to Lyons was betrayed into the handes of his enemies in a place about fiue miles from Auranges which mooued those of the religion with all speed to send thither their greatest forces conducted by Captain Saint Andre to relieue their prisoner whereof Fabrice being aduertised the next day in the morning came before Auranges with his armie and some cannons wherewith hee beganne the batterie Those that were gone to the relieuing of their prisoner hearing the noyse of the cannon stayed their course beeing accompanied with diuers of their neighbours by meanes of Fabrices horsemen and beeing surprised in the day time they were constrained to staye at Serignan about a myle from Aurange Part of those of the religion remaining in a small number perceiuing the breach and their Cittizens of the Romish Church readie to set vp on them in the Towne while Fabrice should assayle them without forsooke the Towne and saued themselues with their wiues and children within Serignan Some stayed within Aurange that determined to defend the breach but vppon the sixt of Iune in the morning they heard the noyse of the assaylers They betrai◠each other in Aurange whereof ensued a horrible murther who by diuers waies made open vnto them by those of the Romish Church entered into the Towne The watch-word of those that entered was terrible blasphemie of God they contented not themselues to kill without distinction of sects age nor quallitie but made some die by diuers stabbes with poiniards and rapiers cast others vppon the poynts of halbards hanged burnt others within Churches cut off some of their priuie members olde men of eightie yeares of age bedthred persons diseased people in the Hospitalles The poore men inhabiting in the Mountaines came thither to reape and hauing no other weapons but their sithes and hookes were likewise massacred Many women and maides were killed others hanged at windowes and Galleries were harquebused young children sucking at their mothers breasts massacred diuers young wenches of fiue or sixe yeares rauished and spoyled The woundes of the dead were filled with the leaues torne out of the Bible The Towne was wholly sacked wherein happened a maruellous iudgement of God which was that the authors of the mischiefe that had caused the enemie to enter thinking to bee safe and preserued from daunger withdrewe themselues with their armes and wiues into the Market-place The traitors receiue their reward where the enemie thinking they would haue made resistance fell vppon them and put them all to the sword Those of the Castle hauing yeelded vppon oath and promise made to haue their liues saued were part stabbed and part thrown headlong from the walles to the number of one hundreth and nine men About euening Suze caused the Castle the Pallace and the Bishoppes-place to bee set on fire and three hundreth houses burnt with diuers persons that had hidde themselues therein and without an extraordinarie raine that happened in the night time all the Towne had wholly been consumed to ashes The next day the walles were beaten downe and part of them cleane rased to the grownde Those that were in Serignan withdrewe themselues into Montelimart not being able to remedie so great mischiefes as for Parpaille the Vicelegat of Auignon caused his head to bee striken off sixe weekes after the massacre Des Adrets mooued at those murthers three or foure daies after the massacre of Auranges Des Adrets reuengeth the wrongs 〈◊〉 in Aurange ruuning about like thunder in fewe houres battred and forced the Towne of Pierrelatte where hee put all those to the sword that bare armes presently therevppon hee besieged the Castle wherein were three hundreth souldiers belonging to Suze and while they were in parley those of Serignan hauing ioyned with des Adrets entered by force killing some and casting others ouer the walles not suffering one to escape Des Adrets with the like dexteritie hauing taken Bourg and le Pont S. Esprit that presented him with the keyes went to force Boulene a frontier Towne of Contat where the souldiers of the companie of Captaine Bartelasse were slaine And as hee prepared himselfe to set vpon Auignon Maugiron sacketh Grenoble newes was brought him that Maugiron had entered by treason into Grenoble wherein diuers of the religion had been sacked and slaine others cast off from the bridge into the riuer of Iseire vpō the foureteenth of Iune and some daies after hee stayed his course and with an incredible dexteritie entered into Romans which hee held for himselfe forced Saint Marcellin and there cut the throates of three hundreth of Maugirons souldiers who withdrewe himselfe into Bourgongne where hee remained with Tauanes All such within Grenoble as knew themselues to bee guiltie saued themselues vpon the fiue and twentieth of Iune cursing the cowardlynesse of Maugiron The next day des Adrets arriued therein and vsed both great and small with great courtesie reestablishing all things in their estate and holding his armie in good discipline About the end of Iune hee marched towards Forests where hee vsed those of Montbrison in such manner as I shewed before Des Adrets perswaded by the Marshall de Brissac that promised him maruels beganne to write to the Duke de Nemours Des Adrets wonne by the Duke de Nemours in the end is taken prisoner and in the end they spake togither hard by Vienne meane ttme certaine Gentlemen talking togither among the which one was merrie surnamed Poltrot who because they spake of the death of the King of Nauarre said This death will not make an end of these warres but wee must haue the death of the dogge with the great collor And beeing asked whom hee ment of the great Guisard said hee and lifting vp his right arme spake in open audience Here is the arme that shall do the deed Aboue three moneths before hee had many times vsed those speeches among his companions and intrueth hee kept his promise as wee haue alreadie shewed Of this conference made by Adrets ensued a truce of twelue daies from the fiue and twentieth of Nouember to the sixt of December which day in the assemblie of the Estates of Dauphin des Arets did what he could to perswade the people to accept the Duke de Nemours for their Gouernour but besides the particular reasons not long before by the Nobilitie of the countrie made vnto Adrets they sayde it could not bee done but to the vtter ruine and ouerthrowe of all the Prouince and the letters of the Lieftenant to Nemours beeing openly red discouered the deuise because they contained that the Duke de Nemours was expresly sent to punish the seditious and rebelles Wherevpon the Estates concluded des Adrets himselfe not being able to deny it that before they could proceed further it was necessarie for the Duke de Nemours to obtaine other letters and graunts by the Kings lawfull Councell whereof the Prince of Conde was one as supplying the place of the King of Nauarre his
were taken from their mothers and new christened mariages resolemnised the goods moneable and immooueable of 62. of the principall of the Towne ceased vppon and whatsoeuer thereof might be sold the mony was confiscated and sixteen or eighteen men were massacred and hanged by the sentences of the Iudges and at the peoples pleasures among the which were two or three that had denied the religion women likewise were not spared whereof three or foure were drawne through the streetes and cast into the water Besides that the souldiers went out and slewe all that they met without companie the Maior and Sheriffes beeing the principall ayders in those cruelties and in a manner no massacre was done but by the commaundement of the Maior Those of the religion at Bar Sur Seine about seuen myles from Troys hauing â—ound the meanes to be stronger then their aduersaries Bar Sur Seinie for a time maintained themselues in that sort but because it is a place easie to be surprised those that were in the Towne perceiuing the cannon placed against the Castle saued themselues as they could The enemies entering into the Towne therin committed such rare cruelties as neuer were seen specially against women and litle children cleauing some of their breasts and plucking foorth their hearts bit them between their teeth reioycing to haue tasted of a Huguenots heart A young Councellor sonne to Ralet the Kings Atturney was hanged at his own fathers request Those that were within the Castle were taken cruelly handled specially their Captaine partly cause of all the disorder whom they condemned to die being vpon the ladder renounced the religioÌ„ but his Apostacie saued him not from hanging The Towne remaining in their hands that had taken it and with most horrible blasphemies defiled diuers women and children In the month of Ianuary fortie or fiftie horses of the Garrison of Antrain a place beeing but a myle from thence about the breake of day surprised the Towne and at their arriual hauing layde hands vpon Ralet they tyed him vpon the toppe of a house where hee was slaine with Pistolle shotte the rest of the massacres were likewise murthered their goods giuen to others Claude Cousni d'Ay was sore wounded within Espernay Espernay cast into the riuer of Marne where the murtheres finished his misery hurting diuers of the people that wept to behold the crueltie committed against him Monsieur de Saint Estiene beeing returned from Orleans to recreate himselfe in his house hard by Reims with two of his brethreren and others S. Estiene was inclosed besieged by a company of fiue or sixe hundreth men and although the houses were not strong neither of walles towers nor diches yet those Gentlemen with their wiues and seruants beeing but 25. persons hauing gotten into a Tower made long resistance and therein sustained two assaults but in the end a part of the tower hauing been beaten downe with a cannon shot and the besieged constrained to hide themselues within a hollow place of the wall the women were gotten out vppon promise to bee set at libertie as in regard of their honour they were but spoyled of all they had and ledde prisoners to Retel which done they sent certain Pages to cal to Monsieur de S. Estiene and to certifie him that the Duke de Neuers sent for him and that hee should not doubt to come foorth which hee had no sooner performed but his owne Cousin German named the Barron of Serny killed him his two bretheren and sixteene others were stabbed The assaylants lost before this place about one hundreth and fiftie men all well knowne This happened in the moneth of September 1562. Commosion of Pesants The Pesants of Coulours Gerisiers and the Villages bordering vpon them for the most part Tenants to the great Prior brother to the Duke of Guise committed infinit murthers and mischiefes about Troys murthering Monsieur de Vigny his wife and their seruants robbing and spoyling his Castle But Monsieur de Cormononcle a Gentleman of the religion accompanied with eight men onely finding those companions in disorder ouerthrewe them and slaying a great number of them put the rest to flight taking all from them which they had taken and brought away from the house of Landry the Controwler about fiue myles from Troys But the Pesants assembling againe assisted by others called bare feete raysed at Sens and thereabouts besieged Villeneufue a Castle belonging to the Monsieur de Esternay but they were speedily repulsed from thence with great losse but to reuenge themselues they burned the base Court wherin stood the barne the fairest stalles in all France with the Mill and a peece of a house which was done about the end of December Within two moneths after seuen score caliuers returned againe to besiege the Castle but Monsieur de Bethincourt a Gentleman of the religion accompanied with nine horse and foure footemen set so resolutely vpon them that some of them beeing slaine and 25. taken prisoners the rest saued themselues by flight The nineteenth of Nouember one of the Dukes of Lunebourg who in Anno. 1559. had had a quarrel against the Duke of Guise in the campe of Amiens The Duke of Lunebourg slaine in France being at Rameru between Troys Vitry le Francois accompanied only with 18. men minding as it was said to goe to Orleans by the commaundement of Bussy d'Amboise Gouernour of Chaallons was assayled in his lodging beeing in his chamber where sixe of his men were slaine and himselfe wounded with thirteene Pistolle shottes which done they layde him in a Horse-litter and bare him vnto Chaallons where hee died Bussyes executioner named Malfontaine an Apostate of the religion in triumph of that worthie exployt carried before him as in triumph eighteene horses eighteene cloakes eighteen paire of bootes and 36. Pistolles Ceant in Othe In the Towne of Ceant in Othe seuen myles from Troys the commons hauing found the meanes to enter therein vpon the 24. day of August murthered diuers of the Towne and continued therein till the end of Ianuary ensuing The number of those that were specially noted besides those that were murthered in other places were twentie persons and a young childe of fiue yeares burnt with his father Many houses were burnt by them for the space of a myle from the Towne and about sixe score horsemen and three hundreth foote of the religion ledde by Monsier de Semide and other Captaines being not able to followe the Prince of Portien that with other troupes had gotten to Strasbourg about the sixteenth of September for their retrait ceased vppon the Borough Towne Cermoise where they maintained themselues valiantly and ouerthrewe an armie of three thousand men that came to assayle them and slaying one hundreth and fiftie of their brauest Souldiers the rest fledde with the losse of three of their men onely and not long after they ioyned with the Prince of Portien
of eighteen Cornets of horse and three Regiments of foote vnder seuen and twentie Ensignes as they marched tooke le Dorat in Limosin and Lusignan and then tooke three peeces of artillerie out of Orleans wherewith they battered and forced Pont sur Yon taking it by assault which done they ioyned with the Princes armie while the Duke d'Aumalle went into Lorraine to meet the forces of Iohn VVilliam duke of Saxon the Marquesse of Baden and others that brought an armie of Rutters to ayde the Romish Catholicques and that young Lansac marched into Almaine to diuert the ayde which Duke Iohn Casimeire brought to those of the religion on the other side the Duke of Alue sent twelue hundreth horse and two thousand foote vnder the conduct of the Counte de Aremberg that ioyned with the D. of Aniou notwithstanding the Prince marched towards Lorraine constraining those of Bray and Nogent vpon Seyâ—â— to giue him passage and tooke Espernay lying vpon Marâ— where for a time he stayed to assemble all his forces There young Lansac in his second voyage to Almaine was taken and beeing brought prisoner to the Prince all his businesse turned into smoke In the moneth of December vppon some motions of peace there were two truces agreed vpon each for two or three daies to the end as the voyce went to conferre vpon the poynts propounded The first was neare to Montereau and the other by Chaalons but the last was like to haue bredde much mischiefe for the Prince relying vppon the promises of his sworne enemies rested in a very bad lodging out of the way whiles their armie approached And had it not beene for an enterprise that the young Countie Brissac a young Lord by nature violent and the Duke of Anious especiall fauoritie had vndertaken against certaine companies of Argolets vnder the Captaines Bois Blossel and Clery who were then ouerthrowne the Prince who yet hoping vppon two daies respite stirred not from that lodging had surely beene intrapped and in manifest daunger but Brissacks rashnesse saued him and according to the prouerbe mischiefe was good for somewhat The Prince waying the wrong that his enemies had wrought to their owne reputation in weening to indomage him determined no longer to trust their promises in which conceit notwithstanding hee did not long perseuer vppon his conclusion in three daies space hee made his armie to march aboue twentie long leagues through the raine and such hard passages that it was wonderfull that the artillerie baggage could euer follow and yet lost neyther the one nor the other so good was his order and so great their diligence The Duke of Aniou followed not for some of his Councell making great haste perswaded him that his very name had driuen the Huguenots out of France whereas such as were indeed warriors did contrariwise accuse the cowardlinesse of those that had so suffered the Prince his followers to escape as not daring to fight with them eyther weake or halfe strong The Prince arriuing in Lorraine stayed some fewe daies for his Rutters not without some repugnancie and perplexitie of diuers VVarres reuiued in diuers places This Negotiation which was but a string to stay the Prince that afterward they might with greater aduantage ouerrunne him beeing vanished on the one side they beganne to take armes in Poictou and about Rochel which euer since hath been a refuge to sundrie families of the religion and so hath happily continued as a barre to blocke vppe the purposes of the Romish Catholicques and the instrument that God hath put in vse to confound the infinite conspiracies of the enemies to the Crowne and state of France On the other side the Duke of Aniou but ouerlate sought all opportunitie which before hee had let slippe to fight with the Prince and Admirall before they should ioyne with the Germaines whom they went to meet in Lorraine and of whom they receiued certaine aduertisement near to Pont a Mousson from whence Duke Iohn Casimeire their Generall writ to the king to desire him to thinke The Prince ioyneth with his Germains that hee neuer determined to enter into France for any his owne priuate good or particular interest but onely for the support of such as were afflicted for the same religion which himselfe professed who had intreated him to ayde protesting that if it might please the king to assure to them the libertie of conscience and generall exercise of their religion himselfe and all his troupes would presently retire Then fell there out great adoo about the satisfying of the Rutters who looked to receiue a hundreth thousand Crownes at the least heere were they put to their shifts and forced of necessitie to make a vertue and when the Prince and Admirall had made vse of whatsoeuer their eloquence both to great and small vpon this extremitie they set all men a notable example in that they parted with their owne siluer vessell The Preachers in their sermons perswaded many and the Captaines also prepared the mindes of their men Many Lords and GentlemeÌ„ likewise did most readily put their hands to their purses the rest some for loue and some for feare execeeded all expectation So generall was this liberall contribution that the meanest Page and veriest varlet gaue somewhat yea in the end it was thought a dishonour to haue beene sparing and many offered more then was demaunded In summe the whole beeing gathered togither both quoyne plate and chaines of golde The Rutters in some sort contented it amounted to aboue foure score thousand Frankes wherewith the Rutters were well quietted and so ioyned with the Princes forces Then was there a generall voyce that it was best to drawe towards Parris which was the apparant meanes to obtaine peace as also their Leaders were not ignorant that for their better maintenance it was requisite to prouide artillerie powder mony and other such commodities as are to bee wrested for the Marchant Artificer likewise that vnlesse they drew towards Orleans their true nurse they should want those aduantages Heerevppon they set forward They drewe towardes Beausse and passed ouer Marne neare to the head thereof not farre from Langres and marching through Burgondie at their passage ouer Seyne were set vppon by certaine Italian and French whom Schonberg with a Regiment of Rutters and French of the religion charged defeated leauing the most of the assaylants dead in the place Hence the Prince drewe towards Creuant and Irancie a small village taken by assault and so passed ouer the riuer of Yone Loyne and la Cure and so set himselfe at large maugre the many hinderances of the aduerse armie which laboured as well to restraine him from any purchase out of the villages and small burroughs and to finde opportunitie to cut off part of his armie How they prouided for the victualling of the armie In those daies did France abound in all sorts of victualles which notwithstanding it stood the Prince and Admirall
Ienlis aduentures who had gathered foure thousand footemen and fiue hundreth horse Ienlis and his troupes defeated for the succor of Countie Lodowicke and la Noue whom the Duke of Alue had besieged in Monts In the meane time commeth the new dispensation toward the ende of Iuly wherewith the Cardinal seemeth satisfied and the eighteenth day of August is nominated for the marriage In the meane time commeth the news of Ienlis surprise and aduenture whereat the king seemeth to bee much agreeued who writeth to his Ambassadour in the lowe Countries to procure by all possible meanes the deliuerie of the prisoners taken in that surprise as also he suffereth the Admirall to send all the succour hee may to ioyne with the Rutters whom the Prince of Orenge had buried at the same time causing him to haue mony deliuered for the footemens paye who were thought to amount to foure Regiments besides some thirtie companies of men at armes The Ambassadour of Spaine seemed to be malecontent because the king went about to make war in Flaunders and for the same cause withdrew himselfe out of France the Queene-mother also played many parts in this tragedie faining not to haue knowne the kings proceedings and knowing them made as though she would haue left the Court in such manner that the Admiral Teligny his sonne in law and other Lords confirmed themselues more and more that the kings actions were correspondant to the Admirals aduice which was to make warre in the king of Spaines countries that had kindled it and pretended to make warre in France thereby in time to cease vppon it Rochel inuested prouideth for it selfe The last of Iuly the Rochelers wrote vnto the Admirall that the armie at sea approached neare them and that it spoyled the plaine Countri-men comming euery day from Xantongue and Gascon vsing terrible threatnings against their towne openly speaking of the spoyle thereof sending to aske his counsell therein specially touching the receiuing of eight hundreth men for Garrison which they sought to put into the Towne Hee made them an honourable aunswere dated the seuenth of August assuring them of the care hee had ouer them and added that hee sawe the king so well disposed to the entertainment of peace that all men had cause to commend him The Rochelers notwithstanding neglected not to looke vnto themselues and to fortifie their Towne In other Townes their ranne diuers mutterings and many were the threats of the Romish Catholicques against the Protestants which daunted some of them Others relied vppon the Admiralles presence in the Court and trusted to his answere deliuered as well by word of mouth as by writing vnto those that asked his aduice vppon all accurrences whose speeches were in effect as followeth That as concerning the Guisians whom they so vrged the King had taken order by setting them at vnitie and causing both parties to swear friendship that the marriage of the Ladie Margaret whom the King gaue saith hee not to the King of Nauarre onely but as it were to the whole Church of the Protestants to ioyne with them in an indissoluble vnion was the type of their peace and safetie Heerevpon hee often besought such as sent him any packets gaue him any aduice of the hatred of the King the Queene-mother the Duke of Anion or the house of Cuise against either himselfe or the Protestants no more to trouble him with any the passed calamities but rather to be content with their daily prayers to God to whom they were to giue thankes that hee had vouchsafed to bring all matters to so quiet an end In brief the Admiral euer like himselfe stood fast in all these motions not that hee knew not of the malice of infinite his aduersaries that inuironed him neither that beeing at Parris hee laye in the very goulf and deepest pit of death but because through constancie and long continuance he had framed himselfe to rely vpon Gods prouidence as also for the hauing secretly layed open vnto the King the very springs of the ciuill warres in France and most liuely painted foorth the practises of his secret enemies and treacherous seruants that aymed at the soueraigntie since it hath manifestly appeared hee supposed that he had left him in a faire path to preuent them For sure it is that the King albeit as then but yong had a very good wit and could reasonable wel perceiue the course of his affaires so that had not such bloodie and furious Councelles preuented and crossed his capacitie France had not incurred those calamities that since haue almost subuerted the whole estate thereof For in the end he found albeit ouer-late for his person and crown that they that termed themselues his seruants ment nothing lesse but were his most cruell enemies and such as had exiled and murthered his best subiects to the end afterward with more facilitie to ridde their hands of himselfe and so to seize vppon the Realme There happened yet an other matter as the waies of God are maruellous and vncomprehensible that more and more stopped the eares of the Admirall Negotiation of Polonia not to way so many aduertisements as daily were giuen him to depart out of Parris to take with him out of Parris such Lords Gentlemen and Captaines as the Queene-mother the Duke of Anion the Guisians and the Parrisians most vehemently hated For certaine weekes before it had been determined in the Councell to send Ambassadours into Polonia king Sigismond beeing dead to desire the Estates to chuse for their king the Duke of Anion whom the Admirall accounted an irreconcileable enemie to the Protestants The Admirall therefore perceiuing that the king was earnest to further that matter of Polonia for his brother that had great credite throughout the Realme of France iudged that the king had a good insight and desired to reduce all things to a sure and firme peace that the Duke of Anion confined in Poland his adherents would be constrained to become milder that the house of Guise destitute of such a staye and doubting the king that many times looked with a fierce countenance would bee carefull not to bee too busie that in time and not long the Queene-mother would bee constrained to leaue the conductions of the affaires of the Realme vnto her sonne wherevnto hee beganne to frame himselfe and perceiuing that the King and the Queene appoynted Iohn de Monluc Bishoppe of Valence a man of great iudgement and one that had effected many serious enterprises and at other times had trauelled into Polonia for the same purpose which voyage hee beganne the seuenteenth of August it put him in better hope Monluc to the contrarie perceiuing the tempest at hand desired nothing more then to get him out of France that hee might not bee a witnesse nor forced Councellour to the mischiefes which hee perceiued readie to fall vppon those of the religion A little before hee had wished the Countie of Rochefoucaut other Lords neuer to meddle in
Carroy battered and beaten downe all the towers and walles of the towne and continued and made plaine the breach which was aboue three hundreth paces wyde their white Ensigne Colonel followed by the rest shewed it selfe in order of battell all their men comming vnder couert A generall assault in sun drie places through their trenches euen to the edge of the Towne ditch where they gaue the assault as followeth Sarrieu his Regiment strooke in at the ende of the breach towardes the Goose-gate in a place called Londis Grange where the fight was greatest and to second him came in the Lord of Chastre Generall of the armie with his men at armes who with other Maisters alighted and that day fought on foote This first assault was famous for the assaylants came in good order and verie resolutely to the breach wherevpon they cambered seuen or eight of the best armed and couered came to handie blowes namely Captaine Ri◠Sarrieu his Ensigne who carried his Ensigne brought it backe againe After their repulse the Lord of Bonniuet the Gentlemen of the countrie and Captaine Cartier gaue the second charge whereto they came with such resolution that some of them twise entered the breach among others Fontain Carters Ensigne one that was reuolted frō the religion who was there hurt so returned lame halting In this second onset four Ensignes accōpanied with four or fiue hundreth souldiers valiantly entered the ditch but in liew of marching straight to the breach they ioyned close with the corner of the wall which they did still beare with the ordinance where they stayed with their Ensignes and could not bee indammaged by the Townsmen who were not able to stand vpon the wall that parted them by reason of the volies of cannon shot Easily might they haue beene beaten away with muskets and harguebuze-shot out of some flanquers that yet remained toward the Goose-gate but at that time there was neither muskettier nor harguebuzier there about Yet sel there out one aduenture to the preseruation of the besieged and that was this As the cannoniers did without intermission continue the batterie from a place called the Smithes Carroy thinking to lay the wall flat and so to discouer the patforme wherevppon the besieged did fight they followed their purpose so obstinatly that with the dischrarge of two or three vallies of cannons they beate down so many stones vpon the foure Ensignes and their souldiers that they were forced to retire as also it fell out well with the besieged that the cannoniers in this batterie wanted powder for had they beaten downe sixe or seuen foote more of the wall the platforme from whence the besieged fought in flancke and was their chiefe defence had been layd open and made a bridge for the assailants without let to haue entered the Towne for this platforme beeing made on the suddaine was not behinde cut off from the side of the Towne and in other places they could not haue resisted The sixe Ensignes of Goas Regiment assaulted the Rauelin of the olde gate and Boudins platforme supportee by the Lord of Montigny Liestenant to the Countie of Brienne and some other Gentlemen there was Cabassoles a Captaine of one of the companies of the olde bandes a valiant man and greatly bewailed among the besiegers The new companies except Tessiers set vppon the great breach and gaue the assault from the platforme of the olde gate euen to the other ende of the breach toward Saint Andrewes gate Captaine Tessier presented the escalade to Caezars gate which was at the other end of the Towne that so the assault might bee generall and the besieged busied in euerie corner Of the Sancerreans Captaine Flur his Lieftenant Chaillou and Montauban his Cornet defended the breach of Londis but before they could come to it or set their soldiers in array two of their men were carried away with a cannon shot The rest of the Captains had euery man his quarter appoynted where they all bare themselues most valiantly and the walles were euery where furnished besides a number left in the principall places to serue for accurrences During the assault the fifteene hundreth labourours in the vines before mentioned with their slings furnished with stones by the women and maides wrought wonders and wounded many of the enemies Euen in the chiefed of the fight a woman caught hold of a souldiers pike and stroue to wrest it out of his fist A young man of the Towne named Ialot being in fight taken by a target-man and ledde away as hee descended into the ditch called to his companions rather to shoote at him then to suffer him to be carried away wherevppon one of them lying on his face aymed so right that hee killed the target-man and then Ialot with his dagger slew an other that had hold on him and so escaping returned through the breach to his fellowes The defendants had no other fence but their small shot swoords and slings neither could they make vse of their other Engines in regard that this general assault was giuen sooner then they expected by reason of the batterie that had continued all the morning The Sancerreans in this assault had seuenteene souldiers either slaine or wounded to death beside a wench that was carried away with a cannon The assailants left in the ditch some threescore of the valiantest besides some two hundreth that hauing their deadly woundes died in their tents and lodgings and as many more wounded who albeit they did in time recouer yet carried the markes to their graues The assailāts determinatiō to famish the Towne Thence foorth the assaylants vnderstanding the state of the Towne resolued to shut vp and starue the Sancerreans through the multitude of forts that they erected hard by their wals which being made fenceable notwithstanding whatsoeuer the defendants skirmishes they planted two coluerins in the greatest and so returned the rest of their peeces to the towns where they tooke them alwaies leauing sufficient strength round about to stop the besieged from comming forth or receiuing any reliefe out of the countrie In the beginning of Aprill one of the towne souldiers slipping downe the Towne-wall came to the greater fort and assured them that the defendants began to famish Within two daies after the besieged in a sallie slewe some of their enemies who the surer to girt in the Towne erected fiue new small forts and nightly stood very carefully vpon their guard so that the defendants perceiued that they ment to take them rather by the throats then by the fifts Heerevpon they sent abroad for succour but some of their messengers wer takē prisoners others put to death one Cap. Fleur others came no more again or could not reenter neither could they whersoeuer they became get any such succor as they pretended neither in deed was there any meanes by mans helpe to relieue them Beeing thus euery way shut vppe by their irreconcileable enemies from the beginning of Aprill the
The same day toward fiue of the clocke at night the Sarreant Maior of the Towne made a sallie and fired part of their wodden bridge and foure and twentie houres after returned to burne the corps degard that was hard by the sald bridge About this time at three seuerall courses certaine of the enemies horsemen sought to keepe the poore people of the towne after the tide from gathering of Muscles Shrimps such like but some of them lost their horses and Petronels and some were taken carried away prisoners as vnable soone ynough to get forth out of the bogges where their horses sunck vpto the shoulders The eight assault The sixteenth of May a little before day the enemie gaue the eight assault to the afore named bulwarke which was very sharpe yet had the repulse on both sides The same day and the two next follwing the Cannon playing vppon the Towne made no spare of powder or bullet The twentieth day came in a small vessell loden with powder and corne sent by the Countie Montgommery vnder the conduct of Captaine Arnaud who passed in spire of the enemies fleet and forces who discharged many a shot at him but hurt him not A notable sallie Three daies after some foure or fiue hundreth men after noone sallied foorth of the towne and surprised and mightily amazed the enemie that lay toward the Cognee gate whom they killed without resistance to the number of two hundreth both Captains soldiers besides a great number of wounded The whole campe taking the alarm many came in so that the Rochelers lost 20. of their men but carried into their towne eight Ensignes with many cuiraces Halbards Targets Harguebuzes guilt swords They did greatly bewaile Maronniere a braue Gentleman who died of his wounds within two daies after as a little before they had done the death of Vergerbeanlieu a Poeteuine Gentleman highly esteemed for his valour whereof be had made proofe especially in the eight assault where hee tooke his deadly wound The fiue and twentieth day of May the batterie beganne very furious and lasted till nine the reason was that fiue mynes which the enemie had digged were shut and readie to play The next morning by breake of day the batterie beganne againe as wel againe the bulwarke as against the defences and so continued vntill night The next morning about seuen of the clocke all the companies of the campe were mustered The Switzers being new come to the number of 16. Ensignes in a great battaillon were by the Rochelers welcommed with cannon short which fell so iust among them that they made a great lane and forced the rest to go further from the Towne About eleuen of the clocke the regiments of the campe beeing readie to the assault discharging their artillerie blew vp their mynes wherein rested their whole hope The ninth assault but all this stood them in no stead for some of their mines did greatly helpe to fortifie the besieged and to flancke the breach from the olde fountaine to the Gospel-bulwarke a fatall and vnhappie name for the enemie who were expected and repulsed by the women maides and seruants who that day did incredible things The assault was fiue times renued and lasted vntill sixe of the clocke at night alwaies more fierce and greater then any of the former And indeed the enemie lost foure hundreth men that stayed in the ditches and carried away sixe hundreth wounded The Rochelers lost thirtie or fortie souldiers and women and three or foure Captaines among the rest one very valiant named Blays who was slaine with a peece of a stone The Countie Montgommery did his endeuour to succour the Rochelers by sea but in vaine in that he was ouerweake both in shipping and men to fight with the fleet royall Murmurings in Rochell which was verie strong Towards the beginning of Iune victualles beganne to grow short with the besieged wherevppon some considering that the enemies cannon plaied continually also that some souldiers fledde the Towne began to doubt and haue some speech of composition so that some of the most apparant were imprisoned for that togither with some three hundreth they had signed a bill that imported the making of peace vpon whatsoeuer conditions for their parts they were weary of the warres and the great want of corne would shortly breede a famine Others had in open street consulted vppon taking of the gates whereby to go foorth at their pleasures Of these murmures ensued new parleyes which the Duke of Aniou solicited that so hee might depart thence for the newes was come that he was chosen king of Poland and that the Ambassadors were comming to him In the meane time vpon Fryday the twelfth of Iune the enemie gaue a suddaine escalado at the little breach neare to the old fountaine some hundreth or sixscore Gentlemen gat vppe and some vnto the Caualier where they stayed long ynough to take a view of the inward trenches and counterscarpe that was fortified within the retrenchment and so beganne to retire neither escaped they al the greeting of the smal shot which diminished their number and slew some fifteene or twentie in the place The next day they returned to their parleyes and because the Rochelers had counsell to send their Deputies to the Duke of Aniou at whose hands as they were told they might obtaine more then they demaunded they stayed for a pasport which they found so badly penned that they might well perceiue that it stood them vppon to beware and therefore they caused their Deputies to retire which so netled the D. that he resolued before the cōming of the Polonian Ambassadors to trie all meanes and to the same end came in person to take a view of the mine by the old fountaine The Duke of Anious aduentures where one of the Towne souldiers discerning him shot off a harguebuze charged with a bullet and some haile shot but his great Esquier named Deuin perceiuing the match stepped before him and was slaine the Duke reserued to an other end was slightly touched with some of the haile shot but not hurt After this notwithstanding their shooting and sallying on both sides yet was it nothing in regard of that which was past But vpon the 17. of Iune the Polish Ambassadors being arriued in France truce was made and lastly the articles of peace agreed vpon and sent vnto the king which hee approoued and framed them in manner of an Edict graunting to those of the religion Rochel Montauban Nismes and other Townes wherein the free exercise of religion was permitted and to others permission to liue without trouble in their houses An Edict of pacification for Rochell and all those of the religion therein to solemnize baptisme and marriage after their manner without greater assembly besides the Parents then the number of tenne except in the Court at Parris and within tenne leagues round about it hee restored those of Rochel to their rights and auncient
priuiledges disanulling all Edicts made against them approouing their defensiue war and consenting that the keeping of their towns towres and fortresses should remaine vnto themselues according to their auncient priuiledges receiuing such gouernours as were not by them to bee suspected And by vertue of this Edict vpon the tenth of Iuly about tenne of the clocke in the morning Monsieur de Biron entered into the Towne at Coigne gate with a Herauld at armes and four of the kings trumpets at which time hee caused the peace to bee published in the principall places accompanied by the Lieftenant of the Towne and of Monsieur de Villiers and then dined at the Maiors house which done presently after hee returned conducted out of the Towne End of the siege of Rochell The same day diuers barkes and other vessels laden with bisquet corne meale fish and other ammunitions entered into the Towne as they did before the siege which we haue briefly discribed in the principal circumstāces thereof The enemie had both by sea and land between fortie and fiftie thousand men whereof more then the halfe of them died before Rochel as well in skirmishes encounters surprises and assaults as of wounds miseries and diseases sixtie peeces of artillerie great middle and small shot into the Towne and against the defences rampiers and wals thereof at the least two and thirtie thousand times The bulwarke of the Gospel because of the surname was least spared The enemie lost therewith the Duke d'Aumale Cosseins Maister of the field that entered by force into the Admirals lodging in Parris and began the massacre Ligardes his brother Goas and Poilac Maisters of the campe diuers great Lords and Gentlemen aboue 60. Captaines and cōmanders as many Lieftenāts Ensigne-bearers most part of the massacres of Parris other places being come thither to receiue their reward either present death or woūds which speedily cut off their daies The cōming of the Polish Ambassadors was the means the defended Rochel which began to want both victuals ammunitiō of war that had lost many hundreths of soldiers in the skirmishes breaches Another means serued which was the diuision in the Duke of Anious campe the friends which the Rochelers found therin from whom they receiued many good aduertisements which greatly relieued them during the siege the end wherof made the king to call to minde many great faults by him committed which hee had beene aduised and counselled vnto and to inuent the meanes to preuent them but too late for beeing imbarked and in the middle of the sea then when he discouered a desire to see the port of his arriuall not long after hee found himselfe to bee fallen into the deepe gulfes of death with most great grief vnto his heart was constrained to behold the fire in his Realme which some perswaded him to be quenched and to haue recouered an euerlasting peace vppon Saint Bartholomewes day But in his mischiefe hee sound this comfort that many others that thoght themselues very nimble in their turnes found themselues no lesse deceiued then they wickedly abused the youth boyling passions of this poore Prince I must not forget to set downe the prouision of victuals that God sent vnto the besieged in Rochel which was an infinite number of small fishes neuer before that time seene within that Hauen and that euerie day came in and as it were yeelding themselues to the mercie of the poore people of the Towne And presently after the publishing of the Edict and libertie graunted to Rochel at the comming of the Polonians retired againe Now let vs see how sundrie others of the religion in other parts of the Realme The estate of the churches in Quercy Langucdoc and other places bare themselues this yeare 1573. The Barron of Serignac with other Lords and Gentlemen both of Quercy Foix and other Prouinces adioyning beeing aduertised of the intent of the Romish Catholickes repaired to Montauban where they held a common Councell and after sundrie conferences resolued as well the Inhabitants as strangers refugied to take armes which they did in warre like manner and thereof aduertised those towns where the religious were any thing strong The Inhabitāts of Chastres in Albigeois slacking and refusing the succours of Vicountie Paulin and the Barron of Panas were surprised and some slaine and the Towne brought into the subiection of the Romish Catholicques They of Montauban sent foorth their troupes into the field vnder the leading of the Lord of Serignac a man zealous in religion discreet and vertuous and a wel-willer to millitarie discipline They placed a Garrison in Terride whereof Serignac chalenged the Barronage and by escalade tooke Buzet vpon Tar within three leagues of Toulouse They also strengthened Villemur surprised diuers other places fortified such as they held in the former troubles placed garrisons at the passages and appoynted a day of meeting at Realmont in Albigeois to consider of their common affaires There made they a diuision of their gouernmēts Vicountie Gourdon had one part of Quercy toward Cadenac Terride or Serignac had the other part towards Montauban and Gascon To Vicountie Paulin fell Lauragais and in Rouergue they established the Vicountie of Panas with his brother the Barron The Counte of Foix with the hilly countrie was alotted to the Vicountie of Canmont There they decreed that if one stood in necessitie the other Generalles should repaire to him with all their forces and be vnder his obedience so to auoyde all iealouzie that might otherwise take hold of such as were of like authoritie Sundry warlike exploits euery man returned into his gouernment Serignac by compositon tooke Villedieu Chasteau Vasin and the Towre of Orgueil places neare to Montauban encamped with two thousand small shot and some horse before Mōricou maketh a breach giueth the assaults one escalade but taketh the repulse as also from before Real-ville and Vioule at which places many of his men were hurt and slaine In his return from an other assembly holden at Realmont for aduise vpon the Rochelers affaires who craued succour but could haue none in regard of such difficulties as befell them Serignac passing by Puylaurence vnderstood that Captaine Angely with eightie souldiers was besieged in a village three leagues of and therefore with all speed marched thither with one hundreth and sixtie men and thus hee on the one side and the besieged on the other so charged the enemie that they slew two hundreth of their men and scattered the rest About this time the Inhabitants of Bearne sent to Nismes and Montauban a coppie of the letters sent to them from the Court in the name of their Prince to recall them to the Romish Church togither with their excuses and aunsweres to the same protesting to perseuere and abide in the religion In Aprill the Countie of Villards newly made Admirall of France Admirall Villards warreth vpon the Protestants with small success◠and Generall of an armie against
fauor his retire from the Court Others bearing him no great affection spred foorth a rumour that they were in armes prepared to kill the king the Queene and his Councell The first aduise tooke place neuerthelesse to make the latter seeme likely yet vntrue euery man except it were the king Praclises of the Court whereinto sundrie not able to penetrate at the first the gentry of Normandy found themselues deceined whereof ensued the destruction of the Countie of Montgommery perswaded to stay with his traine in great haste dislodging from Saint Germains where they stayed till the lodgings of the Castle of Blois Saint Vincennes were prepared and rid to Parris from nine of the clock till midnight with most great noyse and tumult I must tell you that the Duke of Alencon was in minde to haue departed from the Court and to take the king of Nauarre with him and that this troupe composed of the Gentlemen their seruants came to bring them to the places appointed by them but imagining many difficulties in the executiō hee tooke aduise of la Mole a Gentleman of Prouence that gouerned him who gaue him counsell with al speed to aduerise the king his brother and his mother what his meaning was which was the cause that the king remooued not neuerthelèsse the mother that had som greater matter in her head made that voyage by night and went to the house of the Marshall de Retz in the subburbs of S. Honore The Parisians beleeuing whatsoeuer was told them touching those horses in short time made a great and puissant armie as they said The next day the king went vnto his mother and within eight daies after they went to Blois Saint Vincennes hauing holden diuers councels to deuise the means to intrap the Marshal d'Anuille that gaue them worke to do in Languedoc Meane time the Duke of Alencon and the king of Mauarre vppon the foure and twentieth of March published a declaration touching the matter of Saint Germains protesting their good wils towards the king and that they were resolued to oppose themselues with all their meanes against such as would rebell against him which was an occasion to bring the Marshall de Montmorencic vnto the Court who being come was arested as also the Marshall de Cosse and both most shamefully led prisoners to the Bastille On the other side la Mole Coconnas Tourtay seruants to the Duke of Alencon were committed within Parris and not long after executed hauing onely confessed to haue been of their Maisters counsell to depart out of the Court Diuers Lords and Gentlemen intangled in this processe saued themselues as well as they could the Duke of Alencon and the king of Nauarre were kept more straight and twise examined touching that action The estate of Dauphine Languedoc and poictou These troubles in the Court hindered not those of the religion their associates to looke vnto themselues In Dauphine Mombrun tooke Loriol Linron Alet Graue and Roinac and ouerthrew fiue companies of footmen that sought to impeach them Those of Villeneufue in Viuarais not long before had put certaine troupes to the swood that came against those of the religion without losse of one man and tooke Aubenas a Towne of great importance hauing cut the throates of all the Garrison for the most part composed of the massacres of Lyons The gouernment of Languedoc and Dauphine hauing bin committed to the Prince d'Auphine Monsieur d'Acier ioyned with him the Marshall d'Anuille by letters intercepted discouered what was pretended against him by which meanes hee beganne to draw to those of the religion consulting with Saint Romaine Gouernour of Nismes seized vppon Montpeslier Beaucaire Lunel and Pezenas In Poistou the Polititians ioyned with la Noue tooke Saint Maixaut Melle Fontenay Lusignan and other places In Normandie about the beginning of March What happened in Normandie to the Countie de Montgommery taken prisoner and after executed the Countie Montgommery accompanied with Lorges and Galardon his children departed from the Isle of Gerze and arriued at Rades where Colombieres de Fey with fistie Gentlemen came to meete him from whence hee went to Saint Lo and then with in three daies after assieged and took Carentan by compositiō Within a month after a strong armie of the enemie commaunded by Matignon and Feruaques set vppon him and inclosed him with a little weake towne and ill furnished called Danfrone accompanied with sixtie horse and eight harguebuziers conducted by Captaine la Touche the younger resoluing vppon a valiant defence euen in the beginning of the siege sent foorth siue and twentie horse and some small shot who giuing a sharpe onset slew seuen Gentlemen assaylants and nine horse and soretired with the losse of the Lord of Friaize who was slaine and two prisoners that they left behinde This was the eleuenth of May. The next day the besieged cut in peeces one Corps de garde but soone after some either for feare or won with faire woords forsooke the Countie and yeelded to the assaylants who in reward stripped and put them to their ransome The Queen-mother vnderstanding that the Countie whom shee hated to the death was in her nettes sent forces day and night to strengthen Matignon as also the armie that lay before Saint Lo was commanded with all speed to march to Danfrone where they had in the beginning of the siege six thousand small shot and fifteen hundreth horse The king being very sicke vpon the 23. of May the Castle was battered with six peeces of cannon that in fiue houres shot aboue fiue hundreth times and made a breach of fiue and fortie foote broad Then did most of the Counties men forsake him and in liew of entring the Castle with him fled out of the Towne into the campe where they receiued their deserued entailment as their former companions About two of the clock at after noone the assay lants came fiercely to the breach where they found the Countie on the right side with the lords of Brossay Chauuiny Cornieres Tere yong Touche Mahiliere Crosse Oulfe and others to the number of twentie On the left side were the Lords of Sey Hayes Vaudore Sanssaye Villenenfue and others in like number of twentie All togither fell vpon their knees to hear the prayer which one of the three Ministers there present made in the presence of the assay lants who when it was done came to handie blows in the order following Out of tenne companies of men at armes present at that siege Matignon the other Captains chose one hundreth Gentlemen even ten out of euerie companie well armed followed with 600. small shot with murrians 100. pikemen with their corselers These 800. men with some 200. voluntaries mixed among thē were led by the LL. of Fernaques Villermois S. Golombe Raberprey Lauerdin and others The fight lasted siue hours neither did the cannon cease which indomaged the defer dants with stones wherewith also the Countie was
religion if there were no other passion that touched his enemies at the heart he added that if the king would not accept his fidelitie hee can do no more but content himselfe with his owne innocencie and affection towards his Maiestie and the State Declaration protestatiō of the King of Nauarre the Prince of Conde In his declaration hauing disciphered the cause of leaguers taking armes the vanitie of their pretences and the fruites that all the Estates of France may reape by the conclusion of the treatie of Nemours by breaking the peace and beginning warre Hee protesteth and with him the Prince of Conde his Cousin the Duke de Mommorency the Lords Gentlemen Prouinces Townes and common people as well of the one as of the other religion to oppose themselues against the Authors of those troubles in a lawfull and necessary defence therby to conserue the lawes which are the foundations of all families and to maintaine the estate and libertie of the King and of the Queene his mother Sixtus 5. excommunicateth the king of Nauarre the prince of Conde in September 1585. This Prince had need to bee a strong Bulwarke thereby to defend himselfe against so many assaults on all sides made vppon him For hauing both the king and the league as enemies on the one side on the other side commeth the Pope with his thunderboults of excommunication declaring him incapable to the succession of the Crowne of France abandoning his person and his countries for a praye to such as could obtaine it Touching this Bull many whole bookes both with it and against it were written and set foorth to the which I referre the curiositie of such as desire to knowe whether the Pope hath any authoritie ouer the estate of France for which consideration The King of Nauarres letters to the States the Court of Parliament would not allowe it Therevppon the king of Nauarre complained to all the Estates of France in that they had caused the succession of a king beeing yet aliue to bee decided in the Court of Rome made the title of a Prince of the blood to be iudged by the Pope and suffered the Consistorie to giue that which belonged not vnto them And hauing particularly represented vnto them the mischiefes which thereby might arise togither with the shame and perpetuall reproach vnto this Nation in hauing To the Clergie produced monsters into the world and rebelles among a most obedient people hee endeth his letters with reiecting the mischiefes of those miseries vppon those that are the authors In his letter to the Cleargie hee said If war bee so acceptable vnto you if a battell liketh you better then a disputation a bloodie conspiracie more then a Councell I will wash my handes and the blood that thereby shall bee spilt be vppon your owne heades I am assured that the maledictions of such as shall thereby indure great miserie will not fall vppon mee so that my patience my reasons and obedience are sufficiently knowne Meane time I hope God will blesse my iust quarrell to whom I commend you To the Nobilitie To the Nobilitie hee writeth and saith The Princes of France are the keyes of the Nobilitie I loue you all I feele my selfe perished and become weake in your blood The straunger hath no interest in this losse I haue good cause to complaine of some but I rather bewaile them I am readie to imbrace them all That which most displeaseth me is that those which I most esteem of whom I knowe haue been circumuented I cannot distinguish them being in armes but God knoweth my thought their blood be vpon the authors of these miseries to whom we praye c. To the Commons after he had deplored their woundes and scarres and assured them of his readinesse to shed his blood if his enemies would by a combat of two and two end the warre To the Commons which would be the death of so many thousands of men He saith I am a Frenchman borne I will bee partner of your miseries I haue assayed all meanes to exempt you from ciuill discordes and will neuer spare my life that they may be abridged I will not impute the fault vpon you you are Frenchmen but rather esteem of your good willes I demaund nothing else of all you that according to your vocations are most subiect to indure mischiefe then to doo it but onely your vowes prayers and good-wils But because hee feared the sword of Saint Paul more then the keyes of Saint Peter and that the Gold of Spaine is more daungerous then the Lead of Rome he sent his Ambassadors to the protestant Princes of Germanie to craue their aydes Which the king perceiuing sent the Cardinall of Lenoncourt and the President Brulart vnto him to assure him of his Maiesties good-will of the great desire he had to see him vnited to the Catholicke Church not onely for the safetie of his conscience but also for the easier establishing of his succession to the Crown to declare the causes that had moued him to breake the peace and to desire him to yeeld vp the Townes which he held for his securitie The king of N. hauing yeelded most humble thankes vnto them for his Maiesties good will in his behalfe aunswered that without instruction he could not change his religion for the which so much time and blood had been shed And that those of his side were so farre from yeelding vp the Towns giuen to them for their securitie that following the example of the leaguers they had cause rather to aske for more The Ambassadours perceiuing that neither the one nor the other poynt of their Ambassage tooke effect ended their commission by desiring the king of Nauarre to enter into a treatie wherein the Queene-mother would labour to his contentment Conference agreed vpon and trauell as farre as to Champigny if in the meane time it pleased him to staye the forraine armie Hee willingly accepted of the conference but to the other poynt he said that he neither could nor ought in any sort to stay or withdraw the good willes of those who in so much important an occasion yea and in so extreame necessitie had entered into the field that by restoring the authoritie of the king troden vnderfoote by the breach of his edicts they might defend him from the forraine inuation of the league The Electors Palatin the Duke of Saxe the M. of Brandenburg the D. of Brunswick the Lantgraue of Hessen sent Ambassadors to the king in Parris The Kings answere to the Protestant Ambassadors The Princes of Germainie that sought to ayde such as were of their religion perceiuing France to bee a bodie in a manner wounded to death thought good to procure the remedie thereof rather then to helpe to giue the mortall blowe and to prooue if by intreatie and faire meanes they might cease the causes of their diuision and procure the tranquillitie of the common-wealth by the obseruation
Sieurs de Laual Boulaye and others who presently after hauing receiued intelligence that Tiercelin was come from Oleron to go to Marennes and so to returne to Sainctes he went to watch him on the way very neare to the plain where certaine horsemen would haue issued out of Sainctes but they were set vppon and dispearsed by Cargrois that ledde the Argolitiers of Monsieur de Laual After this skirmish the Prince returned to Taillebourg As for Tiercelin although he knew that his enemies watched his returne hee made no account thereof trusting in the strength of his Regiment and so resolued to fight with them wheresoeuer they should assayle him and vppon the seuenteenth of Aprill he marched towards Sainctes in very good order Which the Prince vnderstanding mounted on horse bocke with his brother in lawe the Sieur de Trimouille la Boulaye Auantigny and others to the number of thirtie persons with as many Harquebusiers so made towards Tiercelin whom he found about a thousand paces from the subburbs of Sainctes where hee set vppon his reareward and slewe about thirtie or fortie of them the rest of the Regiment ranged themselues in order of battel vnder the hedges and in the high-way In that first charge the Sieur de Trimouille had his horse flain betweene his legges and without speedie succour had been in great daunger La Batarderaye Ensigne-bearer to Boulaye was there slaine Chanterelles and Captiane Nauarre wounded to death Auantigny hurt both in the hand the knee and notwithstanding the Prince perceiuing the Sieur de Lanal to bee gone to fetch his company not farre from thence and that in great haste came golloping with about fiue and thirtie horse commaunded him to set vpon the enemie where that yong Lord readier to execute the charge then the Prince to commaund leaping ouer hedges and ditches made right vppon the Colnelles Ensigne being as then guarded with a battell of pikes which he braste fighting with him that bare the Ensigne and put him with all the pikes to flight whereof there were flaine to the number of sixtie men and tooke the Ensigne with him Tiercelin beeing hurt in the arme saued himselfe with a great number of hurt men There the Sieur de Laual lost Sailli called Tanlay because the other died not long before at Saint Iohns and Rieux his two bretheren greeuously wounded one in the head the other in his groyne whereof they dyed within two daies after Cargrois was shot into the knee and the Prince himself gaue two braue charges to the horsemen of Sainctes that thought to ayde Tiercelin and put them twise in disorder bearing with him their armes and other furnitures togither with the Collonels Ensigne but it greeued him much for the mortall wounds of those two young Lords that were followed by the Sieur de Lanal their brother that died within eight daies after The armie of the Duke de Maine in Poitou The Duke de Maine minding to make his profit at other mens costes and thought by the ouerthrow of the Prince of Condes armie to spoyle the rest of the forces that were in Guyen departed from Poictiers with a faire and goodly company of men This Prince valiant and wise that hath alwaies holden his reputation by keeping promises both with his enemies and friends neuer knewe what is ment by ioyning a peece of a Fox skinne to the skinne of a Lyon not being large ynough But as there are many who not withstanding they haue contrary windes yet doo arriue in safetie at their desired port so diuers men receiue so many crosses in their enterprises that fortune neuer fauoureth neither their valour nor their vertues In times past hee had done many valiant acts in Dauphine and now hee imployed time mony and great labour to do no great matter in Guyen His armie was of fiue hundreth French horsemen eight hundreth Rutters foure hundreth Lanciers Albanois and about fiue thousand foote with diuers peeces of artillery Hee made his account to force Townes not so much by fight as by famine wherevnto the season of it selfe was sufficiently disposed which should sooner bee ouerthrowne then fought withall and sooner fought withall then assayled At his arriuall Xaintonge and Poitou trembled being as then afflicted with three poynts of Gods horrible punishments plague famine war where the souldiers found no other booties but famished rattes Hee imployed them first in the taking of Montignac Beaulieu and Gaignac small Towns and thē to the impeaching of the passage of the riuer of Garonne wher he thought to surprise the king of Nauarre and alreadie had written vnto him that hee could not shunne his nettes Saint Bazeille lying vppon the same ruier was taken by force and spoyled and Mont-segur taken by composition The Duke de Maines ficknesse at that time bredde great disorder in his campe and want of mony weakened the courages of the resolute neuerthelesse hee tooke Chastillon a place fortified by the valour of the Barron de Sauignac Gouernour thereof and after that Normand in Perigueux But their want was so great in the armie and the extremitie so much that it fluttered but with one whing And the chiefe Generall that looked for nothing but a reuolt and perceiuing that where he thought to winne in Guyen hee had lost Aussonne in Bourgongne gaue the king to vnderstand that it was more then a yeare since his souldiers were forced to march on foote alwaies fighting in the enemies countrie with men and with the ayre the difficultie of the passages the ouerflowings of riuers the coldnesse of the weather and the long raines without being once succoured neither with new forces mony nor amunition for the warres and sayde that of seuenteene hundreth and three score thousand crownes wherevnto the wages of the armie amounted vnto Read the declaration of the Duke de Maine touching his exployts in Guyenne hee had receiued but three hundreth and foure thousand Crownes From that voyage hee brought with him the daughter of Madame de Chaumont beeing of the age of twelue yeares to marry her to one of his children Behold the triumphs of the league in Guyenne in an other place I haue said something touching the king of N. voyage out of Gascongne into Poitou which requireth a larger discourse which is that in the moneth of Febr. 1000. fiue hundreth eightie sixe the Marshall de Matignon hauing besieged Chastelles the king of Mauarre accompanied with two or three hundreth Gentlemen about eighteene hundreth Harquebusiers raised the siege What the K. of Nauarre did to impeach 4. armies of the league and determined to diue within the Castle Then he made a voyage into Bearn there to take order for his affaires which done he returned towards Nerac and passing at Lanse a Towne belonging to himselfe hee had intelligence that the Duke de Maine marched forward to impeach his passage ouer Garonne Notwithstanding hee went to Nerac to fortifie the place and issuing out he marched
vse of diuers men a great hinderance to the poore and vnwoorthy the name of Christians in this Realme Hospitalles haue beene made and erected vnder Cathedrall Churches and Bishoppricks to the end that Prelates and Pastors should haue the care thereof but since charitie is conuerted into auarice the charge and administration hath beene transformed to the Layetie Remedie if it please the Layetie to continue this charge and that the later ordinances seeme fitter then the ancient constitutions at the least let the spiritualtie bee present at the distribution and yeelding of account to see and vnderstand the fidelitie and dutie that shall bee vsed towards the poore and to reforme the abuses sacriledges and vsurpations that therein are vsed 7. Disorder In times past no man might bee admitted to the place of commander Knights of the order of Ierusalem ouer the order of the knights of S. Iohns in Ierusalem not being noble borne and that in the third degree by order of antiquitie now that goodly order of degrees of antiquitie which procured a hope vnto young men as new fruite vnto the spring to attaine vnto that honor in their Automie hath been broken by the entrie made by certaine Princes by fauour and greatnesse of their house If this disorder had onely rested it had been a thing somewhat tollerable and that might haue couered it selfe by greatnesse and authoritie But now that by this consequent this disorder is induced like the linkes of a chaine following one the other to all persons indifferently without consideration of antiquitie nor any other respect but of fauour or rather as I may say of importunitie the suddaine ouerthrow of this goodly order is like to ensue Knights of S. Iohns of Ierusalem Remedie The king knowing the honour of this order that hath cost so many mens liues to defend the name of Iesus Christ against the Turkes Moores and Barbarians that hath aduanced the crosse throughout all the Mediteranean seas euen into Affrica ought to suffer or permit that it should bee lessened or imbased by these disorders but rather preserued to the glory of God and the honour of this Realme Deceiuing of the Vniuersities 8. Disorder The Schooles and Vniuersities depending vppon the care and administration of the Church which yeelde the Ministers of doctrine and word of God now are full of disorders and licentious persons by the meanes and mischiefes of warres and rebellions Of iustice faithfulnesse Remedie His Maiestie according to the wisedome and loue that is ingrafted in his minde towards learning and vertue ought to chuse and name capable persons for this reformation long time desired so many times promised and still vnperformed Disorders iâ—â— the estate among the Nobilitie 1. From thence hee turned to the capitulation of the disorders knowne to bee in the Nobilitie the valiant and generous French Nobilitie saith hee hath continually beene the terror of all nations and the nations adioyning that haue addicted themselues to the profession exercise of knightly prowesse confesse acknowledge to haue learned it of the Frenchmen these valiant French knights haue preserued the honour and vertue of France as long as it was respected and had in honor but since that in stead of Nobles there hath beene new introductions taken out of the Common people and that they haue been raised to the honour due vnto the Nobilitie and of such men which commaund ouer companies of men at armes it hath wholly altered and changed the glory of this French Chiualrie and many haue degenerated from the vertue of the auncestors obscured their renowne some vsing trades and trafficques of Marchandises keeping in their houses not going into the field other giuing themselues to spoyling of the poore to almasse corne to take and apropriate benefices and other goods belonging to the simple people and to destroy their neighbours and tenants in such sort Aduertisement to the Nobilitis that diuers others more valerous and vertuous beholding the manner and behauiour of many of these Gentlemen beeing greeued to haunt the company of such men had rather imploy their times in the warres with the king and his Lieftenants vertuously to oppose themselues and shew the effects of their valor then to be in the company of those in whom there remaineth but onely the name and shadow of Nobilitie Remedie The King which is the head and father of Nobilitie ought to reerect that goodly order of knighthood ordained by his predecessors to restore decayed trees and to refresh and renue it pruning the vnprofitable branches and so to reduce into such order and forme and with such Discipline that the people may not bee oppressed and to that end cause certaine stipendes to bee yearely payde for the maintenance thereof Excesse in wen of warre 2. Disorder The crueltie violence and rapin of souldiers is so great that there is no difference in them from the fury of Barbarians beeing Conquerers of their enemies there is nothing else but fire and blood that haue entered into diuers places of this Realme but to beate binde ransome imprison sacke violated women and maides to pull yong children from their mothers breasts spoyle breake rent and throw the goods of poore people vnder the horse feete and to beare away the rest to leaue the wife and children in great misery without bread Nonfacile in officio potest miles coÌ„tineri abco qui necessaria noÌ„ sub ministra Xenophon following after their husbands and fathers and horses led away by them is an ordinary thing among souldiers these euills happen partly for want of pollicie and commandement and partly for want of paye and good order and distribution of the treasures of this land To leade souldiers into the warres without mony is properly to make them become theeues and whosoeuer beareth armes and hath no maintenance hee must needes haue some by what meanes soeuer it bee Euill gouerning of treasures 3. Disorder Treasures euill gouerned are like water powred into a siue or basket which presently runneth out and neuer is filled as to the contrary the better and more certaine reuenue consisteth in landes The immoderate leuyings of monies which are drawne from the people are compared to the Milt with in a mans bodie which the more it filleth and swelleth the more it destroyeth and drieth the rest of the bodie and in the end killeth it Remedie The cause or pretence of such leuyings of mony hath beene the warres ingendred by heresie and diuision and seeing that warre is the cause of the ouerthrow of the people it must be brought vnto an end and by the ayde and helpe of all this Realme seeke a finall remedie to this miserable diuision without deferring it so long to the vtter vndooing of the people Corruption in gouernmeÌ„t 4. Disorder Among other mischiefes which war indureth it hath corrupted both lawes manners and pollicie it hath bred a maruellous disorder in iustice Iudges are