the valley making it so fenny deep and dirty that there is no passing to the City along the Plain but only upon the two Hills and by another way which made by art leads along the foot of the Hill on the left hand and with many turnings and windings comes to the Gate of the Town So that only two ways lead to the City one upon the top the other at the bottom of the Hill on the left hand and the way which is upon the top of the Hill on the right hand leads straight to Pollet which Bourg is divided from the City by the interposition of the Haven and the Current of the small River Bethune The Country from one Hill to the other is all moorish and rotten by the standing of the waters and there is no passage but only by a very narrow way interrupted by many Bridges because the River divides it self into many streams Upon the Hill on the left side which is no less steep and craggy than the other stands the Castle of Arques little more than a league from the Town a place excellently fortified both by Art and Nature which commands a great Bourg of the same name that lies under it just upon the way which at the foot of the mountain leads to Diepe along the bank of the River The right-hand Hill which is much more woody than the other doth not run on equally united in one ridge as that on the left hand doth but about a league from Pollet is parted by a great Valley which extends it self as far as over against Arques and in it upon the right-hand is Martinglise a great commodious Village and on the left an Hospital of St. Lazarus which the French commonly call a Maladery The King having with his Commanders diligently surveyed every one of these places resolved to quarter with all his Army at Arques believing that if the Duke of Mayenne followed him he would not pass along the Hill on the right side which leads only to Pollet thorow the Valley and the Wood but would keep the straight way that goes to the walls of Diepe Wherefore the whole Army working speedily and likewise those few peasants which could be got together he enclosed the Castle and Bourg with a good Trench of about eight foot wide and as much in depth making Works on the inside with all the earth and distinguished it with Redoubts and Ravelines about sixty paces distant from each other and then having placed his Cannon to the best advantage he himself lodged in the Castle with all the French Foot and the Mareschal de Byron in the Bourg with the Regiments of the Swisses shutting up in that manner both the ways which lead towards the Town as well that at the top as the other at the bottom of the Hill The Horse quartered in that space which reaches from the Trenches as far as Diepe lay ready behind the Army to move where need should require there being left room enough in fitting places of the Trench to sally out conveniently fifty Horse in front a sufficient Body for any action they should undertake Many Ships were appointed at Diepe to fetch Victual for the Army from England and the Coasts of Normandy from Caen St. Lo and Carantan places which held for the King which succeeded marvellously well for some winds brought in Barks from England others those that came from Normandy supplying with interchangeable assistance the necessities of the Souldiers who in that convenient season of the year had also many miles of a most fertile Country in their power by the fruits whereof both Horse and Foot were plentifully furnished In the mean time the Duke of Mayenne having received the Marquess du Ponâ— who was come with the Army of Lorain to assist the League and likewise the Duke of Nemours who had brought up the Forces of Lyonoise Monsieur de Balagny Governour of Cambray and finally the German Horse and Foot which had been levyed by his order with the help of Spain that he might preserve his reputation and fulfil the infinite hopes he had to conquer and drive the King out of the Kingdom was moved from Paris upon the first day of September and with six thousand Swisses four thousand German Foot twelve thousand Muskettiers between French and Lorainers and with four thousand and five hundred Horse received Poissy Mante and Vernon which yielded to him and having in two days taken Gournay which would have made resistance marched on diligently towards Rouen whence finding the King departed he took along with him the Duke of Aumale and so increasing his Forces which augmented every hour continued on his Voyage with the same speed towards Diepe but he took a different way from what the King and his Commanders thought he would for leaving that by the hill on the left hand which goes to Diepe by the way of Arques and upon which he knew the Army was prepared to make opposition being excellently quartered in places of advantage he marched on by the hill on the right hand with a design to come to Pollet and making himself Master of it to block up and command the mouth of the Haven that the King being deprived of the use of Shipping and cut off from his passage to the Sea might not only want the assistance he hoped to receive from England but also be reduced to extream necessity of victual thinking he should this way very easily conquer and make an end of the War But the King to whom the Sieur de Baqueville who had the care of discovering the motion of the Enemy had brought word in time that the Duke of Mayenne had taken the way toward the hill on the right hand perceiving his aim and desiring to prevent it left the Mareschal de Byron at Arques with the Swisses besides a thousand Muskettiers and six hundred Horse not only that he might hinder the passage of the Enemy on that side as had been the first intention but also that passing cross the Valley he might advance to the foot of the right hand hill and there draw a line about the Maladerie and then make another great trench toward the bottom to shut up the Duke's passage on that side also by a double impediment to the end that he might not be able to get over to the left hand hill which if he could do he might either assault the Army in their works or else putting himself between might streighten it and separate it from the Town Care being thus taken for matters without the King with the rest of the Cavalry and the remainder of the French Muskettiers went presently thorow the City to Pollet where with continual labour day and night the Lords and Commanders taking no less pains than the common Souldiers and inhabitants of the place he environed the whole Bourg with a deep trench which ending in the form of a sput made a sharp angle in the point whereof a great Mill
discovered some Spanish Foot who resting themselves under a Tree had set up their Pikes round about it and being about to draw near to fall upon them they on the right hand perceived two strong Troops of Horse which had been upon the Guard at the end of the high-way were already moving towards them wherefore crying out that the fruit of the Tree was not ripe they were the cause that Lavardin taking notice of the Enemy turned courageously about and at the head of his men most valiantly charged them who having in the first encounter killed his horse under him made a brisk On-set on both sides upon him but the fight was short for the King being come up with his Troop the Horse of the League retired to their main Body Then saw they the whole Army as it lay still but the Guards being diligently placed through all the Field the King found that he could not come nearer them and therefore being joyned with the rest of his men he retired that night to Berteville From thence following his design he came upon the fourth of February to Aumale a Castle seated upon a River which divides the Confines of Picardy from upper Normandy where he quartered all his men in the Suburb and the next morning being desirous himself to see the order and view the Camp of the Enemy he advanced in person with the Archers of his Guard two hundred other Light-horse and three hundred chosen Gentlemen upon the way which the Army of the League marched leaving the care of the rest that were in Aumale unto the Dukes of Nevers and Longueville But as it often hapned to that Prince that being led on by his courage and the curiosity of making discovery with his own eye in the first ranks of his Soldiers he was suddenly entangled wonderful great dangers so it fell out that day for having past a field exceeding full of Vineyards which spreads it self from Aumale beyond the River to the bottom of a Hill and being gone up the steep thereof to the top where there is a spacious Plain he fell unexpectedly among the Avant Coureurs of the League which he thought had been yet above a League from thence The encounter was so sudden because the Hill being between them had hindred each party from discovering the other that having neither time to retire nor draw up in order it was necessary to handle their Arms and fall in pell-mell without any consideration There were at the head of the French the King himself the Baron de Biron the Count de St. Paul the Sieurs de Marivaut de Chaseron de Praslin d'Aubigny de Rambures and de Champlivaut with many other valiant soldiers so that there was no doubt but the Avant-Coureurs of the League being both in number and courage much inferior must give place to their fury and valor and indeed after a short resistance they betook themselves openly to flight Then appeared the Duke of Parma's Army which being drawn into Battalia with Military order marched on its way along the same Plain The whole form of their Battel was four-square and had an open Interval in the Front through which the Squadrons in the middle might draw forth to fight and at the Angles of the Rere there were likewise two Intervals that of the Front being shut up by the flying Squadron and those in the Rere by two Bodies of Horse which were to advance first into the Battel The Flanks were defended by the wonted carriages which in admirable order went on without straggling And by the side of them were the Foot of all the several Nations drawn up in Divisions Without the Body of the Army and of the foursquare form the Light-horse and Carabines in very great numbers being divided into many Squadrons filled up the extent of the Plain on every side and in the midst of the whole Camp the Duke carried in an open Chair went himself observing what was amiss and setting all things in order But the King had hardly made a stand upon the Plain to take an hasty view of this excellent order when Georgio Basti advertised by the Avant-Coureurs coming up with the Carabines and Light-horse of the Army he found himself entangled by two great clouds of Harquebusiers on Horseback who hailing upon them on both sides forced him though very late to think of the means of retiring Almost all the Gentlemen that followed him were without their head-pieces because in such an unexpected accident they had not had time to take them and fought confusedly in disorder because haste had not suffered them to draw themselves up into a Body so that onely courage and sense of honour and the Kings presence restrained them from flight which was necessary if they would save their lives But a great number falling dead on every side since even the best of their Arms was not proof against the violence of those Bullets that flew from the extraordinary wide bore of the Carabines and the first flying Squadron of Foot already appearing which having heard the beginning of the fight came up a great pace to fall in amongst them the King commanding his men to wheel about but not to charge went on at a round trot toward the descent to meet with his Light-horse and Harquebusiers on horseback which being led by the Baron de Giury and the Sieur de Lavardin followed him not very far off The Enemy with no less readiness was at his back and on all sides the Captains of the light-Horse made haste to cut off his retreat for being known by his countenance plume and habit every one cryed out to his companions that it was the King of Navar and mutually exhorting each other to follow him they put all their utmost endeavours to get him into their hands The fury of their retreat downward making many horses stumble and fall did so much hinder their speed and order that it was necessary the King himself with evident danger should stay among the last to sustain the violence of the Enemy and be in the greatest storm of shot one of which striking at last through the cantle of his Saddle wounded him though without danger under the reins As the Kings hurt necessitated him to fly full speed to save himself so did it utterly rout his men who being come into the field below were detained by the impediment of the stakes and branches of the vines and by the abundance of the hedges so that men and horses fell at every step and were exposed to the fury of the enemies who made such a slaughter with their Carabines that besides the great number of Gentlemen which were slain the Archers of the King's Guard were almost all left dead upon the place But the light-horse who were already come up into the midst of the Plain which being but short spread it self between the Town and the place where the fight was being met by those who fled away carrying news that
Third sirnamed The Hardy and Robert the younger Count of Cleremont From Philip came the eldest Line which enjoyed the Crown more than three hundred years with the sirname of Valois from Robert descended the House of Bourbon so called as it is a custom among the French from that State of which they bare the Title and enjoyed a long time as their own Inheritance Now whilst the House of Valois possessed the Crown the House of Bourbon held by consequence the rank of first Prince of the Blood and enjoyed all those priviledges which we said before by Law and Custom belonged to that quality This Family great not only through nearness to the Crown but also in large possessions abundance of treasure reputation in war and fruitfulness of off-spring producing likewise frequently men of a liberal nature and popular civility easily exceeded the limits of a private life and with the sinews of its own strength together with the favour of the people established it self in an excessive state of greatness which begetting jealousie and envy in the Kings who were displeased at so great an eminence and authority bred many occasions of hate and suspition which sometimes also brake forth into open war For Lewis the Eleventh King of France made war upon Iohn Duke of Bourbon in the war intituled For the Commonwealth and Lewis the Twelfth though before he came to the Crown tried the success of Arms with Peter of Bourbon and so what by open defiance what through secret malice the Kings of France grew daily more and more jealous of the Authority of the Princes of Bourbon At the length Francis the First came to the Crown who in the beginning of his Reign led by the ardour and facility of youth began with great demonstration of affection to confer honour upon the chief Princes of the Blood it seeming a thing suitable to that magnificence he shewed towards all men and to the greatness of his mind that those Lords most nearly allied to him should be most exalted both for the honour of the Royal Line and for his own particular reputation And having observed in Charles of Bourbon who was the first Prince of the Blood a generous courage and a genius fit for any employment he promoted him to be High Constable of France and resolved that all the weighty affairs and principal charges of the Kingdom should pass only thorow his own hands and those that were nearest of relation to himself But when he came to age more mature the fervour of youth being past and finding by being conversant in affairs the reasons by which his Predecessors guided their counsels with how much greater earnestness he strove formerly to raise the House of Bourbon with so much the more anxiety of mind he laboured now to abase their excessive greatness Nor did fortune fail to present an occasion wonderfully proper for the execution of his design For there being a Process at that time between Louyse the Kings Mother and Charles of Bourbon for the same Dutâ—hy which he then held the King thought with himself that if he caused Judgment to be given in favour of his Mother and deprived the House of Bourbon of their fundamental revenues the Duke would easily fall from that power and dignity which was chiefly upheld by so splendid a fortune But Charles having by the preceeding of his business discovered the deceitful practices of the Chancellor Antonio del Prato by the Kings instigation against him disdain of the injury and fear of ruine which was inevitably prepared so much prevailed over him that joyning secretly with the Emperour Charles the Fifth and Henry the Eighth of England he began to conspire against the Kingdom and the very person of the King Which being discovered he was constrained to flee and afterwards bare Arms against him and continuing that course it so fell out that he was last of all General to Caesar in the Battel at Pavia where after a bloody slaughter in the the French Army the King invironed by divers Squadrons of Foot was at length taken prisoner For these facts Charles being declared Rebel and all his estate confiscate and having within a short time after at the taking of Rome lost his life also the House of Bourbon fell from that envied greatness which had caused such jealousie in the King This was not sufficient to stop the persecution now begun for although Charles were unhappily dead without children and though the others of the family did in no way partake of his counsels notwithstanding the King more swayed with revenge of the injuries past than the force of reason all the Lords of that House more through hate of their name than any delinquency in their persons were utterly deprived of all favour at Court and wholly removed from the management of affairs And although this rigour was in time somewhat lessened and the Kings mind so far mitigated as to forget things past and to lay by the ill opinion he had conceived of them notwithstanding he continued studiously to endeavour to cut off all means whereby those Princes might return to their former honour and that power to which they were formerly with so much favour advanced This secret intention of the Kings was very well observed by Charles Duke of Vendosme the chief of that House Wherefore forcing himself with moderation of mind to overcome the suspition and jealousies that so oppressed his family he refused during the Kings imprisonment to pretend to the Regency which of right belonged to him and after the King was delivered having retired himself to the quiet of his own domestick affairs sought not to be recalled to any part in that Government in which he knew himself so much suspected The rest of the same House following his example to shew how much they were strangers to the wicked counsels of Bourbon by being such ready Executors though to their own diminution and prejudice of the Kings inclinations voluntarily withdrew themselves from all business that might breed any suspition of them and standing retired little troubled themselves with the charges and commands at Court among which despising the little ones they already perceived it was impossible for them to attain to those dignities which they knew belonged to the greatness of their birth The House of Bourbon thus suppressed and removed from the affairs there sprang up under Francis the First two great families which within a short time got the whole business of the State into their own hands Momorancy and Guise neither of them any way allied to the House Royal but both the one and the other of very eminent Nobility That of Momorancy keeps a venerable record of the eminency of their Ancestors for they do not only shew a right descent from one of those Barons that accompanied the first King Pharamond in the Salique Expedition but prove also they were the first among the French Nation that received Baptism and the Christian Faith
divulged abroad that they hâ—d made good their Opinions convinced the Catholick Doctors confounded the Cardinal of Lorain and gotten licence from the King to preach Whereupon they began of their own authority to assemble themselves in such places as they thought most convenient for their purpose and to celebrate their preachings publickly and were frequented with such a confluence of the Nobility and common people that it was not possible any longer to suppress or hinder them And if the Magistrates molested them in their Congregations or the Catholicks attempted to drive them out of their Temples they were grown to that insolence that without respect of any authority they took arms to right themselves Whereupon cruel contentions arising with the name of Heretick and Papist the whole Kingdom was turned up-side down the Magistrates opposed in their Jurisdictions the People disquieted the Collectors for the Kings Revenue not suffered and in the midst of a full peace were seen the effects of a tacite but destructive War Those that sate at the Helm moved with this necessity and finding that the severity of the Edict of Iuly had rather increased than diminished the disorders they called another Assembly of all the Eight Parliaments of the Kingdom to consider the state of every particular Province and by common consent to make such Ordinances as should be thought most expedient for the setling of this business Which continually varying with the interest of State and passions of great men it is no marvel though after so many and such divers orders taken it became more confused and disordered For through inconstancy and often change it could not receive that form which proceeds only from constancy and an exact obedience to the supreme power This Assembly met in Paris in the beginning of the year 1562 where the Queen consenting as altogether intent to balance the Factions and not to suffer the one to advance or to oppress the other lest she should remain a prey to that which got the superiority and most of the Council approving it partly perswaded that so great a multitude moved with the zeal of Religion could not easily be restrained partly moved with pity to see so much blood spilt unprofitably that famous and so much celebrated Edict of Ianuary was made by which was granted to the Hugonots a free exercise of their Religion and to assemble at Sermons but unarmed without the Cities in open places and the Officers of the place being present and assistant The Parliaments though at first they refused to accept this Edict and the Magistrates greatly opposed it notwithstanding by reiterated Orders from the King and his Council it was at length registred and published by way of provision with this express clause and condition Until such time as the general Council or the King himself should order it otherwise This Edict dismayed the Heads of the Catholick party and not willing that the World should believe they consented to what was done the Duke of Guise the Constable and the Cardinals amongst which the Cardinal of Tournon was lately dead with the Mareshals of Brissac and S. Andre left the Court already contriving how they might hinder the execution of the Edict and oppose the Hugonot Faction But because they saw that whilst the King of Navarre stood united with the Regent they had no manner of right to intermeddle with the Government of the Kingdom and therefore whatsoever they should do would prove of no effect they proposed to themselves to dissolve that union And knowing that the Queens thoughts and intentions were disposed to continue with the same power till her Son came of age they thought it more easie to gain the King of Navarre It hindred not but rather advanced the design that they were absent from the Court. For the business being of such difficulty and length it might be managed with the greater secresie and there came in under hand to treat it Hippolito d' Est Cardinal of Ferrara the Popes Legate and Don Iuan Manriquez Ambassador from the Catholick King who being favoured by the Counsellors of that Faction found an easie way to promote their intentions The King of Navarre was already very much averse to the Hugonots Religion by reason of the different opinions he found amongst those of that sect about the points in controversie Wherefore after the conference held at Poissy having there not found the same constancy in Theodore Beza and Peter Martyr Vermeil which they used to shew in their Sermons when no body opposed them he sent for Doctor Baldwin a man skilled in holy Scripture and versed in the disputes of Religion by whom he was wholly taken off from the Helvetian and Augustan Confession and perswaded to re-unite himself to the Religion taught in the universal Catholick Church And although he consented to the Edict of Ianuary he did it rather through an old opinion That mens Consciences were not to be forced and through the perswasions of those who affirmed that it was a means to quiet the troubles and tumults in the Kingdom than for any particular liking of it having already an intent to reconcile himself with the Church Which inclination of his being known to many by means of his near Counsellors of late disposed to serve secretly the Catholick party it gave courage to the Legate and the Spanish Ambassador to enter into their proposed Treaty But to accompany the Spiritual Considerations with profit and Temporal Interests they jointly proposed that repudiating Queen Iane his wife with a Dispensation from the Pope by reason she was manifestly tainted with Heresie the Guises should obtain for him the Queen of Scotland their Neece widow to Francis the second who besides her youth and excellent beauty brought with her a Kingdom But seeing that through love to her children he consented not to the Divorce they went about to introduce that Treaty so often proved vain to give him with certain Conditions the Isle of Sardinia for Navarre knowing that it was the trial which as it touched nearest would work most inwardly with him And although the hopes thereof were almost quite lost yet the Treaty being never absolutely broke off the Ambassador Manrique with the wonted arts began so effectually to revive the thoughts and belief of it that he was soon raised to new hopes For besides the ordinary assurances of the Catholick Kings affection they were gone so far that they already treated the manner of the change and the quality of the Tribute that in acknowledgment of superiority he should pay to the Crown of Spain seriously disputing upon the Capitulations and Articles of Agreement as if the Treaty were meant really to be effected That which furthered the Catholicks design was his natural inclination by which he was disposed to plain honest counsels It availed them that he began to discover the passions and interests which were covered under the vail of Christian charity and the cloke of Religion
and up and down in the woods to confirm the mistake of the Enemy in the dead of the night retired with exceeding silence to Iasenevil avoiding by the benefit of the dark so evident a danger of being utterly defeated The Prince and the Admiral finding in the morning the errour by which they had lost so great an opportunity not to lose their time likewise in vain resolved to set upon that part of the Army which was quartered as Sanse with an intention the Duke of Anjou not moving to break and scatter it and afterwards advancing to try the fortune of a day in the open fields But the Duke of Anjou had the same morning upon the Enemies approach sent for all his Forces to the head Quarter and quitting the Village brought the whole Camp to Iasenevil which being unknown to the Hugonots they by the favour of a thick mist setting forth early in the morning marched with the whole Army in great silence toward Sanse But coming to a place where two ways part the one whereof goes to Sanse and the other to Iasenevil the Admiral taking the left hand went on as he intended towards the Village and the Prince through mistake turning on the right hand took that way which led directly to the Catholick Camp at Iasenevil neither did he perceive by reason of the mist that he was out of the way till he was so near the Kings quarter that he came afront the Enemy in a plain open place and was so far engaged that he could not make a secure retreat The Duke of Anjou seeing the Enemies approach not knowing their mistake thought they came with a resolution to assault him wherefore he drew up his men into a place of advantage though somewhat too streight for his Horse and expected with a daring courage to join Battel But the Prince of Conde at length finding his errour and not knowing where the Admiral was with the Van going himself to view the ground presently resolved what to do and with all the haste he could made himself master of two little hills on each side the way where he placed his Foot being drawn into two divisions among the stakes of the Vines making himself a defence of the ditches and banks which are usual in that Country to inclose their grounds The Foot being lodged in such a place of advantage and in a manner out of danger the next care was to secure the Horse which being ranged upon the high-way could not refuse to fight whensoever the Catholicks would charge them wherefore that they might not discover a fear still moving softly on the Prince made shew as if he would join Battel in the plain which lay between the two hills and the Kings Camp The Duke of Anjou believing the Prince meant to fight when he saw the Enemies Horse in the plain commanded fire to be given to all the Cannon of which he had a great number placed in each Flank hoping thereby to terrifie them and withal to scatter two great wings of light Horse which being in the Front of the Army before the rest marched towards him But the Prince taking his time whilst the smoak of the Cannon covered the plain retired dextrously with his Horse behind the hills and presently began to draw a Ditch cross the high-way so that being covered on both sides with the hills and having cut off the Enemies passage he placed there four Field-pieces and 600 Gascon Musketiers to defend that Post. The smoak being vanished the Duke of Guise and the Count de Lude with two Squadrons of Horse advanced to charge but found the field void and abandoned by the Hugonots wherefore having marched up as far as the hills without meeting any encounter they returned to their Body with news that the Prince began to intrench in the plain The Duke of Anjou almost confounded with this uncertain proceeding of the Hugonots presently sent the Count of Brissac with the French Musketiers and Monsieur de la Valette with four Troops of Horse to second him towards the hills to try whether by skirmishing they could engage them to fight but the Enemy not stirring from their place and scouring the plain under them with their Musquet-shot the rest of the day was spent in light skirmishes for neither the Prince moved from the hills but on the contrary went on with his trenches nor would the Duke of Anjou set upon the Hugonots in their works with so great disadvantage In this interim the Admiral understanding by the noise of the Cannon what had hapned without attempting any thing at Sanse was returned in great haste to join with the Prince complaining that fortune heaping errour upon errour should with such frowardness delude the prudence and wariness of his counsels The Armies stood to their Arms with great diligence guarding their posts all that night but the next morning both sides being vanquished by the violence of the cold and the exceeding sufferance of two nights watching continually in Arms the Generals resolved to retreat and so as it were by mutual consent the Duke of Anjou marched away to Poictiers and the Hugonots to Mirebeau The Duke thought by retiring into an open plain Country either to invite the Enemy to fight upon equal terms or else by often moving and changing Quarter to approach so near to them that he might gain some seasonable advantage But the Hugonot Commanders not to give the Enemy such an opportunity as he sought after thought of another way and resolved marching from the Catholicks to fall on a sudden upon Saumur a City upon the Loire where there is a very fair Bridge which is one of the principal passes over that River to enter into the other Provinces of France or to receive supplies from them and particularly to enable them to join with those forces that come to their aid out of Germany for the Loire dividing in a manner the whole Kingdom into two parts separates the Country anciently called Aquitania from the two Gallias Celtica and Belgica a great part whereof are yet subject to that Crown They hoped likewise by besieging and streightning a place of so much consequence that the Duke of Anjou rather than suffer it to be taken before his eyes would be brought to fight with some disadvantage for though the one side and the other very much desired battel yet they both studied to contrive it so that they might be in a manner assured of the Victory But this stratagem proved fruitless for the Duke knowing that Saumur being a strong place and reasonably well guarded might easily hold out against the Hugonots resolved to raise them by a diversion without bringing himself into a necessity to fight at their pleasure wherefore letting the Prince march towards Saumur he departed two days after with good store of victuals for his men from Poictiers and went directly to assail Mirebeau which was forced and taken with great loss to the Hugonots for the remainder of the
Auxerre with that strength he had to the Duke of Anjou that being so joined they might be the better able to resist the Enemy But the German Army being advanced to the Loire was in exceeding pain how to pass over for all the bridges upon that River are either within the Towns or else close under the walls and were then held by the Kings forces for the Duke of Anjou being certainly advertised of the Germans coming leaving the Enemies Country had drawn all his Army to the River and having placed strong guards upon the passes expected what resolution they would take by reason whereof the Germans were in great streight there being no means to pass the River but by making their way through the Towns and they had neither pieces of Battery nor other provisions fit for such a purpose insomuch that they began to fear this great Army which was raised with such a noise would at length be destroyed without effecting any thing Nevertheless the baseness or treachery of men rendred that very easie which was of it self exceeding difficult for the Commanders of the German Army resolving to fall upon la Charite a Town upon the River rather with an intent not to spend their time idly than with any reasonable hope of taking it and meaning to batter the Walls which were of the old fashion with those few small pieces that marched with the Army he was scarce encamped before it when the Governour without any apparent cause for at that time as it is usual in Civil Wars men were led by divers unknown interests and inclinations fled secretly out of the Town whereupon the Souldiers running away in disorder the Townsmen were so terrified that they began to enter into a Treaty of yielding themselves during the which being negligent of their guards they without on a sudden fastned their Ladders to the Walls and finding no opposition Briquemauts men first and after them the whole Army entring miserably sacked that Town whilst the Duke of Aujou being certainly advertised of the Germans attempt sent a considerable force to relieve it So the German Army having at the same time gained a convenient pass and retreat on the twentieth of May passed over the River In the mean while the Admiral with the Princes under whose names all things were governed made ready to march towards the Germans with this consideration That if they could join their forces the Army would be by that means much the stronger and if they could not the Duke of Anjou lying between the two Armies would be compassed in and exceedingly streightned on all sides Wherefore Monsieur de la Nouc being left Governour of the Militia at Rochel for all things else were directed by the Queen of Navarre and the Count of Montgomery sent to the aid of Bearne of which Province Messieurs de Monluc and Terride the Kings Lieutenants in Gascony and Guyenne were absolute Masters they marched with 12000 Foot and 2000 Horse towards the Loire daily increasing in strength through the continual concourse of the Nobility that came in to them from the adjacent Provinces but being not yet certainly advertised of the Duke de Deux-ponts passage they were not fully resolved which way to take but advanced very slowly reasonably enough doubting that they might be assailed by the Catholicks before they could join with the Duke of Anjou after the German Camp had passed the Loire fearing to be engaged between the two Armies withdrew his Forces from the River and retired into Limosin conceiving the Woods and Mountains in that Country would still secure his Quarters and that the Germans who were accustomed to lie covered and live in plenty through the barrenness of the soil could not long subsist there On the other side the Duke of Deux-ponts when he had passed the Loire being desirous to join with the Princes hastened his march all that he could but death cross'd his design for either through the incommodities of so long a journey or as some said through the excess of drinking he fell into a continual Feaver which soon becoming malignant killed him in a few days after leaving it doubtful having marched so far through the Enemies Country without any loss and passed so many great deep Rivers whether it were to be attributed to fortune or his own conduct that he had so happily advanced to join with his Confederates into the furthest parts of all Aquitaine The Duke being dead the charge of the Army fell upon Count Volrade of Mansfield who was his Lieutenant-General without any opposition either of the Princes or other great Commanders in the Army who avoided it more through the apprehension of many imminent dangers than either through modesty or want of pretences The third day after the death of the General the German Army joined with the Admiral and the Princes upon the banks of the Vienne where having made a muster and given them a months pay out of the moneys which the Queen of Navarre had with great pains raised upon the Rochellers and out of the contributions of the neighbouring Towns they marched together towards the Duke of Anjoâ— being desirous to fight before any new accident happened to diminish their forces The Duke of Anjou had recruited his Army with the succours that came out of Italy and Flanders for the Pope desirous to have the War continued against the Hugonots and for the reputation of the Apostolick Sea had sent to his Majesties aid 4000 Foot and 800 Horse under the command of Sforza Count di Sancta Fiore a Person of Quality and an experienced Souldier and the great Duke of Tuscany had added 200 Horse and 1000 Foot under Fabiano del Monte. The Duke of Alva likewise sent Count Peter Ernest de Mansfield out of Flanders with a Regiment of 3000 Walloons and 300 Flemish Lances being desirous to destroy the German Army in which were the Prince of Orange and his Brothers who though exiles retained so great a power and credit in all parts of the Low-Countries But notwithstanding these supplies their miseries sickness and want of pay had so diminished the Army that it was rather inferiour than superiour in number to the Hugonots wherefore the Duke of Anjou being unwilling to fight having retired into the Country of Limosin staid at Rochebeille in a secure quarter for the main body of the Army lying upon the top of a steep rocky hill of difficult ascent towards the plain Country a little on each hand were two other craggy hills full of steems and trees in either of which stood a Village In that on the right hand was Philippo Strozzi whom the King had declared Colonel General of the Infantry with two French Regiments and in the other on the left the Count di Sancta Fiore Fabiano del Monte and Pietro Paulo Tosinghi with the Popes and the Tuscan Foot On the top of the hill the Cannon was planted which commanded all the places about and between the
Province of Perigort Henry de la Tour Viscount of Turenne had caused many places to revolt unto the Hugonots in Normandy the Rebels had taken the Mount St. Michaell though within a few days after it was recovered by the care and valour of Matignon and in all those Provinces there happened daily little but frequent encounters which though they altered not the condition of businesses in the main yet did they nourish discord in mens minds and augment the power of the Faction which reasons confirming the King so much the more in his resolutions of procuring a Peace he sent Monsieur de la Hunaude a man of much popular eloquence to treat with la Noue and the Rochellers to try if by any means they might be removed from those high conditions they demanded and still continued the Negotiation of Agreement with the Agents of the Prince of Conde and Monsieur d' Anville He also very politickly gave a beginning to those arts which were already contrived and shewed openly that his mind was averse from the troubles of business and the toils of War and on the other side much addicted to a devout solitary life entertaining himself with softer pleasures and more gentle quiet conversations but in the mean time he ceased not to consult privately and as much as he could to draw forward his design which that it might be kept the more secret he continued his custom of not propounding his most weighty affairs in the open Council of State but to treat of them only in the Cabinet-Council which was begun in his Brothers time and by him reduced to a very small number which were the Queen his Mother Renato di Birago an Italian High Chancellor Alberto Gondi Count of Retz Philip Hurault Viscount of Chiverny Pompone Sieur de Bellieure Sebastian de l' Aubespine Bishop of Limogss Rene Sieur de Villeguier and the two Secretaries Pinart and Villeroy To these not communicating the whole secret but only those things which were presently to be done he resolved as he saw occasion and daily drew persons of wit and valour to the Court but such as taken from moderate fortunes ought to acknowledge their advancement only from his hand And to bring the disposing of the publick monies and the giving of all grants into his own power that so men might be obliged to him alone and the dependance be taken away from the Heads and Princes of the Factions seeming to find fault with the ill-ordering of those two most principal things in his Brothers time he decreed that the Treasurers not giving other account to the Chamber appointed for that purpose nor to the Superintendent of the Finances might make up their accounts and reckonings with nothing but acquittances signed with his hand by which means disposing of moneys according to his own pleasure he caused it secretly to be conveyed where he thought most convenient without making any body acquainted with it but himself In the business of grants and favours he commanded that no one should intercede or beg for another but that every one should present their own Petitions which being once signed with his hand the Secretaries of State were presently to dispatch them without delay reply or contradiction for during the Reigns of the late Kings the Princes and great men of the Kingdom and the Favourites of the Court were wont to present Petitions for private men favouring their requests by their Authority and the Petitions were sent to the Secretaries of State and the High Chancellour who if they found any thing in them contrary to Law or the Institutions of the Kingdom rejected and refused them without further consultation But if they were such things as might be granted without inconveniency they registred them in a Roll orderly head by head which Roll was always read once in so many days before the King and his Council and every request being maturely weighed those that were granted were signed by the Kings hand and those that were denied were crossed out of the Roll and that being copied fair was called the Counter-Roll which was no sooner done but the High Chancellour sealed it and then the Secretaries dispatched them presently But Henry desirous to deprive the great ones of that means of gaining adherents and dependents resolved to alter that course and therefore ordained that private persons should bring their Petitions immediately to himself which he reading at convenient times signed those which he was pleased to grant and would have the Secretaries of State without further debate or exceptions instantly to prepare the Warrants which new custom though it seemed strange to the great persons of the Kingdom and gave occasion of distaste to many yet brought it the grant of all Gifts Pardons and Offices into the Kings absolute disposing taking away by little and little the followers that flocked after the Heads of the Factions and reducing all Petitioners to acknowledge their Obligations particularly to himself On this manner did Henry go politickly advancing his designs but as all things which must be effected with length of time receive divers alterations according to the variety of worldly accidents there hapned a thing which for a season crossed and interrupted the Kings purposes The Duke of Alancon had till then been kept in hand by the hopes of attaining the Kingdom of Poland For though Monsieur de Bellegarde discontented at many things and seeing himself lessened in the Kings favour was retired into the Marquesate of Saluzzo whereof he was Governour and had refused to treat concerning that Election yet Monsieur de Pibrac a man of perfect abilities went thither and for a time hoped to bring it to an happy conclusion But when he once saw that expectation vanished for the Nobility and Commons of Poland being much displeased with the Family of France had elected Stephano Battori an Hungarian of great fame and remarkable valour not being able to live under his Brother and expect the changes of his fortune from his will and pleasure he fell upon a new design of building up his own greatness by himself for finding he was repulsed in his pretending to the Office of Lieutenant General and that to sowe discord between him and his friends it was sometimes given out that the Duke of Lorain sometimes that the King of Navarre should have it he thought that making himself Head of the Hugonots and Catholick Male-contents as were the House of Momorancy and the Mareschal de Bellegarde either he should obtain a very absolute power among them or else constrain the King to grant him that by force which he despaired to obtain by his good will Having given some little hint of these his vast thoughts to Madam de Sauve of whom he was passionately enamoured but not answered with a reciprocal affection and she having in part signified her suspicions unto the Queen-Mother his discontents encreased very much by the bitter words and unkind looks which he received daily
as well as possible they might by the Sieur de Lavardin Lieutenant-General having spread a long Body of Lances in the Plain on whose Wings were two Battalions of Infantry which flanked it on either side and he himself with the Light-Horse led by the Sieur de Montigny and Mercurio Bua was â—t the Head of the whole Army having placed the Artillery at the point of the left Wing But the Confusion of those untrained Soldiers who were come thither without order and had scatteringly broken their Ranks and disordered their Squadrons and the way also to the place appointed being to say the truth narrow and Woody made them lose so much time in embattelling that the King of Navarre finding that the Enemy moved had conveniency to bring up his Artillery which by reason of their hasty passage was left the night before on the other side the River who otherwise must have been fain to fight â—ithout his Canon which would have been an extreme disadvantage to him Now having received that benefit by the slowness of the Enemy he divided his Army consisting of 2500 Horse and 4000 Foot into seven Squadrons whereof four were Cuiâ—assiers one of Light-horse and two of Foot and caused the Culverins and the small Field-pieces to be planted in the front of the Army upon the bank of the River in a place somewhat higher then the Plain the two middle Squdrons which made the bottom of the half-moon he commanded himself the Prince of Conde and the Count de Soissons on the right hand and on the left the Viscount de Turenne the Light Horse were commanded by the Duke de la Tremouille and the Sieur de Vivans who was Marshal of the Field and the two Bodies of Foot on the right hand were commanded by the Baron de Salignaâ— Chastelnew and Pardbiere who upon their flank had a thick Wood and a ditch of seven foot-broad and by Lorges Preaâ— an Charboniere on the left all old expert Colonels of that party who were defended with the Walls and Buildings of the Park but more especially of the Warren The care of the Artillery was committed to the Sieur de Clairmont Marquess of Gelerande and the Baggage either purposely or by chance was left in the Village of Coutrâ—s without any Guard either of Horse or Foot The Armies were very different for the Duke of Ioyeuse's was cloathed all with rich upper Coats set forth with gallant Liveries Plumes and other wanton ornaments but half in disorder and all wavering a manifest sign of want of experience whereas the King of Navarr's had no other shew then that of Iron nor other ornaments then their Arms rusty with the rain yet united and compacted in a firm perfect array shewed their worth most clearly in Soldier-like actions and behaviour The Canon began to play on all sides the Sun being above two houres high but either with different industry or fortune for the King of Navarr's making a lane thorough the Catholick Lances and passing from thence into the Squadrons of Infantry made a very great slaughter of them and put them all into confusion but the Duke's Canoneers levelled their Pieces so low that all the Bullets struck into the ground and killed no body except one Gentleman of the Prince of Conde's which the Sieur de Lavardin perceiving and knowing that to give the Enemies time to charge again and redouble their great shot would cause the total routing of the Army which was so broken and disorder'd by the Artillery that they hardly kept in Battalia having commanded to sound a charge fell in with his Light-Horse so furiously upon those of the Enemy which stood over against him to the number of some two hundred that the Sieur de Montigny killed the Duke de la Tremouille's horse under him and Captain Mercurio â—ua wounded the Sieur de Vivans Marshal of the Field very dangerously and having scattered the light-Horse came up to the Squadron of Cuirassiers led by the Viscount of Turenne whom they charged not in the Front but rushed fiercely upon their flank and making way quite thorough them whatsoever the occasion was for it was afterward diversly spoken of ran on with full speed to the Village of Coutras where the Enemies Baggage was There the Albanians being out of breath with the length of their career and seeing booty before them fell to pillage and were so long before they rallied again that they resolved to retire into some place of security without doing any further service But the King of Navarre having briefly exhorted his men to fight for their common safety and having put Thirty Gentlemen before him with short Lances ran but ten paces to meet the Catholick Cavalry who having begun their Charge too soon were in such disorder with the length of their career that their Lances wrought not their wonted effect and did no good at all wherefore being thrown away the fight remained equal wherein besides the valour of the Soldiers their Squadrons being much harder to break thorough then the long weak Battalion of the Duke de Ioyeuse the Cavalry of the Catholicks was routed and defeated in less then half an hour the Duke himself among an infinite of Lords and Gentlemen being left dead for being overthrown upon the ground and offering 100000 Crowns in ransome he was with three Pistol shots most violently slain Nor had the Infantry better fortune then the Cavalry for being charged on all sides and fierce cries resounding every where that every one should remember the slaughter of St. Eloy where two Regiments of the King of Navarr's were cut in pieces without mercy the Soldiers were not satisfied till they had put most of them to the Sword the Commanders being not able to restrain their fury nor the King of Navarre to prevent it being busied otherwhere in chasing the Reliques of the Cavalry The slaughter of the Conquered and pursuit of the Conquerors lasted three houres after which they were Masters of the field of the Canon Colours and Baggage wherein to the laughter of Soldiers accustomed to the toils of War they found many of those softer accommodations of ease and tenderness used in the Court There were slain three thousand five hundred of the Catholicks besides the Duke of Ioyeuse the Count de S. Sauveur his brother Brâ—say who carried the General 's Cornet the Counts de Suse d' Aubijoux and Gavelo Colonel Tiercelin and many others but the number of prisoners was much greater for except Lavardin Montigny and Mercurio Bua who saved themselves all the rest remained in the power of the Enemy On the King of Navarr's side there were not full Two hundred killed among which not any many of great note and among those that were wounded onely the Sieur de Vivans Captain Favas and the Viscount de Turenne but slightly In this so great Victory the King of Navarre shewed his clemency no less then he had done his prudence
themselves that way Colonel Ioannes was also come to the same place with Six hundred Musketiers mounted behind his Horse-men and had taken the passage to that Gate of the Bourg which leads into the Fields just over against the Castle It was already break of day and the Reiters Trumpets sound the Diana when the Infantry assaulted the enemies barricadoes with infinite fury and though many of them lay still buried in wine and sleep yet the Corps de Garde which were vigilant received the assault most couragiously and the success was doubtful for a time till the Catholick Infantry by setting the Carts and Barrels on fire cleared the way and removed those impediments that stopt it up whereupon the Germans Corps de gard not being able to make resistance of themselves were in a very short space all cut in pieces Colonel St. Paul entered with the first squadron into the street that led on the left hand and Colonel Ponsenat with the second into the street on the right hand where they bravely set upon those few Reiters who not having had time to get to Horse came up to them a foot with their Pistols in their hands but the fight was very unequal for the Musketiers shot them at a distance and the Pikes overturned all that came in their way so that the Reiters having nothing but short Pistols and their Swords could never come up to give one blow to the Enemy and within a very little while all turned their backs thinking to save themselves in the field but finding the way shut up and the Gate possessed being also driven back by Ioannes's Musketiers who had made good the passage they fell into so great terror and confusion that they were presently slain by the Foot without resistance Some few who thought to get over the Walls and flee cross the Field were met withal by the Horse and either miserably killed or taken prisoners onely Baron d' Onaw much more fortunate in escaping then in fighting having by the help of a Woman got over the Wall toward the Moorish side of the Lake saved his life and fled into the quarter of the Swisses which was little more then a League from thence The slaughter of the Germans was exceeding great and terrible being inclosed on every side for Colonel Ioannes was at last come in also at the Field-gate and with lamentable cries they were all put to the sword without distinction This bloody business continued till Baron d' Onaw being got to the Swisses and the French Commanders being come to the same place from the other quarters he exhorted prayed and conjured them to follow him promising them a certain Victory over the Catholicks who in confusion busied in spoil and execution and wearied with watching marching and fighting could not be able to resist a much greater number wherewith they might instantly fall upon them But such a Pannick terror had seized them that it was not possible to perswade them to it and the French Commanders considering that the Catholick Infantry would retire safe into the Castle and that the Cavalry fresh and unwearied possessed the passage toward the field disswaded the Baron from that attempt and having put the rest of the Army in Battalia purposed onely to defend their post The Duke of Guise when his Soldiers were glutted with blood and pillage rich in spoil all gallantly mounted and from Foot-Soldiers turned Horse-men retired with eleven of the Enemies Cornets and all their Baggage to Estampes where having given God thanks he instantly dispatched away the Cornets and presented them to the King giving him account with proud Soldier-like boastings of that notable Victory which without blood he had so easily obtained But the King seeing the event prove quite contrary to his design resolved to prosecute hotly the remainder of the German Army that he might have part in that glory which he saw resulted from Victory and therefore he speedily sent forth the Duke of Espernon that way he himself following with all the Army with a set purpose to meet the Enemy The Duke of Espernon after the example of the Duke of Guise attempted often to beat up the Germans quarters but with small effect for the experience of the Commander the goodness of the Soldiers and the success were all very unequal circumstances which often make the events of like occasions and like counsels to be very different Wherefore the Duke of Espernon by the King's direction began again to treat of an Agreement with the Swisses by means of the Sieur de Cormons a Hugonot Gentleman who had been taken a few dayes before in a skirmish between the Armies The Swisses were brought into an ill condition with perpetual marches without money having never had their pay terrified by the defeat of the Reiters and discontented to fight against the Ensignes of their own Nation and much more because they had not a General who for authority and experience was able to command and govern them whereby they saw that the end of so great Forces would be ruinous and miserable wherefore it was not very difficult by an accommodation with the King to make them submit themselves unto his obedience and their Commanders going to acknowledge him being kindly received not to exasperate that Nation and feasted by the Duke of Espernon obtained a safe conduct to return to their own houses which was also punctually observed though toils sufferings and diseases had let but few escape of so great a number The Reiters and their Commanders and the French Soldiers disheartned by the two late defeats and forsaken by the Swisses resolved to turn back and try to get out of the confines of France by the way of Bourgongne hoping to come safe into Germany and the Territory of Basile and with that determination being united and drawn close together they began to march that way But it was hard for them to get thither for the Duke of Mayenne being returned into Bourgongne had set himself to guard the confines and the Sieur de Mandelot and the Count de Tournon being marched out of Lyons with the Forces of that City were advanced also to hinder them the King with his whole Army was but half a dayes march behind them and streightned them in the rere and the Duke of Guise with his wonted celerity sometimes in the flank sometimes behind and sometimes getting before them ceased not to distress them very much The French Infantry was tired and consumed wherefore the Soldiers disbanding of themselves lay close hid in those Cities and Villages thorough which they passed and horses spoiled and unshod could not follow the hasty march of the Commanders and the loss of their Baggage the want of Money the dearth of Victuals because all the people hid what they had in some secure place the great rains and dirty wayes which are wonderful in Burgongue their watching weariness diseases and their disorders had brought them to the
till that time he had had very little or nothing to do Martin Ruzay Sieur de Beaulieu and Lowis de Rouel were made Secretaries of State both men of unblemished reputation faithful dis-interessed and bred up in his service from their youth but not esteemed to have too great a reach in affairs of Government and matters of State On this manner he thought he had taken away from about him as he said the prying Foxes eyes and that he had assured himself he should receive faithful and sufficient service so that his Ministers should not search deeper into his designes then he of his own voluntary accord was pleased to impart unto them By this novelty the whole Court was transformed not onely in shew but also in the form and manner of Government for the Duke of Guise whoformerly was wont to have but small share in the Councel seâ—med now to moderate all the resolutions of it and together with him the Arch-bishop of Lyons and the Sieur de la Chastre his near Dependents were held in very great esteem and in the Cabinet-Councel where the Queen-Mother was wont to bear all the sway now by reason of the King's suspitions her part was not very much and all the old Confidents being excluded onely the Marescal d' Aumont Colonel Alfonso Corso and the Sieur de Rambouillet had the King's ear and were the onely partakers of his most intimate determinations The Duke of Nevers also who in former times had been suspected and hated by him had now great power with the King who was now become different from himself Nor was he so much moved to it by the fame of his wisdom and experience which was generally known as because he was an emulator and a secret enemy of the Duke of Guise's greatness in so much that though they were Brothers-in-law their Wives being Sisters yet could not the one brook the others advancement and now the Duke of Nevers his inward animosity was so much the more increased by seeing that the Duke of Guise having obtained the power of Lieutenant-General ruled all and commanded every one which being known unto the King and he desiring reciprocally to blow the fire of their hatred had declared the Duke of Nevers General of the Army that was to go into Poictou and Guienne to set them so much the more against one another and to the end that their emulation might grow from thoughts to deeds because on the one side he knew Nevers would never endure to obey Guise and on the other that Guise to tread down Nevers and because he was jealous of him would not fail to go unto the Army Whereupon their secret heart-burnings would break forth into open discord and dissention To avoid which though the Duke of Nevers foreseeing the same tryed by all excuses of his age indisposition and other occasions to decline that charge yet the King would never consent to confer it upon any other thinking also that was no convenient time to trust the Command of an Army in the hands of a person whom he suspected By these Arts the mindes of both parties being more kindled against each other the King was still secretly informed by the Duke of Nevers concerning all particulars that might make to the Duke of Guise's disadvantage whereby it came to pass that he who before was suspected became now his absolute Confident With these practices the Court arrived at Blois the seven and twentieth day of September where the Deputies of the Provinces were already met together in whose election though both parties had taken much pains yet the dependents of the League did much exceed for the Order of the Clergy drawn by the interests of Religion did in a manner wholly incline to that side and the Order of Commons exasperated by the heaviness of impositions and whose end it was to cause them to be removed did willingly joyn with the King's Enemies who promised nay professed they would ease the people of the excessive weight of Contributions and among the Nobility were many neerly interessed with the House of Lorain and the League whereby the King perceived plainly at the very first that in this Congregation the Duke of Guise would captivate all mens opinions and obtain all his own desires But being disposed to go another way and desiring to satisfie all humours having received the Deputies indifferently with great signes of apparent good will to all he composed his mind to make shew that he had setled all the hope of his own quiet and of the safety of the Kingdom in those remedies which were to be applyed by the States Wherefore intending to begin a business which he fained to esteem of so great consequence with wonderful great state and preparation upon Sunday the second of October he caused a solemn procession to be made in which he himself being present with all the Princes all the Court and all the Deputies of every order in their places the Sacrament was carried with exceeding pomp through the Streets which for that purpose were all hung with Tapistry high Mass was sung with show of profound and sincere devotion in every one and the Sunday after being the ninth day of the Moneth the King himself and the Duke of Guise with all the Deputies received the Communion publickly in the Church of St. Francis confirming by that holy pious action the correspondence and reciprocal intelligence which they shewed to perfect the happiness of the Kingdom for which end they professed that the States-General were come together The Assembly began upon the third Sunday being the sixteenth day of the moneth when presently after dinner all those being met in the Great Hall of the Castle who ought to be present at so solemn a Convention the King sate down in a Throne raised by many steps from the earth and covered with a very rich Cloth of State the Queens Princes Cardinals Peers and Officers of the Crown sate upon seats fitted for that purpose in two long rowes on the right hand and on the left and between them in the inner part of the Theater sate the Deputies according to the antient preeminence of their degrees and the Duke of Guise as Grand Maistre with his Staff of Office in his hand sate down upon a stool at the foot of the State on the right hand and on the left sate the Sieur de Monthelon who represented the person of the High-Chancellor of the Kingdom When every one was setled in his place and order the King accompanied with a Royal Majesty and singular eloquence gave beginning to the assembly of the States with a long elegant Oration wherein attesting his most earnest desires of the good and welfare of his People and shewing the dangerous troublesome condition wherein intestine discords and private interests had involved the Crown he exhorted every one of them effectually to lay aside their passions to forget their enmities to avoid the animosity of Factions and providing by
to retire in safety to the Plain Tremblecourt and Chastaigneraye who divided into two fleeing Squadrons followed the steps of the Germans having seen this beginning rushed suddenly out of the Wood and losing no time advanced as fast as ever they could to the same Trench where closing with the Flank of the German Battalion they ran together being filled with courage and fury by their happy success to give a violent assault to the second Work On the other side the Mareschal de Byron was run thither to encourage Colonel Galati to defend the Fortifications undauntedly But the assault was so hot and unexpected by reason of the sudden taking of the Maladery that the Swisses of the Guard giving back and the Mareschal de Byron being thrown from his horse that Work also was with incredible celerity gained by the Enemy The Duke of Mayenne having heard of this fortunate beginning and following the conjuncture of so fair an opportunity gave order to the Duke of Nemours and the Count de Sagone to advance with the Light-horse on the right hand of the Trenches already taken and to the Duke of Aumale to fall on with One thousand and two hundred Horse on the left side and he himself according as the quality of the situation would permit followed with the remainder of the Army divided into several Squadrons The King full of grief and anger for the unthoughâ— of loss of the Trenches and seeing it was necessary to fight with his utmost force encouraged the Duke of Montpensier with effectual words to charge the Duke of Aumale and the Grand Prior on the other side to encounter the Duke of Nemours and the Light-horse of the League The Grand Prior but young yet desirous to get honour and with his own hand to take some revenge for the Kings death coming up to the head of his troop and presently putting down the Bever of his Helmet ran full gallop to meet the Enemy and having seen the Count de Sagone at the head of his Squadron he called him by his name and challenged him to fight hand to hand which being no less gallantly accepted they charged one another so resolutely that the Grand Prior receiving a Pistol shot in the forehead of his Helmet reeled often and was like to have faln but the Count de Sagone wounded with a brace of Bullets in the side and left thigh fell from his horse dead upon the earth With no less fury than their Commanders did the Kings Light-horse rush upon the Enemy But their number was so much greater being followed by two Squadrons of Reiters whom the Duke of Mayenne had sent to second them that they were forced to retreat so that still giving ground yet still obstinately resisting they were furiously driven back to the foot of the Hill whither the Cannon from Arques reached both to defend their own men and repel the violence of the Enemy In which Conflict hot and bloody on both sides the Sieur de Baqueville died fighting who was the Grand Prior's Lieutenant-General On the other side the Duke of Montpensier having met with those who fleeing from the Trenches ran disorderly toward the Plain being half routed by them had much ado to disengage himself and keep his ranks and being come up to close with the Squadron led by the Duke of Aumale discouraged by their number that came up picquering and discharging their Pistols he retired still toward the descent being fiercely pursued at the heels by the Cavalry of the League The King who was between both the Bodies and who to give fitting orders had unadvisedly advanced to the steep of the right hand Hill was so engaged in the midst of many Squadrons of the Enemy that being abandoned almost by all and his courage not suffering him to flee he thought himself absolutely lost and with cries intreaties and threatnings rode stopping and reproving sometimes one sometimes another and bewailing himself with a loud voice That in all France there could not be found fifty Gentlemen who had courage enough to die in company with their King Nor did any man doubt but if the Duke of Mayenne had come up time enough with the rest of the Army the King and his whole Forces had at that time been utterly supprest But whilst he leading on the Cavalry by an uneven troublesom way feared they would be put in disorder and therefore marched very softly and turned back often to make them keep rank and file he gave the King convenient time to recover For in the interim the Sieur de Chastillon with two Regiments of French Infantry having quitted the Hill on the left side where he had stood from the beginning and seeing the danger in which his party was marched up with all speed to the place of battel and crying out to the King Courage Sire we are here and will die with you He charged the Regiments of Tremblecourt and Chastaigneraye with so much fury that having taken the Count de Belin prisoner and the chief Commander of the Lorainers with the death of above three hundred of their men he beat them out of the Trench At which time the tyde of the business turning in a moment the Mareschal de Byron being happily escaped out of the Enemies hand had with Colonel Galati made the Swisses stand who before were running away and facing about with as much gallantry as before they were fleeing with haste they marched up and joined with Monsieur de Chastillon who having already taken the first Trench was rallying his men to assault the Maladery The King himself being valiantly come up thither caused the Baron de Byron with an hundred Gentlemen who were gathered together about him from several parts to alight from their horses and having placed them in the first file of the Infantry set them on without losing further time to give a fierce assault to the great Trench The service was hot and bloody for the space of a quarter of an hour but Collalto's Landskenets already tired with their march and with fighting being charged on all sides gave back at last and being beaten and driven out with a great slaughter quitted the Maladery being repelled with as much fury by the Swisse Pikemen and French Muskettiers as they had by cunning been easily drawn into it at the beginning In the mean time the King whose admirable celerity did in such a time of need supply all wants in all places with threescore Horse which he had rallied with much ado ran up to the Duke of Montpensier and turned vigorously to charge the Squadron of the Duke of Aâ—male who being Master of the field did already over run all the descent so that after an obstinate fight which lasted about three quarters of an hour he broke quite thorow it and followed it fighting to the craggy part of the Hill The Grand Prior on the other side who before had been forced to retire being succoured in
frankness of courage and resolution it being necessary to hazard the lesser to obtain the greater and because all other hopes were weak necessity perswaded to set the sum of affairs upon the edge of the Sword nor could it seem other than faint-heartedness and cowardize not to second that prosperous beginning which fortune had favorably shewed him To all these reasons was added the opinion of the Mareschal de Byron whose counsels by reason of his wisdom and experience were by the King observed as Oracles who thought it not only difficult but in a manner altogether impossible to avoid the putting of it to a Battel and to retire without receiving some notable loss in passing the Rivers if the Duke of Mayenne should follow them in the Reer And he judged it better advice to fight resolutely with the vigour and forwardness of the Army than to be destroyed piece-meal without the least hope of any good Wherefore the King being determined to fight designed the form of the Battel and having asked the counsel of the oldest Souldiers about it all of them approved his opinion without contradiction The King knew the Enemies Army abounded with a great number of Lanciers who being spread at large along the field there was no doubt but they would break in and by consequence endanger the putting of his Cavalry in disorder composed all of Gentlemen-Voluntiers who serving upon their own expence without pay or obligation had in the revolution of the Civil Wars given over the use of Lances for their conveniency and as more ready had taken Pistols in their steads in imitation of the Reiters Wherefore desiring by industry to remedy this disadvantage which he and the most experienced Commanders were wont to deplore he divided his Cavalry into many Squadrons to render the encounter of the Lances less effectual in whose passage two or three lesser Bodies might charge them on all sides and not receive the shock of their front with a firm encounter and continued order To every Body of Horse he joined Squadrons of Foot to the end that the hail of small shot might not only favour his own men in the encounter but that falling among the Enemies and doing execution upon them it might make them weaker and their violence the less united a remedy which for the need thereof in the difference of Arms having often been consulted and approved of did that day give proof how considerable it was in effect The King having invented the Form wherein the Army was to be drawn up and imbattelled gave the design thereof into the hand of the Baron de Byron Camp-Master-General and chose Monsieur de Vicy an old Colonel of the French Infantry and a man of great valour and experience Serjeant-Major-General an Office for the high importance of it not wont to be conferred but upon such persons as by their approved knowledge and long practice in remarkable occasions had gotten the credit and reputation of Command and consequently both knew and were known of all The remainder of the night was spent in rest till the Drums and Trumpets at the first peep of light gave notice of the approaching day in the beginning whereof Mass was celebrated in all the quarters of the Catholicks and the Hugonots made their Prayers apart after which the whole Army being come forth into the field the Carriages of provision passed without tumult or confusion thorow all the files the Mareschal de Byron having care thereof whose orderly Government to the admiration of all shewed his great experience in the discipline of War The Army being refreshed and fed they began with less haste than they had done the evening before to march toward the field of Yvry appointed by the King for the place of Battel as well because it was large and spacious on all sides as by reason of many places of advantage which he preventing the Enemy had designed to make himself Master of This field takes the compass of many miles in a circular form it is bounded on the left side on which the Kings Army came by two great commodious Villages one called Fourcanville the other St. André and on the other side where the Army of the League marched a thick Wood shuts up the Plain commonly called by the Country-people Le clos de la prairie on the West-side towards which both Armies marched it ends in a deep Valley in which runs the River Eure of a reasonable breadth upon whose banks are two great Bourgs Anet towards the South and Yvry situated on the other side towards the North. The River under Anet is wont to be easily forded without danger but a large Bridge of planks upon great pieces of timber leads from the further side into Yvry The field flat and open on all sides not encumbred with hedges nor uneven with banks and ditches hath only a little natural hollowness which extends it self a little way almost in the midst of the plain right over against the above-named Village of Fourcanville The Sieur de Vicy and the Baron de Byron together with the Sieur de Surene and Captain Favas who that day executed the Office of Adjutants being all rode before into this place drew up the Army as it came and disposed it in such manner that the Village of St. André flanked it on the right side and Fourcanville on the left wherein the ill weather continuing they might quarter upon all occasions conveniently under cover and the hollow of the Plain happened to be in the Front of the Army where the Forlorn-hope which they call Les Eâ—fans perdus was to be placed The Duke of Montpensier led the Van the King commanded the Battel and the Mareschal de Byron the Reer The Cavalry of the Army was drawn into five Bodies whereof the first led by the Mareschal d' Aumont with two Regiments of Firelocks by it stood upon the left hand in the uttermost part of the field Next it was the second commanded by the Duke of Montpensier flanked on the right hand by a Squadron of Swisse Infantry and on the left by another of the Germans The third bigger than all the rest in which was the Kings Person the Prince of Conty the Count of St. Paul and the choicest number of Lords and Gentlemen was flanked by the Swisses of the Guard on the right hand and by those of Colonel Balthazar on the left The fourth led by Mareschal de Byron followed on the right hand of this and â—â—d neer it two Regiments of French Firelocks The fifth and last of German Horse â—ed by Count Theodorick of Schombergh reached down to the houses of the Village of St. Andre Two other Squadrons of Horse besides these were in the front of the Battel some fifty paces before all the rest one commanded by the Grand Prior and the Baron de Giury wherein were four hundred Light-horse and the other by the Baron de Byron in which were three hundred Cuirasses And
Spanish Army until such time as those places so necessary for the bâ—inging in of provisions were recovered The Vice-Legat dispatched the Pronotary Caraâ—â—iâ—â— to the Duke to present unto him the earnest desires and the necessity of the City of Paris and the Duke of Mayenne who was in the Army laboured with all possible efficacy to perswade him to stay But the Duke of Parma excusing himself That his Army was much diminished by sickness That the season was so contrary nothing could be done and that the Low-Countries sollicited his presence continued on his march having some hope to obtain Chasteau-Thierry by a Treaty which he held with Viscount Pinart Governor of that Town But the King who was departed from Compeigne accompanied by the Baron de Byron and the Duke of Longueville with a select number of men followed the track of the Spanish Army to hinder it from getting those places that held of his party and to watch some opportunity of doing it some mischief and having had some suspition of the Treaty he caused the Sieur de la Noue with three hundred Horses and six hundred Foot to enter into Chasteau-Thierry by which means the Duke of Parma deprived of that hope bending on the left hand took the straight way to return into Flanders The King followed and marching speedily was sometimes before him sometimes quartered besides him sometimes pressed him in the Rere and by giving frequent Alarms and bold skirmishes did both day and night molest and surround the Army The Duke of Parma proceeded with no less order and circumspection and keeping all parts of his Army under the same discipline was quick and ready to turn which way soever the enemy should press or shew himself But having marched on this manner from the thirteenth to the five and twentieth of November the King desirous to see the effect of so much diligence and of so many labours having drawn the Cavalry into five Bodies advanced upon the same way by which the Army of the League was to pass making shew that he would charge them as they marched The Carabines who were ready for all assaults received the skirmish very fiercely and coming forth of the Barricadoes of their Carriages wheeling giving fire and falling in again did no small harm to the King's Cavalry wherefore the Baron de Biron thinking to rout them and ease himself of that trouble charged up more boldly then considerately with Fourscore Cuirassiers hoping to chase them back and disorder them but the Carabines giving way according to their custom to retire behind the Squadrons of the Army the Baron advanced so far in pursuit of them and was so deeply engaged between two Squadrons of Lances of the Vanguard that his Horse being killed under him he was in manifest danger to be taken prisoner which being perceived by Count de Tillieres who was on the right hand with a body of Cuirassiers and by the Sieur d' Humieres who was on the left hand with Ninety Horse they advanced no less couragiously than he to disingage him but being charged by the whole Cavalry of the Vanguard and the other Battalions coming one after another who knowing by the ratling of the shot that the skirmish was begun had hastened their march they were fain leaving the field to retire fleeing full speed with evident hazard of being all cut off if the King himself and the Duke of Longueville with the other two Squadrons had not advanced to make the retreat wherein having disengaged Biron and with much ado set him again on horseback who at the foot of a Bank with two companions had defended himself a great while against the Enemy they were followed by them as far as a Village called Longueval where night coming on put an end to the fight and gave the King convenient opportunity to retire He quartered with all his Forces at Pont-Arsy where they stood all night in Arms nor did the enemy rest more quietly for the Kings celerity and courage kept all their Quarters in great jealousie and so much the rather because the rout of the two squadrons had been with more terror and danger than loss there being not above five men slain and only twenty wounded The next day the D. of Nevers joyned with the King with the Forces of Champagne and likewise the Sieurs de Giury and Parabiere who having taken Corbeil and put a Garrison into it were come with all diligence to find him again by which means being increased in strength he began with more boldness than before to molest the Duke's Army who intent upon his journey not stirring for any cause whatsoever out of his ranks nor out of the shelter of his Carriages marched on commodiously before But upon the nine and twentieth day the Army coming towards Guise and the King being resolved to attempt something with all his Cavalry fell upon their Rere-guard which having made a halt and put their Army in a readiness to fight the Carabines failed not with their wonted courage to begin the Skirmish but the King's Cavalry which being for that purpose divided into little squadrons and had order to charge home and not give them time to do hurt with their shot inclosed them in such manner that they all had been cut off in the place if Georgio Basti with one thousand and two hundred Lances had not disingaged them The squadron of Basti rush'd upon the small Troops of the French Cavalry so ordered to repress the Carabines but not being able to receive the shock of so many Lances the Baron of Biron was fain to â—etire half in disorder But being sustain'd by the King himself who with the rest of his Horse and a Thousand Foot of Parabiere's old Regiment mounted behind them advanced to re-enforce the Battel Basti not having order to fight retired under the shelter of his Squadrons in very good order yet could he not do it with so great circumspection but that the French remained masters of some carriages which by chance were separated from the rest But the King being come near the Rere-guard where Pietro Gaetano was making himself ready to oppose him with the Foot drawn up in order encompassed with his Carriages and the Duke of Parma who had faced about and changed the order of his march coming up with the second Battalion he resolved to retire without attempting any further by reason the Enemy was in so Soldier like order and that their Forces were so exceedingly unequal This was the last day that the King molested the Spanish Army in its march The Duke of Parma being arrived at the Frontiers took leave of the Duke of Mayenne striving with apt expressions to confirm his courage and to perswade him that within a little while he should receive powerful assistance of men and money and that he might not leave him so weak that he should be forced to make an agreement with the Enemy he commanded the Italian Tertia of
the beginning or that the Counsel given and imprinted by the Ministers that resided in France had caused that resolution they in Spain desired the War should be drawn out in length with a slow progress that the Duke of Mayenne should not rise so high in credit and authority with his party as to be able to dispose of things by himself and that by degrees the way might be facilitated either to the union of the Crowns or to the election of the Infanta Isabella which could not without long time and much patience be obtained and at least if nothing else could be done they would make themselves sure that so many expences and troubles should redound to the profit and augmentation of their Monarchy Wherefore when Ieannin was come thither he in his first audience found that King Philip was fully informed in all things and very far from that inclination which the Duke of Mayenne at so great a distance had fancied to himself yet did he with all possible arts labour in his following audiences to take away those impressions which he thought contrary to the Dukes interests and to perswade the King to concurr with him in his own ends but all was in vain nor could he see that he advanced or profited any thing for treating about Money he not only found the King indisposed to allow a greater sum than he was wont but even those very Moneys which were before given to the D. of Mayenne he had now determined should pass through the hands of his Ministers though with the Dukes participation alledging that he had seen but very small fruits of so many expences that he would not have his supplies to be secret but that every one should see and know from whence they came and should be obliged for them to the principal Author Then concerning the Armies he said his will was they should advance into France to help against the danger of Religion and to establish a Catholick King that might be generally liked of but that the Duke of Parma could not so soon leave Flanders the States of Holland having taken Zutphen in Friesland and other places in Brabant and that it was needful not to proceed longer by chance without knowing what was to be done and that therefore it was necessary to assemble the States to resolve upon the election of a King to the end that they might go on with order and deliberation to a certain determinate end Finally as for the paying of the Duke of Mayennes French Forces raised and commanded by him he said he was ready to do it when the principal resolution was once taken wherefore he concluded that he would send a new Ambassador into France to declare his intention to the States and to cause that to be determined of which was necessary for the perfecting of the enterprise and that in the mean time he would give order to the Duke of Parma to return into France as soon as the affairs of Flanders would permit but that time was not to be lost and that the Assembly of States ought to be appointed and called till the end of which he was not disposed to make any more powerful expedition of men or moneys This was the last conclusion nor could Ieannin by urging the state of Affairs the diffidences of the French the interests of that party the merits of the house of Lorain the pains and authority of the Duke of Mayenne obtain any thing more And with this resolution he was returned to give the Duke an account thereof who more perplexed than ever he had been and having lost the confidence that his arts should overcome those of the Spaniards was also overtaken with new trouble at the liberty of his Nephew Charles Duke of Guise That Prince since the death of his Father had alwayes been kept prisoner nor though his freedom had been much treated of had any attempt ever succeeded and the King had always stiffly denied to change him for any body alledging That he was not a prisoner of War but of Justice Nor though his Mother made great complaints and exclamations had the D. of Mayenne ever cared much to get his liberty foreseeing that his freedom would endanger the division of his party by reason of the dependence that many would have upon him in respect of the memory of his Father and of benefits received from him and that the common people would willingly concurr to exalt him so that if he would not acknowledge his superiority but should attempt to put himself in the place long held by his Father and Grandfather the League was without doubt like to be divided and disunited wherefore he designed not to apply himself in good earnest to procure his freedom till things were reduced to such a condition that it should not be in his power to disturb them if he were at liberty But now whether the King as some believed foreseeing the same had underhand given way to his enlargement or that the Sieur de la Chastre an old servant and dependent of his father's who had the near Government of Berry had prosperously procured it certain it is that having plotted and agreed that a Lackey and a Valet de Chambre with a very swift Horse sent by la Chastre should stay for him in the fields under the Castle of Tours in which he was kept prisoner he upon the fifteenth day of August being risen from Table about noon and having afterward shut himself up in his Chamber to take his rest while the Guards that kept him and his other servants entertained themselves merrily eating and drinking he having locked them all dexterously into the room where they were at dinner went up to the top of a Tower that stood toward the field and with a ladder of silk which had been secretly sent him in a Pie let himself down the wall with exceeding great danger and being come safe to the ground ran along the Riverside of the Loire towards the fields where he found the horse and those that expected him and with infinite speed galloped to find the Baron de la Maison son to the Sieur de la Chastre who stayed for him some few miles off beyond the River Cher with Three hundred Horse wherewith being conveyed into Berry he was received with infinite signs of joy in the City of Bourges Monsieur de Souvray Governour of Tours and Monsieur de Grillon who since the wound received in his left Arm in those Faâ—xbourgs had ever stayed in that Town having heard news thaâ— la Chastre's Horse were roving about those parts and doubting some intelligence 〈◊〉 the City had for some dayes kept the Gates shut and looked more strictly to their Guards than they were wont but being suddenly adveâ—tised by Captain Rouvray Governor of the Castle of the Duke's â—light they entered or feigned to enter into â— much greater suspition and caused the Gates to be opened with so much caution becâ—use they
put it to a day judging the Italian Forces to be yet raw and the Duke of Lorain's not well assured and therefore no way be compared to his Wherefore being departed from Attigny upon the first of October he quartered that night with his Van-guard at Grandpre upon which day Monsieur d' Amblise who commanded part of the Lorain Forces having marched from Montfaulcon joyned with the Army of the League The next day aâ—â—ut noon the King arrived with his Army within sight of Verdun spreading his â—â—uadrons largely imbattelled along the Plain On the other side they of the League who were encamped without the City drew themselves up in Battalia under the Walls the Italians having the right Wing the Duke of Lorain the Battel and the Duke of Mayenne's French the lâ—ft yet the Duke himself commanding and ordering the whole Camp as he pleased At the first arrival there began so great and so hot a skirmish between the two Armies that many of the Commanders themselves thought it would be a Battel for the Sieurs de Praslin de la Curee d' Arges and the Baron d' Giury with the Kings Light-horse in sour Divisions advanced to the very face of the Enemy to skirmish being seconded on the right hand and on the left by the Count de Brienne and the Sieur de Marivaut with Two hundred Cuirassiers and on the other side Cavalier Avolio Ottavio Cesis and Ascanio della Cornia were likewise advanced with the Popes Light-horse and the Sieur d' Amblise seconded them with a Body of Lorain Lances But though the skirmish was very fierce in the beginning the Sieur de Praslins Horse being killed under him and the Sieur de la Curee thrown to the ground with the shock of a Lance the Italians behaving themselves very gallantly every where yet were the Dukes of Lorain and Mayenne resolved not to fight because the Catholick Kings Forces that were come out of Italy following their wonted Counsels had denied to follow them and were marched streight to joyn with the Duke of Parma and the Popes Swisses were not above Three thousand Wherefore not thinking themselves strong enough to deal with the Kings Army in so open a place as is the Plain that lies before Verdun the skirmish by their order cooled by little and little and they drawing back their men under the Walls yet without shew of fear the King took up his Quarters and entrenched himself within sight of the Town and of their Army All sorts of provisions came in plentifully to the Camp of the League and the City furnished them with many conveniences not onely for victual but for lodging under cover whereas the King in the midst of an enemies Country and the weather being very rainy suffered both for want of victual and conveniency nor could his Soldiers accustomed to another kind of Discipline endure the hardship and incommodities of lying in the field in so contrary a season To other things was added a most cruel storm that night with thunders whirlwinds and infinite rain which spoiling all the Soldiers Huts and overflowing all the Plain put the whole Army in wonderful confusion Wherefore next day the King after he had stood firm in Battalia for many hours and none of the enemies appearing in the field faced about with his Army and marched back to quarter again at Grandpre There the Germans were like to have mutinied not being paid the money that had been promised them Wherefore the King who could now do no less than perform his promises to the Queen of England that he might receive the other Two hundred thousand Ducats having made provision at Sedan with the Jewels and credit of the Princess Charlotte of a certain sum of money to quiet his Germans took without delay the way towards Normandy to besiege at last the City of Rouen The Duke of Mayenne contrary to whose expectation the Popes forces had so long delaid their coming and who had also seen the King of Spain's march streight towards Lorain without making any stay presently dispatched the Count de Brâ—ssac to the Duke of Parma to protest unto him that if he entred not into the Kingdom or sent not such Supplies as should be sufficient to oppose the King the affairs of the League and the state of Religion would be very much endangered and that he should not be able to hinder many from making their peace as seeing the slowness and ill counsels of the Confederates they daily threatned The Duke made this protestation more at large to Diego d' Ivarra who was there present shewing him the wonderful ill effect which the delays and secret practices of the Spaniards did produce for if all the Catholick Kings expences and forces which he had granted severally to this man and to that in Bretagne Provence Savoy and Languedoc haâ— been put into one Body and all imployed to the root of the business and to the Spring-head of affairs the victory over the King would thence have ensued and also the suppression of their Enemies in all places but whilst the division of the League was endeavoured whilst his counsels were not believed and whilst the Duke of Parma would not advance the King had found opportunity to receive his Foreign Forces and now being grown powerful he over-ran all France at his pleasure to the admiration and grief of all good men But these Protestations and Reasons not availing with Diego d' Ivarra who had received another impression and was otherwise inclined and the cause from whence this hardness proceeded being clearly seen by the relation of President Ieannin the Dukes of Lorain and Mayenne not being able any other way to hinder it agreed together though secretly in this general to keep close and united together and not to suffer that any should be admitted to the Crown not only who was a stranger but who was not of their own Family and that if they were constrained to yield to any other persons a Prince of the Blood of the Catholick Religion should be chosen and never to consent either to the alienation or division of the Kingdom With this firm resolution confirmed also by a Writing which they signed the Duke of Mayenne set himself in order to prosecute the War and being departed from Verdun with the Popes Army and his own and with the Supplies he had obtained from the Duke of Lorain who gave way that the Count de Vaudemont the Count de Chaligny and the Sieur de Bassompierre should follow him he took the way toward Champagne that he might not go too far from the Confines till he heard the determinations of Flanders When the Duke was arrived at Retel in Champagne the Duke of Guise came up to him accompanied with Six hundred Horse all Gentlemen who upon the same of his being at liberty were come in to him and though at his arrival their greetings and outward actions shewed kindness and confidence in one another
the King was wounded and almost dead disordered themselves without fighting and facing about fled back for company to Aumale only the Baron de Giury who was at the head of them with their Captains advancing with thirty in his company to assist in the King 's so manifest danger covered him with his own Cloke which he threw about his shoulders and upheld him for a while till he saved himself from the fury of his enemies At the same time the Sieur de Lavardin advanced with threescore of his Harquebusiers on horseback for the rest had also taken flight and placing himself behind the bank of a ditch that was by the way-side endeavoured to stop the pursuit of the Enemy but he being wounded at the first volley Giury's horse killed under him which in falling hurt his left leg and knee very dangerously Aubigny unhorst Chaseron wounded Rambures bruised and bloody not one of them would have been saved if the Duke of Nevers with a great Squadron of Cavalry wherein were the Counts of Torigny and Montgomery the Sieur de Montigny and the Grand Esquier had not advanced to disengage them The Duke after he had heard of the beginning of the skirmish and that the King was put to the worst had wonderful discreetly disposed that part of the Harquebusiers on Horseback which had remained with him along the bank of the River to make good the Ford and favour the passage of those that fled and himself with the main body of the Cavalry all armed and in excellent good order had past the River to relieve and sustain his men which he saw afar off were overpowered and oppressed by the violence of the Enemy and his coming was very seasonable for if he had stayed longer both the King himself and all the rest that were in the Plain would certainly have been either killed or taken Thâ— Duke went on till he came to a place where by reason that the River was overflowed he was fain to pass along a narrow bank and there not only seeing the Spanish Carabines incouraged by the beginning of the victory furious in a close pursuit but also the Sieur de Vitry the Baron de la Chastre and the Count de Chaligny who leaving the body of the Army behind them were run to reinforce the fight he took a resolution to retire without passing any farther lest he should lose the Gentry that were with him if with so great a disadvantage and to no purpose he should have exposed them to the Enemies whole Army which was like to charge them every minute wherefore having fetch'd them off who their horses being lost retired with much difficulty having recovered Giury and Lavardin both very sore hurt and having gathered up many Gentlemen that were scattered about the field he returned wheeling off and facing often about till he came River of Aumale where being sustained by the Harquebusiers that lay along the bank he passed it again without any disorder and drawing up quickly followed the King's steps who with very great speed had taken towards a Wood to retire the more securely It is most certain that if the Army of the League had advanced quickly with the same fury as did the Carabines on the right hand and on the left for in all that Country they might have marched freely as far as the bank the King surrounded and encompassed on all sides before the Duke of Nevers had arrived would with all his men have remained in their power since that notwithstanding they did not he had both much ado and exceeding great fortune to save himself but at the same time the news being confusedly brought that the Enemy was present that the King himself was there in person that they were fighting and that they fled the Duke of Parma not suffering himself to be carried away with common reports and not thinking it possible that the King without some secret stratagem would have adventured himself inconsiderately among the Avant Coureurs doubting lest in a Country where he was not well acquainted some Ambuscado might be laid for him therefore causing his Army to make a halt and having stopt the flying Squadron that was already upon its march before he advanced he would make himself sure that he would not be catched in a Trap which prudent wariness nevertheless gave the King conveniency to save himself for though the Duke of Mayenne who in vain had urged that the whole Army might advance set forward with a Body of Horse at a large trot to follow him yet it being already night when they entered into Aumale he was out of hope to do any good and therefore resolved to stay and pass no further The King caused himself to be hastily dressed in a Wood about half a League from Aumale and having found that the wound was not very deep for the bullet being deaded by passing through the Saddle stuck but in the flesh prosecuted his journey with very great speed and stopt not till he came within the Walls of Neuf-Chastel where the Duke of Nevers having done the part of a prudent and valiant Soldier arrived also though many hours after with all his men perfectly safe It was feared left the next day the Duke of Parma should follow on his voyage speedily and hasting directly to Rouen where the report of the King 's being routed and wounded might have bred a fright and a confusion in the Army with very great danger of being defeated and scattered nor did there appear any other remedy to retard his march save to defend Neuf-Chastel which place standing upon the Road they did not believe he would leave at his back especially if it were strongly Garrisoned lest it should obstruct the way and hinder the bringing in of Provisions which were all of necessity to pass through those parts But the Town being weak and the exigency requiring a speedy resolution the Baron de Giury though his foot was very sorely hurt proffered himself to stay and to defend it so long that the Enemy might not come unexpectedly to Rouen but that the King's Army the present terror being overpast might have time to settle it self again and that the King himself being grown better of his wound which they hoped he would be within a few dayes were able again to set on Horse-back and with his presence put courage into the actions of hâ—s Soldiers which was the only means to sustain himself So Three hundred Cuirassiers and Four hundred Harquebusiers on horse-back being left at Neuf-Chastel with Giury the King with the Baron de Biron went to Diepe that they might be the better cured and the Duke of Nevers with the remainder of his men returned to Rouen to reinforce the Army The Duke of Parma quartered the next day at Aumale and the French Lords murmuring that if he had advanced that day the War might easily have been made an end of he answered That if he were to do it again
of their Quarters the Baron de Biron in the Plain attacqued the first Divisions of them led by the Sieurs de Vitry and de la Chastre where the Skirmish with infinite courage on both sides began to grow exceeding hot but the Army still marching in Battaliâ— that way the Baron resolved to retire among the Hils which being very wooddy on all sides gave the King conveniency to molest the Enemy with his flying Army and also to make his retreat in time of need By reason of these so frequent and dangerous encounters which ceased neither day nor night the Duke of Parma mâ—rching with his Army alwayes in order advanced but slowly not stirring if the day were not very clear and if the Country were not well discovered and taking up his Quâ—rters betimes in the evening that he might have leasure to fortifie and entrenâ—h his Camp But he was now come near to Rouen and it was necessary to resolve upon some way either to raise the siege oâ— relieve the place Georgio Baâ—â—i pâ—ofered himself with a certain number of Light-â—orse and two Squadrons of Lances to march away and arriving by nighâ— â—o pass through the midst of one of the Kings quarters and dispersing it to enter into the City The same did Camillo Capizucchi offer to do with his Tertia accompanied with a certain number of Horse but the Duke thought not these propositions proportionable to the present need of the City which was not onely of necessity to be relieved but totally freed and besides that it was dangerous to hazard a Body of good men though small against the preparations of a whole Royal Army And therefore after maâ—ure deliberation he resolved to relieve the City with all his â—orces in this following manner The King with the greater part of the Cavalry was movâ—d into the midst of the way on the right hand toward Diepe and the Country of 〈◊〉 to keep strong parties abroad that he might obstruct the passage and make it difficult to the Army of the League and being drawn from Rouen the space of five oâ— six Leagues had disposed his quarters in places separate from one another yet near among themselves The Baron de Biron lay at Diepe and Arques with the remainder of the Horse to shut up the passage to the Army of the League and by following thâ—m in the â—ere to hinder the bringing in of provisions At Rouen there remained onely the Foot with the Mareschal de Biron Things being thus disposed the Duke of Parma resolved to move in the afternoon from the place where he was quartered and taking the way upon the left hand which leads streight to Pont de l' Arche after he had gone round the wood of Bellancomble to turn upon the right hand and marching all the night to arrive unexpectedly at Rouen by break of day and without delay to assault the Posts of the Mareschal de Biron's Infantry which the besieged sallying out of the City with their wonted valour he doubted not but woâ—ld be totally defeated and dissipated before the King who at the first intelligence of their moving would be uncertain of their extraordinary march could have time or opportunity to assist it with the Cavalry With this intention the weather being very fair for that season of the year he moved suddenly upon the twenty sixth of February taking upon the left hand toward Bellaâ—comble But upon the twenty fifth day the diligence and valour of the Sieur de Villarâ— had already prevented his design for he seeing the King was absent with all his Horse and that the 〈◊〉 of the Camp was divided at many several Posts and not being willinâ— to suffer another to have the glory of raising the siege if he could do it by himself he determined to try if by a bolâ— sally he could put the enemies affairs in disorder and being advertised by an Irishâ—man who was 〈◊〉 a way froâ— the Camp that since the departure of tâ—e King with tâ—e principal Lords the Guards were not so diligently kept because the Mareschal de Biron could not be in all places and the Cardinal of Bourbon and the High-Chancellor with the Lords of the Council who were remaining aâ— Dâ—rnetâ—â— had no experâ—ence in â—ilitary matters he set himself in order to â—â—lly in foâ—r several plaâ—es and assault 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 aâ— once He caused the Townsmen armed in their several Companies to guard the Walls under the command of the Sieur de la Londe and he himself being resolved to go forth in person disposed businesses in this manner following Colonel Boniface was to sally from St. Catherines with his Regiment of Foot and two hundred Gentlemen and Officers at the head of it being backed by the Chevalier d' Oyse with two Troops of Horse that sallied from Martinville and were to assault the Post of Turinge Pericard with his Regiment seconded by Captain Borosey and the Sieur de Quitry was to assault the Batteries planted against the old Fort. Captain Giacopo Argenti with his Infantry followed by the Sieur de Canonville's Horse to re-inforce them sallying at the Porte Cauchoise was to march toward the Covent of Carthusians to make head against the main Body at Dernetal in case they should move to succour their Trenches The Governour himself with a select number of Souldiers and Gentlemen seconded by Captain Perdriel salling at the Porte de Beauvais was to assault the Battery newly raised by the French Regiments All these things were in order at break of day and the sign being given by a Cannon-shot they sallied with singular gallantry and with so much violence that the passage to the Trenches being taken both before and behind and the Guards surrounded they made a wonderful great slaughter in every place took the Cannon some of which they nailed some they drew into the Moat they spoiled the engines and instruments of War in all places gave vent to the Mines blew up the Ammunition and filled every place with death and terrour so that all the Foot making no further resistance fled without stop toward Dernetal The Alarm had been suddenly given and the Mareschal de Byron with four thousand Swissers and Germans and with those Gentlemen that were remaining in the Camp was coming a great pace to succour his Trenches but Captain Perdriel who sallied after the Governour at the Porte de Beauvais with three Troops of Horse over-ran all the Plain and wheeling and skirmishing briskly endeavoured to keep him in play and the same did the Chevalier d' Oyse with Borosey Quitry and Cannonville till the Souldiers had done what they intended in the Trenches which having fully performed all those four Squadrons likewise advanced to receive the encounter of the Mareschal de Byron and between the Trenches and Dernetal they made a bloody sight in which though the Sieur de Larchant a brave Cavalier and Captain of the Kings Guards was slain and the Mareschal himself sorely hurt with a
Forces to Prince Ranuccio who nevertheless did not dispose of any thing without his Fathers consent The Cannon were planted the next day though but slowly and having battered and beaten down a great space of the Wall Monsieur de la Garde though against the opinion of Bracciaduro began to treat of surrendring and after some debate obtained the conditions he demanded for the Duke of Parma being in no very good estate every one desired that the progress of matters might be facilitated So the next day the Town came into the power of the Confederates who to give their Army rest and to refresh it with plenty of victual which they had gotten there staid there three days after the taking of it In the mean time the Nobility of the neighbouring Provinces which had been summoned from the very first notice of the Enemies return were come unto the King the Sieur d' Humiers with Two hundred Horse from Picardy the Sieur de Sourdis from Chartres with an hundred and fifty the Sieur de Hertre Governour of Alancon with Two hundred the Count de Montgomery and the Sieur de Colombiere with Three hundred Monsieur de Canisi Son-in-law to Matignon with an hundred Odet Son to the late Sieur de la Noue with as many and Colonel St Denis with Six hundred Harquebusiers on horse-back There arrived also Monsieur de Souvray and the Count de Lude with Three hundred Gentlemen who had not been in the Camp before and at last the Duke of Montpensier long expected and the Sieur de la Verune Governour of Caen came with Eight hundred Gentlemen Two hundred Light-Horse and Four hundred Harquebusiers on horse-back The Duke of Montpensier's stay had been occasioned by his desire to obtain Auranches a Town in lower Normandy which was the onely one that in those parts towards the Confines of Bretagne held for the party of the League for having besieged it at the latter end of the year before with hope of taking it within a very few dayes the business afterwards proved otherwise for Monsieur de Vicq an old soldier and an undaunted Cavalier who was come from Pont-Orson having shut himself up into the Town had gallantly made good the Suburbs for many dayes till the Walls and Bastions of the City were made very defensible But the Suburbs at last being taken and the approaches being begun there fell so great and so continuing a Snow as did not onely fill all the Trenches already made but also hindered the work in such manner that the Camp was fain to lie idle many dayes being in the mean time tormented with such excessive cold weather that had it not been for the Suburbs the houses whereof were pulled down and the wood of them burned to warm the Soldiers it had not been possible to have persisted in the enterprise The Snow being ceased the Ice continued so hard frozen and the earth therefore so dry and as it were turned into stone that it could not be digged nor entered with a pick-axe without wonderful difficulty and yet having with great toil raised a Plat-form with two Batteries they planted upon them the Artillery which was brought from Caen and Falaise and particularly one Cannon of an unmeasurable greatness which they called le grande Robin with all which the Walls being battered in two places and also many houses beaten down by the shot that went into the Town it was fiercely assaulted upon the second of February and though stoutly maintained by those within yet the heat of many of the Defendants weakned the hope of holding out in such manner that the Sieur de Vicq was forced to capitulate and surrender the Town into the Duke's power who having set his Forces again in order and gathered the Nobility together was come unto the King by whom he had been often very earnestly sent for Now the King's Army being in a very few dayes so increased that in it there were between seven and eight thousand horse and between sixteen and eighteen thousand Foot for besides the Hollanders of the Fleet he had dreyned all the neighbouring Garrisons and the error of the Confederates being manifestly known who had unadvisedly engaged themselves in a nook where they must suffer and labour very much before they could get out resolved to cut off their retreat and pressing them on all sides to reduce them without any danger to himself unto extreme necessity of Victual for one part of the passage into the Peninsula towards the Sea being shut up by Eu Arques and Diepe which places being strongly Garrisoned did in great part obstruct the way and the Seine being blocked up by the possession of Quilleboeuf and by the Holland Fleet there remained nothing but wholly to shut up the other part of the entrance toward the River Somme which alone led from the Peninsula into the Provinces of Normandy and Picardy The King therefore being departed with exceeding great celerity from the Walls of Pont de l' Arche and marching without stop though with his Army in Battalia came upon the last of April within sight of the Enemies Camp which being gone from Caudebec the same day had taken up quarters at Yvetot a great Town which afforded much conveniency for lodging It was a remarkable thing that the King also by not well heeding the situation of the place through which he marched put himself in manifest danger of being defeated For that Country being all inhabited by Lords who possess many Towns there it is for their pleasure and conveniency all full of large Parks encompassed with great well-built Walls as high as a man on horse-back and some of these there are that take up the space of three or four miles Now the King advancing through this Countrey towards the Camp of the League it was was necessary keeping the ordinary way to pass between two very great Parks one of which was on the right hand and the other on the left the High-way being in the midst wherefore the Cavalry and Infantry being fain to march but few in front the Kings Army was brought into such a condition that the Van-guard was past the Parks the Battel was shut up between the Walls of them and the Rere was yet remaining on the hither side So that if it had been assaulted the Van-guard would have been fought withal and defeated and neither the Rere nor Battel would have been able to assist it The Duke of Montpensier who led the Van perceived it when being come past the Parks he discovered the Enemies Army encamped upon the side of an Hill but not being able to do any thing else he drew his Squadrons still into order as they came and by redoubled Messages hastned the Kings marching up with the Battel The Enemy likewise perceived it and Count Alessandro Sforza a Cavalier of great fore-sight and experience ran himself as he hath often told me since to give the Duke notice of it showing with
Lyons and coming not many dayes after to Paris conferred about it first with the Curate of St. Aâ—dre and then with his father Vadare Rector of the Jesuits who as he affirmed persuaded him to do the deed wherefore he departed resolved to attempt the execution of it and being come to St. Denis lingered after the King to find an opportâ—nity to effect his design But being come with the King to Meluâ— Brancaleon also came thither by whom being known and pointed out he was put in prison by the Archers of the Grand Prevost and being examined and brought face to face with Brancaleon he confessed that he was once minded to have Killed the King and that he had conferred about it with the Dominican Fryer at Lyons but that afterward having heard of his conversion he was resolved not to do it and that he was going towards Orleans in which City he was born being determined to put himself into a Monastery of Capuchins but these things he spoke with so much insolency and contempt as plainly shewed him to be guilty having also a great two-edged knife about him which gave proof of his intention to commit the fact whereupon having been many times examined and tortured he was by the appointed Judges condemned to die which sentence being told him with persausions to a sincere confession of his crime he confessed the whole business and related all the particulars distinctly thence being brought to the place of execution and having ratified all he had said before he suffered the usual punishments as a reward for his audacious rashness In the mean time the term of the Cessation was almost expired and the Duke of Mayenne intent to gain the most time he could possibly had again dispatch'd the Sieur de Villeroy the King to get it prolonged but he not having been able to obtain any thing â—e after him dispatched the Count de Beliâ— who was persuaded he should compass it but the King was utterly averse from that intention knowing certainly that they desired to gain time not to expect the resolutions from Rome but indeed the supplies and preparations from Spain and therefore he was determined to lose no more time but since his adherents had held many practices through the whole Kingdom he made haste to let the War break out that he might see whether those Mines that were prepared would take effect Wherefore though the Duke of Mayenne besides others used also Sebastian Zâ—mâ—rti who of a Merchant of Piedmont was become a man of great business in Court and though the President de Thou and the Count de Schomâ—ergâ— met with him at Paris yet was it not possible by any conditions how large soever to persuade the King to prolong the Cessation no not for a few dayes But no sooner was the term of the Cessation expired when the effects of the Kings conversion and of the practices his Ministers had opportunely set on foot began to shew themselves for Monsieur de Vitry Governor of Meauâ— who being deep in arrears had in the time of the Truce been with the Conde de 〈◊〉 to get them paid and having not onely failed of that which he thought it most reasonable to demand but also waited many dayes before he could be admitted to tell his business a thing absolutely intolerable to the French impatiency he came back full of spite and discontent often repeating those words which are almost grown a Proverbe Point d' argent point de Vitry wherefore taking occasion from his inability to pay the Soldiers himself he called the people of the Town to a Parly and told them he had constantly followed the party of the League as long as the business was matter of Religion but now the King was turned Catholick he would not deny him due obedience nor follow them who for ambition and interest would prosecute the War and therefore delivered up the keys of the Town into their hands and leaving them at liberty to dispose of themselves went straight to put himself on that side which he manifestly saw was in the right and putting on a white Scarfe and making all his Soldiers wear the same colour was going to march out of the Town but the people excited by those few words and the example of their Governor cryed out unanimously For the King for the King and presently chose four Deputies to go and deliver the Town into his power This place was exceeding opportune as well by reason of its nearness to Paris as because it shut up the passage of the River Marne but the example of it to all the other Towns of the League was of much greater consequence for being the first that submitted it self to the King's obedience it was likely to open a way to a novelty of such importance that the sum of affairs consisted in it wherefore the King deliberating as his custom was in his Council what course was to be held and what conditions should be granted to it was in a little suspence because the opinions of his Counsellors were different among themselves some of a more fiery nature who could not so easily forget the past insolencies of the Common people and the inveterate enmity of the factions with the adherents of the Hugonots for yet some of them came to Council would have had them that returned unto their obedience bridled with severe conditions and that they should redeem their former faults and offences by sharp repentance being desirous to wreak their long setled hatred and proudly to triumph upon the enemies which they already accounted conquered But the more wise and moderate men considered that these return'd unto their obedience neither through the necessity of a Siege nor for fear of force but out of the instinct of their own will and that it was therefore fit the example should be such as might invite and allure other places of greater importance to follow it that this beginning was to serve for a rule to other Compositions and Agreements wherefore since the King used all possible endeavours to win the People to acknowledge him it would have been a cross Counsel now to reject and fright them with sharpness and severity that it was necessary to help this first motion to bring forth a happy obedience to accommodate ones self to the imperfections of the subjects and with the baite of good usage to promote those wavering thoughts they called to mind how pernicious the pardon granted to the Flemmings by the Duke of Alva had been by reason of his strictness exceptions ambiguities and want of sincerity in the conditions whence it came to pass that that strictness and doubtfulness of pardon alienated more Cities and more People from the Catholick King than so many punishments so much blood and so many violences had done before therefore they exhorted the King to grow wary at his Neighbours cost and not to run into those errors which they heard the Spaniards reproached with every day
he had in that Country and perchance reinforced by the Duke of Lorain might come on that side on the other side the Duke of Nevers places himself upon the other way that leads from Soissons right unto the Town the Duke of Longueville with his Troops of the Province quartered upon the way of Noyon and of la Fere and all these causing the field to be scowred with infinite diligence were ready to oppose and fight with them that should advance to bring either victual or other relief to the besieged The principal Pass by which the Spanish Army might come directly remained yet upon which the King lay himself and because the way was incumbred with an Hill that had a Wood upon the right hand and a great Village upon the left he took up his Quarters within the Village and made Count Soissons and the Sieur de Vic encamp on the other side at the entry of the Wood and upon the top of a Hill where the way was Monsieur d' Humieres lay in the Field with three hundred Cuirassiers and the Baron de Giury with five hundred Light-horse besides to the end the Enemy might not come unexpectedly he sent the Sieur de Clermont of Amboise with five Companies of Harquebusiers on horse-back to lie at Cressy and strengthened the Garison of St. Lambert a Castle standing upon the same way the Enemies might come directly The Passes secured in this manner five Redoubts were begun to make approaches to the Moat of the first of which the Mareschal de Byron had charge Monsieur de St. Luc of the second the Baron de Salignac of the third Monsieur de Montmartin of the fourth and the Count de Granmont of the last and in every one of them the Infantry being set on work besides many of the Country people they laboured with wonderful great diligence though they of the Town both with their Artillery and strong Sallies strove to hinder their Works in every place insomuch that the two first days before the Besiegers had time to recover themselves there were above four hundred Souldiers slain and among them the Sieur de Forcade one of the Mareschal de Byron's Lieutenants and there were wounded the Baron de Termes who lost a leg and the Marquiss de Coeuvres who within a few days died of his hurt But in the mean time the Spanish Army which had received order from the Archduke resolutely to relieve Laon according as the Duke of Mayenne should think fit to manage the business having left Cressy and St. Lambert on the left hand took upon the right and came upon the thirteenth day of Iune within a league of the Kings trenches the Duke and Count Charles as soon as the Quarters of the Army were entrenched and fortified intended to make themselves Masters of the Wood that was before them and by means of it to draw so near the Town that they might relieve it without venturing the sum of affairs The Sieur Montluet was fortified in the Wood with four Companies of Foot who when upon the fifteenth day two Captains the one an Italian the other a Spaniard advanced with fifty men to discover the quality and situation of the place and of the way repulsed them valiantly but without any great difficulty because there came so few of them and had no design to take that Post But the next morning the event of the business was quite contrary for la Berlotte entering unexpectedly into the Wood with two thousand Foot did with small resistance beat out Montluet who making his retreat in the Reer of all his men was taken prisoner and the Kings Regiment of Guards being advanced to oppose the Enemy three Captains and many valiant Souldiers were slain in the first encounter So that they being thus handled would have retired if Monsieur de Vic with the Regiments of St. Ange and Navarre had not come up to resist the Enemy But the Tertia's of Agostino Messia and the Marquiss de Trevico being likewise advanced the service was exceeding hot at the entry of the Wood and to second these Count Soissons and the Baron de Giury advanced on each hand and on the other side the Duke of Mayenne with his own Troop and the Lorain Light horse appeared in the entry of the Wood to back the Foot of his own party But the courage of the Infantry was not equal and the Horse by reason of the narrowness of the place fighting among Shrubs and Trees could do but little service whereupon the Kings Regiments receiving very great loss in the fight began to stagger and so much the rather because the Duke of Mayenne seeing a Wing of Muskettiers advance in the opening of a Meadow had faln upon them with threescore Horse and cut them all in pieces whereby it not only appeared that the Enemies would have possession of the Wood but also the Foot was in exceeding great danger of being defeated Thus difficult and dangerous was the state of the encounter when the Mareschal de Byron came up and knowing the hazard of the Infantry and of utterly losing the Wood drawn by his wonted fierceness he alighted from his Horse causing the Count de Torignyes and Sieur de la Curée's Troops to do the like and placing himself in the Front of the Battel sustained and stopt the violence of the Spaniard At the same time the King also came up who though the Trees and Hedges hindred him very much would needs have the Baron de Guiry advance with all his Horse to attack the Lorain Cavalry which being gallantly received for the Duke of Mayenne himself was there in person the conflict was as difficult as bloody and supplies hastening upon both sides from all parts Count Mansfelt came into the Wood and the Sieur d' Humieres went down from the Hill so that the business grew to a certain kind of battel in which though all fought not yet the major part was either engaged or hindred by the unfitness of the place The fight lasted with various success and several encounters till the evening at which time the King having caused all his Infantry to lie upon the very way near the Wood to fortifie against the Front of the Enemy and stop up their passage sent back his Horse to their wonted quarters But the Duke of Mayenne and Count Mansfelt considering that the most part of their Foot were advanced to make good the Wood whereby their quarter was left so weak that it might with danger be assaulted by the King in the Rear and so much the more if he should resolve upon it by night they quitted the Wood by little and little and drew off their men to the Camp the Wood being left free and exposed to the incursions and skirmishes of both Armies While they fought here and kept the Kings forces busied the Duke of Mayenne had given order that Nicolo Basti and the Sieur d' Escluseaux Colonel of a French
principal places yet the Winter beginning would not suffer greater preparations to be made by the Spaniards and so much the rather because the very season hindred the King of France his Soldiers from being able in respect of the smallness of their number and the quality of the weather to make any greater progress That which compleated the disordering of the League was the composition of the Duke of Guise who either incensed that the Duke of Mayenne had hindred his greatness or else vext that the Spaniard had shewed him a flash of exaltation and then had presently drawn in those beams shutting up the passage to all other favors and knowing that his Fathers ancient greatness was all turned upon the Duke of Mayenne whereby he both in regard of his youth and because he had no Dependents was fain not onely to yield the first place but also to content himself with one of the inferior ones resolved about this time to establish his own fortune with the King and by the means of his Mother and of the Mareschal de la Chastre agreed for himself his Brother the Prince of Iainville and Monsieur Louis destined to an Ecclesiastical life to restore Rheims Viâ—ry Rocroy St. Disier Guise Moncornet and the other places in Champagne and the quarters thereabout unto the Kings obedience receiving in recompence thereof the Government of Provence Four hundred thousand Crowns to pay the Debts their Father had ran into and many Ecclesiastical preferments for the third Brother which formerly were the Cardinal of Bourbons who after a long sickness held by the Physitians to be an Hectick Fever departed this life about this time not without suspicion of Poyson The Treaty of this agreement had been very long for the Duke of Guise stood to retain the Government of Champagne and the King would not deprive the Duke of Nevers of it and there were likewise exceeding great contentions about giving him the Government of Provence for the Duke of Espernon who had gotten it after the death of his Brother and had by many successful enterprises against the Duke of Savoy and against the League setled himself in the command was not willing to leave it nor was it this alone that hindred it but the High Chancellor and many of the Council perswaded the King not to put that Province into the Duke of Guise his hands to which he pretended right as heir of the House of Anjou but the King desired on the one side to have the Duke of Espernon leave that Government into which he had skrew'd himself in the greatest distraction of affairs without his Commission and on the other he knew that it was necessary to remedy the present without having so unseasonable a fear of the future besides that the Duke of Guise's ingenuity and moderate nature of which he had given clear testimony in the businesses lately treated by the Spaniards perswaded the King to a confidence in him Therefore the Agreement was established whereby as the King's party increased in strength and reputation so the League was not onely weakned and languishing but little less than utterly dissolved Now having told the principal matters of the War appertaining to the main body and substance of affairs the things that hapned in the remoter Provinces of the Kingdom ought likewise briefly to be related The party of the League was most firmly setled in Bretagne and more powerful there than in any other place for besides the Forces of the Province which much more united than any other followed the Duke of Mercoeur who by the prosperity of many successes had raised himself to a very high estimation there were also Five thousand Spanish Foot under Don Iuan de l' Aquila who possessing Blauet and the neighbouring places about it were ready to help wheresoever need should require in that Province But their mindes here were neither more agreeing nor more satisfied than in other places for the Duke of Mercoeur was discontented that the Spaniards should proceed with ends and designs apart nor could he frame his ears to hear talk of the pretensions which the Infanta of Spain had unto that Province as contrary to those rights which his Wife Margaret Countess of Pontievre pretended also to it nor did other things trouble him more than the Commission they had not to meddle in matters out of that Province insomuch that when the course of Victory carryed him upon some important design into the neighbouring Provinces they clipt his wings because they should not pass beyond the limits of Bretagne They on the other side were ill-satisfied that he limitting them within the circuit of Blauet would not suffer them to take footing in the Province and because going forth of that Fortress seated in the extremity of a Peninsula they had begun to raise a Fort in the neck of another Peninsula which blocked up on the land-side and hindred the entrance of ships into the Port of Brest a place frequented by the Northern Nations the Duke seemed not to consent unto it and to use many arts that the Fortification might not go forward On the other side the Mareschal d' Aumont Governor for the King had more courage than strength for the wants of the near adjacent Provinces did not suffer him to draw together above One thousand English Foot Two thousand French and Four or five hundred Horse of the voluntary Nobility of the Country but after that the King's conversion began to give him favour and to move the humours of the Province he advanced and received Laval a Town that voluntarily submitted to him and then having laid siege to Morlais he took it notwithstanding the Duke of Mercoeur laboured to relieve it and being recruited with new English Foot led by Colonel Norris which had been in Normandy he resolved to assault the Spaniards new Foot before it was brought to perfection and before they could settle themselves in the possession of that fertill and populous Sea-coast Wherefore having drawn the Army together in which there were Two thousand English Foot commanded by Colonel Norris Three thousand French commanded by the Baron de Molac Three hundred Harquebusiers on horse-back and Four hundred Gentlemen and being abundantly furnished with Artillery Ammunition and other necessaries by Monsieur de Sourdiac Governor of Brest who being hard by to ease himself of the trouble of the Spaniards supplyed all wants he brought his Army before it upon the Eleventh of October The Fort was seated upon a natural Rock and incompassed by the Sea quite round except onely where the Peninsula joyns to the firm Land on which side they had raised two Bulwarks in form of a Tenaille and between them was the Gate with its Draw-bridge Moat and Counterscarp all designed with excellent skill though not yet perfected to a defensible condition The Governor of the Fort was Don Tomaso Prassides an old experienced Commander and he had with him Four hundred Spanish Foot
with plentiful provisions of all things necessary for the defence of it The difficulty of that siege appeared at the very first for as soon as they began to break ground and make their approaches by the help of Trenches unto the edge of the Counterscarp they found there was not above two foot of earth after which they met with the impediment of the hard rock wherefore it was necessary to make use of Gabions in the bringing planting and filling whereof they disputed for the space of nine dayes with great execution upon the Besiegers they within with singular art making use of small pieces of Artillery wherewith they were abundantly stored and fallying out at the Skyt-gates sometime of one Bulwark sometimes of the other molested them continually no less by day than they did by night but at last the constant resolution of the Besiegers overcame the difficulty of the enterprise and having planted twelve pieces of Cannon they began to play upon the Bulwarks and though at the first their Bullets striking upon the Earth did little harm yet their continual battering having broke the fence of Bavins wherewith the Rampart was fastened together and made it slip down the Moat began to fill by little and little affording better conveniency of advancing to make the assault Wherefore the Baron de Molac wiâ—h the French assaulted the Bulwark on the right hand and Colonel Norris with the English assaulted the other on the left But though the assault was bold and violent the Spaniards received it with so much constancy that after a wondrous hot fight of three hours the Assailants were precipitately beaten off above an hundred being slain with three French Captains and four English and that loss was much increased by their own Cannoniers for they as the Assailants were retiring going to fire their Artillery against the Defendents that were upon the Rampart did it with so little discretion that they blew up their Powder and killed many of their Souldiers This accident gave the Spaniard great opportunity to make up their Works again for while they stayed for new Supplies from Brest of powder and new instruments to use their Cannon withal they had time to mend up their Bulwarks again with the same Earth fortifying them with two strong Pallisadoes the French call them Phraises which compassed them round about But the Battery being furnished again they began to batter again upon the fourth of November with more fury than they had done before and the Pallisadoes yielding easily to the force of the Cannon they began to plain the way once more and make it fit for an assault which whilst it was just ready to be given there came such a sudden storm of Thunder and Lightning and such abundance of Rain that it was necessary to defer it till the next day in which time the besieged cut off the points of the Bulwarks and made a retrenchment to cover themselves in such manner that the next morning they sustained the assault very valiantly with small loss to themselves and a very great one to the Enemies who were scarce gone down from the assault and setled to their rest when the Spaniards sallying out to the number of seventy suddenly made themselves Masters of the Battery of the French kill'd a Colonel and above two hundred other Souldiers whom they found unprovided and laid to sleep and nail'd three pieces of Cannon yet the Baron de Molac being come up they were beaten back into the Moat not having lost above eleven of their men The Siege went on but slowly for the Mareschal d' Aumonâ— being burthened with years but more with toil and labour was fallen dangerously sick and yet the continual molestation they of the Fort received consumed them from day to day in such manner that they began earnestly to sollicite relief but the Duke of Mercoeur took small care of them for he was not displeased that the Fort should be taken knowing the Spaniards aim'd to possess themselves of all that coast which full of Islands secure Harbours and great well-peopled Towns by reason of the Supplies it might receive from the Spanish Fleet was marvellous opportune to nourish a long War and dangerous combustion in all Bretagne wherefore though he had been constrained to grant them Blauet yet he took it extream ill they should endeavour to enlarge themselves further for this cause alledging divers excuses and causing many obstacles and impediments to arise he still deferred the relief Don Iuan del Aquila who had not any number of Horse with him could very hardly move to raise the siege of Fort Croisil for so they called the place yet the siege still pressing and it seeming to him a very great fault to let his own Country-men be destroyed without assistance he advanced with four thousand Foot and two pieces of Cannon towards Quimpercorantin to see whether the jealousie of that place could move the French to draw off but having met the Sieur de Mombaraut who lay upon that way with two hundred Curassiers and fifty Harquebusiers on Horse-back though he retiring by little and little drew at last within the Walls yet the Town was so secured thereby that the fear of losing it made no necessity of raising the siege of Croisil besides he had no such Artillery nor preparations as were sufficient for that enterprise wherefore turning another way and passing under the Walls of the Town he came upon the Road that leads straight from Quimpercorantin to the French Camp intending to encamp in advantageous places where the Horse might not hurt them and try in some sort by drawing near to hinder the taking of the Fort but Mombraut following them in the Rere with his Cavalry and the Sieur du Tremblay advancing from the Camp with an hundred and fifty Horse more Don Iuan del Aquila was forced to march not only very warily but very slowly lest he should be molested in open places by the Cavalry to which the Chevalier de Postonville and the Sieur de Basternay being joined with the rest of the Horse that belonged to the Camp he was constrained to go a great circuit of ground to get to the Peninsula by Land which if he had had Shipping he might have done in a short space by Water In the mean time the Mareschal d' Aumont recovered of his sickness having call'd Monsieur de Sourdiac unto the Camp press'd the besieged with his utmost power and having upon the eighteenth day of November battered from break of day till the Sun began to decline he caused the Baron de Molac to give the assault who being beaten off Colonel du Bordet fell on and he being likewise repulsed with a greater slaughter than the other the English without delay stormed it on the other side and a valiant Squadron of Gentlemen renewed the assault on the other and though Martin Frobisher one of the English Colonels and Colonel Trescane one of the French
that enterprise but though he resolved it upon the sudden and turn'd that way without losing a minutes time yet could not the siege be layed and the passages blocked up so speedily but that the Duke of Bouillon was advertised of it who being taken at unawares put in four hundred Gentlemen and eight hundred Foot but it was a very pernitious Counsel for if he had put into the Town all the Foot that he had with him which was above Two thousand he would not afterwards have been necessitated to attempt with so great a loss to relieve it and if he had not engaged the Gentry within the circuit of those Walls he would have been so strong in Horse that by obstructing the wayes he might have forced them to rise but in sudden occasions the wisest persons do not remember all things As soon as these Forces were entred into the Garrison which in all amounted to the number of Eleven hundred Foot and Five hundred Horse the fault began to appear for there being no Commander of Authority to manage the weight of the defence the Lords and Gentlemen of the Country who were there by desiring all to Command put all things in disorder and confusion so that their presence which would have been very proper very helpful in the field proved rather destructive than serviceable in the Town And yet every one knowing it was needful to keep the Enemy at a distance from the Walls they betook themselves to bring some of those Ravelines that were without the circuit of the Ramparts into so good forwardness as to retard the approach of the Enemy for some dayes but the defect of the Garrison appeared likewise in this for the Gentlemen did not care to lay hand to the work and the Foot being few in respect of the necessity all preparations went on but slowly The Spanish Army encamped before Dourlans upon the fifteenth day of Iuly and the same evening Valentine Sieur de la Motte who executed the Office of Camp-Master-General going to view the place near at hand to resolve on which side it should be fittest to assault it was killed with a Musket-shot in the right eye a Soldier who from small and low beginnings passing through all Military degrees was risen with a most renowned fame of valour and experience unto the eminency of the most remarkable Offices and most important commands The man whom the Conde de Fuentes designed to supply his place was Christian Sieur du Rosne who by his sagacity which was exceeding great added to the valour and experience of many years had gotten himself an infinite reputation among the Spaniards and by his Counsel before all other things they began to fortifie the quarters of the Army and with Forts and Half-moons to shut up the Enemies as well to hinder the relief that might endeavor to get into the Town as to secure his Camp which was not very great from the sudden assaults and attempts of the French These Works being ended there remained to be resolved on which side the Place should be assaulted for many were of opinion to begin with the Castle first and many others finding it very difficult to take the Castle advertised to possess themselves of the Town first to facilitate the way to the taking of the Castle But after long consultation a third opinion carried it propounded by du Rosne which was that the Town should be assaulted on that side where it joyned with the Castle because at the same time a breach might be made in the Wall and part of the defence of the Castle taken away The quality of the situation advised the same which in respect of the River Oyse that passes there was more easie to be made defensible whereby the Batteries would be the stronger and better sheltered from any attempt the Duke of Bouillon or the Count de S. Paul should make who it was already known were with very great diligence drawing their Forces together to relieve the Gentry which they unadvisedly shut up in the Town The first violence of the siege met with an Half-moon without the Ramparts that separated the Castle from the Town which though of nothing but earth yet being by length of time firmly knit together did little fear the battering of the Cannon Wherefore Monsieur du Rosne having found the small fruit of playing upon it began two Trenches to approach covered from the shot both of the Town and Castle and brought them within a stones cast of the Half-moon but while the Defendants believed he would continue them to the Moat he suddenly caused two Squadrons that were prepared ready one Italians the other Walloons to sally out of them who some scrambling up upon the Earth others clapping scaling ladders against it got so quickly upon the Parapet that they fell in pell-mell with the Defendants before the Artillery of the Castle could hurt them The fight was short but valiant for the Defendants were all soldiers of experience and yet their being taken so at unawares was the cause that after they had fought a quarter of an hour being over-pow'red by the greater number they were forced to retire saving themselves within the covered way that was without the moat of the Town Monsieur de Rosne entering the Half-moon commanded la Berlotte's Tertia to cover and fortifie themselves in that place having designed to make use of that same Post to plant his Battery in it The Walloons were diligent and careful in fortifying themselves but they of the Town were no less ready to hinder their work for with three Sacres that were upon a Platform of the Town and on the other side with the Artillery from the Castle they did so play upon the place where the besiegers wrought that the slaughter of them was very great and yet the Italians Spaniards and Walloons working by turns the Half-moon was at last made defensible and in it they planted seven Culverins which battered the Works of the Castle and six Cannon that played against the wall of the Town insomuch that having shot continually for two dayes together matters were brought to such a pass that they were ready to open two trenches into the Counterscarp wherewith approaching they might advance to the assault But in the mean time the Duke of Bouillon and the Count de St. Paul being joyned with the Admiral Villars and the Forces of Normandy were intent upon relieving that place but not so much for the importance of the Town as in respect of the great number of Gentlemen that were shut up in it and though the Army they had was not very numerous yet they were confident the Gentry which they had with them would inable them to put in men and ammunition by forcing the Guards on some side or other though they were diligent and well strengthened by the Enemy The Sieur de Sessavalle's design was to enter into the Town with a Thousand Foot and Four and twenty Carriages
of Ammunition and at the same time to make the 400 Gentlemen that were in Dourlans retire into the Army wherein besides the Infantry there were Twelve hundred Curassiers and Six hundred Harquebusiers on Horse-back and because the circuit and the entries into the Town were unequal and some on this side some on that side of the River which nevertheless by reason of its shallowness might be forded in many places without difficulty they determined to divide themselves into three Squadrons and appear three several wayes to keep the enemy divided and imployed in divers places they consulted among themselves the evening of the twenty third of Iuly what was best to be done the Count de S. Paul was of opinion to which the Marquiss of Belin and the Sieur de Sessavalle assented that they should stay for the Duke of Nevers who being appointed by the King to the superintendence of the affairs of that Province was already near at hand it seeming to them a very great rashness to attempt that then with exceeding great danger which they might undertake within two days with more force and more hope of good success But the Duke of Bouillon an old emulator of the Duke of Nevers not onely by reason of their difference in Religion but also of the fame of wisdom to the first place whereof they mutually aspired could not endure to hear of staying for his coming and that the glory should be reserved for him which he pretended should result unto himself by raising the siege or relieving the Town and having drawn the Admiral to his opinion he caused it to be determined in a manner by force that the next morning they should try their fortune On the other side the Count de Fuentes knowing that all the hope of the French could consist in nothing but keeping him distracted in several places resolved to advance three miles to meet them that he might oppose their attempt with all his Forces united and having left Harnando Telles Portocarrero to guard the Battery with Twelve hundred Foot and Gasparo Zappogna with a Thousand more to defend their quarters and works he with all the rest of the Army advanced upon the same way the enemy was coming The Prince of Avellino led the Van wherein were two Squadeons of Horse one Walloons and Flemings and the other Italians and on the Flanks of them two Wings of Spanish Musquettiers the Duke of Aumale and Monsieur du Rosne followed with two Squadrons of Infantry which had each of them four field-pieces in the Front and in the last was placed the rest of the Cavalry with the Count himself and by his side a Battalion of Germans On the other side the Admiral and the Duke of Bouillon led the Van the Count St. Paul was in the Battel and had by him Monsieur de Sessavalle with the Foot that were to go into Dourlans and the Marquiss of Belin commanded the Rear It was the four and twentieth of Iuly the Eve of St. Iames the Apostle and it was near noon when the Armies marching mutually to meet came within sight of one another without delay the French Vanguard with very great violence charged the two Squadrons of the enemies Cavalry whereof that of Walloons which was upon the left hand being broken and disordered by the Admiral manifestly ran away but that of Italians where the Prince of Avellino was did long sustain the fury of the Duke of Bouillon till the Admiral who had routed and driven away the Enemy drawing near upon the Flank it likewise was constrained to retire though without falling into disorder but the Wings of Spanish Musquettiers coming up the service was hot and furious and so much the more because the Walloon Horse rallying again had likewise faced about and fought with no less courage than the rest In the mean time Sessavalle advancing out of hand to march to Dourlans fell into one of the Squadrons of Foot that followed being led by the Duke of Aumale and there begâ—n between them a no less fierce encounter than there was among the Horse But as soon as du Rosne saw those Squadrons charge one another so courageously he with that which he led turning a good pace upon the right hand possessed himself of a higher ground which was upon the Flank of Sessavalle and first raking through them with his field-pieces from thence and then falling in with two Wings of Muskettiers that were in the Front of his men did so great execution upon them that the Sieur de Sessavalle and Colonel St. Denis being slain and all their Colours lost the French Foot were so dispersed that they could no more be rallied and the Carriages of Ammunition remained in the power of the Enemy In the mean time the Conde de Fuentes getting up to an high place from whence he discovered the various fortune of his men sent out two Squadrons of Horse to assist the Prince of Avellino and Monsieur du Rosne with the Duke of Aumale having put their Squadrons again in order advanced on each side to the place of fight Wherefore the Duke of Bouillon knowing how to yield to fortune without being willing to adventure any farther retired with small loss towards the Battel with which the Count de St. Paul reserving himself untouched had not at all engaged in the encounter but the Admiral who much more fiercely had from the beginning rushed upon the greater number of the Enemy having seen the Sieur d' Arginvilliers Governor of Abbeville and the Sieur de Hacqueville Governor of Ponteau de Mer Captain Perdriel and above Two hundred Gentlemen of Normandy fall dead before him though later and with more difficulty would likewise have taken a resolution to retire if pity and gallantry had not called him afresh into the midst of the Battel for seeing his Nephew the young Sieur de Montigny with fifteen or twenty of his followers totally engaged and sharply prosecuted by the Spanish Infantry of Antonio Mendozza he calleâ— back his men that were retiring and furiously turned about his Horse to fetch him off but being surrounded by the Spanish Muskettiers and his passage cut off by the Italian and Walloon Cavalry fighting valiantly and wounded in many places he fell at last from his Horse and though telling his name he offered Fifty thousand Crowns in ransome he was killed in cold blood by a Spanish soldier and another to get a very rich Diamond Ring he wore without any regard cut off his finger for which crimes they wâ—re by the severity of the Count de Fuentes both put to death All those that followed him were killed upon the place close by him though fighting desperately they made the Victory very bloody to the Enemy The Duke of Bouillon either judging it a greater service to the King to save the rest of the Army or else moved by his ill will towards the Admiral who was a very zealous Catholick perswaded the Count
under pretence of defending him sets strict Guards upon his House 181. his words to the Prince of Condé 186. deprives the Marshal d'Anville Son of Anna de Momorancy of his Dignity by a Decree 198. dyeth May 30 1574. 201 King Chilperic of an Effeminate Nature put into a Monastery by Charles Martel and Pepin Masters of the Palace 360 King Clodian second King of France made himself Master of Belgia and this was first conquered 4 King Francis I. advances Charles of Bourbon and afterwards suppresseth him whereupon he rebelleth 5. taken with an Apoplexy under the Barbers hands 38 King Henry III. succeeds Charles IX 205. returning out of Poland at Thurin restores certain places to the Duke of Savoy kept by the Kings of France for security 207. is ill affected to the King of Navarre and Prince of Condé Heads of the Hugonots and Duke of Guise Head of the Catholicks 209. demands the King of Sueden's Sister to Wife 211. Consecrated at Rheims by the Cardinal of Lorrain Brother to the Duke of Guise and next day marries Louyse de Vaudemont Neece to the Duke of Lorrain 212. takes Mombrum who had taken his Carriages and executes him ibid. frames a new model of Government 213. his Speech at the beginning of the Assembly at Blois 227. declares himself Head of the Catholick League 231. sends two Armies against the Hugonots and makes Duke of Alanzon Lieutenant-General 233. his manner of Life 236. Institutes the Order of the Holy Ghost 238. sends forth three Armies 242. Takes upon him the protection of Geneva 250. answers the Spanish Ambassador sharply makes an Edict against raising Soldiers 260. his Answer to the Catholick Leagues Declaration 267. esteems Luigi Davila the Authors Brother and makes use of him in managing Affairs and War 274. makes a specious Proposition of Peace 275. his Edict against the Hugonots 281. calls the Heads of Paris together and demands money for the Wars of the Catholicks against the Hugonots 282. a Saying of his 283. confers the Government of Provence on the Duke d'Espernon ibid. despairing of Issue resolves to further the King of Navarre's right to the Crown and unite himself with him for the destruction of the Guises 297. his solemn Oath 308. Another Saying of his sends an Army against the King of Navarre and gives secret Order to Savardin to oppose but not suppress him 311. Honours the Wedding of the Duke of Espernon and Countess de Candale with great Presents 312. Goes in person to keep the German Army from joining with the King of Navarre 320. declares Duke d'Espernon Admiral of the Kingdom and Governor of Normandy 333. commands the Duke of Guise not to come to Paris 337. shews himself angry with the Duke of Guise coming to visit him 338. is strongly guarded for fear of him 339. commands Fifteen thousand to be driven out of Paris 341. leaves it and retires to Chartres 346. orders the Duke d'Espernon to quit his Government of Normandy 351. receives the Duke of Guise at Chartres with great demonstrations of kindness in appearance 354 dismisseth many old Servants for their too much wisdom after the example of his Grandfather 357. begins the Assembly at Blois with a fine Speech which stings the Duke of Guise and his Adherents 359. swears with the States to perform a former Edict 360. after much opposition consents coldly to declare the King of Navarre and all others suspected of Heresie uncapable of the Crown 362. He the States and Duke of Guise send to the Duke of Savoy to demand restitution of Saluzzo and upon refusal to denounce War 365. goes Armed to a factious quarrel ibid. admits Pio Mocinego Ambassador from Venice though he were not one of the Savii de terra firma 367. resolves to free himself of the Duke of Guise 368. orders him to be killed 369. admits every one into his presence speaking very resentingly 371. A Saying of his upon the Duke of Guises being killed ibid. discourses a long while with Cardinal Moresini about the Dukes death ib. highly offended at the Popes sharp Answer to his Ambassadors sent to excuse the Cardinal of Guises death 382. promises the Duke of Mayenne very great things by Letter 384. sends the Bishop of Mons on purpose to demand absolution for the Cardinals death 385. puts himself in the Fight and orders his Soldiers at Tours 398. takes Gergeau and Piviers 402. Troubled at the Popes Censure and Monitory and fasts 48 hours 402. his words upon being Excommunicated ibid. taking Estamps hangs the Magistrates and gives the Pillage to the Soldiers ib. layes Siege to Paris 403. A Saying of his when looking upon it 404. called Henry of Valois the Tyrant and Persecutor of the Faith ibid. is thrust into the Belly with a Knife by Fryer Jaques Clement strikes the same Knife into his forehead dyes August 10. 1589. having lived Thirty six years and Reigned fifteen and two months Page 406 King Meâ—ove the third King of France continues the Conquests of Belgia by Clodian as far as Paris and unites it to France 4 King of Navarre sollicits in the name of the Princes of the Blood that they might share in the Government 16. kept a Prisoner 36. excommunicated by the Pope applies himself to the Opinions of Beza and Peter Martyr 42. dyes 76 King of Nâ—varre afterwards Henry IV. his Answer to Henry IIIs words at the Excommunication against him 48. is in great perplexity 407. his Answer about changing his Religion 408 swears to maintain the Catholick Religion 410. raises the Siege before Paris and divides his Forces to convenient places 412. desires to speak with Villeroy but the Duke of Mayenne will not consent ib. He and the Duke treat by a third person but nothing done ib. appoints the Assembly of States at Tours 416. marches successfully to Diepe and fortifies the places about it 417 c. is in great danger in the midst of his Enemies a Speech of his 421. a Saying of his 422. refuses in modesty to go under the Canopy of State at Amiens 423. marches towards Paris assaults the Suburbs gives the Pillà ge to his Soldiers 423. dismantles Estamps ibid. takes Vendosme gives the Pillage to his Soldiers condemns the Governor to death for his infidelity and Father Robert a Franciscan for commending the killing Henry III. 426. acknowledged King of France by Publick Solemnity at Tours and by the Republick of Venice 427. makes himself Master of all Towns and Fortresses in Normandy 428. besieges Dreux 440. raises the Siege 442. designs his form of Battel and draws it with his own hand 443. All armed on Horseback visits and exhorts his Soldiers with great efficacy and at the head of his Army lifting up his eyes to Heaven prayes heartily 446. his Clemency towards the French gives the Suisses quarter puts the Germans that revolted to the Sword 448. takes Two hundred and four Ensigns and Câ—rnets with all the Cannon and Baggage on his side but Five hundred slain 449.
make the Print of the foot longer than the foot it self and that the expences made by his Predecessor exceeded the abilities of the Apostolick See and that he would contribute Fifteen thousand Ducats a month till businesses were setled after which settlement he would strain himself to do the most that the strength of the Treasury should be able to bear which things written into France by many did not onely disturb the mindes of the French Lords but also made the Duke of Monte-Marciano and Commissary Matteucci doubtful which way they should carry themselves Nevertheless he created the Bishop of Piacenza Cardinal and appointed him Legat in France as a man experienced and who already had the management in his hands it being commonly said That new Ministers do maim businesses before they have time to understand and apprehend them The Legate being chosen he wrote that if the Duke of Parma came into the Kingdom by the fifteenth of December at the farthest then the Forces of the Apostolick See should follow his Camp but if he entred not within the said term they should certainly be disbanded which did not much please the Spanish Ministers who saw the Pope little inclined to follow their ends but much less the Duke of Mayenne who saw he could not hope for those Aids that were fit for his design But his death which happened in the second month of his Popedom did so confound the mindes of the Legate and the rest that the Duke of Parma was necessitated with his entreaties and authority to constrain them to follow him in the present need and to promise the Swissers to pay them with his own money if they were not satisfied by the next Pope All things being thus setled and the Forces drawn from all parts the Armies joyned and advanced with easie marches towards Nesle where being arrived upon the fourth of Ianuary the Duke of Parma would needs make a general Rendezvous of his Forces which he mustered and caused to be paid a weeks pay and likewise the Duke of Mayenne the Count de Vaudemont and the Duke of Monte-Marciano reviewed their Forces and for that purpose and to stay for the Artillery and Ammunition which moved more slowly they lay twelve dayes in the same Quarters They set forward upon the sixteenth in the morning and by the way of Amiens though the longer yet the better and more abundant in provisions marched directly toward Rouen When they had passed Amiens and left behind them the River Somme the Duke of Parma would needs distribute the parts of his Army and march continually in battalia si nce they entred into an Enemies Country full of uneven places Woods and little Rivers for which cause he would not expose himself to the danger of being assaulted unawares by the King's readiness and celerity which by past experience was exceedingly well known unto him There were in the Army about Six thousand Horse eight hundred Reiters commanded by the Baron of Swarzembourg Two thousand Light-horse in the absence of the Duke of Pastrana commanded by Georgio Basti Commissary of the Cavalry Four hundred Flemish Lances under the Prince of Chimais An hundred Italian Lances of the General of the Church led by his Lieutenant Lodovico Melzi Seven hundred Lorain Lances and Cuirassiers commanded by the Count de Vaudemont and Two thousand Horse of the French Gentry that followed the Dukes of Mayenne and Guise and the other Princes and Lords of that party The Infantry amounted to the number of 24000 whereof Two thousand Swissers to so small a number were they reduced that were raised by the Church Three Spanish Tertia's under Antonio Zuniga Lodovico Velasco and Alonzo Idiaques Two of Germans under the conduct of the Counts of Barlemont and Arembergh Four of Walloons under Monsieur du Vert Count Octavio Mansfelt the Count de Bossu and Colonel Claude de la Berlotte Two Tertia's of Italians that of Camillo Capizucchi's and a part of that which formerly was Pietro Gaetano's led by his Serjeant Major and Four thousand French under the Sieurs de Bois-Dauphine and Balagny and Colonel St. Paul This Army was divided into three Battalions the Van-guard led by the Duke of Guise accompanied by the Sieurs de Vitry and de la Chastre the Battel in which were the Dukes of Parma and Mayenne the Count de Vaudemont and the Duke of Montemarciano and the Rere-guard commanded by the Duke of Aumale and the Count de Chaligny with many other Lords The first flying Squadron of Foot was led by Camillo Capizucchi wherein were all the Italians the Swissers guarded the Artillery which were under the command of the Sieurs de la Motte and Bassompierre Georgio Basti with a good Body of Carabines and Light-horse marched before the whole Army to scowr and secure the ways and the Sieur de Rosne had the charge of Serjeant-Major-General The King having heard the news of the coming of the Army of the League consulted maturely what was to be done and having the example of Paris before him resolved to leave the Mareschal de Biron with all the Infantry and part of the Cavalry before Rouen to continue the siege and to go himself with a good strength of Horse to meet the Enemy not to fight with them in the open field but to hinder them upon Passes to retard and interrupt their march and to lay hold of those opportunities which the quality of situations and the motions of the Confederates should afford He was perswaded to this resolution by finding himself so strong and powerful in Horse for the Duke of Nevers the Duke of Longueville the Count de St. Paul and many other Lords being newly arrived at the Army there were in all above Ten thousand Horse and in the Camp between Seven and eight and twenty thousand Foot wherefore the King putting confidence in this number left the major part of the German Cavalry hard to be governed and also some number of the French in the Camp before Rouen and he himself with 2000 Cuirassiers Five hundred light-horse A thousand Reiters commanded by the Prince of Anhalt and 2000 Harquebuziers on horseback departed upon the nine and twentieth of Ianuary to march up toward the â—nemy At his arrival at Folleville a little Town at the entring into Picardy he received intelligence that at that very time the Enemies Army keeping the right way toward Rouen was passing a little lower toward the Field that encompasses the passage of the great high-way Wherefore having sent the Sieur de Rambures before with Fifteen Light-horse to make discovery he drew out the Grand Esquire with Forty Gentlemen upon the right hand and the Sieur de Lavardin with Thirty upon the left and he himself in the midst with Sixscore Horse advanced that he might conveniently view what order the Army of the League kept in marching when they had advanced in this manner little less than a League Lavardin