weaknesse to follow the fortune of the Conquerour it cannot but be a sign of great power in a King not to deny those who sue for his protection The defending of them who request it is an act well beseeroing the Majesty of a King who as he ought not to admit any Rival in his Crown so ought he not to deny the communicating of his power unto them who flie unto him for refuge This is it which maketh a King Arbitrator of all his Neighbours affairs who gladly submit their differences unto the judgement of a Monarch who imployeth his power for the maintaining of Justice No one can be ignorant how this is it which rendreth them invincible it being most certain that who so lendeth a hand to help his friends in their necessities ingageth so many serveral defendors whenever his occsions shall require it To be able to subsist alone without the help of others is very honoursble for a King yet his glory will be imperfect if he do not imploy his power to redresse his oppressed Neighbours in their necessities Tyranny doth build its greatnesse on the usurpations of others rights whereas Justice foundeth her glory on the defending the oppressed And if a King may at any time send his forces abroad out of his own State it ought to be either in preservation of his Allies under his protection or in revenge of injuries offered unto him The Emperour endeavoureth at Rome to break the Kings Alliance with the Swede THe League between the Swede and France together with the Elector of Treves inclination made such an Alarum in the house of Austria now unable to divert the storm hanging over them that they resolved to have recourse unto Rome and there to represent the Churches grievances in such terms that they might receive the same advantages which the Spaniards heretofore did upon the like pretences The Cardinal Pasman was dispatched thither in order thereunto where being come he used is utmost endeavours to ingage the Pope in their affaris his Holinesse was press'd to make a Croisade for preservation of the German Catholicks for the suppressing of Heresie and establishing the Church in its former splendor There were divers calumnies published abroad against the Swedes the disasters of the Church and miseries of the Catholicks were aggravated unto excesse but not a word to be heard how that the Interests of the Church had not been in question but by their unjust supporting the ambitious designs of the Austrian family He indeavoured to perswade the Pope that the King of Sweden like another Attila had resolved to besiege Rome and force his Holinesse from his Seat but especially was he charged to declaim against the Alliance between the Swede and France and to solicite his Holiness to send a Legate or extraordinary Nuncio to break the knot as prejudicial to the Catholick church The Duke de Savelly his Imperial Majesties Embassadour and the Spanish Embassadour had order to second him Cardinal Borgia newly tied unto the Spanish party by the gift of the Arch-Bishoprick of Sevill did not only underhand indeavour to procure the suffrages of particular Cardinals but in the open consistory did violently exclaim in blaming the Pope for abandoning the House of Austria and in it the Church it self highly exalting the King of Spain's zeal for Religion and crying out against the cold rewarding his good intentions Now divers of the Consistory being unacquainted with the affairs of Germany and how the misfortunes befallen on some Catholique Princes was the only effect of their own faults were at first divided and the Spanish Partisans became so stout that his Hosinesse had just cause to dislike their proceedings But his Holinesse informing the Consistory with the true state of affairs made it appear unto the Cardinals that the War of Germany was a War of state not Religion and the matter was so manag'd that the house of Austria had no great cause to rejoyce The Popes answer to their party was that the Emperour had drawn upon himself those evils which he now indured that the men and monies wasted in the plundering of Italy the Sacking of Mantua and threatning of the Holy Sea would better have served to hinder the Swedes and put a stop to their conquests that the Remoustrances of his Legats and Nuntioes had been deluded Germany neglected the Swedes slighted Italy invaded and the Holy Sea forced to lay out it 's Treasure in the preservation of it self and St. Peters Patrimony that in fine his Government might possible be traduced not blamed that his indeavours already used and which he resolved to continue were capable enough to justifie his cares for the Churches good that he would willingly contribute the remainder of his power which was but small having consumed the Treasures of the Church in the War of Italy And lastly that he would gladly imploy any remedy which he should find expedient to destroy Heresie and preserve the Church and that he might unto this Temporal add a Spiritual remedy he proclaimed an universal Jubile exhorting all men to assist the Church of Germany with their Prayers The Deputies of Germany were but little comforted herewith but departed
side the Comte de la Souze kept the Field with seven Cornets of horse and some foot so that nothing durst appear against him and to re-inforce the Dukes fear at the advantages which the Kings army took his Majesty commanded the Marshal de la Force to pursue him with 6000 foot 1500 horse and six pieces of Canon and to invest him in any place where he should retreat and withall to treat those as enemies who should receive him if they refused to deliver him as an enemy of France so that he was constrained to retire about Espinal where he quartered with such Forces as he could get together and to draw a little nearer to the Franche-Comte where they who had perswaded him to take the Field gave him incouragement to hope for certain Forces which never came to him To be short that nothing might be omitted which might shake him whom necessity alone was able to reduce to reason his Majesty comming before Nancy and quartering at Neufville went in person to view the most advantagious Posts for his Army The Cardinal likewise rid the round without Musquet shot of the City the better of judge of the order of the Siege and then his Majesty personally drew out the circumvalation which was four Leagues about the Forts and Redoubts and set the Pioneers to work He digg'd first himself and caused the work to be followed with such care and diligence that in five days time the Camp was finished and his under shelter At the same time they began a Bank thwart the River Meurthe which stopping the Current would not only have drowned the neighbouring country but in a little time have forced in into the City and compelled the inhabitants to quit it insomuch that the Duke seeing the unhappy condition of his affairs knew not where to hide his head Every one in the interim admired the happy successes of those counsels which the Cardinal gave his Majesty with so much the more astonishment in regard they admired upon what ground his Majesty should resolve to besiege one of the strongest places of Europe in a season somewhat forward without any likelihood of taking it before Winter That an Enemy in disorder ought to be pursued especially after he hath received a Foil ONe of the best effects of military Prudence is to know how to take advantage of time how to prosecute an enemy in disorder when he hath received some foil and hath so much to do in several places that he is as it were necessitated to submit and consent to whatever is desired A Prince thus disordered will easily grant whatever is demanded of him and assent unto conditions which at another time he would not Wherefore it is very expedient in such a conjuncture to fall upon him resolutely and to pursue him so hard that he may not know which way to turn himself Had Hannibal known how to have played his Game after the Battel of Cannes he had forc'd the Romans to receive such conditions as he would have impos'd it being the greatest blow their Empire ever felt but he trifling away his time to refresh his Souldiers and injoy the commodiousness of his Quarters drowned his Fortune in delights and made no advantage of his good successe A Prince never ought to let good Fortune so blind him amidst his happy successes as to despise his enemies or to forbear from prosecuting them to the utmost not that I would advise to drive an enemy to extremity who flies with a great Army because it might make him couragious force him to turn about and as oftentimes it hath happened to recover the advantage he had lost rather he ought to set open the Gates and make a Bridge for him to run away but otherwise it is if most part of his Towns he taken if he cannot relieve those that are besieged if his Forces be not in pieces and routed in several places and if he be so ill attended as not to be in a condition of defending himself if assaulted then not to prosecute him were a great oversight to be satisfied with half a victory and to give him time to rally his forces again were to break all the rules of War Caesar by his example shew'd all Captains how they ought to behave themselves on such affairs never did any thing hinder him in the prosecution of his Victory but as if Fortune had lent him wings he flew after his enemies till he had quite defeated them or obtained such conditions as he demanded He cannot be sufficiently commended for his good conduct in Affrick after the defeat of King Juba Scipio and Afranius where such was his good fortune that he routed them all three in one day and pursued them so smartly that he left neither of them nor their Officers who was not either killed or taken prisoner nor any of his Towns which he did not reduce to his power The Princesse Marguerite leaveth Nancy and goâ—th to Bruxels THough the Cardinal de Lorrain had assured his Majesty that the Princesse Marguerite was in his disposal yet it was well known that the Princesse de Falsbourg her sister unable to indure the Propositions of delivering her into his Majesties hands in order to the nulling of her marriage by Law had found an invention to save her which she had made use of with the better effect in regard Ambition and Love make all things feasible to women It was known that she had habited her self like a Cavalier with Boots and Spurs well horsed and in this equipage she left Nancy about four of the clock in the morning attended by a Gentleman named Davise who had heretofore belonged to Madam de Remiremont together with two others that she pass'd through divers Sentinels and that at last being stopp'd by one Davise made him beleeve that they related to the Marquesse de St Chaumont and that by this means she had got thirteen Leagues on horseback that meeting with certain Swedish Troops she had been compell'd to hide her self in a very thick Copse Wood where she much scratch'd her hands and that the next morning she got to Thiomville where at first they would not open the Gates and indeed had absolutely refus'd her But for the charms of her beauty which mov'd great compassion in those who beheld her lying on the ground wrapp'd up in Clokes whiles Davise treated for her admission and that at last being got in the Governours Wife of the Town had chang'd her habit From thence she writ to the Sieur de Puy-Laurens to intreat him to acquaint Monsieur with the manner of her escape and that she should stay in those places to expect his commands but afterward thinking it more proper to go to Namour for fear lest the way might not be open after her escape she resolv'd to advance thither His Majesty receive this news with some regret foreseeing that her flight might be succeeded with troublesom consequences and make the dissolution of the marriage more